Emperor's Sword [EN]: Chapter 40

Once the arena was somewhat settled, Choo Woo-sam, the Chief Administrator of the Southern Alliance, known as Thunder Flash Blade, stepped onto the stage and began to lead the competition.

“Are there no challengers? Challengers, please come up to the stage.”

On the platform, Pa Cheon sat in the very center, with Elder Gu next to him. Beside them were Sam-an Chun-noe So Cheon-ak, representing the Martial Alliance, and Peng Ga-ju, an elder of the Ohryun Association.

No one from Gujeongryun was sent this time. Since they had already greeted each other yesterday, there wasn’t much to discuss. However, So Cheon-ak, the strategist of the Northern Sword Society and also the current strategist of the Martial Alliance, persistently bothered Pa Cheon.

“Great Hero! You must come. You clearly promised.”

“I understand. I will visit the Martial Alliance one day.”

“If the Great Hero helps our alliance, it will be like a tiger gaining wings.”

It was during this conversation that a man was seen stepping onto the stage. He was in his mid-30s, with a dark beard covering his entire chin. He was seven feet tall and carried a huge ringed sword on his back.

“State your name.”

“I am Do Gun-myung, the leader of the Geoncheon Clan.”

As his answer came, shouts erupted from among the crowd as people recognized him.

“It’s the Giant Ring Blade, Do Gun-myung!”

Seeing this, Elder Gu said,

“A strong one is coming out from the start. It might end sooner than we thought.”

“Is he that strong?”

“He is one of the top swordsmen in Shandong. Once, on my birthday, he wanted to spar with me, and I had to appease him to send him away. There probably aren’t many young people who can beat him.”

When no one came forward, Choo Woo-sam urged again.

“Are there no challengers?”

…

“If not, then Great Hero Do will automatically be the winner.”

Everyone seemed to be watching each other. No one wanted to be a target from the start. Even if it was said to be five rounds, if you sparred three times in a row with someone similar to you, your inner energy would be significantly depleted.

Moreover, it was like revealing your techniques to your opponents, so it was natural to be reluctant to go out in the early stages. They seemed to be watching each other, thinking someone else would go. Surely, it wouldn’t end like this.

“Wait.”

At that voice, everyone’s gaze turned to where the sound came from. Who would volunteer for such a dangerous match? Unless one was very confident in their martial arts, they wouldn’t step up in the early stages.

He was a young martial artist in his late 20s, dressed in white robes, a white turban, and holding a white fan, like a scholar. His features were delicate and frail, but his eyes were as intense as burning flames.

“I am Cho Woo of Jeonjin.”

The arena suddenly became noisy. A disciple of the Jeonjin lineage, which had been cut off, had appeared… The competition was overturning people’s expectations from the start.

“That fellow is impressive.”

At Pa Cheon’s words, So Cheon-ak rolled his eyes and asked,

“He doesn’t seem like much to me… What makes him stand out?”

“To be able to control his inner energy to that extent, he is at least a master of three cycles [a level of internal energy cultivation]. Moreover, his stance is flawless, and though he seems weak, he has power. The one called Giant Ring Blade will be in trouble.”

“Really? Are you saying Giant Ring Blade will lose?”

“Most likely.”

The Chief Administrator continued his explanation.

“All attacks are permitted. You must subdue your opponent or make them admit defeat. If the level of injury is deemed severe, the referee, Great Hero Moon, can stop the match at his discretion. If there are no other questions, we will begin immediately.”

As he declared the start, sparks flew from the eyes of the two men. They seemed ready to jump out at any moment, but they were taking time to assess each other. Giant Ring Blade took his huge sword out of its sheath and threw the sheath down below the stage. This alone showed how highly he regarded his opponent.

The one who started the attack first was surprisingly the martial artist named Cho Woo. He used his fan to create countless shadows, pressuring Giant Ring Blade. Giant Ring Blade seemed to retreat, but instead, he jumped into the fan’s attack range and fiercely struck down with his sword. Then, his sword seemed to multiply into five in an instant, and the sword energy spread out like a fan.

Clang

Cho Woo’s fan seemed to be made of iron, and clear collision sounds echoed continuously, with sparks flying. Cho Woo lowered his body and swept at his opponent’s lower body, and from the end of his fan, a pure white, five-foot-long sword energy shot out. Giant Ring Blade straightened his sword and dodged to the side, then immediately struck at his opponent’s side.

However, Cho Woo seemed to be superior in footwork and had already retreated slightly. Then, without hesitation, he opened his fan wide and threw it at his opponent. Whether it was due to air resistance or some other reason, the fan drew strange lines as it continuously shook and stabbed at Giant Ring Blade.

Giant Ring Blade seemed flustered by his opponent’s sudden technique. He tried to strike down with his sword, but for some reason, the descending sword was deflected, and instead, his wrist was struck.

“Ugh!”

Blood splattered. Yet, Giant Ring Blade still held onto his sword. He barely held on, but his wrist was torn, and blood flowed down. The drops of blood falling on the stage were too vivid. Fortunately, it was a glancing blow, so it wasn’t cut off, but it seemed impossible to continue the match.

Nevertheless, Giant Ring Blade stubbornly held on and instead launched a fierce attack. Cho Woo’s iron fan had already torn Giant Ring Blade’s wrist and returned to his hand.

It wasn’t the technique of controlling a sword with one’s mind, but rather a technique similar to throwing a spinning dart (a type of hidden weapon similar to a boomerang). Once he gained the upper hand, he launched a fierce attack. He stepped forward with his left foot, approached his opponent, and using that momentum, he thrust forward with his folded fan in a straight line. In response, Giant Ring Blade gathered all his power and focused it on his sword, and a faint bluish sword aura formed.

Shwoong

At the tip of Cho Woo’s fan, which collided with the descending sword aura, a bluish sword energy rose about half a foot. The two forces collided at one point.

Bang!

“Ugh!”

Giant Ring Blade flinched and lost his balance, while Cho Woo maintained his forward stance and stepped forward with his right foot, thrusting his fan again.

Thud!

“Aaaagh!”

Shudder

Giant Ring Blade convulsed violently and looked down. His opponent’s fan was nowhere to be seen. The one-foot-long fan was lodged in Giant Ring Blade’s stomach, with its tip protruding from the back.

“I… I lost.”

Thud

As Cho Woo’s fan revealed itself from Giant Ring Blade’s stomach, his large body collapsed onto the stage floor. Giant Ring Blade, who had admitted defeat for the first time in his life, met his death with those words. The fate of the martial artists who lived on the edge of a sharp blade was so futile. Even a man who had shaken a region would eventually meet someone stronger, and meeting such a person in a life-or-death battle was directly linked to the end of his life.

For this reason, few martial artists lived to a ripe old age. Most of them either belonged to a large sect, had reached the ranks of supreme masters, or had survived by avoiding the difficulties of fighting to the death. But could that be done by one’s own will? In the end, all martial artists were people who lived with the readiness to kill and the resolve to die.

Thump

With a vibrating sound, his large body lay on the blood he had shed and his spilled intestines. The result of the first match was too gruesome. However, none of the onlookers blamed Cho Woo. Rather, praises poured out, for this was the martial world.

“Wow, Cho Woo is the best. You’ll win!”

“Amazing.”

“Wow!”

It was a moment where one could deeply feel the nature of the martial world. A place where praises were given to the strong and ridicule, not sympathy, was given to the defeated. A world where one endlessly pursued strength, even though they could become the defeated at any time!

That was the martial world.

“Are there any more challengers?”

Cho Woo stood proudly on the stage, which had already been cleaned, and next to him, Chief Administrator Choo was calling out for the next challenger. No matter how long they waited, no challenger readily came forward, so he confirmed one last time.

“If no one comes forward by the time the gong rings five times, then Great Hero Cho Woo will be the winner.”

As he waved his hand, the gong rang.

Gong

It was when the third gong sounded that two people simultaneously stepped onto the stage.

“I am here.”

“Here!”

One of them ascended the stage with the footwork of Ilhak Chungcheon [Crane Soaring to Heaven], and the other flipped his body once in the air, then used the rising technique of Gungsintanyoung [Arrow Piercing the Sky], cutting across the space and landing on the stage.

They had both thought someone else would go, but when no one did, the two, who were anxious, had stepped up. They didn’t seem weaker than Cho Woo. After all, to come up after seeing the previous result meant that they were confident.

“Two of you have come up at the same time. Who will go first?”

It was a truly foolish question. Who would want to go first? No one answered.

“I suppose there’s no choice but to draw lots…”

At Chief Administrator Choo’s words, a man in his late 20s wearing a blue robe spoke.

“I will go.”

“Is that so? What is your name?”

“I am Doksu Hyulryong.”

“Huh? Are you the Doksu Hyulryong? The one…”

“Yes.”

It was a quiet statement, but the Chief Administrator’s response was so loud that the area around the stage quickly became noisy, and some people moved their heads back and forth to get a better look at him.

“Let’s begin.”

The Chief Administrator said those words and stepped back.

“Is that one of the Four Dragons?”

At Pa Cheon’s question, Elder Gu nodded.

“Yes, he is. His sect is unclear. However, his martial arts are said to be comparable to the Seven Greats.”

“Is that so?”

Pa Cheon, who didn’t even know who belonged to the Seven Greats, nodded.

“If the Four Dragons have directly entered the competition, then the competition is already nearing its end. Among the masters under 40, there is no one known in the martial world who surpasses the Four Dragons. Of course, except for you and the Heavenly Demon Scholar.”

“Who was the other person from earlier? Could he also be…?”

“Perhaps. In fact, among the Four Dragons, only two are relatively well-known, and not much is known about the other two. One is a lay disciple of Shaolin, and the other is a direct disciple of Wudang.”

Two of the Four Dragons had been famous for a relatively long time, while the other two had only recently begun to gain fame. Their actions were mysterious, and their martial arts were said to be immeasurable, but there were few who could confidently speak about them.

Flying Dragon of Wind and Cloud, Cheongunhak

He was a lay disciple of Shaolin, recognized by all as the best of Shaolin’s later generation, and a close friend of the current abbot, Jiwoo. He was a disciple of the former abbot, the great monk Beopmun. He had mastered 12 of Shaolin’s 72 arts, and there were rumors that he had mastered the secret Dalma Three Swords to the extreme. He was a chivalrous figure in the martial world.

Heavenly White Dragon, Kwak Woon-sung

He was not just any disciple, but the direct disciple of the Great Wudang Sect, surpassing even the rising power of Shaolin. He was the senior disciple among the two disciples of the Immortal Zhang Sanfeng [a legendary Taoist figure]. His junior sister was one of the Two Phoenixes [a reference to two renowned female martial artists].

Life-Snatching Fire Dragon, Jang Do-il

His background was shrouded in mystery. He had only appeared in the martial world seven times, but each time, a storm of blood followed. He had killed over 700 people so far. Of course, they were all figures of the Demonic Path, but it was unclear whether they had committed any clear wrongdoings. Some even considered him one of the two great killing stars alongside the Heavenly Demon Scholar [a notorious figure known for his ruthless methods], but since there was no clear evidence that he was part of the Demonic Path, the Martial Alliance was simply observing him.

Poison Hand Blood Dragon, Ma Hu-myung

He was known as a master of poison, and no one knew the extent of his poison’s power. This was because he had never left anyone who had faced him alive. In particular, those killed by his poison were said to have died leaving only their bones, which were blackened and scattered on the ground.

He was the youngest of the Four Dragons, but his martial arts prowess was also immeasurable.

While the origins of two of the Four Dragons were clear and they were evidently righteous figures, the other two were ambiguous. There were even rumors that the Martial Alliance was secretly investigating their activities. And now, one of them, the Poison Hand Blood Dragon, had appeared.

Cho Woo, who had revealed himself as a descendant of Jeonjin [a Taoist sect], was tense at this moment. If his opponent was one of the Four Dragons, he was not someone to be taken lightly. In his previous match against Geo Ryung-do, he had not exerted his full power. But now it was different. His opponent was a formidable figure, and he doubted whether he could win even if he gave it his all.

*Ding*

With the sound of the starting gong, the duel took on a completely different aspect than before. From the start, Cho Woo charged towards the Poison Hand Blood Dragon with the determination to fight to the death.

“Take this!”

The iron fan in Cho Woo’s hand vibrated, and a three-foot-long fan blade surged forth with fierce energy.

He aimed it directly at the Poison Hand Blood Dragon’s heart.

“Hmph!”

The Poison Hand Blood Dragon snorted as if he had anticipated the attack and scattered his body. Cho Woo, having momentarily lost sight of his opponent, spun around and kicked off the ground, launching himself into the air. This was to avoid any potential counterattacks.

However, it was unnecessary. The Poison Hand Blood Dragon was still standing there, sneering. Feeling mocked, Cho Woo launched a relentless barrage of attacks. The three-foot fan blade continued to flow from his fan, but his opponent showed no fear. Cho Woo’s lips tightened.

“This time…”

Just as he was about to strike again, he felt the Poison Hand Blood Dragon’s hand rise, and a dark current struck Cho Woo’s fan blade.

*Clang!*

*Thud, thud, thud.*

Blood trickled from the corner of Cho Woo’s mouth as he staggered backward. He suppressed a groan, but he already knew that he was no match for his opponent after just one exchange. However, he could not back down here!

He attacked fiercely once more, a reckless assault like a moth drawn to a flame. A murderous intent flashed in the Poison Hand Blood Dragon’s eyes. He also charged towards his opponent, and a dark poison energy erupted from his palm.

“Go!”

*Swish!*

Cho Woo’s fan blade shattered, and the poison energy engulfed it.

“Ugh!”

*Thud, thud, thud.*

His body flew backward, bouncing several times on the dueling platform. He was already dead. And then, his body began to melt away, emitting black smoke. His flesh bubbled and boiled, gradually shrinking. The sight made everyone turn away, and those with weak stomachs vomited.

“Po… Poison Hand… Blood Dragon… wins!”

Even after Chief Chu’s declaration, the crowd remained silent. It was such a gruesome death.

Seeing this, no one seemed willing to challenge him.

“Is there… a next challenger?”

Chief Chu asked formally.

“I am here.”

It was the person who had ascended the dueling platform with the Poison Hand Blood Dragon earlier.

“Who are you?”

“I am… the Life-Snatching Fire Dragon.”

He was indeed Jang Do-il, one of the Four Dragons. It turned out that two of the Four Dragons, who were known to be participating, had both appeared. Surprisingly, the strong were appearing quickly. Perhaps it was because such a powerful figure had come out from the start. As soon as he stepped onto the dueling platform, he frowned, kicking the still-bubbling corpse with his foot.

“That was truly a remarkable poison. I enjoyed the show.”

His words implied, ‘Your poison is impressive, but it won’t work on me.’

Even though some time had passed since the starting gong, the two remained motionless. Their eyes were burning fiercely, but that was all. It was as if they had come out for a staring contest.

The reactions of those watching the duel were also noteworthy. How often did two of the Four Dragons face off against each other? Perhaps after witnessing today’s duel, they would return to their hometowns and boast about it for days, and it would likely become a major story in their lives. The sound of people swallowing nervously could be heard here and there, and even the figures on the platform were watching with sweaty palms.

One person would become the victor, and the other would be the loser. The victor’s fame would undoubtedly soar, shaking the martial world, while the loser would fade from people’s memories. It was an opportunity to seize the fame of the Southern Alliance and the Heavenly Fragrance Jade Peak, as well as the honor of their opponent.

The Poison Hand Blood Dragon’s left foot moved to the side, and the Life-Snatching Fire Dragon also moved his left foot. Then his right foot…

They were slowly circling the dueling platform. Yet, their postures remained unwavering, and their determination to not show any weakness to their opponent was evident. As time passed, the tension of the spectators began to ease, and their concentration quickly dropped. It was at that moment.

“Ta-hat!”

“Hyaat!”

Both of them leaped into the air simultaneously and clashed at a height of three yards. The poison energy from the Poison Hand Blood Dragon surged towards the Life-Snatching Fire Dragon like a wave, and a dark energy blade over two yards long flowed from the Life-Snatching Fire Dragon’s sword.

*Clang!*

After the initial clash, they flipped in the air and charged at each other again. As the sword energy from the Life-Snatching Fire Dragon’s sword extended to three yards, the Poison Hand Blood Dragon’s expression changed drastically, and he quickly flicked his fingers seven times.

“Poison Blood Finger!”

*Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.*

When his opponent easily deflected the finger strikes, a dark, almost blue poison energy, like a chain, was released from the Poison Hand Blood Dragon’s palm.

“Ten Thousand Mile Poison Net!”

The chain of poison energy gradually expanded and became denser, soon completely covering an area of about three yards.

“Life-Snatching Sword, River-Cutting Life-Snatching!”

It was a simple downward slash, but the Life-Snatching Fire Dragon’s sword slowly cut through the poison net, and the sword energy that extended from the sword curved like a swung whip.

*Whoosh!*

“Hmm!”

“Ugh!”

The crowd, who were looking up from below, were beyond admiration, their faces filled with shock. Sparks flew continuously above, and explosions echoed from the clash of sword energy and poison energy. Both of them seemed to have been impacted by the clash, falling back onto the dueling platform, but they lightly touched down and leaped up again.

The Life-Snatching Fire Dragon’s body became one with his sword, spinning as he flew, and the sword energy swirled like a dragon’s roar. The Poison Hand Blood Dragon’s poison energy split into two and then into dozens of strands, colliding with the Life-Snatching Fire Dragon’s sword energy.

*Clang!*

*Whirr!*

Amidst the recoil from the collision, the Life-Snatching Fire Dragon’s shout erupted.

“Life-Snatching Sword, Flame Fire Life-Snatching!”

His body, recoiling backward, spun around with his head down, and then he became one with his sword again. And unlike before, a blazing flame surged from his sword, and the intense heat seemed to reach even below the dueling platform.

Seeing this, the Poison Hand Blood Dragon spun like a top, instantly unleashing thirteen strikes. The poison energy struck the Life-Snatching Fire Dragon like a sideways rain, but the Life-Snatching Fire Dragon’s flame pushed all the poison energy aside and continued to advance. A continuous crackling sound was heard.

For the first time, a look of despair crossed the Poison Hand Blood Dragon’s face. The flame sword energy scattered the poison energy and reached the Poison Hand Blood Dragon’s immediate vicinity, then burst out like fireworks.

He raised his protective energy to the maximum at the last moment, but the Life-Snatching Fire Dragon’s flame sword energy pierced through the Poison Hand Blood Dragon’s body without fail.

“Ugh!”

Both of them were standing on the dueling platform. The Poison Hand Blood Dragon was still glaring at his opponent. He slowly looked down at his body. There were fist-sized holes in his abdomen, right chest, and left shoulder, and crimson blood poured out like a waterfall.

He stared at it, motionless. He was dead. Because he possessed such high-level internal energy, he had managed to look down at his condition with his last remaining energy, but he could not raise his head again. He was frozen like a statue.

The Life-Snatching Fire Dragon bowed towards him.

“I pay my respects to your noble martial arts.”

It seemed as if he was praising his dead opponent, but it was ultimately just a way of saying that he was superior. However, it was enough to elicit cheers from the crowd.

“Wow!”

“Life-Snatching Fire Dragon is the best!”

“That was amazing!”

“He could take on the Five Great Martial Clans and not lose!”

“Life-Snatching Fire Dragon!”

“Woo-ah!”

The cheers shook the arena, regardless of the misfortune of the man who had just died.

One of the Four Dragons had died. And at the hands of another of the Four Dragons… This was clearly a major event that would shake the martial world. It was an event that shattered the common perception that the Four Dragons were all of similar strength, and it was a fresh shock that elevated the Life-Snatching Fire Dragon to the top position among the Four Dragons.

In any case, the duel had to continue. Chief Chu stepped back onto the dueling platform and said loudly,

“Is there a next challenger?”

“If there isn’t… I will declare the Life-Snatching Fire Dragon, Jang Do-il, the winner of today’s dueling competition.”

He seemed to be speaking as if he was certain that no one would come forward, and so he spoke a little faster.

“Sound the gong!”

*Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!*

“I am here.”

This time, the voice came from the platform, not from the crowd. Who could it be?

It was Pa Cheon.

Title: [Serial] Emperor’s Sword 42. Winner of the Duel! Related Materials: None [60190]

Sender: Lim Sam-yeol (logos333) 2001-01-08 00:35 Views: 2586

-Emperor’s Sword-