Chapter 351
Chapter 351
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 351
Chapter Title: Palm Demonstration Debate
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“Indeed, a man worthy of shaking the entire world.”
The Evil-Black Alliance's strategist glanced to the side as he spoke.
The tense atmosphere, which had been evenly matched from the start of the negotiations, had taken on a subtle shift.
It was due to the young man sitting on the ground.
Cheonhwi's provocations and demonstrations had done it.
This youth, whom one might call a later-generation prodigy, had seized control of the mood against seasoned experts of the martial world.
“It's all thanks to you all, isn't it?”
Zhuge Gong responded calmly.
But the content within was sharper than a well-honed blade, anything but calm.
He meant that his fame came from defeating the Evil-Black Alliance's experts.
To the Evil-Black Alliance, it was like touching their reverse scale.
“Haha, that's true enough.”
The strategist chuckled softly.
Unlike his crescent-shaped eyes reminiscent of the present moon, the pupils beneath were frozen cold.
Then, he slowly spoke again.
“Yet the Murim Alliance brought so many hunting dogs, even though they didn't come to the Iryeong Mountains to hunt.”
“There are none in this gorge.”
“But isn't it crystal clear that those waiting outside the mountains belong to the Murim Alliance?”
The strategist pressed on relentlessly.
“The Alliance Leader said we should proceed as agreed since this was for dialogue, so here we are. But if you're going to act like this, it's hard to trust you.”
His tone was close to a rebuke.
At those words, Zhuge Gong fell silent for a moment.
Unlike the Evil-Black Alliance's group of seven, the Murim Alliance had deployed additional forces.
It was certainly something they could legitimately take issue with.
“I apologize for that.”
Zhuge Gong bowed his head dryly and then lifted it, adding to his apology.
“The proposal was so radical compared to what we knew of the Evil-Black Alliance that I suspected some hidden agenda and overreacted a bit.”
The strategist's eyebrow twitched.
It sounded like an apology at first glance, but it implied that the Evil-Black Alliance had bowed first with their proposal, and not to forget their precarious position.
“Haha, I understand. Even the greatest experts would hesitate to enter a dangerous place with just seven people.”
This time, Zhuge Gong's eyes hardened.
The strategist was no pushover either.
Unlike the Murim Alliance, who brought extras out of suspicion, they had boldly entered despite being surrounded.
The two stared at each other in silence for a moment.
Every word was razor-sharp.
Neither showed any intention of yielding.
The core of the agreement was mostly settled, but no one knew what might change in the details during fine-tuning.
Thus, they probed for weaknesses, stirring things up to seize the initiative.
“Still, it doesn't change that the Murim Alliance broke the trust first.”
The strategist broke the silence first, persistently bringing up what Zhuge Gong had already apologized for.
Zhuge Gong closed his eyes and then opened them.
The reason the strategist harped on it so obsessively was obvious.
The moment they confirmed the Evil-Black Alliance Leader and escorts at In-sang Valley hadn't brought forces, he'd half-expected it.
“What do you want?”
Zhuge Gong asked lowly.
“Leave the unorthodox sects north of the Yangzi alone from now on.”
As if he'd been waiting, the strategist replied.
“……”
Zhuge Gong thought briefly and lowered his head.
He glanced at the Murim Alliance Leader, who watched arms crossed as the verbal feints flew under the guise of discussion.
He was handling the talks as strategist, but all final decisions rested with the Alliance Leader.
Soon, the Alliance Leader spoke.
“Granted.”
At the quiet reply, Zhuge Gong nodded and relayed it to the strategist.
“Agreed.”
“Refreshing. I like it.”
The strategist smiled, his lips twitching.
“Then, let's move to the next item. The Heavenly Assembly's involvement……”
The strategist's low voice recited the prepared terms, while Zhuge Gong rapidly turned his mind in response.
They negotiated intensely for a while.
Smooth—
Suddenly, the Evil-Black Alliance Leader's eyes shifted.
Toward Cheonhwi.
His transparent pupils captured the seated Cheonhwi, emitting a strange light.
And opposite him.
The Murim Alliance Leader watched the Alliance Leader staring at Cheonhwi and wore a faint smile.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ “……Unbelievable.”
A man with thick eyebrows muttered.
His massive build was like a mountain, befitting a merchant's frame, and even clad in thick yellow robes, his maximally developed muscles bulged prominently.
Monstrous Strength Al-yu (怪力猰貐).
Among the Seven Wonders, he was top in external arts, raw power, and bare-hand combat.
“Baekun yielding the first move.”
Al-yu made an odd face at Baekun's declaration to take initiative.
His mind couldn't keep up.
The Soul-Stealing Lord Baekun was naturally accepting half-respectful speech from such a young punk and stepping up first for a demonstration.
It was hard to believe even seeing it.
“He must acknowledge the kid.”
A pure white-haired, white-bearded elder replied to Al-yu as if answering.
He was entirely white.
Not just hair and beard, but the white turban on his head, the white robes draped over his shoulders, even white leather shoes.
Perhaps because of that.
His black pupils gazing at Baekun and Cheonhwi preparing for demonstration felt oddly out of place.
The elder, Baek-taek (白澤), narrowed his eyes.
Their demonstration seemed simple, but held myriad implications.
In demonstrations, higher-ranked usually yielded first move.
Yet Baekun did not.
The meaning was clear.
‘The Soul-Stealing Lord sees this young punk as at least an equal?’
It was shocking.
Who was Baekun?
The former top unorthodox master, once leader uniting the unorthodox under one banner.
And he acknowledged him as an equal.
A mere Daoist-looking youth barely past his twenties.
He was extraordinary in many ways.
Walking casually into a standoff between top Murim Alliance and Evil-Black Alliance experts, provoking, and drawing Baekun out for demonstration.
But reputation and reality differed.
Cheonhwi's aura felt advanced beyond his years, but not threatening or overwhelmingly intense.
‘Is there something I don't know?’
Baek-taek frowned in thought, his gaze darkening.
Slither—
A bizarre eye technique befitting his title Divination Ghost Eye (筮書鬼眼) emerged.
To probe Cheonhwi.
The moment his world-scanning gaze tried to capture Cheonhwi.
『Don't interfere with the fun.』
A thunderous transmission slammed his mind, jolting his soul.
The Soul-Stealing Lord Baekun's voice.
Then he turned, glaring at Baek-taek.
“……!”
Baek-taek gasped.
Meeting those colorless eyes sent chills down his spine.
Soul-Stealing (奪魂), the eyes that seize souls.
Baek-taek hastily withdrew his technique and nodded faintly.
Only then did Baekun look away.
‘……Such a vehement reaction.’
Baek-taek furrowed his brow.
Baekun usually cared little for worldly affairs.
In the decades he'd observed, such intense reactions happened only twice.
When facing the Eight Armored Divine Demon, Evil Emperor (邪皇), who unified and ruled the unorthodox.
When facing the Evil-Black Alliance Leader.
And now, the third time.
‘Is the Plum Blossom Divine Knight that formidable?’
Baek-taek's thoughts sank.
Until moments ago, he'd seen him as a naive, brash youth a bit strong for his age.
But he had to revise that.
‘I'd heard he felled Nangjil and the Immortal Heaven Cult Leader, but I thought it exaggerated……’
As Baek-taek narrowed his brow.
Smooth—
Baekun extended his index finger straight, drawing a line upward on the dirt.
Like drawing a wave.
But the elegant energy infusing the line made it sharp.
“Flesh-Shattering Palm (破肉身掌).”
With the words, his hand twisted.
His suddenly opened palm kicked up dust, surging in one breath.
“This kind of palm art.”
Cheonhwi nodded immediately.
He'd grasped it at once.
“Hmm, infusing wave erosion into heavy hand techniques to shake the internals first.”
Baekun's eyes widened as he asked.
“You know Flesh-Shattering Palm?”
“No.”
“Then how?”
“I just saw you do it.”
“……”
Baekun's face went blank momentarily.
He'd analyzed it from one simple demonstration.
“Puhaha! Enviable. Piercing the essence of Flesh-Shattering Palm from one glance.”
As Baekun laughed heartily.
“My turn now, right?”
Cheonhwi ignored the laughter, extending his index finger and moving it naturally.
Baekun stopped laughing, puzzled.
“Not dodging?”
“Why dodge? Like this.”
With that, Cheonhwi's finger swept left to right, leaving a long trace.
A seemingly ordinary line.
But Baekun's eyes bulged wide.
That line completely severed the Flesh-Shattering Palm's flow.
A perfect counter.
“……You grasped even the counter from one look?”
“This level of martial art is easy.”
After hearing the answer, Baekun stared in shock briefly, then his lips twisted.
“Then counter this one too.”
Baekun moved his hand right away.
His faintly moving hand left afterimages, clumping the air.
Like a mirage.
Following his gestures, the air became the palm art's domain.
“This is……”
As Baekun was about to speak.
“Setting Sun Divine Palm (殘陽神掌)?”
Cheonhwi named it first.
Interest flickered in Baekun's eyes.
“Impressive. You know this one.”
“I've seen the manual.”
Cheonhwi moved his hand with the words.
Like a butterfly's wings fluttering, leaving faint afterimages, creating the same domain.
“This, right?”
Baekun's mouth split to his ears at Cheonhwi's words.
“You know the counter too?”
“Counter? Simple.”
Cheonhwi snapped his still-floating hand.
His wide-open palm crushed Baekun's forming Setting Sun Divine Palm domain in one go, smashing it.
“Heavy force?”
“Easiest to smash with power.”
“Arrogant. But that's why I like this counter even more.”
Satisfied with the counter, Baekun nodded as he murmured softly.
“Good. Next, this one.”
With that, he unleashed new palm arts and techniques in succession.
Before long, the demonstration had morphed.
Baekun showed known arts; Cheonhwi replicated or countered if familiar. This continued.
Both were satisfied.
Baekun gained new insights from counters to his arts; Cheonhwi learned new ones.
As their not-quite-demonstration continued.
“What the hell is that guy thinking……”
Yongju-gae covered his eyes with his hands.
He'd thought he knew him somewhat now, but impossible to predict.
‘What happened for Mount Hua Sect to produce such a freak.’
Meanwhile, the Jongnam Sword Saint silently watched Cheonhwi.
Observing Cheonhwi's intrigued eyes, a memory flashed, and he nodded.
A past demonstration duel with Cheonhwi.
‘More warrior than Daoist.’
The Jongnam Sword Saint closed his eyes gently.
He'd felt it then too.
Cheonhwi's passion for martial arts exceeded all else.
Bound to it, almost.
The current scene exemplified it.
In this tense standoff, who else would eagerly challenge the enemy camp's top expert to demonstrate arts?
Probably no one but Cheonhwi.
‘Heaven-granted genius and zeal for martial arts achieved this realm young.’
As the Jongnam Sword Saint admired endlessly.
“I can't understand.”
Yongcheon-gak frowned as he spoke.
“How can he demonstrate arts with Evil-Black Alliance experts in this situation?”
His voice was cold.
His thinking was correct, really.
This wasn't a friendly gathering.
An armistice negotiation.
They were here to guard the Murim Alliance Leader.
Demonstrating with yesterday's enemies from the Evil-Black Alliance?
“Better than keeping blades sharp, no?”
Cheonmu-gong soothed from beside. She found Cheonhwi's actions odd too but tried to see positively.
“Constant tension isn't good for either side.”
“Even so, demonstrating with unorthodox like that is incomprehensible.”
A mild argument ensued.
Cheonhwi's actions bewildered onlookers that much.
As the Alliance escorts debated Cheonhwi's behavior.
“Tch, demonstration ends here?”
Baekun stood regretfully, clicking his tongue.
“Already leaving?”
Cheonhwi grabbed at the rising Baekun.
“You haven't shown your real arts yet.”
His gaze went to Baekun's hand.
His exceptionally developed thumb, index, and Hegu acupoint showed he wielded weapons, not bare-hand.
“Next time.”
Baekun smirked, adding.
“Not some demonstration, but on the battlefield.”
With that, he turned as if truly done.
‘Battlefield, huh.’
Cheonhwi grinned.
One meaning.
Whenever it comes.
As Cheonhwi nodded watching Baekun depart.
Sss—
Suddenly, the air rippled faintly.
An eerie omen.
But Cheonhwi's lips curved slyly.
‘Yes, a true warrior comes.’
Plan working, Cheonhwi smiled.
Gathered here were rare peak experts; meeting together was precious.
How could he pass it up?
Thus, he provoked deliberately for demonstrations.
Just once needed.
One demonstration, and martial enthusiasts wouldn't pass; they'd join.
And it hit perfectly.
Whoosh—
Aura rippled in the air.
Hidden behind Alliance Leader and Baekun, yet intensely piercing the skin, serenely powerful.
Cheonhwi looked up.
The rippling air split in half, a shadow looming grandly over his head.
Soon.
A tall woman clutching a pitch-black scabbard to her chest appeared, her elegant pink robes fluttering.
Golden hair reflecting sunlight dazzlingly, blue eyes sparkling.
Distinctive Color-Eyed features.
She landed slowly on the ground.
As her robes settled, waves of inner power rippled gently from her pointed toes outward.
Free Sword Fairy Tae-se (逍遙劍姬 太歲).
The most mysterious of the Seven Wonders appeared, exuding tranquility.
Standing straight before Cheonhwi, she gently lifted his chin, looking down.
Swish—
Soft golden threads of hair settled calmly, her blue eyes gleaming ethereally between.
A profound gaze.
With an expressionless face, not a twitch of her brows, she stared at Cheonhwi.
Soon, her blood-red lips, tightly shut since appearing, parted, and a clear voice flowed out.
“Your next demonstration opponent is me.”