Chapter 90
As soon as the duel began, Danmok Hwaryeon slowly raised her wooden sword in front of her.
"Well then, shall we begin? Try not to fall in one hit."
Despite her words, Danmok Hwaryeon was openly mocking Paeng Seo-yeon.
Paeng Seo-yeon couldn't hide her tense face and swallowed hard.
Seeing this, Danmok Hwaryeon smirked.
It was understandable.
How long had it been since Paeng Seo-yeon had been in a duel like this?
But it was different for her.
She had been consistently training without rest until now.
Just that alone made her feel like she had already won.
Suddenly, Danmok Hwaryeon thought that perhaps she had been diligently honing her martial arts all this time for a day like this.
Crushing such an oblivious weakling was always thrilling.
Seeing the face of an opponent who only realized their place after falling to her sword was even more exhilarating.
Of course, even though victory was certain, she had no intention of yielding the first move.
While Paeng Seo-yeon looked pathetic, she didn't want to give her any chances.
So Danmok Hwaryeon quickly launched the first attack.
Swish!
Paeng Seo-yeon barely dodged Danmok Hwaryeon's fierce first strike.
The attack aimed precisely at her nape barely grazed her hair.
It was a heart-stopping moment for both Paeng Seo-yeon and the onlookers.
But without time to catch her breath, the second and third attacks came immediately.
As everyone had expected, Danmok Hwaryeon began skillfully pressing the attack in the duel.
Paeng Seo-yeon barely blocked some attacks and narrowly dodged others, precariously facing Danmok Hwaryeon at every moment.
Swish!
Clang, clang!
But something strange was happening.
The duel that was expected to end in two or three exchanges was unexpectedly dragging on.
Paeng Seo-yeon, who had seemed precarious, was surprisingly continuing to block Danmok Hwaryeon's attacks well.
Moreover, she was handling Danmok Hwaryeon's attacks, which she had barely dodged at first, with increasing ease.
She even began to counterattack.
Tsk!
Danmok Hwaryeon's eyes grew fierce.
Contrary to her expectation of ending it quickly, Paeng Seo-yeon's struggle was starting to wound her pride.
'Fine. Let's see if you can withstand this.'
She created some distance and took a stance.
Then Danmok Hwaryeon began to unfold the Falling Star Twelve Swords.
Unlike other martial arts of the Danmok Clan that boasted heavy swordsmanship, the Falling Star Twelve Swords focused on swift strikes rather than weight.
Soon, sword techniques resembling falling stars were directed at Paeng Seo-yeon.
Whoosh!
Everyone watched with worried eyes.
Surely this would be too much to withstand. This duel would end in Paeng Seo-yeon's defeat.
Everyone thought so.
But then,
"Hup!"
Paeng Seo-yeon's eyes flashed, and she began to deflect all of Danmok Hwaryeon's attacks.
Her sword twisted away all the falling stars.
So naturally, and so perfectly!
This was a very difficult feat even for someone who had been continuously training martial arts for a long time.
Especially against an advanced technique like the Falling Star Twelve Swords that Danmok Hwaryeon was using now!
"How on earth did you...my Falling Star Twelve Swords..."
Danmok Hwaryeon couldn't finish her sentence, too proud to ask how Paeng Seo-yeon could deflect it so easily.
But she couldn't hide her face of utter disbelief.
The same was true for those watching the duel.
"Huh! H-How is this possible?"
Not just Tang Mujun and Hwangbo Cheonwoo, but even Paeng Seo-jin's eyes were wide open.
But perhaps the most surprised of all was Paeng Seo-yeon herself.
She stared at the wooden sword in her hand with a dazed expression.
She too was utterly curious about how this was happening.
Paeng Seo-yeon had been incredibly frustrated and bitter about her body feeling so stiff after not practicing martial arts for so long.
But she had no choice but to accept it.
Even taking a break for one or two years would noticeably slow one's movements, let alone after more than 6 years of rest.
Moreover, during that time, Danmok Hwaryeon and the other Six Dragons and Three Phoenixes would have grown without rest, so even if Paeng Seo-yeon regained her former skills, she wouldn't be a match for them.
They were called geniuses representing the Orthodox Martial World, after all.
Even a single day's rest could lead to different insights and growth, so the gap would inevitably be stark.
But at this moment, the expected outcome had changed.
Right now, she had simply visualized deflecting Danmok Hwaryeon's Falling Star Twelve Swords and somehow moved her body accordingly.
Of course, being able to visualize the process of deflection just by watching was only possible due to Paeng Seo-yeon's incredible talent.
But actually executing it as imagined was another matter entirely.
Yet she had done it.
And so smoothly and perfectly at that.
Paeng Seo-yeon unconsciously swallowed hard.
It was a strange thing.
Seeing this situation, everything from feeling unusually refreshed this morning to her current physical state felt new.
The air she breathed in and out felt different, and her opponent's every movement looked different from before.
The sensation in her fingertips holding the sword was unlike usual, and the energy rising with each step she took was different.
And that wasn't all.
From head to toe.
She felt as if an inexplicable warm energy was filling and enveloping her entire body.
This sensation was a first.
It was as if her body had entered a completely different realm from before.
She couldn't even imagine what was happening to her.
Paeng Seo-yeon quietly gripped her wooden sword tightly.
Perhaps,
'I might be able to win.'
Confidence was growing.
Paeng Seo-yeon slowly took her stance.
It was the sword technique she had once been most confident in.
"Oh."
At that moment, Tang Mujun and Hwangbo Cheonwoo, who were watching the duel, exclaimed in admiration.
That's how extraordinary the aura emanating from Paeng Seo-yeon was right now.
Grind!
Seeing this, Danmok Hwaryeon gritted her teeth and shouted.
"Don't be ridiculous! You think I'd lose to the likes of you? That will never happen! Never!"
Then she quickly infused her wooden sword with inner energy.
It was clear she intended to take Paeng Seo-yeon down before she could make any moves.
Soon, what Danmok Hwaryeon unleashed was the Setting Sun Spinning Wheel, one of the ultimate moves of the Falling Star Twelve Swords.
Whoosh!
Though it wasn't performed with a real sword, its momentum was incredibly fierce.
"Sister!"
Paeng Seo-jin cried out in a worried voice.
The savage sword energy looked as if it might harm Paeng Seo-yeon.
At that moment,
Flash.
A light shone in Paeng Seo-yeon's eyes.
Soon, what unfolded from her hand was the Iron Blood Star Plucking Blade.
Iron Blood Star Plucking Blade.
It was one of the proud sword techniques of the Paeng Family, literally meaning a blade of iron blood that plucks stars.
Like a streak of light drawn across the night sky.
Slow yet fast.
And sharp yet gentle.
That was the characteristic of the Iron Blood Star Plucking Blade.
While other Paeng Family sword techniques were domineering and bold, the Iron Blood Star Plucking Blade contained gentleness and mystique.
That technique cut the tail of the falling star illuminating the sky.
Whoosh!
Soon, Danmok Hwaryeon's Setting Sun Spinning Wheel lost its power before Paeng Seo-yeon's Iron Blood Star Plucking Blade.
'This can't be!'
Danmok Hwaryeon's eyes bulged.
But that wasn't the end.
Paeng Seo-yeon's Iron Blood Star Plucking Blade, which hadn't lost any of its momentum even after cutting the star, now threatened to engulf Danmok Hwaryeon herself.
'Ah! This is...!'
Even Paeng Seo-yeon looked surprised, as the power unleashed was far greater than she had anticipated.
At this rate, Danmok Hwaryeon would be seriously injured.
At that moment,
Swish.
Somehow, Tang Mujun had appeared in front of Danmok Hwaryeon and moved her away from that spot.
Boom!
With a tremendous explosion, the dueling ground was deeply gouged.
If Tang Mujun hadn't saved Danmok Hwaryeon, it was obvious what would have happened to her.
The wooden sword she had dropped was already shattered along with the ground.
With this, the outcome was clear.
"Haha..."
Paeng Seo-yeon, who had used the Iron Blood Star Plucking Blade, looked at the scene with a surprised face and then once again at her own hand holding the wooden sword.
How could this power be so unbelievable?
Even when she was called the most outstanding among the Four Peaks, she had never unleashed such power.
At this point, she was truly curious about what had happened to her.
"I can't accept this!"
Danmok Hwaryeon, who had narrowly avoided great harm thanks to Tang Mujun, shouted with a red face.
"I don't know what underhanded trick you used, but this is cheating! There's no way I could lose to you like this otherwise! Right?"
"Ha."
This was stubbornness beyond stubbornness.
Paeng Seo-yeon was starting to tire of Danmok Hwaryeon's shamelessness.
Regardless, Danmok Hwaryeon began to rant shamelessly.
"Be honest. What dirty trick did you use? Huh? Anyway, I absolutely cannot accept this result, so remember that! Got it?"
"That's enough."
"What do you mean that's enough... Huh? What?"
She thought it was Hwangbo Cheonwoo who had spoken, but it wasn't.
It was Tang Mujun.
Danmok Hwaryeon looked up at Tang Mujun and flinched.
Tang Mujun, whom she admired more than anyone, was wearing a cold expression she had never seen before.
This fact was quite shocking to Danmok Hwaryeon.
Because Tang Mujun had always treated her warmly no matter what she did.
Danmok Hwaryeon couldn't believe his icy gaze.
But then,
"It's fine."
Paeng Seo-yeon spoke up.
She narrowed her eyes as she looked at Danmok Hwaryeon.
"I knew you wouldn't apologize. You probably never even considered the possibility of losing, right?"
"So it's fine. There's no point in talking to you any further. Now I don't want to see your face anymore either, so please leave this house."
Grind.
At Paeng Seo-yeon's words, Danmok Hwaryeon's face turned completely red.
"Fine. Good. It's not like I particularly enjoyed being here anyway."
She snorted and said to her companions,
"Let's go."
"What?"
When Hwangbo Cheonwoo asked again, Danmok Hwaryeon replied irritably.
"I said let's go. So we should disappear."
"It seems like that was directed at you alone, not us."
"What did you say?"
Hwangbo Cheonwoo smirked and gestured for her to leave.
"I'm planning to stay longer, so you go ahead. I need to drink the alcohol I couldn't have today thanks to you."
"Hmph, then do as you please. We're leaving."
Danmok Hwaryeon grabbed Tang Mujun's arm.
Then,
Swish.
Tang Mujun removed her hand from himself.
Quite coldly.
For a moment, Danmok Hwaryeon's face went blank.
Somehow, the situation was unfolding very differently from what she had imagined.