Chapter 71
Chapter 71
Ch. 71🔒 .｡.:✧ Mount Hua (2) ✧:.｡.
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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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In the end, Mu-yeong decided to act as the referee for this spar.
I faced Myeong Ryong-geom directly and slowly raised the tip of my sword.
Swish—
Various thoughts flashed through my mind.
‘Come to think of it, is this the first time I’ve crossed swords with my master like this?’
With my eyes wide open, I observed Myeong Ryong-geom’s aura.
He was still calmly gathering his qi, his sword tip pointing towards the ground.
It was as if he was showing his intention to yield the first move, so I let out a hollow laugh.
‘Well… how shall I begin.’
I caught my breath.
A sense of tension began to rise throughout my body.
I tried to gauge the gap between me and my opponent.
‘Perhaps… my master’s martial prowess is similar to mine, or even higher.’
This was certain.
If I were to fully utilize Falling Star, I could somehow seize victory from Myeong Ryong-geom.
But, for now, I was using a practice sword made for sparring instead of Falling Star.
Fortunately, the excuse was simple.
Myeong Ryong-geom, who could not recognize the true value of Falling Star, had told me to use a practice sword instead of a chipped and old sword.
‘I wanted to strongly deny his words that Falling Star was just an old and worn-out sword… but I also wanted to see if my skills were at the level of a Nine Great Sects elder without using Falling Star.’
A sense of fighting spirit arose.
Perhaps Myeong Ryong-geom’s martial prowess was at a level that could compete for the top spot among the elders of the Nine Great Sects.
It was easy to grasp that from the fact that Myeong Ryong-geom was treated similarly to the head of the martial arts library, who was considered the second strongest after the sect leader.
The master standing in front of me was clearly a super master who had maintained the position of a peak master for decades.
Knowing that fact, I slowly raised the tip of my sword and began to advance.
“Hmm…! Indeed, you’ve grown a lot, the shaking of your qi has subsided a lot.”
“Huu. You praise me too much.”
“Hmm. Was it your nature? You still seem to be too humble. Hmm, well. We’ll know once we start.”
Myeong Ryong-geom smiled.
At Myeong Ryong-geom’s smile, I lightly shook the tip of my sword.
After making a resolution in my heart, I took a stance.
Soon, my body shot out like an arrow.
It was truly swift.
It was a speed that even most masters could not easily react to.
Kwang—!
At that moment when the sound of tearing air was about to echo in all directions.
Myeong Ryong-geom frowned for a moment and then muttered.
“During your time away, you’ve mastered the swift sword to its peak.”
“……!”
“To think that it’s a speed that even I am surprised by… hmm!”
‘As expected… he can easily block a sword strike of this level.’
Chaeng!
An exchange of blows.
I barely managed to block Myeong Ryong-geom’s single sword strike that had rushed in in an instant.
Kigigik—
My sword, which was quickly chipped, was enduring the blow of Myeong Ryong-geom, who had switched from a precarious defensive posture to an offensive one.
At that moment, Myeong Ryong-geom’s eyebrows twitched once.
He said in a telepathic message, as if in admiration.
[Amazing…!]
It was an unbelievable reality.
Perhaps that was why.
Myeong Ryong-geom, who was smiling broadly, swung his sword using the sharpness of the blade’s edge, as if to strike down my momentum that was cornered in a defensive posture.
‘…As expected, even if our martial prowess is similar, the difference in our internal energy is extreme.’
I gritted my teeth and put strength into my sword.
It was foolish to rashly show my full strength against an old master who had maintained his position of looking down on the world for decades.
Therefore, I decided to watch the situation for a few exchanges.
‘If I can just endure a few offensives… an opportunity will come at some point…!’
It was close to a conviction.
At that moment when our swords met, Myeong Ryong-geom, who had a curve on his lips, muttered.
“I want to enjoy this a little more.”
“……!”
“I’ve always dreamed of a moment like this… to think that the moment when I can truly cross swords with my disciple has come, I’m just so moved.”
Myeong Ryong-geom’s mouth twitched.
I, who had heard his muttering, also smiled.
And then I opened my mouth as if to provoke him.
“Master, I’m sure this is not your full strength, so how about you go all out.”
“Ugh…!”
“You said you wanted to enjoy it more, so I’ll grant your wish.”
“Hahaha…!”
Myeong Ryong-geom burst out laughing.
He soon twisted the corners of his mouth as if he was amused.
Perhaps because he thought there was nothing to hide in a situation where his level was being questioned.
He took a deep breath once.
“…Huu.”
At the same time, the sunlight reflected on the blade became a sword light and covered all directions.
I, who had felt the unusual atmosphere, let out a sound of admiration.
‘Sword qi…! And it’s as if the internal energy has been refined to its limit!’
I calmly gathered my qi and at the same time, controlled my excessive fighting spirit.
Only one goal.
The goal of defeating Myeong Ryong-geom, who was my master and the object of my respect.
And I thought of the sense of accomplishment when I achieved that goal.
To be honest, even if I were to defeat Myeong Ryong-geom, Myeong Ryong-geom would not be in despair, but would be proud of me.
‘In the first place, if I were afraid of losing, I wouldn’t have been able to stand here. That’s how it was for an elder of the Nine Great Sects.’
As I was focusing my gaze on one place so as not to miss the opponent’s movement, Myeong Ryong-geom, who was sweating cold sweat, said.
“As you said, it will be a little different this time, so look forward to it.”
“……!”
“A disciple who has returned to the sect after a long time has grown so much that he can even threaten me.”
‘This is…’
“As you said, I will let you experience the realm that an ordinary person cannot achieve even if they try for their whole life.”
Paat-
At that moment, Myeong Ryong-geom’s figure disappeared.
And then in an instant, he was behind me.
At that moment, I was sure.
This was Myeong Ryong-geom’s true strength—
‘The application of the swift sword and the illusion sword…! Moreover, it’s a superior martial art of Mount Hua that I don’t know. What on earth is it…?!’
A triumphant smile appeared on Myeong Ryong-geom’s lips.
It seemed that he thought he had used an excessive amount of strength against a young disciple like me who was not even of age.
However,
‘First… I need to deflect it.’
Deudeudeuk…!
It was a powerful blow that was enough to deeply gouge the smoothly paved floor of the training ground.
But, I was confident that I could somehow block Myeong Ryong-geom’s blow.
Kwagak—!
The sound of the sword tips clashing shook the ground.
I muttered softly.
“…This is fun.”
Twet!
After spitting out a mouthful of blood-tinged saliva, I swung my sword towards Myeong Ryong-geom, who was floating in the air.
Paat!
My sword, which was swung horizontally in an instant, quickly maintained the exchange.
Myeong Ryong-geom’s eyes widened.
I muttered as if I was interested.
“How did you do that just now?”
“How…?!”
“No, even if you don’t tell me, I’ll somehow… try to do it.”
What on earth are you talking about?
Myeong Ryong-geom, who had said that, withdrew his sword in a fluster and stepped back.
But while he was stepping back, I quickly charged forward.
Paat—
My figure quickly infiltrated behind Myeong Ryong-geom.
“…Is this how you do it?”
“How…?!”
“The moment you, Master, shone the sword light at the tip of your sword, I saw you applying the footwork while distracting the opponent’s gaze.”
“……!”
Uuung—
The atmosphere resonated with my movements.
At the turbulent atmosphere, Myeong Ryong-geom burst out laughing as if he was dumbfounded.
“It’s absurd… I thought you would see it as a simple trick, but to think that you would grasp the essence of this footwork.”
“…Haha. To consider it just a trick, I could clearly feel the internal energy being emitted as if it were bouncing for a moment.”
Ttuk!
Myeong Ryong-geom stopped laughing.
And then he said in a serious voice.
“As expected, I did well to recommend you to the sect leader.”
“…!”
“Finally, you’ve reached a level where I can boast about your martial prowess to the other elders.”
“To think that you even considered that…”
My lips soon drew a curve.
“For now, let’s just focus on this spar.”
“…Ugh!”
“In this state, even if I can’t win, I don’t think I’ll lose?”
“Haha…!”
Myeong Ryong-geom twisted the corners of his mouth as if he was about to go crazy.
In terms of simple physical ability, in terms of the internal energy he had accumulated over decades, in terms of the experience and proficiency he had accumulated over the years, I was no match for Myeong Ryong-geom.
But I, who was feeling a great deal of excitement from this spar itself, was just happily swinging my sword.
‘That’s enough. Whether it’s a direct disciple of the sect leader or whatever, let’s forget about it for this moment.’
Kwagagak—!
Even while swinging my sword, I shouted loudly.
“One more lesson, please!”
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“Yeong-ah, why are you dozing off here in front of a spar of this unbelievable level.”
“Ugh… hmm… hmm…?!”
A middle-aged man, who was watching the spar between Myeong Ryong-geom and Eun Ha-seong and then dozing off with his chin in his hand in the corner, shook his head.
Only then did Mu-yeong, who had sensed the opponent’s presence, get startled and flinch his shoulders.
“Heot! M-Master, no, Sect Leader…!”
“…Enough with the formalities. For now, let’s just watch the spar to the end.”
As Hyun Mujin-in, the sect leader of Mount Hua, said that, Mu-yeong, who felt awkward about the current situation, could only nod his head.
The moment Mu-yeong nodded his head, Hyun Mujin-in muttered softly.
“By the way, it’s truly… an admirable talent.”
At that moment when Mu-yeong was staring blankly at the spar between Eun Ha-seong and Myeong Ryong-geom, Hyun Mujin-in, with his arms crossed, continued to speak a little more.
“…Perhaps, we are watching the child who will become the best sword in Mount Hua in the near future.”
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