Chapter 453
Chapter 453
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 453
Chapter Title: The Phoenix Tournament
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"The Phoenix Tournament will now begin!"
At last, the Phoenix Tournament had started.
In the center of the Martial Alliance, before the Grand Training Grounds.
Temporary buildings and vast mazes had been erected there.
Lined up before them were the outstanding Second-Class Squads, selected from each department.
And in the high spectator stands of the Grand Training Grounds, a dense crowd of Martial Alliance warriors had gathered to watch the Phoenix Tournament.
Opposite the training grounds, a high platform had been built. A beautiful woman in white robes stood there ramrod straight, looking down below.
A low murmur spread.
At the sight of the unprecedentedly young and beautiful Grand Marshal, the countless warriors in the Grand Training Grounds buzzed incessantly.
"So that beauty is the newly appointed Gongsun Dan-gyeong, Grand Marshal Gongsun!"
As the former head of the Grand Forest Division, she had rarely engaged in public activities outside of managing the branch.
Consequently, few within the Alliance had ever seen her face.
But now that she had revealed herself, wasn't her beauty so youthful and striking that one might mistake her for Gongsun Dan-ah, one of the Three Beauties of the Realm?
"I thought the Bewitching Flower, Gongsun Dan-ah, had come to visit the Alliance."
"She looks like she's barely in her twenties. To think she's over thirty."
While the people in the training grounds were gossiping,
the high-ranking officials of the Martial Alliance stood in small groups around the platform, chatting with Gongsun Dan-gyeong.
They seemed to be offering her words of congratulations.
However, Jo Cheon-wang, who had stepped down as the Heavenly Martial Division Head, was nowhere to be seen, nor were the Alliance Leader and Vice-Leader in attendance.
The Alliance Leader, Shin Do-mu-bi, in particular, rarely showed himself at such events or ceremonies.
The Heavenly Emperor of Justice.
He had said that once bestowed with such a name, his duty as the foremost expert of the Orthodox Faction was to grow stronger.
Therefore, he did not waste time on ceremonies or events, dedicating every possible moment to enhancing his martial arts.
"What's that all about?"
The squad members participating in the Phoenix Tournament frowned as they looked toward one particular spot.
Lined up there were the members of the Zenith Squad, whose names and faces were unfamiliar.
The squads that participated in the Phoenix Tournament.
They were always squads that had made great contributions to the Martial Alliance or displayed outstanding skill.
So why was the newly formed Zenith Squad standing blankly in their midst?
"I hear they've made a lot of contributions recently, but this is too much."
"Do they think the Phoenix Tournament is some kind of joke? Many squads train arduously to win this competition."
It wasn't just the squad members; even some of the officials on the platform were voicing their opinions.
"I heard they're a newly established intelligence squad. Participating in the Phoenix Tournament? Isn't that too reckless?"
A constant murmur filled the grounds.
Due to the unprecedented situation, a ceaseless buzz echoed through the Grand Training Grounds.
But Bu Eun-seol and his squad members simply stood in formation with expressionless faces.
"The first match, the Formation Battle, will now begin!"
The Master of the Coiling Dragon Hall, Yong Myeong, who was in charge of running the tournament, shouted loudly.
"The squads that are called, please step forward! The Azure Sky Squad, and the Divine Beast Squad!"
At his call, the two squads ascended the training stage.
The Formation Battle was a contest where each squad deployed its most confident formation, and the other tried to break through it.
This contest was a way to assess the members' training, unity, and cooperation, as well as the captain's leadership skills.
The first squad called was to attack first, so the Divine Beast Squad attacked while the Azure Sky Squad defended.
The Azure Sky Squad used the Heaven and Earth Shadowless Formation, a variation of the Heaven and Earth Formation taught by the Martial Alliance, and the Divine Beast Squad ultimately failed to break through their defense.
"We must defend it at all costs!"
When the roles of offense and defense were switched, the Divine Beast Squad deployed the Flying Heaven Golden Thread Formation to defend against the Azure Sky Squad's attack.
However, the captain of the Azure Sky Squad skillfully commanded his members, identified a weakness in the Flying Heaven Golden Thread Formation, and broke through it in an instant.
"The Azure Sky Squad wins!"
At Yong Myeong's cry, the Divine Beast Squad hung their heads and exited the training grounds.
The Phoenix Tournament consisted of three matches in total, and a single loss meant elimination.
In other words, there were no second chances, so every squad member fought with all their might.
Afterward, under Yong Myeong's direction, the fierce formation battles between squads continued relentlessly.
Most of the victorious squads were the established ones that had held their position as Second-Class Squads for a long time.
"Last up, the Thunderbolt Squad and the Zenith Squad, step forward!"
Hearing this, the surrounding squads and the observing warriors smirked.
"They'll be eliminated in an instant."
The Thunderbolt Squad was a unit composed of experts skilled in mechanisms and formations, even among the Second-Class Squads.
In particular, the captain of the Thunderbolt Squad, Cheon Tae-seong, was the only son of the renowned formation grandmaster, Cheon Tae-gwang.
How could the Zenith Squad, a newly promoted Second-Class Squad known for intelligence gathering,
possibly win a formation battle against the Thunderbolt Squad?
"There's no need to be nervous."
Bu Eun-seol, having ascended the training stage, spoke calmly to his squad members.
"Just do as we've trained until now."
Then he turned to Tae Mu-ryong and Jeong Jong-do.
"You two, divide the members into two groups and form the Heaven-Shaking Twin Poles Formation. I will command our positions from the outside."
"The Heaven-Shaking Twin Poles Formation... you say?"
Tae Mu-ryong looked puzzled.
It was a formation specialized for offense, not defense.
"They are underestimating our squad. That's why they won't bother looking for weaknesses in our formation; they'll try to push through with brute force."
Bu Eun-seol said with a smile.
"We must become a sharp sword that stands against their pressure. Of course, I will continuously alter the formation."
He then glanced over his squad members and spoke with force.
"This battle will be where we prove that all our training was not in vain. Can you do it?"
"We will follow your command!"
The squad members cupped their hands and shouted loudly, beginning to form the Heaven-Shaking Twin Poles Formation.
Seeing them line up precisely, aligning their positions and stances without a single person out of place,
'They seem to have trained quite a bit.'
The Thunderbolt Squad's captain, Cheon Tae-seong, nodded.
But a smirk soon followed.
'Unfortunately, a squad's skill and unity aren't built overnight.'
He could tell at a glance that the man named Seonwu Jin was quite extraordinary.
But the members of the Zenith Squad were all new recruits. Even if they had trained, the period must have been very short.
The Thunderbolt Squad, however, had firmly held its position as a Second-Class Squad for five years... there was no way the Zenith Squad could stand up to them.
"Begin!"
At Yong Myeong's shout, Cheon Tae-seong gathered his members and said in a low voice,
"I see a gap in the northeast. Concentrate your attack there and break through."
With a resounding cry, the members of the Thunderbolt Squad began to push against the gap that had opened in the northeast.
But something was strange.
The Zenith Squad's formation, which should have collapsed in an instant, was holding firm, and the members' expressions didn't falter in the slightest.
'What in the world is this?'
Cheon Tae-seong's eyes widened as he commanded the formation from the outside.
'How can the internal energy of new recruits be so solid?'
Despite participating in the Phoenix Tournament for the first time, the Zenith Squad members showed no signs of nervousness and executed their formation flawlessly.
Not only that, but every single member possessed such solid internal energy that they endured considerable impact without wavering at all.
"Hyaaah!"
The members of the Thunderbolt Squad aimed perfectly for the weakness, but they couldn't break the Zenith Squad's solid formation.
'They're not even budging?'
The members of the Thunderbolt Squad were just as confused.
Despite instantly exploiting a weakness and pushing with all their might, they couldn't break through the Zenith Squad's formation at all.
"Ugh."
In the end, despite pushing for a full quarter of an hour, the Thunderbolt Squad failed to break the Zenith Squad's formation.
"Switch offense and defense!"
At Yong Myeong's cry, the Thunderbolt Squad retreated, looking bewildered.
"It seems they've practiced forming up quite a bit. But there's no need to worry."
Cheon Tae-seong reassured his flustered members in a powerful voice.
"They won't be able to break our formation either. We just need to drag this out into a long battle and win."
He shouted loudly.
"Deploy the Vajra Thousand Revolutions Formation!"
Cheon Tae-seong chose the Vajra Thousand Revolutions Formation, the most solid defensive formation the Thunderbolt Squad could deploy.
The nineteen members lined up in a circular pattern, and from within, Cheon Tae-seong began to command the formation.
"Formation, activate!"
At Cheon Tae-seong's shout, the members in the circular formation began to move in a dizzying pattern.
The Vajra Thousand Revolutions Formation had the ability to deflect external force, causing it to flow away in a circular motion, much like the principles of Tai Chi.
Unless one were to brandish sharp weapons with the intent to kill the members,
it was a formation that could not be broken by ordinary force.
"Breaking a formation is much easier than defending one."
Bu Eun-seol said in a low voice.
"There is no such thing as a perfect formation. They are created by humans with different body types and personalities."
Bu Eun-seol had long faced various formations on his own and had honed his techniques for breaking them early on.
"Move immediately according to my commands."
"Begin!"
At Yong Myeong's shout, Bu Eun-seol immediately began to command his squad.
"Two steps northeast. Three steps southwest."
The Vajra Thousand Revolutions Formation was an outstanding formation with few weaknesses to find, but Bu Eun-seol instantly located them with his Beast Dao.
"Hold there for a moment. Now, three steps northeast again."
The members' movements were as precise as a well-oiled machine, without a single error.
This was because of their faith in Bu Eun-seol.
The squad members moved as one body, following his commands with perfect accuracy.
Each time they did, small cracks appeared in the solid Vajra Thousand Revolutions Formation, and its shape began to crumble bit by bit.
'What in the world is happening!'
Cheon Tae-seong and the Thunderbolt Squad members were going mad.
They had deployed the formation without a single mistake and were constantly moving in accordance with its principles.
So why were weaknesses appearing every time the Zenith Squad members moved?
"Ughhh. We can't hold on any longer!"
As the Zenith Squad members continued to exploit the weaknesses,
The Vajra Thousand Revolutions Formation, which was supposed to maintain a perfect circle, eventually twisted into a distorted shape...
*Rumble.*
And finally, the formation completely collapsed.
"The Zenith Squad is victorious!"
At Yong Myeong's shout, the Zenith Squad members all embraced each other and cheered.
"Waaaaah!"
Even the quiet and reserved Jeong Jong-do was pumping his fist and roaring.
Until now, they had trained every single day without rest, just as Bu Eun-seol had instructed.
But sometimes, doubts arose.
Was it really necessary to go this far?
Was such arduous training really needed?
Would the training even be effective?
Such questions had constantly surfaced, especially since their captain, Bu Eun-seol, was often absent.
But the answer came sooner than they expected.
Right here, through today's formation battle.
'The training was not in vain!'
The squad members all cried out in their hearts.
'Through all that training, we have become stronger!'
"They're surprisingly good."
The Grand Marshal on the platform, Gongsun Dan-gyeong, smiled as she looked at Yuk Jang-cheon.
"I heard they were formed not long ago, but they possess considerable skill."
"That is..."
Just as Yuk Jang-cheon was about to offer a humble reply, the Flying Dragon Hall Master, Jong Gu-ryeong, sitting beside him, quickly interjected.
"They've only won the first match. We'll have to wait and see if their skills are truly good."
Jong Gu-ryeong was also vying for the position of Heavenly Martial Division Head, making him a rival to Yuk Jang-cheon.
Moreover, the Thunderbolt Squad was under his command, so his pride had taken quite a hit.
"Indeed, I suppose you're right."
Just as Gongsun Dan-gyeong nodded nonchalantly,
*Rumble.*
Numerous people began to enter the buildings and maze set up on the training stage.
They were all warriors from the Martial Alliance's Grand Marshal Division, experts in mechanisms and formations.
"The second match will now begin!"
Yong Myeong announced in a loud voice.
"The called squads, enter the Evil-Shattering Pass set up before the training stage!"
The Evil-Shattering Pass was a massive structure of buildings and mazes created in the Grand Training Grounds, installed with various formations used by the demonic sects.
Inside, warriors from the Grand Marshal Division had set up powerful formations commonly used by the demonic factions.
And to prevent any tricks or the use of precious artifacts to break the formations, First-Class Sword Squad Captains were stationed throughout to monitor whether the formations were being properly dismantled.
"The time taken to break through will be measured, and the two squads that exit the Evil-Shattering Pass the fastest will advance to the final round!"
Yong Myeong shouted loudly.
"White River Squad, begin!"
At his call, the White River Squad's captain, Dokgo Seung, and his members cupped their hands and entered the Evil-Shattering Pass.
After a long period with no news, they finally emerged from the opposite gate after more than two hours had passed.
"White River Squad, two hours!"
Yong Myeong then looked at Bu Eun-seol and the Zenith Squad and shouted loudly.
"Next, Zenith Squad! Enter!"
The second squad was the one led by Bu Eun-seol.
Bu Eun-seol and the Zenith Squad also cupped their hands in a gesture of respect toward the officials on the platform before entering the Evil-Shattering Pass.
An unexpected sight greeted them.
Contrary to the building's exterior, a wide forest landscape appeared, and a scent that confused the mind began to spread in all directions.
Simultaneously, warriors dressed in black clothes moved chaotically, setting up a formation.
'This is a bit... awkward.'
Upon seeing the formation, Bu Eun-seol let out a wry chuckle inwardly.
The formations installed in the Evil-Shattering Pass were the very ones from the White Demon Temple and the Hellish Blood Fortress that he had consistently broken since he first emerged in the martial world.
"Captain. I know a bit about breaking formations."
As Jeong Jong-do was about to step forward, Bu Eun-seol smiled and waved his hand.
"That won't be necessary."
"Pardon?"
"I will take the lead. Do not look anywhere else; just follow the person in front of you. That will be enough."
"What do you mean?"
"The formations laid out here are from the Ten Demonic Sects, which I constantly encountered while running my merchant group."
At Bu Eun-seol's words, Jeong Jong-do's mouth fell open.
"I-Is that so?"
"We don't have time, so follow me. I'll lead the way."
*Step, step.*
Bu Eun-seol walked into the formation as calmly as if he were going for a stroll.
The dazed squad members immediately followed behind him.
*Swish! Swish-swish-swish!*
The first formation they encountered was the Poisonous Hand Formation of the Hellish Blood Fortress.
It was the same formation used by Ok Gi-ryung, the Blood Hand Hall Master of the Hellish Blood Fortress,
back when Bu Eun-seol went to receive his first heir candidate endorsement.
The First-Class Sword Squad members deploying the formation didn't use the actual Blood Shadow Poisonous Hand Art, but just spreading the noxious poison was enough to confuse the senses.
'The Martial Alliance has studied demonic formations quite a bit.'
Although they didn't use the Blood Shadow Poisonous Hand Art,
the Poisonous Hand Formation before him was so precise and accurate that one could believe it was deployed by the experts of the Blood Hand Hall themselves.
'Could it be that person they say is in the Martial Alliance?'
Bu Eun-seol recalled a rumor he had heard during his time as one of the Ten Demonic Champions, when he fought against the great masters of justice.
There was a mysterious expert in the Martial Alliance who was so well-versed in demonic martial arts that they could teach how to counter them, not just those of the Orthodox Faction.
'Otherwise, there's no way they could teach the Demonic Shadow Steps, which only experts from the Hellish Blood Fortress can use, to this level.'
His thoughts were long, but his actions were swift.
Bu Eun-seol instantly penetrated the weakness of the Poisonous Hand Formation.
The once-solid formation began to crumble in an instant.
If this were a real battle, the experts of the Hellish Blood Fortress would have unleashed their Blood Shadow Poisonous Hand Art, but since this was a test, the formation was simply broken.
Next came the White Demon Five Hands Formation, deployed by Eum Wi, the Black Jade Pavilion Master of the White Demon Temple.
Finally, they faced the Black Killing Descent Lock Formation, once again from the Hellish Blood Fortress, used by the Blood Demon Hall Master, Yang Myeong.
*Creeak.*
When all the formations were finally broken, the gates of the Evil-Shattering Pass opened.
Stepping outside, Bu Eun-seol was met with the sight of a silent Grand Training Grounds.
"Zenith Squad, fifteen minutes!"
At Yong Myeong's shout,
"..."
The eyes of not only the waiting squad members but also the high-ranking officials widened as if they would tear.
Fifteen minutes?
Wasn't that something that could only happen if the mechanisms were installed incorrectly?
A commotion erupted.
For a moment, the training stage and the platform were in an uproar.
As the situation grew serious, Yong Myeong entered the Evil-Shattering Pass and called out the Sword Squad Captains who were stationed there.
Then, along with the officials on the platform, he listened to how the Zenith Squad had broken through the formations.
After listening to the explanation for a while, the officials' mouths fell open.
The Zenith Squad—no, the method Seonwu Jin had used to break the formations was something even the Martial Alliance had never discovered.
It was a method that was both simple and struck at the very heart of the formations' weaknesses.
In the end, the officials, still not convinced by the Sword Squad Captains' explanation, summoned Bu Eun-seol to the platform.
"Where did you learn such a method of breaking formations?"
"I did not learn it; I mastered it."
Bu Eun-seol cupped his hands and answered Yong Myeong's question respectfully.
"While traveling beyond the pass, the ones who extorted the most money from honest merchant groups were the Hellish Blood Fortress in the Guizhou area and the White Demon Temple situated near the Jade Gate Pass."
"You mean you fought them?"
"How could that be possible? We paid a hefty sum in tribute each year to pass through."
Bu Eun-seol explained calmly.
"However, merchant groups that cannot afford the payment hire mercenaries to secretly bypass them. And sometimes, they are discovered and annihilated."
"Hmm."
"And the mercenaries who survive such situations sell information about the tactics or formation movements used by the enemy at a high price in the mercenary markets."
Yong Myeong nodded.
Mercenaries sold not only themselves.
Information and knowledge gained from their wanderings, even the martial arts or techniques they possessed... they would sell anything that could make money.
"But that alone doesn't explain it."
The Flying Dragon Hall Master, Jong Gu-ryeong, who had been listening quietly, furrowed his brow.
"The method to break the formations used by the Ten Demonic Sects was made public in the mercenary markets? I have never heard such a rumor."
"Of course, it was never made public. I simply conducted my own research based on the materials I obtained from the mercenaries."
Bu Eun-seol took out a thin booklet from his robes.
Inside, the movements of the Ten Demonic Sects' formations were chaotically drawn, with densely packed notes and explanations on how to break them.
Although it might not be perfect, it was detailed enough to provide a decent understanding of the demonic formations' operations.
From the moment Bu Eun-seol received the order to participate in the Phoenix Tournament, he had prepared for various situations and thoroughly investigated all the tests that had appeared before.
He had identified that tests involving formations were a constant feature.
Thus, he had prepared various materials to avoid suspicion in case he broke through the formations with excessive speed.
"What is this?"
"These are the things I have researched in my spare time."
Gongsun Dan-gyeong examined the diagrams Bu Eun-seol handed her and nodded.
"You are quite diligent. You also have a talent for formations."
As she meticulously examined the book, she continued.
"It seems you have researched for at least two or three years. Only demonic formations."
Was it his imagination?
In Gongsun Dan-gyeong's voice, the word 'demonic' seemed to be emphasized.
"The groups that attack merchant groups don't exactly use the techniques or formations of the Orthodox Faction."
*Ssk.*
At that moment, a pair of beautiful eyes came to rest on Bu Eun-seol's face.
For a moment, Bu Eun-seol unconsciously lowered his gaze.
They were eyes so profound and unfamiliar, the likes of which he had never seen in his life.
And the moment their gazes met.
A silence fell over him, as if he had plunged into deep water... and at the same time, he felt the illusion of a single ray of light piercing through the pitch-black darkness before him.
'This is dangerous.'
Bu Eun-seol's instincts were screaming a warning.
Gongsun Dan-gyeong's eyes, which seemed to draw in one's very soul. Those eyes undoubtedly held a mysterious power.
What if it was a power he couldn't block? Bu Eun-seol's true identity would be exposed on the spot.