“I-It’s Aura Qi…” someone murmured.

The crimson light gleaming at the tip of So Woon’s spear was undoubtedly Aura Qi.

The energy coalesced into a constellation, referred to as Aura Qi.

Aura Qi was, without a doubt, the clear mark of a Supreme Peak master.

In other words, So Woon had reached the pinnacle.

“Waaaaaaa!”

“A Supreme Peak master, they say!”

The cheers erupted belatedly.

A young Supreme Peak master had appeared in the martial world.

In nearly 100 years, had there ever been such a succession of young masters reaching the Supreme Peak?

Just as the waves of the Yangtze River push forward the waves before them, a new era had begun.

The audience encircled the duel ground in a wide circle.

They cheered enthusiastically for the victor.

So Woon finally relaxed his rigid expression and lowered his spear.

“Huuk, keuk.”

Jeon Pae clutched his side and knelt on one knee.

It wasn’t life-threatening, but Jeon Pae could no longer continue the duel.

So Woon’s victory.

“West Sky’s Five Spears So Woon wins!”

His short spear, shrouded in Aura Qi, pierced through the shield of Jeon Pae the Black Spear White Shield.

That shield, crafted from a rare metal called snow metal, was not something easily penetrable, even with Aura Qi.

However, So Woon succeeded in striking the very focal point of the spear’s pinnacle. This feat demonstrated that his spear technique had reached the ultimate level.

This brought immense pride to his father, the Nine Spear King.

“Well done, So Woon!”

The Nine Spear King’s voice echoed loudly across the duel ground.

In stark contrast, the Black Dragon King covered his forehead with one hand.

Other masters also congratulated the Nine Spear King So Jin-gong.

“To think your son has reached the Supreme Peak. Congratulations!”

“Remarkable, truly remarkable! You’re fortunate to have such a prodigious talent as your child!”

They clamored with excitement, asking how long this had been the case and why it hadn’t been revealed earlier.

The Nine Spear King chuckled and explained.

So Woon had initially been unable to break through the wall of Supreme Peak.

But during his one-month stay at Tranquil Manor, he seemed to have transcended his limits.

Upon hearing this, the eyes of the martial artists turned toward a certain individual.

For the past month, Yi-gang had been teaching the five successors.

Now, countless gazes were focused on him.

They seemed to question, ‘How?’ or conclude, ‘It must be a coincidence.’

The eyes staring at him carried such unspoken thoughts.

Yi-gang ignored those gazes and clapped for So Woon.

A few days earlier, at Tranquil Manor.

So Woon had abruptly coughed up blood.

“Ptew, huff, huff.”

He had broken through the Life-and-Death Gateway.

In truth, even Yi-gang hadn’t expected such a valiant effort from him.

Despite blood and saliva streaming from his mouth, So Woon’s eyes remained fierce and determined.

Jeong Myung, who could still move his body to some extent, applied a salve to So Woon’s severed tongue and staunched the bleeding.

“Well done,” Yi-gang said.

Unlike So Woon, who had collapsed, Yi-gang remained standing.

However, sweat poured down the back of his neck, and his bloodshot eyes betrayed his exhaustion.

Dam Hyun had enhanced the Hundred Refined Great Technique, refining it into the Thousand Refined Great Technique.

That was no lie.

The Hundred Refined Great Technique was a method that amplified a person’s senses to their utmost limit.

Executing Qigong in this state yielded tremendous efficiency but also induced extreme pain.

If one used their own Innate True Qi to assist, as Dam Hyun had done, this pain can be somewhat mitigated.

However, Yi-gang could not do that.

Instead, he used one hundred silver needles and one hundred gold needles to reduce the recipient’s suffering.

“It hurts… It really hurt.”

Noh Shik, who was lying down, muttered while trembling all over.

The pain endured by the successors was only about one-third of what Yi-gang had experienced.

Even so, it was still excruciating enough to leave lasting psychological trauma.

To prevent the energy depletion of the supporter, Yi-gang also consumed a spiritual medicine.

“…It’s finally over.”

However, Yi-gang had performed the procedure on four successors over several consecutive days, excluding Na Hee-yeon.

The amount of pain he had to share was not much different from his past experiences.

Fortunately, this time he had bitten down on a silk cloth inside his mouth, so his molars didn’t fracture further.

‘That was close.’

The spiritual medicine given to Yi-gang was none other than the Grand Purity Pill of the Wudang Sect.

As a spiritual elixir of the Taoist sect, it was greatly beneficial to Yi-gang.

However, despite using the spiritual elixir to increase his internal energy, Yi-gang nearly exhausted his Innate True Qi during the final procedure.

‘Should I have used that?’

Yi-gang’s gaze shifted toward the drawer in his residence.

Inside the drawer was a golden box.

It was an item sent to Yi-gang through the Baek Noble Clan by King Gyeyeong.

It had been obtained in place of a high-grade spiritual elixir, but it was slightly different from conventional elixirs.

‘Sara Yongrin.’

Yi-gang could not immediately figure out what the ‘Sara Yongrin’ was.

With the Divine Monk’s help, he found its identity in an ancient record housed in the Sutra Pavilion of Shaolin.

It was said to be collected from the gleaming sand that fell from the scales of a dragon during its ascension to heaven.

The record stated that once the tightly sealed box was opened, the substance would instantly volatilize, requiring immediate inhalation through the breath.

Because of this, Yi-gang had yet to open the box.

‘No, it’s too precious to use for this situation.’

The record also described the effects of Sara Yongrin.

‘Even if one’s limbs are severed, they will regrow instantly, granting immortality and eternal youth. It bestows the ability to perceive 1,000 miles and understand the hearts of people.’

It sounded like a legend.

Of course, it couldn’t be entirely believed as written, but even if only part of it were true, it was a treasure worthy of presentation to an emperor.

Yi-gang decided to save it for later.

He planned to store it together with the ceremonial sword of the Imperial Palace, which he had received along with it.

So Woon mumbled with his distorted pronunciation.

“I… I used Aura Qi.”

“Well done.”

So Woon had reached the Supreme Peak.

Of course, not everyone could achieve this, even with the aid of spiritual elixirs and the Thousand Refined Great Technique.

“You will face the Black Dragon King’s son,” Yi-gang informed him.

Not long ago, a messenger arrived from Tranquil Manor.

It was about how the match schedule for the martial duel event would be arranged.

The format of the duels was a “best-of-five” system.

Participants would engage in five one-on-one duels, gaining one point for each victory.

The side that achieved three victories first would win the match.

Naturally, who faced whom was critical.

The first duel was between So Woon and Black Spear White Shield Jeon Pae.

The schedule for the matches was decided in two phases: the first two matches would be set beforehand, while the remaining three pairings would be determined afterward.

“The second match will see their side fielding Blood Rakshasi Wi Hyang.”

The question was, who would face Blood Rakshasi Wi Hyang?

There was a clash of opinions in deciding that.

Yi-gang’s eyes met Noh Shik’s.

Noh Shik had publicly made a suggestion the previous night.

He opposed having Seven-String Sword Edge Na Hee-yeon face Blood Rakshasi Wi Hyang.

‘It’s a matter of strategy. To secure victory in this format, there are two options: sacrifice a weaker player or completely dominate.’

If Na Hee-yeon could dominate Blood Rakshasi Wi Hyang, it wouldn’t be an issue.

Even if she was too weak to compete with Wi Hyang, that wouldn’t be a problem either. Using a weaker player as a sacrifice and securing wins in the other matches would suffice.

‘To be frank, it’d be better if I went in as the sacrificial player and lost. Lady Na is strong.’

However, Na Hee-yeon was strong—just not quite strong enough to overpower Wi Hyang.

Na Hee-yeon was furious at Noh Shik.

All the while, Yi-gang had remained silent.

Just as Yi-gang was about to speak, Na Hee-yeon interrupted, “She killed my senior aunt.”

Her eyes burned like fire.

“Blood Rakshasi Wi Hyang killed my senior aunt. She didn’t have to kill her. She had already won the duel, but she smiled while killing my senior aunt…”

Her words were incoherent, but the raw emotion behind them was palpable.

Na Hee-yeon didn’t hate Blood Rakshasi just because her master did.

Blood Rakshasi had killed her senior aunt, who was like a sister to her.

Brutally, with a chain sickle.

She had been harboring deep resentment and determination for revenge ever since.

“I’ll do anything! Please let me face Blood Rakshasi…”

“Alright, I understand.”

“Ah!”

At Yi-gang’s response, Na Hee-yeon’s face lit up.

Noh Shik looked displeased, but Yi-gang was resolute.

“If I pair you with anyone else, you probably wouldn’t fight properly.”

“Thank you, thank you so much!”

Na Hee-yeon expressed her gratitude as if she were about to kneel.

It was a genuine attitude she had never shown before.

However, Yi-gang didn’t relax his expression.

“But you’ll need to make one promise.”

“A promise…?”

“Yes.”

Yi-gang then spoke about the details of that promise.

Na Hee-yeon didn’t look entirely satisfied.

“That’s…”

However, Yi-gang declared that if she couldn’t keep the promise, he would change the match-up.

“What will you do?”

“I… understand.”

After some hesitation, Na Hee-yeon nodded.

“On the orthodox side, Seven-String Sword Edge Na Hee-yeon! On the unorthodox side, Blood Rakshasi Wi Hyang!”

Heaven’s Secret Scholar called out the names.

Na Hee-yeon and Wi Hyang each stepped onto the dueling stage.

“Before the match begins, show respect to your opponent,” Heaven’s Secret Scholar instructed them.

It was a standard tradition to bow respectfully to the opponent and gesture with clasped hands before the match.

However, neither Na Hee-yeon nor Wi Hyang bowed. Instead, they merely placed their hands on their weapons.

Heaven’s Secret Scholar, who was presiding over the match, was flustered.

From the VIP seats, Putuo’s Priestess shouted bitterly, “Crimson Moon Demoness! Your disciple’s impudence is exactly like yours!”

Putuo’s Priestess had been a rival of the Crimson Moon Demoness even before her own disciple was killed by Wi Hyang.

At this point, it wouldn’t have been surprising if the two had drawn their weapons and fought a life-or-death duel on the spot.

The only reason the VIP seats hadn’t turned into a bloodbath was because both of them were bound by the sects they represented.

The Crimson Moon Demoness, refusing to back down, glared venomously.

“Hmph, old hag. Can’t even keep your disciples in check, and you dare glare at me?”

“Wh-what did you just say?”

“This time, take better care of your disciple. I’d hate to hear more wailing at funerals.”

Putuo’s Priestess, trembling with rage, widened her eyes as her fury reached its peak.

She gripped her sword tightly and turned her gaze to her disciple.

It seemed she decided to leave the matter to Na Hee-yeon and wait for her revenge.

Na Hee-yeon, in turn, looked at her master, Putuo’s Priestess.

Then, startled, she refocused her glare on Wi Hyang.

Yi-gang silently observed the scene.

‘…This isn’t good.’

If it had been about personal revenge alone, it might not have mattered.

But Na Hee-yeon’s hatred was entangled with Putuo’s Priestess’s own deep-seated grudge.

Yi-gang knew well that such emotions wouldn’t allow her to focus purely on the fight.

“Begin!”

And with that, the duel started.

Na Hee-yeon raised her sword.

It was a unique stabbing sword, characteristic of the Putuo Temple Sword Pavilion, normally fused with gold.

Although it specialized in thrusting, its flexibility, resembling a whip sword, gave it an exotic appearance akin to the swords of Western regions.

The guard, designed to protect the hand, had a sharp hook attached, allowing for practical use in combat.

“Ha…”

At that moment, Na Hee-yeon’s lips twisted with anger.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m not sure what you mean,” Wi Hyang tilted her head and replied.

“I’m talking about your weapon. What is that?”

“Can’t you see? It’s a dagger.”

Blood Rakshasi Wi Hyang held five daggers.

The veins on Na Hee-yeon’s forehead bulged.

“You’re not pulling out the chain sickle? Are you looking to die?”

“I don’t think it’ll be necessary. After all, I’ve already faced the Sword Pavilion’s sword once before.”

“…”

Wi Hyang slowly placed a finger on her chin and spoke leisurely, “Ah, yes. When I killed your senior aunt, wasn’t it?”

Na Hee-yeon lunged first.

Releasing a murderous aura, Na Hee-yeon seemed ready to kill Wi Hyang on the spot.

Watching this, Yi-gang recalled the promise he had made with Na Hee-yeon.

‘If it looks like you’re going to lose, don’t push yourself—surrender.’

Do not throw away your life.

At the critical moment, he had instructed her to concede and preserve her life.

At that time, Na Hee-yeon had nodded in agreement.

“But it doesn’t seem like she’ll keep that promise.”

Yi-gang was certain that Na Hee-yeon would never surrender.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep