Episode 212. As if I'd Become a Grandmaster of an Era

Namgarak asked me.

"Those turtle bastards holding shields—what do they do?"

I answered while greeting Namgarak.

"The Demonic Cult."

"If those bastards are the Demonic Cult, then we're the Martial Arts Alliance. Hahahaha."

"Hahahaha."

Namgarak laughed along with his subordinates. Was this bastard trying to deny reality? At Namgarak's absurd forced logic, I burst into laughter.

Come to think of it, I figured the sudden appearance of the Nammyeong Society meant the Martial Arts Alliance had somehow relayed the news to Haomun. It was a natural response from the Alliance's perspective. So I judged that the Nammyeong Society, being closest to Baengeungji, had rushed here first.

Naturally, if the Sect Leader was in danger, these bastards would come running.

If these bastards were in danger, I'd come running.

Because it was such a natural thing, the appearance of the Nammyeong Society wasn't exactly earth-shattering.

Originally, our six members and the Demonic Cult's forces had faced each other in a horizontal line formation. Probably because I had annihilated one flank while in a crazed state.

Namgarak led the brothers of the Nammyeong Society and naturally joined our shabby group of six, then lined up horizontally. Regardless of their skill level, having allies join us gave me a strange feeling.

A feeling of reassurance yet excitement, perhaps?

Namgarak spoke.

"You Demonic Cult bastards, we won't interfere with one-on-one fights. But if an all-out war breaks out, we'll all join in. I am Namgarak of the Nammyeong Society. You've heard of me, haven't you?"

I confirmed that the entire Demonic Cult force snorted at Namgarak.

I also nodded and spoke to Namgarak.

"Looks like they haven't heard of you."

Namgarak glared at me and answered.

"Shut up."

"Confirmed."

What was I to do about this heartwarming warmth of Haomun, where even telling the Sect Leader to shut up was possible?

I knew why Namgarak had emphasized the Nammyeong Society so much and even brought a flag. It meant the Nammyeong Society would also share in the trouble the Demonic Cult would cause Haomun going forward.

I looked at the Demonic Cult expert standing opposite me.

"One-on-one? Or all-out war? Do as you please."

Seeing the Nammyeong Society join us, I thought it might be good to continue the one-on-one fights for a while longer.

A man who didn't look like an elder or a middle-ranking officer spoke.

"Haomun Sect Leader, congratulations on becoming our cult's assassination target."

"You're too kind. I'm embarrassed. For a man who has learned martial arts, becoming the enemy of the Demonic Cult is a rewarding thing."

This bastard uttered something terrifying.

"We were ordered to retrieve the Bright Light Sword, so we must retrieve it. The rest is anyone's guess."

"I also don't know, so let's continue."

At that moment, a man stepped out from the Demonic Cult side and spoke.

"Yayeol Bugwan, step back."

"Yes."

A man whose clothes and appearance were perfectly intact walked out, even though the fight had been going on for quite some time. His face looked normal, but he seemed thoroughly sly in the head. Despite his looks, he exuded the aura of a strong expert.

He wore a blue martial uniform under a black long robe, and the long sword at his waist had blue light mixed in here and there.

As the bastard called Yayeol Bugwan wordlessly stepped back, I heard the Sword Demon's voice from behind.

"Sect Leader, your opponent is one of the Four Heavenly Kings, Cheongjiwang (靑地王)."

"Aha."

Only then did I recall Cheongjiwang's face.

So this bastard was the young Cheongjiwang. I had seen him once or twice when I was invited to the Demonic Cult, passing by in passing. If you had asked back then whether the Light Demon or Cheongjiwang was more famous in the murim, it was Cheongjiwang. Because this man had killed many sect leaders of the righteous path's small and medium-sized sects. He was a man who frequently engaged in localized battles in the murim when the Demonic Cult went around gathering materials for the Heavenly Prison.

I speculated the reason this bastard's appearance was intact as follows.

'Did this bastard covet the position of Left Envoy?'

I didn't know how things had played out, but I felt he had likely sacrificed troops and elders to face the Sword Demon while remaining in perfect condition.

Cheongjiwang spoke as he drew his sword.

"Haomun Sect Leader, the Cult Lord specially mentioned you, yet you continue to cross the line."

I answered with a grin.

"The Cult Lord mentioned me?"

"Don't worry. We have many skilled physicians on our side as well."

"Ah, so you mean you'll half-kill me then save me? How grateful."

I sneered, then was ambushed.

Swish!

The moment I saw the sword rushing in within the blink of an eye, I tilted my head back to evade, then struck it away with my wooden sword. In an instant, while my waist was twisted, I exchanged palm force with Cheongjiwang's left palm.

Kwaaaaaaaang!

Unable to use the strength of my waist, I was sent flying by Cheongjiwang's palm force and spun several times in the air.

'This bastard knows how to fight.'

Well, he is one of the Demonic Cult's Four Heavenly Kings, so of course.

This is what's absurd about the murim.

Who is right, and who is wrong?

Such arguments are useless in the face of a fight. The winner's words are right. This is exactly why it doesn't matter that the Demonic Cult spouts insane doctrines, or that I've been talking nonsense from beginning to end.

As long as you win, it doesn't matter anyway.

Since swinging my sword was a more efficient posture than landing on both feet, I stabbed the ground with my wooden sword and vaulted back into the air. The moment I infused internal energy into the bent sword, I retreated far back and looked at Cheongjiwang.

Cheongjiwang approached with a smile.

"Did you learn street riffraff swordsmanship? You move in an unsightly manner."

I tilted my head with a serious expression.

"How did you know? This is the Street Riffraff Sword (市井雜輩劍). You crazy bastard, if a bastard who arbitrarily sticks 'King' in his title loses to a street riffraff, how will you live with the shame? You'd have to commit suicide, wouldn't you?"

Cheongjiwang closed the distance of seven zhang in an instant and swung his sword. My thoughts became complicated in an instant. Because Cheongjiwang's martial arts were stable not only in swordsmanship but also in palm techniques. I parried Cheongjiwang's sword and frequently clashed palm force. Every time our blades crossed in an X-shape, we exchanged palm force without fail.

There were times when the sword pressed in before my eyes, yet Cheongjiwang's finger techniques arrived first.

After obstructing my vision with sword wind, five finger winds (指風) poured down and raked across my entire body like the claws of a wild beast.

Cheongjiwang's attacks were not simple.

I calmly neutralized Cheongjiwang's attacks with palm wind while keeping an eye on his movements. When Cheongjiwang's form was no longer visible, I identified his position through anticipation, experience, and sound, then swung my sword. Both of us couldn't utter a single word even as we exchanged over ten moves.

Suddenly, this thought occurred to me.

'No demonic arts?'

I thought that couldn't be. What Demonic Cult expert would only use orthodox swordsmanship? This bastard had been using orthodox swordsmanship from the beginning until now. Unable to predict what hidden techniques Cheongjiwang was concealing, I defended as firmly as a turtle demon.

Instinctively, I studied Cheongjiwang's expression.

He still wore a faint smile at the corners of his mouth.

‘Have I already been had by something?’

In terms of swordsmanship alone, we were evenly matched. As for our inner power, we had both kept it hidden like a trump card for the decisive moment, so there was no way to tell who held the advantage. We were close enough to feel each other’s breath as we thrust our swords to kill, yet each attempt was blocked. In the midst of it, I noticed the pattern on the blue martial uniform the Azure Earth King wore beneath his black long robe. For an instant, it felt like a pattern I had seen somewhere before.

‘Where did I see it?’

A sense of déjà vu came over me. That pattern—I had definitely seen it somewhere. Even as I fought, I instinctively searched my memory. This was precisely why one’s mind had to remain cold even in the middle of a fierce battle. Only then did I recall that the pattern was similar to the one I had seen on the upper body of the Lust Demon.

‘It’s protective gear imbued with the Body-Protecting Demonic Art.’

If a man who was one of the Four Heavenly Kings was wearing it, then it had to be among the finest treasure armor in the Demon Cult. Having realized that the Azure Earth King intended to neutralize my decisive strike and counterattack, I analyzed his swordsmanship once more. In other words, with armor like that, there was a high chance he could block my strike three or four times without batting an eye.

Even after figuring out the Azure Earth King’s thoughts and intentions, I continued fighting with an expressionless face.

When I fought with my mouth firmly shut, the Azure Earth King was the one who spoke instead.

“Hao Sect Leader, you fight well.”

Since I was a crooked man who entered a stormy, rebellious phase at all times and places, I tried answering politely.

“Thank you.”

“……!”

When I suddenly used polite speech, the Azure Earth King’s eyes widened. A flaw appeared in his swordsmanship, which had been so composed until then, so I thrust my wooden sword in without much thought. In that instant, offense and defense switched places as if it were nothing. Once the Azure Earth King began defending, he had to move busily to block my attacks one after another.

I, too, felt much more at ease when I was only attacking. I reduced my inner power and added extra force through my body movements, unleashing a swift sword to ceaselessly target the Azure Earth King’s openings.

The Azure Earth King was deliberately retreating toward the Demon Cult forces, but I pushed forward without caring. Now, every opening I found in him looked as though a plum blossom had bloomed there.

Either I was mad about swords, mad about plum blossoms, or simply mad—one of the three.

In truth, I was mad about all three, so I swung my sword while seized by insanity and stabbed at the plum blossoms. It felt as though my swordsmanship had risen a level in an instant, and a low laugh escaped me on its own.

“Heh heh.”

Before I knew it, I was competing in swordsmanship with the Azure Earth King near a place packed with Demon Cult troops. It seemed as though hidden weapons might come flying at any moment. I also had the feeling that shield-bearing soldiers might surround me just like this. Even so, I was so delighted by the rise in my swordsmanship realm that I could not stop my offensive.

‘Good. This is why one trains in martial arts.’

Was there anything more enjoyable than gaining enlightenment? It was the moment I realized and established for myself the essence of the Plum Blossom Sword Art. The only thing that worried me was the thought that, because the level of the sword art was so high, there would be few people capable of properly inheriting it.

In other words, this kind of sword art was a realm disciples could only reach after suffering in one way or another. If so, the format of a sword art taught by a sect was, in truth, like throwing those who learned it onto a path of hardship. In fact, that itself was the purpose. Great accomplishment and enlightenment came only after the road of suffering.

With a joyful heart, I swung my sword and attacked the Azure Earth King. As I cut plum blossoms in several places, the moment I found a flaw at the Azure Earth King’s neck, I relaxed my strength and thrust my sword in.

In that instant, the Azure Earth King swiftly extended a sword filled with the intent of mutual destruction.

It was a trap, but I advanced into the trap.

My wooden sword stabbed the Azure Earth King’s neck. In that instant, thick thorns that looked like blades shot up from the Azure Earth King’s treasure armor and wrapped around his neck.

Clang……!

At the same time, I caught the Azure Earth King’s sword as it pressed toward my abdomen with my left hand, which was wrapped in the Moon Shadow Heartless Art. When the Azure Earth King’s sword began to freeze white, he swung his left palm, imbued with a consummate technique.

As soon as I withdrew the wooden sword I had extended as a feint, I stabbed the Azure Earth King’s palm first. With a thunk, the blade pierced through his hand. In that instant, the Azure Earth King, now airborne, infused both feet with inner power and struck my chest. It was an absurd movement, but for the Azure Earth King, it was a counterattack he had found because he had no other choice.

I briefly loosened the grip of my right hand holding the wooden sword, met the attack with palm force, then grasped the wooden sword again.

With a boom, I retreated while floating in the air. In any case, I had gotten too close to the enemy lines, so my intent was to widen the distance.

In that instant, the man in white and the man in red suddenly descended at the same time in front of the Azure Earth King, then unleashed twin palm strikes toward me.

‘Damn it.’

A massive white palm and a crimson palm tangled together and covered my entire body. Since I was in midair, I could not use the strength of my legs or waist. While suspended in the air, I drew up the Purple Dawn Qi and swung my sword diagonally, then drew through the empty air in the opposite diagonal.

After splitting the enormous palms flying at me at the same time in the shape of 㐅, I landed on the ground. In that instant, my mood soared as if it might take flight, and I threw my head back and burst into laughter.

“Hahahahahaha……!”

Piercing the Azure Earth King’s palm was a small joy.

Blocking the surprise attack of the White Heaven King and the Red Human King was a greater joy than that.

But the fact that my martial arts had risen another level was a joy so satisfying that it could not be compared to the crude pleasures I had felt before. I still had not found a disciple, but the thought that I would have to pass on the insight I had gained was also a joy to me.

The Demon Cult’s pathetic surprise attack could not put me in a bad mood. Nor did I care what my allies might think as they watched me suddenly laugh.

With a heart more uplifted than ever before, I looked at the Demon Cult, then shook the blood from my wooden sword onto the ground.

“The Azure Earth King’s hand has been pierced, so it must be inconvenient. Withdraw and get treated.”

“…….”

After dispelling my own madness, I asked the Demon Cult in a calm tone.

“Who is next?”

I spoke as though I had become a grandmaster of the age. A man who had once been a waiter, a grandmaster of the age? Even I found it laughable.