Chronicles of the Mad Demon - Chapter 139
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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 139. The Resonance of Sacred Fire (3)
“Su Hyang!”
Namgung So So’s face was full of smiles as she ran over waving her hand.
“Have you been well?”
Moyong Su Hyang was dumbfounded.
“Isn’t it too cheerful after saying we were enemies and cutting ties for two days?”
“Two days have passed, haven’t they?”
“You’re more shameless than I thought?”
“It’s not being shameless, it’s drawing clear lines. Frankly speaking, if we had been giggling together until yesterday, wouldn’t my Elder Brother have been troubled?”
“…That’s true.”
“Still, I’m cheering for my Elder Brother.”
“That’s only natural.”
“Hehe.”
“What’s with that sinister laugh?”
Namgung So So poked Moyong Su Hyang’s side with her elbow.
“I heard you made up with Elder Brother Bi?”
Moyong Su Hyang frowned.
“Made up?”
“Isn’t that right? Elder Brother Chung Ho said so?”
“I don’t know what that chatterbox Elder Brother said, but it’s not making up.”
“Huh? It’s not making up?”
“If we were on terms to make up, we wouldn’t have come here together in the first place.”
“Oh… that’s right? Then what is it? Elder Brother Chung Ho talks a lot, but he doesn’t say things that aren’t true?”
You’re not far behind when it comes to talking a lot.
She wanted to say that, but didn’t want to deliver a fatal blow to a friend she’d made after a long time.
Just then, cheers from the audience could be heard in the distance.
Since she could hear something about Namgung, it seemed people had seen Namgung Gwan entering the competitor’s waiting corridor.
“Elder Brother must have arrived! I’m going!”
“Take care.”
“No getting angry no matter who wins!”
“The fight is between the Elder Brothers, so what’s there to be angry about.”
At Moyong Su Hyang’s utterly straightforward words, Namgung So So grinned.
‘The Moyong Family people are really magnanimous.’
After sending off Namgung So So like that, Jin Gwang and Jong Hweon came as if they had been waiting, escorting Moyong Su Jeong and Seok Woong.
“Su Hyang was already here.”
“Yeah, well, I had nothing else to do.”
“Where’s Bi Ah?”
“He went out saying he needed to organize his thoughts for a moment. He should be back soon.”
Seok Woong spoke carefully.
“Even for the Young Master, the Namgung Clan’s swordsmanship must be burdensome.”
In fact, it would be harder not to feel that way.
The Namgung Clan’s swordsmanship was renowned throughout the world. Though the martial arts of the Six Great Families were said to be as impressive as the Nine Great Sects, among them the Namgung Clan received particular attention.
The reason was simple.
The Namgung Clan was a family of the sword, and most Murim Warriors living in Jianghu learned swordsmanship.
Yet they surpassed countless martial families to earn the epithet of the Sword King Family, so it was natural for people to especially praise the Namgung Clan.
Moyong Su Jeong spoke calmly.
“I believe in Bi Ah.”
“Of course, so do I.”
“I believe in Bi Ah, but I also believe in our ancestors.”
“Pardon?”
“Our ancestors who were even called the family of the God of War. Though people matter more than martial arts, if it hadn’t been super first-rate martial arts, our ancestors wouldn’t have been able to spread their fame like that either.”
Seok Woong smiled.
“That’s right.”
“Bi Ah has learned the secret martial arts of our Main Family House more deeply than any of us.”
Moyong Su Jeong looked at the duel stage.
Across the spacious duel stage, the opposing camp was visible.
The place where a temporary corridor was made with thick cloth. Namgung Gwan was waiting there.
“Bi Ah will win.”
Just then.
“I don’t know why you’re going on and on about such an obvious thing.”
Everyone’s faces brightened.
“You’re here?”
“Have you arrived.”
Moyong Bi’s appearance as he walked over with his spear slung over his shoulder as if annoyed was the same as usual.
Moyong Su Jeong approached her younger brother and brushed off the dust on his shoulder.
“How’s your condition?”
“Did you bring the strong liquor?”
It meant he could win even if he got completely drunk.
Moyong Su Jeong smiled brightly.
“Let’s drink after the sparring match.”
“Sounds good.”
Moyong Su Hyang asked.
“Are you only using the spear today?”
“That’s what I’m thinking.”
Moyong Bi looked at Namgung Gwan across from them.
Though the distance was far, as if sensing Moyong Bi’s presence, Namgung Gwan was also looking this way.
“I can’t treat such a serious opponent like a wooden training dummy.”
Just then, the judge appeared on the duel stage.
Even at the judge’s appearance rather than the competitors, the audience’s cheers were tremendous.
The first match of the Hubei Martial Arts Tournament semifinals.
The competitors were Namgung Gwan from the historically traditional powerhouse Namgung Clan, and Moyong Bi who had created a new sensation in this tournament.
“We will now begin the first match of the Hubei Late-Stage Expert Tournament semifinals.”
Wooooah!
“Competitors from both sides, please come up to the duel stage when ready.”
Moyong Bi waved to everyone.
“I’ll be back.”
Moyong Su Hyang shook her fist.
“Don’t hold back and win!”
“If I don’t hold back, it’ll end within five moves.”
“…Hmm, that’s a bit much.”
“Still, I can’t treat him carelessly.”
Flutter.
Namgung Gwan revealed himself.
Though the audience’s cheers shook heaven and earth, he looked extremely calm.
His half-opened eyes naturally looked at the ground, and his relaxed body seemed ready to sway at any moment.
It was an ideal state.
Moyong Bi also climbed onto the duel stage.
The judge spoke with a tense face.
“I will not give a starting signal. Both sides, when ready, immediately…”
At that moment, both men moved simultaneously.
Claaaaaang!
The heavy spear shaft and long sword clashed, erupting in a terrifying resonance.
The suddenly begun fight surprised both the Judge and spectators, but that surprise soon turned into intense excitement.
Waaaah!
Neither man reacted to the pouring cheers.
Moyong Bi calmly readjusted his grip on the spear shaft with both hands, while Namgung Gwan lowered his stance and pulled his long sword back.
With one clash, both men had fully grasped their opponent’s capabilities.
That was the end of their greeting.
Whoosh!
Namgung Gwan’s charge was truly fast.
Like wind blowing from dozens of zhang above in the Empty Air. The Namgung Clan’s Secret Transmission, Heavenly Wind Step, granted its master infinite freedom.
Moyong Bi’s eyes deepened.
It was a movement that seemed to charge straight forward yet could evade in any direction. At the same time, it was a state from which any attack could be launched.
‘Very good.’
He had definitely grown since they first met.
Namgung Gwan thrust his sword toward the middle section.
Whoosh!
A translucent blue energy rippled along the extending sword.
A refreshingly clear color, like looking at a cloudless sky.
The masters watching from the Upper Seat were startled.
“Sword Energy Harming People!”
Using Energy Release in a sword to deliver destructive power is called Sword Energy. In other words, Sword Energy was the foundation of all Energy Manipulation Arts that delivered force through weapons, and could be called the first step toward becoming a true Master.
Imbuing a weapon with force is not as easy as it sounds.
Just wrapping and maintaining force around any object begins to collapse that object’s structure. Since a single Energy Release strike can break wood and even destroy Rock, this was only natural.
Sword Energy goes even further than that.
Energy Release constantly tries to manifest outward. The same is true even when imbued in a sword.
Sword Energy is the realm of thoroughly refining the force trying to radiate outward and condensing it inward to increase the sword power itself, maximizing sharpness while perfectly preventing damage to the sword.
Not only containing force concentrated enough to destroy external objects in a weapon without any damage, but opening the limits of the weapon’s inherent power to become one with Qi.
This could truly be called the beginning of true sword-self unity. There was a reason why Sword Energy Harming People was called the entrance to being a real Master.
‘Very good indeed.’
Satisfaction settled on Moyong Bi’s face.
‘It can’t have been long since he realized Sword Energy.’
Yet he already displayed free and versatile application.
While it would take time to fully embody it, the fact that he could mix Sword Energy realized only days ago into his Martial Forms proved Namgung Gwan’s talent was extraordinary.
Flash!
The translucent sky-blue Sword Energy grazed past Moyong Bi’s shoulder.
Namgung Gwan’s eyes wavered.
‘He dodged it.’
He had naturally thought he would dodge it. If not, he wouldn’t have drawn out Sword Energy.
The key was how he had dodged it.
‘Minimal movement. Yet I can’t understand the principle. It was definitely just one step.’
Whoosh!
He immediately switched from Heavenly Wind Step to Heavenly Thunder Step and moved to the edge of the Duel Stage.
Swish!
A few strands of hair fluttered in the Empty Air.
It was a spine-chilling moment. If he hadn’t dodged, he would have been struck by Moyong Bi’s swinging spear and sent flying off the Duel Stage, or been cut by the spear blade and severely wounded.
‘You’re being serious.’
Moyong Bi’s face came into view.
As if he naturally knew this much would be dodged, the sight of him immediately readjusting his spear grip and advancing looked like a general leaping out of a masterpiece by the world’s greatest Fire Artisan.
‘You think that highly of me.’
Heavenly Thunder Step didn’t suit defense or evasion.
But if necessary, it could be used. Like just now when dodging that spear strike.
Still, as expected, martial arts shine when fulfilling their role.
Flash!
Namgung Gwan advanced even faster with Heavenly Thunder Step and wildly swung his long sword.
A translucent blue sword shadow appeared in the Empty Air.
It was an incomparably beautiful sword technique. Rather than stabbing and cutting the opponent with the sword, it was movement like using a brush to shape something.
It was the Azure Sky.
Not depicting any particular form, but majestically painting the blue sky with a brush dipped in pigment.
This was the Namgung Clan’s Secret Transmission, the Azure Sky Limitless Swordsmanship.
‘Not showing off.’
Azure Sky Limitless Swordsmanship was unmatched in Jianghu by Sword Form alone, but its true power was displayed when Sword Energy was drawn out.
Namgung Gwan wasn’t drawing out Sword Energy to boast about realizing it.
In the greatest match of his life, he was deploying martial arts with his utmost effort. His mindset of trying to neutralize his opponent through the fastest and most rational attacks was keenly felt.
Moyong Bi’s eyes curved like a crescent moon.
‘Very good.’
The long spear spat fire.
Claaaang!!
Spear and sword clashed, erupting in terrifying brilliance.
This was on a different dimension from sparks created by metal striking metal.
Blue flames and pale blue flames seemed to summon phosphorescent fires dancing through the Empty Air like phantoms.
The One Hundred Eight Style Dragon-Slaying Spear Technique facing the Azure Sky Limitless Swordsmanship.
The Sword King family’s swordsmanship and the Martial Alliance Leader’s spear technique had collided head-on.
Clang! Bang! Boom!
In the possessed clashing, dozens of phosphorescent fires multiplied into hundreds.
Flames covering half of that vast Duel Stage. The spectacle of force being split, colliding, and exploding made viewers fall into fantasy.
“Good heavens…!”
“Is this really a fight between humans?”
People who had never seen real Masters fight could be forgiven for mistaking it for a battle of supernatural beings.
Claaaang! Boom!
With one roughly swung spear strike, the Azure Sky Limitless Swordsmanship’s Sword Form was futilely shattered.
Namgung Gwan gritted his teeth.
‘Tremendous strength!’
Though it looked like a close match on the surface, from the first clash he felt pain as if his arms would be torn off.
It was truly overwhelming strength. He couldn’t tell if it was simple physical power or the strength of Internal Energy. He couldn’t read the flow of force.
‘I can’t even read his breathing!’
He wondered if the man even breathed.
With calmly settled eyes, wielding an iron long spear several times heavier than a long sword like unfolding swift swordsmanship, there was absolutely no gap to break through.
‘As expected of Moyong Sohyeop.’
He hadn’t known when watching as a third party, but facing him directly, he understood.
‘You were a wall difficult to overcome no matter what, weren’t you.’
If Moyong Bi had been determined and harbored Killing Intent, he would certainly have been killed without lasting even five exchanges, no, not even two exchanges.
He was only enduring this much because it was a Sparring Match, a contest of martial prowess.
‘I wanted a more spectacular match, but unfortunately my Skill Level only goes this far.’
The Internal Energy he had drawn out to mitigate the spear’s impact had already dropped to less than half.
It was truly tremendous skill.
‘Still, I should squeeze out all my remaining strength.’
Flash!
Namgung Gwan’s pupils began glowing bright blue.
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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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