Heaven-Defying Hero - Chapter 87

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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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#087

It was the time when dinner had ended and the sunset was deeply settling in.

Anqing, with the Martial Arts Tournament of the Rivers and Lakes just one day away, displayed scenery that couldn’t normally be seen.

Someone was training in every open space, and scenes of disciples receiving guidance from their mentors could be seen.

Those doing sensitive training left the village and set up positions in the forest and by the riverside.

The entire village was engulfed in tension and fervor, like a volcano about to erupt.

“How fascinating. I didn’t know this many people would be preparing.”

“They say martial artists stake their lives on leaving their names behind. There’s no better opportunity than a martial arts competition. Plus, with the age limit being under thirty, the fervor is even more intense.”

“Does the age restriction actually make it better?”

“Because the skill differences aren’t too great.”

The Martial Arts Tournament of the Rivers and Lakes could only be participated in by rising talents under thirty years old. That didn’t diminish its significance though.

“It’s a battle where each sect’s pride is at stake. They undergo special training for this competition. So it’s also a battle between mentors.”

Considering this, the current atmosphere made sense.

“So shouldn’t we also do a final check?”

“Us too?”

Only then did he realize.

“Aunt. Why do you have such a scary expression?”

“I told you. The pride of the person who taught is also at stake.”

“Ah…”

Ja-gang-cheon looked at Cheon-gu and Pansuk beside him.

“I need to do some training.”

“My body is also itching to move!”

Finally catching on, they belatedly gathered their weapons.

“There are no spots nearby, so we’ll have to go far.”

Having learned Bicheon Shinbo and greatly improved their internal energy through the special training room, Pansuk and Cheon-gu also had no burden regarding lightness skills.

“Alright! Let’s go.”

Ja-gang-cheon opened the window of the second floor room.

“Hyeongnim. I can’t get out through there. May I break it?”

“Ah! Let’s just go through the entrance.”

They opened the room door and went outside.

Having left the village, they headed toward the Northern Forest.

“Wow. It’s hard to even find a spot.”

Wherever there was even a small clearing, someone was invariably there.

Keeping sufficient distance, they gradually moved further from the village.

Since they had planned to go far anyway, they entered deeper into the forest, but at one moment Ja-gang-cheon stopped moving.

“Hyeongnim…”

“Shh.”

Ja-gang-cheon cut off his words. Then Song Ja-in, who had landed beside them, also wore a serious expression.

“It’s the smell of blood.”

If it could penetrate through the scents of earth and grass to spread in all directions, it meant quite a lot of blood had been spilled.

Whoosh!

Ja-gang-cheon immediately climbed up into the trees. And he found the source where the smell originated.

“Huh?”

What he saw were scattered wolf corpses. Each one had their waist or neck cleanly severed, and the smell of blood originated from here.

But in the middle of this gruesome scene, a woman in pale red clothing was holding a white rabbit.

The sight of the woman treating the rabbit was quite surreal, and her beauty slightly revealed in the moonlight was mysterious to the point of being mystical.

Her kind eyes with deep, cozy gaze had the power to calm people, and her slender jawline with small lips gave a delicate impression.

“You’re okay now.”

Squeak.

After applying medicine to the wound, she slowly set the rabbit down on the ground.

The wolves brutally dealt with and the rabbit lovingly treated.

From this stark contrast, Ja-gang-cheon felt as if he had witnessed both good and evil together.

“Take care.”

The woman who bid farewell with a kind and beautiful voice raised her gaze upward.

Then her face bathed in moonlight came clearly into Ja-gang-cheon’s view.

He felt a different charm from what he had seen under the shadows.

Her white skin, red lips, and clear black eyes that seemed to contain starlight formed perfect harmony.

The charm that seemed to draw him in disappeared because of the wrinkles that formed on her brow.

“How long are you going to keep peeping?”

At those words, Ja-gang-cheon descended to the ground.

“I wasn’t peeping. I just came to check because I smelled blood.”

“I see. Well, it was a bit excessive.”

Looking around, she wore a regretful expression.

“I felt sorry for the rabbit being attacked by several wolves. Though the wolves were just following nature’s providence…”

“I’m lacking too much to discuss philosophy.”

“Ah.”

The woman looked puzzled.

“There are actually men this honest in the world.”

The men she met always spoke as if they knew everything. So the words about being lacking himself were quite refreshing.

“There are many honest men. I have two right beside me.”

Ja-gang-cheon bid farewell thinking of the people who would be waiting.

“Now that I know it’s nothing serious, I’ll head back. My friends are waiting.”

“Wait a moment.”

“Yes?”

“I know it’s rude, but may I ask just one thing? I’m curious how an honest person would answer.”

“Sure. Go ahead and ask.”

The woman organized her thoughts for a moment, then asked.

“If I had to sacrifice my life for the people I love, would that have value?”

“Would you become unhappy from that sacrifice?”

“Probably.”

After hearing that answer, Ja-gang-cheon tilted his head.

“So you’re saying the person you love wants you to be unhappy?”

Organizing it made the meaning even clearer.

“Don’t sacrifice your life for someone who doesn’t love you.”

“They love me too.”

“That can’t be.”

“What?”

Both denied each other’s words. At this, Ja-gang-cheon was first to draw a conclusion.

“Someone who loves you wouldn’t want you to become unhappy.”

“That, that’s…”

Ja-gang-cheon spoke confidently, but the woman was at a loss for words.

This made it clear who was right. Still, with lingering attachment, she asked.

“They don’t think I would become unhappy.”

“Was this about yourself?”

“Ah!”

While speaking, she had naturally ended up talking about herself. Ja-gang-cheon thought about her words and spoke as if puzzled.

“Don’t tell me you haven’t expressed your own feelings?”

“No.”

“Why?”

Ja-gang-cheon genuinely couldn’t understand.

“Everyone will be unhappy. Not only the person themselves, but the one who forced it will also feel guilt seeing the results.”

It was strange.

She was having a conversation with someone who claimed not to know philosophy, yet she kept finding herself at a loss for words.

It was a moment when all the studying she had done, sacrificing sleep, seemed pointless.

“I was foolish.”

“Yes. It seems that way.”

His answer without the slightest hesitation actually put her at ease.

“My name is Mok Seo-ryeon.”

“Ah! You’re the person Seolhwa noona mentioned.”

“You mean Yowol-nyeo Cheon Seolhwa? What did she say about me?”

“She said she didn’t understand why men stare at you in a daze.”

“Pfft!”

Mok Seo-ryeon ended up laughing.

“Thank you. And I apologize for being rude.”

“This much is fine.”

After answering, Ja-gang-cheon glanced at her cautiously.

“Why are you doing that?”

Was he perhaps showing interest now like other men?

“If you’re not going to train here, could I do some practice?”

“Ah…”

“It seems like you’re going to leave this place.”

All of Mok Seo-ryeon’s expectations had been wrong today. That’s why she really wanted to hear his name.

“May I ask your name?”

“I’m Ja-gang-cheon.”

“Thank you so much. Whatever the outcome, I’ve gained the courage to face it head-on.”

Ja-gang-cheon only smiled and nodded. Mok Seo-ryeon, realizing the meaning, spoke with an “oh my” expression.

“Ah! I’ll leave quickly. I’m sorry.”

“Thank you.”

It was only now that Ja-gang-cheon said thank you.

***

The day of the Martial Arts Tournament of the Rivers and Lakes.

Not only the Namgung Clan but the entire village was bustling.

Firecrackers went off from morning, and music flowed from everywhere.

Near the Namgung Clan, it was truly a sea of people, with not only martial artists but also ordinary people related to the clan gathering.

“The martial arts competition starts in the afternoon?”

“I heard it begins at the hour of the Goat (1 PM).”

“It’ll be noisy for three days.”

The Martial Arts Tournament of the Rivers and Lakes was scheduled to unfold over three days.

What received the most attention at the tournament was naturally the martial arts competition, but events were scheduled for the morning of the first day.

Ja-gang-cheon entered the Namgung Clan at the hour of the Snake (9 AM) to see the beginning.

When he showed his invitation, a warrior quickly approached and guided them.

The place where the platform was installed was not inside the Namgung Clan but outside.

Installing the platform with the clan’s wall as a backdrop was a consideration for ordinary people.

Anyone could secure a spot and watch the opening declaration.

“It means it’s a festival for the entire village.”

Cheon-gu explained the meaning to Ja-gang-cheon.

“This way, please.”

In front of the platform, there were no special structures like tables or chairs. Instead, invited people were guided to the closest spots. There were no other restrictions, but only those who came with invitations could enter the area marked with red lines.

When Ja-gang-cheon’s group arrived, most people had already taken their places. So they stood near a corner where the platform could be seen diagonally.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The drumbeats that started beside the platform organized the chaotic atmosphere.

And finally, the Lord of the Namgung Clan stepped onto the platform.

Though he was alone, his presence was enough to overwhelm the audience.

His posture as he took a martial salute and bowed slightly was so dignified that quite a few people returned the martial salute.

“I express my deep gratitude to all the martial arts comrades who have visited the Namgung Clan today.”

His deep voice reached everyone’s ears clearly despite having no special equipment. That it wasn’t painful to the ears but comfortable was proof that his internal energy control had reached its peak.

“The martial arts competition is not about crossing swords, but an opportunity to share chivalry based on martial arts. Over the next three days, countless connections will be made and various conversations will take place.”

With everyone’s attention, Namgung Cheonju calmly continued his opening speech.

And at the end of the long opening speech, he said what everyone wanted to hear.

“Then I declare the opening of the Martial Arts Tournament of the Rivers and Lakes.”

“Waaaah!”

Cheers erupted from the quiet audience.

Namgung Cheonju still received the cheers from the same spot, then finally called one person to the platform.

“Today’s events and rules will be explained by the Namgung Clan’s Training Hall Master.”

The person who came up to the platform at his introduction was the Young Lord Namgung Seong.

The Training Hall Master, who oversaw martial arts training, wasn’t a position with special duties. It was a symbolic position for the next clan lord, and introducing him at this occasion was to give him support.

He stood in the spot his father had vacated and bowed respectfully.

“I am Namgung Seong of the Namgung Clan. From now on, I will explain the rules of the martial arts competition. The martial arts competition will select the final 10 people through free sparring matches over today and tomorrow, two days. And on the last day, only the final 10 people can participate in the matches.”

The martial arts competition wasn’t a system where opponents were designated to compete.

Anyone could step onto the martial arts stage, and if they won a match, they could face as many next opponents as they wanted.

Fighting and withdrawing were entirely up to the individual.

If they wanted, they could defeat ten people, or they could wait for the one with the highest reputation.

Then how would the final 10 be selected?

Namgung Seong explained that method too.

“The final 10 will be selected by five martial arts masters. Depending on the situation, up to 12 people can be selected. Now, let me introduce the five people who will serve as judges.”

When Namgung Seong bowed toward the bottom of the platform, five people came up on stage.

Seeing them, the audience nodded as if in approval.

The first person visible was an elderly beggar waving his hand mischievously.

Gaebang Bangju Ho Bang-gae.

The moment they saw him, no one doubted the fairness.

But one person felt differently.

“Does that old man have the qualifications?”

Ja-gang-cheon didn’t particularly like the idea of being judged by him.

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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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