Chapter 274: Receiving His Teachings
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 274: Receiving His Teachings
Crunch, crunch, crunch.
It seemed more snow had fallen while he slept, as his feet sank deep with every step.
Sun-woo didn't mind. He pushed through the snowy path, walking on and on, following the trail of energy.
The energy was growing stronger by the second. It was proof that he was drawing closer to him.
Thump, thump, thump.
His heart began to race wildly. It was surely out of anticipation for their rematch.
In a life where every battle had been a desperate struggle for survival, this man was the first to teach him the joy of fighting. He was also the benefactor who had provided the clue that allowed Sun-woo to reach the realm of Divine Sword Union.
If he hadn't met that man, Sun-woo would likely have lost his life to Hwangbo Gang’s monstrous fists.
He was excited. It felt as though he were going to meet a long-lost first love.
Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch.
To the excited Sun-woo, the deep snow was no longer an obstacle. He began to circulate his Yin-Yang Harmony Qi.
Vroom...
A significant amount of internal energy surged through his body, gathering at his Yongcheon Points.
Boom!
Sun-woo released the concentrated energy all at once. Then, using the Wind-Dust Step, he began to sprint without pause.
His figure shot forward like a bolt of light.
Crunch, crunch, tap, tap.
Before long, his feet, which had been sinking deep, began to graze the surface, until finally, they left no trace at all. He had achieved the high-level lightness skill known as Footprints Without Traces.
Harnessing this technique, Sun-woo ran even faster, his figure vanishing into the distance.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
How much time had passed?
Shiver.
Having reached the outskirts of the village, Sun-woo felt the chilling energy reach its peak. He was almost there.
He increased his speed further. Soon, a large clearing came into view.
The moment he saw it, Sun-woo knew. He had arrived.
Tak.
Stepping into the clearing, Sun-woo came to a sudden halt. He slowly scanned his surroundings.
There, standing tall and proud in the center of the clearing, was a man.
A deep smile spread across Sun-woo’s lips. Though the night was dark, he could see clearly—the middle-aged man radiating a colossal aura.
"Senior Sword Man."
Sun-woo spoke slowly, his eyes fixed on the man in the center.
"Oh... you've finally come?"
At Sun-woo’s call, the Sword Man smiled faintly and welcomed him.
"I thought I might freeze to death waiting for you."
He followed the light joke with more words.
"You could have given me a hint, you know."
"Did I not tell you? That we should perform a sword dance together next time."
"I didn't think 'next time' would be today."
"Hahaha, my apologies. I simply couldn't contain myself."
The Sword Man let out a hearty laugh.
"How could I wait? Not when I saw that you’ve reached the realm of Divine Sword Union since we last met."
The Sword Man’s eyes sparkled with interest as he looked at Sun-woo.
"…How did you know?" Sun-woo asked, genuinely puzzled.
How could the man see through him so thoroughly? Unlike Neung So-hwa, the Sword Man hadn't seen his martial arts in action yet. How could he tell he had reached Divine Sword Union?
"I just felt it," the Sword Man replied calmly.
"I see."
Sun-woo nodded, accepting the answer. The man had been like this since their first meeting. He seemed to know everything, like a fortune teller who had reached a state of omniscience.
"How did you even find a place like this?" Sun-woo asked, looking around the clearing.
The area was impeccably cleared. Despite the snowstorms that had raged through the night, there wasn't a flake of snow to be seen—only the bare earth.
"I prepared it all, of course."
The Sword Man smiled slightly.
"All of this?" Sun-woo asked in surprise.
"It’s worth that much effort."
The Sword Man’s tone was steady. He truly believed it. This was a place where sword would clash against sword. There could be no variables. How hollow would it be if a victory was decided by the terrain rather than skill?
"Senior, you are truly a man possessed by the sword."
"Khahaha! Thank you."
The Sword Man laughed again.
"But I believe the same could be said for you."
His eyes gleamed as he watched Sun-woo.
"Even so, I don't think I'm quite on your level, Senior."
Sun-woo smiled faintly and reached for his sword belt.
Shring.
He gripped the hilt and slowly drew his blade.
"Enough talk."
Sword in hand, Sun-woo looked at the Sword Man.
"I agree."
The Sword Man wore a grin of pure delight as he let his own sword hang low.
"Back then, I couldn't even touch a hair on your head. No matter how I swung my sword or how much internal energy I mustered."
Sun-woo slowly raised his blade.
"But today will be different."
He began to circulate his Yin-Yang Harmony Qi to its absolute limit. He knew better than anyone how strong the Sword Man was. Even now, having reached a new realm, he couldn't be certain he could even graze the man.
That was why Sun-woo intended to give his all from the very beginning. So that he might finally reach him.
Soon, the Yin-Yang Harmony Qi flooded his body, and a tremendous vitality surged within him. His physical capabilities were pushed to their peak.
"Oho."
The Sword Man marveled. He could feel that Sun-woo was incomparably stronger than before.
"Come."
The Sword Man spoke with a bright smile.
Boom!
The moment the words left his mouth, Sun-woo lunged forward, his sword leveled in a thrust. He aimed straight for the throat.
Clang!
The Sword Man effortlessly parried the strike.
"Fast."
He let out an admiring breath.
Sun-woo quickly retracted his sword and shifted his footing. He unleashed the subtleties of the Wind-Dust Step, where movement and footwork became one.
His figure blurred, circling the man incessantly. Before long, wind began to gust from Sun-woo’s footsteps. His pace had transcended the wind itself, and the air began to follow him.
The resulting gale surrounded the Sword Man, trapping him within a relentless barrier of wind.
"Oho."
The Sword Man exclaimed in wonder. Footwork that transcended the wind—it was something he had never seen before.
Swish!
The sound of cutting air rang out as a blade flew toward the Sword Man’s chest.
Clang!
The Sword Man raised his sword and deflected it. The parried blade was instantly retracted, vanishing back into the wall of wind.
Swish!
Moments later, a sword lunged from behind.
Clang!
The Sword Man spun around and blocked it with a casual swing. Again, the sword was pulled back into the barrier.
"Do you intend to hide behind that wall and just poke at me?" the Sword Man asked, looking at the gale.
Swish!
Instead of an answer, only the sword flew at him again.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
The Sword Man blocked the incoming strikes without difficulty. Between parries, his eyes darted around, tracking Sun-woo’s movements.
Clang!
The Sword Man deflected another strike, then followed through with a massive horizontal slash.
As his blade tore through the barrier of wind, the gale began to dissipate. Sun-woo’s figure, previously hidden by the wind, was revealed.
"Found you."
Thud!
With a mischievous grin, the Sword Man kicked Sun-woo squarely in the chest.
"Ugh!"
Struck by the man’s footwork, Sun-woo was sent tumbling backward.
"A very interesting technique, but it won't work on me."
"I didn't expect it to."
Thump, thump.
Sun-woo brushed the dirt off his chest and raised his sword again. He charged once more.
Clang!
Their blades collided with a clear, metallic ring. Sun-woo attempted to lift his right foot, intending to kick the Sword Man in the abdomen.
Press.
But his foot was pinned before it could even leave the ground. The Sword Man’s left foot had stepped firmly onto Sun-woo’s left foot. His move had been read.
Clang!
Sun-woo quickly disengaged his sword and dove into the Sword Man’s guard. He intended to strike the man’s face with the hilt of his sword.
Thwack!
"Gah!"
But Sun-woo’s plan didn't go as expected. The Sword Man’s left elbow slammed into Sun-woo’s solar plexus as he tried to close the distance.
Sun-woo doubled over, a groan escaping his lips. The blow to his solar plexus had knocked the wind out of him.
Crack!
"Ugh!"
The Sword Man followed up with an upward punch to Sun-woo’s jaw. Sun-woo was lifted slightly off the ground.
Whoosh.
As Sun-woo hung in the air, the Sword Man raised his left foot and delivered a powerful push-kick to his stomach.
Crash!
Sun-woo was sent flying, skidding across the ground with a loud thud.
"It seems not much has changed?"
The Sword Man spoke calmly, looking down at the fallen Sun-woo.
Grit.
Hearing those words, Sun-woo gnashed his teeth.
Thud.
He placed both hands on the ground and slowly pushed himself up. Once his upper body was raised, he put strength into his legs and planted his feet.
"Khhh...!"
He forced himself to stand.
"You can stop if it hurts too much," the Sword Man said mockingly.
"...I haven't proven my worth yet."
Sun-woo replied, his eyes burning with a fierce competitive spirit.
"Don't overdo it."
"It’s not overdoing it. I’m so used to this kind of pain that it’s practically a tickle."
Sun-woo spoke as if it were nothing. It was a lie, of course. Unless one was incapable of feeling pain, no one ever truly got used to it.
But he didn't want to show weakness. The Sword Man had gone to the trouble of clearing this massive space just to fight him. If he collapsed after only a few exchanges, the man would be disappointed. He didn't want that.
"Hahahaha! You are a fool. No one gets used to pain."
The Sword Man burst into laughter. His blunt words made Sun-woo feel strangely embarrassed.
"......Just let it slide."
Sun-woo’s face flushed at the sharp remark.
"Hahaha, sorry, sorry."
The Sword Man apologized through his laughter.
"Still, I like your foolish words. You only pretend to be strong because you have a competitive spirit, don't you?"
The Sword Man’s expression turned serious, a stark contrast to his laughter.
"Did I not tell you? Enjoy the sword. That will be the clue to reaching the next realm."
He looked at Sun-woo with steady eyes.
"I still believe that."
Having finished his piece, the Sword Man slowly raised his sword.
"I'll show you something interesting."
Vroom...
A massive aura began to ripple around the Sword Man’s body. Soon, the rippling energy was entirely absorbed into his sword.
The atmosphere surrounding him shifted instantly. Unlike the explosive energy he had radiated before, he now felt incredibly refined, polished, and tempered.
Indeed, it was as if he had become a masterwork blade himself.
Thump, thump.
Sun-woo felt his heart racing. How could a human body exude the aura of a sword?
It was different from Divine Sword Union. It wasn't that the body and sword had become one; he had simply become the sword itself.
Looking at him, Sun-woo understood. This was what the Sword Man meant by pursuing the path of a single blade.
"Raise your sword."
The Sword Man, now the embodiment of a blade, spoke. Sun-woo raised his sword as if possessed.
"Show me your best."
The Sword Man spoke briefly. Sun-woo began to channel his Yin-Yang Harmony Qi into his blade. He focused every drop of internal energy from his Dantian into the sword.
Furthermore, he concentrated the poison qi latent within his body into the blade as well. Immediately, a green astral qi surged from Sun-woo’s sword.
Sun-woo pushed the astral qi further, making it grow larger and larger. The towering energy seemed as if it would reach the heavens.
Then, he began to compress that soaring astral qi—again and again. A spherical orb began to form at the tip of his blade, until finally, a green Sword Ring manifested.
Sun-woo knew. This green Sword Ring was the absolute best he could do.
"Good."
The Sword Man’s voice reached him. Seeing Sun-woo’s green Sword Ring, he wore a satisfied smile.
"Come."
Boom!
The moment the command was given, Sun-woo thrust the Sword Ring forward. The sphere of astral qi, distorting the very space around it, flew toward the man.
The Sword Man swung his sword slowly. There was no energy gathered on his blade—no Sword Qi, no Sword Astral, no Sword Ring. He simply thrust his sword forward.
Slice.
The sound of something being cut rang out. Sun-woo slowly looked up toward the source of the sound.
It was his own sword.
The Sword Man’s casual swing had sliced through not only the Sword Ring but Sun-woo’s blade as well.
Sun-woo stared at the Sword Man in utter shock. His strongest technique had been cut down in a single stroke. How could he not be horrified?
"Well? Was that fun?"
The Sword Man looked at Sun-woo and grinned.