Chapter 49

Before the duel, Paeng Hu-sang said:

“The Paeng Family does not have Upper Dantian martial arts. To be precise, there are no martial arts that solely focus on the Upper Dantian.”

Namgung Woo had already guessed as much.

If such a thing existed, they would have taught it to Paeng Ye-ryeong long ago to try and suppress the constantly opening celestial gates.

“The reason the Paeng Family hasn’t sought Upper Dantian martial arts is that, until now, it hasn’t been necessary. It’s not because the Paeng Family is lacking.”

Though it might sound like an excuse, Namgung Woo, who had faced Paeng Hu-sang’s martial arts, knew it wasn’t a lie.

The pressure that seemed to constrict his entire body. It felt like facing a giant tiger in the mountains before he had even learned martial arts.

The Paeng Family’s martial arts are divine techniques.

Why are they divine?

Because the Heaven and Earth Void Divine Technique starts with the Lower Dantian and, as the cultivation deepens, naturally encompasses the Middle and Upper Dantians.

Though slower compared to techniques like the Muscle-Tendon Change and Marrow-Cleansing Classic or the Emperor’s True Classic, which cultivate all three Dantians simultaneously, it gains solidity by building upon a strong Lower Dantian foundation.

Expanding the Lower Dantian to create an unshakable base, filling the Middle Dantian to establish an unbreakable balance.

And atop that, the blossoming power of the Upper Dantian.

That was what was unleashed from Paeng Hu-sang’s blade.

‘I can see it… I can definitely see it…’

Namgung Woo had already activated his Azure Tranquility Eyes.

From the moment he opened his eyes, he could see through every move Paeng Hu-sang was about to make.

He could see where the blade was aiming, how fast it was coming, and how to counter it.

But.

“Kuh…!”

His predictions were off.

Why? Namgung Woo’s eyes weren’t wrong. His analysis based on observation should have been accurate.

Yet, Paeng Hu-sang’s blade completely dismantled Namgung Woo’s defense and countered his attacks. The dissonance from trusting his eyes too much. The irrational strike ultimately broke Namgung Woo’s stance.

Since the duel restricted sword and blade energy, Paeng Hu-sang’s blade was blocked by Namgung Woo’s protective aura.

But if that blade had been imbued with blade energy, Namgung Woo would have been killed. Of course, in that case, Namgung Woo would have also activated his sword aura and protective energy to counter.

“Do you understand now?”

“…I think I vaguely understand.”

Still young, not even fully matured.

At that age, reaching such a high level, how great must his confidence and self-esteem in martial arts be?

Though he could have been angry or frustrated by the humiliating defeat, Namgung Woo calmly reviewed the previous exchange.

As he did, an undeniable competitive spirit flickered in his pale blue eyes.

Seeing this, Paeng Hu-sang smiled and asked,

“Shall we go again?”

“I would appreciate it.”

“Good. Very good. This time, I’ll let you take the first move.”

The first move.

In martial arts, the initiative is crucial. It’s not just a high-level practitioner showing off by giving the first move to a lesser opponent.

Think of games like Go or chess.

The first move is a powerful advantage. That’s why, for fairness, the second player is given compensatory advantages, like extra points.

But in a fight, there’s no such thing as points. You either live or die. Only one of the two.

Thus, in real combat, a master rarely gives up the first move. That small mistake could lead to their death.

Namgung Woo carefully organized his thoughts.

‘The Ten Iron Sword Techniques are too weak. The Changgung Boundless Sword Technique needs more testing. It seems I still only have the Thirteen Lightning Flash Swords.’

After much deliberation, it came back to the Thirteen Lightning Flash Swords.

Namgung Woo picked the most effective move against Paeng Hu-sang from the Thirteen Lightning Flash Swords.

First move, One Finger Wall? Too plain.

Second move, Hundred Thunder Riot? Good for continuous slashes, but against Paeng Hu-sang, it would only expose weaknesses.

‘Then, the third move, Dry Thunderfall.’

The Dry Thunderfall, a decisive slash, would be effective against Paeng Hu-sang.

With almost no pre-movement, it’s hard to predict the timing of the attack.

No words were needed. Paeng Hu-sang was already prepared for any incoming attack.

Namgung Woo’s foot slammed hard on the training ground’s blue stone floor. With the strong vibration of Infinite Steps, the Dry Thunderfall slashed down, splitting Paeng Hu-sang’s vision in half.

A strike that completely stole the rhythm.

Yet, Paeng Hu-sang’s blade moved fluidly, deflecting Namgung Woo’s sword.

A miraculous counterattack that made one doubt if this was truly the martial arts of the Hapbuk Paeng Family, which pursued the path of strength and speed.

There was no softness like the Wudang Sect’s Tai Chi Sword, nor the non-lethal subduing techniques of Shaolin.

Suddenly, Namgung Woo realized something and twisted his sword.

Though his muscles strained and bones creaked from the forced twist, he ignored it.

And once again, Paeng Hu-sang’s blade followed Namgung Woo’s sword.

Facing the blade climbing up his sword, Namgung Woo suddenly intuited its true nature.

‘Foresight…!’

The future scene Paeng Ye-ryeong had shown.

Paeng Hu-sang was glimpsing the future in the briefest moments of combat.

Thus, he could prepare for attacks that seemed impossible to predict and perfectly counter even spontaneous changes.

Namgung Woo’s deduction was correct.

Paeng Hu-sang, who had mastered the Heaven and Earth Void Divine Technique to its peak and opened his Upper Dantian, had perception that reached into the future.

By elevating his senses to the extreme, absorbing all information in the area, and blooming transcendent intuition through the Upper Dantian, he could foresee the future.

It was no coincidence that Paeng Ye-ryeong, who had barely touched the Heaven and Earth Void Divine Technique, resonated with Namgung Woo’s Upper Dantian and borrowed the power of Azure Tranquility Eyes to see the fall of Beijing.

Now that he knew the truth, the next step was counterattack.

The solution was simple.

‘An attack that can’t be blocked even if you know it.’

Namgung Woo wrapped his meridians with the internal energy of the Vast Heaven Divine Art and ignited the Heavenly Thunder Divine Energy at an incredible speed.

Even without sword energy or aura, he compensated for destructive power by drastically strengthening his body.

The only illusionary move among the Thirteen Lightning Flash Swords. The fifth move, Thunder Dragon, unfolded. But if Paeng Hu-sang’s Upper Dantian ability truly was foresight, he would have seen through this too.

‘Thunder Dragon is a feint.’

A decoy. The real move was a flurry of slashes, almost like a frenzy, hard to block even if seen.

‘The real move is the sixth move, Thunderbolt Sunder.’

This would work. No matter how much Paeng Hu-sang could glimpse the future, there are attacks you can’t block even if you know them.

Just as Namgung Woo couldn’t completely block the Netherworld Horn’s initial strike, Paeng Hu-sang wouldn’t be able to block everything either.

‘I won’t fall for it twice.’

With that resolve, Namgung Woo thrust his sword and saw a phantom-like image.

An illusion? No. It was the flow of invisible energy, visualized by the Azure Tranquility Eyes.

Five tigers filled Namgung Woo’s vision.

The Thunderbolt Sunder’s blade, aimed at five vital points, was torn apart by the tigers’ massive fangs.

Not a counter, but a destruction.

An extreme destruction technique that nullified Namgung Woo’s attempted counter.

Watching helplessly as his blade shattered, Namgung Woo recalled the name of the technique Paeng Hu-sang had used.

“This is…”

At the same time, Paeng Hu-sang, who had completely shattered Namgung Woo’s practice sword, pointed at him again and spoke.

“The pinnacle of the Paeng Family’s martial arts. The Five Tigers Severing Gate Blade.”

An attack that can’t be blocked even if you know it.

This wasn’t just a blade technique.

The technique itself was like a spell.

If the Upper Dantian’s power was transformed into a blade technique, this would be the result.

Even with eyes that couldn’t miss anything, one would doubt if what they saw was real.

“…I lost.”

“Hmm.”

At Namgung Woo’s words, Paeng Hu-sang sheathed his blade with a meaningful hum.

“Martial arts that use aura energy as their foundation struggle to exert their full power when internal energy is limited. If it had been the aura energy technique you showed at Manse Mountain, even I would have had a hard time.”

This wasn’t just empty praise to make Namgung Woo feel better. It was a sincere remark from one martial artist to another.

The latter moves of the Thirteen Lightning Flash Swords. If they had been the ultimate techniques based on sword aura, the outcome might have been different. Though the result would have been the same.

“The Five Tigers Severing Gate Blade contains all five blade techniques of the Paeng Family. It’s called ‘Five Tigers’ because it embodies five techniques, and ‘Severing Gate’ because it severs the essence of martial arts. It’s the culmination of the Paeng Family’s martial arts, impossible to even begin without mastering the Heaven and Earth Void Divine Technique and all five blade techniques.”

Now Namgung Woo understood why Paeng Ha-ryeong had been so delighted to receive the Heavenly Thunder Divine Energy from him and begin learning the Heaven and Earth Thunderous Blade.

As a martial artist, having another option was significant, but the biggest reason was this.

The possibility of meeting the entry requirements for the Five Tigers Severing Gate Blade.

The hope of entering a peerless martial art that couldn’t even be touched without mastering all five blade techniques.

“The Cyclic White Escape Blade. The Iron Blood Fierce Star Blade. The Heaven and Earth Thunderous Blade. The Primordial Truth Blade. The Crushing Ruin Blade. The essence of all five blade techniques is fused into one. By witnessing this Five Tigers Severing Gate Blade, you’ve essentially seen the entirety of the Paeng Family’s martial arts.”

Paeng Hu-sang asked with a composed demeanor.

“What do you think of the Paeng Family’s martial arts?”

“They’re astonishing. Truly powerful. The martial arts infused with Upper Dantian power… I felt their weight.”

Namgung Woo trembled.

The power of martial arts unified with Upper Dantian abilities was beyond imagination.

And it gave him a clue about a martial art he had never understood.

‘…I lacked understanding of Upper Dantian abilities. There was a prerequisite to enter that martial art.’

The Ten Iron Sword Techniques, the Great Flame Sword Technique, the Thirteen Lightning Flash Swords, and the Changgung Boundless Sword Technique were all accessible from the moment he possessed this body.

Only one was not.

A martial art he couldn’t even visualize in his mind.

Paeng Hu-sang had personally shown him the cause and the solution.

Perhaps Namgung Woo’s answer, filled with gratitude and joy, was satisfying.

The corner of Paeng Hu-sang’s mouth subtly lifted.

“Indeed. The Paeng Family’s power is strong. And this power will also be your power from now on.”

After sheathing his blade, Paeng Hu-sang opened a jade box brought by an attendant and took out an item.

“This is the Paeng Family’s token. The Five Tigers Token, permitted only to the family head. Take it. And remember. The Paeng Family will always stand behind you.”