CIATB Chapter 252 : Just Look Forward and Advance
Chapter 252 : Just Look Forward and Advance
A sword falls.
A dao approaches.
A spear thrusts.
In each and every blade, decades of internal energy, decades of enlightenment, and decades of experience were melted.
Jin Sohyun watched all of this without missing a single thing and moved his body.
The blue-shining light of his eyes created dozens of afterimages, disappearing and reappearing repeatedly.
Kugugugung—!!
The blades that had lost their target cut through the innocent empty air, and the released ki tore through the atmosphere and burst the earth.
“Hoo—!”
Jin Sohyun let out a hot breath and quickly swung the swords in both hands.
Tadang—!!
The blades clashed chaotically.
The blades aiming for Jin Sohyun persistently aimed for his vital points, neck, and heart.
At this, Jin Sohyun moved quickly, avoiding and blocking the sharp offensives, and then struck the martial artist who had attacked him with the side of his forward-stretching sword.
Peok—!
“Ack!”
Peng Ohyun was sent flying.
Following that, Gwak Myeong’s sword thrust in fiercely, but the sword that had fallen at Jin Sohyun’s feet wriggled as if it were a living creature and then struck Gwak Myeong’s sword from below.
Thanks to that, Jin Sohyun’s left hand suddenly thrust into Gwak Myeong’s open chest.
“Damn it!”
Peong!
Gwak Myeong, who was hit by the palm wind that Jin Sohyun had created, flew far away and rolled on the ground in an unsightly manner.
After that, the masters of the righteous martial world, including Gamak, aimed for Jin Sohyun one after another.
Between the chaotically clashing blades, a snake thrust in, aiming for Jin Sohyun’s neck, but the flexible sword pierced the empty air.
Following that, swords fell from the sky.
“Here they come!”
The martial artists, as befitting seasoned masters, skillfully struck the swords that were falling like rain, but at the same time, they had to bite their lips at the cold sensation that touched their necks.
“Tsk.”
“Keuk!”
“Damn it…”
“Hoo… hoo…”
As the martial artists put down their weapons, Jin Sohyun also put down the sword he was holding and let out a ragged breath.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“What do you mean, worked hard… it was you, Young Master Jin, who worked hard.”
Peng Ohyun approached Jin Sohyun with a deeply frowned face and patted his shoulder.
“Did you forget that we agreed not to go easy?”
“Haha…”
At Jin Sohyun’s awkward laugh, Peng Ohyun let out a hollow laugh as if he were dumbfounded.
‘I just said it for the sake of it… it was real.’
Currently, Jin Sohyun was in the middle of a martial arts contest against a dozen renowned masters.
The leader of the Fierce Tiger Iron Sword Unit, Peng Ohyun, the Parting Sword, Gwak Myeong, and the Flexible Sword, Yeom Yoa.
Several masters attacked Jin Sohyun at the same time.
Of course, since they had not mixed their hands together from the past, their joint attack was no match for the joint attack formations of the Kongtong, Kunlun, or Shaolin.
But that was not a big problem.
Because they were masters who could read each other’s movements and control the movements of their swords and their steps so as not to overlap.
And yet, all of them together could not defeat Jin Sohyun.
Of course, Jin Sohyun had not won in such an overwhelming form from the beginning.
“That monstrous fellow… doesn’t it seem like he gets stronger the more he fights?”
Anyway, Yeomyoa, who was a martial artist, had a very angry face.
Next to her, Gwak Myeong smiled faintly.
“That’s natural.”
“Since when did it become natural to win a martial arts contest against all of us? The martial world has changed a lot while I wasn’t looking!”
“Don’t be angry. The one we are having a martial arts contest with is a genius who can fight on equal terms with the Blood Demon, who has grown stronger by devouring the masters of the martial world with the abomination called the Blood Jade.”
“Tsk! Even a monster should be a monster in moderation.”
Yeomyoa was feeling it.
That if they had one more martial arts contest, the martial arts contest with Jin Sohyun could no longer be established.
“How can he adapt so quickly?”
What was frightening about Jin Sohyun was not his innate Heavenly Martial Body and the flying sword technique of the Flying Heaven Sword Master, who was one of the Five Great Masters of the Central Plains.
It was his frighteningly fast adaptability.
No matter what martial art or weapon he faced, Jin Sohyun adapted quickly.
It didn’t matter how many opponents there were.
Whether the enemy was one or ten, Jin Sohyun adapted to the power of all of them and found a way to counter it.
And the moment Jin Sohyun adapted to all of them.
The blades of the martial artists could never reach Jin Sohyun.
Because Jin Sohyun’s blue-shining eyes were already reading their movements ahead of them.
“So… isn’t he our last hope?”
The only being who could stand against the Blood Demon, who seemed impossible to defeat.
That’s why Gwak Myeong felt sorry for Jin Sohyun.
“I can’t even fathom the weight of the responsibility that child has to bear.”
“…I know.”
Yeomyoa was also feeling it.
What Jin Sohyun had to bear was not just his own life.
But the lives of the entire righteous martial world.
And how heavy that would be.
Yeomyoa could not dare to imagine.
Jin Sohyun, who had finished his training and had taken a light bath, walked somewhere with heavy steps.
The place he arrived at was a doctor’s office with a strong smell of medicine.
Passing by the now familiar faces, there was already a guest in the hospital room he arrived at.
“Young Lady Namgung.”
It was Namgung Seoru.
She raised her head, confirmed Jin Sohyun, and then bowed her head.
Jin Sohyun also bowed his head and carefully entered.
The hospital room smelled of a large bed and a decoction, and on the bed, Namgung Muhyeok was lying as if he were dead.
“Is he still unconscious?”
Namgung Seoru nodded her head and wiped the sweat from Namgung Muhyeok’s forehead.
“I’ll go get some water for a moment.”
As Namgung Seoru left to get water to wet the towel, Jin Sohyun nodded his head, sat in Namgung Seoru’s seat, and looked at Namgung Muhyeok.
Namgung Muhyeok, who was called the Golden Dragon Divine Sword and was the largest and greatest pillar of the Namgung Clan.
He was now fighting a lonely battle with death.
“Still, I’m glad you look comfortable.”
Jin Sohyun smiled bitterly as he looked at Namgung Muhyeok’s peaceful face.
‘It’s my fault.’
If he had killed Ma Seongun then.
If he had completely cut off his neck, not just half of it.
If he hadn’t spent time at the Mountain Torch Peak in the first place.
“Uncle wouldn’t have been hurt…”
Although everyone, including Kang Cheon, was saying that it was not Jin Sohyun’s fault, it was difficult for him to easily suppress his anger.
Following Bieunggaek, this time Namgung Muhyeok had almost died.
Although he was a person who was more annoying than grateful to Jin Sohyun, he didn’t dislike him.
That’s why the regret and guilt that Jin Sohyun felt were even greater.
“I’m… sorry.”
Jin Sohyun apologized and bit his lip.
At that moment, a laugh was heard from between Namgung Muhyeok’s open lips.
“Hehe… heh…”
“Uncle? Uncle!”
Jin Sohyun was surprised and moved closer to Namgung Muhyeok.
At that, this time Namgung Muhyeok’s voice became clearer.
“You brat… my eardrums… are going to burst.”
“A doctor…! I’ll get a doctor!”
“It’s… fine.”
Namgung Muhyeok opened his closed eyes and looked up at Jin Sohyun.
Jin Sohyun, who had discovered that his eyes were still shining, let out a deep sigh.
It was a sigh of relief.
“Phew—! Thank goodness.”
“Hehe… you arrogant brat.”
“I thought you were going to die, uncle!”
“In the martial world… you are the… first and last brat to call me uncle.”
“Should I call you family head?”
“That’s enough.”
Namgung Muhyeok waved his hand weakly and then looked at Jin Sohyun and smiled.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“It hasn’t even… started yet.”
“Even if my eyes are closed, my ears are open. I know roughly how the situation is going.”
For Namgung Muhyeok, who had not regained consciousness, Namgung Seoru and Namgung Seong had stayed by his side without missing a single day and had talked to him.
Of course, most of the stories were about the current situation of the martial world.
The reason Namgung Seoru had told such stories was her own consideration to prevent Namgung Muhyeok from being confused when he opened his eyes one day.
And it was Namgung Seoru’s earnest wish for him to wake up.
“Jin Sohyun.”
“Yes. Don’t overdo it. I’ll get Young Lady Namgung.”
As Jin Sohyun stood up from his seat and showed his back, Namgung Muhyeok’s voice was heard from over his shoulder.
“You arrogant brat.”
Jin Sohyun’s steps, which were about to move away, stopped in the middle.
“I am the family head of the Namgung Clan and… a martial artist. It is… natural for a martial artist to die in a fight… and it is an honorable thing to die for my family, my clan… the things I am trying to protect.”
Jin Sohyun could not dare to turn around.
Even during that time, Namgung Muhyeok’s words continued.
“Keolleok! Do you understand… this war is not just for you. You are not the only protagonist. Don’t insult their deaths… our fight. You arrogant brat… we… are not fighting to be protected by you. We… are fighting our own fight. Keolleok! Keolleok!”
“…”
“Jin Sohyun.”
“Yes…”
“This is… my… and our fight. You… fight your fight. Keolleok! Keolleok!”
“Father!?”
Namgung Seoru, who had heard the coughing sound, came running in a hurry.
She even dropped the water basin she was holding and hugged Namgung Muhyeok.
Jin Sohyun watched the reunion of the father and daughter and then quietly left the hospital room.
From behind him, the sound of Namgung Seoru’s crying and Namgung Muhyeok’s voice and coughing, as if he were comforting her, were mixed and heard.
Thud— thud—!
Jin Sohyun, who had left the hospital room, walked aimlessly.
He walked and walked.
Jin Sohyun, who was walking as his feet touched, without a destination, had at some point arrived in a forest where no one was, and sat down on a rock that he saw.
“You foolish brat.”
Jin Sohyun cursed himself.
What he had heard from Namgung Muhyeok in the hospital room was something that Jin Sohyun had never thought of.
“I…”
“I was wondering where you were and what you were doing. Were you moping around in a place like this?”
“Master…”
From between the forest, Kang Cheon appeared, holding a large bundle in one hand.
He naturally approached Jin Sohyun.
“What are you sitting there blankly for? Move. This old man has to sit too.”
“Ah, yes.”
As Jin Sohyun gave up his seat, Kang Cheon sat down on the empty spot.
“Why are you moping around again? Are you scared now that you think about fighting that fellow called the Blood Demon?”
“That’s not it. It’s just…”
Jin Sohyun told Kang Cheon what he had heard from Namgung Muhyeok and let out a self-deprecating laugh.
“I didn’t know. Not even once… I never thought of it that way.”
“Didn’t you think, ‘If I were a little stronger, if I had hurried a little more… could I have saved them?’”
“That’s right.”
“Hehe. That’s because you are strong. You are a special child. I realized it the moment I saw you. In all the long years I have lived… I have never seen a child with such outstanding talent as you. Of course, I have also never seen a fellow as lazy as you.”
Kang Cheon pulled the bundle he was holding to his chest and stared at the distant empty air.
His pupils had a faint light, as if he were reminiscing about the past.
“Do you remember what I told you before?”
“Yes. I remember.”
“You have the talent given by heaven and the power to match it, so you are feeling that much responsibility. This is not a bad thing. Rather, compared to a fellow like Ma Seongun who is drunk on his own power and wields it as he pleases, you are doing very well. But… you cannot save everyone in the world.”
“…”
“You have to admit this. No matter how strong a person is, they can’t save everyone in the world. So.”
Kang Cheon took out a flying sword from his bosom and shot it forward.
The flying sword, which contained the power of a flash of lightning, instantly pierced the trees in front of it and then returned to Kang Cheon.
“You advance like this flying sword.”
“Like a flying sword…”
“From now on, your surroundings will be full of numerous deaths. For the martial world, for their families, for their comrades. Numerous martial artists will throw their lives. And you will advance, using their deaths as a stepping stone.”
Using death as a stepping stone.
Jin Sohyun advances.
“There is only one thing you have to do. Kill the Blood Demon and break the ambition of the Heretic Path's Alliance Leader. That is your only goal. Until you achieve that goal, ignore the deaths that happen around you.”
“But… how can I ignore them?”
“Jin Sohyun! Don’t forget.”
Kang Cheon looked straight at Jin Sohyun and said firmly.
“We are martial artists. Although we are weaker than you, that doesn’t mean we are not martial artists. We have trained our martial arts and have accumulated our internal energy for this moment. Don’t try to control our given mission and opportunity as you please. And don’t try to judge our lives with your own hands. Just as we have our own path, you have your own path.”
Kang Cheon said this and untied the bundle.
What was inside were ten flying swords.
Kang Cheon, who had lifted one of them, handed it to Jin Sohyun.
Jin Sohyun, who had taken the flying sword without even realizing it, felt an unusual energy flowing from the blade of the flying sword.
“This is a flying sword that Bieunggaek made by emptying all of his safe. Surprisingly, all the flying swords are made of ten-thousand-year-old cold iron.”
Ten flying swords made of ten-thousand-year-old cold iron, which was said to be priceless.
“It seems he wanted to give it to you as a surprise gift… but I ended up giving it to you.”
Jin Sohyun tightly gripped the gift from Bieunggaek, which had been delivered late.
“Sohyun.”
“Yes, Master.”
“You become a flying sword, never stop, and just look forward and advance.”
(End of Chapter)