Chapter 104: Heaven-Reliant Sword Lord (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 104: Heaven-Reliant Sword Lord (2)
"My name is Jang Mu-yeon."
The Heaven-Reliant Sword Lord spoke, his body swaying as he walked with a light, carefree stride.
"Shouldn't you at least know who's taking center stage for today's solo performance?"
His laughter-laced voice drifted on the air, mingling with the sound of the flowing valley stream, but no answer came.
Jang Mu-yeon took another step, dramatically spreading his arms to his sides.
A sword in his left hand, a blade in his right.
The two weapons, held simultaneously, stood out all the more.
Jang Mu-yeon's attire was slightly different from when they had first met in Suyeon Village. His comical mask was no longer covering his face but was instead pushed up, clinging to the brim of his wide bamboo hat.
His snow-white robe was magnificently embroidered with clouds of five different colors—red, blue, yellow, green, and pale pink—and its hem was so long that it trailed along the ground. The sleeves were so wide they seemed cumbersome, and around his waist, various colorful sashes were tied in a flamboyant display, like ornaments a woman might wear.
With every breath Jang Mu-yeon took, the ornate earrings dangling from his ears and the silver bracelet on his left wrist jingled, emitting a clear metallic ring that glinted in the light. The curved blade in his right hand, which tilted in rhythm with his steps, was no less extravagant.
It was a truly flamboyant and ostentatious getup.
Yet, the elegant, treasured sword in his left hand suited him remarkably well. Unlike Jang Mu-yeon's flashy attire, the longsword exuded a simple yet noble grace.
The Heaven-Reliant Sword.
It had been his cherished weapon in his past life, one he had hoped to encounter again quickly in this one.
However, Namgung Jun's eyes did not linger on the Heaven-Reliant Sword. Jang Mu-yeon's flamboyant, chaotic presence forcefully commanded his gaze and senses.
"There are quite a few uninvited spectators."
Resting one hand on his hip, Jang Mu-yeon slowly scanned the demonic practitioners before scratching the back of his head and yawning.
His brow gradually furrowing, the Fifth Young Master asked the guardians flanking him, "He looks perfectly fine. Is the information about his severe internal injuries accurate?"
The two guardians stepped forward to shield the Fifth Young Master as one of them replied, "We heard he took a direct palm strike to his left chest from the Cult Leader. During their clash of internal energy, a portion of it was stolen by the Star-Absorbing Great Art. Immediately after, he fled by breaking through the Heaven and Earth Net of the Fourth Battle Group. The probability of the Heaven-Reliant Sword Lord being unharmed is extremely low."
"The Left Guardian and I will protect you with our lives, Fifth Young Master," the other added. "Please proceed with the plan."
Reassured by their assertions, the Fifth Young Master nodded and raised his voice.
"The time for martyrdom has come! Burn your bodies for the Bright World!"
The hundred and thirty-odd cult disciples on standby shouted in unison.
"Sun-Moon Bright World!"
Answering with one voice, they charged at Jang Mu-yeon simultaneously. None of them seemed afraid; there was not a shred of hesitation in their footwork. On the contrary, the eyes of the demonic practitioners, reflecting the image of the Heaven-Reliant Sword Lord, shone with ecstasy and deep emotion.
Fanatics.
Namgung Jun's eyes narrowed. The cultists of the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult he had fought in his past life had been no different.
They didn't even maintain a formation, simply lunging forward in a chaotic frenzy. Their flushed bodies were gradually beginning to swell.
It was the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult's mutual destruction technique: the Bright-Burning Demonic Art.
It was a technique created by the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult by refining the Explosive Demonic Art, which had originally been widespread among the demonic martial lineages. While the original Explosive Demonic Art could be prevented by piercing the heart or severing the neck, the Bright-Burning Demonic Art completely eliminated that weakness.
The moment one began circulating the internal energy for the Bright-Burning Demonic Art, the explosion was set in stone. Even if their breathing was cut short or the circulation of internal energy was interrupted mid-execution, they would still detonate, albeit with reduced power. The only question was how powerful the explosion would be when they scattered into ash.
The hundred and thirty-odd disciples who unleashed the Bright-Burning Demonic Art at the Fifth Young Master's command were essentially living thunder bombs. The fact that they had enhanced the explosive power using internal energy specialized in both Yang and Yin felt like a mere bonus.
Yet, even as the cultists closed the distance to within ten paces, Jang Mu-yeon showed no reaction.
At this rate…!
Namgung Jun, gripping his sword, flinched. He didn't know Jang Mu-yeon's exact condition. Of course, even if over a hundred and thirty disciples detonated themselves simultaneously, it would be difficult to shatter the Protective Astral Qi of a peerless expert. However, brushing off an explosion fueled by the lives of over a hundred and thirty people as if it were nothing would still be a daunting task.
Depending on Jang Mu-yeon's physical state, even a minor external shock could prove fatal. In fact, regardless of the damage, forcing him to break his seclusion and use his martial arts might be exactly what the Fifth Young Master was hoping for.
As Namgung Jun prepared to step forward, Jang Mu-yeon waved a sleeve to stop him.
"Watch. Watch how I play with their sparks."
Craaaash!
The bodies of the disciples charging at the front swelled simultaneously, instantly transforming into a dark-red explosive storm. In the blink of an eye, the storm filled the valley, surging forward like a tidal wave.
Treading lightly upon the grass, Jang Mu-yeon swept the Heaven-Reliant Sword through the air.
At that moment, Namgung Jun's eyes widened.
He hadn't sliced through the explosion, nor had he blocked it. Instead, it was as if space itself tilted along the trajectory of his sword, and the explosion was gently pushed aside in swirling billows, like smoke dispersed by a hand.
And that was not all.
Slipping into the momentary lull in the blast, his curved blade began to spin fiercely.
It was the beginning of a dance.
Boom!
Though the successive detonations of the Bright-Burning Demonic Art overlapped dozens of times, they failed to touch Jang Mu-yeon. The deflected explosions did not simply vanish into thin air. Following the chaotic, racing trajectory of his sword dance, the storm didn't disperse. Instead, it drifted like several wisps of mist, sweeping through the cultists still charging from behind.
He’s controlling the storm itself with pure sword strikes?
The explosive storms unleashed by the disciples had somehow become like fireworks highlighting Jang Mu-yeon's performance. Simultaneously, the earrings on his ears, the bracelet on his arm, the Heaven-Reliant Sword, and the curved blade all vibrated, letting out a resonant cry.
Hummmmm!
The metallic ringing and the explosive blasts blended exquisitely, draping the valley in a bizarre melody.
"Hahaha! Listen closely! The explosive roars of these transients are being transformed into a beautiful song!"
With explosions erupting endlessly in all directions, the very foot of the mountain trembled.
The power is immense.
Though it was only the Bright-Burning Demonic Art of ordinary disciples, the combined force of a hundred and thirty of them sent staggering shockwaves through the air. Yet, even in the dead center of it all, Jang Mu-yeon leisurely continued his dance.
Craaaash!
The explosions merged and grew larger, but they could not come close to him. If anything, they only served to accentuate his splendor.
Before long, the dark-red storm, moving in tandem with Jang Mu-yeon's blade work, was writhing like a giant dragon.
"What on earth…!"
"He did this through pure mastery of the sword and blade?!"
The storm of the Bright-Burning Demonic Art did not disperse, instead writhing in midair as if time itself had stopped.
While the Fifth Young Master and the Left and Right Guardians were struck with horror, Namgung Jun was equally stunned. Even from his perspective, controlling such a storm with mere sword strikes was no simple feat.
The air grew thick with dark-red sparks and embers. It looked as though a vast field of crimson flowers had bloomed across the valley.
By the time all hundred and thirty-odd disciples had turned to ash, Jang Mu-yeon, who had been controlling the entire storm with his blade dance, turned to face the Fifth Young Master and the guardians at the rear.
"Right now, you look hideous! Become beautiful!"
Spinning around with a joyful bounce, Jang Mu-yeon thrust the Heaven-Reliant Sword and his curved blade along different trajectories.
The moment his weapons swung toward the Fifth Young Master's group, the storm shimmering around him poured down all at once. The Left and Right Guardians widened their eyes and raised their hands, but the onslaught was too fast, even for the perception of a supreme expert. Jang Mu-yeon had subtly unleashed Sword Wind and Blade Wind behind the condensed storm to add to its force.
Was this what the fiery breath of a flood dragon would feel like?
The long, continuous trail of the dark-red storm didn't just swallow the Fifth Young Master's group; it tore through the forest and struck the peak on the opposite side.
As the distant roar echoed repeatedly like an endless refrain, Jang Mu-yeon sheathed his sword and blade with a flourish.
"Since this was a special performance, I must collect the proper fee."
Jang Mu-yeon's solo stage ended in an instant.
Upon the field now turned to ash, reddish embers still lingered here and there, sending up plumes of smoke. Jang Mu-yeon's figure, faintly shrouded in the haze, looked like a scene from a theatrical play.
Namgung Jun immediately approached him. "Are you alright?"
"Of course. I barely used any of my own strength. Aside from channeling internal energy into my ornaments and weapons to create the resonance, and unleashing the Sword Wind and Blade Wind at the very end, it was nothing more than a grand dance."
Indeed, Jang Mu-yeon was busy inspecting his clothes to see if they were damaged.
Watching him blankly, Namgung Jun clasped his hands in a formal greeting. "Namgung Jun of the Heavenly Sword Hall pays his respects to the Heaven-Reliant Sword Lord."
"We're both members of the Azure Heaven Association, aren't we? Just 'Sword Lord' is fine," Jang Mu-yeon said, patting Namgung Jun on the shoulder.
"Are your internal injuries alright?"
"They're fine. They haven't fully healed, but they weren't a problem just now." Jang Mu-yeon looked around and plopped down on a rock by the stream. "If those bastards had turned Suyeon Village to ash, I might have suffered Qi Deviation. Suyeon Village is my only true sanctuary."
"It seems you were staying in Suyeon Village rather than undergoing closed-door cultivation in the mountains. Did the Fifth Young Master's plan almost succeed, then?"
"My internal injuries had already dulled my senses, and on top of that, I was intentionally suppressing my perception to cut myself off from the outside world." Jang Mu-yeon tossed aside his bamboo hat and tidied his hair. "Today was the same. If not for that thunderous sound you made, it would have been difficult to react so quickly. Until I heard that noise, I had absolutely no idea what was happening outside the village."
"I see."
"In that sense, you have successfully protected the Sword Lord's closed-door cultivation. I'll speak to the Ink Fragrance Department and make sure this is recorded as your achievement."
Nodding, Namgung Jun recalled what the Left Guardian had said and asked cautiously, "Are you in closed-door cultivation because you fought the Demonic Cult Leader?"
Even the brief sword dance he had just witnessed was enough to give him a glimpse of Jang Mu-yeon's martial prowess. If a peerless expert, one of the Five Great Masters under Heaven, could be pushed to this state, just how strong was the Cult Leader?
"He was strong. During our life-and-death battle, he even unleashed the Star-Absorbing Great Art on me as if it were an Internal Heavy Hand Technique. It was my first time experiencing the novel sensation of having my internal energy sucked away in the middle of a clash."
"Is the Cult Leader truly that strong?"
"He is likely the closest to being the current World's Greatest. Or perhaps he already is."
As Namgung Jun's expression darkened, Jang Mu-yeon offered a gentle smile. "There's no need to worry so much. I didn't just take his blows lying down. By the way..."
Jang Mu-yeon looked toward Suyeon Village and clicked his tongue. "Since those bastards have finally discovered the location of Suyeon Village, we must relocate. My closed-door cultivation is over as well. Namgung Jun, you'll have to help me. We must take the villagers to the main castle."
"I will."
"It will be quite arduous." Jang Mu-yeon stared intently at Namgung Jun, then chuckled. "On the way, I'd like you to help me with my closed-door cultivation."
"Pardon?"
"I mean we should perform a blade dance together. You'll be sharing the stage with me."