NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 146
Chapter 146: Dreaming Different Dreams Together
As Lee Cheol-soo’s words echoed in the audience, a heavy silence fell upon the spectators.
The main weapon of the Gongdong Sect is the sword. The symbol of the Gongdong Sect is the Demon Sword. So, isn’t it true that the first step in the reconstruction of the Gongdong Sect was to restore the Demon Sword Technique?
It was the same for the Gongdong Alliance, where the sword master Lee Cheol-soo resided. Even though his alias included the character for ‘madman,’ it was universally acknowledged that his swordsmanship was among the best in the late-stage indicators of martial arts.
If not for his eccentric behavior, he might have been known as the Gongdong Sword Master instead of the Gongdong Alliance’s madman.
But now, he was going to face the knife of Habu Pyeongga with a different martial art that wasn’t the sword?
“Such an absurd declaration!”
“To face the experts of the Pyeongga without a sword!”
“Even the great king Pyeong Mu-jin has reached unimaginable mastery. No matter how formidable the Gongdong Alliance may be, without using a sword, defeat is inevitable…”
Even a reasonably confident swordsman would never make such a bold declaration.
Yet, Lee Cheol-soo, being an expert himself, still proclaimed it boldly!
Absurd. Utterly arrogant. The crowd stirred with murmurs.
On the other hand, the members of the Gongdong Sect weren’t particularly surprised.
‘Given the level of my disciple… it is perfectly possible for him to win.’
Yujinhwi, who possessed the Heavenly Body, easily predicted the outcome of the fight.
She knew. Her disciple practiced relentlessly every day, pushing himself to become worthy of standing next to her, a genius of ages.
Though not at Yujinhwi’s level, Seoharin was confident in Lee Cheol-soo’s victory.
Meanwhile, Seomun Cheong-ha’s expression twisted in annoyance.
‘What on earth is that fool thinking…?! Is he spouting nonsense again?!’
As the youngest daughter of the Seomun Clan, one of the six great families, she understood the implications of Lee Cheol-soo’s words. Winning was challenging, but losing was a disaster. If they lost, the Gongdong Sect’s reputation would plummet; if they won, there would be countless martial artists swarming to confront Lee Cheol-soo. Neither scenario appeared favorable.
“Ah! Sangong! You’re so cool!”
In contrast, the Sword Mistress sitting in the guest area silently screamed, looking at Lee Cheol-soo with admiration. A true swordsman doesn’t draw his blade unless faced with a worthy opponent!
“Hehe… if it’s not against a true opponent like me, he won’t draw his sword… My heart feels like it’s going to burst…”
The Sword Mistress’s fair cheeks flushed a light pink. The implication being, he’d pull his sword out against those who could recognize its worth.
Who else, if not herself, would be considered worthy? Just as the Sword Mistress smiled to herself, a thought crossed her mind.
‘… Surely, One Sword Play wouldn’t include him, would it?’
A certain face appeared in her thoughts.
The One Sword Play Jin Soso. An alluring vixen who dared enter the Gongdong Sect main base under the guise of a guest due to her connection with her brother.
She too was known as a swordswoman of transcendent abilities. The red on the Sword Mistress’s face evaporated. Her hand trembled slightly.
‘… Indeed, if I want to rival One Sword Play, I need to train my swordsmanship further.’
The Taepyeong Princess’s gaze lingered briefly on the Sword Mistress’s face.
That wasn’t all. Her sight scanned Seomun Cheong-ha, then Seoharin.
‘So these women are the ones that Noya intends to take as concubines.’
Juga-yul had long gathered all information regarding the women around Lee Cheol-soo through her past knowledge and present connections.
The Sword Mistress, audacious for having caught Noya’s attention, was merely a common martial artist with status lower than those in the high echelons. No need to fret too much about her.
Seomun Cheong-ha was in the same boat. The status she enjoyed in the martial world paled compared to the true prestigious families of Beijing or the imperial lineage. Seoharin was even less of a concern.
The problem was…
‘Geomseong…’
Yujinhwi.
Since Noya executed the Rebirth Great Method decades ago, Juga-yul had been most vigilant against the activity of the Blood Sect while managing the responsibilities at Noya’s Tomb.
Thus, Juga-yul had maintained frequent communication with the martial world through Dongchang and Seochang, where she naturally encountered information regarding Yujinhwi frequently.
In the martial world, Yujinhwi was acclaimed as unparalleled genius, a great hero, and the number one in the world.
However, her firsthand encounter with the swordswoman Geomseong Yujinhwi didn’t yield the same lofty claims; she was indeed number one, yet not a hero or a true genius.
Rather…
‘Someone who couldn’t properly empathize with the emotions and thoughts of others.’
The reality of Geomseong Yujinhwi was that she couldn’t truly understand the lives and hearts of those around her.
The deeds she performed to assist in the reconstruction of the sect and what she taught her disciple didn’t stem from genuine compassion but were more out of obligation and compulsive duties impressed upon her by her master.
Possessing a gift from the heavens, her perspective drastically diverged from ordinary individuals, thus she could not understand others’ lives or feelings.
Juga-yul’s assessment of Yujinhwi was one of a potential threat—if nurtured under the hand of the rogue Saja, she might become a looming danger to the world.
Furthermore, the Geomseong she met looked like a man but appeared to be a woman in disguise. Although lacking evidence, suspicions swirled in her mind.
However, the present Yujinhwi felt distinctly different from the future, cold-blooded figure she had encountered.
Adding to that was the newly emerged mystery girl known as One Sword Play, who shared a path with Yujinhwi…
‘… Geomseong, could it be that you are indeed One Sword Play, not a man in disguise?’
Doubt crept into Juga-yul’s mind. Her gaze shifted to Yujinhwi. As someone who might one day be the official concubine of Noya, it was essential to keep a close eye on potential rival concubines. If Yujinhwi were indeed that dangerous a figure…
With such thoughts, Juga-yul turned her attention back to Noya. Her heart raced. A natural smile spread across her face. The image of Noya emanated with muscular grace filled her vision.
Her mind wandered back to Lee Cheol-soo’s words at the Great Hero Hall.
“I will dedicate the victory of the Yongbong Society to you.”
Remembering those words made her smile. It was a warm smile that contrasted sharply with the cold-blooded tyrant she had once been in her past life.
*
“Who does that swordsman think he is, boldly declaring he will face the Pyeongga with empty hands! Such arrogance!”
Pyeong Mu-jin’s face turned crimson with anger, his mighty biceps bulging.
Absurd!
Such shouts erupted from the audience as well. But who cares? He intended for such reactions anyway.
Without the skill to back it up, he’d be nothing but a conceited fool; however, if he proved his abilities, he would become a lone, heroic swordsman.
Of course, he’d become the latter. A swordsman who wouldn’t draw his blade unless faced with a true opponent? Oh, how that would resonate with the hearts of women!
“Today, I shall rectify your arrogance with the Pyeongga’s blade!”
Pyeong Mu-jin charged at me with a furious face. BOOM! The arena trembled beneath the weight of his determined spirit. Like a peak expert, he unleashed a potent burst of energy.
WHOOSH!
Wind swirled violently as his blade released its deadly aura. There it was: the rising supreme technique that represented the Pyeongga. The formidable Oho Dan Moon-do appeared before me.
Calmly, I raised both my hands and channeled the Primordial Unity Energy Technique perfected by my master. Thrusting forth my energy from the Danjeon, two currents of Yin and Yang surged upward.
Under the control of the Primordial Unity Energy Technique, I sent forth the Yin Force from my left hand and the Yang Force from my right. On my right tip lay the white energy symbolizing Yin, while on my left tip, black energy symbolizing Yang formed.
The technique I had diligently trained in was swordsmanship. Yet, I had equally put effort into my energy manipulation.
While insertion mattered in Cloud and Rain Pleasure, the preliminary skirmish held its weight too, didn’t it?
The tongue and fingers were tasked with handling this preliminary battle. Thus, I regularly trained in energy manipulation and full-hand techniques for the sake of my future endeavors in Cloud and Rain Pleasure every day.
And today, that moment had finally come.
Raising my hands imbued with Yin and Yang, I clasped his blade with precision.
BZZZZZ!
The explosive backlash from the collision of Yin and Yang energy sent shockwaves reverberating outward. His blade seemed to get sucked into a black hole, perfectly caught between my two palms. Pyeong Mu-jin’s face went pale with shock.
“An Empty Hand Seizing the White Blade technique!”
“He caught the Pyeongga’s blade with his bare hands?”
“Does this mean the Gongdong Alliance is skilled in hand techniques too?”
Empty Hand Seizing the White Blade. As I showcased the technique of capturing a blade with my energy-fueled hands, the audience buzzed in excitement.
And not just any blade, but one radiating with martial energy—a feat possible only when one reached the pinnacle of energy manipulation. The world was astonished. Pyeong Mu-jin stood aghast.
Yes!
This is showmanship! I felt rather cool in that moment. Hehe… I looked forward to the letters from fans being beautifully penned one by one at the Gongdong Sect Mountain Gate.
While observing the startled Pyeong Mu-jin, I stepped up, catapulting off the ground using defensive techniques and dodged aside, then danced atop his blade to deliver a powerful kick that sent him soaring.
“Guh!”
Pyeong Mu-jin screamed in unison with the impact. His gigantic frame flew into the audience.
Shock painted his face as he landed outside the ring. Was he incredulous about how he had lost? He continued to puff in disbelief.
If it were a life-or-death situation, he might have countered, but fortunately, this was just a contest.
Victory belonged to me.
“The winner is Lee Cheol-soo of the Gongdong Sect!”
With the announcement from the judge, I secured the first victory for the Yongbong Society.
While there remained others, I continued to rely solely on hand techniques and energy manipulation to send every opponent from the Yongbong Society flying out of the ring without using a sword.
“To declare you won’t use a sword, while executing such refined hand techniques and energy manipulation… This is unexpected!”
“However, all victories are from ring-outs! Such a match can’t be acknowledged!”
“Resorting to hand techniques typically used by women to boast is quite the spectacle; I never imagined the Gongdong Alliance would showcase such arrogance!”
“I should have recognized the signs when they attached ‘madman’ to your title!”
“Yet still, the Gongdong Alliance has moved to the finals, contending for the Yongbong Society’s victory, so perhaps we should acknowledge their unique prowess.”
Though rumors circulated around me, I chose to ignore them.
At last.
The final match approached.
And my opponent for the title duel against the Yongbong Society was…
“The One bestowed the title of True Sword of the Mount Hua Sect, Jin Pae-seon. They are called the Sword Dragon among the martial youth.”
A slender figure, with feminine beauty enhanced by the pink martial attire adorned with plum blossoms—a true handsome lad.
The Sword Dragon Jin Pae-seon of the Mount Hua Sect.
Today, it would mark the end of him carrying that title alongside my name.
Hehe… Sword Dragon Jin Pae-seon.
From today onwards, I shall be the popular Sword Dragon with a newfound female audience!