Chapter 135
"Unhwi...?"
Although Nangong Sang-hyeon called my name, I didn't answer him.
Because right now, I could only see Ho Baek-gwi.
"Uwe-ek!"
I vomited another handful of blood.
The blood I vomited earlier was bright red, but the blood I vomited now was dark, dead blood.
In the short time that Nangong Sang-hyeon appeared and the two of them talked, I was able to control my internal injuries to some extent.
As I spat out the bad blood that had accumulated due to my internal injuries, I felt my mind returning.
"Good, good. How long has it been since I've met a proper martial artist? I'm curious about when you grow up. In the next ten years... no, if you grow for just five more years, you will surely be a talent that will shake this martial world..."
Pa-ak!
He stopped talking and rushed at me, kicking off the ground, and then continued, "Unfortunately, today I will extinguish one of those talents with my own hands!"
Bu-u-ung!
He adds the speed of his fist to the speed at which he is rushing at me, and literally throws a destructive and powerful blow.
Why do I think 'pure' when I see that fist?
It is powerful and straight. And it only thinks of destruction.
If I get hit by that fist, I will surely be turned into a pulp and die.
'No. That can't be. It would be embarrassing for a person who is a martial artist of the Wudang Sect to be hit by such an attack.'
Perhaps because I vomited a basin of blood, my head is very clear.
And it's not just clear, but it feels like a light is flashing in my head.
'So that's it. Un Gwang, you were seeing this kind of world.'
And at the same time, I realized.
What the subtlety of Taiji that Un Gwang had been talking about was.
'You were always so desperate to survive.'
I understand now that I am in the position of an absolute weakling.
The reason why Un Gwang, who was weak and did not have an immense amount of internal energy, was able to use only Taiji so well and stand shoulder to shoulder with various masters.
No, it's the opposite. Because he was weak and had little internal energy, he had no choice but to rely on Taiji.
The words 'softness can overcome hardness' flash through my mind.
Now I think I know what those words mean.
"Kid. Thank you for giving me my last amusement!"
Although it was like a declaration that he would kill me, strangely, the moment I heard those words, I almost burst out laughing.
Because the words 'thank you' do not suit an opponent you are about to kill.
Go-o-o-o!!
As if he had been going easy on me until now, he flies at me, tearing even the surrounding air.
"No!!"
Although Nangong Sang-hyeon shouted and started to rush at me belatedly, of course, there is no way he could reach me faster than Ho Baek-gwi.
"Geez. That old man... I told him not to use martial arts."
When I muttered this, Ho Baek-gwi's fist was already in front of my eyes.
It feels like time has stopped. I raised my arm and wrapped it around his fist and arm at the same time.
Seu-euk—
And I just slightly turned the direction of his fist.
At the same time, my body slightly moved to the opposite direction. Then Ho Baek-gwi grazed past my body as if it were greased, and his fist hit the innocent ground behind me.
Kwa-a-a-ang!!
A huge sound as if a bomb had exploded, and at the same time, a thick cloud of dust rose.
"Unhwi-ya!"
Hwi-i-ik!
Nangong Sang-hyeon, who had followed belatedly, released his energy and created a strong wind, blowing away the dust in an instant.
"Uh...?"
He was stunned by the unbelievable sight.
I looked at him, who couldn't come to his senses, and said, "Sovereign Sword Emperor! Please stop using martial arts. Do you still not know why I'm doing this?"
"Ah, no. I..."
"My spar is not over yet. Please step aside."
"Ah, I understand."
He answered that he understood at my unbelievable situation and my firm voice, and then he stepped back.
Both when he made his cool entrance earlier and now, it seems he has used quite a bit of internal energy, but seeing that his body condition has not deteriorated rapidly, it seems he is seeing the effects of training the Dynamic Qigong for a few days.
"Kid... how?"
The stunned old man was not just Nangong Sang-hyeon.
Ho Baek-gwi was also surprised.
His attack just now had sincerity in it. It must have been a fist with a considerable amount of internal energy.
The deeply dug ground, large enough for a person to fit in, proves it.
"Did you forget that I am a disciple of the Wudang Sect? This is Taiji."
I said bravely. To be honest, I don't know how I did it either.
Although I have gained enlightenment about Taiji, I doubt if I can do it right now if I were asked to do it again.
But, what's important now is the momentum. If the opponent seems surprised, you dig into that surprise, and if they are afraid of you, you dig into that fear. Because that is my fighting style.
"That's not what I'm asking. I have fought with a master-level elder of the Wudang Sect before. I'm asking how you unfolded the same level of Taiji as he did."
"First, my life was in danger, so my will to live was strong, so I somehow managed it. And second, isn't it because I have that much aptitude?"
"You say such things with your own mouth."
"This is also me struggling to live. Who knows? Maybe you, senior, will lose to me because my talent is a waste."
"You're hoping for too much."
I shrugged my shoulders and answered, "Don't you have to hope first for it to come true?"
"Pu-ha-ha! I've never seen a child who talks as well as you in my life."
"Then, will you let me live?"
"No way!"
Hu-ung!
He threw himself at me again. And he stretched out both arms at the same time.
It is an attack that is conscious of the fact that I had deflected his straight attack a little while ago.
'Uh...?'
But that attack was too slow and its power was weak.
It was a speed that I could have dodged if I had made up my mind and thrown myself back.
However, my intuition and instinct shout at me not to do that.
Because I know well that a very sweet temptation is a trap.
Peo-eok!!
So I rather jumped forward and swung my fist at his fist.
Although my fist hurt as if it would break, I was able to take it because the power was weak.
But Ho Baek-gwi's eyes are full of surprise.
I took advantage of the moment his actions were stiff and swung my fist at his empty spot.
Unfortunately, I couldn't give him a single blow because he blocked them all, but it was a move that had great meaning for me.
Because it was the first time I had attempted an attack since the spar with Ho Baek-gwi began.
After that, we exchanged a few more attacks and defenses, and then we moved back from each other and separated.
But Ho Baek-gwi's expression is serious.
He looked at me with a face as if he had seen a ghost and said, "H-How did you... my ultimate technique...?"
"......?"
I couldn't answer because I had no idea why he was saying that, but he shouted as if he was frustrated.
"If you had dodged back, my hidden energy would have pierced your body. Did you know that and jump forward?"
For a moment, I got goosebumps. It means that if I had dodged back earlier, I might not be in this world anymore.
Ho Baek-gwi seems to be taking me really seriously. To use an advanced technique like hidden energy on me.
"I didn't know exactly what it was, but I knew that I would die if I went back."
"Amazing. This is not something that can be dodged with talent, but with rich experience... does it mean that a very great talent even surpasses experience?"
In fact, I have much more combat experience accumulated in my soul than most mid-level masters, but Ho Baek-gwi, who has no way of knowing that, was impressed on his own.
When I couldn't answer for a moment because I had nothing to say.
"Unhwi-ya!"
"My lord!"
Nangong Sang-hyeon and Ho Baek-gwi's subordinate ran towards this place together and shouted almost at the same time.
"Ho Baek-gwi! To use that technique on a child like this! Have you thrown away your pride as a martial artist!"
"My lord! The reason I supported and understood your intention to come here when you said you would was because I knew that you had an old grudge with Nangong Sang-hyeon that you wanted to resolve before his Gold Basin Hand-Washing ceremony. But, if your body is injured while fighting with all your might in a spar with a child like this, you will surely not escape death from Nangong Sang-hyeon!"
"Shut up! Yeom-jong!"
"I can't! To me, your life is more important than your honor, my lord!"
Ho Baek-gwi's subordinate... so Yeom-jong, confronted him fiercely.
But his voice was not filled with insolence, but with worry and affection.
Putting aside the fact that he was a water bandit who used to plunder the common people in the past, it seems he was a good leader.
"Yeom-jong. I told you to shut your mouth. If you say one more word about my body condition, I will not let you go."
He shouted as if he were growling.
But at the moment I heard their conversation, I realized one small fact.
'Wait. Ho Baek-gwi's body condition is not normal right now either? And, the more he uses his martial arts, the worse his body condition gets?'
It's a story I've heard a lot somewhere.
I turned my head, looked at Nangong Sang-hyeon, and said, "Just a moment. Please wait a moment."
"Is it because of the rule that no one can interfere? In the territory of the Nangong family, such a trivial rule to me..."
"No. It's not that. I don't think we need to fight. To be precise, we don't need to fight 'right now'."
"What do you mean by that?"
"So please wait a moment."
At my words, Nangong Sang-hyeon let out a groan, and then he nodded his head and took two steps back.
Done. Nangong Sang-hyeon is done, and now what's left is Ho Baek-gwi.
"Senior. Let's talk for a moment."
"Talk? Are you going to start begging for your life now?"
"That's right too. And more than that, there is something I want to ask you, senior."
"What?"
Although he looked at me with fierce eyes, I continued to speak without caring.
"Your body doesn't seem to be normal right now, senior? And isn't it that the more you use your martial arts, the worse your body condition gets?"
"This... Yeom-jong said something unnecessary!"
"So that's it. But what's the reason you're in such a hurry? In your current body condition, even if you win after the fight, won't there be a huge aftereffect? Even if you fight, it would be better to fight after recovering your body a little more..."
"There's no time for that!"
He shouted.
"Do you think I'm a fool? Tomorrow is that guy's Gold Basin Hand-Washing ceremony. After that, there's no next time or anything! That guy... the one who is called by the great title of Sovereign Sword Emperor is trying to retire cowardly after creating so many grudges. And he's even holding such a grand banquet."
He was so excited that the end of his voice was trembling.
Although others might laugh if they heard it, even villains have feelings and relationships.
Although Nangong Sang-hyeon is a hero to most people, to them, he is just an enemy.
This is the unavoidable cycle of the martial world.
I am not a person with the ability to solve even that.
However, I think I can at least postpone today's fight.
"You said there's no next time a little while ago, but I think there will be a next time?"
"What do you mean?"
"Because the Sovereign Sword Emperor is thinking of reversing his retirement."
"What...?"
Ho Baek-gwi was at a loss for words and looked back and forth between me and Nangong Sang-hyeon.
"And coincidentally, the Sovereign Sword Emperor is also in a state where he shouldn't use martial arts right now. The more he uses his internal energy, the worse his health gets. Just like you, senior."
"Is that really true?!"
At Ho Baek-gwi's question, Nangong Sang-hyeon slowly nodded his head.
"So if the two of you fight, you might both lose your lives in the end. You didn't come here hoping for that result, did you?"
"Then did you know that fact and were holding me back so that I couldn't fight Nangong Sang-hyeon?"
"Yes. Although I didn't know that you, senior, were in a similar body condition."
I quickly continued so that no one could interfere.
"I heard a little while ago that your body is recovering, senior. And the Sovereign Sword Emperor has also found a way to gradually recover his body. How about you two resolve your grudge after your bodies have fully recovered? If you acknowledge me as a martial artist, I earnestly ask you to accept this situation that a martial artist has created by risking his life."
I said to him with a very polite fist-and-palm salute.
A brief silence flowed. Although it was not a long time, it felt like a very long time to me.
"Hoho..."
After a little more time passed, words finally came out of Ho Baek-gwi's mouth.
"Was the condition that if I lose, I go back as I am?"
"That's right. Senior."
He, who had let out a small laugh at me who had answered immediately, said, "Yeom-jong. Get ready to go back. This spar is my defeat.”
(End of Chapter)