Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: No Pushover (1)
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'To the point where even the Thousand-Li Flying Swallow elder acknowledges him?'
That meant he possessed power worth recognizing.
The pavilion master decided to keep an eye on Dang Yu-wol.
"I'd like to stay here as a base for a few days."
"Mm. Mm. Do as you like. We have plenty of rooms."
It was exactly what he had hoped for.
"Don't worry about meals or anything like that."
"Thank you."
"If you need anything, just tell our disciples anytime."
"Yes. Understood."
After that, light conversation continued for a bit.
Most of it was just responses from Gu Hwan-gae and Dang Yu-wol.
But the pavilion master was more than satisfied.
"It looks like you've finished your tea... Shall I show you to your rooms now?"
He called out loudly toward the outside.
"Disciples! Guide the guests to their rooms!"
The waiting disciples came out and led them to their quarters.
They were given an entire luxurious building.
"Shouldn't the best room go to a noble guest?"
"Of course, elder. The finest deserves the finest."
"Heh heh. You know how to pick your words."
Satisfied with the response that hit just right, Hwang-no nodded approvingly.
The more she saw of him, the more she liked him.
Bi-seon, who had been listening to their exchange, stepped forward with a smile.
"By the way, Poison Dragon. I'm curious just how skilled you are."
"Not to any impressive level."
"How about a spar with our Hwang-no?"
A duel with a Fusion Realm expert.
It might be a chance to climb even higher.
Dang Yu-wol gazed steadily at Hwang-no, then smiled.
"The elder might get hurt."
"Pfft!!"
She must have clearly seen the steel ring he used back at the inn.
No fool would underestimate how formidable a Fusion Realm expert was.
Yet he said something like that.
'Is this the arrogance of youth?'
She too had been fearless and cocky when she was young, oblivious to the heights of heaven.
That was why Dang Yu-wol appealed to her even more.
"Come on, try and hurt me."
Stepping forward with a laugh, she spoke leisurely, her words laced with goodwill.
"But even so, a casual spar with a Fusion Realm expert feels off, doesn't it?"
She responded to his provocation with calm composure.
Especially in front of such esteemed guests.
She intended to display the bearing of a true master.
"I'll use only thirty percent of my internal energy."
And that wasn't all.
"I'll also refrain from using my right arm and left leg."
Normally, that would suffice.
But since she liked him, she'd show a bit more consideration, she thought.
"Anything else you need?"
"Is that so? Then I'll use poison."
"Huh?"
At the mention of poison, Hwang-no flinched slightly.
Even masters had to be cautious of poison and hidden weapons.
'Well, at my level, regulating my energy is as natural as breathing, so it should be fine.'
Moreover, she could envelop her body in qi.
That alone would easily block most poisons and projectiles.
'But...'
Hwang-no eyed Dang Yu-wol intently.
His nonchalance bothered her.
'This kid isn't the type to just use ordinary poison...'
Without knowing how he'd deploy it, she couldn't let her guard down.
She was about to refuse.
"Hwang-no. Too much for you?"
"As if!!"
Bi-seon asked with a grin, and Hwang-no's pride flared.
'Fine. Now that I know he's using poison, I can just be careful.'
As she strode forward confidently, Dang Yu-wol smiled faintly.
'A great opportunity. Before regression, I never got to properly test poison arts against a Fusion Realm expert.'
He had fought Fusion Realm foes before regression.
But that was using Blood Cult techniques.
This was the perfect chance to test the limits of the Tang clan's power.
-Then let's use this one.
'What is it?'
-Bone-Disrupting Muscle-Rending Powder. It's short-acting but inflicts excruciating pain like bone disruption and muscle tearing.
'Was there such a poison?'
-It consumes a fair bit of internal energy, though. All right?
'Can't drag this out anyway.'
His opponent was a Fusion Realm expert.
He had to exploit carelessness and find openings.
Which meant he absolutely could not let the duel drag on.
-Ready.
Ye-ui immediately concocted the poison.
Dang Yu-wol felt nearly a quarter of his dantian's energy vanish in an instant.
'Not very efficient.'
This much could produce dozens of pouches of paralyzing poison.
Dang Yu-wol coated the darts hidden in his sleeve with the poison.
"Dang Yu-wol of the Sacheon Tang Clan. My arts are the Three Yang Return to Origin Art, Three Yang Divine Hands, Thunderbolt Divine Method, and Soul-Chasing Phantom Dart."
"Hwang-no here. Mm. My art is the Phantom Shadow Divine Art."
At the mention of Phantom Shadow Divine Art, Hwan-gyu and Gu Hwan-gae startled.
It was inevitable.
"The Phantom Shadow Divine Art of Phantom Shadow, thought lost to history?!"
"My word. This broadens our horizons. Disciples, watch this duel closely."
Hwan-gyu warned his disciples.
It was because the Phantom Shadow Divine Art was that extraordinary.
"What's the Phantom Shadow Divine Art?"
"Phantom Shadow? First time hearing that name."
"A mysterious master of legend. He appeared in the martial world only four times."
Gu Hwan-gae explained carefully.
"Four times?"
"Yes. And with just those four, he became known as the closest to being the world's greatest."
The previous Black Alliance Leader.
The North Sea Ice Palace Lord.
The Shaolin Abbot.
And even the Demonic Cult's Vice Leader.
Phantom Shadow had fought them all.
"Whoa!! How'd it go?"
They were all renowned figures just by name.
"Phantom Shadow won all four bouts."
The two marveled.
"Countless sought to become his disciple."
But Phantom Shadow never affiliated with any sect.
He simply vanished quietly after each victory.
And now, one who wielded his Phantom Shadow Divine Art had appeared.
"What relation does Lady Hwang-no have to Phantom Shadow...?"
Gu Hwan-gae glanced at Bi-seon.
He merely smiled, saying nothing.
'Heh. Phantom Shadow Divine Art, huh.'
Dang Yu-wol was surprised too.
The Blood Cult had never analyzed the Phantom Shadow Divine Art.
It never appeared even once before his regression.
'When the Blood Cult stirred, the Three Kings of the Night surely led royal troops to stop them.'
-Yet no word spread of a Phantom Shadow Divine Art user.
'Meaning Hwang-no either died in that time or had some reason preventing action.'
Dang Yu-wol gazed at Hwang-no steadily, then lightly moved his hand.
Either way, it didn't matter.
This was a prime chance to witness an excellent art.
"I'll yield three moves."
She extended her hand slowly, speaking leisurely.
Dang Yu-wol circulated his internal energy.
The Three Yang Return to Origin Art surged through his meridians.
"Let's begin. Three Yang Divine Hands, Sixth Form: Seven Flame Transformations."
Dang Yu-wol's hand blossomed into seven dazzling directions.
"Ooooh...!!"
A middling expert would have been mesmerized by the flashy changes.
But his opponent was a Fusion Realm master.
This was barely worth a chuckle.
'So that's his poison art.'
The moment she casually evaded and prepared for the next—
Dang Yu-wol's left hand, which had retreated, moved.
"Urk?!"
She nearly took a hit.
A hidden weapon had flown right before her eyes.
In the midst of deploying her form.
Meaning the initial flashy move was a feint.
"Huh? Why didn't Brother Yu-wol name the technique when he threw the hidden weapon?"
"Probably because it has no formal technique."
"Most hidden weapon arts lack forms or have just one."
What mattered in hidden weapons was the speed and power of projection.
No need for elaborate forms.
"Ah... I see."
I-yul nodded at Hwan-gyu and Gu Hwan-gae's explanation.
Meanwhile, Hwang-no stared intently at Dang Yu-wol.
'This guy's no ordinary one.'
His hidden weapons were impressive in isolation.
But with caution, not impossible to dodge.
The key was the timing and method he chose.
'Hidden weapons target the opponent's subconscious and carelessness.'
Hwang-no clenched her fist, steeling herself.
'He perfectly grasps the essence of hidden weapons.'
Deliberately unleashing a flashy form at full power to obscure vision.
Even she, a Fusion Realm expert, thought it was his all-out assault.
But the real attack was the hidden weapon.
'This isn't decided merely by skill level...'
It required vast experience and knowledge.
No, more than that.
"...Looks like this young one's hands are plenty bloodied."
Something only possible after facing countless deaths.
Hwang-no recalled the assassins she'd encountered.
None had wielded hidden weapons as masterfully as Dang Yu-wol.
"Didn't expect you'd dodge that."
"Know how many assassins I've faced?"
"I see. Then here I come again."
Two moves used; one remained.
Dang Yu-wol openly drew hidden weapons from his bosom.
"Haaaaah...!!"
He inhaled deeply, slowly.
Exhaling, he calmed his mind and entered a state of no-thought.
'Killing intent?! This punk forgetting this is just a spar?!'
The hostility, battle spirit, and killing intent rising from Dang Yu-wol.
All converged and subsided.
The moment Hwang-no tensed and curled her hand—
"Soul-Chasing Phantom Dart secret technique. Explosive Quad Scatter."
Countless hidden weapons erupted from Dang Yu-wol's body like an explosion.
'This is...?!'
A storm of projectiles assaulted her.
As if to tear her apart in four directions.
Facing the ferocious barrage, she gritted her teeth and slammed her hand down.
"Phantom Shadow Divine Art, First Stance: Soul-Vanishing Barrier."
Her internal energy clashed with the earth's qi.
A barrier of qi formed.
"Heavens!! That's natural qi!!"
"Manipulating natural qi like that?!"
Hwan-gyu and Gu Hwan-gae exclaimed in awe.
The flawless barrier effortlessly halted the projectiles.
Seizing the gap, Dang Yu-wol's body launched toward her.
'Mad lad!!'
The three yielded moves were over.
And now the Soul-Vanishing Barrier was active.
'A shockwave from colliding internal and natural qi.'
No unarmored body could withstand it.
'He's someone the Three Kings of the Night have their eye on...'
She couldn't let him get seriously hurt.
As her thoughts reached that point, she tried to dispel the barrier.
But before she could, Dang Yu-wol's short sword touched the Soul-Vanishing Barrier.
"Hm?"
The barrier began to tremble.