Chapter 189 : The Sword King of Wudang. -03
Chapter 189: The Sword King of Wudang. -03
Although he had captured the Iron Blood Demon Emperor, Ban Hojin was absolutely not satisfied with his current level.
As he had grown younger, so too had the remaining Four Tyrants of the World.
Of course, like the Iron Blood Demon Emperor, they might not yet have reached the level they possessed in their previous lives—but conversely, with younger bodies, they could in some ways be even more troublesome to deal with.
Therefore, the best course of action was to become stronger than he was now.
‘First, I should focus on this match.’
Tat!
Shaking off his stray thoughts, Ban Hojin kicked off the ground.
From the outset, he had no intention of searching for openings or weaknesses.
A swordsman of Wunsang’s caliber would not possibly have any.
And if there were any, they would be deliberately shown.
Srrrk!
Thus, without hesitation, Ban Hojin thrust his sword forward.
As the blade slipped in as if gliding, the air rippled in its wake.
Even without deliberately raising his aura, the energies naturally flowing from the two men’s bodies collided.
Feeling the tightly straining forces pushing and pulling against one another, Ban Hojin unfolded the Three Dharma Swords for the first time in a long while.
Taaang!
With a clear metallic ring, Wunsang’s sword twisted Ban Hojin’s strike aside.
With Wudang’s characteristic softness, he had altered only the trajectory with precise control.
At the same time, Wunsang’s sword began to draw continuous circles.
It was the Taiji Sword, the symbol and crystallization of the Mount Wudang Sect.
Wooooong.
Any martial artist knew of Taiji Fist and Taiji Sword.
Yet the Taiji Sword Wunsang displayed was different from the one known to the world.
In overall form, it appeared similar, but the profundity contained within defied comparison.
Within those slowly drawn circles lay the myriad phenomena of the universe.
‘But the Three Dharma Swords are no lesser in stature.’
What Wunsang wielded now was the Taiji Sword—yet not merely the Taiji Sword.
More precisely, it was both Taiji Sword and Taiji Wisdom Sword combined.
He was unfolding the essence of Mount Wudang in his own way.
But Ban Hojin did not falter.
Wungwungwungwung!
Though the Taiji Wisdom Sword aimed to claim the title of the greatest sword art under heaven, the same could be said of the Three Dharma Swords Ban Hojin had mastered.
It was simply less well-known; in truth, it was fully worthy of contending for supremacy.
And Ban Hojin intended to demonstrate that here and now.
Ssaeaaak!
The first form of the Three Dharma Swords—Drawing the Sword—unfolded and shot toward Wunsang.
It aimed for the faintest gap within Wunsang’s ever-circling blade.
Teo-eo-eong!
Wunsang blocked the exquisitely penetrating sword with the same slow movement as before.
Even though, purely in terms of speed, Ban Hojin was far faster.
That did not mean Wunsang only defended.
The moment he deflected Ban Hojin’s blade, his own sword traced a graceful arc through the air and aimed at Ban Hojin’s dantian.
Sseuk!
While defending, he had knocked Ban Hojin’s sword aside to create an opening before thrusting.
But Ban Hojin was no easy opponent.
Though it was a moment of perfect transition between offense and defense, he had anticipated it and did not panic.
Moreover, unlike Wunsang—who was encountering the Three Dharma Swords for the first time—Ban Hojin had seen the Taiji Wisdom Sword in his previous life.
‘Seeing it doesn’t mean I know everything about it.’
Wudang’s sword could be slow, yet become faster than any other blade.
And if one was the Sect Leader of Mount Wudang, it would not be an exaggeration to say their control over tempo had reached divine mastery.
Thus, Ban Hojin did not relax in the slightest and deflected Wunsang’s sword.
Srrrk!
But just as a circle never truly ends, Wunsang’s attack did not cease after being blocked once.
True to the Taiji Wisdom Sword’s perfect transitions between offense and defense, Wunsang continued pressing Ban Hojin.
At some point, as he found himself being driven onto the defensive, Ban Hojin thought, As expected.
“Hup!”
Yet he had no intention of passively enduring.
In terms of technique, he was confident as well.
Kkagagakang!
He repelled the slow yet precise sword force in the same manner.
Thrust met thrust, blade met blade, countering Wunsang’s strikes exactly in kind.
A smile curved at Wunsang’s lips.
He had sensed it during their first exchange, but once again he realized just how solid Ban Hojin’s fundamentals were.
Kkaang!
Having pushed aside Wunsang’s momentum in one stroke, Ban Hojin unleashed a hard sword technique.
Physically, he far surpassed Wunsang, and he intended to exploit that advantage.
Of course, Wunsang could compensate for lacking muscle strength with profound internal power—but even that had its limits.
And Ban Hojin had diligently cultivated his inner energy; it was no longer pitifully lacking.
Ttadadadang!
Heavy strikes filled with power rained down upon Wunsang’s entire body.
Now it was Ban Hojin who began to press forward.
Yet though shaken, Wunsang did not yield ground.
He skillfully diverted the storm-like assault.
Shuuuuk!
Not only that, he counterattacked intermittently.
Even as he redirected and deflected Ban Hojin’s relentless wave offensive, he thrust mercilessly whenever an opening appeared.
Moreover, as time passed, the balance slowly evened out.
With peak mastery of Softness Overcomes Hardness, he gradually disrupted Ban Hojin’s heavy blows and freed himself from the defensive.
‘Experience truly cannot be ignored.’
Ban Hojin recognized it as well.
It would have been stranger not to.
It was visible to the naked eye.
But instead of feeling impatience, he felt admiration.
Shiiik!
As a blade grazed past his cheek by the width of a sheet of paper, Ban Hojin grinned.
The cold blade was sharp enough, but even the sword wind generated as it passed was razor-like.
And he liked it.
Since returning to the past, this was the first opponent who did not lag behind him in technique.
Taaang! Taaang!
The sword Wunsang had refined over decades was at the level of a true master.
He was also adept at the battle of wits.
As though proving the depth of experience accumulated over many years, Wunsang saw through Ban Hojin’s psychology.
And Ban Hojin found it exhilarating.
‘It seems the Sect Leader feels the same.’
Wunsang was no different.
Even amid the frantic exchange of blows, Ban Hojin could see it.
Unlike before, a faint smile lingered on Wunsang’s face.
Ssaeaaak!
Though he smiled, Wunsang’s sword forms were merciless.
He detected even the tiniest gaps with uncanny precision and thrust into them.
Not only that, he excelled at Redirecting Force and Using Four Ounces to Move a Thousand Pounds.
As Ban Hojin pressed with strength, Wunsang cleverly turned that force against him.
Subtly, he made Ban Hojin expend stamina.
He even feigned being driven back.
‘But not a chance.’
Though his body was twenty-one, his mind was thirty-one.
And Ban Hojin was one who had weathered countless storms of life.
No matter how cleverly Wunsang laid traps, Ban Hojin did not fall for them.
Sssssk!
Instead, he changed his approach.
He no longer clung to established forms.
“Mm!”
Though his swordplay had contained many Changing Moves and False Moves, it still possessed a fundamentally structured framework.
When that framework vanished in an instant, Wunsang let out a low murmur.
But it was not panic.
He had an idea of what Ban Hojin was aiming for.
Ssaeaaaak!
As Ban Hojin’s momentum shifted, entirely different sword paths unfolded.
Irregular forms scattered through the air, targeting Wunsang.
Wunsang’s expression hardened slightly.
Kkagagakang! Kkaang!
Sharp sword strikes burrowed in toward vital acupoints across his body, forcing him to swallow dryly.
Like Ban Hojin, he too had reached the realm beyond fixed forms.
But there was one difference.
Unlike Ban Hojin in his prime, his physical peak had ended long ago.
Swiik! Sseugeuk!
Declining muscle strength and stamina could be supplemented with internal power—but not his senses.
Reflexes and judgment inevitably dulled.
Though he had maintained practical combat awareness through steady training and sparring, dulled senses were a grave disadvantage against a master like Ban Hojin.
Especially since Ban Hojin was at an age when his senses were at their sharpest.
“Mm!”
As if proving it, Wunsang’s blue martial robe began to tear under the relentless barrage of sword force.
The blade had not yet touched his body directly, but the sword wind from a swordsman like Ban Hojin was no different from Sword Energy.
It could easily split human flesh.
Wunsang focused even harder.
Yet his aged body did not respond as he wished.
Tremble.
His reaction speed slowed—not only physically, but mentally.
To make matters worse, his right arm began to tremble.
The accumulated shocks from their fierce exchange were finally taking their toll.
And yet, despite exchanging hundreds of moves, Ban Hojin’s body showed no change.
Being far younger, his physical limits were much higher.
Srrk.
The moment Wunsang confirmed this, he released his sword without hesitation.
He knew continuing like this would put him at a disadvantage.
Just as Ban Hojin had done earlier, he needed to change tactics.
Preferably in a way that favored him.
Ssaeaaaak!
Though Wunsang released his sword, it did not fall.
Instead, it shot toward Ban Hojin like a beam of light.
“Hup!”
He had not thrown it—merely let go—yet it flew like lightning.
Though momentarily startled, Ban Hojin reacted swiftly.
As expected of a body in its prime, he precisely deflected the incoming blade.
Whooong!
But the deflected sword twisted its trajectory midair.
It descended again toward Ban Hojin.
This was not Sword Control—it was Controlling the Sword with Qi.
At the same time, Ban Hojin grasped Wunsang’s intent.
‘He can no longer endure direct clashes.’
He had already sensed Wunsang’s reactions slowing.
Thus, Wunsang had only one choice.
Ssaeaaaak!
Watching the sword plunge downward with fierce momentum, Ban Hojin smiled faintly.
Even amid such terrifying force, he remained composed.
And he proved why.
Taaang!
With a streak of silver light, the sword aimed at his crown was knocked away instead.
And seizing the opening, a silver flash shot toward Wunsang.
Ban Hojin’s sword, having deflected Wunsang’s, now flew at him.
Shiiiiik!
Seeing Ban Hojin likewise employ Controlling the Sword with Qi, Wunsang hastily executed the Ladder-to-Clouds movement technique to its utmost.
He reacted instinctively, unable to track the blade with his naked eye.
At the same time, he reclaimed control of his deflected sword to block the pursuing blade.
Kkagagakang!
Soon, a fierce midair exchange erupted.
Unlike before, neither needed to move their bodies—only control their swords.
Thus, Wunsang stood still, manipulating his blade while studying Ban Hojin.
More precisely, his hands and eyes.
‘As I thought.’
From the fact that not even a finger twitched, Wunsang understood.
Ban Hojin had reached the same realm of Mind-Sword Unity.
‘In that case…’
Wunsang’s eyes gleamed.
If their realms were similar, what remained was internal power and experience.
Wielding a sword directly and controlling it with qi were entirely different.
Moreover, Ban Hojin had likely never fought using Controlling the Sword with Qi before.
Wunsang believed he held the advantage.
“Eh?”
But that thought vanished in an instant.
It was not only the increasing speed—but the bizarre trajectories drawn by Ban Hojin’s sword.
Deep bewilderment surfaced on Wunsang’s face.
Ttadadadang!