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True Martial Home

Honestly, calling upon the Great Immortal consumes a tremendous amount of mental strength. In the past, when Mangnyang was suffering from divine fever, he couldn’t summon Jang Sam-bong for fear that Jang Sam-bong’s spiritual presence would drive him insane.

However, after chatting with Jin So-cheong, he confidently declared that he could handle summoning the Great Immortal now. The reason why that stung a bit for me was still fairly reasonable.

Pa-at!

Yeodong-bin, possessed by me, spoke first to Jang Sam-bong, who was currently possessed by Jin So-cheong.

[Don’t worry about showing off to the juniors. I have no interest in a performance fight.]

What the?!

As Yeodong-bin started off with that unexpected statement, Jang Sam-bong responded.

[I was planning to do so… To achieve what the great one desires, we must clash with our true strength.]

[Right. Also, I genuinely want to know what conclusion you’ve come to regarding the Martial God, purely as a martial artist.]

[That’s something we agree on as well.]

Swish…

For a moment, a whirlwind swirled between them before settling down, and the once noisy space fell silent. All the leaves had fallen a long time ago, and the moonlight shone wordlessly through the eerie wind.

The light of the moon was sliced by a beam of sword light. The cold Moonlight was sliced through like silk by the Heavenly Escape Sword Qi, instantly landing before the opponent’s face. A wind so sharp it felt like it could cut through eyelids whipped towards them, yet Jang Sam-bong stood unfazed, slowly moving his left hand to shoot out counter light against the sword beam.

Piying!

It looked like an ominous exchange where they were plotting from the start, but that was just my misunderstanding. The Heavenly Escape Sword Qi couldn’t pierce through the mysterious aura surrounding Jang Sam-bong and slid off, as if he had already expected Yeodong-bin to evade his counterattack.

Before there was a moment to think about their attacks missing, Yeodong-bin unleashed a torrential downpour of strikes using the Six Intent Saintly Heaven Diagram, while Jang Sam-bong’s hands quietly drew the Tai Chi pattern. Even though one second passed with neither managing to hit the other, the two peerless masters were creating a new rhythm in their exchanges.

Zheeng!

It sounded like a glass window shattering, and from Jang Sam-bong’s palm, a magnificent qi burst forth in the shape of Tai Chi, spreading in all directions. The space continued while time seemed to pause, making it nearly impossible to discern the position of the Tai Chi.

Seven Great Techniques

Combined Understanding

Nine Palace Heavenly Net Tenth Segment

Previously, to deal with the combination attack of Jin So-cheong and the Sword Demon, Jang Sam-bong had revealed his Combined Understanding Techniques! The shifts in the Nine Palace Heavenly Net Tenth Segment were not merely aimed at confounding vision but resulted in an irreversible shaking; it was beyond prediction. With ten different angles attacking simultaneously and erratically, failing to defend even once would lead to getting hit and defeated.

‘I’ve never survived the Nine Palace Heavenly Net Tenth Segment without using the Soul Removal Technique…’

I hadn’t even attempted it. The reason that attack differed from the common transformations in Jianghu was that it emerged chaotically but only became stronger and broader with each hit, never reducing in intensity or rhythm. The common drawback where successive transformations lose power and become predictable had been completely overcome, making it a perfect basic technique.

At my current level, even in a virtual spar, blocking more than six out of ten attacks from the Nine Palace Heavenly Net would be impossible, and ultimately, I’d have to use the Soul Removal Technique, often taking one or two hits even when I desperately fled. Personally, I felt that just using the Nine Palace Heavenly Net Tenth Segment alone could easily put me at the peak of Jianghu as a peerless master.

How would Yeodong-bin respond to such a vicious technique?

[Good martial arts!]

However, contrary to my anxious gaze, Yeodong-bin dealt with the assault effortlessly. His sword momentum shimmered like water saturated with seawater and surged into the center of the transformation like a tidal wave, executing the sea-bound technique of the Six Intent Saintly Heaven Diagram.

‘No…!!’

Is that a valid response?!

Even if you break through one level of tension, you’d get smothered by the subsequent boundary pressure! I thought Yeodong-bin had made a foolish choice, and I was alarmed when my surprise transformed into another kind of astonishment.

Whooosh…!

The sound of the ocean rose from the tip of his sword, as if slicing through the initial tension of the Nine Palace. The deep blue resonance of his blade slightly twisted, altering the trajectory of the assault, and as Yeodong-bin aggressively leaped into the center, the Nine Palace Heavenly Net fell apart and crumbled!

“……!!”

Wait?! Is it really that easy to break through?!

I never considered that possibility!

Later, when I thought I could counter the Nine Palace Heavenly Net using that method, I felt a rush of excitement. But witnessing the subsequent clash between the two masters quickly made me realize how unrealistic that thought was.

As soon as Jang Sam-bong’s Nine Palace Heavenly Net shattered, he unleashed the Three Refined Masters Palm with his left hand and gathered the Dark Heavenly Nine Dragons Wave with his right. Both of those techniques were originally Combined Techniques from the Seven Great Techniques and weren’t supposed to be executed simultaneously. Yet, Jang Sam-bong naturally brought forth both peerless divine techniques, summoned an enormous Tai Chi pattern in front of him, and mumbled in the blink of an eye.

[Can achieve in a single thought.]

What?!

In that instant, the Tai Chi transformed into a whirling spiral, and the dragon’s head exploded, brimming with three different forces. Simultaneously, Yeodong-bin manifested the cycle of the Six Intent Saintly Heaven and braced against the bursting silver aura, launching himself into the air. At that moment, the whole world was engulfed in blinding white light, and I witnessed the swords of the two sages crossing in an x-shape.

Cra-ck!!

The explosive sound continued to resonate. However, beyond the ear-shattering noise, the fact that every single one of Jang Sam-bong’s movements surrounded him with an unusual energy was even more captivating. Somehow, he had created illusions that attacked Yeodong-bin simultaneously, and in response, Yeodong-bin recreated his own clones, countering each one with unique techniques.

Weeee…

Like a swarm of bees buzzing, one by one, the apparitions of Jang Sam-bong and Yeodong-bin burst apart. Then, amidst the residual space, Jang Sam-bong’s Dark Heavenly Nine Dragons Wave soared in the form of a windstorm, while Yeodong-bin stood firm, rotating to absorb the power of the Dark Heavenly Nine Dragons Wave. A total of 81 clones began their fierce battle all around them, creating a battlefield that resembled darkness rippling with fragments.

Kugugugu…

I couldn’t believe that amidst countless fierce battles, both Yeodong-bin and Jang Sam-bong seemed unyielding, fighting to the death. Furthermore, their techniques bore no hint of emotion, remaining precise despite the most intense shocks. It dawned on me that the level of this competition was far too high for me to even imagine understanding it.

‘…Unless I grasp the Moon-Style Defense Technique, I won’t be able to erase the Nine Palace Heavenly Net like Yeodong-bin did…’

Even if I learned, there was no way I’d be able to replicate it.

The opposite was also true.

In facing Yeodong-bin, Jang Sam-bong was displaying moves he had never shown in the virtual sparring sessions against me for the past six months; in other words, there were techniques only he considered suitable against a rival of my caliber.

Among those was certainly the ability to achieve in a single thought, a technique that could foster Transformational Techniques into Tai Chi. He hadn’t withheld it from me on purpose; rather, I assumed he was concerned that my level might not reach absolute realms and fearing that knowledge might harm me.

Swish

And just as I surmised the battle was reaching a zenith, Jang Sam-bong noticeably raised his sword. Up until now, he had only engaged in hand-to-hand and long-range combat, so why was he finally drawing his sword? Yeodong-bin climbed to a cliff, gazing down at him silently.

[You’re wielding the Tai Chi Sword, aren’t you?]

[I presume you know already.]

[Your martial arts are renowned even in the immortal realm.]

After a brief silence, Yeodong-bin spoke up.

[It seems we have nearly revealed all techniques we have. While the swordplay may not fall in skill, is now the time for you’re considering using your sword in a performance fight?]

Jang Sam-bong nodded slowly.

[I could not leave the heart of the wise sword behind in my clan, nor could I put it into the Seven Great Techniques. The reason for that is once I grasped the Heart of the Wise Sword, it couldn’t be conceptualized as a fighting technique, nor is it an independent martial art since it belongs under the Peerless Technique.]

…[I see. I have a similar realization.]

When Yeodong-bin resonated with this, Jang Sam-bong seemed quite elated, laughing heartily.

[To understand it in a single phrase, I truly feel I’ve met someone who gets it today. Since I lacked faith in sharing that heart heating experience through words when nurturing the next generation, I’d like to convey it through this opportunity.]

[Sounds good. Then let’s conclude this with a single technique from each of us.]

[That sound reasonable too.]

Dabuk.

The two lifted their swords again, maintaining a distance of one palm’s width. They were beings capable of slicing mountains from ten li away with a single flurry of their sword, yet they held this distance as it symbolized the beginner’s heart of a swordsman.

One palm-width!

This distance is where most martial artists begin and finish their duels across heaven and earth. At the same time, they seemed to have built their resolve to leave something definitive for us amidst this possession duel. A chill leaked out of Yeodong-bin’s sword intent, and Jang Sam-bong held the basic form of the Tai Chi Sword Technique, which was the foundational swordplay of Wudang Sect, with half-closed eyes.

‘Tai Chi Sword…?’

Among the techniques of Wudang Sect, styles like the Four Ideas and Nine Palaces were renown for being unmatched in the world. The Tai Qing Sword Method practiced by the Taoist Master I had met before also held a prestigious name in Jianghu. However, the Tai Chi Sword was recognized simply as a base-level sword style for newcomers in the Wudang Sect, lacking any outstanding power; is it possible that Jang Sam-bong had obtained another realization from it?

In the suffocating darkness, where the moonlight seemed to choke.

Heart Intent Six Harmonies

Formless Sword

Yeodong-bin’s gaze sparkled, and in that instance, his Formless Sword cut through everything, slicing straight at Jang Sam-bong’s chest! In that realm, neither time nor space existed, merely the will of Yeodong-bin remained, rendering any defense or evasion futile. This truly was the epitome of the Heart Sword, representing the peak of swordplay!

‘The real terrifying part is that since the Formless Sword lacks any forms, you can’t even create a defense against it.’

Anything with form carries a weakness, but how can you find vulnerabilities in the formless? If intent exists, Yeodong-bin could execute the Formless Sword regardless of posture or timing. The formless was indeed invincible, just like Yeodong-bin’s Formless Sword, and in the next moment, I had a gut feeling that Jang Sam-bong’s chest would split open and a fountain of blood would spray forth.

But my prediction was off.

Ssssss

In that still moment where time felt suspended – Yeodong-bin’s Formless Sword trajectory halted just before Jang Sam-bong’s chest. Amid the glimmering light hovering in front of his solar plexus, the vital energies throughout his body seemed to connect like beams of light radiating from the Sun’s Vital Energy at his core. A perfect balance penetrated through the Three Realms of Heaven, Earth, and Man.

The Tai Chi quivered, causing it to ripple uncontrollably in that boundless space. It felt as though Jang Sam-bong was dancing within, and the single motion resembled a foolish crane dance.

However, once this movement transformed into the first technique of the Tai Chi Sword and melted into a glimmering beam of light confronting the Formless Sword, I felt an overwhelming majesty wash over me.

Within that single exchange – the summit of the martial arts world and the soul of the Qingyan Sect were bound together.

Peerless Technique

Dance of the Wise Sword

Silence.

The clash of techniques between the Douxian (Fighting Immortals) did not result in the chaotic din of an Asura zone. Yeodong-bin stood in a cross-cut position for the Intermediate Stage while Jang Sam-bong half-opened his eyes, his sword meeting Yeodong-bin’s. There lay an endless calmness that trembled the world without saying which was superior.

The first to withdraw their sword was Yeodong-bin, who spoke while declaring his title.

[This move rivals several decades of my training.]

[Similarly, I…. It was an honor to witness the martial arts of the Great Sword Saint firsthand.]

They seemed very satisfied with the duel.

“……”

But I was bewildered. If the peak techniques of the Douxian clashed, I expected the mountains to crumble, yet it ended in a dry, mundane conclusion after a brief moment? Just in case I missed the vibrations of power cascading down, I glanced around, yet there were no signs of any destruction.

Jang Sam-bong said.

[Dear One, you are truly a blessed being. From this duel, you shall soon ascend to the Absolute Realm…!!]

“Oh, yes…. However….”

[My beloved has already gathered that insight…!! Haha! Great Blessing indeed.]

Jang Sam-bong seemed unusually jubilant. I hesitated and carefully spoke.

“What did the final clash mean…?”

[…….]

[…….]

Even Yeodong-bin, who hadn’t returned to the Celestial Realm yet, as well as Jang Sam-bong in Jin So-cheong’s body, momentarily showed a shocked expression. Especially Yeodong-bin wore a face that seemed to say “Really?!” which made me feel even smaller. It was as if he was staring at me with a look that questioned whether I felt nothing despite experiencing that.

Jang Sam-bong couldn’t hide his astonishment as he spoke.

[Umm…, right after the clash of the Formless Sword and the Peerless Technique…, the two of us engaged in a ferocious battle within the infinite space, nearing the Divine Realm. Didn’t you feel that?]

Yeodong-bin interrupted him.

[Let’s end it there. Those who haven’t opened the ‘door’ to recognize the Divine Realm may not understand. We might have overestimated his talent.]

[That’s right….]

[Rather, the fact that a creature could sense that realm despite its lower level is remarkable….]

As Yeodong-bin glanced briefly at Jin So-cheong, he spoke.

[Dear One, it seems this method didn’t suit you. May I suggest another approach for your martial progress?]

It was the first time Yeodong-bin had brought up such a thing voluntarily.

In an instant, I brightened up and responded eagerly.

“Yes!”

Yeodong-bin’s gaze turned icy.

[Trying to fit something immense into a small vessel is unwise for you. Instead, it’s better to train the vessel until it breaks.]

“What do you mean by that….”

[A realm that cannot be attained in life. Then perhaps it’s better to die.]

Yeodong-bin left those words and vanished.

[It’s the method of the Sword Demon. Perhaps through ten consecutive battles against martial artists who are at least on par with you, you’ll discover something.]