Chapter 120
Chapter 120: Opening the Meeting (2)
Even now, he was advancing further in the middle of the crowd. Not physical progress, but the development of martial arts.
Despite being in the middle of the crowd, his form had not the slightest pushing or brushing. In a way, it even looked as if the people passing him were deliberately avoiding him.
Butterfly Swarm Phantom Shadow Step.
Bewildering Step Phantom Movement.
Soaring Void Heavenly Ladder.
.....
....
...
..
.
A new Footwork properly mixing the exclusive family Footwork of those who died on the ship, including Tang O, was naturally melting into his body.
Though no one noticed, Dong Bong-soo was thus training in martial arts without resting even for a moment. While doing so, inside his clothes he was also simultaneously training in the Inventory Divine Art.
All of it was being accomplished as naturally as a normal person breathing.
Then at some moment, his movement stopped.
"There you are!"
'Hwa Seon-hyang.'
Dong Bong-soo raised his head.
A cute young lady with her hair braided in two pigtails was calling his name while flying down toward him.
Dong Bong-soo's Super True Energy Field had already grasped Hwa Seon-hyang approaching from the sky, so he wasn't surprised at all.
However,
"Wh, what?"
"Kuk!"
People passing around Dong Bong-soo were struck by a thunderbolt from a clear sky. A beautiful young lady, not rain or snow, fell from a perfectly clear sky, so how could they not be startled?
"I, I'm sorry!"
Since even she squeezed into Central Great Road, which was already cramped......
Hwa Seon-hyang apologized to the person whose head she'd stepped on by mistake—whether it was a mistake or not would differ depending on one's perspective—and landed beside Dong Bong-soo where some spatial leeway had been created.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
She repeatedly bowed her head and apologized to the people looking at her from all directions.
Was that the reason?
People soon resumed going their way. However, it actually wasn't that they readily accepted her apology, but because they'd seen the sword slung diagonally across her back.
A sword with red plum blossom tassels dangling carelessly.
Mount Hua Sect.
Everyone knew that the prestige of the Nine Great Sects wasn't merely at the level of just advancing to the finals. Among them, Mount Hua Sect was positioned in the upper ranks, so what more needed to be said? They weren't the kind of target mere spectators should judge right or wrong in the first place.
Knowing that people's gazes had lifted from her to some degree, Hwa Seon-hyang raised her head and now looked at Dong Bong-soo.
Flinch.
"Y, you were here......"
Hwa Seon-hyang stammered. The space that had been created as she fell was already filled, making the distance between her and Dong Bong-soo less than a span. Her heart had felt like it would burst just from holding hands, but having their faces this close together was just......
Moreover, as he looked down at her, his long and soft white hair was flickering before her eyes as if it would brush her forehead or not......
"Were you looking for me?"
At some moment when Hwa Seon-hyang's heart would beat half in excitement, half in nervousness.
Dong Bong-soo's indifferent voice cut her heart into two pieces, three pieces.
"......"
Hwa Seon-hyang couldn't say anything.
If she said she was looking, it seemed like she was pushing too hard, but if she said no......
She was so afraid that...... she might seem like nothing to this man.
Actually, it was nothing, it was nothing......
As Hwa Seon-hyang was repeating that with her head lowered, Dong Bong-soo spoke again.
"It's too crowded here."
Then, without a moment's hesitation, he leaped up to the roof of Jibin Pavilion, where Hwa Seon-hyang had originally been.
Hwa Seon-hyang, who had been slightly troubled, could thus get past it without having to answer. She thought Dong Bong-soo had shown her consideration. Actually, it wasn't much, but no, was it...... much...... or not?
What did it matter anyway?
If it's a good misunderstanding, even a misunderstanding is fine, right?
She smiled brightly and flew up to the roof following Dong Bong-soo.
Tap.
Dong Bong-soo was already standing with his arms crossed at that place where he'd previously looked down at Central Great Road with Soldier Eccentric.
Hwa Seon-hyang naturally landed beside him. Her height was very small, just enough for her forehead to reach his shoulder, but well...... well, what did it matter? It was just nice.
Actually, for the past few days, she'd come up here every day to meet him, but Dong Bong-soo hadn't shown even his nose. She'd thought Dong Bong-soo was avoiding her. Even when she'd gathered her courage to ask him to eat, he'd made excuses and slipped away......
Only today when the tournament started could she see him again. Honestly, until just before seeing him down there, she'd been a bit angry, wondering why he was avoiding her.
But such feelings melted away in an instant like snow.
'What does it matter? I'm standing next to him like this now, aren't I?'
That was enough satisfaction.
For her.......
On the other hand, regardless of what thoughts Hwa Seon-hyang standing beside him had, Dong Bong-soo merely quietly looked down at the arena surroundings. However, even while doing so, he was reading all of Hwa Seon-hyang's changes.
Dopamine, phenylethylamine, endorphins, especially oxytocin.
How could he not know such changes even seeing the face of a woman whose affection hormones were being secreted abnormally excessively?
Learning is the best emotion detector and manipulator.
Dong Bong-soo had already studied hormones and knew very well about their effects and reactions. Therefore, he knew better than anyone in this Central Plains how to maximize emotions in this situation.
Just stay still like this.
To Dong Bong-soo right now.
That was enough.
Time passed as they both quietly watched below the arena. Dong Bong-soo waiting for the madmen's cheers and enthusiasm to explode, Hwa Seon-hyang hoping for Dong Bong-soo's attention.
The sun slowly increased its altitude and at some moment rose to midheaven.
"What are they doing not starting quickly?"
"Let's begin promptly!"
As the time for the tournament to begin approached, the crowd's complaints became widespread and reached one step before exploding.
That moment.
Flap. Flap. Flap—
Along with the sound of clothes fluttering in the wind, someone flew up onto the arena.
It was a woman so beautiful she was like no other immortal, with bluish skirts covering below her waist like clouds and her triple-layered hair flying.
She flew a full sixty something meters and lightly landed on the arena like a falling leaf. It was such excellent Body Technique that admiration naturally flowed out.
Ahhh-
"It's the Fairy of the Martial World!"
Namgung Hye, it was precisely her.
At her sudden appearance, the crowd instantly heated up. It wasn't simply because of her beauty or Movement Technique.
Since Namgung Hye was one of the Murim Alliance's several military strategists, the fact that she'd ascended the arena was no different from meaning the tournament's start was imminent.
"It seems they're about to start now."
Hwa Seon-hyang said with an expectant expression.
"So it seems."
Dong Bong-soo lightly responded to her words.
His gaze was already directed toward Namgung Hye, who had landed at the edge of the platform and was lightly walking toward the center.
Namgung Hye soon reached the middle of the arena. Now her entire body could easily be seen from anywhere around here.
She swept her gaze over the assembled heroes filling Central Great Road and slowly opened her mouth.
"First, on behalf of the Alliance Leader, I would like to express heartfelt gratitude to the heroes under heaven and Martial World brethren who have sought out our Alliance like this despite your busy public and private matters."
Namgung Hye lightly lifted her white-blue skirt and bowed once each to the four directions—east, west, south, and north.
"Wow......"
"Oh......!"
Her slightly revealed ankles and ankle bones drew admiration from the men. Almost no one could tell whether it was intentional or not, but men's instincts naturally made them so anyway. A beautiful flower monopolizes the gazes and love of all bees.
Gulp.
When someone unknown swallowed their saliva audibly, the cheers subsided as if they'd been waiting. Namgung Hye's light provocation had not only captured people's gazes but even silenced the noisy sounds.
Central Great Road finally became quiet.
Namgung Hye straightened her waist again and soon opened her mouth.
"Before the opening of the Heavenly Youth Martial Arts Tournament, I will inform you about the tournament's outline. This tournament differs in trajectory from other tournaments that simply compete in martial arts skill to select a winner. This Heavenly Youth Martial Arts Tournament is a tournament widely proclaimed to the realm by Hyeoncheon Jinin, our Murim Alliance Leader, to realize the great cause of saving the Martial World fallen into crisis. In particular, renowned masters of the Martial World have agreed that for the Martial World's peace even a hundred or thousand years hence, we must actively discover and nurture new talent. Therefore, we have opened this tournament targeting young heroes thirty years old and under. Also!"
She paused briefly, then turned her body to look at another side and continued speaking.
"All young masters advancing to the finals will be granted qualification to become members of Blue New Star Corps, a military organization the Murim Alliance Leader will newly establish, and furthermore, will be able to receive concentrated martial arts instruction from Great Master Seungchan."
Member of Blue New Star Corps, and concentrated martial arts instruction from Great Master Seungchan!
At those tremendous benefits, vigorous cheers burst forth again from among the crowd.
"Blue New Star Corps will lead the Martial World from now on!"
"The Martial World's next number one master under heaven will surely be one of the young masters within it!"
"Wa-! Great Master Seungchan!"
"We can receive instruction from the Martial World's number one master?!"
"That venerable person has descended from Mount Song again!"
Those cheers initially burst from one corner but soon spread in all directions. Soon Central Great Road became so noisy it seemed ready to burst from the sounds thousands of assembled heroes shouted in unison. The cheers were even heard from outside Muhwa Gate and from the Inner Court ahead. Though he didn't know for sure, other military strategists besides Namgung Hye were probably ascending those arenas and telling the same purpose story as her.
Staff God Seungchan.
Together with Tianshan Divine Demon, the master of Heavenly Demon Castle, one of the Two Divinities.
Martial brother of the current Shaolin Sect Leader and absolute undefeated one who had never lost even once after emerging into the Martial World!
Above all.
Great Master Seungchan was the Hall Lord of Kimnara Hall.