The Boy and the Old Man (3)
Pa-aa-aht!
Man Yuhyeon had inherited everything from the Demon Sword Ghost Elder, the greatest of the unorthodox sects and the supreme master of the world.
As a result, Man Yuhyeon now possessed the Demon Sword Ghost Elder's internal energy, and his mind was filled with memories of all the supreme techniques he knew, including the Formless Flash Quick Sword.
Cheon Baeksang was no different.
Just as Man Yuhyeon had absorbed all of Cheon Baeksang's memories and knowledge, Cheon Baeksang could now see all of Man Yuhyeon's memories like a panoramic lantern show.
"Huk! Huk!"
Finally, as the Full Body Heart Transfer came to an end, Cheon Baeksang's face—which had looked youthful despite his age—suddenly aged to match his true years, drained of all vitality.
"Those damn vicious bastards!"
As he finished transmitting the technique, Cheon Baeksang learned of the series of tragedies Man Yuhyeon had endured and could not contain his rage.
Yet even in his fury,
'Good! Then... this young Yuhyeon must hate the Murim Alliance and the Heaven's Five Venerables more than anyone.'
he rejoiced that they shared the same enemies and the same goals.
From his perspective, he had passed everything to Man Yuhyeon based solely on one fond memory of the Mangeum Clan.
After all, it had been a choice between letting his secret arts rot away or gambling on this boy.
Fortunately, Cheon Baeksang's gamble had been a resounding success.
"Ugh, ughhh."
How much time had passed?
Man Yuhyeon struggled to open his eyes.
Honestly, he had hoped that upon waking, it would all prove a dream, with his father and mother there to greet him. But the world was cruel.
Jjeureuk!
Having already grasped the entire process and situation through Cheon Baeksang's memories, Man Yuhyeon burst into tears the moment his eyes opened.
The tears he had held back to survive at the Mangeum Clan now poured forth.
"Yuhyeon, don't grieve too deeply."
Cheon Baeksang comforted him calmly.
Curiously, the two shared something in common.
Cheon Baeksang would lose his life to the Murim Alliance and Heaven's Five Venerables, while Man Yuhyeon had lost everything except his own life to them.
"Thank you... for saving me."
Despite being only ten years old, Man Yuhyeon showed remarkable composure.
When he should have been weeping and searching for his parents, he instead offered a polite bow.
In truth, neither Hongbulgeom Jonghun nor the Murim Alliance forces knew it, but this Man Yuhyeon was the child prodigy revered as the Mangeum Young Master throughout the region.
At such a young age, he had mastered scholarly pursuits and already shown keen interest in the clan's merchant affairs.
And that was not all.
"Dear, I'm worried because Yuhyeon has so many talents. Scholarship, business, martial arts—he excels at everything... They say geniuses are blessed with little fortune. What should we do?"
Even Gi Sehui, the lady of the Mangeum Clan, had fretted over such concerns.
'Look at him pulling himself together. Truly a prodigy!'
Cheon Baeksang inwardly marveled at Man Yuhyeon's talent.
Honestly, when he had pulled the boy from the water, he had thought him merely a sturdy rich kid—big for his age, a bit chubby.
But what was this?
Man Yuhyeon's body was exceptionally superior, a natural martial bone incarnate.
Especially in conversation and his mature demeanor, Man Yuhyeon was no ordinary child.
As the lord of the Demon Sword Sect, Cheon Baeksang had encountered countless people and disciples.
From his vast experience, those who broke through to the peak realm at the crossroads were precisely like this boy.
"No. In this chaotic situation, aren't you confused? Or perhaps afraid of me?"
Even in these dire straits, Cheon Baeksang smiled faintly.
It was a pure, cheerful smile unbecoming of the Demon Sword Sect lord whom all unorthodox fighters submitted to and all orthodox ones feared.
"Through... Elder’s mystical technique, I know you, and you know me completely. How could I be confused or afraid?"
Hearing this, Cheon Baeksang felt certain once more.
'I see. The flow of my final years was all for this—to pass my martial arts to this child.'
Only now could he be sure of destiny's grand current.
"Hahaha! Well said. However... while you can use the internal energy right away, the martial arts are merely formulas, essences, and interpretations transmitted. Engraving them into your body is your task, Yuhyeon."
Cheon Baeksang laughed heartily, thoroughly delighted.
He wondered if there could be a finer successor.
"I will keep it in mind, and remember it well."
He wanted to continue their conversation, but sadly, Cheon Baeksang's time was short.
He had already been dying from the Heaven's Five Venerables' joint ambush, and now the Full Body Heart Transfer had pushed him to his limit.
"Bow to me nine times."
Cheon Baeksang's smile turned suddenly serious as he spoke to Man Yuhyeon.
Nod!
Without objection or question, Man Yuhyeon performed the nine bows.
This was the formal rite binding master and disciple, known as the Nine Bows Ceremony.
Originally, it held a different meaning, but in the Central Plains martial world today, a new disciple offered it to their revered master as a gesture of respect.
"Good. Now you are officially part of our Demon Sword Sect... and my fourth disciple."
Immensely satisfied with Man Yuhyeon's Nine Bows Ceremony, Cheon Baeksang clasped his hands together and declared.
The Demon Sword Ghost Elder Cheon Baeksang had three disciples.
Each was the world's finest talent, but regrettably, each had their flaws.
'One of those three must have sold me out to the Heaven's Five Venerables.'
Cheon Baeksang had intuited it the moment they ambushed him in what he believed was his secret training ground—known only to himself.
He could have warned Man Yuhyeon to beware of them and exact revenge, but he saw no need to voice it.
"My thoughts and all my memories have passed to you well, Yuhyeon?"
After all, the two were now practically one body.
"Yes, Master."
Thus, as Man Yuhyeon answered, thick tears like chick peas flowed once more.
He knew as well as anyone that Cheon Baeksang's life was ending.
Moreover, at such a young age, he had just lost his parents, his clan, everyone he loved.
Now, his life-saving benefactor—the one who gave him everything—was dying before him. The grief was overwhelming.
Though he tried to hold it back as he had at the Mangeum Clan, the floodgates of emotion, once opened, would not close.
"Heok, heuk."
The Demon Sword Ghost Elder Cheon Baeksang's breathing grew ragged.
Man Yuhyeon approached and tightly grasped his hand.
"I gave you... all my insights and internal energy... but right now, you cannot wield them."
Even in death's throes, Cheon Baeksang spoke to Man Yuhyeon.
In truth, Man Yuhyeon's current state was like a child holding the world's greatest famed sword.
He could fell lesser foes with it, but against a swordsman versed in profound technique, he would surely lose.
Victory and defeat were not decided merely by higher realm or greater internal energy.
"So... you must... train... diligently..."
To Cheon Baeksang's words, Man Yuhyeon offered a respectful fist salute and replied.
"I will fully master Master's martial arts. And..."
Tears streaming down his face, Man Yuhyeon answered the master he had come to revere and love in their brief time together.
"I will shatter this damned martial world to pieces."
Cheon Baeksang was satisfied with his final disciple's words.
For an unorthodox fighter, what could be more confident?
"Yes. That's how the lord of the Demon Sword Sect... should be."
Thud!
With those words, Cheon Baeksang breathed his last.
The supreme unorthodox master who had dominated an era, the world's greatest, the one who led the Demon Sword Sect—one of countless unorthodox factions—to its zenith.
This hero of the age slipped away into oblivion in this place.
Ddeuk, ddeuk!
Clutching Cheon Baeksang's body, Man Yuhyeon wept once more before him, then mustered his strength and spoke.
"My parents gave me a healthy body and clear mind to be born into this world, and Master gave me the world's knowledge, martial arts, and all he possessed."
Kwaduduk!
Clenching his fists, Man Yuhyeon vowed anew before his master's corpse.
"They will pay the proper price."
Regrettably, there was no time to grieve endlessly.
With Cheon Baeksang's knowledge and memories, Man Yuhyeon foresaw that the Heaven's Five Venerables' search would soon follow.
'I must hurry.'
Thus, he executed the plan Cheon Baeksang had transmitted via the Full Body Heart Transfer.
Sswik!
First, he searched the deceased Cheon Baeksang's bosom for his sacred object.
It was a palm-sized sword-shaped carving made of black ironwood, symbolizing the Demon Sword Sect lord.
He also gathered gold wound salve and the like.
"Master, farewell then."
Next came igniting Cheon Baeksang's body.
In other words, using the Samadhi True Fire technique.
The Samadhi True Fire was an ultimate method of conjuring flames with profound internal energy—something even a super peak expert could scarcely attempt without grasping void-grasping arts.
'Can I do it?'
Man Yuhyeon, who had only ever practiced basic Taoist heart methods, wondered if he could manage.
Though he possessed the world's greatest internal energy and memories intact, actual application was another matter.
It was no idle advice when Cheon Baeksang—the giver of all—had urged him to devote years solely to training.
"Like this..."
However, Cheon Baeksang had overlooked one thing.
Man Yuhyeon possessed talent rivaling the orthodox Heavenly Martial Body or the unorthodox Heavenly Killing Star.
He had been born with martial genius, but confined within the Mangeum Manor walls, his reputation had not spread—until meeting Cheon Baeksang awakened it.
Mastering the Formless Flash Quick Sword or other ultimate arts immediately was impossible, but he was confident in techniques using raw internal energy.
Hwarururuk!
Astonishingly, on his first try, Man Yuhyeon succeeded in conjuring the Samadhi True Fire.
The flames blazed so fiercely—beyond expectations—that they cremated Cheon Baeksang's body in moments.
Paradoxically, a child who could not even perform the third-rate Three Talents Swordsmanship had summoned the Samadhi True Fire.
"Oh! So this is the power of martial arts."
In that moment, Man Yuhyeon gazed at his small hands with the wide eyes of a child his age.
From these ordinary, tiny children's hands emerged flames, hiding the Demon Sword Ghost Elder's fearsome arts.
Even he, the bearer, was amazed.
Sseu-seu-seut!
Watching the Demon Sword Ghost Elder's ashes scatter on the wind, Man Yuhyeon felt tears well up again but turned away.
The fire would draw anyone nearby.
A normal child might not think of that, nor know the terrain or geography—but Man Yuhyeon was different.
He possessed all the Demon Sword Ghost Elder's knowledge.
Pa-aht!
His small frame turned to light in an instant, shooting forward.
He could not yet properly operate Cheon Baeksang's lightness skill, but his monstrous internal energy made even casual leaps extraordinarily swift.
"Found it!"
Through Cheon Baeksang's memories, Man Yuhyeon recalled a small natural cave nearby.
He entered at once, hiding his body, and thought,
'Five years from now. In five years, I will master all of Master's supreme arts.'
No matter that he had inherited the internal energy, memories, interpretations, and formulas of all martial arts—they were vast and profound, daunting even for experts.
Yet Man Yuhyeon resolved to master them in a mere five years.
Could he truly achieve his vow?