Chapter 194
Chapter 194
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 194
Chapter Title: Zan Chil's Forfeit
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“Is that the Flying Sword Lord?”
Zan Chil’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Ha Woojin. The scars covering his face writhed and twisted grotesquely.
“A fine opponent.”
He muttered to himself, then exuded killing intent.
Utterly different from what he had shown in the battle against the White Tyrant Army just moments ago...
It was a sticky, viscous killing intent.
And Ha Woojin, receiving that killing intent head-on, slowly regulated his breathing.
“Huu.”
Emotions boiled up from deep within, but he wanted to keep his reason ice-cold.
The opponent was an expert.
Harboring such complex emotions would only make victory even less likely.
‘...I must not waver.’
He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them.
No more stray thoughts were necessary.
Only one thing remained now.
He had to stake everything on this one sword, pour it all out, and seize victory.
For the Zhongnan Sect.
Ha Woojin’s sword lifted slightly.
With it, pure white cloud mist bloomed from his body, enveloping his sword.
The crowd gasped in admiration at his figure.
Especially the commoners ignorant of martial arts, who clasped their hands together and bowed deeply.
“I-it’s an immortal!”
“An immortal has descended upon the mortal world!”
Cheonhwi also gazed at Ha Woojin.
He had displayed the Profound Heaven Robust Qi before, but never with such dense accompanying mist.
“Hmm, when did he say he broke through the wall?”
He muttered to himself, eyes fixed on the immortal aura contained within the mist blooming protectively around him.
“They say he broke through by sheer luck.”
Someone spoke up from beside him.
But Cheonhwi replied without even glancing at the newcomer.
“Luck is important, yes.”
“Haha, you think so?”
“They say it’s seven parts luck, three parts skill. Even if the whole world aligns for you, without luck, some things just can’t be had.”
“Hm, true enough. Enlightenment is heavenly fortune, after all.”
The man let out a low “mm-hmm” before speaking with a chuckle.
“But to see you again like this.”
Only then did Cheonhwi turn his head.
The speaker was Im Young, the Zhongnan Sect Leader known as the Taeyi Sword Guest.
“It’s been a while.”
Im Young smiled as he spoke.
“Are you entering this spar?”
“It just turned out that way.”
“Then there’s no need to worry.”
Cheonhwi tilted his head at those words.
“That’s surprising. Normally, you’d doubt a young whippersnapper like me representing Mount Hua Sect.”
“Haha. If I knew nothing, I might have doubted you too.”
Im Young’s beard shook vigorously.
“But I’ve heard your stories so often from that rascal disciple of mine and my cute little grand-disciple that my ears are sore. So I believe.”
“Is that right?”
Cheonhwi shrugged.
He was curious what they had said, but didn’t press further.
‘Probably something like he’s exceptional.’
At that moment, Im Young slowly raised his head and looked toward the arena.
“Who do you think will win?”
Cheonhwi answered with an expression that said it was obvious.
“Of course...”
Before Cheonhwi could even finish his sentence.
Hwaaak!
A fierce gust of wind pressure surged forth.
The mist created by the Profound Heaven Robust Qi’s internal energy condensed solidly before gathering into the sword.
“...!”
Zan Chil’s eyebrows twitched.
It was the first intense reaction he had shown.
Soon, the leisure vanished from his face, and for the first time, he moved his sword first.
A sudden preemptive strike—perhaps born of pure instinct.
Kaaang!
A loud clang rang out as their swords intertwined.
Kakakak!
The two pressed their swords against each other, neither willing to yield an inch as they poured in more power.
‘...Rumors of him collapsing White Ghost Castle alongside the Mount Hua Divine Sword... were they false?’
Zan Chil’s brows furrowed sharply. But he had no time for stray thoughts.
Swish—
In the midst of their power struggle, Ha Woojin suddenly pulled his sword back instead, letting the blade slither down like a snake toward his opponent’s wrist.
“Hup!”
Zan Chil leaped backward.
He checked his hand.
He had barely avoided a fatal wound, but the back of his sword-gripping hand was scratched.
Zan Chil’s expression stiffened ever so slightly.
At that moment.
Tak.
He suddenly sheathed his sword.
The action was so abrupt that the crowd—and even Ha Woojin—were taken aback.
Then Zan Chil opened his mouth, delivering an even greater shock.
“I forfeit.”
His sudden declaration brought a strange silence over Qingya Plain.
“What?”
“Forfeit...?”
“Suddenly?”
As the onlookers stared blankly at the arena, unsure how to react.
“...What are you doing?”
Ha Woojin called out, trying to stop Zan Chil as he stepped toward the edge of the arena.
“You said the world of victory is cold—yet you’re tucking tail and running away?”
Zan Chil snorted derisively.
Despite declaring defeat, he showed no shame whatsoever, carrying himself with utter confidence.
“It’s cold, so I run. No need to risk my life pointlessly in a place like this.”
“A warrior with no pride, I see.”
“Threw that garbage away long ago.”
Speaking in a flat tone, his gaze turned toward the Shinju Sapae’s camp.
Seeing the man and woman there with faint smiles on their lips despite his forfeit, he shot them a cold glare.
‘If I can’t guarantee victory, draining the Flying Sword Lord’s strength will only benefit those bastards.’
Even defeating Ha Woojin would be a problem.
Mount Hua Sect’s representative for the third spar was still waiting.
Soon, as he descended from the arena, the Soul Subjugation Sect Leader hurried over and spoke.
“Wh-what is the meaning of this? Why suddenly admit defeat...”
But the Sect Leader’s interrogation was met with...
“Questioning my decision?”
...a icy retort.
The Soul Subjugation Sect Leader suddenly remembered his place and shrank back.
“If you hadn’t stirred up such a mess, none of this would have happened.”
Killing intent laced Zan Chil’s voice.
“I told you to just absorb White Ghost Castle’s remnants and get out.”
“Th-that’s...”
The Soul Subjugation Sect Leader broke out in cold sweat.
What they had demanded of the Soul Subjugation Sect was merely to absorb the remnants—not to seize Shaanxi.
But the Sect Leader had grown greedy.
To be precise, he had tried to build up power to escape their grasp.
And now things had come to this. He had nothing to say, even with ten mouths.
“Useless bastard.”
As Zan Chil spat the words like chewing gravel.
“Why so vicious?”
A woman interjected, dispelling the killing intent.
“Oh my, is a disciple rebuking his sect leader?”
“...”
Zan Chil glared at the woman wordlessly.
As he turned to leave.
“The spar isn’t over yet.”
“Confident against the Flying Sword Lord?”
The woman smiled faintly.
Zan Chil’s scars twitched as he looked at her smile.
“What do you want?”
“If I win the spar, ownership of Shaanxi... well, Sagibang gets more than the others.”
Zan Chil’s eyes deepened.
Having already forfeited this spar, he held no initiative.
Yet she was making this proposal.
“Maintain the alliance?”
The woman smiled brightly.
“Shaanxi’s awfully vast. Too much for Sagibang to hold alone indefinitely.”
Suddenly, Zan Chil exuded killing intent.
“You planned this from the start.”
His killing intent stabbed like needles, but the woman didn’t lose her composure.
“The situation just aligned perfectly. If you’d won all the spars, could I have made this offer?”
“...”
“What do you say?”
Zan Chil withdrew his killing intent and replied.
“If you win, fine.”
“Refreshing. I like that.”
The woman crooked a finger.
A man with an indifferent expression appeared and handed Zan Chil a hat.
Zan Chil took it and pulled it low over his head.
“But if you lose?”
“Then we lose everything. But.”
The woman’s eyes curved playfully.
“That won’t happen.”
“...How can you be so sure?”
“See for yourself.”
With those words.
Sruruk—
The woman vanished.
“...!”
As Zan Chil’s eyes widened.
“Waaaaah!”
“Another fighter!”
Cheers erupted from all directions.
A woman had suddenly appeared atop the arena, facing Ha Woojin.
“This girl is called Choryeon.”
She politely cupped her fists.
“It’s an honor to meet the great hero, the Flying Sword Lord.”
Ha Woojin returned the gesture.
“...I am Ha Woojin.”
“Our Sagibang Leader’s body isn’t well, so I had to step up most unwillingly.”
Choryeon smiled gently.
Her beautiful smile left half the men in the crowd spellbound.
“...Such a frail young lady.”
“Wonder if she’ll be alright.”
Some even looked at her with worry—despite her being from the unorthodox factions and Ha Woojin a Zhongnan Taoist.
The woman’s smile deepened.
‘All preparations are complete.’
Her eyes swept over the Shinju Sapae’s camp. She had just finished negotiating not only with Zan Chil but also with the man standing beside the Gold Embroidered Branch Leader.
Only one thing left.
Seizing victory.
“Then, please go easy on me.”
Choryeon created distance.
In that instant, the air shifted.
And Ha Woojin, watching from close range, sensed it immediately and gripped his sword.
‘...I can’t see a thing.’
Ha Woojin’s pupils trembled.
He couldn’t gauge the woman’s skill—or its limits.
‘Was there such a female expert?’
Sweat drenched the hand gripping his sword.
At that moment, the woman’s lips moved.
“Why so tense?”
With her words, she took a step forward.
Just one step.
Yet in an instant, she erased five zhang of distance and stood right before Ha Woojin’s nose.
“...!”
Ha Woojin hastily swung his sword.
But before his blade could even arc, a shock struck his abdomen.
Pungeok!
The sound of air exploding rang out as Ha Woojin’s robe tore at the back.
The woman, who had already driven her palm into his abdomen, parted her red lips.
“Has the tension eased now?”
“...Thanks to you.”
Ha Woojin replied in a calm tone and raised his head.
Hwaaak!
Dense pure white mist spread outward.
It soon enveloped his body before condensing solidly onto his sword.
As that intense aura poured forth.
Swish—
The woman took several steps back.
‘She didn’t earn her fame for nothing.’
Feeling a fiercer aura than expected, she looked at Ha Woojin.
“This time, I’ll come to you.”
Ha Woojin assumed his stance.
Sword raised to eye level.
Right foot advanced one step.
It seemed utterly ordinary at a glance, yet the aura was extraordinary.
Ha Woojin regulated his breath and spoke.
“Receive this.”
In that instant, his sword moved dramatically, unveiling the Thirty-Six Forms of the Heavenly River Sword.
Heavenly River Billows, Heavenly River Flying Quill, and finally, the Heavenly River Star Formation.
Three fierce, lightning-quick ultimate techniques unfolded in chain, engulfing the woman.
The chained assault was too fast to follow with the naked eye, causing the crowd to hold their breath for a moment.
It seemed as though the barrage would hand Choryeon defeat at any second.
However.
Siiik—
The woman’s lips curved into a long grin.
At the same time, an indescribably intense energy exploded as a pure white palm unfurled.
So white it reflected the blazing sunlight—the palm clashed against the Thirty-Six Forms of the Heavenly River Sword amid the fierce energy.
It was so fast that everyone watching the arena missed it entirely.
Kwaaang!
An intense storm raged outward in all directions.
And it didn’t stop there.
Kwagwang! Kaang!
The storms came one after another, shrouding the arena in dust winds.
And that was far from all.
The storm swept across Qingya Plain.
The aftermath of the unresolved energies from the clash spread to the surroundings.
“Ugh!”
“Kyaa!”
The crowd braced their feet, fearing they’d be blown away by the fierce gale.
“Looks like they’re fighting for their lives.”
Cheonhwi watched the arena impassively, unperturbed by the raging winds.
Collisions continued nonstop.
Ha Woojin swung his sword amid his wildly flapping robe, flowing freely like the mist he exuded.
The woman’s style was different.
Overwhelming spirit and cold killing intent.
Her palm, swung alongside her ornate sleeves, repelled Ha Woojin’s sword strikes as if placing the entire world beneath her.
At that moment, Ha Woojin’s aura shifted.
In the drawn-out deadlock, he seemed to decide on ending it, thrusting his left foot out wide.
His foot hit the ground.
Kung!
A heavy shockwave blasted the dust away.
Simultaneously, his torn-back robe flapped wildly, and his hair whipped about.
With it, he thrust his sword straight forward.
Toward the center of the woman’s palm.
Cheonhwi’s eyes narrowed as he watched.
The first thing that came to mind was the Heavenly River Simultaneous Shot—an illusion of spears firing forth.
‘No. It’s a bit different. This one feels like it compresses the entire Heavenly River into one...’
Ha Woojin’s sword form was unique.
It stabbed perfectly straight.
Yet what it contained was indescribable.
As if that single form was the whole—and the whole was contained in that one form.
‘If he perfects it, Zhongnan will grow far beyond now.’
Not a prediction, but certainty.
Most warriors settled for the present, believing supreme secret manuals were the only path to strength.
But what of Ha Woojin?
He was developing himself.
No—he was pioneering his own sword path, advancing forward.
Toward the realm of grandmaster.
Of course, not yet.
Unstable, riddled with flaws.
Whether this path ended in success or failure, no one knew.
It might even end as a fruitless journey.
Yet Ha Woojin pressed on.
On his lonely journey to an unknown destination.
‘What a shame. He’d fit right in at Mount Hua.’
At that moment.
Hwaaak!
Choryeon hastily circulated her internal energy.
She seemed slightly startled by the incoming thrust but reacted swiftly.
Suuuu—
Transparent internal energy laced with chilling aura enveloped her hand in an instant.
Then.
Pa’at!
She thrust her hand forward powerfully.
‘Huh?’
Cheonhwi’s brow furrowed.
The brief internal energy circulation, stance, and following aura she had just shown.
All of it was familiar.
‘Raksha Ice Demon’s Jade Eternal Divine Demon Hand...?’
In that instant, Ha Woojin’s sword and her palm collided, unleashing a dazzling light so brilliant it devoured Qingya Plain.