Chapter 78
Chapter 78
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Excursion (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The martial artists were caught in a contradictory mix of emotions at Ouyang Jue's composure.
*Gnash!*
The things they had endured up to now flashed through their minds in an instant.
The time they requested a spar only to be absurdly ignored.
If that were all, it would have been a relief. Three or four days later, someone claiming to be a secular disciple would show up and give them a sound beating.
The injustices they suffered for being from minor sects.
No one acknowledged it. Even the Martial Alliance would only issue a one-time warning and mediate.
And Ouyang Jue had just poured oil on the fire.
"I will stake my name, given to me by Mount Hua, and my title, the Plum Blossom Sword Hero, on this."
"…?"
"No matter what humiliation I suffer or who I lose to in this open spar, the Mount Hua Sect will not intervene. If such a thing happens, I will personally go and apologize."
*What did this man just say?*
The martial artists fell silent for a moment. It was the kind of quiet that comes just before a boil.
"Did I hear him wrong?"
No one refuted the muttered words.
Scornful smirks spread across the faces in the crowd.
Against thirty martial artists, he wouldn't be humiliated, nor would he lose.
Ouyang Jue had effectively made such a declaration.
Moreover, these were all men who prided themselves on their skills, enough to have joined the Martial Alliance.
Even if they were from minor sects, they were martial artists who lived by their pride.
The fury they unleashed was greater than expected.
"Aren't you being too arrogant!"
"They call you a Sword Hero, but are you nothing more than a rash fool?"
A commotion erupted. At times, the criticism escalated into condemnation and censure.
Ouyang Jue listened to it all in silence. He just listened. It was a clear departure from the rumors.
One of the younger generation martial artists watching the scene whispered to his companion.
"Could it be… that his reputation is all empty fame?"
"Are you crazy?"
"No, really. The man who supposedly single-handedly crushed the Shaanxi branch of the Black Dragon Gang is just standing there? He looks no different from a common man regretting words spoken in a drunken stupor."
Letting such words wash over him, Ouyang Jue glanced up at the pavilion.
The Nangong, Huangbo, and even the Murong clans.
It was where the clans that vied for the top spot among the numerous martial families were gathered. The heir of the Zhenzhou Yan Clan was surely among them as well.
"...Hoo."
Ouyang Jue calmly regulated his breathing. At the same time, he lightly circulated his Purple Mist True Energy. His body also felt particularly responsive today.
Above all, the hand gripping Severing Manifestation felt light.
A single phrase from Ouyang Jue's lips ended the commotion.
"You talk too much."
"…?"
"My ears are starting to hurt. Let's speak with our swords instead."
That was the end of it. If they were to ask if he was really sure, they would be branded as a bunch who fought with their mouths.
So, they had no choice but to subdue him, ignore him, and make him apologize for his rash statement.
Their origins and sects were different, but for now, their goal was one.
*Fwoosh!*
The first to charge at Ouyang Jue was a one-eyed man clad in leather.
Honestly, Ouyang Jue didn't know the man's name. The same went for his title.
But he didn't look down on him. Their martial arts might differ, but he too was a martial artist.
If he held back carelessly, even the one-eyed man would notice. That would be a humiliation worse than death.
*Shing!*
Severing Manifestation sang with a sharp cry.
Meanwhile, the one-eyed man who had closed the distance proudly shouted the name of his technique.
"Wolf's Fang!"
*So, it's a wolf's fang, is it?*
Ouyang Jue watched the single-edged sword approach him. He didn't dodge. Nor did he intend to sidestep and deflect it.
He would simply meet it head-on, lightly and receive it.
*Kagang, grrrind!*
The silver streaks rushing toward each other collided, creating a small ripple. In that instant, the one-eyed man's expression soured.
*'What is this, it's impossible…'*
If it had been mere brute force, he wouldn't have been surprised. There were countless strong men among martial artists; they were all powerhouses.
But Ouyang Jue was different. His swordsmanship was as majestic as the calm waves of the Four Seas.
Pure skill.
It was a refined sword energy, enough to cool even a spirit at its peak.
Had he pushed forward even one more step, his skin would have been sliced.
If his own martial prowess were lower, he might have mistaken it as Ouyang Jue simply blocking with a strange technique.
The moment the one-eyed man realized this, he had no choice but to concede.
"I have lost."
"…!"
At those words, the other young martial artists tilted their heads in confusion.
Ouyang Jue might not have known the one-eyed man, but among them, he was quite famous.
Ju Pae, the Blood-Hawk Eye.
Among the minor sects, he was known to be more upright and stronger than any disciple from the major sects.
His heroic deeds were also quite famous in certain regions.
But at this moment, at least, he had instilled a sense of betrayal in the young martial artists.
"To declare defeat so quickly to that young punk! I'm disappointed!"
"Did you get paid an advance or something?!"
Ju Pae looked at them with pity, as if thinking, *Do they feel betrayed after having their own baseless expectations?*
Then, he raised his voice and shouted.
"Are you the ones who discuss martial arts with your mouths! If you have hands, if you have feet, fight him yourselves! And experience it!"
Ju Pae revealed a chilling gaze.
Despite having only one eye, Ju Pae's spirit was more than enough to pressure over ten strong men.
Just then, a young man sneered.
"What's he talking about. He's gotten completely pathetic in his old age."
"What? Can't you fools even recognize an opportunity?"
Ju Pae, without even raising his sword, shouted with a dignified posture.
"I don't know what this young hero was thinking when he made such a choice, but most of us haven't had enough chances to fight. Am I wrong?"
"…"
At those words, the young man—no, all the disciples from the minor sects—fell silent.
Despite being part of the Martial Alliance, they had never had a proper spar, and the major sects avoided them.
They would only join in when the Martial Alliance occasionally declared a grand cause. This was mostly because their interests aligned.
Ju Pae asked.
"Is that… truly satisfying? Are you content with that?"
Is that a fine way to live as a martial artist?
A brief moment passed. But for them, this self-reflection was by no means light or short.
Then, the young man who had first sneered at Ju Pae asked Ouyang Jue.
"...May I be the next to challenge you?"
Thinking that things were resolving surprisingly easily, Ouyang Jue shrugged.
It was good that things were going according to plan. But having his current actions glorified was a far more attractive prospect.
"Do as you please."
As Ouyang Jue said that, the other martial artists who had been warming up nearby also charged in without hesitation.
There was no order. To an observer, it would have looked like a group ganging up on one person.
But anyone who had crossed swords with Ouyang Jue even once realized it. They couldn't help but know.
That this man could fight like this and still have room to spare.
"I will defeat you!"
No sooner had he said the words than the man was sent flying by a single strike from Ouyang Jue. Another martial artist filled his spot.
Their eyes had become bloodshot.
The minor sects had their own pride. Being weak didn't mean they weren't martial artists.
Ouyang Jue accepted every single one of their sword strikes fully.
He didn't push them away or cast them aside with technique or overwhelming internal energy.
"...Incredible."
Even those facing him were filled with admiration, so what about the young martial artists watching from the pavilion?
They were individuals from major sects, with plenty of resources and things to learn.
Therefore, they vaguely understood the level of martial prowess Ouyang Jue possessed.
"Could it be that the Plum Blossom Sword Hero's skills have been underestimated?"
"It's not that he's ambiguous, isn't he actually already at the peak?"
As Ouyang Jue displayed his overwhelming strength, the young martial artists from the major sects, who had been acting aloof on the pavilion, grew tense.
Above all, they became talkative.
*What if it were me? How many of them could I have defeated?*
As a result, they began to see Ouyang Jue in a new light. Any feelings of disdain they might have had completely vanished.
The duel between Yang Ji-hyeon and Ouyang Jue, in particular, drew gasps of admiration.
"Yang Ji-hyeon… the Steadfast Fist?"
"His title is a little weird, so I thought he was weak, but he's incredible!"
*Kwakakaka!*
*Crack, bang!*
A battle between a fist master who had reached the pinnacle of the first-rate and a swordsman who had reached the peak.
It was a sight not easily witnessed even by the young martial artists of the major sects. Moreover, Yang Ji-hyeon wasn't even thinking of it as a spar and was seriously pressuring Ouyang Jue.
One wrong move, and muscles and bones could be broken, or bones severed by a knife-hand strike.
Every moment looked breathtakingly dangerous. It was the kind of fight where they themselves would have long since clasped their fists in salute and retreated.
But Ouyang Jue dealt with such a Yang Ji-hyeon without much difficulty. He was so composed that it didn't even look that dangerous.
"You're still incredible."
"Incredible, my foot. If the spar is over, step back."
Ouyang Jue wore a thick smile. He was pleased, feeling like he had properly warmed up for the first time in a while.
*'A many-against-one fight isn't something you can easily experience.'*
To fight against many, one usually had to take risks.
Checking his 'current physical condition' with such evenly matched opponents was clearly beneficial.
"Now… there were eight left, wasn't it."
*Shwick!*
Ouyang Jue swung Severing Manifestation horizontally and shouted gallantly.
"Who will be the first to face the sword of Mount Hua!"
No answer came back. Only the sound of numerous footsteps was heard.
Among them was someone who threw a roof tile. It seemed they were aiming for Ouyang Jue's blind spot or a moment of carelessness.
As a martial artist, it was a pathetic act. But in the world of the Murim, it was a fairly unconventional attack.
"Good."
Ouyang Jue felt the fighting spirit of the charging men with his entire body.
And so, two hours later.
Ouyang Jue entered the Martial Alliance, accompanied by the rumor of his thirty-against-one fight.
Yeong Heo-ja and Yeop Cheong, who had been with him, were unexpectedly bombarded with questions.
That's how shocking Ouyang Jue's actions were, and on the other hand, it was reminiscent of a young hero's tale.
Yeong Heo-ja, with his easygoing personality, enjoyed talking, but…
"I, I'm not very good with words."
Yeop Cheong made a grimace and pointed to Yang Ji-hyeon, whom he was supporting.
"I know all about my friend Ouyang!"
Despite his whole body being injured to the point he could only move his mouth, Yang Ji-hyeon was incredibly cheerful.
* * *
Meanwhile, Ouyang Jue, who was walking down a corridor, came face to face with an unfamiliar martial artist.
The martial artist was by no means friendly, and his expression looked surly. He seemed to be trying to overwhelm him with his presence from the get-go.
As Ouyang Jue just stared at the man in silence, he arbitrarily thought his intention had worked.
"Are you Ouyang Jue?"
"I am."
"I was thinking of calling you to the banquet hall where the younger generation is gathered… Will you follow me?"
It was what Ouyang Jue had been hoping for.
Ouyang Jue nodded readily.