Chapter 50 Top-Tier Sword Technique – Part 2

Chapter 50: Top-Tier Sword Technique – Part 2

I was still pondering where and how to obtain the top-tier sword technique.

After a sudden summons, Squad Leader Seolpung, who had visited the Grand Master, gathered all the squad members and announced:

“Our squad has been dispatched this time.”

Dispatch?

It couldn’t have been more unexpected.

At those words, everyone’s eyes widened in surprise and they asked.

“Huh?”

“A sudden dispatch?”

“Where exactly?”

Then, Team Leader Seolpung explained the situation with a slightly serious expression.

“It seems there was an incident at the Twelfth Division a few days ago. News came that the powerful demon, Jeo Ung-won, led his men to annihilate two squads and then crossed the front lines. So, it appears the Twelfth Division’s leader, the great hero Jeong Ak-do-gaek, Master Man Jong-im, has requested reinforcements from the Eleventh and Thirteenth Divisions for pursuit.”

Only upon hearing this did I recall that this event had also occurred in my past life.

Georyeongma Jeo Ungwon, the Blood Sect’s Demon Lord known for over ninety years of cultivation, was a fairly renowned master who had also distinguished himself during the previous Blood Sect War. Yet, around this time, he had broken free from the Blood Demon’s control, clashed with the Eleventh Division, and crossed the front lines to head north.

It was actually quite common for Blood Sect disciples to rebel against the Blood Demon’s powerful rule and leave Yunnan Province.

After all, it might have been stranger for the Blood Sect’s Demon Lords—who had never cared about the world’s gaze or rules—to follow the Blood Demon, who had forced them into an inviolable pact with the Martial Alliance, effectively confining them to Yunnan Province.

Of course, some saw this as the Blood Demon’s premeditated murder.

The feeling of using the Wulin Alliance’s hand to eliminate Blood Cultists who refused to submit to him?

Considering the Blood Demon from my past life, who later began expanding his influence beyond Yunnan Province, that was actually a rather convincing theory.

Anyway, I also recalled that the emissaries sent to pursue those men back then had returned empty-handed after the Martial Alliance ordered them back.

However, since the team dispatched then was led by Captain Han Gyoseong, I hadn’t paid it much mind. This time, it seemed our team was the one being sent out.

Hmm, so what then?

I suddenly asked the squad leader.

“Looks like our team’s been recognized as the Thirteenth Generation’s strongest force, huh?”

Team Leader Seolpung answered with a sly grin.

“Well, isn’t that obvious? We’re the only team where every member has reached the top tier, and we have four team leader-level talents alone.”

That was how it was.

It was customary to send each division’s absolute elite on missions. Our squad being dispatched in place of Squad One meant we were recognized as the Thirteenth Division’s absolute elite.

Hearing this, the squad members’ faces lit up, and they let out exclamations of surprise and admiration.

“Whoa!”

“That’s awesome?!”

I didn’t feel bad about it either. No, I felt pretty good.

It meant recognition for our entire squad, not just any individual.

That must be why the team leader’s expression was so bright.

He suddenly looked at me and continued.

“Actually, there was a suggestion that our team should fill the vacant position of Team Leader for Team Sa. However, the opinion that Team Leader Sa should still be handled by a top-tier expert gained traction, so it didn’t happen.”

After saying that, the team leader glanced meaningfully at me and Miss Cheongyeon.

Hmm, that’s a bit…

It made me realize anew how fortunate it was that I concealed my peak cultivation.

After all, neither Team Leader Seolpung nor I, nor any of our team members, were keen on being transferred to another team.

At that moment, Biseaeng chuckled as if amused.

“Wouldn’t it be hilarious if Jin ended up as Squad Leader of Squad 4? That bastard Ju Taekyung fled to Squad 4 to avoid Jin, right? But what if they suddenly meet again as Squad Leader? Heh heh heh, Jin! Any thoughts about becoming Squad Leader of Squad 4? I’d love to see that.”

Ugh, meeting that guy again? I’m not so sure about that.

But imagining it was funny.

If we did meet again, I’d have to make sure he addressed me properly as “hyung” first, right?

But thinking about it like that, I suddenly realized I hadn’t paid attention to that part at all.

I’d only thought about developing our squad members. It never crossed my mind that those developed members might become leaders of other squads.

Come to think of it, it was absurd that Seolpung, who could be called one of the thirteen strongest alongside Han Gyoseong, the leader of the First Squad, was the leader of the Seventh Squad, a lower-tier squad.

Moreover, both Lady Cheongyeon and I possess the skill to be appointed as leaders of a single squad right now without it being strange. And that’s for a top-tier squad.

Both Lady Na and Biseoyoung possessed the skill to easily lead a squad in the lower tiers.

Suddenly, a thought struck me.

‘Perhaps the time we have left to gather together like this as squad members is running out.’

I glanced around at the faces of my squad members.

Their faces, now like family—no, to me, they felt closer than family—suddenly felt dear to me all over again.

It was when everyone started packing their personal belongings for the deployment after hearing the team leader’s words.

Only I stepped outside the dormitory and started walking.

There were two issues I needed to resolve before the deployment.

One was the problem of the Iron Demon, who might very well appear while we were away on the mission. The other was the matter concerning the top-tier sword technique.

Last time I visited Miss Dang, I couldn’t bring myself to mention Huagol Mountain after all.

After crying for a long while and finally calming down, she thanked me for coming, but I couldn’t tell her I’d actually come because of Huagol Mountain.

But now, even if she looked troubled, I had to tell her.

After all, it was a matter concerning my comrades—perhaps even Tang Yeo-eun—who could be sacrificed to the Iron Demon.

But somehow, my steps toward her felt strange.

‘No, it’s not my steps—it’s my heart that feels strange?’

It was a strange situation—I felt tense, yet my steps were light.

I swallowed hard without realizing it.

Why was I acting like this?

For some reason, I found myself heading to Team Three’s dormitory in a state of high tension. Even though it was already dusk, all the members of Team Three were out, fully engrossed in their training.

I don’t know what motivated them, but their enthusiasm was no less intense than ours.

I also noticed Lady Dang moving busily among them, offering guidance.

Suddenly, I hesitated to speak, worried I might interrupt their training.

But I had no choice.

There was no more time to spare.

“Miss Dang, could you spare a moment?!”

When I called out in a raised voice, her gaze turned toward me.

Her expression was as cold and haughty as ever.

She walked toward me and asked.

“As you can see, I’m in the middle of training. Is it urgent?”

Her tone was utterly cold.

I felt relieved that she seemed to have returned to her usual self, yet somehow, I felt a little disappointed.

I answered with a slightly bitter smile.

“Yes, it’s rather urgent. It’ll only take a moment.”

“Then let’s talk over there.”

She led me to a spot slightly away from the team members. A place where their eyes couldn’t reach.

And the moment we got there, she completely dropped her cold expression and spoke to me with a look full of apology.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think I should show how happy to see you in front of the team members. Did I… offend you?”

The way she looked at me, anxious and unsure, worried I might have been offended…

Honestly, it was just too cute.

I couldn’t help but smile.

“No, it’s fine. You looked great.”

“Ah, okay.”

She bowed her head deeply.

Even though it was dim and hard to see clearly, her face somehow looked slightly flushed.

Just as he hesitated, wondering how to bring up the topic of Hwagol Mountain, she spoke first.

“I heard you’re being dispatched…”

“Ah, yes. That’s correct.”

Then, still with her head bowed, she whispered softly.

“I wanted to tell you to take care of yourself…”

Seeing her, unable even to say those words directly, instead speaking indirectly about wanting to talk, I could feel anew just how deeply misunderstood she had been by me and others all this time.

He answered with a faint smile.

“Thank you. I’ll be careful.”

After saying that, we stood there silently for a moment.

It was a strange feeling. As if time would just keep passing endlessly if we stayed like that.

I felt a bit regretful, wishing we could stay like this longer, but now it seemed we should talk about the matter at hand.

“Young Lady Tang, you must remember when Sergeant Seolpung and I entered the jungle not long ago. We met a man named Seok Gyeongdal then…”

I planned to say we learned about Iron Demon through Elder Seok.

And that the Flower Bone Mountain could weaken that creature.

Her eyes widened as she focused intently on my words.

Then she told me that while she didn’t have much Huagol Mountain, she would distribute it to each squad leader.

For something I’d agonized over for so long, it was an incredibly simple solution.

After carefully bidding her farewell, I decided to visit the other squad leaders myself.

After all, it seemed best to personally convey the precautions regarding the Iron Fiends.

The squad leaders who heard my story, including Dae-ju Pung-yang who was temporarily leading Squad Four, generally responded with gratitude.

‘Squad Leader Oh Doksu-kwang’s attitude is a bit unsettling, but well, there’s nothing more I can do about it.’

I had visited five squad leaders and now only one remained.

I took a deep breath and organized what I needed to say.

The reason I was visiting him last was to resolve my second problem as well.

Namely, the problem concerning the top-tier sword technique.

I’d pondered it endlessly, but the sword technique problem was utterly impossible to solve with just what I knew.

I had memorized quite a few sword techniques, but among them, there wasn’t a single one that could even reach the level of the Sunwoo Thirteen Swords, let alone the Four-One Sword Technique.

So the conclusion was clear: I had to learn and master new ones.

A sword technique that surpassed or at least matched the supreme techniques of the Nine Great Sects.

A hollow laugh escaped me.

Easier said than done—where on earth was I supposed to find such a thing?

‘No, forget finding them—do such sword techniques even exist? Should I search for the legendary legacy of some sword saint?’

Lost in such thoughts, I suddenly realized that while surpassing the Nine Sect’s techniques might be impossible, there were already three sword techniques around me that could match their level.

Namely, the Qingfeng Sword Technique of the Qingcheng Sect, mastered by Han Jiaoxing; the Shengla Sword Technique of the Sword Saint, mastered by Qingyan Xiaoze; and the Siyue Sword Technique of the Zhanchang Sect.

It turned out that three of the Nine Great Sects’ highest-tier sword techniques were right around me.

And among these, the one I had even the slightest chance of mastering was…

Without hesitation, I moved forward and called out the name of a man deep in meditation at his own training ground.

“Sagunil, Squad Leader.”

He was none other than this squad leader, the Dotting Spear Sword Dragon, Sagunil.

He slowly opened his eyes and looked at me.

His eyes held a hint of surprise, perhaps unexpected that I had come to find him.

“Soonwoo Jin, is it? What brings you here?”

I’d been agonizing over how to address him for quite some time.

But beating around the bush with a man like Sagunil seemed pointless.

So I decided to get straight to the point.

“I wish to learn the Four-Sword Technique.”

Come to think of it, the Four-Sword Technique was the pinnacle of swordsmanship best suited for me to master.

I already knew the forms from my past life, didn’t I? I just didn’t know the principles or how to wield it.

Therefore, if I could learn it, I would be able to master it faster than anything else.

Besides, compared to the sword techniques of the Qingcheng Sect, which still flourished as one of the Nine Great Sects, or the legendary sword style of the Sword Saint, the sword techniques of the fallen Dianchang Sect would be far more accessible to learn.

But Squad Leader Sagunil gave me a slightly exasperated look and asked,

“You wish to learn the Four Swords Technique? You, of all people?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Sagun-il, who had been staring at me for a moment, as if at a loss for words due to my overly confident attitude, spoke again.

“Do you know what Joo Tae-kyung has been babbling about to me lately?”

Huh? Joo Tae-kyung? Why bring up that bastard now?

He continued.

“He said this: ‘You’ve dragged the honor of the Jianchang Sect through the mud.'”

A hollow laugh escaped me.

I could guess exactly what that bastard was thinking.

He probably wanted to argue that exposing the crimes of Mayu Gyeom, a disciple of Jomchang, was what damaged Jomchang’s honor.

Well, it wasn’t entirely wrong, but shifting the blame from the guilty Mayu Gyeom to me, who exposed the crime, was so typical of Jutae-gyeong’s way of thinking.

“I don’t think you’d agree with that nonsense.”

At that, Sagunil chuckled softly and replied.

“Of course not. It was actually a fortunate thing. If it weren’t for you, I can’t even imagine how much greater a crime he might have committed in Jeomchang’s name. However… I just wanted to point out that there are certainly people who think that way. So, setting aside the questions of why and how, wouldn’t it look a bit strange for someone like you to learn Jeomchang’s Four-Sword Technique?”

He phrased it delicately, but the meaning was clear: it wouldn’t do.

But I was satisfied in my own way.

I considered it a perfectly acceptable response, simply because he hadn’t snapped, “Why should I teach you that?”

I shook my head and replied.

“If anything, that reason makes it even more important for me to learn the Four-Sword Technique.”

He frowned and retorted.

“…What are you talking about?”

“If I were an outsider completely unrelated to the Pointed Spear, it would be like exposing its shame to a stranger. But if I’m someone connected to the Pointed Spear, it would mean the Pointed Spear punished its own traitor. Also.”

Even as he listened to my words, Sagunil’s frown did not lift.

It seemed my argument still lacked persuasiveness.

But what I truly wanted to say came next.

I looked him straight in the eye and answered.

“I will exalt Jianchang’s honor with the Four Swords Technique.”

At those words, he looked startled for the first time and retorted.

“…What?”

“I believe we must strike against the Blood Sect within five years. After that, I believe there will be no opportunity.”

Five years from now, the Blood Demons will emerge.

Peak masters possessing demonic bodies capable of withstanding sword energy.

By then, holding the front lines would be impossible, let alone surviving.

Therefore, we must strike the Blood Sect first.

His eyes flickered violently upon hearing my words.

It couldn’t be helped.

After all, invading the Blood Sect was surely the lifelong ambition of this disciple of the Pointed Spear Sect.

With intense eyes, I continued, speaking with sincerity.

“When that time comes, I will purge the Blood Sect’s demonic leaders with the Four-Sword Technique. I will ensure the Four-Sword Technique is remembered by the world not as the sword technique of a traitor who defected to the Blood Sect, but as the sword technique that shattered the Blood Sect.”

This was what I truly wanted to say.

And there was not a shred of falsehood in these words.

Sagunil’s expression was no longer furrowed.

Instead, he stared at me intently for a moment.

Then he spoke.

“How… utterly reckless. But I understand perfectly why Yugyeom liked you so much when he was in his right mind. You’re going to storm the Blood Sect, aren’t you?”

His eyes, repeating those words, blazed with a fierce light. It was a gaze full of savagery, one I had never seen in him before.

He asked again.

“One more question. Why this obsession with the Four-Sword Technique? The Sunwoo Thirteen Swords I saw last time were quite excellent swordsmanship in their own right.”

He shook his head and answered.

“Of course, I thought so too. But after fighting Mayu Gyeom, my mind changed. The Sunwoo Thirteen Swords simply couldn’t hold a candle to the Four-Sword Technique.”

His eyes suddenly flashed.

“You fought Mayu Gyeom? I don’t recall you mentioning that last time?”

When reporting to the Grand Master and the squad leaders, I had only said that I fled using my footwork, and that Young Master Dang had awakened in time to defeat Mayu Gyeom.

If I mentioned I had fought him, I would have had to reveal that I had reached my peak.

“I didn’t want to reveal it.”

But he seemed to already guess what it was I didn’t want to reveal.

“Does Seolpung know?”

“Yes, but I asked him to keep it secret. I don’t want to leave the Seventh Division yet.”

At that, he gave a hollow laugh and said.

“Seolpung is quite fortunate. To rise from second-rate to the pinnacle in just a few months?”

Then, with a fiery gaze, he turned to me.

“Alright. I’ll put my faith in you. I believe you can bring honor to the Zhanchang. But… when you storm the Blood Sect, you absolutely must not leave me out.”

I grinned and replied.

“I will not disappoint you.”

That day, I finally mastered the Four-Sword Technique of the Pointing Blade, which I had been practicing since my previous life, focusing solely on my brother.