Chapter 165
Chapter 165
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 165
Chapter Title: The Courageous One
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Mu-heun stepped onto the dueling stage.
His stride was confident, yet some still averted their gazes.
Jin Hong, the Plum Blossom Sword Venerable.
He was someone Mu-heun had encountered before but pretended not to know.
‘Heh, if I get the chance later, I’d like to have a word with him.’
Finally, he observed the head of the Jinju Eon Clan.
‘That is…’
At the edge of the dueling grounds sat Eon Jwa-ryang, the head of the Eon Clan. Whether it was because he was seeing him up close or thanks to the Dream of a Butterfly on his arm, Mu-heun could feel a sinister, ghostly energy leaking from the clan head.
Just then.
Gu Pae-seon of Kunlun, acting as the officiant, stepped forward and spoke.
“Well then, let us begin the unofficial dueling competition between the rising stars representing the Orthodox and Demonic factions.”
There was no thunderous applause or roar of cheers. Nevertheless, everyone was filled with anticipation. Just how skilled was Baek Mu-heun?
His first opponent was Oh Gyeol of the Beggars' Sect. The prowess he had shown at the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly placed him at the bottom of the warriors Mu-heun was set to face.
However, among all the rising stars, he was undoubtedly a formidable talent.
A few elders looked at Oh Gyeol with satisfaction, while they clicked their tongues at Mu-heun.
“To think he would face ten opponents alone when he himself is but a rising star. The jest goes too far.”
“Indeed. Oh Gyeol, who has just come out, is quite strong among the rising stars. I wonder how long that man can last…”
However, thanks to the sorcery, some were taking Mu-heun’s side.
“Come on, the Soul-Stealing Immortal made such a bold proclamation. Perhaps he might win? Why do you assume he will lose already?”
“Because empty vessels make the most noise.”
“That has a point.”
“Still, he might be able to defeat Oh Gyeol.”
“Even if he does, he will fall in the next round.”
“On that, I agree.”
“I agree as well.”
“Agreed.”
The elders from each sect and clan shared a similar opinion. Even if Baek Mu-heun fought well against Oh Gyeol, he would be defeated by the next opponent.
Or perhaps he could defeat three or four… but ten? Was that even plausible?
Their greatest interest lay in whether Mu-heun would fall after one opponent, two, or three.
Just how many could he endure?
That was all the elders could see.
However, the heroes of Kunlun and the Sect Leader of Qingcheng, who had witnessed his prowess firsthand, thought the opposite.
They knew from the start that this would not be a duel but a one-sided slaughter.
Dang So-so, in the waiting room, thought the same. The rising stars who would lose even to her could defeat Master Mu-heun?
Not a chance.
This was merely a chance for them to gauge their own levels by sparring with Master Mu-heun.
Mu-heun looked at Oh Gyeol and nodded.
‘They’re starting with the weakest one.’
Oh Gyeol, who had fought so comically at the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly, throwing daggers and swinging his staff. But his skills were genuine.
As Oh Gyeol and Mu-heun faced each other, Gu Pae-seon looked at them both, nodded, and shouted.
“Now, let the first duel begin!”
Oh Gyeol gripped his daggers in his left hand and raised his staff with the other.
Just then.
*Fwoosh*
The sealing talismans wrapped around Mu-heun’s wrists and ankles burst into flames.
In that instant, an aura erupted from Mu-heun’s body and began to storm across the entire dueling ground.
The oppressive weight exuded by the renowned warriors of the Central Plains, especially the masters who had reached the Transcendent Realm.
The pressure emitted by the elders was like mere autumn leaves in comparison, as an even more colossal energy dominated the stage.
It felt as if a great ocean had descended upon their heads.
“W-What is happening…”
The elders began to stir.
“I-It’s impossible.”
“You call that a rising star?”
“Something is wrong!”
It wasn't just the elders.
The sect leaders and family heads representing their respective factions were equally flustered.
Namgung So-yeon, who had been openly displaying her discomfort until a moment ago, was also stunned.
‘The aura emanating from that Demonic Cult’s rising star dares to match my own? This is impossible!’
Even the Profound Realm masters, Alliance Leader Du Baek and Plum Blossom Sword Venerable Jin Hong, were astonished. When they were his age, they hadn't been nearly as powerful.
Transcendent Realm? They hadn't even reached the Peak Realm.
They had reached the Peak Realm in their thirties, the Divine Realm after that, and only discussed the Transcendent and Profound Realms after turning forty.
What was this?
If he continued to grow, would he become the strongest under the heavens?
That was already a foregone conclusion.
The aura radiating from Mu-heun was at the pinnacle of the Transcendent Realm.
The person most shaken at this moment was none other than Oh Gyeol of the Beggars' Sect.
‘No, is this truly a rising star of the same generation as me?’
He couldn't believe it. This was at least at the level of an elder… no, even higher. Unless he had undergone a complete rebirth and regained his youth, this was impossible.
‘This can’t be happening!’
As Oh Gyeol was drowning in regret.
Before he could throw the daggers in his left hand,
Or swing the staff in his right.
Mu-heun appeared right in front of him. It was a ghostly footwork. Approaching without a sound or presence, Mu-heun struck Oh Gyeol down with the Sun and Moon Sword still in its sheath.
*KABOOM!*
A single blow.
It was one-sided violence that couldn't even be called a clash.
Oh Gyeol lost consciousness from the strike, which exploded like a violet flame.
The elders were beyond shocked.
Would he lose after one opponent, or two? Such thoughts were now completely irrelevant. It was likely that even if all ten rising stars attacked at once, they wouldn't be able to handle Mu-heun alone.
This duel was a one-sided slaughter, where the word ‘duel’ itself no longer applied.
Mu-heun looked at the fallen Oh Gyeol and spoke in a low, flat voice.
“Next.”
The rising stars waiting on the side were dumbfounded. They had been confident right up until Oh Gyeol had stepped forward.
Namgung Yeon had even said to Oh Gyeol as he went up to the stage.
“Leave some for me. This is a rare opportunity, isn’t it?”
Hearing that, Oh Gyeol had cleaned his ear and replied.
“Do you think this is some kind of game?”
However, after seeing Oh Gyeol fall and feeling Mu-heun’s aura, the rising stars were frozen stiff.
It wasn't just that his energy was strong. It was his profound internal energy. It was the opposite of the pure, oppressive pressure of the Orthodox Sects’ internal arts. The sinister demonic energy that poured out of him was terror itself.
Mu-heun looked at the terrified rising stars and spoke.
“What’s wrong with you all?”
“…”
“We’re just getting started, aren't we?”
While the faces of the rising stars were all frozen, one person’s expression was twisted in a different way.
Eon Hwa-taek of the Jinju Eon Clan was scowling, glaring fiercely at Mu-heun.
‘How dare a mere human…’
And it was the same for the Eon Family Head, sitting on one side outside the dueling grounds.
‘For one so young to be that strong already. I cannot let him be. He will surely interfere with our plans as he grows. To prevent future trouble, I must eliminate him here and now.’
Eon Jwa-ryang looked at Eon Hwa-taek, who was waiting among the rising stars, and nodded.
[We must kill him here, even if we die in the process.]
[Understood.]
At that moment, Mu-heun was carefully observing none other than the warriors of the Eon Clan.
‘As I thought…’
Just then, from among the terrified rising stars, Dang So-so, the winner of the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly and hailed as the greatest talent of Sichuan, rose and walked onto the stage.
Then, she cupped her fist towards Mu-heun and said.
“Please grant me a lesson.”
Mu-heun, seeing Dang So-so approach with a resolute expression, let out a smirk and said.
“I pay my respects to your courage, Lady So-so.”
***
—Before the duel between the rising stars of the Orthodox Sects and Mu-heun.
Alliance Leader Du Baek had summoned those who left a strong impression at the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly and asked if they would be willing to face Baek Mu-heun.
Dang So-so had readily accepted the Alliance Leader's proposal.
Not because she thought she could win against Mu-heun, but because she wanted to test her own skills.
However, the other rising stars thought differently.
—Is it even plausible for ten of the most outstanding rising stars from the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly to face a single person?
The high-nosed Namgung Yeon had argued. He was a man who truly failed to grasp his own place. A man who thought he was someone special. A truly pathetic man.
However, such an attitude.
It was one he could only take because he didn't know Master Mu-heun.
‘Fools.’
Before the duel with Master Mu-heun began.
Dang So-so, the winner of the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly and hailed as the greatest talent of Sichuan, was steadying her breath to ease the tension in her body.
She was much older than Mu-heun. In a normal sect, it would have been possible for Dang So-so to take Mu-heun as a disciple… However, Dang So-so did not look down on or disregard Mu-heun.
No, she feared him. Anyone who had seen his martial prowess with their own eyes couldn't help but fear him. Because it was no longer the prowess of a rising star.
Despite Mu-heun being from the Demonic Cult and possessing a threatening power, for some reason, the thought of reporting him to the higher-ups never crossed her mind. All that remained was the desire to test her own prowess against him.
And, for some reason, it seemed the esteemed figures of the Orthodox Sects were also aware of Master Mu-heun's identity.
‘That must be why they made such a proposal.’
The dueling order set by the Martial Alliance.
She was last.
‘The winner goes last, is that it?’
Dang So-so once again tensed her body. However, her fellow rising stars were different.
They were looking down on Master Mu-heun.
It was truly perplexing.
Did the esteemed figures of the Martial Alliance not know their skills? They must have thought things through and arranged the order accordingly. Fools.
Normally, she would have said the same thing. But now was different. It was because she knew the extent of Master Mu-heun’s prowess.
Those guys, who would lose even to her, couldn't even touch Master Mu-heun's feet.
Belonging to the Nine Sects One Union or the Five Great Families, they learned peerless martial arts manuals, so they wouldn't get beaten up elsewhere, but this place was an exception.
No, if they wanted to make Master Mu-heun move in earnest, the ten gathered here should attack him all at once.
‘Even that wouldn't be enough…’
The monster she had seen in Yuhua County was not something the ten rising stars gathered here could handle even if they attacked together.
Elder Gu Pae-seon stepped onto the stage to officiate.
With the elder's shout, the first duel began. Master Mu-heun's first opponent was Oh Gyeol of the Beggars' Sect. He knew how to handle throwing weapons and had excellent combat senses.
His staff techniques were also top-notch.
He was excellent.
However,
That was his limit.
His skills were not shocking.
On the other hand, the power of Master Mu-heun, who revealed his true strength… was beyond shocking, to the point of inducing panic. It wasn't just her who was surprised. The surrounding elders, family heads, and sect leaders were all the same.
Everyone was speechless with astonishment.
[Next.]
Master Mu-heun's short, single word.
The next in line, Mo Yong-hwi of the Murong Family, the one after that, Jegal Hyeok of the Zhuge Family, Namgung Yeon of the Namgung Family, and Paeng Gang-hyeok of the Hebei Paeng Clan, were all too afraid to dare step onto the stage.
[What's wrong with you all?]
Master Mu-heun's question followed.
However, everyone was frozen stiff, unable to move.
It was the same for the rising stars of Shaolin, Wudang, and Mount Hua.
‘Hah…’
This is why they were still called immature rising stars.
[We're just getting started, aren't we?]
In the end, Dang So-so was the first to rise and take a step. As she walked up to the stage, she threw a word at the seated rising stars.
“We may lack power, but do we lack courage as well? At this rate… it is shameful to be called the future of the Orthodox Sects.”
It was something only Dang So-so, the winner of the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly and the eldest among the rising stars, could say.
Dang So-so strode up to the dueling stage, cupped her fist to Mu-heun, and said.
“Please grant me a lesson.”
Seeing this, Mu-heun also cupped his fist and replied.
“I pay my respects to your courage, Lady So-so.”