Chapter 65
Chapter 65
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Frost Bird Sword
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Han Ibi was so shocked his eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.
If it was the Beginner's Guide for Little Children, wasn't that the very book where Bok Yeon-hwa had hidden her secret manual?
A guidebook for teaching the youngest new recruits who had just joined the Qingcheng Sect...
Every single disciple of the Qingcheng Sect was supposed to have a hand-copied version of this Beginner's Guide for Little Children.
In other words, it was on par with some great classic philosophy tome.
You know, the kind everyone knows about but no one's ever actually read.
Most probably hadn't even cracked it open.
Han Ibi said,
"So... I have to learn the Qingcheng Sect's Beginner's Guide for Little Children?"
"That's right."
Gasp... It was real?
He had to fight an elite of the Qingcheng Sect, and she was telling him to study a kids' beginner's manual...
Wasn't this like telling someone prepping for Seoul National University entrance exams to review elementary school textbooks?
Had this woman lost her mind from all the stress...?
Han Ibi said,
"We only have nine days left?"
"Exactly why you must study the Beginner's Guide for Little Children. Or, to be precise, you must master the Lightweight Child's Sword that I devised. Within that time."
"Is... that even possible?"
"You're the one who made the proposal."
Ugh. This felt like déjà vu... All talk, no substance.
Han Ibi's face was still full of doubt.
As if spotting it, Bok Yeon-hwa clicked her tongue and said,
"You say you'll be my disciple, but it seems your head hasn't accepted it yet."
Han Ibi flinched and replied,
"No, that's not it. How could I? I just..."
"Just?"
"Just... I can't help feeling anxious about whether some childish play-fighting technique can hold up against Seong Chun-don for even a few exchanges."
Bok Yeon-hwa frowned briefly at his words. But she soon grew serious and said,
"Do you know who founded the Qingcheng Sect?"
Oh no... That wasn't something that came up much in wuxia novels...
In Daoist terms, the Wudang Sect was famously founded by Zhang Sanfeng, and the Quanzhen Order by Wang Chongyang as its first patriarch...
But who the hell started the Qingcheng Sect? No clue.
"I'm ashamed to say, but this disciple doesn't know."
"Truth be told, neither do we."
"Pardon?"
"Unlike other sects, the Qingcheng Sect grew naturally without a specific founder."
"Is... is that even possible? So there's no founding patriarch?"
Wait, I ended up joining a sect without roots?
"Rather than a founding patriarch, we consider Zhang Daoling—the one who established the Five Pecks of Rice School and later entered Qingcheng Mountain—as our origin."
Ah... that guy! The Five Pecks of Rice Cult... the one that spread with faith-healing for the sick... Kinda culty, if you ask me... But can't say that to her face.
"I see."
"It's said he authored twenty-four fascicles of Daoist scriptures on becoming immortals. No martial arts manuals at all."
"I... see."
Why's she dragging on with this random history instead of teaching swordsmanship...?
"But from my research, he actually wrote twenty-five."
"You... researched that too? Then... what was the twenty-fifth?"
"The Beginner's Guide for Little Children."
Han Ibi's eyes widened.
"What?"
"The only martial arts-related work we suspect he penned anonymously."
Han Ibi's mouth fell open.
Bok Yeon-hwa continued,
"I applied the principles of Wudang's Taiji Fist techniques to the streamlined movements of the Beginner's Guide for Little Children and created the Lightweight Child's Sword."
A fierce pride shone on Bok Yeon-hwa's face, unlike anything Han Ibi had seen before.
Whoa... But isn't that... plagiarism, even if you squint...?
Of course, Han Ibi clapped enthusiastically and said,
"Truly brilliant, Master! It's an honor to have a teacher like you."
Bok Yeon-hwa looked pleased, but her face quickly turned stern as she said,
"The Lightweight Child's Sword consists of just seven forms."
Han Ibi nodded vigorously.
"Compared to other sword styles, it's incredibly concise."
"Hmph. Compared to others, it's the only one reduced to bare essentials."
"Wow! Extreme minimalism."
Impatient to start, Han Ibi suddenly raised his Mysterious Frost Blade and said,
"Shall I prepare right now, then?"
Bok Yeon-hwa suddenly barked,
"How dare a swordsman practice without even a decent blade!"
Gah... She's mad 'cause I'm carrying a saber, not a sword... But how could I find a better sword than the Mysterious Frost Blade...?
Instead of answering, Han Ibi scratched the back of his head.
He might've gotten away with playing dumb, since he'd seen her with a long, cloth-wrapped object at her waist when they first met.
Playing the fool was the best move here.
Take this scolding, and finally get a decent sword? Heh heh heh. Swordplay with a dagger was a pain... If it's one of the 108 Fortuitous Encounters, even better!
Then Bok Yeon-hwa tossed the long object upward.
Her left fingers gripped the cloth, so it spun in the air, revealing itself.
Han Ibi cheered inwardly.
Oh yeah! Finally!
The sword was revealed at last.
Under her control, it flew straight to Han Ibi's hand. Impressive technique.
Thud!
Han Ibi caught it.
But...
Huh? Th-this isn't a sword, it's a saber!
It was.
The object Bok Yeon-hwa gave him was, astonishingly, not a sword but a blade.
A utterly plain, straight saber without distinctive features.
No scabbard, no guard... Just a handle and blade. A basic saber.
Han Ibi felt both surprise and disappointment as he said,
"Master."
"What?"
"Th-this... isn't a sword."
"Who said I was giving you a sword?"
"Even so... how am I supposed to perform swordsmanship with this?"
"Why not? It's single-edged, sure, but it can thrust and slash just fine. What's stopping you from using sword techniques? The distinction between sword and saber is mere human convenience, not some inherent law of weaponry."
Thump!
Another resonance stirred in Han Ibi's chest.
The line between sword and saber... between martial arts... was just a human distinction for convenience.
From the perspective of thrusting, slashing, and striking, it was all wordplay.
In that moment, Bok Yeon-hwa said,
"This blade was passed down from my great-granduncle, a swordsman."
"I see."
Then—
This cheap-looking market saber—no, sword— was one of the 108 Fortuitous Encounters!
In the meantime, the progressive faction's key figures—Bok Yeon-hwa, Gi Baek-eom, Baek Beom-sang, and others—had pulled out all the stops to delay the preliminary tournament schedule.
They argued for focusing every effort on investigating the intruder who'd breached the grounds.
But such pleas fell on deaf ears among the conservatives, who had their Iron Face Skill cranked to the max.
In the end, the schedule would be advanced as they demanded.
Jong Ri-hyeok was still nowhere to be seen.
Can I really pull this off...?
He'd stepped up somehow, but Han Ibi's anxiety had already peaked.
No turning back now.
All he could do was hole up in Absolute Slab Valley for the remaining nine days, drilling the Lightweight Child's Sword Bok Yeon-hwa had taught him over and over.
Time crawls when you want it to fly and races like a torrent when you beg it to slow.
Thus, Han Ibi's nine days vanished in a flash.
And on the long-awaited day of the preliminary tournament!
The buzz was electric for the Qingcheng Sect Leader Selection Tournament, the first in nearly fifty years.
This was normally just the public sparring arena for Qingcheng disciples.
But today, the excitement eclipsed even official Murim Alliance tournaments.
Of course... Spectating fights has always been prime entertainment, past or present.
Plus, this "preliminary tournament" was essentially a massive gamble with the title of "Qingcheng Sect Leader" on the line...
The outcome would reshape the future for every member, a pivotal shift.
Natural that it drew all eyes.
Han Ibi took a deep breath and scanned the arena.
He, Bok Yeon-hwa, and the others had agonized over whether to seek prior approval for his participation.
They decided against it.
Swapping contestants was the sect leader's prerogative. No way it'd be approved in advance.
The only chance was now, with guests from inside and out all gathered.
After all, these martial world elders prized "justification" and "face" above all.
Thus, Han Ibi's entry—per Bok Yeon-hwa's will—was kept secret even from their ally, Elder Yoon.
He had to stand apart from Bok Yeon-hwa's group.
Under one canopy sat Bok Yeon-hwa, So Eun-ri, and Elder Yoon.
So Eun-ri's complexion had improved, but she couldn't fully hide her sickly pallor.
No one would call her fit.
Opposite them, under the other canopy: the on-site conservatives Hong Gu-geum, Nam Cheol-hong, Seong Chun-don, and Son Bu-yang.
Seong Chun-don's punchable face remained as is.
Up on the dais, the VIP seats held the current sect leader, plus elders excluding Bok Yeon-hwa and Nam Cheol-hong.
Some unfamiliar faces caught Han Ibi's eye.
He asked a nearby disciple,
"Looks like guests have arrived."
The young Qingcheng disciple shot him an irritated look, as if to say you don't even know that?
"Obviously. This is a huge event."
"Ah... right. Who might that be...?"
Han Ibi pointed to an immortal-like elder in a sky-blue robe.
The disciple said,
"You don't know him?"
"No... I'm still green in the jianghu..."
"That's Plum Blossom Grand Immortal Choi Geuk-ik of the Huashan Sect."
"Ah... Got it. Huashan Sect, huh?"
"Yes. The Qingcheng Leader Selection is major, so we've always invited prestigious witnesses."
"I see."
"And this time..."
Han Ibi noted the disciple's fawning expression.
"...the Murim Alliance sent a witness themselves. How thrilling! Honoring our event with such a heavyweight."
What a sycophantic snob... Shamelessly gushing.
Still, curious, Han Ibi grinned and probed further.
"Ah... and other guests too?"
The disciple waved dismissively.
"Of course—leaders from minor sects responding to Qingcheng's prestige. Too small for me to know names."
Contempt laced his eyes.
A classic bully: strong against the weak, weak against the strong.
Then, drumbeats echoed: boom boom!
Oho... Sound effects too? They went all out.
Han Ibi thought of Seo Ui-jae, who'd slaved over preparations.
The disciple said,
"It's starting. Quiet down and focus."
"Ah... yes. Yes."
Han Ibi slipped away, edging near Bok Yeon-hwa's canopy.
Everyone was too engrossed in the event to notice.
A peek showed Bok Yeon-hwa and So Eun-ri visibly tense.
Tsk tsk. All cool and composed until yesterday.
Even Elder Bok's human after all.
Nam Cheol-hong's side, meanwhile, lounged casually.
Knowing So Eun-ri's injury well, they saw this match as their golden opportunity.
Boom boom boom!
The drums stopped, and as expected, General Affairs Head Seo Ui-jae took the mic, booming,
"On behalf of our sect leader, we thank all the distinguished guests inside and out who grace us today."
Thunderous applause and cheers engulfed the arena.
(To be continued...)