It was strange. He was clearly a master, yet I couldn't feel his presence at all. Martial artists make a living killing people, so like butchers, they have a certain unforgiving air about them.
Not just the weak, but even masters had a different way of thinking than ordinary people, and the aura they exuded was different. The old man standing with his hands behind his back, staring me down, was as placid as a farmer standing on a ridge between rice paddies.
If not for the sword at his waist, I wouldn't have even guessed he was a martial artist. He was that serene. The complete lack of any sense of danger was utterly terrifying.
"Who are you, old man?"
"Bring your blade. We'll talk after I've seen your technique."
My hand moved toward my back, then I flinched. I quickly went into the room and came back out with my long blade. The old man drew his sword.
"Use all your strength. If you don't, you will die."
Swish!
The old man lightly kicked off the ground, closing the distance in an instant. His sword flew toward my chest like an arrow. I could tell at a glance that this was no strike that could be casually dodged or blocked.
If I didn't give it my all, my chest would be pierced in a single blow. I used my footwork to firmly plant myself and gripped the long blade with both hands.
Clang!
With a clear ring of metal, I used a secret art of the Nameless Sword Technique to parry his sword. My hands throbbed as if I had struck a boulder. The old man's brow twitched slightly.
I lowered my stance, moved to the side, and pulled my long blade inward. I took a deep breath and slashed wide from left to right, advancing step by step, relentlessly attacking like a storm. It was the most thrilling and well-connected series of slashes among the secret arts of the Nameless Sword Technique.
It was so fierce and domineering that even Won Seo-gang couldn't block it properly and had to retreat. The old man was different. He swung his sword with the same indifferent face.
Like a seasoned fisherman navigating raging waves, he expertly found the gaps in my murderous blade strikes.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Clang!
At a glance, it might have seemed like we were evenly matched, but that was far from the truth. It was so one-sided that cold sweat ran down my back. When I came to my senses, I found myself performing the Nameless Sword Technique from the beginning, form by form, against the old man.
It wasn't because I wanted to. It just naturally happened as I tried to block his attacks. Somehow, the old man saw through my entire technique.
He was intentionally pushing me to execute the forms in order. In short, he was playing with me. I was furious, but a chill still ran down my spine.
Even when I twisted the forms to create variations, the result was the same. No matter what I did, I was in the palm of his hand. After I had used up all eighteen forms, there was nothing more I could do.
Gritting my teeth, I lunged forward, unleashing a thrust that made full use of the sword path. For the first time, a flicker of interest appeared in the old man's indifferent eyes. In my spare time, I had been working on solidifying the sword path integrated into the Nameless Sword Technique to refine the power of my thrusts.
Won Seo-gang had advised against it, saying it could ruin the technique, but I was confident. I knew my path lay there. The old man also kicked off the ground and extended his sword.
The sword and the blade rushed toward each other, growing closer. I had no thought of simply passing by to aim for his torso or a vital point. He was not an opponent who would fall for such a variation.
I focused on a single point. Like a true swordsman, the old man did not evade my all-or-nothing move. The tip of his sword struck the tip of my blade.
As the two points met, the body of my long blade bent, and my wrist throbbed with pain.
"Kugh!"
An immense sword force rushed in, penetrating my entire body from my fingertips to my toes. I tried to hold on, but it was impossible. I was pushed back helplessly.
I stumbled back until I hit the wall before I finally stopped. I stomped my foot and swung the long blade to dissipate the remaining force. The hand holding the blade trembled, and my whole body tingled.
The old man stroked his white beard, lost in thought as if savoring our recent exchange. Huddled to one side, Gu-sam's jaw dropped, and he let out a surprised hiccup.
"Hah... hah..."
I gasped for breath and checked my condition. The trembling in my hands and feet slowly subsided. The shock had been great, but thankfully, I had not suffered any internal injuries.
A moment later, the old man spoke.
"When did you realize the sword path?"
"Not long ago."
"Why do you only use the first eighteen forms of the saber technique? Haven't you learned the latter eighteen forms?"
"I don't know what you're talking about, but I've used everything I've learned."
"Tsk, tsk, a half-measure. At this rate, it's hard to even call you a successor."
The old man sheathed his sword, clucking his tongue with a disappointed expression.
"Who in the world are you, old man?"
"I am Do Gwang-il, the successor of the Sword Sect of the Blue Mountain Sect."
Blue Mountain Sect. It was a school I had never heard of in my life.
"The saber art you have learned is the Heavenly Steel Saber Technique. It is the fundamental saber art of the Blue Mountain Sect's Saber Sect, and also its ultimate secret."
"It's certainly a fine saber art, but I don't think it's quite at the level of a secret art."
"That's because you haven't learned it properly. Even with a half-measure lacking inner energy and the latter eighteen forms, you've managed to stay alive this long, haven't you?"
Do Gwang-il stared at me intently with those same calm eyes.
"Though your saber art is tainted with miscellaneous tricks, you are not bad material. To be able to read even a failed sword path... Mun-hwi had reason to choose you as his successor."
"I'm not his successor. All I did was buy him drinks and learn a few moves."
It was the truth, without a shred of falsehood, but the old man shook his head stubbornly.
"That fellow Mun-hwi has been living like a wreck ever since he lost his left arm in that last duel, but he's not so far gone as to carelessly leak the school's secret arts. You are the only one to whom he has passed on the technique."
I knew it. The one-armed saber wielder in Hangzhou. He had insisted I not call him Master, and now I knew why.
"We never established a master-disciple relationship."
My continued denial seemed to irk him, and Do Gwang-il's eyes narrowed.
"Fine. If you don't want to be the successor, then we'll end this by me reclaiming the Blue Mountain Sect's martial arts."
"What are you going to do?"
"I will cut the tendons in your four limbs. You haven't learned inner cultivation, so I'll leave your energy core alone."
"Don't be ridiculous."
I gripped the scabbard tightly with my left hand and glared at Do Gwang-il. If my tendons were cut, I would be a cripple, unable to even walk. No matter how much greater a master he was than me, I couldn't just willingly become a cripple.
If I fought to the bitter end, it wouldn't just end with the tendons of my four limbs. Is this where I die? I've killed many people so far, so I couldn't complain too much now that my turn had come.
I was a bit sad that I wouldn't see Sister Soso, uncle, and auntie again, but who knows? Maybe I'll see them in the underworld.
"Hiccup. Hiccup."
My eyes turned to the sound of unending hiccups. Pale with fright from the tense atmosphere, Gu-sam was trembling, not knowing what to do. He had run here to help me, but instead, I had put him in danger.
He would probably never forget this day for the rest of his life. I was suddenly reminded of the time I first taught Gu-sam how to fight. He had bowed and wanted to call me Master, but I had stubbornly refused.
I was afraid that if those who held a grudge against me came looking, he too would come to harm. I didn't know it would turn out like this back then, but it had been a wise decision. Would this old man kill Gu-sam as well after killing me to silence any witnesses...
If only I could buy enough time for Gu-sam to escape. As I steeled my resolve and prepared for the end, Do Gwang-il made an unexpected offer.
"If you agree to become the successor of the Saber Sect, I will teach you the latter eighteen forms."
I tilted my head, wondering what he meant.
"I thought you were from the Sword Sect?"
"The life-and-death duels between the Saber and Sword Sects have been going on for over fifty years. I know the forms inside and out. I will also teach you the inner cultivation method. The latter eighteen forms are impossible to learn without inner energy."
"... Did you say inner energy?"
"The Saber and Sword Sects originally split from the same root. Though the principles of our arts differ, our inner cultivation methods are the same. Once you receive the latter eighteen forms and the inner cultivation method, you can no longer claim you are not the successor, can you?"
"What are you planning?"
To a martial artist, their martial arts are more precious than life itself. Though they might do a good deed now and then, a martial artist would never share their techniques without a reason. This was even truer for masters as far above me as Do Gwang-il.
They would prattle on about not teaching the unworthy and wouldn't give a second glance to anyone of ordinary talent. Moreover, I wasn't even a formal disciple. I was just a wandering swordsman he had never met before.
Just as I expected, Do Gwang-il had an ulterior motive.
"The condition is that in five years, you will fight a life-and-death duel with the successor of the Sword Sect, in your official capacity as the successor of the Saber Sect."
"The successor of the Sword Sect is..."
"Me."
Of course.
I was too weak for him to enjoy the fight, so he planned to raise me up just to kill me. A life-and-death duel with this old man... From the way he spoke, he was a master who knew how to use inner energy.
He was this strong without even using it; if he fought with his full strength, would I even last a single move? Inner cultivation method... Just the thought of it made my heart pound.
In all my time living by the sword, I had only ever heard rumors of masters who used inner energy; I had never seen one in person. That was how rare inner cultivation methods were. The saying that you couldn't obtain one even with a thousand gold pieces wasn't just for show.
Even if you got a secret manual, there were problems. I once spent three silver taels at the black market to acquire the Three Talents Heart Method, which was very difficult to get. I read it with great anticipation, thinking I too could become a master, but it was filled with nonsense about the energies of heaven, earth, and man.
There were over three hundred pressure points alone, and the meridians for circulating energy were incredibly complex. It was impossible to even feel my inner energy just by reading the manual. I had heard that when one is initiated into inner cultivation in a famous martial family, they receive a direct transmission of true energy from a proper master.
Perhaps a master of Do Gwang-il's level could do it. Would I ever get another chance to learn an inner cultivation method in my life? Five years was a long time.
No one knew what might happen in that time. Time is on my side. I will grow stronger, and this old man will only get older and weaker.
Perhaps he'll even die of old age. He might become senile and his mind might wander, and he might even forget about the duel. His tone was calm, but I had a feeling that if I refused his offer, he would really cut the tendons in my arms and legs.
It's better to die fighting than to live as a cripple who can't even lift a spoon. Putting all that aside, refusing a chance to become stronger is not the way of a martial artist.
"Fine. I'll do it."
As if he had expected me to agree, Do Gwang-il gestured nonchalantly.
"Hold out your hand. I need to check your inner energy."
I sheathed my long blade and approached Do Gwang-il. Even though I knew he was an incredible master, I could barely feel any overwhelming pressure from him. Is this the state of mastery where one has contained all of their energy?
I stopped at arm's length. When I held out a hand, Do Gwang-il grabbed my wrist. A cool, refreshing energy flowed from his hand, up my arm, and into my body.
It was an energy I had never felt before. This must be inner energy. After examining the inside of my body with his inner energy, Do Gwang-il shook his head in dissatisfaction.
"You've been lazy in your practice of the saber art."
He sounded like a school elder scolding a disciple.
"The energy gathered in your energy core is as faint as dust. It's embarrassing to even call this inner energy."
"Inner energy? What are you talking about? I've never learned an inner cultivation method."
"You... you really don't know anything, do you?"
Do Gwang-il looked at me as if I were pathetic.
"Sitting cross-legged to circulate your energy and regulate your breath is called Static Cultivation. When you perform the set forms, energy naturally circulates within you. This is called Dynamic Cultivation. Not just any martial art can do this. It's a skill only possible with secret arts that are based on proper principles."
I was dumbfounded by this story I had never heard anywhere before.
"So you're saying I've accumulated energy through Dynamic Cultivation? Without even knowing it?"
"It's not enough to be called accumulation. This is as good as nothing. Static Cultivation isn't well-suited for accumulating energy, but Dynamic Cultivation is even worse. Sit cross-legged. I need to look at your energy core."
"Before that, let's send the kid away."
Only then did Do Gwang-il notice Gu-sam, and he wrinkled his brow in annoyance.
"Boy. Go back to the inn now."
"Ah, yes..."
As the atmosphere softened, Gu-sam came to his senses and staggered to his feet. He hesitated as he walked toward the gate, glancing at me for reassurance.
"It's fine, so go quickly."
I pushed him out the gate and closed it behind him. I went up to the wooden porch, unfastened my long blade, and sat cross-legged. Do Gwang-il took a position behind me.
The situation made the back of my head tingle, but I decided not to mind. Whether he was in front of me or behind me, Do Gwang-il could kill me whenever he wanted. I felt a hand on my back.
A much denser inner energy than before seeped from his palm into my back.
"Don't say anything, just focus on the path my inner energy takes. That is the path of circulation."
The inner energy traveled through my body, past my chest, and toward my lower abdomen. It swirled gently like a mist around my energy core, below my navel. I closed my eyes, breathing slowly, observing the mist within, when I suddenly sensed something.
It was the size of a grain of millet, small and faint, but it was definitely there. As I shuddered, Do Gwang-il's indifferent voice told me what it was.
"Do you feel it? That is inner energy."