Chapter 270
In an instant, I found myself face to face with Jin So-cheong, both of us clashing our intents in a battle of wills, probing each other’s true capabilities. To my surprise, Jin So-cheong’s Qi felt weaker than expected, while it seemed she was judging me in her own right. It was clear that this face-off was unlike anything I’d experienced with ordinary martial artists; we were true peak experts.
The sound echoed like a snapped thread.
‘Here I go.’
A lightning-quick thrust!
For my first move, I naturally opted for my most confident technique, the Bowing Sky Slash. If this were a typical matchup, I’d test the waters with a few techniques since it was my first meeting with Jin So-cheong, but she was no ordinary foe. Plus, there was no reason to hold back my strongest blow.
“……!!”
At first, Jin So-cheong attempted to counter with her own techniques, but realizing the finesse of my Bowing Sky Slash, she quickly withdrew her spear and retreated. That was the right call; had she stubbornly pushed in with the Ranna Chul, she would have been split in two. Watching her retreat was not my intention; I immediately unleashed my Soul Removal Technique.
Clang!
A loud sound erupted as sparks flew from our weapons clashing. Jin So-cheong grimaced slightly from the impact of my forceful attack. It made sense since I had been pouring everything I had into my strikes from the very start. It wasn’t easy, even for someone like Jin So-cheong, to withstand a full-force attack from me.
“Guh!!”
Jin So-cheong swiftly retreated, utilizing Thunder Shadow Step and then started to gather her own strength. In response, I launched another powerful thrust, but an unexpected surge of energy grazed my shoulder.
‘What was that?’
Two streams of energy zipped past me, narrowly missing their target. It felt as if it were either a secret tactic of the Heavenly Thunder Infinite Spear or one of Jin So-cheong’s unique moves. Nonetheless, it seemed her power wasn’t enough to maintain precision in her attacks.
Ka-boom!
It felt as if energy erupted once again. Unlike Musashi, who had used various tactics against my attacks, Jin So-cheong began to elegantly deflect my strikes with her spear techniques. As I pressed forward, I couldn’t help but admire her spearwork.
‘Such perfect execution!’
Her usage of energy was a remarkable display, channeling power to the ground at just the right moments! Jin So-cheong’s technique surpassed typical realms of martial arts, operating on a level that could utilize the Mind Control Technique. There wasn’t even a hint of wasted movement, perfectly masking her weaknesses, allowing her to redirect my attacks which were several times stronger than the average.
Though I was dominating the battle, I couldn’t shake off the unsettling feeling churning inside me.
How at such a young age had she already grasped the pinnacle of the Thunder God lineage spear techniques? In all my years, I had never encountered another martial artist who realized such potential at her age. The more I pressed, the more bitter my feelings became.
Why her? Why was it Jin So-cheong who appeared before me as a genius of the Central Plains?
‘This is how I break her flow.’
Regardless of these distracting thoughts, my body moved at incredible speed, extending the Thousand Kills Slash. In an instant, the Mind Control Technique unleashed a storm of slashes, scattering Jin So-cheong’s mental focus.
“!”
In that moment, I sensed a spark in Jin So-cheong’s gaze as if she had recognized an opportunity to shift from defense to offense. She didn’t seem deterred by the onslaught of my Thousand Kills Slash.
‘What? She’s charging in?’
I had no choice but to be caught off guard. Theoretically, she could find an opening in my attack, but my current technique imbued with intent made it impossible for anyone to slip through the meticulous wall of blades I had created; it was akin to threading a needle through a fabric of myriad holes.
In a heartbeat, she used me as bait to shatter the sword wheel of my Thousand Kills Slash.
In that split second, she blended the Ranna Chul, enhancing her rotational momentum.
Another heartbeat passed, and she pulled off a spear combo I had never seen before.
BANG!
My assault completely fell apart in mere moments. I was dumbfounded to find my attack dismantled without a clue as to how she had accomplished it so swiftly.
“Huff! Huff! Hah…”
Jin So-cheong gasped for air, evidently exhausted from that exchange, wiping the sweat from her brow as she managed a grin.
“You’re really strong! I haven’t seen anyone as skilled as you since my Master!”
I knew—I could feel I was a step above Jin So-cheong. If I continued fighting as I was, I could bring her down in under five hundred seconds. Yet, the sense of defeat gnawed at me, clenching my fists involuntarily.
The realms of martial arts we inhabited were vastly different!
In those three fleeting seconds, I had realized just how expansive Jin So-cheong’s understanding of spear techniques was; she had opened my eyes to new possibilities. Winning against her with the power of my Wudang Sect techniques wouldn’t bring me the fulfillment I desired.
I questioned her, “What was that spear combo you executed just now? Did you learn it from Lee Kwang?”
She blinked and answered, “I’m not really sure.”
“You don’t know?”
“It’s true I learned the Ranna Chul from my Master, but that combo I just used? I’ve never done that before. It was a fluke.”
“……!!”
You mean that was just a basic Ranna Chul technique combined and not some secret skill of the Heavenly Thunder Infinite Spear?!
It was possible to accomplish such a feat with mere fundamentals?!
I stood there, at a loss for words, and then Jin So-cheong spoke up, “Are you not going to continue?”
It seemed Lee Kwang had arrived beneath the sparring arena, having been watching our duel. As we focused on him, he leaped onto the stage and addressed me, “So you’re the legendary successor of the Thunder God lineage, huh? Your skills are quite impressive.”
I gave Lee Kwang a once-over, feeling a surge of indignation welling up inside me. But I maintained my composure and replied, “So you’re Samjeol Lee Kwang?”
“Indeed. And who might you be?”
I found myself quipping, “What does it matter who I am?”
“If you won’t reveal your identity, you won’t be leaving here safely.”
“Is that so?”
“Of course!”
I pondered briefly before pointing my sword at him. His eyebrows twitched, and I goaded, “If you wish to challenge me, I won’t stop you. Just try to prevent me from leaving.”
“You’re quite cocky. Just because you gained the upper hand against my disciple doesn’t mean you can look down on me.”
“Not at all. It’s just my instinct tells me you wouldn’t hesitate to team up if things got rough.”
Lee Kwang’s face contorted in anger, not that he showed it outwardly, but the air around him grew decidedly colder. He soon picked up a spear from near the arena and declared, “I will not combine forces. Come at me.”
“……”
What on earth was I doing? Why was I provoking Lee Kwang here in the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School?
Even if I did owe him something, now was not the time for that. My grievances were valid, but it was hardly the right moment to act on them. Yet, I couldn’t quite pinpoint why I felt compelled to challenge him so strongly.
But suddenly, it dawned on me, and I couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
“Haha…”
My desire for the rewards from the hell training wasn’t nearly as simplistic as I had thought. My grievances against Lee Kwang weren’t even the main concern right now. What pushed me forward was the glaring sense of limitation I felt in my swordplay. I couldn’t quite put the feeling into words, but at that moment, it was now or never; I had to engage with a true master—otherwise, this feeling of dread would linger.
So provoking them further wasn’t the right move. I accepted internally that my prior actions had been somewhat petty and inclined my head to Lee Kwang. “My apologies.”
“……?”
“I was hasty before. I’ll refrain from any reckless actions. Let’s truly test our skills now.”
Lee Kwang’s expression softened. As a fellow peak expert, he seemed to sense my change in demeanor and grasped the reason behind it. With a composed face, he remarked, “Facing a great wall, are you?”
“Precisely.”
“It’s rare to find a swordsman of the Thunder God lineage. I can only assume there’s no one to match your skills as a teacher.”
With that, Lee Kwang suggested, “Let’s see how we measure against each other!”
Whoosh!
We both flew forward and clashed in the center of the arena. As I engaged Lee Kwang, a singular truth cemented itself in my mind.
‘Not like before!’
The oppressive weight I had felt during my last bout against Lee Kwang was gone. While he remained a powerful peak expert, the terrifying intensity he had radiated then was missing. I contemplated the reason briefly and realized it was because Lee Kwang had also grown over the past eight years!
This meant that my current self could contend with him! Suddenly, my sense of purpose crystallized before my eyes, blinded by greed. If I just pushed myself a little more, I could even surpass Lee Kwang.
Clang!
In mere moments, more than a hundred exchanges flew by. Lee Kwang undeniably surpassed Jin So-cheong in average skill and internal power, and his attacks were razor-sharp. Furthermore, my previously overwhelming strikes were easily dealt with by his experience.
But contemplating my Bowing Sky Slash, I mused that although his spear worked weighed heavily, it lacked the pressure I had expected.
This was winnable!
In fact, it felt like the match could tip either way, but at least now, Lee Kwang wasn’t siding significantly in his favor. Perhaps he too realized this as the intensity of our match deepened.
Secret technique:
Thunder Cloud Palm!
Lee Kwang unleashed a technique that had haunted opponents with nightmarish retribution—Thunder Cloud Palm. Knowing its terror from an earlier encounter, I grit my teeth and braced myself. Completely unexpectedly, it came at me like a freight train, and I had to heighten my reflexes.
As I released the Qi I had gathered with the Baek Woong’s Formation and Split Heart Technique, I faced off against the incoming onslaught.
Smash!
As I countered the attack with my Move of the Bowing Sky Slash, I caught a glimpse of surprise flicker in Lee Kwang’s eyes. Retreating for a moment and resetting his stance, he returned his attention to me, appearing deep in thought.
‘Hmm?’
Something felt off. Wasn’t he the type to unleash a relentless barrage of spear techniques instead of stepping back like this? With a sigh, Lee Kwang muttered, “I didn’t expect to find such a formidable young master…”
“……”
So that’s how it was.
A mix of fulfillment and dejection washed over me as I let my sword drop slightly. I turned to Lee Kwang and asked, “Are you aware that Hwang Yeon, the Great Thunder General, was imprisoned in the Great Thunder Valley?”
“What?!”
I pulled Hwang Yeon from my wooden armor. He looked confused to find himself in such a bizarre place, but quickly honed in on Lee Kwang and exclaimed, “Is this the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School?”
“General!!”
Lee Kwang, startled, instinctively went to his knees in reverence. “What happened?”
“This boy rescued me.”
As they were reeling from the surprise, I released more prisoners from the Great Thunder Valley. As the crowd surged forth, Lee Kwang’s expression stiffened, and Jin So-cheong looked equally shocked. Finally convinced I’d released everyone, I turned to Lee Kwang and said, “I want to entrust Hwang Yeon to you.”
“Who are you?”
Hwang Yeon seemed equally shocked, “Huh? Wasn’t he your disciple?”
“Disciple?!” Lee Kwang shook his head adamantly, “I have no disciples beyond Jin So-cheong. Certainly not someone like him!”
“……?”
Feeling their gazes land on me, I quietly glanced at Lee Kwang and sent a message to him. “Lee Kwang, as a leader of the Thunder God lineage, do you have any plans to revitalize the sect?”
“Of course.”
“Then, would you be able to accept Dokgo Seong?”
He flinched, barely concealing his agitation. “You know his whereabouts?”
“Answer my question first.”
“Of course. While he turned his back on the sect to disappear into seclusion, there’s no question he’s a respected figure among the merchants.”
From the looks of it, Lee Kwang didn’t hold a bad sentiment regarding Dokgo Seong. His response differed markedly from before, and I speculated he had matured over the years.
‘Seems like time has allowed old grudges to mellow…’
I decided to gain more from this situation. “I’ll disclose Dokgo Seong’s location if you inform me of any peak martial artists you might know.”
“Anyone besides Dokgo Seong?”
“Exactly.”
Lee Kwang thought momentarily before responding with his voice, “There’s only one other I can think of.”
“Who’s that?”
“Han Baek-ryeong!”
“……”
“Currently, she is known as the clan leader of the Han Clan in the Twin Gate Sect of Luoyang.”
Trying to push further, I asked, “Is there anyone else?”
“No. Despite how vast the world may be, she’s the only one who can compare to Dokgo Seong.”
“Are you absolutely sure?”
With my persistent questioning, Lee Kwang frowned. “There might be one or two in the Elder Council who could rival him, but that’s a stretch. Beyond that, maybe an otherworldly sword saint?”
“……!!”
I recognized that Lee Kwang was onto something. I replied, “Thank you. That’s useful information.”
“You’re not seriously considering visiting Han Baek-ryeong for advice on your swordplay, are you?”
“Why not?”
Lee Kwang appeared slightly hesitant. “She is the Dharma Guardian of the White Lotus Sect. I’d advise against seeking her out.”
“I know that.”
In response to my calm acknowledgment, Lee Kwang looked taken aback. “You know, and you still plan on going for a visit?”
I chuckled lightly and shot back, “Who would have thought you’d care so much about others?”
“What insolence!”
Lee Kwang, perhaps miffed, turned his head sharply away. I then stood and announced to both him and Hwang Yeon, “I’ll find Dokgo Seong and let you know where he is.”
“Wait…”
I ignored their restraint and vanished using my Soul Removal Technique. Staying any longer would just complicate matters.
Whoosh!
I then headed toward Luoyang by activating Golden Eagle.
‘He was right.’
Though I clashed with Lee Kwang and Jin So-cheong, it wouldn’t derail my plans. Rather, I felt I’d gained a valuable lead from Lee Kwang. If Dokgo Seong couldn’t provide the answers I sought, I would need to find another peak martial artist, which, apart from him, would only be someone of similar caliber like the Dharma Guardian.
Aside from that, I had another plan in mind.
I traversed the streets of Luoyang for a while until I found myself standing before the Han Clan. Taking a deep breath, I steeled my resolve.
Time to meet the Dharma Guardian, Han Baek-ryeong.
