The Lightning Sword's Gaze
Hyeon-gok took Jang Muhwi's hand and rose to his feet. At that moment, Wang Jimak's voice rang out across the sparring platform.
The winner of the first spar is Hyeonmu Unit Leader Jang Muhwi.
For an instant, the entire arena erupted in cheers.
Whoaaa!
The cheers lasted only a moment. Soon, a heavy silence settled over the training grounds where the spar had just concluded.
The thunderous roars and dazzling sword trails that had filled the arena mere moments ago were nowhere to be seen.
All that remained was Hyeon-gok, the Blue Dragon Unit Leader, standing in a daze, and Jang Muhwi, the Hyeonmu Unit Leader, who wore a perfectly calm expression.
Yet somehow, the arena still felt utterly full.
It was because of the overwhelming pressure radiating from Jang Muhwi.
However, Hyeon-gok was staggering, barely able to stand on his own two feet.
Once he regained his senses, he quietly released Jang Muhwi’s hand.
Then he looked around.
Everyone was staring only at Jang Muhwi.
A few people glanced at him, but they merely clicked their tongues with faces full of pity.
In that instant, Hyeon-gok’s mind went completely blank.
The match was over. His body was in tatters. But none of that mattered as much as the fact that his pride and joy—the Heavenly Lightning Sword—had been completely dismantled.
He had been so confident that he had mastered it perfectly. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined his secret sword art would crumble so pathetically.
Before he could even unleash his lightning qi, his sword path had been blocked.
Even his final resort, the Heavenly Lightning Annihilation Calamity technique, had been shattered.
What he couldn’t understand was that he didn’t even recognize the name of the martial art Jang Muhwi had used.
A tower he had built over ten long years had collapsed in a single moment!
And that wasn’t all.
The spectators were now singing praises of Jang Muhwi’s generosity.
Hyeon-gok’s entire body ached with pain.
Jang Muhwi’s scabbard had shown no mercy whatsoever.
They called it a spar, but toward the end it had been closer to a beating.
Yet the crowd was now, on top of everything, extolling Jang Muhwi’s “magnanimity.”
That using only his scabbard against him had been an act of consideration?
Hyeon-gok let out a hollow laugh amid the pain that throbbed through every bone in his body.
That had not been consideration. It had been humiliation.
And yet the people were lifting Jang Muhwi up like some kind of hero.
Hyeon-gok simply could not accept this absurd reality.
It was then.
Against everyone’s expectations, Jang Muhwi spoke first.
“Branch Leader, shouldn’t we continue with the next spar?”
“What did you just say?”
Wang Jimak asked with a puzzled expression. The victor had already been clearly decided. It was time to tidy up the arena.
Jang Muhwi spoke again, his voice low but crystal clear.
“As far as I know, the spars at this Four Gods Assembly follow the winner-stays format. In that case, don’t I have the right to continue to the next match?”
“Oh-ho. So that’s how it is.”
Wang Jimak finally recalled the rules and nodded.
His gaze shifted toward the Blue Dragon Unit’s waiting area.
There sat the two warriors who had been waiting for their turn—Jo Un-ryong and Gang Byeok-hae—their faces deathly pale.
The moment Wang Jimak’s eyes landed on them, they quickly turned their heads and avoided his gaze.
Wang Jimak gave a bitter smile.
“Haha. It seems those two have already lost all will to fight. After witnessing such an overwhelming match between you and the Blue Dragon Unit Leader, it’s only natural they’d feel drained.”
“Then how about this?”
Jang Muhwi looked at Wang Jimak with a meaningful expression.
Wang Jimak asked, clearly confused.
“I have no idea what you’re trying to say.”
“I will forfeit my right to the next spar.”
“What did you say? You’re going to forfeit?”
Wang Jimak’s eyes widened. This was completely unexpected.
Jang Muhwi pointed calmly toward the back of the arena.
“That’s correct. Please look behind you. The distinguished guests and renowned masters who have come here today did not come merely to watch this single spar. What they truly wish to see is the overall martial prowess of our entire Murim Alliance Qinghai Branch. In that case, I believe giving the remaining squad members a chance to demonstrate their skills aligns better with the original purpose of the Four Gods Assembly—to foster friendship and goodwill.”
“You would give up the victor’s right to do so? What happens to your own honor then?”
A note of regret colored Wang Jimak’s voice.
Jang Muhwi was willingly setting aside the glory he had earned through overwhelming victory.
“The greatest objective of the Four Gods Assembly is harmony and friendship. My personal honor is a trivial matter in comparison.”
Jang Muhwi answered without the slightest hesitation.
“Haha…”
Wang Jimak could not hide his admiration and broke into a bright smile.
Jang Muhwi’s proposal was truly extraordinary.
Had he simply stayed silent, the remaining Blue Dragon warriors would likely have lost their fighting spirit and forfeited.
Yet Jang Muhwi had given up his rights for their sake—and for the honor of the entire Qinghai Branch.
Giving up victory could easily be seen as a humiliating act akin to surrender.
A person who could lower himself for the greater good like this was truly rare.
Looking at Jang Muhwi, Wang Jimak felt certain once again.
‘I chose the right man.’
Wang Jimak nodded.
Then, with his voice infused with inner energy, he made the announcement.
In recognition of Hyeonmu Unit Leader Jang Muhwi’s profound consideration, the next spar shall proceed! I hope the remaining warriors will do their utmost to uphold the prestige of the Murim Alliance Qinghai Branch so that his sacrifice is not in vain!
Wang Jimak’s declaration caused the training grounds to stir once more.
Voices rose in surprise at Jang Muhwi’s unexpected decision, along with admiration for his broad-mindedness and sense of duty.
Hyeon-gok felt as if he were coughing up blood inside at the sight of even this situation turning in Jang Muhwi’s favor, but he could say nothing.
Jang Muhwi quietly descended from the sparring platform and rejoined the Hyeonmu Unit’s ranks.
Ma Uiryong and Galmu-ryang looked at him with gleaming eyes.
This, too, had been part of Jang Muhwi’s plan.
He had decided to keep the attention of all the renowned masters gathered here fixed firmly on the Hyeonmu Unit—and on himself.
In the gangho, the rule had always been that good things were best kept to oneself.
Thanks to Jang Muhwi’s extraordinary proposal, the Four Gods Assembly spars continued.
However, the faces of the Blue Dragon warriors were still filled with tension and anxiety.
Especially when they saw Ma Uiryong, who would be fighting next, rubbing his iron staff against his thigh with a wild glint in his eyes—their morale was already half-broken.
The results were exactly as expected. In the two following matches, Galmu-ryang and Ma Uiryong of the Hyeonmu Unit easily crushed the Blue Dragon warriors with an overwhelming difference in skill.
After his victory, Galmu-ryang declined the next match in accordance with Jang Muhwi’s wishes. Finally, Ma Uiryong stepped forward as the last representative. After brutally overpowering his opponent with raw strength, he shouted, “I’ll forfeit too!” even though there was no one left to fight. His ridiculous declaration brought a burst of loud laughter to the arena.
He had simply copied Jang Muhwi and Galmu-ryang because he thought they looked cool, but even that eccentric behavior only made the Hyeonmu Unit seem all the more relaxed and composed.
When every single spar ended in the Hyeonmu Unit’s complete victory, the crowd’s perception changed entirely.
This was no longer the hollow, powerless Hyeonmu Unit they had once known.
Hyeon-gok’s display of the formidable Heavenly Lightning Sword had been impressive, but Jang Muhwi—who had dismantled that very sword as if it were a child’s toy and even overwhelmed his opponent using only his scabbard—was far more shocking.
There was no doubt that the prestige of the Qinghai Branch would change completely starting today.
After the spars ended and a brief lull fell while preparations for the evening banquet began, the spectators and merchants left the training grounds in small groups, their excitement still far from fading.
Now, only those affiliated with the Murim Alliance—including Branch Leader Wang Jimak—along with the leaders and key members of the Four Gods Units, and the renowned masters invited as distinguished guests remained, waiting for the banquet that would take place that night.
Hyeon-gok continued to stare blankly at the sky, still being supported by his Blue Dragon subordinates.
It seemed he had yet to recover from the shock of defeat.
Jang Muhwi no longer spared him a glance. Instead, he lightly patted the shoulders of the victorious Galmu-ryang and Ma Uiryong, offering them encouragement.
The two simply gazed at him with eyes full of reverence.
It was at that exact moment.
Everyone’s attention was drawn to one place once again.
Noeryeokgeom, who had been seated at the highest seat among the honored guests, slowly rose from his position.
His face was not filled with disappointment, but with curiosity.
Without the slightest hesitation, Namgung Cheon began walking toward the sparring platform.
The aura contained in his every step was still more than enough to dominate the entire training grounds.
Hyeon-gok saw his maternal grandfather approaching. With a trembling voice, he called out.
“Grandfather, I…”
But Namgung Cheon did not even glance at his grandson Hyeon-gok.
As if the young man did not exist at all, he walked right past him.
At that cold indifference, Hyeon-gok’s face turned deathly pale.
The place where Namgung Cheon finally stopped was directly in front of Jang Muhwi.
An old master who looked as if he had weathered countless storms of time, and a young rising star who seemed unshakable by any storm. Their gazes met and intertwined in midair.
Looking at the old man standing before him, Jang Muhwi recalled a fragment of his past-life memories.
The old hero, Namgung Cheon, the Lightning Force Sword. Even while walking with his scabbard as a cane amid the blood and fire of the Righteous-Demonic War, he would straighten his back the moment a Demonic Cultist appeared and unleash blue lightning.
Even now, that image of a true hero remained vivid in Jang Muhwi’s mind.
Unconsciously, Jang Muhwi’s eyes filled with respect as he looked at him.
Namgung Cheon also looked into Jang Muhwi’s eyes.
Instead of the arrogance of a victor, he saw calmness, humility, and an unexpectedly warm and favorable gaze.
The look in those eyes was almost like one gazing at a respected teacher. It startled Namgung Cheon considerably.
But what surprised him even more was the extraordinary insight of this young man who had seen straight through his Heavenly Lightning Sword.
It wasn’t that Hyeon-gok had been lacking. He had no choice but to acknowledge that Jang Muhwi was simply on another level entirely.
Within the old master’s heart, curiosity bloomed alongside a feeling of genuine recognition.
A subtle, inexplicable current flowed between the two men that no one could interrupt.
Finally, Namgung Cheon broke the silence first.
It was both praise and a question about how such a thing had been possible.
Jang Muhwi bowed his head lightly with proper etiquette and replied.
“The Heavenly Lightning Sword was indeed a strong and swift blade. However…”
Jang Muhwi paused for a moment to choose his words before continuing.
“The brighter the light, the darker the shadow it casts. There will always be gaps to exploit, sir.”
At those words, Namgung Cheon’s eyes deepened further.
The young man’s answer was not mere humility. It could very well be the key to a fundamental weakness in the Heavenly Lightning Sword that even he had overlooked.
Namgung Cheon’s eyes sparkled with satisfaction.
“Haha, gaps to exploit… Yes, I suppose there were. It seems I was too obsessed with nothing but strength.”
He stroked his beard and asked again.
“What sword art did you use? I have wandered the gangho for many years, yet I have never seen that sword path before. It did not belong to any of the great sects, nor to any of the martial families I know.”
“It is merely an Unnamed Sword Art. I simply followed the wisdom of my predecessors.”
Jang Muhwi answered calmly.
Of course, that was only half true.
He could hardly say it was a sword art he had obtained in his previous life. Moreover, the rest of it had come from the forbidden grounds of Kunlun.
The Mumyeonggeomgyeol was an absolute secret.
“An Unnamed Sword Art…”
Namgung Cheon mulled over the words. Then, as if having made up his mind, he spoke.
“After the banquet tonight… would you spare this old man a little time for a cup of tea? There is something I very much wish to hear about… that Unnamed Sword Art of yours.”
Having finished speaking, Namgung Cheon turned away.
But the ripple effect of his proposal was enormous.
Not only had Jang Muhwi been the protagonist of today’s spars, but now even the legendary Lightning Force Sword had shown personal interest in him.
The eyes of everyone who planned to attend the banquet turned toward Jang Muhwi at once.
Jang Muhwi paid no attention to the gazes around him. Instead, he quietly watched the retreating figure of the old hero for a moment.
He had a feeling that a connection different from the one in his previous life was about to begin.