48 – 04# Honeyed Words, Dagger in the Heart 口蜜腹劍 (7)
Using the crumbling fragments as footholds, he swiftly ascended back to the cliff top, where Seolhwa threw herself at him with all her might, nearly causing him to fall again.
But avoiding her would surely mean she fell off the cliff, so. He had no choice but to catch her with his body. He said, blood gushing from his wounds.
“With a cliff behind you, throwing yourself like that is dangerous.”
“But Master caught me.”
“Of course, I am your teacher. It’s only natural, wouldn’t you say?”
“Yes, I believe you. More than anyone else under this sky.”
“Master!!!”
Sua and Namgung Yeon, spotting me embracing Seolhwa, rushed over as well. A joyous reunion, yes, but addressing the aftermath of this ambush came first.
My initial task was to gather the survivors and recover the bodies of those lost in the assault. A small mercy, at least, that not all of the Hundred Great Masters had sided with the Demonic Sect.
If Go Gyeom and Ma Gang had joined them… Alas, the scenario they desired would have unfolded with grim certainty. Though, in Ma Gang’s, the Black Tiger Greatsword, case, things felt somewhat ambiguous.
“He didn’t outright participate, but he knew of their plans and remained silent…”
“Indeed, Grand Hero, had you been forewarned, perhaps this devastation could have been averted. Yet, were it not for Ma Gang, we all might be dead.”
“…Young Master Go’s words hold merit, undeniably. Without Ma Gang’s intervention, the peril would have been dire.”
And upon reflection, I understood the choice he’d been forced to make. To refuse the Demonic Sect’s proposition back then would have meant certain death.
Considering these, and other circumstances, we decided not to punish Ma Gang. However, I had no intention of letting this matter simply pass. The Demonic Sect would pay, naturally.
Furthermore, Seonmu Academy, for its failure to thoroughly vet its students, could not escape censure. And the Martial Arts Alliance, the academy’s very root and benefactor, was equally culpable.
‘Since the Hundred Great Masters are practically handpicked by the orthodox Martial Arts Alliance, this much is unavoidable.’
The Hundred Great Masters are respected wherever they go, by name alone. This is made possible because the orthodox Martial Arts Alliance effectively vouches for their character.
Yet, four of these Masters betrayed the caravan and attacked. It was only right, then, that the Martial Arts Alliance, who guaranteed their honor, be held accountable.
“How many survived?”
“Over half of the attendants perished.”
“…In that case, Young Master Go, would you be able to return to Henan with the remaining attendants?”
“I am fine. Grand Hero, do you intend to press on to Shandong, as planned?”
“I must. There are matters to investigate, blame to assign.”
Having come this far, I couldn’t turn back now. Go Gyeom nodded at my words and began to rally the surviving attendants. Just then, Ma Gang approached me.
“I am grateful for your generous forgiveness, Grand Hero.”
“Frankly, I don’t consider it a kindness, but my disciples survived because of you. I merely extend the respect that warrants.”
“…If it pleases you, may I pose a question?”
“What is it?”
“I witnessed Young Lady Seolhwa wielding her skills earlier. If I am not mistaken, she was solely employing the Three Calamities Swordplay, yet its power was far from ordinary.”
He was referring to Seolhwa’s Three Calamities Swordplay. At his words, I readily nodded. Seolhwa had been continuously converting the poison nestled within her dantian into internal energy.
As a result, the rate at which she accumulated power, as well as its quality, was astonishing. If one were to measure purely by the total amount of internal energy gathered in her dantian, she could easily be considered a first-rate martial artist.
It was no surprise, then, that even with the Three Calamities Swordplay, devoid as it was of profound secrets, she could unleash considerable force. Of course, the fact that I knew no other martial arts besides the Three Calamities Swordplay was also a major factor.
‘But I can’t just idly stand by, knowing only this. I have no other option than to slowly build, one step at a time.’
“That is so. Is there a problem with it?”
“…If the Grand Hero is amenable, I would wish to witness the Grand Hero’s swordsmanship firsthand.”
“Witness my swordsmanship? You speak of a sparring match?”
“Indeed. In truth, I wished to request this from the very beginning.”
Ko Gyeom, who had been listening silently at his side, began to dissuade Ma Gang, taken aback by his words. But perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad. I nodded.
“Very well, such a thing isn’t difficult.”
Frankly, I was a little too disappointed to simply let him leave like that.
I should at least pummel him a few times before sending him on his way.
◇
“Very well, such a thing isn’t difficult.”
The ease, the almost liberating alacrity with which Mu-myeong accepted the duel, even stunned Ma Gang, the one who had requested it. He never imagined he would agree so readily.
Ma Gang was well aware that his own situation wasn’t exactly favorable. He had, after all, aided Ko Gyeom in driving out the…Ma Gyo, or whatever they were called.
Ultimately, he hadn’t refused their proposition, and, more importantly, if he had even hinted at the truth, the damage could have been prevented. So, he hadn’t betrayed them, not exactly.
But that didn’t mean he had done well either, so his best option was to disappear quietly with Ko Gyeom. However, a single truth continued to ensnare him.
If he could just stay a little longer…
If he could witness the Sword Demon’s battle with his own two eyes…
He felt as though he could reach a higher place.
The heart of a warrior, broken countless times by stagnant despair, began to burn hot once more with competitive spirit. In the end, he couldn’t suppress that desire and spoke.
Honestly, he had prepared himself for a harsh refusal. But the result was this: a chivalrous figure accepting the duel calmly, yet with refreshing conviction.
‘To accept the duel so readily, without setting any conditions… As expected, a master who has reached the pinnacle is on a different level.’
A true master inspires awe without needing to flaunt their skills. Thanks to this, Ma Gang felt his world expanding simply by looking at Mu-myeong.
Soon, Mu-myeong and Ma Gang, having finished their minimal preparations, stood facing each other. Befitting his moniker of Black Tiger Greatsword, Ma Gang shouldered a greatsword almost as large as himself.
Not only ordinary martial artists, but even members of the Hundred Great Masters themselves, were invariably stunned by Ma Gang’s enormous greatsword. Truly, he lived up to the name of Black Tiger Greatsword.
However, Mu-myeong merely stared at Ma Gang with eyes that showed no hint of wavering, even in the face of the gigantic blade. That sight sent a shiver down Ma Gang’s spine.
‘There’s no pressure emanating from him. And yet, why does even breathing feel so suffocating?’
With the sensation of a blade pressing against his windpipe, cold sweat poured down Ma Gang’s body like a waterfall. But Ma Gang soon gathered all his strength and roared with all his might.
This was a hard-won opportunity. If he could just manage a little more…
He might be able to ascend to a higher realm.
He couldn’t afford to be overwhelmed and squander this chance so foolishly.
That brief roar was a whip lashing himself for his fear. Thanks to it, Ma Gang was able to move, if only for a moment. He hurled his body forward as if throwing himself into the abyss.
“Haaah!!!”
With a crisp shout, the enormous greatsword fell like a thunderbolt. There was nothing grand that could be called a proper technique, but its sheer power made it a fearsome weapon.
*Kwaang!!*
The greatsword collided, unleashing a tremendous explosion of sound. Yet Magang could only stare in disbelief. Without a doubt, this was his ultimate strike, unleashed with every ounce of strength he possessed – a single, peerless attack.
Beyond question.
Even Gokyeom himself couldn’t have taken this blow head-on.
It was a sword strike that pushed him past his very limits.
And yet, this Nameless one had met that very blow with his own sword, as if it were nothing? The surreal sight left Magang briefly wondering if he was caught in a dream.
But the sensation coursing through his fingertips was undeniable. This was no dream. In that instant, an immense force sent Magang’s greatsword careening back.
At first, he thought the other had used some sort of technique. But that was not the case. As if brushing away a bothersome speck of dust, he had simply redirected the greatsword with a casual, sideways flick of his own blade.
“I’ll come straight at you, block it if you can.”
At those words, Magang raised his greatsword to defend. But in that moment, the man before him was replaced by something else entirely. He loomed like a colossal giant, impossibly vast.
A giant that stretched to the heavens slowly raised his sword high above, beyond the sky. Then, he brought it crashing down upon him. At the same time, a shockwave reverberated through the greatsword and into his very being.
泰山押頂
*Tae San Ap Jeong*
Mount Tai Presses Down
Unable to withstand the overwhelming force that could crush even Mount Tai, Magang’s defense crumbled like a sandcastle. If he had chosen to cut with the blade instead of striking with the flat of the sword…
“…Ha!”
Yet, faced with such a hopeless disparity, Magang couldn’t help but break into a smile. The vision that had been blurred like fog became clearer than ever before. Yes, *that* was it.
That single strike, *that* was the ultimate truth he had been seeking, the path he must now follow. He had come to this realization thanks to this great warrior, so how could he not smile?
*‘This encounter has finally allowed me to aim for higher places. How can I say this is not an opportunity of a lifetime?’*
*‘Ah! How refreshing!!’*
Nameless, on the other hand, was feeling refreshed for an entirely different reason.