Martial Arts Ain't That Big of a Deal

Chapter 168

Chun-bong's bold declaration—"I'm cute."

She meant it seriously, but Yang So-hong found it hard to take her words at face value.

“...Fine. Let’s settle this with skill,” he said, lowering his spear closer to the ground and assuming a combat stance.

Chun-bong pursed her lips and unsheathed her sword.

“You’re the one who asked the question, after all.”

It wasn’t like Chun-bong had started the conversation with such audacious comments. It was Yang So-hong who had been rude and presumptuous with his earlier statements.

Still, Chun-bong, with her generous heart, decided to forgive him—or rather, she didn’t care enough to hold a grudge.

Yang So-hong? After today, she probably wouldn’t even see him again.

Since he hadn’t insulted her clan, she figured she’d let it go.

Realizing that her casual attitude had slipped, Chun-bong quickly switched to her “social mode” and adjusted her tone.

“All right, let’s begin.”

The referee, standing between them, raised his hand high. With a firm gesture, he brought it down.

“Begin!”

Swish! The moment the referee’s hand dropped, Yang So-hong surged forward, his front foot sliding across the ground. He twisted his waist, pulling his spear-wielding right arm far back while extending his left hand forward.

The spearhead, held between the thumb and forefinger of his outstretched left hand, pointed directly at Chun-bong’s chest.

‘A thrust.’

Chun-bong recognized his intent immediately. Instead of dodging sideways, she advanced.

Whoosh! Her figure sliced through the air like a breeze, her robes fluttering lightly.

‘Just as Oppa advised....’@@@@

This match wasn’t just about winning—it was preparation for her eventual duel with Su-a.

Whoosh!

Yang So-hong’s spear shot forward, exuding a terrifying momentum. Chun-bong’s eyes focused on the spearhead—a single, piercing point aiming for her.

“Hup...!”

Activating the full potential of her Chun-bong Martial Arts, she executed Clouds Flowing Through the Sky.

Clang—!

Her sword traced a circular motion, diverting the spear’s trajectory. Without hesitation, she advanced further. Yang So-hong quickly withdrew his spear, launching a series of rapid thrusts.

Swish swish swish—!

The flurry of strikes appeared as if a dozen points were converging toward her. The red tassel attached to the spearhead danced chaotically, disguising the precise location of each strike.

It was clear that Yang So-hong was well aware of Chun-bong’s martial art and was deliberately aiming for a broader range to counter her technique.

Chun-bong grinned.

Azure Dragon Splits the Sky.

A massive surge of internal energy erupted from her dantian.

Rumble—!

Her sword seemed to take on the shape of an azure dragon. Unlike Seo-jun’s Yellow Dragon Splits the Sky, the form of the dragon was faint and indistinct.

While Seo-jun’s technique embodied pure energy manipulation, Chun-bong’s sword technique incorporated the essence of dominance and suppression (Pa-geom).

BOOOM──────!!!

Clang—! Chun-bong’s rising slash sent Yang So-hong’s spear flying upward.

“What... strength...!”

Caught off guard, Yang So-hong spun his spear, using the momentum to reverse its trajectory and swing the blunt end upward with force.

Swish—!

“Winner...! Geum Hui of the Divine Sword Geum Clan!”

While Seo-jun often half-heartedly adapted Yellow Cloud Divine Swordsmanship into a Qi-based technique, when used properly, its power and complexity were unparalleled.

If it had to be categorized, its defining principle would be Ten Thousand Swords (Mangeom).

“It’s incredibly difficult, but if you can pull it off, it’s completely overpowered. Especially with your martial art—it’s a perfect match.”

The myriad principles of the sword technique, combined with Chun-bong Martial Arts’ ability to imprint illusions of attacks onto opponents, created a nightmare for anyone facing her.

It was no wonder Yang So-hong mistook her feint, Azure Dragon Emerges from the Head, for a dominant attack and fell right into her trap.

“Ooooh....”

Chun-bong’s eyes sparkled.

Yes, her Oppa understood it too. The greatness of the Divine Sword Geum Clan’s techniques and the unparalleled brilliance of Chun-bong Martial Arts.

And what about her, the one who mastered all of it?

“Good! I’ll grant you the honor of carrying me on your shoulders as we go home!”

Feeling elated, Chun-bong bestowed her “reward” on Seo-jun.

“Yay!”

Seo-jun, equally thrilled, played along.

The next day, Namgung Su-a’s match against Hye-un unfolded as expected, ending with Namgung Su-a’s victory.

Despite his insights and growth, Hye-un—now a top-tier Peak-level martial artist—still couldn’t bridge the gap with Namgung Su-a, who was nearing the transcendent realm.

Thus, the two finalists for the Yongbong Gathering were decided:

Namgung Su-a of the Namgung family and Geum Hui of the Divine Sword Geum Clan.

Some enthusiasts, recalling the legendary duel at the Mount Hua competition, whispered among themselves:

“Back then, Namgung Ji-hwa defeated the Faceless Snow Sword.”

“Faceless Snow Sword? Who’s that?”

“Who else? The heir of the Divine Sword Geum Clan. Though it wasn’t revealed at the time, their extraordinary skill and masked face earned them that moniker.”

“Hmm, so Namgung Ji-hwa might win again this time?”

“Who knows? That duel was quite close. But...”

“But?”

“Judging by this tournament, Namgung Ji-hwa still seems to have the upper hand.”

Indeed, Chun-bong and Namgung Su-a’s record stood at one win for Namgung Su-a and zero for Chun-bong.

Namgung Su-a’s flawless victory streak gave her a formidable aura.

“Hey...! What’s with this ‘flawless record’ nonsense? It’s just one match, damn it!”

“Now, now, Chun-bui. Let’s be nice, no bad words.”

“When did I ever use bad words? I said ten flawless matches! Ten flawless!”

Chun-bong hopped in place, her frustration evident.

As the finals approached, she became increasingly wary of Namgung Su-a.

She stopped training with her usual group, instead practicing in secret. She even avoided casual conversations with Namgung Su-a, fearing her intentions might be revealed.

Namgung Su-a, finding her antics adorable, simply chuckled.

Nonetheless, Chun-bong’s determination to win the Yongbong Gathering was undeniable.

She even dragged Seo-jun into late-night training sessions, something uncharacteristic for someone who usually fell asleep the moment the sun set.

“Yawn... Hurry up.... Before I fall asleep....”

Touched by her newfound zeal, Seo-jun devoted himself to helping her train.

Sure enough, Chun-bong’s mastery of Azure Cloud Divine Swordsmanship was extraordinary.

Her occasional flashes of genius within the framework of the challenging technique left even Seo-jun impressed.

Finally, the day of the Yongbong Gathering finals arrived.

This was it. Chun-bong’s revenge match, her chance to secure a gift for her brother.

“Geum Hui of the Divine Sword Geum Clan...!”

Standing in the arena, Chun-bong cast a heavy gaze over the crowd.

‘Today is the day.’

Here, on this stage, the Divine Sword Geum Clan would truly rise again.

Slapping her soft cheeks with both hands, Chun-bong’s eyes burned with fierce determination.

“I’ll win this.”

The blood of the Geum Clan burned hotter than ever.