Soul Summoning Sword

Chapter 14: Unity of Body and Soul (4)

The Shadow Moon Unit’s training hall was drenched in moonlight. Cold light gleamed off the bluestone floor, casting an eerie atmosphere.

Gugwi and So Taeryeon stood in a standoff, glaring at each other.

The air was taut with tension.

So Taeryeon’s dagger reflected the moonlight, emitting a red flash.

Sssssk! Shhhak!

His attacks grew sharper. The dagger sliced through the air. In an instant, red blood seeped from Gugwi’s shoulder.

“Huuk!”

Gugwi gasped for breath. His gaze was sharp.

“This is fun. Quite fun.”

So Taeryeon murmured.

No, it wasn’t fun. His eyes were cold as ice.

The spirit So Taeryeon had formed a Spirit Union with was the Red Spirit Swordsman, a swift-sword master who had dominated the Central Plains forty years ago.

As one of the Ten Swords of the Central Plains, his sword was faster than the wind and more elusive than mist.

His martial art, the Red Blood Circular Sword, was the pinnacle of speed and continuity.

Though he used a dagger instead of a longsword, the length of the weapon made no difference. Once the dagger moved, a chain of attacks followed in succession.

The red sword energy left afterimages, painting the air. It pierced the enemy’s heart and could take down dozens in an instant.

What’s more, So Taeryeon had surpassed Initial Contact and reached the first stage of Spiritual Sensitivity. He could manifest more than six-tenths of the Red Spirit Swordsman's swordsmanship.

Thanks to that, he had swiftly risen to Vice Captain of the Shadow Moon Unit.

Now, So Taeryeon wielded the dagger, borrowing the strength of this legendary power.

The sword techniques of the Red Blood Circular Sword connected like rings, pressing hard against Gugwi. But Gugwi calmly parried the attacks.

With unshakable composure, he blocked So Taeryeon’s dagger and disrupted his flow.

It wasn’t that Gugwi was strong—rather, the internal energy of the Nameless Martial Artist, the Owner of the Tomb with whom he had formed a Spirit Union, was powerful.

The immense strength of the Nameless Martial Artist coursed through Gugwi’s veins.

So Taeryeon hadn’t been speaking in jest. Gugwi’s sword was heavy. His internal strength was absurdly strong. Even a graze from it felt like it could rip chunks of flesh off.

“Ugh!”

So Taeryeon gritted his teeth.

The appearance of a master. One who had studied Soul-Summoning Arts for only half a year, yet could go toe-to-toe with a Vice Captain of the Cold Wolf Sect’s Shadow Moon Unit?

This had to be reported to the Heavenly Sound Cult immediately.

But… another thought crept into the corner of his mind. Perhaps it would be better to kill Gugwi here.

He gripped his dagger more tightly.

Ssskt!

So Taeryeon’s body melted into the darkness.

His shadow disappeared beneath the moonlight. It was the footwork of the Red Blood Circular Sword. He moved without a sound, like a shadow.

Ssshk!

Suddenly, a dagger flew in from Gugwi’s side. The red sword energy split the air.

Gugwi instinctively ducked.

The dagger grazed his hair as it passed. In that instant, Gugwi immediately recognized the killing intent embedded in the blade.

This man was trying to kill him!

Flames of fury surged in Gugwi’s chest.

So Taeryeon’s eyes no longer held the gaze of a sparring partner. He was a Soul-Summoner hunter of the Shadow Moon Unit.

‘How did things get this far?’

Gugwi gritted his teeth.

He could no longer back down. To get out of this situation, he had no choice but to unleash General Madal’s Flying Swallow Slash at full force. So Taeryeon’s attacks were too fierce for Cloud Flow Tracking alone to block. Without the Nameless Martial Artist’s internal energy, he would’ve already fallen.

He whispered.

“Madal.”

At that moment, a spirit overlapped with his body—Spirit Contact.

The Illusory Name Command opened the Realm of the Threshold, and the energy of General Madal seeped into Gugwi’s body.

Bang! Bang!

The air burst, and wind swirled around him.

His eyes changed. Hot energy surged from his qi center like an explosion. His sword blazed under the moonlight. Gugwi was no longer just Gugwi. General Madal’s power took hold of his body.

So Taeryeon changed as well. The spirit of the Red Spirit Swordsman fully enveloped his body.

“The scent of the battlefield. The sword that has taken countless lives.”

So Taeryeon muttered.

But those weren’t his own words. The spirit of the Red Spirit Swordsman recognized General Madal’s sword and spoke.

Sssht!

Whether from pride, the Red Spirit Swordsman raised his dagger. In an instant, red sword energy rippled through the air.

Two absolute masters now faced each other in the training hall.

It was no longer Gugwi and So Taeryeon. General Madal and the Red Spirit Swordsman stared each other down.

The air seemed on the verge of splitting.

Shuuut!

So Taeryeon moved first. His dagger emitted a red flash as it cleaved through the air.

The dagger aimed for Gugwi’s chest. Its speed surpassed the wind.

Red sword energy fanned out from the dagger’s tip like mist. Before one technique finished, the next had already begun… too fast, too fluid, too powerful to catch a breath.

The dagger aimed for Gugwi’s neck. A red trail embroidered the air.

Gugwi instinctively twisted his body. But the dagger grazed his cheek. His skin stung. So Taeryeon’s dagger had already shifted to the next technique. This time, it lunged for his chest.

The sword techniques connected like rings.

Before the attack to the neck ended, it went for the chest; before the chest strike ended, it aimed for the waist.

The dagger pressed Gugwi like a living beast.

Scree!

Even the air screamed.

Gugwi’s breath grew ragged. Yet So Taeryeon’s dagger didn’t pause for even a moment.

Red sword energy wrapped around the training hall.

So Taeryeon’s footwork was as silent as shadows. Though his feet brushed the bluestone floor, they made no sound.

The dagger struck at Gugwi’s side. Gugwi raised his sword to block, and sparks flew. But the next attack was already in flight. The dagger grazed Gugwi’s shoulder.

“Blood!”

Gugwi gritted his teeth.

The continuity of the Red Blood Circular Sword was terrifying. The moment one technique ended, the next began. It was like being trapped in an endless storm. So Taeryeon’s dagger… was like a beast trying to devour life.

So Taeryeon circled around, aiming for Gugwi’s waist.

The Red Spirit Swordsman’s footwork was like a shadow. His dagger moved even faster, stabbing three times in a row. Red sword energy connected in a loop, slicing through the air.

The two figures danced beneath the moonlight. The training hall had become a battlefield.

At that moment, a sharp shout ripped through the air.

“What do you think you’re doing!”

Yeon Sohye appeared in the center of the training hall.

Her eyes were cold as ice. The dagger in her hand gleamed in the moonlight.

The atmosphere froze at her appearance.

Gugwi and So Taeryeon stopped simultaneously. In that instant, So Taeryeon’s gaze wavered intensely.

‘I gave it everything I had. But this guy… he’s still standing just fine. He took all the Red Spirit Swordsman’s sword attacks… Who is this Spirit Union soul of his? I heard it was a nameless martial artist…’

His mind was in turmoil.

Yeon Sohye slowly walked toward the two of them. Her gaze was as cold as ice. The dagger in her hand reflected the moonlight with a sharp glint. She fixed her eyes on So Taeryeon.

“So Taeryeon, I can see your intent. Whose orders were you following?”

Her voice was sharp.

In the Shadow Moon Unit, killing was permitted if there was an order. If someone authorized to issue orders had given one for a justifiable reason, killing Gugwi could be justified.

Yeon Sohye zeroed in on that point.

She had sensed that the killing intent in So Taeryeon’s dagger wasn’t just part of training. She demanded to know what orders he had received—and from whom.

So Taeryeon smiled. His eyes remained cold.

“Orders? I was just testing his skills, Captain.”

Yeon Sohye narrowed her eyes.

“Skills? Even though your dagger carried killing intent? If there wasn’t an order to kill Gugwi, that means it was your own decision, doesn’t it?”

Her voice was low and firm.

So Taeryeon shrugged.

“Ah! You misunderstood. I must have gotten too absorbed just trying to see his martial arts.”

Yeon Sohye took another step forward.

“Absorbed. Misunderstood. I see. But in the Shadow Moon Unit, misunderstandings often end in death. If you bore killing intent without orders, even a Vice Captain should be held accountable.”

“I said it’s not like that. Look, he’s fine, isn’t he? I’m sorry he bled but… hey… whose spirit is that? You and I are two stages apart in Initial Contact, yet you could block my sword…”

A flicker passed through So Taeryeon’s eyes.

“A mistake again. One doesn’t ask about Spirit Union spirits. You’ve made quite a few mistakes today, Vice Captain.”

“Ah! That’s right!”

At Yeon Sohye’s sharp remark, So Taeryeon lowered his head as if in apology.

“And… Gugwi isn’t just someone deployed to the Shadow Moon Unit. He’s paired with me. If you have business with him, speak to me first.”

Yeon Sohye led Gugwi out of the training hall. The moonlight stretched their shadows long.

So Taeryeon’s eyes, watching the two, were icy cold.

‘I have to report this.’

In his judgment, Gugwi… was far too dangerous.

Gugwi returned to his quarters.

A single candle cast a dim glow on the wall. The flickering flame danced shadows around him.

He carefully took out his father’s keepsake, the Soul Echo Manual.

The worn leather cover felt heavy at his fingertips. As he turned the pages, his father’s handwriting appeared under the moonlight.

“The Spirit Flow Core is the source of power. That power alters fate.”

Gugwi’s heart thumped.

Though he had opened the Soul Echo Manual before, he had never seen this line… It seemed the contents of the secret manual had changed. Then, this manual… the characters weren’t just ink. It was as if his father’s voice was resonating through the pages. The resonance of a soul was changing the content of the manual.

His father’s warning echoed in his mind.

“Hide it.”

He closed the book. Hot energy stirred in his qi center. His hand trembled slightly.

“What is it that’s inside me?”

His eyes wavered.

He didn’t know what the Spirit Flow Core was. But during the fight with So Taeryeon, he had felt something strange.

As if… an unknown power had wrapped around his body.

It was different from the spiritual energy passed on by the Nameless Martial Artist. Deeper, darker. It felt as if the abyss of the Realm of the Threshold, a deep darkness, had awakened inside him.

Without So Taeryeon’s relentless assault and the Spirit Union with General Madal, he might never have felt it.

There was something there.

Power, sleeping deep in his qi center. Could that be the Spirit Flow Core?

He closed his eyes.

The Gate of the Realm of the Threshold opened. A hazy state. His consciousness wavered like ripples. A cold sensation brushed his cheek.

He whispered.

“Guun.”

The Illusory Name Command opened the Realm of the Threshold. Light bloomed in the darkness. A grayish lump floated quietly. Gugwi’s hand trembled. His father, Guun’s voice echoed.

“Gugwi…”

The voice was faint.

“Father, I’m here.”

His voice cracked.

“There’s… not much time.”

Guun’s light flickered. Gugwi’s chest tightened.

“What is that? Why is there no time?”

He asked urgently. His father’s light grew fainter.

“Soon… I’ll leave. Don’t hide.”

The light gently faded away.

Gugwi opened his eyes.

The candle flickered. His heart pounded as wildly as the fluttering flame.

The time he could contact his father was growing very short. Now, even hearing a few words was difficult.

It was natural for contact time with spirits to shorten. For his father, it was a good thing. It meant he would escape the Realm of the Threshold and either pass into Eternal Rest or move toward reincarnation.

The farewell was approaching. Someday, he would call his father’s name and receive no answer. Unlike the resentful spirits anchored in the Realm of the Threshold, his father’s departure was something to be celebrated.

Gugwi stood and approached the window. Moonlight shone on his face.

His father was leaving.

His eyes wavered.

He had called to ask what the Spirit Flow Core was… but all he felt was the premonition of parting. Still, this kind of farewell might be something he needed to bring about.

He lifted his head. The moon shone coldly.

“Father…”

His whisper filled the night.

Just as the Nameless Martial Artist had been sent, one day, he would also have to send off General Madal.

Even the Realm of the Threshold had meetings and partings. As a Soul-Summoner, he experienced connections that ordinary people could neither encounter nor understand.

He returned to the candle.

He held the Soul Echo Manual. He didn’t open it. Hot energy surged from his qi center.

He took a deep breath, recalling his father’s final words.

“Don’t hide.”

What was he not to hide from? One thing was clear… these incomprehensible words were the utmost effort of a father pouring everything into a single message.

“Haa…”

Gugwi let out a long sigh.