Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: The Main Event
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A powder keg ready to blow.
Even her disciple, So Eun-ri, could only gulp nervously as she watched the scene unfold.
Glancing anxiously at Han Ibi...
But...
"What are you..."
Han Ibi pressed a finger to his lips, signaling her to stay quiet.
And for good reason...
Han Ibi was gripping an "imaginary sword" in his hand, mimicking Bok Yeon-hwa's every move.
It was the kind of thing that might draw eyes, but with everyone's attention locked on the spar ahead, no one noticed.
So Eun-ri whispered,
"Are you... practicing right now?"
Han Ibi replied without taking his eyes off the match.
"You could say that... I'll explain later."
Indeed.
Han Ibi was incredibly busy at the moment.
In his vision, the sub-skill of Eagle's Eye Technique, "Eye for Popularity," was active.
Within that green-tinted field of view, he poured every ounce of focus into capturing Bok Yeon-hwa's movements without missing a beat.
And when needed, he mimicked them himself...
This was... the perfect martial arts lesson, straight out of a dream!
But regardless, the two combatants' exchange grew fiercer by the second.
Nam Cheol-hong's storm-like swordplay seemed poised to shatter Bok Yeon-hwa's defenses at any moment.
Yet Bok Yeon-hwa stuck to the basic Qingcheng Sect sword techniques, simple and unadorned.
No flourishes... no tricky variations.
She merely blocked his relentlessly aggressive wooden sword with straightforward forms—frantic to onlookers—swiftly and efficiently.
To anyone watching, she looked like a lone skiff adrift in a typhoon...
From somewhere, whispers from Nam Cheol-hong's faction drifted over.
"Sheesh, even Master... did he have to hide it from us? With skills like that..."
"Idiot. Look at the big picture."
"Huh? What do you mean, senior brother?"
"Brilliant martial arts like his? You keep 'em under wraps until a big day like today, then—bam!—unleash 'em for maximum drama."
"W-Well, sure."
"'Behold, this is me. That's why I must be Qingcheng Sect's next leader!' Cool, right?"
"Yeah... pretty cool, I guess."
"Exactly! How do you not get that? That's why you'll never make it..."
Crack!
A sharp sound echoed once more.
Incredibly, it came from the sparring platform itself.
The source: a wooden sword striking flesh.
Bok Yeon-hwa's wooden sword had smacked Nam Cheol-hong's instep.
"Urk!"
A yelp nearly escaped Nam Cheol-hong's lips before he clamped them shut.
It hurt, but he self-censored in a panic.
The top of the foot... how much does that sting?
Even a light stomp is agony; this was like getting whacked with a sharpened stick...
Pain beyond what most could imagine.
Involuntarily, Nam Cheol-hong hopped on one foot.
It was comical, but in this tense atmosphere, no one dared laugh.
Then another figure hopped up excitedly... Han Ibi.
"Yes! That's it! Perfect! Master, Master! Thank you so much."
So Eun-ri whipped around, giving Han Ibi a baffled look.
But Han Ibi muttered to himself like a philosopher fresh from a steam bath—or a madman.
So Eun-ri hesitated, wondering if she should slap him again, but lowered her arm.
The guest seating area buzzed with confusion.
Not that it was unfounded... This was a prestigious sect leader selection tournament, yet the match felt like child's play.
Nam Cheol-hong's agile footwork and flashy swordsmanship were beyond reproach.
But the outcome? Utterly absurd...
Chae Geuk-ik, standing as witness, couldn't hold back any longer. He turned to Hong Gu-geum beside him.
"Did you know?"
Hong Gu-geum shook his head calmly, his face etched with discomfort.
Chae Geuk-ik pressed,
"Well, if you did, you wouldn't have ignored my advice to accept that woman's proposal..."
Then, a transmission reached Chae Geuk-ik's ear from Hong Gu-geum.
- Elder Chae, if you don't mind, may I use sound transmission?
- Ah! Sorry, Sect Leader Hong. I got carried away... Anyway, that woman—is she really Sect Leader Tak Bu-yong of Wudang's wife?
- More or less. But they've been living apart lately. Word's all over the martial world.
- True enough. But... Elder Bok there... did she train in Wudang martial arts?
Hong Gu-geum gave the faintest shake of his head.
- What Elder Bok used was a combination of basic Qingcheng techniques.
Chae Geuk-ik's eyes widened as he transmitted back in astonishment.
- Incredible... But... Ah!
He pointed at Nam Cheol-hong fuming on the platform.
- Sect Leader Hong, that fool still hasn't grasped the situation. Looks like he wants a rematch.
Hong Gu-geum shot to his feet, addressing Seo Ui-jae urgently.
"That's enough. End the match."
The disciples and heroes alike wore puzzled expressions.
'What? Calling it over this early? This is a sect leader tournament, not kids' games!'
It was a collective sentiment...
Even Seo Ui-jae looked unsure.
The noisy Qingcheng Mountain fell deathly silent in an instant. You could hear crickets...
Sensing the dire mood, Hong Gu-geum added,
"Protecting our disciples comes first. Elder Seo, conclude the match at once."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
"Protecting?"
"Who's protecting who?"
"Yeah... Elder Bok got a few lucky hits, but in a real fight, she wouldn't stand a chance against Elder Nam."
"So... protecting Elder Bok from Elder Nam?"
Seo Ui-jae, having rushed off for instructions, returned to the platform.
He cleared his throat.
"Ahem. The result of the second match: between elders... victory to Elder Bok Yeon-hwa!"
Normally, cheers or applause would erupt...
But the stunned crowd couldn't react.
One guest even shouted,
"The match isn't even over! Is this how you end it? Give Elder Nam a chance!"
Seo Ui-jae replied evenly,
"Whether mistake or not, Elder Bok Yeon-hwa's wooden sword has already touched Elder Nam Cheol-hong three times. Wooden swords made it survivable; real blades would've been fatal. For fairness, this was decided by the sect leader and Elder Chae. We ask for your understanding."
Murmurs of dissatisfaction persisted.
So Eun-ri seemed equally baffled by the awkward verdict.
Then.
One person remained utterly composed.
She returned to her seat.
Elder Bok Yeon-hwa.
And another still calm.
Han Ibi offered Bok Yeon-hwa a fresh cup of tea.
"Master. You did great."
Bok Yeon-hwa said,
"Your turn now."
"Yes. It is."
So Eun-ri asked, puzzled,
"Master, why would they rule against themselves...?"
Han Ibi grinned and cut in.
"Against themselves? What a harsh way to put it."
So Eun-ri's eyes widened.
"Huh?"
"Master could've crushed him faster but held back."
"What... do you mean? If she could, why...?"
Han Ibi clucked his tongue theatrically.
"To teach martial arts, obviously. She demonstrated it live."
Then, cupping his hands near So Eun-ri's ear so no one else would hear,
"And revealing the skill gap too soon never ends well..."
So Eun-ri shook her head.
"I have no idea what you're talking about. Skill gap? Who taught who?"
"Well, obviously..."
Bok Yeon-hwa's sharp voice cut through.
"Enough chatter. Prepare for the next match!"
Han Ibi yelped,
"Yes, ma'am!"
But a thought struck him.
'This is weird. In the original Dream of the Ant Snake, Bok Yeon-hwa won, but not this dominantly...'
He pondered briefly, then shrugged it off.
'Whatever. Not my problem... My own nose is three feet long right now.'
Indeed.
No time for others' drama.
Soon, he'd face the terrifying second-generation disciple king, Seong Chun-don...
From first glance, the guy oozed bad vibes.
Seeing him felt like high school days staring down the top delinquent boss from another world.
That instinctive urge to shrink...
Seong Chun-don cracked his neck and knuckles in the corner, prepping.
Just watching made Han Ibi feel smaller...
Even facing "Nine Heavens Generation" elites hadn't rattled him like this. Eerie...
Was this the difference between natural fighters and plain folk like him...?
Then, disciples' chatter pierced his thoughts.
"What happened? Did Elder Nam throw it?"
"Underestimated her?"
"Nah, orders from above."
"So it's all rigged?"
"Don't sweat it. Third match has 'that guy' anyway."
Han Ibi's ears perked.
"That punk?"
They twitched harder.
"Who else? Victory's Seong Chun-don senior brother's. That half-crazed Bok hag pulled some weird stunt again."
"No clue why she acts like that."
"Her as our sect leader..."
The hairy disciple shuddered dramatically, grinning.
"...nightmare fuel."
"Sigh. No kidding. Obvious match, but I'll cheer senior brother anyway."
"Like your cheers change anything? Hahaha."
Rage boiled in Han Ibi's chest.
On the verge of exploding.
But most disciples probably felt the same.
Han Ibi thought,
'Fine. I have to win...'
His eyes met Seong Chun-don spitting on the ground.
'...Even if I lose here, I won't go down embarrassingly.'
Then.
Seo Ui-jae had mounted the platform unnoticed.
Tension crackled around the arena!
"Honored guests and beloved disciples... At last, Qingcheng Sect faces its most pivotal moment in history."
- Wooaaah!
Cheers exploded anew across the mountain.
Seo Ui-jae waited for the roar to die, then continued.
"Now, then..."
Thump thump thump.
Han Ibi's heart pounded so loud he swore he heard it.
He prepared to ascend the platform.
Seo Ui-jae went on.
"...It's late, so we'll break for dinner."
Gasp! What...?
Han Ibi turned to So Eun-ri.
"W-Was there always a dinner break?"
She gave him a "really?" look.
"Of course. Didn't you see the schedule posted up front?"
"Ah... right."
(To be continued in the next chapter)