Published at 2nd of April 2026 5:11 pm

Chapter 417

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

How many days had it been?

It probably hadn't been many days since I started experiencing the Mind Realm, but even that, I couldn't say for sure.

It was because it was difficult to grasp how much time had passed inside the Mind Realm.

'Counting is meaningless.'

Just as it was during the first Mind Realm, nothing was different this time either.

Time in a dream flows differently than in reality.

Even if I felt like I'd spent days here, not even a single day would have passed outside.

It was nothing less than a damned hell. The repeated cycle of dying and dying again.

I could feel a sickening sensation here that I hadn't felt in any other Mind Realm.

Even now, things were no different.

Screech!

With the sound of something being cut, my vision twisted.

I staggered and tensed my lower body, making the scenery return to normal.

"... Hoo."

I'm dead. I think my face was just sliced in half.

'Did I not endure?'

I thought I could handle it, but once again, nothing was different. I looked straight ahead. Yu Chun-gil was staring at me.

Yu Chun-gil, just past thirty.

How many times had it been already?

Again, as I said, there was no point counting. If I started expressing that as numbers, I'd lose my mind first.

"Hoo."

I let out a sigh and adjusted my grip on my sword.

Srrrng.

The Divine Sword radiated light.

I didn't hold the aura for long, despite being capable of channeling much more.

Rather than pouring out its full brilliance, I maintained it at a decent, moderate level.

Normally, I'd be faster or more aggressive than this.

'I can't afford to do that.'

This isn't the time to frantically try to defeat that Yu Chun-gil.

Actually, to be precise, no matter how much I struggled, I couldn't win.

After countless clashesso many that I lost countI understood well: that was an existence beyond winning or losing.

That was why I didn't bother using my full aura.

My goal was different.

'Use the Mind Realm more efficiently.'

Not for victory, but for trainingI decided to use the Mind Realm that way. To be honest, it was pretty useful.

'Because I can use as much time as I want here.'

Training here wouldn't actually increase my muscle mass or internal energy outside.

'But I do get used to things.'

As I kept at it, I realized something: the enlightenment I gained in the Mind Realm could be applied to my real body. Even if not completely.

'Even if it's only ten percent or even less.'

If I could use it, then that was enough for me.

Srrrng.

I raised my sword. This wasn't even regular training. Besides, didn't I have a proper opponent?

Just happened to be an utterly unbeatable human.

Whoooosh!!!

The sky went dark.

A gigantic sword was about to crash down on me. I controlled my breathing in advance and lowered my legs halfway.

If that big thing hit me head-on, my body would be obliterated, but it didn't matter.

Because I hadn't planned to receive it head-on.

Screeeech!!!!

I deflected it using the edge of my blade.

The best defense was always deflection. If I blocked directly, I'd die. If I couldn't evade, I'd die.

It was either evade or deflect.

There were only those two choices.

Boom!!

The massive sword stabbed into the ground. Now, I could deflect it without my shoulders going numb.

'Now.'

That was when it began. That curious gaze Yu Chun-gil gave me. That was the turning point.

'First.'

I tightened my grip and executed a sword form. The sword path.

The Sect Leader's unique sword technique, obtained from the Blue Moon Sect's secret archives.

This was the process of internalizing it into my body.

Whoosh!

A fine line shot toward Yu Chun-gil. The sword drew a half-moon arc and scattered sword aura.

Its shape looked just like a crescent moon.

If Moon Wave was a great crescent moon cutting sideways, this was just a light move within the sequence.

To be precise

'Should I call it a Small Moon Wave?'

That made it easier to understand.

Whoosh! Clang!!

My sword quickly plunged in, but Yu Chun-gil easily blocked it. The truly absurd thing was

'He's not even blocking with a sword, but batting it away with his handwhat's with that?'

He slapped the blade aside with his palm. It made no sense that such a thing was possible.

Thunk! I didn't bother steadying my rebounding body.

Rather, I used the recoil as I flew through the air to launch another sword form.

The sequence continued.

Shwik!!!

"Hm."

There was a glint of interest in Yu Chun-gil's eyes. How much time had I spent trying to get that reaction?

Clang! Clang!!

I kept closing in, swinging my sword. Yu Chun-gil began parrying my attacks with his own sword.

I picked up the pace.

Now was the time.

Sizzle!!!

I instantly executed Moon Heaven.

"Huh?"

Yu Chun-gil stiffened at my changed tempo. That was the moment to seize.

With the speed gained from Moon Heaven, and Yu Chun-gil's delayed reaction, I slashed down.

Chaaaak!!!

My sword grazed Yu Chun-gil's torso. Blood splattered. It was time.

'Now.'

Instead of continuing the attack, I withdrew my sword. I twisted my torso slightly.

Boom!!!

"Ugh...!!"

A tremendous impact exploded on my sword. It was Yu Chun-gil's attack, unleashed in counter.

'Too late.'

I already knew. Even knowing it, I was still late.

"Cough."

Blood flowed. My body was pushed backward.

Craack. I barely managed to steady myself with my foot and control my speed.

Still, it was better than the first time.

'Back then, I just blocked and my body shattered, killing me.'

No need to talk about when I failed to block; even when I barely began blocking, I'd often rupture my internal organs and die.

It was only now that I could block and suffer nothing more than a fractured rib or two.

'... Why is he still this fast?'

It still made no sense. I knew what was coming, but I still couldn't block it.

'I still can't reach him.'

I'd never been able to cut his throat by aiming for an opening. I clearly targeted a vital point, but never landed a hit.

Not that I was trying to win...

'But I have to hold out longer.'

While defending, I had to explore ways of not losing.

Throb. I ocused through the aching in my ribs and continued my moves. I couldn't stop.

'... Ankle. Calf.'

I analyzed the operation of the form. What mattered here was how efficiently I distributed my body's strength.

Of course, to apply this, I needed the Blue Moon Sect's mind technique.

'But the mind technique is a vague fit.'

Because my mind technique is a variation Yu Chun-gil created, it's hard to say it fits perfectly. I honestly had doubts about this.

'I'm using the form, but with a different mind technique... is that okay?'

The essence is the same, but it's still a variation.

I wondered if I could really use this form through Yu Chun-gil's mind technique, but

'However, since it works, it doesn't matter.'

I came to the conclusion that as long as I could deploy the form, it was fine.

They basically have the same roots, so maybe that's why it's possible.

Just as that thought occurred

Crack.

"Urgh."

Something flew in and struck my head directly. Ah, damn it, that was a mistake. Got lost in thought and failed to dodge.

"Ugh..."

I grabbed my head. My body had already reverted to its original state.

'This is driving me crazy.'

Should I stop here for today? My mental strength was reaching its limit.

'I really need to pace myself now.'

I was reasonably tough mentally, but this really was the end. If I pushed any farther, I'd collapse for sure.

'... Hoo.'

I steadied my breathing. And remembered

'Practice is good and all, but...'

There was something odd the more I did this.

'Why didn't he teach me this?'

My suspicions regarding Yu Chun-gil kept growing.

'If this is a form only the Sect Leader knows...'

It made sense that Virtuous Moon Sword couldn't know since he didn't have Moon Eye.

'But that old man must have read it.'

Yu Chun-gil was the Sect Leader too, and he'd opened Moon Eye after taking the Sacred Pill. He had to have known about it.

Yet it was strange that he never taught me.

Creak.

I picked up my sword. Should I try one last time? I was tempted.

'I've pretty much gotten the hang of it.'

There were six kinds of forms. Six types of sword moves, all to be adapted and utilized within swordplay.

'Right.'

Just like...

'The Great Moon...'

I started to say and then stopped.

"Oh."

Come to think of it

'It really is kind of similar to the Great Moon.'

The first form starts similarly to Moon Wave. That resemblance was clear. The subsequent forms were a bit different, but...

'That's right.'

Why had I never thought of this?

I always thought of Great Moon as a martial art, one powerful move after another, but it felt similar to the forms I was using now.

"..."

Clank.

I raised my sword again.

Yu Chun-gil started to react.

Whish!

"Hm?"

I ignored Yu Chun-gil and began swinging my sword in empty air.

It was finehe'd already let it slide when I did this before, figuring, what the heck is he doing?

'Steady the recoil.'

I adjusted the strength in my wrist and ankle, predicting unnecessary waste of power.

'Here.'

The first form. My sword cleaved through the air.

Something resembling Moon Wave, with no name written. It merely said, emulate a crescent moon.

Whoosh!!

Second form. I swung the sword in succession. Third, fourth. As I continued slashing

"..."

I became certain.

'This.'

It's similar.

'It's like Great Moon.'

But why?

'It wasn't like this at first.'

When I first invoked the form, it didn't feel like this. There was no such sense.

'What's the difference?'

I wondered as I swung one more time, reaching the fifth sword.

Vmmm!

"..."

The sword hummed.

Vmmmmmmmm!!!

Ki and blade vibrated together making a sound. This was a sword song, the resonance that only absolute sword masters could reach.

It was not my first time feeling it. When I'd reached the Transcendent realm, my sword would hum from time to time.

Yu Chun-gil always said it wasn't the real thing, just the resonance activated by intense ki.

'But this.'

Was this the real thing? I felt a completely different sensation at my fingertips.

'If there's a difference from before...'

All I did was think about the Great Moon as I used the forms, and

Was that comparison what caused the sword song? If there was a real difference, that was it.

'If so...'

Crackle.

With a hazy mind, I invoked Moon Heaven.

'If I apply this...'

Using the current sword forms

If I could resolve the awkwardness I felt from Yu Chun-gil's Great Moon...

'The reason I never thought of it as a "form" was because it wasn't connected.'

If I connected it with these forms

Would something change? Thinking so, as I was about to grip the sword tighter

"You're slow to comprehend, aren't you?"

"...!"

At the voice, I turned around.

Yu Chun-gil, in his thirties, was looking at me.

"What...?"

"I grew tired of spoon-feeding you everything, so I chose a more entertaining method. Brat. Who would have thought you'd be this clueless?"

"What...?"

That was the Yu Chun-gil I knewthe way he talked. No way...

"Grandpa... right now..."

"If you understand, get up and try it immediately. Keh keh keh... Probably."

Swwsh!

Thunk!

"Urk...!?"

A sword flew in and impaled my chest.

This crazy old man...! My mind went hazy from the pain.

"This time, you'll like it more than ever."

I grimaced, looking at Yu Chun-gil's face.

And so

"Gasp."

I awoke from the Mind Realm.

Share