Kang Sogun

The sword and the man became one and moved forward, as if a dragon were galloping towards the azure sky.

Countless sword lights bloomed around Ho Ildo and then shot towards Kang Sogun all at once.

"Oh!"

A gasp was heard from below the duel stage.

-Swish!

Kang Sogun was not in the place where the sword lights had poured. Before he knew it, he had stealthily slipped to the side and had escaped the sword's domain.

But Ho Ildo's sword was as unpredictable as a dragon playing in the clouds, and it immediately flew towards Kang Sogun's waist.

Kang Sogun took another step back and dodged.

The sword missed by a hair's breadth.

Ho Ildo's sword had sword qi. But it could not injure Kang Sogun's body by colliding with his internal energy.

Ho Ildo noticed that something was strange. Internal energy that could block sword qi with the body?

Before he knew it, Kang Sogun had been pushed to the end of the duel stage. It seemed there was nowhere else to dodge.

Ho Ildo, determined to end it with this move, thrust his sword straight.

No matter which way he dodged, his sword would follow and would see the end.

"Well seen."

Kang Sogun suddenly said a word, and instead of dodging the thrusting sword, he took a step forward.

-Ting!

Kang Sogun deflected the sword's surface with his left hand. Ho Ildo felt his sword, which was filled with his internal energy, being deflected by a tremendous force.

'Oops!'

As Ho Ildo bent his waist and was about to rotate his sword, Kang Sogun took another step forward and struck Ho Ildo's shoulder with his right hand.

Ho Ildo was greatly surprised, received Kang Sogun's hand with his left hand, and raised his entire body's internal energy.

But.

-Crack!

There was no form or anything. Just like striking down with a chopper, Ho Ildo's left hand was broken by the hand-blade, and his shoulder was shattered.

"Aargh!"

Kang Sogun, with the hand-blade that had struck down, pushed it as it was and struck Ho Ildo's face with the back of his hand.

-Thwack!

With a tremendous impact, Ho Ildo rolled on the duel stage.

A silence flowed. Everyone could not help but be shocked.

Ho Ildo, along with Bang Ilok, was famous as a young master in Nanjing, but he had been defeated in just one move.

Only Zhu Zhanji had a strange smile. Since he had heard about Kang Sogun's martial prowess, he had expected this result.

'If only that fellow were with me, it would be like having a thousand troops and ten thousand horses.'

In his eyes, Kang Sogun was a hidden dragon. If he was a dragon, he, who would become the emperor, should naturally obtain him.

Zhu Zhanji pondered how he could embrace Kang Sogun.

Zhu Zhanji was mistaken. Kang Sogun was already a fierce dragon that roamed the azure sky.

After meeting Jang Yeongyeong, Kang Sogun had awakened from his daze. As if he had been newly born, his mind was extremely clear.

If Yeon Hwasim's clear eyes had been a single needle that had pricked his spirit, which had been possessed by a delusion and was wandering, the dark secret hidden behind his parents' death had awakened him.

With the subsequent meeting with Jang Yeongyeong, he had regained the coolness to face reality.

Kang Sogun was resolute. He looked at the young masters below the duel stage and said.

"Everyone come up!"

The young masters who had decided to challenge Kang Sogun turned pale. There was no one who dared to go up to the duel stage.

"How cruel! You must have known that he was no match for you, but you ended up injuring his body!"

As the people of the Ho family carried Ho Ildo down, the head of the Ho family looked at him and then shouted at Kang Sogun.

Zhu Zhanji stood up from his seat.

"It is common to get injured while dueling. Since Ho Ildo used a real sword and was still defeated, he has nothing to say."

It meant that since he had lost because his skills were lacking, he should not make any complaints.

"Kang Hwi is a master of the imperial family. I will allow you challengers to attack him together."

Although the young masters below the duel stage were thinking of withdrawing their challenge in any way, Zhu Zhanji did not show them any consideration.

Kang Sogun let out a hollow laugh inwardly. He could see Zhu Zhanji's hidden motive. But since their intentions were the same for now, he was silent.

Four young masters went up to the duel stage with faces as if they were about to die.

They were the ones who had said they would challenge him themselves. Since the honor of their families was on the line, they could not retreat now.

The four exchanged glances. It meant to end it with a combined attack.

"Attack!"

As someone shouted, the remaining people all drew their swords and surrounded Kang Sogun.

-Swish!

Sword winds and sword lights flew wildly and rushed towards Kang Sogun. They were skills that were worth boasting about.

But.

-Thwack!

-Crack!

Only the sound of bones breaking and flesh tearing was heard on the duel stage.

"Kuh!"

The screams came out late. The four young masters had their limbs broken in an instant and were crawling on the duel stage.

The duel stage was covered in groans in an instant.

"Ugh."

"I think I'm going to die."

Kang Sogun looked at the young masters who were rolling on the duel stage and groaning that they were going to die, and spat out coldly.

"Even the soldiers of the frontier are better than you. Did you try to stand above others without being able to handle even this much pain?"

Next, Kang Sogun's gaze turned to the seat where the members of the powerful families were sitting.

Everyone was sitting with pale faces.

No one had known that Kang Sogun was such a strong master. What made them tremble more was his cruelty.

Kang Sogun had broken the limbs of a living person without batting an eye. And then he looked down calmly as if nothing had happened, which made them even more afraid.

Everyone avoided his gaze, but only Bang Yeonso looked at Kang Sogun calmly.

Only silence flowed in the venue.

-Clap, clap, clap!

Zhu Gaoxu stood up, clapping his hands.

"Hahaha. Amazing! He is no match at all. But isn't it bland that it ended so easily?"

Zhu Gaoxu looked behind him.

A person who was a head taller than an ordinary person came forward. Since he had his hood pulled down low, it was difficult to recognize his face.

"I happened to have invited a master and was broadening my knowledge. Since Kang Hwi's martial arts are outstanding, how about we have a match?"

Zhu Gaoxu had misunderstood that Kang Sogun had entered Zhu Zhanji's command.

Kang Sogun had threatened him the other day. He had even shown the previous emperor's will and had made it clear that he would protect the current imperial family.

Seeing him accept Zhu Zhanji's will and subdue the young masters of Nanjing on this spot today, he was convinced that Kang Sogun was on the side of the imperial family.

So he felt the need to break Kang Sogun.

Zhu Gaoxu wanted the imperial family and the powerful families of Nanjing to fight on an equal footing.

"This is a place for a martial artist of the martial world to intervene..."

As Zhu Zhanji, knowing Zhu Gaoxu's intentions, was about to rebut, the man in the hood had already gone up to the duel stage.

Zhu Zhanji's impression contorted. He knew from the opponent's momentum that he was not to be taken lightly.

"It doesn't look so good to be messing with children."

The stout man took off his hood. He was a man with a strong impression who looked to be about forty. His complexion was very dark, which was impressive.

The man stared at Kang Sogun and said.

"I am called the Iron Fist Hero. I wanted to meet a master of the imperial family at least once."

The people below the duel stage murmured.

Although the ten strongest people in the world were called the ten great masters, they were not the only masters. There were also masters who were no less than them.

The Iron Fist Hero was one of them. There were not a few who said that the Iron Fist Hero should be included in the ten great masters.

It was said that the Iron Fist Hero's two fists could even break an iron bell. Moreover, he was also famous as a hero of the martial world.

It was surprising that a hero of the martial world was under Zhu Gaoxu's command.

Kang Sogun knew from his momentum that he was the master who had been in hiding when he had met Zhu Gaoxu the other day.

"You are not a person to be in a place like this."

"I don't know what kind of place this is, but it didn't look good to make a mockery of those who were not skilled."

The sound of murmuring was heard from below the duel stage.

"As expected of a hero."

"To be honest, to hide one's skills and then to disable the opponent. It's a really despicable act."

"The young master of the Kang Residence is going to get a big nosebleed."

There was no one who took Kang Sogun's side.

Kang Sogun smiled bitterly.

"Is that the only reason?"

"Everyone has their own circumstances. But seeing you use your fists, I also want to have a match. I won't disable my opponent like someone, so don't worry."

The Iron Fist Hero's martial arts and reputation were high. He was not a person who would act lightly at Zhu Gaoxu's one word.

The Iron Fist Hero thought that the talent that the young man in front of him had was a waste. But seeing his poisonous heart that disabled his inferiors, he thought that he should break him a little.

"Looking at your technique, it seems you have learned the Wudang's Cotton Palm. It seems you have also mixed the fist path of Tai Chi Chuan. Moreover, I also see the brawling techniques used in the military."

The Iron Fist Hero, as a master of the fist art, recognized Kang Sogun's technique.

Kang Sogun was inwardly surprised. The Iron Fist Hero’s observation was spot on.

But there was no time to think more deeply. The Iron Fist Hero was not a man of many words.

"First, receive this fist."

-Swish!

The Iron Fist Hero thrust his fist straight. It was a simple yet extremely fast technique.

The force contained in the fist created a wind.

Although it looked like a lightly thrown fist, since the force contained in it was not to be taken lightly, Kang Sogun spread his right hand and drew a circle.

Kang Sogun's hand, which had drawn a circle, wrapped around the Iron Fist Hero's fist, which had been thrust in a straight line.

'!'

Although Kang Sogun tried to wrap his fist and press it down, the Iron Fist Hero's fist did not even flinch and continued to thrust.

As Kang Sogun hurriedly turned his body and dodged the fist, another fist flew in.

If the first fist had been aimed at his chest, this time it drew a semicircle and aimed for his abdomen.

The Iron Fist Hero had slightly bent his front knee and had stretched his back leg taut. Although it was a lightly thrown fist, the strength of his entire body was contained in it.

It was in an instant. It was as if the first fist and the second fist had been unfolded almost at the same time.

-Thud!

As Kang Sogun seemed to receive the fist that was coming up, he did a somersault in the air and resolved the Iron Fist Hero's force.

"Your movements are large!"

The Iron Fist Hero shouted loudly and then thrust his fist again. It was also simple, but its speed was like the wind.

'He is not below the Yocheon Pavilion Master!'

The Yocheon Pavilion Master had used a technique that bewitched people based on his strange internal energy and strange moves.

But the Iron Fist Hero just thrust his fist simply and honestly. Nevertheless, the force contained in it was like Mount Tai, so it was difficult to counter.

The Iron Fist Hero's two legs were as hard as iron pillars, and his movements were as fast as a leopard.

Since each fist came from a stable posture, it was fatal.

Kang Sogun turned his body to the side in the air and came down. As if waiting, the Iron Fist Hero's leg spun like a windmill and aimed for Kang Sogun's leg.

-Swish.

Although it was a human leg, a sound as if an iron pillar were being swung was heard.

Kang Sogun had no choice but to float his body into the air again.

Just then, the Iron Fist Hero took a step forward like lightning and thrust his fist into the air.

As the fist hit the air, surprisingly, an explosion occurred.

-Boom!

The qi that poured out from the fist hit Kang Sogun, who was floating in the air.

"Formless Fist!"

Someone recognized it and shouted. It was the Iron Fist Hero's ultimate technique, the Formless Fist.

He could no longer just dodge. Kang Sogun crossed his arms and blocked the fist qi that was shooting towards him.

-Boom!

With the explosion of the qi, Kang Sogun was pushed back about ten feet.

The Iron Fist Hero's fist contained the momentum to collapse a mountain.

"Interesting."

The Iron Fist Hero was inwardly surprised, seeing Kang Sogun who had blocked his fist.

It was the Iron Fist Hero's Formless Fist, which was on par with the Shaolin's Hundred Pace Divine Fist. It was the first time in ten years that someone had blocked it head-on.

The opponent was now in his early twenties. It was just surprising that he was fine even after receiving the force contained in his Formless Fist.

"You are a person who is too good to be under someone else."

Kang Sogun stealthily looked at Zhu Gaoxu. Although it was a low voice, everyone could hear it.

Zhu Gaoxu's mouth twitched.

If you chewed on Kang Sogun's words, it meant that Zhu Gaoxu was not a person who could embrace the Iron Fist Hero.

For Zhu Gaoxu, who was trying to plan for the world, there was no more insulting word than this.

(End of Chapter)