Chapter 98: Who Says It's a Disqualification (3)
Chapter 97 – Who Says It’s a Disqualification (3)
Even Murong Sin, who was always like an ice sculpture, could not hide his embarrassment this time. He stood frozen for a long while before barely opening his mouth.
“Are… are you alright?”
The reason this question came out first among the countless questions that arose was that Namgung Cheon’s condition did not look very good.
It was obvious to anyone that he had run without rest while carrying Jin So-hong on his shoulders.
Furthermore, judging by the dirty dust covering his entire body, it was proof that the journey back to the Alliance had not been easy.
Namgung Cheon set Jin So-hong down beside him and stretched his body, moving it this way and that.
“Since you won’t cut me any slack anyway, let’s just do it.”
“How did you get out of there…?”
“I was lucky. I just ran blindly inward along the passage and managed to escape safely.”
“And Jin So-hong…?”
“Ah, she’s just a bit tired, but she’s perfectly fine. There is no need to worry.”
As the conversation reached this point, the crowd let out a cheer once again.
“Woooo! Namgung Cheon saved Jin So-hong!”
“In the end, only the enemies were annihilated, and all the cadets are safe!”
“As expected of the Divine Dragon!”
“Still, don’t be too happy. Didn’t they say the casualties of the Blue Wave Corps were no joke?”
“Ah… right.”
Murong Sin’s mood sank even further at the murmuring of the crowd.
Namgung Cheon, whom everyone thought was dead, had literally resurrected as a Divine Dragon, while only the Blue Wave Corps, who boasted of being invincible, ended up suffering casualties.
Moreover, since Namgung Cheon was the one who rescued the hostage, it had ultimately helped birth the legend of the Divine Dragon.
Even so, there was no pretext to stop the spar here.
No, rather, since things had turned out this way, the spar had to proceed to throw cold water on this ridiculous myth.
So that it could boil no further.
To all appearances, Namgung Cheon had pushed himself considerably to arrive at the Grand Martial Arena on time.
Seeing how his breathing was still ragged, his energy had to be significantly depleted.
‘Yes, if we proceed with the spar without giving him a chance to rest, Yun Gyeong might be able to extinguish this flame. Otherwise, creating a path for him to choose to forfeit would also be an option.’
Having finished his thoughts, Murong Sin glanced back at the VIP seats, and the Alliance Leader nodded with a displeased expression.
It meant to proceed for now.
Murong Sin looked at Namgung Cheon and asked.
“You look extremely exhausted right now. Since you went through a major ordeal, it seems too much for you to hold a spar immediately. Why don’t you rest?”
“Are you saying you’ll postpone the spar?”
“No, that’s not it. I’m asking if you would like to forfeit.”
Then, Jin So-hong suddenly chimed in.
“Yes, I will forfeit.”
“A wise decision. What about you?”
Murong Sin nodded and looked at Namgung Cheon.
The corners of Namgung Cheon’s mouth twisted strangely.
“I believe I told you I’ll just do it.”
“If you push yourself too hard…”
“I will make that decision myself.”
Although it sounded rude at first glance, the crowd was currently completely intoxicated by the miracle Namgung Cheon had achieved.
His rude tone sounded like nothing but confidence to their ears.
Murong Sin grit his teeth and nodded.
“Understood. Then we shall proceed with the spar.”
“Uwoooooh!”
“Win, Divine Dragon! We believe in you!”
“Show us a miracle that never ends!”
“Today is your day!”
The cheers rose to the point of shaking the spectator stands.
When the martial artists assisting with the event supported and led Jin So-hong down at Murong Sin’s command, the spar officially began shortly after.
“Begin!”
“Wwooooah!”
Hearing the deafening cheers, Yun Gyeong smiled faintly.
“I am glad you returned safely. I was secretly grieved, thinking that Young Master Namgung would not be able to return.”
“I doubt you were worried.”
“Haha. Well, since we barely know each other, it’s not like I actually worried. However, I also felt that advancing to the finals by default wouldn’t be very honorable.”
“Indeed. Doing your best and getting eliminated is far more honorable than advancing to the finals by default.”
At Namgung Cheon’s words, Yun Gyeong widened his eyes before bursting into loud laughter.
“Hahaha! As expected, Young Master Namgung is an interesting person.”
“You flatter me.”
“Then I shall do my best, just as Young Master Namgung said. Although you seem a bit tired, hearing what you said makes me feel it’s only right for me to give it my all.”
“Of course. And even if I’m a bit tired… wouldn’t I have said I’d do it because it’s manageable?”
Namgung Cheon smirked.
No matter how easygoing Yun Gyeong was, at this point, he felt ignored, and it was true that he was not very pleased.
His expression soon froze icily, and he spat out in a heavy voice.
“Fine. Then let us do our best together.”
“Well, I don’t think I need to do my absolute best, but let’s make an effort in our own way.”
“Hehe. Now that I see it, you are not an interesting person, Young Master Namgung, but a ridiculous one.”
Whoosh…!
At that moment, a warm breeze blew out from Yun Gyeong’s entire body. Fighting spirit could be clearly felt in his altered aura. That energy was so dense that it could almost be mistaken for killing intent.
Namgung Cheon narrowed his eyes.
‘Still, he distinguishes the boundaries quite clearly.’
Generally, when fighting spirit reaches its peak, it often turns into killing intent.
Walking that thin line precariously was an extremely difficult task.
Yet Yun Gyeong was walking exactly along that boundary.
They said he was a young expert who carried the expectations of the Jongnam Sect, and indeed, he lived up to that reputation.
Rustle…!
Yun Gyeong’s figure shifted to the side as if blurring.
Unlike their primary use of heavy swords, one of the characteristics of the Jongnam Sect’s martial arts was that their footwork and movement techniques placed weight on stealth.
Of course, Namgung Cheon knew this fact very well.
‘Because I’ve been sick and tired of your elders quite a few times.’
It was so annoying because if one let their guard down even for a moment, they would approach from the side before one knew it and swing a greatsword like an axe.
Inhale, exhale.
Namgung Cheon took a deep breath and glanced at the spectator stands.
Namgung Geom was watching with his usual calm, steady gaze.
‘That old man doesn’t even bat an eye even when his maternal grandson returns alive.’
While he felt slightly disappointed, the thought also crossed his mind that perhaps the old man had believed in his return.
In any case, the important thing was that he had to show an overwhelming difference in skill in this spar as well.
Tch!
‘Come!’
The moment Namgung Cheon put strength into the Emerald Silk Sword and held it forward, as if taking it as a signal, Yun Gyeong kicked off the ground and shot forward.
Ta-tat!
“Haaah!”
With a thunderous shout, Yun Gyeong flew in as if riding the wind.
Because his movement was extremely smooth yet contained a powerful intimidation, the onlookers unconsciously clenched their fists and swallowed hard.
Clang!
As Yun Gyeong’s sword clashed with the Emerald Silk Sword, a grating friction sound that seemed to tear the eardrums echoed out. At the same time, the burst of qi wave blew in all directions, causing the hem of Yun Gyeong’s robe to flutter violently.
“W-What an incredible clash!”
“S-Stupendous!”
The watching spectators gaped in astonishment.
However, the one who was more surprised than anyone else was Yun Gyeong.
Surprisingly, even as Namgung Cheon raised his sword to block, he did not get pushed back even a single step!
‘How…?’
Because he looked extremely exhausted, Yun Gyeong had thought he could easily win with a few fierce strikes.
Yet he did not retreat a single step even after taking the blow from his heavy sword.
‘Could it be that he pretended to be exhausted on purpose?’
There was no way.
In truth, he could feel that Namgung Cheon’s breathing and aura were quite disorganized.
Even so…
‘An expert so strong that I cannot even sense his depth…?’
No way!
This time, an even stronger denial arose.
While Yun Gyeong fell into confusion, Namgung Cheon grinned.
“The second stance of the Thirty-Six Swords Under Heaven. Using a sword technique you already showed in public again is too predictable.”
“…!”
Swoosh!
The moment Namgung Cheon swung his sword, Yun Gyeong bounced back.
Tap, tap, tap!
Quickly stepping through footwork to prevent himself from being pushed back, Yun Gyeong hastily prepared for a counterattack.
However…
‘Hmm?’
He was not coming.
Namgung Cheon had only swung his sword once and just stood there, wearing a faint smile.
‘Is he exhausted? Or…’
His mood soured at the thought that followed.
‘Does he think he can defeat me without even trying that hard?’
How ridiculous!
Yun Gyeong knitted his brows tightly before letting out a chuckle.
He cracked his neck once and spoke with a smile.
“My apologies. I said I would do my best, yet it seems I underestimated Young Master Namgung too much.”
“I am glad you realized it now.”
“Very well, I will face you properly from now on. Do not regret it.”
“Anytime.”
In an instant, Yun Gyeong’s expression darkened.
Fine, if you want it that way, I will show you what the sword of Jongnam is like.
In the first place, Yun Gyeong did not like the Namgung Clan.
A family associated with the Great Killing Star?
He did not care about such things.
He simply disliked their cocky boasting of being the sovereign of swords.
How dare they talk about being a family of sovereigns while wielding the sword, which was just the king of all weapons.
The Jongnam Sect had trained in heavy swords since ancient times. Even so, they spent their entire lives training because they could not easily master the ultimate state of the sword.
Yet the Namgung Clan pursued both the heavy sword and the swift sword simultaneously. And they talked about sovereigns as if they had mastered the ultimate state.
“I will show you what a true heavy sword is. I will also teach you how foolish it is to pursue both the heavy sword and the swift sword at the same time.”
Namgung Cheon merely nodded in silence.
Cocky bastard.
Let’s see how long you can maintain that arrogant attitude.
Gwooooh…!
A blue energy began to shimmer like a haze all over Yun Gyeong’s body.
Namgung Cheon clearly saw the blackish energy spreading from his dantian.
The energy of the metal phase.
The black inner energy spread like wildfire throughout his entire body.
Namgung Cheon narrowed his eyes.
‘Oh, the Taiyi Wuji Skill…?’
He certainly has a reason to be confident.
The Taiyi Wuji Skill was the most recently created proprietary internal cultivation method in the Jongnam Sect.
It was an internal energy cultivation method developed to accommodate the Wuji Sword, which was an aggressively offensive style among their sword techniques.
It was an improved version of the Jongnam Sect’s Taiyi Divine Art to better suit the Wuji Sword, but it was said to be so extremely difficult to learn that even the disciples of the Jongnam Sect avoided it.
‘And yet he mastered it?’
To others, Yun Gyeong might look as though he had simply become sturdier, but to Namgung Cheon, Yun Gyeong’s entire body was dyed in black light, making him look almost like an iron man.
“Here I come! Namgung Cheoooon!”
In an instant, Yun Gyeong kicked off the ground and flew like a cannonball.
The first stance of the Wuji Sword, Wuji Supreme Severance!
Yun Gyeong lunged at Namgung Cheon with a momentum that seemed capable of splitting the world apart.
A faint smile hung on the lips of the Alliance Leader who watched this.
‘Impressive. Perhaps things will become simpler than expected.’
Not only that, but the elder from the Jongnam Sect who was spectating also trembled slightly with thrill.
‘I wondered how good he would be since the Sect Leader treasures him… Indeed, that child is the treasure of Jongnam!’
His strength was felt from his movements alone. No, it was felt even when he was just standing still.
And yet, to have mastered the Taiyi Wuji Skill to such a degree at that young age!
‘He is a candidate for the championship!’
Receiving the strong trust of the Jongnam Sect’s elder, Yun Gyeong descended upon Namgung Cheon.
Claaaang!
A metallic sound rang out like an explosion.
Immediately after, Yun Gyeong used the centrifugal force to spin, unleashing the third stance of the Wuji Sword, Moon-Shattering Sword Wave, in a continuous chain.
Boom!
Another explosive sound erupted, and Namgung Cheon was sent flying back.
Yun Gyeong immediately chased after Namgung Cheon.
‘Even if he blocks it, he will be pushed back!’
Pitter-patter!
“Haaah!”
Swoosh!
This time, it was the fourth stance of the Wuji Sword, Thorough Rock Breaker!
Clang!
The strike was so powerful that even though Namgung Cheon blocked it with his sword, the dirt and dust covering his entire body billowed up, scattering like a thick fog.
‘There’s still more!’
Ta-tat!
The fifth stance, Falling Water Breaking Rock, unfolded in a continuous chain once more!
Yun Gyeong, who had floated slightly into the air, swiftly struck downward diagonally toward Namgung Cheon.
Clang! Clang! Clang-clang!
It was not just once; he pushed the retreating Namgung Cheon back, stabbing and stabbing again.
The impact cracked the floor of the sparring stage, causing the dust to rise even more intensely.
And at the final moment,
Slash!
Finally, the sound of cutting through something!
The venue fell into silence, and everyone widened their eyes as they stared at the place where the dust had risen thickly.
Gulp…!
Those who swallowed their dry saliva murmured.
“W-What happened?”
“The dust spread like fog, so I can’t see.”
Meanwhile, the Alliance Leader, who was watching from the VIP seats, found it difficult to suppress the smile that kept creeping onto his lips.
At the final moment, there was definitely no metallic sound.
It had to be that Yun Gyeong’s heavy attack had succeeded.
The Jongnam Sect’s elder also clenched his fist tightly.
‘Yun Gyeong! You did it!’
With this, the Jongnam Sect would advance to the finals of the Joint Conference!
And when the dust fog finally cleared gradually,
“I can see!”
“Whoaaaa!”
The people let out cries of admiration.
Then, the Alliance Leader and the Jongnam Sect’s elder gasped in shock, their expressions contrasting with those of the cheering crowd.
“How…!”
Yun Gyeong’s outstretched sword had torn the hem of Namgung Cheon’s robe. Yet Namgung Cheon was perfectly fine.
Instead, Namgung Cheon was grinning while tightly clutching Yun Gyeong’s wrist.
“My turn now?”