The Heir of the Heavenly Sword Style
When their eyes met, Ha So-ran, the leader of the Gimun branch, subtly averted her gaze.
Considering Go Geom-haeng’s noble character and his proud, peerless spirit, she felt too ashamed to even lift her face.
But what could she do?
To unify the six branches of Haomun, his help was absolutely necessary.
‘Brother, in the next life, I’ll treat you better.’
At Ha So-ran’s feigned indifference, Go Geom-haeng let out a long sigh.
“Haa… I am Go Geom-haeng. I sincerely hope you do not lose your life to my single sword.”
“If I survive, does that mean I win?”
“……”
When Go Geom-haeng’s eyes turned murderous, Dan Yeop quickly continued.
“Of course that won’t happen. I will also give it my all.”
“I won’t use the same underhanded tricks Dan Bul-wi did, but you should still be careful.”
Go Geom-haeng clearly still held a grudge against Dan Bul-wi’s final technique and pointedly warned him once more.
“Understood. Please be careful as well, Senior Go.”
The young brat’s attitude—refusing to yield even a single word—made Go Geom-haeng’s blood boil, but he clenched his teeth and endured it.
Chapter 63. The Heir of the Heavenly Sword Style
In the Jianghu, there existed a mysterious sect that was equal to the Five Great Sword Schools—or perhaps even greater when it came to pure swordsmanship alone.
It was the Sword Pavilion, known as the greatest sword sect under the heavens.
Although the Sword Pavilion represented the Jiannan Circuit (the Sichuan region), it had secluded itself deep within the layered mountains, completely cutting itself off from the secular world.
This was true even though it was not a Buddhist or Daoist sect, but a mundane one.
Only disciples who had passed through all nine gates could leave the sect. The difficulty of each gate far surpassed ordinary imagination.
Anyone who passed all nine gates was hailed as the greatest swordsman of their generation.
But in any organization, there are always those who refuse to follow the rules.
Among those who challenged the nine gates and failed, quite a few had fled due to personal circumstances.
However, they spent the rest of their lives hiding the fact that they had once been part of the Sword Pavilion.
Go Geom-haeng was one such person.
As the only son of his family, he had challenged the nine gates after his father’s death but failed at the sixth gate.
Yet, to care for his widowed mother, he had slipped out of the Sword Pavilion in the dead of night.
After his mother eventually passed away, he became a wandering rogue, drifting across the world.
The Sword Pavilion housed many different sword styles. Go Geom-haeng had trained in the Heavenly Sword Style among them.
After his master passed away, he became the sole remaining heir of that style.
Thanks to that, even though he had wandered the Jianghu for over twenty years, no one ever connected him to the Sword Pavilion.
Go Geom-haeng thought the Heavenly Sword Style was too much for Dan Yeop, so he had used his sword lightly.
Even so, it was still the sword of a genius from the Sword Pavilion.
The power contained within it and its profound variations were in no way inferior to the secret techniques of the Five Great Sword Schools.
Clang-clang-clang—!
Dan Yeop swung his horizontal saber both horizontally and vertically, blocking the incoming sword strikes.
Each impact made his hands tingle, but he felt no signs of internal injury.
‘In times like these, I’m actually grateful for the Heart Demon.’
He was, after all, a martial artist who had trained both internal and external arts.
He was well aware of the strange power residing within his body.
He had asked the White Paper several times about its true identity, but the Heart Demon had never given him an answer.
It was dirty and underhanded, but since it didn’t seem harmful, he had simply let it be.
While circulating energy through the Greater or Lesser Heavenly Circulation was difficult, releasing internal energy through his limbs or his horizontal saber was still possible.
While Dan Yeop was momentarily distracted by these thoughts, Go Geom-haeng’s sword changed.
Shaaaaa—
As the sword sliced through the air, it produced a sound like tearing silk.
Startled, Dan Yeop swung his horizontal saber with all his might to deflect it.
Clang—!
Along with a sound like cracking ice, the horizontal saber was sent flying into the air.
The wandering expert known as Go Geom-haeng was several times stronger than the rumors had suggested.
Sensing danger, Dan Yeop used the Flying Current Step to circle around him and unleashed the third form of the Seven Injury Saber Technique.
It was Three Wounds, Chaotic Qi, meant to shatter the opponent’s sword energy.
The horizontal saber, wrapped in hazy blade qi, flew straight toward Go Geom-haeng.
Shiiiing—!
Caught off guard by the unexpected blade qi, Go Geom-haeng’s eyes widened.
‘What?!’
He swung his sword in a dazzling display to block the incoming saber.
When sword and saber collided, sharp energy waves shot out in all directions.
Pa-pa-pa-pat—!
The furniture that had been standing upright shattered, and even the walls trembled violently.
Crack! Rumble—
The leaders of the Six Gates hurriedly retreated, putting distance between themselves and the two fighters.
While Baek Cho-gong, the leader of the Jeommun branch, and Dan Bul-wi were shocked by Go Geom-haeng’s martial prowess, the others could not take their eyes off Dan Yeop.
They had thought he had only become an instructor because he was Dan Bul-wi’s adopted son, yet here he was, fighting on equal footing with the terrifying Go Geom-haeng!
Go Geom-haeng himself wore a stunned expression.
Dan Yeop, who was only in his late teens, was already capable of releasing blade qi. That was why.
He paused his sword for a moment and spoke to Dan Yeop.
“Your name is Dan Yeop, correct? Your martial arts are truly exceptional. I would believe it if someone told me you were a joint successor of the Five Great Sword Schools.”
“Thank you for the compliment, but I am a native-born member of Haomun.”
Unlike Go Geom-haeng, who had been recruited from outside, Dan Yeop emphasized that he was a true native of the sect.
After all, he had lived in the Byeongmachong since he was four years old. It wasn’t a lie.
“You learned your martial arts from Dan Bul-wi?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm… Even if Dan Bul-wi and you are qualified to teach martial arts, you still fall short compared to me. Since I am an instructor, how about you and Dan Bul-wi settle for being deputy instructors?”
It was a suggestion born from Go Geom-haeng’s care for the younger generation.
He simply could not accept being placed beneath Dan Bul-wi and Dan Yeop.
However, Dan Yeop did not accept his proposal.
If he had lost in the spar, that would be one thing. But he had no intention of surrendering before the outcome was even decided.
“If I lose in this spar, I will follow your words, Instructor Go.”
“Then I suppose there is no choice. From now on, I will use my exclusive secret techniques, so be careful.”
In the end, Go Geom-haeng decided to use the Heavenly Sword Style.
It didn’t seem like he could subdue his opponent with ordinary techniques.
He immediately rushed forward like a shooting arrow, moving his sword in a dazzling display.
Sh-sh-shit—!
Dan Yeop, who had been waiting, responded with the True Heaven and Earth Saber Style.
Among its forms, he chose the third technique—Wind and Clouds in Harmony.
With the principle of “wind and clouds coming together,” he intended to receive any kind of change.
Clang! Clang! Clang—!
This time, Go Geom-haeng’s sword was blocked by the horizontal saber.
However, the sword that had bounced upward suddenly plunged straight down.
It was the secret essence of the Heavenly Sword Style—Void Slash of the Moon.
The sword, wrapped in sea-blue sword energy, looked as if it could cleave the heavens and earth in two.
Shaaaaa—!
For the first time, Dan Yeop felt a terror so intense that his hair stood on end.
Even if he blocked with his horizontal saber, it felt like he would still be cut in half.
‘I can’t block this!’
It was then.
Without any conscious thought, his body slid sideways as if gliding.
Almost at the same time, Go Geom-haeng’s sword sliced through where Dan Yeop had just been.
Swoosh—!
A gasp escaped from Go Geom-haeng’s mouth.
“Hah!”
In truth, he had expected Dan Yeop to do something.
Either block the sword with brute force using his horizontal saber or slightly twist the trajectory to deflect it.
Of course, the result would have been the same either way.
But Dan Yeop had done nothing at all.
Sometimes, when people are extremely startled, their bodies freeze up.
Go Geom-haeng thought that was what had happened to Dan Yeop.
It was possible to be overwhelmed by the terrifying sword energy of the Void Slash of the Moon.
He had no intention of killing Dan Yeop, but a sword had no eyes.
In the end, he had cut him down.
But he soon realized that what he had cut was only an afterimage.
‘How…?’
On the other hand, Dan Yeop was equally shocked.
The moment he had thought of death, his body had moved on its own.
It was the footwork of the Water Moon Divine Movement, but he didn’t know that.
Finally regaining his senses, Dan Yeop caught sight of Go Geom-haeng’s back.
Without hesitation, he thrust his horizontal saber forward.
Just before the saber could touch his back, Go Geom-haeng spun around like lightning and swung his sword.
Clang—!
As the horizontal saber was sent flying into the air, Dan Yeop struck downward naturally, just as Go Geom-haeng had done moments before.
The movement was similar, but it was the first form of the True Heaven and Earth Saber Style—Heavenly Thunder Falling Slash.
A strand of blade qi descended toward the top of Go Geom-haeng’s head.
Tzzt-tzzt-tzzt—!
Greatly alarmed, Go Geom-haeng used the Cloud Wandering Step to pull his body back.
His figure fled from the blade qi as if drifting through the clouds.
After retreating three steps, Go Geom-haeng looked at Dan Yeop.
Unlike himself, whose breathing had already grown rough, Dan Yeop’s expression remained unchanged.
‘Does this even make sense?’
To have already reached the realm of sword qi injuring others at such a young age…
Even seeing it with his own eyes, he could hardly believe it.
Since fleeing from the Sword Pavilion, this was the first time he had been pushed this hard.
His heart had been pounding violently since earlier.
He had never cared about the elders of the Five Great Sword Schools, yet here he was, struggling this much against a young instructor from Haomun.
‘Dan Bul-wi must be even stronger than Dan Yeop, right?’
The moment that thought crossed his mind, his heart sank and his fighting spirit crumbled.
He still had the ultimate technique Heavenly Sword Ten Thousand Li that he hadn’t shown yet, but he no longer wanted to fight.
Considering their ages and experience, this was his defeat.
Having reached that conclusion, Go Geom-haeng let out a long sigh and slowly lowered the tip of his sword.
At the same time, Dan Yeop’s mind was also in turmoil.
It was fortunate that he had escaped the crisis, but the fact that his body had moved on its own bothered him greatly.
‘What if the Heart Demon suddenly pops out during daily life?’
It was an absurd thought, but after what had just happened, it didn’t seem entirely impossible.
‘Maybe I should invite a skilled shaman and undergo an exorcism ritual.’
While he was lost in these various thoughts, Go Geom-haeng’s voice reached his ears.
“I acknowledge my defeat. You and Dan Bul-wi are more than qualified to take on the roles of instructor and chief instructor. Also, Leader Hong, the earlier incident was the fault of us instructors. It all stemmed from our preconceptions about the chief instructor and instructor. Please forgive us.”
Hong So-gwang and Baek Cho-gong, who had been listening blankly, nodded their heads vigorously.
“Oh my! There’s no need for forgiveness. It was just a misunderstanding.”
“These things happen in life. I understand completely.”
They didn’t dare criticize Go Geom-haeng.
Rather, they were wary because his martial prowess was far greater than they had known.
After sheathing his sword, Go Geom-haeng approached Ha So-ran.
“Leader Ha, I’m sorry I couldn’t live up to your expectations.”
“Not at all. If anything, I’m the one who should apologize. You worked hard. I had no idea Dan Bul-wi and Dan Yeop were this outstanding.”
“I think this is actually a good thing for the unification of the Ten Blades.”
“I feel the same way.”
Despite her words, Ha So-ran’s expression was not bright.
Although she was acting as the temporary sect leader, she would now have to watch her step around Hong So-gwang and Baek Cho-gong.
Once the important matters were settled, Ha So-ran called in the courtesans.
Even from the annex, the cheerful singing of the courtesans rang out.
As the atmosphere grew lively, Dan Bul-wi created a separate seating area with the instructors.
Whether they liked it or not, they would have to live together from now on, so it was to build camaraderie.
Dan Bul-wi filled the empty cups on the table with alcohol and said,
“Let’s forget about what happened before and work well together from now on. If Haomun prospers, your reputations will rise as well.”
Unlike their initial arrogance, Unjung-gaek and Hanwol-geom now responded politely.
“You are absolutely right.”
“Of course. Let’s work together to turn Haomun into a sect that rivals even the Beggars’ Union.”
Soon after, the instructors, the regular instructor, and the chief instructor raised their cups in a toast.
They said that fighting together made people closer, and indeed, the wall between the instructors and the chief instructor crumbled quickly.
The instructors naturally began calling Dan Yeop “Instructor” and Dan Bul-wi “Chief Instructor.”
After one round of drinks, Unjung-gaek cautiously brought up the topic.
“By the way, Chief Instructor, would it be possible for us instructors to learn the True Three Great Saber Techniques as well?”
“Why? Do you want to learn them?”
“To be honest, after watching your spar with the instructor, I can’t help but feel greedy. Since we’re all part of the same family now, it feels strange that we don’t know the True Three Great Saber Techniques.”
Dan Bul-wi smiled faintly.
Martial artists, regardless of age or gender, all had a greed for martial arts.
He was no exception.
He himself had learned martial arts from Dan Yeop—