The sword was deflected, and Peng Kyung’s blade fell for the head of Yu Yiseol.

It was all happening way too fast as if in the next second, the head of Yu Yiseol would split open.

The disciples of Mount Hua jumped from their seats when they saw this–but then!

Pang!

Yu Yiseol’s sword, which had been deflected, flew like lightning and struck the blade of Peng Kyung.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Once, twice, thrice, and again!

In an instant, twelve collisions happened between them.

It was impossible to push Peng Kyung’s blade back with a single hit, but it wasn’t so impossible when multiple hits fell like this.

Kwang!

The moment the weapons collided for the twelfth time, Peng Kyung’s shoulder bent a little, and his blade was thrown back.

‘Uh?’

Without a moment to even be shocked, Yu Yiseol’s sword went for his throat.

“Swiftness,” mumbled Chung Myung.

“Kuak!”

Peng Kyung turned his body to the side to avoid the attack, but he couldn’t fully avoid it and ended up dodging into the sword with his shoulder, drawing blood.

At that moment, Yu Yiseol’s sword, which stopped mid-air, slammed Peng Kyung on the back.

Thud!

Peng Kyung’s body managed to block the attack from the flat part of the sword, but then he fell down on the floor.

“Lose.”

Loss was a strong motivator.

“Damn it!”

Perhaps because of the shame of him, a blade user, being taken down by a swordsman, Peng Kyung got up in anger.

However, when he saw that the sword of Yu Yiseol was seemingly flying at him in many different ways…

“Many.”

Many changes.

Peng Kyung couldn’t stand straight and fell back.

One falls like a lazy donkey.

It was said that a lazy donkey rolls on the ground. This meant that the one with no hope would fall to the ground and stay there. The most reluctant method chosen by someone who had to save face…

Rolling several times around, Peng Kyung went out of the range of Yu Yiseol’s attacks and clenched his teeth, getting up.

“This… this damned…”

He couldn’t calm himself.

His opponent wasn’t much stronger than him. The strength of her sword was nothing, and it didn’t impact his blade; she didn’t even have half the strength he did.

Even if she was faster than him, wasn’t it obvious that speed without strength was useless?

And yet, strangely, he seemingly couldn’t ever take the lead.

‘Do not get excited.’

Peng Kyung bit his lip. He was bleeding from his lip. But thanks to the pain, his anger-filled head had calmed down a little.

‘With strength, I will have the upper hand. I need to use it.’

It was disadvantageous to continue to be attacked by his opponent like this. It would be difficult to defend himself with Yu Yiseol taking the lead.

Rather, attack. Attack first.

Swish!

He soon ran like he was hunting for his prey and his fluid footwork was odd for his large build.

Looking for a chance, he quickly narrowed the distance and swung his blade. The path of giving up on some strength and picking up more speed.

He realized that if he used passive strength, then he would be attacked. He aimed for the wrist of Yu Yiseol with all he could.

Like a hungry tiger chasing after a deer.

In an instant, five attacks fell toward Yu Yiseol’s hand that was holding her sword.

If the body cannot be tackled, go for the sword.

The moment her sword was broken, this game would be over.

However, Yu Yiseol’s eyes were focused the attack coming in.

Kang! Kang!

And she accurately blocked the blade. Each time they collided, her sword was pushed away slightly, but it never bounced all the way back.

But there was no difference.

When the sword and blade clashed, Yu Yiseol was slowly being pushed back little by little, and it slowed down her sword.

‘Now!’

Thinking he had a chance, Peng Kyung clenched his teeth and pushed his internal qi into the blade.

He was ready to give his all with this technique, a technique which made his red qi form five figures in the air.

It was like watching five red tigers sprint forward.

The five-blade qi attacks moved so fast that Yu Yiseol looked like their prey, but at that moment…

Srrr

Yu Yiseol’s sword drew a soft curve and gently pushed the blade qi to the side.

Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!

All five of the attacks narrowly flew past Yu Yiseol.

“Tenderness.”

Tenderness was soft.

Peng Kyung’s eyes widened.

Unable to understand the situation, he couldn’t even hide his emotions, and Yu Yiseol didn’t give him the time and moved toward him.

‘T-this needs to be stopped…!’

And…

Peng Kyung looked

The red plum blossoms that bloomed from the tip of Yu Yiseol’s sword that was coming for him.

The plum blossoms made of sword qi were so amazing to look at that it was hard to know if this was reality or fantasy.

“Ah…”

With his reflexes, he did try to swing his blade, but Yu Yiseol’s sword moving with the plum blossoms, evaded and stopped right in front of his throat.

“…”

A drop of blood dripped from the neck, which was only slightly grazed.

Peng Kyung looked at the sword pointed at him and sighed,

“… I lost.”

“It was a good match.”

Yu Yiseol pulled back her sword, put it into its sheath, and bowed to Peng Kyung.

Suddenly, a shout from the hall,

“Illusion.”

An Illusion to deceive.

Chung Myung responded, looking at Yu Yiseol,

“Not all swords are the same. All sword techniques have their own sword intentions.”

Baek Cheon nodded his head,

“My sahyungs are obsessed with the sophisticated ones, faster and stronger ones. But that isn’t all there is to a sword.”

Chung Myung was being serious here. He was far from his usual playfulness,

“Quick swords. Illusion swords. Curved swords. Heavy swords. There are many types of sword techniques. The quality of the sword technique depends on how well the person understands its meaning.”

Baek Cheon looked at Chung Myung with heavy eyes.

Chung Myung never spoke of this before. Till now, he only made them train their body and mind. But what Chung Myung was saying now was about sword techniques. There were things a swordsman needed to know in order to rise up.

“Think about it. What kind of sword do you use? The Mount Hua sword is based on splendor, change, and illusion.”

“To change quickly and deceive others.”

“Right, that is the sword of Mount Hua. So what about Wudang?”

“Soft.”

“Right. The softness.”

Chung Myung looked at everyone and said,

“Diancang’s sword pursues a sword of swift nature, and the Southern Edge goes after heaviness.”

All of a sudden, Yu Yiseol descended the stage, and Chung Myung looked at her.

“If you are a swordsman, you must be able to understand not just your own sword form but also those around in the world. Just because one mainly uses a quick sword doesn’t mean they shouldn’t use heavy sword movements.”

“Then sajae…”

“Right. Sago was learning all of them. For a long time, step by step. All the sword forms out there.”

Chung Myung smiled and said,

“The sword is infinitely simple, but infinitely difficult too. Nevertheless, it challenges and understands. It does not stop pursuing higher realms.”

Nodding his head, he said,

“That is what a swordsman is.”

“…”

Something pounded inside Baek Cheon’s chest. This wasn’t a story just about strength.

One with the sword. Everyone pursues an ultimate sword. However, it is by no means an easy task to walk on the journey or digest many forms of swords.

‘Lee Song-Baek?’

No

If Lee Song-Baek was like a patient person of the world who did the task given to him, then Yu Yiseol could be called a seeker.

Considering that the sword of Mount Hua was a sword that pursued Tao, it can be said that her sword was the true sword of Mount Hua.

‘I am ashamed.’

Baek Cheon’s face turned red.

He was feeling proud of showing his plum blossoms to all. But he felt bad when he saw Yu Yiseol not speaking up and silently honing her sword.

Baek Cheon felt dazzled,

“… it was too perfect that I cannot even speak.”

At the words of Yoon Jong, Chung Myung smiled,

“There is no such thing as a perfect sword. There are only swords that seem perfect. Even sword techniques have loopholes in them when they meet a stronger opponent.”

“Hmm.”

“There is no end to the sword.”

Everyone nodded at his words.

Good grades.

Achievements that may not be achieved with cheers. All of them were infiltrated with a sense of pride in their hearts just now.

However, Yu Yiseol’s sword and Chung Myung’s words were enough to blow away those prideful thoughts.

Chung Myung smiled as he looked at his sahyungs.

‘I did something wrong.’

Looking at Yu Yiseol, he felt a bit too excited and over-explained things to them. He knew that it was a bit too early for these chicks.

But,

A day would come when they would truly understand the meaning of his words. And the sword of Mount Hua will become deeper then.

That was how martial sects worked.

There was a limit to the power of a single person. Everyone looks at the same place but pursues different paths of the sword.

When swords like that gather around and compete, then development is bound to happen in that sect.

‘It is a far-fetched story for now.’

But someday. Just like the Mount Hua of the past.

Someday.

Tang Soso was the first to greet Yu Yiseol,

“Sago.”

She looked at Yu Yiseol with a wet towel in her hand and weeping eyes. She must have felt mixed emotions and was having a tough time speaking up.

“Did you see?”

“Yes, sago. It was… so cool!”

Yu Yiseol shook her head,

“It was clumsy.”

“Uh?”

“The weight distribution was clumsy, and my body was leaning back too much. I was lacking power in my lower body.”

“…”

“There was too much strength being put in my hand, my movement wasn’t smooth. I keep thinking about the same mistakes I keep making. I shouldn’t be like this.”

The disciples all looked at her.

Watching her reflect on the things she felt she did wrong, something hurt their stomachs, and even Chung Myung said nothing.

“S-still, you won!”

“Winning or losing doesn’t matter. I…”

She looked up at the sky, the distant sky, without a word and sighed,

“All I had to do was finish it. The perfect plum blossoms.”

“…”

“I am still a long way off.”

Everyone had an unknown feeling rise in them as they looked at her. A subtle sadness.

Without even having time to identify the feeling, Yu Yiseol looked at Chung Myung.

“Spar!”

“… Uh?”

“Felt lacking. I want to check with a spar.”

“…why me again?”

“You won’t die no matter how much I swing. I can do whatever I like then.”

“…”

Chung Myung looked at Baek Cheon,

“Sasuk, there is something I didn’t tell you before.”

“…what is it?”

“Usually, the humans who decide to dig into the extreme path of swords are actually the insane ones.”

“…”

“Be careful, sasuk.”

“…”

In any case, Baek Cheon relearned that not a single thingin this sect was normal.