Chapter 30 Killing Two Birds with One Stone (2)

Chapter 30 Killing Two Birds with One Stone (2)

After the Solar Eclipse.

Once most of the cultivators had dispersed, Yu Zhangming approached Gu Yangji and asked.

“Brother Ji, what exactly happened?”

At that, Gu Yangjie briefly explained the events.

After all, the fact that a single Zixi Dan had been bestowed upon him would soon be revealed anyway.

So surely there was something more important than that.

A look of satisfaction and mischief coexisted on Gu Yangjie’s face.

“Senior Brother, what’s with this ‘peak’? This isn’t some neighborhood tavern. How did you ascend so quickly?”

“I just happened to drop by.”

Who could possibly accept the pinnacle so calmly?

Watching Yu Zhangming take his first step into the realm of infinite martial arts, Gu Yangji smiled contentedly.

And yet, there was still something he wondered about.

“So, what exactly was this enlightenment?”

Gu Yangjie’s expression turned serious.

There are two primary paths to reaching the pinnacle.

The first involves using immense internal energy to complete the Microcosmic Orbit, expanding the flow from the dantian to the Ren and Du meridians.

The second relies on pure enlightenment to broaden the boundaries of martial techniques.

Most chose the former path.

For enlightenment, as Yu Zhangming had said, could come unexpectedly or through the accumulation of countless hours of training.

Yet the martial world was no easy place to accumulate that chance and experience to reach the peak.

‘But… they say masters who left their mark on the martial world always reached the peak through enlightenment.’

It wasn’t something to boast about, but Gu Yangji in his previous life was also the type who reached the pinnacle through enlightenment.

Speed and Weight.

After exhaustively pursuing these two, Gu Yangji shattered the stage of the pinnacle.

Of course, in this life, he didn’t need to go through that process, so he had taken the former path.

Then, Yu Zhangming must have also had an enlightenment, like a fleeting encounter, pass by.

As Gu Yangji stared intently, Yu Zhangming felt increasingly stifled.

“I forgot.”

“You forgot?”

A hint of surprise flashed across Gu Yangji’s face.

It was practically nonsensical.

‘Is he joking…?’

Five years had passed since the time he was called the Purple Sword Spirit.

During that time, Gu Yangji had fought and debated swordsmanship with countless hidden masters.

Among them were those who, like himself, had attained enlightenment and reached the pinnacle.

They all said the same thing.

“I grasped the pinnacle in my hands, yet I saw a path that seemed impossible to reach, even if I poured my entire life into it.”

He could never forget it.

How could he forget glimpsing a clue, just one step beyond the peak, a way to advance further?

It was the same for Gu Yangji.

Kua and Zhong—the foundation and the ultimate of martial arts.

No matter what level one reaches, one can never truly say they have reached the ultimate.

Therefore, martial artists beyond the peak, whether by innate talent or acquired skill, clung tightly to the enlightenment that came to them.

But to forget that?

As Gu Yangji looked on in disbelief, Yu Zhangming asked, looking somewhat embarrassed.

“Is that strange?”

“……Uh, yeah.”

Considering lying, but knowing it would come out eventually, Gu Yangji answered honestly.

“Very much so.”

“Seeing how certain you are, it seems you too went through that process.”

Stung by the remark, Gu Yangji remained silent.

He’d momentarily forgotten that even if he appeared as foolishly kind as that senior brother, his innate intuition was above average.

But soon, Gu Yangjeok naturally brought up the excuse he had prepared beforehand.

“I received the transmission of your senior brother’s internal energy, and to control it, I was given the Zixi Dan…”

In short, it meant that while properly absorbing the elixir, an epiphany had flashed through his mind.

‘You have to tie everything up neatly to avoid any backlash later.’

As he said this, Gu Yangji inwardly worried whether Yu Zhangming might feel envious.

After all, just yesterday, he hadn’t responded to Yu Zhangming’s overtures.

On top of that, he’d reached the pinnacle—a height only one in a hundred martial artists might attain—in one fell swoop using the Zhaoshu Dan, the treasure of the Huoshan Sect.

Even the most magnanimous person would inevitably feel a twinge of envy.

But Yu Zhangming was different.

“Well, that’s wonderful news.”

“…You’re so quick to accept things.”

Gu Yangjie laughed hollowly.

Yes, that was just how his senior brother was.

That was precisely why he had decided to remain with the Huashan Sect until the end in this life.

Gu Yangjie reaffirmed his own goal.

‘It’s not just about my strength; ensuring no one dies is also crucial.’

Closing his eyes briefly before opening them again, Gu Yangjeok gazed at the sun high in the sky.

“Since we’ve both reached our peak, why not spar a bit together?”

At those words, Yoo Jangmyeong ran his fingers over the sword at his waist.

Occasionally, Gu Yangjeok’s insolent remarks would make him choke up, but now his intent was crystal clear.

He meant to test how much he had grown by clashing blades, to measure it coldly and objectively.

Yu Zhangming smiled warmly, thinking, Has my disciple grown this much?

“Shall we?”

And so, the senior brothers walked toward the training ground at the very center of the Huashan Sect.

* * *

Thump, thump.

As their footsteps drew closer to the training ground, the lay disciples’ attention began to focus.

Even Gu Yangji, who usually paid no heed to others’ words, frowned at their dense chatter.

The comparisons to Pang Wuzong, the peerless martial artist renowned as the greatest in the history of the Hebei Pang Clan, particularly irked him.

‘Reaching the peak at such a young age always, always! brings up Pang Wuzhong.’

It was true that Pang Wuzhong was a creative martial artist, just like the ‘Forget-Self’ training method Gu Yangji had practiced during his six months of seclusion in the hermitage.

Having reached the peak at fifteen, he must have been a formidable figure.

But hadn’t he died over twenty years ago?

Gu Yangji’s face remained grim, refusing to relax. Yu Zhangming, who had been watching him out of the corner of his eye, smiled faintly.

“What are you sulking about now? Whether they’re lay disciples or registered disciples, aren’t they all part of the Huashan Sect family?”

“Isn’t it a nuisance to keep harping on about a dead man’s reputation?”

As Gu Yangjeok’s voice rose, the chatter comparing him to Pang Wuzhong or other masters died down.

“The master is still different.”

Yu Zhangming subtly chided Gu Yangjeok’s character as he drew his wooden sword.

Watching him, Gu Yangjeok also lightly curled his fingers around his wooden sword.

Perhaps because dawn had broken, the shadow draped over one side of the courtyard seemed to lift.

It could be called a change of mood.

Or, in terms of discerning the true nature of Yu Jangmyeong’s realization, this sparring session would be rich nourishment.

A case of killing two birds with one stone, so to speak.

The tendons on Gu Yangji’s knuckles bulged powerfully.

“Are you ready?”

“Come at me freely.”

At those words, Gu Yangji’s knees bent slightly, then…

Whoosh!

He thrust forward, pushing the earth itself aside in a single bound.

Only a cloud of dust remained where Gu Yangji had stood.

‘Where is he?’

Yu Jang-myeong’s gaze wavered uneasily.

He should be getting used to it by now, yet the divine technique Gu Yang-jeok displayed carried a thicker scent of wildness than the orthodox style of the Huashan Sect.

Then, a gust of wind brushed past his earlobe.

‘Here.’

Yu Zhangming extended his sword with unwavering posture.

It was but an instant, yet he was certain.

Gu Yangji was lunging toward this spot.

Kaang!

Scorching sparks soared upward through the cold air.

Hot.

Simultaneously, a look of utter disappointment settled heavily on Gu Yangji’s face.

As if he hadn’t anticipated this.

Yoo Jang-myeong tilted his head slightly, a look he hadn’t seen recently, though perhaps in the past.

Pang!

In that instant, Gu Yang-jeok’s kick swept past.

Gu Yang-jeok’s gaze, as if asking if it was intentional, turned toward Yoo Jang-myeong.

Then Yoo Jang-myeong answered.

Of course not, so why would he do that?

“Plum Blossom Sword.”

Yu Zhangming lightly proclaimed the sword technique he would unleash, then swung his hand with solemn force.

At that, the tip of Yu Zhangming’s blade glistened with droplets of purple qi.

“Plum Blossom’s Radiant Bloom.”

It expels the radiant energy held within the plum blossom.

It was one of the few illusory swords within the Huashan Sword School, blending illusion and reality, displaying vastly different effects depending on the swordsman’s skill.

But Yu Zhangming was one of the few masters of the Plum Blossom Sword Technique within the Huashan School.

It was never easy.

Gu Yangjie sensed fragments of his past life within it.

‘He himself doesn’t realize it, but this is…’

Gu Yangjie frowned as he caught the faintest hint of plum blossom fragrance beginning to waft.

This was a realm far beyond what the twenty-one-year-old Yu Zhangming could possibly master.

What he displayed now was a sword technique that could only be wielded freely after accumulating experience, cultivating inner strength, and perfecting one’s physique.

Refining that to perfection and advancing it one step further was the Plum Blossom Sword Saint of his past life, and the Yu Zhangming of his past life.

Yet now, Yu Zhangming had achieved the accomplishments of his past life at a far younger age.

The bewilderment vanished from Gu Yangjie’s face, replaced gradually by growing interest.

‘It was worth resolving the Golden Ring Society early.’

Gu Yangjie felt an even stronger competitive spirit toward Yu Zhangming.

He also anticipated that Yu Zhangming would gain even more from sparring with him.

‘Still, I cannot afford to lose yet, Senior Brother.’

Gu Yangji’s pupils sank momentarily. Beyond calmness, they became still.

His original five years of internal energy cultivation, Ha Jin’e’s thirty-five years, and the ten years gained from the Jasmine Pill.

This internal energy, nearly a full cycle of sixty years, would be more poison than blessing for an ordinary late-stage cultivator. But for Gu Yangjie, it was different.

The Zhen Huian.

A strange technique that granted the right to see first only for attacks that distorted the wind, while imposing a powerful sense of oppression on those far below his level.

Previously, Song Mu had blocked it with overwhelming force, but this time, his opponent was Yu Zhangming.

‘I won’t lose.’

Gu Yangji’s opening move instantly shifted to offense, brutally pressing Yoo Jang-myeong.

The assault was so thorough and swift that even the core disciples, deeply engrossed in their training, gasped in awe, analyzing Gu Yangji’s sword technique.

“Whoa…”

“What kind of sword technique is he using to attack?”

“He seems to be countering solely with the basic sword techniques of the Huashan Sect… continuously switching between the Six Harmonies Sword and the Three Ridges Sword.”

Someone nearly asked if that was even possible, but the disciples clamped their mouths shut as another interruption followed.

Gu Yangjie was skillfully driving Yu Zhangming back, switching sword techniques moment by moment.

He gave him no time to breathe.

He wouldn’t even let him step back into his own territory.

“It’s terrifying.”

The disciples nodded in agreement at Yi Dae-je’s words. Some even tried to mimic Gu Yang-jeok’s sword technique.

It was no exaggeration—the sword technique Gu Yang-jeok displayed was tyranny itself.

Pure power, devoid of doubt or anxiety.

A storm that swept through and obliterated everything in its path.

Yu Jang-myeong, facing him, was different from that kind of power.

When Gu Yang-jeok pulled his arms back to prepare a fierce attack, Yu Jang-myeong kept his body light, ready to flow away smoothly at any moment.

He parried the successive strikes with an indifferent gaze.

Even against lightning-fast attacks too swift to blink at, Yu Jang-myeong showed no sign of discomfort.

This sparring match was precisely such a battle.

A sparring match to see each other’s limits.

That was why Yu Zhangming’s expression was filled with a certain regret.

‘How has my disciple’s martial arts grown so strong?’

No matter how he parried, he couldn’t make these lightning strikes retreat. How could he possibly block them?

Unlike Gu Yangji, who was flustered by Yu Jang-myeong’s progress, Yu Jang-myeong was acutely aware of his own shortcomings.

Had Gu Yangji known this, he would surely have said something like this.

-While some struggle desperately to grow stronger, even borrowing from past lives, what makes you think you can devour everything with a single epiphany?

Most martial artists would surely agree.

Thus, until sunset, Gu Yangji and Yu Zhangming sparred endlessly, taking only brief breaks.

* * *

“…Huff.”

Gu Yangji flapped his sweat-soaked dobok with his hands.

Testing Yu Zhangming’s limits and loosening his own body had become so exhilarating he couldn’t contain his excitement.

“You’ve gotten ridiculously strong, brother. What can I say.”

Though he spoke like this, Gu Yangjie was swept up in an incredibly refreshing feeling.

Yu Zhangming growing stronger meant the revival of the Huashan Sect.

It was an opportunity to encourage Zhao Hun and the other Huashan Sect disciples nearby.

‘I’m just not the type to hear nice things from others.’

That sort of thing could be left to Yu Zhangming.

Just as Gu Yangji reached up to wipe the sweat from his face with his sleeve.

Splash.

A sound of movement echoed along the path leading to the Plum Blossom Clinic.