Drip.
“Cough.”
Blood poured from Yung Pung’s nose and mouth.
The impact must have been severe—he couldn’t even gather his senses properly.
To make matters worse, he had been sent flying to the edge of the sparring arena.
This ant that if the arena hadn’t been expanded for the main match, unlike during the preliminaries, Yung Pung would have been disqualified on the spot.
‘Damn it.’
I hit him too hard without aning to.
I didn’t intend to leave him in such a state with one blow, but my fist flew out on instinct.
‘And of all faces, it had to be that one.’
An old man with an unlucky and unpleasant face.
I had only seen him properly once before, but the mont I caught sight of him, my fist lashed out.
Was it instinct?
‘What the hell?’
I frowned as I looked at Yung Pung, who was coughing violently.
Now, he looked completely normal again.
It was as if the previous state had been an illusion, and he had returned to his original form.
Then what exactly had just happened?
‘It didn’t seem intentional.’
It wasn’t a hallucination or an illusionary formation.
In other words, Yung Pung hadn’t done it deliberately.
Moreover—
‘The audience doesn’t seem to have noticed anything.’
If they had seen the change just now, they would have been shocked.
But the crowd was only reacting to Yung Pung being sent flying—they didn’t seem to notice the earlier anomaly.
Which ant—
‘I was the only one who saw it.’
This phenonon had happened in my perception alone.
‘Just now… that face was Shin Noya’s.’
It was the face I had seen in that broken vessel—etched into my mory, clear and vivid.
What I saw in Yung Pung just now was undoubtedly Noya’s face.
What the hell is going on?
While I was lost in thought, trying to make sense of the sudden developnt—
“Huff… huff….”
Yung Pung slowly pushed himself up.
The bleeding had stopped—he must have used his Qi to staunch it.
Staggering to his feet, he reached out his hand—
Clang—! Shiiiing—!!
The sword he had lost earlier shot into his hand as if drawn by a magnetic force.
“Haa….”
After steadying his breath, Yung Pung assud a stance.
Suddenly, the faint scent of plum blossoms that had vanished earlier began to linger again.
“I apologize… I was too overexcited and failed to respond properly.”
The words sounded oddly composed, despite his swollen nose and lips, but his eyes carried a weight of seriousness.
“Thank you… for holding back.”
“…”
I nodded slightly.
I had been a little surprised at how far he’d been sent flying, but Yung Pung’s condition was not what I expected.
‘He’s taken less damage than I thought.’
I threw that punch out of reflex.
Even if it wasn’t my full strength, it was still a pretty heavy hit.
And yet—
‘He blocked it with his Qi.’
Right before the punch landed, Yung Pung had gathered his energy to defend against my attack.
The Qi shaped like plum petals absorbed most of the impact, allowing him to stand back up.
‘He’s gotten stronger.’
Much stronger than the last ti I saw him.
Back then, his Qi was a ss—he couldn’t even control it properly.
That’s why, during his fight with Seong Yul, he was either on equal footing or even at a disadvantage.
But now—
‘He’s not quite there yet, but it’s close to Hwagyeong.’
At least in terms of presence, he’s almost there.
The unstable Qi he has now will soon beco a seed.
And it won’t take long for that seed to sprout.
But—
‘Is it really yours?’
I wanted to ask him.
‘The power you’re wielding—is it truly yours?’
Thump.
Thump.
Every ti Yung Pung’s aura surged—
Every ti the plum blossoms scattered from his blade—
A familiar, subtle fragrance brushed past my nose, making my heart pound wildly.
The demonic energy was silent, and the heat remained calm.
Only the lingering trace of the Dao tied them together, revealing a hidden emotion.
It was a gift left behind by that foul-mouthed old man who had passed away.
That Qi was starting to stir.
Resonance.
The sharp energy inside , the remnant left by that cranky old man, was resonating with Yung Pung’s Qi.
‘Damn it.’
This cursed sensation annoyed every ti I felt it.
What made it even worse—
‘I’m the only one who can feel it.’
I was the only one sensing this resonance.
Shiiing.
Yung Pung swung his sword.
Plum petals began swirling like a storm around him.
No matter what I was thinking—
Yung Pung was focused solely on this sparring match.
Did he think he could beat ?
‘No way.’
Yung Pung knew better than that.
And yet, he was still stepping forward.
His footwork danced lightly.
His disheveled clothes fluttered, and his sword rebounded smoothly.
Plum Blossom Sword Dance.
The flowers cultivated by Mount Hua blood at the tip of his blade.
Shiiiik—!!
The elegant dance concealed sharp and deadly intent.
It was swift and precise.
I dug my feet into the ground, preparing my stance.
Shiiik—! Shik-shik—!
Twisting my upper body, I dodged the blade.
But the sword kept moving unpredictably, pressing closer with each motion.
‘Huh?’
Back when I pumled Yung Pung before, I had one thought—
His sword was too straightforward.
A sword that was honest.
An essential quality for a swordsman, but without variation, it was useless.
His sword had been so predictable back then—
‘But he’s changed it.’
Multiple feints.
Unorthodox movents.
And yet, the essence of the Plum Blossom Sword Dance remained intact.
I couldn’t help but feel impressed.
Shiiing—!
As I dodged, my senses caught sothing.
Not just one—
Dozens of attacks.
Every single plum petal carried intent as they flew toward .
In terms of montum alone, it felt like hundreds of sword techniques bearing down on .
‘This is terrifying.’
Whoosh—!!
The rising flas burned away every falling petal.
Not a single one could be left intact.
‘It was like this back then too.’
The petals Yung Pung had shown before had turned to ashes.
Would it be any different this ti?
Would his swordplay, which had clearly evolved, display sothing new?
I clenched my heart, bracing myself for what ca next.
Whoosh—!!!
The fiery ring of the Nine Flas Firewheel Technique spun rapidly. Then—
Fwoooosh—!!!
Blue flas erupted from my body, surging in all directions.
Nine Flas Spiral Fang (Guyeomhwaryungong).
It was the technique that had tornted Yung Pung in the past.
Now, how would he respond?
I waited in anticipation of Yung Pung’s reaction.
“…Hooo…!”
Facing the flas, Yung Pung seed to steel himself and began to stir his energy.
More plum petals filled the air.
Swish—!!
Yung Pung swung his sword at an unbelievable speed.
The sword energy, dyed with the color of plum blossoms, pierced into the flas.
One strike caused the flas to waver.
Ten strikes began to shatter them.
Before I knew it, over a hundred strikes had landed.
‘Crazy bastard.’
As the flas steadily died out, I cursed under my breath.
‘So that’s his plan?’
Unbelievable.
I thought he’d pull out so special technique, but he just hacked away at the flas like a madman.
‘Hah.’
Still, I wasn’t disappointed.
No, I actually liked it.
I only realized it now—
I had a soft spot for reckless idiots like him.
Boom—!
Before the flas could completely fade, I stomped down and charged forward.
Yung Pung didn’t stop swinging his sword.
In fact, he sped up.
A ridiculous number of sword strikes rained down on .
Should I dodge?
I could, but I chose not to.
Creak—!
I braced my legs and twisted my waist.
As my upper body spun, my fist ignited with blue flas.
Slightly slower than the speed of sound—
Flas compressed and twisted into a rotating mass.
Great Fla Orb (Daeyeomok).
It was just a larger version of the Fla Orb, but its destructive power matched the sheer amount of Qi I poured into it.
I hurled the massive orb at Yung Pung.
Boom—!!
The sword energy clashed against the orb, pushing it back.
An overwhelming amount of Qi.
Would he dodge and counterattack? Or block it head-on?
I had only anticipated two options.
Clang—!
But Yung Pung defied my expectations.
Instead of dodging or blocking, he suddenly gripped his sword with both hands.
I wondered what he was planning, but the answer quickly revealed itself.
Hwoooosh—!!
His surging energy infused the blade, emanating a chilling intent.
Plum Blossom Flying Shadow Slash (Maehwabiyeongcham).
Slash—!
A crimson arc cleaved the Great Fla Orb in half.
Boom—!!!
The split orb exploded, sending heat in all directions.
The flas obscured my vision, but then—
Whoosh—!!
Yung Pung burst through the fire, charging straight at .
I moved instinctively.
At that mont—
Throb—!
“…!”
Pain shot through my chest.
The wound that had been regenerating reopened.
Blood poured out as the injury tore apart.
‘Tsk.’
The pain slowed my movents just slightly.
Slash—!
Yung Pung’s blade grazed my palm.
Even with my protective Qi barrier, it cut through.
The compression of his energy was absurd.
Despite the difference in our levels, he managed to slice through my defense.
Just how sharp had he refined his Qi?
There was no ti to be surprised.
As Yung Pung pressed forward, I swung my injured hand.
“…!?”
Splurt—!
Blood sprayed from the torn wound.
I manipulated my blood vessels to increase the pressure.
The spray shot toward Yung Pung’s face, ant to obstruct his vision.
But he dodged it effortlessly.
It didn’t matter.
The important part was the opening it created.
As Yung Pung moved, my foot swept against his ankle.
Tap—!
“Urgh!?”
His footing collapsed.
He tried to regain balance, but of course, I wouldn’t let him.
I drove my knee into his stomach.
Thud—!!
“Ugh!”
Yung Pung cried out as he was sent flying.
I didn’t stop there—
Fwoosh—!!
I unleashed more flas, aiming them at him mid-air.
Boom—!!
The blue flas roared, threatening to burn him to ash.
But it didn’t work.
In that split-second, Yung Pung raised his sword to block the flas.
‘You blocked the impact? Fine. But what about the recoil?’
Even if he avoided being burned, how would he handle being knocked out of bounds?
At this rate, he’d be forced out of the arena.
Naturally—
I had no intention of stopping.
“Grghh…!”
Whoosh—!!
The flas surged even stronger.
I watched him with cold eyes, curious to see his next move.
Thunk—!
Suddenly, light burst from Yung Pung’s sword.
A crimson glow erupted, causing a small shockwave.
‘He compressed his energy and detonated it inside the blade?’
“Urgh!”
Yung Pung let out a strained grunt.
Detonating it internally ant he couldn’t avoid internal injuries.
But thanks to that, he managed to push himself just far enough to avoid the flas.
And with that tiny opening, he twisted his body mid-air.
Swish—!
He slipped through the flas and ca rushing back.
Despite everything, his eyes remained sharp, and his blade stayed steady.
I had already seen this during his match with Bong Soon—
His growth was nothing short of remarkable.
There were still a few things that bothered …
But for now—
‘I’ll entertain him.’
I decided to respond.
Boom—!
I launched myself at him.
Yung Pung’s eyes widened at my sudden charge, but his sword flew toward without hesitation.
It might be hard to dodge in mid-air—
‘Sorry, but this is my specialty.’
I was an expert in aerial combat.
Snap—!
I flicked my fingers, igniting the flas.
A chain explosion erupted, generating a powerful shockwave.
Swish—!
I twisted my body, dodging the blade, and used the montum to kick out.
Boom—! Yung Pung blocked with his sword.
It didn’t matter. This wasn’t ant to attack but to push him back.
I planted my knee firmly and shoved against his blade.
Bang—!!
“Ugh!?”
With no solid footing, Yung Pung was forced backward.
I drew my palm back and imdiately unleashed flas.
Whoosh—!
The explosion propelled forward at high speed.
I closed the distance and threw a punch.
Yung Pung panicked, hastily raising his defense.
‘Clumsy.’
His Qi reinforcent was weak, and his aerial movent lacked weight.
Of course, it made sense.
At his age, how much experience could he have in aerial combat?
I smashed my fist down like a hamr.
Boom—!!
“Argh!”
Yung Pung failed to block and crashed into the ground.
He couldn’t even roll to break the fall—it looked painful.
But he couldn’t afford to stay down.
Before he could gather his breath, Yung Pung moved again.
He rose quickly, returning to the spot where he had fallen.
Crash—!!
My foot slamd into the ground.
If he hadn’t stood up, he would’ve been crushed.
Blades of light poured out as Yung Pung’s sword dance continued, undeterred—even after barely avoiding death.
His speed had slowed slightly, but his montum remained unbroken.
I blocked the sword energy with Qi and countered with punches.
Defense, evasion, and attacks.
It turned into an intense close-quarters battle.
My brows furrowed.
Through my Heart Eye, all I saw was Yung Pung’s sword paths.
Countless feints and unpredictable trajectories made my head ache just watching.
‘This is insane.’
Every ti I dodged, the sword curved at a strange angle.
Every ti I blocked, it slipped an inch closer.
Could a sword technique be this chaotic?
I was impressed—
‘Damn it, this is driving crazy.’
Facing his sword, I couldn’t remain unaffected.
‘It’s familiar.’
Yung Pung’s sword felt oddly familiar.
Maybe it had always been like this—
From the mont I faced those falling plum blossoms until now.
It was the sa reason I hadn’t ended this match earlier despite being able to.
I had—
I had seen this sword before.
No, more than that—
‘I’ve used it.’
I had wielded this sword with my own body before.
When Shin Noya borrowed my body.
The old man had briefly used this very technique.
The flow of Qi in the sword dance—
The sharp and precise movents that mirrored the old man’s stubborn personality—
Even soone like , who knew little about swords, could recognize it.
‘This isn’t…’
This wasn’t just Mount Hua’s Plum Blossom Sword Technique.
It was closer to Shin Noya’s sword.
Slash—!
Yung Pung’s blade grazed my cheek, drawing blood.
It was getting sharper.
Regardless of his level, I had to acknowledge his swordsmanship.
However—
‘Is this sword truly yours?’
Twelve strikes ca at .
I dodged seven and took five with my body.
There was no other way.
I had to endure to close the distance.
I pressed forward, ignoring my wounds, and grabbed Yung Pung by the collar again.
I had questions.
Thump—! Thump—!
My heart pounded wildly.
The Guiding String wrapped around my arm pulsed as if ready to move.
Shin Noya’s traces, found suddenly in Shanxi, and the other Guiding String left behind—
Everything was a mystery.
Whoosh.
I compressed the flas and shaped them into a spear.
Yung Pung instinctively tried to counter, but he was too close to react properly.
“What…? Young Master Gu…?!”
Did he realize what I was about to do?
I felt his panic.
We were too close—he knew what would happen if this power exploded here.
I looked at him calmly and said,
“I think you’ve had enough.”
“…What are you—”
“It’s ti for you to co out.”
Although I was speaking to Yung Pung, the words weren’t ant for him.
They were directed at sothing deeper.
“Young Master Gu…?”
Confused, Yung Pung’s eyes trembled.
He must’ve thought I had lost my mind.
I didn’t care.
I knew the real target could hear .
Still not coming out?
I smiled.
“Then let’s die together.”
Whoosh—!
I prepared to detonate the fla spear.
[Well, well.]
A voice echoed in my ear.
[What a nasty brat.]
Suddenly—
Whoosh—!
My vision turned black.
Before I knew it, I was sowhere else.
I wasn’t alard.
This wasn’t the first ti sothing like this had happened.
I calmly surveyed my surroundings.
[Tsk tsk….]
I turned toward the familiar sound of soone clicking their tongue.
In the distance, a lone rock jutted out awkwardly in this empty space.
Soone sat atop it.
Splash.
I stepped forward, and the ground rippled like ink.
The wet, sticky sensation was unpleasant, but I endured it as I approached the figure.
Dressed in white robes that clashed with the dark surroundings—
Snow-white hair and crimson eyes stood out.
Tall and slightly gaunt, with long fingers resting against his chin.
I walked up to the rock and t his gaze.
[Hmm.]
“Hmph.”
I stared at the familiar old man’s face and spoke.
“Wow. Shin Noya, you really look annoying.”
[And you look like a disrespectful brat.]
We spoke at the sa ti.
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