Chapter 120. Commencement (2)
Even now, he was moving further forward in the very middle of the crowd. It was not a physical advance, but the development of martial arts.
Even while being in the very center of the crowd, his movement technique did not suffer even the slightest push or brush. If anything, it even looked as if the people passing by were deliberately avoiding him.
Swarm of Butterflies Phantom Steps.
Bewildering Footsteps Phantom Traversal.
Void Sky Ladder.
…..
….
…
..
.
The unique movement techniques of those who had died at Seonjung Mountain, including Tang Wu, were being appropriately mixed together and naturally melting into his body as a new movement technique.
No one noticed it, but in that way Dong Bong-su was continuously training his martial arts without resting even for a moment. And at the same time, inside his clothes, he was also cultivating the Inventory Divine Art as usual.
All of it was happening as naturally as an ordinary person breathing.
Then, at some point, his movement stopped.
"Here you are!"
'Ha Seon-hyang.'
Dong Bong-su lifted his head.
A cute young woman with twin-braided hair was flying down this way while calling his name.
Dong Bong-su's Super True Energy Field had already grasped Ha Seon-hyang approaching from the sky, so he was not surprised at all.
However,
"W-what?"
"Keuk!"
The people passing around Dong Bong-su were struck by lightning from a clear sky. A beautiful young lady had fallen down from a perfectly fine sky—neither rain nor snow—so how could they not be surprised?
"S-sorry!"
On an already cramped Main Avenue, she had squeezed in as well...
Ha Seon-hyang, whether by mistake or not—depending on one's perspective—apologized to the person whose head she had stepped on and landed beside Dong Bong-su, where a little bit of space had been made.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
She repeatedly bowed her head, apologizing to the people looking at her from all directions.
Was it because of that?
The people soon started going on their way again. But in truth, it wasn't that they had gladly accepted her apology—it was because they had seen the sword slung diagonally across her back.
A sword with a red plum-blossom tassel dangling casually.
Mount Hua Sect.
Everyone knew that the prestige of the Nine Great Sects was not merely at the level of just advancing to the finals. And among them, Mount Hua Sect was positioned in the upper ranks, so what more was there to say? In the first place, as mere spectators, it was not something they could judge right or wrong about.
Realizing that the gazes of the people had eased somewhat, Ha Seon-hyang lifted her head and now looked at Dong Bong-su.
Flinch.
"Y-you were here..."
Ha Seon-hyang stammered. The space that had been created when she fell had already been filled, and the distance between her and Dong Bong-su had become less than a handspan. Just holding hands would have made her heart feel like it would burst, but now having their faces this close was just...
Moreover, as he looked down at her, his long and soft white hair was swaying right in front of her eyes, as if it might brush against her forehead...
"Were you looking for me?"
At the moment when Ha Seon-hyang's heart was beating half in thumps, half in flutters,
Dong Bong-su's indifferent voice shattered her heart into two pieces, three pieces.
"........"
Ha Seon-hyang couldn't say anything.
If she said she had been looking for him, it felt like she was coming on too strong, and if she said she hadn't, then
For some reason, she felt like she might look like nothing at all to this man... and that scared her too much.
In truth, it was nothing, it was nothing...
While Ha Seon-hyang was lowering her head and repeating that to herself, Dong Bong-su spoke again.
"It's too crowded here."
And then, without the slightest hesitation, he leapt up onto the roof of the Guest Residence Pavilion, where Ha Seon-hyang had originally been.
Thanks to that, Ha Seon-hyang, who had been a little troubled, was able to move on without having to answer. She thought that Dong Bong-su was being considerate of her. In truth, it was nothing special, but no, was it... something...? Or not?
Well, whatever.
If it's a good misunderstanding, then even a misunderstanding is fine, right?
She smiled brightly and followed after Dong Bong-su, flying up onto the roof.
Tak.
Dong Bong-su was already standing there with his arms folded, at the spot where he had once looked down toward the Weapon Eccentric and the Main Avenue.
Ha Seon-hyang naturally landed beside him. She was very short, so her forehead came right up to his shoulder, but still... what did it matter. It was just nice.
In fact, for the past few days, she had come up here every day to meet him, but Dong Bong-su hadn't shown even the tip of his nose. She had thought that Dong Bong-su was avoiding her. Even when she had finally mustered the courage to ask him to eat together, he had made excuses and slipped away...…
Only today, when the tournament began, was she able to see him again. To be honest, right up until just before she saw him down there a moment ago, she had been feeling angry, thinking, "Why is he avoiding me?"
But that feeling melted away like snow in an instant.
'Well, whatever? He's standing right next to me like this now.'
That was enough.
For her...
On the other hand, no matter what Ha Seon-hyang standing beside him was thinking, Dong Bong-su merely quietly looked down at the area around the martial stage. And yet, even so, he was reading all of Ha Seon-hyang's changes.
Dopamine, phenethylamine, endorphins, and especially oxytocin.
How could he not recognize such changes when looking at the face of a woman whose affection hormones were being secreted in abnormally excessive amounts?
Learning is the greatest emotion detector and manipulator.
Dong Bong-su had already studied hormones, and he also knew very well their effects and reactions. Therefore, he knew better than anyone in the martial world how he should act in this situation to maximize those emotions.
He just had to stay like this.
For Dong Bong-su right now.
That was enough.
And so, the two of them quietly watched the martial stage below as time passed—Dong Bong-su waiting for the cheers and frenzy of the madmen to explode, and Ha Seon-hyang hoping for Dong Bong-su's attention.
The sun gradually rose higher in the sky, and at some point it reached the middle of the heavens.
"Why aren't they starting already?"
"Hurry up and commence!"
As the time for the tournament's commencement approached, the crowd's dissatisfaction swelled to the point of being just about to explode.
Then.
Parararak -.
With the sound of clothes fluttering in the wind, someone flew up onto the martial stage.
A woman as beautiful as a celestial maiden, wearing a bluish skirt that covered her lower body like clouds and with three-tiered hair fluttering.
She flew across more than twenty zhang and gently landed on the martial stage like a falling leaf. It was such a splendid movement technique that admiration naturally spilled out.
Wooooaah -.
"It's the Martial Fairy!"
Namgung Hye—it was her.
At her sudden appearance, the entire audience instantly heated up. It wasn't just because of her beauty or her movement technique.
Namgung Hye was one of the strategists of the Martial Alliance, so the fact that she had come up onto the martial stage meant nothing less than that the start of the tournament was imminent.
"It looks like they're about to begin."
Ha Seon-hyang said with an expression full of anticipation.
"Indeed."
Dong Bong-su responded lightly to her words.
His gaze was already directed toward Namgung Hye, who had landed at the end and was now lightly walking toward the center.
Namgung Hye soon reached the middle of the martial stage. Now, from anywhere around here, it was easy to see her entire figure.
She slowly opened her mouth after sweeping her gaze over the heroes who filled the Main Avenue.
"First, on behalf of our alliance leader, I would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the heroes of all under heaven and the comrades of the martial world who have come to visit our alliance despite your busy schedules."
Namgung Hye slightly lifted her white-and-blue skirt and lightly bowed once each to the east, west, south, and north.
"Wow..."
"Oh...!"
Her slightly revealed ankles and ankle bones drew exclamations of admiration from the men. Hardly anyone noticed whether it was intentional or not, but in any case, men's instincts naturally made them that way. Beautiful flowers monopolize the gaze and love of all bees, after all.
Gulp.
When someone—no one knew who—swallowed audibly, as if on cue, the cheers died down. Namgung Hye's light provocation had not only drawn everyone's attention, but had also subdued the noise.
At last, the Main Avenue became quiet.
Namgung Hye straightened her waist again and soon opened her mouth.
"Before the commencement of the All-Under-Heaven Youth Martial Arts Tournament, I will explain the outline of the tournament. This tournament is different in nature from other tournaments that simply selected a winner by comparing martial arts prowess. This All-Under-Heaven Youth Martial Arts Tournament is one that our Martial Alliance Leader, True Immortal Hyeon-cheon, proclaimed widely to all under heaven in order to realize the great cause of saving the martial world, which has fallen into crisis. In particular, the martial elders have agreed that, for the peace of the martial world for hundreds and thousands of years to come, it is necessary to actively discover and foster rising stars. Therefore, we have opened this tournament for young heroes under the age of thirty. And also!"
She paused for a moment, then turned her body to look in another direction and continued speaking.
"All young experts who advance to the finals will be given the qualification to become members of the Azure Rising Star Group, a new armed organization to be formed by the Martial Alliance Leader, and in addition, you will be able to receive intensive martial arts guidance from Master Seungchan."
A member of Azure Rising Star Group, and intensive martial arts guidance from Master Seungchan!
At those tremendous benefits, another thunderous cheer burst out from among the crowd.
"Azure Rising Star Group will lead the martial world from now on!"
"The next number-one expert under heaven will surely come from among the young experts in there!"
"Wow -! Master Seungchan!"
"You can receive guidance from the number-one expert in the martial world?!"
"That Master has come down from Mount Song again!"
The cheers first erupted from one corner, but soon spread in all directions. Before long, the Main Avenue became so noisy it felt like it might burst, as thousands of heroes shouted in unison. The cheers could even be heard outside Muhwa Gate and over toward the Inner Hall up ahead. If nothing else, other strategists besides Namgung Hye must have gone up onto the martial stages over there and were giving the same kind of speech.
Staff God Seungchan.
Along with the Heavenly Mountain Divine Demon, the lord of Heavenly Demon Castle, he was one of the Two Gods.
The martial uncle of the current Shaolin head monk, and an invincible absolute being who had never once been defeated since entering the martial world!
Above all else.
Master Seungchan was the hall master of the Hall of Gathering Evils.
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