Chapter 168

Chun-bong's bold declaration—"I'm cute."

She meant it seriously, but Yang So-hong found it hard to take her words at face value.

“…Fine. Let’s settle this with skill,” he said, lowering his spear closer to the ground and assuming a combat stance.

Chun-bong pursed her lips and unsheathed her sword.@@novelbin@@

“You’re the one who asked the question, after all.”

It wasn’t like Chun-bong had started the conversation with such audacious comments. It was Yang So-hong who had been rude and presumptuous with his earlier statements.

Still, Chun-bong, with her generous heart, decided to forgive him—or rather, she didn’t care enough to hold a grudge.

Yang So-hong? After today, she probably wouldn’t even see him again.

Since he hadn’t insulted her clan, she figured she’d let it go.

Realizing that her casual attitude had slipped, Chun-bong quickly switched to her “social mode” and adjusted her tone.

“All right, let’s begin.”

The referee, standing between them, raised his hand high. With a firm gesture, he brought it down.

“Begin!”

Swish! The moment the referee’s hand dropped, Yang So-hong surged forward, his front foot sliding across the ground. He twisted his waist, pulling his spear-wielding right arm far back while extending his left hand forward.

The spearhead, held between the thumb and forefinger of his outstretched left hand, pointed directly at Chun-bong’s chest.

‘A thrust.’

Chun-bong recognized his intent immediately. Instead of dodging sideways, she advanced.

Whoosh! Her figure sliced through the air like a breeze, her robes fluttering lightly.

‘Just as Oppa advised….’

This match wasn’t just about winning—it was preparation for her eventual duel with Su-a.

Whoosh!

Yang So-hong’s spear shot forward, exuding a terrifying momentum. Chun-bong’s eyes focused on the spearhead—a single, piercing point aiming for her.

“Hup…!”

Activating the full potential of her Chun-bong Martial Arts, she executed Clouds Flowing Through the Sky.

Clang—!

Her sword traced a circular motion, diverting the spear’s trajectory. Without hesitation, she advanced further. Yang So-hong quickly withdrew his spear, launching a series of rapid thrusts.

Swish swish swish—!

The flurry of strikes appeared as if a dozen points were converging toward her. The red tassel attached to the spearhead danced chaotically, disguising the precise location of each strike.

It was clear that Yang So-hong was well aware of Chun-bong’s martial art and was deliberately aiming for a broader range to counter her technique.

Chun-bong grinned.

Azure Dragon Splits the Sky.

A massive surge of internal energy erupted from her dantian.

Rumble—!

Her sword seemed to take on the shape of an azure dragon. Unlike Seo-jun’s Yellow Dragon Splits the Sky, the form of the dragon was faint and indistinct.

While Seo-jun’s technique embodied pure energy manipulation, Chun-bong’s sword technique incorporated the essence of dominance and suppression (Pa-geom).

BOOOM──────!!!

Clang—! Chun-bong’s rising slash sent Yang So-hong’s spear flying upward.

“What… strength…!”

Caught off guard, Yang So-hong spun his spear, using the momentum to reverse its trajectory and swing the blunt end upward with force.

Swish—!

Chun-bong tilted her head slightly, evading the strike with ease, and immediately transitioned into her next technique.

Azure Dragon Emerges from the Head.

Her sword left faint afterimages as it split into nine paths, enveloping Yang So-hong in a web of illusory strikes, combining illusion (Hwan) and transformation (Byeon).

“Guh…!”

Grinding his teeth, Yang So-hong countered with his own technique: Dragon-Tiger Clash.

The spear’s shaft twisted and bent, mimicking the serpentine form of a dragon, while the spearhead slashed with the ferocity of a tiger’s claws.

Anticipating a massive impact, Yang So-hong tightened his grip on the spear.

Ting—!

“…Huh?”

Yang So-hong gaped in confusion as Chun-bong’s sword was effortlessly deflected. She smirked.

“You fell for it.”

Her initial Azure Dragon Splits the Sky had hinted at overwhelming power, baiting Yang So-hong into expecting a fierce clash. Immediately afterward, she followed with an almost harmless Azure Dragon Emerges from the Head.

By using the deceptive nature of Chun-bong Martial Arts, she disguised the feint as a powerful strike, leading Yang So-hong to overcommit.

The result? He was left wide open.

Whoosh—!

The tip of Chun-bong’s sword stopped just beneath Yang So-hong’s chin.

“Well fought.”

“Winner…! Geum Hui of the Divine Sword Geum Clan!”

The crowd erupted into cheers, acknowledging Chun-bong’s victory.

Her charm and skill shone brightly, leaving her opponents and the audience equally stunned.

+++++

"Ah…! If only I had been the one standing there…!"

Yang So-hong’s hands trembled as he gripped his spear tightly, eventually descending the arena with a bitter expression. Though Chun-bong didn’t know exactly what was eating him, it was clear he was deeply frustrated.

‘Not my problem.’

The world was full of strange people.

Chun-bong, cheerful as ever, skipped lightly off the arena, a triumphant smile on her face.

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH—!!

The crowd erupted into thunderous cheers that echoed through Hanam, every voice directed at her.

For a moment, Chun-bong reminisced about the distant past—the proud days of the Divine Sword Geum Clan. Snapping out of her reverie, she confidently strode toward Seo-jun.

“Did you see that?”

“Our Chun-bui is amazing!”

Seo-jun suddenly lifted her into the air. Accustomed to the sensation, Chun-bong raised her arms high with a grin.

“Behold, my descent!”

“So dazzling…!”

“Bow before her!”

“Ooooooh…!”

As Chun-bong basked in Seo-jun’s over-the-top praise, her gaze shifted to Namgung Su-a, standing quietly to the side with a faint smile.

Her biggest rival in this competition. For this moment, she was her greatest foe—a figure akin to a heavenly demon or the master of the Black Lotus.

With a sly smirk, Chun-bong decided to show off.

“My Chun-bong Martial Arts—it’s really broken, isn’t it? Just tweak the power a little, and no one can handle it.”

“It’s not inherently that powerful. It’s just you using it.”

“Huh?”

Chun-bong tilted her head at the unexpected response. Seo-jun explained.

“Now that I think about it, Azure Cloud Divine Swordsmanship is absolutely insane.”

Most sword techniques revolve around one or two primary principles (myori).

For example, the Namgung family’s Imperial Sword Form emphasizes dominance (pa) and weight (jung). Though it has supplementary elements like speed (qua), the technique itself is heavily rooted in dominance and weight.

But Yellow Cloud Divine Swordsmanship and Azure Cloud Divine Swordsmanship are different. These techniques cram in every possible principle, resulting in something utterly absurd.

While Seo-jun often half-heartedly adapted Yellow Cloud Divine Swordsmanship into a Qi-based technique, when used properly, its power and complexity were unparalleled.

If it had to be categorized, its defining principle would be Ten Thousand Swords (Mangeom).

“It’s incredibly difficult, but if you can pull it off, it’s completely overpowered. Especially with your martial art—it’s a perfect match.”

The myriad principles of the sword technique, combined with Chun-bong Martial Arts’ ability to imprint illusions of attacks onto opponents, created a nightmare for anyone facing her.

It was no wonder Yang So-hong mistook her feint, Azure Dragon Emerges from the Head,

for a dominant attack and fell right into her trap.

“Ooooh….”

Chun-bong’s eyes sparkled.

Yes, her Oppa understood it too. The greatness of the Divine Sword Geum Clan’s techniques and the unparalleled brilliance of Chun-bong Martial Arts.

And what about her, the one who mastered all of it?

“Good! I’ll grant you the honor of carrying me on your shoulders as we go home!”

Feeling elated, Chun-bong bestowed her “reward” on Seo-jun.

“Yay!”

Seo-jun, equally thrilled, played along.

The next day, Namgung Su-a’s match against Hye-un unfolded as expected, ending with Namgung Su-a’s victory.

Despite his insights and growth, Hye-un—now a top-tier Peak-level martial artist—still couldn’t bridge the gap with Namgung Su-a, who was nearing the transcendent realm.

Thus, the two finalists for the Yongbong Gathering were decided:

Namgung Su-a of the Namgung family and Geum Hui of the Divine Sword Geum Clan.

Some enthusiasts, recalling the legendary duel at the Mount Hua competition, whispered among themselves:

“Back then, Namgung Ji-hwa defeated the Faceless Snow Sword.”

“Faceless Snow Sword? Who’s that?”

“Who else? The heir of the Divine Sword Geum Clan. Though it wasn’t revealed at the time, their extraordinary skill and masked face earned them that moniker.”

“Hmm, so Namgung Ji-hwa might win again this time?”

“Who knows? That duel was quite close. But…”

“But?”

“Judging by this tournament, Namgung Ji-hwa still seems to have the upper hand.”

Indeed, Chun-bong and Namgung Su-a’s record stood at one win for Namgung Su-a and zero for Chun-bong.

Namgung Su-a’s flawless victory streak gave her a formidable aura.

“Hey…! What’s with this ‘flawless record’ nonsense? It’s just one match, damn it!”

“Now, now, Chun-bui. Let’s be nice, no bad words.”

“When did I ever use bad words? I said ten flawless matches! Ten flawless!”

Chun-bong hopped in place, her frustration evident.

As the finals approached, she became increasingly wary of Namgung Su-a.

She stopped training with her usual group, instead practicing in secret. She even avoided casual conversations with Namgung Su-a, fearing her intentions might be revealed.

Namgung Su-a, finding her antics adorable, simply chuckled.

Nonetheless, Chun-bong’s determination to win the Yongbong Gathering was undeniable.

She even dragged Seo-jun into late-night training sessions, something uncharacteristic for someone who usually fell asleep the moment the sun set.

“Yawn… Hurry up…. Before I fall asleep….”

Touched by her newfound zeal, Seo-jun devoted himself to helping her train.

Sure enough, Chun-bong’s mastery of Azure Cloud Divine Swordsmanship was extraordinary.

Her occasional flashes of genius within the framework of the challenging technique left even Seo-jun impressed.

Finally, the day of the Yongbong Gathering finals arrived.

This was it. Chun-bong’s revenge match, her chance to secure a gift for her brother.

“Geum Hui of the Divine Sword Geum Clan…!”

Standing in the arena, Chun-bong cast a heavy gaze over the crowd.

‘Today is the day.’

Here, on this stage, the Divine Sword Geum Clan would truly rise again.

Slapping her soft cheeks with both hands, Chun-bong’s eyes burned with fierce determination.

“I’ll win this.”

The blood of the Geum Clan burned hotter than ever.