Chapter v10c3

Bi Ryu Yeon versus the Ice Sword

Lightning and Ice

With a thunderous roar that shook the heavens and earth, a wave of white light engulfed the ground!

Even amidst the dazzling white brilliance, akin to the scorching sun’s rays, Bi Ryu Yeon did not close his eyes.

The distance between the two had become zero due to this clash, meaning they were within each other’s range.

In a duel with a master, blinking while within the opponent’s range was tantamount to courting death. It was an absolute taboo, not to be broken unless one had a spare life lying around. It made no difference whether it rained, wind blew, or a storm raged.

The first to blink would be the first to die. It was as simple as that. Life and death were decided in an instant. Therefore, masters devote significant effort to training their eyesight to never miss an opponent’s movement, regardless of the situation. No matter how powerful a martial art one possessed, it was useless if one died before being able to use it. Literally, a momentary lapse could cost one’s life. If Bi Ryu Yeon had blinked even for an instant amidst the blinding white light, he would have already fallen under the Ice Sword’s blade.

However, Bi Ryu Yeon had been trained from a young age never to lose sight and focus, even in any situation. Thus, he was able to observe every move of the Ice Sword without blinking, even amidst this scorching light. Of course, the Ice Sword had undergone similar training. To close one’s eyes while executing one’s technique was a folly only a fool would commit. Maintaining visibility was always the top priority. That was the foundation of martial arts.

The Ice Sword’s blade pierced through the white light at a dazzling speed towards Bi Ryu Yeon’s face. The speed was so swift and unmatched that it could be considered the essence of swift swordsmanship. But Bi Ryu Yeon was also a ‘speed’ in human form. To date, he had never been outpaced by anyone except for one person.

With unbeatable speed, he swiftly twisted his body. He did not believe the Ice Sword’s attack would end with a single strike. Naturally, he was well aware that a second and third strike would follow in quick succession.

As expected, a cold sword energy, as if freezing the moonlight, targeted Bi Ryu Yeon’s throat and solar plexus. Not just that, but deadly sword lights also aimed at four other vital points. Each was a critical spot that could not be neglected.

“Damn you, bastard!” Yeom Do cursed, squinting his eyes due to the burst of light. For the Ice Sword, a Grandmaster of the Cheonmu Martial Arts School, to unleash such deadly techniques against Bi Ryu Yeon, a mere student, was problematic in many ways. It was something that should not happen given his status, but as attacks kept failing, he forgot to show mercy.

Always appearing cold and detached, he knew how to express his anger, not with crude words but with direct action. Within the dazzling white light, seven stars shone brightly.

Ice Spirit Streaming Sword

Sword Qi Righteousness

Extreme Light White Fierce Illusion Dance

North Star Seven Blades

Within the mysterious aurora-like light draped over the northern sky, seven sword energies resembling the Big Dipper burst forth, ravaging the enemy in an unparalleled technique. Seven cold sword energies blazed towards Bi Ryu Yeon’s vital points. The Ice Sword was confident no further attack was necessary. This technique was, even by his standards, excessively powerful.

Bi Ryu Yeon didn’t even have time to curse. He had to save every moment to dodge the Ice Sword’s formidable attack with all his might.

Phoenix Dance

Illusionary Chapter

Moon Shadow Flying Wings

Silent Dance

Seven icy blue sword energies pierced through Bi Ryu Yeon’s body, carving the Big Dipper into the ground. Yeom Do’s eyes widened as if they would tear apart. To him, it appeared as if Bi Ryu Yeon had been skewered by seven spears.

“No!”

The Ice Sword was also shocked. He hadn’t expected a direct hit like this. But no blood was spilled.

Like mist dispersing at dawn’s first light, Bi Ryu Yeon’s shadow vanished from before the Ice Sword’s eyes. “What?”

Silently, Bi Ryu Yeon’s figure, which had disappeared like a mirage, reappeared right in front of the Ice Sword. So close that the Ice Sword could count the sweat pores on Bi Ryu Yeon’s face. It was a technique as mysterious as a mirage.

“This… How is this possible!”

The Ice Sword doubted his own eyes. The momentary flicker of disturbance was clear in his retina. Bi Ryu Yeon’s right hand was tightly clenched. The Ice Sword, with widened eyes, rapidly twisted his body to escape the attack. The distance and time were too short to launch another attack against Bi Ryu Yeon, who was already prepared. Given Bi Ryu Yeon’s demonstrated speed, the Ice Sword might have been at risk. At this moment, Bi Ryu Yeon received an immense evaluation from the Ice Sword, but he was completely unaware of it.

With a speed that seemed to cut through the wind and even light itself, Bi Ryu Yeon’s fist shot out.

Thump!

Instantly, the Ice Sword felt an intense pain rushing through his chest like a wild horse. He barely swallowed the scream that burst forth. He still had his pride.

“Ha… A monster indeed, damn it!”

Yeom Do spat out in a bitter tone. He hadn’t expected Bi Ryu Yeon to master such an advanced level of lightness skill. To be honest, he hadn’t experienced Bi Ryu Yeon’s speed firsthand, as it hadn’t matched the Ice Sword’s.

“Damn! Looks like I can’t get through tonight without a drink.”

Yeom Do grumbled, his expression sour. His taste was bitter. Yet, his gaze remained fixed on the battlefield. The Ice Sword’s face was severely hardened, the unbelievable reality darkening his complexion instantly. Yeom Do found some solace in his expression.

“Huff, huff, huff!”

The Ice Sword, usually unshakeable, was now gasping for breath.

“Kuh!”

A low moan escaped from his lips, frozen until now. He clutched his chest. The pain was so severe he nearly knelt down. The Ice Sword’s cold gaze shot towards Bi Ryu Yeon, filled with chill. Bi Ryu Yeon was mercilessly pierced by the Ice Sword’s icy gaze. The Ice Sword seemed to want to turn Bi Ryu Yeon into a pockmarked garden tree or a decorative bonsai. Of course, creative freedom should be respected, but personal rights cannot be infringed upon. Wait, is this a different issue?

Bi Ryu Yeon’s instantaneous leap and ghostly technique were so extraordinary that they seemed beyond human capability.

‘How could such a person have been the subject of those absurd rumors?’

The Ice Sword couldn’t understand. It was unbelievable that the majority at the Cheonmu Martial Arts School had not recognized Bi Ryu Yeon’s skills, attributing everything to heavenly mischief and fortuitous luck. The skills Bi Ryu Yeon displayed were genuine. Otherwise, how could he still be so lively and active under his blade, even launching a counterattack?

Bi Ryu Yeon’s counterattack left the Ice Sword chilled to the core.

‘Everything must have been miscommunicated from the start. Or else, this guy is the most cunning person in the world. It’s astonishing that he hasn’t revealed his true skills for nearly two years. What could possibly be the reason for that? Is there something he needs to hide?’

Bi Ryu Yeon himself never intentionally hid his true identity, but the Ice Sword had already concluded that he must have had some cunning scheme. ‘How devious must one be to so desperately conceal their true nature? Is he a spy for the Black Heaven Gang? Or, could it be, an agent of the Heavenly Mandate?’

Unfortunately for the Ice Sword, Bi Ryu Yeon had never desperately concealed his identity. He had simply acted a bit slyly, very rationally, and somewhat cleverly, according to his usual principles. He only stepped forward when it was necessary, and did not hold back his anger when provoked. He simply acted calmly according to his heart’s direction, nothing more.

However, without knowing the full story, it was natural for the Ice Sword to misunderstand, and Bi Ryu Yeon, lacking the ability to read his true intentions, had no way to clear up the misunderstanding. Even if he had known, it’s questionable whether he would have clarified things.

Thus, the Ice Sword committed the error of hasty generalization, relying on his own misconceptions and prejudices.

‘What exactly is this guy’s true identity? A thief, an assassin, a recognizer, an agent, a secret shadow?’

Despite his claim to sharp rationality, the Ice Sword found it impossible to come to a quick conclusion as countless suspicions wildly rampaged through his mind. The more he thought, the deeper he seemed to fall into a labyrinth of confusion. But now, that was no longer important. The Ice Sword had already made a decision.

‘This man is surely a threat to the Cheonmu Martial Arts School. Therefore, I must eliminate him with my own hands today.’

A fierce killing intent began to emanate from the Ice Sword, sharp as an ice pick.

“What the hell is that damned guy doing all of a sudden?”

Yeom Do, who had been watching the Ice Sword, was baffled by the sudden change in his demeanor. He was perplexed. Why was that guy suddenly emitting such a desperate killing intent?

“Is he planning to finish this today? Hey! You damned ice block! What’s the reason for suddenly spewing out such a deadly killing intent? What’s the reason?”

The Ice Sword did not respond to Yeom Do’s barrage of questions. He just chewed on them silently. “This damn guy…”

Yeom Do’s face began to flush with heat. He was on the verge of blowing his top.

However, the Ice Sword had no leisure to respond and distract himself. He had decided to give his all. He was not contemplating defeat.

The fight that had started could not be stopped. The battle between the two was escalating in intensity. It seemed like the god of combat would not let them go until blood was seen.

Silently, the Ice Sword, with a will to kill, raised his sword calmly to his centerline. His body seemed to disappear, leaving only the sword as if it existed alone in the world. It felt as if the sword and he had become one.

“Sword and body as one! That’s certainly not a feat just anyone can accomplish.”

Yeom Do murmured.

Sword and body as one! It was one of the ascending stages where the sword and body become one, allowing the wielder to freely control the sword as if it were their own limbs. It was a state that anyone walking the path of the sword would reach at some point, and there were countless such individuals at the Cheonmu Martial Arts School. However, not many could show the state of sword and body as one as clearly as the Ice Sword was now. The level the Ice Sword was displaying seemed to go beyond sword and body as one, reaching the realm of heart and sword as one.

The Ice Sword’s blade turned behind his waist. It was a large stance, indicating a powerful technique was about to be used. Had he decided that he couldn’t win properly without taking a stance?

“No way, no way, no way!!!!”

Yeom Do suddenly cursed. He knew all too well what stance the Ice Sword was preparing. That’s why he couldn’t help but let out a hot stream of curses from deep within.

“Hey, you! That’s cheating!”

Yeom Do jumped up in shock. He had once received that technique and still trembled at the memory of the terrifying technique. It was a killing move, not a subduing technique, and should not be used in a duel meant only for subduing.

‘Has that ice block gone mad?’

It was a behavior that did not suit the Ice Sword, who claimed to have all emotions frozen and packed away, leaving only reason.

Or had he already noticed Bi Ryu Yeon’s true skills?

It was a deadly technique that could only be escaped by using the ultimate defensive technique, the Flame Wall.

“Hey, you bastard! Are you planning to use that?”

Yeom Do shouted at the top of his lungs, his eyes bulging.

Yeom Do knew better than anyone the despicable and annoying technique the Ice Sword was about to use. It was a technique the Ice Sword would use only when facing a life-or-death enemy. It was a legendary technique that had not been used in nearly ten years and had caused a critical injury to Yeom Do twenty years ago, playing a decisive role in his defeat. It was a technique that should not be used against a mere student. It was that secretive, terrifying, vicious, and powerful.

No matter if the opponent was a monster in disguise as a student, it was absolutely unacceptable to use such a technique on a troublesome creature that showed no signs of dying from ordinary methods.

‘Has that young master been pushed to the brink by him? To the point where he has to unseal his secret techniques?’

The Ice Sword’s eyes froze over as if they contained the cold of a northern blizzard.

Wooong!

The Ice Sword’s beloved blade, Bing Lu, began to shine with a blue light, hinting at coldness.

“Damn it! Cursed! Rotten!”

Yeom Do took a sharp breath. His eyes were wide open. “that’s Dangerous!”

Yeom Do shouted, but Bi Ryu Yeon could not properly hear him.

Ice Spirit Streaming Sword

Ultimate Technique

Shadowless and Traceless Flying Moon Blade

Twin Moons

As the Ice Sword swung his blade like the wind, two streaks of blue light cut through the air in front of him.

“Huh?”

Bi Ryu Yeon tilted his head in confusion.

The grandiose movement of that one technique had not resulted in any significant aftermath. The sword wind had not split the earth, nor had the sword energy cleaved the sky in two. Nothing had happened. Just a brief flash of blue light that flickered and then disappeared.

“What are you doing right now?”

The Ice Sword did not reply. He continued to emit a fierce light from his eyes, pointing his sword edge towards Bi Ryu Yeon.

“???”

Bi Ryu Yeon increasingly felt perplexed.

It was then that he felt a sudden jolt and instinctively stepped back half a pace.

Swish!

A chilling sensation, cold and eerie, swept across his arm. His sleeve was sliced, revealing the skin underneath. Fortunately, there was no wound. It was a matter of a hair’s breadth.

‘There was no sound…’

It had happened in the blink of an eye.

It seemed that instinct, particularly Bi Ryu Yeon’s instinct, shone brightest in moments of crisis. The survival instinct appeared to operate like a flash of light in the most dire situations.

While it was a failure of instinct and senses that allowed the invisible, silent blade to slice his sleeve, the fact that it preserved his neck from being severed and prevented his blood from spilling was commendable.

“This… He dodged it? I can’t believe it!”

Disbelief was etched on the Ice Sword’s face. It was a technique that had never failed before. He had never imagined that it would fail against a young upstart like Bi Ryu Yeon.

“How did you do that? It’s a very curious technique.”

For Bi Ryu Yeon, it was the first time experiencing such an unheard-of technique. He hadn’t caught the moment it happened. Dodging it was purely instinctual. An innate intuition about danger, he had almost been truly cut. All he remembered was the cold sensation when his sleeve was sliced.

“There’s no need for you to know.”

The Ice Sword replied coldly.

“You despicable thing! To use such a low technique! Are you really trying to kill him?”

Yeom Do shouted furiously, his face turning red with anger. It was natural for him to be angry; he had been frequently exposed to this attack in the past and had been a victim of it several times.

Yeom Do was convinced that this technique was a reflection of the Ice Sword’s vile, low, and cunning nature, more solid than a metal wall and more unyielding than diamond.

And it was only five years ago that he had developed a technique capable of countering this vile, cowardly, and unethical technique, which he referred to as “Three Lows Unmatched.”

The invisible, silent executioner’s blade that could not be blocked because it could not be seen.

That Bi Ryu Yeon had only offered his sleeve as a sacrifice was a miracle in itself.

“To use the ‘Shameful Hand’ technique, what kind of cursed intent is that?”

‘Shameful Hand’ was Yeom Do’s own term for the Shadowless and Traceless Flying Moon Blade technique. It was a name born from the bitter resentment he felt after having been a victim of the technique, implying it was the most shameful technique in the world.

“Shameful Hand? What’s that?”

Even as he heightened his senses to detect the enemy’s presence, Bi Ryu Yeon asked. His behavior seemed to boast that he still had plenty of leeway.

Still showing his displeasure, Yeom Do explained.

“That guy’s sword, Bing Po, always has dew called Bing Lu on the blade. They call it Bing Lu because it’s like the sword’s tears. He gathers that Bing Lu to create an invisible, formless blade. A transparent ‘spiral mark’ of ice!”

The Ice Sword’s blade, except for the edge, was wrapped in a thin layer of ice formed by the frozen Bing Lu. And whether the edge was exposed or covered by ice could be freely controlled by internal energy. The depth of the opponent’s wounds varied depending on whether the blade was exposed or hidden. Life and death were in the hands of the Ice Sword.

The Shadowless and Traceless Flying Moon Blade was a technique that sent this thin ice towards the enemy without form or sound.

It was natural for Yeom Do to grind his teeth. The memories associated with that technique were unforgettable.

“Be careful! The wickedness of that thing is that it doesn’t end once it passes by! It continues to circle around the target, tormenting them until they submit. It’s a damn, shameful, cursed technique!”

It seemed Yeom Do’s grudge ran deep to the bone.

“An invisible, silent ice blade… Hmm! Then I can see it.”

Bi Ryu Yeon confidently stated with a broad smile. His response was so refreshing that it felt as if it could really happen. But how?

Both Yeom Do and the Ice Sword were surprised by his overflowing confidence.

The Ice Sword found the statement irritating and couldn’t just let it slide. His technique being deciphered was a matter of his honor.

“Do you think that’s possible? Claiming to do what you cannot is not courage but mere bluff.”

The Ice Sword’s words were cutting. Yet, Bi Ryu Yeon did not lose his smile. His elevated confidence was clearly still intact.

“If it exists, then not only the five senses but also the sixth sense can be heightened to the utmost to capture its very essence.”

His tone suggested it was so simple, how could one not know?

To see the unseen!

That was the teaching of the Biryeo Sect, and it was the realm of the Hollow Realm that made it possible.

In matters of combat, Bi Ryu Yeon had never boasted. He may have cunningly hidden the truth, but never boasted.

“Try if you must, I won’t stop you.”

“Let’s do it.”

Bi Ryu Yeon agreed readily.

‘Is he really going to do it? But how?’

Yeom Do still looked at Bi Ryu Yeon with suspicion. Despite looking again and again, he couldn’t figure it out. Yet, now he was on Bi Ryu Yeon’s side. If it meant giving the Ice Sword a hard time, if it meant smearing his pride, nothing else mattered.

“Gasp!!!”

The action Bi Ryu Yeon took was enough to astonish both of them. He boldly closed his eyes. To the two of them, it seemed like madness, but Bi Ryu Yeon did it without hesitation.

‘Has he gone mad?’

Yeom Do’s eyes widened. It was no wonder. The Ice Sword also looked incredulous.

“Closing your eyes won’t help you detect the sound.”

The Ice Sword spoke coldly.

He thought Bi Ryu Yeon was relying on his hearing like any other person would. But what Bi Ryu Yeon was attempting was on a different level. He had closed his physical eyes, but his mind’s eye remained open.

As he maximized his senses throughout his body, faint traces of the transparent blade began to appear, as if responding to his will. Like two crows drawn to the scent of a corpse, they circled around him. The transparent blades, unsuited to the grim crows, traced elegant curves around Bi Ryu Yeon.

There were two Flying Moon Blades. One traced a large arc, the other a small and swift one, allowing for a staggered attack.

Swoosh.

Bi Ryu Yeon’s previously immobile body moved slightly forward. The smaller arc of the Flying Moon Blade grazed his back. But it was a close miss, achieving nothing. By stepping forward just a moment earlier, Bi Ryu Yeon had already moved out of its trajectory.

“How can this be!”

The Ice Sword’s eyes bulged. It was something he could not believe without seeing it first hand.