Chapter 238
Chapter 238
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 238
Chapter Title: The World's Greatest Martial Arts Tournament
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Flutter. Flap.
A pigeon flew in and landed on the windowsill, cooing.
Coo. Coo.
If this were modern-day Seoul, I would have shrieked and shooed it away, but the pigeons in the martial arts world are cute, clean mountain doves, not red-eyed monsters.
Besides, this one was far from an ordinary pigeon.
It was a carrier pigeon, the best high-speed network system of this era with a value beyond imagination—in other words, a CooCooTalk.
I had shelled out a hefty sum for it, needing a regular line of communication with Hanzhong.
Thanks to it, I could receive weekly updates on the situation in Hanzhong through my CooCooTalk with Yu So-pyeong.
[I heard about what happened at the Nine Dragons Fortress. It was hard to believe that the White Dragon Hall Master and the Silver Dragon Hall Master betrayed the fortress. I have the utmost respect for you, my Lord, for overcoming such adversity to achieve victory.]
[As you may have heard from the Black Dragon Commander, you need not worry about things here. The construction of the Silk Road, with the help of the refugees, has now passed Wudu County and is reaching Tachang. In about half a year, we expect it to connect to Hezuo and Lanzhou.]
[Upon hearing the news that we were ceded the lands south of Gansu, I immediately dispatched the Iron-Blooded Pathfinders. For now, they are maintaining security by strictly guarding the area around the road under construction, but their numbers are insufficient, leaving much to be desired. In response, the Military Affairs Department, including myself, has proposed several alternatives….]
[Finally, the shadow of war that loomed over Hanzhong has completely lifted. In fact, at times it seems to be flourishing even more than before the war. It is all thanks to you, my Lord.]
“…He’s doing well.”
The good news brought a smile to my face.
At the same time, I felt a little disappointed.
“But why is everything running so smoothly without me?”
Shouldn’t things fall apart when the owner is away? That’s just common sense.
I even brought Whitey along, thinking I would pop up like a hero to solve problems whenever they arose.
As I was mulling over the letter and sipping my tea…
“Hall Master, a formal notice has arrived.”
“Another one?”
It was news I was not at all happy to hear.
In the Korean peninsula, the word ‘baecheop’ refers to mounting calligraphy or a painting on paper or silk to create a scroll, frame, or folding screen. However, its meaning here in the martial world was slightly different.
Here, it usually meant a formal invitation.
“Who is it this time?”
Or a challenge letter requesting a duel.
It was also the very thing that had been tormenting me lately.
“It is Thunderclap Fist Eon Cheong-gyeong, the third young master of the Jinju Eon Clan.”
“Leave it.”
I was receiving over thirty of these duel challenges a day.
“Are they all just a bunch of freeloaders…?”
To be honest, it wasn’t like this from the beginning.
After my master became the Fortress Lord, countless visitors flocked to the War King Gate, but almost none of them sent duel challenges like this.
At first, I used all my spare time to meet them, and the warehouse filled up with gifts from the visitors.
However, after listening to Myo Hyang, I stopped meeting them.
‘Is it really necessary to spend time on such people? Besides, the entire martial world is watching you, Hall Master. If you meet someone and a bad rumor starts to spread, it could lead to a worse outcome than not meeting them at all.’
It was an exceedingly wise judgment.
She was right.
I was no longer Jin Mujeon, the Outer Hall Squad Leader, but Jin Mujeon, the War Dragon Hall Master—a public figure.
Now that I held this position, my public image was extremely important.
If a groundless rumor like ‘Jin Mujeon is crazy for money’ were to spread, my reputation would take a massive hit.
From that day on, I refused all visitors under the pretext of training and, to clean up my image, I gave away all the gifts I had received to the poor.
Thanks to my painful sacrifice, for a while, a rumor even spread in the slums of the Nine Dragons Fortress that Jin Mujeon was an angel without wings.
I thought the situation was settled, but that’s when the visitor notices sneakily turned into duel challenges.
It was a shallow trick to get acquainted with me through a duel since I wasn’t accepting visits.
Even that would have been fine.
Most of them had shallow martial skills and would fall with a single tap, wailing.
The problem was that the news of me accepting duels brought out the real deal.
“What a pain…”
* * *
Smack! Thud.
“Guh.”
“A good duel. Next.”
Dueling allows you to meet a variety of martial artists.
There were the Nth sons of prestigious families, all style and no substance, who went down in one hit like the last guy.
“Hah!”
Clang clang clang clang. Pow!
“Kuh, I’ve lost.”
“The depth of your swordsmanship is by no means shallow. If you keep training, you will surely see the light.”
“…To hear you say that is an honor.”
And then there were those with solid fundamentals, with whom I could at least exchange a few blows.
And then… this last group was the biggest problem.
“Let’s see… Bamboo Sword Blood Saber, Yu Myeon?”
“I have crossed the Central Plains to face the Combat Hegemon.”
The real masters.
Oh, by the way, ‘Combat Hegemon’ was my new title.
It was also the reason these people came looking for me.
If they defeated me, they could devour the fame of one of the Seven Hegemons, so they sent challenges, hoping for a big break.
My address was also public knowledge, given my position as the Master of the War King Gate.
‘I really need to protect my personal information…’
Anyway, there was something I always said when facing these types.
“A simple duel doesn’t seem like it will satisfy you… Shall we make it a semi-real bout? Or a true life-or-death match?”
“What is a semi-real bout?”
“It means I just won’t kill you.”
“So you’ll spare my life?”
“Seeing blood too often disturbs my peace of mind… and it feels like bad luck.”
Usually, after this conversation, there were two types of reactions.
Those who weren’t completely confident in their martial arts would choose the semi-real bout.
And those overflowing with confidence.
“Let’s make it a life-or-death match. To die in battle is the path of a warrior.”
They would bet their lives like this.
“Don’t blame me.”
Of course, he was a martial artist challenging one of the Seven Hegemons. His skills couldn’t be weak.
Fwoooosh!
“Hup!”
Craaash!
As the saber fell, it completely shattered the bluesteel stone tiles on the floor.
The unexpected power made my eyes widen.
‘That was a close one.’
What could be more embarrassing than losing due to carelessness?
Crackle. Sizzle.
As I focused my mind, the War King Aura naturally surged forth.
“It was worth coming all this way. In Ningxia, there was no one who could evade my saber.”
“That’s because the market there is so small.”
Fwoosh!
The saber flew at me as I spoke.
I hadn’t seen it clearly before, but this time I did.
‘Qi-Infused Art.’
A technique that fills a weapon with qi to increase its power and durability.
It was powerful, but its inefficiency compared to the internal energy consumed had led to it becoming an obsolete art.
There was no need to confront a charging boar head-on.
Dodge a few times, and it would tire itself out.
Whoosh. Whoosh.
His speed wasn't exceptional, so I easily evaded Yu Myeon’s attacks using only the Flying Heavenly Wind.
“You’re fast on your feet!”
“That’s basic.”
How could one be a martial artist if they were slow?
Thud.
Just as the qi from his Qi-Infused Art began to weaken, I launched the War King Step.
“Hah!”
Fwoooosh!
He swung his saber in alarm, and I deployed my War Dragon Aura, closing the distance between us.
Whooosh!
Just as I had secured the perfect range…
“Hup!”
Yu Myeon threw his saber and began to spin like a top.
And then.
Swish swish swish swish.
A torrent of sword strikes poured out in an instant.
The swift swordplay aimed for my entire body.
‘So that’s why he’s called the Bamboo Sword.’
Just as his title, Bamboo Sword Blood Saber, suggested, his sword bent as flexibly as bamboo.
A slow but powerful saber art, followed by swift swordplay just as one got used to the speed.
It was like watching a veteran pitcher’s change of pace.
In terms of realm, he had clearly surpassed the peak level and seemed to have just stepped into the transcendent realm.
He was strong, but far from the level needed to challenge one of the Seven Hegemons.
He probably couldn't contain the ego boost from his breakthrough and sent me a challenge.
In other words, his specialty was nothing more than a cheap trick to me.
His saber was lighter than the Gray Dragon Saber, and his bamboo sword was slower than Baek Mu-ha’s swift swordplay.
The depth of each was shallow, so neither posed a real threat.
Grab.
“…!”
I snatched his sword-wielding arm, and he immediately declared his surrender.
“I’ve lost.”
Even in a life-or-death duel, there was no need to take his life when the gap in our skills was this vast, so I ended it there.
Instead.
“If you don’t have the skills, stop showing off and just train, why don’t you? Don’t throw your life away for nothing.”
I threw some harsh words at him.
Touching his pride, Yu Myeon glared at me.
“There’s no need to go that far. A warrior’s life is one lived on the edge of a blade. I risked my life…”
“It’s okay to risk your life because you’re a warrior? That’s true. But not all warriors come here to commit suicide like you.”
“…”
“What? Are you frustrated?”
“I trained for ten hours a day, yet I couldn’t reach you. How could I not be frustrated?”
“Then.”
I handed him a piece of paper and said.
“Sign here.”
“…A Body Forfeiture Agreement?”
“It’s a shortcut to getting stronger.”
“I don’t see what getting stronger has to do with forfeiting my body…”
“It’s simple. In exchange for three years of service as a warrior, you get to learn martial arts. It’s a temporary position, so I can’t provide you with the War Dragon Hall’s techniques, but I can give you all the advice you want.”
“…”
“Oh, and I forgot to mention that the Fortress Lord sometimes comes by to watch the training. You know the Fortress Lord and I are master and disciple, right? With a few words of advice from him, I’m sure you could easily beat the other Seven Hegemons, if not me.”
“Where do I sign?”
“Ah, there should be a spot to write your name at the top there.”
“Hmm… If I flee before completing the three years, I must pay ten thousand nyang or repay with my life…”
“Hey, why bother reading all that? I’m Jin Mujeon. The master of the War Dragon Hall, one of the pillars of the Nine Dragons Fortress, the headquarters of the Righteous Path, and the one and only disciple of the Fortress Lord. Would a man like me scam you?”
“Ahem, well, I suppose not.”
“At the bottom of the next page… yep, right there. Sign there…”
And so, a new slave was added to the War Dragon Hall.
I broke a sweat dueling, so I had to get something out of it.
* * *
“You’ve worked hard.”
After harvesting my new slave, I headed to the dining hall, where a steaming meal prepared by Myo Hyang awaited me.
Every side dish looked absolutely delicious.
Moreover, with a beautiful woman sitting right in front of me, I had nothing to envy in the world.
There was just one thing I didn’t like.
“…Why are you here?”
It was Yong Ma-san.
“Ahem, I just happened to arrive around dinnertime.”
“So why are you eating dinner here?”
“I came because I have something to say.”
“Then why don’t you just say it and leave?”
As I bluntly told him to get out, Myo Hyang, who was bringing a dish, smiled sweetly and intervened.
“It’s been a while since we’ve all met like this, let’s eat together. Have a drink, too.”
“Well, if you say so.”
I had to listen to the one who provided the food.
A short while later.
After we finished our meal, Myo Hyang brought out drinks and snacks, saying.
“I’ll just go and clean up the dishes.”
“Let the maids…”
“They’re my favorites, so I like to do it myself.”
How frugal of her.
As I watched her diligent figure retreat, Yong Ma-san cleared his throat.
“Ahem. I heard you two finally got together. You seem to be getting along well.”
His voice held a hint of jealousy.
“You should find a nice woman and start dating too… Hmm… Maybe dating is hard since you’re bald?”
“…”
As I shook my head while looking at his shiny crown, Yong Ma-san sighed and poured me a drink.
“I’ve come to collect a debt.”
“A debt?”
“Have you forgotten, or are you pretending not to remember?”
“You have to explain for me to understand.”
“Did you not say that if I helped you in the war against the Ten Demon Alliance, you would help me recover the Underworld Gate’s blood debt?”
“Ah…”
He had been quiet about it for so long, I thought he had let it go.