Chapter 49: Facing the Demonic Master (2)
From a woman’s perspective, Jaegal Yohye was closer to the seductive enchantress often whispered about in the world.
However, her older brother had fallen head over heels for her, losing all interest in any other women.
Perhaps because of that, Paeng Cheollyeon shot a glare at Jaegal Yohye, who was provoking her brother, before turning her gaze to the sparring arena.
“There’s a saying in the martial world: ‘Post-foundation-level cultivators grow through sparring.’”
It implied that one must hone their instincts through matches that simulated real combat.
Thus, in the past, promising rising talents from great sects or renowned martial clans would travel under the grand title of Hundred Duels Journey, challenging others to matches.
No sect rejected someone who requested a sparring match.
However, over time, as the duels grew bloodier and more participants began dying, emotions between sects started to flare. Sometimes, these matches even ignited wars between martial clans.
What sect would sit by and watch a young rising star they’d nurtured with great care be killed?
What clan would stand idle as one of their highly respected masters was slain?
What had once been respectful exchanges slowly vanished, and the word “sparring” became something only understood among close acquaintances.
Particularly when sparring was reduced to a tool for punishing insolent enemies, various martial organizations even forbade duels with members of other sects for a time.
But after sparring vanished, the orthodox faction came to a stark realization through the Great Martial Battle of Moon and Orthodoxy: the righteous martial world had grown weak.
As a result, the martial world began encouraging sparring once more—as a means to exchange techniques and train. They believed that without sparring, martial artists grew soft and lost their edge in real battle.
That’s why even the long-forgotten tradition of the Hundred Duels Journey had resurfaced, with some actually embarking on such a path.
“I’ve heard that Young Master Yong recently won all three of his latest duels. It’s no small feat to win back-to-back against seasoned experts, especially as a newcomer to the martial world. Newcomers are practically chicks just out of the shell—clumsy and naive. The environment outside the sect is drastically different from the sheltered life within. Inside, people might hold back out of courtesy, even let you win. But out in the martial world, there’s none of that.”
“But weren’t those three duels not that big a deal?” Seomun Seoseol asked.
Paeng Giyok shook his head.
“They were all fighters who’ve been active for over a decade, some even with external support. You can’t say they’re weak. Especially someone like Jeok Gwang—he’s considered a powerhouse among his age group, enough that even I paid attention to him. And then there are seasoned veterans like Do Gye-gong. Someone just stepping out into the martial world has no chance against them. If I had just left my clan and faced them in a duel, I couldn’t say with confidence that I would’ve won. The martial world isn’t a place where high-level techniques alone ensure survival. Those who excel at situational combat can even defeat peak masters.”
Just before the two were about to clash, Paeng Giyok finished his long explanation and fell silent.
There was a strong chance this duel could end in an instant, so all his senses focused on it.
Since Seomun Yuwon’s sword style was based on swift strikes, they weren’t likely to exchange many moves.
He expected the match to be decided within ten seconds.
Yong Hwarin thought the same.
That’s why he didn’t take his eyes off Seomun Yuwon.
He also tried to absorb every movement of Seomun Yuwon using the Eye of Insight technique.
‘Just staring like that won’t let you see the Seomun Clan’s Grand Swift Saber.’
Seomun Yuwon approached slowly, exuding enough force for Yong Hwarin to clearly sense the pressure.
“A few moves will decide the outcome, so no need to be so tense.”
Seomun Yuwon spoke with a calm expression as he looked at Yong Hwarin.
“It’s an honor to witness the Seomun Clan’s Grand Swift Saber in my lifetime.”
The Grand Swift Saber had suddenly emerged from the Seomun Clan ten years ago, causing a stir in the martial world as a supreme Saber art.
Although quick swords were common, martial arts focused on swift Sabers were rare. Even when they did exist, they were usually secondary techniques and thus not highlighted.
But with this swift Saber, Seomun Yung, the strongest master of the Seomun Clan, began his own Hundred Duels Journey five years ago. Excluding ten duels, he claimed victory in all others, bringing the Grand Swift Saber into the spotlight.
Since then, the Grand Swift Saber even earned the name Invincible Swift Saber.
Yong Hwarin cupped his fists in a formal greeting.
Seomun Yuwon reluctantly returned the gesture.
“You won’t be able to see my Saber, so don’t get your hopes up.”
And then, Yong Hwarin sensed something strange in Seomun Yuwon’s movements.
‘Does he use his left hand to draw the Saber?’
He hadn’t noticed Seomun Yuwon using his left hand while they ate together.
Yet now, when they exchanged formal greetings, Seomun Yuwon had taken the opposite hand position.
That meant he drew his Saber with his left hand.
‘So strapping the Saber on the left side was a feint?’
Wearing the Saber on the left side meant one would draw it with the right hand.
Yong Hwarin tried to recall any information or martial arts related to Seomun Yuwon from his memories of the future, but nothing came to mind.
‘He must be someone insignificant. Otherwise, there’s no reason I wouldn’t have heard of him.’
Yong Hwarin drew his sword and took a middle guard stance.
It was the most suitable defensive posture against users of swift swords or Sabers.
“Come.”
As soon as he took a defensive stance, Seomun Yuwon yielded the initiative.
‘He’s clearly not just some hack, judging from this.’
It wasn’t out of courtesy that Seomun Yuwon yielded the first move.
The nature of swift Sabers favored counterattacks over initiating the strike.
‘He probably believes his skills outclass mine and expects me to strike first. Even that restraint shows he’s no fool.’
Heightening his vigilance, Yong Hwarin fully activated the Eye of Insight.
Since the Demonic Master’s soul viewed through Yong Hwarin’s eyes, it was the same as observing with the eyes of a true master.
The initiative had been given.
There was no reason to decline.
Besides, the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword focused heavily on offense, making it better suited for initiating attacks.
The first form of the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword, Dragon Claw Grabs the Mountain, flowed effortlessly from Yong Hwarin’s Saber.
As the name implied, it carried immense pressure, as though a dragon’s claw was seizing a mountain, barreling down toward Seomun Yuwon.
‘Huh.’
The pressure bearing down on him was far greater than Seomun Yuwon had expected, causing him to tense slightly.
It was the effect of the half-portion of the Demonic Master’s inner energy.
And with Jong Munhye’s incantations layered on top, each form of the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword began to brim with power.
Then, in the middle of the exchange, Yong Hwarin’s sword began to shift.
With the technique Dragon’s Eye Mirrors the Gaze, Yong Hwarin’s body wavered slightly.
The ripple from that movement was no small matter.
And from that ripple, Yong Hwarin’s afterimages multiplied into three, with his sword suddenly thrusting toward Seomun Yuwon’s vital points.
Dragon’s Eye Mirrors the Gaze created afterimages to conceal the true direction of the attack.
‘Not bad.’
It was a sword path Seomun Yuwon had never seen before.
Slash!
Thinking he had dodged them all, Seomun Yuwon then felt Yong Hwarin’s sword graze his shoulder.
His clothes tore, revealing bare flesh beneath.
And Yong Hwarin stepped back.
As if to say his attack was complete.
“Now then, come.”
When Seomun Yuwon heard his own words thrown back at him, the corner of his mouth twitched.
A muscle spasm rippled across his face from the surge of irritation.
‘Brother’s killing intent has been triggered.’
Seomun Seoseol knew that when her brother grew enraged, his facial muscles would contort like that.
‘Young Master Yong is in danger.’
The moment that thought crossed her mind, Seomun Yuwon slid forward like a blur.
Yong Hwarin stood in the middle guard stance, staring directly at Seomun Yuwon, taking neither offensive nor defensive action.
“What is he trying to do?”
To the onlookers, he looked like someone who had accepted death.
His opponent was a rising martial artist who had earned the nickname “Mad Saber” because his Saber left only afterimages in its path.
Standing motionless before such a man wasn’t just reckless—it looked downright foolish. As Seomun Yuwon rushed in, his arm flashed and vanished.
To Yong Hwarin’s eyes, it looked like a swift sweep—but it was so fast that it created an illusion of both arms disappearing altogether.
A gleam of light flared from Seomun Yuwon’s hand mid-charge.
‘He drew it!’
Yong Hwarin saw Seomun Yuwon unsheathing his Saber.
‘Just as I thought, it’s his left hand!’
Drawing the Saber on the left side with the left hand naturally forced a reverse grip.
The reverse-gripped Saber slashed upward with such speed that it was almost invisible.
But that was still within the range Yong Hwarin’s Eye of Insight could track.
As he was preparing to counter, Yong Hwarin stepped out of the trajectory using Bamboo Dragon Steps.
And at that moment—
A desperate voice exploded in his mind.
‘You idiot! That’s a twin Saber! Go in from the left!’
Though it lasted barely a breath, Yong Hwarin trusted the voice.
It was the spirit of the old man he had awakened to save Shangguan Mijong. He didn’t believe the old man would try to kill him—so he obeyed.
When he veered left, a chilling wind grazed his right side.
Just as the old man said.
Seomun Yuwon had smiled triumphantly when Yong Hwarin initially tilted right and executed his perfect strike.
A second, thinner willow-Saber had remained in the scabbard.
That was the secret of the Grand Swift Saber.
The Saber drawn with his right hand slashed across Yong Hwarin’s torso like lightning.
If he hadn’t dodged, it would have cut him in half—or, even if blocked, it would have delivered a massive impact.
Shiiiick!
The sound of the Saber tearing through the air resembled silk being ripped.
But Yong Hwarin avoided the deadly strike and moved left.
“What!”
Seomun Yuwon hadn’t expected his ultimate technique to be dodged so easily. His breath caught for a moment.
Swift sword or Saber techniques were normally executed without breathing. Pausing to inhale delayed one by half a beat.
Yong Hwarin knew that moment was his chance and charged straight into Seomun Yuwon’s chest.
He threw his sword into the air, and with both hands, unleashed Coiling Dragon Twin Fists.
Tutatatak! Puk-puk-pak!
Though the flurry of sound lasted only about ten beats, Seomun Yuwon’s body flinched no less than twenty times.
Meaning each sound contained two strikes.
The force of the attack drove Seomun Yuwon five steps back and made him shudder.
Even seasoned martial artists who had long been in the martial world had never seen anything like it, letting out gasps despite themselves.
“Ah!”
“Hooh!”
Those who cried out in awe were quickly met with sharp glares from the women of the Seomun Clan.
Yong Hwarin caught his falling sword and resheathed it.
The crowd waited, expecting Seomun Yuwon to counterattack, but he didn’t move a muscle.
Seomun Yuwon couldn’t move his body.
The Coiling Dragon Twin Fists had struck his vital acupoints head-on, causing his internal energy to lose its course within.
Yong Hwarin had deliberately left him conscious.
He wanted him to fully feel this wretched humiliation.
At last, Yong Hwarin stomped the ground with a True Step.
Thud!
The vibration realigned Seomun Yuwon’s internal energy and forcibly discharged it outward.