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“I didn’t expect such a blunt refusal.”

The Sword Demon Seo Mun-dae-ryong raised an eyebrow in surprise, while Seo Mun-hye looked as if she couldn’t keep up with the sudden turn of events, her eyes wide.

After a moment of contemplation, the Sword Demon spoke again.

“Is there something wrong with my daughter?”

I anticipated that question. It was a natural reaction from any parent, not just a Sword Demon. I figured if I danced around without a clear answer, it could lead to more misunderstandings, so I continued.

“No, not at all. It’s just that I have my reasons.”

“What reasons? Is there someone you’re engaged to?”

“Not exactly…”

“Speak plainly.”

I hesitated on how to reply. Should I mention my past life’s abilities, claiming I couldn’t afford to develop feelings for someone? But I doubted I could fool him with a lie, so I pushed on.

“I apologize. I hope you can understand.”

Seo Mun-dae-ryong’s expression didn’t change. He seemed almost emotionless, as he pondered for a long moment.

“Alright. But as your daughter’s benefactor, you owe her something. Is there anything you’d like to request?”

What could I possibly ask from the Sword Demon? In my last life, I trained under him for a month, which catapulted me into a peak level of expertise. Receiving sword training again would be incredibly helpful, but I had my reservations.

Originally, I had used the Golden Lamp and Wooden Armor to zip through the Heaven and Earth Sea. Right now, it was more critical to build a force that could achieve our goals quickly, rather than focus on my personal training. After some thought, I spoke up.

“Please forge an alliance with my Bancheon Alliance.”

Seo Mun-dae-ryong raised an eyebrow.

“Bancheon Alliance?”

“You’ve probably never heard of it.”

“True, I haven’t. Is it the name of your organization?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

He intertwined his fingers and said, “That’s rather sudden. I suppose a person like you wouldn’t belong to a mundane place, but what exactly does your group do?”

“We aren’t orthodox or heretical. We simply have our own goals.”

“That’s vague. I’ve never seen decent folks who talk like that.”

The Sword Demon was sharp in his critique. When I hesitated, not sure how to explain what the Bancheon Alliance was, I wondered if asserting we battled against the Demon Subduing Hall and demon beasts would bite me. How could I even prove the existence of those entities? Even if I could, how could I be sure the Sword Demon would partner up with the Bancheon Alliance?

So, I decided to remain calm and responded, taking a cue from Mangnyang’s persuasion tactics as I looked him in the eye.

“The Bancheon Alliance has yet to show itself to the world. However, it will emerge when the time is right. When that time comes, we will need many allies.”

“Are you asking me to consider an alliance later?”

“Yes. I hope you’ll consider it positively.”

Seo Mun-dae-ryong crossed his arms in thought. After a long pause, he shifted his pose, resting his fist on his chin, closing his eyes as if in contemplation. An awkward silence lingered until he finally spoke.

“One question.”

“Yes?”

“Are you the top expert of the Bancheon Alliance?”

I answered without hesitation.

“I am, for now, but soon much stronger experts will join us.”

The Sword Demon chuckled mildly. “If that’s the case, I wouldn’t know about them. Are you really able to recruit top fighters from the martial world?”

“Absolutely. They will definitely join.”

“Interesting.”

Seo Mun-dae-ryong’s tone turned serious. “Alright, once you get your force on track, come find me again. I’ll consider the alliance then.”

“Thank you.”

“And don’t worry about the women. Since it’s your daughter’s wish, I’ll take good care of her.”

“Thanks again.”

I silently sighed. While I hadn’t secured the alliance, it was still a relief to hear such a response. Given the Bancheon Alliance was nothing but a phantom at this point, wanting more would just be greedy; the Heretical Sect leaders didn’t extend hands out to just anyone.

As I was getting ready to leave, Seo Mun-dae-ryong spoke again.

“Don’t rush off so quickly.”

“Huh?”

“Why not have a sparring session?”

His suggestion was gentle, but it was close to coercion. Saying no would be tougher than I imagined. Sparring with the Sword Demon was bound to be beneficial, so I considered it a good opportunity.

“I would be honored.”

We stepped onto the sparring arena. It was late at night, and the experts from the Shadowless Gate illuminated the area with torches. The Sword Demon glanced at my Muramasa at my waist.

“What sword is that?”

“It’s the Famous Blade Muramasa.”

“Muramasa!! May I have a look?”

“As you wish.”

As I handed him the Muramasa, he inspected the blade with an almost entranced gaze, before letting out a whistle.

“Truly a cursed blade. It seems to absorb the lives of men.”

After scrutinizing it, he returned the Muramasa to me. I sheathed it and drew my sword. While the Japanese sword and the traditional sword looked similar, the techniques used were entirely different, making it unwise to wield recklessly.

As the Sword Demon assessed my stance, he asked, “Who’s your master?”

“It’s a delicate subject…”

“I’ve never heard of a talent like you emerging from any lineage. Even the Old Sage of Mount Tai or Grand Master Myung-ho wouldn’t raise someone like you. Unless you’ve reached the heavens in martial arts, it seems impossible.”

I felt somewhat embarrassed. I hadn’t anticipated the Sword Demon would overestimate me like this. But it seemed this was a genuine appraisal, as he continued, “That’s why greed emerges.”

“…?”

“How about a wager?”

“A wager?”

“If you can last two hundred seconds against me in this sparring match, I’ll ally with the Bancheon Alliance without hesitation. I’ll even pledge my full support. But if you can’t…”

“If I can’t?”

“Then you must become my son-in-law and disciple.”

That was an unexpected proposition.

Win: secure the alliance!

Lose: become a son-in-law…?

As I was mulling this over, I suddenly exclaimed, “Wait, being a son-in-law…?”

“Yes, marry my daughter.”

“What?!”

“The secret techniques of the Shadowless Gate are only shared with family, after all!”

Seeing the Sword Demon laugh heartily put me in a convoluted state of mind. Whether I won or lost, it felt like I had a flower in hand regardless. But marriage to Seo Mun-hye didn’t excite me much. Plus, becoming the son-in-law of the Sword Demon would mean I’d be at the mercy of the Shadowless Gate.

“What if I refuse the wager?”

“Then the alliance will never exist.”

…I regretted bringing this up. I had exposed my weakness, becoming trapped.

Realistically, the Bancheon Alliance hadn’t made any moves yet, so it wasn’t entirely a weakness. That’s why Mangnyang didn’t push me into an alliance with the Shadowless Gate.

But remembering the overwhelming power the palace had during my last life made me realize how desperate I was for strength. I felt the need for greater forces, especially now that I knew about the Portrait Immortal and his unique abilities.

After deep contemplation, I finally nodded. “Alright, I’ll accept.”

For now, I should at least test the waters. Plus, it would be a good opportunity to gauge the gap in strength between the Sword Demon and me, and sparring with an elite would provide invaluable experience. Feeling pumped, I nodded vigorously.

“Okay, let’s start without swords.”

The match began, yet the Sword Demon didn’t draw a blade. Just like before, he stood there empty-handed. He could manipulate sword qi just fine without a weapon, and I knew from experience that he was terrifyingly strong even in that state.

As I recalled how Yeodong-bin had leveraged Jang Sam-bong’s insights, I also drew upon my own potential.

I conjured the Baek Woong’s Formation and improved my potential while instinctively accessing Jang Sam-bong’s understanding. Amidst a flurry of enlightened thoughts, I discovered a sword technique.

“Let’s give this a shot.”

Insight

Bowing Sky Slash

I executed the technique with a sudden horizontal cut. The speed wasn’t overwhelming, but before the Bowing Sky Slash could fully unfold, the Sword Demon seemed to catch on. He effortlessly dodged the trajectory with a swift motion of his left palm.

BOOM!

A gentle explosion sent out a shockwave. I realized the Sword Demon had blocked my attack before it even built momentum. Instead of countering immediately, he marveled at my technique.

“Remarkable. What martial art was that?”

I replied, a little deflated, “What can I say? It’s hard to comment when you block it right off the bat.”

“My bad. It’s a habit of extinguishing dangerous moves at their origin.”

“Of course.”

I unleashed the Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique’s phantom form, slowly expanding my influence. When peak experts spar, it often isn’t just a physical fight; it’s a contest of barriers where each aims to maintain one’s own safe zone while drawing the opponent into unstable territory. Thus, it becomes a game similar to Go.

The Sword Demon mirrored my shift in style. Though still swordless, he stretched out his arms, gathering momentum like a storm as he advanced.

Swoosh!

The moment our zones collided, there was no thunderous sound, just the whirling sword qi scattering like leaves as we invaded each other’s space. I quickly spun around thrice and deflected his attacks with the Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique. The Sword Demon, however, deftly countered and advanced two steps closer.

Before I could blink, his right palm glimmered brightly, releasing a cylindrical surge of energy. The speed of his attack caught me off guard, and rather than evade, I hastily tapped into my internal power to counter.

WHAM!

With a heavy sound, my right foot dug deep into the arena floor. I succeeded in defending against the attack, but the powerful force pushed me back, requiring me to redirect my energy. This kind of raw potency indicated that the Sword Demon had reached an exquisite level of intent.

‘A peak expert as good as Lee Kwang…!!’

Teeth gritted, I resolved to tap into another understanding from Jang Sam-bong.

Insight

Heavenly Contraction Sword

As I swung my weapon, the space tightened, starting to pull everything towards it. When Yeodong-bin unleashed it, he forced a giant Tentacle Toad underwater, but as the pressure grew minimally, it seemed I was clumsy in comparison. Yet, unlike before, the Sword Demon struggled against the pull as he was inexorably drawn forward.

As the surroundings began to siphon into my attack, a cloud of dust erupted.

“Hmm!”

With his eyebrows furrowing, the Sword Demon waved his hand, unleashing numerous strands of intangible sword qi that danced in the air like embroidery. These strands enveloped the area, striking right at the center of my Heavenly Contraction Sword, and the condensed pressure burst forth.

BOOM!

At the same moment, the Sword Demon cleared the distance with incredible agility, aiming for my solar plexus. During my previous encounter, I was utterly clueless. But with the improvement from Baek Woong’s Formation, I was alert enough to sense his intent a full five steps away. I sidestepped, deflecting his strike.

SHHINK!

Unperturbed by my single defense, he extended his fingers, crafting an intangible sword qi that transformed into a sharpened blade for a renewed attack. The display, almost like an illusion, was mesmerizing. I hadn’t anticipated that level of progression but, refusing to back down, I held my ground and blocked the incoming strikes.

CRASH!

With a heavy thud, both of our forms were sent back a step. My sword emitted a wisp of smoke, while the Sword Demon’s fingers were slightly reddened after our fierce clash. The sheer force in that brief moment was monumental. The Sword Demon shook his hand and murmured, “You blocked the Single Finger Sword and the Spiral Classics… impressive.”

“…”

“That was before the 70-second mark. I’ve seen your skills; now I recognize your worth enough to draw my sword.”

He then manipulated the sword from the Shadowless Gate into the arena, combining his energy. I stared at him, baffled.

“If you can manipulate sword qi without a weapon, why do you even need a sword?”

He chuckled softly. “Such silly talk! Just because I’ve attained a level of swordless mastery doesn’t mean wielding an actual sword isn’t stronger. It’s merely an elevation of the average power.”

“That makes sense.”

“Your swordplay is truly unique and exceptional. I feel the presence of a Supreme Master, so do your best to entertain me.”

As he said that, I felt a surge from him, making me want to step back in preparation. Something felt off.

This pressure—I had only ever sensed it from Lee Kwang or the lord of the Twelve Joules. In that moment, memories of being thrashed by the might of the palace flooded my mind.

His eyes flared red as he charged his power, emanating menacing killing intent.

“It feels as if you’re hiding your true strength; why don’t you show me what you’ve got? Otherwise, I might just kill you without even trying.”

He seemed to have figured out I was holding back my Thunderclap technique. Its secrets were unknown to him, but he sensed there was another card I wasn’t showing. Yet I found myself mulling over it deeply.

‘Should I use the Thunderclap?’

Lee Kwang had told me the Thunderclap was a final technique that significantly amplified power, but it was also a concealed weapon that must never be exposed hastily. It was fundamentally a breathing technique intertwined with the flow of qi; if misused, it could reveal its secrets to other sects.

That’s why it was forbidden to use it unless one was fully committed to killing their opponent, with no witnesses around.

In this scenario, to use it would mean I had to fully eradicate my opponent.

At that point, I realized I wasn’t just facing a peak expert like the Sword Demon, but a renowned figure within the martial world, renowned for being a genius. If he ever grasped the essence of the Thunderclap and countered with something similar, my life would be in real danger.

Feeling helpless, I called out to Yeodong-bin.

[Yeodong-bin! I need your help!]

His response echoed from the Celestial Realm.

[Why are you calling me in a fight against humans?]

[Uh, well…]

[Unless it’s against monsters, don’t bother me.]

That was the end of our conversation.

It seemed Yeodong-bin only cared about monster battles. With no other choice, I bit my lip in determination. The Sword Demon spoke up, his voice tinged with barely suppressed anger.

“Dare you withhold your moves in front of a master? Do you wish to die?”

“I’m sorry. This technique can’t be revealed.”

The Sword Demon exuded a cold, seething rage.

“Fine. I’ll grant you your wish!”

At that moment, everything shifted.

WHOOSH!

“…!!”

It was a shocking twist. The Sword Demon’s power surged mightily, and his sword floated in mid-air, gathering an unimaginable amount of energy.

At that point, I realized the level he was reaching was incredible. My heart sank.

“The Invincible Sword!”

It was the ultimate sword realm that had only been talked about in the martial world!

SPLAT!

Before I could even react, my arm severed cleanly. I stood frozen, unable to take any sort of defensive action. The raw speed of the Sword Demon was incomprehensible. I realized the only way to survive was to resort to the Thunderclap.

‘He was serious… I really had to use the Thunderclap to survive…’

I began to understand the plight of the monsters I had taken down before. I had often questioned why such formidable beings fell without evasion or defense, yet with speed and power like this, it made perfect sense.

The true power of the Invincible Sword lay not just in controlling the blade, but in its sheer destructive speed and force.

The Sword Demon’s voice roared.

“You think you can spar with me, barely reaching the peak?! Such audacity… Let’s see how this plays out!”

His rage contrasted sharply with the calm, dignified demeanor he had maintained until now. It felt as if my choice had awakened his wrath.

And then, out of nowhere, Seo Mun-hye let out a blood-curdling scream.

“Father, stop!!”

In that instant, right when he was about to unleash the Invincible Sword, the Sword Demon froze. Despite being filled with rage, he regained his composure as if struck by reason. Upon seeing my severed arm, he wore a panicked expression.

“…Oh no.”

While I tended to my injury, he said cautiously, “I’m sorry.”

He swiftly picked up my severed limb and pressed it to the stump of my arm. Exuding his own inner energy, I was hit with waves of pain that felt like my head might split.

“Ugh…”

Moments later, my arm reattached, albeit a bit wobbly. It appeared he had utilized his true inner energy for the healing process.

‘Thank goodness it was a clean cut.’

With some post-treatment, I should be able to heal without issue. Still, experiencing a clean dismemberment was a shocking event in itself, and I stood there, momentarily speechless. Seo Mun-hye rushed over, tears streaming down her face.

“Are you okay?!”

“…”

“Father! How could you do this…?”

With a reproaching glare, she looked at Seo Mun-dae-ryong, who fell silent, clearly at a loss for words. After a moment, he sighed and admitted, “I’m sorry. When my anger flares, I lose sight of everything.”

Coming back down from my dazed state, I replied, “No, I was rude in the duel against a master.”

The Sword Demon chuckled nervously, “Oh dear. This was a considerable blunder on my part in the last ten years.”

With that, he sighed again, “Please stay a while. It seems I owe you this victory.”

 

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