Chapter 190
Chapter 190
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 54
>Chapter Title: Pinnacle (4)
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A hundred years ago.
A distant past she could no longer pinpoint in time.
She watched the back of a man gripping a sword manual in the training hall and asked,
[What are you doing?]
A sword floated in front of the man.
He was trying to manipulate the hovering sword more naturally.
But soon, the sword slipped from his true qi control and flew off with a whoosh, clattering to one side of the training hall.
-Clang!
[It's still difficult, as expected.]
[Of course it is. The moment the connection of true qi extended outside the body breaks even slightly, the telekinetic hold collapses.]
[Exactly. That's why it's so hard. But what if you could wield that true qi even more fluidly, controlling the sword like a living horse?]
[Controlling a sword like a horse? Is that even possible?]
True qi internalized within the body becomes dantian internal energy.
Internal energy strengthens the body as one's own qi, but the instant it leaves the body, the qi naturally disperses.
Thus, to maintain true qi projected outside required vast, profound internal energy and the enlightenment to concentrate it without dissipation.
In response to her words, the man, hands clasped behind his back, said,
[Yes. It might be impossible. But they say the great sword masters who shook the ancient martial world could do it.]
[The ancient martial world......]
The ancient martial world.
Unlike the present, where martial artists' levels had generally declined, there was an era when martial arts truly flourished, or so she had heard.
Legends and records from that time overflowed with techniques that seemed fantastical, almost mythical.
And one of them appeared to be what the man described.
She shook her head in disbelief and said,
[Even in old age, no one obsesses over the ancient martial world like you.]
[It's not obsession. I simply wish to recreate the glory of the ancient martial world.]
[Yes, yes, of course. So, what did they call it in the ancient martial world—wielding a sword with true qi like reining a horse?]
[That was......]
* * *
The sword that unsheathed itself from its scabbard and flew straight at Vice Chairman's son Mong Mu-yak.
Even from within the wooden puppet, Cheongnyeong instinctively knew upon seeing it.
‘Sword Control Technique!’
It was the Sword Control Technique.
Was this actually possible?
Stunned by the sight, she shouted a warning at Mok Kyung-un.
-Sword Control Technique!
‘Sword Control Technique?’
At her cry, Mok Kyung-un, already on guard, swiftly twisted his body aside, dodging the charging sword.
However,
-Slash!
He thought he had evaded it, but the sword turned mid-air as if someone were swinging it, aiming to sever his neck.
Mok Kyung-un drew his sword without a second thought.
-Clang!
-Shing!
The moment their blades clashed, his body was pushed back nearly five paces.
His eyes gleamed at the overwhelming sword strike that surpassed his expectations.
Who could have guessed that a sword turning direction mid-flight, with no one gripping it, carried such potent true qi.
But it didn't end there.
-Swoosh!
The sword thrust toward Mok Kyung-un's forehead as he reeled back.
He hurriedly swung his sword upward to block.
-Clang!
Yet, the sword that he deflected upward bounced his own blade downward instead.
!?
The power in the sword hadn't diminished in the slightest.
It had grown even stronger than before.
Mok Kyung-un's eyes sharpened.
Since this was the main hall where the Leader resided, he had been modulating his power to peak transcendent level as a precaution, but even that seemed insufficient.
-Don't clash—evade!
Cheongnyeong urgently shouted.
At her words, Mok Kyung-un unleashed his movement technique in haste.
The technique he deployed was the Ghostly Shadow Step taught by the Dark Clan Leader.
-Tat tat tat tat tat!
The Ghostly Shadow Step, emphasizing adaptability, moved his feet with reed-like flexibility.
As he dodged the sword, Mok Kyung-un transmitted,
-What the hell is this? The true qi is handling the sword like a living swordsman.
-Sword Control Technique.
-Sword Control Technique?
-A method of wielding the sword with qi.
-Wielding the sword? Is it possible to control it with this much precision?
-Even this seat is seeing it in person for the first time...... Be careful!
-Slash!
No sooner had Cheongnyeong warned than the sword grazed past Mok Kyung-un's chest as he executed his footwork.
Barely dodging, Mok Kyung-un gathered energy in his Yongcheon acupoint and kicked off the ground.
-Bam!
In an instant, he created over six paces of distance, then hurled sword qi at the turning sword.
-Slash slash slash!
Repeated waves of sword qi flew forth.
The sword seemed momentarily halted by the sharp energies.
-Clang clang clang!
But the true qi empowering the Sword Control Technique was so immense that the sword qi shattered instead.
It seemed ordinary sword qi wouldn't suffice to block it.
At the very least,
-Clang!
Something flashed like lightning and struck the sword aside.
It was none other than Seop Chun, Captain of the Main Hall's Third Escort Squad.
The rampaging sword, moving on its own, was flung to the ground by the blue gang qi-infused Radiant Martial Blade.
-Clang!
‘It's weaker than gang qi.’
The energy in the sword surpassed sword qi but fell short of gang qi.
“Phew, you okay?”
Seop Chun shook his left hand as he asked Mok Kyung-un.
He had intervened mid-way, realizing he couldn't just stand by.
Mok Kyung-un was about to express thanks when he shouted instead.
“Help...... behind you!”
-Flinch!
No sooner had Mok Kyung-un spoken than Seop Chun instinctively sensed sharp energy and deployed his blade draw.
‘Radiant Martial Blade Technique, Second Form: Revolving Butterfly Guard!’
Seop Chun spun his body like a top while swinging his blade.
A whirlwind of gang qi raged via the blue blade gang on his Radiant Martial Blade.
-That guy's no ordinary fellow.
A gasp escaped Cheongnyeong's lips.
Seop Chun's blade draw was masterful enough to be called supreme.
Even Sword Control Technique seemed hard-pressed to pierce it.
However,
-Swoosh!
The sword shot upward.
Then it plunged down from above Seop Chun, who was spinning in his blade draw.
‘No way?’
Seop Chun's eyes widened.
Like the eye of a storm being calm, the sole gap in Revolving Butterfly Guard was directly above where the form unfolded—and it pierced it in one go.
Realizing the danger, Seop Chun altered the form's trajectory into a variation.
‘Radiant Martial Blade Technique, Eighth Form: Butterfly Dance in Full Bloom!’
-Slash slash slash slash slash!
The Radiant Martial Blade fluttered like butterflies, creating countless afterimages that instantly ensnared the sword stabbing at Seop Chun's crown.
-Clang clang clang clang clang!
Trapped in the blade draw, the sword thrashed wildly, gradually losing its power.
Mok Kyung-un's eyes lit up at the sight.
He could gauge Seop Chun's exceptional combat sense from the net of illusions woven by the dazzling blade forms.
It had completely severed the true qi's connection to the sword.
‘Is it cut off?’
Mok Kyung-un and Seop Chun, who had trapped the sword in his blade draw, both believed it couldn't do anything more.
However,
!?
Mok Kyung-un frowned.
Though the true qi was severed, to discern who wielded the Sword Control Technique and how, he activated the power of his third eye in his right pupil.
‘What the......'
It was utterly different from his expectations.
He had thought traces of the connecting true qi would remain on the sword.
But there were no traces of true qi.
-What's wrong?
-There are no traces of true qi connected to the sword.
-What?
If true qi had been linked to the sword, his eye should show remnants.
Yet he saw nothing.
Thus, there was no way to tell who controlled it.
Did the sword truly move on its own?
Puzzled, Cheongnyeong clicked her tongue in admiration.
-Sword and Self as One. The sword itself becomes the conduit for qi.
-What does that mean?
-It's not sending true qi to connect with the sword. The sword gathers and wields qi on its own. That's why it can be controlled so freely. Ha!
She was genuinely impressed.
She had even doubted if Sword Control Technique was real.
Yet here was the answer.
And from it, she realized,
-Midwife. This isn't a technique achievable by merely surpassing a wall.
-Then?
-One must reach a realm of assimilating with the surrounding qi. At least peak Transformation Realm...... or beyond the wall of walls.
-That means......
-Yes. In this place, only one person can perform such a divine feat.
......The Leader.
Mok Kyung-un transmitted with utter certainty.
Even he, having surpassed a wall, couldn't fathom the qi with his third eye fully open.
That being was the pinnacle of the Celestial Assembly, one of the Six Heavens—the Leader.
Cheongnyeong spoke in a gravely serious tone.
-Mountains beyond mountains, indeed.
She had suspected he might have reached the Manifestation Realm beyond the wall of walls.
But confirming it so definitively made vengeance seem as distant as ever.
Mok Kyung-un likely felt the same.
At that moment, Mok Kyung-un's shoulders trembled faintly.
‘This guy?’
Had he tasted the wall?
It was the first time she'd seen him react like this.
Watching him, Cheongnyeong inwardly understood.
‘It's natural to feel awe or fear clashing with a being of unfathomable power. So even you, Midwife, are human after all......’
Twitch twitch!
!?
Cheongnyeong couldn't hide her bewilderment.
Mok Kyung-un's shoulders heaved more, and the corners of his mouth twitched visibly.
‘Is this guy...... smiling?’
Not fear from the wall?
Laughter in this situation?
Had she seen wrong? But his lips curved faintly upward.
-Midwife, are you really smiling?
-Huh? Was I?
-What? You didn't even know what expression you were making?
-Ah, almost slipped up.
-Slipped up? Why are you smiling?
-Just......
-Just?
-Yeah. Martial arts seem to have even more depth to delve into than I thought.
Cheongnyeong was inwardly astonished by his response.
For this midwife, martial arts had been merely tools for revenge.
Yet facing higher-dimensional martial prowess, he wasn't blocked by the wall but showed interest instead.
‘Ha!’
Did he realize it?
How much his mindset had shifted.
No need to point it out, though.
This was flowing in a very positive direction.
It was right then.
-Clang!
“No way?”
Seop Chun, convinced he had fully severed the sword's energy through repeated Butterfly Dance in Full Bloom, tried to halt—only for the sword to revive and stab at his shoulder.
No time to dodge.
However,
-Clang!
The sword aiming for his shoulder suddenly lost power and fell to the ground.
‘Huh?’
What was going on?
Had the one moving the sword released the connection?
Puzzled, Seop Chun leaped back to create distance.
He glanced toward the training hall entrance.
Thinking the sword's controller might be there.
But the entrance was empty.
‘Who the hell?’
No energy signatures nearby to his senses.
And right then,
-Swish!
In the center of the training hall stood a figure with hands behind back, face wrapped in bandage-like cloth.
The moment Seop Chun saw him, his eyes widened, and soon,
-Thud! Thump!
Dropping to one knee, he clasped his hands and bowed his head, shouting,
“Main Hall Third Escort Captain Seop Chun pays respects to the Leader of the Great Celestial Assembly!”
‘!!!!!!!!’
No sooner had he spoken than Mong Mu-yak jolted in shock, knelt on one knee, and paid homage like Seop Chun.
“I pay respects to the Leader!”
‘Leader? This guy?’
Mok Kyung-un's right eyelid twitched faintly.
Could everyone here see it?
The qi stored within that body was intensely thrilling, dwarfing any he'd witnessed.
What catastrophe would erupt if it burst forth?
Was this the Celestial Assembly's pinnacle?
Amid his awe,
“Kyung-un!”
Main Hall Third Escort Captain Seop Chun urgently called Mok Kyung-un.
With the Leader present, standing there dumbfounded was improper.
Mok Kyung-un followed suit, kneeling on one knee and paying respects.
Seop Chun breathed a sigh of relief.
Then,
-Step step!
Footsteps approached, and the Leader's legs appeared right before him.
Seop Chun lowered his head further in tension.
A voice came.
“Cough cough. How did you do it?”
‘Ah!’
At the voice, Seop Chun's pupils trembled.
He had suspected, but did that mean the sword's autonomous movement was the Leader testing them?
He hadn't expected this reason for being summoned here.
-Tremble!
‘It was a test, after all.’
Seop Chun spoke in an exalted, thrilled tone, as if honored.
“My meager skills are nothing. I merely gave my all......”
“No. Not you.”
“Pardon?”
Flustered, Seop Chun slightly raised his head.
But the Leader's gaze, face wrapped in bandages, was fixed on Mok Kyung-un.
With considerable interest, no less.
‘Why?’
Why was the Leader reacting this way?
Puzzled, the Leader spoke again.
“How did you disperse the true qi in the sword?”
‘What?’
[End of Chapter 54 Pinnacle (4)]