Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 406

406. One Hidden (一隱)

A mansion on the outskirts of Beijing.

It was around the time the morning sun was nearing its zenith that a carriage stopped at the mansion where Unhyun and Gaeong were staying.

Clack.

The person who stepped out of the carriage was Sa Ilcheon.

Unhyun, who had been waiting, bowed respectfully.

“Welcome.”

“Thank you.”

Sa Ilcheon suddenly examined Unhyun’s complexion.

“Are you alright? You look tired.”

“Ah, I was suddenly learning something… Please, come inside.”

The lecture on toxic energy cultivation, which Gaeong had provided as a countermeasure against the martial arts competition, had continued until dawn.

Since Unhyun couldn’t learn toxic energy cultivation anyway, and he had already sparred with Gaeong, an expert in toxic energy cultivation, it wasn’t very helpful.

“I see. Ah, just a moment.”

Sa Ilcheon paid the coachman and sent the carriage away.

Clatter, clatter.

As the carriage departed, Unhyun said to Sa Ilcheon.

“Please, come inside.”

Sa Ilcheon nodded and entered the mansion with Unhyun.

Thud, thud.

“Is this your house?”

Sa Ilcheon asked, looking around the mansion.

“No, it’s a place that Lord Park is letting me use temporarily.”

“The house is nice, but it’s too far from the Imperial Palace.”

Sa Ilcheon frowned slightly and muttered.

“Even if I get a carriage, the road will be blocked, so in the end, being close is the best…”

Unhyun smiled as he watched Sa Ilcheon muttering to himself.

Looking at him like this, he was just an ordinary senior scholar he used to know, but in reality, he was ‘One Hidden (一隱),’ one of the Hwanwoo Five Heavens [a group of highly skilled martial artists].

“Gaeong is also waiting. Ah, I mean Toxic Immortal.”

“Is that so?”

Sa Ilcheon said nonchalantly.

“Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I’ve seen that grumpy Toxic Immortal.”

Thud, thud.

The two entered the backyard.

Gaeong narrowed his eyes, frowning.

“Have you been well? One Immortal (一仙).”

One Hidden spoke first.

One Immortal is a term referring to Toxic Immortal, one of the Hwanwoo Five Heavens.

Gaeong said with a scowl.

“…One Hidden?”

“Yes. I am One Hidden.”

One Hidden continued in a calm voice.

“It’s been a while since Mount Hua [a sacred Taoist mountain and frequent setting in wuxia stories], hasn’t it?”

Gaeong continued to glare at One Hidden.

Unhyun could understand why One Hidden had said that Toxic Immortal had a ‘grumpy impression.’

At Mount Hua, Gaeong must have looked at One Hidden like that as well.

“Strange.”

Gaeong said.

“I know you’re One Hidden. There can’t be another like you in the world. But you’re too young to be you.”

“Ah, is that what you mean?”

One Hidden smiled.

And he lightly raised his hand and brushed it across his face.

Swish.

Unhyun was surprised and widened his eyes.

Suddenly, One Hidden’s face had become that of an old man.

With white, long eyebrows and a white beard, an otherworldly, Taoist immortal stood before him.

With that one gesture of brushing his hand, One Hidden had completely changed his face.

“Hmm.”

Gaeong let out a low groan.

It wasn’t because One Hidden had changed his appearance so quickly.

Before and now, Gaeong couldn’t feel any sense of incongruity.

One Hidden said with a light smile.

“What you see isn’t everything. Isn’t it true that we can’t even know whether what we’re seeing is real or an illusion?”

It was the moment Gaeong’s expression twisted.

“It feels awkward.”

Unhyun suddenly said.

One Hidden and Gaeong’s gazes turned to Unhyun.

“I don’t know how to explain it, but I feel a sense of incongruity.”

It was like something was slightly covered, a subtle dissonance.

One Hidden chuckled.

“You recognize it after all.”

He raised his hand and brushed it upwards across his face.

Swish.

The Taoist immortal disappeared, and Sa Ilcheon’s appearance was revealed.

“Yes. This is my appearance. Back then, and even now.”

Gaeong’s expression was not good.

Many years had passed since Mount Hua, but he was still not reaching One Hidden’s level.

“There’s no need to blame yourself.”

One Hidden said to Gaeong.

“You and I are just different.”

“Hmph.”

Gaeong snorted.

“I haven’t blamed myself. Why would I do such meaningless self-reproach?”

His words were sincere.

He had only been momentarily lost in reminiscence; if he had time to fall into self-reproach, he would rather throw another Jipung [a type of hidden weapon] at his opponent.

“I see. I said something foolish.”

One Hidden smiled.

And he turned his head towards Unhyun.

“Now, then, will you show me your sword?”

One Hidden asked, looking straight at Unhyun.

“Yes. I will gladly do so.”

Unhyun said, his eyes shining.

It was an answer that had been prepared since he had been asked to ‘show his sword’ at the Changryong Hall.

The three moved to an open space behind the mansion.

Originally, they were going to do it in the backyard, but Gaeong objected, and Unhyun didn’t want to ruin the mansion that Lord Park had allowed him to stay in.

Unhyun and One Hidden stood facing each other, and Gaeong watched them from a short distance away.

Swoosh.

The wind brushed past the branches.

Unhyun was holding his sword, Myeong, but One Hidden had nothing in his hands.

“Are you sure it’s alright?”

One Hidden smiled.

“It’s fine.”

Swish.

One Hidden raised a hand and pointed it towards Unhyun.

“Come at any time.”

“Yes.”

Unhyun quietly composed himself.

The excitement of having One Hidden before him, and the surprise at his very existence, calmly subsided.

Unhyun drew his sword.

Sreung.

“Then, I will go.”

At the same time as he spoke, Unhyun took a step forward.

And he swung his sword down greatly.

Whoosh.

It was a very simple sword path.

But Gaeong, who was watching, could tell.

That sword should not be avoided or blocked.

Sreuk.

One Hidden put his hands behind his back and lightly avoided Unhyun’s sword.

But the next moment, Unhyun’s sword drew an unexpected and bizarre sword path, lunging towards One Hidden.

‘Hmm!’

One Hidden’s expression hardened.

It was a sword path that seemed to perfectly predict One Hidden’s response.

The action of avoiding the previous sword had instead become a shackle, bringing himself before Unhyun’s sword.

One Hidden judged instantly.

He could avoid it one more time if he wanted to.

But the possibility that he might be driven into a corner, literally, touched One Hidden’s nerves.

‘I can’t allow that.’

One Hidden raised his hand from behind his back.

His hand was dyed in blue jade light, and a low sound flowed out.

Woo-oong.

Gaeong, who was watching, widened his eyes in an instant.

‘That is!’

It was definitely toxic energy cultivation.

Gaeong’s guess that One Hidden had mastered toxic energy cultivation was correct.

One Hidden fearlessly reached out his hand towards the blade of Myeong, which was lunging in.

Clang.

A short impact sound leaked out as bare hands and blade collided.

But the next moment, One Hidden felt the world spinning.

One Hidden immediately put his other hand into his chest.

Peep-peep-peep.

Sharp energy burst out in all directions.

Clang.

Unhyun’s sword, Myeong, deflected one of them.

And another was lunging towards Gaeong.

Shwiiik.

Gaeong frowned.

He reached out his hand towards the one flying towards him, exuding a chilling energy.

It was a bare hand, holding nothing.

Thud.

Gaeong’s hand was fine.

Because a red light of toxic energy was rippling in his hand.

Sreuk.

Gaeong looked down at his hand.

A single iron piece was emitting a faint heat.

Sabeok.

In the meantime, One Hidden landed on the ground.

He said to Unhyun with a bitter smile.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to attack for a few moves, but I couldn’t help but use my hand.”

It was a kind of consideration he was trying to show as a senior.

But One Hidden couldn’t help but smile bitterly since he had used his hand before the first exchange was even over.

“My masters taught me to just throw anything when an unexpected situation arises.”

“It’s reckless.”

Gaeong muttered unconsciously.

But One Hidden did not miss it and turned to look at Gaeong.

“That’s what my mother taught me…”

Gaeong said without changing his expression.

“It’s good advice that you must take to heart to survive in a harsh world.”

One Hidden smiled.

And he turned his gaze towards Unhyun.

“Excellent. It’s as good as what I experienced before.”

A strange light flashed in Unhyun’s eyes.

“Did you perhaps spar with Sword Saint?”

Sword Saint Lee Geomhak had received this sword of Unhyun.

He said that he had a ‘connection with the Supreme Sword of Taegeuk [a powerful sword technique],’ but it was essentially the same as Unhyun’s sword.

But One Hidden shook his head.

“No. I’ll go on my side this time.”

Swish.

He raised a hand.

At the same time, a low cry flowed out from all directions.

Woo-oong.

Gaeong widened his eyes.

‘Already!’

Those that were emitting low cries were the small iron pieces floating in all directions.

The iron pieces were floating in the air, spinning rapidly like tops, imbued with blue jade energy.

The iron pieces that had been thrown in all directions a while ago were not just improvisation.

“Be careful.”

Tat.

One Hidden did not give Unhyun time to answer.

The moment his figure seemed to fade, One Hidden was already lunging towards Unhyun.

Kwa-gwagwag.

In One Hidden’s hand, a small sword was already grasped.

The iron pieces that had been rotating in the air were also being shot in from all directions towards Unhyun.

But Unhyun was not flustered or afraid.

Cheu-jeu-jeu-jeu.

White frost spread out from under Unhyun’s feet.

And Unhyun’s sword, Myeong, quietly began to move.

Sreuk.

As if the wind was blowing and time was flowing, Unhyun’s Myeong drew a single sword path.

A sword that seemed softer and weaker than anything else, but that no one could oppose.

It was the second of the White Tiger Sword Style, the Gentle Sword (柔劍).

Whoo-oong.

Unhyun’s sword brushed past the lunging iron pieces.

And each time, the iron pieces with chilling energy changed their direction as if by a lie.

Seu-seu-seu-seuk.

Surprisingly, more than a dozen iron pieces passed Unhyun without any result.

The iron pieces that had lost their target were being shot out in all directions with terrifying momentum.

Shwik.

One of the iron pieces brushed Gaeong’s hair.

But Gaeong didn’t care.

His eyes were fixed on Unhyun’s Myeong, which was about to collide with One Hidden’s small sword.

Seuek.

As expected, Unhyun’s sword passed through One Hidden’s small sword as if it wasn’t there.

As if One Hidden’s small sword did not exist at all.

Kkuk.

Gaeong clenched his fist without realizing it.

If this continued, One Hidden’s defeat was as good as decided.

It was at that moment.

Seuk.

One Hidden’s left hand touched the tip of Unhyun’s sword.

One Hidden, who had formed a sword finger gesture [a hand gesture used to channel energy] with two fingers, brought his hand to the tip of Myeong’s sword.

One Hidden gently moved his sword finger gesture to the side.

Sarak.

Surprisingly, the tip of Myeong’s sword flowed along One Hidden’s sword finger gesture.

It was only a fleeting moment, but it was enough to turn the tip of Myeong’s sword away from One Hidden.

The moment the sword finger gesture and Myeong were separated from One Hidden.

Kwaang.

At the same time as the sword finger gesture left the sword tip, an explosion resounded.

The internal energy inherent in Unhyun’s sword and One Hidden’s sword finger gesture, which had not been shaped like sword energy but clearly existed, finally found a place to burst out.

Kwa-gwa-gwag.

A storm-like momentum swept through all directions.

The branches shook as if they had met a typhoon, and leaves and dust swirled around.

But Gaeong did not move.

Although he frowned, Gaeong did not take his eyes off Unhyun and One Hidden.

After a while, the dust slowly subsided, and the figures of the two were revealed.

“…Amazing.”

One Hidden said with a bitter smile.

He had no wounds.

It was natural since he had avoided Unhyun’s Gentle Sword.

But his left sleeve was not.

Swish.