Ding- Dididing- Ding.

An unexpected sound of a guqin echoed through Shaolin Temple.

The guqin, an instrument with seven strings, was admired for its sleek, black lacquered body.

Expensive ones were adorned with white mother-of-pearl inlays, exuding an elegant and refined charm.

Surprisingly, playing the guqin was considered a sophisticated hobby among martial artists.

This refined aesthetic and its beautiful sound likely made it popular.

It was also one of the most loved instruments for mastering sound-based martial techniques, second only to the flute.

Dididing- Ding—

However, it was unthinkable that Shaolin monks would be playing the guqin within the temple.

The melody came from a successor who had brought their own guqin to the Guest Hall.

That successor must have been a particularly carefree individual.

To be playing an instrument during this time, when other successors were on edge, was unusual.

Moreover, it was when the successors of the Seven Great Clans were entering the Guest Hall.

An intriguing coincidence unfolded.

It created quite a memorable scene.

“Hoho.”

Even Hwa Mu-cheon muttered softly in admiration.

In late summer, the leaves swayed in the strong, unseasonal wind as if welcoming the successors.

A group of successors walked in step with the rhythm of the wind.

Their strides were confident, their clothes and hair fluttering in the breeze.

At the forefront was a tall young man with a stern expression.

This was Baek Ha-jun, newly bestowed with the nickname Iron-Blood Sword Dragon.

“So, the Young Clan Head of the Baek Noble Clan has finally appeared,” Noh Shik muttered quietly.

So Woon and Noh Shik had rushed down to the Guest Hall upon hearing that the Seven Great Clans’ prodigies had gathered.

Beside Baek Ha-jun stood a woman, not particularly tall, but carrying an unusually long sword.

If someone wielded such an excessively long blade, their identity was obvious.

“Blade Maiden Peng Mu-ah. I heard she gained quite a reputation on the Unorthodox Union’s side recently.”

Her appearance could be described as cute, but her gaze resembled that of a fierce predator.

“Faithful Sword Wolf Moyong Jin is here too.”

Moyong Jin, who once sought to become a lone wolf, had achieved his wish by following his older brother and earning the nickname Sword Wolf.

“Even Namgung Clan’s Blue Sky Sword Dragon, locked behind closed doors at the Jegal Clan, and even the On Clan’s Fist, have all come.”

Noh Shik, still awestruck, pulled something out.

It was a small notebook and a fine brush. True to the Beggars’ Gang’s nature, he was collecting and recording information.

In the meantime, the successors of the Seven Great Clans entered the Guest Hall, drawing everyone’s attention.

With this, it could be said that most of the successors under the age of 25 who were renowned in the orthodox faction had now gathered at Shaolin.

“Huh?”

Noh Shik, while scribbling something in his notebook, scratched his head.

So Woon leaned in slightly and asked, “Who do you think will make it into the top five?”

“Hold on.”

So Woon had hoped to hear Noh Shik’s opinion as a member of the Beggars’ Gang, but Noh Shik stopped him with a serious expression.

He then unfolded his notebook, densely filled with barely legible handwriting, and carefully reviewed it again.

Feeling bored, So Woon leaned his back against the wall.

After a moment, Noh Shik chuckled faintly.

“This is kind of fascinating.”

“Huh? What’s fascinating?”

“You asked who would make it into the top five, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“Take a look.”

“Uh…”

Noh Shik’s notebook was incredibly grimy and worn.

Furthermore, the text was written in what seemed to be a cipher, making it unreadable.

“I can’t read this.”

“Hey, no matter how bad my handwriting is, it’s not that unreadable. Look closely.”

So, was it not a cipher but simply terrible handwriting?

So Woon, suppressing his disbelief, scanned through the notebook.

Indeed, it was Chinese characters. He could decipher some of the writing.

“Ten Grand… masters…”

“Exactly. It’s not just the successors of the Nine Sects and the Seven Great Clans gathered here. Even the disciples and prodigies of the Ten Grandmasters are here.”

“Is that a big deal?”

“Is it a big deal? Of course, it is. The Ten Grandmasters are usually… ahem.”

Noh Shik had begun to ramble excitedly but then cleared his throat awkwardly.

After all, even So Woon standing before him was none other than the son of So Jin-gong, the Nine Spear King.

So Woon nodded with a wry smile, understanding Noh Shik’s point.

It made sense. There were plenty of extraordinary masters not affiliated with the Nine Sects One Gang or the Seven Great Clans.

These masters led their own sects, and even though the Murim Alliance might host the event, such individuals rarely participated willingly.

After all, their pride was often at stake.

Noh Shik, perhaps feeling apologetic, began to explain kindly, “Let’s assume the Sword Emperor has passed away, and if we exclude those from the Unorthodox Union or the Demon Cult among the Ten Grandmasters… first, there’s the Divine Monk.”

The Divine Monk, who was overseeing this event.

“The Divine Monk’s successor can be considered to be Shaolin’s First Fist, Jeong Myung.”

“He’s not exactly a disciple, is he?”

“Does it matter? After all, the greatest master of Shaolin martial arts, practically an ancestor, is Grand Master Mu Myung. His teachings would naturally reach Jeong Myung, the most outstanding of the Jeong disciples of Shaolin. It’s said he’s close to reaching the pinnacle as well.”

It made sense.

“Azure Forest’s Forest Lord’s disciple is your sworn brother, the Immortal Divine Dragon, Baek Yi-gang.”

“He’s not officially the Forest Lord’s disciple, but… well, that’s true.”

“The Guardian has passed away, and as for the one who was playing the guqin earlier?”

So Woon remembered the woman who had skillfully played the guqin, almost like providing background music.

“She’s the disciple of the Divine Lady of Mount Potalaka, the Sword Pavilion Master of Southern Sea Potalaka.”

“Ah…!”

The woman who leisurely played the guqin turned out to be the disciple of the mysterious master, the Divine Lady of Potalaka.

One of the Ten Grandmasters, who rarely ventured into the Central Plains, had sent her disciple here.

“The Divine Lady of Potalaka has a hostile relationship with the Crimson Moon Demon Lady among the Ten Grandmasters.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“And lastly…”

Noh Shik pointed a finger at So Woon.

So Woon awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

“The one and only son of the Nine Spear King, So Jin-gong, and an emerging master who has inherited his spear techniques—West Sky’s Five Spears.”

“Hahaha… that’s quite an exaggeration.”

“You asked me about the candidates for the top five, didn’t you? In my opinion, all the disciples of the Ten Grandmasters will make it in, including you.”

“Haha… surely, you’re joking.”

“I’m not joking.”

Noh Shik asked with a genuinely serious expression, “You’re strong, aren’t you?”

“…”

“In the past, it might not have been clear, but didn’t you prove it by achieving great feats?”

During the Dragon-Phoenix and Seven Stars Conferences, So Woon was still considered a work in progress.

But as they say, the offspring of a tiger was still a tiger.

The bloodline of the Nine Spear King certainly flowed within So So-woon.

And So Woon had proven it.

He wielded five spears, slaying each of the Unorthodox Union’s masters one by one.

“Aren’t you itching to test yourself? Don’t you want to face Shaolin’s First Fist or the Iron-Blood Sword Dragon?”

“…Haha.”

So Woon simply smiled.

However, it was no longer the fragile smile he had once shown.

Even though all the successors had gathered, the event began without much fanfare.

People still didn’t know the format of the trials.

While the successors of the major sects were prideful, they couldn’t afford arrogance in the presence of such formidable peers.

Thus, the successors remained cautious.

There was no genuine exchange of martial techniques, as one might hope from such an assembly of elite martial artists.

However, change eventually came.

It began with Tang Eun-seol.

She, who had disappeared somewhere, returned one day with a faintly acrid fragrance clinging to her as she descended from the mountains.

Her face looked exhausted, but due to her lack of sociability, no one dared to ask where she had been.

Tang Eun-seol often spent her time sitting atop a rock in an open area, idly passing the hours.

And as she did, she tossed and caught a small yellow bead no larger than an acorn.

The ever-curious Noh Shik asked her what it was, but Tang Eun-seol didn’t answer.

She even threatened to poison him if he kept pestering her, causing Noh Shik to back off.

As everyone continued to wonder about Tang Eun-seol and the bead she played with—

“Are you Ok Yeong-cheol?”

Suddenly, Baek Ha-jun spoke to Ok Yeong-cheol of the Qingcheng Sect.

Ok Yeong-cheol, who had been resting while seated, looked up at Ha-jun with a bewildered expression.

“So, you’re from the Baek Noble Clan…”

“Baek Ha-jun.”

Eventually, Ok Yeong-cheol let out a dry laugh.

“What is it with the Baek Noble Clan? You lot seem to have no concept of manners.”

“So, I heard you met my brother.”

The atmosphere was far from friendly.

Knowing this, Ok Yeong-cheol twisted his lips.

“He’s become a cripple.”

“…Why don’t we have a duel?”

The air turned icy in an instant.

While there had been occasional sparring matches before, this was the first time such a formal challenge had been made.

Even Ok Yeong-cheol, startled, widened his eyes and stood up.

“You’re insane! Your arrogance knows no bounds!”

Ok Yeong-cheol was already over twenty-five. This meant, according to the rules, he wasn’t even Ha-jun’s competitor.

Yet Ha-jun had boldly challenged Yeong-cheol, who could be considered his senior in the martial world.

What grudge could he possibly have to act so brazenly toward someone he had just met?

From Ok Yeong-cheol’s perspective, it was hard to understand.

“A duel—are you unable to accept?”

Ha-jun, who had just arrived, had not yet met Yi-gang, and he had learned that Yi-gang’s condition was more serious than he had initially heard.

He had also been informed of the tension between Ok Yeong-cheol and Yi-gang through a helpful member of the Beggars’ Gang.

“…Fine! I’ll accept!”

Ok Yeong-cheol hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded.

With so many eyes on him, it was impossible to refuse the duel here.

The onlookers murmured among themselves.

“A duel with real swords!”

“Ooh, finally!”

Ha-jun, as if it were natural, reached for his real sword instead of a wooden practice one.

“Hmm…! Both of you, come here!”

A Shaolin monk, Beop Man, who had been observing, stepped in to mediate.

According to the rules, a duel with real swords required Shaolin’s supervision.

Under Beop Man’s mediation, the duel was prepared.

An open space was cleared in the center of the training ground, and the spectators formed a circle around it.

“Though it is a duel with real swords, this is intended for the successors of the orthodox martial world to hone their skills and exchange techniques. Killing is forbidden, and defeat is determined by admitting loss, being incapacitated, or stepping beyond the marked boundary.”

Ha-jun and Ok Yeong-cheol stood facing each other.

“I hope both of you gain valuable lessons from this.”

Both raised their swords.

Ok Yeong-cheol looked slightly tense, while Ha-jun, who had initiated the duel, appeared emotionless.

The spectators speculated about the outcome of the match.

“I wonder how much the Iron-Blood Sword Dragon has improved…”

“You can’t underestimate the Heavenly Wind Noble.”

“Well, his past achievements are impressive too.”

Overall, more people predicted Ok Yeong-cheol’s victory.

“The Baek Noble Clan only sent their Young Clan Head. There must be a gap in real combat experience.”

“Not to mention, he has a higher ranking…”

Ha-jun’s absence from the martial world had been quite prolonged.

Beop Man then announced the start of the duel.

“Begin!”

The spectators’ eyes sparkled with excitement.

“Hah!”

Ok Yeong-cheol took the initiative with the first move.

In such duels, it was customary for the senior to allow the junior to attack first, but this time, that custom was ignored.

Yet, no one could mock Ok Yeong-cheol’s choice.

To be precise, there wasn’t even time to mock him.

Kaang-

Blades clashed.

Even the spectators’ eyes reflected the brilliant sparks.

“Hooh.”

“Oh!”

The swords crossed, and their movements formed a dazzling dance.

“Incredible…”

“Wow…”

Fast. And faster still.

The swordsmanship of the Qingcheng Sect and the Baek Noble Clan was equally formidable.

However, as the duel progressed, the spectators’ jaws dropped, and confusion filled their eyes.

Ka-kang- Kang-

“Ugh!”

A gasp escaped Ok Yeong-cheol’s lips.

Ka-kang!

The sharp, metallic sound rang out as if a blade had snapped.

After about ten exchanges of techniques—

“Ugh!”

Ok Yeong-cheol stepped back, letting out a pained groan.

The sword in his hand trembled uncontrollably.

Blood dripped from a wound on his wrist, forming droplets at the tip of his sword.

Drip, drip, drip.

The drops of blood falling onto the ground told the story of the duel’s outcome.

Incredibly, the duel had ended swiftly.

“Baek Ha-jun, wins!” Beop Man declared.

Everyone was stunned.

“Waaaah!”

“The Iron-Blood Sword Dragon…! How on earth?!”

The victory was that overwhelming.

Even Ok Yeong-cheol, a renowned master of the Qingcheng Sect, had been defeated in just ten seconds.

Baek Ha-jun wiped the blood from his blade with his sleeve before sheathing it.

Then, he gave a light fist salute.

Ok Yeong-cheol couldn’t bring himself to meet Ha-jun’s gaze.

As Ha-jun was about to leave, leaving Ok Yeong-cheol behind—

“Iron-Blood Sword Dragon Baek Ha-jun, please come here.”

—Beop Man, who had mediated the duel, called out to Ha-jun with a satisfied smile.

Ha-jun quietly approached Beop Man.

“Take this and keep it safe. Make sure no one takes it from you.”

“…”

Ha-jun looked down at the object Beop Man handed to him.

In his hand was a single yellow bead.

It was the same bead Tang Eun-seol had been tossing earlier.

Ha-jun immediately placed it into his robe and disappeared.

“Did you see that?”

“That’s it.”

Many of the observing successors caught on.

That bead was the key to the trial.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep