Chapter: 685
“What…?”
The expression on Yuttangeom’s face hardened as he stared at the woman.
His flaws stirred within him as he met her shimmering, pale green eyes.
“What did you just say?”
A chilling atmosphere settled on the ground.
“Huh…!?”
“What…!”
The surrounding martial artists flinched and trembled.
The pressure emitted by Hwagyeong began to radiate outward.
The onlookers gripped themselves as if they caught a chill.
The warriors had to clutch their beloved weapons and brace themselves.
Hwagyeong signifies absolute mastery.
It is a supreme state that a gifted individual reaches through unending effort.
As the martial artist who had attained such a level revealed his aura, the air of summer began to cool.
“Did you really just dare to say that to me?”
Yuttangeom’s frozen expression held a razor-sharp tension.
Gone was the carefree Yuttangeom; a master swordsman now stood in his stead.
“Recognizing your value because you think you’re beautiful? So you keep crawling upwards, huh? A lowly insect? Daring to call me an insect, Yuttangeom?”
Young and beautiful.
Even if she had fallen from grace, she was the daughter of a noble family; I had approached her, eager to cradle her once.
‘An insect?’
Did this insignificant woman truly just say something so bold to him?
Yuttangeom found himself unable to comprehend.
‘Is the bloodline of that ruined clan still clinging to its pride?’
The Tang Clan had lost its past glory and was merely gasping under scrutiny.
Yet, this woman appeared blissfully unaware.
Well, that is, after all…
‘Having soared so high, they might find it hard to admit they have fallen.’
It was the party of the Four Great Families.
The source of unmatched iron power lay with them, and most of the ironware spread across the Central Plains was theirs.
If they had simply maintained their status, they wouldn’t have faced any issues.
But the Tang Clan, striving to protect its honor, crossed a line that must not be crossed, and when that truth was unveiled, they had to descend from their pedestal as if collapsing.
They had lost the strength of a noble family.
They had to release most of what they once possessed into the void.
So, what position does the Tang Clan hold now?
You could tell by the contemptuous glances aimed at the woman nearby.
Cold and razor-edged.
There was no admiration or envy directed towards the fading glory of the noble family.
As soon as it was clear that she was a blood relative of the Tang Clan, disdainful looks emerged.
That was the current standing of the Tang Clan.
‘What’s so illustrious about this girl that she lifts her head so high?’
The woman’s eyes shone with beauty, even amidst contempt and disillusionment.
Her determined gaze bore itself into Yuttangeom’s.
Even amidst dense tension, it remained unwavering.
‘I want it.’
Yuttangeom involuntarily felt this thought emerge.
Despite her stunning appearance, he felt both anger and envy towards her unmistakable confidence.
Indeed, he longed to possess her. Such thoughts ignited a fire in his lower belly.
“Do you not know your place? Or have you forgotten it? Your words are truly harsh.”
What had she said?
Did she not claim that she’d never embrace him, even in death?
“…Haha! If you think this is the old Tang Clan, you’re gravely mistaken. Or do you not really grasp who I, Yuttangeom, am?”
“How could I not know? I know very well, sir.”
The sharp edge in her tone melted away, replaced by a refined tone.
Yet, for Yuttangeom, who already witnessed and heard so much, it barely registered.
“Yet you still dared to act that way towards me? Clearly, you are making a colossal mistake.”
Yuttangeom’s gaze sparked dangerously, intensifying further.
“Shut up!”
“This…!”
The surrounding martial artists nearly gasped in unison.
“It’s not that you’re a match for me; it’s that you really don’t realize how much you pale in comparison.”
Confidence is admirable, but one must know their place.
How dare she exhibit such arrogance? Such intent behind her words…
Phew.
A laugh echoed from up ahead.
At that sound, Yuttangeom’s brow furrowed deeply.
“Laughing?”
“Oh, I’m so sorry. It just slipped out.”
As he spoke, Dang So-yeol seemed to struggle with holding back her laughter.
“What’s so amusing? Was what I said so hilarious?”
“Yes. I wasn’t trying to laugh, but honestly, it was just too funny.”
Covered mouth still chuckling, Dang So-yeol gave Yuttangeom a look full of mirth.
“It’s genuinely difficult to determine whether I should feel grateful or disgusted by your lecherous gaze upon my body.”
Yuttangeom frowned as he listened to her.
Her eloquence was one thing, but the problematic nature of her other comments gnawed at him.
‘When did she pull her hand away?’
Though he distinctly remembered holding her wrist, Tang So-yeol had somehow withdrawn her hand.
He’d never let go himself.
“First, I should firmly say thank you. Unfortunately, my body already has an owner.”
“Are you implying you have a fiancé?”
“It’s merely the affection of a girl who holds her own feelings. I have no intention of letting anyone else partake in it.”
“Ha.”
Does that mean she’s professing some kind of virgin love despite not being engaged?
Just as Yuttangeom was about to snicker…
“Well, should someone better than he appear, I might be swayed in both body and soul. But—”
Tang So-yeol adjusted her hair with one hand while addressing Yuttangeom.
“Even a senior like you, who acts like a lowly insect, no other person surpasses him. So, don’t feel too sorry for yourself.”
“…Really?”
As soon as Tang So-yeol finished speaking, Yuttangeom smiled knowingly.
At that moment, power surged through his lower dantian, and his aura intensified further.
WHOOSH!
The air around them filled with a crushing pressure, and the intent in Yuttangeom’s gaze turned deadly.
“Do you mean to say the one who desires your body must be the very best in the world?”
He truly believed he was something far greater than anyone else.
Such a belief teetered on the brink of madness and arrogance.
“It’s a hard statement to release in front of me, Yuttangeom.”
It’s precious and lovely.
Especially since she’s still young and alluring.
So he tolerated it, but naturally, it seemed he had crossed a line.
It was clear.
“I ought to teach you a lesson.”
The body held no relevance anymore.
All that remained for Yuttangeom was to impart the unvarnished truth to this naive ‘junior.’
“I’ll teach you about the world.”
He was determined to reveal the harsh reality right then and there.
Just as Yuttangeom was drawing his sword…
“That old man is utterly disgusting.”
A voice chimed from behind.
Instantly, Yuttangeom turned his head to the right.
What?
But there was nothing there.
His eyes widened in confusion.
SWOOP—!
“…!”
A hand suddenly appeared, wrapping around Yuttangeom’s shoulder.
Then, the voice wafted in from the left.
“It’s pretty hard to pull this off in front of so many eyes, isn’t it?”
Yuttangeom’s body tensed at the laughter-infused voice.
Surprised by the sudden presence, he was about to draw his sword to shake the assailant off.
Hhuh—!
It wouldn’t budge.
THWEEEP—!
He strained to break free, but it seemed as if his very form were bound tight and refusing to yield.
Feeling an unsettling dissonance, Yuttangeom drew power from his dantian.
WHAM!!
Force erupted forth, yet…
Huh…?
Yuttangeom faced the reality unfolding before him with a resigned exhale.
He was generating energy, yet it wasn’t fully erupting outwards.
The one who held him at bay was stifling his energy.
This meant that this person was effortlessly withstanding all the power he expelled with his utmost effort.
In this close proximity?
It was outrageous.
He was taking on the entirety of Yuttangeom’s pressure like it was nothing.
This is insane—!
In disbelief, Yuttangeom gritted his teeth and unleashed even more energy, yet…
“Old man.”
A dry voice echoed.
“Take your hand off the sword. Don’t do anything stupid.”
PSSSH—!!
“Guh—!?”
An overwhelming surge of pressure struck.
His unleashed energy got crushed under an avalanche of even greater weight.
His legs trembled uncontrollably.
He felt he might kneel at any moment, but he was constrained from doing even that.
The person holding his shoulder wouldn’t allow it.
Who on earth can exert such pressure?
As cold sweat dripped from Yuttangeom’s forehead, an odd ambiance began to build around him.
“Ugh… My energy… it’s fading.”
“Now I finally feel like I can breathe…”
Shrouded in Yuttangeom’s pressure, the martial artists sighed in relief.
“Did Yuttangeom’s strength finally recover?”
“So, what’s happening now?”
Taking in the reactions of those around him, Yuttangeom swallowed hard.
‘… The pressure’s gone?’
They said the force that had been suffocating everyone had vanished.
Yet, he felt weighed down by a crushing heaviness.
This meant…
‘The pressure is focused solely on me.’
So that no one in this crowd could feel it.
It suggested an exquisitely fine-tuned control that made Yuttangeom the sole recipient of the pressure.
And this pressure was vast.
‘… This is absurd.’
How could such a thing even be possible?
While Yuttangeom spoke of impossible feats, controlling such an immense weight was nearly unattainable.
It felt frigid and unnerving.
Not only had this unknown entity gotten so intimately close, they were simultaneously obstructing his actions.
‘This is something I absolutely must escape from.’
First, he needed to break free.
Resolute in that thought, Yuttangeom readied his martial arts methods, channeling strength into his hands.
CLACK!
The moment Yuttangeom’s sword pocketed itself…
“Put it away.”
THWACK!
“What!?”
At those words, he instinctively shoved the sword back into its sheath.
What sort of madness was this?
Yuttangeom’s eyes darted wildly.
While his thoughts unraveled, the voice prodded forward.
“You two put yours away as well.”
It was directed at Dang So-yeol and another woman.
Only then did the pieces come together.
The daughter of the Tang Clan was gripping a dagger while the other woman claimed to be the inheritor of the sword sage, who had drawn her sword halfway.
“There are plenty of eyes on us.”
As the young man spoke again, both women composed themselves and acted accordingly.
CLINK.
With the sound of the dagger and sword vanishing from sight, the pressure on Yuttangeom lightened.
Sensing this, Yuttangeom barely managed to mutter:
“…Who are you?”
Who in the world possesses such power to apply this kind of pressure?
He spoke, questioning with every intent.
“Why do you care?”
The young man dismissed the inquiry with an air of derision.
Following that, he continued.
“I was planning to let it slide for a while. But why is an old man, too consumed by his age, eyeing a fresh-faced girl? Did you lose your moral compass along with your status?”
A voice dripping with irritation.
Moreover, it carried a hint of youthful sound.
“Act your age. It really seems like you’ve outgrown the childish tendencies of your younger years. Don’t you think? What the hell?”
His tone was abrasive and sharp yet laced with a blatant emotionality that made Yuttangeom swallow hard.
The hostility was painfully evident.
“Why stir up trouble in front of everyone? Should I just slice it off? Would that pacify things, putting an end to your antics?”
What did he mean by that?
Curiosity ate at Yuttangeom, yet he couldn’t bring himself to pry further.
He felt he could guess the answer, even without hearing it.
“No. I think I should just cut it off without asking. That seems fitting. A character like you should simply be relegated to irrelevance. That’s how it should be.”
“…!”
The chilling words sent a shiver down Yuttangeom’s spine.
Pressure or not, he truly needed to run.
Otherwise…!
“Stop right there!”
“Gah!”
“Ugh.”
Just as Yuttangeom discerned danger, a glimmer of hope appeared.
A figure, seemingly a member of the Maeng Clan, pushed through the crowd.
“Please halt the confrontation! Engaging in any fights that were not agreed upon prior to the match is strictly forbidden!”
The moment the martial artist’s words broke the tension, the pressure evaporated instantly.
Simultaneously, the hand that had captured Yuttangeom’s shoulder vanished.
Finally free, Yuttangeom gulped down breaths of relief.
“Ugh… gasp…”
He inhaled deeply, glancing around to confirm the identity of his previous captor.
“…!!”
Staring, Yuttangeom found himself engulfed in shock upon recognizing the source.
They were so young.
Even by the standards of youth, they looked extraordinarily juvenile.
Barely out of their teens.
With their fierce, youthful features aside, they might as well have been even younger than they appeared.
No matter how generously one viewed them, their youthful face didn’t even reach full adulthood.
Was this person truly the one who had been overpowering him?
“Look at those eyes. Aren’t you going to bow down?”
The young man scowled, and Yuttangeom instinctively averted his gaze.
Damnit—!
Realizing this fact, Yuttangeom felt his pride fray.
He tried to clutch at his sword, anger bubbling within but…
“Stop…!! If you continue this fight, I will have no choice but to disqualify you!”
His eyes darted to the Maeng Martial Artist, barely managing to suppress his indignation.
He sought to further augment his reputation through this martial arts tournament. However, to stumble before it even began was inconceivable.
Perhaps, this was equally true for his opponent.
Perhaps due to this shared realization, the tremor in Yuttangeom’s voice softened slightly.
“You’ve gotten lucky.”
“What?”
“You dared to lay your hands on me. It might have been permissible to slice right through them. The tournament’s rules spared your life.”
His assurance stemmed from the certainty that the opponent would cease here, not wanting to invoke disqualification.
Yet, Yuttangeom knew very little.
“Such fortune won’t be yours to grasp again; you’d best prepare yourself…”
“What do you mean, you bastard?”
The opponent, Guyangcheon, was fundamentally indifferent to such matters.
WOOSH!
“Hmm?”
His leg shot forward.
Guyangcheon extended his foot towards Yuttangeom, and upon noticing this, Yuttangeom instinctively cloaked himself in his aura.
Hwagyeong’s protective energy enveloped his form.
It was a robust shield that would likely never collapse.
But…
CRACK!
“…!!!”
Guyangcheon’s kick shattered Yuttangeom’s shield as if it were mere tofu.
It was a surreal occurrence.
He needed to evade.
Recalling this, Yuttangeom attempted to maneuver his body, but Guyangcheon was faster.
CRUNCH!
“!”
The strike hit Yuttangeom right in the groin.
A sound of something breaking echoed in his ears.
“Ugh!”
“Ow….”
“Argh…!”
The men observing instinctively winced, cradling their own groins.
It was an unbearable instinct.
THUD.
Before long, Yuttangeom, hit by the attack, crumpled to the ground.
Right after.
“KHAH…!”
A new universe dawned upon Yuttangeom.
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