Chapter 52: Honing (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 52: Honing (4)
Only two days remained until the Mount Song Gathering.
The Hall Masters of the Ten Halls had each selected their rising stars and submitted the lists to the Ink Fragrance Department.
Lee Se-ha was the quickest among them to finalize her selection.
From the Heavenly Sword Hall, Namgung Jun would lead the team, accompanied by Heo Il and Man Ye-won.
Heo Il had been a promising rising star of the Heavenly Sword Hall even before Namgung Jun's arrival, while Man Ye-won was a recent recruit with exceptional martial skill.
This was the best lineup the Heavenly Sword Hall could field.
Lee Se-ha closely monitored the participants. Among them, Man Ye-won, whose martial arts were the least refined, received her undivided attention.
Clang! Clang! Clash!
The swords of the two women rapidly clashed and intertwined. They were practicing the Heavenly Sword Hall's signature Great Derivation Sword Technique.
Although Man Ye-won had originally focused on the Great Wind Sword Technique, thanks to Lee Se-ha's special guidance, she had already mastered sixty percent of the Great Derivation Sword Technique.
However, this level of mastery was not enough to satisfy Lee Se-ha.
Pressing Man Ye-won back, Lee Se-ha's sword grew even faster. Though they used the exact same forms of the Great Derivation Sword Technique, the execution was worlds apart.
"Hup!"
Man Ye-won took a deep breath and thrust her sword forward, only to be pushed back. Lee Se-ha showed no mercy, executing an Earth-Trembling Stomp to press her advantage.
Left with no choice, Man Ye-won could only grit her teeth and endure.
"Faster!"
"Hall Master! I can't… anymore…"
"You lack grit! Circulate all your internal energy! You still have enough strength left to swing your sword!"
While Lee Se-ha unleashed every form of the Great Derivation Sword Technique upon Man Ye-won, Namgung Jun and Heo Il were also engaged in a martial duel.
Clang! Clang! Clash!
The swords of Heo Il and Namgung Jun collided fiercely. The paths their blades carved through the air were incredibly cold and sharp. Neither yielded an inch, as if they were locked in a life-or-death struggle.
Sparks of various sizes danced over the gourd hanging at Heo Il's waist.
Every time Heo Il exhaled, a faint scent of alcohol drifted out, and with each breath, the hand wielding his sword grew even more fluid and relaxed.
Whoosh!
A thrust aimed straight for the chest. Namgung Jun extended his sword in a curve, deflecting the attack.
Having executed a move from the Distant-Cloud Layered-Wall Stance, Namgung Jun immediately performed an Earth-Trembling Stomp and slashed his sword upward.
A massive gust of sword wind from the Heavenly Wind Sword Technique swept forward.
The mere manifestation of the sword wind sent a wave of pressure crashing against Heo Il’s entire body. His movements felt strangely sluggish, as if the very air had turned thick and muddy.
As expected of Young Master Namgung. Exquisite.
He had smoothly deflected the form to disrupt Heo Il's breathing. His skill at forcing an opening and delivering a heavy strike was remarkable.
Slipping a sword strike into the infinitesimal pause in an opponent's breathing was a technique that even most seasoned experts would find difficult to attempt.
One wrong move could easily disrupt one's own breathing, yet Namgung Jun had skillfully caught him off guard. As he recovered his slightly disrupted breath, Heo Il pulled his right hip back.
It's too late to counter with the sword.
It would have been one thing if his strike had simply been blocked. But his sword, deflected by the Distant-Cloud Layered-Wall Stance, was now tilted heavily downward.
Instead of his hands, Heo Il moved his feet. Although he had poured most of his effort into the sword since entering the Heavenly Sword Hall, his feet were still more familiar to him than his hands.
His heels seemed to quiver minutely. In the next instant, Heo Il had retreated, maintaining his stance with his left foot slightly forward.
Namgung Jun smiled as he watched Heo Il evade the sword wind with relative ease.
"Every time I see it, I'm amazed. Senior Heo Il, your Lightness Movement Art is truly marvelous."
"Heh. It's just a minor trick."
Heo Il immediately closed the distance he had just created and raised his sword, a wry, enigmatic smile playing on his lips.
His eyes grew sharp once more as he advanced, not with his clan's unique Lightness Movement Art used for evasion, but with the footwork from the Self-Reflection Martial Repository.
Swish!
A long trail of sword light followed the air-splitting sound.
Heo Il's thrust was fierce. Its speed was remarkable, easily rivaling the top ranks within the Heavenly Sword Hall.
In terms of pure speed, it's not far behind the Thirteen Lightning Flash Sword Thunders.
After parrying six consecutive thrusts, Namgung Jun lowered his sword and drew a half-circle.
The azure blade swept across the ground in a curve, but Heo Il leaped lightly off the floor to evade it.
As Heo Il's body was momentarily airborne, the hem of Namgung Jun's trousers fluttered as a wave of footwork qi erupted from his Infinite Steps.
Appearing instantly before the mid-air Heo Il, Namgung Jun’s palm shot through the air.
It was just before Heo Il's feet could touch the ground.
Clang!
Barely raising his sword to block the Heavenly Thunder Palm Technique, Heo Il stumbled back several paces.
He was off-balance, but he had no time to recover his posture.
Namgung Jun, pointing his sword straight ahead, was already launching himself forward like an arrow.
Tch.
As Heo Il executed another Earth-Trembling Stomp and slashed his sword diagonally upward, his vision was dyed indigo.
Just as his eyelids twitched at the brilliant light, a deep blue flash flickered five times.
Thirteen Lightning Flash Sword Thunders.
Fifth Form. Five Arrows.
CLANG!
We clearly clashed only once!
Yet, five distinct impacts battered the flat of his blade, as if he had blocked five consecutive strikes.
Heo Il was pushed back, his rear foot landing with a heavy thud that cracked the training ground floor. His posture was already broken, and absorbing such an overwhelming impact completely shattered what little balance he had left.
Whoosh!
Namgung Jun did not miss this opening.
In the single breath Heo Il would need to regain his stance, Namgung Jun moved even faster.
Propelled by the explosive footwork qi of Infinite Steps, he closed the distance.
A moment later, Namgung Jun's sword was resting against Heo Il's neck. He was a fraction of a second faster than Heo Il could adjust his center of gravity and raise his own sword.
In the end, Heo Il could only let out a chuckle.
"Well, I lost."
"It was a good duel."
Namgung Jun sheathed his sword, and Heo Il clasped his hands in a polite bow, bringing the duel to an end.
"Young Master Namgung, your mastery of the Lightness Movement Art has improved."
"I'm glad to hear that. I've been spending quite a bit of time on it lately."
Chuckling, the two swordsmen began to review their duel, with Namgung Jun offering most of the advice.
"In that situation, you should have closed the distance. With your footwork, Senior, you should easily be able to toy with the space between you and your opponent."
"Penetrating deeper than the reach of the sword… it's harder than it sounds. It feels as though the sword naturally takes a backseat."
"Indeed. But breaking free from the shackles of distance will be another path to elevating your realm."
Namgung Jun spent most of his time analyzing the martial arts of Heo Il and Man Ye-won, who would be competing alongside him.
Whenever Lee Se-ha coached one of them, Namgung Jun would look after the other.
Thus, Heo Il and Man Ye-won spent nearly all their time in rigorous training. Of course, they weren't aiming for any miraculous breakthroughs. The training was primarily focused on correcting their weaknesses, as patching up a few flaws could bring about significant improvements in a short period.
"Senior Heo Il, how about trying a different sword?" Namgung Jun suggested after finishing the review, having closely examined Heo Il's weapon.
"A different sword?"
"Your strikes seem to consist mostly of thrusts. But the Hayeong Sword Technique you learned isn't that kind of style, is it?"
Heo Il pondered for a moment before speaking.
"I suppose thrusting just feels more natural to me. That's probably why I gravitate toward thrusting forms, no matter which sword technique I learn."
"In that case, you should definitely change your sword. A sword with a narrow blade specialized for thrusting would maximize your strengths."
Heo Il seemed hesitant.
"There are only two days left until the competition. Is it really alright to change swords now?"
"It's more than enough time. Rather than feeling awkward with a new weapon, you'll immediately feel the enhanced power of your thrusts."
Lost in thought for a moment, Heo Il smirked as he looked at Namgung Jun.
"Then I shall trust your judgment, Young Master Namgung, and make the switch."
Having finished her training, Man Ye-won approached and chimed in.
"Namgung Jun, is there anything I should change too?"
"You just need to keep practicing. Come on up. It's your turn."
"Got it!"
Namgung Jun immediately began his duel with Man Ye-won.
*
Whoosh!
Following the sharp, air-splitting sound that sliced through the night air, Heo Il's breath drifted out in a faint mist.
He had likely already taken a few sips of alcohol, as its distinct, pungent aroma wafted around him.
Under the yellow moonlight, the blade shone long and narrow, exuding a sleek and agile aura.
It was the new sword he had chosen on Namgung Jun's advice.
Since the Heavenly Sword Hall was stocked with all kinds of swords, finding one that fit his requirements had been easy. All that was left was to make it an extension of his arm.
It's light and narrow, but the blade is longer. I need to adapt to this increased reach.
Feeling a slight awkwardness with every thrust, Heo Il chewed over the advice Namgung Jun had given him.
"Are you ready?"
At the heavy voice from ahead, Heo Il raised his gaze slightly.
A massive figure, too large for even the moonlight to fully obscure, came into view.
Gong Jun-am was planting his greatsword into the training ground floor like a pillar.
"Let's go again."
As Heo Il took his opening stance, Gong Jun-am firmly gripped the hilt of his greatsword. Veins bulged on the backs of both swordsmen's hands.
Clang!
Their swords clashed in an instant.
Against Heo Il's fierce thrust, Gong Jun-am tilted his greatsword, using it like a shield.
Despite the considerable force, Gong Jun-am's feet did not budge an inch.
It was only natural.
When it came to defensive sword techniques, no one could match Gong Jun-am. His moniker in the Jianghu was the Wall-Repelling Sword.
Yet, his offense was by no means weak.
Craaaack!
Splitting the stone floor in an instant, the greatsword swept upward in a half-circle from below.
As small stone fragments rained down like hidden weapons, the thick blade descended with a terrifying, air-splitting sound.
Distance. If it were Young Master Namgung…
Heo Il's heels twitched. Normally, he would have retreated to seek an opportunity.
But Heo Il chose to advance.
He lunged straight into the guard of Gong Jun-am, who held the advantage in reach with his greatsword. Maneuvering his own weapon in such close quarters, however, would be just as awkward for Heo Il.
The sword, much longer than his previous one, felt unwieldy. Right then, Heo Il's feet lightly pushed off the ground.
An exquisite distance, finely tuned by his toes.
At the end of that movement, his sword tip leveled horizontally.
So this is what he meant.
The riddle that had remained unsolved, no matter how much he pondered it, began to unravel now that he was putting it into practice.
By taking the initiative and controlling the distance himself, the optimal range presented itself. The sword at his waist erupted in a hazy sword light, piercing through the moonlight.
Clang!
Heo Il's thrust struck the flat of the greatsword with immense force. Gong Jun-am still stood firm.
Yet, Heo Il could not help but smile.
For Gong Jun-am, who had always held his ground like a divine guardian, had taken a step back. It was an achievement Heo Il could never have accomplished before.
Perhaps slightly surprised himself, a ripple of emotion disturbed Gong Jun-am's calm eyes.
"Have you already adapted to the new sword?"
"No. It's not the sword. My eyes have been opened to distance."
"Hmm."
Gong Jun-am nodded and sheathed his greatsword.
"The competition is tomorrow. Go and rest."
Heo Il collapsed right there on the training ground floor.
"I don't even have the strength to walk back to my quarters. I think I'll just sleep here and head straight to the competition."
"Do as you wish."
After Gong Jun-am departed, Heo Il gazed up at the full moon climbing the edge of the night sky.
He’s just like Young Master Namgung.
Not flashy, yet revealing a subtle and noble presence, guiding the way.
Thanks to him, even though he was walking a martial path as pitch-black as the night sky, he could safely move forward.
Heo Il realized once again that meeting Namgung Jun was a truly fortuitous encounter.
I have to show them what I've got.
He refused to let Namgung Jun's advice go to waste.
Suddenly, a small ambition sparked within Heo Il.
Even if he couldn't be the moon to Namgung Jun, he wanted to at least be a tiny star nestled in some corner of that night sky.
Staring at a star right beside the full moon, Heo Il slowly closed his eyes.
And so, the morning of the competition dawned.