447. Yellow Dragon, Thunder God, Golden Thunder Quaking the Heavens, Cold Moon Night.
Sword Demon and Cha Seongtae sat side by side, watching the carriage. It was a carriage they had never seen before in Ilyang County, so they could not help but check who would step out.
But no one stepped out from inside the carriage.
Instead, the two coachmen who had been holding the reins came straight up to the Zaha Guesthouse and looked at Sword Demon.
“We have come from the Martial Alliance.”
Cha Seongtae asked.
“What brings you here?”
“Young Master Mong, who was challenging for the position of the next Alliance Leader, achieved a complete victory in a closed-door martial duel and has been internally designated as the successor to the current Alliance Leader, Lord Im Sobaek. There will be a retirement ceremony and an inauguration ceremony, and Young Master Mong sent this carriage to invite his master. There is still plenty of time, so please prepare at your leisure, and we will escort you.”
Cha Seongtae smiled broadly and looked at Sword Demon.
“Great Master?”
Sword Demon asked the alliance members.
“Have you eaten?”
The alliance members answered.
“We were just about to.”
Sword Demon pointed at the Zaha Guesthouse.
“This is the Haomun Lord's guesthouse, so dine here.”
“Understood.”
As the alliance members entered the Zaha Guesthouse, Cha Seongtae spoke.
“Great Master, how do you feel?”
Sword Demon said, looking at the carriage.
“Just how lacking in talent must they be.”
“Great Master, someone like Young Master Mong is quite a talent. In fact, except for our Sect Leader at that age, he has no equal, does he?”
“Steward Cha.”
“Yes.”
“Becoming the Alliance Leader is something to celebrate, but it is also true that there is a lack of talent. If Mongrang becomes the Alliance Leader, having the Third support from the outside makes it the most suitable arrangement. Strategically speaking, that is.”
“That is true.”
“This is just my guess, but if Mongrang had lost to someone, Alliance Leader Im would have eventually sought out the Third and had him participate in the closed-door duel. Then the Third would become Alliance Leader, and Mongrang would coordinate from the outside. That combination would not have been bad either.”
“That is correct. That is right. That is also correct, however….”
Cha Seongtae sighed and spoke to Sword Demon.
“You should smile when you hear good news. Come, smile. Broadly….”
“….”
“My apologies.”
Sword Demon, who did not smile, said.
“Prepare a set of clothes for me to wear to the Martial Alliance.”
“Understood. I will prepare them right away and bring them.”
Sword Demon remained alone, staring blankly at the Martial Alliance's carriage. He naturally imagined the sight of experts challenging for the position of the next Alliance Leader fighting one another around the carriage, only for Mongrang to stand alone at the end, and he also recalled Mongrang returning home utterly drunk. Even then, many young men who had rushed at him in groups had been beaten and lay fallen around him.
Since it was nothing so surprising when it came to fighting, Sword Demon showed no change in expression until the end.
Sword Demon looked at the carriage and suddenly muttered to himself.
“…Alliance Leader Im, congratulations on your retirement.”
Even in Sword Demon's estimation, Im Sobaek had been an excellent Alliance Leader. He himself was a man who had survived in the Demonic Path, and Im Sobaek was a man who had survived in the Righteous Path; as such, Sword Demon wished to congratulate Im Sobaek on his retirement with a happier heart than anyone else.
…“Six Harmonies Master, I challenge you.”
When a young man appeared among the onlookers, a bearded Ghost Demon nodded his head.
“Very well.”
Ghost Demon looked the young man's attire up and down and asked.
“Will it be alright? It seems you are in the middle of a mission.”
The young man introduced himself politely.
“It is fine. I am called Byeok Jisu. Please go easy on me.”
Ghost Demon propped the banner inscribed with “The Best Sword of Zhongnan” beside his chair, stood up, and tossed a wooden sword to Byeok Jisu.
Byeok Jisu caught the wooden sword and rotated his wrist.
The fact that Ghost Demon's banner was still intact meant he had yet to be defeated since coming to Zhongnan.
Byeok Jisu looked at the writing on the banner and said,
“I shall verify whether the Six Harmonies Master is indeed the Best Sword of Zhongnan.”
Ghost Demon smiled.
“Do so.”
When Ghost Demon looked around, the people who had now grown accustomed to watching martial duels at the foot of Mount Zhongnan drew back even further. Gambling over the results of duels was forbidden by the Six Harmonies Master, so no one engaged in the petty act of taking out small change to wager.
In their standoff, Ghost Demon stared intently at Byeok Jisu.
His age was only about that of the Third or the Fourth, and his skill was far below his own standard. But how could he look down on a young martial artist simply because he was weak now? While his martial arts were stronger, the young man's attitude toward the duel was earnest.
Ghost Demon conceded the first move with a calm tone.
“Come first.”
Byeok Jisu swung his wooden sword and attacked. Ghost Demon parried Byeok Jisu's wooden sword in a manner that allowed him to continue, and countered moderately whenever an opening appeared.
Byeok Jisu attacked with every technique he had learned thus far, but could find no opening in the Six Harmonies Master. However, he had not challenged him to win in the first place. Having challenged with the mindset of learning a thing or two, he smoothly continued his offense and defense without faltering.
As Byeok Jisu consistently rushed in with a calm attitude, Ghost Demon also smiled softly.
‘Good.’
Even now, if he immediately raised his internal energy, he could have felled him in a single blow, but out of consideration for letting him gain experience, he exchanged blows for quite a long time.
As they traded attacks and defenses, Ghost Demon spoke quietly when he saw an opening.
“Waist.”
Byeok Jisu, who had been aware that his waist was largely exposed, hastily dodged to the left in surprise, but Ghost Demon, following the trajectory of the wooden sword, lightly struck Byeok Jisu's wrist.
With a sharp crack, Byeok Jisu's wooden sword fell.
When the Six Harmonies Master stopped his attack, Byeok Jisu retrieved his wooden sword and politely paid his respects.
“I lost, Senior.”
Ghost Demon nodded as well.
“It was good that you remained calm from beginning to end.”
“I was a bit flustered at the end.”
“That is nothing. You will improve gradually.”
Byeok Jisu approached and held out the wooden sword, and Ghost Demon took it. Byeok Jisu opened his mouth.
“Your younger brother, Young Master Mong, has been decided as Alliance Leader Im Sobaek's successor. As Alliance Leader Im's retirement and Young Master Mong's inauguration ceremony are scheduled to proceed, I was searching for the Six Harmonies Master on Mount Zhongnan. I apologize for challenging you before delivering the contents of my mission.”
A rather surprised Ghost Demon nodded his head.
“There is nothing to apologize for. By the way, Mongrang is to be the Martial Alliance Leader?”
“Yes. They say there was no one who could oppose him. Will you come with me?”
Ghost Demon nodded.
“Let us go. While also watching the Alliance Leader's retirement ceremony….”
“Let us be on our way.”
Ghost Demon, who was gathering his wooden sword and banner, said this to Byeok Jisu, who was waiting.
“The sword art I am currently training in on Mount Zhongnan contains Alliance Leader Im’s teachings. In my heart, I think of Alliance Leader Im as my master as well. The sword art he showed us at Dongho is still vivid in my memory.”
Byeok Jisu replied.
“Is that so? It is the same for me.”
“Let us go. Ah, was Martial Artist Byeok at Dongho too?”
“Of course.”
“Let us talk as we walk.”
The Ghost Demon, who had been wandering around Mount Zhongnan and devoting himself solely to training, smiled for the first time in a very long while.
...“Sect Leader, I truly think this place is just right. As you said, isn’t the surrounding area utterly desolate? I don’t see a single old tree.”
At the words of Yeongchunja, the Number One of Fujian, I looked around.
“That is true, but……”
It was wilderness itself, and it certainly was wide.
During our journey to the Murim Alliance, Yeongchunja had been truly persistent in expressing his desire to challenge me.
When I stood still, Yeongchunja walked first to an open area, took his place, and looked back at me.
“Around here? What do you think?”
I had been planning to refuse because it was bothersome, but if he came out like this, there was nothing I could do.
“Very well.”
Only then did Yeongchunja beam and say this to me.
“Sect Leader, I ask you sincerely. This wretched body of mine—if an arm gets blown off, I do not care. Please fight me with all your strength. I mean it. If you roughly gauge my level, deal with me accordingly, and I lose, it will not help my next stage of training. I have always found the joy of training and a clear goal again within helpless defeat. I beg you. With your full strength.”
I gestured for the bald men nearby to move farther back.
“That is a little difficult. Telling me to go all out makes no sense.”
Just how was Yeongchunja judging my ability?
In truth, I had now become someone who must not go all out.
Yeongchunja spoke as if, when it came to martial arts, he would not yield.
“I apologize for begging like a little brat. But honestly, even if I am beaten to death by you, Sect Leader, I do not mind. I have lived my whole life as a man of the martial world, and dying like this would not be so bad.”
A hollow laugh escaped me on its own.
“Impressive. You do not care if you die?”
“I do not.”
Truly, a monkey mad for martial arts was standing right before me, needling me. I passed Yeongchunja with a grin.
“I cannot recklessly kill a branch chief.”
“Where are you going?”
“I need to widen the distance.”
I put myself completely apart from the group before turning around. The Mad Monk and the bald men were sitting side by side, watching me.
Now at a distance where, if I spoke softly, my voice would not carry well, I said,
“Yeongchunja, any regrets?”
“None.”
“Good.”
Since descending from Mount Hua, I had never once gone all out. That was why I, too, was curious about the full extent of my strength. Facing Yeongchunja, I drew up my inner power throughout my entire body.
As the writhing energy wrapped around my whole body, currents like those of a storm engulfed me. Then the earth beneath my two feet began to tremble faintly, and the small pebbles around me started skittering about.
I stretched out my right hand and, with the Heavenly Jade Star-Absorbing Great Art, yanked up the earth and pebbles trembling around me in one stroke. In an instant, yellow dust surged up from around me, and I lifted it with a stamping step (震脚).
Boom!
Heaven and earth were dyed yellow.
Within that cloud of dust, clad in the protective art of the Golden Sphere, I unfolded the Dark Fragrance Step and drew a great circle.
“Yellow Dragon (黃龍).”
When the curve made of a line completed the circle, I moved through the center in the arc of a wave, completed a taiji, and soared upward.
Within the yellow dust that rose even more violently,
I scattered the thunder qi of the Hundred Battles Ten-Stage Art bursting from my whole body in every direction.
“Thunder God (雷神).”
Between the yellow clouds of dust, white streaks of light spread like a spiderweb. When I reached the ground, the place where I set my foot caved in, and as I surged upward once more, I murmured,
“Golden Thunder Shakes the Heavens (金雷振天).”
I combined the qi of the Golden Sphere with thunder qi to produce a thunderous roar, then released it as a reverse taiji and scattered it into the air.
As soon as I arrived on the ground again, I stretched both hands into the air and seized in an instant what had been scattering.
“Cold Moon Night (寒月夜).”
With the Heavenly Jade Star-Absorbing Great Art, I pulled in the Cold Moon Night that had been flying about in disorder and condensed it into my two hands, then annihilated it with the Five Elements Palm Force (五行掌力) the moment it arrived. As for the miscellaneous dust floating in the sky, I swept it away in one move with a single wave of my hand.
Only then did the dust vanish from the place where I had faced Yeongchunja, and a clear sky came into view. When I suddenly lowered my head, Yeongchunja, the Number One of Fujian, was standing frozen in the very spot where he had first stood, looking at me.
“……”
I approached Yeongchunja and asked,
“Yeongchunja.”
Yeongchunja replied,
“Yes, Alliance Leader.”
“How was it?”
“This Yeongchunja has trained in martial arts for quite a long time as well, yet today, my eyes have been newly opened (開眼).”
“Oh, it was not to that extent.”
I put an arm around Yeongchunja’s shoulders and said,
“Let us go.”
“Yes.”
“Among the branch chiefs, Yeongchunja, I like you the most. This is how a man should be.”
“I am relieved. By the way, do you now have any worthy opponents left in the martial world?”
“I suppose not? Probably not. It would be nice if there were.”
“Since when have you had none?”
“Since I descended from Mount Hua.”
“When did you descend?”
“Not long ago.”
Behind us, the bald group stood up again and joined us. Yeongchunja asked as if curious.
“I have a question……”
“Ask.”
“Martial arts such as Yellow Dragon, Thunder God, Golden Thunder Shakes the Heavens, and Cold Moon Night all seem to be your special techniques, Alliance Leader?”
I shook my head.
“Not at all. Yellow Dragon, Thunder God, Golden Thunder Shakes the Heavens, and Cold Moon Night are nothing. I was just fucking around and got carried away, so I chanted them. They are not special techniques; they are just shit I babbled out. Names I slapped on. My special techniques are elsewhere.”
Yeongchunja gave a dry laugh.
“Ah, is that so? Haha. For example, what would they be?”
I whispered into Yeongchunja’s ear so the other bald men could not hear.
“For example, Sun-Moon Radiant Heaven……”
“Its power must be tremendous.”
“In truth, Sun-Moon Radiant Heaven is a special technique that leaves nothing behind, so I cannot even demonstrate it. Complete annihilation.”
“Somehow, it sounds like it would be similar to Golden Thunder Shakes the Heavens. How should one block it?”
“If all of the Hundred Great Masters except me gathered together like good friends and poured out their special techniques at once, the possibility of blocking it would not be entirely nonexistent.”
When I looked at Yeongchunja, he forced a smile.
“Magnificent.”
“Not at all.”
There had been a time when Ilwol Gwangcheon was nothing special, but now the situation had changed again. Now Ilwol Gwangcheon had become a technique that left nothing behind, so I could not even demonstrate it.
Because I had grown stronger.
A man who went back and forth, contradicting what he himself had said.
That was because it was me.
Yeongchunja said,
“I find myself feeling a little sorry for whoever the new Murim Alliance Leader is.”
“No need to feel sorry for him. It is not as if I am going there to beat him senseless. We will face each other with the courtesy proper between martial artists, so do not worry.”
I patted Yeongchunja on the shoulder, then gestured with my chin.
“Go and call State Preceptor Yeon. I need to receive another history lecture from the clever State Preceptor Yeon.”
“Yes.”
As soon as State Preceptor Yeon arrived after changing shifts, I slung an arm around his shoulders.
“State Preceptor Yeon, let us go.”
State Preceptor Yeon answered briefly.
“Yes.”
“Have you adjusted to your hair a little?”
State Preceptor Yeon nodded.
“It feels cool now. I can only wonder how I managed to go around with such long hair all this time.”
I stroked State Preceptor Yeon’s head.
“Good. Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
The bald heads had become so courteous that even I was slightly bewildered.
“Do you have another interesting anecdote? Which country, which hero, shall we hear about today?”
State Preceptor Yeon drew in a deep breath, then replied,
“Today, I shall tell the Alliance Leader an anecdote from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period.”
“The Warring States period is good. Is everyone happy with that?”
The bald heads answered in chorus.
“We are.”
I nodded with satisfaction. State Preceptor Yeon was a man of great learning, so there was no shortage of things to learn from him.