Chapter 325 : The World Seen and Heard by a Peak Master
A space filled entirely with darkness.
Holding the Northern Star Sword in hand, Moyong Hyeon walked endlessly forward.
“Where is this?”
His voice echoed briefly through the empty void.
Just before he had become severed from the world—just before falling into his inner realm—he had clearly heard Seomun Ak’s scream.
That scream had been so sweet, like the most refined musical performance, that it had been difficult not to laugh.
Could it be that was why he had almost fallen into Qi Deviation?
What a useless Seomun Ak.
As he walked while silently criticizing his friend, a single cluster of light came into view.
Already bored, Moyong Hyeon immediately launched himself toward it without hesitation.
FWIISH-!
The weight of his steps felt different than usual.
As though running atop clouds, his movements reached farther than ever before.
When he approached the cluster of light, he realized it was none other than a memory.
Moyong Hyeon’s own memory.
“Sword Dragon.”
The title he had earned at nineteen years old after utterly dominating the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering hosted by the Zhongnan Sect.
Even now, the joy of that moment remained vivid.
The memories flowed rapidly.
Throughout his life, the faces of those dear to him, those irritating to him, and those he hated like enemies all flashed past.
Among them was Dokgo Seol, who had died at the hands of the Lust Demon while traveling toward the Emei Sect.
To Moyong Hyeon, she had been someone genuinely close.
“At least I avenged you.”
Moyong Hyeon spoke in an unusually mature tone. The Dokgo Seol within the memory gave no response, yet he continued walking forward.
He met Jin Seong-un.
Despised him.
Guarded against him.
Felt a sense of crisis because of him.
As the leader of the Special Operations Unit, he followed him around constantly, seeing, experiencing, and overcoming all sorts of things together.
Soon, he reached his most recent memory.
The moment he forcibly redirected power he could not withstand through Shifting Stars and Changing Constellations and pierced through her heart.
“What, that’s it?”
Moyong Hyeon blinked.
What exactly was he supposed to do now?
Was he meant to live forever within the depths of consciousness like this?
That was honestly a little frightening.
Then—
The final moment replayed before his eyes with perfect realism.
The spear Seo-wol had thrown flew toward the woman’s lower dantian, while Jin Seong-un crushed her upper dantian with pure white qi.
Now it was his turn.
Moyong Hyeon lightly shook out his feet before firmly gripping the Northern Star Sword and charging forward.
SHRAAAK-!
Failure.
As a result, the woman restored herself through the power recovered from her middle dantian and killed everyone nearby.
Abbess Jeonghye and Sword Empress Namgung Ryeong were torn apart.
Seo Yu-gyeom and Seomun Ak collapsed meaninglessly.
Jin Seong-un exchanged two strikes with her, yet ultimately had his chest pierced by her hand.
“……No.”
Then he returned to the beginning once more.
Moyong Hyeon stared blankly.
“So you’re saying I need to succeed again?”
His gaze sank deeply.
Would he truly fail to recreate something he had already accomplished once?
Though lately his fame had been overshadowed by monstrous individuals, he was still the man who carried the title Sword Dragon.
He charged forward.
Swung the Northern Star Sword.
Failure.
Another failure.
Absurd failures.
Narrow failures.
It became nothing but an endless string of defeats.
How many attempts had he made?
At rough estimate, he had swung his sword nearly a hundred times, yet the desperation and miracle from before never returned.
Moyong Hyeon felt strength draining from his entire body. The Northern Star Sword he had held his entire life felt unusually heavy.
Just as he began thinking he wanted to give up—
* N-no!!
Seomun Ak’s scream echoed through the void.
All the expressions and voices of Seomun Ak mocking him, ridiculing him, boasting while drunk on becoming the great Peak Master Hero of the Seomun Clan, came flooding back.
If he truly reached the Peak Master Level, then today would become the worst day in Seomun Ak’s life as a martial artist.
Moyong Hyeon gripped his sword once more.
Sometimes in life, incredibly trivial and absurd reasons became surprisingly profound motivation.
The determination to utterly infuriate Seomun Ak.
The determination not to lose the chance to repay all the grievances he had suffered so far.
Moyong Hyeon swung his final strike.
THRUST-!
The sword tip pierced through her chest.
At the same time, the monstrous Lust Demon collapsed.
Victory.
A victory obtained on the one hundred and fourth attempt.
FWAAAAH-!
In an instant, every cluster of light he had passed until now began flowing into his body.
His vision cleared, as though washed clean with the purest spring water.
His mind felt light.
His body overflowed with power.
“…….”
Moyong Hyeon opened his eyes.
The backs of the two elders standing guard at his sides.
The faces of Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom.
The orthodox martial artists filled with shock and anticipation.
Then Moyong Hyeon’s gaze landed upon one man kneeling on the ground with his hand pressed against the earth.
The corners of Moyong Hyeon’s lips curled upward.
Words he normally would have been too embarrassed to say aloud naturally slipped out.
“So this is the world seen and heard by a Peak Master?”
The people nearby widened their eyes.
The senior masters did not hide their admiration, while the younger martial artists looked upon him with awe and reverence.
And Seomun Ak collapsed even further.
“……It’s over.”
No one knew exactly what he meant by “over,” but Moyong Hyeon sprang to his feet and respectfully cupped his fists toward Tang Tae-san and Namgung Ryeong, who had guarded him.
“Thanks to the two of you, I was able to claim it peacefully. Thank you sincerely.”
Sword Empress Namgung Ryeong and Poison Lord Tang Tae-san smiled warmly.
As senior masters who had already walked that path, they could not help but feel proud of a junior who had achieved such astonishing accomplishments at a young age.
“The future of the orthodox path is bright indeed.”
“The Moyong Clan Head must be overjoyed.”
Smiling brightly, Moyong Hyeon walked forward without the slightest hesitation.
Naturally, he headed straight toward Seomun Ak.
Soon, Moyong Hyeon gently placed a hand on Seomun Ak’s shoulder and spoke.
“It’s thanks to you. Honestly, I almost failed to awaken from my inner realm forever, or completely lost the enlightenment itself. But your voice pulled me back at the final moment.”
Seomun Ak stared at him.
With his back turned toward the elders, Moyong Hyeon pretended to act refined, yet the corners of his mouth twitched uncontrollably.
It was such an infuriating expression that Seomun Ak was just about to snap back—
“Moyong Young Master, congratulations.”
Seo-wol suddenly approached.
The moment she arrived, Seomun Ak instantly became more mature and handsome.
“My friend, your achievement brings me joy as though it were my own.”
“…….”
Moyong Hyeon stared at him in disbelief before eventually nodding.
Regardless, it was a good day.
“Young Master, how do you feel?”
Jin Seong-un asked with concern.
Sometimes after gaining enlightenment, a person instead found themselves drained of strength.
“I’m kind of hungry.”
“Then let’s go eat.”
Seo Yu-gyeom answered casually.
Unlike Seomun Ak, he did not particularly care that Moyong Hyeon had reached the same realm.
Seo Yu-gyeom was convinced he himself could suddenly reach the Huajing Realm at any time.
“Well then……”
Jin Seong-un had been about to say something when he suddenly stopped and turned his head.
At once, masters like Tang Tae-san and Namgung Ryeong also looked in the same direction with guarded expressions.
Nothing could be felt there.
“Seong-un, what is it?”
“I thought I felt someone watching us.”
For once, Jin Seong-un answered without confidence.
It was neither qi nor killing intent.
It had simply felt like an ordinary gaze.
“No, it’s nothing. Let’s go.”
Jin Seong-un quickly dismissed the thought.
This was clearly different from Cheon Bi-yeon.
All three dantians had been completely destroyed, and he had personally confirmed her qi completely dissipating.
---
Naturally, the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering was canceled.
They could not very well hold a festival while ignoring the tragedy that had befallen the Dokgo Clan.
Instead, funeral rites and soul-guiding ceremonies for the Dokgo Clan members were conducted by the Emei Sect.
Even the Dokgo Clan elders, who had remained at the clan estate before hearing the thunderbolt-like news, agreed to it.
Normally, they would invite the most renowned eminent monk of the era to preside over funeral rites. If the Emei Sect handled it personally, then it would become the greatest possible respect the surviving Dokgo Clan members could offer the dead.
Out of consideration for the Dokgo Clan, the Emei Sect held the funeral in a small village below Mount Emei.
Since it was not within the main mountain, which remained a Forbidden Zone for Men, martial artists from all over the world gathered to pay their respects.
Visitors constantly entered and exited the rented estate, while the smells of food and alcohol never ceased.
This funeral served both as a memorial for the Dokgo Clan and as a gathering place for martial artists across the world to strengthen their relationships.
Jin Seong-un blankly chewed his food with tired eyes.
Approaching from the side, Seomun Ak asked,
“Are you leaving as soon as the funeral ends?”
“Most likely. I’ve already finished everything I came to Mount Emei for.”
He had confirmed the legacy of Master Noble Enchantress and passed down the Women’s Moon Heart Method.
Moreover, they had even killed the Nine-Tails.
“But how many more of those things are there? No, are they even truly separate existences to begin with?”
Sometimes, when one fell deeply into Inner Demons, multiple personalities could inhabit a single body.
That possibility could not be completely dismissed.
Their personalities, speech patterns, and atmospheres were all different, yet their faces were completely identical, and most importantly, they used the same qi.
“We’ll find out eventually.”
Seo Yu-gyeom answered dryly.
He too was exhausted.
Martial artists from all over the world sought out Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom immediately after paying respects.
Rumors regarding the Guest Dragon and the chef always accompanying him had already spread everywhere.
Both men were completely drained from dealing with strangers all day long.
“Honestly, fighting would’ve been easier.”
Seo Yu-gyeom was especially exhausted because he never particularly liked orthodox martial artists to begin with.
Seomun Ak spoke.
“Still not as bad as Moyong Hyeon.”
For the past several days, the hottest topic had been the birth of a new Peak Master.
Especially one who had not even reached thirty years of age yet.
Moyong Hyeon had become the center of attention, and as the eldest son of the Moyong Clan, he had no choice but to personally respond to all the congratulations.
Thus, while Jin Seong-un, Seo Yu-gyeom, and Seomun Ak abandoned Moyong Hyeon and escaped to continue eating—
“Seomun Ak.”
A familiar and unpleasant voice rang out.
Paeng An-cheol, eldest son of the Hebei Paeng Clan.
Thinking, What kind of nonsense is he starting now? Seomun Ak clenched his fists and turned around.
But contrary to expectations, Paeng An-cheol bowed his head toward him.
“W-what?”
Seomun Ak became unusually flustered.
People nearby were watching.
Normally, it would have been the perfect chance to boast, but because it was someone utterly unlikely to act this way, he was simply confused.
“Thank you. Thanks to you, both my aunt and I were able to return alive.”
“That’s bullshit. Why are you thanking me? Those two are the ones who did it.”
Seomun Ak awkwardly pushed the credit toward Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom.
He simply wanted to escape this embarrassing situation as quickly as possible.
Paeng An-cheol bowed toward Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom as well.
“I sincerely thank both young masters. The Hebei Paeng Clan will never forget this debt.”
Jin Seong-un stared at him silently.
For some reason, Paeng An-cheol overlapped with the image of the Saber King.
If this man truly began trying to repay the favor, then countless troublesome matters would surely follow.
Honestly, it would be better if he simply forgot about it.
The words nearly rose to Jin Seong-un’s throat, but even he could not bring himself to say that to someone’s face.
Then Paeng An-cheol continued.
“Seomun Ak, it’s true that I dislike you.”
“What’s with this sudden bullshit?”
“You unnecessarily attract attention, you’re arrogant, conceited, cowardly before the strong while acting tyrannical toward the weak. You’re ugly too, and overly confident in your background……”
Judging by his momentum, it seemed he could continue listing faults for two days and three nights, so Seomun Ak waved him off.
“No, did you come to thank me or start a fight? Pick one already.”
“What I mean is that someone even more pathetic than you was saved by you. I denied your growth. If not for this incident, I would’ve continued doing so.”
“So?”
“I intend to change as well.”
“So what?”
“…….”
Paeng An-cheol stared fixedly at Seomun Ak.
Seomun Ak did not avoid his gaze either.
The two instinctively realized it at once.
They would remain troublesome presences in each other’s lives forever.
Soon, Paeng An-cheol bowed once more before returning to his seat.
Jin Seong-un spoke.
“I think all orthodox martial artists are strange.”
To the point where finding a normal one seemed impossible.
Beside him, Seo Yu-gyeom readily agreed.
Seomun Ak wanted to argue, but since he genuinely could not think of a single normal person, he kept his mouth shut.
How much time passed like that?
Night eventually fell, and the atmosphere became much calmer.
Then the Emei Sect nuns, led by Abbess Jeonghye, stepped forward after first seeking the understanding of the Dokgo Clan members.
Everyone’s attention instantly turned toward them.
Having sacrificed herself during the final battle, Abbess Jeonghye walked forward while supported by Seo-wol.
With a deeply exhausted complexion yet eyes clearer than moonlight itself, Jeonghye looked over everyone and spoke.
“There is a truth the Emei Sect must now announce to the world, and so I ask forgiveness for speaking during such an occasion.”
Everyone looked at her curiously.
Then Jeonghye continued in an exceptionally calm voice.
“Of the Four Great Patriarchs of the Emei Sect, the names of three have long been publicly known throughout the world. However, the identity of the fourth has remained hidden until now.”
At those words, Jin Seong-un realized what Jeonghye intended to say before this massive crowd.
Jeonghye continued.
“The Emei Sect, these foolish nuns, have only now finally learned who that person truly was. Therefore, we intend to formally acknowledge and honor that individual as one of the Four Great Patriarchs.”
At this point, people’s interest actually began fading slightly.
Of course, revealing the identity of a patriarch from a power among the Nine Sects and One Gang was by no means a trivial matter.
Rather, it was the kind of revelation that could become a major addition to Murim history itself.
But in the end, it was still another clan’s business.
Most people were not particularly interested in such things.
At least, not until Abbess Jeonghye spoke her next words.
“Noble Enchantress.”
“…….”
The entire hall erupted into commotion.
Even those lacking much knowledge recognized the name.
Noble Enchantress was simply that famous a figure.
“That is correct. The very Noble Enchantress all of you are thinking of is one of the Four Great Patriarchs of our Emei Sect.”