Chapter 72
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Cheongjin of Wudang
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Standing firm in the center of the training grounds, Cheon Muryang waited for his opponent with a triumphant smile.
“…”
But seeing Eon Somyeong, who had confidently stepped forward, get knocked out so spectacularly, no one else dared to come forward.
‘Eon Somyeong isn't weak…’
Somehow, the rumor that Paeng Dohyeok had been beaten to a pulp felt true.
“Is there no one else? Only one person has come forward so far.”
Cheon Muryang, feigning a troubled expression, soon broke into a grin and spoke.
“In that case, I think you'll all have to return your gold invitations…”
“W-what are you talking about!”
“It's true, isn't it? You can't even beat someone with a bronze invitation…”
*Fwoosh!*
Cheon Muryang pointed his sword at the one who had questioned him.
“Ugh!”
A sharp aura enveloped him.
“What's the point of sitting there and acting all high and mighty?”
Cheon Muryang shrugged and continued.
“Isn't that right?”
“…!”
It might have been a stretch, but it wasn't entirely wrong.
Among those who had received bronze and some silver invitations, the more defiant ones nodded in agreement.
“He's right.”
“There's merit to Young Lord Cheon's words!”
*Grin.*
“That's what they're saying.”
“…”
“This damn bastard!”
Paeng Dohyeok tried to step forward.
Seeing this, Cheon Muryang maintained his smile but issued a warning, scattering a faint killing intent.
“This time, it won't end like that. I'm using a sword, not my fists.”
“…!”
Paeng Dohyeok froze.
His face turned red as if it would burst, but he couldn't bring himself to move.
It seemed he had calculated that he couldn't afford to be humiliated a third time.
“Dammit!”
Instead, Paeng Dohyeok spat out a curse, smashed an innocent chair, and left his seat.
“Do whatever the hell you want!”
Fuming, Paeng Dohyeok stormed away.
At this, those with gold invitations couldn't hide their bewilderment.
It was then.
[The Dragons and Phoenixes of the Nine Sects have arrived.]
*Halt!*
Paeng Dohyeok's steps came to a stop.
Then, everyone's heads turned.
A group of people was walking over.
“We apologize for our tardiness.”
“…!”
“Ah, so you've finally arrived.”
Cheon Muryang smiled.
They were, one could say, the true stars of this Dragon and Phoenix Assembly.
“I-it's the Wudang Sect!”
“The Huashan Sect is here too!”
“Don't tell me, Shaolin too?”
The participants of the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly were similar each year, yet always slightly different.
Moreover, there were times when factions like the Wudang Sect, Shaolin Temple, or the Beggars' Sect didn't attend at all, so their arrival naturally drew everyone's attention.
And so, the attention that had been focused on Cheon Muryang shifted to them in an instant.
*Grit!*
Cheon Muryang saw Paeng Dohyeok and Namgung Sang-hyeok gritting their teeth.
‘So that's how it is.’
Although they were all part of the Orthodox Martial World, the relationship between the Nine Sects and the Ten Great Families was not very good.
This was because no matter how powerful the families became, they could not surpass the symbolic status of the Nine Sects.
Many were dissatisfied with this reality, which could be seen as unreasonable.
‘It's a matter for the adults, but…’
Because of such circumstances, even at the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly, a gathering of the younger generation, the factions were inevitably divided.
‘So, they united around the families.’
And at the center of that were Paeng Dohyeok and Namgung Sang-hyeok.
And on the first day of the Assembly, the young prodigies of the Nine Sects had not yet arrived.
*Crack!*
Paeng Dohyeok, who had stopped walking, openly expressed his displeasure.
“Why have the ones who always arrive at their leisure come as if their feet were on fire this time!”
The disciples of the Nine Sects always arrived late, as if they were the main characters.
Despite Paeng Dohyeok's blatant complaint, some of them widened their eyes as if they had just realized something.
A man in a blue Daoist robe bowed his head.
“I was not aware it was like that every time.”
A young monk also put his palms together.
“It is all my fault.”
Besides them, several others also apologized.
“…”
Faced with this response, Paeng Dohyeok, who had been angry, was left standing there awkwardly.
The man in the blue robe delivered the finishing touch.
“We came out to see the world, so we could not turn our backs on it.”
“Ugh!”
In short, he was saying that their purpose was not to attend the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly, but to see the world.
Normally, Paeng Dohyeok would have drawn his blade and charged at them, but for some reason, he remained silent, as if he were facing Cheon Muryang.
“Why did you come? Didn't you say you wouldn't attend the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly?”
The brightly smiling Daoist spoke with a laugh.
“Someone told me this year's Assembly would be interesting. And aren't promises made to be broken?”
*Glance.*
Cheon Muryang didn't miss his gaze turning toward the Successor Beggar.
‘So this is also the stage you've set, Successor Beggar?’
He really was an interesting fellow.
Cheon Muryang smiled, knowing the Successor Beggar had set the stage for him.
[That's the one.]
The Wandering King's telepathic message arrived.
“Ah?”
As he turned his head again.
*Nod.*
He saw the man give a small bow to the Wandering King, who was next to the Successor Beggar.
[Cheongjin. He is the child who will inherit the ultimate techniques of Wudang.]
Cheon Muryang stared at him.
Cheongjin, too, was looking at Cheon Muryang.
“A pleasure to meet you, Young Lord Cheon.”
“You're from the Wudang Sect?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“And you have a gold invitation?”
“Well, I didn't particularly want a gold one, but I did receive an invitation.”
Cheon Muryang asked with a smile.
“So, what will you do?”
“What do you mean?”
“I'm asking if you'll join that group of gold invitation holders.”
Cheongjin smiled.
“And if I do?”
“You'll have to prove your worth with your sword.”
“Ah, you shouldn't have said that.”
“Why not?”
“Because now I feel like crossing swords with you, Young Lord Cheon.”
“…”
“So, please understand that this was not my original intention.”
It was at that moment.
A subtle aura began to emanate from Cheongjin's entire body.
‘Indeed…!’
Cheon Muryang marveled inwardly.
The subtly rising aura was extremely natural, feeling just like water.
‘So this is Wudang.’
Was it an illusion?
The figure of the standing Cheongjin looked somewhat blurry.
It meant the depth of his enlightenment was that profound.
*Fwoooosh!*
Cheongjin's sword was drawn.
Its shimmering brilliance inspired awe in all who saw it.
“Ah…”
His stance, holding the sword, was natural.
Cheongjin's posture looked so relaxed that it almost seemed naive.
“…”
But Cheon Muryang, who was facing him, felt a taut tension.
In the midst of a tension like a drawn bowstring about to snap, the Heavenly Light Sword emitted a glow.
‘I see. You're also burning with a competitive spirit.’
The Heavenly Light Sword was a greedy blade that yearned to break other famous swords.
Thus, Cheongjin's sword, as profound as his enlightenment, was a tempting sacrifice for the Heavenly Light Sword.
“Shall we begin?”
“Very well.”
*Chk!*
The two faced off.
The air in the space between them suddenly grew heavy and settled.
*Fwoosh!*
*Fwoooosh!*
The two swords faced each other and cried out.
With that, Cheon Muryang's sword surged forward like lightning.
*Swiiish!*
The Heavenly Light Sword, flying along a majestic trajectory, looked as if it would slice right through Cheongjin's torso.
At this, Cheongjin expressed his admiration.
“Indeed… a magnificent sword.”
How could one not call it magnificent?
Cheongjin was genuinely amazed by the shimmering path the Heavenly Light Sword traced.
Who in Wudang could possibly execute such swordsmanship?
“However, the sword of Wudang is not inferior.”
Cheongjin's sword moved.
Its unique movement, drawing a single perfect circle, sought to distort the trajectory of the Heavenly Light Sword.
‘It's similar to the Reverse Scale Slash, but different.’
While the Reverse Scale Slash was like the fury of a dragon, forcefully twisting its target, Cheongjin's circle contained a naturalness, like water flowing from high to low.
*Paaat!*
The two swords met.
But there was no sound, no impact, to the point one wondered if they had met at all.
“…!”
Just as everyone was doubting their ears.
Cheongjin's circle reached completion.
At that, the Heavenly Light Sword lost its power, like a leaf carried along by the flow of water.
*Fwoosh!*
That centrifugal force.
The flow of Cheongjin's perfect circle completely knocked the Heavenly Light Sword off its trajectory.
*Swiiish!*
Despite being gently enveloped, the Heavenly Light Sword was flung off course, and only Cheongjin's sword surged forward with a profound movement.
“It's over.”
Everyone thought it was the end.
No matter how great Cheon Muryang was, he could not overcome the sword of Wudang.
‘No.’
But Cheongjin did not let his guard down until the very end.
Because he held no prejudices, he did not underestimate his opponent just because it was Cheon Muryang.
“Tsk, a bunch of blind fools.”
The Wandering King watched Cheon Muryang with a fascinated smile.
Woryeong, Neung Ryeoun, and Cha Myeonghak, lined up beside him, listened intently to his words.
“Over?”
As the Wandering King finished speaking.
*Swiiish!*
A chilling sound of something slicing through the air echoed from somewhere.
It came from directly above Cheongjin's head.
“…!”
The Heavenly Light Sword, which they thought had been deflected, was now falling from above like a thunderbolt.
“It's not over until it's over.”
*Fwaaah!*
Cheongjin was horrified.
‘The sky… is collapsing.’
One Sword, Heaven's Collapse.
With one sword, the heavens collapsed.
Cheongjin was overwhelmed by the sight, but he did not let go of his sword.
Once again drawing a circle, Cheongjin's sword soared toward the collapsing heavens, simple yet containing a profoundly mysterious Dao.
*Kuuuuung!*
The two swords met.
The second meeting.
Unlike the first time, a deafening roar that shook the ground erupted from the point of contact.
*Kwaaaaang!*
Cheongjin's body was pushed back.
Even that wasn't enough; he had to spin his body to deflect the Sword of Heaven's Collapse.
*Chwararak!*
*Thud!*
Having barely managed to stop, Cheongjin stabbed his sword into the ground to support himself.
“Huuu…”
A tremor ran through his entire body.
All his senses were on high alert.
Even now, his instincts were sounding an alarm.
Telling him he had to escape.
‘To think such a sword existed.’
*Shiver.*
The hand with which Cheongjin held his sword trembled.
That was how different the trajectory of Cheon Muryang's sword was.
“Truly a remarkable sword.”
“You as well.”
It was the same for Cheon Muryang.
He had thought it was a sword strike that would shatter his opponent's blade and settle the match.
It was a sword that incorporated his recent enlightenment, surpassing the Severing Heavens.
‘He blocked the Sword of Heaven's Collapse.’
But that sword had been perfectly blocked.
It wouldn't work a second time.
Cheon Muryang fell into thought, wondering how to break Cheongjin's perfect circle.
“Young Lord Cheon.”
“What is it?”
Cheongjin smiled brightly and suddenly made a proposal to Cheon Muryang.
“Since fate has brought us together, how about becoming friends?”
“Friends…?”
“Yes. I admire your sword, Young Lord Cheon, and if you admire mine as well.”
“If I do?”
“Then we can certainly be called friends. Is that not what they call kindred spirits?”
*Pfft.*
Cheon Muryang also laughed.
“Kindred spirits, you say.”
It meant friends whose hearts understood each other.
“Not bad.”
“Right?”
Cheongjin extended his hand.
At this, a somewhat urgent telepathic message from the Wandering King poured in.
[Don't get involved with that bastard. I'm warning you.]
But Cheon Muryang paid him no mind and took Cheongjin's hand.
“You are worthy of being a friend.”
“Excellent.”
“Then, what about this duel?”
“It is my loss.”
“Good.”
“…!”
Everyone was astonished.
But Cheongjin, as if to say it wasn't over yet, stood beside Cheon Muryang.
“And I, too, agree with Young Lord Cheon's opinion. Whatever it may be.”
The one who had just become his friend.
Cheongjin smiled brightly and met the astonished gazes of the crowd.