Chapter 104
Chapter 104
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 104
Chapter Title: Sword Suits You Better Than the Blade (3)
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If you're envious of living freely, then you should do the same, sister—I could tell that shook Pang So-jin.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
But in an instant, she schooled her expression and played dumb.
A normal person would have shut down emotionally right there.
'Or maybe before that, she took my words about her envying a playboy kicked out of his family as mockery?'
Like, 'You think that's great?' or 'Big talk from you, punk.'
But having read the original story, I knew.
Those words that just slipped from Pang So-jin's mouth were her true feelings leaking out.
And why wouldn't they be? Pang So-jin was someone destined to abandon the blade for the sword.
The prestigious sects and clans renowned across the vast rivers and lakes take pride in the histories they've built down through generations.
And the foundation of that pride ultimately lies in their martial arts and the weapons used to wield those arts.
'Just look at Pang Mu-hyeok and Gong Son Mu-gyeol growling over childish debates like whether swords or blades are cooler.'
Thus, it's exceedingly rare for the younger generation of prestigious sects and clans to pick up different martial arts or weapons instead of their family's traditions.
That might happen in distant branch families where the blood has thinned to the point of dilution, but for the main line? Almost never.
'Well, that doesn't mean there are no precedents.'
Right off the bat, there's me—an exam-passer from a fist clan wielding a sword.
Even setting aside my unusual case, there was Professor Mo Yong-rin, master to Yin Xia Lian.
'Sword Empress Mo Yong-rin.'
In the story, the Mo Yong clan had vied with the Pang clan for the title of world's greatest blade across the river for generations, yet Mo Yong-rin left her family to take up the sword.
'And now she's become the Sword Empress.'
Professor Mo Yong-rin's case was a branch line, not quite the same as So-jin-noona, the disowned eldest daughter. Plus, her father here is that Pang Mu-hyeok, which makes a big difference.
Anyway.
Considering the era, Pang So-jin pulling off something as monumental as me—the legitimate heir of the Pearl Eon Family—turning delinquent and getting disowned was right before my eyes.
'My existence intervening hasn't changed anyone's core traits so far.'
The signs and causes remained the same.
Choosing Yun-guk Hall over Yun-mae Hall, where generations of Northern Pang warriors had made their names—that was the sign.
'And the cause is right there.'
With that thought, I shifted my gaze to the straight sword strapped neatly to Pang So-jin's waist.
A straight sword, very different in shape and size from the massive blades carried over the shoulder by Pang Mu-hyeok, Pang Jae-hyeok, and Pang So-cheon.
As my eyes moved to her waist...
My master's voice came from the sword at my own waist.
-Didn't I say that kid's a Pang too?
'Yes. She's the daughter of the blade apprentice you saw last time, and So-cheon's twin older sister.'
-Twins from the same womb, born almost at the same hour, yet so different. Aside from the eyes and nose bridge, it's like they came from different molds.
As Master said, Pang So-jin stood out from Pang So-cheon.
Unlike the overall burly So-cheon, she had delicate features—a blessing.
But Pang So-jin hadn't been born with the Fierce Tiger Physique.
Why was lacking the Fierce Tiger Physique a problem?
'Because without it, you can't properly wield the Dark Iron Great Blade.'
The wuxia novels I'd devoured before entering this world often depicted Cold Iron as superior to Dark Iron.
But in Murim Academy's Sword Genius, they're just described as having different properties.
'Depending on the artisan and materials added.'
Basically, Cold Iron is cold and light. Dark Iron is hot and heavy.
Thus, their mines are in different regions: north for one, west and south for the other. Sects and clans using precious materials like these tailor their weapons to their arts—pure Cold Iron, pure Dark Iron, or mixed.
In the story, the Pang clan's Five Tigers Single Pattern Blade was said to unleash its greatest power with an all-Dark Iron black great blade. Having personally received a few forms from it, I knew its power and weight.
'When I just read about it, I thought, "Okay, sure."'
Pang Mu-hyeok swung without infusing qi, and even wrapping my sword in sword qi to block made my joints tingle.
'Though his was forged from Dark Iron aged over ten thousand years, folded and hammered.'
Anyway, not the point.
The point was, Pang So-jin—unable to drink water without bulking up or suppress the Tiger's qi—couldn't properly execute the Five Tigers Single Pattern Blade with a Dark Iron great blade.
"You're the one playing dumb, noona."
"Playing dumb? I have no idea what you mean."
"I see it clear as day. So let me be direct."
"Go ahead. Let's hear it—what's this 'dumb act' of mine I don't even know about."
"Ah, but I'll say it after the bout ends."
"Am I imagining things? You're talking like you're gonna win."
"You're not imagining it."
I wrapped Regret in gray haze.
Pang So-jin's straight sword gleamed with crimson sword qi like flame flowers.
As everyone held their breath for what might be the final clash of the spring dorm tournament...
Only So-jin and I exhaled, charging at each other.
Ching!
No martial clan blindly chases or teaches pure martial prowess.
Ching! Cha-ching!!
Then who raises the cows?!
Clans need those who handle ledgers, those skilled in etiquette—it's not a bad thing.
So if one lacks martial talent, they push books, painting, abacus, or even the pipa—opening other paths early.
Cha-ching-aeng!!!
But the problem was that Pang So-jin had martial talent.
'No, not just had—a lot.'
Just her movements showed it.
When killers fluttered in the fray, time stretched like taffy for me.
And through her swaying short hair, Pang So-jin's eyes—shining a beat late—were definitely keeping up.
Cha-ching!
Exactly that delay, compensated by animal instinct, positioning her blade preemptively where attacks would land.
Turning blood sprays into sparks—that was pure talent.
Kang!
Once or twice? Luck.
Beyond? No.
Kaka-kang!
She just lacked the Fierce Tiger Physique, but Pang So-jin was firmly in genius territory.
Canonically acknowledged.
Seeing it myself? Even more certain.
"Desperate measures?"
"What?"
"Straight sword with less Dark Iron, smaller size. Stripping heavy blade forms, focusing links on strong and fast ones."
"D-don't talk while attacking!"
Ching! Cha-cha-ching!
Kang!!!!
That alone let her topple So-cheon—with his Fierce Tiger Physique—time and again. And just now, Yong-myeong too.
But there was a clear ceiling.
A limit, unreachable peak.
Fine for a half-baked blade bum graduating Righteous Martial Academy to eat three squares and scrape by on sword rice.
But Pang So-jin wasn't that.
Harsh reality.
Anyway.
No talking? Fine.
I shut my mouth and upped my speed a notch.
Pang So-jin does end up taking the sword.
Not in one clean cut, of course.
She agonizes, wanders, clashes with Pang Mu-hyeok and Pang Jae-hyeok, all while building bonds with Jeong-hyeon.
Looking back now, the agonizing and wandering weren't that crucial.
'Nights lost to worry were just inner turmoil feeding heart demons. Wandering was just hunting a master.'
Though Jeong-hyeon, Jeon-ga Seolji, Dang Ok-gi, and others helped, forging friendships.
Protagonist-gen bonds? I could hook them up now anyway.
More important: With my meddling twisting flows bit by bit, the protagonist crew needed to find their paths and grow fast.
'Makes my life easier.'
So, give noona a little nudge?
Easy.
I knew who her future sword master was.
'Murim Alliance Leader. Nine Victories Sword Gong Son Mu-gyeol.'
Not just knew—I had his token plaque with the name, plus an invite to seek him for sword lessons.
'Let me think...'
In the original, Jeong-hyeon got the secret elixir Bear Pellet Ring as a gift when reconciling with Northern Pang and So-jin.
'And squeeze extra from Alliance Leader as "disciple referral fee." Heh heh.'
-What wicked scheme now? Your lip's curling again.
Ahem.
Master's right.
'Not the time to grin.'
Pang So-jin starts seriously pondering her path at finals.
There, she sees Yong-myeong and So-cheon surpass her, and Yin Xia Lian's Jade Maiden Sword grows burdensome firsthand—plunging her into heart demons.
Simple fix.
'Just overwhelm with skill.'
Me—officially new to sword—surpassing her publicly here mirrors the original flow.
'And.'
That seals Azure Bamboo Hall's spring dorm tournament win.
Then use the student council's prize—Murim Alliance tour slots—to drag her to Gong Son Mu-gyeol.
'Father-daughter drama? They'll hash it out original-style.'
Once she grips the sword, no more Pang nagging about blades suiting me better.
'Plus, with events piling up, they'll be too busy bickering.'
That was when.
As I mulled this...
Pang So-jin unleashed her ace strike.
Ssae-aek!!
I twisted Regret like lightning, using Strong Sword Mystery to shove aside her Dark Iron straight sword.
Ching!!!!
Startled, she frantically stepped back with feints to deflect it.
I seized the moment, channeling Shadowless Heaven-Splitting Steps to lunge earth-shatteringly at her.
"?!"
She flailed her blade in panic.
"Eek!"
"W-what the?!"
Gulps echoed from the stands.
Graduate watchers tensed to intervene for safety.
Made sense.
Not early bout—mid-clash, I spiked speed several-fold abruptly.
Cha! Cha-ching!!
To the untrained eye: mutual destruction or gore fest.
But I could handle it, so I accelerated.
Cha-cha-cha-ching!
This body, honed relentlessly since possession.
Sword senses reborn in killer gaps amid incidents.
Escapes and dead ends pondered over Go with Master.
Other geniuses' bouts watched steadily.
Heaven-Splitting Sword forms swung countless times.
And hunger to grow stronger.
Thus tempered heart and spirit resonated with Heaven-Splitting qi.
Dut-ook—
Deeper-gathered inner power punched a fist-sized hole in the mental barrier I'd brushed since first seeing Jeon-ga Seolji vs. Jeong-hyeon.
Hazy sword qi coalesced, strands twisting into threads, sharpening Regret.
- Sword Qi into Threads
Ah.
This Sword Thread realm?
No form changes.
Ssae-ae-ae-aek!
Thrust: Heaven-Splitting Fierce Advance. Downslash: Heaven-Splitting Thunderfall. Slash: Heaven-Splitting Whirlwind.
Shortened strides linking them: Heaven-Splitting Torrent.
Same forms.
But power? Vastly amplified.
Kang!!!
That ended it.
Regret chipped her Dark Iron straight sword's edge.
"Hah?"
Pale-faced, forgetting the arena's edge, she stumbled back and fell flat.
Kwang-dang!!!
Dazed Pang So-jin.
"My take."
I met her eyes, voicing the fever she must suffer once.
"Noona, sword suits you better than the blade."
At that, Administrative Director Im Tae-ok declared my win—or really, Azure Bamboo Hall's championship.