Chapter 110
Chapter 110
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: Excessive Confidence
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“Your confidence is excessive.”
Yuk Jin-yang retorted without backing down. Bracing his body firmly with his back foot, he poured all his strength into shoving aside the Ghost Sword Leader's sword. The man's arm then bent in a grotesque twist.
Bone-Shattering Demon Sword. It was a dual-wield technique that incorporated the principles of pulverized bones. Unbound by the natural limits of the human body, it could unleash bizarre and intricate trajectories.
He countered the onslaught of two swords with his single blade, then thrust his body forward. As they closed to the barest inch where their robes brushed, it was the opponent who retreated instead.
Still just probing each other?
There was no reason for a master of that caliber to avoid close-quarters brawling. He seemed to be wary of unforeseen variables while gauging Yuk Jin-yang's full capabilities more closely.
Yuk Jin-yang was doing the same, assessing his foe's power.
From what he could sense, their sword forces were evenly matched. Perhaps he even held a slight edge. If he could just keep up with the speed, he could cross blades at any moment.
It wasn't a gap where he couldn't even exchange blows. That was enough.
Yuk Jin-yang gripped his sword with both hands.
His specialty had always been combining sword arts with fist techniques or steel-breaking hands. But against a swift expert like the Ghost Sword Leader, it risked exposing an opening.
The battle ahead would unfold in the blink of an eye. For now, it was better to focus on parrying the enemy's assaults.
In the midst of their standoff, a sudden breeze whispered past. It felt as sharp as a honed blade grazing his skin.
This wasn't the wind's natural flow. The opponent's energy, extending like frost, mingled with the air, revealing its murderous intent.
Yuk Jin-yang completely shut out the clamor of the chaotic melee echoing from behind.
Now wasn't the time to worry about possible interference. He had to concentrate solely on his foe. Only then could he claim victory against an adversary this formidable.
At the same time, he trusted his senior alliance members. He could safely leave his back to them.
Thud.
The Ghost Sword Leader stepped forward lightly. It was merely an ordinary stride, yet in an instant, his silhouette loomed before Yuk Jin-yang. A silent blade lunged for his throat.
His senses screamed in alarm. Yuk Jin-yang didn't block but dodged. By the narrowest margin, as the Leader thrust his other hand's narrow sword, piercing the space. It came with the sound of tearing air.
A chill ran down his spine. The chaining thrust was barely visible. Even with prior knowledge of the enemy's arts, it was like that. Had he blocked the first strike, there'd have been no chance to evade.
Even faster than I thought. Beyond the realm I glimpsed from afar in my past life.
Was he already in decline by then?
As if mocking Yuk Jin-yang's inner confidence, the Ghost Sword Leader's strikes came at an overwhelming speed. At this rate, the fight would end precisely as the man had boasted—with utter defeat in five breaths.
Yuk Jin-yang channeled the energy of the Moon Maiden Divine Art. Then, he stepped forward cautiously.
Moon Stream Subtle Steps. As he invaded the enemy's spacing with this spatial footwork and parried the sword, the Leader's form vanished from view. Only a sudden swirl of dust remained.
His body moved before his mind could judge.
Whoosh!
The moment he leaped back with a golden leaf technique, the Ghost Sword Leader's narrow sword sliced through the spot he'd occupied.
Yuk Jin-yang, now above the man's head, swung down from midair. In response, the Leader spun in place, countering with a horizontal sweep.
Claaaang!
Their fiercely clashing swords emitted a precarious screech, as if they might snap at any moment. Even after landing lightly, Yuk Jin-yang allowed no respite. He extended his sword path immediately, maintaining the momentum.
A prolonged exchange of breaths unfolded. Flowing trajectories wove through the air like warp and weft threads.
Clang! Boom! Claaaang!
Their unyielding steps and clashing blades echoed everywhere. The wind from their weapons ravaged the surroundings fiercely.
Amid it all, Yuk Jin-yang keenly observed his opponent's footwork.
It wasn't merely swift steps. The profound principles of releasing energy concealed his direction, making it impossible to predict. Fall for the feint, and you'd be cleaved apart.
The razor-thin offense and defense continued.
The two narrow swords wielded by the Ghost Sword Leader were gale-like in speed yet utterly unpredictable.
In contrast, Yuk Jin-yang swung with concise, heavy strokes. Like a steadfast mountain amid a typhoon.
This was to suppress the enemy's footwork with sword force, preventing reckless movement. It was the first counter to the Bone-Shattering Demon Sword that he'd devised in his past life.
Chaaang!
Yuk Jin-yang struck with full power to bisect his foe. The crossed dual swords blocked it diagonally, but he stepped forward, quelling the rebound that would fling him back. Then, he pressed on relentlessly.
Kreeeeek!
Sparks danced wildly in all directions, accompanied by the harsh grind of steel crushing against steel.
Suddenly, deadlock. With blades locked, their gazes met. Yuk Jin-yang threw back the earlier words verbatim.
“Didn't you say five breaths were enough to take my head? Seems like it's been quite a while.”
No reply to the casual taunt. Instead, tendons bulged on the Ghost Sword Leader's hand. His brow furrowed.
Suddenly, the man brutishly flicked the sword away and spun in place without hesitation.
The same technique as before. A combo of slash and thrust maximizing the dual-wield advantage. The grotesquely curving trajectory only compounded the difficulty of response.
Again.
He already knew the counter.
The key was shattering the enemy's fluid flow head-on. Not just overpowering with sword force. He needed to bind the footwork too. That required landing a precise strike at the optimal moment.
He tilted his body slightly to evade the initial thrust. The follow-up slash was the crux.
Boom!
Twist and stomp the step. Using Moon Stream Subtle Steps, he preempted the enemy's path while advancing himself.
Starting from the grounded foot, he twisted his entire body, channeling rotation through every muscle. The Moon Maiden Divine Art's energy raced through his meridians, converging from shoulders and elbows to his grip.
Sword Wave Sweep Art.
A full-body sword strike unleashed a single streak of pure white sword light.
Kwaaaaang!
It erupted explosively with a shockwave. The pulsating true energy waves warped the surrounding air into shimmering haze.
Chaaaaang!
The fiercely extended supreme technique pulverized the enemy's incoming sword strike like a whirlwind. It didn't stop there—it shattered the weapon itself. Fragments of the broken blade scattered, grazing skin.
The Ghost Sword Leader reacted swiftly. Unattached to prolonging the fight, he instantly deployed body lightening to evade. Without even kicking off powerfully, he'd already opened five paces of distance.
Footwork that left only afterimages.
Yuk Jin-yang likewise retreated without lingering, widening the gap. Staring across the reformed spacing, the Ghost Sword Leader asked in an utterly calm tone.
“Do they teach assassins' names and counters in the Yuk Clan these days?”
“What?”
“Your arts felt familiar. Now I see it clearly. That's the Zhejiang Yuk Clan's swordsmanship, isn't it?”
Not a hint of shaken resolve despite one of his signature moves being countered.
Proof he was a cut above the previous foes.
No opponent to be rattled by mere provocative words. He'd surely opened his central dantian, forging a solid ego and steadfast mind force. Perhaps even beyond that realm.
Yuk Jin-yang reflected on his earlier overconfidence in his advantage. He needed the resolve to step into the unknown, not mere odds of victory.
The Ghost Sword Leader continued, drawing a replacement narrow sword from his waist to substitute the broken one.
“You must have built your foundation on the Moon Maiden Sword Art. That final strike was impressive, though—it evoked the Guangdong Jin Clan's Radiant Martial Sword. But it won't fool my eyes.”
“......”
“I can tell you're a promising talent of the Yuk Clan. But you're still green. Overestimating yourself? Or banking on your grandfather?”
Bringing up his grandfather out of nowhere. A name any Jianghu denizen would know, yet from the Leader, it carried blatant hostility. Some entangled grudge, perhaps.
“If so, you're wrong. No matter how peerless the master, they can't predict every situation from a thousand li away or arrive precisely on time every time. Even your clan's esteemed patriarch. By the time he gets here, he won't even find your corpses.”
“Your tongue's too long.”
As Yuk Jin-yang regulated his breathing, he suddenly noticed. The treasured sword in his hand was wailing. The seam at the hilt's mortise—the eye-nail hole fixing the blade—was loosening, and the edge was considerably nicked.
The sword's reaching its limit.
He regretted not having a famed blade at hand, belatedly.
The Initial King's treasured sword was fine craftsmanship, but lacked the durability of true Jianghu weapons. More ornate relic for the vassal king than battle-ready tool, perhaps.
Especially compared to Cheongram—it wasn't even close. But that sword hung on the cabin wall rack now. For the perfect disguise.
Yuk Jin-yang struck a nonchalant ready stance.
No point revealing weakness to the enemy. Especially an assassin. No expecting Jianghu-style magnanimity or respect.
Boom!
Infusing power into his step cratered the earth deeply. Yuk Jin-yang kicked off, closing the distance again.
As if awaiting it, the Ghost Sword Leader unleashed footwork. Gliding lightly at a diagonal, his movements were utterly efficient—no dust stirred.
Energy rippled from his feet like smoke.
Behind me!
Yuk Jin-yang abruptly spun half a turn, slashing out. A near-prophetic counter that struck true.
The Leader, arriving a beat late, hastily raised his sword to block. Yet he swung his other arm to strike down Yuk Jin-yang's blade.
As expected. Targeting my weapon.
Clang!
The Initial King's sword finally snapped, but Yuk Jin-yang didn't care. He'd already drawn back his left arm. Sweeping in an arc, he unleashed the form.
Ten Thousand Rivers Single Source Art, first form: Soaring Serpent Riding the Mist.
A roar like a flood dragon's cry tore the air from his palm.
Kwaaaang!
Yuk Jin-yang deliberately didn't fully dissipate the shockwave's recoil. Using the sword flat to repel the enemy while propelling himself in the opposite direction.
His back hit the wall. As planned. He discarded the broken sword without regret and reached for the wall.
The familiar hilt grip—from this mission's practice—filled his hand. He drew without hesitation, revealing Cheongram's inky blade.
Meanwhile, the Ghost Sword Leader, staggering from the impact, barely righted himself. Both his dual swords were shattered, unusable.
He tossed his weapons aside and asked.
“So you've dropped the laughable Initial King act now?”
“Why bother with disguise when I can just kill you here?”
“Logical enough. If you have the skill to pull it off.”
Murmuring quietly, the Ghost Sword Leader suddenly unraveled his silk sash. A blade wound tightly around his waist emerged.
A flexible sword. A peculiar weapon boasting a whip-like blade. Each sway as it brushed the ground hissed like a viper's tongue.
“Never thought I'd draw this against a junior. You're wielding your signature weapon now too, so let's dance a proper sword dance.”