Chapter v10c4

Even though his eyes were closed, Bi Ryu Yeon felt no discomfort whatsoever. On the contrary, he could clearly sense the presence of two flying swords circling around him, their silver trails vividly felt despite his closed eyes. They were like two swallows swirling around his body. With elegant spirals,

once again the ice swords flew towards him, tracing the same spirals as always.

‘Then they can’t move in a straight line!’

Bi Ryu Yeon moved his body at a right angle to the trajectory of the ice swords. That was the safest position he could think of.

But that was a fatal complacency.

It was Bi Ryu Yeon’s biggest mistake to make such a definitive judgment. Despite being a martial artist who should avoid such rash judgments based on a single perspective, he let his guard down too easily. That complacency immediately put him in danger.

The ice sword found a perfect gap to penetrate.

“Ridiculous!”

Pop!

The flying ice blades, which had been curving through the air, suddenly changed direction at a right angle, its speed dazzlingly increased.

The two ice blades had stabbed towards Bi Ryu Yeon from completely unexpected directions, instantly changing angles to target his front and rear.

If Yeom Do had seen this, he would have undoubtedly exclaimed, ‘Yi Gu Jian (Defensive Sword)!’

This move was certainly a variation of the Yi Gu Jian technique. Otherwise, there was no way to so drastically control the flying ice swords, which were supposed to follow a set trajectory in the air.

“Haap!”

Bi Ryu Yeon displayed a movement that made one wonder if it was even possible for a human body. The speed of his movement was so fast that it was almost impossible to catch with the naked eye.

In a moment of crisis, his body seemed to momentarily stop in mid-air. The two formless and traceless flying ice swords were still as terrifying as the hand of death itself. Moreover, their speed was threatening enough to take a person’s life.

The two invisible trajectories and a single body intersected at one point.

Pabababat!

His body spun furiously in the air like a top and then landed gently on the ground. Bi Ryu Yeon did not move for a while after landing.

No blood was shed. It was a situation where blood should have soaked the earth. Even Yeom Do agreed with that fact. But their expectations were shattered.

Bi Ryu Yeon was sitting on his knees with his arms crossed in front of his chest. His forearms were crossed left and right, reminiscent of a tilted cross, with only the index and middle fingers of both hands extended straight. This was the same for both hands.

A cold chill flowed down his index and middle fingers. “This… This can’t be! This is a dream. This mmust be a nightmare!”

The ice sword had never used so many words of surprise and astonishment in his life. Clearly, this was the first time.

“How about that?”

Bi Ryu Yeon looked at the ice sword with a triumphant smile. What he was holding limply in his hand was clearly the two ice blades he had sent flying.

“How, how did you…? By what means?”

Yeom Do was equally puzzled. The shadow of the nightmare that had tormented him so much was completely trampled under Bi Ryu Yeon’s fingers. Yeom Do’s eyes bulged out as if they were about to roll onto the ground. Fortunately, that did not happen. The members of the Jujakdan Squad should be thankful that they were spared the sight of a terrifying face without eyes.

Crack!

Ice crystals shattered from Bi Ryu Yeon’s hands, and the transparent fragments sparkled in the sunlight.

In front of a master, one cannot even blink when the opponent has trapped them within their range. The moment one’s eyelids cover their eyes is the day their life ends in this world. In this respect, the ice sword could be said to have been complacent in an uncharacteristic way. Seeing his secret technique broken, he fell into a momentary state of panic.

The ice sword’s momentary panic created a small flaw in his body. Bi Ryu Yeon was not foolish enough to miss that instant. Numerous white flashes of light traced from Bi Ryu Yeon’s hand. Bi Ryu Yeon was a very fair person. As proof, he was now unfolding the same technique he had used when he had defeated Yeom Do. The technique that summons the nightmare of a summer day!

Jung Bok

Mu Han Yeon Hwan Gu Ta

Pabababak!

Silver sand sparkled brilliantly in front of the ice sword’s eyes, mocking his consciousness. His defensive instinct was paralyzed by this nightmarish technique. That was the end. It was a perfect defeat.

“It hurts! I’ve lost.”

That was the last bit of strength the ice sword could muster.

“Keuk!”

And then he collapsed on the spot, losing consciousness. It was because he had received an incredibly tremendous mental shock.

At that moment, he had undoubtedly forgotten the promise he had made, namely to grant three requests. Otherwise, he would not have admitted defeat so easily. When he recalled this fact, the ship had already left the dock.

‘I wish I had never woken up again,’ he thought sincerely.

It was a long time later when the ice sword opened his eyes again. That waiting time was like a thousand years for Yeom Do. And finally, as Yeom Do had wished, the ice sword’s eyes fluttered open. He blinked several times, seemingly unable to comprehend his current state, and looked around.

“Have you woken up?”

Unfortunately for the ice sword, the first thing he saw upon waking was Bi Ryu Yeon’s face. And next to him was an even more unfortunate face, Yeom Do’s, which made his mood even more uncomfortable. The ice sword jumped to his feet. Only then did he understand the situation he was in.

“It seems you’re fully conscious now. Shall we get to the main point?”

Bi Ryu Yeon said with a grin. The ice sword had never seen such an ominous smile in his life.

“Now, let’s fulfill the promise. Surely the esteemed ice sword master wouldn’t show the disgrace of going back on his word to a young one like me?”

Bi Ryu Yeon said with a playful smile.

“Of course.”

The ice sword had always held his honor as dear as his life.

Nam Ah Il Eon (A man’s word is as heavy as a thousand gold)! Il Gu Yi Eon! It was his usual principle that a man could not say one thing and mean another. But

Bi Ryu Yeon stretched out a finger and brought it right in front of the ice sword’s eyes. He uttered words of great significance with a broad smile, without changing his expression or showing any hesitation.

“Then I’ll state the first condition. The first condition is that the ice sword master becomes my disciple. Easy, right?”

Upon hearing the first condition proposed by Bi Ryu Yeon, the ice sword experienced for the first time in his life an intense urge to shatter his own beliefs and a violent internal struggle.

“Absurd! That’s nonsense!”

He shouted. It was a natural reaction. Of course, Yeom Do had gone through the same process, so Bi Ryu Yeon was not flustered. He calmly asked back, as if he really didn’t understand the reason.

“Why?”

“Obviously, that’s impossible. It’s something that cannot happen.”

“Who made it a law that it cannot happen?”

“That… That’s…

Of course, there was no such legal provision. The ice sword had nothing to say.

“In this world, there are surprisingly many people who serve someone younger than themselves as a master or elder. In this martial world where hierarchy exists, it’s such a common occurrence that it’s no longer surprising. It’s everyday life.”

He was right. If there was someone in a sect with a higher rank than oneself, even if they were younger, one had to respectfully serve them as a master. For example, let’s say there are two disciples in a sect, A who is ten years old and B who is thirty years old. Both entered the sect at the same time, but unfortunately, they had different masters.

Although A was only ten years old, his outstanding talent and potential were recognized, and he became a disciple of the sect leader, while B, lacking in talent, became a disciple of C, who was a disciple of the sect leader. In that case, no matter how much older B was or that they entered the sect at the same time, B had to call A ‘master.’ There were no exceptions, and refusal was not an option. That was the law of the martial world. It wasn’t anything special.

“You can call someone younger ‘master,’ but you can’t call them ‘teacher,’ where is such nonsense in the world? Think about it. The fact that a younger person cannot be a teacher is just a wrong perception and prejudice prevalent in the martial world. It’s rare, so we sometimes forget that fact. The tiresome and old-fashioned teachings of Confucianism have only added fog to that fact. But can’t a younger person be a teacher to an older one?”

Bi Ryu Yeon’s eloquent speech left the ice sword speechless, unable to muster a rebuttal. Bi Ryu Yeon inwardly cheered.

“Of course, it’s not a matter of thinking about it. It’s obviously possible. Now we need to break down the prevalent prejudices and bad customs in this society and learn to think more freely, flexibly, and rationally.

The old saying goes, ‘Confucius said, when three people walk together, there must be one who is my teacher!’ The great and wise Confucius said that among three people walking, there must be one who can be my teacher. And although not as famous as him, another person said that the path of learning is endless. And even after sixty, there must be something to learn from a ten-year-old boy. But is it impossible for me to be the master of the elder?”

Now Bi Ryu Yeon’s tone had changed to one of pressing. The ice sword still had no answer.

“That’s sophistry. Hasn’t there been no such precedent before?”

He shouted ‘sophistry,’ but even the ice sword himself did not notice that his voice had risen without realizing it. He was getting more and more caught up in Bi Ryu Yeon’s momentum without knowing it.

“No precedent? Who told the ice sword master such lies? To think there’s such a deceitful and ruthless person in the martial world, I’m worried about the future… “

It wasn’t something to make a fuss about. Bi Ryu Yeon looked straight at the ice sword and spoke clearly.

“There is a precedent. If you wish, I can show you right now. I can shove the evidence in your face before a single breath passes. If I can’t show you, then you can consider my condition null and void. How about it?”

He was confident.

“Really?”

With a surprised expression, the ice sword asked back,

“Of course.”

Bi Ryu Yeon answered briskly without hesitation.

To the ice sword, it was an answer like rain after a long drought. He cautiously looked around. However, since they had come to a secluded place for their duel, naturally, there was no one else around. If there was anyone, it would only be the unfortunate face of Yeom Do, whom he had known for 20 years. The ice sword’s gaze lingered on Yeom Do’s face for a moment but soon moved elsewhere along with his shaking head.

‘Surely it can’t be. What kind of person is Yeom Do that he would accept such an absurd condition so easily? He would rather choose death than accept such a cowardly and shameful life. No matter how much I dislike him, I must acknowledge what is due.’

The ice sword was too certain in his prejudice against Yeom Do. That was his mistake. It was the last trap that Bi Ryu Yeon had cunningly laid.

“Fine! I accept. If you can show me the evidence right here and now without moving, I will serve you as my master forever.”

The ice sword finally expressed his consent.

Bi Ryu Yeon smiled triumphantly. Of course, he could have secured the ice sword as his disciple with just the initial condition if he had pushed hard enough. However, Bi Ryu Yeon enjoyed trapping his prey in a more perfect snare and then dragging them into an inescapable quagmire. He wanted to drive the final nail in this matter.

“A man’s word!”

Bi Ryu Yeon initiated.

“Is as heavy as a thousand gold!”

The ice sword responded.

“Two words are not for father and son!”

Bi Ryu Yeon burst into a hearty laugh. It was the laughter of a victor. A loser could never mimic such laughter.

“Hahahaha! Very well. As promised, I will show you the evidence right here. Evidence that is alive, fresh, and cannot be reversed or manipulated. Yeom Do!”

Bi Ryu Yeon called out loudly to Yeom Do. However, since Yeom Do was right behind him, there was no need to call out so loudly. This was a kind of performance.

“Did you call for me, master?”

Yeom Do responded with a slight bow, his attitude filled with considerable respect, an excellent opportunity to tease the ice sword, so much so that the ice sword could not dare to argue.

“Huh!”

The ice sword’s eyes, which had been filled with a cold chill, widened with astonishment and disbelief. Yeom Do was very pleased to see the ice-like man so flustered as if the sky had fallen. Bi Ryu Yeon laughed joyfully.

“Hahahaha! Good for you, Yeom Do. Now that you have a disciple, I hope you’ll work even harder.”

“Of course, master! I will educate him very thoroughly.”

Yeom Do answered vigorously. He was barely holding back the laughter that was about to burst out. He was clearly rejoicing and cheering inwardly.

The ice sword, at this moment, felt an overwhelming desire to faint, but even that was not within his control.

“How about that?”

Bi Ryu Yeon turned to look at the ice sword again. There was nothing he could say. The best thing he could do was to become mute as if he had eaten honey.

“How… How could this happen…”

The ice sword couldn’t believe it. His face was still filled with disbelief. He scanned Yeom Do from head to toe with an intense gaze.

“Is there something on my face?”

The ice sword shook his head.

“Then why? It’s unpleasant!”

Yeom Do retorted gruffly. The ice sword asked,

“Are you really Yeom Do?”

“What do you mean?”

Yeom Do bristled. But the ice sword was calm.

“Perhaps you’ve put on a fake face?”

“What? Do you even know what you’re saying?”

“I can’t believe you’ve fallen to such a state. I thought maybe you were a fake wearing a mask.”

“You insolent! Shall I smash that smart head of yours?”

Yeom Do raged and hurled insults. Only then did the ice sword become convinced.

‘That rash temper, it’s definitely Yeom Do.’

Suddenly, he felt a sense of despair as if all the energy had drained from his body.

“I’ve lost. I accept your condition…”

Then Bi Ryu Yeon slightly frowned and, with his left hand on his waist, waved his right index finger from side to side and clicked his tongue.

“Tsk tsk tsk, that’s not it.”

Then the ice sword corrected himself with a bow.

“I’ve lost… Master.”

“Please take good care of me in the future, disciple.”

Bi Ryu Yeon smiled again with his characteristic satisfaction. He still wasn’t used to being addressed with honorifics and as ‘master.’ Bi Ryu Yeon laughed and said that he had been the same with Yeom Do and that it was just an adjustment period and he would soon get used to it. But the ice sword couldn’t be happy with his words.

“Ah! And about the remaining two conditions.”

A shadow of fear crossed the ice sword’s face.

‘Are there still more? Not just one, but two?’

He felt overwhelmed just by accepting the first condition.

“Are there still more?”

If he received any more shocks, he might feel it would be better to commit suicide. Bi Ryu Yeon just looked at the ice sword for a moment.

Bi Ryu Yeon smiled slightly.

“Let’s settle the remaining two later. It wouldn’t be fun to tell everything all at once, would it?”

The ice sword felt a sense of relief as if the tension in his shoulders had dissipated.

“Thank you, Master…”

“What for! It’s only natural. I’m an excellent master who cares very much for his disciples.”

Once again, the ice sword thought it must be a terrible nightmare.