The Flame Jade began to tear endlessly.
Watching this, I clicked my tongue briefly.
"Tsk."
Was this too much to ask? I had a faint hope, but as expected.
The old man's gaze turned toward me.
The eyes that met mine were saying it.
Is that all?
Is this it?
Moving so viciously, yet he still has the leisure for this?
It was utterly ridiculous.
"Ha."
Letting out a scoff, I gathered my strength.
I didn't stop producing the Flame Jade. I had to do both simultaneously.
Only then could I at least keep his movements in check.
Fwoosh—!
Attempting them simultaneously threatened to tangle my energy. It was precarious, but I pulled it off.
Pouring out the Flame Jade, I grasped the Flame Jade Spear in my hand.
I used martial arts simultaneously.
A single mistake would twist the flow of energy and induce Qi deviation.
So what? If I feared that, I shouldn't have picked this fight in the first place.
Slam—!
I stomped on the ground.
Ink splattered.
"Haa—!!"
With all my remaining strength, I hurled the spear.
Screeeech—!!
Tearing through the air, the spear flew forward.
Just before the tip of the spear could reach the old man.
Rustle.
A crisp sound reached my ears from somewhere.
The scent of flowers brushed the tip of my nose.
I could see it.
Bloom—!
Plum blossoms bloomed from the old man's body. From the blossoming petals, leaves drifted into the air.
Thin, soft plum blossom leaves.
Those leaves seemed to merely flutter powerlessly, but...
Thud! Thud-thud-thud—!
"…!"
My eyes widened at the scene that unfolded.
The scattered leaves were blocking the downpour of Flame Jade.
How could such tiny leaves possess the power to block that?
'So he could do that.'
Even though he could have certainly used this, he had deliberately swung his sword instead.
He was going easy on me. Is that what this is?
It seriously pissed me off.
Slash—!
While the leaves blocked the Flame Jade.
The old man slashed the spear in half. The bisected spear flew past him.
Slashing the spear so casually was absurd, but...
'He calculated even this.'
I had already expected it.
'Explode.'
Kwaaang—!!
I instantly detonated the bisected spear.
It was an attack utilizing the fact that it would explode if not bound by mental imagery.
The old man was engulfed in the explosion.
Seeing that, my legs gave out.
Slump—!
"Hah... haah."
I was out of breath.
My internal energy was also running low.
No matter how much internal energy I had, pouring out this much was bound to drain it.
Wiping away the cold sweat dripping down, I stared straight ahead.
As if the devastation wasn't enough, the floor was still brimming with ink as though nothing had happened.
And then.
Rustle... rustle....
From the spot where the spear had exploded, petals were drifting down.
Perhaps scorched by the flames, the petals were gradually withering away. Seeing that, I scowled.
A barrier formed from plum blossom leaves was spread out in a sphere.
Did he block the explosion with that?
[Well now.]
The old man's voice echoed out.
Rustle—!
The barrier vanished, revealing the old man.
He looked exactly the same as before.
[If I had been just a little later, I would have taken the hit. I admit it. Kid. You are strong.]
He genuinely looked surprised, though. It only made him more obnoxious.
It didn't work anyway.
"..."
[To use martial arts in such a way. Who is your master?]
"...Would you know even if I told you?"
[Ah, right... They are already dead and gone, so I suppose I wouldn't know even if you told me.]
I really hated that grinning face.
He would probably know if I told him.
'How could you not know when you're the one who taught me?'
Even if Paejon taught me close-quarters combat, I learned everything else from you.
I had never called him that even once, but I considered him my master.
With that thought, I erased it from my mind.
How could someone who wasn't even from Huashan be his disciple?
That belonged to Yeongpung. Or more precisely, it was a title meant for the disciples of Huashan.
'Haa...'
Regulating my breathing, I lifted my head.
'I see.'
Cooling my head, I finally realized it.
'I was jealous.'
I had been feeling jealous of Yeongpung.
Ever since I heard that he had become the successor of the Huashan Sword Saint.
Ever since I heard he would inherit that old man's proper titles.
It must have bothered me unconsciously.
Realizing this made me laugh.
'What an idiot.'
It wasn't even funny.
'I'm not even from Huashan, so why was I being jealous?'
I had never learned the sword.
Since I was a brawler, the Huashan sword was meaningless to me.
I had never learned his mental cultivation technique either.
Even though I had received help from his Dao intent, I didn't know Huashan's mental cultivation.
Moreover, I had even wiped out Huashan in my past life.
How could someone like me become that old man's successor?
Swoosh.
Knowing all this, I still raised my fist.
'Know your place.'
I reminded myself of my place once again.
'I can't win.'
I couldn't win against him.
I had charged in knowing that from the start.
Why?
Did I think I could win if I set these conditions?
No.
I could tell I couldn't win the moment I saw him.
I was simply infuriated by the sight of him treating Yeongpung as his successor.
So I charged in.
Even though I thought of myself as a fake, seeing him say that must have set me off.
After all I've been through, rolling in the dirt, for him to act like that.
It was all because of such a petty emotion.
'Honestly, I'm working myself to death here.'
It was for my own goals, but Sin Noya's involvement was also a factor.
He had said so himself.
That he was leaving what he couldn't handle to me.
So.
'He should at least concede this much to me.'
I had to gain at least one thing.
Let Yeongpung become the successor of the Huashan Sword Saint and inherit his true teachings. That was his to take.
It wasn't mine to begin with.
However.
'I'll take just one thing.'
I don't care about the Huashan Sword Saint, the sect leader and hero.
But I will be the successor of Shincheol, the one with the filthy temper.
I had to do at least that much.
[Kid.]
"Yes."
[The ten strikes are over.]
"I suppose. It's a shame, though. Care to give me ten more?"
[Do you think doing so will give you an answer?]
"No."
Even if I were given a hundred strikes, I felt like I couldn't win.
I just smiled.
It resembled the smile the old man wore.
[What will you do now?]
"What is there to do?"
I shook the fist I was holding up.
"I have to see this through to the end."
[Oh?]
Swoosh.
At my words, the old man's Gwijeong moved.
A chilling aura brushed past my shoulder.
[I do not know who you are. However, I apologize for calling you a spy of the Blood Demon.]
—Never let your gaze be stolen by the sword.
—A swordsman lives alongside deception. What you must watch is not the sword, but the swordsman.
I recalled the words Sin Noya had once said.
[Cross hands, and you will know.]
[You are a martial artist.]
My heart pounded.
Hearing him say that with that damn voice only made it pound harder.
[What a pity. It would have been good if a child like you had been born in Huashan.]
"..."
It was quite a fine compliment, but...
'The Daoist sect and I aren't exactly a good match.'
If someone like me had lived in the Huashan Sect, it would have been a disaster.
Hiding my feelings, I spoke.
"You have quite the silver tongue."
[True. Thanks to that, did I not give you time to recover?]
He wasn't wrong.
Just from that brief rest, my breathing was already returning.
[Therefore. Do not forget your promise.]
A voice echoed.
Its form was nowhere to be seen.
I narrowed my eyes.
There wasn't a problem with my eyes. Literally, his form simply appeared hazy.
What I saw beyond my blurred vision was not a human figure.
'A tree?'
It was a tree.
A massive tree. A radiantly glowing ancient tree stood there.
It was likely an ancient plum tree of Huashan.
Perhaps even the largest plum tree.
Whoosh.
The wind did not blow, yet the tree swayed.
Leaves scattered.
Branches danced.
My gaze was stolen.
At the ethereal sight, even my breathing stopped.
[This is a reward.]
[Etch it deeply into your mind. It is a gift given because I found this somewhat amusing.]
Along with the continuing voice.
Halt.
The movement ceased.
[Plum Blossom Annihilation (Maehwajeom).]
Petals bloomed from the branches.
And so, I heard the sound of flowers blooming.
Swish.
Clang—!
The sound of the flowers blooming was far more heavy and dull than one would expect.
[…Huh?]
A sound of surprise.
At that sound, my eyes snapped open.
Before me, I saw the old man's vicious face.
His sword was extended toward my neck.
He wielded his sword as if trying to cut me down in a single flash, but Gwijeong failed to sever my neck.
[You brat. You...?]
The blade was blocked by something, failing to achieve its purpose.
What blocked the old man's Gwijeong was my own Gwijeong.
I had moved Gwijeong to secretly wrap it around my neck.
An unbreakable demonic artifact.
It was a defense utilizing that very trait.
Just as the old man's eyes wavered at the sight.
Grab—!
I seized the old man's hand.
[…!!]
I felt his strength. He was trying to pull his hand free by any means.
The moment I felt that, I spoke.
"Bind."
Slither—!!
[What!]
The Gwijeong around my neck moved and bound the old man's hand to mine.
That wasn't all.
Slither—!!
The Gwijeong the old man had been holding loosened and slithered into my hand.
It immediately formed the shape of a gauntlet.
As the fabric bound together, I watched it shift from a crimson hue to a blue one.
[What is...!!]
The old man was aghast at Gwijeong's sudden betrayal.
He couldn't believe it. His own demonic artifact switching sides like that.
But what could he do?
"A living master is better than a dead one, after all."
The fight as a martial artist had ended with those previous ten exchanges.
If so...
'Now I do things my way.'
Besides.
'I never intended to win by having him go easy on me.'
It had been calculated from the very moment I set those conditions.
To win against an opponent I couldn't beat, I couldn't afford to be picky about my methods.
Strain—! The old man tried to break free.
His strength was monstrous.
It felt like the arm bound by Gwijeong would be torn right off.
That was fine. Didn't I say it before?
Make someone used to something, and they will adapt to it.
Therefore, if I were to throw a curveball, it had to be now.
—Halt.
[…!!]
The old man's body froze upon hearing the Dragon Speech.
Even so, it wouldn't last more than a single second.
If Dragon Speech was used on someone stronger than me, I couldn't hold them for long, and it would also cause a recoil.
See for yourself.
Urk—!
Pain surged from within, and blood gathered in my mouth.
Gulp—! I immediately swallowed the blood down.
I can't hold him for even a second?
As long as I can hold him for even a brief moment, it's enough.
Grrrrind—!!!
Tuapacheonmu surged through my body.
I gathered energy into my fist.
[You—!]
The old man tried to force his strength out somehow.
Was Dragon Speech not enough? It was still fine.
Because I had one more way to hold him.
"Did you know? Dangjemun is actually a woman."
[Huh? What are you talking about?]
The old man faltered for a split second.
Tuapacheonmu.
Fourth Form.
"Changcheon."
The thrust fist struck the old man's chest directly.