Chapter 56: Enough, That’s Enough

We were passing through the woods around the manor when a pigeon flew over my head.

I tilted my head. What now?

Going in through the back of the tile-roofed house and out into the courtyard, I saw Kang Taesu untying a note from the carrier pigeon’s leg. She didn’t even read it before handing it to me.

I was puzzled for a moment, but understood as soon as I saw what was written on the folded cover:

“To Jeon Chung – Personal.”

I unfolded it. There were only two lines.

“Two from the Sword Citadel have arrived. Come to the shrine.”

I passed the note to the Sword Emperor’s Heir. His face changed.

I was dumbfounded. Don’t tell me he hadn’t even considered the possibility the Sword Citadel would send people.

In fact, Sowol and I had bet on who would arrive first among Iron Horse, the Sword Citadel’s swordsmen, and envoys from the Poison Valley.

She’d picked exactly that order; I’d switched the first and second.

In the end, she was right.

It was by a hair’s breadth, so I couldn’t say it was unfair, but a loss is a loss.

It was obvious who had shaken those idiots who only polished swords in their tomb.

Ma-ryeon—more precisely, Demon Brain Jang Sam.

True to its title as the greatest forbidden zone under heaven, the Sword Citadel was infamous for its iron rule: unless you came with the intention of entering the sect, no one who stepped onto Mt. Sangbaek left alive, no matter the reason.

If it wasn’t a formal request to join, you couldn’t even bring it up.

Meaning it would be hard for Ma-ryeon to send a messenger just to “sound out” the Citadel.

But there was a simple way around that problem.

They just had to send a demon lord from the Sword Demon line who was qualified to attempt admission to the Citadel, have him challenge Half-Sword Jo Chu, and then casually pass along the message before or after the duel.

Demon Brain’s goal was obvious—get the Sword Citadel to summon the Sword Emperor’s Heir back.

Once he was apart from me, Ma-ryeon could come after me with a clear conscience.

The fact the Citadel had dispatched two swordsmen meant Demon Brain’s scheme had worked.

Their mission was obviously to take the Sword Emperor’s Heir back.

At this point, I assumed Sowol had already prepared a countermeasure.

She’d told me she had a separate plan ready.

So of course I thought she’d already been working on the Heir, talking to him.

Even if he resisted, it wasn’t as if they’d drag him away by force…right?

Yet here he was, acting like he’d never even imagined the old men of the Citadel might come to fetch him.

I couldn’t help being stunned.

---

Leaving the explanation of my second battle with Iron Horse to the Mad Guest, the Sword Emperor’s Heir and I left the manor.

Gwaeseon had been all fired up about coming along at first, but as soon as I mentioned there might be a chance Half-Sword Jo Chu was among the visitors, he immediately backed down.

I’d only been half serious, but it turned out to be exactly right.

By the time we reached the shrine, the western sky was glowing orange with sunset.

Two familiar old men were standing shoulder to shoulder at the edge of the courtyard.

One was Snake-Eyes Jo Chu.

The other was the gaunt old man like a gust of wind—Han U-gyeong.

As soon as he saw them, the Sword Emperor’s Heir ran over to Han U-gyeong and clung to him like a child to his mother.

“Old Master!”

Han U-gyeong patted his back.

“Well, well. You’ve been well?”

“Yes, Old Master. I never imagined you’d come.”

“Heh heh, I came to see you, and since I was at it, to enjoy a rare bit of the outside world.”

His gaze shifted to me.

I clasped my fists and bowed.

“Jeon Chung greets Elder Han.”

I didn’t acknowledge Snake-Eyes at all.

His already-unpleasant eyes turned even harsher.

After gently peeling the Heir off him, Han U-gyeong returned my courtesy.

“It’s only been a little over two months, and yet your eyes have grown deeper.

Hmm…perhaps I’ve been thinking about things the wrong way.”

I understood what he meant.

He must have been thinking the Heir had deliberately lost to me, or had reversed the report of the outcome.

While he was examining the Heir, Snake-Eyes took the chance to snap at me.

“To have the nerve to provoke Ma-ryeon—your guts must have swollen so big they’ve burst out of your belly.

Still, since we’ve met, I’ll give you some friendly advice.

Use that tongue while you can to say goodbye to your kin.

In a few days, what’s left of you will be hacked into thousands of pieces, your body scattered as food for wild dogs and crows.

Once we take Gwang back, then—”

The Sword Emperor’s Heir cut him off.

“What are you talking about? Take me back?”

Snake-Eyes tossed the answer to Han U-gyeong.

Instead of stating his business, Han U-gyeong asked a seemingly random question.

“Why are you so thin?”

When the Heir was slow to answer, Snake-Eyes butted in again.

“Why else, Old Master? It’s because of how troubled he’s been.

He must have thrown that match on purpose—imagine how upset he must be.

No matter how mild-tempered Gwang is—”

“I did not.”

The Heir’s brows drew together.

“I did my best.”

“That can’t be. Before you left the Citadel, you showed us your achievement. Don’t tell me that brat could possibly—”

Han U-gyeong raised a hand to stop him.

Then, with a grave and serious expression, he fixed his eyes on the Heir.

“I do not doubt you, but it is truly hard to believe.

You used Thunder, Wind, and Rain, and still lost to this boy?”

“…Yes, Old Master.”

Han U-gyeong turned his gaze to me.

Flames flickered in eyes that were usually as calm as a still lake.

My heart stirred with anticipation.

My instincts weren’t wrong.

“It’s a bit early, but would it be too much for me to ask you to keep the promise you made the other day, today?”

“Of course, Elder.”

A little over two months ago, when I’d declined joining the Citadel, I’d given the excuse that I needed to train saber techniques as well as sword.

That day, Han U-gyeong had asked that when my martial arts were complete—both saber and sword together—I let him see them once.

I’d agreed.

Now he was personally offering to test me.

For me, that was more than welcome—beyond my hopes, in fact.

But unexpectedly, the Sword Emperor’s Heir moved to block it.

“My brother isn’t in any condition to receive the Old Master’s sword.

Just half an incense stick ago, right here, he fought a life-and-death battle with one of Ma-ryeon’s demons.

He can’t be in normal shape. So—”

Snake-Eyes cut him off.

“A demon from Ma-ryeon? Who do you mean?”

“They said his name was Iron Horse.”

“What? And how did it end?”

“My brother won.”

“What? Impossible. I heard Gwaeseon and the Mad Guest were protecting him—obviously they must have—”

“No, they didn’t. Elder Gwaeseon wasn’t even here, and Elder Mad Guest only watched.

It was an open, fair duel, and an incredible match.

I’ve never seen such a fierce fight in my life.

From start to finish my heart—”

Flushed, the Heir was launching into an impassioned speech when he suddenly stopped.

Because I jabbed him in the ribs with my thumb.

“That’s enough. Leave it there.

And don’t act like you’re fussing over me—I’m fine.”

Han U-gyeong’s fine brows drew together.

Clearly, my attitude toward the Heir displeased him.

“Show me your skill.”

Maybe it was just my imagination, but his voice sounded chilly.

I clasped my fists again and bowed.

“I’ll accept your instruction.”

Saying I was fine was bluff.

It wasn’t like the first time, where I’d been injured so badly I couldn’t move, but my second battle with Iron Horse had left its marks too.

Bones and muscles were damaged, and I had internal injuries.

At best, I could exert maybe half my usual strength.

If I pushed it, the bones that hadn’t fully recovered from the shock would crack again, and the already-torn meridians would rupture completely.

Even so, I didn’t want to miss the chance to cross hands with Han U-gyeong.

I couldn’t gauge his exact level, but I was sure he stood above Gwaeseon and the Mad Guest.

Meaning that aside from the Ten Kings, he was likely the strongest martial artist in the world.

If I traded a few hundred moves with such a man, I was bound to learn a great deal.

The reason I was thinking in “hundreds of moves” was because I had the same approach I used with the Mad Guest in mind.

I planned to face Han U-gyeong using only my ordinary internal strength, conserving my original power.

I trusted he’d respond to my intent to focus on advancing my martial arts themselves.

I opened up some distance between us.

The Heir and Snake-Eyes moved back to the edge of the courtyard.

After walking about twenty paces, I turned around and drew Jade Ox and Iron Rod.

Han U-gyeong drew his sword as well.

It wasn’t some famed sword like Heavenly Piercing Sword or Golden Wind Sword, but a plain iron sword similar to the Heir’s.

Han U-gyeong signaled the start of the duel.

“Begin.”

I charged him at once.

Iron Rod and Jade Ox unleashed the ultimate forms of Thunderbolt Twelve Swords and Nine-Ring Saber Art at him in tandem.

Snake-Eyes gave a cry of admiration from the sidelines.

Han U-gyeong blocked my dazzling attacks with simple movements.

I could clearly see the paths of his sword, but I couldn’t find a way into his guard.

Not because his defense was flawless—but because I had a bad feeling that if I did pierce one of those openings, the duel would end right there.

Because I was holding back from taking risks and sticking to absolute safety, the exchange that followed didn’t have even a pinch of excitement to it.

But somehow, I managed to pour out more than two hundred moves of my true techniques against Han U-gyeong.

He barely moved his feet, revealing only the bare minimum of movement arts, and never left a circle of more than a single jang in diameter as he received everything.

Finally, after firing off Thunderclap Upon Thunderclap and Lightning-Shatters-Mountain, I backed off.

I was disappointed that the duel hadn’t lived up to my hopes.

That disappointment was premature.

Once he’d confirmed the bottom of my bag of tricks, Han U-gyeong attacked for the first time.

I’d been about to end the duel and had to scramble to respond.

Even though he wove only sword energy, not full body-protecting internal force, his sword was vicious to the extreme—beyond sharp, downright fierce and cruel.

His sword work was the complete opposite of his gentle, kindly appearance.

When I saw his eyes as he pressed me, I got goosebumps.

For a moment, I glimpsed killing intent.

My instincts blared a top-level warning.

Regardless of that, my body was already dodging desperately.

I had a powerful sense of déjà vu.

This situation was almost identical to when the Martial King had driven me to the brink about a month ago, forcing me to push my Five-Fold Divine Arts to their utmost.

The difference now was the sense of danger.

The Martial King’s hands had been testing me, nothing more, but Han U-gyeong’s iron sword clearly carried the will to cut me.

If I relied on his goodwill, I might lose an arm.

Which was why I had no choice but to unleash my supreme Five-Fold Divine Arts.

Then another wave of déjà vu washed over me.

This time, it was the Sword Emperor’s Heir.

The moment shimmering heat rose from the tip of Han U-gyeong’s iron sword, I realized this old man was using the final secret move the Heir had shown in the opening exchange the day before.

And I was absolutely right.

The wavering heat turned into a whirlwind, then into a storm laden with thunder that crashed down over me.

Unlike that day, when I’d slipped through it without knowing, this time I consciously avoided the downpour of internal energy.

My energy was shaken, but I didn’t take sword wounds to my neck, armpits, side, or thighs as I had then.

The fruit of nearly a month of extreme training.

Even so, I lost my balance and went tumbling across the ground.

If Han U-gyeong had pressed his advantage with a finishing strike, I would have had no way to stop him.

If this weren’t a friendly duel but a true life-and-death battle, my life would have ended right there.

Fortunately, Han U-gyeong withdrew his sword.

That didn’t mean the danger was over.

Of all places, I’d fallen right near Snake-Eyes.

He was in my blind spot, so I didn’t see him draw, but I felt his stabbing killing intent.

I jerked my head aside.

Fold, at the absolute peak.

A razor-like sword aura grazed my earlobe.

If I’d been even a moment slower, it would have buried itself in the philtrum beneath my nose.

But I still couldn’t relax.

Clearly expecting his ambush to fail, Snake-Eyes launched his follow-up attack without so much as a pause.

I had no time to recover my posture.

This time, I truly had no way out.

[End of Chapter]