45 - Dragon Phoenix Assembly (18) - The Heaven-Slaying Sword

Dong. Dong. Dong. The drum booms mightily. Following it, a roar that seems to envelop the entire world resounds. "Waaaaaaaah!!!" The finale of the Yongbong Branch Assembly has begun. Specially since it was the day of the final match, the events leading up to the main martial arts contest differed in many ways from before. There were all sorts of astonishing feats performed by various prodigies, followed by martial arts displays by renowned mid-level experts of the current martial world, and not to forget, a speech directly delivered by the Sword King, Namgung Hyuk, himself. Despite the lavishness of these events, they failed to quench the thirst of the audience. It was to be expected. The reason they had come here today was not merely to witness such sights. Today was the day when the unbeaten legend of Namgung Jincheon, known as the Sword Dragon, might finally be shattered. The audience was simply waiting for the start of a martial arts contest that could potentially become a legend in the annals of martial world history. Fortunately, the wait was not long. [Then, we shall commence the main event! First, the Sword Dragon, Namgung Jincheon! Please step onto the martial arts stage!] "Waaaaaaaah!!!" A handsome man with blue eyes ascends to the martial arts stage, wielding his sword. As always, his oppressive aura felt particularly heavy today. [Next! The Silent Sword, Mok Riwon! Please step onto the martial arts stage!] "Waaaaaaaah!!!" "Kyaaaaaaah!!!" A man whose mere presence seemed to drain the soul stepped onto the stage. If there were a bewitching demon, it would surely look just like him. Grey martial outfit and an old iron sword. However, a mischievous smile lingered on his lips, impossible to hide. Finally, the two men faced each other on the martial arts stage. The contest had not yet begun. However, the atmosphere in the martial arts stage was reaching its peak heat of the day. Amidst this, Mok Riwon said, "I’m sorry about the past." "What for?" "For saying that you seemed like a creature of the underworld. It was thoughtless of me." Mok Riwon said, scrutinizing Namgung Jincheon's reaction. It was an apology, remembering the words spoken at Tanghwa Temple. The response that followed was very much characteristic of Namgung Jincheon, and thus, unsatisfactory for Mok Riwon. "I do not mind." Mok Riwon smiled bitterly. 'So desiccated.' He wondered if the man truly was devoid of feelings. This thought was followed by a sense of sorrow. It was sad to think that someone born into such circumstances and fate could be so unfeeling. As Mok Riwon was trying to soothe his bitter heart with deep breaths, Namgung Jincheon spoke. "Three seconds." "Hm?" "I'm saying you should last three seconds. As mentioned before." Namgung Jincheon, looking down at Mok Riwon, added, "I did say so. It won't be an easy contest." "That's true." "Prove it." Mok Riwon's eyes widened at that, instantly smoothing into a smile. "You'll regret it. Wouldn't your pride suffer if I beat you miserably?" "Provocation holds no meaning for me. Didn't your teacher ever teach you that?" "For someone who claims so, you're quite adept at provocation." The conversation lasted longer than expected. The audience stretched their senses wide to eavesdrop on their conversation, but it was in vain. The martial arts stage was blocked off by a barrier created by Namgung Hyuk himself. Only the announcer, who was also on the martial arts stage, kept swallowing his saliva nervously, listening to their menacing words. "It's time to begin." "Oh, understood!" At Mok Riwon's cue, the announcer stepped back. Then, raising his hand high, he shouted, [Then, let's begin!] Mok Riwon and Namgung Jincheon performed their pre-fight rituals. Shortly afterward, as the announcer's hand slowly fell, the contest began. Chaeeeng! The first to attack was Namgung Jincheon. * There was no flashy technique. It was an utterly straightforward vertical slash, so direct it could almost be considered crude— a true embodiment of the term. Kikikik! And yet, it was profound. It was Namgung Jincheon's sword, the only sword in the Central Plains that claimed the sky as its domain. Changgungmuae Sword Technique (蒼穹無涯劍法). A sword technique that signifies the endless blue sky. As well as a sword that signifies there is nowhere further to reach beyond that sky's end. A sword that could only be described as arrogant, yet one that demanded recognition. The Namgung family's sword was indeed a heavy one. "One second." Namgung Jincheon declared indifferently. Mok Riwon summoned all his strength to withstand his sword. However, if it was so easy to endure, Namgung Jincheon would not have been hailed as the “next supreme being”. "And now, the second." Hwaaaak! A blue wave of energy envelops the entire martial arts stage. Namgung Jincheon, as if intending to cleave Mok Riwon with his sword, began pressing down on the entire space to suppress him. Ddududuk- Unable to withstand the energy wave, the floor of the martial arts stage was torn apart. The air became so dense with the intense blue that it seemed to crush one's breath. Mok Riwon felt his breath being completely blocked by it. 'Just...' It was merely the phenomenon caused by the release of the energy wave. "Can you endure it?" Namgung Jincheon asked. Mok Riwon, with wide-open eyes, responded by emitting a wave of energy. Sssaaah- A faint inky light emerged. It was a cold light that reminded one of the dark night sky, yet it held a certain beauty within it. The released energy wave condensed and grew in size, beginning to stretch against the sky. Hwaaak-! It was almost like witnessing a battle between day and night, such was the sharp contrast in color and nature. Namgung Jincheon’s blue energy wave was oppressively strong. In contrast, Mok Riwon's dark energy wave held a softness that belied its somber color. Could there be swords so different from each other? Could there be energies so contrasting? The clash and flux of the energy waves seemed almost picturesque. Of course, the situation was far from romantic for the involved parties. "Kuh…!" Mok Riwon gnashed his teeth, working hard to deflect Namgung Jincheon’s sword. But it was equally heavy. A twofold difference in martial energy. No matter how much a martial arts contest isn’t decided purely by internal energy, such a stark difference in level inevitably results in a gap. "Still too slow." Namgung Jincheon continued to press Mok Riwon. Despite not usually being one to rush, today was an exception. Why wouldn’t it be? Mok Riwon’s very existence, along with his declarations and showcased spirit, was already a provocation to Namgung Jincheon. So, Namgung Jincheon wished. He wished that Mok Riwon wasn’t just all talk, that he had the skill to back his words, that he was someone who could truly challenge him. Ddududuk- The floor of the martial arts stage, swept away, floated into the air. With that, Namgung Jincheon’s pressure intensified. "Still…!" Mok Riwon's eyes shone. "I haven’t shown anything yet!" Kikikik! Relaxing his wrist, Mok Riwon dodged swiftly as Namgung Jincheon’s sword slashed downwards. Faster than the sword, Mok Riwon’s body spun out of the sword’s path. Utilizing the opponent's force as fuel, he demonstrated a maneuver of fluidity to increase his speed. "Quite…" Namgung Jincheon was pleased. Then, he swung his sword horizontally. The movement was equally unadorned, and the result was horrifying. Kwaaang-! Mok Riwon, though he had escaped the sword's path, was still struck by the energy wave wrapped around the sword. For a moment, his body was lifted into the air, but fortunately, Mok Riwon managed to land upright. However, his body was already in tatters. The humble grey martial outfit was torn in several places, revealing blood-stained skin, and the hand holding the sword trembled. His eyes, too, seemed to lose focus. To anyone's eyes, he appeared on the brink of collapse. Namgung Jincheon, with a nostalgic look, observed this state for a moment, then withdrawing his gaze, he said, "That makes three seconds. Well done. It was quite interesting." Exactly three seconds. He had overwhelmed Mok Riwon in just that duration and, without any regret, gathered his energy. Standing, but only just. Having directly sustained damage to his internal energy, it was unnecessary to continue the contest. Such was his judgment. Namgung Jincheon turned to look at the announcer, his lips moving to signal the end of the contest. ...But they just hesitated. Shudder- Before words could form, a chilling sensation, preceding any speech, made any further action unnecessary. * Before the start of the contest, Mok Riwon confidently expected victory, yet he was aware of one thing. 'I'm lacking.' That he was lacking in every aspect compared to Namgung Jincheon was evident. Of course, it was inevitable. Compared to Namgung Jincheon, who was practically raised on all kinds of precious spiritual medicines, Mok Riwon's experience with inner elixirs was limited to human-faced acorns. Was that all? Even his supply of internal energy through mental cultivation was strictly suppressed. Seonglyeongsingong discourages the premature rise of internal energy. Nor was he exceptionally experienced to make up for it. Unlike Namgung Jincheon, who had grown up sparring with various experts, Mok Riwon's peak sparring experience was with Mok Seon-o. It was a contest that seemed doomed from the start. However, even then, Mok Riwon had one aspect where he surpassed Namgung Jincheon. 'Talent in martial arts.' The martial arts talent that should be deemed the greatest in the land. And intuition. The Celestial Killing Nature is the essence of martial talent. The Extreme Demonic Physique is a body shaped for killing. Combined, Mok Riwon was a man capable of executing the most flawless techniques with a sword. So, it was on this that he gambled, even if it might appear reckless. 'It's okay if my internal energy is lacking.' Experience can make up for it. 'And it’s fine if I'm lacking in experience.' Experience can be accrued during the contest. '...I.' I haven’t shown anything yet. Sssss- Mok Riwon struggled to his feet, standing upright. He then looked at Namgung Jincheon. For the first time since the outset of the Yongbong Branch Assembly, emotion surfaced on his face. It was astonishment. Now you’re starting to look like a person. With that thought, Mok Riwon smiled. "Are you running away?" "..." "I told you, I haven’t shown anything yet." "Your spirit is commendable. However, you have nothing more to show." "I do." "Even if you do, that body of yours won’t allow it." What does he mean it won’t allow it? How exactly did he make such a judgment? "Are you scared?" Namgung Jincheon's brows narrowed. "...You have a knack for irritating people." "You said provocation doesn’t work on you, but it seems to be working quite well." "If lying down in pain is your wish." Hwaaak-! Namgung Jincheon unleashed another wave of energy. Mok Riwon felt his breathing, which had just stabilized, falter again. Yet, he was still able to smile. 'Good.' This kind of pressure was needed. This kind of murderous intent was needed. A murderous intent so sweet, it makes one want to immerse in it and close their eyes. Thump- Mok Riwon took a step forward. He savored the pressure weighing down on his shoulders. Internally, he offered an apology to his master. 'I’m sorry, Master.' -Won, suppress it, suppress it again. Erase all murderous intent. Only then, you will not harm others. It was an apology for directly going against the words spoken with such a sorrowful face out of concern for him. 'But Master.' Yet. 'I don’t want to lose.' He wanted to win. Or, if he was to lose, he wanted to lose to a sword that knows defeat. He didn't want to fall to a sword reaching out only towards ambition. Of course, Mok Riwon didn't turn his eyes to his true nature just because of such a stubborn wish. 'I did my best.' He had battered his body to a pulp, fearing he might harm Namgung Jincheon if he couldn’t control his murderous intent. Through struggle upon struggle, he had drained his strength to ensure his sword wouldn’t reach Namgung Jincheon. Moreover, he wasn’t going to release all his restraints. Mok Riwon exhaled. Then, he faced the grudge that he had always repressed deep in his heart. It was a grudge that could ruin his life, yet it was something he couldn’t shake off, something he had blindly turned away from. It limited his thinking, his martial arts, and even his emotions, barely suppressing it. The star of the killing ghost. Mok Riwon confronted it, remembering. 'Just for today.' Thus, he peeled back just one layer of his nature that he had suppressed all his life.