Chapter 168: Chapter 166

Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors

My opening move was the Ultimate Technique: Thunder Shadow Sword Technique, while Tuma’s first move was Blade Curtain. As my sword shot out like a beam of light infused with internal power, Tuma unfurled the Blade Curtain to block my attack. At the same time, flames and thunder erupted, signaling the start of the battle.

Kiiying!

Since my internal power was at a remarkable level, the Thunder Shadow Sword Technique seemed poised to slice straight through the middle of Tuma’s Blade Curtain and reach his vital points. However, Tuma appeared to be aware of my internal power level; he deftly evaded my strike and switched from the Blade Curtain to a counterattack using Blade Flame.

Ku-kwaang!

This was also a form of Counter Strike. As I laid my sword flat to absorb the shock, I was pushed back slightly, re-establishing a distance of three feet between Tuma and me. With the probing skirmish concluded, the competitive spirit ignited in our eyes as we gradually unveiled our respective Ultimate Techniques.

The Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique’s Swift Phantom Strike came forth. My sword felt as though it had surpassed its previous limits while perfecting the insights gained from Jang Sam-bong, and I thought it would surely be effective even against a world-class expert like Tuma. Sure enough, amidst the shower of glowing sword light, Tuma seemed flustered as he defended only his immediate area and retreated a few steps back.

Taat!

Tuma’s body soared a foot above the ground. In a contest between masters, jumping first was close to conceding defeat unless one had exceptional agility, yet Tuma uniquely presented his back to me in this posture.

‘Is this his Ultimate Technique?’

It’s a given that the more unconventional the posture, the higher the chances it holds a hidden move. Charging in just because his back was exposed could easily land me in a trap. So I halted my Swift Phantom Strike and used Empty Soul Movement to sidestep out of his attack range.

Sa-sat!

In an instant, our positions shifted. I applied my majestic sword stance to block Tuma’s subsequent offensive while simultaneously putting pressure on him, but Tuma began using Strong Strike to push forward.

Gwa-rung!!

With a thunderous sound, my blade and Tuma’s finally clashed. As Tuma seemed to try to deflect my attack with a Flowing Path, I pressed harder, forcing him to stumble backward for two steps, unable to withstand the disparity in internal power. As Tuma once again maneuvered in a Turning Body, I followed with the Empty Soul Movement to keep the chase going.

Tuma’s blade sent waves of heavy pressure crashing down. It seemed he was full of formidable force, so I utilized Flowing Path to redirect the impact downward.

Ku-woong!

Dust clouds rose between Tuma and me. Even through the dust, we were still staring each other down. The brief silence spent was a little over twenty seconds of exchanges.

“Ooooooh…!!”

“Remarkable!!”

Cheers erupted from the audience. The exchanges between true world-class experts certainly possessed the artistic flair akin to a brilliant dance. However, I was aware that this brilliance stemmed from the inadequacies within me, so I couldn’t allow myself to feel smug. As one goes to the extreme, the splendor diminishes and becomes more straightforward.

“……”

As I faced Tuma, he glimpsed at his blade, noticing a few gashes had appeared on the edge, with a tooth chipped. He then soared slightly off the ground, implanted his original blade into the floor, and returned with a new one from a nearby rack.

He sighed and said,

“What the heck? How have I not noticed someone like you until now?”

I bitterly smiled and replied,

“Who could know the vastness of the world?”

“Your swordplay differs quite a lot from the Thunder God Lineage’s Thunder Shadow Sword Technique and Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique that I’ve heard about. Is it a new style?”

“Hmm…”

I felt a bit perplexed by Tuma’s question. It wasn’t the dilemma of how to answer, but rather an introspection about the ambiguous state my swordsmanship had reached. A world-class expert from the Wind Spirit Sect, my archenemy, should definitely have the insight to differentiate the techniques, yet his assertion that it was a “different technique” indicated that my swordplay had indeed transformed.

‘Did the evolution of the Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique blend with Jang Sam-bong‘s insights?’

I hadn’t noticed this fact when sparring with the disciples of the Thunder God Lineage. After a brief contemplation, I returned Tuma’s question with,

“Not exactly. Just recognize it as an evolved form of the Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique.”

“Heh heh… To think you’d improve your swordplay after just half a century. Guess the Thunder God Lineage really got thrown out hard.”

“Can we engage properly, or are we just going to keep dancing around each other? Why do you keep provoking me ambiguously?”

Having the experience of a sword master, Tuma didn’t seem inclined to hurl insults or taunts. After I complained, he smiled back and responded,

“Ahh, isn’t this a friendly match? No need to get too heated.”

Before I could even frame a reply, Tuma took a breath and made his move. It was a cleverly timed maneuver aimed at coaxing an opening from me, causing me to feel a bit flustered as I batted away his blade flame.

‘Damn it.’

Even this gap was Tuma reading my mindset and striking. He seemed to realize that petty insults or clumsy provocations wouldn’t work on me and instead aimed for a crack in my breathing.

Buuung!

Simultaneously, intangible energy began to coalesce around Tuma’s blade, and I sensed that this was the precursor to Tuma using a hidden technique from the Wind Spirit Sect. Moments later, Tuma swept his blade horizontally and shouted,

“Blood Wind Slash!”

Tuma’s blade flame shot forth, suddenly splitting into two afterimages. This was an occurrence not seen in typical combat; I was taken aback, quickly assessing the unfolding change. The afterimages further split apart like splinters, bleeding red as if tinged with faint bloodlust.

‘Should I take this head-on?’

But I felt instinctively that wasn’t the way. Choosing to remain cautious, I shifted my body and dashed around to evade the path of the Blood Wind Slash, which dissipated uselessly. Tuma, displaying a look of disappointment, yelled,

“Now that’s just unfair! Why are you so fast?”

“What are you talking about? You’re just slow.”

“Total nonsense.”

I couldn’t comprehend Tuma’s grumbling. I merely evaded the Blood Wind Slash since I could see its trajectory—what made it so “fast”? But soon I felt the disparity in our tactics while clashing swords, realizing I could freely navigate between advancing and retreating within his attack range.

“……!!”

This was the power of Empty Soul Movement!

It wasn’t merely about enhancing the speed and fluidity of movement; in ordinary clashes, the momentary speed increase provided the freedom to choose between attack and evasion. If my proficiency reached an extraordinary level, I could create Thunder Shadow and produce derivative Ultimate Techniques, but I hadn’t reached that mastery yet.

‘So that’s why Jin So-cheong said I could beat him!’

Regardless of our swordsmanship’s levels, having the advantage in movement speed against Tuma was enormous. With life at stake in high-stakes techniques, my ability to evade at will gave me a significant weight off my shoulders. Moreover, having no advantage to be yielded in terms of internal power placed me firmly in a dominant position.

In that case, the strategy was simple. Instead of utilizing the Thunder Shadow Sword Technique or Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique, I chose to induce Tuma’s blunders while exchanging strikes with him. The Ultimate Techniques were certainly powerful, but their inherent openings were too large for this scenario. Instead, I aimed to eliminate Tuma’s chance to counter with ordinary attacks with fewer vulnerabilities.

Kka-gak!

Kkaang!

Tuma appeared to deduce my strategy rapidly, based on his vast combat experience. With a frown, he switched to defense, instead looking for openings to counter me. It was the maximum response he could muster, thus, I focused my mind and attacked gradually from all angles.

I heard Tuma muttering anxiously,

“To think utilizing focus is only yielding the bare minimum…”

About a hundred and fifty seconds had passed when Tuma’s mental fortitude finally wavered, revealing an apparent weakness. A strike aimed at the Guardian Point seemed feasible. However, the visible weakness felt too evident leading me to momentarily hesitate.

‘A trap?’

Wasn’t it often said that a prominently displayed weakness was no weakness at all? I had learned innumerable lessons from Lee Kwang regarding such matters. In the midst of a fierce confrontation between world-class experts, it was implausible that such an obvious flaw would present itself. Yet simultaneously, the urge to swiftly crush this tedious exchange surged within me.

“……!!”

My choice was to take another step back. As I chose not to exploit that weakness, Tuma’s apparent flaw vanished in the blink of an eye, and I couldn’t help but feel a brief moment of regret. But I persisted, clashing swords with Tuma, watching for a moment his stamina and mental composure might falter.

‘He truly is extraordinary. Even using both Baek Woong’s Technique and Divine Mind’s Technique, he is still at this level…’

I had been using Baek Woong’s Technique consistently, which drastically increased my mobility in battle, and incorporated Divine Mind’s Technique to operate Empty Soul Movement. Discounting the Thunder God Lineage, I had thrown in all my power, yet fighting fairly evenly against Tuma was quite impressive. Tuma was truly deserving of the title of world-class expert among the Eight Devils of Martial Daos.

Kkaang!

Just when another round of a hundred seconds went by, as our tedious exchanges were prolonging, I discerned a far sharper and quicker opening forming on Tuma’s waist than before. Although it was significantly more challenging to seize, an instinct told me this was a genuine flaw.

‘This could be it!’

With a slice! my sword targeted Tuma’s waist. Tuma seemed startled trying to perform a defensive maneuver, but after I executed two consecutive strikes—one vertical and one horizontal—his formidable energy weakened significantly, allowing my blade to snake through, aiming straight for his throat.

Tuma seemed to sink to the level of a desperate counterattack but even that I dodged with Empty Soul Movement

. As Tuma’s blade light flickered away, my sword redirected toward his crown, leaving him with no way to counter.

Swish!

I raised my sword and stated,

“Ready for more?”

Tuma responded, vexed,

“No… I’ve lost…”

Then, the elder from the Huashan Sect who had come to officiate called out,

[Thunder God Lineage, Victory!!]

The audience fell silent as if doused with cold water. It had been an intense struggle, but this was still the home turf of the Wind Spirit Sect, and Tuma’s defeat was tantamount to their defeat. Some disciples from the Huashan Sect seemed a bit restless, but the atmosphere silenced them.

As I silently sheathed my sword, Tuma let out a wry smile.

“Haha… I thought I’d be able to kill you with an excuse of a mistake, but you’re surprisingly not like the Thunder God Lineage.”

I felt a twinge of shame. The Thunder God Lineage had a ruthless streak, so even in friendly contests, it was not uncommon to use mistakes as pretexts to eliminate future strong opponents. Even Lee Kwang endorsed such a mentality.

‘So he knows the ins and outs of the Thunder God Lineage as a rival.’

Indeed, just moments ago, I had vacillated over whether to slay Tuma or not. Had it not been for the audience’s scrutiny, I might have chosen differently.

“I don’t quite understand what you mean.”

“Either way, you’ve won. A fearsome newcomer has appeared in the martial world…”

Tuma sighed as he stepped down from the arena, his shoulders slumped.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead as I exited the arena to find Lee Kwang and Jin So-cheong waiting for me. Jin So-cheong beamed and slapped my back.

“Master, you did great! Truly an impressive feat!”

Lee Kwang, though not smiling, spoke with approval,

“Very well done. Especially your perceptive judgment was commendable.”

“Guess the opening at the start was no fluke after all?”

Lee Kwang wasn’t referring to my two observations of weak points during the exchange. He replied with his arms folded,

“Indeed. If you had gone for that first weakness at the Guardian Point, you would’ve been ensnared in Tuma’s Counter Blood Blade technique and suffered greatly. It was clearly a trap he deliberately set.”

“And the second weakness…”

“That developed into a minuscule flaw after exhausting his energy and stamina while fighting you. If you hadn’t exploited it, both you and Tuma would have engaged in a prolonged battle. Of course, with your superior internal power, you would have won in the long run, but it wouldn’t have been ideal.”

“I see…”

As I processed Lee Kwang’s explanations in my mind, he placed his hand on my shoulder.

“With this victory, you’ve taken down one of the top figures in the current martial world. How do you feel?”

“Uh…”

I blinked in surprise. Realizing that Tuma was considered a top-tier master ruling over the world of evil martial artists, I had indeed brought him down in a one-on-one confrontation. Since I remained silent, Lee Kwang chuckled lightly,

“You probably feel nothing, right?”

“Yes, honestly that’s true.”

“That’s because you are well aware of the presence of even stronger masters beyond this realm. That humility will serve you greatly as you continue to grow.”

“I will take that to heart.”

“Regardless, well done.”

“Yes.”

I walked over to the waiting area and gave a bitter smile.

Stronger-than-life masters beyond this realm!

While I had proven myself defeating Tuma, I knew countless unseen masters existed in this world. The White Lotus Sect’s cult leader, the Three Great Dharma Protectors, and even Lee Kwang or Jin So-cheong, or perhaps those mid-legend level opponents in the White Lotus Sect or elsewhere. The martial world was a frightening place with more hidden dangers than those displayed. One defeat wasn’t enough to feel joy over.

When might I join their ranks?

‘I must not be satisfied with this. I need to delve deeper into Jang Sam-bong’s teachings and refine my skills in the Thunder God Lineage…’

As I reaffirmed this in my heart, the elder from the Huashan Sect bellowed,

[Next contender, step forward!]

I thought Jin So-cheong would be up next. After all, it was obvious that Dragon Slayer SwordYong Jung-il would make an appearance on the opposing side, which would align with the succession order. I was deep in thought analyzing Jin So-cheong‘s techniques.

However—no!

From the Wind Spirit Sect side came forth Yong Bichun, the Dharma Protector of the Wind Spirit Sect. As if anticipating this, Lee Kwang gripped his spear and began stepping into the arena.

“……?!”

The top-tier masters of each faction were stepping into the ring for the second round!

I wore a baffled expression as I glanced at Jin So-cheong for reassurance.

“Senior! What’s going on…?”

“Don’t panic, disciple. This is the natural order of things.”

Jin So-cheong’s gaze remained fixed on the ring as he answered thoughtfully.

“There’s something quite large at stake in this duel. Both sides cannot afford to lose. The Wind Spirit Sect has long despised the Thunder God Lineage, so if the Thunder God Lineage were to be reabsorbed into the White Lotus Sect, they’d soon find themselves without a place to stand. For us, the three to five years of search for Ultimate Techniques is a markedly significant difference.”

“……”

“Given this situation, it would be absurd for a branch leader to determine the outcome. It must be a faction leader who decides the final verdict.”

I glanced at Jin So-cheong again, now noticing his crafty smile.

“Did you just think of me as a pawn in this, huh?”

“Ah? No, I mean… that’s not the case…”

“Of course, that might not be agreeable, but it is a matter of your master’s pride.”

Jin So-cheong stared at Yong Bichun on the arena.

“For half a century, my master has sought to defeat him relentlessly.”

“……”

I finally understood.

If Yong Bichun was simply allowed to face Jin So-cheong, then in the final match, Lee Kwang could easily best Yong Jung-il, only to watch Yong Bichun potentially claim victory. Choosing instead to face Yong Bichun was rooted primarily in issues of self-respect for Lee Kwang. Simultaneously, Lee Kwang would’ve desired to gauge Yong Bichun’s capabilities in this encounter.

I nervously inquired,

“Can he win?”

The question might have seemed irreverent, but I couldn’t help myself. Knowing that Yong Bichun was of semi-legend status did cast doubt on Lee Kwang‘s odds. Jin So-cheong responded,

“It’s normally seen as a loss on our part. Excluding the Sky Crystal Pill, there would have been significant shortcomings.”

“The fact you say ‘normally’…”

“Just keep your eyes peeled.”

Jin So-cheong beamed with curiosity.

“Observe how the Thunder God Lineage’s Empty Soul Movement and tis insights have been transformed.”