The Breakthrough in Sparring
Samhwachwijeong and Ogijowon clashed with a resounding kaaaang!
“Tch!”
“Hah!”
Sword and fist collided again and again as the two fighters grew more and more exhilarated. Cheon Hwangyeol had found the finest sparring partner he had ever encountered. Baekri Hyeong, for his part, sought to grant Cheon Hwangyeol the insight needed to shatter the wall of the Hwajing realm. There was no need to hold back. Even if the other man was an enemy now, creating a debt of gratitude would only make things easier later.
“I will increase the intensity.”
“What?”
Tuquaang!
Baekri Hyeong withdrew his Vermilion Bird Fire Qi and began wrapping his body in Black Tortoise Earth Qi. Cheon Hwangyeol’s punches were all repelled by the black aura. Seeing Baekri Hyeong’s true power at last, Cheon Hwangyeol let out a hollow laugh.
‘So I’m still lacking. How interesting. This is the first time I’ve met an opponent like this since becoming Young Lord of Sapaecheon.’
It was thrilling. He had long awaited a chance to spar with someone like this, and now the opponent had finally appeared. If the boy were not the son of a righteous faction, Cheon Hwangyeol would have begged to spar with him every single day.
At that moment, the aura radiating from Baekri Hyeong’s body converged into a single point. Cheon Hwangyeol instinctively sensed the threat and raised his protective qi. The instant Baekri Hyeong’s narrowed eyes snapped open, black light blazed from them.
Kwakwakwakwakwa!
An unstoppable black slash surged toward Cheon Hwangyeol. It was the Black Tortoise Stance of the Hundred Heavens Three Stances—Earth Collapse Slash.
“What is this…!”
Cheon Hwangyeol hurled a fist technique at the incoming slash, but the strike was so densely packed with inner energy that his technique bounced off without leaving a single scratch. Though it was merely a casual mid-level swing, the black sword qi carried a mysterious power that even fist qi could not destroy. It streaked toward Cheon Hwangyeol as though it would cleave him in half.
“Kuhahahaha!”
Cheon Hwangyeol burst into laughter at the sight of an opponent he could not possibly match. He had always believed he needed trials, yet he had never imagined one would appear here. If he could not destroy it, he would simply block it and redirect it elsewhere.
“Haaaaah!”
Kwajijijik!
Cheon Hwangyeol caught the Earth Collapse Slash with both hands, his palms filled with inner energy. Yet the force contained within the slash was immense, and he was driven backward an enormous distance without any chance to stop. Even so, he never fell from the sparring platform.
Pipipipipit!
The slash was razor-sharp. Even with qi wrapped around his hands, the keen sword energy gradually tore open Cheon Hwangyeol’s palms. He did not frown at the pain; instead, he smiled.
‘This is why people call me mad. Keep going. Face this overwhelming power you cannot stop and rise to the next level!’
Tadat.
Baekri Hyeong extended his right foot far behind him, then kicked the ground with the power of the White Tiger Phantom Step. It was the White Tiger Stance of the Hundred Heavens Three Stances—Mountain King Shadow Extinction.
“Damn it!”
Baekri Hyeong appeared before Cheon Hwangyeol in the blink of an eye. Still unable to properly deflect the Earth Collapse Slash, Cheon Hwangyeol’s reaction was delayed. As a result, his side was torn open as though a tiger’s claws had ripped through it.
“Hahahahaha! Good! Excellent!”
Yet Cheon Hwangyeol felt no anger. On the contrary, he felt an even stronger resolve, as though he had been waiting for a fight like this all along.
At last, the moment Baekri Hyeong had been waiting for arrived.
Kugugugung.
Five-colored energy erupted from Cheon Hwangyeol’s body, and a ring formed of three different energies appeared above his head. Samhwachwijeong and Ogijowon—the movements toward the Hwajing realm had begun.
‘This is the important part.’
The moment Baekri Hyeong confirmed that Cheon Hwangyeol’s eyes had grown hazy, he withdrew his Black Tortoise Earth Qi and converted it to Azure Dragon Water Qi. From here on, he had to match Cheon Hwangyeol’s pace and help him ascend to the new realm. Cheon Hwangyeol had already entered a state of selflessness; if he stopped now, he would immediately fall into qi deviation.
“You’ll have to thank me later!”
Baekri Hyeong continued the Azure Dragon Sword Art with a joyful heart. To be able to accelerate an old comrade’s growth with his own hands—what a delightful thing.
Meanwhile, someone had been watching Baekri Hyeong’s actions from the beginning.
“So that is the path you have chosen.”
Baekri Hyeok, who had observed the entire spar from start to finish, trusted his son. To help the Young Lord of Sapaecheon grow without regard for their clan’s enmity with Sapaecheon was an act of madness no eleven-year-old should even be capable of conceiving. Even knowing his son was no ordinary person, Baekri Hyeok had never dreamed he would assist the heir of Sapaecheon in reaching the Hwajing realm.
“I cannot stand in the way of my son’s path.”
Placing Sapaecheon in their debt was not a bad move either. Should the Demonic Cult rise again, they might have no choice but to join hands with the unorthodox factions as a last resort. This was the perfect preparation for such a time. Cheon Yonghyeon was surely watching this spar from somewhere as well. Depending on the outcome, the future relationship between the Baekri Clan and Sapaecheon would be decided. If the Young Lord fell into qi deviation, Baekri Hyeok would have to flee immediately with his family. If he reached the Hwajing realm, however, they would have placed an enormous debt upon him.
“Since we have already begun, let us make it spectacular.”
With his hands clasped behind his back, Baekri Hyeok decided to watch his son, curious to see what conclusion his actions would bring.
Chaeaeaeeng!
“It’s growing fiercer. It must be soon!”
Baekri Hyeong matched Cheon Hwangyeol’s movements with the Azure Dragon Sword Art. Having once entrusted his back to this man, he knew the forms of the Silent Dragon Mixed Origin Fist inside and out. Whenever Cheon Hwangyeol executed an incorrect fist path, Baekri Hyeong deliberately shifted his body to guide him back to the proper form.
Gradually, the energy that had bloomed from Cheon Hwangyeol’s body began to return to him. He had taken the final step before breaking through the wall of the Hwajing realm.
“Then I suppose it’s fine to go all out now!”
“..!”
Once Baekri Hyeong judged that Cheon Hwangyeol had entered a stable trajectory, he withdrew his Azure Dragon Water Qi and converted it to Vermilion Bird Fire Qi. Adding a trace of killing intent would send a danger signal through the other man’s body, forcing the scattered energies to converge even more densely. And, to be honest, he had also wanted to land a solid hit while Cheon Hwangyeol was not in his right mind.
“Huuuup!”
As Baekri Hyeong drew in a breath, his eyes filled with the flames of Vermilion Bird Fire Qi. Sensing something amiss, Cheon Hwangyeol stomped the ground and charged forward. Of course, Baekri Hyeong did not remain still. Transforming his Vermilion Bird Fire Qi into enormous wings, he soared into the sky, then ignited the fire qi to its limit and plummeted toward Cheon Hwangyeol’s head. It was the final form of the Vermilion Bird Killing Sword—Phoenix Descent.
Piiiiiiiiik!
It looked as though a Vermilion Bird wreathed in flames was falling to shatter the earth. Watching the brilliant yet terrifying technique, Cheon Hwangyeol recalled the thin wall blocking his path. He had to break that wall to stop the attack. Break it and block, or fail to break it and die.
Stand up. Stand up and erase the wall in your way!
Flash!
Cheon Hwangyeol’s eyes snapped open at last. Though he could see Baekri Hyeong’s sword strike with his eyes, what he actually perceived was different. It was simply beautiful. Five-colored energies gathered together to form a radiant glow, and the Vermilion Bird, guardian of the south, spread its blazing, magnificent wings as it descended. The sight was so beautiful that Cheon Hwangyeol could not tear his gaze away from Baekri Hyeong.
But that moment lasted only an instant.
Swaeaeaeaeaeak!
“..!”
The sword, filled with fire qi and falling with the force to grind its opponent to dust, came down. The moment he saw it, Cheon Hwangyeol formed fist qi, thinking he had to deflect it immediately.
‘Huh, was this always this light?’
The instant he clenched his fist and launched the fist qi, Cheon Hwangyeol felt his arm lighter than a feather. Even though he should still have been gripping his fist, it had already swung, releasing a fist technique brimming with Silent Dragon Mixed Origin Qi.
Paaaaak!
Phoenix Descent and the Silent Dragon Mixed Origin Fist collided, creating an enormous shockwave. Cheon Hwangyeol, who had begun to question his own martial prowess, took the full brunt of the aftermath with his body. Baekri Hyeong lightly retreated and landed on the ground.
At the same time, silence fell.
Baekri Hyeong sheathed his sword with a satisfied smile and clasped his hands in salute.
“Young Lord, congratulations on your great achievement.”
“Great achievement? What… did I do?”
“You have shattered the wall of the Hwajing realm. You are now one step closer to the supreme realm, Young Lord.”
“..!”
Cheon Hwangyeol’s mouth fell open in shock at Baekri Hyeong’s words. The Hwajing realm. Though his body felt strangely light, he had never imagined he had reached it.
“Then that sight… means I crossed the wall?”
“Pardon?”
“…I see. Baekri Hyeong, Young Lord of the Baekri Clan. I offer you my sincere gratitude.”
For the first time in his life, Cheon Hwangyeol clasped his hands in a salute filled with genuine thanks. He had broken through the wall of the Hwajing realm in a place he had never imagined.