Chapter 89
At Uhak's words, Bu Eun-seol raised an eyebrow.
"How could one possibly defend against sword strokes without even perceiving them?"
"Of course, under normal circumstances, one would naturally need to discern the sword's form before countering it."
Uhak smiled faintly.
"But there is a way to defend even without knowing how the sword strokes unfold."
After pausing briefly, he straightened his voice and spoke.
"What if there were a sword technique that reacts solely to killing intent? Wouldn't it be able to counter any sword stroke?"
Killing intent. Though easily spoken of, it was neither visible nor a clearly defined concept.
Bu Eun-seol, lost in deep thought for a moment, shook his head.
"Wouldn't it be better to create an extreme Quick Sword Form instead?"
If the opponent's sword technique was overwhelmingly superior, so much so that it couldn't be opposed—
Then simply kill them before they can even deploy their technique.
"Of course, that's not a bad idea either. But the Quick Sword has a fatal flaw."
"A flaw, you say...?"
"Seasoned swordsmen of the martial world are always wary and on guard against sudden Quick Sword Forms. Moreover, if the Quick Sword fails, it could leave you fatally vulnerable to the enemy."
He wasn't wrong.
The Quick Sword pursued an extreme speed that even Murim masters with exceptional reflexes couldn't perceive.
Because it required unleashing a single stroke with full force, a failed stance would leave a gaping opening.
Hadn't Cheon Un-gwang's Killing Sword, the Peerless Thunderbolt Style, which employed the principle of the Extreme Quick Flash, even risked severing fingers during training?
"Mark my words—if you master the sword technique we impart, you'll be able to defend against any sword stroke."
"What use is mere defense?"
"It has its uses."
A light of conviction blazed in Uhak's eyes.
"If you can endure stubbornly, an opportunity for victory will surely arise."
Bu Eun-seol's expression grew peculiar.
Ultimately, Uhak was proposing to teach him a sword technique that would allow him to survive against superior opponents without dying.
'What an absurd sword technique.'
He had assumed they sought someone born with innate killing intent to pass down some monstrous slaughtering sword—
Yet it was merely a defensive sword art?
As if reading his thoughts, Uhak smiled bitterly.
"To learn this technique, one must first sense and control the killing intent inherent within the body. That's why we sought someone naturally abundant in it."
"You're saying killing intent can be controlled?"
"Of course. Killing intent is connected to human emotions. In other words, like Internal Energy Methods, it can be freely regulated through esoteric formulas."
Uhak spoke with a firm voice.
"When a person harbors killing intent, their body tenses with greater strength. Deploying sword techniques in that state alters the forms."
"But if the body is dominated by killing intent, wouldn't unnecessary tension slow you down?"
"A precise observation. However, by mastering the secret method I devised, you can fuse this emotion of killing intent with reflexes swift as lightning."
"A secret method, you say...?"
"I've named it the Wind and Cloud Creation Formula."
As Uhak continued his explanation, Bu Eun-seol's eyes gradually widened.
Wind and cloud transformations are unpredictable.
The wind may push clouds aside to brighten the world or shroud the sky in darkness.
The mystical formula named the Wind and Cloud Creation Formula contained the secret to controlling killing intent—something neither predictable nor controllable.
"Now, I shall recite the maxims. Commit them to memory."
Uhak spoke in a low voice.
"Master this formula, and soon you'll be able to freely manipulate the killing intent within your body."
The Wind and Cloud Creation Formula consisted of no more than fifteen hundred characters.
Yet its contents shattered the framework of conventional martial arts, introducing an entirely new concept.
"I'll recite it once more. Remember it well."
"No need. I've already memorized it."
"You memorized it all in one go?"
When Bu Eun-seol nodded, Uhak couldn't hide his astonishment.
'A once-in-a-generation genius.'
With a subtle expression, he raised his right foot and tapped the floor several times.
With a deep thud, a small door appeared on the right wall.
"Follow that path, and you'll reach where Brother Seok is. Learn the sword technique there."
"Understood."
As Bu Eun-seol turned to leave, Uhak's expression darkened.
"I hope you're not repeating the same mistake."
He narrowed his eyes as he watched Bu Eun-seol depart.
"To possess the same talent as that Demon..."
The Demon, who not only had an exceptional memory but also displayed unparalleled talent in sword techniques.
Bu Eun-seol harbored that same terrifying talent—identical in every way.
Bu Eun-seol slowly walked toward the open doorway.
After traversing the winding path for some time, the sound of flowing water echoed from afar, accompanied by light.
Finally arriving at the path's end, he found an artificial hollow, where a small waterfall cascaded from the dizzyingly high ceiling.
And atop a distant rock, Seoksong sat poised.
"Why have you come here so soon?"
As Seoksong furrowed his brow, Bu Eun-seol replied.
"I was told to come, so I came."
"Then you've already memorized the maxims?"
When Bu Eun-seol nodded, Seoksong's eyes flashed.
"I see."
Rising from his seat, he spoke impassively.
"The sword technique I shall impart to you is called the Fluorescent Sword Control. It can block any sword stroke imbued with killing intent."
A flash gleamed in Seoksong's pupils.
"Even if the wielder remains unaware—acting purely on subconscious instinct."
A sword technique capable of defending against unconscious killing swords? Had such a technique ever existed in the history of murim?
Seoksong and Uhak had devised this art for survival—to endure the assaults of formidable enemies while pursuing vengeance.
Shing—
Slowly drawing the treasured sword at his waist, Seoksong declared:
"From this moment, I shall pass down the Fluorescent Sword Control, which responds to killing intent and lethal aura."
A chilling killing intent radiated from Seoksong's body as he held the drawn blade.
"By mastering the Wind and Cloud Creation Formula, one can control the killing aura within."
Using the formula, he drew forth his latent killing intent.
Yet, as he had not been born with an abundance of it, the quantity was modest.
"But the true brilliance of this technique lies not only in sensing one's own killing aura—but also that of others."
Retrieving a long cloth from his waist, he blindfolded himself and calmly lowered both hands.
"After invoking killing intent through the Wind and Cloud Creation Formula, draw your sword and strike me."
"With my sword?"
The blindfolded Seoksong curled his lips confidently.
"Attack with the stroke you are most confident in, at the most unexpected moment—one you believe I cannot possibly block."
"Understood."
Bu Eun-seol circled behind Seoksong, who stood with closed eyes.
Then, employing the incantation Containing Anger and Accumulating Resentment from the Wind and Cloud Creation Formula, he summoned his killing intent.
Flash—!
With a brilliant gleam, Bu Eun-seol unleashed a lightning-fast sword stroke aimed at Seoksong's back.
The strike was so rapid and the distance so close that Seoksong's spine should have been pierced without fail.
Clang—!
Yet, with a clear metallic ring, Seoksong's sword had already intercepted the attack from behind.
It wasn't that Seoksong had moved—rather, the blade seemed to leap out on its own, reacting to the killing intent.
"This... is the Fluorescent Sword Control."
As Bu Eun-seol exhaled in awe, Seoksong removed his blindfold, wearing a proud smile.
"Well?"
"Magnificent."
The admiration in his voice held not a trace of falsehood.
"From now, I shall impart the Fluorescent Sword Control to you."
Sheathing his sword, Seoksong spoke in a blood-choked voice:
"Someday, use this technique to slay that Demon without fail."
Mount Geumjeong, Mid-slope.
A concealed door began grinding open.
Creaaak—
With the groan of aged metal, the door revealed a dark void within.
Thud. Thud.
Accompanied by soft footsteps, a black shadow gradually emerged from the depths.
A towering stature. Strikingly handsome features visible even from afar. On his back, a sword sheathed in dark light glimmered.
It was Bu Eun-seol.
"That took longer than expected."
Even for one as prodigious in sword arts as he, mastering the Fluorescent Sword Control had required a full month.
"Young Master!"
A clear voice rang out as a black shadow descended from a great tree above. It was Heuk-pyo, clad in a night suit.
But his face was drenched in sweat, his breath ragged.
He had spent every spare moment refining his movement technique while waiting for Bu Eun-seol.
"Hmm."
Bu Eun-seol nodded as he observed Heuk-pyo's approach.
His body had grown leaner, his gaze brimming with newfound confidence.
"You've made progress, it seems."
Bu Eun-seol's extrasensory perception, honed through deep mastery of the Beast Path, extended over five hundred feet.
Yet, he had only sensed Heuk-pyo's presence at around three hundred feet.
"Though still far from satisfactory... I've reached roughly the 30% mastery."
"Thirty percent?"
The movement technique Bu Eun-seol had taught Heuk-pyo was a fusion of the Stealth Secret Technique, acquired during his year with the Kill-Seeking Unit, and Swift Shadowless.
Of course, it couldn't compare to Swift Shadowless, the supreme movement technique of Langya Pavilion, but its speed and stealth were peerless. And yet, Heuk-pyo had reached 30% mastery in less than three months?
'A little faster than anticipated.'
Still, Bu Eun-seol wasn't particularly surprised.
Heuk-pyo's compact, agile frame, abnormally long legs, and elastic muscles made him ideally suited for extreme Light Body Art.
Recognizing his innate talent for the Light Body Movement Skill, Bu Eun-seol had imparted the secret manual to him.
"Strive further."
"Yes, Young Master!"
"Have all the members of the Thousand Swords Society departed?"
Surveying the desolate surroundings, Bu Eun-seol's question was met with a nod from Heuk-pyo.
"Yes. A month ago, they began clearing their equipment. The last of them left for parts unknown."
Heuk-pyo's face brightened as he added:
"The Society's members mentioned that you were the sole recipient of their sword technique."
Grinning broadly, he lowered his voice.
"Young Master, as the inheritor of Langya Pavilion and now a legendary sword art of the Thousand Swords Society... you must be truly invincible!"
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"Martial arts do not grow by mere addition—mastering one more technique does not make you twice as strong."
The Fluorescent Sword Control was fundamentally different from the countless sword techniques scattered throughout the Murim.
In terms of its principles, it could hardly be called a sword technique at all—it was more akin to an esoteric discipline like the Way of the Beast.
"So, Young Master, what do you think of the Thousand Swords Society's sword techniques?"
Truthfully, Heuk-pyo had little interest in swordplay.
But he knew Bu Eun-seol had studied sword techniques deeply and enjoyed discussing them, so he asked anyway.
"Hmm."
Just as Heuk-pyo expected, Bu Eun-seol's eyes gleamed before he replied in his low, wintry voice:
"If our Langya Pavilion pursues the ultimate Martial Way, then the Thousand Swords Society's techniques are designed for survival against Absolute Masters. Since they share no common ground, I can't... properly evaluate them yet."
As he traveled the martial world, Bu Eun-seol had been continuously exposed to new realms of martial arts.
But because he pursued a realm so high that others couldn't even fathom it, he himself remained unaware of his own transformation.
"Let's leave this place first."
Bu Eun-seol lightly kicked off the ground and called out:
"Follow me."
Whoosh!
The moment he unleashed his movement technique, his body stretched like a rubber band before shooting forward three hundred feet in an instant.
"W-Wait for me, Young Master!"
Flustered, Heuk-pyo poured all his strength into his own movement technique.
Thud!
Clad in his night suit, his small frame spun like an arrow, cutting through the air as he surged forward.
Swoosh! Hiss—!
Even the sound of breaking air was suppressed as two streaks of shadow left Mount Geumjeong in the blink of an eye.
What in the world is this?!
Heuk-pyo was pushing his internal energy to its absolute limit, even dredging up strength he hadn't used since infancy.
Yet no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't catch up to Bu Eun-seol's distant silhouette.
Even at this speed, I can't keep up with the Young Master?
After studying the movement manual Bu Eun-seol had given him, Heuk-pyo had become a master capable of traversing a thousand li in half a day if he put his mind to it.
And yet, the Young Master doesn't even seem to be trying.
Far ahead, Bu Eun-seol—now just a black speck—was leisurely executing his movement technique with his hands clasped behind his back.
Ugh...
After maintaining full-speed movement for about half an hour, his dantian burned as if tearing apart.
"If you want to execute movement techniques at high speed, you shouldn't use your internal energy at full power."
Bu Eun-seol had only lowered his head slightly—yet in that instant, he was suddenly beside Heuk-pyo, matching his pace effortlessly.
"Young Master, when did you—"
The moment he opened his mouth, his internal energy began leaking out.
"Listen while you move."
As Heuk-pyo gasped for breath, Bu Eun-seol spoke calmly:
"By nature, the human body cannot fly like a bird. That's why movement techniques exist—but therein lies the greatest obstacle."
His expression turned solemn as he continued:
"Feathers Not Yet Grown. The human body executing movement techniques is like a fledgling bird without fully developed wings."
Bu Eun-seol patiently explained the most crucial principle of movement arts:
"In other words, you shouldn't force yourself forward like a bird flapping desperately. Instead, move like a fish slipping through a net—flexibly, smoothly."
His voice, carrying the serenity of an immortal, resonated in Heuk-pyo's ears even as he shot forward with hands still clasped behind his back.
"Re-examine the internal cultivation methods written in the manual. Six Roots Purity, One Step Ten Thousand Li. When your body becomes as soft and pure as a child's, you can traverse ten thousand li in a single step."
Heuk-pyo, who had been listening intently, suddenly widened his eyes.
Bu Eun-seol was effortlessly keeping pace with him—while speaking so casually, as if he weren't even exerting himself?
Thud.
Startled to the point of losing his breath, Heuk-pyo halted his movement technique and landed back on the ground.
"Hah... hah..."
As he panted heavily, Bu Eun-seol frowned down at him.
"Executing movement techniques is no different from circulating internal energy. How could you neglect stabilizing your mind?"
"But..."
Heuk-pyo looked utterly defeated.
"Young Master, just how much internal energy did you expend to perform that movement technique?"
"Thirty percent."
"Thirty percent of your power?!"
Heuk-pyo shot up as if his backside had been burned.
The speed they had just maintained surpassed even that of most Peak Masters' movement techniques.
Then just how deep is the Young Master's internal energy?!
Just as Heuk-pyo blinked and prepared to speak again—
"Wait."
Bu Eun-seol raised a finger to his lips.
At that moment—
Zing!
A faint metallic sound reverberated from the distant sky.
It was so faint it could be compared to the sound of an ant crawling.
But thanks to the heightened sensory perception of the Way of the Beast—the Resonance Mind Eye—Bu Eun-seol could detect the metallic resonance with perfect clarity.
"They're fighting."
"Huh? Where?"
Heuk-pyo, who had heard nothing, blinked rapidly. Bu Eun-seol simply said:
"Follow me."
Sssss—!
With a light kick off the ground, Bu Eun-seol slid forward hundreds of feet in an instant—unleashing the legendary movement art, Ultimate Speed Shadowless.
"I'm coming too!"
Thwip!
Heuk-pyo kicked off with all his might, streaking forward like an arrow, disrupting the air currents as he ran.
Though not quite as fast as Bu Eun-seol, his stability was on par with any master of the Light Body Technique.
Whoooosh!
By the time the two shadows left Mount Geumjeong and reached the vast Reed Field—
Rustle.
Bu Eun-seol landed atop a towering great tree overlooking the reeds.
Clang! Whirrrr—! Hiss hiss hiss!
Below, dozens of masters were bombarding a lone man with hundreds of hidden weapons, thick as a swarm of locusts.
Poisonous Caltrops?
The hidden weapons blanketing the Reed Field were none other than the Tang Clan's signature poison projectiles—Poisonous Caltrops.