Chapter 78: Flip Your Thinking (1)
Chapter 77 – Flip Your Thinking (1)
Whooooosh!
As the cheers died down, a cool wind swept across the sparring stage once.
Flutter, flutter!
Yun Gyeong’s robe made a fluttering sound in the wind.
As the gust of wind passed, Yun Gyeong clasped his hands with a gentle smile.
“I am Yun Gyeong of the Jongnam Sect. I look forward to our match.”
“I am Paeng Su-hyeok of the Hebei Paeng Clan. I request your guidance.”
Paeng Su-hyeok returned the gesture, his eyes flashing.
‘His expression is overflowing with composure.’
It was only natural.
For Yun Gyeong was, like Yu Hyeon, one of the cadets who enjoyed renown at the Valiant Martial Academy.
The one whom people praised, saying that a rare genius had finally emerged from the Jongnam Sect, was none other than Yun Gyeong.
However…
‘I cannot lose here!’
Paeng Su-hyeok reached over his shoulder and firmly gripped the hilt of his saber.
Shhhring…!
The heavy and massive saber was drawn from the scabbard on his back.
“Oooooh…”
The spectators let out low exclamations of admiration.
First of all, the saber was extremely large.
Although its size could be guessed from when it was in the scabbard, for some reason, the appearance of the blue blade created an optical illusion, making it seem even larger than when it was sheathed.
Yun Gyeong also rounded his mouth and expressed his admiration.
“Ho. That is a magnificent blade.”
“Thank you.”
Paeng Su-hyeok replied with a smirk.
He did not take his eyes off Yun Gyeong’s eyes.
‘I mustn’t let my guard down!’
He had heard plenty about his opponent’s reputation. Not only that, he had personally witnessed his opponent’s martial arts exactly once.
Last time, at an inn near the Martial Alliance.
Back then, Yun Gyeong had blocked Namgung Cheon’s Emerald Silk Sword with a single sword.
Although he had seemed to struggle quite a bit, he had blocked it at the precise moment.
If it were him, would he have been able to react like that?
‘He will be a difficult opponent.’
Yet, he could not lose here.
‘Because I must fight Namgung Cheon and defeat him no matter what!’
Paeng Su-hyeok firmly gripped the hilt of his saber once more and took his starting stance.
Yun Gyeong also reached for his waist and grabbed the hilt of his sword.
Shring.
With a smooth sound, a fairly thick sword blade emerged.
“Ah…!”
Once again, the spectators erupted in exclamations.
Yun Gyeong’s sword was also heavy.
Although it showed a clear difference in width and length compared to Paeng Su-hyeok’s, it exuded an inexplicable sense of weight.
Guuuuu…!
At the same time, a heavy energy began to swirl and rise from Yun Gyeong’s entire body.
Taiyi Divine Art.
The exclusive cultivation method of which the Jongnam Sect was proud!
Not to be outdone, Paeng Su-hyeok also drew up internal energy from his dantian and circulated it through his body.
Whooooosh!
The Heaven and Earth Pervading Void Divine Art, the exclusive cultivation method of the Hebei Paeng Clan, wrapped around his body, building up a tense atmosphere.
Once both of them finished preparing, silence fell over the arena again.
Murong Sin stepped back and raised his hand.
“Begin.”
Swish!
Tap tap!
In an instant, the two of them clashed against each other at the same time.
Claaang!
As their weapons clashed, a gust of energy blew outward in all directions from between the saber and sword.
Whooooosh!
“Ohhh! Incredible!”
“Their momentums are almost neck-and-neck!”
Paeng Su-hyeok, with their blades locked, slightly looked up.
‘He’s smiling…?’
To his surprise, was Yun Gyeong not looking at him with a faint smile?
On top of that, he even spoke calmly.
“Indeed… magnificent.”
“…!”
“To think it would be to this extent.”
“Who… is evaluating… whom… right now?!”
Claaaash!
Deflecting the blow with a large swing of his saber, Paeng Su-hyeok immediately unfolded the Qi-Controlling Divine Wind.
Pabababat!
Weaving in a zigzag pattern as he swung his saber, Paeng Su-hyeok truly looked as if a grim reaper were performing a saber dance.
Clang! Clang! Claaang! Clang!
As Yun Gyeong repeatedly retreated while extending his sword to block, he seemed in a desperate rush at every moment.
All the spectators watched the process with bated breath.
Since it seemed at a glance that Yun Gyeong was at a disadvantage, many people supporting the Dragon Heaven Academy clenched their fists and cheered.
“Good job! Paeng Su-hyeok!”
“Dragon Heaven Academy, win!”
The Valiant Martial Academy cadets also could not steady their anxious hearts.
“What is this? Is Yun Gyeong going to lose like this?”
“Dammit, today must not become another Day of the Ascending Dragon!”
On the other hand, the Dragon Heaven Academy cadets cheered for Paeng Su-hyeok with highly encouraged expressions.
“Paeng Su-hyeok! Show them the power of the Hebei Paeng Clan!”
“You are also the pride of our Dragon Heaven Academy! Just push forward like that!”
However, Bi Ryang, who stood silently with his arms crossed in front of the cadets and watched, had a different thought.
‘He’s being swept up in the opponent’s pace.’
He narrowed his eyes.
‘Yun Gyeong is far superior.’
However…
It was true that Paeng Su-hyeok’s movement technique had improved a lot. If it had been heavy and straightforward in the past, it was now slightly lighter and more volatile.
While he would fly like an arrow at one moment, he would become as firm as a boulder at another.
Every time he did so, the weight of his blade increased, and power was loaded into his attacks.
‘But as expected, it is still too straightforward.’
To truly become ever-changing, one had to be able to make their hands heavy while their feet were light, and make their feet heavy while their hands were light.
However, it seemed that performing that off-beat was still too much for him.
‘Well, even so, it is encouraging that he managed to think that far.’
Usually, family-transmitted martial arts had a strong conservative nature, so people would not even think of trying something new under normal circumstances.
Yet, Paeng Su-hyeok had introduced a change to the flow of his internal energy.
He had broken the rule passed down through generations on his own.
Perhaps he had realized something while hanging out with Namgung Cheon recently…
‘Or did Namgung Cheon personally…?’
No way.
Although Namgung Cheon had shown surprising moves lately, he wouldn’t be at that level. Yes, that level…
No… is he at that level?
Bi Ryang tilted his head and shifted his gaze.
Namgung Cheon, who stood with his arms crossed at the edge of the opposite spectator stands, came into his view.
“If you can unfold the Iron-Blood Wall-Breaking of the Iron-Blood Star-Plucking Saber while emitting internal energy only through the Yongquan acupoint, your martial arts will rise to the next level.”
Recalling the words Namgung Cheon had spoken last night, Paeng Su-hyeok ground his teeth inwardly.
‘Dammit! He makes it sound so easy! He should at least say something that makes sense! What? Iron-Blood Wall-Breaking? Ha!’
The more he thought about it, the more his irritation surged.
Iron-Blood Wall-Breaking was the heaviest stance in the Iron-Blood Star-Plucking Saber Art.
Therefore, when using Iron-Blood Wall-Breaking, he had to unfold the Qi-Controlling Divine Wind by the book. Thus, he had no choice but to emit internal energy through both the Yongquan acupoint and the Yangu acupoint at the same time.
Because if he did not emit energy from the Yangu acupoint and only focused on the Yongquan acupoint, his feet might become lighter, but he would ultimately lose his balance and fall.
Ultimately, Namgung Cheon’s words were no different from telling him to run at full speed without stopping even though there was a wall in front of him.
‘Let’s ignore it! Ignore it!’
Visiting Namgung Cheon last night was a mistake. To think that after hesitating and hesitating, he would end up hearing such nonsense and returning.
By the way…
‘Why isn’t this bastard budging at all?’
Whooooosh!
Claaaaang!
Finally, his strike delivered with all his might stopped as it locked against Yun Gyeong’s sword.
It was because Yun Gyeong had absorbed it softly, like the Taiji Sword of the Wudang Sect, preventing any recoil from occurring.
And as Yun Gyeong pushed with the same amount of force when Paeng Su-hyeok tried to retrieve his saber, it was as if their weapons were stuck together like magnets.
‘W-what is this? This bastard! Is he playing around?’
Utterly provoked, Paeng Su-hyeok extended his left hand and threw a palm strike.
The Hunyuan Thunder Palm based on the Hunyuan Thunder Divine Art, of which the Hebei Paeng Clan was proud!
If one were in their right mind, they would twist their body to evade rather than face the Hunyuan Thunder Palm head-on.
In that case, he had intended to use that moment to swing his saber horizontally and slash the opponent’s flank.
However…
Sssswish!
‘This lunatic…! He’s clashing against it?’
Although the Hebei Paeng Clan was proficient in saber techniques, their fist and palm methods were also outstanding, not falling behind the Hwangbo Clan.
Thus, under normal circumstances, there was no place that would confront them in fist and palm methods…
Boooooom!
An explosive boom erupted as Yun Gyeong and Paeng Su-hyeok’s palms collided.
“Kh-up!”
“…!”
Faint groans escaped the mouths of both men.
Paeng Su-hyeok glared at Yun Gyeong, his eyes wide as if they would tear.
Yun Gyeong twisted the corners of his mouth.
“As expected… impressive.”
“…!”
At that moment, Paeng Su-hyeok realized that he was being pushed back in internal energy.
Once again, the conversation he had shared with Namgung Cheon last night came to mind.
* * *
“Let me ask you just one last thing!”
“What is it?”
When Namgung Cheon looked at him with an indifferent expression, Paeng Su-hyeok hesitated, mumbling his lips as if his pride was hurt.
Namgung Cheon did not wait long.
“If you have nothing more to say, then that’s it.”
“Hey! Wait!”
“What is it?”
“Wh-what do you think?”
“So, what about what?”
A hint of annoyance crept into Namgung Cheon’s voice.
In the end, Paeng Su-hyeok squeezed his eyes shut and shouted.
“Dammit! Who do you think will win! Between that guy and me!”
“Hmm. You mean tomorrow’s match?”
“Y-yes.”
“Should I be honest with you?”
“Of course! I want to hear your honest opinion. Since you’ve crossed swords with him once before.”
Namgung Cheon nodded and crossed his arms.
Paeng Su-hyeok gulped hard.
He was tense.
What words would actually come out of Namgung Cheon’s mouth?
At the same time, he did not understand why he had thrown such a question to Namgung Cheon.
It was merely a question that had arisen instinctively.
Finally, Namgung Cheon opened his mouth.
“In tomorrow’s match, you…”
* * *
Kagagagak, clang!
The saber he swung, scraping against the other blade, plunged into the ground.
Pababat!
Yun Gyeong, who had backed away as if bouncing off, took a few steps back and stopped.
A slight look of surprise flashed across Yun Gyeong’s face.
“Indeed, it is a practical style. They do say the Hebei Paeng Clan’s saber art was forged and refined through countless battles.”
“Why the hell are you standing there admiring me?!”
Pabababak!
As things did not go as planned, Paeng Su-hyeok spat out harsh words and lunged fiercely.
Kagagagagang!
The great saber, which threw sparks as it scraped against the ground, rose like a giant dragon.
Whooooosh!
Clang!
However, the giant dragon could not fully ascend to heaven.
For another dragon pressed it down from the sky.
“It is the second stance of the Jongnam Sect’s Thirty-Six Swords Under Heaven.”
Yun Gyeong spoke calmly and smirked. Contrary to his relaxed expression, a powerful energy rose like a haze from the sword he used to press down.
“Although the Hebei Paeng Clan’s saber art is domineering, it seems it still cannot surpass our sect’s heavy sword.”
“You bastard!”
In an instant, Paeng Su-hyeok gripped the hilt of his saber with both hands and drew his internal energy to the absolute limit.
Kiiiiik…!
The locked saber and sword slowly rose upward, and finally,
Chaang!
The giant dragon shook off the heavy sword and ascended to heaven.
While Yun Gyeong widened his eyes and took a step back, Paeng Su-hyeok unfolded the Qi-Controlling Divine Wind.
Swipahat!
His figure became unbelievably fast.
“Hup!”
Yun Gyeong gasped and quickly adjusted his stance.
In the meantime, Paeng Su-hyeok, who had closed in, swung his great saber diagonally and shouted:
“Iron-Blood Wall-Breaaaaking!”
Shwaaaang!
The giant dragon that had ascended turned over and plunged down, tearing through the air!
The sound of tearing air sounded like the roar of a giant dragon.
‘Damn it, to think the day would come when I swing a blade while shouting the name of a stance…’
Yet, if he did not at least do that, he could not dare to muster the courage to execute this crazy thing.
At any rate, the giant dragon that had soared into the sky was now poised to tear apart everything before its eyes.
Bewilderment clouded Yun Gyeong’s eyes.
‘Oh no…!’
Pchut!
Shwitaaaang!
Finally, the blade slightly sliced Yun Gyeong’s outer ear and plunged straight into the ground.
Despair clouded the eyes of Paeng Su-hyeok, who had thought he grabbed the chance of victory.
‘Dammit…!’
Immediately after, he saw Yun Gyeong’s sword flying toward his flank.
Sssswish!
Chwaaaak!
Following the chilling sound of tearing flesh, Paeng Su-hyeok’s scream rose sharply.
“Aaaaargh!”
As he collapsed, twisting his body, Paeng Su-hyeok recalled the final words Namgung Cheon had spoken last night.
“In tomorrow’s match, you will lose.”