hotmtlnovel Chapter 136
Chapter 136
As soon as the duel began, Zhu Yang-il activated his internal energy.
Celestial Sun Emperor's Supreme Flame Art.
He unleashed the imperial martial arts to their full extent, surrounding himself with an intense aura and looking down at the Gold Sword Clan’s successor with a contemptuous gaze.
Like the blazing sun descending upon the earth, his radiant aura exerted a heavy pressure on Chun-bong.
Chun-bong scoffed and used the Azure Cloud Art.
Vrrr—
Silvery-white energy, like clouds, radiated around her, dispersing the pressure.
"So, you truly are the successor of the Gold Sword Clan."
“Shut up, Mr. Hwang.”
"Does the successor of the Gold Sword Clan mistake the noble family name of the imperial line?"
"Noble? Coming from a clan still milking the legacy of a single martial god?"
"It sounds as if you claim the Gold Sword Clan has something beyond a sword god who transcended.”
"Precisely. You'll see soon."
When Chun-bong sneered, Zhu Yang-il clicked his tongue and sheathed his sword.
“Enough. Concede and step down. I have no desire to sully my hands with a lowborn.”
“Lowborn...?”
"Is there any authority left in the Gold Sword Clan, which is now nothing more than a name?”
Chun-bong’s eyebrow twitched slightly.
The onlookers watching the duel frowned. It wasn’t uncommon to use words to disturb an opponent’s composure before a match, but Zhu Yang-il’s words were excessive.
However, it wasn’t something that warranted interference just yet.
In martial arts, skill speaks louder than words.
If the successor of the Gold Sword Clan won the duel, it would directly invalidate Zhu Yang-il’s insult.
Chun-bong suppressed the rising murderous intent and glared at Zhu Yang-il as if she would kill him.
“...Enough. Just draw your sword, will you?”
“No need.”
Zhu Yang-il sneered.
Then he suddenly flinched, an eerie sensation shivering through him.
‘A killing intent?’
He looked up at the sky but saw nothing unusual. Shaking it off as an illusion, he looked down at Chun-bong again.
"No need, you say?"
Chun-bong stepped closer.
“Then take a beating and draw it if you have to.”
Silver light gathered around Chun-bong’s fist as she took a step forward and threw a punch.
Zhu Yang-il swung his hand to deflect it.
Boom—!
With a loud impact, Zhu Yang-il was forced back two steps, his eyebrow arching.
“What the...?”
The martial arts of the Gold Sword Clan were impressive... yes, he acknowledged that.
But with their age difference and the clan’s decline, surely they couldn’t have had the support to fully nurture their successor.
Regardless of the other factors, there should have been a clear difference in power just from the depth of internal energy alone.
And yet, it was Zhu Yang-il who was forced back.
“Interesting.”
He quickly stepped forward again, stretching out both hands.
Chun-bong scoffed.
"Whatever."
She unleashed the full potential of Chun-bong Art.
Chun-bong crouched and evaded his dual-handed strike, then drove her fist into Zhu Yang-il’s abdomen.
Zhu Yang-il’s gaze was still slightly misaligned.
The impression of Chun-bong’s martial arts had etched itself unconsciously into his mind from their previous exchange, and he was now seeing an illusion created by that imprint.
It wasn’t until the last moment that Zhu Yang-il realized her actual position.
His eyes widened, and he twisted his body, but Chun-bong merely smirked and adjusted her punch’s trajectory, slamming it into his abdomen.
Thud—!
With a clean, satisfying impact, Zhu Yang-il was sent flying backward.
“Guh...!”
He tumbled across the ground, clutching his abdomen as he looked up.
His eyes were now bloodshot with emotion, and Chun-bong smirked.
“Well... I thought her name was Hee.”
As the cheers died down, Chun-bong, a bit calmer now, realized her slip.
The crowd had also heard the name Chun-bong, and as the applause faded, murmurs reached her ears.
Her ears flushed pink, but she stood proudly.
She felt no shame in the name Chun-bong.
Though she preferred not to be called that by anyone other than her brother, it wasn’t a name she needed to hide.
“Hmph... Chun-bong. What a lowly name.”
A voice from behind.
Turning around, she saw Zhu Yang-il, now standing, staring at her.
Chun-bong scowled.
“What’s wrong with Chun-bong?”
“Isn’t it a ridiculous name?”
“Loser sure has a lot to say.”
“...I was deceived by sorcery.”
“Sorcery? Tha—”
Chun-bong paused.
Come to think of it, it did seem a bit like sorcery.
Seo-jun’s techniques often leaned that way.
But whining about sorcery after being thoroughly beaten just made him look pathetic.
“I’d rather not talk with a loser who was knocked out as soon as the finals began.”
“...You arrogant wench.”
Rumble—!
A sudden thunderclap had Zhu Yang-il looking up at the sky, clicking his tongue before turning to leave.
“Well, whatever. I’ll see you nex—”
Boom—!
An explosive sound shattered the silence.
Amidst the dust, the elders widened their eyes.
“An attack!? In Hanam? Who in their right mind...!”
“What about Zhu Yang-il and Geum Hee?”
The elders rushed toward the arena.
As the dust cleared, countless eyes widened in shock.
“Guh...!”
With his head stomped into the ground, Zhu Yang-il was helpless beneath a man whose overwhelming aura dominated the area.
His gaze was not one of a sovereign but rather one looking down on an insect.
The man spoke.
“Chun-bong. Your lively swordplay is like the spring breeze. It suits your new title well, Phoenix of Spring. Among the phoenixes in this generation, you seem to be at the top.”
Imperial guards drew their swords, exuding killing intent.
“Step away from the prince, now!”
The ground cracked further as the guards’ killing intent bore down on him.
For any lesser warrior, their knees would have buckled under the pressure, but the man gazed calmly around him as if it were a gentle breeze.
The onlookers, unsettled yet trusting in the surrounding warriors, held their ground, while imperial guards, elders with cold eyes, and members of the Namgung Clan watched him warily.
The man looked around, then down at the ground beneath his foot.
Zhu Yang-il glared up at him with murderous eyes.
The man covered Zhu Yang-il’s fierce gaze with his foot, pressing his head into the ground.
“Oops, my mistake. I didn’t realize someone was there.”
Seo-jun chuckled and waved at Chun-bong.
“Big brother’s here, Chun-bong.”
“...This guy is insane.”
Chun-bong’s jaw dropped.
‘So a successor of the Divine Bloodline still remains?’
Amidst the chaos in the arena, a man slipped away unnoticed.
‘I need to inform them before the plan derails.’
His eyes turned blood-red as nearby sewer rats lifted their heads.
Squeak-squeak—!
Watching the scattering rats, the man grinned.
‘It’s close. Soon...’
The savior, who would cleanse the Central Plains in blood, would arrive.