Chapter 180: Chapter 180

Jang Geon looked at Sunwoo Hyeon without a word. Facing those tranquil eyes, Sunwoo Hyeon seemed to have forgotten even that he was kneeling on his knees, asking again with a dazed expression.

“…How did you do it?”

“I contained starlight in it.”

Sunwoo Hyeon mouthed words silently. He seemed at a loss for what to say to Jang Geon’s response. Briefly organizing the questions surging up inside himself, he opened his mouth.

“Is what happened just now truly Sword Qi Condensing into Astral Force?”

“I do not know if the sword astral force I know and the sword astral force you speak of are the same. But if we must call it something, that would be correct.”

Though he thought he had organized his questions, upon hearing the answer, Sunwoo Hyeon could not figure out how to continue his questions. Facing a martial art he had believed to be a legend directly, even if through a mental realm, he felt something hot surging up inside his chest. He could not distinguish whether it was excitement felt as a martial scholar, emotion felt as a martial artist, or a sense of crisis felt as an Imperial soldier.

However, it was clear that his chest was swelling with emotion. Ever since acknowledging that he had become an old man upon seeing his stiff back and wrinkled face, this was the first time his heart had burned like this. Sunwoo Hyeon continued speaking in an excited tone for some reason.

“How did you achieve sword astral force? How much internal energy did you pour into it? No, simply concentrating internal energy like that would merely create a larger and unstable lump of internal energy… That is not much different from demonic practitioners leaking their strength unable to handle it. Did you extremely compress internal energy into a single point then? No, that is likewise unstable. Centuries ago, Martial Emperor proved the limits of sword qi expression and efficiency issues, demonstrating that recklessly pouring in internal energy merely places strain on qi, blood, and dantian without yielding destructive power above a certain level… That is also why Sword Qi Condensing into Astral Force was concluded to be an impossible martial art…”

Behind him, Wi Sang and Im Sa-yeong, who were already flustered, now wore appalled expressions. For a very brief moment, their faces showed suspicion whether this old man had gone senile. That was only natural, as the sight of him abruptly kneeling when Jang Geon drew his sword and muttering incomprehensible words to himself, combined with his small physique, made him look like a senile old man who had gone mad somewhere.

However, Jang Geon opened his mouth calmly, seemingly unconcerned by such an appearance.

“Try drawing the night sky. The starlight is inside it.”

“…The night sky? Is that… is that some metaphorical expression? What I am curious about is the operation method and implementation method of internal energy…”

Jang Geon smiled faintly.

“I do not know the operation method of internal energy either. It seems my realm is still lacking to explain that.”

Sunwoo Hyeon shut his mouth. Even in ancient documents, phrases explaining sword astral force were always metaphorical and vague. However, as Sunwoo Hyeon himself had recalled and felt merely by seeing that starlight, those phrases were the words that best expressed sword astral force. Thus, for someone who had pursued efficiency and lethality all his life, it might be only natural that it was hard to understand.

Finishing his thoughts to that point, Sunwoo Hyeon soon let out a deep sigh. And calming his excited chest, he closed both eyes.

“Thank you for answering. Though it is not easily understood… since you are the one who reproduced the legend, your words must be correct…”

“When I become able to explain it a bit more easily later, I will tell you again then.”

Sunwoo Hyeon snapped his closed eyes open. And this time, not with surprise, but filled with dumbfoundedness, he opened his mouth wide.

“Those words mean… you intend to let me leave alive?”

“Well. Is there anywhere you are hurt? You don’t seem to have trouble walking.”

While the old man looked at Jang Geon blankly, Jang Geon walked briskly over to Bae Won-chan, who was fallen in a corner of the alley. And he picked up the scabbard tied to his waist. Soon the noise of the sword and scabbard meeting echoed with a click.

After the mental confrontation with Sunwoo Hyeon, Jang Geon had also settled his excitement greatly. Initially, when he overheard his double tone transmission, he was enraged thinking he was a murky old man controlling subordinates from behind, but facing him directly and competing in martial arts, he didn’t seem to be a purely dark old monster.

Judging by his initial introduction, the old man was clearly a high official of the Imperial Army, and fitting a face deeply wrinkled now, if he had lived in a world of obedience for decades, he was bound to possess a bit of eccentricity and rigid thinking. And when Jang Geon noticed the situation, he immediately withdrew his subordinates and stepped forward himself. At least, it meant he was not a person who sacrificed subordinates unnecessarily.

Furthermore, the countless martial arts seen in the fleeting mental world proved that the old man was clearly a respectable martial artist who had dedicated his life to martial arts. Just as Sunwoo Hyeon had marvelled at Jang Geon’s realm at the end of the mental confrontation, Jang Geon had also gained great experience facing Imperial Army martial arts he hadn’t properly experienced until now.

Although its objective was slanted toward the slaughter and suppression of others, techniques refined over hundreds of years clearly possessed their own beauty. Therefore, Jang Geon also had no choice but to pull out sword astral force, which could not be considered complete yet, and had that not worked, the mental confrontation would have resulted in Jang Geon’s defeat.

“…Do you not know what it means to let me leave alive? I glossed over it earlier, but my official post is Grand Academician of the Imperial Palace. I am the chief person in charge of Imperial Army martial scholars, and the current His Majesty also learned martial arts from me when he was young. And from my perspective, you are a far too dangerous figure. Your current realm does not fit your age at all.”

“Are you saying I must kill you here to silence your mouth?”

Sheathing the sword into its scabbard, Jang Geon placed it down with a tap on Bae Won-chan’s back as he asked. That voice was calm, but the content was bloodthirsty, and Wi Sang and Im Sa-yeong, who had stepped back from the situation, felt an instinctive sense of crisis and tensed up.

Whether aware of their tension or not, Sunwoo Hyeon continued speaking.

“If possible, you should do the same to the two people behind. Even if they didn’t see your exact martial prowess, they know that I lost.”

“You speak bloodthirsty words quite casually. What after killing like that? What about the corpses?”

“Handle them somehow. The current supreme commander of the Eastward Marching Army is Princess Yu Seol, who feels great affection for you, and she will try to hide you somehow. Afterwards, until the Eastward Marching Army cleans up the Demonic Palace and His Majesty’s interest distances from the New Continent again, live lying low appropriately.”

Jang Geon looked at the old man standing crookedly while holding his belt as if hearing something absurd. A crooked smile even hung at the corners of his mouth.

“Otherwise? Will the Imperial Army come to catch me?”

“…If I return to the Imperial Palace and speak of you to His Majesty, it might become so. Throughout a history exceeding a thousand years, how could there not be a martial artist like you? From time to time, there were those born with extraordinary talent who became surprising masters alone or based on the heritage of prior generations. But all those people eventually knelt and bowed their heads into the hands of the Imperial Army, or died standing. In the Imperial Army, there are many masters besides me. You will not be able to face them all.”

Looking crookedly at Sunwoo Hyeon, Jang Geon raised his head and looked up at the night sky. The positions of the moon and stars he had seen while smoking tobacco a moment ago had changed slightly. The night was deepening.

Looking up at the night sky, Jang Geon soon pulled out his tobacco pouch and paper from his chest. Though he had already smoked one a moment ago, after concentrating extremely for a very brief moment, he couldn’t help craving tobacco. Before long, tobacco smoke drifted up.

Exhaling the smoke he had sucked in long, Jang Geon spoke.

“I will not kill you over something you haven’t even done yet.”

“…Even if your life or your family’s lives become endangered?”

The moment Sunwoo Hyeon’s question continued, a terrifying light flashed in both of Jang Geon’s eyes amidst the tobacco smoke. Facing that gaze, Sunwoo Hyeon realized that Jang Geon had not harbored killing intent for even a moment during the mental confrontation earlier. That fact once again delivered a chill down his spine.

Jang Geon spoke slowly.

“…I do not like standing above anyone as Alliance Leader or Sect Master. I don’t think I will in the future either. There will be no occurrence of me gathering people with my fame and martial arts to commit suspicious acts. Therefore, I trust that the hundred-thousand Imperial Army of a thousand-year Empire will not slaughter innocent civilians out of fear of a single vagabond.”

Facing his eyes, Sunwoo Hyeon felt as though every single word he spoke penetrated deep into his ears. A dark alleyway, a gaze looking down at the opponent standing with his back to the moonlight. Sunwoo Hyeon felt a intense dignity from Jang Geon, if only for a moment.

Rather than an innate dignity like an Emperor, it was a strong, unyielding momentum flowing from a martial artist pursuing martial arts alone. And that momentum conveyed the meaning that unlike the weak pretense coming from his mouth, if they initiated a fight first, he would willingly fight even a hundred-thousand Imperial Army.

Afterwards, the alleyway became quiet for a moment. Because no one opened their mouth, from Jang Geon, Sunwoo Hyeon, Wi Sang to Im Sa-yeong.

At that moment, Bae Won-chan, who had been unconscious with his tongue hanging out long until now, squirmed.

“Ugh… Uuuh…”

Shaking and trembling, he pushed off the ground and raised his body. Not having fully regained consciousness yet, he blinked his eyes, shook his head back and forth, and looked blankly at his sword rolling softly to the side. And discovering someone’s foot beside him, he slowly looked up at the owner of that foot. Jang Geon’s face holding tobacco was visible.

“J-Jang Geoon… You basstard…”

“What, kid.”

Bae Won-chan quickly picked up the sword dropped beside him and tried to stand up, only to stumble and fall flat on his rear with a thud. Sitting slumped like that, he shook his head back and forth, trying to regain his senses. As if that were effective, he was soon able to spot three people at the far end of the alleyway.

“…Huh?”

He couldn’t tell who the kneeling old man was, but he could guess who the two man and woman behind him were. Their appearance clad simply in armor and neat, tidy grooming were clearly the Imperial soldiers who had been driving him for several days.

Terrified, Bae Won-chan quickly got up from his spot and tried to draw his sword. However, his sword could not be drawn thanks to Jang Geon’s hand blocking it.

“Wh-what is this! What are you doing!”

“If you draw that and resist here, you will really die.”

“…I was going to die here anyway!”

At Bae Won-chan’s shouting response, Jang Geon shook his head.

“This rascal still hasn’t come to his senses.”

“What?”

Holding his tobacco in his mouth, Jang Geon lightly snatched Bae Won-chan’s sword, twirled it around, and jabbed his solar plexus with the end of the hilt. As Bae Won-chan let out an ‘ugh’ sound and stooped his waist, this time he struck his face upward with the scabbard portion. With a ‘kahk’ groan, Bae Won-chan fell flat on his rear behind.

Afterwards, covering his face, he soon saw blood flowing and looked up at Jang Geon with dumbfounded eyes. Subduing him lightly, Jang Geon puffed smoke and looked back at Sunwoo Hyeon.

“Judging by the way things are going, it seems this friend being chased was intended to make him spar with me.”

“…Correct. After learning that he was defeated by you in the past and driven into a corner, it was a plan I roughly framed. It was because I expected he would harbor strong resentment toward you. I thought he would display capability above his own ability as much as he was driven into a corner… but you were more outstanding than my expectations, and he was weaker than my expectations.”

Sunwoo Hyeon was standing up at some point, dusting off his knees. Jang Geon tossed back the sword he had taken from Bae Won-chan. Bae Won-chan received it with a dazed expression.

“Then what happens to this friend now?”

“Well? As you said earlier, if he was foolish and merely used, he will serve a few years of hard labor. No, not hard labor, but conscripted into this Eastward Marching Army. Since his mind doesn’t seem so firm, won’t he be doing rear support rather than combat?”

“If conscripted, his martial arts won’t be crippled.”

Sunwoo Hyeon nodded his head. Bleeding from his nose, Bae Won-chan looked back and forth between Sunwoo Hyeon and Jang Geon.

“…Conscripted? Me?”

“You don’t want to? Then draw your sword again. This time I will send you off for sure.”

Meeting Jang Geon’s eyes, Bae Won-chan subtly slid his gaze away. Seeing him, Jang Geon chuckled and gently shook his head, while Sunwoo Hyeon, who adjusted his clothes, spoke.

“Mmm. First, I offer an apology. Living long in the Imperial Palace, one becomes accustomed to utilizing surrounding situations rather than stepping forward directly. Even in situations where there is no need to do so. I am truly sorry in the middle of the night.”

Speaking thus, Sunwoo Hyeon lightly bowed his head to Jang Geon. Holding his tobacco, Jang Geon nodded his head back with a slight nod. Though it seemed quite half-hearted for an apology, considering his status as Grand Academician, the very fact that he made such an apology was a wondrous thing.

Afterwards, Sunwoo Hyeon gestured to the two standing behind. At that, Wi Sang and Im Sa-yeong quickly stepped forward and approached Bae Won-chan, and looking up at them, Bae Won-chan submissively handed over his sword. His hands were soon bound behind his back as he began to be escorted away.

Walking toward the far side of the alley, Bae Won-chan suddenly stopped and looked back at Jang Geon.

“…This time, my physical condition was not good due to being chased for several days. Next time, let us spar again in top condition.”

“Whatever.”

Jang Geon answered roughly, but Bae Won-chan took on a resolute expression. As if he had truly set winning against Jang Geon as his goal. Jang Geon did not care much. If he truly became a master in the future and wanted a duel, they could fight then. Rather, if he became a master and picked a fight, it was better from Jang Geon’s perspective.

“…You are participating in the Eastward Marching Army as well, right?”

“That is so.”

Looking at retreating Bae Won-chan, Jang Geon nodded his head at Sunwoo Hyeon’s question. The moment he took Seo-ha as a disciple, crushing the Demonic Palace was set.

“…If possible, achieve great merit. So that rather than regarding you as a future threat, they can regard you as a hero in a distant frontier. Mmm, for now, that much will be sufficient.”

“Didn’t you say you’d report my martial arts to the Emperor?”

Sunwoo Hyeon adjusted the pipa strapped to his back once and turned his body.

“Is His Majesty the uncle next door? Do not call him so carelessly. Problems might arise later. And…”

Walking slowly, the old man spoke. His voice drifted further away.

“…Didn’t you say you’d teach me the operation method of sword astral force? Until I know that, it can’t be helped. At any rate, sorry for the late night…”

Watching Sunwoo Hyeon vanish into the dark alleyway, Jang Geon flicked away his almost burned-out cigarette butt. And exhaling the last smoke, he looked up at the night sky. It was truly an out-of-nowhere uproar in the middle of the night. Thinking so, Jang Geon turned his body toward the house. It was time to sleep now.