Chapter 103 – Sword Empress (3)

“Are you saying you’ve stained that child with your color?”

“That’s right. It’s not just her. All women who embrace me are stained with my color. So, it’s inevitable that she acts differently from what you, Sword Empress, might expect.”

Na Ye-jin was, in a sense, a precious masterpiece the Sword Empress had crafted with her utmost effort. But Yu-jin had defiled it, so it was only natural for her to feel displeased.

No matter that Yu-jin was Na Ye-jin’s man, this was not what she wanted.

“I’d like to see if your martial arts are as impressive as your glib tongue. I’ll ask you again. Do you think it’s acceptable to make Ye-jin your woman with your paltry martial arts? And do you believe you can survive my wrath?”

“Of course. Because I am Kang Yu-jin.”

The Sword Empress fell silent for a moment at Yu-jin’s unwavering confidence. But the silence didn’t last long.

“Draw your sword! Let’s see if your martial prowess is even half as good as your ability to talk!”

As the Sword Empress shouted coldly, Yu-jin smiled brightly. This was what he had wanted most.

In that instant, the Sword Empress noticed a shift in Yu-jin’s aura and was startled. Though it was fleeting, Yu-jin’s presence was so intense that it even surprised her.

It was also an aura that was incredibly alien, yet instilled a sense of inexplicable unease.

“Were you hiding your martial arts?”

“How could that be? You simply failed to notice it.”

The implication that she hadn’t grasped Yu-jin’s true skill was even more insulting to the Sword Empress, as it hinted that he was stronger than her.

However, the Sword Empress regained her composure and looked at Yu-jin. If this energy was real, she couldn’t afford to let her guard down, no matter who she was.

“Very well. I shall see for myself whether those words are true or false.”

The Sword Empress closed her eyes and quietly gripped the hilt of the sword at her waist. When she opened them again, her pupils were glowing softly, like moonlight in the sky.

With that, the sword in her hand drew a dazzling arc. Then, the light of a full moon, filling the night sky, surged toward Yu-jin.

“Wings of Light.”

As Yu-jin muttered the word, brilliant golden wings, unlike the soft moonlight, unfurled behind him and wrapped around his body. The Wings of Light then deflected the Sword Empress’s attack.

“Does the True Dragon Sword Clan have such a technique?”

“How could that be? These are techniques I created entirely on my own.”

Yu-jin lied without batting an eye, but the Sword Empress, not knowing the truth, had no choice but to believe him.

‘Has he already reached the same level as me at such a young age?’

It was hard to believe. So, she decided she needed to test Yu-jin’s skills further and rushed toward him, swinging her sword down.

“Cut, Moonlight!”

If the Hegemon Heaven Saber Emperor had realized the Heart-Saber, Hegemon Heaven, then the Sword Empress had realized the Heart-Sword, Moonlight. Seeing that Heart-Sword, Yu-jin clenched his teeth slightly.

The Heart-Sword was the one technique among all sword arts that he could not use. It was the result of indiscriminately collecting fortunate encounters without gaining sufficient enlightenment.

He couldn’t even create a Heart-Sword using the memories of the Heavenly Martial Master.

‘But the Heart-Sword isn’t invincible!’

While the Heart-Sword was an incredible level of mastery, Yu-jin had learned martial arts far more powerful.

If he were to unleash the Profound Heaven Ink Phosphorus Sword right now, both the Heart-Sword and the Sword Empress would be swept away.

But his opponent was a woman he intended to claim. He couldn’t use a brutish technique like the Profound Heaven Ink Phosphorus Sword.

*Whoooosh!*

The Wings of Light emitted a brilliant glow, forming an even sturdier wall.

“It’s useless!”

With the Sword Empress’s cry, a part of the Wings of Light was severed, and Yu-jin’s face contorted slightly. It truly was the Heart-Sword, said to be able to cut through anything. To think it could slice through the thirteen combined Wings of Light, which were normally impossible to even scratch.

But Yu-jin had no intention of just taking it. The Wings of Light scattered, reforming into one hundred and eight golden rings. And those one hundred and eight golden rings soon became spears that rained down on the Sword Empress.

“You only use techniques that completely defy convention!”

The Sword Empress swung her sword wildly, and the one hundred and eight streams of energy were cut down by her Heart-Sword. But with each one she severed, she received a tremendous shock, and she was eventually forced to retreat.

But she didn’t just flee. Using the art of Sword Control, she threw the Heart-Sword. As the Heart-Sword flew, it carved a deep furrow in the earth and shook the mountain.

“You can’t just call something unconventional because you don’t understand it!”

The remaining streams of energy gathered again, forming the Wings of Light to protect Yu-jin. Thinking that wasn’t enough, Yu-jin circulated the Green Phosphorus Poison Fire and coated the wings with it.

*KWWAAAAANG!*

A fierce wind swept across the entire mountain, and dust spread out in a circular wave.

Even amidst the yellow cloud of dust, she saw it: the sight of her Heart-Sword, thrown with her Sword Control art, shattering into pieces and scattering into the air upon impact with Yu-jin’s protective energy.

The Sword Empress gritted her teeth, formed the Heart-Sword, Moonlight, once more, and swung it wide. Countless fragments of moonlight then rained down on Yu-jin.

*CRASH! CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!*

The endlessly exploding fragments of moonlight were similar to when Yu-jin’s Wings of Light shot out feathers.

But even those fragments of moonlight, flying with such terrifying force, couldn’t penetrate Yu-jin’s powerful protective energy and were futilely deflected.

Not even a tiny scratch appeared on the skin of Yu-jin, who stood within. Instead, the Wings of Light extended and stabbed toward the Sword Empress’s body.

“Kugh!”

Gritting her teeth, the Sword Empress swung her Heart-Sword at high speed, severing and annihilating the Wings of Light. Having barely blocked Yu-jin’s attack, she stared at him, unable to calm her trembling body.

“Who… are you?”

“Didn’t I tell you? I am Kang Yu-jin.”

Yu-jin replied with a bright smile.

‘I’ve certainly grown stronger.’

Yu-jin smiled as he contemplated his own strength. The Sword Empress had reigned as the greatest female master for fifty years, but she was no match for him.

But the Sword Empress, as if unwilling to admit it, continued to rush at Yu-jin, swinging her Heart-Sword, Moonlight. Yu-jin quickly swung his Wings of Light and launched himself into the air.

*Slice!*

One of the wings was sliced off, but the Sword Empress’s attack failed to reach Yu-jin’s body.

‘The Heart-Sword really is a tricky technique.’

The Heart-Sword was a powerful attack capable of cutting through most any other.

If Yu-jin attacked with even slightly less internal energy, the Sword Empress’s Heart-Sword would slice through his body.

The Wings of Light spread wide and stabbed toward the Sword Empress. In response, she twisted her body and swung her Heart-Sword, cutting through the wings.

‘An opening!’

Yu-jin didn’t miss the fleeting opening the Sword Empress revealed and swung his Wings of Light.

The Sword Empress quickly raised her sword and deployed her protective energy to defend herself, but the Wings of Light struck her regardless.

“Ugh!”

Her protective energy shattered instantly, and the Sword Empress coughed up blood as she rolled across the ground.

But Yu-jin’s assault wasn’t over. Golden feathers fell from the sky. It was like a downpour meant to tear a person’s body to shreds.

The Sword Empress moved her feet rapidly, trying to escape the rushing storm of feathers. But there was no escape route to begin with, and clenching her sword, she swung her Heart-Sword.

*Flash!*

Fragments of moonlight shot toward the sky to block the golden feathers.

*KRA-KA-KA-KA-BOOM!*

A clash of light against light. But with each collision, the Sword Empress’s expression twisted. She had already expended a great deal of internal energy, so there was no way she could withstand another contest of power.

‘How on earth does he possess such a tremendous amount of internal energy at such a young age…?’

The Sword Empress couldn’t help but be horrified by Yu-jin’s strength. He was overwhelming her with techniques of absurd power.

Her sword arm was already nearly paralyzed from the impacts, and the light of her Heart-Sword, Moonlight, had dimmed considerably.

Yu-jin was satisfied with her state. He could now completely overwhelm the Sword Empress with the Golden Wheel Heavenly Aura alone, without even needing to use the Green Phosphorus Poison Fire.

‘Time to end this.’

Yu-jin thought, his eyes gleaming. Although they were quite far from Wuhan, their battle was so immense that the absolute masters of the Martial Alliance could surely sense it.

“Haaah!”

With Yu-jin’s shout, the golden wings whirled fiercely, creating a massive current of air. Then the wings poured down as if they were tentacles.

Each of the golden wings possessed a power and sharpness far surpassing mere energy blades, enough to make even the Sword Empress feel despair.

But she squeezed out her last bit of strength, launched herself into the air, and swung her Heart-Sword, Moonlight. It was her strongest technique, the Moonlight Slash.

*KWWAAAAANG!*

A colossal storm of energy erupted, and a huge cloud of dust swallowed the surroundings.

***

Yu-jin carried the Sword Empress in his arms and arrived at another inn with Na Ye-jin. After getting a room, Yu-jin laid the Sword Empress on the bed.

Na Ye-jin, looking much better and more at ease, looked at Yu-jin and began to speak.

“You’re truly strong. To think you could block one of Master’s most powerful secret arts, the Moonlight Slash. And you even took care not to injure her.”

Yu-jin smiled at Na Ye-jin’s praise. He had now become strong enough to subdue a master on the level of the Sword Empress without harming her.

“By the way, Ye-jin, what exactly happened between you and the Sword Empress that makes you tremble whenever you see her?”

When Yu-jin asked in confusion, Na Ye-jin’s expression darkened again. Her face changed so quickly that it even startled Yu-jin.

Just then, Na Ye-jin opened her mouth to speak.

“Master is an amazing person. Not only are her martial arts profound, but she is also highly learned. It’s no exaggeration to call her the most perfect and virtuous woman. It was an honor to learn from her, but at the same time, it was incredibly difficult. Still, I could somehow endure the martial arts training. But learning the bedroom arts… that was truly agonizing.”

The Sword Empress began teaching her disciples the bedroom arts when they turned sixteen. But under the pretext of teaching, she was actually satisfying her own sexual desires.

In the process, the Sword Empress showed them the deep resentment of a woman living a lonely life, which dealt a huge psychological blow to her disciples.

Na Ye-jin was lucky enough to maintain her virginity, but there were other disciples who were not so fortunate.

“If she hated sleeping alone so much, why not embrace a man instead of her innocent disciples?”

Yu-jin’s words were reasonable, so Na Ye-jin nodded.

“She said most men weren’t worthy of sharing love with her. And Master is too proud to show a disheveled side of herself to a man. Though, in the first place, she has peculiar tastes and prefers women anyway.”