Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 356

356. The Sky Beyond the Sky

As Unhyun’s gaze turned cold, the First Merchant’s aura also shifted.

The lighthearted expression from their earlier conversation vanished, replaced by the intense look of a martial artist in the First Merchant’s eyes.

Woo-oong.

With a low hum, Unhyun slowly moved Myeong [his sword].

Swish.

It was an extremely simple sword technique.

Merely extending his arm and pointing the sword tip to the side—that was all.

However, the First Merchant’s expression changed at that moment.

Whoong.

The tip of Myeong moved downwards.

Still standing in place, Unhyun’s Myeong began to draw a circle.

Guest Elder recognized it instantly.

‘That’s!’

It was the sword technique that had countered Guest Elder’s own Heavenly Fragrance Butterfly.

The first form of the White Tiger True Sword, Yegom [a sword technique], was unfolding.

But there was one difference.

Woo-woo-oong.

Unlike before, when he hadn’t imbued any internal energy, Unhyun’s Myeong, drawing the circle, was now enveloped in distinct sword energy.

‘Keuk.’

Watching from behind, Ji Tae-sang felt his arm twitch involuntarily.

‘…Dangerous.’

He had to stop it immediately.

The instinct of Ji Tae-sang, the sword fanatic, the Sword Elder, screamed so.

Before that unknown sword form was completed, before the circle drawn in the air was finished, it had to be stopped.

No matter what it took, he couldn’t let it continue.

Ji Tae-sang gritted his teeth against the immense pressure and anxiety pressing down on him.

If the First Merchant hadn’t been standing there, Ji Tae-sang would have rushed out immediately.

It wasn’t just Ji Tae-sang.

Beside him, In Tae-sang clenched his fists and glared at Unhyun with wide eyes, and even Cheon Tae-sang frowned, unable to hide his unease.

But the First Merchant didn’t move.

He remained standing, watching Unhyun’s sword form with a sharp gaze.

Whoo-oong.

Unhyun’s sword continued to draw the circle unhindered.

Time, which felt like an eternity or a fleeting moment, passed, and Unhyun’s sword was nearing its completion.

Sarak.

As if guided by fate, Myeong completed the circle.

And at that very moment.

Hwa-ak.

Guest Elder and the Three Elders saw a blue light pouring down.

Unhyun, and the trajectory of the sword he had completed, had vanished, and only a soft light filled the surroundings.

They forgot that they were in the middle of the main road, and that it was midday, when such light shouldn’t be visible.

It was like a blue moonlight illuminating the world in the dark night.

But that sight vanished like an illusion.

Koo-oong.

A heavy impact slowly faded away, leaving a lingering echo.

The three elders snapped out of their daze at the sound that resonated through their bodies.

‘Ah, damn it!’

Ji Tae-sang was startled and looked up.

For a moment, that amazing sight had completely captivated his eyes, mind, and even his thoughts.

That they, who should have been protecting the First Merchant in case of an emergency, had been so defenseless was unacceptable.

‘Ah!’

And Ji Tae-sang saw it.

Whoo-oooong.

The First Merchant was still standing there.

His back, with his clothes fluttering, remained as firm as ever.

But shining in his hand was the First Merchant’s sword, Cheon-ha (天下, All Under Heaven) [a sword name, meaning “All Under Heaven”].

“…S-Sir Merchant.”

In Tae-sang muttered, a groan escaping his lips.

He, too, was staring with wide eyes, as if he couldn’t believe it.

“To hold a sword…”

Deuk.

Ji Tae-sang saw Cheon Tae-sang gritting his teeth and clenching his fist.

Ji Tae-sang also bit his lip and looked at the First Merchant.

Although he couldn’t see it properly because it was his back that was facing them, it was clear that a smile was spreading across the First Merchant’s lips.

“…Amazing.”

Swish.

The First Merchant lowered his sword and spoke.

“How do you know the Breaking Moon Eclipse of the Bicheon Martial Arts School?”

Guest Elder felt goosebumps.

‘How can this be?’

Even in the face of that amazing sword form, the First Merchant hadn’t changed at all.

The only difference was that he had drawn his sword.

Seeing his eyes shining with curiosity and the smile on his lips, Guest Elder felt a sense of despair.

But Unhyun remained calm.

“This is,”

Unhyun said, lightly lowering his sword.

“The first form of the White Tiger True Sword, Yegom.”

“Yegom?”

The First Merchant’s eyebrows furrowed slightly.

After thinking for a moment, the First Merchant smiled again.

“I see. You have already seen the end of wisdom and reached the power of heaven.”

“No.”

Unhyun said firmly.

“No one can dare say they have seen the end of wisdom.”

Looking straight at the First Merchant, Unhyun said.

“And this Yegom is not all of me either.”

Hwa-reuk.

The First Merchant’s eyes blazed instantly.

He had called Yegom the power of heaven, but Unhyun said that even that was not all of him.

He couldn’t hide his agitation and asked.

“…Is that, really true?”

Unhyun answered without hesitation.

“Yes.”

The answer was neither a lie nor a boast.

Although Yegom was the last sword form of the White Tiger True Sword that Unhyun had completed, it was by no means everything.

The sword that the Sleeping Buddha had likened to a dragon hidden in the sky.

The sword that had shown Unhyun a new world, even though he had no sword energy or internal force.

That was the White Tiger Training Sword.

“That’s not all.”

Looking straight into the First Merchant’s trembling eyes, Unhyun said.

“I have another sword…”

“Hyun-ah!”

The voice that burst out at that moment was Guest Elder’s.

It was a title he had never heard before, but he couldn’t care less about that.

Guest Elder’s expression was stiff.

Unhyun knew what Guest Elder was worried about.

Mu-gam (無感, Insensitivity) [a state of emotional detachment].

Guest Elder was worried that Unhyun was about to use what Yeongho-jun had described as a Simma [a state of being consumed by one’s inner demons or negative emotions].

And that was a very accurate assessment.

“…Sometimes.”

Looking at Guest Elder, Unhyun said.

“Isn’t there a path we must take, even knowing we shouldn’t go?”

The sword that endlessly drew Unhyun into Mu-gam (無感, Insensitivity) [a state of emotional detachment].

The sword that was simply called Simma [a state of being consumed by one’s inner demons or negative emotions] or Mu-gam, Unhyun was now about to unleash it.

Faced with Unhyun’s gaze, Guest Elder could only bite his lip.

“Indeed.”

The First Merchant’s heavy voice echoed.

Unhyun and Guest Elder turned their heads.

The First Merchant was looking at Unhyun with a fiery gaze.

“There is a path you must take even knowing it. A path you cannot avoid.”

Swish.

The First Merchant slowly raised his sword, Cheon-ha.

It was just then, as he pointed the tip of Cheon-ha at Unhyun.

“Sir Merchant.”

Cheon Tae-sang, dressed in Taoist robes, opened his mouth quietly.

The First Merchant’s eyebrows twitched.

“I humbly submit.”

Cheon Tae-sang said, his forehead touching the ground.

“The celestial omen (天氣) [fortune as divined by the heavens] is not auspicious.”

Ji Tae-sang and In Tae-sang flinched and turned to Cheon Tae-sang.

Cheon Tae-sang had never said such a thing before.

Moreover, in a place like this.

Wasn’t this the same as telling the First Merchant to back down?

Cheon Tae-sang had just uttered words that were sure to bring the First Merchant’s immense anger, an act tantamount to suicide.

Twitch.

As expected?

The First Merchant’s eyebrows twitched greatly again.

But surprisingly, the First Merchant was not angry.

He didn’t even turn his head, but his gaze was clearly wavering as he looked at Unhyun.

“…Indeed.”

Swish.

The First Merchant’s sword slowly lowered.

Staring straight at Unhyun, the First Merchant said.

“You are worthy of being the one who dragged me down from the heavens.”

What had boiled up in the First Merchant’s heart a moment ago was a spirit of rivalry.

The First Merchant, who had thought he had abandoned all human emotions and reason, had his martial spirit ignited by Unhyun’s words.

It was something that even the First Merchant himself couldn’t help but be surprised by.

Sreung.

The First Merchant sheathed his sword, Cheon-ha.

The sword disappeared, and the colorful sleeves concealed its form.

“…The Heavenly Tyrant Amulet (天下霸令) [a symbol of power or authority].”

The First Merchant opened his mouth in a heavy voice.

“Is my last attachment.”

Unhyun frowned slightly.

He couldn’t understand what he meant, but the First Merchant continued quietly.

“So I entrusted the Heavenly Tyrant Amulet to Mun Wang. He is also a remnant of my attachment, and the only trace left in this world.”

Unhyun’s expression hardened.

In Tae-sang made a sorrowful expression again, and the First Merchant’s voice continued.

“It is the right choice not to exploit the child’s death.”

The First Merchant stared straight at Unhyun.

It was not the gaze of a parent who had lost a child in any way.

“But I am not satisfied that you are still bound by human affairs. Even though you are destined to be special to me.”

The First Merchant said with a cold gaze.

“Because you will not be able to reach the sky beyond the sky with that.”

Unhyun could hardly understand his words.

But he could clearly understand what he wanted to say.

And also that the First Merchant no longer wanted a confrontation.

Sarak.

The First Merchant put his hands behind his back.

At the same time, the three elders stood up.

“Next time.”

That voice was somehow strange.

Even though he was right in front of them, the words were not clear, as if echoing from a distant place.

“I hope your sword can cleave the heavens.”

Woong-woong-woong.

“Ugh.”

Dam So-ha groaned and covered her ears.

Jo Gwan and Yeongho-jun were the same.

And the next moment, the First Merchant and the Three Elders were no longer there.

All that remained were the wreckage of the carriage and the traces of destruction.

Swaaaaa.

The wind swept through the main road.

Unhyun slowly sheathed Myeong.

Sreung.

“Are you okay?”

Guest Elder, who had approached, asked Unhyun.

Unhyun wore a faint smile.

“Yes. Thank you, Guest Elder.”

But Guest Elder’s expression was not good.

If the First Merchant hadn’t backed down due to Cheon Tae-sang’s dissuasion, Unhyun might have been trapped in Mu-gam, or Simma, by now.

“Are you alright?”

Dam So-ha asked with worried eyes.

Unhyun nodded.

“I’m fine, Dam Je.”

“That’s a relief. But what on earth is going on? Why did the First Merchant suddenly…”

The surroundings were a mess.

The group’s carriage was smashed to pieces, leaving only fragments, and the once-intact main road was cracked here and there as if an earthquake had struck.

“What does it mean that the celestial omen was not auspicious earlier? It seemed like he suddenly backed down because of that?”

“It means there are circumstances.”

Guest Elder replied quietly.

“Reasons of their own that they don’t want to reveal to us.”

“Hmm.”

Dam So-ha frowned and thought.

“What could it be? It seemed like a pretty important matter.”

The First Merchant had clearly been trying to settle things with Unhyun earlier.

It seemed like no one could stop him.

For him to back down like that, it must have been a very important and serious matter.

But no one could answer.

Unhyun was also quietly reviewing the words left by the First Merchant.

“Ah, damn it!”

Then, Yeongho-jun suddenly shouted.

He quickly looked around as if he had just remembered.

“Damn it! Tsk tsk…”

It didn’t take long to find the coachman’s body.

He had already died when the carriage was first destroyed.

Yeongho-jun recited a prayer and temporarily recovered the coachman’s body.

“There are many stories I want to tell, but.”

Sighing, Yeongho-jun said.

“First, we need to get a carriage. There will probably be a village if we follow the main road.”

Dam So-ha nodded.

“I see. Then we’ll wait here, so please do your best. Chief Strategist.”

At those words, Yeongho-jun frowned.

“No, what is that…”

He couldn’t continue his words as he tried to protest.

Come to think of it, he and Guest Elder were the only ones who knew how to use lightness skill.

He couldn’t dare to ask Guest Elder to get a carriage, so getting a carriage was ultimately his responsibility.

“Keueung.”

Yeongho-jun groaned.

No matter how smart he was, he had no way out this time.