Chapter 93: Another Demonic Energy Absorption Art (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 93: Another Demonic Energy Absorption Art (3)
He thrashed on the ground for a moment, clearly in agony, before finally signaling his surrender.
"Seok Myeong is the victor!"
"Whooooaaa!"
The spectators erupted in cheers. Some were so swept up in the excitement that they began to dance where they stood.
Perfect.
As Hong Jun-gyeong declared Seok Myeong the winner, he couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
The display of martial arts he had just witnessed was the very definition of perfection. If those movements were recorded in a manual, he would have wanted to demonstrate them personally to his disciples; the execution had been flawless, without a single opening.
Seok Myeong watched as Sa Gong-un struggled to his feet, then took a step back and spoke.
"Brother, your focus was too fragmented. Because you were not one with your spear, your eyes drifted to the weapon the moment a variable arose, causing you to lose track of my movements. If you had focused on maintaining a distance of ten feet and prioritized thrusting over downward strikes, you would have fought much more effectively."
At Seok Myeong's words, Sa Gong-un replied with a hint of frustration in his voice.
"I suspect as much, but it is not easily done. It is not as if I learned this from a formal master."
"Then I shall teach you. First, practice balancing a plate on the tip of your spear. Once you can keep it there indefinitely, try it again with the plate filled with water. When you can hold it for fifteen minutes without a single ripple forming, you will truly be one with your spear. No matter how much the world shakes, your focus will remain unshaken."
Sa Gong-un’s eyes widened.
Hearing it now, it was a simple training method that wasn't overly difficult to implement, yet it specifically targeted and corrected his greatest weakness.
"I hadn't thought of that. Thank you. This will be a great help to my cultivation."
He offered a formal fist-in-palm salute as a final gesture of respect, then stepped forward to clasp Seok Myeong’s hand.
Having struggled to raise his realm without knowing the proper training methods, Seok Myeong’s advice struck him like a bolt of enlightenment.
And so, a heartwarming bond was formed.
*
"That is all for today’s schedule," Hong Jun-gyeong said, approaching Seok Myeong.
"Pardon? No, I..."
As Seok Myeong stood there with a dazed expression, about to ask a question, Hong Jun-gyeong spoke as if he had anticipated it.
"The rooms are located behind this building."
"You’re providing lodging?"
"And meals."
"Ah..."
"That is what your initial payment was for."
Seok Myeong nodded in understanding, then asked another question.
"Is the room spacious?"
"Why do you ask?"
"I was wondering if I could bring people into my room."
"It should fit up to five."
"Then that will do."
"I don't mind. However, you must vacate the premises by the time tomorrow's duels begin. That area belongs to the Cutting Sword Gate’s Outer Court."
"Understood."
Seok Myeong gave him a respectful bow and headed outside.
As if they had known exactly when he would finish, Hyeok-jin and Cheol So-yeon were waiting for him.
"That was magnificent!"
"You saw?"
"Of course."
Seok Myeong smiled at Hyeok-jin’s excited voice.
"It looks like a hundred opponents won't be a problem for you."
"One can never be sure."
"Why is that...?"
"Think about it. So many people duel here every day, yet have you wondered why only twelve people have passed the challenge in all this time?"
"Well..."
Hyeok-jin hesitated, his words trailing off.
Now that he thought about it, it did seem strange. The Cutting Sword Gate had been famous for over a decade; how could only twelve people have succeeded?
"There must be saboteurs," Cheol So-yeon said from the side. Seok Myeong nodded at her words.
"I suspect the same."
After a few more brief words, Seok Myeong led Hyeok-jin and Cheol So-yeon to the building in the back.
The house Hong Jun-gyeong had pointed out was extremely ordinary. No, it was beyond ordinary—it looked downright shabby.
The room was spacious enough, but there was nothing of value or interest to be seen. Fortunately, there was a bath where one could wash, so Cheol So-yeon headed straight there without a word.
Though she was a martial artist, she was still the daughter of a prestigious family. She had a strong sense of pride, and any other woman would have likely poured out complaints after being denied the chance to wash for so long.
Once she entered the bath, Seok Myeong and Hyeok-jin went outside to stand guard. They sat side-by-side on a wooden bench in front of the room.
"Come to think of it, it’s already been half a year since I met you, Brother."
Perhaps it was the night air, but Hyeok-jin had turned sentimental. As always, Seok Myeong listened with a stoic face.
"It has."
"Looking back, I wonder if I could have improved this much if it weren't for you. It might sound like empty words, but when I heard at the inn that I had a title, my heart swelled. It’s what I’ve dreamed of since I was a child."
Seok Myeong remained silent. At that moment, Hyeok-jin had been truly happy. It seemed his goal in life was to be someone who could provide hope to others.
"Life is becoming more and more interesting. Especially the more time I spend with you, Brother Seok Myeong."
"..."
"You’ll be leaving in a month, won't you?"
Hyeok-jin took it for granted that Seok Myeong would win all one hundred duels.
"Most likely."
"The thought of you leaving makes my heart ache."
Seok Myeong looked at Hyeok-jin.
"That is why you must train with me every day. You should at least inherit all of Elder Baek’s teachings, shouldn't you?"
Hyeok-jin laughed brightly.
"I will. And one day, when I fully understand my Master's teachings, I will set aside this saber and find the true power of the Heavenly White Divine Art."
"Yes, you will be able to do that."
Seok Myeong patted Hyeok-jin on the shoulder.
Had the Taoist spirit rubbed off on him? For some reason, while Seok Myeong felt a sense of friendship toward Hyeok-jin, he also wondered if this was what it felt like to have a disciple.
*
The next day, at noon.
After eating the meal provided by the Cutting Sword Gate, Seok Myeong entered the grand hall and waited for his opponent.
Since he fought three times a day at two-hour intervals, he was bound to meet a variety of opponents. He felt a strange sense of excitement wondering what kind of weapons and martial arts the next person would use.
In that state of anticipation, his first opponent turned out to be, surprisingly, a female swordsman.
She entered with a sword slung over her shoulder. Her narrow-set eyes and upturned brows made her prickly personality easy to guess just by looking at her face. With her eyes narrowed at him, she felt even more intimidating.
"I am Seok Myeong. I hail from Sichuan."
Seok Myeong introduced himself briefly. Though most people likely knew who he was by now, he was still a bit reluctant to reveal his sect. He worried that this made him come across as blunt.
"Ja Yeo-rin."
But his opponent was even more curt. She stated only her name and immediately drew her sword.
Srrrng.
"Begin!" Hong Jun-gyeong announced.
It happened then.
The moment the command was given, the woman charged like a bolt of lightning and swung her sword.
Swish!
Startled by her aggression, Seok Myeong reflexively reached for his waist. However, realizing he was too late to draw, he used his Body Lightness Law to retreat.
In that instant, without losing any momentum, she pursued him even faster, raining down strikes.
As she chased Seok Myeong, who was moving in a zigzag pattern, the distance between them fluctuated, but she didn't care and continued to press her attack even harder.
She’s not from an Orthodox sect.
Generally, martial arts have no fixed form. Whether it is an Orthodox or Unorthodox art, it changes according to the user's personality. However, one can sometimes gauge the nature of an art by its tendencies; arts that relentlessly pressure and drive an opponent into a corner are usually considered Unorthodox.
Or perhaps she’s hiding something and moving intentionally.
Within the woman's movements, which seemed like a dogged charge, Seok Myeong saw a sharp and precise balance of power. She looked like an agent highly trained through specialized drills.
Shooooom.
Seok Myeong no longer stood idly by as her sword technique wavered up and down in thin curves. Seeing the wind from her blade rise as if dozens of swords had multiplied, Seok Myeong drew his own sword and swiftly thrust it into a gap.
Is that a blunder?
Watching from the side, Hong Jun-gyeong felt a surge of doubt. Seok Myeong’s action seemed truly reckless. What did he intend to achieve by thrusting his sword into the middle of a Fast Sword Style capable of knocking down dozens of falling leaves in a single breath?
The reason was soon revealed.
A light began to shimmer on Seok Myeong’s blade, and suddenly, Ja Yeo-rin’s sword became stuck to his as if they were one, unable to move.
"Oooooh!"
The spectators cried out. They marveled at the sight of the young man, who had seemed cornered, suddenly neutralizing his opponent's weapon with a single decisive move.
"This is a technique called the Adhering Sword, one of the fundamental operations of swordsmanship. As you can see, I have captured your blade by utilizing your own flow."
"Urgh!"
The woman shook her sword this way and that, trying to pull it away. But it would not budge from Seok Myeong’s blade. It was as if the two swords had been joined together with fish glue.
"The more strength you exert, the easier it is for me to utilize that power. In the end, you are only exhausting yourself."
Perhaps Seok Myeong’s words were persuasive enough. She eventually let go of her sword. Then, taking a step back, she offered a polite gesture.
"I lose."
"...?"
Seok Myeong raised an eyebrow, confused by the suddenness, but she didn't pay him any mind. After a brief nod, she picked up her sword from the floor, dragging it behind her as she turned and walked away.
Was she not a swordsman?
Seok Myeong thought as he watched her leave. A true swordsman should cherish their blade more than their own body, yet she treated it so roughly just because she lost a duel.
Come to think of it, her swordsmanship was clumsy, too.
While each individual movement showed a high level of mastery, the transitions between them didn't match up. It felt awkward, like a hot-blooded man swinging a sword haphazardly.
Well, a win is a win.
Though he felt a lingering sense of unease, Seok Myeong decided not to dwell on it. He had won, so he would simply wait for his next opponent.
*
The woman who had identified herself as Ja Yeo-rin left the Cutting Sword Gate and began walking. Her expression remained unchanged, looking less like someone who had just suffered a defeat and more like someone who had simply performed a necessary task.
Turning a corner, she came upon a carriage waiting for her. Ja Yeo-rin approached the carriage and immediately prostrated herself.
As she drew near, the door opened.
"He was at the Third Gate."
"Is it him?"
"I am certain. He did not use the sword techniques of Qingcheng, but based on his sword operation, he is undoubtedly from Qingcheng. He also matches the description you gave."
"Good work."
After a moment of silence, a small shoe stepped out of the carriage.
"He said his name was Seok Myeong?" the person asked the prostrate woman.
"That is correct."
"I am looking forward to it. I wonder if he is a truly magnificent man, or..."
"..."
"...a hideous man who has deceived the world."
Then, a figure wearing men's trousers stepped out.
It was a woman in disguise, so beautiful that anyone would have been captivated at first sight.
(To be continued in Sword Emperor Volume 5)