Chapter 320 |
Chapter 320
Soul
Yunheo Zhenren observed the mysterious man, assessing his opponent. During this time, the Sect Leader sent a transmission to Yunheo Zhenren once more.
- Yunheo Senior Brother. How can the Sect Leader and elders of Wudang abandon the sect and flee?
It wasn't just due to the pride of Wudang, known as the apex of Murim. This place was where Wudang had settled for hundreds of years. The halls commemorating the ancestors, their tombs, and numerous other structures were imbued with the spirits and wills of the sect elders. How could they abandon such a sect and flee?
Yunheo Zhenren understood the Sect Leader's deeper meaning. Understanding this, he replied.
- You know as well as I do, Sect Leader. The spirit (혼) of Wudang does not reside in those meaningless halls, portraits, or writings. The will of Wudang lies within the people. From the ancestors to the masters, from the masters to us, and now to the current third-generation disciples. Even if Wudang remains, without the disciples and juniors, Wudang would end. But even if the base is gone, if the disciples survive, Wudang can rise again.
The Sect Leader, who had been wearing a complicated expression upon hearing Yunheo's transmission, asked.
- Are they really that strong?
Upon hearing Yunheo's answer, the Sect Leader couldn't help but stop his hesitation. His senior brother, whom he had watched for seventy years, was neither someone who boasted about his skills nor someone who excessively downplayed or showed false humility. Thus, he had to take his senior brother's words at face value.
- Retreat and protect the third-generation disciples as we leave Wudang Mountain.
When the Sect Leader sent this message to the surrounding elders, they all showed shocked expressions.
"What do you mean, Sect Leader?!"
Some elders, too shocked to use transmissions, even spoke out loud directly.
"Hurry!"
"Move immediately!"
When the Sect Leader and Yunheo Zhenren shouted simultaneously, even in their confusion, the elders retreated. As the elders moved first and the Sect Leader followed suit, Yunheo Zhenren's gaze remained fixed on the middle-aged man. The man, who had been watching everything with an emotionless face, finally spoke.
"It seems the idle chatter is over. Taiji Sword Saint."
"Thank you for waiting."
In response to Yunheo's words, the man said something quite unexpected.
"I heard Wudang's martial arts aim for the balance of flexibility and hardness. I shall personally counter you with the martial arts of hardness."
As soon as he finished speaking, one of the men in black around him handed over a crescent-moon blade to the middle-aged man. Curious, Yunheo Zhenren asked.
"Do you usually use a crescent-moon blade?"
If he had known the man's identity, he wouldn't have asked such a question. The middle-aged man was known as the Ji-ju within Shinchun. The reason this Ji-ju had come directly here was to correct the twisted plans of Shinchun. His first step was to eliminate the top fighters of the orthodox sects and their respective sects.
The Ji-ju's original task was to train the Daeju who handled Shinchun's major and minor affairs. Since each Daeju mastered and practiced different divine techniques, the Ji-ju was proficient in numerous weapons and divine techniques. Instead of explaining these circumstances, the Ji-ju gave a concise answer.
"Have you heard of the saying 'Manlyugwijong'?"
"Huh..."
Yunheo stared at the man with a complicated expression. If it were anyone else saying that everything converges into one at the extreme, he would have considered them an arrogant fool. But the man holding the crescent-moon blade showed no gaps whatsoever.
At that moment, the man spoke again.
"You should leave now."
"Yes, sir!"
At his command, the men in black who followed the middle-aged man immediately used their qinggong techniques and flew away without any hesitation. They were being trained by the Ji-ju to become the next generation of Daeju. Knowing the Ji-ju's skills and fearsome reputation, they had no doubt about his ability to handle Yunheo Zhenren alone. Some even passed Yunheo to chase after the elders and the Sect Leader who had fled earlier.
But Yunheo couldn't attack those passing by. In the moment he swung his sword to attack, he couldn't shake the image in his mind of the middle-aged man’s crescent-moon blade severing his neck.
Once all the men in black had passed Yunheo, the middle-aged man moved.
Pop!
By the time Yunheo Zhenren saw the man's movement, the crescent-moon blade was already swinging right in front of him.
Clang!!
Although Yunheo Zhenren couldn't follow with his eyes, he blocked the man's crescent-moon blade with his Songmun Antique Sword. Though he had not reached the level of his former rival, Hyun-gwang, he was a master who had lived in harmony with nature, sensing the man's movements through his heightened senses rather than sight.
"Ugh..."
Even though Yunheo blocked the crescent-moon blade, his face turned red as if blood was rushing to it. Despite trying to deflect it with Taiji's technique, the sheer force from the crescent-moon blade caused his arm to tremble. Realizing he couldn't withstand many more strikes, Yunheo allowed himself to be pushed back by the force of the crescent-moon blade while extending his left hand. Although nothing happened from his outstretched hand, a Songmun Sword suddenly flew from behind the middle-aged man, aiming at his side.
Clang!
The middle-aged man swung his crescent-moon blade with minimal movement to block the flying Songmun Sword. Only after blocking it did he realize its source: a Songmun Sword from one of Wudang's third-generation disciples who had been killed by the men in black. In the meantime, Yunheo regained his balance and swung his Songmun Antique Sword with his right hand.
Clang!
While Yunheo drew the middle-aged man's attention from the front with his Songmun Antique Sword, another Songmun Sword hovered and attacked from the rear or the sides, targeting vital points.
"Using sword control and Liangyi Divine Technique, I see."
The man nonchalantly commented while blocking Yunheo Zhenren's exquisite techniques with minimal movement.
"Such futile tricks."
With a swing of his crescent-moon blade, he clashed with Yunheo's Songmun Antique Sword.
Clang!!
Even though Yunheo used the Taiji Sword Technique, his joints screamed under the immense force. Yunheo tried to control the floating Songmun Sword with his left hand, aiming at the man's back. However...
Clang!!!
The man let go of one hand from the crescent-moon blade, created a force with it, and caught the incoming Songmun Sword. The clash between metal and the man's grasp echoed with a screech. But what screamed louder than the metal was Yunheo's body. Realizing he would be crushed to death, Yunheo twisted his sword forcibly.
Boom!!
With a loud explosion, the crescent-moon blade smashed into the ground, but Yunheo barely escaped death by narrowly leaping aside. As Yunheo stepped back, he rotated his right wrist, thinking.
‘...If my wrist hadn't healed, I might have died.’
If his wrist had been in its previous condition, forcibly twisting his sword would have been impossible. But his opponent didn't wait for Yunheo to catch his breath.
Pop!
The man lunged again, swinging the crescent-moon blade. Yunheo utilized both his Songmun Antique Sword and the floating Songmun Sword to perform the Taiji Sword Technique. The two Taijis created simultaneously tried to neutralize the force of the crescent-moon blade. As the massive Taijis carved marks into the ground, the energy fragments from the clash between Taijis and the crescent-moon blade devastated the surroundings.
Boom!!
The crescent-moon blade enveloped in energy shattered the two Taijis, aiming directly at Yunheo. Yunheo narrowly dodged the strike by performing the Supreme Sword of the World but the crescent-moon blade kept chasing him.
Yunheo constantly created Taijis with the two swords, executing the Supreme Sword of the World to dodge left and right. He was too busy surviving to launch a counterattack. In this desperate situation where he could lose his head at any moment, the first person that came to his mind was Cheongsu.
‘...It's a shame. I wanted to pass everything on to that child before departing.’
Just as Hyun-gwang had done for Mu-jin.
Perhaps thinking of Hyun-gwang brought this about.
- Mal-ko, if you want to teach, just teach. Stop having foolish thoughts.
Suddenly, Hyun-gwang's voice echoed in his mind. Whether it was truly Hyun-gwang advising him from the heavens or a realization deep within his mind manifesting as Hyun-gwang’s voice, Yunheo couldn't tell. Instead of pondering, Yunheo asked the voice that came into his mind.
‘Cheongsu is not here. How can I teach?’
- Foolish one. Didn’t you say it yourself? How long has Cheongsu been with Mal-ko, and how many times has he seen Mal-ko’s sword techniques? Cheongsu already has your sword in his heart. How could he not recognize the traces you've left behind?
Hyun-gwang's words made Yunheo realize the numerous battle scars created by their fight. As Hyun-gwang's voice continued to speak.
- And I
never passed everything to Mu-jin. We walked different paths, so I only gave teachings suitable for him.
‘Is that so.’
- Indeed.
While exchanging this final dialogue with Hyun-gwang, an intruder's voice cut in.
"You seem eager to die early, lost in thought in this situation."
Swish!
The crescent-moon blade shattered the Taiji and sliced through Yunheo’s robe, drawing blood. Despite this, a satisfied smile spread across Yunheo's face. It was the smile of someone who realized his final task. The smile displeased the man, who mercilessly swung the crescent-moon blade again. Each time, Yunheo created two Taijis, which sometimes interlocked like gears or rotated differently to shake the crescent-moon blade.
Although the Taiji Sword Technique tried to deflect the crescent-moon blade, each time it was shredded, targeting Yunheo.
After some time, even as his hair became disheveled and his robe soaked in blood, Yunheo smiled.
"What makes you so happy? You think you're holding me off, but the Wudang elders and third-generation disciples will face the same fate."
At the man's curse, Yunheo laughed louder.
"Even if I die, Wudang's spirit will continue."
"Tsk, you're senile."
The man, completely losing his interest, clicked his tongue and charged again.
"Whew."
Yunheo took a final deep breath and readied himself.
‘Cheongsu, watch.’
For this moment, Yunheo had only focused on defending against his opponent's fierce attacks, unable to block all and accumulating wounds, solely concentrating on the Taiji Sword Technique.
As the man’s crescent-moon blade approached, Yunheo's Songmun Antique Sword created another Taiji to intercept. However, this time, only one Taiji emerged to block the crescent-moon blade. The blade shattered the Taiji effortlessly, and Yunheo could see another Songmun Sword drawing a fast and straight line towards the man.
As the man prepared to block the sword...
Snap.
Yunheo’s hands suddenly grabbed the man’s arms. Even as his body was being severed by the crescent-moon blade.
His most cherished junior had said: He combined lethal moves with the Taiji Sword Technique to protect others.
Thus, it wasn’t about using the deadly technique, but about having the courage to give his life to protect someone truly precious. It required a benevolent intention to protect and a malevolent determination to prevent the villain from harming others, even if it cost his life.
‘This too, is Taiji.’
With the final strike containing the last lesson of the Taiji Sword Saint, the sword pierced the villain.