CHAPTER 168:………………………….
Supreme Late-Stage Martial Artist (3)
“This…! This is impossible!”
Up until now, the Supreme Swordmaster Cheon had been calmly observing the duel from the platform, but his voice suddenly rose as he sprang to his feet.
The heads of each sect briefly focused their attention on him, but at this moment, appearances no longer mattered.
His eyes, fixed on the duel stage, were wide with shock.
‘How… could this be…!’
This was impossible.
The Nangong Clan’s martial arts symbol.
Even if someone possessed equal internal power, the Emperor Sword Style was notoriously difficult to defend against.
And yet, the Emperor Sword Style of Nangong Muhui, inheriting the clan’s full power, had just been broken by that junior from the heretical sect?
It defied all logic.
Moreover…
Thud thud thud!
“Guh…! Cough! Cough!”
Struck in the abdomen, Nangong Muhui was thrown to a corner of the stage, coughing violently.
By contrast, the junior who had forcefully broken through the Emperor Sword Style stood calmly in the center of the stage, simply watching Nangong Muhui.
As if to say, do what you can.
But that figure seemed… familiar.
‘…That guy?’
Anger surged, and Cheon’s brows furrowed, but in an instant, the emotion drained from him.
…What is this strange sense of unease?
It was clearly just an arrogant, unremarkable junior, yet why did his hands tremble and his mind feel icy?
‘That figure… somewhere…’
Had he seen someone resembling this junior before?
As Cheon squinted to get a better look at Pyeongha, Nangong Muhui shivered violently and struggled to rise.
“You… how dare you… what have you done?!”
“…How can you ask that after experiencing it yourself?”
Pyeongha spoke, facing his distrustful glare.
“I just broke your Emperor Sword Style, using sheer force.”
To be precise, he had unleashed a power he had intentionally kept unused until now.
A tremendous force that had been with him since he first learned martial arts, yet whose true nature remained unknown.
“Yes… so… that means….”
Rumble rumble rumble…
As Nangong Muhui trembled with passion, an extraordinary aura began to radiate around him.
“How… is this possible?!”
Shing! Screeech!
Nangong Muhui, shouting as if possessed, swung his sword.
A massive chunk of sword energy surged toward Pyeongha.
Whereas previous sword energies had sharp, blade-like forms, this one was spherical like a cannonball—and overwhelmingly massive.
It could easily crush Pyeongha’s body.
Swish swish swish…
Watching the flying cannon-like sword energy, Pyeongha slowly raised his hand.
As the colossal energy approached within a short distance, a blue qi extended from his palm, slicing the energy vertically.
Shk.
Kraaaang!
Kwa kwa kwa kwa!
The enormous sword energy was cut cleanly in half, as if slicing tofu.
Nangong Muhui’s eyes filled with disbelief; he hadn’t expected his concentrated power to be nullified so easily.
“What… you cut sword energy with just your hand?”
“…Just my hand?”
Hearing this, Pyeongha let out a faint chuckle.
From what he learned from Heukpyo, if one understands the principle of cutting, the target could be a blade, a hand, or even a single blade of grass—it doesn’t matter.
The Dao (Way of Cutting) is not about the weapon; it is the principle itself: to cut.
“You clearly haven’t learned this yet,” Pyeongha said calmly, lowering both arms—a natural stance.
This posture was chosen to embody all the martial teachings he had received.
Yet Nangong Muhui’s eyes glinted with anger, misinterpreting it.
“You… dare to disregard the sword of Nangong?”
Rumble rumble rumble…
All the martial arts he could wield had been defeated without a single proper strike—even the Emperor Sword Style.
Then the only choice to defeat this opponent was to unleash even greater power.
‘Grandfather was right.’
Cheon realized why he had been given even a fraction more of internal power.
Though he couldn’t fully control it, he could not allow this heretical junior to humiliate him.
Even if it was a double-edged sword that could harm him, to defeat an enemy, he had to grasp it boldly.
“Arrghhh!”
Flash!
Nangong Muhui swung again, sending an even larger mass of sword energy toward Pyeongha.
But Pyeongha merely watched calmly.
“Only the size has increased… there’s no principle in it…”
Shaking his head, Pyeongha drew his superior qi and muttered,
“…You can’t even call that sword energy.”
Spot!
Kraaaaang!
This time, Pyeongha slashed diagonally with his palm, splitting the mass of energy.
As the destabilized energy exploded, Pyeongha, protected by a defensive qi, moved swiftly through the blast, closing in on Nangong Muhui.
“Inooom!”
Shouting in rage, Nangong Muhui further raised his internal power.
Despite having released a tremendous sword energy just moments ago, seven sword energies burst from his blade in an instant.
Pyeongha approached, and Nangong Muhui swung his sword with terrifying intensity.
Fwaaaaang!
His sword, amplified beyond its limit, was faster and stronger than ever, emitting massive energy that alone made defense dangerous.
Fwaaaang!
Reading the trajectory calmly, Pyeongha avoided the incoming strike and immediately pierced forward with his palm.
Kraaaang!
“Ack!”
Struck in the thigh again, Nangong Muhui gritted his teeth.
Though he raised his defensive qi to block direct strikes, one thigh was being relentlessly attacked. He could feel numbness creeping in.
“Yaaah!”
Fwaaaang!
He swung with full force at Pyeongha’s chest, but his sword cut only air.
Lowering his stance dramatically, Pyeongha avoided the strike and extended a punch to Nangong Muhui’s exposed jaw.
Shing!
Kraaaang!
“Guh…!”
Just before the punch landed, Nangong Muhui used his empty left hand to shield his jaw.
Though the impact nearly broke his neck, he barely avoided a direct hit.
Yet again…
Kraaaang!
Crack.
“Ugh…!”
Another strike hit his thigh, piercing the defensive qi, leaving a clear impact.
If this continued, he couldn’t endure it much longer.
Trying to create distance, he attempted to swing, but Pyeongha grabbed his right wrist with one hand, preventing any sword strike.
Then he thrust the opposite fist into Nangong Muhui’s exposed abdomen.
Nnghk!
Zsheee!
Before he could lift his knee in desperation, a blue pillar of force struck his solar plexus faster than he could move.
It was the Seven Victories Seven Defeats Fist.
Sent flying nearly four meters, Nangong Muhui landed hard, coughing dark blood.
Whoooom.
Chaa-ziiiik.
“Cough! Urghhh!”
Blood from internal injuries dripped from his lips, but Nangong Muhui gritted his teeth and drew more internal power.
Strength… yes, he needed more power.
He had survived the attacks and gained distance again—he could not waste this chance.
Rumble rumble…
As he continued drawing power, a snapping sensation rang in his mind, and his eyes turned red.
Pyeongha, approaching to continue the assault, noticed something was wrong and paused.
“You…”
“Ugh… heh heh… with this… power…”
Nangong Muhui muttered like a madman, laughing maniacally, drenched in murderous intent and madness.
He no longer appeared as a typical late-stage martial artist from a righteous sect.
“…Possession by evil spirits.”
Understanding the opponent’s state, Pyeongha nodded slowly.
“So this is why they warned me to be careful.”
He had been using a normally unused power at the brink of his limit to overwhelm Nangong Muhui.
Yet watching a man consumed by power and losing reason, Pyeongha decided to restrain himself.
“If your power is lacking, fill it with the principle of the void.”
Recalling an old teaching from Gwangpae, he muttered to himself.
At that moment, the completely insane Nangong Muhui roared and charged at Pyeongha.
“Kraaaah!”
Flash!
Fwaaaang!
His sword now moved too fast to track with the eyes.
Even as Pyeongha reflexively avoided the strike, some of his hair was cut and floated in the air.
Spectators mistakenly thought Pyeongha had been struck.
But Pyeongha’s face remained calm, his eyes deep—as if looking into another world.
Fwaaaang!
Kwa kwa kwa!
Swinging again with terrifying speed, Nangong Muhui’s attacks carried enough force to scatter hair and clothing.
Yet Pyeongha did not falter.
As soon as the sword missed, he stepped forward and thrust his palm.
Shing!
Shwaak!
His fingertips shot toward Nangong Muhui’s face like a blade.
Even in a state of possession, Nangong Muhui reflexively twisted to avoid it—but Pyeongha’s strike was faster, cutting one cheek and drawing blood.
“This…!”
Still losing reason, Nangong Muhui swung his sword to fend off Pyeongha.
But Pyeongha closed the distance, striking consecutively at his chest and abdomen.
Kraaaang!
Zsheee!
One punch blocked with the left hand, another absorbed by defensive qi, yet dark blood still spilled from Nangong Muhui’s mouth.
Pyeongha stepped closer, extending a punch as if to pierce him.
Flash!
Zsheeee!
This time, Nangong Muhui blocked with his palm.
Like dropping a stone into still water, waves radiated outward.
It was the Nangong Clan Great Extended Palm.
Crack.
Zzziiiik.
Nangong Muhui’s left wrist twisted as if broken; Pyeongha was slightly pushed back by the impact—just enough for him to strike again.
“This bastard!”
Swish swish swish…
Certain of the distance he could not avoid, Nangong Muhui lifted his sword energy with bloodshot eyes.
“Dieeee!”
Flash!
Shouting, he unleashed his full sword energy at Pyeongha.
It was a final, decisive strike.
In that instant, Pyeongha instinctively understood:
He could not evade this attack.
It could not be countered with fist alone.
The way to neutralize it was…
Swish swish swish…
Pyeongha’s superior qi extended straight like a blade, razor-sharp and precise.
It seemed less like qi and more like sword energy itself.
Boom!
Stepping forward with all his strength, Pyeongha thrust his outstretched hand like stabbing with a sword.
The Pyeongha Divine Fist Qi Technique.
Sun-Piercing Flashing Hand (Ilkwan Seonsu).
Flash!
Kwa kwa kwa kwaaaang!
A streak of light shot from Pyeongha’s hand, shattering Nangong Muhui’s sword energy, which dispersed and exploded across the entire stage.
