Chapter 276: Martial Prowess (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 276: Martial Prowess (4)
A storm of heat enveloped Lazy Flame Dragon's entire body.
Stepping forward with a wide, sweeping stride, Gi Geom-hyang brought her sword down. Her strike, meant to cleave him in two, warped in a mysterious, subtle fashion.
A translucent wind flared like wildfire along her blade, but the howling gale of Lazy Flame Dragon's energy completely swallowed the ringing of her sword.
The Fa Jin power, accumulated by distorting and colliding his own shockwaves, swelled into the shape of white flames in a mere fraction of a second.
Fwoosh!
His senses grasped the culmination of the Flash Art lineage in that incredibly brief moment.
"Vast Art Formula, Flame River."
Since it was a formal duel, he courteously announced the name of the stance. His pronunciation was slurred, however, as he was busy chewing on a poppy.
Lazy Flame Dragon's hand thrust forward, piercing through that split second.
The Fervent Yang Qi, swirling with the white light of the Vast Art Formula, gathered toward the center of his palm.
The storm of pure white shockwaves was impossibly thick and dense. Despite being imbued with the immense internal power characteristic of Brightfolk experts, Gi Geom-hyang's sword was stopped dead in its tracks right before his palm.
A continuous, grating sound, like a thick stack of paper being ripped apart, echoed through the air.
It was the exact moment her sword momentum—which usually adapted to her opponent's stance to deliver a fatal cut—utterly shattered.
The disparity in their internal energy was stark. To begin with, their accumulated Qi reserves were on entirely different levels. On top of that, he had mastered the method of utilizing internal power in the most explosive manner possible.
The eldest son of the Hwangbo Clan had grown incredibly strong by following his commander.
"This is the essence," Lazy Flame Dragon said.
"The secret technique for a quick battle. It's how our commander fights. Personally, I like it because it's incredibly straightforward and satisfying. Experience it for yourself."
"......!"
Gi Geom-hyang's eyes widened. Her cool, calm gaze wavered alongside the scattering sparks.
Lazy Flame Dragon twisted his hand. The forms of the Vast Art Formula permeated his movement as he delivered a sharp, short slap to the side of the blade facing him.
The moment the Fa Jin power accumulated in his palm distorted the air, an incredibly hot, monstrous shockwave exploded.
Craaaack!
Translucent white fragments of shockwave energy unraveled like feathers, swirling through the air.
Amidst the dreamlike wind conjured by the experts, a sword soared into the sky.
Gi Geom-hyang's sword was flung from her grip. With a sharp shriek, it instantly pierced deep into a nearby tree trunk.
It buried itself so deep that only the hilt remained visible.
Gi Geom-hyang's arm was thrown back.
Lazy Flame Dragon held his palm right in front of her solar plexus.
As finely crushed grass drifted down like dust all around them, his lips curled into a smirk.
"You must have felt the accumulation of the shockwaves. As long as your internal power allows, you can use it in a continuous chain. It's not just a simple principle; it's incredibly intuitive. It's a mnemonic designed to end fights as quickly as possible."
"...How is such a thing possible?"
Gi Geom-hyang parted her lips. Her cold, stern face was filled with a shock she couldn't conceal.
"To stack and amplify shockwaves that have already been released...? This is a martial art I have never heard of. It should be impossible to utilize Fa Jin in such a manner. Just what is the pathway of internal power circulation for this to...!"
"Originally, this martial art was created assuming a sensory perception unique to only one person in the world. It was forged by our commander's own hands," Lazy Flame Dragon said with a smirk.
"But as it was synthesized into a single technique, he modified it to make the circulation of True Qi easier. Didn't he say even a monkey could do it? He wasn't entirely wrong, even if he exaggerated a bit to whip his practitioners into shape."
"......."
"Since the creator of the martial art synthesized it so effortlessly, shouldn't we, as practitioners, naturally comprehend and master its profound truths? This technique is a tribute to our great grandmaster. Do not dare compare it to the Linked Path Heavenly Image Sword. Just look at the sheer perfection of the stance."
The cheeky voice of the world's genius filled the silence. It was a conversation completely detached from the realm of ordinary men.
This time, even the Brightfolk experts of the Gate of the Heavenly Pillar could not hide their dumbfounded expressions.
Each of them fell into deep thought with solemn faces, or furrowed their brows in confusion, looking back and forth between Lazy Flame Dragon and the Commander of the Demonlight Wing.
At the back of the clearing.
Only Jeong Yeon-shin wore a strange expression. It wasn't an exaggeration, though.
It was then. Gi Geom-hyang, who had been standing blankly, clasped both hands below her navel. It was a somewhat foreign posture, seemingly their unique etiquette.
"...I have lost. I acknowledge that the martial arts of the Commander of the Demonlight Wing are rare and peerless techniques."
"Actually, it's not a martial art that needs public certification—not when this young master has already acknowledged it. If it weren't for your lake, I wouldn't have gone to all this trouble. If its efficacy turns out to be lackluster, though, I'll spread rumors all over the world that the Gate of the Heavenly Pillar is nothing special."
Lazy Flame Dragon, dusting off his right hand, continued.
"Anyway... can our commander go take a bath now? Keeping a growing guest waiting at the entrance like this is poor form. Especially when he's not in good condition."
His commander was an interesting person in many ways.
Not long ago, he had handed over a precious piece of Ice Essence, saying he had received it for free from the experts of the Ice Palace, as casually as if he were handing over some cheap candy bought on the street.
It was an action that anyone would find hard to understand. What was the point of buying the loyalty of a dying scoundrel?
It would have been a hundred times better to give it to a legitimate successor of martial arts like Shin So-bin.
He had taken it and eaten it since it was offered, but it had no significant effect. It only temporarily cooled the burning pain of his Solar Divine Pulse.
That was enough.
He hadn't expected anything in the first place. He was born into the most prominent local aristocratic family in Jinan and had been raised in luxury.
Obtaining and learning a Yin-energy martial art was nothing to him, but his entire body's acupoints had almost burned up as if he had attempted to defy heaven.
The level of the mnemonics handed down by the other Demonlight Wing seniors was no different.
He just felt a strange warmth in his chest. It was a feeling he had never experienced before.
Did I consume it for nothing? He should have eaten it himself and lived a long, healthy life.
Lazy Flame Dragon, popping a new poppy into his mouth, spoke again.
"Are you all mutes? Or did you have no intention of letting us in from the very beginning?"
Cheong Bo-hwa shook her head, gently patting the shoulder of Gi Geom-hyang, who had returned to the side of the Gate of the Heavenly Pillar.
"I am truly sorry, but this was never a matter to be decided immediately. It is a lake imbued with the sap of the World Tree. Even if the result is obvious, we must go through the proper procedures. Please give us a little time."
"You're no less old-fashioned than the Nine Sects. No wonder you're often compared to them."
"Thank you for the compliment. I know what the Nine Sects mean to the world. They were rare individuals who cultivated a refreshing discipline."
"Are you going to keep us standing here? Unlike you, our commander is growing fast. This is a crucial period for his knees."
"Be quiet."
As Jeong Yeon-shin pushed Lazy Flame Dragon aside and stepped forward, Cheong Bo-hwa wore a faint smile.
"Since you have won the duel with pure martial arts, you are naturally guests of our sect. We will provide you with lodging. Please wait for the results of our meeting. Thank you for showing us such high and noble martial arts. I express my respect to your great grandmaster."
"I have also broadened my horizons. The Linked Path Heavenly Image Sword is indeed sharp. In fact, it made me realize the shortcomings of the Vast Art Formula. It is worth reflecting on how such a fluid trajectory is achieved."
He evaluated the Linked Path Heavenly Image Sword without filter.
It was not empty talk. Gi Geom-hyang's hand movements were lacking compared to her accumulated Qi reserves. There was a severe waste of shockwaves in her horizontal strikes.
She drew a long sword path, much like the sweeping arm of a fully grown monkey, but there was an incomprehensible shaking to it.
The acromion muscle on her shoulder was not fully stabilized. Her brachialis muscle contracted at a strange angle... and even the propulsive wave of Qi from the Tiantu Point next to her shoulder was excessively distorted. How can anyone use a sword like that?
Such clumsy handiwork looked plausible on the outside only because she had practiced the Linked Path Heavenly Image Sword.
Since the technique was designed to accommodate even the clumsiest of beginners, anyone would inevitably look like a decent swordsman. It was a great martial art.
"You are truly humble. For someone who created such a peerless technique," Cheong Bo-hwa said in admiration, her lips curling upward.
Even in the indifferent expressions of the Brightfolk experts lined up behind her, a trace of goodwill was apparent. It seemed their hearts had opened thanks to Lazy Flame Dragon demonstrating the Vast Art Formula so well.
Jeong Yeon-shin's shoulders broadened slightly. Indeed, one must be humble.
If my mother had not passed away, she would have taught me like this.
He parted his lips. It was a position where he had to engage in negotiations as the leader of the group. However, it was not difficult.
He had just gained a great realization thanks to his niece, Hye-ah. It was enough to convey his sincerity.
"I do not know what to do with such excessive praise. It is only natural to be humble. The Gate of the Heavenly Pillar deserves respect."
"I am curious about your lineage. If you were to enter our village, I would be willing to marry one of our precious daughters to you. You must have inherited the bloodline of a prestigious family that deeply cultivates discipline. I am ignorant of the world and lack eye techniques, so I cannot see through you further. But since it would be rude anyway, I will not pry."
"Discipline... absolutely not. I cannot bear such undeserved praise."
Jeong Yeon-shin recalled his maternal grandfather's fiery temperament and his uncle's rough hands. Among the Ma family bloodline, the only ones who had any sense were himself and Ma Se-in.
It was regrettable, but it was the truth. Even if the two of them were precious, facts were facts.
Cheong Bo-hwa smiled warmly.
"Where on earth did such a hero come from?"
It was completely different from the face she made when looking at her great-grandson, Cheong-myeong.
Affection flowed from the softly curved wrinkles around her eyes. It was complete goodwill.
However, Cheong-myeong, who had been standing beside the Commander of the Demonlight Wing like a transparent wind, only grinned.
He didn't seem to feel any sense of alienation. Occasionally, his fingers twitched as if to tap the commander's shoulder, but he never actually raised his hand.
Meanwhile, the Demonlight Wing experts, including Shin So-bin and Heonwon Chang, tilted their heads with ambiguous expressions.
"At any rate, it turned out well," Cheong-myeong muttered with a smile.
"Wasn't it pretty good? I've been honing it for a long time in my own way," Lazy Flame Dragon, who had returned, suddenly blurted out to Jeong Yeon-shin.
Sparks seemed to flash in his pitch-black eyes. It was the passion of a martial artist who didn't have long to live.
His appearance, as if he would pursue the martial path even in death, was reminiscent of the Azure Qilin, Namgung Se-jin. Only his sly smile was different.
Jeong Yeon-shin, who had been standing blankly, began to walk, following Cheong Bo-hwa's gesture. He was finally being treated as a guest.
He parted his lips.
"I heard you earlier. Flame River?"
"I just made it up on the spot."
"Didn't you take it from Brilliant River?"
"The Azure Qilin was my friend. What does a name matter?"
"It matters. It matters a lot."
"There's no such thing as 'matters a lot' in the world. Didn't I say it was a tribute in the first place? Anyway, don't find fault just because you're embarrassed. This is a magnificent ultimate technique. Vast Art Formula—Flame River. Originally, martial arts are meant to have the stances of successors added as they are passed down. And that has already happened in the second generation. Isn't it touching?"
"It's because you attached such a grand name to a crude technique. You were folding and pasting shockwaves however you pleased. It would be better if you cut down on the poppies a bit."
"Our commander still hasn't taken Lady Jeong Hye's advice to heart. Adults don't speak like that. You must be humble."
"...Lift the palanquin. We're going in."
* * *
Permission was granted quickly.
A message arrived stating that only the Commander of the Demonlight Wing and the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps would be permitted to immerse themselves in the lake of the Gate of the Heavenly Pillar.
The Infinite Flower of Time Fist and the Vast Art Formula had both been recognized. It was said that even the elders of the Gate of the Heavenly Pillar had been watching the scene from the start.
The Brightfolk experts of the village did not object.
He had heard they possessed an incredibly closed-off nature, but they merely stared at Jeong Yeon-shin with strange gazes from their respective perches in the trees.
Thank goodness.
Jeong Yeon-shin felt relieved inside.
"As expected of this commander's rival. You have completed the mission splendidly. I am truly grateful."
The Commander of the Divine Sword Corps praised him, his face pale.
They were alone. The transcendent, whose body was not whole, walked while leaning on his young subordinate.
Above their heads, an expert from the Gate of the Heavenly Pillar guided them, leaping across tree branches.
Before they knew it, the sunset had receded.
The full moon, rising through the clouds, dyed the forest in a bluish hue.
For a while, only the sound of tree branches rubbing against each other echoed. Occasionally, the wind rustled through the bushes.
The irregular rustling of the forest's whispers brought a sense of peace, far removed from the chaotic Jianghu.
It was then that the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps spoke.
"I made a promise to you before. That I would teach you a martial art."
"Yes, you did."
It was right after the duel between the Namgung Clan and the Desolate Fortress.
When the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps, who had slain the Namgung Clan Head in a brief exchange, was threatened by other great sects, Jeong Yeon-shin had stabilized his True Qi, allowing him to put up a bluff.
"I will pass it on to you at the lake. Think of one," the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps said.
"Today?"
"Yes. We might clash with the Dark Night Hall, and because this commander's vessel is so vast, my recovery will be slower than yours. This means that if a battle breaks out, you must play the main role. It would be good to have one more weapon in your arsenal. They are very tricky and terrifying bastards."
Jeong Yeon-shin, thinking for a moment, parted his lips.
"I would like it to be a martial art born from a unique inspiration. Rather than something with high completion... do you happen to have one?"
"Oho."
A deep smile formed on the lips of the Commander of the Divine Sword Corps, who looked somewhat frail at first glance.
He gave off the aura of a jovial scholar, but in his pitch-black eyes, a myriad of temperaments flashed like a rainbow.
Curiosity, boredom, fatigue, interest, surprise, welcome... the swordsman who vied for the title of the world's greatest hid nothing.
"Yes, I understand your standards."