Crack—!
Friction rang out as internal energy scattered.
The materialized internal energy shattered, its fragments scattering much like flying debris.
Screech—!!
Protective astral qi clashed against protective astral qi, letting out a harsh noise.
Fierce and violent, as though neither side would yield, yet paradoxically delicate.
Thud—! Thud-thud—!
Despite such boundless energy bursting forth, none of it was wasted needlessly.
Every speck held intent.
Though it seemed lightly discarded, intention seeped through.
Shhk—!
The tip of the sword split the opponent's astral qi.
A golden flash erupted, engulfing the light for an instant.
Vision was obscured.
Immediately, Yu Yeon spun his body.
Swish—!
Even with sight obscured, instinct lived on.
By a hair's breadth, the sword tip grazed his shoulder.
Then, using the recoil, he immediately threw a punch.
Thud—! Pressure was applied to his dantian.
Thinning his astral qi, he converted the energy into his fist.
Hundred-Pace Divine Fist.
Shaolin's ultimate art poured into the air.
Kugagagang—!
"!"
It was close.
Too late to dodge. Wi Seol-ah furrowed her golden eyes and gripped the handle differently.
Unable to evade, unable to block.
If so, she had to deflect.
Wi Seol-ah likewise withdrew the astral qi wrapped around her body and deeply imbued her sword with it.
Screech—!!!
The Hundred-Pace Divine Fist glanced off the spine of Wi Seol-ah's sword at a slight angle and soared into the air.
Krr-boom—!
The rising shockwave seemed as though it could pierce the very heavens.
The spectators were captivated for an instant by the overwhelming majesty.
But the two on the dueling stage immediately continued their stances.
Before anyone knew it, each had wrapped themselves in protective astral qi once more.
Then flashes of light began bursting forth continuously.
Bang—! Bang-bang—! Bang—!
To those who were not martial artists, only hazy afterimages and deafening booms remained.
Though it was a fight they could barely see, even in that situation, one thing was clear.
The duel between those two was at an unimaginable level.
"An unbelievable sight."
"I can't even see it properly."
"...Just what in the world is going on...?"
The martial artists reacted with something close to astonishment.
At most, they were in their early twenties.
For those on the younger side even among the younger generation to be fighting a duel, the level was absurd.
A life-or-death battle fought with true intent by Hundred Great Experts.
Even at that level, it was a duel of a value rarely witnessed.
"Enlightenment from a children's fight?"
It was a rather absurd state of affairs.
While the martial artists were in turmoil.
"Contact... the merchant leader immediately."
"We must recruit the Sword Sovereign's descendant."
A fledgling of the martial world still operating independently.
News of Wi Seol-ah, the Sword Sovereign's descendant and granddaughter, also began spreading quickly.
They had thought of her as mere disciple-level.
Those who had carelessly judged her position as one obtained simply by being a granddaughter came to their senses.
That was not the level she was at.
Perhaps...
"The return of the Sword Sovereign..."
The Gale Sword, which had dominated an era and left its mark like a whirlwind.
The presence of one who might perhaps have become the greatest under heaven had appeared.
It was only natural that everyone's gazes were drawn by that alone.
Of course.
"Huu..."
"..."
The two people actually fighting, however, paid no mind to such things.
Sssss—!
After a bout of combat, the two temporarily distanced themselves.
Heat hung thick in the air, and fragments of the dueling stage that had scattered in all directions had turned to dust, enveloping the surroundings.
Shoulders heaved.
Such tremendous movements had passed in an instant. Because of that, their breathing had grown rough.
"Huu... huk..."
He calmed his breathing, circulating internal energy.
At the same time, Wi Seol-ah looked at her opponent with narrowed eyes.
Divine Dragon Yu Yeon.
The young man known as the hope of Shaolin was likewise looking at Wi Seol-ah.
Seeing that, Wi Seol-ah let out a shallow groan.
'I'm being pushed.'
She was at a disadvantage.
This was an objective assessment.
Wi Seol-ah was gradually feeling her strength wane.
The sword had grown slightly heavier, and flowing sweat dampened her hair.
Her throat felt raw from her somewhat ragged breathing.
Though she had expended so much stamina right after exchanging moves.
Yu Yeon was in a relatively better state.
Though his breathing was disordered, it was not severe.
He was like a still lake.
Seeing that, Wi Seol-ah examined her own sword.
Hummmmm.
The sword was ringing.
But within that tremor, something alien could be felt.
She had taken a great recoil when deflecting the Hundred-Pace Divine Fist just moments ago.
It was not an internal injury, but she had clearly overstrained.
'...'
A numbness was felt in her hand.
Yet she did not show it.
Wi Seol-ah raised her head and looked at Yu Yeon once more.
Only then did it feel a bit real.
'Strong.'
The opponent was strong.
Far stronger than Wi Seol-ah had expected.
It was as though a heavy wall stood before her.
Perhaps a wall that would not yield even if struck dozens of times.
But.
'So what?'
Wi Seol-ah's expression remained the same as when she started.
That changed nothing.
If dozens of times did not work, she would strike hundreds of times.
If that still did not work, she simply had to strike until she could cut it.
That had been her only thought from the beginning.
Hummmmm—!! The sword ring emanating from the blade began to maximize.
She might not be able to win.
Even so, it did not matter.
'Just a little more.'
Wi Seol-ah's eyes were gradually unfocusing.
It was an unknown sensation.
The strength that had been holding her center was slowly loosening.
The sword ring grew deeper.
Seeing that, Yu Yeon's expression subtly crinkled.
'What is this?'
He was clearly feeling that he had the upper hand, and yet
something about the atmosphere was strange.
Even though he was winning, it did not feel like he was winning.
What should he call this strange sensation?
He did not know.
He raised his fist.
If he did not know, he simply had to find out from now on.
Thinking so, they moved their bodies.
Once more, impacts burst across the dueling stage.
Boom—! Rumble—!
A roar like thunder.
Far more intense and faster than before.
Feeling the flow of internal energy, Yu Yeon aligned his body.
The increase in speed was not Yu Yeon's intention.
'...She raised the intensity.'
It was Yu Yeon keeping up because Wi Seol-ah was increasing the intensity.
'How?'
Her exhausted body should be approaching its limit; why was she overexerting herself like this?
While dodging the sword, Yu Yeon thought of this question, when-
Shwing—!
"...!"
Sensing something from behind, Yu Yeon kicked off the ground and leaped.
Then.
Shwiick—!!
A sword passed through the spot where Yu Yeon had been.
Seeing that, Yu Yeon's eyes widened in alarm.
It was not just a sword.
Sword Control.
To be exact, it was something in the form of sword control.
Energy swimming through the air, emitting a golden light.
What was that?
Though Yu Yeon was momentarily flustered-
Shwiick—!
"...Kuk!"
Surprisingly, the sword control was not just one sword.
Two more.
A total of three flying swords stabbed toward Yu Yeon.
Unfortunately, he was in the air.
A position difficult to evade. Realizing this, Yu Yeon immediately reached out.
Hundred-Pace Divine Fist. He detonated it in the air, using the recoil to shoot his body backward.
Kwa-boom—!
Barely evading the flying swords, he landed on the ground.
However, the flying swords persistently followed as though they would not let Yu Yeon escape.
The flying swords continuously followed, leaving golden trails.
Seeing that, someone quietly whispered.
"...Moon-Fresh Sword Control!"
"To think it is truly the Sword Sovereign's martial art...!"
Moon-Fresh Sword Control.
It was a martial art used based on the Sword Sovereign's internal art, the Lunar Intent Heart Technique.
The Moon-Fresh Dancing Sword, characterized by its beautiful sword paths, and the countless flying swords wielded based on the internal art were also the Sword Sovereign's identity.
And now, Wi Seol-ah was unfolding it.
It was said that the Sword Sovereign at his prime had controlled forty swords.
What Wi Seol-ah had displayed was at most three.
Even so, merely seeing it caused the spectators to begin growing excited.
"Truly the descendant of the Sword Sovereign."
"...To think she would start pushing the Divine Dragon this far. Could it be that young lady has also reached the Transcendence Realm?"
"What else could it be? No matter how I look at it, this isn't a level a peak expert could display."
"The Transcendence Realm at that age...? Just what is with this generation...!!"
Shwiing—!
Flying swords attacking nimbly.
Dodging them here and there, Yu Yeon shifted his gaze.
Wi Seol-ah was waving her hand with a slightly crinkled expression.
Seeing that, Yu Yeon thought.
'When using flying swords, she cannot move, can she.'
His judgment was swift.
He kicked off the ground once more. There was not much time to hesitate.
This time, not through the air, but head-on.
He immediately dug toward Wi Seol-ah with a foot powerfully wrapped in internal energy.
Shwing—! Two flying swords chased from behind and one stabbed from the front.
Seeing that, Yu Yeon reached out his hand.
Kwak—! He grabbed the flying sword in front.
Chwak—! His palm was torn as it pierced through the astral qi.
Pain arose, but he ignored it.
Uu-jik—! Gripping it fiercely, he shattered the flying sword and charged forward.
At a speed so fast that the flying swords behind could not catch up.
In an instant, Yu Yeon arrived before Wi Seol-ah.
In that moment.
Srrng.
"...!?"
As if she had been waiting, Wi Seol-ah moved her sword.
Expanding his senses, he checked.
The flying swords were still coming.
Only then did he realize.
'A feint...!'
A feint to make him come this far in the first place.
Though Yu Yeon belatedly realized it.
It was already too late.
Chwak—!
"Keuk!"
Wi Seol-ah's sword slashed Yu Yeon's upper body.
Blood splattered.
He urgently widened the distance.
Drip—! Drip—!
Blood flowed down his chest.
Yu Yeon furrowed his brows in pain.
Fortunately, it was not a deep cut.
"Huk...!"
He wrapped internal energy around his body to stop the bleeding.
Seeing him injured, the referee approached with widened eyes.
Seeing that, Yu Yeon calmly said.
"...I can continue. I'm fine."
"..."
Hearing this, the referee stepped back again.
Uuung.
The flying swords leisurely flew through the air, circling around Wi Seol-ah.
And between the two swords, energy gathered to create one more sword.
It was the flying sword Yu Yeon had shattered earlier, reappearing.
'...It's difficult.'
Her speed had increased, and with the appearance of flying swords, approaching had become harder.
Had she been hiding her strength?
Yu Yeon looked at Wi Seol-ah with tired eyes.
'...What?'
Then he sensed something strange.
The woman's eyes were unknowingly growing hazy and unfocused.
'Could it be.'
Yu Yeon realized Wi Seol-ah's current state.
Egoless Realm.
It referred to a martial artist entering enlightenment, and right now, that woman seemed to have reached the egoless realm.
'Did she touch enlightenment in the middle of a fight?'
It was an absurd matter.
How could she obtain enlightenment in the midst of this fight?
'If something goes wrong in that state, she could fall into qi deviation.'
Even if it was regrettable, enlightenment during a duel should be suppressed.
Despite knowing that, this woman was attempting it.
'...Did she think I would wait?'
Did she judge that Yu Yeon would yield?
No, Yu Yeon did not think so.
That woman simply did not care.
It seemed she didn't care in the slightest even if she fought in the egoless realm.
"...."
Guuk.
He did not think he was being looked down upon, but he could not say he felt good about it.
The blood no longer flowed.
Facing the dazed Wi Seol-ah, Yu Yeon changed his stance.
"Sssss..."
Regulating his breathing, he emitted his energy differently.
Shaolin's internal art, the Tendon-Altering Classic, rapidly circulated its energy.
And on Yu Yeon's body, a yellow haze gradually began to rise.
A tremendous amount of internal energy wrapped around Yu Yeon's body, taking the form of armor.
Secret of the Tendon-Altering Classic.
Advent of Yellow Elegance.
Shaolin's ultimate art descended upon Yu Yeon's flesh.
"...Heok...!"
"How can he...!!"
Those who saw Yu Yeon's state, especially those of older age, reacted with particular surprise.
For decades.
The generation before the current Shaolin Abbot, Cheonan.
Since the previous abbot, Gyeongsaengja.
It was a Shaolin ultimate art that no one had ever succeeded in.
The armor-like energy possessed legendary defensive power, like the Diamond Indestructible Body of legend.
And the fist wrapped in yellow light was a martial art said to be able to crush Mount Tai with a single blow.
Grik... grik...!!
Cracks formed beneath Yu Yeon's feet as he wrapped himself in energy.
It looked as though he were being crushed by something heavy.
Everyone trembled at that overwhelming majesty, but-
'I have to finish this.'
Yu Yeon's state while wrapped in it was not good.
The Advent of Yellow Elegance was a power that did not yet fit its vessel.
Having ascended to the Transcendence Realm, he could barely mimic it.
Merely maintaining it on his body felt like an overload.
'At most ten seconds.'
The moment he counted past ten, he would collapse.
His dantian would be drained by the tremendous energy consumption, and before that, his body would fail and he would lose consciousness.
It was that dangerous of a martial art.
Yet why did Yu Yeon use it?
'I have to finish this.'
It was to end this duel somehow.
Drawing it out would be meaningless. Moreover, he was afraid.
'That woman grows even in this moment.'
She was stronger than when they first met.
And as time passed, she would only become more so.
She was an existence that could only be described as absurd.
"Hu."
Yu Yeon took a stance and inhaled.
Seeing that, Wi Seol-ah moved her hand with calm eyes.
"...Hm?"
Yu Yeon's eyes widened as he saw that.
Because as Wi Seol-ah moved her sword, the flying swords circling around her scattered.
The flying swords' energy scattered into the air.
Then it began gathering in her sword.
"...!"
The energy dyed the blade with color.
Then the surroundings were colored golden as if emitting light.
Hwa-aaak—!
'...'
Frowning against the light, Yu Yeon thought.
I see.
Even after reaching the egoless realm, she was showing intent.
This time, that woman seemed to be matching herself to him.
Amidst his boiling fighting spirit, a strange gratitude and unknown emotion welled up.
A first-time rival.
To Yu Yeon, that could only be a novel feeling.
He suddenly felt at ease.
Was it an illusion?
The internal energy weaving the Advent of Yellow Elegance seemed to grow slightly stronger.
If he continued like this, could he reach the place he sought?
Spitting out such hazy sentiments.
"..."
"..."
The two moved.
Yu Yeon struck downward with his palm, not his fist, and not at the front but at the ground.
Tathagata Divine Palm.
Kuuuuuung—!!!
A huge crack burst across the dueling stage along with the impact.
And in the air, energy gathered and fell toward Wi Seol-ah.
Palm-shaped energy.
It possessed a size enough to cover the entire dueling stage.
That attack fell rapidly.
At the same time.
Srrng.
Wi Seol-ah likewise drew her sword with a refreshing motion.
A neat and delicate motion.
The sword drew a half-circle, creating an afterimage in the air.
Moon-Fresh Arc Slash.
Guuuuu—!!
A large crescent moon born from the sword advanced to slash the Buddha's palm.
Soon the two martial arts clashed.
Ung—!
With a small vibrating sound.
Kuuuuuuung—!!!!
An enormous explosion occurred.
The impact was so fierce it was as though an earthquake had struck.
With this much power, starting from the dueling stage, perhaps even the spectator seats could be swept up.
"...Th-this!"
In the shock, the referee urgently looked toward the spectator seats.
"...Heok?"
Surprisingly, this much shock was having no effect on the spectator seats whatsoever.
The reason was a barrier.
A barrier of blue light had spread out at some point, surrounding the area so it would not be swept up by the explosion.
What was that?
Though the referee showed doubt, as if it had finished its role, the barrier disappeared immediately.
Saaaah—!!
On the dueling stage where the explosion had faded, only dust filled the air.
The watching spectators all held their breath.
The silence had begun when Yu Yeon used the Advent of Yellow Elegance.
As time passed and the dust gradually settled.
Sssss....
On the dueling stage stood Yu Yeon and Wi Seol-ah.
Was it not over yet?
While everyone was looking at the two.
"Keul-lok."
Someone coughed up blood.
It was Yu Yeon.
Tu-tuk—! The blood he spat pooled on the floor.
Yu Yeon clutched his chest and knelt on one knee.
"Heok... keo-heok...."
He expelled breath repeatedly as though his limit were near.
Seeing this, the referee hurriedly approached him.
It seemed Yu Yeon had lost after all.
"The winner is...!"
Just as the referee was about to declare Wi Seol-ah's victory.
Thud—!
This time, movement was felt from Wi Seol-ah's side. The referee turned to look.
She had collapsed face-down on the dueling stage as though she had lost consciousness.
Clang.
The sword she held also fell to the floor.
The one holding consciousness on the dueling stage was Yu Yeon.
"Uh...."
The referee froze in bewilderment without realizing it.
But soon grasping the situation, he shouted.
"Th-two hundred nine. Victory!"
The Divine Dragon had claimed victory.
As Yu Yeon's number rang out and his victory was confirmed, not much time passed before-
Uwaaaaaaaah—!!!
A huge cheer burst from the spectator seats.
"Huk... huk...."
Yu Yeon nodded tiredly at the cheer piercing his ears.
He had won.
He had won.
Due to the wound on his chest, his consciousness was gradually growing hazy.
Even so, a heat rose in him.
He felt it would not matter if he lost consciousness like this.
Yu Yeon held back a smile, barely regulating his breathing, when-
Uung.
"...?"
He suddenly saw Wi Seol-ah's body floating in the air. Was he seeing an illusion from losing too much blood?
He doubted for a moment, but that was no illusion.
Clearly, Wi Seol-ah was rising.
Not high, but low.
While everyone was cheering, Wi Seol-ah slightly rose and began to move.
Those urgently bringing a stretcher and the physicians had to stop in their tracks.
Then Wi Seol-ah flew through the air and settled in someone's embrace.
Having confirmed who it was, Yu Yeon's eyes trembled.
So Yeom-ra.
It was So Yeom-ra who held Wi Seol-ah in his arms below the dueling stage.
He held the unconscious Wi Seol-ah and stroked her head.
So Yeom-ra, who had been quietly looking at her, soon turned his head and met eyes with Yu Yeon.
Pupils that revealed no hint of what he was thinking.
Seemingly indifferent yet cold. Seemingly dry yet radiating heat.
Though everyone was shouting in cheer, Yu Yeon, meeting his eyes, could not hear any sound.
Then.
-Sorry.
So Yeom-ra's voice transmission entered Yu Yeon's ears.
-I'll apologize. You are the real deal.
What did he mean?
Yu Yeon could not ask.
He was in a state too exhausted to even send a voice transmission.
-I look forward to it.
Whether he finished speaking, So Yeom-ra turned his back and walked away, holding Wi Seol-ah.
"Ah...."
Yu Yeon, watching that, soon reached his limit and collapsed, losing consciousness.
Later history would say.
That this was likely the beginning.
The point when the stars called meteors bloomed and the Central Plains began to properly change.
That time was this day.
It was the beginning of the day that countless people spoke of.