Chapter 153: Sibling Showdown (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 153: Sibling Showdown (2)
The brackets for the main tournament of the Yongbong Gathering were determined through a strictly random process.
While the organizers might have gotten away with a bit of meddling during the preliminaries, tampering with the main event—which was crawling with the scions of the Sixteen Major Sects and Clans—would spark a diplomatic nightmare far too troublesome to handle.
Had they been able to interfere, they certainly would have avoided pitting members of the same family against one another. But since their hands were tied, this sibling duel was inevitable.
"It’s been a while since we last sparred, hasn't it?"
Namgung Su-ah offered a soft smile, and Namgung Myeong returned it with a faint grin of his own.
"It has, Sister."
"Don't go easy on me just because we're family, alright?"
"Go easy on you? If anything, I'm the one who falls short compared to you, Sister."
"I appreciate the sentiment, at least."
Namgung Su-ah chuckled, drawing her greatsword.
Screee—
The massive blade slid free, brilliantly shattering the sunlight that struck its surface.
Namgung Myeong drew his own sword and waited for the referee's signal.
Lately, his sister had been receiving specialized tutelage, and her skills had supposedly improved by leaps and bounds. While Namgung Myeong believed he held the upper hand in mastering the Emperor Sword Form, he wasn't so sure about her other capabilities.
Furthermore, since she rarely participated in external affairs, he had to gauge her strength solely based on what she had revealed so far during this Yongbong Gathering.
"Begin!"
Dash!
The moment the signal fell, Namgung Su-ah lunged.
Since she held the advantage in hidden trump cards, she had no intention of testing the waters or hesitating.
Namgung Myeong, anticipating this aggressive opening, held his ground with a high guard.
Crackle!
Her greatsword, wreathed in lightning, carved a massive crescent moon through the air.
Namgung Myeong didn't retreat. Instead, he stepped into the attack, bringing his sword down in a heavy, punishing strike.
Boom!
Unleashing the Emperor Sword Form, Namgung Myeong’s blade slammed Namgung Su-ah’s greatsword into the arena floor, pinning it.
In one fluid motion, Namgung Myeong stepped onto the flat of her greatsword to lock it in place, twisting his shoulders to sweep his own blade upward with explosive force.
But Namgung Su-ah was equally formidable.
She wrenched her hilt, turning the edge of the greatsword upward. Sizzle! The lightning-charged blade threatened to cleave right through the sole of Namgung Myeong’s foot.
He bought himself a split second by coating his boot in internal energy, but he couldn't stop his posture from breaking.
Inevitably, a gap appeared in his sword path. Namgung Su-ah immediately twisted her body.
Whoosh!
His sword sliced through empty air. Using her spin, she ripped her greatsword free from beneath his foot.
"Hah...!"
Carrying the momentum of her rotation, she swung the massive blade with all her might.
The reach of her greatsword far exceeded his standard blade. Namgung Myeong had no choice but to duck.
Instantly, Namgung Su-ah’s foot lashed out. Bang! Namgung Myeong barely managed to block the heavy kick, which carried the full, crushing force of her spin.
Skidding back several steps, he flashed a bright smile.
"Impressive, Sister!"
Even as he smiled, his guard remained razor-sharp. He was hyper-aware of the secret techniques she could unleash at any moment—especially that devastating final strike she had used to defeat Cheong-song.
One careless mistake, and the match would end in a flash.
Namgung Su-ah seemed to realize his caution; she refrained from recklessly deploying her ultimate move.
And so, they traded technique for technique.
Fifteen minutes passed, then thirty, yet the tide of battle refused to tilt.
"Waaaaaaaah────────!!"
The crowd roared in a frenzy. Namgung Myeong steadied his ragged breathing, his eyes glued to Namgung Su-ah’s footwork.
Fundamentally, she moved in a way that perfectly utilized the immense weight of her weapon.
Instead of using raw physical strength to brake her body after a swing, she surrendered to the momentum, fluttering around the heavy blade like a butterfly.
Given her innate strength, she could have easily wielded the greatsword like a one-handed blade through brute force alone. Yet, Namgung Myeong couldn't help but marvel at the elegant, flowing way she managed her power.
"Huff... Huff... Be careful, Sister."
Finally, Namgung Myeong made his move to break the stalemate.
A torrential surge of Qi erupted from his body, dominating the surrounding space.
It was too unrefined to be called a true Domain, but it was absolutely not a feat an ordinary Peak Realm martial artist could achieve.
He was borrowing the absolute authority of the Emperor Sword Form.
Standing tall, he raised his sword high above his head.
It was a completely defenseless posture—an arrogant stance that didn't even entertain the possibility of an attack from below.
Yet, Namgung Su-ah couldn't easily exploit that opening.
Radiating an overbearing, tyrannical aura, Namgung Myeong had become a sword himself. He looked more like the true Young Family Head of the Namgung Clan than ever before.
Namgung Su-ah offered a faint smile and tightened her grip on her hilt.
"I really... have a wonderful younger brother."
Unlike his sister, who is barely present and of little use.
Suppressing the self-deprecating thoughts trying to claw their way to the surface, she channeled violent lightning into her blade.
Rumble────────!!!
Fierce lightning lashed out, tearing at the space Namgung Myeong had claimed.
Namgung Myeong didn't flinch. Watching the encroaching lightning with calm, sovereign eyes, he took one heavy step forward.
Thump!
The heavens moved with him.
A vast, vibrant, deep blue sky was contained within his descending blade, staining the earth with its majesty.
Emperor Sword Form (帝王劍形).
The heavens fell, and the lightning surged to meet them.
BOOM────────!!
The initial collision was a dead heat.
But soon, the delicate balance between the two warring forces shattered. The heavens tore the lightning asunder.
Through the scattering, dying sparks, the sky descended upon her.
"Ah...!"
A gasp erupted from the crowd.
It sounded like a lament for Namgung Su-ah’s impending defeat, but the expressions on the siblings' faces told a different story.
"Oh...!"
As her lightning was shredded, Namgung Su-ah intentionally let go of her hilt.
The massive greatsword spun rapidly, soaring high into the sky.
With both hands completely free, Namgung Su-ah gave a pale smile.
"I'll have to preserve my dignity as the older sister for a bit longer."
There wasn't enough time for her to rush in and land a palm strike. They both knew it. Yet, the victor had already been decided.
Because the person Namgung Su-ah had been watching and learning from was Seo-jun.
From her fingertips, a brilliant, condensed sphere of lightning shot forward like a laser.
Thunder Spirit (雷靈).
Peeeeing────────!!
With an ear-piercing shriek, a single streak of lightning traversed the arena.
"The winner...! Namgung Su-ah of the Namgung Clan...!"
The match was decided.
* * *
Seo-jun, who had been watching the duel intently, jumped to his feet and applauded without even realizing it.
"Oh...!"
That compressed blast of Qi she just fired from her fingers... No matter how he looked at it, it was strikingly similar to the Primordial Unity Sun-Moon Finger he used to wield.
To think she had been hiding a trump card like that.
As he marveled at her ingenuity, the surrounding elders were buzzing with excitement.
"Heavens... The Namgung Clan will surely seize hegemony in the next generation."
"Both are terrifying talents. Their futures are truly something to look forward to."
While some discussed the political future of the martial world, others were purely in awe of the fight.
"There's no need to debate her title anymore. 'Thunder Phoenix' suits her better than anyone."
"Isn't 'Thunder Phoenix' a bit too simple? What about 'Flower Thunder Sword Phoenix'?"
The Rising Stars who reached the quarterfinals of the Yongbong Gathering were bestowed titles containing 'Dragon' or 'Phoenix' depending on their gender.
'Dragon' for men, 'Phoenix' for women.
Usually, two-character titles like 'Sword Dragon' or 'Divine Dragon' were the standard.
‘Wait, then if a woman uses a staff—a bong—does that make her a Bong-Bong?’
While Seo-jun was lost in his ridiculous thoughts, Namgung Myeong regained his composure and offered a formal Fist and Palm Salute to the crowd.
He bowed first toward the VIP pavilion where the elders of the Sixteen Major Sects and Clans were gathered.
Seo-jun grinned broadly and waved his hand.
"Well done, little brother!"
After finishing their courtesies, Namgung Su-ah and Namgung Myeong stepped down from the martial arts arena.
As if proving just how fierce the duel had been, the crowd's fervor showed zero signs of cooling down. There were more than a few spectators who looked utterly exhausted and drenched in sweat, despite not throwing a single punch themselves.
Seo-jun crossed his legs, his heart full of satisfaction. Beside him, Hong Angae chuckled.
"Aren't you a bit disappointed?"
"About what?"
"The Young Family Head possesses the skill to aim for the championship. If the tournament brackets had been in his favor, he surely would have made a deep run."
"Well... that's true, but..."
Although Namgung Myeong had been eliminated before even reaching the quarterfinals, his sheer martial prowess meant it was a travesty he wouldn't be officially counted among the 'Dragons and Phoenixes.'
"But Myeong will have another chance in the future. For my sister... this is her last time."
By the time the next Yongbong Gathering was held, Namgung Su-ah would be past the age of thirty, making her ineligible.
"Oof. Never say that in front of her."
"I'm not crazy enough to do that..."
"I haven't known you for long, kid, but you definitely seem like the type who'd say it and then some."
"I do know how to read a room, you know..."
If Namgung Su-ah were to burst into tears after being called an 'old maid,' Seo-jun didn't have the confidence to handle the crushing guilt.
Besides, objectively speaking, Namgung Su-ah was far too beautiful to ever be labeled a spinster. In his book, as long as she was pretty, she was an 'older sister' regardless of her actual age.
"Heh heh, there's a certain someone who would absolutely love to hear you say that."
"Who?"
"Don't you know? She's quite famous. Someone who dedicated her entire life to the martial path, reaching the Super Peak Realm, yet has never even held a man's hand..."
"Gasp."
"A woman's body is truly a mysterious thing. She looks youthful on the outside, but who would have thought menopause would come for her anyway?"
"That's tragic... So, who is it?"
"The 'Motae Solo'—the eternally single—Abbess Boryeon."
What a truly unfortunate title. Seo-jun gave him a dubious look.
"What kind of title is that?"
"It's an honorable title! It praises her for following the Great Dao and a grand cause while remaining pure and unchanged in her simplicity."
"Are you sure? It sounds like they're just making fun of her."
"Making fun? What's there to make fun of? Anyone who has actually met Abbess Boryeon would never dare dream of mocking her."
Hong Angae clicked his tongue.
"Anyway, from what I hear, she is currently working tirelessly to break through to the Transcendent Realm. She wants to achieve Rejuvenation and regain her reproductive youth."
"Uh... if you see her later, tell her I'm rooting for her."
"Heh heh, I'll be sure to pass it along."
Scratching his head, Seo-jun recalled a comment Namgung Su-ah had made half-jokingly a while back.
'I'll be thirty soon, too. Honestly, even now is getting a bit late. At this rate, I'll become a grandmother before I know it.'
She had said it as a self-deprecating joke, but perhaps there was a grain of genuine anxiety in it?
‘If she really wants to have kids, does she need to hurry up?’
She was only twenty-eight, but if she let the years slip by while focusing on her sword, she'd be forty or fifty in the blink of an eye...
"Hmm."
Quickly cutting off that dangerous train of thought, Seo-jun turned his attention back to the arena to wait for the next duel.
The next match was definitely Hwangbo Hye-ji versus Eun Wi-ryong.
He wondered if that fellow Eun Wi-ryong had managed to resolve his Inner Demon. It certainly hadn't looked settled the last time Seo-jun saw him.
‘Who should I root for?’
His prospective sister-in-law? Or the earnest youth searching for his dream?
He wasn't entirely sure, but he was eager to get a proper look at the Diancang Sect’s Sun-Shooting Sword Technique.
Who knows?
Maybe he could take some mental notes and put them to good use later. Since he had graciously given the boy some advice, Seo-jun figured Eun Wi-ryong wouldn't be too angry if he "borrowed" a bit of his martial enlightenment in return.