Chapter 201: Heuk-am, Hidden Ghosts (2)

Indeed, Golden Needle Phantom was a godsend, and Go Yo-ja, true to a Kunlun Taoist, was miraculous.

Neither the elders of the Wudang Sect nor the famous doctors they had invited could do anything for the Sword Emperor.

No one had accurately diagnosed the condition, but Golden Needle Phantom was different. He and Go Yo-ja managed to improve the Sword Emperor’s condition for a while.

‘How remarkable. Is the Azure Forest also excellent in medicine?’

‘That’s not it; I learned it on my own.’

‘Your skill reaches the heavens.’

The Sword Emperor, who seemed to have forgotten how to smile, at least had warmth in his voice.

‘Hahahaha!’

Hearing this, Golden Needle Phantom burst out laughing.

The Sword Emperor soon understood why the character for ‘phantom’ was attached to this doctor’s epithet.

’If my skills were truly excellent, I would have eradicated the root of the illness. What I did was merely like pouring water into a bottomless bucket.“

‘…Is that so?’

‘Prepare yourself for the side effects.’

The side effects came.

Golden Needle Phantom’s treatment involved using fragrant medicines and acupuncture to regain sanity at desired times.

Usually, he would become lucid twice a day for two hours each to handle affairs and teach Cheong Hye and Cheong Su.

However, during the remaining waking hours… his mind wandered in and out.

As before, there were times when he was sane, and times when his memory regressed.

But the speed of these changes had become much more intense.

The regression had dramatically changed even more than before.

It was hard to describe what ‘dramatically’ meant in words.

Just like now, suddenly regaining consciousness and wandering the mountains like a ghost.

‘Ah!’

The Sword Emperor realized he was using a stealth technique.

This was a trick not commonly learned by disciples of the Wudang Sect.

It was more than just hiding one’s presence; it was akin to a technique that melded into the Yin energy.

It was too sinister for the righteous Taoist practitioners of the Wudang to teach.

However, during his days of slaying followers of the Demon Cult, the Sword Emperor had used stealth techniques to save his life.

‘Ugh…’

In the Sword Emperor’s hand was a long branch, held like a sword.

The fact that he carried around a branch as a sword, and that he could harm disciples of other sects with just this branch, made the Sword Emperor shudder.

His head felt clouded, as if enveloped in fog.

Every night, the Sword Emperor worried that he might kill someone.

That was the cost of maintaining sanity during the day.

‘How cruel.’

It was also a miserable thing.

This was not an ordinary ailment. The Sword Emperor knew that too.

It started as a mental shock from the inner demon. Then, external impurities infiltrated… eventually, he couldn’t withstand it and his mind began to crumble.

Since Golden Needle Phantom couldn’t find a cure, death might be the only answer.

But before dying, he wanted to pass on what needed to be conveyed.

The Sword Emperor suddenly realized something important.

‘Why… am I sane right now?’

Sometimes he would regain consciousness without any reason, but it didn’t seem to be the case now.

He was using stealth techniques to watch over someone.

Finally, he saw someone below.

Baek Yi-gang, in his distinctly red clothes, stood out among the Wudang Sect.

The Sword Emperor recalled a memory from the past.

The manner in which Yi-gang had performed during the first test.

That test was designed with the intent to find someone resembling Zhang Sanfeng. To learn the martial arts he saw in the secret cave, such an aptitude was necessary.

One must think like Zhang Sanfeng, and act like Zhang Sanfeng.

If not, the Heaven Ascension Dance would merely be a dance.

The Sword Emperor was already feeling his heart drawn to him.

‘I want to pass it on to that child.’

Every aspect was optimal.

The problem was his suffering from the Great Yin Meridian Blockage, but the Heaven Ascension Dance differed from ordinary martial arts.

It required a very specific type of aptitude.

Yi-gang seemed to possess it.

He had decided to conduct a second test, and it would be carried out, but the Sword Emperor had already marked Yi-gang.

And, as the Sword Emperor watched Yi-gang, his eyes gradually widened.

Clumsy hand movements, clumsy steps.

He was unsure if this could be called a sword dance, but that’s why the Sword Emperor recognized it.

It was the Heaven Ascension Dance engraved in Zhang Sanfeng’s secret cave.

The Heaven Ascension Dance was being used by Yi-gang.

That familiar martial art was surely what awakened the Sword Emperor’s mind.

His consciousness flickered, and then—

At some point, the Sword Emperor was holding onto Yi-gang’s body and shaking him.

“Explain yourself properly—!”

Yi-gang must have been bewildered.

“How did you learn the Heaven Ascension Dance!”

“The Heaven Ascension Dance?”

Yi-gang looked as if he was hearing it for the first time.

“Yes!”

“I don’t know what that is.”

“What? Surely… what you did was.”

The Sword Emperor’s face also became confused.

Thinking about it, the Heaven Ascension Dance had been hidden in the secret cave.

And so far, no one other than the Sword Emperor had entered that secret cave. He was certain of that.

There was no way Yi-gang could have learned the Heaven Ascension Dance.

“Try doing what you just did again.”

“…Yes.”

Yi-gang briefly swung his sword around, stepping through the footwork.

The Sword Emperor’s eyes widened once again. It was definitely the Heaven Ascension Dance.

But he only showed the initial movements, and then the sword dance ended.

“That’s all I know how to do.”

“It… definitely seems like the Heaven Ascension Dance. Where did you learn it!?”

Unlike the confused Sword Emperor, Yi-gang spoke calmly, “There are ruins found in the Kunlun Mountains.”

The Heaven-Slaying Demon Valley, a legend passed down among the Kunlun Sect.

There was the Seven Stars Altar.

In front of the Seven Stars Altar, there were marks made by a sword, and Yi-gang felt something extraordinary about these marks and followed them, he said.

“I’m not sure whose traces they were, but I felt an unknown aura and followed the traces of the sword.”

“Such, such a fate…”

The Sword Emperor was astounded.

No matter how much he heard, those were the traces of the Heaven Ascension Dance left by Founder Zhang Sanfeng.

If he had followed the Heaven Ascension Dance just from those traces, that itself was a remarkable talent. It also explained why his movements seemed clumsy.

“It’s an enlightened moment. Truly a genius of the spiritual kind…!”

Fate was indeed an amazing thing.

Now he understood why he felt the essence of Founder Zhang Sanfeng in Yi-gang.

The Sword Emperor felt his heart swell and his emotions intensify.

“…What you have mastered is called the Heaven Ascension Dance, a sword dance.”

“I see.”

“Do you want to find out what kind of martial art it is? You said you felt an unknown aura.”

Yi-gang paused as if contemplating, then responded, “It felt like an aspiration to transcend reality.”

“Ah!”

The Sword Emperor couldn’t help but marvel.

Yi-gang seemed to have understood a bit of the essence of the Heaven Ascension Dance.

Considering it took even the Sword Emperor, an Absolute master, a long time to understand the purpose of the Heaven Ascension Dance, it was certainly astounding.

“However, the Heaven Ascension Dance you’ve learned isn’t complete yet. Stop practicing alone and… wait.”

It was still too early to tell him everything.

The Sword Emperor forced his expression to remain neutral and withdrew.

“The day after tomorrow, I’ll decide who will inherit Founder Zhang’s martial arts… maintain good conduct until then.”

The Sword Emperor had been worried that Yi-gang might fail the next test, but now he was certain.

Yi-gang would surely pass the test and find Zhang Sanfeng’s secret cave.

Whoosh—

The Sword Emperor used his light footwork technique and left.

Now, only Yi-gang was left in the clearing.

Yi-gang quietly watched the direction in which the Sword Emperor had left.

Soon, he crossed his arms and muttered, “Is this how it’s supposed to be done?”

By his side, Zhang Sanfeng had suddenly appeared, floating from the Divine Demon Disk.

As soon as the Sword Emperor appeared, Zhang Sanfeng, who had been hiding in the Divine Demon Disk, reappeared just before Yi-gang was about to mentally curse.

He subtly hinted at what needed to be said.

「Hmm, that’s strange.」

Not knowing what was strange, Yi-gang looked back at Zhang Sanfeng, who was scratching his chin.

「Too much evil energy. You say it’s an illness, but… Hmm.」

He seemed to sense something from the Sword Emperor.

「Well, there must be a way to know. Ahem, it’s getting chilly, perhaps it’s time to head back?」

‘Should we?’

Yi-gang turned around.

He still didn’t know what the Heaven Ascension Dance was.

However, judging by the Sword Emperor’s reaction, it seemed like an extraordinary martial art.

「You’ll know soon, very soon,」 Zhang Sanfeng said with a slight smile.

A day passed, and then another.

Only on the day of the promised second test did the 32 applicants learn what it entailed.

The gathering place was none other than in front of the pond at the Great Harmony Palace on Tianzhu Peak.

Tianzhu Peak is one of the highest peaks in the Wudang Mountains.

From the garden of the Great Harmony Palace built at its summit, one could see the entire Wudang Mountains.

Myung Won stood above the pond, on the pavilion.

The 32 applicants looked up at him.

This time, the Sword Emperor wasn’t beside him.

Myung Won spoke briefly, “The Sword Emperor is waiting in Founder Zhang’s secret cave.”

There was a brief murmur among the crowd.

Myung Won raised his hand to quell the noise and continued, “The test is simple. Whoever reaches Founder Zhang’s secret cave first will succeed.”

How were they to find the location of a secret cave in these vast Wudang Mountains?

If it were that easy, it wouldn’t be called a secret cave.

“Do you see that white pine tree down there?”

Everyone looked in the direction of Myung Won’s pointing finger.

A distant white pine stood out faintly.

“From that white pine to the black rock beyond, that’s the section.”

From here to the white pine would take about half an hour using light footwork, and to the black rock about two hours. It wasn’t a very long distance.

“The Great Ancestor’s secret cave is located within that section.”

Another gasp burst forth.

The area that needed to be searched was not as wide as they had thought, and everyone’s faces twitched with anticipation.

“However, it won’t be easy. You must find the secret cave within ten hours from now.”

There was a reason why the secret cave, located so close, had not been discovered until now.

“The Founder used tricks to hide the entrance to the cave. The test is to find and unravel these tricks to enter. According to the Sword Emperor…”

The fundamental purpose of the second test was the same as the first.

“Think like Founder Zhang Sanfeng.”

Myung Won announced the start of the test.

“You may now begin.”

Those of a more impatient disposition moved first.

Regardless of how the entrance to the secret cave was hidden, there was no harm in getting there quickly.

Golden Needle Phantom and Dam Hyun watched as the others ran down towards Tianzhu Peak.

“Having consumed a lot of the fragrant concoction, his mind should remain clear for the next ten hours.”

“Everything’s been done meticulously, so it should be fine.”

They had just awakened the Sword Emperor’s consciousness here a moment ago.

Dam Hyun stealthily observed those departing.

“Just a moment.”

Then, with a swift movement, he grabbed someone by the nape.

“Wh-what are you doing!”

The one he had grabbed was Cheong Su.

Cheong Su was flustered, but Dam Hyun laughed and forcibly dragged him along.

“Do you think you could find the secret cave on your own?”

“So I better hurry up and go!”

Dam Hyun, though said to have lost much of his martial prowess, was still better than Cheong Su. Because of this, Cheong Su got a late start.

Then Yi-gang was…

‘Aren’t you going to tell me?’

He was in no hurry.

「I could tell you if you want.」

Standing beside him was none other than Zhang Sanfeng, the creator of that secret cave.

「Why not make a bet with me?」

‘A bet?’

Zhang Sanfeng seemed about to reveal the location of the secret cave but then suggested this instead, 「If the young priest can find the secret cave within four hours without my help, I will give you a reward.」

‘Hmm.’

It was a challenge worth taking for Yi-gang, but he had a question, ‘What do you mean by ‘give you a reward’?’

There wasn’t much to expect from Zhang Sanfeng.

Yi-gang inwardly thought Zhang might offer some martial arts knowledge.

However, what came out of his mouth was completely unexpected.

「Those people from the Evil Cult. I will tell you a story about them.」

“…”

「I had a brief involvement with them once. It wasn’t anything serious, but since the young priest seems curious about them…」

Yi-gang’s expression changed.

People standing by his side felt a chill and turned around startled.

A blade-like aura was emanating from Yi-gang.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep