Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Five Absolutes of the Martial World
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Se Yeong slipped out through a small door at the back of the estate and into the forest.
The forest lay lower than the hill where the estate stood, but it was quite vast in area.
Se Yeong was already planning to erect a grand hall here someday.
He ventured deep into the woods and selected a suitable spot.
The Heaven Dominating Blade King faced him from about ten zhang away.
"I am Paeng Do-il."
"Han Se Yeong."
The Heaven Dominating Blade King felt a surge of admiration deep within.
To stand against him even knowing who he was—this guy had some real guts.
He'd never met anyone quite so bold and unflinching.
Maybe, just maybe, this young man was as capable as the rumors suggested, rather than the foolish upstart the tales painted him as.
But he had no intention of judging solely by appearances.
"The biggest fool in the martial world is the one who yields the first move. Yet with you, I feel like letting you have it. Go on—unleash everything you've got."
"My thanks."
Se Yeong bowed at the waist in respect, then casually lifted his iron rod.
Swoosh.
In that instant, his figure vanished.
Boom...!
The iron rod and blade clashed, sending shockwaves exploding outward in all directions.
The impact made the nearby withered leaves and blades of grass tremble violently.
A glint flashed in the Heaven Dominating Blade King's eyes as he thrust his blade forward, while Se Yeong's gaze blazed with battle lust.
The moment the straight-clashing rod and blade parted, the rod was already slicing through the air.
At the same time, the Heaven Dominating Blade King's massive blade carved through space as well.
Boom boom... boom...!
Whoosh...!
A wave of energy far fiercer than before erupted everywhere, and Se Yeong, unable to withstand the force, staggered back two or three steps.
Rumble... crash...!
The trees standing behind him toppled with deafening crashes, severed clean through.
'Indeed, worthy of escaping the Murim Alliance after causing such a massive uproar.'
Whoosh... whoosh...
The Heaven Dominating Blade King casually flung out streams of qi, then shot forward.
Boom boom... boom...!
Se Yeong deflected the incoming qi blasts and desperately swung his rod overhead.
Boom boom... boom...!
The instant he blocked the massive blade descending from the sky, an immense pressure crushed down on his entire body.
Unable to resist, Se Yeong's feet dug into the ground, kicking up stone fragments and billowing clouds of dust.
But that was all.
By now, the Heaven Dominating Blade King had circled behind him, slashing horizontally through the air.
Boom...!
Se Yeong spun his body just in time to barely block the blade, then used the recoil to leap back.
The Heaven Dominating Blade King lowered his massive blade and spoke.
"Now that you're warmed up, let's get serious."
"As you wish."
Se Yeong matched his resolve, setting his iron rod aside.
Ugh...
Groans of awe escaped from the squad members' lips.
Their eyes couldn't properly track either the Heaven Dominating Blade King's movements or Se Yeong's.
Moreover, every clash of rod and blade sent qi waves crashing over them, stinging their skin.
Even Instructor Kang couldn't tear his eyes away from the duel.
'The Heaven Dominating Blade King is one of the Five Absolutes, so that's expected—but this young swordsman's skills are truly remarkable.'
He offered advice to the squad members, who were staring in a daze.
"Even if your eyes can't keep up, focus all your senses. Regardless of life and death, you'll never witness a duel like this again in your lifetime."
For any martial artist, merely observing a clash between absolute masters would be immensely beneficial.
"Om mani padme hum. This lowly one feels enlightenment dawning today."
'Please don't die.'
As Instructor Kang and the squad cheered Se Yeong on, Sa Sa Un and the siblings were hiding behind trees, watching the fight.
'That damned guy doesn't even properly cultivate his arts, yet how does he keep getting stronger day by day?'
Sa Sa Un watched in despair, but the siblings couldn't even comprehend what they were seeing.
In their eyes, it looked like dozens of Se Yeongs and Heaven Dominating Blade Kings were smashing dozens of weapons together, tearing the forest apart.
Gulp... gulp...
The siblings were so shocked they kept dry-swallowing nonstop.
'Are those two... even human?'
He never imagined he'd draw Shi Wol against anyone other than the Alliance Leader or White Master.
Swoosh...
In a flash of dark radiance, Shi Wol had already crossed space, slicing toward the Heaven Dominating Blade King's throat.
Almost simultaneously, the massive blade arced toward Se Yeong's neck.
Their figures crossed paths, and the sword and blade instantly reversed direction, cleaving through the air once more.
Spheres of qi swirled along the sword and blade edges, then charged at each other like mortal enemies.
Boom boom... boom... boom...!
The sword and blade collided, unleashing a colossal shockwave that swept through the forest like a tsunami.
Withered grass and leaves lost their shapes entirely, while slender branches snapped or twisted.
Se Yeong and the Heaven Dominating Blade King each retreated a step.
But as if they'd never yielded ground, they launched toward each other again.
Boom! Boom boom... boom...!
The sword and blade clashed furiously, parted, then clashed again in a relentless frenzy.
Their bodies were enveloped in swirling sword and blade qi, trapping their forms in a vortex of energy.
Boom boom... boom...! Boom boom boom... boom...!
From the endless whirlwind of qi, Se Yeong's figure suddenly burst free.
At the same moment, the vortex dissipated, and a spinning sphere of qi along the blade came crashing down toward his head.
Bang...!
Ugh...
For the first time, a pained groan escaped Se Yeong's lips as he swung his sword to smack the blade aside.
The black uniform Se Yeong wore had long since shredded into rags, and the Heaven Dominating Blade King's robes were torn in places too.
Yet while Se Yeong bled from minor cuts, the Heaven Dominating Blade King's body remained unscathed, like forged iron.
The Heaven Dominating Blade King held his greatsword at a slant and took a few steps back.
"I've never encountered anyone quite like you before."
This was the highest praise he could offer Se Yeong.
"It's not over yet."
"Nor do I intend to end it here."
Hoo...
Se Yeong exhaled and inhaled deeply, then raised his sword before his eyes.
'I didn't want to resort to demonic arts.'
He hadn't even used them against the Murim Alliance.
But against the Heaven Dominating Blade King, he couldn't win without them.
No—even with demonic arts, surpassing him would be impossible.
Whooo...
Demonic qi began bubbling up from Se Yeong's entire body, coalescing into a thick, dark haze that formed the shape of a snarling demon baring its ferocious maw.
Even the unshakable Heaven Dominating Blade King faltered noticeably at the sight.
"Just as the rumors say... you're a Demonic Cult spy?"
"Is that how it looks?"
He slowly shook his head at Se Yeong's question.
If Se Yeong truly were a Demonic Cult spy as rumored, his son wouldn't have revered him as an elder brother.
His fool of a son might be dim, but he had his father's sharp eye for people.
Se Yeong stepped forward toward the Heaven Dominating Blade King.
Thud...!
In that moment, the demonic qi spread along the ground, engulfing him.
Swoooosh...
Simultaneously, Shi Wol split space in two.
Boom boom... boom...!
Bzzz...
The moment sword and great blade met, the demonic qi with its gaping maw let out a howl of rage.
Rumble rumble... crash...!
The trees behind Se Yeong and the Heaven Dominating Blade King screamed as they toppled en masse.
Splat...!
Se Yeong's body split open, spraying blood, while the Heaven Dominating Blade King's chest tore, blood flowing freely.
But they had no time to tend their wounds.
The instant they moved, blood scattered wildly as demonic qi and pure energy tangled ferociously.
Boom...! Boom boom... boom...!
Ah...
Instructor Kang couldn't contain the tremor of excitement in his chest.
'To witness the Cult Leader's martial arts here of all places...'
Tears streamed from his eyes unbidden, and his pounding heart left him breathless.
It had been a fated pull from their first meeting.
That familiar, family-like feeling when he first met Se Yeong—it must have been because of this.
Hoo...
Trembling with emotion, he took a long breath to calm his chest.
He wanted to rush out and demand how Se Yeong knew the Cult Leader's techniques.
But now was not the time.
Swoosh...
His figure slipped out of the forest unnoticed by the dazed squad members.
The moment he emerged, workers from the estate came rushing over.
They couldn't have missed the earth-shaking battle.
Instructor Kang blocked their path.
"It's nothing—just go back to your duties."
"What's happening in the forest, elder?"
He gave the workers a kind smile.
"My young ones are chopping wood in there."
"...Understood. We'll return to our tasks then."
The workers found his words suspicious but had no choice but to turn back toward the estate.
Instructor Kang gazed at the forest where the duel raged on.
Boom boom... boom...!
Shockwaves shot skyward, shaking space and trees alike.
'It's only natural they don't believe me.'
Paeng Se Gi paced anxiously.
Enraptured by Se Yeong's prowess until death loomed before him, now he stomped his feet in panic.
If his father won, his elder brother would die; if his elder brother prevailed, his father would perish.
Neither outcome was what he wanted—he was at a loss.
"Argh... whatever."
After stomping futilely, Paeng Se Gi recklessly shot toward the chaos of shockwaves.
Swoosh...
At that moment, Se Yeong's sword flew toward the Heaven Dominating Blade King's left shoulder, while the great blade carved toward Se Yeong's right.
The instant Paeng Se Gi leaped in, Se Yeong urgently twisted his sword's path, and the Heaven Dominating Blade King forcibly altered his strike.
"You... foolish idiot!"
The Heaven Dominating Blade King withdrew his blade and roared like thunder in fury.
His anger was momentary, however—deep down, he felt differently.
He'd seen Se Yeong desperately redirect his sword.
'He truly cares for my foolish son.'
"Forgive me, Father. I don't want to see the two of you fighting to the death."
With his son staking his life to declare his will, even the Heaven Dominating Blade King couldn't continue.
"What do you propose?"
Se Yeong bowed at his question.
"I... concede defeat."
Se Yeong readily admitted his loss.
If the duel dragged on, the Heaven Dominating Blade King would suffer grave wounds—but Se Yeong would lose his life.
'The wall of the Five Absolutes is truly towering.'
It was no small shock to Se Yeong.
Truth be told, he'd been certain no one in the martial world surpassed him except the Alliance Leader and White Master.
But reality proved that arrogance.
The Heaven Dominating Blade King nodded and sheathed his great blade.
In truth, he'd been deeply shocked by Se Yeong's skills as well.
To take Se Yeong's head would cost his own life.
"It seems you have much to tell me."