Chapter 56: Competition (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 56: Competition (4)
The beginning was identical to their previous duel.
At the exact same moment, the two swordsmen drew their blades.
Two streaks of sword light clashed, overlapping into one.
Would it shatter again this time?
Or would he block it and counter?
The first form of the Thirteen Lightning Flash Sword Thunders, Thunders, left a blue trail across the training ground floor.
‘Little Brother, you’ve gotten even faster.’
Baekri Cheong marveled as he watched the fierce trajectory of the sword in Namgung Jun’s grip.
But Namgung Jun wasn't the only one who had grown.
Baekri Cheong tilted his sword and struck back horizontally—the optimal angle to unleash the full force loaded into his blade.
It was the signature technique of the fallen Baekri Clan.
The Baekseon Sword Technique.
The clean, refined form, characteristic of a prestigious clan, met the straight-charging sword head-on.
Clang!
The stone floor shuddered from the first clash, spewing a cloud of dust.
As their diagonally locked swords trembled against each other, a faint smile touched the lips of both swordsmen.
The sharp energy slicing through the air.
The impact vibrating down the blade.
They knew without needing words just how much they had progressed since their first duel.
Both swordsmen let out satisfied smiles, having personally witnessed the other’s growth, which shone like an unstoppable beam of light.
Baekri Cheong was the first to pull his sword back and assume a ready stance.
"Little Brother. I can finally show you my sword properly."
"Come," Namgung Jun replied, adjusting his own stance.
Clang!
The swords, having briefly parted, clashed once more with even more ferocious momentum. A wave of qi erupted from the impact, rising like a wildfire and whipping wildly at the hems of their garments.
While Baekri Cheong's sword maintained a steady flow, Namgung Jun's gradually grew faster and heavier.
Even so, the Eldest Young Master of the Baekri Clan did not give ground easily. Though his sword speed and Sword Force were inferior to Namgung Jun's, the subtle principles of his forms, which anchored his balance, were exquisite.
Namgung Jun nodded as he watched Baekri Cheong’s techniques parry five consecutive slashes.
‘The strength of a prestigious clan.’
The profound forms, refined and passed down through generations, supported Baekri Cheong's sword.
After smoothly deflecting the incoming blue sword strike downward, Baekri Cheong swept his blade upward once more. The calmly executed forms of the Baekseon Sword Technique sought to push Namgung Jun back.
But Namgung Jun did not yield the distance so easily. Instead, he seamlessly transitioned into a technique from the Heavenly Wind Sword Technique, unleashing immense pressure.
Crack!
Fine cracks spread across the floor, centering on Baekri Cheong's feet as he withstood Namgung Jun's heavy strike.
‘It’s incredibly heavy.’
Yet Baekri Cheong did not buckle under Namgung Jun's Sword Force. Naturally twisting his waist and hips, he executed the Returning Wing Fresh River form. He spun, his blade carving a semi-circle that deflected the torrent of sword wind behind him.
Boom!
The deflected sword wind shattered the wall behind him with an explosive roar, but Baekri Cheong merely kicked off the ground with force.
"Haaah!"
It was the first kiai Baekri Cheong had let out, despite having fought dozens of duels throughout the competition.
In response, Namgung Jun simply raised his sword to an upper stance in silence.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The figures of the two swordsmen clashed and parted repeatedly, sparks scattering like falling petals. Dozens of exchanges passed in an instant. With every impact, the resulting wind whipped violently at their sleeves.
The air was thick with a sharp energy that stung the skin, but neither swordsman showed any sign of backing down. Even amidst this storm, their sword momentum did not waver in the slightest. Instead, the distance between them narrowed, and they clashed even more fiercely, as if trying to feel each other's swords to the fullest.
Thump!
Consecutive Earth-Trembling Stomps violently shook the training ground floor. The rising cloud of dust was instantly torn apart by the fiercely swirling sword strikes.
"Hup!"
With a chilling whistle, Baekri Cheong's vision was instantly dyed a brilliant blue. He was pushed back step by step, driven by the relentless forms of the Thirteen Lightning Flash Sword Thunders that surged toward him.
It was an incredibly intuitive and swift sword. A sword technique like lightning, charging forward without a single backward glance or regret.
As he bore the brunt of it, the corners of Baekri Cheong's mouth curled upward.
‘Yes. So this was the sword technique.’
Back then, his own skills had been lacking, preventing him from experiencing it firsthand. But things were different now. Though the savage slashes rained down like consecutive bolts of lightning, excitement took precedence over fear.
He blocked the swift sword thrusting straight at his chest, then retreated a step to dodge the curved strike sweeping in from the flank.
‘Amazing. Truly amazing.’
Baekri Cheong couldn't help but marvel as he watched Namgung Jun maintain his rock-solid posture. Namgung Jun's sword was both unorthodox and profound. It was slowly chipping away at the solid defense of the Baekseon Sword Technique.
While the depth of the Thirteen Lightning Flash Sword Thunders itself was considerable, what was truly terrifying was Namgung Jun's keen eye. It was as if he wasn't just reading the forms of the sword technique, but seeing right through the martial art itself.
‘Little Brother is looking much further ahead.’
He had observed him several times before and had been impressed then, but experiencing it firsthand was entirely different. Judging solely by the sword strikes before him, it was impossible to believe this opponent was younger than him. While his Sword Force and sword speed were extraordinary, the most chilling aspect was his sword skill, which seemed to carry an incomprehensible weight of experience.
A boy unleashing monstrous, lightning-fast sword strikes. It was truly brilliant and wondrous.
‘I cannot display such a sword yet.’
But Baekri Cheong was not discouraged. He, too, had faithfully built his foundation. He took pride in having forged a sword skill that, while not extraordinary, would not easily break.
Hummm!
The wave of qi emanating from Baekri Cheong grew distinctly sharper.
Namgung Jun looked into Baekri Cheong's eyes. A firm resolve seeped into his gaze, and the path of his extending sword grew even sharper.
‘The Baekseon Sword Technique.’
It was an extremely orthodox sword technique. Because of that, while strong, it had its limits. To transcend those limits, one had to break free from the boundaries they had set for themselves.
‘Baekri Cheong. He is a rare talent. With a bit more growth, he will become a swordsman who represents the Azure Heaven Association.’
To Namgung Jun, this duel with Baekri Cheong was, in a way, a subtle lesson.
Clash!
A translucent shockwave erupted as their swords crossed, pushing both swordsmen back. At a glance, they seemed evenly matched, but the reality was different. Unlike Baekri Cheong, who had to absorb the impact with his body, Namgung Jun completely neutralized the aftermath using the subtle principles of the Heaven-Pillar Resolute Advance Movement Art.
Sensing this, Baekri Cheong's eyes widened in surprise. Experiencing the minute flow of qi from the Heaven-Pillar Resolute Advance Movement Art at such close range was an invaluable lesson.
Namgung Jun did not stop there.
‘To help someone rapidly advance in an orthodox art like the Baekseon Sword Technique, the standard method is to press them with an Illusion Sword or a shifting sword.’
Namgung Jun's sword momentum, which had primarily consisted of the Thirteen Lightning Flash Sword Thunders and the Heavenly Wind Sword Technique, shifted completely. His sword tip became elusive, its path a chaotic, tangled web.
Faced with strikes that twisted sharply like thorny vines, Baekri Cheong's sword hesitated slightly. Each time, Namgung Jun fiercely pressed him, pushing his skills to their absolute limit with masterful bladework.
‘Do not waver. Keep your center. That is how the sword technique you learned must be executed.’
As Namgung Jun's body spun, his sword strike curved along with him, as if he were wielding a flexible blade. Recreating the unique advantages of a different weapon through sheer technique alone—it was a truly absurd level of talent.
Whoosh!
Countless splitting sword shadows shimmered, pouring down from multiple directions like raindrops in a gale. As his gaze fell upon the dizzying strikes unfolding in unpredictable paths, Baekri Cheong's eyes narrowed slightly.
‘To think he can infuse the subtle principles of illusion and variation into his sword to this extent.’
Despite being smaller in stature, Namgung Jun's presence felt grand and colossal.
Yet, Baekri Cheong suddenly felt something was off. They seemed evenly matched, but Namgung Jun was overflowing with composure. It wasn't just his innate disposition; there had to be a clear reason.
‘It’s as if a master far beyond my level is conducting a teaching duel.’
After a moment's thought, Baekri Cheong intentionally revealed an opening. But Namgung Jun did not take the bait. Instead, as if chiding him to focus, he unleashed a blast of sword wind from the Heavenly Wind Sword Technique.
Crash!
"Kh!"
Baekri Cheong instantly held his sword upright, but he was still forced back five steps. A little more force, and his grip would have been torn open.
Swish!
Slicing through the air, Namgung Jun's sword pointed precisely at Baekri Cheong's solar plexus.
Seeing this, Baekri Cheong's eyes widened. An overwhelming pressure weighed down on him, reaching all the way to his knees. The sharp whistle of the blade, the impact flowing down his own sword, the tingling wave of qi—all of it combined to maximize Namgung Jun's presence.
‘Can I still not surpass him?’
Yet, Baekri Cheong smiled. He felt a sense of helplessness, but at the same time, a thrill.
Though he had joined the Azure Heaven Association, his revenge against the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult was still a distant dream, and he was far from ready to rebuild his ruined clan. In such a situation, meeting a companion who, despite being younger, was running so far ahead of him was a blessing.
He could use Namgung Jun as a rival, a touchstone to propel himself even further.
‘Therefore, I...!’
Baekri Cheong poured his renewed resolve into a single strike.
Hummm!
With the blade at its center, pure white Sword Qi surged upward, flapping vigorously like a pair of wings.
The Baekseon Sword Technique.
One Feather, White Wing.
The blades of Sword Qi, stretching long to the left and right, sliced powerfully through the air like flapping wings as they rushed toward Namgung Jun's flanks.
It was one of the ultimate forms of the Baekseon Sword Technique, and the best that Baekri Cheong could currently execute.
‘Splendid.’
Namgung Jun nodded, closely observing the Sword Qi stretching diagonally across the stage. Its sharpness, structure, and control over the Qi Wave were flawless. On top of that, Baekri Cheong possessed the composure to unleash the appropriate ultimate form without overextending himself.
Namgung Jun adjusted his grip on the hilt. Since Baekri Cheong was a talent with the right resolve, Namgung Jun wanted to give him a gentle push forward.
Hummm!
The deep blue Sword Qi flowing along his blade writhed wildly like lightning.
Having gathered his power, Namgung Jun raised his sword to a middle stance.
And then, he showed him.
The goal toward which Baekri Cheong must strive.
The single strike that Baekri Cheong would one day have to display.
The horizontally tilted blade charged straight ahead.
The air split wide open along the elegant sword path. No, it was more accurate to say it scattered up and down, as if fleeing from the blade.
The simple, clean sword strike raced forward, tearing the One Feather, White Wing Sword Qi that had been sweeping in from both sides clean in two.
Boom!
Because he had poured all his strength into it without reservation, the backlash from his ultimate form being broken was severe. Unable to even steady his sword, Baekri Cheong stumbled backward.
A sudden silence fell.
Baekri Cheong could only stare blankly at his own sword. Only after a long moment did he look up at Namgung Jun.
"That sword path just now...?"
"I merely executed the optimal sword path."
"The optimal..."
The path Namgung Jun had shown him refused to leave Baekri Cheong's mind. It shimmered before his eyes like a halo, giving him the firm conviction that this was the path he must now pursue.
‘It’s as if I have seen another path for the Baekseon Sword Technique.’
Baekri Cheong muttered Namgung Jun's words to himself before bowing his head.
"Little Brother. I have lost."
Baekri Cheong's surrender signaled the end of the competition.
And the Cloud Ranks present realized it then.
The true Azure Heaven's Number One Rising Star had been decided.