Chapter 185
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 185
Chapter Title: The Deadly Commission Ends
The subordinates of the Three Supreme Blades of the World all froze, becoming cold corpses. Seol Ha-ryeong, having exhausted all her internal energy, created some distance and climbed a healthy tree to rest.
Meanwhile, the Three Supreme Blades and the three swordsmen faced one another.
The Three Supreme Blades of the World.
Masters of the Transcendent Realm who wielded the blade.
The First Blade, Ma Gon-jeok.
The Second Blade, Dan Ri-ak.
The Third Blade, Mu Baek.
However, the three swordsmen standing before them…
Were masters of the Profound Realm who had reached the pinnacle of the sword, or were on par with it.
The Tai Chi Sword Emperor, Mu Jin-hyeon.
The Plum Blossom Sword Venerable, Jin Hong.
The Dragon Demon, Baek Mu-heun.
It seemed they had all agreed that there was no longer any room for retreat.
Realizing his subordinates were dead, Ma Gon-jeok charged at the Tai Chi Sword Emperor, while Dan Ri-ak and Mu Baek rushed toward Mu-heun and the Plum Blossom Sword Venerable.
“Supreme Blade of the World!”
Ma Gon-jeok desperately unleashed his ultimate technique, firing a long, extended blade energy.
*CRACK-BOOM!*
The blade energy flew forward with unstoppable force, stretching ten yards long, looking as if it would cleave a mountain in two if it continued on its path.
“Whirlwind Sword.”
But the Tai Chi Sword Emperor spun his longsword with soft, fluid motions, creating a vortex of energy that began to envelop Ma Gon-jeok’s blade energy.
*Woooong!*
The moment the blade energy touched the Whirlwind Sword, it bent like a paper boat caught in a whirlpool.
*Swoooosh!*
The sucked-in blade energy soon gathered at a single point and began to coil around the longsword. Then, the Tai Chi Sword Emperor thrust his sword straight forward.
*Paaang!*
The blade energy, now transformed into a gentle yet powerful force, spun gracefully as it flew back in the opposite direction. Ma Gon-jeok hastily raised his blade to block it, but…
*CLANG!*
The immense impact sent his body flying back three yards, and he suffered internal injuries.
“Keuk!”
At that, Dan Ri-ak and Mu Baek tried to look after Ma Gon-jeok, even with Mu-heun and Jin Hong in front of them. They instantly sent their blade energy into the ground, creating a large explosion that obscured the view.
Then they simultaneously fired their blade energy toward the Tai Chi Sword Emperor.
*Swoooosh!*
However, the Tai Chi Sword Emperor, not the least bit flustered, spoke.
“Immeasurable Buddha! Immeasurable Buddha! Sword of Tai Chi Wisdom!”
The Sword of Wisdom, where yin and yang meet to form a single point. An immense amount of energy, far beyond what the Three Supreme Blades could ever fathom, was condensed into that single point.
*KABOOOOM!*
The two streams of blade energy flew straight into the Sword of Wisdom unleashed by the Tai Chi Sword Emperor. But, as expected, they failed to leave even a tiny scratch.
Just then, Ma Gon-jeok fired his ultimate technique once more. He slammed his long blade into the ground and poured the maximum amount of his power into it, creating a ripple.
“Ground Wave!”
Dan Ri-ak and Mu Baek understood Ma Gon-jeok’s intention.
[I’ll shake the ground to disrupt the enemies! Gather your energy and unleash your ultimate techniques! While they’re defending, we’ll bet everything on escaping!]
It was as if they had heard his telepathic message.
However.
The skills of the three swordsmen far surpassed the thoughts of the Three Supreme Blades.
Mu Jin-hyeon, the greatest master of Wudang, charged toward the Three Supreme Blades at an incredible speed. And he did so while clad in the Sword of Wisdom, shattering Ma Gon-jeok’s ground-shaking technique as if it were nothing!
‘Is… is that even possible?’
In truth, it was next to impossible. The Sword of Tai Chi Wisdom was the ultimate technique of Wudang. Its defensive power was already considered the best in the martial world. But it was just as difficult to handle.
Wudang’s martial arts were about receiving an opponent's attack and then slowly overpowering them, as if to say that too was the Way. Gentle, yet unyielding.
Thus, the Sword of Wisdom was also based on a reactive principle of subduing an opponent gently. Considering this… Mu Jin-hyeon’s current method was truly bizarre.
No, before even considering the principles of the Way, the very act of charging while maintaining the Sword of Wisdom was bizarre in itself. It was a divine skill as difficult as painting a picture in the air. No one in Wudang would dare to charge while clad in the Sword of Wisdom.
But the Daoist before them was charging.
As if that were the original way to use the Sword of Wisdom!
“Immeasurable Buddha!”
*CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-BOOM!*
Dan Ri-ak and Mu Baek didn't even have time to prepare their ultimate techniques. They could only dodge or block the monstrous Daoist charging at them.
But, at that moment.
“Twenty-Four Movement Plum Blossom Sword Style: Plum Blossoms Pave the Way.”
A light pink sword energy swirled around.
Faster and more brilliant than the charge of the Sword of Tai Chi Wisdom!
Dan Ri-ak infused his crude and massive greatsword with the maximum amount of power and blocked, but…
*KABOOM! KABOOM! KABOOM!*
The light pink sword energy flew in from all directions without end.
And then.
*Slice!*
Dan Ri-ak’s right arm was severed.
“Kuaaaargh!”
The splendid Plum Blossom Sword flew endlessly.
‘There’s no way I can win!’
That wasn't all.
“Divine Sword of the Heavenly Demon, First Form. Sword of the Nine Heavens: Asura’s Slash.”
A menacing violet sword energy flew toward Mu Baek. He, too, blocked with his two sky-blue blades, but the tyrannical slash of the Divine Sword of the Heavenly Demon surpassed his twin blades and inflicted an irrecoverable internal injury.
*Cough!*
“Kuaaaaaargh!”
Hearing the screams of Mu Baek and Dan Ri-ak, Ma Gon-jeok despaired. He recalled when he first received this commission. It was supposed to be a simple job of taking down a Pavilion Lord who was expected to have just reached the Transcendent Realm.
But the bastard was stronger than he thought.
However!
Even so!
It would have been fine if that was all.
No matter how strong the opponent, they had always managed to win until now. They just had to catch him off guard and overwhelm him. But the opponent wasn't just strong.
In the end, his subordinates were all killed without even serving as meat shields, and his two brothers had their arms cut off and were now spitting blood on the ground.
And now, charging toward Ma Gon-jeok with tyrannical momentum was… the Tai Chi Sword Emperor, clad in the Sword of Wisdom.
“This is…”
Dan Ri-ak and Mu Baek pushed themselves up from the ground, crawling.
“…dammit.”
They heard the final, dying scream of their eldest brother, Ma Gon-jeok.
*CRUNCH!*
***
Mu-heun checked on Ma Gon-jeok, who had been mercilessly crushed by Jin Hong and Mu Jin-hyeon.
‘He’s already dead.’
Who said the martial arts of Wudang were gentle?
Ma Gon-jeok, who had crashed into Mu Jin-hyeon’s Sword of Wisdom, was no longer recognizable as a human, but a mangled mess. At a glance, it was as disgusting as looking at an animal’s vomit.
‘How can a person be turned into such a pulp?’
Mu-heun was now certain that the rumor of the Tai Chi Sword Emperor being a benevolent immortal was a complete fabrication.
“Immeasurable Buddha! Immeasurable Buddha! Are you Baek Mu-heun?”
The Tai Chi Sword Emperor was still stroking his long beard, maintaining a bright smile. Mu-heun clasped his hands in a fist-and-palm salute and spoke.
“Yes, I am. I heard about you from the Soul-Stealing Immortal.”
“I heard about you from the Soul-Stealing Immortal as well. The reason I moved to protect you this time was because of his request.”
“Ah, thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. When I heard who you were, it seemed like the natural thing to do.”
“Haha…”
“By the way, the Soul-Stealing Immortal said that you are the focal point?”
“…Yes.”
Mu-heun didn't deny it.
The expression was a bit grandiose and bothered him slightly, but it wasn't wrong.
The Soul-Stealing Immortal’s prophecy that he would become the focal point of a great war had some merit. He was the only martial artist personally sent back down by his master, the Heavenly Demon who had achieved ascension, and he had been taught the strongest martial arts.
Moreover, he knew more about the upcoming war than anyone else. If not him, then who could serve as the focal point?
The Tai Chi Sword Emperor watched Mu-heun’s reaction, seeming to think for a moment with one eye closed, before bursting into a hearty laugh and speaking.
“Kahahahahaha! Immeasurable Buddha! Immeasurable Buddha! Yes! Yin and yang are not what’s important. What maintains the world is surely balance and harmony!”
“…Ah, yes.”
Mu-heun was surprised by the Tai Chi Sword Emperor’s boisterous personality. He had expected a more dignified person, given he was an elderly Daoist, but his personality was more high-spirited than men just past their youth.
Mu Jin-hyeon paid no mind to Mu-heun’s lukewarm response and continued.
“Regardless of where your power comes from, it is the power that will protect the world. Is that not so?”
“Yes. It is.”
Mu-heun answered clearly, as if he was certain of that much. At that, Mu Jin-hyeon quickly extended his hand.
“Please, restore the balance of the tilted power.”
This time, an unexpectedly heavy sincerity came through. Mu-heun knew that the Tai Chi Sword Emperor had already fought against the powerful evil spirits. That must have been how he built such trust with the Soul-Stealing Immortal.
He had heard that he lost one of his most cherished disciples…
Mu-heun soon took the hand Mu Jin-hyeon offered.
“It will be so.”
At that, the Tai Chi Sword Emperor seemed relieved, smiling faintly as he continued.
“The Plum Blossom Sword Venerable over there and I are strong. Perhaps no one in the current martial world would dare to challenge us. Ah, of course, those ignoramuses over there… they run wild without knowing their place, so they are an exception.”
“I know.”
“Hohoho, Immeasurable Buddha, Immeasurable Buddha. But, you see. No matter how strong we are, the enemy is stronger. Perhaps in the near future, when their invasion begins, there will be many casualties… Of course, casualties are already piling up as we speak…”
“The real war hasn't even begun.”
“That's right. You probably know that better than anyone here. That is why the current martial world needs someone to unite it. And without discriminating between the Orthodox, Unorthodox, or Demonic.”
“…Of course.”
“The Orthodox Sects will change, thanks to what you’ve done this time. The Alliance Leader, this old man, and the Plum Blossom Sword Venerable over there will work diligently. I promise you this. However, the problem is…”
“The Unorthodox Sects and the Demonic Cult.”
“Indeed. The Unorthodox Sects and the Demonic Cult are as strong as the Orthodox Sects… but they are people who do not know cooperation. Not all in the Orthodox Sects are exceptional, but at least they know to join forces when needed.”
“I am aware.”
“Please, raise the full strength of the martial world. I will not spare any effort to cooperate.”
There it was again. That heavy sincerity.
Mu-heun knew where it came from and what feelings were behind those words, so he answered with a bit more courtesy.
“Do not worry. I will unite the Demonic Cult as quickly as possible. It will surely, yes, it will surely happen. Also, forming an alliance with the Unorthodox Blood Alliance, the growth of the current martial world… all of it will be achieved.”
“Hoholhol, Immeasurable Buddha, Immeasurable Buddha. Just hearing it is reassuring.”
A slight sense of relief. The expression on the Tai Chi Sword Emperor’s face was exactly like the Plum Blossom Sword Venerable’s when he first heard this story from Mu-heun.
“Haha, I will relay the details through a messenger hawk or the Soul-Stealing Immortal. In any case, thank you for coming to me first and promising your cooperation. I feel as if I’ve gained a great army, and a weight has been lifted from my shoulders.”
“Immeasurable Buddha, Immeasurable Buddha. It is even better to speak face to face like this. Then, I shall trust you and take my leave.”
“Yes, please travel safely.”
Just then, the Tai Chi Sword Emperor stopped and turned, gesturing toward the Plum Blossom Sword Venerable.
“What about you? Are you not leaving?”
“Ah, I am to escort Sir Mu-heun.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
Mu-heun told Jin Hong that an escort was unnecessary, curtly dismissing his opinion.
“Hahahaha! Immeasurable Buddha, Immeasurable Buddha! You heard him! Plum Blossom Sword Venerable! Let’s go! We have to determine who is superior, don’t we?”
Jin Hong looked back and forth between Mu-heun and the Tai Chi Sword Emperor with a troubled expression. Then, seeing Mu-heun’s chin gesture telling him to go quickly, he made up his mind.
“Yes. Sword Emperor, let’s see how much your skills have improved.”
“Immeasurable Buddha! Your arrogance pierces the heavens! Let’s go!”
Mu-heun performed a fist-and-palm salute toward Jin Hong and said.
“I will see you again next time.”
“I will be waiting, Divine Doctor.”
With those words, the Tai Chi Sword Emperor and the Plum Blossom Sword Venerable left Mu-heun’s party.
Mu-heun was now ready to begin his work.
To use acupuncture on the dying Dan Ri-ak and Mu Baek to get them into a state where they could be interrogated. And to dig up information about the Ice Demon and the Flame Demon.
‘I’m almost there, senior brother, senior sister.’