Chapter 7
Ch. 7 .｡.:✧ Rampant ✧:.｡.
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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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Kwang!
I was outmatched in a direct clash of internal energy.
Against Seol Ah-yeon, skill and technique were paramount.
‘Still, the difference in our internal energy is too great…’
I smiled wryly.
Seol Ah-yeon, perhaps interpreting my smile as arrogance, frowned even as she continued her assault.
But even her frown was captivating, drawing smiles from the onlookers.
It was reminiscent of Xi Shi, the renowned beauty of ancient China, whose constant frown due to an illness was so enchanting that people imitated it.
‘Focus.’
I pushed away the distracting thoughts.
Maintaining my breathing rhythm, I held the sword firmly.
Just making it this far was a considerable achievement.
The elders, sensing something amiss as I held my ground longer than expected, were starting to pay closer attention.
Their reaction was quite different from the spectators, who were still captivated by Seol Ah-yeon’s beauty.
“Are you just going to keep dodging?”
“…”
Seol Ah-yeon’s voice was laced with frustration.
It was understandable.
I knew that a direct clash of swords would send me flying, given the disparity in our internal energy.
So, I focused on evading her attacks.
‘Getting impatient, are we?’
I smiled faintly.
I dodged her fierce attacks, each one missing by a hair’s breadth.
She must have been incredibly frustrated.
‘She can’t land a hit on me, even though I wouldn’t stand a chance in a direct confrontation.’
I wouldn’t blame her for feeling that way.
But I had to use every advantage I could.
Losing here would be humiliating, not just in front of the others, but to myself.
‘I vowed to reach the peak, and I won’t be defeated by a mere heroine.’
I stared at the tip of my sword with a determined gaze.
Seol Ah-yeon’s skill level was likely on par with the second-generation disciples, even surpassing some.
And the second-generation disciples were recognized masters in the Jianghu.
‘Essentially, second-rate martial artists bordering on first-rate.’
Masters who hadn’t yet mastered Sword Qi, but were close.
They were skilled enough to become retainers for wealthy families if they entered the Murim world.
But my goal was far greater than that.
Whoosh!
Seol Ah-yeon’s attack, carrying a sharp gust of wind, grazed my ear.
I gathered my momentum, leaped into the air, and recalled my training.
‘Cutting the plum blossoms…’
I thought about the countless hours I’d spent diligently trying to cut the falling petals.
At first, it had been out of boredom, a way to pass the time.
But then… I felt a pang of regret that Mount Hua, a place filled with plum blossom trees, had no Plum Blossom Swordsmanship, not even a single Plum Blossom technique.
‘But now I realize it wasn’t regret…’
I smiled faintly.
I finally understood.
The plum blossom was a manifestation of my will, the embodiment of my resolve.
The absence of Plum Blossom Swordsmanship at Mount Hua wasn’t a misfortune, but a blessing.
I was certain of it.
“Ooh, what’s that…?!”
“The scent of plum blossoms is pervading…!”
The elders’ surprised exclamations reached my ears, but I paid them no mind.
I focused all my energy on the tip of my sword.
As if in recognition of my efforts, my sword began to glow with a brilliant light.
“T-This is…?!”
“…”
I gripped the sword tightly, a sense of pride swelling within me as I saw the look of surprise on Seol Ah-yeon’s face.
But I didn’t miss the shift in momentum.
For the first time since the match began, I swung my sword with the intention of meeting her attack head-on.
I had the illusion of plum blossoms scattering in the wake of my sword.
“Ugh…!”
Kwang!
The collision was inevitable.
Seol Ah-yeon’s sword was also imbued with her internal energy.
The ground trembled slightly, like a minor earthquake.
I spoke to Seol Ah-yeon.
“If you want a proper exchange of blows, I’ll give you one.”
“What are you talking about…!”
Seol Ah-yeon, still not anticipating defeat, quickly recovered and raised her sword.
She bit her lower lip and attacked, her strike more menacing than any before. But—
‘Now, I can…!’
I felt a surge of confidence.
With this newfound clarity, I knew I could counter her attack, something I wouldn’t have been able to do before.
As her sword approached, I took a deep breath and stepped directly into the path of her attack.
“What…!”
“Gasp…!”
“Dangerous! How can he walk into her attack…!”
The elders cried out in alarm.
Normally, wooden swords or blunted blades would be used, but this was a formal examination, so we were using real swords.
Their concern was understandable.
They feared a serious injury, perhaps even death.
One elder even started to rise from his seat.
But their reactions meant nothing to me.
In that moment, a thought surfaced in my mind.
‘The essence of Mount Hua swordsmanship lies in the application of swift and elegant bladework…’
Seol Ah-yeon’s attack seemed to slow down.
Perhaps it was because of my intense focus.
Still moving, with sword in hand, I made up my mind and swung.
Whoosh!
It was a simple swing, no different from the countless swings I’d practiced while cutting the plum blossoms.
It was one of the thousands, tens of thousands of swings I’d made during my training.
But this swing, faintly imbued with the scent of plum blossoms, felt like the culmination of all those practice swings, condensed into a single strike. Then—
“Huh…?”
Seol Ah-yeon let out a gasp of surprise.
Until this moment, she’d been slightly flustered, having unleashed a powerful attack in a moment of frustration, not expecting me to walk right into it.
But now, as I executed my unknown technique, her eyes widened, and her shoulders tensed.
Clang!
The sword she’d been gripping so tightly flew through the air as if in a dream.
She stared at me in disbelief.
A myriad of emotions must have flashed through her mind in that instant.
Thud!
Her sword plunged into the ground of the training arena, embedding itself so deeply that almost half the blade was buried.
“Uh, uhh…”
“Whew.”
I sighed and pressed my sword against Seol Ah-yeon’s trembling throat.
I spoke with a cold and sharp voice,
“I win.”
“…”
“You’re not going to argue, are you?”
I looked around.
The spectators were frozen like statues.
Even the second-generation disciple examiners were stunned.
I was the only one who remained calm. Then—
“Th-The winner is…”
“…”
Silence.
My sword was still lightly pressed against Seol Ah-yeon’s throat.
The examiner swallowed and continued,
“The winner of this match… is Eun Ha-seong…!”
No one had expected this outcome.
They stared at us with wide, disbelieving eyes.
It was Seol Ah-yeon who broke the silence.
She regained some of her composure and asked, with her voice trembling slightly,
“…That swordsmanship?”
“…?”
“That technique you just used… what’s its name?”
“What?”
I was taken aback. I hadn’t expected her to ask a question.
But as I looked at her, I understood what she was thinking.
I let out a soft gasp, then chuckled.
I spoke casually,
“…Plum Blossom Swordsmanship.”
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