Chapter 33 …
Once Again, to Sinchang Uig-a
“It seems that aside from anything else, Sword Spirit Gongja is quite brilliant. He’s sharp enough to rival the people of the Zhuge Family.”
The Sword Spirit party had descended from Jeonghosan and, on their way back to Guangzhou, arrived late at a place called Guangnyeong and were resting for a day at an inn.
“I think so too. And I sometimes wonder if he really hasn’t learned martial arts.”
Cold Yeo-seol had been telling Jeok Hwa-myeong about the things she had sensed from Sword Spirit, and Jeok Hwa-myeong likewise shared the impressions he had received from him.
“With the Oh Sal case as well…”
“Indeed. But there’s no trace of him having learned martial arts anywhere…”
“I find that strange too. He claims with his own mouth to be the greatest master under heaven, but could he really be a master to the extent that even the Supreme Gate Lord wouldn’t be able to tell?”
This was the terrifying thing about people’s fixed mindsets.
They find it hard to believe what they haven’t experienced firsthand.
In the martial world, where yesterday’s comrade can become tomorrow’s enemy, and where those who smile while swinging a sword at your back are as numerous as grains of sand on a riverbank, martial artists are even more reluctant to trust others easily.
Cold Yeo-seol was one of the top hundred masters of the martial world, a powerful martial artist who had already established her own school with her martial prowess.
If even she couldn’t gauge an opponent’s depth, that opponent would have to be at least two levels higher than her. Yet, neither Jeok Hwa-myeong nor Cold Yeo-seol thought Sword Spirit had reached such a realm.
“But still…”
Even so, there were a few lingering doubts.
“They say geniuses have their eccentricities. I wonder if Sword Spirit Sohje is like that.”
Cold Yeo-seol nodded.
Geniuses are different from ordinary people.
People call someone a genius if they’re just a little smart or a little talented, but in reality, they are not geniuses, but merely ‘gijae’—individuals slightly more gifted than others.
True geniuses were far more exceptional than ordinary people could imagine.
Jeok Hwa-myeong thought that Sword Spirit might be one of those people.
“Anyway, his help was significant in dealing with those demonic followers this time. Perhaps, just as Sword Spirit Gongja said, those who practice demonic arts might indeed have fatal weaknesses.”
Having learned that the fatal weakness of those who practiced the Amplification Demon Art was the Geogwol-hyeol pressure point, they couldn’t say for sure that practitioners of other demonic arts had no weaknesses, which is why Cold Yeo-seol thought that way.
“It would be good to send people to Jeonghosan first thing tomorrow morning at dawn.”
Securing the bodies was the top priority.
After securing the traces of those who practiced demonic arts and those affected by them, they would need to prepare countermeasures.
“We’ve informed the Gaebang members, so people should arrive soon.”
On their way to the inn, they had met members of the Gaebang, revealed their identities, and told the branch leader to come to their location.
“If those who practice demonic arts have fatal weaknesses, wouldn’t that be less of a concern?”
“That’s not it.”
At the voice from behind, the two turned their heads.
Sword Spirit was coming out of his room and walking towards them. Next to him, Jin A-seol was following, holding his hand.
Though her eyes were full of sleepiness, one could sense fear on Jin A-seol’s face.
“It’s late, why aren’t you sleeping?”
Cold Yeo-seol asked Jin A-seol kindly.
“I want to sleep with Master.”
Jin A-seol went to Cold Yeo-seol’s side. She was still a young child. Having seen corpses and demonic followers, she must have been very frightened, and Cold Yeo-seol realized she had been somewhat neglectful of A-seol.
Cold Yeo-seol picked up Jin A-seol and sat her on her lap.
“Alright, let’s sleep together a little later. For now, we have to wait for someone, you see.”
“Yes!”
“But why do you think that way?” she asked Sword Spirit.
“Don’t you see? The people currently practicing demonic arts and throwing the world into chaos are not the demonic followers who stained the martial world with blood thirty years ago, but martial artists of the orthodox, unorthodox, and neutral paths, or ordinary people.”
“Hmm…”
“If it becomes known that demonic arts are incomplete martial arts with fatal weaknesses, unless they are complete blockheads, wouldn’t they seek some method to counter it?”
Sword Spirit’s words weren’t entirely wrong.
“But if we know about it, even if they prepare defenses, wouldn’t it be easier to deal with them?”
“That could be true. But before that, wouldn’t they first try to eliminate the weakness? If that happens, they might even create new demonic arts.”
“New demonic arts? That’s preposterous. Do you know how easy it is to create a martial art?” said Jeok Hwa-myeong in a dismissive tone.
Creating a new martial art was truly difficult. Unless one was at the level of a founder, creating a martial art was nearly impossible.
“Didn’t I tell you? Demonic arts are incomplete martial arts. Creating a perfect martial art is an immensely difficult task, but creating an incomplete martial art isn’t that hard. The difference lies only in the level of power.”
Cold Yeo-seol nodded as if acknowledging Sword Spirit’s words.
Although she was one of the top hundred masters of the martial world, creating a martial art was impossible for her.
Supplementing existing martial arts was no problem, but creating a new martial art was beyond her ability. However, creating an unverified martial art was something even she could do.
“You said demonic arts are created when a ‘death heart’ enters an incomplete martial art.”
“Hmm…”
“So, are you saying we shouldn’t reveal that there are fatal weaknesses?”
“That’s not it. I mean only a few key figures need to know. And since we don’t know what kind of demonic art practitioners we’ll encounter, there’s no need to struggle to find their weakness. Just cut off their heads; that’s all. Only a few people who can actually fight and win against the demonic followers need to know. If they discover the weaknesses while fighting them, that would be even better.”
Thinking that even if he boasted a lot, he was certainly clever, the two nodded.
Just then, men dressed in rags approached.
“We heard you were looking for us, Seonja-nim!”
They were members of the Gaebang.
The one who spoke first seemed to be the Gaebang branch leader of this area.
“We have news that must be delivered urgently.”
“Urgent news?”
“Do you know Jeonghosan?”
“Yes.”
“Then you must also know there are a few hunter and slash-and-burn villages on Jeonghosan.”
“Yes. I believe there are ten villages in total, with about three hundred and fifty people living there.”
At the mention of three hundred and fifty people, Cold Yeo-seol and Jeok Hwa-myeong frowned.
“That’s a great number to have fallen victim,” said Jeok Hwa-myeong.
The two thought all of them must have fallen to that guy, Gwiyoung Oh-sal.
“Pardon? What do you mean?”
“Demonic followers appeared on Jeonghosan and likely killed them all. If you go to the hunter village on the mountainside, you’ll find the corpses of the demonic followers and the dead.”
The Gaebang members’ eyes widened in surprise upon hearing Cold Yeo-seol’s words.
“Is that true?”
“Yes. We encountered the demonic followers on Jeonghosan and repelled them. You must go to Jeonghosan immediately, secure the corpses, and inform the Gaebang leader. Tell him to investigate the situation of those living in remote places, including mountains and valleys across the Central Plains.”
There was no guarantee such things only happened on Jeonghosan.
“Understood. We will inform them immediately.”
“No matter what, you must secure the persons of those who practice demonic arts.”
They needed to secure them to confront the mastermind behind this problem.
“Understood.”
“Go quickly. We will leave early tomorrow morning for Sinchang Uig-a in Guangzhou, so let them know.”
“Yes!”
The Gaebang members hurriedly left the inn.
Now that the Gaebang was moving, rumors were sure to spread throughout the Central Plains soon.
“The quiet martial world is about to be stirred by wind and waves,” said Jeok Hwa-myeong, sounding somewhat worried. When the martial world was in turmoil, many people had to shed blood.
“If it’s a pain we must endure anyway, it might be better to endure it quickly. At least now we can prepare.”
“Your words seem right. At least now we can prepare. You must be tired from today, so go in and rest. We have another busy day tomorrow, traveling to Guangzhou.”
Sword Spirit’s party left the inn in a hurry, even before the break of dawn.
Jin A-seol was still not fully awake, but they had no choice to make haste.
“A-seol! Get on your brother’s back.”
Sword Spirit turned his back to Jin A-seol, and she nodded and got on his back.
“Let’s go.”
“Are you alright? We have to travel a long distance quickly?”
“Please don’t worry about me. A-seol, sleep a little more on my back. You went to bed late last night.”
As if planning to catch up on her lost sleep on Sword Spirit’s back, Jin A-seol closed her eyes.
The three who left the inn moved swiftly.
Cold Yeo-seol was concerned about Sword Spirit, who was carrying Jin A-seol, but he was keeping up well.
—Let’s increase our speed a little.
Cold Yeo-seol sent a sound transmission to Jeok Hwa-myeong.
—Our speed, you say?
Jeok Hwa-myeong asked while watching Sword Spirit’s reaction.
—Yes. Let’s test whether Sword Spirit Gongja has truly learned martial arts or not.
—Understood.
Sword Spirit smiled.
The two would never imagine that Sword Spirit could hear their sound transmission.
The two increased their speed slightly. But Sword Spirit walked with the same pace, regardless of their increased speed.
Yet, despite some time passing, he maintained the exact same distance behind them.
—Strange. Let’s increase it a bit more.
Cold Yeo-seol observed Sword Spirit’s expression as she sent the transmission, and Jeok Hwa-myeong increased the speed a little more. Still, Sword Spirit’s footsteps remained the same.
The two didn’t know that Sword Spirit was moving using Shrinking the Earth steps.
Although he walked with the same stride, the distance he folded between spaces was different, allowing him to keep up with them.
“Let’s rest for a moment before going on.”
At Cold Yeo-seol’s words, they took a short break.
“Isn’t it difficult?” Cold Yeo-seol asked Sword Spirit.
Even though Jin A-seol was young, carrying her and keeping up wasn’t easy. Moreover, they had used Light Body Art later, so it should have been even more strenuous!
—It seems Sohje Sword Spirit has indeed learned martial arts.
Jeok Hwa-myeong was the first to send a sound transmission to Cold Yeo-seol.
—I think so too, but there’s no trace of him having learned martial arts… It’s a bit strange.
They didn’t think the young Sword Spirit could be at a higher level than them.
—There are many martial arts in the world, aren’t there? Perhaps it’s not that he learned martial arts, but that he enhanced his physical abilities through some other special training?
There was no rule that one must only learn martial arts.
—That’s true, but he’s truly an unknowable child.
During the break, Sword Spirit stood still, carrying the fast-asleep Jin A-seol.
“Gongja Sword Spirit, wake A-seol and rest comfortably.”
“No. The journey is urgent. If A-seol is awake, our movement will be slower. So, let her sleep soundly today.”
“Then, please bear a little more hardship.”
Although they had sent the Gaebang members to Jeonghosan, getting to Guangzhou and confirming whether the mastermind was truly the puppet faction of the demonic followers was a more pressing priority.
If the mastermind were a small faction, they could investigate it themselves, but the mastermind was a massive faction that shared control of the unorthodox factions in Guangdong Province with the Myeongsa faction.
As a single individual couldn’t handle them, they planned to ask Sinchang Uig-a for help in investigating them.
“Don’t worry.”
A faint smile formed on Sword Spirit’s lips as he spoke nonchalantly.
‘They don’t believe me and are testing me with all sorts of methods.’
If he showed them once, they probably wouldn’t harbor such doubts in the future.
—Martial arts are not learned to show off. If you have such a mind, you should stop learning martial arts.
That was what the Lonely Demon, Cheon Nam-yeon, had said to him when he was feeling proud. Not only him, but the Phantom Demon Emperor, Gu Yeong-cheol, and the Jeonmo, Yak Bing, had said the same.
—The world is vast and wide, and you cannot know who exists. You certainly have talent in martial arts, but there are those in the world with even greater talent than you, so instead of being proud of your current achievements, you must strive harder.
—You don’t become the world’s greatest to put strength in your shoulders, but to become humble. Do not think of yourself as high; lower yourself. Then people will look up to you and place you in a high position.
Sword Spirit knew well that the words of these three would be a great help to him as he lived on in the martial world.
“Alright, if we’ve rested, let’s depart.”
At Cold Yeo-seol’s words, Jeok Hwa-myeong and Sword Spirit set off again towards Guangzhou.
