Chapter 408: What are you doing?

The justification is a sparring match.

A sparring match.

This was, in reality, a justification that could be used anywhere.

It was like a high-level master giving pointers to novices during a sparring match.

In a way, it was merely an honor and a stroke of luck for the novices.

If a swordsman of Bai Lian Sword’s caliber offered a teaching match, countless people nationwide would gladly gather.

However, whether this current situation could truly be considered right was questionable.

Bai Lian Sword, Moyong Biyeon, gazes at the three people before her with intrigued eyes.

The moment Moyong Biyeon scattered her killing intent, she was curious about how they would react.

Would they be terrified? Or perhaps flustered?

Moyong Biyeon had judged that they wouldn’t deviate much from those two reactions.

‘Wow.’

Her expectations were spectacularly missing the mark. The children weren’t scared or flustered.

Rather.

Srrrng.

The moment they sensed the killing intent, they simply adopted a ready stance and adjusted their posture.

Especially the two who appeared to be swordsmen were breathtaking.

‘Not even a slight tremor?’

The child from the Tang Clan certainly gave an impression of being outstanding for their age, but…

…they couldn’t compare to those two.

Should I say their level made it feel apologetic to call them ‘late bloomers’?

They had already broken through the wall and reached the peak long ago, so they couldn’t possibly be called late bloomers anymore.

‘They said this generation was particularly outstanding. That saying is true.’

I’m actually feeling what I’d only heard through rumors.

As for the young man named Gu Yangcheon, he was so exceptionally superior that it was ambiguous to call him the average of the generation.

So, let’s set him aside. Shouldn’t the focus now be on these children?

Interest began to fill Moyong Biyeon’s eyes.

In her view, this Sichuanhang, led by the Poison King, was not just peculiar but sufficiently intriguing to capture her interest.

There were a notably large number of late bloomers from different sects.

Even amidst them, the level of each individual was extraordinary.

Including the three from before, the young men, including Gu Yangcheon, were also dazzling.

The young Taoist from Wudang, called the Sleeping Dragon, had already reached a state of mastery, let alone perfection.

The large young man from the Pei Clan, while remaining at the first-rate level, was not of low skill.

The lowest-level late bloomer was surprisingly her own nephew.

‘Unusually outstanding.’

Moyong Biyeon harbors a slight doubt upon seeing that.

Only the seemingly frail boy, said to be from the Cheol Clan, seemed problematic, however.

That child’s level was so ambiguous it was hard to even call him a martial artist, so let’s move past him.

If it were my generation, each of them would be at the level of the top late bloomers, and it wouldn’t be strange…

‘Ah… that wouldn’t have been the case.’

Being the absolute top would have been too much.

Back then, ‘that person’ occupied the very end of the late bloomer ranks.

However, below them, there were plenty here who could easily be called geniuses without question.

‘Is it coincidence?’

Did people like this just happen to gather by chance?

Or, if not, did they ‘gather’ around something as a center?

If they gathered, drawn by something…

The center, one could say…

‘It would be that child.’

A young man’s face flashes through Moyong Biyeon’s mind.

If that were the case, it would make some sense.

Just as they themselves did, people tend to gather towards something incredibly radiant when they see it.

Since the brightest light of this generation happened to be here, all of this couldn’t possibly be seen as mere coincidence.

Having experienced it directly in the past, Moyong Biyeon could naturally understand this.

Even so.

Moyong Biyeon had to let out a hollow laugh while looking straight ahead.

‘Even so. Isn’t this a bit much?’

The moment Moyong Biyeon exhaled a breath of disbelief.

Swish-!

The tip of the sword grazed Moyong Biyeon’s cheek. Slightly recoiling from the faint lightning energy, Moyong Biyeon stepped back a little.

No, she tried to create distance, but something else burrowed in beside her.

Two throwing knives flew in rapidly.

Glancing, Moyong Biyeon twisted her body, gauging the angle.

Whoosh-! As she moved, air pressure arrived, altering the trajectory of the throwing knives.

Thwack-! The flying knives passed Moyong Biyeon and embedded themselves in a tree.

Then, surprisingly, the tree began to rot around the embedded knives.

That means the knives were coated with poison techniques.

‘Look at these kids?’

Seeing that, Moyong Biyeon examined the ones who threw the knives.

As someone from the Tang Clan, using poison techniques isn’t strange, but I didn’t expect them to actually use it.

When I suggested we have a sparring match. Moyong Biyeon had demanded a level akin to actual combat.

Of course, I intended to go easy on them while observing the children’s condition.

‘This is more than I expected….’

Aren’t the children’s levels extraordinary?

Grrrr-!

“…!”

It seemed they wouldn’t let me ponder for long. As soon as I dodged the knives, a feast of lightning energy flew in.

Moyong Biyeon had to admire this.

‘Amazing.’

It was lightning energy that seemed to number in the dozens, yet each strand moved with apparent will, displaying different movements.

This meant the caster was individually coordinating all those streams of lightning.

If it were merely up to that point, one might vaguely pass it off with the word ‘genius,’ but…

…the master of the lightning energy was even using sword dances while controlling all of it.

Controlling so much lightning energy while also moving their body?

The face of the Namgung Clan Leader flashes through Moyong Biyeon’s mind.

It was because the master of that lightning energy happened to be of Namgung bloodline.

‘It seems that brat, unfittingly for their station, spawned a monster.’

My spine tingles.

My toes feel heavy, and raising my internal energy is slow.

My shoulders feel heavily pressed down; it was definitely the martial arts of that family.

Emperor Sword Form.

That damned martial art, which is nothing but troublesome.

Dodging the pouring lightning energy left and right, Moyong Biyeon surveyed her surroundings.

What flew in from the front was solely lightning energy.

Then where else is left?

Moyong Biyeon raises her internal energy sense.

Zing-! As expected.

She felt presences rapidly probing her internal energy sense.

Both left and right.

The moment she noticed that, white and gold flashes arrived from both sides.

There was no hesitation in the extending sword tips.

Furthermore, judging by their paths, they were aiming for Moyong Biyeon’s neck.

‘Wow.’

Moyong Biyeon realizes this as she feels it.

It seemed I had made a mistake.

It was about seeing them merely as late bloomers.

Thinking that, Moyong Biyeon immediately changed her grip on her sword and swung it, imbued with a hint of apology.

Then.

Whoooosh-!

A pale cyan sword aura, imbued with the symbol of the Moyong Family, burst forth in all directions.

“…!”

“Ugh…!”

Startled by the energy erupting just before the sword touched them, Namgung Bi-ah and Wi Seol-ah flinched and were pushed back.

The lightning energy pouring in behind them was swept away and disappeared by Moyong Biyeon’s sword aura.

The two, flying a distance away and barely managing to land where Tang Soyeol was waiting, looked at Moyong Biyeon in surprise.

What was swirling around them was clearly sword aura.

A heavy, weighty energy, entirely different from the aura displayed by a master at perfection, permeated it.

From within it, an embarrassed voice flew towards the three people.

“Sorry. I guess I thought about it a bit wrong, older sister.”

Moyong Biyeon, her sword fully enveloped in her unique energy, wore a slight smile.

“I thought I could just take it easy, but I shouldn’t have had that mindset.”

Given the circumstances, I had intended to treat them somewhat as juniors, but…

These children were already martial artists (武人), even before being juniors.

Meaning, it wasn’t a state where I could treat them playfully.

Moyong Biyeon looks at the three people with a peculiar gaze.

‘Did ‘that person’ feel this way too?’

The day I faced the previous Sword Empress alongside So Yi, the current Sword Empress.

Wasn’t her gaze towards us similar to this?

If there’s one slight difference from back then.

It’s that the Sword Empress back then judged us as martial artists on the same level from the start and acted sincerely.

…while the current Moyong Biyeon did not.

‘Tsk.’

Recalling that, Moyong Biyeon blames herself.

At the same time, she thinks it’s fortunate.

That So Yi holds the position of the current Sword Empress.

Because she surely wouldn’t have made the same mistake as me.

Moyong Biyeon, who never had any interest in the position of Sword Empress in the first place, thought it fortunate.

No matter how I looked at it, I wasn’t close to the image of a Sword Empress.

“Hoo.”

Composing her breath, Moyong Biyeon slowly gathers her energy.

Now that I’ve realized my mistake until now, I’ll just do things differently going forward.

Her calmly settled eyes take in the three people who seem tense.

She drew her sword.

“Let’s go again.”

Did they perhaps understand the meaning conveyed in her voice?

The energy of the three changes.

They must have noticed that Moyong Biyeon had changed from just before.

Seeing that, Moyong Biyeon couldn’t help but smile inwardly.

It was because she felt herself getting excited seeing that.

‘Ah, this won’t do.’

I only intended to help my nephew along and check out the pretty girls chasing Gu Yangcheon.

What am I supposed to do if I’m also getting excited about this situation?

Suddenly, I remember my younger sibling pleading as if begging me to act my age.

‘Sorry.’

Moyong Biyeon offered a small apology to her sibling.

No matter how I looked at it, it seemed too much to expect me to grow up.

The energy that had been surging little by little subsided. When a moment of quiet arrived.

Moyong Biyeon shifted her footing slightly.

Then, Moyong Biyeon’s form vanished in the blink of an eye.

At this, Namgung Bi-ah widened her eyes and spread her internal energy sense.

Wi Seol-ah also frowned, raising her sword to survey the surroundings, but…

Thump-!

Moyong Biyeon appeared through a small gap between the two.

At that moment.

Once again, a typhoon began to rage within the forest.

A typhoon much larger than the first, no less.

---

Dense internal energy gradually filled the air.

It was full of killing intent that sent chills down a martial artist’s spine.

Boom-! Boom boom-!

The roars were repeating endlessly, as if a giant monster had burst out in the forest.

Following that sound, countless people gathered.

Since those who set out for Sichuanhang were all martial artists from the start.

There was no way they could overlook such dense and intense internal energy.

Gradually, people gathered one by one, eventually forming a group.

The more they gathered, the clearer it became that these sounds were definitely not made by the appearance of monsters.

A martial artist from the Pei Clan, watching the center of the sounds, whispers.

“Wow… That’s amazing? How can they do that?”

His voice was full of admiration.

“The three’s combined attack is so clean. Their individual martial arts seem different too.”

The two swordsmen team up to engage in close combat.

Whenever an opening appears, poison-infused throwing knives fly in.

Though sword blades are being swung without rest, they don’t interfere with each other’s movements.

This is something only sword legion members who have trained together for a long time could achieve, yet…

…these late bloomers, who seemed not fully grown, were displaying it, so it was naturally surprising.

A junior, hearing such admiration, looked strangely and asked the man.

“Is that really so amazing?”

“Good grief. You stubborn fool, can’t you see it even when looking at that?”

The junior’s expression contorted at the word ‘stubborn,’ but it was a fitting remark.

Each martial art has different characteristics.

The energy used to wield them is also different.

Because the energy used for martial arts tends to be predominantly conflicting in nature.

They tended to clash and overwhelm each other.

Therefore, it’s one thing if it manifests when they are enemies…

…but martial artists performing a combined attack together inevitably leads to various problems.

Like their energies clashing, causing issues in using martial arts.

The more intensely they move, the more their paths tangle, usually causing problems with the movements themselves.

“Those children are like one body.”

Even if the martial arts they use match well, moving within a boundary where they don’t interfere with each other like that is another matter entirely.

The junior, hearing this, nodded slightly as if understanding.

However, there was still a part he didn’t understand.

“It’s an impressive statement, but… still, none of their attacks are landing.”

I understand that their combined attack flows naturally like water.

And I understand they are individuals who have reached outstanding levels for their age, but…

…even considering that, the opponent was simply too overwhelming.

The women’s attacks weren’t landing even slightly; rather, they were constantly being pushed back.

To the junior’s words, the man replies.

“Well, that can’t be helped… the opponent is that Bai Lian Sword, after all.”

The opponent was bad. That’s the most fitting statement.

The man’s gaze turns towards one woman.

Towards the woman who was moving nonchalantly while receiving the combined attack of the three.

Bai Lian Sword.

One of the heroines who was a candidate for Sword Empress (劍后).

This explanation should suffice.

Among the countless martial artists here, those who could reach that woman could be counted on one’s fingers.

Bai Lian Sword hasn’t been active properly for over a decade, so there’s no news, but…

…the way she acted in her prime was still vivid for those who lived through that era.

“I’m a little envious.”

“Yes?”

Simply clashing swords with Bai Lian Sword would itself be no different from a significant fortunate encounter.

The man felt a little envious of those late bloomers.

The problem was.

‘It’s intense for a teaching match.’

There’s plenty of killing intent, but no murderous intent is felt, so I know it’s not real combat…

…even so, it felt quite violent.

To the point where I wonder if I should intervene.

While the man watched the match with slightly uneasy eyes, the junior continued speaking, sounding curious.

“Even amidst this, Poison Staff is holding her own quite well.”

“Hmm?”

“Rumor had it her skills were lacking compared to her nickname, but she doesn’t seem that way.”

“Hmm…”

The man’s gaze shifts to the woman throwing knives from behind.

It was indeed like that.

The daughter of the Tang Clan, rumored to be inferior in skill compared to the other Dragons and Staves,

…contrary to expectations, was showing a decent performance amidst the storm of internal energy.

The fact that the flying knives were steady even in such a situation was proof of that.

Furthermore, her intention to make Bai Lian Sword pause intermittently from afar, depending on the situation, stood out.

“Indeed. Compared to the rumors, she seems much more skilled.”

“I appreciate you seeing it that way.”

“It’s praise for Poison Staff, so it’s not something for you to be thankful for… Huk!”

As the man continued speaking, he suddenly sensed something strange and looked back.

It was because it sounded somewhat different from his junior’s voice.

As expected, it wasn’t the junior’s voice.

The junior, seeing the person who suddenly interrupted, turned pale as if terrified.

The man had to swallow dryly upon seeing him.

“Clan… Clan Leader Tang…”

The one who interrupted the man’s words was none other than the Tang Clan’s head.

The Poison King (毒王).

Realizing that, the man broke out in a cold sweat.

What did I just say? He couldn’t calm his pounding heart.

Although I didn’t know, I had brought up the topic of Poison Staff in front of the Poison King, so if he didn’t like it, the Poison King might have gotten angry.

“I-I’m sorry…!”

As the man hastily bowed his head and offered an apology.

The Poison King waved his hand, signaling it was okay.

Fortunately, the Poison King didn’t get angry at the man.

Rather, the Poison King smiled slightly and merely expressed his gratitude towards the man.

“Thank you for viewing my daughter’s efforts favorably.”

At the Poison King’s words, the man repeatedly bowed his head and disappeared with his junior.

The Poison King, glancing at that, sighed and looked at his daughter.

‘…What on earth is that.’

The center of a killing intent that even the Poison King could feel tinglingly.

His daughter was right there.

The Poison King, who had rushed over immediately after receiving a report about this.

He intended to stop the match immediately upon seeing the condition, but…

‘…Tsk.’

He hesitated for a moment, watching his daughter’s appearance.

It was the first time he had seen his daughter’s face showing such effort.

Judging by her energy, she was in a considerably dangerous state, but the sparring match with Bai Lian Sword could be a fortunate encounter for Tang Soyeol.

The Poison King didn’t dislike seeing his daughter’s face in such a martial aspect.

That’s why he was watching the match for a moment, but…

‘It can’t last long.’

No matter how I looked at it, that match had many problems.

Leaving aside the fact that it was his daughter’s match. Her condition was quite poor.

It was because the heat Bai Lian Sword was emitting was unusual.

Seeing that, the Poison King grasped his throbbing forehead.

‘…Bai Lian Sword.’

She was a woman famous for being unpredictable from way back, yet…

Why she, such a person, was sparring with those children, let alone, I wonder if this is something she’d be so engrossed in.

If the stronger party is in such a state, it’s a situation where problems could easily arise.

‘If it comes to that.’

The Poison King intended to intervene before things escalated if the situation didn’t calm down.

He thought that the only ones who could jump in and stop the match in the current situation were, at best, the Pei Clan Head and himself.

To end such an intense match, one would need to be at least a martial artist who reached the Hwa Gyeong realm.

Among the martial artists gathered here now, the only one who could do such a thing, since the Pei Clan Head isn’t present, would be himself.

All the other martial artists here, if they have eyes, would know that.

Given such circumstances, the Poison King watched the match, filled with tension.

As the match progressed, the killing intent grew denser.

Originally, it should have ended shortly after, but the reason for such a prolonged exchange…

…must be because Bai Lian Sword wasn’t trying to kill, given it’s strictly a teaching match.

This means that if she truly intended to kill her opponent, the situation would have ended long ago.

While watching the match with such uneasy eyes.

The Poison King’s eyes, watching Bai Lian Sword, widened like saucers.

‘That…!’

That was dangerous.

It looked like Bai Lian Sword was crossing the line somewhat, as if intoxicated by the killing intent.

The moment he felt that, the Poison King raised his internal energy.

He intended to jump in immediately and stop the match. If that power erupted as is, it would be quite dangerous.

Just as the Poison King was about to leap, gritting his teeth.

Someone moved before the Poison King did.

Fwoosh-!

“Huh?”

“What the…”

Not only the Poison King, who was raising his internal energy, but also the onlookers let out surprised sounds.

It was because an unseen young man appeared in the midst of the flashing, deadly scene.

“…!”

At this, even the participants in the match seemed surprised and tried to turn their blades, but it was already right after they were released.

It was too late to change the sword’s path.

Just before sword tips shot from all directions to hack the suddenly appeared young man’s body.

Tsk-

A short tongue-clicking sound was heard from somewhere.

Whoooosh-!

“What…!”

“Ugh!”

“Agh!”

“Hk…!”

Suddenly, the women participating in the match were flung high into the air and began rolling on the ground.

At this, the onlookers seemed dumbfounded and had to try to understand the situation.

What just happened?

Where did the previous violence go, leaving a situation that instantly became quiet.

In that silence, the young man stood tall in the center, pinching the bridge of his nose with two fingers.

“Haa.”

He let out a deep sigh and then opened his mouth towards the women who were just managing to get up.

“…I’m exhausted to death. What is this nonsense you’re pulling since this morning?”

Considerable irritation was contained in his voice.