Chapter 127. Seungchan
That was right. Yeon Yeong-ha's words were accurate.
When he had seen Dong Bong-su fight last time, he had used a movement technique that appeared and disappeared, appearing and vanishing like a ghost, and had freely played with several swords as he ravaged the Killing Shadow Squad. But today, he fought in a completely different way.
Just what in the world…...
"I don't know where the end of it is. You."
Yeon Yeong-ha's pupils were dyed pitch-black.
"Well, anyway, we'll find out in a few days."
The jet-black pupils glistened, soaked in madness.
At some point.
A slender figure climbing onto the completely shattered Martial Arena flickered in those eyes. It was Namgung Hye.
"Hehehe, there's another interesting human over there? A man wearing a woman's disguise? And he even looks like he's got skills worth playing with?"
As expected, it was good to come out to the Central Plains. Truly, this Central Plains was the best playground for her. Well, it still wasn't time to really start playing yet, but still.
Anyway, the big stage called the finals would be opening soon.
Just a little, just a little more patience. She had endured until now, so how could she not endure a few more days?
Following Zhong Zhihang, Yeon Yeong-ha also turned her body and left the Main Avenue. Behind her, a clear, tinkling bell sound rang.
It was because no new challenger had appeared for the time being.
There was no longer any gutsy challenger who would challenge Dong Bong-su, who had defeated a tremendous master like Paeng Ho-ryu, the Hegemon Star.
"Dong Gwang-cheon, young hero, advances to the finals!"
Namgung Hye's jade-like voice fell calmly, and Dong Bong-su's advance to the finals was confirmed.
Woooooaaahhhhh!
Dong Bong-su's gaze passed over the frenzied crowd, toward Paeng Ho-ryu heading to the Pill Refinement Room, Zhong Zhihang and Yeon Yeong-ha turning their backs and leaving, and Namgung Hye. But it did not linger long on any of them.
The place where his eyes finally stayed was above the Guest Residence Pavilion where Ha Seon-hyang was.
Pat.
Dong Bong-su flew back onto the roof of the Guest Residence Pavilion.
Below his feet, people shouted. Cheering hands waved emptily in the air. Not even knowing what they were shouting at, they laughed and admired.
Tadat.
Dong Bong-su, who landed beside Ha Seon-hyang, soon went down to the corridor of the Guest Residence Pavilion below the roof and left the Main Avenue.
Ha Seon-hyang hesitated for a moment, then followed after him and disappeared.
The cheers toward Dong Bong-su continued for a while even after he left.
***
Huru-ruk.
True Immortal Hyeon-cheon lightly brought the teacup to his lips and then set it down. Normally, it would have been time to enjoy refreshments alone, but today was an exception.
Opposite him sat a monk with his head closely shaved. He was an old monk neatly wearing a dark-red kasaya over a gray robe. Though clean-shaven, the slightly bristly white beard and eyebrows left a strong impression.
Following True Immortal Hyeon-cheon, he also took a sip of tea and placed the cup on the table.
"Amitabha. I saw that one of the three newly installed Martial Arenas has already been completely destroyed."
It was the voice of an old monk that felt dignified, as weighty as the years etched on his face.
Facing him, True Immortal Hyeon-cheon lowered his Taoist gaze.
"Upper Harmony with the Void Path. Yes, somehow it ended up like that in just one day. Hehe."
"It seems this poor monk arrived a bit late."
A round moon was floating on the surface of the tea in the cup.
Just as the old monk said, he was a little late. He had only just passed through Muhwa Gate and entered Heaven-Connecting Hall a little while ago.
"No, the Martial Arts Tournament has only just begun. Hehe."
In response to the old monk's roundabout words about missing a good spectacle, True Immortal Hyeon-cheon answered just as indirectly.
"That must be so. Even if I stay a few more days, the youngsters aren't going to run away anywhere. But who were the two who made the Central Martial Arena like that? I'm very curious. They must be youngsters whose names even I would recognize, right?"
Unlike usual, the old monk was pouring out far too many words at once.
That meant he had been quite surprised to come to the Martial Alliance after a long time.
He had first been surprised by the scale of the installed Martial Arenas, and then surprised again by the destroyed Martial Arena on the Main Avenue.
The traces of a fierce battle between two masters were left there exactly as they were.
They were marks that were hard to believe could have been left by just two young men trading blows.
Hurup.
True Immortal Hyeon-cheon again touched his lips to the teacup, then spoke as he set it down.
"It was the Paeng Family's family head and someone called Dong Gwang-cheon."
"So you're saying that the current Paeng Family's family head is young enough to participate in the All-Under-Heaven Youth Martial Arts Tournament."
"He is a mainstay of the Martial World and a great blessing to the Paeng Family."
"Then who was the one who faced him?"
Since he had already heard the name, he must have been asking about the background.
True Immortal Hyeon-cheon stroked his white beard once and said,
"Dong Gwang-cheon of the Dong Family. That is all."
It was an answer meaning that there was no information beyond the name.
"So he is a first-timer."
"Upper Harmony with the Void Path. That is correct, Great Master."
"Truly astonishing. To trade blows of that level with the Paeng Family's family head as a first-timer. Even if he was eliminated in the preliminaries, could this poor monk not meet him separately?"
True Immortal Hyeon-cheon replied with a gentle smile.
"Great Master. You, too, were a first-timer in the beginning. Hehe."
"......"
"If you just endure a few days, you will naturally be able to meet him."
At first, because it was such an obvious statement, the old monk did not understand what it meant.
But soon, he was able to understand what True Immortal Hyeon-cheon's words meant.
The old monk had never lost even once since his debut.
True Immortal Hyeon-cheon's words were using the old monk as a comparison to describe that young man who had fought the Paeng Family's family head.
An undefeated first-timer?
That meant the winner was not the Paeng Family's family head, but that opponent!
The old monk was greatly surprised.
"Is it impossible to find out even what kind of master-disciple relationship he has?"
"It is not certain, but it is presumed that he may be a disciple of the Weapon Monster."
"Huh—. Are you saying that Donor Byeong-gwa has taken in a disciple? It seems things have changed a lot while this poor monk was just cooking rice at Shaoshi Peak."
"If it is to obtain a disciple with that level of talent, wouldn't anyone have to change? Hehe."
"Well, that is true. I came down to find someone to carry on and guard Ginnara Hall, yet this poor monk was too thoughtless. Still, it is a bit of a pity."
If he was the Weapon Eccentric's disciple, there was no possibility of having him yield.
That must be why he felt such regret.
After that, the two continued for a while to talk about the All-Under-Heaven Youth Martial Arts Tournament and the newly appeared young masters.
Then, at some moment.
The old monk slightly turned the direction of the conversation.
"By the way, as I was coming to Heaven-Connecting Hall, I saw many donors who truly do not suit the Martial Alliance. At first, I thought they were troublemakers who had slipped in taking advantage of this Martial Arts Tournament, but judging by their clothing, most of them seemed to belong to the Martial Alliance. What is the reason for that? I even saw a man of peerless beauty under heaven wearing a skirt."
A man of overwhelming beauty wearing a skirt.
It was an ill-fitting combination, but the old monk had indeed seen such a person on the way here.
At the old monk's words, True Immortal Hyeon-cheon burst into hearty laughter.
That was because he knew very well who the old monk was talking about.
"Hehehe. You saw him? How embarrassing. That child is a trivial shadow."
"You just said a trivial shadow?"
"Upper Harmony with the Void Path. Great Master, you also know. Bon, the great shadow of the Martial World."
Bon.
From True Immortal Hyeon-cheon's mouth, 'that name' came out.
Hururup.
Even at the hard-to-understand word Bon, the old monk was not particularly surprised.
Because he already knew, it was not unexpected at all.
After taking a sip of tea, the old monk opened his mouth.
"It seems their shadow has finally begun to be cast over the Martial World. If that is so, it means that the Heavenly Demon indeed failed to completely deal with the Extreme Yin Heavenly Slaughter Star back then."
"Whether he could not or did not is not certain... but your words seem to be correct, Great Master."
"Huh—. That is truly a big problem. Then does that not mean that two Extreme Yin Heavenly Slaughter Stars could descend upon this world?"
"That is right. That is why our sect requested support from you, Great Master."
"I see. Then what should this poor monk help with?"
"Great Master Seungchan only needs to identify the Extreme Yin Heavenly Slaughter Star among those gathered here. After that, the Alliance will take care of the rest."
Seungchan.
True Immortal Hyeon-cheon called the old monk that.
"Amitabha. Understood. For the peace of the Martial World, how could this poor monk not do at least that much."
"Upper Harmony with the Void Path. Thank you."
As the moon slowly tilted, and the first day of the All-Under-Heaven Youth Martial Arts Tournament fully drew to a close.
At the heart of the Martial Alliance, in Heaven-Connecting Hall, two giants of the Martial World were tilting their teacups.
As always, the appearance of a Rising Star excites the world.
This time was no different.
No matter what its inside was like, the outside was burning hot and splendid.
***
–(Revision) New Murim Online Rule No. 10: Items given as gifts by the system are not destructible. Also, except for the player Dong Bong-su, even if someone wears that item, they gain no effect at all. And the effects from items only apply to those displayed in the equipment window. That is, even if you hold [Beginner's Sword] and [Wanderer's Sword] at the same time, their abilities do not stack. If you equip [Beginner's Sword], only the [Beginner's Sword] stats apply, and if you equip [Wanderer's Sword], only the [Wanderer's Sword] stats apply.
Additional: If an item is arbitrarily modified, the system recognizes that altered item as an illegal item without a serial number. If an illegal item is worn, the system forcibly logs the player out.
–New Murim Online Rule No. 11: Among skills, most, even if they are activated again after being used once, their effects only apply once. However, for some skills, even if the effect from additional activation is the same, that effect continues to stack.
Example) The special effect [Frenzy] of [Chain Strike L1:2] increases the player's attack power by 1% for 1 minute. If, within the 1 minute during which [Frenzy] is in effect, the conditions for [Frenzy] to occur are satisfied again, then another 1% attack power is additionally increased.
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