WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Order
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◈ The Heaven-Slaying Sword ◈
Chapter 30: Chapter Five - Dragon-Phoenix Assembly (3)
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A bright moon hung high in the night sky.
In an empty lot in a secluded city alley, Mok Ri-won drew his sword.
Then he lifted his head.
‘The moon is bright.’
Perched upon a pale cloud as though it were a cushion, the moon looked down at him.
Beside it, Mount Huang soared high into the sky, standing firm like a general guarding an emperor.
Mok Ri-won smiled and settled into his stance.
Wouldn't it be a sin to skip training beneath such a magnificent view?
Whoosh.
The wind stirred as he closed his eyes.
Cold night air settled over his skin.
It seeped into his lungs as well.
Mok Ri-won spread that crisp, refreshing air through his entire body, layering it over the ferocious inner power that knew only how to rage.
Ink-dark sword qi rose from him, and soon his sword began to move.
It was a routine he had never missed since the day he first learned the sword.
He was beginning his sword dance beneath the moonlight.
Swish.
The movement that cut through the air was incredibly slow.
It was so slow that it nearly seemed motionless.
Others might question whether this could even be called a sword dance, but this was Mok Ri-won's training method.
He endlessly slowed the sword dance he had once seen Mok Seon-o perform, focusing on every moment of movement to uncover the foundations of each form.
Then he took those dismantled forms and rebuilt them to suit his own body.
In doing so, he would fully master the martial art known as Seven Meteor Swords.
After completing the process with every ounce of his concentration, Mok Ri-won steadied his breathing and thought of a man.
‘Namgung Un.’
Namgung Un, the Azure-Forming Sword.
The transcendent peak master of the Namgung Noble Clan whom he had met that afternoon.
He imagined sparring with him.
A clear image of that middle-aged man formed in his mind.
A man whose mere presence made it feel as though his entire body were being crushed beneath a tremendous weight.
The man drew his sword and raised his sword qi.
‘The Namgung Clan’s sword.’
He needed to give the imagined man the Namgung Clan’s martial arts, but Mok Ri-won did not know their swordsmanship.
So he substituted it with Three Powers Swordsmanship.
Three sword forms, the foundation of every horizontal slash, vertical slash, and thrust.
That was enough.
Swish.
Mok Ri-won drew his sword toward the imagined man.
Namgung Un performed a vertical slash called Mount Tai Pressing the Crown.
Thud.
The tip of Mok Ri-won's sword, locked against Namgung Un's blade, struck the ground.
Namgung Un's inner power had crushed it down.
Some might ask how he could judge the sword of an opponent he had never faced in battle.
That did not apply to Mok Ri-won.
Simply by recalling the inner power he had felt directly from Namgung Un, he could tell how much weight that vertical slash would carry.
‘Far.’
The gap was far too great.
Such a towering wall stood between Namgung Un and himself.
A single vertical slash had already crushed him. If Namgung Un truly displayed the Namgung Clan’s swordsmanship, Mok Ri-won would struggle even to breathe.
Mok Ri-won opened his eyes.
The difference between them was truly despairing, yet a smile still rested on his lips.
‘So this is transcendent peak.’
Longing filled Mok Ri-won's eyes.
He had acknowledged everything that needed to be acknowledged. Now, he only had to look toward the path that would take him there.
‘It isn't a wall I can't cross.’
The wall of transcendent peak was high.
But that did not mean it was impossible to overcome.
Why would it be?
He thought of Mok Seon-o and Ma Il-seok, with whom he had shared his childhood.
Whenever he recalled the unfathomable inner power they had shown on several occasions, even Namgung Un's immense power seemed like a realm he could reach.
‘Transcendent peak corresponds to the fifth star of Star-Linking.’
He was currently at the mature third-star stage.
The fifth star was a realm he could reach after mastering every martial art at the peak stage and awakening to the true meaning within them.
‘Of course, I'll need internal energy as well...’
He had no concerns on that front.
Mok Ri-won's martial talent, along with the effectiveness of the Star-Linking Divine Technique, was so extraordinary that Mok Seon-o and Ma Il-seok had made suppressing his inner power one of their greatest priorities throughout his upbringing.
‘Master, the Martial World truly is vast.’
With a happy heart, Mok Ri-won raised his sword again.
As he prepared to resume his sword dance, a strange anticipation filled him.
What was he anticipating?
It was clear.
‘The banquet is the day after tomorrow.’
The young talents of prestigious sects and clans, known as the Dragons and Phoenixes of this generation.
He looked forward to using them as stepping stones to advance to a higher realm.
Fist Dragon Il-un, whom he had met that afternoon, was a martial artist with inner power equal to his own.
He had heard that most people who held a Dragon or Phoenix title possessed strength around that level.
That was not all.
“Namgung Jin-cheon. I still say Brother Namgung is the only possible winner.”
Jegal San had spoken as if stating an indisputable fact.
Namgung Jin-cheon was the most outstanding young talent of this generation.
An uncrossable wall stood between him and all the other young talents.
‘Brother Jegal, you never know.’
With a smile, Mok Ri-won rejected his words and began his sword dance.
‘I haven't stepped onto the arena yet.’
Competitive spirit.
And the desire to improve.
Now that he had finally seen the Martial World for what it was, Mok Ri-won continued his sword dance with the passion of a true martial artist.
* * *
Two days passed quickly.
Mok Ri-won entered the estate where the banquet was being held, his eyes sparkling.
Naturally, he was wearing the same gray martial attire as always.
“Will you really be all right dressed like that?”
“Of course! What attire could suit a martial artist's banquet better than martial clothes?”
You're probably the only one who thinks so.
Dang Hwa-seo swallowed those words and smiled awkwardly.
Even so, another thought crossed her mind.
‘...If he were dressed up as well, he would only draw even more attention.’
Mok Ri-won was handsome.
Far too handsome.
He shone even while wearing such shabby martial attire. If he were dressed up as well, every eye at the banquet would surely turn toward him.
Dang Hwa-seo recalled the black robe he had worn as a disguise while they escaped the previous city, and her body shuddered.
‘Right. I can't even imagine how I would handle the aftermath if I put him in that.’
There would definitely be people drooling after him.
The thought made her head ache, and irritation surged through her.
There was not even the slightest reason for her to be so annoyed that he drew attention, but Dang Hwa-seo did not think deeply about it.
Or perhaps she was deliberately avoiding such thoughts.
Unconsciously, she was turning away from the petty true feelings she would find at the end of that line of thought.
“Some people are here already. Brother Mok, do you see that person over there?”
“Hmm? The one in Daoist robes?”
“Yes, that young Daoist. He is Wudang's leading representative of this generation.”
Mok Ri-won looked at the man in white Daoist robes as he sipped his tea.
Just as Jegal San had said, a tranquil aura like a still lake emanated from him.
“Immortal Dragon Hyeon-gong. In practical terms, he is the second-best swordsman of this generation after Brother Namgung.”
“Oh, his title includes the character for immortal. Then...”
“Ah, that is because the Daoist's temperament is so free and unworldly. They gave him that title because he looks just like an immortal.”
“Ah, I understand.”
True enough, Hyeon-gong did not lose his calm despite the bustle around him, as though he alone inhabited a different world.
Mok Ri-won found it fascinating and watched him for quite some time. Then Hyeon-gong lifted his head, and their eyes met.
“Ah.”
Hyeon-gong looked at Mok Ri-won for a moment.
Then he smiled faintly and looked away again.
Mok Ri-won continued staring blankly until Jegal San's snickering brought him back to his senses.
“See? Doesn't he look as though he's saying, ‘I have no interest in the mundane world~’?”
“Haha...”
Mok Ri-won felt embarrassed.
“Would it be all right if I went over and spoke to him first?”
“I wouldn't recommend it. I've tried several times to speak with Immortal Dragon, but he never properly listened. It felt as though I was talking to a wall.”
“Hmm... What a shame. His Qi Waves feel unusual, so I wanted to discuss martial arts with him.”
“You can do that in the arena. Now, forget that and look over there.”
Jegal San pointed in another direction.
Just as Mok Ri-won was about to turn his gaze that way, Dang Hwa-seo clicked her tongue.
“Hmm? Miss Dang, what is it?”
“Nothing. I saw someone I dislike.”
Jegal San snickered and said to Mok Ri-won, “Ah, Sister Dang won't be pleased. Brother Mok, that pale woman over there is White Phoenix Hye-un of the Emei Sect. She and Sister Dang bicker whenever they meet at gatherings.”
“Bicker? Hardly.”
“Sister Dang says that, but she cares greatly. They're both from Sichuan, and they're young talents of similar age. People in the Martial World always put the two together and debate which one is superior...”
“Do I need to rip your mouth open before you quiet down?”
“...”
Jegal San tightly shut his mouth.
Mok Ri-won shrank back at Dang Hwa-seo's cold expression.
‘Hmm, I should not talk about Miss White Phoenix.’
Mok Ri-won learned another lesson and glanced at Hye-un one last time.
There, he found...
‘Hmm?’
Hye-un, staring straight at him with a blank look on her face.
“Young Hero Mok.”
Dang Hwa-seo's voice rang out at that moment.
Mok Ri-won hurriedly looked away and turned toward her.
Dang Hwa-seo was glaring at Hye-un and her group with bloodshot eyes.
“Don't let your eyes wander. Strange women will flock to you again.”
“Strange women is a bit...”
“You may not know this, Young Hero, but those Emei nuns are sex-crazed despite being nuns. Some of them even carry on with one another. They aren't worth associating with, so don't even look their way.”
Gulp.
Mok Ri-won swallowed dryly.
‘W-women together...’
Inappropriate thoughts rose to mind, and even his fair cheeks turned red. Dang Hwa-seo saw the sight, let out a hollow laugh, and glared at him with contempt.
“You look thrilled.”
“N-no! I wasn't thinking anything!”
Mok Ri-won squeezed his eyes shut.
For some reason, Dang Hwa-seo's irritation continued to rise. She glared at Mok Ri-won with anger written all over her face, then clicked her tongue and looked away.
“Anyway, if that Lust Phoenix approaches you, come straight to me.”
“Lust Phoenix is a little harsh...”
“She is Lust Phoenix. Every year when she comes here, she picks a man and devours him.”
“Hmm... There are whispers like that.”
When even Jegal San said so, Mok Ri-won could not hide his dismay.
‘Th-the Emei Sect I know was not like this...’
Mok Seon-o had certainly told him otherwise.
He had said that Emei's nuns were true heroines, deep in Buddhist faith and pure in inner power.
He had even said that when he crossed swords with them, their profound martial arts sometimes left him in awe.
‘Master lied to me...’
Mok Ri-won's face fell.
...Strictly speaking, Mok Seon-o had not lied.
Back then, the Martial World had been tense as it faced the Blood Heaven Cult. The nuns who had stepped forward to fight true evildoers were indeed heroines.
The young talents of Emei behaved this way now because they had changed to suit the temperament of White Phoenix Hye-un, who led them.
Of course, Mok Ri-won knew none of that. He could only tremble with betrayal.
“This is so disappointing...”
“Don't be too disappointed. Well, there might be exceptional heroines other than that Lust Phoenix.”
Dang Hwa-seo watched Mok Ri-won pout with a satisfied expression.
As their idle conversation continued, Mok Ri-won suddenly noticed something strange.
“...Ah, now that I think about it, quite a few people have gathered, yet no one is coming over to us.”
There were plenty of people now.
Martial artists from many prestigious clans and sects had begun talking among themselves.
Yet no one came over here.
At Mok Ri-won's innocent observation, the man and woman fell silent.
“...”
“...”
“Miss Dang? Brother Jegal?”
Mok Ri-won asked again with a pure expression, but neither could answer.
It was only natural.
Dang Hwa-seo had always been prickly until now.
She had no one with whom she could say she had built friendships.
Jegal San's frivolous reputation had spread throughout the Martial World.
No one wanted to approach him first.
Put simply, they were the lonely group at this banquet.
An innocent question could sometimes carve deep into the heart.
Dang Hwa-seo and Jegal San struggled for a while over how to explain their situation. The uncomfortable silence seemed as though it would last forever.
Then, as if the heavens had helped them, a lifeline appeared before them.
“Ah, Monk Il-un!”
Mok Ri-won called out to Fist Dragon Il-un as he entered the banquet.
Il-un spotted Mok Ri-won and the other two at the sound of his voice, then brightened and joined his palms.
He quickly walked toward them.
Dang Hwa-seo and Jegal San even felt grateful at his approach, but that feeling would have vanished instantly if they knew Il-un's true intention.
‘I must keep Young Master Jegal's mouth shut.’
Il-un had entered the banquet with only one purpose.
To stop Jegal San from revealing what had happened two days ago.
“Benefactors! It has been two days since we last met.”
Il-un smiled warmly.
Footnotes:
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