855 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Heart Sword, a formidable technique. Even among martial artists of Hua Jing, only a select few can comprehend it. Uniting with the sword, a dream for all masters—a doctrine achievable only after reaching its pinnacle. “...You insidious wretch...” Gae Cheonmunju clutched his chest, swallowing a pained groan. He had been struck. Blood seeped, drenching his robe. What struck him? Sword qi? No. Gae Cheonmunju, a swordsman of high caliber, knew precisely what befell him. “How could you wield the Heart Sword...!” It was the Heart Sword. He was certain of it. Such sensations could stem from nothing else. “Cough.” A splash of blood fell from his mouth to the ground. The wound was deep. In the blink of an eye, he could have perished had he not moved to dodge. “...Grr…” Gae Cheonmunju painfully lifted his gaze to the one responsible for this miserable state. The swords scattered across the floor—despite being enveloped in aura—did not pierce the ground. No matter the force used here, this space could not be shattered. Still, the attack was not entirely ineffective. The opponent was also in poor condition. Blood dripped from her torn robe, the red stream starting at her forehead, staining her white neck. She had forfeited defense for the sake of attack. Thus, she too was barely standing, yet even in such a state, she was— “Ha...laughing?” Beaming brightly, as if she reveled in the situation. “Ha ha…” Gae Cheonmunju laughed hollowly at the sight. “Truly, a battle-hungry ghost.” Even in a life-threatening duel, especially against someone like himself, she seemed to be enjoying herself. She was insane. A fleeting fear crossed Gae Cheonmunju’s mind but was quickly dismissed. “...Do not grow overconfident.” Kneeling, Gae Cheonmunju rose painfully. The wound was still agonizing, but he had managed to stop the bleeding with internal energy. “Do you think one success in attack promises victory?” Buzzing!—The swords strewn across the ground floated back to him. They began to orbit Gae Cheonmunju. “Failing to take my head with that attack. That was your downfall.” Drawing a breath, he lowered his fingertip. Instantly, swords flew towards Namgung Bia with frightening speed. Marking the sky, the blades hurtled. “...” She observed their graceful movement. They were threatening, indeed. Each sword bore Gae Cheonmunju’s formidable aura. Each was lethal, yet— “...” Namgung Bia simply watched them in silence and smiled. Then. Swish. She moved her body effortlessly, almost leisurely. Seeing this, Gae Cheonmunju furrowed his weathered brow. Her movements were smooth. Like silk caught in the breeze. Graceful and buoyant to the eyes. Her striking appearance made it quite the spectacle. ‘What is this?’ The elegant movements were at odds with the current dire situation. This was not a performance; a dance of a blood-soaked warrior seemed sheer madness. ‘Is she insane?’ Had she given up after missing a critical strike? As Gae Cheonmunju pondered this— Whoosh-! “…!” His eyes widened at the scene. Within her movements, he felt something extraordinary. Swords continued slicing through the air by his will. Their speed exceeded sound, and they were not few. Swish, swoosh-! “This woman…?” Even when several swords plunged towards her, none as much as grazed Namgung Bia’s hem. Landing silently, her soft movements evaded each attack. As light as a feather. An errant wind could seemingly send her aloft, yet she maintained this precarious dance. ‘What sorcery is this?’ Her movements left Gae Cheonmunju astounded and confused, a style utterly foreign to martial norms. It was unrestrained. Namgung Bia moved unfettered, and he, disbelieving, could only watch. 'What is...' What was that? With trembling eyes, he watched Namgung Bia. Again, another sword missed. Or rather, it seemed as if the sword swerved around her. So natural, yet bizarrely orchestrated. Sword after sword. Her deft evasion effortlessly navigated Gae Cheonmunju’s swordsmanship as she continued forward. She did not spare a glance at the blades slipping past. 'This...!' Only then did Gae Cheonmunju fully grasp her state. She was in the ‘no-self’ realm. ‘...In a fight against me...!' She was dueling him. Amid this exchange, where the swordsmanship was fierce, where both were injured. And yet, she dared to enter the state of ‘no-self’? ‘Reckless to the point of folly.’ Gae Cheonmunju ground his lips as he reached out. A sword suspended in the air shifted angle, drawn into his hand. Once he gripped it, a vastly different aura from before infused the blade. Despite the sharp pain throughout his wounded body, Gae Cheonmunju now cared little for it. ‘I will end her.’ Beyond being a Star King or indulging passions, she would be dealt with. Otherwise, his pride would not endure. The state of ‘no-self’? No matter. What could it change in the end? Out-of-the-box maneuvers, or perhaps a Heart Sword? Mere trifles. In the end, he would emerge victorious. ‘Even if it means using what I prefer not to...’ Perhaps he would have to. A slight, creeping anxiety whispered to Gae Cheonmunju. He ignored it staunchly. Whoosh—! The speed of his sword’s movements increased. From his dantian, energy burst forth like an explosion. At this level of power, they couldn't withstand even half an hour. But it doesn't matter. 'This will suffice.' The floating swords closed in on Namgung Bia, and Gae Cheonmunju leaped alongside them. A flash of light shot through the air. Every beam was aimed at Namgung Bia, who continued her steps unfaltering. Schwick-! One sword grazed Namgung Bia’s shoulder, tearing her robe and drawing blood. Yet even this didn’t stop her. The distance between them shrank. Another sword flew toward her. Namgung Bia dodged by twisting her waist. But it was a feint. It was meant to force her to adjust her angle, making evasion difficult, and then the third sword came at her. Namgung Bia swung her sword. Sizzling. Her blade, crackling with electric qi, sliced through the air, deflecting the attack. Clang-! The flung sword skittered across the ground. At that moment... Gae Cheonmunju had already reached Namgung Bia. He had diverted her attention with three swords and reached his destination at maximum speed. Namgung Bia’s gaze turned peculiar at this realization. Seeing her eyes, Gae Cheonmunju briefly adjusted his speed. Thwack! His blade nicked the tip of her nose. It was the Heart Sword. Though Gae Cheonmunju hadn’t fully achieved the mental state, he could sense it. He ultimately dodged the Heart Sword. He succeeded in closing in. Gae Cheonmunju smiled as he raised his sword. “I told you.” The sword struck. “The moment you failed to behead me, it was over for you.” An unstoppable blade. The sword advanced towards Namgung Bia’s pale neck, but then— Clang-! “…!” Suddenly, Gae Cheonmunju's sword was deflected. Someone had intervened and blocked the strike. His gaze moved downward. What he first saw was an intense golden hair, and next, blazing golden eyes, as if they were on fire. “You…!” Realizing the intruder’s identity, Gae Cheonmunju swallowed his shock. At that instant. Thud-! Thud-thud-thud-!! “Cough!” Several swords impaled Gae Cheonmunju’s chest. Golden swords formed purely from aura. Thump-! Knocked back by the impact, Gae Cheonmunju collided with the wall and collapsed. Upon seeing this, Wi Seola quickly turned around. “Sister—!” Namgung Bia was also on her knees. Fatigue seemed to rush over her, catching her breath belatedly. “Huff…huff…” “Sister…are you okay? I’m sorry…I suddenly lost focus….” With teary eyes, Wi Seola checked on Namgung Bia, who raised a hand to pat her shoulder. “It’s...fine.” “But…!” “…It’s fine…it was fun.” “…What?” Wi Seola was perplexed, but Namgung Bia genuinely looked delighted. “You’ve bled too much. Let me tend to your wounds first.” “…Alright.” Before she even finished speaking, Wi Seola placed her hand on Namgung Bia’s back and poured internal energy into her. She managed to stop the bleeding. However, the pain and accumulated fatigue were undeniable. Though she momentarily regained her composure, the fact remained that failing to contribute to the fight led to this. With guilt gnawing at her, Wi Seola bit her lip repeatedly. “I’m sorry, sister. First, we must escape from here quickly…” “Cough-!!” Wi Seola’s face froze at the cough echoing from the wall. “…Please wait here. I’ll be back.” Wi Seola drew her sword and moved. “Krr…haha…” Gae Cheonmunju sat slumped on the floor, staring at the swords embedded in his chest with a bloody grin. “…I momentarily forgot about you. I should have killed you first.” He was aware of the other woman’s presence. Yet, driven by greed, he had made a mistake. He should have started by slaying her. “…Oh…such a shame.” Gae Cheonmunju muttered. However, Wi Seola did not engage with his words. She simply dashed forward, aiming to sever his neck. As Gae Cheonmunju saw this, in resignation... He retrieved something from his sleeve. “Such a precious thing…to think I’d use it now.” He pulled something out. Confirming this, Wi Seola quickened her pace. Yet, Gae Cheonmunju had already shoved it into his mouth. Crunch-! Transformation occurred immediately. Clank-! “…Huh…?” Gae Cheonmunju caught the oncoming sword. Wi Seola gasped in disbelief. Thunk-! “…Ugh!” The impact hit her abdomen, sending her flying. Screeching—!! She dragged her feet against the ground to slow down, barely preventing further damage. “…Ugh…” She clutched her abdomen, enduring the piercing pain. Though she quickly gathered her protective qi, the blow was still jarring. “Hoo…” Wi Seola steadied her breath and adjusted her stance. By then, Namgung Bia was already back on her feet. Both directed their gaze toward the strange change engulfing Gae Cheonmunju. “…Sister.” “…Yes…” Wi Seola quietly rubbed Namgung Bia’s arm as she called out. A chill raced down her spine. Her body reacted instinctively to the newfound presence. “…Krr…” Gae Cheonmunju slowly rose to his feet. Transformation was already underway. Once inexplicably dark for his age, his hair turned white. His height, already considerable, grew even taller. He seemed over eight feet tall. His formerly lean frame burgeoned with bulging muscles. Even alone, it was an extraordinary transformation. Yet, there was one peculiarly strange thing. Scales covered his skin, and his irises gradually turned gold. “...” Seeing this, Namgung Bia immediately looked to Wi Seola. Wi Seola swallowed dryly. [Ahhh….] Gae Cheonmunju let out a low sigh. […Ahhh…] Namgung Bia winced at the short utterance. The energy in his voice felt like it pierced her lungs. Dangerous. Whatever this was, Gae Cheonmunju was now a threat. [Do you understand?] His voice resonated across the space. [This was something even the Star King… No, something the Star King himself had not intended to use. A treasure even too valuable for him, and yet I use it on mere wretches as you.] Regret. Regret lingered, but Gae Cheonmunju could still smile. The overwhelming sense of superiority and composure coursing through him was so sweet. [...That no longer matters, you inferior beings....] Gae Cheonmunju, who had been addressing the two, suddenly tilted his head in confusion. It was directed at Wi Seola's actions. [Hmm?] "..." As Gae Cheonmunju focused on Wi Seola, seemingly lost in thought. “…Sister.” Wi Seola called out to Namgung Bia as if signaling. Simultaneously, Wi Seola stimulated the internal energy she had been withholding. Her natural energy started to stir. Maybe if Namgung Bia drew her thunder sword at the right moment, it could work? Sensing the opportunity, Wi Seola steadied her resolve, but Namgung Bia placed a hand on her shoulder. “…No.” “What? But… then—” Isn’t there no other way? Wi Seola was about to argue but stopped herself. She, too, had realized. “It’s okay.” Namgung Bia said with full confidence and assurance. Wi Seola shared her gaze to beyond the door. At that moment, Gae Cheonmunju, who had paused, looked at Wi Seola and seemed to come to a realization. [Ah, I see. You are.... No, you are....] Crack. [Hmm?] Gae Cheonmunju turned to the noise behind him. Only the door lay behind him. But what was causing that sound? Creaking—! [...What?] The source of the noise was none other than— The iron door was bending by the second. Something was tearing it apart from the outside. Impossible. [That door… shouldn’t be breakable by anyone, should it?] A space that couldn’t be unlocked or broken. That was the characteristic of this underground chamber, yet what on earth was that sound? Gae Cheonmunju couldn’t believe what he was seeing. However, as if dismissing his doubts, the door quickly lost its shape. BAM---!! The iron door was wrenched away entirely. At the same time— Something flew straight at Gae Cheonmunju. Only when it was upon him could he see—it was a fist. SMACK-! THUD-! Gae Cheonmunju took the punch directly to his cheek, slamming his face into the ground. “Nuuh…!” He groaned in pain, but couldn’t sustain it long. Before his eyes, a foot was descending upon him. [Wait-!] CRUNCH-! The foot crushed into Gae Cheonmunju’s face. With a cracking sound, the ground beneath fractured like a spider's web. The earth, thought to be unbreakable, shattered effortlessly. “Argh…hah….” Trembling violently beneath the foot that trampled him, Gae Cheonmunju lay. The owner of the foot, a young man with amethyst eyes, Gu Yangcheon, spoke. “…What is this monster?” Despite his actions, his voice was laced with surprise.