Chapter 87 : Shortcomings (1)
Chapter 87: Shortcomings (1)
Even as he walked toward the clearing, Namgung Jun reflected on the sword arts he had mastered in this life.
‘It feels as though I can almost see beyond it.’
Grand Flame Sword Art.
Thirteen Sword-Thunders of the Lightning Flash.
Cloud-Treading Layered Wall Stance.
Heavenly Wind Sword Art.
Sugwoo Sword Art.
These were the sword arts he had acquired while pursuing a new Martial Path and a new sword, so as not to remain bound by the previous life in which he had devoted himself solely to the Heavy Sword.
Had it truly not been a futile choice?
Although the experiences of his previous life still remained vivid in his mind, he continued to gain many new things.
It felt as though his horizon and enlightenment were broadening, like someone who had escaped a narrow well and finally beheld the great sea.
And that was not all.
He had begun to glimpse what lay beyond.
Step.
Namgung Jun suddenly stopped walking and looked up at the sky.
He could faintly see the possibility of weaving these many branching sword arts into a single sword.
Though it remained unimaginably distant, a vague certainty lingered within him that somehow it could be accomplished.
‘If I truly create a single sword art, it will become another turning point that completely separates me from the Sword Emperor of my previous life.’
After pondering his sword arts, Namgung Jun put the thought aside and lifted his gaze.
The clearing where the two supreme experts had fought had been reduced to ruins.
Not a single tree remained intact, and the ground had been completely overturned, leaving dozens of craters.
Among all the destruction, the most noticeable marks were the deep sword scars carved into the earth.
Lee Se-ha, who had been sitting cross-legged atop the neatly severed stump of a tree, opened her eyes.
“Jun. You took longer than I expected.”
“I was delayed because I was organizing an unexpected realization.”
Namgung Jun looked at the severed head lying at Lee Se-ha's feet.
It belonged to Sword Beast, the eldest of the Five Beasts of the Southern Barbarians.
“You're not hurt anywhere, are you?”
“Of course not. I wouldn't allow the likes of those rabble to land a single sword strike on me.”
“As expected of my disciple.”
Namgung Jun discreetly examined his master's condition.
At first glance, Lee Se-ha did not appear to have suffered any serious injuries either.
Only parts of her robes had been torn.
‘Just how far has Master advanced now?’
Even among supreme experts who had reached Three Flowers Gathering at the Summit, there were unmistakable differences.
The steady growth of essence, energy, and spirit, the solidity and perfection of their unity, the refinement of the senses unique to Three Flowers Gathering at the Summit, and realizations approaching harmony with the natural qi.
Depending on the superiority of these various factors, a supreme expert's martial prowess could continue growing indefinitely, creating enormous gaps.
A supreme expert who had only just reached Three Flowers Gathering at the Summit, and another who stood close to becoming a peerless master on the verge of Five Qi Returning to the Origin.
The gap between those two was so vast that it revealed just how immense the realm of Three Flowers Gathering at the Summit truly was.
Judging from what he had seen, Lee Se-ha and Sword Beast had both been supreme experts, but there had still been a considerable difference between them.
“Are we returning to the main headquarters now?”
“There’s somewhere we need to stop first. Let's return to Bojeon Temple.”
There was something mysterious in Lee Se-ha's tone.
It did not sound as though she simply intended to spend the night there because it had grown late.
When they returned to Bojeon Temple, the abbot was already standing before the hall as though he had been waiting for them.
“Please, come inside.”
Upon entering the hall, they found the crow that had guided them to the Five Beasts of the Southern Barbarians preening its feathers.
Alternating her gaze between the abbot and the crow, Lee Se-ha spoke.
“I told you before, didn't I? That there's another secret organization outside the Society that helps us.”
“Yes. I remember hearing about it.”
He did not know its name, but he knew it existed.
He had heard that once one's status and position within the Azure Sky Society rose high enough, one would naturally learn about it, so he had never bothered asking.
Namgung Jun looked at the abbot.
“So, Reverend Abbot, you belong to that secret organization.”
“Young Benefactor, you are indeed very perceptive.”
The abbot joined his palms together toward Namgung Jun.
“Among the Azure Sky Society's Three-Clouds, only those acknowledged by a Hall Master are permitted to learn our identity and request our assistance directly.”
“What is the name of this organization?”
With his palms still joined, the abbot answered,
“It is called Haocheon.”
Haocheon.
It was certainly a name he had never heard before.
Not in this life, nor in his previous one.
After quietly repeating the unfamiliar name to himself, Namgung Jun asked,
“What kind of organization is Haocheon?”
“It is a gathering of those who live in the lowest places beneath Heaven.”
The abbot's explanation was brief.
It was a secret organization composed mostly of ordinary commoners who had never learned martial arts.
There were martial artists among them as well, but compared to Haocheon's overall size, they were exceedingly few.
Most members of Haocheon were people easily found throughout everyday life, such as inn attendants, courtesans, woodcutters, boatmen, coachmen, carpenters, and blacksmiths.
Because of Haocheon's nature, it assisted the Azure Sky Society not through military strength, but in other areas.
“In particular, we support the Azure Sky Society through intelligence and finances.”
“I understand.”
Information and wealth that extended throughout the world.
That was Haocheon's true strength.
“In return, the Azure Sky Society provides Haocheon with military support.”
“You understand correctly. This mission concerning the Five Beasts of the Southern Barbarians was requested from the Azure Sky Society by this humble monk.”
Namgung Jun nodded in understanding.
The Azure Sky Society devoted nearly all of its capabilities to fighting the Demonic Path.
Under such circumstances, there were obvious limits to how much the Ink Scent Division alone could support the Society's entire operation.
“So the Azure Sky Society and Haocheon exist in a mutually beneficial relationship.”
“Indeed. Haocheon seeks a peaceful world where the powerless may live in peace. That is why we lend our strength to the Azure Sky Society in its resistance against the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult and the Demonic Path.”
The abbot looked toward Lee Se-ha.
“Judging by this, it seems the Heavenly Sword Hall Master has acknowledged the Young Hero and wished to connect him with our organization.”
Lee Se-ha smiled.
“Jun already more than qualifies. He may even be promoted to Four-Cloud before long.”
“If the Heavenly Sword Hall Master says so, then Haocheon can only welcome it.”
The abbot looked back at Namgung Jun and added,
“From today onward, Young Benefactor, you will be able to properly receive Haocheon's assistance. I shall teach you Haocheon's secret signs and methods of contact.”
“Are there any places where Haocheon's assistance is limited? For example, the western regions of the Gangho, where the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult is particularly powerful.”
The abbot smiled gently.
“Haocheon exists everywhere. Wherever there are powerless people beneath Heaven, there is Haocheon.”
The abbot carefully explained the methods of contacting Haocheon to Namgung Jun.
Only after listening for half a shichen were master and disciple finally able to leave Bojeon Temple.
While descending Mount Jiuhua, the disciple asked his master,
“Master. Then do most of the Society's Three-Clouds know about Haocheon's existence?”
“They all know about it vaguely. But to properly receive Haocheon's assistance, you generally have to become an established Three-Cloud. Haocheon is extremely cautious.”
“I see.”
Namgung Jun looked back at Bojeon Temple in the distance.
“It seems they'll be a great help.”
“The world is simply too vast. There are plenty of places where the Society's reach doesn't extend. When that happens, Haocheon's help is invaluable. Once you become a Four-Cloud, you'll be running across a much broader Gangho yourself, so remember this well.”
“Thank you, Master.”
Master and disciple continued their journey side by side toward the Azure Sky Society's main headquarters.
---
The return journey from Mount Jiuhua toward the Azure Sky Society's main headquarters proceeded without incident.
With only a single day remaining before reaching the headquarters, Lee Se-ha and Namgung Jun suddenly came to a halt.
“Master.”
“Yes. We have an unwelcome guest.”
A middle-aged man stood alone in the middle of the road.
As soon as he spotted master and disciple approaching from afar, he slowly walked toward them with a smile curling across his lips.
Along with his footsteps, unfamiliar presences erupted from every direction like a spreading wildfire.
Every newly appearing presence carried thick demonic energy.
“So this is your first time experiencing something like this, Disciple?”
“Yes.”
“This happens from time to time. They track the movements of the Ten Halls and ambush us while we're traveling.”
As though accustomed to such situations, Lee Se-ha idly stroked the hilt of her sword.
Meanwhile, the distance between the middle-aged man and the pair had closed to merely ten paces.
Yet the middle-aged man paid no attention to Lee Se-ha.
Instead, he focused on Namgung Jun.
“So you're the boy with the Nine Yin Severed Meridians. At last, I get to see you.”
The unexpected remark caused both master and disciple to narrow their eyes.
Seeing their reaction, the middle-aged man laughed.
“You must have thought too little of our Cult. Did you really believe you could hide it forever?”
As the middle-aged man finished speaking, the Demonic Cult members rapidly occupied the surrounding terrain, sealing every escape route.
Among them were quite a number of Peak Realm experts who appeared to be Bright Mirror Guards.
It was a force fully capable of confronting one of the Ten Halls head-on.
“I've waited a very long time. Waiting for you to move alone, or with only a handful of companions.”
The middle-aged man's eyes shifted toward Black Cloud Wandering Beauty.
“It's unfortunate that you're traveling together with Black Cloud Wandering Beauty, but it changes nothing.”
Lee Se-ha slowly looked the man up and down before casually drawing her sword.
“So now I know. Your title is Sword Neighing Demon, isn't it?”
Sword Neighing Demon.
One of the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult's supreme experts who coveted the position of Bright Mirror Master.
He was essentially a candidate to become the Fourteenth Bright Mirror Master, making him someone the Azure Sky Society also kept under close watch.
“It's an honor to be recognized by Black Cloud Wandering Beauty.”
Shrugging his shoulders, Sword Neighing Demon casually stepped forward with his right foot.
‘Everything has gone according to plan so far.’
Sword Neighing Demon intended to personally occupy Black Cloud Wandering Beauty while ordering his subordinates to capture Namgung Jun alive.
According to the available intelligence, Namgung Jun had reached the peak stage of the Peak Realm, or at most stood on the verge of its very limit.
Sword Neighing Demon had analyzed the information while deliberately estimating Namgung Jun's abilities even higher than reported.
Determined not to fail under any circumstances, he had assembled more than enough manpower.
That confidence showed plainly in every one of his movements.
“No matter how exceptional you are, you cannot possibly overcome this force.”
As Sword Neighing Demon drew his sword, certainty of victory filled his expression.
Watching him, Lee Se-ha snorted before her eyes turned cold.
“Yes. I knew this day would come eventually. If anything, it came much later than I expected.”
Just as Lee Se-ha was about to step toward Sword Neighing Demon—
“Master.”
“Yes?”
“I would like to face him myself.”
Lee Se-ha stopped walking.
There was neither recklessness nor arrogance in Namgung Jun's eyes.
Only clear fighting spirit.
Even so, Lee Se-ha could not help hesitating.
The very limit of the Peak Realm.
And Three Flowers Gathering at the Summit.
Though those two realms seemed close, the actual gap between them was considerable.
Of course, that did not guarantee victory for the supreme expert.
The Gangho was not a simple world where battles were decided solely by differences in cultivation.
There were countless variables.
Even when no variables existed and victory or defeat seemed certain, a martial artist could create one through personal growth and enlightenment.
That was possible because they were people who devoted their entire lives to martial arts and pursued higher realms with madness.
Nevertheless, it remained true that the weaker side walked far closer to death.
Unless Namgung Jun displayed martial prowess beyond his limits or created a decisive variable, victory would be difficult.
Even if he won, he would almost certainly suffer grievous injuries.
Lee Se-ha did not wish to deliberately send her promising disciple into such mortal danger.
After all, anyone living in the martial world would inevitably face crises.
There was no need to seek them out.
If only for the brief time he remained by her side, she wanted to spare him from such desperate battles.
“It is an opportunity to temper my swordsmanship. Chances like this are rare.”
“Jun.”
“A situation like this will come again. I cannot rely on Master's help forever.”
Namgung Jun looked toward the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult martial artists surrounding them.
“Please deal with the rabble. I will personally bring back that man's head.”
“Hm. Are you certain?”
Namgung Jun smiled faintly.
“Am I not your disciple?”
Seeing that smile, Lee Se-ha could only step back after having taken a step forward.
Instead, she turned around and guarded Namgung Jun's rear.
She intended to deal with the Demonic Cult members closing in from behind.
“If anything goes wrong, I'll interfere immediately. And when I do, don't complain. Impossible is impossible.”
“That won't be necessary.”
Having listened to the exchange between master and disciple, Sword Neighing Demon wore a slightly dumbfounded expression.
“Are you serious, Black Cloud Wandering Beauty? Or are you simply looking down on me?”
“Open your eyes properly. Watch my disciple's sword.”
Namgung Jun confidently extended his sword.
The Sun and Moon Demonic Cult members surrounded him on every side, yet they did not trouble him in the slightest.
His master was protecting his back.
‘This feels good. My body feels exceptionally light.’
Namgung Jun did not feel as though he stood upon the brink of death.
Rather, while pursuing a new turning point in the Martial Path of this life, this felt like the perfect opportunity to sharpen his swordsmanship.
“What did you say your title was?”
“...”
“Speak. Otherwise, how can I properly count you among my achievements?”
Namgung Jun slowly drew his sword.
Even the Eternal Tranquility Sword settled smoothly into his hand.
Today's sword would be a good one.