Chapter 357
Chapter 357
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 357
Chapter Title: Duel with the Righteous First Sword
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“Heh, you're quite impatient.”
The Murim Alliance Leader spoke as he approached.
His tone was plain and gentle.
Yet the steps he took carried a subtle aura, stirring deep ripples across the serene lake that was utterly still.
It wasn't a deliberate display of momentum or presence, but the innate pressure emanating from the man himself.
His intent dominated the pavilion.
Step, step.
The yellow lanterns hanging from the pavilion swayed in response to the aura in his gait, their light scattering faintly into the distance.
A beautiful yet chilling sight.
The Murim Alliance Leader walked through the shattering lantern light, closing the distance to Cheonhwi in an instant.
And as Cheonhwi's eyes, fully capturing the approaching figure, began to gleam with a deep blue light.
The pressure intensified the closer the Murim Alliance Leader came.
It was the result of wielding his innate presence and existence through his will.
A smile formed on Cheonhwi's lips.
A smile mixed with curiosity, excitement, and fighting spirit.
'Just when I was regretting not getting to spar with the Evil-Black Alliance Leader...'
The Evil-Black Alliance Leader was a supreme expert.
Not just any expert, but one of rare, peerless caliber.
And the same went for the Murim Alliance Leader.
'No less than him.'
Cheonhwi's eyes burned intensely.
Heart Righteousness Sword Hero Juchun-geuk.
Even after half-secluding himself for decades, the Murim Alliance Leader's name and title were known everywhere under heaven—such was the breadth of his influence.
And rightly so, for he was a legendary figure who had ascended to the position of Murim Alliance Leader with nothing but his single sword, without any backing faction.
Then what was his other title?
The Righteous First Sword.
Not even the Wudang Sect, who prided themselves as the pinnacle of swordsmanship, nor Mount Hua Sect or the Sword Pavilion, could dispute the title bestowed upon him.
It was tacit acknowledgment.
'I wonder what sword art he'll show.'
As Cheonhwi watched the Murim Alliance Leader with keen interest,
The man finally descended fully from the pavilion. Moonlight illuminated the two in the garden, welcoming the full bloom of spring.
The Heart Righteousness Sword Hero and the Plum Blossom Divine Hero.
The two most renowned figures in the current world faced each other.
Murim Alliance Leader Juchun-geuk unbound his arms behind his back.
His right hand then moved forward, drawing the sword at his waist.
The blade slipped out silently.
So familiar it was like breathing, the draw produced no sound.
At the same time, the internal energy flowing from his entire body concentrated thickly between his index finger and thumb gripping the sword's hilt, at the Hegu acupoint.
Soon, his sword slowly rose.
His companion since his first foray into the jianghu, his divine sword.
Heart Lotus emerged from its sheath after over a decade, revealing itself to the world.
At that moment, as the finely honed blade of Heart Lotus reflected the moonlight, scattering elegant pale pink hues everywhere, Juchun-geuk's lips parted.
“Come at me.”
The heavy voice resonated the instant it rang out.
Swoosh.
Cheonhwi stepped forward with his left foot.
There was no hesitation whatsoever.
It was only natural.
The purpose of coming here was solely to spar; he shared no deep personal ties with the man warranting casual conversation beforehand.
His leather shoe pressed into the ground.
Simultaneously, Plum Blossom Divine Art energy connected from his thigh's Xuehai acupoint to his toes' Dadu acupoint in an instant.
Kwachik!
Right after, energy exploded from his toe tips, propelling his form like a streak of light.
It was in a flash.
Reaching Juchun-geuk's side in an instant, Cheonhwi raised Huayue overhead.
The sword tip pointed at the sky.
An overhead stance.
Huayue, emanating a faint crimson glow, halted its motion for a split second, aiming at the full moon contrasting against the night sky.
A time too short to even exhale.
'Then let's start light with some probing.'
Cheonhwi's right hand blurred along with Huayue in his grip.
Flash!
Immediately after, the crimson light plunged like lightning.
Contrasting the blue moonlight, the crimson glow trailed vertically like a comet's tail, erupting in brilliant radiance.
Thud!
Sharp sparks flew in all directions.
The descending sword strike was blocked midway.
Juchun-geuk's eyes, having raised his sword overhead to parry the plunging Huayue, gleamed with admiration.
But only for a moment.
Whoosh!
Juchun-geuk surged his energy in an instant, deflecting the clashing Huayue diagonally aside and dissipating the oppressive sword pressure.
'Oh ho.'
Cheonhwi's eyes lit up.
Though a casual swing, the energy and sword intent within weren't something to brush off lightly.
Yet he had deflected the precise thrust in one fluid motion.
'Impressive skill even as a swordsman.'
Cheonhwi smiled faintly, swiftly withdrawing Huayue and locking eyes with Juchun-geuk.
“Seeing it firsthand, it's even more astonishing.”
Juchun-geuk's calm voice spread evenly.
It was due to the energy he had rapidly gathered to block Cheonhwi's strike.
He then sheathed his sword similarly and looked at Cheonhwi.
“To think Mount Hua had such a domineering sword style.”
Mount Hua's sword arts had always been renowned for their flashy, sharp elegance across generations.
But what was this strike?
A single thrust loaded with overwhelming power, meant to crush the opponent.
It was unlike Mount Hua's swordsmanship.
“Well, what of it? If I wield it, it's Mount Hua's sword.”
Cheonhwi shrugged nonchalantly.
As if it were nothing special.
“Heh, that's an interesting way to put it.”
Juchun-geuk chuckled softly, then abruptly stopped smiling and stepped forward.
At the same time.
Boom!
A heavy wave of qi swept through.
It was the profound energy of his self-created unique heart method, Heart Righteousness Art, spreading an otherworldly aura in all directions.
Step, step.
With each step, deep footprints were left behind.
From the deeply gouged earth, residual energy rippled without fully dissipating.
The Righteous First Sword, Heart Righteousness Sword Hero.
His true power was now unleashed.
Cheonhwi's gaze sharpened.
The aura was worlds apart from before.
'Now it really begins.'
As Cheonhwi gripped Huayue's hilt tightly, watching the translucent aura swirling around the approaching Juchun-geuk,
Juchun-geuk halted, letting his sword hang downward.
An unguarded stance.
Yet the pressure and momentum around him raged fiercer than ever.
The numerous lanterns on the pavilion shook violently, clattering noisily.
As if a flood dragon thrashed about.
Causing the yellow lantern light to scatter wildly, sprinkling new starlight upon the lake for a moment.
Crash!
The lanterns could endure no longer and shattered.
As fragments plummeted into the lake with splashing sounds,
“This time, I'll go first.”
With those sudden words, he stepped forward.
Boom!
A profound wave rippled outward from his toe like water upon the true stance.
The earth-shaking vibration followed.
Juchun-geuk's form flickered.
Space Shrinking Divine Step.
The unique footwork he had honed and devised in the jianghu allowed him to charge as if slicing through space, reaching within a zhang of Cheonhwi in an instant.
Simultaneously, he swung his sword upward.
A mighty, unrestrained sweep.
Cheonhwi glimpsed the bulging forearm through the slightly trembling sleeve.
Tremendous energy permeated the horse-muscle-like, tightly woven forearm.
Mind and body as one.
Juchun-geuk demonstrated a flawless strike, proclaiming why he was the Righteous First Sword.
Cheonhwi watched the rapidly enlarging blade, then slashed with his lowered Huayue.
A lightning-quick sword.
Kwaaang!
Huayue and Heart Lotus clashed fiercely.
Vermilion flames erupted from Huayue as it executed a defensive form against Juchun-geuk's sword, scattering everywhere.
Whoosh!
The belated shockwave roared.
His hair lifted upward, sleeves rolled back.
As the recoil climbed from his sword-gripping hand,
Whoosh!
Cheonhwi pulled back his elbow.
The recoil surged to his shoulder in one breath.
Boom!
The converged shockwave burst from his shoulder, flapping his robes wildly.
Dissipating the shockwave instantly, Cheonhwi pivoted on his left foot, channeling energy into the tingling Jianyu acupoint on his shoulder blade.
To deflect the clashing shockwave, he spun his entire body swiftly along with the backward-tilted Huayue.
Whooosh!
A whirlwind rose with the spin, and fine energy flared from Huayue's blade.
Following the defensive stance of the Plum Blossom Sword Art, Falling Plum Scattered, Plum Blossom Falling Veil traced a massive circle.
Centered on Cheonhwi.
Beautiful red flowers—plum blossoms—followed, exuding a thick fragrance.
The essence of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Art.
Sword flowers had bloomed.
Creuuung!
Space resounded greatly.
Juchun-geuk, having prepared a defensive stance, repelled Huayue.
The whirlwind-propelled Huayue sparked and veered aside.
Kwagwagwa!
The unresolved energy of Plum Blossom Falling Veil tore the air, leaving tiger-claw marks on the ground.
Tat!
Juchun-geuk immediately stepped with footwork, launching a counterattack. His sharp sword cleaved the moonlight, charging swiftly.
A thunderbolt-like quick sword.
The concise sword path embodied the principles of swordsmanship he had mastered.
Heart Righteousness Infinite Sword, Third Form.
Falling Serenity.
The sword laden with opaque energy drew a single line connecting heaven and earth.
In that instant, the world split in two.
The full moon illuminating the darkened night sky was bisected by his sword.
The world-cleaving sword trace warped, sucking everything into it.
Air, scenery.
And even Cheonhwi.
His hair and robes billowed wildly in the overwhelming gale of energy pulling like a storm.
Sneer—
Facing this truly overwhelming sword manifestation, Cheonhwi's lips crooked upward.
It had been ages since he felt such tension.
'Good call suggesting a spar.'
Cheonhwi's eyes sparkled brilliantly.
It was transcendent and astonishing swordsmanship.
So exquisite that one glimpse couldn't reveal its true nature...
Thrilling enough to stir excitement.
'Then I must face it head-on.'
Cheonhwi guided his internal energy to his sword.
Whoooong—
Crimson light enveloped Huayue.
The transparent energy of Plum Blossom Divine Art flowing through the air had taken on color.
Just as sword flowers were about to bloom.
Boom!
Cheonhwi immediately stepped forward with his left foot.
The ground quaked like an earthquake at his true stance, kicking up dust.
Within it.
Cheonhwi gripped Huayue firmly.
An unshakable posture.
Maintaining it, he swiftly slashed Huayue from left to right in one breath.
The unconscious stroke cleaved the darkness draping the night sky, summoning faint crimson light into the world.
Seven Ultimate Plum Blossom Sword, Third Form.
Plum Shadow Heavenly Thunder Dance.
Huayue, bearing plum blossoms, engulfed Juchun-geuk's Falling Serenity and exploded mid-air.
Clang! Creuuung! Kwaang!
As flames bloomed and faded repeatedly across the garden,
Step.
Suddenly, Juchun-geuk advanced.
At his true stance, opaque auras from his entire body vibrated in resonance.
Simultaneously, his mouth parted slightly.
“Indestructible.”
As his body leaned sharply forward, his held sword abruptly traced a bizarre path in the air.
A long horizontal strike extending outward from his tightly drawn waist.
'Follow-up strike?'
As Cheonhwi looked on in surprise,
Screeech!
The opaque aura extended long, and the moment the sword paths connected as one.
Creuuuuung!
The air warped completely.
Plum Shadow Heavenly Thunder Dance was swiftly severed by the clashing Indestructible sword path, losing its trajectory.
Cheonhwi's eyes widened slightly.
It was a perfectly executed Plum Shadow Heavenly Thunder Dance.
Yet it crumbled so easily.
'...Well, now.'
His sword-gripping hand trembled faintly.
The aftermath of the disruption lingered, refusing to leave his hand.
Then.
Step, step.
Juchun-geuk emerged through the dust. He too had taken the impact of the clash, eyeing his own trembling sword before shaking off the residual energy downward.
Kwaang!
A sword mark about three cun deep scarred the ground.
“Heh, truly worthy of your reputation across the land.”
Juchun-geuk dusted his tattered sleeves and smiled at Cheonhwi.
“...You're impressive yourself.”
Cheonhwi smiled back in response.
As he dusted his own sleeves, he placed a hand on the precariously attached right sleeve of his daoist robes and tore it off cleanly.
“Shall we continue?”
And just as he raised his sword again.
“Before we resume the spar, I'd like a moment to talk.”
Juchun-geuk suddenly interjected.
“Would you ever consider teaming up with me?”