The Teacher’s Grace Is Like Heaven

5 – Never Forget (5)

The universally ignored Three Talents Sword Technique actually contained extreme subtleties. There were quite a few settings where through the Three Talents Sword Technique alone, one could become number one under heaven.

Or at least, it formed the fundamentals for other martial arts. But until now I had completely forgotten about those settings.

The reason being I had lived as a martial artist for longer than I expected. So naturally, a martial artist’s prejudices came to dominate my mind.

Thanks to that, I was no different from other martial artists, looking down on and disregarding the Three Talents Sword Technique as a third-rate martial art. But Bi Yan had shattered that!

At a glance, it may have seemed like nothing much, but creating existence from nothingness through enlightenment was much more difficult than it appeared.

Moreover, to awaken to that through self-study… her talent was truly astonishing beyond words. At this point, I’m starting to doubt her very existence.

“Master, as you said, I know I cannot scoop up spilled water again.”

“…….”

“But, if there is opportunity… I can scoop up new water, can I not?”

I don’t recall giving her any opportunity. I felt like I was suffocating from Bi Yan’s polite attitude. I desperately racked my brains.

Right now I did have martial arts I had desperately combined and created from my martial arts novel knowledge. Although there were only two volumes,

I hadn’t created any inner energy. Inner energy created from my shoddy knowledge could have led to going insane. The sword techniques were a little better at least.

But the result was, it had the same detrimental effects. As I pondered in my head, I soon nodded and spoke to Bi Yan.

“Excellent. However, you still have far to go.”

“I’m listening.”

“Now, I shall reveal to you a little, the path you must walk.”

“……!! Yes! I humbly ask for your guidance!”

Sparring is one of the best methods for a martial artist to learn martial arts. Especially with their master, they can learn what they lack from their master

and gain actual combat experience against experts, so it is highly favored as internal training. The problem is that I’m the weak one…

I shook my head left and right to shake off those thoughts. What if I weaken before we even start sparring? I’m a martial artist,

and I’ve never neglected training for a day. On the other hand, although Bi Yan gained enlightenment, it hasn’t even been a month since she picked up the sword again.

Added to the two years she trained the sword before, it’s not even three months. The current me who trained for two whole years should definitely be able to win!

That’s what I thought, before experiencing Bi Yan’s aura. Bi Yan who bowed to me took her stance.

I suddenly felt my bones twisting. But that wasn’t an illusion. An aura as heavy as Mt. Tai weighed down on my shoulders.

Just enduring that aura alone, I felt my shoulders and legs would snap. It seems I chose suicide.

But somehow I grit my teeth and maintained a composed expression. I focused power into my trembling body to somehow endure Bi Yan’s aura.

“What an excellent aura.”

“As expected of you, Master. To endure without even using ki.”

From noble mtl dot com

“…….”

It’s not that I’m not using it, it’s that I can’t use it. Unfortunately, the inner power I have right now isn’t enough to imbue my body with strength.

Rather, my level wasn’t even high enough to imbue strength in the first place. On top of that, in this oppressed situation it would be poison instead.

Like trying to go against a raging current would only get swept away instead. I had to go along with the flow of the current flexibly.

That was the best I could do right now. I should be able to endure this much. Judging so, I quietly spoke while looking at Bi Yan:

“Is this your full power?”

To be honest… it was bluster. I wanted to say I’m unaffected after taking that aura head on. I shouldn’t have said that.

Although Bi Yan was blank for a moment, it didn’t last long. As if resolved, she nodded and drew her wooden sword.

At the same time, as if exploding, the intense aura flowing out from her entire body. That red aura flowed like a waterfall.

If this were a manga, by now my eyes would have popped out and be rolling on the ground. Something that absurd happened.

It is said that those who simply swing their swords are third-rate, those who simply handle inner power are second-rate, and those who unite form and inner power are true first-rate masters.

It was a saying passed down among martial artists. A martial artist’s level consisted of third-rate, second-rate, first-rate, and consummate masters, so 4 levels in total.

Among them, what distinguished third-rate and second-rate was precisely inner power. The third-rate level generally could not use inner power at all,

or could only use very meager inner power. On the other hand, from the second-rate level they could freely start using inner power properly.

But even considering that… the inner power gushing out like a waterfall from Bi Yan’s entire body right now was unnaturally enormous.

However, there’s no time to wonder about that now. Because somehow it turned into a life-or-death bloody battle. I have to stop even now…

“As you say Master! I’ll go full power!”

I felt unshakable conviction in Bi Yan’s spirited yell. It was not a flow that could be stopped anymore, absolutely.

As I said before, stubbornly trying to go against the flow will only lead to harm. Then now, I have no choice but to go along with the flow.

Likewise, I also drew up what little inner power I had and imbued it into the sword. The faint sword qi that had started flowing soon disappeared.

*

This proves it. I am stronger than you.

There is nothing more for me to learn from a third-rate like you.

So don’t try to hold me back. Not that you’d be able to anyway.

Those were the words Bi Yan left her master when she departed. To her, her master was just a third-rate martial artist with nothing for her to learn.

At least at that time. Surprisingly, her master obediently let her go. Bi Yan had thought he at least had some self-respect.

However, that was extreme arrogance. Unfathomable ignorance. Her past self was like a frog in a well who didn’t know the ocean.

Bi Yan clenched her teeth tightly. Blood flowed from her bitten lips. What was Master thinking back then?

In truth, she already knew the answer. Even for a disciple who drove a spike into your chest, in the end you still loved them. She knew it painfully well.

Just look at Master’s manner now. Facing an aura that even those who splashed ink boasting to be number one under heaven could not endure, enduring it calmly.

“Is this your full power?”

“……!!!”

Unwavering eyes pierced her chest like a sharp spear. She was subtly adjusting her strength. It was only natural.

She still remembers it. The feeling of her heart dying, the awful sensation of blood flowing down the blade growing cold. It was truly laughable.

Although she had spilled the blood of countless martial artists without flinching, Bi Yan who didn’t even stir collapsed at the sight of just one person’s blood.

However, even that… Master saw right through. Of course, even Master wouldn’t know everything.

But… if it was the master she knew, he would have definitely noticed something off. Yet her master said nothing.

Is this your full power?

The meaning behind those words was clear. Show me with action. I will accept all of you. Only then could the girl take a step forward.

Soon, a sharp aura like a waterfall gushed out from her entire body. In response, her master imbued qi into his sword.

Directly facing the murderous aura of the Heavenly Calamity that even the number one under heaven dared not confront, her master calmly drew his sword.

‘Just who is stopping who here?’

That figure was like that day back then.

‘Me.’

That chilling day in the past… or perhaps it would be an upcoming day in the future.

‘You.’

That day when that evil force’s advance that no one could dare stop was blocked by a single martial artist.