Reincarnated Sword Ghost

Chapter 121 : Sorrowful Edge Divine Spear

Sorrowful Edge Divine Spear

As Gongsun Yeong chattered on, Jeong-un quietly muttered to himself.

'It's my first time facing someone who wields a spear.'

More than half of the martial world's experts were, as a matter of course, swordsmen.

Most of the prominent sects—such as Mount Hua and Wudang, who competed for the title of World'S Greatest—focused on swordsmanship as their main discipline.

Even the Evil Faction, known for learning all sorts of miscellaneous arts, often chose the sword as their weapon.

The reason was none other than the ease of channeling true ki through the weapon.

When one's martial arts were at a lower level, heavy sabers or long spears were more effective.

It was easy to subdue with sheer force or control from a distance.

That's why soldiers typically used spears.

However, once one could wield internal energy, things were different.

Structurally, the sword was the most efficient weapon for channeling true ki.

The saber, with its off-centered weight, was advantageous for explosive bursts of energy, but it was difficult for delicate control of true ki.

In contrast, the sword, with its excellent balance down to the tip, allowed the ki to flow smoothly.

Moreover, unlike other weapons that had inherent strengths concentrated in one aspect, the sword could be used to cut, stab, parry, and deflect—all the essential skills.

It was only natural, then, that the majority of martial world sects—where cultivating internal energy through breathing formed the foundation—specialized in swordplay.

And yet, there was a renowned martial clan that used the spear as its principal weapon?

On the contrary, this was proof that they possessed extremely refined martial arts.

This was especially true for bloodline-centered clans.

Unlike older sects, who could choose to accept talented children, great clans could pass on their closely guarded secrets only to their blood relatives.

If a clan's spear technique was famous throughout the martial world, it meant the art was truly exquisite.

Gongsun Yeong spoke.

"It's true that you had outstanding performances in the two previous preliminary matches, but you shouldn't let your guard down. Zhao Gang is on a whole different level. He's an expert known as the Sorrowful Edge Divine Spear. I watched his matches personally, and his spear shaft bent so much I wondered if it was really made of wood."

Gongsun Yeong was not wrong.

Unlike swords, which, barring the sword guard, were made of solid metal, the spear's long shaft was made of highly resilient wood.

This allowed for unorthodox attacks.

"Thank you,"

Jeong-un replied.

Gongsun Yeong pouted slightly at Jeong-un's calm demeanor but didn't say anything more.

She must have felt ignored after coming to speak with such enthusiasm, only to receive a lukewarm response.

At that, Shin Soryeong chuckled and said, "You've already proven your skills twice in the duels, haven't you, Cheon Pung? I'm sure you're already planning your defenses."

"That's right."

Watching the two women, Jeong-un thought to himself,

'But I'm not.'

There was no plan for defense.

Naturally, because he had never actually faced an expert who wielded a spear.

You couldn't prepare for that just by hearing some words about it.

The best approach was to face it directly.

Of course, he knew the advantage of preparation.

With advance preparation, one could penetrate the opponent's martial secrets.

Yet, he didn't particularly want to go that far.

'Especially considering what the abbot told me.'

The champion's reward at the Shaolin Assembly was a private audience with the Shaolin abbot.

Power, fame, and support—each was such that even meeting that martial world absolute was daunting.

It was a coveted prize for any martial artist.

Jeong-un had already experienced an audience with the abbot.

Having experienced it, he understood why others' eyes sparkled at the thought.

To encounter a peak expert was an opportunity in itself—a blessing of fate.

The control of true ki that must have reached a state of perfection, and even then, the tremendous presence that was palpable—just recalling it gave him goosebumps.

Mu Jung had asked Jeong-un not to win at the Shaolin Assembly.

Jeong-un took that as a request to do his best in his assigned role.

He hadn't intended to win anyway.

Participating was merely a stepping stone to mingle with the noble heirs of the various martial sects, including Shin Soryeong.

Without deliberately drawing attention, those haughty individuals would not have shown any interest in him.

Even Gongsun Yeong, standing beside him now, wouldn't have acted as he did otherwise.

Yet, now, with two preliminary matches behind him, he was already at the center of attention.

Just being noted as a new rising star in the martial world was enough.

The descendants of prestigious sects acknowledged Jeong-un as someone worthy of their company.

His goal was achieved.

More attention now might only prove troublesome.

'That doesn't mean I should deliberately lose, though.'

That, too, would be an insult to his opponent.

Martial artists who lived for honor and recognition would be wounded in their pride.

It wasn't a simple matter; it could cause a lifelong grudge.

'Besides, it's a chance to gain experience.'

An expert of exquisite spear technique—naturally, he was filled with anticipation.

There were some things he could infer.

The spear, being far longer than a sword, would naturally foster highly developed footwork.

With a wider grip, the spacing and distance control would also differ greatly from using a sword.

Jeong-un unconsciously muttered, "Sounds fun."

Silently muttering beside Gongsun Yeong, she asked in surprise,

"Huh? What did you say?"

"It's nothing," he replied sheepishly, realizing he had spoken his thoughts aloud.

As Jeong-un walked a few steps ahead, Gongsun Yeong's face turned sullen.

"Was he always that cold? He talked fine before."

"He's probably tense since he has a duel coming up,"

Shin Soryeong said with a soothing smile.

At that, Gongsun Yeong nodded slightly and followed.

She decided to be content that Shin Soryeong, known for her cold nature, was so warm to her.

* * *

The next day arrived.

It was the day of the duel between Baek Sword Gate's Cheon Pung and Zhao clan of Changshan's Zhao Gang.

Many eyes were on the event. Naturally, the crowd was even bigger than the day before.

Both had attracted a great deal of attention through the tournament.

"Do you think that swordsman from Baek Sword Gate can win again?"

"It'll be tough today. Zhao clan of Changshan may not match the five great clans, but their martial arts are of such refined pedigree. The head's brother even serves as an imperial guard. That says it all."

"But if a disciple of Qingcheng Sect was defeated in a single slash, maybe it's hard to say?"

"Everyone knows that any disciple who doesn't make it into Heavenly Martial Hall isn't a true prodigy. That's why he lost to an unknown middle-sect disciple. This time, things will be different."

"Even so, I'm rooting for that young man. For some reason, he just seems likeable."

The audience was already buzzing with excitement.

The arena was in an uproar with all the chattering.

Martial artists from all over the place had gathered.

Cheon Pung, who was making waves from Baek Sword Gate, as well as Zhao Gang, were both highly promising figures.

He was a true whirlwind—rumor had it he had overwhelmed his opponents in the two preliminary rounds with lightning speed.

Jeong-un stepped onto the dueling stage.

Now, he was fairly used to thousands of eyes on him.

He fine-tuned the flow of true ki circulating through his body, controlled the flow to his Yimen acupoint, and dulled the roaring cheers coming into his ears.

Now, he could perform such feats with ease.

Then, from the opposite side, Zhao Gang walked onto the stage.

"......"

There's another one, Jeong-un mused inwardly.

Above his sleek jawline, the texture of his skin showed clear signs of refined ki control.

In contrast, his sharply defined nose and bright, clear eyes stood out.

Most of all, the long spear strapped across his back immediately drew attention.

'So he is going to wield something like that.'

For a brief moment, somewhat absurdly, Jeong-un wondered if carrying something that long would be a hassle in daily life.

Trying to enter a guesthouse, wouldn't it just clang against the doorframe?

Zhao Gang raised his fists in a martial salute and spoke.

"I am Zhao Gang, of the Jo clan of Jinan Prefecture."

Even though he clearly didn't care about his appearance, the way he performed the martial salute was dignified.

Perhaps because of the spear on his back, he looked more like a young officer of the elite troops rather than a martial artist.

"Cheon Pung of Baek Sword Gate,"

Jeong-un replied, returning the salute.

Zhao Gang met Jeong-un's gaze and spoke slowly.

"I watched your two previous duels. Your refined martial arts were so sharp that I got chills. Even though both were over in a single slash and very brief, I could feel it on my skin."

"You flatter me. I've also heard of your reputation. You're a true chivalrous hero."

At that, Zhao Gang shook his head.

"No one praises a physician for cutting out rotten flesh. It's simply what must be done."

Jeong-un laughed at that.

While they were probably of similar age, there was a distinct sense of uprightness about him—a man who roused goodwill in others.

At the same time, Jeong-un could feel Zhao Gang's gaze sweeping over his own body, carefully judging his movements and planning responses.

At last, Zhao Gang drew his spear.

WHOONG—

He simply grabbed the spear from behind his back, but the suffocating sound it made was threatening.

Jeong-un raised his hand to the sword guard. That was enough for his preparatory motion.

A Shaolin monk overseeing the match spoke.

"Begin."

TAP!

The very next moment, Zhao Gang stepped forward and instantly closed the distance to Jeong-un.

Jeong-un, who watched every movement closely, took a step forward, clasped the sword guard, and thrust out.

Srrrrng!

It was the slash move.

The true ki circulating through his body instantly drew into the sword via his palm's Labor Palace point, gathering on the blade as he slashed.

The sword, charged with a fierce surge of vital ki, swung straight at the oncoming spear tip.

KWA-KWANG!

At the point of collision, bursting energy exploded, creating a powerful rebound.

Wind whipped up, generating a veritable squall.

The next moment, the two martial artists moved differently.

Zhao Gang, as if accustomed to it, used the recoil to pull his right leg back and smoothly rotated his body.

Suddenly, he had the spear resting naturally at his side.

Jeong-un stepped forward again—a decisive step.

He channeled true ki from his dantian to his wrist.

As the spear swung in a half arc, he slashed with his sword.

BAM!

Another thunderous sound erupted.

Zhao Gang spun his body in the opposite direction this time.

His ability to use the rebound was remarkable.

Even though the burst of vital ki must have sent a huge shock through his body, he shrugged it off easily—a testament to his well-trained body.

They exchanged several quick blows.

BAM! BAM! KWAANG—!

'So this is spear technique.'

The distance between them was wide.

Even after several exchanges, what he felt was markedly different.

The opponent deliberately maintained a distance where only he could reach with his attacks.

The advantage of the nine-foot-long spear was fully exploited.

'How will he respond if I close the gap?'

Although successive spear thrusts came at him, they weren't overly swift.

Frankly, Jeong-un felt it was possible to move in further.

Above all, his senses, heightened by Moonlight Swift Steps, were telling him the precise distance to step in.

It was actually hard to force himself not to close in.

Step.

He boldly moved into the gap. At a glance, it was a reckless movement.

But, knowing the opponent's stance and body alignment, he had calculated the narrowed distance carefully.

"......!"

Zhao Gang's eyes widened—he was caught off guard.

He hurriedly moved his feet, once again stepping back.

At the same time, he twisted his torso, swinging the spear broadly to the side.

KAANG—!

The internal energy carried by the spear tip was considerable.

But Jeong-un had no difficulty parrying the horizontal swing.

He advanced again, weaving precisely into the gap at the tail end of the exploding bursting energy at the spear's tip.

"......!"

Once again, Zhao Gang spun his body, retreating a step.

Widening the distance, he accelerated his internal energy along his spinning waist, channeling it into the tip of the spear.

The surge of true ki was clearly visible.

The spear then cleaved diagonally downward toward Jeong-un.

'A fierce attack.'

Thinking that, Jeong-un stepped forward.

True ki surged like wildfire from his dantian, racing to the Yongcheon point.

With a forcible stride, vital ki erupted with a step forward.

At the same time, he raised his sword to strike upward.

THUD!

The sword's upward strike was empowered by the vital ki triggered by his stride.

KAAANG—!

He swept the heavy, descending spear aside in an instant.

Zhao Gang failed to absorb the unanticipated rebound—the spear whipped up high into the air.

A clear shot at his chest was exposed.

Jeong-un advanced again with a forcible stride, lightly stretching out his left hand.

His palm thrust cleanly toward the exposed chest.

WHUD!

Zhao Gang didn't fly backward.

He just staggered back a few steps.

Clutching his chest with one hand.

In that moment, he had circulated his body-protecting ki to shield himself.

Nonetheless, his expression was one of shock.

At some point, he no longer had the spear in his hand.

"......!"

The spear lay in the middle of the dueling ground, a bit closer to his side.

For a moment, Zhao Gang's foot jolted—by instinct, he almost used lightness skill to snatch it up.

But then he stopped.

"......."

Zhao Gang lowered his eyes and said quietly,

"I don't wish to disgrace myself. I concede."