Chapter 727: Heavenly Dragon Martial Arts Tournament (35)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 727: Heavenly Dragon Martial Arts Tournament (35)
Drip, drip, drip—!
Blood splattered onto the cracked floor.
There was far too much blood for it to have come only from his mouth. His trembling frame made it clear he had reached his absolute limit.
He glanced to the side.
A sword lay abandoned in the pool of blood.
A swordsman who had lost his weapon stood there, shaking uncontrollably.
The sight required no further explanation.
‘Hmm.’
The world was submerged in a thick, suffocating haze.
Peng Woojin watched the young man kneeling in the gray landscape and felt a single thought rise to the surface.
‘How disappointing.’
This was quite different from what he had expected.
Jin Imseok, was it?
Peng Woojin had harbored a different kind of hope for him. He had thought the man would last a little longer—that he would provide at least a moment more of entertainment.
‘Were my expectations too high?’
Faced with such an anticlimactic conclusion, a chill settled in Peng Woojin’s chest.
At the same time, his gaze shifted.
He looked away from his defeated opponent and down toward the base of the arena.
Peng Woojin scanned the sea of spectators, searching for someone. It didn't take long to find him.
It wasn't difficult at all.
In a world where everyone was a dull shade of gray, all he had to do was find the one person shining with a brilliant radiance.
‘Haha.’
Upon spotting the young man, Peng Woojin broke into a smile.
He was still a vast, brilliant light.
In this murky, monochrome world, only that young man held a vibrant blue light.
‘You’re as brilliant as ever today.’
The first time he’d seen it, the light had been faint.
Just an ember.
Or perhaps a stray spark.
That was the kind of light he had sensed from the boy, who was much younger than himself.
Wasn't it fascinating?
Peng Woojin had taken a keen interest in that flame. As time passed, the spark had begun to burn with a clear, piercing intensity.
It was color.
The world Peng Woojin had lost when he turned ten—a scene imbued with color—now flickered before his eyes.
‘Beautiful.’
The shimmering red light had, for some reason, shifted to blue.
But it was still just as beautiful.
And he wasn't the only one shining. Other colors lingered around that blue light.
The young lady from the Tang Clan, whose name he’d never bothered to remember—sometime since he’d last seen her, she had come to possess a green light.
‘Bright.’
She had been a woman without any color before, so how had she come to possess such a hue?
This wasn't the first time Peng Woojin had seen people with color. He had encountered a few others in his life.
Heavenly Eye, the Chief Abbot of Shaolin, was one.
The Sword Emperor, known as the Guardian of the Alliance, was another.
Did the strength of a martial artist manifest as color?
He had believed so as a child, but it didn't take long for him to realize that wasn't the case.
His own father, the Lord of the Peng Clan, had no color at all.
And yet, the Immortal Healer, said to be the greatest physician in the Central Plains, possessed a color.
‘Then, what is this color?’
If it wasn't a difference in strength that determined it… then for what reason was he seeing these colors?
He had lived with that question for years, but Peng Woojin had never found the answer. He had only come to a single realization.
‘How radiant.’
In a world devoid of color, the hues he saw were irresistibly alluring and captivating. He had long since stopped questioning why he could see them. What mattered to him now was that the colors existed. That was all.
They were like a single ray of light in his lost world.
Perhaps because of this, an anomaly had occurred in Peng Woojin’s life.
Those without color had begun to look like mere dust to him.
They didn't feel human.
Even if they possessed the same heart, if they had no color, he could barely even perceive them. They weren't worth remembering. They were like the countless pebbles scattered on the ground—nothing more, nothing less.
Was his own father any different?
Though he had inherited his father’s hair and eye color, Peng Woojin had never given the man much thought.
Was it because he was an incompetent lord? Or because he was incompetent yet struggled so wretchedly?
It was neither.
It was simply because he had no color.
He had no interest in those who did not possess color. Blood ties made no difference. An incompetent father and incompetent brothers meant nothing to him. The only reason he even bothered to speak with his younger sister, Peng Ah-hee, was because she possessed a faint, flickering color.
So, one could only imagine how desirable this situation was.
‘A being who creates color in those around him.’
He had seen people lose the color they possessed, but he had never seen anyone create it. Yet, being near that young man seemed to grant others color.
Therefore…
‘Surely, you must show me something as well.’
Peng Woojin smiled at his opponent, who had somehow dragged himself back to his feet.
His limbs were trembling. The sight of him leaning on his sword like a cane was utterly pathetic.
[Please do me one favor.]
Before stepping into the arena, Gu Yangcheon had made a request, which had piqued his interest. If not for that, he wouldn't have bothered with this.
‘Or would I?’
Perhaps he would have done it anyway.
After all… the young man before him also possessed color.
It was just…
‘So faint and insignificant.’
A dying ember.
The color he sensed from the young man was gradually fading. And with it, Peng Woojin’s interest was dwindling.
‘Truly, what is it you expect from him?’
One strike would be enough. That was all the time Peng Woojin needed to judge the man’s worth. He might have looked upon him favorably for having color, but it was questionable whether he was worth any real expectation.
Look. Even now, wasn't his color fading?
He had somehow managed to stand and grip his sword, but the truth was obvious. He had no fighting spirit. If a swordsman had no will to fight, what was left?
Emptiness. It was the same as nothingness.
‘A pity.’
It seemed Gu Yangcheon was wrong this time.
With that thought, he raised his saber. He would fulfill his promise; that was the only way he would get what he was owed.
Swoosh.
He swung with the flat of the blade, not the edge. He would end it in one strike.
The moment he moved with that intention…
Thwip.
“…!”
Peng Woojin retracted his swinging saber and leaped backward.
“…Hmm?”
He created a distance of about five or six steps. Then, his smile vanished as he stared at his opponent.
A broken stance. A body still trembling. Nothing had changed.
And yet, Peng Woojin had to narrow his eyes as he looked at him.
‘The color.’
The shimmering color that had risen like a heat haze was gone.
But…
‘What is this?’
Why did he look so distinct? The color was gone, yet for some reason, the young man appeared clearer than ever before.
What was happening?
As he pondered this, the realization hit him.
‘I see.’
The color hadn't vanished. It had changed.
The shimmering yellow had disappeared, and a deep, abyssal black had thickened around his outline.
The moment Peng Woojin noticed this…
Sshhhhhhhhhh—!!
“Hoh.”
The young man named Jin Imseok was dyed in black.
Peng Woojin turned his gaze to the judge. Down below the arena, the judge’s reaction was unchanged. He was only watching for a situation that required his intervention.
That meant this change was invisible to everyone else.
“Hahaha. Yes. Is it happening again?”
Seeing this, Peng Woojin laughed brightly.
‘It seems I was wrong.’
He was wrong, and Gu Yangcheon was right. The fact was so thrilling he could barely contain himself.
Creek.
The young man moved.
Jin Imseok, who should have already reached his limit, began to move his body. He was so black that Peng Woojin couldn't even make out his expression.
As Peng Woojin watched Jin Imseok with fascination…
“Ah.”
Jin Imseok uttered a short, guttural sound.
And then, pupils appeared in his eyes. Brilliant yellow eyes that glittered with an eerie light.
The moment he saw them…
Shudder.
A chill ran down Peng Woojin’s spine.
Sshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh—!!!
An immense aura erupted from Jin Imseok’s body.
‘This is…’
Peng Woojin tilted his head as he identified the energy.
‘Killing intent.’
That dreadful aura was pure, unadulterated killing intent. How could he emit so much of it? The sight was so astonishing it was almost admirable.
But he couldn't just stand there in awe. Peng Woojin smiled and raised his saber.
Kwaaaaaa—!!
Jin Imseok, radiating that dark aura, charged at Peng Woojin in an instant.
Screeeech—!!
Sword met saber.
In that moment…
Crack—!
“Ha.”
The foot Peng Woojin was standing on dug into the arena floor as he was pushed back.
‘What is this?’
This strength was completely different from before.
Grind—!
The sword art that had been light as a feather now carried immense, crushing pressure. Peng Woojin changed his grip on the saber and altered its path.
Screee—! Jin Imseok’s sword scraped past the flat of his blade.
Immediately after deflecting the assault, Peng Woojin reapplied the strength he had released and launched a counterattack.
However.
Swish—!!
“!”
Suddenly, Jin Imseok’s killing intent surged toward Peng Woojin. It was as sharp as a physical blade.
Seeing this, Peng Woojin changed his course and swung his saber.
Dark Chaotic Fang Saber.
His saber, imbued with Combat Qi, unleashed a flurry of indiscriminate slashes.
Clang—! Clang, clang—! Clang—!
With each swing, he struck down the killing intent, blocking every attack. It wasn't a difficult feat. However, after finishing his defense, Peng Woojin’s expression wasn't entirely pleased.
‘Fascinating.’
The intensity of the killing intent was far stronger than he had anticipated. It was like shattering scrap metal.
‘It’s definitely killing intent, but does that mean it’s on the same level as Combat Qi?’
What in the world was this martial art? Peng Woojin tilted his head in wonder.
Flick—!
Jin Imseok, who had closed the distance, grazed Peng Woojin’s cheek with an attack. A short spray of blood flew into the air.
‘He’s faster than before.’
Much faster compared to the beginning. Did that mean his speed had increased along with his strength?
‘It’s safe to say he’s a different person now.’
The same went for his swordsmanship.
CRACK—! THUD—!
At first, his sword had been weak but disciplined. Now, Jin Imseok was like a wild beast. He swung based on pure instinct. The killing intent coating his sword was so thick it was impossible to ignore.
It was too crude to be called swordsmanship, but the intent and power it contained were so strong that it had been twisted into something ferocious.
“Haha—!”
Peng Woojin laughed loudly. Instead of retreating from the killing intent, he pushed forward even faster.
Flick—! Sssshk—!
The savage killing intent tore through his skin. Though the wounds instantly grew hot, Peng Woojin paid them no mind. If anything, his own body was heating up in response.
‘This is fun.’
Why the young man had suddenly become like this… none of that mattered anymore.
‘This is so much fun.’
Now, finally, he was enjoying himself.
Peng Woojin’s eyes were fixed solely on Jin Imseok’s. Those dazzlingly brilliant yellow eyes. Even though they were filled with a nauseating amount of killing intent, to Peng Woojin, they were nothing but beautiful.
“Kill. I’ll kill you. I’ll kill you all.”
He didn't even seem to hear Jin Imseok’s muttering.
Clang—! Clank—! Clank—!
Peng Woojin’s precise flurry of attacks cut through the killing intent as he closed in. He repeatedly applied and released his strength, mixing in feints, but Jin Imseok saw through them as if he were a ghost.
He thrust his saber.
Ssshk—! The shallow attack cut Jin Imseok’s shoulder.
Since the feints weren't working, he had created an opening to attack, but Jin Imseok, as if he had been waiting for it, pushed inward, ignoring his own wound.
“Kill.”
Jin Imseok extended his sword as well.
Thrust—!
This time, his sword pierced Peng Woojin’s shoulder. It struck true, piercing the skin and exiting out the other side, but…
“Excellent.”
Peng Woojin, as if he felt no pain, grabbed Jin Imseok’s hand.
Grip—!
“Hngh… Hngh!”
“Hahahahaha—!!”
Due to the close distance, the angle of Peng Woojin’s saber made it impossible to cut Jin Imseok. Jin Imseok’s sword was stuck through Peng Woojin’s shoulder, immobilizing him.
It was a stalemate that couldn't be broken unless one of them let go. It was also a point where if one of them let go, they would be immediately struck down.
“Now, what will you do, Young Master Jin—!”
There are no more options, are there? Just as Peng Woojin was making that judgment, his eyes widened.
CRUNCH—!
Without a moment’s hesitation, Jin Imseok had bitten into Peng Woojin’s neck.
In response, Peng Woojin let go of the saber he was holding. Then, he swung his empty hand and struck Jin Imseok’s abdomen.
BOOM—!!
A shockwave erupted, sending Jin Imseok’s body flying and tumbling across the floor.
“Ptui.”
After rolling a couple of times, he spat something out. It was a piece of flesh and blood.
Seeing this, Peng Woojin stroked his own neck.
“...”
There was a wound. It wasn't a vital point, so it wasn't a problem, but it was definitely a nasty gash. If he hadn't let go of his saber and pushed Jin Imseok away, it would have been quite dangerous.
“…I didn't expect that.”
To bite his neck in that situation. He was like an animal… such a chaotic duel…
“Truly… truly… this is wonderful.”
Wiping away his own blood, Peng Woojin’s face was filled with ecstasy.
The world was full of color. The killing intent emanating from Jin Imseok covered their surroundings. And within it, the yellow eyes shone brilliantly.
Though there were only two colors, they filled Peng Woojin’s world.
“More.”
He couldn't hold back.
“Show me more.”
Desire surged.
“Please, show me more of your color.”
Vwoooooom.
The cry of his saber began to howl with terrifying intensity.
Vwoom-vwoom-vwoooooooooom—!!!!
The sound echoed wildly as energy gathered at Peng Woojin’s fingertips.
Drip.
Blood flowed from his neck and shoulder. It hurt. The pain intensified as if he were being consumed by poison. The more it hurt, the more Peng Woojin smiled.
Right now, even pain was a source of euphoria for him.
“Hngh… Hnghhh.”
Meanwhile, Jin Imseok’s condition was worsening. The amount of killing intent he was emitting had decreased, but in contrast, its density had increased. It seemed as if he was adapting to the killing intent and slowly beginning to control it.
Whoosh.
Whoosh.
The saber in Peng Woojin’s hand began to rotate slowly.
‘Indeed.’
How much more could this man show him? Gu Yangcheon’s request had long been forgotten in Peng Woojin’s mind.
How much more could he show? How much longer could he endure?
‘How brightly will he shine?’
The more they fought, the more vivid the colors became. How far could he go? He wanted to see. He wanted to see it so badly he felt like he was going crazy.
“So show me.”
Show me the limits of your brilliance.
Vwoom—!!
Jin Imseok, who had been growling, underwent another change. An anomaly occurred with the sword in his hand. The killing intent he had been emitting began to gather on the blade.
Is that also a martial art?
Peng Woojin, who was watching, began to breathe heavily. It was because Jin Imseok’s eyes had become even more brilliant, as if they were on fire.
Watching this, Peng Woojin drew up all the energy in his body. He had intended not to use this power until he met that friend he was waiting for, but he had no choice. Having seen such colors, he had to give something in return.
Black Steel Ten Thousand Bursts.
Peng Woojin prepared one of his ultimate techniques. It was to acknowledge Jin Imseok’s worth.
Energy gathered, and tension filled the air. Just as the atmosphere between the two men reached its peak and was about to explode…
Stagger—!
Jin Imseok’s body swayed.
“Gack.”
“Huh?”
Thud.
With a single cry, he collapsed.
Immediately after Jin Imseok fell to the stone floor…
“Huh…?”
Peng Woojin was dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events.
“What in the—!”
Jin Imseok seemed to have already lost consciousness, not even twitching. The killing intent that had been pouring from him vanished in an instant.
The deep colors faded. His blackened body returned to normal, leaving only the faint yellow that had been there originally.
“…No.”
Peng Woojin tried to approach with a trembling heart, but…
The judge had already climbed onto the stage and was checking Jin Imseok’s condition. After a thorough check, he raised his hand and announced.
“Peng Woojin of the Hebei Peng Clan. Victor.”
He didn't know what happened after that. Whether cheers erupted with the judge’s words, or if there was silence. Peng Woojin couldn't tell.
All he knew now was that he had instinctively looked toward Gu Yangcheon.
And that Gu Yangcheon, whom he looked at…
Was smiling as he watched the fallen Jin Imseok, as if he had discovered a priceless treasure.