Chapter 257 – Yi-gang, Jin Mu (2)
Morning dawned.
The attendant, who had always knocked on the door every morning to collect money, didn’t come today.
It must have been because Yi-gang and the fellow Eastern Depot guards appeared last night.
Even though this place, Beijing Restaurant, was a top-tier restaurant in Beijing, the fearsomeness of the Eastern Depot guards was well-known here too.
Above all, the impact of the silver bundles casually thrown by Yi-gang must have been significant.
In fact, Jin Mu was extremely upset when he learned that there was no rule requiring daily payment for room and board.
Crack—
As Jin Mu stretched his arms and shoulders, such a sound emerged.
The random thoughts that had been overwhelming his mind began to fade as he loosened his body.
This place was the garden of Beijing Restaurant.
Even though it was early morning, it seemed like a place where people might be, but aside from Yi-gang and his party, there was no one else.
The manager of the establishment, upon being asked for temporary use, lent the garden without a word.
Crunch—
This time, he lightly loosened his neck.
The neck and spine were essentially the center of a swordsman.
As a Supreme Peak martial artist, Jin Mu had been diligently training his body every day.
The developed muscles were visible even through the clothes he wore.
“Yi-gang, it seems this is the first time we’ve sparred.”
“That’s correct.”
Yi-gang, standing opposite, remained still instead of loosening his body.
That didn’t mean he was arrogant or haughty. If there were hundreds of swordsmen, then there would also be hundreds of methods to prepare.
“I will use the Red Mountain Blue Glory Sword. What about you?”
“I will use the Heaven’s Shadow Sword Technique.”
“Not using the sword of the Azure Forest?”
“I am most familiar with the sword of my clan.”
“The Heaven’s Shadow Sword Technique is indeed a formidable sword technique. But the swordsmanship of the Azure Forest is no less impressive.”
Yi-gang silently closed his mouth.
The assessment that ‘it is no less impressive’ would be Jin Mu’s consideration. Objectively, the sword of the Azure Forest was rated higher than that of the Baek Noble Clan.
After all, the martial arts of the Azure Forest have been proven and evolved with time since the distant ancient times.
「Your sword is sufficiently sublime. If there had been anything lacking, I would have recommended another sword technique.」
However, the Heaven’s Shadow Sword Technique that Yi-gang had learned was not the one known to the public from the Baek Noble Clan.
It was the real Heaven’s Shadow Sword, which the Immortal Divine Sword had dismantled and refined to perfection.
Moreover, he was directly taught by the Great Ancestor of the Heaven’s Shadow Sword Technique, the Immortal Divine Sword.
“I haven’t even perfected the Heaven’s Shadow Sword yet.”
“That should be enough then.”
Jin Mu corrected his posture, seemingly having fully loosened up.
The atmosphere had changed.
Although Jin Mu had appeared sloppy since arriving in Beijing, now he was as tranquil as a solitary sword.
「Do not underestimate him, the eldest senior brother of yours possesses exceptional swordsmanship.」
Even without Zhang Sanfeng’s advice, Yi-gang did not underestimate Jin Mu.
How could one dare to underestimate the chief disciple of the Azure Forest?
Even if that were not the case, Yi-gang was a swordsman capable of gauging an opponent’s skill.
“Let’s start by sparring lightly at first.”
“I agree.”
“As a master who has reached such heights, I won’t be yielding the first move.”
Yi-gang and Jin Mu each raised their swords.
Yi-gang held the dark-colored Shooting Star Fang. The meteorite sword was known to overwhelm the weapon of any opponent 100 out of 100 times.
It seemed there would be an advantage starting from the sword itself...
“Ha ha, did you think you were the only one with a treasured sword?”
Jin Mu’s sword was also exceptionally unusual.
A clear blue light flashed on the blade.
“This sword was made by mixing Snow Iron with another metal for one season. Of course, it’s not as good as your meteorite sword...”
“Let’s find out.”
There was no need to say who would go first.
The distance between them closed in an instant.
The Red Mountain Blue Glory Sword and the Heaven’s Shadow Sword Technique were unleashed simultaneously.
Clang—
A burst of white and black light seemed to follow the swords belatedly.
“Good.”
Clang!
Once more, a sharp metallic sound rang out, and Jin Mu’s sword rebounded backward.
In terms of sheer strength, Jin Mu had a slight advantage.
The fact that his sword rebounded first meant that the exchange of blows from the start was in vain.
As proof, Jin Mu’s sword flexibly drew a curve and struck again towards Yi-gang’s left flank.
That area was a difficult spot for a right-handed swordsman to defend. Jin Mu was curious how Yi-gang would handle it.
Yi-gang’s response was straightforward.
It wasn’t that he was blocking Jin Mu’s sword. He was targeting the hand that Jin Mu used to hold his sword.
Like a hawk swooping down on its prey, his gripping hand was infused with the Great Yin Flow’s third form, mixed with the Flying Hawk’s Deft Talon.
Jin Mu had no choice but to withdraw his hand.
Instead, he lowered his body’s center of gravity and stretched out his leg to scrape the ground.
This stance aimed at the opponent’s lower body, and Yi-gang’s response was again clear-cut.
Since the target, Jin Mu’s right hand, had disappeared, he simply drove his sword straight into the ground.
If he continued with this leg technique, Jin Mu’s calf would be pierced by the blade.
“Ha ha!”
Instead of kicking at Yi-gang’s blade, Jin Mu kicked the ground.
Especially if that sword was also enveloped in a Sword Aura.
However, Jin Mu was not intimidated.
Instead, his eyes sparkled fiercely with courage.
“Grunt!”
In a contest of strength against strength, Yi-gang was still lacking compared to Jin Mu.
Moreover, it seemed he couldn’t properly execute his swordplay using his still unrefined Telekinetic Sword Technique.
Crash!
Jin Mu deftly deflected the strike from the Shooting Star Fang.
Yi-gang’s sword soon lost its momentum and crashed into the ground. However, Jin Mu was still holding his sword.
As the swordsman had lost his weapon, the duel should rightly end with Jin Mu’s victory.
However, Jin Mu kept his promise to Yi-gang.
“Be careful—!”
It was his own sword that Jin Mu thrust towards Yi-gang, who had become a formidable opponent.
This was likely because Yi-gang’s eyes still burned with fighting spirit.
“Yi-gaang—!” Jin Mu shouted, with a hope that he wouldn’t be pierced just like that.
Yet, he did not slow his hand.
And Yi-gang brought his hands together in a strange shape.
His hands formed a circle, seemingly without tension, as if depicting the Taiji symbol.
The sword Jin Mu thrust pierced through the round circle created by those hands.
“...”
Jin Mu felt a strange sensation.
It was a feeling that shouldn’t be felt or even be possible during an intense duel.
“...”
His eyelids were heavy, and his mouth was dry.
It was as if he had dozed off and just woken up.
“...eh.”
During that brief moment of dozing, Jin Mu’s sword had been caught between Yi-gang’s hands.
Just moments before, it had surely been a strike meant to penetrate Yi-gang’s body.
What kind of harmony was this, anyway?
Moreover, Jin Mu’s right hand, which held the sword, was throbbing and swollen.
It was a backlash of his energy from the sword handle.
“What kind... What is this...”
It’s a dramatically unrealistic situation.
Rather than the flashy Telekinetic Sword Technique, Jin Mu found this even more unbelievable.
“What kind of technique is this?”
“It’s called the ‘Non-Act Daydream.’”
Non-Act Daydream.
True to its name, Jin Mu felt as if he was experiencing a daydream in broad daylight.
Such an unreal technique must surely be...
“Is it a supreme ultimate technique?”
Could it be that Yi-gang’s realm had reached the Absolute?
“That’s not it. It’s merely an imitation of the form of a supreme ultimate technique.”
“Did you get it from the Wudang?”
“That’s correct.”
“Indeed... The Sword Emperor must truly have become an immortal.”
Jin Mu’s voice was filled with profound admiration and respect.
Yi-gang did not bother to correct his misconception.
Whether it was Zhang Sanfeng’s supreme ultimate technique or not, it was a technique impressive enough to move any swordsman of the Taoist sect.
After learning the Scripture of Inexhaustible Mind and Emotion, Yi-gang aimed to lay the groundwork for using supreme ultimate techniques during future possessions.
The practice of Non-Act Daydream was also for that reason.
He hadn’t even thought that he could imitate Zhang Sanfeng’s supreme ultimate technique.
「Merely followed the form... Ha ha.」
The issue was , Yi-gang, who was not even an Absolute master, began to grasp the technique of Non-Act Daydream bit by bit.
「I also can’t guess how it’s possible.」
However, he still fell far short of the state Zhang Sanfeng had demonstrated.
Yi-gang bowed to Jin Mu, performing a fist-and-palm salute.
“Thank you for the teaching.”
“No, I have learned a lot myself.”
Jin Mu returned the salute.
Through this duel, they had each felt the extent of the other’s skills.
And they were assured. They could trust each other.
“I’ll go ahead. Inspector Ye will be coming soon. Please come in with me wearing the Eastern Depot guard uniform.”
“I will.”
Yi-gang mentioned a few more precautions before leaving Beijing Restaurant first.
Today at noon, a hunting contest was set to begin.
He had to immediately enter the Forbidden City and complete the preliminary preparations.
Just as when he had left the Forbidden City, Yi-gang was accompanied by an Eastern Depot guard.
Thanks to this, he could enter without any further checks.
The moment he passed through the red walls—
Kreung—
Squeeeek—
A beast’s roar echoed.
Who would have thought such a sound could be heard within the Forbidden City?
These animals would soon be bleeding and dying throughout the palace.
Undoubtedly, people would too.
Just then, a palace maid cleaning near the gate murmured quietly, “It won’t be easy to clean up the blood.”
Yi-gang agreed with her statement.