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Chapter 160: What I Wanted to Show You

Step, step.

As I took a step forward, the energy released with each footfall roared with intensity.

Riding the shoulders was undeniably a bolt of thunder.

The thick energy was so overwhelming that it felt like thunder was crashing around Nangong Bi-ah.

“Crunch.”

With a bite of her teeth, Jang Seonyeon forced her frozen body back to life.

Just to move her body, she had to expend a significant amount of energy.

‘Just to move? Is this really just that?’

Calming the trembling sword tip, she tried hard to ignore the trickle of cold sweat.

As Jang Seonyeon slowly regained her breath, she glanced at Nangong Bi-ah.

My unhurried sword and her serene expression seemed more like an innocent stroll rather than an intense battle.

In contrast to that pleasant appearance, the aura she emitted was anything but.

‘Is this… the Imperial Sword Form?’

This was the foundation of the Nangong Clan’s might, which had brought them to their current stature.

The overwhelming power of the Nangong Clan radiated from Nangong Bi-ah.

‘… Is she really one of them?’

Unlike what the name “Imperial Sword Form” suggested, it wasn’t based solely on swordsmanship.

The energy mixed with the thunder Qi created an air of destructive force, and the pressure it exuded took on a unique form.

It felt like a gigantic something was pressing down.

Inside that pressure lay the ambition to dominate and stand above others, revealing a fanged desire to assert her presence.

She didn’t hide her ambition to rise above others, having created worthiness in herself because she was an emperor.

With the intent to reveal that through her sword without any qi perception, it was called the sword form.

The presence of the Imperial Sword Form unfolding before my eyes was undeniably heavy.

“… You won’t… stop?”

A quiet whisper escaped. Jang Seonyeon felt an instinct.

If she didn’t move now, it might be the end. She needed to see her opponent in a different light.

Nangong Bi-ah elegantly moved, donning the guise of an emperor.

Her steps appeared so light, as if she were merely out on a walk.

Instinctively, Jang Seonyeon lifted her sword. It felt like the only thing she could do.

Bang-!

“…!”

With the shock, Jang Seonyeon was pushed back.

Despite standing at least ten steps away, Nangong Bi-ah suddenly appeared right in front of her.

Their blades met, scattering sparks.

Heavy.

The blade of Nangong Bi-ah, which she barely managed to block, felt impossibly heavy.

Could such power really come from those slender arms?

There was no time for long contemplation. It didn’t seem like there would be an opportunity for that.

Jang Seonyeon raised her qi.

Wooong—

The faint sound of the blade rang out; it resonated from Jang Seonyeon’s sword.

It was the Heavenly Phoenix Swordsmanship from Jang Cheon, the style of Taijin Rakbi.

An art that resonated intentionally to use like a sound attack.

This was the power of the Jang Clan that earned Jang Cheon, the current leader of the Martial Alliance, the title of the “Falling Blade.”

‘Can’t maintain this for long.’

It was a difficult technique that couldn’t be sustained for too long.

Utilizing sound techniques required significant skill in manipulating energy.

The fact that she could use it at such a young age already showcased Jang Seonyeon’s talent.

She needed to spend her energy recklessly while struggling to maintain the blade.

Because of that, her speed of wielding the sword had to be slower than normal.

Of course, it was bearable since it enabled her to shake her opponent.

As time passed, it would also become less of an issue as she grew stronger.

Eventually, maintaining the technique and wielding the sword would become second nature. Once the baptism of energy seeped into her body, it would be easier.

With this level, she shouldn’t have a problem facing even the strong warriors of her generation.

Or at least, that’s how it should have been.

Swish!

The sharp tip of Nangong Bi-ah’s sword grazed Jang Seonyeon’s hair.

Thud! A few strands fell, trembling. That showed just how critical the situation was.

Another problem approached.

Crack-!

Bolts of thunder erupted, forcing Jang Seonyeon to step back yet again.

‘Damn it.’

The sword, the sound attacks—nothing was landing a blow on that woman.

The overwhelmingly emitted aura of dominance weighed Jang Seonyeon down.

And in that gap, the relentless swordplay was razor-sharp.

She couldn’t wield her techniques while adhering to her usual speed.

What was that woman doing?

‘Can she maintain that, yet move at this speed?’

It didn’t make sense.

Here she was, barely holding it together while having to give up something.

Facing the Imperial Sword Form, Jang Seonyeon understood with greater clarity. To use that technique, she had to expend more energy than Jang Seonyeon herself.

And she must be skillfully controlling it at an even more delicate level.

‘And yet…’

She spun her sword at this speed? Jang Seonyeon found it hard to believe.

But the evidence was clear.

Clang! Clang!

Nangong Bi-ah’s assault showed no signs of stopping as if declaring that counterattacks were not in her plans. There was not a hint of fatigue on her face.

The blade imbued with thunder radiated fiercely, so that even a mere touch felt like it could burn.

Each breath carried the pressure that threatened to scatter Jang Seonyeon’s spirit.

Ultimately, Jang Seonyeon opened her eyes wide and pulled her energy all at once as she prepared for the instinctive slip of consciousness.

As soon as she got close to Nangong Bi-ah, it happened.

Wooong!

The sound echoed loudly from her sword. At least it should be able to flow like a sword path now.

It may have been a lavish excess of wasted energy.

But she needed to change the flow.

At this rate, it felt like there was no way forward.

‘First, make her stop. Create some distance….’

Booming—

“Cough!”

A heavy shock struck her chest. Jang Seonyeon let out a groan as she fell to the floor.

She expected that would never happen.

Nangong Bi-ah, however, snuck in like it was nothing, landing a punch squarely on Jang Seonyeon’s chest.

“Cough… cough…!”

As she tumbled across the floor, Jang Seonyeon struggled to regain her stance.

She desperately tried to locate Nangong Bi-ah’s position.

While it was also to prepare for the next strike, contrary to her expectations, Nangong Bi-ah stood still.

Was she not going to counterattack?

‘Why just now?’

Jang Seonyeon recalled the recent strike.

Did her techniques not connect?

That couldn’t be.

Her martial arts had undoubtedly been unleashed, and she felt she had succeeded.

Then how could that be…?

“…”

The blank expression on Nangong Bi-ah’s face caught her eye.

A stream of blood rolled down her cheek.

Seeing that, it finally clicked.

It wasn’t that it didn’t connect; she simply endured it.

How could that be possible?

Her head and insides must have spun from the impact.

After all, like the Poison Phoenix the day before, if she had taken that strike unaware, she should have been left bleeding and reeling on the ground.

But Nangong Bi-ah appeared unfazed, merely brushing the blood away with her hand.

She didn’t groan.

Her expression didn’t contort in pain.

The Imperial Sword Form remained maintained, and in that space, Nangong Bi-ah quietly gazed down at Jang Seonyeon.

There was no arrogance in her gaze.

Merely tranquility.

As if nothing had happened, like a still lake.

Her exquisite beauty resembled that of made jade, radiating with brilliance.

That appearance was dignified and noble.

Only then could she truly embody the Nangong.

That thought unconsciously flicked through Jang Seonyeon’s mind.

Upon reaching that realization, Jang Seonyeon bit down hard on her lip.

The pain was enough to draw blood.

‘This won’t do.’

She had to admit that right now, it was impossible to overpower that woman.

So—

She needed to use a different method.

How long had the martial arts spar been going on?

If measured by time, it probably hadn’t been too long.

They hadn’t exchanged many blows after all.

However, the silence had lasted far too long. That so many people remained mute indicated just how difficult and shocking the situation was.

Just then, someone broke the silence with a voice of disbelief.

“No way…”

It was a voice filled with amazement.

That was the spark.

Someone’s casually spoken words ignited whispers from every direction.

“Isn’t that the Imperial Sword Form? To wield it so adeptly when even the Thunder Dragon couldn’t showcase it…”

“Moving the sword, it’s almost like dancing… it’s truly beautiful.”

If someone were to ask whether they knew of the Nangong Clan in the Central Plains, every single one would say they did.

Even if they were secluded in the mountains, the Nangong Clan was famous enough that it couldn’t be unknown.

And their martial art, the Imperial Sword Form, was so well-known that it couldn’t be overlooked.

This overwhelming power displayed didn’t merely have a destructive force; it shone through purely.

There was only that one technique capable of expressing and showcasing such overwhelming energy.

Mastering control over the energy while skillfully training the body, and reaching a level where the thunder qi could be freely handled.

Those were the minimum conditions to use the technique.

It might not seem too difficult from just hearing it.

But simply reaching that level wasn’t an easy task. After all, it was a martial art exclusive to direct descendants.

It wasn’t something you could easily learn.

And achieving that level wasn’t feasible without remarkable talent.

Even looking at Nangong Cheonjun, it was the same.

Even though he was recognized as a genius in the Nangong Clan, he could only summon thunder qi, yet could not wield the Imperial Sword Form.

Then, what about Nangong Bi-ah?

‘She had been using it ever since we met.’

Recalling the first time they met after her return, it came to mind.

While on the way to Sichuan, she had encountered Nangong Bi-ah, who was lost and wandering.

The aura she had emitted while claiming to be from the Nangong Clan had certainly been the Imperial Sword Form.

From the moment she encountered him, she had been almost complete in her mastery.

“Sis, you’re so cool…”

Tang Soyeol, sitting beside her with an ecstatic expression, suddenly exclaimed.

Wiser also nodded vigorously, as if in agreement.

Even to Jang Seonyeon, who was down on the ground, the image of Nangong Bi-ah exuding that energy was undeniably impressive.

‘…She’s really wild.’

It was only reasonable for her; Nangong Bi-ah had dispelled the shackles she had placed on herself.

Just before stepping onto the sparring stage, she had asked if she could release the energy she was holding down.

That was about the energy she had been controlling to diminish her presence.

It seemed uncomfortable for her to keep wearing that veil all the time, having been advised to remove it.

‘She merely described it, showed it briefly, and immediately followed through.’

Seeing that had been quite amusing.

How long had it taken her to master that one thing?

Her talent definitely deserved recognition. It was an era rife with geniuses.

Terrifyingly so.

Inside that world, she had only wallowed in her inferiority complex.

Had she progressed since then?

She still wasn’t sure.

Looking back now, the Demon Sword Queen had been a monster.

‘She was capable of wiping out entire clans alone.’

Even without a Heavenly Lord, achieving the level to decimate a clan alone was no small feat.

Unlike her, who had become a monster only after suffering from demonic energy and demonic powers while being trapped in the Demonic Gate.

The Demon Sword Queen hadn’t accepted even a trace of demonic powers.

So what on earth had driven her, and what did she seek in becoming a demon?

That was something she’d occasionally wondered and asked her.

Of course, even when she asked, the Demon Sword Queen had never answered her properly.

– A peaceful life.

She merely repeated that response.

“Sis… you’re stronger than I thought.”

“Right?”

Tang Soyeol agreed, obviously taken aback by the situation.

Stronger than expected. Quite the understatement.

She thought she had an idea of how strong she was, but Nangong Bi-ah turned out to be even stronger.

“Bi-ah, you’re super amazing!”

To Wiser’s bright exclamation, she merely nodded quietly.

‘Right.’

This time she didn’t speak but felt embarrassed without realizing it.

All the worries she had up to a moment ago were washed away.

Nangong Bi-ah was pressing Jang Seonyeon with such overwhelming presence.

There was a moment when Jang Seonyeon had his martial arts hit and faced a dangerous situation.

Yet, Nangong Bi-ah had weathered it.

Should one call that sheer willpower?

Even now, her insides must have been twisting.

The powerful impact had caused her energy to spiral out of control, yet there were no issues with the martial arts she was using.

Even the wild energy she had was being reckoned and controlled.

‘She’s truly insane.’

Easily surpassing the levels of any martial artist of her generation.

Jang Seonyeon possessed impressive talent as well.

Though she hated to admit it, that girl would still be a remarkable martial artist in the future.

If one could do all those impressive things, it was a sign of talent beyond a doubt.

‘What expression would she be making?’

Jang Seonyeon’s gaze drifted beyond the sparring stage toward the higher buildings.

That’s where the key figures of the Martial Alliance were gathered.

Though they were out of sight, there was the leader, and perhaps even the Sect Leader of Shaolin was there.

She considered enhancing her perception to check but decided against it.

Getting caught would be inconvenient.

‘Would their expression be sour? Or perhaps intrigued?’

Either way, it didn’t matter to her.

Of course, she hoped for the latter.

‘It’s a bit disappointing that I can’t win against her.’

Hoping to pass it off as an accident, she just wanted to break a bone or two, but this would have to do as well.

After all, she’d eliminate her in time.

“Trust me.”

When Nangong Bi-ah said those words meant she wanted them to believe in her, she hadn’t truly understood the full meaning.

However, it was starting to become clearer.

‘Maybe I can watch more comfortably now.’

Unlike Gu Jeolyub, who awkwardly tripped over his own feet, or Nangong Cheonjun, who carelessly sprawled on the ground, that wasn’t happening here.

She had seized the flow of the martial arts and absorbed enough energy to last until the sparring concluded.

Now, she was just thinking about how to handle a sparring match with Moyong Hi-ah…

“Huh?”

While thinking, she suddenly turned to the sparring stage, where Jang Seonyeon was.

It was like a primal instinct that urged her to do so.

Boom!

The other sound that rang out was someone rolling on the ground.

It all happened in an instant.

Jang Seonyeon, who had been sitting, got back up, while Nangong Bi-ah had rolled on the floor a few times and stood up sharply.

With her nose covered, Nangong Bi-ah gazed at Jang Seonyeon in shock.

“What just happened?”

Tang Soyeol, watching alongside, wore an expression similar to Nangong Bi-ah’s.

She couldn’t respond to Tang Soyeol’s question.

Everything was stirring inside.

Her insides, the energy in her lower dantian.

She couldn’t grasp why it felt so tightening and numbing.

The unidentified energy she had taken from Nangong Cheonjun was rampaging strongly.

Though it was largely consumed by the Technique of the Flame Wheel, it was still thriving far beyond expectation.

At the same time, she could feel it.

“That guy.”

The energy was surging because of Jang Seonyeon on the sparring stage.

Unconsciously, she clenched her fists tightly.

The more she did so, the stronger that same energy became.

 

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