Chapter 13
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Hitting Rock Bottom
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Are you just going to keep running away? Where did all that spirit from earlier go? Am I that scary?"
Hearing those words, Nangong Mubaek thought they were utterly childish.
He had no retort to give.
In the past, he would have lost his temper at such taunts, cursing as he charged in.
'He was probably counting on that.'
Now that Nangong Mubaek could predict Zhuge Dowon's words and actions, the man's intentions were crystal clear.
"I just wanted to see if you'd improved. You're not much different from last year. Disappointing."
"You bastard!"
His provocation failing, Zhuge Dowon spat out a harsh curse.
It was an outburst from the depths of his nature, beyond his control.
"You're begging to die!"
"This is a friendly spar. Isn't the cursing a bit much? You should calm down."
Zhuge Dowon, suddenly acting like some sage, resolved to thoroughly humiliate the foolish brat. He relaxed his stance.
"Let's see how far that spirit takes you."
Zhuge Dowon attacked with his signature technique.
It was the move that had floored Nangong Mubaek last year without him mounting any defense.
As Zhuge Dowon dazzled with a flashy technique, occupying the left space and pressing the attack, Nangong Mubaek swung his wooden sword toward the right.
Clang-clang-clang-clang!
Zhuge Dowon instantly shifted his leftward assault to the right in a deceptive maneuver.
'Zhuge Dowon always loves pulling off feints to show off his cleverness. I used to fall for them like an idiot. Wait, that means I really understand him now.'
In past fights, he'd been too busy reacting without any real insight.
So he was constantly caught off guard by his attack directions and habits.
But now, understanding Zhuge Dowon's personality and martial arts made his moves predictable.
'When he's cornered like this, even knowing it's reckless, he'll go for his prized ultimate technique.'
Now, he could even anticipate the moves.
And sure enough.
Zhuge Dowon unleashed a ferocious aura, committing everything to this one strike as if his life depended on it.
'Zhuge Dowon is all about bravado; he loves catching opponents off guard from behind. He wants to flaunt his overwhelming skill.'
Instead of blocking the onslaught from the front, Nangong Mubaek retreated and spun his body around.
Clang-clang!
With the sharp crack of wooden swords clashing, both men froze.
Zhuge Dowon's wooden sword was lodged in Nangong Mubaek's side, while Nangong Mubaek's pressed against Zhuge Dowon's crown.
For a martial artist, there could be no greater humiliation.
Exposing your crown to an opponent was shame upon shame.
"It's true. Scholar Cheon was right."
Nangong Mubaek muttered without thinking.
He looked down at the trembling Zhuge Dowon.
'That must have been me just a moment ago. If he hadn't been there.'
Nangong Mubaek shifted his gaze to Scholar Cheon, who lounged with his chin propped up, watching them boredly.
'Doesn't Scholar Cheon feel any tension? Everyone else here is on edge from our killing intent.'
He was amazed at how unaffected the scholar remained, even up close to their spar.
There wasn't even a hint of worry for him.
'Did he know I'd win? Or did he expect me to lose and not care? Whoa, now he's yawning.'
Nangong Mubaek muttered to himself.
"Still a long way to go."
It was meant for his own ears.
This was as far as he'd come from the koan Scholar Cheon had given him.
His own realizations were still few.
"If these were real swords, I would have won."
The words came from behind the turned Nangong Mubaek.
Pfft!
"Maybe."
It wasn't worth dignifying with more.
"If you're that hung up on the win or loss, let's call it a draw."
He'd said it with Zhuge Dowon in mind, but it only provoked him further.
"How did you read my moves? Did Scholar Cheon teach you? You were with the Murim Alliance, so maybe you learned how to counter our Zhuge Family's arts. Right?"
He knew it didn't make sense, but he clung to it to accept his defeat.
"Why's a smart guy like you acting so childish? Like a kid throwing a tantrum."
Unable to stand it, Nangong Mubaek spoke up.
"If you can't accept the loss, let's spar again tomorrow."
Whether to settle old scores or just to grind his nerves, Nangong Mubaek raked at him relentlessly.
"We can test it. Whether you know our family's counters."
Hearing that, Cheon Taesan sighed.
"Truly like a child. They say give a kid a hammer, and everything looks like a nail. That's Young Master Zhuge right now."
Did those words light the fuse?
Zhuge Dowon strode toward Cheon Taesan and unleashed a sudden sword strike.
Seeing it, Nangong Mubaek rushed in to knock the sword away.
He moved with his footwork at full throttle, faster than he'd ever gone in his life.
Crack!
Zhuge Dowon's downward wooden sword carried enough force to shatter a shoulder blade.
Since it struck first, Nangong Mubaek couldn't fully redirect it.
The deflected blade arced toward Cheon Taesan's forearm.
To ordinary eyes, it would be lightning-fast, but to him, it was clear as day.
Cheon Taesan channeled his Seven Stars Seven Origins energy, subtly pressing down on the incoming sword with his forearm and spinning.
Whoosh!
Unable to withstand the rotational force, Zhuge Dowon lost his grip on the wooden sword.
"Urk!"
His palm tore open, blood spurting out.
The wooden sword flew toward the Zhuge Family elders behind him.
Cheon Taesan had deliberately redirected it their way.
"Danger!"
The Zhuge Family elders shouted at the sudden incoming blade.
One elder drew his sword to slash it away, but the wooden sword plunged into his chest.
Thud!
That was when it happened.
Slash!
The wooden sword snapped in two and fell to the ground.
Nangong Mubaek had snatched a sword from a nearby Zhuge Family warrior and cleaved it.
It all happened in the blink of an eye, so few grasped it at first.
"Scholar Cheon! I've mastered the fourth form!"
Nangong Mubaek, who had bisected Zhuge Dowon's wooden sword, grinned broadly, out of place with the tension.
He had crossed three jang in an instant, seized a Zhuge warrior's sword, and slashed the wooden blade.
The essence of the Vault of Heaven Unfettered Sword Technique's fourth form, Vault Flash Sea-Splitting, was embodied in that single move.
As Vault Flash Sea-Splitting unfolded, Nangong Hak shot to his feet.
His eldest son had only recently perfected it, yet his youngest had executed it flawlessly.
"Impossible!"
Some Nangong Family elders gasped in admiration.
Those who recognized it buzzed excitedly.
But Nangong Hak's eyes swiftly shifted from Nangong Mubaek to Scholar Cheon.
Pressing down on Zhuge Dowon's wooden sword with his forearm, spinning to disarm it, and accelerating it further—that was part of the Vault of Heaven Unfettered Sword Technique's fifth form, Heavenly Dragon Coiling Ascent.
To others, it looked like Nangong Mubaek had blocked Zhuge Dowon's attack on the scholar, who barely dodged in the chaos.
Could that happen by chance?
Impossible.
Heavenly Dragon Coiling Ascent turned incoming force into three times the power and speed through rotation.
Would a Zhuge Family elder fail to dodge a single thrusting wooden sword and take it to the chest?
No.
He had anticipated the speed, but Scholar Cheon spun and tripled it, leaving no time to evade.
'Not just interpreting the manual—he knows how to apply it? Without training in martial arts? If that's possible, he's a once-in-a-millennium genius.'
Nangong Hak reeled in disbelief at the impossible sight.
He'd seen brilliant scholars grasp the essence of complex manuals before.
But manifesting that insight physically was another realm entirely.
"Our youngest is truly remarkable."
Jeon Ian spoke joyfully.
"Indeed. Splendid."
But Nangong Hak's response was hollow.
As his thoughts swirled, Zhuge Family elder Zhuge Banghak approached.
"Family Head. Urgent business back home means we must leave today."
"Pardon? We haven't settled the accounts yet. So soon?"
Nangong Hak played dumb, though he saw through it.
"Handle it as you see fit, Family Head. We defer to your decision."
"Well then, the Zhuge Family stands to lose quite a bit."
"We can only hope for your mercy."
Nangong Hak felt a rotten tooth finally pulled.
Negotiations had stalled over the transport company's cargo, leading to yesterday's deadlock.
He'd been uneasy about the inevitable losses.
Reading the intent, he added casually,
"Today's events won't leak outside."
"If you say so, Family Head, we trust you."
"Ah, but even if you go, leave your seal. To show our talks concluded smoothly."
The Zhuge elder glanced quickly at Zhuge Dowon and sighed inwardly.
Seeing him dazed, blood dripping from his torn palm as he stared at the scholar twisted his gut.
"Of course."
To protect their hard-won prodigy, such losses were acceptable.
That was when it happened.
"That brat!"
The Zhuge elder frowned.
Zhuge Dowon had grabbed another wooden sword and advanced on Scholar Cheon.
"You fool! Dowon!"
The rage-filled shout startled Zhuge Dowon into turning.
It was the elder who always fawned over him as the Zhuge Family's genius.
Never had he seen the elder this furious.
"You fool! How much more shame will you bring on our family? Did we teach you to act like this? Since when has the Zhuge Family refused to accept defeat?"
The words stung, but they were true, so Zhuge Dowon hung his head.
"Useless brat! Chin up! It's just one spar loss—why act like the world's ended? You thought you'd win forever? You learn to win by first learning to lose!"
The Zhuge elder unwittingly launched into a speech.
With the family's face in the dirt, he had to salvage some pride this way.
"Apologize!"
As Zhuge Dowon hesitated, he bellowed again.
"Now!"
Zhuge Dowon tossed the wooden sword and cupped his fists toward Cheon Taesan.
"I went too far. Forgive me."
Cheon Taesan regarded him steadily.
At least he obeyed the elder's harsh words without rebellion. That showed some mettle.
His hands trembled visibly with endured humiliation.
With so many eyes watching, it was time to display the grace of a magnanimous scholar.
"Overzealousness can lead to that. Anyway, how's your hand? Oh dear. Losing so much blood."
With a sigh, he tore a strip from his own robe.
And wrapped it tightly around Zhuge Dowon's torn palm.
"You need treatment right away."
The onlookers murmured. All praise or admiration for Cheon Taesan.
Zhuge Dowon leaned close to Cheon Taesan's ear.
"You bastard! I'll kill you someday!"
Cheon Taesan heard the low growl and tied the bandage tighter.
"Urk!"
"Life is short. Youth even shorter."
Zhuge Dowon glared at the scholar spouting nonsense.
"And time spent loving is shorter still. Wouldn't it be a waste to fill that brevity with hate? Besides, hate harms you most. It grows a knife in your heart that eventually stabs you."
Zhuge Banghak, who had enhanced his hearing with inner energy beforehand, overheard and felt a pang of sorrow.
His nephew refused defeat, harboring grudges, yet the scholar offered life advice instead of anger.
In fifty years, he'd rarely seen such character, even in the young. Despite his youth, respect welled for the scholar's virtue.
'That's the demeanor our Zhuge Family aspires to.'
Zhuge Banghak looked at him anew.
'Turning Nangong Family's scoundrel Nangong Mubaek into such a proper man proves he has extraordinary talent. Even now, he stands out.'
Sighing briefly, fearing more disgrace from his nephew, Zhuge Banghak issued orders.
"Look after Dowon. We'll treat him and head home."
Only then did the Zhuge Family members snap to action.
They'd been frozen, unsure what to do.