Chapter 53
Contest (1)
The selection contest for participation in the Songshan Assembly had begun.
Even more people had gathered than during the entrance examination.
Naturally, that was to be expected.
The rising talents participating in this contest would be representing their respective halls.
In other words, this was also an arena where the Ten Halls competed through their younger generation.
The veterans of the Ten Halls who occupied the spectator stands of the Grand Training Ground were even making wagers among themselves.
“How about wagering liquor?”
“Just liquor? At a rare occasion like this? We should at least put some hidden spiritual medicines on the line.”
“Spiritual medicines? Isn't that going a bit too far?”
“Heh. It seems the disciples representing your hall this time aren't very impressive. That's why you lack confidence.”
“Hah. Fine, you're on. I'll put up a White Essence Pill. What are you offering?”
Unlike the heated and noisy atmosphere in the stands, the air around the contestants gathered in the Grand Training Ground was extremely heavy.
“What’s this, Senior Heo? Are you nervous?”
Watching Heo Il, who was unusually quiet, Man Yewon asked.
“Miss Man, please be quiet. I am organizing the enlightenment I gained last night.”
“Mmm. It just looks like you're nervous to me.”
Man Yewon absentmindedly stroked her scabbard while glancing between Namgung Jun and Heo Il.
Seeing her looking around restlessly, Namgung Jun spoke quietly.
“Have some confidence. Like when you suddenly challenged me to a spar at the Hall of Martial Excellence.”
“Ah—!”
Man Yewon tried to protest, but Namgung Jun ignored her and turned his head.
A familiar aura could be felt from the opposite side.
“Younger Brother, it has been a while.”
There was only one person in the Azure Sky Society who addressed him as Younger Brother.
A tall and robust young nobleman.
Baekri Cheong.
“Brother Baekri.”
Baekri Cheong also wore two cloud embroideries on his sleeves.
Judging by the aura he emitted, however, three clouds would have suited him better.
His growth is astonishingly fast.
Just as Namgung Jun was inwardly impressed by Baekri Cheong’s progress, the latter seemed equally surprised, staring at him with widened eyes.
“I've heard much about your recent accomplishments. You have certainly changed. It feels as though you're shedding the shell of youth.”
“Is that so? Those words encourage me.”
“Then let us both do our best in this contest.”
“Gladly.”
As the two swordsmen exchanged greetings, new presences began approaching the Heavenly Sword Hall one after another.
More precisely, they were approaching Namgung Jun.
At the same time, Heo Il, who had been leaning against a wall, silently moved to stand beside Namgung Jun, as though prepared to intervene immediately should anything happen.
“It seems they are interested in you as well, Younger Brother.”
As Baekri Cheong turned his head, Namgung Jun looked beyond him.
A group was approaching.
They appeared to be contestants in the competition, and every one of them possessed an extraordinary aura.
Their attainments were fitting for the representatives of the Ten Halls.
This contest may be more interesting than I expected.
After quickly examining them, Namgung Jun cupped his fist in greeting.
“I greet my seniors.”
The approaching disciples returned the courtesy.
“I am Samyeop of the Flying God Hall.”
“Jang Munhyeok. You know my face, don't you? I watched you train at the Iron Tower Hall.”
Baekri Cheong, Samyeop, and Jang Munhyeok.
All of them belonged to the Three Rivers faction and were regarded as promising candidates expected to be selected in this contest.
“Lately, they've been calling you the greatest junior talent of the Azure Sky Society. Frankly, I find that difficult to accept.”
“Let's settle the matter properly this time. Though with muscles like yours, it may be difficult.”
The eyes of the seniors who spoke were filled with curiosity and anticipation.
There was not a trace of jealousy or envy—only pure competitive spirit.
Namgung Jun welcomed their fighting spirit with a smile.
“Let us have a good competition. I won't hold back.”
At Namgung Jun's hearty response, the other rising talents burst into laughter.
BOOM! BOOM!
A tremendous drumbeat suddenly echoed through the Grand Training Ground, drawing the attention of both the contestants and the spectators.
Upon the raised platform stood a beautiful middle-aged woman.
Following the movement of her hand, the white sleeves of her scholar's robe fluttered elegantly.
Perhaps because of that, the iron fan she held in her right hand suited her perfectly.
“Everyone, take your places. We will begin the contest.”
There was no need for the woman to introduce herself.
There was no one present who did not know who she was.
Namgung Jun was no exception.
He had already heard who would be overseeing this competition.
Hall Master Jegal Muran of the Divine Mechanism Hall.
The Divine Mechanism Hall.
A group composed of masters of footwork techniques, eye techniques, and formations.
Its leader, Jegal Muran, was especially famous for being able to establish profound formations through footwork alone.
“I will judge every match fairly and impartially with my own eyes.”
As Jegal Muran swept her gaze across the contestants, her eyes shimmered with a deep golden light.
The Golden Star Eye Technique of the Divine Mechanism Hall.
According to what he had heard, it was an eye technique originally belonging to the Jegal Clan, which had been exterminated by the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult.
The Jegal Clan also donated part of its hereditary martial arts to the Azure Sky Society to aid in destroying the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult.
Her golden gaze passed over every participant before finally stopping on Namgung Jun.
“There are thirty participants in total. The format is simple. Over the course of fifteen days, each of you will engage in twenty-nine matches.”
As soon as the contestants heard that everyone would fight twenty-nine times, their eyes naturally turned toward one another.
Watching them, Jegal Muran nodded.
“Each participant will fight every other contestant exactly once, recording wins and losses. At the end, the two individuals with the highest win rates will be selected.”
It was not a simple tournament bracket where contestants advanced through rounds until the final two remained.
Was there some other reason for encouraging so many matches?
Sensing the question shared by all the participants, Jegal Muran immediately provided an answer.
“This is not merely a contest to determine the greatest junior disciple of the Azure Sky Society. It is not easy for all of you, who will one day shoulder the future of our Society, to gather in one place like this. Think of it as an opportunity to exchange knowledge and temper yourselves together.”
To continuously clash through martial arts, learning about oneself while learning about others.
That was what the Hall Masters who had prepared this contest hoped to see most from the Society’s younger generation.
May today's contest become a new beginning, a turning point, for someone.
Although such events were not held during these troubled times, the orthodox martial world had once regularly hosted tournaments and banquets that gathered promising young talents.
These gatherings were known as the Gathering of Dragons and Phoenixes.
Jegal Muran hoped today's contest would become a similar occasion.
“Well then, shall we begin?”
Her clear voice officially marked the start of the competition.
The first match of the contest.
Not only the veterans seated in the stands but also the contestants themselves watched the arena with shining eyes.
Partly because it was the opening match—but more importantly because the pairing was particularly intriguing.
Wi Hyeonsu of the Ultimate Martial Hall.
Among all the contestants, the disciples of the Ultimate Martial Hall were considered the most dangerous.
Since the Ultimate Martial Hall was regarded as one of the strongest among the Ten Halls, many believed the two eventual representatives would come from there.
“Among the Ultimate Martial Hall contestants, Wi Hyeonsu is the eldest, isn't he? His internal energy, experience, and skill should be the most refined.”
“In another six months, the title of junior disciple would no longer suit him. He won't be an easy opponent.”
The veterans of the Ten Halls already seemed to regard Wi Hyeonsu not as a junior disciple but as an established expert.
Yet none of them confidently predicted his victory.
His opponent was a rising star whose achievements were impossible to overlook, no matter how great Wi Hyeonsu’s reputation and strength might be.
“The Prosperous Star Sword, Namgung Jun.”
“I've only heard rumors until now. At last we'll get to see his skills.”
“They say there are hardly any swordsmen left in the Heavenly Sword Hall who can match him.”
Namgung Jun of the Heavenly Sword Hall.
The boy born with the Nine Yin Severed Meridians, once hunted by the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult, had become a junior disciple representing the Heavenly Sword Hall.
Every step of his journey had been extraordinary and awe-inspiring.
He was like a blue star suddenly streaking across the heavens.
The members of the Azure Sky Society wished to see with their own eyes just how brightly that blue star truly shone.
Tiiing!
Jegal Muran's iron fan vibrated lightly, producing a clear metallic chime.
It was the signal for the match to begin.
“Namgung Jun. I've heard you possess profound mastery of the heavy sword.”
“I would not call myself lacking.”
“Indeed. Then let me measure the power of your sword.”
BOOM!
The moment the match began, Wi Hyeonsu stamped the ground and charged forward.
Drawing strength through his footwork, he raised his great saber high overhead.
Wooooong!
A pale aura instantly enveloped the blade, releasing a fierce pressure.
The Ultimate Martial Hall's Ultimate Martial Conquest Art.
The technique was not restricted by any particular weapon.
It was a martial art that transcended weapon categories altogether, gathering countless disciplines under a single purpose:
Victory.
Domination.
Annihilation.
For that reason, the Ultimate Martial Conquest Art was overwhelmingly tyrannical in nature.
There was even a famous tale of how the leader of the Ultimate Martial Hall had once exchanged a single move with the foremost of the Wudang Seven Swords, Daoist Hyeonpung, forcing him back five full steps.
KRAAAK!
The aura radiating from the great saber carved cracks into the arena floor.
The pressure centered around Wi Hyeonsu was far beyond what an ordinary junior disciple should have been capable of producing.
Powerful... and heavy.
The momentum bearing down on Namgung Jun felt like a massive boulder rolling toward him.
Yet Namgung Jun simply raised his sword into a high stance as he always did.
His blue eyes carefully observed Wi Hyeonsu's movements.
The man's center of gravity was shifted completely forward.
The flow of his aura converged around the great saber, generating tremendous vibrations.
He's planning to decide the match in a single exchange.
It was not because he underestimated Namgung Jun.
On the contrary, his eyes blazed fiercely with competitive spirit.
The maximum power he could unleash in a single strike.
It seemed he wished to compare that strength directly and honestly.
Namgung Jun willingly answered that challenge.
Hwoooong!
Layers upon layers of sword wind gathered around his blade.
The overlapping currents were so distinct that they created the illusion that the sword itself was growing larger.
“I've never seen such control over sword wind!”
“So that's the famed Heavenly Wind Sword Art!”
Ignoring the astonished voices coming from the stands, Namgung Jun stepped forward to meet Wi Hyeonsu's charge head-on.
Heavenly Wind Sword Art.
Great Wind Filling the Heavens.
From high to low.
A simple vertical slash carved through the air, leaving behind an immense trail of sword force.
The instant Namgung Jun's descending blade met Wi Hyeonsu's great saber—
KWWAAAAAAAAANG!
A deafening explosion echoed throughout the Grand Training Ground.
Even those who had protected their ears with internal energy found themselves wincing.
Through the dense cloud of dust, the silhouettes of the two combatants could be seen.
Namgung Jun and Wi Hyeonsu.
Both remained standing perfectly upright.
Yet everyone present immediately understood who had suffered the greater loss in that collision.
Blood dripped steadily from the hand gripping Wi Hyeonsu's saber.
Moreover, he had been pushed back four full steps.
The contrast with Namgung Jun—who had not retreated even a single step—could not have been more obvious.
“Hoo...”
Internal energy.
Experience.
Technique.
Wi Hyeonsu clearly possessed advantages as the elder martial artist.
If he continued the match while leveraging those strengths, he still had every chance of victory.
Everyone watching believed that.
Wi Hyeonsu, however, thought differently.
“I've lost.”
Silence descended over the Grand Training Ground.
Several spectators looked bewildered.
“He's admitting defeat after only that?”
“Isn't that a bit premature?”
But they soon understood why Wi Hyeonsu had made such a decision.
Thud!
Exhaling a heated breath, Wi Hyeonsu slowly lowered the great saber he held with both hands.
Even then, he never took his eyes off Namgung Jun.
Though he had suffered a disadvantage in that single exchange, the match itself was not yet over.
A dull resonance spread across the arena.