Chapter 106: Peace (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 106: Peace (1)
“Ah!”
Watching from the sidelines, Song Hak let out an involuntary exclamation.
He wasn't the only one. Every person present—from Song Mun and the other elders to the Sect Leader himself—stared at the scene, deeply impressed. Anyone with eyes sharp enough to perceive Sword Aura could tell exactly how the situation had just unfolded.
“Dual Sword Aura!”
Seok Myeong had generated two layers of Sword Aura. It was difficult to discern exactly how he had done it because one layer obscured the other, but there was no doubt: there were definitely two.
Maintaining a Dual Sword Aura was by no means an easy feat.
Martial arts involving Sword Aura are a form of qi emission created by detonating internal energy. Typically, this involves manifesting internal energy into a physical form based in the lower Dantian. In such a state, attempting a second emission immediately after the first inevitably puts an immense strain on one's control.
Since emitting qi at the level of Sword Aura consumes a vast amount of internal strength in a single burst, it is generally considered impossible to divide it into two consecutive strikes.
Of course, it wasn't strictly impossible. Masters capable of wielding Sword Force—a higher concept than Sword Aura—could generate multiple consecutive bursts of the lesser Sword Aura with ease.
However, Seok Myeong was not yet a master of Sword Force. Furthermore, even if one could manage it, using it with such precision at the exact moment of impact, as he just had, was nearly impossible.
Seok Myeong had achieved the impossible.
“You… you…”
Seok Jun, who had retreated after thinking he saw an opening, now looked ridiculous. Seok Myeong’s display of martial prowess had even captivated the younger disciples; every eye in the arena was now fixed on him.
“What sword technique is that?”
“It is the Heaven and Earth Sword.”
“Was there such a move among the forms of the Heaven and Earth Sword?”
“It is a technique refined into six forms at the Azure Cloud Pavilion. I reconstructed it in my own way, based on the few clues that remained.”
“The Azure Cloud Pavilion… it seems there are many excellent techniques there that I never considered.”
“There are. Many techniques that are truly necessary.”
“…Tsk.”
Seok Jun stood tall, casting aside his shame and embarrassment once more. Seok Myeong had grown strong. Moreover, he possessed knowledge of many sword techniques that Seok Jun did not recognize.
“I did not realize you had attained such skill, Senior Brother. Now, no one could find fault in calling you a true Qingcheng swordsman.”
“That remains to be seen. Until one passes the official trials, nothing is certain in this world.”
“No. Beyond just wielding Sword Aura, the fact that you can generate two simultaneously is more than enough qualification for a Qingcheng swordsman.”
Seok Jun praised Seok Myeong excessively. Such flattery felt burdensome to Seok Myeong. At the same time, it felt as though Seok Jun had an ulterior motive.
“However.”
Just as that thought crossed Seok Myeong's mind, Seok Jun raised his sword again.
“If you can block this next technique as well, I will clearly admit my defeat. Furthermore, I will believe your claim that you fought to a draw with Cheol Gun.”
“……”
“No, I will simply consider it your victory. I dare say that while Cheol Gun is called the strongest of the Five Dragons, I do not believe I fall that far behind him.”
Clack.
He held his sword at an angle. Placing one hand near the tip of the blade, a strange energy began to emanate from him.
Are you really going to use that? Song Hak’s eyes narrowed as he watched.
He had already been irritated to the point of madness watching Seok Jun struggle against Seok Myeong. But this would be the end of it. This next attack would be on a completely different level from before. The boy would not be able to block it.
The Sword Extreme Bullet.
It is often said that above Sword Aura lies the Sword Round, and between that and Sword Force lies the Sword Bullet. The energy closest to Sword Force itself was this very Sword Extreme Bullet.
The Sword Extreme Bullet reached the pinnacle of the Sword Bullet, manifesting as a phenomenon where a halo of light appeared and vanished instantly. It was a qi technique so fast and intense that it was said no one could truly see its full implementation. While it did not quite reach the level of Sword Force, its destructive power was entirely different from standard Sword Aura.
Seok Jun had recently gained the enlightenment necessary to use this terrifying energy. It was partly due to the influence of the internal strength he had received from Song Hak. As his internal energy surged, a new world had opened before his eyes.
The decisive factor in his appointment as an instructor at the Martial Arts Hall had been his ability to use this very technique. However, the Sword Extreme Bullet had one fatal flaw.
It could only be used once.
Because it required drawing up all of one's internal energy at once, Seok Jun—who had not yet reached the realm of Sword Force—would be left completely incapacitated after using it.
Sizzzzzzzle!
A faint vibration began to leak from the tip of the sword, and soon, the energy grew uncontrollably massive. The Sword Aura extending from Seok Jun’s blade grew from three feet to five, distorting the very space around it and capturing everyone's attention.
The First Generation Disciples watching held their breath, their gazes locked onto him.
“Senior Brother? It is not too late. Step back. Once I thrust this sword, it will be absolutely impossible to dodge.”
Seok Jun gave Seok Myeong what sounded like a warning, but it was more than that. It was a declaration. The moment it was unleashed, a surge of innate true qi would erupt that could neither be blocked nor evaded.
“Is that the pinnacle of the martial arts you can display?”
“……”
“Then swing it to your heart’s content.”
Seok Myeong spoke as if it were nothing. That attitude rankled Seok Jun’s pride even further.
Grit!
“I warned you that you might die. Are you still going to continue?”
“It does look dangerous, just as you said. But it is not something to be feared.”
“Hah?”
Seok Jun’s eyes wavered, his gaze unable to leave Seok Myeong. To hear Seok Myeong say that the energy he took such pride in was nothing to fear wounded his ego once again.
“You brought this on yourself, Senior Brother. Do not resent me.”
He made his decision. He had no intention of killing him, but Seok Myeong had claimed he could block it. The responsibility for whatever happened would lie solely with him.
“Then… take this!”
As if one hand weren't enough, Seok Jun gripped the hilt with both hands and swung down toward Seok Myeong with all his might.
Rumble!
The energy that had been shimmering like a heat haze suddenly erupted in a brilliant radiance, shooting toward Seok Myeong like an arrow. It was a massive force. The dust of crushed blue stone, broken from the many previous clashes of Sword Aura, was sucked into the air along the path of the Sword Extreme Bullet.
Flash!
The energy, looking as if it would tear the world asunder, burst forth and surged toward Seok Myeong. In contrast, Seok Myeong’s sword looked pitifully meager.
Seok Myeong swung his sword—which wasn't even coated in Sword Aura—toward the incoming Sword Extreme Bullet.
Swish.
Whooooooooosh.
A sudden silence fell over the area.
The terrifying Sword Extreme Bullet had poured down upon Seok Myeong, yet nothing happened. There was only a sharp gust of wind blowing toward him.
“…!”
It was an astounding sight. With a mere flick of his sword, showing only a faint, shimmering black shadow at the tip of the blade, the Sword Extreme Bullet had vanished like a mirage.
*
“Ah…”
Seok Jun’s jaw dropped. He had unleashed his greatest ability, certain he would crush his opponent, but that certainty had been shattered to pieces.
It was an earth-shattering sight. It wasn't a clash of equal Sword Extreme Bullet energy, nor was it some other counter-energy; it was a movement that was far too simple. The shock was so great it even blew away his desire to ask how it had happened.
“Will you continue?”
Even though his opponent asked, Seok Jun remained frozen. He simply stood there with a dazed expression.
“Will you continue!”
Seok Myeong shouted again. Only then did Seok Jun realize that the scene before him was reality—that he had been defeated.
“I… I have lost….”
As he bowed in respect, a roar erupted from the crowd.
“Whoaaaaaa!”
“Did you see that? That was incredible!”
“He’s the best! Taoist Seok Myeong is the best!”
Wonder. Admiration. Awe.
The disciples, who had never experienced such a high-level duel, broke into non-stop praise, from the Second Generation to the First Generation. Even the elders felt their blood boil as martial artists. This was a level of prowess rarely seen even in the wider Jianghu. They felt a surge of pride that such a person belonged to Qingcheng.
Meanwhile, amidst the excited crowd, an old man quietly slipped away. Song Gwan, glancing over, spotted him and smiled.
“That certainly feels refreshing.”
He had caught a glimpse of the man’s face as he brushed past. The man would likely lose sleep for quite a while, haunted by the sense of defeat.
“Indeed. Taoist Song Hak has been a bit excessive lately,” his junior brother, a man named Song Sun, chimed in. “When one uses their heart in such a way, things are bound to go poorly.”
“You are right.”
As Song Sun agreed, Song Gwan looked toward Seok Myeong with a bright face. He watched with immense satisfaction as he looked at Seok Myeong, who had grown so much that even Song Gwan himself might not be able to defeat him now.
“They say he’s from the Azure Cloud Pavilion!”
“Then I want to go to the Azure Cloud Pavilion too.”
Seok Myeong’s name was being called out even among the children who had just begun their training.
“I’m close with the Eldest Disciple!”
And among the Second and First Generation disciples, slightly childish boasts continued.
While the praise went on, there was one old man in the elders' seating whose expression remained grim. The old man seemed to be pondering something deeply. He eventually stood up, walked over to Song Gwan in the front row, and tapped him on the shoulder.
“Do you have a moment?”
“Sect Leader?”
Song Gwan tilted his head in confusion. Why was the Sect Leader suddenly asking for his time?
“Walk with me.”
Sect Leader Song Jeong turned away without further explanation.
*
At the Azure Peak Pavilion, located a short distance from the training grounds. Song Jeong and Song Gwan stood in the courtyard of this building, which handled the practicalities of budget allocation.
“He has grown well. You have looked after him quite a bit.”
When Song Jeong opened the conversation, Song Gwan bowed his head.
“I did nothing. Seok Myeong achieved this on his own.”
“Come now. I have ears too. Do you think I don't know that you frequently visited the Azure Moon Storehouse where Seok Myeong was studying to offer him help?”
“…I was simply closer to him because I am in charge of Chaoyang Cave. Anyone in Qingcheng would have done the same in my position.”
“I truly wish that were the case.”
Song Gwan pondered the meaning of those words for a moment before speaking carefully.
“If you are worried because of Senior Brother Song Hak, please do not be. He must have learned a great lesson this time.”
The Sect Leader responded with a smile instead of an answer. A brief silence followed.
What could this be about?
Song Gwan realized that the Sect Leader seemed to be harboring a deep concern he couldn't quite voice. Otherwise, he wouldn't be hesitating like this. As he was thinking this, Song Jeong turned his gaze toward him and asked.
“Do you know the martial arts Seok Myeong has learned?”
“I have seen the Azure Cloud Pavilion’s techniques a few times.”
“Then, among them, are there any particularly peculiar techniques?”
“There are quite a few strange ones. They range from manuals found in street markets to foreign arts of unknown origin. Occasionally, even Buddhist techniques appear.”
“Well, the masters of the Azure Cloud Pavilion did travel the Jianghu for a long time collecting martial arts.”
Silence fell again. Song Jeong seemed to find it difficult to speak his mind. This time, Song Gwan asked first.
“Sect Leader. I am ready to listen.”
“Hmm….”
Song Jeong’s gaze drifted toward the sky. The clear, blue sky filled his vision.
“It’s just… the martial arts Seok Myeong has learned are a bit peculiar. Surprising, even.”
“Ah, I had the same thought. To the point where I wondered if such techniques even existed in Qingcheng. I will go to Seok Myeong later today and ask him for the details.”
“Please do. And….”
Song Jeong turned his head toward Song Gwan and said.
“Give him a piece of advice as well. If it is something he cannot explain to everyone immediately, tell him to step forward only after he has had enough time to organize his thoughts. Otherwise, unnecessary misunderstandings might pile up.”
“Pardon? What do you mean by that…? What kind of words can’t be explained…?”
“Among the martial arts Seok Myeong has learned….”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
Song Gwan’s face hardened. Seeing Song Jeong’s expression suddenly turn so grave made him feel a chill. And soon, he understood.
“There seems to be a strange energy within them.”
He understood why the Sect Leader looked so uneasy.