Chapter 263

The martial arts competition wrapped up with an unexpected twist, but it turns out we didn’t really need a strict judgment to determine the winner.

While Qing was completely absorbed in the moment, Gongson Yo-ye took a beating, desperately trying to keep up with the martial arts techniques like a puppy getting scolded.

It was a frantic effort to make sure Qing continued on her path of enlightenment.

That final move? A flurry of petals in the air turned out to be a vicious blade that could slice through flesh without breaking a sweat.

If Qing had swung her sword with real intent, Gongson Yo-ye would’ve turned into minced meat.

The reason the fighting stage collapsed was simple: it was battered and bruised from an unusually intense series of sparring sessions, already worn out.

On top of that, Gongson Yo-ye’s stretching sword energy left deep gashes, and afterwards, the petals of sword aura swept across the area.

In the end, one point couldn’t take the weight and went down with a spectacular crash. The plans of the Martial Alliance? Crashed. The recovery of the construction costs for the stage? Crashed as well.

And there was Qing, gasping and gulping for air.

How she unknowingly called upon the Eight Techniques of the Doko Sword was anyone’s guess.

Maybe it was the grand illusion of Great Master Mucheondae that left a mark on her mind, or perhaps she was unconsciously showing off beyond the wall, or maybe the influx of True Energy caused her subconscious to unleash a colossal move it could muster to protect her veins.

But one thing’s for sure: Great Master Mucheondae is an immortal master who, though born a human, never died as one.

It was as if a mere mortal tried to imitate the profound insights left behind by such a skilled martial artist, shining from the peak of the heavens.

A little sparrow chasing a stork? You’d better believe that a little Seomun Qing facing severe exhaustion would naturally hit a wall of complete body fatigue.

Anyone, even those unfamiliar with martial arts, would see a sight they’d never forget in their life; but those who knew what they were looking at would find an awe-inspiring move that defies explanation.

What was a bit odd was the colors of the sword aura.

The yellow in the five-colored sword aura mixed the golden glow of Buddhism with the energy of Daoism; the blue was the pure True Energy of Daoism.

The rest? Well, that scandalously red True Energy could still be considered part of the ancient Daoist tradition of life-giving energy.

However, the white and black was something else entirely, and especially the black encapsulated the vile essence of demonic energy.

But you can’t have one person housing multiple types of True Energy; something strange must have happened during Great Master Mucheondae’s transformation.

I mean, “Transforming the Techniques,” so the nature of True Energy can change, too? Truly a remarkable feat, Great Master Mucheondae, always the superior!

Well, that was roughly the flow of things.

Seomun Sulin, who had been quietly listening, was struggling to mask her bewilderment.

Then Yuha asked.

“Junior sister. Wasn’t that ‘Transforming the Techniques,’ a move from Great Master Mucheondae?”

“Uh, um. That sounds right.”

After all, Qing didn’t even remember grasping the Doko Sword, so she could only respond awkwardly.

“It was truly a divine move. A blade concealed in beauty, such is the spirit of Hwasan, which must have been the meaning left by Great Master Mucheondae. But wait… you don’t remember?”

“No. I suppose I am still far from reaching the enlightenment of Great Master Mucheondae.”

“Well, you’re only just stepping into the realm of supreme martial artists, so there’s not much to be done about it. Don’t worry too much and walk slowly, don’t be anxious.”

At that, Qing noticed the bundle of papers and brush that Yuha was tightly holding.

Determining whether the techniques could be elaborated upon, one would think it was Yuha who was actually feeling anxious and hasty.

With that gaze, Yuha subtly handed what he had to Qing.

“Um, no. I heard you like writing, so I brought this as a token of thanks. Having seen the teachings of Jeolgeumbyeok with my own eyes is no small gift.”

For something being so significant, the paper was white and bright with exquisite patterns, yet the brush felt like something he just picked up off the ground.

“But this ‘Transforming the Techniques’ is part of the Eight Techniques, right?”

“Yes. It was referred to as ‘Transforming the Techniques,’ the Eight Techniques.”

“Hehe, did you hear that? Eight Techniques, huh? The Nine Great Clans each have their own technique, but if this is the Eight Techniques… do you know what that means?”

“Uh huh.” “Um, hmm.” “Ahem.”

The senior members from the nine clans, present for polite conversation, could only cough awkwardly.

Originally, the techniques grow more complex and formidable the later they are encountered, so if Hwasan’s technique is the Eight Techniques, it means there’s one above and seven below.

“You’ve described each insight differently, yet where’s the preceding technique and where’s the advanced application? What nonsense! This is why those Hwasan folks get disparaged.”

An adversarial voice came from Master Chae-Geon of the Wudang Sect.

“What are you saying? From what I can tell, you’ve left only the First Technique behind at Wudang. Isn’t that the insight you picked up at Jin Gajang?”

“What of the First Technique versus the Ninth Technique? You’re being childish fixating on that. Act your age, have some dignity instead of bickering like children.”

Just so you know, no one in the room knew, but the Doko Sword’s Ninth Technique is actually with the Wudang Sect.

Master Chae-Geon is likely to contemplate what being ‘the mouth that causes trouble’ actually means down the line.

Then Great Master Muhak interrupted them.

“Enough. Aren’t you ashamed to bicker like that in front of your little junior sister?”

“Ahem.”

“No really, little junior sister, er, well, the situation is what it is. But.”

Right. Qing is directly connected to Seomun Sulin, and another direct disciple of Seomun Sulin is Wang Juhee, the leader of the Divine Maiden Sect.

“Well, speaking of which, didn’t you say you wanted to see Jeolgeumbyeok? Since it’s so close to Shaolin, we can just swing by while we’re at it. I could really use a remembrance of my senior’s legacy too.”

“Um. Little junior sister, if you’re returning to the Divine Maiden Sect anyway, we can just take a little detour to Jongnamsan, right?”

“Then a slight detour and we can hit Gonggong Mountain, too.”

“Right. After visiting Gonggong Mountain, we can head down to Sichuan to see the Jeolgeumbyeok of Cheongseong and Ami, then take a ship back.”

“Then, while we’re at it, a visit to the fortune teller…”

“A fortune teller? Are you trying to drag someone all the way to Yunnan?”

They were all making a ruckus about wanting to see Jeolgeumbyeok.

Truth is, they didn’t gather just to celebrate the new Divine Dragon; they came to recommend seeing Jeolgeumbyeok.

It’s not like all the grandmasters would ever gather in one place to offer their well-wishes for the champions and Divine Dragons in history.

It was only proper etiquette to visit each one, greet them, and hear their blessings, which would surely lead outsiders to say that those old folks were getting a bit carried away.

Just like Master Chae-Geon.

“What are you going to see? Aren’t you just adding pressure? Holding back a kid who says he wants to go home? Tsk tsk. He just got his enlightenment; shouldn’t he get some time to digest it slowly?”

Other sect leaders and elders present shot daggers at Master Chae-Geon.

Just so you know, Wudang is the closest neighbor of the Divine Maiden Sect. Even if you leisurely traveled by carriage, it couldn’t be more than three days’ journey.

“Um. You, kid, as for Kunlun… uh, yeah, um.”

The master of Kunlun, Master Cheonbi, started to say something but cut off.

To be fair, asking to swing by Kunlun would exceed even Master Cheonbi’s sense of ethics.

But this was a teaching left behind by Great Master Mucheondae.

It was also a significant heritage that he had left behind as a result of observing and reinterpreting the insights of the Nine Great Clans directly.

The current Number One in the World, Master Muhak, would likely ponder how it feels to see Jeolgeumbyeok and feel like something might click, and also feel like it wouldn’t.

To measure the incomprehensible profound skill passed down by Master Mucheondae would be near impossible, while the fact of being able to interpret it is a remarkable blessing from the heavens.

“Indeed, my master told me that once you reach the supreme level, I should continue the teachings of Great Master Mucheondae. I was actually thinking of visiting him soon, so I’m very grateful for the hospitality so early on.”

Qing said with a bright smile.

At that, the elders from the nine clans felt a tingle in their hearts that was all sorts of enlightening.

So that’s why they say you should raise children!

—-

Behind the stage for the introduction of the new Divine Dragon. It feels odd to say “new Divine Dragon” since Divine Dragon itself implies a new one, but it’s an acceptable expression as Divine Dragon means the winner of the martial arts tournament.

Ye-Ga seized Qing’s hand eagerly.

“Seomun Young Lady. Congratulations!”

“Um. What about you? Isn’t this too much? I heard you were a bit rough when I got lost in the moment. How’s your body holding up?”

Indeed, there were thick, black bruises stamped all over Gongson Yo-ye’s left hand that had made contact with Qing’s sword.

“Don’t apologize. In fact, I caught a glimpse of the supreme technique because of you, Seomun Young Lady. I should be the one thanking you.”

And with that, Gongson Yo-ye smiled brightly.

“And more than anything, it was a delightful time. If I could experience that again, I would do anything for it. I feel like such a moment may never come again in my life.”

“Uh, um. Please don’t talk as if you’re not going to live long. How’s your condition? Your innate energy? Have you used too much? Can you tell how much your lifespan has been shortened? No way, I’ll give you a Great Elixir—”

“I appreciate your concern, but I took elixirs and had plenty of rest, too. You think I’d go into an important match without proper preparations for my family’s goals? I’ve made sure to take various elixirs to replenish my health, so there’s no need for you to worry about me.”

“Hmm. Various types? What did you take? Can you tell me? If you’re worried about feeling burdened taking the Great Elixir, you really won’t like it if I remain quiet.”

“Well, I had some Taichung Dan, a couple of Summoning Dan, then Kunlun Immortal Pills, and Taiyang Cheonwahan, plus Yungseonggidan, Jasimho Sin Sokgidan, and even Chaegi Naeyang Dan to keep me going. They’re precious elixirs you’ve heard of, right? The energy from the elixirs I’ve already digested is filling my whole being, and if I add the Great Elixir now, my arteries might just burst!”

“Ah.”

Qing suddenly felt a chill and hastily tucked away the Great Elixir she had hidden under her sleeve into the box again.

The idea of throwing it in her mouth when caught off guard almost gave her a scare.

And Qing felt a bit reflective.

Gongson Yo-ye was no poor victim who was confined to a training ground just waving around a sword due to mistreatment from her family.

Her family must be doing their utmost for her as well.

Just the fact that she could rattle off terrifying names of elixirs indicated that.

But I’ve never heard of those before…

I know the Great Elixir exists, so I understand the Summoning Dan is there too, but what about the rest? Must be something good, I suppose?

Finally hearing her name called made it clear what it meant when someone says “too loud to hear with the ears but felt in the body.”

This time, no one stopped the cheers that erupted loudly, and even after that, the fervent cheers continued on until everyone’s throats were raw.

Of course, there were some annoying noises mixed in from the three-headed dragon and absolute domination, but still, some grand terms littered the air which was kind of satisfying.

I’ve heard of the Moonlit Divine Sword, and Great Master Mucheondae seems to hint at something that feels a lot like a shaman.

The Most Beautiful in the World? Nah, that’s too much. And what does being pretty even matter? It’s better if someone else is pretty.

The Sword Phoenix? The sound of it feels a bit off.

And what’s this Zhuque Divine Maiden?

There were countless attempts floating around about Qing’s new title, but unfortunately, the most fair method, majority vote, couldn’t be established.

Because Master Muhak crushed them all under the weight of being Number One in the World.

There was a sigh from Yuha, who initially suggested it, but if you’re resentful, you should’ve fought for Number One.

On a separate note, Yuha acknowledged this.

A title of three characters is far more precious than a four-character title, and what’s more, it carries greater authority.

Above all else, sharing the glory of the Hwasan Sect in the new title accentuated the connection they shared.

Hence, the Number One in the World would bestow this title upon the promising future Number One in the World.

The Cheonhwa-geom (Most Beautiful Sword).

The most beautiful sword under the sky.