Chapter 12: Black Tiger Sect (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 12: Black Tiger Sect (3)
Golden Sword Qi wavered from Seo-jun’s blade. Seeing this, the leader of the Black Tiger Sect gritted his teeth.
‘I thought I was mistaken, but has he really reached the Peak Realm?’
His panic was brief as his mind raced for a solution. Ordinarily, manifesting Sword Qi consumed a massive amount of internal energy. Therefore, the best course of action was to use their superior numbers and drag this into a war of attrition.
“Don’t face him head-on! Play it safe and keep your distance!”
The moment the Sect Leader’s command left his lips, Seo-jun kicked off the ground.
Tap!
The shimmering golden Sword Qi traced a sharp arc through the air.
Seo-jun locked eyes onto a disciple who was slowly backing away. The man's reaction was far too slow. Seo-jun closed the distance in a flash and swung his sword.
Squelch—
Following a fluid, graceful trajectory, both the man’s blade and his body were cleaved clean in half.
“You bastard...!”
Enraged, the Sect Leader charged fiercely. The murky Sword Qi gathered on his broad blade suddenly flared with blinding light.
Unity of Man and Sword.
The realm where the self becomes the sword, and the sword becomes the self.
Normally, a martial artist could only manifest Sword Qi after grasping the initial clues to this enlightenment. But for Seo-jun, it was the exact opposite.
‘So, this is what it feels like.’
Having first manifested Sword Qi through his profound enlightenment regarding Qi itself, he was now tracing the path backward to understand the sword.
Watching the broad blade swing toward him, Seo-jun’s heart hammered against his ribs.
It was a technique he hadn't been able to perform until now. But here, with a fragment of the Unity of Man and Sword within his grasp...
‘I can do it.’
The Yellow Cloud Divine Sword. Specifically, the very first form he had ever learned.
Flowing Clouds Blue Heaven.
Like clouds drifting over a clear river, an ethereal grace descended upon his blade.
The flat of his sword met the tip of the incoming broad blade. It flowed as softly as an untouchable cloud, sliding effortlessly past the enemy's guard to strike.
Slash!
Blood sprayed. The Sect Leader, his side slashed wide open, glared with bloodshot eyes.
“Gah...!”
“Sect Leader!”
Loyal to a fault, the thugs charged forward to protect him.
Seo-jun took a deep breath, watching the Sword Qi flow majestically over his weapon.
‘More efficiently.’
There was no need to coat the entire sword. It was enough for the energy to cling solely to the razor-thin edge of the blade.
Whoosh!
Disciples rushed him from all sides. Gripping his hilt tight, Seo-jun suddenly felt a profound sense of oneness.
The sword is me, and I am the sword.
Once he realized this, the weapon felt like a true extension of his own arm. The blade flowed wherever his will directed it.
A breathtakingly beautiful trajectory carved through the air, smooth enough to make one gasp.
“Kugh...!”
“Aaaargh!”
Everything in the sword's path was severed without the slightest resistance.
His body grew hot from the spray of spilled blood. When Seo-jun turned his head, his eyes met the Sect Leader’s. The man was biting his lip hard enough to draw blood.
“Dammit...!”
The man threw himself into the air—not toward Seo-jun, but toward the high perimeter wall.
“S-Sect Leader...!”
“That son of a bitch!”
Leaving behind the disciples who had already lost their will to fight, Seo-jun pursued the leader. When the man leaped and landed atop the wall, Seo-jun was right behind him.
“Get out of the way!”
Landing on the other side of the wall, the Sect Leader swung his blade at a small child blocking his path.
‘Wait. A child? At this hour?’
Just as the Sect Leader realized something was off, the child lightly dodged the heavy blade and stuck out a foot to trip him.
“Ugh...!”
Between the grievous injury to his side, the sheer absurdity of the situation, and the psychological pressure of being hunted, even a first-rate expert couldn't stop himself from stumbling over a child’s foot.
Thud!
The fallen Sect Leader scrambled to look up. A sword shimmering with golden light was pointed directly between his eyes.
“W-Wait...! You said you wanted elixirs! I’ll give them all to you, just spare my life!”
However, Seo-jun, who was stepping firmly on the man’s chest, wasn't even looking at him.
“Seriously, Chun-bong. Why did you come here?”
“...What, was I supposed to just sit at home and pray?”
“What if you got hurt?”
“Look who’s talking.” Chun-bong pouted. “I’m still stronger than you, you know.”
“Listen to this girl talk. You’re going to end up in the afterlife if you use your strength in your condition, you brat.”
“Hmph, worry about yourself.”
Sighing, Seo-jun casually thrust his sword into the space between the Sect Leader’s brows. Thwack. The Sect Leader died instantly.
‘What am I going to do with this kid...?’
After flicking the blood off his blade and sheathing it, he hoisted Chun-bong onto his back and hopped back over the wall. The surviving disciples had all fled in the meantime.
“I’m going to run, so hold on tight, okay?”
Instead of answering, Chun-bong just gripped his shoulders firmly.
Worried that the fleeing thugs might have stolen the elixirs, Seo-jun hurried back to the Sect Leader’s room and scanned the area.
“I’ve got a feeling about this...”
Based on what the Sect Leader had blurted out, there were definitely elixirs hidden here. Moreover, a strange sensation that tickled his senses was emanating faintly from somewhere in the room.
“Is it here?”
Seo-jun kicked the bookshelf in front of him.
Crash!
The wood shattered, revealing a heavy safe hidden behind it.
“It looks like... steel, right?”
“Seems so.”
Chun-bong, having climbed off his back, tapped the metal box. Thump, thump. It didn't even ring, suggesting the walls were incredibly thick.
“Hmm, maybe I shouldn't have killed him so soon.”
Scratching his head, Seo-jun drew his sword. Seeing this, Chun-bong quickly tried to stop him.
“Hey, hey! You’ll break your sword!”
“I can just buy another one.”
“Ugh...”
Fidgeting restlessly, Chun-bong stepped back. She seemed embarrassed that he was going to such lengths just for her sake.
“Chun-bong.”
“What.”
“Try calling me 'Oppa' just once.”
“...Suddenly? Why would I?”
“Because I feel like I could break this thing open if you did.”
“...Seriously, stop bullshitting.”
...Oppa. A small smile escaped him at the honorific she tacked onto the end of her sentence in a tiny, reluctant voice.
“Right. As if I couldn't cut through a measly safe.”
He raised his sword high toward the ceiling.
‘Bring the heavens at the tip of the sword down to the earth.’
Though the Three Talents Sword Art was widely dismissed as a mere third-rate martial art, he personally didn't think it deserved such a poor reputation. The forms of the Three Talents Sword Art were, ultimately, the absolute basics of swordsmanship.
However, the mental imagery contained within the oral chants of its heart method had a way of making one's heart race with its sheer grandeur.
“Whew...”
He took a deep breath.
In this moment, he erased everything from his mind—the Unity of Man and Sword, and even the physical forms of the technique itself.
The place where his talent and his will converged was, ultimately, Qi. Instead of setting limits for himself, he infused his entire will into a single drop of Qi.
Flash!
Thud. The sword, having swung down in a perfectly straight line, lightly pricked the floorboard. As he exhaled softly and sheathed his blade, Chun-bong blinked in surprise.
“You... what are you? You definitely weren't this good before...”
When Seo-jun lightly pushed the door of the safe—which didn't appear to have a single scratch on it—the severed half of the thick steel door cleanly fell inward.
Seo-jun reached inside, unlocked the mechanism, and pulled away the remaining half of the door. The interior of the safe was now fully revealed.
“They say my talent for manipulating Qi is the greatest in history. That’s how.”
Seo-jun grinned as he pulled a wooden box from inside.
Ignoring the silver taels piled next to it, he opened the lid of the wooden box. A pure, elegant fragrance immediately burst forth. It was a refreshing scent, one that felt like it was washing his very mind clean.
“It’s a Black Peony Pill.”
Seo-jun looked up at Chun-bong’s words.
“A Black Peony Pill?”
“Yeah. It’s a pretty decent spirit pill. You should eat it.”
“Why would I eat this? You should have it.”
“Forget it.” Chun-bong shook her head with a bitter smile. “You know what I need is Yang energy. The Black Peony Pill contains strong Wood Qi, but its main property focuses on harmony. It’s meaningless for my condition.”
Seo-jun fell silent. He closed the lid of the wooden box and tucked it safely into his robes. Then, he swept the silver taels from the safe into a makeshift bundle and slung it over his shoulder.
“Let’s go home for now.”
* * *
Upon returning home, Seo-jun tossed the bundle of silver into a corner and went straight out to the yard.
“Yang energy... Yang energy, huh...”
He gathered Qi in his right hand and raised it. The faintly shimmering golden energy looked like a miniature moon against the night sky.
“Yellow Cloud Divine Art... Hmm...”
Watching him mumble to himself, Chun-bong let out a sigh.
“I told you, just eat the pill yourself. It’s not like I'm going to drop dead tomorrow. We can just find something else for me later.”
“Chun-bong.”
“What.”
“Just shut up.”
Offended, Chun-bong lunged at him.
“You little—!”
But Chun-bong was currently trapped in the body of a small, weak child. There was no way she could overpower a first-rate expert.
“Now, now, stay still.”
Subduing her and lightly pinning her down, Seo-jun stared intently at the Qi glowing on his fingertips.
“This is ultimately Yang energy, too.”
The Yellow Cloud Divine Art aimed to achieve Wuji at its absolute peak. It was said that Yin and Yang reached perfect harmony at that stage... but right now, reaching that level was out of the question. So, for the time being, the internal energy produced by the Yellow Cloud Divine Art leaned much closer to Yang energy.
Wasn't that exactly why Chun-bong had originally practiced the Azure Cloud Divine Art? Because women naturally possessed stronger Yin energy than Yang energy.
“Let’s see...”
Seo-jun placed his left hand on Chun-bong’s back and closed his eyes. A biting, chilly sensation traveled up his palm. This had to be her Yin energy—specifically, the Yin Cold Energy Art, which possessed a potent freezing property.
With his left hand resting on Chun-bong’s back and his right hand enveloped in the warm internal energy of the Yellow Cloud Divine Art, Seo-jun sank into deep contemplation for several minutes.
“...Hey, you’re getting heavy, so get off me already.”
Just as Chun-bong began to grumble, Seo-jun opened his eyes and nodded.
“I think I’ve got the gist of it.”
“The gist of what?”
“None of your business.”
Seo-jun hooked his hands under Chun-bong’s armpits and lifted her up. He carried her into the house and plopped her down in the middle of the room, earning a sharp glare in return.
“Am I an object to you?”
“Shh.”
He placed his index finger against Chun-bong’s lips. Man, even her lips are freezing. Her condition is really serious.
Seo-jun pulled the wooden box from his robes and opened it. The familiar, pure fragrance immediately filled the small house. While Chun-bong watched him with highly suspicious eyes, Seo-jun carefully pinched the Black Peony Pill between his fingers.
It was a glossy, dark brown pill.
He stared at it for a moment... then suddenly shoved it right into Chun-bong’s mouth.
“Mmph—!?”
“Hey! Swallow it!”
“Mmm-ph-mm!”
“It’s already in your mouth, kid! Hey! If you keep spitting and sputtering like that, the medicinal effects are going to evaporate!”
Alright, the operation begins.
He was going to show her that trivial distinctions like Yin and Yang meant absolutely nothing in the face of the greatest talent in history.