Chapter 368: Upheaval (2)
Read it only at Nineheavens.org
The first move of the New Justice Association Master during the era of upheaval was, after all, a visit to Shaanxi. It was a place strongly recommended by Zhuge Yan, and I too thought there was no place other than Shaanxi.
If one were to name the place that faced the harshest upheaval during this turbulent era, it was indeed Shaanxi, and thus Shaanxi had become something of a symbol of this era of upheaval.
The once lively streets of Shaanxi had become quite desolate. It was because the common people, including merchants, did not venture out much.
When there was so much noise in the martial world, the common people naturally reduced their activities. If they wandered around carelessly and were struck by a stray sword qi, it would be a dog’s death, after all.
“If Xi’an is to this degree, there is no need to even speak of other places.”
Xi’an was a region with one of the highest floating populations in the Central Plains. Just as Namgung Hwi said, the situation in other regions could easily be anticipated.
“Welcome.”
Even before the building of the Zhongnan Xi’an branch came into view, Sect Leader Autumn Wind Wanderer Cho Seo-gi had already come out to meet us.
“Why did you come out so far?”
“Taking a stroll at a time like this. Walking around has been quite difficult these days, you see.”
“Because it is such a bizarre spectacle.”
“Those don’t seem like words to be spoken by the person who intended that bizarre spectacle.”
Cho Seo-gi laughed heartily. As expected of someone who hadn’t won the position of sect leader in a game of dominoes, he accurately saw through my intention.
“Haha. I’ve been caught.”
“Come on in.”
From that brief exchange of greetings with Cho Seo-gi, I could immediately sense the critical situation in Xi’an.
It meant the situation was chaotic enough that even Cho Seo-gi, the sect leader of the Zhongnan Sect, could not roam about carelessly.
“Many people have come out to train.”
Upon entering the Zhongnan Xi’an branch, the first thing that caught my eye was the disciples sweating profusely.
“Hehe. They are fellows who want to catch your eye and receive even a single pointer. Normally, they don’t come out in such numbers.”
“Pardon?”
Looking again after hearing Cho Seo-gi’s words, the disciples were indeed swinging their swords while constantly glancing in the direction where I stood.
“Is that true?”
“Of course. Would I speak empty nonsense before you? You don’t seem to realize just how great your standing in the martial world is right now.”
“I originally had standing.”
“Not political standing, but standing as a martial artist. Right now, you are an idol to young martial artists.”
I knew it too. But I had changed the subject out of embarrassment. Not realizing even that, Cho Seo-gi continued to speak excitedly.
“I too was immensely astonished upon hearing the news. Has there ever been a martial artist who demonstrated genius enough to defeat the Eight Exalts at your age? At least in my memory, there has been none.”
“Receiving such high praise as soon as I arrive makes coming to Shaanxi worthwhile.”
When I bantered playfully, Cho Seo-gi patted my back.
“Since I have nothing in particular to offer, I must at least offer high praise.”
“What do you mean you have nothing to offer? Just welcoming me so warmly is something to be grateful for. Rather, it is I who have nothing to offer you.”
“Haha. Look at the disciples. Hearing that you were coming, didn’t they all come out to train? That alone is wonderful.”
“Since you put it that way, I cannot help but go take a look. As the Association Master, I must meet their expectations.”
“Hmm?”
I stopped walking toward the main building and turned my steps toward the training grounds.
The bodies of the Zhongnan disciples who had been glancing at me stiffened all at once.
I smiled wryly to myself. Their ages were not that different from mine. Some were even older than me.
Yet every one of them was looking at me with flushed faces. What on earth was I to receive such gazes? It was extraordinarily awkward.
“How is it going?”
“Y-Yes?”
Having nothing in particular to say, I spoke like that to the disciple who first caught my eye. The Zhongnan disciple stammered in bewilderment.
“Is your training going well?”
“A-Association Master, please speak comfortably. A junior like me is not someone to receive polite speech from someone of Association Master’s standing.”
“There is no such thing.”
Certainly, the martial world was a meritocracy. No matter how low one’s seniority was, if one proved one’s strength, one was respected for that alone. Just like me, a lay disciple of Wudang who had defeated the Eight Exalts.
Of course, that did not mean I intended to treat others disrespectfully. That was a habit formed over decades of living as a merchant, so it could not be helped.
“Try swinging once. With the greatest supreme technique you can execute.”
I lifted a wooden dummy standing nearby and set it before him.
“It is truly an honor that Association Master is watching over me.”
“I am merely observing. Do not feel burdened.”
“Just having you watch is an honor.”
The Zhongnan disciple nodded and began to concentrate. As he focused on his sword, the childlike shyness lingering on his face vanished immediately, replaced by the sharp aura of a swordsman. Zhongnan was indeed a prestigious sect.
The young disciple’s sword swung. Befitting a sword of Zhongnan, it was a heavy and unadorned sword.
The disciple breathed heavily after completing the form, as if he had poured his entire soul into that single strike. Having watched it all, I nodded.
“It is truly the essence of the Heavenly River Thirty-Six Swords. I have watched well.”
“……Thank you.”
The Zhongnan disciple looked at me with sparkling eyes. He was clearly wanting something more.
The other disciples watching him also wanted something. And if I failed to live up to their expectations in such a situation, I would remain merely an ordinary person.
“Would you let me hold your sword?”
I said. In a way, it was an impolite request. A weapon was like an alter ego to a martial artist. Handing over one’s weapon signified trust in that person.
Even so, the Zhongnan disciple handed his sword to me as if it were only natural.
At this point, even the Sect Leader began to watch me with interest.
The Sect Leader of Zhongnan was also a master who would never fall behind. What more could be given to a disciple who had surely already received countless pieces of high-quality advice?
“What was the name of the form you just displayed?”
“It is Heavenly River Stars Scatter.”
“Magnificent. It is a name thoroughly befitting the form.”
As I praised Zhongnan’s martial art, pride welled up in the eyes of the onlookers. It seemed my compliment was now enough to bring elation to the other party.
“Before I speak, I must say that I do not know the martial art known as the Heavenly River Thirty-Six Swords. While I can imitate the form, I remain ignorant of the intent. But do you know this? When one becomes proficient, the form vanishes first; when one achieves completion, even the intent disappears. Nothing remains.”
“Indeed, when one becomes proficient in forms, one uses many variations, so one cannot maintain the exact shape of the form. However, regarding the disappearance of intent, further explanation seems needed.”
Cho Seo-gi was also listening seriously to my opinion as someone who pursued martial studies.
“It is the same with anything. When something is completely attached to the body, it becomes as natural as breathing. There are probably few who attach meaning to every breath. Furthermore, the shape of a form is the expression of intent. As the expression disappears, even the meaning becomes faint. In truth, someone of the Sect Leader’s caliber would not think of principles or the meaning of forms when executing the Heavenly River Thirty-Six Swords.”
“Indeed, that is true.”
The disciples’ eyes seemed drawn into me. Watching that, the Sect Leader smiled.
The Sect Leader was indeed experienced. Having reached that level, he could not fail to understand my meaning, but by asking as if curious, he allowed me to explain it in more detail for the disciples. He was imparting teachings to the disciples while taking the form of a discourse with me.
“Therefore, the ultimate point of all martial arts is ultimately the same. Both form and meaning disappear. That is what people call All Streams Return to the Source. Of course, one must not focus on erasing them. It is something that has vanished through swinging repeatedly; if one erases it forcibly, it is merely incomplete.”
“Those are correct words. Formless and Intentionless is, after all, a realm that only someone who has fully filled both form and meaning can advance toward.”
I had not known that I could discuss martial studies so deeply. But I could simply see and feel it naturally. Whether it was because my realm had elevated, or whether this too was a function of the Martial Talent Shop, I did not know.
“Therefore, even though I do not know the Heavenly River Thirty-Six Swords at all, there is no impediment whatsoever to executing the ultimate essence of the Heavenly River Thirty-Six Swords. Because there is neither intention nor fixed answer, it is a sword that cannot help but be completely flawless. Today, I shall briefly demonstrate that here.”
The disciples naturally formed a circle around me. Cho Seo-gi also crossed his arms and watched me with interest. He too seemed to want to learn something from me.
However, I did not think of it as teaching. I merely unfolded the sword. As mentioned above, it was a sword with neither intention nor fixed answer.
I too had not thought I would be able to display such a sword. But after purchasing the talent of Sword God, the sword had become me. Thus, I could tell instinctively. That I would be able to display a completely flawless sword.
The Grade 3 talent was Oneness of Body and Sword. It meant the body and the sword had become one. Sword God was a talent that had advanced one step further. Essence, Qi, and Spirit were directly one with the sword. Just as there was no meaning or reason for my existence as myself, unfolding the sword was the same.
I concluded the sword dance just like that. Having executed it in a selfless trance, the expressions of the disciples, which had not entered my eyes, only then began to become visible.
“……Haa.”
All the Zhongnan disciples, including Cho Seo-gi, were completely stunned.
“……I resent my own eyes for being able to see only a fragment of the ultimate essence.”
Cho Seo-gi muttered. Since Cho Seo-gi possessed the highest realm here, he would have gained that much more.
“The sword just now is something even you could not reproduce again, correct?”
“Just as there is no identical life, my sword would be the same.”
“Truly so.”
Several disciples were already staring blankly into the empty air with dazed expressions. But that was not truly being dazed. It was the moment of enlightenment, a blessing that visited a martial artist.
“The sword I unfolded was like a blank sheet of paper, so it will suit whatever meaning and form you imbue into it. Therefore, what you take away depends on your own skill.”
I shrugged my shoulders. Even without saying so, many disciples had already taken it and entered the stage of enlightenment.
“In the current martial world, how many people could impart enlightenment to so many with merely a single demonstration of swordsmanship?”
“The disciples were prepared.”
“No matter how much one prepares, there are people who never receive the opportunity in their entire lives. In that regard, you are truly a tremendous fortuitous encounter for us.”
Cho Seo-gi expressed his admiration, and I merely smiled.
In truth, I too had rarely heard of a case where a single person imparted enlightenment to this many people.
“I shall step away quietly so the disciples may consolidate their enlightenment.”
“Good.”
The disciples who had not entered a selfless trance quietly cupped their hands. In a moment when many fellow disciples were attaining enlightenment in the surroundings, one could not make noise. I also cupped my hands quietly in return without making a sound, and entered the Zhongnan Xi’an branch.
After that day, this episode was reportedly passed down like a legend within the Zhongnan Sect.
That upon me swinging a sword once, some radiant radiance unfolded and guided numerous Zhongnan disciples to enlightenment, or something of that sort.
It was a rumor absurd enough to evoke a wry laugh the moment one heard it, but thinking about it, everything except the radiant radiance was true.
In other words, I was gradually breaking away from being a mere mortal.