Chapter 546: Lady Soran, Give Her a Thrashing
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 546: Lady Soran, Give Her a Thrashing
Whoosh!
Moyong Sang’s body began to soar through the air. It was the direct result of taking Sun-woo’s fist straight to the face.
Thud!
Before long, Moyong Sang slammed into the ground, the impact letting out a thunderous boom.
‘H-How…?’
Crashed into the dirt, Moyong Sang was struck with pure horror. What had just happened was utterly inconceivable. He had clearly used Douzhuan Xingyi to redirect the punch back at the one who threw it. It should have flown straight back at Sun-woo.
But the punch hadn't been redirected. On the contrary, it had gained even more momentum and exploded against him. How could he not be horrified?
“Hey now, you should do your sleeping at home, Hero.”
A mocking voice began to prick at his ears.
‘Jang Sun-woo!’
Moyong Sang knew instantly. The owner of that voice was the man who had just sent him flying.
Spring!
Stung by the humiliation, Moyong Sang scrambled to his feet.
“You dog! How dare you!”
He glared at Sun-woo with bloodshot eyes and let out a roar.
“Do you have no sense of etiquette?! How can you hurl mockery at an opponent who has fallen!”
“You were lying there for so long, I thought you’d fallen asleep, Senior.”
Sun-woo continued, his expression thick with playfulness.
“You bastard! You land one lucky hit while I’m off-guard and now you think you’re king of the world!”
Moyong Sang bellowed as he gripped the hilt of the sword at his waist.
Shring!
He drew the blade in one fluid motion, revealing a transparent edge that one could see right through. He had drawn the Glass Sword.
“I’ll make you regret forcing me to draw this blade!”
Vrooooom!
With a shout, Moyong Sang rapidly circulated his internal energy and poured it into the Glass Sword. The already transparent blade began to lose its form entirely. Soon, it vanished from sight. It had become so clear that it was impossible to track with the naked eye.
“Ho.”
Sun-woo let out a small exclamation of admiration. It was a fascinating sight he had never seen before. A transparent sword that hid its own form—how could he not find it intriguing?
“Prepare yourself!”
Perhaps irritated by Sun-woo’s casual admiration, Moyong Sang lunged forward. He intended to deliver divine judgment with his invisible Glass Sword.
Swish!
The Glass Sword pierced through the air, flying toward Sun-woo. Watching the approach, Sun-woo kicked off the ground.
Zip!
He moved even faster than the incoming blade, digging into Moyong Sang’s personal space.
Grab!
Arriving right in front of his opponent’s nose, Sun-woo snatched Moyong Sang’s wrist. He had completely closed the distance before the sword could even complete its swing.
Moyong Sang’s jaw dropped. He was stunned by Sun-woo’s nonsensical physical ability. He was the one who had swung first. How could the boy close the gap before the sword had even traveled halfway?
‘I have to get my wrist free.’
Moyong Sang strained to pull his arm back.
Creeeak!
However, the more he struggled, the tighter Sun-woo’s grip became, crushing his wrist.
‘Damn it!’
Moyong Sang cursed inwardly at the sheer strength.
Vrooooom!
He once again circulated his internal energy, sharpening his senses. He intended to use Douzhuan Xingyi.
‘Redirect!’
With his senses heightened, Moyong Sang used his internal energy to twist the direction of the force crushing his wrist, attempting to send it back. He didn't doubt for a second that the redirected force would act as a powerful counter-pressure.
‘What?!’
But his confidence shattered instantly. Sun-woo’s hand, which held his wrist, didn't budge an inch.
“H-How…”
Moyong Sang asked, his face a mask of utter bewilderment. His eyes were filled with disbelief.
“You twisted the force, so I just twisted it back,” Sun-woo replied in a calm tone.
“T-That’s impossible! Such a thing… it shouldn't be possible!”
Moyong Sang shook his head violently, denying Sun-woo’s words. To say he twisted the force back after it was already twisted—that was no different from saying he had mimicked Douzhuan Xingyi.
It was absurd. Douzhuan Xingyi was the secret martial art of the Moyong Clan, a profound technique with the mystical power to change the direction of any attack. Even among the many geniuses born into the Moyong Clan, only the most elite, chosen few could even hope to imitate it after decades of grueling cultivation.
And he claimed to have mimicked it? It was madness. This wasn't something as simple as copying a form or a stance.
“Didn't you see it with your own eyes?”
Sun-woo let a thin smile slip as he spoke.
“Surely! You must have! You must have used some other trick! Douzhuan Xingyi is the pride of the Moyong Clan, a divine art passed down through generations! It is not something an outsider like you can simply copy!”
Moyong Sang spat out the words with fervor, glaring at him. Having one’s martial arts mimicked was a devastating blow to one’s pride. How could he not feel humiliated when the culmination of hundreds of years of research was unraveled by someone in an instant? He denied it. He insisted it had to be some other trick.
‘This guy’s reactions are top-tier…’
Watching him, Sun-woo’s smile deepened. Seeing Moyong Sang get so worked up in his denial sparked a mischievous urge within him—a wicked desire to dye that heated face with the color of despair.
‘I guess hanging around Joo So-yang is rubbing off on me… my personality is getting worse by the day.’
Realizing his own inner thoughts, Sun-woo let out a chuckle. They say you become like those you associate with; it seemed his heart was turning quite black from spending time with her.
“The results of those hundreds of years are quite underwhelming, then. Since they were all dismantled by someone who hasn't even reached the age of thirty.”
“What! Are you insulting the Moyong Clan right now?!”
“I’m just stating facts. It’s actually quite funny. To think the culmination of centuries is nothing more than a crude trick of twisting force.”
Of course, twisting the direction of force was anything but crude. How could a broken ability that allowed one to redirect attacks at will be called crude? If anything, it was a divine art most worthy of the title 'Invincible.' However, Sun-woo hid those thoughts and continued to belittle Douzhuan Xingyi.
“You bastard!”
Whoosh!
In his rage, Moyong Sang swung his other fist at Sun-woo. That fist was loaded with every ounce of his internal energy.
‘Twist.’
Watching the punch, Sun-woo lightly executed the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth. He twisted the flow of the attack flying toward him.
Crack!
Squelch!
“Aaaaaagh!”
Blood began to spray from Moyong Sang’s arm. The massive force contained in his fist had been redirected back into his own limb.
Thwack!
Sun-woo looked at the reeling Moyong Sang, then raised his foot and kicked him squarely in the stomach.
Vroom!
Thud!
Sent flying by the kick, Moyong Sang tumbled through the air before slamming into the ground. It was a pathetic sight.
“Ugh… ah… huff…”
Moyong Sang began to groan in agony. The horrific pain radiating from his left arm was torturous.
“Didn't I tell you? It’s crude,” Sun-woo said flatly.
“Ah… aah…”
Despair began to cloud Moyong Sang’s face as he heard those words. He had finally realized that Sun-woo had perfectly replicated the essence of Douzhuan Xingyi.
‘That’s one down.’
Sun-woo thought to himself. The man would likely suffer mentally for months.
‘Now then, shall we move on to the main course?’
Sun-woo slowly turned his head. There stood Lee Hwa-young, staring at him with a look of pure shock.
“H-How… how did you… Douzhuan Xingyi?!”
When her eyes met Sun-woo’s, Lee Hwa-young stammered. The situation was utterly unbelievable. The legendary martial artist of Liaoning, Glass Sword Moyong Sang, had been utterly thrashed by a mere rising star. And to make matters worse, he had been defeated by a mimicry of his own clan’s secret technique. How could she believe her own eyes? It was impossible.
“It wasn't that hard to copy once I experienced it firsthand,” Sun-woo said with a perfectly nonchalant expression.
In reality, he had used the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth as a shortcut, but there was no need to tell her that.
“That… that can’t be… there’s no way…”
“Didn't you see it for yourself? The way the attack was redirected. If that wasn't Douzhuan Xingyi, then what was it?”
“……”
Lee Hwa-young clamped her mouth shut. She couldn't find the words to argue. She had seen the force being returned with her own eyes. What was the point of further denial? Denying it now would only make her look pathetic.
“The martial arts of a prestigious family you bragged so much about aren't all that impressive. Neither is the man who learned them.”
Sun-woo gestured with his chin toward Moyong Sang, who was still face-down on the ground.
“You…!”
Lee Hwa-young’s face flushed red with shame. She had always admired and respected her elegant mother and took great pride in her mother’s clan. But now, that clan was being thoroughly mocked by this man who was more like a monster than a human. How could she not feel a surge of humiliation?
“Lady, what do you think?” Sun-woo asked, looking at her.
“……About what?”
“Do you still think I’m being arrogant?”
“……”
“Do you still think I’m the weak one here?”
“……”
She couldn't answer his repeated questions. She had realized that his confidence wasn't arrogance—it was a reflection of his actual self. Moyong Sang, whose martial power rivaled that of a sect leader, had been defeated without even putting up a proper fight. How could she doubt his strength now?
“Since you have no answer, I suppose it’s been proven.”
Sun-woo spoke with a thick smile on his lips.
“Then, as the stronger party, I shall exercise my rights.”
Step. Step.
Having finished speaking, Sun-woo began to walk slowly toward Lee Hwa-young.
“W-What… what do you plan to do?!”
As he approached, Lee Hwa-young backed away, her voice rising. An inexplicable fear began to wrap around her entire body.
“What do I plan to do? I’m simply going to do exactly what you said.”
“W-What?!”
“First, let’s start with a slap to the face.”
Now standing right in front of her, Sun-woo glared down at her with a threatening gaze.
“If you touch me, the Moyong Clan and the members of my faction won’t stay quiet!” she cried out, taking another step back.
“You’ll need to bring someone much scarier than them. They aren't particularly threatening,” Sun-woo chuckled.
Having reached the Transcendent Realm, he had no reason to fear the likes of the Moyong Clan.
Step.
Sun-woo closed the distance even further.
“If you touch me, my father won’t let you get away with it!”
Stop.
Sun-woo’s footsteps came to a halt. Seeing this, Lee Hwa-young cheered inwardly. It seemed that no matter how lawless he was, he still feared her father.
“I am a legitimate successor candidate appointed by the Cheonmu Alliance Leader. Threatening me is no different from challenging my father’s authority. To use violence against a candidate before the succession competition has even begun? That is preposterous. You should think carefully before you raise your hand. Consider whether your choice is truly the right one.”
Seeing Sun-woo hesitate, Lee Hwa-young began to pour out her words as if she had found her footing, lacing them heavily with threats.
“Hmm.”
Sun-woo made a face as if he were genuinely contemplating her words. He had become incredibly strong, but he judged that he wasn't yet at the level where he could simply thrash Lee Jae-won.
After a moment of deliberation…
“Whew.”
Sun-woo let out a small sigh. It seemed he had realized he couldn't lay a hand on her.
‘Yes!’
Lee Hwa-young celebrated internally. She was convinced she would escape unharmed.
“I suppose it can’t be helped,” Sun-woo said with a look of regret.
“A wise decision. In a moment of—”
Lee Hwa-young began to speak with a bright smile, but her words were cut short. Sun-woo had reached out and struck her paralysis points.
‘What… what is the meaning of this?!’
Her entire body frozen, Lee Hwa-young glared at Sun-woo with a bewildered expression. What on earth was he doing?
“Lady Soran,” Sun-woo called out quietly, ignoring Hwa-young.
“Yes?!”
“Beat her up.”
Sun-woo spoke in a perfectly calm tone.
“Pardon?!”
A look of utter bewilderment washed over Lee So-ran’s face.