Chapter 79: Flip Your Thinking (2)
Chapter 78 – Flip Your Thinking (2)
One of the four miracles had come to an end.
The spectators looked at Paeng Su-hyeok, who was collapsed on the cold stage floor, with pity.
“Ah…”
“Paeng Su-hyeok…”
“One of the miracles of Dragon Heaven Academy…”
Of course, the few who had won money from gambling cheered.
“Finally! A proper result has come out!”
“Bwahahaha! Well done, Yun Gyeong!”
Murong Sin raised his hand and declared.
“Yun Gyeong, victory!”
At that, applause burst out among the spectators.
Clap clap clap clap…!
Even those who had bet on Paeng Su-hyeok and lost did not pour out resentment.
Rather, everyone was letting out shouts of consolation.
“Paeng Su-hyeok! You lost, but it was a good fight!”
“I think you can win next time! Well done!”
“It was a thrilling match until the very end! Fly higher in the future! Keep winning, Dragon Heaven Academy!”
Amid the pouring shouts of encouragement, the physicians waiting outside the stage quickly rushed up.
Tadadadat!
The most experienced physician among them quickly checked the wound and took Paeng Su-hyeok’s pulse.
Murong Sin approached and asked.
“How is he?”
At that, the spectators who had been shouting fell silent like a lie.
For they, too, wanted to hear their conversation.
The physician replied in a slightly louder voice, intentionally making sure everyone could hear.
“Fortunately, his life does not seem to be in danger.”
“That is a relief.”
Simultaneously with Murong Sin’s reply, applause poured out once again.
The physician quickly poured disinfecting solution over Paeng Su-hyeok’s wound.
“Ugh…!”
As Paeng Su-hyeok gritted his teeth and endured it, the physician admired him inwardly.
‘The pain must be quite severe, yet he endures it remarkably well.’
The physician quickly located the acupoints and began to apply acupuncture needles.
First, it was a paralyzing needle that dulled the body’s sensations.
Additionally, he applied a paralyzing poison to the wound to block the pain as much as possible.
“I will suture the wound first.”
Having spoken, the physician proceeded to sew up the torn wound on his flank with dazzling hand movements.
Afterward, he took out a medicine container, slathered a mud-like ointment onto the wound, and stood up.
“Emergency treatment is finished for now. For the rest, he must receive intensive treatment at the Virtue-Preserving Pavilion.”
Murong Sin nodded.
When Paeng Su-hyeok awkwardly tried to stand up, the medical students quickly rushed over to support him.
Yun Gyeong quietly watched this scene and shook his head inwardly.
‘Amazing. Even in that state, he moves without even blinking an eye.’
In a way, ruthlessly pushing his own body without even thinking about it seemed ignorant, but at least that sheer spirit of his was something to learn from.
Moreover…
‘That last saber strike…’
Thinking of it once again made the hair on his head stand on end. At the same time, goosebumps shivered down his spine.
It was truly dangerous.
He could not even react.
Because when Paeng Su-hyeok closed the distance in an instant and slashed upward with his blade in the blink of an eye, he thought he was absolutely going to die.
It was the first time in his life that he had felt like he was facing true death right before his eyes.
What was it?
Iron-Blood Wall-Breaking?
If that had fallen on his head…
‘Just thinking about it is horrifying.’
The opponent was the Hebei Paeng Clan.
There was nothing strange about that monstrous great saber falling on his head.
Was it not a saber art forged by rolling and tumbling on the battlefield?
Their saber art was domineering and practical, which was a fact known to all the world.
‘But it is still strange. It is somewhat different from the saber art of the Hebei Paeng Clan that I have heard of and seen until now.’
Of course, he did not have much experience, but he had intensively studied the saber art of the Hebei Paeng Clan for the past three days.
Yet, to think he would use that stance in such a way.
‘They say the Jianghu is a place where one never knows what will happen today…’
Yun Gyeong chuckled and cupped his fists.
“Brother Paeng! I have learned a valuable lesson. I hope you receive good treatment.”
It was not sarcasm.
It was a message delivered with sincerity.
Paeng Su-hyeok also chuckled and cupped his fists.
“I also learned a lesson. However, I will win next time.”
“……!”
Yun Gyeong furrowed his brow slightly, then smiled soon after.
“Very well. Let us clash again anytime.”
“Gladly.”
Yun Gyeong finished his greeting and went down the stairs.
However, even after Yun Gyeong completely disappeared, Paeng Su-hyeok remained frozen, not moving at all.
The medical students standing nearby looked at each other with bewildered expressions and called out to Paeng Su-hyeok.
“Are you not going down?”
“……”
However, Paeng Su-hyeok did not budge, his eyes wide open.
‘Damn it! My body won’t move…! How embarrassing…!’
However, not knowing the internal situation, the medical student urged him again.
“Young Hero Paeng?”
“Urgh… my body… won’t move.”
“Ah…!”
Only then did the medical students grasp the situation, quickly bringing a stretcher to carry Paeng Su-hyeok onto it.
The spectators stood up from their seats and gave a standing ovation.
‘Damn it, to end up being carried out on a stretcher…’
Paeng Su-hyeok covered his face with his arm.
He was about to exit through the eastern gate of the Grand Martial Arena when a familiar voice reached his ears.
“You lost.”
Since he could tell it was Namgung Cheon just by the voice, Paeng Su-hyeok quietly nodded.
Namgung Cheon’s teasing voice could be heard.
“Are you crying?”
“Eek…!”
“This bastard, he’s a crybaby.”
“S-Shut up! My tears are tears of joy!”
“A crybaby either way.”
“Shut up!”
“But is losing joyful? Well, if you hadn’t, you would have been beaten up by me in the next match…”
“You son of a bitch! I told you to shut…! Cough!”
Paeng Su-hyeok abruptly tried to sit up but grimaced as he clutched his flank.
The medical students quickly stopped him.
“What are you doing, pushing yourself like this when you’re a patient? Please stay still!”
“Tch!”
Paeng Su-hyeok clicked his tongue and glanced at Namgung Cheon, who was walking alongside him.
“The reason I am happy… is because I feel like I can defeat that guy next time.”
“I see.”
For some reason, Namgung Cheon did not say anything else this time.
Paeng Su-hyeok interpreted that reaction as Namgung Cheon acknowledging it.
‘After all, this fellow must know that I accepted his advice at the end.’
In the final moment, he had accepted Namgung Cheon’s advice, moving with light feet but heavy arms.
Now that he had tried it, it seemed he could achieve tremendous results if he just trained more.
It felt like he could discard the stigma of the Hebei Paeng Clan’s saber art being domineering yet ignorant.
It was like adding flexibility to a domineering saber art.
‘Even so…’
His body understood it, but his mind did not quite grasp it.
Just how did that happen?
As if reading his thoughts, Namgung Cheon chuckled and added.
“To give you a clue, paradoxically, the faster it is, the heavier it becomes.”
Paeng Su-hyeok, chewing on the words, knit his brows deeply.
“Damn… does that make sense?”
“Open your palm.”
“Like this?”
When Paeng Su-hyeok spread his palm wide, Namgung Cheon slowly brought his fist down, pressed it against the palm, and then lifted it.
“Is it heavy?”
“Not at all. I can withstand it if I just exert force.”
“Then exert force.”
In a flash, Namgung Cheon struck down swiftly with his fist.
Thud!
“Argh!”
“Uh! Patient! No, what are you doing to the patient right now?”
Flabbergasted, the medical student scolded Namgung Cheon.
Paeng Su-hyeok also flared up and shouted.
“You bastard! Do you want to die?”
“How is it?”
“What is? You bastard!”
“It’s heavier than before, right?”
“Well, of course, because it was struck quickly, the weight was momentarily added… Ah!”
Paeng Su-hyeok gasped, falling deep into thought.
Namgung Cheon twisted the corners of his mouth.
“The faster it is, the heavier it becomes. In other words, break the prejudice that you must move your feet slowly to support the weight of your hand. Flip your thinking. Boost your lightfoot technique even more.”
“……!”
Paeng Su-hyeok’s eyes widened.
It felt as if a realization, tantalizingly close yet just out of reach, was drifting back and forth before his eyes.
In this kind of situation, he had to go into closed-door training…!
Perhaps receiving intensive treatment at the Virtue-Preserving Pavilion was actually a blessing in disguise.
It would not be a bad idea to use this opportunity to shut himself in the Virtue-Preserving Pavilion and continuously organize the realization he had just gained.
Namgung Cheon tapped Paeng Su-hyeok on the shoulder.
“Ugh!”
“Oh dear, excuse me!”
When the medical student glared and shouted again, Namgung Cheon smiled and waved his hand.
“Ah, sorry. Just habit.”
“Good grief…”
“Paeng Su-hyeok, reflect well on the sensation of that final strike. Get treated well, then.”
“Namgung Cheon.”
Namgung Cheon, who was about to turn around, glanced back.
“What is it?”
“Make sure to beat that guy in the semifinals. If you lose to him, you’ll be losing to me as well. So you must win. Only then will it be satisfying when I defeat you.”
Namgung Cheon chuckled.
Even on the verge of death, his pride remained.
* * *
“As expected of the Great Jongnam Sect.”
“Congratulations, Elder.”
The people gathered in the VIP section each offered their congratulations to the elder from the Jongnam Sect.
A few approached Paeng Jeok-ho, the leader of the Hebei Paeng Clan, to offer words of consolation.
“It is a pity, Patriarch.”
“Still, it was a truly magnificent duel.”
Paeng Jeok-ho also knew that they were not just offering empty words.
His son, Paeng Su-hyeok, had fought incredibly well.
That last strike was truly a shame. If only that attack had landed…
‘Well, if it had, things would have gotten even bigger.’
If that attack had landed properly, Yun Gyeong’s head would not be attached to its place.
To split the head with one strike and cleave the chest with another was the saber art of the Hebei Paeng Clan.
‘By the way… what was that last strike?’
Even as the patriarch, he had never seen it before.
It was clearly the stance of the Iron-Blood Wall-Breaking, yet the movements were entirely different.
‘Yes, it was awkward starting from the Qi-Controlling Divine Wind.’
However, as a result, those very awkwardnesses made it that much more threatening.
The reason he went out of his way to shout the Iron-Blood Wall-Breaking stance was…
‘It was as if he wanted to show his will to use that stance, even if by force.’
“Hmm…”
Paeng Jeok-ho rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought.
What was it?
Why did his son implement such a strange stance?
‘If that punk has gained some kind of realization…’
Thump!
Could it be that the declining Hebei Paeng Clan could rise again through his son?
Of course, it was still close to a delusion.
However, through this martial arts tournament, he had clearly witnessed his son’s growth with his own two eyes.
And for some unknown reason, it seemed he would grow even more in the future.
‘Hyeok, I do not know the details, but this father will believe in you!’
Paeng Jeok-ho shut his mouth tight and clenched his fists.
Meanwhile, Yun Cheom-san, who was sitting a short distance away, could not fit into this atmosphere at all.
Because the duel that would follow immediately after was his son’s turn.
“It is finally your son’s turn.”
“Pardon? Ah, yes…”
“If he wins this duel, he advances to the semifinals. I wish him luck in battle.”
“Haha… thank you.”
Yun Cheom-san scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile.
‘The semifinals… My son in the semifinals of the Joint Conference?’
Although his heart was full of worry, his chest also swelled with emotion.
‘No, surely… no matter what, that would be difficult.’
Suddenly looking back at reality, he sighed.
No. Why sigh?
Was it not commendable enough just to have come this far?
Meanwhile, there was someone watching this scene and laughing coldly…
“Is Baek Mu-geuk next?”
“Yes.”
At the Alliance Leader’s emotionless voice, the Chief Administrator standing beside him bowed his head and replied.
“It will end quickly.”
Just in time, shouts filled the Grand Martial Arena once again.
Yun Jong-seung and Baek Mu-geuk were ascending the duel stage.