Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Semifinals
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“Since when…!”
With a half-frozen hand, Pa-sun raised his spear. He drew upon his internal energy, desperately resisting the cold qi that was invading his body.
Comparing the martial prowess of Pa-sun and Seol Ha-ryeong, Pa-sun was clearly the weaker of the two. However, Seol Ha-ryeong had deceived him with a smile and launched a preemptive strike.
Looking at his half-frozen hand, Pa-sun realized his mistake.
‘Damn it… Am I an idiot…? Just because my opponent was smiling, I assumed she was stronger and therefore letting her guard down… But I was the one who was too tense to focus on the match.’
They say a tiger uses its full strength even when catching a rabbit, so what foolish thought was I entertaining? If this had been a real battle, I’d already be dead.
‘It’s too late for regrets. I’ll use my full power now.’
Pa-sun circulated the internal energy from his dantian.
He then circulated the sharpened energy throughout his body. Finally, he spun the energy in both hands and unleashed it from the tip of his spear. The engravings on his spear further accelerated his attack.
*Pang!*
Pa-sun’s spear aimed for Seol Ha-ryeong’s head.
But the difference in their skill was immense.
Seol Ha-ryeong simply waved her fan once, and the cold energy contained within it was like an avalanche. Snowflakes began to bloom from the tip of Pa-sun’s spear, climbing up the shaft and heading toward his body.
*Crack!*
The powerful rotation of Pa-sun’s spear dulled from the tip, the engravings on it freezing over and ceasing to function. Struck by the sonic attack, Pa-sun couldn’t even keep his balance.
Seol Ha-ryeong then unleashed a final technique to finish him.
“Twenty Snowflakes,”
Seol Ha-ryeong said as she gracefully brushed past Pa-sun’s body. In an instant, twenty snowflakes bloomed on his form.
*Crack, crack.*
“Snowflakes, Second Transformation.”
The twenty snowflakes became forty.
Pa-sun was completely frozen solid.
Seol Ha-ryeong approached the frozen Pa-sun.
When she placed her hand on the ice, it shattered, and Pa-sun collapsed.
Medics rushed in, carried Pa-sun away on a stretcher, and Gu-yeom, who had been watching, declared the result.
“The winner is Seol Ha-ryeong of the Sacred Fire Palace!”
*Waaaaaaaaaah!*
The cheer might have been the loudest of all the matches.
Seol Ha-ryeong grinned at the audience.
*Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!*
*Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap.*
The men in the crowd roared in a frenzy.
*Sigh.*
Seol Ha-ryeong looked toward Mu-heun’s group again and grinned.
‘She beat my subordinate to a pulp and now she’s laughing?’
Mu-heun forced a bitter smile, trying to remain calm. Ho-ryang and Jin-guk of the Azure Dragon Unit, who were watching him, also smiled wryly.
‘Even if we had gone up, the result would have been the same…’
They then looked at Mu-heun.
‘I wonder just how far Young Master Sa will go.’
Since there weren't as many contestants as in the first round, the second and third rounds were held consecutively. In the end, only four remained.
Baek Mu-heun of the Heavenly Dance Family.
Seol Ha-ryeong of the Sacred Fire Palace.
Ma Tae-pyeong of the Sword Demon Family.
Yi Baek of the Fierce Tiger Family.
It was, for all intents and purposes, the semifinals.
What was unusual was that Gu Yang-baek of the Killing Palace had forfeited after winning his third-round match.
In hindsight, it was the obvious choice.
The Killing Palace was strictly an organization of assassins.
They made their living through assassination. Their martial art was the Hidden Shadow Demonic Arts, a technique that was by no means beneficial to reveal.
Fighting an opponent they could beat while hiding their skills might be helpful, but it was better to avoid fighting opponents they couldn't beat without revealing their true strength.
‘Their martial arts shine brightest when others are ignorant of them.’
And so, the final semifinal matchups were decided…
Baek Mu-heun of the Heavenly Dance Family versus Ma Tae-pyeong of the Sword Demon Family.
Seol Ha-ryeong of the Sacred Fire Palace versus Yi Baek of the Fierce Tiger Family.
With the second and third rounds concluded, the semifinals were scheduled for the next day.
“Ma Tae-pyeong…”
***
Returning to my quarters, I rested while simultaneously spreading a subtle fragrance throughout the Heavenly Mountains. I was calling the Heavenly Fragrance Owl.
When everyone was asleep, during the Hour of the Ox, the moon was nearly full, with only a few clouds embroidering the sky. I stepped out into the garden.
‘You’ve come.’
*Peep, peep!*
The Heavenly Fragrance Owl had returned.
[This is absurd! A scent I don’t know!]
“A frog in a well. Or should I say, an owl in the Heavenly Mountains?”
[What? A frog? How dare you! Best two out of three! Let’s go again!]
Under the moonlight, I engaged in a battle of scents with the Heavenly Fragrance Owl.
The result was 3-0.
My complete victory.
It was only natural. I was the Divine Doctor who had traveled the entire Central Plains, while this creature had only ever stayed in the Heavenly Mountains. The variety of scents we knew was on a different level. Furthermore, as someone who had studied academics and medicine, I had smelled more scents than anyone. No one could defeat me in a battle of aromas.
Not even a spirit beast like the Heavenly Fragrance Owl.
The scents of mango, durian, and pineapple.
Various fruit fragrances unavailable in the Heavenly Mountains secured my first win.
The spicy aroma of Sichuan cuisine earned me a second win.
And… the refreshing scent of the ocean gave me the third.
“Do you admit defeat?”
[Gah! It’s frustrating, but… I lost!]
“Then, will you follow me now?”
[…]
The Heavenly Fragrance Owl seemed to hesitate for a moment before approaching me.
[Can you continue to provide me with various scents in the future?]
“Of course.”
[Master!]
“What’s your name?”
[I don’t have one.]
‘Heavenly Fragrance Owl… calling it by its full name is too long.’
“Then I’ll call you Cheon-hyang.”
[Yes!]
And so, Cheon-hyang joined me, the master of myriad fragrances, and the moonlit night was filled with a deep richness of various scents.
***
That night, clandestine meetings were held in various places. The Red Demon Pavilion Lord had come to visit the First Elder, Ma-yeon.
“Come in.”
“It’s good to see you.”
“I’m busy today, so let’s get straight to the point.”
“First Elder, I heard that Ma Tae-pyeong of the Sword Demon Family will be fighting Young Master Sa of the Heavenly Dance Family tomorrow.”
“And?”
The First Elder’s response was curt. However, the Red Demon Pavilion Lord accepted his attitude as a matter of course.
“I don’t know the extent of Ma Tae-pyeong’s abilities, but if necessary, I can prepare my Red-Faced Blood Heaven Powder.”
“What? Hahahahahahaha!”
The First Elder laughed, finding the suggestion absurd.
“Red Demon Pavilion Lord.”
“…”
“Are you frightened because your worthless subordinates lost?”
“Wh-what did you say?”
“Or what? What else could it be?”
“I was worried about the Sword Demon Family…”
“No matter how strong that whelp is, the Sword Demon Family stands firm. Go back and worry about how you’ll rebuild the Red Demon Pavilion.”
“Grk…”
First Elder Ma-yeon.
Among the elders, the lower the number, the stronger they were. The First Elder was the strongest of them all. He was also the head of the Sword Demon Family and one of the top ten strongest members in the Cult, so even the Red Demon Pavilion Lord had to defer to him.
However, there was another reason Ma-yeon had agreed to meet the Pavilion Lord.
“More importantly, you said you met the Ice Demon and the Flame Demon.”
“That is correct.”
“Then you should have led with that.”
“…”
The Cult Leader’s disciples had begun to make their move in earnest, and the various factions were starting to align with them.
***
As dawn broke, most of the cult members flocked to one place.
“I heard the winner of the Divine Dragon Assembly will be decided today?”
“You fool! That’s tomorrow!”
“What? Then why are we going today?”
“What’s the point of just knowing the winner? Today is the truly important day.”
“Why is that?”
“Because the four fighting today will obviously become the future leaders of our Divine Cult!”
“Oho!”
The young powerhouses who would lead the Divine Cult in the future.
The four who had defeated all others to rise to the top.
They would duel above the Heavenly Lake of the Heavenly Mountains.
Everyone filling the spectator seats had the same thought.
‘I can’t miss a spectacle like this.’
Just then, the drumbeat signaling the start echoed.
*Thump!*
The crowd roared at the top of their lungs.
*Waaaaaaaaaah!*
As the thunderous cheers shook the arena, the dignitaries in the VIP section were divided into two camps.
Those who had high hopes for Young Master Sa of the Heavenly Dance Family.
And those who were wary of Young Master Sa of the Heavenly Dance Family.
But there was one thing no one could deny.
[The star of the Divine Dragon Assembly is Young Master Sa of the Heavenly Dance Family.]
Gu-yeom, the event’s announcer, stepped onto the dueling stage and spoke.
“The first match is Seol Ha-ryeong of the Sacred Fire Palace versus Yi Baek of the Fierce Tiger Family!”
Simultaneously with Gu-yeom’s shout, the drum sounded.
*Thump!*
Seol Ha-ryeong and Yi Baek, having arrived on the stage via small boats, faced each other.
“Hohoho, it’s just a match. Isn’t showing so much killing intent a bit much?”
Seol Ha-ryeong said with a laugh, covering her mouth with a white fan.
“I’m going to grind you into a refreshing drink, so shut your mouth and wait.”
Yi Baek spoke, emitting a chilling killing intent that was uncharacteristic of him.
“Hehe~ You’re still cute when you’re excited.”
“I told you to shut up!”
Watching the two, Mu-heun thought.
‘Something definitely happened between those two.’
Annoyed by their bickering, Gu-yeom snapped at them.
“Enough chatter.”
“…Yes.”
The two glanced at Gu-yeom and calmed down.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes!”
“Then let the match begin!”
*Thump!*
As the match began, Seol Ha-ryeong raised her energy to its peak, and murmurs spread through the crowd.
“Huh? Doesn’t it suddenly feel a bit colder?”
“Y-you’re right. Where did this sudden chill come from…”
The spectators in the audience shivered from the abrupt cold.
“It seems her Ice Yin Art has lowered the temperature of the entire arena…?”
“Wh-what? Is something like that even possible?”
“You’re seeing it right now, aren’t you?”
“…Incredible.”
All four semifinalists were at the Peak Master level, but seeing her energy, everyone realized something. Among them, Seol Ha-ryeong was a powerhouse on the verge of becoming a Transcendent Master.
The closer one got to her, the lower the temperature dropped, and frost formed around her.
Just then.
*Crack, crack.*
Yi Baek cracked his neck.
*Swoosh.*
The air was sucked into his nose and mouth, and his chest swelled to twice its size.
Then, like a ferocious tiger, he opened his maw wide.
It was the Fierce Tiger’s Roar.
*KWWWWAAAAANG!*
The dueling stage shook violently as if an earthquake had struck, and Seol Ha-ryeong’s yin energy that had dominated the atmosphere was blown away.
The audience began to stir once more.
“D-did you just see that?”
“I-I thought I saw a g-giant tiger.”
“I’ve never seen such a terrifying tiger in my life.”
“I agree.”
An unyielding clash of wills.
The fierce and sharp auras of the two combatants dominated the arena, and Gu-yeom retreated from the stage to the edge of the lake.
Black lines in the shape of claws appeared on both of Yi Baek’s cheeks. He then crouched down, his posture resembling a tiger coiling to pounce.
The fully coiled tiger condensed its energy, ready to leap at its prey at any moment.
“Fierce Tiger’s Leap.”
As Yi Baek kicked off the ground and charged, the spot where he had been standing exploded.
*Kwaang!*
Yi Baek’s savage momentum shook the ground as he rushed toward Seol Ha-ryeong with ferocious intensity.
Watching him, Seol Ha-ryeong muttered under her breath.
“How brutish…”
Then, the frost that had settled around Seol Ha-ryeong instantly expanded, forming a massive wall of ice crystals.
‘Crystal Vast Cold Art.’
The ice crystals glittered, reflecting the light brilliantly. They looked beautiful, but their hardness was comparable to steel.
However,
*CRASH!*
Yi Baek’s fierce attack struck the ice crystals, and the solid wall of ice shattered into pieces.
Like a wild tiger, Yi Baek broke the ice, while Seol Ha-ryeong used her powerful yin art to shape ice for both defense and offense.
A cycle of shattering and freezing, shattering and freezing.
The intensity of their clash left no room for carelessness.
They began to wear each other down.