Book 26 Chapter 8

When Heaven and Earth Meet as One

—Closing His Eyes—

Being cornered in his confrontation with Donghaewang Jagun, unable to find any clue for a counterattack, Moyonghwi was inwardly anxious.

'Dangerous… If it continues like this, I’ll lose him again….'

It felt like he was fighting a phantom. Moyonghwi himself was confident in his speed. It wasn't for nothing that people in the martial world spoke of the Moyong family’s swordsmanship as being as fast as a dark comet. He had mastered this family’s sword art to its pinnacle at such a young age. It wasn’t for nothing that he was called a genius or a prodigy. Yet, he kept missing Jagun’s movements.

‘Why?’

The first priority was to uncover the secret behind Jagun’s footwork. To do that, he had to understand what was happening more clearly.

‘What should I do? There must be a way….’

After a moment of thought, Moyonghwi

*Shling!*

sheathed his sword.

“What are you doing, sheathing your sword? Have you finally lost the will to fight before my beauty?”

When asked if he admitted defeat, Moyonghwi shook his head.

“No. I have not been defeated yet. If you wish to receive my surrender, you must try harder.”

“If you haven’t admitted defeat, are you mocking me? Can you defeat me with your bare hands?”

“If you wish to think so, then think so.”

One of Jagun’s eyebrows twitched.

“Still haven’t come to your senses? Will you only understand when red flowers bloom all over your body? That your beauty is incomparable to mine?”

“I’m not interested in who is more beautiful. But I am interested in who wins. Come on, then.”

“Fine. I shall make beautiful red flowers bloom for you!”

*Swish-swish-swish!*

The dazzling attacks of the red whip began again. Moyonghwi focused even more intently.

‘Let’s forget about defense for a moment. I’ll take the hit and push through.’

To decipher Jagun’s ‘Sanhwa Muyoung,’ he felt he needed to touch it directly with his bare hands. Perhaps then he could feel something he couldn’t feel through his sword.

Without a sword, it was almost impossible to deflect the incoming whip. If he received that qi-infused whip head-on with his bare arm, it was clear he would be torn apart.

Moyonghwi deflected the weak middle part of the whip with his internal energy, forcing a path. Then, using the fastest technique from his Meteorite Footwork, he charged straight at Jagun. Unconcerned by the incoming whip attacks.

Jagun, who hadn’t expected him to charge head-on like this, quickly evaded.

‘Reach me!’

Moyonghwi stretched out his right arm. Something warm was grasped in his palm.

‘Did I catch him?!’

Despite charging at maximum speed, Jagun’s figure was not there. Instead, what he held in his grasp was a red flower petal.

“Hahaha! What is this? What a pathetic sight. Did you really think you could catch this beautiful me with your bare hands? You’re still ten years too early. Yes, indeed.”

From around the bewildered Moyonghwi, the jeers of women poured out again.

“……”

But Moyonghwi was lost in other thoughts, unable to hear them.

‘What was that? That sensation just now….’

He looked down at his hand, which was holding the flower petal. The sensation he had clearly felt with this hand just now… his fingers had indeed brushed against Jagun’s clothing. It was a difference of a hair’s breadth. And at that moment, he felt a heat that warmed his skin.

‘Hmm?’

Something bothered him.

‘Should I try it?’

It was a bit reckless, but it was worth the risk.

*Swish.*

Moyonghwi closed his eyes without hesitation, facing his opponent.

“Wh-what are you doing? Closing your eyes?!”

“……”

Instead of answering, Moyonghwi sharpened his senses.

“You refuse to see my beauty? Are you trying to insult me?”

Jagun’s face flushed red. He seemed to be angry about something entirely unrelated.

“I don’t miss it at all by not looking.”

There was only one person he felt pity for because he couldn’t see them. That person, no, that woman, was Eun Seollan.

“Wh-what!”

At Moyonghwi’s words, Donghaewang Jagun’s face turned pale. Surrounded only by a few fervent followers, had he ever heard such words before?

“A-am I just superficial! Not even worth looking at!”

Jagun uttered words he hadn’t said.

“I did not say that. You said that.”

Moyonghwi replied, somewhat confused.

“I-I never said that!”

“No. Not only did you say it, but you also thought it.”

“No, never! Absolutely not!”

“If you can’t see by closing your eyes, then isn’t your beauty just superficial anyway?”

“That’s impossible! I am beautiful! That fact doesn’t change!”

“Then you wouldn’t need to force it on others, would you? If you have such conviction in yourself, why would you care about others’ opinions? At least, that’s what I think.”

“I care! I cannot stand my beauty being ignored!”

“So you force it? Don’t you think that’s childish? Or perhaps, deep down, you already know you’re not beautiful, that you’re somehow lacking?”

Moyonghwi declared. At that, Jagun’s expression contorted viciously for a moment.

“Stop spouting nonsense!”

*Yangyan Hwahwallyeryeosin Gong (陽炎華華麗麗神功)*

The Aesthetics of Whip Techniques (鞭法의 美學)

*Hongjangmi Ranpung (紅薔薇亂風)*

*Chak!*

The rose whip with sharp thorns was swung menacingly to tear Moyonghwi’s flesh.

*Chak! Chak!*

“Now, admit it!”

Jagun shouted, wielding the blood-red ‘Hongjangmi Pyeon.’

“Will you admit it now?”

*Jjaak! Jjaak!*

Once again, the whip cut through the air, creating a flurry of petals. And he shouted again.

“Look! This beautiful attack! Perfect beauty!”

Moyonghwi couldn’t understand what he wanted him to look at. He just kept dodging. Even with his eyes closed, his movements were as if he were seeing.

“Now, admit my beauty! And praise it!”

There was madness in his voice.

As he repeatedly shouted, “Admit me!” Jagun continued to swing the Hongjangmi Pyeon. Each technique was incredibly flamboyant. The attacks, like a whirlwind of falling flower petals, continued to pressure Moyonghwi.

‘That’s impossible, isn’t it?’

Donghaewang Jagun’s standard of beauty was simple. It was his face and his body. He was telling Moyonghwi to acknowledge the beauty of those things. As if his true victory would be decided then.

But…

‘That’s impossible, isn’t it!’

He had felt it was greasy and strange, but never beautiful. How could he feel beauty in that? Especially in a man.

‘I can never understand.’

Moyonghwi didn’t know what an obsession with beauty could create, and he didn’t want to know.

But the fact that he felt something was beautiful and what Jagun felt was beautiful were clearly different.

However, that wasn’t wrong. Everyone could have different tastes, couldn’t they? Especially when it came to the value of ‘beauty,’ which was inherently ambiguous and fickle, tastes would naturally vary.

The wrong was with Jagun, who forced his standard of beauty onto others. He was forcing it rather than seeking empathy. There was no empathy there. Only self-righteousness and horror.

Moyonghwi could not accept such beauty. He had no intention of defiling the beauty he cherished with such things.

‘Seollan….’

A woman’s face flashed through his mind. He thought of the tears shed under the pale moonlight. He thought of the tears that shone like jewels and her beautiful face.

He didn’t want to mar that gentle, pathetic, yet sometimes fierce beauty with external pressure. He didn’t want to fill this heart-wrenching world with something as greasy as Jagun’s face. For that reason alone, he had to fight now.

‘If Ryuyeon, that friend, knew I was thinking this, he’d tease me for three years straight.’

So he decided he absolutely must not let anyone know he had this thought.

‘But that’s all after I win, isn’t it?’

With that resolve, Moyonghwi focused his attention on where he felt Jagun’s presence.

‘Hmm? This is?!’

Still with his eyes closed, Moyonghwi, who had fully opened all his senses, felt a strange sensation in his hands. A sensation he hadn’t registered while his eyes were open and he was wielding his sword.

‘So… it’s heat.’

It was heat, but not heat used for attack…

‘Hot?’

When he got near Jagun’s body, he felt heat. Was it ‘fire qi’ from the Five Elements?

However, it wasn’t hot enough to burn his skin.

‘Is it fire qi like Master Yeomdo? Using the fire element from the Five Elements….’

It was hot, but not enough to burn his skin…

‘What is it? What does it have to do with that illusory footwork?’

Something continued to bother him and wouldn’t let go.

‘Besides, why use fire qi for footwork?’

Fire qi, with its strong properties, was usually used for attack. Yet, he was drawing forth fire qi while using his footwork.

‘Yangyan… mirage… heat… illusion….’

Various clues connected in Moyonghwi’s mind.

“Could it be….”

At that moment, a realization flashed through his mind like lightning.

“I understand [察]!”

Moyonghwi’s closed eyes snapped open. Jagun’s body stopped involuntarily as he met the intense glare. An unknown, powerful force resided within it. Moyonghwi was convinced he had finally grasped the secret of Yangyan Hwahwallyeryeosin Gong. Now, all that remained was whether he possessed the skill to break it.

“You understand? What in the world do you understand?”

Jagun countered.

“I’ve discovered the secret of your movement technique.”

As if he had nothing to hide, Moyonghwi replied. Jagun, rather than being surprised, burst into laughter.

“Ahahahaha! What outrageous lies! Were you that flustered?”

He clearly didn’t believe him. However, Moyonghwi’s face remained serious.

“The secret lies in the heat.”

*Hmph.* Jagun’s body stiffened. His suddenly rigid face indicated he had been hit where it hurt.

“My intuition was correct, then?”

Reading Jagun’s reaction, Moyonghwi was certain his guess was right.

“You, you dare to test me?!”

Jagun, his face flushed with anger, roared. But Moyonghwi remained composed.

“I was just imitating an evil friend.”

Of course, that evil friend was none other than Bilu Yeon.

“I don’t know who it is, but he’s a friend who only teaches bad things. I’d like to see the face of such a scoundrel.”

Jagun grumbled, a deep furrow etched between his brows. He had no idea that Yeonbi, to whom he had recently proposed, was in fact that very scoundrel. And for his mental health, it was advisable that he not imagine it.

“I agree.”

Moyonghwi replied with a faint smile, barely visible at the corner of his lips. It was a fleeting glimpse of emotion, rarely seen on his face, which was always neat, clean, and perfectly flawless, as if stamped from a mold.

“However, knowing the secret doesn’t mean you can break Sanhwa Muyoung. There are things in this world that you can’t stop even if you know them. Like my beauty. A demonic allure that cannot be resisted, no matter how you try. Ah, what a sinful body I am…”

Moyonghwi interrupted him.

“I will break it.”

“…What?!”

Jagun scowled, unconcerned by the impending wrinkles.

“Indeed, there are techniques in this world that cannot be stopped even if known. But your technique is not among them. I will prove it cleanly and clearly, starting now, by breaking your technique.”

The women who had been watching, captivated by Moyonghwi’s confident and unyielding demeanor despite facing Jagun’s threatening attacks, involuntarily screamed, “Kaaah! So cool!” Conversely, the number of women cheering for Jagun had noticeably, or rather, audibly, decreased. The thought that he was losing his followers made Jagun’s anger deepen. The composure he had displayed until now had completely vanished. He was more anxious than ever.

“Hehehe. I will make you regret those words forever.”

*Chakang! Hwarururuk!*

The thorns that the Hongjangmi Pyeon had hidden until now all protruded at once. At the same time, the entire whip began to exude a strange heat and then started to burn.

“I will send you off with the most beautiful technique. It is fitting for you to become fertilizer in a pool of blood. Fertilizer to further elevate my beauty!”

‘Shall I test it?’

*Swoosh!*

Having made up his mind, Moyonghwi took something out from his robes. It was a sharp tanto. He held the drawn tanto in his left hand. The basic stance could be described as right sword, left tanto, rather than left sword, right tanto.

“What is that? I’ve never heard of the Moyong family using a tanto alongside their sword techniques.”

Jagun frowned again. Seeing him furrow his brow so often, it seemed he couldn’t escape the threat of wrinkles any longer.

“This is a kind of self-taught style. The other sword techniques of the Moyong family are not like this, so you can rest assured.”

Of course, it was not a situation to be reassured at all.

As Jagun was preparing his final attack, Moyonghwi also prepared. He intended to test his own unique skill, honed through considerable harsh training from Yeomdo and Binggeom.

As he began to gather his qi, a pure white qi slowly began to concentrate into the tanto in his left hand. Then, the sword began to shine with a pale blue light. He used Bungyeol to compress the pale blue qi concentrated in his left-hand tanto even more intensely.

The qi, gathered into a single point at the sword’s tip, detached from the sword and began to form a sphere. The sphere of blue qi began to emit a frost-like coldness from the pale blue qi sphere. And the sword in his right hand was glowing red, as if heated in a fire.

The sword art he was now unfolding was based on the Galaxy Flow’s direct lineage secret sword art, the Heaven-Opening Sword, which only he, excluding the Sword Saint, had succeeded in mastering in the Moyong family. However, its content had changed. It was a technique that originally involved releasing the fast-attribute Meteorite Qi from the sword in his right hand, compressing it with the heavy-attribute Bungyeol formed at his left-hand sword tip, compressing it further, and then exploding it all at once to gain immense destructive power. However, it was a supreme sword technique that even Moyonghwi, called a peerless talent, had not yet perfected. It was an extremely difficult sword art that even the Sword Saint, considered the strongest among the Three Stars of Heavenly Dance, could only complete in his later years after much hardship. The fact that he could even imitate it at such a young age was remarkable.

It was a special martial art that could only be mastered by wielding both opposing forces simultaneously.

One who can wield the powers of Flame Spirit and Ice Soul simultaneously.

In other words, it was proof of being a ‘Tai Chi prodigy’ to be able to use both the positive and negative, yin and yang, forces simultaneously.

‘My master said the most important thing is ‘balance’.’

Perfect balance, neither excessive nor insufficient, not leaning to either side. He said that if one could achieve that balance, the path to Tai Chi would open. However, Moyonghwi had no clue how to achieve that balance.

“Tsk, tsk. Those guys, they failed for the last twenty years. Can you find a clue using their methods?”

“Then?”

“Find a method that suits you. You already have the clue, don’t you?”

Clue! Hearing Elder Hyeokjung’s words, Moyonghwi had an epiphany. And finally, he could turn his attention to the martial arts of Yeomdo and Binggeom, no, to the sword techniques he had been diligently practicing for over ten years. Yes. His past efforts were not in vain. He already possessed the Galaxy Flow’s Heaven-Opening Sword, capable of simultaneously using opposing forces.

“Drawing another sword won’t make you stronger!”

Jagun quickly moved towards Moyonghwi, shouting at him.

*Yangyan Hwahwallyeryeosin Gong (陽炎華華麗麗神功)*

The Ultimate Secret (奧義)

*Sanhwa Muyoung (散花無影) Yamaranpung (野馬亂風)*

As Jagun created multiple clones and circled Moyonghwi, the countless flower petals scattered on the ground simultaneously flew up and began to swirl around Moyonghwi. Then, they formed a wall of petals, isolating Moyonghwi. A barrier of a giant flower wind surrounded Moyonghwi.

“Hehehe.”

A sinister laugh escaped Jagun’s lips. It wasn’t the overly shiny, greasy smile he had shown before. It was a smile so repulsive that it made the previous greasy smile seem refreshing, shocking the watching women.

Due to the fiercely swirling petals, Jagun’s position could not be pinpointed.

“Turn into a handful of ashes!”

*Hwaruruk!*

Flames ran along the Hongjangmi Pyeon in Jagun’s hand. He swung the whip, where flames flickered, towards the flower wind barrier without hesitation.

*Hwarurururururururuk!*

Then, with a dazzling crimson light, the flower petals all ignited.

*Yangyan Hwahwallyeryeosin Gong (陽炎華華麗麗神功)*

The Final Secret Technique (最終秘技)

*Gyeokhwa (激火)*

The swirling flower wind barrier instantly became a wall of flames, engulfing Moyonghwi, who was trapped in its center. The flower petals scattered at his feet were not just decorative. They were treated with a special process that allowed them to ignite instantaneously when needed. These petals were also his most powerful hidden weapon. Prepared for a magnificent fireworks display.

“Waaaaahahaha!”

At that moment, Moyonghwi’s reddened sword pierced through the pale blue sphere.

*Galaxy Flow (銀河流) Heaven-Opening Sword (開闢劍)*

New Ultimate Secret (新奧義)

*Yeomcheon Bingji (炎天氷地) Ilwonhap (一元合)*

*Hwaaaah!*

From between the walls of flames surrounding Moyonghwi, streaks of pale white light shot out like spears. The next moment, a stronger light erupted, and Jagun involuntarily closed his eyes, blinded by its brilliance. When he opened his eyes again, Jagun was stunned.

The flames were extinguished in an instant, and frost covered the entire martial arts arena. It meant that his trump card, hidden until the very end, had failed.

“As promised, I have won.”

Moyonghwi said in a calm voice. He did not collapse from complete exhaustion after using the Galaxy Flow’s Heaven-Opening Sword, as he had in the past.

From the moment he obtained the clue from Elder Hyeokjung, Moyonghwi had pondered how to infuse the powers of Flame Spirit and Ice Soul into the Galaxy Flow’s Heaven-Opening Sword. Fire, that attribute, represented the violent movement of qi, i.e., motion (動), especially turbulence. Conversely, ice represented stillness (靜) of qi, especially extreme stillness. The movement of qi was Yang, and the stillness of qi was Yin.

In other words, the fast-acting Meteorite Qi represented the turbulence of qi, and the Bungyeol Qi was related to stillness (靜). Although they seemed different, they were connected. And the result was the current system of right sword, left tanto, and the technique he mastered was ‘Yeomcheon Bingji Ilwonhap.’

“Ah, no, it’s not over yet!”

Jagun attempted to attack Moyonghwi again, unfolding his Sanhwa Muyoung Footwork.

“It’s useless.”

When did he move? Moyonghwi’s sword tip was already at Jagun’s neck.

“H-how is this possible?! H-how?!”

His most trusted Sanhwa Muyoung Footwork had been broken with a single sword strike.

“The secret of Sanhwa Muyoung is to use heat to warm the air and create illusions. Similar to how objects appear distorted in a mirage on a summer day, right? Am I wrong?”

“Tsk…”

His inability to refute meant Moyonghwi’s guess was correct.

Sanhwa Muyoung was a martial art that amplified that phenomenon in a confined space. That’s why he felt an unusually strong heat when he touched it with his bare hands. Furthermore, the scattering flower petals were a form of misdirection to maximize the illusion. To distract the eyes.

“It’s like trying to grab a coin underwater. The coin isn’t where you think it is because of the refraction of light.”

He should have realized it sooner. Mirages are also caused by the refraction of light due to temperature differences in the air.

‘Yangyan (陽炎), Yamaran (野馬)’ were all other names for mirages.

“Therefore, if the air cools down, it becomes impossible to use that technique.”

Moyonghwi then pointed to the martial arts arena, covered in white frost. The result of his work just moments ago.

“…!!!”

Jagun’s eyes widened.

“Mirages don’t form over ice.”

Naturally, because all the air had cooled down.

“…I lost.”

Jagun’s body lost its strength and he collapsed onto his knees. His strength drained, he slumped down. His eyes were almost vacant. With all his techniques deciphered, Jagun had no chance of victory left. Everything had crumbled.

“Kill me or spare me, as you wish. Entrusting my beautiful end to someone like you wouldn’t be so bad.”

However, Moyonghwi retracted his sword.

“I have no reason to kill you. I only need to confirm the contents of the ‘wooden coffin’ that was brought here.”

“Are you saying you will leave my beauty in this world…?”

Judging by his question, his princely complex seemed to have worsened even after his defeat.

“Kyaaah! So cool!”

“I’m going to fall in love!”

“I’m switching to Hyung-nim now!”

“Me too!”

“N-no, not me. I was momentarily swayed, but I am eternally a loyal fangirl of Jagun-nim.”

From among the women who had been watching the duel with bated breath, thunderous cheers erupted. Moyonghwi was taken aback by the fervent reaction. It felt like the gazes directed at him were even hotter than before. He felt as if he might be eaten alive if he stayed there any longer.

“This is uncomfortable…”

Moyonghwi muttered quietly and descended from the martial arts arena. The cheers behind him continued to echo.

Thus, the number of members in the ‘Chiljeolhoe,’ the official fan club of the Seven-Cut Divine Sword Moyonghwi, further increased. Furthermore, this event became the catalyst for the birth of the ‘Chiljeolhoe Macheon Branch’… Moyonghwi would never know about it, as it operated secretly due to his潔癖 (Gyepyeok –潔癖, clean freak).