Chapter 319: Blood Blade Iron Hawk, Jeon Jung

“One of us must die here.”

Blood Blade Iron Hawk Jeon Jung had already resolved himself to death when he stepped into this duel.

“It was the same back then. They were the ones who tried to kill me, and I merely stopped them. You shouldn’t blame me for that.”

He was referring to Iron Hawk Sect Leader Jeon Woong and his disciple, the Sword Demon of Absolute Skill, Eom An.

“Grudge is born from those who suffer. You may not hold a grudge, but to those who suffered, it surely is one. So, do not resent those who harbor it.”

Jeon Jung had two reasons why he absolutely had to fight Yong Hwarin.

First, if Yong Hwarin revealed his ultimate technique during their fight, it would give the Young Lord of the Valley a future advantage in a duel.

Second, it was because of the letter from the First Young Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect, Yang Gwak.

The letter stated that for the plan to succeed, Yong Hwarin must either be killed or at least seriously wounded.

After hearing Yang Gwak’s scheme, he readily agreed.

He had scoffed when he first received the letter from Yang Gwak of the Heavenly Demon Sect, but upon learning the details, he couldn’t help but find it intriguing.

It was a strategy involving multiple sects uniting to attack the Heavenly Central Sect, and it sounded quite plausible.

At the part that said all those sects held a deep grudge against Yong Hwarin and thus the alliance was bound to form, he decided to go along with Yang Gwak’s proposal.

He couldn’t refuse once he learned that the Iron Hawk Sect would also be involved in the alliance. Blood Blade Iron Hawk did not consider his son and disciple’s defeat to be merely a matter of bad luck.

Not only had Yong Hwarin overpowered his son and disciple, but he had recently defeated martial artists so powerful that even Jeon Jung himself could not handle them. He couldn’t guarantee victory against such a man.

The fact that Lightning-Faced Madman Ju Namok and Blood Demon Castle’s former Guardian Zhao Qiansheng had both fled told him enough about Yong Hwarin’s strength.

“My ultimate technique is Iron Hawk Blade. I have pursued strength my entire life. And not long ago, I saw the end of that path. Two years ago, I attained enlightenment and created a new martial art. I created it to prove that ‘softness overcoming strength’ is a lie. To show that true strength annihilates all things, I created this blade art and named it Blade Shattering the Heavens. What do you think of the name?”

Typically, during an official duel, it was customary to state one’s sect and martial art.

Now, Jeon Jung was acknowledging Yong Hwarin as his opponent in a proper duel.

Like a candidate undergoing a review, when Blood Blade Iron Hawk Jeon Jung asked, Yong Hwarin responded with an expression of admiration.

“Just the name alone reveals the level of that blade art. It seems like a martial technique that truly embodies what it means to be the strongest.”

Jeon Jung gave a satisfied smile.

“You may become the first prodigy to die by Blade Shattering the Heavens. Consider it an honor.”

Yong Hwarin returned the gesture by declaring his own ultimate technique with a clasped hands salute.

“My ultimate technique is the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword. It is a secret martial art of my sect. It’s a sword art that contains the energy of a dragon ascending to the heavens. Because of its intense killing intent, I may end up striking you unknowingly, so please be careful.”

Yong Hwarin responded to Jeon Jung’s provocation.

“I think our greetings are quite sufficient at this point.”

“Of course, as the junior, I shall take the first strike.”

Since Yong Hwarin openly declared that he would strike first, Jeon Jung, being the senior, could not refuse.

It was customary in the martial world for the senior not to initiate the first attack.

“Hmm, very well. But I won’t give you three seconds. You’re no longer someone I can afford to give that time to.”

In duels between masters, taking the initiative was crucial.

If the two were close in level, one might lose without even launching a single attack if forced into a defensive stance from the start. That’s why it was an unspoken rule in the murim for the junior to strike first.

Jeon Jung’s words were for So Yonghwa’s sake.

More than anyone else in the hall, So Yonghwa was observing Yong Hwarin’s movements intently.

Just knowing how he moved and fought would be of great help in a duel.

Since Yong Hwarin had already discerned Jeon Jung’s intentions, he had no desire to play along.

There was no need to reveal his level to So Yonghwa.

‘I’ll fight perfectly in line with your level.’

Yong Hwarin moved using the Bamboo Forest Soaring Dragon Step and struck with the technique of Dragon Mountain Collapse.

As the overwhelming energy charged toward him, Jeon Jung responded with a technique he was confident in.

He countered with the technique known as Blade Formation Stepping Through Seedlings.

Blade Formation Stepping Through Seedlings was a swift and dazzling blade technique. Like a flexible sword in motion, the heavy broadsword suddenly shifted direction with great ease.

But that direction was unusual.

From the broadsword, five lines of sword qi shot forth with astounding speed.

Shwshwshwshwshw!

Because of that, five gusting wind sounds followed in quick succession.

Yong Hwarin immediately switched from Dragon Mountain Collapse to Severing the Tide to confront Jeon Jung’s broadsword.

It was a shift from weight to precision.

In battles between first-rate martial artists, the weight and nature of weapons often played a decisive role.

Clashing a sword against a heavier broadsword was typically considered foolish. Long ago, Yong Hwarin had realized the Flowing Stream Realm when he fought Do Gye-gong’s broadsword.

But once one reached a certain level, the weight of weapons no longer mattered.

Thanks to sword qi and enhanced qi, weapon weight was no longer a limitation. And assuming someone like Jeon Jung would be slow just because he wielded a broadsword was dangerous.

The broadsword that Jeon Jung wielded might look heavy, but its movement was as swift as a fast sword and as flexible as a soft sword.

Facing him with preconceived notions would only lead to defeat.

As Yong Hwarin unleashed Severing the Tide and released his sword qi, Jeon Jung’s technique, Blade Formation Stepping Through Seedlings, crumbled.

The moment Severing the Tide dispersed that momentum, Yong Hwarin could have pressed forward with greater force but did not.

Even though he could have followed up with Qi of Graceful Breeze or Dongyeo Thunderquake to launch a swift offensive, Yong Hwarin thoroughly kept his strength hidden.

Jeon Jung was well aware of that.

Thus, he gradually began increasing the intensity of his internal energy.

If he had previously released sword energy with the power of one jiazi, he now raised it to the Extreme State level of one and a half jiazi.

‘Let’s see if you can handle this!’

As a veteran of countless battles, Jeon Jung remained composed and experienced. A single failed attack did not shake him.

In truth, the most dangerous enemy in battle was someone who could maintain composure like this. When Jeon Jung’s blade spun once in his hand, a blade wind stirred.

Yong Hwarin knew that this blade wind was not simple.

Jeon Jung, as he had said, had created a blade art that pursued the pinnacle of overwhelming dominance.

While the world offered many powerful forces—thunder, flame, cold—Jeon Jung regarded wind as the strongest and sought to maximize its destructive potential.

He tried to embody the devastating force of a hurricane that leaves nothing but ruins in its path.

That technique was Blade Wind Shattering the Heavens. Though it might appear to be a mere gust of wind, it contained the weight of one and a half jiazi of experience.

To respond carelessly would mean being caught in its force, and possibly losing an arm in an instant.

Had Yong Hwarin not reached the Qi Revelation Realm, he would have been injured from responding carelessly.

At a glance, Blade Wind Shattering the Heavens appeared to be just a suppressive technique.

But seeing the qi waves surge with force, Yong Hwarin raised his energy to one and a half jiazi and countered with Dragon Scale Finger Technique.

Krrung!

Those observing had assumed this was just a probing exchange between the two, but they were startled by the sudden roar of thunder.

Realizing that such overwhelming power was hidden within seemingly simple techniques, their tongues fell silent.

‘They say that in a master’s feint lies a true strike. It’s really true.’

Those who had thought they could handle fighting these two now felt goosebumps. They imagined their own bodies turning into fragments under the force of such techniques filled with immense experience.

The gust of wind from the impact reached even those over ten paces away, making them feel refreshed — the force was unimaginable.

For the first time, Jeon Jung’s brow twitched.

An even thicker murderous aura flowed from his eyes.

This was no easy matter.

If one fought half-heartedly, the opponent would match that level. But this brat — there wasn’t a single opening.

Up until now, Jeon Jung had used the strength of roughly one-and-a-half cycles. He assumed the opponent would respond with similar intensity.

So he intended to inflict internal injury with Blade Wind Shattering the Heavens, but the kid had responded with exactly the same depth of accumulated cultivation.

Even for a seasoned master of countless battles, that was impossible to foresee.

Jeon Jung’s anger surged, and he poured his entire cultivation into his blade. If probing tactics wouldn’t work, he had no choice but to force out the brat’s true skill with his most powerful strike.

Uuuuuuuuuung!

As immense true energy surged into the great blade, the weapon howled in protest.

This was the level of weapon resonance, yet calling it mere resonance was an understatement.

The resonance soon ceased, and blade energy began to flow from Jeon Jung’s sword, gradually forming into a shape. Yong Hwarin recognized it — the final stage of qi: Manifested Qi — and immediately grew serious.

Manifested Qi possessed destructive power comparable to that of peak qi techniques, and depending on the skill, could even surpass them.

It wasn’t something to be taken lightly.

Yong Hwarin had no choice but to reveal his true level.

Drawing his sword, he entered Unity of Sword and Mind.

But at that very moment—

So Yonghwa suddenly stepped into the middle of the duel.

“What are you doing?”

“Why is she doing that? It’s too dangerous!”

People murmured in shock.

When So Yonghwa intervened mid-duel, Jeon Jung hastily withdrew his energy.

“Young Lord Soh! What is the meaning of this!”

Although he had withdrawn his energy, his tone was brusque, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

“I apologize.”

So Yonghwa quickly sent Jeon Jung a sound transmission.

—I just received word from the messenger. The Muhwa Corps will arrive here shortly. If we clash with them in this place, we could face a grave crisis.

Jeon Jung replied with slight irritation.

—Young Lord Soh, even if they come, if we fight together, we can kill them all. Why should we avoid that pack of mutts?

Jeon Jung was clearly hardline, a warmonger who preferred to fight even if it meant death. So Yonghwa, cheeks trembling with frustration, replied via sound transmission.

—To be honest, I can’t say with certainty that I can win against Yong Hwarin.

That sound transmission shook Jeon Jung.

At the very least, he had believed that someone like Young Lord Soh would have no problem dealing with Yong Hwarin.

Until now, So Yonghwa had won all seventy duels and defeated countless masters, displaying a martial prowess beyond the limits of man.

Even Jeon Jung acknowledged So Yonghwa’s martial ability.

A prodigy who had completed the structure of the ultimate art of the Young Lord of Am Myeonggok — the Void Spirit Yin Flow Grand Art.

No matter how great the opponent, So Yonghwa would treat them like a child and force them to retreat.

Moreover, she could choose among sword, saber, or spear to match the opponent, showing mastery over all weapon forms without limitation.

When such a Young Lord spoke with sincere worry, even Jeon Jung couldn’t insist stubbornly.

If Yong Hwarin joined forces with the Muhwa Corps and launched an attack, they wouldn’t be able to withstand it. Jeon Jung had no choice but to step back.

The reason So Yonghwa declared the Hundred Duels of Murim was singular.

It was to perfect the Void Spirit Yin Flow Grand Art, which she had not yet fully mastered through secluded cultivation. She aimed to fill the gaps left by comprehension with actual duels.

She also sought to imprint the name of Am Myeonggok and her own identity clearly upon the world of Murim.

So Yonghwa never ceased the duels because she felt the wall blocking her path was slowly breaking through each fight.

That was why she had planned to duel the greatest geniuses of the orthodox Murim in the final rounds.

To meet them all at once, she had to head for Shaolin Temple, where the Three Grand Elders would convene.

So Yonghwa moved with Shaolin Temple in mind.

Above all, she believed that the First of the Three Swords would break through her wall.

The place So Yonghwa was heading for was where they would hold their debate of the sword.

So now, she didn’t want to stir up a large disturbance if she could help it.

Her plan was to witness the sword debate of the First of the Three Swords, break through her wall, and then cleanly subdue the most outstanding heirs of the orthodox Murim.

Since they had already withdrawn their weapons, Yong Hwarin didn’t press to continue the fight.

He hadn’t intended to fight in the first place. It was Blood Blade Iron Hawk Jeon Jung who had issued the challenge, so Yong Hwarin had no choice but to answer.

Truthfully, even Yong Hwarin wasn’t confident he could win against So Yonghwa, which made him reluctant to escalate the fight.

“I’ll let it go today, but next time we meet, one of us must die. And of course, it’ll be you.”

Yong Hwarin tossed the words coldly.

“So your life’s been extended until then, senior.”

“What?!”

Jeon Jung, on the verge of exploding, was held back by So Yonghwa via sound transmission.

Every time they exchanged words, he found himself boiling with rage at Yong Hwarin.

So Yonghwa had never seen the famously cold-blooded Blood Blade Iron Hawk this riled before.

‘Next time I duel that man, I must never engage him in conversation.’

So Yonghwa had no time to linger and turned away.

At that moment, a sound transmission came from Yong Hwarin.

—Don’t forget that you owe me one.

So Yonghwa turned back to look at Yong Hwarin.

—Owe you?

She questioned the unexpected message.

—I could’ve killed Blood Blade Iron Hawk but spared him. Are you going to pretend that debt doesn’t exist?

Slightly flustered by his directness, So Yonghwa answered.

—You’re quite an amusing one. Most people of the orthodox path would act the gentleman in moments like this, but you make the kind of calculation they despise.

—It’s always good to have someone like you in my debt.

—So you’re saying I owe you one.

The prideful So Yonghwa could not deny Yong Hwarin’s words.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep