Chapter 239
Chapter 239
"Do you know who gave you that nickname?"”
“Well. I don’t know that far. I heard the ladies on the street call you that.”
“Ahahaha, yes.”
Gyo Jin… It seems no one in the world cares about your gender.
Or do they? Seeing as they don’t call you Jade-Faced Young Master, it seems they know.
Tilting my head, I decided not to think too deeply about it.
Thanks to Grandfather’s Core Conduit, my body, which had been heavy as lead, felt as light as a feather the next day.
The weather was clear, and the sky was blue without a single cloud.
While doing my dawn training, I looked up at the sky, and Grandfather asked,
“What is it?”
“The sky is clear.”
It was the same sky I always saw, but for some reason, my eyes kept going to it.
When I couldn’t take my eyes off the sky, Grandfather chuckled.
“Your mind is elsewhere. Stop there and get ready.”
“Yes.”
Only then did I come to my senses and start preparing to go out.
I needed to leave earlier than usual today.
Because the first match of the morning was Namgung Hwi’s match.
Grandfather’s eyebrows furrowed as soon as he entered the arena, and as soon as he sat down, he glared sullenly at the opposite side.
At the end of his gaze was Gwisu-sin, resting his chin on his hand with a relaxed expression.
“So-hye!”
Yang Gyo-jin, who was sitting next to him, also waved at me happily.
As I waved back, he turned his gaze away from me and chattered something to Gwisu-sin.
Gwisu-sin smiled slightly and nodded.
I was momentarily speechless at the sight of the two of them looking quite friendly.
…How did he get so close to Ghost Hand Divine Doctor?
The more I looked at it, the more I could only admire his amazing sociability.
Scratching my cheek, I looked at the Martial Arts Stage, feeling amazed.
I saw a man trembling nervously and Namgung Hwi calmly waiting for the start.
Grandfather shook his head with a look of pity.
“To tremble like that before the match even starts. I wonder if he can even hold his sword straight. Was he from the Clear Castle Sect?”
“Yes. He’s a Three Great Disciples.”
“It seems like it’s his first time outside the sect. That boy won’t last a few moves.”
Grandfather muttered and sighed, closing his eyes.
He seemed to regret that Namgung Hwi’s opponent was not skilled enough to defeat him.
But I liked that.
Isn’t the enemy’s friend the enemy?
Those who hang out with Dang Hwa-yeop would be of no help to me.
Rather than seeing that group, who made it to the top 8, walking around with their shoulders puffed up, it would be much better for them to be thoroughly defeated by Namgung Hwi and eliminated early.
Okay. I’ll root for Namgung Hwi today.
I clenched and unclenched my fists, staring intently at the Martial Arts Stage, cheering for him in my heart.
At that moment, Namgung Hwi’s body turned towards me.
Huh. Just now…
The moment I thought I had made eye contact with Namgung Hwi, the corners of his lips curled up.
‘Did you sleep well, Young lady.’
Namgung Hwi’s eyes shone blue as he greeted me with his lips.
He was staring directly at me.
Feeling awkward, I pretended not to see him and looked away, and Namgung Hwi smiled, crinkling his eyes, before turning back around.
“This is Namgung Hwi of Namgung. I ask for a lesson from Cloud Sun Martial Hall.”
“This is Un-yang of Clear Castle. Poor Taoist also… I ask for your guidance.”
Un-yang, who swallowed hard and continued speaking, respectfully clasped his hands towards Namgung Hwi.
Namgung Hwi, who clasped his hands in return, confidently drew his sword.
Unlike the previous matches, where he was just dragging time and hiding his skills, he didn’t try to act reserved today.
Rather, he was busy pushing his opponent.
That made me recall what Grandfather had said.
‘He knows that standing out too much will make him disliked, so he’s matching his level to get along.’
Since Jin-sung and Yang Gyo-jin’s matches were so flashy, he must have judged that it was okay to show a similar level of skill.
That guy lives a tiring life.
His head must be exploding trying to calculate all that.
As Namgung Hwi began to seriously display his skills, Grandfather was the most excited.
“He taught him even that? Even though he’s not even his descendant? Is that old monster really senile?”
Grandfather’s face turned red and blue as he watched Gwisu-sin’s Ultimate move unfold from the tip of Namgung Hwi’s sword.
Even to me, who didn’t know much about swords, it was no ordinary Martial art move.
The sharpness that pierced the opponent’s weakness was enough to make goosebumps rise.
The Martial art move of Gwisu-sin that Namgung Hwi had melted into his sword had the opposite nature to Namgung’s sword, which followed the royal road by pushing with force.
However, they were the same in that they pursued practicality without any skill or embellishment.
I couldn’t close my mouth at the unbelievable sight.
Wow, how did Ghost Hand Divine Doctor teach him to mix that in?
There’s a reason why he’s one of the Ten Supremes. There was a reason why Gyo Jin liked him so much, saying he was strong.
As I watched the Clear Castle Sect Taoist falter helplessly against Namgung Hwi, I belatedly felt a sense of crisis and straightened my body.
I didn’t have time to root for Namgung Hwi, Clear Castle Sect or whatever. It was time to worry about how to break through that sword.
…How do you really win?
Even from a third-person perspective, there were no flaws at all.
As I chewed on my lip, caught in despair, Grandfather patted my shoulder as if telling me to calm down.
“It’s okay. There is a way to break through it all.”
But even Grandfather’s expression was chilling.
Only Gwisu-sin, who was watching Grandfather’s reaction from across the way, was enjoying himself.
But I didn’t have the guts to resent Gwisu-sin, so I rolled up my sleeves and glared at Namgung Hwi.
Now, the Clear Castle Sect Taoist was in a precarious struggle, as if he would be pushed out of the Martial Arts Stage at any moment.
Namgung Hwi, as if displeased with his opponent who wouldn’t easily give in, gave a strange smile and stepped back, creating distance.
“W-wait a minute…!”
The Clear Castle Sect Taoist, his face pale, waved his hand and tried to enter the Martial Arts Stage, but he was a step too late.
Namgung Hwi, stepping with Stomping Step, put all his weight into his sword and struck down.
Kwaaaang!
With an ear-splitting roar, the Martial Arts Stage split in half.
The Clear Castle Sect Taoist, who had rolled down below the Martial Arts Stage, blankly looked up at Namgung Hwi.
“I have learned a lot.”
As Namgung Hwi smiled brightly and clasped his hands, the audience cheered.
The Clear Castle Sect Taoist, who had been sitting awkwardly, also got up and greeted him.
Only the referee had a pained expression.
“These Rising Star this time… They all have great strength…”
Muttering in a resigned voice, he announced Namgung Hwi’s victory and declared a break in the competition.
“Oh my, the Alliance people must be tired. How many times has the Martial Arts Stage been destroyed?”
As I waved away the floating dust with my hand, Grandfather replied sullenly.
“That guy broke it on purpose. He’s saying he can do that much too. Taeheo seems to be worried about his disciple.”
Is that so?
I thought he was confident that he would win since he didn’t show any signs of tension.
But I couldn’t dwell on other thoughts for long.
“Let’s go quickly. We have to review. You can’t lose to that guy, no matter what. Do you understand?”
“Yes? Yes.”
Grandfather, urging me, grabbed my hand and started walking quickly, as if he was in a hurry.
I laughed awkwardly and followed behind Grandfather.
\ \ *
After that day’s match, Grandfather reviewed Namgung Hwi’s sword countless times.
Grandfather’s eyes were so fierce as he even mobilized Yang Gyo-jin, who came to visit, to practice breaking through it, that even the dull Yang Gyo-jin sensed something was wrong.
“So-hye. Is Grandfather angry?”
“Yeah. But he’s not angry at us, so you don’t have to worry about it.”
“Who is he angry at?”
“Well.”
I don’t know if it’s Namgung Hwi, Gwisu-sin, or both.
Yang Gyo-jin, who asked in a whisper, had a puzzled look on his face, but he didn’t ask any further and helped with the practice.
Was it thanks to that? I was able to maintain a light body condition and meet my match turn.
I’m sorry to Songhwa, but because of who my opponent was, I wasn’t very nervous.
I polished my Hidden Weapons squeaky clean with the oil Dang Cheon-yeong gave me from the crack of dawn, and headed to the arena with ease.
When I arrived behind the Martial Arts Stage, Jin-sung, who was talking to Songhwa, greeted me.
“Dang Sojeo.”
“Good morning, Do-jang.”
Songhwa also greeted me with a joking tone.
“You’ve come. I was hoping this day wouldn’t come.”
“Why are you saying such disappointing things?”
As I exchanged light conversation with the two, chuckling, the referee came out and called Songhwa and me.
“Now, we will begin the second match. Dang So-hye of the Sichuan Tang Clan, Songhwa of Wudang. Please come up to the Martial Arts Stage!”
Songhwa, who went up to the Martial Arts Stage with a bitter smile, looked exhausted even before the start.
Was he busy taking care of his fellow disciples?
“You look tired today. Didn’t you sleep well?”
When I subtly brought it up, Songhwa replied as if asking the obvious.
“I can’t help it since my opponent is Dang Sojeo. I was so worried about my arms that I couldn’t sleep a wink.”
“Your jokes are getting better every day.”
“I’m not joking.”
Songhwa, who rubbed his eyes with a serious face, clasped his hands together and pleaded.
“Please, just make sure I don’t get carried out on a stretcher. Sojeo.”
At the earnest voice, I laughed awkwardly.
“Ahaha. That’s not up to me.”
“No. Dang Sojeo can control it. Don’t forget that I’m a weak man. That’s right. I’m a dandelion seed. If Sojeo gives me strength, my neck will snap and scatter in all directions.”
…What flower seed?
Seriously. Does this guy know how big he is?
I snorted and said, baring my fangs.
“Why is a man backing out like that? Don’t do that and let’s have a hot fight, Do-jang.”
“Oh my, I have to do this so that my bones will be intact. Well then, I look forward to working with you.”
Songhwa, who clasped his hands with a playful smile, grabbed his sword.
I also put my hand in my sleeve, clasped my hands in return, and jumped up into the air without delay.
“Dang Sojeo, please be gentle, Ack!”
Songhwa, horrified by the pouring Hidden Weapons, hurriedly raised his sword.
Kaang!
