Chapter 245: Competing with the First Sword of Qingcheng - Part 2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 245: Competing with the First Sword of Qingcheng - Part 2
K-boom!
A massive roar and a shockwave rippled across the entire central clearing.
"Ugh!"
Un-jeok-ja let out an involuntary groan at the immense impact transmitted through his sword.
That wasn't all.
They had exchanged only a single blow, yet he had been forced back two full steps.
What did such a result imply?
Did it not mean there was a gap in their strength equivalent to at least those two steps?
Un-jeok-ja’s face flushed crimson. He felt humiliated by the fact that he had been overpowered by a mere wet-behind-the-ears brat.
The Blue Cloud Red Sunset Sword was an exquisitely profound swordsmanship that contained the subtle principles of the Sword Ring.
Although Un-jeok-ja had not yet reached the stage of manifesting a Sword Ring, he took pride in the fact that his technique possessed far greater power than other Astral Qi arts.
But that pride had just been shattered into pieces.
And by a man who, despite being called a genius, was still incredibly young.
Rage began to well up within him.
His indigo Astral Qi began to grow even darker and more intense.
`Ho.`
Sun-woo watched the display with admiration.
Having already reached the realm of the Sword Ring himself, he could tell—he could sense the sheer volume of Astral Qi compressed into Un-jeok-ja’s blade.
Though it couldn't compare to a true Sword Ring, it was certainly at a threatening level.
`He might be stronger than Bulheo Satae.`
Sun-woo offered a silent appraisal.
In terms of pure cultivation, Un-jeok-ja seemed closer to the Transcendent Realm than Bulheo Satae. It felt as though he could spread his wings and soar into the realm above with just a spark of enlightenment.
He truly possessed the skill to justify his pride in his martial arts.
Sun-woo wiped the playfulness from his expression and looked at him with gravity. He decided he needed to face his opponent properly.
No matter the difference in their realms, he had no desire to suffer an embarrassing setback through careless negligence.
And above all, to break Un-jeok-ja’s bullheadedness, he needed to make him feel the crushing weight of their difference in power.
Sun-woo began to draw even more heavily upon his Yin-Yang Harmony Qi.
Before long, his green Astral Qi grew just as dense as Un-jeok-ja’s indigo light.
Vroom!
Sun-woo immediately lunged at Un-jeok-ja.
He swung his green Astral Qi directly at his opponent.
Whoosh!
The Sword Astral flew forward with the sound of tearing wind.
Un-jeok-ja did not back down and met the blade head-on.
Soon, the Astral Qi of the two men began to clash violently.
Boom!
Bang!
Sun-woo’s green Astral Qi and Un-jeok-ja’s indigo light collided incessantly, producing a series of thunderous roars.
A fierce exchange began, with neither side yielding an inch.
Crash!
"Is that measly honor so important to you?!" Sun-woo shouted as he swung his sword.
He couldn't understand why someone this strong, someone with such high enlightenment, refused to compromise.
Boom!
"I have no intention of carrying a lifelong burden!" Un-jeok-ja cried out, parrying Sun-woo’s blade.
It wasn't just for himself. It was out of consideration for the juniors who would lead Qingcheng in the future. He didn't want to saddle those with bright futures with a weight they would have to carry for the rest of their lives.
"In the end, everyone will condemn you!" Sun-woo continued, their swords locked in a stalemate.
If this matter became public, everyone in the Murim would curse Un-jeok-ja. They would say he used brute force to force through his own convictions.
"I don't care! If it ends with my disgrace alone, that is more than enough!" Un-jeok-ja roared back, his voice strained.
He knew. He knew that the conclusion of this situation would not be pleasant.
But even so, he believed it was worth it. Because he would be the only one to bear the dishonor.
Clang!
Un-jeok-ja flicked the sword away and retracted it quickly.
Then, he immediately lunged, aiming for Sun-woo’s throat.
Swoosh!
With the sound of slicing wind, Un-jeok-ja’s sword surged toward him.
Klang!
Sun-woo caught the blade with the flat of his sword.
`He’s strong.`
Sun-woo felt considerable pressure pressing against his hand.
He realized then that Un-jeok-ja’s pride in Qingcheng and his longing for honor were guiding him toward an even higher path.
Thud!
Sun-woo raised his foot and kicked Un-jeok-ja squarely.
"Gah!"
Slide.
Kicked in the stomach, Un-jeok-ja was pushed back across the ground.
"How arrogant. Do you really think this whole situation will end with just your disgrace?" Sun-woo barked at the reeling Un-jeok-ja.
The situation had already grown too large. It wasn't something that could be settled simply by Un-jeok-ja taking the blame, no matter if he was the First Sword of Qingcheng.
"It doesn't matter! I will simply prove it. I will prove to the many disciples of Qingcheng here that the sword of Qingcheng is by no means weak!" Un-jeok-ja shouted, bristling at Sun-woo’s rebuke.
He knew the situation had spiraled out of control.
But he had to prove it to the future pillars who would lead Qingcheng.
That Qingcheng was not weak.
That Qingcheng was not inferior to Emei.
He couldn't leave a lifelong mark of shame in their hearts. He couldn't let them live forever with an inferiority complex.
Because they were the disciples who would lead Qingcheng’s future.
That was why he was being unreasonable. Demanding the same form of apology from the Emei disciples was an absurd request.
It was nonsensical, stubborn, and ego-driven.
But he couldn't help it.
Because he loved Qingcheng more than anyone.
Because he held Qingcheng’s honor more dearly than anyone.
He wanted his successors to feel the same way he did. And to realize that, Qingcheng had to remain flawless. For everyone to love and be proud of Qingcheng, it had to be perfect.
Today’s humiliation was a blemish. A blemish so large it couldn't be easily filled.
That was why he couldn't put down his sword. To erase this stain.
Un-jeok-ja raised his sword high.
Hummmmm.
As if resonating with his heart, his sword began to emit a vibration incomparable to anything before.
"I shall show you the flawless Qingcheng!"
Indigo Astral Qi began to wrap around his sword in countless layers, eventually forming a massive mass of energy.
"Aaaaaagh!"
Perhaps he was overexerting himself; Un-jeok-ja let out a scream of agony as if his Dantian were being ripped out. Yet, he neither dropped his sword nor withdrew his internal energy.
He simply held his sword upright with everything he had.
Vrooooooom.
Soon, the massive Astral Qi began to shrink in size, condensing onto Un-jeok-ja’s blade.
Before long, a distorted sphere manifested at the tip of his sword.
"A Sword Ring!"
"How can this be?!"
"Sasuk!"
"A Sword Ring..."
The martial artists who saw it gasped in shock. They recognized the identity of the sphere appearing on Un-jeok-ja’s sword.
The Sword Ring.
Indeed. It was the realm called the pinnacle of Astral Qi arts, a technique whose transcendent destructive power allowed no comparison.
The many martial artists watched the scene with varying reactions.
The disciples of Qingcheng trembled, overcome with intense emotion.
A Sword Ring. Was this not proof that Un-jeok-ja, the First Sword of Qingcheng, had mastered the Blue Cloud Red Sunset Sword?
It meant that Un-jeok-ja had broken through the wall and ascended to a higher level.
Tears of emotion began to stream down their faces. They felt the shame and humiliation of bowing to Emei gradually washing away.
Un-jeok-ja had reached a realm that only the chosen could step into. How could they not be moved?
The martial artists of the Tang Clan and Emei looked at Sun-woo with worried eyes.
What did it mean to manifest a Sword Ring?
It meant he had stepped into the Transcendent Realm, the stage of the Absolute.
They didn't think Sun-woo could handle Un-jeok-ja now that he had reached the Transcendent Realm.
Only another Sword Ring could face a Sword Ring. There was no way a mere Sword Astral could withstand the final stage of Astral Qi arts.
They watched Sun-woo with eyes full of anxiety.
"Young Master Jang."
Un-jeok-ja, having formed the Sword Ring, spoke as he looked at him.
"Withdraw your sword."
His eyes were filled with an immense sense of arrogance.
"I do not think I can control my own power."
"How arrogant," Sun-woo replied, looking back at him.
"It is not arrogance, but confidence."
Un-jeok-ja spoke with a face full of self-assurance.
"This is me giving you a chance. A chance to keep your life."
"Then I shall give you a chance as well. Withdraw your sword."
Sun-woo continued as he looked at Un-jeok-ja.
"It is a good opportunity to avoid being slammed into the dirt in front of your disciples."
He spoke with a playful smirk.
"Conceit and confidence are two different things," Un-jeok-ja muttered quietly.
"Right now, it is confidence."
"No, it is conceit. It might be embarrassing to tuck your tail after coming this far. But knowing when to retreat is also a form of great courage."
Un-jeok-ja spoke in a calm tone. He believed Sun-woo was merely being stubborn to save face. He had already displayed the Sword Ring, the very edge of Astral Qi arts. What kind of confidence allowed him to remain so defiant?
"Does someone who knows that so well resort to swordplay just to reclaim honor?"
Sun-woo responded in a cold tone.
"The one who needs the courage to retreat is you, Un-jeok-ja."
Sun-woo glared at him with eyes that had turned ice-cold.
"I am sick of your attitude—valuing only your sect's honor, ignoring your own faults, and clinging to your stubborn ego."
As he spoke, Sun-woo slowly raised his sword.
"Your stubborn ego... I shall cut it down."
In an instant, explosive energy erupted from Sun-woo’s sword, enveloping the blade.
"Arrogant brat!"
Hearing Sun-woo’s words, Un-jeok-ja roared and raised his sword.
"I shall see if you can take responsibility for those words!"
Un-jeok-ja charged straight at Sun-woo.
He thrust his sword forward. The Sword Ring formed at the tip of his blade flew directly toward Sun-woo.
Sun-woo watched Un-jeok-ja rushing toward him.
He thought to himself: I must cut down that endless ego.
That stubbornness—clinging to a lost cause to reclaim honor despite being fully aware of the wrongdoing.
Vrooooooom.
The shimmering Astral Qi began to seep into his sword in an instant.
Sun-woo compressed the rapidly growing Astral Qi again and again.
`Compress... compress... compress... compress.`
Before long, all the Astral Qi merged into one and began to gather at the tip of his sword.
Then, a circular sphere formed at the end of Sun-woo’s blade.
Unlike Un-jeok-ja’s distorted sphere, it was a perfect and beautiful orb of light.
Whoosh!
At that moment, he felt Un-jeok-ja’s Sword Ring flying toward him.
Sun-woo thrust his own Sword Ring forward.
Soon, Sun-woo’s green Sword Ring and Un-jeok-ja’s indigo Sword Ring collided.
K-BOOM!
As the two Sword Rings clashed, a roar like a collapsing mountain erupted, and a massive shockwave spread out as if an earthquake had struck.
As the shockwave rippled out, a colossal cloud of dust blanketed the area between them.
Enveloped in the dust, the two figures vanished from sight.
"Ugh!"
"Gah!"
"Aaaah!"
The martial artists in the central clearing screamed as they were swept up by the shockwave. Even though they were a considerable distance away, the impact was strong enough to make their skin sting.
"Nngh!"
Seol-hyang, who was standing closest to them, let out a groan. The shockwave created by the collision of the two Sword Rings was so immense that even she, who had reached the Super-Peak Realm, couldn't help but moan.
Thump.
She used the Thousand-Catty Press to anchor her legs. The aftershocks were so powerful she feared she might be blown away.
Soon, her trembling body became steady.
`Whew.`
Seol-hyang let out a silent sigh of relief. She really might have been sent flying if she hadn't been careful.
After catching her breath, Seol-hyang slowly raised her head and looked forward.
A massive amount of dust was billowing ahead. She focused her eyesight and peered into the haze.
The dust was so thick that neither Sun-woo nor Un-jeok-ja could be seen at all.
She waited patiently for the dust to clear.
Given that the sound of clashing swords had ceased, it seemed everything had been decided in that single exchange.
Inside that dust cloud stood a single winner.
She focused her vision to the limit, waiting and waiting.
After some time had passed, the dust began to settle bit by bit.
The eyes of everyone present turned toward the center of the clearing.
As the dust cleared, the silhouette of a single person began to emerge.
Gulp.
Everyone in the area swallowed hard, watching the figure intently.