Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: 7. Strong When Walking Alone (1)
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Nine Dragons signified the greatest prodigies of the current martial world. Being the top among thousands upon thousands of young martial artists wasn't a seat one could claim simply through strong martial prowess alone.
Without equally sharp intellect and keen judgment backing that formidable might, ascending to the ranks of those nine dragons was utterly impossible.
Though called by the fierce moniker of Heavenly Thunder Martial Guest, Nam Hak was no mere brute strong in martial arts. He possessed a brilliant mind and judged situations more coolly than anyone.
Over a thousand martial artists were watching this scene unfold. Yet most of them were mere spectators. They observed the drama with avid interest but showed no intention of intervening.
There was even less need to mention Lee Sin-pung. His cheeks quivered with rage, but he couldn't muster the nerve to charge at Dam Ho himself.
The current Lee Sin-pung was not the Lee Sin-pung of before. The old one might have wielded truly mighty arts and unyielding spirit, but none of that ferocity could be expected from him now.
If Dam Ho were in Lee Sin-pung's shoes, he wouldn't care about the consequences—he'd rush at Dam Ho and kill him, no matter the sacrifice.
In the jianghu, any sign of weakness invited relentless pursuit from those who saw you as easy prey. To survive in such a world, one had to demonstrate that touching you meant certain death.
Nam Hak was a man prepared for that resolve. At least, he was certain of it for himself.
Nam Hak glared at Dam Ho. His eyes blazed with fighting spirit.
"What's your friend's name? If I'm to heed your advice as you say, I ought to know that much."
Anyone could see he was deliberately trying to crush Dam Ho underfoot.
No matter how much Dam Ho strutted, he couldn't compare to the Kongtong Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects—this confidence underpinned his words.
Everyone present felt Nam Hak's pride. No one raised an objection. He was more than qualified to feel that way.
All eyes turned to Dam Ho. They assumed he'd give his name.
But Dam Ho's response in the next moment shattered their expectations beyond measure.
"I'm not telling you my name just to hear some advice."
"What?"
"And I'm no friend of yours."
In that instant, flames seemed to erupt from Nam Hak's eyes. His intensified gaze pierced Dam Ho's entire body, as if ready to carve him apart at any second.
"I never realized today that the name Nam Hak carries so little weight."
Nam Hak's voice carried unmistakable fury.
Nam Hak strode toward Dam Ho. With each step closer, his aura swelled like a snowball.
Full Thunder Heart Technique.
This heart method, a supreme secret of the Kongtong Sect passed only to one successor per generation, belonged to Nam Hak in the present era.
Mastering the Full Thunder Heart Technique granted the power of boundless thunder, its destructive force unrivaled under heaven.
Nam Hak had cultivated it to the seventh layer. From the eighth onward entered the realm of enlightenment rather than mere effort, something that required time to overcome.
Even at the seventh layer, its might far surpassed ordinary arts. That was the source of Nam Hak's confidence.
"You'd best give it your all. If I win, I'll take you back to the Kongtong Sect for fitting punishment."
"And if I win?"
"I stake the Kongtong Sect's name and honor on this promise. At the very least, no martial artist in Gansu Province will trouble you over this. Isn't that right?"
Nam Hak's final words were directed at Lee Sin-pung. Meeting that piercing gaze, Lee Sin-pung nodded without thinking.
"O-Of course. I stake the Crimson Rock Villa's honor on it."
Though it lasted but a fleeting moment, Lee Sin-pung glimpsed countless bolts of lightning flashing in Nam Hak's eyes.
'This... this is the Kongtong Sect's foundation.'
He'd thought he'd closed much of the gap, but the Kongtong Sect's reserves ran far deeper than he'd imagined.
If even their senior disciple Nam Hak—one of the Nine Dragons—possessed such power, who could fathom the strength of their elders or sect leader?
Lee Sin-pung looked at Dam Ho. He figured even Dam Ho would feel some pressure under Nam Hak's aura.
At that moment, Dam Ho spoke.
"You'll regret it."
"Insolent fool!"
Unable to hold back any longer, Nam Hak charged at Dam Ho first.
Shwak!
The sharp sound of his fist slicing the air rang out. It was Chasing Cloud Fist, the Kongtong Sect's signature technique.
True to its name of pursuing clouds, its power was extraordinary—one of Nam Hak's favored fist arts.
In that instant, Dam Ho stomped the ground.
His body shot straight toward Nam Hak in a perfect line.
No feints or tricks—just pure forward momentum. Charging Step.
At the same time, Breaking Sound Strike unfolded.
Kwaang!
Dam Ho's and Nam Hak's fists clashed in midair.
"Urgh!"
Nam Hak's pupils trembled for a split second.
His fists, hardened to steel through grueling training, throbbed as if they might shatter upon impact with Dam Ho's.
This was a first for him, so bewilderment flickered across his face. Dam Ho's expression, by contrast, remained utterly unchanged.
This was the first time since venturing into the world that Breaking Sound Strike had been blocked. Yet he didn't panic.
A faint smile even curled at his lips.
Until now, it had all been too easy.
No opponent had properly withstood even his first move. Just meeting his gaze made their bodies tremble.
Dam Ho had trained his arts staking his life. Naturally, he yearned to fight with his life on the line—to engage in the fierce battles he'd envisioned and rehearsed in his mind thousands, tens of thousands of times.
But none of his foes to date had met that expectation. Now, a seemingly formidable martial artist stood before him.
Status and background meant nothing to Dam Ho.
Kongtong Sect?
What of it?
In this life-or-death clash, only one's own power was trustworthy—along with the unbreakable will and killing intent to slay the foe.
"Kuhk!"
A dry chuckle escaped through Dam Ho's lips.
He'd thought all emotions had burned away, leaving only ashes. Yet joy still lingered within him.
Dam Ho, laughing amid a battle where lives hung in the balance, sent chills through the crowd.
"Madman!"
Muttering, Nam Hak unleashed the next forms of Chasing Cloud Fist.
Bloodwind Chasing Clouds and Chasing Clouds Severing Head followed in succession. Both ranked among the fist art's elite techniques.
Puk-puk-puk-bung!
Deafening blasts echoed in the air.
Nam Hak freely unleashed fist qi to pressure Dam Ho. But Dam Ho simply shook his head side to side once, evading every bit of it.
Pat!
Charging Step deployed anew.
Like a battering ram assaulting a city wall, his body hurtled toward Nam Hak with terrifying speed and destructive force.
"Hmph!"
Nam Hak snorted.
He had already discerned the Charging Step's flaw from that single clash.
'Pure linear assault. Immense power, but dodge it and that's that.'
This was where the Kongtong Sect's Separation-Union Step shone.
A single foot movement induced ten changes, leaving foes momentarily unable to find an opening and thus hesitating.
That hesitation marked the start of Nam Hak's counterattack.
Nam Hak executed Separation-Union Step to evade the Charging Step. Or so he thought.
Pat!
In that instant, the unbelievable occurred.
Dam Ho's straight-line charge suddenly snapped ninety degrees. Without any wind-up.
It defied Nam Hak's common sense. No—in fact, no martial artist under heaven could alter direction at such ferocious speed.
Not a question of possibility; the body simply couldn't endure it. Such an abrupt turn would snap legs and spine under the strain.
Yet Dam Ho hurtled toward him unscathed, mocking all convention.
With black hair and robes flapping, Dam Ho's approach differed from any warrior Nam Hak had ever faced.
It went beyond mere strength or weakness.
'Frightening.'
Nam Hak realized his own feeling and jolted in shock.
Yes. Dam Ho possessed some power that instilled fear in others.
"Tch!"
Grinding his teeth, Nam Hak unleashed twelve consecutive punches at Dam Ho.
Shyuk-shyuk-shyuk!
Fist strikes loaded with potent inner energy. A single hit would shatter bone and flesh.
Whirlwind Divine Fist, the Kongtong Sect's ultimate art and Nam Hak's signature killer move.
Twelve strikes could pulverize even the soul.
Dam Ho was already upon him. Dodging twelve punches from that range seemed impossible. Nor did Dam Ho intend to.
Dam Ho curled his body slightly. Shoulders rounded, waist bent a touch—transforming into a spherical form.
From that posture, he unleashed Charging Step once more. As if desperate to commit suicide.
Nam Hak figured those twelve fist qi blasts would deal Dam Ho severe damage. But the next moment, he realized his grave miscalculation.
Ting-ting-ting!
The fist qi striking Dam Ho's body glanced off at angles or ricocheted away. Another impossibility beyond Nam Hak's comprehension.
Golden Turtle Shell.
A unique defensive art Dam Ho devised, inspired by beetles. Nam Hak's attacks all deflected diagonally.
"Huhk!"
This time, Nam Hak was truly staggered, on the verge of collapse. Dam Ho's technique was pure disruption incarnate.
Shwak!
Dam Ho's hand shot out.
Nam Hak hastily crossed his arms to block the whip-like punch.
Kwajik!
"Keurk!"
In an instant, a massive impact hit Nam Hak's abdomen, bending him like a shrimp.
His pupils shook uncontrollably.
He'd calculated the angle to guard his chest—yet his gut took the blow. Another incomprehensibility.
Severing Form Strike.
A technique of Dam Ho's own creation.
The whip-like punch curved in at an unpredictable, bizarre angle.
Like the jointed flexible fists from distant regions, the momentary dislocating joints made predicting its path nearly impossible.
"Incredible!"
The gathered heroes' faces paled at the sight of Nam Hak being pushed back.
Lee Sin-pung aside, no one had dreamed that Nam Hak—senior disciple of the Kongtong Sect and one of the Nine Dragons—would be so thoroughly dominated.
Nam Hak spat blood as he flew backward, clear defeat etched on his face.
But Nam Hak was a peak martial artist. He wouldn't go down so easily.
"Chaat!"
In that moment, immense energy and lightning surged from his entire body. Full Thunder Heart Technique unleashed.
Pajijik!
Thunderbolts erupted into the air.
Though only at the seventh layer, not yet forming full thunder, dozens of bolts still enveloped him.
Directly hit by them, one's body would char to coal.
Poured with his full power, the might was tremendous. Yet Dam Ho hurled himself at the lightning without hesitation.
"Madman!"
The onlookers cried out in alarm. No matter how strong Dam Ho was, charging into crackling thunder looked like suicide.
Dam Ho's body quivered faintly for an instant, but no one noticed.
Passeu!
The lightning clashing with Dam Ho's body scattered powerlessly in all directions.
Defensive Plaque.
Like Golden Turtle Shell, this ultra-high-frequency defensive art—drawn from beetle wingbeats—debuted before the crowd.
The thunderbolts shattered against it like a mirage.
Nam Hak's face emerged from behind the lightning. Mouth agape in disbelief, eyes bulging wide.
Dam Ho's right palm adhered to his chest.
Five Finger Rock-Shattering Force.
"Kraaak!"
With a agonized scream, Nam Hak's body soared backward. His chest was mangled as if struck by a thunderbolt cannon.
Thud!
The moment Nam Hak's body hit the ground, a suffocating silence descended upon the arena.