People enjoy gambling to the point of betting on the weather forecast for tomorrow.
So, it was inevitable that there would be those who wanted to gamble on the outcomes of these martial arts competitions.
Surely, the authorities were not unaware of such psychology. They also understood that leaving it unchecked would result in chaotic activities happening under the radar.
Thus, it was only natural to encourage a stable and effective betting environment, one where they could collect commissions.
In that gambling arena, the duel between Sayoon and Seon Soo Yeon was enough to capture people’s attention.
After all, it was the long-silent Hongseong Clan stepping into the ring.
The duel between Sayoon and Seon Soo Yeon could be seen as the beginning, as there was nothing more exciting for those who knew the past relationship between Cheonhwa Palace and the Hongseong Clan.
Would Cheonhwa Palace rise up from its past defeat?
Would the Hongseong Clan display a strength equal to its name?
Currently, in the gambling arena controlled by the authorities, the odds favored Seon Soo Yeon.
The reason was simple.
Sayoon hadn’t shown anything up to this point.
As the youngest member of Cheonhwa Palace, Seon Soo Yeon had participated in numerous duels against disciples from other sects and displayed her strength through external activities.
On the other hand, what about Sayoon?
Not only had she never truly engaged in the martial arts world, but she had also never faced a formidable evil monster.
Of course, she had caught a mountain tiger, but that couldn’t really be considered her own achievement.
Though her activities with the Amipa couldn’t be dismissed, it surely wasn’t enough to make a name for herself in the martial world, hence the prevalent opinion that Sayoon might lose.
And against that opinion…
Sayoon was smashing it to bits.
“…Wow…”
Seon Soo Yeon’s whip techniques were flashy and unpredictable.
The whip moved with such strength and speed that it turned the entire arena into an area of attack.
It was as if she had created a barrier with her whip; anyone who foolishly entered would surely be torn apart.
-CHA-PACK!!
The end of the whip lunged at Sayoon like a snake’s head.
Sayoon dodged effortlessly with a simple step to the side. The sharp tip of the whip aimed at her again, but her sword struck it away precisely.
As this repeated, the audience began to slip into silence.
The simpler something is, the closer it is to truth—an essential principle in martial arts.
Sayoon’s movements were exceedingly simple.
She just took a step or two to evade attacks or swung her sword to deflect them accurately.
Yet, within those seemingly simplistic movements lay the teachings of Hongseong Divine Art.
Perhaps that’s why? The Sword Saint, sitting beside me and watching Sayoon, murmured quietly.
The Sword Saint, observing Sayoon, muttered softly.
“Movement within stillness.”
In the midst of tranquility, movement can be perceived.
Indeed.
Sayoon’s movements in receiving Seon Soo Yeon’s dazzling techniques were minimal, to the point of being serene.
Yet despite that, no attack could breach the spot where Sayoon stood.
A realm defined.
Sayoon was manifesting the reality of her being that where she stood was her domain.
Right now, this ground was solely for the Hongseong Divine Art, and the Cheonhwa Divine Art could never invade it.
“Eek…!!”
It seemed Seon Soo Yeon had sensed it too.
That Sayoon was slowly closing in.
And if things continued like this, she couldn’t stop her.
The whip that had been violently thrashing came to a halt. The moment it was retracted, it shot straight toward Sayoon like an arrow.
Cheonhwa Palace’s Cheonhwa Divine Art. It was a single strike.
Impressive.
It’s already strong enough to rank among the formidable techniques in Heavenly Bright Moon, and she can use it already.
As the tip of the whip, glimmering green with inner energy, launched toward Sayoon, she brought down her sword.
-Whoosh!!
The red sword aura slicing through the air clashed directly with the blue energy.
Is this a clash of inner energies?
Given Sayoon’s time in the Hongseong Sect and her meager financial situation, she would have likely lost this fight.
But not anymore.
During this time, Sayoon had consumed elixirs and accepted them as her inner energy through training and enlightenment.
Thus, there was no reason she would be overwhelmed in a contest of inner energies against a disciple of the enormous righteous sect like Cheonhwa Palace.
“Ugh!!”
Once again, it was Seon Soo Yeon’s whip that was pushed back.
Not even glancing at the blue energy that bounced off into the air, Sayoon glided toward Seon Soo Yeon.
The duel between the whip and the sword was, quite literally, a battle of distance.
The closer she got, the more advantageous the sword became.
Knowing this, Seon Soo Yeon tried to retreat using her Sinbeop, but Sayoon was already near her.
-Whoosh!!
Hongseong Divine Art, Sword Technique: Ascending Sword.
A sword strike that soared into the sky aimed for Seon Soo Yeon’s chest. As she attempted to block it with the whip handle and jumped back to gain distance, Sayoon’s body had already moved beside her.
“How?!”
Seon Soo Yeon was astonished at Sayoon’s reaction, as if she had read her movements.
To have their moves predicted.
That could only mean the opponent was a step ahead.
It was because of that.
And sitting next to me, Chaeran smiled brightly. Fighting while reading moves like that was her specialty.
I seemed to have gotten closer to Chaeran and gradually learned a bit of her fighting techniques.
“Kuuk!!”
With a low groan, Seon Soo Yeon stretched out her fist. As the blue energy burst forth, Sayoon also thrust her fist forward.
– Kuwwung!!
Fists collided.
The changes disappeared, and it turned into a battle of strength.
So, unable to even blink, I clenched my fist and looked at Sayoon.
Right.
Show what you’ve gained so far.
Show the effort you’ve put in until now.
“AAAAAGH!!”
The red energy shattered the blue energy in an instant.
Sayoon’s fist struck Seon Soo Yeon’s chest hard. While she staggered from the blow, Sayoon’s sword was already in motion.
“Ugh!!”
She barely dodged with Sinbeop, but victory had already shifted to Sayoon.
There was no space to create distance.
This situation couldn’t be turned around.
Eventually, after evading for a while, Sayoon thrust her fist again toward Seon Soo Yeon’s neck with her sword.
“…I lost.”
She looked like she couldn’t hold back her frustration, but the outcome was already clear.
Seon Soo Yeon gritted her teeth and looked at Sayoon, finally admitting her defeat as though she spat it out, while Sayoon gazed back and slowly exhaled.
“…Sayoon of the Hongseong Clan! Victory!!”
“Wow, waaaaaaah!!!”
Cheers erupted. The Hongseong Clan, which had remained quiet until now, once again made it known to the world that they still possessed great strength.
“Did you see?! Did you see?!”
I heard a proud voice from beside me. Seeing the Sword Master so happy, I took a deep breath and nodded.
“That’s my pupil… Uh, um? Yu Wol. Are you crying?”
“…Who’s crying? It’s just that some dust got in my eyes.”
My heart swelled with pride at Sayoon’s growth.
So my nose felt a bit tingly and my eyes were stinging, but that didn’t mean I was crying.
I hurriedly rubbed my eyes.
Right. It’s still not enough.
I’m not at the level we hope for that I could cry already.
I met the Sword Master’s concerned gaze.
“You’ve really worked hard all this time.”
Sayoon’s growth couldn’t have happened without the Sword Master’s effort.
I smiled at her and the Sword Master thought for a moment before gently taking my hand.
“You’ve worked hard too.”
Worked hard, my foot.
I did it because I wanted to.
The match between Sayoon and Seon Soo Yeon was quite an impressive opening act for the tournament.
Of course, it was heartbreaking for those who lost.
After that, there wasn’t much to worry about in the matches.
Though there were some fights where blood flew around, thankfully, with the physicians from the Murim Alliance present, no one lost their life.
Once the first day’s matches concluded, I headed to the government office and came out with some gold.
“How much did you win?”
“I won fourteen nyang.”
Looks like it’s time for a risky bet! If I could bet more, I would have, but alas, the maximum amount allowed was too limiting. I had to settle for what I could get.
As I slipped the gold into my pocket, I turned to the Sword Saint.
“This money should be spent right away. Shall we call the Hongseong disciples and have a meal together? It’s on me.”
The Sword Saint nodded. Since I had her permission, today I’d take a break.
As the Sword Saint and I stepped outside the office, we spotted Hongryeon, Chaejin, and Sayoon walking towards us, victorious from the matches.
“Ah! Innkeeper!”
Sayoon sprinted over, beaming and giggling. I patted her head.
“You did well. You’ve really gotten strong.”
It was hard to believe she was the same person I’d sparred with before. Receiving my praise, Sayoon beamed with happiness.
Seeing a different side of her compared to her earlier serious demeanor against Seon Soo Yeon made me smile back.
“I’ll treat you all to dinner today, so let’s go eat together.”
And so, we headed back to the inn with everyone.
Upon entering, all eyes in the inn turned towards us, the spectators of today’s tournament.
“Wow! A tremendous warrior seems to be born!”
“Indeed, the Hongseong Clan is something else!”
Sayoon flushed at the crowd’s praise and admiration.
While she scratched her head shyly, a girl approached her.
It was Seon Soo Yeon, one of the members from Cheonhwa Palace staying at my inn.
“Oh.”
Sayoon swallowed hard, and Seon Soo Yeon fixed her a piercing gaze before speaking.
“I trust you know that today’s match wasn’t the real deal.”
Realizing that her words might sound rude, Seon Soo Yeon’s face flushed red.
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