***
“How on earth did this happen?”
“Y-yeah. No matter how I look at this......”
“They said the Blood Wolf of the Twin Wolf Iron Sword was beyond the Seong family level, but that was also a completely groundless rumor.”
The Tag-eul Sect disciple was overwhelming the Iron Sword Sect’s talent, but the atmosphere was stronger in bashing the Iron Sword Sect rather than acknowledging the Tag-eul Sect.
Dog-like, really.
Because the Tag-eul Sect hasn't even been able to act like a paper fox, let alone a paper tiger, for several hundred years, it would still take a long time to change the perception of the Tag-eul Sect.
And for that time, a justification at the level where the Iron Sword Sect’s honor is not only thoroughly smashed but completely collapsed is needed.
The perception that ‘look, look, they are trying to eat the Tag-eul Sect like the evil faction’ must be deeply rooted in the Jianghu, even if the Iron Sword Sect just twitches a finger.
“Haa, haa. Haa.”
In that sense, the current situation was flowing very well.
Seong Mo-hyeon was acting like a beggar, performing the Na-ryeo-ta-gon (falling technique), which is humiliating for a martial artist, and had small wounds all over his body.
On the other hand, I was clean without a single wound, and my breath was not even labored. To anyone, it was a situation where I was overwhelming, but Seong Mo-hyeon could not easily accept defeat.
‘I wouldn’t be able to either.’
First of all, there were too many eyes watching.
Not only the people within the Iron Sword Sect but all the people who like alcohol within Anhui Province had gathered.
Isn't backbiting what people who like alcohol consider the highest-grade snack?
If he records a defeat today, Seong Mo-hyeon will carry the label of being a guy who couldn't even beat the Tag-eul Sect for the rest of his life.
In addition, the fact that he thinks he won't lose is likely the biggest reason he cannot give up.
Judging by the aspect of the duel, there is no sword technique for me to respond to the Mountain-Breaking Sword Technique.
He clearly thinks he should be able to win, but for some reason, the energy keeps cutting off, and the circulation of internal energy does not go well.
“Your internal energy study is lacking.”
“......Th-this brat!”
The internal energy erupted from the Dantian should flow continuously like a stream flowing through a valley, but because the water is cut off intermittently by the Cheong-ryong-hwan, neither the techniques nor the power were connecting properly.
“You, what on earth......”
“What about it?”
“You, perhaps?”
“It seems you have distracting thoughts because your skills are lacking.”
Swoosh.
Swish.
In the end, Seong Mo-hyeon’s hair was cut off by my sword.
Seong Mo-hyeon, who had become a disheveled beggar, was huffing as if he could not hold back his anger.
“Is something strange?”
“Heu, heu.”
Even the foolish Seong Mo-hyeon seemed to have realized something by this point; he began to use fist techniques instead of the sword, and the moment I grabbed his hand, I activated the Cheong-ryong-hwan to drain a massive amount of his internal energy.
“Heup!”
Finally, a look of certainty.
Seong Mo-hyeon quickly backed away as if he had met a ghost.
And he shouted toward the dais.
“E-evil arts! It’s evil art!”
As soon as his words ended, the Iron Sword Sect warriors and the Iron Sword Sect figures on the dais jumped up.
Whether they did or not, I swung my sword at Seong Mo-hyeon with an even more ferocious momentum.
“Hiiik!”
A sound that was neither a scream nor a battle cry leaked from Seong Mo-hyeon’s mouth, and he began to roll on the floor.
The wounds carved into his body grew larger and larger, and despair and snot flowed down his face.
“Stop!”
In the end, the Iron Sword Sect Leader on the dais jumped up and shouted.
His shout, loaded with heavy internal energy, rang out as if to tear the eardrums of everyone watching, and those lacking internal energy even grabbed their heads and staggered.
“Haa, haa.”
The moment Seong Mo-hyeon turned his head as if relieved by the Iron Sword Sect Leader’s shout, I scattered the Small Heaven Sword Technique with the thought of cutting off his neck.
“Did you think it would end with this?”
Swoosh.
Seong Mo-hyeon, who had been relieved by the appearance of the Iron Sword Sect Leader, began to run away, staggering backward without even having time to use his footwork against the Small Heaven Sword Technique that struck unexpectedly. However, I struck down my sword long on his back one step ahead of that.
“Kuaak!”
Along with a wound crossing from his right shoulder to his left flank, red blood scattered in all directions.
The moment I was about to swing my sword in the opposite direction on his back again.
The Iron Sword Sect Leader appeared suddenly and reached out his hand.
With a pow sound, my body flew away by about two jang.
‘Something is going wrong.’
Iron Sword Sect Leader Seong Cheon-wol thought so.
You know how there are things like that.
You can't exactly say what, but you clearly think something is wrong, and yet it's such an important matter that you can't easily stop it, so you can't stop the work.
Seong Cheon-wol’s position right now was exactly that.
“The Tag-eul Sect’s sword technique is quite sharp.”
At Jegal So-myeong’s words, muttering as if to himself, that suspicion began to grow larger.
The Tag-eul Sect’s sword is too light to pierce the Iron Sword Sect’s sword.
Since the depth of the sword path is different from each other, the compatibility is not good.
To surpass the Iron Sword Sect’s sword with the Tag-eul Sect’s sword, one must have overwhelmingly more internal energy.
“That child from the Tag-eul Sect seems to have a lot of practical combat experience.”
At Jegal So-myeong’s words, the fog finally lifted, and as he began to objectively view the skills of the arrogant child named Jin So-un, he received a shock that struck the back of his head.
The improvisation that surpassed even an average wanderer made the same technique look like a completely different technique.
But the point at which he realized what was wrong was too late.
“Kuaak.”
The precious Seong Mo-hyeon screamed and collapsed to the floor, and blood was scattered everywhere.
Seong Cheon-wol had no time to continue his thoughts.
“You brat! Did you not hear me tell you to stop!”
The guy who had retreated by two jang was walking this way, as if he had no intention of ending it yet.
“Has the victory or defeat been decided?”
“How dare you!”
“Seong Mo-hyeon did not admit defeat. If he had obediently admitted defeat, he would not have seen blood.”
Even so, is it right to see blood in a duel?
“So, are you saying you did well?”
“That guy, far from admitting defeat, did not know shame and insulted my victory by saying I used evil arts, and in the end, even showed his back and tried to run away. If today was not the Sect Leader’s sixtieth birthday, I would have cut his neck, not his back.”
“Shut up! You brat!”
Seong Cheon-wol tried to bury the word ‘evil arts’ however he could.
As much as ‘evil arts’ and ‘forbidden arts’ carry weight, it was a word that should not be used recklessly.
The problem was that his own grandson spat out that word.
“From the beginning, this unilateral humiliation disguised as a duel started because of the Sect Leader’s grandson’s forced insults. Do you still think you did well?”
“This brat!”
The Iron Sword Sect Leader’s hem began to inflate slowly.
He tried to make the guy back down by somehow giving off a sense of intimidation, but there was no sign of that.
No, rather, he began to rush in with eyes ablaze, as if he had caught a good handle.
“The Iron Sword Sect seems to be a petty sect that cannot even admit defeat in a fair duel and has the Sect Leader step up to invalidate the match. Do you know now? The reason the Iron Sword Sect cannot enter the One Hundred and Eight Peaks is because there is a problem with the Iron Sword Sect.”
Every time the guy continued to speak, the atmosphere of the audience began to change slowly.
The Iron Sword Sect Leader was in a situation where he could do neither this nor that.
“Evil arts, it is definitely evil arts. Grandfather!”
Seong Cheon-wol had the urge to sew Seong Mo-hyeon’s mouth shut right now.
“......Be quiet!”
“It is true. I felt it clearly! That guy clearly learned the Great Absorption Technique!”
The Iron Sword Sect Leader looked at his grandson with eyes that couldn't believe he was this stupid.
It is a matter that can be passed off as nonsense during battle, but one should not confirm the existence of forbidden arts while people are listening clearly like this.
Because the moment he spits out the words of forbidden arts, he will also be held responsible for it.
Furthermore, now is a situation where even the Murim Alliance’s Chief Strategist and people from the Namgung Clan have come.
Fortunately, neither the Namgung Clan nor Jegal So-myeong were making any particular moves.
It was a moment where I did not regret feeding them massive bribes.
“Is it true?”
“Otherwise, how could I have lost!”
“This brat......”
If it is just words to escape from losing, it can never be forgiven.
Even if the Iron Sword Sect’s lineage is cut off.
“Grandfather! I am Seong Mo-hyeon of the Blood Wolf Iron Sword. I am someone who has never lost to a peer in internal energy and martial arts since I was young. Do you think it makes sense that I would lose to the Tag-eul Sect?”
There was his own effort, but Seong Mo-hyeon had received all kinds of benefits, from marrow-cleansing since childhood to all sorts of medicinal herbs.
Even judging coolly, there was no way Seong Mo-hyeon would lose to Jin So-un.
“What grudge would I have to make up such words? I clearly felt my internal energy being cut off several times during the duel, and I kept dueling to confirm that.”
Seong Mo-hyeon, who was speaking passionately while shedding tears.
“Are you certain that it was cut off while you were circulating internal energy?”
“Of course. That is not all. At the end, I even felt the internal energy I was circulating suddenly being drained.”
As he spoke to this extent, suspicion turned toward Jin So-un again.
“If what you say is not true......”
“I, no, Iron Sword Sect disciple Seong Mo-hyeon. If this is not true, I will gladly accept the punishment for it.”
“Good.”
Seong Cheon-wol decided to bet on his grandson.
Also, perhaps with the expectation that he might be able to pull out the root of the Tag-eul Sect tomorrow, he said to Jin So-un.
“Did you hear? I must examine your body.”
The old man, agonizing over the gravity of the matter, eventually made a bad move.
On one hand, the desire to have learned such forbidden arts must be desperate.
If so, he could build an outer disciples' martial arts hall of the Iron Sword Sect where the Tag-eul Sect disappeared, obtain a position at the One Hundred and Eight Peaks, and expand his dominance in the Hefei area.
But I would never let him see such a sight.
“By what right are you going to do that?”
“As a warrior who wishes for peace in the Jianghu, it is a thing that must naturally be done.”
“Do you want to drive my sect into a corner to this extent?”
But Seong Cheon-wol made a bad move.
Anyone with basic thinking would not learn the Great Absorption Technique and do the foolish thing of using it in a place where there are so many people.
Because it is the same as a signal to dismember his own body.
“The Iron Sword Sect is making its name ring not only in Hefei, but throughout Anhui Province. But are you saying you want to frame a small sect like the Tag-eul Sect as an evil faction just because you couldn't enter the One Hundred and Eight Peaks!”
“Then are you saying my grandson is lying right now!”
“My sect has already been tarnished because of that reckless human being. If I and our Tag-eul Sect are innocent, how will you take responsibility for the aftermath!”
“.......”
“Even though it is just a name, we also hold one of the peaks of the One Hundred and Eight Peaks. Can I consider this a suspicion toward the Murim Alliance?”
Since the Chief Strategist has come, let the Murim Alliance add a spoonful too.
“Shut up! Seeing that your words continue to get longer, I am even more suspicious. As you said, after I confirm it, I will contact the Murim Alliance’s Enforcement Pavilion to hold both you and the Tag-eul Sect responsible for this incident.”
I grabbed the trouser hem of the Iron Sword Sect Leader, who wanted to pull his feet out, and pulled it hard.
“I! Risking the honor of myself and my sect, I will resist to the end against this unreasonable and irrational behavior of the Iron Sword Sect!”
Instead of internal energy, I pulled up the Innate True Energy.
Heat rose to my face, and like the Iron Sword Sect Leader mentioned earlier, my clothes inflated as if they were about to burst.
“This crazy bastard......”
The Iron Sword Sect Leader spat out an oath, seemingly fed up with my appearance, which was even prepared for mutual destruction.
I loaded my internal energy and shouted loudly.
“Hall Master! If I become a cripple or die here! Until the Murim Alliance’s Enforcement Pavilion arrives, please do not let anyone lay a finger on my body.”
“Jin So-un!”
Father called me desperately.
“Father! Since this unworthy son is eventually giving up his precious body because of the insult, please forgive me as it is for the sake of the Tag-eul Sect, which I value like my life.”
Once the resolve was finished, an immense pressure that could not be expressed was being created on the training ground and its surroundings.
The Iron Sword Sect Leader and Seong Mo-hyeon’s faces were completely crushed by that pressure.
As if I feared nothing, I took a step and approached the Iron Sword Sect Leader, and the Iron Sword Sect Leader took three steps back without knowing it himself.
“Hmph! Do you think I will let a disciple who has not even reached the Kwae-hwa-dang (Rapid Blooming Hall) level damage his body recklessly!”
Gang Chae-seok, Hong Sa-ryeon, and even Father came up onto the training ground.
“There is no father in the world who sends his child first. I will bury my bones in the Iron Sword Sect today.”
The Tag-eul Sect was in a mood to stop the Iron Sword Sect Leader even if it meant mutual destruction.
“H-how dare......”
The Iron Sword Sect Leader was huffing, unable to suppress his anger.
However, there was nothing he could do.
He could push them with force, but if he did that, he would be about a hundred years away from the position of the One Hundred and Eight Peaks.
The Iron Sword Sect Leader looked at Jegal So-myeong with a desperate expression.
The gazes of the spectators also turned to Jegal So-myeong.
They knew too well that he was the only one who could solve this situation.
“Stop.”
Jegal So-myeong, who had risen from his seat, had his voice ring in every corner of the training ground.
Even though it was not a high voice, a weight that could not be refused was felt.
“Everyone...... put away your swords.”
As soon as his words fell, Seong Mo-hyeon and Seong Cheon-wol put away their swords, and the Tag-eul Sect people put their swords away one by one.
“......?”
Jegal So-myeong’s gaze, full of questions, turned to me.
“Why do you not put away your sword?”
I looked at Jegal So-myeong with the same gaze I had been looking at Seong Cheon-wol and said.
“I cannot put away my sword because I cannot trust the Chief Strategist of the Murim Alliance who has only been watching from the sidelines until now.”
“!!!”
“!!!”
The people standing on the training ground.
The people around the training ground.
Even those who were watching from the windows of the pavilions beyond the training ground were making expressions that could not hide their astonishment.
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