Chapter 10
Fate’s Grudge Calls for Blood (3)
The fight ended before it even began.
Kang Yongwoon’s gaze fell on the long, upright stick before him.
A bamboo staff.
Wasn’t that the symbol of the Beggar’s Sect’s branch leader?
Hong Rugae…
More precisely, the branch master of Hebei’s capital. The item hanging from his waist was none other than the taku staff—the unmistakable mark of a Beggar’s Sect disciple.
And then—
“Hey, Elder Son. Is this really how you’re raising your disciples?”
“Hah! That brat—raising a fuss over a shoulder bump? How laughable.”
Hong Rugae and Dam-oh appeared. With light, nimble movements, they leapt down from the roof and closed the distance.
“I saw everything from the start. Yongwoon’s words are true.”
“I saw it too—oo—!”
“Your disciple was the one who picked the fight first, drew his sword first, and even threatened to cut his neck!”
“Bah! At first he said he’d cut off his arm, then changed it to the neck. Hahaha. What a joke…”
Son Wi’s face flushed red.
Damn it—!
Once again, the problem was Kwon Jung-hyun.
So be it.
He couldn’t back down.
Now that Lee Ho-yun had brought up their sect, Son Wi had no choice but to follow through.
Jung-hyun is always like this, so whatever humiliation he suffers doesn’t matter much. But Ho-yun… that’s different.
Not only the sect’s honor, but Ho-yun’s as well, had to be defended.
Son Wi forced strength into his voice.
“He deliberately struck my disciple’s shoulder when he could’ve avoided it. That is malicious intent, Senior.”
“What?”
Hong Rugae’s voice sharpened with disbelief. His eyes grew fierce.
But Son Wi didn’t falter. Locking eyes with him, he spoke firmly.
“Neither the Great Tiger Sword Sect nor I, Son Wi, have ever been discourteous to you or the Beggar’s Sect. So if this rogue has nothing to do with your sect, please step aside.”
“Yes. This matter is solely between the Great Tiger Sword Sect and that rogue, Elder!”
Lee Ho-yun seized the chance to add fuel.
Hong Rugae’s eyes narrowed.
Oh, look at this lot…
They dared to throw “principles” in his face.
You’re not Beggar’s Sect, so don’t interfere.
His brow twitched violently.
Tch! Like hell I’ll just sit back and watch such nonsense.
It was obvious Kang Yongwoon would lose.
Against trash like Kwon Jung-hyun, even the basic Three Talents Sword was enough. But against a proper swordsman taught real martial arts? Impossible.
The Great Tiger Sword Sect may only be a mid-tier school, but some of their forms—like the Tiger Roar Sword—are quite sharp.
Now wasn’t the time to fight.
Once he becomes my disciple and learns the Beggar’s Sect’s techniques, then he can repay this debt.
That would be best.
Hong Rugae’s voice boomed with inner power.
“First. That boy isn’t the sect’s rogue. On the contrary, the one lying there foaming at the mouth is his rogue. He picked the fight, he attacked first.”
“But, Senior—”
“Listen till the end!”
He cut off Son Wi’s protest like a blade.
“Second. That boy calls me ‘Elder.’ Do you remember, at Cheonhwa Pavilion, where Yongwoon began addressing me so?”
“Puhahaha! Not a Beggar’s Sect disciple, sure—but if he calls Master ‘Elder,’ then he’s practically family, isn’t he? Family!”
Dam-oh eagerly chimed in.
Hong Rugae nodded with a meaningful grin.
“Of course. He’s already half a Beggar’s Sect man. Heh heh.”
He kept winking at Kang Yongwoon, urging him with his eyes.
Kid, weather the storm for now.
That was what he wished to convey.
But Yongwoon’s response shattered those hopes.
“I don’t know why I’ve been labeled your sect’s rogue. But one thing is certain.”
His voice was calm, cold.
“It means I must settle this blood feud with that man, doesn’t it?”
At last!
“Correct.”
Lee Ho-yun’s voice rose, solemn as though bearing his sect’s honor upon his shoulders.
“This is about the honor of the Great Tiger Sword Sect at large, and my disciple’s vengeance in particular. It can only be resolved through blood.”
“In that case… fine.”
Yongwoon’s eyes blazed—cold and yet burning hot.
“Let’s fight.”
“You brat!”
“You idiot—!”
“No!”
“You mustn’t—!”
Hong Rugae and Dam-oh cried out in alarm, but Yongwoon didn’t hear a word.
[Heh heh. Well done, boy.]
[The Great Tiger Sword Sect? The same bastards who nearly took your head? Of course you must fight.]
[They have no idea what true foundations mean. Show them bitter reality.]
[Fancy swordplay is nothing but a castle on sand before solid basics. Remember that, boy.]
The voices of the Celestial Vault beings in his head flared with fiery battle-spirit.
[It’s not the techniques that make a master, but who wields them and how.]
[Remember this: even without inner power, the Three Talents Sword can cut through a thousand-year-old boulder.]
Their words bordered on incitement.
What in the world are they so confident about?
“Hyahhh—!”
Lee Ho-yun struck first.
With fierce momentum he lunged, his sword flashing in short, swift arcs.
Swish, swish, slash!
Like a raging tiger clawing with both paws—precise, yet ferocious.
Head, shoulder, waist.
Yongwoon countered immediately.
At every vital point Ho-yun aimed for, Yongwoon’s iron sword swept, filled with condensed bursts of energy.
Clang, clang, clash!
Sparks flew wildly.
The exchange almost looked even, making Son Wi’s eyes bulge.
What humiliation is this?!
He had painstakingly trained Lee Ho-yun for the Hero Assembly of the Martial Alliance. This very disciple was the Great Tiger Sword Sect’s pride.
And yet Ho-yun couldn’t overpower a nameless inn-boy, one who wielded only the basic Three Talents Sword?
“Yun-ah! In battle you can’t be so honest! Mix feint and truth!”
Unable to hold back, Son Wi roared with desperation.
It was heartfelt advice from master to disciple.
“Elder Son! What do you think you’re doing? This fight was unfair from the start, and now you interfere?”
“Ha! Senior, that’s crossing the line!”
Hong Rugae and Dam-oh leapt in at once.
But Son Wi shouted back.
“Hmph! Is a master forbidden from teaching his disciple? This is a duel of life and death! I’m not fighting in his stead, so don’t accuse me further, Senior.”
“What?”
Hong Rugae bristled.
“Then I can interfere too, can’t I? Really?”
“He’s practically family already! Just jump in, Master!”
“Urgh…”
Pressed by their jeers, Son Wi clenched his eyes shut.
Yun-ah, I trust you.
That faith was soon rewarded.
Blood began to spray from Yongwoon’s body.
Not just that—
Step by step, he was being pushed back.
Was it a matter of inner power? Or was the Tiger Roar Sword truly that strong?
Such a sudden shift…
Ho-yun had heeded his master’s advice.
No longer attacking straightforwardly—he veered midway, abruptly changing the direction of his strikes.
He aimed for the waist… then slid down to slash the thigh or shin instead.
If I rely on my eyes, I’m too late.
Slash, swish!
Another cut grazed his shoulder, then his waist.
The blood flowing down grew thicker, strength leaking from his grip.
I need another way… something different…
But what?
As he racked his brain, the voices of the Celestial Vault boomed within.
[Fool! You should’ve received the strike with “Absorption,” then shaken him off balance!]
[You can’t just chase the blade! That way lies death!]
[If someone points at the moon, look at the moon—not the finger! Find his true target!]
[Read the flow, damn it!]
[If you don’t want to bleed out and die, then learn with your body! Now!]
Learn with your body…
If he wanted to live, if he wanted to win—he had no choice.
[Absorption’s basics are continuity—Receive, Deflect, Release.]
[In simple terms: receive heavily so you’re not pushed back, twist aside, and flow the attack away—or break his stance outright. Got it?!]
He understood these principles in his head. But understanding and executing them were two different matters.
I must pierce his flow first…
Only then could he counter.
I’ll see it. I’ll see it! I must!
Flow. Intent. Whatever it was, he’d pierce it with his mind’s eye.
And then overturn it with Absorption…!
Bleeding all over, Yongwoon’s eyes sank deep, tracking every motion of Ho-yun’s Tiger Roar Sword.
How much time passed?
A spark lit in his gaze.
That’s it…!
Like fragments scattering from a pebble on water, he could now see Ho-yun’s killing intent bouncing, branching, diverting.
So this is what the Elders meant by flow…
At last, he distinguished the changing forms of the Tiger Roar Sword.
Head to waist, waist to thigh…!
His blade swept instinctively along that flow.
Clang, clang, clash!
“Urgh—!”
For the first time, Ho-yun gasped, breath caught.
He had been completely blocked.
A grin tugged Yongwoon’s lips.
“That’s all you’ve got?”
“You brat!”
“If that’s all, you’ve lost.”
“Never—!”
But no matter what form Ho-yun unleashed, Yongwoon parried them all. The battle reached true parity.
[You idiot! Don’t just meet him head-on—deflect sideways!]
[After one “Receive,” you should’ve followed with “Feint” to rattle his stance!]
[With every block, follow up with Change or Return!]
[He uses deceptive forms—you must mix truth and falsehood too!]
The Celestial Vault beings grew more frenzied, as though fighting themselves.
Clang!
Shudder!
“Kh…!”
The more flustered Ho-yun became, the more Yongwoon turned defense into offense.
[Hahaha! Well done!]
[Exactly—receive, then shift aside, flow it away. Excellent, boy.]
[Now! Bounce it back with Rebound—!]
Crash!
“Gah—!”
At last, Ho-yun’s arm flew upward, just as Kwon Jung-hyun’s had.
Now!
Yongwoon lunged, thrusting his iron sword with explosive force.
The neck!
The blade closed the distance in a blink—straight for Ho-yun’s throat—
“Yun-ah—!”
Son Wi screamed.
Ho-yun’s eyes squeezed shut, knowing it was too late.
But…
Nothing happened.
What?
Peeking one eye open, he saw the tip of the sword frozen just before his neck.
At the last moment, Yongwoon had stopped it with all his strength.
Ho-yun flinched. Yongwoon growled at him.
“Do you still want this blood feud?”
