Chapter 60: Formatting |
The elders of the Zhongnan Sect were visibly startled by my victory.
“How can this be…!!”
“This is not human internal energy…!!”
They seemed astonished by the unfathomable level of internal energy I had displayed. The slashing wounds etched around the area were like a horrendous scene from a monster’s scream, a natural consequence considering the extent of damage that could have brought down the building.
Shortly after the commotion among the general disciples subsided and calm was restored, one of the ten great elders of the Zhongnan Sect stepped forward. He was the elder who had previously spoken with senior brother, Jin So-cheong.
“Elder Jinsoo’s skill ranks among the top within our group. We hoped that at best he would win or at least drain Jin So-cheong’s strength… But it seems your junior outdid him.”
His voice carried an undertone of fear, and it was evident they no longer underestimated me as a mere child.
“He’s just unconscious.”
“Give us a moment. We need some time to decide our next challenger.”
“Why not have the speaker himself step forward? You don’t seem weaker than Elder Jinsoo.”
“Haha. Of course, I’m not weaker than Jinsoo, but winning is a different matter. Had you invaded our main quarters, such a strategy request would be reasonable, right?”
“……”
He was eloquent.
Remarkably smooth and articulate, he was one of the top strategists of the Zhongnan Sect, as evidenced by his ability to remain unfazed by the heated atmosphere. Jin So-cheong spoke when I remained silent.
“Do as you wish. But we cannot wait for more than one mealtime.”
“It won’t take that long.”
The elders then took the unconscious Elder Jinsoo away and seemed to be discussing something in a secluded place. I stood idly in the sparring ground when I heard senior brother’s voice transmission.
[ Junior. Come down now. Something feels off.]
[ What do you mean? No matter who comes out, I am confident I won’t lose in a one-on-one match.]
I believed in my strength.
I wanted to crush the other elders in my current state of agitation, fueled by the provocation I had faced. Then came another voice transmission.
[ Didn’t you notice the attitude of that elder just now? He’s the kind who would do anything to win, harboring venomous intentions. Getting entangled in poison hands would be bad for both you and the Azure Dragon Martial Hall.]
Jin So-cheong’s gentle persuasion and reasoning reached me. I calmed my boiling fighting spirit and contemplated. Reflecting on my life experiences, it seemed I was indeed in a dangerous situation.
“… Understood, senior brother.”
I stopped being stubborn and nodded. Engaging with an opponent who doesn’t play fair would be foolish. Jin So-cheong seemed confident he could handle whatever scheme they planned if he stepped in. I settled down, controlling my raging blood, and took a seat.
“Well thought.”
“Who will come out next?”
“They won’t come alone. Likely a joint attack formation.”
“Really?”
I was skeptical. Was it possible that the Nine Martial Factions would use a joint attack formation in what was supposed to be a duel? It sounded too absurd, but soon I realized that Jin So-cheong’s prediction was correct.
“We will face you with the Six Harmony Moon Chasing Formation.”
Saying so, six elders boldly stepped forward and formed the formation according to the Six Harmonies.
“……”
“Oh…”
Both Jin So-cheong and I were left agape. We had harbored doubts, but never expected them to be so blatantly audacious. I was so taken aback that my ears trembled with fury.
‘What kind of people are these?’
How could six peak masters from a renowned faction like the Nine Martial Factions gang up in an attack? Moreover, the six elders leading the formation showed not a trace of shame. One of the elders, forming the formation, shouted confidently.
“Join forces if you wish. If you have any other helpers, that is!”
I protested vehemently.
“Where does such a rule exist?”
“Did we ever say we would fight one-on-one?”
“……”
“And the Six Harmony Moon Chasing Formation is a legitimate martial art of the Zhongnan Sect. Who are you to question our right to use our martial arts?”
Their brazenness left me speechless. Duels are traditionally one-on-one contests to measure martial skills, not for use in blood battles between sects! Although a two-person joint attack formation can be considered a martial art, six people teaming up was unprecedented and unfair.
‘Crazy fools… Is this what the Nine Martial Factions are about?’
I realized following Jin So-cheong’s advice was wise. Had I been standing there, I would have been overwhelmed and forced into a 1 vs 6 fight. Even with my current strength, I couldn’t have won against six peak masters united in a formation. Calmly, Jin So-cheong stood up.
“Then, we too shall join forces.”
“Suit yourself. Huhuhu.”
The elders’ eyes gleamed with triumphant malice. I had seen such a look before and understood their intentions.
They were determined to win at any cost, even if it meant maiming us in the process.
I sent a mental message to Jin So-cheong.
[ Let’s stop this, senior brother. This is madness. We don’t have to accept this nonsense. People won’t blame us.]
[ Perhaps. But I don’t feel like we’re going to lose.]
[ What do you mean?]
[ Come and see. Follow my lead, and we surely won’t lose.]
“……”
I had no choice but to follow Jin So-cheong.
‘Sigh, it’s do or die.’
Jin So-cheong’s judgment in martial arts far surpassed mine. Besides, I had come here prepared to risk my life for martial arts training. I couldn’t show cowardice when Jin So-cheong had more confidence. With no other option, I decided to trust Jin So-cheong and see it through.
Murmurs
The Zhongnan Sect disciples were shocked, seemingly not expecting us to confront the Six Harmony Moon Chasing Formation. They probably thought we’d concede defeat or flee in fear. Even the elders seemed surprised, their eyes lighting up.
The leading elder spoke.
“Do you think you can win? Once the formation is set, we can unleash the power of ten peak masters.”
His words were no boast. The effect of a formation wasn’t a simple sum of its parts. A two-person joint attack could yield the effect of four fighters; a four-person, even more. The Six Harmony Moon Chasing Formation, executed in unison by six peak-level elders of the Zhongnan Sect, was indeed a formidable tactic.
Jin So-cheong smirked and replied.
“We’ll see. But may I ask one thing?”
“What is it?”
“Considering it’s 6 against 2, allowing us the first strike would only be fair.”
The elders exchanged looks and communicated through mental messages. Soon, they simultaneously nodded.
“Agreed!”
They were confident of victory despite granting us the first strike – a normal assumption under the circumstances.
Ssssh
The stage was set. Side by side, Jin So-cheong and I faced the six elders of the Zhongnan Sect, who were arrayed three zhang away, in a sword stance. Each adopted a different pose, likely symbolizing their position within the formation. From these poses, they would blend hundreds of variations to fight invincibly as the Six Harmony Moon Chasing Formation.
‘How should we attack?’
As I pondered, Jin So-cheong’s voice transmission reached me.
[ Those fools. And it’s fortunate that you followed me, junior.]
[ What do you mean?]
[ Junior. Fully unleash the Thunder Dragon Spirit. I’ll block any mid-way attacks, so concentrate on reaching your full strength.]
I instantly grasped the meaning of senior brother’s words and smiled wryly, finding the situation somewhat amusing.
[ Alright. They’re in for a bitter taste.]
Woooo –
“Haah…”
Concentrating deeply, I adopted an upper stance. Then, blades of thunder enveloped my sword edge, intensifying the spread of my internal energy.
Zing!
My arms tingled. I could feel the overwhelming surge of thunder energy.
The elders of the Zhongnan Sect, unlike before, seemed almost unaffected by my internal energy after forming the Six Harmony Moon Chasing Formation. Their energies were likely amplifying each other.
Rumble –
The atmosphere trembled intensely. The wind swirled around my sword, creating a strange vortex centered around me. The ground trembled as a storm-like force swept through the room. The intensity was much greater than when I faced Elder Jinsoo, making the elders in the formation visibly unsettled.
“What are they trying to do…”
As one of them burst out angrily, trying to attack, Jin So-cheong had already drawn his spear like lightning, thoroughly blocking the elder’s movement. Jin So-cheong, having gained the upper hand, spoke coldly.
“Didn’t we agree to strike first? Can’t the Zhongnan Sect even keep a promise they just made?”
“Krgh…!!”
While they hesitated, I focused on gathering all my dormant strength and concentrated on amplifying the Thunder Dragon Spirit. Normally, gathering this much energy in actual combat is impossible, but since they verbally allowed the first strike, I had ample time. I combined my internal energy and concentration solely on the Thunder Dragon Spirit.
Rumble –
Crackle!
The blade of lightning was no longer refined, crackling wildly, scattering thunder in all directions. What began as a three-foot blade grew to the length of one zhang, and kept growing.
Crackle!
As I infused more than half of my total internal energy, an anomaly occurred. My sword’s steel seemed to melt away, replaced by a blade of light. The handle was all that remained, but a vivid blade hovered at my fingertips. It was the result of the overpowering thunder energy.
After a moment, the blade exceeded one zhang in length and width, becoming more like a massive club. This thunder club was so enormous that no one could survive a hit from it.
The faces of the Zhongnan Sect elders turned pale, likely realizing the power of the Thunder Dragon Spirit.
‘Is this the limit?’
I had poured 70% of my internal energy into the Thunder Dragon Spirit. I could have added more, but it might become uncontrollable, so I stopped. Jin So-cheong, keeping the elders at bay, chuckled.
“Junior, give them a good hit.”
Of course.
I mentally replied and swung down the Thunder Dragon Spirit. The elders’ cries of alarm rang out.
“No waaayyyyyy!”
Boom
Kaboom
Destructive sounds erupted consecutively. It was like a prelude to the world’s end.
Rumble…
After the storm of thunder energy passed, clouds of smoke billowed out.
At that moment, 60% of the Zhongnan Sect’s building was obliterated, a hillside collapsed, and a massive landslide echoed in the distance. The sound of rolling boulders reached us.
“Kheheheuk.”
“Aaack…”
The elders fell from the sky.
Thud
The targeted Zhongnan Sect elders miraculously survived but were immobilized by the shockwave of the rebounding thunder energy, electrocuted. Especially the elder who had been smugly provoking earlier, his eyes rolled back in shock, lying unconscious.
The building, now a ruin as if struck by a meteor, left the disciples of the Zhongnan Sect pale and gaunt.
“…….”
Even I blinked in disbelief at the power of the Thunder Dragon Spirit I had unleashed. I had gathered energy for over 30 breaths and poured 70% of my internal energy into it, but could this really be the power of a sword technique?
The thunder energy was much larger than the one used against Elder Jinsoo. The lightning strike, at least ten times bigger, was akin to a natural disaster.
“Huh… Hah…”
I felt the aftermath in my body. My breathing grew difficult, and my head felt light. Dizziness set in from using too much energy at once, but after taking a moment to catch my breath, I returned to normal. Jin So-cheong, who had come to my side, patted my back.
“Well done, junior. To annihilate the enemies in one strike is remarkable.”
I wiped the sweat from my forehead.
“This is the first time I’ve used the Thunder Dragon Spirit like this.”
“If you were on the battlefield, you could lead to victory alone. I’m proud of you.”
Jin So-cheong’s praise was no empty compliment. If such power were unleashed at the enemy’s headquarters, it could cause hundreds of casualties. It was miraculous that the Zhongnan Sect elders survived. I clenched my fist, realizing my internal energy had reached an almost inhuman level.
‘It’s not far off.’
If I can fully utilize this internal energy and further refine my martial skills, I could defeat the leader of the Embroidered Uniform Guard!
As I was steeling my resolve, a deep voice brushed past my ears. A figure passed by my side at incredible speed.
Whoosh
“Then, allow me to request a match.”
Suddenly, a figure in white appeared in the hall, standing in front of the collapsed elders. Surprisingly, I hadn’t seen him arrive.
However, Jin So-cheong immediately stared at him with a sharp gaze, indicating a level of caution far beyond what was shown to the elders. This indicated that the man in white was a dangerous entity. Holding his spear, Jin So-cheong said,
“Yeon Jeonghong, leader of the Zhongnan Sect. The duel is already over.”
The man in white, Yeon Jeonghong, tilted his head as if surprised.
“The duel is over?”
“Best two out of three! My junior won one round, and just now, we won a second in a 2 vs 6 fight. You have no more chances.”
Unusually, Jin So-cheong didn’t speak rudely or casually as he did with the other Zhongnan Sect members. He was respectfully formal with Yeon Jeonghong.
“Hmm…”
Yeon Jeonghong glanced discontentedly at the elders sprawled on the ground and sighed.
“This is the problem with our sect’s elders. They insisted on handling it themselves to save face, but now they have suffered the humiliation of losing the signboard. How foolish.”
“You are right.”
Jin So-cheong, uncharacteristically, had a streak of sweat on his neck, a sign of his tension.
“If you had come out from the beginning, we would have truly risked our lives.”
I felt an involuntary tension upon seeing Yeon Jeonghong.
‘If he attacks now… I’ve almost used up all my internal energy. How can I win?’
Yeon Jeonghong, the First Sword of Zhongnan!
The current leader of the Zhongnan Sect!
Also recognized as one of the few super-peak masters in the world, his swordsmanship was revered in the Central Plains. I learned about him while investigating the Shuangmen Hermitage in Luoyang; the Zhongnan Sect’s overall disciple strength was inferior to the Hwasan faction, but they could contend with them solely because of Yeon Jeonghong’s martial prowess. At the time, I was surprised to hear that one person’s influence could be so vast.
‘This is… a bit much…’
But now facing him, I understood.
The despair I felt was similar to when facing the leader of the Embroidered Uniform Guards.
The difference between a peak and a super-peak master might be just one level, but the disparity in power was terrifying. Until now, I thought I could win against the Six Harmony Moon Chasing Formation with a do-or-die attitude. But against this super-peak master, it seemed unlikely that such a fluke would work.
Ssshh
As Yeon Jeonghong slightly raised his hand, Jin So-cheong and I released intense fighting spirit, ready for a life-or-death showdown. However, Yeong Jeonghong brushed it off like a gentle breeze and spoke in a bored tone.
“The elders acted on their own, making me late. Because of that, our sect has suffered a great humiliation… This too is my negligence.”
“What will you do?”
“Take the signboard. We’ll close our doors for five years. We must strictly train our disciples to prevent such incidents.”
Without any fuss, Yeon Jeonghong accepted the Nine Martial Sects’ closure declaration and turned around.
“And convey to the Azure Dragon that I’ll visit for a drink sometime soon, Jin So-cheong.”
“Understood.”
Yeon Jeonghong and Jin So-cheong seemed to know each other. Hence, Jin So-cheong seemed well aware of Yeon Jeonghong’s power. Surprisingly, Jin So-cheong didn’t hesitate or show any reluctance in attacking the Zhongnan Sect, which might have been his own way of showing off, confident he could end the situation before the Zhongnan Sect leader intervened.
“Take care.”
“Wait a moment!”
I stopped Yeon Jeonghong. As he turned around, I asked,
“My master’s epithet is Threefold Expert , so why do you keep calling him the Azure Dragon?”
The elders of the Zhongnan Sect and even the leader had been referring to my master, Lee Gwang, as the Azure Dragon instead of Threefold Expert. There must have been a reason for it.
“……”
Yeon Jeonghong looked surprised at Jin So-cheong, who then awkwardly smiled and said,
“My junior is new and doesn’t know much about the past.”
“I see. Well, that can happen.”
Then Yeon Jeonghong, with a deep gaze, said,
“Ask your master directly about that. Though, how many can objectively reveal their past?”
“……?”
“I’ve seen your skill. Let’s meet again under better circumstances.”
Yeon Jeonghong then started to attend to the unconscious elders. Realizing it was a subtle dismissal, Jin So-cheong and I began to leave the Zhongnan Sect.
As promised, we didn’t forget to take the signboard of the Zhongnan Sect. Carrying it on my shoulder, I asked Jin So-cheong as we hurried away,
“Did I ask something wrong?”
Whoosh
Running alongside me, Jin So-cheong responded with a wry smile.
“It’s not that, junior brother. If anything, your question just rekindled fear among the peak masters in the Jiangsu and Shaanxi regions. If others had heard your question, they might have been shaking in terror or gone into hiding.”
“Really?!”
“But for a super-peak master like Yeon Jeonghong, it’s just a thing of the past. Ask your master when we return; he’ll give you a proper answer.”
“Okay.”
“And about the signboard, let’s take turns carrying it. It would be too heavy for one person.”
While senior brother showed consideration, I, who was carrying it, had a different question.
“But what are we going to do with this? It’s not like we can sell it.”
“Hmm…”
Jin So-cheong pondered for a while about the practical use of the Zhongnan Sect’s signboard and then answered.
“Storing it in the warehouse might come in handy someday.”
“……”
I wanted to ask ‘When exactly?’ but held back my question.
After all, today was a day of success in challenging the Zhongnan Sect, and I was more inclined towards enjoying a good meal and resting comfortably.