Ximen Gyeong’s eyes were bloodshot with rage, the whites tinted crimson.
“The reason you can see through all my sword moves is because you stole a look at my family’s Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation, isn’t it!”
“I know nothing of formations. Never learned them, either.”
“What?”
“You have never fought properly while polishing your sword.”
Bu Eunseol sent him a look of contempt.
“You probably heard yourself called a genius of the sword because you learned the techniques you were taught quickly. As a descendant of a Great Clan, you put off dangerous actual combat and only practiced forms.”
Ximen Gyeong flinched, showing signs of shock.
How did this bastard know his past so thoroughly?
“Otherwise, you wouldn’t mix clumsy footwork into a sword art that wouldn’t be impressive even if unfolded with all your heart and soul.”
“I did not mix sword art with footwork; I united the strengths of different martial arts!”
At Ximen Gyeong’s shout, Bu Eunseol raised the corners of his mouth. “That is something those who have experienced countless real battles can say. It is not for a greenhorn who cannot properly display the power of a sword art in actual combat to say.”
“Greenhorn?”
“Just because you have learned all the sword moves and formulas doesn’t mean you have completed the sword art. Only when you can perfectly unfold the moves in a life-or-death battle can you say you have learned it.”
At Bu Eunseol’s words, Ximen Gyeong trembled.
Ximen Gyeong, who had been called a sword genius since childhood, had received the full expectations of the Clan Leader.
But perhaps the expectations were too great?
Ximen Gyeong focused on inviting famous masters to learn various sword arts rather than accumulating combat experience.
—It is good to learn sword arts, but how about going out into the Gangho?
At the Clan Leader’s advice, Ximen Gyeong had spoken with a confident voice.
—I will go out when I complete a supreme sword art that will not lose to anyone.
At Ximen Gyeong’s confident words, the Clan Leader always smiled and patted his shoulder.
—Gyeong, if you become an excellent swordsman, martial artists will call our family the Dual Absolute of Literary and Martial Arts!
Recalling the past, Ximen Gyeong lowered his head. Was I a frog in a well? If he had experienced various real battles… at the very least, he would not have combined the Meteor Thirteen Sword Form with the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation.
“But…”
Ximen Gyeong, raising his bizarre sword above his head, shouted like thunder.
“I will not lose to you!”
Whoosh!
In that instant, dozens of strands of sword shadows soared from the ground where Bu Eunseol stood. The final ultimate move of the Meteor Thirteen Forms Ximen Gyeong had learned, Bright Moon, Sparse Stars, was unfolded.
Flash!
In that instant, brilliant light bloomed from Bu Eunseol’s hand.
Paaaaah!
The light became dozens of points of radiance, bursting Ximen Gyeong’s sword shadows, and poured forward toward Ximen Gyeong without stopping.
Crackle.
As Ximen Gyeong blocked the light with all his might, sparks flew, and then—
Clatter.
The blade of the bizarre sword shattered into dozens of pieces and scattered on the floor.
“Bright Moon, Sparse Stars… was it a move befitting defeat?”
Bright Moon, Sparse Stars. When the moon is bright, the stars become faint.
In other words, when an outstanding hero appears, other heroes have no choice but to disappear quietly.
“I… lost.”
Throwing down the shattered bizarre sword, Ximen Gyeong left the stage with his head bowed.
—To think Ximen Gyeong, a candidate for the championship, was defeated so miserably…
The spectators were aghast.
Ximen Gyeong had been called a genius of the sword and had spread tremendous fame. Although the rumor started in the Ximen Noble Clan, it was transmitted not as a vain rumor but as truth through the mouths of countless famous masters who taught him.
—Ximen Gyeong was not weak.
The skill Ximen Gyeong showed at the Elite Martial Arts Tournament was more than that of an outstanding swordsman of the Gangho. It was just that Bu Eunseol was a little stronger.
“……”
The victory and defeat were decided, but only a silence like death flowed inside the square.
“The winner is Bu Eunseol, Young Hero Bu!”
Cho Mun-cheon shouted, but no sound came from the spectator stands.
***
Various pavilions were erected within East Drifter, West Wanderer.
Golden Flower Terrace.
In the reception room inside the building where a gold-leafed signboard hung, a boy dressed in black clothes sat. It was Black Leopard, who had contracted with Bu Eunseol for three years. And sitting opposite him was a middle-aged man dressed in fine clothes.
His features were quite distinct, but he had a lot of flesh and his face was greasy. It was the Money Demon Ok Ho-bang, who managed all the funds of East Drifter, West Wanderer.
“You contracted with that man, Bu Eunseol?”
“Yes.”
“Three years…” Ok Ho-bang, examining the contract on the table, shook his head. “I cannot allow it.”
“It doesn’t matter. Because I’m going.”
Something about the atmosphere was strange.
The gaze Ok Ho-bang directed at Black Leopard was warm, as if looking at his own flesh and blood, not a subordinate.
“Do you resent me?”
Black Leopard said nothing.
Ok Ho-bang also knew well that Yeop Hwa had been committing lewd acts for a long time.
Yet the reason he couldn’t stop it was because of the rules of East Drifter, West Wanderer. As long as they did their job well, that was enough; he had no right to sanction the personal circumstances and secrets the wandering vagrant held.
“This Hall is merely a gathering of wandering vagrant. It is not a Righteous Faction. The breed called wandering vagrant itself consists of those with bad pasts.”
“That is just an excuse.”
Black Leopard bit his lip.
“There are many wandering vagrant who left their dark pasts behind and found a new life in this Hall. But to leave those who are still committing crimes alone…”
“The majority of wandering vagrant in this Hall are figures of Unorthodox paths. Yeop Hwa was one of them.”
“Are you confusing that with Heterodox paths?”
Black Leopard spoke coldly, “Sir, you accepted even those who are pointed at in the Murim for the sake of increasing East Drifter, West Wanderer’s power.”
“The majority of wandering vagrant have a past of living while being pointed at. Wandering vagrants who lived uprightly are rather rare.” Ok Ho-bang spoke, “Especially Bu Eunseol, his identity and purpose have not yet been revealed. It is strange that he possesses high martial arts at the age of twenty, but it is also strange that he appeared in the Elite Martial Arts Tournament as soon as he entered the Murim.”
Pausing for a moment, Ok Ho-bang spoke again, “I will personally annul the contract with him. If I pay double compensation, he will be satisfied.”
“Enough.”
Black Leopard spoke firmly.
“I will follow him.”
“Ha-ah.”
“Do not call me by that name! I am Black Leopard of East Drifter, West Wanderer.”
In fact, Black Leopard was Ok Ho-bang’s illegitimate son. He abandoned his lover and child in his youth and later succeeded after joining East Drifter and West Wanderer. However, he regretted his past actions. When his son became a wandering vagrant and joined East Drifter and West Wanderer, he was overjoyed. But Black Leopard had become a wandering vagrant, abandoning even his name, and he hated Ok Ho-bang.
Because he abandoned him? Of course, there was that part too. But the biggest reason was that Ok Ho-bang turned East Drifter, West Wanderer into a den of demons.
Originally, the Lord of East Drifter, West Wanderer was a revered figure known for his exceptional martial arts skills and unwavering sense of justice. However, four years ago, he made a grave mistake by entrusting the full authority over East Drifter, West Wanderer to Ok Ho-bang. Consequently, Ok Ho-bang’s decision led to a series of unfortunate events. He hired a large number of vicious wandering vagrants, primarily driven by their desire for profit, to bolster his power. Among them was Yeop Hwa, who became a significant threat to the region.
“How long will you sharpen your blade against this father!”
Ok Ho-bang gritted his teeth and spoke.
“If you act like that, I can unleash the masters of this Hall and deal with him!”
“Who? You mean Young Master Bu?”
“Correct.”
“Hehehehe.”
Black Leopard grinned.
“Try it.”
“What?”
“If you want to see East Drifter, West Wanderer blown away entirely, it doesn’t matter if you do.”
“Ha-ah!”
“To stop him, His Lordship who went into closed-door cultivation will have to return.”
Black Leopard turned his body sharply and walked out with thudding steps.
Ok Ho-bang stared at that figure intently, then shouted briefly, “Ma Yeong!”
Then, a young warrior standing in attendance outside the door bowed his head.
“Please give your command.”
“Is the investigation into the man named Bu Eunseol still not finished?”
“That is…”
“Which sect he is from! For what purpose he came to the Elite Martial Arts Tournament! Do you mean to say you still don’t know!”
Ma Yeong bowed his head. “I apologize. Someone seems to be intentionally blocking information.”
“What?”
“He has absolutely no past, as if he fell from the sky.”
“Still, there can’t be absolutely no information!”
Ma Yeong spoke with a troubled expression, “At that age, the only name Bu Eunseol found was a young corpse collector belonging to the Huangzhou Prefecture Constabulary.”
“Corpse collector?”
“Yes. But it probably isn’t him.” Ma Yeong spoke, “The man named Bu Eunseol not only has outstanding martial arts but also considerably high internal energy. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to cut Yeong Ji-wi’s precious sword with an iron sword.”
“Indeed, internal energy is not something that can be cultivated in a short time.”
Ok Ho-bang nodded.
“Well, it can’t be helped.”
Taking a breath for a moment, he spoke.
“Attach Mu Sam-rang to him.”
“Mu Sam-rang… you mean that man?”
Mu Sam-rang was one of the martial artists who made a secret deal with Ok Ho-bang for this Elite Martial Arts Tournament.
The Spiritual Profound Divine Sword was merely bait to revive the tournament he was hosting for the first time. He intended to retrieve the winner’s prize again through the martial artists he made a deal with.
“Will it be alright? If things go wrong… not only will that person be greatly angered, but East Drifter, West Wanderer will also not be safe.”
“You don’t know well.”
Bursting into low laughter, Ok Ho-bang spoke.
“Mu Sam-rang is a master sent directly by the Fortress Leader.”
Ok Ho-bang narrowed his eyes and snorted.
“No matter how great that guy is, he will never be able to defeat Mu Sam-rang.”
***
“We will begin the semifinals of the Elite Martial Arts Tournament!”
Along with Cho Mun-cheon’s shout, the cheers of the spectators were heard.
From now on was the real Elite Martial Arts Tournament.
The remaining masters possessed exquisite martial arts rarely seen even in the Murim.
It was no exaggeration to say that the reason many people stepped on the distant land of Guizhou was to see the matches after the semifinals.
“This match is Young Hero Bu, Bu Eunseol versus Young Hero Mu, Mu Sam-rang!”
Swish.
At that moment, a black shadow leaped onto the stage first. It was Mu Sam-rang.
He had a burly physique and wore glistening black clothes and a dark cloak. Also, he wore a black mask on his face, so from a distance, it looked like a black ghost standing there.
“The man named Mu Sam-rang has been defeating opponents with ordinary moves all along.”
Black Leopard, standing next to Bu Eunseol, spoke in a low voice.
“His true martial arts probably transcend imagination. You must be careful, Young Master.”
“Understood.”
Swish.
Bu Eunseol leaped onto the stage.
And meeting Mu Sam-rang’s gaze, he momentarily wore a strange expression. Because he had deeply learned the practical martial arts of the Wolf Fang Pavilion, he could grasp the depth of martial arts to some extent just by looking at the standing posture.
A master.
Only after meeting Mu Sam-rang’s gaze did he instantly grasp that he was a master capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with him.
Not unfamiliar, but familiar.
Having worked as a corpse collector for a long time, he could remember the skeleton hidden under clothes like a person’s face.
Bu Eunseol found Mu Sam-rang’s skeletal structure, standing posture, and gaze very familiar.
“Begin!”
At Cho Mun-cheon’s shout, Bu Eunseol drew his sword.
Shing.
It was the first time Bu Eunseol had drawn his sword first during the Elite Martial Arts Tournament so far.
That was how strong Mu Sam-rang was.
“Hmm.”
But Mu Sam-rang’s attitude was strange.
As if he had no intention of fighting at all, he crossed his arms and simply stared at Bu Eunseol without a word.
“If you won’t come, I will go first.”
Bu Eunseol gripped the hilt of his sword.
I must unfold my true skills.
Until now, Bu Eunseol had won victories only with ordinary moves and martial art techniques. But now the time had come to reveal all the skills he had hidden and clash.
Just as Bu Eunseol raised his sword to the middle stance and was about to unfold his sword art—
“I forfeit.”
Mu Sam-rang, who had his arms crossed, spoke in a low voice.
“I lost.”
In that instant, the martial artists in the square could not hide their absurd expressions.
Mu Sam-rang was a powerful candidate for the championship comparable to Bu Eunseol. But why suddenly forfeit?
“Young Hero Mu. Do you really mean to forfeit?”
At Cho Mun-cheon’s words, Mu Sam-rang nodded without lingering attachment and turned his body.
Thud.
Seeing Mu Sam-rang fly away using movement techniques, Cho Mun-cheon pointed to Bu Eunseol helplessly.
“With Young Hero Mu’s forfeiture, the winner is Bu Eunseol, Young Hero Bu!”
Murmur, murmur.
The martial artists in the audience could not hide their absurdity at the incomprehensible situation and were chattering loudly.
It was the same for Ok Ho-bang, who faced Mu Sam-rang at Golden Flower Terrace.
“Just what are you doing!”
“What am I doing, you ask.”
“The promise is broken, isn’t it?”
Mu Sam-rang, wearing a mask, looked down at Ok Ho-bang and spoke, “Wasn’t your promise for me to forfeit in the Elite Martial Arts Tournament and give the Spiritual Profound Divine Sword to that person?”
“Correct.”
“But giving up the match in the middle? Isn’t this breaking the promise?”
“I did not break it.”
When Ok Ho-bang opened his mouth, Mu Sam-rang narrowed his eyes.
“As planned, if that person wins the Elite Martial Arts Tournament, that’s enough, isn’t it? Even without me, nothing will change.”
“That is true but… why did you suddenly give up the fight?”
“Because that man was someone who belonged to the same place as me in the past.”
Flinching for a moment, Ok Ho-bang shook his head.
“H-He… was a master of that place?”
“I said in the past.”
At the cryptic words, Ok Ho-bang frowned.
“What does that mean? So is that man a Hall Master of the Demonic Palace or something?”
“Ten Demonic Successor.”
Mu Sam-rang, looking down at Ok Ho-bang with cold eyes, spoke in a gloomy voice.
“He is the Ten Demonic Successor of the Wolf Fang Pavilion.”