Heavenly Demon Cultivation Simulation-Chapter 456: Emergency Training (6)

“Could it be, this is……”

Cheong Heo looked at his hands with an expression of disbelief.

His gaze was fixed on his fingertips, but in truth, he was intoxicated by the electrifying qi coursing through his hands.

It was the lingering thunder qi left by the wind that brushed past his palms.

“Congratulations.”

At that moment, a familiar man appeared before him.

It was the Wudang Taoist.

The one who managed his internal ailments, made his body healthy, and had a significant influence in helping him reach the State of Enlightenment.

And now, a person who possessed an achievement that was hard to believe had been reached at such a young age.

“Wudang Taoist. This qi flowing through my body right now. Is it perhaps what you mentioned……?”

“Yes. You have finally reached it. The place you desired.”

“Ah……”

Gradually, vitality returned to Cheong Heo’s expression. Soon he was smiling brightly, but for some reason, he darkened once more.

To be precise, he was overwhelmed with emotion to the point where his eyes became moist.

“How do you feel?”

“It’s a bit…… complicated. It feels new yet futile, and there’s relief that the long journey wasn’t in vain……. Yet, there’s frustration, thinking if this is all I ran for.”

“It is said that once you achieve your desired goal, only then do you look back and reflect on the past. No matter what emotions you feel now, reaching this point is undoubtedly a great blessing for Qingcheng Sect.”

Seol-Hwi understood better than anyone the emotions Cheong Heo was feeling.

After the system arrived, he grew stronger through opportunities, often hitting his limits, and eventually felt the need to properly master martial arts.

After repeated growth, when hitting a wall, a deep contemplation of martial arts beyond just martial techniques was needed.

That was when the suffering began.

Researching martial arts inevitably brings numerous assumptions and fears about whether one is on the right path.

What was needed there was philosophy.

To remain unwavering in the journey, one had to establish a firm personal conviction.

Both mental and physical aspects fall within the scope of this philosophy.

“Taoist Hyuk Jin.”

“Yes.”

“May I borrow your sword for a moment?”

“Ah, yes.”

Hyuk Jin, who stepped forward, awkwardly handed over his sword.

He would have usually refused, but having spent time with Seol-Hwi, a strong trust had been built, leading him to comply.

Swoosh.

After receiving Hyuk Jin’s sword, Seol-Hwi spoke.

“On such a fine day, how can we miss out on a spar?”

Cheong Heo looked puzzled at the sudden mention of a spar.

Seol-Hwi continued as he made a gesture of respect towards him.

“I intend to check a few things in the process.”

“…?”

“Whether you’ve truly reached the Flowing Realm. And whether your skills are enough to defeat other masters in this martial arts tournament.”

“Hahaha. You speak as if you’re about to leave today.”

“If elder Cheong Heo has reached the Supreme State, there’s no reason for me to stay here.”

“Ah…”

At those words, the expressions of Cheong Heo and Hyuk Jin hardened.

They knew he would leave eventually, but hearing it now caught them off guard.

“Connections are about meeting and parting. Very well. Let’s soothe the regret with one last sword match.”

Cheong Heo, seemingly inclined to accept the spar, moved his sword gracefully.

Then he brought it to his chest and showed respect.

“A spar, indeed.”

Watching this, Hyuk Jin’s heart raced.

The martial arts duel of absolute warriors.

Where could one witness such a rare spectacle?

On one hand, he was curious about how long that Taoist from Wudang would last against his master—the same master who had reached the pinnacle.

“We shall begin.”

“Very well.”

Thus began their final night.

The duel between Cheong Heo and Seol-Hwi was starting in the training ground.

From the start, the duel was the epitome of brilliance.

When the soft swordsmanship of Wudang intertwined with the powerful swordsmanship of his master, it was as if a choreographed sword dance blinded his eyes.

Shu shu! Hwiririck! Kang! Piiik.

Once, the warrior fiercely pressed on, and another time, the Wudang Taoist smoothly countered.

It was as if watching the pre-arranged flow of a grand opera.

‘Ah, could it be? Are they trying to use that technique?’

At the moment when the two, who had been relentlessly attacking, widened the distance again, a familiar scene caught Hyuk Jin’s eye.

The posture of the Wudang Taoist—It was the basic stance he had been taught, the thrusting posture.

‘Could it be, using such a move in a duel between such masters?’

Not just any duel, but a match at the divine level.

In this moment of dazzling, unconventional, and unreal movements, using a simple basic technique was incomprehensible.

He thought that such a straightforward method wouldn’t work here.

Step, step.

‘Gulp.’

The Wudang Taoist lowered his body and cautiously advanced, observing the opponent’s demeanor.

And just as Hyuk Jin predicted.

Swish, swish.

With a lightning-fast movement, he executed a straight thrust.

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Hyuk Jin quickly turned his gaze to his master.

Sssuk.

His master didn’t counterattack.

Instead, just as the Wudang Taoist had once advised Hyuk Jin, he sidestepped to avoid it.

However, unlike before, his master seemed to step aside and then used the Qingcheng footwork to approach the opponent by two steps.

Clang!

Then the Wudang Taoist intentionally clashed with his master’s sword.

Swish.

He spun his body to defend.

Seeing this, his master gave up his attack and retreated briefly.

‘Is it happening again this time!’

This time, the Wudang Taoist raised his sword diagonally.

That stance was for striking from above to below.

Despite the recent danger, he fearlessly tried to close in again.

‘Here I go!’

Whoosh!

The Wudang Taoist moved even faster than before and slashed his sword from above in the blink of an eye.

There, Hyuk Jin saw it.

His master’s body turned into an illusion, indicating it wasn’t just a form of rapid movement skill.

‘Illusion Step!’

Illusions diving left and right.

This was the optical illusion effect of Illusion Step, representing Qingcheng.

Of course, this was also a trick.

He didn’t just use footwork but also executed the 12th move of the Clear Wind Sword Technique, which strikes the chest.

He cast the Clear Wind Union simultaneously.

Swoosh—

The moment his master thought he had completely slashed the opponent, the Wudang Taoist’s body also turned into an illusion.

Knowing the opponent’s attack would come, he had already used his movement skill to escape.

Hyuk Jin saw the Wudang footwork technique being used but didn’t know what it was.

In fact, it was fine not to know.

‘You intended to show me this.’

Because he felt that the encounter between the two warriors just now contained a purpose to enlighten him.

The basic skills that the Wudang Taoist demonstrated, to which the master skillfully responded with Qingcheng martial arts.

Martial arts and footwork according to basic skills.

The fact that martial arts encompass all of this was properly realized through this match.

‘Indeed…’

Seol-Hwi realized after crossing swords a few times.

The flow itself was already different. It was fierce, yet tingling.

There was no need to classify the sword energy to understand it.

‘Hyuk Jin must have been trained too… Is it time to finish it now?’

Seol-Hwi realized there was no point in engaging any longer.

Rather, prolonging it would only shorten his master’s lifespan.

Currently, his master’s level was somewhere between the Supreme State and the Profound State.

The qi itself was akin to a candle being burnt out.

‘Catch the moment the sword thrusts.’

Seol-Hwi waited for that and acted swiftly upon seeing a fierce thrust from the left while exchanging attacks.

He wrapped his robe around and immediately defended.

“…!”

In an instant, Cheong Heo’s eyes widened.

It was a form of defense he’d never seen before. He was surprised that Seol-Hwi used his robe to block his sword’s movement.

Chuk.

Meanwhile, Seol-Hwi’s sword was aimed at Cheong Heo’s throat.

He was completely outdone.

“That is…”

Cheong Heo was genuinely flustered.

Not only was the opponent’s defensive move beyond common sense, but it was one of the unresolved techniques of the Clear Wind Sword Technique.

That’s why he couldn’t do anything the moment he saw it.

“Perhaps…”

“Yes, that’s correct. It’s the martial arts of Qingcheng Sect. More precisely, the origin of the abandoned Clear Wind Sword Technique.”

“…!”

Cheong Heo’s face turned from shock to astonishment.

An uncontrollable surge of emotions was raging within his chest.

“Who are you… Who on earth are you?”

He had no choice but to ask.

How on earth did he know the origin of the Clear Wind Sword Technique?

The longstanding conundrum of Qingcheng, and how the secret of the Clear Wind Sword Technique, a long-held aspiration, was unraveled.

“Like the wind that flows in, then quietly flows out.”

“Listen here…”

“Taoist Cheong Heo.”

Seol-Hwi, unlike before, looked at him seriously.

“Please participate in this martial arts competition… and convey Qingcheng’s teachings to the Qingcheng Sect. Only then will you have no regrets in this life.”

“……”

“Aren’t you no longer alone? The life of your disciple, Hyuk Jin, also depends on you, elder.”

Cheong Heo still seemed unable to shake off the shock, his entire body trembling.

And he recalled the brief time he spent with the man before him.

‘It is time to part ways.’

Seol-Hwi paid his respects.

If it went on longer, his master would continue to question him.

And if that happened, he might end up talking about things that didn’t need to be known.

“Then, I will cherish this meaningful time in my heart.”

With that, he turned around. Then, after handing a smile and the sword to the dazed Hyuk Jin, he attempted to walk out of the clearing.

“I have one thing to say.”

At that moment, whether Cheong Heo had calmed down or had something he must ask, he stopped Seol-Hwi in his tracks.

“Yes. Please speak.”

“That master you spoke of… what kind of person was he?”

Seol-Hwi paused briefly.

What words would be appropriate for this final farewell?

He pondered.

After contemplating, Seol-Hwi respectfully said.

“He was like a single rain shower in my life. Though he is not here with us now.”

“…I see.”

Cheong Heo nodded.

And then added a word.

“Perhaps your master would have liked it as well.”

“……”

“Whenever you think of your master, I sense a bit of regret in your heart. That’s why I’m telling you this.”

This time, a slight look of confusion appeared on Seol-Hwi’s face.

Around that time, Cheong Heo turned around.

“I don’t know what kind of person your master was or what temperament he had. But surely, no matter what choice you make…”

“……”

“Your master would be fond of you.”

Seol-Hwi did not reply to those words.

Wasn’t the answer already heard through him?

‘That’s right. Back then, and even now…’

A smile appeared on Seol-Hwi’s lips.

Indeed, before facing the final battle in which so much had to be risked—He thought it was truly a good decision to return to Qingcheng.