Chronicles of the Mad Demon - Chapter 110

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 110. Stage of Upheaval (4)

Cheers erupted from the spectator stands.

“It’s Moyong Bi! The warrior of a single strike!”

“Look at Young Master Jin! His magnificent bearing is truly dazzling!”

“That swindler family’s son managed to climb this far. What kind of martial arts did he learn?”

“He’s handsome!”

All sorts of comments came out.

It was incomparable to the preliminary matches. The crowd’s fervor was nothing short of madness.

“But Young Master Murong, didn’t he use a wooden staff? Isn’t that a blade at his waist?”

“That’s right? It’s a long blade type… Could it be he intends to compete with Young Master Jin using blade techniques?!”

“My word!”

Moyong Bi, who had climbed onto the duel stage, glanced toward the north spectator stands.

It was where the leaders of the Muwang Sect, Zhuge Family, and Gold Flower Trading Company who hosted the tournament were seated. Besides them, there were several renowned masters of Jianghu whose faces he didn’t recognize.

‘Most of the faces are unfamiliar.’

But he remembered one person.

‘Was it Jeong Gal Ryun?’

Young in age, the one who was said to have the greatest martial arts talent among the three brothers at the time.

Though he spoke little, the young dragon who lived with more intense desire in his eyes than anyone else had now become a middle-aged man in his forties.

‘Indeed.’

His eyes were still good.

Though he had become much calmer than in the past, the passion he harbored in those days remained. He was hiding his burning enthusiasm behind a composed face.

‘You’ve grown well.’

Even though he tried to separate the bygone years from his current life, in moments like this, an inexplicable joy surged up.

And he felt confused.

It felt as if the present and past coexisted in the same time period.

‘That makes it all the more interesting.’

He turned his head to look straight ahead.

Then he saw another young man looking at him.

Over the scholarly youth full of passion, a handsome young man with a dignified build wearing splendid martial robes was superimposed.

“I am Jin Cheon Gwang, eldest son of the Golden Dragon Family.”

The disciplined way he cupped his fists revealed the manners of a prestigious family.

“I heard you overwhelmed Wun Guk Dojang of the Muwang Sect in the preliminaries. A genius warrior has emerged from the Moyong Family.”

“I wouldn’t go so far as to say genius.”

“But I know you as a master of staff techniques, so why did you come out with a sword?”

“Ah, this?”

Moyong Bi tapped the handle of the long blade dangling from his left waist.

“I thought this would be better for this match.”

“By any chance, did you bring a sword to match mine because I use blade techniques?”

Though his expression didn’t change, it seemed like flames might pour from his eyes.

“I heard about your match with Wun Guk Dojang. Though you overwhelmed him from the start, there’s an assessment that you could have won even fighting barehanded.”

What he wanted to say was simple.

He meant to ask if he had brought a sword because he was looking down on him.

‘Not bad.’

Jin Cheon Gwang’s face clearly revealed his own character.

The pride and hot blood that anyone of that age would have. But it didn’t look clumsy or bad.

If he was confident in his skills, it was natural for his pride to be hurt.

‘Honest fighting spirit. This is quite good.’

Since he liked his eyes, he said a word.

“Is that really something worth worrying about?”

“What do you mean?”

“Whether the opponent carries a sword, wields a spear, or comes barehanded, in the end I just need to win and prove my skills.”

“…!”

“Since I didn’t openly insult you, there’s no reason to be angry or hurt in your pride. If such things cause anger to rise and you lose your composure, it means your cultivation is still lacking.”

Though he meant it kindly, this was a world where many people took advice and encouragement as insults and meddling.

How would Jin Cheon Gwang respond?

Shing.

He drew the sword from his back first.

“Your words are correct. Then prove your words before my blade.”

“Good.”

Moyong Bi drew his sword.

The sword he drew was different from the most common broad blade.

The blade body was much narrower than a broad blade while the edge was longer. It had a gentler curve than a regular curved blade, and the handle was long enough to be nearly a foot long.

A two-handed long blade. It was similar in form to the Japanese swords used in the distant island nation of Japan, also called a single blade.

‘Strange.’

Puzzlement arose on Jin Cheon Gwang’s face.

‘Such two-handed blades are generally suitable for quick blade techniques, but the long edge interferes with movement. There are many blades more suitable for quick blade techniques than that one. Yet it’s an awkward length to gain the advantage of a long weapon.’

To ordinary people who hadn’t learned martial arts, that too was a powerful weapon.

But for Murim warriors who knew internal energy and energy release, it wasn’t a weapon easily chosen.

‘The blade width is narrow. A sword specialized for sharp slashing attacks that cut by pulling. As such, it’s suitable for one-hit kills since you lose sharpness if you don’t concentrate. But if you miss the first strike, the follow-up…’

That’s when it happened.

“Can we start now?”

The main tournament had no judge’s starting declaration.

The moment they climbed onto the duel stage, the match began from then.

Jin Cheon Gwang raised his Golden Guard Blade to middle guard.

“Sorry. I had too many stray thoughts.”

“Be grateful if you understand. The match might have been decided in one strike.”

Words that pricked his pride.

Anger suddenly flared, but he immediately controlled his mind.

‘Let’s be careful.’

At that moment, Moyong Bi kicked off the ground.

Not very fast, but not slow either. Even though he leaned his upper body forward and charged to utilize momentum, there was no swiftness.

‘What is that stance?’

Meanwhile, his posture was peculiar.

He ran with the two-handed blade in his right hand resting on his shoulder.

Depending on how you looked at it, you might think it was a careless posture, or that he wasn’t thinking at all.

‘Let’s see.’

Moyong Bi reached right in front of him.

Jin Cheon Gwang, who had waited with ample leisure, swung his Golden Guard Blade like lightning.

Simultaneously, Moyong Bi, who had strongly stepped on the ground with his right foot, instantly rotated to the right and struck upward with his sword.

Claaaang!

An intense ringing.

“Gasp!”

The startled Jin Cheon Gwang was pushed back as many as seven steps.

‘This can’t be!’

It was tremendous strength.

A strike that incorporated rotation and struck upward in an instant. If he had relaxed the strength in his wrists, both arms would have bent backward, showing every possible opening.

When Jin Cheon Gwang, flustered from the first strike, tried to regain his stance, Moyong Bi had already penetrated into his territory.

Following the Hidden Forest Leopard Steps came inspired swordsmanship.

The Moyong Family’s basic blade technique, the Red Sunset Blade Method, unfolded.

Clang clang clang clang!

The sharp blade drew countless blade shadows beyond counting.

‘Ugh!’

He didn’t even have a chance to execute his family’s secret techniques.

His opponent’s swordwork was too fast to even think of counterattacking.

What was even more shocking was the strength.

‘Too strong!’

They say speed is power, but this was something different.

Though frighteningly fast, the target areas were consistent, making them not difficult to predict.

But the power exceeded his expectations.

The strength didn’t match the blade speed. Judging by the power alone, even if the sword speed were three times faster, it still wouldn’t be enough.

‘At this rate, I’ll lose without even putting up a fight!’

Just then, Moyong Bi lightly stepped back.

‘A chance!’

Jin Cheon Gwang put strength into both legs and swung his Golden Tiger Blade diagonally.

A strike falling in a faint curve, a killing move that would slice through his opponent’s collarbone entirely.

It was too excessive a technique to use carelessly in this kind of sparring match, but Jin Cheon Gwang wasn’t aware of his actions. He only thought he needed to counterattack quickly and subdue his opponent.

The moment the watching masters’ eyes wavered.

Moyong Bi’s left fist struck horizontally like lightning.

Bang!

“Kuk!”

Just before it could fall on the collarbone, he struck and deflected the blade.

It was an unimaginable technique. To strike away a sword wielded by a master with bare fists – it was a blow that could have ruined the striking hand.

However, Moyong Bi’s left hand was perfectly fine.

Whooooom!

His fist, heated with Infinite True Qi, seemed both dark green and pale blue.

Moyong Bi closed the distance again and swung his left fist.

Thud! Crash! Bang!

Jin Cheon Gwang’s face turned bright red.

An opponent who held his sword over his shoulder with his right hand and pressed him with just his left fist.

But that boxing technique was truly amazing. Looking at the forms alone, they were simple enough for even a child to learn without difficulty, lacking any profound flavor, yet the power contained in those simple forms was tremendous.

And it was exquisite.

What made the simple forms exquisite was the footwork.

The Moyong Family’s basic martial arts, the Moyong Three Forms, burst forth in succession.

Tiger Form Fist paired with Tiger Form Steps, Eagle Form Fist paired with Eagle Form Steps, Leopard Form Fist paired with Leopard Form Steps.

Then Tiger Form Steps would unfold with Eagle Form Fist, or Leopard Form Steps would emerge with Tiger Form Fist.

Though basic boxing and footwork techniques, just reading the opponent’s breathing and striking precise points was no less than the world’s greatest martial arts.

The fist stained with Infinite True Qi didn’t receive even a scratch from the treasured blade Golden Tiger Blade, and was heavy enough that even Jin Cheon Gwang’s well-trained lower body could barely withstand it.

“Wooooah!!”

The spectator seats erupted in excitement.

Pressuring an opponent with inspired swift blade techniques was impressive, but facing Hubei’s famous late-stage expert with just one left fist was so exhilarating it was hard to believe even while watching.

If the spectators were thrilled by the exhilaration, the masters were shocked by Moyong Bi’s interpretation of martial arts.

‘That bastard!’

Ho Geom Jin In unconsciously swallowed his saliva.

‘He’s toying with Jin Cheon Gwang by combining martial arts that aren’t even that impressive!’

He wondered if such a thing was possible even with Wudang’s basic techniques.

Though it was said that the previous generation’s Elder, now a forgotten legend, had defeated all his peers with Taiji Fist alone, that was only possible because that person was special – it was impossible for anyone else.

But this Moyong Bi was doing something similar.

‘Or not? Is there something I don’t know?’

He rather hoped that was the case.

If that bastard was really toying with opponents using low-level martial arts like ‘that person’, and if this rumor spread noisily throughout Hubei.

Furthermore, if those rumors reached Moodang Mountain, the position of the currently powerful radical faction might be shaken.

‘No, I’m overthinking. We’re already inside an unshakeable fortress. Rumors alone won’t ignite the Taoist priests’ public opinion.’

Seeing such an amazing spectacle had made him think excessively.

However, he couldn’t help but be concerned about Moyong Bi.

‘Has that bastard truly mastered the Strength Source Art?’

If it wasn’t the Strength Source Art?

‘Don’t tell me Yang Hyo Myeong deceived us?!’

The Spirit Sword was nowhere to be seen either.

Though he was needlessly prideful, foolish, and utterly vulgar, he was still a Wudang Elder, so he shouldn’t be unaware of the importance of the matter.

While Ho Geom Jin In’s mind grew increasingly complicated by the moment.

Jeong Gal Ryun was staring at Moyong Bi as if entranced by an inexplicable sense of déjà vu.

‘What is it? Something feels familiar?’

After executing boxing techniques, he had now switched back to blade techniques.

The sword’s shadow embroidered the empty air. The swordwork that mercilessly pressured Jin Cheon Gwang like wielding multiple blades no longer looked fierce but beautiful.

‘Somehow those footwork and boxing techniques look familiar. The blade techniques also feel strangely familiar.’

Though he was considered to have ordinary intelligence for Zhuge bloodline, at least when it came to martial arts, he had grown up being called a prodigy.

He rarely forgot martial arts he had seen once.

‘I’ve definitely seen these martial arts with my own eyes before. But there’s no way the Moyong Family would have such martial arts…’

Wait.

‘The Moyong Family?’

Suddenly, Jeong Gal Ryun unconsciously rose from his seat.

“Alliance Leader?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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