Chapter 74: The Lord of Ten Thousand Blades (4)
It was as if something inhuman had donned a human skin.
That was the first impression the three of us had of the man slowly walking toward us. His unkempt, disheveled hair swayed gently in the wind, and beneath it lay a savage expression, reminiscent of a languid predator.
This man exuded the aura of a king. Even without conscious effort, every movement he made carried an overwhelming presence, influencing everything around him.
I exhaled a ragged breath, realizing only then that I had forgotten to breathe. Cold sweat ran down my back.
To feel such intensity from someone who wasn’t even showing hostility—what would it be like if he stood before me with a sword, blocking my path?
The thought came unbidden and fled just as quickly. Instinctively, I rested my hand on my sword.
The man, who had been conversing casually with someone in the distance, was now walking directly toward us.
My body moved naturally into a combat-ready stance. It wasn’t a conscious decision but an automatic response to the crushing pressure emanating from him.
“So, it’s you, huh? The ones who want to enter the Man-Keom-Jang (Hall of Ten Thousand Swords),” he said.
His voice was ordinary, yet his tone carried an undeniable arrogance. This was a man who viewed the entire world beneath him. Just hearing him speak was enough to know that.
“You… no, are you the one they call the Lord of Ten Thousand Blades?”
The words came out more respectful than I intended. I carefully studied the man as I asked the question.
For someone bearing such a title, he didn’t carry a sword. But the calluses on his hands betrayed his history as a swordsman.
Why, then, did someone like him not carry a sword?
“That’s right,” he replied.
An insufferably arrogant man. He referred to himself as an emperor—a term that carried immense weight, especially for anyone who had come from Central Plains. He surely knew the implications of his words, and yet he used them anyway.
And I understood now why he didn’t carry a sword.
‘He doesn’t need one.’
Just as I could easily subdue lesser opponents without drawing my sword, this man likely had no need for one to crush his enemies.
I exhaled deeply, glancing back at Theo and Flora. Both were frozen in place, overwhelmed by the sheer pressure emanating from the man.
This couldn’t continue. If the conversation broke down and he became displeased, I couldn’t guarantee anyone’s safety. I opened my mouth, speaking slowly and deliberately.
“I came from the martial world of Central Plains. I was a nameless wanderer. By chance, I learned the Sovereign Sword Form and was able to settle down in my later years.”
“The Sovereign Sword Form? How could a mere wanderer learn the sword techniques of the Southern Palace Clan?”
His question wasn’t accusatory—he was genuinely curious. After all, the Southern Palace Clan’s martial arts were strictly controlled, passed down only to direct descendants. It was a reasonable doubt.
I stood firm, responding with confidence.
“It’s a long story.”
Not all questions required an answer. I hadn’t yet sworn allegiance to him, after all.
His expression shifted. The disinterested eyes that had regarded me like a stray pebble on the roadside now gleamed with faint interest.
“A long story, you say… I won’t pry further if you don’t wish to explain.”
The Lord of Ten Thousand Blades’ gaze drifted past me to the spot where the earlier battle had taken place. The traces of my brief clash were still visible.
“Hmm…”
He began to walk slowly, retracing the signs of the skirmish. His sharp, discerning eyes took in every detail.
I had fought alone, without assistance. Not only had I held my own against his subordinate, but I hadn’t been pushed back in the slightest.
‘Impressive…’
For a young girl to fight at this level. What would happen if she unleashed her full strength?
She claimed to have mastered the Southern Palace Clan’s Sovereign Sword Form, yet the marks left here didn’t resemble that style.
The footprints embedded deeply in the ground indicated a domineering, forceful approach. The oppressive strikes and linear movements were far removed from the elegance of the Southern Palace Clan’s techniques.
Had she learned another sword art? A wanderer, she said. It seemed likely. To survive, she must have adapted and taken on whatever skills she could.
“You said you’ve come to create a… new world.”
He turned back toward me, his figure silhouetted against the wind. The sight of a small girl standing firm before him was almost picturesque. Her beauty and strength were striking, hinting at a promising future.
A good first impression tended to linger, and the Lord of Ten Thousand Blades liked what he saw.
He liked her enough to want to keep her by his side.
He was a man destined to place the world beneath his feet, and those who stood by him would need to match his stature.
She had the beauty and the talent, and anything she lacked, he would fill in himself.
“Did you come here to stand by my side?”
He smiled as he asked the question. With his shifting emotions, the environment around him transformed. The oppressive atmosphere softened, and the wind turned gentle, as if heralding the arrival of spring.
“What the…”
The gaze he leveled at me sent shivers down my spine. I swallowed hard, unable to finish my sentence. I couldn’t reveal my discomfort. Slowly, I nodded.
“Good. But first, there’s something I must confirm. You said you’ve mastered the Southern Palace Clan’s sword art, didn’t you?”
He gestured lightly, and a fierce gust of wind erupted from his motion. The inner energy radiating from his fingertips extended outward, and one of the scattered swords nearby lifted into the air, flying straight into his hand.
Snap!
“I will only use one hand. I won’t even move from this spot. Show me the Southern Palace Clan’s swordsmanship you claim to have mastered. Prove that you are worthy to stand by my side.”
As he gripped the sword, the Lord of Ten Thousand Blades transformed into someone entirely different. A razor-sharp aura spread outward, suffocating everything within its reach.
Even though he stood hundreds of feet away, I was already within his range.
Theo reacted first. His sword was drawn with a sudden flash, its blade glowing brightly. But the Lord of Ten Thousand Blades shook his head.
“You’re not the one I wish to see. If you want to face me, wait your turn.”
His tone was calm, even fatherly. But it carried such weight that Theo instinctively nodded and stepped back, as if compelled by an unseen force.
“What the…”
To Flora and Theo, I exchanged a glance. Their eyes were full of concern, brimming with worry they couldn’t hide.
Did they not believe in me? No—if I were in their place, I’d feel the same way. The Lord of Ten Thousand Blades was dangerous, a walking bomb standing before us, primed to detonate at the slightest provocation.
Still, I didn’t step forward right away.
“I’ve already proven myself. I crossed swords with one of your subordinates and…”
“I wasn’t the one who saw it.”
He cut me off before I could finish. I had no choice but to draw my sword and step forward.
“Come,” he said, his voice brimming with arrogance. It was the signal to begin.
I immediately channeled my mana, but I didn’t use the White Dragon Sword Formula. Instead, I relied on the Sovereign’s Formula, a technique imbued with the presence of a king.
It had been a long time since I absorbed those memories. I’d torn apart the foundations of those martial arts to create something uniquely my own, but I could still freely wield their original forms.
Mana poured out, spreading through the area like a tidal wave. The sky I conjured overtook the space, and my sword strikes accelerated, cutting through the air with lethal intent.
Clang!
Our swords collided violently.
“So, you specialize in swift swordsmanship? The placement of your fingers is unusual,” he remarked.
I flinched slightly.
We’d exchanged a single strike. That was all it took for him to discern the characteristics of my swordsmanship.
Gritting my teeth, I drove my heavy blade forward, pressing the attack.
Clang!
“It does remind me of the Southern Palace Clan’s Sovereign Sword Form. But it’s hollow. The martial arts of esteemed sects are never defined by a single style. They draw from profound roots, weaving together a myriad of techniques into what we call the Great Martial Alliance. You said you were a wanderer, yes? Such a shame…”
What did he know to prattle on like this? Yet I couldn’t refute him. I was painfully aware of my shortcomings.
The memories I inherited contained only fragments of the Sovereign Sword Form. There was no internal technique to reinforce it, no footwork to complement it.
Clang!
The Lord of Ten Thousand Blades kept his word. He never moved from his spot, nor did he use more than one hand. And yet, he effortlessly deflected every strike I sent his way.
It felt like a master patiently teaching a novice. In reality, that’s exactly what it was. He constantly pointed out my flaws, but I stubbornly ignored him.
“What could you possibly know…?”
“There’s no single correct answer. All I can do is offer a better path. Whether you follow it is up to you.”
Then, he pushed my blade away with an almost casual motion.
With just a flick of his wrist, I was sent hurtling backward. I couldn’t match his strength. As I twisted mid-air, I landed lightly on the ground.
“That’s enough,” he declared, signaling the end of the duel. His expression carried a faint trace of satisfaction.
Was that… approval?
I hesitated, watching his face carefully. He gestured toward his subordinates.
“She’s someone who will stand at my side. Treat her with the same respect you show me. Her companions as well.”
The monarch who wielded ten thousand blades had spoken.
His subordinates scrambled to comply. Before they could escort us away, the Lord of Ten Thousand Blades turned back to me.
“What’s your name?”
“Sae…ra…”
I stopped myself from saying more. For now, he didn’t seem interested in knowing my companions’ names. With a slight nod, he turned away, and his subordinates led us out.
***
The Lord of Ten Thousand Blades returned to the spot where his subordinate knelt.
“You crossed swords with her, didn’t you? What did you think?”
“She wielded various sword styles… They were quite profound, suggesting she’s spent significant time…”
“That’s not what I’m asking.”
His gaze sharpened. “I detected traces of the Formless Flying Blade Technique in this place. The energy was raw, unrefined, and clearly not yours. You didn’t use it, did you?”
“No… I…”
“I’m not accusing you. You’re not foolish enough to leak the techniques I’ve passed down. What I want to know is how that girl—Sae—managed to use the Formless Flying Blade Technique.”
“I… I’m not sure…”
“Hmm…”
The Lord of Ten Thousand Blades tossed his sword to the ground, stroking his chin thoughtfully. Could she have simply… seen it and made it her own?
It wasn’t unheard of. There were rare individuals capable of mastering martial arts merely by observing them.
A deep smile spread across his face.