Chapter 108
Chapter 108
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 108
Chapter Title: Undoubtedly the Best
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“It was undoubtedly the best.”
“Hey, Gon.”
“…Yes, my lord.”
Dang Hosan called out to Dang Gon while watching the spar between Unhwi and the Lion Blade King.
“When exactly did that kid achieve the Three Flowers Gathering at the Summit?”
The Transcendent Realm was broadly divided into three stages.
The entry stage: Three Flowers Gathering at the Summit.
The middle stage: Five Energies Aligning to the Origin.
The late stage: Ascending Peak Extreme.
Among these, “Summit” referred to the Three Flowers Gathering at the Summit, the introductory stage of the Transcendent Realm.
It was the state where the three dantian connected into one path, and essence, qi, and spirit began to blend.
It was commonly said that Peak Realm experts discussed the realm of the province, while Transcendent Realm experts discussed the realm of the nation.
As such, even in the vast Central Plains, their numbers barely exceeded one or two hundred, and it was safe to say almost none had achieved it before the age of thirty.
Recently, the only one to reach that level was Yi Cheolsan, who was called the future Supreme Sword of the World.
Yet it seemed another one had appeared here.
Unhwi was displaying exactly that.
The audience had already fallen into silence long ago.
That was how extraordinary the martial prowess Unhwi had shown was.
Even someone ignorant of martial arts might wonder, after watching, if they were evenly matched—no, if anything, whether Unhwi was overwhelming him at present.
“…As far as I know, Young Master Unhwi’s realm hasn’t reached that point yet.”
“Then are my eyes deceiving me? It doesn’t look like Unhwi is being pushed at all.”
The problem was that even to experts like Dang Hosan and Dang Gon, it didn’t seem much different.
Dang Gon scratched his cheek with his index finger.
“Perhaps he’s cultivated a martial art capable of overwhelming output?”
“That could be. But look at that battle sense. It’s not something that can be shown just by having greater power.”
Here, even Dang Gon had no particular retort.
In fact, as Unhwi clashed fiercely with the Lion Blade King, he occasionally displayed movements that only came from extensive combat experience.
The way he deflected the ferocious blade strikes, or utilized the Wild Wind to mercilessly target the opponent’s blind spots, and so on.
In the situation where the Wild Wind was Unhwi, and Unhwi was the Wild Wind, he could display full power without yielding even against the Lion Blade King.
The amazing part was that even while wielding the Fear Wind Fan, a divine weapon, Unhwi didn’t rely solely on fan techniques or sword methods—he treated it purely as a tool.
Evidence was how he wielded the Fear Wind Fan like a sword, then occasionally loaded it with the Wild Wind, hidden weapons, and poison to strike at openings.
‘Hwi would discard even that fan from his hand if needed and fight solely with bare-handed techniques. He’s already using his entire body as a sword.’
Whether due to training with all eighteen classes of weapons or not, it meant he had deeply comprehended the profound essence of Wild Wind Dance, which fought unbound by weapons, relying only on physical prowess.
Even veteran Wild Wind members knew it in theory but couldn’t follow through with their bodies in most cases.
Of course, Dang Hosan and Dang Gon were exceptions.
But that much showed how masterfully Unhwi wielded the Wild Wind Dance.
Of course, if the Lion Blade King unleashed his hidden ultimate technique, the tide would turn in an instant.
There was an enormous gap in breadth between Unhwi and him.
But based on his current performance alone, Unhwi had already far surpassed what was possible at his age.
“I can’t give a definitive answer, but there is one thing I can assert for certain.”
“What’s that?”
“Young Master Unhwi’s battle sense is undoubtedly the best among all the countless warriors I’ve seen.”
“Hmm…….”
“It’s been that way since he first learned the Wild Wind Dance from me and trained in the eighteen weapons.”
Dang Gon recalled Unhwi, who had toyed with him by betting internal energy money at first.
“The young master’s talent isn’t particularly outstanding. But an instinct hard to explain in words—an intuition too sharp to simply call beastly—more than made up for it. It’s probably still the same now.”
“…….”
“Look at him even now. Isn’t there instability in his internal energy output or the activation of his movement techniques?”
Dang Hosan nodded silently.
In truth, it was something he had noticed as well.
Despite the overwhelming destructive power, Unhwi’s movements still had many unrefined aspects.
It fell short of the Transcendent Realm state where essence, qi, and spirit merged as one, and intent became motion.
But conversely, it also meant that no one could gauge how tremendous his prowess would be once he truly reached the Transcendent Realm.
“That’s precisely why Young Master Unhwi is so remarkable. How much grueling effort must he have endured to build such skill?”
Dang Gon recalled discovering Unhwi in the training hall.
The sight of Unhwi opening his eyes amid an aura so suffocatingly intense.
Hadn’t it been a sight that inspired awe, making one bow one’s head involuntarily?
“From morning till bedtime… no, even after, pouring his entire life into martial arts is the only way such a sight is possible.”
Endless pursuit, again and again.
Only through repeated refinement upon refinement could one reach that state.
—The incarnation of martial arts.
That was how Dang Gon wanted to describe Unhwi.
“I can’t wait to see what he’ll show when he truly reaches that level…”
Dang Gon’s face was flushed with excitement.
‘He always denies it, but he’s completely smitten.’
Dang Hosan let out a chuckle.
Then he narrowed his eyes again.
‘He’s completely deconstructed the Wild Wind and reassembled it perfectly into sword form. Now he truly wields his own sword.’
Whether to call it Wild Wind or Sword Wind, he wasn’t sure.
But one thing was certain.
—The time until he reaches where I am won’t be long.
‘I need to step it up. Or I’ll get devoured by my own son.’
He never dreamed that at this age, he’d delve deeply into martial arts training again.
It was then, as Dang Gon meant to tell Unhwi to remain as his martial disciple, earn enduring respect, and never slack in training.
“…Hm?”
Dang Hosan, observing the Lion Blade King’s state, suddenly widened his eyes.
“My lord!”
“Stop the spar immediately! Pure Wind Pavilion, protect the Lion Gate Leader!”
Dang Hosan roared like a lion.
The Pure Wind Pavilion members all stood in the arena, surrounding the area.
Unhwi halted the fight at once and retreated broadly.
“…Huh?”
“What? Why stop the spar mid-fight when it was going so well?”
“What’s happening?”
The abrupt halt of the spar.
As the audience buzzed in shock, the Lion Gate members rushed forward.
“What is the meaning of this?!”
Their faces were contorted in rage.
Fearing the Nine Dragons Branch might harm their master.
Dang Hosan blocked their path with calm strides, having approached unnoticed.
The Lion Gate members faltered.
No one had read his swift movement.
“Stand down.”
“What are you trying to—”
“Your master seeks to truly step onto the pinnacle of martial arts. Something others can barely glimpse in a lifetime—do you, his subordinates, intend to hinder him?”
“!!”
“!!”
“No way, the Extreme?!”
“I-Is that true?”
“Why would I lie before so many people?”
“!!!”
The Lion Gate members turned to the arena in unison.
Though veiled by a curtain of intent, they couldn’t see their master’s face.
But every one of their faces brimmed with anticipation and joy.
* * *
Watching the youth who was sword yet fan, wind yet flame, warrior yet sorcerer, the Lion Blade King gained one realization.
‘I’ve been too bound by conventions all this time. How could I, who abandoned rigid forms for pure combat, make such a mistake until now—’
The Azure Heaven Sword Emperor had said:
How can a man who can’t even see what’s at his feet force himself to gaze at the heavens?
Now, he finally understood.
What lay at his feet was his martial pinnacle.
The tower of martial arts he had built over a lifetime.
Yet he had been seeing it wrong until now.
The Golden Lion Blade Method, the Golden Lion Throwing Qi—those were merely grandiose names attached to the path he had walked and forged.
But at some point, he had fixated on the names, failing to see the essence within, and wasted effort seeking hints elsewhere.
But Unhwi was different.
‘Whether from the Dark Lord or an unknown mysterious figure, this child delves solely into the essence regardless of origin, focusing on making it his own.’
Unhwi didn’t cling to swords just because it was swordsmanship—he wielded a fan.
To incorporate hidden weapons and poison as well.
He didn’t obsess over Wild Wind just because it was Wild Wind.
He mixed in various elements to suit his taste.
The resulting combat style resembled Wild Wind Dance and Mara Heaven Sword Form yet had transformed into something entirely heterogeneous.
It was Unhwi’s unique martial art.
Then.
What could the Lion Blade King learn from this?
‘My claws… were already within me.’
With that thought, it finally became visible.
His own martial pinnacle, stacked to an immense height.
The Lion Blade King advanced, seeking to condense it into one word.
Only then would it become his ‘true’ claws.
‘…Blade.’
More precisely, a blade resembling a lion.
At that exact moment.
Crash!!
The world surrounding the Lion Blade King shattered like glass.
His martial pinnacle entirely.
Rumble—
In its place stood a single blade: the Fierce Lion Blade.
The Lion Blade King smirked and drew the blade.
Then the world of consciousness vanished, and reality reappeared.
Around the arena stood Unhwi, Dang Hosan, Pure Wind Pavilion, and the Lion Gate members encircling him.
“Looks like you got what you wanted. How was that sky?”
Dang Hosan, hands behind his back, scanned the Lion Blade King up and down with a dissatisfied expression.
“The breeze was quite refreshing.”
An attitude that would have irked him before now seemed trivial enough to brush off with a light smile.
Unhwi formed a fist salute.
“Congratulations on your achievement, brother.”
“Congratulations on your achievement!”
“Congratulations, my lord!!”
Pure Wind Pavilion, Lion Gate, spectators—no one held back in blessing the Lion Blade King.
Even those inwardly envious knew that one expert breaking through to a new realm gave hope to all who walked the martial path.
The pinnacle of Ascending Peak Extreme.
The Lion Blade King had now fully ascended to superhuman ranks, rivaling the Ten Great Masters.
Perhaps this would even rename the Ten Great Masters of the World to Eleven.
But instead of replying, the Lion Blade King strode through the crowd to stand before Unhwi.
He then formally saluted with a fist and bowed his head.
“I’ll never forget this grace. Whatever you need henceforth, just say the word. This Lion Gate Leader Wi Ji-hu’s single blade will always stand by his righteous brother’s side.”
“!!”
“!!”
“!!”
As expected, an unconventional declaration.
With an Ascending Peak Extreme expert pledging his strength, Unhwi’s reputation gained immense backing.
Amid the stunned shock of the assembly.
「‘Whatever’?」
「Heavens! Such reckless words! What a pity.」
「Trouble always starts from the mouth. Digging his own grave, he is.」
The spirits watched the scene with pity, shaking their heads.