Chapter 118: Qualification (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 118: Qualification (2)
"Swordsmanship... Right, so you want to just skip the swordsmanship part..."
Namgung Hyeok let out a deep sigh.
"And your reason for this?"
"I haven't been practicing martial arts for very long, so I'm not all that good at swordsmanship yet."
What nonsense is this brat at the Super Peak Realm spouting?
Namgung Hyeok swallowed the myriad of retorts rising in his chest, barely managing to maintain a calm exterior.
"Fine. Just when did you start learning martial arts to make such a ridiculous—no, such a bold claim?"
"About two years ago?"
"...You first picked up a sword two years ago?"
"No. I said I started learning martial arts entirely two years ago."
Namgung Hyeok tapped his ear. "Did you say twenty years?"
"Two years."
This time, the elder stared intently at Namgung Jin-cheon. The Family Head simply nodded.
Two years. Right. So it really has only been two years... Does that even make sense?
Had the world changed so drastically during his time away that his very common sense was now being denied?
Fortunately—if one could even call it that—it seemed the rest of the world hadn't gone quite that mad yet.
"Two years? The Young Master has only been practicing martial arts for two years?"
"Surely that can't be right."
"But the Young Master just said so himself."
"Doesn't he mean it's been two years since he started learning the Namgung Clan's martial arts?"
"What are you talking about? It hasn't even been a year since the Young Master arrived at the clan."
The surrounding clan members were thrown into a noisy state of confusion.
Namgung Hyeok simply decided to accept it.
From the moment he had bought into the claims of this boy creating a new Divine Art and being a peerless alchemy genius, nothing else that came out of his mouth could truly shock him. Well, it was still surprising, but he could at least process it.
"I see..."
Namgung Hyeok's eyes gleamed. If those words were true, one thing became absolutely certain.
They had to keep this boy at all costs.
This was undoubtedly a golden opportunity for the Namgung Clan to leap forward and become the undisputed Greatest Clan under Heaven.
"Then I shall judge your qualifications while taking that timeframe into account."
"No, I'd rather just start with the martial arts demonstration."
"...Then do as you wish."
Namgung Hyeok let out another heavy sigh.
Seo-jun watched him, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. "It would be better to have a live opponent if you want to properly evaluate my martial arts, wouldn't it?"
"...That is true."
"Since you are the one judging my qualifications, Elder, wouldn't it be best if we sparred?"
According to Seo-jun's Qi Sensing, Namgung Hyeok was hovering right at the edge of the Transcendent Realm. He wasn't quite a full-fledged Transcendent yet, but calling him a mere Super Peak felt slightly inaccurate. It was as if he had one foot already over the threshold.
This wasn't unusual.
Martial realms weren't something that could be divided with surgical precision. There were general standards in the Murim, but if one were to be truly meticulous, there would be countless subdivisions of power.
A prime example was Pae Jin-gwang.
If one were to translate the stages of his Tyrannical Power Ghost God Art into universal realms, his level would sit roughly around there. Strictly speaking, Namgung Hyeok was likely a bit higher in raw cultivation. Of course, if Pae Jin-gwang and Namgung Hyeok actually fought to the death, no one could say for sure who would emerge victorious.
"A spar with this Elder?"
"Yes. The Family Head is here, after all."
"...True. With him present, nothing disastrous will happen."
In a way, this was a massive stroke of luck.
To be able to spar with a martial artist on the cusp of the Transcendent Realm while Namgung Jin-cheon watched from the sidelines? In all seriousness, this opportunity was far more valuable than a Great Restoration Pill, considered the absolute finest of all spirit herbs.
Even if they fought as though it were a life-and-death duel, Namgung Jin-cheon could intervene at the exact right moment to ensure no one was permanently maimed.
This, too, must be the grace of my father-in-law...
After offering a brief, internal word of praise to Namgung Jin-cheon, Seo-jun grinned. "Then it's settled, right?"
"So be it. However, naturally, the result will not be determined solely by the outcome of the spar. If you win, your qualifications will be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt. But even if you lose, I will make my judgment based on the martial arts you display during the process."
"Hmm."
Seo-jun thought for a moment and then nodded. Basically, I just have to win.
'He lost, but he fought well'? He wouldn't settle for a consolation prize like that. He was determined to win this spar and give this old man a good flick on the forehead.
*
The spar took place right there on the Great Training Ground.
The onlookers were all members of the Namgung Clan, so there was no issue with them watching the duel unfold. In fact, witnessing a spar between such experts would be highly beneficial for their own martial paths.
As a result, everyone backed away to a safe distance, but not a single person left their spot.
Standing across from the idle Seo-jun, Namgung Hyeok explained the rules once more.
"Even with the Family Head present, we should avoid killing moves as much as possible to prevent any unfortunate accidents."
That was all. Aside from that, it would be a duel as close to a life-and-death struggle as possible. Namgung Hyeok drew his sword and pointed the tip at Seo-jun.
"I shall grant you three moves."
It meant he wouldn't counterattack while Seo-jun performed his first three techniques. By those rules, even if Seo-jun spent an entire hour gathering his strength, Namgung Hyeok would be forced to sit back and offer nothing more than minor interference.
And Seo-jun felt that if he actually spent an hour gathering his power, he could probably carve a cute little star shape right into Namgung Hyeok's forehead.
But that would be far too boring.
Snap— Snap— Snap—
Seo-jun flicked his fingers three times in rapid succession. The compressed Finger Pellets he fired were effortlessly swatted away by Namgung Hyeok's sword.
"There. Three moves."
"...You have spirit. Let us see if your skills match your bravado."
Namgung Hyeok approached slowly. Seo-jun smirked and made a large, upward sweeping motion with his finger.
"Don't blame me if you get beaten black and blue."
Five Elements, Earth, Ejection.
Massive stone pillars erupted rapidly from the floor of the training ground, shooting upward like growing trees.
Namgung Hyeok immediately kicked off the ground. His eyebrows twitched as he lightly twisted his body in midair to dodge the sudden obstacles.
"Sorcery? You truly are a man of many talents." Not content with creating Divine Arts and mastering alchemy, the boy even used sorcery? "However, walking such a diverse path will prevent you from ever reaching true greatness in any single field!"
Thud.
Namgung Hyeok kicked off the side of a rising pillar and launched himself forward. A brilliant blue Astral Qi coated his blade as he swung it in a great, sweeping downward arc. It was the Firmament Boundless Sword Technique.
Recognizing the strike, Seo-jun smirked. "I've actually reached greatness in all of them."
He nudged the hilt of the sword at his waist with his thumb.
As Seo-jun's blade revealed itself, the faint, imposing image of a sovereign materialized behind him. It was a perfect collaboration between the Emperor Sword Form and the Giant Spirit Divine Art.
This was a test to judge his qualifications for the Emperor Sword Form, after all. He didn't mind using it proactively to show off.
BOOOOOOOM!!
The sheer pressure crushing the space slammed the incoming Namgung Hyeok straight into the ground.
Seo-jun placed a hand on the stone pillar he was standing on. At the same time, he focused on the power of the Tyrannical Power Ghost God Art overflowing through his veins and took a step forward.
Boom!
Seo-jun shot like a cannonball through the rising cloud of dust. Namgung Hyeok, who had been waiting for the approach, swung his sword in response.
KRA-AAAANG!!
The lingering dust was instantly blown away by the shockwave of their clashing blades.
Namgung Hyeok, who had been pushed back a significant distance, narrowed his eyes while shaking out his numbing hand.
What kind of monstrous strength is this...?
He was actually being pushed back in a direct clash of strength. It was absurd. Their accumulated internal energy and martial realms were on completely different levels.
But he had already been surprised too many times today to let this rattle him. Quickly regaining his composure, Namgung Hyeok wrapped the very sky around his sword. Seo-jun was already closing in, swinging his blade with ferocious momentum.
"You...!"
A sky resembling a vast, surging sea erupted from the earth.
Seo-jun reacted instantly. He slightly twisted the Wang Family Blade Technique he was executing, seamlessly mixing in the mental imagery of the White River Returning to the Ocean.
Thrum!
Diverting the elder's overwhelming force, Seo-jun's figure soared high into the sky. Blooming phantom plum blossoms beneath his feet to double jump in midair, Seo-jun landed gracefully atop a stone pillar and looked down at Namgung Hyeok.
"Have you not had much real combat experience lately? Your instincts are a bit dull."
"You are right. I haven't traded blows with a worthy opponent in recent years. So, be careful."
Whoosh!
The Astral Qi flowing from Namgung Hyeok's sword began to consume the surrounding space. The area around the blade was dyed the brilliant azure of the sky.
Seo-jun's eyes gleamed.
It was a Domain. However, unlike the absolute territory of a true Transcendent, it was a limited domain that only encompassed the sword itself.
Still, it was a power that could not be ignored. Within that sword's domain, Namgung Hyeok held an overwhelming, absolute advantage.
"As this fight drags on, this old man's sword will only grow sharper."
Flash! Namgung Hyeok charged.
Seo-jun grinned and kicked off the stone pillar. Instead of charging straight at the elder, Seo-jun's figure moved rapidly, darting nimbly between the towering columns of earth.
Namgung Hyeok gripped his sword in silence. Then, violently twisting his body, he swung his blade in a massive, sweeping arc.
Descent of the Firmament.
WHOOOOOOSH!!
The blue sky surged forward like a tidal wave, effortlessly cleaving through the thick stone pillars.
The severed pillars came crashing down in a shower of debris. Perched lightly on one of the falling fragments, Seo-jun snapped his fingers.
"Can you even hold out until then? It'll be tough with those dull skills of yours."
The falling fragments of rock suddenly shuddered as an explosive energy erupted from within them.
Namgung Hyeok's eyes widened in shock. "When did he...!"
Suddenly, scenes flashed through his mind—the brief moments when Seo-jun had touched the pillars or busily darted between them. It had seemed like a natural evasive maneuver at the time, but that wasn't the whole truth.
He was planting a trap the entire time...!
BOOOOOM!!
The numerous charges of the Primordial Unity Sun-Moon Art he had secretly planted in the pillars detonated in a rapid, deafening sequence.
The shattered rock caught in the blasts scattered chaotically through the air. Yet, the fragments that seemed to be flying completely at random suddenly locked into a specific, deliberate arrangement. It was a simple Five Elements Formation.
Having calculated this exact trajectory in advance, Seo-jun leisurely formed a hand seal.
Five Elements, Fire, Eruption.
Merging seamlessly with the lingering explosions of the Primordial Unity Sun-Moon Art, a terrifying pillar of roaring flame ignited and soared toward the heavens.
BOOOOOOM!!
Landing softly on the ground and quietly watching the fiery spectacle, Seo-jun suddenly had a thought.
Did I use a bit too much sorcery?
At this rate, it looked like he was demonstrating profound sorcery rather than his martial arts qualifications.
"Hmm."
Nodding to himself, Seo-jun gripped his sword with both hands. The old man wasn't someone who would be taken down by a trick like that anyway, so he could just focus on pure martial arts from here on out.
Sure enough.
Pshhh! The raging inferno of the explosion was instantly dispersed with a single sword stroke as Namgung Hyeok revealed himself. His robes were slightly singed and he sported a few minor scratches here and there, but he looked otherwise unharmed.
"...That underhanded tactic reminds me of the Giryeon Sect."
"Who are you calling underhanded, old man?" His expression souring, Seo-jun fully unleashed the Emperor Sword Form.
Boom!
Feeling the massive, crushing pressure bearing down on him, Namgung Hyeok, who was currently stepping on empty air, furrowed his brow.
"Then I, too, shall give my all."
Namgung Hyeok raised his sword high above his head. His blade dyed the surrounding space the brilliant color of the sky.
No—was it the sea?
A boundless expanse that could be either the infinite sky or the fathomless sea spread outward, completely swallowing the training ground.
Namgung Hyeok's actual Domain only covered a space of about one foot around his sword. However, his profound mental imagery projected outward, maintaining its terrifying form far beyond the limits of that domain.
Faced with that world-encompassing force, Seo-jun's expression stiffened slightly.
No matter how rusty Namgung Hyeok's combat instincts were, an attack like this had absolutely nothing to do with instincts. What kind of combat instinct did you even need for a strike designed to simply crush everything in its path?
Blocking it outright seemed impossible, which meant his only remaining options were full defense or evasion.
Evasion will be tough...
Seo-jun took a deep breath, infusing his sword with swirling red and blue energy. Yin and Yang harmonized perfectly at the tip of his blade, forming the symbol of Taiji.
The energy, having achieved true Primordial Unity, coated the blade and sharpened into a lethal edge—the Primordial Unity Sun-Moon Astral Qi.
He had learned a very important lesson from his previous experiment titled, 'Is your fist stronger, or is my sword stronger?'
If used crudely, the Primordial Unity Sun-Moon Astral Qi could actually be far less efficient than ordinary Astral Qi. But when wielded with absolute precision, it could calmly perform miraculous feats that ordinary Astral Qi wouldn't even dare to dream of.
"Whew..."
Of course, this was his first time actually trying this application in live combat, but it should work out just fine, right?
Seo-jun pulled his sword back and grinned. And if it doesn't work out, my father-in-law will step in and stop it anyway.
The phantom Sovereign towering behind him mirrored his exact stance. The same Primordial Unity Sun-Moon Astral Qi coated the massive illusory blade held by the Sovereign.
The sky fell like a crashing sea.
It was an overwhelming, apocalyptic sight. Before such a heaven-sent tsunami, a human existence seemed like nothing more than a meaningless speck of dust.
Seo-jun fearlessly raised his sword against the descending calamity.
A mere mortal holding a simple piece of metal charged headlong into the apocalyptic tsunami and was instantly swallowed by the crushing blue expanse.
Taiji is harmony, and it is expansion.
Submerged entirely within the violent, raging flow of the sea, Seo-jun swung his sword.