The Sword Emperor Transmigrates

Chapter 156

Though Audrey and Demian were technically the same rank, she referred to the White Dragon Commander as if he were a subordinate.

But it wasn’t surprising. Among the Seven Great Orders, the Black Dragon Commander’s status and experience were second only to the Red Dragon Commander’s. And the only person who was above Wade was the Golden Dragon Commander, so she was among the top three.

But it hadn’t been very long since Leonard returned to the Cardenas family, so Leonard didn’t know this.

“Commander Audrey,” he said with a serious face.

“Hm?” She turned to look at him with serene eyes. She hadn’t even considered that he could possibly have objections, as her orders were absolute. Leonard didn’t submit or stand down. He met her eyes.

As a martial artist, he would rather die than compromise his principles. This was true of both Leonard and the Sword Emperor Yeon Mu-Hyuk.

“Though I have not formally joined the Order of the White Dragon, Commander Demian was the first person to respect my perspective and my aims.”

Between her flowing ebony hair, Audrey’s green eyes showed a glint of interest.

It had been a long time since someone who wasn’t a commander had met her eyes.

“And?”

“Even beasts remember acts of goodwill. But if I leave without a second thought when I am indebted to him, wouldn’t I be worse than a beast? Even disregarding the Cardenas family’s ways, I don’t think it would be right for me to do that as a person,” he said.

This was not something for a lower-ranking person to say to a higher-ranking person, or for the weak to say to the strong. But Leonard was unwavering.

He didn’t want to live a miserable life where all he did was swallow what was sweet and spit out what was bitter. Even though he had died once and been reborn, he was still a martial artist, not a merchant.

For a moment, Audrey was silent at the indirect rejection.

Refusing an opportunity from someone in the Demigod Tier was the same as slapping them in the face. Even Calantha, who was famous for his inability to read the room, gulped.

I refuse to regret what I said, Leonard thought. It didn’t matter if he trusted the Cardenas family’s fairness. No matter what storm came to him, he would bear the consequences of his actions.

While he was bracing himself, Audrey studied him and lifted her hand.

An attack? No.

Her internal energy didn’t waver, nor did her Intent.

If Leonard fought a master Demigod Tier martial artist from this distance, no matter what he did, he would die before ten exchanges. His processing speed accelerated by more than a thousand times on reflex, and he watched Audrey raise her hand in a movement he would even describe as elegant.

“Your determination is commendable.” Her long, slim fingers mussed his golden hair, and she praised him with an uncharacteristically warm voice.

The tension in the air had been frighteningly sharp, but now it deflated.

“Yes, the Cardenas bloodline should produce tenacious people like you,” she said.

“...Thank you?”

“Mm.” As she stroked his hair without reservation, Audrey had a rare smile on her face. On the outside, she only seemed about three or four years older than him at most, but in reality, there existed lifetimes of difference between them.

Even counting his years as the Sword Emperor, Leonard was much, much younger than her.

Perhaps that was why he didn’t feel much indignation or discomfort despite being treated like a juvenile.

I almost feel like I’m being greeted by Mother or Sister.

Her black hair could also have something to do with it. It reminded him of his past life.

The girl he’d met at Atlantis, Frances, had that same hair, which was why he grew familiar with her a little faster.

Audrey seemed even more amused by his calm demeanor as she petted him. It wasn’t easy to take someone who had reached the Demigod Tier by surprise. If someone did it multiple times, not just once or twice, it was proof that they were truly special.

“You don’t feel annoyed for being treated like a child?” she poked.

“I’m just grateful that you think well of me.”

“You’re very mature. When Demian was your age, he would prance around like a dunce and get punished for it.” In the same breath that she praised Leonard, she exposed the White Dragon Commander’s embarrassing past.

She retracted her hand. The look in her eyes had quietly changed. At first, she’d only wanted to recruit Leonard because of his fighting power and his talent, but now, she liked his character and his principles. Since the boy had said that he wouldn’t just up and leave Demian because he was indebted to the man, the situation would be solved shortly if she convinced the White Dragon Commander.

“I will respect your decision,” Audrey said. “But I will ask you again once Demian gives his permission for you to transfer.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“However.” With that one word, she made Leonard tense again. She smiled. “I cannot simply let you go after seeing that technique. I would like to teach it to the Black Dragon Knights as soon as possible. Would you be willing to teach me first, if only informally?”

“Of course.”

Leonard had already become curious about how the master martial artists in this world would respond to cultivation methods.

Though he’d taught the Yeon Family Archery as well as principles of spearmanship at Atlantis, this would be his first time seriously passing on cultivation methods and martial arts scriptures. After all, he had not had any need or reason to teach them up until this point.

I will say though that I never imagined that I would be teaching someone in the Demigod Tier.

Either way, this was a good thing.

* * *

All rivers run into the sea. Anyone who was properly invested in martial arts knew this saying. It was a Buddhist aphorism, but its meaning was a little different in murim.

The more one advances in martial arts, the thinner the martial advantage of weapons.

Even if a martial artist had only ever wielded a sword in their life, as long as they were past the Apex Realm, they could quickly develop proficiency in other arms. As a swordsman, they would have amassed a lot of experience fighting against other weapons, and they would generally be well-versed in the principles of hand-to-hand combat.

So what if they were a Profound Realm master?

What if they reached the point where their Visualization skills enhanced their techniques once their essence, energy, and spirit merged into one?

Even if they come across a weapon or martial art they’ve never used before, as long as they can grasp all the ideas, they will be able to reach the tenth level, the highest level of mastery.

The Sword Emperor Yeon Mu-Hyuk’s ability to pick up countless martial arts just by watching also stemmed from a similar reason. He had been born with inherent talent and curiosity and had trained in martial arts with weapons other than the sword, applying as much knowledge as he could acquire at the Creation Realm. Other than martial arts based on innate cultivation methods he didn’t have and hidden cultivation methods that were based on extremely convoluted principles, there was no martial art he couldn’t learn. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

I can already do this much, and I was only in the Creation Realm. What would happen if a Profound Realm master showed how all rivers ran into the sea?

The higher one climbed a mountain, the greater their scope of vision expanded. Since he had only been in the Creation Realm, he couldn’t even imagine how it would be. All he knew was that they would be much faster learners.

He hadn’t been able to ask the Heavenly Demon Dan Mok-Jin such questions, so it was something that he hadn’t been able to figure out until this very day.

“Haa,” Audrey exhaled.

In less than half an hour, she had not only refined the Cape Falling Demon Art to its peak but had also modified the teachings as she pleased. Leonard couldn’t comprehend what he was looking at.

She was a Grandmaster, just like Bodhidharma, who had developed the majority of the 72 Arts of Shaolin, and the First Heavenly Demon, who was considered the founder of the Heavenly Demon Cult.

The ability to formulate such techniques was only supposed to be obtainable at birth. In murim, the people who had such talent went down in history. And it was also a special characteristic of the Demigod Tier.

“This is quite fun, Leonard,” the commander said, sounding elated. “All I did was channel mana through a less efficient path, but it results in abilities and forms that don’t come out of more optimal courses. I can’t believe it. Though the output of power is a little less, the fact that it results in powers that resemble unique traits makes it worth researching.”

“...Your version looks a little different from what I remember.”

“Hm? Oh, the foreign uniform was all right, but it wasn’t to my taste. I found that I could strengthen the shield and make it look like a dress if I adjusted a few of the pathways.”

No matter how much Shaolin monks disliked the Cape Falling Demon Art, it wasn’t a defective technique. Not even Leonard could recklessly adjust the way it used energy or applied scriptures. He could fix up a few things here and there, but it wasn’t possible for him to change the shape as he pleased while maintaining its signature Buddhist ability to fell demons.

Not only had Audrey achieved that, but she’d even improved one of its weaknesses.

“Show me the sword technique now,” she instructed.

“All right.” Leonard suppressed the feeling of half shock and half anticipation and demonstrated Skanda’s Demon Felling Sword, which he had used to kill the bone Demoniac.

It was a martial art from the Kongtong Sect, a sect known among the Nine Great Sects for its practicality. It mixed teachings from Buddhism and Daoism in a messy way with the sole purpose of killing evil spirits. The sect claimed that the outcome should be the first priority and that it didn’t matter as long as it turned out well.

Audrey seemed to notice this as well. “This is very practical. The move seems very profound, but it’s interesting how it doesn’t try to conceal its intentions. This sword art is suitable for the battlefield.”

Leonard took in her comments as he performed Skanda’s Demon Felling Sword’s 18 forms, as well as the 72 variations based on them.

Once was enough.

Audrey enjoyed his demonstration and pulled out the glaive strapped between her shoulders. Her weapon had more in common with spears and scimitars than with Leonard’s sword, but with her level of skill, there wasn’t much of a difference when using a glaive with sword skills.

“Will you spar with me?” she asked.

“Of course.”

In unison, the two martial artists faced each other.

A sword and a glaive.

It was hard to find a similarity between the two weapons, but even a layperson could see how similar their stances and demeanor were. It was likely that Audrey had even picked up the way Demon Felling Sword manipulated internal energy with one look. Knowing this, Leonard charged at her weak point without further ado.

Skandra’s Demon Felling Sword

Third Form: Few Delights, Many Sufferings

This technique tricked the opponents’ eyes to make it look as if the user only moved three centimeters when they actually moved thirty.

The commander met him with a Form of her own.

Skandra’s Demon Felling Sword

Fifth Form: Evil Interference

She cut off the trajectory of Leonard’s sword, blocking it with the face of her glaive. Leonard’s sword energy shot out in all directions, trying to find a way around the wall, but there wasn’t even an opening as big as the eye of a needle.

Evil Interference was an active defensive move that was used to cut off an attack before it gained momentum.

The duel between Skandra’s Demon Felling Sword forms began to intensify.

She’s performing swordplay with a glaive, but there isn’t an opening. No, every time an opening is created it immediately disappears!

She would modify the Form on the spot and have to force the flow of energy and movements to match, but she was still using Skandra’s Demon Felling Sword.

The only reason Leonard was still half a step ahead was because his technique was more developed and because there was a bit of an imbalance between their weapons. That was also why Audrey stayed on the defensive.

Clang! Clang! Claaang! Clang! Clang!

However, when it came to pure martial arts, she was better than Leonard. She took his attacks, refusing to be pushed a single step back. When she used movements and strikes that weren’t suited to a glaive, she made the optimal adjustments and regained her footing.

With each exchange of blows, Skandra’s Demon Felling Sword became more and more developed and suitable for her weapon.

Skandra’s Demon Felling Sword

Severing Technique

Demon’s Death by a Thousand Cuts

Once they reached the 83rd exchange of the match, Audrey finally switched to the offensive and showed off her technique.

She had caught up to Leonard’s proficiency in Skandra’s Demon Felling Sword with a glaive. Sure, it wasn’t a hidden cultivation method, but it was still more advanced than a First Class martial art!

We’re already on even footing. She’s too fast.

Leonard had to suppress a bitter smile as he responded to her move. He also used Demon’s Death by a Thousand Cuts to offset her attack.

With how equal their level of skill was, if there wasn’t mana, the glaive would win over the sword with its superior length and strength.

Leonard was the one who would inevitably be overpowered.

“Hm?”

But when they reached the 150th exchange, Audrey had to acknowledge that the boy had surprised her once again.

Their mastery of Skandra’s Demon Felling Sword was still equal to that of the other. However, considering the advantage glaives had over swords, Leonard was ahead of her by the slightest bit. Though she channeled the mana flawlessly, the gap arose because she didn’t understand Visualization or the Four Phenomena, which were the foundation of martial arts.

Audrey’s glaive, which had been moving like her own limb, was fastened back onto her back.

She caught her breath before she spoke. “I thought I had grasped every part... but I see there were things that I have yet to uncover. What a profound technique.”

“I’m impressed myself. Are all people in the Demigod Tier like this?”

“I assume you’re talking about the learning speed? Well, they’re about the same. Though, people who have Dragon Eyes such as Demian and yourself probably have it easier.” Just as she was about to add to her explanation, her well-shaped eyebrows knit together and she turned to the entrance of the testing chamber. “I’ve made a grave miscalculation. He sure is fast.”

“Pardon?”

Claaaang—!

Before Leonard could even figure out what she meant, the tightly shut door was kicked down and Demian barged in, eyes bloodshot.

“Who said you could take my boy?! Damn you, old woman! You’ve only become dirtier ever since you holed up in a basement!”

“...Hm.”

Unlike Leonard, his behavior set her off. Audrey undid her glaive again.

It was clear that she wouldn’t hesitate to cut the man in two if it came down to it.

“You’ve grown quite brazen since we last met, Demian.”

The White Dragon Commander flinched for a moment when he saw her eyes teeming with bloodlust, but then he realized that Leonard was there, and puffed out his chest even more.

“Hey, I’ve gotten older too! You think you can still order me around like a kid?!”

“I see how it is. I underestimated you.” Audrey reproached herself for her error and leveled her glaive.

At the same time, Demian unsheathed his sword, unfolded his Domain, and blocked the blade just as it was about to come down on his skull.

The ambush was merely a greeting, but anyone could see how serious they were. Audrey bobbed her weapon and smiled coldly. Demian’s face had gone expressionless.

She said, “Let’s clear up who’s in charge. We can chat afterward if you still can. How about it?”