Chapter 36
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Myriad Sword Scholar Son Mugi
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Dokwang's manner of speaking was straight out of a gambler's mouth at the gambling table.
No regard for age or status—just blurting out whatever came to mind.
Enraged, Namgung Jinsso channeled his internal energy throughout his body.
"Truly a madman. But no matter how obsessed with gambling you are, you're still human. Today, I'll have to teach you some proper manners."
Namgung Jinsso's cold voice, infused with power, echoed through the hall.
Those who had been boisterously eating, drinking, and chatting at the other round tables fell silent all at once, turning their attention this way.
'That lunatic's finally starting trouble today.'
Everyone in the hall shared the same thought.
His opponent was Namgung Jinsso, the Azure Dragon Unfettered Sword, regarded as the supreme master of the western martial world.
Even among the entire Namgung Clan, he was one of the top five absolute peak experts.
The other three masters showed no intention of intervening; they merely watched.
Only Jin Seolhwa fidgeted anxiously.
It was she who had seated Dokwang at this table.
Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined he'd be this insane.
"Namgung Pavilion Master. I have truly committed a grave offense. Please quell your anger and let this madman go. I'm only worried it might tarnish your esteemed reputation."
"Hmph. The Shenzhou Merchant Guild has no part in this. This is now just between him and me."
With those nail-in-the-coffin words from Namgung Jinsso, Jin Seolhwa could no longer step forward.
Dokwang casually picked at his ear.
"Ah, old timer, you've got quite the loud voice. What, you swallow a dinner bell or something?"
That last remark shattered what little rationality Namgung Jinsso had been clinging to.
Namgung Jinsso's right hand extended straight like a blade, flying toward Dokwang's philtrum.
It was the Namgung Clan's secret hand technique, the Flying Swallow Nineteen Forms—its killing strike, Flying Swallow Azure Waves.
Then, something unbelievable happened, right before their eyes.
Dokwang clamped down on the incoming hand blade with his left index and middle fingers pressed together.
"Heh heh... Old habit from catching swallows as a kid... still sticks with me..."
At Dokwang's mocking words, Namgung Jinsso's face flushed red and purple.
He poured all his internal energy into his right hand, but he couldn't shake free of Dokwang's two fingers.
Time simply passed like that.
Namgung Jinsso fell into contemplation.
Others might not have noticed, but the more he raised his inner power, the stronger Dokwang's finger grip became. When he let his power subside, Dokwang's strength weakened accordingly.
Namgung Jinsso already realized he couldn't match this Dokwang fellow's martial prowess.
His only remaining path was to save face and defuse the situation.
As Namgung Jinsso fully withdrew his internal energy from his right hand, Dokwang slightly parted his fingers.
In that instant, Namgung Jinsso executed the final form of the Flying Swallow Nineteen Forms, Flying Swallow Return to Nest, gracefully retracting his hand.
To the ignorant onlookers, it looked as if Namgung Jinsso had resolved the situation with his own skill.
Normally, in such a scenario, Namgung Jinsso should have thanked Dokwang for yielding, but he did no such thing.
"Hmph, a madman indeed, but you've got some skill. I'll let it slide today. I ought to draw my sword and properly discipline you, but on a fine day like this, in someone else's banquet... I can't do that."
"Do whatever. See you next time if you want. Anyway, I'm off. Heh heh..."
Dokwang paid no heed to Namgung Jinsso's words or actions, simply stood, and walked out.
No one in the hall dared stop him.
Seonwoyong watched his retreating figure with a sly smile, then clasped his hands in a fist-palm salute to the assembly.
"I'll take my leave as well."
With that, he followed after Dokwang.
Seven Finger Beggar Kang Muwoong let out a heavy sigh before speaking.
"That was definitely one technique from the Wudang Ten Severing Brocades."
"You're certain? I've never heard of the Ten Severing Brocades having a move like that."
When Yuun Divine Hand Na-eul questioned him, Seven Finger Beggar Kang Muwoong continued his explanation.
"Long ago, back in my youth, this beggar traveled with some Wudang Daoists for a few months. I didn't witness the Ten Severing Brocades in full back then. As you all know, it's the most vicious killing technique among Wudang's long fist arts, infamous for not being casually demonstrated."
"Then how...?"
"One dawn, I saw a few of those Daoists practicing in the back garden of our lodgings. Of course, I cleared my throat to announce myself, but they didn't mind much. It wasn't anything impressive. Just pairs of them facing each other, hands pressed together like a playful pushing match—pushing, striking, pulling. I later learned that's the basic training for Wudang's Cotton Palm."
"Wait, aren't we talking about the Ten Severing Brocades?"
Waho Long Sage Yi Taechung, who had been silent until then, finally interjected impatiently.
"Heh heh, hear me out. Such impatience..."
Kang Muwoong deliberately paused, drained his cup, then resumed.
"Anyway, the Wudang disciples kept at that cotton palm or whatever it was for a good while when suddenly a few swallows, roused from sleep, started flitting about. Everyone knows how swift swallows are. But one of the disciples suddenly leaped into the air and snatched one right out of the sky."
"Hmm, a lightness skill that catches swallows mid-flight—must be Swallow Cloud Step."
Namgung Jinsso, who had been sitting with a sour expression, chimed in.
"Exactly. Swallow Cloud Step is the pinnacle of lightness arts in the true jianghu. The disciple landed, opened his hand to show the swallow, and burst into laughter—when an enraged roar exploded."
"Who was it...?"
"It was their leader at the time, Senior Hyeoncheonja."
"Hyeoncheonja... You mean that Hyeoncheonja, one of the Wudang Seven Sages from back in the day, the Daoist Changgwan?"
"Precisely. Senior Hyeoncheonja was a Wudang elder then, busy with jianghu travels."
"But why was he angry?"
"'To catch one swallow, you used the essence of the Ten Severing Brocades? Are you truly fit to wear the Daoist robes?' That's what he said. When the disciple opened his palm, the swallow lay dead in his hand, bleeding from all seven orifices. The disciple bowed and begged forgiveness, but Senior Hyeoncheonja was truly furious and scolded him harshly."
"So it wasn't a full form—he infused the essence of the Ten Severing Brocades into his inner power?"
"That's what I heard then. As rumored in the jianghu, the eight forms of the Ten Severing Brocades are wondrous, but its true essence is a qi projection method that condenses internal energy into a razor-sharp blade. And that blade-like qi hides within something as soft as silk..."
"Hmm... That sharpness that severs silk ten times in a row... Indeed, the Ten Severing Brocades reveal another facet of the Wudang Cotton Palm."
As Yi Taechung hung on Kang Muwoong's every word, Namgung Jinsso's voice cut in again.
"But what does that finger trick from that Dokwang have to do with a move from the Ten Severing Brocades? My knowledge may be limited, but I've never heard of a finger technique among its eight forms."
Kang Muwoong stared steadily at Namgung Jinsso before continuing.
"Pavilion Master Namgung, are you familiar with the fourth form of the Ten Severing Brocades, Cross-Cut Severing Brocade?"
"I've heard of it. They say you cross your hands like scissors to slice off a part of the opponent's body..."
"Exactly. That Dokwang used just his index and middle fingers like scissors to seize Pavilion Master Namgung's Flying Swallow Nineteen Forms move. Wasn't that energy soft like silk yet unyielding and sharp as steel?"
"Hmm..."
Faced with Kang Muwoong's observation, Namgung Jinsso fell silent.
"Wait, so what's that Dokwang's real identity that he... In today's jianghu, who could execute Wudang's Ten Severing Brocades and catch Pavilion Master Namgung's hand blade?"
To Yi Taechung's question, Kang Muwoong replied with a cautious expression.
"It's just my guess. It might be right, but more likely wrong."
"Even a guess—tell us. I'm dying of curiosity here."
"You've all heard the tales. Among the once-mighty Wudang Seven Sages, the youngest... Son Mugi."
"Gasp. And just earlier, that guy called himself Son Mo..."
"Yes. I've suspected since then. That jab at Gangpyo's Front-Mid acupoint looked suspiciously like Wudang's Seven Star Swordsmanship. And with the surname Son plus mastery of the Ten Severing Brocades' essence..."
Across the western regions and Shaanxi Province, no one matched Seven Finger Beggar Kang Muwoong's experience and insight.
Now, the madman Dokwang's true identity was revealing itself as Son Mugi, the Myriad Sword Scholar, one of the former Wudang Seven Sages.
"If Dokwang is truly the Myriad Sword Scholar Son Mugi of old... then... no wonder he brushed off not just Gangpyo, but even Pavilion Master Namgung's strike."
Yi Taechung muttered to himself, and the guests around the table lost their words, merely lifting their cups.
* * *
Seonwoyong sat at a drinking table, tapping chopsticks like castanets, roaring with laughter.
In front of him, Dokwang stood, belting out a lewd song with bawdy lyrics while dancing comically.
"Turtle head, horn stump, horn stump~
Crawls into the woods~
Vanishes into the thick fog!
Dark forest, damp valley~
Turtle head soaked through~
Splish splash splish splash splish~"
Clutching a sloshing oversized cup, Dokwang wildly shook and twisted his hips for a while like a maniac. When the song ended, he downed the liquor in one go and sat.
"Hey, you sing one too. Come on?"
Seonwoyong chuckled heartily, refilling Dokwang's empty cup but ignoring his prodding.
"Damn, kid, you're so stiff—what fun is that? Reminds me of my younger self. So pitiful, so pitiful! Haha..."
"Listen, Dokwang. Enough already. Let's talk."
"Talk? How many days like this do we get in life? Today, we drink hard, sing loud, and party."
It was a dingy tavern in a back alley of the western regions.
An elderly woman, white-haired with age, tended a small brazier under the earthen wall in the corner, grilling side dishes. There was no proper kitchen.
The only patrons were Dokwang and Seonwoyong, and the old woman—perhaps hard of hearing—barely reacted to Dokwang's vulgar tune.
"Calling it quits on the gambling today?"
"Guess so. Done it enough to get bored now."
"Ten years is plenty to get sick of it. So what's next?"
"First, gotta make some spending money. Handed over thousands of silver taels so far—before I bail, at least get back the principal, if not interest."
"Why? Planning to go somewhere?"
"Yeah. Gonna follow you."
Dokwang's nonchalant reply left Seonwoyong speechless.
"Follow me? Why on earth?"
"Got bored with life, so gambled for ten years. Gambling was the most fun thing. But now I've found something more entertaining than gambling, so I'll spend the next ten years on that."
"I look that entertaining to you?"
"Haha... Why not? You think I've just wasted my years on gambling? The tables show people's raw, true faces. I've studied humanity there for a decade, in my own way."
"And?"
"And? After ten years, I meet the most entertaining person I've ever seen—doesn't that make the past decade worth it?"
"You're some Daoist, huh? Better to cultivate the Dao at the gambling tables than Wudang Mountain?"
Though Seonwoyong mentioned Wudang Mountain, Dokwang didn't bat an eye.