Chapter 188: Shameful
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“Hmm…”
A man in his forties letting out a sound of contemplation while sinking his back into a crimson chair.
With his eyes gently closed as if lost in thought, he was none other than Do Yun, alias Blue Robe Sword Noble, Manor Master of the Broken Mountain Sword Manor.
‘How disgraceful.’
No matter how hard he tried not to replay it in his mind, it kept rising up.
The memory of that day when he exchanged sword moves with Cheol Ryu-heun…
-I shall teach you. The level of martial arts you cannot touch.
He felt ashamed anew.
At his boastful words at that time.
Before facing him, he had merely thought of him as some young upstart who had fearlessly provoked someone holding a place among the Five Supreme Martial Experts of Hunan Province.
Even if Black Ox Hall’s Ox-Strength Sword Tang Ja-gae and Fighting Ox Great Sword Bae Pyeong had suffered great humiliation, from his perspective the person was merely a late-generation rising talent from White Peak Sword Sect, which was essentially in a state of closure.
Therefore,
His only thought was to make him feel the gap with a single stroke, give him fear and regret, then kill and eliminate him.
The sight of a mere young punk trying to challenge him without knowing his place was so ridiculous that he had only thought of subduing him overwhelmingly.
But
He lost.
It was a complete defeat with no room for excuses.
The price of overconfidence and arrogance.
At first, he just seemed like some punk showing off his strength, but the moment they exchanged the first blow, he instantly realized.
The fact that this was a powerhouse possessing terrifying martial might.
Suddenly, the hand stroking the beard on his square chin trembled slightly.
‘I was afraid. Truly…’
Because the events of that day had flashed through his mind like rapidly flipping through a picture book.
It was a first.
Competing against such a terrifying master.
-Before we start, take this as a reference.
-Reference…?
-If you don’t exert perfected-level internal power from the start, you’ll suffer a more futile defeat than expected.
-Ha, what was that?
-I’m advising you for the sake of your minimal dignity.
-Haha… How ridiculous. You were a far crazier fool than I expected. Cheol Ryu-heun.
-Why, does it seem like a joke?
-The level of your internal power as determined by my current energy sense is below expectations.
-Of course it is.
-Of course… Is it?
-Accurately reading my internal power level is absolutely impossible with your ability.
-Fine, let’s see. Whether you can babble like that after receiving my blade.
-I’ll yield the first move to you. That way you’ll feel it immediately.
Having been provoked by those words, he had loaded a full fifty percent and more of his internal power into that first sword strike.
But it was easily blocked.
No, an enormous power exceeding fifty percent internal power came crashing in and ruthlessly shattered the massive energy of his sword strike.
Moreover, his body was even blasted backward hard.
Retreating a distance of more than ten paces, he felt like he couldn’t even breathe.
Internal injury.
After exchanging just one sword, the meridians throughout his body were shaken.
At that moment, he immediately felt it.
The meaning of what Cheol Ryu-heun had said.
The premonition that if he didn’t immediately operate his maximum level of internal energy and fight, he too would suffer humiliation like Tang Ja-gae and Bae Pyeong.
Driven by that ominous feeling, along with executing sword techniques, he released power strong enough to completely destroy a nearby building.
That was one of the final four techniques from his sect’s ultimate art, Broken Mountain Great Sword Style.
But then.
Cheol Ryu-heun neutralized even that as if showing off.
At that, he became anxious.
Therefore,
From that point on, he poured out ultimate moves with all his might without rest and pressed hard, but he ended up facing an even more shocking situation.
The reason was one – every time a technique loaded with perfected-level internal power was deployed, the power of Cheol Ryu-heun countering it rose steeply.
Near the end, he was nearly out of his senses.
Fighting spirit had disappeared, and only despair filled his heart.
It was truly an overwhelming martial level.
What was most surprising was that even after deploying moves that consistently exceeded his own perfected-level internal power throughout, that internal energy didn’t diminish.
It was a power with no discernible limit.
It felt as if the process of emitting energy and gathering energy were acting instantaneously within a single breath.
He had even wondered if perhaps he could fight all day long in that state.
The conclusion that day was miserable.
The sword power of the three final techniques Cheol Ryu-heun executed at the last moment was marvelous.
Mountain Coming, Mountain Spirit, Mountain Road.
It felt as if the power of great nature harbored by enormous mountains was crashing in through Cheol Ryu-heun’s body.
It was grand.
Also,
It was fierce.
And
It clearly made him realize exactly what being dominating and imposing meant.
Those ultimate moves from the final chapter of White Peak Sword Art all displayed earth-shaking might, and by the last sword technique, his belly skin was pierced and he fainted from the great shock.
FLINCH.
Do Yun recalled the end of that memory and let out another sound of contemplation.
“Hmm…”
Suddenly his stomach throbbed.
As if the unhealed sword wound was reacting to the memory.
At that moment, a young man opened the lattice door and entered.
“Master.”
A swordsman in his mid-twenties.
A famous martial talent of Broken Mountain Sword Manor and a disciple who had inherited Manor Master Do Yun’s martial arts – Mountain Shattering Sword Beon Sa.
“You’ve come.”
Do Yun suppressed his pain and sat with his back straight.
“Ah, please be at ease. The pain must still be considerable…”
When Beon Sa showed a worried expression, Do Yun wore a faint smile.
“I’m sorry.”
“Pardon?”
“I showed you an unseemly sight.”
“……”
Beon Sa was silent for a moment, then approached closer.
“I have a report.”
“Go ahead, I’m listening.”
“The Dark Hall Master position… I’ve finally found out why it changed.”
“What did you say?”
“It’s because of Sect Leader Cheol.”
“…!”
As Do Yun’s eyes wavered, Beon Sa continued.
“I made an inquiry to the Ashen Heart Sect side some time ago…”
Thus he explained what he had heard about the circumstances of how the masters from the Ashen Heart Sect Leader Cold Blood Evil Sword Peak Mun In-do’s side, along with those from the Brandished Sword Pavilion, Lone Moon Sword Sect, Red Leopard Hall, and Shaking Martial Hall, plus Netherworld Sword Fork Jeo Gyeom, had met their ends.
Do Yun quietly stroked his chin and nodded.
‘It must be true. Jeo Gyeom would have been no match.’
Having already experienced that power, there was nothing strange about it at all.
“Master, and there’s another surprising piece of news…”
“I know. I heard earlier. The scheduled duel between those two.”
That meant the contest between Cheol Ryu-heun and So Cheon-ak.
“Ah… Then what do you intend to do?”
“I don’t particularly want to watch.”
“……”
“But you should go.”
“Pardon? Only me…?”
“Yes. Go and see for yourself. Cheol Ryu-heun’s true martial prowess. It will probably be a good learning experience.”
“Hmm… Understood. I’ll engrave it in my eyes.”
“Good. It seems there’s nothing more for me to personally teach you now…”
“That’s not true. Why do you say such things?”
“Did you think I didn’t know? Your hidden power.”
“…!”
“The previous Manor Master, my own Master… Secretly transmitted all of his internal power not to me but to you before passing away.”
“So you knew.”
“But I didn’t resent it. Rather, through this incident, I have come to realize anew that your decision during your lifetime was correct.”
“……”
“Sa, you are this Manor’s future. Going forward, I will push you with all my might. So after watching the duel of those two and returning, if there’s anything you feel, devote yourself to training and build more strength. And… Going forward, I hope you will rise to become the protagonist writing a winner’s story like Sect Leader Cheol.”
“Do you also… Permit me to build a friendship with Sect Leader Cheol?”
“Of course. On that day when I showed a shameful sight… You said this, didn’t you? Though we are called an unorthodox faction because we use heterodox martial arts, if our conduct also leans towards heterodox, we will lose something greater in the future.”
“Yes… That thought has not changed.”
“I too have repented. Look – didn’t Jeo Gyeom prove it? He ultimately lost everything.”
“That’s correct.”
“Indeed, an era has come where hidden dragons like Cheol Ryu-heun spread their wings. Whether it heralds the arrival of troubled times or not… If so, shouldn’t you too become one of those protagonists?”
“Yes. I will definitely elevate this Manor’s prestige.”
“Yes, you can do it. I have already stepped onto the path of failure, but… As a master, I am ashamed.”
“Sect Leader Cheol said this at that time.”
“Hm?”
“Losing to me is not such a shameful thing. What you should truly be ashamed of is having tormented the powerless people of the village.”
“……”
“Is it only you, Master, who is shameful? Everyone is shameful.”
At that, Do Yun wore a clear smile.
“The student has surpassed the teacher.”
“You flatter me.”
“No, it’s absolutely not excessive. You will make a name for yourself as a master who possesses both excellent martial prowess and character. I guarantee it.”
“I will work even harder to live up to your great expectations.”
“Go ahead and set off.”
“Yes.”
Beon Sa clasped his hands together before disappearing through the door.
Immediately after.
Do Yun sank his back again and gently closed his eyes.
-Is it only you, Master, who is shameful? Everyone is shameful.
Words that resonated in his heart.
That kid, he really grew up well.
On the other hand… I have been regressing rather than growing.
Regarding the authority Broken Mountain Sword Manor as mine alone, I ignored and oppressed the weak.
Thank heavens.
That it stopped at this point…
He had gained much from trading blows with Cheol Ryu-heun.
Though his name value had been blemished due to the complete defeat with no room for excuses, in exchange it became an opportunity to look back on past times and confirm the character of his beloved disciple.
When he had lost to Sword Seal Sect Master So Cheon-ak, there had only been vengeful spirit and rage wanting to get revenge…
Suddenly, the voice of one person came to mind.
-Ultimate moves, you say… Do you require any special technique when stepping on and killing an ant?
‘He was an arrogant one.’
Those were the words of Severing Finger Sword Venerable So Cheon-ak.
What he had heard when he was about to deploy the final four techniques of his sect’s ultimate art Broken Mountain Great Sword Style during their duel in the past…
After losing, those words stung even more painfully.
Because So Cheon-ak had ultimately not executed the two ultimate moves, Earth Severance and Heaven Severance, from his famous Rendering Splitting Great Six Sword Art.
Having reviewed the past, Do Yun murmured inwardly.
‘Ha, this time is different. Something beyond technique will be needed. To avoid becoming an ant struggling to climb an endlessly large mountain….’
* * *
The office of Mountain Patriarch Hall within White Peak Sword Sect.
“It seems to be the Sun Moon Demon Cult.”
At Cheol Ryu-heun’s casually tossed words, Seop Pyo was startled.
“WHAT?”
Currently, Seop Pyo had finished explaining everything about the previous incident.
But then.
Having heard the whole story, Cheol Ryu-heun had suddenly pointed to the Sun Moon Demon Cult as the identity of the masterminds.
“Uh, why do you think that…?”
He sensed there was something.
Because there was no way Cheol Ryu-heun would say such a thing without any basis.
However, as always, only an indifferent response came back.
“There is. Something like that. I’ll tell you later.”
“Hmm.”
Seop Pyo let out a quiet sound and deepened his gaze.
If the identity of the black-robed person was a high-ranking demon belonging to the Sun Moon Demon Cult, then the safety of Na Rae-hyang, who was disguised and making contact, was also concerning.
“Where did you say you were going to meet again?”
“Yes. The abandoned temple on Mount Zhongmen, southwest of Baizhou.”
“Got it.”
“Are you planning to go?”
“Well, depending on the situation. Right now, crushing the Sword Seal Sect Leader comes first.”
“Then I’ll also follow that time.”
“Why? are you worried about that girl?”
“Yes. No matter how much Rae-hyang is a master ranked among the Five Elegants of Jiangxi, if the opponent is a wicked demonic group, who knows what tricks they might pull…”
“Fine. Now, let’s first go through the formal Guest Retainer recruitment procedure.”
“Understood.”
At that, Cheol Ryu-heun immediately placed a document on the desk.
“Put your seal on the bottom.”
At that moment, Seop Pyo checked the title of the document and made a puzzled expression.
“Sect Leader Cheol, I think this document has the wrong words written on it…?”
<Slave Covenant Document>
A strange title was written that anyone would find odd.
Cheol Ryu-heun, arms crossed, spoke naturally.
“That’s originally written as ‘slave’ but read as ‘Guest Retainer.’ Don’t mind it, just put your seal on.”
Crazy, don’t make me laugh!
Who do you take for a fool!