Chapter 86

Chapter 85. Who's challenging who? You're dead now. (5)

'Is this guy crazy?'

Baekcheon couldn't help but feel absurd.

Cheongmyeong is walking over, cracking his neck from side to side. His appearance is akin to a thug in a back alley threatening civilians.

There were exactly two reasons why Baekcheon was flustered.

One was that Cheongmyeong's thug-like demeanor suited him too well. The other was that the person Cheongmyeong was threatening was none other than Baekcheon himself.

'Unless he's lost his mind?'

Baekcheon is Cheongmyeong's senior.

Of course, in this sparring match, he said there would be no distinction of seniority, so that's not the important part.

The important part is that there is a significant difference in seniority between Baekcheon and Cheongmyeong.

Baekcheon entered Huashan when he was younger than Cheongmyeong is now. In other words, he has been practicing martial arts for over fifteen years.

What about Cheongmyeong?

'He's only been a disciple for half a year.'

Even if he had been practicing martial arts in his mother's womb, he couldn't have practiced for as long as Baekcheon. In other words, even if Cheongmyeong's talent rivals that of Dharma or Sanfeng, it's impossible for him to beat Baekcheon now.

Talent needs time to manifest.

If talent alone could overcome the barrier of time, who would bother to practice martial arts?

'But what is this reaction?'

However, Cheongmyeong is acting as if it's natural for him to beat Baekcheon. It's so absurd that he can't even speak.

"…You've really gone mad."

"Hey, no. The one who's mad is you."

"What?"

"Would you provoke me if you weren't mad?"

If the people who were involved with Cheongmyeong in the past were here, they would all nod in agreement.

In Zhongnan, Cheongmyeong was known as a demon from Huashan. In Wudang, he was called the only one of its kind in Daoist history. Cheongmyeong's reputation soared to the heavens, but his infamy covered the earth.

'He's going to die.'

Cheongmyeong loosened his grip.

Surprisingly, Cheongmyeong doesn't particularly favor violence.

Huh?

What have you been doing so far?

Well, they don't listen unless you beat them.

For Cheongmyeong, violence is just a means. What he ultimately wants is for everyone to do things properly without needing to use force or yell.

If things go well, why would he waste energy on violence? The problem is that it doesn't work well.

But now, Cheongmyeong is feeling the urge to use violence as an end, not just a means.

"Your arrogance knows no bounds. Don't blame me for my ruthless hands…"

"Keep going."

"…What did you just say?"

Cheongmyeong shrugged.

"Normally, I don't like to talk much before a fight, but you listen. After all, you won't be able to talk even if you want to in a little while."

"This guy is going to the end!"

Baekcheon gripped his sword.

He also had no intention of wasting time.

'I'll end this quickly.'

Baekcheon gritted his teeth. Even if it's not a real fight, he can't kill his junior with a sword. But he can beat him with the flat of the blade. Now that it's come to this, he plans to beat him so thoroughly that he'll wet his pants just by making eye contact in the future.

Baekcheon gripped his sword tightly and charged at Cheongmyeong.

Baekcheon's sword swiftly approached Cheongmyeong. It was a sword style distinctly different from Yu Yisue's. At first glance, they might seem similar, but his sword was much heavier and more powerful.

In a way, it was the embodiment of the righteous path.

Huashan's sword style, known for its diverse variations, was simplified to emphasize its powerful nature. With just one move, Cheongmyeong grasped the characteristics of Baekcheon's sword.

'Strange.'

Zhongnan tried to abandon their own sword style and emulate Huashan's elegance. But Baekcheon did the opposite, reducing Huashan's elegance and incorporating Zhongnan's straightforwardness into his own sword style.

'Of course.'

Upon reflection, it makes sense.

Swords are always changing. And the direction of change is always toward a more advanced level, a higher realm.

During Huashan's golden age, when Zhongnan was suppressed, they probably thought Huashan's elegance was the right answer.

Conversely, during Zhongnan's golden age, when Huashan was suppressed, especially after feeling the gap through the Huazong Conference, the second-generation disciples of Huashan probably thought Zhongnan's sword style was the right answer.

It's understandable that they would try to emulate each other.

One!

'Pathetic.'

Cheongmyeong furrowed his brows.

Why would he learn Zhongnan's sword style when he has nothing to learn? This guy is just annoying.

'Why would he covet what others have when he can't even handle what he has?'

He needs to be taught what Huashan truly possesses.

At that moment, Baekcheon charged forward and shouted.

"I'll correct your bad habits today."

And Cheongmyeong, seeing Baekcheon charge, clenched his fist.

"Me!"

He took a step back with his right foot.

"Habits!"

His waist twisted backward.

"Up until now!"

And the fist, pulled back as far as it could go, shot forward like a spring.

"Nobody has corrected them, you brat!"

It was a boast.

Cheongmyeong's punch penetrated the changes in the sword aura created by Baekcheon's sword. A single punch, aimed at the precise angle and speed, found the gap between the changes.

Baekcheon's eyes widened as he saw Cheongmyeong's fist break through his sword aura.

Easier said than done. Inserting a punch into the changes of sword aura, where a single touch could sever an arm, was an impossible feat.

From Baekcheon's perspective, it felt like a ghost's hand suddenly appeared between the sword auras.

But there wasn't much time to be surprised.

Thud!

Baekcheon's jaw was knocked back.

Crack.

A sound of something dislocating came from the back of his neck. His consciousness momentarily flew away and then returned.

When he came to, his body was flying backward.

'What?'

What just happened?

Reality seemed to fade away. Even as he was flying backward, Baekcheon couldn't fully grasp what had happened to his body. Then, reality suddenly hit him.

Boom!

"Ugh!"

As his body hit the ground, an indescribable pain spread throughout his body.

"Ughh."

The pain in his back was bearable, but the pain radiating from his jaw was unbearable.

Baekcheon clutched his jaw and groaned.

Mastering martial arts means becoming accustomed to pain. Not only the pain of pushing one's body to its limits, but also the frequent injuries from sparring and matches.

But this pain was different from anything he had ever experienced. It felt like entering a new realm of pain.

"Get up, man."

Cheongmyeong cracked his neck and approached Baekcheon.

Seeing this, Baekcheon struggled to his feet. Cheongmyeong's eyes widened in surprise.

"Huh? You're getting up?"

You told me to get up?

While enduring the pain in his jaw, Baekcheon felt his mental strength being drained just by trying to understand the situation.

Still, he tried to steady his trembling legs and raised his sword.

He could taste the metallic taste of blood in his mouth.

"How, how did you do that?"

Baekcheon is not stupid.

The exchange of blows just now was not a coincidence. No one would risk pushing their arm into a sword aura, hoping for a lucky break.

In other words, Cheongmyeong saw through Baekcheon's sword.

"How did you see through it?"

Cheongmyeong looked at Baekcheon with disdain.

"Originally, the sword style was designed with changes in mind. By altering it to reduce the changes, you created weaknesses. You know one thing but not two. Of course, there are gaps everywhere!"

Bloodshot eyes appeared in Baekcheon's eyes.

"No one has ever found those gaps."

"That's because the people you face are just average. If you faced an elder, they would have noticed right away."

Or not?

Eh… Are the elders at this level? Eh?

Let's move on.

"Are you saying my sword style is wrong?"

"Yep."

Cheongmyeong spoke as if it required no thought.

"Right now, you might be a bit ahead of others with this. But as time goes on, your juniors will start to surpass you."

"How do you know that! You've only just become a disciple! I can't believe it."

"Ah, whatever."

Cheongmyeong chuckled.

The mistake made by Zhongnan is being repeated by a Huashan disciple. And Cheongmyeong understood why this was happening.

'This isn't strange.'

In the era Cheongmyeong lived in, similar things must have happened countless times. But at the time, Cheongmyeong didn't know what the consequences of such changes would be.

After experiencing countless things and reaching a high level, he gained the ability to see how swords would evolve. Now, looking at those who are just starting to create their own sword styles, he can see things he couldn't see before.

"Be grateful that you're a Huashan disciple."

"What?"

Cheongmyeong raised his wooden sword.

If it were up to him, he would beat him to death with his fists, but he's still a cute Huashan disciple, right? If he's going to beat him, it should be in a way that helps his development.

"Don't worry. I'll beat you with the sword, not my fists. Ugh, I'm so considerate."

"…"

Is he crazy?

No, he seems to be crazy.

Seeing Baekcheon's flabbergasted expression, Cheongmyeong took a deep breath.

"Some people say the purpose of Huashan's sword style is to emulate plum blossoms. But that's what people who don't understand Huashan's sword style say. Huashan's sword style doesn't imitate plum blossoms. What Huashan's sword style aims for…"

Cheongmyeong suddenly frowned.

"Ah, forget it. Do you even understand what I'm saying? You'll understand better if you experience it. Here I go!"

"Wh, what?"

Baekcheon instinctively took a step back.

But Cheongmyeong's speed was twice as fast.

Baekcheon swung his sword at the charging Cheongmyeong. His instincts as a swordsman made him swing his sword faster than his mind could process.

But at that moment, Baekcheon saw something.

Cheongmyeong's fingertips trembled slightly, and his wooden sword multiplied into dozens, filling his field of vision.

'W, what is this…?'

"Lower body!"

Crack!

The wooden sword struck Baekcheon's shin. The pain was so intense that Baekcheon's mouth opened wide.

But it wasn't over.

"Wrist!"

Crack!

Cheongmyeong's sword precisely struck Baekcheon's wrist, where he held the sword. The feeling was so intense that he almost dropped his sword.

'Hold on…'

At that moment, a sound he didn't want to hear entered Baekcheon's ears.

"Head! Head! Head! Head! Head!"

Why not just once, man?

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Baekcheon's head was hit repeatedly, and he fell to the side with his mouth open.

Even as he fell, a thought dominated his mind.

'Why did he say it five times and hit me six times?'

It was a question he couldn't resolve even as he lost consciousness.