Chapter 244
Chapter 244
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 244
Chapter Title: Heavenly Realm
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We immediately suppressed the servant with our presence and forced an answer.
"We need to see Jangryeong Valley Lord Byeok Ji-sang. Lead the way."
The Sword Demon's words were polite, yet they carried an undercurrent of pressure that crushed the opponent's internal energy. Naturally, a mere servant couldn't withstand the Sword Demon's current aura, and in an instant, his face turned ghastly pale as he bowed his head low.
"O-of course. Right away."
We followed the servant even deeper inside. After walking roughly a hundred zhang, we came upon a mansion exuding a refined aura. It seemed excessively spacious for a single occupant, though it was understandable enough for a wealthy person, complete with an expansive estate. The servant entered the mansion, rang a small bell, and announced,
"Master. Guests have come to call."
A moment of silence passed before a woman's voice drifted from within.
"Let them enter."
"Yes."
We followed the servant into the inner chamber. There, a woman dressed in noble purple robes sat waiting in a chair. The moment I confirmed her appearance, I let out a low groan.
"Hmm..."
It was undoubtedly Dao King Byeok Ji-sang. She had a slightly sharp countenance but an exceptional beauty rarely seen, her expression utterly cold and detached. I couldn't help thinking that if she smiled, captivating three or four men would be child's play.
Having confirmed as much, the Sword Demon stared piercingly at her before speaking.
"Pleased to meet you, Jangryeong Valley Lord. I am Sword Demon Seo Moon Dae-ryong. This is our sect's Dharma Protector, Baek Woong."
The current Jangryeong Valley Lord, Dao King Byeok Ji-sang, replied without the slightest change in expression.
"What brings the supreme expert of the Evil Faction to this remote valley?"
"I sought to recruit the former Jangryeong Valley Lord into the Shadowless Sect, having heard tales of his outstanding wisdom and skill. To learn he perished in recent years is truly regrettable."
"People have their heavenly mandate. He simply could not defy his fated end."
Byeok Ji-sang's tone carried no rise or fall, even dipping into gloominess. Anyone hearing her voice for the first time would feel disoriented. But having heard her manner of speech before, I knew it was simply her unique way of talking. Perhaps for that reason, the Sword Demon showed no displeasure as he continued.
"By my knowledge, you were known as Dao King across Sichuan, famed for your gambling prowess. How is it that you have become the master of Jangryeong Valley?"
The Sword Demon cut straight to the heart of the matter. Byeok Ji-sang lifted her teacup and replied.
"Dao King is merely a shameful title from my past. I was acquainted with the late Valley Lord, and at his request, I inherited Jangryeong Valley to manage it."
The Sword Demon subtly probed her intentions.
"So you have no plans to roam the martial world as Dao King any longer?"
"You may think of it that way. I rather like life here."
The Sword Demon let out a groan at her composed answer. She spoke as if casually tossing out remarks, yet there was no emotional fluctuation whatsoever—like a plant—making it difficult even for the worldly Sword Demon to gauge her psychological state.
Unable to stand by any longer, I spoke to Byeok Ji-sang.
"You speak of an acquaintance—what circumstances led to your closeness? I heard Zhuge-sa was an extremely eccentric and self-willed man with no true friends."
Byeok Ji-sang turned to me and replied with utter blankness.
"That is correct. Zhuge-sa was narrow-minded and full of his own superiority. But he was a rather amusing fellow, so I often kept in touch with him."
"Amusing?"
"I have answered as a close friend, but to say more would disrespect the deceased. I will stop here."
Byeok Ji-sang abruptly invoked propriety to sever the conversation.
"......"
Such a response left me with nothing to say, turning me into a mute with honey stuck in my mouth. There was no flaw to latch onto, even if I wanted to挑衅 her. At that moment, the Sword Demon seated beside me sent me a mental transmission.
[This woman is a master of psychological warfare. Ask rashly, and she'll only read our intentions. Stay silent for now.]
[Yes.]
The Sword Demon cleared his throat lightly before speaking.
"Ahem. To be precise, what was the cause of his death?"
"Suicide."
"How did he take his own life?"
"Poison. There was no time to intervene."
"Poison? No chance of foul play?"
Byeok Ji-sang answered decisively.
"I stake my name upon it. I investigated the matter over half a year, but foul play was impossible. His suicide is undeniable truth."
"Hmm, I see."
"Had there been a murderer, I would have staked my friend's honor to pursue vengeance to the end. As there was not, I chose to manage Jangryeong Valley according to his final testament. There is no issue with that."
Byeok Ji-sang subtly conveyed with her eyes that she wished us gone. Nay, from the moment the talk turned to Zhuge-sa's suicide, her gaze had turned to outright distaste. She could freely manipulate her emotions, yet this blatant display meant that, even at the cost of revealing her feelings, she desperately wanted these unexpected intruders out.
And so the Sword Demon said,
"Forgive our rudeness today. Zhuge-sa possessed exceptional talents, and I was truly eager to meet him."
"No need to mention it... Will you stay for a meal?"
"No need. Until we meet again."
"Take care."
With that, we departed Jangryeong Valley under Valley Lord Byeok Ji-sang's send-off. Once outside, I couldn't make sense of it and asked the Sword Demon.
"It's strange. Wouldn't it have been better to press further?"
"......"
"Sect Leader!"
In response, the Sword Demon settled onto a pavilion beneath a nearby tree and said,
"Did you not sense it?"
"Yes?"
"There was something off in the air. I can't put it into words... a warrior's instinct... nay, something approaching the seventh sense, subtly warning me. Had we dug deeper right there, it would have turned dangerous."
"......?"
A hunch?
I hadn't the faintest clue. Dao King Byeok Ji-sang's martial prowess might reach peak expert level, but I doubted it amounted to even a hundred exchanges against the current Sword Demon. Even if martial experts lay in ambush there, it was nothing to fear. And yet the Sword Demon had shown utmost caution toward her.
The Sword Demon gave a wry smile.
"Heh heh, it's hard to explain well. This must be the process of the divine insight the Dragon of Fate spoke of awakening. My senses were telling me that lingering there would be a fatal mistake."
"Hmm... I don't quite understand."
"No helping it. Even I was only half-certain."
"No. I trust your judgment, Sect Leader."
"Thank you."
With that reply, the Sword Demon lifted his gaze to the sky from beneath the cool tree shade and continued.
"Dao King Byeok Ji-sang is suspicious right now, but pressing her immediately feels too risky. We can decide after meeting Dugoseong tomorrow. Crossing the Bridge of Death can wait until last."
"Bridge of Death? Is it that serious?"
I countered in bewilderment.
"Byeok Ji-sang's skill level isn't all that high. There were no ambushes or formations nearby, nor any hint of poison. I don't see her as someone who could trap us."
"By ordinary reasoning, yes. Even I considered subduing her dozens of times on the spot with Intent Severing Technique. But have you considered this?"
The Sword Demon crossed his arms and said,
"If Zhuge-sa was a genius rivaling Wang Liang, he would never entrust his Jangryeong Valley to some mediocrity. In other words, Byeok Ji-sang possesses some terrifying ability worthy of even Zhuge-sa's acknowledgment. When geniuses recognize someone beyond themselves, there's always good reason."
"......!!"
"I've felt this sensation only once before. When facing the Dharma Protector Lion."
Muttering thus, the Sword Demon looked at me.
"Keep it in mind. The current Byeok Ji-sang has become a dangerous existence for you to probe rashly. Caution— utmost caution—is in order."
Only then was I able to properly grasp the situation.
'Right. I know absolutely nothing about Byeok Ji-sang.'
To know nothing means ignorance of her intentions, her possible methods. And nothing is more dangerous than an opponent concealing information. Having witnessed the Sword Demon's formidable divine might up close, I had to admit my vigilance had slackened.
"Yes, I understand."
As I inwardly berated myself and rekindled my wariness, the Sword Demon spoke.
"That aside, didn't you receive the ultimate technique of Thunder God Style swordsmanship? You didn't demonstrate it earlier."
"Yes?"
"Lee Gwang told you it was a supreme art surpassing the Ten Thousand Cavalry Sword Canon."
I wore an awkward expression. Of course, the fact was etched firmly in my mind without forgetting. However, there was a reason I hadn't voiced it or shown it until now.
"Yes. I did learn it."
"Then why?"
"Uh... didn't you see it in the obsidian memory?"
"That memory skimmed over it so briefly, as if you wanted to hide it, and it wasn't even clear. That's why I'm asking."
"Ah..."
From this, I realized that the obsidian memory didn't transmit recollections word-for-word perfectly. If there were memories I subconsciously wanted to hide or disliked, they would be omitted or glossed over curtly. It could be called an automatically installed feature for the user's convenience.
I answered the Sword Demon.
"Thunder God Style swordsmanship begins with Thunder Shadow Swordsmanship, advances to the Ten Thousand Cavalry Sword Canon, then learns various secret techniques. Once the Ten Thousand Cavalry Sword Canon sublimates to the 10th stage profound realm, one enters the Thunder Dragon Divine Sword."
"Thunder Dragon Divine Sword! Is that the ultimate technique?"
I shook my head.
"No... According to Lee Gwang, the Thunder Dragon Divine Sword and Ten Thousand Cavalry Sword Canon are essentially equivalent. It seemed a matter of learning sequence. Only after mastering the Thunder Dragon Divine Sword back to the 10th stage, perfectly comprehending both sword arts, does the true ultimate technique of Thunder God Style swordsmanship emerge."
"Ooh...!! What is it?!"
The Sword Demon seemed excited. For a fellow swordsman, hearing of supreme swordsmanship's profound realm was enough to set a warrior's blood ablaze. After hesitating, I said,
"...I don't know."
"Huh? You don't know?"
Feeling pathetic, I stated the conclusion.
"I couldn't learn the Thunder Dragon Divine Sword. Because the Ten Thousand Cavalry Sword Canon never reached the 10th stage."
"Hmm."
"Progress was too slow, so in the end, Lee Gwang gave up and told me to diligently train the Ten Thousand Cavalry Sword Canon instead. So..."
"I see."
Though I didn't finish, the Sword Demon seemed to understand.
Indeed.
In the past, when I transmitted the Wudang Sect's absolute arts to Thunder God Style, Lee Gwang was overjoyed and promised to teach me Thunder God Style swordsmanship's ultimate technique. He naturally guided me in the Ten Thousand Cavalry Sword Canon, believing I'd soon enter the Thunder Dragon Divine Sword.
But my deficient talent was exposed in due time. Frustrated by my sluggish proficiency in the Ten Thousand Cavalry Sword Canon, he seemed to give up, postponing the Thunder Dragon Divine Sword for later. Then he immersed himself in researching the Wudang absolute arts.
It was a tricky matter to blame Lee Gwang for. As he said, the Ten Thousand Cavalry Sword Canon was supreme swordsmanship in its own right, so I still couldn't be certain I'd reached its 10th stage. Thus, it couldn't be wholly pinned as Lee Gwang's fault for not waiting potentially decades for my completion.
And because I felt ashamed of my lacking talent, I'd apparently subconsciously glossed over that memory. As my face flushed red from embarrassment, the Sword Demon said,
"No need for shame. What's important now isn't that—it's whether you've reached the 10th stage of the Ten Thousand Cavalry Sword Canon."
"Honestly, I'm not sure. The Ten Thousand Cavalry Sword Canon is an art brimming with extreme transformations and illusions, so..."
As I trailed off, the Sword Demon chuckled.
"Nearly seven years training martial arts alongside you. I've seen the Ten Thousand Cavalry Sword Canon countless times. And to cut to the chase, you've already fully mastered it."
"Really?!"
"Of course. Because you've surpassed the basics of Shadowless Soulsevering Swordsmanship and grasped over the 5th stage."
The Sword Demon continued.
"It's a speed that defies convention. Especially considering your sword talent's shortcomings. The reason you acquired Shadowless Soulsevering Swordsmanship so swiftly is that you'd already grasped the Ten Thousand Cavalry Sword Canon's essence, growing accustomed to its transformations and illusions."
"I see."
"That Thunder Dragon Divine Sword should be immediately enterable for you now."
It was truly glad tidings.
That meant reaching the pinnacle of Thunder God Style swordsmanship was closer than I'd thought, no? Forgetting my gloom from moments ago, I broke into a broad smile, and the Sword Demon said,
"If there's a problem, it's the sheer power of that ultimate sword essence itself."
"It must be tremendously powerful, right?"
Why was the Sword Demon questioning the ultimate technique's might?
"......"
The Sword Demon wore a reluctant expression. Then he said,
"We'll have to meet Dugoseong tomorrow."