Chapter 46: Black Ink Energy (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 46: Black Ink Energy (2)
"Damn it!"
Realizing Cheol Gun’s intent, Seok Myeong lunged forward instantly. At the same moment, Cheol Gun’s sword thrust out to meet him. Seok Myeong stopped reflexively.
Zzzzzing!
A powerful vibration from Cheol Gun’s blade grazed Seok Myeong’s ear.
“…….”
Seok Myeong’s eyes widened as he retreated once more. A net-like barrier had formed around Cheol Gun’s body. It was distinctly different from before; previously, the energy had only protected his sword, but now a shroud of qi enveloped his entire frame.
“How on earth…?” Seok Myeong muttered in bewilderment.
In that brief interval, Cheol Gun leaped from his position, diving through the air toward Seok Myeong.
Psh-sh-sh-shk!
Bundles of Sword Aura swirled around Cheol Gun. This Sword Aura didn’t extend in straight lines; instead, it had transformed into a bizarre, net-like shape. Seok Myeong twisted his body, stepping off the air itself to evade.
Boom! Crash!
As Cheol Gun’s Iron Ridge True Qi surged to its peak, the energy leaking from the Iron Ridge Fire Bright Sword formed a net-like barrier with a radius of nearly five feet. It poured down relentlessly toward Seok Myeong.
Boom! Rumble!
After several bursts of Sword Aura lashed out in all directions, the onslaught momentarily faltered.
Whirrrrr.
“Huff, huff…”
Seok Myeong clutched his chest, his breath coming in ragged gasps, his eyes half-unfocused.
I might actually die this time.
Seeing the sheer power of Cheol Gun’s sword, the thought finally crossed Seok Myeong’s mind. This time, it was truly serious. As the net-like barrier dissipated, the tip of Cheol Gun’s sword began to glow with a dark, murky hue.
A sense of crisis so overwhelming it threatened to paralyze his five senses washed over him.
*
“Martial Uncle, I think we have to help him.”
Watching from the sidelines, Yeon-hui finally spoke, unable to overcome her growing dread. Song Hak did not answer.
“I don’t know how much stronger Eldest Disciple has become, but he can’t survive against Sword Aura that powerful. Besides, the way the color of that Sword Aura is changing… it’s ominous.”
The Sword Aura had expanded to over five feet. The pressure alone was enough to make breathing difficult, yet the energy was still evolving. The once-brilliant crystalline light was deepening into a dark, murky shade.
Yeon-hui knew what that was. It was a new realm her father, the Sect Leader of Qingcheng, had once shown her. It was called a Sword Bullet—Sword Aura condensed to an even greater intensity.
“Not yet,” Song Hak said.
“Martial Uncle!”
Yeon-hui called out to him again, but he didn’t budge. Not a single emotion flickered across his face. And for good reason—this was a duel. No matter how unfair the conditions might seem, once a fight began, no outside interference was permitted. This was a code that any martial artist, whether from the Orthodox or Unorthodox factions, was bound to respect.
If he stepped in now, it would do nothing but bring shame to the sect’s name.
“Martial Uncle, I know what you’re going to say. But please, think about it one more time. If this continues, Sahyung might die.”
“If he cannot win, then that is simply his fate.”
“Martial Uncle!”
“That is enough!”
Song Hak turned a stern gaze toward Yeon-hui. He continued, his voice firm.
“The boy decided this for himself. He must have been prepared for the consequences. And yet you want to help? Do you hold the honor of Qingcheng so lightly that you would break a sanctioned duel between martial artists?”
“…….”
Yeon-hui fell silent. Once the honor of Qingcheng was invoked, it became impossible to argue. The Qingcheng Sect valued honor above all else, and Yeon-hui was well aware of that.
Song Hak’s voice grew even more resolute.
“I will admit that Seok Myeong has reached a significant level without my knowledge. Seeing as even his face has changed, he must have undergone some great transformation. But he was foolish. If he was going to issue a challenge, he should have at least known who his opponent was.”
“…….”
“Look. That boy is Cheol Gun. He is stronger than both you and Seok Jun. He is considered the greatest of the Rising Stars in the entire Martial World.”
Yeon-hui looked at Cheol Gun and felt as if she were facing a wall. Just as Song Hak said, she would be no match for him. With an anxious expression, she turned her eyes back to the training ground. If Song Hak wouldn’t act, there was no way to stop this duel.
She bit her lip nervously. She had come here because she wanted to see him, but she never imagined she would find him in such a predicament. In her distress, Yeon-hui scanned the surroundings. Her eyes landed on a mysterious young woman standing off to one side.
The woman was also staring at Seok Myeong with a hardened expression. She looked like a woman worried for the safety of her lover. Seeing her made Yeon-hui feel inexplicably unpleasant. From the moment she first saw the woman until now, a prickly, irritating sensation had been prodding at her.
*
“Does Qingcheng only gather rats like you?”
“…….”
“I’m talking to you—the one running away with his tail between his legs.”
When Seok Myeong didn’t respond, Cheol Gun slowly raised his sword. In that instant, the dark, murky Sword Aura grew even denser.
“Your swordsmanship was quite impressive, but you missed the most important thing. Do you know what that is?” Cheol Gun continued triumphantly. “It is attainment. When you reach a certain level of attainment, a wall appears before you. I have leaped over that wall, but you have not. You will see the result of that very soon.”
“It’s the sword that leaped over it, not you.”
“Still nothing but a big mouth, I see.”
Mysterious Sword Aura clung to Cheol Gun’s blade like shimmering scales. A deep shadow fell over Seok Myeong’s face. This was definitely not normal. Forming a qi barrier was surprising enough, but the energy itself was fundamentally different from before.
Seok Myeong understood it instinctively. That wasn’t just Sword Aura. It was a martial art of a higher dimension.
Can I overcome that energy?
Seok Myeong recalled his memories of training. The thousands of martial arts manuals left behind by the Taoists of the Azure Cloud Pavilion flashed through his mind. He was searching for a way to counter that energy. But he couldn’t see it. It was like a thread finer than silk, slipping through his fingers.
“What are you doing?! Just say you’ll stop! You’re going to die!”
It was the voice of Cheol So-yeon, who had been watching from the side. She had known even before the duel began how strong her brother, Cheol Gun, truly was. He had already reached a realm beyond Sword Aura, yet he had been toying with Seok Myeong for his own amusement. That fact had irritated her throughout the duel. Perhaps that was why she found herself worrying about Seok Myeong in spite of herself.
“She’s right, Seok Myeong Hyung! Just say you give up!” Hyeok-jin’s voice followed.
Seok Myeong briefly turned his head to meet Cheol So-yeon’s eyes. Then he met Hyeok-jin’s gaze. He turned his head again and looked toward Song Hak and Yeon-hui.
Song Hak remained stoic. In contrast, Yeon-hui wore a sorrowful expression. Judging by the way she shook her head, she seemed to share Cheol So-yeon’s sentiment.
Seok Myeong turned his gaze back to Cheol Gun. By then, Cheol Gun’s Sword Aura had completely transformed. A dark, murky energy, about a foot long, was concentrated on his blade—something Seok Myeong had never seen before.
“Fine… I suppose it’s time I showed you something as well.”
Zzzzzing.
At that moment, a change occurred in Seok Myeong’s sword as well. A Sword Aura with a completely different nature from anything shown thus far began to manifest. It wasn’t a faint aura. It was three distinct types of Sword Aura, each possessing a different color.
*
“It’s over.”
Atop the pavilion, a thick smile spread across Cheol Jung’s lips. It had been a spectacle worth watching, a fight of true value. It was a duel where Cheol Gun had displayed his full strength.
Of course, the Qingcheng Taoist had shown surprising martial prowess in close-quarters combat. The Qingcheng martial arts, which he had expected to be domineering and aggressive, were instead incredibly fluid and noble—so much so that he had doubted his own eyes. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say the Taoist had dominated that portion of the fight. In terms of sword application, the boy seemed like a genius. His fundamentals were impossible to deny.
But this is the end.
“Father, it’s over. There’s no need to watch any further.”
Cheol Jung spoke as he turned his head, preparing to leave. He was still displeased with Cheol Mu-jin, who continued to stare down at the training ground. No matter how many times he looked, this was a fight that couldn't be lost—so why was his father still watching?
He must be feeling bitter…
Seok Myeong was a boy Cheol Mu-jin had brought personally. Perhaps he didn't want to accept the outcome until the very end. Cheol Jung didn't give it another thought and began to walk away.
“Stay and watch a bit longer.”
The silent Cheol Mu-jin finally spoke. Cheol Jung stopped and immediately countered.
“It’s over, Father. What Cheol Gun is using now isn’t ordinary Sword Aura. It’s a Sword Bullet.”
“…….”
“Of course, he might manage to dodge it by some fluke. But based on what we’ve seen of the Qingcheng Taoist’s skills, Cheol Gun won’t be careless. In the end, the Sword Bullet and the Sword Aura will have to clash, and that boy will lose. Even if he manages to endure it, the Iron Ridge Fire Bright Sword reduces internal energy consumption for the wielder. In such a state, how could that Taoist possibly win?”
When Cheol Mu-jin didn't respond, the corners of Cheol Jung’s mouth curled up. He took the silence as a tacit admission.
“Well, it worked out for the best in many ways. Even if the Qingcheng Taoist dies in this duel, no one can say a word. Of course, if you step in to stop it, Father, there’s nothing I can do… but since you have such high expectations, I’ll be heading down now.”
They were on a pavilion so high that Seok Myeong and Cheol Gun looked no larger than fingers. He needed to start heading down now if he wanted to be there to see the defeated Qingcheng Taoist and the faces of the Qingcheng people. He had only taken a few steps when Cheol Mu-jin’s voice caught him.
“Come here.”
“What is it now?”
“Just come and sit. And look closely at that boy’s sword.”
As Cheol Mu-jin urged him repeatedly, Cheol Jung’s expression soured. He looked as if he couldn't understand why he was being forced to watch a duel that was already decided. However, he ultimately couldn't defy his father and walked over to the railing.
“Gasp!”
The moment Cheol Jung looked down, his eyes bulged. He witnessed a strange, sudden transformation in the energy at the tip of the Qingcheng Taoist’s sword.
“W-What on earth is that?” Cheol Jung’s voice trembled.
Three types of Sword Aura were flickering at the tip of the blade like fox tails. Logically, such energy shouldn't be possible. To achieve that, three completely different types of energy would have to coexist within a single person’s body—a feat that was near impossible.
“Watch, and you’ll see,” Cheol Mu-jin said calmly.
Unlike Cheol Jung, Cheol Mu-jin was composed. He had already expected things to turn out this way. He had been certain that once Seok Myeong was cornered, he would unleash that power. A Sword Aura of three colors—it was something that surpassed ordinary Sword Aura.
“Because I don’t know what it is either.”
What were those energies? And for what reason were they flowing from the body of a Taoist named Seok Myeong? What could they be to contain such mysterious colors? A multitude of thoughts raced through Cheol Mu-jin’s mind.