novelraw Chapter 64 : I Won't Be Caught
Chapter 64 : I Won't Be Caught
The White-Handed Golden Palm, Song'u.
A master of the Shaolin Temple, known to have no equal when it comes to the Golden Grasp.
Song'u discovered his disciple, Doryang, being disgraced in front of an official of the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple.
'The White Moon Palace is indeed formidable.'
There was almost no information known to the outside about the two children of the White Moon Divine Lord, Cheon Yushin.
Only that they had inherited the talent of their father and Palace Lord, Cheon Yushin, was on the lips of the gossips.
But the talent of Cheon Gaseong and Cheon Yerang, which he had experienced firsthand, was dazzling.
'Not a single one is lacking, but rather overflowing.'
Song'u rolled up his sleeves to his wrists and grinned.
Cheon Gaseong, who had met his gaze, silently extended his right hand.
It was a provocation, meaning 'catch me if you can'.
Although it was not polite to a senior in martial arts, Song'u extended his hand without losing his benevolent smile.
Swoosh—
His touch was gentle and leisurely.
But when he came to his senses, Cheon Gaseong's wrist was caught in Song'u's right hand.
'When did he catch it?'
Cheon Gaseong was not flustered and looked back at the situation just before.
'I couldn't see the hand technique.'
Unlike with Doryang, Song'u's Golden Grasp did not show its form.
To Siu, who knew nothing of martial arts, it looked as if Cheon Gaseong had not avoided it and had offered his wrist himself.
'For my brother to offer his wrist.'
The one who was surprised was Cheon Yerang as well.
In the White Moon Palace, Cheon Gaseong was a perfect being, to the extent that he was called the second coming of the White Moon Divine Lord.
An outstanding brain and an amazing talent for martial arts, and a natural body to support it.
Cheon Gaseong could be said to be a being born for martial arts.
For such a Cheon Gaseong to have his wrist caught without being able to do anything, it showed how outstanding Song'u's skills were.
'This is amazing.'
Even the lazy Jin Sohyun silently admired the Golden Grasp that Song'u had shown.
'I almost missed it.'
The changes that Song'u showed were profound.
Dozens of changes were contained in a simple movement.
Cheon Gaseong must have offered his wrist without being able to figure out where to pull his hand.
"Are you satisfied now?"
At Song'u's question, Cheon Gaseong nodded once and then extended his hand again.
"Will you show me again?"
"As much as you want."
Song'u and Cheon Gaseong exchanged hand techniques several times after that.
No matter how many times they did it, Song'u's hand succeeded in grabbing Cheon Gaseong's wrist in the end, but sweat was already forming on his forehead.
'He's catching up.'
Song'u was bewildered.
At first, Cheon Gaseong, who had been hesitating, unable to find an escape route, was adapting to Song'u's Golden Grasp as time passed.
The moment the tenth exchange took place.
Song'u's fingertip brushed against Cheon Gaseong's wrist.
Cheon Gaseong had finally succeeded in finding an escape route.
"Amazing. There has never been a next-generation talent who has succeeded in deciphering my Golden Grasp in just ten tries."
Even at the sincere praise of his senior, Cheon Gaseong did not become conceited.
He was just calm, as if he had done something natural.
Song'u clasped his hands together and sent his praise for Cheon Gaseong's amazing talent, and then smiled brightly.
"This time, let's practice on our own. The almsgiver here does not know martial arts, right?"
"Yes!"
As Siu answered vigorously, Song'u led her in front of Doryang.
"You two will be a pair, and next..."
Song'u's finger pointed to Jong Ryeo'ak and Cheon Gaseong.
"You two will be a pair."
"I refuse."
Before Jong Ryeo'ak could react, Cheon Gaseong said.
"Why do you refuse?"
"It doesn't matter who I am paired with. But not Yerang."
If Jong Ryeo'ak and Cheon Gaseong were to be a pair, then Cheon Yerang and Jin Sohyun would naturally have to be a pair.
As if this were a complaint, Cheon Gaseong was openly showing a displeased expression.
"That's why it's meaningful. Unlike us, who have turned our backs on the secular world, it would not be right for a female almsgiver of the Central Plains to have her hand held by a strange man."
Song'u had a cunning side, unlike a monk.
As he said this and looked at Cheon Yerang, she silently nodded her head.
"Do you think Young Hero Cheon's younger sister will meekly offer her wrist?"
This time, it was a provocation against the White Moon Palace.
Although Cheon Gaseong was displeased, he did not readily open his mouth.
Then Cheon Yerang opened her mouth first.
"I will be paired with Young Hero Jin."
Cheon Yerang's gaze reached Cheon Gaseong.
"I won't be caught."
At her confident attitude, Cheon Gaseong nodded once and then, after glaring at Jin Sohyun once, turned away.
'This is hell... why me of all people?'
Jong Ryeo'ak was having a hard time.
Originally, he had planned to be paired with Jin Sohyun and break his wrist, pretending it was a mistake.
But since he had been paired with Cheon Gaseong as per Song'u's instruction, it was now time to worry about his own wrist.
'This is for the better. It was something I had to face someday.'
While Jong Ryeo'ak was comforting himself and facing Cheon Gaseong, Jin Sohyun and Cheon Yerang also faced each other.
"I am Cheon Yerang."
As Cheon Yerang introduced herself first, Jin Sohyun gave a light smile.
"I am Jin Sohyun."
"As I said, I have no intention of offering my wrist to the Young Hero. Nevertheless, please do your best."
"Ah, yes."
Doing one's best did not suit the lazy Jin Sohyun.
Of course, he didn't want to either.
'If I work hard for no reason, that crazy brat will bother me again.'
Jin Sohyun was planning to do it roughly.
At that moment, Gwak Myeong appeared.
"There are a lot of familiar faces here. Listen up, everyone. Each of you will display the Golden Grasp, and the one who is subdued first will have to run a hundred laps around the training ground. Of course, with your internal energy restricted."
At Gwak Myeong's words, which were like a bolt from the blue, the expressions of the five people became peculiar.
Especially Jin Sohyun's face was half-dead.
'I was going to do it roughly...'
At this rate, he had to do a run that was not in his destiny.
"Then do your best."
Gwak Myeong, who had caused a big stir in the calm hearts of the five people, turned away, and a strange tension lingered in the area.
"The situation has become interesting. Haha. Then let's start with the basics of the Golden Grasp."
Song'u drew the attention of the five people to himself and then extended his hand towards the empty air.
"The Golden Grasp is basically about subduing the opponent. It refers to the act of grabbing the wrist or twisting and turning the joints. There are many types of Golden Grasp, but the beginning of all of them is the Grasping Hand."
A smile that resembled a calm lake appeared on Song'u's lips.
"The Grasping Hand is literally the art of catching. The first step of the Golden Grasp starts with catching the opponent. And for this..."
Song'u's hand, which was floating in the air, went through several changes and grabbed the air.
"You have to make it so that the opponent cannot avoid it."
Among the five officials, four, excluding Siu, nodded or showed a look of understanding.
"Since there is a limit to the range that one hand can restrict the opponent's movements, what is important is speed."
Moving before the opponent.
That is the first condition to display the Golden Grasp.
"Then shall we start right away?"
Song'u said this and tied a string to each of their wrists.
The string was tied in a structure that would immediately come undone if the protruding part was pulled.
"This is the first contest. I will give 1 point to the one who snatches the opponent's string first. The one who first obtains 2 points in a total of three contests will be the winner."
The five people who had heard the rules stared at each other's wrists.
"Then, please begin."
As soon as Song'u's signal was given, the hands of the four people moved quickly.
Siu, who was watching this, felt as if the hands of the four people had turned transparent in an instant.
Pababat—!
A loud sound of something cutting through the air burst out.
Soon, someone's groan was heard.
"Keuk!"
The owner of the groan was Jong Ryeo'ak.
His wrist was empty.
Cheon Gaseong, who had succeeded in taking Jong Ryeo'ak's string at some point, extended the string towards him with an indifferent gaze.
"Tsk!"
While Jong Ryeo'ak was taking back the string as if he were snatching it, the hands of Jin Sohyun and Cheon Yerang were moving busily.
'There's no opening.'
Cheon Yerang was bewildered.
Even though there was no particular movement, she could not snatch Jin Sohyun's string.
It was because no matter which way she moved, Jin Sohyun would notice it first and pull his hand away.
'He's fast. Maybe even faster than me.'
Having no choice, Cheon Yerang raised her internal energy further and concentrated it in her right hand.
Soon, Cheon Yerang's hand began to emit a white light.
Swoosh—!
"Ugh... I lost it."
Jin Sohyun looked at his empty wrist.
His string was now caught between Cheon Yerang's fingers, fluttering in the wind.
'Even though I used the White Lotus Hand... I almost couldn't snatch it.'
The White Lotus Hand was a secret technique of the White Moon Palace.
When mastered, one could fight on equal terms with an opponent holding a sword or a saber with bare hands, and it was a fast and strong technique that could kill an opponent with just one's fingertips.
But even after displaying the White Lotus Hand, she had almost missed the string tied to Jin Sohyun's wrist.
'Is it different from what is known?'
Cheon Yerang calmed herself, realizing that Jin Sohyun's level was quite different from what was known.
"Young Lady Cheon, Young Hero Cheon, and..."
Song'u looked at Siu, who was holding Doryang's string and smiling brightly, and said.
"Young Lady Si has each obtained 1 point."
Jong Ryeo'ak, who had lost the first point, slowly caught his breath and concentrated his mind.
'If I lose one more time, it's over.'
Running around the training ground was not a difficult task.
The problem was the humiliation. It was a matter of pride.
Especially since the opponent was a martial artist of the one palace that claimed to be above the Nine Sects and Five Families.
'I can't lose!'
Jong Ryeo'ak burned with fighting spirit and glared at Cheon Gaseong with hot eyes.
But Cheon Gaseong did not care about Jong Ryeo'ak at all.
His attention was all on Cheon Yerang and Jin Sohyun, who was facing her.
'Yerang displayed the White Lotus Hand. Does that mean she couldn't snatch his string without it?'
Cheon Gaseong stared at Jin Sohyun with sharp eyes.
At his sharp gaze, Jin Sohyun scratched his cheek without realizing it.
"Aww, this is boring."
"The next contest is catching acorns. We will throw a total of five acorns and compete to see who can get the most."
The second contest was also very simple.
The method was to throw five acorns into the air at the same time, and the one who got the most acorns would be the winner.
Song'u first stood in the middle of Cheon Gaseong and Jong Ryeo'ak and threw five acorns.
Jong Ryeo'ak, who was looking for an opportunity, extended his hand towards the acorns first.
'I can't try to get them all! Even if I get just three, I win!'
Jong Ryeo'ak, who had spread his palm wide, grabbed three acorns in his hand.
"I did it!!"
At the thought that he had finally beaten Cheon Gaseong, joy appeared on Jong Ryeo'ak's face.
But something was strange.
"What..."
Jong Ryeo'ak, who had opened his hand, realized that there was only one acorn in his grasp.
As he raised his head with a surprised face, Cheon Gaseong, who was standing in front of him, dropped the four acorns he was holding in his hand to the ground with a bored face.
"When on earth?!"
As Jong Ryeo'ak shouted in anger, Cheon Gaseong said indifferently.
"Can you even understand if I explain it?"
"What did you say?"
"I had expectations because you were a martial artist of the Nine Sects... but this is all you've got."
As Cheon Gaseong turned away after finishing his business, Jong Ryeo'ak crushed the acorn he was holding in his hand and ground his teeth.
"These sons of bitches... how dare they insult Jongnam!"
While Jong Ryeo'ak was growing his hatred for Cheon Gaseong, following Jin Sohyun, five acorns shot up into the sky between Jin Sohyun and Cheon Yerang.
'If I use the White Lotus Hand, I'm a little faster.'
The moment Cheon Yerang, who had displayed the White Lotus Hand this time too, got two acorns in her hand first, the remaining three acorns disappeared from the air.
"Hoo! That's a relief."
Jin Sohyun, who had gotten three acorns in his hand, shrugged.
"I had to win this time."
"You're fast with your hands."
"I had to be, so I wouldn't starve."
Thanks to Kang Cheon, who would eat meat as if he were possessed by a ghost who had starved to death, Jin Sohyun had to move his hands quickly for survival.
As the six years, which had been no different from hell for a lazy bum, came to mind, Jin Sohyun felt tears welling up in his eyes.
"I won't lose next time."
"Let's both do our best."
The winner was decided this time too.
Cheon Gaseong had won the contest with Jong Ryeo'ak by taking 2 points first, and Siu, with Doryang's consideration, had also obtained 2 points and was excluded from the penalty.
Now, the ones left were Jin Sohyun and Cheon Yerang, who had each obtained 1 point.
The two stood facing each other for the final, third contest.
"It's a close match. The final contest will be a contest that bets everything, which is the basis of the Golden Grasp. Subdue the opponent's wrist. The one who subdues the wrist first will be the winner."
The content of the final, third contest was also simple.
The one who subdues the wrist first is the winner.
"Then, please begin."
As soon as it started, Cheon Yerang's hand extended, and Jin Sohyun, who was watching this, lightly raised his hand.
'Was it like this?'
The moment his hand left countless afterimages, the eyes of Song'u, who was watching this, widened as if they would tear.
"Stop!"
(End of Chapter)