"How dare you act so arrogant!"
The seasoned elder had the composure to vent her anger verbally.
Even as Ye So-hyang’s wrist was firmly grasped by Jeong Yeon-shin, her sword radiated an intense white light before his palm strike could reach her abdomen.
Chungdan Thunderclap Sword—Blossom View.
Clang!
An overwhelming surge of energy exploded from her sword. Without even swinging it, she summoned a storm of cutting winds.
Jeong Yeon-shin released her wrist and retreated, but blood sprayed from his body.
The razor-sharp wind shredded his black robe into ribbons, leaving dozens of gashes across his body. The pain was as though the left side of his body had been completely cleaved off.
It was a wound unlike any he had endured before.
Jeong Yeon-shin spun away, blood scattering like a millwheel.
Ye So-hyang, who had been preparing to follow up with a decisive strike, hesitated.
It was because of the delayed effect of his Internal Counter Flow Technique. The pain must have been excruciating.
Though her Evil Martial Energy wasn’t of a polar opposite nature, her self-cultivated techniques were still affected by the mystical power of his Luminous Method Wheel Qi.
Shing!
Jeong Yeon-shin drew his Northern Bright Sword mid-spin. Even his evasive footwork carried the qualities of an aggressive advance.
From his right hand to his swordsmanship, every movement carried weight and power. The Luminous Qi condensed into his forearm, amplifying his strength and precision as his muscles contracted.
‘Heart of the Kirin.’
In an instant, his sword transformed into a streak of light, surging forward like a typhoon. The blade’s trajectory carved the air, leaving a screeching shockwave in its wake.
Ye So-hyang, a veteran among the elite, noticed the attack coming just in time and raised her sword to block.
Clang!
The clash of blades sent fragments of energy scattering in all directions.
The Luminous Qi surged up, grazing Ye So-hyang’s cheek and leaving a faint trail of blood on her wrinkled skin.
Even a single exchange was ruthless. It was a battle between two supreme talents of the martial world.
Jeong Yeon-shin masked the pain of his shredded hands behind a composed expression.
Deflecting and absorbing the force of a strike capable of cleaving a mountaintop was a struggle in itself.
His nerves were sharpened to the extreme, like walking a tightrope without a net, balanced precariously on the razor’s edge.
Without the creation of the Vision Method, this battle would have been unwinnable. Jeong Yeon-shin acknowledged that. The disparity in their base swordsmanship was undeniable.
To the spectators, however, it didn’t appear that way.
Boom! Clang!
Shockwaves from their strikes swept across the surroundings, splitting the ground beneath their feet and scattering debris everywhere.
Their battle resembled a natural disaster.
Despite this, the crowd near Daewol Gorge continued to inch closer. Scaling cliffs or climbing hills, they sought a glimpse of the duel.
A life-and-death clash of such caliber was a rare sight, one they might never see again. It was as if an invisible force was drawing them in, compelling them to witness the spectacle.
"Look at that!"
"What if they kill us just for being here?"
"Did you see? They’re practically flying on swords! This is insanity. Let’s just hide here."
"Yeah, it’s not like there’s anywhere safer. If we head out, we’ll just stand out more in the open plains."
"Might as well enjoy the sight of these masters clashing."
"But really... Are those two even human?"
The crowd had gathered to witness the Blade Specters’ elder wield her sword. Their fascination with martial prowess was evident.
Regardless of the outcome, they would spread the tale of this duel far and wide. Such was the nature of storytellers in the martial world, those who lived for the lore and legends.
But they didn’t dare venture too close. Anyone with a shred of self-preservation knew better than to risk their lives just to watch.
Clang! Boom!
The hill that served as the battleground became a blur of rising dust and swirling winds, created by the two combatants’ storm-like swordsmanship.
Masters who could summon hurricanes with their blades. Few had expected the young master of Ma Gwang-ik to hold his ground against such a formidable foe.
Among the martial artists who had crossed the gorge, many were seasoned warriors. To them, the scene before them was utterly astonishing.
Those hiding in rocky crevices or perched atop trees couldn’t tear their eyes away from the duel.
Some even stood in stunned silence.
The upper half of Jeong Yeon-shin’s clothes had been torn to shreds.
His body, bleeding profusely, moved with feral grace, his crimson-streaked muscles standing out starkly. Even as he unleashed peerlessly refined sword techniques, there was a raw, wild allure to his movements.
The Blade Specters’ elder, Gui Baek-shin Sword Ghost Ye So-hyang, was equally battered.
Her shoulders, neck, and face bore cuts, her expression twisted into that of a demon as she slashed her sword with fury.
The shallow wounds from Jeong Yeon-shin’s skillful attacks might not have been fatal, but they were enough to give the impression of a closely matched battle to the crowd.
Even the veteran martial artists watching from the shadows thought the same.
"That one... They must have been ranked in their sect back home."
"A supreme talent under twenty, capable of challenging the martial world? There aren’t many like that. Can you name them?"
"The Seventh Apostle of the Bloodflame Cult."
"That lunatic? They’re only twenty-one this year. Also, do you think that one looks like a woman?"
The twins, known as the Yin-Yang Twin Marauders of the Thirteen Heavens, whispered among themselves.
They had previously clashed with the Ipwang Sect’s Sword Master during a pursuit of Wei Ji Myo-hwa of the Zhongnan Sect. They had barely escaped with their lives.
"It can’t be the deputy of the Bright Sect or any of the Ming nobility. They don’t even use swords."
The sister shook her head at her brother’s musings.
"That one’s clearly using a sword. Could they be from Ipwang Fortress?"
"If so... could it be Ma Gwang-ik’s current leader? That would explain why they’ve come to challenge the Blade Specters. And that swordsmanship, too..."
"Let’s catch them first."
"And what about that old hag? She’ll go berserk if we interfere."
"Let her. She’s a sect elder from the unorthodox factions. She’ll probably be relieved if we keep the bloodshed to a minimum."
The Yin-Yang Twin Marauders turned their gaze back to the fierce battle.
Boom!
On the now-devastated hilltop, Jeong Yeon-shin swung his Northern Bright Sword downward. Shredded foliage was swept away in the wake of his blade’s energy.
Ignoring the wounds tearing through his body, he pressed on with his attack.
Luminous Storm Technique—Descending Starfall.
The gathered energy exploded outward with a deafening roar.
Clang!
The recoil on his grip was immense, splitting the ground beneath his feet with seismic cracks.
Ye So-hyang stood her ground, her face contorted with fury as she blocked his ultimate strike.
Jeong Yeon-shin immediately focused his energy on the Yongcheon Point in his foot.
If he didn’t act quickly, the Sword Ghost’s overwhelming power would burst forth unchecked. Using the Vision Method, he sought an opening to disrupt her next attack.
Suddenly—
Aaaaaah!
A deafening roar erupted from the shadows to his right.
The Yin-Yang Twin Marauders had leaped into the fray, unleashing an overwhelming sound-based attack.
Their concentrated sound waves shot forth like translucent projectiles, aimed directly at Jeong Yeon-shin.
The evergreen leaves around them trembled violently, shaken by the sonic force.
"Damn it!"
"Shit!"
Jeong Yeon-shin heard Jeong Yeon and Tae Yeom-ryong curse as they dashed to intercept the attackers, their faces twisted in frustration. They had hesitated, worried that their intervention might disrupt Jeong Yeon-shin’s delicate balance in the fight.
The Twin Marauders were exceptionally skilled.
Caught between the Blade Specters’ elder’s sword and the Yin-Yang Twin Marauders’ sound wave assault, Jeong Yeon-shin fully grasped his predicament.
Even the distorted sword energy of Ye So-hyang was difficult enough to withstand.
If he dodged now, the rhythm of the battle, carefully maintained through the Vision Method, would crumble. His disadvantage would grow even further.
If he began to rebuild his momentum from scratch, the outcome would be unpredictable.
But first, I have to avoid a fatal blow....
As Jeong Yeon-shin committed to his decision, a sudden blinding white light surged past his neck, extending outward like a streak of lightning.
Another third party had intervened.
The intruding sword's hilt pulsed with an explosive, circular wave of energy, releasing an earsplitting roar. The tail of the energy streak left behind a comet-like trail, obliterating the sound wave assault and colliding head-on with Ye So-hyang's sword.
Behind, the Yin-Yang Twin Marauders coughed up blood, their cries echoing in the aftermath.
BOOM!
The impact was direct. The tip of the flying sword drove into the flat of Ye So-hyang's blade, shaking the hill to its foundation.
The sheer force of the clash resounded in all directions. The smirk that had been curling Ye So-hyang's lips vanished, her face overtaken by shock.
“The Eight Rings Divine Sword? The Spirit Phantom of Yongcheon...!”
At that moment, Jeong Yeon-shin's blade grazed her solar plexus. The sharp, grating sound of his sword clashing against her protective aura was chilling.
Had the energy penetrated just a bit deeper, it would have shattered her ribs. For the first time, Ye So-hyang's face turned pale.
The elder of the Blade Specters—
Thud!
—made her escape. Exploiting the brief window in Jeong Yeon-shin's attack, she leapt upwards and landed on her sword mid-flight.
Even for Jeong Yeon-shin, who had honed the Vision Method, achieving the mastery of Heart-Guided Swordsmanship remained out of reach.
This meant his flying swords followed his gaze, not his intent. Without revealing herself and relying solely on her blade, Ye So-hyang avoided an immediate follow-up strike.
She left with a cold warning.
“You impudent whelp, mere fodder for the sect leader’s ambitions. Mark my words, your end will come at the blade of justice.”
The sword beneath her feet surged backward.
Whoosh—
She activated her flying sword technique, slicing through the air at breathtaking speed.
‘I anticipated this... thanks to the Vision Method.’
Jeong Yeon-shin didn’t even glance up at her retreating form. Instead, he broke into a sprint, activating his full-speed Wind God Technique. His entire body surged forward like a sharp blade.
The scenery in his vision rapidly expanded. Wind whipped violently against his body, billowing his clothes like a storm. Ahead, standing firmly in his path, was Jeong Hyun.
Their eyes met.
In that instant, an unspoken understanding passed between two martial prodigies.
The next moment—
Tap.
Jeong Yeon-shin landed on the outstretched wings of Jeong Hyun’s folding fan.
For a brief, surreal instant, the soles of Ma Gwang-ik’s boots overlapped with the memory of a young boy’s soft slippered feet in Jeong Ga Manor.
It felt like a swing on a festival day, the kind of sturdy support his mother might have set for him.
He launched himself upward.
Swoosh!
The flow of energy in his body surged violently.
Lightning seemed to strike from the Yin Gate behind his thighs and the Yongcheon Acupoint under his feet. Even the searing pain coursing through his body began to fade.
The face of the old woman, who had turned to look back at him, grew rapidly closer. Jeong Yeon-shin gripped his Northern Bright Sword tightly with both hands. The wind whipping past his ears roared furiously.
Will I reach her?
No. If it had been a month ago, perhaps not. But now, his limbs were ever so slightly longer. It was a small but undeniable sign of growth.
Even through the pain in his knees, his strides had lengthened. Every day of training and refinement was now reflected in his movements.
By the time Ye So-hyang's wrinkled face filled his view, her expression had shifted to one of utter disbelief.
The Vision Method absorbed countless details:
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The residual force of her flying sword technique she had yet to dissipate, the protective energy regenerating over her solar plexus, and the concentration of her qi solely on maintaining her aerial flight.
A roadmap of her vulnerabilities emerged in Jeong Yeon-shin's mind.
Countless trajectories of blades rained down in his consciousness like streaks of light. Among them, he aligned his sword with one perfect path.
Gripping his blade tightly, he swung upward. The auspicious resonance of the Luminous Method Wheel Qi rippled outward in all directions.
‘Thunderous Flash, Third Form.’
Azure Sunlit Day.
In a split second, the blade flared like a lightning strike, burning brighter than the sun as it tore through the sky.
The overwhelming burst of blue light streaked directly toward Ye So-hyang.
She frantically raised her sword to block, but it was too late.
The blazing trajectory cleaved through the air, slicing past her shoulders.
Splatter—
Blood sprayed as one of her arms was severed and flung into the sky.