NOVEL NEXT Chapter 63
63rd Chapter: A Truly Awesome Nickname
“W-winner! Lee Cheol-soo of the Gongdong Sect!”
At my words, Jeong-whatever’s expression twisted in confusion.
He looked like he’d seen a ghost, as if a specter had appeared in broad daylight.
After sheathing my blade, I glanced over at Heukryongbang.
Wi Soryeon, seated in the waiting area, had a face twisted like she’d bitten into a bug.
Our eyes met.
‘Oh la bur ni.’
I mouthed the words, and reading my lips, Wi Soryeon abruptly turned her head away.
Her fists were quivering.
It was almost time.
“Did the Gongdong Sect really win?”
“How in the world…?”
“Did such a technique exist in the Gongdong Sect?”
“Could it be the Rising Supreme Technique known to be demonstrated at the Gongdong Blood Temple?!”
The crowd was abuzz.
And then, of course, there was the familiar voice of the extra commentator recognizing the martial arts from the novels.
“W-what on earth…?”
“I don’t listen to the words of the weak. Next.”
I ignored Jeong-whatever’s words and called for the next challenger.
Besides Wi Soryeon, there was no need to remember the names of these extras.
I didn’t want to waste any more words.
“Ugh… Just you wait. I don’t know what trick you used to bring me down, but don’t get cocky. There are plenty of stronger talents in Heukryongbang!”
Jeong-whatever trembled as he spat out typical villain lines.
I waved my hand dismissively.
“Yeah, I know you’re the weakest, so just get down.”
“You punk!”
At that moment, someone spoke up.
“Calm down, younger brother.”
Tap.
A giant muscular pig put a hand on his shoulder.
“Brother!”
“I told you not to let your guard down regardless of who your opponent was. It’s time to step down.”
“…Understood.”
After sending Jeong-whatever away, a boy turned to me, bowing sharply.
“I am Jeong Jeoksan of Heukryongbang. I’ve come to repay my younger brother’s defeat.”
“I am Lee Cheol-soo of the Gongdong Sect.”
They seemed to be the Jeong brothers.
“Come at me fast.”
I said, drawing my sword.
“I’ll make you regret it.”
Jeong Jeoksan, spouting cheesy extra lines, drew his sword and charged at me with a new technique.
Some things never change with lowly thugs; they always rush in without thinking.
But unlike Jeong-whatever’s relatively skinny frame, his brother in front of me was a burly muscle-bound macho man.
In medieval martial arts terms, he was strong as an ox, with natural strength.
And just like a nationwide mob, the martial arts of Heukryongbang were tailored for brute force.
In other words, even at the same level, the muscle-bound Jeong Jeoksan was stronger than his skinny little brother.
Thud, thud.
A deafening noise resounded like the earth was shaking.
“Hahahahahaha!”
Jeong Jeoksan burst into laughter, swinging his blade.
Flash.
With the shine of his weapon, a gust of wind accompanied the strike.
I could see the movement of the sword.
The true power of the Nine Ultimate Dragon Cutting Blade unfolded before me, unlike the flimsy attacks of Jeong-whatever’s younger brother.
A massive movement, but it was overwhelming in its domination of space. The rushing wind occupied everywhere.
“Hahahahaha! It might work against my younger brother, but that cowardly technique won’t work on me!”
Jeong Jeoksan guffawed.
It seemed he intended to fill the entire space with wind to counteract my Rising Supreme Technique.
Despite his appearance, he appeared to be capable of tactics.
But what?
“A thug dares to call the orthodox a coward? Is he crazy?”
What is happening? Am I living in a reversal of reality?
“Everyone here from the martial world saw you use cowardly techniques! Where do you think you’re trying to weasel out?!”
Jeong Jeoksan glared at me.
His rushing wind and blade approached.
It was a tough situation to evade using the Rising Supreme Technique as he said.
I could technically do it, but this wasn’t a life-or-death scenario; it was only a martial arts contest.
A true star must capture the hearts of the audience, requiring some showmanship while being mindful of their gazes.
If I won by stealthy techniques for the second consecutive time, my nickname might become something sinister and petty like “Blackheart Ugly Ghost.”
A nickname like that? No way.
If that kind of nickname stuck, I wouldn’t win the hearts of the daughters of the Central Plains; I’d get only scorn and disdain instead.
It would also create hurdles for the Three Storey Tea House plan.
I had unexpectedly scored a victory.
So, for the second win, I needed to do it in a fair but shocking manner.
And there was only one method for that.
“I don’t understand what you mean by weaseling out. I am a disciple of the Gongdong Sect, and today…”
I used Three Yin True Formula and Minor Yang Heart Method simultaneously.
Hummm.
The yin energy from the Three Yin True Formula and the yang energy from the Minor Yang Heart Method surged at once.
It was extremely dangerous to operate both yin and yang energies at the same time.
Doing so could cause a disastrous explosion if their conflicting energies collided, leading to the condition of deterioration due to reversing heaven.
But with my level of energy control, I believed I could avoid deterioration, though worrying about it wasn’t necessary at this moment.
I silently recited the vital formula of the Primordial Unity Technique made by my master.
The conflicting yin and yang energies fell under the control of the Primordial Unity Technique.
BOOM!
However, as my master said, it was still an incomplete technique, so perfect control wasn’t possible. I could only manage a bit of directional control.
But for me, that was more than enough.
Hyun-gyeong’s insights aided my energy control. The core of Gongdong Sect martial arts was Yin-Yang Reversal. Contrary to the laws of nature, reversing the yin upwards and the yang downwards formed the purest life force.
In other words, it was the path toward ultimate vitality.
And with the Primordial Unity Technique, I could certainly achieve the Yin-Yang Reversal.
Following the vital formula of the Primordial Unity Technique, I guided the yin energy to the Baihui point and the yang energy to the Huiyin point through my blood channels. The yin energy, rising to my head, cooling it, and the yang energy, gathering in my lower body, heating me up, ignited vitality throughout my entire body.
At that moment, having completed the Yin-Yang Reversal, I was filled with a surge of energy and amplified strength.
This was the supreme technique that Gongdong Sect martial arts pursued!
Just as expected, I felt my vitality strengthen, and the base of my lower body hardened in real-time.
At this point, I felt like I could indulge in the pleasures of the clouds and rain for two full days without eating or sleeping with two breathtaking beauties.
A head chilled by yin energy and a lower body heated by yang energy.
This was sex personified.
I felt glimpses of the ultimate in the pleasure of the clouds and rain.
Joining the Gongdong Sect was undoubtedly the right choice.
I held my sword.
“Today marks the day the Demon Sword returns to the world!”
“A demon sword? Nonsense…!!”
BOOM!
The vital energy coursing through my body exploded exponentially.
I poured the explosive power generated through the Yin-Yang Reversal into my sword.
Wuuuuuuuuumm!
The sword resonated as it absorbed the energy.
“A sword name?!”
“Such mastery! What on earth is this?!”
The audience gasped in awe. Ignoring their voices, I focused on my sword.
In my previous life, I had been a master of techniques, so I didn’t delve deeply into swordsmanship.
Of course, I wasn’t completely clueless about swords.
I couldn’t be choosy about weapons if I were to undertake reconnaissance missions for my companion. I needed to handle various weapons at least to some degree.
But now, everything felt different. It felt as if the sword and I were completely connected. The sword felt like an extension of my own body.
A rather pleasant sensation.
Using that sensation, I unleashed the Demon Sword Technique.
Flash.
A beam of sword light shot through the area dominated by Jeong Jeoksan. The wind around us parted.
Swaaaaaaaah!
Soon after, the sweeping sword winds shredded Jeong Jeoksan’s violent gusts to pieces.
The Demon Sword Technique was the ultimate of strong swords and represented the peak technique of the Gongdong Sect.
It wouldn’t bend to some lowly thug’s sword technique.
“?!”
Jeong Jeoksan’s eyes filled with shock.
Sure.
He couldn’t help but be shocked.
To a kid of his level, this sword must be something entirely new.
“W-wh-what sword is that?!”
“That swordplay is the Demon Sword Technique, known to be demonstrated at the Gongdong Blood Temple over fifty years ago!”
“It’s true that the Demon Sword has returned to the Gongdong Sect!”
“To see the Demon Sword Technique again! Namu Amitabha!”
“Indeed, the Demon Sword has returned. This is undoubtedly the fortune of the orthodox martial world. Amitabha.”
Hearing the chatter among the crowd and those essential commentary lines, I thrust the sword along the path of the Demon Sword Technique.
Wuuuuuuuuumm!
With the sword’s name echoing, the cheap iron sword infused with energy struck towards his throat.
“Y-you’ve gotta be kidding! Ugh!”
Having realized his predicament, he hastily swung his blade. But the hurried swings of his poorly executed technique were easy to counter.
Clang, clang, clang!
I struck down all attacks, driving my sword toward his throat.
The moment he squeezed his eyes shut, believing all options had been exhausted…
I collected my energy.
Tap.
The energy withdrawn left my sword powerless against his neck, but the sharp blade still traced a cut on his throat, a drop of blood trickling down.
Gulp.
He swallowed hard.
If this had been a life-or-death battle, he’d already be dead.
Just like a vending machine for victories.
“…W-winner! Lee Cheol-soo of the Gongdong Sect!”
Once more, the startled Seomun Pyo declared my victory a beat too late.
I sheathed my sword.
Thud.
Jeong Jeoksan’s giant frame crumpled down.
His legs gave way as he clumsily collapsed.
“Waaaaaaah!!”
“The Gongdong Sect has claimed its second victory!!”
“The Gongdong Sect defends the spirit of the Gansu martial arts from the Demon Sword!”
“The Demon Sword has returned to the Gongdong Sect!”
“Lee Cheol-soo, have you seen that? That was the Rising Supreme Technique of the Gongdong Sect, the Demon Sword Technique!”
“To reclaim the Demon Sword Technique! Now, I understand why the Gongdong Sect sent the martial arts competition documents first!”
“Lee Cheol-soo!”
Cheers erupted from the section occupied by the orthodox crowd behind me.
Awesome.
This is how it should be.
With a stage this spectacular, my name should spread across the Central Plains, right?
All the effort I put into building up the orthodox faction competition paid off.
This kind of impact was just what I needed. This is what I call a star debut.
Now, my nickname will shift from the Blackheart Ugly Ghost to something thrilling like the Demon Sword Hero or the Gongdong Sword Hero.
Nicknames must have the character “hero” in them. That’s how you ignite the hearts of the women of the martial world.
I leisurely looked around.
Seomun Pyo wore an expression that looked torn between a laugh and a cry, while Jin Cheongyeomwang was struggling to maintain his composure.
Jeong Wan-in Jeonyeong blushed with excitement, and Yu Jinhwi sparkled in awe.
The elders of Gupa Ilbang and glamorous guests from various martial families, including Dong Chang, Qingcheng, and Ami, wore content smiles.
And lastly, there was Geumhu, whose face turned crimson then turned pale as our eyes met, pretending to wash his face.
Yeah.
At this moment, I was the protagonist.
Meanwhile, the opposing thug camp fell into silence.
Having unexpectedly suffered two losses, they must’ve been having a tough time regaining their wits.
“Ugh, ugh. Just you wait! I may have lost due to insufficient training, but So Bang-joo shall never…!”
Jeong Jeoksan, trembling with indignation, was about to say something when…
“Come down, Jeoksan.”
A woman’s powerful voice broke the silence from the thug faction.
“S-Sobang-joo!”
“Making excuses after defeat will only make things worse. Just step down.”
“J-Your greatness!”
Shaking, Jeong Jeoksan rose and descended from the martial arts stage.
Then, she appeared on the arena.
Flick.
A black-haired girl with a short bob, wearing a black robe embroidered with a silver dragon, flew to the stage.
The number one of the thug faction, the strongest ranked genius!
Heuksaryong Wi Soryeon stepped up, and cheers erupted from the thug side.
“Heuksaryong!”
“The number one ranked genius of the thugs!”
“Sobang-joo! Please slaughter those hypocritical orthodox dogs!”
“This time will truly be the end! Disgusting orthodox scum!”
Already, the situation was spilling over into a battle of pride between the orthodox and thugs.
Although it was dubbed the Orthodox Faction Competition, realistically, the orthodox side had been dragged into participating due to rumors spread by Hao Mun, risking their pride.
After all, if one were to bet money between the Gongdong Sect and Heukryongbang, even the leader of the Martial Alliance would likely bet on Heukryongbang’s victory.
But after I scored two points, more from the orthodox faction gradually began to predict victory for the Gongdong Sect, and eventually, cheers erupted for us.
On the other hand, Heukryongbang and the thugs found themselves unexpectedly pushed into a corner, and thus were increasingly desperate.
The martial arts arena was now filled with a tight atmosphere emanating from the martial artists of both factions.
In modern times, we often hear that feeling a pressure while on stage is like a metaphor, but here, it felt like a tangible force coming from all the martial professionals’ glares.
However, the orthodox side’s atmosphere was more intense.
Naturally, people usually root for an underdog’s victory; the rebel’s uprising, the giant-killing.
Orthodox martial artists were similarly engrossed in supporting the underdog, the Gongdong Sect.
Things were unfolding exactly as I had staged in my narrative, with the underdog’s rebellion.
“Since we’ve met before, we can skip the formal introductions, right?”
Wi Soryeon’s icy gaze scanned over.
Swish.
She drew her sword.
The iron of her blade glinted, appearing much sharper and cleaner than the brothers Jeong’s earlier weapons.
“Before the tournament starts, I’ll admit it. I recognize your Gongdong Sect sword technique. And I apologize for my earlier arrogance in underestimating you.”
Wi Soryeon, looking at me with a cold voice, continued,
“It’s a relief to recognize it quickly.”
“But still, you’re beneath me. Thus, as a master, I’ll graciously concede the first move. Come, Lee Cheol-soo.”
Upon hearing her words, I couldn’t help but smile.
Good.
Finally, Wi Soryeon took the stage.
In front of everyone, my opponent being the leader of Heukryongbang.
All conditions were perfect.
Now was the time to wrap up my heroic tale, performing the role of the doomed hero, Lee Cheol-soo, who fights valiantly but ultimately loses.
I was confident I could defeat the Heuksaryong, but if I won here, my fame could grow too immensely.
‘That can’t happen.’
What I wanted was just the right amount of recognition, a level just slightly less than my senior’s.
And that level of recognition had already been achieved after scoring two victories against Heukryongbang.
But if I were to take down this Heuksaryong, perfecting my victory and surpassing my senior’s reputation? My master would likely want me to take over as the leader of the Gongdong Sect. While my senior might be a Heavenly Body, his talents in areas other than martial arts were below average. So, I would manage internal affairs while my master handled the martial forces.
In reality, there are many sects where the highest masters aren’t the leaders.
‘The position of leading sect is a responsibility I must never take. What I want is carefree pleasure, not responsible pleasure.’
So, my senior should be in charge, while I relish in the pleasures of the world as an influential figure behind the scenes.
To do that, I had to lose now.
But I couldn’t lose just any old way.
I needed to lose spectacularly, ensuring my defeat would be forever remembered in the annals of history.
I had already mentally composed a glorious defeat scenario in my head, fitting for a martial arts film.
I jumped toward Wi Soryeon, envisioning my future nickname and the fans in the martial world writing me letters about my tale once the tournament concluded.
Hehehe.
Everyone’s done for.