Chapter 242
About half a moment had passed since we entered the Dragon King’s Valley.
Woosh, woosh, woosh!
A gigantic sea of clouds slithered through the canyon like a dragon. Usually, you’d have trouble seeing such a sight, but the rough terrain of Dragon King’s Valley made it an awe-inspiring view. I stood quietly on a tree branch blooming from the cliff, gazing at the Sword Demon ahead.
The Sword Demon was about thirty paces ahead of me, climbing the cliff. With our martial skills, a steep cliff wouldn’t take long to ascend, but there was a reason the Sword Demon was deliberately going slowly.
A formation created by fog.
Whether it was artificial or natural, trying to navigate the mysterious terrain of Dragon King’s Valley with mere martial skills could lead one astray for a lifetime, or so the Sword Demon said. He possessed considerable knowledge of formations and aimed to find dangerous spots ahead.
Suddenly, the Sword Demon jumped up to the peak and sent me a secret transmission.
[Come this way.]
Zoom!
I followed the Sword Demon up to the peak between the rugged canyons. Despite the hundreds of feet of cliff, there was barely a single palm-width of space to stand on—enough to warrant the name “Pointed Mountain.” The waiting Sword Demon said to me, “My heart races.”
“What do you mean?”
“We are almost at the center of this formation. It seems a natural barrier-like terrain already existed here, but someone has artificially enhanced it to make it even more terrifying.”
Muttering that, the Sword Demon gazed westward. Despite the thick mist, his eyes seemed certain that something sinister lay ahead. With a glimmer in his eyes, he continued, “And there’s something within that can be enhanced.”
“Something to be enhanced… could it be human?”
“It seems so. The instincts of a master are unrelenting in sending out danger signals, and formless qi can be felt mixing in the air.”
“I haven’t felt anything.”
“What you’re capturing right now is a very subtle sign. I only sensed it after entering this formation myself; my awareness has grown sharper.”
…
I felt a chill run down my spine as I acknowledged the difference in martial arts levels between the Sword Demon and me. ‘In this terrifying great nature, he can sense his presence? From tens of miles away? Is that even humanly possible?’ For now, it seemed impossible with my current level of intent. The being beyond the fog undoubtedly was a formidable master, as Bai Li Jeong-woon had said. The Sword Demon sat there and remarked, “We need to decide soon how to deal with that person once we encounter him.”
“An expert of that level launching a preemptive strike would be deadly for us.”
“So, what do you want to do?”
“From here on, it’s better to proceed cautiously and ascertain his location first. After that, we’ll strike.”
…
Hearing my words, the Sword Demon stared at me intently. It was such an obvious gaze that it made me feel a bit embarrassed.
“What’s the matter?”
“Your mindset is very practical. Usually, one expects awe towards a mysterious expert, but the moment you heard my words, you started thinking about how to kill him.”
What? I couldn’t figure out what was wrong and tilted my head.
“Uh… is that wrong?”
“Hahaha!”
The Sword Demon burst into laughter at my question. “Not at all. It just makes me think you’ve been thoroughly trained by the Thunder God lineage. It’s unusual that you’re not intimidated by someone stronger than yourself, and you’re incredibly composed. Your mindset is tailored for real combat.”
“…!!”
“Thinking about the Thunder God lineage… it’s an impressive sect indeed. Their teachings and training are extremely practical, and the levels of understanding and limits are very high. They can be considered a top martial arts family in Jianghu.”
I felt confused. ‘Trained by the Thunder God lineage? My mindset?’ It might be true. Over the past hundred years of martial arts life, I spent more than 70% of my time in the Thunder God lineage undergoing rigorous training. The training methods of Lee Kwang were as harsh as those of the Bright Dragon, sometimes causing my muscles to scream as I collapsed. So, the practical tips and combat rules taught in the Thunder God lineage must have been engraved in my instincts.
Still, I didn’t particularly like that. Every time I remembered this fact, some kind of battle instinct bubbled up within me. The impulse to smash everything obstructing my path swelled. Perhaps because of that, the training in the Thunder God lineage sometimes included time to tame one’s mind.
When I fell silent, the Sword Demon spoke again. “From now on, our opponent will be a formidable one, incomparable to someone like Tuma. If you wish to turn back, now would be the moment.”
“… Then perhaps turning back would be best.”
The Sword Demon grumbled, “Lacking spirit.”
“There’s no reason to risk my life for something that isn’t essential. Just discovering that a powerful master is hiding in Dragon King’s Valley is sufficient.”
Right, that’s true.
There’s no need to risk my life for such matters.
Even if I later need to put my life on the line for something—there’s no need for the Sword Demon to do so as well. I firmly believed my judgment was correct.
However, the Sword Demon chuckled and said, “Hmm… this is not good.”
“What?”
“It seems that something over there has already been stirred up. They will likely come charging in soon.”
“Huh?!”
Swish—
The Sword Demon’s prediction became reality. Suddenly, with a splitting sound, an unreasonably enormous sword qi burst through the sky from who-knows-where. I instinctively glanced over and raised my sword strength.
Boom!
I swiftly struck the sword qi away, but my hands tingled. After all, the width of that sword qi easily surpassed several feet, and the sheer power behind it was no joke. I now understood what it meant when I’d barely endured that attack even using my sword mastery.
‘A master who can freely wield their intent!’
The ultra-master possesses a training realm that enables them to amplify their energy many times over, even against the limitations of sword qi! Despite the exchange of one move, I quickly realized the gap in strength between my opponent and me. It would be impossible to win unless I immersed myself in my intent for decades.
Rumble!
As the cliff we were standing on crumbled, the Sword Demon’s sword form shot through the air, already prepared for battle.
I performed a somersault in mid-air and used the Soul Removal Technique to leap to another peak. I could have used the Heavenly Sovereign, but I wanted to avoid unnecessary internal power consumption. The moment my feet landed on another suitable spot, a roar echoed.
[Who are you?]
Crack!
Simultaneously, a thunderous sound erupted. The clash of sword strength emitted by both the Sword Demon and the opponent created a massive aura, coupled with the intent and killing energy that vibrated through the heavens and earth.
From the resonance of that sound wave, I could immediately deduce where the battlefield was. Carefully inspecting beneath my feet, I began teleporting with the technique of Soul Removal. This Dragon King’s Valley was an overwhelming terrain that would leave an ordinary person immobile.
Zoom!
After moving about a hundred feet using the Soul Removal Technique, I slowly felt the collision of intense intent resonate beyond the mist, causing a series of destruction. The Sword Demon had already engaged the mysterious master in a contest of skills as soon as the attack struck.
[Haah!]
With the Sword Demon’s will focused, the Invincible Sword manifested in the air. The transparent sword seemed to cut through space, drawing a slick sword path as it whirled in.
Simultaneously, with a sound of clashing swords, the opponent flicked away the Invincible Sword. As I caught sight of the huge, green membrane visible beyond the mist, I couldn’t help but murmur.
“Protection Energy Technique!”
This was no ordinary defensive technique but the ultimate protective martial art requiring extreme internal power and mastery! Naturally, to execute the Protection Energy Technique, one needed to know how to utilize intent, and it often bore characteristics of both offense and defense. The Protection Energy Technique in itself is proof of a peerless master at the pinnacle of martial arts.
The yet-to-be-revealed expert who shook off the Sword Demon’s Invincible Sword seemed fascinated, letting out a Lion’s Roar. An enormous internal power resonated.
[Hahaha! Quite impressive!]
Suddenly, the moment came. Ripping through the mist, it seemed as though light was leaking out. In reality, that expert was also creating their own Invincible Sword and launching it at the Sword Demon like a beam of light. From a distance, it was evident that the number was impressive, hinting at the power of mind control.
“Hmm!!”
The Sword Demon deftly deflected the incoming strike and immediately retaliated, engaging with the mysterious expert as the two peerless masters began to battle fiercely while saving their precious energy. What astounded me was that despite this site being entirely unsuitable for human activity, even a handful of land could fuel the martial moves they executed.
Banging!
Bam!
The resounding sound of clashing swords accompanied by brilliant energies scattered before me like a spectacle.
Hesitating, I had approached within about twenty feet, but it became increasingly difficult to draw closer. The dense mist made it hard to see, and even if I intruded, there was no guarantee of a favorable outcome. In clashes among such ultra-masters, even the slightest movement can determine victory or defeat.
‘Damn it. What do I do?’
I couldn’t afford to hesitate any longer. So, after a moment, I gritted my teeth and approached further. About twenty feet seemed a distance I could reasonably defend against their derived techniques, but I decided to get even closer to clarify the reality of their duel.
Just as I stepped about ten feet closer, a shiver crawled up my spine.
I felt an acute sense of danger gnawing at me. It wasn’t just the threat of formless qi; it was proof that a deadly attack aimed at my life was on its way. In a split second, I figured out the direction of the incoming attack and, focusing all my energy, swung my sword with intent.
Boom!
As a thunderous sound rang out, the Thunder God energy surged. It turned out the energy infused with thunder was stealthily targeting the back of my head. The moment I managed to block that attack, I hurriedly stepped back, but the Sword Demon shouted.
“You’ve got way too much leisure!”
With a swift motion, the Sword Demon unleashed the Cave-Collapsing Sword. As he did so, the entire space distorted, and the form of the Sword Demon’s technique scattered haphazardly. However, in reality, it was a dazzling sword path so refined that it could pierce the opponent’s acupoint.
‘Gotcha!’
The mysterious master, with a hint of annoyance at my interruption, launched a surprise attack, but that opened the door to the Sword Demon’s perfect opportunity. True enough, the opponent seemed caught off guard by the sudden change in the Cave-Collapsing Sword’s nature and hurriedly retreated. The Sword Demon didn’t allow that retreat, acting like a snake as he struck deeper.
Just when it seemed the Sword Demon would decide victory, his rapid sword arc halted unexpectedly, and he withdrew to a nearby peak with a somersault.
Why did he withdraw his technique?
I was perplexed until the subsequent words from the Sword Demon cleared my doubts.
“Sword Thunder… you’re truly a master unlike any I’ve seen in my lifetime.”
I turned my gaze to the sword held in the right hand of the expert from Dragon King’s Valley. Perhaps due to our close proximity, I could swear the lightning was alive, rampaging around. That lightning formed a calm light, weaving through the mist, creating a dreamlike atmosphere.
‘What is Sword Thunder?’
This was the first time hearing that term. However, the Sword Demon’s face was grim, clearly signifying he regarded Sword Thunder with considerable seriousness.
Then, the expert from Dragon King’s Valley, engaged in a deadly combat with the Sword Demon, withdrew his Sword Thunder and unleashed the Six Harmonies Assembly.
[I feel the same way. You don’t seem to have learned the martial arts of the White Lotus Sect, but has there ever been such a sword master in the Central Plains?]
“Of course, I’m not a member of the White Lotus Sect. I am Seo Mun-dae-ryong, the Sword Demon who leads the Shadowless Gate, and the one following me is my disciple.”
[Sword Demon… the Greatest Expert of the Heretical Faction?]
“That’s right, it’s me.”
[I thought the Central Plains were filled with empty reputations, but today, you’ve changed my mind.]
It sounded like the expert from Dragon King’s Valley was impressed, perhaps because the Sword Demon’s martial prowess was commendable even among fellow martial artists. I realized their levels of martial arts were nearly equal, and it was clear I was leagues behind.
The expert from Dragon King’s Valley introduced himself.
[I am Dokgo Seong.]
Dokgo Seong?
That was a name I had never heard before. Perhaps for that reason, even the Sword Demon inquired with a hint of suspicion.
“Where are you from, and which sect do you belong to?”
[Why should I tell you that?]
“I just want to get a rough idea from your direct answer.”
[Sure… then tell me your guess.]
Dokgo Seong spoke in a tone that mocked the Sword Demon, as if he were confident that his sect was beyond understanding.
Then the Sword Demon replied, “I’ve seen and sensed many techniques similar to yours. However, none were as powerful and terrifying like your peerless sword technique. Therefore, I still find myself a bit unsure.”
[What?]
“The name of that sword technique was Thunder Shadow Sword Technique.”
[…!!]
At the Sword Demon’s revelation, Dokgo Seong completely froze. I could feel his surprise even through the mist.
“Dokgo Seong.”
As the Sword Demon continued, I widened my eyes.
“Aren’t you a master from the Thunder God lineage?”
