Chapter 190
Chapter 190
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 190
Chapter Title: The Finals Clash
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Amid the splendid sounds of drums and trumpets, Namgung Hyuk and Hyeonwon faced each other in the center of the sparring arena.
Hyeonwon's eyes fixed on Namgung Hyuk.
Twisted lips, rolled-up sleeves, a slouched posture, and a rough aura.
Nothing about him suggested he was a scion of a prestigious clan.
But that was merely his appearance.
‘...Calling him a beast doesn't do him justice.’
The moment he faced that seemingly indolent figure, a chill ran down Hyeonwon's spine, and the hairs on his body stood on end.
An overwhelming presence stronger than anyone he'd met in the tournament.
Even Namgung Ryong or one of the Four Divine Saints, the Shaolin Divine Saint, hadn't given him this shock.
Standing before Namgung Hyuk made his skin prickle.
It felt like his body was sinking into mud.
‘The more I look, the more astonishing he is.’
Namgung Hyuk's monstrous aura naturally heightened his tension.
Hyeonwon steadied his breathing and spoke softly toward Namgung Hyuk.
"I'd like to learn a move from you."
"I'll teach you two."
Namgung Hyuk grinned. Hyeonwon wasn't offended.
He simply nodded calmly.
"I am Hyeonwon, second senior disciple of the Pure Clarity Sect. I won't go easy."
"I'm Namgung Hyuk."
Even Namgung Hyuk's sullen expression didn't change Hyeonwon's reaction.
If anything, it made him even more alert.
The celebratory performances prepared by the Righteous Heaven Alliance faded from his sight.
All his senses focused on Namgung Hyuk.
‘If I slack off even a little, I'll lose.’
Hyeonwon steeled his face and circulated his inner energy.
The Pure Clarity Sect's Heaven and Earth Unity Qi Technique drew in the qi of heaven and earth through every pore.
Whoooosh.
A small vortex formed around him.
Namgung Hyuk's eyes flickered with interest at Hyeonwon's aura, which had turned as serene as the night sky.
Hyeonwon continued operating the Heaven and Earth Unity Qi Technique without faltering.
His surroundings gradually quieted, and Namgung Hyuk filled his vision.
Before long, the performances ended, and tension built.
"Final match! Between Namgung Clan's second young master Namgung Hyuk and Pure Clarity Sect's second senior disciple Hyeonwon—the finals begin!"
The announcer's booming voice rang out, and Hyeonwon charged at Namgung Hyuk without hesitation.
It was the Pure Clarity Sect's fastest movement technique, Flying Stream Step.
He crossed thirty feet as if flying through the sky.
Gasps erupted from all directions.
A motion as swift and nimble as a hawk soaring through the heavens.
A speed too fast to follow with the eyes.
A movement technique that surpassed human perception!
"Huh!"
"What?"
By the time the spectators gaped in awe, Hyeonwon's sword was already descending toward Namgung Hyuk's head.
Fwoooosh!
A fierce strike piercing through pale blue clouds!
Hyeonwon unleashed his full power.
Sword qi shimmered like heat haze on his blade.
It was one of the Pure Clarity Sect's secret techniques, the Seventy-Two Wave Sword.
The undulating sword force assaulted Namgung Hyuk like crashing waves.
Waves of sword qi instantly engulfed the arena.
Hyeonwon gritted his teeth.
‘Seize the initiative!’
From the start, he threw everything into the fight.
By deploying the Seventy-Two Wave Sword instead of the expected Azure Clouds Press Down Sword, he aimed to exploit Namgung Hyuk's preparations.
Namgung Hyuk seemed momentarily unable to keep up with the erratic, flashy movements.
But Hyeonwon didn't let his guard down.
He was certain Namgung Hyuk wouldn't fall to this.
Hyeonwon poured in more energy without pause.
The sword qi sharpened, and the waves grew fiercer.
He fought desperately, as if this strike was his last chance.
Clang! Tap-tap-tap-tap!
Sword shadows wove brilliantly through the air.
Each clash sent sword qi fragments flying everywhere.
Creeeang! Pababak!
Strength entered Hyeonwon's eyes.
‘It’s working! It’s landing!’
His sword was reaching the ironclad Namgung Hyuk.
The feint of shaking him with the Seventy-Two Wave Sword instead of Azure Clouds Press Down Sword seemed effective.
‘Press the attack!’
The Seventy-Two Wave Sword gained power with each successive stance.
Layered sword qi built into waves, weak at first but swelling into a tsunami that cornered the opponent.
Once the initiative was seized, the victim was trapped in the relentless tidal wave of sword qi!
Joy lit Hyeonwon's face at the thought that his gamble had paid off.
‘More!’
But he quickly regained composure and heightened his focus.
His opponent allowed no carelessness.
He circulated the Heaven and Earth Unity Qi Technique further and unleashed the Seventy-Two Wave Sword even more ferociously.
Soon, sword light and tidal waves of sword qi swallowed Namgung Hyuk's form.
The elders in the VIP seats gasped at the waves of sword qi flooding the arena.
"Seventy-Two Wave Sword!"
"Unbelievable!"
"That kid has reached this level!"
"The sword qi is forming waves!"
Sword light blanketed the arena, churning sword qi surging like a massive tsunami toward Namgung Hyuk.
The dizzying yet beautiful sight drew admiration from all.
Baek Jong unconsciously clenched his fist.
"He was hiding a technique like that!"
Hyeonwon's sword qi flowed like waves, building into swells.
It layered upon itself, forming seventy-two waves that became a tsunami pushing Namgung Hyuk back.
The Seventy-Two Wave Sword embodied the Dao's unique softness, speed, and profundity.
And variability.
That variability was dazzling, impossible to track with the eyes.
Sword light flashed from all directions.
It was as if a halo enveloped Hyeonwon and Namgung Hyuk.
‘This is a real fight!’
Baek Jong understood why Azure Cloud had appeared so enlightened.
At this level, the Seventy-Two Wave Sword rivaled any second senior disciple active in the martial world.
Not just surpassing late-stage learners—this was skill worthy of acclaim as a master anywhere!
The sword's depth was no trifling matter.
And now, Namgung Hyuk appeared cornered for the first time!
‘Whoa! Will the Nine Schools' prestige be upheld by Pure Clarity this time?’
Joy lit the faces of Baek Jong and the Nine Schools elders.
And it was right then.
From amid the Seventy-Two Wave Sword's tsunami devouring Namgung Hyuk, a single bolt of lightning shot upward.
Crackle-crackle-crack!
Rumble!
With the surging thunderbolt, the sword qi of Hyeonwon's Seventy-Two Wave Sword tore apart into thirteen strands.
"......!"
"......!"
The excited VIP seats turned icy cold, as if doused with ice water.
As the white dust settled, Namgung Hyuk appeared, grinning.
"Is that all?"
Sword lowered, he laughed, the blue gleam in his eyes fading away.
Cold sweat trickled down Hyeonwon's forehead.
‘...He's different. Completely.’
The Seventy-Two Wave Sword had been perfectly dismantled.
Any ordinary warrior would have yielded the advantage and knelt.
But Namgung Hyuk was different.
He seemed to exist in another realm.
No, it felt like he was looking at something else entirely.
There was something beyond the gap in martial prowess.
His gaze flicked to the sword in Hyeonwon's hand.
Acrid smoke rose from the blade that had blocked the Lightning Flash Thirteen Thunders.
His faintly trembling hand spoke to the strike's power.
Hyeonwon steadied his qi with the Heaven and Earth Unity Qi Technique.
He looked at Namgung Hyuk with a slightly daunted expression.
Namgung Hyuk stared back with the same unchanged face.
"I still have one move left."
"Think that'll work?"
"Whether it does or not isn't the point. What matters is whether I can show my full ability against you."
A strange light flickered in Namgung Hyuk's eyes.
"You're different from those flashy-talking types."
For a crumbling Pure Clarity Sect to produce a sword prodigy like this, time really had passed.
Namgung Hyuk eyed the puzzled yet intrigued Hyeonwon.
"If you have any moves left, show them all. Don't whine about regrets later."
Hyeonwon straightened his sword and chuckled softly.
An odd familiarity arose from Namgung Hyuk's arrogant, nerve-wracking speech.
‘Where have I seen this before?’
Like a cousin striking up conversation?
A subtle smile crossed Hyeonwon's face.
"I don't think half-hearted moves will work on Young Master Namgung Hyuk."
Hyeonwon gazed at him with a newly serious expression.
The arena's tension returned, making the crowd swallow dryly without realizing.
Just as the blocked stream seemed ready to burst the dam.
Hyeonwon, gathering his Heaven and Earth Unity Qi Technique, shot toward Namgung Hyuk.
At the same time, waves of sword light churned around him.
Crashing sword force.
The moment it sought to swallow Namgung Hyuk.
The aura of Namgung Hyuk, standing silently in place, transformed.
"Hmm!"
Hyeonwon's eyes widened.
Blue light gleamed in Namgung Hyuk's eyes.
Thunderbolts danced along his sword.
Crackle-crackle!
The churning lightning rode the incoming sword light.
Like a python coiling up a tree, the sword qi of the Soaring Heaven Bright King Art moved.
Flash!
Suddenly, thirteen streaks of light plunged before his eyes.
The flashes surged from below, ripping through the oncoming tsunami and rising.
"Hup!"
Hyeonwon drew a sharp breath.
Boom! Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!
A bone-shaking pressure shredded the waves he'd painstakingly formed.
Thirteen bolts of lightning crashed in as if awaiting this moment.
Puk!
Hyeonwon twisted his body with Flying Stream Step but couldn't evade perfectly.
Dizzying shock bored into his bones, distorting his face.
‘I’ll win this fight!’
This wasn't mere sparring.
He wanted to win.
He wanted to surpass this colossal mountain of a man, Namgung Hyuk.
Enduring pain that felt like it would shatter his bones, Hyeonwon twisted his sword.
Shiiiing!
The Seventy-Two Wave Sword transformed in an instant into the Azure Clouds Press Down Sword. Sword qi unraveled from his blade like thread, forming clouds.
Pabababak!
Blue clouds devoured the pouring thunderbolts.
"Haap!"
Hyeonwon shouted.
His recoiling body shot forward like a released arrow.
His speed was at least twice what it had been on retreat.
A movement technique rivaling Ghostly Divine Leg.
Namgung Hyuk's sword traced a circle.
Shwaaaak!
A bizarre suction emanated from his blade, smoothly deflecting Hyeonwon's thrust.
But Hyeonwon's assault didn't end there. Crimson sunset hues poured from his sword tip, blanketing the arena.
As the sunset faded and blue clouds gathered like mist in that majestic flow, Namgung Hyuk thrust his sword.
A simple yet swift strike.
It pierced the sunset-like sword qi as if poking wet paper.
Puk!
"Keuk!"
Hyeonwon grunted. Struck in the shoulder, he fired a palm strike at Namgung Hyuk to buy time.
Yet he didn't retreat, unfolding the Azure Clouds Press Down Sword.
Perfect form, perfect Azure Clouds Press Down Sword.
Its power was incomparable to before.
Like a mighty river flowing relentlessly, like raging waves of the Yangtze, it pushed at Namgung Hyuk.
More cautious than with the Seventy-Two Wave Sword, he poured his soul into each strike.
But soul-infused attacks were repeatedly blocked by Namgung Hyuk's sword.
Intense thunder flashed freely like wind, sometimes quiet and subtle.
Dozens of stances, several sword arts.
They flowed into one sword.
A natural, immense current.
Astonishment rose in Hyeonwon's eyes.
He realized.
‘This is the Namgung Clan's sword!’
Yes, now he understood.
He was demonstrating the Namgung Clan's sword.
What it was, what it pursued!
Its realm!
He vaguely sensed it.
He was conversing through the sword.
Beyond overwhelming force and realm, he was sparring.
Something grand stirred in Hyeonwon's chest.
Something hot.
A sensation transcending victory awakened.
It was then.
Creeeang!
Pushing aside the Seventy-Two Wave Sword and Azure Clouds Press Down Sword, Namgung Hyuk created distance.
Hyeonwon staggered but righted his sword.
A smile touched his lips.
Namgung Hyuk smirked.
"Keep going and you'll get hurt."
"Isn't that part of being a martial artist?"
"Oh, you want more?"
"There's still much to learn—how could I not? When will I get another chance like this?"
A broad grin spread across Namgung Hyuk's face.
"I like you."
That look in his eyes. That aura.
It reminded him of the Sword King in his youth. Above all, he admired his attitude toward the fight.
Namgung Hyuk's smile deepened.
"I'll give you a gift."
He murmured quietly.
"Try taking it."
At the same moment, azure flames ignited at his sword tip.