The Last Vacation (8)

I struck back with fire of my own. No one was around to hear, and he'd bared his fangs first, so there was no need to stand on ceremony.

Du Jeong-cheong trembled with rage, his limbs shaking uncontrollably. He clearly hadn't expected a mere trainee—younger than his own son—to speak to him so casually.

"Prepare."

By then, Dan Ri-cheong had already stepped into the training ground, watching our duel with keen interest. It wasn't just any matchup: a mid-tier martial world veteran against a fresh-faced trainee, with the fate of the entire Black Heaven Gang and Throwing Sword Sect on the line. What could be more entertaining?

The moment for the final showdown had arrived.

"Begin!"

At last, the spar was declared underway. Unlike Meng Yuon and Du Jin-bo's explosive exchange of blows from the start, we were surprisingly calm. Neither of us rushed in first.

The Black Heaven Sword Ghost, Du Jeong-cheong, had his pride as the senior to uphold, so he was clearly holding back on purpose.

But why hadn't I charged?

"Heh heh heh. Scared now that it's started?"

Du Jeong-cheong tried a clumsy provocation, asking why I wasn't coming at him. But I knew his trap all too well.

"One more step from here—no, half a step—and you'd be in range of the Black Heaven Flying Sword Bullet, wouldn't you?"

That was exactly why I hadn't rushed in recklessly.

Sly fox.

Who did he think he was fooling? Aware of all the watching eyes, he'd pretended to give me space by stepping back—but it wasn't true mercy.

The Black Heaven Flying Sword Bullet, Du Jeong-cheong's signature move and his son Du Jin-bo's as well, was incredibly fast and powerful, but it had a fatal flaw.

Its range is fixed and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠can't be extended.

Every martial art has weaknesses, and while the Black Heaven Flying Sword Bullet seemed flawless, the truth lay in its limited range.

From observing Du Jin-bo's swordplay as the Black Heaven Gang's young leader, I'd analyzed it thoroughly. As long as I kept this distance, there was no threat of getting hit.

"Y-you... how do you know that...?"

As expected, I'd struck right at his core. Du Jeong-cheong couldn't even mask his shock, shaking violently.

"You can tell a man by his son. Whether it's his martial arts or his character."

I provoked him again, raising both hands.

Shall we begin?

It was swordsman versus fist master.

Standing still would just lead to a stalemate—victory wouldn't come on its own.

If I feared the Black Heaven Flying Sword Bullet and stayed back for safety, my attacks couldn't reach him either.

So what was the answer?

"Haaap!"

The answer lay in the Taeryeok Cheolgang Gong.

After consuming the Millennium Snow Ginseng, my inner energy had already surpassed the superhuman peak, and my martial realm had passed the early superhuman stage, nearing the absolute pinnacle. There was nothing to fear.

Accordingly, my mastery of the Taeryeok Cheolgang Gong was on the verge of completion.

Circulating it, my entire body hardened tougher than any Diamond Unbreakable Body.

I'd said every martial art has flaws—but there were two exceptions: this Taeryeok Cheolgang Gong and the Divine Transformation Heart Method.

With my body reinforced, it was time to elevate ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my inner energy and core.

I'd hesitated to use the Divine Transformation Heart Method in front of crowds before, but today was different.

Now I have confidence to protect myself.

Even alone, I could hold off the world's greatest martial artist, the Invincible Wind Cloud Sword Baek Taeryeong, if he came for my head.

Shwaaaaa!

A brilliant golden light flowed out, in stark contrast to the Black Heaven Sword Ghost's dark aura.

Ooh! Oooh!

The heavenly glow dazzled the eyes even before the fight truly began, astonishing the crowd.

But they hadn't seen anything yet.

I thrust both hands forward, accelerating ahead while envisioning myself as a tiger forged of flame, slashing fiercely with claws.

Even mimicking tiger claws, reinforced by Taeryeok Cheolgang Gong and infused with Divine Transformation Heart Method, my hands rivaled the strongest weapons in the martial world.

"Wha? Wh-what?!"

Du Jeong-cheong panicked. He'd expected a weak 3 or 5-power strike; what I unleashed was 10—no, 30.

Fwoosh!

Since mastering the Attribute Five Elements Fist, all attribute-based techniques had surged in power. Even basic fire attacks hit harder without needing full flame punches.

Boom!

Too flustered to respond properly, Du Jeong-cheong barely raised his protective aura in time, avoiding a fatal wound.

But at a cost.

Fizzle! Fwoosh!

His signature Black Heaven Gang black robes burned away, leaving him ragged and pathetic.

"You bastard!"

The Black Heaven Sword Ghost had nearly fallen in one blow like his son. Thick sweat beaded on his forehead amid his shock.

But hope flickered in his eyes. He'd withstood my attack, and now I was in his range.

"I'll show you the gap between us!"

Having lost face once, he roared at me and the world, unleashing everything.

Not wanting to be caught off-guard again, he immediately unleashed an advanced form. Far superior to his son Du Jin-bo's basic strikes, the ferocious black light hurtled toward me.

Flash! ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Fwoosh!

The black rays were insidious and relentless, like a massive serpent greedily targeting my vital points.

He must be desperate.

Even in that split second, the thought crossed my mind.

In a duel between senior master and junior novice, aiming vital strikes meant one thing: the senior was flailing desperately, being utterly outmatched.

Sneer.

Thinking he'd half-won with his flashy counter, Du Jeong-cheong's lip curled smugly.

As if.

My goal had been to bait his counter. Advanced forms create openings from recoil, so I evaded perfectly with Illusion Body Flight, ready to exploit the gap.

"Damn it!"

I dodged flawlessly, and Du Jeong-cheong revealed his true colors—spewing vulgarities unfit for the occasion. Proof of his desperation and disadvantage.

Closing the gap further, I unleashed a barrage of knee uppercuts.

Bam! Boom!

Venting all my pent-up fury—like a strong bullying the weak—I hammered him relentlessly.

"Whoa!"

"No way! Unbelievable!"

"Who's the senior and who's the trainee here?"

The spectators, even the enthusiasts, had swung fully to my side. Starting by dismissing me, they'd seen me dominate the terrifying Black Heaven Sword Ghost—it was only natural.

As I rained blows like a madman, our distance shrank until our breaths mingled. Even then, I swung chilling cold palms.

Boom!

My palm struck as if to cleave him in two. He endured as a superhuman peak master—but anyone lesser would've snapped before freezing solid.

"Ugh... ughhh!"

It wasn't over. The cold from my palm invaded from his abdomen, permeating his body.

He probably feels like he's dunked in ice water.

Impressive he hadn't passed out.

"Raaagh!"

Collapsing into a defensive slump, Du Jeong-cheong wildly unleashed Black Heaven Flying Sword Bullets like a maniac. His aim was off, but a cornered superhuman peak master was truly fearsome.

Impressive skill indeed.

Among everyone here today—excluding me—he was the strongest. But his arrogance and my prior analysis via Du Jin-bo undid him easily.

With momentum seized, I pressed relentlessly. Circling back with Counter Step humiliated him and—

Stagger!

—buckled his knee at a right angle.

I smashed his face repeatedly, disorienting him further.

"Guh! Ack!"

Painful groans escaped the lips of Du Jeong-cheong, who had shaken Sichuan's martial world and built a vast gang. Defeat loomed; he couldn't last much longer.

For the finishing blow, I flicked a finger strike at his vital point.

And the result—

"Kuhuk!"

Du Jeong-cheong spewed blood and toppled backward.

No need to watch further—it was my complete, decisive victory, showcasing the vast skill gap.

"......"

The impossible win froze the entire audience. All had predicted the Black Heaven Sword Ghost's triumph, yet he'd been thoroughly crushed by a much younger Cheonmu Academy trainee.

"Hoo... hooo."

I wasn't unscathed either. Enduring a superhuman peak master's strikes barehanded drained massive inner energy and stamina, so I steadied my breath.

"I won, so disband the Black Heaven Gang as promised—and don't touch my friend's Throwing Sword Sect."

I barked at the corpse-like Du Jeong-cheong and turned to leave.

Or tried to.

Du Jeong-cheong was a born villain, utterly ruthless. Despite the clear outcome, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he'd faked death to lure complacency—then struck with a sneaky sword ambush as I turned.

"Die! Kuhahaha!"

The Black Heaven Sword Ghost, certain of victory in that instant, let out a mad cackle, revealing his ugliness.

Hold on.

Do you really think I let my guard down?

Far from it. Earlier, I'd transmitted that I'd kill this damned Black Heaven Sword Ghost during the spar.

But I couldn't just slay him outright from advantage, so I'd used a ploy: baiting with an opening by turning my back.

And as expected—

He fell for it, launching his underhanded ambush.

"Knew it!"

I spun back ferociously as if I'd never turned.

Having dug the trap, I unleashed my prepared blazing fist.

Crack!

A horrific sound rang out as my burning fist pierced straight through his chest.

Everything went according to plan.

"Kuhuk! Keheok!"

The Black Heaven Sword Ghost vomited blood like a waterfall. Kindly, I transmitted to the dying man.