novelraw Chapter 185 : Chapter 185
Chapter 185 : Chapter 185
Chapter 185 - A Three-Inch Tongue
“Woooah!”
“I couldn’t believe it, but they actually did it!”
“Really, all five of them…!”
It was an achievement that could literally be called a triumph.
The five rising stars from the Diancang Sect had all, without a single exception, advanced to the Round of 16.
It was something that no one from the Nine Sects One Union had accomplished.
Not only the True Dragon Sect or Mount Heng, but also Wudang, Mount Hua, and even Shaolin had failed to get all their members into the Round of 16.
Far from all members, there were even some of the Nine Sects One Union who failed to get a single name on the list.
Considering the purpose of holding this martial arts tournament, this had a very significant meaning.
‘Now…’
‘Soon…’
‘The era of the Diancang Sect is coming…!’
The crowd each had such thoughts and swallowed hard.
The flowing years change mountains and rivers, and even the Sword Revered, who was worshipped by all, was no match for his natural lifespan.
Although the Murim was currently dominated by the Nine Sects One Union, the existing forces would gradually weather away before the wind of time.
When the old waves recede and new waves surge, who will be the ones to stand at the forefront and dominate the new sea?
This martial arts tournament was the place to confirm that, and now the result was clearly revealed before everyone.
‘The new era will be led by the Diancang Sect.’
Although they could not say it out loud because of the abundance of martial artists from various sects, the vast majority of people held such thoughts.
The thought that in the not-so-distant future, the Diancang Sect might come to dominate the Murim.
“Will you not stop!”
At that moment, a man’s words startled the majority of the crowd, who covered their ears.
The terrifying internal energy contained in his voice felt like it would tear their eardrums.
“Oof, that surprised me.”
“I thought it was thunder.”
“What incredible internal energy. To make this entire vast fighting stage echo so resoundingly.”
They covered their ears and turned their gazes to the high seats.
A man was standing up abruptly with eyes blazing fiercely.
“That person is…!”
“From the Mount Heng Sect…?”
A man at the pinnacle of the Mount Heng Sect in both skill and status.
The one and only Six-knot Swordsman of the Mount Heng Sect, and the current sect leader.
Yong Gun-pung of the Cold Flame Sword shouted at Biyoung.
“How long do you intend to continue with that arrogant behavior!”
It was by no means a normal sight.
What should be delivered to the winner of a match were usually things like congratulations and cheers.
But no one pointed out Yong Gun-pung’s behavior.
Was it because he was the sect leader of the Mount Heng Sect?
Of course, that was part of it, but there was a more certain reason.
It was because most of the senior members of the sects gathered here felt the same as Yong Gun-pung.
‘Emei, True Dragon, Zhongnan, and now Mount Heng…!’
During his matches, Biyoung had used the swordsmanship of the opposing rising stars to defeat them.
He had used the Tiger-Subduing Fist against the Emei nun, the Thirty-Six Swords Under Heaven against the Zhongnan rising star, and against the True Dragon Sect swordsman, he had brought out the Heavenly Roaming Dragon Sword, which was said to be used only by masters of previous generations.
And now, here.
In the Round of 16 of the martial arts tournament, Biyoung had achieved a one-sided victory with the Mount Heng Sect’s proud continuous chain swordsmanship, the Five-Path Sword Art.
The sect leaders felt as if their blood was boiling.
To think that their cherished top disciples were defeated by the very swordsmanship they had learned.
To be a hundred times generous, if Biyoung had defeated them with the Diancang Sect’s swordsmanship, they would not have been so furious.
When facing the Nine Sects One Union, Biyoung thoroughly used the opponent’s swordsmanship, and when facing other sects, he did not imitate their martial arts.
Those with a keen eye could notice that Biyoung’s ‘imitation’ was not perfect.
But even with such a clumsy imitation, Biyoung had kneaded the rising stars of each sect as if they were dough.
The senior members of the sects sitting on the high seats were not unaware that this was a clear mockery and provocation toward the Nine Sects One Union.
Although they could not show it, there was no need to express the rage contained in their eyes.
And now.
The sect leader of the Mount Heng Sect, whose disciples had all been eliminated by Biyoung, could not hold back and let out a roar.
“Huh?”
One would expect him to flinch his shoulders in surprise, but Biyoung asked with an innocent face, as if he had no idea.
“Why me?”
“Are you asking because you do not know?”
At that nonchalant reaction, Yong Gun-pung’s anger grew even greater.
“Until when do you intend to mock the opposing sects? Why do you not use the Diancang Sect’s martial arts and insist on fighting with the martial arts of other sects!”
All eyes turned to Biyoung.
Yong Gun-pung’s words were not entirely unreasonable.
Were they not martial artists who lived and died for honor?
The rising stars who had been subjected to Biyoung’s ‘imitation’ martial arts today would not be able to erase the scars on their hearts for a long time.
‘He does have a point.’
‘They were blatantly mocked in front of everyone.’
‘He didn’t exactly do his best, nor did he try hard.’
Should one say it was befitting of a sect leader?
At Yong Gun-pung’s words, the atmosphere on site became unsettled.
The promising star who would represent the future of the Murim began to feel like a reckless child.
Even the rising stars of the Diancang Sect looked at Biyoung with worried expressions.
After all, it was true that Biyoung had pissed off each of the sects.
However, Biyoung’s expression remained calm and composed.
“Is there a rule?”
“Wh-what?”
“I’m asking if there’s a rule. A rule. A rule that says you must only use the martial arts of your affiliated sect in the martial arts tournament.”
“…………!”
It went without saying, but no such thing existed.
Because it was an obvious matter that did not need to be included in the rules.
What kind of crazy person would use the martial arts of another sect when participating in a martial arts tournament?
“Amitabha…”
Deokdam, the abbot of Shaolin, softly chanted the Buddha’s name.
It was as good as a signal that Biyoung was right.
At the same time, Yong Gun-pung’s face turned red.
He had not expected this kind of response from Biyoung.
Biyoung looked up at the high seats and raised one corner of his mouth.
“The prestige of the Nine Sects One Union is truly something else.”
“What did you say?”
“Isn’t it? To cook up a rule that didn’t even exist and persecute the winner of a match. As they say, seeing one thing tells you ten. I think I have a rough idea of how things have been going in the Murim lately.”
“You bastard…”
Yong Gun-pung had to barely suppress a curse, and at that sight, Eung Gajin slowly nodded his head.
‘He’s a genius.’
When it came to martial arts skills, Biyoung was beyond question.
But there was an ability that people did not know well yet, and that was Biyoung’s dazzling tongue.
Every time he spoke, with every single word, that bastard’s three-inch tongue would peel off the opponent’s frustration like a banana peel.
Eung Gajin himself had been a victim (?) several times, so he knew better than anyone.
On the day you get played by that three-inch tongue, you end up waking up in the middle of the night and fuming.
Yong Gun-pung’s temples were already trembling slightly, but Biyoung’s three-inch tongue knew no bounds.
“And why are you shifting that responsibility to me?”
“…………?”
Biyoung even shook his head as if he really did not know.
“Am I the problem for winning without revealing my true skills? Or are the sect leaders’ disciples the problem for being worse than me, who just casually imitated the martial arts they’ve spent their lives polishing?”
“!”
At these words, not only Yong Gun-pung but also the other sect leaders’ faces turned pale.
“If you don’t like it, you should have won. Or made me bring out the Diancang Sect’s martial arts. Isn’t that right?”
“That’s…”
Before Yong Gun-pung could say anything, Biyoung cut him off.
“So far, there hasn’t been a rising star worthy of me revealing my true skills. Unfortunately.”
Biyoung said so and gave a charming smile.
Yong Gun-pung could not say a word and had to tremble his hands slightly.
The crowd whispered to each other, ‘Yong Gun-pung tried to say something but ended up losing face.’
Just then,
“I don’t think he’s particularly wrong.”
At the words coming from behind him, Yong Gun-pung whipped his head around.
He was already about to explode with anger, so who dared to add fuel to the fire?
However, the moment he confirmed the person, Yong Gun-pung’s pupils dilated widely.
“Sect Leader…!?”
Yong Gun-pung looked at the emaciated, white-haired old man with a face of disbelief.
He gave the impression of snow settling on a lifeless tree branch.
He was the sect leader of the great Mount Hua Sect—Heavenly Dance of a Thousand Flowers, Mae Jisin.
“Sect Leader. Why do even you say such things?”
Yong Gun-pung spoke in a tone that suggested he was being unfair, but Mae Jisin merely replied with a dry expression.
“If there is responsibility, does it not lie with all of us? We, who have failed to properly raise the rising stars of our sects.”
“…………!”
Yong Gun-pung gritted his teeth, not expecting such words to come from among the sect leaders.
Unable to watch any longer, Deokdam stepped in to mediate between them.
“Amitabha. All of this is the fault of this humble monk for not properly informing of the rules. There is no need to blame each other.”
At the unsettled atmosphere on the high seats, the crowd looked at each other’s faces.
“What? What are they talking about over there?”
“The Mount Heng Sect Leader’s expression has gotten even worse…!”
“The distance is too far, I can’t hear what they’re saying.”
Meanwhile, Biyoung, whose five senses had been sharpened by opening his Governor and Conception Vessels, wore a wry smile.
‘What a farce.’
If even the highest-ranking elders of the sects sitting on the high seats were so disunited, there was no way the Murim Alliance could function properly.
Of course, when he had mentioned the affairs of the Murim to Yong Gun-pung earlier, it was to get under his skin, but there was a certain amount of sincerity to it as well.
The current Murim Alliance was weaker in power and unity compared to the past.
Well, it was not like he had any intention of joining them anyway.
“Then I can go now, right?”
Without waiting for an answer, Biyoung left the fighting stage, and no one stopped him.
The one who left was silent, and only the sect leaders on the high seats were left with awkward feelings for each other.
‘Damn bastard. He thinks he’s so special because it hasn’t happened to him yet.’
Yong Gun-pung glared at Mae Jisin with wide eyes.
He was only maintaining his composure in front of people; Yong Gun-pung, the sect leader of Mount Heng, was not a calm or generous person.
If he had been a man with a relaxed heart, he would not have jumped up from his seat and shouted at Biyoung.
He inwardly cursed the Mount Hua Sect leader, Mae Jisin.
In reality, the swordsmen of the Mount Hua Sect had been defeated by other swordsmen and had not faced Biyoung.
It was because he had not been defeated (?) by Biyoung that he could be so nonchalant.
If he could, he wanted to go up to Mae Jisin and confront him right away.
However, even the hot-tempered Yong Gun-pung could not bring himself to do so.
Because one of the most powerful sects among the current Nine Sects One Union was none other than the Mount Hua Sect.
‘Tsk tsk. He should feel shame before anger.’
Mae Jisin clicked his tongue inwardly as he watched Yong Gun-pung reluctantly sit down.
Did he think he was not angry?
Although he had not faced Biyoung, half of his ten disciples had been defeated by the rising stars of the Diancang Sect.
But the reason Mae Jisin could maintain his composure, unlike Yong Gun-pung, was thanks to the only disciple who had made it to the Round of 16.
The Sword Vibration, called a heaven beyond heavens even among the three great disciples of the Mount Hua Sect, who were renowned for being promising.
He had faith that Hong Myeong would defeat that arrogant bastard.
After all, he was a kid who could create the flower that was the symbol of the Mount Hua Sect, the ‘plum blossom,’ which even the second-generation disciples found difficult to create.
Hong Myeong was a prodigy among prodigies who had mastered the difficult Twenty-Four Hands Plum Blossom Sword Art to the second level.
‘Let’s see. If you can copy this, then go ahead and try.’
He might be able to copy the sloppy basic martial arts of other sects, but he would not be able to make a plum blossom bloom.
Unless the Sword Demon was reborn in this world, there was no way someone who could create a plum blossom with a moment’s wit could exist.
Mae Jisin looked down at the now empty spot where Biyoung had stood and smiled confidently.