Chapter 25
Sparring Guidance (2)
A sparring match arranged on the spur of the moment.
The swordsmen of the Heavenly Sword Hall halted their training and gathered around the sparring platform.
“The Elder Council Chief’s granddaughter?”
“Yeah. Her talent is exceptional. She’s several years ahead of her peers in terms of accomplishment.”
Even setting aside the fact that she was the granddaughter of the Elder Council Chief, Man Yewon was already fairly well known. Despite being only eighteen, she was considered one of the top five young talents of the Changcheon Society.
“She hasn’t taken the membership examination yet, but they say that if she becomes a Cloud, she’d be worthy of wearing two clouds immediately.”
“Baekri Cheong is away on a mission, so did she come straight for the youngest one instead?”
The members of the Heavenly Sword Hall chatted with interest.
Man Yewon undoubtedly possessed outstanding talent and was a promising rising star. The problem was that her opponent was Namgung Jun.
The Heavenly Sword Hall had observed Namgung Jun’s potential from closer than anyone else.
No matter how brilliant Man Yewon’s talent might be, compared to Namgung Jun, it was little more than a firefly shining before the bright moon.
The members of the Heavenly Sword Hall focused instead on how much of her ability she would be able to display against him.
The youngest one changes with every day of serious training.
Even if she’s the Elder Council Chief’s granddaughter, this is too much.
Meanwhile, the young man and woman standing at the center of the platform faced each other. The atmosphere surrounding them sharpened noticeably.
Though young in age, they were unquestionably swordsmen.
As usual, Namgung Jun rested a hand on the hilt of his sword. The motion was natural and devoid of excess.
Even that simple gesture deepened the wrinkles around the Elder Council Chief’s eyes.
“You may begin whenever you wish.”
Chaaang!
At Namgung Jun’s calm words, Man Yewon immediately drew her sword.
The sharp ring of steel seemed to proclaim just how fiercely her competitive spirit burned.
In contrast, the sound made by Namgung Jun as he drew his sword was smooth and refined, like the note of a musical instrument.
The two assumed their opening stances.
The moment Man Yewon saw Namgung Jun’s stance, her eyes widened. Several swordsmen of the Heavenly Sword Hall also let out quiet gasps.
The boy and girl were standing in the exact same stance.
It was not the opening stance of Flash Thunder Thirteen Sword Lightning, the unique sword art for which Namgung Jun had become famous throughout the Changcheon Society.
“The Great Wind Sword Art? No matter how gifted a sword prodigy is...”
“He learned that sword art too?”
“Wasn’t he training Cloud-Stepping Cliff Crossing?”
“He’s been visiting the martial archive quite often lately.”
Hearing the reactions around him, Heo Il burst into cheerful laughter. His smile overflowed with confidence in Namgung Jun.
“Is that really so surprising? You still don’t understand Young Hero Namgung’s talent.”
Gong Junam, who had been silently observing with his arms crossed, also added a comment.
“I can tell just from the opening stance. This isn’t a sword art he picked up on a whim.”
Man Yewon stared at Namgung Jun with startled eyes.
The Great Wind Sword Art?
Namgung Jun’s Flash Thunder Thirteen Sword Lightning was famous.
It was a sword art created by a newly joined Cloud while fighting the Sword Demon.
Rumors about it were plentiful, but one thing was certain—it was no ordinary sword art.
That’s why I prepared ways to counter it.
Yet before their swords had even crossed, merely seeing his opening stance was enough to throw her into confusion.
All she could do was suppress her turbulent thoughts and barely force out a response.
“You...?”
“Correct your grip first. The Great Wind Sword Art’s uniquely heavy qi flow requires more strength in the index finger.”
At Namgung Jun’s quiet advice, Man Yewon’s lips parted blankly.
It was the first time she had ever received martial guidance from someone her own age.
For a moment, irritation surged within her, but she found herself unable to say anything in reply.
Shaaak!
Namgung Jun’s leather shoes glided smoothly across the ground as he stepped with Infinite Steps.
His trousers fluttered lightly, and veins rose distinctly on the back of his hand.
His sword swept horizontally, releasing a clear blade wind.
At a glance, it was at least twice as large and thick as an ordinary blade wind.
That was the hallmark of the Great Wind Sword Art, a technique specialized in manipulating sword winds.
Man Yewon hastily executed the same sword art, but the move she unleashed in her rush was noticeably crude.
Whoooom!
As she thrust her sword forward, her body instead shuddered violently and was pushed back.
It was the same Great Wind Sword Art, yet the difference in power was so vast that they seemed like entirely different sword techniques.
And in that instant, Man Yewon realized something instinctively.
Even if she had executed the move perfectly, the outcome would not have changed.
There was a fundamental gap in achievement between them.
Just what was creating such a difference?
I never heard that he had learned the Great Wind Sword Art!
The single sword strike Namgung Jun displayed threw her mind into chaos.
Naturally, her movements slowed ever so slightly, and her sword momentum faltered.
Then Namgung Jun’s calm voice pierced her ears like a bolt of lightning.
“Calm yourself. When your mind wavers, the center of your sword wavers as well. That means you cannot properly put strength into it.”
After knocking her sword aside, Namgung Jun continued.
“If the Vertical Sword has no power and is too light, then what is the purpose of that sword technique’s existence?”
His sword trajectory twisted and pressed relentlessly.
As his robes flared outward, a heavy sword wind surged forward.
Sweating profusely, Man Yewon hurriedly swung her sword, struggling just to block the incoming waves of blade wind.
Meanwhile, Namgung Jun’s gaze grew deeper and calmer.
Though Man Yewon was doing her best, the flaws of the Great Wind Sword Art were becoming increasingly obvious.
So there were deficiencies like these. Seeing it directly makes them unmistakable.
Man Yewon’s mastery of the Great Wind Sword Art was excellent.
At the very least, she appeared to have reached the Seventh Stage of proficiency.
She had clearly studied the annotated manual diligently as well; traces of its interpretations were deeply embedded in several of her techniques.
No. This part is wrong.
Some mistakes came from faithfully following incorrect portions of the commentary.
Others appeared to be errors born from Man Yewon’s own misunderstandings.
And so Namgung Jun thoroughly dismantled and analyzed her swordsmanship.
Using Man Yewon as a whetstone, he mercilessly brought forth the version of the Great Wind Sword Art he had created in his previous life.
“In the move Great Cyclone Storm, you should seal the opening at your waist and—”
Namgung Jun’s Great Wind Sword Art began to change little by little.
As he dismantled Man Yewon’s Great Wind Sword Art, Namgung Jun absorbed the fragments that fell away and used them to fill in the shortcomings of the technique.
If I layer the qi diagonally along the blade, the sword wind can be released in a denser form. Based on that, I should reconstruct the formula for releasing the sword wind...
Namgung Jun found himself enjoying the process.
Studying the manual alone and revisiting the principles of the Great Wind Sword Art was one thing. Facing an actual swordsman who practiced it and discovering its truths through combat was something entirely different.
As he continuously revised the art’s formulas and techniques in real time, he never stopped offering advice to Man Yewon.
“When you thrust your sword, put more strength into both legs. Your lower body's center of gravity isn't stable, causing slight interruptions in the release of your sword wind.”
Man Yewon was not lacking in talent.
Little by little, she began correcting her flaws.
And whenever she displayed such quick understanding, Namgung Jun would unveil another variation of the sword art and pressure her once more.
Namgung Jun advised.
Man Yewon improved.
It was no different from an instructional spar.
Even the members of the Heavenly Sword Hall, who had been discussing the match endlessly, gradually fell silent.
There was much for them to learn from Namgung Jun's advice as well.
Though the guidance was directed at Man Yewon, everyone present listened carefully to every word he spoke.
Only the Elder Council Chief, Man Hun, let out a hollow laugh.
“Amazing. How can someone...”
The Great Wind Sword Art displayed by Namgung Jun was perfect.
No—it seemed to have surpassed perfection and entered an entirely different realm.
As he exposed the weaknesses in Man Yewon’s Great Wind Sword Art, his own techniques became increasingly refined.
Like a sculptor trimming away excess material, Namgung Jun’s swordsmanship grew heavier and sharper.
I heard that he refined a new sword art while fighting the Sword Demon.
It sounded unbelievable.
Yet if it was a peerless genius renowned throughout the world, perhaps such a thing was possible.
But this situation was the opposite.
His opponent was someone far weaker than himself, merely another practitioner of the same martial art.
And yet, using her as a mirror, he polished every movement, refined every form, and even created entirely new techniques.
As the exchange continued, others also began to notice that the Great Wind Sword Art itself was changing.
“Something strange is happening with this spar.”
“The sword paths are changing.”
“His strikes have become even heavier. Look at those sword winds.”
While forcefully correcting Man Yewon’s weaknesses, Namgung Jun simultaneously repaired countless flaws that still remained within the Great Wind Sword Art.
Heavier. It can draw out even more of the sword art’s potential.
If he wished, he could have ended the match at any moment.
Everyone present knew that.
Yet Namgung Jun continued the exchange instead of ending it.
As the spar teetered on a razor's edge, Man Hun’s eyes trembled.
It can no longer be called the Great Wind Sword Art.
Man Yewon had become little more than a supporting character serving to highlight Namgung Jun.
Yet Man Hun felt no displeasure whatsoever.
Not only was Man Yewon's martial achievement growing rapidly, but witnessing the creation of a brand-new sword art was an extraordinarily rare sight.
The mere fact that he and his granddaughter were directly involved in such a moment was an honor in itself.
The spar between Namgung Jun and Man Yewon continued for a long time.
Jjeeeong!
Before anyone realized it, Man Yewon’s mastery of the Great Wind Sword Art had risen to eighty percent.
At the same time, the sword wind released by Namgung Jun displayed power completely different from before.
Huuuuwoooong!
Following the trajectory of his sword, a wave-like torrent of sword wind surged forward and gently pushed Man Yewon away.
Although her strikes had become far stronger than before, she was swept aside far more helplessly than at the beginning.
The difference lay in the quality of Namgung Jun’s sword wind—it had reached an entirely different level.
“Haaak!”
Just as the exhausted Man Yewon was about to collapse backward, Namgung Jun stepped forward with Infinite Steps and instantly closed the distance.
He caught her sleeve.
Preventing her from falling, he casually supported her.
“Huh? Thank you.”
Namgung Jun merely nodded at her gratitude.
Then silence settled between them.
Watching him carefully, Man Yewon opened and closed her mouth several times before finally speaking with difficulty.
“Thank you for going easy on me. And thank you even more for teaching me. At first... I was in the wrong.”
Her face flushed bright red as she lowered her head.
No one in the arena could bring themselves to speak.
The proud granddaughter of the Elder Council Chief had openly admitted defeat.
The members of the Heavenly Sword Hall looked at Namgung Jun with all kinds of expressions.
As though intending to satisfy the curiosity of those around him, Man Hun spoke.
“You've completely transformed the Great Wind Sword Art. You didn't merely revise its forms—you created an advanced evolution of the sword art itself.”
“You praise me too highly.”
“That sword art... would you mind if I tested it myself?”
The unexpected proposal widened the eyes of the Heavenly Sword Hall members.
Only Namgung Jun continued to look calmly at the elderly swordsman.
“I would be honored.”
As though he had been waiting for that answer, Man Hun was suddenly standing before him, his sleeves fluttering lightly.
Upon those sleeves were five clearly embroidered clouds.
Five Clouds
The mark of one of the peerless masters of the Changcheon Society.