0060 : Demon Subduing Hall
The elders of the Zhongnan Sect were visibly startled at my victory.
“How is this possible…!!”
“It’s not human internal energy…!!”
They appeared shocked by the unfathomable level of my internal strength. The countless lacerations around us resembled a scene of a demon wailing in agony; it was a ghastly sight that could have easily brought down the building.
After a brief moment, when the commotion among the ordinary disciples settled and things calmed down, one of the Ten Elders stepped forward. It was the elder who had spoken with Jin So-cheong earlier.
“Elder Jin Su’s skills are among the highest among us. I had hoped he might either win or at least exhaust Jin So-cheong’s energy… but it seems the disciple has outdone him.”
There was a subtle hint of fear in his voice, and it was obvious that they no longer regarded me as a mere child.
“He just fainted.”
“Please give us a moment. We need some time to decide the next challenger.”
It seemed he had intentionally stepped forward to make that request. I chuckled and pointed at him with my finger.
“Why not let the one speaking now step up? You don’t look weaker than Elder Jin Su.”
“Haha. Well, I am not weaker than Jin Su, but that is a different matter from winning the match. If you are intruding upon our territory, it is only fair you accommodate our request for this little strategy.”
“……”
Well said.
He was incredibly suave and articulate, suggesting he was among the top strategists on the Zhongnan Sect’s side, capable of circumventing any confrontational atmosphere. When I fell silent, Jin So-cheong spoke up.
“Do as you please. However, I cannot wait longer than a single meal’s worth of time.”
“It won’t take that long.”
Then, the elders took the unconscious Elder Jin Su away and seemed to be discussing something in a secretive location. I found myself standing idly in the sparring arena when I received a transmission from my older sister.
[Disciple. Come down for now. This feels off.]
[What do you mean? No matter who comes out, I’m confident I won’t lose one-on-one.]
I could do it. I had grown stronger.
In fact, I wanted to defeat the other elders too to dampen their spirits. I was already in a heightened state after feeling provoked earlier. Then, another transmission came through.
[Didn’t you see the attitude of that elder just now? He seems consumed by a fierce determination to win, willing to resort to any means. Allowing yourself to be caught off guard would be detrimental for both you and the Azure Dragon Martial Arts.]
Jin So-cheong’s soft admonitions and persuasion calmed the surge of fighting spirit that had risen within me. Reflecting on my life experiences, it indeed seemed that I had stepped into a dangerous zone.
“… Understood, older sister.”
I decided not to be stubborn any longer and nodded. If the opponent was willing to use unscrupulous tactics, responding to each and every one would be foolish. It seemed Jin So-cheong had the confidence to deal with whatever tricks they came up with on my behalf. With my boiling blood settling, I sat down in my place.
“Good thinking.”
“Who do you think will come out next?”
“They won’t come out alone, that’s for sure. It will probably be a concerted attack.”
“Are you serious?”
The thought struck me. Was it not supposed to be a sparring match, yet the Nine Great Sects would launch a concerted attack? It was so outrageous that I initially dismissed it, but soon realized Jin So-cheong’s words were correct.
“We will use the Six Harmonies Pursuing the Moon Formation against you.”
As he said this, six elders stepped forward simultaneously, forming a battle formation per the Six Harmonies’ defense.
“……”
“Whoa…”
Naturally, both Jin So-cheong and I were left speechless. I certainly hadn’t expected them to be so blatant about it. I was in disbelief, shaking my head in utter astonishment.
‘What kind of people are these?’
For a sect that calls itself one of the Nine Great Sects, the audacity to gang up with six peak experts was astonishing! Furthermore, the faces of the six elders at the forefront showed not a trace of shame. One of the elders, forming the battle formation, confidently shouted,
“You may combine your strength as well, if you have additional allies!”
I protested vigorously.
“What kind of rules are these?”
“No one said we would fight one by one!”
“……”
“And the Six Harmonies Pursuing the Moon Formation is also a valid martial art of the Zhongnan Sect. What’s wrong with us using our techniques?”
Their brazen insistence left me momentarily speechless. Sparring is traditionally done as a one-on-one duel, and they were now resorting to proper battle formations typically used in deadly sect confrontations! Even if it involved two people using a formation, it could be deemed acceptable, but six involved was unreasonably excessive.
‘These lunatics… Is this what the Nine Great Sects amount to?’
I was glad I had listened to Jin So-cheong. If I’d stood before them, I would have been overwhelmed and forced into a one-on-six battle before I could even react. No matter how strong I had become, I wouldn’t be able to win against six peak masters forming a formation. My older sister calmly stood up as the elders prepared.
“Then we will step forward as two.”
“Do as you wish. Heh heh heh.”
The elders’ eyes sparkled with a mix of triumph and killing intent. Having seen that glint before, I felt I understood their intentions: they were not even contemplating the possibility of defeat! Moreover, it seemed they were fully prepared to leave this place with at least an arm or a leg as a trophy.
Realizing I had fallen into their trap, I sent a transmission to my older sister.
[We should back off, older sister. This is madness. No one would criticize us for refusing such a thing.]
[True enough. But I don’t sense defeat in our future.]
[What do you mean?]
[Come out and face me. If you follow my advice, you will never lose.]
“……”
With no other choice, I stepped out alongside Jin So-cheong.
‘Right, it’s either live or die.’
Jin So-cheong’s insight into martial arts was far beyond my own comparison. I had also come here fully prepared for a life-or-death training. I could not afford to display any signs of cowardice in front of her. At this point, I had to trust Jin So-cheong and see things through.
Whispers filled the arena. The disciples of the Zhongnan Sect were surprised that we were going to confront the Six Harmonies Pursuing the Moon Formation. They must have thought we would cower and admit defeat or flee instead. The elders likely shared this sentiment, as evident in the dawning realization in their eyes.
The elder standing at the front spoke.
“Do you think you can win? As soon as the formation is deployed, we will exhibit the strength of ten peak experts.”
His words were not mere bluster. The efficacy of a formation does not merely sum the strength of its members. A formation formed by two people could yield the effect of four; one formed by four could yield the effect of six or more. Not to mention, the Six Harmonies Pursuing the Moon Formation formed by six peak elders of the Zhongnan Sect would result in an overwhelming situation that was frightening to even imagine.
Then Jin So-cheong smiled.
“Well, we’ll have to see about that. But may I ask one thing?”
“What is it?”
“Even with that numerical advantage, a 6 to 2 match is exceedingly unfavorable. I would appreciate it if you would grant us the initiative.”
The elders of the Zhongnan Sect exchanged glances, as if communicating telepathically. After a moment, they seemed to have reached a consensus and nodded almost simultaneously.
“Very well!”
Even conceding the initiative, they seemed completely confident they wouldn’t lose. It was a very normal thing to think that.
Sssss—
Positions were taken. Jin So-cheong and I stood side by side, gazing at the six Zhongnan Sect elders forming their formation three paces away, each adopting different stances that likely represented the symbolic positions of the formation. Using those poses, they would blend hundreds of movements into the invincible Six Harmonies Pursuing the Moon Formation against us.
‘How should I attack?’
As I pondered this, I heard Jin So-cheong’s voice in my mind.
[Those fools. Moreover, having you follow me is my good fortune.]
[What do you mean?]
[Disciple, go ahead and fully unleash the Thunder Blade. I will hold off their attacks while you concentrate all your strength.]
In that instant, I understood what my older sister meant. Excitedly, I replied with a grin.
[Alright then. Let me show them a bitter lesson.]
Wooooo—
“Haah…”
I tightened my grip on the sword and focused my mind. As I did, the lightning blade merged with my internal energy and became increasingly intense.
Ziiing!
My arms tingled. I could feel the overwhelming fury of thunder gathering within me.
Unlike before, it seemed the Zhongnan elders were almost unaffected by my internal energy as the Six Harmonies Pursuing the Moon Formation began to solidify. It appeared that their internal energies were complementing each other and amplifying as a result.
Kugugugung—
The atmosphere trembled violently. Wind whipped around, gathering at the epicenter of my energy as a strange vortex began to swirl around me. My feet trembled as an immense force surged within the hall like a tempest. The pressure I was generating was far more formidable than when I faced Elder Jin Su, and the elders forming the Six Harmonies Formation displayed signs of unease.
“What are they trying to do…?”
One of them shouted angrily as he tried to leap forward, but at that moment, Jin So-cheong drew her spear with a shocking speed, thoroughly stopping the elder’s movement. With the upper hand secured, Jin So-cheong coldly spoke.
“I did say we would have the initiative, didn’t I? Is keeping your promises not a virtue of the Zhongnan Sect?”
“Kkhrk…!!”
As they hesitated, I focused all the latent power within me, concentrating on empowering the Thunder Blade. Typically, one wouldn’t be given this much time to gather strength in a real battle, but since they had allowed us the initiative, ample time was now mine. I unified my internal energy and concentration, pouring everything into the Thunder Blade.
Kugugugu—
Crack!
The blade of lightning began to wildly crackle without restraints, sending arcs of electricity in every direction. What began as a three-foot blade transformed into a lightning blade nearly one length long, continuing to grow even larger.
Pa-ji-ji-jik!!
As I poured in more than half of my total internal energy, an anomaly occurred. Suddenly, the fabric of my sword melted away, and it seemed as though a light sword sprouted in its place. There was only the hilt, but the blade appeared vividly at my fingertips. This was a result of the overwhelming energy of thunder surging forth.
Moments later, the blade grew to such a size that it surpassed the limits of this arena, becoming wider than the height of an adult man. The onlookers were dumbfounded at the sight of the gigantic Thunder Blade, which was almost as large as a dragon-slaying cleaver.
“Aaaahhhh…!!”
I infused even more energy, concentrating harder. With every ounce of strength I gathered, the Thunder Blade grew even larger.
Kuururung—
Finally, the Thunder Blade expanded to the point where it could break through the arena’s ceiling, losing its blade-like form and transforming into a blunt object resembling a massive club. However, whoever came into contact with this lightning club would not survive intact.
The expressions of the Zhongnan Sect elders had turned pale, realizing the power of the Thunder Blade.
‘Is this it?’
I had poured seven-tenths of my internal energy into the Thunder Blade. While I could have infused even more, I felt it might become uncontrollable if I did, so I had to halt here. Jin So-cheong, who was keeping the Zhongnan elders at bay, smiled softly and said,
“Disciple, give them a good strike.”
Of course.
I responded inwardly, then swung down the Thunder Blade. The shrieks of the Zhongnan elders erupted.
“Wait aaaaaaaan!!”
Boom!
Boom! Boom!
The sounds of destruction rang out in rapid succession, like the harbingers of the world’s collapse.
Kuururur…
After the storm of thunder, cloud of smoke billowed forth.
At that moment, 60% of the Zhongnan building was obliterated, a part of the hill collapsed, and there was an avalanche echoing in the distance. The sounds of rolling boulders reached my ears.
“Cough…!”
“Ughhh…”
The elders from the sky fell down.
Crash!
The intended targets, the Zhongnan elders, miraculously survived but were incapacitated by the shockwave of the lightning. In particular, one elder, who had been provoking us from the front, lay unconscious, his eyes rolled back entirely.
As the disciples of the Zhongnan Sect gazed upon the ruins that resembled the aftermath of a meteor strike, their faces had turned a pale white.
“……”
I, too, struggled to believe in the power of the Thunder Blade I had unleashed. Although I had gathered my energy for over thirty breaths and poured seven-tenths of it into the strike, was this truly the might of my swordsmanship?
The Thunder Blade I used against Elder Jin Su was dwarfed by this one in size, not to mention that it was at least ten times greater and akin to a natural disaster.
“Huff… huff…”
A delayed reaction coursed through my body. Breathing became difficult, and my head spun. The dizziness was a result of expending too much energy all at once. However, after catching my breath for a moment, I returned to my senses, and soon Jin So-cheong arrived by my side, patting my back.
“Well done, disciple. To wipe out the enemies all at once, that’s remarkable.”
I wiped the sweat from my forehead.
“It’s the first time I’ve used the Thunder Blade this way.”
“If you step onto the battlefield, you could single-handedly lead the war to victory. I am proud of you.”
Jin So-cheong’s praise was not mere flattery. If I could launch something like this at an enemy stronghold, it could undoubtedly cause casualties in the hundreds. It was almost a miracle that the Zhongnan elders were still alive. I realized that my internal energy had reached an inhuman level beyond my expectations and clenched my fists tightly.
‘Not far now.’
If I could fully harness this internal energy and further elevate my martial arts skills, I would undoubtedly be able to take down the General of the Golden Cloak!
As I steeled my resolve, a voice brushed past my ear.
“I have witnessed the Qi Covering Absolute Technique, disciples of the Azure Dragon.”
A booming voice echoed the words, and their figure sped past me with astonishing swiftness.
“Then allow me to request a move as well.”
In an instant, a white-clad figure appeared silently in the arena. He stood right in front of the fallen elders, and surprisingly, I hadn’t even noticed when he had manifested.
However, Jin So-cheong’s expression changed the moment she spotted him, her eyes narrowing with deadly focus—this was a different level of vigilance compared to her demeanor with the Zhongnan elders. This indicated that the white-clad figure was an inherently dangerous presence.
Gripping her spear tightly, Jin So-cheong spoke.
“Yeon Jeong-hong, Sect Leader. The outcome has already been decided.”
The middle-aged man in white tilted his head in surprise.
“Decided, you say?”
“With three wins under our belt! The disciple has secured one victory, and we recently gained another by competing six against two. There will be no further chances for you to engage.”
Unexpectedly, Jin So-cheong did not serve up harsh reprimands or disdainful remarks, as she had done with the Zhongnan elders. Instead, she spoke with utmost respect for Yeon Jeong-hong.
“Hmm…”
Yeon Jeong-hong gazed down with dissatisfaction at the elders sprawled upon the ground. He sighed before saying,
“This is precisely the problem with our sect’s elders. They try to resolve matters at their level for fear of losing face if I step in, yet ultimately suffer the humiliation of losing the plaque—how foolish is this?”
“That is indeed a valid point.”
Jin So-cheong had a trickle of sweat running down his neck, a sign that he too was tense.
“If you had stepped in from the beginning, we would have truly had to stake our lives.”
I couldn’t help but feel nervous upon seeing Yeon Jeong-hong.
‘If he charges at me now… I’ve used almost all my internal energy; how will I win?’
The First Sword of Zhongnan, Yeon Jeong-hong!
The current Sect Leader of Zhongnan Sect!
He was also recognized as one of the few peak experts in the world, renowned for his swordsmanship even in the Central Plains. I learned this when I was investigating the Twin Door Sect in Luoyang, discovering that the reason the Zhongnan Sect could match the Hwasan Sect, despite being overall less skilled, was solely due to the martial prowess of the First Sword of Zhongnan. I had been curious about how one person’s influence could be so vast.
‘This… is not good…’
But now that I faced him, I understood.
I felt the same sense of despair that I had when confronting the General of the Golden Cloak.
Though the difference between peak and super peak is just one level, the gap in power was terrifying. Until just a moment ago, I had thought that by risking my life against the Six Harmonies Pursuing the Moon Formation, I might have a chance, but in front of this super peak expert, such luck was unlikely to be of any use.
Sss—
As Yeon Jeong-hong slightly raised his hand, Jin So-cheong and I emitted strong killing intent. It felt as if we were ready for a life-or-death struggle at any moment, but Yeon Jeong-hong merely brushed it aside, speaking in a bored tone.
“Thanks to the elders acting on their own, I’ve arrived late. Because of that, our sect suffered great humiliation… this must indeed be my failure.”
“What shall we do?”
“Remove the plaque. We will seal the sect for five years. We need to teach our disciples rigorously to prevent such an incident from occurring again.”
Yeon Jeong-hong, stating the decision to seal the Nine Great Sects without any concern, turned his head.
“And tell the Azure Dragon Sect that I will soon pay them a visit for a drink, Jin So-cheong.”
“Understood.”
It seemed Jin So-cheong and Yeon Jeong-hong were familiar with each other. Perhaps that’s why Jin So-cheong appeared well aware of Yeon Jeong-hong’s power. What was surprising, however, was that Jin So-cheong had boldly attacked the Zhongnan Sect without any hesitation. Perhaps it was a small bravado on her part, a confidence to end the situation before the Sect Leader could intervene.
“Goodbye for now.”
“Wait a moment!”
I called out to Yeon Jeong-hong as he began to leave. When he turned back to look at me, I inquired,
“Why do you keep referring to my master as Azure Dragon instead of his title, the Three No Limits?”
Both the Zhongnan elders and Yeon Jeong-hong had referred to my master as Azure Dragon instead of using the title Three No Limits. It could only be due to some underlying reason.
“……”
Yeon Jeong-hong looked at Jin So-cheong in surprise. Jin So-cheong then gave a sheepish smile and said,
“The disciple hasn’t been with us long and doesn’t know the past well.”
“I see. That’s understandable.”
Yeon Jeong-hong then stared at me with his deep-set eyes and said,
“Ask your master directly about that. After all, how many people in this world can objectively lay bare their own past?”
“……?”
“I’ve seen your skills. Next time, I hope to see a more refined face.”
With that, Yeon Jeong-hong began to tend to the fallen elders. Realizing this was a kind of farewell, Jin So-cheong and I started to exit the Zhongnan Sect. We also didn’t forget to take the plaque of the Zhongnan Sect as promised. I carried the plaque on my shoulder and asked Jin So-cheong,
“Did I ask something wrong?”
Squeak—
Jin So-cheong, who was running alongside me, answered with a wry smile.
“Not at all. But if I had to point it out, your question has likely instilled fear in the peak experts of the surrounding area. If others had heard that question, they might have turned pale with fright or run away.”
“What?!”
“However, for someone as accomplished as Yeon Jeong-hong, it’s merely a matter of the past. If you ask Master about it later, he will give you a proper answer.”
“Yes.”
“Oh, and we will take turns carrying the plaque. It would be too heavy for just one person.”
Though Jin So-cheong was being considerate, the absurdity of my own thoughts led me to ask,
“But what is this for? It wouldn’t be wise to sell it.”
“Hmm…”
Jin So-cheong pondered for a long while about the practicality of the Zhongnan plaque before finally responding.
“If we put it in storage, there will surely come a day when it will be useful.”
“……”
I bit back the question of when that day might come, but I held my tongue.
After all, today was a day of successful conquest over the Zhongnan Sect, and I strongly desired to have a delicious meal and relax afterwards.
