Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors
And so, Lee Kwang and Yong Bichun faced each other from a distance of three meters. They glared at one another for a while, and even from afar, one could tell their arm muscles were bulging with tension, a clear sign of their fierce determination. Yong Bichun narrowed his eyes and said,
“It’s quite surprising to see this rookie standing before me again.”
“Oh, but back then, you received a blow from me! Don’t you remember?” Lee Kwang raised his spear, pointing at Yong Bichun’s face.
“I recall you were a mess yourself after I sent you tumbling beneath the Dongzhandan.”
“Well, that was quite a tough time.”
It seemed there was considerable animosity between the two. Despite their past grievances, Lee Kwang replied playfully,
“Today, that wound won’t be the only souvenir.”
Yong Bichun reciprocated with a grin.
“Who says that…?”
Hwwwhhh
I fixed my gaze on the sparring arena, feeling tense. Lee Kwang’s spear was charged with an unprecedented intensity of Thunder Energy, while Yong Bichun’s entire being radiated a storm-like energy. They exuded an aura as if they had become the very essence of nature itself.
And then, in the next moment –
The strongest of the Thunder God Lineage and Wind Spirit Lineage clashed. I was left breathless, watching from the start of the encounter until its dramatic conclusion. A battle between such top-tier experts was something one couldn’t see even for a fortune.
Lee Kwang moved faster than I could have imagined, even without invoking the Thunder Roar technique. This was partly due to his mastery of Myeongyon, but his agility had already reached a level that left no room for waste.
In the blink of an eye, as Lee Kwang’s spear split the air, he had pierced Yong Bichun’s illusionary form with a swift technique before anyone could process it. His body spun three times in a shorter span than before, executing three secret techniques in succession.
Pu-wak!
It appeared that Yong Bichun created an afterimage to evade the attack quickly, but the confusion etched on his face told a different story. Although he seemed to have avoided an attack, a significant wound marred his arm, indicating he had just brushed perilously close to Lee Kwang’s initial strike.
‘Good heavens!’
Witnessing this, chills ran down my spine. Some might not think it remarkable to graze an opponent in their first encounter, but I knew exactly how formidable Yong Bichun could become when he got serious.
Even I had struggled to contend with a speed capable of evading identification, conjuring mirror images and shadows with agile forms – to keep up with Yong Bichun would be nearly impossible. However, Lee Kwang, without even using Thunder Roar, had seen through Yong Bichun’s true form, attacking with a speed that left little room for escape from his shadow techniques. This meant Lee Kwang had the capacity to challenge a Dharma Protector!
Pa-bat!
In the next moment, Yong Bichun’s figure split into five. He roared,
“How about this?”
Secret Technique of the Wind Spirit Lineage
Wind Demon Elimination
This wasn’t just simple afterimages; each one seemed to breathe and pulsate with power, coming into reality. I shivered, remembering the time I was thoroughly beaten by Yong Bichun’s Wind Demon Elimination. Even with only 20% of his power, he could dispatch peak experts with ease! What havoc might result if he used his full strength?
‘No way!’
The tricky part of Wind Demon Elimination lay in the absence of its true form until just before an attack. This absolute preposterous speed made any counterattack impossible. And as Yong Bichun waved his hands, the number of copies multiplied to an astonishing forty!
[Ultimate Blood Wind Divine Fist!!]
The secret technique of the Wind Spirit Lineage that could unravel a single individual—even the memory of receiving a beating from hundreds of those fists sent shivers down my spine. I unconsciously shouted,
“Dodge!!”
At that moment, when Yong Bichun’s copies surrounded and charged at Lee Kwang, it felt as if time had frozen. I caught a glint of Lee Kwang sneering, reminiscent of when we faced off against those twelve great factions.
“Such crude techniques.”
Zziing!
Lee Kwang lightly swept his spear across, creating a space that seemed to fold under immense pressure. It became clear to me that his movements had reached levels of mastery, with a power that could not be easily followed by time-stopping abilities!
Lightning shattered the very fabric of reality.
An overwhelming Thunder Energy resonated.
Lee Kwang’s Heavenly Thunder Infinite Spear unleashed its Heavenly Thunder Wolf Demon, and a volley of strikes erupted. At the same time, ten of the clones charging in blasted apart, sending forth brilliant flashes of light, while Lee Kwang continued to dance, dispersing his thunderous shadows.
Pu-pur-pur-peng!!!
Kwa-kwang!
As his storm-like advance continued, Lee Kwang took a final step, completely penetrating the center of Yong Bichun’s Wind Demon Elimination, annihilating all the clones without leaving a trace. It was as if the Thunder God himself had descended to unleash his wrath.
Just moments ago, Yong Bichun, who had unleashed the Ultimate Blood Wind Divine Fist, found himself retreating with a now bloodied and battered fist. His defense had shattered under the assault. Astonished, he stared blankly at his own bloodied fist, murmuring,
“Could there really be such a technique in the Thunder God Lineage?”
“Well, it certainly wasn’t an existing technique.”
Lee Kwang took a slow step forward, continuing,
“This is a secret technique I developed in the last two months. I shall call it… how about Sky Annihilation?”
From the most casual of Lee Kwang’s declarations, it was evident he hadn’t even given much thought to the name. I was taken aback by this revelation.
‘What? It’s still incomplete?’
In the two months that I had delved into Jang Sam-bong’s teachings, I wasn’t the only one who grew stronger! Lee Kwang, a gifted genius from the start, had seemingly derived new insights from both Cloud Game and Spear Technique, leading to the creation of Sky Annihilation. Yet, considering he only just named it, it indicated the technique still remained in development. If Sky Annihilation reached full maturity, it was impossible to imagine its power!
Listening to Lee Kwang’s words, Jin So-cheong licked his lips.
“I see you’re taking things easy here. There’s a better technique if you want to end this quickly…”
“……?”
I quickly turned to Jin So-cheong, asking,
“Master, what do you mean? Is there a technique stronger than Sky Annihilation?”
“Hmm, I was going to wait until the spar was over to tell you, but I suppose I can spill the beans now.” Jin So-cheong continued,
“Originally, the spear technique of the Thunder God Lineage reached its peak with Heavenly Thunder Infinite Spear. However, thanks to the insights about the new martial arts you shared, both my master and I can see a new horizon in spear techniques.”
“Seriously?!”
“Let’s just keep watching for now; I’ll explain everything in detail later.”
I couldn’t help but hold my breath.
An evolved Heavenly Thunder Infinite Spear!
What kind of martial art could that possibly be?
As I pondered that, staring upward at the arena, I caught sight of Yong Bichun’s clenched fists. He watches Lee Kwang intently, muttering,
“With your spear technique, there is space suppression. Have you adopted Repulsion?”
“What’s it to you? There’s surely no technique in the Wind Spirit Lineage capable of countering that.”
With a curt response, Lee Kwang suddenly unleashed another Sky Annihilation.
Ku-kwang!
Dust clouds swirled, followed by a massive explosion and a crash of thunder. It had taken a slightly charged effort for Lee Kwang to unleash Sky Annihilation, yet now it seemed he wielded it effortlessly. Perhaps caught up in the momentum, Lee Kwang’s complexion appeared pale, but Yong Bichun had suffered far worse!
“Hu-uh!”
Lee Kwang continued to unfold Sky Annihilation, lightning flashing repeatedly as explosions of energy cracked, sending Yong Bichun’s true form reeling.
Yong Bichun stepped back repeatedly, unleashing defensive techniques one after another. Even with his formidable inner strength, he found it nearly impossible to absorb the onslaught of Sky Annihilation. By this point, he was sweating profusely, his veins bulging, and as Lee Kwang advanced in for the final blow, Yong Bichun pooled every ounce of power into one last ditch effort.
Ku-gugugugug!
Suddenly, a massive torrent of storms and swirling winds began to arise in the arena. As Yong Bichun gathered his strength, he was encapsulated by a swirling vortex, allowing him to rise into the air. Lee Kwang staggered back, exclaiming,
“Is that the power of the Sky Spirit Pill?!”
[That’s right. A worm like you will never reach this height!]
Filled with pride, Yong Bichun’s voice thundered as he launched a punch with pent-up fury,
[Take this!]
In the midst of the typhoon, space warped, and Wind Bullets began to manifest all around. Each one was a size that could easily crush a person, sending a shiver of dread coursing through me. Those bullets had already taken Miho from us. Each bullet possessed immense power, and now there were nearly fifty floating amidst the storm.
In the next instant, those Wind Bullets plummeted at breathtaking speed! The acceleration made it impossible for most peak experts to respond. As one bullet cut through the air towards Lee Kwang, it veered off with a sharp flick.
Ko-kwang!
“……!!”
The stray Wind Bullet collided with a mountain peak roughly ten li away, demolishing the very terrain! If the destruction reached this far, it hinted at an explosive radius that could wipe out hundreds upon impact. No wonder Miho had lost nine lives before.
Naturally, the observers from the Huashan Sect were filled with dread.
“Waaaah!!”
“Someone, save us!”
Despite being martial artists themselves, they scrambled from their seats in sheer panic. Meanwhile, even the elders of the Huashan Sect were preparing to flee along with them, unwilling to stay behind. After all, the chaos had transcended martial art movements and reached the level of a natural disaster! No one wanted to be caught unintentionally crushed by a rogue bullet.
“Hmmm…”
Lee Kwang stood at one end of the arena, silently gazing upward at the swirling chaos of Wind Bullets and storms. Then, channeling his inner power, he turned his gaze toward the Master of the White Lotus Sect and bellowed,
[Master! If I seize that fellow’s arm, will you recognize this duel as a victory for me?]
This unexpected declaration drew the attention of everyone seated, particularly the Master of the White Lotus Sect. The two Dharma Protectors reacted with no change, while the Master remained silent for a moment before replying in a deep voice,
[If you can manage it.]
A tense atmosphere filled the area.
At that moment, the Wind Spirit Sect’s Yong Bichun commanded a natural tornado with the power of the Sky Spirit Pill, threatening to consume the entire arena. Furthermore, not only had the storm reached heights that nearly touched the clouds, but the multiple Wind Bullets were ready to be unleashed. It seemed impossible for a human to tackle such a situation; what could he possibly plan?
Hwwwhhh
Then, Lee Kwang slowly lowered his spear, grasping a peculiar spear form that didn’t exist in the Heavenly Thunder Infinite Spear technique. The posture indicated a focus solely on assault, resembling an almost reckless move destined for self-destruction. As he took on this stance, Yong Bichun burst out in rage, utilizing his full power.
[You! Stop spouting nonsense and die!!]
In that moment, dozens of Wind Bullets charging toward Lee Kwang began pouring down. They presented a wall of bullets that seemed impossible to evade, and if they struck, it looked likely that Lee Kwang and anyone in proximity would perish.
“Wha—!”
In that instant, Lee Kwang’s figure shimmered and disappeared, as if swept away by a gust of wind!
‘Is this Thunder Roar?!’
Kwa-kwang!
It was a fleeting moment. As I regained my senses, I found myself sprawled alongside the disciples of the Thunder God Lineage, having been launched far from the storm’s influence. It must have been Jin So-cheong tapping into Thunder Roar to move us all to safety in an instant.
As I gazed upward at the tumultuous sky, I caught sight of a spread of reverse scales!
As if the Thunder God had marked a slash across the heavens, Lee Kwang had soared to the heights of the storm and had completely finished his spear stance. Moments later, the winds invoked by Yong Bichun dissipated entirely!
Pahh!
“Cough!!”
Yong Bichun spat out blood. His left arm had been severed and sent flying through the air. A disbelieving expression crossed his face as Lee Kwang left a colossal Thunder Mark in the sky, tearing through Yong Bichun’s defenses! Continuing his momentum, Lee Kwang leaped high, snatching Yong Bichun’s arm and landing back down.
Ironically, the Wind Bullets that had threatened to obliterate everyone seemed trivial as Yong Bichun now appeared in a pitiful state, struggling to remain airborne. He glared at Lee Kwang with a wretched expression.
“You bastard…!!”
Lee Kwang didn’t look much better either. His abrupt harnessing of Thunder Roar had left him pale, his inner strength severely depleted. However, with Yong Bichun’s arm now defeated, it was abundantly clear who the victor of this duel was. Though in a prolonged fight, it could lead to Lee Kwang’s defeat, in this short skirmish, he had clearly won.
There was no way the Master of the White Lotus Sect was unaware of this fact. After a brief pause, his heavy voice echoed across the Huashan Peak.
[Victory to the Thunder God Lineage.]
“Master…!!”
Yong Bichun turned pleadingly toward the Master of the White Lotus Sect, his eyes wide with disbelief, but the Master merely sighed softly and replied,
[How abominable, Yong Bichun. Won’t you come down now?]
“I haven’t lost yet…”
[Is it fitting to win by relying on the power of the Sky Spirit Pill in a duel? I must have misjudged your character.]
“I… However…”
At that moment, Yong Bichun protested, but the Master of the White Lotus Sect seemed angered, dramatically flicking a finger from behind him.
Ku-kwong!
“……!!”
In the blink of an eye, Yong Bichun, who had sustained Lee Kwang’s devastating strike, was thrown helplessly to the ground!
“Uagh…”
Yong Bichun cried out, splattering blood as he hit the ground.
None of us could comprehend what had happened, including Jin So-cheong, whose eyes widened in astonishment. How could one drop a Dharma Protector from thirty steps?
Yong Bichun seemed more affected by this blow than losing his arm, collapsing periodically onto the ground while trembling. Eventually, he begrudgingly stood, kneeling before the Master.
[I’ve committed a grave sin. Please forgive me!]
The Master replied,
[Finish your business.]
[Yes, Master!]
That became the outcome of this duel.
Soon after, the once tempestuous arena of the Huashan Sect settled down, and those who had fled began to return. The gathered crowd witnessed the solemn declaration from the Master of the White Lotus Sect as he positioned our Thunder God Lineage disciples in front.
[Victory to the Thunder God Lineage. We have honored our promise, and the temporary restructuring of the Thunder God Lineage will be extended for ten years.]
We had won!
We were on the brink of erupting in cheers for our victory!
Suddenly, Mang Yang bounded forward, handing over a document with urgency.
“Master! I had intended to deliver this condition later via letter, but I will go ahead and say it now.”
[Hmm…? Go ahead.]
Originally, the terms for negotiation involved the Huashan Sect discussing with the White Lotus Sect and Thunder God Lineage, with the agreement being that our lineage would be recognized provided we could send news of the cure for the subordinate’s ailment later. It felt somewhat abrupt with Mang Yang stepping up, but the Master looked intrigued, listening intently.
After a moment, the Master spoke,
[You are indeed daring. From where does such ambition arise?]
“I’m simply striving to do my best by the radiance of the White Lotus Sect.”
[Alright… I accept this condition. I shall send someone your way later.]
“I am forever grateful.”
With that, the Master’s palanquin and his retinue of Dharma Protectors departed from the Huashan Sect. It was astonishing that even the six bearers appeared to be using Void Walking, suggesting they were of extraordinary caliber! I stood at a distance, stupefied, as I murmured,
“Who are those bearers?”
“They are elders from the White Lotus Sect.”
Lee Kwang, now relaxed, leaned back, arms crossed. As I looked back at him, he lowly added,
“Those fellows can truly be a headache.”
“Haha. You shouldn’t say such things out loud.”
At that moment, as we said our goodbyes, the Huashan Sect’s sect leader, Yong Junil, approached us. He greeted us,
“Today truly has been a significant day. It would have been a shame if I hadn’t gotten the chance to challenge the Thunder God Lineage.”
Indeed, in a normal turn of events, we should have witnessed a face-off between Jin So-cheong and Yong Junil. However, with the peak experts from the Wind Spirit Lineage and Thunder God Lineage clashing, we had unfortunately missed that opportunity.
Lee Kwang smirked coldly, responding,
“I can see right through you. Do you wish to siphon more of our martial arts from us?”
“It would take more than one bout for you to steal from my cultivation.”
“Apologies, but I’m too exhausted to engage in a duel today. Let’s schedule another time.”
It was unexpected of Lee Kwang to reject Yong Junil’s covert challenge. He usually wouldn’t pass up a chance to eliminate a Wind Spirit Lineage master. Yet something felt off, so I chose to remain silent and watch.
Yong Junil chuckled lightly.
“Lee Kwang, how deep is your relationship with Jung Cheon-myeong?”
“Wondering about someone else’s romantic affairs? What a pointless question. If you’re going to chat nonsense, then just leave.”
Lee Kwang scoffed, but Yong Junil persisted,
“Whether it’s nonsense or not, we shall see in time.”
“……”
A sly grin swept across Yong Junil’s face.
“Haha, I mean no harm.”
What was he implying?
I tilted my head, but it seemed Lee Kwang and Mang Yang had caught wind of Yong Junil’s hidden meaning. Lee Kwang’s eyes glinted dangerously as he gripped his spear, preparing to stride forward, but Mang Yang hastily intervened.
“Thank you for your unnecessary musings. However, we must take our leave now. The grand Huashan Sect would not want to keep their guests for too long.”
“Ahh, of course.”
“In the event of an unforeseen disaster in our pathway, the Huashan Sect shall be held responsible.”
“……”
Yong Junil’s brow twitched. He curtly replied,
“You’ve overstayed your welcome. Please do take your leave.”
Thus, our discussions at the Huashan Sect came to a close as we prepared to depart once more.
The story hit a bit of a snag, so I apologize for the delay!
There’s no need to worry about any hiatus!
And the fitness regimen is pretty tough… Would it be my belly fat gone first or would I perish before that?!
