Chapter 30
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Spar
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The two purebred horses had been chosen for traveling by waterway rather than overland.
Seo Mun-ha had sold off the carriage he'd ridden in before and acquired a mated pair of steeds.
Though he'd bought them without much fuss, they were premium goods even among local specialties.
"Be good."
As he stroked the horse's head, the mount A-so had led over followed along docilely.
"Young master, when did you learn to ride?"
"A bit, back in the day."
The stallion was relatively tame. It was because A-so had been so inept at handling it from the start—if it hadn't been so even-tempered, they never would have made it all the way here.
Seo Mun-ha unhesitatingly named the stallion, which boasted a smoky gray mane and glossy coat.
"Flying Dragon. What do you think?"
"Ahaha..."
Yang Jeong let out a hollow laugh at the grandiose name. A-so, on the other hand, sparkled with delight, clearly taken with it.
"You two go on ahead."
Setting aside his unexpectedly human touch with names, Seo Mun-ha handed Flying Dragon over to Yang Jeong.
The trouble was the mare.
Prrr.
The mount that had given Yang Jeong such grief. The Central Plains had a long history boasting countless famed steeds, and the mare before them was far from ordinary.
Her reddish-brown coat momentarily called to mind Red Hare itself.
A legendary horse said to cover a thousand ri in a day. Though whether she could carry eight hundred jin of cargo without strain or gallop across rivers like steeds of centuries past was unknown, one thing was certain: she was no easy ride.
"Careful, young master. That one's temper is something else..."
With Yang Jeong voicing his unease and departing alongside A-so, Seo Mun-ha gave the flank of the drooping mare a kick and swung up into the saddle.
Hiiing—!
As if to mock Yang Jeong's anxiety and ordeals, the mare's resistance ended with that single snort.
'This has been a while, too.'
Bare of saddle or stirrups, she was in her natural state—and he'd heard that even bridling her due to her vicious temper had been a sweaty ordeal.
"There, there."
After a quick test gallop to get the feel of her, Seo Mun-ha hopped lightly back down to earth.
"Let's move."
A serpentine mountain trail at a narrow defile.
Their informal "promise" lay beneath a cliff he'd visited once before.
A secret spot in plain sight.
"Took you longer than expected."
Two men had arrived ahead of him and were waiting.
"The elder sends his regards to old man Ga."
He loosed the mare, which promptly sat, and offered the bare minimum in courtesies.
"So, what business this time to summon me?"
His even tone held no hint of reproach.
"Still beating around the bush, eh? You already know."
The old man and youth, reunited after several days, seemed on quite familiar terms—while the man caught between them scowled in clear displeasure.
'The nerve...!'
Before Dang Cheol-son, one of the Sacred Heaven Ten Seats, the man seethed inwardly at such brazen disrespect.
"Ignore that one."
"He's hot-blooded, but like family—no chance of him spilling secrets. Besides, you need someone for cleanup duties."
"Cleanup...?"
"Heard you're leaving soon. Haven't I just taken from you all this time?"
He had invested time, effort, and care. In his own way, at least.
"Since my granddaughter's not to your taste, this old man will teach you a trick or two out of the goodness of his heart."
"..."
"You must want to test that weapon from old man Ga anyway."
"I get it."
The youth nodded, but the middle-aged man finally lost his temper and bellowed.
"You insolent whelp! Do you even know who you're talking to?!"
Dang Cheol-son, irked by his chess rival in later years.
"Isn't he the one dragging a kid young enough to be his grandson here on whims, bullying him and wasting his days?"
Such were Seo Mun-ha's thoughts on the elder, as he eyed the outraged man.
"...That brat!"
His temperament aside, plenty respected the man.
"Enough. I'm fine with it—in fact, the kid's not entirely wrong."
A lifetime of martial cultivation wasn't for any fool to judge lightly. Small wonder he chafed at how the youth treated him.
"Cut him some slack. I kept the family out so as not to make you uncomfortable. No harm meant."
The man merely snorted at Dang Cheol-son's mediation and defense, folding his arms and pointedly turning away.
'A spar, huh.'
The man meant nothing to Seo Mun-ha.
His heart began to race.
"Perfect. I was just thinking I needed to loosen up anyway."
It was exactly what he'd hoped for. Crossing hands with a pinnacle expert wasn't something you got every day.
"In exchange, you keep it quiet."
This was different from his bout with Seo Mun-gyeol. His foundational qi and spirit were stronger now, and there was no need to hide.
"Who'd think I was the one begging?"
Dang Cheol-son, clearly the one on the back foot, shot a glance at the man.
Whiii—
A faint breeze blew low and lost its way.
A vast qi membrane unfurled. The man's doing—grumbling all the while, but obeying his superior without question.
"Heh heh. Trust at last between us—should I be glad?"
Secrets were fine. Shared secrets better.
Some might call the old man sentimental, but the talent was too tempting to pass up.
"Shall I make the young one my playmate once more?"
In every sense. No one—not even all the Tang Clan's finest combined—had surprised and delighted him like this.
"Won't be like chess."
Dang Cheol-son was the Tang Clan's top expert and elder both.
To one who inevitably kept others at arm's length, Seo Mun-ha was a drought-ending rain.
"This do?"
Grinning like a prankster, he raised an index finger.
'Of course. Just the elder's pastime.'
The man nodded, convinced.
'Ghost Flash who crushed the Qingcheng Five Swords, eh? Looks like the elder'll straighten out that cocky junior's bad habits.'
Misunderstandings piled atop misunderstandings.
He had no doubt that inexpressive young face would soon twist in defeat.
Not for another moment, at least.
"What's the prize?"
Before the duel, Seo Mun-ha boldly laid down additional terms.
"Sparring calls for wagers, victory for rewards, no?"
"Planning to beat me? Hah hah! Fine—if this old man loses, I'll multiply our chess stakes many times over!"
Seo Mun-ha's lips curled too. Music to his ears.
Clack.
The unbound spear shaft clicked together into one in his grip.
A golden opportunity. He could test the new weapon's prowess and measure his full strength against a Sacred Heaven Ten Seat's arts.
"A spear? So that's what you commissioned from old man Ga?"
"Yes."
"Never heard the Seo Mun Clan had spear arts. You hide a lot."
"Still early—shoo me off if you want. Isn't that the elder's specialty?"
"Ahem! People might misunderstand!"
Thankfully, only the tagalong man was around to hear.
Faking a cough, Dang Cheol-son made a proposal.
"Still, fairness matters. Care to take ten moves of mine?"
Whatever secrets would come out in the clash. As a murim senior, he imposed a "handicap" on himself.
"As you wish."
"Heh heh."
No way to get serious against a child. Truth was, it was a rule to let him go all out.
'Ten moves? Feasible?'
The man swallowed his doubts, while Dang Cheol-son found rare accord.
"Come."
As he beckoned, Seo Mun-ha politely cupped his fists—then his eyes flashed blue ferocity.
Sssk.
His back foot slid softly across the dirt.
'Gasp?!'
The watching man bulged his eyes.
Ghost Flash's posture dipped low, and in a blink, he was before the Poison Needle King.
The terrifying speed stunned. His aura neatly contained gave no chance to read, faster even than turning one's head.
Shk—!
A simple thrust.
Yet the profundity packed into those three words "simple" defied imagination. He'd closed the gap in an instant, spear tip leading to stab at Dang Cheol-son's heart.
"..."
Dang Cheol-son slowly lowered his index finger.
Srrk.
Even that opening gambit couldn't fully fool his eyes.
'Poison Needle King, indeed.'
Seo Mun-ha stifled a short groan.
Eyes honed for hidden weapons outstripped even exalted fame and titles.
The spear tip traced a semicircle, naturally drawn by Dang Cheol-son's guiding hand.
The thrusting energy bled away with every arc.
The thrust, barely slipping control, grazed past his shoulder.
Wildly off-mark, it merely severed a protruding thread—then the swiftly recovered shaft flowed ring-to-ring, slashing up from below once more.
Shiiik.
Straight spear bending into elegant curves held the man's gaze captive.
Bang!
Index finger crossed the blade in an X.
Wrinkled digit yielded not an inch to the vicious edge. At the whirlwind's eye, the pair locked motionless for a breath.
"Lost count ages ago. Takes a lot to surprise me this much."
"Praise?"
"Obviously!"
They bantered casually amid circulating qi.
No risk of qi deviation—their minds separated, weapons wielded freer than limbs.
"Impressive! Stands out even among old man Ga's works!"
Hand strength met spear qi.
Normally, it'd pin the zone, scatter the qi, shatter blade and shaft.
"Worth the wait."
Instead, Seo Mun-ha flicked the finger upward, detonating a burst of power.
Northern Guard Thunder Whirl Spear, Level 1
Snake Dragon Seven Annihilations
He slipped back a step, then thrust.
Whooo!
The pinpoint tip bloomed into seven—in a heartbeat.
Residual shadows wheeled fiercely, bursting ambient air as they surged forward.
Puueng—!
An ear-rending air-tear.
Dang Cheol-son finally furrowed his brow and shifted his stance.
'All feints?'
Spear strikes filled his steadfast guard, pressing without cease.
Kng.
The onslaught grew savage; one finger fell short of total blockade.
His unshakable poise wavered—evasion and parry impossible, raw defense his lone resort.
Kwaaang!
Dull thud chained into thunderous blast.
"...Body Protecting Battle Qi."
"Three moves down."
"Didn't say only fingers."
Arm extended, Seo Mun-ha parted the dust cloud to behold Dang Cheol-son standing unscathed.
"Never said no Rebound Finger Strike."
"Always thought your temper sucked."
"Heh heh. Too soon for complaints."
"Just getting started," he declared, flicking a finger from afar.
Pang!
A casual finger wind shot out.
Pabababat!
"My first move!"
Qi bolts chased in relentless swarms, repaying prior thrusts with dogged pursuit.
Toong!
Seo Mun-ha spread his raised palm then clenched; from the Dark Spirit's core, an eight-symbol bloomed in empty air.
Kkaang! Kang!
'A true spear master?'
He betrayed no sign, but Dang Cheol-son's thoughts matched the man's shock.
'Beyond Qiao Yue... maybe even Sa An realm.'
He'd acknowledged the youth's potential before.
"...My second move!"
Yet past praise centered on growth. Insight had foreseen promise—but he'd become a full-fledged warrior already.
'Lightly blocked, even?'
Assaults nullified in train; impatience gnawed unbidden.
"Serious" was relative—not life-or-death. Plan was mild suppression, then instruction.
"My third—!"
But Seo Mun-ha shattered expectations. Shattered the very plan.
The new spear played a part, sure—but overall, he outdid even the Qinghe bout.
'Devious brat.'
Before a Tang master infamous for deviousness, this much hidden.
"Thousand Thunder Daggers. Break it if you can."
His brashness sparked playfulness. Deadlier than earnest.
Thousand Thunder Daggers
Hudududu—!
Thousand raindrops from the heavens. Paltry next to Myriad Rain—but a graze from any qi-charged needle spelled doom.
'Poison.'
Vision drowned in plunging strikes, Seo Mun-ha readjusted his grip on the shaft.
"Dodge, you fool!"
The man yelled in desperation. He had no intention of tidying up a corpse.
Northern Guard Explosive Scatter Spear
Unfazed, he slammed the blade down before his nose.
Kung!
Northern Dragon Emerges from Escort
A murmur, then qi erupted like an explosion.
Kwagwang!
A rock mound rocketed skyward, claws out to devour the needles.
Dudududu!
And that was just the beginning.
The man shielded his head from the thrust's backlash, as the earth dragon—unsated by mere needles—barreled toward Dang Cheol-son.
"E-elder?!"
Its ferocity was such that, for an instant, the man forgot who he was facing.
Pasak.
Seo Mun-ha yanked the spear free, eyes agleam.
Puk!
Slamming it down anew.
Kkarang!
Poison palms chaining past four and five shattered against the dark shaft.
"Splendid. Truly splendid."
Dang Cheol-son beamed like a child.
How long since he'd broken a sweat? Original plans forgotten, he escalated like a tester, strikes unrelenting.
Thicker, sharper afterimages locked on the youth.
Pababapak!
Clearer now—harder to guard.
Unable without Body Protecting Battle Qi.
'No choice.'
Suddenly, he drew the spear sheath.
Chaeng!
Clashing midair with a flung dagger.
Hwiririk!
Perfectly struck, twin iron arcs wheeled around his head before plummeting left and right.
Deopseok.
Catching the dagger, he danced around the upright shaft, form shifting ceaselessly.
Kang! Kkak!
Each deflection ravaged terrain and fixtures.
Peueong! Peueong!
Like Dang Cheol-son's opener, he yielded not to the qi, redirecting instead.
Peueong!
Tiny projectiles wrought havoc on nature itself.
Jjaeang!
A brow-target dagger ricocheted skyward and crashed.
Countless more halted by Dark Spirit. Wheeling half-turn, he whipped the captured dagger to swat another knife.
Peok!
The man barely registered the fresh crater before his eyes.
'...Even Nine Dragons Seven Peaks' prime couldn't match this prowess.'
Soul fled, he muttered blankly.
"Five Realms... Entering the Divine..."
Dang Cheol-son, behind him, drew a soft breath.
"My tenth move."
His robe flapped—a scene from memory.
"Incomplete though it be, the finale demands Myriad Heavenly Flower Rain."
"Gonna kill me?"
"Genius, whining already?"
Flower rain blanketed Sichuan skies, cascading at once.
"Stakes are getting steep."
Head raised, Seo Mun-ha silently watched the deluge.
Northern Guard Mysterious Far Spear
All remaining power surged along the Dark Spirit.
Passeu.
Tiny holes pierced the dense rain-lashes.
"...General."
Rags of his uniform rent, blood welled from wounds across his frame.
"Cough—looks like I win again, elder."
Yet both feet remained planted firm on the earth.