Chapter 306
Chapter 306
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 306
Chapter Title: Heavenly Spirit Dog Hong Gyeon
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Namgung Myeong feigned ignorance as he replied.
"Hong Gyeon? Ah, um! You must mean that two-knot Beggars' Sect disciple."
"Yes. As the most talked-about participant in this tournament, I figured you would surely know of him."
"Of course I do. Is Hong Gyeon your next opponent?"
"No. But I'm certain we'll cross paths at some point in the tournament, so I wanted to seek your advice beforehand."
"Don't worry too much. Hong Gyeon may be advancing at a frightening pace... Um. Right. He's improving, but your skills outshine his."
This was, of course, based on the abilities Hong Geolgae had shown so far.
Any ordinary person would have found some comfort in such positive prospects, but Namgung Hyeon was overly cautious. Cautious to the point of seeming a bit timid.
"Those who lost to Hong Gyeon earlier probably all thought the same as they stepped into the arena."
"..."
Namgung Hyeon's attitude was utterly serious. It was the demeanor of someone who needed genuine strategies to defeat Hong Gyeon, not mere reassurance.
This put Namgung Myeong in a tough spot. His cousin and his friend—didn't he have to choose one over the other?
Yet Namgung Myeong's heart leaned toward Hong Geolgae.
Compared to his aloof cousin, whom he hadn't even seen in years, Hong Geolgae—whom he'd shared trials and tribulations with over recent years—felt far closer. Blood is thicker than water, but sometimes bonds run even deeper.
As he pondered briefly, Namgung Myeong realized something crucial.
'...No. There's no need to agonize over this, is there?'
He had overlooked a vital point. The vast gap in skill between Namgung Hyeon and Hong Geolgae.
No matter what advice Namgung Myeong gave Namgung Hyeon here, Hong Geolgae would still emerge victorious.
Even in the best-case scenario, Namgung Hyeon defeating Hong Geolgae was impossible. Landing a single blow would be a miracle.
Moreover, even if Namgung Hyeon managed to land one on Hong Geolgae, it was unlikely Hong Geolgae would hold it against Namgung Myeong. Hong Geolgae was bold by nature.
Yes. He could offer his cousin advice with a clear conscience.
At last, Namgung Myeong's mind lightened.
"I don't know how much time we have, but I'll do everything I can to help you. You're a warrior of the Namgung Clan, my own flesh and blood."
"Thank you. Thank you!"
Evidently not expecting Namgung Myeong to step up so readily, Namgung Hyeon looked deeply moved.
Namgung Myeong smiled and said,
"But there's something you need to keep in mind first. Victory is merely a byproduct of pursuing the warrior's path—it's not the goal."
"Pardon?"
"Winning is great, but even if you lose by some chance, it doesn't mean your efforts were in vain."
Of course, he didn't forget to prepare him mentally for the impending defeat.
*
Two days later, Hong Geolgae altered his face with transformation arts and returned to the arena.
He didn't bother remembering who his opponent was this time. It was irrelevant information.
As Hong Geolgae slowly warmed up and sat waiting, a woman approached with demure steps and offered a small tray. On it were simple, appetizing snacks and tea.
"Hero Hong Gyeon. I wish you well in this match too."
"Ah, sure."
Hong Geolgae took the tray, and the woman gave a quick bow before scurrying away.
Hong Geolgae smiled warmly.
'Looks like only the real contenders are left, so now they're even bringing snacks?'
Hong Geolgae wasn't one to turn down food, nor did he fuss over petty details.
So he promptly ate the snacks. They were sweet and delicious.
But after sipping the tea, he sensed something off. A faint stinging energy began spreading in his stomach.
'Poison?'
On second thought, the whole situation of someone providing food at a tournament felt suspicious. Who brings snacks right before an intense fight?
Just then, the announcer's voice rang out from afar.
"Competitors, enter the arena!"
Hong Geolgae scratched his head for a moment, set the tray down, and stepped into the ring.
The crowd fervently chanted Hong Gyeon's name.
"Heavenly Spirit Dog Hong Gyeon! Heavenly Spirit Dog Hong Gyeon!"
"I've got everything riding on you today!"
Hong Geolgae's popularity among the gamblers had skyrocketed. Yes, he had caused them massive losses, but hadn't he also helped them recover those losses?
It was like they'd tasted the depths of hell, only to be led back to the surface by Hong Gyeon.
Cheering for him now felt only natural.
Of course, far more gamblers had stubbornly bet against him to the end and lost everything.
But those types had already been wiped out financially and hadn't returned to the tournament grounds. They couldn't vent their rage at Hong Geolgae either.
In any case, the gamblers still at the tournament were mostly his die-hard supporters.
The downside was that his victory odds had plummeted.
The announcer introduced the two competitors.
"In the spotlight, the participant from Zhuul Village Branch, Hong Gyeon!"
"His opponent, the man who performed well in the last tournament, White Dragon Sword Sect's O Jungsap!"
O Jungsap stared fixedly at Hong Geolgae's face before grinning smugly.
That smile alone made it clear whose handiwork the poisoned tea was.
'As expected, that bastard's doing.'
The announcer finished the introductions and shouted,
"Let the match beeeegin!"
Confident of victory, O Jungsap charged ferociously at Hong Geolgae.
Hong Geolgae suppressed the poison energy in his gut to keep it from spreading further, deftly deflecting O Jungsap's wrists and arms.
"Hmm, you're holding up pretty well!"
But O Jungsap pressed on undeterred, even more savagely.
Rather than aiming to inflict a fatal wound, O Jungsap's swordplay forced Hong Geolgae into constant movement.
The more one moved, the faster the poison spread.
O Jungsap whispered,
"You must be feeling the strength drain from your limbs by now. Surrender quietly, and you won't get hurt too badly."
"What kind of poison was it?"
"It's not life-threatening, so don't worry. Just forfeit."
Hong Geolgae chuckled.
Any ordinary person would be racking their brains over the poison spreading from their stomach, but that didn't apply to him.
Of course, Hong Geolgae hadn't trained in poison arts.
But traveling with Dang Mujin had exposed him to poison countless times. How many times had Dang Mujin released toxins into the air while fighting enemies?
And it wasn't just during battles. Dang Mujin had sneakily wafted poison near Hong Geolgae's nose several times, claiming he snored too loudly.
In short, Hong Geolgae was seasoned at expelling poison energy.
Besides, the poison in the tea was child's play compared to Dang Mujin's.
The delivery method was amateurish too.
It hadn't seeped into his blood to course through his body, nor had it saturated the air to fill his lungs with sticky toxin.
Merely mixed into a drink and ingested into the stomach.
Strictly speaking, O Jungsap had one critical mistake.
Judging Hong Geolgae's poison resistance by his own standards.
Suuuup—
Hong Geolgae shook off O Jungsap and took a deep breath.
The faint poison energy spreading from his stomach reversed course and gathered back inside.
Then, mingling with his stomach acids, it rose up his throat.
Kaaack—Ptooey.
Hong Geolgae spat on the ground.
The spit wasn't clear; it was bluish.
Seeing that color drained the blood from O Jungsap's face. Clumping and expelling poison energy so easily wasn't the act of an ordinary expert.
Yet instead of pressing O Jungsap immediately, Hong Geolgae retreated as if cornered, scanning his surroundings. At the arena's edge lay a crude wooden stick.
'That'll do.'
Hong Geolgae parried O Jungsap with palm strikes, snatched up the stick, and narrowed his eyes.
What followed was a subtly sluggish, sinuous motion and a complete shift in aura.
The spectators leaped to their feet in excitement, shouting.
"Hong Gyeon's aura just changed!"
"Why'd he grab a stick? Isn't Hong Gyeon just a fist fighter?"
"He must've had another epiphany! This time, staff arts!"
"Yeah, Beggars' Sect folks are all about staffs!"
Spoken as if every martial artist gained insights daily.
Absurd to anyone else.
But when the protagonist was Heavenly Spirit Dog Hong Gyeon, it somehow rang true.
A man who'd reached first-rate in days and shattered the peak realm's wall three days later—him picking up a stick and awakening staff arts? 'Yeah... Makes sense. Could happen.'
O Jungsap trembled in fear, his mind flashing to all those who'd fallen before Hong Gyeon, now overlapping with his own image.
Hong Geolgae raised both hands toward O Jungsap. A wooden club in his right, left bare.
"Your choice. Left? Right?"
O Jungsap hesitated briefly and picked the left.
"Smart."
After three exchanges, Hong Geolgae's left fist smashed into O Jungsap's Heavenly Spirit Dog acupoint.
"Heavenly Spirit Dog Hong Gyeon! Heavenly Spirit Dog Hong Gyeon!"
The crowd's cheers filled the arena.
*
Hong Geolgae's next opponent forfeited, unable to overcome the pressure. Apparently, it was someone O Jungsap had beaten in the previous tournament.
Thus, "Hong Gyeon" secured his spot in the finals, allowing Dang Mujin's group to leisurely watch Namgung Hyeon's match.
Namgung Hyeon's opponent was Yeon Baekgon of the Jinju Yeon Clan—the man who'd asked the group upon their arrival in Wuchang if they planned to enter the tournament.
Yeon Baekgon had advanced to the semifinals with his massive frame and fist techniques, but his skill fell short of Namgung Hyeon's.
Yet Namgung Hyeon didn't rush. He methodically and persistently widened the gap, his swordsmanship feeling closer to Hyeon-gong's than Namgung Myeong's.
Dang Mujin spoke up.
"Namgung Myeong."
"Yeah?"
"Isn't Cheonju Mountain, home of the Namgung Clan, not far from Wuchang? Why only Namgung Hyeon in the tournament?"
The Namgung Clan's warriors were, on average, exceptionally skilled.
There was no rule limiting a clan to one entrant, so with determination, their juniors could claim several top spots.
But Namgung Myeong gave an unexpected answer.
"It's unusual that even one entered."
"Huh?"
"Namgung warriors rarely join tournaments. Winning brings mild joy, but losing costs too much."
"Costs what? Gaining match experience is a win even without the title, right?"
"No. It's about the Namgung Clan's reputation."
Namgung Hyeon was steadily cornering Yeon Baekgon, solidifying his advantage.
"The Namgung Clan claims to be the world's greatest sword sect. As you say, we could win tournaments easily—and that's the problem."
"What problem?"
"Win, and it's expected—no gain. Lose, and it's a disaster. People see a Namgung win as par for the course, but a loss means 'the Namgung Clan has fallen.'"
Hong Geolgae recalled spotting Namgung Hyeon at registration. The crowd had parted like the sea the moment he appeared.
Other participants had ruefully lowered their aims to runner-up. With a Namgung junior present, their victory was a given.
"The Namgung Clan must always stand one step above the rest. By not participating, outsiders realize that even winning a tournament doesn't touch the Namgung Clan's pedestal."
Hong Geolgae asked Namgung Myeong,
"Then why did Namgung Hyeon enter?"
"I have a hunch, but..."
Namgung Myeong trailed off vaguely, prompting Hong Geolgae to grumble.
"If you've got an idea, spill it. Don't kill the mood."
"No, it's not important."
In Namgung Myeong's eyes, Hong Geolgae was generous and empathetic, to the point of taking a step back for others as a matter of course.
Even in this tournament, his absurdly superior skill kept him out—something he accepted as natural.
If Namgung Myeong explained Namgung Hyeon's circumstances in detail now, soft-hearted Hong Geolgae would surely forfeit or throw the match.
Dang Mujin, Namgung Myeong, and Hyeon-gong all wanted Hong Geolgae to strut his stuff at least once.
That was the context for subtly maneuvering him into competing solo.
And lately, he looked thoroughly enjoying himself, so the plan had worked out well.
Namgung Myeong told Hong Geolgae,
"A true Namgung warrior treading the emperor's path should rejoice more in a defeat earned through full clash than a victory born of pity. I'll tell you the rest later—so crush Namgung Hyeon decisively."
As expected, Hong Geolgae hesitated.
"...It won't cause any issues, right?"
"Nothing like that. Just pride. And even if your opponent has reasons, that's not for you to consider. If desperation alone won titles despite lacking skill, what kind of tournament would this be?"
"Makes sense."
Only then did Hong Geolgae nod in relief.