Chapter 162: Learning the Divine Sword Union - 1
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 162: Learning the Divine Sword Union - 1
Whish!
Sun-woo raised the Dragon Tail Soft Sword and began to swing it like a madman.
Whish!
Whish!
He thrust his blade again and again, targeting the four cardinal directions and the eight points of the compass.
A myriad of variations began to unfold from his hands. It was the subtle essence of the Illusion Sword.
Then, the path of Sun-woo’s blade, which had been laced with the intricacies of the Illusion Sword, suddenly grew simple. Not only that, but his speed slowed down significantly as a heavy force began to permeate the air.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Soon, a crushing weight that seemed to shatter the very wind emanated from the sword. It was the subtle essence of the Heavy Sword.
Whish!
This time, the sword’s trajectory accelerated infinitely. A speed capable of piercing through the air itself erupted from his blade. It was the subtle essence of the Fast Sword.
Sun-woo swung his blade countless times, shifting through the various forms of the sword.
.
.
.
.
.
How much time had passed?
"Haah... haah... haah..."
Sun-woo eventually let the Dragon Tail Soft Sword droop to the ground, his breath coming in ragged gasps. It seemed he had reached the limit of his physical endurance.
"Damn it."
Sun-woo spat out a curse, his face contorted in a grimace. Despite swinging his sword countless times, he had failed to reach the state of Divine Sword Union.
Clang!
Sun-woo dropped the Dragon Tail Soft Sword right where he stood. His hands were trembling just from the effort of holding it.
Thud.
He collapsed onto the ground.
Why can’t I achieve the Divine Sword Union?
Sun-woo fell into deep thought. He had certainly reached that state when he cut through Hwangbo Gang’s Sword and Blade Immunity.
Ever since the business with the Hwangbo Clan was settled, Sun-woo had been practicing like a man possessed. He didn’t want to forget the sensation he had felt in that moment.
However, instead of progressing, he felt as if he were regressing. He didn't feel like he was improving at all.
Sun-woo grew depressed. He felt as though he had hit the ceiling of his talent.
Do I just not have the talent for this?
Self-reproach began to fill his mind. He wanted to move forward. He had managed to kill the Sword Emperor, the Poison Demon, and the leader of the Heavenly King Unit, but his enemies were still incomparably powerful.
No matter how much he had reached the Transcendent Realm and could use the legendary Great Shift of Heaven and Earth, compared to Lee Jae-won, he was less than the dirt under a fingernail.
Lee Jae-won might look like an idiot, but he was the Martial God who had defeated the Heavenly Demon, a man who had mastered the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth to its ultimate peak.
If they were to clash in his current state, Sun-woo would be turned into a bloody pulp in a single move.
Shiver.
His entire body began to tremble involuntarily. To be honest, when he was only in the Peak or Super-Peak Realm, he only felt a vague sense of dread toward Lee Jae-won. To him back then, a master of the Transcendent Realm and a master of the Profound Realm were equally untouchable.
But after reaching the Transcendent Realm himself, Sun-woo realized just how transcendental and terrifying the Profound Realm truly was.
A master of the Transcendent Realm possessed enough power to overwhelm an entire sect just by their presence. Then what about a master of the Profound Realm?
Though he didn't know for sure, a master of the Profound Realm likely possessed the power to overwhelm a small nation. The status of one who had reached the Profound Realm was truly on a different level.
Sun-woo had to surpass such a master. Or, even if he couldn't surpass them, he had to at least reach an equal level. Especially if he wanted to protect himself and his people.
The Divine Sword Union was merely a step in that process. Only by passing through this stage could he establish the foundation to reach even higher realms.
Sun-woo pondered and pondered again, trying to grasp the method of becoming one with the sword.
Step, step.
It was then. He heard footsteps coming from behind.
Sun-woo, shaken from his thoughts by the sound, turned his head toward the source. There, a peerless beauty dressed in pure white was walking toward him.
It was Ok-ryeong.
"It seems things still aren't going well?"
Ok-ryeong spoke, her eyes filled with concern.
"It’s not working out as well as I thought."
Sun-woo lowered his head as he answered her.
"In times like this, taking a rest can be more helpful than pushing yourself so hard," Ok-ryeong said, looking at him with pity.
Ever since Sun-woo forced the Hwangbo Clan into Sect Seclusion, he had never let go of his sword. He was desperate to make the enlightenment he gained from fighting Hwangbo Gang his own.
At every inn they stopped at, he would rent a private annex and swing his sword relentlessly in the empty lot behind it. He cut back on sleep and ate only as much as a bird, focusing solely on his training. As a result, Sun-woo’s physical condition was a mess.
His eyes were hollow, and perhaps because he wasn't eating properly, his wounds were slow to heal. Furthermore, the injuries he sustained from Hwangbo Gang hadn't even fully healed yet. By pushing himself so hard, there was no way his body could recover.
"No, it’s more important to make this enlightenment mine right now than to rest."
Sun-woo shook his head and firmly refused her suggestion. He could sleep when he was dead, and eating just enough to survive was plenty. Improving his martial arts took priority over everything else.
"Sun-woo, why don't you try to find some peace of mind? Looking at you now, it feels like you're obsessed with martial arts, as if something is chasing you."
"......"
"You haven't been eating properly, only swinging that sword. I'm worried you'll ruin your health."
Sun-woo couldn't say anything to her words. Because what she said was the truth.
"I'm afraid."
After a long silence, he finally began to reveal his inner thoughts.
"I'm afraid this enlightenment will just fly away. I'm afraid I've been given a chance to reach a new realm and I'll fail to seize it. I'm afraid that because I'm weak, I'll lose everyone."
That was it. Sun-woo was afraid. He was afraid of losing the chance for enlightenment he had gained at the risk of his life. He was afraid of missing the opportunity to become stronger.
If not now, he didn't know when another chance to grow stronger would come. Even though he had reached the Transcendent Realm and learned the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth, Sun-woo was still weak.
He had realized this while fighting Hwangbo Gang and the Heavenly King Unit. He had become stronger, but he wasn't overwhelmingly strong.
He was weak. Infinitely so.
Fear began to cloud Sun-woo’s eyes.
It was then.
Hug.
Ok-ryeong, who had approached him unnoticed, pulled Sun-woo into her embrace.
"Ok...ryeong?"
Sun-woo lifted his head at the sudden warmth. When he looked up, Ok-ryeong was gazing down at him with sad eyes.
"Sun-woo, don't be afraid."
Pat, pat.
Ok-ryeong began to gently pat Sun-woo’s back.
"I'm right here. And don't try to shoulder everything alone. Your desire to protect us is touching, but I'm not such a passive person, you know?"
Stroke, stroke.
Ok-ryeong continued to speak as she stroked his back.
"Let's overcome this together. Not alone, but together."
Hearing her words, Sun-woo felt his tension slowly melt away. Moreover, Ok-ryeong’s warm embrace provided him with an indescribable sense of comfort. He felt like he could fall asleep right there in her arms.
"Thank you... Ok-ryeong."
He felt a sense of stability returning to him.
"It's nothing."
Ok-ryeong replied with a bright smile. Soon, she slowly pulled away from him.
"Ah..."
Sun-woo let out an involuntary sigh of regret. He hadn't wanted to leave her embrace.
"Sun-woo, would you like to have a martial duel with me?"
After stepping back, Ok-ryeong made a sudden proposal.
"Huh?"
Sun-woo asked back, puzzled.
"Seeking enlightenment alone is good, but sometimes experiencing it directly through your body isn't a bad idea either."
Shring.
Having said that, she began to draw the sword from the scabbard at her waist.
"Besides, you've never really fought me properly, have you, Sun-woo?"
"That... that's true."
They hadn't. Although they had sparred before, they had always held back, so he never had the chance to face her at full strength.
"Why don't we take this opportunity to see who is stronger?"
She spoke to Sun-woo with a radiant smile.
"Alright."
Sun-woo readily accepted her proposal. Come to think of it, the Divine Sword Union was a realm he had stepped into during his fierce battle with Hwangbo Gang. If he went through a real fight with Ok-ryeong, he might be able to find the clue again.
At Sun-woo’s answer, the smile on Ok-ryeong’s lips deepened.
*
Before starting the martial duel, Sun-woo and Ok-ryeong set a few rules.
First was the restriction on internal energy. Both agreed not to use any. If two masters of the Transcendent Realm fought using internal energy, their lives could be at risk, and the empty lot would surely be devastated. Although it was a lot attached to the annex, it was still private property. They couldn't just destroy it as they pleased.
Second was the restriction on weapons. Sun-woo picked up a different sword instead of the Dragon Tail Soft Sword. Ok-ryeong did the same. She took up an ordinary longsword instead of the White Flower Sword, the treasure of the Baekgeom Sect.
"Ok-ryeong, are you sure you'll be okay?"
Sun-woo asked, sounding concerned. When internal energy is restricted, women are at a much greater disadvantage than men. Due to natural physical characteristics, women generally have less muscle strength, stamina, durability, agility, and even reaction speed compared to men. With internal energy restricted, Ok-ryeong would also be subject to these physical limitations.
When they were first setting the rules, Sun-woo, worried about her, had asked if she wanted to use about ten years' worth of internal energy. To his concerned words, Ok-ryeong had only given a slight smile and shook her head.
In the end, both sides were restricted from using internal energy, but Sun-woo was still worried. He was afraid he might hurt her.
"I'll be fine."
Ok-ryeong simply replied with a smile. Sun-woo let out a silent sigh. Despite her cheerful answer, his worries didn't fade. He felt he should go easy on her.
"Ok-ryeong, come at me."
Sun-woo gestured for her to make the first move. He thought that if he attacked first, she might get hurt.
However, it didn't take long for him to realize that his thinking was a delusion.
Whish!
Ok-ryeong’s sword, having closed the distance in an instant, lunged toward Sun-woo.
Fast.
Sun-woo marveled inwardly and raised his sword to parry her blade.
"Ugh!"
But her sword, which had changed its trajectory in the blink of an eye, was already at Sun-woo’s throat.
Drip.
Perhaps because the skin had been slightly grazed, a single line of blood began to trickle down Sun-woo’s neck. Sun-woo looked at her with a bewildered expression.
"Sun-woo, you'll have to take this seriously. I'm quite strong, you know?"
Meeting Sun-woo’s gaze, Ok-ryeong continued with a bright smile.
"You keep acting like you're going to go easy on me, but that's very rude. You're weaker than me, Sun-woo."
She spoke those bone-chilling words as if they were nothing.
Sun-woo was instantly snapped out of his delusion. She was a master who had once vied for supremacy with the Sword Emperor. That meant she was a master of the sword who had already reached the realm of Divine Sword Union. A master who had reached the Divine Sword Union wouldn't be weak just because they lacked internal energy.
"I'll count that one as a mulligan and give you another chance. You have to do it properly this time, okay?"
She said, pulling the sword away from his neck.
"Y-yeah..."
Sun-woo answered stammeringly, looking embarrassed. He reflected on how incredibly careless he had been. Who was he to think he could go easy on her?
He hadn't really felt it because he had never faced Ok-ryeong properly until now, but she was already a master a level above him. Realizing this fact, he felt like a fool for thinking he should go easy on her. She must have been laughing at him inwardly.
Now he understood why she had been smiling so much. It must have been cute to her. Like a little puppy trying to act tough against a wolf.
Sun-woo shook his head. How many times was he going to let his guard down? If this had been a real battle, his head would have been rolling on the ground by now. His martial arts had grown stronger, but his mind was still as foolish as ever.
Sun-woo’s eyes sharpened as he adjusted his grip on the sword.
"Now that's a good look in your eyes."
Seeing this, Ok-ryeong smiled slightly.
Tap, tap.
She then turned around and put some distance between herself and Sun-woo again.
"Would you like to come first this time, Sun-woo?"
Having gained some distance, she turned back and asked.
Nod.
Sun-woo nodded at her question. He tightened his grip on the sword. Then, kicking off the ground, he charged at her.
Whish!
Sun-woo’s sword cut through the air as it flew toward Ok-ryeong.
Clang!
Ok-ryeong effortlessly blocked Sun-woo’s sword and then deflected it.
Thud!
She then raised her foot and struck Sun-woo squarely in the chest.
"Urgh!"
Slide.
Sun-woo, taking the full force of her kick, was pushed back, groaning from the sudden pain. Even without internal energy, the power behind her kick was considerable.
Sun-woo raised his sword once more and charged at her again.