The crescent moon was dim that night, and a chill lingered over the training grounds long after the students had left. The day's boisterous energy had faded, replaced by the silence of an early winter night.
Baek Suryong and Namgung Su stood facing each other, swords drawn.
"How did you know?" Baek Suryong asked, tilting his head and smiling languidly. A puff of white breath escaped his lips, which curved into an eerie arc.
"Shouldn't I worry about someone who would go so far as to consult a shaman just to avoid repaying a debt?"
Thunderclap sliced through the darkness like a bright flash. By the time the light faded, the two men had switched places.
"Enough. Your acting is pathetic," Namgung Su spat, whirling around to face his opponent. Lightning flickered in his golden eyes.
Baek Suryong's expression returned to normal, the eerie smile giving way to a shameless grin. "Heehee! I knew you wouldn't be fooled so easily."
"It looks like I need to fix your bad habit of looking down on your senior."
Namgung Su's eyebrow twitched, and a low, pitying sigh mingled with the cool air. "You're worrying about useless things. Do I look that weak to you?"
Namgung Su pressed forward. One after another, his elegant yet powerful strikes, a signature of a prestigious clan's technique, cut through the gloom.
SWISH!
A few strands of hair cascaded down as Baek Suryong dodged to the side and counterattacked with one swift motion. The Divine Azure Dragon Sword shot up from below, grazing Namgung Su's chin and forcing him to retreat.
As if discussing someone else entirely, Baek Suryong said calmly, "He might try to impersonate me at some point, right? It's good to be prepared in advance."
The last time the Blood Demon briefly took over his body, he hadn't bothered to act like him. However, he knew that the Blood Demon had experienced countless lives through reincarnation and could imitate him perfectly if he chose to. He also knew that, if that happened, even Namgung Su would struggle to tell the difference.
"......"
The two men stared at each other for a moment before rushing forward in unison. Dozens of sword strikes collided chaotically in the air, but neither master employed inner qi. This was an unspoken rule of theirs, as a serious clash would devastate the academy grounds and attract every nearby martial artist.
Even their swords rarely clashed directly. Each aimed for vital points, only to pull their blades away at the last instant. At most, their clothes brushed or the tips of their swords touched and parted. To an uninformed observer, it would have looked like a sword dance under the moonlight.
Nevertheless, that did not make the duel a lighthearted one. In reality, it was a sharp exchange reminiscent of a life-or-death battle. Mentally, both men had already drawn blood.
This was possible because each could read the other's intent from a single step or subtle muscle contraction. As martial artists at the pinnacle of their craft, they could compete at full strength without using inner qi or fully executing their techniques.
"You've really improved a lot, haven't you?"
"......" Namgung Su quietly clenched his teeth, his expression indifferent. Unlike Baek Suryong, he had no luxury to speak. Keeping up required everything he had.
"How insolent."
The world called them martial artists who had reached perfection, but no phrase was farther from the truth. Perfection could not be attached to martial arts. They were still growing stronger, learning from each other by clashing swords and wills and developing by complementing each other's weaknesses.
At some point, Baek Suryong had also drawn Crimson Moon. A competitive spirit, a craving for martial arts, and genuine anticipation surfaced in his eyes.
"Shall we get a little more serious?"
Baek Suryong might currently be the world's strongest martial artist.
Even now, he could tell that Baek Suryong was not using his full strength.
No, to be precise, it's more accurate to say he can't use his full strength.
"Hey, do you have time for stray thoughts while you're facing me?" Baek Suryong chirped.
Namgung Su remembered the red-haired, red-eyed man's destructive energy and chilling presence. The Baek Suryong in front of him was barely suppressing that wicked thing right now. However, if the monster sleeping inside him came out again...
TAP!
Before either of them could register it, the fight was over. The Divine Azure Dragon Sword stopped before Namgung Su's heart, and Thunderclap touched Baek Suryong's shoulder. The winner and loser were obvious.
Baek Suryong withdrew his sword. Looking slightly disappointed, he grumbled, "You seem to have a lot on your mind. Let's stop here."
"......" Namgung Su nodded silently.
Even that seemed to displease Baek Suryong. His voice took on a colder tone than usual as he asked, "Why did you aim for the shoulder at the end? You should have aimed for the heart. Don't tell me you've gone soft."
"Don't get the wrong idea," Namgung Su cut him off, his expression as resolute as ever. "I intentionally chose not to aim there. If you're too familiar with my sword forms, you'll easily dodge them when push comes to shove."
For a moment, Baek Suryong was speechless. Soon, he laughed dryly and nodded. "If that's the case, I was worried for nothing." He sheathed his weapons and grinned as if he had never been irritated. "Well then, see you tomorrow!"
As Baek Suryong strode into the darkness, Namgung Su spoke from behind him.
"I have always believed my teaching method was correct, but now..."
Baek Suryong slowly turned around. Namgung Su was not looking at him, but at the night sky.
"...When it comes to teaching students, I don't think there's only one right way."
The same goes for repaying a debt.
Namgung Su did not believe that there was only one method. This was partly due to the flexible thinking he had developed while observing Baek Suryong.