Martial Alliance Grand Martial Arena.
A towering sparring platform had been erected for the martial contest to select the Martial Heaven Commander.
Directly opposite the platform stood an even higher elevated dais, from which one could look down upon the entire arena.
Since this was a contest to choose a Commander, all the senior leaders of the Alliance—including Vice-Alliance Leader Buk Ri-seung—were in attendance.
Below the dais, small tents had been set up in the four cardinal directions—east, west, south, and north—for the candidates participating in this contest.
Rumble, rumble.
Around the hour of the Horse (11 a.m.–1 p.m.), countless warriors began gathering at the Grand Martial Arena.
They were all warriors of the Martial Alliance at the rank of second-rank captain or higher.
Because a high-level contest was about to unfold, only those warriors capable of appreciating such martial prowess had been permitted to attend.
Step, step.
One by one, people began filling the elevated dais as well.
Vice-Alliance Leader Buk Ri-seung, along with the heads of the various Halls, Institutes, Pavilions, and Forests—the core leadership of the Alliance—had all arrived.
Since this was the process of selecting a Commander, the Six Division Commanders were not present.
Finally, when all the senior figures and warriors had gathered, a middle-aged man dressed in gray slowly walked to the center of the sparring platform.
It was Paeng Jong-heon, Vice-Pavilion Lord of the Silver Forest Pavilion, who was in charge of conducting this martial contest and also managed the second floor of the Martial Combat Pavilion.
“We will now begin the martial contest!”
Paeng Jong-heon’s voice, infused with internal energy, rang clearly in the ears of every warrior present in the Grand Martial Arena.
Without wasting time, he looked toward the candidates seated in the four directions and announced in a loud voice, “The first match will be between Heavenly Forest Lord Mu Gyeol and Heavenly Order Corps Captain Baek Museong! Both candidates, please ascend the platform!”
At once, two tall figures waiting in the east and west leaped onto the sparring platform in a single bound.
To the left stood a gallant man dressed in white.
To the right stood a man in gray robes with a massive greatsword strapped to his back.
It was none other than Mu Gyeol and Baek Museong.
—Was Captain Baek always a greatsword user?
The warriors watching the platform tilted their heads in puzzlement.
Baek Museong belonged to the Shaolin sect, and he was a master of fist, palm, finger, and leg techniques who had mastered most of the Shaolin Seventy-Two Supreme Arts.
Yet for such an important match, he had suddenly appeared carrying a greatsword?
—Ah, right—he obtained the legacy of the Divine Sword Sect.
The warriors soon recalled one fact and nodded.
Baek Museong had healed his severed spiritual veins and single-handedly cut down the Demonic Path’s Hyeok Ryeon-eung. That had been possible because he had acquired the True Essence Legacy of the legendary sword faction, the Divine Sword Sect.
“Begin!”
At Paeng Jong-heon’s shout,
“Please.”
Mu Gyeol and Baek Museong simultaneously extended one hand, yielding the first move to the other.
It was the courteous demeanor befitting warriors of the Martial Alliance and the new generation of the righteous martial world.
After a prolonged exchange of mutual deference, Mu Gyeol finally raised his internal energy with an expression that seemed to say he had no choice.
“Then I shall impose.”
Whoosh!
As Mu Gyeol extended a single fist, a soft yet languid wave of power enveloped Baek Museong’s body.
He was using Wudang’s Taichi Fist.
Swoosh.
Baek Museong immediately drew the greatsword from his back and sliced Mu Gyeol’s power into fragments.
Crack!
Even though a long moment had passed since the greatsword had cleaved through the air and split the power, a sudden, ear-splitting sonic boom erupted.
The instant he heard the sound, Mu Gyeol had no time to think—he tilted his body sideways and spun fiercely.
Swoosh!
A sound like pouring water rang out as a razor-sharp sword qi grazed past the side of Mu Gyeol’s hair.
“To think that even after I made the first move, its trace cannot be found.”
Realizing that Baek Museong was a terrifyingly formidable opponent he could not afford to underestimate, Mu Gyeol bared his white teeth in a faint smile.
“This doesn’t seem like Buddhist martial arts at all. So Captain Baek has returned as a sword demon who has mastered a fearsome sword art in the meantime.”
The words carried a hint of mockery.
Yet Baek Museong replied with an impassive expression.
“It seems you hadn’t heard that this Commander acquired the martial arts of the Divine Sword Sect.” Then, with a suddenly cold face, he continued, “From now on I will unleash my true power, so do not resent me if my hand becomes ruthless.”
Crack!
The moment the words left his mouth, he swung the greatsword like lightning.
Two streaks of sword qi shot toward Mu Gyeol’s flank and lower abdomen from entirely different angles and speeds.
“Huh.”
The move was so sudden and so profound that Mu Gyeol dared not meet it head-on and instead executed footwork to evade.
Crack! Crack!
As Mu Gyeol dodged, Baek Museong pressed the advantage, unleashing a relentless torrent of razor-sharp sword qi.
The speed was so blinding that in the blink of an eye, more than a dozen moves had already been unleashed. Like a cat toying with a mouse, Baek Museong drove forward without pause, leaving the bare-handed Mu Gyeol no room to breathe.
—Using that kind of technique will only lead to a counterattack.
A few of the senior figures watching the platform shook their heads.
At first glance, Baek Museong appeared to have perfectly cornered Mu Gyeol but in reality, such an aggressive style consumed internal energy and stamina at an extreme rate.
If he continued to charge in and unleash sword techniques like this, he would eventually exhaust himself and collapse.
Swoosh!
Pure-white sword qi began coiling around Mu Gyeol’s evasive movements like a venomous snake.
As though determined to settle the match as quickly as possible, Baek Museong spared no internal energy and poured out frenzied attacks yet Mu Gyeol remained unperturbed, continuously drawing large circles with both hands, redirecting the sharp sword qi back toward Baek Museong.
If he dragged out the fight like this?
According to the principles of martial arts, Baek Museong—who was unleashing overwhelming forceful attacks—could never defeat Mu Gyeol, who gently deflected them.
“Kh.”
But something strange was happening.
As time passed, Baek Museong’s attacks grew even sharper, while sweat began to bead on Mu Gyeol’s forehead.
‘Dominating Sword?’
Dominating Sword was a sword technique that not only overwhelmed the enemy with tyrannical energy but also left immense pressure along its trajectory, eventually binding the opponent’s limbs as though heavy iron balls had been tied to them.
However, to execute a Dominating Sword, one needed overwhelmingly superior martial skill and internal energy compared to the opponent.
Thus, it was rarely used in fierce close combat and was instead employed to instill despair in enemies clearly one level below.
‘No… it’s slightly different.’
Mu Gyeol sensed something odd.
Even though his body had grown so heavy that he could no longer execute proper footwork, the sword qi pouring from Baek Museong clung to him like a living creature, relentlessly weighing his body down as though it were thousands of pounds.
This was a unique sword art that completely transcended even the category of Dominating Sword.
Swoosh!
In the end, Mu Gyeol drew the iron fan from his waist and began deflecting the sword qi.
But because his momentum had already been overwhelmed, his movements lacked stability.
Moreover, there was a bizarre suction force in Baek Museong’s greatsword—preventing Mu Gyeol from fully completing any technique no matter what action he took.
‘Terrifying.’
Mu Gyeol gave a wry smile.
Despite unleashing frenzied forceful attacks, Baek Museong’s expression remained calm.
Yet the glimpses of his eyes were as ferocious and sharp as a demon’s.
‘He must have received some kind of secret art.’
No matter how high one’s internal energy, it was impossible to sustain such relentless forceful attacks indefinitely.
Baek Museong had likely received an artificial inner core or some bizarre secret technique.
‘In the face of Heavenly Mirror Heart Sutra, superiority in internal energy becomes meaningless.’
Hummm.
When Mu Gyeol raised the Heavenly Mirror Heart Sutra, his pupils turned pure white.
At the same time, he began to resonate with the terrifying internal force Baek Museong was using to pull at his body.
‘He is circulating Shaolin’s Dharma Bodhi Art.’
Pop!
Finally, Mu Gyeol shook off Baek Museong’s attack and retreated three steps.
But Baek Museong did not pursue. Instead, as though inviting Mu Gyeol to feel the difference in their martial levels, he casually rested the greatsword on his shoulder and stood at ease.
“The Protecting Fei Sword is a sword art that was lost long ago.” Mu Gyeol glanced lightly at Baek Museong’s greatsword and spoke. “It seems you obtained some fortunate encounter with the Protecting Fei Sword Technique from the Divine Sword Sect.”
The Protecting Fei Sword was the sword learning of the Chongyang Sword Sect, which had vanished two hundred years earlier—its techniques long lost to the martial world.
Yet Baek Museong had claimed upon returning to the Martial Alliance that he had acquired the legacy of the Divine Sword Sect.
Mu Gyeol had seen through that the sword art Baek Museong was using was not from the Divine Sword Sect but the Protecting Fei Sword—and he had subtly mocked him for it.
But Baek Museong responded with something completely unexpected.
“I recently obtained the Wind and Cloud Sword Manual of the Heavenly Horizon Sword Immortal.”
Baek Museong spoke calmly.
“Many of the sword arts recorded there are not from the Central Plains sword schools.”
The Heavenly Horizon Sword Immortal had been the foremost swordsman of the martial world three hundred years ago. By the time he reached his thirties, he already had no equal.
—If there is no match in my generation, then I shall compare myself to the masters of previous eras.
He ceased sparring journeys and roamed the length and breadth of the martial world, seeking and restoring the sword arts of past masters that could rival his own.
In the end, the Heavenly Horizon Sword Immortal compiled thirty lost sword arts into the Wind and Cloud Sword Manual and then vanished without a trace. The people of the martial world believed he had ascended to immortality and ridden away on a crane.
The problem was that in the cave where he disappeared, only a description of the Wind and Cloud Sword Manual was written—yet the manual itself was nowhere to be found.
—Someone must have taken it. A great sword demon will surely emerge.
But ten years passed, then twenty, and no one who had acquired the Wind and Cloud Sword Manual ever appeared.
In the end, it became nothing more than an empty rumor.
The Wind and Cloud Sword Manual was deemed nonexistent.
Yet now Baek Museong claimed to have obtained even that manual.
“Is that a coincidence?” Mu Gyeol gave a faint smile. “To obtain the Wind and Cloud Sword Manual that no one else could acquire… that would certainly serve as an excuse for displaying bizarre sword techniques.”
Baek Museong responded impassively,
“If you lack confidence, you may forfeit even now.”
He lowered the greatsword from his shoulder and spoke calmly.
“The sword has no eyes.”
“Indeed. I spoke unnecessarily.”
Swoosh.
Mu Gyeol unfolded his iron fan and spoke calmly.
“Then let us continue.”
“Good.”
Whoosh!
This time Mu Gyeol took the initiative, sweeping his fan forward.
Clang, clang, clang!
When the iron fan and greatsword clashed, clear metallic rings echoed as hundreds of sparks scattered in all directions.
Each time Mu Gyeol swung his fan, mysterious techniques transformed into tiny points of light that pierced toward Baek Museong’s vital points.
But Baek Museong accurately thrust the tip of his greatsword into the center of each glowing point.
“Haa!”
As the exchange of techniques continued, Mu Gyeol let out a sharp shout and executed chaotic footwork.
In an instant, shadows of Mu Gyeol appeared in all four directions as though he had created clones.
Boom!
At the same time, hundreds of razor-sharp points of light rained down like a storm, pressing Baek Museong.
In response, the speed of Baek Museong’s greatsword swings also increased.
No matter the angle from which Mu Gyeol unleashed his points of light, the tip of the greatsword accurately struck each one down.
—Waaah!
As the endless exchange continued, cheers and applause erupted from around the sparring platform.
Mu Gyeol’s lively iron fan danced like millions of flowers blooming all at once—brilliant and dazzling.
Baek Museong, standing firm and defending against the onslaught, resembled an artist painting a precise masterpiece with a giant brush.
The iron fan belonged to the category of light and agile weapons, while the greatsword was among the heavy and powerful.
One side was light and ever-changing; the other was still and imposing.
Mu Gyeol embodied movement.
Baek Museong embodied stillness.
Such an extreme contrast of extremes was rare in the martial world, and the dazzling, opposing techniques caused the warriors to erupt in excitement.
Screeech.
At that moment, Baek Museong—greatsword in hand—was pushed back five steps.
In this exchange, it was Baek Museong who had lost ground.
With a leisurely expression, Mu Gyeol flicked open his iron fan and asked, “Are you no longer using the Protecting Fei Sword?”
“The sword arts in the manual are so diverse that I often confuse even their names, let alone their sequences.” Baek Museong spoke calmly. “I frequently mix and match techniques of various ranks, so I hope Lord Mu will be careful.”
Then Baek Museong extended his greatsword once more.
Brilliant radiance poured toward Mu Gyeol’s face, as though the color of the sky itself had changed.
Screeech!
At the same time, the massive greatsword began spinning like a windmill.
‘Using the Wind and Cloud Sword Manual as an excuse is convenient.’
Baek Museong had probably not obtained the Wind and Cloud Sword Manual at all. More likely, he had multiple masters and had been taught various bizarre sword arts.
Yet by claiming the Wind and Cloud Sword Manual, he could unleash all manner of grotesque and outlandish techniques without restraint.
‘And he still hasn’t used his true power.’
In truth, Mu Gyeol’s true power could only display its full might when he seized the moment the enemy could no longer withstand an overwhelmingly powerful martial art.
It was an extraordinary technique that required precisely that timing.
Therefore, he absolutely had to force Baek Museong into using his final hidden technique.
Whoosh.
In an instant, Mu Gyeol used the Heavenly Mirror Heart Sutra to once again resonate with Baek Museong’s internal energy.
The momentum of the whirlwind-like spinning sword art suddenly weakened.
Shhh.
At the same time, his fan transformed into hundreds of butterflies that enveloped Baek Museong’s body.
Clang, clang, clang!
As the weapons clashed repeatedly, something strange occurred.
The endlessly light iron fan was gradually pushing back the heavy greatsword.
For a light weapon to overpower a heavy one meant the difference in internal energy and momentum was overwhelming.
Baek Museong had been dominating Mu Gyeol with immense internal power all along—yet suddenly that power seemed to vanish?
‘Before the Heavenly Mirror Heart Sutra, even immense internal energy becomes useless.’
This situation had arisen because Mu Gyeol, using the Heavenly Mirror Heart Sutra, had redirected the internal energy infused into Baek Museong’s sword downward, letting it flow harmlessly into the ground.
Flash!
At that moment, a single point of light rose from near Mu Gyeol’s chest and shot straight toward the space between Baek Museong’s brows like a living creature.
It was the Iron Heart Stone technique—capable of subduing an enemy at close range.
Because Baek Museong’s greatsword was currently drawing an arc overhead to block Mu Gyeol’s previous technique, he was in no position to defend against this sudden move.
Clang!
With a metallic ring, Baek Museong’s body was sent flying backward after being struck by the iron fan.
Yet with an unconcerned motion, he brushed his chest.
He had simultaneously activated Shaolin’s Diamond Indestructible Body and the Kongtong sect’s Soft Distant Non-Moving Step, protecting his body and deflecting the attack.
“…”
As Baek Museong retreated once more, a brief lull settled over the arena.
Mu Gyeol gazed at Baek Museong with a cautious expression.
‘He’s changed tactics.’
Until now, Baek Museong had poured out chaotic attacks, advancing and retreating to disrupt Mu Gyeol.
But now he had changed his approach.
Having realized that forceful attacks were ineffective against the Heavenly Mirror Heart Sutra, he was standing motionless, waiting only for the decisive moment.
‘Hmm.’
Mu Gyeol’s gaze grew hazy.
Baek Museong was the disciple of the Buddhist Venerable—one of Shaolin’s legends.
Yet all this time he had used sword arts whose origins were unclear.
If he were to win using such techniques?
Even if he became Commander, he would eventually be required to clearly reveal the origin and foundation of that martial art.
Yet he showed no concern and unleashed them freely…
‘Which means he intends to reveal Shaolin martial arts only as his final resort.’
If he unleashed Shaolin martial arts at the decisive moment that determined victory or defeat, no one would pay much attention or raise objections to all the miscellaneous arts he had displayed before.
‘I can’t drag this out any longer.’
Baek Museong had originally risen to fame as the Golden True Dragon among the new generation.
Moreover, it was now suspected that he had thrown in with the Three Realms and obtained immense power.
Without using his true power, victory was simply impossible against such an opponent.
Hummm.
Mu Gyeol’s pupils dilated, and a strange light flowed from them.
He began drawing up at full strength the hidden internal energy he had reserved for the decisive moment.
Pop!
At the same time, countless fragments of light scattered like dust above his head.
In an instant, Mu Gyeol’s pupils turned pure white, and flames made of true qi sparked across his entire body.
“Haa!”
With a sharp shout, he thrust his fan forward—
Flash!
A massive point of light appeared right before Baek Museong’s eyes.
And that enormous point of light burst outward in all directions, instantly transforming into a qi art accompanied by a gale that enveloped Baek Museong’s body.
Whoooosh!
Within the raging storm, thousands of strands of light scattered and began piercing toward Baek Museong’s vital points.
—It’s the Shadowless Sword!
One of the Martial Alliance senior figures watching the match let out an exclamation.
They had recognized that the fan technique Mu Gyeol was using was none other than the exclusive sword art of the Heavenly Emperor—the Shadowless Sword.
—“So the Heavenly Forest Lord was the Alliance Leader’s disciple after all.”
Ever since he had suddenly been named a candidate for Martial Heaven Commander by the Alliance Leader’s decree, rumors had circulated that he was the Leader’s disciple.
And now that rumor had been proven true.
Whoooosh!
Mu Gyeol poured out storm-like sword techniques without cease.
Yet Baek Museong, true to his reputation as an outstanding master of the new generation, remained unshaken even in crisis.
He crouched slightly and continuously moved his greatsword to defend.
‘Not a chance.’
But having seized the upper hand, Mu Gyeol smiled.
The Shadowless Sword had no fixed sequences—except for the principle of Shadowless and Endless.
Every time an opponent withstood one hundred techniques, it would unleash one hundred.
If they withstood ten thousand, it would become ten thousand techniques.
That was the very logic of the Shadowless Sword.
‘Together with the Heavenly Mirror Heart Sutra, it is invincible.’
Moreover, with every technique, Mu Gyeol used the Heavenly Mirror Heart Sutra to nullify the immense internal energy Baek Museong had raised.
Before him surged the ever-changing Shadowless Sword that adapted to the enemy’s moves and whenever Baek Museong tried to counterattack, the Heavenly Mirror Heart Sutra instantly resonated and neutralized his internal energy.
Even in such a hopeless situation, Baek Museong did not give up and continued swinging his greatsword relentlessly.
Crack! Crack, crack!
As Baek Museong’s sword speed increased, Mu Gyeol’s attacks grew faster in response.
Once caught within the range of the Shadowless Sword techniques, there was no escape from this storm of sword qi unless one admitted defeat or dropped their weapon.
Clang!
Then, with a clear metallic ring, Baek Museong’s greatsword was knocked flying from overhead.
Due to the Shadowless Sword techniques and the Heavenly Mirror Heart Sutra, Baek Museong could no longer endure the onslaught and lost his grip on the greatsword.
‘Now!’
Seizing the moment without hesitation, Mu Gyeol pressed the edge of his iron fan to Baek Museong’s throat.
Gazing up at the soaring greatsword, he gave a faint smile.
“There is no need for further contest…”
Rumble.
But then something unexpected happened.
Just as Mu Gyeol was smiling in certain victory, believing the match decided,
Boom!
Suddenly a red aura surged before Mu Gyeol’s eyes, and a palm force powerful enough to collapse the heavens spread outward.
‘Thousand Hands Tathagata Palm?’
It was the signature art of the Buddhist Venerable—one of the Shaolin Seventy-Two Supreme Arts—the Thousand Hands Tathagata Palm.
‘No chance.’
Though puzzled, Mu Gyeol raised his internal energy once more to nullify the palm force.
Boom.
But something bizarre occurred.
The moment it seemed Baek Museong had executed the palm technique, his twin palms were already pressed against Mu Gyeol’s chest.
‘This is not the Thousand Hands Tathagata Palm.’
The Thousand Hands Tathagata Palm possessed the ability to maintain focused power despite its countless transformations.
It did not possess this kind of overwhelming destructive force or lightning-like speed.
In the end, all that remained for Mu Gyeol was the crushing of his chest bones.
‘Very well.’
In that instant, brilliant light exploded from Mu Gyeol’s pupils.
Now he would unleash the true martial arts of the Heavenly Emperor that he had kept hidden until this moment.
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