The Lazy Young Master of the Jin Clan

"Are you saying that Young Hero Cheon is curious about Young Hero Jin? Why on earth...?"

Zhuge Ming thought it was a foolish question even as he said it.

'Indeed, a master of Young Hero Cheon's level might have recognized Young Hero Jin's true face. He's curious about Young Hero Jin's real skills.'

Zhuge Ming, who was no different from the strategist of the Blue Team, had a headache.

If Cheon Yerang's words were true, then no matter what he did, the sparring match between the Blue Team and the Red Team would end in a draw.

Cheon Gaseong was certainly capable of that.

"If what the young lady says is true... then no matter who we send out for the second sparring match..."

"I will go."

Cheon Yerang gripped her sword hilt.

Zhuge Ming asked in surprise.

"Are you planning to go out yourself, Young Lady Cheon?"

"Yes."

"Ah, I understand. Who would you like to go out with?"

"I will go out alone."

"What?"

"The martial artists of the White Moon Palace do not stand shoulder to shoulder or back to back with others."

'So that's why Cheon Gaseong came up alone? No, given Cheon Gaseong's personality, he would have come up alone even if there were no such rule.'

"And I will continue to go out."

"Are you saying you will go out alone for all the sparring matches, Young Lady?"

"Yes."

Cheon Yerang turned her body towards the training ground, as if she would not listen to an answer.

Although Zhuge Ming sent a look asking for help, Jin Sohyun shrugged his shoulders.

'Do I have no choice but to trust Young Lady Cheon for now?'

"Then I'll be counting on you."

Cheon Yerang, who had nodded her head, went up on the training ground for the second sparring match.

At her appearance, the faces of Moyong Susu, Oh Seolhwa, and Hyeok'ugun, who had come up as representatives of the Red Team, hardened.

Like Cheon Gaseong, Cheon Yerang had come out alone.

"Oh, junior sister."

"Yes, senior brother."

"Winning the sparring match is important, but this time, can you leave it to me?"

"Of course."

Hyeok'ugun stepped forward and also sent a look to Moyong Susu.

At his appearance, which seemed to be asking for her understanding, Moyong Susu also nodded her head slightly.

With the permission of the two who had come up with him, Hyeok'ugun stood opposite Cheon Yerang.

"Are all the representatives of the Blue Team up?"

"Yes."

At the instructor's question, Cheon Yerang answered briefly.

"Then the second sparring match will begin!"

As the flag announcing the start of the second sparring match shot up into the sky, Hyeok'ugun drew his wooden sword.

"I've always wanted to compete in martial arts with a martial artist of the White Moon Palace. I am Hyeok'ugun of the Huashan Sect."

"I am Cheon Yerang."

"I'll be in your care."

Cheon Yerang lightly gripped the wooden sword she had drawn with her right hand and nodded.

The start of the sparring match was Hyeok'ugun.

He unfolded the Five Elements Plum Blossom Steps, one of the movement techniques of the Huashan Sect, and rushed towards Cheon Yerang.

At his ever-changing movements, like scattering plum blossom petals, the officials who were watching this shone their eyes.

Especially Jong Ryeo'ak, who was staring at Hyeok'ugun with wide-open eyes.

'He's certainly not an easy opponent.'

Hyeok'ugun was a martial artist who was chosen as the strongest next-generation talent among the many next-generation talents of the Nine Sects and the Five Great Families, along with Namgung Seolu of the Namgung Family and Do Gyeom of the Wudang Sect.

As per the public's evaluation, Hyeok'ugun's martial arts level had already surpassed that of the next-generation talents.

"An excellent Five Elements Plum Blossom Steps."

Gwak Myeong also admired and watched Hyeok'ugun.

In the meantime, Hyeok'ugun had already arrived right in front of Cheon Yerang.

"Heup!"

Along with a powerful shout, Hyeok'ugun's sword showed an ever-changing illusionary sword, as much as his movement technique, and pressured Cheon Yerang.

The numerous afterimages of the sword that blurred the vision began to draw several plum blossom petals.

"That is the Plum Blossom Sword Technique!"

Yu Useon's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Senior brother...!"

Oh Seolhwa, who was watching the Plum Blossom Sword Technique of a level she had not yet reached, clenched her two fists tightly.

'Someday.'

Vowing to follow Hyeok'ugun someday.

In the meantime, Cheon Yerang did not chase the afterimages of the sword.

She just found the real one in the illusion with her two eyes, which were like blue jade.

—White Moon Heaven Flash Sword, First Moon, Flying Moon Wing.

Cheon Yerang's wooden sword, which had gone down to the lower part, shot up quickly like a single hawk flying towards the sky.

Along with a dazzling white light, Hyeok'ugun's sword was deflected.

'H-How?'

Hyeok'ugun could not believe it.

The Plum Blossom Sword of Huashan was a sword technique in which the illusionary sword and the changing sword, which confused the opponent's eyes, were beautifully harmonized.

But Cheon Yerang had found the real one in the plum blossoms that filled her vision and had accurately deflected it.

"Blue eyes." 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Cheon Gaseong, who was watching the sparring match between the two, took his eyes off the training ground as if there was nothing more to see.

His interest was still on Jin Sohyun.

'I'll be able to see your true form soon.'

Over four hundred unorthodox faction members had lost their lives in Guizhou.

It had not yet been properly revealed who had killed them.

But the White Sword Squad Leader, So Wigyeon, had said.

—The unorthodox faction members all said that the Ten-Armed Blood Ghost had returned. It seems that the majority of the dead unorthodox faction members died at his hands.

'The second coming of the Ten-Armed Blood Ghost.'

Cheon Gaseong was guessing that the one who had killed the unorthodox faction martial artists was Jin Sohyun.

He was the disciple of the Flying Sword Hero, Kang Cheon, and the only one who was still hiding his true strength.

"Jin Sohyun."

"Hmm?"

Jin Sohyun felt his face itch at the gaze of Cheon Gaseong, which he felt from a distance.

'That brat is at it again.'

Was he an archenemy in his past life?

Cheon Gaseong was anxious to get his hands on Jin Sohyun.

If the reason was Cheon Yerang, then Jin Sohyun was being treated unfairly.

I swear, Jin Sohyun had never harbored any dark intentions towards Cheon Yerang, nor had he ever been interested in her.

Although they had spent the night together as they had been paired in the same group by a coincidence, wasn't that not his fault?

'Should I just punch him?'

Jin Sohyun, who had felt the limit of his patience, glared at Cheon Gaseong with narrowed eyes.

Soon, the gazes of the two met across the training ground.

'If I want to win the sparring match anyway, I have to deal with that brat.'

Jin Sohyun was planning to win at all costs.

A week's vacation.

It was a reward that made his mouth water just thinking about it.

And for this, he had to defeat Cheon Gaseong at all costs.

At Jin Sohyun's hot gaze, which was directed at him, Cheon Gaseong also felt interested.

'Are you also conscious of me, Jin Sohyun?'

'I'm sorry for Young Lady Cheon... but I have to fix that nasty temper of his this time.'

While the two men were looking at each other with different thoughts, an exclamation of a different meaning burst out from on top of the training ground.

"No way!"

At the same time as Oh Seolhwa's shout, Hyeok'ugun knelt on one knee.

'I can't win at all!'

His sword could not reach Cheon Yerang at all.

Cheon Yerang saw through all of Hyeok'ugun's movements with her two eyes, which resembled blue jade.

The illusionary sword, which contained dozens of changes, was meaningless.

Not a single one of the dozens of plum blossoms could reach Cheon Yerang.

And the sword of white light that followed.

Hyeok'ugun, who had been hit on the side, shoulder, and left knee in an instant, fell into despair.

'The class is different.'

To think the gap between the White Moon Palace and the Huashan Sect was this big.

"...I lost."

Hyeok'ugun obediently acknowledged his defeat.

"Senior brother!"

Oh Seolhwa, who was late, came over and supported Hyeok'ugun.

"I'm sorry... because of my arrogance..."

"No! You haven't been defeated yet, senior brother!"

"No. If that wooden sword had been a real sword, I would not have been able to even move by now. I'm sorry."

Hyeok'ugun, who had acknowledged his defeat himself, left the training ground on his own two feet.

The remaining Moyong Susu and Oh Seolhwa naturally stood shoulder to shoulder.

"Can we win?"

"We have no choice."

Moyong Susu and Oh Seolhwa split to the left and right.

The joint attack of the Five Great Families and the Nine Great Sects, which could be called archenemies.

The joint attack of the two enemies, which was not easily seen anywhere in the Central Plains, ended in vain, contrary to everyone's expectations.

"Kyaak!"

"Ugh!"

Cheon Yerang dealt with Moyong Susu and Oh Seolhwa from her spot and defeated them.

All that was needed to defeat them were just two sword strikes.

"The winner of the second sparring match is... the Blue Team!"

At Cheon Yerang's dazzling performance, the winner of the second sparring match was once again the Blue Team's share.

"Damn it! What are the three of you doing!"

The enraged Jong Ryeo'ak glared at Hyeok'ugun, Moyong Susu, and Oh Seolhwa, who had been defeated by one person, Cheon Yerang.

"I was defeated by skill. That's all."

"You foolish brat!"

Jong Ryeo'ak looked at Hyeok'ugun, who was obediently acknowledging his defeat, with a pathetic expression.

He could not hold it in anymore and walked towards Cheon Gaseong.

"I will go out this time. I can't lose to those brats anymore!"

"Do as you please."

Jong Ryeo'ak went up on the training ground, huffing and puffing.

And his opponent this time was also Cheon Yerang.

"Alone this time too?"

At Jong Ryeo'ak's question, Cheon Yerang nodded her head and lowered her wooden sword.

At her noble and beautiful appearance, Jong Ryeo'ak laughed.

"I'm alone too."

After saying this, Jong Ryeo'ak suddenly began to raise his internal energy.

A powerful aura that did not suit a next-generation talent was emitted from on top of the training ground.

At his appearance, Hyeok'ugun frowned.

"That foolish brat."

Oh Seolhwa, who had been hit on the shoulder by Cheon Yerang and had collapsed, rubbed her swollen shoulder.

"What is Young Hero Jong doing?"

"He's trying to save his pride. Since Young Lady Cheon has faced three people in a row, he's meaninglessly consuming his internal energy to fight under the same conditions."

"Ah... how reckless. Young Lady Cheon didn't even use much internal energy."

"..."

Hyeok'ugun was afraid of that.

Hyeok'ugun, Moyong Susu, Oh Seolhwa.

These three were the promising next-generation talents of the Nine Sects and the Five Great Families.

But against all of them, Cheon Yerang had not even exchanged ten moves.

'If you really want to win, give it your all, Jong Ryeo'ak.'

Along with Hyeok'ugun's silent advice, Jong Ryeo'ak, who had finished consuming his internal energy, re-gripped his wooden sword.

"Now! Let's compete properly and fairly."

The instructor, who had confirmed that the representatives of the Blue Team and the Red Team had all come up, raised his flag.

"The third sparring match will begin!"

***

"This is, well... it has ended up being a show of how strong the White Moon Palace is."

As Song'u, who was watching the sparring match, said with a regretful tone, Gwak Myeong, who was standing with his arms crossed, said softly.

"That is the original purpose of this sparring match."

"The original purpose... are you saying you expected it to be like this from the beginning?"

"Yes. If that weren't the case, the rules would not have been set this way."

"Daoist Temple Master Gwak. What is the reason you planned such a sparring match?"

"The officials of the Blue Dragon Daoist Temple will become the special swords of the special selection team. And given the nature of the special selection team, a hierarchy is needed."

"A hierarchy, you say?"

"You will soon find out, Master Song'u."

At the words 'you will soon find out', Song'u closed his mouth and observed the two martial artists standing on the training ground.

In the meantime, Jong Ryeo'ak's sword rushed towards Cheon Yerang.

'She'll block this much easily.'

As he had expected, Cheon Yerang deflected Jong Ryeo'ak's sword with a short sword strike.

'Cheon Yerang hasn't made the first move so far. The real thing is after this.'

Cheon Yerang's sword technique was like seeing the later-strike-first-win of the Wudang Sect.

After blocking or deflecting the opponent's attack, she would launch a sharper counterattack.

'I just have to not give her a chance to counterattack!'

Jong Ryeo'ak retrieved his sword and immediately prepared a follow-up attack.

The fast sword peculiar to the Taiyi Splitting Light Sword fiercely pressured Cheon Yerang.

At Jong Ryeo'ak's sword strikes, which were cutting in from all directions, Cheon Yerang's blue eyes shone.

Thwack— Thwack-thwack-thwack—!!

The offense and defense of the two swordsmen took place fiercely.

"Oh!"

The officials belonging to the Red Team harbored hope as they saw Jong Ryeo'ak, who was facing Cheon Yerang on equal terms for the first time.

On the contrary, the officials of the Blue Team watched the fight of the two swordsmen with anxious gazes.

"As expected of Young Hero Jong! What a great offensive!"

Yu Useon was very excited.

Next to him, Zhuge Ming was biting his lower lip.

'The number of sparring matches we have to win is now two... if we win this one, there's hope! Young Lady Cheon!'

Contrary to Zhuge Ming's desperate wish, Jong Ryeo'ak's offensive became even more ferocious.

"Heup!"

As the fifth form of the Taiyi Splitting Light Sword, Shanshan Nannan, was unfolded, Jong Ryeo'ak's wooden sword moved at a tremendous speed and confused Cheon Yerang's vision.

'All of them are real.'

Unlike the illusionary sword of Huashan's Plum Blossom Sword, the Taiyi Splitting Light Sword was a sword technique based on a fast sword.

All the sword strikes were real, not illusions.

'I will defeat the White Moon Palace!'

Jong Ryeo'ak poured out all his internal energy, and the muscles of his two arms, which were holding the sword, danced.

And so, Jong Ryeo'ak's offensive pushed Cheon Yerang to the boundary of the training ground.

Now, if she were pushed back just one more step, it would be Cheon Yerang's disqualification for going out of bounds.

For the final offensive, Jong Ryeo'ak squeezed out his remaining internal energy.

The seventh form of the Taiyi Splitting Light Sword, Fen Guang Da Liu, was unfolded at the tip of Jong Ryeo'ak's sword.

At the same time, Cheon Yerang inhaled.

A brilliant white light flowed from her wooden sword and formed like a drop of water at the tip of the sword.

A sword that held the moonlight.

"Half Moon, Moon Shadow Heaven Dance."

(End of Chapter)