“Roar! Final match of the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering! The two finalists have been determined!”
Shouting until his voice broke, Cheoncheonmu heated up the atmosphere of the tournament.
“It’s none other than Seongyeongmun and Bing Yeon Blossom Heart!”
Controlled by an Outsider, Bing Seolhwa established the past meaning of the original work known as Seongyeongmun (先境門).
In order to make the final bosses of the original story happy, she utilized the name received as a nickname, Bing Yeon, to create Bing Yeon Blossom Heart (氷龍化緣).
The names of the rival factions seemed to indicate where their respective directions lay.
“The first contestant to take the stage is the renowned powerhouse with the Iron Fist of Geumgang! Kim Hyul!”
Wowww─!
With Cheoncheonmu’s introduction, a boy with black hair and no shirt walked forward with heavy steps.
“And facing him is the famous swordsman said to be the beloved disciple of the Bing Yeon! Bi Wol!”
At the same time, a girl with the same black hair stepped forward with a displeased glare at her opponent.
“Who will take the first victory?! This will definitely be a breath-stealing contest of strength! After all, the opponent Kim Hyul has smashed through both sword and mace!”
A place where numerous martial artists gathered to showcase their strength and skills.
The audience, having caught a glimpse of what the pinnacle of martial arts truly was, raised their voices to debate who would ultimately win.
“Seongyeongmun is sure to win! Just like how Kim Hyul demonstrated there’s no way to see through the secret techniques of the Sichuan Tang Clan!”
“No way! It’s definitely Bing Yeon Blossom Heart! Haven’t you seen all the 후기지수 defeated with just the simple Three Talented Sword Method?!”
Many figures had been helped by Bing Yeon during the War of Good and Evil, so the martial artists in the stands overwhelmingly leaned towards one side in their cheers.
“Moreover, that’s the disciple of Bing Yeon! The one who was hiding the whole time before stepping out isn’t someone ordinary!”
Bing Yeon was born with a frail body,
avoiding the spotlight and rising high to reduce the number of people who could come to his aid.
“If he lacked skill, he wouldn’t have made it to the finals.”
“That’s exactly what I mean!”
Unaware of this fact, the martial artists proclaimed various reasons as they highly evaluated Bi Wol. Two people, more attentive than anyone else, listened with keen ears.
“What do you think, Infinite Sword Monarch?”
“Well, he’s up against the one who defeated the child of the Poison Dragon.”
Just before the finals, Namgung Dohun, the leader of the Namgung Clan, and Dang Munhyeok, the head of the Sichuan Tang Clan, stroked their beards as they contemplated the outcome.
These two were well aware of the might of Bi Wol and Kim Hyul. It was as if they read the movements of their students and sensed that the secret techniques they had developed together wouldn’t work.
“I thought the paralysis poison would surely take him out.”
“Ha! It’s the fault of those who thought he would just take the Sichuan Tang Clan’s poison and techniques without any defenses.”
Dang Munhyeok grimaced, revealing his displeasure. The use of solidified poison in the face of the indestructible Geumgang was rather a blunder.
As Kim Hyul feigned being poisoned and staggered, all their prepared tactics came crashing down in an instant.
“If it were me, I would’ve mixed it with something liquid and thrown it! Just a little entering the mouth or nose and it would be a success!”
“With you, he wouldn’t have been fooled by the ruse.”
“Hmph! Different poisons work differently based on one’s constitution. How many times must I say there are people who can eat poisons used in death sentences and not die as if they were eating herbs!”
While expressing his dissatisfaction, Dang Munhyeok secretly lamented over the failure of the pupils he had trained.
His exaggerated stomping demonstrated the hidden aspect of his frustration.
“So, what do you think of that little girl, Bi Wol?”
Dang Munhyeok, who hated being embarrassed alone, asked for the opinion of Namgung Dohun, who was also eliminated from the competition.
Merely the simple Three Talented Sword Method, known as a third-rate martial art.
Just slicing horizontally, vertically, and thrusting had shown up to the level of crushing the Namgung Clan deemed the world’s best swordmasters.
“Hm? It’s astonishing that someone so young could grasp the essence of the Three Talented Sword Method, but it seems like it does not fit her body yet.”
Namgung Dohun discovered a flaw in Bi Wol’s swordsmanship. When the intent and focus of the sword are aligned, it could slice through steel as if it were paper.
“Why do you think that? Her movements express heaven, humankind, and earth perfectly.”
“There’s something more important than form in martial arts. It’s the intent.”
“That’s true, but if she used the sword at that level, I think any other technique would be amazing!”
Crossed arms, Dang Munhyeok answered nonchalantly. Relying on technique would cause one to forget the original sharpness and weight.
What’s easily built is easily forgotten. So, the elevation of one’s true level must be achieved through a continuous repetition of martial arts.
That was clearly the case for someone who quickly learned just for the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering. It was unclear whether Bing Yeon had corrected her posture at some point, but her movements were close to the ideal.
“A sword that lacks freedom bends naturally.”
“Actually, it means she’s weak in application.”
Ironically, that was proving to be an obstacle in facing Kim Hyul, who had mastered the Geumgangbulgoe.
Bi Wol had to find a way to overcome the solid body that allowed no approach from any blade.
“So you want to say Kim Hyul will win? That would save my face a little!”
Hearing these words, Dang Munhyeok let out a big breath, showing his relief. If someone defeated his clan emerges victorious, he could comfort himself for losing to such a person.
“Well, ordinarily, I would like to say that…”
Infinite Sword Monarch, Namgung Dohun carefully concluded, scratching his chin. One could easily assume no method exists to break the indestructible Geumgang.
However,
“…Since she’s the disciple of that Bing Yeon, wouldn’t she display surprising achievements?”
If they completely discarded that frame of thinking, Bi Wol wasn’t entirely without a chance.
The lifetime martial artist Namgung Dohun focused his sharp gaze on the Bimu Jang.
*
As Bi Wol stepped into the Bimu Jang, the first thought that came to her was:
‘Right in front of me stands a formidable opponent.’
Like a piece of prey before a predator, her hands trembled uncontrollably. She realized she couldn’t beat that person due to the difference in their inner strength.
With superior Qi perception, the reality halted Bi Wol in place.
‘Don’t shake, I need to win here to support my master!’
Shaking her head vigorously, Bi Wol tried to shake off her fear. Winning here would allow her to obtain the inner core that had been accumulating for thousands of years.
Even with Azazel or Verdandi around, once she lost the momentum, the chances of losing would rise steeply. The opponent belonged to the faction that saw through everything, much like her master Bing Yeon.
As soon as she heard the uneasy name of Seongyeongmun echo in her ears, she bit her lip.
‘If I lose, my juniors must win all the remaining two matches.’
Her master, Bing Yeon, had mentioned that currently, Bi Wol held the lowest chance of winning. No matter how well she mastered the Three Talented Sword Method, she currently had no way to break the Geumgangbulgoe.
Yet, using demonic energy to unleash the Heavenly Demon Art would draw too much attention. If she displayed the slightest hint of something sinister, people would definitely suspect her origins.
‘…Normally it would be fine to lose, but I don’t want that.’
Lately, even Azazel was scheming to take her master. What transpired between them, she didn’t know, but it felt like their distance was closing whenever she felt insecure.
Her master, Bing Yeon, specialized in unintentionally enchanting women. With a handsome face and a kind demeanor, it was enough to warm even the coldest heart.
“You’re Bi Wol, aren’t you? We’ve finally met.”
As Bi Wol was lost in thought, Kim Hyul opened his mouth. How powerful could the disciple of the famous Bing Yeon, known throughout the martial world, be?
Ego, arrogance, palpitations.
She felt the boiling sensation of blood circulating throughout her body.
“…You know me? You talk as if we’re acquainted.”
“It’s my first time seeing you in person, but my master caused quite a stir saying he must kill you.”
Kim Hyul casually shared his Outsider’s schemes with Bi Wol. The more he saw her, the more certain he grew that killing her was a huge mistake.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because I hope you don’t turn out like me.”
That girl, unlike himself, was not bloodthirsty. She had never killed anyone, nor would she have ever harbored hate so intense as to want someone dead.
She was caught in the enticing web of the Outsider Shub Niggurath, with her family’s and friends’ lives mortgaged under the guise of salvation.
Even if he killed Bi Wol, there was no way that unpredictable Outsider would keep the promise made earlier.
“Give it your best shot. That way, I can later think I wasn’t wrong about you.”
Right now, Kim Hyul’s best bet was to measure how competent the disciples of Bing Yeon were, and if they could possibly deal with the Outsider, to align himself with them.
It was the planned betrayal conceived by Zikhart.
Also, he didn’t want to be associated any longer with the scummy Kang Si Woo, who frequently changed lovers.
‘It seems sticking with this side to fight against the Outsider has higher odds.’
Suppressing his anxiety, Kim Hyul hoped that Bi Wol would defeat him. If even he couldn’t break through the Geumgangbulgoe, he wouldn’t be able to repel an Outsider whom he himself couldn’t defeat.
Then, the final match of the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering shall commence!
As soon as Cheoncheonmu declared the start of the match, Kim Hyul lunged forward, aiming a thrust at Bi Wol.
