Chapter 81: The Sword That Defied the Storm

– The Returnee and the Champion

The upper levels of the mountain map.

A region so high above the clouds that the radiant heat from the surface below could no longer reach it.

The snow-covered plains stretched endlessly,

blanketed in a dazzling white that made the ground indistinguishable.

One misstep could plunge you into the deep snow or send you sliding off the cliff’s edge,

leading to an inevitable fall a frozen hell laden with nature’s boundless malice.

Yet Hae Eung Eung dashed through this white wasteland without hesitation.

‘My inner strength is still too low, leaving traces of my steps.’

In the heart of this snowy expanse, her movements left no footprints,

a technique known as “Treading Snow Without Leaving a Trace” (Dap Seol Mu Heun).

This was a state of mastery so profound that even in the vast martial arts world (Jungwon Murim),

only those adept in advanced light-body techniques (gyeonggong) could achieve such a feat.

“Treading Snow Without Leaving a Trace” was not only an achievement but also proof of one’s mastery.

‘It’s not about the amount of inner strength but the technique itself. I might achieve it soon.’

Just as snowshoes are used in snowy regions to prevent sinking, the principle of “Treading Snow Without Leaving a Trace” employed inner strength to disperse weight across a broader surface.

By dividing (bun), spreading thinly (bak), and flowing like water (hang), her inner strength scattered and diffused across the ground.

Though her technique had not yet reached the level of perfection, her mastery of the Haenam Sect’s (Haenam-pa) light-body skills was evident.

‘I’ve hit a plateau in both swordsmanship and light-body techniques.’

Her recent battle against the Yokai General Biktro in the Valley of Half-Demons (Ban Yo Gok) had pushed her skills to their limits.

She demonstrated an advanced synergy of techniques, such as:

• Tan Hap Man Gok:
  • Tan  – Shooting like a bullet.
  • Hap  – Focusing force on a single point.
  • Man  – Striking with the curvature of a wave.
  • Gok  – Embodying the finesse of bending.
• Pa Hae Shik:
  • Pa  – Breaking through.
  • Hae  – Disrupting and scattering the opponent’s stance.

Despite understanding the principles and methods, she lacked the strength to execute these techniques flawlessly in actual combat.

Be it physical strength or inner energy, she was still limited.

Of course, she possessed the extraordinary cheat-like feature of Residual Points, allowing her to enhance her abilities at any time.

‘Not yet.’

Using the points might offer an immediate boost, but when they were depleted,

she would face an even more arduous road of training to progress further.

‘It’s better to push my limits now while my stats are lower.’

Her ultimate goal was to break free from the Nine Yin Extremities (Gu Eum Jeol Maek),

which required accumulating three cycles’ worth (Sam Gap Ja) of inner strength.

Thus, not a single point could be wasted.

In martial arts training, leveling up granted Free Points corresponding to the level achieved.

At first glance, it seemed possible to acquire endless points by mastering every martial art.

However, the cap of Stage Levels imposed strict limits:

• Third-Class Level: Maximum 100 levels attainable with third-class techniques.
• Second-Class Level: Maximum 200 levels attainable (cumulative 300).
• First-Class Level: Maximum 300 levels attainable (cumulative 600).

Ascending these levels became exponentially challenging, demanding broader experience with each step.

In the earlier stages, mastering numerous third-class martial arts proved to be of little help and merely wasted precious time.

‘But possessing the understanding of all these techniques is a powerful weapon in itself.’

The Martial Arts Compendium’s status window displayed inherent contradictions.

While lower-level techniques were abundant, advanced techniques were rare a reality that reflected the natural order of the martial arts world.

The structure, which demanded more advanced techniques to progress to higher levels, defied common sense.

‘There’s a reason why someone who has mastered one second-class or first-class martial art without enlightenment cannot defeat a true expert who has achieved enlightenment.’

A master who had achieved enlightenment could seamlessly integrate the essence of advanced techniques into even the simplest of third-class techniques.

Even seemingly insignificant techniques could be elevated to second-class techniques with proper insight.

‘Just like this.’

As she scattered her force widely, the ground trembled, triggering an avalanche a natural disaster of cascading snow, soil, and rocks.

[You have integrated enlightenment into Samjaebo, elevating the technique’s rank. (Third-Class → Second-Class)]

[Footwork]
[Samjaebo (1-Star) (Second-Class)]

By incorporating her understanding of advanced body techniques into her footwork, Hae Eung Eung avoided the avalanche with three agile leaps.

[Samjaebo has reached 3 Stars.]
[You have gained 3 Free Points.]

Enlightenment capable of transforming even a single technique into something entirely new was an unparalleled weapon.

‘Of course, not all techniques can be elevated simply because you’ve achieved enlightenment.’

The compatibility between enlightenment and a given martial art varied greatly.

If enlightenment and the technique aligned perfectly, the integration would succeed.

However, if the alignment failed, the integration would result in chaos.

Not only would the technique become unstable, but there would also be temporary debuffs such as level reduction,

and in severe cases, even realm regression debuffs that jeopardized the practitioner’s martial arts foundation.

Attempting to forcibly integrate enlightenment using inner energy or suppress regression through sheer willpower could lead to internal deviation (juhwainma).

This was why individuals with low perception rarely achieved enlightenment, why not everyone could create their own martial arts upon enlightenment, and why proper guidance from a master was crucial.

‘Of course, in my case, perception is my second-highest stat after charm.’

Investing in perception had been one of her wisest decisions in hindsight.

‘Still, to progress beyond this point, simply elevating Samjaebo won’t cut it.’

According to the rules of Jumping Rabbit, every 1,000 meters (or 100 floors) brought a thematic change.

• 800th Floor: Snow Mountain Zone.
• 900th Floor: Extreme Cold Zone.
• 1,000th Floor: Wind Zone, starting above 10,000 meters.

The Wind Zone was a battle against the forces of nature itself.

Depending on the region and season, the jet stream ranged from speeds of 65 km/h to over 130 km/h.

In terms of meters per second, this ranged from strong winds that ,

could break branches (18 m/s) to catastrophic winds exceeding 36 m/s the highest level on the Beaufort Wind Scale and beyond anything observed on land.

The ferocity of these winds was nothing short of deadly.

‘Pushing against the wind is impossible.’

Hae Eung Eung read the wind’s direction by observing the fluttering of her sleeves.

She gauged the trajectory of the wind by tossing a handful of sand and watching its flight path.

With this, she identified the routes where she needed to ride the wind and those where she had to break through it.

Though it was a daunting challenge, it wasn’t her first attempt.

‘The Jegal Clan, one of the Five Great Clans of the martial world, excelled at formations that controlled the strength and direction of the wind.’

Having endured countless grand battles in the martial world, she had both benefited from the Jegal Clan’s tacticians and faced them as adversaries.

Their expertise lay not in directing inner energy toward people or weapons but in manipulating formations and nature itself.

To escape their formations, one had to learn to ride the wind and break through.

It was a necessary skill for survival.

‘If not for those insufferable strategists who dominated battlefields with nothing but a fan, this level of challenge could easily be overcome with second-class mastery.’

[You have reached the 1100th Floor.]
[The theme of this floor has changed to the Snowstorm Zone.]
[The Trial of the High Mountains has begun.]
[The intensity of the snowstorm has drastically increased.]
[A persistent whiteout condition has been triggered across the entire floor.]

Current elevation: 11,000 meters.

Only 111 meters remained until the summit at 11,111 meters.

Yet Hae Eung Eung instinctively knew that crossing this final stretch would be harder than the entire journey of the preceding 11,000 meters combined.

She tossed another handful of sand to gauge the wind’s strength.

The grains plummeted vertically at an incredible speed, disappearing from sight.

‘The wind is blowing downward.’

And this wasn’t an ordinary wind.

Second-Class Technique: Tanjigong

Even the grains of sand imbued with her inner energy and launched with Tanjigong couldn’t pierce through the thick jet stream and fell.

‘At least it’s not turbulence.’

The challenge wasn’t a chaotic wind where the direction changed unpredictably at every moment.

That would have been an even more extreme trial.

Still, her current approach wouldn’t work.

She couldn’t ride the wind, and breaking through the thick jet stream required more inner energy than she possessed.

It wasn’t even a situation where investing her free points would suffice.

‘Is this the end?’

The thought of giving up began to cross her mind, bringing with it a faint sense of resignation and acceptance.

This wasn’t the Jumping Rabbit Climbing Competition, after all.

There was no compelling reason to push through at all costs.

She understood that.

She knew it.

And yet, she didn’t want to give up.

‘But I’m still curious.’

Standing in the midst of the whiteout, where even the boundaries between the ground and sky blurred,

where direction and distance were impossible to discern, Hae Eung Eung couldn’t suppress her determination to push just a little further.

She felt the flow of the sand grains imbued with inner energy as they danced in the wind.

The indirect hints of the wind’s strength and direction urged her to gauge the force required for her breakthrough.

Even as nature loomed as her opponent, the unyielding spirit of a martial artist burned within her.

It whispered a simple truth: she had not yet given up.

No matter how vast and overwhelming her adversary, she longed to test her martial arts against it.

‘I’ve lived a life shackled by chains for too long.’

Imprisoned in the imperial palace.

Condemned as a criminal of the martial world.

Wandering the outskirts of civilization.

Marked by the Blood Sect’s seal.

Bound by the vendettas and grudges of her lost sect.

–

*”Why throw away your life chasing the hollow fame of being the greatest under heaven when no one bars your path?

Return now, Lord of the Divine Sword. You may not have become the greatest, but you’ve earned the recognition of the greatest.

Step away from worldly grudges and live your life. This is the first and last mercy I offer.”*

–

It wasn’t until she had been acknowledged by the greatest martial artist that she finally broke free from the shackles of the mortal world and became truly free.

Yet, the memory of one man’s sword of the one who had made it possible for her to return to Earth lingered.

‘Could he overcome this?’

The final trial, a closed gate as if it led to heaven itself, stood firmly before her.

The fierce winds threatened to pierce through the earth.

No matter how hard she tried, she could not picture him failing.

“Why would a challenger of an easy-difficulty world grow so strong when they can’t even return to Earth?”

“What a trivial question. To be the greatest under heaven is merely to reach the pinnacle of mortal martial arts. My goal lies beyond that.”

“The lone sovereign of all realms. True invincibility, surpassing even the War God. That is the path I walk.”

She recalled his unending battle with War God Lu Dongbin and the trials endured by the senior-most possessor in the extreme-difficulty world.

Despite the incredible hardships, he had subdued the martial world, opened the gates to the celestial realm with his own blade,

and ascended to defeat the War God.

The idea that he might falter here was unfathomable to her.

‘That’s it. I haven’t forgotten the path he showed me.’

Even after escaping the shackles of brainwashing and seals, even after being freed from every grudge, she was not yet truly free.

Standing before the vastness of nature, facing the trial that led to Jumping Rabbit’s summit,

she recalled the day she witnessed a myth come to life: the day he had slashed through the heavens and ascended.

She, too, had willingly embraced a new shackle: the pursuit of martial arts.

‘Back then, I only wanted to go home.’

She had endured so much. Her body had been pushed to its limits.

But now, with some of that pain eased, the desire etched deep in her heart the yearning for martial perfection began to rise.

‘I don’t seek the power to encompass heaven and earth.’

But here, in this small world not even on Earth couldn’t she, at the very least, stand alone at the summit of this world?

‘Even I might be able to accomplish that.’

As if responding to her resolve, the sword in her hand emitted a fierce hum, the sharp sound cutting through the storm.

With a smile, she leapt toward the Trial of the High Mountains a challenge deemed impossible to overcome without specific items and confronted its unyielding winds.

The art of manipulating qi to soar skyward a supreme skill in ascension.

No matter how remarkable such a leap may seem, it is akin to the myth of Icarus, who flew with waxen wings toward the sun, only to fall as the wax melted.

Nature’s forces far surpass human ingenuity, and the tempestuous winds seemed poised to hurl Hae Eung Eung back to the earth at any moment.

Compared to the vast, merciless force of nature, she was but a speck.

Yet even she had a way to stand against it.

“One moment is all I need.”

Even if she executed a martial art of the highest caliber, so long as it didn’t breach the Five-Star Realm, the system’s elevation judgment wouldn’t activate.

“I don’t need to channel everything I have.”

Just a single move.

Even a fraction of a single sword technique would suffice.

In that brief moment an instant a lone strike would carry the weight of her will.

Mount Hua Sect’s Ultimate Martial Art
The Purple Twilight Swordsmanship 

An absolute martial art.

Although it was meant to be paired with a matching internal energy cultivation method, she chose to wield its sword techniques alone.

From among its many stances, she chose one.

<First Stance> Zi Yao Mang Lin

The term “stance” denotes the essence of a technique, while “strike” refers to its manifestation.

Within the 13 Strikes of Composition, this was merely one attack a fundamental building block of martial arts and the primal essence of a single strike.

One Strike.

In the instant that this minuscule fragment of a supreme martial art sliced through the air, the oppressive atmospheric pressure split in two.

The walls of the storm yielded to her blade.

[The Silent Swordsman has reached the summit.]
[The Jumping Rabbit Map – Legend of the High Mountains has been conquered.]

At that moment, a lone swordsman cleaved through nature itself.