Chapter v16c10

What had just happened?

Only the Sword Saint and Do-seong remained unfazed. Everyone else stared in disbelief.

Without a sound, without a flicker of movement, a surge of sword Qi had sliced through the air, passing over Bi Ryu-yeon’s shoulder. He stood frozen, as if rooted to the spot. But there was no blood, only a clean cut through his clothes, as if made by a razor-sharp blade.

“Oh my, no need to be so tense. That was just a little taste.” The Sword Empress said with a smile. It was a clear message: *You didn’t dodge that. I missed on purpose.*

A few strands of severed hair drifted down, carried by the breeze.

“How about it? I’m willing to accept your surrender if you give up now.” It was an offer of clemency.

“Ryu-yeon, please! This is madness! You can’t defeat my master, no matter how strong you are. Give up!” Na Yerin cried out, her usually icy voice laced with desperation.

“Oh? Are you worried about me? That makes me happy!” Bi Ryu-yeon said, his tone oblivious to the gravity of the situation. He turned back to the Sword Empress and declared, his voice firm, “I won’t give up.”

“You refuse the wine of peace and choose the poison of war!” The Sword Empress retorted coldly, her sword humming with renewed energy.

“This time, I’m going all out!”

Bi Ryu-yeon focused his mind, refusing to even blink. One lapse in concentration, and her sword would pierce his throat.

“He’s too reckless.” The Sword Saint and Do-seong said in unison, watching the unfolding drama.

*Reckless?*

Was he really? Mo Yong Hwi wasn’t so sure. Three years ago, he would have agreed with the others, dismissing Bi Ryu-yeon’s challenge as foolish and arrogant. But his perspective had changed. He was hoping for a miracle. He hoped that Bi Ryu-yeon, as he had done so many times before, would defy expectations and achieve the impossible, breaking free from the limitations of common sense and soaring to new heights!

“I have a stubborn streak. I always keep my promises. I hate it when people back down from their words. A promise is a promise, regardless of age or status. In fact, the older and more powerful you are, the more important it is to keep your word. So I trust that you’ll honor our agreement if I win this duel.” Bi Ryu-yeon declared, his voice unwavering. It was both a statement of his personal belief and a subtle challenge to the Sword Empress.

“Of course! One should never make a promise they can’t keep. What good is a tongue that spews empty words? It’s nothing but a menace to society.” She replied, her voice strong and clear.

“That’s reassuring.” Bi Ryu-yeon said, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.

“Hahaha! You’re a clever one! Don’t worry. I always keep my word. Even if I die today, my companions will ensure that my promise is fulfilled. And all these people watching will be witnesses. Do you believe me now?”

“No! I still don’t believe you.” Bi Ryu-yeon said firmly.

“Why?”

“Because less than a fifth of these people would be happy if I won. They’d rather deny what they saw.”

“You seem to have made a lot of enemies.”

“It’s the burden of being popular!”

“Alright! Then we’ll be your witnesses!”

Two figures stepped forward.

*Who are they? Do you know them? Does anyone know them?* Murmurs rippled through the crowd.

They were wearing bamboo hats, their faces hidden.

“My, my, what a surprise! To think you two would get involved in this.” The Sword Empress said, her tone laced with amusement.

“Well, you did say you’d leave it all to us if you died… Are you backing out now?” Do-seong retorted, his voice sharp.

“Did I?”

“Will you accept our guarantee?”

“You two are unbelievable, acting like children… Of course I accept. Who would dare question the word of the Sword Saint and Do-seong?” She said with a sigh. But her words sent a shockwave through the crowd.

The Sword Saint and Do-seong!

The crowd gasped, their bodies trembling as if struck by lightning.

The legends of the martial world had appeared before them. To see the Heavenly Martial Three Saints in one place… It was an unimaginable honor.

The gods of sword and saber, the idols of every martial artist. How could they not be overwhelmed with emotion? Some even shed tears of joy. It was a miracle that no one fainted.

“Are you satisfied now?”

“Of course! Who would dare question the credibility of the Three Saints?” Bi Ryu-yeon said, his tone surprisingly respectful. He didn’t seem fazed by their appearance.

A promise guaranteed by the Heavenly Martial Three Saints. It was the most trustworthy promise in the Jianghu. No one, except for those who didn’t value their lives or their honor, would dare break it.

The crowd surged forward, eager to get a closer look at the legends.

The commotion subsided when the Sword Saint and Do-seong returned to Mo Yong Hwi’s side.

“Are you ready?” The Sword Empress asked, her sword pointed at Bi Ryu-yeon.

“I’m always ready.”

“Good answer. Then let’s play.” She said, a strange smile playing on her lips.

*Ignition! The Sword Empress’s Ultimate Technique!*

It was a game, nothing more, nothing less.

She hadn’t intended to be serious.

There were only two situations that required her to go all out: the resurrection of the Heavenly Demon Blood God, and the theft of her food by the Sword Saint and Do-seong. But now, she was seriously considering adding a third situation to the list.

She lowered her sword, assuming a low stance. A hush fell over the crowd.

Her stillness was profound, like the vast emptiness of the ocean.

“Beautiful! After a hundred years of living by the sea, she has finally reached the profound realm of embodying the ocean itself!” The Sword Saint exclaimed, his voice filled with admiration.

“Indeed! Beautiful!” Do-seong agreed, his words simple and sincere.

Bi Ryu-yeon didn’t move. He watched her, his eyes wary.

“What’s wrong? Are you afraid?” She asked, her voice laced with amusement.

He shook his head. Fear was not in his nature.

“No, but…”

“Then why don’t you attack? Surely you’re not expecting this old woman to make the first move.”

“Someone as humble as me wouldn’t be so arrogant.” He said calmly.

The crowd gasped. *Humble?* That word didn’t belong in the same sentence as Bi Ryu-yeon.

But the Sword Empress, unaware of his true nature, took it as a compliment.

“Good! Then why are you standing there?”

“My master once told me…”

“Hmm?”

“‘Beware of the Great Stillness!’ Great stillness is the womb of great movement. Extreme stillness is the precursor to motion, like an arrow drawn taut on a bowstring, ready to fly.” He said, his voice as clear as a mountain stream.

“What does that even mean?” Yoon Jun-ho asked, confused.

“I don’t know…” Jang Hong replied, equally baffled.

The crowd murmured, their faces filled with confusion.

But the Heavenly Martial Three Saints looked at each other, their eyes filled with admiration.

“How old are you?” The Sword Empress asked.

“Twenty-one, I think.”

“Amazing! To grasp the principle of ‘When a thing reaches its extreme, it must reverse’ at such a young age!”

She was genuinely impressed.

“It’s not easy to understand the principles of yin and yang at that age! Not at all!” The Sword Saint agreed.

“Or maybe he had a good teacher!” Do-seong added. The other two nodded in agreement.

*When a thing reaches its extreme, it must reverse!!!*

Mo Yong Hwi’s ears perked up. He had heard that saying before.

“But!” The Sword Empress said, her voice firm, changing the mood.

“It’s one thing to understand it intellectually, but can you put it into practice?”

To understand something intellectually and to embody it were two completely different things. It was the difference between knowing how to paint and actually painting a masterpiece. It was the difference between knowing the theory of music and actually composing a symphony.

“Why don’t you test me and find out? Words are meaningless without action. You can’t truly understand something until you experience it.” Bi Ryu-yeon challenged.

*He’s so difficult!* Why couldn’t he just speak plainly? But it seemed like the Sword Empress understood him.

“Excellent! I honestly didn’t expect you to be this skilled. I apologize for underestimating you, for failing to see your true potential.”

To misjudge an opponent could be fatal. That was why she apologized, even to herself. Complacency was a warrior’s worst enemy.

“Are you willing to face my new ultimate technique?” She asked.

“A new ultimate technique?”

“Yes, it’s called ‘Thousand Cuts of the Seabird in Flight.’ A rather unassuming name, wouldn’t you say?” She said, her voice soft, a gentle smile playing on her lips.

“A new ultimate technique? When did she develop that? And why would she need a new technique? Her swordsmanship has already transcended form and technique.” The Sword Saint was baffled. He had never heard of this technique before. Why would she bother creating something she didn’t need?

“Don’t you know? It’s all your fault!” Do-seong said, glaring at him.

“Me? Why me?”

“Are you denying it now?”

“I’d like to know what I’m being accused of.” The Sword Saint said, his face a picture of innocence.

“Thousand Cuts of the Seabird in Flight. Don’t you understand why she created that technique?”

“No.”

Do-seong sighed, massaging his temples.

“It’s because of your ‘River Splitting’ technique. You were so proud of yourself when you finally succeeded after thirty years. What was it called again? ‘One Sword to Sever the River’? Or was it ‘Ten Thousand Li River Splitting’? It was a rather exaggerated name…”

“Twenty-five years!” The Sword Saint corrected him.

Do-seong waved his hand dismissively. “Twenty-five, thirty, it’s all the same! She was so competitive that she vowed to do something even more impressive. Do you remember what she said?”

“Now that you mention it…” The Sword Saint’s memory was slowly returning.

“Yes! She said she would cut a thousand seabirds in flight. She was clearly annoyed that you had split a river in half so easily. It must have been a thorn in her side. Don’t you remember now?”

Do-seong nodded, scolding the Sword Saint for his forgetfulness. He still remembered how absurd and annoying it had been, and how he had grudgingly admired her ambition. He imagined the Sword Empress had felt the same way.

“She actually did it?” The Sword Saint asked, incredulous. Do-seong stared at him, speechless.

“Did it? Who spent thirty years doing ‘it’? And who’s still talking about splitting the ocean? You agreed that she’s the most stubborn one of us, didn’t you?”

“Well, yes.”

“So she actually did it? Then why hasn’t she bragged about it to us yet?”

She wasn’t the type to wait. He couldn’t imagine her pride being suppressed by patience.

“She must have finished it recently. Oh, here we go!”

With a short shout, a white mist-like Qi began to swirl around her sword.