Chapter 125
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: Vastly Different Treatment
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The reception had changed to be worlds apart.
It felt like the world had been turned upside down overnight, making him wonder if people could really change this much.
Hmm, was it because of the four great elders' wooden plaques?
In any case, they insisted they couldn't just let their benefactor, who had retrieved an heirloom of their ancestors, leave without fanfare, so Yu Hyun's group decided to enjoy the banquet and then depart.
Truth be told, they weren't pressed for time. The Northern Alliance they needed to negotiate with wasn't going anywhere in a few days, and it was a long journey from the start.
On top of that, there had been no particular word from Gae Du-shin, who was in constant contact with the Orthodox Alliance...
Anyway, with their stay extended, their lodgings naturally shifted from the guest hall to near the Violet Bamboo Palace, complete with assigned attendants.
Wealth! Honor! Lineage!
None of it mattered. In the end, it was all about ability.
He had passed through the Wudang Ten Gates that no one had ever succeeded at, and retrieved a sacred relic so precious that the Wudang sect carried it with both hands. Now he was receiving VIP treatment that even the Orthodox Alliance Leader couldn't get.
The newly awakened Yun Sang had come back from a storm of scolding, bowing his head to the ground in apology, and Yu Hyun had encouraged him with a single bold word.
The look of感動 on Yun Sang's face upon hearing it...
In any event, it went without saying that this incident would secure their full support moving forward.
"You called for me?"
"Ah, come in."
The night before their departure, Yu Hyun arrived at the Violet Bamboo Palace with his subordinates, now including Yun Hyun to form the Four Dragons, and Qinghua greeted him with a beaming smile.
"I'm sorry to call you at such a late hour. A letter arrived from the Orthodox Alliance, and I wanted to deliver it personally."
"Yes. But what are you doing?"
"Ah, this?"
"......"
What he held out with a smile was none other than the shattered wooden plaque.
Pieces were missing here and there, but it was almost fully reassembled.
"Ahem, what are you planning to do with it put back together?"
"Read it, of course."
"Read it?"
"Indeed! We must decipher it. The wooden plaque left by the four great elders holds immense significance for our Wudang."
"......"
"It's recorded in the Elders' Hall archives that in his later years, he engraved the two characters 'Taiji' on the tree in front of the training ground, encapsulating all the insights of the sword he had newly comprehended. This plaque was carefully carved from around those characters."
Yu Hyun gave an awkward smile as he watched Qinghua speak with a face full of joy.
The one who carved his insights into a tree with a sword, and the one trying to read the meaning from it...
What peculiar hobbies. If he was going to pass on teachings to later generations, why not just write it in a book?
Well, he had heard that enlightened masters often expressed sudden realizations through paintings or characters.
And for some, that became opportunities worth more than gold.
Yu Hyun chuckled inwardly and casually asked,
"It looks like you've almost got it put together. Did you figure anything out?"
"Hmm......"
Qinghua paused with a serious expression before nodding.
What? He figured it out? From that?
As Yu Hyun made a baffled face, Qinghua gave a faint smile and said,
"The four great elders mastered the Azure Cloud Sword."
"The Azure Cloud Sword?"
"It's not well-known these days since few practice it, but it was one of Wudang's finest sword arts. Judging by the shape of these characters, it seems they were engraved as the final insight of the Azure Cloud Sword."
"......"
Yu Hyun pondered deeply as he listened calmly.
The Azure Cloud Sword—that was what Yun Hyun had taught him in the past. The final insight? Did that mean there was something more he didn't know?
Seeing the curiosity in Yu Hyun's eyes, Qinghua smiled and asked,
"Would you like to see it?"
"Pardon?"
"Hoho, what is there to hide from you? Though our backgrounds differ and you took the Four Dragon King as your master, you're practically family to our Wudang now."
"......"
Well, not quite family...
Yu Hyun looked at him askance for a moment, then smiled and nodded.
"Please show me. I've been wanting to try it out after seeing those characters myself."
"......"
Qinghua rose and moved to an open space, slowly drawing his sword.
With the sword held diagonally, he lightly regulated his breathing and gauged the space.
Though indoors, the Violet Bamboo Palace's main hall was so vast and high that, without infusing inner energy, it was more than sufficient for all forms of the Azure Cloud Sword.
After a long moment, Qinghua's eyes softened.
His sword slowly rose, his feet shifting fluidly from the floor like flowing water, unfolding a serene sword art.
The blade seemed to catch the grain of the wind and flow with it, his steps so light they made no sound against the floor.
Yu Hyun watched closely, then slightly raised his brows.
It was different from the Azure Cloud Sword he knew.
Though it didn't follow fixed sword paths or forms right now, he clearly remembered the basics.
Before learning to disassemble them at will, he had practiced the same movements thousands of times to ingrain the fundamentals into his body.
Qinghua's Azure Cloud Sword was soft but lacked power. Nimble, yet it couldn't pierce the heavens.
Like a raw gem before unnecessary facets and ornaments were added?
Yu Hyun glanced at Yun Hyun, who was watching Qinghua's demonstration with eyes full of awe.
"......"
Pondering something as he observed Yun Hyun, Yu Hyun shifted his gaze to the plaque.
The relic left by an ancestor who mastered the Azure Cloud Sword, containing his final insight... Could it be?
Suddenly realizing something, Yu Hyun's eyes widened like saucers.
The Azure Cloud Sword he had learned— what Yun Hyun had taught him— must have been the version after deriving the final insight from that plaque.
"Hoo, hoo......"
While Yu Hyun was lost in thought, Qinghua's demonstration ended.
"How was it...... Huh? What are you thinking so deeply about?"
"Hm?"
Yu Hyun snapped out of it with a startled expression.
Damn, what kind of rudeness is this, zoning out while the Wudang sect leader demonstrates a sword art just for me?
"Ah, well......"
As Yu Hyun scratched his head with an awkward smile, Gae Du-shin clapped his hands and interjected from the side.
"Alliance Leader! Could it be you gained some insight from the martial art the sect leader just demonstrated?"
"Huh?"
"What?"
Yu Hyun looked back and forth between Qinghua and Gae Du-shin in bewilderment.
"What are you talking about? Insight?"
"Ah, well. Our alliance leader has a special talent."
"A special talent?"
As Qinghua tilted his head, Gae Du-shin sought Yu Hyun's permission with eyes brimming with pride, as if it were his own achievement.
It was clearly the look that said, 'This is a real secret, okay?'
Yu Hyun sighed and nodded, knowing full well what he was about to say...
Delighted, Gae Du-shin exclaimed,
"Since Wudang considers our leader family, I'll tell you. Our alliance leader not only perfectly mimics any martial art he sees once, but also reaches its pinnacle."
"What?"
Mimics it perfectly and even grasps the pinnacle... a talent?
Qinghua eyed Gae Du-shin skeptically, clearly finding it hard to believe.
"It's hard to believe, but Two Gods is right. Even my grandfather acknowledged it."
"The Sword King did?"
"Yes. Before, he perfectly performed a Nangong Clan martial art that Grandfather had shown him just once."
"I can vouch for that too. He flawlessly replicated the Dark Heaven Hand, a secret technique only direct Tang Clan descendants can learn—in one go, and far more skillfully than me."
"Huh! Even a Tang Clan art?"
With Nangong Seong's testimony added to Nangong Seong's, Qinghua gasped in shock.
Even O Hyun and Yun Hyun behind them nodded vigorously with stunned expressions.
Well, no surprise. It was hard to believe without seeing it. And it was a blatant lie to begin with...
A throwaway fib to shake off the Nangong elder's persistent marriage nagging had somehow snowballed like this.
"J-Jade Dragon Alliance Leader! Is it true? Did you really gain insight from my Azure Cloud Sword?!"
At this point, Qinghua wanted to believe even if he doubted, shouting with a mix of anticipation and excitement.
"......"
No, ease up on the shoulders...
Damn, what kind of grip strength does this old man have?
Wincing slightly at the bone-crushing force but forcing a smile, Yu Hyun spoke.
"Shall I show you?"
After all, it was just a difference in timing—who cared who taught it?
Returning Wudang's art to Wudang.
And it was an evolved version, so the sooner they learned it, the better.
"......Show me?"
"Yes. Well, it's something I just comprehended, so it's a bit rough."
"......"
Qinghua's pupils trembled faintly.
His breathing grew ragged—it was obvious what came next.
"Show me! Quickly!"
As expected...
Yu Hyun gently removed Qinghua's hands and stood slowly.
"Seong-ah."
"Yes?"
"The sword."
"Ah! Here."
Taking the sword Nangong Seong swiftly offered, Yu Hyun twirled his wrist to gauge its weight, then stood in the exact spot Qinghua had occupied.
His back prickled under the gazes swallowing hard and watching him, but as he lowered the sword tip and focused, all distractions faded.
Azure Cloud...
The sword Yun Hyun had taught him.
Yu Hyun closed his eyes, recalling the original form of the sword he had learned.
The fragmented sword principles in his mind slowly coalesced into a single shape.
Soft yet fierce, leisurely at times yet pouring forth storms and thunder like clouds.
Flowing like Streaming Clouds, soft like Gentle Clouds, returning and departing like Returning Clouds, clear like Azure Clouds, heavy like Cumulus Clouds...
Yu Hyun's eyes slowly opened, the sword lowering diagonally.
It matched Qinghua's starting stance, but what followed was different.
Shiiiing.
"......!"
Qinghua's eyes widened.
It was wind. Wind gathered around Yu Hyun like an illusion.
He clearly wasn't using energy, yet his robes fluttered as if in a breeze.
Pa-pat!
As the saying goes, clouds arise from wind.
His steps suddenly shifted, the sword tip elegantly slicing the air—a soft, harmonious breeze.
Chwirit!
What fixed path does wind follow? The thrusting sword raced horizontally and vertically, then disrupted vision with a diagonal slash—now a slanting gale.
Pa-pa-pak!
At some point, it swept low along the floor, ripples rising before the wind, surging into the air.
"Ah!"
As if the sword tip conjured illusions, the grand hall reflected in Qinghua's eyes transformed into verdant meadows and vast riverbanks.
Wind followed the sword's flow, and the wind birthed waves that flattened the grasses.
Soon, Yu Hyun's movements quickened, the sword soaring.
Pa-hat!
It felt as if the hall's ceiling vanished, revealing a brilliant blue sky.
The ascending wind pierced the heavens, scattering clouds, which piled layer upon layer, blotting out the sky.
"Aah......"
Qinghua gasped again at the vision of clouds filling and veiling the sky.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
The clouds stirred by the sword turned to rain and thunder, plummeting fiercely toward the earth.
When Qinghua, who had instinctively covered his ears and squeezed his eyes shut, opened them, a clear sky shone above Yu Hyun, who had landed.
His sword moved slowly, serenely.
Pak, pa-pa-pak!
Finally, two characters engraved on the floor: Taiji.
The script differed, but the flow matched the plaque perfectly.
"Hoo......"
With the sword lowered diagonally once more, Yu Hyun's long exhalation scattered all the visions like a mirage.
"Aaah......"
As if one of the four great elders had appeared to impart the insight personally, Qinghua knelt, tears streaming down his face.
There, I returned it—the thing I broke.
Yu Hyun smiled brightly at Qinghua.