Chapter 148
"This ends here!"
Just as Seong-ryun's palm was about to strike down on the fallen Yu Un-ryong's head—whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
A fierce wind howled as pitch-black sword qi rained down from the sky like a torrential downpour, aimed straight at Seong-ryun.
"What—?!"
Caught completely off guard by the sudden attack, Seong-ryun hastily flung himself backward.
The moment he did, the cascading sword qi vanished as if washed away, and a man in white robes descended from the sky like an immortal, landing gracefully on the ground.
It was Bu Eun-seol.
"You—?"
Seong-ryun couldn't hide his shock.
That he was here—when he should have been fighting U Gang and the Killing Dog Experts—could only mean one thing: they had been defeated!
"Yu Un-ryong."
Without hesitation, Bu Eun-seol approached Yu Un-ryong, who was slumped against a tree.
"You lost to him."
"Don't mock me. I haven't lost yet! I'm just... taking a short rest."
Despite his words, the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth had already dried and cracked. His complexion was deathly pale, and his ragged breathing made it clear he had suffered severe internal injuries. Even if he underwent a Circulation Healing Session, he wouldn't recover immediately.
"I suppose you have nothing to say if I fight him in your place."
Yu Un-ryong didn't answer—only let out a derisive snort.
At that moment, Seong-ryun slowly approached from behind Bu Eun-seol.
"What happened to Senior Brother U?"
"He overestimated his own strength."
That brief reply told Seong-ryun everything he needed to know.
"I see. So that's how it is."
Swallowing his rage, Seong-ryun muttered in a low voice.
"Senior Brother U always supported me. Always cheered me on."
Taking a deep breath, he gazed up at the distant sky.
"When I became a Great Righteous Expert, when I became a Green Bamboo Beggar... he celebrated as if it were his own achievement."
Crack.
Seong-ryun clenched his fists, and a killing intent as scorching as the sun blazed in his eyes.
He could never forgive Bu Eun-seol for killing the senior brother he revered.
"So, I will kill you."
Bu Eun-seol silently nodded.
The martial world was a path forged from the entanglement of gratitude and grudges.
Standing here, no one could escape the shackles of these debts.
Screech.
Bending his left leg slightly, Seong-ryun traced a semicircle in the air before unleashing a relentless barrage of palm techniques—Proud Dragon Repents, Hidden Dragon Dormant, and even Dragon Fights in the Wild—one after another.
Rooooar!
The moment his full-powered Subduing Dragon Palm surged forth, the surrounding air seemed to vanish in an instant.
'He's strong.'
The might of Seong-ryun's Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms was undeniable.
It was in no way inferior to the legendary Divine Weapons that shook the world.
Bu Eun-seol immediately drew the Ink Sword to counter the palm energy.
With a sharp swish, sword winds and palm force filled the Reed Field as Bu Eun-seol and Seong-ryun clashed in an instant, exchanging over thirty moves in mere moments.
Like a perfectly choreographed dance, neither gave an inch.
Their fierce exchange of techniques continued relentlessly, yet neither gained the upper hand—only the sounds of clang! and boom! echoed through the air.
...!
But after about a hundred exchanges, the tide of battle shifted.
As Seong-ryun mixed in the Jade-Shattering Fist and Tail Shout Fist alongside his Subduing Dragon Palm, Bu Eun-seol gradually found himself forced onto the defensive.
CRACK!
Seizing the moment, Seong-ryun unleashed Dragon Appears in the Field—another devastating palm strike from the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms.
Bu Eun-seol swung the Ink Sword, attempting to repel the palm force and counterattack.
Swish!
But suddenly, with the Sound of Breaking Air, the initial stance of Dragon Appears in the Field transformed mid-execution into the Jade-Shattering Fist's Fighting a Tiger Barehanded and Crossing a River Recklessly.
Because of this, Bu Eun-seol's sword, which had been poised to dismantle Hyeon-ryong-jae-jeon, lost its target.
'He's altering his techniques mid-execution?'
Narrowing his eyes, Bu Eun-seol barely evaded the dizzying flurry of Seong-ryun's strikes.
'That's impossible.'
Once a technique is unleashed, even retracting it is difficult.
Yet Seong-ryun was transforming his already-deployed stances into entirely different martial techniques mid-flow?
Slash!
As the Jade-Shattering Fist grazed his shoulder, the fabric of his robe scattered like dust.
But instead of retreating, Bu Eun-seol closed the distance even further.
'There's definitely something here.'
He had been holding back, keeping his sword sealed—had he unleashed the full power of the Formless Heavenly Flow, he might have fought on equal footing. But victory alone wasn't what Bu Eun-seol sought.
A life-or-death battle like this—
It was an opportunity to uncover flaws in his martial arts or push his skills to new heights.
'If I can't advance beyond this point, I'll never win the battles to come!'
"The end is in sight now!"
As Bu Eun-seol repeatedly retreated, Seong-ryun's eyes gleamed with arrogance, believing he had seized the advantage.
'Just a little more!'
Seong-ryun's body surged with True Qi as he blended all the martial techniques of the Beggars' Sect into his onslaught.
It was all because of that burning emotion called revenge—so intense it felt as though it might consume even his very soul.
'Soon, I'll be able to sever the head of this vile demonkin who harmed Senior Brother Woo!'
But he didn't realize it.
Blinded by the flames of vengeance, he failed to notice that Bu Eun-seol's eyes were continuously analyzing his martial forms.
Fssht.
The Subduing Dragon Palm grazed past, tearing away the fabric at his shoulder.
Bu Eun-seol retreated swiftly with Swift Shadowless, while Seong-ryun pursued relentlessly, shifting seamlessly into another stance.
Shhk.
The palm strike that had carved through the air now transformed into the Eagle Heaven Claw Technique.
A thin line of blood trickled down Bu Eun-seol's cheek where the claws had scraped.
'From palm technique to claw technique... from the palm to the fingers...'
Watching the fluid transition of Seong-ryun's fingers, Bu Eun-seol finally understood.
'So that's how it is!'
Seong-ryun wasn't merely altering his martial arts mid-flow or haphazardly mixing them together.
He was executing different martial forms that naturally complemented one another—techniques that could flow into each other without interruption.
For example, after unleashing the Dragon Soaring Through Heaven, he would descend smoothly, then shift into a claw technique like an eagle snatching its prey.
Continuity Without Break. Extend Short and Sever Long.
In martial arts, forms must link seamlessly, executed at precisely the right moment.
Seong-ryun was arranging different martial forms so masterfully that they functioned as a single, cohesive technique.
'This man has deeply studied all of the Beggars' Sect's martial arts, weaving different forms into one unified whole!'
Bu Eun-seol's eyes gleamed with realization, his body surging with scorching heat.
This was the ultimate principle of martial arts—something impossible to grasp in mere sparring. He was learning it now, through Seong-ryun's relentless assault.
'What's this now?'
Seong-ryun's mood darkened as he noticed Bu Eun-seol's expression growing increasingly composed.
"You dare act so relaxed?!"
Gathering all his internal power, Seong-ryun unleashed a rapid succession of forms.
Swish.
But suddenly, Bu Eun-seol's movements changed.
His left hand unfolded a fist technique, while his right simultaneously executed Formless Heavenly Flow.
Unable to merge different martial arts into a seamless whole like Seong-ryun, he instead wielded fist and sword techniques simultaneously, compensating for each other's weaknesses.
"What kind of bizarre trick is this?"
Seong-ryun scoffed, leisurely mixing Subduing Dragon Palm and Jade-Shattering Fist to press Bu Eun-seol back.
Whoosh!
But something was strange. The moment Seong-ryun transitioned from palm to fist, Bu Eun-seol's sudden punch disrupted the flow.
"Hmph."
When Seong-ryun attempted to crush Bu Eun-seol's chest with another palm strike, the Ink Sword came slashing toward his head.
'This bastard...'
Seong-ryun's chest tightened as Bu Eun-seol flawlessly linked fist and sword techniques, covering each other's gaps.
'Did he really learn the principle of Using Strength to Mend Weakness from me?!'
The martial principles Bu Eun-seol was displaying unmistakably belonged to the orthodox teachings of the Martial Alliance.
"Fit Body to Create Art..."
Reciting the doctrine of Langya Pavilion's Practical Combat Martial Arts, Bu Eun-seol unleashed a rapid flurry of punches.
Whirr!
Four streams of fist energy surged toward Seong-ryun's face, forcing him to block with both palms.
"...Adapt Skill to Situation!"
"Don't get cocky!"
Seong-ryun dispersed Bu Eun-seol's fist energy with the Subduing Dragon Palm and closed in, preparing to unleash Gal Mi-gwon.
But in that instant, the Ink Sword was already poised at his abdomen.
"Ghk—!"
Seong-ryun had no choice but to abort his attack and retreat.
If he forced the fist technique, he'd be impaling himself on Bu Eun-seol's blade.
"Stop mocking me!"
Seong-ryun's face flushed crimson with fury at the thought of his martial secrets being stolen.
"You think a runt like you can master Using Strength to Mend Weakness?!"
This time, Seong-ryun executed Subduing Dragon Palm with his left hand, then shifted into Jade-Shattering Fist, while his right hand alternated between Tail Shout Fist and Eagle Heaven Claw Technique.
This was a profound martial principle akin to divided focus—now, Bu Eun-seol was effectively facing two Beggars' Sect masters at once.
'It's working!'
Seong-ryun inwardly cheered.
By fully committing to Using Strength to Mend Weakness, Bu Eun-seol's rhythm was gradually faltering.
'His technique was improvised—it still has flaws!'
Every time Bu Eun-seol used sword and fist techniques simultaneously, tiny gaps appeared.
'Unless... he's deliberately leaving openings?'
A sliver of doubt crept in.
What if Bu Eun-seol was intentionally exposing weaknesses?
'This bastard is too dangerous.'
Seong-ryun's instincts screamed a warning.
This mysterious bastard was like steel that only grew harder the more you clashed against him.
The thought crossed his mind that it might be better to retreat rather than continue fighting.
'No. I must kill him.'
If he failed to eliminate the Ten Demonic Heir now, the elders would inevitably appoint another Green Bamboo Beggar as the Young Beggars' Sect Leader.
Wouldn't that render the death of his senior martial brother, U Gang—who had sacrificed himself for him—utterly meaningless?
'Even if it's a trap, it doesn't matter. As long as I kill him!'
Seong-ryun no longer cared about martial superiority or victory. Such things were irrelevant.
The only thing that mattered was ensuring Bu Eun-seol's death.
KWA-RUNG!
At that moment, Bu Eun-seol unleashed both sword and fist techniques simultaneously once more.
And just like before, his balance wavered slightly, exposing a gap near his flank.
'Now!'
The instant Seong-ryun spotted the opening, he struck with both palms.
PAAAH!
Pushing back Bu Eun-seol's assault with the Subduing Dragon Palm, Seong-ryun poured all his strength into closing the distance.
Then, without hesitation, he unleashed a surge of palm energy straight into Bu Eun-seol's exposed flank.
GOOOOOH!
This was Wee-mu-gu-ui—a technique he had recently devised, a single palm strike infused with the full might of his lifelong internal power.
'Even if I have to take a wound, I'll crush your body to dust!'
"Keugh—"
A few drops of blood sprayed from Bu Eun-seol's lips as the palm energy struck.
Yet instead of retreating, his body lurched forward, toward Seong-ryun.
'What—?!'
In that instant, Seong-ryun realized—
This had all been Bu Eun-seol's trap.
Because the palm energy he had unleashed hadn't struck true. It was as if an unseen force had twisted his arm aside.
THUK!
A clean, slicing sound followed as the Ink Sword's tip pierced through Seong-ryun's chest.
CLACK.
Bu Eun-seol, swaying unsteadily, sheathed the Ink Sword behind his back. Seong-ryun staggered violently backward.
"How...?"
Seong-ryun's pupils dilated as he clutched his chest.
Even if that opening had been a trap, he should have been able to evade it.
But his decisive strike had gone absurdly astray—and it wasn't due to any mistake on his part.
"Why did it miss...?"
Bu Eun-seol regarded Seong-ryun's wide, disbelieving eyes and spoke.
"You didn't see it."
"See... what?"
"I executed the Sword Pinnacle Stance the moment you committed to your palm strike."
Seong-ryun's eyes trembled like rippling water.
"You're saying... I failed to notice something as basic as the Sword Pinnacle Stance?"
Bu Eun-seol's expression remained solemn.
"Naturally. You were too consumed by your obsession to kill me."
Seong-ryun's gaze shook violently.
"...I see."
He nodded faintly, as if finally understanding.
If he lost this fight, he would never become the Young Beggars' Sect Leader.
That impatience and desperation had blinded him to Bu Eun-seol's hidden techniques.
Bu Eun-seol hadn't cared about the hierarchy of martial arts.
He had simply fought to survive Seong-ryun's killing moves.
Seong-ryun's strike, meant only to kill, had missed.
Bu Eun-seol's counter, meant only to live, had succeeded.
'I walked into the abyss with my own hands.'
A deep regret welled up in Seong-ryun's eyes as everything became clear.
This battle had been about avenging his senior brother—and securing his chance to become the Young Beggars' Sect Leader.
In other words, he had to win, no matter what.
"A mere beggar... and yet I let greed consume me..."
But that very desperation had fractured his focus, leading to a fatal mistake at the last moment.
"...I was a fool."
Those were his final words.
His eyes remained open, as if still unable to accept his defeat.
"Keugh—"
As Seong-ryun collapsed, Bu Eun-seol finally coughed up the blood he had been holding back.
Even with the Sword Pinnacle Stance deflecting the force, he hadn't been able to completely neutralize the full might of Seong-ryun's Wee-mu-gu-ui.
'If I hadn't reached the Fourth Layer of the Counter-Polar Internal Art... I would have been the one dead.'
Bu Eun-seol's meridians were flooded with Body Protection True Qi—a powerful energy shielding him from external force.
Without it, the moment that palm strike landed, his meridians would have shattered, and his Five Viscera and Six Bowels would have ruptured.
"You're terrifying."
A voice came from behind—Yu Un-ryong, leaning against a tree stump.
"So you took down Seong-ryun too."
Though he had been lying on the ground, he had witnessed the entire battle between Bu Eun-seol and Seong-ryun.
And now, he fully grasped just how monstrous Bu Eun-seol truly was.
"I'd heard that Langya Pavilion's martial arts are perfected through real combat... but this is the first time I've seen someone grow stronger mid-fight."
There was no hostility in Yu Un-ryong's gaze—only awe.
Bu Eun-seol's battle had been so fierce, so desperate, it was as if he had burned everything inside him.
Regardless of martial hierarchy, it was the kind of fight that set a spectator's blood boiling.
"..."
Bu Eun-seol remained silent, standing like a stone statue despite Yu Un-ryong's praise.
"Are your internal injuries that bad?"
Bu Eun-seol shook his head with a grave expression.
"Enormous masters... are coming."