Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Nine Dragons Tournament (4)
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Afterward, Ouyang Jue also defeated the remaining rising stars from the Shaolin Temple and the Wudang Sect.
However, there was one difference.
“...Your skills were not lacking.”
‘Sigh, what am I even doing.’
Against Yeop Cheong, the rising star of the Wudang Sect, he had really held back.
Not only that, but he had also forced himself to praise him at the end.
Seventy percent exaggeration, thirty percent lies.
There wasn't a single shred of truth.
‘Yang Ji-hyeon was the best of them.’
Of course, this true sentiment would never be known to others.
All that would be highlighted was the result: that even Ouyang Jue, who had achieved an overwhelming victory, had shown respect to Wudang.
In the process, Yang Ji-hyeon's struggles would surely be quickly forgotten.
After all, in the martial world, only results proved one's worth.
‘What a cunning old fox.’
Ouyang Jue's gaze turned to Perfected Person Hyeon Geom, who was seated in the seat of honor.
The old master seemed determined not to suffer a loss, even if Wudang couldn't win the Nine Dragons Tournament.
In a way, he was no different from a merchant or an elder managing a sect.
Whether it was business or a martial sect, both ultimately required trust.
But unlike a merchant who could simply move to another region, a sect belonging to the martial world needed to prove two things.
Strength, which could be considered the most obvious.
And the influence it could exert over the surrounding area.
‘Though they couldn't get Severing Manifestation... Wudang still killed two birds with one stone.’
The Nine Dragons Tournament was a competition where over ten influential sects participated, not even counting the minor ones.
There was no better publicity than winning there.
-We are this strong.
-Although Yeop Cheong couldn't defeat Ouyang Jue, he was acknowledged, unlike the other rising stars.
Just by spreading these facts, the Wudang Sect would gain the two aforementioned benefits.
Of course, Ouyang Jue could gain more than two birds with one stone; he could get three, or even four.
‘Victory in the Nine Dragons Tournament, obtaining Severing Manifestation, and even gaining the support of Perfected Person Hyeon Geom, a great elder of the Wudang Sect.’
And the most important thing was...
A look of anticipation flickered across Ouyang Jue's face.
The Small Purple Spirit Elixir.
It was a legendary elixir that any disciple of the Mount Hua Sect who practiced the Purple Mist True Energy would covet.
Even the current Mount Hua Sect had fewer than twenty of these pills, but having achieved so much, he had earned the right to request one.
Defeating one of the Three Evils of Shaanxi and achieving final victory in the Nine Dragons Tournament.
‘If they don't give it to me, I'll choke it out of them...’
“W-wait!”
“...?”
Everyone's head turned at the shout from outside.
The face of the man who shouted was flushed with embarrassment, as even Perfected Person Hyeon Geom, the one in charge of this tournament, was present.
From that alone, Ouyang Jue had a good idea.
That man was definitely about to spout some creative nonsense.
His prediction was not wrong.
“There's no way someone with that level of martial prowess is a rising star!”
Instantly, the crowd began to murmur. They thought there was some truth to his words.
“First, would you please state your name?”
At Perfected Person Hyeon Geom's calm and gentle words, the middle-aged man removed his outer coat.
Underneath was a uniform embroidered with the name of the Heaven's Manifestation Gate.
“I am Hyeong O of the Heaven's Manifestation Gate, the master of Jeong Rak, whose ankle was broken by that man!”
Another minor sect.
Perfected Person Hyeon Geom barely restrained the urge to snap at him, wondering if the man's lack of skill extended to his character as well.
It was, in fact, utter nonsense.
Who in their right mind would bring someone who wasn't a rising star to the Nine Dragons Tournament?
Moreover, Ouyang Jue was infamous enough that he wasn't some unknown person who could lie about his age.
Just then, a telepathic message came from the direction of the martial arts stage.
-A man who is the master of a sect shouldn't act so pettily. Don't you agree?
Upon hearing the message sent by Ouyang Jue, Perfected Person Hyeon Geom couldn't hold back his laughter and let out a loud chuckle for a moment.
“Pfft, phahahaha...!”
To think a disciple not yet of age could harbor such thoughts while looking at a supreme master from another sect.
The more he saw of Ouyang Jue, the more he seemed like a being from another world, so different from a Daoist.
Seeing this, Hyeong O showed his displeasure.
“Even if you are Perfected Person Hyeon Geom of the Wudang Sect, isn't this too rude?”
“...Ah. I was not laughing at you, fellow Daoist, or at the Heaven's Manifestation Gate. I apologize.”
Despite the considerable difference in their age and status, Perfected Person Hyeon Geom's clean apology left Hyeong O unable to press the issue further.
No matter how offended he was, snapping at a master like Perfected Person Hyeon Geom was, in itself, an act of rudeness.
“Ahem, hem.”
After clearing his throat, Hyeong O cupped his fist in his palm and bowed his head.
“It is I, Hyeong O, who should apologize. It seems I misspoke in a moment of anger. However...”
Hyeong O's head turned toward Ouyang Jue.
“I cannot believe that disciple's skill.”
“And why is that?”
“Isn't it too sudden?”
At those words, even Perfected Person Hyeon Geom, who had been maintaining his solemnity, blinked his eyes.
The other sects felt the same.
There was no need to go back a year.
Who would have thought that Ouyang Jue, infamous for his ruffian-like behavior in Shangqiu just days ago, would crush the rising stars nurtured by their respective sects?
This was a major incident, a nightmare for the sects that were rivals to the Mount Hua Sect.
As if ‘the’ Liu Zhangming wasn't enough, it was as if another new star had appeared in the Mount Hua Sect.
The problem was that this new star was by no means a proper Daoist.
‘Do we have to lose to a ruffian like that?’
The animosity was especially clear among the minor sects, who held an inferiority complex towards the major sects.
“Please allow us to verify it ourselves, Perfected Person.”
The rest of the minor sects showed their agreement at his words.
Even the martial artist from Heavenly Martial Peak nodded.
Losing to Liu Zhangming was one thing, but losing to a ruffian who had harassed common people was an incredibly shameful matter for them.
It wasn't as if Perfected Person Hyeon Geom didn't know this.
“...Hmm.”
Perfected Person Hyeon Geom stroked his long beard.
Having overseen the Nine Dragons Tournament for thirty years and lived in the martial world for even longer, he knew.
They didn't want to easily admit their defeat, so they were asking to at least verify his identity.
‘Without doing so, they wouldn't be able to face their sects.’
Just as Perfected Person Hyeon Geom was about to open his mouth to ask for Ouyang Jue's understanding.
“Why are you persecuting my junior brother?”
From among the merchants, a man who had been covering his face with a thin cloth walked to the front of the martial arts stage.
He then pulled away the cloth.
*Swoosh.*
The man, no, Liu Zhangming, revealed a faint but sharp glint in his eyes.
For a moment, tension filled the air.
Hyeong O, who had been directly pressuring Ouyang Jue, saw his eyes go wide.
If he had known this would happen, he would have chosen his words more carefully.
A thin bead of sweat trickled down his cheek.
“Hmph, hmph. I didn't mean to persecute him. It's just that your junior brother fought so well, contrary to the rumors, that I wanted to confirm it.”
“Confirm?”
Liu Zhangming set aside his humility for a moment.
As a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect, and as the Second Senior Brother, just below the Senior-most Brother, there was something he had to say.
“That junior brother's senior brother is standing right here. How dare you speak of confirming him?”
“That is...”
While Hyeong O stammered for a moment, Liu Zhangming revealed a calm expression.
“The disciples you seniors have personally taught must have also worked hard. How could I not know that?”
However.
Liu Zhangming wore a gentle smile, as if proud of Ouyang Jue for winning the Nine Dragons Tournament.
But the martial artists from minor sects like Hyeong O's had to feel a sense of humiliation from his following words.
“It is simply that the rising stars who participated here lacked the martial talent of Junior Brother Ouyang.”
“W-what?!”
“That is all there is to it. It is not something to be loudly discussed, accusing my junior brother of using tricks.”
Ouyang Jue was surprised by those words.
‘...Huh?’
There was clearly no malice in Liu Zhangming's words.
He was simply speaking the unvarnished truth with sincerity.
‘They say a scholar is the scariest when angered.’
He hadn't expected him to slam them down with words like that.
Even though Ouyang Jue gave a hollow laugh, Liu Zhangming did not take his eyes off Hyeong O.
Rather, his gaze seemed to ask why a senior like him was acting this way, containing the meaning that he should admit the truth and apologize right now.
‘...Hmph.’
A heavy sigh escaped Hyeong O's heart.
He was confident he could overpower Liu Zhangming or Ouyang Jue with his status or martial skill.
The justification for it was simple.
The point where he lumped the Heaven's Manifestation Gate and other minor sects together and said their martial talent was low.
If he were to pick a fight over those words, he could gain the upper hand here and now.
But... the aftermath was the problem.
Liu Zhangming was a genius with few equals, not just in the Mount Hua Sect but in all of Shaanxi and even north of the river.
If he picked a fight with him, would the Mount Hua Sect really stay silent?
They would not.
Rather, they would come directly to the Heaven's Manifestation Gate and demand an explanation.
With words, and then with swords.
It was difficult to build a sect's reputation, but it didn't take long for one to fall.
‘The other sects feel the same.’
They shook their heads.
Seeing the signals from the other minor sect martial artists, Hyeong O decided to comply.
“My apologies.”
“Is that all?”
“...?”
As Hyeong O frowned, Liu Zhangming muttered with an exceedingly solemn attitude.
“Ouyang Jue, participating in the Nine Dragons Tournament, is not Ouyang Jue the individual. He is a martial artist and a Daoist representing the Mount Hua Sect. And yet, what did you say, Senior?”
Hyeong O mulled over his own words and his expression faltered.
“I asked... to be allowed to verify.”
“It means that you, a senior representing the Heaven's Manifestation Gate, have cast doubt upon the Mount Hua Sect.”
‘Kugh!’
Watching Liu Zhangming systematically and clearly crush Hyeong O, Ouyang Jue felt as if he were drinking a cool glass of ice water.
Despite that, Liu Zhangming wasn't finished.
“On behalf of my sect's leader, Bai Duanxian, and the Senior-most Brother, Ha Jin-ak, I, Second Senior Brother Liu Zhangming, will issue a warning to you, senior of the Heaven's Manifestation Gate.”
“...”
Even as Hyeong O's face turned deathly pale, Liu Zhangming showed no signs of letting up.
“Even if you did it to raise the prestige of the Heaven's Manifestation Gate, if you continue to persecute Ouyang Jue, a Daoist representing the Mount Hua Sect, with baseless suspicion, I will make this matter public.”
“...I, I...”
Hyeong O bit his lower lip hard.
“I was wrong. If the Mount Hua Sect demands an apology, I will gladly give it. So...”
Please let this matter go.
At those words, the lines on Liu Zhangming's forehead deepened.
‘If they demand an apology?’
He should be coming to the Mount Hua Sect on his own accord to apologize for doubting Ouyang Jue, the victor of the Nine Dragons Tournament, yet he says this.
Just as Liu Zhangming was about to speak another sharp word.
Ouyang Jue's lips parted slightly.
“Senior Brother, let's stop there.”
“Jue, but...”
“Well, seeing a man much older than me groveling like that is making me feel gloomy.”
“Hmm.”
“Besides, I, the person involved, am fine with it, and surely that senior has reflected enough on his actions.”
Ouyang Jue said with a composed face.
“If he does it again, we can call him out on it for sure then. He won't be able to squirm his way out of it.”
Hearing that, Liu Zhangming recalled the incident at the Golden Ring Merchant Guild and decided to follow Ouyang Jue's judgment.
When it came to character or Daoist studies, he might be lacking, but when it came to matters of the martial world, Ouyang Jue was usually right.
“...I understand.”
As Liu Zhangming nodded lightly, Ouyang Jue stepped down from the stage and cupped his fist to Hyeong O.
No matter how easy a target, if you beat them too much, even a pack of wild dogs would get provoked.
Having decided to stop here, Ouyang Jue subtly approached Hyeong O's ear and asked.
“By any chance, could we swap carriages?”
“Huh? The carriage... you mean?”
“Aren't we fellow Daoists? My carriage is a bit worn, so the journey here was difficult. Surely you won't say no? We're both from Shaanxi, and it seems we'll be seeing a lot of each other in the future.”
Faced with Ouyang Jue's slick expression, Hyeong O let out a long sigh.
“Do as you please.”
A short while later.
After receiving Severing Manifestation from the Wudang Daoist, Ouyang Jue rode in the carriage with Liu Zhangming, heading for Mount Hua.
He had gotten what he came for; there was no time to sit around here.
Moreover, one thing still bothered him.
The Three Evils of Shaanxi. No, the Two Evils of Shaanxi.
There had to be a reason they were targeting the participants of the Nine Dragons Tournament.
Perhaps there was an even greater mastermind behind the scenes.
‘It's best not to get involved in troublesome matters.’
At a time when he couldn't yet call himself strong, he didn't want to waste time by getting caught up in unnecessary affairs.
And a few days later.
Ouyang Jue blinked his eyes at the tragic news that flew into the Mount Hua Sect.
Hyeong O of the Heaven's Manifestation Gate and three others, murdered by the Two Evils of Shaanxi.
-Authored by Bai Chuan, Master of the Golden Ring Merchant Guild.