Book 4 Chapter 11

The Sword Dragon Arena Promotion Test

The martial arts arena prepared within the Sword Dragon Arena

had an octagonal structure with a length and width of ten spans,

and eight pillars stood near the vertices of each side.

From the beginning, the octagonal arena was filled with the murderous intent emanating from Dan Daefung. Sharp murderous intent, like a whetted blade, filled the arena, making the atmosphere extremely ominous.

"Isn't this dangerous?"

Ikkwon, the martial arts master in charge of swordsmanship among the judges, asked Jangcheong, the martial arts master in charge of swordsmanship, who was next to him. Having been around the martial arts world for a long time, his perception was also quick.

"I don't think this will end simply. I've never seen Poong emit such murderous intent before."

Jang, with a frown, replied. It wasn't a good sight to see fellow practitioners emitting murderous intent at each other.

"We can only pray that Poong shows mercy in his techniques. I hope there won't be any casualties… I hope things don't escalate…"

Kanghu, the martial arts master in charge of spearsmanship, who was beside them, also seemed worried. However, now that the martial arts match had begun, they couldn't stop it midway. As long as there were no casualties. Currently, none of the evaluators thought that Dan Daefung, a talent from the White Tiger Squad, would lose this match. All three of them just shook their heads at Biryu-yeon's recklessness.

The aura of the two people on the martial arts arena were polar opposites. Dan Daefung's spirit exuded a terrifying murderous intent, as if trying to devour Biryu-yeon, while Biryu-yeon, despite the sharp murderous intent, was incredibly nonchalant, as if wondering whose dog was barking. It was almost a waste of Dan Daefung's murderous intent.

'Who dares to radiate murderous intent in front of me?'

There was no mercy in punishment. Now, all that remained was to deliver the blow of punishment. Dan Daefung, who possessed the intensifying murderous intent, was the first to attack, bringing his sword down on Biryu-yeon's Baihui acupoint. The momentum carried by his sword was terrifying. Biryu-yeon's head looked as if it would split like a halved watermelon, revealing its red interior. But then…

"Ting!"

A seemingly unbelievable event occurred. The judges present in the hall, like people sitting on a heated hot seat, all jumped to their feet. Even they, renowned masters of their craft, couldn't believe what had just happened. Biryu-yeon had clearly been standing defenseless. He showed no sign of counterattack, to the point of appearing insane. His hands hadn't moved with lightning speed. His sleeves hadn't budged from the beginning. Even if he had moved at a speed imperceptible to their sight, which was impossible, some movement of his sleeves would have been detected. But there was no sign of it.

If surprise was measured, the evaluators' surprise was a mere trifle compared to Dan Daefung's astonishment. His sword, which had been brought down clearly towards the opponent, was repelled as if blocked by an invisible barrier, just an inch from his crown. It felt like moving through heavy air and hitting soft cotton, a bizarre sensation.

Biryu-yeon grinned at Dan Daefung, who stood there dumbfounded with a bewildered expression.

"Are you curious?"

Dan Daefung unconsciously nodded.

"Shall I teach you?"

Biryu-yeon said in a subtle tone, and Dan Daefung unconsciously nodded again. Suddenly, Dan Daefung's face flushed. How embarrassing! Realizing his unconscious actions, Dan Daefung's face quickly turned red. He had shown weakness in front of his opponent.

Seeing this, Biryu-yeon stuck out his tongue and said,

"Mehhhh, I won't tell you."

Only then did Dan Daefung realize he had been toyed with. Enraged, Dan Daefung swung his sword again. However, the second attempt also ended in failure. His sword was still pushed away by an intangible force. It was baffling.

"You bastard! You bastard! You bastard! You bastard!"

He raised his sword again and swung it down forcefully. Although his effort was commendable, his repeated attempts also ended in failure. Again, an invisible, intangible force blocked his sword like an iron wall.

'Is that… is that guy a goblin?'

His courage rapidly cooled. His confidence, which had been swelling as if it would burst through his stomach, gradually shrank. Indeed, cold compresses were the best for swelling.

After more than ten attacks failed for unknown reasons, he was so disheartened that he no longer had the strength to attack. A strange fear crept into his disciplined mind, originating from deep within his heart. Humans often fear the unknown.

"Oh? Looks like it's over. Is it my turn then? It seems you were insufficient to break my barrier. Try harder. Are you ready now?"

A deep smile spread across Biryu-yeon's red lips. Biryu-yeon's merciless fist flew towards his chest like a beam of light. Hit by the blow, his ribcage suffered a compression fracture. Fortunately for him, the broken bone did not pierce his lungs, and he narrowly escaped death. If the bone had pierced his lungs, he would have shriveled up like a punctured pig bladder, making recovery almost impossible.

However, that was only for this one blow. It was impossible to predict what would happen with the next blow. After all, nothing ever happens as expected, or according to pre-written scripts or plans. Isn't diversity and change the very laws that sustain the world?

Kang Hyeonchu, the spiritual sword master of Musan Sect, who was Biryu-yeon's second opponent, conceded. He lacked the confidence to defeat Biryu-yeon, who had defeated the stronger Dan Daefung without breaking a sweat. Dan Daefung's appearance, with a fractured ribcage and having been brutally beaten all over his body, had stolen away even the fighting spirit born from his residual anger. Most importantly, he couldn't figure out Biryu-yeon's secret move that blocked Dan Daefung's sword, even with his eyes wide open. If he couldn't discover that secret, it was as good as being defeated before even fighting.

Thus, along with Moyong Hwi, Biryu-yeon also became one of the Six Sword Dragons and secured his qualification to participate in the Samsungje. Now, all that remained was to participate in the Samsungje, which everyone unanimously declared impossible, and win.

Summer passed, and under the fierce guidance of Yeomdo, the Vermilion Bird Squad members' skills improved daily. Of course, the price for this daily improvement was being on the verge of death.

The Vermilion Bird Squad, whose foundation had been thoroughly laid by Biryu-yeon during the Amisan retreat, needed combat experience with masters who could bring out their latent skills and cultivation achievements. Fighting against lower-ranked opponents for days on end would yield little further progress. Therefore, Biryu-yeon believed that Yeomdo could sufficiently help them hone their real-world combat sense with masters.

This was also the reason he entrusted the Vermilion Bird Squad to Yeomdo. Of course, there was another underlying reason: it was too troublesome for Yeomdo to face them himself one by one.

Regardless, it was an unfortunate event for the Vermilion Bird Squad, but Biryu-yeon's calculations proved frighteningly accurate. The sparring sessions, disguised as training, conducted by Yeomdo in educating the Vermilion Bird Squad were rough and terrifying. Yeomdo beat the Vermilion Bird Squad members to a pulp with his almost-beating-like movements. It seemed the deep-seated resentment Biryu-yeon harbored towards him was significant. To survive under his terrifying sword, the entire Vermilion Bird Squad had to struggle.

And amidst the rising excitement of all, the opening day of Samsungje approached.

Jang Hong's eyes widened when he saw Biryu-yeon walk into the Grand Martial Arts Arena, the venue for the Samsungje opening ceremony, with something on his back.

"Boy, what is that you're carrying on your back? If you don't mind me asking, I'd like to know."

Jang Hong asked with an incredulous look. Was the long, slender object on Biryu-yeon's back so strange? It wasn't that. The problem was that the item was out of place. Why would musical instruments be needed in a place where one's martial arts prowess is assessed, and what use would they have?

"Can't you see? It's my Mukgeum. It's what I always use."

In Biryu-yeon's hand was the Neuigeum Mukroe, the item he always used. There was nothing unusual about it. The problem was the intended use of the Neuigeum Mukroe today.

"Don't you know what day it is today?"

"Of course I know. Isn't it the opening ceremony of Samsungje and the first preliminary round? It's also the day I'm scheduled to compete."

Biryu-yeon knew it very well.

"And yet you brought that? Empty-handed, without any other weapon? Surely you're not planning to use that as a weapon?"

Biryu-yeon's expression changed to one that seemed to ask if that was all he was going to ask.

"Why not? Of course, I'm going to use it as a weapon. There are many masters of sound martial arts in the world who use not only the Qin but also the Okso and flutes as weapons."

Of course, Jang Hong knew better than Biryu-yeon that there were many such masters of sound martial arts. But this case was an exception.

"But you're not a master of sound martial arts, are you?"

"What are you talking about? I'm a proper master of sound martial arts now. For the preliminary rounds, this Neuigeum Mukroe is more than enough. So, just sit back and watch."

Jang Hong and Hyoryong, who were not qualified to participate, did not compete this time due to their lack of eligibility. Therefore, they had taken on the roles of Biryu-yeon's advisors.

"You've only been learning sound martial arts for a little over half a year! Do you think Samsungje is a child's game?"

Jang Hong shouted in frustration. No matter how naive he was about the world, this was too much. It was a situation where he should be displaying all his true ultimate techniques, yet he brought out a weapon and martial arts that hadn't even reached minor completion, let alone major completion. After nearly a year together, Biryu-yeon, whose true intentions were still unfathomable, left Jang Hong feeling frustrated.

"I told you not to worry. I know that much. Just watch. I'll show you the results of my efforts today. It's my first public demonstration, so watch closely. It's not every day."

Until now, Biryu-yeon's sound martial arts targets had been only plants, which couldn't speak or move. But from now on, the targets would be animals with rather intelligent minds, capable of moving and speaking.

"I'll show you the skills that turned the flowerbed in front of the dormitory into a mess."

Biryu-yeon said, clenching his fists.

"What? So, you're saying that the complete devastation of the flowerbed in front of the dormitory was your doing?"

"Ah, nature is always changing, isn't it? It's not that surprising. So, please keep it a secret. I don't want to be summoned by the Iron-Blooded Ruthless Sword, Head Dormitory Advisor Kang Hayun."

Biryu-yeon earnestly requested them to keep the matter under wraps. It was obvious that if the news got out, Advisor Kang's eyes would blaze. He wanted to avoid meeting the fiercely scolding Advisor Kang Cheol-hyeol, who threatened to confine him to the accounting room.

The result of drying up the flower garden next to the Sword Soul Hall was now to be unveiled to all. At Biryu-yeon's bold claims, Jang Hong closed his eyes tightly. As a third party, he found it awkward to interfere any further.

'Do as you please. I've given up…'

Jang Hong sighed, as he always did because of Biryu-yeon's unpredictability.

Biryu-yeon, with the Mukgeum on his back, also went to the place where the first-year students of Cheongwando were lined up and took his seat with his companions. All of them stood in an orderly fashion, not bringing shame to the name of Cheonmu Academy. As the event time approached, the invited martial arts masters began to arrive and take their seats. They were all renowned seniors in the martial arts world. Merely seeing them broadened one's horizons considerably.

The sect leaders of the Nine Great Sects, who were unable to attend due to circumstances, sent their representatives. These representatives were also influential masters with considerable standing in the martial arts world.

At this moment, a person appeared in the VIP seats on the stage. It was an old man with an extraordinary aura and a dignified appearance. His spirit overwhelmed everyone in the hall. Following him, two more people, a man and a woman, entered. Their spirits were also as impressive as the white-robed old man's. The hall began to stir.

"Wowwwwwww! Look there! It's the Three Stars of Cheonmu!"

That's right! They were also invited as observers to this tournament. It was not easy to see the Three Stars of Cheonmu at once. It was an honor, of course. After all, it wouldn't make sense for the Three Stars of Cheonmu to be absent from the opening ceremony of a tournament honoring them.

"Look there! It's Sword Saint Moyong Jeongcheon!"

"And there's Sword Master Haha Sik!"

"Ooh, Sword Empress Lee Ok-sang has also arrived!"

The entire hall was engulfed in excitement. The Three Stars of Cheonmu, who were virtually idols of the current righteous martial arts world, were gathered in one place on the same day. It was not easy to see them, who were almost like semi-immortals, even from afar. People craned their necks everywhere to get a better look at them. They were powerful figures who were difficult to see in person, unlike in portraits. It was only natural to want to see them closely to broaden one's perspective.

However, not only the Three Stars of Cheonmu but also everyone gathered in the venue does not stay here for the entire duration of the Samsungje. That would be impossible. This is because the Samsungje, due to its immense scale, is a long-running event, spanning nearly half a year.

With dozens of matches to be held, the matches are spread out over nearly half a year to allow the participants to compete in their optimal condition without disrupting their studies.

Those invited to the opening ceremony will likely reconvene on the day of the finals, which marks the climax of the Samsungje. The masters who reach the finals in the Sword Saint Tournament, Sword Master Tournament, Sword Empress Tournament, and the Samsungje Grand Tournament, a total of eight individuals, will all have their finals postponed and held at once. This is when the Samsungje reaches its peak.

As the Three Stars of Cheonmu and various other distinguished martial arts masters and VIPs took their seats, the opening ceremony of the Cheonmu Three Stars Martial Arts Tournament finally began. Ceremonial trumpets and drums blared grandly, and hundreds of flags surrounding the martial arts arena fluttered in the wind. Each of these flags was symbolic of the sects belonging to the Martial Arts Alliance.

Daemusabu Binggeom Gwancheolsu officiated the entire ceremony, and finally, Cheonmu Hakwanju Cheolkwon Majingajin stepped forward to declare the opening of the tournament.

First, Cheongheun, the Three Absolute Swords, representing Cheongwando, stepped forward and took the oath as a representative.

"We, all members of Cheonmu Academy, solemnly pledge before the Three Stars of Cheonmu and all senior masters that we will not lose our way, will not lose our integrity, will not disregard life, and will compete with all our might in a fair and just manner in all matches of the Cheonmu Three Stars Martial Arts Tournament."

"We solemnly pledge."

After the representative's oath, all the martial artists in attendance shouted in unison. Their voices boomed, shaking the hall. Cheonmu Hakwanju Cheolkwon Majingajin also raised his right hand and said,

"I, Majingajin, Head of Cheonmu Academy, hereby declare that the 30th Cheonmu Three Stars Martial Arts Tournament has begun as of this moment. I ask everyone to compete fairly with all their talent and skill."

"Waaaaaaaah!"

As Cheolkwon Majingajin's declaration ended, a resounding cheer erupted from the hall. Thus, the magnificent curtain of the Cheonmu Three Stars Martial Arts Tournament, one of Cheonmu Academy's two major martial arts festivals, was raised.