Chapter 360: Three-Breath Duel (2)

San Bi’s pride was wounded.

Even though both of them had reached Sword Unification, he alone had been thrown back. That was indirect proof that his sword intent was inferior to Yong Hwarin’s.

“Slave? I don’t need that anymore. I’ll just kill you.”

Stung in his pride, San Bi resolved to kill Yong Hwarin to wash away his humiliation.

“I’ll see whether you can survive receiving the Nine-Serpent Ascension.”

Muttering with killing intent, he thrust his sword forward.

At that, the Black Steel Snakes clinging to the Nine-Serpent Sabre writhed and intertwined with each other.

“Ta-hat!”

San Bi poured all his energy into a single strike.

Since he had detonated the Gongcheong Stone Oil that he had fed the Black Steel Snakes while raising them, the Nine-Serpent Ascension carried at least the power of three Gaps worth of true qi.

Nine writhing Black Steel Snakes separated from the Nine-Serpent Sabre.

The sight of the nine snakes twisting together as they spun was beyond bizarre.

When blue flames burst forth from the bodies of the Black Steel Snakes as though they were burning away, one man cried out.

“It’s Nascent Qi!”

They had all heard that such a phenomenon was born from Nascent Qi, but for those seeing it for the first time, their eyes went wide and their mouths hung open as they witnessed its birth.

No one had imagined they would ever see Nascent Qi in their lifetime.

“Ah! If he doesn’t get pushed back even after receiving Nascent Qi, then he’s no human.”

People thought that this time, Yong Hwarin would not be able to withstand it.

Some worried that if he didn’t evade the Nascent Qi, he might even die, and their hearts tightened with anxiety.

At that moment, Yong Hwarin unfurled Mother-Longing Energy.

In truth, it was because he trusted in Mother-Longing Energy that he had proposed the Three-Breath Duel.

He believed that with Mother-Longing Energy, he could withstand any attack.

Yong Hwarin stabbed the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword in front of him in all directions, weaving together the Mother-Longing Sword Barrier.

Because it was a crystallization of energy, others couldn’t see it with their eyes; to them, he merely looked like he was flailing about strangely.

But masters of higher realm felt the eerie energy forming in front of Yong Hwarin and swallowed hard.

Shaolin’s Jeong Hang shook his head.

‘If it’s Nascent Qi, even I would be forced to retreat three zhang. And even the Heavenly Sword Hero couldn’t survive a direct hit from it.’

He was so focused on Yong Hwarin that he didn’t even notice the prayer beads in his hand spinning rapidly.

Yong Hwarin quickly spread dozens of layers of the Mother-Longing Sword Barrier.

The nine Black Steel Snakes crashed into it.

Puh-uhng!

The spectators had expected a deafening roar and shockwave that would make Mount Taesil collapse—yet what they heard instead was a hollow thump like a drum, leaving them looking disappointed.

The Black Steel Snakes, which had flown with a momentum fierce enough to pierce through stone a foot thick, reached Yong Hwarin’s chest only to writhe weakly, as if ensnared in a net.

Like fish caught in a net, they thrashed about but carried no force.

The one most shocked by the sight was San Bi.

“W-what is this?”

The Nine-Serpent Ascension was the most powerful attack of the Nine-Serpent Sabre.

By drawing out the power of the Gongcheong Stone Oil inside the Black Steel Snakes, it could bore through even a slab of rock a foot thick.

Yet now, those same Black Steel Snakes squirmed like worms. His chest was about to burst in frustration.

But just as he had the skill to pass through the Triple Union Formation, San Bi sensed the swirling energy of qi in front of Yong Hwarin’s chest, and he clenched his teeth.

‘This is a method I’ve never seen before. It devoured the power of the Nine-Serpent Ascension. What on earth is that energy that it can swallow even Nascent Qi?’

Curiosity about its true nature made him momentarily forget that he had lost the duel.

He raised his sword as if to attack again, then let out a hollow laugh.

The Nine-Serpent Ascension was the ultimate secret technique of the Nine-Serpent Sabre. There was no technique stronger.

If there was, it would be the Sword Control with Qi of the Nine-Serpent Sabre—but that martial art was still incomplete.

Yong Hwarin was standing exactly where he had been at the start.

He couldn’t believe that even after taking a direct hit from Nascent Qi, he hadn’t taken a single step back.

The shock was great for San Bi, but for the many martial artists watching the duel, seeing Yong Hwarin remain steady after being struck by Nascent Qi made them regard him like a monster.

“My heavens, he’s not human.”

When someone broke the silence, the crowd slowly began to exclaim in awe.

“The rumor that the Heavenly Sword Hero might be the strongest among the young prodigies was true.”

“Indeed, who could possibly take Nascent Qi head-on and suffer no impact? Even middle-level masters couldn’t do such a thing.”

“He might even surpass Shaolin’s Jeong Hang or Wudang’s Wun Mang.”

Hearing this, neither Jeong Hang nor Wun Mang could refute it.

Frankly, even they had no confidence in receiving San Bi’s last technique, the Nine-Serpent Ascension infused with Nascent Qi, unscathed.

Only Nascent Qi itself could neutralize Nascent Qi. Even then, standing unharmed in the aftermath of the clash was impossible for them.

Yet Yong Hwarin not only erased the Nascent Qi but even dispelled the shockwave that should have followed.

‘Could that really be possible?’

Jeong Hang thought of several of Shaolin’s profound martial arts, but all of them lay far beyond his current reach.

‘Watching Layman Yong, I realize how lacking I truly am.’

Almost without knowing it, Jeong Hang brought his palms together toward Yong Hwarin and chanted a Buddhist prayer.

“Amitabha, this is indeed a great blessing for the Murim.”

He was surprised himself at the words that had escaped his lips.

He realized with a start that he was uttering words befitting only a junior uncle.

The thought had escaped his lips purely from witnessing Yong Hwarin’s martial prowess.

Even Wun Mang, who stood beside him, was chanting a Buddhist invocation; the two must have been of the same mind.

Jeong Hang and Wun Mang, both of higher realm, looked upon Yong Hwarin’s martial display with respect, but not everyone gathered felt the same.

Mount Hua’s Cheong Mong and Emei Sect’s Myung Ok Sunja even gazed at Yong Hwarin with faint envy.

By contrast, the young prodigies of the Nine Great Sects or noble clans, who were of lower realms, regarded Yong Hwarin with eyes of jealousy.

Mo Biyoung, noticing the different gazes that the prodigies cast toward Yong Hwarin, muttered inwardly.

‘Of course, some will feel a wall, some will lament being born in the same age, and some will have their fighting spirit provoked.’

Even she, who had resolved to follow the Small Sect Leader, felt a twinge of jealousy toward a level of martial skill beyond imagination. How much worse must it be for others? She didn’t think badly of it.

‘If one is a martial artist, not to be stirred would be strange.’

Only Jong Seok alone looked proudly upon Yong Hwarin.

As San Bi stood dazed and hollow-eyed, Go Jin spoke to Wudang Sect’s Elder Seo Seong.

“Seo Seong, that little demon of the Demonic Cult must have exhausted all his energy with the three duels.”

Seo Seong asked with a sour face.

“And so?”

Go Jin furrowed his brows, as though exasperated.

“What do you mean, ‘and so’? He even used Nascent Qi while fighting Yong Hwarin. What does that mean? It means we can attack him and kill him.”

Seo Seong leaned back with a reluctant expression.

“How could we attack one who just fought an honorable duel? It’s not as if he was rampaging.”

When Seo Seong refused to agree, Go Jin turned his head toward Mok Yang and Mak Yun beside him.

“Brothers, do you think the same? Imagine if we struck down the little demon of the Demonic Cult. It would bring us immense fame and a great deed for the orthodox Murim.”

Mak Yun seemed swayed, glancing at San Bi briefly.

But Mok Yang shook his head.

“That is unworthy both as a Daoist and as a martial man. Senior Brother Go Jin, cast away such foolish thoughts.”

As Mok Yang admonished gently, Go Jin’s brows twisted into a furious scowl.

“Mok Yang, you speak carelessly. Do you think I speak for my own glory? This is for the peace of Murim! Even if you object, I’ll act alone. There are plenty of orthodox martial men here—I’ll strike San Bi with them.”

At first, Yong Hwarin thought Go Jin was merely blustering, but when he began persuading others earnestly, he approached him.

“Daoist Go Jin, if you attack San Bi, that would be the spark of a Murim war.”

Go Jin burst into anger at being checked by the detestable Yong Hwarin.

“What war could possibly break out from killing one little demon?”

“Why do you think the heirs of the Three Demonic Heavens came here, to where orthodox warriors are gathered in force? Do you truly believe they came only to spectate the Three Swords Beyond the Heavens duel?”

“Then why did they come?”

Yong Hwarin gave a thin smile.

Go Jin seemed nothing but a fool, incapable of deeper thought.

“Did you never consider that they might want to be attacked?”

“Why would they?”

Though Go Jin felt the weight of Yong Hwarin’s words, his stubbornness drove him to feign ignorance.

“Because they want war. The heirs of the Three Demonic Heavens came all the way to Mount Song just before the Shaolin gathering. You must think about what that means.”

Worried that some might be swayed by Go Jin’s agitation, Yong Hwarin projected his voice with qi to address the gathered martial artists.

“What do you think is the difference between the Demonic Path and the Orthodox? I say it is pride. Without pride, the sword holds no conviction and no righteousness. Pride makes one a true martial artist, a true warrior. Even if a demonic cultivator steps into our yard, if he has caused no harm, sending him away unmolested is the pride of orthodox Murim. Without pride, what do we become? Rabble of the streets. Why do we scorn and despise them otherwise?”

At his thunderous words, those warriors who had wavered at Go Jin’s persuasion flushed with shame and lowered their heads.

As everyone drifted away from Go Jin’s side, his face turned red and blue with fury at his plans unraveling thanks to Yong Hwarin.

In truth, Yong Hwarin had proposed such a perilous condition for the duel with San Bi because he had a hidden aim.

On his way to Shaolin, seeing his intention fulfilled, he smiled in satisfaction.

The duel with San Bi swiftly spread throughout Mount Song, greatly elevating the name of Yong Hwarin, the Heavenly Sword Hero.

Rumors spread that among the young prodigies of the Nine Great Sects and noble clans, Yong Hwarin was the strongest.

With enemies growing, Yong Hwarin had secured a safeguard.

Ten years hence, people already speculated that he would rise to the rank of the greatest master under heaven—who would not seek ties with him?

Through his past life, Yong Hwarin deeply understood that forming connections was the same as building a power base.

At this Shaolin gathering, he intended to showcase his abilities without reserve, so that the Heavenly Central Sect would be seen not as a remote minor sect, but as one with influence over Murim’s future.

That way, when he sought help, others would be quick to respond.

In his previous life, only the Jeong Family Manor and the Geum Family Manor had fought alongside the Heavenly Central Sect.

The Heavenly Central Sect had built no ties, and thus gained no aid from the Nine Great Sects or noble clans.

Because of that, the Heavenly Central Sect had been annihilated.

Carrying that memory, Yong Hwarin now resolved not to hide his strength, but to reveal it—so that none could ignore him.

Experience from his past life had already taught him that this was the surer path to survival.

From that day, the phrase Three-Breath Duel was born, referring to the method of duel that Yong Hwarin and San Bi had fought.

If one could withstand three breaths of attacks without moving even a step, victory was theirs.

As duels of that form spread among those who had reached Jungeuk Peak, the term Three-Breath Duel became known.

By then, at Shaolin, the name Yong Hwarin was one known to all.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep