Chapter 132
Chapter 132
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 132
Chapter Title: To the Zhuge Clan Manor
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Hyukligwang went flying from a single punch packed with my deep-seated frustration.
The man didn't regain his senses until that evening, on the road heading to Yangyang.
“You damned brat! Sneaking up on me like a coward?”
As soon as Hyukligwang came to, he leaped out of the Zhuge Clan’s carriage and stormed toward me, snarling.
It happened right after I'd finished dinner, so I stepped forward to face him, his face twisted in rage.
His utterly unrepentant expression made me ask in a snide tone.
“Want to get knocked out again?”
“Ha! If it hadn't been a sneak attack, you think a greenhorn like you could've taken me down so easily?!”
I'd gotten a rough idea from his rude mouth-off at our first meeting, but he gave off the same immature punk vibe as his son—worthless for his age.
Whatever, did it matter?
My anger wouldn't subside with just one hit either.
“Then shall we have a proper go?”
“Fine by me! I'll smash you to pieces!”
And so, an impromptu spar unfolded late that night.
*
In the center of the clearing, Hyukligwang and Goon Ja-seong faced off.
Zhuge Geunyeong approached Hwa Ryeon as she watched.
“Miss, do you have a moment?”
“Yes. What is it?”
Zhuge Geunyeong bowed politely to Hwa Ryeon, his face full of shame.
“I couldn't apologize properly amid the chaos earlier. On behalf of Great Hero Hyukli's insolent words and actions, I apologize.”
Talking about some grown woman's breasts and ass wasn't something that could be brushed off as mere insolence.
“…Never mind. I'll just think of it as a mad dog barking.”
But Hwa Ryeon didn't make a big fuss.
It wasn't Zhuge Geunyeong's fault, and she could sense his genuine remorse in his apologetic expression.
Plus, seeing Ja-seong rarely lose his temper and throw that punch had lifted her mood quite a bit.
“…Thank you. For letting it slide so generously.”
Zhuge Geunyeong let out a deep sigh.
Seeing his oddly weary demeanor sparked Hwa Ryeon's curiosity.
“By the way, do clans usually protect their retainers this much?”
A retainer was, literally, a guest freeloading off the clan.
If that guest besmirched the clan's honor with their words or actions, expulsion was the norm.
At her question laced with doubt, Zhuge Geunyeong gave a wry smile.
“Normally, no. But Great Hero Hyukli is Heavenly One's birth father. The clan elders have such high hopes for Heavenly One that Great Hero Hyukli's influence has naturally grown as his father.”
“Putting it simply, he's strutting around shamelessly thanks to his talented son?”
Zhuge Geunyeong's expression turned ambiguous at Hwa Ryeon's question.
“Strictly speaking, it's a bit different. Great Hero Hyukli has always been like that. You might find it absurd, Miss, but that remark earlier was his idea of a compliment.”
“…….”
As Hwa Ryeon shot him a look of genuine disbelief, Zhuge Geunyeong cleared his throat awkwardly and changed the subject.
“A-anyway! There used to be some grumbling within the clan, but after Heavenly One rose as the clan's hope, that stopped too. The clan head and elders unilaterally ignored it.”
“So he rampaged like a wild child until he met his match.”
Hwa Ryeon glanced at the center of the clearing.
Ja-seong and Hyukligwang, each drawing their weapons, were about to begin their spar.
*
In the center of the clearing, we faced each other, drew our weapons, and took our stances.
True to his nickname Ferocious Tiger Blade, Hyukligwang drew a crude broadsword and assumed a unique stance that felt oddly familiar to me.
He bent at the waist as low as possible, leveling his torso and legs, sword tip aimed at me.
It was exactly the stance Zhuge Cheonsang had shown mid-spar.
“That's….”
“My unique art, Tiger Hunt Blade. They say Heavenly One lost to you wielding Tiger Hunt Sword? I wonder if you can do the same against me.”
Sure enough, as his birth father, he'd taught his saber style adapted into sword form.
Unlike Zhuge Cheonsang's merely bizarre posture, Hyukligwang's looked far more convincing.
His fiercer face than his son's, the tiger pelt draped over his shoulders, even the faint musky odor wafting from it.
It felt like facing a true savage beast.
He gave off the vibe of a veteran wanderer who'd rolled hard through the jianghu.
Could I actually look forward to this?
Just as I thought it might turn into a pretty enjoyable spar,
Hyukligwang flashed a smile that made his already savage face even more menacing.
“As your martial senior, I won't yield the first move. Come at me with all you've got.”
Hm? Yielding the first strike?
“Don't people usually yield three moves?”
He flinched at my retort, then bellowed.
“If I'm yielding the first strike, just take it—why so chatty?!”
The onlookers' gazes chilled at Hyukligwang's shout.
Hearing mutters of him being selfish and such, I smirked and slowly stepped forward with one foot.
“Then I'll humbly accept your senior's generosity and go first.”
“Come on, then….”
-Boom!
Before Hyukligwang could finish, I stomped and shot forward.
The light from the bonfires lit around the clearing reflected off my blade, stretching into a long gleam.
The single streak slicing through the darkness smashed straight into the broadsword Hyukligwang held out front.
-Clang!
A sharp metallic ring echoed.
The broadsword flew from his grip, embedding weakly into the ground.
“…Huh?”
Hyukligwang stared blankly at his beloved weapon yanked from his hand in an instant.
I pointed my sword at his throat and asked.
“I win. Do you concede?”
“…….”
Hyukligwang's face darkened as he alternated glances between my sword at his throat and his distant blade.
Of course, my excitement deflated.
I'd hoped his fierce aura meant something, but he couldn't even react to my sword.
Damn this fake martial world—how long till it normalizes?
As I swallowed a sigh inwardly, Hyukligwang's low voice came.
“…I concede. You win.”
“Great, fast resolutions are nice. Now properly apologize to Hwa Ryeon—”
“Wait!”
Cutting me off, Hyukligwang retrieved his distant blade and returned.
“Let's go again.”
He demanded a rematch outright.
The onlookers all wore incredulous looks.
Mutterings of him being shameless, not even embarrassed, rang clear.
But Hyukligwang ignored them, staring only at me.
What was his intent, conceding defeat then asking for another round? I met his gaze.
Contrary to my expectation, his fierce, rugged face held no stubbornness or rage.
If anything, anticipation?
“I won't spout off about being your senior. As warrior to warrior, let's have a real fight.”
No, this was fighting spirit.
The hostility pouring from Hyukligwang's entire body was no joke.
It even silenced the onlookers who'd been berating him.
The man before me now was simply a warrior craving a proper battle.
“…Hm.”
I took a fresh look at Hyukligwang.
His manner of speaking was infuriating, and his skills fell short of expectations, but
his fighting spirit? That, I rather liked.
“Fine. Let's do this properly this time.”
I returned to my position.
The onlookers who'd seen my spars twice before started dispersing, figuring the outcome was set.
Frankly, I thought so too.
The result surely wouldn't change.
But would the process be the same?
A subtle anticipation welled up inside me that it might not.
-Boom!
The spar restarted.
I stomped and charged as before, swinging at Hyukligwang's broadsword.
And this time, the result differed.
-Whoosh!
“Ha!”
He dodged.
My Skybow Flash Strike cut empty air.
The instant my sword should have hit his blade, he'd dropped it low to evade.
Not a reactive dodge. It wasn't that fast.
Only one answer, then.
He predicted it. When my strike would land.
“Can't fall for the same move twice!”
Hyukligwang grinned, baring his teeth.
Simultaneously, his lowered broadsword swept upward toward my shoulder.
My sword already slicing empty air.
If I stayed put, my shoulder would be out for a while.
Of course, I had no intention of standing still.
-Thud!
I slammed my left heel into the ground.
Then spun my body around it as a pivot.
Centrifugal force amplified my swing, and this time the sword struck the broadsword without fail.
-Caaang!
“Urk…!”
“Oh ho.”
I inwardly admired as Hyukligwang flipped sideways through the air to shed the impact.
I'd never expected him to withstand this attack.
Back at the sparring tournament in Hefei.
There, I met an absurd genius named Joo Ho-jeong and fought all-out for the first time.
That battle showed me my Skybow Infinite Sword had room for improvement in many ways.
This attack was one born from that realization.
Skybow Flash Strike: Return Light.
A variation to overcome Skybow Flash Strike's flaw—leaving you in dire straits if the initial strike missed.
Made for dodging charges like ambushes and slicing foes reveling in evasion and complacency as a follow-up.
To think he'd endure it.
My anticipation swelled further as I charged Hyukligwang once more.