Chapter 160: Chapter 160
Despite Jang Geon’s provocation, the Je Clan martial artists maintained silence without a word for a moment. Their eyes looked back and forth between Jang Geon and Je Yu-un fallen behind him.
Had Jang Geon drawn his blade and struck Je Yu-un dead in an instant, fury might have surged instead. But on the currently fainted Je Yu-un, there was at least no visible external injury, and Jang Geon holding his stance appeared far too tranquil.
And only then did the rumors currently shaking New Sichuan cross their minds—titles like Azure Dragon Blade, Demon-Slaying Hero, and the like. Added to that were his tales stretching from New Sichuan to Gamsan Castle in the north, and Salt Lake City and Plateau City to the east.
If viewed as baseless rumors, they were endlessly inflated stories, but if all those tales were the truth—no, even if only half of them were facts—it was an achievement surpassing the youth of the Murim Alliance Leader. In other words, it was akin to having an ongoing, living Murim legend right before their eyes.
When the thoughts of the Je Clan martial artists reached that point, one of the martial artists among them quickly stepped forward. His face was slightly flushed.
“Were you looking for the next? Here I am! I am Je Bang-seon of the Outer Hall!”
“I am Jang Geon.”
Without breaking his stance, Jang Geon merely answered quietly and slid his feet smoothly to align toward Je Bang-seon. Unlike Je Yu-un who had already fainted, the martial artist who introduced himself as Je Bang-seon immediately grasped the sword on his back and lowered his stance deeply. It was a stance so low that his left hand touched the ground. In that posture, it felt a bit more aggressive, a bit more raw.
Once again, the eyes of the Je Clan martial artists focused on Jang Geon and his opponent. The sword of Je Bang-seon resting within its scabbard produced a faint vibrating hum, perhaps due to the internal force infusing it. In addition, Je Bang-seon’s hand touching the ground was exerting so much force that it scraped gratingly against the stone paving.
Jang Geon, holding out both hands, was silent like a lake deep inside a cave, while Je Bang-seon, practically crouching on the opposite side, displayed a silence on the verge of exploding, like a tautly drawn bowstring.
And the instant the sound of someone swallowing saliva rang out like a bell from among the watching martial artists, Je Bang-seon kicked off the ground with both feet and one hand, shooting toward Jang Geon. More than half of those standing there could not even properly see that trajectory.
However, in the next moment, Je Bang-seon tumbled with a thud, while Jang Geon stood in the exact same spot. The only change was that his posture now had both arms spread forward and backward, with his center of gravity on his lead foot. The sword that had flown through the air rolled across the ground, emitting a light metallic clatter.
“Ah…”
Gasps escaped the mouths of several Je Clan martial artists. In merely two encounters, two Je Clan martial artists had fallen.
At that moment, the fallen Je Bang-seon sprang to his feet as if bouncing. Then, swaying once, he stood firm and laughed heartily, speaking.
“All my life, I believed that swiftness was always straight… What is the name of that fist technique?”
Without even looking back, Jang Geon replied.
“Tai Chi Chuan.”
“…Mm, Tai Chi. Splendid.”
Je Bang-seon nodded once like that, and flopped straight back to the ground. Jang Geon spoke once more toward the quiet Je Clan martial artists.
“Next.”
From the moment those words were uttered, a distinct excitement began swirling among the Je Clan martial artists like an ignited fuse. It was anger stemming from a kin’s defeat, as well as the competitive spirit of martial artists who had trained in martial arts all their lives. Now, none among the Je Clan martial artists standing there wished to weigh the matter of Seom Ji-yeong and Je Yong-wol. Their eyes looked only at Jang Geon.
“Here is the next!”
This time, a martial artist with shoulders half a width broader than the others burst forward. Bearing an appearance closer to a mountain bandit than an ancient great clan member, that martial artist possessed such an immense physique that even though he used the same sword as the others, it looked as though he was carrying a flimsy skewer on his back.
“I am Je Gwang-ryang affiliated with the Hall of Discipline! Let’s see how long you can keep from drawing that blade at your waist!”
“If I draw this, many will die.”
At Jang Geon’s impassive retort, the martial artist who had shouted in a booming voice laughed loudly instead. Even his laughter sounded more like a mountain bandit than a martial artist.
“Good! Then let’s see us die!”
Shouting so, he immediately drew the sword on his back. Then, holding the one-handed sword with both hands, he lowered his stance with the sword positioned toward the lower-left direction. It was a hunched posture unsuited to his massive build, but his expression was exceedingly serious.
Matching him, Jang Geon retracted his hands extended forward and back, placing his center of gravity back on his rear foot in a defensive stance. Of course, he could shift back to the offensive at any given moment. Ever since debuting on the white salt plains of Salt Lake City, his Tai Chi Chuan had been advancing to higher realms day by day.
At that moment, the bandit-like martial artist moved. It was a fraction of a second faster than the previous two. That indicated the martial artist possessed vast combat experience. Because that movement was intended to disrupt Jang Geon’s breathing rhythm, which would have grown accustomed to the previous two clashes.
However, Jang Geon was already an expert capable of reading and leading the entire battle rather than momentary breathing rhythms, so the bandit martial artist’s movements were read before his actions could unfold.
Kicking off the ground and charging in, the bandit martial artist’s sword thrust straight toward Jang Geon’s abdomen. Yet the tip of that blade was trembling faintly, indicating that if the bandit martial artist wished, the trajectory of the thrust could shift to the neck, head, or anywhere else at will. Combined with the initial intent to disrupt breathing, that prevented Jang Geon’s evasive movements.
If he couldn’t dodge, he would have to block, and since he couldn’t clash barehanded against a sword, he would ultimately have to draw his blade. Contrary to his appearance, the bandit martial artist seemed to be one who enjoyed calculating.
He was distinctly different from the first two martial artists who had recklessly collided with their bodies. However, it was a tactic that could not work against Jang Geon, who had been reading the flow from his very first movement.
Jang Geon’s hand reached out to meet the bandit martial artist’s sword. For the briefest moment, the bandit martial artist’s sword hesitated, but he soon thrust the sword straight into that hand. It looked as though Jang Geon’s right hand would be severed clean off.
The hand was not severed. Moving in a smooth curve, the tips of his fingers pressed against the side of the blade. Then, pushing against the flat of the blade, he slid smoothly inward. The tip of the sword, which had been faintly wavering and splitting into countless branches, was forced in an unexpected direction and pushed outward. The bandit martial artist felt as though his sword was being dragged along by an unprecedented force following that touch.
Afterward, past Jang Geon’s right hand parrying the sword, his left hand abruptly darted in and grasped near the bandit martial artist’s neck and shoulder.
Even as that touch landed, the bandit martial artist, Je Gwang-ryang, tried to correct his posture and pull back his sword, but the moment Jang Geon’s left hand made full contact, his vision suddenly spun wildly, rendering him unable to do anything.
“…Ah.”
When he blinked his eyes and regained his senses, he too was sitting splayed out on the ground like a child, just like the two martial artists before him. He could see his sword rolling away with a clatter in the distance as well.
“…So this is how it worked.”
Je Gwang-ryang realized that the moment he was grabbed earlier, his body had spun in a complete circle, and having been shaken so swiftly and violently in the process, a concussion had occurred in his head, meaning he would soon lose consciousness. Turning his head to look at Jang Geon, Je Gwang-ryang laughed softly, pointed a finger at Jang Geon, and soon fell forward flat on his face.
Without even looking back, as if knowing he had collapsed, Jang Geon fixed his gaze straight ahead and spoke once more.
“Next.”
Hearing that voice, the Je Clan martial artists could not conceal their excitement, yet none stepped forward recklessly. Having suffered three consecutive defeats, this fight was practically no different from the Je Clan having lost. Of course, the Je Clan martial artists present here were not all of the Je Clan’s martial artists, and there were no elders or hall-master-level experts except for Je Yong-wol.
Even so, a loss was a loss. Furthermore, Jang Geon’s current demeanor appeared far too tranquil. He did not look fatigued or strained in the slightest. It was hardly different from the very beginning.
Having their clan’s martial arts disregarded was an issue demanding punishment at the risk of their lives, but continuing to lose like this only served to prove that such disregard was factual.
Ultimately, the eyes of the martial artists had no choice but to turn toward Je Yong-wol, the highest elder among the Je Clan martial artists present.
Receiving their gazes, Je Yong-wol wore a face cold as ice. However, inside, he was burning black with anxiety.
Not only was time dragging on, but the commotion at the main gate was likely already spreading inside the clan. Moreover, Jang Geon had nothing to lose even if he was defeated now. He had already defeated three Je Clan martial artists in a row, and unless Je Yong-wol himself stepped forward, there was no telling how many more he might defeat. Once Jang Geon left the Je Clan, his renown would resound thunderously throughout New Sichuan once again. As a martial artist who fought and defeated an ancient great clan head-on.
And it was obvious that Je Yong-wol would become the villain in that tale, thoroughly chewed apart. Furthermore, what if he stepped forward and still failed to defeat Jang Geon? At that point, without even needing to reach the issue of Seom Ji-yeong, he would be completely finished.
Concealing that sense of crisis as much as possible, Je Yong-wol took a step forward. At any rate, it was time for him to step up.
“…Your skill is formidable. According to the rumors, I understand you possessed no special sect or master. Did you pick up and consume some peerless spirit elixir somewhere? Martial arts unbefitting your young age.”
Stepping forward, Je Yong-wol first cast doubt upon the background of Jang Geon’s martial arts. While it was a natural comment once someone learned of Jang Geon’s martial skill, bringing it up in this very place would create new rumors.
At any rate, tales are formed as they spread, undergoing much distortion as they pass from mouth to mouth. Je Yong-wol’s words just now would become the seed of that distortion.
“And you are just as arrogant as your skill. Where do you think this place is? This is within the walls of our thousand-year Je Clan. Do you expect to walk out alive after entering here and spouting nonsense about our martial arts being weak? Coming into another’s household to insult them? I know not where in the entire world such etiquette exists.”
Next, he sought to incite anger among the other Je Clan martial artists before they became captivated by Jang Geon’s martial arts. After all, those filling this place right now were family members of the Je Clan, and if they united to keep their mouths shut or change their stories, the rumors about Jang Geon might not spread.
Looking at Jang Geon with flushed faces, several Je Clan martial artists wore expressions wondering if that was so. They were easily swayed by the excitement Jang Geon had stirred.
“Furthermore, the urgent problem right now is not your personal competitive spirit, but the situation where the prospective matriarch of the Je Clan is disrupting the family laws. Ah, and there is also the matter of those three you injured, isn’t there? Whether you intend to pay compensation or perform penal labor, you must answer for this matter—”
“My name is Jang Geon.”
Je Yong-wol’s words were cut short abruptly by Jang Geon’s brief introduction. Though his voice was not particularly loud, Jang Geon’s voice resonated clearly in the ears of every martial artist present. Je Yong-wol was momentarily flustered by finding himself rendered speechless, then hastily tried to resume speaking. He could not lose initiative in the conversation so easily.
“I ask for your guidance in this move.”
However, Jang Geon was faster. Je Yong-wol felt his mouth clamped shut by Jang Geon’s words continuing a moment ahead, and he could see excitement flaring again in the eyes of the other martial artists. In the first place, his rambling words hadn’t been registering in the martial artists’ ears properly.
Ultimately, Je Yong-wol’s frosty face slowly contorted. No longer concealing his rage, he bared his teeth and spoke.
“…Fine, so you wish to engage in blade work after all? Very well. What more is there to say? A martial artist’s life is ultimately one of conversing with the blade.”
His hands firmly grasped the two swords sheathed on his back. At that, Jang Geon returned from the stance that had sent the third martial artist flying back to his very first movement. The martial artists forming the encirclement widened the distance a bit further, reaching a point where one could no longer distinguish whether it was an encirclement or a crowd gathered to watch.
Just as Jang Geon and Je Yong-wol, the wandering martial artist and the ancient great clan’s hall master, were about to clash.
“Stop! Halt!”
It was the young voice of a youth. But it was also a voice every martial artist of the Je Clan was bound to recognize. The martial artists quickly parted to open a path, and Je Yong-wol, who had been glaring at Jang Geon, turned around with a face full of dismay.
There stood Je Sang-cheon dressed in white mourning clothes, wearing a rigidly hardened expression.
However, in Jang Geon’s eyes, Jin Gyeon standing beside him with a benevolent smile stood out even more.