Chapter 24
Chapter 24
The Orthodox Sect and the Unorthodox Faction.
Two forces that could never truly mix had met. Under normal circumstances, it would not have been strange for blades to be drawn, yet in this place alone, a peculiar atmosphere flowed.
“How many years has it been since we last met?”
When Pungdeok spoke lightly, Cheonung drained his cup and replied,
“Three years… probably around that.”
Their conversation was calm. As if two close friends were talking, there was no friction in their exchange, and instead, enjoyment and familiarity seemed to coexist.
Seeing this strange situation, Youngho wore a puzzled expression. Noticing this, Pungdeok smiled warmly and said,
“Is it so fascinating to see an Orthodox Sect nobody talking with the Alliance Lord?”
“No, it isn’t.”
Those words were sincere. Youngho himself had once been close with members of the Orthodox Sect.
However, Pungdeok did not take the words at face value and chuckled as he said,
“You’re a hard one to read. I can’t tell what’s true and what’s false.”
“He’s always been like that.”
When Cheonung answered indifferently, Pungdeok looked at Youngho and said,
“Aren’t you curious why we’re talking so casually like this?”
“I am curious.”
“Shall I tell you?”
“That much is not necessary.”
At Youngho’s words, the people in the inn forgot even to breathe as they focused on the conversation between the two.
To speak like that to the sect leader of Hainan… that was not something a mere junior could do.
Yet Pungdeok, though momentarily surprised, neither raised his voice nor frowned. He merely kept a relaxed expression.
“Fifth Young Master, you remind me of myself when I was young.”
“Stop the nonsense. I’ve shown you my disciple, so now show me yours.”
“I’m not sure if he’ll catch your eye. To be honest, your disciple is far too strong.”
“I know this brat is a monster. That’s why my standards haven’t risen.”
“You certainly have a way with words. Tanyeong, come here.”
At those words, the man in blue martial robes who had been eating nearby stopped and went over to where Pungdeok was.
“You called for me, Sect Leader?”
“Yes. This child is my disciple.”
Cheonung looked at Tanyeong with an interested expression.
Strong. It was power far greater than one would expect from a mere junior disciple. He did not know how that power would be used, but at the very least, it did not seem like it would be used for evil.
“He’s decent. Hainan has chosen a future Sword King.”
At those words, Pungdeok lifted the corners of his mouth, seemingly pleased.
And Youngho did his utmost to control his expression so as not to look shocked at the scene before him.
Cheonung was right.
Tanyeong. Currently a third-generation disciple of the Hainan Sect, but in the future, a man who would be called the Sword King. Just as before the Regression, Youngho looked at Tanyeong, who had gentle features and round eyes.
Tanyeong, too, seemed to have taken an interest in Youngho and looked at him.
After briefly exchanging eye greetings, the two stood quietly so as not to interfere with the conversation between Cheonung and Pungdeok.
For a while, Cheonung and Pungdeok exchanged idle chatter, joking and talking.
At a glance, it looked like nothing more than friends drinking and chatting in an ordinary inn.
They continued spouting nonsense to the point that it was hard to believe they were the Alliance Lord of the Unorthodox Alliance and the sect leader of a Great Sect.
“This place has good fish dishes.”
“Well, it’s right next to the Yangtze River. How could the fish not be good?”
“That’s true enough.”
It was truly ordinary. Listening to their conversation, Youngho and Tanyeong realized that Pungdeok and Cheonung were genuine close friends.
The reason was nothing special. It was simply comfortable. This peace, like mountain spirits strolling together and conversing deep in the mountains, was something that could not be felt without true friendship.
Cheonung and Pungdeok continued talking about various things. After about a quarter-hour had passed, Cheonung looked at Tanyeong and said,
“Has your competitive spirit been stirred?”
Flinch!
Tanyeong’s body shook violently. But immediately regaining his composure, he spoke in a slightly trembling voice,
“Yes.”
No matter that it was the Hainan Sect, as a third-generation disciple, it was uncomfortable to face the Alliance Lord of the Unorthodox Alliance.
Even so, the competitive spirit in Tanyeong’s gaze toward Youngho was impossible to hide.
Watching Cheonung deliberately prod what Tanyeong had been trying to ignore, Youngho sent him a voice transmission.
-Why are you doing this all of a sudden?
-What’s the problem? Think of it as gaining real combat experience in advance.
Youngho gave a bitter smile.
The current Youngho was a perfect junior disciple. The only real combat experience he had was facing Hong Gakjeong—a mere fledgling.
To escape being a fledgling, one had to experience real combat. But Cheonung did not know. He did not know that Youngho had undergone Regression, nor that he was more accustomed to battle than anyone else.
Since the sect leader of the Hainan Sect had already sensed even a little of his strength, treating Tanyeong casually would be an insult to Hainan.
In that case, he had to face him sincerely, while creating a precarious back-and-forth.
“How about it? Shall we see which is stronger, my disciple or yours?”
At Cheonung’s words, Pungdeok nodded and replied,
“That certainly sounds good. Tanyeong, it will be a good experience for you.”
“Would that be acceptable?”
“Yes. It seemed that this fellow wanted to have his disciple fight anyway.”
Pungdeok casually referred to Cheonung as this fellow, yet no one present was surprised.
It was likely due to the closeness the two had shown earlier.
Youngho let out a deep sigh inwardly. Cheonung looked at him and grinned.
“Go on.”
“Understood.”
Those who realized that Youngho and Tanyeong were about to engage in a sparring match naturally cleared space for them.
Facing each other, the two spoke.
“Tanyeong of Hainan requests a spar.”
“Youngho of the Unorthodox Alliance accepts the spar.”
With those words, the two assumed their starting stances. After showing courtesy to one another with their swords before the match, they charged straight at each other like flashes of lightning.
The difference was—
‘What is this?!’
Tanyeong had clearly seen it. The moment the spar began, Youngho had merely taken a single step forward.
Tanyeong had kicked off the ground with all his strength, yet Youngho had arrived right in front of his nose with nothing more than one step.
In that instant, an overwhelming martial presence crushed down on Tanyeong.
Kuuuuung—!
Along with the sound of lightning crashing inside his head, the swords of Tanyeong and Youngho collided.
Clang!
Hot sparks scattered, and Tanyeong immediately pulled away to create distance.
Huff, huff.
It had been only a single exchange. Merely trading one attack each—yet Tanyeong felt as though all of his mental and physical strength had been drained.
‘What in the world just happened?’
He could not understand it. Why was he feeling pressure from a mere junior disciple that he had not even felt from an elder?
At that moment, Tanyeong’s eyes met Youngho’s.
Chill—!
Seeing Youngho’s eyes, completely devoid of emotion, sent shivers down Tanyeong’s spine.
He was afraid. Fear slowly began to seep into Tanyeong’s heart.
“I am Tanyeong of Hainan.”
That single murmured sentence.
With that, Tanyeong stood up again.
Seeing this, Youngho unconsciously lifted the corners of his mouth. It was not because it was amusing.
It was a smile of acknowledgment.
‘As expected… a Sword King is a Sword King even from childhood, is that it?’
He was strong. Tanyeong and he were the same age.
‘And yet he overcomes this already….’
Youngho did not reveal killing intent, nor did he emit murderous energy. Yet he released the martial presence of a human being itself.
That presence, imbued with the essence of a person, could only be understood by those capable of facing Youngho.
At this moment, Tanyeong had seen it—the abyss, dark beyond darkness, like a bottomless chasm within Youngho.
‘Showing a little more wouldn’t be bad.’
With that thought, Youngho’s body movement form accelerated even further.
He was certain Youngho had taken only one step, yet once again, Youngho had already arrived right before his nose.
Clang!
Even though it looked as if Youngho had crossed space itself, as though using Teleportation Step, Tanyeong maintained his composure even more firmly.
‘Don’t panic. This, too, is a type of martial art.’
Thinking that way, his mind seemed to calm somewhat.
A swordsman must always remain calm. Ripples in the heart caused the tip of the blade to waver, and that wavering was directly tied to one’s life.
In an instant, people vanished from Tanyeong’s sight. The sky disappeared. The ground was gone. Nothing remained except Youngho and his sword.
Within a pitch-black world, Tanyeong gazed at only one person.
Clang!
Even when Tanyeong’s swift sword thrust toward Youngho’s body without hesitation, Youngho deflected or avoided it with minimal movement, without the slightest hint of panic.
The difference in skill was overwhelming. Youngho could have cut down Tanyeong at any moment. But why did he not?
The moment that thought crossed Tanyeong’s mind, Youngho’s sword flew sharply, as if warning him not to entertain stray thoughts.
Shaaak!
Along with the sound of the blade slicing through the air, Tanyeong’s blue martial robes split slightly.
It did not cut into the soft skin hidden beneath, but that alone was enough to sharpen Tanyeong’s concentration.
Then, even Youngho’s very presence began to blur little by little. In the pitch-black world where even Youngho vanished, Tanyeong fought only the sword.
He did not know what it was. He did not know what this situation even was.
Yet Tanyeong’s instincts were telling him. That he must not stop swinging his sword here—that he had to swing it even more.
He wanted to know. This situation—though he was fighting a single blade moving within this pitch-black place, something itchy within his heart was commanding him to swing his sword.
‘If only I can understand this!’
After that, Tanyeong swung his sword without knowing how much time had passed. His sense of time had long since disappeared.
Then, enlightenment came to him.
Paaaak!
At the same time, the pitch-black space vanished. With a refreshed expression, Tanyeong looked ahead.
“Good work.”
Youngho sincerely congratulated Tanyeong, who wore a clear and satisfied expression.
“Thank you…?”
At that moment, Tanyeong’s body movement form wavered dangerously.
“Huh?”
As Tanyeong was about to collapse, Youngho supported his body.
“You entered the State of No-Self, so exhaustion is only natural. Let’s go rest.”
The State of No-Self? Tanyeong blankly looked around.
There was not a single person there who was not gazing at Tanyeong with eyes full of envy.
Feeling those gazes, Tanyeong asked in a puzzled voice,
“Why…?”
Youngho went out of his way to answer the muttered question.
“To experience the State of No-Self even once in a lifetime is an extraordinary thing. That’s why, Young Hero, you are more than worthy of others’ envy right now.”
Tanyeong knew that what he had experienced was the State of No-Self. However, that was not the only thing he was asking about.
“No, how did I enter the State of No-Self…?”
It might have been a hasty judgment. But Tanyeong realized that the existence before him had driven him into the State of No-Self.
Knowing what Tanyeong was about to say, Youngho could only smile gently and reply,
“You were fortunate, Young Hero.”
That couldn’t possibly be true.
He had many things he wanted to say, but having swung his sword for several shijin while immersed in the State of No-Self, Tanyeong finally collapsed from exhaustion.