Wudang Sacred Scriptures

However, Kwak Yeon’s remark that he was somewhat prepared was not entirely an empty boast.
As the Five Stars of the Original Unity Art manifested, Sang Gwan Eung’s attacks were being drawn out in his mind.
It was a gain earned by withstanding the loss of having his Protective Energy Reinforcement torn through twice, thereby learning Sang Gwan Eung’s martial techniques and movements.
Up to this particular technique, things were clear.
After that, it was still vague, but he believed that as he responded, it would gradually come into focus.
‘There won’t be any more instances of my Protective Energy Reinforcement being cut through.’
Having regained confidence, Kwak Yeon infused the Bluesteel Sword with Sword Energy Manifestation and aimed straight at the center of Sang Gwan Eung’s forehead with Midheaven Slash.
Fwaaash!
A strange light flickered in Sang Gwan Eung’s eyes.
That was because the figure of the Cave Daoist had vanished, and only the Bluesteel Sword, radiating Sword Energy Manifestation, remained visible.
Sword-Body Unity!
Sang Gwan Eung silently admired it as indeed a mark of one who had reached the Realm of Transformation.
But he didn’t feel the slightest trace of fear.
Ever since attaining the realm of Formless Surpassing Form, he believed he could rank among the Ten Grand Masters of the martial world when it came to pure exchanges of technique.
What’s more, he wielded the Heavenpiercer Saber, one of the world’s renowned sabers—there was no reason to be wary of sword energy manifestations. Victory was a foregone conclusion.
Still, the fact that the Cave Daoist’s Sword Energy Manifestation could not be cut down by the Heavenpiercer Saber ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) did make him slightly tense.
It meant the Cave Daoist’s Internal Energy and True Qi were that refined and pure.
‘But no matter how pure his internal energy is, if it’s not backed by peerless martial arts, it’s no different than handing a sacred sword to a child.’
Sang Gwan Eung repeatedly vowed to teach this Cave Daoist—who flaunted the realm he'd reached by sheer chance—a hard lesson.
‘Hey kid! Go back into that cave and train for another thirty years. No—never mind. You’ll be a one-armed swordsman by then, if you're even able to continue at all.’
The slight tension brought on by Sword-Body Unity only further sharpened Sang Gwan Eung’s fighting spirit.
His Internal Energy and True Qi surged endlessly from his lower abdomen, flowing seamlessly into the Heavenpiercer Saber.
Taah!
At last, Sang Gwan Eung stepped forward with full intent.
Tensed muscles snapped into motion all at once.
He closed the distance to Kwak Yeon with lightning-like speed.
When only three steps remained between them, Sang Gwan Eung’s Heavenpiercer Saber sliced through the air.
—Shuaat!
A flash of pure-white frost burst forth, aimed straight at Kwak Yeon’s solar plexus.
It was the first move of the Sevenfold Wave-Piercing Saber, a secret saber technique of the Sang Gwan Family.
To martial artists of this level, three steps was already within striking range. Add the length of their weapons and arms, and the effective distance was just one step.
Thus, as soon as he thrust, the saber tip should have pierced Kwak Yeon’s solar plexus.
But the cold energy of the Heavenpiercer Saber collided with the Sword Energy Manifestation of the Bluesteel Sword and exploded.
—BOOM!
The Heavenpiercer Hall thundered.
Sang Gwan Eung wasn’t surprised in the slightest—he had expected that the Cave Daoist would surely be able to block the first strike.
‘Starting from the second technique, the real attack begins!’
As if another saber had emerged, the Heavenpiercer Saber suddenly appeared at Kwak Yeon’s flank and swept across horizontally.
—CRASH!
Amazingly, Kwak Yeon’s Bluesteel Sword blocked it as though it had been waiting for it.
‘Ho!’
Sang Gwan Eung was impressed by the Cave Daoist’s discernment and immediately unleashed the third strike.
Like yet another saber springing forth, the Heavenpiercer Saber surged up in front of Kwak Yeon’s solar plexus and thrust like lightning.
—SHHT!
The Sevenfold Wave-Piercing Saber was a layered saber technique that grew in velocity with each successive move—each time doubling in speed.
Moreover, by now, the two had closed in to just two steps apart, so Sang Gwan Eung was certain: this time, the Cave Daoist had no way to defend.
‘Twisting his body to avoid a lethal wound will be the only option left to him.’
He intended to slash the Cave Daoist’s forearm and then leisurely step back, waiting for the man to admit defeat.
But—
—CHHHAAAK!
Suddenly, the Bluesteel Sword grew hazy, and a white curtain-like barrier unfolded in front of Kwak Yeon.
‘No way—A Qi Veil?’
Any supreme martial artist could use rapid swordplay to form a temporary sword barrier.
But Kwak Yeon had purely deployed Qi to form a barrier in midair. It was astounding.
‘What kind of monster is this!’
Sensing imminent danger, Sang Gwan Eung poured all his energy into the Heavenpiercer Saber.
WUUUUUNG!
As his internal energy surged, cold white light blazed up from the saber.
—CRACK!
The cold energy of the Heavenpiercer Saber tore the Qi Veil apart. The remaining shockwave ripped through Kwak Yeon’s robes and grazed his body.
—SKRRRK!
The cold energy clashed with Kwak Yeon’s Protective Energy Reinforcement, producing a screech like steel scraping steel.
The saber left a long gash across Kwak Yeon’s body before it retreated.
Sang Gwan Eung was slightly disappointed that after pouring all his might into the Three Techniques, all he’d managed to do was tear cloth and draw blood.
Still, he noticed that the Cave Daoist’s reaction had grown subtly slower.
Honestly, it was already astonishing that he had perfectly blocked the first two techniques.
‘Well, you held on through three strikes—but your luck ends here.’
With responses half a beat too slow, he would never be able to withstand the Formless Surpassing Form.
This wasn’t a matter of improvisation. In that realm, the body moved of its own accord, recognizing and responding to techniques.
As expected, before Sang Gwan Eung could even consciously act, the Heavenpiercer Saber, which had been recoiling in a half-circle, swept across horizontally.
—PAANG!
Kwak Yeon bent his back to avoid having a vital point slashed.
Iron Plate Bridge!
Sang Gwan Eung’s body soared up—and then fell like a thousand-jin hammer.
The movement was so sudden, so lightning-fast, it looked like a ghost had passed.
—SHHHHT!
The tip of the Heavenpiercer Saber plunged down toward Kwak Yeon’s heart.
To avoid a pierced heart, he had to twist his body. But the man didn’t move.
‘Damn it! I don’t want to kill him.’
But he couldn’t retract his saber now. His internal energy would rebound on him.
He’d have to report this unfortunate accident during a martial bout to Mount Wudang.
But—
—KLANG!
An unexpected, violent screech rang out.
The Cave Daoist had blocked the tip of the Heavenpiercer Saber with the flat of the Bluesteel Sword.
‘When did he—?’
Sang Gwan Eung had clearly seen him lay flat in an Iron Plate Bridge, with the sword flung far out of reach.
As he stood there baffled, Kwak Yeon’s form vanished like smoke, and the Heavenpiercer Saber stabbed into the hardwood floor.
—CRACK!
With a boom, the stone floor of the Great Hall split apart.
When Sang Gwan Eung yanked his saber from the ground and rose, Kwak Yeon had already retreated ten paces away.
Sang Gwan Eung simply couldn’t believe it.
“How did you get out of that just now?”
The Cave Daoist’s upper body had nearly been touching the ground with that Iron Plate Bridge. From such a position, to suddenly escape—it was unthinkable. That’s why he had to ask.
In response, Kwak Yeon answered calmly.
“It’s a body technique called Close-Combat Grappling Art.”
“That was just body technique? Not a movement art...?”
“Yes. The instructors on Mount Wudang trained us rigorously, saying body techniques are the foundation of all martial arts. They weren’t wrong.”
“You’re saying Wudang teaches body technique to disciples first? I find that hard to believe.”
Sang Gwan Eung’s reaction was only natural. In prestigious sects, there was always a rush to teach high-level martial techniques as soon as possible. That’s why they carefully selected disciples with exceptional talent.
He couldn’t have known that Kwak Yeon had come from an external martial training institution.
“Regardless, it’s impressive.”
“Compared to your Formless Surpassing Form, it’s hardly worth mentioning.”
A strange light flickered in Sang Gwan Eung’s eyes.
“So you were able to recognize the Formless Surpassing Form?”
“Yes. Which is why I struggled so much to match your moves.”
“I stumbled into the realm by chance while exhausting myself in martial arts after failing to reach the Realm of Transformation. Perhaps I’ve lost my way in the multitude of paths (too many roads, the sheep is lost), as they say—I still haven’t broken past the final barrier.”
Sang Gwan Eung, as a true master, spoke candidly when it came to martial discourse.
“But how did you block my final move? Even I performed it unconsciously—there was no way to retract it.”
Kwak Yeon answered.
“They say desperation opens the way. The method suddenly came to me.”
He spoke as if it were nothing, but in truth, it had been a moment of extreme crisis.
Up to that move, he had been able to block everything using his projection ability.
But from the third technique onward, he could see nothing—he had faced death itself.
‘I overestimated my projection ability.’
In that desperate moment, the image Danmok Seong had laid out on the table surfaced in his mind—awakened by the Original Unity Art pushed to its limits.
That allowed him, even clumsily, to form a Qi Veil.
Though it was quickly shredded, the reverberations of his True Qi spread in all directions.
Naturally, Sang Gwan Eung entered that field of Qi.
In that instant, Kwak Yeon could read his Qi flow.
It was only natural to sense a foreign current within the surrounding ripples of True Qi.
And in that moment, Kwak Yeon’s mind lit up.
External-Body Qi Sense!
Sensation that exists beyond the body.
It was a revelation from the Original Unity Art—an insight he had until then only vaguely perceived.
External-Body Qi Sense was on an entirely different plane from projection—it was synesthetic perception.
He could feel the opponent’s pulse of True Qi and, by mentally tracing that pulse, he could perceive the flow of internal energy.
‘If that’s the case, even the Formless Surpassing Form’s movements, which I couldn’t envision through projection, can now be read.’
Having attained that sensory perception, Kwak Yeon immediately focused on Sang Gwan Eung’s Qi wave.
As a result, he realized Sang Gwan Eung had not yet harmonized internal and external energies. He had not reached the Realm of Transformation—so it was only natural.
Sang Gwan Eung had countless techniques he could use, but if he was only circulating internal energy, his attacks were not completely unpredictable.
Having found that opening, Kwak Yeon focused all his concentration on the fourth move—the unconscious Formless Surpassing Form—and managed to block it in a dramatic reversal.
Since he could not reveal Wudang’s true methods lightly, he had simply said, “desperation opened the way.”
“A modest way of saying you got lucky, eh? But luck only follows the capable. Truly admirable.”
Not knowing the full story, Sang Gwan Eung accepted the answer at face value and continued.
“Truth be told, I had planned to leave you with one arm today. But you are a divine dragon of the world, and this House bears some shame as well—so I’ll stop here.”
“......”
“Let us consider the past ties between you and this House to be settled. Please convey the events of today faithfully to the Wudang elders.”
Coming from Sang Gwan Eung, head of the Sang Gwan Family, this was a tremendous concession.
He fully expected the Cave Daoist to bow in gratitude and offer formal respects.
But instead, Kwak Yeon did not sheath the Bluesteel Sword. He held it with both hands and performed a formal sword salute.
“Family Head, this junior dares to continue requesting your guidance.”
Sang Gwan Eung furrowed his brow.
“Kwak Daoist, I’ve seen countless young masters destroy their futures with reckless pride. As you’ve just experienced, my sword often moves beyond my intent. If you insist on this, I cannot guarantee your survival.”
Kwak Yeon spoke with calm eyes.
“I’m now prepared to face you properly. You need not worry.”
‘Prepared to face me,’ he says...
Though respectfully phrased, it was as close to insolence as one could get.
The rage Sang Gwan Eung had barely held down flared like a volcano. He drew the Heavenpiercer Saber.
“So you wish to shed blood after all. Very well, I’ll grant your wish.”
Kwak Yeon raised the Bluesteel Sword and replied.
“Then you’ll need to be very careful.”