Chapter 664: I Can Hear Everything

TL: FoodieMonster007

A rough, tyrannical energy flowed from Jin Paecheon's body as a quiet cry echoed from the dark sea. Within that darkness, the Murim Alliance's leader, Jin Paecheon, found an old longing. He saw himself from a time when he fought like a madman, unconcerned with the opinions of others.

It was the him of that era, who never yielded the first move for appearances and never showed mercy to an enemy he wanted to kill. Yes, he too had such a time, however brief, when he lived freely without a care for others.

Watching Jin Paecheon, Geom Mugeuk felt that today, he would finally see his true nature.

Show them clearly. Show them what kind of person you are, Chairman.

In truth, this was the first time Geom Mugeuk had ever seen this side of him. He never had the chance to witness Jin Paecheon's martial arts in his life before regressing.

As Hwa Yulcheong drew his sword, a dark energy swirled and coiled around his body like a snake. It was a sinister power, the very essence of the Dark Palace, and it felt like an icy hand squeezing one's heart.

Hwa Yulcheong corrected what Jin Paecheon had said.

"You are not the one who will bring the curtain down on this era."

The dark energy flowing from him spread ever thicker, encroaching on the surroundings. One could feel his immense power from this ominous energy alone.

Even seeing this terrifying momentum, Jin Paecheon was not intimidated. Instead, a faint smile formed on his lips. It was the joy of a martial artist about to face a strong opponent, not the joy of a Chairman.

Geom Mugeuk watched and wondered.

What role did Hwa Yulcheong play in the Dark Palace? A master of his level must know of Hwa Mugi's existence. The person he mentioned, the one who would end this era, might be Hwa Mugi.

However, Geom Mugeuk continued to think of Hwa Mugi as someone who didn't exist, just as he had always done. He hoped that despite all the changes since his regression, the timing of Hwa Mugi's appearance would remain the same.

He wished for him to appear only after he had finished all his preparations.

He desperately hoped that one day, he could simply say, "I'll be back in a moment," while playing Go with his father or reading with the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, and go kill Hwa Mugi.

Then, if they asked where he had been, he could reply, "I just took care of something I had to do. Is it my turn?"

Geom Mugeuk looked up at the sky.

In the misty bamboo forest, a light drizzle began to fall. With this rain, the curtain rose on their stage.

The moment the rain hit the ground, Jin Paecheon vanished from his spot. There was no sound, no sign of him leaping.

The moment Hwa Yulcheong looked up, Jin Paecheon was already striking down with his sword from above. It was as if the man in front of him had been plucked from the ground and placed directly overhead. That was the speed of Jin Paecheon's movement arts.

A sword struck down as fast as light.

SHWAAAAK!

"……"

Light intersected with light. If Jin Paecheon was light, then Hwa Yulcheong was also light. Hwa Yulcheong parried Jin Paecheon's sword with his own.

"The Chairman, a surprise attack…!"

Hwa Yulcheong tried to taunt him and shake his resolve, but he was given no such opportunity.

KAANG! KAAANG!

Jin Paecheon's fierce attacks continued without pause. This was the leader of the Murim Alliance who did not yield the first strike. There were no more pretenses. He was even prepared to throw dirt in his opponent's eyes to survive.

In other words, his shackles had been released.

SHWIK! SHWIK!

Jin Paecheon's attacks were both strong and fast, aiming for vital points. It was said that strength meant sacrificing speed, but Jin Paecheon possessed both.

And Hwa Yulcheong blocked every one of those powerful attacks. An ordinary master's sword would have already broken, but Hwa Yulcheong's did not. A powerful dark energy was protecting it.

Watching this, Geom Mugeuk realized an important fact.

This isn't the swordsmanship Hwa Mugi used.

He himself had his chest pierced alongside Lee Ahn before he could properly fight Hwa Mugi, but he remembered one thing for certain. Hwa Mugi definitely did not use a swordsmanship that emitted this kind of dark energy.

Hwa Mugi used a different martial art.

Yes, no matter how strong this style looked, it could not have defeated his father's Nine Calamities Demonic Art. By watching this fight, Geom Mugeuk had discovered something very important.

The two men's swords flew fiercely at each other, each blade carrying decades of pent-up resentment.

CHAENG! CHAENG! CHAENG! CHAENGCHAENG!

The clashing sounds from the two swords, moving too fast to be seen, were like a musical ensemble. The tempo did not slow, but only grew faster, racing towards a climax.

Lines of sword light embroidered the air before vanishing. To an ordinary person, they were just countless, unrecognizable lines being drawn and erased. But there was someone who could appreciate the value of this painting.

To Geom Mugeuk, they were beautiful lines. It was a beautiful painting that contained the lifelong martial studies of two great masters. To watch such a duel this closely was a stroke of luck, a miraculous encounter.

Geom Mugeuk watched Jin Paecheon's martial arts with awe. The Chairman could have asked him to step aside to hide his techniques, and if he had, Geom Mugeuk would have retreated far away.

However, Jin Paecheon did not do that. He was showing all of his martial arts to someone who could one day become an enemy.

This was the caliber of the Murim Alliance's leader, Jin Paecheon. His vessel was large enough to fully submerge the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.

Thank you, Chairman.

The way to repay this sentiment was not to look away. He engraved the fight between the two men in his heart more diligently than ever before.

Before the fight began, Geom Mugeuk had considered intervening if Jin Paecheon was in danger. He had intended to jump in without hesitation, deciding that dealing with Jin Paecheon's resentment was a problem for later. He had no intention of letting him die.

However, once the fight started, that thought had to change.

Could I even interfere in that fight?

The thought came naturally. There were no openings in their exchange. The moment one appeared, the fight would be over before he could even act. Their skills were that incredible.

When the symphony of clashing swords reached its peak!

PAPAPAK!

Blood spurted from Hwa Yulcheong's arm and side. One might normally throw in a taunt while enjoying such an advantage.

But Jin Paecheon, like a beast focused on its hunt, pushed his opponent even more fiercely. Watching him, Geom Mugeuk could read his mind.

It doesn't have to be a great technique. As long as it can kill the opponent.

Seeing Jin Paecheon like this, Geom Mugeuk wished he could show the fight to Lee Ahn, Seo Daeryong, and his other subordinates.

Look, even the leader of the Murim Alliance is fighting desperately without letting his guard down for a moment, so who do you think you are!

Of course, that 'you' included himself.

Hwa Yulcheong desperately tried to create distance, but this was something Jin Paecheon had intentionally allowed.

PAPAPAPAPAPAK!

Dozens of sword qi burst from the ground and shot upwards. It was the first time Geom Mugeuk had ever seen a martial art where sword qi erupted from the earth.

Jin Paecheon's unique martial art, the Royal Sword Style, had been unleashed. The Royal Sword Style, the Fourth Technique, the Separation of Heaven and Earth.

Dozens of sword qi pierced the earth and soared. Since becoming the leader of the Murim Alliance, he had never used anything beyond the third stance. The techniques from the Fourth Stance onward were purely for killing, so he had deliberately hidden this tyrannical martial art.

Hwa Yulcheong flew into the air to avoid the sword qi. The sky was his only escape.

Just then, the fifth stance was unleashed, linked to the fourth. The Royal Sword Style, the Fifth Technique, the Chaotic Sword Dance.

Dozens of sword qi rained down on him while he was exposed in the air. It was like a volley of arrows, but the speed was different. They were as fast as light, as if fired from a machine.

SHWISHWISHWISHWISHWISHWISHWISHWISHWI!

He couldn't avoid the attacks coming from below and in front. Knowing he couldn't block them all, Hwa Yulcheong pushed his protective enhanced qi to its limit and swung his sword desperately.

PEOPEOPEOPEONG!

The sword qi that he failed to block struck his body, sending him flying and slamming into the ground.

However, Jin Paecheon did not stop his attack.

SHIIIIIIK.

A single stream of sword qi shot forward, grazing the ground as if it were alive. It was an attack that would have split the fallen man in two.

The moment the sword qi swept through the spot where Hwa Yulcheong had been, he vanished. Geom Mugeuk thought he had used the dark energy to escape, but he instantly reappeared, having crossed the space between them.

Right behind Jin Paecheon.

"……"

Blood spurted from Jin Paecheon's shoulder. If he hadn't instinctively twisted his body, the attack would have severed his arm.

Geom Mugeuk, who was watching, was startled. It wasn't because Jin Paecheon was cut, or because Hwa Yulcheong's movement was as fast as lightning. It wasn't even because the sword strike itself was incredibly fast.

I didn't hear anything!

The moment Hwa Yulcheong attacked Jin Paecheon, Geom Mugeuk heard nothing. Not the sound of his movement, nor the sound of his sword cutting the air. Even the fastest sword strike should make a fleeting sound, but it was as if his world had gone completely silent.

This was also why Jin Paecheon had allowed the attack to land. It was a soundless sword.

Hwa Yulcheong's unique martial art, the Dark Heaven Silent Sword Technique, had been unleashed.

Geom Mugeuk knew better than anyone how difficult this attack was to block. Without sound, one could not rely on hearing. When facing a fast sword, you had to rely solely on sight.

Masters on the level of Jin Paecheon and Hwa Yulcheong used all their senses to fight, but hearing was the most important after sight. It was especially crucial when an opponent used a fast sword. But to hear nothing at all?

The most crucial reason this attack was so tricky was that without sound, it was impossible to gauge the strength of the incoming blow. This meant one had to assume every attack was the strongest and block accordingly, leading to extreme consumption of inner arts.

Geom Mugeuk could tell.

So this is the martial art he prepared for the day he would fight the Chairman!

Hwa Yulcheong spoke with a cold smile.

"I will be the one to bring down the curtain on your era."

The moment he finished speaking, his second attack came.

KAAANG!

The attack was blocked. Yes, someone on the Chairman's level could probably block it once instinctively.

CHAENG!

But the third attack was also blocked. A look of surprise flashed across Hwa Yulcheong's face for a moment.

Then, Jin Paecheon said something shocking.

"I can hear everything."

Not only Hwa Yulcheong was surprised, but Geom Mugeuk was as well. Because Geom Mugeuk couldn't hear it.

Hwa Yulcheong didn't believe him.

"You're bluffing just because you got lucky a few times."

In a flash, Hwa Yulcheong struck from a different place, aiming for another vital point. It was a martial art that moved without revealing sound or energy, honed just for this day. It should have been impossible to block.

"……"

However, Jin Paecheon blocked the next attack as well.

Just then, a massive, soundless sword qi plunged down from above Jin Paecheon's head.

KWAAAAANG!

Not only the swinging attacks, but this sword qi attack also made no sound. When the smoke settled, Jin Paecheon was standing in the same spot. A deep hole was carved into the ground right next to him.

It was powerful enough to have caused a serious injury on a direct hit, yet Jin Paecheon had dodged even that.

"You can really hear it?" Hwa Yulcheong asked, surprised, before hiding in the darkness.

In an instant, the surroundings grew dark, as if the only lamp in a lightless place had been snuffed out. In the pitch-black darkness, Geom Mugeuk knew Hwa Yulcheong had unleashed a martial art that used the energy of darkness. Both he and Jin Paecheon now stood within it.

From within the darkness, Hwa Yulcheong's voice was heard.

"…Truly incredible."

His voice was calm, though tinged with surprise and dejection. He seemed to believe this darkness would at least protect him.

"Jin Paecheon."

He called Jin Paecheon's name for the first time. Hearing his name called felt strangely unfamiliar to Jin Paecheon. Since becoming the Chairman, who would have dared? He then realized that in all their long years as friends, Hwa Yulcheong had never once called him by his name.

"I hated you."

For the first time in decades, he revealed his true feelings. It was hatred.

"I really hated seeing you act so fake, pretending it was all for the orthodox sects' martial artists. Most of the things you did were things you wouldn't have done if you weren't the leader of the Murim Alliance, right?"

Geom Mugeuk could tell that Hwa Yulcheong was trying to shake Jin Paecheon's heart by any means necessary. He could also tell that this darkness had the effect of summoning inner demons. The Heavenly Demon Defense Art had already begun to activate to protect him.

Could the Chairman truly block this dark energy?

Jin Paecheon did not fall for the provocation. Something began to glow in the darkness. It was Jin Paecheon's sword.

SAAAAAAAAA.

The sword glowed, suffused with a brilliant light that illuminated Jin Paecheon's resolute and unchanged expression.

The moment Jin Paecheon's sword cut through the air!

CHWAAAAAK!

The curtain of darkness was sliced apart by his sword. Light poured in as if a black cloth were being torn open. Stepping out of the torn darkness and into the light, Jin Paecheon spoke.

"Now, you're going to hate me even more."