Chapter 15: Heart Demon (4)

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Bi Wol's Heart Demon was the fate she should have originally had.

Heaven-Killing Star.

It was the aftermath of the setting written by author Han Do-hyeon, a variable created by his twisting of Bi Wol's fate, and the future that would have occurred had he not saved her.

"Master...? How are you in my mental imagery world?!"

Bi Wol couldn't help but cover her face in embarrassment while looking back and forth between Bing Yeon and her Heart Demon.

How ugly must she appear to her master? Even though it was her inner feelings, she hadn't known they would be this uncontrollable.

"Did you think this master couldn't find where his disciple was?"

Bing Yeon spoke while stroking Bi Wol's head. Feeling his rough yet warm touch, her lips couldn't help but curl upward.

"Master, I'm sorry. Due to my immaturity, this happened..."

A hot sensation kept rising in Bi Wol's face. She remembered how she had fallen into demonic possession and desperately sought Bing Yeon's love.

"Enough. It was your master's fault for not knowing how much you had suppressed your emotions. Therefore, let's correct this together."

"Together means...?"

"You will continue this sword debate in my place."

Bing Yeon smiled while speaking to Bi Wol.

From now on, she needed to repel the Heart Demon herself for it to have meaning. If her master did it for her, it could appear again anytime.

"Should I just cut off that detestable Heart Demon's head, Master?"

Bi Wol shouted while feeling the sensation of holding a sword for the first time. Though made of ice, it felt as solid and heavy as steel.

"Yes, I will help you with what you lack."

A sword created by Master Bing Yeon solely for her. Just remembering this fact stirred emotions in her heart.

"Hahahahaha...!!!"

Watching the two of them, Bi Wol's Heart Demon began laughing like a madwoman. She looked like a martial artist who had gone insane or fallen into demonic possession.

"Good Bi Wol, I told you! I am you, and you are me!"

"...No, you're not me. More precisely, you're my inner darkness. The weak mind that fears not being loved by Master and dreads a world where Master is gone."

"So what? You love Master too! You harbor more tender feelings than anyone else in this world! When it comes to someone you love, what could be wrong!"

"The love Master taught me isn't an emotion that hurts or harms others."

Bi Wol pointed her sword at her Heart Demon. The sharp blade's tip was aimed at her, and her corrected stance showed firm determination.

"...The world has been dyed in darkness! How dare a child born with the fate of killing her master lecture me about right and wrong!"

Watching this, the Heart Demon also drew her sword. The shadow-like black blade emitted an ominous energy.

"My name is Heavenly Demon, Heaven-Killing Star! Well then, let's see if you can win with that precious master of yours!"

The Heart Demon's manner and energy had truly changed to match the Heavenly Demon from the original "The King of the Vajra Fist." Each time she exhaled, the earth shook, and a flesh-cutting cold could be felt.

"My name is Bi Wol of Ice Dragon Flower Banquet. I will kill you and overcome this Heart Demon."

However, Bi Wol couldn't back down even knowing her opponent was stronger than her current self. This was her inner darkness that she needed to handle.

"I'll reduce our distance to one step with Heavenly Demon Sovereign Step, and use Heavenly Demon Blood Dread Slash to aim for your dantian, cutting upward from below."

Though killing intent shot out like lightning from the sword tip toward Bi Wol, she recited her technique without fear, and...

"No, Bi Wol. Here you must use Treading Snow Without Traces. Isn't the ground covered in snow? If you use a footwork technique that focuses only on power, your feet will sink and you'll easily lose balance."

Bing Yeon corrected the flawed part. The Heart Demon clicked her tongue watching Bi Wol, who would have made a mistake in her first sword debate.

"Now, follow this."

Footprints appeared in the thickly fallen snow. The footsteps of the one who went ahead showed a safe path to follow.

Using these as markers, Bi Wol slowly stepped forward while manifesting her sword path.

"...I will deflect with the Wudang Sect's Taichi Wisdom Sword! Embedding the principle of flow in the sword, I will use the principle of Grafting Flowers to turn your attack back on you!"

For an instant, space rippled and the sword seemed to bend. Like extending branches, her sword blade was trying to stab at her own dantian.

"At this rate, my dantian...!"

"The principle of Grafting Flowers isn't unique to the Wudang Sect, Bi Wol. Focus on the space your opponent has twisted, think about what means you have to grab and twist it."

At such a moment, Bing Yeon offered advice to his disciple. After all, the martial principle of Grafting Flowers, using the enemy's strength without them knowing, wasn't unique to the Wudang Sect's Taichi Wisdom Sword.

The meaning of greatly moving heaven and earth, the greatest martial art of the Western Regions passed down from Persia, the Ming Sect's pride - 

Heaven and Earth Great Shift.

"Using Heaven and Earth Great Shift, I will change the direction of the attack you tried to reverse."

Bi Wol shouted this while deflecting the incoming sword blade with her foot. Each movement was a concentration of power to correct the twisted space.

"Drawing another sword from behind, I will use the Murong Family's Twin Dragon Whirlwind Sword! Be torn apart in the whirlwind!"

Perhaps judging one sword insufficient, the Heart Demon was now using dual sword techniques. Was there a way to block the whirlwind at such close range?

"Heavenly Demon Divine Technique, Nine Heavens Demon Sword, I'll rotate my body to target your sides."

Bi Wol spun her body and swung her sword to counter the whirlwind, but it wasn't enough to block attacks coming from all directions.

"Bi Wol. Without proper preparation, your rotation speed won't be consistent. Lower your stance more and bend your knees more to maintain your center. You need a firmly established center of gravity to reverse the opponent's flow."

Blood flowed from where sharp sword wind grazed her cheek, and at that moment Bing Yeon offered her another move.

Like a master showing an overlooked move to a disciple playing Go for the first time, Bing Yeon kept revealing perspectives she hadn't seen.

"Have you no shame as a martial artist! Not even thinking of achieving greatness alone, just following in your master's shadow! Is this truly the way of martial arts and chivalry!"

The Heart Demon mocked Bing Yeon and Bi Wol while watching this. Unlike herself who had trained alone pursuing martial arts, Bi Wol was weaker because she had a master helping her by her side.

Weak and soft.

Immature and fragile.

The sword was like an ill-maintained blade - not a single part was properly aligned, but.

"The 'martial' in martial arts is strength that protects the weak, and 'chivalry' is having compassion for the weak."

Beside her was already a master who had achieved greatness. A person whose purity in martial arts couldn't be matched by anyone.

"Bi Wol, that is your darkness. After exchanging sword moves, do you understand what went wrong?"

"When exchanging blows with the Heart Demon, my wrist angle becomes unstable. The sword's trajectory keeps twisting."

Bi Wol spoke with trembling hands. Though the figure before her was surely another version of herself, why was there such a large difference?

"That's what the opponent is aiming for. You're still not of age, so your strength is weak and your height small, and they're trying to overwhelm you with force."

Bing Yeon knew the reason for this difference. No matter how much the martial world cautioned about women, children, and the elderly, they couldn't help but be overwhelmed by a healthy adult's raw strength.

"Then, what should I do?"

"I should match the opponent's breathing, stay one move ahead. Find weaknesses in their fingertips, footwork, stance..."

"No, Bi Wol. Here you must first find your own weaknesses. If you try to use technique without mastering the basics, you'll only hasten your defeat."

Bing Yeon shook his head while listening to Bi Wol. Though normally using stronger techniques was correct when facing a strong martial artist...

"The Heart Demon's weakness is the same as your own."

This was a sword debate discussing martial arts, therefore...

"This is a sword debate taking place in the mental world. Understanding what you lack will be the key to victory."

Bing Yeon spoke while stroking Bi Wol's head once more. This was the realization he had wanted to give her from the start.

Recognizing one's own inadequacies, and contemplating how to advance to a higher realm.

"The opponent's breathing is faster than yours, and their toes always point forward. Against such an opponent, even moving one step ahead won't be enough to overturn the situation."

He was merely guiding the direction and effort from the side.

"Then, what should I do?"

"To control the sword's trajectory, straighten your wrist more and evenly distribute force throughout your wrist. Having no wavering at the sword's tip is both the most basic and what you must keep in mind."

Bing Yeon was correcting her sword-holding stance by touching various points. Like a well-carved statue, she was transforming into a refined and disciplined form.

"If you want to break convention, first master the basics completely. That is breaking convention."

In Go, to make unconventional moves, one must first properly understand all the basic formations.

"Let's use the Heavenly Demon Blood Dread Slash once more."

"But that technique just failed..."

"This time, mix footwork with swordplay. Using your small build and flexibility as strengths, you should be able to break through even a Heart Demon once."

Even with a stone surrounded by the enemy that seems lost, using it to achieve victory is the beauty of tactical warfare.

"You, damned child...!"

"Master, I did it! Please, the next move..."

Bi Wol's kick landed in the Heart Demon's solar plexus. She coughed up blood and was pushed back three steps.

"......"

"...Master?"

Watching this, Bi Wol expected her master's next advice, but Bing Yeon remained silent.

"With Heavenly Demon Divine Technique's Tenth Form, Heavenly Demon World Destruction, I will destroy you and this mental world. Try to block it if you can!"

Taking advantage of this gap, the Heart Demon was preparing her final move. It was a technique Bi Wol had never used or even known about.

Seeing that sharp killing intent, Bi Wol felt afraid. Why wasn't Master helping?

Her hands trembled and the sword tip began to waver. At this rate, she would lose the sword debate and be completely devoured by the Heart Demon.

'Master, Master, Master, why won't you help this inadequate disciple...!'

Bi Wol repeated her master's name in her heart, and as if in response, Bing Yeon whispered softly.

"Bi Wol. This time, I have nothing to help with."

At that moment, Bi Wol's eyelids opened wide as she began to see something new in the landscape. It was something floating in the sky above the snowy scene.

Something that shows hope for dawn no matter how dark the world, something that can appear even in daylight when the sun is out.

"...I will follow Master's final teaching."

Flying Moon (Bi Wol).

It was something with such a simple name.

Bi Wol filled her sword-gripping fingers with gratitude for her master, evenly distributed all her strength, and straightened her wrist to keep the sword tip from wavering.

She put strength in her legs, lowered her waist to properly center her weight. She stepped strongly with her left foot to prevent the sword's power from dispersing.

Without disturbing her breathing, she needed to inhale and exhale slowly but deeply, exploding all her power when swinging the sword.

"Though I hate the heaven that abandoned me, I feel grateful to the heaven that let me meet Master."

At the raised sword tip appeared the form of a whirlpool that seemed ready to devour all the world's sorrows, drawing up seawater.

"How can heaven be heaven? Like Master's heart, its height cannot be measured. Because it can make all things under heaven look up to it, it is another world."

A path appears.

Through the thick, suffocating demonic energy, a gap appears for the blade to penetrate.

Broadened insight and recovered breathing.

Vision that sees the flow beyond the immediate move before her eyes.

"The snow falling like cold white snow was to make us know warmth, and the all-devouring sea was to cool the hot summer."

All of this was basic, learned from Master Bing Yeon.

"Therefore, cherishing everything Master taught me, and to love even myself, I will cry out here."

Bi Wol spoke these words while looking straight at her darkness, the Heart Demon.

"This girl's name is Bi Wol."

Heavenly Demon Divine Technique,

Eleventh Form,

Flying Moon.

"I am the moon floating above Master's heart as vast as the great sea."

KWAKAKAGAGAK─!

Like a great moon falling from the sky, a circular sword strike poured down on the Heart Demon.

"...Well done."

And watching this, Bing Yeon stroked his disciple's head and spoke in a low voice.