The Demon Emperor gazed upon the Sword Venerable’s stance and let out an admiring exclamation.
“Heart and object as one, in perfect unity with the Dao.”
He had instantly perceived that the Sword Venerable’s spirit had achieved complete harmony with the external world and had finally become one with the principles of nature itself.
Looking at the Sword Venerable with eyes full of satisfaction, the Demon Emperor nodded as though his interest had been thoroughly piqued.
“Indeed. You have completed the Natural Sword.”
Even though the Demon Emperor had seen straight through the level he had attained, the Sword Venerable merely nodded calmly, showing no sign of surprise.
The Demon Emperor asked again.
“Your sword?”
The Sword Venerable carried no sword, nor was there any trace of a weapon on his person.
In response to the question, the Sword Venerable spoke indifferently.
“In my heart.”
“I see.”
Kuuuuu.
The moment their gazes met, a violent gale raged around the rocky mountain.
No more words were necessary.
The supreme master of the demonic path and the foremost sword of the orthodox path.
The battle between two peerless grandmasters who had reached an unprecedented realm was finally about to begin.
‘Ugh.’
Hidden away, Bu Eunseol inwardly let out a groan of distress.
Merely from the killing intent the Demon Emperor and Sword Venerable directed at each other, the area around the rocky mountain had become a near-vacuum, and the entire island of Seungsa had transformed into the single most perilous place in the world.
‘Uuuugh.’
Bu Eunseol’s body, wrapped in Crystal Divine Energy, felt swollen and strained.
Had he not been concealing himself, he might have somehow endured this level of pressure but right now, he had completely halted every flow of energy within his body and was enveloped solely in Crystal Divine Energy.
That was precisely why he could not withstand such terrifying pressure.
Ziiing.
Yet at that moment, a strange sensation washed over him, and his body suddenly felt lighter.
The crushing pressure that had seemed capable of collapsing the entire world eased considerably.
[You fool!]
At the same time, a thunderous voice pierced directly into Bu Eunseol’s mind.
It was Ak Muryeong.
He had sent a transmission to Bu Eunseol.
[What were you planning to do by trying to resist the power of those two old monsters?!]
Astonishingly, he had known all along that Bu Eunseol was hiding here.
[Do not resist. You cannot resist in the first place.]
Those words allowed Bu Eunseol to realize one crucial truth.
If one did not possess power that surpassed the Demon Emperor and Sword Venerable to begin with, even attempting to resist their force would ultimately lead to the body collapsing under the unbearable pressure.
[When the mind is firm, even water’s force becomes firm. Spread only enough Crystal Divine Energy to conceal your body, and convert the rest into a barrier for your spirit.]
Incredibly, Ak Muryeong not only knew that Bu Eunseol possessed Crystal Divine Energy, but even understood the exact method by which he was operating it.
‘He already knew everything.’
Ak Muryeong had clashed with Bu Eunseol twice before and had even savored the power of harmony within him.
As a result, he had thoroughly analyzed every ounce of energy inside Bu Eunseol’s body.
Crack, crack.
At that instant, the figure of Ak Muryeong, who had vanished atop one of the stone pillars, flickered faintly back into visibility for a moment.
It was because he was now blocking the terrifying pressure that had been pouring down on Bu Eunseol.
‘Sect Leader.’
Bu Eunseol trembled.
Only now did he understand why Ak Muryeong had come to Seungsa Island, even though he stood at a critical crossroads on the path to a higher realm of ascension.
‘The Sect Leader knew I would definitely come here.’
His throat tightened and his heart pounded fiercely.
Ak Muryeong understood Bu Eunseol’s personality and temperament far too well.
He had known with certainty that Bu Eunseol would uncover the location of the duel and risk his life to infiltrate this place.
And so, to protect him, Ak Muryeong had come to Seungsa prepared to suffer a decline in his own inner energy.
Because Bu Eunseol was the future of Nangyang Pavilion.
Because he was the spitting image of Ak Muryeong’s own temperament—someone who would risk life and limb to temper his martial arts.
‘Sect Leader.’
Bu Eunseol immediately converted the Crystal Divine Energy enveloping his entire body into a barrier for his spirit.
Whatever remaining pressure there was, Ak Muryeong would block it.
All he needed to do now was maintain his concealment with Crystal Divine Energy and keep his mind unshaken.
Ziiing.
At that moment, the Sword Venerable’s transparent pupils began to scan the Demon Emperor’s physical body as though passing straight through it.
To ordinary eyes, it would appear merely as the form of an old man with blood and flesh, but from the perspective of his Dharma Eye, the Demon Emperor was nothing more than a concentrated mass of malevolent thoughts.
Such an existence could not be destroyed—no blade could cut it, no fire could burn it, no method could extinguish it.
—How then can such a being be erased?
For a very long time, the Sword Venerable had studied ways to sever the Demon Emperor’s life.
The reason he had immersed himself so deeply in the Natural Sword was because he had realized that this was the only path that could lead to victory against him.
—Nature.
This short word carried an extraordinarily vast and multifaceted meaning.
It encompassed all life and inanimate things, every law and natural phenomenon, and was itself a self-operating, self-evolving system.
And the Demon Emperor was an alien, incomplete existence that did not belong to nature.
Therefore, if the power of the Natural Sword could transform him into a complete, ordinary human being—something homogeneous with the rest of existence—then his breath could finally be cut off.
Whiiiiing.
The energy flowing from the Sword Venerable’s body grew increasingly fierce until it finally began pouring toward the Demon Emperor.
It was every last drop of natural vital energy he had cultivated and accumulated over the years.
He was unleashing it all without reservation upon the Demon Emperor.
Brrrr.
The Demon Emperor’s body began to tremble faintly.
Exposed to the natural vital energy, his mysterious physique—which contained infinite power—started to slowly lose strength.
‘The Sword Venerable had the same idea as me.’
Watching the scene, Bu Eunseol nodded inwardly.
After personally experiencing the Demon Emperor’s terrifying power, he too had set his ultimate goal not at some heavenly realm or martial boundary, but at creating a power capable of dragging a transcendent martial artist like the Demon Emperor back down to the level of an ordinary human.
The Sword Venerable, who had long harbored the burning desire to defeat the Demon Emperor, had likewise invented, through the Natural Sword, a technique capable of toppling the very existence known as the Demon Emperor—a being akin to a demon god.
And the method had struck true: the Demon Emperor’s body, which had been like a Diamond Indestructible Body, was beginning to crumble little by little.
“Hahahaha!”
Suddenly the Demon Emperor burst into wild laughter.
In that instant, he closed the distance of more than ten zhang down to five zhang in a single step.
Yet the Sword Venerable continued pouring out natural vital energy without the slightest change in expression, as though he had not even seen the movement.
Four zhang, three zhang, two zhang…
Finally, the distance between them narrowed to roughly one zhang.
In that moment, mysterious light flashed in the Demon Emperor’s pupils, and he slowly extended his fist.
Suuuuu.
As though time itself had slowed hundreds of times over, his single punch advanced forward with agonizing slowness, like a turtle crawling.
That fist contained the distilled essence of all martial arts under heaven, and moreover, it carried heaven-defying energy that pushed back against the natural vital energy the Sword Venerable was unleashing.
‘No chance!’
Unfazed, the Sword Venerable intensified the flood of natural vital energy.
Soon the Demon Emperor’s body would collapse.
Before that slowly approaching fist could bring disaster upon him, he would simply return the Demon Emperor’s body to nature.
Creep, creep.
The Demon Emperor’s fist seemed almost motionless, yet it steadily, faithfully inched forward. The Sword Venerable paid it no mind and continued pouring out natural vital energy without pause.
But watching that fist draw nearer and nearer made his chest feel suffocatingly tight, as though he might cough up blood.
—Does he believe his fist will reach me before his body collapses?
For the first time, doubt flickered in the Sword Venerable’s mind.
From his perspective, the Demon Emperor’s body was on the very verge of disintegration.
Surely, before the fist could even make contact, that body would vanish without a trace.
Creep, creep.
Yet the Demon Emperor wore an utterly relaxed expression as he extended that one punch.
This should have been his absolute victory.
So why did the other man look so composed?
Crack. Kurrrr.
Fissures were spreading across the entire rocky mountain.
It seemed on the verge of collapse.
Meanwhile, time flowed with excruciating slowness, and in that stretched moment, the Sword Venerable realized one thing.
The ground.
Even as everything else crumbled, the patch of earth beneath the Demon Emperor’s feet remained perfectly intact and stable.
‘So that’s how it is.’
To nature, the Demon Emperor was an imperfect, alien existence.
But the ground he stood upon had become the most perfect and unyielding place in the world.
Reverse flow.
The Demon Emperor had reversed the pouring force of nature to protect his own body.
‘His fist might actually reach first.’
In the end, the Sword Venerable realized that the terrifying fist might strike his body before the Demon Emperor’s physique collapsed.
‘No choice.’
If things continued like this, decades of cultivation would be reduced to nothing.
‘He must be killed. For the sake of the martial world!’
Having finally made his resolve, the Sword Venerable instantly formed a finger sword with his right hand and thrust it toward the center of the Demon Emperor’s brow.
He had converted the Natural Sword—which could be called swordless—into a sword that existed.
Shwaaaak!
The sluggish flow of time suddenly accelerated, and finally the fist and finger sword collided in midair.
Kwaaaaa!
An enormous surge of energy erupted from the point of impact, and soon a colossal dragon-shaped form began to take shape, as though it would tear the entire sky apart.
Kurrrng, kurrrrrng.
Part of the rocky mountain collapsed, and the whole island shuddered as though it would sink into the sea.
“Mm…” The Sword Venerable let out a stifled groan.
Only then did he realize he had been completely deceived.
The Demon Emperor had neither blocked the natural vital energy nor truly employed reverse flow.
He had simply amplified the doubt within the Sword Venerable’s heart, causing him to transform the swordless Natural Sword into a tangible finger sword.
In short, the Sword Venerable had thrown away the sharp treasured sword capable of felling his enemy and picked up a rusted pickaxe instead.
The Demon Emperor had not missed the opening.
He had poured the heaven-shattering might of his Perfection-Breaking strike into that single fist.
Crack crack crack.
Thick veins burst across the Sword Venerable’s body as he extended his finger sword.
The instant he had given form to the originally formless Natural Sword and manifested it as a finger sword, it could no longer be called the Natural Sword. There was absolutely no way it could block the Demon Emperor’s single punch.
“You did not achieve the Natural Sword. You merely created a sword to kill this seat.”
As he pushed back the finger sword, the Demon Emperor clicked his tongue in disappointment.
“How very regrettable.”
Hearing those words, the Sword Venerable’s eyes widened.
He had believed he had finally mastered the Natural Sword and reached the ultimate pinnacle of the way of the sword.
But in reality, he had merely created a tool, a means, whose sole purpose was to kill the Demon Emperor.
What he had attained was not the perfect Natural Sword after all.
“So that’s how it was.”
The Sword Venerable gave a hollow laugh.
“This old man did not cultivate the Natural Sword. I created the Demon Heaven Slaughter Sword.”
The Natural Sword must embrace all things and remain unshaken amid a thousand transformations and ten thousand changes.
In the end, what the Sword Venerable had created was not the pure Natural Sword, but a killing sword designed specifically to slay the Demon Emperor.
The Demon Emperor had seen through this immediately and seized victory in this decisive battle.
Thud.
With those final words, the Sword Venerable’s finger sword was crushed beneath the Demon Emperor’s fist.
At the same moment,
Paaaaaaa!
An enormous wave of force exploded from the Sword Venerable’s back.
Unable to block the Demon Emperor’s strike, that calamitous power had passed straight through his body.
Kwaaaaa!
The wave that erupted behind him cleaved the island in two and, for an instant, seemed to split the very sea itself.
It was probably an illusion.
No matter how great one’s martial arts, no human power could truly part the ocean.
Yet every master present—including Bu Eunseol—clearly saw the sea divide.
—Did he unfold a mind-image world?
The grandmasters watching from afar fell into confusion.
They could not even tell whether the power the Demon Emperor had displayed was a manifested mind-image world or raw, actual force.
“……”
The Sword Venerable stood frozen like a statue, still in the posture of his finger sword.
His breath had already ceased, yet he maintained his upright stance.
Perhaps even in death, it was his will refusing to kneel before the Demon Emperor.
“Amitabha.”
With a low recitation of the Buddha’s name, the Buddha Venerable—who had remained concealed until now—finally revealed himself.
Thud, thud.
Without so much as glancing at the Demon Emperor, he looked at the rigidly standing Sword Venerable.
With palms joined, he began to softly chant a sutra in a low voice.
The more he chanted, the brighter and more serene his previously hardened face became.
“Is not the essence of life inherently suffering?”
Finishing his recitation, the Buddha Venerable gave a gentle smile.
“Now that he has been freed from that place, it is something to celebrate.”
And he truly wore the smile of one congratulating the Sword Venerable for departing this misfortune world.
Ssk.
Having collected the Sword Venerable’s corpse, the Buddha Venerable immediately vanished with a movement technique.
—Not yet, I suppose.
A low voice echoed across Seungsa, and a streak of light disappeared into the distant sky.
Jeok Bung, who had been watching the duel, had instantly departed with movement technique.
He had realized the greatness of the realm the Demon Emperor had achieved in this battle.
But he had no intention of stopping here.
The moment he returned to Majeon, he had already made a decision.
He would no longer be content with the position of elder.
Thus, he wished to quickly digest the insight gained from this duel in a quiet place.
The moment the battle ended, he vanished at once.
He had merely left those few words out of respect for the Demon Emperor’s martial arts.
—Indeed.
With that single word, Weiji Mu-a too quietly departed.
Short though it was, it was likewise a gesture of respect toward the Demon Emperor.
Hidden away, Bu Eunseol took a deep breath.
To receive respect from figures like the Three Demons and Three Venerables… he knew full well how monumental that was.
“Hm.”
The Demon Emperor swallowed a low hum, then turned his head.
His gaze fell precisely on the spot where Bu Eunseol was concealed.
Pssht!
But then something incomprehensible occurred.
Suddenly, blood began gushing from the body of Ak Muryeong, who had been hiding atop a stone pillar.
Pssshhh!
Though his concealed form remained invisible, the blood poured out ceaselessly.
‘For my sake.’
Only now did Bu Eunseol grasp the situation.
Knowing he could not withstand the power pouring from the Demon Emperor, Ak Muryeong had taken it upon himself to bear the brunt.
“I suppose since he was prepared to suffer that much loss… I should at least show some consideration this once.”
Muttering those cryptic words, the Demon Emperor slowly turned around.
Ziiing.
Before him appeared what looked like an invisible, transparent door.
And it was no illusion.
Each time the Demon Emperor took a step forward, his figure gradually faded away.
When he had completely vanished,
Shuuk.
Ak Muryeong—who had been concealing himself until that moment—finally revealed his form.
Drip, drip.
His body was drenched in blood.
Because he had been standing at the critical threshold to a higher realm, his inner energy had already been in decline, and he had been unable to endure the pressure the Demon Emperor unleashed—causing his skin to rupture and tear.
“Sado Muryeong.”
The Demon Emperor had known.
He had known that Bu Eunseol was secretly hiding on Seungsa.
Yet when a demonic figure like Ak Muryeong sacrificed his own energy to protect him, the Demon Emperor had worn a satisfied smile—as though he had just watched an entertaining play—and left.
By all rights, he should have exploded both the foolish master and disciple together.
In his own way, he had shown them a measure of mercy.
“Sect Leader.”
As Bu Eunseol released his Crystal Divine Energy and moved to support him,
“Hahahahaha.”
The blood-soaked Ak Muryeong suddenly burst into mad laughter.
“Hahahaha!”
As his wild laughter rang out, storms raged in all directions and the island shook as though it would sink into the sea.
“Sado Muryeong. At last, I can see the end of you.”
“Sect Leader.”
“Did you really think this sect leader came here merely to save you?”
Yellowish light flowed from Ak Muryeong’s eyes as he unleashed an aura that seemed to crush the heavens themselves.
Far from having declined, his martial prowess had advanced to a level incomparable to before.
“How long do you think that ‘breaking nature’ of yours will keep working?”
Hearing those words, Bu Eunseol understood.
Ak Muryeong had already elevated his martial level, yet he had come here to test whether the Demon Emperor could still see through everything about him—even his enhanced strength.
In the end, the Demon Emperor had failed to detect Ak Muryeong’s increase in power and had not fully grasped his psychology.
When even the Sword Venerable—who had mastered the Natural Sword—had fallen to the Demon Emperor’s psychological warfare without fully unfolding his technique, Ak Muryeong had reached a realm far beyond anything he had achieved before.
“And he took serious injuries as well.”
Ak Muryeong gazed toward where the Demon Emperor had vanished and gave a faint smile.
“This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
“Sect Leader.”
“From now on, stop doing needless things…”
Ak Muryeong looked at Bu Eunseol and spoke coldly.
“Believe in yourself more.”
Then he immediately turned and disappeared.
Bu Eunseol stood with his mouth agape in a daze.
“The Sect Leader will use anything, anything at all, if it means advancing his martial arts.”
Ak Muryeong had devoted his entire life to the martial path.
Thus, if it would help develop his martial arts, he would not hesitate to do anything.
This time, he had used Bu Eunseol’s reckless and life-threatening gamble to once again measure the Demon Emperor’s true strength and to prove the extent of his own enhanced martial level.
“But even so, he still looked out for me.”
Bu Eunseol gave a faint smile.
There were many other ways to confirm his increased martial prowess.
There had been no need to come to such a dangerous place and provoke the Demon Emperor just to savor his own strength.
He had taken the risk and come here because he genuinely intended to protect Bu Eunseol.
“Moreover, the Sect Leader proved my power as well.”
In the past, merely hearing Ak Muryeong’s voice had made Bu Eunseol dizzy and caused his inner energy to scatter.
But now his voice no longer rang in Bu Eunseol’s ears like the full resonance of the Six Harmonies.
Because Bu Eunseol’s own martial level had greatly advanced as well.
—Believe in yourself more.
And those words had surely been intended to make Bu Eunseol once again become aware of his own martial strength and thereby increase his confidence.
“You must believe in yourself.”
There was yet another layer of meaning in Ak Muryeong’s words.
The Sword Venerable, having mastered the Natural Sword, possessed more than enough power to defeat the Demon Emperor.
But he had not trusted himself.
He had revered the Demon Emperor too greatly.
As a result, he had been unable to fully unfold the Natural Sword and had ultimately brought about an irreparable tragedy.
‘Yet even so, the Demon Emperor remains the Demon Emperor.’
Ak Muryeong was Bu Eunseol’s master, the one who had taught him the ultimate essence of Nangyang Pavilion martial arts, and the one who had seen through every energy within Bu Eunseol’s body.
Thus he had instantly detected Bu Eunseol’s presence here.
But the Demon Emperor had sensed him purely through his own ability.
When even the Buddha Venerable and the Profound Demon had failed to notice… it only served to show how supremely transcendent a realm the Demon Emperor had reached.
“Demon Emperor.”
Bu Eunseol clenched his fist tightly.
The Demon Emperor’s martial arts still remained indescribable, beyond naming.
He had arrived at a realm so lofty that no one could tell where it ended or what name to give it.
Because of that, even the Sword Venerable—who had mastered the Natural Sword—had seen his mental barriers shattered and had been reduced to a lesser state in his own mind.
“But thanks to this, I’ve finally found a thread.”
A smile curved at the corner of Bu Eunseol’s mouth.
Having witnessed the Sword Venerable’s Natural Sword, the things he had long pursued but whose destination he could never clearly see were finally beginning to come into sharp focus.
Comments