56 - Travelling Relationship (6) - The Heaven-Slaying Sword

Once Monk Seon-oh had said, "Riwon, if you step into the martial world, there will come a time when you'll have to cut down a person." In a world where one's worth is proved by the sword, it's inevitable that the blade will pierce human flesh at times. This is an unavoidable reality of the martial world. "I do not know who your opponent will be that day. It could be an ugly demon, or perhaps someone who committed evil out of necessity, or simply a madman." "Then whom should I cut down?" "Do not seek to cut down anyone." Young Monk Riwon did not understand the meaning. He couldn't grasp the words gently smiled and uttered by Monk Seon-oh. Naturally. The words he spoke at that time were somewhat difficult to comprehend. "Wield your sword only to prove." "Prove?" "That you are not evil. That your sword is for justness. Wield it to prove that." Riwon seemed to finally grasp the meaning of those words. "Wield your sword looking towards conviction, not people." And so, he took his stance. Paewoongchoo lunged forward. Riwon, with his foot on the ground, pulled his sword. A dark qi blade was sharply honed. And then it was launched. The first sword technique created by watching the Big Dipper at Seongryeon Sect. It was the Seven Star Extreme Sword. Boom-! The dark qi blade pierced through Paewoongchoo's joints. Blood splattered. Paewoongchoo's eyes widened, then he let out a 'Ha!' of laughter. Riwon did not stop. The unleashed sword had been only for a second. Swish-. With unwavering posture, he continued to unleash the sword. From the second to the fourth second, and from the fifth that aimed at the lower body to the seventh. He unleashed all techniques, pressing him. But it was not over yet. 'Conviction, what I've learned, just as I must wield.' Riwon repeated the words. Ignoring the sensation as the sword tip dug into flesh, ignoring the blood scent bursting forth, he took his stance. 'As I must wield what I've learned.' Riwon could see. The vulnerability and weakness that would kill this man if he thrust now. The trajectory of the fists hurled at him with murderous intent. And himself growing as he shattered them. But he ignored one thing. Not to kill his opponent but merely to right the justice learned through the sword. Only thinking of that, he unleashed the qi wave. A dark qi wave condensed. Gently wrapping around the sword, creating a flow like waves. The second form, Meteor Sword. The founder of Seongryeon Sect manifested this initial technique upon coincidentally encountering a meteor during his night sword practice. An unmistakable fast sword. From above, the sword that fell straight lifted a long dark streak into the air. Swoosh-. Paewoongchoo's clothes were sliced. A red streak was drawn over the skin beneath. Riwon ignored that too. And continued to the next form. -Riwon, the Seongryeon Sect is a faction of noble warriors. The Seongryeon Divine Technique is the martial arts of noble warriors. We embed not murderous intentions, but romance in our swords. Whoosh-! Qi waves flowing around Riwon's body took control of the surroundings. The third form reached a realm where it could send qi waves from the body to a distance, now barely being able to be used. -So, Riwon, do not aim for vital points or murderous intentions with your sword. Just look towards what you want to achieve with this sword. Paewoongchoo stiffened. He felt the crisis. Thus, he lifted a joyous smile. 'It cannot be blocked.' This initial technique must not be blocked. The technique to be extended from now on will surely overlap with the realm of 'Qi Gong.' 'Then...!' He must respond with Qi Gong as well. Paewoongchoo's devilish qi surged. Covering his entire body and stretching beyond. Even amidst this, Riwon's face was rigid as he launched the sword. -The researcher had practiced only one sword technique for a year. However, the meaning engraved in that technique changed as the constellation in the sky tilted. Riwon's widely spread qi faintly shined. Points lighter than the surroundings glowed in white. -The diary written by the researcher said, 'There are twelve constellations that indicate the changing of seasons and time. I could notice the growth of my sword.' Stars risen against the dark night sky glowed. -Riwon, starting today for a year, you'll watch those constellations with this master. Memorize them all, so you could recall their exact shapes anytime. Riwon replicated the constellations he had etched into his retina every night. The sword was launched. It grazed the particularly transparent spots. The third form, Zodiac Sword. The points grazed by the sword exploded. Boom-! A long explosion echoed. Even amidst this, Riwon ceaselessly continued the forms. Paewoongchoo spread his palms. Concentrating the devilish qi wrapped around his body into the space between them. It was the pinnacle of confrontation. The accomplishment of employing qi to exert physical force without stepping beyond the boundaries of martial arts. Qi Gong. Paewoongchoo, with a lengthy smile as if about to tear apart, watched the white points that seemed to open their maws towards him. Then, he threw his condensed qi in that direction. Devil Qi Sphere. He had always gathered his boiling devil qi into a single point and threw it. The sword of Riwon and Paewoongchoo's sphere collided. Soon, everything was dyed in blinding white. * The surroundings, a wasteland with trees and bushes completely crushed, where Monk Riwon gasped for breath. Riwon's pitiful state was expected. Given that he had taken a direct hit and had unleashed his technique while suppressing compulsions tormenting him, it was inevitable to face burdens multiples times more than during the usual execution of a technique. With dust obscuring his vision, Monk Riwon glared sharply somewhere. Eventually, his view cleared. "How impressive!" There stood Paewoongchoo, laughing on his two feet. Paewoongchoo was not in a good state either. His chest was crushed by the explosion, melting red, and one arm was ragged as if it were a cloth. For Riwon, it was a moment of despair. Now, his body couldn't keep up with his will to swing his sword. Continuing the fight meant he might just lose to his instincts. Crack-. Riwon's teeth gritted. He forcefully gripped his sword, trembling in his hands. Paewoongchoo watched the whole process as if enjoying a show. Then, he spoke. "Is that the sword of a noble warrior?" Riwon's body flinched. Without any more attacks, Paewoongchoo asked again. "Is that the sword that represses Celestial Slaughter and swings? Huh? Is there nothing more to show?" Despite his poor condition, Paewoongchoo maintained his momentum. He stepped forward, asking questions with an amused tone. He was indeed in high spirits. "How amusing! The sword you've managed to unleash despite your circumstances is so destructive! So aggressive, yet it harbors no killing intent!" Riwon's sword was the most unique one he had encountered in his lifetime. A sword that kills without killing intent, this paradox was delightfully appealing to Paewoongchoo. "Show me more! That can't be all! Isn't that the righteousness you believe in! Isn't a noble warrior one who walks a challenging path!" Paewoongchoo's devil qi boiled again. The qi gathered in the still movable arm. Riwon squeezed out the internal strength from his dantian. Crunch-. The sound of crushing veins echoed in Riwon's ears. This was a sign of internal injury. 'How...' How was he to overcome this crisis? At the moment Riwon felt his throat burn up, "Aaaaah!" A scream not far off reached their ears. Paewoongchoo turned towards the direction of the sound. Riwon did the same, but his expression was more serious. 'Kwak Chil!' The familiar scream. It was the scream of Kwak Chil, with whom he had been building a rapport these past days. An unexpected event had occurred. While Riwon released his anxiety, Paewoongchoo furrowed his brows and clicked his tongue. "Ah, already to this extent, what to do." Then, he suppressed his devil qi. What followed was shocking. Crack-! He twisted and broke his already ragged arm. Riwon's eyes widened impossibly, unable to comprehend his actions. "What are you doing?" When Riwon sharply asked, Paewoongchoo replied. "What else, I'm letting it go." As if his excitement had cooled down, Paewoongchoo grumbled. He didn't seem to care about the pain from his broken arm at all. "It's too early to be caught. There's still so much I haven't seen." Saying so, Paewoongchoo took out a flare from his waistband and lit it. Then he turned around, towards the opposite direction of where the scream had come. "Let's meet again soon! Mukryong!" He then ran off. Riwon could only blankly stare at where he had departed. How much time had passed? "Great, great hero...!" Kwak Chil arrived at where Paewoongchoo had left. Despite being the one who screamed, he was surprisingly unharmed. * "Chief. Was it a failure?" "Yes! It was a failure! Celestial Slaughter is more severe than I thought!" Returned to the stronghold, Paewoongchoo said, showing his tattered arm to the vice-officer. The vice-officer swallowed a breath and lowered his head. "Was it that strong?" "It was strong! But I was stronger!" The vice-officer's brows furrowed, unable to understand Paewoongchoo's words. Paewoongchoo chuckled. "If it weren't for the objective of capture, I would have won!" "Ah...!" Understanding dawned on the vice-officer's face. Paewoongchoo, leaving the vice-officer behind, entered what remained of the relatively intact building of the stronghold. 'It's not over yet!' He was preoccupied with a different thought. Driven mad by his devil qi, prioritizing the pursuit of life-and-death battles over the orders of his faith, his own desires took precedence. Paewoongchoo did not wish to capture Monk Riwon immediately. The Qi Gong that seemed like Riwon's last resort, along with the sword extended and the intent (意) embedded within it. Paewoongchoo wanted to see it again. No, not just see it again but witness it in a more evolved form. For that to happen, he knew he must not capture him. Mukryong had to grow stronger and complete that bizarre sword technique. Paewoongchoo chuckled as he crossed his legs in a meditative position. Then, with his eyes closed, he practiced his devil qi circulation. 'How amusing.' He released a visibly joyful aura as he channeled his devil qi through his blood vessels. After all, he was facing the owner of the Celestial Slaughter. Hence, his growth could be expected to surpass imagination, and for the sake of the next battle, he too must become stronger. With such thoughts, Paewoongchoo challenged the limits of his devil qi. Roar-. The devil qi enveloped the building. Beyond that, it began to heavily blanket the stronghold. His subordinates felt the change and started to guard the vicinity of the stronghold. A week passed like that. Demon Paewoongchoo reached the pinnacle of extreme power.