“You’ve… smashed the gate to pieces, haven’t you.”

In his deep, ocean-blue eyes, there was a depth that resembled the sea itself.

It was Jang Cheonun, Lord of the Gangcheon Wave Sect.

“You intended to attend?”

“Yes. I regret that I was delayed with preparations… but this, well… I cannot call it an honor, nor can I say I was waiting. It’s rather difficult to put into words.”

Chuckling softly, he stroked his beard. Seol Unhwi regarded him in silence.

Unhwi’s gaze was cold, and behind him, Commander Seong’s gaze was colder still.

Jang Cheonun made it clear.

“I’d prefer if there were no unnecessary misunderstandings.”

“Misunderstandings…?”

At Unhwi’s excessively frigid voice, a strange smile curled on Jang Cheonun’s lips.

Failing to read the situation here would mean one deserved to die.

Jang Cheonun had prepared his own narrative.

He had been intending to attend the banquet hosted by Unhwi, now the newly appointed Celestial Envoy, but was delayed preparing a gift. That would be his justification. Yet in the middle of that, Unhwi had shattered the Sect’s front gate.

In that case, it should have been Unhwi who appeared at a disadvantage. Unfortunately for him, Unhwi had endured countless situations exactly like this before.

And of course, he possessed dozens of ways to dismantle them.

“You’re an amusing fellow.”

At the word “fellow,” Jang Cheonun’s brows twitched. So the rumors were true—he really was this insolent?

It was just a bit of verbal sparring, yet he was far more sensitive than expected.

Jang Cheonun laughed as he continued.

“This territory already belongs to the Sungjak Alliance. The Celestial Alliance withdrew from here long ago…”

“Do you know where you stand?”

Unhwi cut in sharply, halting Jang Cheonun’s words.

But the question itself was odd. Do I know where this is?

“Of course I do. This is Sungjak Province—”

“No. This is the realm of the world.”

Jang Cheonun’s face hardened.

“The world…? What do you mean by that…?”

“As long as I stand as Celestial Envoy, there must not exist a single place in the world beyond Heaven’s reach.”

Unhwi stepped forward. Gangcheon Wave Sect disciples immediately took up defensive stances, but Unhwi did not stop.

At last, he stood right before Jang Cheonun’s face.

“…Hmph. Celestial Envoy. There is something that bothers me.”

“Speak.”

“No matter your title, should there not still be mutual courtesy?”

“Mutual courtesy?”

“I am your senior in the martial world by many years, and I have built my influence here in Sungjak Province. Yet your speech is far too curt—”

“I am broader of heart than I look.”

The sudden absurdity made Jang Cheonun blink.

Unhwi continued.

“Whether you challenge me with justification or test me with pretense, I’ll overlook it once.”

“…”

“Today, I’ll let this matter pass. So go to Cheonryong Hall at once.”

“…You must have other stops to make.”

“Must I answer you?”

“…”

“Enough chatter. Go.”

Unhwi turned to leave.

But Jang Cheonun suddenly spoke.

“On second thought, I have pressing matters today.”

Unhwi halted mid-step. Commander Seong also stopped.

“I don’t particularly wish to go. It feels inappropriate. I’d rather drink tea here, gazing at the sea.”

He smirked faintly.

“To my ears, it sounds like you simply want to cling to the privileges the Sungjak Alliance grants you.”

“Then you’ve judged correctly. I have my pride. And I know several Sungjak Alliance figures have already shown their faces here.”

“And so?”

“And so, I do not wish to go. The Celestial Alliance is collapsing, and even if you flock here from the Central Plains to revive it, nothing will change…”

“Is it the Five Great Sword Schools behind you?”

“…What?”

“Or the Martial Alliance?”

“…What are you saying…”

“It can’t be the Sichuan Alliance. Then perhaps the Thunder Demon Sect?”

Jang Cheonun’s brow furrowed in puzzlement.

“To make such a decision without anyone’s hand behind it… Yes. I understand now what kind of man you are.”

“…Man?”

Unhwi drew the Heavenshaking Spiritblade from his waist.

“…You draw your sword? What meaning is there in this?”

“You cannot possibly not know. Must I spell it out?”

“…Leave at once. I can overlook your lack of courtesy, but if you cross this line, I cannot restrain myself.”

Unhwi gave no reply.

“Commander Seong.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“Our guests are waiting. We will not be delayed. Should anyone hinder us, subdue them. Should they cross the line, kill them.”

A chilling smile appeared on Commander Seong’s lips.

“As you command.”

Jang Cheonun and his disciples were shaken. He had heard the man was mad—but not to this degree.

“Are you truly… intending this? Do you think so lightly of the Gangcheon Wave Sect, of all we’ve built in Sungjak Province?”

“Since when does a martial man prattle with his tongue?”

Unhwi leveled the Heavenshaking Spiritblade.

“Come.”

“…Madman…”

“If you will not come, then I shall.”

Unhwi lunged.

***

Jang Cheonun’s qi shifted.

This lunatic insisted ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) on fighting—if he, a martial man, refused, his honor would be in tatters.

At once, the air grew heavy and damp.

“You must be unfamiliar with this land, foreigner. This is the Central Plains.”

He intended to beat him within an inch of his life.

Insolent wretch.

His palm struck out, cleaving the air.

Shattering Palm.

A massive force surged forward like a wave.

Unhwi did not evade. He merely raised his left hand lightly.

BOOM!

The force slammed into his palm.

All stared in shock.

The Shattering Palm was famed as a technique bearing the weight of mountains. For an Ogijo-level martial man to receive it barehanded was unthinkable.

Even more so—to divert it.

And yet—Unhwi had deflected it.

At the instant of contact, he merely turned his arm, subtly redirecting the flow. It was a move so exquisite it could only be performed by one who had grasped the very principles of qi flow.

As Jang Cheonun’s force struck air, Unhwi’s leg drove into the earth.

“…Ho… oh?”

In that instant, Unhwi’s fist smashed into Jang Cheonun’s ribs.

Thud!

Jang Cheonun grimaced in pain—and then a shadow fell over his face.

Unhwi’s heel descended toward his head.

Jang Cheonun hadn’t even realized when Unhwi had lifted his leg.

Astounding.

Now he saw how this man had fought and defeated those of higher realms.

His ability to sense and channel qi was beyond comparison. Truly, this was genius.

Yet—genius had its limits.

Deflecting, blocking, and nullifying was one matter; striking an opponent of higher cultivation with effective force was quite another.

His punch to the ribs had proven it.

In a drawn-out battle, Jang Cheonun could toy with him.

He twisted aside, swinging a fist.

Crash!

The blow struck Unhwi’s ankle, sending him spinning in midair.

Cold air prickled.

Unhwi snapped his head back, retreating two quick steps—just barely.

Slash!

The Heavenshaking Spiritblade, spinning with centrifugal force, grazed across Jang Cheonun’s throat.

…So the reputation was no lie.

He drew up his inner strength.

Ocean-Heaven Triple Martial Art.

Thirteen Wave Forms.

Jang Cheonun’s body rippled like water itself. With sudden fluidity, he drew the massive saber from his back and swung.

Thirteen Strikes of the Sea God.

With each strike, moisture from the air gathered, flowing like real torrents of water.

First Form: Tidal Saber.

The ground before Unhwi split apart as he twisted aside.

Rumble—!

The earth collapsed.

But Jang Cheonun did not stop.

Second Form: Tempest Saber.

Third Form: River-Splitting Saber.

His attacks flowed one after another.

Slash! Slash!

It was terrifying. Each stroke carried killing intent, yet each merely grazed past Unhwi.

At most, the blade cut the hem of his robe.

But he had not swung merely to slice fabric.

“No matter how gifted… how could you…?”

Even as disbelief filled his face—

Shhk!

Unhwi’s sword slashed across his left shoulder.

Jang Cheonun grit his teeth.

Twelfth Form: Boundless Sea.

Moisture surged from all directions. The sea’s water, the air’s humidity—all gathered, forming a colossal watery barrier around him.

“Die—!”

The tidal wall surged toward Unhwi.

At that instant—

Heaven-Snow World.

Snow whitened the air. The watery wall froze midair.

He had expected as much. The technique Heaven-Snow World, created by Seol Jungcheon, had long been the hallmark art of the Everlasting Snow Palace.

Freezing ambient qi—it could not be maintained indefinitely.

And its range, too—he had anticipated this.

Murderous light flickered in Jang Cheonun’s eyes. A drawn-out battle would be safer, but as a master of the Ipshin Realm, he refused to prolong it. A perfect opening lay before him.

He brought his saber down.

Thirteenth Form: Heaven-Cleaving Wave Saber.

His intent was clear—to cleave apart the frozen barrier, and with it, Unhwi beyond.

And he succeeded.

CRACK!

With a dreadful sound, everything before him split in two.

But Unhwi was gone.

“What—…?”

Jang Cheonun froze.

Then, a strange rhythm shivered through the air, crawling over his skin.

What was this?

Why did it sound like… song?

He turned his head—Unhwi stood there.

And before he could react, a tempest exploded from beneath his feet.

Rebuking the corruption of the martial world.

Sweeping away a hundred years of decay.

With the sword I shall establish new order.

Like a storm, I will scour the world.

All the old shall be cast away.

Heaven-Defying Vast Sword.

Second Verse – Soul-Chasing Gale Mantra.

The storm began at his feet, tearing Jang Cheonun’s lower body apart, climbing to engulf his torso.

Unhwi’s form, amplified by False-Origin True Qi, was overwhelming.

Jang Cheonun could not withstand it.

“Ghh—Aaaaghhh!”

His scream carried every agony in the world. The Gangcheon Wave Sect warriors, Commander Seong among them, turned their eyes.

What they saw was clear.

Jang Cheonun, overwhelmed by the raging gale, collapsing to his knees—

And Unhwi, striking the back of his skull with a merciless chop.

Thwack!

With that sound, Jang Cheonun crumpled to the ground, and the storm faded.

Unhwi calmly sheathed the Heavenshaking Spiritblade at his waist, as if nothing unusual had occurred. He turned.

“Commander Seong.”

“…Yes, Young Master.”

“Carry him. Follow.”

“…As… as you command.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep