CHAPTER 190

The final duel of the Opening Tournament.

It was different from the time of Sage Cheon Joo. Only after the newly appointed leader of the Radiant Demon Squad had defeated forty-five people did the Three Clans finally bring out their martial prodigy, Eun Hwaryun.

The flag of the Desolate Fortress fluttered in the center of the alliance. Even as a leader, there had been no other choice.

Jung Yeonshin, his body burning hot, faced the final opponent of the alliance.

He had already unleashed the Infinite Blossom Fist Strike one by one.

Before even stepping onto the dueling platform, he had already been circulating the Radiant Wheel Energy. He had begun with the first technique, Vortex, and reached the third form, Flower Strike, in less than two breaths.

The internal energy barrier of First Fist of the Eun Clan was truly solid.

It was an immense body-protection energy. Eun Hwaryun had honed the art of materializing energy throughout her entire body.

As a master of fist techniques, she was capable of crushing the renown of many swordsmen.

The image of a careless drunkard was gone.

Standing on the dueling platform, she seemed almost divine. An invisible current flowed vigorously through her entire body.

It was as if she had elevated both her martial techniques and body-protection energy to the realm of divine skills.

The moment the duel began, she closed the distance without hesitation, instantly erasing the space needed for swordplay.

The boy was unfazed. He had already planned for close-quarters combat.

He diverted her hand with the first move, Vortex Strike, and delivered the Formidable Wall Strike to her abdomen, but a bizarre rebound force struck back, as if he had hit a moving swamp.

For a moment, his wrist almost twisted. The unique energy structure of the Three Clans was generating an overwhelming body-protection energy.

Jung Yeonshin immediately wrapped Radiant Wheel Energy around the Neiguan Acupoint in his forearm.

[NOTE - The Neiguan is an acupuncture point on the inner forearm, near the wrist. It's located between the tendons of the flexor carpi radialis and palmaris longus muscles.]

He had to protect the bones, tendons, and ligaments of his wrist in layers.

It was his first time facing a fist master of the black-rank level. There were many factors to consider.

Eun Hwaryun's gaze, as her hair whipped forward, also caught his attention.

As she retreated with small steps, she studied the boy.

For some reason, the secret sight technique of the Zhuge Clan, which Zhuge Qing-ya had previously shown him, flashed over her eyes.

A faint blue glow in her pupils fixated on Jung Yeonshin.

Even when he channeled the internal technique of the Radiant River into his arm, she remained the same. It even felt as though she was deliberately leaving an opening.

Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa—!

The force surging from his palm was intense. Within the Radiant Wheel Energy, the blood force and martial essence entwined with the intricate principles of an arcane formation.

From the heart's chariot, the surging energy stormed forward in successive torrents, grinding into the dueling platform as it approached.

As he struck out with his palm technique toward Eun Hwaryun, the force grew increasingly fierce.

A move that had long symbolized invincibility was now complete. Yet, he had not unleashed its full power. He had compromised of his own volition.

The unique weakness of the Radiant River technique—its long casting time in its rising stage—had been reduced through the fluidity of the Radiant Wheel.

Power had been sacrificed alongside it. Even so, the force was strong enough to make the air tremble.

And then—

Swoosh.

A soft touch brushed against the underside of his forearm. A cool sensation reached him.

It was an instant. His vision was suddenly filled with jet-black hair.

Eun Hwaryun had suddenly stepped forward, lowering her waist and slipping past the Radiant River technique while lifting his lower arm.

Even the body-protection energy on her face was so firm that, despite being struck by the wind force from the Radiant River, her gaze remained sharp and unwavering.

Her drowsy, drooping eyes approached like a blade. The moment her pitch-black pupils gleamed—

Kwaaaang—!

The Radiant River technique exploded above. The enormous shockwave surged through his arm and down to his feet.

It felt as if the ground beneath his heels had been crushed. His vision shook for a moment, and the entire dueling platform trembled briefly.

The technique that covered its flaws with sheer power, Radiant River.

For the first time ever, the palm strike had missed. Completely.

The title of First Fist of the Eun Clan swept over him alongside the residual force.

She had directly struck at the weak point of his explosion-type martial arts. With her firm body-protection energy, she had fearlessly broken through and shifted the striking point of his technique.

The hands of a black-rank fist master, one with experience, were truly terrifying.

Eun Hwaryun's hand, which had gripped the boy's forearm, slid down to his shoulder.

Jung Yeonshin's eyes flashed. Countless possible techniques she could unleash at this moment surged through his mind, acupoint strikes, one-inch strikes, internal injury techniques—anything was possible.

Hoo-wook!

He activated the Wind Body technique. He twisted from the foot up. The Radiant Wheel, spiraling from the Yongcheon Acupoint, resonated with the micro-muscles of his entire body.

A small movement triggered a violent spinning defensive maneuver. The young leader of the Radiant Demon Squad became a whirlwind.

His black robe spiraled alongside his body. His full-body explosive force surpassed Eun Hwaryun's grip strength. He slipped past her grasp and widened the distance.

Kwaaaak!

As Jung Yeonshin halted his rotation, wind scattered from his body. A fierce gust that had surged upwards left behind a heavy silence.

Battles between supreme warriors always stole the breath of onlookers.

At a glance, they seemed evenly matched.

"..."

The leader of the Radiant Demon Squad and the master of fist techniques stood still, facing each other.

Two steps apart. The moment Jung Yeonshin reached for his sword, it would be the perfect distance for the finishing strike of the First Fist of the Eun Clan.

To respond in time, he had no choice but to remain unarmed.

Eun Hwaryun had remained true to her words at Azure Crane Pavilion. She had said she would not hesitate to fight at close range.

The boy stared at his opponent.

He had no idea how deep her body-protection technique ran. Even after being struck by the fierce gust of energy, her neatly placed hair remained unmoved.

That meant she had already cloaked herself in internal energy.

She had enveloped her entire body with a flexible yet firm internal energy barrier. It was as if a master of the Eun Clan had also acquired the Zhuge Clan's secret movement techniques.

It was a structure perfectly optimized for close-quarters combat. The pressure was immense.

'She's weaker than Sage Cheon Joo or the Eternal Heaven Sword Demon, but…'

It was meaningless. All three were veterans who had trained far longer than Jung Yeonshin. Eun Hwaryun, too, had distinct strengths.

Her mastery of body-protection techniques was in a league of its own, and she possessed an internal energy structure perfectly suited to reinforcing her entire body.

What was her weakness?

As the boy pondered—

"The body-protection energy isn't keeping up with your internal energy level?"

Eun Hwaryun spoke with a smile. Unlike at Azure Crane Pavilion, her speech was no longer slurred.

Her articulate tone, brimming with wit, only accentuated the presence of a supreme master of the Three Clans Alliance.

"The sensation in my hands was thin. It felt as though I could almost touch your bare skin."

She gracefully moved her scarred fingers, unconcerned with the countless gazes below the dueling platform.

She had already established herself as an overwhelming force. Instead of diminishing her presence, her provocation only elicited cheers from some of the warriors.

"Your energy control felt strangely sluggish, too. As if you were sensing my movements in advance, your perception was frighteningly sharp. But now that I see… for a supreme expert, you have quite a few flaws. Also, that palm technique of yours…"

Her lips curled up even further.

"I find it hard to agree with what that Namgoong brat said. To one day be called the greatest under heaven? Well…"

"..."

"Your palm techniques are far ahead of their time. As long as the martial arts of the great sects continue to maintain their traditions, they will struggle to see the light of day. The higher the level of your opponents, the more this will be the case. Your techniques are greatly influenced by the flow of battle, but the long-established supreme arts of noble families are different. The foundation of your martial arts is still shallow."

The martial arts of the Three Clans were said to exist at the midpoint between the Nine Great Sects and the Demonic Faction. No matter when they were executed, they blended seamlessly into real combat.

They sought absolute victory, no matter how long the battle dragged on. The fact that Eun Hwaryun had studied Jung Yeonshin for so long earlier was due to this very principle.

She had confirmed that, aside from sword strikes and Radiant River, he had no means to break through her body-protection energy and land a direct hit.

"If it weren't for that young master of the Hwangbo Clan, no one among your peers could stand against you. But how will it be on the grand stage of the world? Your eyes are not set on your peers, but on the entirety of Jianghu, are they not? If you are to roam the Central Plains as the leader of the Radiant Demon Squad, you will find that none of your opponents will be easy to face."

"The noble bloodlines sure love to talk."

Jung Yeonshin parted his lips.

"The only thing worth learning from them is the occasional broadening of one's perspective."

"Show me whatever you will. That is my stance. You, recklessly, planted the flag of the Desolate Fortress and built your renown. If I am to break both the name and the banner you have raised, I cannot afford to display anything ordinary."

Eun Hwaryun spoke, her smiling face exuding confidence.

She had completely dismantled the Infinite Blossom Fist Strike of the Radiant Demon Squad's leader. Her confidence was well-founded.

Her arms, bare under her sleeveless martial attire, rose to her chest as she assumed a fist stance.

The tendons extending delicately down to her wrists revealed the hardened energy of heat and cold immunity.

Even under the warm autumn sunlight, her smooth skin stood out. It pulsed faintly, proof of her deep internal energy breathing.

She spoke in a whisper.

"Boy, come at me again. We have five exchanges left."

"…They say your eyes are quite adept at prying."

Jung Yeonshin slowly opened his mouth.

"This leader shall change the way he sees things as well."

Suddenly, a white light flickered in the boy's eyes.

* * *

Nanyang Prefecture, Henan Province.

A quiet pavilion, open on all sides. Two people sat facing each other with a small table between them.

A young woman and a nobleman.

The woman had a striking appearance. Her glossy gray hair barely covered the nape of her neck.

As the breeze brushed against her white skin, the ends of her hair trailed across it, creating an elegant yet free-spirited image.

Her beauty suggested she was barely in her thirties, yet there was an unmistakable strength in her demeanor.

"So the Leader hasn't caused any trouble. Even though half of the martial force you led has vanished."

The man, his chest slightly exposed beneath a flowing green robe, spoke. His posture was lax, unbefitting of one from an esteemed noble clan.

His long, pitch-black hair draped down, giving him a decadent appearance.

Between the strands of his hair, his ears, sharp like sword tips, bore a faint red hue. He looked as though he had been indulging in midday drinking.

He was the Leader of Hao Sect.

Hmph.

The Sword Sovereign of Henan, the Eternal Heaven Sword Demon, Baek Seo-gun, let out a small scoff.

"There is no martial master in the alliance who can replace this Sword Sovereign. Trouble? That is absurd."

"At that level, a true military force would consider it annihilation, you know?"

"They were opponents worthy of it."

"Ah, the new leader of the Radiant Demon Squad. I hear he's setting all of Hanzhong ablaze. My sect is keeping an eye on him as well. The emergence of a rising powerhouse is always something to be mindful of."

The leader of Hao Sect mused.

The frost-laden face of Baek Seo-gun shifted. A faint smile touched her crimson lips.

"I never imagined Ban-ak's son would come to dominate Jianghu. I thought he would grow well, but he surpassed all expectations. As a warrior, he has matured splendidly. I would be lying if I said my heart wasn't overwhelmed with pride. No matter how much I recall it, I never tire of it."

She truly meant it.

She recalled the intricacies of Go that Jung Ban-ak had once taught her when she was merely a servant girl.

His son embodied the spirit of an aggressive strategist, someone who fought with relentless offense.

His father's features and teachings had been passed down completely. To Baek Seo-gun, it was a truly precious sword form.

She had abandoned her former life to escape a wretched fate, forsaking the Jung Family Manor. Yet now, she realized that the years she had spent in lowly servitude had not been in vain.

Through the Lightning Genius, her life as the Sword Sovereign of Henan had been fully realized.

It had been an invaluable time.

"He was truly well-raised, and he has grown into something extraordinary."

She murmured softly, voicing her thoughts aloud without realizing it.

The expression of the leader of Hao Sect turned peculiar.

"Hm, well-raised? I wonder."

Baek Seo-gun's snow-white brow furrowed slightly. From beneath her thick lashes, a chilling glint flickered in her eyes.

"Your response is unclear. If I say so, then it is so."

"Well, there are simply too many rumors surrounding the new leader of the Radiant Demon Squad…"

His words trailed off. Baek Seo-gun's lips dipped slightly downward.

"Do not conceal your thoughts from me. Speak plainly."

"After the Lightning Genius made a name for himself, my sect also activated its covert network. After all, he is a direct descendant of the Desolate Ma Clan. Since he has risen to prominence, it is only natural to consider that he may one day become a towering figure in Jianghu. We investigated everything, even questioning the common folk of Xinye County, where the Jung Family Manor was based. A meticulous effort, something even the noble warriors of the Tyrant Sword Tribe did not bother with."

"And?"

"He doesn't seem to have been raised in the gentlest of circumstances…"