Chapter 286: Lotus (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 286: Lotus (5)
Swish—
The sword of Geom Un-bi, Lord of the Hanging Jade Sect, sliced through the night air.
The momentum was immense, raising the hairs on the onlookers' skin. As the blade descended in a graceful curve, it seemed as if the moonlight itself was undulating.
It was a shockwave unlike anything they had ever imagined. The release of force—fa jin—harmonizing with the sword's path was entirely unprecedented.
It looked as though his very musculature danced in tandem with the trails of white light, weaving an unbroken, continuous thread of sword lines.
What on earth is that...?!
A restrained sharpness lingered in the wind of his sword, carrying the elegant aura of a prestigious clan. It was impossible to gauge the limits of his sword force.
It is said that a master's life is revealed through their craft, that martial inspiration is intrinsically tied to the life one has lived.
Every habit and trait of a sublime swordsman dwells within a single strike. A martial artist from a prestigious clan, especially one trained in eye techniques, could perceive this with vivid clarity.
The Young Mistress, Gongya Jeong, was no exception. From his sword, she felt a profound solitude.
She wanted to see more of it. She wanted to observe every detail.
No, this violates the etiquette of the Jianghu...!
Just as Gongya Jeong was about to squeeze her eyes shut...
Rustle.
The blade, which had been slicing through the moonlight without restraint, faltered. His sleeve slipped down over the bulging blue veins of his forearm.
Perhaps it was because a few of the servants her father had brought along had gasped. The sword dance that swept through the moonlight came to an abrupt end.
"I have committed a discourtesy. This is not my home," the sword master said.
Sheathe.
Gongya Jeong stared blankly as Geom Un-bi elegantly sheathed his blade. A lingering sense of regret—thicker than the halo of moonlight pouring down upon them—washed over her.
Even though she had known she shouldn't look, she still had to suppress a deep well of disappointment.
An emotion she hadn't felt in a long time welled up inside her, and it was not the romantic affection between a man and a woman.
The successor of a prestigious clan had been profoundly shaken by the swordplay of a wanderer.
At a time when she bore such a massive burden, she was moved to the point of not knowing what to do with herself.
—He is someone I specially invited with your worries in mind, Grand Lady. Though our connection to the Go family is modest, he was gracious enough to accept. I assure you, this will be a fated encounter.
Teacher Go's words flashed through the Young Mistress's mind.
"...Even the saying 'it is darkest under the lamp' is too generous for our clan. We didn't even think to look beneath it," a voice rumbled. "Has my mind grown rigid with the passing of these indifferent years? In my youth, I would have verified everything with my own eyes."
The Gongya Clan Leader, standing opposite Geom Un-bi, stepped forward. His voice carried a deep, commanding resonance.
Moonlight draped over the scarlet robe wrapped around his massive frame. His fierce eyes gleamed with a dark, profound light.
"I did not know a swordsman of your caliber existed among our Young Mistress's peers. I apologize for inadvertently witnessing your training. I was utterly spellbound."
It was a straightforward apology, delivered with the utmost dignity.
Jeong Yeon-shin shook his head, reining in the aura that had slightly leaked out.
The middle-aged man before him was capable of sensing a Black Rank's internal energy mastery through his Halo Qi. Yeon-shin had to conceal it thoroughly.
Even if the Gongya Clan was merely considered a prestigious family within Shanxi, he was still the head of a major martial house. His martial prowess would not be so weak as to fall helplessly before a Black Rank expert of the Desolate Fortress.
"It is the fault of a guest who chose the wrong spot. I ended up practicing in an open area," he said, lightly smoothing the sash where his sword was fastened with his fingertips.
The Gongya Clan Leader's thick lips curved into a smile.
"It is our clan's failing for not recognizing a sublime swordsman. I shall naturally treat you with the utmost hospitality, but may I ask the name of that sword technique?"
"I merely swung my blade as inspiration struck. It does not yet have a proper form or name," Jeong Yeon-shin replied casually.
It was the truth; the technique was still far from complete. He hadn't properly refined the crude sword paths yet.
He had merely extracted the clean essence of the Jeong Family Divine Sword—a move so simple that a highly enlightened monkey might use it to chop firewood.
He intended to create a fifth sword movement from it.
An insight that would make the Lightning-Flash Sword Ridge Style even more complete. Right now, he had only grasped a single clue.
Ultimately, his mission required him to face peerless experts rarely seen in this world. He could not rely on a sword style focused solely on short-term, decisive battles.
Now, at a time when it was difficult to even squeeze out his Body Protection Qi, he needed a stable method of response.
A sword stance to compensate for the weaknesses of single-strike martial arts.
He wanted to infuse the profound depth of a prestigious clan into the newly born Lightning-Flash Sword Ridge Style.
He intended to artificially coat it with the sense of completion that only generations of time could bestow.
It would be perfect if he could complete it before facing the Jegal Clan Leader, but it was hard to say how things would turn out.
A sword strike that fully contained the divine art of the Law-Transcending Halo Qi was never easily completed. A single trajectory had to encapsulate ultimate inspiration.
They say one learns while teaching.
The Gongya Clan was a prestigious family. He felt there would be more to gain from them.
Just as he had refined the Jeong Family Divine Sword into a single sword stance right here.
At that moment, the Clan Leader spoke.
"No form or name...?"
The Gongya Clan Leader repeated Geom Un-bi's words with a peculiar expression.
After staring at the young swordsman for a long moment, he smoothed his sleeves and spoke again.
He had forcibly suppressed the competitive spirit that had flared up within him as a fellow swordsman. The gap in their age and status was simply too wide.
"The night has grown deep. Forgive my negligence in not seeking you out sooner after welcoming such an esteemed guest."
"The food was an absolute delicacy," Jeong Yeon-shin replied, speaking the truth.
The corners of the dignified Gongya Clan Leader's mouth twitched upward slightly.
"You may stay in our estate for as long as you like. You will be welcome here even if you visit without notice. Please, make yourself at home."
Jeong Yeon-shin responded with a cupped-fist salute.
Standing in front of the wooden veranda of the detached guest house, Gongya Jeong was still silently watching him.
The Young Mistress of the Gongya Clan, the Grand Lady of the family. The pale moonlight washed over her face, stripping away any lingering traces of intoxication.
*
As soon as day broke, Jeong Yeon-shin received a visit from Gongya Jeong.
The scholar Go Jin, who slipped out from behind her, offered a bright cupped-fist salute. He was a man who resembled a politely raised Heonwon Chang.
"I request a lesson from you, Sect Master Geom."
The Grand Lady bowed with disciplined grace. Her hair, tied in a single thick strand, draped over the side of her neck.
Her hands were folded over each other like a roof, but it was not a standard martial world greeting. She lowered herself using a traditional civilian etiquette known as the Arching Hand Salute.
It was the utmost display of respect.
Jeong Yeon-shin had received this exact greeting once before—from the Tang siblings of the Sichuan Tang Clan.
The moment they had confirmed the secrets of the Myriad Blossoms Rain, they had performed the Arching Hand Salute, declaring they would forever treat him as their benefactor. They were among the most exceptionally talented individuals he had ever met.
They were truly worthy of being called human. He had even felt a strange sense of kinship with them.
I hope they are doing well.
He could only hope the Young Mistress of the Gongya Clan's talent could at least reach their heels.
Jeong Yeon-shin slowly opened his mouth.
"Your father's martial arts seem highly advanced. I am curious as to why you chose to seek me out instead."
"To broaden my horizons. Your sword dance last night was deeply astonishing, Sect Master Geom. If my previous words or actions caused you any offense, I beg for your understanding."
Gongya Jeong's tone had shifted to one of utmost reverence.
There was no need to make a fuss over it. To the people of the Jianghu, especially during these lean years, martial prowess was status itself.
It was said that even the most strictly observed generational hierarchies lost their meaning in the face of starvation.
He nodded quietly.
"Since I have enjoyed such a delicacy, I must earn my keep as a guest."
Contrary to his words, he had actually skipped breakfast.
It was an important moment. He headed toward an empty lot side-by-side with Gongya Jeong.
Since the area was already secluded, they didn't bother walking all the way to the training grounds. Suppressing his impatience, Jeong Yeon-shin told her to draw her sword.
"Yes."
Gongya Jeong drew her blade.
At the same time, Jeong Yeon-shin's gaze traveled up her arm and down to her ankles. He meticulously scanned the grain of her muscles and the shape of her aura.
Soon after, his lips parted slightly. He sent a telepathic transmission directly to Gongya Jeong.
As she listened in silence, a warm ray of sunlight seemed to dance at the corners of her mouth.
"This... how could you share such a profound secret technique...?"
"A secret technique...?"
Jeong Yeon-shin tilted his head slightly and urged her to begin. What he had just told her was no secret technique.
It was simply a 'way of using the body' derived from a brief moment of insight. By observing the Young Mistress's physical frame, he had reverse-engineered a method of force release—fa jin—that perfectly suited her.
Since her limbs are long, she can naturally extend the reach of her sword. Though the musculature in her left arm is lacking compared to her right... she must be used to that balance by now. She just needs to fully utilize her lean muscle bundles and the acupoints in her wrists.
The Grandmaster of the Jeong Family Dynamic Art had always placed great importance on utilizing one's natural physical body.
For Jeong Yeon-shin, who had been born into a third-rate martial family, it was the only way he could advance his martial arts.
Naturally, he viewed anyone who let superior physical movements go to waste as nothing more than a monkey.
"Give it a try."
He crossed his arms and gestured toward her with his chin. His demeanor as an instructor had become entirely natural before he even realized it.
Gongya Jeong did not take offense.
Staring at the tip of her sword, which was raised in a middle stance, she let out a short shout and swung the blade horizontally.
Her red sleeves fluttered grandly.
Swish!
Jeong Yeon-shin fell silent for a moment.
The shockwave of the sword strike swept away the loose dust on the ground. A peaceful silence flowed between them.
By the time the yellow dust had completely dispersed, he finally opened his mouth.
"It seems there was a misunderstanding. Let me explain it to you again," Jeong Yeon-shin said nonchalantly.
This was a renowned martial clan. Rather than immediately questioning the Grand Lady's lack of talent, he figured it was better to reflect on his own teaching methods.
Even a stone on the road rolls when kicked. There was no reason to assume failure from the very start.
He sent another detailed telepathic transmission to the Young Mistress, and she silently executed the sword move once more.
Swish—
The moment a straight line of white light was carved into the air, the atmosphere shook slightly. It was a strike that would look plausible to any ordinary observer.
The movement of her muscles and internal energy, extending all the way from her toes into the shockwave of the sword strike, created a translucent distortion in the air.
Jeong Yeon-shin's eyelashes trembled.
"If you, ah, relax your right shoulder blade a bit more and flick the true qi in the Neiguan point of your wrist exactly as I instructed... the force of your horizontal strike will increase. Much more than it just did."
"I have actually been contemplating that very issue for a long time, but hearing your words, Sect Master Geom, gives me absolute certainty. Since I have already grasped ten percent of it, I will only need to train for ten years to achieve great completion. I can only thank you for such an astonishing and precious lesson."
Sheathe.
Gongya Jeong sheathed her sword in an instant and clasped her hands together. A steadfast, unwavering spirit was evident in her conduct.
She spoke of ten years so lightly, yet it did not sound like an empty boast.
She was like a block of bright marble—someone who would painstakingly carve herself over a long period to achieve great completion. She was a vessel of late-blooming greatness, a concept that Jeong Yeon-shin could never comprehend.
"..."
The current Commander of the Demonlight Wing fell into deep despair. It was profoundly shocking.
He had to force his lips open with great effort.
"You will... do well."
The Young Mistress of the Gongya Clan lived in an entirely different flow of time.
The image of the edge of a distant cliff came to his mind. She was a stone that endured vast stretches of time, slowly letting the wind carve her body.
Jeong Yeon-shin thought to himself: a mayfly like him could never comprehend the lifespan of a stone.
*
He felt as though the areas beneath his eyes had grown dark and hollow.
Jeong Yeon-shin greeted the morning sun with hazy eyes. The sunlight filtering through the paper window seemed to lick at his skin, as if mocking him.
He blankly received Gongya Jeong, who had come to pay her morning respects.
"Sect Master Geom, if there is any discomfort with your lodgings, please tell me immediately. Our estate has many skilled servants. Changing your bedding would be as easy as flipping one's hand."
"It is only because I felt a sense of defeat for the first time in my life..."
"Ah, you engaged in mental image training even while lying in bed! This is an attitude that this foolish one, Gongya Jeong, must learn from. Spending the first month of the year with an esteemed master who is the very epitome of a swordsman makes me feel that this year's fortune will be excellent."
Her black hair, neatly tied back since the early morning, caught his eye.
It flowed with a clean luster, making him wonder just how early she had woken up to wash and dry it. She truly seemed like the very incarnation of effort.
It appeared she performed her qi meditation in the early hours of dawn. It was the textbook method of accumulating qi. A highly desirable attitude.
Mental image training...?
Jeong Yeon-shin swallowed his doubts in silence. She isn't mocking me, is she?
"What brings you here?"
"I mentioned the prelude to the martial arts tournament before. People from prestigious sects are currently gathering at our estate. That is why the banquet is being held here. As I said earlier, making their acquaintance will be of great help to you, Sect Master Geom. There are many powerful figures among them."
"The prelude to the tournament..."
After thinking for a moment, Jeong Yeon-shin nodded.
"I will attend the banquet."
"A wise decision. However..."
Gongya Jeong's smile faded slightly.
"The checks and balances against our clan are severe. There are even butchers from sects founded by those of Green Forest origin. Since they are all recognized as prestigious sects within this vast Shanxi Province now, some might behave rudely toward you, Sect Master Geom."
"Are all the tournament participants coming?"
"Yes."
"I heard there are many sects leaning toward the Unorthodox Factions, caught in the gray area between the Righteous and Unorthodox..."
"You could say they make up the majority. Shanxi has historically been a land where the military's power was exceptionally strong. Because of the heavy pressure placed on the local aristocrats of the martial world, it was difficult to maintain a sect strictly by walking the Righteous Path. I hear our own clan's history was also fraught with hardships... Many of the Green Forest bandits—led by generals who fled after being framed by the military—or rogue martial artists who make a living by the blade, hold the Great Ming Code in contempt. They can essentially be considered half-unorthodox."
"Then you have no need to worry."
"Of course, your swordplay is far more sublime than theirs, but your sect's background is..."
"Young Mistress."
"Yes?"
"One day, you will speak of being undefeated. I can tell by your sheer effort."
"You flatter me..."
The Grand Lady, Gongya Jeong, smiled faintly.
Jeong Yeon-shin did not smile.
If there were no opponents left to fight, then that person would indeed be undefeated.
The Heart Demon that had accumulated within him overnight was immense. He suddenly worried that his maternal grandfather lived with this kind of suffocating mindset every single day.
I should treat him a bit more warmly when I return.
He thought of the Pure Blood Robe resting in the corner of his bundle. It was the symbol of a Blood Flame Cult noble.
He had to surpass his Black Rank seniors with overwhelming, undefeated achievements. For the current Commander of the Demonlight Wing, failure in this mission was simply not an option.