The Black Flame Dragon Playing with the Dragon and Phoenix (4)
The plum blossoms spread in full bloom revived memories of my past life.
How many days had I spent sick with injuries every time I was struck by one of those plum blossoms?
But soon, new memories covered them.
Me using the breaking form of the Plum Blossom Sword Art.
Beyond that, the image of me operating the Taeul True Scripture.
I stepped forward, following the movements of the being that rose in my memories.
Taeul Eight Myriad Divine Steps.
The footwork containing the principle of illusion left traces where I passed.
After I moved away, the plum blossoms fell onto the place where my afterimage remained.
Pa-pa-pa-pak!
The hard marble floor was deeply gouged and became hideous.
The plum blossoms continued falling one after another.
Woong. Woong.
The plum blossoms moved like a swarm of bees whose nest had been attacked and once again shot toward the intruder.
I pushed the breaking form of the Plum Blossom Sword Art into the places I had failed to avoid in time.
Pa-pa-pa-pa-pak.
When nearly thirty percent of the plum blossoms disappeared, Hwa Jeongsan’s face slowly hardened.
“……You bastard!”
Unlike the fourth clash, I dealt with him using only the Small Heaven Sword Art.
If I used the breaking form with the Great Heaven Sword Technique as well, Hwa Jeongsan would regain his composure.
The plum blossoms that had disappeared bloomed again.
Still covering the sky, the plum blossoms tried to rush in while aiming for my vital points.
From the moment he used the Purple Cloud Divine Art, the concept of sparring had clearly flown out of Hwa Jeongsan’s mind.
I stepped with the Taeul Eight Myriad Divine Steps again and moved, cutting down the plum blossoms.
Each time I cut them down like that, the violet light in Hwa Jeongsan’s eyes grew even stronger, and the number of plum blossoms roaming the air increased exponentially.
“Should…… should we not stop this?”
There were people who expressed concern about the overheated spar.
But among the people of the Taeul Sect, there was no one who could receive this Purple Cloud Divine Art.
And among the people of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, there was no one who wanted to end this spar.
Once again, I welcomed that situation and swung my sword.
The things I had only remembered with my head could now be applied with my body, thanks to the enlightenment I had gained through Namgung Taeha.
Every movement I had imagined while spending my past life in regret unfolded naturally like flowing water, and the enlightenment I had gained while learning the Taeul True Scripture displayed martial might even more destructively.
It was the Small Heaven Sword Art, yet it was not the Small Heaven Sword Art.
“Keuk…….”
In the repeated close combat, Hwa Jeongsan appeared to draw up all of his internal energy.
Now, not only was there violet light in his eyes, but even violet mist was rising from his shoulders.
It was a mysterious phenomenon where the energy of the Purple Cloud Divine Art naturally ignited and bloomed.
Accordingly, the plum blossoms grew larger than dust and began to resemble actual plum blossoms.
Seeing his eyes blazing red, it seemed Hwa Jeongsan had now reached his limit.
I unfolded the Great Heaven Sword Technique, which I had not used until now, like spreading a fan.
At the suddenly increased sword forms, Hwa Jeongsan’s eyes widened.
The plum blossoms chasing me scattered and chased after the sword forms, but since most of them were illusion swords, they passed straight through.
Swaaaek.
Through the gap between the plum blossoms that had flown off into the air, the Small Heaven Sword Art dug in and cut Hwa Jeongsan’s clothes.
“!”
The cord fastening his clothes fell to the ground, and Hwa Jeongsan’s chest was exposed clearly.
A thin line of blood appeared there.
If it had gone in just one inch deeper, the wound would not have been shallow.
“What is this…….”
Hwa Jeongsan hurriedly stepped back, his face turning pale.
“This is the sword of the Taeul Sect.”
The reason the Small Heaven Sword Art was not fast despite being a swift sword form was not because it was a foundational sword art.
The reason it had not harmonized with the previous Flashing Thunder Sword Art was not because the Flashing Thunder Sword Art was a powerful martial art.
The Small Heaven Sword Art was a sword art completed through harmony with the Great Heaven Sword Technique.
The principles of the Small Heaven Sword Art were swiftness and weight.
The principles of the Great Heaven Sword Technique were illusion and transformation.
Hiding swiftness within illusion and placing weight within transformation.
That was the secret essence of the Taeul Sect, the Twin Heaven Sword Art.
“……Do you think I do not know the sword of the Taeul Sect!”
Once again, plum blossoms bloomed in full profusion.
Woong, woong.
Like flower petals riding the wind, they shot up into the sky and then poured down like a swarm of bees.
I poured out the Twin Heaven Sword Art.
Cutting swiftly.
Pressing down heavily.
Confusing with false images.
Deceiving the eyes with transformation.
Sasak.
At the midpoint of the line of blood that had split Hwa Jeongsan’s chest in half, another line of blood appeared in the shape of a cross.
Half of his black-and-white martial uniform was cut off and fell to the ground.
“What is this…….”
Finally, the faces of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering showed expressions similar to those of the Taeul Sect disciples.
An incomprehensible phenomenon gave rise to anger.
Hwa Jeongsan did not hide his anger.
“What trickery are you pulling!”
“You cannot sweep me away with dust.”
I did not hesitate to provoke him further.
The more I did so, the more Hwa Jeongsan, who was trying to preserve his pride, would insist on the Plum Blossom Sword Art.
And the Plum Blossom Sword Art was useless before the breaking form Jegal Cheon-gi had created with all his might.
If he were calm, or if his achievement had reached twelve-star mastery, he would have sensed that something was strange, but for that, Hwa Jeongsan was too excited, and his achievement had not reached twelve-star mastery.
With the illusion and transformation of the Twin Heaven Sword Art, I scattered the plum blossoms, and with the principles of swiftness and weight, I pressured Hwa Jeongsan.
Swaaaek.
I rushed in quickly.
Bang.
And pressed down heavily.
“Keuheuk!”
For the first time, a cough burst from Hwa Jeongsan’s mouth as he failed to react in time while blooming plum blossoms.
“Cough!”
Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.
Recalling the principle of the heavy sword I had experienced at the Iron Sword Sect, I struck down even more forcefully.
Each time I struck down, Hwa Jeongsan’s steps retreated one step backward.
“Keuheok!”
While hurriedly operating his internal energy for his complex sword forms, he received a heavy impact, causing his insides to shake.
If one could not disperse that impact while it overlapped, it would eventually lead to internal injuries.
“Keoheok!”
Blood burst from Hwa Jeongsan’s mouth, the same as the blood I had vomited before him in my past life.
“Stop this at once!”
From below the training ground, Jong Byeokgi of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering shouted.
However, as if I did not hear him, I continued driving Hwa Jeongsan back.
Hwa Jeongsan, who had rolled on the ground and retreated, was eventually pushed all the way to the edge of the training ground.
As if he did not even realize he was performing Donkey Roll, Hwa Jeongsan was too frantic with dodging.
“Did you not hear me tell you to stop!”
At Jong Byeokgi’s words, I pointed my sword at Hwa Jeongsan and said.
“He has not yet admitted that Mount Hua lost to the Taeul Sect.”
“!”
I deliberately brought up Mount Hua.
If it were his own defeat, he might be able to admit it, but there was no way he could admit that Mount Hua had lost to the Taeul Sect.
Clang!
Hwa Jeongsan, who now had only instinct left, struck away my sword and stepped with Dark Fragrance Drift.
In that instant, his figure disappeared blur-like and appeared behind me, then descended like a meteor.
Meteor Chasing Moon Sword.
A superior sword art created by the seventh sect leader of Mount Hua.
If the Plum Blossom Sword Art was the principle of transformation, then Meteor Chasing Moon Sword was the principle of weight.
Bang.
The power of Meteor Chasing Moon Sword unfolded together with the Purple Cloud Divine Art far surpassed the Mountain-Breaking Sword Art of the Iron Sword Sect.
Bang. Bang.
When Meteor Chasing Moon Sword seemed to be working, he pushed even harder.
Instead of deflecting his sword with Lotus Flower, I faced it with the Great Heaven Sword Technique.
The moment my sword was about to collide with Meteor Chasing Moon Sword, it disappeared like a false image.
Jong Byeokgi, standing below the training ground, shouted.
“Jeongsan! Behind you!”
Hwa Jeongsan, startled, turned his gaze and lowered his head.
At that moment, my Black Dragon Sword narrowly passed over him and cut off part of his hair and hair tie.
Sarak.
His cut hair fell to the ground, and Hwa Jeongsan, now with disheveled hair, looked back and forth between his hair and me with dazed eyes.
“…….”
He looked like he wanted to say something.
I rushed in again without delay.
“Keuk!”
Swae, swaaaek.
When his mind seemed about to return, I bewildered him with swift sword forms.
When illusion was mixed in there, even an enlightened Daoist would be unable to regain his senses.
He rolled, dodged, and retreated.
Then I drove a heavy sword down onto a place Hwa Jeongsan could block.
Bang.
“Uwek!”
Hwa Jeongsan spat out a mouthful of blood.
Just like the sect leader had spat out blood in my past life, he spat out blood in the exact same way.
As had happened to the sect leader, Hwa Jeongsan’s internal injuries were now certain.
“Damn it!”
Unable to bear watching any longer, Jong Byeokgi finally drew his sword.
“Did I not tell you to stop!”
Swaaaek!
The Shooting Sun Sword Art of the Diancang Sect.
It was a swift sword with speed incomparable to the Small Heaven Sword Art.
As if meaning “to shoot the sun,” it fired forward in a thrust so fast it was hard to confirm with the naked eye.
I broke the Shooting Sun Sword Art with the principle of the heavy sword, just as the Iron Sword Sect had subdued the Taeul Sect.
Kwa-bang.
Jong Byeokgi, who had flown in like lightning, was knocked away like an arrow that had struck stone.
After pushing him away, I once again drove Hwa Jeongsan back.
Hwa Jeongsan, who had briefly caught his breath, was merely swinging his sword wildly.
“Jeongsan! Get a hold of yourself!”
I poured swift sword forms at Hwa Jeongsan and heavy sword forms at Jong Byeokgi.
“You damned bastard! How dare you!”
Jong Byeokgi unfolded the Descendants of Ten Thousand Bows technique of the Shooting Sun Sword Art, followed by the Half-Demon Ten Thousand Bows technique.
While I briefly moved away to avoid the techniques.
Jong Byeokgi moved his lips.
Then Hwa Jeongsan nodded and retreated.
“If you draw up your internal energy now, your injuries will become serious.”
“…….”
Even at my words, Hwa Jeongsan merely glared at me as if he would kill me.
Instead, from his body, after wiping the blood from his mouth, the same explosive true energy as before burst out.
Then Jong Byeokgi’s martial uniform also swelled as if it would burst.
‘Here it comes.’
They were each taking the posture to unfold the final secret technique of their sect.
“Try receiving this too!”
A massive vortex formed around Jong Byeokgi.
A huge storm created by sword wind.
Beside him, Hwa Jungsan leaped into the air and, with the sun at his back, created nine half-moons.
Jong Byeokgi was unfolding the Returning Wind Flowless Sword.
Hwa Jungsan was unfolding the Nine Palaces Half-Moon Sword.
I also began unfolding the secret essence of the Taeul Sword Emperor.
Ten Thousand Seas Heaven and Earth Sword Art.
Ten thousand swords containing all the principles of swiftness, weight, illusion, and transformation.
Four swords that were false images yet real, real yet transformations, appeared.
At the same time, I unfolded the principle of illusion and created twenty illusion swords to oppose the Returning Wind Flowless Sword.
Puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-pung.
The ten thousand swords that collided with the Returning Wind Flowless Sword shot through the storm and exploded together with the sword energy.
“Keuheuk!”
After neutralizing Jong Byeokgi’s sword energy, I again drew up my internal energy and opposed the Nine Palaces Half-Moon Sword.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-bang.
The sword energies of the Nine Palaces Half-Moon Sword, each one said to rival the destructive power of sword aura.
Perhaps the fact that his realm was still immature was fortunate for me.
I poured out two of the ten thousand swords to destroy some of them, and with the remaining two, I destroyed the four moons of the Half-Moon Sword.
The internal energy that had reached two cycles drained from my dantian, giving me a hollow feeling I had not felt in a long time.
Then I destroyed the final half-moon that had not yet been resolved with the Small Heaven Sword Art.
Pung!
The air burst, and dust scattered in all directions.
One of the Four Phoenixes standing below the training ground murmured softly.
“Impossible…….”
“Just how much internal energy does that young master have?”
On the training ground where the dust had cleared, Hwa Jungsan, who had spilled a basin’s worth of blood, and Jong Byeokgi, whose hair was disheveled as if struck by lightning, stood there.
“Is there no more?”
“…….”
“…….”
I once again stepped with the Taeul Eight Myriad Divine Steps and rushed behind them.
Just as I was about to cut their chests with a single stroke.
“Stop!”
Together with a solemn voice, Little Buddha Ilmyeong blocked my path with Immovable Body Technique.
A genius who would learn all seventy-two supreme arts of Shaolin to ten-star mastery before reaching forty.
However, for now, he had not even learned half of those martial arts.
“That is enough! Please stop, benefactor.”
He spoke with palms together, his face tense.
And Hwa Jungsan’s eyes now trembled violently, as if he were afraid.
‘To think I would see a scene like this.’
I rightly welcomed this situation and brought my sword down.
#
Clang.
Ilmyeong, who had blocked Jin Sowoon’s sword with Mutual Annihilation Art, was surprised by the stinging pain he felt in his palm.
‘He still has this much strength left?’
This was someone who had blocked both the Nine Palaces Half-Moon Sword and the Returning Wind Flowless Sword.
That alone had been remarkable, yet Ilmyeong was greatly shocked that Jin Sowoon still had strength remaining.
“It is already over.”
“…….”
The match had already been decided.
Contrary to his confidence, Hwa Jeongsan had failed to overcome Jin Sowoon, and at the end, even Jong Byeokgi had joined in, but the one who ultimately won was Jin Sowoon.
Even though that much was clear, Jin Sowoon showed no intention of stopping.
He looked as if he had met an enemy he could never share the same sky with.
“It is only a spar! Benefactor. Please stop!”
Beside him, Jong Byeokgi ground his teeth and said.
“That bastard is not in his right mind right now, Ilmyeong. Let us attack together!”
Was it because the Returning Wind Flowless Sword had disappeared helplessly?
Jong Byeokgi did not hesitate to say they should attack together against a junior.
The ridiculous thing was that Hwa Jungsan, who had been busy vomiting blood and fleeing until just now, was also rising to his feet after hearing those words.
“Why are you going this far? Please stop!”
Ilmyeong pushed Jong Byeokgi away with his left hand using Immortal Palm, and at the same time, he unfolded Flicking Finger Fist with his right hand to block Jin Sowoon.
The hand he used to unfold Flicking Finger Fist against the sword stung.
At this rate, because he was caught in the middle, both Jin Sowoon and Jong Byeokgi could be seriously hurt.
“If you keep doing this, I will have no choice either.”
In the end, Ilmyeong drew up the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art.
His skin gradually turned golden, making him look like a shining Buddha statue.
The Vajra Indestructible Divine Art, one of Shaolin’s superior martial arts, had been unfolded.
Just that sight alone would make most martial artists step back, but Jin Sowoon did not retreat. Instead, he drew his sword even more fiercely.
Around him, the illusion swords that had pressured Hwa Jeongsan were already forming.
Swaaaek.
Ilmyeong unconsciously thrust out the Vajra Prajna Palm.
A massive palm unfolded, like the palm of the Buddha that had captured the Great Sage of Flower-Fruit Mountain.
Puh-puh-puh-pung.
He could not tell how many exchanges had been fired in an instant, but with continuous explosive sounds, the Vajra Prajna Palm was dispersed.
Jin Sowoon’s condition also did not look very good.
A thin trickle of blood was flowing from the corner of his mouth.
‘Does he have some grudge against Hwa Jeongsan?’
Just as Ilmyeong thought this could not go on and was about to unfold even Vajra Finger.
“Admit it.”
A voice flowed from among the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.
It was Moyong Seol.
“Admit it. That young master seems to want only that.”
“…….”
In that instant, Jin Sowoon’s movement stopped.
“……Young Master Jin, is that true?”
Instead of answering, Jin Sowoon was looking at Hwa Jeongsan.
“If he says those words, will you end this?”
“…….”
Jin Sowoon was still silent.
Ilmyeong looked at Hwa Jeongsan and said.
“Brother Hwa, admit defeat.”
“…….”
Hwa Jeongsan was gritting his teeth as if he could not accept it.
Then Jin Sowoon gripped his sword again.
“Admit it! Do you truly want to see blood?”
At Ilmyeong’s shout, Hwa Jeongsan, who had been hesitating, raised his head.
“……I lost.”
As soon as Hwa Jeongsan barely squeezed out those words.
“…….”
As if he had been waiting for it, Jin Sowoon slid his sword into its sheath and turned around.
“……This was all just for that?”
Ilmyeong looked at Jin Sowoon with eyes that could not understand at all.
#
“Phew.”
In the end, I heard the words I wanted.
I had won, but silence still hung over the scene.
No one from the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering could have imagined such a scene.
And none of the Taeul Sect disciples could have imagined seeing such a sight either, so it was only natural.
Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap.
Someone broke the silence and began clapping madly.
Moyong Jaehwa, who had arrived at some point and was standing beside Moyong Gang, was clapping as if his own sect had won a great victory.
I briefly met his eyes, gave him a small nod, then stood before the sect leader and lowered my head.
“…….”
Hong Mungi said nothing.
When I raised my head in confusion, he was shedding tears as if a child who had died had returned.
With his tears as the beginning, the elders, then the hall masters.
All the adults began shedding tears.
“My Orabeoni won!”
Wang Soso began urging the stunned disciples around her.
“……E-Eldest senior brother won!!!”
“Eldest senior brother defeated Mount Hua!!!”
“No! He defeated both Mount Hua and Diancang!”
Only then did the disciples come to their senses and begin cheering loudly enough to shake the entire Taeul Sect.
“““Waaaaaaaah!”””
I then slowly moved off the training ground before my junior brothers and sisters could climb up onto it.
“Wait!!”
A booming voice poured cold water over the Taeul Sect.
“…….”
When I turned my head, Jong Byeokgi was panting heavily, exhaling white steam.
“That martial art! What exactly is it!”
“Did you not say you wished to witness the sword of the Taeul Sword Emperor?”
“Is that truly the sword of the Taeul Sword Emperor?”
“…….”
At his absurd words, even the members of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering tilted their heads.
“What do you mean?”
“That martial art! I am asking whether it has truly been passed down through the Taeul Sect for generations!”
“…….”
When I did not answer, Jong Byeokgi, growing triumphant, smiled broadly.
“……You must have gained some fortuitous encounter by chance somewhere.”
Since it was indeed a fortuitous encounter, I had nothing in particular to say.
“…….”
“If that is so, then the right to that martial art belongs first to the Murim Alliance. And surely you know that the Murim Alliance has the responsibility to investigate the origin of that martial art and return it to its rightful owner!”
Jong Byeokgi smiled grotesquely.
“We, the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, will investigate that martial art under the authority of inspection envoys!”
“…….”
So this was how they would do it?
A method far too obvious.
The Murim Alliance did not like fortuitous encounters.
Especially, they did not like new rising stars who seemed to fall from the sky through fortuitous encounters.
There had once been a great figure called the North Wind Fist Saint.
The Murim Alliance had persecuted him under the justification of investigating the origin of his martial arts, but he refused to submit to it.
Amid that persecution, not long after making his name, the North Wind Fist Saint eventually had everything taken from him by the Murim Alliance.
“Young Master Jong! Please stop! That is not within our authority…….”
Moyong Seol seemed to be stopping Jong Byeokgi, but I did not hear the rest.
“Heh heh…….”
“Y-You are laughing?”
Five hundred years.
For a full five hundred years, the disciple built the Taeul Sect, barely protected it amid poor finances and weak martial arts, and waited for his master.
And the master, who had been trapped by the schemes of those he had trusted and could not escape, waited in that secret chamber for five hundred years, hoping his martial arts would be passed on to his disciple.
“……You dare put that long passage of time in your frivolous mouth?”
“W-What? You now…….”
“Are those your last words?”
“What are you…….”
“I have decided.”
Today, I would kill him and become enemies with the Murim Alliance.
The Murim Alliance was going to disappear anyway, and I no longer had any intention of changing it.
Many plans might go awry, and I might fail to save people I had to save.
But I had too many regrets from my past life to let myself be dragged around like this.
“It will not be easy…….”
“What on earth…… are you talking about!”
Little Buddha Ilmyeong.
Clear Wind Bright Sword So Jeho.
Heavy Spear True Man Ak Buksan.
Soul-Seducing Xishi Seo Saryeong.
Jade-Faced Little Smile Hwangbo Yeon.
White-Handed Divine Maiden Dang Seohee.
And Smiling Iron Sword Moyong Seol.
They would stand in my way.
It did not matter.
If they stood in my way, I would kill them all except Moyong Seol.
I filled my internal energy with intent and moved it, drawing up even innate true energy to operate what internal energy I lacked.
The Taeul True Scripture was the cultivation method that most clearly realized the will of intent.
With killing intent that even I was experiencing for the first time, I scattered the Ten Thousand Seas Heaven and Earth Sword Art.
“W-What…… is this!!”
“…….”
Just as the Plum Blossom Sword Art had dominated the training ground, ten thousand swords now occupied that space.
Each one was filled with killing intent.
“Young Master Jin! Calm down! That is not what he meant!”
Even Little Buddha Ilmyeong screamed in shock, but it did not reach my ears.
The Taeul True Scripture and Ten Thousand Seas Heaven and Earth Sword Art that I had brought would certainly bring boundless growth to the Taeul Sect in the future.
Even if all my martial arts were abolished, there would still be many things for me to do in the Taeul Sect.
“It is already too late.”
Just as the members of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, their faces pale, were about to climb onto the training ground to face the ten thousand swords.
“Keulkeulkeul. They picked young ones to change the Murim Alliance, but you learned only bad things from somewhere and are imitating adults.”
A bold voice struck my ears and shook my head.
Everyone’s gaze turned toward the air where the voice had begun.
There, an old man dressed like an herbalist was stepping down through the air, one step at a time.
“Walking on air!”
Jong Byeokgi was horrified and swallowed his breath.
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