The Lazy Young Master of the Jin Clan

The group competition of the Four Daoist Assembly.

Unlike the individual competition where victory and defeat were decided by personal martial prowess, in the group competition, five martial artists from each Daoist Temple, a total of ten, would come up to the sparring stage and engage in a match.

In the group competition, the cooperation of the five-person team was more important than individual martial prowess.

Because of this, it was standard practice for most Daoist Temples to send out disciples from sects or families who knew each other well.

But.

‘There’s no one from the same sect or family…’

The eyes of Mae Yun, a disciple of the Kunlun Sect, scanned the five disciples of the opposing Blue Dragon Daoist Temple.

In his Vermilion Bird Daoist Temple, three Kunlun Sect martial artists, including himself, had stepped forward, along with two martial artists from the Tang Clan.

The Vermilion Bird Daoist Temple had sent out disciples consisting of the Kunlun Sect and the Sichuan Tang Clan for the group competition.

The Kunlun Sect, like the Kongtong Sect, had developed cooperative techniques to fight against the Ming Cult and was also skilled in sword formations.

And the two disciples from the Sichuan Tang Clan were skilled in hidden weapon techniques.

The strategy was for Kunlun to form a solid front with their unique sword formation, while the two Tang Clan disciples would support from the rear by throwing hidden weapons.

It was the best force that the temple master, Beom U, could create with five disciples.

‘Have they given up on the group competition? No… there’s the son of the White Moon Divine Lord. Is he saying he can take on all of us by himself?’

Mae Yun’s hand, gripping the hilt of his sword, automatically tightened.

“How arrogant.”

Mae Yun was confident.

He might not be able to defeat Cheon Gaseong in a one-on-one fight, but a group competition was a different story.

The sword formation of Kunlun was such that five first-rate masters could easily face a peak-level master, and two peak-level masters could easily contend with a transcendent-level martial artist.

“I will make you realize the arrogance of the White Moon Palace and yourself right here. Let’s go.”

With Mae Yun in the lead, the disciples of the Vermilion Bird Daoist Temple stood in the center of the sparring stage.

At that, Cheon Gaseong, who was facing them, said briefly.

“Go.”

At his single word, the martial artists of the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple stepped forward.

Ten martial artists faced each other in the middle of the sparring stage.

The referee stood between them and began to explain the rules of the group competition.

“Unlike the individual competition, real swords cannot be used in the group competition, and killing moves are also prohibited. If the degree of injury is deemed severe, you can be disqualified at the referee’s discretion, and if you are hit or cut in a vital spot such as the head, neck, or heart, you will be considered dead and disqualified. Understood?”

“Yes.”

Unlike Mae Yun who answered, Cheon Gaseong just nodded his head.

“Then, the Vermilion Bird Daoist Temple and the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple will exchange greetings and then move to your positions.”

The disciples of the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple and the Vermilion Bird Daoist Temple approached each other and offered a handshake.

When Mae Yun, the captain of the Vermilion Bird Daoist Temple, held out his hand, Cheon Gaseong just stared at it.

When there was no hand coming to meet his, Mae Yun said.

“You won’t even exchange this much of a greeting?”

“I do not enjoy holding hands with others.”

At Cheon Gaseong’s cold reply, Mae Yun also withdrew his hand.

“Good. I wasn’t too keen on it myself.”

Cheon Gaseong turned his back without any further reply.

Watching Cheon Gaseong’s coldly turned back, Mae Yun silently fumed.

‘I will definitely put you in your place. I will show everyone the White Moon Palace kneeling at the feet of Kunlun!’

Fuming, Mae Yun turned back and gathered the other Kunlun martial artists.

“The opponent is the White Moon Palace. Don’t be careless, but don’t be too intimidated either, and push forward. In a group competition, we will win.”

“Yes!”

“We’ll be counting on the Tang Clan as well.”

The two disciples from the Sichuan Tang Clan nodded their heads.

They prepared for the match by putting on hidden weapons carved from wood between their fingers.

Meanwhile, the disciples of the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple, who had all gathered from different sects or families, gathered their heads with Zhuge Ming at the forefront.

“Let’s stick to the plan. Just as we practiced!”

“Understood.”

“Yes.”

“Yeees…”

Wu Seongcheon, from a minor sect called the Heavy Sword Sect, had a face full of excitement rather than nervousness.

Sangsuk of the Changryong Sect took a deep breath and readjusted his grip on his sword hilt.

Yu Oseon’s body trembled finely, as if he couldn't hide his nervousness.

Lastly, Cheon Gaseong stared at the opposing Vermilion Bird Daoist Temple with a face that seemed to feel no interest.

“Zhuge Ming.”

“You called?”

“Remember my words.”

“Ugh…”

Zhuge Ming recalled the warning Cheon Gaseong had given before leaving the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple.

—I have poured my precious time into you all. So prove it. If you fail to do so, I will not leave you alone.

From the moment the list of participants for the Four Daoist Assembly was finalized, Cheon Gaseong, as Gwak Myeong had said, had gathered the martial artists who would be participating in the group competition with him to prove his abilities.

And what Cheon Gaseong did was a one-versus-many sparring session.

Of course, the three disciples from minor sects and Zhuge Ming from the Zhuge Clan had to endure a merciless beating from Cheon Gaseong without even being able to put up much of a fight.

What a hellish time it had been.

He never wanted to experience that hell again.

“…I understand.”

Nodding his head, Zhuge Ming faced the Vermilion Bird Daoist Temple.

‘The opponent is the Kunlun Sect.’

Knowledge about the Kunlun Sect’s sword formation flashed through his mind.

‘The basis of a sword formation is defense.’

The fundamental reason sword formations came into being was for a small number to face a large number.

It was also to achieve the best efficiency with the same number of people.

The Kunlun Sect had fought against the Ming Cult for a long time, so their anti-personnel sword formations were highly developed.

‘Kunlun’s defensive sword formation is hard to break, and behind them, the Sichuan Tang Clan is providing solid support.’

The situation was greatly disadvantageous.

Nevertheless, Zhuge Ming was not intimidated.

“We have the Kongtong Sect.”

The Kongtong Sect, which, like Kunlun, had researched and developed formations while fending off the Ming Cult.

With Go Durim’s help, Zhuge Ming had researched and practiced ways to deal with the defensive sword formation with them.

“Let’s go!”

With a signal, the four disciples of the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple, including Zhuge Ming, ran forward.

“A frontal assault?”

Watching the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple disciples rushing in haphazardly, Mae Yun was dumbfounded.

‘Well… I should have known when such a motley crew stepped up.’

Why did the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple Master send out such a ragtag group for the group competition, leaving aside the Kongtong Sect, which was famous for its formations along with Kunlun?

Mae Yun couldn't understand the meaning, but he had no intention of going easy on them.

He would achieve an overwhelming victory in front of the more than three hundred late-stage prospects gathered from all over the Central Plains and the Martial Alliance Leader.

“Unfurl the Jiguk Sword Formation!”

At Mae Yun’s shout, the Kunlun Sect swordsmen unfurled their defensive sword formation.

Although it was a sword formation unfurled by only three people, its momentum was extraordinary.

Zhuge Ming and the other three Blue Dragon Daoist Temple disciples felt as if they were facing a huge barrier with blades sprouting from it.

‘We can’t back down!’

“Hyaap!”

As the four Blue Dragon Daoist Temple disciples raised their momentum as if they were about to charge in at any moment, Mae Yun’s eyes shone.

“Here they come!”

The momentum of the Jiguk Sword Formation became even more solid.

“At this rate, it’s like hitting a rock with an egg!”

Oh Seolhwa, who was watching the group competition, shouted, clutching her uniform tightly with both hands.

But Hyeok'ugun’s thoughts were different.

‘There’s no way Zhuge Ming would have such a simple thought.’

As he thought, Zhuge Ming and the three Blue Dragon Daoist Temple disciples, who had been acting as if they were about to charge in, instantly withdrew their momentum and stepped back.

‘What?’

At the unexpected development, the momentum of the Jiguk Sword Formation unfurled by Mae Yun and the Kunlun Sect swordsmen died down.

At that, Zhuge Ming snapped his fingers.

The four Blue Dragon Daoist Temple disciples launched themselves forward at the same time.

“How dare you!”

Mae Yun and the swordsmen raised their energy again and solidified the Jiguk Sword Formation.

Snap— Snap—!

As the sound of snapping fingers rang out twice, the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple disciples stepped back again.

‘What are they doing?’

Mae Yun was not the only one who was bewildered.

“What are they doing?”

“I don’t know… I don’t know either.”

Moyong Susu and Peng Sopyeong looked like they didn't understand what was happening.

It was the same for the disciples of the other Daoist Temples.

“What is that?”

“If you’re going to fight, fight with dignity!”

“They can’t fight. They can’t break through the Kunlun Sect’s defensive sword formation.”

“Kekekek! They said the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple was the lowest level among the Daoist Temples… it was true.”

“There’s nothing to see besides the White Moon Palace.”

At the voices of criticism coming from all over, Hwang Seohyang of the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple bit her sleeve.

“Aigoo! It’s so frustrating. Whether they win or lose, they should fight with dignity, what are they doing!?”

Next to the frustrated Hwang Seohyang, Go Durim, who was watching the group competition with his arms crossed, said softly.

“Young Master Zhuge and the other disciples are fighting with all their might right now.”

“What? You’re saying that’s fighting? No matter how I look at it, it looks like they’re running away because they can’t get close.”

“Enhance your vision and look carefully. It may look like they are repeatedly approaching and running away, but you will see that the reality is different.”

Hwang Seohyang, who was looking at Go Durim with a suspicious face, enhanced her vision.

Then, what she hadn't been able to see before began to appear.

‘Come to think of it…’

Mae Yun and the Kunlun Sect swordsmen, who were unfurling the defensive sword formation, were panting for breath and sweating profusely.

In contrast, Zhuge Ming and the three Blue Dragon Daoist Temple disciples were breathing steadily and not sweating a single drop.

“That… why is that?”

At Hwang Seohyang’s question, who didn't understand, Go Durim explained.

“It’s because of the sword formation.”

“The sword formation?”

“To form a sword formation, you must constantly infuse a certain amount of internal energy, and a high level of concentration is required so that each other’s energy is not lacking or overflowing.”

“Aah… so…?”

When Hwang Seohyang, who still didn't understand, just blinked her eyes, Go Durim pointed to the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple disciples with his finger.

“A defensive sword formation is fundamentally defensive in nature. It is strong against incoming attacks, but weak against disturbances. In the fight against the Ming Cult, it was a battle of strength against strength, so there would have been no chance of being disturbed. But now it’s different.”

Go Durim looked at Zhuge Ming with a pleased face.

“Young Master Zhuge is waiting for the right time. Until the Kunlun’s defensive sword formation breaks and collapses on its own.”

“Damn it!”

Mae Yun gritted his teeth.

Zhuge Ming and the other Blue Dragon Daoist Temple disciples repeatedly acted as if they were about to charge in, as if to mock them, and then stepped back.

Thanks to that, the Kunlun Sect swordsmen, who had exhausted most of their internal energy on the defensive sword formation, had a metallic taste in their mouths.

“What are you all doing! Are you going to attack or not!”

“Ahaha! My apologies. The Kunlun’s defensive sword formation is so outstanding that I can’t see any openings. Isn’t that right?”

“That’s right.”

“It’s such an amazing defensive sword formation that we can’t break through it!”

“Haha! Our disciples think the same.”

As Zhuge Ming laughed good-naturedly, Mae Yun realized that all of this had been the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple’s strategy.

‘They deliberately drained our strength!’

If you don't face the defensive sword formation, you don't have to.

It meant that there was no need to walk into the jaws of death on your own.

With the situation like this, the Kunlun Sect swordsmen gave up on the defensive sword formation.

“Alright. If you thought Kunlun only had a defensive sword formation, you are greatly mistaken!”

As the two Kunlun Sect martial artists, with Mae Yun in the lead, approached, maintaining a one-step distance from each other, Zhuge Ming shouted.

“Now!”

At his shout, the four Blue Dragon Daoist Temple disciples gathered together.

‘This is!?’

Mae Yun was greatly flustered.

Until now, they had been waiting for the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple disciples with their defensive sword formation formed, but this time it was the opposite.

The four Blue Dragon Daoist Temple disciples had created a defensive sword formation.

Mae Yun and the Kunlun Sect swordsmen rushed in, brandishing their swords, but a total of three swords blocked their sword strikes, and through the gap, Zhuge Ming’s flying dagger flew.

‘The Zhuge Clan!’

The Zhuge Clan was a sect that had not achieved great success with the sword, but their flying dagger techniques were second to none to the Sichuan Tang Clan.

At the sharp flying dagger that cut through the air, Mae Yun was greatly flustered and took a defensive posture.

Thwack—!

The moment he barely deflected the flying dagger, two swordsmen in blue uniforms appeared before his eyes.

“Heup!”

Yu Oseon and Wu Seongcheon thrust their swords at the same time.

Mae Yun hurriedly tried to defend, but two swords pushed through the opening created while deflecting Zhuge Ming’s flying dagger.

He barely blocked one sword, but Wu Seongcheon’s sword, which came in as a follow-up, stabbed him in the abdomen.

“Keoheok!”

As Mae Yun, who was stabbed in the abdomen with a wooden sword, fell on his butt, Yu Oseon and Wu Seongcheon split to the left and right.

They joined Zhuge Ming and Sangsuk respectively and faced the remaining two Kunlun Sect swordsmen.

“Keuk!”

“Keok!”

No matter how renowned the Kunlun swordsmen were, it was difficult to withstand the assault of two people.

As the two Vermilion Bird Daoist Temple disciples fell in succession, Mae Yun hurriedly looked back.

“What on earth is the Tang Clan…!”

Mae Yun, who was fuming at the two Tang Clan members who had been silent until now, stopped talking at the sight of Cheon Gaseong before his eyes.

At some point, the two Tang Clan members were lying at Cheon Gaseong’s feet.

‘When did he get there?’

Mae Yun got goosebumps.

If Cheon Gaseong had attacked from behind, the defensive sword formation of Mae Yun and the Kunlun Sect swordsmen would have already collapsed long ago.

Nevertheless, Cheon Gaseong did not bother to step forward.

‘Was he confident that they would win?’

Mae Yun lowered his head.

He had wanted an overwhelming victory, but he had met with a perfect defeat.

“Hmm…”

Beom U, who was watching this, turned away.

The remaining Yeom Yoa and Heonwon Hu looked back and forth between Cheon Gaseong and Zhuge Ming.

‘The Zhuge Clan… is quite a troublesome opponent.’

Anyone could see that the Vermilion Bird Daoist Temple had the advantage.

Their defensive sword formation seemed unbreakable by any ordinary force.

But the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple had skillfully dealt with the defensive sword formation.

They had shaken their psyche and induced them to collapse on their own, and when the impatient Vermilion Bird Daoist Temple disciples stepped forward, only then did they show their own formation.

A perfect victory using the opponent’s psychology.

And at the center of it were Zhuge Ming and Cheon Gaseong.

“We won.”

As Zhuge Ming, who had secured the first victory in the group competition, said brightly, Cheon Gaseong nodded his head and stepped down from the sparring stage.

Watching this from afar, Jin Sohyun fiddled with a short spear and his eyes shone.

“So there’s a way to fight like that. They said Myeong might not be good at martial arts, but he’s smart… it’s true.”

Zhuge Ming’s martial arts were certainly poor, but his schemes were very outstanding.

The strategy of using the weakness of the defensive sword formation was admirable.

“The future of the righteous path is very bright. A lazybones like me is not needed!”

Jin Sohyun smiled warmly and raised his head.

His blue light-filled eyes were still monitoring every move of everyone gathered at the venue.

It was something an ordinary person couldn't even imitate, but Jin Sohyun did it skillfully.

“There doesn’t seem to be anyone suspicious…”

There was no one who looked like an assassin from the Heretic Path's Alliance.

Bored, Jin Sohyun raised his head and looked up at the sky.

The sky, where the season of high sky and plump horses had arrived, was high and blue.

“A bird.”

A single hawk was gliding through the high sky.

(End of Chapter)