Chapter 57
Chapter 57
Chapter 57
The Ten Alliance (2)
Jimun Seo-saeng told me to hold back once. When would that timing be?
'It's now.'
Right before the duel begins. Normally, with my personality, I'd charge in at this moment. I was about to deploy my Lightness Skill and leap forward when I recalled Jimun Seo-saeng's words and stopped.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm holding back once."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want to get nagged by Jimun Seo-saeng."
I held back once.
"I hate holding back, though."
This isn't the Witch helping me—it feels like I came here to stop the Witch. The phrase ‘reversing the roles of host and guest’ resonates deeply.
The first duel was between a disciple of Mount Hua Sect in his forties and a disciple of the Wudang Sect of similar age.
'This is interesting.'
Contrary to my desire to charge in, the fact that I was watching a sword duel after so long was intriguing. They held their swords, took the stance of cupped fists, and bowed, then stood facing each other. A tense atmosphere flowed between them.
'I want to see it up close.'
I could see them from afar, but it was difficult to grasp the detailed movements.
'Too many people recognize me.'
Having already become a celebrity, I came here while hiding myself. Watching from the rooftop was for that reason as well.
'Now, let's see your skills.'
Just as I was waiting with anticipation. I felt a strong presence behind me. The Witch and I reflexively turned around at the same time and saw a white afterimage. The afterimage immediately kicked off the roof, leaped up, and went far above us. Then it headed straight for the training grounds.
"That old man..."
"Do you know him?"
"I've seen him once."
The mysterious old man I met in Tianjin, China. He conspicuously leaped over my head and stood on the dueling platform. It was as if he was doing what I was about to do in my stead.
"Can't even go in late now."
Charging in at this point would look strange. I'd been beaten to the punch.
As the mysterious old man appeared, the atmosphere of the dueling platform changed strangely. The two warriors naturally stepped back and Ak Cheon-in stepped up onto the dueling platform. They seemed to have expected this much.
"May I ask your name?"
His voice was clearly audible, imbued with internal energy. Ordinary people found it fascinating that such a clear voice could be heard without even a microphone. To Ak Cheon-in's polite inquiry, the mysterious old man clasped his hands behind his back, making his sleeves flutter, and answered.
"I heard that ten losers are throwing a banquet, so I came to correct their manners."
At the arrogant words, the three hundred warriors of the Ten Masters Alliance emitted killing intent. Ak Cheon-in raised his hand to prevent the warriors from taking direct action. Then he asked with force in his voice.
"I asked for your name."
"Shall we see if you're qualified to know my name?"
The mysterious old man first swung the sleeves that had been clasped behind his back. From his sleeves, a sharp Soft Sword shot out like a snake.
'A Soft Sword?'
When he fought me, it was definitely a rope.
Chaeng!
Ak Cheon-in was no pushover either. He stepped back and drew his sword, deflecting the Soft Sword and instead approaching the mysterious old man. A splendid sword duel unfolded on the dueling platform. It was a confrontation between two Soft Swords shooting out from both sleeves and the gorgeous Plum Blossom Sword Technique filling the stage.
In an instant, ten exchanges occurred.
Chaeng!
With an intense metallic sound, both stepped back two steps.
Seureus.
One of Ak Cheon-in's sleeves was cut. His face colored with humiliation, Ak Cheon-in ground his teeth. Even from afar, his killing intent could be felt. On the other hand, the mysterious old man was relaxed.
"I need to go closer to see."
I left the Witch behind and jumped into the crowd of spectators. Everyone was so absorbed in watching the dueling platform that I could enter without being noticed. As I entered, I snatched a man's hat. The man flinched, but I had already pulled the hat down and secured a spot in the fifth row.
'Was he that strong?'
Their second clash began. This time, the mysterious old man held a sword. Meanwhile, the Soft Swords from his sleeves continued to shoot out, aiming for vital points. The Soft Sword technique that shot out like a hidden weapon was a martial art I had never even heard of in my previous life. Moreover, to use Soft Swords hidden in his arms like that required tremendous training. Logically, showing such movements without cutting one's own flesh wasn't easy even for martial artists.
'Ak Cheon-in is no pushover either.'
The venom he'd harbored for 60 years was revealed to some degree.
'Excellent.'
As if he had practiced only one thing, he was showing the extreme limit of Plum Blossom Sword Technique. I had never seen such Plum Blossom Sword Technique even in my previous life. The mysterious old man's Soft Swords were blocked by the Plum Blossom Sword Technique. Naturally, the mysterious old man was pushed into defense and was driven to the edge of the dueling platform.
At that moment, the mysterious old man smiled.
Chaeng!
The sword and two Soft Swords simultaneously struck Ak Cheon-in's sword. Startled, Ak Cheon-in retreated and hurriedly hid his sword-holding hand behind his back. The spectators didn't see it, but I clearly saw what happened.
'His hand was torn.'
From an attack imbued with internal energy, the hand holding the sword was torn. Further sword dueling was meaningless. There was no possibility of defeating the mysterious old man with an injured hand. Now the mysterious old man's choice remained. If he continued to pressure, Ak Cheon-in would either retreat or fight prepared for mutual destruction.
"This old man's mischief went too far."
Surprisingly, the mysterious old man sheathed his sword and stopped fighting. Then he spoke so everyone could hear.
"This old man acknowledges the Ten Masters Alliance, but has concluded that this is no different from the previous life."
The old man's voice was in a low-middle tone with power.
"In the previous life, you also formed the Murim Alliance but couldn't stop the Heavenly Demon, yet you're following those same steps again—that's this old man's thought."
"We have prepared for 60 years."
Ak Cheon-in came forward to rebut. The sect leaders of other factions also approached the side of the stage before anyone knew it. They were trying to apply pressure. But the old man didn't budge.
"Do you think you could defeat the Heavenly Demon even if you prepared for 100 years?"
"Are you looking down on us?"
"No one looked down on you in the previous life. But what was the result? What exactly are these 60 years that you emphasize so much? Did you see a new realm? Or did you surpass the enlightenment of your previous life?"
"The Heavenly Demon also won't have regained the power of his true form."
"Kkeolkkeol!"
At Ak Cheon-in's words, the old man looked up at the sky and laughed. At the unexpected reaction, everyone frowned.
"Kill the Heavenly Demon while he's young, before he regains his power? Is that what you're saying? Kill him now because you absolutely can't win when he grows up?"
At the old man's words, Ak Cheon-in's face reddened. The old man then spoke as if shouting.
"You should think about defeating the Heavenly Demon you know! That's not revenge! You were killed by the greatest under heaven Heavenly Demon! To take revenge, shouldn't you do it against the greatest under heaven Heavenly Demon!"
The old man's words grew faster and faster.
"Now that it's revealed the Heavenly Demon is young, only then do you mention the Heavenly Demon Cult and tell others not to interfere! Aren't you ashamed?"
By the laws of the previous life's Murim, it wasn't wrong. But what conditions are needed for revenge for one's own death? Even I wouldn't show mercy. However, the problem is the current position. In front of everyone watching, they couldn't acknowledge that.
—We were the losers of the previous life, so for revenge we won't discriminate between means and methods.
They couldn't say such words in front of the whole world watching. Because this was a gathering prepared for a dignified and splendid appearance.
'That old man.'
I was rather annoyed.
'Who is that old man to try to save the Ten Masters Alliance?'
The Witch and I are here. If a fight breaks out, the Ten Masters Alliance will definitely suffer great damage. If the Witch comes out with full force, accepting civilian casualties, we'll definitely win this fight. I came here intending to disband the Ten Masters Alliance. But the mysterious old man is blocking this.
"Even so, will you say you'll continue to face the young Heavenly Demon?"
If Ak Cheon-in here debates about justice and whatnot and backs out, my purpose crumbles. It becomes an awkward situation to say let's fight, and the Heavenly Demon Cult becomes the invader again.
'Not on your watch.'
As Jimun Seo-saeng said, I held back once. That means there's no need to hold back a second time. I took off the hat and leaped onto the dueling platform. As I suddenly appeared, the spectators became quiet for a moment. Then someone who recognized me shouted.
"It's the Heavenly Demon!"
Cheers poured out from the venue.
'What?'
It was an unexpected reaction. It felt like a top star suddenly appearing.
'I thought they hated me in China?'
Indeed, public opinion and reality are different. On the other hand, the ten sect leaders emitted killing intent as soon as they saw me. I made eye contact with them one by one.
"Baek Jeong-cheon, O Musan, Dan Ri-jeong, Gwak So-baek, Jin Jeos-u. I forgot the names of the rest."
I deliberately provoked them. There's no way I couldn't remember. Those whose names weren't called immediately tried to react. But the mysterious old man stepped forward first.
"Everyone stop!"
The mysterious old man blocks my intentions to the end. Annoyance surged and I glared at him.
"Why interfere? This should have nothing to do with you."
"On the contrary. Isn't the grudge ours first?"
"Are you talking about when you tucked your tail and ran away back then?"
"Let's call it a greeting."
Fighting with words isn't my style. I no longer felt the need for conversation. The gaze of 100,000 people no longer registered in my consciousness.
"Does the name Heavenly Demon seem funny to you?"
I released my Energy Wave.
Kwang!
The dueling platform collapsed as is, and all nearby cameras fell. The spectators were also on the verge of falling, pushed by the force.
"I'll kill all of you right here."
I grew tired of talking.
Absorbing Strike.
I pulled the mysterious old man's body. The mysterious old man was dragged three steps before exerting force to resist.
Yongcheon.
Wind Dragon Palm.
In an instant, I closed the distance and thrust Wind Dragon Palm into his chest. The mysterious old man met Wind Dragon Palm with the same palm technique.
Peong!
The moment the Energy Waves collided, the old man's Soft Swords shot out from his sleeves. But the momentum of Wind Dragon Palm pushed even that away and sent the mysterious old man flying 10 meters. The Soft Swords rather tore the mysterious old man's sleeves. He looked at his torn martial robes and smiled bitterly.
"You've grown more."
I was equally surprised.
'He withstood it?'
The mysterious old man was also different from our first meeting. This attack was at full power to cut off his breathing. He withstood it to the extent of his sleeves being torn.
'What kind of training is he doing?'
As I was thinking that, I heard the sound of air being torn from behind.
'A surprise attack.'
Ak Cheon-in's Plum Blossom Sword Technique.
'From behind?'
He seemed to harbor quite a bit of venom.
Chaeng!
I dodged and drew Strong Sword to swing it. I deflected the sword, created distance, and quickly lowered my head. His sword just barely passed through, grazing the tips of my hair. I raised my upper body again and immediately tried to grab his neck. At that moment, nine Energy Waves flew toward me. The joint attack had begun. Ten absolute masters and one mysterious old man. They put down all face and rushed to take my life.
At that moment, ice pillars rose in front of the nine masters rushing forward, blocking their advance. And from the sky, hail fell precisely onto the dueling platform. Each piece of ice was shaped like an awl. The Witch was floating in midair where she could look down on the dueling platform. With this, the balance was matched.
"You guys, why are you bullying my little brother?"
The Witch's words drained all my strength.
'That's really...'
It's exactly the tone of an older sister protecting a bullied younger brother. That bothered me, but the situation was urgent enough to ignore it.
"You, let's see when we get home."
"Yeah, whatever."
The ten absolute masters left the area where the dueling platform had been. Ak Cheon-in retreated while deploying Plum Blossom Sword Technique, and the mysterious old man rather stepped inside. I was preparing for the mysterious old man and about to engage in an internal energy battle when he suddenly kicked off the ground and rose. He was aiming for the Witch.
'How foolish.'
Mages generally show weakness when the distance with martial artists closes. But that's only true for other mages.
Chwaras!
With one gesture from the Witch, hundreds of ice blades made snake-like sounds and covered the mysterious old man.