Book 24 Chapter 19

The Thirteenth Stance

- A Blade Beyond Heaven

As he had guaranteed, the dual-wielding sword technique of Chil-sang-heon possessed a terrifying power capable of uprooting mountains and overturning seas. His true prowess only began to manifest when he discarded his half-broken blade and picked up two swords. With a ferocity that seemed capable of crushing mountains, his two blades lunged at the target, aiming to annihilate anything in their path.

"He certainly has grounds for his boasting."

However, compared to its power, the technique lacked precision. His wavering emotions were reflected in the unsteady tip of his blade. Furthermore, it was Yeonbi herself who was waiting for the moment his emotions would erupt. Yeonbi was not foolish enough to be ensnared by what she herself had orchestrated.

"Oh dear! It seems you've been slacking off during this time, utterly useless. Perhaps one hundred slashes weren't enough?"

Yeonbi said, landing lightly on the ground after effortlessly dodging the blade energy that cleaved the earth.

"Well, do you really think so?"

Chil-sang-heon was not disappointed. Even if he had picked up twin swords, if his opponent could be dispatched in a single second, he wouldn't have been opening a coffin.

*Rustle!*

Yeonbi's sleeve was cleanly sliced.

"Next time, it won't end with just a sleeve."

Chil-sang-heon warned. Yeonbi shot him a look of disdain and shouted,

"Shameless! Pervert!"

Chil-sang-heon was dumbfounded by this sudden accusation.

"Who are you calling shameless!"

Although he had shed a great deal of blood in this Endless Arena for years, he was a warrior to his very core. He had always crushed all his enemies before him with brute force. He had always met all grudges and hatred directed at him with strength. It wasn't a matter of right or wrong. He didn't care whether it was right or wrong. He had always used only one method in choosing his means: brute force. But to be called 'shameless' and a 'pervert' by a young girl, how could he not be astounded?

"I am not a pervert! I have only pursued 'pure martial arts' until now. So do not think of insulting me!"

However, Yeonbi had a point.

"By pursuing only 'pure martial arts,' have you forgotten everything else? The basic emotions a human should possess, all the 'five desires and seven emotions'?"

"That's right. I discarded all of them. I betrayed my master, turned my back on my fellow disciples, and sought only pure 'martial arts'!"

"Discarded everything? Lies! You wanted to become a 'blade ghost,' discarding affection, love, morality, and ethics, but there was only one thing you couldn't let go of."

"What is it?"

"Fear!"

Yeonbi replied.

"Impossible! I have overcome all fear!"

He shouted in a fit.

"Then why can't you face it? Why does that word cause ripples in your heart, which you claim to have emptied of all emotions? And so conspicuously! That is proof that you yourself know you haven't yet abandoned fear. Thus, I am not afraid of you at all. It seems foolish to fear someone who already fears something, doesn't it?"

At that moment, Yeonbi's hawk-like pupils began to turn golden.

"Besides, I am not afraid of someone who abandoned themselves. Why? Because the you standing there now is a fake. A pathetic figure who cannot even embrace their own past."

Chil-sang-heon scoffed and ignored Yeonbi's words. He could not bear to hear such abuse any longer.

"There's no need to be disappointed yet. I will show you what I have perfected through nine years of Hundred-Blade Training."

He was confident. He had dedicated the last nine years to this one technique.

"I was just about to yawn from waiting, but I am curious about what you've been preparing for nine years while running away. I hope it's something that can overcome your fear. Otherwise, it won't be very interesting."

Yeonbi said, covering her mouth as if about to yawn.

"It will be sufficiently interesting. I guarantee it."

He was confident. With the meeting of two blades, the "Heaven-Splitting Saber's Twelve Stances of Blood Flow," Guan-cheon-do's secret technique, had fully regained its original power.

"You might end up ruined if you make guarantees so carelessly. Such words appear even in ancient texts from fifteen hundred years ago. If your neighbor vouches for you, they are risking their own life. Show reverence!"

These were words he had used on Yoonmi not long ago. It showed how deep the history of guarantees and ruin was.

"I don't know what you've been yearning for these past nine years, but it's best not to make guarantees carelessly."

Then Chil-sang-heon replied.

"A Blade Beyond Heaven (天外一刀)."

"Huh? What's that?"

Yeonbi asked again.

"A Blade Beyond Heaven, the thirteenth stance of Guan-cheon-do's Twelve Stances of Blood Flow. That is what I have been searching for."

"A Blade Beyond Heaven!"

Na Baek-cheon, who had secured a good seat thanks to the invitation and was watching, was so excited that he involuntarily jumped to his feet. As the leader of the martial arts alliance, it was not a very dignified posture, so Ye-cheong quickly pulled her husband back to his seat.

"A Blade Beyond Heaven? What is that?"

Ye-cheong asked coolly.

"What, madam? You truly don't know?"

Na Baek-cheon's eyes widened.

"Is that the name of a woman you had an affair with? Why do I have to know that?"

The word 'affair' sent a chill wind through Na Baek-cheon's heart, and his complexion instantly turned dark.

"W-what are you talking about? A-an affair! I, never…!"

He even stammered.

"I'm just using it as an example, an example. If you really did, would it have ended with just a word? More importantly, what is it? This 'A Blade Beyond Heaven'?"

"It is the thirteenth stance."

It was not a detailed explanation. Rather, it only amplified Ye-cheong's confusion. Realizing his mistake, Na Baek-cheon began to explain in detail.

"It is the thirteenth martial stance of someone. You know who that person is, madam. You even met them yourself not long ago. An elder with sticky fingers."

Ye-cheong was startled by his words.

"N-no way!"

If there was an elder with such sticky fingers and wielding dual swords, and possessing such immense martial arts that no one could oppose him, there was only one person.

"It's that lecherous pervert grandfather."

Then a wizened voice was heard from the side.

"Hey, try not to speak as if I'm not right beside you."

As Na Baek-cheon turned his gaze slightly, the face of Elder Hyeok-jung, who was sitting right next to him, came into view.

"If you must, call me Elder 'Divine Demon' rather than a lecherous pervert, you henpecked fool of the martial arts world!"

At those words, Na Baek-cheon's eyebrows curled into an inverted V.

"Elder Brother! Did you deliberately call me a fool just now? Not the leader of the alliance?"

Na Baek-cheon exclaimed indignantly.

"That's right! Why is he a fool? He's the leader of the alliance!"

Ye-cheong protested, huffing. Not many people dared to talk back to the Divine Demon of the world like this. After much contemplation, Elder Hyeok-jung looked at the two of them and opened his mouth.

"My, my, how strange."

His words carried a quiet admiration. It was a hidden compliment, implying, "My, such a thing exists. It truly is worth living a long life to see."

"What is strange?"

The couple exclaimed in unison.

"Neither of you is taking issue with the part about being henpecked. Isn't that right?"

"…"

At his observation, the couple became as silent as a clam.

"Just by that, you can surely be called a fool. Isn't that right?"

Elder Hyeok-jung asked with a sly smile.

"More importantly, if it's 'A Blade Beyond Heaven,' then it's that, isn't it, Elder Brother?"

Suddenly, Na Baek-cheon asked with a deeply serious expression. He had abruptly changed the subject. If the conversation continued like this, he might be called the fool of the martial arts alliance or the henpecked leader. He wanted to avoid such a situation as much as possible. Expecting courtesy from this unruly old man, who lived life entirely on his own terms, was a miscalculation. He decided to give up on that part cleanly. Rather, regarding this matter of 'A Blade Beyond Heaven,' it was fastest to ask the person himself. This old man was the one who knew the most about that thirteenth blade.

"That's it. There's no other way."

The elder replied curtly. His words lacked substance.

"Can't I also know, instead of the two of you whispering intimately?"

Na Baek-cheon took on the role of explaining.

"Ah, originally, 'A Blade Beyond Heaven' refers to the non-existent thirteenth stance of the secret blade technique of the once-famous Martial God and Demon, Twelve Stances of Blood Flow."

As the name suggests, the Twelve Stances of Blood Flow, the unique art of the Martial God and Demon Pae-cheon-do, Guan-jung-hyeok, consisted of twelve stances. Therefore, a thirteenth stance itself was nonsensical. If it existed, it would be Thirteen Stances of Blood Flow, not Twelve.

"You didn't give it a new name because it was too much trouble, did you?"

"Am I crazy? To do something like that?"

Elder Hyeok-jung grumbled.

"But you've researched it for a long time."

"Yes, because my sleep was restless."

Na Baek-cheon was dumbfounded by that answer.

"Do even someone like Elder Brother have restless nights? You are a symbol of recklessness, someone who fears nothing in the world?"

Then Elder Hyeok-jung glared at Na Baek-cheon and said,

"Who do you think fought him directly a hundred years ago? Did you fight him? Did you fight him!"

"Of course… I couldn't!"

Although he was now the esteemed leader of the martial arts alliance, governing the righteous martial arts world, he was young back then. And it wasn't his turn to engage in a major battle.

"I know best how terrifying that man is, having fought him directly and survived. So, I am the one who tosses and turns the most. Even after having completely absorbed the last of his twelve stances, I couldn't defeat him, so how could I sleep? And that was with that friend attacking together."

"But in the end, you won, didn't you?"

"I was lucky. But it wasn't a definitive victory. I sacrificed flesh and bone to inflict one blow, sending him over a cliff… but I never confirmed his body. Why would someone who doesn't need any further fortune fall off a cliff? Hmph. Damn him. He should have at least left a corpse."

"So the thirteenth stance…"

Only then could Ye-cheong somewhat understand Elder Hyeok-jung's feelings. If she were Elder Hyeok-jung, she would have done the same.

"Since all twelve weren't effective, what else could be done? I had to create a thirteenth. But the strange thing is, it doesn't just get made by trying."

"So, putting him aside, did you succeed, Elder Brother?"

Elder Hyeok-jung's eyes narrowed, as if his pride had been hurt.

"Who do you think I am, to dare ask that!"

"Then?"

To Na Baek-cheon, whose eyes widened in surprise, Elder Hyeok-jung stated firmly.

"It's a secret."

And then, annoyingly, he firmly shut his mouth. Na Baek-cheon was so bewildered that he stood with his mouth agape, unable to say anything.

"Your mouth will get flies if you keep it open like that. Close it."

Even after receiving such a rebuke, his mouth remained open for quite some time. It took a while for the shock to subside.