Chapter 123
Chapter 123
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: A Worthy Opponent
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As Wang In-hwa unleashed his internal energy, life flowed back into his withered skin, and his eyes filled with vigor.
Not only that, but muscles bulged on his once-gaunt frame.
A martial art that altered one’s muscles and physique. Just as the masked man had predicted, he was a practitioner of a superior external art.
*Flick!*
Myeong-in once again unleashed his lightning-fast fist technique.
But Wang In-hwa did not strike back. Instead, he advanced.
*Thud.*
When the sharp punch landed on Wang In-hwa’s body, it was Myeong-in who was forced back several steps.
“Arhat Qigong?”
A peculiar light glinted in Myeong-in’s eyes.
Each time a blow landed on Wang In-hwa’s body, a powerful repulsive force erupted from it. It was remarkably similar to the Shaolin external martial art, Arhat Qigong.
“Take this!”
Having absorbed the powerful fist technique with his body, Wang In-hwa finally drew his treasured sword and began his sword form.
*Swoosh.*
The Jincheon Gate's Jincheon Sword Style didn't display overwhelming power, but it was characterized by its solid and stable nature.
Unable to find a flaw in the sword forms, Myeong-in employed his footwork to evade the attacks.
However, Wang In-hwa’s Jincheon Sword moved as lithely as a living snake, closing in on Myeong-in’s body.
At that, a glint appeared in the eyes of Myeong-in as he moved. At the same time, a fierce wind gathered around his fists.
*Whoosh!*
Instead of dodging Wang In-hwa’s descending sword, he held his hands side-by-side and threw a punch.
The motion was less like a fist technique and more like thrusting an invisible spear.
*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
With a series of vibrations, Wang In-hwa, who had been executing his sword form, staggered back several steps.
The intense force from Myeong-in’s fist had struck his body in rapid succession.
“Hmph.”
Despite being hit repeatedly by the powerful force, Wang In-hwa wore a cold sneer.
“Fist techniques won’t work on me.”
With a swishing sound, Wang In-hwa once again unleashed a flurry of sharp sword forms.
Myeong-in used his footwork to continuously evade while landing successive punches.
After about twenty moves, Wang In-hwa’s confident expression began to falter, his brow slightly furrowing.
This was because Myeong-in’s fist technique was causing the points of impact to vibrate powerfully, as if striking a great iron bell.
“Ugh.”
Wang In-hwa’s expression finally contorted as he swung his sword.
No matter how hard and powerful the external martial art one practiced, the inside of a human body was still filled with soft organs and blood.
If he continued to take blows from a fist technique that caused such powerful vibrations, he would eventually suffer severe internal injuries.
*Thump!*
As another strike landed, blood surged up Wang In-hwa’s throat.
‘I can’t spit out blood.’
He used his internal energy to force the blood down. But the more he did, the more his solar plexus throbbed, and the strength drained from his limbs.
‘Have I sustained internal injuries?’
“*Gack!*”
Ultimately, Wang In-hwa coughed up fresh blood and staggered.
Though he was clad in a powerful external art, his body could not withstand Myeong-in’s fist technique.
“Ugh.”
After spitting blood, Wang In-hwa lowered his head.
“...I have lost.”
As he admitted defeat, Myeong-in looked down at him with an indifferent expression before slowly turning away.
—Waaaaaah!
A roar erupted from the Paedo Gate’s camp.
With Myeong-in having defeated even the Jincheon Gate’s leader, the tide of the battle had now completely turned in the Paedo Gate’s favor.
Wang In-hwa, barely managing to pull himself up, gazed at the distant sky.
“Is this the will of the heavens?”
The only people among the Jincheon Gate’s disciples who could face a master like Myeong-in were the three Division Leaders: Cheon, Ji, and In.
As if reading his mind, Gwak Cheon, despite his injuries, spoke loudly.
“Sect Leader. Do not worry. I will go.”
“Wait.”
Just then, a young man stepped forward in front of Wang In-hwa. It was Bu Eun-seol.
“I will take the next match.”
Wang In-hwa and Gwak Cheon blinked, staring at the suddenly appeared Bu Eun-seol.
Had he just passed the age of twenty?
Dressed in plain martial arts attire with a rusted sword on his back, he looked no different from a shabby wandering warrior.
Wang In-hwa sighed as he looked at Bu Eun-seol.
“The fate of our sect hangs on this match.”
Then, with a bitter smile, he said.
“How can an outsider, not a disciple of our sect, step forward in such a match? Go back.”
Wang In-hwa simply thought the young wanderer had stepped up out of a desire for fame and a wish to show off his martial arts.
“That man isn't a disciple of the Paedo Gate either.”
At Bu Eun-seol’s words, pointing to Myeong-in, Wang In-hwa shook his head.
“That is only possible because the Paedo Gate’s leader is shamelessly thick-skinned. This sect has no intention of putting forth an outsider.”
Just then, Mun Gwang, who was receiving treatment, staggered over.
“Sect Leader. Let him go.”
“What did you say?”
“He is the best among the wandering warriors. No, he is a martial artist whose skills surpass my own.”
Wang In-hwa couldn’t believe it.
No matter how skilled he was, this young man was at best a high-ranking wanderer. With that level of skill, he could never defeat Myeong-in.
“Division Leader Mun. Get a hold of yourself. How can we send an outsider to the final match?”
When Gwak Cheon also shook his head gravely, Mun Gwang spoke with a desperate expression.
“Division Leader Cheon. Please trust me. Have I ever spoken nonsense?”
At Mun Gwang’s earnest plea, Wang In-hwa and Gwak Cheon looked at each other and fell into troubled silence.
Mun Gwang had been a loyal subject who had protected the Jincheon Gate with his life until now.
Besides, no matter who stepped forward, the chances of defeating Myeong-in were nil… The situation was the same either way.
“Very well. I permit it.”
At Wang In-hwa’s words, Bu Eun-seol strode forward without a reply.
He then beckoned to Myeong-in with his finger.
Seeing this, Myeong-in furrowed his brow.
Such a gesture was an arrogant act that only those of much higher standing or truly exceptional masters could make.
“Hmph.”
With a short snort, Myeong-in threw a punch at Bu Eun-seol.
It was the same fist technique with the strange vibration that had defeated Wang In-hwa.
“White-Splitting Fist, is it?”
Bu Eun-seol’s eyes glinted as he lightly dodged the punch.
“No, you’re alternating between Tumbling Fist and White-Splitting Fist.”
Although he had only learned the first four of the Seven Demonic Fist Forms, those four forms contained all the fundamental techniques of the art of the fist.
In other words, Bu Eun-seol was well-versed in every fist technique known to the world.
“You seem to know a thing or two about fist techniques.”
As Myeong-in snorted, a faint smile graced Bu Eun-seol’s lips.
“I know how to use them, too.”
Lightly shaking his sleeve, Bu Eun-seol casually extended his fist.
That single punch was utterly ordinary. It had no power, no variation.
But it was as swift as a lightning bolt cleaving the sky, capable of instantly blocking any follow-up attack.
It was the very Tumbling Fist technique Myeong-in had used against Wang In-hwa.
“...!”
As Bu Eun-seol instantly mimicked his technique, one of Myeong-in’s eyebrows twitched.
He had realized that Bu Eun-seol was also a master with considerable skill in fist arts.
“Hah!”
With a sharp cry, Myeong-in ostentatiously created dozens of fist afterimages with a single punch.
He was using the White-Splitting Fist to its extreme, so that Bu Eun-seol could not copy it.
“How naive.”
As Myeong-in showily displayed his fist technique, a thread-like smile formed on Bu Eun-seol’s lips.
In a life-or-death battle, emotions were a luxury. One must only find the enemy’s weakness and unleash the right move at the right time.
“The moment you lose your cool, the match is over.”
As Bu Eun-seol stepped back with a smirk, Myeong-in’s eyes flashed.
“Hmph, cunning cannot overcome speed!”
*Kwakwakwaka!*
Myeong-in’s White-Splitting Fist changed its trajectory mid-air, enveloping Bu Eun-seol’s entire body.
No matter how fast he moved, there was nowhere to escape.
“But speed cannot overcome weight.”
As Bu Eun-seol watched the rain of fists, a flame-like haze rose from his own fist.
He was finally about to use the Seven Demonic Fist Forms.
*Kwoong.*
He lightly extended his fist, and with a ground-shaking vibration, the shadows of the White-Splitting Fist vanished as if washed away.
Simultaneously, Bu Eun-seol’s fist drove into Myeong-in’s chest. It was an exquisite move from the First Manifestation of the Demonic Fist.
“Keuk.”
Myeong-in tried to defend himself quickly, but the force of Bu Eun-seol’s fist had already reached his body.
*Kwoong.*
In that instant, Myeong-in’s body collapsed on the spot.
The moment Bu Eun-seol’s powerful punch had made contact, a subtle, yielding force had yanked his body forward.
It was a feat possible only for the Seven Demonic Fist Forms, which could freely manipulate the force of a punch, a unique ability among all fist arts in the world.
“*Blech.*”
His face deathly pale, Myeong-in fell to his knees and vomited a mouthful of blood.
“Ugh.”
He struggled to get up but immediately fell to his knees again.
He had failed to block a single punch from Bu Eun-seol and had suffered a deep internal injury.
“Hmph.”
Bu Eun-seol looked down at him for a moment before turning his back and returning to the Jincheon Gate’s camp without a second glance.
—Waaaaaah!
This time, a cheer erupted from the Jincheon Gate’s camp.
They had snatched victory in a match they thought was impossible to win.
Conversely, a tense atmosphere flowed through the Paedo Gate’s camp.
The final match. The outcome would determine which of the two sects would have to leave the Shangyang region for good.
“Damn it all.”
Gwan Dok-gun, who had been watching the fight with Myeong-in, trembled.
The martial prowess Bu Eun-seol had displayed was that of a grandmaster of the next generation. He was not on a level that the leader of a provincial sect vying for dominance in Shangyang could hope to match.
As he stood there, unable to decide what to do, the masked man stepped forward.
“I will handle that one.”
At his words, Gwan Dok-gun’s face brightened considerably.
If his subordinate Myeong-in was that skilled, then the masked man’s prowess must surely be greater.
“You will?”
Any other sect leader would have feigned reluctance at least once to save face.
But Gwan Dok-gun’s face was made of steel. Without any hesitation, he acted like an attendant and guided the masked man forward.
“Well then, I’m counting on you.”
The masked man didn’t even glance at Gwan Dok-gun as he calmly stepped before Bu Eun-seol.
“A wanderer.”
The masked man looked down at Bu Eun-seol and spoke coldly.
“A wanderer of this caliber would not have remained unknown until now. You must be hiding your true identity.”
Then, with a light laugh, he beckoned with his hand.
Bu Eun-seol watched him and immediately deployed his fist technique.
*Shhh!*
The area around the masked man’s waist seemed to bend slightly as if hit by a typhoon.
The Seven Demonic Fist Forms were both strong and fierce, yet also soft and yielding; as light as the wind, yet as destructive as a thunderbolt.
Furthermore, because they encompassed all the variations of the world's fist arts, the force of the punch could be redirected at will.
Just now, it seemed as if Bu Eun-seol had thrown a punch straight ahead, but in reality, he had struck to the side.
“Hmph.”
But the masked man, as if having anticipated Bu Eun-seol’s move, lightly twisted his body to dodge.
However, the force of the punch did not dissipate. Like a ghost, it followed his body, aiming for the Mingmen acupoint on his back.
“Ho.”
The masked man let out a sound of admiration, his eyes flashing as he thrust one hand forward.
*Tat.*
A short shockwave spread out in all directions, and Bu Eun-seol’s fist force was stopped in its tracks, as if it had hit a giant wall.
“...!”
At that moment, one of Bu Eun-seol’s eyebrows shot up.
Since he had started using the Seven Demonic Fist Forms, this was the first time someone had received it with such ease.
*Hwoong!*
As Bu Eun-seol deployed his fist technique again, a cannonball-like roar tore through the air and rained down on the masked man.
He had poured three levels of his internal energy into the First Manifestation of the Demonic Fist, a move he had always used lightly.
The move was so fast and the area of effect so wide that the masked man had no time to dodge.
*Chik!*
In that instant, the masked man thrust out his fingers like a bolt of lightning.
*Kooong!*
As the fist and fingers collided, a massive boom echoed, and a concentric shockwave spread out in all directions.
‘A claw technique?’
Amazingly, the masked man was blocking Bu Eun-seol’s punch with a single finger.
To block a punch powerful enough to shatter a thick boulder with just one finger?
Moreover, he seemed to have mastered a unique and powerful claw technique, as a red haze shimmered at the tip of his nail.
“A remarkable fist technique.”
The masked man narrowed his eyes as if savoring the power contained in Bu Eun-seol’s punch.
“At first glance, it seems like a purely powerful external fist art, but inside, it’s an internal art like the Wudang Sect’s Cotton Palm.”
Muttering under his breath, the masked man curled three of his fingers into a claw, as if performing the Shaolin Temple's Dragon Claw Hand.
He then closed the distance in an instant and swiped his fingers.
*Chik-chik!*
A light sharper than sword energy poured from the masked man’s fingertips as they cut through the air.
Each time the red fingers sliced through the void, strands of Bu Eun-seol’s tied-up hair were cut and fell away.
‘Fast.’
No matter how outstanding the Seven Demonic Fist Forms were, the time Bu Eun-seol had spent training in them was far too short.
But the masked man moved as if he had practiced his claw technique for decades, his execution and retraction of moves fluid and masterful.
*Chik-chik-chik!*
As his moves changed again, the masked man’s hand became a dragon soaring through the sky, coiling around Bu Eun-seol’s body.
Bu Eun-seol did not panic. He used the Extreme Speed Shadowless Step to evade while simultaneously widening the distance between them.
‘If I hadn't experienced Jeong Cheon’s Chaotic Sword, I never would have been able to dodge this.’
Bu Eun-seol had already fought a bloody battle at point-blank range with the Chaotic Sword master, Jeong Cheon.
Without that experience, Bu Eun-seol would have already been unable to handle the masked man's claw technique and would have been seriously injured.
“Your movements are fast. But…”
The masked man said coldly as he performed his claw technique.
“Once my claw technique is unleashed, there is nowhere to run.”
The claw technique pouring from the masked man was like a red storm, sealing off Bu Eun-seol in all directions.
At the same time, an immense pressure pressed down on Bu Eun-seol’s entire body, hindering his evasive maneuvers.
‘This man’s claw technique is deployed in a way that even predicts my evasive movements.’
As time went on, more and more cuts, both large and small, appeared on Bu Eun-seol’s body.
The masked man’s moves were even faster than the Chaotic Sword of Jeong Cheon, whom he had fought before.
‘He’s strong.’
Despite being in a crisis, Bu Eun-seol’s heart pounded.
The masked man’s skill was likely on par with Jeong Cheon’s. That meant he had another chance to clash with his full strength.
‘In that case!’
Taking a deep breath, Bu Eun-seol violently drew upon the Reversing Ki True Energy circulating within his body.
*Paang!*
As he raised his internal energy beyond the seventh level, Bu Eun-seol’s pupils dilated widely, and a strange light shot out from them.
Until now, Bu Eun-seol had never infused more than three levels of his energy when using his fist techniques.
The power of the Seven Demonic Fist Forms was simply too immense.
But now, he had finally met an opponent against whom he could unleash this peerless fist art without holding back.