Book 9 Chapter 11

The sacred sword of the Bai Dao, Yong Cheon-myeong, and the Green Jade Tathagata Divine Sword.

“May I ask your name? What is your name?” Yong Cheon-myeong asked. He wanted to know the name of the man who had cornered this fierce mare to this extent.

“Of course! My name is Bi Ryu-yeon!” Bi Ryu-yeon answered without hesitation, as he had no memory of doing anything bad enough to hide his name.

“Hoho! So you are the Bi Ryu-yeon who has been secretly causing a stir in the academy lately!” The name Bi Ryu-yeon was one of the first things he heard when he emerged from his secluded training and returned to Gujeonghoe. As such, there was great interest. The opponent that even the twin pillars of martial arts and literature in Gujeonghoe had reserved judgment for! The one who had dulled the sword of Munjeol Jiryeong Baek Mu-yeong and brought forth the silence of Mujeol Cheong Heun! He had expected an eccentric and inscrutable person from the reports, but he never imagined that someone would be committing such absurd acts.

“Didn’t you also win the Samsung Mujae competition?” His tone seemed somewhat incredulous. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have asked in such a roundabout way.

“There was indeed such a minor event.” Bi Ryu-yeon said, as if it were no big deal. It was a response that implied, ‘What’s the point of accepting praise for something anyone could do?’

At Bi Ryu-yeon’s indifferent reply, Yong Cheon-myeong burst into hearty laughter. “Hahaha! Of course. As your nickname suggests, it was obtained through sheer luck, so it’s no wonder you don’t consider it honorable! How fortunate! I was worried you might be someone who doesn’t know their place! I am very happy to confirm at this very spot that you are a person with sound judgment!” His tone seemed to be mocking.

The gazes of Na Ye-rin, Mo Yong-hwi, Hyo Ryong, and Jang Hong, people who had some connection with Bi Ryu-yeon, all turned towards him. A single question arose in their minds: ‘Sound judgment?’ Their answer was already decided from the time the universe separated into Yin and Yang from the primordial chaos, forming the Tai Chi. ‘Such a thing doesn’t exist!’ They all had to agree from the standpoint of unified humanity, regardless of ideology, affiliation, or origin. If Bi Ryu-yeon had possessed sound judgment in the first place, the current events wouldn’t have happened.

It seemed Yong Cheon-myeong was confident enough to provoke Bi Ryu-yeon and still subdue him. Without knowing if this thought was a miscalculation… From now on, calculation would be necessary.

Although Yong Cheon-myeong’s appearance marked a new turning point in the situation, Bi Ryu-yeon still hadn’t let go of Ma Hwa-ryeong’s hand. One would think he would have let go out of boredom by now, but with the stubbornness of an ox, he was being obstinate. Although Yong Cheon-myeong maintained a calm demeanor with a smile, he was quite flustered by this unexpected turn of events. ‘Does our academy have someone else with extraordinary ability who can handle that ill-tempered mare besides me? Could that truly be possible just by luck?’ When he had left the academy for his half-century of secluded training, such a person definitely did not exist. Yet, after dedicating himself to training in isolation, he found that the world around him seemed to have changed a little. It was natural for Yong Cheon-myeong to be curious about the true identity of the person who was baffling Ma Hwa-ryeong. And he clearly recognized that he was in a position where he had to make a decision on how to proceed.

Ssangryongbo! It was one of the few martial arts forces that boasted prestige comparable to the Eight Great Families. And it was the ancestral home of Yong Cheon-myeong, the lord of Gujeonghoe. Ssangryongbo, which appeared to be of ordinary family scale on the outside, was in reality a place that could be called the Shaolin of the secular world. This was because all the key positions in Ssangryongbo were held by people who had ties to Shaolin. The current lord of Ssangryongbo, Yong Cheon-gi, and his ancestors for generations had been disciples from the secular branch of Shaolin. Unusually for secular disciples, they had been taught the Shaolin Temple’s supreme martial arts. Because of this, it had grown its influence in the martial arts world with the absolute protection of the Shaolin Temple. Its location was also in Henan Province, close to Shaolin, so close that one could reach the Shaolin Temple’s mountain gate by simply stepping out of its front gate. Therefore, Ssangryongbo had no fault in being called the core of Shaolin’s secular branch. And no one raised an objection to this. Some even called it Shaolin’s sword. While Shaolin took good care of it, Ssangryongbo faithfully served as a bridge to the secular world, pretending not to be involved. Of course, they consistently provided financial support to Shaolin. Having gained immense profit by leveraging Shaolin’s background, it was natural for a portion of it to go to Shaolin. For generations, the direct descendants of Ssangryongbo had entered Shaolin as secular disciples from childhood, receiving the same training as direct disciples and being able to receive all teachings according to their talents, free from the usual restrictions of secular disciples. Thus, the prestige of Ssangryongbo grew with each passing year. Among them, Yong Cheon-myeong was an even more special existence.

Chang Cheon Ryong Yong Cheon-myeong! He had always lived pursuing perfection. And he wanted to become perfect. Of course, he wasn’t the type of fool who thought he could become perfect just by sitting idly. He was prepared to pay the price for it. Therefore, he worked hard to perfect himself and was confident that he had the capacity for it. He certainly had the talent. Innate talent that surpassed anyone else! This world indeed inevitably required innate talent. The barrier was too high to overcome through effort alone. People all have different talents. It was unreasonable to expect their talents to be concentrated solely on martial arts. In that regard, Yong Cheon-myeong could be considered fortunate. He broke through that rare probability and was born with extraordinary talent. His mind and body were prepared. And the master, a necessary and sufficient condition for becoming strong in martial arts, was also perfectly prepared. Shaolin gave him strength, as he wanted to perfect himself. Shaolin was indeed Shaolin. Therefore, he could become perfect. He became a powerful figure close to perfection among his peers. He had become strong enough to take pride and honor in it. One day, looking around, he found that fewer than five fingers were needed to count those comparable to him. And no one disputed that fact. Even after entering Cheonmu Academy, the hall of martial arts, there were almost no one who could be his opponent. In terms of martial arts, even Baek Mu-yeong of Hyeolsan Ilgi was not his opponent. The only one who could be his opponent was Cheong Heun of Samjeol Geom. Cheong Heun was indeed formidable. He was the first person of the same generation who had made him struggle so much. The sword of Wudang, known as the number one swordsman in Shinju, was indeed terrifying. There were several times he was close to being defeated by his sword. No words like complacency or leisure were allowed against him. However, fortunately, after exerting his full strength, Yong Cheon-myeong defeated Cheong Heun by half a breath. Fortunately, one of his parents (obviously his mother’s side) was from the Wudang Sect, which allowed him to avoid fatal injuries and gave him the advantage. Thus, he became the lord of Gujeonghoe. He was the youngest lord. No one had ever risen to the position of leader of Gujeonghoe in such a short period as Yong Cheon-myeong. Yet now, a man who completely ignored him had appeared. How should this unexpected man be dealt with? Moreover, he was pressuring the extremely difficult and ill-tempered Ma Hwa-ryeong. And that somehow grated on his nerves. That fact played a decisive role in creating an inexplicable anxiety and unease in his heart. This was a strange kind of worry for him. Today, he was completely unlike his usual self. “Amitabha! In Great Shaolin, there are seventy-two divine skills, laid down by Patriarch Bodhidharma through nine years of facing the wall and refined by the sixth patriarch, Master Huineng. Each of these divine skills is so profound and mysterious that it is impossible to master them all even with a lifetime of practice. However, as the old saying goes, ‘Dig one well deeply rather than digging many.’ Even if you learn various things haphazardly, they are of no use in actual combat. Especially in front of peak experts, martial arts that have not achieved mastery are useless. You do not need to learn all seventy-two exquisite skills of Shaolin!” Hye-jeong Daesa, Yong Cheon-myeong’s master, said, rolling an iron prayer bead in one hand. “Then what should this disciple do?” Yong Cheon-myeong asked, bowing his head. He was seeking guidance. Currently, he was building his foundation with Shaolin’s secret divine skill, the Prajna Divine Skill, and had only learned a few basic exquisite skills. He was just about to begin his formal training. *Chak!* “Amitabha! Take this!” The master thrust something at him. Hye-jeong Daesa performed a ritual for the object he had taken out. If the master, the abbot of Shaolin, showed such respect, even a fool could guess the value of the object. Young Yong Cheon-myeong’s eyes widened in surprise. It was an object completely unsuited for Shaolin. “This… this is……” Yong Cheon-myeong stammered, his heart pounding with surprise. It was an object completely unsuited for Shaolin. Shaolin Temple had sorghum brooms for sweeping the courtyard, staffs for eminent monks to walk with, and Shaolin staffs for Shaolin warriors to train with. However, he had never heard of swords in Shaolin. A monk carrying a sword was unprecedented. Yet, what his master offered him was a sword. Its ancient elegance, its subtle green luster, and the aura emanating from it clearly showed that it was no ordinary sword. From every angle, it was undeniably a divine sword. Yong Cheon-myeong was instantly captivated by the auspicious sword that emitted a beautiful green light like a verdant forest. “Amitabha!” His master, Hye-jeong Daesa, recited the Buddha’s name in a solemn tone. He was performing a significant ritual. It was natural to feel solemn. Yong Cheon-myeong also felt as if his heart was being cleansed by his master’s powerful recitation. He bowed his waist and waited for his master’s words. “This is the Green Jade Tathagata Divine Sword, the supreme treasure of Shaolin. It is a sword of the highest good, meant to suppress demons and evil, and protect the righteous. The authority to decide the whereabouts of this sword belongs to only one in this world! The Green Jade Buddha Staff of the Great Shaolin’s abbot.” This meant that all other authorities could be disregarded. “Green… Green Jade Buddha Staff!” In astonishment, Yong Cheon-myeong’s mouth dropped open. His master, Hye-jeong Daesa’s words were a continuous stream of astonishing news enough to make a young heart seize up. The Green Jade Buddha Staff! A divine object symbolizing the abbot’s omnipotent authority, which managed the entirety of Great Shaolin Temple, the mountain and the North Star of the martial arts world! No one within Shaolin could escape the authority of this Green Jade Buddha Staff. It was the supreme authority that could command the Four Great Vajras, the Eighteen Bronze Men, and the Hundred and Eight Invincible Arhats. Yet, an authority that bowed only to that single authority had appeared. Tremors still ran through the young boy’s body. His master said in a dignified voice, “As I said, this sword obeys only the authority of the Green Jade Buddha Staff and does not compromise with any demon or evil. Therefore, some call this sword Shaolin’s honor.” He felt as if the sword’s aura was drawing him in. Yong Cheon-myeong stared blankly at the sword, lost in thought. After a moment of catching his breath, his master’s benevolent and dignified gaze turned towards Yong Cheon-myeong again. His gaze, which seemed to contain all of nature, naturally evoked reverence. “Cheon-myeong!” His master called his disciple. His voice was full of paternal affection. “Yes, Master!” Though young, Yong Cheon-myeong replied with all his heart. The green jade sword shining before him now overwhelmed his heart and his entire body. The air in the room felt extremely heavy. It was certain that this was no ordinary sword appraisal meeting today. No matter how young he was, he was sure of that. “Amitabha… From now on, this sword is yours.” The green jade sword, which lay on white silk, floated up and was placed before Yong Cheon-myeong. Yong Cheon-myeong dared not speak. He had no courage to do so. “How could this disciple dare……” At first, Yong Cheon-myeong had no courage to accept it. At that time, he was not yet mature enough to bear the weight of supreme authority. “Amitabha! Take it! You have sufficient qualifications for it. If you doubt your qualifications, then cultivate your skills to match this sword! Whoever possesses this sword becomes the de facto leader of Shaolin’s secular branch. Become someone who is not ashamed of their honor!” It was no small burden for a boy who was not yet fifteen years old. “Take it!” “…Master!” Yong Cheon-myeong dared not disobey. “To be the proxy of the Green Jade Tathagata Divine Sword means to be the face and honor of Shaolin! From now on, you must strive diligently to become a person worthy of that sword.” “Even if I have to give my life…” At this moment, Yong Cheon-myeong’s eyes blazed with firm conviction and determination. He had now become the proxy of the Green Jade Tathagata Divine Sword. Of course, the sword would be kept by Hye-jeong Daesa for the time being until he became skilled enough to match it. “As you know, our Nine Great Sects failed to produce even a single Heavenly Martial Saint during the unprecedented martial arts upheaval of the previous Heavenly Calamity Blood Era. After Heavenly Martial Saints were produced from those outside the Nine Great Sects, they were called the Three Heavenly Martial Saints and revered as pillars of the martial arts world. It was a great pity for our Nine Sects that the Sword Venerable was not among them. His skill would have been more than enough, but luck did not favor him. Although he did not show it, that event was a great humiliation for our Nine Sects. Therefore, we have not forgotten that humiliation and have been diligently striving ever since! To give birth to the most outstanding martial talent in the Bai Dao within our Nine Sects! To produce all Heavenly Martial Saints of the next generation from the Nine Great Sects! Cheon-myeong!” “Yes, Master!” “You are the culmination of our efforts. With your talent, we believe you will never disappoint our expectations. Become a Martial God surpassing the Heavenly Martial Saint! And bring glory to the names of the Nine Great Sects and Great Shaolin.” “I will keep it in mind.” Yong Cheon-myeong replied, bowing deeply. His master believed in him. Shaolin believed in him. Gratitude swirled within his heart. “This Green Jade Tathagata Divine Sword will show you the way. Become the mountain and North Star of the martial arts world!”