Chapter 56
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Uninvited Guest VS Uninvited Guest (1)
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Back when Wi Jiryang stayed at the cult, every day dragged on in endless boredom.
Of course, the path of the sword knew no end, so he'd always found fulfillment in honing himself daily.
His orthodox martial arts had reached the Profound Realm.
As for demonic arts, he'd made so little progress toward the rumored Transcending Demons stage that he wondered if it even existed.
But now, his days felt truly rewarding.
Sure, the intensity of his training had lessened compared to before.
But ever since meeting the Life and Death Divine Doctor—a true kindred spirit worthy of that title—
he could share hobbies and even discuss the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Delving medically into the body's structure, something he'd only vaguely pondered before, had become a joy in itself.
And how could raising a young man more talented and promising than any warrior he'd ever seen not be thrilling?
That was why.
Wi Jiryang had gladly accepted Geum Sihyeon's request to help with Mind-Image Sword Debate practice.
But.
Sometimes that talent weighed on him heavily.
After one bout,
Wi Jiryang ripped off the Mind-Image Sword Debate gear with a stunned expression.
"......How the hell did you just do that?"
"Pardon? Oh, this?"
Geum Sihyeon casually conjured flames with his right hand and ice flowers with his left.
"It just worked when I tried."
"......?"
Wi Jiryang was momentarily dumbfounded.
It just worked when I tried.
That was utterly impossible for ordinary people.
Harboring two types of qi? Fine, that could be overlooked.
But operating different types of qi in each hand and simultaneously using martial arts of completely different natures? That was another level entirely.
The most famous example was Wudang's Dual Heart Art.
Or perhaps the Complete Demon Lord's Right Sword Left Palm from the old Heavenly Demon Divine Cult arts, said to have fallen into disuse long ago.
Chewing on a sudden suspicion,
"Come with me for a moment."
"Sure."
Wi Jiryang led Geum Sihyeon to the training grounds.
"Can you wield swordsmanship with your right hand and palm strikes with your left?"
"Hm."
Geum Sihyeon tilted his head briefly, then swung his sword while opening his palm.
Wi Jiryang's eyes widened.
The movements were clumsy and awkward,
but sword qi and palm force clearly erupted simultaneously.
"Like this?"
"......Why does that even work?"
Right Sword Left Palm...... No way Luri......
No, that couldn't be.
It was a feat even the current cult leader couldn't master.
"Your movements aren't fluid yet. Keep practicing."
"Got it."
Without complaint, Geum Sihyeon kept swinging his sword and unleashing palm strikes.
The awkward motions gradually smoothed out.
About fifteen minutes later,
"Enough. That's good."
At Wi Jiryang's words, Geum Sihyeon—who'd been wincing from an oncoming headache—stopped.
"Whoa, using this smoothly is tricky. I underestimated dual swords, but now I'm developing real respect for dual wielders."
"......You're a total lunatic."
"Hey, why the insult."
How could anyone compare it to mere dual swordplay?
Following preset dual paths with two swords was nothing like pioneering two entirely new paths at once.
Wi Jiryang couldn't believe such profound martial arts bloomed from the hands of someone oblivious to that truth. He let out a held-back sigh.
And then,
"......Frankly, what you did is a feat even I can't replicate. How?"
"Hmm. Hang on."
Geum Sihyeon pondered briefly,
then sheathed his sword and began waving his arms in the air.
"Simplest analogy: it's like drawing a circle with one hand and a square with the other."
Watching the fluid, natural motions, Wi Jiryang tried to mimic him.
or squares at once.
"Pfft."
Thwack—!
"Ow!"
Wi Jiryang's sword sheath struck Geum Sihyeon's skull like lightning.
Punishment for smirking at his heavenly master's plight.
"Hone that technique well. Never use it in real combat—only in Mind-Image Sword Debate. It'll prove useful someday."
"Hm, that makes sense...... Ow! No violence! I oppose violence!"
His inept disciple earned one extra lash.
Delivering merciless sheath strikes, Wi Jiryang suddenly chuckled.
One body, yet a mind split in two—if not borrowing an old art's name,
"I'd call it the Divided Heart Art."
At this rate, if Geum Sihyeon kept growing,
he might threaten Wi Jiryang himself not in ten years, but three.
A delightful prospect.
A week passed, bringing the final day of the long preliminaries.
"Ugh, dizzy."
It felt like a message flashing by: Excessive gaming may disrupt normal daily life.
Low tiers were fine,
but past Silver and Gold to Platinum.
Once hitting Platinum—roughly around there—every match pitted him against top rankers, turning every game into a nail-biter.
Still,
"Heh heh heh, hee hee hee."
Extremely satisfying results brought a grin to his face.
Of course, instead of a perfect record, those three losses were a slight blemish—but each had a story.
The first humiliating defeat stemmed from oppression and persecution, forced tribute and all.
[Lupica / ❗❗❗Samsung Gano🤬 Bounty on This Puppy's Identity❗❗❗ (11)]
Seeing the gallery post chilled his spine.
Really?
Who puts out a wanted poster on the gallery just for getting stomped in a game?
He hadn't told anyone his Mind-Image Sword Debate nickname yet.
But if it ever went public,
with Luri's temper, she'd probably charge over and strain on tiptoes with her stubby legs to choke him out.
So when they matched again,
he threw an obvious charity game.
After winning, she celebrated wildly—bouncing nonexistent assets, blasting Heavenly Demon Death Beams at his coldly sprawled corpse. What to even say.
Her face always dour, yet her emotions proved surprisingly vivid.
Seemed she achieved enlightenment after, as no more bounties appeared.
Of the remaining two losses, one was to Elder Sister Seol.
Unlike some childish one-night dream overflowing with conscience and chest,
her figure screamed "Seol noona" even in anonymous mode.
No way two dual-wielding ice art swordswomen existed in the Central Plains.
Icicles bulleting from her blade tips.
Like that Plum Blossom Sword Art he'd seen before.
If naming the most unsatisfying mod, it'd hands-down be the "Flashy Martial Arts Effects."
Fighting that Mount Hua guy earlier, actual plum fragrance and petals had nearly shattered his composure.
Should've joined Mount Hua himself.
Anyway.
He hadn't lost purely on skill.
After that incident, demonic thoughts surged whenever seeing Seol noona, fixating briefly on her solar plexus—only to eat a surprise strike.
Soft and squishy.
Plump and jiggly.
Pink......
His flawless memory tormented him at times like these......
The final loss.
Hated to admit it, but a genuine skill gap.
Opponent: a bald head.
Not just any—super bald.
Started off cosplaying a primitive unarmed fighter, so he let his guard down.
But tanking sword qi on his forearms, then closing in with relentless aggression? He got swept up.
Body disgustingly tough.
A perfect chest stab that would've bisected anyone else? Just a few drops of blood.
Not quite Vajra Indestructible,
but "Half-Destructible"? Immense external arts either way.
Ended with a Hundred-Step Divine Fist to the jaw.
Fuming.
But continuing as-is would've dragged him into the same pace, so he sought help from who he figured best shredded orthodox pricks.
Sword Demon master.
Using demonic aid to counter orthodox ultimate arts.
......Phrasing it that way felt traitorously disloyal.
Did orthodox pride hand out Great Return Pills?
Truth was,
that baldy had likely gorged on them already.
Made no sense for such a guy to enter for another.
Rationalized, his mind eased.
"Young Geum, smooth sailing today too?"
"Heh. Feels like victory's in sight."
"Must be nice, haha. Think I can make mains too."
Light auspicious talk with prelim buddy Unhak.
Meanwhile, Moyong Taek was dodging Seol noona's eyes, running illicit betting rings everywhere.
"Gonna head home."
"Safe travels."
Still, master's tip cracked that ultimate art.
With Divided Heart Art, he could beat foes seemingly stronger. Owed him a bottle of fine liquor.
A righteous, dutiful hero.
That was him.
Generously dropping a fortune on decade-aged Kongfu Jiajiu, strapped to his waist, he leisurely headed home,
relentlessly training—fire qi in right hand, ice qi in left.
Even in dire moments,
that warm, massive softness against his solar plexus.
The majestic valley peeking through torn bandages.
The first handful, perfectly palm-sized mound.
Only he could evoke fertile Naju Plains under General Gyeon Hwon's rule all at once.
But even his top-tier multitasking couldn't fully avert headaches from dual qi operation.
Thus, he needed to practice sporadically like this to build familiarity.
A hardworking genius outshone a lazy one, right?
"Mommy, why's that big brother flailing like that? Is he dumb?"
"Shh. Don't say mean things like that."
......
Hardworking genius.
Unyieldingly repeating genius hand motions despite stares, he strolled on.
As home neared, his back tingled, and the air grew physically rowdy.
Some merchant caravan day?
"Gasp."
Heavenly Eye revealed a Flower Realm early-stage powerhouse rivaling Elder Chicken—plus three Peak experts and five First-Rate behind.
Like an elite force from one of the Nine Great Sects fully mobilized.
Not a raid event, surely.
He bolted to the main gate.
Whoever they were, handling martial artists fell to him over the estate's folk.
Fortunately, obvious orthodox warriors—Daoist ones.
Taiji emblem on sleeves marked Wudang Sect.
And frontmost was...
"Geum Sihyeon of the martial world humbly greets the Wudang Sect Leader. Might I ask the reason for visiting our home......?"
No way.
Why was the Wudang Sect Leader here suddenly?
True Person Taeheo, right? Name or Dao title.
"Primeval Celestial Venerable. You're Geum Sihyeon?"
True Person Taeheo's fierce, villainous face—ill-suited to a Daoist—fixed on him.
Scary.
"Straight to it: have you participated in Mind-Image Sword Debate? And your nickname—is it—"
Words cut off.
His already intimidating face twisted like he'd spotted a blood enemy.
Wondering what he'd seen, Geum Sihyeon turned,
"Oh. Taeheo-ja. Long time no see. Grown any stronger?"
Of all days, master was casually strolling out.
Sword Demon and Life and Death Divine Doctor emerged side-by-side, greeting True Person Taeheo.
Ah.
Right,
checking wiki last time,
during the Orthodox-Demonic War, who'd killed the previous Wudang Leader...
"......Sword Demon. Why are you here?"
True Person Taeheo's voice carried deeply suppressed fury.
Hm.
This was fucked.