Chapter 83: The Sword Dance (1)

After so many winters had passed that she could no longer remember how cold that winter had been, Soh Baekhyang caught her first glimpses of the Mind Sword. As she slowly grasped it, she was no longer called the scent of snow[1] but the Demonic Heaven[2]. The woman who used to be Soh Baekhyang was now the Heavenly Demon.

“... I see it...” she muttered. “This is the realm that no martial artist has ever set foot in. It’s right in front of me... It seems as far away as Nirvana... But if I can see it, there is no reason I can’t go...”

The Heavenly Demon’s heart pounded. Mind Sword was a level that only existed in legend. When a martial artist of a certain lofty level harbored the will to kill, their target died immediately. There was no need for a sword or words. That very level was right before her.

“Lady Heavenly Demon...”

“Our supreme heaven...”

If only... if only she had time, perhaps sixty years, to focus solely on her cultivation... If only she could do that...

“Please relieve me from this resentment...”

People kneeled before her.

“The government wants us to pay our taxes in marten skins, so my father went out to hunt them. But he never returned...”

“My taxes are based on the number of people in my family, but I can’t pay the taxes...”

“My grandmother said that since she doesn’t have much time left in her life anyway, she’ll leave the house so the taxes will be reduced...”

“Lady Heavenly Demon...”

Many people kneeled in front of her.

“There was a drought last year, and this year too. There’s nothing to eat, so I’ve been starving. But the government gave an order to build a reservoir and a dam. They say it’s to prevent a drought next year, but how am I supposed to pile rocks after not eating anything for so long...”

“My daughter was taken away and hasn’t come back...”

“Lady Heavenly Demon...”

There were a lot of people who kneeled in front of her.

The Heavenly Demon quietly looked up at the snowy mountain. If only she had sixty years to devote solely to her training, she would reach a level that no one had ever reached in the history of martial arts. That was an indisputable truth, but... nevertheless...

“...Guide me.” The Heavenly Demon stood up with her sword in her hand. The hem of her dark robe fluttered behind her. “...There are a myriad of things I must slay...”

Should she abandon the world? Or should she forsake her personal desires? It was a simple choice for her. She abandoned her desires. Her life had always been about abstaining from the desire to achieve more in the martial arts.

On that day, she slayed those who made the world cold again, but she still failed to cut through the winter.

***

—It’s outrageous for a martial artist to ask another person to speak for him in a Verbal Match. There’s nothing more rude than that. It’s so rude that it will be remembered in the history of gangho and be laughed at for a long time.

The Guardian politely kneeled, which I had never seen him doing. I realized that it was his way of expressing his respect to someone whom he recognized as a worthy rival.

—Even though I’m aware of what will happen, I have no choice but to ask you for a Verbal Match regardless.

The Guardian looked straight at Teacher.

My title is Sword Emperor. I was acknowledged as the best in the world known as the Ten Thousand Sword Realm. Excuse my rudeness, but I challenge you to a Verbal Match with me.

And he bowed.

“Gong-Ja?” Teacher blinked. “What are you waiting for? Tell me the first form you’re going to use. The match has already begun.”

Obviously, Teacher couldn’t see or hear the Guardian, so his respect was lost to her.

“...Teacher.”

“What’s wrong?”

“You know that I can use strange sorcery.”

“Are you talking about the sorcery that brought my children and the Righteous Path

jiangshi

back to themselves?” Teacher laughed. The sound was quiet, as if it could disappear at any moment. “I’ve decided not to ask you anything. Besides, silence is a virtue. I just believe you’re a herald sent by the Jade Emperor, who took pity on me.”

She rested her head on my thighs, smiling. Whenever she laughed, her head shook a little. That was how I could feel her getting lighter and lighter. Her time was running out, so I had to be brief.

“...I have one more sorcery that I can use,” I quietly said. “I can summon a ghost.”

“Hmm?”

“The ghost next to me right now happens to have a very profound understanding of martial arts. He was known as the best in outer

murim

.”

“Aha, the best in the outer

murim

! That is amazing.” Teacher chuckled. She clearly thought that it was a funny joke. “Alright. It’s the ghost of the best martial artist in outer

murim

that my disciple summoned, so I should pay attention to him as well. I’ll gladly acknowledge him as my opponent in a Verbal Match.”

I looked at the Guardian, who was silently waiting on his knees.

“So, what form will this ghost of the best martial artist in outer

murim

show me first?”

“...He said he’ll let you go first, Teacher.”

“Hmm?”

“He said that he’ll let you make three attacks first.”

The smile on Teacher’s face faltered a little. “That is awfully arrogant. My disciple would never say such things. I’m sure this foolish ghost doesn’t know his place. I’ll stab his s

uwol

acupoint using the Emerging Dragon Swift Sword, the fifth form of the Cloud Dragon Twelve Swords.”

This was the first exchange.

—After using the sixth form of the Earthly Dragon Baton Dance, the Summerwinter Dragon, as a feint, I take a step back with the Flowing Cloud Movement,

the Guardian responded without a moment’s hesitation.

I didn’t know what the Cloud Dragon Twelve Swords or the Earthly Dragon Baton Dance were. All I knew was the Demonic Heaven Arts. I just calmly delivered the Guardian’s messages so that their fight could continue.

“After using the sixth form of the Earthly Dragon Baton Dance, the Summerwinter Dragon, as a feint, he takes a step back with the Flowing Cloud Movement.”

“Hmm...” Teacher narrowed her eyes. “I’ll send him flying using Assimilation Strike Leg, the seventh form of Profound Void Tai Chi.”

—I’ll use the second form of Butcher Fist, Double Whip Fists, as a feint, and dodge with the Iron Plate Bridge.

Teacher frowned elegantly. “I’ll attack him with Windclaw Slash, the sixth form of the Feline Phantom’s Six Swords.”

—I’ll retreat through the Chaotic Plum Blossom Steps after using the Water Margin Kick.

𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

The first three moves were over in an instant. I couldn’t tell what kind of attacks had been exchanged between the two of them, but Teacher remained silent.

The Guardian calmly opened his mouth, smiling crookedly.

—I can imagine what your life has been like. After becoming the greatest martial artist of all time, you saw the path to the Life and Death Tier too, but you didn’t have the time to reach it through training. Twenty-four hours a day isn’t enough to take care of your cult family, so how would you have time to devote to something like training? But you know what’s the most unfair about all this? Despite all that, you’re still the strongest in the world.

There was no reason to aim higher.

—Why? You’ve already reached the zenith. You can already make a living, and everyone acknowledges your skills. There’s no reason to work hard since you are the sky of this world. You poor thing. Your tragedy is that you’re the absolute in this murim.

The Guardian crossed his arms.

I’ll show you what the sky above the sky is.

I didn’t relay the last remark because I felt like it wasn’t necessary.

Teacher slowly sat up and slightly leaned her light body against mine. “You aren’t some random ghost.”

Title: Heavenly Demon

World: Heavenly Demon Chronicle

Status: The greatest martial artist of all time

Affiliation: The Heavenly Demon Cult

—Of course I’m not.

Title: Sword Emperor

World: Ten Thousand Sword Realm

Status: The strongest in the world

Affiliation: The Righteous Faction

“Okay. I won’t go easy on you.”

—Come at me.

Their match began in earnest.

***

“I’ll strike you up in the air using Blazing-Explosion Ascension, the first form of the Fireblood Dragon,” Teacher quickly said.

—Why are you pretending to be part of the Righteous Faction all of a sudden? Just in time for your strike to land, I’ll use the first form of the Great Cloud Dragon’s Eight Forms twice in a row. My first move will be toward the ground, and the next punch will be thrown up in the sky.

One exchange.

“I’ll change Blazing-Explosion Ascension to the third form of the Piercing Sword, Refined Fury Kill, and then stab your yong quan acupoint.”

—Hmm. What shall I do? Shall I fight back or... Okay. I’ll match that with the Wave-Connecting Butterfly mixed with the essence of Life and Death Law.

Another attack was exchanged. The longer the Verbal Match got, the shorter Teacher’s breath became. Her white breath became thicker in this moment of the winter. She tightly grabbed her knee using her left hand and held my hand with her right. I could feel her trembling in my hand.

“... How long are you going to put your dirty foot on my finger? I will tear it off with the Tenacious Flaming Plate, the second form of the Persistent Demon Trinity.”

—You asked me to come, so I followed. But boy, you’ve got quite a temper. I’ll pull my feet away and do the Lazy Donkey Roll in the air. Right after that, I’ll get into the fourth form of the Divine Chariot Wheel Spin, the Life and Death Ring. At the same time, I simultaneously aim for three of your meridians—

jugu, yanggu,

and

pohu

.

“I will take three steps back with the Heavenly Demon Descent Step!” Teacher declared, delighted.

—Since you imitated the Righteous Faction style earlier, I’ll try mimicking a demon too. I choose the Dynamic Death Sword to get closer.

Yes, the Murim Alliance's leader, Buwolseon, was definitely not Teacher's rival. He was certainly the strongest in his faction and the only one capable of going up against Teacher, but it was already proven in the Great War of Good and Evil that when the two of them fought with all of their might, the ultimate winner of the war was Teacher.

The war was already as good as decided. Perhaps that was why Teacher had postponed the conclusion of the Great War of Good and Evil until the 990th match. The candy was going to melt away someday, so she saved the ending as long as she possibly could like a child.

That was why the Murim Alliance's leader had told Teacher during the bad ending try,

“I'm sorry.”

“I’m sorry I’m weaker than you.”

“I’m weaker than you.”

“Please kill me.”

My hands clenched without realizing it.

“What a foolish choice! I’ll use the second form of the Piercing Sword to stab you from behind!”

—Not a chance. I’ll dodge that with the Iron Plate Bridge, and then I’ll be the one who uses Blazing-Explosion Ascension this time.

“Haha.” Teacher finally smiled. It wasn’t fleeting or sorrowful—her smile carried the vibrancy of her pounding heart. “My disciple, the ghost you summoned is really great!”

“...Yes,” I answered. Right now, I could completely understand the Murim Alliance's leader. “He’s probably the strongest of all of the people I know.”

“Where have you been hiding a ghost like him!”

Teacher’s laughter got louder.

I was a little angry.

“I’ve never met a martial artist like him in my entire life!”

No, I was very angry.

“I’ll apply the mechanism of the Thousand Heaven Dance to twist your arm, slowing you down. And then I’ll take four steps back with the Heavenly Demon Descent Step!”

—Uh-oh—you've already retreated three steps and yet you’re taking another four steps backward. You’ve got your tail between your legs now! I’ll get closer using the Flowing Cloud Movement until I’m a step away from you, and then I’ll mix my aura into the Midsummer Waterfall to unleash it.

“Hahahaha! The Midsummer Waterfall infused with your aura? You’re done figuring out my style, huh? I’ll bewitch and pull you in with Thirst Death. Then I’ll immediately hold the sword in reverse and use the first to third forms of the Sand-Drilling Dragon. I’ll pierce your

tianzhu, dazhui, shenzhu

meridians one by one!”

I couldn’t understand the fight that the two were having. It was impossible to even imagine what it looked like. I knew what Thirst Death was, but I didn’t understand what the Sand-Drilling Dragon was. While I had heard about the Lazy Donkey Roll, I didn’t know what the Life and Death Ring of the Divine Chariot Wheel Spin was. Because of my severe lack of depth, I wasn’t even allowed to create the crudest picture of it in my head. I couldn’t see how their swords were moving nor what their sword dance was like at all.

—There you go! That’s more like it. Alright! I apply the Life and Death Law to the Wave-Connecting Butterfly so I can dodge it. And then I’ll take a step back, getting ready to use the Heavenly Tai Chi Sword!

“Not bad. Not bad at all!”

If... If possible, I want to be your match and your only hope. I wish I was the sole reason you can spend the end of your life rejoicing. But I can’t see it.

I dug my fingers into the snow. All I could see and hear was...

“Good. I’ll avoid it using the exquisite principle of the ■■ Movement.”

—I’ll counter that with the ■■■ Sword, the third form of the ■■■ Sutra!

That was it. I couldn’t see how their swords moved.

“Okay, I’ll choose the ■■ Leg, the second form of the ■■■, to respond.”

—I’ll stay close using the ■■■ Method of the ■■■■!

I couldn’t understand it.

“Fine. I’ll strike your ■■ and ■■ with the ■■■■ Sword of the ■■■■!”

—Impatient. Someone is getting impatient. I dodge that with ■■■■ and then aim for the neck using ■■■■.

“I parry that away and then strike ■■■ with ■■■■■, the tenth form of ■■■■!”

—I’ll ■■. And then I ■■■■■ using ■■■■. After counterattacking, swing ■■, the ■■■■■’s ■■■ ■■, and ■■.

“■■■■, ■■■, ■■■ and ■■■...”

The realm that the two of them fought in was so far away and dark.

“After counterattacking, then...”

Just then, Teacher looked up at me, breathing hard. It suddenly felt like time had stopped. her dark gaze lingered on my face.

“...Yes.” Teacher smiled faintly. “My disciple, it’s a cold day.

“It’s been winter all year long, so this place is now an everlasting snowfield. A snowfield is a harsh battleground for martial artists. When they do so much as take a step forward, their feet will sink deep into the snow, so they always have to use the foot arts.” Teacher touched the snowfield. The fluffy snowflakes clung to her fingertips.

“That is why you have to focus on unbalancing your opponent’s form, my disciple. Do you understand? There is no need to insist on snapping the opponent’s neck or slashing their waist. Just keep attacking them so that they won’t have any time to use their foot art.

“That is why your ghost and I are trying to take away each other’s space. We’re reducing each other’s range of movement.”

Teacher.

“We’re using various kicks for the same purpose. It’s not just to hit the opponent—snow is scattered every time we throw our kicks, so we’re using it to block each other’s vision. It’s a truly desperate fight, isn’t it...?”

Teacher’s whispering rang around my ears.

“Close your eyes.” Teacher slowly covered my eyes using her left hand. “I can see the opponent.”

“...I see.” I nodded.

“He’s a strong and profound master martial artist. His physique is very large. I believe he’s almost twice as big as me. Isn’t that right?”

I pictured the Guardian in my head. “That is right.”

“A master martial artist who resembles a giant bear is breathing heavily. He is smiling confidently, taunting me to come at him. There is a big difference in our physiques, so he has a good reason for his confidence...”

As Teacher continued to whisper, the Guardian’s image in my head became clearer.

“I can’t overcome the difference in our innate physiques, so I’ll accept it. But I recall my strengths. I’ll be able to move faster than him. Above all, I am used to the snowfield, so I’ll be able to demonstrate Traceless Snow better than him...”

“Yes, you will,” I responded.

“Do you see it, my disciple? I’m trying to drag this battle on as long as possible. Oh, but he sees through my plan,” Teacher playfully continued. “He’s moving more impatiently and quicker with his sword. Like a wild boar, he rushes toward me...”

Soon...

“But there’s no need to be afraid. I expected him to come, so I’ll back away lightly... to draw him in.”

I could see the scene unfolding in front of me.

“I continue to back away. My steps are as light as a feather. On the other hand, he’s truly like a wild boar. He rushes toward me, sending snow flying in all directions...”

Winter went on and on, turning the snowfield everlasting. Teacher backed away through it as the Guardian came charging at her.

Teacher’s smile never went away.

“...A flower of snow blooms and flies with every step we take.”

I could also see their swords now.

1. What Baekhyang's name means ☜

2. The meaning of Heavenly Demon ☜