Hwaaaah!
Two pitch-black forms sliced through the sky. Beyond the vast, azure expanse, the waves of Boshin Technique scattered in a rippling sequence.
A grumbling voice echoed from high above.
“I was so flabbergasted that I went along with it for a moment! Granny? Seriously? The more I think about it, the angrier I get! Is that what you thought of me?”
“That was... an accurate statement. Or rather, not exactly.”
“I was about to smack him on the head, but I held back! He looked too dejected!”
“He looked dejected? His eyes seemed about ready to flip.”
“Don’t make me laugh. Our Seomye is so pure and delicate! He didn’t inherit a single bit of that old Ma bastard’s blood!”
“Hmm.”
“Don’t look at him like that. I’ll tell you everything later.”
For a brief moment, the elegant black robes of Jin Myeong-jo fluttering in midair wavered slightly.
“My apologies.”
“That’s more like it.”
This conversation, held midair, was only possible thanks to the Supreme Soaring Boshin Technique.
Jin Myeong-jo swallowed dryly, his face unreadable, before speaking again.
“...Will the two of us be enough? I mean Zhuge Clan Leader. Seomye is a crucial force.”
“We came here expecting to deal with The First Fist of the Eon Clan anyway. The youngest will handle him, and we’ll take Zhuge Gyeon’s head.”
“Zhuge Gyeon?”
“He’s worse than a dog. Can you even call that a person? No, even dogs care for their own children.”
It was just as Ak Su-rim was chattering away in distaste.
[One thing is true. I have already surpassed humanity.]
A languid yet smooth voice reverberated in all directions. It was as if a young Jade Emperor himself had spoken.
As the clouds scattered, the beasts of winter slumber were driven from their burrows. The Six Harmonies Celestial Sage exuded an almost divine presence.
“The dog barks. I guess we blocked his escape route properly.”
“I shall draw The Luminous Night Blood Demon Sword. Just buy me ten breaths...”
Ssshh.
Just as Ak Su-rim and Jin Myeong-jo landed atop two towering juniper trees—
Above their heads.
A mystical surge of energy rippled outward like the Six Harmonies Celestial Sage himself.
It was not a force like External Force—nothing overwhelming or oppressive. It was a thin, almost sacred veil that seemed to drape over the world.
Then, as a pale, mist-like current gathered like clouds and scattered the sunlight—
Whoooosh—!
A vertical column of energy was engraved from the sky to the ground.
***
Hanzhong Murim Alliance
Main Hall
Click.
A sword was placed onto a weapons rack, carved from red-hued sandalwood.
A large hand traced the blade’s edge before slowly pulling away.
It was a hand steeped in exhaustion. The long sleeves of a black robe, tied at the waist, had been stained with dust and blood.
“My body aches in my old age. A foolish position to sit in.”
The middle-aged man curled his lips into a smile. A self-mocking one.
“You should rest. They’ll come again tomorrow.”
The voice rang from somewhere behind him. When the man turned his head, another middle-aged figure, with strikingly black eyebrows, was adjusting his robes.
Zhuge Cheon, the Feng Shui Strategist.
Originally the deputy chief strategist of the alliance, he had chosen to stay behind when Zhuge Clan Leader abandoned both the Murim Alliance and his clan.
Naturally, he had taken over the vacated seat.
Even though their leader had left in disgrace, the reputation of the Zhuge Clan remained largely intact.
‘A bat of a man.’
Hyeon So-baek, The Sword Saint, shook his head inwardly.
Many of the great clans had defected. The Murim Alliance had no choice but to rely on men like him.
Two of the Thirteen Heavens had already joined hands to drive the Hanzhong Murim Alliance out. Even as The Sword Saint, he was hard-pressed to counter two Heavenly Lords at once.
As an absolute swordsman, Hyeon So-baek was born with a body of sheer perfection.
His limbs were long. His fingers, which had always held the sword with unshakable precision, were the same.
“I miss my freedom. When I was a wandering swordsman, I used to dream of lying down in such grand halls. The fickleness of the human heart...”
Now, his long fingers merely clenched and unclenched at empty air.
Ssshh—
With each movement, wisps of white vapor rose from his hand. The sheer heat radiating from the natural circulation of his internal energy was immense.
Fresh from an intense life-or-death battle, The Sword Saint resembled a languid tiger.
“...Lord of the Alliance.”
Zhuge Cheon, who had been observing in silence, finally spoke.
“They say Hyeon Yi’s body is still intact. Now that Zhuge Clan Leader is distracted by some tournament, we have the chance to retrieve it in full. I’ve already sent those skilled in the Boshin Technique...”
“Are you telling me to sit quietly here, playing the role of a turret on the fortress wall?”
“My apologies.”
“All I need to do is behead that Zhuge bastard quickly, isn’t it?”
“You know it’s impossible. Not only are The Blade Specter Lord and Yeoryeong Lord an issue, but Zhuge Clan Leader, now wielding the completed Eon Ga-jeil-gwon, could be called invincible. Even the clan’s most precious treasured artifact is in Eon Hwayeon’s hands. Facing those two together in a direct confrontation... it would be difficult.”
The Sword Saint waved a hand dismissively, cutting him off.
“That Eon brat...”
He spoke with a heavy heart.
“What did she see in that pasty-faced bastard to abandon her entire clan? Namgung Ga’s Blue Qilin, dishonored even in death.”
The Eon Clan’s Fist Arts were practically the face of Ming Dynasty’s martial arts lineage.
The current First Fist of the Eon Clan was ranked at the top even among the Eight Noble Clans' unarmed arts. Excelling in close combat, she also had an extraordinary eye for perceiving weaknesses.
When the Murim Alliance was first founded, many had high hopes that she would secure the weaknesses of enemy martial arts.
“She did not read it.”
“What?”
“She refused to look at Seomye’s marks on the corpse. When she was handed a book detailing counter-techniques, she burned it with Sammae Purification Flame on the spot. Because of that, the counter to Seomye’s martial lineage remains incomplete, and she lost favor with her clan. But... she still couldn’t cut ties completely. That’s why she followed him.”
Zhuge Cheon’s voice was flat. The Sword Saint let out a bitter laugh.
“...It’s difficult to fathom a person’s affections with logic. That Zhuge bastard is far too lucky. He doesn’t deserve it. Eon brat must be tormented by her own feelings.”
“As long as she stays by The Reincarnated Hidden Dragon’s side, and as long as he can wield spell formations freely without fear of your intervention... there’s nothing we can do. Please abandon this plan.”
For a moment, The Sword Saint’s expression shifted—no longer a master swordsman, but a wandering vagrant, scowling.
“So many damn obstacles just to butcher a mangy mutt. I’m going to die of frustration, you bastard.”
“...It’s fine. Better this than losing your head to another Heavenly Lord, humiliating the alliance.”
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“No, you fool. If that happens, I’ll pay handsomely for someone to fetch me another Great Rejuvenation Pill, even if I have to climb back up Shaolin...”
“Please reconsider.”
Zhuge Cheon bowed his head slowly.
Ignoring him, Hyeon So-baek merely parted his lips in vain before exhaling a long, weary sigh.
“...Hyeon Yi, Seonryong... You both came to serve the alliance’s military. How did it end like this...?”
***
Waaaaaaah—!
The prestigious stage where the Shanxi Tiger Clan sought to showcase their martial prowess and elevate their reputation had transformed.
No one showed disappointment. If anything, it was the opposite.
A match that no one had even considered had come to pass. In this moment, all expectations for Shanxi’s young masters were forgotten.
“I heard Eon Great Hero’s martial arts had grown even stronger than the rumors suggested... But isn't it natural for a noble clan’s orthodox martial arts to make rapid leaps at his age? I’ll have the chance to witness it firsthand today.”
“How much higher can he go? Didn’t he shatter the water strongholds of the Yangtze River single-handedly when he was barely twenty? He was already called the Fist Dragon when he was a late-stage prodigy. This is no different from Transcendent Masters gambling with their fortunes.”
“That man... is Ma Gwang-ik Lord? Seriously?”
“His appearance didn’t exactly give off the impression of a wandering vagabond, but...”
Ma Gwang-ik Lord. The First Fist of the Eon Clan.
They stood at the highest echelon of the martial world.
Living proof of the Ipwang Fortress and the Eight Noble Clans’ overwhelming power. No one could deny it.
The crowd murmured in restless excitement.
Speculations rippled through the air—was he the most exalted figure present? Would Gui Il-tae already be drowning in regret?
“Is he really Ipwang Fortress’ Black Spear? This is insane. I have to get out there! Move! Get out of my way!”
“Could he just be falsely claiming the name of Ipwang Fortress? We’ll find out soon enough.”
“The rumors match up—Ma Gwang-ik Lord Seomye’s appearance, his age, even his arrogant demeanor. I vaguely recall a drunken merchant from Shaanxi’s Ghost Market Caravan mentioning him. Everything about him feels unreal—he’s a truly bizarre individual.”
“I thought all he had was his youth and martial prowess, but...”
“Who exactly did the Young Lord of Sanseo Gwi-ga just insult?”
Amidst the commotion, the center of the dueling stage remained utterly still.
Two absolute masters gradually released their auras, causing the dust beneath their feet to stir.
As a faint breeze spread, the surrounding chaos gradually faded.
‘He really has grown stronger.’
Jeong Yeon-shin stood face to face with a supreme martial artist.
Snap.
The moment their gazes locked, the interwoven energy between them crackled along an invisible line.
The flow of Eon Hwayeon’s qi remained the same as before.
The powerful waves of internal force that struck against his skin.
The piercing gaze, sharp and unrelenting, like it was trying to ensnare him.
The fingers twitching unpredictably in response to his breathing.
And that was what felt strange.
Her martial prowess had clearly improved since the Murim Alliance’s Opening War, so why did she still feel so similar to how she had back then—when he had already defeated her?
Perhaps, as someone once said, the clashes between transcendent masters were nothing but a battle of fate.
Even so, this was peculiar.
She was the one who had refined a counter-technique based on Namgung Se-jin’s corpse and Zhuge Clan Leader’s schemes.
‘There should be far more openings than this. Why do I only see one or two?’
Feeling a bit perplexed, Jeong Yeon-shin adopted the Hwan-gang Fist Stance.
His right foot moved back slightly, and his left palm was raised just enough to be visible—an easygoing, almost arrogant posture for someone about to engage in a life-or-death duel against an absolute master.
Yet, there wasn’t the slightest gap in his stance.
Eon Hwayeon smiled, satisfied.
“Your every action suits your position. If a person’s worth were determined by ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) their natural talent alone, few in this world would surpass you. I made the right choice.”
“I don’t care about your reasons. Come at me.”
Jeong Yeon-shin flicked his slightly raised fingers.
She was standing in the way of his mission. She might have felt disillusioned with Zhuge Clan Leader, but in this moment, her actions ultimately aided him.
She had come to avenge her past defeat as a martial artist—yet she couldn’t abandon her feelings for him.
It was time to fight. No words needed.
“The world is vast, and encountering fated connections is rare. It is even more difficult for a martial artist to find meaning in their existence.”
The First Fist of the Eon Clan, Eon Hwayeon, pressed her palms together briefly before raising them.
“Remember this name—Eon Hwayeon. I am called Fist Sovereign, my courtesy name is Mengwi. I trained in the Eon Clan’s Divine Fist, mastering all one hundred and eighty forms. And I stand here today—not because my beloved commanded me, but because I, of my own will, am giving my all to Ma Gwang-ik Lord.”
She spoke with the composure of someone stepping onto the stage of a formal duel between the great sects.
The Eight Noble Clans. The Eight Great Families.
Jeong Yeon-shin saw glimpses of Namgung Se-jin, the Blue Qilin, in her.
He was reminded of Zhuge Hyeon, the Seonryong, who had once challenged him in their first encounter, only to later share insights on life and the principles of Go.
“...The more I reflect on it, the more your existence amuses me, Ma Gwang-ik Lord Seomye. Through you, I shall leave behind a meaningful mark—just as the Sword Ancestor once carved his blade marks into the cliffs of Zhongnan Mountain... You may take my Accumulated Power Attack.”
With that, Eon Hwayeon loosened her arms and stepped forward.
Hwaaak!
The ends of her jet-black hair, reaching down to her nape, swayed wildly.
From the Yongcheon Point on the soles of her feet, a massive surge of qi erupted.
The very air around her warped as though facing the scorching heat of midsummer.
An invisible internal energy barrier manifested as a tangible force, wrapping tightly around her body.
Around them, murmurs of “Gang Qi Art” spread in awe.
There was hushed agreement—she truly deserved the title of Peerless Fist of the Eight Noble Clans.
‘So, she wasn’t fighting at full strength back then?’
Jeong Yeon-shin’s gaze cooled.
‘Why even differentiate between fighting seriously or not? What kind of idiot does that?’
The drunken, carefree fool he had first met was nowhere to be seen.
Her movements that followed were the same.
For just a moment, she tilted her waist backward.
Then—
Kwaaaaaak!
Her body shot forward, ripping through the air like a drawn bow.
The instantaneous acceleration of her body-lightening technique was monstrous.
Her fist, launched from behind her twisting waist, shook the very earth with destructive force.
The consecutive pulses of impact layered over one another, pressing against the skin on the back of Jeong Yeon-shin’s hand with a blunt sensation.
The moment he registered that sensation, her breath-infused energy was already so close he could feel it.
Close-combat striking range. The domain of a true fist master.
He did not dodge.
From the moment he stepped onto the stage, both his hands had been imbued with the spirit of the Blue Qilin.
‘What a peculiar monkey. I suppose I’ll have to stretch this out a little.’
He subtly shifted his Hwan-gang-infused hand sideways, just enough to intercept her incoming fist.
In the fraction of a breath—
Tap.
She was not an opponent he could take lightly.
His first move had to be to push her back.
The Blue Qilin disagreed.
Kwaaaaaaaaang!
Though her fist missed the air, the earth trembled.
It was as if the sky had turned into a lake—massive, transparent concentric ripples surged outward.
Scattered fragments of shattered Gang Qi sparkled like broken glass.
“Ughhh!”
“Get down!”
“Great Primordial Lord!”
Boom!
The shockwave spread, collapsing an entire section of the dueling platform, sending spectators crashing in all directions.
Amidst the chaos, shouts of astonishment, horror, and screams echoed throughout the air.