#62. The Black Flame Dragon Frolics with Dragon and Phoenix (4)
The wildly blooming plum blossoms stirred memories from his past life. How many days had he spent bedridden from injuries each time one of those struck him? But soon, new memories overlaid them. Him wielding the Plum Blossom Sword Technique's Shattering Form. Then, beyond that, him channeling the Tae-eul True Scripture.
Following the movements of that figure rising in his memory, he placed his feet. Tae-eul Eight Myriad Divine Steps. The footwork, infused with the profound principle of illusion, left traces in the spots he'd just vacated. After shifting position, the plum blossoms rained down on the lingering afterimages.
Bam! Bam! Bam! The solid marble floor cratered deeply, turning hideous. More plum blossoms poured down relentlessly.
Whoooong. Whoooong. Like a swarm of bees attacking an intruder, the blossoms surged toward their target once more.
He thrust the Plum Blossom Sword Technique Shattering Form into spots he couldn't evade in time. Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! As nearly thirty percent of the blossoms vanished, Hwa Jeong-san's face slowly hardened.
"...You bastard!"
Unlike their fourth clash, he faced it solely with the Small Heaven Sword Technique. If he incorporated the Great Heaven Sword Technique into the Shattering Form, Hwa Jeong-san might regain his composure.
The vanished plum blossoms bloomed anew. Still blotting out the sky, they dove at his vital points. From the moment he'd unleashed the Purple Aura Divine Art, the concept of a mere spar had clearly flown from Hwa Jeong-san's mind.
He stepped into the Tae-eul Eight Myriad Divine Steps again, slicing through the blossoms. With each cut, the purple haze in Hwa Jeong-san's eyes intensified, and the number of airborne plum blossoms multiplied exponentially.
"Sh-shouldn't... we stop this?"
Some voiced concerns over the overheated duel, but no one from Tae-eul Gate could withstand the Purple Aura Divine Art. And none from the Dragon-Phoenix Conference wished to end the match.
Jin Sowoon swung his sword once more, reveling in the situation. What he'd only remembered in his head became embodied through insights gained from Namgung Taeha. Every motion he'd regretted and imagined in his past life flowed naturally like water, and the enlightenments from cultivating the Tae-eul True Scripture made his martial prowess even more destructively brilliant.
It was the Small Heaven Sword Technique, yet not. "Kuh..."
As the clashes repeated, Hwa Jeong-san drew up his full inner energy. Now, not just his eyes gleamed; purple mist rose even from his shoulders. A mystical phenomenon where the Purple Aura Divine Art's energy spontaneously ignited. Accordingly, the plum blossoms grew larger than dust, resembling real petals. His bloodshot eyes suggested Hwa Jeong-san had reached his limit.
Until now, he'd held back the Great Heaven Sword Technique, fanning it out like a peacock's tail. Hwa Jeong-san's eyes widened at the sudden proliferation of sword forms. The pursuing plum blossoms scattered to chase the forms, but since most were illusions, they passed right through.
Whoosh. Through the gaps left by the blossoms flying into the void, the Small Heaven Sword Technique slipped in, slicing Hwa Jeong-san's robe hem.
"!"
The cord securing his robe fell to the ground, baring his chest. A thin line of blood appeared there. One more inch, and the wound wouldn't have been shallow.
"What in the..."
Hwa Jeong-san stumbled back, his face twisting sourly.
"This is Tae-eul Gate's sword."
The Small Heaven Sword Technique wasn't slow despite being a swift sword form because it was basic. It hadn't meshed with his previous Thunderclap Sword Technique because that was advanced. The Small Heaven Sword Technique was completed through harmony with the Great Heaven Sword Technique.
Its essence was swiftness and weight. The Great Heaven Sword Technique's was illusion and variation. Hiding swiftness within illusion, embedding weight in variation. That was Tae-eul Gate's ultimate art, the Twin Heaven Sword Conclusion.
"...Do you think I don't know Tae-eul Gate's sword?!"
The plum blossoms bloomed wildly once more. Whoooong. Like petals riding the wind, they soared into the sky before cascading down like a swarm.
Jin Sowoon unleashed the Twin Heaven Sword Conclusion. He slashed swiftly. Crushed down heavily. Confused with illusions. Deceived the eyes with variations.
Shhht. Midway along the bloodline that had split Hwa Jeong-san's chest, new lines formed in a cross pattern. Half his black-and-white uniform, fluttering in harmony, fell severed to the ground.
"What the..."
Finally, even the Dragon-Phoenix Conference faces mirrored the Tae-eul Gate disciples' expressions. The incomprehensible fueled rage. Hwa Jeong-san didn't hide his.
"What trickery is this?!"
"Dust can't touch me."
He didn't hesitate to taunt further. The more he did, the more Hwa Jeong-san would cling to the Plum Blossom Sword Technique to preserve his pride. And that technique was futile before the Shattering Form Jegal Cheongi had devised with all his might.
A cool-headed master at the pinnacle would sense something amiss, but Hwa Jeong-san was too agitated, his attainment not yet at that height. Jin Sowoon disrupted the blossoms with illusion and variation, pressuring Hwa Jeong-san with swiftness and weight.
Whoosh. He charged swiftly. Boom. Crushed down heavily.
"Kuhk!"
Hwa Jeong-san, busy blooming blossoms, couldn't react in time, coughing for the first time.
"Cough!" Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.
Recalling the heavy sword essence from his Iron Sword Sect days, he struck even harder. Each blow forced Hwa Jeong-san back a step.
"Kuhk!"
Urgently circulating energy for complex forms, then taking heavy impacts shook his internals. Accumulated shocks, if not vented, led to internal injuries.
"Keurk!"
Blood sprayed from Hwa Jeong-san's mouth, just as it had from Jin Sowoon's in his past life before him.
"What?! Stop right now!!"
Jong Byeokgi bellowed from below the training ground. But Jin Sowoon pressed Hwa Jeong-san relentlessly, as if deaf.
Scrambling backward across the ground, Hwa Jeong-san was cornered at the training ground's edge. Unaware he was even resorting to evasion arts, he flailed desperately.
"Didn't you hear me stop?!"
To Jong Byeokgi's shout, Jin Sowoon leveled his sword at Hwa Jeong-san and said, "Huashan hasn't admitted defeat to Tae-eul Gate yet."
"!"
He deliberately invoked Huashan. Hwa Jeong-san might accept personal loss, but not Huashan's to Tae-eul Gate.
Clang! Reduced to instinct, Hwa Jeong-san parried the sword and stepped into Dark Fragrance Step. His form blurred, reappearing behind to plummet like a meteor. Meteor Chase Moon Sword. Huashan's seventh sect leader's advanced sword art.
If Plum Blossom Sword emphasized variation, Meteor Chase Moon Sword embodied weight.
Boom. Combined with Purple Aura Divine Art, its power surpassed Iron Sword Sect's Mountain-Splitting Sword.
Boom. Boom. Sensing it worked, he pushed harder. Instead of deflecting with Lotus Bloom, he countered with Great Heaven Sword Technique. As their swords neared collision, his vanished like an illusion.
Jong Byeokgi below cried out, "Jeong-san! Behind you!"
Hwa Jeong-san whipped around, ducking in alarm. Jin Sowoon's Black Dragon Sword grazed past his head, severing hair and tie.
Swish. Locks fell to the floor. Disheveled, Hwa Jeong-san stared blankly at his hair, then Jin Sowoon.
"......"
As if wanting to speak, but Jin Sowoon pressed without pause.
"Kuk!" Whoosh, whoosh.
When his mind cleared, swift sword forms rattled his spirit. Mixing in illusions left even a disheveled Daoist dazed. He rolled, dodged, retreated. Then, Jin Sowoon plunged heavy sword into blockable spots.
Boom. "Urk!"
Hwa Jeong-san spat a mouthful of blood, just like the sect leader in his past life. Confirming severe internal injury.
"Damn it!"
Unable to watch, Jong Byeokgi finally drew his sword. "I said stop!"
Whoosh! Jeomchangpa's Four Shadows Sword Technique. Swift thrusts too fast for the eye, like shooting arrows.
As Iron Sword Sect had crushed Tae-eul Gate, he shattered Four Shadows with heavy sword essence. Kaboom.
Jong Byeokgi flew back like an arrow hitting stone. Jin Sowoon then resumed hounding Hwa Jeong-san. Catching his breath, Hwa Jeong-san wildly swung without form.
"Jeong-san! Get a grip!"
Swift forms at Hwa Jeong-san, heavy at Jong Byeokgi. "You damned brat! How dare you!"
Jong Byeokgi followed Four Shadows' Rear Horse Palace with Half Horse Palace forms. As Jin Sowoon briefly retreated to evade,
Jong Byeokgi mouthed something. Hwa Jeong-san nodded, falling back.
"Raising your energy now will worsen your injuries."
"......"
Hwa Jeong-san merely glared murderously. Wiping mouth blood, explosive energy erupted from him. Jong Byeokgi's uniform swelled taut.
Here it comes.
Postures for their sects' ultimate arts.
"Try taking this!"
A massive vortex swirled around Jong Byeokgi. Sword winds birthing a huge storm. Beside it, Hwa Jeong-san soared, sun at his back, forming nine half-moons. Jong Byeokgi unleashed Whirlwind Flowing Sword. Hwa Jeong-san, Nine Palaces Half-Overlay Sword.
Jin Sowoon began Tae-eul Sword Emperor's ultimate. Ten Thousand Swords of Heaven and Earth. Myriad swords embodying swiftness, weight, illusion, variation. Illusory yet real, real yet varying—four appeared. Simultaneously deploying illusion, twenty illusory swords countered Whirlwind Flowing Sword.
Popopopopopop! Clashing myriad swords exploded amid the storm's sword energy.
"Kuhk!"
Neutralizing Jong Byeokgi's energy, Jin Sowoon surged anew against Nine Palaces Half-Overlay Sword. Kaboom boom boom boom boom boom!
Each sword qi rivaling sword force. Perhaps his immature realm was Jin Sowoon's fortune. Pouring two myriad swords destroyed some; the rest shattered four moons.
Energy drained sharply from his dantian, leaving rare emptiness. He destroyed the final half-moon with Small Heaven Sword Technique.
Boom! Air burst, dust scattering everywhere.
One of the Four Peaks below murmured, "Impossible..."
"Just how vast is that young master's inner energy?"
Dust cleared atop the training ground: Hwa Jeong-san drenched in blood, Jong Byeokgi hair wild like lightning-struck.
"Nothing more?"
"......"
"......"
Jin Sowoon stepped Tae-eul Eight Myriad Divine Steps, charging their backs. As he aimed to cleave their chests,
"Enough!"
A deep voice rang; Little Buddha Il Myeong blocked with Immovable Divine Method. A genius mastering all seventy-two Shaolin arts to tenth stage before forty. Yet only half now.
"Stop there! Please end it, benefactor."
"......"
Tense, palms pressed. Hwa Jeong-san now trembled eyes fearfully.
To witness this scene.
Jin Sowoon, pleased, swung down.
# Clang.
Blocking Jin Sowoon's sword with Neutralizing Palm, Il Myeong startled at the stinging palm sensation.
Still this much power left?
After all, he'd countered Nine Palaces Half-Overlay and Whirlwind Flowing Sword. Impressive alone, but reserves remained—shocking.
"It's already over."
"......"
The match was decided. Despite confidence, Hwa Jeong-san couldn't surpass Jin Sowoon; even with Jong Byeokgi, Jin Sowoon won. Yet he showed no sign of stopping, like facing blood-sworn foe.
"It's just a spar! Benefactor, stop!"
Jong Byeokgi ground teeth beside. "He's lost his mind, Il Myeong. Surrender!"
Whirlwind Flowing Sword nullified, he urged surrender to junior. Absurdly, blood-vomiting Hwa Jeong-san rose hearing it.
"Why go this far? Stop!"
Il Myeong shoved Jong Byeokgi aside left-handed, right deploying Bullet Fist against Jin Sowoon. Hand clashing sword stung. Continued, both might gravely injure via him.
"If you persist, I have no choice."
Finally, Il Myeong raised Golden Bell Iron Cloth. Skin turned golden, like radiant Buddha statue. One of Shaolin's supreme arts unfolded.
Most would retreat at sight, but Jin Sowoon advanced fiercer, drawing sword. Illusory swords pressuring Hwa Jeong-san reformed around.
Whoosh. Il Myeong instinctively thrust Golden Arm Block. Giant palm like Buddha's capturing Mt. Huaguo's Great Sage.
Popopop! Instant exchanges exploded serially, dissolving Golden Arm Block. Jin Sowoon fared poorly too—blood trickled his mouth.
Does he hold grudge against Hwa Jeong-san?
As Il Myeong prepared Golden Finger Seal,
"Admit it."
A voice from Dragon-Phoenix: Moyong Seol.
"Admit it. That's all he wants."
"......"
Jin Sowoon halted.
"...Jin young master, is that true?"
Jin Sowoon gazed at Hwa Jeong-san wordlessly.
"Admit, and it ends?"
"......"
Silence. Il Myeong to Hwa Jeong-san: "Hwa brother, concede."
"......"
Hwa Jeong-san clenched teeth, unwilling. Jin Sowoon gripped sword anew.
"Admit it! Do you truly crave blood?!"
To Il Myeong's roar, hesitant Hwa Jeong-san looked up.
"...I lost."
Words out, Jin Sowoon sheathed as if waiting, turning away.
"...All this for that?"
Il Myeong stared incomprehensibly.
# "Hoo."
He'd heard what he wanted. He'd won, yet silence lingered. No Dragon-Phoenix foresaw this; no Tae-eul disciple imagined witnessing it.
Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap.
Someone shattered quiet, clapping madly. Moyong Jaehwa beside Moyong Gang—unnoticed arrival—applauded like his sect triumphant.
Jin Sowoon met eyes briefly, nodded, approached sect leader, bowed.
"......"
Hong Moon-gi wordless. Curious lift revealed tears like lost child returned. His sparked elders', then hall masters'. All adults wept.
"Our big bro won!"
Wang Soso scolded dazed juniors. "...Big, big senior brother won!!!"
"Big senior beat Huashan!!!"
"No! Huashan and Jeomchang too!"
Awakened, disciples roared Tae-eul Gate shaking.
"““Waaaaah!”””
Instead of juniors mounting, Jin Sowoon slowly stepped off.
"Wait!!"
Thunderous voice chilled Tae-eul Gate.
"......"
Turning, Jong Byeokgi panted white breath.
"That martial art! What the hell is it?!"
"Didn't you want to witness Tae-eul Sword Emperor's sword?"
"Is that Tae-eul Sword Emperor's?!"
"......"
Absurdity puzzled even Dragon-Phoenix.
"What nonsense?"
"That art! Is it truly Tae-eul Gate's hereditary?!"
"......"
Silence emboldened Jong Byeokgi's grin.
"...You clearly stumbled on fortune elsewhere."
Fortune was fortune; nothing to say.
"......"
"If so, Murim Alliance claims first right to such arts. And duty to trace origins, return to true owners—you know this!"
Jong Byeokgi smirked grotesquely.
"Dragon-Phoenix Conference investigates by inspector's authority!"
"......"
This ploy? Too obvious. Murim Alliance despised fortunes, especially heaven-dropped divinities. Once, North Wind Fist Star arose. Alliance harassed under investigation pretext; he resisted. Amid persecution, soon stripped of all.
"Jong young master! Stop! That's not our authority..."
Moyong Seol seemed restraining, but unheard.
"Heh heh..."
"H-he's laughing?"
Five centuries. Disciples endured trampling, meager livelihood, weak arts, awaiting master. Betrayed master, trapped, waited five centuries in secret chamber, hoping arts reached disciple.
"...Dare utter that long wait with your flapping trap?"
"Wh-what? You just..."
"Your last words?"
"What..."
"Decided."
Today, kill him. Clash with Murim Alliance. Doomed anyway—no intent to reform. Plans derail, savable lost. But past regrets too deep for dragging feet.
"Won't be easy..."
"What the hell are you saying?!"
Little Buddha Il Myeong. Azure Wind Bright Sword So Je-ho. Heavy Thrust Immortal Ak Buk-san. Soul-Stealing Serpent Seo Sa-ryeong. Jade-Eyed Little Wang Huangbo Yeon. White Water Divine Maiden Dang Seo-hee. Smiling Iron Sword Moyong Seol.
They'd block. Fine. Kill all but Moyong Seol.
Infusing will, circulated energy; lacking, drew congenital essence. Tae-eul True Scripture perfectly manifested intent. Unprecedented killing intent with Ten Thousand Swords of Heaven and Earth.
"Th-this... what!!"
"......"
As Plum Blossom Sword dominated, myriad swords claimed ground. Each brimming killing aura.
"Jin young master! Calm! Not what we meant!"
Il Myeong shrieked aghast, unheard. Tae-eul True Scripture, Ten Thousand Swords would bring Tae-eul Gate boundless growth. Even arts confiscated, much left.
"Too late."
Pale Dragon-Phoenix mounted against myriad swords.
"Kekeke. Recruit youths to change Alliance, yet ape adults with mischief."
Bold voice shook ears, head. Gazes to origin: herb gatherer elder descending, stepping air.
"Air Treading Steps!"
Jong Byeokgi gasped, gulping.