Chapter 170: Three Absolutes (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 170: Three Absolutes (1)
"Damn it!"
Nok Gwi-bo could not believe his eyes.
The Sword Aura he had poured all his internal strength into had been neutralized by the Black Ink Energy. No—it was more than just neutralized.
Shhh!
A faint streak of blue Sword Aura emerged from the depths of the Black Ink Energy. Though thin, it was unmistakably flying toward him.
"Urgh!"
He couldn't react. Having just exhausted his entire reserve of internal energy, his body refused to obey his will. In the end, he could only twist his frame to barely protect his vitals, taking the hit on his side.
Clang!
Fortunately, he wasn't severed in half, nor was he dead. True to its reputation as a divine art, Diancang’s Heavenly Dragon Boundless Divine Art protected him with the mere remnants of energy left in his body.
However...
"Blegh!"
Nok Gwi-bo vomited a mouthful of fresh blood and tumbled across the ground.
The power of the blue Sword Aura had been minimal. But because he had moved his body so violently immediately after draining his inner qi to its floor, his blood vessels had become hopelessly entangled.
"Urgh... cough."
It was Qi Deviation.
In the middle of the duel, his entire body had become paralyzed. Amidst the agonizing pain, he barely managed to regain enough consciousness to lift his head.
Thud.
The shimmering silver Dragon Spear Spirit Sword was leveled right at his throat. It was Seok Myeong’s blade.
"...Kill me," Nok Gwi-bo spat through gritted teeth.
"You are not worth the effort."
"What?"
Seok Myeong looked down at Nok Gwi-bo. His eyes were colder than the edge of the Dragon Spear Spirit Sword.
"You are an opponent I can suppress at any time. Is there a need to kill you?"
"You...!"
Gush!
Nok Gwi-bo vomited another mouthful of blood.
Not worth the effort.
Because he could be suppressed at any time, there was no need to kill him.
Amidst the crushing humiliation and pain, he trembled like an aspen leaf. The wound to his pride, carved deep by those words, was far more agonizing than the pain of his twisted meridians.
Slide. Snap.
In front of everyone, Seok Myeong politely assumed the Qi Gathering Stance.
"It was a good match, Elder Nok Gwi-bo of Diancang."
Then, he took a step back. It was a declaration of victory that required no further words.
"He won!"
"The Eldest Disciple finished it!"
"Waaaaaaaah!"
Cheers erupted from all directions simultaneously. From the First Generation Disciples to the elders of Qingcheng, everyone felt a thrill at the sight.
"Ha..."
Song Jeong smiled quietly.
He knew Seok Myeong was extraordinary. He had implicitly acknowledged his strength. But Seok Myeong was, after all, a First Generation Disciple. Yet, he had defeated an elder of another sect—and overwhelmingly so.
'The world will be buzzing for a while.'
This was on an entirely different level. The rumor that a First Generation Disciple of the Qingcheng Sect had defeated a Diancang elder would surely cause a storm in the Jianghu. It was the best possible outcome, bringing prestige to Qingcheng and disgrace to Diancang.
Of course, the reality was that Seok Myeong was the only one in Qingcheng capable of such a feat.
'But that is only a matter of time.'
From now on, it would become an undeniable fact. Every First Generation Disciple of Qingcheng—and even the elders—would study Seok Myeong’s new internal energy heart method. The new Qingcheng would grow stronger by the day.
They would no longer have to walk on eggshells around Diancang or the Martial Alliance Leader; they could proclaim the justice of Qingcheng as they once did.
"Eldest Disciple... truly..."
Yeon-hui finally let out a sigh of relief. Her eyes were moist, showing how much her heart had been racing while she watched.
Meanwhile, unlike the emotional Yeon-hui, Seok Jin shouted in an excited voice.
"Incredible! The Eldest Disciple is truly incredible! At this rate... he won't have any rivals in the Jianghu!"
"Exactly!"
"He's right!"
Everyone agreed with him, their faces unable to hide their joy.
"Calm down, everyone. The world is wide, and there are many hidden masters."
Seok Jun gently calmed the excited First Generation Disciples. However, even his own mouth was curled up into a wide grin.
'Is this what the Eldest Disciple was talking about?'
In the past, he would have been consumed by jealousy and envy. But now, he felt only pride and satisfaction.
*
"Elder Nok!"
"Elder!"
Swish. Dash.
The other Diancang elders rushed over to check on Nok Gwi-bo’s condition.
"Are you alright? Heavens! Your inner qi is..."
"Urgh... cough, cough!"
Nok Gwi-bo continued to vomit blood. He could barely breathe. He had suffered a severe blow to his mental state immediately following a brutal Qi Deviation.
"I am... sorry. I have no face to show."
"That's enough. It's alright. Focus on stabilizing your body first."
Nok Gwi-bo couldn't even look Gwi Cheon-neung in the eye as the man supported him. He had dragged the name of Diancang through the mud. A proud elder had been defeated by a mere disciple—and had even been told he wasn't worth killing. The physical pain and the agony of his twisted meridians were preferable to the wretchedness he felt now.
"Hehehe..."
He had become a sinner of the Diancang Sect. As Nok Gwi-bo blamed himself, Gwi Cheon-neung whispered quietly.
"It is not over yet. Hurry and circulate your qi."
"...?"
A look of confusion flickered across Nok Gwi-bo’s face. The duel was already over. But Gwi Cheon-neung’s eerie gaze said otherwise. It clearly signaled that they still had cards left to play.
"Huff... huff..."
That whisper was more effective than any medicine for Nok Gwi-bo. He immediately took a deep breath to settle his inner qi, then spat out one last mouthful of blood.
"...I feel a bit better."
"Can you stand?"
"Easily."
Slide.
As Nok Gwi-bo stood up with a blood-stained face, Gwi Cheon-neung’s eyes turned sharp. Ji Jung’s eyes also became venomous.
There was no disgrace greater than this. A Diancang elder had been overwhelmingly suppressed by a single disciple—a Qingcheng disciple, no less. It was a humiliation worse than death.
But Gwi Cheon-neung had said it wasn't over. He believed those words. He judged that Gwi Cheon-neung, the greatest strategist of the Diancang Sect, would not say such a thing without reason.
"The duel is over. Do you have any remaining doubts?"
"..."
At Song Jeong’s words, Dan Mok-jung, the Vice-Chancellor of the Martial Alliance, looked as if he had swallowed something bitter.
"I assume not. I believe Diancang will no longer have reason to interfere with Qingcheng. If you still have something to say, we also have questions for the Martial Alliance."
Slide.
With those words, Song Jeong handed over a small box. When opened, it contained a clump of white hair, pulled out by the roots.
Dan Mok-jung’s brow furrowed.
"...Sect Leader of Qingcheng. What is this?"
"It is hair. Pulled out right down to the follicles."
"So it seems, but..."
What kind of mockery was this? Just as he was about to think that—
"Would it make more sense if I told you it belonged to Elder Song Gwan, who fell into an inexplicable deep sleep during the Martial Demonstration Gathering?"
"...!"
The Vice-Chancellor’s face, already sour, froze like stone.
'Could it be...?'
As a chill ran down his spine, Song Jeong spoke with eyes that were indifferent yet as deep and calm as an abyss.
"Our sect has a long history. We have some knowledge regarding drugs and poisons."
"S-Sect Leader of Qingcheng."
His voice trembled. He tried to stay calm, but he had been struck in a vital spot while his guard was completely down. A slight stiffness took hold of him.
And Song Jeong was not the type of man to miss that.
"Since our sect's doubts have been cleared, I trust you will cooperate with us in the future."
Thump.
Despite the weight of his words, he simply pushed the box containing the hair forward.
"..."
Dan Mok-jung clenched his teeth. Song Jeong already knew. Yet he said nothing more. That silence was an even greater pressure.
"...I shall... do my best to ensure that."
A legendary blade is only truly a treasure while it remains in its scabbard. Once drawn and swung, it is just an ordinary sword. He suddenly realized how terrifying this man, Song Jeong, truly was. He couldn't tell what ambitions lay in his head or how he might act in the future.
At least for now, he had no choice but to follow.
"Then I shall trust your—hm?"
Song Jeong, who had been smiling satisfactorily, suddenly frowned.
In the center of the grounds where the duel had just ended, a chilling aura and a terrifying bloodlust were radiating.
They were coming from Seok Myeong.
*
"Safe travels. I shall not see you out."
Seok Myeong remained polite to the very end. It wasn't an act. It was simply Seok Myeong’s nature not to create unnecessary grudges, whether with Diancang or anyone else.
"Heh..."
Gwi Cheon-neung laughed. One could say Seok Myeong possessed the character of 'The Gentleman Has No Enemies.' But it was exactly this honest and unyielding nature that possessed the most fatal 'reverse scale.'
"I see. You've worked hard as well, Master of the Azure Cloud Pavilion. I feel terrible for causing such a scene when you must be busy restoring the Azure Moon Storehouse."
"...?"
Seok Myeong, who had been bowing politely in response to Gwi Cheon-neung’s pleasantry, suddenly froze.
"Now that I think about it, Ji Jung. Didn't that Black-Clad Woman do a truly marvelous job?"
"...?"
"...?"
Not only Seok Myeong, but even Ji Jung, who had been addressed, looked confused. This wasn't something they had discussed beforehand; it was a sudden outburst from Gwi Cheon-neung.
"Well... I suppose so," Ji Jung replied vaguely, catching on quickly.
And as expected, Gwi Cheon-neung followed up naturally.
"At any rate, it wasn't as if we gained nothing, so let us head back. After all, we burned away the dreams of Azure Cloud Taoist, which had carried on for hundreds of years."
"...What did you just say?"
He had touched Seok Myeong’s reverse scale.
Whoosh!
In an instant, the gentle aura Seok Myeong had maintained like a gentleman was replaced by a surge of murderous intent. Gwi Cheon-neung gave a sly smile and tilted his head.
"Now, I wonder. What could I possibly mean?"
The Qingcheng Sect had lost the Azure Moon Storehouse to a sudden raid. Everyone in the Martial Alliance who needed to know already knew. They also knew that several monsters and a mysterious Black-Clad Woman were involved.
"Tell me. Right now. Or else...!"
On the way to the Qingcheng Sect, Gwi Cheon-neung had obsessively analyzed what kind of person Seok Myeong was. Unlike Nok Gwi-bo, he hadn't focused on Seok Myeong’s martial arts. He focused on the rumors surrounding him and his personality.
"Ho-ho. Or else? What will you do?"
He was polite and cherished his fellow disciples. He didn't just care for the people of his sect, but also its traditions, the legacy of the predecessors, and the spirit of his ancestors.
And when those things were violated...
He became vicious enough to lose his reason. It had been the case with the Black Snake Union, and it had been the case with Goma.
"No matter how great you are, we are elders of Diancang. And there are three of us. Do you truly intend to use force to make us speak?"
Gwi Cheon-neung gave a greasy smile at the enraged Seok Myeong. Then, behind his back, he signaled to the bewildered Ji Jung and the glaring Nok Gwi-bo. It was a sign to get ready.
"Using force to make you speak, you say..."
Seok Myeong spoke, his face grim. He wasn't a fool. He knew exactly why the man was saying such things.
Sssst.
Nevertheless, he spoke, radiating an even more intense bloodlust.
"If that is what you want, I shall oblige."
As a First Generation Disciple, he spoke words that no one else would dare.
"All of you, come at me. All three Diancang elders at once."