novelraw Chapter 54 : Joining
Chapter 54 : Joining
Joining
He had provoked him on purpose. It was to induce a one-on-one duel with the young man.
The level of these Evil Faction members here wasn't all that high.
Aside from the fact that each of their stares was extremely unpleasant, even compared to the ones he had cut down so far, their martial arts level wasn't impressive.
'But that guy is different.'
As befit his arrogant demeanor, he radiated quite a formidable force.
At the very least, he seemed to be on par with a one-striped martial artist from the Heavenly Martial Hall.
Even being of that level, one would be considered powerful compared to most in the martial world.
It was only natural. To easily discipline Evil Faction members, one had to be at least that strong.
Someone like him should be put out of commission, if the opportunity arose.
"...... You dare to challenge me to a duel? You are far too hasty. Go defeat those three here first and then ask again. Only then will I take you on."
The young man, who had seemed on the verge of pouncing at any moment, suddenly wore a calm face, his rage subdued.
Being able to control one's emotions so skillfully was its own kind of ability.
In the martial world, being able to hold onto one's life to the end required exactly that trait.
Moreover, he had deliberately told him to defeat three others.
'He knows how to use his head.'
Strictly speaking, to these people, Jeong-un was a variable who had suddenly appeared.
After hearing about Jeong-un, he probably wanted to confirm if he might become an obstacle to their plan.
After meeting in person and evidently not sensing anything special, his gaze seemed relieved.
'Yet, he still wants to see my martial level with his own eyes.'
He was a cautious one. Before stepping up himself, he intended to test Jeong-un's strength.
As the young man finished speaking, a few others seemed to flinch as if ready to step forward.
They apparently took this as a chance to curry favor with Myriad Gold Merchant Guild and the Wei Sword Clan, thinking it might raise their standing.
'Troublesome.'
He had no leeway to deal with others, much less three at once.
Both the time and the remaining true ki in his lower dantian were insufficient.
Besides, frankly, he wasn't interested in fighting people of their level.
While training at the Heavenly Martial Hall, he'd realized early on that fighting mediocre martial artists wasn't worth his while.
Moreover, Jeong-un was currently unable to operate his internal energy smoothly.
It was not a matter of how much he accumulated—thanks to the Huayeon Gate's care, his cultivation had gone well.
The problem was the heavy weight of natural energy that clung to him every time he tried to move his true ki.
'It's fine, my sensitivity remains intact.'
On the other hand, the ki sensitivity he'd developed through cultivating true ki was sharper than ever.
Possessing deep internal energy didn't automatically make one a powerful martial artist.
What mattered was the talent for wielding ki—something that couldn't be simply learned.
And Jeong-un, through several crises, had continued to hone his natural talent.
That held true even now.
He knew well that his true ki was somewhat lacking to perform an extraordinary slash.
That's why this time, he intended to utilize his ki in a different way.
'Maybe I should provoke him a bit more.'
After a brief pause, Jeong-un tilted his head and said,
"I heard that the purpose of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering is the exchange of martial arts. Yet you refuse a duel? You don't seem worthy to sit in the seat of honor."
"Prove you are my equal. Only then will I accept your challenge."
"It's laughable—a mere merchant guildmaster's son talking about the stature of a duel among martial sects. I don't even feel like laughing."
At that, an uproar erupted around them.
"How dare you speak such nonsense to Young Master Baek!"
"Give me a chance! Let me teach him a lesson at once!"
They were even more offended than the young man called Young Master Baek himself.
It was an absurd scene, but in a way, Jeong-un thought this outcome was just as well.
It showed that the young man cared about the opinions of those around him.
He continued.
"From your attitude, you seem to be pretending to be the powerhouse here. But it all feels terribly awkward. Just a merchant guildmaster's son acting like a master in the midst of rising stars from the martial sects? Isn't it more likely that you're using underhanded tricks to divert their attention?"
"......."
For a moment, the young man's jet-black pupils flashed red. Then, he slowly upturned his lips and spoke.
"You, you're obsessed with me."
"I'm just curious. You must have heard that I'm a vagabond in the martial world? I've seen many like you—a handful of skills but acting as if you're masters from the great sects. It's unsightly."
Maybe because he was determined to provoke him, the words flowed smoothly out of Jeong-un's mouth, one after another—even surprising himself, as he hadn't prepared in advance.
Riding the momentum, he went on.
"I get it. You're afraid losing to me will ruin your reputation. Or be honest—maybe you're scared that losing and your bravado will be exposed for what it is. But I wonder—since you're not truly a martial artist, isn't it not even a disgrace to begin with?"
"......."
The man slowly stood up. The martial artists, who'd been stunned by Jeong-un's successive provocations, stiffened visibly.
'Is this enough?'
With a strange expression, Jeong-un watched as the man rose from his seat. So soon?
He could push him further.
"I am starting to get curious. No matter how I look at it, your internal energy seems as weak as a mouse's tail. Where does that confidence come from?"
"Is your eye so poor that you can't even see that? The more I look, the more convinced I am."
"You asked about my roots. What's your name? Which sect are you from?"
"I studied independent martial arts."
"You won't tell me your name? Or do you really have an affiliation somewhere?"
As the young man stomped up onto the dueling platform, he asked. Jeong-un answered:
"You sure are curious. Win, and I'll tell you."
"Hmph, you think hiding your cultivation will increase your odds?"
Jeong-un circulated his true ki through all his veins. Instantly, a heavy pressure swept over his body.
The young man did the same, his vital ki strengthening.
Perhaps he knew about the dull sensitivity of the martial artists around, as he didn't seem to try to hide it.
A sense of a quick, decisive match radiated from his vital ki.
Was he planning to overwhelm Jeong-un in an instant with his momentum?
'Well...'
The intention didn't matter. Jeong-un was thinking the same thing anyway.
Tak!
Just as the man stepped forward, he immediately charged.
He was lightning fast—suddenly right in front of Jeong-un.
Then, with his palm spread open, he swung down from above.
Hwaak―!
'So, this is his fist-and-palm art.'
His hand was brimming with true ki, the density intense even at a glance.
Kung.
Jeong-un stepped straight ahead with a forcible stride.
At the same time, he projected a stream of true ki from his elbow through his whole arm.
He deflected the descending palm strike aimed at his head.
Jjeok―!
It wasn't the sound of hands colliding. It was reminiscent of a boulder shattering.
Jeong-un staggered back a few steps. That showed how strong the cultivated power shrouding the man's palm was.
"......!"
But the surprised one was not Jeong-un.
The man, advancing as if to follow up immediately, stared, his eyes wide with shock.
'Of course he's surprised.'
It was a familiar reaction.
Any who had matched swords directly with Jeong-un always made the same face.
The effectiveness of one's cultivated power depended on how it was wielded, even if less internal energy was used.
Moreover, Jeong-un's internal energy was so pure that it was hardly human.
Its very nature was different. From the beginning, internal energy couldn't be measured by its quantity alone.
Swish.
Jeong-un filled his feet with true ki, bracing himself firmly on the ground.
While retreating, he pivoted on his back foot to rotate his body. He clenched his fist and swung the back of his hand at the oncoming guy.
"......!"
Startled, the man quickly ducked and raised his hand to block Jeong-un's fist as it swooped in next to his temple.
Teoong!
This time, the man was the one pushed back.
Unable to withstand the bursting energy as he blocked, he barely managed to keep his balance, teetering sideways but not falling.
Jeong-un didn't give him the chance to regain his stance and charged right in.
Puhk! Puk! Teoong!
The bursting energy exploded repeatedly.
The young man struggled just to defend, his face distorted in pain each time his forearm throbbed.
At that moment, Jeong-un's mind was full of enlightenment.
'I'm really getting the hang of it.'
Each time the man blocked, a stronger rebound emerged.
If he captured and reused that energy, his next strike could be unleashed with even more power.
There was hardly any consumption of true ki. The cultivated power stored in his forearms remained intact.
The efficiency was astounding.
"He's matching Young Master Baek blow for blow..."
"And he's barely even moving!"
The comments from the side barely registered.
The observers couldn't truly judge what unfolded right before their eyes.
Just then, the man, seemingly changing his mind, loaded both hands with thicker internal energy and met Jeong-un's incoming fist head-on.
Tang!
Exploiting the brief gap created by the clash, the man distanced himself.
Then, spitting out his words as though biting them, he said,
"...... I'll face you seriously."
The aura he gave off changed.
As if he'd forgotten he had to hide his identity before the other rising stars, he exuded a distinctly sinister ki.
"Th-that...?"
"Something's not right..."
Only now did people around begin to murmur, having noticed an ominous air.
Kung!
He stomped the ground and charged.
At the same time, Jeong-un roused all his true ki. His body was ready to move.
The mystery of Moonlight Swift Steps surged within his heightened senses, immediately alerting him to dangerous trajectories—just like when he had dodged the extraordinary slash from Light-Flowing Sword, Cheon Hwi.
Moving as if to throw himself into what seemed a reckless path, Jeong-un planted a forceful stride.
Whoosh―!
The striking hand grazed just past the tip of Jeong-un's head.
The man's eyes widened, his face completely unprepared for the miss.
He tried to recover his hand, readying for another attack.
Yet Jeong-un had already closed in deep within the man's reach.
True ki condensed in his palm, he opened it and struck the man's abdomen.
Teoong―!
'This is how it's done.'
As he extended his arm, the sensation he's felt recalled the move to bind the center—a technique he had internalized through direct experience.
The moment his palm touched the man's body, the wave of true ki burst in a circle, penetrating through, and shook up his meridians.
"......."
He didn't even fall as he was sent flying backward. Nor did he recover the hand he had swung.
He just teetered before collapsing beside Jeong-un and vomiting blood.
"Keuluk."
Totally out of it.
"Young Master Baek lost. And with the same fist-and-palm art..."
"W-winning and losing isn't the issue! Didn't you feel something odd a moment ago? The aura was strange!"
Jeong-un looked silently down at the man who writhed on the ground. He grabbed his hair and hauled him up.
"Keok..."
He didn't resist at all.
His meridians shaken so thoroughly, he seemed incapable of moving his internal energy. Other onlookers shot up from their seats at his dismal state.
"What do you think you're doing!"
"Even if you won the duel—!"
But some remained seated, watching with wide, trembling eyes.
Most notably, Wei Jinmyeong sat quivering in place, clearly sensing something was very wrong.
Jeong-un tightened his grip on the man's hair, forcing him to make eye contact.
"You asked my name and affiliation."
"W-wait..."
He gripped the Evil Faction man's hair tighter. From here on, he needed to leave a lasting impression.
"Call the guards! Notify Father! An intruder has entered!"
The man screamed as if desperate, but his voice, lacking any internal energy, only echoed weakly in the hall.
A foul stench emanated from him—thickly so. Staring down at him, Jeong-un spoke.
"Yu Jeong-un of the Blue Scale Corps. From the Heavenly Martial Hall."
"W-what...?"
Crunch—
He twisted the man's head all the way back, then yanked so forcefully it came clean off.
With a dull thud, he threw the head to the side. The vivid sensation wasn't pleasant, but now wasn't the time for sentiment.
"Th-that lunatic!"
"In the Myriad Gold Merchant Guild's inner quarters, that's the merchant's son...!"
Jeong-un sensed the fierce auras charging his way. Evil Faction members stormed toward him without even masking their presence.
Swords already drawn, they rushed at Jeong-un, which was only natural—this was their home turf.
But Jeong-un was focusing on other presences, much swifter than those men. And not just one or two, either.
'They're here.'
Finally, a figure landed lightly behind Jeong-un with-nimble lightness skill.
Taak.
"Yeah, I didn't think you'd die that easily."
A voice laced with laughter sounded from behind.
Turning to look, Jeong-un saw black martial robes fluttering in the wind, with two golden threads on the left arm catching the light.
Jeong-un bowed his head in greeting.
"Thank you for coming all this way."
"No need for thanks. I ran until my feet practically sweated, but it was only natural."
Srring.
He drew his sword.
"Well then, time to earn some merit."
Baek Sang said with a broad grin.