Chapter 62
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Do You Know the Way?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Mak Jimong shook his head slowly.
"Looks like I don't even need to kill him myself. That scholar's practically begging to die. You said that Iron Blood Hall sub-branch leader is a high expert beyond first-rate, right?"
"Yes, Young Branch Lord."
"Then the scholar doesn't have even a lucky chance of winning?"
"The odds of the scholar beating the Iron Blood Hall sub-branch leader... are about the same as throwing a stone into a river and a crucian carp getting killed by it."
"In other words, impossible."
"Impossible. The first-rate realm has the ability to block all the lucky flukes attempted by second- or third-rates."
"Then why would that scholar charge in unless he's insane?"
"In my opinion, unless he's trying to commit suicide, he must have some hidden ability."
"What makes you think that?"
"No, it's not that. He doesn't seem to have any internal energy at all."
"Then why are you expecting anything?"
"Because he's the scholar invited by the Sovereign. My expectation started from the doubt that the Sovereign would invite just any ordinary scholar."
"There were scholars before him too."
"Those were all the scholars brought from the military strategy camp. This is the first scholar the Sovereign personally invited."
"Hm!"
Hearing that, it made sense, so Mak Jimong focused his gaze on the duel arena.
The duel between the scholar and the sub-branch leader of a faction ranking second among the unorthodox sects drew everyone's attention.
"Wait, why is Scholar Cheon up there?"
Myeong Woojong approached the duel arena with a worried expression.
He had rushed out of Yeongbin Pavilion upon hearing from his escort warrior that the scholar had climbed onto the arena.
He knew that Scholar Cheon had killed Demonic Cult experts with a mere flick of his fingers.
But if he wanted to receive the scholar's help later, it wasn't good for his face to become widely known like this.
At that moment, Nangong Cheolung approached from behind and replied.
"Don't worry. He must have his reasons."
Myeong Woojong knew he was a warrior from the Nangong Family.
Yet instead of worrying, his calm demeanor made him click his tongue.
"He must have disguised himself as a scholar for some purpose, but I wonder if it's okay to reveal himself like this."
Nangong Cheolung was about to respond when the drum announcing the start of the duel rang out, drawing his eyes to the arena.
Cheongyo, Songran, and Eunbi had also come out upon hearing the news and were staring intently at the scholar's arena.
"Wang Shim, was it? Today will be a day full of realizations for you. About yourself, about others, and about what it means to live."
"What bullshit!"
"It means you might awaken to the Way if you endure pain like you're about to die."
"Hey, do you even know the Three Calamity Sword Technique? What martial arts would a puny scholar know? Come at me. I'll give you ten breaths."
"Now, time to awaken to the Way."
I walked toward him with heavy steps.
To the spectators, my approach with a wooden sword and no internal energy in my footwork must have looked like a comedy play.
"Wahaha! The scholar's cool!"
"Show us the Scholar Divine Sword!"
Someone's joke spread like a wave.
"Scholar Divine Sword! Scholar Divine Sword!"
The chant of "Scholar Divine Sword" turned into mockery, and more spectators cheered and laughed for me.
"Alright, I bet ten coins on the scholar winning. If he wins, I'll turn it into ten silver nyang. Please win!"
Wang Shim was truly an unorthodox thug.
As I approached, he spread his arms wide as if inviting an attack.
But the moment I entered his whip's range, he swung it immediately.
'Did you think I'd believe a scumbag like you?'
I lightly dodged the whip with the Nine Phantom Spirit Steps, and Wang Shim's eyes widened slightly in surprise.
"You bastard! Lucky too, huh? Dodge this one!"
Whoosh!
If that internal energy-infused whip hit, limbs would fly off.
Wang Shim was already intent on crippling me, pouring his full power into the whip.
Bam!
The whip struck the arena floor, denting the harder than iron.
A first-rate expert's internal energy could dent iron plates.
Whish! Whoosh! Zing!
Wang Shim tried to bind me with the whip, but I slipped away each time.
Watching that, his eyes narrowed.
As his weasel-like eyes narrowed further, killing intent leaked through.
"Now I see you've got some skill, you scholar bastard! No wonder you're so cocky. Fine, I'll get serious too."
Whoosh!
The whip flew toward my neck with a movement I'd never seen before.
It wriggled like a living serpent, flashy and unpredictable.
Crack!
Piercing through that flashy motion, I brought the wooden sword down on his crown.
"Urk!"
Startled, Wang Shim raised his whip to counter.
At first, I let him attack to observe how the whip moved, but I quickly lost interest.
Rotating the three strands of spirit energy, I overwhelmed his power and speed.
Superior strength and speed rendered even the finest weapon or technique ineffective.
Moreover, with Wang Shim's low-grade martial arts, it looked to me like swinging a silk ribbon.
Now it was time for the lesson.
"Time to awaken to the Way!"
Thwack!
Wang Shim staggered.
The horizontal wooden sword strike to his temple would make the sky look yellow.
Thwack!
Crack!
I hit his side, and it sounded like bones breaking.
"You son of a bitch!"
Unable to hit me with the whip, Wang Shim tossed it aside and drew a dagger from his waist, swinging wildly.
"I was just going to rip off an arm, but now I'll take your head."
Wang Shim still thought he had the upper hand.
He figured slicing my wooden sword with his dagger would subdue me easily.
But when his dagger couldn't cut the wooden sword, panic set in.
"Awaken to the Way."
Crack!
The wooden sword swept low, shattering his shin.
Wang Shim, who had bitten his lip to endure, finally screamed.
"Argh!"
"Can't fall yet."
I kicked his thigh to keep him upright.
Thwack!
Crack!
Thud!
Stab!
After dozens of wooden sword blows, Wang Shim even clutched his arms defensively.
The dagger was nowhere to be seen.
"Is that even possible?"
Mak Jimong shot to his feet and asked his nearby escort.
"Hey, isn't that Wang Shim guy a first-rate expert? A first-rate getting toyed with like that? Does that make sense?"
The escort replied gravely.
"To toy with a first-rate expert like that, you need absolute peak realm skill or higher."
"Th-then... that scholar's at the peak realm? Right?"
The escort was silent for a moment before speaking.
"He's the scholar chosen by the Sovereign. To properly educate a young branch lord like you, wouldn't he need at least peak realm?"
It was a hasty assumption, but somehow convincing.
Myeong Woojong knew the scholar's skill but realized anew that only by pulling him in could he survive.
"With just Scholar Cheon, this inspection will succeed."
"With Scholar Cheon alone, he's better than a hundred escorts like us."
Nangong Cheolung, Nangong Hwajun, and Nangong Pyo bickered over something else.
"Master's going to kill that guy. There was full killing intent in his eyes."
"No, looks like it'll end with chopping off a limb."
"From what I see, Master might leave him alive but not really living."
When alone, the three called Scholar Cheon "Master" or "Teacher."
"Fine, let's see who's right. Losers pay three silver nyang."
"Deal."
Wang Shim, covered in deep bruises, yelled at Cheon Taesan.
"I-I've awakened to the Way."
He tried to collapse but couldn't for some reason.
He tried to leave the arena, but his body wouldn't step out.
And he couldn't shout surrender.
That would trash his entire career and reputation up to now.
"What Way did you awaken to?"
"That living isn't easy."
"And?"
Thwack!
The wooden sword slammed into his nape again.
"Gah! That people should be humble."
If he could just escape this arena, he'd crawl under the scholar's crotch.
The targeted strikes mimicked tendon-tearing, bone-crushing torture points, bringing indescribable agony.
Cold sweat poured from his body, tears and snot streaming to his chin.
The spectators, who had cheered mockingly at first, now watched in silence.
Watching the scholar brutally dominate Wang Shim.
Iron Blood Hall's members raged.
"That scholar bastard's using evil sorcery!"
"The sub-branch leader can't lose to that scholar scum. He must be using some sorcery!"
They cried sorcery, but no one listened.
Unorthodox thugs using sorcery wasn't odd, and no one believed it anyway.
"And?"
As soon as Cheon Taesan spoke, a reply shot out.
"Don't mess around recklessly. If you must, pick your targets."
"Hm. Weak. If there's no greater realization, you'll keep getting hit."
Thwack!
The wooden sword plunged into his abdomen, feeling like his intestines were shredding.
"Grrraaagh!"
Then Wang Shim truly gained realization through pain.
"When this bastard's a problem and that one's a problem, the real problem is me."
Thwack!
The wooden sword struck his crown.
"Scholar, I've truly changed my heart. From now on, I'll live like a proper human."
"Really? But people aren't fixed; they're chosen. Once rotten, always rotten. I don't believe in people changing."
"I'll live like I'm dead. Like I'm dead."
"Good. That's a decent awakening to the Way."
Cheon Taesan dropped the wooden sword.
"Wang Shim."
"Y-yes. Yes."
Wang Shim couldn't meet his eyes and looked down.
"If you want to awaken more to the Way, come find me again."
"No. This is enough. I've already awakened to plenty of Ways."
Cheon Taesan smirked.
"Doubt it. Once the pain fades, today's humiliation will resurface. Revenge will boil. But remember one thing. If you come back, you won't just awaken—you'll ascend to immortality."
Hearing that, his body trembled like an aspen leaf.
His pants were soaked; he'd wet himself long ago.
"I was going to cut off an arm like you said, but since you've awakened, I'll stop here."
"Th-thank you."
"Get lost."
The spectators were speechless seeing him politely bow to Cheon Taesan after the beating and descend the arena.
Iron Blood Hall's sub-branch leader Wang Shim was infamous as a scoundrel.
Turning such a scoundrel into an obedient dog was astonishing.
"Waaah! The Scholar Divine Sword wins! I turned ten coins into ten silver nyang. Thank you, Scholar Divine Sword!"
Someone shouted, and the crowd finally buzzed about the duel.
As Cheon Taesan descended, someone yelled.
"Scholar Divine Sword!"
Others joined in.
"Scholar Divine Sword!"
"Scholar Divine Sword!"
Most spectators were unorthodox folk, originally mocking with "Scholar Divine Sword," but now shouting sincerely.
The pronunciation was slightly off.
"Divine Sword" was clear, but "Scholar" sounded different.
Listening closely, it was "Haksa" ()—Evil Scholar, not Scholar ().
Thinking it fitting, Cheon Taesan snorted.
"Wow, even his snort sounds like an unorthodox evil scholar."
Cheon Taesan locked eyes with Mak Jimong.
Mak Jimong averted his gaze first and lifted his cup.
As if nothing happened.
'Whoa, chills. Watching that Wang Shim get hit felt like I was taking the blows.'
Mak Jimong set down his cup and said.
"Now I see why he acted all arrogant with me. That scholar's really sinister, huh?"
His escort couldn't respond.
Then Cheon Taesan noticed a young man on another arena, who had turned his opponent into mincemeat and laughed triumphantly.
Not joy of victory, but ecstasy from crushing his foe.
Cheon Taesan circulated his spirit energy.
He sensed blood flow and qi.
And realized it resembled the qi he'd felt long ago in the Murim Alliance's prison.
'That guy's...?'
Cheon Taesan frowned at the youth raising his hands in ecstatic glee.