novelraw Chapter 161 : Chapter 161
Chapter 161 : Chapter 161
Chapter 161 - My tuition fee is a bit expensive
“……Are you serious?”
The Iron-Faced Cloud Dragon.
Elder Yubeop had, at some point, returned to his characteristic expression.
Just as there is no parent who can win against their child, his iron-wall-like expression had changed from moment to moment when his disciples were mercilessly defeated before his eyes.
But now.
Yubeop, speaking of ‘his own matter’, had a face harder than black iron.
On the other hand, Biyoung asked with a grin, as if to scrape at a person’s insides.
“The words the Sect Leader said before the duel. Don’t you remember?”
“The words said before the duel?”
Yubeop slowly replayed the recent past.
Recalling the duel where they were utterly crushed was excruciatingly painful, but Yubeop managed to find the clue.
‘If a one-sided result comes out in today’s duel. I will call for Biyoung.’
The Sect Leader of the Diancang Sect, Jeokseo, had certainly said that.
‘A one-sided result…….’
Pfft.
Yubeop had no way to stop the sneer that escaped him.
That sneer was directed at no one other than himself.
How had things become so ridiculous?
Elder Yubeop had interpreted the one-sided result Jeokseo mentioned as the True Dragon Sect’s overwhelming victory.
After overwhelmingly defeating the next-generation disciples of the Diancang Sect, he had planned to demand they call out Biyoung, as they were too trivial.
In the end, a one-sided result did occur.
The only problem was that the owner of that overwhelming victory was the Diancang Sect.
A murderous gaze turned from Biyoung to Jeokseo.
“Sect Leader…… did you say that with the current situation in mind?”
“Hoh hoh hoh. Of course not. It was just something I said offhandedly since Elder Yubeop so desired Young Hero Biyoung.”
Had it not been for today’s experience, he might have agreed with Jeokseo’s words.
However, in Yubeop’s judgment, if anyone had a cunning snake inside them, it would be that man more than Biyoung.
Yubeop suddenly bowed his head.
“Today, this foolish elder learns much in many ways.”
At that action, not only Biyoung but even Jeokseo showed a surprised expression.
“It is natural for both sides to be certain of victory. However, as a sect elder, failing to consider this level of power difference is an inexcusable mistake.”
Yubeop had a time of harsh self-reflection in his heart.
A moment later, his gaze turned back to Biyoung.
“If the Sect Leader already had it in mind, then there’s no need to get permission for a duel between the two of us.”
“Of course.”
“I will make you pay dearly for the lesson this old man learned today.”
At Yubeop’s meaningful words, Biyoung smirked.
“My tuition fee is a bit expensive.”
***
“A…… a duel?”
The training ground, once filled with admiration and gasps, became quiet as if nothing had happened.
The sudden announcement of a duel between Biyoung and Yubeop.
Confusion came before anticipation.
Biyoung, who proposed it, was one thing, but Yubeop, who accepted it, also didn’t seem to be in his right mind.
“My goodness. Young Hero Biyoung and Elder Yubeop?”
“This is crossing the line. How many generations apart are they?”
“No matter how great Biyoung is, this is like hitting a rock with an egg. Is the name True Dragon Eight Swords just an ordinary name?”
“It seems Young Hero Biyoung has become drunk on victory, don’t you think, Family Head?”
Yi Gwon-su could only let out an awkward, dry cough.
‘You bastards. How would I know?’
It was hard enough to predict the True Dragon Sect losing all the duels.
But.
Biyoung and Yubeop having a duel was on a whole different level.
In terms of age, weren’t they like a grandfather and a grandson?
He wasn’t just an old swordsman; he was one of the eight elders of the True Dragon Sect.
Because the True Dragon Sect was wealthy, there were jokes that they ‘bought their spot in the Nine Sects One Union with money’.
However, no one on the streets took that joke seriously.
Was the Nine Sects One Union a position one could obtain by sitting around playing mahjong?
They would rather leave the spot vacant; the other upright sects, who were uncompromisingly stubborn, would not easily give up such a position.
It was only possible because the swordsmen of the True Dragon Sect had subdued the forces of Tibet and the Green Forest throughout the Murim, and the sect’s own power had grown.
‘I can’t understand it at all.’
Though he was beaten badly today, Yubeop was a man who was thorough in his calculations.
If the Diancang Sect’s strength had been within the normal range, Yubeop would have gained a decent profit.
It was just that the skills of the Diancang Sect’s next-generation disciples far exceeded the normal range.
‘What is there for Yubeop to gain from this duel?’
This was truly a match where even if he won, it would be a break-even, and if he lost, it would be a disgrace.
It was unimaginable for Biyoung to win, and even if he managed to receive a few of Yubeop’s sword forms, his reputation would rise even in defeat.
He would become known in the Murim for a so-called ‘good fight in defeat’.
What about Yubeop, on the other hand?
Even if he beat Biyoung to a pulp, he would only earn the public’s censure.
For an elder-level figure to step up and crush a promising young swordsman of his grandson’s generation.
This was truly a one-sided, advantageous game.
Other than crushing the spirit of a budding sprout, there was no discernible gain…….
Flinch.
At that moment.
Yi Gwon-su finally arrived at a hypothesis.
‘Elder Yubeop. Surely not……?’
What if what he intended to crush was not Biyoung’s spirit, but ‘Biyoung’ himself?
What if Yubeop was aiming for Biyoung’s life in this duel?
A cold frost settled on Yi Gwon-su’s face.
Everyone would think it a ridiculous assumption, but Yi Gwon-su had learned enough while leading the Yi Family Clan.
Anything could happen in the world.
Unfortunate accidents happening by mistake during a duel were more common than one might think.
Besides, in the current situation, wasn't it Biyoung who had boldly proposed the duel first?
Though it was extremely flimsy, Elder Yubeop had a pretext of his own.
That an immature swordsman had cracked while hitting a rock with an egg.
‘Moreover…….’
Although they had won a complete victory in the duel, they were only next-generation disciples.
No matter how strong the next-generation disciples were, they could not defeat an elder of the Nine Sects One Union.
From the looks of it, the Diancang Sect’s strength seemed to consist entirely of young swordsmen, which meant that even if Yubeop committed a transgression, there was no one with the skill to punish him.
Not to mention an all-out war with the sect.
Just one thing.
There was one insurance policy that could prevent such thuggery.
The insurance of a sect’s honor.
To a prestigious orthodox sect, honor was more precious than anything else.
It was something that Yi Gwon-su, a merchant, could not understand, but countless Murim warriors threw their lives away for that honor, which did not give them a single grain of rice.
If Elder Yubeop was someone who cared about honor, he would not be able to plan Biyoung’s death.
However…….
‘Does Elder Yubeop have any honor left?’
If he returned to the main sect like this, it was obvious Yubeop would be torn to shreds.
Not just Yi Gwon-su, but any of the merchants who came with him could predict it.
In a duel he had boldly proposed first, the five promising disciples he had selected suffered a humiliating defeat without being able to put up a fight.
And this, just before the next-generation disciples’ martial arts tournament hosted by Shaolin.
It would have been better if he hadn’t started anything, but once he had, he should have achieved results.
What Elder Mayeon of the True Dragon Sect had worried about had become a reality.
Elder Yubeop had already brought great shame upon the True Dragon Sect.
Since his honor was already on the ground, it wouldn’t be strange no matter what he did.
‘I hope my prediction is wrong, but…….’
Isn’t it always like that?
Ominous premonitions tend to come true more often than not.
With a tense face, Yi Gwon-su watched the two men entering the training ground.
“Biyoung of the Diancang Sect requests a match.”
In terms of age and rank, he was a person far above him.
Biyoung bowed his head slightly and greeted him first.
“I look forward to it.”
A face hardened like stone.
It was not because of the various humiliations he had suffered today.
Yubeop’s expression when he drew his sword had always been like that.
His life had been as glossy and solid as the material of the martial arts uniform he wore.
He showed talent in martial arts from a young age, grew up as a promising prospect of the sect, and was finally treated as a founding contributor when they entered the Nine Sects One Union.
The number of disciples who admired Yubeop, including his direct disciples and those of the second and third generations, exceeded a hundred.
To Yubeop, who had lived such a smooth life, today was nothing short of a disaster.
Had he ever been so humiliated and angry in his life?
The sword aura, filled with that anger, wrapped around the True Dragon Sword.
Psssss…….
A distinct white sword aura emitted a viscous light.
At that sight, Biyoung’s lips curled up almost imperceptibly.
‘That old man. It seems he’s serious.’
For the first time in a while, Biyoung gathered the energy of his internal energy technique, the Profound Heaven's True Energy Unification Art.
It was also the first time for Biyoung to face a master of this level.
Although he met and defeated Dancheong in Simao, he was just the leader of an unorthodox faction.
An elder of a prestigious orthodox sect was a first in Biyoung’s entire life.
‘How far have I come?’
A question any martial artist on the verge of a duel would ask themselves.
However, Biyoung’s question was on a slightly different track.
His standard of judgment was not his current life, but the ‘World’s Fastest Sword’ that once commanded the world.
If Biyoung had brought his past skills intact, whether it was a sect elder or whatever, they would have been cut in half with a single stroke.
So he wanted to check.
How far his current self had come.
“Tahat!”
“!”
“What?”
The eyes of everyone watching went wide.
They had never dreamed that Yubeop would be the one to attack first.
Watching that scene, Yi Gwon-su felt his heart drop.
You know ten things by seeing one.
Not yielding the first move meant that he had thrown honor to the dogs, didn't it?
Kwakwakwakwa!
Yubeop’s figure was as fast and flexible as a dragon ascending to the heavens.
Except, its path was the ground, not the sky.
“…………!”
Watching Yubeop charge in with unpredictable changes, Biyoung’s eyes flashed.
Kwang!
Paaaaa!
“Ugh……!”
The spectators took a couple of steps back without realizing it.
A light of astonishment filled their eyes.
Just the shockwave from the clash of sword against sword had created a fierce wind.
So much so that even at this distance, they couldn’t stand firmly in place.
“This is…… what I’ve only heard about in stories……”
A fight between supreme masters.
It was the kind of battle between top-tier masters they had only heard about in rumors on the streets.
Yubeop was already a renowned swordsman.
But Biyoung?
Amid their bewildered gazes, Yubeop and Biyoung engaged in a dazzling exchange of offense and defense.
Kaang!
Kang!
Wind and Cloud Dragon Sword.
It was the highest-level martial art of the True Dragon Sect, which only the first-generation disciples, and even then, only the chosen from One Heart, One Path, could learn.
The power of his sword strikes was like a dragon swinging its claws, and his brilliant movements surpassed those of a snake.
Kwang!
Yubeop, as if he had made up his mind, unleashed a series of terrifying sword forms one after another.
A precarious situation continued where it seemed Biyoung’s limbs would be severed at any moment.
“Junior Brother!”
Solbo, watching with anxious eyes, couldn’t hold back and shouted.
“As expected…… we shouldn’t have had this kind of duel. No matter how extraordinary Biyoung is……”
“Just watch.”
“?”
Eung Gajin, who was next to him, said calmly without taking his eyes off the duel.
“He may seem to be on the defensive, but he hasn't allowed a single attack, has he?”
At Eung Gajin’s words, Solbo carefully observed the state of the battle.
Kaang!
“……Now that you mention it……?”
The sharp True Dragon Sword grazed just in front of his chin, and the blade, seeming to touch yet not, cut a sliver from his sleeve.
But despite that, Biyoung was still unharmed.
Though he looked to be busy defending, it was proof that he was reading all of Yubeop’s sword paths.
Biyoung was facing Yubeop with quite excellent skill.
‘However…….’
A sect’s top-tier martial art doesn't become so just because the sword is sharp and the movements are strange.
Each sect had its own unique characteristics that symbolized the sect.
Just as plum blossoms bloomed from Mount Hua’s sword and Shaolin’s palm overturned heaven and earth, the True Dragon Sect must also have its own unique characteristic.
Kang!
Sssss……
As sword aura and sword aura clashed, a deafening roar that shook the heavens and earth spread out.
Meanwhile, the remnants of the dissipated sword aura slowly encroached on the surroundings.
The pure white sword aura created by Yubeop turned into a whitish smoke as the exchanges continued.
Wind and Cloud Dragon Sword.
The character for cloud was not included in the name of the sword art just for style.
Literally, a fog of cloud-like sword aura began to fill the battlefield.
And as his moniker, the Iron-Faced Cloud Dragon, suggested, Yubeop was a swordsman specialized in the Wind and Cloud Dragon Sword, even among his fellow elders.
“I, I can’t see well, Senior Brother.”
“Same here.”
Eung Gajin strained his eyes to watch the battlefield.
If it was this difficult even to watch from afar, it was needless to say how difficult it was for Biyoung, who had to block the sword from within it.
‘If it were me, I wouldn’t last three moves…… no, not even one move.’
Even without the Sword Cloud of the Wind and Cloud Dragon Sword, the current Eung Gajin was no match for Elder Yubeop.
Although he trusted Biyoung’s martial arts, Eung Gajin felt his insides burning with increasing anxiety.
Not only was he on the defensive, but he couldn't even properly see the fight.
It was when a shadow gradually fell over the faces of Eung Gajin and the other next-generation disciples.
Kwaaaaaa!
In an instant, the unseen labyrinthine battlefield soared high into the sky as if swept up by a typhoon.
As a result, the battlefield, which had appeared hazy, was revealed in all its starkness.
“That is……!”
The man with slit eyes, Danseol, showed his pupils to the whole world for the first time in a while.
Although he couldn't see the sword strike properly, he could tell from the posture after the sword was swung.
When they had swept away the Ghost Face Gang members together in the mountains.
That posture was always there at the end of the destructive technique Biyoung showed.
A swordsmanship that swept away the entire surrounding area, reminiscent of a natural disaster.
The slash of a claw like a flash of lightning.
Shooting Flash Ambush Strike had blown away the True Dragon Sect’s Sword Cloud to the ends of the sky.
“…………!!!”
Elder Yubeop’s face, with the clouds cleared, was no longer an Iron Face.
There was only a Moving Face, agitated by a transcendent being.
Seogeok.
Biyoung’s murderous sword path grazed past Elder Yubeop’s chest.
Puhwaak!
Simultaneously, crimson blood spurted from Yubeop’s chest.