Chapter 53
Although he appeared timid, Gwak Ho-shin actually came across as coldly composed. The tension rippling from his expression alone was unmistakable.
Thud.
Gwak Yeon detected a faint tremor of excitement in the face staring back at him.
So he was the first to step forward?
Suddenly Gwak Yeon understood.
Thinking back.
During the sea voyage, this boy had diligently practiced the great blade he had recommended.
That meant this excitement carried other meaning.
Right. He never faced a major opponent during the voyage.
He had sensed it on Cheonmok Mountain too.
After the fan duel between the Green Forest camp chief and Cheon Gang, before the Green Forest camp chief Im Cheon-hak and Gwak Yeon clashed in the mortar-pounding contest, he had seen the hesitation in this boy’s eyes when he was about to step in.
He was curious about his own expanded strength.
After that, opportunities had never arisen again.
Neither the bandits occasionally met along the voyage nor the group of fierce ghosts and living corpses at the end had been suitable opponents to test this boy’s progress.
“You wish to challenge us?”
“Yes.”
“Have you ever fought before?”
“……No.”
Gwak Ho-shin’s lips curled upward.
Even without the sudden flash of his cold eyes, the power radiating from him was already intense.
The next words from this boy were confrontational no matter who heard them.
“……Then I shall learn right now.”
“Ha ha ha! What a splendid attitude! Don’t you agree, madam?”
“Indeed, a jianghu man should have such spirit.”
The family head and madam burst into laughter.
Only they were chuckling.
Even setting aside Cheon Gang and Heoksijo, and the Cheonhae Merchant Group members watching their brothers.
By now the faces of the Hubei Pang Family guests seated around had long lost any trace of amusement.
“……”
“……”
“……”
“……”
“……”
Whether they were the ones holding the great blade and dancing the sword dance or the martial artists scattered across the courtyard, every eye now fixed on the Gwak brothers.
Gwak Yeon knew.
Every reaction from the Hubei Pang Family stemmed not from any negative emotion such as hostility, but from pure competitive zeal and curiosity.
His vampire’s sensitive hearing had already picked up the thunderous heartbeats pounding from all directions.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Even with the infamous heartbeats of these martial-arts-mad individuals filling his ears right now, Pang Mu-gwang’s next words were more than enough to amplify the rhythm.
“Haha! While practicing the sword dance is fine, but… ah, why don’t we simply spar instead?”
“Isn’t that somewhat dangerous?”
“Sparring? What do you mean, sparring?”
Huang Fei and Ju Hwa-jeong, who had found the courage to speak at this moment, voiced their opposition to Pang Mu-gwang from the center of the Hubei Pang Family camp.
“These two gentlemen have grown quite weary from the recent voyage.”
“Their escort duties were no light task.”
“With limited personnel, their workload has been especially heavy.”
“Is the great Hubei Pang Family not a clan that values its honored guests?”
“You’re exaggerating. You know full well who fought those fierce ghosts and living corpses yesterday.”
“The two of you will collapse from exhaustion the moment you touch the ground.”
“You’re going to tire them out again.”
“……K-khuh!”
Somehow, a bond had formed.
These two, who had suddenly opposed the unexpected sparring proposal, were protecting their Gwak brothers from the dangerous threat posed by Pang Mu-gwang.
It was no easy matter, and took enormous courage.
At a time when a major transaction with enormous potential had already been promised, who else in this vast family’s inner court would dare to speak such words?
Of course, they had always been certain that the Hubei Pang Family did not harass outsiders without reason.
“I know that! I merely suggested it casually. Having invited honored guests and then immediately demanding a spar, my own greed almost led to a grave mistake. If that is the case━.”
“Perhaps it would be better for us all to discuss formations together.”
Pang Mu-gwang, lightly dismissing Jegal Chan’s muttered comment, was about to speak again when he paused.
“What about sword sparring?”
“Hm?”
Everyone turned toward Gwak Yeon’s suggestion.
“When one listens to beautiful music and feels inspired, one naturally produces fitting movements. And for a martial artist, the most natural movement is the martial art he has mastered.”
“Hm?”
“By withdrawing momentum and unfolding the martial arts stances each person naturally incorporates into slow-tempo music, as in sword sparring, what do you think?”
“Oh!”
“That way, even those who have never learned the sword dance like Ho-shin will be able to display convincingly graceful movements.”
“That’s a brilliant idea!”
Pang Mu-gwang slapped his knee in admiration.
From among the Hubei Pang Family warriors, the embers of curiosity that had been dying out began to blaze anew.
While the Pang Family members who had been laughing were raising the great blade they had set down, he and the madam watched the entire scene with interest, pouring drinks into every mouth.
Madam, how do you like them?
Those ones? The Green Forest camp chief Yeo Baek-rang is recommending them as new candidates for the Seven Great Families at this sect meeting.
Haha, that’s right. That Rising Star Gwak Jeong-pal is their eldest son.
They look promising, don’t they?
Indeed?
Yes. The things Mu-gwang said earlier and what we see now both suggest they have talent━.
Then you’ll have to see for yourself directly?
Of course. Ultimately we are a martial family. What good is mere talk?
Haha, well said. Still, if these people join the Seven Great Families and stand with us, our chivalrous spirit at the sect meeting will gain even greater strength, won’t it?
That has merit.
Nevertheless, let’s take a look once. How is the Seoho Gwak Family’s reputation?
Pouring wine for each other toward the future Rising Stars who had come to visit the Pang Family, watching how they handled affairs.
With a sudden jolt, it was Gwak Ho-shin who stood up first.
“……I shall go first.”
“We haven’t finished talking yet.”
“……Are you not going to?”
Taking the great blade he now held with practiced ease, Gwak Ho-shin muttered.
Gwak Yeon smiled faintly and nodded in response.
“Good. Let us try it. Where, are you all right with this?”
“We’re fine!”
Pang Mu-gwang laughed heartily.
With a nod toward the band, the music that had been resounding suddenly changed and the atmosphere instantly shifted.
“As I said earlier, this is the sword dance. No killing intent is allowed, and stances must flow naturally without stored momentum.”
“Naturally!”
“This is meant to stir everyone’s spirits and raise each other’s skills, am I right?”
“Naturally! There is no winner or loser in this sword dance!”
Of course, the words were ordinary, but Pang Mu-gwang’s eyes were sharp. Not a real spar, but a light exchange of swordplay.
Thinking about it, that was even more reason to view it as an opportunity to glimpse the martial arts of the opposing family rather than the opponent himself.
“Hold on… the two of you are doing this alone? As a spar, I wanted to watch at least once….”
“I shall go!”
“Big brother! Give me a chance!”
“The Soundless Thunder Young Master from Hangzhou! I have long wished to meet you!”
“The honor of sparring with you!”
One after another, the Hubei Pang Family warriors stepped forward in a rush of pride and curiosity.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
While Gwak Yeon’s vampire hearing captured the frantic heartbeats of these individuals, he spoke softly to his brother.
“Ho-shin.”
“Big brother.”
Gwak Ho-shin looked at Gwak Yeon.
His expression was tense.
Perhaps it was because last time Cheon Gang had stepped in instead of him when facing the Green Forest camp chief, or perhaps because of the inner power he had gained from the medicine just now and the great blade he had trained with during that time, his heart was racing.
“This time, may I go first?”
“That is fine, but.”
Toward such Gwak Ho-shin, Gwak Yeon drew the sword from the scabbard at his waist and handed it over.
“A sword would be better.”
“Eh?”
“Ho-shin, listen carefully.”
Gwak Yeon gripped the great blade in Gwak Ho-shin’s hand.
He asked slowly.
“Do you remember why I recommended the great blade to you?”
“To raise the level of the Manhyeong Swordplay… as I stated.”
“Correct.”
Gwak Yeon nodded.
“Now, when you grip the sword and fight them again, you will immediately understand what I am saying.”
“……Is that so?”
Gwak Ho-shin looked at him quietly.
Recalling the duel against the Green Forest camp chief and Cheon Gang a moment ago, he nodded firmly.
Since Big brother said it, there must be a reason.
Driven solely by trust in his brother.
Gwak Ho-shin switched the weapon with Gwak Yeon.
“Then… I shall go.”
So, Gwak Ho-shin walked to the garden by the pond where the martial artists had been performing the sword dance just moments ago.
Gwak Yeon watching him wondered.
Not only how much his strength had grown, but whether he could glimpse the martial arts of the Hubei Pang Family that had been transmitted before he knew about the Blood Cult’s connection.
How the hell did those descendants train?
.
.
Soundless Thunder.
The boy with the alias of lightning that strikes without sound, who was performing the sword dance, was apparently well-known even among the Hubei Pang Family for his speed.
Red River Camp Chief Pang Ji-gyu.
Operating a separate detachment within the sect, he was the nephew of the family head Pang Chi-ung and cousin of Pang Mu-gwang.
But there was another fact he secretly cherished.
p>
Precisely.
[287]
This year he had been recorded in the jianghu ranking list.
Even though he was near the bottom, the fact that this martial artist of his generation had earned a place among the top three hundred was proof that this sect was extraordinary.
After all, it is the Hubei Pang Family.
Is it too strong to be true?
If that’s the case… maybe we can spar.
Consistent with the Seven Great Families having more than ten experts in the minimum ranking list, within this vast estate where masters were scattered everywhere.
Swallowing hard, Gwak Ho-shin assumed his stance.
Suddenly commanding to fight with a sword…
Shaking off the sudden doubt, he turned his head away.
At the moment Pang Ji-gyu facing him took his stance, the band’s performance grew louder.
Thus began the sword dance.
Pang Ji-gyu and Gwak Ho-shin moved in a gentle, swaying rhythm, stepping forward.
Tak━ Ta-da━.
Each sect’s footwork unfolded smoothly to the music.
Upon those feet filled with power yet ever-changing, complexly ingenious martial arts spread out.
Pang Ji-gyu was the first to initiate.
Fluttering his sleeves like chasing a mosquito, the great blade that had been about to fly off its trajectory suddenly changed direction and fell like a waterfall.
Utilizing the Hubei Pang Family’s strength that handles a heavy great blade like paper, he twisted his lower body’s center several times in an instant to cut off the opponent’s retreat—a unique technique of his.
Gwak Ho-shin, who had nearly fallen backward and barely dodged sideways, was unaffected.
Here, he simultaneously leaped back half a pace, recovered the blade, and at the moment of twisting his body, struck the opponent in an instant.
Clink.
“……Eh?”
“……Eh?”
Suddenly, the eyes of Pang Ji-gyu and Gwak Ho-shin met, and they stared blankly at each other.
Now.
Gwak Ho-shin’s sword had already reached the neck of Pang Ji-gyu.
With the sword spar so quickly concluded, the shock was evident not only in them but in all the spectators.
Clink! Clink!
The tip of the sword he had unfolded had reached Pang Ji-gyu’s neck.
Gwak Ho-shin’s expression, watching Gwak Yeon smile faintly beyond that, was filled with intense bewilderment.
……Big brother?
Why… has he become this strong?