EP.59 Plum Dragon Descent (梅龍落下). (2)
Plum Dragon Descent (梅龍落下) (2)
Genius.
Entering the Era of Shooting Stars, they are the ones relatively easy to find.
Heaven-sent talent, literally as the words say.
Those vastly superior to others.
Those who find countless epiphanies with a single swing of the sword—they were exactly that.
There has never been an era without geniuses.
Just looking at the Three Venerables alone, they were transcendent beings who dominated an era.
The Ten Great Masters of the Central Plains called the Seven Irons Three Fists were also clearly those without lacking in being called geniuses.
Talent is something that naturally shows even if you try to hide it.
Even without wishing to be recognized, because a single gesture, a single step is different from others, the world naturally recognizes them.
No matter how much eras pass.
Five Dragons Three Phoenixes.
The reason those representing the young rising stars are called the stars of the current era, ultimately.
Is because they were geniuses.
Those born with absurdity from the start.
That doesn't mean they don't put in effort.
It simply means the value of their effort is different.
You could tell just by looking at the disheveled sword dragon before them right now.
Youngest Plum Blossom Swordsman, Huashan's Greatest Genius. Just how heavy is the weight these two nicknames carry?
Only upon becoming a second-generation disciple, and among them having outstanding talent to reach, is the Plum Blossom Swordsman.
Harboring a plum blossom in the dantian and blooming a plum blossom from the sword's tip—that was the meaning of it.
Realizing the essence of the martial arts Huashan possesses.
The fact that Youngpung, who is merely a third-generation disciple, let alone one who hasn't even passed twenty years of age, has reached that point means he already possessed a bizarre talent.
Kwadeudeudeuk!
Such Youngpung...
"Keueueu...!"
Was being pushed back by a boy younger than himself.
Shinhyeon doubted his own eyes whether he was seeing correctly.
The internal energy the boy was emitting was a stifling heat.
It was visible that Youngpung's plum blossoms were being swallowed by the blazing flames.
This wasn't a matter of how to use internal energy or how to observe and utilize the body.
Not such a problem, but simply an overwhelming difference in skill.
'...How can that young boy...'
Gu Yangcheon of the Shanxi Gu Family.
A boy about whom not even a nickname, let alone what kind of person he is, has been properly known.
If you say Gu Family, it's a house Shinhyeon also knows.
The place where the Hundred Great Masters upper-tier martial artist, the Tiger Hero (Huxia), is the family head, the family where the foremost rising star Sword Peak resides.
And his martial sister's family.
As such, he had known early on that it was a place mainly handling fire energy.
Seeing the Tiger Hero and Sword Peak, he had only predicted the boy would also be comparable.
It could be a case of "tiger father, dog son," but thinking of the Gu Yangcheon Shinhyeon had seen, he thought it wouldn't be so.
'...But I never expected it to be to this extent.'
Fire arts are originally rough martial arts that even martial artists themselves find difficult to control.
Along with the ice arts of the Northern Sea, it was a martial art rich in destructive power where the user might not endure and break down.
Because of the violence the mental method possesses, the burden on the body that must circulate internal energy is great.
As much as it has greater destructive power and versatility compared to other martial arts, he had heard that before achieving great completion in the martial art, the body collapses first, making it difficult to rise high.
But what about that boy?
Cold sweat ran down Shinhyeon's jaw.
It's remarkable enough that he's emitting fire energy enough to crush and suppress the surroundings.
Not only does he possess that level of internal energy, but he's not causing damage to the surrounding environment in this situation.
That meant he was perfectly controlling that violent fire energy.
Youngpung tries to somehow widen the distance to avoid the flames that seem to devour him, but even that is not easy.
Because Gu Yangcheon doesn't easily give distance.
One of the important things in a fight between martial artists is the sense of distance.
Especially when a swordsman like Youngpung and a fighter like Gu Yangcheon fight, it would be even more so.
If you're going to narrow the distance, narrow it more.
If you're going to widen the distance, do it more certainly.
Gu Yangcheon never missed the narrow distance with Youngpung.
It meant he clearly knew the method when facing a swordsman.
Youngpung gritted his teeth and filled his feet with internal energy.
Youngpung, who had only been retreating, instead leaped toward Gu Yangcheon.
Even in an urgent situation, Youngpung's sword path is elegant.
His firmly trained footwork is steady and heavy.
Yet fast and fluid.
To unfold Huashan's complex and profound sword techniques, one had to train for years in somewhat difficult footwork.
Youngpung unfolded such footwork the moment he saw it.
The day Shinhyeon's master and Youngpung's master were convinced that Huashan's greatest genius was Youngpung was that day.
The sword tip is light and sharp.
The sword path Youngpung shows, plum blossoms bloom from the toes treading the ground.
Plum Blossom Realm (梅華之境).
A realm where plum blossoms emerge from every movement performed by a disciple of Huashan.
This was the standard of the Plum Blossom Swordsman and the proof of becoming a true martial artist of Huashan.
At that sight, Shinhyeon nodded.
Although he showed signs of being somewhat pushed back by Gu Yangcheon's flames, Youngpung began to counterattack as if he had found a way.
The petals that leaked out as if to show off sweep along the sword path.
Contrary to the appearance of being pushed back by the flames, the plum blossoms began to suppress the fierce fire.
Twenty-Four Stance Plum Blossom Sword Technique (二十四手梅花劍法).
Huashan's sword technique beautifully unfolded from Youngpung's hands.
The movements were beautiful, but the internal energy harbored in the sword was sharp, and the plum blossoms following it were no less so.
Still... no matter what, defeating the Sword Dragon is...
"Keheok...!"
'What...?'
Shinhyeon's eyes widen.
Because Youngpung, who was executing techniques, suddenly let out a scream.
In the glimpsed sight, Gu Yangcheon's fist was striking Youngpung's side.
Filling his eyes with internal energy trying to see more somehow, but the hot flames blocked the surrounding view, making it impossible to see properly.
This meant that Shinhyeon, a second-generation disciple, couldn't properly see inside the flames the boy was emitting.
'...Just how deep must his internal energy be for this to be possible?'
He thought it had reduced from being pushed back by the plum blossoms, but he realized this was Shinhyeon's misconception.
It hadn't reduced, but was intentionally reduced?
The range of the flames had clearly narrowed, but conversely, the destructive power of the flames deepened.
The petals that tried to resist helplessly burn and disappear.
Something fell out from the gap surrounded by crimson internal energy.
It was Youngpung's wooden sword.
Kwang!
"Keueuk!"
Not long after, with an explosive sound, Youngpung burst through the flames and bounced backward.
Rolling on the ground a few times as is, Youngpung groaned and couldn't easily get up.
Hwareureuk!
The range of flames fiercely circling in the air gradually narrows.
Soon, they gathered in a circle around Gu Yangcheon.
Due to the aftermath of the heat, steam rises like a mirage around Gu Yangcheon's body.
The plum blossoms trying to fully bloom were swallowed by the intense fire.
As if saying that even flowers blooming from rooted trees containing life are ultimately futile before blazing flames.
Coldly and cruelly.
Youngpung's plum blossoms couldn't even properly bloom before the boy's flames and burned away.
In Youngpung's gaze looking at Gu Yangcheon while groaning, not only horror but also bewilderment, disbelief, and various emotions were contained.
"Tsk."
The brief sound of tongue-clicking in the silence was heard particularly loudly.
Youngpung met Gu Yangcheon with trembling eyes but couldn't endure the gaze and dropped his head.
Shinhyeon looked at Gu Yangcheon not knowing why Youngpung was like that.
Only then could Shinhyeon realize the reason Youngpung averted his gaze.
In the eyes Gu Yangcheon looked at Youngpung with.
There was a distinct disappointment that anyone could notice.
******************
If you consider the countless advantages and benefits those with talent possess, there are innumerable ones.
Separately from that, the disadvantage is also certain.
Even if called a genius, with half-baked talent, one is bound to hit a wall and ruin themselves.
Because they crossed walls too easily, when they encounter a true wall, they can't cross or break it and sit down.
Youngpung is a genius.
Because I saw his past life, I could know better.
But he couldn't cross the wall.
Looking at talent alone, Youngpung is equal to or greater than Gu Huibi.
Just looking at it right now shows that.
Plum Blossom Swordsman isn't just some nobody's title; it's a realm that requires, at minimum, arduous training and enlightenment based on the mental method to reach.
It meant being at least a first-rate level martial artist.
First-rate at an age not even reaching twenty.
So it's fine to be full of confidence.
[For you to say such things, I'm dumbfounded.]
I, created surrounded by the nonsensical events of fortuitous encounters and regression, had to put myself down and look.
Whether it's Old Man Shin or the people around, they wouldn't know that.
Geniuses are arrogant.
It's inevitable that they become so.
Gu Jeolyeop, Namgung Cheonjun, and even Gu Huibi that I've seen so far.
Basically, because they're different from others, because they're superior, because they can see themselves more objectively, they can be even more arrogant.
That also becomes the greatest poison that will come to them later.
Youngpung isn't bad as a person.
He knows how to observe etiquette, and has some sense to some degree.
He's young and easily swayed by emotions, but that too might be resolved as time passes.
But even such Youngpung has arrogance regarding his own talent.
And blocked by that damned wall, he will eventually sit down someday.
Because that's what he was like in his past life.
"What are you doing?"
At my fierce question, Youngpung's shoulders flinch.
"Why aren't you picking up your sword again?"
The wooden sword lying pitifully on the ground was visible.
It must be a technique he swung trying his best somehow.
He only executed it, but it was an empty technique.
It means he hasn't trained it for long.
[...Truly a monster-like fellow.]
If you were to say Youngpung's greatest blunder, it was that.
[You speak easily, brat. Do you think it makes sense to attack by piercing through the gaps in that disorderly sword path?]
It wouldn't be easy; if even a moment's anxiety or fear is mixed, if there's no conviction about the result, it's something that can't be done.
This is more the domain of experience than the domain of talent.
Experience that can only be obtained after madly cutting through battlefields full of killing intent.
I slowly approached Youngpung.
The disbelief visible in Youngpung's eyes, eyes that say he never thought he would lose.
Why do geniuses all have the same eyes when you knock them down.
"Since you suggested a spar, I had some expectations... but the disappointment is great. Youngpung Dojang."
...Expectations my ass.
Trying to put on an act that doesn't work made me want to vomit.
The way for someone to overcome arrogance is simple.
If they can't realize it themselves, just breaking it for them is enough.
For those who live intoxicated by their own greatness, it naturally resolves when they realize there's someone greater above them.
Of course, whether in this process they realize, despair, and stay in that place.
Or desperately ignore it and continue living intoxicated by their own greatness, or grit their teeth and stand up, is unknown.
If possible, I wanted Namgung Bia, who was also a swordsman, to step forward.
But somehow she's all pouted up and sulked away...
[It wasn't necessarily something you had to do either.]
'You secretly hoped for it, so why are you making different noises now.'
[Wasn't it you who meddled because of the guilt harbored inside, what exactly is eating at you so much that you're doing this.]
'Didn't we agree not to ask?'
[...Truly a rotten fellow.]
Namgung Cheonjun was at the point of standing having trampled arrogance.
Youngpung only showed it subtly.
For someone who grew up hearing genius in the well called Huashan, he had a rustic side.
Youngpung, who had been sitting down, rose.
He picked up the wooden sword lying beside him and stored it.
Youngpung's swaying hands slowly took a stance.
It was a cupped-hand salute.
"I have lost..."
There were no excuses like the other guys.
He just acknowledged it with a wilted voice.
The more I see it, the cleaner it is.
I wondered if I should say something more, but opening my mouth here seemed unreasonable, so I also took a cupped-hand salute and turned my back.
No less, no more, this much would have been clean.
[Maybe because his appearance is without manners, his actions suit him well.]
'That's an insult, Old Man Shin.'
[Of course it's an insult, you rascal, did it look like praise...?]
'....'
I don't know how Youngpung will take it, but I felt slightly refreshed having stretched my body for the first time in a while.
He'll handle the aftermath himself, so now I should just go to sleep... but.
Namgung Bia suddenly blocked the front.
Namgung Bia, who had been staring as if glaring for a while, said.
"Now fight me."
....At what?