Chapter 129
An everyday occurrence…?
“What the Hell is this Bastard saying right now…?”
It wasn’t even a life-or-death duel, just a Sparring Match, and a kid got severely injured and carried off to the Medical Hall, yet it’s an everyday occurrence?
Anyone could see that this was a situation to get extremely pissed off about, but my head instead grew cold.
At this, I even put on a smile and readily nodded my head.
“…Yes. Come to think of it, you’re right. The Sparring Match just now was definitely the kind of Sparring Match that could happen all the time.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
As Un-Hyeon bowed in gratitude, I shook my head as if to say it was nothing and spoke brightly.
“Then shall we begin our Sparring Match as well?”
And I…
“Yes! Let’s do that!”
Paaa-!
…As soon as his words ended, I drew up the energy into my Sword.
* * *
A characteristic of the Zhongnan Sword is the Middle Way. The core of the Zhongnan Sword is not leaning to one side no matter what happens.
Because of that, there was a massive difference between my Martial Arts, which emitted a fierce and brutal energy, and Zhongnan Martial Arts.
Therefore, I had to reduce the fierce energy in my Sword as much as possible so that people wouldn’t get Suspicious.
And containing that energy, I launched a Sword Strike at Un-Hyeon, just like Ha Jinseong had done earlier.
Rumble-!!
Compared to the ever-Changing Sword strikes of the Mount Hua Sect, this Sword Strike was incredibly crude.
However, just because it was crude and blunt didn’t mean it wasn’t strong.
“…!”
Paat-!
Still, Un-Hyeon must have reacted and unfolded an elegant Sword Formula, as he saw my Sword Strike.
Twenty-Four Forms Plum Blossom Sword Art.
Papapat-!
The Sword Shadow blooming from the tip of Un-Hyeon’s Sword divided into dozens and blocked my crude Sword Strike.
At the same time…
Hwaaaa-!
“Oooooh-!!”
“As expected of a Plum Blossom Swordsman!!”
…A sea of plum blossoms bloomed in full, enough to completely fill this massive Sparring Arena.
The audience’s gazes were drawn to the beautifully blooming illusion of plum blossoms, and the Sparring Stage was obscured by the plum blossoms so that no one could see it.
And this was…
Thwack-!
“Hey, you Bastard!”
“Keuheok-!”
…The exact situation I had been hoping for.
I couldn’t exactly beat the crap out of a kid to my heart’s content where everyone could see, could I?
This is what’s great about the Plum Blossom Sword Art.
Once you make the plum blossoms bloom in full, they obscure the vision like a smokescreen, allowing you to do whatever you want to your heart’s content.
But this was an illusion. It would disappear soon anyway.
I drew up my Internal Power to hit him as painfully and efficiently as possible in this short amount of time.
Feeling the fierce energy rapidly circulating through my entire body, I swung my Sword, scabbard and all, without mercy.
Smack-! Smack-! Thwack-!!
“Hey, you Bastard. An everyday occurrence? An everyday occurrence? Did you work in an underground arena or something? How is that an everyday occurrence, you fucker.”
“W-Wait…, Aaaagh-!!”
“You said it was an everyday occurrence. Experience it for yourself, you Bastard.”
No, actually, Un-Hyeon was currently experiencing several times more pain than Zhongnan Sect’s Chief Disciple Geum Sa-Hwi had gone through.
Geum Sa-Hwi’s match had ended in just two exchanges, but right now, I am striking him dozens of times.
Thwack-!
“This is the hip joint. Swordsmen have bad hip joints.”
Hitting places where muscles are gathered, like the arms or thighs, hurts less. So I targeted the weak joint areas where bones connect to bones intensively.
“Swordsmen naturally have bad wrists too. I’ll give you some Physical Therapy.”
“Aaaaaagh-!! My hands…! Please, not my hands-!!”
As expected of a Swordsman, his hands were sensitive, and Un-Hyeon pleaded with a pitiful expression as if he were about to shed tears, but I ignored him and smacked his wrists too.
If I didn’t give him Physical Therapy now, he’d suffer from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome later.
Of course, he wouldn’t be able to lift a spoon with his own hands for a while, but that was none of my business.
“Yeah, and not hurting in your old age is much more important.”
If they break once and heal back together this time, he will have sturdier wrists. In about twenty or thirty years, he’ll be thanking me too.
Smack-! Smack-!!
Sss-.
Anyway, as I beat him up excitedly like this, Un-Hyeon’s consciousness gradually faded, and I could see the plum blossoms that were obscuring the Sparring Stage clearing away.
“What a shame…, should I stop around here?”
I clicked my tongue and struck Un-Hyeon’s jaw upward, launching him into Mid-Air.
After that…
Smack-!
“Never.”
Thwack-!
“Look down.”
Smack-!
“You Bastard, on the Zhongnan Sect again.”
…I thoroughly wrecked him in Mid-Air.
Paat-!
He must have finally lost consciousness from the final Strike, as only then did the plum blossoms completely clear away.
And then, for the finale…
Thwack-!
…I kicked his side and sent him flying out of the Sparring Stage.
Toward where the Mount Hua Sect guys were, specifically.
Bang-!!
“U-Uh?”
“S-Senior Martial Brother-!!”
“Senior Martial Brother Un-Hyeon!!”
The disciples of the Mount Hua Sect wailed, seeing their most Senior Martial Brother suffer from such a terrible state without even knowing why.
* * *
“Senior Martial Brother.”
“Hmm? What is it, Jinseong?”
Before the Sparring Match, Ha Jinseong had spoken to Un-Hyeon separately.
“For this Sparring Match…, I think you need to be careful.”
…It was to warn him.
Feeling that something was off as the Sparring matches continued, he became certain during the Sparring Match between Jongrimun and the Hebei Peng Family.
The two martial artists of Jongrimun…
They were absolutely not lay disciples of the Zhongnan Sect. No…, they might not even be martial artists of the Righteous Faction.
The Saber Art used by the Martial Artist named Dong-Bong, who fought against Peng Ji-Sang of the Hebei Peng Family.
“The name was definitely the Demon-Slaying Saber Art of Pora…”
And the fierce energy that radiated around him as he unfolded that Saber Art.
It was beyond fierce; it was brutal enough to give one the chills.
‘If it’s a fierce and brutal energy, could it be…’
…The Demonic Cult.
He didn’t know why the future had changed, but there was a high probability that they were spies of the Demonic Cult.
“…Bastards.”
As soon as the word Demonic Cult came to mind, an uncontrollable anger surged from his body. And those feelings of his erupted exactly as they did during his Sparring Match with the Zhongnan Sect’s Chief Disciple, Geum Sa-Hwi.
He was also angry at the incompetent Zhongnan Sect for not even recognizing Suspicious individuals.
But after provoking the opponent like that, what worried him was the next Sparring Match.
A-Hwi, the next Sparring Match was for Senior Martial Brother Un-Hyeon and that guy suspected of being a spy.
Therefore, he had just given Senior Martial Brother Un-Hyeon this advice, but…
“Alright, Jinseong. I won’t let my Guard down and will be careful.”
…Even as Un-Hyeon said that, his face held a sense of lightness.
The thought that there was no way he would lose to a mere Lay Disciple must have been prevalent in his mind.
Looking at Senior Martial Brother Un-Hyeon’s face, Ha Jinseong nodded despite his worries.
Because the Demonic Cult were cautious Bastards.
He thought they wouldn’t commit an act so openly.
But what was the result now…
“Senior Martial Brother!!”
“Senior Martial Brother Un-Hyeon-!”
“Hurry, to the Medical Hall!”
“…”
Ha Jinseong trembled as he saw Senior Martial Brother Un-Hyeon’s condition.
And rightfully so…
“…That Bastard.”
…Even so, wasn’t his Technique too excessive?
He had completely wrecked all the joints, which were far more painful than the arms and legs, and had utterly crushed the hands, which were practically the life of a Swordsman.
At this rate, Senior Martial Brother Un-Hyeon would have to go into recuperation for at least a few months.
Unable to hold back any longer, he shouted toward the Sparring Stage.
“Even so, isn’t this going too far - !!”
No matter how angry he was, he believed he had maintained the Righteous Path toward his opponent. Hadn’t he ended it in just two exchanges with as little pain as possible?
In contrast, that guy had shrewdly blinded the audience with the illusion of plum blossoms and thoroughly beaten Senior Martial Brother Un-Hyeon.
However, as if he didn’t feel a prick of conscience, the guy merely tilted his head upon hearing Ha Jinseong’s shout.
“Pardon? Something like this is, well…, an everyday occurrence, isn’t it?”
“You despicable…!”
He truly acted like someone walking the path of Demonic Heresy.
Seeing him feign an innocent face as if he genuinely didn’t Understand made his heart pound so violently…
But Ha Jinseong endured it and suppressed the urge to rush at the guy.
‘Let’s calm down…’
Because there were too many eyes watching right now.
And…, they might not be the only spies of the Demonic Cult.
Ha Jinseong maintained his cold rationality and scanned his surroundings to find any Demonic Cult spies that might be hiding somewhere.
“The Semifinal Sparring Match is tomorrow anyway.”
…It wouldn’t be too late to teach that despicable guy a lesson tomorrow.
* * *
As expected of the Protagonist?
‘He’s actually holding back his anger at this.’
Clicking my tongue at his rational demeanor, I stepped down from the Sparring Stage.
“Waaaaah-!!”
“Shadowless Taoist Priest!!”
“Jongrimun-!! Jongrimun-!!”
The disciples of the Zhongnan Sect cheered and welcomed me as I returned with a proud victory.
And the Sect Leader…
“You’ve…, worked hard…”
…He merely gave me that one word without saying anything else.
The Sect Leader’s eyes were complex and subtle as he said that, so I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.
“Hmm? What is it? Did he perhaps see the sight inside the plum blossoms?”
At the Sect Leader’s level, it wouldn’t be impossible for him to see that much. Perhaps he saw that sight and finally felt something Strange about my identity.
‘Still, it’s fine.’
There wasn’t much time left until the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering ended.
Tomorrow is finally the Semifinal Match.
Since Somyung-i, who is in the finals, is basically a non-issue whether we fight or not, if I just beat that Mount Hua Sect Protagonist tomorrow, winning the championship is practically guaranteed.
‘Of course, it won’t be easy.’
Facing him while hiding my strength won’t be an easy task.
I should make some preparations too.
With that, I steeled my resolve and left the Sparring Arena with the other Disciples of the Zhongnan Sect.
“Zhongnan-! Zhongnan-! Zhongnan-!”
“Jongrimun-! Jongrimun-!”
Tomorrow at this time, the exact same cheers will ring out.
And the next morning…
“The Mount Hua Sect has forfeited the Sparring Match!”
“…Pardon?”
…I ended up hearing an unexpected fact.