“Uhhhhhhh”
Jin Young’s forehead, red and slightly swollen, made him groan.
Despite circulating his internal qi, his mind felt dizzy from the shock.
“Ahh….”
Chung Myung from Mount Hua, who had kindly attempted to join Jin Young in the spar, couldn’t hide his shock as he spoke.
Jin Young’s martial arts skill wasn’t far behind Chung Myung’s. One could say it was just at a lower stage.
The fact that someone of his stature could be taken down with a simple flick to the forehead indicated that the outcome would be the same for him.
Whisper!
The previously quiet guesthouse suddenly filled with noise once again.
“Did you see that?”
“Did he really get thrown back with just one flick?”
“Why couldn’t anyone stop it?”
“His body turned a couple of times with just one snap.”
“Huh… I guess it wasn’t a lie that he’s one of the Eight Great Warriors.”
“Has anyone in their 20s ever reached that level?”
On the contrary, my own reputation was enhanced by this. If Jin Young were to duel me and endure for just 10 seconds, his fame would have risen. However, the only thing left for him now was just embarrassment.
-A challenge without a second thought.
Short Sword chuckled, enjoying herself.
I needed to demonstrate this so that people with nonsensical ideas about me would reconsider. If rumors spread about how I cared about the opponent and engaged in a duel, only more bothersome situations would follow.
I then said to Chung Myung.
“Are you ready to go? There are a lot of people here.”
“T-that…”
His eyes trembled at that question.
He was aware of the people’s gazes. He realized that he hadn’t been paying attention at all, so the right decision was to stop.
However, he justified the duel with a desire to learn from me, so quitting would negatively impact his reputation.
-But wouldn’t he simply give up if it ended like this?
Well.
People of the Justice Faction had a strong sense of honor. They were not like the Forces of Evil who would prioritize their more practical interests.
While it would be preferable if he gave up, he would lose in an undignified manner if he didn’t fight; at least, that would be how it was from his perspective.
Chung Myung gulped, adjusting his expression before speaking.
“Let us go then.”
It appeared that he had made up his mind.
Just as we were about to leave the guesthouse, Chung Myung turned to the middle-aged man who appeared to be the establishment’s owner.
“Is there any space available?”
“Well, where can we find any space this big? There is one that’s not very developed, but it does have a storage room.”
“Can we use it then?”
“As long as it doesn’t get damaged…”
Chung Myung, who got permission from the guesthouse owner, then said,
“There are a lot of people near the entrance, so there’s a chance it could get damaged. Let’s go to the backyard instead.”
I snorted at those words. It was a sneaky way of saying he wanted to avoid drawing attention as much as possible.
Warrior Chung Myung kindly requested understanding from the people in the guesthouse.
“This is just a friendly match between the senior and junior, so we prefer to have fewer spectators. We apologize for not allowing others to witness it.”
Upon hearing this, the onlookers couldn’t help but smile, as his intention was quite clear.
It was essentially telling Jin Young not to come out to the backyard and watch to avoid a similar incident.
‘These Justice Faction people are…’
At times like this, they become very obvious.
However, it appeared that I had stopped considering myself a member of the Justice Faction without realizing it.
Considering that my father was the head of a different order and I lead the Blood Sect, it would be amusing to think of me as part of the Justice Faction.
“Let’s go,” Chung Myung said.
His face showed annoyance, but Chung Myung covered it up.
I sighed and laughed, following him.
And then the murmuring of the crowd grew louder.
The reason was Jun Gyun, who had been on the second floor, approached us with his hands behind his back and caught the attention of the onlookers.
“Two of the Eight Great warriors in one place?”
“Isn’t this an incredible sight?”
Shocked voices echoed throughout the guesthouse as I finally greeted Jin Gyun.
“It’s been a while, Senior.”
“Indeed.”
Jin Gyun nodded and walked past me.
‘…’
He then walked toward Jin Young, who was still unable to stand and placed his hand on his forehead.
“Uhhhh.”
Jin Young trembled as white steam escaped from his mouth and nose.
Jin Gyun did this to expel any remaining qi in the wound.
“Grandfather?”
Now fully aware, Jin Young must have understood the situation as his face turned red with shock.
He never could have imagined that this would happen.
“You fool. Tsk, tsk.”
Jin Gyun looked down at his grandson, clicking his tongue in disappointment.
Jin Young quickly made an excuse, anticipating a scolding.
“Grandfather, this wasn’t a fair spar. If he suddenly made a move without warning, anyone could…”
“Close your mouth.”
“Grandfather…”
“You said that knowing your opponent is also a skill. I talked about this, but nothing has changed with you.”
“… I apologize.”
Jin Young, who was scolded, lowered his head and apologized. It had been a hasty decision.
The more excuses he made, the more he’d get scolded. Jin Gyun looked away from him and turned toward me.
-He seems angry.
As Short Sword said, the expression on him was no joke to me. I wouldn’t have really noticed it much, but with him being so close, I guess he didn’t like how things turned out.
Jin Gyun then spoke to me,
“The rumors are indeed true.”
The words that came out of his mouth had several meanings, but the most significant one was acknowledgment.
Hearing the rumors, he hadn’t been sure, but now his voice recognized me as one of the Eight Great Warriors.
“I have seen many talented individuals, but you have shown exceptional growth, unlike anyone I’ve ever seen before.”
“It might have been exaggerated a bit.”
“Well, it’s not entirely inaccurate to say that the less developed areas can sometimes overtake the more advanced ones.”
The Yangtze River proverb, huh?
It signified a shift in generations.
“Who do you think will challenge you in the next ten years?”
Although his words seemed friendly, the tension was building. He was laser-focused on me, while the others remained oblivious.
‘This is the perfect opportunity to get out of the water immediately.’
I was eager to see what came next. Jin Gyun informed me,
“I don’t believe there will be another chance if not today. Allow this old man to challenge you.”
‘….!!’
Upon hearing those words, the murmurs surrounding us intensified.
Naturally, all eyes were fixed on Jin Gyun, who had been part of the esteemed Eight Great Warriors, as he made his request.
“It can’t be!”
“It looks like the Eight Great Warriors are about to engage in battle.”
The onlookers were bursting with excitement.
‘Hmm.’
This was quite a lot. It was shocking how all of this happened in just a month.
Jang Mun-ryang, Cheol Su-ryun, and now this.
Now, Jin Gyun also wanted a piece of the action.
-You’re pretty lucky too.
Well, that was right too.
We ended up getting mixed up with monsters, no matter what their intentions were. At that moment, Iron Sword spoke up.
-This is the essence of strength. Wonhwi, the more renowned you become, the more true that will be.
-Not very reassuring, is it?
Jin Gyun then spoke to Chung Myung, who was as confused as everyone else.
“Taoist Chung Myung, I apologize, but can you concede?”
Upon hearing these words, Chung Myung’s face brightened. Even though he had already anticipated the outcome, he still felt overwhelmed. Now, it felt like he had been granted a fresh escape route.
“How could I possibly not yield to a senior?”
He didn’t miss the opportunity. The man was not only skilled in martial arts but also with words.
Jin Gyun gestured toward the backyard and said,
“Let’s go.”
I tried to create a reason for my refusal, but it would be impossible to say that I wouldn’t fight…
“Senior. How can I, as a junior, be challenged by a senior? Even if we don’t compete, juniors are still no match for seniors…”
“Don’t even think about refusing.”
“It’s not a refusal. I’m just stating facts.”
“You are saying things you don’t mean.”
“No.”
“Even if that is what you mean, you defeated that child with one flick. If this happens, the people of Murim will laugh at us.”
His true intentions were revealed now. There was no justification to refuse.
“Follow me.”
Swish!
When Jin Gyun extended his hand, Jin Young’s sword, wrapped in cloth, was drawn into his grasp.
People were shocked.
It was natural to be shocked, considering this technique could only be done when a person went beyond the peak of the Super Master level.
And this Jin Gyun managed to do it.
‘Phew.’
There was no way out of this. I had no choice but to fight. I wasn’t sure how we got to this place.
“Young lord, aren’t you one of the Eight Great Warriors?”
“Right.”
“Will you be fine, though?”
Ah Song asked me, clearly worried. I smiled lightly in response without answering. Sima Young then said.
[Young lord, break his nose!]
She didn’t appear concerned in the slightest.
It wasn’t a fight for survival but rather a sparring session, and she had confidence in me and my training, maybe because I had brought the corpse of Revolting Mother, who was a monster.
I nodded approvingly and stepped out into the backyard.
“It’s small?”
This backyard turned out to be smaller than I anticipated.
In truth, the warehouse in the backyard took up a significant amount of space, and what could be considered a backyard seemed to be no more than 16 meters at most.
Jin Gyun unsheathed his Flaming Blade.
Flaming Blade.
It was a weapon Jin Gyun took pride in.
Rumble!
As expected, the people in the guesthouse filtered out through the backdoor.
Who wouldn’t want to witness such a grand spectacle?
The space was already limited, but they squeezed in, leaning against the wall, making it feel even smaller.
‘I wonder how this will unfold.’
A battle between skilled warriors.
If we went all out, the aftermath alone would wreak havoc on the surroundings.
Jin Gyun frowned, examining their surroundings, seemingly aware of the situation. It appeared that we needed to find a new location.
Here, the damage would continue to escalate, making it infeasible.
“Senior… the land…”
“The place is small, so let’s modify our sparring method.”
“Uh?”
He intended to alter our sparring method?
Was he attempting to compete solely based on technique, minimizing excessive movement to avoid unnecessary damage?
By doing so, we could prevent any harm.
However, an unexpected proposal came out of his mouth.
“Do you know about the Air Sword?”
“…yes.”
I wondered why he was asking me that.
Confused, I watched as Jin Gyun smiled and spoke.
“Don’t worry. I have been practicing this technique for over ten years.”
Shhh!
As Jin Gyun let go of the hilt, the blade soared into the air. The movement seemed fluid and refined, just as he had claimed.
It was the first time I had witnessed such raw power.
“Ohhh!”
“It’s the Air Sword!”
As Jin Gyun released his grip on the blade, it soared through the air, showcasing enhanced skills just like his own.
This was the first time I witnessed techniques performed solely with internal qi, unlike my own.
“OHHHH!”
“The Air Sword!”
“The Flame Emperor Great Blade can do that too!”
The spectators went wild.
While I admired their abilities, I couldn’t help but wonder how it set him apart from the rest.
The Iron Sword uttered.
-Wonhwi, I’m prepared.
He was eager to take flight. Well, I found myself in a situation where I wouldn’t refuse either.
If this occurred, would it be a clash between the Iron Sword and Jin Gyun?
Srrng!
Iron Sword emerged from its sheath and soared into the sky.
And it was a spectacle that left people astounded.
“Incredible!”
“A clash between the Air Sword and Air Blade!”
“To be able to witness this in our lifetime, I will have no more regrets.”
Thanks to the spectators, the atmosphere started to become more tense. Jin Gyun came up to me and said,
“If we only compete with this, we won’t be able to strike the opponent directly, so let’s add something else.”
I suppose he had something more to offer. After all, a spar was about subduing the opponent without causing any harm.
If we only showcased the Air Sword, it would be quite unclear.
“What do you have in mind?”
“You know how the Air arts demand concentration, so let’s compete in that aspect.”
If the confrontation was about internal qi, the winner would be the one with superior power.
However, this technique also required mental strength, so the fight was not as easy as it seemed.
‘To do this until…’
Jin Gyun’s face was filled with confidence. In this stance, he displayed his determination to establish his superiority.
And he declared,
“If it is challenging, we can always resort to fighting with just our Air arts.”
… such an obvious provocation.
He wasn’t saying this out of consideration; he was saying that he would step down if I couldn’t do that.
How should I handle this?
I told him,
“I don’t mind, but is ‘senior’ okay? It could cause internal wounds.”
My question made him frown. I suppose he didn’t expect me to provoke him as well.
“I’ve heard you’re called the Little Immortal Swordsman, but your confidence seems unfounded. Well then, let’s see just how great your confidence truly is. Let’s compete.”
He extended his palms toward me, and I responded by walking forward with my palms pressed together.
Then, some muffled discussions merged.
“Isn’t the Little Immortal Swordsman at a disadvantage in this fight?”
“Even if he surpassed the wall, the Flame Emperor Great Blade had done so decades ago.”
“It is a significant disadvantage to fight with internal qi.”
People were also judging this fight negatively on my behalf.
Jin Young grinned confidently as if he had absolute faith in his grandfather’s victory.
Jin Gyun locked eyes with me and declared,
“Phew. Let us commence.”
“I understand.”
Swish! Swish!
The moment our words ceased, his blade and Iron Sword clashed in midair. Simultaneously, Jin Gyun unleashed his internal qi.
Ohhhhhhh!
With his strength, the sand around his feet rose up, creating a swirling motion.
I had expected him to slowly increase his internal qi, but he surprised me by raising it sevenfold instantly. His actions clearly showed his determination to launch an attack.
Yet, his widened eyes indicated that something unexpected had occurred.
‘…!!’
He had intended to shock me with the sudden surge of internal qi, but it seemed that an entirely unforeseen event had taken place.
“You!”
I could see the surprise in his expression. He had underestimated my ability to hold my ground in this fight. Looking directly at him, I spoke confidently,
“Senior, could you go harder?”
“What?”
Jin Gyun was taken aback.
Even without that, I was curious about the level of my internal qi after taking it from Revolting Mother, so it still went smoothly.
“Then let’s try to increase the internal qi.”
I instantly raised my internal qi from six-fold to eight.
“Huh!”
Jin Gyun’s face turned red, veins bulging, and his wrist swelled.
He tried to raise the internal qi even more as if he didn’t want to prolong this, but so did I.
Paaak!
And the area around Jin Gyun’s feet, which supported him, started giving way.
This sight caused a lot of commotion.
“OH MYYYY!”
“The Flame Emperor Great Blade is being surpassed in terms of internal qi!”
