Chapter 70
Heuk-pyo's face stiffened at the incomprehensible reply.
"What do you mean by that?"
"If you have that kind of money, you could hire an assassin yourself. So why ask me?"
"That's..."
"Your actions just now revealed that he's a master you couldn't hire an assassin to kill even for three thousand gold taels."
At those words, Heuk-pyo's complexion turned ashen.
As Bu Eun-seol had said, Yeop Hwa was a master who couldn't be killed for three Cat's Eye Stones. That was precisely why Heuk-pyo had failed to kill him until now.
"Young Master, you don't seem much older than me... yet you speak like someone who's rolled through the Rivers and Lakes for decades."
Heuk-pyo weakly packed away the wooden case.
"It's true. Three Cat's Eye Stones aren't enough to kill a Peak Master like Yeop Hwa."
"Then why make such a request of me?"
"Because you're young and extraordinarily skilled. Above all, you haven't been in the martial world long... I thought you could kill him without hesitation."
Heuk-pyo spoke in a low voice.
"Yeop Hwa is known as a renowned hero. Killing him... is something only fearless newcomers can do."
Killing a master known as a good person in the martial world is difficult.
Because if you kill such a person, you'll be pointed at as a demonic scourge or a Killing Star.
With bad luck, you might even be branded a Public Enemy of the Martial World, becoming the target of righteous faction assassins—a common occurrence.
"I apologize for the unreasonable request. Could you quietly forget this matter?"
When Bu Eun-seol nodded, Heuk-pyo clasped his hands together.
"Thank you."
Bu Eun-seol only stared intently at Heuk-pyo's slumped figure as he walked away.
The next day.
The Martial Arts Tournament progressed swiftly.
Gok Un-cheong versus U Jin-gang.
Bu Eun-seol versus Yeop Hwa.
The first match ended in U Jin-gang's victory. Though Gok Un-cheong was a master of the righteous faction, he couldn't overcome U Jin-gang's domineering sword techniques and lost an arm.
"The next match features the rising star Bu Eun-seol, who appeared like a comet, against the seasoned master of our ranks, the Wandering Chivalrous Yeop Hwa!"
As Cho Mun-cheon's announcement ended, a middle-aged man in yellow robes stepped onto the martial arts stage.
In his mid-thirties, he not only had an imposing physique but also eyes brimming with vitality. He didn't look like someone who would commit depraved acts.
"Let us have a good match."
Yeop Hwa treated Bu Eun-seol, over a decade his junior, with utmost courtesy.
His demeanor resembled not a rogue but a Renowned Chivalrous Hero of the righteous faction.
Bu Eun-seol silently clasped his hands and drew his sword.
'Stronger than I expected.'
Yeop Hwa, who had spent years as a bounty hunter, had experienced countless real battles.
His stance was remarkably similar to Bu Eun-seol's—utterly relaxed yet without visible openings.
"Skill isn't proportional to age... This unworthy Yeop will take the first move!"
As Bu Eun-seol stood motionless like a guardian stone, Yeop Hwa initiated the attack.
Swish.
A flawless, clean strike.
Against most opponents, this single stroke would force them into retreat, but Bu Eun-seol was different.
Whoosh.
Merely twisting his sword tip redirected Yeop Hwa's blade.
However, Yeop Hwa, already aware Bu Eun-seol could use the Sword Pinnacle Stance, remained unshaken and rotated his sword.
Sssshhh!
His rapidly spinning blade emitted a hazy mist before thrusting from all directions.
'Scattering Sword?'
Yeop Hwa's technique was the Scattering Sword, creating chaotic sword shadows through swift movements.
Zing.
Bu Eun-seol deployed the Sword Pinnacle Stance again, but deflecting all fourteen scattered sword shadows in different directions proved difficult.
Clang!
When four of the scattered strikes broke through, Bu Eun-seol swung his sword to parry them all.
Fwip!
Yet the raining sword shadows vanished like illusions, merging back into one to pierce Bu Eun-seol's chest.
'His transitions are fast.'
Yeop Hwa wasn't just a master of the Scattering Sword—he was also highly experienced in combat.
Had Bu Eun-seol been of ordinary skill, this single move might have shocked him into dropping his sword and surrendering.
'But he's too straightforward.'
Bu Eun-seol retreated like lightning, then spun his sword broadly to meet Yeop Hwa's incoming strike.
Boom!
A resonant bell-like sound erupted as a powerful shockwave forced Yeop Hwa back.
Bu Eun-seol had countered with the Heavy Sword Art, using sheer force to repel Yeop Hwa's blade.
"Tch."
Yeop Hwa let out a frustrated grunt and unleashed another Scattering Sword.
Slash-slash-slash!
This time, only eight sword shadows emerged, but their power intensified, and their movements grew more intricate.
'Strange.'
After deflecting them again, Bu Eun-seol's eyes flashed.
Yeop Hwa was using only straightforward, rigid forms—like a Shaolin monk. A master of his experience would employ such honest techniques for just two reasons:
Either his personality was so fair and square that he couldn't deceive others...
'Or he's deliberately using clumsy sword strokes to lure me into a trap.'
Clang-clang-clang!
When Bu Eun-seol deflected all eight shadows, Yeop Hwa momentarily retreated.
"Whew. Truly impressive."
Yeop Hwa exhaled deeply, wearing a bitter smile.
"I can't fathom how a young master of your caliber remained unknown until now."
"..."
"A taciturn youth. I like that."
As Bu Eun-seol remained silent, Yeop Hwa took a deep breath and declared:
"I shall now execute the Three Lightning-Conducting Swords. If you block all three of my forms, I will immediately concede defeat."
His proposal carried the intent to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. The martial artists in the plaza applauded and nodded in approval.
"Truly befitting the Wandering Chivalrous! Even against a young upstart, his righteousness shines through!"
At that moment, Yeop Hwa raised his sword with a battle cry and unleashed his Scattering Sword technique.
"First Move of the Three Lightning-Conducting Swords—Sun Hanging High in the Sky!"
In an instant, transparent sword shadows cascaded down upon Bu Eun-seol's head like shards of glass.
Whoooosh!
Bu Eun-seol, who had been observing the sword strokes splitting apart like beams of light, suddenly disregarded them entirely and swung his blade straight forward.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sword shadows above his head vanished, and in the next breath, Yeop Hwa's Scattering Sword rained down directly in front of him.
"Sharp eyes. Now receive the second move—Second Move, Rise and Fall in a Single Meal!"
The scattered sword strokes, now drawn back by Yeop Hwa's blade, transformed into hundreds of sword flowers, enveloping Bu Eun-seol's entire body like mist.
Tsk tsk tsk tsk...
The sword strokes shifted unpredictably, impossible to distinguish between real and illusion—so deceptive that they resembled an Illusion Sword more than a mere Scattering Sword.
'Hm.'
Yet Bu Eun-seol batted them away one by one with a bored expression.
To him, with the heightened senses of the Way of the Beast, such swordplay was nothing more than a flashy trick.
"Hohoho."
But something was strange.
Even as Bu Eun-seol leisurely blocked the strikes, Yeop Hwa's smile only grew more triumphant.
"Good. Then the third move—Devour Alive and Flay!"
This time, the name of the technique was unusual.
After straightforward names, why suddenly "swallow alive and strip the skin"?
'This—!'
Bu Eun-seol's eyes flashed as he parried the incoming sword strokes.
Splat!
In that instant, his stance faltered, and blood sprayed into the air. He had failed to block Yeop Hwa's Scattering Sword—his shoulder had been slashed.
"Hohoho. It seems even you can't perfectly defend against all three moves."
Swish! Swish! Swish!
As Yeop Hwa pressed his assault, Bu Eun-seol had no choice but to retreat, activating his footwork to evade.
How could Bu Eun-seol, who had been steadily defending and securing victory, suddenly show signs of defeat?
The spectators murmured among themselves.
—As expected. No matter how talented a newcomer is, can he really overcome a seasoned veteran like Yeop Hwa?
Just then, Bu Eun-seol halted his retreat and thrust his sword toward the descending sword strokes.
Clang!
He barely managed to block a lethal slash aimed at his throat, but the sheer force of the counter sent him stumbling back three steps.
"Hohoho. My Scattering Sword grows heavier with each strike."
Yeop Hwa drew back his sword for a moment and extended a hand, speaking courteously.
"It would be wise to admit defeat before you suffer serious injury."
His demeanor was so noble that applause erupted from the crowd below.
—Truly, the Wandering Chivalrous Yeop Hwa!
—Even as a wanderer, his bearing rivals that of the Righteous Path's heroes!
"Ridiculous."
Bu Eun-seol looked down at him and smiled coldly.
"A man who scatters Qi-Scattering Powder and Scorpion-Tail Poison dares call himself the Wandering Chivalrous?"
Yeop Hwa's smile vanished instantly.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"You've been secretly applying poison with every clash of our blades. You use the Scattering Sword because it's the easiest way to disperse poison during combat, isn't it?"
Yeop Hwa's expression darkened.
His method of poisoning was so subtle that even professional assassins wouldn't have noticed.
Yet this newcomer, barely emerged into the Rivers and Lakes, had seen right through him?
"There must be some misunderstanding."
At least Bu Eun-seol's voice was low enough that the audience couldn't hear.
"Do you have proof to back that claim?"
"Of course not. Qi-Scattering Powder and Scorpion-Tail Poison leave only symptoms—the poison itself evaporates."
Having carried out countless missions with the Slaughter-Seeking Squad, Bu Eun-seol had both used and endured poison enough to become an expert himself.
"I see."
Relieved inwardly, Yeop Hwa concealed a cruel smirk.
"Desperation breeds lies. Don't slander an innocent man."
'Brat. You might know poison, but your guard came too late.'
"Shall we end this here?"
"Not a chance."
"Then I'll finish this without leaving too many scars."
Masking his brutality, Yeop Hwa swiftly unleashed his Scattering Sword again.
Afraid Bu Eun-seol might surrender, he aimed to finish him with a lethal technique before he could yield.
Splat!
The sword shadows engulfed Bu Eun-seol's body.
Normally, he would have dismantled them one by one, but the Qi-Scattering Powder and Scorpion-Tail Poison slowed his movements.
"The sword has no eyes!"
Just as Yeop Hwa narrowed his blade toward Bu Eun-seol's vital points—
"Hmph."
Bu Eun-seol snorted, suddenly activating his footwork and sidestepping Yeop Hwa's thrust like a bolt of lightning.
His speed was blinding—impossible for someone poisoned.
'What—?!'
Yeop Hwa screamed inwardly.
Bu Eun-seol's sudden burst of speed forced him to charge past like a wild boar fleeing a wildfire.
Swiish!
At that moment, Bu Eun-seol's longsword, still sheathed until now, flashed out like lightning.
And in the same motion, it carved diagonally through Yeop Hwa's charging body.
Flash!
A cold gleam, followed by a crimson line splitting Yeop Hwa's torso.
Thud!
In the next instant, his body—now cleaved in two—collapsed to the ground in a fountain of blood.
"..."
The plaza fell so silent that not even a needle's drop could be heard.
Yeop Hwa, the Wandering Chivalrous—a famed wanderer of Guizhou, a man of great renown in the Wandering Drifters—had been bisected in a single stroke by a nameless youth.
"...The winner is Bu Eun-seol, the Young Hero Bu."
Cho Mun-cheon, frozen like a statue, barely managed to speak.
But in the Grand Plaza, only a silence as deep as Death itself continued to flow.