Chapter 100: Heavy Sword vs. Heavy Sword (2)
Chapter 99 – Heavy Sword vs. Heavy Sword (2)
Pang!
With the sound of condensed air bursting, Paeng Su-hyeok rapidly crossed the backyard.
Swooosh! Swoosh!
The dark blue blade slashed in all directions as if to split the void. With each stroke, a life flew away. Masked men fell over, twisting their bodies, while some had their upper bodies severed in two.
Of course, they were all imaginary enemies.
However, in the eyes of the rage-filled Paeng Su-hyeok, they were as vivid as if they actually existed.
The ones who dared to kill Namgung Cheon!
Papat!
As he unfolded the Qi-Controlling Divine Wind, it felt as though his body was truly flying.
Paeng Su-hyeok endlessly roamed the backyard, feeling as if he and his saber had become one. His fierce momentum was such that it even seemed to carry the scent of blood.
‘The bastards who killed Namgung Cheon, whom I should have killed!’
As his anger welled up, his saber strikes conversely became delicate yet overbearing. This was the characteristic of the Hebei Paeng Clan, which developed through real combat.
Swooosh! Swoosh!
It was fast and strong.
It was a sensation he had never felt before.
Senses that he would not have noticed even if ten years had passed had Namgung Cheon not thrown him a clue were dominating his entire body.
Even though Namgung Cheon was already dead and gone, it felt as if he was watching this training from the side.
Thus, he felt even worse.
‘Damn it! Namgung Cheon! I should have been the one to kill you!’
The bastards who killed Namgung Cheon, who had exerted a profound influence on the development of his own martial arts!
“Damn it!”
Swooosh!
As he unleashed the Iron-Blood Star-Plucking Saber in a continuous chain, three streaks of red sharp qi spread out like a spider web.
The corners of Paeng Su-hyeok’s eyes grew moist.
Who would have thought that a bond formed over such a short period of time would leave such a powerful impression?
‘Damn it, yes. This isn’t because I miss you! Namgung Cheon! Don’t get the wrong idea up in heaven! It’s not that I miss you, I just wanted to kill you myself! But… but why did you die?’
He resented the dead Namgung Cheon so much.
When his emotions reached their peak, a shout burst out from his dantian and was loaded into the final blow.
“Whyyy!”
Swooosh!
Paeng Su-hyeok, who had been swinging his saber in a trance, suddenly widened his eyes and stopped, retrieving as much of his internal energy as possible.
However, unable to overcome the inertia, the great saber flew straight ahead and lodged into the pillar of the pavilion.
Crack!
Beneath the pillar where the great saber was embedded, Ju Yeon-hwa, who was almost on the verge of losing her mind, sat slumped with a pale face.
“Ah… I thought, I thought I was going to die!”
When Ju Yeon-hwa shouted in anger, shedding a tear, Paeng Su-hyeok quickly pulled the great saber from the pillar and shouted back.
“No, why are you raising your voice after appearing out of nowhere? I almost became a murderer!”
“What a self-centered way of thinking in this situation. Don’t you think the fact that I almost got killed is a bigger deal than Young Master Paeng becoming a murderer?”
“Then who told you to spy on me like a ghost? Don’t you even know it’s rude to sneak a look at someone else’s martial arts training?”
“I’m not that shameless, you know? I called you several times, but you didn’t even pretend to hear, muttering to yourself like someone possessed by a ghost while swinging that hideous blade around!”
“Ahem! You, you made your presence known?”
“Yes. I called you so many times. Well, in the end, I gave up and just watched blankly.”
“If that’s the case, then… I’m sorry.”
As Paeng Su-hyeok scratched the back of his head and spoke, Ju Yeon-hwa also apologized with an embarrassed look.
“I’m also… sorry for unintentionally spying on you. But it seems your martial arts have improved even more than before.”
“Did it look that way?”
“Yes.”
“It seems the dead ghost helped me again.”
“Are you by any chance… talking about Young Master Namgung Cheon?”
“I don’t really want to talk about it in detail.”
As Paeng Su-hyeok replied half-heartedly, Ju Yeon-hwa smiled brightly and spoke.
“Let’s go.”
“Where?”
“To meet Young Master Namgung Cheon.”
“Did they find his corpse?”
“No. They found a living person.”
“What does that mean?”
“Young Master Namgung Cheon has returned. Along with Lady Jin So-hong. They are sparring at the Grand Martial Arena right now.”
While Paeng Su-hyeok stood frozen like a rock, Ju Yeon-hwa chuckled and continued.
“I couldn’t believe it at first either. But there’s no way my senior brother would lie. I came to let Young Master Paeng know first. Now, let’s go quickly.”
“Did, did Namgung Cheon really return alive?”
“Yes!”
“Ha, haha. Hahahahaha!”
After laughing for a long while, Paeng Su-hyeok’s expression instantly turned grim, and he twisted his lips into a smirk.
“That’s how it should be! I have to be the one to kill you! Namgung Cheon! Uhahaha!”
At the incomprehensible words, Ju Yeon-hwa slightly knitted her brows.
‘Aren’t they close friends?’
* * *
By the time Paeng Su-hyeok and Ju Yeon-hwa entered the spectator stands, the sparring match was already in full swing.
The people watching the match burst into constant admiration.
“Ooh! Incredible!”
“Is that the sword of Jongnam?”
“It’s certainly worth staking their pride on the heavy sword!”
Paeng Su-hyeok, who had just arrived, also widened his eyes and looked at the sparring stage.
‘He really… returned alive and well, didn’t he?’
A certain sense of rivalry surged along with the feeling of welcome.
Yes, it was this feeling.
This feeling made Paeng Su-hyeok’s heart beat wildly.
‘You really did come back!’
Paeng Su-hyeok twisted his lips and clenched his fists tightly.
At that moment, Namgung Cheon was blocking Yun Gyeong’s sword.
‘Yun Gyeong… what he showed me wasn’t everything.’
Indeed, Yun Gyeong, who was facing Namgung Cheon, was deploying martial arts that were a level higher than back then.
Yet, Namgung Cheon was holding out well.
Would it be possible for himself?
He did not know.
But one thing was clear.
If Namgung Cheon could endure it, then one day, he would also endure it.
Clang!
A metallic sound like an explosion rang out, and Yun Gyeong rushed forward again, striking down with his sword vertically.
Swooosh!
It was as rough and overbearing as watching the Iron-Blood Star-Plucking Saber. The weight of the sword felt that immense.
The sword stance of the Wuji Sword, Severing the Flow to Cross the River, which was said to be able to split a flowing river and create a path to cross!
Crash!
The sparring stage shattered, and the aftermath extended in a straight line.
However, Namgung Cheon held the Emerald Silk Sword upside down, completely blocking the sword strike.
“Wow… that is truly amazing. As expected of Young Master Namgung. But Daoist Yun Gyeong seems very angry for some reason.”
At Ju Yeon-hwa’s innocent remark, Paeng Su-hyeok smirked.
Because, for some reason, he felt he could understand Yun Gyeong’s feelings.
‘He has every right to be angry.’
Why wouldn’t he be angry?
When fighting Namgung Cheon, one ended up feeling that their specialty was nothing more than a trivial trick.
How many people would not get angry in that situation?
Furthermore, if he countered as if he knew the martial arts being unfolded better than oneself, that feeling…
“It’s absolutely miserable.”
“Pardon?”
“Ah, it’s nothing.”
Paeng Su-hyeok smirked and continued.
“But… that’s why I look at that guy in a new light.”
While Paeng Su-hyeok spoke, Yun Gyeong was unleashing the Severing Mountains and Thunder Clouds stance of the Wuji Sword.
Chring!
The sword resonated, generating heavy lightning qi.
The sword falling diagonally was like a bolt of lightning.
Though it was only for an instant, all the spectators held their breath and widened their eyes.
Boom!
Following the sound that felt as if it would burst their eardrums, Namgung Cheon’s entire body shook.
Yet, there was no further reaction.
Instead, the ground behind Namgung Cheon cracked, and debris scattered in all directions.
Didn’t it look as if he had channeled the impact directly behind him?
Yun Gyeong’s eyes were now completely bloodshot.
“Euaaaah!”
He let out a desperate shout and swung his sword diagonally.
The ultimate technique of the Wuji Sword, Severing the Heavens and Destroying the World.
The ultimate technique among ultimate techniques, said to split the heavens and destroy the world!
Crash!
An explosion that felt like it would destroy the world erupted, shaking the entire sparring stage. At the same time, debris flew everywhere and dust billowed, shrouding the stage in a mist once more.
The onlookers bustled with whispers.
“Wh-what happened?”
“Damn it, I can’t see a thing.”
Paeng Su-hyeok also swallowed hard and watched the sparring stage.
The blow just now was truly magnificent.
Could he have blocked it if it were him?
He felt he could have, but he didn’t know if that was true or just his pride speaking.
‘What about you? What about you, Namgung Cheon! Did you block it?’
Just then, a familiar voice was heard.
“You’ve come, Hwa-ya. Have you arrived, Young Master Paeng?”
“Thanks to her, I wasn’t late.”
Paeng Su-hyeok clasped his fists as he looked back at Yu Hyeon.
Ju Yeon-hwa grumbled to Yu Hyeon.
“Why is the floor in that state? They should have made it sturdier.”
“It was made that way on purpose. To add a dramatic effect. And it also has the effect of making the sparring martial artists look stronger.”
“In other words, it’s a trick?”
“If that trick can put many people’s minds at ease, it’s not something to be blamed, is it?”
“Hmm. That might be true. Ah! I can see now!”
Just as Ju Yeon-hwa said, the situation on the sparring stage was gradually becoming visible.
Surprisingly, the strike from earlier had not worked on Namgung Cheon.
The sword was touching the other sword, pointing at the ground, and Namgung Cheon’s left hand had snatched Yun Gyeong’s left wrist.
“Ah! It’s the exact same as earlier!”
“What? Did he get caught by the same trick twice?”
“Namgung Cheon is amazing! Cool!”
The cheers of the crowd rose.
Meanwhile, Paeng Su-hyeok’s eyebrows twitched relentlessly.
‘What? The same trick? Does that mean Yun Gyeong was caught by such a method earlier as well? That Yun Gyeong…?’
Having exchanged blows with Yun Gyeong himself, he knew him well.
Yun Gyeong was strong.
He was by no means the type of person to get caught by the same trick twice.
Yet the fact that he was caught…
Paeng Su-hyeok stared at Namgung Cheon’s back.
‘Just how strong are you?’
At this moment, the one who was more frustrated than anyone else was Yun Gyeong.
‘By the same… trick again!’
Was he not on the verge of going completely crazy?
“Frustrating, isn’t it?”
“…!”
At Namgung Cheon’s whispered words, Yun Gyeong flinched and glared at him.
Namgung Cheon smirked.
“How about keeping the intent of the sword heavy, but the swordplay a bit lighter?”
“Are you… telling me to go against what Jongnam pursues right now!”
“What is it that Jongnam pursues?”
“That is…!”
“The heavy sword? That damn heavy sword, heavy sword. Does it mean the intent loaded in the sword must be heavy? Or does it mean you have to carry a heavy sword? No, if so, why don’t you carry an iron mace instead?”
“…!”
“It means each life loaded on the tip of the sword is heavy. I understood that well. Therefore, I thought that this family had to become even more diligent to endure that weight.”
Whoosh!
As Namgung Cheon shook off his hand once more, Yun Gyeong backed away.
Namgung Cheon moved slowly and took a starting stance. Surprisingly, an afterimage remained in Namgung Cheon’s movement, adding to its sense of weight.
“The final blow.”
“What…?”
Yun Gyeong’s eyebrows twitched.
Since everyone watching heard those words, they each held their breath and watched.
Namgung Cheon grinned.
“Try blocking it. With that heavy sword of yours.”
In that instant,
Pang!
Namgung Cheon kicked off the ground and flew like an arrow.
Swoooosh!
Namgung Cheon flew truly like a single streak of light.
Seeing this, Paeng Su-hyeok’s pupils dilated infinitely.
‘That crazy…! It’s f-fast! It’s fast, but… heavy! No, it’s even heavier because it’s fast! An insanely heavy and fast strike!’
Swooosh!
Claaang!
Along with an explosive roar, a gust of wild wind swept across the sparring stage.