Chapter 101
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: One-Character Wisdom Sword, Taiji Wisdom Sword
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The fierce battle dragged on for a while, and during that time, Sacheonggi unleashed over a hundred sword forms.
He had already varied and executed the sword forms of the Wuji Taiji Sword Method in countless ways, but the situation remained unchanged.
In contrast, it was impossible to count how many forms Dogwang had used, or even to identify which sword method or specific form he was employing.
With no beginning or origin, the essence of the Taiji Sword Method—forgetting all forms and discarding them entirely to reveal its true power—was being perfectly demonstrated.
Whether it was merely the Taiji Sword Method or the Taiji Wisdom Sword, it all boiled down to the same rotation of Taiji.
Now, compared to Sacheonggi's Wuji Taiji Sword, which was gradually losing speed, Dogwang's Taiji Sword grew heavier yet faster with each passing moment.
Proportionally, the power of the qi cloaking their blades began to diverge sharply.
The blue grew ever deeper, while the red faded thinner and thinner.
Sacheonggi, now drenched in sweat across his forehead, was inwardly shocked.
He knew full well that he could not overcome Wudang's Seven Branch Divine Sword Jin Mujja.
The realm Jin Mujja had attained was a level of martial arts beyond what Sacheonggi could reach through effort alone.
Perhaps—and though he could never admit it—it might even be the limit of Mount Hua's sword arts.
Yet now, he felt the exact same sense of defeat he had once known against the elder Jin Mujja, but from his disciple, the Myriad Sword Student. The humiliation was several times greater.
But he was the Azure Purity Sword Sage, the pinnacle master representing Mount Hua. He could not back down like this.
Sacheonggi steeled his resolve, withdrew his offense, and retreated three steps.
"Why? Shall we call it?"
Dogwang asked Sacheonggi with a face devoid of any smile.
Without answering, Sacheonggi raised his longsword again.
Unlike before, he lifted it to forehead height in a high guard stance.
"Want to keep going? Good thinking, though. That last bit was no good. Heh..."
Seeing this, Dogwang sneered, and Sacheonggi responded through gritted teeth.
"Fine. The Wuji Taiji Sword couldn't handle it. But today's business won't end like this."
"Sure, do whatever you want! But what? Wuji Taiji Sword? Don't bother with that anymore."
As Dogwang taunted him again, Sacheonggi finally lost his composure.
"I will cut you down!"
With those words, he unleashed over ten-tenths of his inner power, propelling his form forward in a explosive dash.
Unexpectedly, it was the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Method.
Sacheonggi had chosen Mount Hua's foundational sword art—the one he knew best and had mastered to the highest degree.
Indeed, Sacheonggi was a sword hero representing not just Mount Hua but the entire martial world, and the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword was the essence of Mount Hua's swordsmanship.
His longsword blazed with vivid red battle qi, and a faint plum blossom fragrance wafted through the hall.
At last, the true sword of Mount Hua revealed itself.
Soon, Dogwang's entire body was engulfed by swirling plum blossoms, vanishing from sight.
Plum Blossoms Filling the Sky.
It was not the name of any specific form.
The plum blossom petals Sacheonggi scattered truly blanketed the heavens as they flew.
Unlike his earlier tone, Dogwang's expression turned grave as he swung his longsword.
If Mount Hua had the Plum Blossom Sword Method, then Wudang naturally wielded the Taiji Sword Method. Dogwang simply continued with the Taiji Sword Method he had used from the start.
The beginning and end of Wudang martial arts was Taiji, and his intent to shatter Mount Hua's sword with pure Taiji principles was unmistakable.
However, Sacheonggi's current Plum Blossom Sword was utterly sharp and innumerable, making it difficult to fully embrace them now.
Sword qi petals the size of actual plum blossoms flew in endlessly, forcing Dogwang's circular Taiji to shrink and become even more precise.
It was no easy task.
Holes the size of plum blossoms began appearing across Dogwang's robes.
The tide had turned decisively in Sacheonggi's favor.
Dogwang's Taiji could no longer encompass all of Sacheonggi's countless petals—it was inevitable.
Yet the basics of any swordsman demanded cool composure.
Had Sacheonggi maintained his calm and poured out the full essence of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossoms, he might have truly buried Dogwang in flowers. Instead, he made a fatal error.
When Dogwang's sword tip dulled, he rushed for the finish.
Abandoning the Plum Blossom Sword Method, he unleashed the pinnacle of Mount Hua sword arts: the One-Character Wisdom Sword.
But the One-Character Wisdom Sword was not a form based on inner power; it was the realm of unity between body and sword attained through insight from the upper dantian. Manifesting its mystery required a split-second pause.
Sacheonggi drew his sword before him.
In that instant, Dogwang escaped the encircling plum blossoms and seized the chance to counter the One-Character Wisdom Sword.
If Mount Hua had the One-Character Wisdom Sword, Wudang had its Taiji Wisdom Sword.
Extremes resonated with extremes; different paths led to similar ultimates.
Wudang's Taiji Wisdom Sword was a similar art to Mount Hua's One-Character Wisdom Sword.
Dogwang likewise drew and raised his sword, then closed his eyes.
To settle it with wisdom swords meant relying on qi sense; now, the depth of enlightenment would decide the victor.
In the next moment, the onlookers' eyes lost sight of both figures.
Boom!
A massive explosion followed.
Of course, they hadn't vanished—they had each become their swords, charging at one another, and finally collided.
Blue battle qi and red battle qi erupted in all directions, kicking up a huge cloud of dust. Only moments later did their forms reappear to the crowd.
The outcome was already decided.
Sacheonggi, staggering but still standing, had a broken longsword, his hair disheveled.
He coughed, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood.
The mystery of the Taiji Wisdom Sword lay in the unity of body and sword, stacking the power of Taiji thousands or tens of thousands of times in an instant into the blade.
It was the profound secret of Wudang's unique arts, incomprehensible to outsiders.
Even Sacheonggi could not withstand the compounded pressure of that Taiji.
"Taejeong. Did you see?"
Dogwang's calm voice echoed through the now deathly silent hall.
His robes were shredded to rags.
Yet Dogwang extended his hand, offering his longsword to Yi Taejeong.
Yi Taejeong hurried forward, took his master's sword, and sheathed it.
"Indeed, this disciple has gained great insight."
"Good. Let's go."
Dogwang led the way, followed by Yi Taejeong and Bangchung, who leaned on him for support.
Before leaving the hall, however, Dogwang did not forget one final word to Sacheonggi.
"Today, I broke two of Mount Hua's longswords. Let this balance the three fingers of my master's hand. Should any disputes arise later, come find this Hand Demon anytime."
The three departed, but no one stepped forward to stop them, nor even uttered a word.
Dogwang's retreating figure now loomed like a colossal mountain.
The Azure Purity Sword Sage Sacheonggi—one of the Six Immortals—had fallen.
No trace of the former playfulness remained in Dogwang, or rather Son Mu-gi the Myriad Sword Student, who had brought him down.
In Dunhuang, an earth-shaking event had unfolded: one of the Six Immortals might be replaced, with Wudang's Myriad Sword Student taking his place.
The laborers on the hall's roof resumed laying tiles.
But no one paid them any mind.
They had to rush off and spread word of what they had witnessed today.
* * *
A sharp roar, though subdued, shook the room.
"What nonsense is this? At such a critical juncture. Tsk tsk..."
It was Emei Sect's Golden Purity Immortal Nun.
Before her sat the dejected Sacheonggi and the awkward Saunbo.
The rebuke fell once more on the silent, honey-mute Sacheonggi.
"From what I hear, you went too far. And with so many onlookers, no less."
It was the Capturing Dragon Divine Dog Jin Hwi.
The Dew-Cutting Sword Guest Ilseonja sat with a displeased expression as well.
"The opponent was Wudang's disciple. The bandit overseer, I can't say, but against Wudang, you should have shown more restraint."
As Jin Hwi continued his scolding, Saunbo spoke up in his stead.
"Please don't press him so hard. Even my brother didn't wish for this outcome, did he?"
No one responded to Saunbo's words.
After a pause, however, the Golden Purity Immortal Nun spoke in a heavy tone.
"That Myriad Sword Student Son Mu-gi possesses such skill... Truly astonishing."
The silent Ilseonja finally spoke.
"The rumors are already spreading through Dunhuang. Some are even calling Son Il-gi the Sword Sage..."
"How does Wudang produce such masters so effortlessly... Tsk."
Jin Hwi smacked his lips, muttering in lament.
It was the truth.
Though the Nine Great Sects and Shaolin were named supreme, in recent years, Wudang commanded the highest renown.
Of course, legends like the Full Moon Immortal Yeo Cheong and the two Seven Branch Divine Swords Jin Mujja were famous, but now was the era of Wudang's Seven Sages.
The Full Moon Immortal and the two Seven Branch Divine Swords had long withdrawn from the jianghu, but the exploits of the Seven Sages were widely known.
Especially the third, who was now Wudang's sect leader, the Upright Immortal Hyeonpungzi.
The other five Sages roamed the jianghu, raising their fame, and now even the youngest of the Seven Sages—who had vanished for so long—had appeared.
Moreover, with the Myriad Sword Student defeating Mount Hua's Azure Purity Sword Sage today, his fame now pierced the heavens.
"In any case, what's done is done—Mount Hua will handle it. Now, with construction wrapping up, shouldn't we get to our own business?"
Sacheonggi, who hadn't spoken a word, sighed and lifted his head to change the subject.
The others had no desire to revisit the matter either.
Fortunately, this had occurred between Mount Hua and Wudang—two of the Nine Great Sects.
"We should. With the tiles going up today, we can carve the inscriptions on the hall's pillars in two days."
Jin Hwi replied, but the Golden Purity Immortal Nun raised a question.
"But Kunlun and Wudang haven't arrived yet. What then?"