Chapter 119
Chapter 119
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 34
>Chapter Title: Selection (1)
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-Crack! Crack!
At that moment, the veins on Mok Kyung-un’s left hand bulged prominently. Soon, the muscles all the way to his wrist swelled up, and his skin visibly turned black.
‘!!!!!!’
Bloodcurdle Valley Leader Yi Ji-yeom’s eyes went wide upon seeing it.
Mok Kyung-un’s left wrist looked almost identical to the phenomenon that had occurred in Mok Yu-cheon’s rampaging body.
The only difference was that it was confined to his wrist.
‘No. What in the world?’
As he marveled in shock, Mok Kyung-un spoke casually.
“Shifting the acupoints to explode the qi forward does put a heavy strain on the meridians. Still, if I limit it to just parts of the body without triggering a full rampage, it seems usable enough. What do you think?”
“......”
Yi Ji-yeom was speechless.
Was this even possible?
If he had examined Mok Yu-cheon’s body in detail, scrutinized every qi pathway, and developed this method after endless research, that would have been understandable.
But how had he pulled this off?
“Why the long face? Does it seem lacking?”
“Well......”
Hesitation.
What was he supposed to say?
It was beyond the realm of mortal comprehension.
Or perhaps, since Mok Kyung-un—no, the lord possessing his body—was a ghost of the dead, it was possible only for him.
This seemed impossible even for martial artists with heaven-sent talents, irrespective of their cultivation.
Who could simply observe and then replicate and adapt it like this?
And it was no different from a full heretical arts rampage, at that.
‘That talk of surpassing the wall in three years might not be mere bluster after all.’
But Yi Ji-yeom didn’t know one crucial thing.
Mok Kyung-un had perfectly memorized the flawed incantation he’d deliberately taught to Mok Yu-cheon from the start.
‘If I use it right, it’ll work fine.’
Using that as a foundation, Mok Kyung-un had personally witnessed how Mok Yu-cheon’s qi pathways and energy functioned, allowing him to manifest it in this manner.
Even Cheongryeong was left sticking out her tongue in awe at Mok Kyung-un’s talent.
‘This guy......’
How had he even thought to turn something like this into his own?
To her, Mok Kyung-un’s rate of progress and his open-minded approach bordered on terrifying.
Even with the ghost sight shared by the undead, this one was a real monster.
‘It might not be impossible.’
She began to think that fulfilling her grudge might not be a pipe dream after all.
With that, her emotions surged even higher.
Mok Kyung-un muttered to himself as he released the blackened hand back to normal.
“What should I call it?”
This was a heretical art executed by arbitrarily shifting acupoint locations.
Taking that into account,
‘Heretical arts that shifts acupoints on the fly—Reverse Acupoint Heretical Art it is.’
Reverse Acupoint Heretical Art (易穴邪功).
And so, Mok Kyung-un gained yet another secret technique.
For ordinary martial artists, it was a direct path to qi deviation or becoming a cripple. But for Mok Kyung-un, with his rapid recovery speed both inside and out, and his innate reverse meridian qi method, it was effectively a custom secret art that wouldn’t strain him much if properly controlled.
Witnessing this, Bloodcurdle Valley Leader Yi Ji-yeom stuck out his tongue in admiration.
“......My lord truly knows how to startle this subordinate.”
“Really?”
Mok Kyung-un chuckled softly, then asked,
“What happened to Mok Yu-cheon?”
“Fortunately, the executives intervened before disaster struck.”
‘Ah......’
Mok Kyung-un couldn’t hide his regret.
The explosively surging energy had exceeded what Mok Yu-cheon could handle, so he’d assumed the fool would become a cripple or drop dead this time for sure.
And yet he’d clung to life again?
At this rate, Mok Yu-cheon had both freakish luck and an unusually tenacious thread of fate.
‘Too bad, but oh well.’
He’d have to settle for gaining the new technique called Reverse Acupoint Heretical Art.
* * *
With that, the final bout of the last gateway came to an end.
But controversy arose right away.
The question was: who was the victor?
It was none other than Thunderclap Fist King Won Byong-hak who first brought it up.
Originally, after agonizing over it, Bloodcurdle Valley Leader Yi Ji-yeom had planned to declare Mok Yu-cheon the loser, despite the severe internal injuries from forcibly unleashing heretical arts.
However,
“I object.”
“Object, you say?”
“Though we did intervene midway, looking at it objectively, shouldn’t we call it Mok Yu-cheon’s victory?”
Some of the other executives nodded along with Won Byong-hak’s objection.
Sparring was competition, after all.
Had they not stepped in midway, Mok Kyung-un might well have died at the hands of the rampaging Mok Yu-cheon.
Given that, viewing Mok Yu-cheon as the winner was perfectly reasonable.
“Hm. The Thunderclap Fist King makes a fair point.”
Mindful of the mood around him as he was about to make the announcement, Yi Ji-yeom replied accordingly.
Won Byong-hak’s lips twitched faintly.
He’d put forward a convincing rationale, but that wasn’t his real motive.
‘This boosts my chances of taking the kid, even if just a little.’
If Mok Kyung-un was declared the spar’s winner, he’d take first in the last gateway. That meant the choice would go to the participant himself, not the observers.
His odds among Life-Death King Son Yun, the Dark Clan Leader, Blue Shade Valley Leader Hang Yeo-ryang, Flame Demon Brigade Grand Captain Bo Hyeok-so, Crimson Blood Brigade Grand Captain Dae So-man, and himself would be one in six.
On the other hand, if he didn’t take first, Mok Kyung-un would be in the pool to be chosen as well.
‘Then it’d boil down to a contest between Life-Death King and me.’
A bit of a stretch, sure, but if he leveraged his rank here with conviction, the other executives wouldn’t dare covet his prize.
That was Thunderclap Fist King Won Byong-hak’s calculus.
But then another voice raised an objection.
“That’s far from certain.”
‘Hm?’
It was none other than Life-Death King Son Yun.
Won Byong-hak scowled.
He’d assumed someone of equal station, in a similar spot, would back him up.
What was this about?
“What do you mean ‘far from certain’?”
“One look shows Mok Kyung-un’s injuries are lighter than expected. As fellow experts, you know full well that in life-and-death clashes, raw internal energy superiority doesn’t dictate win or loss.”
“Hah. It wasn’t life or death.”
“The same holds for a spar.”
The two locked horns sharply once more.
Bloodcurdle Valley Leader Yi Ji-yeom found himself in an awkward spot.
With Life-Death King Son Yun voicing opposition, their motives were clear enough.
‘The Thunderclap Fist King wants to nudge the odds of claiming my lord even slightly higher, while Life-Death King aims to hand my lord first place and curry favor.’
His read was more or less spot-on.
Life-Death King Son Yun figured any real martial artist would pick from the mightiest and most influential Five Kings out of the six executives anyway.
That shrewd kid he’d seen at Timber Sword Manor wouldn’t make a losing choice.
No need to snatch first place from him, then.
“Ahem. Regardless, I stand by Mok Yu-cheon as the victor of this bout.”
Thunderclap Fist King Won Byong-hak nailed down his position.
Life-Death King Son Yun matched him.
“Taking everything Initiate Mok Kyung-un demonstrated today into account, I firmly believe he’s the victor.”
‘......Playing it like that, eh?’
Won Byong-hak ground his teeth.
Didn’t this paint him as the bad guy in Mok Kyung-un’s eyes?
Maybe he should switch sides now.
That was when someone stepped up.
“I agree with the Thunderclap Fist King as well.”
‘Blue Shade Valley Leader?’
It was none other than Blue Shade Valley Leader Hang Yeo-ryang chiming in.
She addressed them.
“True, Initiate Mok Kyung-un possesses exceptional martial talent, no doubt. But as a spar, we must honor its intent in our judgment.”
“Intent?”
Life-Death King Son Yun arched one brow.
As virtual archenemies, Hang Yeo-ryang’s lips curved higher at his response.
“Yes, intent. This assembly recognizes heretical arts as legitimate martial learning. Rampage or no, Initiate Mok Yu-cheon did overwhelm Mok Kyung-un, if only for a moment. Isn’t that right?”
The two Grand Captains exchanged glances and nodded.
Her point wasn’t without merit.
‘Heh heh heh. Think this Valley Leader will yield easily?’
Hang Yeo-ryang coveted Mok Kyung-un too.
For her, steering things toward an observer’s pick was key.
She’d already confirmed via transmission that he had zero interest in her, so solidifying Mok Yu-cheon’s win was essential.
She had no plans to fold in this battle of wills with the two kings.
“Ahem.”
Thunderclap Fist King Won Byong-hak, pleased by her support, moved to seal the deal.
“See? Most of the observers align with me. Purely on talent, I rate Mok Kyung-un higher too, but honoring the spar’s intent means, naturally.....”
“Ohoho. Begging your pardon, might I offer my view?”
All eyes, Won Byong-hak’s included, turned to the Dark Clan Leader at her signature tinkling laugh.
The Dark Clan Leader demurely covered her mouth with one hand as she rose.
Cupping her hands in salute, she spoke.
“First off, apologies for the midway interruption.”
“Ahem.”
Won Byong-hak cleared his throat, visibly irked by her apology.
She’d cut him off, so opposition was a given.
The Dark Clan Leader waved it off lightly.
“You seem put out. My regrets. But I stepped in to ensure a precise verdict, hence the impropriety.”
“Precise verdict? Explain.”
Won Byong-hak snapped curtly.
Nonsense, and he’d pounce.
The Dark Clan Leader replied with deference.
“To be candid, I share the Life-Death King’s view.”
“No. How’s that precise—”
“It’s merely my opinion, not the precise verdict, of course. But divided opinions mean the victor can’t be pinned down clearly.”
“Can’t pin down the victor? Anyone could see that without our intervention—”
“Exactly. That’s the issue.”
“What?”
Won Byong-hak knit his brows.
What was this Dark Clan Leader on about?
As he puzzled, she continued with a slight bow, hands clasped.
“The instant we intervened, the spar reset to the starting line. Hence the debate.”
“Starting line?”
“Yes. No intervention, and some outcome would’ve happened. We all agree?”
“......”
Won Byong-hak sighed faintly.
Obvious, wasn’t it?
Without intervention, Mok Kyung-un dies, Mok Yu-cheon’s meridians rupture—cripple or corpse.
Their meddling was what saved both.
“Dark Clan Leader...... Fair point, but no intervention means calamity for both initiates. You concede that?”
“I do. Which is why I say: don’t judge it a win or loss. Pick one of two paths instead.”
“Two paths?”
“Yes.”
Blue Shade Valley Leader Hang Yeo-ryang now asked, intrigued.
“What might they be?”
“Simple. Match halted by observer intervention—so either rematch,”
“Rematch possible now?”
Hang Yeo-ryang scowled, jerking her head at the fainted Mok Yu-cheon.
Severe internal wounds; he couldn’t fight anytime soon.
How even hold a match?
The Dark Clan Leader smiled gently.
“Or declare it a draw due to unavoidable observer interference.”
‘!?’
Silence gripped them all.
A conclusion out of left field.
Yet not devoid of logic.
‘Draw........’
‘On paper, that fits.’
‘Rematch impossible right now. Can’t re-observe later.’
‘Split opinions anyway—might be best.’
Most nodded along with the Dark Clan Leader.
Bickering over a “winner” would get them nowhere.
But a fresh snag.
“Dark Clan Leader has a point. Match halted, draw’s viable. But what of first place, then?”
That was the real focus.
The split stemmed from who got the pick: Mok Kyung-un or the observers.
Bloodcurdle Valley Leader Yi Ji-yeom spoke up.
“How about this?”
Eyes converged on him.
“No observer interventions in spars like this before. But we all agree: either victor works.”
“Valley Leader..... you’re saying?”
“Rematch unfeasible, draw it is—then we can’t very well deny both finalists first place, can we?”
‘Damn!’
Thunderclap Fist King Won Byong-hak’s face stiffened.
Both last-gateway finalists joint first?
Choice to the initiates, not observers.
He itched to fight it, but no ground left.
‘Whew.’
Pushing now would just make him look petty.
* * *
Thus, Bloodcurdle Valley gateway history welcomed its first dual first-place finishers.
Life-Death King Son Yun fretted over the fallout if word spread assembly-wide: two orthodox hostages sharing top honors.
But the verdict stood; no overturning it.
What happened happened—the Assembly Leader who’d sent the hostages would handle the mess.
His sole concern now:
‘Mok Kyung-un.’
He wanted the boy as disciple.
Likely everyone present felt the same.
Joint first or not, who’d take on heresy-trained, high-risk Mok Yu-cheon as disciple or subordinate?
Bloodcurdle Valley Leader Yi Ji-yeom, atop the platform, addressed the standing Mok Kyung-un.
“Initiate Mok Kyung-un—no, Unit Leader Mok Kyung-un and Unit Leader Mok Yu-cheon, who conquered all Bloodcurdle Valley gateways for first place: congratulations. As stated earlier, first-place perk: chance to choose from the observing executives.”
The moment of selection had arrived.
Who would he choose?
Choice in Mok Kyung-un’s hands—even executives couldn’t help tense anticipation.
Mok Kyung-un offered a respectful cupped-fist salute to the executives seated before the platform. Lifting his head, he spoke politely.
“My apologies. All you executives are so outstanding that I can’t settle on one.”
‘Hm?’
What was that?
As they puzzled, Mok Kyung-un smiled faintly.
“So, to be direct: above all, I wish to join whoever truly wants me most. If there’s such a person, kindly raise your right hand just a bit.”
-Swish!
Executives raised hands slightly, almost in unison—no one first.
All six, by coincidence.
They shot sidelong glances, unease plain.
Just as expected.
Mok Kyung-un’s lips twitched.
“How awkward. Everyone wants me.....”
“......”
“No helping it, then. For fairness—please don’t take offense. One by one, tell me the benefits of joining you.”
‘!?’
The six executives scowled in sync.
Wasn’t this demanding they bid a proper price to claim him?
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