Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Lightning Dance on Dongting Lake
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The Sword Demon's presence carried traces of demonic qi, which tormented Jegal Lin. His breath caught in his throat, and in that instant, the demonic qi vanished as if washed away.
"I got too excited. My apologies."
With those words of apology, the Sword Demon departed. There was no need to look—he had clearly gone to the Sword King's side.
Ever since the journey began—no, even before that—the Sword King and Sword Demon had been spending a lot of time together.
But Jegal Lin was far more shocked by the fact that the Sword Demon had apologized to him than by his sudden disappearance. He was left speechless for quite some time.
The Sword Demon was human, after all.
The boat cleaved through the Yangtze River at a rapid pace before entering Dongting Lake. That meant Jiangxia was nearly in sight, though they still had a fair distance to go.
The boat carrying the group entered Dongting Lake at the stroke of midnight. Dan Hyeong-u emerged from the cabin every night to gaze at the sky.
As he stared upward, Dan Hyeong-u suddenly lowered his head and scanned his surroundings. His eyes sharpened like blades.
Dan Hyeong-u fell into brief contemplation.
There were persistent pursuers dogging their trail. They had been following ever since he left the escort bureau. Even when he increased their speed, they kept pace. And now that they were on water, the trackers lingered nearby.
It was immensely irritating. But he soon shook his head.
"This isn't that place."
If this were the hell of old, he never would have let it slide. There had been stealthy demonic beasts that trailed him just like this. And their ambushes had been truly terrifying.
His heightened ability to sense presences stemmed entirely from those creatures.
But the world Dan Hyeong-u now inhabited was not hell—it was the human realm. He had to learn to adapt to it bit by bit. Only then could he blend in with the people around him and live among them.
Living in solitude like he had in hell was a thing of the past. That era had dragged on far too long. And it had been unbearably lonely—lonely to the point where the loneliness itself no longer registered as such.
He recalled Jo Seol-yeon's words from long ago.
A faint smile tugged at Dan Hyeong-u's lips. There would be no need for such loneliness from now on.
Jo Seol-yeon was with him. He had even gained a father. And hadn't he acquired a host of new comrades?
Dan Hyeong-u turned his head and glanced at the cabin. Inside were the Sword King, the Sword Demon, and Jegal Lin. They could be called comrades as well.
His mood lifted gradually. He couldn't tell if it was because he'd thought of Jo Seol-yeon or because he'd realized he wasn't alone anymore. Either way, he felt good.
Dan Hyeong-u casually raised his hand.
Heavenly Flash silently flew to him from the cabin. Though the door was shut, it passed through as if the barrier didn't exist and was drawn straight into his grasp.
Gripping Heavenly Flash, Dan Hyeong-u ran his gaze over the blade, which softly reflected the moonlight. Then he gave it a shake.
Sparks flew!
Heavenly Flash began to dance beautifully from his hand. It was the Three Talents Sword Art—a technique he had forgotten until rediscovering it in the Heavenly Qi Master's secret annex, where it had been deeply etched into his memory once more.
The Three Talents Sword Art, wielded with a blade like Heavenly Flash, carried a unique flavor.
Crackle, crackle, crackle!
Thunder qi began to emanate from Heavenly Flash as it moved this way and that, embodying the essence of the Three Talents Sword Art. It intertwined with the blade's motions, saturating the surroundings in crackling energy.
Boom boom boom boom boom!
Lightning surged past the boat and crashed into the water, erupting violently.
Crack! Crack! Crrrack!
A fierce vortex of thunderbolts swirled around the boat. Bolts leaping from the water painted the night in blinding light.
The spreading lightning multiplied, eventually enveloping the entire vessel.
In the midst of such a racket, no one in the cabins could possibly sleep. The Sword King and Sword Demon emerged onto the deck, as did Jegal Lin and the crew—all stunned into silence.
Dan Hyeong-u's lightning performance continued for a good while.
Whoosh!
Heavenly Flash left his hand and soared high into the sky. All the thunder qi around it trailed behind like a comet's tail.
Flash!
The sight resembled a bolt of lightning shooting upward into the heavens.
Thus ended the midnight commotion.
Dan Hyeong-u savored the lingering aftertaste of the sword dance for a moment before turning to gaze at his companions, who stood dumbstruck on the deck.
Shooo.
Thud!
Drained of power, Heavenly Flash plummeted back toward Dan Hyeong-u. It punched a hole straight through the deck and embedded itself deeply.
Crrackle!
Faint thunder qi still lingered at the hilt, wriggling before fading away.
Dan Hyeong-u quietly extended his hand. Heavenly Flash was drawn back into his grasp.
"What was that?"
His question left the group momentarily dumbfounded.
"What the hell were you just doing?"
After a brief pause in thought, Dan Hyeong-u turned away without a word.
The Sword King scowled at Dan Hyeong-u's silhouette gazing out over the water from the bow. But what could he do? That was just how the man was.
"Bah, all that for a sleepless night."
The Sword King grumbled as he retreated to the cabin. He acted annoyed on the surface, but inwardly, he was profoundly shocked.
He would likely never forget tonight's spectacle until the day he died—unless something even more intense came along.
The Sword Demon felt the same. So did Jegal Lin.
In any case, the boat fell quiet once more, and the night passed.
From the next day, the crew's attitude toward Dan Hyeong-u changed. They had already been too intimidated to speak before, but now they treated him like an entirely different being.
To the sailors, Dan Hyeong-u was nothing less than a god. Only a dragon or a deity could pull off what he had the night before. And whether dragon or god, both were divine in their eyes.
After all, wasn't the water-controlling Sea God himself a dragon?
Jegal Lin found the crew's reaction amusing but entirely understandable. Even someone accustomed to murim warriors would think the same after witnessing last night's display.
It had utterly transcended human limits.
Jegal Lin's eyes drifted to Dan Hyeong-u's back. Since yesterday, he had been carrying Heavenly Flash on his back—though a sword still hung at his waist.
Dan Hyeong-u himself seemed unchanged.
He stood in the same spot, in the same stance, staring out at the water. Yet his mind was filled with the events of the previous night.
He had merely executed the Three Talents Sword Art. But Heavenly Flash had reacted with explosive fervor, creating that magnificent scene.
Through last night's sword dance, he had confirmed Heavenly Flash's power and capabilities. It was a weapon crafted for one who had mastered the Three Talents Sword Art to the utmost degree—designed so that only perfect mastery would unlock its true potential.
Dan Hyeong-u's thoughts turned to the other weapons in the Heavenly Qi Master's annex. Not the swords made for his hundred comrades, but the other one embedded in the ceiling.
One was the Blood Shadow Sword, and he hadn't even seen the other. But he suspected it was much like Heavenly Flash.
It too must have been forged by the Heavenly Qi Master for someone who had achieved utmost mastery in some art.
As his mind reached that point, Dan Hyeong-u suddenly thought of the Sword Demon. He had visited the annex to claim the Blood Shadow Sword. Perhaps the Sword Demon knew something about it.
Dan Hyeong-u sought him out at once. The Sword Demon sat quietly outside the cabin, observing him. Dan Hyeong-u approached directly.
The Sword Demon was slightly flustered as Dan Hyeong-u drew near. Dealing with him remained daunting. He couldn't even think of what to say.
"I have a question."
Dan Hyeong-u's tone was as if addressing a subordinate, and the Sword Demon accepted it as such.
It felt as though he had been serving him for ages. He was surprised by his own reaction.
"Ask away."
The Sword Demon deliberately lowered his speech a notch. He had barely stopped himself from using honorifics.
"What is the Blood Shadow Sword?"
The Sword Demon hesitated briefly at the question but soon nodded.
After creating such a spectacle, it was natural for a warrior to take interest in the annex's other weapon.
"The Blood Shadow Sword is a peerless treasure, just like Heavenly Flash. It's said to guide its wielder to new realms. That's all I know."
Dan Hyeong-u nodded and continued.
"Nothing else? Like strange energies flowing through the blade."
The Sword Demon tilted his head.
"Not that I've heard."
But he had his suspicions. The Blood Shadow Sword appealed more to those walking the demonic path than the righteous one. It was renowned for its overwhelming murderous aura.
Of course, it could all be the Heavenly Qi Master's fabrication.
Whether Heavenly Flash or Blood Shadow Sword, both were artifacts he had created long ago. And rumors had swirled about them for ages.
One who claims Heavenly Flash gains the power of the heavens. One who claims Blood Shadow Sword gains the power of blood.
These were mere legends, unverified by anyone. Yet last night, the Sword Demon had witnessed one firsthand. The power of the heavens was thunder.
By that logic, the Blood Shadow Sword might grant free command over demonic qi.
But such speculation was best kept to himself. It was unverifiable anyway.
Dan Hyeong-u returned to his spot and pondered. No matter how he racked his brain, he couldn't fathom the Heavenly Qi Master's intentions in creating such things.
One thing was clear: Heavenly Flash was meant for the one who had mastered his martial art most faithfully and completely. Hadn't last night proven that?
Yet that raised another question. Anyone who had truly endured that hell and overcome it would likely have reached the pinnacle of the Three Talents Sword Art.
They hadn't at first, upon falling into hell. But those who survived long enough inside had all mastered it to perfection.
Only a handful had shattered its limits to reach new heights. And after the demonic beasts' grand assault, only they remained.
Sudden memories of the past soured Dan Hyeong-u's expression. Lately, he had grown capable of such subtle emotions.
Though few would notice.
In the end, Dan Hyeong-u set aside his questions about Heavenly Flash. No amount of thought would reveal answers. And strangely, he felt their bond slowly fading.
'Is that all there is to it?'
A pang of regret tugged at him. But his instincts were usually spot on. They had been so far.
The boat carrying Dan Hyeong-u sliced swiftly through Dongting Lake's currents toward Jiangxia.
Upon arrival, the group disembarked and headed to the nearest inn. They needed food and lodging first.
Jegal Lin handled all of it, naturally. And just as naturally, he secured rooms in Jiangxia's largest and grandest inn.
Jiangxia overflowed with murim folk due to the Heavenly Purity Alliance's founding conference. But the event was still some time away. Thanks to Dan Hyeong-u's haste early on, they had arrived before the crowds peaked.
Fortuitously, Jegal Lin rented out the entire rear annex. It cost a fortune, being the finest inn's best section, but such sums were pocket change to him.
The Jegal family wielded immense influence not just in martial arts, but in commerce as well.
Once settled in the annex, the group rested comfortably for several days. Traveling by boat was no easy feat, especially for those unaccustomed to it.
Jegal Lin fully recovered from his accumulated fatigue during the break.
On the inn's first floor, Dan Hyeong-u's group occupied a table, eating their meal. They always came down in person for meals, no matter what.
The annex could have delivered food, but Dan Hyeong-u preferred sitting in the dining hall.
He savored the aromas wafting from others' dishes in a multitude of ways.
Unlike before, his sense of taste was developing bit by bit. Analyzing and distinguishing food scents—the starting point of flavor—had become something of a hobby.
Jegal Lin watched Dan Hyeong-u eat with fascinated eyes. He had seen this scene many times, yet it never grew old.
It remained utterly captivating. He had never seen someone eat so meticulously, diligently, and earnestly.
Conversations were forbidden during meals, of course. Focus was solely on the food. The others had no choice but to follow suit.
In truth, the Sword Demon and Sword King disliked this style. The oppressive tension was suffocating. Eating with Dan Hyeong-u felt like waging battle.
But not Jegal Lin. Such pressure only affected supreme masters like them. Someone at his level—far beneath even their toes—felt nothing at all. He simply thought, Man, he really digs in.
Besides, the fascinating way he ate made it entertaining to watch.