Chapter 48
Chapter 48
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Spell Competition (2)
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Amid the crowd's cheers, Yuk-gyeong descended from the competition arena and unexpectedly ran into a familiar face.
Thunder Spirit Prodigy Deung Ja-jin!
It was the same guy he'd met at the Response Qi Realm martial tournament.
Back then, at Response 9th Star, Deung Ja-jin had now ascended to Response Great Circle, his aura barely contained. It hadn't been long since his breakthrough, so he still struggled to fully rein it in.
But Yuk-gyeong was also at Response Great Circle now—half a step into Gathering Qi. There was no reason he couldn't withstand the pressure.
Yuk-gyeong approached with a playful grin.
"Senior Brother Deung. If we meet again, are you going to surrender?"
"What, you think I'm the type who only surrenders? Of course not. But I won't be facing you juniors anyway. My next opponent is Senior Brother Jang Su-wi. Beating him will probably be the best I can do."
Though they shared the same realm, they stuck to their familiar forms of address.
Deung Ja-jin, bearer of the rare Thunder Spiritual Root, wielded lightning spells of devastating power, though his defenses were somewhat lacking. Like a spear with unmatched sharpness but no shield.
That's why he usually aimed to overwhelm foes in one swift strike—but against Jang Su-wi, that approach was uncertain.
Jang Su-wi had lingered at Response Great Circle for so long that no one could gauge his hidden tricks.
"Everyone knows Senior Brother Jang masters both fire and water spells flawlessly, but after all those years at Great Circle, he must have some ace up his sleeve. Me? All my cards are on the table. Not sure if I stand a chance."
Deung Ja-jin was analytical, and he trusted his own assessments implicitly.
If he deemed a matchup objectively unfavorable, it probably was. He'd have analyzed both himself and his opponent thoroughly.
"Don't give up just yet, Senior Brother. Who knows? Maybe your thunder spells will work on Senior Brother Jang too."
"Hm, guess we'll see. Your next opponent is Spirit Sense Fairy Yang Hwa-yeong, right? She's got exceptional divine sense and spirit perception. Famous for her spiritual assaults."
Deung Ja-jin freely shared info Yuk-gyeong hadn't even asked for.
His unconditional friendliness could be a bit overwhelming at times.
One thing was clear: he definitely liked women. Now that Yuk-gyeong could read subtle expressions with his higher realm, he'd noticed Deung Ja-jin's eyes flicker whenever a beauty passed by.
But he had a strong tendency to buddy up with handsome guys too.
Not gay. Definitely not gay.
Well, if he wants to be friends, fine. Might as well accept the help where it's offered.
"Spiritual attacks?"
"Spells that rattle the opponent's mind and disrupt their divine sense. Don't let your guard down against her."
Shaking the mind and disrupting divine sense. At Response Qi Realm level, spiritual attacks were limited to that extent.
As long as he shored up his mental defenses, she wouldn't pose much threat.
With his read on his next opponent complete, Yuk-gyeong bid Deung Ja-jin farewell.
His own match was fast approaching, after all.
"Disciple Deung Ja-jin and Disciple Jang Su-wi! Ascend to the arena!"
The spell competition allowed each participant two matches total.
Winners faced winners, losers faced losers—giving everyone a second shot to showcase their spell mastery.
Deung Ja-jin versus Jang Su-wi.
"As expected of Senior Brother Deung. Your lightning spells pack such a punch—they cracked the arena floor!"
"But they don't work on Senior Brother Jang. His fire-water arts have reached perfection. Water flows for defense, flames for offense—a seamless offense-defense harmony."
"Haha. To think Senior Brother Jang even wields earth spells to block lightning."
True to Deung Ja-jin's analysis, Jang Su-wi emerged victorious.
Despite Deung Ja-jin's ferocious barrage, Jang Su-wi blocked it all with ease.
Still, Deung Ja-jin fought valiantly enough to descend unscathed. He'd deftly shattered Jang Su-wi's counters with his lightning spells.
Deung Ja-jin gave Yuk-gyeong a fist pump before stepping down.
Yuk-gyeong grinned. Having someone cheer you on didn't feel half bad.
"Disciple Yi Yuk-gyeong and Disciple Yang Hwa-yeong! Ascend to the arena!"
Yuk-gyeong stepped into the arena.
Yang Hwa-yeong was already there, her face strikingly beautiful.
Cute features, fiery curly red hair, big eyes, and an oval, rounded face that looked almost innocent. Ample bosom and slender waist accentuated her allure.
Yang Hwa-yeong offered a courteous cupped-fist salute, and Yuk-gyeong returned it.
"Pleased to meet you, Senior Brother Yi Yuk-gyeong. Best of luck. I'm Yang Hwa-yeong."
Senior brother again? Yuk-gyeong liked the sound of it—felt like being called "oppa."
"Best of luck to you too."
After the formalities, they took positions for the spell duel.
Yang Hwa-yeong had first strike.
"Hah! Soul Flame Extremity Illusion Art!"
Her eyes turned pure white as spiritual energy rippled out. It was as if she gazed not at reality, but some other realm.
With a gesture, waves of spiritual energy surged toward Yuk-gyeong—and he sensed danger in them.
Whoosh!
It looked like mere wind at a glance, but Yuk-gyeong's divine sense clearly detected spear-like spiritual blades slicing toward him.
Another gust followed.
Mingled in the wind were blades visible only to divine sense.
Yuk-gyeong dodged with footwork while forming a hand seal and chanting to unleash his Fire Serpent Art.
Roar!
"Go!"
Same technique as before.
The flame serpent slithered through the air toward Yang Hwa-yeong.
Then she formed complex seals and chanted, ripples spreading in concentric circles before her. They repelled Yuk-gyeong's fiery serpent.
Now the flame serpent hurtled back at him!
"That's the Soul Armor Reflection Art!"
"Soul Armor Reflection Art?"
"A spell that reflects attacks with the power of the mind. It's notoriously difficult to master—practically a lost art."
Boom!
Yuk-gyeong swung his sleeve, snuffing out the flame serpent.
Though freed from his control, Yuk-gyeong's superior grasp of spiritual energy let him seize command of even a launched spell.
"Hah! Begone!"
Yang Hwa-yeong launched another mental assault.
This time, a wide-area sonic wave left him nowhere to evade.
Faced with the all-encompassing attack, Yuk-gyeong gritted his teeth.
Mental attack. No telling exactly how it worked, but he needed to stay sharp.
Yuk-gyeong steadied his mind.
Soon, he felt the eerie waves touch his body.
Then,
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Cultivation Obsession is active. Other mental attacks have no effect. The Fuck Status Window popped up with its usual bizarre message.
What now?
Yuk-gyeong realized Yang Hwa-yeong's waves washed over him harmlessly.
Ah, so Cultivation Obsession blocks mental attacks too?
According to the message, it was already meddling with his mind, leaving no room for other interference.
Fuck Status Window... Still so much I don't get.
For now, Yuk-gyeong eyed the unruly window gratefully. Mental attack immunity, huh?
I'm Yang Hwa-yeong's perfect hard counter?
Mental attacks no good? Time to show off some flashy techniques.
Yuk-gyeong flared his sleeves, gathering heaven-earth spiritual energy. The Supreme Primordial Yang Chant ended with one ultimate spell.
Gather the yin-yang energies of heaven and earth.
Yin and yang are the roots of all things. Combined, they birth the primordial chaos, Tae-eul.
Chaos encompasses all creation; creation contains chaos.
A single drop formed in chaos can pierce stone!
Liquor of Chaos!
A droplet formed at Yuk-gyeong's fingertip, pregnant with terrifying spiritual flow, and shot forth.
Yang Hwa-yeong took one look and dared not reflect it with Soul Armor Reflection. The energy within was overwhelming.
She tried to flee, but the Liquor of Chaos drew in heaven-earth spiritual energy, trapping her inescapably.
"That's the Liquor of Chaos from the Supreme Primordial Yang Chant! Only those who grasp its true essence can use it!"
"Liquor of Chaos? I've seen it before, but could never comprehend it."
"Even among inner disciples at Gathering Qi, only a handful can cast it. And at Response Qi Realm?"
The stands buzzed; some elders widened their eyes. Even inner disciples looked shocked at the Liquor of Chaos.
Yang Hwa-yeong could only watch the spell close in. No escape, no block.
She squeezed her eyes shut in resignation.
Pop-pop-pop! Boom!
The droplet shot skyward, boiled furiously with pops, then burst into a single plume of steam!
Yang Hwa-yeong felt sweat soak her back—she'd brushed death. A direct hit would've been fatal.
She bowed deeply at the waist.
"Thank you for showing mercy."
Yuk-gyeong waved it off, as if to say what else between fellow disciples?
"Winner: Yi Yuk-gyeong!"
This is a Single Spiritual Root user?
Half-step Gathering Qi?
The crowd roared—Waaah!
Yi Yuk-gyeong: Victorious in both matches!
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ From the stands, Gathering Qi inner disciple Yang Mun-gi watched Yuk-gyeong's spells, arms crossed in appraisal.
"As expected of a Single Spiritual Root. His control over spiritual energy is unmatched. Even Gathering Qi masters couldn't match that."
Eun Seol-a, the elder's daughter glued to his side like a set, replied indifferently, as if Yang Mun-gi was overreacting.
"What about it?"
"He instantly detonated the spell that got reflected by Soul Armor Reflection. It should've lost all control after reflection, but he reclaimed it in a flash. Even Gathering Qi masters struggle with that."
"Yeah? What about that Liquor of Chaos thing?"
"That’s impressive too. It means he’s mastered the Supreme Primordial Yang Chant to its limit. Most people treat it as a basic technique, skim through it, and rush to the Qi Gathering stage. Taking it to the extreme isn’t easy."
Seol-a shook her head and snorted. As an elder's daughter at Response Qi despite her potential, she'd seen plenty of Gathering Qi masters—her standards were sky-high. She judged everything from a Gathering Qi perspective.
"Still just Response Qi. Obvious he'd lose to a real Gathering Qi master."
"Even Response Qi can beat Gathering Qi with the right matchup. Especially a half-step like Junior Brother Yuk-gyeong."
"Half-step Gathering Qi beats true Gathering Qi?"
"Junior Brother Yuk-gyeong's probably grasped clues to Gathering Qi by now. He might mimic inner force to some degree. Set up the field right, and with his superior energy control, beating a Gathering Qi master isn't impossible."
"He's that great?"
"Hey, he's your senior brother. Higher realm than you."
"Ugh. Fine, but my seniority's greater. When he hits Gathering Qi and becomes inner disciple, I'll call him Uncle Junior politely."
"That day might come sooner than you think."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Winners of the spell competition—those victorious in at least one of their two matches—earned qualification for the Gathering Qi Ceremony.
But,
Yi Yuk-gyeong was not on the participant list.
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