Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Ace Showdown (2)
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Jeon Muk.
The second son of the Gray Dragon Hall's Master, he was born such a large and healthy baby that he startled the midwife.
In his younger days, the Hall Master was overjoyed, believing a great warrior who would one day elevate the Gray Dragon Hall had been born.
However, that joy did not last long.
By the age of seven, Jeon Muk could barely communicate, let alone read.
To put it simply, he was a bit slow-witted.
Because of this, people around him secretly mocked him, nicknaming him "Young Lord A Dou" after the foolish emperor Liu Shan, who brought about the fall of Shu Han.
But this ridicule didn't last long either.
At ten, Jeon Muk finally became capable of communication and began learning at a frightening pace.
Moreover, the martial arts of the Gray Dragon Hall, which prioritized physical prowess over enlightenment, were a perfect fit for him.
A decade or so passed like that.
Jeon Muk of the Gray Dragon Hall was granted the title "Gray Dragon Saber" and became a young peak master whose name echoed throughout Sichuan.
*And I'm the one who beat the crap out of him.*
Now, he serves me as his big brother.
Jeon Muk's opponent was a Taoist from the Mount Hua Sect.
"Hmm..."
He was famous enough for everyone in the envoy to know him. No, it was impossible not to know him.
"Blue eyes and a pale face... It must be the Plum Blossom Sword Ghost."
He was practically the only Caucasian active in the martial world.
Jin Myeong, called a genius of Mount Hua alongside Jin Gung.
Perhaps due to his Caucasian heritage, his build was no smaller than Jeon Muk's.
It made me wonder if he could properly execute the swift and sharp sword arts of Mount Hua.
However, my curiosity was soon satisfied.
As soon as the two clashed, Jin Myeong's sword strikes poured out at a breathtaking speed.
It was enough to be called a truly swift sword.
Furthermore, the force contained within his swordsmanship wasn't just fast.
It also contained ever-changing variations.
Thanks to this, Jeon Muk's saber was forced to focus solely on defense for a while.
*Grind.*
Jeon Muk gritted his teeth and swung his great saber.
*Fwoosh.*
Even without being imbued with saber energy, the strike carried immense power.
It was as if he were demonstrating the true meaning of Herculean strength.
But his opponent, Jin Myeong, didn't meet it head-on.
He instantly evaded it by using the Hidden Fragrance Step, a peak movement technique said to be so silent that not even the sound of it travels.
In that moment, Dan Un's focus sharpened.
It was only natural.
The Hidden Fragrance Step of the Blue Dragon Hall and that of Mount Hua weren't sister arts; they were the exact same product.
He was probably preoccupied with finding differences from the original.
Ah, for reference, the Blue Dragon Hall has a history of ripping off the Hidden Fragrance Step after coincidentally acquiring its manual three hundred years ago.
Thanks to that, the conflict between the sects grew so severe that it almost led to war.
It's said the matter was settled in negotiations led by the Righteous Path Alliance Lord of that time, on the condition that they hand over the Heart-Crushing Palm to the Mount Hua Sect, which lacked fist and palm techniques.
It must have been noisy at the time, but in the end, it seems like a decent trade since both sides filled a gap they were lacking.
As I recalled this knowledge and fixed my gaze on the stage, I soon heard Dan Un's exclamation of admiration.
"As expected of Mount Hua."
"Is it good?"
"His mastery of the Hidden Fragrance Step is near perfection. The Gray Dragon Saber probably won't be able to catch the Sword Ghost."
If Dan Un said so, he was right nine times out of ten.
And just as expected.
Before long, the fight between the two became one-sided.
Wielding the speed of the Hidden Fragrance Step and the swift Twenty-Four Moves of the Plum Blossom Sword Art, Jin Myeong battered the defensively focused Jeon Muk.
"Waaaaah-!"
At that, cheers erupted from the warriors of the Righteous Path Alliance.
Three consecutive wins.
It meant the Righteous Path Alliance was heading for a landslide victory over the Nine Dragons Fortress.
However.
*Land one good hit, you lug.*
I believed Jeon Muk still had a chance to win.
If this were a wide-open plain, it might be different, but in a confined space like this, he would get at least one opportunity.
Besides, when it came to durability, he was the best among the young warriors of the Nine Dragons Fortress.
If he could endure and endure, then land one solid blow, he had a real shot.
*Shhhlick.*
"Kuh."
Jin Myeong's sword energy broke through Jeon Muk's defense and sliced his shoulder.
Blood splattered as Jeon Muk's groan echoed.
*Stagger.*
Weak from blood loss, Jeon Muk staggered.
"Hup."
Countless plum blossom petals blooming from Jin Myeong's sword art shot toward Jeon Muk.
It seemed he intended to end it.
At the same time, I shouted to Jeon Muk.
"Now!"
The enemy's opportunity is also one's own.
In other words, it was all about timing.
And it seemed Jeon Muk had caught on as well.
"Kngh!"
As he let out a guttural cry, veins bulged on his arms.
*Fwooom.*
His great saber filled with a gray light.
The Heaven-Collapsing Saber Art.
The peerless saber art that had once elevated the Heavenly Saber Gate from a mere minor sect to a major power had been unleashed.
"Hah!"
*Fwoooosh.*
As the saber, brimming with internal energy, was swung, the plum blossom petals scattered in all directions.
"!"
A startled Jin Myeong quickly tried to use the Hidden Fragrance Step, but.
*FWOOSH!*
He first had to face the incoming saber.
It was too late to dodge.
He gritted his teeth and unleashed his sword energy.
*CRACK.*
The Plum Blossom Sword shattered helplessly.
"......"
Witnessing the unexpected sight, the warriors of the Righteous Path Alliance were speechless.
"It was a good match."
At Jeon Muk's words, Jin Myeong straightened his disheveled robes and bowed his head.
"I was lacking. If we have the chance to duel again in the future, I will show you the true form of Mount Hua's sword arts."
"I look forward to it."
"Waaaaah."
Despite the loss, everyone from the Righteous Path Alliance clapped and cheered.
The leaders, too, seemed pleased, smiling and nodding repeatedly.
And the Six Heavenly Kings sitting beside me were no different.
While the outcome was important, they were genuinely admiring the two for showing the true spirit of a warrior.
A flushed Jeon Muk ran over to me.
"Brother! I won."
Not only was his shoulder sliced open, but his entire body was drenched in sweat.
It was clearly a difficult fight due to the unfavorable matchup.
That's why I said to the approaching Jeon Muk.
"Ugh! You reek of sweat, get away from me."
The rejected Jeon Muk immediately looked pathetic, but what could I do?
There's nothing as foul as the smell of sweat thick with testosterone.
"I'll be going."
Jeok Il left the dejected Jeon Muk behind and walked onto the stage.
As he drew two short swords, a thick killing intent filled the area.
*Twin swords...*
Even though he held the symbol of defeat, he looked quite reliable.
A sturdy-looking martial monk came up to face him.
"Do you know who that is?"
"I don't."
With Jeok Il gone, I tried to get some TMI from Dan Un, but to no avail.
Then, Wi Ji-pung answered instead.
"That's Great Master Gwang Oh."
"...Great Master? At his age?"
"He is a monk who, despite being a martial monk, has achieved a considerable level of understanding in Buddhist doctrine. A respectable figure."
"Is he stronger than Brother Jeok?"
What does Buddhist doctrine matter?
How hard he can punch is what's key.
"There are no absolutes in the martial world, but objectively speaking, he should be on a similar level as the Red Dragon Sword."
"...Brother Wi, how would you know Brother Jeok's level?"
"He and I have been friends since our days at the Heaven-Ascending Pavilion."
A Taoist and a killing ghost.
Jeok Il was someone who constantly caused chaotic confusion for onlookers.
"He's going to lose, then."
"It would seem so."
A rule against killing the opponent.
A limited space to utilize assassination arts that require a wide area.
A stage with nowhere to hide.
And on top of that, his opponent used the arts of Shaolin, said to be the sturdiest under heaven.
Nothing was in Jeok Il's favor.
As expected.
"I have lost."
"It was a good match, Benefactor."
"Likewise."
As predicted, the match ended with Jeok Il's defeat.
However, it wasn't as one-sided as I had thought.
In fact, he had pushed Gwang Oh into a corner a few times with chilling intensity.
Seeing what he could do in such an unfavorable situation, a sense of unease welled up in a corner of my mind.
*Perhaps I should just quietly become his brother-in-law...*
My own level is higher for now, so it doesn't matter, but there's no telling what the future holds.
Also.
*If he comes for me in my sleep, there's no way to stop him.*
Even as I watched him intently, the power of his killing sword, which gave off no presence at all, made me shudder involuntarily.
*They say the Red Dragon Hall's Heavenly Killing Short Sword Art is the best assassination art in the world.*
I had no choice.
I had to make peace.
"Oh my, look at all that sweat. Here, use this to wipe yourself down."
I ran up to Jeok Il as he came off the stage and offered him a handkerchief.
Jeok Il, with whom I'd been on bad terms since the incident with Jeok Hwa-ran, accepted the handkerchief with a quizzical look.
"...Thanks."
"By the way, it's such a shame. If it weren't for the stage, you would have surely won, Brother."
"A loss is a loss."
"But it would have been different in a real fight."
"Hmm..."
After some appropriate lip service, Jeok Il's eyes lit up.
"You have a better eye than I thought."
"Oh, that's just stating the obvious. I guarantee you, no one could survive the Heavenly Killing Short Sword Art in the dark. Now, now, don't stand around in the heat. Come up and sit. I've prepared some cool water for you."
Jeok Il gave a faint smile and nodded.
*Guess I won't get stabbed in my sleep.*
What a relief.
***
After Jeok Il's match, cooks and servants brought out rice balls, dumplings, and water.
Everyone must have been hungry, as they began to devour the food ravenously.
As I ate and looked around, I saw the aces of the Nine Dragons Fortress looking somewhat dejected.
It was understandable, since they were losing by a dismal score of one win and three losses.
Even if it was a friendly competition, many people were watching.
If they returned like this, rumors would spread throughout the martial world, and they would be subjected to all sorts of public humiliation.
Having made up his mind, Dan Un picked up his Black Steel Divine Sword.
"I will go."
The true ace was stepping up.
In that case.
*Will Jin Gung come out?*
It should be the same for the other side.
It was time for the ace of aces, Jin Gung—the disciple of the Mount Hua Sect Leader, who had broken through the wall to the peak realm at twenty and reached the transcendent realm at thirty—to make his appearance... or so I thought.
But someone I'd never even heard of was walking onto the stage.
"Hmm, that's Adept Hyeon Ho of Wudang."
"Do you know who he is?"
When I asked Jeok Il, with whom my relationship had been mended, he explained kindly and in detail.
"He's a rising star from Wudang who made a name for himself five years ago. I heard he was taught the Taiji Wisdom Sword by the Wudang Sect Leader."
"Ohh."
The older a sect's history, the more it values legitimacy.
That's why there were martial arts that only the sect leader could learn.
Shaolin's Muscle Tendon Change Classic, Mount Hua's Purple Mist Divine Art, and Wudang's Taiji Wisdom Sword were such arts.
Which meant.
"He won't be a pushover, then."
"As the next in line to be the Wudang Sect Leader, he won't be easy."
Meaning, he was not an easy opponent.
Still.
"Even so, he's no match for Brother Dan."
"?"
"You'll see."
As long as the Peerless Plum Blossom Sword, Jin Gung, didn't step forward, no one could be Dan Un's opponent.
And so the match began.
Hyeon Ho of Wudang unfurled the profound yet gentle Taiji Wisdom Sword.
The Clear Wind Sword Art of the Qingcheng Sect battered Hyeon Ho's blade.
A battle between a hard sword and a soft sword.
It should have been a fight of deflecting versus piercing.
*Crack.*
Hyeon Ho's soft sword was failing to deflect Dan Un's hard sword.
"Ha!"
Eventually, driven into a corner, he manifested his sword energy and unleashed the Taiji Wisdom Sword.
It seemed he was trying to turn the tables.
But.
*KWAAANG!*
The Blue Cloud Red River Sword that Dan Un unleashed pierced through the Taiji Wisdom Sword's energy with far too much ease.
A strike as intense as its name suggested—a river of blood made from blue sword energy.
It was a friendly match, so he didn't use his full power, but Hyeon Ho was still unable to block Dan Un's sword.
The match was decided in less than five minutes.
Although no sword aura was manifested, it was enough to discern Dan Un's level.
"...Transcendent."
Jeok Il muttered.
"Incredible!"
"They called him the future of the Nine Dragons Fortress, and it's true."
The leaders of the Righteous Path Alliance couldn't hide their admiration.
It was the moment the Blue Dragon Sword, Dan Un, announced his level to the world.