Pay‑to‑Win King of Martial Arts (Novel) - Chapter 193 - Martial Alliance (7)
Chapter 193 – Martial Alliance (7)
From the moment they saw the tassel of the Taiji Sword Guardian, the situation reversed. If someone was a Taiji Sword Guardian, everyone knew that meant he was elite talent even within the Wudang Sect.
On top of that, I had spread my qi. At least here, it was at a level no one could casually ignore.
People’s gazes naturally shifted to the three men who had first picked a fight with me. Since they were wearing the same yellow martial uniform, they were likely people of the same clan.
“…So you were someone with real skill.”
One of the trio muttered that and stepped toward me. Then he brought his hands together in salute and bowed his head.
“I do not know why a secular disciple is wearing the tassel of a Taiji Sword Guardian, but it seems certain that I committed an offense.”
The man’s voice immediately became composed. In their minds, I was no longer merely a secular disciple of the Wudang Sect, but a mysterious Taiji Sword Guardian.
And Taiji Sword Guardians were the elites who represented Wudang. If others learned they had slighted me, the Wudang Sect itself might even take offense. It was only natural for their attitude to change.
“I failed to introduce myself. I am Hwangbo Un-hyeong of the Hwangbo Clan.”
Seeing that he carried no weapon, I had wondered, and sure enough it was the Hwangbo Clan, whose main art was fist technique. Even if the Hwangbo Clan was sometimes ranked at the bottom of the Five Great Families together with the Zhuge Clan, one of the Five Great Families was still one of the Five Great Families. He was by no means someone I could lightly ignore.
“I will accept the apology. I already introduced myself earlier, so we can skip that.”
“Very well. I was rude, that much is true, but I would like to witness the swordsmanship of so renowned a Taiji Sword Guardian. Would that be acceptable?”
There was not the slightest trace of mockery in Hwangbo Un-hyeong’s words. He truly seemed curious about the martial art of a Taiji Sword Guardian.
“No reason it should not be.”
At my answer, the people’s eyes lit up.
Taiji Sword Guardians were chosen once more from among the main-mountain disciples. They were the sort who had advanced one step further beyond the direct lines and main-mountain disciples whom these people admired.
For that one reason alone, because I wore that tassel, I had become a crane among chickens in their midst. It was only natural that their curiosity would focus on me.
Even those who had been going outside in pairs to spar stopped for a while to watch the duel once they learned I was a Taiji Sword Guardian, which said enough by itself.
With a grave gaze, Hwangbo Un-hyeong walked out of the pavilion. The open ground outside was wide enough to make it convenient for fighting. Perhaps they had designed it this way knowing that when martial artists gathered together, such things would inevitably happen.
“I ask for your guidance.”
Standing opposite me, Hwangbo Un-hyeong rummaged inside his sleeves and put on his fist guards.
On the part protecting the backs of his hands was carved a yellow dragon, likely the symbol of the Hwangbo Clan.
Before starting the duel, I suddenly recalled something. If I was going to act like a martial artist, I ought to do it properly.
“I will yield you three moves.”
I never thought I would hear myself say something so inefficient.
To be honest, I had expected Hwangbo Un-hyeong to get angry. I had said it with a slight trace of revenge for how he had pressured me earlier. But contrary to expectation, Hwangbo Un-hyeong bowed politely with a fist-and-palm salute.
“I thank you for your generosity, Great Hero.”
“…Ah, right.”
When Hwangbo Un-hyeong responded so respectfully, I had nothing more to say. Even collateral lines of the orthodox path were still people of the orthodox path.
“Then I am coming.”
Hwangbo Un-hyeong struck the fists covered in his guards together. A ringing note sounded out, and tension came rushing in.
I blinked once, and Hwangbo Un-hyeong was already right before me. Even if he was only collateral line, there was a reason he had been selected from within his clan and sent to the Martial Alliance. He was sufficiently strong.
I flicked the hilt with my thumb and drew. The sword that had come halfway out of the scabbard easily blocked Hwangbo Un-hyeong’s fist technique.
“Hup!”
As though he had expected that, Hwangbo Un-hyeong immediately flowed into a linked movement. He shifted his foot to the left, then suddenly vanished to the right. He moved so quickly that afterimages remained. It had not reached the realm of shifting form and changing position, but it was still excellent movement skill.
I drew the sword fully with my right hand and turned the scabbard backward with my left. A powerful shock struck from behind, sending vibrations tingling through my body.
“This is the Thunderbolt Tyrant Fist of the Hwangbo Clan.”
“I see.”
Hwangbo Un-hyeong explained his martial art. They said that when famous houses sparred, they even explained their techniques and martial arts. Since the stated purpose was to broaden each other’s understanding through exchanging martial skill, that made sense. Still, it was my first time actually hearing someone explain his martial art in the middle of a fight.
“The defining trait of the Thunderbolt Tyrant Fist is that it condenses internal energy and imbues it with explosive force. If your realm had been lower than mine, the inside of your body would have been completely shaken to a pulp.”
“A frightening fist art.”
“Strange words, considering you blocked it so easily.”
Every time Hwangbo Un-hyeong’s fists pierced the air, explosive popping sounds rang out. Fist artists certainly struck more finely targeted points than swordsmen and moved in ways that were harder to predict.
Come to think of it, this was my first time facing a proper fist artist. I had fought the Tou Venerable in the black market before, but that had really been less a fight than simple endurance. If the Tou Venerable had been serious, I would have been torn in half in an instant.
“The three moves are over.”
I spoke. Tension flashed across Hwangbo Un-hyeong’s face.
My sword fell like lightning, seeming ready to cleave down through the crown of Hwangbo Un-hyeong’s head. Alarmed, Hwangbo Un-hyeong overlapped both his palms and blocked my sword. He had wrapped them in fist qi, but my sword’s destructive power was stronger, so without the guards he would have lost several fingers.
I immediately spun my body quickly. Dust floated upward around the foot I used as my axis.
The Nine Peaks Scattering Kick of Dragon Splendor Soaring Wind Dance. An arrogant technique name claiming to shatter nine peaks.
Hwangbo Un-hyeong’s eyes flew wide open. Both hands were already raised to block my sword, and the kick flying in from point-blank range split into nine as it came. There was no way he could block in time.
Papapapapapak!
My foot struck Hwangbo Un-hyeong’s open torso exactly nine times.
“Kuh…”
Without even managing a proper scream, Hwangbo Un-hyeong was launched far beyond the open ground. Since I had deliberately avoided the important acupoints, he would not have suffered internal injuries.
Lowering the leg I had bent like a crane back into a straight line, I looked around me. The martial artists who had been watching the duel all hung their mouths open stupidly, as if they had never expected it to end like that.
* * *
“What in the world do you think he is thinking?”
“If I knew that, I would be an immortal.”
Peng Chae-hyang was of the direct line of one of the Five Great Families, and Cheong-yu was an elder of one of the Nine Great Sects. Naturally, they knew the Martial Alliance Leader well.
Unexpectedly, the character for hero was not often attached to a sobriquet. In fact, among the Five Great Sword Masters, only Su Je-heon the Ink Sword Hero bore that character.
Su Je-heon was a man of strong progressive tendencies in a place filled with unusually conservative figures. He strove to abolish old customs, to break prejudice, and to quietly practice his own form of chivalry. The chivalry of Su Je-heon did not face the select few elites of the Five Great Families and the Nine Great Sects. It faced the great many people instead.
In truth, someone like Su Je-heon could have lived a much easier life if he had simply catered to the Five Great Families and the Nine Great Sects. But Su Je-heon had not chosen that path.
That was why people had given him the sobriquet Ink Sword Hero, carrying with it their respect.
Which meant that dividing direct lines from collateral lines and main-mountain from secular was an act completely at odds with Su Je-heon’s disposition. There was a reason Cheong-yu had asked whether he had eaten something wrong.
“Well, if we watch, we will find out. He has always been the sort to do as he pleases anyway.”
Cheong-yu’s party entered the place they had been guided to. It was lavishly decorated and even looked comfortable.
“So it is Immortal Cheong-yu. It has been a long time.”
The moment they entered, people stood up. Among them, those who knew Cheong-yu approached with greetings.
The first to come forward was a handsome middle-aged man whose pale skin was striking enough to look almost bloodless. The well-featured middle-aged man wore a green martial uniform with the character Tang embroidered on the chest.
But Cheong-yu was not the type to remember faces well.
“Who were you again? I can tell you are from the Tang Clan by the clothes.”
“…Haha. I heard those exact words last time too. You truly have not changed. I am Dang Se-ui of the Tang Clan.”
“Thousand-Poison Scholar!”
When Dang Se-ui introduced himself, Peng Chae-hyang looked slightly surprised.
Thousand-Poison Scholar Dang Se-ui. He was one of the Eight Exalts, the Poison Exalt, and within the Tang Clan he was second only to Tang Mu-haeng, the clan head.
Unlike most people of the Sichuan Tang Clan, who were notorious for being vicious and prickly, he was famous as an unusual sort who was mild and easygoing.
Peng Chae-hyang looked at Cheong-yu. The fact that he could not remember even someone of this stature brought home once more that Cheong-yu was an eccentric concerned with nothing but cultivating the Dao.
“Has Wudang gone so far into the world of trade that it is now even showing the audacity of taking female disciples?”
Dang Se-ui smiled like an easygoing man. Cheong-yu snorted.
“I have no intention of violating the rules handed down by the patriarchs of Wudang any longer.”
“More importantly, your face looks familiar. Who might you be?”
Dang Se-ui asked even the much younger Peng Chae-hyang with proper courtesy. Peng Chae-hyang returned the salute and bowed her head.
“I am Peng Chae-hyang of the Hebei Peng Clan.”
“Ah, no wonder you looked familiar. How is the Blade Emperor doing?”
“He is well.”
At her unexpected identity, those who had not known who Peng Chae-hyang was looked surprised. It truly was a strange combination.
What possible link could there be between Cheong-yu, an elder of the Wudang Sect, and Peng Chae-hyang of the Hebei Peng Clan?
“Miss Peng, did you enter as a representative of the Hebei Peng Clan?”
“No. The Hebei Peng Clan will be sending someone separately. I was traveling the jianghu, so I just happened to tag along.”
“Haha. I see. Are you currently staying under Wudang’s protection?”
“To be exact, not with the Wudang Sect, but with the Radiant Crystal Merchant Company…”
The people’s eyes filled with even deeper confusion. What sort of place was the Radiant Crystal Merchant Company, that the young lady of the Hebei Peng Clan was staying with it?
In truth, by now there was no martial artist who did not know of the Radiant Crystal Merchant Company. It was a merchant company that moved almost as one body with the Wudang Sect. The mere fact that it cooperated with the Wudang Sect, which had maintained such aloof dignity, was enough to make the Radiant Crystal Merchant Company famous among martial artists.
“Hm, I see. It seems something about the Radiant Crystal Merchant Company may come up in the agenda of this Martial Alliance gathering as well.”
“Is that so?”
“Well, that is something we will know when it happens. Let us not talk about work already.”
“That works for me. I did not come here to work.”
“Haha. Indeed. Still, it is pleasant and comfortable, is it not? Usually when we came to the Martial Alliance, they shoved everyone together and it was a complete madhouse.”
At Dang Se-ui’s words, everyone laughed as though they agreed. Peng Chae-hyang hesitated slightly.
Anyone could tell that remark was made with the secular disciples and collateral lines in mind.
“Perhaps the Alliance Leader has grown old enough that he wants to tuck in his tail.”
“That may well be so.”
The direct lines and main-mountain disciples laughed together. Peng Chae-hyang felt a slight sense of dissonance.
The Hebei Peng Clan did not place much discrimination between direct and collateral lines, but the other families truly were different. That was why most of those here seemed satisfied by this separation.
Peng Chae-hyang grew slightly worried. The people standing on the same side as her were already drawing such lines, so how lightly would they look upon Muk Hui-yeong, who was not even a martial artist but a merchant?
‘But why am I worrying about this?’
Peng Chae-hyang shook her head, trying to throw off the face of Muk Hui-yeong that had surfaced in her thoughts. But no matter how much she shook it, his face did not easily leave her mind.
People stared at Peng Chae-hyang strangely as she suddenly lowered her head and shook it, while Cheong-yu and Myeong-gyeong pretended not to know her out of sheer embarrassment.
Just as that farce was playing out, someone suddenly flung the door open. There were not many who would barge open the door to a room occupied by people each renowned in the martial world.
“Looks like almost everyone who should be here has arrived.”
The one who entered with a smiling voice was none other than the Martial Alliance Leader, Su Je-heon.
Everyone stood and gave a fist-and-palm salute. This was, after all, the Martial Alliance, so they had to show proper respect to the Martial Alliance Leader.
“We greet the Alliance Leader.”
“Yes, it has been a while for all of you. And there seem to be some I am seeing for the first time as well.”
Su Je-heon chuckled heartily.
“Well then, how is it? This Alliance Leader put some thought into it and separated the main-mountain disciples and direct lines from the secular disciples and collateral lines.”
“It is excellent.”
Dang Se-ui answered first on behalf of the group. Most of the others looked to agree. Su Je-heon smiled in satisfaction and nodded.
“I see. I should have distinguished them earlier. This Alliance Leader feels greatly apologetic.”
“Not at all. Haha.”
“I have arranged the routes so that, whenever possible, your side will not even cross paths with them, so there should be nothing for this side to find unpleasant.”
A slight crack entered Dang Se-ui’s smile. Even a fool could no longer fail to notice.
He had even arranged the traffic routes not to overlap. Honestly, was that not going too far? It definitely meant Su Je-heon had some scheme in mind.
“Might there be some occasion that led you to suddenly have this change of heart?”
Dang Se-ui asked. Su Je-heon continued to smile.
“A change of heart, you say. Is this not simply natural? A person’s roots and blood are not things that can be changed. It is only natural to draw distinctions. I hope you all rest comfortably until the meeting.”
Su Je-heon laughed heartily once more and promptly left the room.
A strangely unpleasant aura settled over the room.
“What in the world is he thinking?”
Someone muttered quietly. Everyone agreed with that.