71 - Heavenly Demon of the Huashan Sect

Chapter 71 The Grand Elder was dumbfounded. He could replicate it just by seeing it a few times? It was incredibly hard to believe. "Are you serious?" "Yes." "Hard to believe, but...” With a complex expression, he stroked his elegant beard that reached his chest. "Judging by your expression, it doesn't seem like you're lying." The Grand Elder's eyes lit up. "So, if I demonstrate my martial arts now, can you follow along?" Cheonhui nodded. "That's nothing." There was nothing to be regretful about. 'The more he shows, the better for me.' Just as he was thinking it couldn't get better, he said: "Alright then." Immediately, the Grand Elder clenched his fist. "First, I'll show you the Nine Strikes Divine Fist, the signature martial arts of our family." A sharp gust of fistful energy came swooping in. Moments later. "Heh heh heh." The Grand Elder let out a hollow laugh. 'This is unbelievable!' Cheonhui was perfectly replicating the martial arts he had just demonstrated. 'Astonishing, truly astonishing. What a genius.' He shook his head in wonder. Although it was only a facade without the inner energy practice, to the naked eye, it was flawless. The form, the posture, all were impeccable. 'He might even be better than most of the youngsters in our house.' His evaluation of Cheonhui rose. The Grand Elder realized why Cheonhui was so confident. "Truly remarkable perception and talent." The Grand Elder complimented him, but— "It is, isn't it?" Cheonhui replied confidently. The confident demeanor of Cheonhui brought a smile to the Grand Elder's face. "I intended to humble you, but it seems I might be the one embarrassed." His demeanor changed. He soon turned to Namgung Jinkyung, who was standing off to the side, lost in his thoughts. "Jinkyung." "Yes?" Startled by the sudden call, Namgung Jinkyung's voice flipped. "Did you say you wish to escape the well?" At the Grand Elder's serious question, Namgung Jinkyung's expression turned earnest. "Yes, I did." "But as you are now, you're far from ready to wander the martial world." The Grand Elder glanced at Cheonhui as he spoke. "I understand." Namgung Jinkyung bit his lip. In the past, he would have dismissed such words with a snort, but now he fully realized the truth. Knowing Cheonhui had starkly illuminated his own inadequacies. "So I'm thinking of undergoing secluded training to become stronger." "Good. It's commendable that you recognize your shortcomings." Seeing him acknowledge his weaknesses, the corners of the Grand Elder's lips twitched with amusement. "I'll help you." Namgung Jinkyung's eyes went wide. "You mean Grandfather will?!" "I've created a sword technique with painstaking effort over the years. It's still incomplete, but if you master it, you won't just roam the world; you'll stand unrivaled." At the confidence in the Grand Elder's words, Namgung Jinkyung swallowed hard. Meanwhile, Cheonhui was curious. 'What kind of sword technique did he come up with?' Namgung Jinkyung, sharing the same curiosity, cautiously asked. "What kind of sword technique is it...?" "It's a technique that consolidates the sword arts of the Namgung family into one." "You mean our family's sword techniques?" Cheonhui perked up his ears. That's difficult. He had walked that path himself. Thus, he knew better than anyone how challenging it was. As Cheonhui concentrated on their conversation— Whisk— Namgung Jinkyung glanced at him. "If I master it, can I defeat Young Master Cheonhui?" The expression on Namgung Jinkyung's face was serious. If roaming the world was his ultimate goal, his immediate priority was Cheonhui. The Grand Elder chuckled heartily. "Once you master this sword technique, it will be hard to find an equal in the world." "Is it really that formidable?" Instead of answering, the Grand Elder nodded. "If it's such an extraordinary technique, why not teach it to Father...?" "It's a technique unlearnable by one who has abandoned righteousness." The Grand Elder's expression turned cold. "The sect remains strong, and we don't know where those demonic sects might surface from. I won't ever teach it to someone obsessed with petty power. Leaving the Martial Alliance to form trivial alliances? Bah." After grumbling for a moment, he looked piercingly at Namgung Jinkyung. "But one destined to leave the family and traverse the world—you're more than qualified to learn." In that instant, strength entered Namgung Jinkyung's shoulders. The finest sword technique in the world! And it was exclusively for him. Each word from the Grand Elder made him feel elated. The Grand Elder focused on Cheonhui. "Prepare to witness." With those words, he summoned his internal energy. Crackle! The manifestation of the Heavenly Thunder King's Divine Art! In an instant, the Grand Elder's sword quivered. No, it seemed as if the sword was trembling under the weight of his intense aura. Suddenly, the area around him darkened as if shrouded by storm clouds. Simultaneously, thunder rumbled through the darkness. Boom— A dazzling display of thunderous energy unfolded. 'Oh, this is quite powerful.' Cheonhui's lips stretched into a wide grin. The sheer force made every hair on his body stand on end. Was it on par with Baek Sashin? No comparison could be made between the two. Their overwhelming presences were equally intense, making it impossible to discern who was superior. As he watched intently, Cheonhui moved his lips. "What's the name of this art?" The Grand Elder, surprised by Cheonhui's audacity to ask the name of the art amidst the intense aura, replied. "It doesn't have a name yet." "And the technique's name?" "That too has none." Speaking those words, his neatly arranged white hair stood on end, and his eyes started to glow yellow. "It's a technique that unfolds in a mere instant." "That's a good name." Cheonhui's eyes curved into crescents with his smile. At that moment— Crackle! The Grand Elder's sword pierced through the enveloping darkness and struck down like lightning. Just as it was about to touch Cheonhui— Thud. The Grand Elder halted his sword. "..." "..." A peculiar silence lingered between them. The colossal lightning strike had vanished, and the sky and earth returned to normal. Yet the aftermath of that single sword technique heavily lingered in the air. "It's an outstanding sword technique. With this, it stands alongside the Celestial Seamless Sword Art without losing out." Namgung Jinkyung, who had been detached from the conversation until now, suddenly became animated. "But it's not yet complete." "Is this really incomplete? Then, when it's finalized…" "It will surpass the Celestial Seamless Sword Art created by our ancestor." The Grand Elder spoke with a booming voice, full of confidence. He had every reason to be confident. He had mastered and meticulously dissected countless sword techniques of the Namgung family to create this one. The journey had taken over thirty years. Not to mention, the road was fraught with setbacks. Creating a sword art was no easy feat; he had faced numerous failures and even suffered internal injuries a few times. Yet, he never gave up. Eventually, he created something substantial. "Though it's not complete yet..." There was little left to do. "Once perfected, this technique won't just be the greatest under the heavens, but the greatest of all time." Listening to such proud words, Namgung Jinkyung's throat quivered with anticipation. "Then, does that mean I can learn this sword art…?" Seeing the joy Namgung Jinkyung couldn't contain, the Grand Elder's chest swelled with pride. "I did say I'd teach you, didn't I?" The Grand Elder, feeling contentment from Namgung Jinkyung's reaction, turned to Cheonhui, who had since sheathed his sword. "What do you think?" Reflecting on the sword art that was just demonstrated, Cheonhui shared his thoughts. "It's an exceptional sword technique. If it's completed, it would be among the top sword techniques I know." He wasn't merely being polite. If completed, it would compete for the pinnacle among the techniques he knew. However. "But it's a pity." For it to reach such heights, the prerequisite was its completion. Moreover. "It might have been better had you focused on just one aspect..." They say too much is as bad as too little. If he had sacrificed one aspect, he might have created the ultimate sword technique. However, by not doing so, it ended up in a limbo. The Grand Elder furrowed his brow. "Focus on just one aspect? What do you mean?" "You aimed for a balance between offense and defense, right?" The Grand Elder flinched. "How did you figure it out so quickly?" "It's obvious. With a technique like this, you wouldn't have been able to abruptly retract your strike midway. But seeing that you did, it seemed like you were prepared to switch to a defensive posture at any moment." "That's correct." "So, it's ambiguous. Had you solely focused on either offense or defense, it could have been a superior sword art." "Ha ha. As exceptional as you might be, you still lack understanding of martial arts." The Grand Elder chuckled with the wisdom of age. He'd been so impressed by Cheonhui that he had almost forgotten—Cheonhui was still a young child with limited experience. "If you focus solely on offense, you'll leave openings. If you focus solely on defense, you won't have the necessary impact." "And that's why it's incomplete, isn't it?" "Haha. It will be completed soon, you’ll see." "I'm sure you've been saying that for years." The Grand Elder winced at the piercing truth. Indeed, he had been stagnant for years. "Really, instead of grappling ineffectively with both, you would've been better off concentrating on just one." The Grand Elder frowned. "…If it were you, what would you do?" "If it were me, I'd abandon defense and pour everything into offense." "You would risk creating openings just to focus solely on offense?" "What difference does it make?" Cheonhui replied as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "Isn't it a sword art for a single decisive strike? You created it to settle the battle in one blow, didn't you?"