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Huuung-!

With a dull thud, the sword blade cleaves through the air.

While the speed may lag behind that of the sword, the pressure emanating from its vast bulk and durability is akin to that of Mount Tai.

Let alone if the person wielding it has transcended the transformation realm.

The heavy nature of the sword being swung transforms its disadvantage into a strength that envelops one’s destructive power.

Kuuwuung—!!!

The Sword King’s sword plunges into the ground.

Kwa-kick-! Cracks split the solid floor, sending fragments flying.

Even a simple swing brought forth immense destructive power.

This offensive wasn’t going to end here.

“Huo!”

A brief sound of inhalation.

Based on that, the Sword King’s body spins.

Heukdo Pungnim (Black Sword Wind Cascade).

As he spins half a turn, thick sword steel bursts forth.

Kwa-ga-ga-gak-!!

The overwhelming sight displays the sword steel sweeping the surroundings.

One could hardly believe their eyes; it was truly a phenomenal power focused on destruction.

“What the…!”

“What in the world…?”

In the audience stands stunned, struggling to swallow their astonishment.

Were they merely shocked by the Sword King’s might? Not quite.

In fact, quite the opposite.

The spectators were all gaping at the Sword King’s opponent.

The Sword King’s opponent was Two Dragons.

Known as the descendant of Pejon and a late-stage talent from the Seo Anbi clan.

Originally, it was expected that he wouldn’t even get a chance to graze the Sword King before being defeated.

No matter how much of a Pejon descendant he was.

This was a common thought shared by all spectators.

“Even with such intense momentum from the Sword King…”

“This is absurd.”

Everyone seemed transfixed, gazing at the unfolding scene as if in a dream.

No wonder.

“He hasn’t moved an inch? Is that even possible?”

The sparring stage, turned chaotic by the Sword King’s offensive.

Amidst all that wreckage, there sat one intact spot.

It was right where Two Dragons stood.

Since the sparring began, Two Dragons hadn’t moved a single time.

He stood firm in place, defending against the Sword King’s attacks.

No, perhaps “defending” wasn’t quite right.

‘He’s redirecting them.’

Not only did he block, but he also diverted the attacks.

He flowed through the Sword King’s moves, brushing aside the sword intent, allowing no approach.

The only change was the loosening of his previously bound hands.

Two Dragons stood like a stone, repelling all of the Sword King’s might.

‘…What a monstrous old man.’

I couldn’t help but exhale in disbelief.

Beyond admiration, what remained was sheer astonishment.

Could I have done that? Looking at it objectively,

‘It’s impossible.’

The answer came swiftly.

I’m just not up to it. At least not the me of now.

Sure, evasion might be possible, but could I do it from ‘a standstill’? Absolutely not.

That he, in a situation where he should have been at a disadvantage, was doing it with that ease was simply something I couldn’t comprehend.

‘This dude is really out of his mind.’

Though I also had awakened the Heart Eye,

I couldn’t perform such feats.

No matter how much one could predict movements, executing them without shifting at all was another matter entirely.

Of course, it doesn’t mean he isn’t blocking at all.

He’s successfully countered where necessary, but the Pejon turned the very situation he had to defend into one that flowed effortlessly.

“Kkuduk!”

The Sword King’s sword carries the strong energy.

Even though it’s a sword steel, its size is considerable.

It seemed like a direct sweep would be enough to trample everything in its way.

But then the Pejon made his move.

He reached out slightly, slipping through the gaps of the strong energy.

In that moment.

Pung-!

“…!”

The Sword King’s sword path abruptly shifts, and the strong energy grazes past Pejon’s head.

The people’s faces were filled with confusion, unable to grasp the circumstances.

Had the Sword King made a slip? Certainly not.

It was simply that the Pejon had redirected the path.

‘This is unbelievable.’

Words seem simple and easy.

Yet, this was far from trivial.

From the Heart Eye, it became clearer.

The Sword King emitted a heavy energy, almost as if to show the worth of his name, and in sync, torrents of intense energy poured forth.

A brush against it might lead to serious injury.

Yet, within that chaos, the Pejon charged in without hesitation, momentarily disrupting the Sword King’s actions.

Confidence dripped from him.

There was no way he could fail. Without that faith, he wouldn’t have dared to pull off such a stunt.

Let alone advancing while standing firmly in place?

‘He told me to stay a little cautious while fighting.’

While pondering that, I couldn’t take my eyes off the scene.

‘Hah.’

Just a moment ago, I thought the martial arts tournament was utterly dull.

Now, I had to draw my gaze to capture every single movement of the Pejon.

‘This old man… is doing this purposely.’

I was well aware of the Pejon’s intent.

Though he executed short movements, there was an obvious hint to his purpose.

[Let’s see what you got.]

As if to reveal the path I should take, the Pejon exuded such a vibe.

Not a single breath would be missed.

As I kept my focus on the spar,

-Look carefully.

As if he had been waiting for this, the Pejon sent me a mental message.

-It’s a great learning tool.

Just as the thought registered,

Swish.

The Pejon’s feet that had been stationary began to move.

One step.

Thud-.

The tips of his feet touched the ground.

In that moment.

Twooong-!

“…!!!”

Suddenly, the Sword King’s body shot into the air.

Luck is on your side.

Everyone spoke words directed at Peng Zhou.

Born into the Hebei Peng Clan, Peng Zhou was indeed fortunate.

Even being born as the child of the Clan Leader was one thing.

But the fact that the then Clan Leader, Peng Taiwoo, loved his wife so dearly was another stroke of luck.

His love was so profound that even after his wife’s health waned and she only bore him Peng Zhou, he didn’t take a concubine.

Thanks to that, there was no need for a clan power struggle, often seen even among brothers in other families.

From birth, his position as the Lesser Clan Leader was assured.

This was a sentiment shared by the elders and other martial artists, who would comment on how lucky he was.

While this may sound delightful, Peng Zhou understood that it wasn’t entirely a compliment.

Although he had little talent, his fortune granted him a position.

He wasn’t blind to the implications behind that.

Thus, those countless remarks led to resentment forming within the young Peng Zhou.

As he spent decades buried in feelings of inferiority,

Fortunate Peng Zhou ascended to the role of Clan Leader as expected.

He inherited the title of Sword King, and despite being poorly treated among historic six seats,

He was never one to fall to some late-stage talent.

That’s how he had lived, but then.

Kuwoong-!

“Cough!”

Pain surged through his flesh as it penetrated deep.

Though he endured, a strong energy began to dwindle.

His broken shield energy wrapped around him like a cocoon.

Kwa-deuk-!

His hastily raised barrier promptly shattered once more.

However, this was in his calculations. Surrendering the energy, Peng Zhou was turning his body.

Using the recoil, he sought to continue his offense.

Thud-!

“…!!”

In an instant, his knee buckled, and his actions became sluggish.

A foot he’d never anticipated pressed on his joint.

Pung-! Kukhung-!

His lower body crumbled, leaving his upper body vacant.

There, fists had brushed twice.

The first time, sound thundered through him.

Kuuwuung-!!

“Kuhak!”

Pain surged from his chest.

And a blow from his abdomen followed.

Each hit caused the Sword King’s body to twist.

The assault did not cease.

The leg pressing on his knee became tense.

Though he tried to endure as best as he could, the bending knee could not be held back.

His lower body sank lower.

His upper body got closer to his opponent.

Thwack-!

His head turned away.

Kwaang-!

His body shook violently from a hit to the ribs.

The ache was almost unbearable.

“Kugh–!!”

Swallowing his moans, the Sword King stiffened his toes.

If he fell any further, recovery was out of the question.

So he labored holding on fiercely.

Through the turned head, he shot a glare.

The fists kept extending towards him.

Seeing that, the Sword King tensed his arm.

Instantly, the sword turned as black as night.

Heukcheol (Black Iron).

This was one of the seasonal techniques from the Hebei Peng Clan.

Under normal circumstances, such moves wouldn’t yield any real force, but now wasn’t the time for trivialities.

There was only one thought: he had to widen the space between him and Two Dragons.

With only that on his mind, he swung the sword.

“Tsk.”

Seeing this, Two Dragons clicked his tongue.

Was he caught off guard? No, it seemed his emotion was laid bare.

Disappointment.

That feeling resided clearly in Two Dragons’ eyes.

‘…What is this?’

Why was this child regarding him with such a gaze?

Fueled by mounting rage, it took grip of the Sword King’s body.

He wanted to cut through it all.

To sever the neck of that insolent brat right then and there.

But.

Bam-!

“…!”

As the sword jerked back, it hung in the air, trembled on impact.

Two Dragons struck the blade, altering its angle.

Kwa-kick.

The sword pierced the ground. Peng Zhou attempted to draw it out immediately, but.

Grasp-!

“Kugh!?”

Two Dragons stomped down on the sword’s hilt, rendering it stuck. It wouldn’t budge. Though he exerted more strength, Two Dragons would not give him a moment’s reprieve.

With a fierce kick, he struck Peng Zhou’s chest.

Tuwoong-!

“Kuugh!”

Peng Zhou lost his grip and rolled across the ground.

Trying to stabilize his stance, he braced himself for another attack.

Yet nothing happened.

Two Dragons remained dormant, standing over where Peng Zhou’s sword had already lodged.

Peng Zhou furrowed his brow upon noticing this.

“Fool.”

Two Dragons directed his words toward Peng Zhou.

“…What?”

The sudden utterance caused Peng Zhou’s eyes to widen.

What? Fool?

Could he be referring to himself?

As disbelief swirled in his mind, he let out a hollow laugh.

“To think you would say that…”

“The currents have twisted all around, yet you’re still acting desperately?”

Two Dragons didn’t appear to be in any mood to stop; he continued speaking to Peng Zhou.

“Heukcheol requires sophisticated application of energy. Even the former Clan Leader maintained a proper stance when employing it, yet here you are trying to alter it? A ridiculous fool who lacks both qualification and ability.”

“You bastard…!!”

Unable to bottle it up any longer, Peng Zhou gnashed his teeth and rose.

“How dare you mention anyone in front of me!”

Mentioning the former Clan Leader before the current Clan Leader was only the beginning, as he hurled insults at the Sword King.

This was behavior unbecoming for a mere late-stage talent.

“You bastard! No matter how high your talents rank, are you truly daring to instruct this Sword King?”

While he spoke in such a manner, the astonishment only escalated.

Preventing every single move, Two Dragons controlled the situation as if he was toying with it.

Look here.

Now even the audience, who had been snorting and grumbling, were silent.

The clash between Shin Ryong and the Sword Moonblade had created a powerful spectacle.

What was happening between Two Dragons and the Sword King was nothing like that.

It was a clash so blunt it starkly lacked any spectacle, utterly devoid of flow.

This wasn’t due to Peng Zhou being unable to employ glamorous martial arts.

It was because Two Dragons had entirely overridden any flashy techniques.

‘How can he achieve this?’

Even in my fury, Peng Zhou’s gaze trembled.

He knew he possessed a speed advantage.

And his power was certainly superior.

This was a conclusion derived from their brief engagement.

Yet he couldn’t grasp him. Not just failed to grasp, hadn’t touched him even once.

How strange a feeling.

What in the world is going on?

Why was it that he, who should be the one in control, was helpless against this guy?

As his collapsing pride threatened to overwhelm him, Peng Zhou’s sanity was on the brink.

“Instruction?”

Two Dragons questioned him.

That tone was laced with clear condescension.

“Me, teaching you?”

The corner of his lips curled up, unmistakably ridiculing him.

“Why would I waste something precious like that on a wretch like you?”

“…!”

“Know your place. You hold no worth to me.”

At those words, Peng Zhou nearly lost his grip on his reason.

In that moment, Two Dragons seized Peng Zhou’s lodged sword and hurled it away.

With a whoosh, Kwa-kak-!

The swiftly flying sword pierced the ground beside Peng Zhou.

“Catch it. A martial artist can’t afford to lose their weapon.”

“Ha…!”

Seeing the sword just appear beside him, Peng Zhou’s face flushed.

“You lowly ingrate… are you mocking me?”

“Hmm.”

Forcing himself to smile through gritted teeth, Peng Zhou merely garnered a nod of acknowledgement from Two Dragons.

‘It’s too late.’

He assessed internally.

This kid was beyond late.

Even after giving him an opportunity to show some competency, he still underestimated himself.

Infernuas blazing within him refused to simmer, exploding into a full-blown inferno, certainly he would be burned to ashes before the flame dwindled.

‘What a shame.’

Not in reference to Peng Zhou.

‘Here I offered a fine teaching material to my disciple.’

Thinking this, I mistakenly held some faith in him.

He appeared more competent than he truly was.

Perhaps that little monk from Shaolin, the one who claimed to be Shin Ryong, looked more promising.

Of course, he could be stronger. Yet, he had already seriously lost value—merely worthless trash in my eyes.

Peng Zhou was just at that level for the Pejon.

‘Should I have adjusted my momentum a bit better?’

How troubling it felt to fail in adjusting my force after confirming it twice.

What if I had hit just a touch lighter?

Moreover.

-If the opportunity arises, I humbly request that the Senior please take a good look at my son’s skills.

The words of the former Clan Leader, Peng Taiwoo, echoed painfully in my mind.

‘I forgot about that.’

This was something I’d have never considered before.

The mere fact that Peng Taiwoo had held a warm regard for me was the only reason I clung to that memory.

Though now, having completely forgotten, perhaps even saying I’ve kept it is generous.

‘What a bother.’

No deeper thoughts than that.

It was no fault of mine if that brat was incompetent.

“Hmm.”

What to do?

At the moment, Bi Yi-jin was deeply lost in thought.

Gu-gugugugu-!!

Peng Zhou grasped his sword once more, rising as he summoned forth his energy.

The now blackened sword.

Employing Heukcheol, he conjured wisps of black mist around him.

“I will kill you. I will crush you.”

His murderous intent engulfed the sparring stage.

It was indeed a palpable threat.

Regardless of his incompetence, Peng Zhou was still a White-Grade Master.

As he thrummed with intense energy, the very vibrations in the atmosphere thickened.

It was evidently a perilous state of affairs.

Yet the Pejon simply stood and watched.

In fact, it brought him an unusual sense of satisfaction.

‘I should show him something.’

If nothing else, a display was indeed warranted; this was exactly the moment.

‘Even the great Pejon would begin to swirl with doubt?’

On the flip side, did he regard his disciple so highly?

It was a strange feeling. Not bad, nor good; perhaps surprising?

This too had to stem from how valuable his disciple was.

Swish.

The Pejon slightly spread his hands forward.

His hand motion was akin to grasping an invisible sphere.

At that, a breeze began to rise from beneath the Pejon’s feet.

His hair fluttered as energy started swirling towards his hands.

Seeing this, Peng Zhou began to ready himself, panting rapidly.

Already, his sword had surpassed the Heukcheol to form an astonishing mass of sword steel.

Heukcheol Daemukgang (Great Black Iron Steel).

It was a technique that had remained with the Peng Clan for centuries.

Amplifying an energy struck with high compression, it could obliterate not just the opponent but everything in its vicinity.

Manifesting overflowing intent, Peng Zhou pooled every ounce of energy into it, determined to erase Two Dragons from existence.

The power of the Sword King intertwined within overwhelmed him.

Those observing trembled instinctively.

They understood just how devastating that blow could be.

“Hoo… hee…”

Enduring his own energy was proving difficult, and Peng Zhou’s breaths grew ever more ragged.

Finally, he began to swing his sword with trembling hands.

Whoosh! The calamity sliced the air.

As the strong energy brushed the atmosphere, a severe whoosh erupted, birthing jets of smoke.

Unable to withstand the compressed cascade, energy began to erupt outward.

It gushed forth.

It appeared as if a column were about to topple over Two Dragons.

Yet, not an ounce of fear marred Two Dragons’ expression.

He remained concentrated solely on completing the sphere.

And when it was finally finished.

“That’s it.”

With a satisfied grin, he gazed at the gray sphere hovering in his palm.

At that moment.

Peng Zhou’s attack was already at Two Dragons’ doorstep.

Just before the sword steel fell upon his crown,

Two Dragons lightly clapped his hands, crushing the sphere.

Snap!

Two Pacheonmu (Breaking Heaven Technique).

Version five.

Pacheon (Breaking Heaven).

Kwa-gugugugugu—!!!

With his clap, the sky caved in.

 

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