Chapter 387: Soul of a Martial Warrior (1)
I decided to stay one more day in Yeo-nam.
It was to have Mo Biyoung take the Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Jade Water and increase her cultivation.
The reason I hurried was that once I returned to the clan, I would be so busy that I might not have the time to look after her properly.
After consuming the Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Jade Water yesterday and gaining one gapja, Mo Biyoung had once again entered meditation.
Even though drinking the Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Jade Water wouldn’t grant her another full gapja at once, she expected that even half a gapja would be a great benefit.
In techniques and qi circulation, she was a genius. If she only had enough inner strength to support it, she could defeat masters stronger than her.
Besides, I wanted to spend a little more time with her, to cherish the bond between us, so I wished for one or two days of leisure.
At the same time, I also needed time to properly refine the Sword Unification that I had realized, so I chose to stay in Yeo-nam for a while.
I floated the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword in the air and unfolded the Sword Unification.
A stream of qi burst out from my crown point, controlling the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword. At first it felt awkward, but after a few attempts, the sword path of the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword was being perfectly followed.
If it had been an ordinary steel sword, no matter if I had the crown point open, it would have been impossible to use Sword Unification to manifest the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword.
Inside the wide hall of the annex, I was immersed in the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword, losing myself completely.
If others were to see me training in Sword Unification, they would faint in shock, so I had rented out an entire large annex to myself.
Three jang in front of me, the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword gracefully danced out the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword.
I stared at it in deep thought.
‘Thanks to the Azure Dragon Three Marbles, even when using Sword Unification with the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword, the consumption of qi isn’t too severe.’
As that thought passed, another came to me.
‘If so… what if I use the Left-Right Split Mind Technique while unfolding Sword Unification, and simultaneously attack with the sword in my hand? Then it would be as though two of me were attacking at once.’
The thought sent shivers down my body.
‘Had I not acquired the Left-Right Split Mind Technique, I never would have conceived of this idea.’
I picked up the steel sword Mo Biyoung had been using, intending to test my thought.
Meanwhile, she was still deeply immersed in qi circulation.
I watched her with fondness, her body wrapped in a mysterious aura.
“When Young Miss awakens, she’ll realize a completely new realm of herself. I’m looking forward to that moment.”
I quietly left the room after gazing at her for a while.
With the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword floating in the air unfolding the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword, I gripped the steel sword in my right hand and followed the sword forms.
Clang!
But the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword helplessly fell to the ground. Contrary to my expectations, even with the Left-Right Split Mind Technique, wielding two swords at once was far more difficult than I had imagined.
“Much training is needed.”
I continued my training with patience. Though I might not have mastered it now, I believed a day would come when I could wield both swords freely.
At that moment, the faint light that had wrapped Mo Biyoung’s entire body was suddenly absorbed into her nose.
A moment later, her chest rose and fell, and then her eyes opened.
Her whole body felt refreshed, as if she had woken from a deep, satisfying sleep. Energy brimmed within her.
Never before, despite years of cultivating martial arts and circulating qi, had she felt such a sensation. Now, she felt not just refreshed, but on the verge of bliss.
‘It must be about one and a half gapja. My energy has grown by one gapja in just a few days—it’s no wonder my body feels so light. The Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Jade Water is truly wondrous.’
Yet, doubts lingered in her mind.
No matter how she thought about it, the Small Sect Leader must have known that the Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Jade Water was there when he went.
Normally, her nature was to dig at any question until it was resolved, but now, it didn’t matter.
‘What does it matter? Whether he knew or not… what’s important is that it ended up becoming the Small Sect Leader’s.’
That thought brought a sudden blush to her cheeks.
It was because she recalled Yong Hwarin’s words, telling her to call him “gaga” from now on.
‘Hwarin gaga.’
She had repeated those words to herself countless times.
Rising from her bed, she came out to the hall and realized that Yong Hwarin had not gone outside but was instead training there because of her.
‘Hwarin gaga is training.’
But then her eyes widened in shock.
‘What is that?’
She saw Yong Hwarin’s sword forms, and before him, the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword was mirroring the exact same sword techniques as the steel sword in his hand.
‘Heavens! Is he unfolding the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword with Sword Unification at the same time?’
Even seeing it with her own eyes, she could barely believe it.
Moreover, the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword, controlled through Sword Unification, was even imbued with a faint trace of sword qi!
She stared in awe.
It was as if an invisible person were wielding the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword, and goosebumps covered her whole body.
‘If Hwarin gaga’s enemies were to face this technique, how terrified would they be?’
She had never even heard of such a method existing.
Her chest swelled with pride to see the man she loved training in a technique that had no place in Murim’s history.
‘This man is my man.’
Her eyes filled with love as she gazed at him—when suddenly, a telepathic voice entered her ear.
–Child, don’t be startled. Come out, let us talk. I am outside. You must come without Yong Hwarin noticing.
The moment she heard the voice, she instantly knew who had sent it.
Extending her senses, she detected the aura exactly ten jang away.
Before, she could never have sensed qi from so far, but now, it was distinct.
–If you go about ten jang to the right from where you are, you’ll find a small pond. I will wait there.
In any case, she knew she had to meet and settle this matter one day.
Thinking the same, he must have come to find her. The thought pained her heart.
Their bond had been twisted long ago, too twisted to mend.
Mo Baek was shocked when Mo Biyoung sent him telepathy, pinpointing his location.
When they had met during the Shangguan Clan attack, she hadn’t been anywhere near this level.
In just a short time, she had achieved more than double the progress—it was astonishing.
‘She truly inherited her father’s extraordinary martial talent.’
Mo Baek’s son, Mo Yong, had been so gifted that even Blood Demon Castle had watched him closely.
Blood Demon Castle had intended to pass on their treasured demonic art to him, but Mo Yong had refused.
The demonic art would have stripped away much of his humanity.
He had fled from Blood Demon Castle for the sake of the woman he loved, living in seclusion with her.
Seeing that his granddaughter had inherited such talent, Mo Baek felt an aching fondness.
It was as though he had met his departed son again.
Mo Biyoung approached the old man standing by the pond.
“Have you been well?”
She greeted him, and Mo Baek turned from gazing at the pond to look at her.
He studied her briefly before nodding.
“It seems you’ve had a miraculous encounter.”
“Yes, the Small Sect Leader bestowed grace upon me.”
“Even knowing you are my granddaughter, he treated you well. I am truly grateful.”
After exchanging greetings, Mo Baek asked seriously.
“Have you thought it over?”
At his words, Mo Biyoung lifted her head and asked,
“What do you mean?”
“I mean coming to Blood Demon Castle.”
“Why would I go to Blood Demon Castle?”
Mo Baek sighed.
“You’ve already experienced it at Shaolin, haven’t you? The orthodox factions will seize upon the fact that you are a descendant of Blood Demon Castle and turn you into Murim’s public enemy. That’s the way of those orthodox dogs.”
“That will not happen. The matter was already settled at Shaolin.”
“That wasn’t settlement—it was only a temporary cover over a festering wound. One day, it will burst.”
“I am forever a disciple of the Heavenly Central Sect. I will die there. I have no reason to go to Blood Demon Castle.”
“The more you resist, the more your loved ones will suffer. That is the nature of Murim! Unless your birth itself changes, my name will forever cling to yours!”
Mo Biyoung declared proudly.
“Then I will become a master beyond their wildest imagination, so they won’t dare call me a demon. Do you know why Shaolin could not brand me a demonic practitioner? Because the Small Sect Leader’s might overwhelmed them. I learned much from that. One day, I will wield such power myself.”
“Child, if you do not come now, then you and I will never again meet as family. This is the last chance.”
Mo Biyoung bowed her head as though in farewell.
“My family is neither you nor Blood Demon Castle. My family is the Heavenly Central Sect, the ones who treated me as kin. I cannot abandon them or betray them. That would be against the path of a warrior I swore to uphold.”
Mo Baek gazed at her, then asked,
“What is the path of a warrior to you?”
“It is to live with the sword, upholding righteousness, virtue, and loyalty. To follow you would mean discarding all three. I wish to pursue my own righteousness and chivalry.”
Mo Baek’s eyes grew distant, his gaze turning to the sky.
Long ago, his departed son had spoken words just like these.
“If you don’t follow me, one day you will have to fight me. You may be the one to kill me, or I may be the one to kill you.”
Mo Biyoung calmly replied,
“It will be painful, but if it is to protect those I love, I will fight—even if my enemy is my own grandfather. That, to me, is what it means to be a warrior with a sword. So even if we meet in battle, do not hesitate.”
“Ha ha ha!”
Mo Baek’s laughter rang out, torn between regret and pride at her bold answer.
‘This child is a true warrior!’
Though his visit could be seen as betrayal of his liege, he had come for the sake of persuading his only blood relative.
At present, Blood Demon Castle had dispatched the Three Kings Guard to aid Moonwoo.
Moonwoo, seeking revenge after his defeat by Yong Hwarin, was pursuing him along with the Three Kings Guard and Zhao Qiansheng.
They were waiting for the chance to ambush him.
Mo Baek had come before such an event could happen, to try to win his granddaughter to his side.
If those enemies attacked, she could be killed, so he came to offer her this final chance.
“You may die!”
Mo Biyoung stared back at him.
“Are you asking me to abandon being a warrior? Or to live as a traitor?”
