Invincible Sword Spirit
Chapter (34)
Moon Shadow Fist Technique
“Is that true?”
Upon arriving in Guangzhou, the Sword Spirit and his party went straight to the Shinchang Eiga.
At the Shinchang Eiga, the leader of the Cheonmyeongsan Sect, along with his elite unit, the Cheongeon Unit (劍天隊), had come due to the matter involving Hyeon Jin-myeong, the second son of the Cheonmyeongsan Sect. Not only that, but Gon Man-uk, the leader of the Myeonghwa Merchant Group, one of the ten major merchant groups operating in Guangdong, and the group’s martial unit, the Myeonghwa Swordsmen Unit (明火劍手團), were also present.
They were gathered in the main hall, making surprised expressions at the words of the Moon Shadow Immortal, Cold Yeo-seol.
The information she brought was nothing short of shocking.
“Of course, Family Head!”
Although Eui Je-min of the Byeokryeong Spear was the family head of the Shinchang Eiga, he was of a slightly lower generation than Cold Yeo-seol. Since she was the Supreme Elder of the Moon Shadow Sect, he spoke comfortably.
“We encountered demons at Jeonghosan, fought them, and fortunately managed to win. On our way here, we stopped by the Gaebang and told them to secure the bodies. They should have secured the bodies by now and be transporting them here.”
Eui Je-min looked around the assembly.
“Does that mean many demons have already entered the Central Plains?”
They were the demons who had been defeated thirty years ago, crossed the Gobi Desert, and fled. Although they were defeated back then, the Central Plains Murim suffered immense damage. While they had been steeling themselves to prevent such an event from recurring, it was certain that demons were still fearsome beings.
“I don’t know that either. But there’s something strange.”
“Something strange?”
Eui Je-min asked on behalf of the curious assembly.
“This time, after killing the demons, we retrieved the martial arts manuals containing their demonic arts and burned them. However, those manuals were not originals, but handwritten copies.”
Instantly, the hall fell silent.
“If they are copies…”
Everyone knew what words would follow, but they asked, hoping it wasn’t true.
“It seems the demons are intentionally spreading the demonic arts manuals.”
Her words caused small ripples.
The shoulders of the people in the hall trembled slightly. If Cold Yeo-seol’s words were true, they could only imagine how many martial artists might have obtained and learned the demonic arts.
“The demons that have appeared so far are mostly at the stage of ‘Entering Demonic Influence’.”
“Entering Demonic Influence…?”
“It’s a classification for convenience. The stage of being tainted by demonic nature is called ‘Entering Demonic Influence’ (入魔). The stage of being completely captured by demonic nature is ‘Mastering Demonic Influence’ (能魔). The stage of transcending demonic nature and being able to think for oneself is ‘Transcending Demonic Influence’ (超魔). The stage of completely overcoming demonic nature is ‘Shedding Demonic Influence’ (脫魔). And the stage of gaining enlightenment through demonic arts and surpassing human limits is ‘Divine Demonic’ (神魔).”
The Sword Spirit informed them of the stages he had discussed.
“In other words, the demons currently active are not those who crossed the Gobi Desert or their descendants, but martial artists who obtained and learned the demonic arts manuals spread by those scoundrels.”
“If that’s true, it’s a huge problem! We must guard against internal enemies more than external ones. And we’ll end up suspecting each other…”
“That’s exactly it. Thirty years ago, the demons fought us relying on sheer force, but the demons of today not only use force but also know how to plot conspiracies. Without a doubt, they are planning, on a small scale, chaos in Murim, and on a large scale, our division.”
“We must inform the Murim Alliance of this fact.”
“Do that. Also, the demons we killed at Jeonghosan were people of the Black Curtain.”
“What?”
“Fortunately, Jak Myeong-gyeom, Jeok Hwa-myeong, recognized them. He said they were called Ghost Shadow Five Killers and were assassins of the Black Curtain. Furthermore, through their conversation, we confirmed that the Black Curtain is the demons’ hideout.”
“Is that true?”
The leader of the Cheonmyeongsan Sect, Hyeon Tae-ryeong of the Sword Sect, asked. His face was filled with anger.
Naturally, his anger was directed at the Black Curtain, as he believed his son, Hyeon Jin-myeong, was killed by demonic arts.
“They said so. However, I don’t think those words are necessarily true. My feeling is that they answered that way due to the demonic nature’s influence.”
“But the fact that it came from their mouths means there’s some connection, right?”
“As I said a moment ago, what the demons want is our division. It’s fine to have suspicions, but I hope you don’t directly link them. We can find out through investigation, so I ask that you refrain from making hasty judgments until definite results appear.”
It might be a difference in perspective between those who had experienced the loss of a child and those who hadn’t, but as Cold Yeo-seol had extensive experience in the martial world, she steered the conversation in the direction of handling this matter after fully understanding all the circumstances.
“That would be best.”
Eui Je-min, agreeing with Cold Yeo-seol, also spoke with the thought that a definite investigation should be conducted before making a decision.
“What if it turns out they are not the ones?”
Gon Man-uk, the leader of the Myeonghwa Merchant Group, asked.
“That’s why we are conducting an investigation, aren’t we? Don’t worry, we have methods.”
Cold Yeo-seol wasn’t saying this because she had some special trust. It was because she knew the amplification demonic art’s pressure point; she could simply apply pressure to test them.
The two, Gon Man-uk and Hyeon Tae-ryeong, had expressions full of dissatisfaction, but they couldn’t express that dissatisfaction in front of Cold Yeo-seol.
“Family Head!”
A voice called from outside.
“What is it?”
“People from the Gaebang have arrived. They brought carts full of corpses.”
They looked at each other.
“It seems they’ve arrived. Let’s go out and check. Also, inform the Myeongsa Sect of this fact and tell them to come here.”
“We will do so.”
* * *
The Sword Spirit was playing with Jin A-seol in a separate building. To be precise, he was watching her practice the martial arts she learned from Cold Yeo-seol.
“Not like that. Like this.”
The Sword Spirit pointed out Jin A-seol’s posture and corrected it for her.
“When I was your age, I remembered everything after seeing or hearing it just once.”
“Tch, how would I know if I didn’t see it? And you can’t even perform martial arts, Mister.”
“Why can’t I? I told you, I’m the best in the world!”
“Then show me once.”
“I told you! Martial arts aren’t learned to be shown off to others!”
“You’re always saying that! You’re bothering me, get away from me!”
Jin A-seol, who had yelled ‘Shoo!’ at the Sword Spirit, resumed practicing the basic martial arts stances taught by Cold Yeo-seol.
It was the Moon Shadow Fist Technique (月影拳法), which every disciple of the Moon Shadow Sect must learn.
While peeking at another sect’s martial arts was taboo in Murim, the Sword Spirit didn’t consider himself as peeking; he thought he was helping Jin A-seol with her training, so he continued to nag from the side.
Although Jin A-seol found his words annoying, she enjoyed bickering with the Sword Spirit.
“You have to do it like this. When you extend your leg, do it powerfully to gain repulsive force, then extend your fist in a spiral like this to deliver power.”
“Like this.”
“Oof!”
Jin A-seol’s fist hit the Sword Spirit’s abdomen.
“Hey, how can you suddenly throw a punch like that?”
“But you’re the best master in the world, right? Can’t the best master in the world even dodge that?”
“Drop the idea that the best master in the world can dodge everything.”
“Why? The best master should be able to dodge everything.”
“No. The best master subdues the opponent by attacking first before they can strike, so there’s no need to dodge.”
Jin A-seol tilted her head. That didn’t seem entirely wrong either.
If you subdue the opponent before they attack, you wouldn’t get hit, so it seemed like you wouldn’t need to dodge.
The Sword Spirit smiled faintly seeing Jin A-seol pondering.
“Is that true? You’re not lying to me, are you?”
“You, have you lived your whole life being deceived?”
“Tch, it’s because you’re always lying, Mister.”
The Sword Spirit pouted his lips.
Although he was of age, he hadn’t grown up interacting with people much, so playing like this with the young Jin A-seol was fun for him.
“When did I ever lie to other people? It’s just that people don’t believe what I say.”
“They don’t believe you because it’s a lie.”
“Aigoo, let’s stop. You just practice your martial arts. Your oppa will watch over you. It’s not every day that the best master in the world guides you.”
Jin A-seol shook her head and assumed the starting stance of the Moon Shadow Fist Technique.
“No one would believe that you’re the best master in the world, Mister. Hah!”
As Jin A-seol demonstrated the Moon Shadow Fist Technique, the Sword Spirit nodded.
Although he nagged, she had talent. Perhaps she had an aptitude for martial arts, as she executed the fist techniques skillfully.
However, in the Sword Spirit’s eyes, she was still young and lacked strength, so the true power of the fist technique wasn’t apparent, but this would change as she trained her internal energy.
“No, not like that.”
Perhaps bored, the Sword Spirit picked on Jin A-seol again.
“Ah, I can’t take it. Just for you, I’ll show you. Watch and learn well.”
Jin A-seol snorted at the Sword Spirit’s words.
“How do you know the Moon Shadow Fist Technique, Oppa?”
“I have my ways. I’ve seen you do it several times, do you think I wouldn’t know it? Don’t worry, just watch carefully!”
The Sword Spirit assumed the starting stance of the Moon Shadow Fist Technique and took a deep breath. Then he took a step.
He was performing the Moon Shadow Fist Technique using only physical movements, without employing internal energy, for Jin A-seol’s benefit.
Jin A-seol’s mouth dropped open as she watched the Sword Spirit.
No matter how much of a novice she was in martial arts, she could tell that the Moon Shadow Fist Technique the Sword Spirit was demonstrating now was no different from what Cold Yeo-seol had shown when teaching her.
*Swish!*
Even without using internal energy, a sound of cutting through the air could be heard.
“Remember it well.”
The Sword Spirit’s movements changed.
He moved his body slowly so that Jin A-seol could see it clearly at a glance.
Even so, the flow wasn’t broken or awkward. This was because he incorporated the subtleties of Chun Nam-yeon’s blunt sword into the execution of the Moon Shadow Fist Technique.
Jin A-seol watched the Sword Spirit’s movements, not even blinking, as if trying to memorize the sight.
“Nod if you’ve memorized it all.”
The Sword Spirit said this and continued to demonstrate until Jin A-seol had fully memorized the forms of the Moon Shadow Fist Technique.
Jin A-seol also knew all the forms of the Moon Shadow Fist Technique, but they weren’t properly organized in her mind. Thanks to the Sword Spirit, they were gradually becoming organized.
The new form shown by the Sword Spirit seemed slightly different.
‘So cool.’
By the time the Sword Spirit had demonstrated the Moon Shadow Fist Technique three times, Jin A-seol nodded.
“I thought our A-seol was smart and would learn quickly, but it seems she’s not that smart after all.”
The thought from a moment ago that he was cool had already vanished, leaving only the annoying mister.
“I’ve learned it now.”
She retorted sharply, puffing out her cheeks.
“Then show me once.”
“You think I can’t do it just because you said so? Watch closely!”
Jin A-seol performed the Moon Shadow Fist Technique for the Sword Spirit.
Different from before, power could be felt in Jin A-seol’s movements.
‘That’s how you learn, bit by bit.’
