Chapter 220
Chapter 220
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 220
Chapter Title: Section 7. Even If I Leave, It's by My Own Will (2)
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“Th-this is bad!”
A warrior burst into the annex, panting heavily. It was a face Dam Ho knew well.
It was one of the Baekjeon Sect warriors who was always bickering with Cho Yeon-un.
“What is it?”
“Y-your senior brother… he’s fighting with Nam Hak of the Kongtong Sect.”
“Cho Yeon-un?”
“Yes! The entire Sakju is in an uproar because of their fight. The Nine Dragons and renowned warriors are all rushing to the Grand Training Ground.”
A flicker of light stirred in Dam Ho’s previously dull eyes.
Any warrior who practiced martial arts could fight another at any time. That was the fate of a warrior, and the reason they learned martial arts in the first place.
So there was no reason to make a fuss just because Cho Yeon-un was fighting another warrior. It was one of those things that happened all too frequently in the jianghu.
The problem was that Cho Yeon-un wasn’t the type to fight others without reason.
He was free-spirited, but he never crossed the line beyond a reasonable point. Unlike Dam Ho, Cho Yeon-un almost never fought without a valid reason.
If such a man was fighting Nam Hak, a member of the Nine Dragons who wasn’t even an enemy, there had to be a damn good reason for it.
Dam Ho rose from his seat at once and headed outside. The Baekjeon Sect warrior hurriedly followed behind him.
The road to the Grand Training Ground was incredibly crowded. Many people had heard the news of Cho Yeon-un and Nam Hak’s fight and were flocking there. It made it extremely difficult to push forward.
That was when it happened.
“Gasp! K-Kwonma.”
Someone recognized Dam Ho and shouted.
At that moment, the crowd parted like magic to both sides. That was how immense the intimidating presence of the name “Kwonma” was.
Dam Ho walked through the parted path toward the Grand Training Ground. The people on either side looked at him with eyes full of fear.
Crossing the gate, he saw the backs of the people filling the Grand Training Ground. Everyone’s gazes were focused on Cho Yeon-un and Nam Hak fighting in the center.
Dam Ho pushed through the crowd and made his way to the middle.
Thud!
“Who—? Gasp!”
Someone he bumped into started to get angry but swallowed their breath upon seeing Dam Ho’s face.
“Kwonma.”
“Why is he here?”
The crowd began to murmur.
Dam Ho’s appearance was that shocking to them.
There was no other man who could instill such overwhelming pressure just by existing, making it hard for people to even breathe.
Many admired such a Dam Ho while also feeling uncomfortable around him. A man with strength beyond their control. Just sharing the same space with him was a massive burden for them.
Dam Ho’s gaze turned toward Cho Yeon-un and Nam Hak.
Boom! Rumble!
Each time they clashed, the ground shook.
The Eight Wastelands Divine Fist unleashed by Cho Yeon-un and the Kongtong Sect’s ultimate technique wielded by Nam Hak were evenly matched, like a dragon and tiger locked in combat. As a result, they couldn’t settle the fight quickly and it was turning into a prolonged battle.
After watching their fight for a moment, Dam Ho’s gaze shifted to the opposite side. The Nine Dragons were there. They too had rushed over upon hearing of the clash.
From Zhongnan Sect’s Geum Han-su to Hae So-wol, and Wudang Sect’s Jin Mu-young, all were gathered. They were so absorbed in Cho Yeon-un and Nam Hak’s clash that they hadn’t even noticed Dam Ho’s arrival.
‘Nam Hak will win, right?’
‘Cho Yeon-un is the Drunken Cloud Dragon, but a drunken dragon can’t match a true dragon.’
It was the common thought in the minds of the Nine Dragons, except for Hae So-wol. They took immense pride in their title as the Nine Dragons.
As they expected, Nam Hak displayed tremendous might. His prowess was worthy of his moniker, Heavenly Thunder Martial Guest. But he couldn’t overwhelm Cho Yeon-un.
“You bastard!”
Enraged, Nam Hak spread his palm wide. An immense energy surged up and rushed toward Cho Yeon-un.
Rumble!
It was the Great Subduing Demon Palm, the Kongtong Sect’s ultimate technique.
The air in the area rippled wildly from the tremendous power of the Great Subduing Demon Palm. The people around stepped back hesitantly.
The might of the Great Subduing Demon Palm, concentrated with Nam Hak’s terrifying inner power, was truly fearsome. Before that immense energy wave, Cho Yeon-un looked precarious, like a candle flame in a fierce wind.
Everyone sensed Cho Yeon-un’s defeat was imminent.
Even managing to hold out this long against him was a miracle, since the Drunken Cloud Dragon might rival the Nine Dragons but could never surpass them.
Nam Hak’s shout echoed.
“Kneel, Cho Yeon-un.”
The already immense pressure intensified, distorting Cho Yeon-un’s face. But his eyes still burned fiercely.
“Don’t make me laugh, Nam Hak.”
Cho Yeon-un unleashed the Eight Wastelands Divine Fist’s ultimate strike, Eight Wastelands Cataclysmic Blaze.
Wrapping his body in intense heat as if to burn the eight wastelands and ferocious energy, he launched himself forward.
Boom!
His advancing step shook the earth. The impact shattered the blue stones laid on the Grand Training Ground, sending fragments flying everywhere.
By the time Nam Hak realized it, Cho Yeon-un was already upon his chest.
A fist condensed with terrifying power struck Nam Hak’s entire body twelve times in succession.
Bang bang bang bang!
Intense impact sounds rang out.
“Urk!”
Nam Hak’s face twisted.
He blocked the first few strikes somehow. He thought it was just a breeze. But the breeze turned into a storm.
The shock intensified with each blow, exploding beyond endurance by the twelfth strike.
“Argh!”
In the end, Nam Hak couldn’t bear the pain and let out a scream. His arms were swollen grotesquely.
Nam Hak’s chest opened up, and Cho Yeon-un didn’t miss the gap.
“Cha!”
Boom!
Cho Yeon-un’s fist slammed into Nam Hak’s chest.
Nam Hak flew backward without even screaming. Cho Yeon-un flew toward him.
Once you seize the advantage, you must finish it decisively.
Cho Yeon-un unleashed the Eight Wastelands Divine Fist’s ultimate strike at Nam Hak once more. Nam Hak was in a completely defenseless state. Despair flickered in his eyes as he barely clung to consciousness.
His arms were numb and powerless, his organs shaken—he couldn’t move.
If he took another strike from Cho Yeon-un like this, he’d suffer severe injuries.
Screech!
‘Damn it!’
The moment Cho Yeon-un’s fist flew toward him, Nam Hak closed his eyes.
“Show some mercy.”
At that instant, someone jumped between them. A fierce fist energy shot out from his fist.
‘Damn!’
Cho Yeon-un hurriedly switched to a defensive stance to block the attack.
Boom!
“Urk!”
With a massive explosion, Cho Yeon-un’s body jolted. His face paled from the unexpected shock, blood trickling from his mouth.
Cho Yeon-un wiped his mouth with his sleeve and glared at the one who had intervened without permission.
“What do you think you’re doing, Geum Han-su?”
“Sorry about that. But I had no choice.”
The man wearing a genuinely apologetic expression was Geum Han-su, a Zhongnan Sect warrior and one of the Nine Dragons—the Heavenly Strong Young Master. He had intervened at the moment of Nam Hak’s crisis.
Interfering in a duel between others was one of the great taboos of the jianghu. Warriors held fair duels sacred and viewed outside interference as shameful.
A normal warrior would hang their head in shame, but Geum Han-su remained utterly composed.
“We’re on the brink of a decisive battle with the Demonic Cult. In such a critical time, how great a loss would it be if key forces are injured over personal grudges? So please understand and let it go.”
“You?”
Cho Yeon-un’s eyes blazed.
It was Nam Hak who had oppressed the wanderers, leading to this mess, yet Geum Han-su dismissed it all as mere personal feelings.
“Are you alright?”
Sacheon Ilseong’s Cheong-un supported Nam Hak to help him up. But Nam Hak roughly shook off his hand.
It was clearly Nam Hak’s defeat for all to see.
Losing to Cho Yeon-un, whom he considered beneath him, dealt a massive blow to Nam Hak’s pride.
“Cho Yeon-un!”
Killing intent flickered in Nam Hak’s eyes. The Nine Dragons looked troubled at his appearance.
Though he lost to Cho Yeon-un, he was still one of the Nine Dragons. And there was a special bond among the Nine Dragons. At least many of those present truly thought that way.
Thus, Nam Hak’s defeat felt like their own. It was hard to accept. Their gazes toward Cho Yeon-un held complex, subtle emotions.
“The Drunken Cloud Dragon beat the Heavenly Thunder Martial Guest. Doesn’t that mean Nam should be out of the Nine Dragons and Cho should take his place?”
“Shh! You think we should talk like that now?”
“Either way, it’s a fact that Senior Brother Cho won.”
The crowd murmured.
They too were shocked by the unexpected outcome right before their eyes.
Preconceptions are truly frightening; once fixed, they don’t change easily. Their preconception was that a drunken dragon wandering the clouds couldn’t beat a true dragon.
Thus, Cho Yeon-un’s victory delivered an even greater shock. Some took pleasure in his win, but far more felt uncomfortable.
Cho Yeon-un glared at Nam Hak.
“Apologize to them, Nam Hak.”
“I won’t.”
Nam Hak refused flatly.
Though defeated by Cho Yeon-un, his pride wasn’t broken. He glared at Cho Yeon-un with bloodshot eyes.
“That’s enough now, Yeon-un.”
“Doing this here just dirties our own faces. Best to stop around now.”
Even Eom Tae-cheon and Cheong-un stepped up to rebuke Cho Yeon-un.
They couldn’t understand why Cho Yeon-un was causing such a disturbance. It wasn’t worth escalating to this.
As everyone pressured Cho Yeon-un, Hae So-wol quietly stepped forward. She stood beside him.
“In my view, this isn’t something to just gloss over. The wanderers stepped up to uphold jianghu justice too. Treating them like this is bad for the morale of the entire Martial Alliance.”
“Young Lady Hae! Watch your words. Your sect won’t be pleased if they hear of this.”
Geum Han-su raised his voice. But Hae So-wol remained calm.
“How would you know if my sect would like it or not, Young Master Geum?”
“Young Lady Hae!”
“At least Haenam Sect doesn’t discriminate against wanderers. We certainly don’t make distinctions over something like food.”
Hae So-wol’s voice was utterly calm, without a hint of wavering. Geum Han-su furrowed his brow deeply at her attitude.
“I can’t tell whose side you’re on, Young Lady Hae. Remember you’re one of the Nine Dragons.”
“Are the Nine Dragons that great?”
“What?”
“Is being the jianghu’s top later-generation talents such a big deal? Isn’t it just fancy packaging for being a bit stronger than other later-generation talents?”
Everyone’s expressions hardened at Hae So-wol’s denial of the Nine Dragons. Even Jin Mu-young, who had been observing until now, grew serious.
If this continued, the Nine Dragons would fracture. From Jin Mu-young’s position, it was utterly undesirable.
“Let’s stop here. Yeon-un, Young Lady Hae.”
“Jin Mu-young.”
“The great battle with the Demonic Cult is right around the corner. There’s nothing good about showing infighting among ourselves. We’ll discuss this issue later—let’s end it here for today.”
“What if I say no?”
“Ha! I can’t understand why you’d refuse a light penalty and demand a heavy one.”
Jin Mu-young sighed.
The Nine Dragons’ face was already in the dirt. He had no desire to show more ugliness.
Flash!
Jin Mu-young’s figure vanished in an instant.
Flowing Cloud Body Technique.
Wudang Sect’s elegant, unhindered footwork flowed like drifting clouds.
Disappearing before Cho Yeon-un’s eyes, Jin Mu-young reappeared behind him. His hand reached for Cho Yeon-un’s acupoints.
Caught off-guard by Jin Mu-young’s move, Cho Yeon-un was completely defenseless.
‘Damn it!’
The moment Cho Yeon-un gritted his teeth, a sharp bursting sound rang out.
Thud!
“Mm!”
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Jin Mu-young clutched the hand he had extended with his other hand and retreated, leaving deep footprints in the ground.
His fist tingled.
Between him and Cho Yeon-un stood a stone-faced man who had intervened.
“Kwon… ma.”