Chapter 115
Chapter 115
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 33
>Chapter Title: Battle for Disciples (1)
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‘This is awkward.’
It was Yi Ji-yeom, lord of the Blood Trial Valley, who had been about to ascend the platform and declare the sparring match over.
Never had he anticipated that the two members of the Five Kings—the most influential high-ranking executives here—would engage in a war of words right in front of everyone.
‘...I get the intent, but you two went a bit overboard.’
Yi Ji-yeom glanced sidelong at Mok Kyung-un while inwardly clicking his tongue.
Truth be told, he himself had been stunned to see Mok Kyung-un spar with Mu Jang-yak and flawlessly mimic the subtleties of the Right Fist Seat Leader’s technique in a single try.
Had he not known that his liege had possessed the boy’s body, he would have been itching to take him as a disciple, just like these two, dazzled by such prodigious martial talent.
In any case, for the event to proceed smoothly, he had to intervene in their squabble.
“Ahem. You two...”
But just as he opened his mouth, a voice rang out from the left side—the Dark Sect Lord.
“Oh ho ho. My apologies for interrupting your conversation, but might I say a word?”
As the Dark Sect Lord stepped in like a mediator, the two Five Kings—who had been on the verge of losing their tempers—simultaneously turned their gazes toward him.
Among them, the more belligerent Luminous Sword King Son Yun spoke in a sharp tone.
“What is it you wish to say?”
“Nothing serious. I merely wonder if there’s any need for two esteemed figures of such renown to let emotions run high over a single talent.”
Under normal circumstances, they would have regained their composure at those words.
But this situation was anything but ordinary.
To pass every trial of the Blood Trial Valley meant that nearly all the qualities required of a martial artist had been verified, along with a fierce will to survive.
Yet this one went even further: not content with reaching the peak realm at just seventeen, he possessed an innate martial genius that allowed him to replicate a technique so profound even superhuman experts couldn’t dare attempt it after a single glance.
Who in their right mind would let such a gem slip away?
“I understand what you’re getting at, Dark Sect Lord, but this is between the Thunderbolt Fist King and myself. Stay out of it.”
The Luminous Sword King Son Yun issued a stern warning.
In contrast, the Thunderbolt Fist King Won Byung-hak said nothing.
It wasn’t due to his gentlemanly nature; rather, it stemmed from the plea he had made to the Dark Sect Lord the night before, begging him not to lay a hand on the child of the Secret Canon Gate.
“Ahem.”
He had donned a thick-skinned facade, convinced he couldn’t let such talent escape, but naturally, he couldn’t help feeling awkward.
Fortunately, he hadn’t made the same request of the Luminous Sword King, but he could only hope the Dark Sect Lord wouldn’t bring it up.
Just then, the Dark Sect Lord smiled faintly and spoke.
“But even if you two decide here who gets to take the talent, what difference would it make?”
At those words, one of Luminous Sword King Son Yun’s eyebrows shot up.
Was the Dark Sect Lord planning to join the fray for this disciple as well?
Son Yun spoke in a cautionary tone.
“You’re not saying you want the boy too...”
“Oh, no, no. That’s not what I mean. What I’m saying is that arguing like this is pointless if we follow the rules of the retainer selection ritual.”
“Pointless? What do you mean by that?”
To the puzzled duo, the Dark Sect Lord pointed at Mok Kyung-un.
“It’s hard to say for sure without seeing the other cadets’ matches, but if that cadet tops the final trial...”
‘!!!!’
He trailed off, but everyone grasped his implication.
On second thought, given that level of talent, the odds were high he’d claim first place in the final trial as well.
In that case, the choice would fall to the cadet himself.
Which meant all this bickering over who would take Mok Kyung-un as a disciple might end up being for naught.
‘Right. No point in us arguing among ourselves.’
While the others nodded in agreement with the Dark Sect Lord, Super Sonic Valley Lord Hang Yeo-ryang stared at Mok Kyung-un with eyes gleaming.
* * *
Mok Kyung-un sat cross-legged on the ground, arms folded, watching the next match.
It pitted number three, Mo Ha-rang of Moth Blossom Hall, against number four, Yeon Mu-woong of the Secret Canon Gate.
They were already locked in fierce combat.
The matchup between Mo Ha-rang, who relied on swiftness and assassination darts, and Yeon Mu-woong, who unleashed hard fists backed by his Iron Lot Skill external art, proved quite captivating.
A clash between lightness and heaviness, perhaps?
-Papapapapak!
With minimal qi expenditure so far and stamina to spare, their duel remained evenly matched.
That said, judging by their styles alone, Mo Ha-rang’s emphasis on speed—her movements twice or thrice as fast as Yeon Mu-woong’s—seemed destined to tire her out first.
As he observed the fight,
-Who do you think will win?
Cheong-ryeong asked.
Without a hint of hesitation, Mok Kyung-un murmured softly.
“Mo Ha-rang.”
-Hoo. Your eye for this has sharpened.
She agreed with him.
One might think Yeon Mu-woong, moving methodically with his hard fists, held the edge as time wore on, but the gap in their skills was glaring.
To Mok Kyung-un’s eyes, after twenty-some exchanges, Yeon Mu-woong still couldn’t keep up with Mo Ha-rang’s pace, while she was gradually targeting his openings.
That alone showed she outclassed him.
“Damn it!”
As Mok Kyung-un predicted, Yeon Mu-woong was growing impatient bit by bit.
For him, whose Iron Lot Skill had reached only the seventh layer, three vulnerable spots remained: his face, armpits, and ankles.
Once perfected, the Iron Lot Skill turned the entire body rock-hard, eliminating most weaknesses.
But Yeon Mu-woong’s flaws persisted.
-Pak!
“Hup!”
Suddenly, one of Mo Ha-rang’s daggers slipped into his armpit—one of those vulnerabilities.
Yeon Mu-woong, who had held his ground steadfastly, finally fell back with a foot technique.
She was now certain.
‘Found it.’
Any incomplete external art inevitably had weak points.
Now that she’d located his, she could play her trump card.
‘You’re done.’
-Tak! Paaaak!
She released the dagger from her hand, and it wriggled like a living serpent toward Yeon Mu-woong, who was trying to widen the gap, connected by its silver thread.
It relentlessly hounded his armpit, tormenting him.
“Damn!”
Enraged, Yeon Mu-woong swung to bat away the thread, only for it to entangle his arm like a spiderweb.
Mok Kyung-un smirked at the sight.
The match would end soon.
Outmatched and with his weakness exposed, Yeon Mu-woong couldn’t hold out.
Just then, Yeom Ga of the Main Killing Valley—or rather, the Demon Monk possessing him—approached Mok Kyung-un and whispered.
“Master. What should we do?”
The Demon Monk glanced sidelong at someone.
It was Mok Yu-cheon.
Though he knew Mok Kyung-un held no special attachment to him, they were brothers in name, so he sought orders.
Mok Kyung-un replied without much thought.
“Handle him at the level of that body’s original owner.”
“Understood.”
The Demon Monk possessing Yeom Ga’s body could unleash far greater prowess, but doing so would draw unwanted attention—unnecessary risk.
Even at Yeom Ga’s level, the Demon Monk’s skill would crush Mok Yu-cheon with ease.
Lifetime experience couldn’t be ignored.
Meanwhile,
“Huh!”
Mu Jang-yak, who had lain unconscious like the dead, stirred awake.
Struggling to regulate his breathing, he bolted upright and hacked violently.
“Cough, cough.”
Mok Yu-cheon approached the coughing man.
“Jang-yak. You okay?”
“Cough, cough... Y-yeah, I’m fine.”
After several more coughs, Mu Jang-yak steadied his breath and lifted his head.
A bitter glint filled his eyes as he spoke.
“So... I lost, after all.”
“...You fought plenty well.”
Mok Yu-cheon’s voice was laced with regret.
He wanted to encourage him, but words failed him.
The guy had reached the pinnacle of the peak realm and mastered the profound Right Fist Seat Leader technique—one even peerless experts couldn’t replicate—yet still lost.
His opponent had reproduced it perfectly after seeing it just once.
The foe was simply too monstrous.
‘Mok Kyung-un...’
What the hell are you?
He’d sensed something off since Timber Sword Manor, but this was a whole other league.
Even he, hailed as a genius, felt inferior by comparison.
That wasn’t a person; it was a monster incarnate.
“Whew.”
Mu Jang-yak painfully hauled himself to his feet.
Mok Yu-cheon tried to stop him.
“Don’t push yourself. Sit and circulate your qi. Your jaw and face took hits; you must be dizzy.”
Waking this quickly was impressive enough.
Ignoring Mok Yu-cheon’s advice with a shake of his head, Mu Jang-yak stood and approached Mok Kyung-un.
Mok Yu-cheon eyed him curiously.
Unwilling to accept defeat?
Fearing trouble, Mok Yu-cheon moved to intervene—
-Thud!
Mu Jang-yak dropped to his knees beside Mok Kyung-un and spoke softly.
“I lost. No—I concede. As per our agreement, my liege...”
“Ah, no. That’s not right. Wrong form of address.”
Mu Jang-yak’s cheek twitched at Mok Kyung-un’s words, then,
“...I shall serve you as my master. With all these executives watching, I can’t offer proper obeisance. Please forgive my lapse.”
‘!?’
Mok Yu-cheon, who had rushed to prevent a scene, overheard and couldn’t hide his shock.
‘Master?’
What the hell?
Why was Mu Jang-yak calling Mok Kyung-un ‘master’ and submitting so humiliatingly?
Was it because of that agreement they’d mentioned?
Puzzled, he saw Mok Kyung-un glance his way with a faint smile, then point somewhere.
It was the arena at the center of the square where the match raged.
‘Ah.’
Looking over, he saw the fight had concluded.
“Haa... haa... I lost.”
Yeon Mu-woong, clutching his blood-soaked right armpit and down on one knee, conceded before Mo Ha-rang’s dagger.
That meant it was his turn next.
He was dying to know what had transpired between those two, but first, he had to prepare for his match.
‘Tch.’
Mok Yu-cheon turned to head off.
Then,
“Do your best out there.”
“Yes, Master.”
‘!?’
Mok Yu-cheon froze at the response from Yeom Ga of the Main Killing Valley—calling Mok Kyung-un ‘Master.’
What in the world?
He’d known that guy had been sticking with Mok Kyung-un lately, but ‘Master’?
Wasn’t that what slaves or servants called their lords?
Whirling around, Mok Yu-cheon demanded incredulously.
“...What the hell did you do?”
“Do? What do you mean?”
“Why are these guys calling you ‘master’? What did you do to them?”
Mok Kyung-un chuckled softly at the question.
“Nothing much.”
“Nothing much? Then why are they treating you like their lord or whatever...”
“Mok Yu-cheon!”
Blood Trial Valley Lord Yi Ji-yeom’s voice boomed out.
Mok Yu-cheon bit his lip and marched toward the center of the square.
Ever since encountering that bastard in the Blood Trial Valley, he’d glimpsed the devilish truth beneath.
The guy had definitely pulled some scheme.
Just then, Mo Ha-rang, victorious in her match, walked back toward the cadets’ area.
Recalling they’d been teammates in the flag capture bout, Mok Yu-cheon offered a nod to their camaraderie.
“Congrats on the win.”
“...Thanks.”
-Thud, thud!
As they drew near, Mok Yu-cheon whispered a warning.
“Steer clear of Mok Kyung-un. No idea what tricks he’s pulled, but he’s got the cadets around him treating him like their master.”
He spoke out of faint camaraderie from their team.
But,
“...Too late for that advice.”
‘!?’
Mok Yu-cheon’s face hardened at Mo Ha-rang’s words as she passed.
Did that mean she, too, served Mok Kyung-un as master?
He whipped his head around, glaring at Mok Kyung-un with trembling eyes.
You’re just a hostage they dragged here—what the hell are you scheming?
* * *
Thus began the match between Mok Yu-cheon and the Demon Monk possessing Yeom Ga of the Main Killing Valley.
As Mok Kyung-un watched like a spectator, a voice echoed in his ear.
-Hello.
‘!?’
Mok Kyung-un furrowed his brow slightly.
What was that?
It wasn’t Cheong-ryeong’s voice.
The sound drilled into his ear, not resounding through the air but as if whispered right against it.
He scanned the surroundings lightly, his eyes narrowing.
Where had that voice come from?
Then,
-Heh heh heh.
Laughter followed.
In that instant, as his wariness peaked, Mok Kyung-un detected the faint qi signature riding the sound’s vibrations.
-Whoosh!
He snapped his head toward Super Sonic Valley Lord Hang Yeo-ryang, seated as an observer beside the platform.
‘Ha!’
Her eyes lit up.
Ahh.
He truly exceeded her wildest expectations.
Sending qi through sound from afar made it hard to pinpoint the speaker’s location.
Yet at this distance, he’d zeroed in on her instantly.
‘He has to be mine.’
There was no yielding such a vessel.
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