Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: The Child
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Two figures from Daoist sects—a young man and a boy, both radiating a clear, pure aura—faced each other in the arena.
On the surface, it looked like a much older second-generation disciple was giving pointers to a third-generation junior.
Yet most spectators were predicting victory for the boy who appeared far younger.
Do-yeop, a promising talent of Mount Hua Sect, recalled the words his master had spoken to him before he stepped into the ring.
'Do-yeop... your talent is undoubtedly exceptional. To achieve such mastery of the Plum Blossom Sword Art at your age is truly the mark of a genius.
But... sometimes, this world produces monsters that surpass even geniuses.'
So even if you lose, don't be disheartened.
It's just bad luck with your opponent.
Do-yeop chewed over those words repeatedly, grinding his teeth.
It had started a few years ago, when he'd visited Wudang Sect on a mission and glimpsed a boy around his own age.
From that moment on, his master had never once shown genuine satisfaction with his achievements.
No matter how impressive his progress, his master would only look at him with pity.
The martial world had stopped cheering Do-yeop's name from Mount Hua.
Instead, talk revolved solely around Wudang's Azure Cloud—the pride of the Daoist sects, hailed as the world's greatest sword school.
Do-yeop's name only came up when people lamented how even Mount Hua couldn't match the supreme sword sect.
Mount Hua had no hope of catching up to Wudang, now or ever.
That drove him mad with curiosity.
How exceptional was this Azure Cloud to be deemed superior to him?
How outstanding must he be to make his master disappointed in Do-yeop?
To confirm it for himself, he'd swung his sword desperately every single day, longing for this moment...
"...Ah, I wanna go eat ramen again."
And this Azure Cloud was just some pint-sized brat?
'I can't accept this.'
That he'd been compared to—and fallen short of—some snot-nosed kid like this?
His master, his senior brothers, ordinary folk—all of them thought Do-yeop was inferior to this one little twerp?!
-Shing
Do-yeop drew his blade from his waist, unleashing the pent-up rage without filter.
Only then did Azure Cloud's indifferent gaze, previously drifting aimlessly into the void, finally fix on Do-yeop.
Black eyes that contrasted sharply with Do-yeop's burning glare—calm to the point of boredom.
Despite the murderous intent bearing down on him, Azure Cloud leisurely scanned Do-yeop's face before speaking casually.
"Should we postpone the spar a bit?"
"...What are you talking about?"
"Nah, you just look like you need to hit the restroom. If you're holding it for the sake of face, I can make up an excuse..."
At Azure Cloud's earnest, concerned expression,
Do-yeop felt something snap in his mind.
"Let's see how long you can stay that relaxed."
"? If you're not going, then don't. But no complaining later, okay?"
"Draw your sword already! Did you come to the Dragon-Phoenix Assembly just to sightsee!?"
Do-yeop shot a glare at the referee—an initiate disciple from Wudang—who couldn't start the match because Azure Cloud hadn't drawn yet.
Realizing the delay was his fault, Azure Cloud let out an "Ah" and belatedly drew his sword.
In truth, he'd planned to face Do-yeop barehanded and had finished his preparations that way.
But on second thought, even with their skill gap, fighting unarmed would seem too arrogant.
"Alright, I'm ready. You can start now, Senior Uncle."
Azure Cloud pointed his drawn blade haphazardly at Do-yeop.
At that sloppy stance, a vein bulged on Do-yeop's forehead, and a faint sigh escaped the Wudang first-generation disciple refereeing.
He desperately wanted to correct it on the spot, but it was too late for that now.
Resigned to reality, the first-generation disciple simply fulfilled his duty.
"Ready... Begin!!"
With the referee's declaration, Do-yeop mobilized every ounce of focus and swung his sword in graceful arcs.
He didn't care about losing to anyone else.
But not to this guy...!
'No matter what, I win!!'
-Shaa...
Delicate sword qi leaked from Do-yeop's blade tip, forming the shape of beautiful plum blossoms.
It was Mount Hua's signature supreme sword art—the most enchanting and deadly technique, renowned as the world's most beautiful.
Twenty-Four Forms Plum Blossom Sword Art
Each elegant flourish of his blade tip bloomed intricate plum blossoms of sword qi toward Azure Cloud.
The faint plum scent that first tickled noses soon spread beyond the arena to the stands.
"They say Wudang's sword can parry any martial art in the world? Then try blocking these plum petals that blot out the sun!!"
-Chwaaa!!
As the intensifying plum fragrance reached its peak, filling every inch of space,
Dozens of airborne blossoms shattered into countless petals, engulfing Azure Cloud from all sides.
Plum Blossom Fragrance Over Ten Thousand Miles
The Plum Blossom Sword Art's final stance, beyond Do-yeop's normal capabilities.
But years of pent-up resentment and rage exploded, pushing his focus to the limit—and for the first time, he succeeded.
An astonishing achievement that surprised even him.
Confident of victory without a doubt,
"Come to think of it... it's been ages since I fought Mount Hua."
Beginner build means I haven't seen it in years.
But Do-yeop's growth was far too meager to challenge the vast skill gap between them.
If you asked old-timers still playing Dominating the World what the theoretically strongest build was, most would say:
'Shoot the Sun Sword Art-based Six Meridians Divine Sword build.'
No one who'd played even a little would argue.
Just checking the top ranker's record in the Life and Death Tournament showed its overwhelming potential.
But single-digit veterans used original builds far outside the norm, unique to them.
And Shoot the Sun Sword Art's performance varied wildly by pilot—it was the exception to exceptions.
For newbies—who likely asked the question—it wouldn't be practical.
Ask instead: within standard bounds, what's the strongest fully leveled build?
Even with some disagreement, at least three in five would answer:
'Wudang Sect's orthodox build.'
The quintessential murim archetype, a deliberate developer creation—the traditional king of builds.
The 'theoretically strongest' as designed by the devs.
-Tok
Azure Cloud dangled his blade loosely while reaching with his other hand for the first petal flying at him amid the onslaught.
He caught the razor-sharp qi petal—meant to shred anything it touched—like an ordinary flower on his palm.
And then.
-Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!!
"?"
"??"
"???"
Everyone present was stunned.
It resembled the ultimate technique kids on the street devised with their brief life wisdom.
The infamous 'windmill fist.'
The shocking sight left spectators, observing martial artists, even fellow possessors speechless and dazed.
"Oh, pretty novel use. Guess that's possible in reality too."
Only Baek Hyun watched seriously, nodding in approval.
Wudang's core mechanic was 'parrying.'
Most games' parries nullify attacks, create openings, reflect, or chain counters.
But Wudang's eclipsed them all.
A master of Wudang arts could parry nearly every element in the game.
Then infuse it with their own power for a far stronger counter.
The essence of Taiji, rooted in 'rotation.'
What if those 'rotations' stacked repeatedly?
"Blotting out the sun... I know all about that, since it's my goal too."
Not even close.
-Fwoosh!
Azure Cloud spun his fist rapidly until the petal barrage closed in, then flung open his grip, tossing the compressed petal.
The tiny petal met the wave—and
-Crack!
Infused with Azure Cloud's maximally condensed power, it pierced the horde and struck Do-yeop's forehead.
"Guh... hngh..."
Blood trickled from Do-yeop's forehead as his eyes rolled back, collapsing limply.
Fortunately, the petal had lost most force breaching the others, merely knocking him out with a brain-rattling impact.
No instant death from skull penetration.
"If you wanna PvP for real, ditch the Plum Blossom Sword first... Ah, you can't. Keep at it."
Azure Cloud left those words of encouragement for Do-yeop and exited the arena.