Chapter 38
-I first held a sword at fifteen and realized the Dao at thirty.
-I established the Dao with the root of all nature, so I named that study the Taeeul True Scripture.
-I went out to the Jianghu to have my learning confirmed and received confirmation nine times.
-By the time the nine duels ended, those who wanted to learn the Dao lined up endlessly, but there was no one to transmit the Dao to.
-I met a child who lost his parents in a mountain in Anhui and was able to transmit what I learned.
-Famous figures of the Jianghu came and asked me to step forward for the chaotic world.
-I heard that the one I originally wanted to receive the tenth confirmation from was pushing his will through the Jianghu.
-Learning is something one masters oneself and achieves oneself; I could not agree with his will, so I stepped out with them.
-The depth of learning of the one I faced for the tenth time was also formidable. However, the moment I finally broke his learning and blocked his advance, I was trapped in a labyrinth of boundlessness along with the sound of the sky collapsing.
-The one I faced for the tenth time said that the famous figures of the Jianghu had betrayed us.
-I originally had no intention of harming others with my teachings, but I wondered if my learning appeared too threatening to them.
-The labyrinth of boundlessness was an unknown thing that could not be broken even if the power of me and the one I faced tenth were combined. We ended up waiting for death here.
-Spending infinite time together in the labyrinth of boundlessness, there were parts where our wills aligned with his. I realized this is Returning to the Origin.
-We created a martial art where his common will aligned.
-In last night’s dream, I thought of the disciple left alone. It pained my heart throughout that I did not leave teachings for that child.
-If anyone sees this writing, I will consider you a connection. Learn my teachings and achieve what you will, but if the Taeeul Sect remains in your world, please deliver my things. That is my last wish.
Reading the memoirs written by the Taeeul Sword Emperor on half of the cavity floor, I could not stop my flowing tears.
Although anyone else might have resented someone or burned with a desire for revenge, his writing was incredibly calm, and that point made my heart ache even more throughout.
The story of the disciple repeated several times, the regret and concern wondering if he was suffering hardships because he didn’t give teachings, occupied the most part.
Looking at the martial arts the Great-Grandmaster wrote down, as I expected, they were not martial arts of the Taeeul Sect except for the Taeeul Heart Method and Small Sky Sword Technique.
The disciple left alone had continued the sect amidst all kinds of disgrace and persecution for five hundred years to wait for the disappeared master.
I became ashamed of myself who had resented the Taeeul Sect endlessly in my past life.
Why drag along a sect with no power like this? Wouldn’t it be better to just die than live so abjectly?
It was a thought from immature days, but I couldn’t hate myself as much as I did at that moment.
“It was five hundred years. A whole five hundred years.”
The Great-Grandmaster worried and fretted until just before death about the disciple he couldn’t meet during his lifetime, and that disciple had waited for his master for five hundred years.
“I will serve you.”
The floor was full of memoirs in diary format, and the walls detailed the martial arts from that time.
Martial arts waiting to be transmitted for five hundred years.
[Taeeul Heart Method]
[Small Sky Sword Technique]
[Great Sky Sword Technique]
[Twin Sky Sword Formula]
[Taeeul True Scripture]
[Myriad Sea Heaven and Earth Sword Formula]
[Myriad Transformation Invincible Fist]
[Taeeul Eight Thousand Divine Steps]
The Taeeul Heart Method and Small Sky Sword Technique were teachings for beginners.
Here, the Great Sky Sword Technique included martial scriptures that were originally not in the Taeeul Sect; once initiation is completed, one enters the path of a traveler realizing the root of the Dao from then on.
The beginning of that is the [Taeeul True Scripture].
The martial scripture pursuing deeper realization than heart methods pursued a more profound state than any martial art I had seen.
-If you realize the Taeeul True Scripture, you will be able to realize the harmony of heaven and earth.
It harbored high-level teachings to the extent that the story the Taeeul Sword Emperor wrote confidently did not seem false.
Other martial arts also had no lack.
[Myriad Sea Heaven and Earth Sword Formula] was a sword manual that created the legend of Ten Thousand Swords, and [Myriad Transformation Invincible Fist] was also no less than that.
Especially, having tasted the martial arts of the Nine Sects One Gang and the Five Great Clans once, I could be confident that [Taeeul Eight Thousand Divine Steps] would absolutely not be inferior to the footwork of the Nine Sects One Gang.
“It is a pity there is no movement art.”
Such regret was brief; I thought about what I, who inherited the legacy of the Taeeul Sword Emperor, could do.
I dare not imagine.
Considering the Supreme Clarity Divine Sword dominated the Murim with a single sword, and Black Lion Gwak Gung destroyed that Murim again with two fists, I couldn’t even imagine how the future would change.
After examining for a long time, only then did the black-haired middle-aged man on the opposite side catch my eye.
Unlike the Taeeul Sword Emperor, he maintained his black hair and skin intact.
Feeling wonder at that strange appearance, I approached him.
Like the Taeeul Sword Emperor, he introduced himself with eight characters.
Darkness Heaven and Earth
Hell Demon Emperor
The person referred to as Dark Sky was the Third Heavenly Demon of the Demonic Cult who disappeared five hundred years ago.
***
“Are these them?”
Blue Emperor Divine Sword Namgung Tae-ha.
The current head of the Namgung Clan and a master listed within the Ten Great Swordsmen under Heaven.
It was a voice not containing internal energy, but Yang Gun-baek and a certain beggar kneeling in front of him trembled all over as if thunder and lightning were striking.
“I am Yang Gun-baek of the Rogues’ Guild Yueyang Branch.”
“I am the Branch Manager of the Beggar’s Gang Yueyang Branch.”
The beggar who revealed himself as the Branch Manager of the Beggar’s Gang tried his best to maintain dignity even while fearing.
The Blue Emperor Divine Sword continued speaking without caring whether they did or not.
“I heard you sold the treasure map?”
Rogues’ Guild and Beggar’s Gang.
Since both had strong characteristics as intelligence organizations, they had to hide their appearances well, but they couldn’t be stubborn in front of what was happening now.
Five thousand.
A staggering number of five thousand people had entered to find the Mita Holy Water and were not coming out.
Below the valley of the Spirit Plateau, dozens of sects pitched tents and formed groups.
Despite the countless people, there was no noisy sound among them. Instead, a heavy tension that wouldn’t be strange if it exploded anytime was crushing them.
Inside there are their families and friends.
And because no one knew their life or death, they were suppressing that anger.
“In the first place, we only sold the map to guide the way; entering was their choice.”
The Yueyang Branch Manager of the Beggar’s Gang spoke, pretending to be bold.
Watching his trembling hands, Yang Gun-baek couldn’t help but feel pity.
“So, you have no fault?”
“Even if it is the Namgung Clan, you cannot treat a disciple of the Beggar’s Gang like this.”
“What?”
“We only did our job as an intelligence organization.”
“However, you did not properly inform about the danger inside.”
“That, no one……”
“Then you failed to perform your job properly.”
“What does that…… Keuheuk.”
Suddenly, the Beggar’s Gang disciple seemed to inhale breath and then poured out a bucket of blood.
“Kuh, kuh.”
Before anyone knew it, a clear fist mark remained on the Dantian area of the Beggar’s Gang disciple.
In an instant unknown when, he shattered the Dantian of the Beggar’s Gang disciple with a single move.
Gulp.
Yang Gun-baek swallowed his saliva. If he is the Branch Manager of the Beggar’s Gang Yueyang Branch, he is at least a first-rate warrior. That such a person’s Dantian was shattered without a chance to resist meant that the Blue Emperor Divine Sword’s skill evaluated by the people of Jianghu was underestimated.
“Go and bring the Vice Branch Manager of the Beggar’s Gang Yueyang Branch.”
“Yes.”
As a warrior of the Namgung Clan dragged the beggar away, only Yang Gun-baek remained in the place.
“I ask. Did you sell the map?”
“P, Please just spare my life.”
“Did you mark that a formation unfolded there?”
“Yes. We clearly marked it.”
“What about the identity of that formation?”
“That…… even with our investigation, we could not know.”
“You sold the map irresponsibly, is that it?”
Yang Gun-baek was going crazy. Who in the world would think of entering a formation while selling a map? In the first place, if one could enter the formation, they would take the elixir or treasure themselves rather than making and selling a treasure map.
“S, Sorry. Our sect has neither the capital nor the personnel to research formations……”
“Are you certain the Mita Holy Water is inside?”
“…….”
Actually, that point wasn’t certain either. Good if it’s there, can’t help it if it’s not.
We just had to trust the person who testified to make the treasure map, didn’t we?
“C, Clearly, the person who had been inside said there was Mita Holy Water.”
“The youngest daughter of the Namgung Clan’s direct line entered there.”
“…….”
“And it has been over a month since contact was lost. But you say you don’t even know if there is an item called Mita Holy Water in there. Is there a reason I should keep you alive?”
Gulp.
Yang Gun-baek thought the word ‘you’ spoken by the Blue Emperor Divine Sword did not refer only to the Yueyang Branch.
If his anger could be appeased, isn’t he a person who could eliminate the entire Rogues’ Guild?
Yang Gun-baek racked his brain desperately. And spoke with desperate feelings.
“T, There is someone who saw Yong So-ah!!”
“……What does that have to do with this?”
“Yong So-ah definitely entered inside to secure the Mita Holy Water. But three weeks later, he was witnessed eating at an inn in Yueyang by our disciple.”
He said disciple, but it was a waiter.
A man looking utterly like a beggar came in, ate dumplings, vegetables, and Bamboo Leaf Green Liquor like a starving ghost, left a gold coin and went away; feeling strange, he reported it to the Rogues’ Guild.
“Are you certain it was Yong So-ah?”
He assumed it was Yong So-ah because he said the Taiji symbol, the symbol of Wudang, was engraved on the scabbard too.
Since Wudang’s treasure, the Whirling Wind Sword, can only be used by Yong So-ah.
It wasn’t certain, but he couldn’t dare say it was a guess. Yang Gun-baek didn’t have the confidence to receive Namgung Tae-ha’s wrath. Then, as an information broker, he had to make a gamble that wasn’t a gamble.
“Yes, perhaps he came out of that formation as a representative to ask for help from the Murim Alliance.”
The Blue Emperor Divine Sword, thinking for a moment, threatened.
“From today, bring all information related to the inside of that place here.”
“I, I understand.”
As the Blue Emperor Divine Sword issued an eviction order, Yang Gun-baek stepped aside with a dizzy mind on how to request help from the main sect.
Namgung Jin-myeong approached with a dark complexion.
“It is all my negligence. Father.”
“Foolish one. How untrustworthy must you have been for that young child to think of entering that dead land!”
“I am sorry.”
Namgung Tae-ha’s face, which had spat out a shout, soon calmed down.
How could his sadness of losing a granddaughter match the sadness of a father losing a child?
“If Yong So-ah went to the Murim Alliance, the Murim Alliance wouldn’t be unaware of this matter. Visit the Yueyang Branch and find out how things went.”
“Yes. I will guard here. So how about you return to the clan, Father?”
At the sudden words, Namgung Tae-ha frowned.
“What do you mean all of a sudden?”
“The movements of the Sky-Vault Merchant Guild are unusual. It seems they intend to move the Council of Elders.”
“This! Bastards deserving death!”
As the Blue Emperor Divine Sword drew up his energy, the warriors and servants working in the area all slumped to the ground as if their knees gave way.
“Sang-won, this guy can’t tell shit from miso.”
In the first place, what was the reason Namgung Seon-hwa went out to find the Mita Holy Water?
As the pressure from the collateral families weakened the power of the direct line and it seemed difficult to receive help from the clan for the Murim Academy exam, didn’t this trouble arise because she stepped forward to solve it herself?
He, too, had been preparing a breaking stance for the Blue Sky Great Affinity Sword Technique, the main swordsmanship of the collateral families, as a method to suppress the collateral families, but time was far too short.
Moreover, because it could be interpreted as denying the legitimacy of the family if done wrong, he couldn’t even receive help from others.
The Blue Emperor Divine Sword looked at his grandson, Namgung San.
“What happened to that child you mentioned?”
One day, Namgung San, who went out saying he would get back the entrance pass Je-gal So-myeong gave to another child, returned empty-handed but looked quite happy.
Since the child with immense pride came in with a joyful face even though he didn’t achieve what he wanted, I couldn’t hold back my curiosity and asked, and heard that the child used swordsmanship similar to the one he was researching.
“I sent someone to find out, but he hasn’t returned yet after going out for some business.”
“Why did you send someone for such a matter? You should have gone yourself.”
“I am sorry. I couldn’t go because of Seon-hwa.”
“Ahem…….”
With Seon-hwa missing amidst the urgent situation, no one in the direct family was keeping their wits about them properly.
As if mocking this situation, the collateral families were moving at the moment the direct family was most critical.
The Blue Emperor Divine Sword spoke looking at Namgung Jin-myeong.
“I will go alone. You stay here with them.”
“Father, you cannot go alone.”
“Do you not trust this father?”
Not at all.
It was out of concern that if he didn’t go with warriors and the collateral families made a final provocation, the Blue Emperor Divine Sword might draw his sword.
“You watch the situation here, and in the end, if Seon-hwa does not come out… do not leave those responsible in this world.”
“……Father.”
“If those considered family cause trouble holding family misfortune hostage, they are no longer family. I will organize those who are not family.”
At Namgung Tae-ha’s words, Namgung Jin-myeong thought a bloodbath might blow within the Namgung Clan.
***
-I am the Third Heavenly Demon of the Great Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. There is no other way to express myself than this.
-From the beginning of my memory, I was a cultist of the Divine Cult, and eventually ascended to the position of Heavenly Demon.
And under the teachings of the Demon God, I stepped into the Jianghu to unify the world.
-I got trapped in a weird formation with a damn frustrating bastard. At first, I mocked the guy betrayed while standing in front of hypocrites, but eventually, I despaired realizing I was trapped too.
Reading the diary, I rubbed my eyes briefly. I wasn’t seeing things wrong; it was definitely ‘damn’.
He rose to Heavenly Demon in the Demonic Cult, yet he didn’t stop cursing even in the diary left at the end of his life, and simultaneously, unlike the Taeeul Sword Emperor, there were many cut-off parts as if he started and stopped writing repeatedly.
-The fucking formation was something I saw for the first time in my life, and even I, who received the grace of the Demon God, could not break through.
-I tried copying the image training or whatever the guy was doing and gained one realization. Thinking about it, it felt like I was also tricked by the traitors of the Divine Cult.
Thanks to the damn Taoist bastard, I came to know things I didn’t need to know.
-Seeing the guy missing his disciple, I thought it served him right. Why did he crawl out here instead of raising the disciple he should have raised?
I raised a whopping 9 disciples. But I was betrayed by all 9 of them. Thinking about it again pisses me off.
-With nothing to do and the only person to meet being the Taoist bastard, we talked about this and that.
The guy also knew about the laws of the world created by the Demon God. I tried to convert him. It didn’t go well.
-After creating a martial art with him, I also thought I wanted to leave something of my own.
Since the Heavenly Demon Scripture ultimately started from the roots of the Divine Cult, it is not mine.
-I created a martial art to condemn the disciples who betrayed me. Even in the eyes of me who has already reached the state of Heavenly Demon, it is an item I like very much.
I named this item Reverse Demon Scripture. I hope the guy who discovers this item will block the future path of my disciple bastards.
-Whoever reads this, think that you received the blessing of the Demon God and devote yourself to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
[Reverse Demon Scripture]
[Heavenly Independent Step]
The Reverse Demon Scripture was a study to suppress demonic arts.
A martial art that suppresses demonic arts by attacking the parts that would become the reverse scale among the characteristics of demonic arts rooted in the Heavenly Demon Scripture.
It was a study hard to believe was made by the Third Heavenly Demon of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
What caught my eye even more than that was the Heavenly Independent Step, which appeared to be made by the Taeeul Sword Emperor and the Hell Demon Emperor joining hands.
A movement art with an arrogant name that once running, no one under heaven can follow.
The martial theory hidden within was that the movement art itself was a martial art with domineering destructive power.
If stepping forward, nothing can block, and when stepping back, nothing can catch.
After putting all the martial arts into my head, I approached the Hell Demon Emperor.
It was because I felt wonder that it maintained its shape even though a whopping five hundred years had passed.
Tap.
The moment I touched him.
His body slowly turned to dust and disappeared, and a red bracelet was placed on that spot.
The characters embossed inside the red bracelet engraved with a phoenix told what the identity of this bracelet was.
[Heavenly Demon Supreme Bracelet]
While doubting if this bracelet wasn’t similar in appearance to the Blue Dragon Bracelet I was wearing on my left arm.
With a ‘hissing’ sound from behind, the figure of the Taeeul Sword Emperor disappeared.
I offered nine bows to the Taeeul Sword Emperor and a silent bow to the Hell Demon Emperor, then drew the Black Dragon Sword and stood in the middle of the cavity.
“Great Sky Sword Technique.”
The Great Sky Sword Technique is swordsmanship of changing swords and illusionary swords.
Only now could I realize the reason why the Small Sky Sword Technique wasn’t that fast despite having the trajectory of a fast sword in the first place.
Originally, the Small Sky Sword Technique and Great Sky Sword Technique were mere bridgeheads to learn the Myriad Sea Heaven and Earth Sword Formula.
Whoosh.
Whoosh.
Illusionary swords and changing swords scatter in all directions.
As the Small Sky Sword Technique is combined amidst that, it becomes impossible to know which is the real sword and which is the illusionary sword.
I, who initially thought to just learn the Great Sky Sword Technique and leave, poured several days into the Taeeul True Scripture and Myriad Sea Heaven and Earth Sword Formula.
I had completely forgotten the thought of leaving.
And when I just understood the introduction of the Taeeul True Scripture and Myriad Sea Heaven and Earth Sword Formula.
Chwarururu.
Chachachacha.
Three swords occupy all directions and turn the formless opponent into dust.
Increasing the influence of the sword further, the swords spreading in all directions erase the martial scriptures on the floor and walls one by one.
Among the three swords, there is no illusionary sword.
All swords are real and moving individually.
Adding illusionary swords to that.
The three swords increase to six.
The dizzyingly moving swords sweep the walls and floor once again, erasing the diary and martial scriptures of the Hell Demon Emperor.
Since the real swords increase threefold, they are not real swords.
The Taeeul Sword Emperor attached the title ‘Ten Thousand Swords’ to this unique sword technique.
An illusion but not an illusion, real but not real sword.
I looked around at the spectacle I created.
Not a single character remained of the dense writing on the walls and floor; all disappeared at the tip of the sword.
Possessing this level of ability just by understanding the entrance of the Taeeul True Scripture and Myriad Sea Heaven and Earth Sword Formula.
If an opponent tries to face this sword, they won’t be able to distinguish which is real and which is an illusion.
“Indeed, a martial art worthy of being called Ten Thousand Swords Under Heaven.”
***
“…….”
Namgung Seon-hwa turned her head and looked at Seong Mo-ran.
Two gaunt cheeks, hollowed eye sockets, and eyelids blinking weakly.
Squeezing out the last strength to speak.
“Sorry…… Unnie…….”
Seong Mo-ran’s slowly moving pupils, dry lips smacking several times speak.
“No……. It’s okay…….”
They were speaking by squeezing out their last strength while dying now.
About a month after being trapped in the cavity. No more personnel entered.
And as no more came in, the food also ran out.
Water was secured from the water flowing from the cracks in the cavity, but the moss growing in the cavity was far insufficient for the meals of four thousand people.
Fights broke out over food, and when even that food ran out, they stopped fighting one by one.
Those with weak internal energy were dying one by one, and the remaining ones also predicted that their lives did not have much left.
“Really…… sorry…….”
For Namgung Seon-hwa, the guilt towards Seong Mo-ran trapped here because of her was greater than her own death.
Someone who approached her first despite having no sisters, and willingly stepped forward for her difficulties.
She dragged such a person into this dead land.
“Don’t…… give up…….”
Seong Mo-ran was not losing hope until the end.
Does she believe in Yong So-ah who left first and the Murim Alliance?
Or does she think someone else will break through that formation and enter?
But strangely, Seong Mo-ran’s gaze was directed opposite to the exit.
She didn’t say it, but she was waiting for that man dragged into the Soul Destroying Formation due to the battle with Yong So-ah.
The person Seong Mo-ran loved.
What is she expecting from him who didn’t look special except for looking smart?
Suddenly Namgung Seon-hwa also thought of him and looked towards the Soul Destroying Formation where he was sucked in.
Wiggle wiggle.
Is it because she starved too long?
Hallucinations began to appear a while ago.
Sometimes it appeared as meat, sometimes as the entrance to the Namgung Clan.
Now, such a hallucination appeared as a figure cutting through the Soul Destroying Formation.
‘Cruel.’
To the extent of thinking whether the hallucination is plunging her into despair with what she desires most right now.
In that hallucination, a man appeared.
Although looking devastated like them, a man whose two eyes flash with essence, and whose steps, though slow, are confident.
It was that man Seong Mo-ran missed most.
Namgung Seon-hwa turned her head thinking she should tease Seong Mo-ran.
But Seong Mo-ran’s two eyes opened roundly.
‘Is Unnie seeing it too?’
When she turned her head towards the hallucination again, the hallucination approached this side.
Then spoke.
“Are you alright?”
Jin So-un had returned.
