Chapter 8
"Draw your sword."
On the hillside shrouded in darkness, Baek Cheon-gwang gave his order.
He appeared to be a child, but his voice and the aura of authority he radiated were decidedly not that of a child.
Srrrng―
Jaseong unsheathed his sword wordlessly.
As the sword gleamed in the moonlight, Baek Cheon-gwang spoke again.
"Before we begin the transmission, let's introduce ourselves first. I am Baek Cheon-gwang, the last direct descendant of the Baek Clan."
... Baek Clan?
It was a name that was impossible not to know.
Decades ago, they had made their mark in Guizhou Province, only to be annihilated by the Heavenly Demon in the Great Heavenly Demon War.
"As you likely know already, what I will teach you is the foundational sword art of the Heaven Evading Way. Only after mastering this can you proceed to the next stage. Of course, even though it's foundational, the fact that it contains the enlightenment of the Sword Immortal means it is truly extraordinary."
Listening to Baek Cheon-gwang's words, anticipation flickered in Jaseong's eyes.
'I wonder what kind of sword art it could be...'
But in the next moment, the name of the martial art that emerged from Baek Cheon-gwang's lips thoroughly deflated his expectations.
"The martial art I will pass on to you is, the Three Talents Sword Technique."
"... Three Talents Sword Technique?"
"Why so surprised?"
"Isn't that just some 3rd-rate martial art from the town?"
Jaseong asked with an incredulous look.
He'd gotten his hopes up at 'the sword art containing the enlightenment of the Sword Immortal'—only to discover it was a technique you could learn at any neighborhood martial arts hall, so disappointment was inevitable.
But Baek Cheon-gwang looked sternly at him, scolding him.
"How foolish. The ignorant martial artists of the mundane world dismiss the Three Talents Sword Technique as a common 3rd-rate art, but that is only because they have failed to grasp the fundamentals of the sword."
The fundamentals of the sword...?
"The three forms of the Three Talents Sword Technique may appear extremely simple on the surface, but they are, in fact, the very essence of the sword and the origin of all its transformations.
The Sword Immortal developed these principles even further, ultimately devising the pinnacle technique, the Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique."
"... The Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique?"
"A supreme sword art that contains all the principles of swordsmanship within just three forms. With only that, I was able to stand against the Ten Masters of the world."
... To stand against the Ten Masters of the world with only three forms.
It was an astonishing statement, but even so, Jaseong remained indifferent inside.
No matter how refined the Three Talents Sword Technique was, he thought, how great could it really be?
"Is there perhaps another sword art?"
"What?"
"I'd like to learn a stronger one."
"Ha, how arrogant. Someone who hasn't even learned to crawl wanting to walk on clouds."
A wry smile appeared on Baek Cheon-gwang's lips.
He found himself half amused, half dumbfounded.
'... It took me, the Baek Clan's greatest prodigy, ten years to comprehend the profundity of the Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique.
But this Red Light District brat outright disdains it... Seems I'll have to put him through hell to teach him a lesson.'
Baek Cheon-gwang resolved that if Jaseong couldn't do it right, he would put him through a living hell.
Without further ado, he began passing on the Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique.
"The Three Talents Sword Technique is composed of a horizontal slash, a vertical slash, and a thrust. The Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique follows the same forms, but within them lies the truth of the sword that cannot be contained in the ordinary version."
Baek Cheon-gwang
srrrng!
drew his sword from his waist.
It was a longsword too big for a child of his size, but in his hands, it seemed an extension of himself.
"Like Mount Tai pressing down from the heavens, a form striking from sky to earth. Heaven Evading—Heaven Pressing Mount Tai."
Kugugung!!!
"A horizontal sweep that cuts down all armies in one motion. Heaven Evading Sweeping All Armies."
Kwaaang!!!
"A thrust in eight directions, as if wind and rain rage from all sides. Heaven Evading—Eight Winds!"
Kwa-kwa-kwang!!!
Without the slightest preparatory motion, Baek Cheon-gwang unleashed his forms from a standing position.
While they outwardly resembled the usual Three Talents Sword Technique, the essence was completely different.
With every swing, the air burst—puh-puh-pung!—as if torn,
and the power was great enough to whip up gusts of wind.
Even Jaseong, who at first felt indifferent, had a new look in his eyes.
'... This isn't the Three Talents Sword Technique I knew...
It's not even on the same level as the 3rd-rate swordsmen's version I saw during my junior guard days...
How can such simple forms unleash that kind of power...?'
The secret of the Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique, created by Sword Immortal Lü Dongbin.
It lay in an 'extreme simplicity' that stripped away all complexities.
Erase all that's superfluous,
erase even breath,
erase even yourself,
and focus solely on getting the sword to its destination in the shortest possible path.
Utterly restrained, minimalistic movements, and the channels along which true ki is directed.
This was the secret of the Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique: One(單).
"Remember. Sometimes the simplest method is the strongest."
Baek Cheon-gwang said as he sheathed his sword.
Jaseong carved those words into his heart.
For at this moment, he realized that Baek Cheon-gwang's claim of having faced the Ten Masters of the world with this one sword technique was no empty boast.
And, noting the sudden determination on Jaseong's face, Baek Cheon-gwang allowed himself a faint smile.
'... At least he doesn't lack all discernment. Well, that's probably why he's the current executor of Heaven's Mandate... Now then, shall I push this kid until he's half dead?'
* * *
After demonstrating a few more times, Baek Cheon-gwang handed the sword to Jaseong.
"Now, you give it a try."
On Baek Cheon-gwang's instruction, Jaseong raised the sword.
At the same time, a look of keen interest crept into Baek Cheon-gwang's smile.
'First priority is to break down this boy's arrogance. In martial cultivation, arrogance is a fatal poison... If he can't keep up, I'll show him the hard way. When he mellows, that's when I'll teach him in more detail....'
Then, at some point as he was muttering to himself,
"?!"
Suddenly Jaseong's ki flow changed.
Saaa―
The world slowed and the Samadhi State opened.
Within that, Jaseong recalled the Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique forms Baek Cheon-gwang had just demonstrated.
At that moment—
Whiaa!
White energy traced paths in the air.
They were the sword trajectories and true ki flows of the Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique that Baek Cheon-gwang had demonstrated.
Jaseong slowly raised his sword, following the paths traced in the air.
Heaven Evading—Heaven Pressing Mount Tai.
Whoooong!
Heaven Evading Sweeping All Armies.
Huaaang!
Heaven Evading—Eight Winds!
Papapapap!
Each time Jaseong swung, the sound of air tearing rang out across the clearing.
Though clearly weaker than Baek Cheon-gwang's demonstrations, the power was leagues above the ordinary Three Talents Sword Technique.
'What the...?'
Baek Cheon-gwang involuntarily furrowed his brow.
It was an absurd sight.
The Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique was so simple that it seemed easy to copy at a glance.
But in reality, it was anything but.
There was restraint in movement, restraint in the flow of true ki...
Everything had to be meticulously controlled for the subtlety of one(單) to manifest.
The profundity of this one(單) was so mysterious that it took even Baek Cheon-gwang, lauded as the Baek Clan's greatest talent, several years to comprehend.
Yet here, the enigmatic mystery of the Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique was being manifested by Jaseong in a single try.
"Hoo... How was it?"
At last, Jaseong, sheathing his sword, looked to Baek Cheon-gwang and asked.
His face as expressionless as ever.
Baek Cheon-gwang felt chills run down his back at the sight, but concealed his reaction.
"... Still lacking. Practice more."
Jaseong looked a little disappointed, but nodded without complaint.
'I'll have to train like a madman.'
Jaseong muttered inwardly, still unaware of the extent of his own prodigious talent.
It was then that Baek Cheon-gwang threw out an unexpected question.
"I have a question."
"?"
"What kind of people were your parents?"
"Sorry?"
"Be honest. What were your parents' nicknames?"
As Baek Cheon-gwang asked, he was certain Jaseong must be the illegitimate child of one of the Five Great Clans or a peerless master.
Otherwise, there was simply no explanation for such talent.
But then, Jaseong's answer utterly shattered his expectations.
"I don't know why you're asking, but... my parents didn't have nicknames. They weren't martial artists, just poor slash-and-burn farmers."
"What...?"
"And they died, cut down by a few bandits' swords."
At Jaseong's reply, Baek Cheon-gwang's eyes trembled.
He himself had only been able to become an executor of Heaven's Mandate by virtue of the Baek Clan's illustrious lineage, but this boy didn't even have that.
A boy from the Red Light District, who aroused nothing but confusion and awe from the very moment they met.
Baek Cheon-gwang felt an ineffable reverence toward Jaseong.
* * *
After that, for several days and nights, Jaseong trained the Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique obsessively.
'... I have to master as much of the one(單) mystery as possible before Baek Cheon-gwang leaves.'
Learning swordsmanship for the first time in his life, Jaseong was like someone possessed.
He was so focused that he forgot to eat and sleep.
Then, suddenly, he became aware.
"... Martial arts is... fun."
Sword lines drawn cleanly through the air without the slightest tremor.
For a Red Light District boy who'd never had a chance to learn anything in his life, too busy just trying to survive, those sword traces were infinitely beautiful.
Watching Jaseong train, Baek Cheon-gwang couldn't help but be impressed inwardly.
'I refrained from praising him, worried he'd grow conceited... But that seems unnecessary. He's not only gifted, but also has an exceptional spirit...'
Thus, several days and nights passed.
Then, as the air split again, a halo of light poured out in front of Jaseong's eyes.
"It's time for me to return, executor of Heaven's Mandate of the future."
Baek Cheon-gwang said.
Jaseong performed a cupped fist salute in farewell.
"Thank you for everything."
"You worked hard as well. If you continue to train as I taught, it won't be long before you master the Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique."
"I have one question."
"?"
"If I complete the next Heaven's Mandate and lift another seal of the Heaven Evading Way, will you come to teach me again?"
Baek Cheon-gwang gave a bitter smile.
"That I cannot say. If I'm lucky, perhaps I'll be able to descend to this world again."
"......."
"In any case, until we meet again, don't die. Unlike myself, I hope you will complete your Heaven's Mandate to the very end."
With those words, Baek Cheon-gwang's form slowly began to fade.
Then, enveloped in a halo of light, he completely disappeared.
"......."
For a moment, Jaseong gazed at where Baek Cheon-gwang had stood, then gave a cupped fist salute.
It had been a brief span of days and nights, but he'd gained immense insights from him.
Afterwards, Jaseong washed his face and headed down the hillside.
Having not slept a wink while mastering the Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique, exhaustion hit him like a wave.
"After a good sleep, I'll return to training..."
Though his body felt leaden, Jaseong's heart was lighter than ever.
In just half a year, he'd gone from having only a dantian to learning swordsmanship.
If he kept refining the Heaven Evading Three Talents Sword Technique, one day he'd become a master who could shake both the Righteous Faction and the Demonic Cult.
But as Jaseong was almost down the hillside, a silhouette suddenly blocked his path.
"Jaseong!"
A dazzlingly beautiful girl stood in the sunlight.
Her skin was clearer than moonlight, and her long hair fluttered in the wind.
Her slightly upturned, cat-like eyes were captivating.
Her youthful face, flushed red in the cheeks, looked lively.
The girl who had suddenly appeared was none other than Hyang-I, courtesan of Moon Castle Pavilion.
"Haah... haah... Jaseong. What are you doing up here?"
Out of breath from climbing the hill, Hyang-I asked.
"I had a realization, so I was training."
"You should at least have told me! I searched the whole district for you."
"Why? Did something happen?"
"Let's just go for now. There are people waiting for you."
"People waiting for me?"