As Bu Eunseol looked into the young Daoist’s eyes, his heart began to beat faster.
Song Ak, a Master of the Great Righteousness from the Wudang Sect. He displayed an aura on a different dimension from the Masters of the Great Righteousness Bu Eunseol had seen so far.
Soft, yet empty.
Song Ak’s aura was void and tranquil. But it was vast and boundless enough to embrace everything in the world. If he were to unleash his sword, a free and natural sword art would surely pour out, like the wind by the river or the moonlight floating in the sky.
“However…”
A strange light appeared in Song Ak’s eyes as he noticed Ah Yeon. Discovering the sword of the Sword Pavilion at her waist, he pressed his palms together.
“I am Song Ak of Wudang. And you, Heroine, are…”
“I am Ah Yeon, disciple of the Sword Pavilion.”
“Did you come to duel him?”
Ah Yeon nodded. “Originally, yes. But… not anymore.”
Song Ak wore a puzzled expression. “I heard that the disciples of the Sword Pavilion are no different from Buddhist disciples and maintain a very solemn demeanor.” He laughed heartily, looking bewildered. “Seeing you now, you joke very well too.”
“It is not a joke.”
Ah Yeon took a deep breath and spoke, ”Because this man is not a villain.”
Looking into her sparkling eyes, Song Ak nodded. “Aha, so that’s what you meant.”
He glanced at Bu Eunseol and nodded. “In truth, this Daoist was also suspicious of that point. Since I have been watching all along.”
Bu Eunseol wasn’t greatly surprised by those words. Song Ak’s aura was assimilated with nature. Like a cloud standing before one’s eyes but ready to vanish at any moment. Moreover, since Bu Eunseol had been engaged in a fierce battle, he wouldn’t have sensed him.
“Prepare yourself.”
As Bu Eunseol stepped forward and tried to draw his sword, Song Ak shook his head.
“I do not mean to fight right now.”
When Bu Eunseol frowned, Song Ak smiled brightly, “Haven’t you just fought a harsh battle? I am not so vicious as to attack someone who needs rest.”
“As if.”
Sensing the mockery in Bu Eunseol’s voice, Song Ak slumped his shoulders. “I heard the story that Junior Sister Cheong and Young Lord Han attacked you together. But they do not represent the conduct of the entire Orthodox Faction.” He let out a deep sigh and shook his head. “Moreover, due to that incident, the honor of the Nine Great Sects and One Faction and the Masters of the Great Righteousness has fallen to the ground. Also, Long Sword Manor has closed its gates, and Diancang and Emei have recalled the disciples they sent to the Gangho.”
“So. You came to save the face of the Nine Great Sects and One Faction that has fallen to the ground?”
“Correct. I intend to fight you fair and square to try and restore the honor of the Nine Great Sects and One Faction and the Masters of the Great Righteousness.” Then, his eyes flashing, he examined Bu Eunseol’s body thoroughly. “Flesh wounds shouldn’t be much. You seem like you’d recover with one or two shichen of rest. Am I right?”
When Bu Eunseol nodded, Song Ak grinned and put down his bundle. “Good. Since it’s come to this, let’s share a meal together.”
When he opened the bundle, it contained all sorts of ingredients. Dried fish and beef jerky. And rice flour, a metal pot to boil it in, and even a gourd filled with water… There was truly nothing missing.
Ah Yeon, unable to hide her absurdity, spoke, “Do all disciples of the Wudang Sect carry food around like this?”
“Hahaha. Would that be the case?” Song Ak burst into laughter as he mixed rice flour in the pot. “Our sect maintains a frugal life, but disciples sent to the Gangho are given enough travel expenses to use inns comfortably.”
“Then why do you carry food like a peddler?”
Though her expression and tone were solemn, Ah Yeon’s appearance was as beautiful as a fairy descended from the moon.
Song Ak, staring mesmerized for a moment, coughed and spoke, “Ahem. It’s because I’ve lived a wandering life here and there for a long time to train martial arts. One must eat well to learn martial arts, after all.”
While Song Ak and Ah Yeon talked, Bu Eunseol sat in the corner again, resting.
A unique individual.
The Orthodox figures Bu Eunseol had seen were generally proud and thought highly of themselves. But Song Ak showed no such traits at all; instead, he harbored a clear energy like a boy who had lived in a remote mountain village.
But his skill is by no means inferior to mine.
Though revealing flawlessly clear eyes and energy, his aura was powerful and soft enough to surprise even Bu Eunseol.
If I had entered the Orthodox Faction… would I have become stronger than now?
Bu Eunseol, who had left the Ping’an Mortuary. He had chosen the path to the Demonic Palace without hesitation. Because the Demonic Palace, proceeding with the Ten Demonic Successor plan, would have made him strong the fastest. But Song Ak, who looked about five or six years older, was also showing an incredibly strong aura.
If it were you, you could have made a different choice.
Suddenly, the words Ah Yeon had said came to mind.
Was there really another path? Did he just not choose it?
Useless assumption.
Coming out to the Gangho was solely for revenge. Whether Demonic or Orthodox didn’t matter. Besides, isn’t life a terminal sentence lived with death on one’s head? Bu Jan-yang had told Bu Eunseol that life in the netherworld was no different from this world. The Creator granted death equally to all humans, and since quiet silence always follows… The netherworld humans go to when they die is also not much different from this world.
“What are you thinking so deeply about?”
At that moment, Song Ak approached Bu Eunseol and held out a bowl of rice porridge.
“Eat. Don’t you need to eat to gain strength and fight?”
He was an opponent Bu Eunseol would soon have to fight to the death with weapons in hand. Yet he was treating Bu Eunseol naturally like an old friend.
Bu Eunseol accepted the rice porridge without refusal and gulped it down. As hot food entered his stomach for the first time in a while, his mind cleared, and strength seemed to well up in his body.
“I enjoyed it.”
“Glad to hear it. Then try some of this too.”
Song Ak held out beef jerky and the water gourd.
Bu Eunseol accepted them without hesitation. And sitting by the campfire, he ate and drank without reserve. Before long, dawn was deepening. Bu Eunseol was circulating energy inside the Main Hall, while Song Ak and Ah Yeon were warming themselves by the fire outside.
“I ate well and rested well.”
As Ah Yeon, fully recovered, stood up, Song Ak blinked.
“You mean to miss this good opportunity?”
Bu Eunseol and Song Ak could truly be called Grandmasters of the next generation. If she observed the duel between the two, Ah Yeon would gain immense benefits. But she shook her head.
“I don’t particularly want to see the two of you fight.”
The two, a Master of the Great Righteousness and a Ten Demonic Successor, were not sparring leisurely. Someone would win, and someone would lose. Perhaps one might lose their life. And she did not want to see that. Because she had developed a faint fondness for these two people, Bu Eunseol and Song Ak.
“I see.” Understanding Ah Yeon’s heart, Song Ak smiled brightly. And said something unexpected. “To be honest, this Daoist’s desire to fight has also largely disappeared.”
“What do you mean?”
Song Ak laughed brightly like a child, “According to rumors, he is a villain who takes infinite pleasure in slaughtering Orthodox experts. But seeing him in person, his nature doesn’t seem bad…” Pausing briefly, he spoke with a bashful expression. “His appearance is handsome beyond compare, but his atmosphere overflows with wild beauty like a rough wolf.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“I haven’t found anyone in the Gangho who captured my heart until now, but for some reason, my heart goes out to him.”
At Song Ak’s honest and pure words, Ah Yeon wore a slightly surprised expression.
I also like him.
He was a Master of the Great Righteousness from Wudang, which could be called the leader of the Nine Great Sects and One Faction along with Shaolin. Yet he honestly expressed that he liked a person of the Demonic Path. And a Ten Demonic Successor of the Ten Demonic Sects, at that.
“You should have rightly entered Wudang as a lay disciple.”
At Ah Yeon’s sigh, Song Ak grinned, his eyes curving like half-moons.
“You too.”
“Nonsense.” Ah Yeon turned coldly and spoke in a calm voice. “Our Pavilion has punished only those stained with evil for generations. I just don’t want him to die merely because he is a Demonic practitioner.”
“Heh heh heh. Is that so.”
“Then, I wish you martial fortune.”
“Boundless Life Buddha. I hope you also achieve what you desire.”
Looking at the distant sky for a moment, Ah Yeon immediately deployed movement techniques and disappeared.
“Hmm.”
Song Ak, watching the direction Ah Yeon disappeared for a while, sighed deeply. Then he walked toward the Main Hall where Bu Eunseol was resting. Finally, he was about to begin a showdown risking the pride of a Master of the Great Righteousness and a Ten Demonic Successor.
Moonlight descended from the distant sky, and a campfire burned in front of the mountain gate. Bu Eunseol and Song Ak stood facing each other outside the mountain gate. In the dark sky, the full moon shed pure white light, and the low cry of insects sounded weary. In this peaceful scenery, Bu Eunseol drew his Dark Sword.
Schwing.
As the low sword hum rang out, a murderous aura instantly settled on the peaceful landscape. The Taiji Wisdom Sword, Wudang’s supreme sword art, was a perfect art harmonizing softness and strength. Moreover, since it consumed almost no internal power, a prolonged battle would be disadvantageous. Bu Eunseol intended to deploy an extremely strong Killing Sword to seek victory in a short-term decisive battle.
“Good spirit.”
Song Ak smiled softly and drew his sword. Simultaneously, a round radiance began to spread from the sword tip, soon wrapping around his body in a circle. It was the opening stance of Wudang sword arts and a move that was the best defense in itself, the Taiji Shrouding Encounter.
Bu Eunseol, watching the gently moving Taiji Sword, finally unleashed his sword art.
Flash!
A light like a meteor crossing the night sky dug toward Song Ak’s neck.
It was the move Meteor Chasing the Moon.
“Good sword move!”
Song Ak shouted in admiration and deployed a sword move.
But what he unleashed was not the Taiji Wisdom Sword, but the ultimate moves of the Two Extremes Sword. He deployed Reversal of Yin to Yang and Yin Does Not Resist Yang in succession.
Clang!
Then, the roundly blooming sword qi lightly deflected the move of Meteor Chasing the Moon.
“…!”
Bu Eunseol wore a slightly surprised expression. To think the man in front of him lightly blocked the move of Meteor Chasing the Moon, which no one had perfectly blocked until now, with two moves.
Vwoom.
Blocked by the Two Extremes Sword Art, Bu Eunseol’s Dark Sword began to change again in mid-air.
Flash! Flash!
Simultaneously, purple sword qi drawn in a zigzagshape cut from Song Ak’s shoulder to his leg. He had unleashed the extremely fast Killing Sword, the Peerless Thunderbolt Form, in rapid succession.
Sizzle.
Then Song Ak deployed the move of the Two Extremes Sword again, Yin and Yang in Harmony.
Swaaah!
Round sword qi was created in succession, pushing the sharply drawn sword qi of the Peerless Thunderbolt Form in all directions.
This sword art…
Bu Eunseol twitched his eyebrows.
Song Ak had blocked the extremely fast sword forms of Meteor Chasing the Moon and Lightning Unmatched not with the Taiji Wisdom Sword, but by deploying the Two Extremes Sword in succession.
To create circular sword qi like the Taiji Wisdom Sword while deploying the Two Extremes Sword…
“Be careful!”
In the meantime, Song Ak swung his sword slowly and stabbed at Bu Eunseol’s chest.
Swish.
The sword move, which was clearly pouring down slowly, suddenly began to speed up and was aiming for Bu Eunseol’s shoulder before he knew it.
Huh!
Bu Eunseol burst out in internal bewilderment.
This time, Song Ak had used the move Accumulating Good Deeds Brings Abundant Blessings of the Taiji Wisdom Sword, not the Two Extremes Sword.
He’s not switching sword arts alternately!
At first glance, it seemed he was alternating between the Taiji Wisdom Sword and the Two Extremes Sword, but in reality, his sword move changed midway.
Thump-thump.
Bu Eunseol’s heart was beating fast. Song Ak’s swordsmanship was not only excellent but used amazing techniques he had never seen before. And he realized he could absolutely not defeat him with the moves of Supreme Heavenly Flow he had displayed so far.
If that’s the case…
Reversal of Extreme Fiery Radiance rose in Bu Eunseol’s eyes. He was about to unleash the sword moves of the latter four forms of Supreme Heavenly Flow… Which he hadn’t been able to unleash, or rather, couldn’t unleash until now.