Chapter 11: First-Class Martial Artist 3

Jang Geon of Eunyeonggak intended to end this match with a single leap and a single thrust. He stood far back, concealed, observing Baek Moo-jin.

‘I’ll show you what it means to know something yet be unable to stop it.’

But as Jang Geon quietly attempted to circle around to Baek Moo-jin’s rear, the moment he saw Baek Moo-jin’s expression, his body froze, unable to move for a moment.

‘He’s smiling?’

Jang Geon’s footsteps stopped of their own accord. If even Jang Geon found it strange, those watching could only tilt their heads in puzzlement.

Baek Moo-jin was reaching his hand out into the air.

‘What is he trying to do?’

Jang Geon found himself staring blankly at Baek Moo-jin’s antics for a moment, a mix of utter bewilderment and curiosity. He was supremely confident in his own martial arts skills for concealing his body, so Baek Moo-jin’s composure felt like nothing short of a provocation.

‘Let me show you something.’

2.

Unfortunately for Jang Geon, Baek Moo-jin knew numerous ways to break through ‘stealth’.

But Baek Moo-jin saw no reason to overly expose his techniques here. He simply intended to respond appropriately to his opponent.

His mindset was more along the lines of, ‘Shall I show off a little…?’

Baek Moo-jin channeled his White Flower Technique, gathering cold energy onto his palm. The cold energy immediately condensed, beginning to take shape into a round form. Since he already possessed martial arts skill sufficient to manifest external energy, this was no difficult feat for Baek Moo-jin.

People watched Baek Moo-jin’s actions, their minds gone blank.

A single white flower blossomed from Baek Moo-jin’s palm, fluttering before falling to the floor.

The moment the white flower settled on the floor, a circular wave of energy spread refreshingly across the floor of the Dragon Tiger Hall.

It was a scene both strange and beautiful.

A cool breeze swept across the spectators’ faces.

Even Jang Geon, who had been lurking on one side of the main hall waiting for an opportunity, couldn’t avoid the icy qi wave.

‘What the hell?’

A cold wind blew, carrying no impact whatsoever. Though it was a trivial action, Zhang Jian, inwardly flustered, swiftly retreated behind Bai Muzhen.

‘What a crappy martial art.’

At that moment, those watching found themselves staring at the floor before gasping in surprise. Someone let out a gasp aloud.

“Huh?”

Though no human form was visible, the footprints Zhang Jian had left behind as he moved were faintly visible on the floor.

The onlookers couldn’t help but grasp Baek Moo-jin’s intent.

‘Ah, frost-like patterns are scattered across the floor. Stealth won’t work here.’

But even after witnessing it with their own eyes, some still couldn’t comprehend the situation. This was undoubtedly because the principles of martial arts here differed drastically from those of the Central Plains.

Even Zhang Jian, who had been moving, couldn’t help but be startled when his own footprints were imprinted on the floor.

‘So he was a master of ice techniques. Damn those bastards from the Execution Pavilion! Why didn’t they tell me?’

The very act of concealment had become meaningless.

Of course, the Execution Hall warriors had no reason to warn him. Baek Moo-jin didn’t even know who he was facing, so there was no reason to inform only Jang Geon about the unique characteristics of Baek Moo-jin’s martial arts beforehand.

Zhang Jian dismissed his thoughts and reacted swiftly. Even while concealed, Baek Moo-jin’s gaze had already fixed on him like a ghost.

‘Damn it!’

Jang Geon leapt a great distance in a single bound.

By the time people spotted him, his straight sword was already silently aimed at Baek Moo-jin’s chest.

Zhang Jian intended to inflict a significant wound on Bai Muzhen. What did he care? His mindset was: Take a break for a while. It was a swift and chilling attack, enough to send a chill through the spectators.

As Jang Geon’s dagger closed in, threatening to pierce his chest, Baek Moo-jin raised his thumb and index finger, halting the dagger’s advance.

Thud! Thud-thud-thud-thud…!

A white chill spread from Baek Moo-jin’s fingers, traveling up Jang Geon’s sword shaft. Startled, Jang Geon twisted his sword free, then, forgetting the duel itself, swung it in a semicircle toward Baek Moo-jin’s neck.

Whoosh!

Jang Geon’s blade tip protruded unconsciously due to his tension. Baek Moo-jin narrowly dodged by jerking his head back. Jang Geon then thrust his sword repeatedly, cutting through the air with a whistling sound.

Swift sword technique.

Unwavering, precise, and fluid movements followed one after another. Yet, the sound emanating from Jang Geon’s body remained extremely faint.

Baek Moo-jin leaned his upper body back, continuously stepping backward to evade.

Swish!

Unexpectedly, Jang Geon’s attacking foot lost its balance and slipped on the floor. The ground was slippery, covered in frost from Baek Hwajang’s cold aura.

Had Baek Moo-jin calculated this too, deliberately spreading the cold mist across the floor?

Neither the onlookers nor Jang Geon could know.

But what was clear was that this momentary lapse caused Jang Geon’s attack to lose its momentum, and Baek Moo-jin’s counterattack began immediately.

As if returning Zhang Jian’s swift sword technique in kind, Bai Wuzhen’s right arm extended in a series of identical movements. Bai Wuzhen attacked Zhang Jian, holding his blade like a straight sword.

Yet, those movements bore a striking resemblance to the restrained attacks Zhang Jian had been executing.

As Zhang Jian, retreating, swung his straight sword with fierce momentum to cut at Baek Moo-jin’s hand, a crunching sound emanated from Baek Moo-jin’s left fist.

Baek Moo-jin’s scabbard and Jang Geon’s straight sword collided.

For the first time in Yonghogwan, a metallic clang echoed. In that instant, Zhang Jian’s face contorted beneath his mask. His entire right hand and the straight sword he held trembled violently.

Zhang Jian finally lightly stamped his left foot on the floor, then swiftly retreated backward, concealing himself once more.

The spectators gasped at his swift reaction.

“Whoa…”

“Whoa…”

Whispered gasps followed from all around, but this time, no one shouted for quiet.

It felt like a feast for the eyes.

They were astonished by Baek Moo-jin’s composure and bizarre martial arts, and they marveled at Jang Geon’s agile movements and chilling attack style.

As the onlookers suddenly glanced at each other’s faces, they all wore awkward expressions, as if they’d tried to smile but stopped short.

3.

Zhang Jian stepped back a considerable distance to steady his breathing.

In his previous attack, he had unleashed a barrage while barely breathing, yet he had gained nothing, let alone decided the outcome. He didn’t intend to hide again and wait for an opportunity; he needed time to recover from the mental shock and steady his breath.

What was most shocking was how bizarrely powerful Baek Moo-jin’s internal energy had been. They had clashed only once, yet Jikdo felt as if the hand gripping his sword had been torn apart.

Jang Geon clenched his teeth so hard his jaw cracked.

‘Hiding is useless.’

Having reached that conclusion, Jang Geon revealed himself and slowly walked toward Baek Moo-jin.

Stopping at a suitable distance, Jang Geon opened his mouth for the first time, as if preparing to unleash an attack incomparably more dangerous than before.

“I wish to see your sword.”

His tone was equally cold. As he spoke, Jang Geon swung his straight sword downward to the lower right. He intended to attack regardless of whether Baek Moo-jin drew his sword or not.

The attack Jang Geon was about to unleash was the One-Blade Shatter.

The One-Blade Shatter was a technique deployed in the most perilous moments, an assassination strike that severed the target in a single stroke. Jang Geon intended to unleash a blade strike capable of cleaving Baek Moo-jin from head to toe, left to right.

Baek Moo-jin, meeting Jang Geon’s gaze, realized he was about to unleash a fatal move filled with fighting spirit. Nodding to Jang Geon’s request, Baek Moo-jin pushed the sword hilt upward with his thumb, slightly revealing the gleaming white blade.

In that instant, a mysteriously clear sword cry, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Then, Baek Moo-jin addressed Jang Geon in a calm tone.

“Come.”

It was a tone of voice too lofty for a young warrior to utter, yet none of the onlookers felt any awkwardness in Baek Moo-jin’s words. They had already realized he was a man who had established his own school.