Chapter 88 : Chapter 88
Chapter 088. General of the North (4)
A distant calculation that an ordinary person could not imagine is mixed into the single move of a transcendent master.
Although Dam Jeok-san would have to devote himself for at least several more years to reach that stage, it is possible for him to read some of their techniques even now.
It is because there were transcendent masters who became his teaching materials, ranging from the Sword Ghost to Un Wol-hyang and Wi Cheon-rak.
The spars or Life-and-Death Duels with them raised Dam Jeok-san's eye techniques to a level he could not originally reach.
Therefore, he could see it even now.
The hidden plans of the General of the North approaching him like a storm.
Her first move is not a simple alternative like grasping which one is the real technique between the crescent blade and the kick technique.
Both are feints, and also, both are real. If he chooses one to block, the other will take on substance. In the realm of transcendence, will precedes form. The moment her will is imbued, the distinction between a feint and a real technique becomes meaningless.
It is a problem where no option exists other than blocking both from the beginning. Understanding that is the first test.
Dam Jeok-san drove the genuine qi rising from his dantian into his two eyes. An eye technique that could be given a different name now, not the Predator's Eye, was manifested.
The world began to look more slow and vivid. However, even within that, Jin Ryeo's movements alone were exceptionally strong and rapid. To the extent that it felt like the whole world was moving.
‘I have to read the trajectory.’
The kick technique and the saber technique of the crescent blade. Where each attack will thrust in.
It was possible because the General was unfolding martial arts with an extremely simple Fighting Path. Still, it seemed she showed some mercy since it was the first exchange.
Dam Jeok-san, who predicted the point where she and he would collide, stopped breathing from that moment.
Even though his cognition was accelerated, the General's speed was very fast. Everything had to happen in an instant.
He decided on the pauldron woven with dragon scales for where the kick technique would fly, and the Sky Thunder for where the crescent blade would strike.
The moment he decided so, his body moved.
Soon after, Jin Ryeo's blade and leg rushed in like a storm.
THUD!
First, the crescent blade heavily struck Dam Jeok-san's sword blade. The golden Saber Flame flicked its tongue as if it would burn Dam Jeok-san if he let his guard down even a little.
“Damn it…….”
Dam Jeok-san, who faced the crescent blade, spat out a curse. He forcibly swallowed the gastric acid that surged up from inside. Up to here, it is a level he can endure somehow.
The biggest problem is that this is not the end.
The moment he forcibly composed his expression, her left foot tapped Dam Jeok-san's pauldron.
CRAAACK―!
At the same time, Dam Jeok-san's body shook anxiously as if he had been directly hit by a thunderbolt bomb.
“Crazy, an Internal Heavy Hand Technique with a foot……!”
To block the kick technique, Dam Jeok-san filled the pauldron with genuine qi and formed a membrane of rebounding energy.
Although it is impossible to unfold a qi curtain on the body with his original stage, the divine power flowing in the dragon scales made it possible.
However, the General's kick technique crushed down while disrupting that rebound force.
If the qi curtain had been even a little weaker, his internal organs would have been crushed like porridge.
To think it is to this extent even though he got the correct answer? Dam Jeok-san barely corrected his posture while blaming himself for underestimating the General too much.
Although there are some internal injuries, it is a level where there is no difficulty in continuing the battle. It is still okay.
“Surprising. I intended to see the end in the first move if there was no hope.”
The General said while slowly taking her foot off Dam Jeok-san. Dam Jeok-san, who was tense about whether he could block it if she unleashed a combo attack, only then relaxed the strength in his body a little.
Of course, he did not completely relax his mind. Because it would not be strange if a fist or kick flew in suddenly while conversing.
However, the General did not bother to use such a trick.
“Not only did you find the answer, but you implemented it perfectly. You have exceeded the level I expected. Full marks. I will count it as you blocking two moves.”
She said while looking at Dam Jeok-san as if evaluating him. That was clearly admiration, but it was arrogant admiration spat out by a person standing infinitely high looking down below.
Dam Jeok-san suddenly felt anger surging up. The General of the North, a relative of the Emperor, a master of a transcendent stage.
Yes. Jin Ryeo is a person who possesses sufficient conditions to look down on Dam Jeok-san.
Nevertheless, Dam Jeok-san did not want to accept it. Perhaps he is acting recklessly because he has the conviction that she will not take his life. Even if that were the case, Dam Jeok-san intended to push through with his choice.
“Just count it as one move. I know you did not pour your full power into either the kick technique or the saber technique anyway.”
“Ahahahaha! You are truly arrogant to the point of goosebumps this time.”
The General, who understood the meaning contained in those words, burst into loud laughter.
That greenhorn dares to try to stand at the same height as herself.
While saying he does not need mercy bestowed as charity.
That is an extremely arrogant behavior. The gap between Dam Jeok-san and her is much larger than that between a child and an adult. To discuss a fair duel against an enemy he can absolutely never win against.
“However, that is why I like it. I will grant your wish.”
As soon as those words fell, the momentum wavering from the General's whole body changed completely.
“Well, you will have to bear the price yourself. Die now.”
When the suppressed killing intent was released, a gloomy wind blew. Dam Jeok-san felt nausea rising just from that alone.
A master of the Entering Transformation Realm had truly made up her mind to kill him.
‘Done.’
Although it is close to being unreasonable, he succeeded in standing in an equal position with her. Nine moves from now. If he endures, he will be able to obtain goodwill beyond what the Sword Venerable planned.
If he cannot endure……
‘I die, I guess.’
Dam Jeok-san thought while looking at the old woman's fist rushing toward his philtrum.
A destructive thrust derived from the Shaolin supreme art, Arhat Divine Fist. It was already far too late to dodge. Since it is a fist thrust with killing intent, there is no way it will stop in the middle.
He calmly raised his sword. Block. Block it. While holding only that will firmly.
The Heaven-Breaking Star-Destroying Style is ultimately a method of forging will into reality. The fact that everyone blooms martial arts in different ways also stems from there.
In other words, the Heaven-Breaking Star-Destroying Style is one of the few martial arts that allows one to handle intent partially even before reaching the Entering Transformation Realm. Therefore, despite that high instability, it is called a supreme art of the ages.
Block, I will definitely block it.
That single thought dwelled in the sword body and burned like a flame. The deep blue Sword Flame mixed with intent was burning much larger and brighter than before.
“Ho-oh.”
A strange light hovered in the General's eyes upon seeing that. A pure gaze like a child who saw a toy beyond expectations. She drove her fist in with all her might.
BOOOOM!!
As if a giant fire demon had risen, tremendous light and heat waver wildly at the point where the fist and sword collided.
In that place that was hot enough to cut the flesh just by approaching.
“Kugh……!”
Dam Jeok-san was spitting out a suppressed groan.
His grip holding the sword hilt tightly was red as if it would burst at any moment, and capillaries in his eyes had all burst, causing tears of blood to flow down.
An appearance no different from a mess. However, Dam Jeok-san took the General's fist strike without retreating even a single step.
It was something possible because he endured the collision of intent and intent.
“Kuhuhuhu……!”
Dam Jeok-san stopped groaning and vomited out laughter like a madman. He endured. He endured it. The General's Arhat Divine Fist. And from the front at that.
However, it is too early to just be happy. Because up to here was barely the second move.
He had no intention of being dragged around continuously. Before the intent he put into the sword could fade, Dam Jeok-san squeezed out all his strength, kicked off the ground, and twisted his body.
He puts all that propulsion and turning force into the tip of his sword. He was creating a sword move solely to snatch back the initiative.
The Baekhui acupoint where the Upper Dantian is located heats up as if it will burst. All kinds of inspiration repeat brushing past and disappearing. Although the Fighting Paths he can create are infinite, eventually, one most efficient path exists. Dam Jeok-san chased that dim path and extended his sword.
That path was a path that already existed inside him.
The discernment and experience accumulated through repeated predation and battles. And his knowledge of the sword.
If he had the time to organize it calmly, it is a supreme art he could have sufficiently forged. Because the qualification of a Grandmaster exists in him.
However, that work might take five years or ten years. Creating a martial art of the ascending level is originally such a task.
However, this moment right now is different. Through the duel with the General, his inspiration is heightened to the extreme, and his eye technique has also reached a level higher than ever before.
If he aims for this moment, he can create a supreme art in an instant that should originally be forged over several years.
Dam Jeok-san felt his sword heating up to the point where it could not be hotter. He saw it. The path he must advance.
Heaven-Breaking Star-Destroying Style
Unique Ultimate Technique
Scorching Heat Extreme Origin Slash
It is a creation and a discovery at the same time. Because it is something created in this moment and simultaneously something drawn out from what he already possessed.
Blue flame harboring transcendent heat sweeps the General like a storm. It looked like a feast of giant flames rather than a mere slash.
“Truly, you are arrogant to the point where I cannot know the end.”
A voice sounding absurd flowed out of the General's mouth.
Not only throwing a tantrum to stand on equal ground, but to create a new martial art in a Life-and-Death Duel with her.
Just the fact that he came up with such a thought was a shock. And the fact that he put that thought into practice was even more shocking.
She suddenly recalled an old memory. The Lord of the Martial Sovereign Castle of yesteryear was also such a madman. Fighting to become strong, and becoming strong while fighting…….
Those who lived in the same era as him would all agree. That the phrase ‘The Strong are Respected’ suits the Lord of the Martial Sovereign Castle better than the Ming Cult of the West.
And the General saw a fragment of that in Dam Jeok-san.
THWACK!
The hand blade she raised sharply blocked Dam Jeok-san's sword strike.
The blue flame that burned as if to burn the world could not pierce the hand qi dwelling on her hand blade, and the sword strike that struck as if to split the world could not shake her lower body which was fixed firmly.
However, she could not ignore it. Only after she also overlaid hand qi and fixed her lower body firmly could she block Dam Jeok-san's single sword.
With this, three.
As soon as she thought that—
FLASH!
Dam Jeok-san's sword flashed again harboring the blue flame. It is not a supreme art like the Scorching Heat Extreme Origin Slash. A simple downward cut without technique. However, it was a stable single blow that one could not believe belonged to a person who had spewed out a supreme art with all his might just a moment ago.
The General had no choice but to unfold a palm technique to block that sword strike. The palm extended in the flurry was sufficient to push Dam Jeok-san's sword away, but it failed to give him a valid hit.
Like this, in vain, the fourth move passed. He must have surely anticipated up to here when executing the Scorching Heat Extreme Origin Slash.
Seeming reckless yet meticulous. And around the time one considers him meticulous, he becomes extremely reckless again.
The General thought. That she did not know how to describe this nature of Dam Jeok-san.
However, one thing is certain: she had already begun to accept deep in her heart that Dam Jeok-san's achievements were likely true.
Before even five moves had passed.
‘Still lacking.’
Dam Jeok-san dared to wish to stand on equal ground with her. It is absolutely impossible with martial arts.
However, if Dam Jeok-san is standing in that spot even when ten moves have passed.
If his bold and reckless challenge eventually ends in success.
‘I suppose I can give him the qualification to share a drink.’
That is a matter harboring meaning beyond simply sharing a cup of alcohol. Because it is a meeting between a great elder of the Imperial Family and the Third Young Master of the Martial Sovereign Castle. Jin Ryeo knows the political repercussions. However, that could not become a reason to suppress her actions.
‘Well, that is also a story for when he has endured all ten moves.’
Thinking so, the General threw the cumbersome crescent blade as if tossing it away.
The moment her two hands gained freedom.
Dam Jeok-san, facing Jin Ryeo, felt a pressure of another dimension different from before.
“Ha, Primeval Lord of Heaven……. Are you saying you will use full power against a kid who has just reached the Ultra-Peak at best!”
“To make that Princess let go of the crescent blade. He is quite something.”
And exclamations heard from here and there. Especially, surprise appeared on the faces of Sword Addict and Blood Death Lord, who knew that the General rarely let go of her crescent blade.