Chapter 94: Meeting the Sword Demon (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 94: Meeting the Sword Demon (1)
I closed the distance, executing the Scattering Light Red Sun Flash twice in succession. Only the final motion—launching the sword with the Elastic Path—remained.
A sharp pain flared in my wrist, feeling as though it might be torn clean off. It was the pressure of the Overlapping Whirling Elastic Path concentrated at the joint.
At this rate, my wrist is going to snap before I even get the technique off.
Yu Hong, who had been gleefully clashing his blade against my Scattering Light Red Sun Flash, seemed to sense the shift in my momentum. He muttered, "It looks like you're preparing something big. In that case, I'll show you a move of my own. It's my ultimate technique: Blade Qi Under Heaven."
The tip of Yu Hong’s blade suddenly seemed to expand.
A wave of terror washed over me, as if I were shrinking while his blade grew to a gargantuan size, ready to crush me. True to its name, it felt as though the entire world was being filled with blade Qi.
Sensing that I would be suffocated if I delayed any longer, I unleashed the Overlapping Whirling Elastic Path.
As the energy gathered in my wrist surged into the sword, the agonizing pain vanished instantly, as if it had never been there.
Since we both unleashed our strikes almost simultaneously, Yu Hong’s blade and my sword collided in mid-air.
A brilliant white light erupted like a lightning strike, followed by a spectacular shower of sparks that looked like exploding fireworks. Then, just as thunder follows lightning, a deafening roar shook the martial arena.
Rumble! Boom!
Even amidst the chaos, I saw it clearly with my own eyes.
The moment Yu Hong’s blade struck my sword, it shattered into a thousand pieces.
My sword remained perfectly intact. However, the Ghost Sword lost its momentum and went spinning high into the air.
It wasn't just the sword that was sent flying.
As if pulled back by a violent, invisible force, Yu Hong—who had been standing firm just a moment ago—was lifted off his feet and hurled backward.
I watched, feeling as though I were in a dream, as Yu Hong flew far beyond the bounds of the arena and tumbled into the weapon racks at the edge of the training grounds.
I looked away from him and raised my hand to catch the falling Ghost Sword.
Those few seconds felt like an entire hour to me.
Only when I saw Yu Hong struggling to pick himself up from the weapon racks did I finally let out a sigh of relief.
I beat that monster.
I had successfully navigated a situation that felt like certain death. I was so overwhelmed I felt like I could burst into tears.
Despite his defeat, Yu Hong looked strangely refreshed as he asked me, "I’ve spent my life waiting for the person who would finally best me. I never imagined it would be you. May I ask the name of that magnificent sword technique? I should at least know it to commemorate my first defeat."
Yu Hong coughed up a mouthful of dark blood; it seemed his internal energy had been severely jolted when his Body Protective Aura shattered.
I was hesitant to give him the real name of the technique.
I had been forced to reveal the Scattering Light Red Sun Flash, but I didn't want to give away everything. I quickly improvised a name.
"It is the Draw Sword Instant Kill: Falling Star Style."
Yu Hong spoke, blood dripping from his lips. "Indeed! It felt as though a star was falling upon me. The name fits perfectly. You are the first person to ever break my Body Protective Aura. You should take great pride in that technique!"
Though I was the victor, looking at him filled me with a strange sense of pity. I had never met a man so quintessentially a warrior. He seemed to enjoy the sting of a beautiful technique as if he were a man savoring the heartbreak of a beautiful woman.
Without realizing it, I clasped my hands in a respectful salute to the gracefully defeated warrior.
"Of all the martial artists I, Eo Ja-seo, have met, you were the one I feared most. Though I won this duel, you did not use your signature poison. Therefore, I cannot truly claim victory. Let us call this a draw."
At those words, Deputy Bu jumped in surprise and tried to stop me.
"Young Hero Eo, what are you saying? A draw?"
From Deputy Bu’s perspective, this must have sounded like a bolt from the blue, but I was saying this for my own survival. If Yu Hong ever decided to challenge me again to redeem his loss, I’d be dead meat. He wouldn't be caught off guard like he was today.
Yu Hong let out a boisterous laugh. "Hahaha! Young Hero Eo, do not worry yourself. Even though I lost, I am not the type to hold a grudge over such things. Besides, today isn't the only day, is it? There will surely be another chance for us to duel."
Wait, no. That’s not what I meant. What do you mean, another duel?
"When that time comes, I’ll have run away so fast you won't even see my tail, so don't go calling me a coward," I replied, masking my true feelings with a joke.
As we shared this surprisingly amicable conversation after the duel, the spectators finally began to regain their senses.
"Elder Jang," Yu Hong, the Leader of the Black Dragon Exploding Demon Group, spoke up as a witness. "Young Hero Eo is more than qualified to be the Acting Squad Leader of the Blood Wind Squad. If the man who defeated me cannot take the position, then who possibly could?"
When Yu Hong spoke with such intimidating force, Elder Jang’s face contorted, but he remained silent. He looked utterly dejected, his secret trump cards having all failed.
"Whoooo!"
Suddenly, a cheer erupted from the Blood Wind Squad's side. Their morale soared at the sight of their new Acting Squad Leader defeating the leader of the Black Dragon Exploding Demon Group with such unimaginable martial prowess.
The Seven Heroes were openly weeping, and the Twin Heroes of Guiyang were wiping away tears with their sleeves. It was clear just how much tension they had been under.
As I stepped down from the arena, Jeok Yeong suddenly pulled me into a hug.
"Brother, that final move was a sword I never even dreamed of seeing. I truly respect you."
"Haha..."
I patted Jeok Yeong on the back and gave an awkward smile to Seo Rin and Cho Maeryeong, who were both grinning at me.
*
In the Third Hall, the Demon of Chaos, Seo Gong, who had been watching the duel between Eo Ja-seo and Yu Hong, suddenly gripped the stone railing.
The incredibly solid stone crumbled under his grip as if it were made of tofu.
His disciple, Kang Jung, had never seen his master so agitated in all the years he had served him. Was his master not the kind of man who wouldn't blink even if the world collapsed tomorrow?
And yet, he was this shaken by a relatively minor duel.
Of course, the martial skill displayed had far exceeded expectations, but to a master of his level, it should have looked like child's play.
"Master," Kang Jung called out softly.
After taking a moment to steady his breathing, Seo Gong stroked his beard.
I never thought I would see that sword again in my lifetime. To think that boy could execute it... it is truly astonishing. It has been nearly twenty years since it last appeared, and now it shows up like this to surprise me. Hahaha, for that boy to have a connection with the Sword Demon... what a mysterious twist of fate.
Seo Gong stared down at the arena for a long moment before speaking to Kang Jung.
"Go and bring that boy to me."
"Which one do you mean, Master?" Kang Jung asked, unsure if he meant Eo Ja-seo or Yu Hong.
"The boy named Eo Ja-seo."
Kang Jung looked back down at the arena, recalling the scene where Eo Ja-seo had defeated Yu Hong with that fantastical final strike.
Could I have blocked that move?
In the Nine Demons Chamber, Kang Jung, known as the "Thunder Dragon Blade," was considered a rival to Yu Hong. Yet, it felt as though none of his own techniques could have stopped the strike Eo Ja-seo had shown.
It was the first time he had ever seen the Asura Body Protection Art—the secret technique of the Soul Chasing Poison Demon—shattered like that. The Soul Chasing Poison Demon had spent his entire life creating that art to compensate for the vulnerability to weapons that came with using poison arts.
Hadn't his own master said that when combined with poison, no one in the world could easily defeat the Soul Chasing Poison Demon? And yet, Yu Hong, who had inherited the full legacy of the Second Chamber Leader, had lost to Eo Ja-seo.
Even if Yu Hong hadn't used his signature poison, his Shocking Heaven Asura Blade was a style that was in no way inferior to his own master's blade techniques. Yu Hong had shown such talent for the blade that the Soul Chasing Poison Demon had gone out of his way to teach him.
As time passed, Kang Jung realized just how much this duel had shocked him. However, the thought of having another worthy rival caused a surge of fighting spirit to rise from the depths of his heart.
"The world truly won't leave me in peace," Kang Jung soliloquized as he slowly descended from the Third Hall.
*
The Blood Wind Squad returned to the Hall of Hell in high spirits.
Since I, the Acting Squad Leader, had defeated the leader of the second-ranked Black Dragon Exploding Demon Group, they were all beaming as if they had just won a major war. The way they looked at me with newfound reverence was enough to make me blush.
The Twin Heroes of Guiyang and the Seven Heroes greeted me brightly, and the members of the Demon Subjugation Group all bowed to me with clasped hands.
After watching the last of the Blood Wind Squad enter the Hall of Hell, I returned to my quarters, only to find someone waiting for me.
A young man in grey martial robes approached me. Having stayed in the Nine Demons Chamber for a few days, I had learned what the color and embroidery of those robes signified.
I’m meeting a lot of experts today. To think I’d see the leader of the third-ranked war group, the Heaven Breaking Demon Dragon Squad, here. Since he came so quietly, I doubt he’s here for a duel.
I greeted him first. "I am Eo Ja-seo. Were you looking for me?"
When I spoke calmly, the man in grey replied in a heavy bass voice, "I was."
"What brings you here?"
"Can you spare a moment?" When I didn't immediately answer, the man added, "My master wishes to see you, Young Hero Eo."
"Senior brother, why does Father want to see Young Hero Eo?"
A group suddenly approached from behind. The speaker was Seo Rin, who was cradling a white cat in her arms. She was the only person who had come to greet Ham Bi-hye when we first arrived at the Nine Demons Chamber.
I had later heard from Deputy Bu that the Third Chamber Leader, the Demon of Chaos Seo Gong, was sworn brothers with the Ninth Chamber Leader, the Sword Demon Ham Jeok, making him a staunch ally within the sect. That was why his daughter, Seo Rin, and Ham Bi-hye were so close.
Since it was a summons from such a person, there was no need to be overly frightened. Deputy Bu also chimed in.
"If the Great Blade Master wants to see you, he must have something to say. It would be best to go."
I also wanted to see the face of the legendary Demon of Chaos, whose name was famous throughout the Murim. I wanted to hear what he had to say.
"Very well. Let’s go."
Just as I was about to set off, someone suddenly landed in front of me using a lightness skill. It was the Mad Demon, Seop Jung.
As I stared blankly at his sudden appearance, Seop Jung spoke urgently. "Hurry, let's go! I heard you've earned the right to enter the closed-door cultivation chamber. I almost missed you. We must go now."
Before I could say a word to Kang Jung, I was dragged away by the Mad Demon. He was relentless. He grabbed me and took off with his lightness skill before I could even say, "Wait a moment."
Seo Rin and Kang Jung watched me go, shaking their heads. Seeing Deputy Bu rushing after us, I realized that something critical must be happening regarding Ham Jeok’s condition.
I entered the stone chamber guarded by the original members of the Blood Wind Squad. In the first room, I saw Ham Jeok’s eldest disciple, Yuk Cheong-woo, and two other junior disciples. The Mad Demon gave them a cursory nod and headed straight for the inner room.
The door to the inner chamber opened, revealing Ham Bi-hye and a physician. And there, sitting quietly in the lotus position on a stone dais, was an elderly man with the air of a transcendent immortal.
"You're here," Ham Bi-hye said upon seeing me. Her face, which I hadn't seen in a while, was pale and filled with anxiety.
"Is this the boy? The one who took the Golden Qi-Poisoning Bracelet I gave you?"
I quickly interjected, "Sir, that's not it. This thing just fastened itself to my wrist on its own."
Ma Ui, the physician, stared at me for a moment before turning to Ham Bi-hye. "I went to great lengths to find that to treat your father, and you let this brat take it? What would we have done if we hadn't found it!"
Ham Bi-hye bowed her head as Ma Ui scolded her sternly. "If you had told me from the start that the Golden Qi-Poisoning Bracelet was needed for Father's treatment, I wouldn't have let it be taken. You just told me it was an artifact and to keep it on me."
"So, are you saying if I had told you it was for your father's treatment, you would have cut off this boy's wrist to get it back?" A smile finally touched Ma Ui’s face as he teased Ham Bi-hye, whom he treated like a granddaughter.
"Of course. I would have brought it back even if I had to cut off his hand."
Ma Ui stroked his beard. "If this boy was able to enter this place, your skills wouldn't have been enough to stop him anyway."
At that, the Mad Demon Seop Jung spoke up. "That's true. I heard something quite shocking when I went to fetch him. Apparently, this boy defeated Eumhyeong and the Ghost Rock Dragon in duels, and even took down the Exploding Demon Dragon Yu Hong to become the Acting Squad Leader of the Blood Wind Squad."
"What? Really?"
"Is that so?"
Ham Bi-hye’s mouth fell open as she stared at me. Ma Ui also looked me up and down.
"He looks like someone who needs to be fed restorative tonics every day, but to think he defeated the disciples of those three old men... he’s sturdier than he looks. Especially beating that monster Yu Hong. Girl, you might have hooked a dragon instead of an eagle."
They had been unaware of the news because the duels had happened so suddenly.
"I only won because of luck," I said humbly.
Ham Bi-hye shook her head. "No. You might be able to beat others with luck, but not the Exploding Demon Dragon Yu Hong."
"I only had a chance because he fought me with a blade instead of poison. If he had used his poison arts, I don't know how it would have ended."
Ham Bi-hye gave a small smile. "He has never used poison until now. He reached the top using only that single Asura Blade and the Asura Body Protection Art. Even my father always coveted him, saying he was a man better suited for the sword than for poison."
As it turned out, he was a truly formidable opponent. To be a martial talent that even the Sword Demon kept an eye on... he must have been a genius among geniuses.
And I had beaten a guy like that.
Rather than feeling proud of myself, I felt that the Scattering Light Red Sun Flash, which had allowed me to win, was truly incredible.