Chapter 67: Chapter 67
Crack!
Struck by the flat of the sword, Namgung Jin-gyeong flew back and rolled on the floor of the training ground.
“W-what!”
“Second Young Master!”
At the clamorous shouts, Namgung Jin-gyeong, who had been rolling on the floor, staggered to his feet.
‘He’s quite sturdy, isn’t he?’
When Cheon-hwi saw him get right back up.
“You bastard……!”
Namgung Jin-gyeong roared furiously.
At his forceful shout, the air vibrated, the training ground shook, and inner qi surged out in streams from his entire body.
The inner qi of the Heavenly Thunder Sovereign Divine Art rose up, and a blue energy began to swirl around his whole body.
“I-It’s Heavenly Thunder Qi!”
“Heavenly Thunder Qi?”
“Had he learned the Heavenly Thunder Sovereign Divine Art!”
The eyes of the retainers who realized the momentum Namgung Jin-gyeong was exuding went wide.
The Heavenly Thunder Sovereign Divine Art was the most difficult mental cultivation method to learn even within the Namgung Clan.
“They said the Second Young Master’s talent wasn’t much different compared to the First Young Master.”
Around the time a few people gasped.
“You’ve got quite a good chin, don’t you?”
Cheon-hwi muttered while resting his sword on his shoulder, regardless of whether they were making a fuss or not.
Even though he had controlled his strength a bit, if it had been Jeok-geom or Seol Ran, it was a strike that would have knocked them out immediately upon being hit.
“My chin is hard…… Pfft!”
Cheon-hwi burst into laughter upon seeing the face of Namgung Jin-gyeong, who raised his head belatedly.
The young man who could have been called a fine youth was gone, and instead, there was a strange person whose right cheek and lips were swollen blue.
“Are you mocking me right now?”
Namgung Jin-gyeong trembled all over.
“Then how could I not laugh seeing such a state?”
Cheon-hwi kindly pointed at his face.
Flustered by that, Namgung Jin-gyeong hurriedly raised his sword and looked at it as a mirror.
“M-my face!”
Veins bulged on his forehead.
Not only were his cheekbones and cheeks swollen, but they had also collapsed.
Grinding his teeth, he raised his sword.
“Grind, I will admit that I underestimated you for a moment.”
Namgung Jin-gyeong raised his sword high.
“But it will be different now!”
Namgung Jin-gyeong explosively released his inner qi.
At that moment, a bluish energy began to dwell on the blade of the sword.
However, that wasn’t the end of it.
The energy that fluttered like a skein of thread soon wrapped around the blade like a silkworm, and before long, an immense energy radiated from the blade.
“T-that is!”
“It’s Sword Qi……!”
The expressions on the faces of the Namgung Clan’s retainers brightened as if flowers were blooming.
The sword qi he unfolded wasn’t faint, but completely clear sword qi.
But the fact that Namgung Jin-gyeong, who had only been a first-rate martial artist until recently, manifested such clear sword qi meant.
“The Second Young Master has reached the peak realm!”
The Namgung Clan’s retainers were excited.
And on the contrary, shadows began to cast over the faces of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen.
“Is that what talent means?”
“To have such clear sword qi at such a young age…….”
A few people even felt despair.
Beads of sweat formed on Hyeon-jin’s forehead as he saw the vividly blooming sword qi.
He had heard rumors about the Azure Sky Sword Dragon until his ears hurt.
The most outstanding martial talent among the Five Dragons and Four Phoenixes.
One of the two suns of the Namgung Clan, and so on.
With all kinds of flowery words attached to him, he had thought he was an extraordinary genius, but.
To reach the peak realm at that age!
Hyeon-jin bit his upper lip tightly, abruptly turned his head, and put his hand on his waist.
“If the Azure Sky Sword Dragon cuts Cheon-hwi…….”
At Hyeon-jin’s words, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, who were nervously watching, flinched and swallowed their saliva.
“We move without worrying about the aftermath.”
At that moment.
Thump!
Namgung Jin-gyeong stomped his foot.
Showing movements more active than before, he narrowed the distance with Cheon-hwi.
At the same time, the sword was swung from all directions.
“Take this!”
Just how much strong power was put into it, Cheon-hwi’s hair and uniform fluttered back, unable to withstand the wind pressure.
“It’s refreshing.”
Cheon-hwi lightly stamped his foot while watching the new sword art.
Whoosh…
Cheon-hwi’s figure, which disappeared in an instant, caught Namgung Jin-gyeong’s back.
“……!”
Namgung Jin-gyeong’s pupils shook as he lost Cheon-hwi’s movements for a moment.
Cheon-hwi’s movements right now were mysterious.
If he thought he was on the left, he was suddenly on the right, and if he thought he was approaching, he was suddenly far away in an instant.
‘He learned a superior footwork!’
The footwork Cheon-hwi just showed was the Seven Stars Footwork that anyone could learn upon joining the Mount Hua Sect.
Cheon-hwi smacked his lips while looking at Namgung Jin-gyeong, who was busy following him with his eyes.
“It’s much better than that Lightning Thirteen or whatever from before.”
Namgung Jin-gyeong gritted his teeth.
“You seem relaxed.”
“I am relaxed.”
Cheon-hwi spoke nonchalantly.
“But what is the name of that martial art?”
“……It’s the Azure Sky Boundless Sword Art!”
“Ah! So that was the Azure Sky Boundless Sword Art.”
No wonder it looked familiar.
The Azure Sky Boundless Sword Art was a sword art the Namgung Clan prided itself on, and he had seen it unfold several times in his past life.
‘But it’s a little different, you see.’
His heart fluttered.
If the Azure Sky Boundless Sword Art in the past felt lofty and overflowing with power, what was unfolding now was heavy and fierce.
‘I should watch closely how it changed.’
Cheon-hwi wagged his sword and said.
“Then unfold it properly this time. Not clumsily like before.”
Snap!
At the provocation that wasn’t quite a provocation, the string of Namgung Jin-gyeong’s reason snapped.
Namgung Jin-gyeong, with his eyes rolling back, raised his sword while drawing up all his inner qi.
The sword raised high embraced the clear sky and harbored a fierce blue lightning qi.
“That lightning qi is…….”
“……Azure Sky Flying Thunder!”
A few elders of the Namgung Clan who recognized the sword move Namgung Jin-gyeong would unfold stood up.
As one of the techniques of the Azure Sky Boundless Sword Art, it was the ultimate move that destroyed everything.
It was an almost impossible feat to unfold it at Namgung Jin-gyeong’s age, yet.
“Was the Second Young Master’s talent to this extent!”
“This can’t be…….”
Hyeon-jin and the Plum Blossom Swordsmen who saw their reactions felt an unusual sign.
“We intervene!”
Following Hyeon-jin’s command, the Plum Blossom Swordsmen jumped into the training ground with their swords raised.
“Hwi!”
“Cheon-hwi!”
However, before that, Namgung Jin-gyeong’s sword was drawn and a fierce lightning struck down.
Rumble!
Lightning qi flashed in Namgung Jin-gyeong’s eyes.
“I will finish you!”
Looking down at Cheon-hwi with a triumphant face, he smiled victoriously.
‘I will knock you out so you won’t die!’
When the image of Cheon-hwi collapsing while vomiting blood was vividly drawn in his eyes.
“Smack. I won’t even be able to tell with this.”
He stiffened at the voice that was different from his thoughts.
Cheon-hwi, who should have been intimidated by the Azure Sky Flying Thunder, was looking at him with a disappointed face.
“To think your skills would be lacking like this.”
Cheon-hwi found it hard to hide his disappointment.
Wasn’t this too weak even if it was weak?
It was embarrassing to compare it to the Azure Sky Boundless Sword Art he had seen in his past life.
‘As expected, is it impossible to properly observe martial arts with the skills of a rising star?’
He raised his sword as if stirring it directly.
At that moment, his sword bent and confronted the lightning striking down from the sky.
Crack!
Then, the lightning cast over the blue sky was cut in half and disappeared.
“N-nonsense! The Azure Sky Flying Thunder is!”
“Let’s end it now.”
Cheon-hwi rushed at Namgung Jin-gyeong.
Smack!
With the sound of leather bursting, Namgung Jin-gyeong’s body floated up and flew away.
“Second Young Master!”
A middle-aged man sitting nearby caught Namgung Jin-gyeong, who flew out of the training ground without even being able to scream.
“Gasp! S-Second Young Master! Are you alright!”
Around the time the middle-aged man fell into confusion looking at Namgung Jin-gyeong whose eyes were rolled back.
“H-hurry, to the physician!”
Cheon-hwi, who was watching the crowd flocking to Namgung Jin-gyeong, tilted his head while looking at Hyeon-jin, who had come up to the training ground at some point.
“Why did you come up here?”
“T-to protect you…….”
The flustered Hyeon-jin stuttered.
“Yes? Me?”
Cheon-hwi furrowed his brows.
What? To protect me?
“You did something useless.”
Hyeon-jin shut his mouth like a mute who had eaten honey.
“Ah, more than that.”
Cheon-hwi abruptly turned his head.
And then, looking intently at Namgung In sitting in the seat, he twisted his lips.
“Is this enough?”
Namgung In glared in silence.
Cheon-hwi looked down at it with his eyes lowered, as if asking what he was going to do.
What are you going to do about it?
Ridicule dwelled in his two eyes.
There were already words he had spat out.
Telling him to take responsibility.
And he had shown his strength through the spar and had taken enough responsibility.
‘But you’re going to go back on it there?’
He himself explained the weight of words with his own mouth, but he won’t acknowledge it?
It was an act of spitting on one’s own face.
Especially if the patriarch of the Namgung Clan did that, it would be hard to hold his head up.
‘You have to bear the weight of the words you said.’
Cheon-hwi twisted the corners of his mouth even more, recalling the words he had said to him.
“If it’s not enough, shall I do more?”
* * *
Arriving at the annex, the group let out a sigh, drooping their shoulders as if the tension had melted away, without anyone prompting them to.
“Phew. I thought my heart was going to drop.”
“As you said, Senior Brother. My heart is still pounding.”
The Plum Blossom Swordsmen looked at each other and swept their surprised chests once.
“But it’s a surprising thing. To think Cheon-hwi possessed this level of martial might.”
At someone’s low words, the eyes of the Plum Blossom Swordsmen sharpened like wildcats and turned to Cheon-hwi who was coming from behind.
“Junior Brother!”
“When did you learn such martial arts?”
“If you had such martial might, you should have told us.”
Words poured out like rapid fire.
As Cheon-hwi narrowed his glabella while letting the words, which were shot out to the point where his ears stung, slide.
“Everyone, restrain yourselves.”
Hyeon-jin immediately spoke sternly.
“Isn’t Cheon-hwi disgusted?”
Only then did the Plum Blossom Swordsmen, who saw Cheon-hwi’s expression, scratch the backs of their heads awkwardly.
“Hahaha. But it is surprising.”
Hyeon-jin, who calmed their excitement with words, smiled broadly looking at Cheon-hwi.
“I heard you were receiving teachings directly from Senior Brother Hyeon-do, but I didn’t know your skills would be to this extent at all.”
It was incorrect information, but Cheon-hwi, who found it bothersome to correct, stayed still.
And that action caused a misunderstanding.
‘To think they were secretly raising Cheon-hwi for the future of our sect.’
Even before, respect that wasn’t there was springing up as Hyeon-do defeated the Lord of White Ghost Castle and gained the nickname Mount Hua Divine Sword.
But since he raised Cheon-hwi to be such an expert, that respect continued to grow endlessly to the point where it couldn’t be described in words.
‘To think Senior Brother, who was hot-tempered and only knew martial arts, would change…….’
Hyeon-jin, who vividly remembered Hyeon-do’s past appearance, felt deeply moved.
“Hahaha. It’s a great blessing for our sect!”
“As you said!”
“It’s all thanks to the great care of the Heavenly Lord who looks over our sect.”
The Plum Blossom Swordsmen, who shared the same thoughts as Hyeon-jin, agreed and nodded their heads.
A moment while they were making a fuss in excitement.
“More than that, let’s unpack our luggage first.”
Hyeon-jin, who had been laughing for a long time, completely erased the smile that hovered around his mouth with his words.
“It seems we will have to stay at the Namgung Clan longer than I thought.”
“Yes?”
“For how long?”
“They said it takes at least four days to examine the corpse.”
“Four days?”
“And that’s a minimum…….”
Deep sighs flowed out from all directions.
No matter how much they were guests, wasn’t this enemy territory, the Namgung Clan.
Furthermore, an uncomfortable incident of a spar between Cheon-hwi and the Azure Sky Sword Dragon had even occurred.
There was no way the Namgung Clan would look at their visit with fond eyes.
“Sigh.”
“It can’t be helped.”
But what could they do.
It was already a decided matter.
When the Plum Blossom Swordsmen moved their drooping bodies to start packing their luggage.
Swish…
There was a person quietly slipping out.
It was precisely Cheon-hwi.
‘If not now, when would I look around the Namgung Clan?’
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