Chapter 101

“Why don’t you teach me about the Emperor Sword Form?”
“Emperor Sword Form…….”
An Bai, the Iron-Blooded Swordsman, or as he was now called, the Iron-Blooded Sword King, looked at the man before him.
“You have to earn it, otherwise you’re just copying an empty shell.”
“It would be much better if you taught me the Emperor’s Sword now that I have it.”
“That’s what you would have done.”
The moderate distance and ambiguous atmosphere is due to unresolved feelings.
An Bai turned to face him, his eyes narrowed.
“I only spoke up because I still don’t trust my son.”
“I envy you.”
That was the first thing An Baek said. To be envious of someone, and to say so to Anbaek.
“You’re free, aren’t you, and you’re not bound by anything.”
“The Grand Duke of the Southern Palace seems to be finding his own freedom, but you can’t emulate it. Isn’t that because that’s all you’re capable of?”
Unjungle Ashes.
At the bone-filled words, Nan Gongmu Bai smiled self-helpfully. He shook his head, his usual cold smile uncharacteristic of a man of the Celestial Divine Sword.
“How is it that you always find the right answer when you walk so differently, even though it seems to be the way around.”
“If you’re lucky, you’re lucky.”
Namgung Mubai opened and closed his mouth several times in response to An Baek’s point, but the words that finally came out were as if he couldn’t help himself.
“You know very well that it is impossible.”
An Bai looked at Nan Gongmu Bai. His gaze fell on the long scar on his left cheek.
“I can’t get out of it.”
“It shouldn’t have escaped.”
He corrected himself and slapped his cheek. You must never forget. For the rest of your life.
The words must not be forgotten came out of his mouth again and again.
“Why did you do that?”
I’m asking about my mistakes. About the mistakes of the past.
He had to choose.
Pride vs. woman.
Family versus fame.
Clan versus authority.
He was unable to control his bloodlust at the Sect’s raid on the Sixth Household.
Unable to open his eyes and see his authority crumbling rather than his family being attacked, he moved ahead to wipe out the Black Sword Horde. When everyone else was trying to protect their own family, he was the only one who cared about his reputation.
He thought it was the only way to save the Southern Palace.
In return, the woman he loved most, the woman in charge of the Southern Palace’s inner chambers, was kidnapped and killed.
“Still, he didn’t make the same mistake this time.”
“The child was fighting to save herself.”
The sound of thunderbolts was heard,
the Grand Duke of the Southern Palace actually fought in earnest.
It was the first time he had ever witnessed a battle with Bai Xiaochuang, and it was a terrible sight.
Seeing the Grand Duke sacrificing himself for his brother and the hostess of the Southern Palace, who was so far from him, he moved without delay.
Even if war broke out with the Green Forest.
That was his punishment, and it was the stance he should take as a patriarch.
“Is that why you showed me the Emperor Sword Form, to show me the milestone?”
The Southern Emperor was speechless. It was out of consideration for the Grand Duke and his own heart that he showed him the sword of the Southern Palace, the sword of the end.
“If you put it that way, he won’t understand. He may be an adult on the outside, but he’s a child on the inside.”
“…….”
“You need to say it better.”
“How?”
“Seriously. You know, loosen up a bit. You’ve got a harsh expression on your face.”
At those words, Namgung Mubai’s clown face twitched for the first time.
“You’re the one who’s trying to impress me.”
The corners of Namgung Mu Baek’s mouth moved as he looked at An Baek, and An Baek laughed bloodily.
“Fufufufu.”
“Hahaha.”
The two smiled for what seemed like years.
As if they had forgotten that they hadn’t smiled in a long time, they smiled at each other in a way that seemed to be invisible.
* * *
“Do you think this will be the end?”
I lifted my head, hearing a calm voice in place of the monotone scream.
Wherever the blue and red solid lines were drawn, the Thunderbolt Sword sliced through them.
Shima’s body burned with each strike of the Thunder King Divine Sword. Despite this, Shima’s voice drifted through the air.
As if only I could hear it.
“You, the one from the previous life, the one you saw, the one with the acid blood. Because of that maniacal Tojin. Ho ho ho.”
Shima didn’t stop talking, even as her body was being torn to shreds.
“Someone will come along who will be no match for me, blood demon, and you’ll regret it, and before you know it, I’ll be in control.”
Dozens of thunderbolts later, she realized her fate. The outstretched Thunder King Divine Sword pierced her lungs, leaving Sima with nowhere to run, and her regenerating body began to lose strength.
The old woman chattered on and on.
I answered with my sword.
Quadruple quadruple.
The end of a grotesque but self-made blind man.
Puhhhhhhh!
The powder gradually thinned as the traces of Shima disappeared. At the same time.
“Old woman, stop talking and disappear. Don’t be greedy to come out into the world anymore.”
Those were the last words I would say. The moment the tip of the last sword touched the ground, the poison was released.
Even that was purified by Jie Gal Zhu Hu’s True Qi.
“I’ve had enough.”
Those words meant the end of the long fight. I felt a rush of energy at his words. I realized that the energy coursing through my body was exhausted.
And then.
A sting.
With a light crack, I felt the sword I was holding snap in two as it gave up its life and crumbled to dust.
“……Tired, especially today.”
As I said that, I closed my eyes and felt the link to my consciousness break.
* * *
The adeptus quickly returned. Trapped in Shima’s illusion, he swung his sword until his strength was exhausted and he was on the verge of death.
Nevertheless, he could not die.
“Even if I were to die, I wouldn’t be able to see Kunlun fall in my line.”
“Damn.”
Shaken by Kwang Seung’s words, Qi Sheng smirked as he rolled over onto his back.
“Of course, there’s a bigger reason than that. I thought that if I were to be cursed by you, I would wander the netherworld forever.”
“The gods will be furious, you bastard.”
The trembling adept sighed heavily, staring at the ceiling.
“You said you defeated Shima.”
The being called Shima, the leader of the apostasy, the one who proclaimed himself superior to both Heaven and Blood, was a threat by his mere presence.
“I did.”
“Hehe.”
Ki Sung-ja coughed several times in a hoarse, weak voice.
“Times have changed, I suppose.”
He looked at his hands. Two tattered hands.
He couldn’t fight anymore because of the shattered blades and the dirty hands from his jutsu.
“Don’t even think about retirement.”
“Never mind retirement.”
As he said this, he looked at the people sitting respectfully around him. They were the proud disciples of Kunlun.
He saw two disciples, He Do and He Gong.
“You should focus on them for the rest of your life, and…”
Qi Sheng turned and looked at Guang Shuang.
“Blue Dragon of the South Palace, put a smokestack in him. When he wakes up, I’ll be sure to see him.”
At that, the monk nods gravely.
“Why.”
“As Kang Ho’s senior, I owe him something.”
“That’s very generous of you.”
“Anything I can do.”
After saying that, Kisheng smiled and looked at Kwangseung.
“So you’re teaching him, too.”
Kwangseung laughed again. Then he uttered a self-help phrase.
“I’ll let him know when he wakes up.”
* * *
The time was not long. Soon, the Grand Duke came to find him.
“You’re looking for herbs, aren’t you?”
“I want a spirit herb, a spirit herb, or something more. I heard it’s in Mount Kunlun.”
Qi Sheng looks back at Guang Shuang with an energized gaze.
“You’re full of energy too?”
“I’m at a loss for words when you ask me to give you the bag.”
The prodigy replies in kind, then smirks. The Grand Duke of the Southern Palace in front of him wore a serious expression.
“Please.”
The Grand Duke of the Southern Palace bowed his head to Qixing, who clenched his jaw and stroked his beard several times before opening his mouth.
“I know the location of the bag that contains what you want, but the man who guards it is quite the character.”
“Let me try to convince him.”
Seeing the determination in her eyes, he raised his eyebrows.
“Even though you’re not a very persuasive writer?”
“But I’ll do it anyway, as long as you teach me.”
Looking at the Grand Duke of the Southern Palace who said that, Ki Sungjae nodded.
“Recover your body first. Shimara can be trickier than a goblin. You won’t even be able to approach that cranky bastard in such a state.”
“What?”
“Recover, and come to me when your body is back to normal.”
At the Grand Duke’s puzzled expression, Qi Shengzhao spoke quietly.
“Take what you can get, and go with it.”
Exhaling a deep breath, he turned to look at Guangxiang and Jie Galzhuhu behind him.
“With what you gain, become a pillar of the Zheng Sect. With the same unchanging heart you have now.”
Unchanging.
With the same heart.
With the same heart as now.
Become a pillar of the Order.
That’s what the ancestors can tell the future generations.
It was a request that only those who had devoted their lives to protecting the Zhongyuan from anyone else could make.
The Grand Duke of the Southern Palace looked at Qi Sheng, and then shifted his gaze to the man behind him.
He had to shake his head several times as his gaze finally landed on Jie Gal Zhu Hu.
These were men who had traveled this path dozens of times before, men who had spent a lifetime fulfilling the duties of guardians against danger and threats.
And from an old man,
the only answer to their request was.
“I will.”
As if he were the only one, the Grand Duke obediently gave the answer that Kisheng wanted.