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Chapter 26. Weak, Very Weak
Pung Yeoncho used to follow a traveling medicine seller.
That's why, when he got angry, he would often shout, "Where did you get this crap medicine?!"
He learned the martial arts known as Cheonjido under the tutelage of this medicine seller.
After two civilians died from consuming his master's medicine, Pung Yeoncho retreated to the mountains. Initially, he lived as a wandering farmer but eventually became a bandit, as often happens.
Once he became a bandit, danger became a part of his life.
Since he first wielded a sword, his body accumulated numerous scars. Like other bandits, he often faced life-and-death situations without warning.
However, he would swear he had never felt such extreme terror as he did now.
"Hrk, hrk...!"
The pressure was so intense that he could barely breathe.
Sweating profusely, Pung Yeoncho retreated until he stumbled and fell on his butt.
The Sage of Heaven and Earth, staring intently at him, slowly unsheathed his Pine Pattern Ancient Sword.
Screech.
The overwhelming murderous intent made Pung Yeoncho wet himself. Even though his legs were soaked, he was unaware of it.
Without care, the furious Sage of Heaven and Earth was about to decapitate him with a single stroke.
At that moment, a violent gust of wind directed itself toward the Sage of Heaven and Earth.
It was a wild and untamable sword wind.
The astonished Sage of Heaven and Earth swung his sword forward like lightning.
Boom.
When the sword wind and the sword stream clashed, a loud crash was heard.
Not just the sound; white sparks flew where the two different energies met.
"Hrk! Sword energy?"
The Sage of Heaven and Earth opened his eyes wide.
The distance was so short that the sword energy was definitely tangible.
An overwhelming force transmitted through his sword.
"Krrrk!"
Without a doubt, it was a manifestation of sword energy.
The Sage of Heaven and Earth retreated behind the broken barricade, believing he had extinguished the immediate fire.
He wanted to calm his pounding heart and gain clarity in his vision.
The Sage of Heaven and Earth withdrew his attacking force and cautiously observed around the destroyed barricade.
Could there be someone in this isolated Five Peaks Mountain capable of launching sword energy from such a distance?
The Sage of Heaven and Earth elevated his internal energy and shouted.
"Reveal your identity, noble being! I am the Sage of Heaven and Earth, an Elder of the Wudang Sect!"
Pung Yeoncho crawled up to his subordinates.
Tak Gomyung, pale in the face of the majesty of the Sage of Heaven and Earth, stammered.
"H-Brother, the Sage of Heaven and Earth... the Sage of Heaven and Earth...!"
The third brother, Ma Hyeongdo, who had more guts, helped Pung Yeoncho as he headed towards Yeon Jeokha.
"Yeon, are you okay? Don’t force yourself, let’s flee together."
Yeon Jeokha responded with his head tilted.
"I'm fine. He seems weaker than I thought. I realized it when he couldn’t cut anyone with a blade of grass. I don't think we need to flee."
"…"
Ma Hyeongdo was momentarily speechless, staring in astonishment at Yeon Jeokha.
He said it so casually that he couldn’t discern if it was a joke or if he meant it seriously.
Han Chaeyeon, who had witnessed Yeon Jeokha's technique up close, quickly asked.
"Brother, is that old Taoist really weaker than you? Is that what you meant?"
"Yes. He is weak. Very weak."
He even confirmed it by saying "very weak."
At that moment, Han Chaeyeon grabbed the hand of Ha Sobaek, who was beside her, and screamed excitedly.
"Kyaa! So, we are not going to die?"
"Sister! Really?"
"Idiot! Brother said so!"
"Wow! What a relief. I thought we were going to die without hope."
Finally recovered, Pung Yeoncho discreetly turned and covered his crotch with dry dirt.
The bandits, who had scattered like a school of fish, approached with incredulous faces. They had also seen the gale that erupted when Yeon Jeokha wielded his sword and no longer attempted to flee.
Yeon Jeokha, moving his neck as if it were stiff, hung his sword on his shoulder and walked forward.
"I don't care."
Ma Hyeongdo was the first to follow Yeon Jeokha.
The remaining bandits, who hesitated, began to move one by one.
When they came out of the barricade, the nine bandits lined up behind Yeon Jeokha like a screen.
It wasn't to fight the Chamber of Commerce of Mansu.
Given that they had really encountered the Sage of Heaven and Earth, they thought it was "all or nothing."
If Yeon Jeokha won, the Chamber of Commerce of Mansu would flee, and if the Sage of Heaven and Earth won, they would all die. Resigned to their inevitable fate, they had no choice but to follow him.
However, in the eyes of the Chamber of Commerce of Mansu, it appeared as a desperate fight without regard for their lives. Thus, the legend of the "Ten Heroes of the Five Peaks" of the Evil Faction of Hunan was created.
The Sage of Heaven and Earth looked intently at the young man standing before him.
"Was that really your doing?"
Although he appeared young, the Sage of Heaven and Earth could not disregard him.
Yeon Jeokha murmured with disdain.
"Eh, it’s not a big deal. You just need to wield the sword."
The Sage of Heaven and Earth interpreted his words differently.
"Ha! It’s surprising that you’ve already reached a level beyond the basic techniques."
"…"
Yeon Jeokha didn’t understand what "a level beyond the basic techniques" meant and just blinked.
"Could you tell me about your sect and your master? I am one who thinks 'I can avoid unnecessary fights out of deference to your sect and master.'"
Although the explanation was quite long, in short, he was saying "if you reveal your backing, I will withdraw."
Given the generally extreme behavior of the Sage of Heaven and Earth, it was a surprising offer.
The face of Sang Mucheon, who was watching the conversation from afar, suddenly blushed.
However, despite the enormous concession from the Sage of Heaven and Earth, Yeon Jeokha did not understand it.
If Yeon Jeokha had more experience in the martial arts world, he could have avoided the fight with a vague answer. But Yeon Jeokha lacked experience not only in the martial arts world but also in human relationships. Furthermore, he had no interest in the art of rhetoric or courtesy.
"What is he saying?"
Yeon Jeokha, frustrated, looked back, but the bandits did not help him. How could they confess in front of the Sage of Heaven and Earth that they didn’t understand anything?
The Sage of Heaven and Earth, who thought the young man hadn’t understood his words, asked again.
"What I want to know is who your sect and master are."
The Sage of Heaven and Earth already suspected that the young man’s backing was not ordinary. His master could be a prominent figure from Nokrim or a hidden expert of the Evil Faction.
If by chance he was a disciple of the Heaven Destroyer Demon Lord, the situation would become complicated.
For the sake of Mansu and his own Wudang Sect, he had to avoid a bloody confrontation with the young man. No, for his own sake, it was better to stop now.
While Yeon Jeokha was deeply pondering, he pointed to the sky with his finger.
This reflected his usual belief that he had learned from the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens.
The thick white eyebrows of the Sage of Heaven and Earth twitched.
Was he mocking him?
At this point, there was no more room for negotiation.
Although it wasn’t what he wanted, it seemed he couldn’t avoid a deadly confrontation.
Whoosh.
A cool wind blew from the valley, stirring his soul.
In an instant, the Sage of Heaven and Earth cast away the worries and tribulations of life and death, speaking in a calm tone.
"I am a disciple of the Wudang Sect, known as the Sage of Heaven and Earth. What is your name?"
"Yeon Jeokha."
The Sage of Heaven and Earth silently repeated the name "Yeon Jeokha."
It was unfamiliar to him. If even he didn’t recognize it, no one else would unless Yeon Jeokha revealed it himself.
The Sage of Heaven and Earth, chuckling weakly, unsheathed his Pine Pattern Ancient Sword.
He maximized the energy of the Supreme Skill of Pure and Boundless Yang of the Wudang Sect.
Hummm.
The Pine Pattern Ancient Sword glowed softly with a heavy sword sound.
Yeon Jeokha, feeling the formidable aura of his opponent, immediately shifted his posture to a defensive one.
In an instant, the three-foot (90 cm) sword of the Pine Pattern Ancient Sword emitted an explosive flash.
Yeon Jeokha focused his mind on this surprising ascending swordsmanship technique.
The sword of the Sage of Heaven and Earth traced a peculiar arc in the space between them.
Like a fleeting meteor, the sword light left a long luminous trail in the air.
Where the sword light passed, a clear yin-yang symbol in black and white appeared.
In the air, the Tai Chi Swordsmanship blossomed like a flower.
It was the Supreme Technique of Tai Chi Swordsmanship, accessible only to the Elders of the Wudang Sect.
However, Yeon Jeokha, inexperienced in the world of Murim, did not know this.
Without thinking, Yeon Jeokha used Tak Gomyung’s technique to counter the Tai Chi Swordsmanship.
Clang.
Unable to resist the internal force contained in the sword, the Bakdo sword was mercilessly flung back.
And that wasn’t all.
Like a shadow, the Tai Chi Swordsmanship headed towards Yeon Jeokha’s head.
Desperate, Yeon Jeokha swung his Bakdo frantically to rid himself of the Tai Chi Swordsmanship.
If the Sage of Heaven and Earth said his technique was "beyond the basic techniques" or "disordered," only he would know.
Chss, chss, chss.
Each time the energies of the Sage of Heaven and Earth and Yeon Jeokha met, a strange friction sound resonated.
After a tense tug-of-war, the Tai Chi Swordsmanship was pushed back.
This was due to the Sage of Heaven and Earth’s lack of complete mastery. Originally, the Triangle of Heaven, Earth, and Man should function in harmony, moving as one.
But the two Tai Chi symbols failed to synchronize. They couldn’t fuse with the first in time.
The Sage of Heaven and Earth bit his lips in regret.
If he had a bit more mastery, he could have immobilized one of the young man’s limbs.
As the Tai Chi Swordsmanship wavered, Yeon Jeokha quickly retreated, taking a breath of relief.
"Wow! What is this? It’s no joke!"
Yeon Jeokha shook his head.
It was a completely different technique from the one taught by the deputy chief.
If he had to compare, the Tai Chi Swordsmanship resembled the techniques of the Nine Heavens Supreme Swordsmanship.
Angrily, Yeon Jeokha shouted.
"Hmph! I can draw with my sword too!"
"What?!"
The Sage of Heaven and Earth was impressed by the young man's creative expression.
Draw with the sword?
Although unusual, it wasn’t entirely incorrect.
The elegance of the Tai Chi Swordsmanship could appear that way to a spectator’s eyes. Remembering the patterns formed by the Tai Chi Sword Energy, it was a rather intuitive description.
"Tch, never mind."
This time, he would ensure victory.
The Sage of Heaven and Earth, determined, elevated his supreme energy again.
Unlike before, he now had unshakable confidence in his victory.
Yeon Jeokha’s energy was impressive, but not enough to overcome the marvelous Tai Chi Swordsmanship.
The Pine Pattern Ancient Sword emitted another explosive flash.
The Sage of Heaven and Earth traced complex arcs in the air, approaching Yeon Jeokha.
Behind the sword’s trajectory, black and white Tai Chi symbols appeared one after another.
It was the Triangle of Heaven, Earth, and Man.
Three Tai Chi Swordsmanship attacks flew straight towards Yeon Jeokha.
In a critical moment, the tip of Yeon Jeokha’s Bakdo pointed to the ground.
Just before the Tai Chi Swordsmanship attacks reached him, the Bakdo rose into the air and fell like lightning.
Boom.
With the sound of thunder, three energy beams surged from the Bakdo.
It was the seventh technique of the Nine Heavens Supreme Swordsmanship, Ground Splitting Dragon Claw.
As its name suggests, three energy beams fiercely tore through the front.
Clang. Clang. Clang.
With a sound similar to a block of ice breaking, the Tai Chi Swordsmanship disintegrated. The invisible claws also devastated the ground mercilessly. Each one measured ten jang (approximately 30 meters).
Above the deep scars in the ground, the spring breeze blew gently.