Translator: FenrirTL
Editor/Quality Checker: Saphartlantis
Murim Term Consultant: Kopke
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Chapter 258: The Person to Share a Swordsmanship Story With
After leaving the Heavenly Demon Pavilion, I headed towards the Northern Heavens Sword Family.
Is there any reason to struggle alone when there's someone to discuss swordsmanship with?
Yes, this is my way. If I don't know something, I ask. If I realize something while talking about other matters, that's great. And if I still don't get it, well, I just go off and have fun.
I've been busy with the other Demon Supremes and various incidents recently, so I've somewhat neglected the One-Slash Sword Supreme. I plan to make up for that now.
It feels like the return of a sparring friend who had left home.
Just as I have changed during this time, so has So Yeonrang.
When I arrived at her residence in the Northern Heavens Sword Family, I was taken aback.
Her humble abode had transformed into a large mansion. The once modest house was now a grand estate.
The courtyard had expanded, and the garden she tended had also grown.
The only thing that hadn’t changed was her ageless beauty, as if she were defying time. She greeted me warmly.
"Young Cult Leader, welcome."
"How have you been?"
"Oh, the same as always."
"Your house has changed."
The One-Slash Sword Supreme glanced around, following my gaze, with a calm smile.
"I thought I'd change the atmosphere."
Her previous house had been for show. It was to tell the world that she had transcended worldly desires and walked the pure path of martial arts.
But now, she had shed that pretense and openly displayed her true desires. What could have caused this change of heart? 1
"You must be busy these days. What brings you here?"
"I just wanted to see you, Sword Supreme."
"I'm glad you came. Please, come inside."
I followed So Yeonrang into the house. The interior was lavishly decorated.
"Mind if I take a look around? I've been interested in decorating my own place lately."
"Feel free."
I slowly toured the room. The furniture and decorations were luxurious and elegant. She didn't bother hiding the fact that she had spent a lot of money on the interior.
"It’s really splendid."
Something caught my eye.
'What is this?'
On the table was a single book. It was a collection of poems that I had seen on the bookshelf of Gu Cheonpa.
Of course, there could be multiple copies of the same book.
But the reason this one stood out was because of the relationship between them both.
"That cabinet over there, I should get one for my room. I really like it."
"I never imagined you had such a taste, Young Cult Leader."
After looking around the room, we sat across from each other at the tea table.
As I drank the tea, the taste was familiar. It was the same tea I had at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s house.
"It’s the same tea that Elder Blade Demon enjoys."
"Is that so?"
I didn't miss the subtle moment when One-Slash Sword Supreme flinched slightly. Both the book and the tea… 2
‘These people!’
A laugh nearly escaped me. If the book and tea weren’t mere coincidence, then it was clear that something had changed in their relationship.
“Are you curious about why I changed my home?”
“Have you had a change of heart?”
“I just wanted to live a bit differently.”
I glanced around once more before speaking.
“To be honest, this place suits you much better than the old one. It’s both extravagant and beautiful.”
“Is that so?”
So Yeonrang chuckled, clearly pleased.
Though we were chatting with smiles, there was still a certain distance between us—neither too close nor too far. It wasn’t a single step away, yet not uncomfortably distant either.
About five steps. That’s the distance I imagined between her and me.
“I’ve come here today as a sparring partner.”
I requested a sparring match, and fortunately, she accepted without hesitation.
“I’m fine with it. But I’m not sure if sparring with me will be beneficial for you.”
“Just watching you draw your sword teaches me a lot. If I didn’t think it would help, I wouldn’t have asked for a match.”
“Can’t you leave just your mouth behind?”
“There are too many places that need my mouth, so that would be difficult.”
We moved outside to the training ground.
Standing about ten steps apart, we faced each other. Her expression had shifted completely, as if the lighthearted banter from earlier had never happened.
It wasn’t just her home that had changed. I could sense her Qi was different from before.
‘She’s been training hard all this time!’
She had honed herself to be as sharp as a treasured blade. I once compared the efforts of the Demon Supremes to the unseen paddling of a swan, and no one embodied that analogy better than the One-Slash Sword Supreme.
Behind her graceful appearance, like that of a swan, was the hidden effort no one saw.
What had driven her to change this much?
I, too, let my Qi reveal itself without holding back. Tension spread across her face, her gaze turning cold as she locked eyes with me.
So Yeonrang was the first to move.
Shiiik!
Her sword flew towards me. I couldn’t even see her figure. She had fully hidden herself behind the blade, becoming one with it.
Her One-Slash Sword and my Black Demon Sword collided in midair, sending sparks flying. The blades danced, creating dozens of sword lines that lit up the air, only to disappear just as quickly.
Though she had lost to me in our previous duel, So Yeonrang was still the Sword Supreme. Moreover, her recent rigorous training had elevated this sparring match to an even higher level.
With our swords gleaming, we soared into the sky together. The Northern Heavens Sword Family's warriors halted their steps, captivated by the dazzling swordlight we cast into the air. As the sunlight reflected off the blades, the spectacle was breathtaking.
Chaaang!
The final clash of metal echoed as we descended back to the ground.
Even without disarming her or pointing my sword at her throat, she must have known—she had lost.
“You just keep growing without end,” she said, unable to hide the bitterness in her expression. Her training had failed to keep up with my progress.
I preserved her pride.
“It’s only thanks to your concession, Senior. I’ve revealed all my cards, but surely, you still have one last move left?”
The Demon Supremes always kept a final trump card hidden. As the One-Slash Sword Supreme, So Yeonrang was no exception.
“It’s a move I hope never be forced to use in my life.”
In other words, it was a secret technique that would require staking her life.
“Shall we head inside?”
Once back inside, we sipped the now-cold tea and discussed swordsmanship.
We talked about the sparring match we had just finished, but I took the conversation further. I shared with her the insights I had gained when I completed the Soaring Sword Art to its peak of Twelve-Star Greatness.
So Yeonrang listened intently, asking questions whenever something piqued her curiosity.
Given her mastery, she must have known. She knew how sincere I was being, and how what I was sharing was my personal understanding of the essence of martial arts—something I would never divulge unless I deeply cared for the person.
Her face gradually flushed with excitement.
When I finished speaking, she rushed out to the training ground.
“Wait! Just wait for a moment,” she called.
She stood alone in the middle of the training ground, wielding her sword.
Then, suddenly, she stopped, lost in thought. After a pause, she swung her sword again, only to stop once more.
She had realized something. Through our conversation, she had found a way to break through the barrier she had been stuck at—something she hadn’t been able to overcome through solo training.
She must have been training alone for a very long time, walking an isolated path. And at the end of that lonely road, where she had hit a dead end, she encountered me.
After spending quite some time in the training ground, her face flushed with newfound realization, she returned.
“Did you come to me because you wanted to gain insight into swordsmanship?” she asked.
“That’s right. To be honest, my own swordsmanship has hit a wall recently.”
“Then why are you the one sharing martial arts with me?”
Calming my Qi, I spoke with a dignified air.
“Because you’re going to be my Demon Supreme.”
I continued, my voice steady, as she silently gazed at me.
“There are two more reasons as well,” I said.
“Two more?” she asked.
“First, I believe that when you break through your limits, that realization will come back to me. After all, we’re sparring partners, aren’t we?”
She nodded thoughtfully and asked, “And the second reason?”
“You’re the only one among the Demon Supremes who wields a sword. You’re the only person I can talk to about swordsmanship. You know my father’s temperament well. Who else can teach me swordsmanship? Who else can influence me? There’s no one but you, Sword Supreme.” 3
Of the three reasons, this seemed to resonate with her the most. A flicker of emotion passed through her eyes.
“So I should have come to you first, and visited you more often...”
I spoke honestly.
“I always thought you would remain the same, Sword Supreme. It was a selfish and foolish thought. I should have prioritized you, the good person, first.”
At this, she replied in a somewhat self-deprecating tone.
“I’m not such a good person. Perhaps you did things in the proper order after all...”
A fleeting sense of regret appeared in her gaze.
We fell into a brief silence, each lost in our own thoughts.
There was no need to offer a cliché reassurance like, ‘That’s not true, you’re a good person’. What she needed to hear in this moment was something else.
“May I come again tomorrow?”
Her nod was not just for tomorrow, but for a lifetime. 4
* * *
“When did you start liking flowers?” old man Blade asked, but I kept staring at the flower pot placed by the window.
“It looks like a rather mischievous flower.”
On my way back to my quarters, I stopped by Gu Cheonpa’s place and noticed something unfamiliar—a flower pot sitting by the window. If I had come here first, I might have assumed that he had bought the flowers himself.
“What kind of person looks at flowers and calls them mischievous? What’s going on in that head of yours?”
“Where did you get it?”
“Someone gave it to me.”
It had to be the One-Slash Sword Supreme. After he gave her the book and tea as gifts, she must have returned the gesture with a flower pot. Or perhaps it was the other way around.
‘Great Drunken Demon, you did it!’
It seemed that Song Sa-hyuk’s efforts to reconcile the two had finally borne fruit.
“Who gave it to you?”
“Someone I know.”
“So, who exactly?”
“You’re being noisy. I’m trying to read.”
The Blood Heaven Blade Demon never admitted that So Yeonrang had given him the flowers. I didn’t press further and held back my playful teasing.
He must be feeling overjoyed. It wasn’t just anyone, after all—it was the woman he loved. They had finally resolved their misunderstandings and conflicts, even exchanging gifts in the process.
Hold it in. I will make sure to tease him later. 5
“Stop staring at it! If you let your Qi slip by mistake, the flower might die.”
He might even send a killing technique my way if that happened. 6
Daeryong, this flower pot is more precious than the one in the office. If you drop it during training, you'll probably face two years of hellish training as punishment.
“I’ll be heading out now.”
“Why so soon?”
“I’m currently in the middle of hellish training. I’m probably the most dedicated one in the entire cult.”
“You’ve already become the Young Cult Leader. What more glory do you need that you’re working so hard?”
Our relationship had completely changed since the regression. Now, if I die, the Demon Supremes would all die as well. Would Gu Cheonpa really just sit by and watch if I were on the verge of death, let alone the others?
That’s exactly why. To save everyone.
‘I’m jumping into hell so no one else has to.’ 7
That glory? He and the One-Slash Sword Supreme can both have it. May they spend their later years happily traveling the Central Plains together, peacefully.
* * *
The next day, I sparred with So Yeonrang again.
Her eyes were slightly bloodshot, as if she hadn’t slept.
“I stayed up a bit late training yesterday.”
It seemed she had spent the entire night trying to turn yesterday’s realization into tangible skill.
We sparred again. Since we were familiar with each other’s techniques, we began using increasingly powerful moves, and by the end, our sparring was practically indistinguishable from real combat.
Afterward, we discussed the fight at length. The exchange was similar to the day before, with much of the conversation repeating itself. Yet, we spoke as if it were a brand new discussion.
Sometimes, as we talked, new subjects would arise. We even discussed stories from our childhood training and how to correctly care for flowers.
I kept visiting the following day, and the day after that. It was as if I wanted to make up for all the times we hadn’t spent together before. I went with the mindset of going every day until she grew tired of me, told me not to come anymore and threw me out.
Although our sparring patterns remained similar, we both felt a gradual change.
Even with the same technique, the speed was different, and the energy behind each strike changed. Some days were faster, others slower. It wasn’t often one had the opportunity to test their swordsmanship so thoroughly.
Then this morning, I used the First Technique of the Nine Calamities Demon Art, Human Annihilation Form.
Saaaak!
The sound was different.
Suh-keok! Suh-keok! Suh-keok! Suh-keok!
I rushed over in surprise and found that the wooden training dummy had been sliced cleanly into four pieces.
“I did it!” 8
At last, I had succeeded in making my sword energy strike from four different directions simultaneously.
It seemed that the sparring and conversations with Sword Supreme had helped in more ways than one.
After that day, I threw myself even deeper into my training.
I had a burning desire—to see the Demonic Fiends manifest within the Human Annihilation Form. That desire drove me to push myself to the absolute limit.
Every day, I made sure to visit So Yeonrang for a sparring match, and we would discuss martial arts.
To an outsider, it might have looked like we were repeating the same routine, but it wasn’t the same at all.
Within the power of repetition, we both grew.
As the One-Slash Sword Supreme advanced, so did I. She grew under my influence, and I, in turn, received the benefits of her growth. We were consumed by the fiery passion of those who wield swords.
And something else began to shift between us.
“I changed my home because of Gu Cheonpa”, she confessed, revealing her honest feelings.
“I’ve been trying to move past the old grudges and get along with him lately. In that process, a lot of memories from the past surfaced. Back then, I loved all things extravagant and beautiful. That was who I was. So, on a whim, I just decided to change things. It’s embarrassing, really. It wasn’t some grand decision.”
It was likely a longing for the days of her youth, the time she so dearly wished she could return to. 9
“You made the right choice. If you ever miss your old home, you can always change it again.”
“Wouldn’t that make me seem like a fickle person?”
“I think it would make you seem like someone with a free spirit.”
At that, she laughed pleasantly, as if agreeing that she was no longer at an age to care about what others thought. It was in that moment I realized our distance had shrunk—from five steps to three.
And still, my training continued.
Day and night, I practiced tirelessly. I repeated the Human Annihilation Form countless times, until one day...
Saaaaak!
The sound of the technique changed again.
At that very moment!
I saw it. A dark, blurry figure decapitating the wooden training dummy.
‘Finally!’
One of the four Demonic Fiends had appeared.
1 : Either you, or Gu Cheonpa.
2 : Confirmed !!! After years of stranding, the ship is sailing again !!!!
3 : Hey, it’s true, she’s the only one. All the others use different tactics, though Soma and Dan Woo-gang are the closest since both use their hands to attack.
4 : Mugeuk has so much social rizz that I’m sure he can subvert cows to protect him.
5 : Hehehehehe, such a good friend ^ ^
6 : It’s not a possibility, it’s an absolute certitude ^ ^
7 : “I will become a Buddha and go to hell to pray for the salvation of their souls. If not me, who else will free them from their suffering ? For as long as there are sentient beings in the world, they will always be trapped in their hell.” #
8 : *Jump in place into a victory pose, all alone in his training grounds. Awkward, dark history moment XDXDXD*
9 : *Flashback of Nostalgia from Inside Out 2*
# : The concept and meaning of ‘Buddha going to hell’ have been fiercely debated over the years, though 2 main interpretations have been broadly accepted :
- One, bad people go to Hell after their death, and Buddha goes there to pray for them, help them repent from their sins, reach enlightenment and reincarnate, free of their karma.
- Two, hell is our own mind, our own sentience, our own suffering preventing us from reaching enlightenment and nirvana. Buddha will stay with us until everyone reaches nirvana, but since there will always be suffering in the world as long as there are sentient beings struggling with their knowledge of mortality, sense of morality, and depraved impulses, it is an endless task.
Personally, I think both can be applied. Our lives can be hell, and if there’s ever an after life, I doubt everything can be happily resolved. How many people have we intentionally or accidentally hurt with our words and actions in our lives ? I am younger than 30, but I can clearly remember and regret a lot of my actions, let alone those I didn’t notice. So it’s nice to think that someone could be kind enough to try to help even the worst among us, though I have no doubts that some (many…) don’t deserve or even want such mercy. In any case, we will all know the truth, eventually. Let’s hope it’s as far in the future and painless as possible. F.
Ah, and sorry for the rant. Not like it bothers you, right ?
Right ?
*sheepishly scratch the back of my head with an awkward grin* XDXDXD