Chapter 125: Chapter 125
Namgung Cheon’s expression went beyond freezing to contort slightly.
“…Imperial Sword Form? Simply the sword of an emperor?”
Jang Geon and Namgung Cheon were now in the reverse situation of moments ago. The qi wave causing Namgung Cheon’s skin to tingle was surging through the underground space, and all the torches there burned brightly. Only the brazier fire around Namgung Cheon was sizzled almost to the brink of going out. Not only the situation, but even the places where they stood had become reversed.
However, he soon relaxed his expression and laughed chucklingly.
“Emperor, emperor… Do you know the Way of the Emperor?”
Son Gwang, who had worked hard to roll all the way to a corner on one side, was watching the situation while lying face down on the floor. Namgung Cheon had a smiling face, but from around his body, a ghostly eerie sound like whistling wind began to resonate. Along with that sound, white frost was even gathering at his feet.
From the center of that frost, he spewed an unhumanlike, bizarre radiance from his eyes and continued speaking:
“Answer me. Calling it a king’s sword technique, do you know the Way of the Emperor?”
The qi wave erupting from Jang Geon and the chill surrounding Namgung Cheon began to collide. In essence, that was no different from the clash of momentum exploring each other’s openings before clashing blades moments ago. Of course, from the perspective of Son Gwang stuck in between watching the atmospheric vortex and clash, those making popping noises in empty air could not be ignored as mere momentum. In the eyes of Son Gwang lying face down covering his head, both Jang Geon and Namgung Cheon seemed to be using sorcery.
The ways the two martial artists dominated space were similar yet different.
Namgung Cheon’s chill stole the warmth of the air, pressed down, and robbed the power to move, as if forcing one to sit down on the spot. So in the half of the underground space he occupied, the space itself turned silent as if frightened and huddled up. Not only did the brazier fire and torches go out, but frost even settled upon them.
Jang Geon’s momentum was different. He merely lowered Azure Dragon and stood tall. He did not steal the warmth of the flames or air, nor did he press down. But just by him standing so firmly, half of the underground space grew quiet as if overwhelmed by the person himself. Even the sparks of the brazier fire became solemn, and the heat rising above it also settled down beneath Jang Geon’s feet on its own. As heat went down, cool air rose up, and the heated warmth there descended back down. In Jang Geon’s solemn space, a refreshing wind blew.
Namgung Cheon’s chill suppressing movement and the wind blowing from Jang Geon collided in the middle of the underground space. As energies moving completely differently met, they reacted with increasing violence over time to subdue each other and trap the other within their vortex.
Thus, in that place where a swishing sound of leaking air had been made, loud thumping sounds soon echoed as if invisible giants were engaging in a brawl with each other. It was around then that Son Gwang gave up even watching the situation and lay completely flat.
At that moment, Namgung Cheon pointed his sword toward Jang Geon and asked again:
“Why is there no answer? If you advocate the sword of an emperor, naturally you should be able to explain his Way, should you not?”
As the sword tip extended straight like that pointed at Jang Geon, Jang Geon, who had been concentrating on the operation of qi, could not help but answer. Jang Geon said lightly:
“It is hard to explain. What is certain is that it will clearly be different from what you think.”
“…Hard to explain? No, you cannot explain it. During the history of the Central Plains, how many were there who held the status of emperor? The vassal kings acknowledged by the Son of Heaven of the Zhou Dynasty long ago crumbled beyond history through long wars, the unification of Qin, and the purges of the Liu thief family. Those remaining now are merely a few cowards who call themselves ancient noble families.”
Namgung Cheon lowered the sword he had been pointing. Thereupon, the air that had been violently clashing settled down for a moment. He shook his head and said:
“As descendants of emperors, there are few now who truly feel that status. Over the past thousand years, the emperor was exclusively the Liu family… Therefore, even if you babble about the king’s sword like that, you inevitably cannot explain its true meaning. Originally, an emperor is an existence that receives proper Heaven’s Mandate to rule and govern all common people, not a name for a rootless commoner to use recklessly… It seems I must show you the true sword of an emperor today.”
Having finished speaking, Namgung Cheon’s sword began to burn blue. It was a sight as if ice were catching fire. And seeing that, Jang Geon could also feel that the battle of sword momentum was over and now was the moment to clash actual blades.
Thus, the moment Jang Geon slightly raised Azure Dragon, Namgung Cheon charged toward him in a flash.
The air that had been evenly matched lost balance due to Namgung Cheon’s movement piercing in like cutting through water currents. As the energies pushing each other mixed wildly, a storm-like wind began to surge through the underground space.
Simultaneously, Namgung Cheon, closing the distance to Jang Geon in a single stride, slammed down his sword burning blue straight ahead. And faster than that, the momentum erupting from his sword and entire body pushed away the chaotic surrounding air and sought to bind Jang Geon’s movements.
Jang Geon knew that his sword burning coldly was a phenomenon caused by overly formidable internal energy being concentrated. That was outwardly the same as the appearance shown by many demonic practitioners he faced yesterday who could not control their overflowing internal energy and blindly spewed it out.
The difference was that unlike the former demonic practitioners who could not control themselves and merely poured out internal energy blindly, Namgung Cheon’s sword currently intended and utilized this phenomenon calmly.
Therefore, that could truly be called sword qi.
Going beyond simply swinging a sword, the internal energy expressed outside the sword suppressed the opponent’s momentum, and further, even blocked movement. Though its nature was terribly cold and seemed evil, from Jang Geon’s perspective, that could clearly be called proper martial arts.
Thus, right before Namgung Cheon’s sword fell onto the crown of Jang Geon’s head, Jang Geon, who had been observing his sword, moved.
Jang Geon did not shake off the momentum pouring from Namgung Cheon’s sword. Instead, stepping a pace forward and sliding inside it, he clashed by slashing upward with the hummingly vibrating Azure Dragon.
A roaring clang echoed inside the underground space. Son Gwang, lying face down covering his head, had to plug his ears at the ear-splitting pain.
Air surging violently from the collision of immense internal energy and internal energy was pushed far away centered on Jang Geon and Namgung Cheon.
Immediately after, the two people, as if replacing that violence, began swinging blades at each other. Namgung Cheon’s sword glowing blue and Jang Geon’s Azure Dragon hummingly vibrating sliced through the newly surging air, targeting the opponent’s skin.
Surprisingly, there was no clash of the two men’s blades except for the first strike. What clashed afterward was the sword qi of the two. The sword and blade pushed each other away like magnets of the same pole meeting across a space of two finger-joints.
However, the aftermath of that collision could not be compared to the phenomenon of small magnets. Flagstone-covered floors cracked, braziers and the pillars fixing them shattered, and the fire, ashes, and dust contained inside were scattered. Sparks and dust flying in empty air were swept up in the momentum of the two Emperor Swords and hovered around the underground space.
Namgung Cheon, swinging his sword, shouted with a smile:
“Your complexion is bad! Is it burdensome!”
Just as he said, Jang Geon’s face was pale. It was because of the difference in internal energy.
Since Jang Geon consumed the spiritual elixir as a reward from the spirit in the past, he had never lacked internal energy while facing at least one opponent. That was partly because the spirit’s elixir was such a wonderful elixir, but it was also because of Jang Geon’s capability of fully digesting it and taking a step further based on it.
However, the Imperial Sword Form Jang Geon had currently unleashed was consuming far too much internal energy. To a degree that was hard to handle.
Jang Geon’s Imperial Sword Form was a method where internal energy extended outward like a coarse net centered on his body and sword, controlling the movements of an opponent who entered inside that net according to his will. It was the same principle underlying the Northern Imperial Sword Form Namgung Cheon was currently showing. So right now, the two men were clashing in empty air as if having invisible third and fourth arms, in addition to directly clashing blades.
If it had been the same amount of internal energy, Jang Geon would have easily brought him to his knees with qi control capability incomparably more refined than Namgung Cheon. But surprisingly, Namgung Cheon’s internal energy was so vast that it easily filled that gap between the two and even overwhelmed him. It was the strongest internal energy among the opponents Jang Geon had met so far. If it went on like this, Jang Geon would suffer defeat due to lack of internal energy.
At that moment, Jang Geon and Namgung Cheon forcibly overcame the repulsive force of the two blades, struck their swords with a clanging sound, and simultaneously stepped back. Namgung Cheon’s sword was still white-hot, but Jang Geon was breathing heavily to the point of his chest heaving. Seeing that, composure completely returned to Namgung Cheon’s face.
However, Jang Geon, with that pale face, smirked.
“The sword technique itself is ordinary.”
Namgung Cheon’s face, which had been wearing a subtle smile in a relaxed situation, froze again.
Jang Geon’s words were right. Except for Namgung Cheon driving a spiderweb of qi with overwhelming internal force and properly controlling that absurd power of demonic arts, the sword art itself of the Northern Imperial Sword Form was unexceptional, unbefitting its grand name.
Of course, considering that the standard of that unexceptionality was Jang Geon, and that the method of controlling space with internal force was closer to qi art than sword art, it was not a problem to fault heavily. Considering the name Imperial Sword Form, sword form, that was also a more plausible appearance.
“One who has reached the throne does not make a fuss! Calling it ordinary without recognizing its gravity? Then go ahead and break me with that grand martial art of yours!”
Namgung Cheon shouted like that and raised his burning sword, aiming at Jang Geon. With just that, cold chill rushed in once more, trying to bind Jang Geon.
Jang Geon naturally shed that wind and lowered Azure Dragon. The chill of the Northern Imperial Sword Form did not reach him. At that moment, thinking his lowering the sword like that was an opening, Namgung Cheon leaped forward again. In Jang Geon’s eyes, the appearance of Namgung Cheon leaping low while breaking the floor flagstones was caught slowly.
What would the sword of an emperor be?
Perhaps he was obsessing too much over that name and word. Just because it was called Imperial Sword Form didn’t mean the intent of an emperor had to be contained within it. Right now, even in Namgung Cheon’s Northern Imperial Sword Form, ruthless violence could be felt, but no king’s majesty could be found. And Jang Geon also thought that dominating space with internal force and subduing the opponent through it was expressing a king’s majesty through martial arts. Though outwardly looking like a king, the King’s Way was not contained within it.
However, come to think of it, it might be natural that Jang Geon could not understand a king’s position. Jang Geon was not a king, nor did he sanctify a king’s position due to his past life as something unapproachable or belonging to those with the right to rule people. He merely reproduced the Imperial Sword Form, so he tried to unfold the maximum grandeur he could think of through martial arts.
When sitting on Jojo’s back and leisurely wandering the vast plains, in his head, numerous martial arts were always being reproduced and organized like that, preparing to be expressed outside.
Namgung Cheon’s figure was drawing a bit closer. Overflowing internal energy glowed in the sword he extended.
Suddenly, Jang Geon felt that the net of internal energy currently spread out matched the qi perception he was organizing last night.
Along with that, he could also feel that the storm of qi surging in this underground space was clearly visible. Jang Geon’s internal energy and Namgung Cheon’s internal energy, the movements of hot and cold air, sparks and dust scattered in empty air, and their friction and collisions. Even the air and floor flagstones violently split by Namgung Cheon’s sword qi drawing near ahead, and the pillars and walls made of stone.
All of that was trapped inside this underground space, but he also knew that ultimately it was merely his perception feeling it so. Even if walls and floors seemed to block space, it was only humans who looked at it and said space was divided. Walls and floors merely existed within that space.
In that dark basement where the sky was blocked, Jang Geon realized the unhindered nature of space while reproducing the sword of an emperor.
It was eccentric if eccentric. He already knew in his head that there was no end to the sky, and that the universe beyond was so vast and expansive that humans could not perceive it. But beyond simply knowing it, it was the first time his body and senses vividly realized it.
And he also felt that the master of that boundless firmament was ultimately I, the Emperor standing at its center.
“Keuk-!”
Namgung Cheon suddenly stopped dead at the pressure as if pressing down on his whole body. And he looked at Jang Geon with eyes full of panic. He was still standing quietly looking over here with his sword lowered.
He unwittingly asked stupidly:
“…What did you do?”
“Nothing.”
Namgung Cheon, who had stopped, could not figure out the identity of the pressure he had felt moments ago. The air in the underground space was still violently surging, rubbing, and colliding. Jang Geon’s internal energy and his internal energy were creating violent vortexes to gain even a bit of superiority. And in that, Namgung Cheon was still at an advantage.
However, standing in that spot where he stopped, looking at Jang Geon, he could not move. It was not that some physical force suppressed him. Nor was it that strength wouldn’t enter his whole body. A moment later, Namgung Cheon came to know the reason, and soon denied it.
He was being overwhelmed by the very existence of Jang Geon standing ahead.