Chapter 37 – An Endless Path

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read more at Nineheavens.org

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Chapter 37 – An Endless Path

Ye Woon-rang recalled the superb sword form Cheol Ryu-heun had displayed yesterday.

That single-sword charge at that time had boasted tremendous speed and terrifying power, as if rivaling a flash of light.

It had felt like he was witnessing the peak of the Advancement Form within the Four Dragon Sword Forms.

Though it probably couldn't match that of his ancestor Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon, from his own perspective, it was a sword form that was admirable and awe-inspiring beyond measure.

Yes, someone like that would naturally regard the sword skills of a hidden master like Neung Po as trivial.

He was once again curious about Cheol Ryu-heun's true martial power.

'Perhaps he's even close to the Five Supreme Martial Experts of Hunan, who are said to play in different waters from ordinary masters… Mm, is that too much of a leap?'

The Five Supreme Martial Experts of Hunan were commonly said to possess martial skill worthy of discussing the realm along with top-tier powerhouses of other regions.

Especially the two who competed for the top spot among those five were said to be a level above the remaining three.

However, since he himself had never exchanged blows with super-masters at a level similar to the Five Supreme Martial Experts of Hunan, he couldn't properly judge.

Still, one thing was certain: Cheol Ryu-heun was only twenty years old now and had infinite potential for even greater growth in the future.

'I'll know if I watch. Where his limit lies…'

Having put aside his thoughts, Ye Woon-rang brought up Neung Po again since the topic of guest retainer candidates had come up.

"Sect Master, if you wish to recruit him as a guest retainer, I could meet with him separately. Of course, since he's someone hiding some kind of story, if he refuses, I won't be able to forcibly recruit him. Ah! This is a side note, but the dumplings he made at that time were absolutely superb. Honestly, it was the first time in my entire life I'd eaten such amazingly delicious dumplings."

"Oh, yeah, that's just amazing."

Having spoken as if mocking, Cheol Ryu-heun clicked his tongue.

"Tch, we've only wasted precious time on pointless talk. Do your share."

Simultaneously, Ye Woon-rang bristled and screamed internally.

'Gah! Out of nowhere? What did I do wrong? I just answered what you asked! And I've only eaten one meal since coming here – isn't it too early to talk about doing my share!'

The gaze from Cheol Ryu-heun drilling straight into him seemed to contain a lot.

Pathetic.

Useless.

What a mess.

Doesn't even know people's feelings.

What do I do with that, that guy?

It felt like he was being showered with such words somehow.

'He's cursing me with his eyes right now! I'm sure of it!'

His head was already throbbing at the thought of how he would have to manage that young punk's moods from now on.

Well, what choice did he have?

He could only endure like a monk trapped in a temple…

After all, he was in a position where he couldn't go anywhere until he completely obtained the precious teachings of the ancestor.

At that moment, Cheol Ryu-heun pointed with his chin at the sword hanging at Ye Woon-rang's waist.

"Is that sword something your master used?"

"Yes, it's his only keepsake. Currently I've only changed the sword ring and hilt decoration before using it."

"A sword made of Dark Iron."

"Oh! How did you identify it immediately? Your discernment is remarkable."

It was only natural that Cheol Ryu-heun recognized it immediately.

In the past, every single one of the sword brigade captain-level executives under Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon had wielded swords made from Dark Iron, a type of Meteoric Iron.

"Meteoric Iron isn't bad. On the other hand, the swords in there are nothing but children's toys."

At that, Ye Woon-rang stepped into the armory, briefly surveyed the interior, and nodded.

'At a glance, there seem to be hardly any high-grade swords.'

But at that moment.

'Hm?'

One sword with particularly fine luster caught his eye.

It was the White Fang.

Being quite famous among swordsmen, Ye Woon-rang recognized its features and name at once.

"This is the White Fang…! Sect Master, why is the Thousand Snake Gang Leader's sword here?"

"I killed him and took it."

At Cheol Ryu-heun's simple and clear answer, Ye Woon-rang threw him a dazed, vacant stare.

Surely he hadn't killed him because he wanted the White Fang…

"It's something I'll throw away soon."

"Pardon?"

Ye Woon-rang, taken aback, quickly came outside and spoke.

"Wh-What do you mean? Throwing away that precious item? As you know, the White Fang was refined from Azure Shadow Stone and Black Silk Stone…"

"Exactly."

"Pardon?"

"What would I do with a sword made of something like Azure Shadow Stone and Black Silk Stone?"

"…"

Ye Woon-rang threw him another dazed stare.

Excuse me, how are you dismissing that with words like 'something like'? It's the most popular iron material among orthodox and unorthodox swordsmen, you know?

"I don't need it unless it's a sword made from at least Meteoric Iron like yours. That's why I plan to issue swords made from Meteoric Iron to all disciples. It's adequate for temporary use."

"At least… temporary…?"

"There's an order to everything. Until we obtain Crimson Crow Iron, we'll have to make do with Meteoric Iron for now. Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron and Adamantine Unbreakable Iron come last."

"…"

My, what did he just say?

Things were getting more and more absurd.

Even Meteoric Iron was classified as a rare mineral, making it difficult just to secure an amount.

'Crimson Crow Iron isn't enough, but Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Iron and Adamantine Unbreakable Iron too…?'

While Ye Woon-rang was dumbfounded like that, Cheol Ryu-heun still showed an unconcerned attitude.

"There's a way for everything."

Sure, what's about a hundred swords?

It was an amount that could easily make three or four hundred swords in total.

"Um… May I ask what method that would be?"

When Ye Woon-rang asked with a face full of curiosity.

Whoosh.

Cheol Ryu-heun turned and walked off loosely, expressionlessly instructing.

"Don't worry about it and just do your share properly."

Ye Woon-rang, bristling once again, shot eye-daggers at his back.

Gah, ease up a bit! I haven't even been here a full day yet! One meal is all I've had!

* * *

A night where the chirping of crickets flowed like a beautiful melody.

Atop the tiled roof of Mountain Patriarch Hall, serene moonlight had alighted softly, peeking at the edge of the eaves.

Currently, Cheol Ryu-heun was seated at his office desk, diligently moving his brush-holding hand.

He was concentrating on completing all the formulas for the incomplete sword forms that first Sect Master White Peak Sword Patriarch Do Dae-dam had buried beneath the stone tablet.

The techniques within the White Peak Sword Manual generally had a sense of conciseness.

Compared to other sects, each sword form's lines were so simple that one might even think they would be easy for opponents to figure out.

But if you didn't look at each technique separately and connected them in various ways, the story changed.

Simply put, when one sword form was linked to another, it demonstrated a mysterious mastery of transformation that seemed to elevate into another complete technique.

The White Peak Sword Manual had been arranged this way from the beginning.

To avoid being bound as much as possible to forms and styles in wielding the sword.

In other words, it contained an essence of endless variation.

The linking of techniques – the method of application itself was far more flexible and free than sword studies elsewhere.

On the surface, it seemed simple, as if drawing straight lines depicting craggy mountains, but since any technique could be harmoniously connected to another, the hidden variations in the sword paths were surprisingly complex.

Dropping like a sheer cliff then suddenly rising like sharp peaks, narrowing greatly like a gorge then spreading wide like a forest – the texture changed greatly depending on the practitioner's talent and characteristics.

Especially in the case of ultimate techniques, this was maximized.

The three techniques of the final chapter were constructed by precisely fitting together bone and muscle movements with the flow of energy to display fierce power, and if linked with techniques from the initial and middle chapters, opponents would find it difficult to gauge the timing of change and counterattack.

This meant that unless one was a sword master, one couldn't easily discern whether it was one ultimate technique or a harmony of two or three.

However.

Operating the White Peak Sword Manual like that required being a sword master as well.

Making different techniques appear as one was truly high-level study.

Easy to begin, difficult in the process.

It takes longer to master than those of other sects.

That was the White Peak Sword Manual.

In exchange, the moment one mastered the essential points and broke through a certain threshold, one could take flight like a tiger with wings and rise to become one of the era's premier swordsmen.

Sagong Woon had been making efforts to reach that boundary line when he encountered the mysterious wanderer and departed this world.

If Do Dae-dam had completed that booklet in his lifetime, how would fate have changed?

No, setting aside his failure, if Sagong Woon hadn't again devoted himself to creating new sword forms, would he have safely avoided death?

Who could know?

Anyway, researching techniques that surpassed the existing White Peak Sword Manual was homework that someone, someday, absolutely had to do.

For the development and advancement of the sect's sword studies.

Was it Heaven's mischievous prank?

The Divine Martial Sword was now doing that.

Having unintentionally reincarnated as a martial artist of White Peak Sword Sect.

Cheol Ryu-heun paused his writing and allowed himself a faint smile.

'Heh, traces of deep contemplation are evident.'

The several techniques Do Dae-dam had tried to create in the past were in fact sword essence belonging to the realm of supreme transcendents.

He had wanted the powerful sword forms of those who had owned him – the supreme masters of all time in the martial world.

The result was obvious.

At the time, Do Dae-dam's skill was clearly below that level, so he ultimately had no choice but to give up.

Thus, struggling in the dream of wanting to create legendary ultimate skills, he closed his eyes with only longing and resentment for the unattainable in his heart.

'I've seen countless people like you, Do Dae-dam.'

In truth, the desire to explore martial studies tended to be greater the higher a martial artist's achievements.

A close example was the previous owner, Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon.

At that time, he had risen to the position of martial world ruler, but unable to be satisfied with that, he set Feathered Ascension to Immortality as his new goal and spent long years holed up in the Three Immortals Mountain cave.

Shall we look at distant examples?

The five who had left unprecedented achievements in all of martial world history were the same.

Heavenly Demon, Sword Emperor, Evil Emperor, Martial Immortal, Blood God.

Those absolute beings who had even spiritually communicated with the Divine Martial Sword also reached the pinnacle and then ended their lives while gazing at even higher places.

'An endless path – that's the martial way. Anyway, I'll complete this booklet you left behind nicely.'

White Peak Sword Sect had never produced a transcendent who could be called a martial world ruler.

But not anymore.

Why?

Because I'm here.

Through that, the sword essence belonging to the realm of supreme transcendents that Do Dae-dam so desperately wanted to create would be perfectly created.

Finally.

Thunk-

Cheol Ryu-heun set down his brush and stretched fully.

He had finally finished.

So easy.

Not even one hour had passed since he sat at the desk after dinner.

What expressions would Do Dae-dam and Sagong Woon make if they saw this scene?

Soon, Cheol Ryu-heun took out a blank notebook from one side and opened it.

"Since I'm at it, let me prepare that guy's thing in advance too."

Then he picked up the ink-dipped brush again and began filling the empty pages.

How much time had passed?

Every page of the notebook was filled with dark characters, and before he knew it, it was turning to the last page.

The work was finally completed.

Cheol Ryu-heun soon brought the brush to the notebook's cover and wrote several titles that would hint at the contents he had recorded.

Swish, swish-swish, swish-

-Boundless Sky Sword, Four Imperial Arts Sword Technique, Azure Sky Sword Form, Celestial Stream Jade Cloud Sword Technique, Heaven Shattering Sword Style

Those titles were precisely the lost major sword studies of the Namgung Family, which had been a renowned martial family.