Single-Instant Blade

Chapter 99 : Seori (4)

Ah Geol opened his eyes.

‘I’m not dead?’

He found it rather strange that he was alive.

The Single-Instant Blade was a blade without forgiveness. It was a vicious blade that would surely kill anyone it faced.

Ah Geol closed his eyes again.

He recalled his senior brother’s One Shot Ten Blades. He thought of the terrifyingly fast blade light that had exploded like fireworks.

That blade could not be blocked.

Even if he were given a few more chances, he didn’t think he could break that blade.

That was all for the thought of the One Shot Ten Blades.

Ah Geol erased the One Shot Ten Blades and thought of the half-iron blade that had flowed between the One Shot Ten Blades.

Had the blade moved first, or had the body moved first?

As his body moved, it had deflected one of the One Shot Ten Blades. As the blade moved, it had torn his senior brother’s wrist.

His own Single-Instant Blade was more important than his senior brother’s blade.

Although he could forget the One Shot Ten Blades, he had to remember his own blade. He had to be able to reproduce it, and he had to be able to handle it skillfully. It was a blade that would be with him for the rest of his life.

‘That blade came out again. Then it means it can come out again in the future. It has already started to attach itself to my body…’

Ah Geol looked closely at the Single-Instant Blade.

Originally, the Single-Instant Blade was not created in this way. His senior brothers had started with the basic framework. If you trained the Single-Instant Blade normally, the basic framework would be created first. And it would gradually develop.

He had obtained the Single-Instant Blade through the Single-Instant Evil Sword.

He had raised his senses before the basic framework was created. His senses had risen, and his body had followed.

That was why a situation like now, where he couldn’t even remember the blade he had executed, had occurred.

‘Let’s not be in a hurry. It’s my blade now.’

Ah Geol erased all his thoughts and opened his eyes.

Creak!

The door opened and Seori Hyeonggae entered.

He was not surprised at all, even though Ah Geol had opened his eyes. He was as calm as if he had known that he would wake up around this time.

“I’ve treated your wounds.”

He said, sitting next to him.

“…What’s the reason you didn’t kill me?”

Ah Geol did not look at Seori Hyeonggae. He said, looking at the ceiling, which was covered in soot.

He was lying in Dongbak’s residence.

He was being treated on the bed that Dongbak had used. He was looking at the ceiling that he had looked at.

Dongbak had carved the words ‘Single-Instant Blade’ on the ceiling beam.

If you looked at it while lying on the bed, it was reflected in front of you. You would see it before you went to sleep, and you would see it after you woke up.

Dongbak had struggled to obtain the Single-Instant Blade.

Seori Hyeonggae said, “We’re always here. So if you want to use your blade against us, come and find us anytime. As you know, the Single-Instant Sect does not avoid those who come with a blade.”

“You’re saying something strange. I asked you why you didn’t kill me.”

“Regardless of what you think, the Sacred Sword Sect is more of an enemy to you than we are. The one who died on our side was Dongbak, but a Single-Instant Sect disciple can die anywhere, so there’s no problem. But the Sacred Sword Sect is different. They’re still waiting outside for your body.”

“You’re going to use me to shake the Sacred Sword Sect? Are you that afraid of the Duke?

“Courage without skill is recklessness. Your current appearance is just like that. If you go to the Duke in this state, it’s a dog’s death. It’s the same as coming here knowing you would lose. What are you going to do by dying?”

“I came to kill, not to die.”

“That’s not something you should say to me. Say it to yourself. Is that a good enough answer for why I spared you?”

“It is. It’s a very accurate answer.”

Ah Geol let out a bitter smile.

The Wind Path Valley was thinking of using him to shake the Sacred Sword Sect.

But still, the Sacred Sword Sect could not use the Wind Path Valley. They could not kill him until they had resolved their curiosity about the Blood Sword Sutra. If the Wind Path Valley let him go without killing him now, the Sacred Sword Sect would rather pursue him with a sense of relief.

The Sacred Sword Sect, the Wind Path Valley… both did not consider him an opponent.

Since he had lost to Seori Gaheon and Seori Hyeonggae, he had nothing to say. Duke Heo Dogi was stronger.

In fact, he was no match for them.

‘Grandpa, you said it would be like this!’

In this moment, Ah Geol thought of Grandpa who had caused the incident.

Although he had caused a scene, saying that he couldn’t draw his blade if not now, in the end, wasn’t he being treated as a lowly being who couldn’t even raise a bit of tension?

But he was not frustrated or disappointed.

He just needed time. He just needed a little time to mature the Single-Instant Blade.

Seori Hyeonggae said, “Let me tell you one thing. It’s an old story, but my senior brother lost to Duke Heo Dogi in a single move.”

“And you?”

“Me too.”

Seori Hyeonggae did not hide it.

“…One move?”

“Because I was defeated as soon as I attacked. And that, with a sword that was executed playfully, as if playing with a child.”

“You speak calmly for someone who has lost.”

“Judgment and execution are up to you. I’m just trying to tell you what happens if you clash with Heo Dogi now. Although you won’t be scared by these words.”

“What exactly is the Illuminating Ten Explanations?”

“That’s not something a Single-Instant Sect disciple should say. You find a way to face the Illuminating Ten Explanations. You also find a way to defeat the Duke. Everything is up to you. Don’t you know?”

Single-Instant Sect disciples did not consult or discuss martial arts, even among senior and junior brothers.

A senior brother was a target to be overcome, not a target to be embraced.

The moment you asked for help and bowed your head, your qualification as a Single-Instant Sect disciple disappeared. Although you would continue to be called a senior or junior brother, you had to consider that the pride of the Single-Instant Sect had been erased.

No, all other words were unnecessary.

He knew what the Single-Instant Blade was after experiencing it. If you tasted the Single-Instant Blade, you could never bow your head to another person.

He had lost to Seori Gaheon. He had also been hit by Seori Hyeonggae’s blade to the point of being on the verge of death. But he was not scared at all. He was confident that he could win if he trained the Single-Instant Blade a little more.

So how could he bow his head?

Duke Heo Dogi was an extremely strong master who could sweep away the Wind Path Valley single-handedly.

And yet, he was not scared at all.

If he was given enough time, and if he trained the Single-Instant Blade more, he thought he could win.

The way he saw the world had completely changed from when Grandpa had recklessly caused a scene.

In particular, his view of masters who were far superior to him had changed.

In the past, they had been an insurmountable iron wall, but now he looked at them in a horizontal relationship, at the same height.

Seori Hyeonggae had said that he had lost to Heo Dogi in a single move. And yet, he was calm. It was as if he had not been hurt at all by that defeat.

Seori Hyeonggae also saw Heo Dogi with the same eyes as him.

The Single-Instant Sect gave the ‘Seori’ surname when you obtained the Single-Instant Blade, and he now knew the reason.

If you tasted the Single-Instant Blade, you would be completely transformed into a different person. The old me would disappear, and you would be reborn as a completely different person. That was why they gave a new surname.

“Ah! I had something to ask, but I forgot. I saw the Single-Instant martial art in the Ghost Gate, is there anything you can tell me?”

In that instant, Seori Hyeonggae glared at Ah Geol. He stared at him for a long time.

“You messed with the Ghost Gate.”

“Looking at your reaction, it seems you have something to say.”

“I have to clean up the Ghost Gate. There are too many guys who know this and that. I’ve used it well for a while.”

“You used the Ghost Gate well? What do you mean? You don’t have to tell me, but you know I’ll dig into it, right? I’m already curious.”

Seori Hyeonggae looked at Ah Geol again.

A moment later, a sneer hung on Seori Hyeonggae’s lips. As if he had figured something out.

“Mongseol is in the Ghost Gate.”

“…”

“Huhuhu! I thought it was strange. I thought something had happened because the Fourth Valley Master hadn’t reported, but as expected! Huhu! Good. I’ll let it go. Get information using the Ghost Gate.”

“The Ghost Gate?”

“The Ghost Gate Master is Ma Guyeong, but I’ve taken care of him. I’m just using the name Ma Guyeong because it’s annoying. If you’re trapped here, you sometimes need to see the Central Plains directly.”

“Hmm!”

Ah Geol groaned.

He had just been defeated by Seori Gaheon and had woken up, but it seemed he had to fight Seori Hyeonggae again.

If Seori Hyeonggae moved the Ghost Gate, Mongseol would be in danger.

Seori Hyeonggae said, “Mongseol, she’s Oh Bia, right? Our master’s daughter. Don’t be nervous. I have no intention of killing her. Since our master’s wife was Namso of the Drunken Flower Garden, it’s right that she was hidden in the Drunken Flower Garden. Huhu! Our master’s wife was also quite busy at that time.”

Seori Hyeonggae stood up.

“Use the Ghost Gate as you please. You’ll need a lot of eyes and ears to face the Sacred Sword Sect. I’ll take care of the parts related to me. And tell Oh Bia. I won’t touch her first, but if she wants to avenge her parents, she can come anytime. I’ll accept her no matter how she comes.”

“There’s no need to tell her that.”

“…”

“Oh Bia, she’s already sharpening her blades against you.”

“Is that so? Hahaha! Hahahaha!”

Seori Hyeonggae laughed loudly.

* * *

There was no need to say goodbye.

You came if you wanted to come, and you went if you wanted to go. Coming and going was free. However, when you came here, you had to raise your blade with your life on the line. There was no way to go. You could only go out this one time.

Ah Geol looked at the wounds on his body before putting on his clothes.

His body had become a doodle board.

All sorts of weapons had swept past.

Although there were deep scars and light traces, they would not be erased until he died.

Swoosh! Swish!

He touched the scar that Seori Gaheon had engraved. He also touched the scar that Seori Hyeonggae had torn.

When he touched the scars, he thought of the two’s blades.

He was not scared. He just thought that he could also use the Single-Instant Blade as skillfully as his senior brothers.

Although it was a wish for now, it would soon become a reality.

The fact that his Single-Instant Blade was outstanding had been proven by Seori Gaheon himself.

Since he had pierced through the One Shot Ten Blades and had injured his wrist, it was right that it was an outstanding Single-Instant Blade.

Ah Geol patted the scars with his palm and then put on his clothes.

The clothes he had been wearing when he had entered the Wind Path Valley had been torn to shreds by the Ten Lesser Swords, so he had thrown them away.

The clothes that Seori Hyeonggae had given him had also become trash after being worn just once.

Now he was putting on his third set of clothes.

“I don’t know how long you’ll be worn…”

The Ten Lesser Swords were waiting outside the Wind Path Valley. Since he had killed the Tenth Lord, they would be watching with fire in their eyes.

How would he face them?

Although he had opened his eyes to the Single-Instant Blade, his martial arts were the same as before.

Even before he had entered the Wind Path Valley, the Single-Instant Blade had sometimes burst out without him knowing.

If he had known the basic framework of how the Single-Instant Blade was formed, he would have hidden in a secluded place and would have trained the blade art. He would have calmly studied how the true energy was formed, how the forms were, and how the blade should react.

But if you obtained the Single-Instant Blade through the evil blade, that was not possible. So there was no choice but to continue to fight. The Single-Instant Blade would not come out just by training the blade art in a place where there were no people.

The Single-Instant Evil Blade only appeared briefly in a desperate situation, a situation where your life was on the line.

It seemed that he would not be wearing his third set of clothes for long.

But he had one less worry.

Seori Hyeonggae was the Ghost Gate Master, and he had said that he would not touch the Ghost Gate. Mongseol had become safe.

Although he had been quite surprised when the deputy valley master of the Fourth Valley had executed the Single-Instant martial art, he was relieved.

Although Seori Hyeonggae had told him to get as much help from the Ghost Gate as possible, he had no intention of even contacting them.

Mongseol needed a lot of time.

In Ah Geol’s opinion, Mongseol had to achieve at least the ninth level of the Blood Sword Sutra before she could step into the martial world. Only then could she raise her sword against his senior brothers. He didn’t know how the fight would turn out.

Now he was free. There was nothing holding him back.

Ah Geol took the half-iron blade and left Dongbak’s residence.

* * *

“He went down to Baishi Valley. He won’t come up, so if you wait at the bottom, you can catch him.”

“Thank you. I owe you one.”

Cho Gapyeong said.

“I don’t know why you’re trying to capture him alive, but I think it would be better to kill him.”

“I’ll take that into consideration.”

Seori Hyeonggae had told Cho Gapyeong the direction that Ah Geol had gone down.

He did not speak empty words. Although his blade was merciless, he did not lie with his mouth.

“Let’s go!”

Cho Gapyeong flew his body first.

The Ten Lesser Swords knew the geography of the Wind Path Valley well.

In case of an emergency, since it was a place where they had to fight the blade demons of the Wind Path Valley, they had carefully looked it over.

The path to Baishi Valley was very familiar.

‘If he lives, we’ll see each other again, and if he dies, that’s it.’

Seori Hyeonggae looked indifferently at the three people who were moving away.

(End of Chapter)