Chapter 695: Heavenly Dragon Martial Arts Tournament (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 695: Heavenly Dragon Martial Arts Tournament (5)
“H-how?” the white-haired old woman asked, her voice laced with disbelief.
The others were no different.
Those who had been preparing to dash out at a moment’s notice now wore dumbfounded expressions. Bimapa, as if unable to process reality, had lost her earlier composure; her face was a mask of utter confusion.
“Can I go home now?”
I paid their shock no mind. Isn’t this enough?
At my impassive question, Bimapa barely managed to pull herself together. Even so, her eyes trembled uncontrollably.
“…How… How did you do it?”
“What do you mean, how?”
What was there to explain?
“You told me to cross the line and tap your shoulder. So I did.”
I did exactly as I was told. That was all. When you break it down, it’s a simple story, isn’t it?
‘Of course, I did use a few tricks.’
I glanced to the side, scanning my surroundings.
There was a formation active in the residence. I had noticed it the very moment I stepped through the entrance.
‘The air itself is different.’
The simple act of breathing felt distinct from the world outside. The moment I entered, the flow of Qi shifted. Something was twisted, distorted. I realized it just by sensing the flow.
Why would such a flow exist in this residence? I didn’t even need to activate my Mind’s Eye to confirm it.
‘A formation.’
A formation was inscribed into the space; that had to be the reason for the subtle sense of incongruity. So, why go to the trouble of setting up a formation here? Was it for us to rest? Unlikely.
Then there could only be one reason.
‘This is the gate.’
The intention was to test us using the formation. At first, it was just a guess, but it became a certainty the moment I saw Bimapa. I had wondered who set up such a complex array, and it turned out to be that old woman.
I shifted my gaze, examining the components one by one.
‘The wall. The single flower to the west. The lone pine tree in the forest within the residence.’
All of these were the links and pillars that anchored the formation. Bimapa’s internal energy acted as the thread connecting them, completing the circuit. It was remarkably detailed and delicate.
She truly was a renowned formation master within the Alliance. It had been a long time since I’d seen such a flawless setup. Perhaps my past self would have been no different from the people staring at me now.
‘But I have a lot more at my disposal now.’
My Mind’s Eye saw through Bimapa’s formation, and my heightened instincts felt the flow of the array with my entire body. To be able to see it meant it was that much easier to dismantle. And if I could also feel it…
‘A formation is easy.’
When I can both see and feel the path, there’s no reason I can’t avoid the traps.
“How in the world…”
A brief moment—mere seconds. The fact that I had bypassed her formation in that time caused the wrinkles on Bimapa’s face to deepen. She seemed thoroughly shaken.
“So, did I pass?”
Whatever Bimapa’s reaction was, it had nothing to do with me. When I pressed her again, she looked around without answering, seemingly checking if there was a flaw in the formation.
But that wouldn’t change anything.
‘I didn’t touch it.’
I hadn’t properly dismantled the formation; I had simply passed through it. Honestly, I could have destroyed it if I wanted to.
‘But who would that benefit?’
It would cause a problem with the gate itself, so I chose the slightly more troublesome path of navigating it. Therefore, the formation remained perfectly intact.
Bimapa seemed to have confirmed this as well, as the shock on her face grew even more intense.
“…This… Th-this is…”
“It’s fine to be surprised, but can’t you do what you need to do first?”
Seeing her reaction, I figured this would drag on, so I spoke up.
“Did I pass?”
“…”
Bimapa hesitated for a moment, but there was only one possible answer.
“…You… passed.”
Finally, Bimapa gave her confirmation. I smirked and looked at the other martial artists. To be precise, I looked at the Dao King, who stood out among them.
Our eyes met. The Dao King made no effort to hide the deep scowl covering his face.
‘That old man is in for some trouble.’
The Dao King wouldn’t be eliminated. It would be great if he could avoid the formation as I did, but if not…
‘He’ll just tear it apart with brute force.’
The amount of power the Dao King used on the Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Steel would be more than enough to rip the formation to shreds. The problem, however…
‘If he does that, the formation will be destroyed. It’ll become a race of speed.’
She had clearly said it was first-come, first-served. If so, the moment the formation was torn, everyone would rush in. In that case, could the Dao King, having just expended massive brute force, rush in fast enough while enduring the recoil?
‘The mind games will be intense.’
Considering this, the Dao King wouldn't use his power so easily unless he was an idiot. The battle of wits would be no joke.
‘This should be interesting.’
Honestly, I wanted to watch—to see them sweating bullets, trying to outwit each other. Just imagining it was amusing.
‘Tsk.’
But I didn’t have time for that, so I suppressed my disappointment and spoke to Bimapa.
“Well then, can I go back now?”
“…You may….”
For some reason, a weary-looking Bimapa nodded in affirmation. The moment I heard her, I turned and walked away without a backward glance.
I could feel the Dao King’s gaze following me. Should I turn back and give him a little smirk? A childish hesitation arose, but I resisted. It would be a waste to use it on something so trivial.
‘Let’s see each other later, old man.’
The time will come, and it won’t be long. Until then, I was willing to be patient.
* * *
As the sunset faded and the moon rose, the preliminary gates for the Heavenly Dragon Martial Arts Tournament concluded for the day. Seven martial artists gathered in a meeting room inside the Alliance headquarters.
Each wore a robe of a different embroidered color, a symbol of their status as a Captain of the Alliance.
“Let’s begin the meeting.”
The figure seated at the head of the table spoke. It was Jang Seongmyeong, the One Azure Sword and Captain of the Blue Dragon Army, said to be the strongest after the Sword Emperor, the Captain of the Guardians.
“First, the Captain of the First Dragon Army was dispatched to the Hubei region immediately after the gate concluded due to an abnormality there.”
Someone reacted to Jang Seongmyeong’s words. A man with twin swords at his waist, Dong Cheon, the Twin Righteous Illusionary Sword and Captain of the Golden Dragon Army, spoke with a puzzled tone.
“Hubei, you say? So suddenly…?”
“Indeed. It was an urgent matter, and the Alliance Leader himself approved it. It seems someone will have to fill in for the Captain of the First Dragon Army.”
“I will do it.”
At Jang Seongmyeong’s words, Song Yu, the Captain of the Red Dragon Army, raised his hand. Jang Seongmyeong nodded.
“Then, it is confirmed that the Captain of the Red Dragon Army will take over those duties. Now, I will receive reports on the current situation.”
Rustle.
Each of the Captains took out a letter from their robes—brief reports regarding the events of the preliminary round.
“First, regarding the Green Gate. Captain of the Sky Dragon Army.”
“…Yes.”
“Were there any noteworthy individuals at the first gate?”
“As expected, the Mooak Sword and the Cheonghae Throwing Sword showed prominence, but an unexpected element was a new master called the Flying Bullet Liu Spear.”
“Flying Bullet Liu Spear… I’ve heard that name before.”
He was a rising master making a name for himself in the Hebei region.
“What would you say his level is?”
“He appeared to have reached the Perfected Peak Realm.”
“From what I’ve gathered, he’s not even forty. His potential is outstanding… Can you find out more about him?”
“I will order the Beggar’s Sect to investigate.”
“Understood. Next is the Blue Gate…”
Jang Seongmyeong’s brow twitched slightly.
“…The Descendant of the Sword Venerable.”
There was a noteworthy individual in the Blue Group.
“Captain of the Iron Dragon Army.”
“Yes.”
At Jang Seongmyeong’s call, the person in charge of the Blue Gate, the Hidden Wave Sword and Captain of the Iron Dragon Army, answered in a quiet voice.
“How was she?”
The question held multiple meanings. The Zenith Under the Heavens. Or the Sword Venerable, Wi Hyogun—the previous Alliance Leader’s predecessor and the swordsman said to be closest to the Zenith.
His official descendant had appeared at the Murim Alliance of her own volition. They were already paying close attention, so how did she perform?
When he asked the Hidden Wave Sword, the man hesitated.
“…About that.”
“Hidden Wave Sword?”
Jang Seongmyeong asked again, and only then did the Hidden Wave Sword cautiously open his mouth.
“The Descendant of the Sword Venerable… seemed to have reached the state of becoming one with her sword.”
“…!”
“What did you say?”
The others reacted strongly.
“Becoming one with the sword? What kind of absurd nonsense is that?”
“Hidden Wave Sword… Is that true?”
The majority of them were swordsmen, and their reaction was natural. Becoming one with the sword was the prerequisite for the Mind Sword, the ultimate aim of any swordsman. Although it was a realm of the mind, those who reached it were almost always at the Perfected Peak Realm or higher.
And yet.
“She is said to have just passed twenty. Do you think that makes any sense?”
“The Hidden Wave Sword must be tired. Otherwise, such words would not have come out.”
“No matter if she is the Sword Venerable’s descendant… to achieve Sword-Man Unity is—”
“Enough.”
Jang Seongmyeong murmured softly. In that instant, his internal energy spread out, silencing the commotion. With narrowed eyes, he asked, “Hidden Wave Sword, are you certain?”
“Yes, Captain of the Blue Dragon Army. I saw it myself. As a swordsman, how could I not know? She was already a martial artist I could not easily fathom.”
“Ha…!”
As the Hidden Wave Sword, a master of the Fusion Realm, spoke with such conviction, the room stirred. To be "difficult to fathom" for a woman barely twenty was an utterly bizarre assessment.
“Is this the birth of another monster…?”
“The Sword Venerable’s descendant… What in the world did that man create?”
The swordsmen’s attitudes were peculiar. Faced with a brilliant prospect, they showed only an inexplicable jealousy. For martial artists of the Orthodox Faction, they seemed quite petty.
‘…Tsk.’
Watching this from behind his mask, Song Yu clicked his tongue. Normally, this wouldn’t have seemed strange, but after what he had experienced that morning, the scene felt oddly familiar.
‘What are they even doing?’
Instead of celebrating an outstanding junior, they were showing such small-mindedness. Song Yu suppressed a rising feeling of disgust.
“That’s good news from the Blue Gate… I’ll take note of it.”
Jang Seongmyeong jotted down a few notes. The only difference was that this time, he didn’t relay the information to the Captain of the Sky Dragon Army.
“Other than that, there seems to be no major information… Then, Captain of the Golden Dragon Army?”
The Golden Dragon Captain was in charge of the Red Gate.
“At the first gate, the Obscure Wave Righteous Sword and the Wind Forest Encompassing Bullet Fist showed considerable skill.”
“I’ve heard of both.”
“Not only those two, but the Great Saint Blade was also there.”
“The Great Saint Blade…”
Peng Woojin, the son of the Dao King Peng Jeowoo and a former Heavenly Dragon.
“Seeing him make a dent in the steel in a single strike, it seems the Great Saint Blade has also reached a considerable level.”
“That friend was always like that.”
He was a former Heavenly Dragon, after all—the representative martial artist of his generation. If it weren’t for the monster from Shaolin, he would have been even more prominent.
Jang Seongmyeong looked to the next report.
“Finally, the White Gate…” He looked at Song Yu. “Captain of the Red Dragon Army.”
“Yes.”
“How was he? The Dao King’s form?”
“He seemed to have gotten even stronger than before.”
“Is that so? It seems he hasn’t been slacking. There’s no need to look further into the Dao King… What about other information?”
“The Scarlet Star Silver Moon Blade and the Pre-Heaven Martial Light Sword seem to have reached a higher level than reported. The former is on the verge of the Perfected Peak Realm, and the latter is expected to reach the Fusion Realm within ten years.”
“Hah. Not bad.” Jang Seongmyeong smiled. “I hope they achieve good results.”
That would make it easier to recruit them into the Alliance.
“Ah, speaking of which, Captain of the Red Dragon Army.”
“Yes.”
“I heard that the Young Master of the Gu Clan was in the White Group. Is that correct?”
“…”
The Lesser King of Hell, Gu Yangcheon.
At the mention of him, Song Yu flinched.
“How did he seem?”
The question brought back the scene instantly—the moment Gu Yangcheon had grabbed and crushed the Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Steel. Song Yu knew he should report this.
However.
“…”
For some reason, the words wouldn’t leave his lips.
‘What am I doing?’
Why wasn’t he speaking? Even if he didn’t, it was a fact that would be revealed soon enough. So many people had seen it.
“…He was simply at an unexpected level.”
He couldn’t bring himself to give a proper report. "Unexpected" was an understatement, but Song Yu couldn't find the strength to say more. He couldn't even figure out why he was holding back.
“I see. An unexpected level… I understand.”
Jang Seongmyeong showed no particular reaction.
“The total number of first-round passers is two hundred and thirty-two. Higher than expected…”
They would all be filtered out in the second round anyway.
Rustle.
Jang Seongmyeong turned the page to the second test—the report on the time it took to break through Bimapa’s formation.
‘The fastest in the Green Group was two hours…’
That matched Bimapa’s estimate. Just then, Jang Seongmyeong’s eyebrow twitched.
‘…Fifteen minutes?’
The first person to pass in the Blue Group took only fifteen minutes. He checked the name with a surprised expression.
[Blue Group.]
[Jin Imseok of the Gwangju Jin Clan.]
It was a name he didn’t recognize.
‘The Gwangju Jin Clan.’
He knew the clan, but not the man. To pass that quickly, he must be highly skilled, yet there was no report from the Hidden Wave Sword.
‘Is he a specialist in formations?’ That was a possibility. He noted it as a peculiar case and checked the next one.
‘The Red Group… took about an hour.’
This was also fast. The first to escape was the Great Saint Blade.
‘That young master is capable of that.’ There was no room for doubt.
‘All that’s left is the Dao King’s group.’
Was there even a need to look? It was obvious the Dao King would be the fastest. With that conviction, Jang Seongmyeong turned the page.
“…?”
His body stiffened.
[White Group - Second Gate Completion Time.]
[One Second.]
[Gu Yangcheon of the Shanxi Gu Clan.]
Was he seeing things? He leaned in closer.
“…What is this…”
The words didn’t change. One second? One second…?
“Bimapa, what is the meaning of this…”
Jang Seongmyeong, his face deeply scrunched, turned to the person who had set up the formation.
“Bimapa?”
Seeing the wrinkled woman, Jang Seongmyeong was at a loss for words. The Captain of the Wind Dragon Army, the greatest formation master in Henan, was trembling.
“…What… went wrong? How…? Why…? I’m sure I set it up properly. Was there a loophole? That can’t be…”
“…”
Her eyes were completely consumed by her Inner Demons.