What Did You Say? One Fist... True Heaven?
People were utterly shocked by the sudden intervention of Kwon-wang.
In truth, few knew why Kwon-wang had shown up here at all.
Eight years ago at the Oeak Mutu Daehoe, Cheon Seok-san had shattered Kwon-wang's disciple's fist and earned the moniker Ilgwon Pasan. The tale had buzzed briefly before fading away—because Cheon Seok-san had vanished. No one in Sangyang's martial world knew Kwon-wang had pursued him relentlessly.
Cheon Seok-san panicked as disaster struck from the clear blue sky.
He'd braced for a showdown with Kwon-wang, but this was too abrupt.
Won Seung inwardly cheered at the sight of Cheon Seok-san's pale, ashen face.
Hahaha. No escape for you now.
He muttered under his breath.
"A life must be repaid with a life..."
Kwon-wang whipped his gaze toward Won Seung and nodded curtly.
"Over a hundred dead at the Yong family estate, right?"
His eyes swept over Gwancheonbang like a scythe. Pyeong In-gang, Woo Pyeong, and Chung-gyeon went white as sheets.
No way—he's not coming for us too, is he?
"That was long ago, and you're not the culprits... so the bloodline pays."
Kwon-wang magnanimously sealed only Cheon Seok-san's fate.
In truth, outright killing Cheon Seok-san on the spot would tarnish Kwon-wang's reputation. Cheon Seok-san's brutality was infamous, but it had happened at the formal Oeak Mutu Daehoe tournament.
Claiming a life over an "accident" from an official duel was excessive.
But collecting blood debt for the Yong household servants? That was fair game.
Then.
"No. I'll handle my own vengeance!"
Yong Jo-un stepped forward.
He wasn't the type to leave Yong family revenge to outsiders. No grudge with Cheon Seok-san personally, but now that things had come to this, he had to finish it himself.
Kwon-wang's thick brows twitched.
Who in the world dared contradict him?
Yet Yong Jo-un offered a respectful cupped-fist salute.
"I thank Kwon-wang for your consideration. But as the descendant, it's my duty to avenge our clan's annihilation."
"Urgh..."
Kwon-wang let out a groan like a pup desperate to relieve itself. He couldn't argue—the man had a point.
Damn it, Yong the hero. Shut your trap for once!
Won Seung groaned inwardly too.
Dealing with these self-righteous heroes was such a pain. Just hand him to Kwon-wang and it'd be clean and quick... why make it harder by jumping in yourself?
The guy's a monster...
Family revenge by the survivor himself? Even Kwon-wang couldn't interfere.
"Fine. I'll judge, then."
He glared at Cheon Seok-san, still seated with Gwancheonbang, and crooked a beckoning finger once more.
"Cheon Seok-san. What's the holdup? Get up here."
Cheon Seok-san scowled fiercely and steeled himself. He ground his molars and climbed onto the arena.
Then he addressed Yong Jo-un.
"I'll settle my debt to the former Gwancheonbang lord after clearing yours."
"...?"
Yong Jo-un blinked blankly, glancing between Cheon Seok-san and Kwon-wang at the bizarre statement.
Cheon Seok-san had no reason to brawl Yong Jo-un while shouldering Cheon Il-hae's crimes. With the Golden Pill's effects lingering, he needed to clash with Kwon-wang now—and flee if outmatched.
The power surging through his meridians... he couldn't win, but at full throttle, escape was possible.
Cheon Seok-san turned to Kwon-wang.
"Kwon-wang, I regret shattering your disciple's fist at the Oeak Mutu Daehoe."
"Regret?"
Kwon-wang snorted derisively, as if it were a joke.
"Pressuring this junior over an official duel... how regrettable."
"What?"
Kwon-wang scoffed.
"You think that's why I'm here?"
"Then what?"
"Your moniker—Ilgwon Pasan. Mocking my Bong-san-kwon, and you thought you'd get away unscathed?"
Cheon Seok-san shot back coldly.
"The jianghu fools gave me that name. Why hold me accountable? I couldn't bear it, so I changed it."
"Hmph? Changed to what?"
"Call me Ilgwon Jincheon from now on."
Kwon-wang's fierce eyes bulged wide.
"What? One Fist... True Heaven?"
In that instant, onlookers swore steam rose from Kwon-wang's crown.
Boom!
His aura blasted outward, shockingly repelling everyone on the arena—Won Seung, Yong Jo-un, Hwa Cheon-un, Hwa Cheon-gang, and more—leaving only Cheon Seok-san standing.
A true Ten Great Expert. A single burst of presence scattering Sangyang's top elites like leaves...
"Ow!"
Won Seung, who landed beside Hyeol Hwa, grumbled as he stood.
"What the hell was that?"
Hyeol Hwa eyed the arena.
"Cheon Seok-san must've been suicidal. Mocking Kwon-wang like that... Ilgwon Jincheon was his master's moniker."
"What?"
This absurdity?
Am I really this lucky?
Cheon Seok-san, you're done for?
As Won Seung watched gleefully—
Kaboom!
The arena exploded like it had been struck by lightning.
Then—
Rumble!
A thunderous roar shook the heavens, as if a mountain crumbled.
"Bong-san-kwon!"
Hyeol Hwa gasped in awe. Won Seung watched intently too.
As Kwon-wang unleashed his fist, a mountain-crushing force slammed into Cheon Seok-san's entire body.
"Hrgh!"
Cheon Seok-san crossed his arms desperately, but skidded back over twenty zhang, crashing into the spectator stands.
"Whoa!"
Spectators scattered in panic. In a blink, only Cheon Seok-san remained.
"Urgh!"
He staggered to his feet.
Despite the colossal impact... he'd blocked a furious strike from a Ten Great Expert!
"Kuhaha! Kwon-wang's nothing special!"
Cheon Seok-san crouched as if charging Kwon-wang, channeling every ounce of inner energy.
Hiss!
Heat haze rippled around him.
Draining the Golden Pill's power to the dregs, he barreled forward like a wild boar.
"Raaargh!"
He vanished in a blur, reappearing before Kwon-wang with a thunderous fist.
Kaboom!
Kwon-wang met the unnatural momentum with a cold sneer, crossing both fists to counter.
Crash!
The deafening boom shook the warehouse docks.
It felt like an earthquake.
Won Seung tugged Yong Jo-un's sleeve and whispered.
"Told ya. That guy's a freak... you almost got yourself killed, hero."
Yong Jo-un silently glared at Kwon-wang and Cheon Seok-san.
Attacker Cheon Seok-san flew back again.
"Guh!"
Skidding five zhang, he righted himself and glared at Kwon-wang.
Kwon-wang hadn't budged an inch, rooted like an iron pagoda.
Damn... even with the spirit pill, it's not enough?
His inner energy had surged past a jiazi, poured out at full force—yet Kwon-wang stood unmoved.
Cheon Seok-san resolved to flee.
As he secretly rallied his remaining power—
Gasp!
Sudden weakness drained his body.
"Wha—!"
Onlookers gawked in shock. But no words came out.
His body collapsed inward.
A scream rang out.
"Aaaah! Cheon Seok-san's getting crushed!"
Crushed? Why me?
As Cheon Seok-san tried to look at his arm, his face hit the ground.
Then consciousness fled, unexplained.
Won Seung was stunned too.
Cheon Seok-san's body turned boneless like an octopus, crumpling into pulp.
"What the hell just happened?"
Everyone's eyes bulged.
They turned to Kwon-wang, trembling.
A true Ten Great Expert! Turning a man to mush with one fist.
Only poison expert Won Seung sensed something off.
That's... the symptom of Bungol Geun-dok.
Bungol Geun-dok.
Poison Ear Gate's ultimate toxin—bones pulverized to dust, muscles mashed to ruin. Terrifying.
Kwon-wang approached silently, frowned at the corpse, then scanned the crowd with a growl.
"Who was it? Daring to scheme before me?"
Of course, no one stepped up.
Realizing it wasn't Kwon-wang's doing, people tilted their heads in confusion.
Won Seung's gaze drifted unwittingly to Deung Noya.
Since learning Deung Noya's shady nature, he checked the man first at any oddity. Sure enough, Deung Noya's expression stood out—not just shocked, but knowingly comprehending.
What, this your handiwork too?
Like peeling an onion, layers upon layers.
The true evil of Sangyang.
"Grrr!"
Kwon-wang fumed.
Eight years chasing this bastard, and he croaks poisoned before a proper thrashing.
"Rah!"
Enraged, Kwon-wang unleashed a fist at the Sang River.
Kaboom!
Explosions like cannon fire erupted, water surging skyward.
Ah, my oil flask!
Won Seung watched his hidden flask in the river launch into the air on the geyser, then plummet.
And... from where Gu Ja-ang had been struck by Yang Gwan's lightning last night, a black bundle rose and fell.
Most missed it; those who saw dismissed it as river trash. But Won Seung had a flashing thought.
Gu Ja-ang... what's that? Care to explain?
No answer from the dead man.
Kwon-wang stormed off with heavy thuds.
No reason to linger now that Cheon Seok-san was gone. No one stopped him.
Won Seung alone dipped his head slightly.
Thanks, Kwon-wang!
As those rattled by Kwon-wang's monstrous power and rampage regained their wits—
Gwancheonbang was a house of mourning... literally. Former lord dead, and the new one gone in less than a day.
Pyeong In-gang said in a daze.
"A man's dead. Let us handle the aftermath first."
"Yes, do so."
Co-hosts Unjeongbangju Gongsin and Hajeong Lord Do U-ryang nodded.
Pyeong In-gang, Woo Pyeong, and Chung-gyeon gathered Cheon Seok-san's remains and withdrew.
"Then, the tri-sect duel is hereby canceled!"
Unjeongbangju Gongsin hastily declared it void.
At that moment, Hwa Cheon-gang stepped forward.
"I have words for Sangyang's martial folk and the Yong descendant!"
He addressed Yong Jo-un.
"When we three brothers challenged you, the Yong lord denied the accusations."
Hwa Cheon-un stared, baffled at what his second brother intended.
"Back then, I thought it mere evasion."
Hwa Cheon-gang's voice grew solemn.
"Hearing Junaeng today... I realize we three misjudged our revenge target."
"Brother!"
"..."
Hwa Cheon-un tried to stop him; Yong Jo-un glared, wondering what Hwa Cheon-gang meant.
"It's not confirmed yet. Father's killer remains unknown."
Hwa Cheon-gang smiled wistfully at his brother.
"Don't you feel it too? We saw wrong. Uncover the true culprit and avenge properly."
Then to Yong Jo-un:
"A life for a life! I offer mine for your father's death!"
With that, he plunged his sword into his own heart.
"Gasp!"
"Brother!"
"Uncle!"
Won Seung gaped; Hwa brothers, Hwa U-cheon, Hwa Ugeuk, and Hwa Yeo-wol froze in shock.