The Fortunate Sword God of the Zhuge Clan - Chapter 64

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 64.
It was Dok Go Hyun who burst forward first.
Taking the initiative was advantageous in martial arts, but there was another reason as well.
“You’ve held up well, my lord. However, I’ve used Golden Needles to seal several pressure points and dull the pain, while forcing the Inner Strength to reconnect your meridian channels artificially. Extreme caution is necessary.”
“…Explain it more simply.”
“There are limits to how freely you can move your body, my lord.”
Mu Heun continued in a firm voice.
“Two quarters of an hour. That should allow for recovery later, but if you attempt to move beyond that span, your body will suffer permanent damage. Once two quarters have passed, you must consider yourself defeated.”
‘Two quarters….’
It wasn’t a long time by any measure, yet Dok Go Hyun smiled with satisfaction.
“That’s enough.”
Clang!
Dok Go Hyun’s blade met Seo Ryong’s in a sharp collision.
The two masters at the Peak Stage could gauge each other’s capabilities from that single exchange alone.
“As I thought….”
Seo Ryong’s lips curled upward.
“Impressive. Your sword technique.”
“Hm, if it ends with mere impression, that’s when things get dangerous.”
“I agree.”
At the same moment, a shimmering aura enveloped Seo Ryong’s blade.
The deep azure of the Spear Heaven that symbolized the Namkoong Clan wrapped around Seo Ryong’s sword.
‘…It’s been a while.’
Facing the sword energy of Seo Ryong, who had saved him at their first meeting, Dok Go Hyun tensed slightly.
‘He’s become far stronger than what I felt back then.’
Dok Go Hyun had not yet reached the Peak Stage in those days.
Though he had grown, he could immediately sense that Seo Ryong’s progress was no less remarkable.
‘But in the end, it’s still a matter of manipulating Inner Strength.’
In Dok Go Hyun’s eyes, Seo Ryong’s sword energy appeared like tangled threads.
Without hesitation, Dok Go Hyun severed those threads.
Whoosh—
The azure sword energy Seo Ryong had created scattered like leaves on the wind.
“So that’s how it works. Troublesome.”
Despite his words, Seo Ryong did not lower his blade’s momentum, sweeping it forward.
Dok Go Hyun met Seo Ryong’s strike with a natural flowing motion.
Clang!
‘…Heavy!’
Thanks to the Namkoong Family’s distinctive Heavy Sword Mastery, despite meeting head-on, it was Dok Go Hyun who was pushed back.
Seo Ryong’s blade did not relent, driving forward at Dok Go Hyun.
But Dok Go Hyun was not one to simply endure.
Whoosh!
“!”
Against Dok Go Hyun’s thrusting strike that cut through the momentum, it was Seo Ryong who had to step back half a pace.
“So you can do more than just sever Inner Strength?”
“Of course. This is what you call the ‘falling sensation.'”
“The falling sensation.”
Seo Ryong nodded at that intuitive explanation Do Un had conveyed in his past life.
“Understood, roughly at least.”
“What?”
“I won’t perfect it with my sword, but….”
Whoosh—
“Agh!”
Seo Ryong’s blade narrowly shaved away Dok Go Hyun’s hair.
He had thrust into the gap where Dok Go Hyun meant to continue his assault, in that instant.
“Is this the feeling?”
“…Damn your luck.”
Even as he felt awe at Seo Ryong’s talent, Dok Go Hyun smiled.
He had felt it before when sparring with Do Un—these geniuses allowed no room for a single moment of carelessness.
And Dok Go Hyun savored the thrill of such competition.
This was likely because Dok Go Hyun himself was a genius of their caliber.
The two continued to exchange blows, surpassing ten passes in their duel.
And the result was a deadlock. No—Dok Go Hyun was pushing forward.
The pattern where Seo Ryong pressed and Dok Go Hyun severed was far more frequent than the reverse.
In the midst of an unceasing exchange so breathless it was hard to draw air, one spectator muttered softly.
“Wait… could the Namkoong actually lose this?”
The great Namkoong Family losing to an unknown martial artist?
A clan that had never failed to claim victory whenever they entered, now facing a warrior on death’s door?
It was absurd—yet no one voiced objection.
Given the stunning reversals Dok Go Hyun had already pulled off, the hope rose unbidden in every heart.
That single utterance created a current that rippled through the crowd not as cheers, but as anticipatory murmuring.
Mu Heun listened to that murmuring quietly, watching the match unfold.
‘Seo Ryong will lose.’
Such a hope was possible—but pitifully, those spectators were not truly seeing the match.
‘Seo Ryong hasn’t used a single technique form yet.’
He was engaging Dok Go Hyun, who wielded the Wave-Breaking Form, using only the subtle principles and fundamentals of the Namkoong style.
‘Why?’
Certainly, even if he used technique forms, they would still break the Wave-Breaking Form—but a technique form was a technique form nonetheless.
The difference in power would be stark; he could create far more openings and exploit them.
So why was he holding back his technique forms?
The question that troubled Mu Heun was not his alone to bear.
“…Tsk.”
Dok Go Hyun broke off their exchange and stepped back.
Seo Ryong looked puzzled.
“Hmm? What’s the matter?”
“What’s the matter? That’s rich coming from you.”
Dok Go Hyun’s voice carried a note of irritation.
“You swore to go all out. What are you doing? Is withholding every technique form your idea of full strength?”
Seo Ryong looked sheepish, scratching his head.
“Ah, you saw through it, did you?”
“Saw through it? You bastard…”
“Ha, my apologies. I wasn’t disrespecting you. Quite the opposite—it’s precisely because you are who you are that I found myself committing this rudeness.”
“…What?”
Seo Ryong turned his head slightly, his eyes finding Mu Heun in the crowd.
“That technique form he displayed gave me profound inspiration.”
“…Inspiration?”
“You should have seen it too—the way he simply split this entire Martial Arts Arena in half?”
“What?”
Dok Go Hyun’s gaze likewise turned toward Mu Heun.
This unexpected turn during the match left Mu Heun, no less than the spectators, bewildered.
“That technique form was modeled after our clan’s martial arts. The moment I saw it, inspiration welled up like a spring. I spent the time before this match ordering those insights, but I felt I had to test my understanding against a martial artist of your caliber.”
At words that honored him, Dok Go Hyun’s anger mellowed slightly as he spoke.
“So now you understand? No matter what, I didn’t agree to be a sparring dummy for your enlightenment.”
“I know. Forgive me. But now I grasp it. I truly am grateful.”
Seo Ryong turned his gaze to Namkoong Cheon, who watched from a distance.
“Father’s teachings were too vague. ‘Certainty will come when the time is right’—I thought such irresponsible words had no place, yet…”
Seo Ryong closed his eyes briefly, then smiled with genuine lightness.
“It has come to pass. Truly, martial arts are wondrous.”
Dok Go Hyun, his eyes narrowed to slits, stared at Seo Ryong as he spoke incomprehensible words.
“…So what now? Do we continue?”
“Yes, we continue. Of course.”
Seo Ryong nodded, then opened his eyes.
“…?”
Something in that gaze made Dok Go Hyun’s brow furrow.
In Seo Ryong’s eyes, a blue light now seemed to shimmer—something Dok Go Hyun had never glimpsed before.
“I apologize. From now on, I’ll show you my true strength.”
“…Well, finally things are about to get interes—”
Boom!
“?!”
In that instant, Dok Go Hyun felt the very air above the Martial Arts Arena shift.
It was a change so profound that all nearby could perceive it.
‘…What is this?’
Though Dok Go Hyun’s eyes could perceive the flow of inner strength, it was precisely because of this ability that he could not trust what his vision revealed.
‘Where is all this energy coming from?’
A vast, towering aura filled the sky itself, pressing down upon the entire Martial Arts Arena.
“I’ll advance.”
With those words, Namkoong Seo Ryong took a step forward.
Boom!
“Gasp!”
That single step alone unleashed a massive wave of energy that crashed down upon Dok Go Hyun, pinning him in place.
More than that—he could barely remain standing.
‘Is this… martial power?’
Dok Go Hyun was shaken, yet there was no question—this was indeed martial power.
The Heavy Sword Mastery that the Namkoong Clan prided itself on. The manipulation of weight and balance.
He had expanded its scope beyond the human body itself, extending it across the entire space.
This meant that the center of gravity of the Martial Arts Arena beneath Dok Go Hyun’s feet was being controlled entirely by Namkoong Seo Ryong.
With each step Namkoong Seo Ryong took, the pressure grew heavier still.
‘Is this Materialization? Has Namkoong Seo Ryong reached the Ultimate Peak?’
It was different.
Strictly speaking, this was merely a single technique form.
In one stride, the realm traverses all beneath heaven.
In two strides, the seas are parted as one crosses a thousand li.
In three strides, even the very heavens are brought low.
Before the Emperor’s footfall, all things bow in submission.
The greatest sword family beneath heaven—the Namkoong Clan’s supreme and final technique.
The Emperor’s Sword Form.
Namkoong Seo Ryong drew near to Dok Go Hyun, pressing his blade against the throat of a man who gritted his teeth to keep from falling to his knees.
“Do you wish to continue?”
Even had he wanted to, it was now impossible.
***
The semifinals proceeded without pause, yet the attention paid to the match between Mu Heun and Hye Kang was muted.
Not from a lack of expectations regarding the two fighters, but rather from the overwhelming martial power that Namkoong Seo Ryong had displayed.
A consensus had settled over the crowd that a martial artist wielding the Emperor’s Sword Form was destined to claim victory.
“Isn’t the Emperor’s Sword Form a technique only the Ultimate Peak can use? Doesn’t that mean Namkoong Seo Ryong is already at the Ultimate Peak?”
“You clearly know nothing. The Emperor’s Sword Form can be wielded by anyone, regardless of their realm. What requires the Ultimate Peak is simply the martial understanding necessary to comprehend it.”
“Whatever the case, Namkoong Seo Ryong has achieved the understanding of an Ultimate Peak martial artist while still in the Peak realm, yes? There’s nothing more to discuss then.”
“Well… I suppose that’s true.”
Yet interest in who would claim the final spot in the finals was hardly absent.
Namkoong Seo Ryong, having proven himself beyond the scope of the Dragon Phoenix Gathering’s regulations, was essentially assured victory.
Unmindful of such sentiment, Mu Heun and Hye Kang stood face to face on the Martial Arts Arena, offering each other the fist salute.
“I look forward to our match, Venerable Hye Kang.”
“The honor is mine, Sponsor Mu Heun.”
Mu Heun rested his hand upon the hilt of his sword.
Hye Kang, wielding the Fist Technique, required no special preparation.
The referee, confirming this, signaled the start.
“Begin!”
“Before we do…”
“Hmm?”
“?”
Hye Kang spoke in his gentle voice, posing a question.
“Sponsor Mu Heun—do you wish to win this Dragon Phoenix Gathering?”
Caught off guard by the sudden inquiry, Mu Heun’s eyes widened momentarily before he answered in a measured tone.
“More than victory, I must reach the finals. I have made a promise to cross swords with Namkoong Seo Ryong.”
“Ah, a promise, I see…”
At that answer, Hye Kang’s face broke into a smile as serene as a Buddha’s.
“In that case, it seems I would only become an obstacle to your shared vow.”
“What? No, that is not what I meant to—”
“I have learned much watching you face Jin. Of course, you harbor no such intention toward me…”
Hye Kang turned and walked toward the edge of the Martial Arts Arena.
“Seeing you withdraw so readily, I realize how truly insignificant the small desires I carried from my time in the secular world have become.”
Without hesitation, Hye Kang leaped lightly down from the Martial Arts Arena.
“Wait—no—”
“Outside Ring Loss?”
Hye Kang turned to Mu Heun and smiled once more.
“This humble monk will devote himself further to the cultivation of his spirit. I pray that you, benefactor, too shall achieve a favorable result.”
Mu Heun gazed at him with a dazed expression, then smiled and pressed his palms together in salute.
“Thank you. I wish you great progress in your practice as well.”
“Amitabha Buddha. My gratitude to you.”
And so, quite anticlimactically, the final seat in the finals fell to Mu Heun.
***
With this turn of events, the voices predicting victory for Seo Ryong only grew louder.
“Jegal Mu Heun is impressive, certainly, but he stands no chance against Namkoong Seo Ryong. The man’s practically at the Ultimate Peak, isn’t he?”
“Right. There’s no way a martial artist at the Peak stage can defeat him. Just look at what happened to Dok Go Hyun.”
“Still, you have to give him credit. Wasn’t he injured? The fact that he’s made it this far is already a miracle.”
Mu Heun paid no mind to such whispers as he descended from the Martial Arts Arena and sought out Dok Go Hyun.
It was not difficult to find him.
He sat crumpled in the shade of an isolated building at Tae Geuk Plaza.
Mu Heun settled beside him and began to speak.
“Thanks to Hye Kang’s gracious concession, I’ve earned my place in the finals.”
“…Is that so? A matter for congratulation, then.”
“Indeed. Now I’ll face Seo Ryong. What was your assessment? Of his martial skill?”
“Seo Ryong’s martial skill…”
Dok Go Hyun’s voice was hollow.
There was nothing particularly painful about his injuries.
Contrary to expectation, he’d sustained no physical wounds, so there were no aftereffects from treatment.
Rather, what he bore was a deeper wound to his pride.
“What good would my counsel do? In the end, once that man unleashed his full strength, I was helpless.”
“Yet it was you who drew out that full strength first, was it not?”
“Heh. Is that something to be proud of? No, perhaps it is.”
Dok Go Hyun exhaled softly.
“I must have been overestimating my own blade. Seeing the real thing, it’s unmistakably different. I was simply… a fool who didn’t know when to stop boasting.”
At this, Mu Heun fell silent for a moment, gazing into empty space.
“Seo Ryong is indeed formidable.”
“Yes. Truly formidable. There’s no denying it.”
“But precisely because of that, you must not sit here pitying yourself.”
“What?”
At Mu Heun’s words, Dok Go Hyun narrowed his brows and fixed his gaze upon him.
Mu Heun met that gaze unflinchingly.
“If you diminish yourself by saying you’ve lost, what does that make of those you’ve defeated?”
Dok Go Hyun’s eyes flickered slightly at Mu Heun’s words.
“By your own logic, if you were boasting ignorantly, then Do Un and Mo Yong—what are they? Fools who cannot even lift their eyes to the sky?”
“No, that’s not what I…”
“Is it not? By your own reckoning, wouldn’t that be the case?”
Dok Go Hyun opened his mouth to object, then closed it again.
How could he not understand that Mu Heun was offering him comfort?
“…You’re right. For the sake of those I’ve beaten, I shouldn’t sit here like this. But still. I can’t see the image of defeating Seo Ryong.”
“There’s no need to entertain such thoughts now. It’s not as though failure means death.”
Mu Heun tilted his head and continued.
“Besides, you haven’t exhausted all your options either.”
“Hmm?”
“Should you master that Materialization you displayed in your bout with Do Un, even Seo Ryong would find you no easy adversary.”
At Mu Heun’s words, Dok Go Hyun finally broke into laughter.
“You have an uncommon way of offering consolation.”
“I merely judged that such an approach would suit you better.”
“You’re not wrong. You’re quite right.”
Dok Go Hyun’s mood brightened a little, and he turned to Mu Heun with a smile.
“I can hardly call it a debt, but tomorrow in the finals, I’ll be rooting for you. I wish I could offer you better counsel.”
Mu Heun’s lips curled upward.
“There’s no need for apology. I was already planning to seek counsel elsewhere.”
“Hmm? Counsel? Advice on how to defeat Seo Ryong?”
Dok Go Hyun asked with curiosity written across his face.
“From whom?”
***
“Why are you asking me this?”
Yang Mujin’s expression flickered with bewilderment.
“Well, aren’t you stronger than Seo Ryong, Captain?”
“The Family Head is stronger than I am.”
“Even so, I wouldn’t drag a father into his son’s personal dispute.”
“But dragging the captain into an organization conflict is acceptable?”
“It hasn’t been formally invoked yet, so it doesn’t count.”
“If you can’t even manage words—”
Yang Mujin clicked his tongue lightly.
“But beyond all that, there’s nothing I can tell you. I’ve seen it with my own eyes, and with the Inner Strength you possess now, there’s no technique that will let you overcome that pressure.”
Mu Heun nodded at Yang Mujin’s words.
“I’m aware of that already. That isn’t why I came here to ask.”
“Then what are you asking me for?”
“Teach me how to reach the Super-Expert stage.”
“What?”
Yang Mujin asked again as if he’d misheard.
Mu Heun answered once more, his tone matter-of-fact.
“How to reach the Super-Expert stage. Specifically, teach me about creating a Materialization.”

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