Chapter 169
Chapter 169
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 169
Chapter Title: Crushing the Wudang Prodigy
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Paeng Junghyeok's face went blank as his eyes met Namgung Hyeok's.
One of the top later-generation talents in the martial world, Wudang's Divine Star Cheongin, lay sprawled on the ground.
He had thought Namgung Hyeok wouldn't go down easily.
No, for some reason, he'd even felt like Namgung Hyeok might win.
But he never imagined that victory would come in just one exchange...
'No, this is like getting cracked on the head and that's it!'
The martial world's top later-generation talent, Wudang's Divine Star, said to surpass even the second-generation disciples of the Nine Great Sects...
He was writhing on the floor with a massive lump on his head from a single wooden sword strike!
Paeng Junghyeok swallowed hard.
"...Insane."
He gasped in disbelief at the scene before his eyes.
If he, who knew Namgung Hyeok's skills, was reacting like this, what about everyone else?
Hwangbo Chong plopped down onto the ground, and Moyong Su dropped the sword he'd been holding while loosening up.
Normally, if a fist fighter's legs gave out, you'd smack him on the head to get him up, and if a swordsman dropped his sword, you'd slap his face and tell him to pick it up.
But right now, no one was talking about that.
No, they couldn't.
All their nerves were focused on the result of the spar just moments ago.
Silence fell over the arena like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on it.
The rowdy spectator stands were engulfed in an atmosphere beyond silence, almost suffocating.
Even with thirty thousand people gathered, it was a perfect hush where not even breathing could be heard properly.
How much time passed like that?
One by one, the spectators came to their senses and began murmuring.
"...W-what just happened?"
"Who the hell is that guy?"
"N-Namgung... Namgung took down the Wudang Divine Star."
"What in the world... Good lord."
The confused gazes of the spectators converged on Namgung Hyeok.
As the crowd's unrest grew, a bewildered voice erupted from the Righteous Heaven Alliance's VIP seats.
"Cheongin!"
Elder Heo Won, who had been sitting calmly, shot up from his seat like a coiled spring, eyes bulging.
Crack!
In his agitation, Wudang's faceguard crushed the armrest without him realizing.
His bloodshot eyes trembled with spasms.
"Th-this..."
It felt like decades of cultivation were crumbling in an instant.
Shock so great it seemed his gallbladder would burst and his heart shrivel up.
'Cheongin, beaten by that unheard-of bastard...!'
Impossible. Utterly impossible.
Cheongin's martial arts had already reached the level of first-generation disciples, even the Seven Star Sword Squadron!
Wudang's greatest prodigy, the sect's top sword, predicted to surpass the world's best sword and become the world's greatest martial artist...
How could he fall in a single exchange to some punk not even in his twenties!
The other Nine Great Sect elders also leaped to their feet.
Bewilderment, disbelief, shock, and confusion intertwined in their gazes, tangling in the air.
The elders swallowed dryly.
'Does that even make sense? No, what the hell...'
'He... he must've let his guard down. We know the Wudang Divine Star's skill!'
'...R-right! Guard down was the biggest factor. Normally, he'd have dodged it!'
Coincidence and carelessness must have combined to create this miracle.
Namgung Hyeok's expression was so nonchalant that even they had been completely fooled.
Otherwise, how could this have happened?
Elder Heo Won muttered while staring at the fallen Cheongin.
"Get up! Get up!"
If it ended like this, the disgrace would be unbearable.
The greater the fame, the greater the stain when tarnished.
If the top contender Cheongin crumbled here, his sect would be humiliated, its prestige shaken.
Lost reputation doesn't return easily.
Meanwhile, the opponent would devour the fame of Wudang and Cheongin, growing even bigger.
Elder Heo Won could never tolerate Cheongin, who should be the star of this tournament, reduced to mere prey.
Cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
He couldn't let it end like this.
Absolutely not!
Grinding his teeth, he glared at Namgung Hyeok.
'That bastard...'
Seeing Namgung Hyeok casually slinging the wooden sword over his shoulder like it was nothing made his blood boil.
Even the Namgung clan members showed no surprise.
They were nodding as if they'd expected exactly this.
Elder Heo Won's shoulders trembled faintly.
Humiliating.
He wanted to unleash the Cloud-Soaring Palm and storm the arena to snap Namgung Hyeok's neck right then.
If there were no eyes on him, he would have done it a hundred times over.
As he glared daggers at Namgung Hyeok,
The seemingly lifeless Cheongin twitched.
Then, he staggered to his feet.
"Urgh!"
Elder Heo Won and the Nine Great Sect elders, along with the spectators, let out cries.
"Y-yes!"
"He's up! He's up!"
"Ahh!"
Namgung Hyeok tapped his shoulder with the wooden sword and smirked.
"Hey, why get up? Just stay down instead of taking another hit."
Cheongin glared at Namgung Hyeok with clouded eyes.
He bit his lower lip until it bled.
"...You tricked me!"
"Huh?"
Tricked?
How?
Namgung Hyeok's eyes widened round, then he tilted his head at the wooden sword.
"Did I hit too hard? No, should I have hit harder? Yeah, I should've knocked him out cold so he couldn't spout crap like that."
"There won't be a second time. Don't hope for more luck."
Damn, guess I didn't put enough power into it.
He can still talk, after all.
A proper hit like that should've kept him down for three or four days, drooling and shitting himself uncontrollably.
Namgung Hyeok shook his head.
Cheongin gripped his wooden sword tightly, swaying.
"You got lucky just now. So... you won't walk out of here on your own two feet today."
Namgung Hyeok blinked.
'Whoa, what's this?'
Where'd I see this before?
Where...?
Ah...
'Namgung Jeong?'
That guy had bluffed like this while half-dead too.
And got beaten to a pulp.
Exactly the same.
The moment Namgung Hyeok let out a hollow chuckle,
Cheongin circulated his Taiji Divine Art. Energy flowed from his sword, enveloping the surroundings like a gentle breeze, cradling him softly.
Two streams of qi extended from his sword tip, intertwining in a strange circle.
"Taiji Insight Sword!"
Someone's exclamation burst out.
The Taiji Insight Sword, symbol of Wudang, manifested its distinctive sword qi clearly.
The energy flowing from Cheongin's sword and enveloping everything was distinctly different from ordinary sword qi.
Two circles interlocked endlessly, the taiji-patterned sword qi rotating mysteriously.
Cheongin's half-drawn sword traced graceful curves, quietly scattering sword light.
The martial world's greatest defensive sword art, the pinnacle of swordsmanship.
Elder Heo Won marveled.
The Taiji Insight Sword was formless swordsmanship, a sword of enlightenment, the ultimate realm of infusing intent into qi.
A supreme state branching into thousands, tens of thousands of variations, all converging as one.
Only by fully comprehending the principle of taiji could one even imitate its sword path—the ultimate sword art.
It wasn't called the sword that seeks wisdom for nothing.
Any sect disciple could learn it, but not anyone could master it.
At just twenty-seven, Cheongin had forged his own sword path with the Taiji Insight Sword.
It was still clumsy, but it was his own.
This showed why he was Wudang's top prodigy, a man to contend for the world's greatest sword and martial artist.
'Yes! Show them! Reveal your realm, your perspective on this place! Prove to all why you stand above the rest!'
Elder Heo Won clenched his fist in excitement without realizing.
Even the Nine Great Sect elders watching beside him were entranced by the Taiji Insight Sword's path, lost in a daze.
Cheongin, drawing his sword path, entered a trance as he gazed at Namgung Hyeok.
He believed trapping and subduing his opponent with the Taiji Insight Sword's path would end it.
Everyone thought so.
With Cheongin serious now, all that remained was for Namgung Hyeok to get thrashed.
But.
Thrust!
Namgung Hyeok's hand shot straight through the Taiji Insight Sword's path.
As Cheongin's eyes bulged in shock,
Crack!
"What's with the amateur hour?"
"Aaack!"
Namgung Hyeok grabbed Cheongin by the hair and shook him.
The Taiji Insight Sword's path wavered, and so did Cheongin's head.
"Stay still, punk."
Namgung Hyeok's wooden sword began pummeling Cheongin.
Whack!
Once, heavily.
"Guurgh!"
Hit in the shoulder, Cheongin screamed and dropped his sword.
Whack-whack-whack-whack!
Again, powerfully, then a flurry of light strikes!
"Guh-guh-guh! Kk!"
Namgung Hyeok's wooden sword danced through the air.
He cackled as he battered Cheongin's body.
"You punk! You punk! Here! Here!"
"Guh!"
Cheongin couldn't collect his thoughts.
The pain drilling into his bones—eventually, even screams stayed lodged in his throat.
A stab to the gut twisted his intestines, a shoulder hit felt like dislocated bones, a head blow made his brain rattle.
'Guh... guh! What... what the hell?!'
Beaten like a dog in the summer heat, Cheongin couldn't comprehend.
He tried to block, but couldn't.
The Taiji Insight Sword's path was meant to deflect, redirect, and neutralize attacks.
Clumsy-looking, but connected by sticky sword qi... in theory, utterly impenetrable...
So why was Namgung Hyeok's wooden sword plunging in without resistance!
Whack! Whack!
Namgung Hyeok drove Cheongin to the corner of the arena.
Crack! Crunch!
Namgung Hyeok's eyes widened.
"Huh? The wooden sword broke just like before?"
But something was different this time.
'I've gotten stronger!'
Two acupoints unsealed now.
No more agony of joints popping with every hit like last time.
And one more thing: his opponent was a tough later-generation talent with resilient flesh!
Namgung Hyeok raised his fist.
Cheongin's eyes flew wide.
"Means I can beat him however I want!"
Boom!
Grabbing Cheongin by the hair, Namgung Hyeok unleashed savage punches.
Pow-pow-pow-pow-pow-pow!
The sudden turn of events left the entire Righteous Heaven Alliance speechless, mouths agape.
Everyone froze.
Thoughts halted as they stared at the carnage Namgung Hyeok wrought.
"Graaah! Sp-spare... guwaaah!"
Wudang's Divine Star Cheongin, grabbed by the hair and beaten like a dog—everyone watching was dumbfounded.
Only the Namgung clansmen watched with sparkling eyes, then let out quiet sighs.
Wham!
Namgung Hyeok's punch sent Cheongin spraying nosebleeds as he soared through the air.
From the VIP seats, Elder Heo Won watched in horrified eyes.
Cheongin arced slowly, ever so slowly, in a parabola.
And Namgung Hyeok moved toward the falling Cheongin.
Elder Heo Won veined his neck.
"Stop! Stop the spar right now!"
A colossal Dragon Roar echoed, shaking the Righteous Heaven Hall.
Namgung Hyeok paused mid-step and scratched his ear.
"Damn, that old man's got pipes."
Wait, this feels familiar too?
Namgung Hyeok glanced at Elder Heo Won.
Elder Heo Won bellowed with bloodshot eyes.
"You bastard! Is that how a righteous sect warrior acts? How dare you use such brutal force!"
The Nine Sect elders' eyes gleamed.
Indeed.
The brutality was excessive.
Wudang's Divine Star's defeat was a massive shock, but restoring the Nine Sects' fallen prestige was even more crucial.
Baek Jong, who bore a grudge against the Namgung clan, spoke first.
"How dare you use such vicious hands! Who said to spar until he's in that state!"
"Infinite Mercy Buddha! Help! Excessive force can mean disqualification! Didn't you hear that at the start!"
"Apologize at once!"
Any commoner would have pissed themselves.
Even seasoned warriors felt their hearts sink as the Righteous Heaven Alliance elders, pillars of the Nine Great Sects, roared with bulging veins.
It felt like an apology was the only way out.
Namgung Hyeok smirked.
"Excuse me."
"What?! 'Excuse me'? You little shit!"
"You didn't stop it."
"...What?"
Namgung Hyeok eyed the judge in the arena center with bored eyes.
The dazed judge flinched and shrank back.
"The judge didn't call it off?"
Ah...
Right...
The shouting elders gaped, then slunk back to their seats.
Elder Heo Won, rolling his eyes, hurriedly shouted.
"You! Judges! Get Cheongin to the medical hall now! Hurry!"
Everyone swallowed hard.
Namgung Hyeok chuckled softly as he lightly stepped down from the arena.
The crowd's gazes followed his back.
A storm was brewing in the Righteous Heaven Alliance.