Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 516

516. Celestial Triad

Having passed through the central gate, Unhyun and his party arrived before the palace of the Grand Master of the First Order.

The palace, located deepest within the Taoist temple, differed from ordinary Taoist structures in its very appearance.

The ancient and majestic exterior of the building was reminiscent of a palace from a bygone dynasty.

Standing before this palace, which seemed to transport one back in time, was an old man dressed in Taoist robes.

Thud.

Unhyun stopped walking.

The old man, holding a crane feather fan instead of the horsetail whisk commonly carried by Taoists, greeted them with a gentle smile and a respectful bow.

“Welcome.”

He was none other than the Celestial Triad.

The Celestial Triad raised his head and looked at Unhyun.

A smile lingered on his lips, but his eyes were exceedingly sharp.

“It is regrettable that I cannot greet you with proper ceremony, considering you have come all this way. However, as an uninvited guest, I ask for your understanding.”

His words were filled with undisguised reproach.

Unhyun returned his greeting and quietly said, “The term ‘uninvited’ is inaccurate. The one who brought me here was none other than your master.”

“That differs from my understanding,” the Celestial Triad said with a smile.

“But there’s no reason to debate that now, is there?”

“Indeed,” Unhyun said with a calm expression.

“It’s pointless now, just as it is futile for you to stand in my way.”

The Celestial Triad’s eyebrows twitched.

But Unhyun’s gaze did not waver in the slightest.

The Celestial Triad gave a wry smile.

“…You have changed.”

“Is that so?” Unhyun said with an indifferent expression. “I wouldn’t know.”

Swish.

The wind blew, and Unhyun’s clothes fluttered.

At that sight, the Celestial Triad let out a soft sigh.

The swordplay Unhyun had displayed before the Grand Master of the First Order in the past had surprised even the Celestial Triad.

However, despite that tremendous martial prowess, he had not thought that Unhyun would become a threat to the Grand Master of the First Order.

He had simply thought of Unhyun as another piece in the Grand Master of the First Order’s grand plan, as had been the case with so many things.

This was because the Grand Master of the First Order, in the eyes of the Celestial Triad, was an existence like the sky, beyond comprehension.

But the Unhyun standing before him now was different.

The Celestial Triad could clearly feel a presence that was akin to facing his own master.

And the Celestial Triad was certain.

The Unhyun standing before him was a clear and fatal threat to the Grand Master of the First Order.

A terrible threat that could potentially collapse the Grand Master of the First Order’s grand plan itself.

“It seems that you…”

Rustle.

The Celestial Triad said, lightly extending his crane feather fan.

“Must be turned back here.”

Whooosh.

In an instant, the wind blew.

And in the blink of an eye, a sandstorm densely covered the surroundings.

Neither the Celestial Triad in front of them nor the palace of the Grand Master of the First Order could be seen, obscured by the sandstorm.

Even the Grand Palace Lord and Bingseol’s expressions changed, and Guest Elder suddenly spoke.

“Do not move.”

Guest Elder frowned.

“It is the Bewildering Haze Formation.”

His voice was mixed with the sandstorm, making it difficult to understand.

But there was no one who did not hear his words.

“A formation? This is…?” The Grand Palace Lord could not hide her surprise.

Generally, formations were either formations formed by armies on the battlefield or techniques that created maze-like effects using terrain.

The idea that such a formation could create such amazing natural phenomena was unthinkable.

How could she believe that the sandstorm blowing around her and the darkening sky were due to a formation?

“It seems they added magical power [internal energy or ‘qi’] to the Bewildering Haze Formation. The Taoist’s attire was not just for show.”

Guest Elder’s expression was stiff.

Even Guest Elder had never experienced such a powerful Bewildering Haze Formation before.

Truly, he was worthy of being the first among the Three Celestial Triads.

Whooong.

The sandstorm grew fiercer and fiercer.

Now, not only the surrounding objects but even the sky could not be seen properly.

The Grand Palace Lord blocked the sandstorm with her hand and said, “Then how do we break this formation…?”

Clang.

Suddenly, a clear sound rang out.

The sound of Unhyun drawing Myeong [his sword] from its scabbard was clearly audible even amidst the fierce wind.

Wooong.

Myeong emitted sword energy.

Blue sword energy began to ripple on the straight blade.

The Grand Palace Lord could not take her eyes off Unhyun.

She knew that Unhyun’s sword was extraordinary.

But what on earth was he going to do in the face of such natural phenomena?

It was then.

Unhyun, holding Myeong, did not hesitate at all and brought his sword down.

As if to cut through the sandstorm.

Swoosh.

‘Ah!’

Not only the Grand Palace Lord but also Bingseol opened their eyes wide.

The result was astonishing.

The swirling sandstorm split in two before Unhyun’s sword.

And the split sandstorm disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

Whoosh.

Like a lie, the view cleared, and the sky brightened.

The Grand Palace Lord found that she was still in the same place.

At that moment, a low groan was heard.

The one who groaned was the Celestial Triad.

Unlike his relaxed expression from before, he was glaring at Unhyun with gritted teeth.

The crane feather fan, split in half, fell from his hand.

Thud.

“How… Cough.”

The Celestial Triad, who had opened his mouth, bent over and covered his mouth with his hand.

But he could not hide the spreading blood.

As the formation was broken and the magical power was forcibly released, the impact backflowed to the caster.

He struggled to stand up and asked.

“…Did you learn sorcery?”

He asked, gritting his teeth.

His tone was clearly different from before.

“I do not know things like sorcery,” Unhyun said, sheathing his sword.

“I merely cut off the source of the flow.”

The Celestial Triad widened his eyes.

And soon, he let out a hollow laugh.

“I heard what Jitaesang and Intaesang said about you seeing the flow, but I never imagined you could see through even my sorcery…”

The Celestial Triad bit his lip.

And he straightened his body and stared straight at Unhyun.

“Since things have come to this, there is no choice. Even if I die in this place…”

—Stop.

Suddenly, a loud voice rang out.

The Grand Palace Lord covered her ears at the sound, which was like thunder, and Bingseol and Guest Elder also distorted their faces.

This was because their inner strength fluctuated greatly from just the voice alone.

—Let him come.

The voice seemed to echo from all directions, making it impossible to grasp its origin.

“But, Lord!”

The Celestial Triad tried to say something.

But the Grand Master of the First Order’s voice did not allow it.

—He is qualified.

The Celestial Triad gritted his teeth.

But the Grand Master of the First Order’s command was absolute to him.

Thud.

The Celestial Triad knelt on one knee and lowered his head.

“…I obey the command.”

The Celestial Triad’s voice was trembling as he spoke.

Thud.

Unhyun moved his feet.

He silently passed by the bowing Celestial Triad.

Guest Elder, as well as the Grand Palace Lord and Bingseol, quietly moved their steps.

Saeilcheon glanced down at the Celestial Triad for a moment, but that was all; he also followed Unhyun.

Thud, thud.

Unhyun and his party moved away towards the palace of the Grand Master of the First Order.

The Celestial Triad did not raise his head until then.

Thud.

Blood fell to the ground.

And the Celestial Triad’s body slowly tilted to the side.

Thump.

The Celestial Triad collapsed.

What Unhyun had cut was not just the Bewildering Haze Formation.

The magical power that the Celestial Triad had accumulated throughout his life had already scattered like sand, leaving no trace.

That was the meaning of what Unhyun had said, ‘cut off the source of the flow.’

The suicide attack that he had tried to unleash by gathering the leaking magical power was also thwarted by the Grand Master of the First Order’s command, so now the Celestial Triad had nothing left.

Swish.

Looking at the sky filling his vision, the Celestial Triad raised his hand.

As if the energy of life was fading away, his raised hand trembled, but it did not matter.

This was because the energy of the blue sky filling the Celestial Triad’s vision was already fluctuating greatly.

‘Ah.’

The Celestial Triad sighed as he watched the swirling celestial energy.

‘Finally…’

The time he had been waiting for so long was before his eyes.

So close that it seemed he could grasp it if he just clenched his hand.

But the Celestial Triad could not do so.

Thud.

The Celestial Triad’s hand, its life exhausted, fell to the ground.

His wrinkled hand held nothing.

Unhyun moved his steps with a calm expression.

As he entered the ancient palace, he saw large main halls.

Unlike other Taoist temples, the palace of the Grand Master of the First Order had several buildings.

The well-decorated trees and the strange stones placed here and there gave the feeling of entering a secret place in the imperial palace.

Thud.

Unhyun stopped walking.

Since there was still some distance to the main hall, the Grand Palace Lord looked at Unhyun with a puzzled expression.

Unhyun spoke to the Grand Palace Lord.

“Would you wait here?”

“Yes.”

The Grand Palace Lord did not hesitate to answer.

The reason she had come this far was because of Unhyun’s consideration and Bingseol’s protection.

Although the Bukhae Ice Palace [Northern Sea Ice Palace] had also experienced chaos due to the Grand Master of the First Order, she had no intention of being stubborn.

“I will wait, as you wish.”

The Grand Palace Lord looked straight at Unhyun.

Her beautiful eyes were sparkling, just like they had been under the night sky of Bukhae in the past.

“Thank you,” Unhyun said with a soft smile, and he turned his body.

Thud.

Unhyun moved his steps without hesitation.

Guest Elder and Saeilcheon followed behind him, and the Grand Palace Lord watched Unhyun’s back with Bingseol.

After a while, the Grand Palace Lord quietly opened her mouth.

“Bingseol.”

“Yes.”

Bingseol answered immediately.

“I intend to honor Unhyun Haksa’s [Scholar Unhyun’s] request.”

Bingseol silently waited for the Grand Palace Lord’s words.

The Grand Palace Lord continued to speak, not taking her eyes off Unhyun’s back.

“Will you be on my side?”

That clearly contained more meaning than just waiting here.

Rustle.

Bingseol knelt on one knee and lowered her head.

“I will, if that is the will of the Blue Wolf.”

Bingseol’s answer was unconventional.

Even though the condition ‘the will of the Blue Wolf’ was attached, the fact that Bingseol, the first of the Bukhae Twelve Secrets, said that she would be on the Grand Palace Lord’s side was by no means insignificant.

In fact, it was as good as deciding the next person to sit on the throne of the Ice Empress at this moment.

The legend of the Bukhae Empress (女帝) [lit. Female Emperor], which even the Bukhae First Generation had not achieved and was only passed down in stories, was being reproduced through the Grand Palace Lord after a long time.

“Thank you,” the Grand Palace Lord said quietly.

She knew the meaning of this conversation better than anyone else, but now her gaze was fixed only on Unhyun’s back.

Hung.

Suddenly, her vision flickered like a mirage.

It was not just the Grand Palace Lord’s feeling that Unhyun was getting farther away than what she could see.

Now, the Grand Palace Lord could clearly feel it too.

Something unknown was distorting the surroundings from the main hall that Unhyun was heading towards.

That energy would not be unrelated to the fact that the surroundings had been strangely quiet since entering this temple.

The Grand Palace Lord bit her lip.

She did not make any wishes.

What she believed in was her own wisdom, which had protected her until now, and the only person she could see in the distance.

Rustle.