Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 460

460. The Master of Emptiness

Woooong.

The massive Subduing Demon Sword on the dais wept.

The elders of the Mount Hua Sect were shocked by the undeniable sound of the sword’s cry.

‘Good heavens.’

Honwon Jin-in, an elder, couldn’t believe it.

That large, heavy Subduing Dragon and Demon Sword was crying?

It was impossible.

In fact, the Subduing Dragon and Demon Sword was more of a large symbol than a sword.

But if this sound wasn’t a sword’s cry, what was it?

Woooong.

The sword’s cry emanating from the Subduing Demon Sword was gradually growing louder.

It felt as if the entire Subduing Dragon and Demon Hall was subtly trembling with the sword’s cry.

At that moment, an indescribable unease consumed Honwon Jin-in.

‘Could it be that…’

Honwon Jin-in flinched.

This worry was probably just a groundless fear.

Honwon Jin-in tried to regain his composure by chanting his Taoist name.

However, the Subduing Demon Sword’s cry began to shake even Honwon Jin-in’s heart.

Woooong.

The Acting Sect Leader, Cheonun-ja, felt similarly.

Moreover, he was aware that the chilliness was still present.

‘Perhaps…’

If things continued like this, something irreversible might happen.

Something terrible that would leave an eternal regret not only for the elders but also for the Mount Hua Sect, no, for the entire world.

Clench.

Cheonun-ja gritted his teeth.

‘…Rather.’

It wasn’t just Cheonun-ja’s thought.

All the elders who had even a little strength left were thinking the same thing as Cheonun-ja.

As if they had made a promise, they looked at Unhyun’s back.

It was then.

“If you touch him.”

Hooong.

Light arose in this place filled with the sword’s cry and chilliness.

It was from Old Baek’s hand.

‘Gasp!’

Cheonun-ja, Honwon Jin-in, Old Woman Neung Se-yeong, and Geum Hwa-yeong widened their eyes.

A butterfly, shimmering brilliantly, was floating on Old Baek’s hand.

The formidable energy felt from that small butterfly was enough to send shivers down their spines.

Standing upright, Old Baek said without turning around.

“I said you’d die.”

His gaze was still fixed on Unhyun.

His voice, mixed with the sword’s cry, wasn’t clearly heard, but it was enough to suppress Cheonun-ja and Honwon Jin-in’s impulses.

Just the act of that small butterfly flying up would cause this Subduing Dragon and Demon Hall to be buried without a trace.

Cheonun-ja unconsciously chanted his Taoist name.

Old Baek stood firmly with a brilliantly shining butterfly in one hand and his other hand behind his back.

As long as he was there, there was no room to try anything.

Cheonun-ja, Honwon Jin-in, and the other elders gave up on doing anything.

And Cheonun-ja suddenly realized.

The chilliness that seemed to cut his skin had improved.

‘…This is!’

Cheonun-ja immediately realized.

Old Baek’s butterfly was helping them as a result.

Just as the flapping of the wings of the leading bird helps the other birds.

Cheonun-ja couldn’t help but admire Old Baek’s back.

‘…Indeed.’

Old Baek calmed the elders’ wavering hearts in an instant.

Cheonun-ja could clearly understand why he was called the ‘Ruler of Death and Life.’

Woooong.

The sword’s cry grew stronger, and the chilliness intensified every moment.

Sarak.

The tip of the butterfly’s wing, shimmering on Old Baek’s hand, crumbled slightly.

However, Old Baek’s eyes did not waver at all.

***

Unhyun, who had been enveloped in light, slowly opened his eyes.

The brilliant light had already disappeared.

However, Unhyun’s eyes were still shimmering with light.

Swish.

Unhyun raised his head and looked above.

The beam of light was no longer visible.

However, Unhyun could tell.

‘That is…’

How could he not know it?

Could he ever forget it, even for a moment?

Unhyun closed his eyes.

A drop of tear flowed out, but it was not sadness.

After being like that for a while, Unhyun opened his eyes and raised his head.

Whoosh.

At that moment, the countless ‘hostility’ directed at Unhyun disappeared at once.

The red eyes that filled all directions were still there, but no more hostility or eeriness was felt.

They were nothing now.

Unhyun lightly waved his hand.

Swish.

The red eyes closed and retreated.

The sight was like beasts bowing their heads and leaving.

Rustle, rustle.

The eyes that filled all directions disappeared in an instant, like melting snow in the spring sunshine.

And emptiness revealed itself again.

The endless, distant gray emptiness.

But it was no longer terrifying or meaningless.

‘Ah…’

Unhyun let out a soft sigh.

He felt like he could finally understand the meaning of this emptiness.

And what he could do.

Swish.

Unhyun raised his eyes.

If he wished, this vast emptiness would be filled with streams of light.

No, if Unhyun willed it, he could fill this place with anything.

With the demons of the three thousand worlds, or with the dragons of the sky.

Woong.

A soft sword’s cry suddenly caught Unhyun’s attention.

A sword was revealing its existence in Unhyun’s hand, which had been empty.

It was the Azure Dragon Sword, Unhyun’s own will and only Unhyun’s sword.

Woooong.

The Azure Dragon Sword’s small cry sounded like grumbling.

Why didn’t you call me?

Unhyun smiled.

And he raised his head and looked at the distant emptiness.

“I.”

Without the slightest hesitation, Unhyun said.

“Will now leave.”

It was not a matter of choice.

This was not the place for Unhyun to be.

Woong.

The Azure Dragon Sword cried in response.

‘Hehe.’

Unhyun smiled quietly.

In the midst of the endlessly 펼쳐진 [unfolded] gray emptiness, Unhyun’s soft smile was 떠오르고 [rising].

***

The sword’s cry of the Subduing Demon Sword was reaching its peak.

It wasn’t just a feeling, but the Subduing Dragon and Demon Hall was actually vibrating.

Grumble.

The surroundings vibrated, dust fell, and eerie sounds like the cries of beasts were heard.

Old Baek’s small butterfly was still emitting its brilliant light, but everyone could clearly see the grains of light leaking from its wings.

Nevertheless, Old Baek’s inner strength in maintaining the butterfly’s shape was admirable.

But everyone knew that the end was near.

Cheonun-ja gritted his teeth.

The time for decision had come.

“Everyone…”

It was when Cheonun-ja was about to say something.

Whoosh.

Suddenly, the sword’s cry disappeared.

The elders couldn’t react to the sudden change.

However, the Subduing Demon Sword was already starting a new change.

Whoa!

“Th, that!”

Someone shouted in surprise.

The bewildered elders raised their eyes.

The Subduing Dragon and Demon Sword was emitting light before their eyes.

The chilliness that had been taking away their inner strength and the sword’s cry that had been shaking their hearts were gone.

The auspicious light of dispelling evil and revealing righteousness, subduing all demons.

That light was now emanating from the Subduing Demon Sword.

Whooooong.

The auspicious light filled the Subduing Dragon and Demon Hall.

Without anyone telling them to, the elders simultaneously put their hands together and chanted their Taoist names.

At this moment, the Subduing Dragon and Demon Sword, which had been asleep in legend, had awakened.

The elders, bowing their heads reverently, constantly chanted their Taoist names.

“Look at that!”

At Old Woman Neung Se-yeong’s voice, the elders raised their heads.

And they saw an amazing sight.

“Th, this is…”

Cheonun-ja muttered with a surprised expression.

Letters were 떠오르고 [appearing] on the Subduing Dragon and Demon Sword’s massive blade.

They looked more like patterns than letters, but there wasn’t an elder who didn’t know the letters.

That was because the letters were in the same font as those engraved on the walls of the Subduing Dragon and Demon Hall.

“Heo.”

Cheonun-ja unconsciously let out a sigh.

Honwon Jin-in, Okro Jin-in, and Hyeon Gi-ja couldn’t hide their astonishment.

The letters 떠오른 [appearing] on the sword were the ‘Subduing Demon Heart Mantra,’ which every Taoist of the Mount Hua Sect knew.

But behind that mantra, there was a secret formula that no one knew.

“…This can’t be.”

Honwon Jin-in opened his mouth with a dazed expression.

The complete form of the Subduing Demon Heart Mantra, which no one had ever imagined, was revealing its 모습 [form] before the elders’ eyes.

But that light didn’t last long.

Whoosh.

“Oh!”

The elders were startled.

The light disappeared, and the Subduing Dragon and Demon Hall was enveloped in darkness.

The lamps that originally lit this place were still there, but it felt dark because the light had suddenly disappeared.

“…Heo.”

Someone sighed softly.

All the elders deeply sympathized with the regret in that sigh.

No one could open their mouths.

It was then.

“Are you okay?”

Suddenly, Old Baek’s voice was heard.

The elders raised their eyes.

The 영롱하던 [shimmering] butterfly had already disappeared, and Old Baek had his hands behind his back.

“Yes. I’m fine.”

Unhyun replied.

He took his hand away from the Subduing Demon Sword and turned around.

Swish.

That ordinary 모습 [appearance] seemed very meaningful to the elders.

How could it not be?

He was the one who had awakened the Subduing Dragon and Demon Sword, which had been asleep in legend.

“It’s my fault that Elder suffered unnecessarily.”

“I didn’t suffer.”

Old Baek replied with his hands behind his back.

His voice was indifferent.

“If it’s over, let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Old Baek turned around without hesitation.

The elders immediately stepped aside to make way for Old Baek.

Step, step.

Old Baek walked with an indifferent expression.

However, the elders put their hands together, chanted their Taoist names, and bowed their heads to him.

Unhyun smiled and followed behind Old Baek.

But he couldn’t pass the elders like Old Baek.

“Dae, Daehyeop!” [Great Hero]

Cheonun-ja stammered as he asked.

“Th, then has the Subduing Dragon and Demon Sword awakened now?”

At that moment, all the elders’ gazes turned to Unhyun.

Their eyes were filled with earnest hope and expectation, but Unhyun shook his head.

“No.”

“But surely…”

“It was only temporarily awakened. It is now asleep again.”

Swish.

Unhyun looked at the Subduing Demon Sword placed on the dais.

It was still a large, heavy, and dull-looking ancient sword, but it looked quite different in Unhyun’s eyes.

“In the first place, that sword.”

Unhyun said, turning to Cheonun-ja.

“Is not something that people can use.”

Cheonun-ja was momentarily taken aback by that statement.

Unhyun’s words were obvious.

There was no way there could be someone who could actually use such a sword, right?

“Let’s talk about the details later.”

At Unhyun’s words, Cheonun-ja nodded unconsciously.

Unhyun, who had smiled, stopped again as he was about to move his feet.

And he raised his head.

Swish.

The ceiling of the massive Subduing Dragon and Demon Hall.

The only empty circular space, where Taoist mantras were not engraved, particularly caught his eye.

“Hehe.”

Unhyun smiled.

His heart was filled with a soft warmth.

Step.

Unhyun lowered his head and hurried his steps again.

Old Baek’s back had already disappeared from sight.

“Le, let’s go together!”

Geum Hwa-yeong quickly followed, and Old Woman Neung Se-yeong also moved her feet.

As the four people disappeared, only the elders of the Mount Hua Sect remained.

“Heo.”

Cheonun-ja let out a long sigh.

He looked at the Subduing Demon Sword on the dais, but there was no more auspicious light or secret formula.

It was as if he had had a dream.

Cheonun-ja recited his Taoist name again.

The other elders also sighed and chanted their Taoist names.

And at that time.

In a distant place, Il Dae-sangin [One Great Merchant] opened his eyes.

Swish.

The eyes of Il Dae-sangin, who was sitting on the dragon throne, shone intensely.

And he said softly.

“…Finally.”

His voice did not continue.

But a chilling smile was spreading across Il Dae-sangin’s lips.