The Second-Rate Warrior Facing Legends (3)
- At fifteen, he first grasped the sword; at thirty, he awakened to the Dao.
- Establishing the Dao as the root of all things, he named his cultivation the Tae-eul True Scripture.
- To verify his learning, he ventured into the jianghu and received nine confirmations.
- By the end of the nine duels, an endless line formed of those seeking to learn the Dao, but there was no one to transmit it.
- In a mountain valley in Anhui, he met an orphan who had lost his parents and was able to pass on what he had learned.
- Renowned elders of the jianghu came seeking him, begging him to step forth for the chaotic world.
- He heard that the one who desired the tenth confirmation was enforcing his will in the jianghu.
- Learning comes from self-cultivation and self-achievement; unable to agree with his will, he joined them.
- The depth of the tenth opponent's learning was no small matter. Yet, just as he broke his teachings and blocked his path, the sky crumbled with a roar, trapping him in the Immeasurable labyrinth.
- The tenth opponent claimed the renowned elders of the jianghu had betrayed them.
- He had no intent to harm others with his original teachings, yet wondered if his cultivation seemed too threatening to them.
- The Immeasurable labyrinth was an unknown entity that even he and the tenth opponent could not break combined. They were reduced to awaiting death there.
- Spending infinite time together in the Immeasurable labyrinth, he found points of agreement with him. This was the realization of all streams return to the source.
- From their shared will, they created one inaction technique.
- Last night in a dream, he thought of the disciple left alone. It had always pained him not to leave teachings for that child.
- If someone reads this, I shall consider you my successor. Master my teachings and achieve your will, but if Tae-eul Gate remains in your world, pass on mine. That is my final wish.
As I read the handwritten notes scrawled across half the cave floor by the Taesajo, I couldn't stop the tears streaming down my face. Another person might have cursed someone or burned with vengeance, but his words were utterly serene—and that only made my heart ache more. The repeated mentions of his disciple, the regret and worry that he might be suffering hardship without guidance, took up the largest portion.
Looking at the martial arts the Taesajo had recorded, as I expected, aside from the Tae-eul Heart Technique and Socheon Sword Technique, none were Tae-eul Gate's arts. The lone disciple had endured five hundred years of humiliation and persecution in this very spot, waiting for his vanished master to preserve the sect.
I felt ashamed of my past self, who had bitterly resented Tae-eul Gate. Why drag along a powerless sect like this? Wouldn't it be better to just die than live so pathetically? It was a childish thought from my immature days, but I hated that version of myself more than anything in that moment.
"Five hundred years. An entire five hundred years."
The Taesajo had agonized over a disciple he could never meet until his dying breath, and that disciple had waited five hundred years for his master.
"I will serve."
The floor was filled with diary-style notes, and the walls detailed the martial arts. These were techniques waiting five hundred years to be passed on.
Tae-eul Heart Technique
Socheon Sword Technique
Great Heaven Sword Method
Twin Heaven Sword Conclusion
Tae-eul True Scripture
Ten Thousand Swords of Heaven and Earth
Cartoon Invincible Fist
Tae-eul Eight Myriad Divine Steps
The Tae-eul Heart Technique and Socheon Sword Technique were teachings for beginners. Completing initiation here led to the path of the wandering cultivator, realizing the root of the Dao. And its beginning was the Tae-eul True Scripture.
This scripture delved deeper than heart techniques, pursuing realms more profound than any martial manual I had seen.
- Realizing the Tae-eul True Scripture allows one to comprehend the harmony of heaven and earth.
The Taesajo's confident words rang true; it held teachings of the highest order. The other arts were no less impressive. The Ten Thousand Swords of Heaven and Earth was the legendary sword manual that birthed the myth of myriad swords, and the Cartoon Invincible Fist was its equal. Having tasted the arts of the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families, I was certain the Tae-eul Eight Myriad Divine Steps rivaled the Nine Great Sects' footwork.
"It's a shame there's no body technique."
That regret was fleeting as I pondered what I, the successor to Tae-eul Geomje, could achieve. It was beyond imagination. With the Taecheong Sword Immortal dominating the jianghu with a single sword and the Black Lion Gwak Gung shattering it with two fists, I couldn't even fathom how the future might change.
Only then did I notice the black-haired middle-aged man on the opposite side. Unlike Tae-eul Geomje, he retained jet-black hair and skin. Intrigued by his eerie preservation, I approached. Like Tae-eul Geomje, he introduced himself in eight characters.
Dark Heaven and Earth Hell Demon Emperor Amcheon—the third of the Demonic Cult's Three Great Heavenly Demons, vanished five hundred years ago.
- This seat is one of the Great Heavenly Demon Cult's Three Great Heavenly Demons. There's no other way to proclaim it.
- From the start of my memories, I was a cult follower, rising ultimately to Heavenly Demon.
- Under the Demon God's teachings, I entered the jianghu to unify the world.
- Trapped in this bizarre formation with that damn frustrating bastard. At first, I mocked him for being betrayed by hypocrites, but despair hit when I realized I was trapped too.
- This goddamn formation was unlike any I'd seen; even this seat, blessed by the Demon God, couldn't break it.
- Mimicking his meditative training, I gained an insight. It felt like I'd been betrayed by the cult's traitors too. Thanks to that damn Daoist prick, I learned things I didn't need to know.
- Seeing him pine for his disciple, I thought he was a sucker. Why raise no disciple and crawl out here? This seat raised nine disciples. All nine betrayed me. Still pisses me off.
- With nothing to do and only the Daoist to talk to, we chatted. He knew the world's laws created by the Demon God. Tried converting him. Didn't work.
- Created a martial art with him, making me want to leave something of my own. The Heavenly Demon Scripture stems from the cult's roots, so it's not truly mine.
- Created a martial art to judge my traitorous disciples. Even in my Heavenly Demon realm, it's impressive. Named it Reverse Horse Scripture. May the finder block my disciples' paths.
- Whoever reads this, consider yourself blessed by the Demon God and devote yourself to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Reverse Horse Scripture
Heavenly Lone Walker God Step
The Reverse Horse Scripture was a cultivation to suppress demonic arts, targeting the reverse scale vulnerabilities in demonic arts based on the Heavenly Demon Scripture. Hard to believe it came from one of the Three Great Heavenly Demons.
But what truly captivated me was the Heavenly Lone Walker God Step, seemingly created by Tae-eul Geomje and Hell Demon Emperor together. A arrogant body technique claiming no one in the world could match its speed. The essence was that the technique itself wielded tyrannical destructive power. Nothing could block advance, nothing could seize retreat.
After committing all the arts to memory, I approached Hell Demon Emperor. Despite five hundred years, his form remained intact—truly wondrous.
Tap.
The moment I touched him, his body crumbled to dust, leaving a red ring etched with a phoenix. The embossed characters inside revealed its identity.
As I suspected, this bracelet resembled the Azure Dragon Ring on my left arm. Then, a rustling sound came from behind as Tae-eul Geomje's form also vanished.
I paid respects to Tae-eul Geomje with a deep bow and to Hell Demon Emperor with a salute, then drew my Black Dragon Sword and stood in the cave's center.
"Great Heaven Sword Method."
The Great Heaven Sword Method was a sword art of transformation and illusion. Only now did I understand why the Socheon Sword Technique, with its swift sword path, wasn't particularly fast. Both were mere stepping stones to the Ten Thousand Swords of Heaven and Earth.
Whoosh. Whoosh.
Illusion and transformation swords scattered in all directions. Blending in the Socheon Sword Technique made it impossible to discern true from false.
I'd planned to master only the Great Heaven Sword Method before leaving, but I poured days into the Tae-eul True Scripture and Ten Thousand Swords of Heaven and Earth, forgetting my intent to exit.
Just as I grasped the basics of both.
Shrrrr. Cha-cha-cha.
Three swords dominated all directions, pulverizing formless foes. Extending the sword's influence, the blades erased the manuals from floor and walls.
No illusions among the three swords. All were real, moving independently. Adding illusions doubled them to six.
The whirling swords swept walls and floor again, erasing Hell Demon Emperor's diary and manuals. Tripling the real swords made them no longer "real." Tae-eul Geomje named this unique sword art "myriad swords." Illusions that weren't illusions, reals that weren't real.
I surveyed the scene I'd created. Not a single character remained on the densely inscribed walls and floor—all vanished under my blade.
Just grasping the entry to the Tae-eul True Scripture and Ten Thousand Swords of Heaven and Earth granted this power. Any foe facing these swords couldn't distinguish real from illusion.
"Truly worthy of being called myriad swords under heaven."
"……."
Namgung Seonhwa turned her head to look at Seong Moran. Sunken cheeks, hollow eye sockets, eyelids fluttering weakly. Squeezing out her last strength, she spoke.
"Sorry…… Sister……."
Seong Moran's eyes moved slowly, her parched lips twitching several times before forming words.
"No…… It's okay……."
In their dying moments, they mustered final strength to converse. About a month after being trapped in the cavern.
No more people entered. With no new arrivals, food supplies ran out. They rationed water from cave crevices, but the moss growing there wasn't enough for four thousand people.
Fights broke out over food, then ceased as it dwindled. The weak in inner energy died off one by one; the survivors knew their time was short.
"Really…… Sorry……."
Namgung Seonhwa's guilt over dragging Seong Moran here outweighed her own death. The first to approach her, brotherless and lonely, stepping forward for her troubles—now trapped in this hell because of her.
"Don't…… Give up……."
Seong Moran clung to hope till the end. Trusting Yong So-a, who left first, and the Murim Alliance? Or expecting someone to break the formation?
Oddly, her gaze fixed opposite the exit. Unspoken, she awaited the man dragged into the soul-dispersing formation after clashing with Yong So-a.
The object of Seong Moran's affection. What did she expect from that seemingly ordinary, sharp-minded guy?
Suddenly, Namgung Seonhwa thought of him too, glancing toward the soul-dispersing formation.
Squirm, squirm.
Hallucinations from starvation? They'd started recently—sometimes meat, sometimes the Namgung family gate. Now, it showed him slicing through the formation.
'Cruel.'
Hallucinations manifesting her deepest wish to plunge her into despair. A man emerged—haggard like them, but eyes flashing with spirit, steps slow yet proud.
The man Seong Moran longed for most. Namgung Seonhwa turned to tease her, but Seong Moran's eyes widened round.
'Sister sees it too?'
Turning back, the hallucination approached and spoke.
"Are you alright?"
Jin Sowoon had returned.