Chapter 159: The Thing I Wanted to Show You. (3)

Step.

As I took a step, the aura emanating with my footfall roared.

What tingled along my shoulder line was clearly Brain Qi.

The intensity of that dense aura was so strong, it gave the illusion that thunder was striking only around Namgung Bi-ah.

“Click.”

Jang Seon-yeon ground his teeth and forcibly roused his stiffened body.

Jang Seon-yeon had to expend considerable Internal Energy just to move his body.

‘Just to move my body? Is this ‘just’?’

He calmed the trembling tip of his sword and tried his best to ignore the cold sweat trickling down.

Jang Seon-yeon, slowly regulating his breathing, looked at Namgung Bi-ah.

Her lowered sword and serene expression held a lightness, as if she had merely come out for a stroll, rather than preparing for battle.

Along with her appearance, she exuded a solitary nobility, but…

…the aura she gave off was anything but.

‘Is this… the Emperor Sword Form?’

It was Namgung’s ultimate technique, said to be the reason for Namgung’s current standing.

The one they called their all.

The Namgung Family’s Emperor Sword Form. The overwhelming power of the foremost family radiated from Namgung Bi-ah.

‘…To think, Namgung, of all people.’

Unlike its name, Sword Form, Namgung’s ultimate technique wasn’t based on swordsmanship.

Internal Energy mixed with Brain Qi intensified its destructiveness, and the pressure it emitted took on a unique form.

A pressure like something immense crushing down.

The desire to reign, to make opponents kneel within it and stand tall with noble grace, revealed its fangs and filled her presence.

She didn’t hide her ambition to rise above others.

She was an Emperor because she had created the worthiness for it herself.

And she was the Sword Form because she harbored the will to show that through her sword, without relying on aura.

Emperor Sword Form. The presence of Namgung unfolding before his eyes was immensely heavy.

“…Aren’t you… coming?”

The softly whispered words. Jang Seon-yeon had a premonition.

That if he didn’t move now, it might be the end. That he needed to see his opponent differently.

Namgung Bi-ah, clad in the Emperor’s mold, moved lightly.

Her steps were so light, she looked like she was going out for a casual walk, but…

Jang Seon-yeon instinctively raised his sword. It felt like the right thing to do.

Clang-!

“…”

Along with the impact, Jang Seon-yeon was pushed back.

He was easily ten steps away, yet Namgung Bi-ah had suddenly appeared right in front of Jang Seon-yeon.

Sword against sword, they clashed, scattering sparks.

Heavy.

Namgung Bi-ah’s sword, which he had barely blocked, was impossibly heavy.

‘How can such strength come from those delicate arms?’

He couldn’t dwell on the thought for long. He didn’t seem to have the luxury.

Jang Seon-yeon drew up his Internal Energy.

Vmm-

A faint ringing sound from the sword; it was resonating from Jang Seon-yeon’s sword.

It was Jang Seon-yeon’s unique martial art, the Typhoon Advance Joyous Slicing Sword (颱進樂批劍).

It was a sword technique that artificially resonated the sword’s sound, used in conjunction with sound techniques.

This was Jang Family’s martial art, a divine technique that caused the current Martial Alliance Leader to be called ‘Fallen Sword’.

‘I can’t maintain it for long.’

It was a difficult technique, so he couldn’t maintain it for long.

Sound techniques themselves require considerable proficiency in applying Internal Energy.

Being able to use this at such a young age was already a testament to Jang Seon-yeon’s talent.

He had to use an immense amount of Internal Energy, and swing his sword while struggling to maintain it.

Because of that, his sword swings had to be slower than usual.

Of course, since it was possible to destabilize the opponent through sound techniques, this was a manageable issue.

It was also a problem that would be solved as time passed and he grew.

In the future, maintaining this and wielding his sword would become natural. Especially once the aura from the baptism permeated his body.

Even with this much, he should realistically have no problem facing the late-stage martial artists of the current generation.

But that wasn’t the case.

Swish!

The sharply extended sword tip grazed Jang Seon-yeon’s hair.

Rustle-! A few strands of hair, cut off, fell. It was enough to know how critical the situation was.

The problem came once more.

Crackle-!

Following the burst of Brain Qi, Jang Seon-yeon took another step back.

‘Damn it.’

Whether it was his sword or his sound technique, he wasn’t landing any blows on that woman.

The terrifyingly emanating form of the ultimate technique held Jang Seon-yeon’s feet captive, and the sword dance pouring from the gaps was incredibly fierce.

He couldn’t swing his sword at its usual speed while deploying his martial arts.

‘Then what about her?’

‘She can maintain that… and still move this fast?’

He couldn’t understand.

He had to give up something just to maintain it, barely managing.

Facing the Emperor Sword Form directly, he felt he understood better. To use it, she must expend more Internal Energy than him.

She must be exercising finer control.

‘And yet…’

She swings her sword at this speed? Jang Seon-yeon couldn’t believe it.

But the evidence was clear.

Clang-! Clang!

As if not permitting any counterattack, Namgung Bi-ah’s assault didn’t stop. She showed no signs of fatigue.

The sword imbued with Brain Qi felt intensely hot, as if it would burn anything it touched.

The pressure waves, disrupting his breath intermittently, made him feel like he was losing his mind.

Jang Seon-yeon finally looked up, drawing up his Internal Energy all at once, timed just as Namgung Bi-ah closed in slightly.

Vmm!

The sword rang out loudly. At this level, it should at least be able to obscure his sword path.

Although it was a somewhat excessive waste of energy.

He had to change the flow.

Because going on like this seemed hopeless.

‘First, make her stop. Create distance…’

Boom-!

“Gah!”

A heavy impact struck his chest. Jang Seon-yeon immediately groaned and rolled on the floor.

He had thought she couldn’t possibly get in.

Namgung Bi-ah, unfazed, had burrowed into his guard and landed a punch on Jang Seon-yeon’s chest.

“Cough… Cough…!”

Jang Seon-yeon, having rolled on the floor, barely regained his stance and hurriedly shifted his gaze.

It was to pinpoint Namgung Bi-ah’s location.

He also intended to block the next attack, but contrary to his expectations, Namgung Bi-ah stood still.

‘Isn’t she counterattacking?’

‘Why was that just now?’

Jang Seon-yeon recalled the recent attack.

‘Did my martial art not work?’

That couldn’t be.

He had definitely executed his martial art properly, and he even felt the sensation of success.

‘Then how…?’

“…”

Namgung Bi-ah’s expressionless face came into view.

Then, a trickle of blood flowed down from the corner of her mouth.

Seeing that, he could tell.

It wasn’t that it didn’t work; Namgung Bi-ah had simply taken the hit and endured. How could she do that?

Her head and insides must have been shaken.

Just like the poison dart the other day, if she had taken it without knowing, she should have collapsed, spitting blood.

Namgung Bi-ah, as if nothing happened, simply wiped away the flowing blood with her hand.

She didn’t groan.

Nor did she grimace in pain.

The Emperor Sword Form was still maintained, and Namgung Bi-ah simply stood there, looking down at Jang Seon-yeon.

There was no arrogance in her gaze.

Just peace.

Like a calm lake, as if nothing had happened.

Her beautiful appearance, like jade sculpted into human form, was filled with radiance.

That appearance was dignified and noble.

‘This is why she is Namgung.’

It was a thought that fleetingly crossed Jang Seon-yeon’s mind.

As that thought crossed his mind, Jang Seon-yeon bit his lip hard.

So hard that it bled.

‘This won’t do.’

He had to admit it. That defeating this woman right now was impossible.

Therefore.

He had to use another method.

---

How much time had passed since the martial exhibition began?

Measured by the elapsed time, not much might have passed.

After all, they hadn’t exchanged many moves.

However, it was a considerably long time for silence to be maintained. The fact that countless people were all keeping quiet meant it was a difficult and shocking event.

Finally, someone broke the silence and uttered a sound.

“No… way.”

It was a voice filled with astonishment.

This was the starting point.

Starting with that carelessly uttered word, murmurs began to erupt from all directions.

“Isn’t that the Emperor Sword Form? To wield it so skillfully, something even the Brain Dragon couldn’t showcase…”

“How can the movement of the sword be like a dance…? Truly, it is exquisitely beautiful.”

If you were to ask people of the Central Plains if they knew the Namgung Family, ninety-nine out of a hundred would say yes.

No matter how secludedly one lived in the mountains, the Namgung Family was famous enough that it was impossible not to know of them.

And their ultimate technique, the Emperor Sword Form, was also famous enough that it couldn’t be unknown.

It was the only divine technique capable of expressing such overwhelming aura with destructive power.

Based on the Namgung Family’s core cultivation, one had to master not only physical training but also freely wield the Brain Qi that manifested only upon reaching a certain level.

These were the minimum requirements to use the ultimate technique.

It might not sound particularly difficult just by hearing it, but reaching that level in the first place was no easy feat. As it was a martial art passed down only to direct blood relatives,

it wasn’t something one could learn easily.

Mastering it to that level was impossible without considerable talent.

Just look at Namgung Cheon-jun.

Even Namgung Cheon-jun, considered a genius in his own right, could only now draw out Brain Qi; he couldn’t even use the Emperor Sword Form.

So what about Namgung Bi-ah?

‘She was already using it when she met me.’

He recalled the first time they met after his regression.

It was when he met Namgung Bi-ah, lost and wandering on the way to Sichuan.

The aura she emitted, claiming to be from the Namgung Family, was definitely the Emperor Sword Form.

This meant she was already close to perfection when she met me.

“Unni is so cool…”

Tang Soyeol, sitting beside him with a face full of excitement while watching the exhibition, suddenly spoke.

Wi Seol-ah, next to her, nodded vigorously as if in agreement.

The sight of the fallen Jang Seon-yeon and Namgung Bi-ah radiating her aura and spreading her presence around was indeed cool, even to me.

‘…She’s really running wild, isn’t she.’

It was understandable, really. Namgung Bi-ah had broken the shackles she had placed upon herself.

Just before going up to the exhibition stage, Namgung Bi-ah had asked me if she could release the suppressed aura.

She was referring to the Internal Energy she was circulating to suppress her presence.

I had taught her because she seemed uncomfortable constantly wearing a veil.

‘I only explained it and showed her a little, but she copied it right away.’

I was dumbfounded seeing that.

How long did it take me to master just that one thing?

Her talent was undeniable. It was a world and an era filled with too many geniuses.

Terrifyingly so.

And within that, there was me, rotting away alone with inferiority complex.

Has it gotten better now?

I don’t know yet.

Thinking about it now, Ma-geom-hu was a monster.

‘Because she was capable of single-handedly wiping out her own family.’

Even without Cheon-jon, being capable of wiping out an entire family alone speaks volumes.

Unlike me, who received demonic energy and demonic arts from Cheon-ma, and had to become a monster alone in the Demonic Mirror to become useful.

Because Ma-geom-hu, while possessing demonic energy, hadn’t received demonic arts.

Then, for what purpose, and hoping for what, did she become a demon?

Curious about that, I had asked her sometimes.

Of course, Ma-geom-hu never gave a proper answer, even when asked.

-A peaceful life.

She just kept repeating that answer.

“Unni… you’re much stronger than I thought.”

“I know, right.”

I couldn’t help but agree with Tang Soyeol’s surprised reply.

‘Than I thought.’ That’s exactly it.

I thought she was strong, and I could gauge the level she had reached, but…

…Namgung Bi-ah was far stronger than expected.

“Unni Bi-ah is so awesome!”

To Wi Seol-ah’s bright exclamation, I quietly nodded without speaking.

‘I know, right.’

This time, I didn’t say it aloud. It was because, without realizing it, I felt embarrassed.

Making my previous worries seem pointless.

Namgung Bi-ah was pushing Jang Seon-yeon back with an overwhelmingly dominant display.

There was a dangerous moment when she was hit by Jang Seon-yeon’s martial art, but…

Namgung Bi-ah endured.

Should I call that willpower?

Her insides must be churning right now.

The Internal Energy, agitated by the intense pain, must be running wild, but it wasn’t affecting the martial arts Namgung Bi-ah was using.

This meant she was even calculating and controlling the rampaging Internal Energy.

‘…She’s really insane.’

She easily surpassed what late-stage martial artists could dare to do.

Jang Seon-yeon also possesses outstanding talent.

I hate to admit it, but he remains a remarkable martial artist, both now and in the future.

Because those damn actions wouldn’t be possible without talent.

‘What kind of expression must they be wearing?’

My gaze shifted from the exhibition stage to the high places of the building.

It was where the key figures of the Martial Alliance were gathered.

Though unseen, not only the Alliance Leader, but perhaps even the Abbot of Shaolin might be there.

I briefly considered enhancing my aura sense to check, but stopped.

It would be troublesome if I got caught.

‘Are their expressions sour? Or are they intrigued?’

It didn’t matter which of the two it was.

Though, of course, I hoped it was the latter.

‘It’s a bit disappointing that I couldn’t defeat him myself.’

I wanted to break an arm or a leg under the guise of coincidence, but this would be fine too, in its own way.

After all, I’ll be the one to eliminate him later.

“You asked me to trust you.”

When Namgung Bi-ah asked me to trust her, I didn’t quite understand what she meant, but now I think I get it a little.

‘I guess I can watch a bit more comfortably now.’

She wouldn’t foolishly stumble over her own feet like Gu Jeolyub,

nor would she carelessly fall and roll on the ground like the pathetic Namgung Cheon-jun.

She had seized the entire flow of the match, and her Internal Energy seemed sufficient until the end of the exhibition.

Now, I just need to think about how to handle the match against Moyong Hi-ah…

“Huh?”

Lost in thought, I suddenly looked towards the exhibition stage, specifically at Jang Seon-yeon.

My instincts were telling me to.

Boom!

The sound that followed was that of someone rolling on the floor.

What happened was instantaneous.

Jang Seon-yeon, who had been slumped down, was now standing; Namgung Bi-ah rolled a few times on the floor before regaining her stance and jumping up.

Namgung Bi-ah, covering her nose with a look of utter surprise, stared at Jang Seon-yeon.

“What… just happened?”

Tang Soyeol, who had been watching, wore the same expression as Namgung Bi-ah.

I was in no position to answer Tang Soyeol’s question.

It was writhing.

My insides, the energy in my dantian.

I wondered what was tightly constricting me with such a tingling sensation.

The unknown energy I had taken from Namgung Cheon-jun was rampaging fiercely.

Its quantity was so small that the Nine Burning Wheel Technique had almost completely consumed it, yet the power that rampaged was strong. Stronger than I could have imagined.

At the same time, I could feel it.

“That bastard.”

That the reason the energy was rampaging was because of Jang Seon-yeon on the exhibition stage.

I clenched my fist tightly without realizing it.

The more I did, the stronger I felt it.

The exact same energy within Jang Seon-yeon’s body.