Chapter 214
Chapter 214
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 59
>Chapter Title: On the Ship (4)
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Moonless Void Sword.
It was the sword manual written on the paper that Cheongnyeong had hidden in the report from Blood Pond Valley.
She had said it was one of the Five Great Sword Arts symbolizing the ancient martial world.
'Ah!'
The trajectories of the sword etched into Mok Kyung-un's eyes.
As he watched, the images of the peerless swordsman and the old man he had seen in that trance-like state while imprinting the sword forms overlapped in his mind.
-Shwaaack!
A refreshing sword path that evoked the image of a full moon. It sent chills down his spine, making the memories from before pale in comparison.
He had entered a trance while imprinting the sword arts that Cheongnyeong had recited from the Blood Pond Valley report, but this sword manual induced a thrill beyond compare.
-Swish swish!
'It's different.'
What surprised Mok Kyung-un even more was the difference in the sword forms.
The sword techniques he had seen in the trance had no unnecessary paths, each one beautiful yet focused solely on killing the opponent thoroughly.
Yet the old man's sword manual went further, breaking free even from the framework of those existing paths.
'Ahhh...'
It was like beholding a new world.
The Master had said that upon reaching the stage of "Following the Heart," one could act as the heart desires—wherever it leads, whatever it wishes—without deviating from rules, laws, systems, or principles.
The old man's sword embodied that exactly.
It transcended the framework of existing forms, evolving them freely.
And yet, astonishingly, it was still the Moonless Void Sword.
'......I've never thought of it this way. So sword forms can be executed like this.'
It shattered all conventional wisdom.
Mok Kyung-un could only sincerely admire it.
This was no sword that could be performed simply by imprinting and memorizing it in one's mind.
This shock wasn't unique to Mok Kyung-un.
Though she had no physical body, Cheongnyeong had been an exceptional swordswoman in life, and the moment she saw it, she was struck with awe and enlightenment.
'This is the sword......'
She had gained insight from the old man's two forms of the Moonless Sword Art, creating her own Moon Sword forms.
But witnessing this, a new sword principle blossomed in her mind.
At that moment, a gap arose between Cheongnyeong and Mok Kyung-un.
Unlike Cheongnyeong, who was trapped in the wooden puppet and focused purely on the sword manual itself, Mok Kyung-un was also observing how the surrounding qi stirred with each swing of the sword.
This difference was quite significant.
-Swish!
Soon after, the old man stopped swinging his sword.
As he did, a faint glow emanated from the blade of the Instant Demon Sword.
Even the sword called a demon blade seemed to pay homage to the astonishing sword manual the old man had demonstrated.
Gazing at the Instant Demon Sword, the old man spoke.
"Excellent. Thanks to you, this old man's sword shone even brighter."
-Woooom!
At his words, the Instant Demon Sword trembled, letting out a sword cry.
Seeing this, Mok Kyung-un inwardly stuck out his tongue.
If even the heart of this demon sword, so picky with people, reacted like this, then the old man must have reached the pinnacle in the way of the sword.
The old man looked at Mok Kyung-un and said.
"Did you see it?"
"Yes."
"How much do you remember?"
At that, Mok Kyung-un nearly answered thoughtlessly that he remembered it all, but he stopped.
He sensed the old man's question meant something else.
Of course, he remembered it all.
He could even replicate the old man's movements exactly.
But that would merely be the shell.
So Mok Kyung-un replied.
"I don't remember it well."
At those words, the old man's eyes narrowed.
Secretly, the old man was surprised.
He had shown the sword to Mok Kyung-un, but figured there were limits to what he could comprehend.
He hadn't expected such an answer from him.
"You don't remember it well?"
"Yes."
"......I see."
The corner of the old man's mouth twitched.
As one who wielded the sword, he thought this was sufficient repayment.
But it seemed the young man's aptitude surpassed his expectations.
So the old man picked up his sword once more.
Then,
"If so, watch again."
-Shwaaack shwaaack!
He once again performed the sword dance, just like before.
The sword's trajectory was as beautiful as ever.
But one thing had changed: the sword paths were even simpler.
If before it was a full moon brimming with fullness, now it was like a half-moon—more concise and sharper.
The sword manual ended at about half the previous length.
As he sheathed the sword, the Instant Demon Sword's blade trembled even faster.
The old man asked Mok Kyung-un.
"How about now?"
"......Even watching it, I can't remember."
Hearing that, the old man's mouth curved up further.
Then, he immediately raised the Instant Demon Sword into stance and said.
"I see. Then watch again."
No sooner had he spoken than the old man unleashed the sword manual once more.
It was markedly different from the previous one.
The sword became even more concise, no longer beautiful but simply swung.
Yet Mok Kyung-un's eyes could not tear away from the sword's path.
It was the gaze of one lost in trance.
-Swash!
The old man's sword ended even faster than the second time.
It was less than half the length.
After swinging, the old man stared straight into Mok Kyung-un's eyes and asked.
"How was it?"
Mok Kyung-un let out a long breath.
Seeing this, a sharper glint entered the old man's eyes.
From that breath alone, he knew Mok Kyung-un was with him.
Finally, Mok Kyung-un spoke.
"My talent is lacking, so even seeing it before my eyes, I've forgotten it all."
'!!!!!'
Hearing that, the old man burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha! Hahahahaha!"
After laughing for a good while, he stopped and said to Mok Kyung-un.
"I merely intended a small token of gratitude, but this has become amusing."
"......For a small token, it feels a bit excessive."
"This too is your fortune."
At the old man's words, Mok Kyung-un suddenly recalled something.
Strangely, he had felt the Moonless Void Sword in the old man's forms, overlapping with the peerless swordsman he had seen in the incantation from the Blood Pond Valley report.
He wanted to ask.
"Elder, by any chance, the Moonless..."
"Heh heh heh. I nearly let you take it."
"Yes?"
-Sheeng! Clack!
Before he could finish asking, the old man cut him off and sheathed the Instant Demon Sword.
Then he tossed it toward Mok Kyung-un.
Mok Kyung-un lightly caught the sword, and the old man said.
"That should suffice as repayment, and you must now properly store it away, so this old man shall take his leave."
"Yes?"
Mok Kyung-un furrowed his brow.
They were still in the middle of the river—where exactly was he going?
No matter how skilled a martial artist, one couldn't avoid being swept away in these currents.
Mok Kyung-un said.
"Couldn't you wait until the boat arrives and disembark then?"
"Where this old man is headed isn't across the river."
"But here..."
"It's fine. And don't mind this passing encounter too much."
With that, the old man slung the bamboo fishing rod over his shoulder and turned toward the deck.
It was utter madness.
He hadn't even properly learned the man's identity— he couldn't just let him go.
Mok Kyung-un tried to stop him.
"Elder..."
-Swish!
In that instant, the old man vanished.
Mok Kyung-un hurriedly shot his form toward the deck where the old man had been heading.
He scanned outside the boat, but nothing was visible.
Even on this dark river amid pouring rain, Mok Kyung-un's eyesight was far beyond ordinary.
Yet nothing was in sight.
'......What in the world?'
Was he truly a living human?
He had disappeared in a moment, with no trace of where he went.
-Did you see that, Cheongnyeong?
-......
Mok Kyung-un asked Cheongnyeong.
But there was no reply.
Thinking something was wrong, he touched the wooden puppet in his bosom—she was still sealed inside.
That meant she was lost in deep thought, unable to hear him.
'Did Cheongnyeong gain some realization from seeing that too?'
It seemed so.
Well, even he wanted time to sort through what the old man had shown earlier.
After scanning around for a long time in search of the old man's trail, Mok Kyung-un gave up and sat cross-legged on the deck.
He closed his eyes and recalled the old man's sword from the very beginning.
* * *
At the bow of the boat.
Seop Chun, Third Escort Captain of the Heaven-Earth Society's main branch, gulped down the liquor from the gourd handed to him by the defrocked monk Ja Geum-jeong.
"Kaaah. This stuff's killer."
"Heh heh heh. At least you know good liquor."
"Hahaha! A man who doesn't know liquor isn't a man. Drinking in the pouring rain on a boat that's tilting like it's about to capsize—the taste is simply superb."
"Liquor's best in spots like this."
"Couldn't agree more."
"In that spirit, one sip!"
-Gulp gulp!
"Hey! That's one sip? Planning to hog it all? Let me have some too."
The two got along famously.
Before long, they were arm-in-arm, taking swigs and getting carried away in excitement.
Watching them, Mong Mu-yak, the vice captain's son, clicked his tongue.
'Fools.'
With rain pouring like this, could they even tell if it was going in their noses or mouths?
They just weren't his type anyway.
He was pitying them like that when—
-Thud!
Mong Mu-yak suddenly closed his eyes and collapsed to the floor.
It didn't end there.
Seop Chun and Ja Geum-jeong, who had been arm-in-arm in high spirits, also closed their eyes and fell asleep on the spot.
Seeing this, Ha Yoon, the resentful spirit at the rudder, frowned.
They had all collapsed at once—something was off.
Then,
"I nearly forgot about you."
Hearing the voice beside him, Ha Yoon startled and turned his head.
There stood the old man in black hemp robes, bamboo fishing rod over his shoulder.
Seeing him, Ha Yoon moved to kneel.
-Elder!
But before he could, the old man shook his head, preventing it.
Then he said.
"If this old man had paid more attention, your grave wouldn't have been desecrated. My apologies."
-No, how could that be your fault, Elder? It was due to my own lack of virtue.
The old man shook his head at Ha Yoon's words.
"Even after all these years, you're the same. It's time you forgave yourself."
-No. I still deserve more punishment.
"Don't say that. That child wouldn't want you like this."
-......
Ha Yoon bowed his head in bitter silence.
The old man patted his shoulder encouragingly.
Ha Yoon raised his head again and said.
-I am sorry. Your grief must run deeper than mine, yet you still console this worthless soul. I am deeply moved.
"No need for that. Understood?"
-......
"Anyway, things have resolved peacefully, and I've seen your face after so long, so this old man will be off."
At those words, Ha Yoon couldn't hide his regret.
He had hoped not to see the old man this year, but without fail, every ten years, he visited to tend the grave and shrine.
It wasn't bad for him, but it was for the old man.
-......Have you still not found it?
The old man shook his head at the question.
"Not easy."
-Then let me find a suitable human body and assist you...
"No. Tormenting yourself moderately and moving on to a better place—that's how you help this old man."
-......Elder.
"No need to overdo it. Recalling old memories today has me in good spirits."
Curious, Ha Yoon asked.
-Old memories?
"I greeted a young man who handled my task in my stead, and it reminded me of that fellow after so long."
'!?'
A glint entered Ha Yoon's eyes.
-That fellow—do you mean your son-in-law?
The old man gave a faint smile.
An affirmation.
Seeing this, Ha Yoon was inwardly astonished.
It had been truly ages since the old man mentioned him.
That meant even the old man held that extraordinary youth in the highest regard...
-To remind you of him—that level?
Recalling earlier, the old man replied in a meaningful tone.
"In terms of talent alone, enough to make even that one pale."
-!!!!!!!
[Chapter 59: On the Ship (4)] End