0027 : Golden Eagle Guards
I followed Hyun Cheon Do-in towards Taejeong Temple. His movements were light and efficient, and I wondered if it was the result of the Wudang Sect’s divine technique, Jeowoonjong. Upon arriving at Taejeong Temple, I could see the front of the building, which appeared to be of ordinary size, housing about five or six individuals who seemed to be cultivating.
My fellow disciples were nowhere to be found. When I inquired with Hyun Cheon Do-in, he replied,
“They were sent to the Wudang Main Sect to explain the situation. They left yesterday, but they should be back within a week at the latest.”
“Your disciples must have also learned the Wudang Sect’s True Mountain Martial Arts, shouldn’t that help in dealing with the heretics?”
Hyun Cheon Do-in shook his head.
“You wouldn’t say that if you saw the demon creatures. They’re not the type that can be handled by a mere crowd of unskilled individuals. It would only lead to more sacrifices.”
“……?”
“My disciples are inexperienced; none of them have surpassed the first-rate level yet. I cannot allow those who may become future pillars of the Wudang Sect to be placed in danger.”
Clatter
Hyun Cheon Do-in entered the room and brought out tea. The fragrance of the tea was quite aromatic, indicating it was of high quality. He sat down, savoring the tea lightly, and stated,
“In conclusion, we simply need to eradicate the Flute Phantom controlling the demon creatures and fanatics.”
“Hm… Does that individual practice martial arts?”
Hyun Cheon Do-in gave a wry smile.
“That’s a rather ambiguous question.”
“Ambiguous in what way?”
“I wasn’t able to get close due to the demon creatures and the fanatics they command. I could have risked my life to approach, but the danger was too great, so I retreated. I have yet to confirm their martial arts.”
“……”
Though it seemed a somewhat foolish reply, I realized that the situation was rather serious. No matter how frenzied the fanatics had become, a peak expert is still a peak expert. It would normally be expected that Hyun Cheon Do-in could slip in unnoticed and unleash a sword strike at the leader of the enemies. The fact that he hadn’t even been able to approach the Flute Phantom meant that the forces of the fanatics and demon creatures were formidable indeed.
‘Hmm… Did I step into the wrong waters…?’
But that was then. Such peculiar incidents are rare, and I had a gut feeling that passing this one up would be a grave mistake. After some contemplation, I decided to ask an unusual question.
“Is that phantom male or female? And what is its purpose?”
“That individual was only playing the flute; I could only ascertain that it was human in form. It didn’t utter a single word.”
“It seems quite some time has passed since you infiltrated that village; what might the village be like now?”
“… I’d rather not imagine. However, when I entered, the entire village was already engulfed in madness, so it likely hasn’t changed.”
“……”
I felt the need to brace myself. If the first infiltration had already resulted in blood-soaked human sacrifices with hearts being ripped out while still alive, now it would be strange to find human corpses strewn across the streets with cannibals wandering around. I was accustomed to brutality, but facing such a scene all at once could leave me mentally shattered.
‘Ah, now that I think about it.’
I realized an important point rather than a trivial question, and I shared my thoughts with Hyun Cheon Do-in.
“Heretical sects are primarily religions, so isn’t their goal to expand their influence by increasing the number of their worshippers? Yet, knowing that you’ve uncovered their true identities, why aren’t they taking any action?”
Hyun Cheon Do-in nodded as if impressed.
“Indeed. You’ve pointed out something very significant. I’ve spent several days keeping an eye on the area surrounding the village, yet not a single person has emerged from it. I even monitored from the mountain’s peak, but there were no signs of anyone entering or leaving.”
I frowned.
“The Flute Phantom must be concocting something.”
“Precisely. If that individual has any inkling of my identity, they would soon realize that the eradication force is being assembled. Yet, if they’re not escalating their activities or taking action… then they’re likely preparing something far more sinister within the village. Perhaps they’re gathering strength with even darker sorcery or creating even more ferocious demon creatures.”
“Delaying this is not good for us.”
“Indeed.”
Despite the urgency, I understood why Hyun Cheon Do-in had involved me, risking the leakage of the Wudang Sect’s divine martial arts techniques. No matter how esteemed he was within the righteous sect or how strong his connections might be, peak experts were not easily found in the world. Additionally, drawing such individuals in overnight was no ordinary task; thus, it seemed that he felt compelled to take a chance with me.
I sipped my tea. The warm tea slid down my throat easily, soothing my mind.
“By the way, you mentioned demon creatures earlier. What exactly are they? What do they look like, and what kind of power do they possess?”
“Well… that’s quite difficult to explain. Let me take a moment to gather my thoughts.”
Hyun Cheon Do-in fell into deep contemplation. After a moment, he retrieved some writing tools from a nearby table and slowly began to draw. Having learned the basics of poetry, calligraphy, and painting, I could tell that he possessed significant skill in the art of drawing.
“This is what they look like.”
After some time spent drawing, Hyun Cheon Do-in completed his picture. Upon seeing the finished artwork, I was left speechless, staring intently.
“……”
What in the world is this? Could such a creature actually exist?
The being resembled a blob of flesh, bubbling and oozing on its surface, which appeared filled with countless eyes. Additionally, tentacle-like appendages sprouted from it, resembling hundreds of hands. Upon noticing my expression, Hyun Cheon Do-in sighed.
“The real thing is even worse. And it’s enormous. I have never seen a more terrifying demon creature, not even in the Classic of Mountains and Seas.”
“Are there several of them?”
“Three in total. However, their movements are incredibly swift and their strength immense; standard sword strikes were ineffective. Their bodies seemed fluid, almost like a liquid. While they were vulnerable to being cut, it would take all one’s strength to bring them down.”
For Hyun Cheon Do-in, a peak expert, to be prepared for death because of these demon creatures!
But judging from the drawing and description, it was understandable. I thought that if I encountered such beings unprepared, my mind would surely break. Hyun Cheon Do-in’s deep mental training must have allowed him to calmly observe the enemy’s characteristics and methods of attack in order to escape. It became clear to me why only skilled individuals could not endure in the presence of these demon creatures.
I looked at Hyun Cheon Do-in.
“Are you suggesting a direct confrontation with such beings?”
“Certainly not. To bring down these demon creatures with regular troops, a minimum of a thousand men would be needed. We only need to defeat the Flute Phantom.”
“Do you have a plan?”
Hyun Cheon Do-in spoke with assuredness.
“The Flute Phantom does not usually reveal itself, but at noon, it appears in the village square to play the flute. It then performs human sacrifices upon a strange altar. While enacting the sacrifice, it will be in a defenseless state; we can ambush and take it down then.”
“And the demon creatures?”
“The demon creatures will appear after the human sacrifice, drawn by the blood and flesh. They won’t show themselves until then.”
“What is my role?”
Hyun Cheon Do-in seemed hesitant to answer, but then he spoke with a serious expression.
“I need you to clear a path so that I can strike down the Phantom.”
“……”
I was torn by the response I had anticipated.
In other words, Hyun Cheon Do-in’s plan was to swiftly ambush the Phantom before the demon creatures appeared and cut its head off. My role would be to eliminate the fanatics to allow Hyun Cheon Do-in to proceed and keep him safe. It was truly a matter of life and death, which sent a chill of fear through me.
‘Damn it. Should I just withdraw now?’
I was uneasy about facing my fourth death in such a place. Moreover, while simply dying and reincarnation may be fortunate, what if I were captured by the heretical sect and ended up being vivisected or tortured? In such a case, even if I could be reincarnated, my mind might be crushed to splinters.
Would it not be better to escape?
Yet, the allure of the Wudang Sect’s divine martial arts was too enticing to resist.
After much contemplation, I finally spoke.
“… Very well. But before that, I would like you to teach me your martial arts techniques.”
“What do you mean? Your martial arts skills are already world-class level, aren’t they?”
“Well…”
I let out a short sigh.
“You’ll understand once you see.”
I led Hyun Cheon Do-in to the training grounds of Taejeong Temple. Grabbing a weapon lying nearby, I gathered my internal energy and, to the best of my ability, executed the Thunder Spirit Eight Forms, Thunder Shadow Sword Technique, Thunder Cloud Spear Technique, and Thunder Shadow Step in combination. I tried hard to display my level according to the stances.
Swoosh…
The energy surged late. Thunder energy began to subtly envelop the training ground, as if a shower of thunder essence was about to fall at any moment. This phenomenon was also a result of my Thunder Dragon Secret Art reaching its limits.
Hyun Cheon Do-in gazed seriously at my martial arts demonstration, eventually letting out a deep sigh.
“Ah, this…!! Your internal energy exceeds three times mine, yet your martial arts level barely surpasses the second-rate! How can there be such a disparity?!”
His voice was filled with astonishment and disbelief. As expected, a peak expert of his caliber could accurately assess my abilities. I gathered my sword with a somewhat embarrassed expression and said to Hyun Cheon Do-in,
“This is why I’ve been hesitant to help you. My internal energy is strong, but my understanding of martial arts is lacking.”
“Hmmm… it seems you’ve had a fortunate encounter. Perhaps it’s a spiritual pill you’ve consumed? I thought you were a hidden master who had undergone a transformation to reverse aging.”
“Reversing aging is something that only appears in martial arts novels…”
“However, your internal energy can only be explained that way. The only existence in the current martial world who could match your internal energy is likely the leader of the White Lotus Sect.”
After a moment, Hyun Cheon Do-in chuckled heartily.
“Ha! A teenager like you… What a surprise, Primordial Celestial Being.”
Though he muttered the name of a Daoist figure lightly, he didn’t seem displeased. After all, from his perspective, it would be better to teach martial arts to a young one than to an old man with a mysterious background. He seemed to have keen insight, as he evaluated my other martial arts as well.
“Your spear technique and sword technique both resemble divine martial arts of a principled style. However, your level of accomplishment is low, preventing you from fully utilizing your internal energy. It feels like you’re only achieving about 30% of your true power.”
“30%?”
That was surprisingly low. Hyun Cheon Do-in nodded.
“Of course. Your internal energy is invincible, but your control and concentration of mysterious energy are too clumsy. A skilled master could read your flow of energy in advance, blocking it and easily overpowering you. No matter how strong your force is, if it doesn’t hit and flows away, it all becomes meaningless.”
“As expected.”
I smiled bitterly. I deeply felt the truth in Hyun Cheon Do-in’s observation. Perhaps the bloodied experience with the Iron Blood Sect’s first elder, who easily toyed with me using swordplay before beheading me, was still fresh in my memory. Even if I faced Hyun Cheon Do-in now, the outcome would likely be no different.
After pondering for a moment, Hyun Cheon Do-in asked,
“What internal energy cultivation method have you learned?”
“It’s called the Thunder Dragon Secret Art.”
“That’s fortunate. The method I will impart to you is called Hyun Cheon Divine Art, which you should be able to learn without difficulty.”
“Why is that?”
He calmly explained.
“The Thunder Dragon Secret Art you have learned is a crystallization of thunder energy, which symbolizes earth in the five elements. The Hyun Cheon Divine Art possesses the property of metal.”
“So it’s the principle of earth giving birth to metal?”
The five elements operate on cycles of creation and destruction. Since earth and metal harmonize to support each other, it means that learning both internal energies would not be a burden.
“You seem to understand the theory of the five elements well. Indeed, as you said.”
Hyun Cheon Do-in continued,
“If you learn the Hyun Cheon Divine Art, you will gain strong vitality and recovery capabilities to support the aggressive power of the Thunder Dragon Secret Art. Furthermore, since they can harmonize, you won’t suffer from any backlash!”
“……!!”
“The foundational instruction for the Hyun Cheon Divine Art will only take one short period. In the remaining time, we will go through your spear and sword techniques from the beginning.”
I realized I had encountered yet another fortuitous event.
“Understood.”
I could receive one-on-one instruction from Hyun Cheon Do-in, a peak expert, including the teachings of the Hyun Cheon Divine Art. Although it was uncertain whether I could learn the divine martial arts due to the need to hunt down heretical sects, just receiving his guidance would allow me to advance a step further.
As Hyun Cheon Do-in said, the foundational instruction for the Hyun Cheon Divine Art concluded in a single short period. To be precise, he didn’t teach me everything about the Hyun Cheon Divine Art; he merely taught me a simple technique for guiding true energy to unblock the essential meridians needed for the Hyun Cheon Divine Art. He mentioned that he would teach me the full Hyun Cheon Divine Art after this expedition.
Additionally, receiving guidance on the Thunder Shadow Sword Technique and Thunder Spirit Eight Forms was truly an enlightening experience. During our sparring session, I barely raised my internal energy, yet every time my wooden sword clashed with his, it felt as if he could read my thoughts, causing all my attacks to falter. Hyun Cheon Do-in’s assertion that he could “read all attacks” was certainly not an exaggeration.
Clang!
“Your wrist’s true energy is lacking.”
My wooden sword was struck by Hyun Cheon Do-in’s and sent flying far away. In that brief moment, sweat poured down my entire body like rain. I felt exposed as I sparred without using much internal energy, realizing just how many openings I had.
“Your true energy is too slow.”
“……!!”
“With your abundant internal energy, directing a massive flow of water can be difficult, can’t it? To eliminate hesitation, you must memorize how true energy flows within the techniques.”
Hyun Cheon Do-in continued,
“You must have sensed what you lacked just now. However, since I am unfamiliar with your swordplay, I cannot point out your flaws hastily. Think for yourself about which techniques are lacking and why, and refine them accordingly.”
“Thank you.”
I felt that just the act of sparring itself was a lesson, as Hyun Cheon Do-in’s instructions propelled my growth even without explicit teachings of special techniques.
When I fought against the elder of the Iron Blood Sect, he didn’t even give me a chance and exploited all my weaknesses, leaving me floundering with no idea what to do. However, Hyun Cheon Do-in’s sparring was meant for guidance, allowing me to gain insights about my flaws as he carefully monitored my progress.
For the next four days, I ate, slept, and trained in martial arts with Hyun Cheon Do-in. Since I needed to set out on the heretical sect purge as quickly as possible, I couldn’t afford more time than that. Occasionally, I would climb the mountain to observe the movements of the heretical sect, focusing the rest of my time on enhancing my martial arts.
As a result, I significantly eliminated the weaknesses in my techniques and successfully achieved a higher level of swordsmanship. At the very least, I would now be able to wield the Thunder Shadow Sword Technique with greater power than before. Hyun Cheon Do-in observed my accomplishments with satisfaction, stating,
“By this point, you might manage a skill level of not just 30% but 50%.”
During the four days, Hyun Cheon Do-in explained the intricacies of the Thunder Shadow Sword Technique and also taught me variations derived from the Great Clarity Sword Technique. These techniques would likely prove invaluable in real battles. I grasped the underlying intentions within Hyun Cheon Do-in’s teachings.
“Are you suggesting we go on the purge now?”
“Indeed. If we delay any longer, who knows what kind of monster might emerge?”
“……”
After contemplating, I responded,
“Let’s go.”
In my mind, I was formulating a plan to assist Hyun Cheon Do-in as needed, but to slip away if the situation turned dire. I had an obligation to help him due to the teachings I received, but I wasn’t willing to sacrifice my life for it.
Moreover, with the martial arts I had learned, I could unsparingly slaughter the fanatics, gaining practical experience easily. I could not afford to miss such an opportunity.
—————————= Author’s Note —————————=
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