Chapter 160
Chapter 161: What I Wanted to Show You
“What… is this?”
Nangong Bi-ah adjusted her stance, pondering the bizarre situation unfolding before her.
Drip, drip.
Blood trickled from her lips once more.
For a rare moment, a grimace crossed Nangong Bi-ah’s face.
Was there a significant shock within her? Her Qi failed to respond as it usually did.
“I didn’t see… anything…”
What kind of impact could have occurred? After being struck, she couldn’t grasp what Jang Seonyeon had done in the brief moment it took to regain her posture.
First, she had to get a grip on the unruly Qi and regain control somehow.
But before that…
Ngh…!
Nangong Bi-ah, unable to wipe the blood flowing from her mouth, pinched her nose.
A foul smell invaded her senses.
“Why…?”
She couldn’t understand.
Just a moment ago, the stench had been almost nonexistent.
Habitually, she scanned her surroundings.
She was searching for him.
Amidst the gathered spectators, she spotted Tang Soyeol and Yu Seong, and there he was.
His wide eyes fixated on Jang Seonyeon before him, his expression one of shock.
“He’s here… but why?”
He was certainly nearby.
At that distance, the stench should have had no effect.
Why was it… so putrid?
“Where are you looking?”
Chills ran down her spine.
Reacting to the presence she sensed, Nangong Bi-ah moved her body.
Slap!
With a sensation grazing her cheek, blood splattered.
“Sword energy…!”
Immediately, she tried to control her Qi again to execute the sword form, but…
Whoosh!
“Ugh…!”
Jang Seonyeon was quicker.
The sword energy felt like it would rip her apart from up close.
The sword form she attempted to unleash collapsed, and her Qi was scattered.
This broken stance left her vulnerable.
Jang Seonyeon did not miss that chance.
Thud!
She felt a shock to her abdomen, propelling her body into the air.
“Guh…!”
She barely succeeded in defending with her Qi, but the impact was undeniable.
Thud, thud!
Stumbling, she barely regained her balance.
Blood continued to flow from her mouth.
Creating some distance, Nangong Bi-ah needed to steady her Qi.
“Something’s off…”
It felt faster and heavier than when they first met.
As if she were against a different person altogether.
Jang Seonyeon’s martial arts had been intimidating, but he hadn’t seemed capable of using it adaptively.
He still felt inexperienced.
While she considered him exceptional compared to others she had encountered, he did not stand out compared to the talented individuals she had faced until now.
“So what about now?”
What she felt was completely different.
The level of Qi she sensed was worlds apart from before.
“I apologize to you.”
Jang Seonyeon addressed Nangong Bi-ah, who merely furrowed her brow in confusion at the unclear meaning.
“I didn’t want to use it if I could help it, as I’m still not accustomed to it.”
Whoosh…
The sound of swords continued to echo.
To Nangong Bi-ah, it sounded like a growl.
Not accustomed to it? Was he talking about martial arts? Or something else?
Only a smile graced Jang Seonyeon’s face in response to her doubts.
“I never expected to use this during the martial arts tournament. Yet here we are.”
As Jang Seonyeon stepped forward, Nangong Bi-ah immediately invoked the Imperial Sword Form.
Jang Seonyeon looked surprised at her response.
“…Your body must be in a state beyond normalcy. Impressive, Nangong Young Lady.”
The way Jang Seonyeon referred to her sent chills down her spine.
However, as she had stated, her body was far from normal.
Even now, the Imperial Sword Form she was trying to execute wavered.
This might also be due to the stench prevailing all around.
“I feel like I might throw up.”
Now she understood a little.
The foul smell wasn’t emanating from Jang Seonyeon.
The world contaminated by Gu Yangcheong was pouring back onto Nangong Bi-ah.
“Why…?”
The reason was unknown to her, but she felt it was true.
Her stomach churned, and the world around her dimmed.
Once again, she had stepped into the hell she had felt all her life.
Even when she covered her nose, the scent wouldn’t fade.
This was excruciating pain.
Why was it so difficult now?
She had experienced this for a lifetime, yet it felt tougher than ever.
“I want to escape.”
She felt an overwhelming urge to run away.
Not far off, he was present, and she wondered if running into his arms would make the stench disappear.
What kind of helpless thought was that for Nangong Bi-ah?
Still…
“Haah…”
Nangong Bi-ah straightened her posture.
It wasn’t to portray this sorry state to him.
-Trust me.
There was a reason she had summoned the courage to say that.
She disliked the worried look in his eyes.
This thought had lingered in Nangong Bi-ah’s mind ever since the incident in the Hwasan Sect.
“I loathe my incompetence.”
Though it was a thought she had never entertained before, she often found herself reflecting on it.
Her useless state that had served no purpose.
How she had stood there helpless, watching him while her arm was broken.
She despised being the one leaning beside him, needing his concern.
Receiving care and affection was indeed happiness.
Happiness.
Nangong Bi-ah had just come to clearly understand this feeling.
Being by his side filled her with joy.
She could drift into peaceful sleep and breathe comfortably.
She loved to stroll and admire the scenery.
Though she had realized it too late, it was thanks to him that she could appreciate such moments.
With her eyes closed, what she envisioned was not a nightmare, but a warm imagination.
Nangong Bi-ah referred to this sensation as happiness.
Therefore, she could not give it up.
She did not want to be seen as useless while being by his side.
A person who couldn’t live without him.
Could she be of help beside him?
Nangong Bi-ah had concluded otherwise.
Such a worthless person had no place next to him.
That was why she must not become that person.
Nangong Bi-ah needed to show it.
That she was someone who could stand alone.
“Ugh…!”
Jang Seonyeon groaned.
Nangong Bi-ah’s sword tip was once again aimed at him.
“You don’t intend to forfeit, do you?”
She hoped for him to concede, not wanting to use this power any longer.
She hadn’t thought she would employ it in a trivial tournament like this.
“I had even wondered if I would use it against the Thunder Dragon.”
To find two individuals outperforming her expectations was infuriating indeed.
Crack.
Her grip tightened around the sword.
Muscles taut.
Inside her body, her Qi and energy fused, creating an explosive strength.
Jang Seonyeon stared at Nangong Bi-ah.
Her face was smeared with blood. Her hair, slightly disheveled.
Her pale skin was dusted from rolling on the ground.
Even amidst the chaos from just a few clashes, Nangong Bi-ah’s eyes were calm but resolute.
It was as if the demeanor of the now-absent Poison Phoenix overlapped in her memory.
That green-haired girl had embodied the same spirit. Jang Seonyeon had no idea.
How could she not despair?
Why wouldn’t she run?
What, after confronting an insurmountable wall, allowed her to harbor no fear?
“Disgusting.”
The attitude showing she hadn’t crumbled felt painfully bitter to her.
To maintain a facade amid the already broken and decaying Righteous Faction was utterly revolting.
Could they not face reality and still dream of something?
What could they possibly gain from that?
“Repulsive.”
These words were not directed at them; they were her self-directed remarks.
She wished to stand above all, so she must not lie to herself.
She felt nothing but envy.
They appeared far more formidable than the self who had been crushed and sought an alternative path.
“Do not wither.”
She swept those useless thoughts from her mind.
She needed to remember she had been chosen.
Jang Seonyeon approached Nangong Bi-ah.
If she wasn’t going to give up, then she had to make it impossible for her to do so.
Though she couldn’t adapt to her own remarkably speed-up rhythm.
Jang Seonyeon swung her sword. The defensive energy spread.
Yet her sword sliced through like paper.
Crash!
The clash of blades rang out with a clear sound.
The sound was pure, but the pressure unleashed through her Qi was anything but.
Shockwaves fanned out in all directions.
Swish! Nangong Bi-ah staggered, unable to endure the impact.
Jang Seonyeon, not about to let this moment go, didn’t cease her attack.
Clang! Clang!
Her flesh, propelled by Qi, surged forth with renewed vigor, recovering from the dulled speed that had been sapped from her martial arts.
Even the faintly ringing sword energy captured her opponent’s foot.
“Faster.”
As her energy gradually blended, Jang Seonyeon’s speed quickened.
With it, her strength must also grow. The sound of blades slicing through the wind was becoming increasingly fierce.
Yet…
“Why?”
Why wasn’t she able to reach her?
Boom! She stomped the ground hard, unleashing a wave of her Qi.
Whoooo!
The swords responded to this surge, echoing a fierce cry.
Swoooosh!
The blades clashed menacingly in front of her.
Yet still…
Crash!
Jang Seonyeon’s sword still failed to hit Nangong Bi-ah.
“How…?”
Words escaped her lips unconsciously.
Jang Seonyeon couldn’t fathom the ongoing bizarre situation.
Both speed and strength were clearly in her favor.
She had summoned her Qi; there was no way she should lose. So why couldn’t she break through?
She attempted to trace all possible routes quickly, but Nangong Bi-ah consistently blocked her.
Whooo…
Jang Seonyeon suddenly opened her eyes wide at the resounding noise. The distinct sound of a blade.
She hurriedly checked her sword, but it was not the sound from her own weapon.
Humm…
A very faint yet clear sound.
It wasn’t an illusion. This was the sound coming from Nangong Bi-ah’s sword.
“Is she… producing the sword’s resonance?”
The sound piercing through Jang Seonyeon’s ears now was not artificial.
It was a true resonance of the sword, born from their mastery and unification.
How could this be happening now?
Did she have even one hidden card up her sleeve?
If so, this seems far too late for that.
Nangong Bi-ah was desperately blocking the energy-infused sword, appearing frayed beyond recognition compared to earlier.
Blood streamed from her nose, and crimson stained the hand gripping the sword.
Yet, even now, her gaze remained steadfast.
No, rather, her aura was growing more tranquil.
Jang Seonyeon couldn’t tolerate that.
“How can you remain like this?”
“…”
“Please forfeit. It wouldn’t benefit you to fight any longer.”
No answer came. In response to Jang Seonyeon’s words, Nangong Bi-ah merely raised her sword again.
Whoooo!
The resonance had become much clearer than before.
It was as if she was declaring that this match was far from concluded.
Jang Seonyeon gritted her teeth at the sight, summoning all her power.
Whooo!
Simultaneously, the sound of Jang Seonyeon’s sword erupted, but it was different from the sound Nangong Bi-ah produced.
It didn’t sit right with her.
Why couldn’t she produce such a sound? She was supposedly superior.
She ought to have been chosen. So why was this?
“Distracting thoughts.”
A sudden voice startled Jang Seonyeon.
Nangong Bi-ah, who had been silent, finally spoke.
“Focus.”
For an instant, Jang Seonyeon thought it was directed at her.
But it was merely Nangong Bi-ah’s muttering.
Whooo!
Nangong Bi-ah’s resonance grew louder.
“You can do this.”
Her words were jumbled.
As if she were concentrating on something.
At that moment, Jang Seonyeon saw something in Nangong Bi-ah.
Her eyes were clear and her will unwavering.
But the one she was looking at wasn’t her.
She was focused on sensing something.
Enlightenment.
Yes.
Nangong Bi-ah had entered the realm of enlightenment.
“Dare you…?”
Was she using her presence to gain enlightenment?
Not just anyone but herself amid their match!
Jang Seonyeon sensed a shimmering haze rising from her shoulders.
A soft azure mist imbued with beautiful radiance.
“To think it could come to this.”
Yuseong would call this divine energy.
It was the energy that the heavens granted only to the chosen, so calling it so would be entirely appropriate.
Jang Seonyeon’s sword began to absorb the blue Qi gradually.
An immensely beautiful flicker, but hidden within was a profound and overwhelming power.
“Don’t regret it…”
Everything is the karma you’ve created.
Jang Seonyeon lifted her sword and charged at Nangong Bi-ah.
In response, Nangong Bi-ah moved slowly.
The sword suffused with energy coursed through her movement.
Though her energy was weak, and she hadn’t utilized the Imperial Sword Form…
Without hesitation, she stepped into Jang Seonyeon’s domain.
As their swords grazed one another…
In an instant, light surged across the sparring stage, shining brilliantly. No sound—only light.
The brilliant glow enveloped the arena, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
Once the light faded, emptiness filled the sparring stage.
The moment they faced each other was fleeting.
The outcome had already been decided.
The referee raised his hand after confirming the match had ended.
“…Jang Seonyeon wins.”
Standing there was Jang Seonyeon, while Nangong Bi-ah lay unconscious.
—Waaah!
As silence broke, cheers erupted from the audience, but Jang Seonyeon remained still and quiet.
Swoosh…
At that moment, Jang Seonyeon sensed a presence behind her and slowly turned around.
There stood Gu Yangcheong, having lifted the unconscious Nangong Bi-ah into his arms.
A boy dressed in red martial robes with glossy black hair.
Out of nowhere, Gu Yangcheong had come up onto the sparring stage, cradling Nangong Bi-ah.
They briefly locked eyes.
Faced with Gu Yangcheong’s fierce gaze, Jang Seonyeon found no words to say.
Instead, it was Gu Yangcheong who finally spoke up.
“Why the long face?”
His voice bore no trace of emotion.
A question that felt rather meaningless.
What kind of expression was she making?
“You seem to know very well the mess you created, judging by that pathetic look on your face.”
A barrage of crude insults.
Though she could have retorted, Jang Seonyeon found herself at a loss for words.
For some reason, it felt impossible to speak.
Watching silently, Gu Yangcheong said nothing further as he descended from the sparring stage, cradling Nangong Bi-ah.
After the referee had descended as well, Jang Seonyeon remained in place, covering her face with both hands.
For reasons she could not understand, it felt like the right thing to do.
