Chapter 141
Chapter 141
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 141
Chapter Title: Martial Arts Spar During the Banquet
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‘That cocky little punk…!’
Black Wind Blade Guest Kwak Rang glared at Goon Ja-seong and growled low in his throat.
What? Take on all three of them? Even if all three come at him at once?
‘How dare he flap his gums like that!’
Kwak Rang didn’t like Goon Ja-seong.
No, to be honest, it went beyond mere dislike—he hated him so much he wanted to lop off that arrogant head right then and there.
Why would this man, who had never even met Goon Ja-seong before, harbor such intense loathing?
The reason lay in the conversation he’d had earlier that day with Madam Cho, who had come to see him.
-Tonight, Lady Seo-hee will visit the guest quarters to see the visitor.
-W-What…? What are you talking about!? Why would Jeon-gal Seo-hee, my precious beauty, do that?
Kwak Rang, a middle-aged man over forty, referred to the barely twenty-year-old Seo-hee with the absurd endearment “my precious beauty.”
Madam Cho’s forehead bulged with veins at his behavior, but she steeled herself inwardly and continued.
-The family head has decided. He’s chosen Young Master Goon Ja-seong, our guest this time, to be Lady Seo-hee’s husband.
-Who decided that!? I’ll never allow it!
Who was Jeon-gal Seo-hee?
The Jeon-gal Clan’s treasured pearl, renowned as Hubei’s number one beauty.
She was a match made in heaven for him, one of Hubei’s hundred great experts—a union ordained by the heavens.
And now she was going to some other man’s room?
-My precious beauty is mine! No one dares covet a woman of mine, Kwak Rang!
-…….
Madam Cho squeezed her eyes shut and clamped her mouth tight.
As Seo-hee’s wet nurse, it was growing incredibly hard for her to stomach the nonsense Kwak Rang kept spouting.
‘This withered old fool, eyeing our young lady…!’
For a moment, she even thought it might be better if she paired off with that guest instead. At least he was young and handsome, unlike this one…
‘…Calm down.’
Regaining her composure with some deep breaths, Madam Cho pressed on.
-As I said before, it’s the family head’s will.
-Th-then…! I’ll go see the family head myself! I’ll beg him to call this whole thing off!
-You know as well as I do that the family head doesn’t bend to others’ words.
-Khuk…!
An undeniable truth.
Kwak Rang ground his teeth in futile rage when Madam Cho’s quiet voice reached him.
-…There is one way.
-What…? What is it!? Tell me the way, and I’ll do anything…!
Calming the agitated Kwak Rang, Madam Cho informed him that during tonight’s banquet, the Jeon-gal family head would request a sparring match between Goon Ja-seong and the food guests.
-If Great Hero Kwak defeats the guest there, even the family head will reconsider.
-I see. That’ll make it clear who the true man worthy of my precious beauty is.
Madam Cho left his quarters, muttering inwardly that it sure wouldn’t be him.
Afterward, she passed the same message to Heavenly Cannon Fist Jang No-kyeong and One Flash Spear Baek Ri-kyeong as well, though Kwak Rang knew nothing of it.
Back to the present.
Drawing his beloved Black Wind Blade, Kwak Rang unleashed a ferocious aura and spoke.
“I’ll kill you and take back my woman. No one can stop me…!”
“…What?”
Kwak Rang steeled his resolve, or so he thought.
But Goon Ja-seong, utterly clueless about the situation, could only gape in bewilderment.
*
…What the hell is this guy on about?
Never mind not knowing if this is a spar or a duel to the death—the “my woman” bit? What’s that supposed to mean?
I stared at this Kwak Rang fool, who’d stepped up for the spar only to spout nonsense, with wide-eyed confusion.
“What the hell are you even—”
“No need for words. Prepare yourself!”
He cut off my question mid-sentence and kicked off the ground.
“Hah!”
With a fierce shout, he charged, swinging his jet-black blade.
It had momentum, but it wasn’t particularly threatening.
I stepped back a pace to dodge the blade arcing toward my shoulder.
The black sword whistled through the empty air just in front of my chest.
It vaguely resembled a black gust of wind brushing past.
…Guess he’s called the Black Wind Blade Guest because his sword’s actually black?
As I eyed the blade with a cool expression, Kwak Rang’s voice rose like boiling rage.
“You bastard…! How dare you look at me like that!”
“Huh? No, that’s not—”
“Die—!”
He cut me off again.
Why does he keep interrupting?
This guy clearly had no intention of listening.
-Whoosh! Whoooosh!
He swung wildly, face twisted in fury.
Still, all momentum, no substance.
It was so predictable I could yawn.
“Khik…! Stop dodging and fight back, damn it!”
As I kept slipping his attacks by a hair’s breadth, he roared like he was about to burst from frustration.
Onlookers muttered gravely at the sight.
-That’s too vicious, isn’t it?
-Huh, emitting killing intent in a spar…
Even though this spar was meant to liven up the banquet, Kwak Rang’s malice was chilling the mood.
No wonder the Jeon-gal family head, who’d proposed it, looked increasingly displeased.
Hmm. Nothing more to see here. Might as well wrap it up quick instead of dragging it out.
Prolonging it would only mess up my plan to leave a good impression.
Decision made, I leaped back to evade another slash.
Kwak Rang pursued like a rabid dog.
“Hraaah!”
Facing his incoming roar and charge, I planted my leading foot.
-Thud!
My form shot toward Kwak Rang like a streak of light.
“Wha…?”
In the blink of an eye, as I closed into his guard, Kwak Rang’s eyes widened.
Before words could escape his bushy-bearded mouth, my sword flat struck his side.
-Pahk!
“Guh?!”
Kwak Rang flew back, crashing outside the stage.
The crowd fell silent.
They’d seen me seemingly on the defensive just moments ago, only to send him flying in an instant. Every face wore disbelief.
-Wh-what just happened?
-I-I don’t know…?
“Groan… Groooan…!”
Amid the confusion, a pained groan rose.
No need to check—it was Kwak Rang.
“N-not yet…! I haven’t lost…!”
Even after tumbling offstage, he refused to admit defeat, looking utterly pathetic.
Sure, no ring-out rule had been set, but this was just disgraceful.
“Enough.”
“Jang Great Hero…!”
“Knowing the gap between yourself and your opponent is a key virtue for any martial artist. Don’t you get it? He held back.”
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who thought so. Another man stepped up to rein in Kwak Rang.
It was the other middle-aged fighter who’d agreed to spar me.
“Khuk…!”
Kwak Rang hung his head at the man’s words, silenced.
“…I-I lost.”
After agonizing hesitation, he spat out his admission, then fled the banquet hall in shame.
Thus ended my first spar, a messy win.
For the next, the middle-aged man climbed onstage.
The shackles encasing his hands stood out prominently.
“I’m Jang No-kyeong. In the jianghu, they call me Heavenly Cannon Fist.”
My first encounter with a fist master since leaving the stronghold.
I was briefly startled by the shackles, but quickly recalled this world’s martial arts and understood.
No concept of fist wind or blasts here, so they needed hand guards against swords.
“If you need, circulate your qi. I can wait a bit.”
“No need. Let’s go right away.”
He offered recovery time.
That alone made him worlds better than the previous Kwak Rang.
“Very well. Shall we begin? I’ve seen your skill, so no holding back.”
Nodding at my reply, Jang No-kyeong assumed his stance.
Right fist and right foot forward, left fist tucked at his side.
Gauging distance with the forward right fist, attacking with the left?
Analyzing his form, I leveled my sword at him.
The banquet guests’ eyes focused on us.
How long did we stand off? Jang No-kyeong moved first.
-Boom!
He stomped his forward right foot and charged.
As he reached me, as expected, his tucked left fist shot out.
-Ka-clang!
Sword met shackle, sparks flying.
Dazzling flecks of light scattered across my vision.
Behind them, his right fist whipped in.
I’d anticipated it with Threat Perception and twisted my head aside.
Simultaneously, I rebounded his left fist and raised my sword overhead.
-Screeech!
The blade descended toward his crown.
Mt. Tai Pressing Top, infused with heavy sword essence.
It met his crossed fists guarding above.
-Kwa-gang!
“Khum…!”
His grunt drowned in the sharp metallic ring echoing through the hall.
But he blocked it.
And a successful defense leads straight to counterattack.
-Ki-gig! Clang!
He twisted his crossed fists to bat my sword downward.
As my blade dipped, his upper body opened wide.
A crisis for me, a golden chance for him.
“Hap!”
His right fist, pulled back behind his shoulder, exploded forward.
Straight for my chest.
Victory lit Jang No-kyeong’s face.
Too soon for that.
I gripped my lowered sword tight.
All the qi surging through my body concentrated into my arms.
Muscles swelled with inner power.
It fueled an explosive upward slash.
-Screeech!
“Uk!?”
His fist rebounded off my sudden rising blade.
It looked like Heavenward Heavy Press reversed into a defensive form.
Reverse Heaven Momentum
Born from my spar with Ju Ho-jeong, a variation of Heavenward Heavy Press.
Just as he had, I’d succeeded in defense with Reverse Heaven Momentum and pressed my counter.
“Hap!”
“Khuk…!”
Aiming at his exposed torso, I thrust Sword Shadows Enveloping Heaven.
Even as he crumbled, Jang No-kyeong blocked three of the sword shadows.
Still, four blood flowers bloomed on his robes.
My blade halted at his throat.
Confirming it, strength drained from his fists.
“I lose. Good spar.”
He admitted defeat cleanly and offered a courteous fist salute.
Quite straightforward, considering his initial veiled hostility.
“Good spar for me too.”
I returned the salute politely.
Admiration erupted from the crowd.
-Huh, Heavenly Cannon Fist lost.
-Did you see that last move?
-I did. Like dozens of swords multiplying.
-Is that even human martial arts? Who is he?
Amid shock, excitement, and wary glances, the second spar concluded.