Chapter 66
Songshan Gathering (5)
In one corner of Seongho Forest, the fragrance of plum blossoms spread thickly through the air, utterly out of place with the surrounding scenery.
Part of it was due to the naturally strong scent of the blossoms, but the greater reason was the powerful blue sword wind carrying that fragrance across the forest.
Shrrrk!
As the two swords tangled chaotically, dozens of razor-sharp streams of sword aura scattered like flower petals.
Yeongil’s eyes narrowed as he executed the Plum Blossom Sword Art.
Reflected within his pupils were dozens of lines continuously intertwining and separating in real time.
Sword paths extended in every direction, flicking their tongues as if they would bind and pierce his entire body at any moment.
It's dizzying.
Because both swordsmen were employing illusionary sword techniques, dazzling attacks emerged one after another.
The number of sword images densely filling one's vision easily exceeded several dozen.
Yeongil's sword strike split into fourteen branches and concentrated on Namgung Jun's lower body.
Namgung Jun's free-flowing footwork was subtly disrupting the movements of the Five Elements Plum Blossom Step.
The sword strikes swept outward like coils, leaving countless sword marks upon the ground.
Stepping into those locations seemed as though it would result in being torn apart.
Yet Namgung Jun did not retreat.
Instead, he planted his foot forward, and a steadfast aura as solid as a pillar descended around him.
The aura of Heavenly Lord's Immoveable Body wrapped around his entire frame and crushed the incoming attacks head-on.
Seeing this, Yeongil's eyes widened.
Namgung Jun's movement technique was truly unusual.
Unlike ordinary movement arts that focused on evasion, it seemed to have been created for one purpose—
An unwavering advance that no one could obstruct.
So that one could swing one's sword freely in any situation.
Indeed, Namgung Jun brushed aside Yeongil's attempts at suppression with ease and launched a counterattack instead.
“This!”
Faced with such straightforward and reckless movements, Yeongil instinctively widened the distance.
The Plum Blossom Sword grew even more elegant as it surged forward, pressing down upon both sides of Namgung Jun.
Whoooosh!
Despite completely sealing off every route of retreat, Namgung Jun did not step back.
His blade, wrapped in azure sword qi, flashed repeatedly as twenty sword strikes bloomed like a cluster of lightning bolts.
Countless blue sword images split apart and collided continuously against the branching techniques of the Plum Blossom Sword Art.
Taking a step backward, Yeongil refused to blink.
Partly because there was no opportunity to do so, but also because he did not wish to miss even a single moment of Namgung Jun's swordsmanship.
The techniques I'm seeing now... they don't seem to belong to a single sword art.
It was as though countless forms and styles had simply been piled together before being woven into a complete martial art.
Like someone freely displaying every technique and insight he possessed regarding illusion swords and transforming swords according to his whim.
Because of that, Yeongil could not help but be shocked.
The youth before him was handling the Plum Blossom Sword Art using nothing more than seemingly miscellaneous techniques.
“Daoist Yeongil. Be careful.”
With that warning, Namgung Jun's sword transformed once more.
Becoming even more dangerous.
Even more chaotic.
As though it were feeding upon the plum blossom petals scattered by Yeongil's sword.
Freed from conventional directions and orientations, the sword paths swirled wildly in every direction.
Watching them, a bitter smile appeared on Yeongil's face.
It feels as though I'm facing a torrential downpour amidst a raging typhoon.
Countless sword strikes fell from every angle, their directions constantly changing according to the sword paths and sword wind.
The dense and brilliant sword images gradually soaked Yeongil's body.
Slash!
Quickly retreating backward, Yeongil glanced down at both sleeves.
The sleeves that should have displayed embroidered plum blossoms had become tattered rags.
Never, since mastering the Plum Blossom Sword Art, had his robes been left in such a state.
Especially not by a younger rising expert.
Yet Yeongil had no time to worry about his clothes.
His entire body was busy feeling the rapidly evolving swordsmanship of Namgung Jun.
“It keeps changing.”
At Yeongil's murmur, the corner of Namgung Jun's lips lifted slightly.
So he doesn't miss the changes. His talent is considerable.
Yeongil's guess had been correct.
Namgung Jun was absorbing every technique and principle related to illusion swords and transforming swords from Yeongil.
The swordsmanship of the Huashan Sect was elegant and dazzling.
When it came to illusionary and transforming sword techniques, Namgung Jun doubted any sect in the martial world could rival them.
Taking inspiration from Huashan's swordsmanship, he was cultivating entirely new fruits.
It felt as though all the countless techniques and insights regarding illusion swords he had accumulated until now were finally being gathered and organized through his encounter with Huashan's blade.
Beyond form.
Beyond style.
Beyond techniques.
Toward the realm of Law itself.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The two swords tangled together repeatedly, colliding and separating again and again.
Dozens of sparks burst forth continuously, shining so brightly that they were difficult to distinguish from fragments of sword qi.
“Huu.”
After taking a light breath, Namgung Jun circulated the internal energy of the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Art throughout his body and steadied his stance.
Ordinarily, he could have subdued Yeongil in a far shorter exchange.
The reason he continued extending the battle was simple.
He wished to witness the swordsmanship that the Huashan Sect had accumulated over generations.
Slowly and faintly, Daoist Yeongil is also unconsciously learning from my sword.
As their blades collided endlessly, fragments of swordsmanship flowed between them, becoming nourishment for one another.
How much each would gain depended entirely upon their individual ability.
Yet Namgung Jun was certain.
Not only himself, but Yeongil as well would reap tremendous rewards from this battle.
This was a moment in which both men were taking much from the other.
Suddenly, both swordsmen spun simultaneously.
And produced exactly the same change.
They had reached the same thought at the same moment.
As though they were practitioners of the same sword art.
Because their sword paths were identical, both blades were knocked away simultaneously.
CLANG!
After more than fifty exchanges, Yeongil and Namgung Jun retreated at the same time.
Looking at Namgung Jun, Yeongil released a rough breath before slowly nodding.
“I have lost.”
Yeongil extended the Huashan Sect's iron token toward Namgung Jun.
Despite admitting defeat with his own mouth, Yeongil's face appeared refreshed.
“Thanks to you, Young Hero Namgung, I believe I've found the beginning of an enlightenment.”
“And thanks to you, I was able to broaden my understanding as well.”
“I wish you good fortune in the token contest.”
BOOM! BOOM!
Just as the two swordsmen cupped their fists in salute, the sound of drums echoed from somewhere in the distance.
At the same time, the mist that had formed a circular boundary around Seongho Forest began to disperse.
It was the signal that the Iron Token Contest had ended.
Holding a total of eight iron tokens in his hand, Namgung Jun emerged from Seongho Forest.
Elsewhere, Baekri Cheong also stepped out of the forest and looked down at the three iron tokens in his possession.
Three, is it?
Although he had failed to reach the number of tokens he had originally aimed for, Baekri Cheong did not mind.
After all, every opponent he had crossed swords with to obtain those three iron tokens had been formidable.
A disciple from Shaolin.
A disciple from Mount Heng.
And Jingyeong of the Hengshan Sect.
Each was undoubtedly among the most outstanding of the twenty rising experts participating in the contest, and Baekri Cheong had proven his martial prowess against them fair and square.
He was more than satisfied with the results of the competition.
There are more eliminations than I expected.
Following the supervisors' guidance out of Seongho Forest, Baekri Cheong observed those already waiting outside.
Quite a few rising experts had been eliminated without obtaining a single token from another participant.
At the same time, a question arose.
Then who took all of their tokens?
Baekri Cheong handed his tokens to a supervisor.
“Including your own, that makes four in total. You've brought back the most tokens so far.”
Surprised by the supervisor's remark, Baekri Cheong immediately asked,
“How many tokens did the others bring back?”
“At most two, at least one. So the Changcheon Association had a talent like you hidden away.”
A relaxed smile appeared on Baekri Cheong's lips.
Judging from the number of participants who had already emerged and the total number of tokens accounted for, he could roughly grasp the situation.
And who it was that had eliminated so many participants.
Just then—
The final two competitors emerged from Seongho Forest.
Yeongil of the Huashan Sect.
And Namgung Jun of the Changcheon Association.
“I would like to submit my tokens.”
The disciples of the Five Great Sword Sects who had already been eliminated looked at Yeongil with anticipation.
Among them, Yeongil was considered the strongest.
Naturally, they expected him to have gathered many tokens.
After examining the tokens, the supervisor muttered,
“Three.”
The surrounding disciples looked puzzled.
“Hm? Only three?”
“Then who collected the rest?”
At that moment—
Namgung Jun, standing behind Yeongil, placed his tokens down.
“Ah!”
The supervisor's eyes widened in shock.
Even at a glance, the number of tokens spilling from Namgung Jun's hand was considerable.
“Including my own, there are nine in total.”
“Nine?!”
Everyone's eyes widened.
Excluding Namgung Jun, the competitors with the highest number of tokens were Yeongil and Baekri Cheong.
Yet even if their totals were combined, they still possessed fewer tokens than Namgung Jun.
“The Rising Star Sword collected that many?”
“Amazing. To stand out this much among the Three Sects and One Gang and the Five Great Sword Sects...”
“This is impossible. Even Daoist Yeongil fell behind?”
The rising experts who had been listening nearby could only stare in shock.
No one had expected the youngest participant of the gathering—
And a disciple of the Changcheon Association, no less—
To achieve such a feat.
“How can this be...?”
The supervisor could only marvel in admiration.
“A monster has appeared within the Changcheon Association.”
Watching the scene, Baekri Cheong felt a sense of pride.
As expected of Brother Namgung.
After confirming all of Namgung Jun's tokens, the supervisor nodded.
“You have taken first place in this token contest. I shall now tell you about the special opportunity mentioned by the Sect Leader of Songshan.”
The supervisor handed Namgung Jun a blank sheet of paper and a brush.
After hearing the explanation, Namgung Jun thought for a moment before writing down a single name.
The outcome had simply been too overwhelming and unexpected.
A rising expert from the Changcheon Association had collected nine tokens—the highest number by far.
Namgung Jun.
The Rising Star Sword.
Though his reputation had been growing recently, it had not yet reached the point where the leaders of the major sects paid special attention to him.
Naturally, few had taken much interest.
Which made the result all the more shocking.
Among those nine tokens were even the tokens of disciples widely considered the strongest representatives of both the Three Sects and One Gang and the Five Great Sword Sects.
The leaders of the major sects gathered together.
They had assembled to hear the results of the token contest.
“The results are as follows.”
After Songshan Sect Leader Guo Ying spoke, silence descended upon the room.
Samgyeong of Wudang and Yeongil of Huashan were both defeated by a youth called the Rising Star Sword?
Remarkable. The two most likely candidates to lead the contest were both overcome by a single individual.
Namgung Jun... Namgung Jun... To think such a talent existed and I was unaware of him. Our intelligence network clearly requires improvement.
Furthermore, the other representative from the Changcheon Association had also achieved an excellent result.
To call this token contest a one-sided domination by the Changcheon Association would hardly be an exaggeration.
“So the Changcheon Association had been hiding strength like this.”
“Well, are not the leaders of its Ten Halls quite formidable themselves?”
“The future of the Changcheon Association looks bright indeed.”
Praise poured in from all directions.
Yet Hahuseon merely twitched the scarred corner of his eye.
He had held great expectations.
But even he had never imagined such overwhelming results.
Those two children have accomplished something extraordinary.
During tomorrow's meeting between the sect leaders, the Changcheon Association's influence would naturally increase.
Having witnessed its strength firsthand, the Five Great Sword Sects would no longer be able to treat it lightly.
The future of our Association is bright.
The achievements of the two rising experts alone were astonishing.
More importantly, Hahuseon had personally witnessed the potential of the two youths who would one day carry the future of the Changcheon Association.
That realization moved him deeply.
“By the way, whom did Namgung Jun choose?”
At that moment, the conversation naturally shifted toward Namgung Jun.
“Ah, that's right.”
“One of us was supposed to conduct a guidance spar, wasn't he?”
The participant who collected the most tokens earned the right to challenge any leader attending the Songshan Gathering to a sparring match.
With a cool expression, Guo Ying looked around at the assembled leaders.
“The choice made by the Rising Star Sword is written here.”
He held up a neatly folded sheet of paper.
Every leader's gaze immediately focused upon it.