Chapter 151: Friendly Martial Arts Competition (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 151: Friendly Martial Arts Competition (4)
Two days had passed since the tournament began.
Another match had taken place after the first, but it failed to capture the same level of attention as Tang Soyeol’s. After all, it was unbelievable that one of the Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes had been eliminated right from the start. Thanks to that, word spread like wildfire.
“Did you hear? The Poison Phoenix has already been eliminated.”
“What are you talking about? Have you been drinking this early in the day?”
“…Why won’t you believe me? I swear it’s true.”
It was an unbelievable claim, yet the evidence was everywhere.
“The Alliance Leader’s son?”
“Yeah! I heard the Poison Phoenix couldn’t even use her full power before she fainted. They were in completely different leagues.”
“…And that’s the Poison Phoenix we’re talking about? Is that really possible?”
“Well, he is of the Harmonic Sword bloodline… Wait, doesn’t this mean there’s an open spot among the Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes?”
“Exactly. That’s why everyone’s so excited—a new dragon might be born.”
“But what about that other boy? The one from the Gu Clan…”
This was the weight carried by the title of Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes. They were the symbols of the greatest geniuses representing the Orthodox Faction.
The Murim Alliance understood this well, which was why they invested immense effort into arranging favorable brackets for their tournaments. Things could go poorly if two prodigies clashed too early.
I can see it clearly now. The Murim Alliance was pushing Jang Seonyeon, grooming him to become the new star.
One thing piqued my curiosity: the absence of several members of the Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes. It made sense for the Sword Phoenix to sit this one out. Knowing my crazy sister’s personality, it was entirely possible she skipped it on a whim. But the Sword Dragon? And the Sleeping Dragon? Did they really choose not to participate of their own volition?
I’m not sure. But I began to suspect the Murim Alliance had a hand in their absence. Thinking back to the Celestial Plum Blossom I’d met on Mount Hua, he didn’t strike me as the type to let such matters slide. Still, one could never truly know what went on in someone else’s mind.
…Tsk.
Anyway, the Snow Phoenix and the Lightning Dragon had advanced to the next rounds without breaking a sweat. The same went for Gu Jeolyub and Namgung Bi-ah. Namgung Bi-ah, in particular, won all her matches while maintaining a thoroughly bored expression. Some of the smitten lunatics, captivated by her demeanor, had started spreading rumors about her being the flower of the Namgung Clan. It really drove home just how many crazy bastards there were in this world.
Gu Jeolyub was a bit unexpected, though. I knew he had talent, but he’d also gotten lucky with the bracket, facing an opponent considered somewhat weak.
There were more unexpected outcomes. Some of the fighters I thought would undoubtedly win ended up losing. This included the young man I’d faced named Bi Yeonsum.
…He was extremely unlucky this time. He wasn’t bad at all. The fact that he could precisely channel his qi into his sword placed him among the top young prodigies. But the problem was that he had to face me.
Did I go too hard on him? Maybe I should have taken it easier, but I’d been in a hurry. I also wanted to show what I was capable of.
“My name is Woo Leehyun, a third-generation disciple of the Wudang Sect.”
“Gu Yangcheon, of the Gu Clan from Shanxi.”
Judging by the way he held his sword, pointing it slightly forward, his focused stare, and his controlled breathing… He’s from the Wudang Sect, huh. I could see it immediately—not from his introduction, but from the aura he emitted. He looked like a calm martial artist, perhaps a year or two older than me.
This was the second day of the tournament, and the match was crucial, determining who would advance to the top eight. As I stretched, Woo Leehyun suddenly spoke to me.
“I’ve heard many things about you.”
“Hmm?”
“That you finished all your earlier opponents with a single blow.”
“Oh… yeah, it just kind of happened.”
How could I resist when their openings were so blatant? Every opponent I faced left themselves vulnerable, whether it was their chin or chest. In a real battle, they would have been stabbed to death. These youngsters nowadays… Tsk tsk.
Did rumors spread again in the meantime? I had just overheard people talking about me being a disciple of the Dishonored Venerable or something. Though the buzz around me had faded somewhat due to Jang Seonyeon’s victory over Tang Soyeol.
Woo Leehyun responded to my words with a glint in his eyes. “I won’t be defeated as easily as the others.”
“Ah, I see.” Everyone said that.
If you’re going to get ready, at least fix your leg—…Never mind. What was the point of criticizing him in my thoughts? I had my own reservations about the Wudang Sect. It reminded me of that one guy who’d boasted incessantly about his amazing sword.
“Disciple Woo.”
“Yes.”
“May I ask you something?”
Woo Leehyun seemed somewhat nervous when he heard I had a question. He probably thought I was going to taunt him, just as he had taunted me. Why taunt me if you’re going to be so nervous about it? His earlier provocation had irked me a little. But my intention in calling him over wasn’t to provoke him.
“It seems the Sleeping Dragon is not participating in this tournament.”
“…”
Woo Leehyun’s expression soured noticeably when I brought up the famous young prodigy of the Wudang Sect. “…Why do you ask?” His tone was heavily guarded. I knew the reason for his unease.
I guess he’s still the same as ever. The Sleeping Dragon was a crazy maniac, like Peng Woojin, but in a different way. Within the Wudang Sect, he wasn’t called the Sleeping Dragon, but something else. A guy too embarrassing to show in public. He was probably treated as such. Despite his talent, he had a truly nasty personality. Woo Leehyun’s discomfort stemmed from not wanting to discuss the Sleeping Dragon with outsiders.
I was glad to have confirmed that. “I was just curious. We’re actually quite close.”
“…Huh? Young Lord Gu and our Senior Brother?” He looked at me as if I’d said something absurd. I was obviously referring to my past life, since I hadn’t actually become friends with him yet.
“Yeah, something like that.”
When I replied with a smile, Woo Leehyun grew even more tense and nervous. Why, though? Why did everyone back away whenever I smiled? It was rather sad.
As I let out an emotional sigh, the judge announced the start of the match, deeming both sides ready. Woo Leehyun held his sword and settled into his stance. Seeing this, I nodded inwardly. Not bad. He loosened his body instead of tensing up. He understood the principles of the Wudang Sect’s Sword Arts, which emphasized redirecting and flowing with an attack rather than meeting it head-on. If the Mount Hua Sword Arts were about sinking roots deep into the earth, the Wudang Sect’s Sword Arts were like becoming a calm lake.
However… It’s not bad… but… Unfortunately, he hadn’t fully grasped the essence of his clan’s techniques. To be fair, it was unreasonable to expect a third-generation disciple to have mastered them completely. It really highlighted how exceptional the Sleeping Dragon was.
Judging by how he carefully held his sword, he seemed to be waiting for me to make the first move. A good decision. It was likely because everyone who had charged at me head-on had ended up collapsed on the ground as if dead. Now, more cautious opponents were starting to appear in my matches.
Sss. When I shifted my foot slightly, Woo Leehyun’s eyes followed. His gaze was sharp. It makes sense why the Wudang Sect sent him. I’d heard that other representatives from the Wudang Sect had come in place of the Sleeping Dragon. Mount Hua, it seemed, hadn’t sent anyone at all. Had anyone else from the Ten Sect Alliance come? I didn’t know, as I hadn’t looked that far into it.
This was a challenging time for young prodigies. Just a few years ago, they had been emerging at a rapid rate. But now, it felt like a stagnant period. With the current generation dominated by the Meteor Generation—comprising only the most outstanding talents—this era was a hell for young prodigies trying to thrive.
As I stood still, continuing to watch him, Woo Leehyun’s sword began to move slowly. It traced the symbol of his clan. The strike he initiated showed the marks of endless training.
Smack-!
“Ugh…”
But this guy also left his chin wide open. Woo Leehyun fainted. We weren’t in the same league to begin with. Although I’d mentioned his vulnerability, it wasn’t as if he could have blocked or redirected my attack anyway.
“…Victory goes to Gu Yangcheon.”
As soon as I heard the judge, I exited the arena. His comrades would probably take care of him.
“A single blow again…?”
“Was his opponent weak…?”
“You, do you think the Wudang Sect is a joke? You’ll get punished for that kind of talk.”
“But seriously, whether it’s the Wudang Sect or not… does it make sense that he’s defeated everyone with one blow? We should consider that.”
I began to overhear more people talking about me. Honestly, I’d expected them to start sooner. After showing this much, they should have realized something was up. Was it because of all the other unexpected situations? But this rumor could work in my favor if it spread, so…
“I knew it… he really is the Dishonored Venerable’s—”
“I’m not!”
“Ahhhh!”
I couldn’t hold back and yelled, causing those bastards to scatter quickly. Ugh, this personality of mine. I can’t believe I lost my temper again. This shitty trait always seemed to get the best of me. Frustrated with how easily I lost my cool, I ruffled my hair in exasperation. Please act your age, Yangcheon.
As I was calming down, I sensed someone approaching. “What’s… wrong?” A quiet, chilly voice. Normally, I would have been on guard, but the familiar scent that accompanied the presence put me at ease. Her bluish-white hair swayed gently in the winter breeze.
“It’s nothing.” I responded to Namgung Bi-ah, who was looking at me with a worried expression. It really was nothing—just me losing my temper over something insignificant.
“Did you do well?”
“…Yeah.” It seemed that way. I knew she’d been fighting around the same time as me. Judging by her clean uniform and her presence here, the result was clear.
“Who was your opponent?”
“…I don’t know…?” She genuinely seemed unaware. I couldn’t help but feel bad for her opponent. Defeated without even getting a chance to say their name. How sad.
“You’re… going somewhere? The medical room…?”
“What? Why the medical room all of a sudden? I’m not hurt.”
“…Soyeol.”
“It’s fine. She’s probably receiving good treatment.” I had secretly visited Tang Soyeol this morning, though she was still asleep and unaware.
“…Then where are you going?”
“Where you were.”
“Hmm?” Namgung Bi-ah tilted her head in confusion, then her eyes widened as she understood. She looked at me with a strange expression, as if thinking, ‘So you were worried about me.’
“What, why?” Namgung Bi-ah smiled in response, then shook her head as if it were nothing. I really didn’t like the way she was looking at me right now. I couldn’t believe a dumbo like her was gazing at me so proudly…
“…Where is Seol-Ah?” As I chewed on my tongue absently, Namgung Bi-ah asked.
“She went out.”
“Today too…?”
“Yeah, she seemed busy.” I was starting to feel a little sad about that. She’d promised to cheer for me the whole time, yet she never appeared in the spectator seats. Of course, there hadn’t been any particularly long fights for her to watch. Though she did seem tired from how busy she was. It was rare to see Wi Seol-Ah exhausted. Even when she worked a lot, she always seemed bright—though she did skip work from time to time.
I should ask her one day. The easiest way would be to find Hongwa, but even he was hard to track down lately.
Slam-! Slam! As I walked and pondered, I heard sounds in the distance. They led me to the first group’s arena, where Namgung Bi-ah had fought earlier. And currently in that spot…
“Why is it those guys again?” Gu Jeolyub and Hwangbo Cheolwi were facing each other. Those guys again. What a karmic bond they had. At this point, it seemed fated.
Slaaam-! Hwangbo Cheolwi’s heavy, massive fist punched through the air. Contrary to his giant physique, his movements were quick.
Slam-! However, Gu Jeolyub was faster. I’d mentioned this at the banquet and at Bacheonmaru, but… honestly, I didn’t need to watch this fight. That dumbass wouldn’t lose as long as he didn’t make any mistakes.
“So why did you come…?” I found myself at a loss for words after Namgung Bi-ah’s sudden question. Yeah, why did I come?
“I was just bored.” My response felt rather uncool, even to me. It reminded me of what Elder Shin had said about me aging backward. …That old man is no Taoist, I swear. A Taoist, my ass. And he was even called a hero.
“Yeah… because you were bored.” Namgung Bi-ah responded kindly, pretending to be fooled, but her eyes were already twinkling with amusement. She almost never smiled, but she showed this side of her from time to time—smiling with her eyes.
How? How did my life end up being treated like this?
“Victory goes to Gu Jeolyub.”
“Oops.” How long had I been lost in thought? The judge’s announcement brought me back, but the duel was already over. Gu Jeolyub’s sword was at Hwangbo Cheolwi’s neck, while Hwangbo Cheolwi’s fist had missed Gu Jeolyub’s cheek and frozen in place.
Woaaah-! As soon as the fight ended, the spectators erupted in cheers. An evenly matched fight always got the audience’s hearts racing.
“But it was even…?” Even when it shouldn’t have been? It shouldn’t have been close at all. Gu Jeolyub should have won easily.
“Oh?” Gu Jeolyub even shook Hwangbo Cheolwi’s hand. What was going on?
What am I watching right now? For some reason, the duel ended on a warm-hearted note. Why did it feel so wholesome?
Then Gu Jeolyub descended from the stage. Walking down with a proud face amid the cheers, he froze when he noticed me.
“Hey.” He flinched when I called out, though he couldn’t hide his proud expression.
“You must be happy. Your mouth is practically lifting itself into a smile, eh?”
“…Oof, it’s not like that.” Not like that, my ass.
“You… never mind, you did well.” I’d been about to scold him for barely winning, but I held back. Honestly, I hadn’t expected Gu Jeolyub to make it this far—though the same went for Hwangbo Cheolwi.
“Uh, so what brings the Young Master here—”
“I stopped by to see if there were any fights left, since I was passing by.”
“Oh…” Gu Jeolyub nodded in understanding. I wasn’t wrong. I had indeed come to see the remaining matches.
“Did you see the end, by any chance?”
“See what?” Gu Jeolyub, who usually spoke to me fearfully, was suddenly talking excitedly.
“I dodged Young Master Hwangbo’s Tiger Fist Barrage and used my sword to—”
“Huh… you know the Hwangbo Clan’s martial arts?”
“…Hmm? No, Young Master Hwangbo shouted the name of his skill as he attacked me…”
“…He shouts the names of his attacks as he uses them?” Was he sane? He might as well kindly tell his opponent, ‘Hey, I’m attacking your left now~’. Imagining that giant fighting like that made me feel a bit queasy. “…You didn’t do that either, right?”
“…”
“Why can’t you answer? You piece of—”
“I-I did not.”
“Right? If you did, I’d be too embarrassed to show my face.”
“Why would the Young Master feel that way if I did that—”
“Because we share the same surname, you idiot… That’s an embarrassment for the entire clan, seriously.”
Even if he was immature, there was no way he’d actually done something like that. Surely, he hadn’t shouted out his attack names. If he had, forget our shared surname—I was going to burn him to ashes.
As I struggled with my thoughts, Namgung Bi-ah approached and asked, “Hey… aren’t you going to watch the others?”
“Others?” She pointed with her finger toward another arena.
“No need.” I wasn’t really curious. It was where Namgung Cheonjun and Moyong Hi-ah were fighting. Those two would obviously advance; the bracket practically spelled it out.
And as expected… I began to overhear people talking about what had just happened. Rumors spread faster than the wind in a place like this. Just as predicted, those two made it to the top. I didn’t think much of it up to this point. There hadn’t been many surprises, aside from Tang Soyeol and Jang Seonyeon being matched against each other.
After the last fight of the day ended… the eagerly awaited new bracket was revealed.
“Woah…” I was pleasantly surprised. The first fight of tomorrow:
-Namgung Cheonjun of the Namgung Clan vs. Gu Yangcheon of the Gu Clan
I couldn’t fathom how this had happened, but it was quite an amusing situation. I couldn’t help but break into a smile as soon as I saw the bracket.