Chapter 462: Back in my day…

Kwaddeudeudeuk-!!

A giant vessel shattered. The water that flowed out from inside covered Gu Yangcheon.

Afterward, the space that seemed endless began to gradually fill with the water flowing from there.

“…”

The water rose up to his toes.

As if standing on a calm lake, Shin Cheol stood calmly upon the water.

It was serene, without a single tremor.

The shattered debris sank to the bottom. Somewhere here, Gu Yangcheon would also be sinking.

Sensing this, Shin Cheol calmly raised his head.

There was no way to see the sky. All that was visible was pitch-black darkness.

This place is Gu Yangcheon’s inner space.

That dreadful darkness is expressing Gu Yangcheon’s psyche,

and the water that had risen was expressing his regrets and lingering attachments.

“What a pathetic fellow.”

Sensing this, Shin Cheol murmured softly.

He tries to move forward somehow, but in the end, he couldn’t overcome anything.

It’s the inner self of a child who merely endured, holding it all inside.

At that shabby and messed-up sight, Shin Cheol could only let out a hollow laugh.

He looked down at the floor as he was.

The water that had filled up.

He searched for Gu Yangcheon, who must be submerged somewhere here.

Shin Cheol’s gaze swept here and there, but nothing was visible.

That meant his lingering attachments and regrets were that deep.

Seeing that, Shin Cheol shook his head.

I respect his choice, but he doesn’t know what lies at the end either.

‘I wonder.’

Whether that child can truly open his eyes.

And even if he does open his eyes, whether he’ll be entirely himself.

And… if Gu Yangcheon were to open his eyes as Gu Yangcheon.

Whether he could properly sort out all these lingering attachments and remnants of energy.

This was something even Shin Cheol couldn’t be sure of.

After all, becoming a different being was something unthinkable in Shin Cheol’s common sense.

As he stood there quietly watching the water.

Kuuuung-!

He could feel the space tremble for a moment.

Then.

Pang-!

Swaaaahhhhh-!!

Something enormous fell onto the water, causing immense waves.

When the rising water fell back down, it was like rain.

“…”

Shin Cheol looked at the something wriggling on the water.

It was truly massive.

Its size filled this vast space. That black, black thing boasted a size larger than any creature Shin Cheol had ever seen.

Such a monstrous creature.

Huuk… Hook….

Lay fallen on the water, breathing heavily as if exhausted.

“You’ve worked hard.”

Looking at the crouching something, Shin Cheol offered comfort.

Shin Cheol’s eyes could only grasp its size; he couldn’t properly perceive its appearance.

It was because the difference in the rank of existence was too vast.

It was like the difference in perception that arises when the martial realms of warriors are vastly different.

At first, Shin Cheol feared it because of this difference,

but now, that level of fear had somewhat faded.

After all, both it and he were suffering greatly for the sake of a pathetic fellow who had nothing, so a useless sense of camaraderie had formed.

“…You must have suffered greatly, cramming that huge body into this small one to fight.”

Keureu… Keureureung….

It wriggled and breathed out.

It seemed almost like an answer.

Watching its breathing, Shin Cheol nodded slightly.

“Now, please rest.”

What remained seemed to be his own part to play.

“Damn it.”

Spitting out a thick curse, Shin Cheol burst into laughter.

He wondered what kind of hellish suffering this was, even after dying.

A peaceful death was apparently out of the question.

Harboring such trivial thoughts.

Shin Cheol gradually began to emit plum blossoms.

******************

“This looks like it’ll be fun to beat up.”

At the playfully heard voice, Cheon Jon frowned.

What did that guy just say?

“…What did you just say?”

“You’re just like him, asking again after hearing everything. Tsk tsk, your hearing must already be going.”

“You bastard!”

Despite Cheon Jon’s roar of anger, the shadowy figure merely chuckled.

“Don’t yell. Perhaps because you’re young, your voice seems quite strong.”

“How dare you play around like this, knowing who I am.”

“How could I not know? With that smug face and that kind of attitude, there’s only one place like that in the Central Plains.”

Padeuk.

A harsh sound erupted from Cheon Jon’s hand gripping the sword.

“A life like a moth to a flame. I was showing mercy and letting you live. You don’t know your place.”

That strange fellow seemed to have regained his senses, but he appears to be half-mad.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t dare act like this towards me.

Kureureung-!

As Cheon Jon took a step forward, lightning energy began to gather around him again.

The lightning energy lining the air began to take shape little by little.

Once their forms changed, all the lightning energy bore a sharp aura.

Such lightning energy filled the air. So much that counting it would be overwhelming.

“…”

Spectacular. That’s the perfect way to describe it.

The shadowy figure watching that,

No, Shin Cheol.

“Tsk.”

He clicked his tongue briefly, clearly displeased.

“If Myung-nom saw this, he’d crawl out of his grave and vomit blood.”

Shin Cheol himself held quite a bit of ill will towards the Namgung family.

Because of the Moyong family incident, the Moyong family incident, and the Moyong family incident.

However.

Even Shin Cheol acknowledged the Namgung family’s swordsmanship.

More precisely, it wasn’t the Namgung family’s swordsmanship itself, but rather the sword of Namgung Myung, the ‘Lightning Heaven’s Single Sword’, that he acknowledged.

Shin Cheol examined the lightning energy.

The countless bolts of lightning energy each contained considerable power and enlightenment,

“Stupid fools.”

But calling that the Namgung family’s strength was truly humiliating.

“Not only have they lost their purpose, but they’ve even broken their foundation.”

A hollow laugh escaped him naturally.

The purpose Namgung Myung had risked his life to protect was nowhere to be found.

Shin Cheol directed his gaze towards Cheon Jon.

“Child.”

“…What?”

Cheon Jon frowned as if he’d misheard.

Child? It was an incredibly condescending way to address him.

“What do you think the Namgung sword is?”

“…Hah.”

At Shin Cheol’s question, anger flared in Cheon Jon’s expression.

What do I think of the Namgung sword? Was he daring to ask him that?

Him, the Namgung’s foremost sword?

Straining to control the corners of his mouth, Cheon Jon replied to Shin Cheol.

“If you were trying to provoke my reason, I’d say you’ve succeeded.”

Pajijik-!

The lightning energy floating in the air emitted a harsh noise. It crackled aggressively, as if ready to charge at Shin Cheol immediately.

Additionally, a heavy pressure settled over the entire forest.

Emperor Sword Form.

The Namgung family’s ultimate technique began to erupt from Cheon Jon’s body.

“…”

A situation that would make anyone tremble just by looking at it.

In such a situation, Shin Cheol’s eyes remained calm.

It couldn’t be helped.

‘Crude.’

In Shin Cheol’s view.

Because it was too crude and unimpressive to be called a martial art of later generations.

Shin Cheol felt stifled and trembled, but even that was unsatisfactory.

This, too, was fake.

The true Emperor Sword Form is not something so crude.

It wasn’t merely about spreading intimidation to immobilize someone.

‘Was this what you tried so hard to leave behind?’

Thinking of his friend who had shed blood upon blood just to leave behind his sword made his insides ache.

It was true that the lightning energy was incredibly flashy and beautiful,

but recalling the essence of the Namgung family, it shouldn’t have been like this.

‘The Namgung sword is not about flashiness.’

The martial prowess Namgung Myung displayed was not flashy at all.

Rather, it would be more accurate to call it rigid and monotonous.

“Martial arts that fail to leave behind their purpose have no future.”

Recalling an old saying he once heard from the Sect Leader, Shin Cheol took a step forward.

His gaze remained fixed on Cheon Jon.

“The Namgung martial arts are not based on lightning energy in the first place.”

At Shin Cheol’s words, Cheon Jon’s anger deepened.

“Are you saying you’re going to teach me the Namgung sword right now?”

Had he truly gone mad? Cheon Jon no longer wanted anything to do with the guy.

“Because they coated the exterior with hollow flashiness, the inherent weight and solidity have disappeared.”

Lightning energy was now called the Namgung family’s exclusive domain,

but Shin Cheol’s memory from the era of war was different.

Lightning energy was merely a byproduct.

The Lightning Heaven’s Single Sword certainly used lightning energy and dominated the skies,

and the lightning he struck down possessed the power to obliterate mountains,

yet Namgung Myung himself didn’t consider his lightning energy important.

The purpose he pursued was…

‘Not collapsing.’

Never collapsing and never being defeated.

To wield a sword faster than anyone and maintain an unbroken sword path.

And using that…

‘To protect his loved ones.’

He used to say that was the Namgung sword and the philosophy they should pursue.

Although he didn’t like his annoying personality or handsome face,

Shin Cheol himself wanted to emulate that aspect.

As if his words weren’t lies, they were fully embodied in his sword, allowing him to wield it faster than anyone.

But.

“Your sword lacks that.”

A hollow shell.

It was the same with the sword wielded by that fellow called the Sword King whom Shin Cheol had seen,

and it was the same with the sword wielded by this fellow called Cheon Jon now.

“Even if you’re revered as ‘Honored One’ (尊), you clearly don’t measure up.”

“…You bastard!”

Shin Cheol’s words finally snapped Cheon Jon’s reason.

With a roar of anger he couldn’t contain, lightning energy poured down from all directions.

Seen from afar, the sight resembled falling rain.

Meaning there was an immense amount of lightning energy.

It poured down.

The lightning energy containing Cheon Jon’s enlightenment and power rapidly poured towards Shin Cheol.

If hit directly, it seemed capable of leaving no bone unbroken, but…

“Didn’t I tell you?”

Sarak.

With a calm voice, a single petal floated gently upwards from Shin Cheol’s toes.

It was a blue petal.

While ’ember’ would be the proper term, its shape and aura were closer to a flower petal than an ember.

“Martial arts that forget their purpose are futile, no matter what they are.”

The single petal that floated gently upwards.

Sarak.

Slowly divided into two.

Sarak… Sarak….

Dividing again, they became four.

The petals, multiplying their numbers just before the lightning energy poured onto Shin Cheol,

Soon covered the sky.

“…Huh?”

Cheon Jon couldn’t close his mouth at the unbelievable sight.

Chwaaaahhhhh-!

The petals attached themselves to the lightning energy falling madly towards the ground.

The lightning energy, now one with the petals, began to explode one by one in the air with a ‘Pang-!’ sound.

Paaaaahhhhh-!

The sounds continuously echoed in the air. All were the sounds of lightning energy exploding as it intertwined with the petals.

The traces left behind after exploding resembled fireworks in the night sky.

Yes, they exploded.

Cheon Jon’s accumulated enlightenment. The lightning energy containing it was exploding against those flimsy petals.

“…This is impossible.”

Cheon Jon couldn’t possibly believe such a situation.

He could understand it when fighting in a demonic beast form.

Even when injured, he regenerated, and when he charged solely with desire, Cheon Jon thought it was possible because he was a demonic beast.

But this was literally…

‘Having his enlightenment devoured.’

Cheon Jon’s accumulated enlightenment had been defeated.

He recalled Cheon Jon’s lightning energy being swept away nonchalantly.

That was only possible if the opposing warrior possessed deeper enlightenment than him.

“…That can’t be.”

Even the Sword Master couldn’t trample him so lightly.

Perhaps the Heavenly Demon could, but…

The opponent before him couldn’t possibly be on the same level as the Heavenly Demon.

Therefore, it was a situation he absolutely couldn’t believe,

and one that shouldn’t exist.

He was losing?

This Cheon Jon?

Kkeudeudeuk-!

Cheon Jon gritted his teeth.

It couldn’t be.

He, who was the pride and sky of the Namgung family… couldn’t possibly lose to someone unknown like that.

Even though his clan was destroyed and he was left alone, this fact wouldn’t change.

It should have been that way.

It really should have been that way.

Towards the crumbling Cheon Jon.

“When your eyes are clouded by inner demons, your once clear reason inevitably darkens too.”

Shin Cheol continued speaking.

“Even if that weren’t the case…”

Touching the lightning energy directly, he knew even more clearly.

Even if Cheon Jon hadn’t fallen prey to inner demons,

“Child, you would never have reached the place you sought to touch.”

“…This guy… really!”

“If you want to curse the ancestors you failed to protect properly, go ahead. Because I want to curse them too.”

Kuuuuung-!

As Shin Cheol’s taunts continued, the air opened up, and a handful of light began to gather.

Shin Cheol knew immediately what it was.

‘Mind Sword (心劍).’

The ultimate technique of a swordsman.

It was a supreme sword art that only swordsmen who had reached the union of mind and sword could unleash.

A sword made of the mind.

There was a saying that if one desired to cut something, the sword of the mind would activate and cleave anything, but…

The Mind Sword isn’t like that.

Of course, if one wished, such things were possible,

but the Mind Sword distinctly had a form.

What was gathering in the air was precisely the Mind Sword.

A martial art of Mind Mirror (心鏡), created by imitating the swordsman’s mind.

Seeing that, he nodded.

Although he had honed a hollow martial art, Cheon Jon had ultimately reached that level, so Shin Cheol acknowledged his efforts.

“Not bad.”

The profound enlightenment reached by a warrior is always right.

Even if the one wielding it was consumed by anger, frustration, and inferiority,

it’s because the time he endured doesn’t disappear.

Therefore.

He had to show him even more.

“This body has consumed so much, so there won’t be a problem deploying it.”

Even when he had borrowed this body before, he had been annoyed, thinking, ‘What kind of shabby body is this?’

Now, it wasn’t bad.

The body was trained, and his internal energy capacity, unlike back then, was beyond imagination.

It couldn’t be helped that he felt a void due to the shattered vessel,

but this was enough.

It meant it was enough to show that lacking child another world.

Shin Cheol reached out his hand. As he did, he spoke.

“Was this also fate?”

Kkumteul.

Something wriggled from his left arm.

Feeling that familiar movement, Shin Cheol couldn’t help but smile.

Shin Cheol is a swordsman.

Ultimately, he needed a sword to unleash his martial arts, but he didn’t have one now.

This was because the original owner of this body was far from being a swordsman.

It should have been that way originally, but…

Seureureuk-

The bandage wrapped around his left arm unwound itself and then moved towards Shin Cheol’s hand.

The crimson bandage was gone, replaced by a light blue color,

but Shin Cheol didn’t pay attention to such changes. The essence didn’t disappear just because the color changed.

He simply smiled, looking at the bandage.

With that sentiment, Shin Cheol spoke the bandage’s name.

“It’s been a while. Gwijjeong.”

Charararak-!

As if responding to Shin Cheol’s call, the bandage changed its form.

In an instant, it layered itself, transforming into the shape of a sword.

This bandage’s name was Gwijjeong.

It was originally a treasured item of Mount Hua and the beloved weapon Shin Cheol used.

‘To think that damned fellow treated this like a mere bandage… Tsk.’

How much anger had he spewed internally.

The problem was that he hadn’t properly explained what this was before leaving, but reaching this point, it was perhaps fortunate.

Kuuuuuung-!

From the air, light began to gradually descend towards the ground.

Seeing that, Shin Cheol gripped Gwijjeong tightly.

At that moment.

Hwaaaaaahhh-!

“…!”

The air above Shin Cheol opened up, revealing countless points of light.

Seeing that, Cheon Jon couldn’t hide his shock.

Not just one.

Three Mind Swords, easily.

At their number and majesty, Cheon Jon was speechless.

“Child.”

Just then. Shin Cheol’s voice reached Cheon Jon’s ears.

“Back in my day.”

For some reason, his voice was filled with laughter.

Although it was a dark silhouette whose expression wasn’t clearly visible, Cheon Jon could tell for sure.

That he was laughing.

Sensing Cheon Jon’s emotions, Shin Cheol spoke.

“You had to be able to draw two or three of these effortlessly to be called a swordsman back then.”

The era of war.

The era Shin Cheol lived in was truly like that.