Chapter 149: Round of 32 (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 149: Round of 32 (3)
Namgung Su-ah caught her breath, standing tall in the center of the martial arts arena.
The Yongbong Gathering. The Round of 32.
She calmed her racing heart and composed her mind.
It’s okay.
She had rarely shown her face outside the clan until now, but that didn't mean she had to stay hidden forever.
She was just a little nervous.
The act of revealing herself before so many people...
Relaxing her stiff lips, Namgung Su-ah drew her sword.
Screee—
As the long blade left its sheath, Cheong-song grinned, resting a hand on the hilt at his waist.
"I look forward to a good match."
"...Hehe, yes. Me too. You’re not going to go easy on me just because I’m Myeong-i’s friend, are you?"
"Perish the thought."
Once both sides were ready, the referee raised his hand.
"Begin...!"
At the signal, Namgung Su-ah charged.
Skreeee—!
Her greatsword dragged against the stone floor.
Lunging forward, she twisted her body and swung the massive blade in a wide arc.
Crackle—!
Cheong-song’s lips curled up at the faint sparks of electricity dancing in the air.
"Impressive!"
Click. His thumb pushed his sword from its scabbard. In a flash, he drew his blade.
Ching—!
Drawn with explosive force, his sword struck Namgung Su-ah’s greatsword upward.
Boom—!
With a thunderous roar, Namgung Su-ah was launched into the air.
Cheong-song marveled at the sight of her fluttering through the sky, greatsword in hand.
"They call you the Flower of Namgung, but you look more like a butterfly."
He laughed loudly and kicked off the ground. Step, step! Treading on empty air to soar higher, Cheong-song pulled his sword back.
"Hup...!"
Immediately, he unleashed the Clear Wind Sword Art.
Fast as a blue breeze yet utterly relentless, his sword strikes hounded Namgung Su-ah.
Watching the storm of blades approach, Namgung Su-ah calmly gripped her greatsword with both hands.
Both fighters were now suspended in mid-air.
Namgung Su-ah’s eyes widened slightly, revealing brilliant blue pupils.
Zap—!
A flash.
Blue lightning tore through the atmosphere.
Rumble────────!!!
With a deafening clap of thunder, Cheong-song was sent flying.
Crash—! His body slammed into the ground, kicking up a massive cloud of dust.
Namgung Su-ah flipped several times in the air before landing gracefully.
I can reach it.
Her blue eyes gazed toward a distant place.
A dark sky. A castle shrouded in clouds. And the bundles of blue current dwelling within.
She still wasn't particularly fond of standing proudly in front of others.
She had never thought deeply about the reason, simply assuming it was her nature.
However, since she had already stepped onto the stage, shouldn't she see it through to the end?
"Well, now..."
Cheong-song emerged, brushing away the dust.
He still wore a smile as he flicked dirt off his clothes.
"I truly wonder what exactly runs in the Namgung bloodline. First Myeong-i, and now Lady Namgung."
Whoosh—!
A sudden wind rose from his unleashed momentum.
A blue breeze wrapped around Cheong-song’s body, and soon, a red energy began to surge from his blade.
The Clear Wind Red Sunset Sword Art.
It was a higher-tier technique than the Clear Wind Sword Art. Even Cheong-song had only mastered it recently.
However, even with his lack of proficiency, its power was on an entirely different level.
Cheong-song took the starting stance of the Clear Wind Red Sunset Sword Art and bared his teeth.
"Here I come."
"Whenever you’re ready."
Boom—!
Cheong-song charged.
Standing before him, Namgung Su-ah took a slow, deep breath.
The goal of my mental imagery.
Somewhere far away. The objective she would eventually reach.
Imagining it, containing it, she imbued her sword with lightning.
Crackle—!
The greatsword, wreathed in blue currents, swung in a massive arc. Cheong-song did not retreat, meeting it head-on.
K-boom—!
Cheong-song moved the exact moment they collided. He let the impact flow into the air and circled her persistently, like a lingering sunset.
Namgung Su-ah moved the greatsword as if it were an extension of her own body.
At times, she swung the blade; at others, the blade seemed to lead her.
Using the greatsword as a brace to leap high, she spun her body and raised the blade.
Azure Lightning Heart Method.
The foundational art created by Seo-jun. She caught a glimpse of the lightning dwelling within it.
Faster and more intense than anything else.
Flash—! Deep blue Sword Qi bloomed over the massive greatsword.
Then came the Thirteen Lightning Sword Forms.
Zzzzt—! The blooming Sword Qi transformed into Lightning Qi.
To follow his teachings, she first had to understand him.
The lightning Seo-jun had imagined was originally influenced by Namgung Su-ah herself.
The lightning he had mapped out and drawn was now contained within Namgung Su-ah’s sword.
"Hup...!"
Squeezing out every ounce of strength in her body, she swung the greatsword.
The sword technique, following the path of the Emperor Sword Form, fell toward Cheong-song’s head.
Crash—!
Countless bolts of lightning struck the arena. The pressure unique to the Emperor Sword Form, which crushed space itself, had manifested as pure lightning.
Facing that surging blueness, Cheong-song laughed heartily and imbued his sword with the crimson sunset.
"I won’t lose...!"
The moment the two swords met, Namgung Su-ah saw it.
A gap as narrow as the eye of a needle. And the blue lightning within it.
The moment her gaze was stolen, her vision turned white, as if her very soul were being snatched away.
FLASH─────────!!!
Before she knew it, she had stepped beyond the wall.
The barrier behind her crumbled.
She looked at Cheong-song’s broken sword, and then at another sword that was blocking her own greatsword. She gave a faint smile.
"How was it?"
"It was killer."
Seo-jun, who had leaped from his seat to block Namgung Su-ah’s sword, grinned.
"Congratulations. You can do it now."
She would be able to use it now.
The Life and Death Breakthrough Art.
The peerless martial art that clears the Governing and Conception vessels.
Namgung Su-ah finally stood at the threshold of the Super Peak Realm.
* * *
The Round of 32 of the Yongbong Gathering concluded with the end of Namgung Su-ah’s duel.
Since there was a four-day break before the Round of 16 began, Seo-jun and his party left the arena, debating how to spend their time off.
"Today’s duel was truly impressive."
Cheong-song, who had followed the group, smiled and offered a fist and palm salute.
"I was lucky. To be honest, I hadn't completely grasped the clue yet..."
At Namgung Su-ah’s words, Cheong-song shook his head.
"I, Cheong-song, do not believe I have trained so poorly that I could be defeated by mere luck. Congratulations."
"Hehe, thank you."
After a brief conversation with Namgung Su-ah, Cheong-song introduced a man who had come with him.
"Myeong-i, you haven't met him before, have you?"
The man gave a slight salute.
"Well... I’m Eun Wi-ryong of Diancang."
His voice was listless and lacked energy.
He didn't seem particularly interested in the Yongbong Gathering; rather, he looked like he just wanted to leave as quickly as possible.
As if proving the point, Eun Wi-ryong gave a brief introduction, a polite nod, and immediately departed.
Cheong-song watched his retreating back with a bitter smile.
"He used to be such a motivated fellow."
Namgung Myeong asked, "Did something happen at Diancang?"
"No, nothing like that. He’s just... wandering a bit, I suppose."
It wasn't an uncommon occurrence.
Those raised in the Sixteen Major Sects and Clans since childhood naturally entered the world of martial arts.
Then, at some point, many would lose their sense of purpose and lose their way.
What did they truly want to do? Was it right to continue walking the path of martial arts?
It was a problem many agonized over.
Hearing this, Seo-jun thought to himself.
So, basically, it’s career anxiety?
If the path of martial arts were compared to the modern world, it would probably be something like going to medical school. There was no value more recognized in the Central Plains.
In the end, weren't they just teenagers struggling between their dreams and reality?
Perhaps they hadn't even found their dreams yet.
"How cute."
They’re just kids, aren't they?
Seo-jun chuckled.
"It’s a good age for that. Yes, indeed."
Watching him, Chun-bong let out a sigh.
He’s probably thinking something stupid again.
By now, it was obvious without even looking.
* * *
The tedious meeting had begun.
Still, it was different from usual.
Today’s agenda was a brand-new topic!
How to respond to the atrocious, brazen behavior of the North Sea Ice Palace, who had dared to crawl all the way to Henan to assassinate an Imperial General...
"This matter must not be taken lightly. The fact that those Seven Evil Black Sect bastards managed to sneak into Henan and succeed in an assassination is a disgrace to the Righteous Faction."
About one shigeng had passed since the meeting began.
The discussion was still sluggish.
Everyone knew it was a serious matter, but the problem was that no one knew what method the culprit had used.
How on earth could such a martial artist infiltrate Henan, assassinate the General in such a short time, and then vanish without a trace while deceiving countless warriors?
It was truly a ghostly feat.
"I even wonder if we should continue the Yongbong Gathering. What do you plan to do if the rising stars are massacred?" the Tang Clan Elder asked with cold eyes.
At that question, the Admiral of the Eastern Depot chimed in.
"Furthermore, how does Shaolin intend to take responsibility for the General being assassinated in Henan?"
Shaolin was hosting the Yongbong Gathering, and the assassination had taken place within Shaolin’s territory.
The Admiral questioned the Abbot as if demanding an explanation, but the Abbot remained composed.
"Had the Third Prince been assassinated, Shaolin would, of course, have taken responsibility."
"What is the meaning of that...?"
"Must Shaolin protect even the Imperial General? I fear that would be an insult to the General himself."
"Abbot...! How can you say such a thing...!"
The Abbot raised his hand to cut him off.
"Furthermore, I believe it is right to continue the Yongbong Gathering. If we stop now, the morale of the Righteous Faction will plummet. People will say we yielded to the Seven Evil Black Sect."
At the Abbot’s words, the Tang Clan Elder nodded, albeit with an uncomfortable expression.
The Abbot continued.
"For now, the only thing certain is that the culprit belongs to the North Sea Ice Palace. Also, they are skilled enough to assassinate an Imperial General in a very short time."
The Abbot turned his gaze to the Tang Clan Elder.
"Elder Tang, it seems appropriate to ask you regarding assassinations."
"Whew..."
Assassination and the Tang Clan. Though it was an open secret, the Tang Clan Elder frowned, clearly reluctant to have it brought up so directly.
"Assassination... Yes, there are many ways. One comes to mind."
"What is it?"
"Assassinating the General in such a short time is practically impossible. For someone of that caliber, it would truly have to be someone like the Ice Palace Master."
The North Sea Ice Palace Master. The leader of the North Sea Ice Palace, which belonged to the Seven Evil Black Sect, and a warrior of the Transcendent Realm.
The Tang Clan Elder continued, ignoring the focused stares of the people.
"However, I do not believe the Ice Palace Master would commit the madness of crawling all the way to Henan."
Most in the meeting room agreed.
"In that case, the culprit must be someone raised from birth specifically to assassinate the General."
A martial artist’s Qi Sensing is not perfect.
As long as one has not transcended human limits, one cannot constantly process all information. Therefore, Qi Sensing distinguishes between the unfamiliar and the familiar.
This means that if a presence is familiar, one might unconsciously overlook it.
There is an assassination method that utilizes this exact flaw.
An assassin is raised from the very beginning to match the target’s tastes and is then planted by their side. Only when the assassin has formed an extremely close relationship with the target do they attempt the kill.
It was a method that required an investment of up to several decades. Because it often failed—such as the assassin developing genuine feelings for the target—it was not a commonly used technique.
"But Elder Tang, then how do you think the assassin broke through the perimeter and escaped?"
"I know nothing of that. Perhaps their Shadow Hiding Technique has reached its pinnacle?"
"Hmm..."
It seemed few agreed with Elder Tang’s opinion.
At that moment, Seo-jun, who had been quietly listening to the meeting, stepped forward.
"Looking at this incident, it seems the Seven Evil Black Sect has a formidable assassin. Wouldn't this person have done something before? How about looking for clues there?"
These were the words of the Azure Heaven Immortal, whose influence had grown significantly due to his recent actions.
The crowd thought it made sense and turned to look at Hong Angae. Within the Sixteen Major Sects and Clans, the Beggar Sect was the most famous for its information network.
"A similar incident..."
Hong Angae muttered, scratching his head vigorously before turning his gaze toward the Mount Hua Elder.
The Mount Hua Elder let out a deep sigh and spoke up.
"I believe some of you may already be aware... but Elder Jong-in has recently gone missing."
"Elder Jong-in? You mean the Ten Thousand Demon Slayer, Jong-in?"
"That is correct."
"Are you saying Elder Jong-in was assassinated by an assassin from the Seven Evil Black Sect?"
Everything was going according to plan.
Seo-jun wore a devious smile.
"The thing is..."
The Mount Hua Elder groaned.
"Most of the martial arts traces left at the scene were erased... but judging by the remaining sword marks..."
"Why are you hesitating so much?"
The Mount Hua Elder continued hesitantly.
"Um... Mount Hua has concluded that those are the traces of the Yellow Cloud Divine Sword."
Gasp.