Chapter 82: A Real Anomaly (1)
Chapter 81 – A Real Anomaly (1)
Baek Mu-geuk looked at Namgung Cheon with a heavily sunken gaze.
Namgung Cheon smirked and walked over.
“Why? Are you in a bad mood?”
“…….”
Baek Mu-geuk did not react.
Namgung Cheon stepped right in front of him and slightly furrowed his brow.
“What’s wrong? Laugh like you did earlier. Giggle like a madman.”
“Do you have business with me?”
Baek Mu-geuk asked with an emotionless gaze, as if asking when he had ever laughed.
To any bystander, it truly looked as if Namgung Cheon was picking a fight with a random passerby for no reason.
Namgung Cheon replied without even blinking an eye.
“Business? Of course I do. Because you ruined my sucker.”
“……?”
“Yun Jong-seung owes me quite a bit of money. Let’s see, it was a hundred liang for every quarter-hour… so three hundred liang is the base. Add another two thousand liang since he lost, and that makes two thousand three hundred liang of silver.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Baek Mu-geuk replied bluntly and was about to turn away when Namgung Cheon grabbed his shoulder.
Baek Mu-geuk flinched for a moment and slowly looked back, prompting Namgung Cheon to curl the corners of his mouth upward.
“Your attitude is all wrong. If you don’t know, you should ask until you understand. Where do you think you’re going? Hey, did you think everything would be fine if you just ran away after making someone else’s sucker look like that? Definitely not. Do you have no sense of responsibility at all?”
“Responsibility?”
“Yeah. I’m saying the two thousand three hundred liang I was supposed to receive is about to go down the drain because of you.”
“…….”
“Well, simply put, if that guy dies, my money vanishes too. So, as the cause of this, you should pay about half of it as a deposit.”
“The cause… a deposit…”
“Right. In other words, if you give me one thousand three hundred liang, everything will be clean.”
Baek Mu-geuk found it hard to understand a single word, but he could at least tell that Namgung Cheon was putting forward an utterly absurd logic.
Therefore, he did not even think about conversing any further and walked away.
Namgung Cheon stared at his retreating back and said,
“I’m warning you in advance. If you don’t pay up, you’ll get beaten by me to the tune of four thousand six hundred liang—twice the value of my sucker.”
Once Baek Mu-geuk completely vanished around the corner, Namgung Cheon also turned around.
In truth, there was only one reason he had picked a fight on purpose like this.
‘His internal energy is simpler than I thought…’
It was to check Baek Mu-geuk’s energy.
Since he had watched from afar, it was not entirely accurate, but Baek Mu-geuk had circulated two types of internal energy today.
When he first deployed orthodox techniques, Baek Mu-geuk’s internal energy utilized the energy of the metal phase.
However, when he fiercely pressured Yun Jong-seung and unleashed highly mercurial techniques, he had utilized the energy of the fire phase.
Generally, the closer one got to the realm of a master, the more possible it was to circulate the energies of the five elements in a balanced mixture, but…
‘That fellow is not at that level yet…’
First of all, the fact that he could grasp the energies of the five elements with his Color Eyes meant that Baek Mu-geuk had not entered the realm of a peak master.
‘If he were a master of that caliber, I wouldn’t have been able to perceive it with the Color Eyes.’
Yet he used two different energies in combination?
And so skillfully at that?
At this rate, did it not seem as if two people were performing different martial arts rather than just one person?
Wondering if he had misseen from a distance, he had deliberately started a conversation and even grabbed his shoulder to check.
Yet, there was nothing unusual.
‘I will find out once we clash. As I warned him, I will collect exactly twice as much as what Yun Jong-seung suffered.’
Namgung Cheon’s eyes deepened.
* * *
By the time the chaotic atmosphere of the Grand Martial Arena was gradually settled, Namgung Cheon returned to the spectator seats.
Several cadets saw Namgung Cheon and approached him.
“Excuse me… how is Yun Jong-seung doing?”
“Why are you asking me that?”
“Ah… well, because you’re usually close with Yun Jong-seung. Didn’t you just go to see him now too?”
“No, I didn’t.”
When Namgung Cheon slightly furrowed his brow, the cadets shrank their necks like turtles for no reason and retreated while muttering excuses.
Namgung Cheon clicked his tongue lightly and shifted his gaze to the sparring stage.
‘Those who usually couldn’t care less always pretend to be considerate only at times like this…’
Was it just a lack of interest?
Among those who had gathered, there were also people who usually looked down on Yun Jong-seung as if he were a bug.
“Anyway, that guy did as much as he could. It’s a shame about the result. Well, at this rate, should I only charge him half the rental fee?”
Really, my heart was too soft for my own good.
While he was sorting out his thoughts, the damaged sparring stage was mostly cleaned up, and the physicians who had gone to the Medicine Heaven Hall also returned to take their seats.
Thus, Jin So-hong and Yu Hyeon, who would grace the final duel of the day, were finally making their appearance.
“Oh! It’s starting!”
“Jin So-hong! Dragon Heaven Academy is not dead yet! Jin So-hong, do your best!”
“Even so, he is Yu Hyeon of the Mount Hua Sect! There is no way Yu Hyeon, the number one of the Valiant Martial Academy, would lose to a Dragon Heaven Academy cadet!”
This time, there were quite a few people cheering for Yu Hyeon as well, matching the voices supporting Jin So-hong.
It was also proof of Yu Hyeon’s usual virtue.
Namgung Cheon looked at Jin So-hong once and then shifted his gaze back to the Gold King.
The Gold King was watching Jin So-hong with a proud yet somewhat tense expression.
‘Shall I watch from up close this time?’
As Namgung Cheon walked down the stairs, someone brushed past him and bumped into his shoulder.
“…….”
Namgung Cheon paused.
‘This sensation…?’
Ordinarily, he wouldn’t have cared about a bumped shoulder. Since there were many people in the spectator stands, it was a perfectly plausible situation.
However, the subtle sensation he felt when their shoulders bumped held Namgung Cheon’s steps. To be precise, it was a sensation he had felt many times in his past life.
Specifically, the faint energy harbored by the countless people who used to approach silently to kill him.
‘Someone skilled in stealth! A contractor? An assassin?’
This was not something that could be figured out with the First Sight Skill-Breaking Eyes.
It was a transcendent sense that was hard to explain in words. A sixth sense that went beyond the five senses, developed over decades of survival instinct!
That sense was telling him that the man who had just brushed past his shoulder was someone highly skilled in stealth.
Why? Why was such a person in a place like this?
Namgung Cheon spun around and searched for the man who had just passed by.
However, in that brief moment, the opponent had vanished somewhere and was nowhere to be seen.
Only the spectators shouting enthusiastically, vendors carrying sweets around to sell, and commoners placing bets were in sight.
‘Is he not targeting me?’
Indeed, thinking about it, there was no reason to target him.
Or had a reason to target him arisen now that the illegitimate child of the Great Killing Star had become a candidate to win?
Even so, to eliminate him at a time like this, when the tournament was in full swing?
Namgung Cheon’s gaze naturally turned toward the Alliance Leader in the VIP seats.
The Alliance Leader was looking down at the sparring stage with an unreadable expression.
The chief administrator whispered something to the Alliance Leader, and the Alliance Leader nodded.
‘Alliance Leader. Surely it isn’t you?’
It probably was not.
If they wanted to eliminate him, they would choose a separate, quiet time.
Then who?
Wait, what if what they are targeting is not me…?
Namgung Cheon narrowed his eyes and slowly looked around.
The cheering spectators, the Dragon Heaven Academy cadets rooting enthusiastically, Bi Ryang watching silently, the Gold King’s gaze mixed with expectation and concern, and Jin So-hong and Yu Hyeon who had just stepped onto the sparring stage.
Namgung Cheon’s pupils dilated slightly.
“Could it be…”
However, he was already moving his feet.
“In any case, it won’t hurt to check.”
* * *
“Young Lady, please take care of me.”
As Yu Hyeon cupped his fists and spoke politely, Jin So-hong smiled and returned the gesture.
“Please teach me a lesson.”
Having finished the simple greeting, Jin So-hong backed away and glanced at the spectator seats.
The Gold King, who sat side-by-side with Namgung Geom, showed a gentle smile and nodded to her.
Deep down, he was probably very worried. What if his daughter got hurt?
He was a father who had lived his entire life as a doting father to his daughter, so how could he not be?
Even so, she was only grateful that he showed such a reassuring smile.
Jin So-hong smiled back and slowly took her starting stance.
Finally, Murong Sin, the examiner, raised his hand and announced the start of the duel.
“Waaah!”
The crowd sent up enthusiastic cheers toward the final duel of the day.
Jin So-hong slowly shifted her steps to the side.
Whirrr, whirrr, whirrr…!
Her weapon was the meteor hammer.
‘Concentrate the flow of internal energy in the wrists and relax the shoulders.’
Mulling over the advice Namgung Cheon had given her, Jin So-hong shifted her steps to the left.
Yu Hyeon also moved his steps slowly while looking for an opportunity.
Since narrowing the distance was relatively advantageous compared to dealing with a meteor hammer, Yu Hyeon continuously approached the center of the sparring stage.
Then, at some point!
Screeech!
The flying dagger in Jin So-hong’s hand flew forward at high speed, pulling the Silver Silkworm Silk behind it.
Clang!
After parrying the flying dagger with a clean sword-drawing technique, Yu Hyeon rushed straight toward Jin So-hong’s chest.
Pat-pat-pat!
“Whoa!”
“So fast!”
Just like the spectators’ exclamations, Yu Hyeon was as fast as the wind.
However, Jin So-hong did not just take it passively.
Zing!
The flying dagger that had flown through the air spun and changed direction even before the string became taut.
“The greatest advantage of the meteor hammer is that you can use the Silver Silkworm Silk. Depending on how you use it, you can wield the Silver Silkworm Silk directly like a weapon or utilize it indirectly like a tool. Focus on practicing infusing your internal energy into the Silver Silkworm Silk. Wielding a sword with the mind is a distant realm, but using the Silver Silkworm Silk will allow you to imitate it.”
This was the advice Namgung Cheon had given her.
After that, Namgung Cheon had personally demonstrated which acupoint to explode the internal energy from and which finger to focus on using.
‘Namgung Cheon, just how do you know all martial arts so well?’
In any case, thanks to that, Jin So-hong had made rapid progress over the past few days.
Therefore, she could maintain her composure internally even as Yu Hyeon dug in fiercely.
Rather, the one who was flustered was Yu Hyeon.
“Hup!”
Whoosh!
Realizing that a flying dagger was coming from behind, Yu Hyeon quickly flipped his body and swung his sword.
Clack-clang!
A heavy impact was transmitted to his wrist and shoulder.
However, Jin So-hong’s counterattack did not end here.
Swoosh!
‘This time, from the front!’
Surprisingly, Jin So-hong threw a spike this time.
As the sharp and long piece of metal flew in menacingly, Yu Hyeon also tensed up and put his sword forward.
Clash!
In an instant, sparks flew as the spike was deflected right before his eyes.
‘Lady Jin! Her understanding of the meteor hammer is far deeper than I thought!’
However, Yu Hyeon had no way of knowing that all of this was Namgung Cheon’s arrangement.
In fact, even Jin So-hong was feeling amazed right now.
‘So this is what it meant. To not put weight on the flying dagger or the spike, but to put weight on the Silver Silkworm Silk…!’
It felt as if Namgung Cheon’s advice was reaching her ears once again.
“Do not pour all your internal energy into the flying dagger or the spike. Keep the center of gravity free for both of them instead of favoring one, and use the Silver Silkworm Silk. Leave a portion of your internal energy in your palm to protect it so that your hand doesn’t get cut by the Silver Silkworm Silk.”
It hadn’t really sunk in when she practiced.
However, now that she applied it in real combat, she clearly understood Namgung Cheon’s advice.
As confidence surged, the meteor hammer seemed to move on its own as if it were alive.
To think that a duel could be this enjoyable!
The flying dagger and the spike harassed Yu Hyeon alternately, and every time, sparks erupted as Yu Hyeon repeatedly swung his sword.
“It’s neck and neck!”
“Amazing! To think I’d see such a sight in a duel between cadets!”
“Today is a feast for the eyes!”
The satisfaction of the spectators also rose significantly.
That was how high the level of the duel between the two was.
But it was then.
Swoooosh!
From somewhere in the spectator seats, black daggers were flying toward the sparring stage.
“Who is it!”
The moment the examiner Murong Sin threw himself and swung his sword, three daggers were deflected away.
Clack-clang!
However, four daggers still embedded themselves directly into the north, south, east, and west of the sparring stage.
Thud, thud, thud!
Yet, as soon as the daggers struck, did acrid smoke not rise along with the sound of something exploding?
Psssssh!
In an instant, the spectators’ faces turned pale. At the same time, someone screamed,
“Po-Poison mist!”
“Aaaagh!”
Just like that, the Grand Martial Arena fell into utter chaos in an instant.