Chapter 68

Chapter 68

The words that came out of Dan Woo-hyun's mouth as he stood blankly, looking down at Namgung Cheon, were extremely arrogant.

It was as if he considered the Sword Emperor to be his subordinate.

Gwon Mu-jin and Jang Sam-tae opened their eyes wide upon hearing that.

No matter how great Dan Woo-hyun was, he should not have provoked the Sword Emperor's pride right now.

"Haha, even if this is what this old man wanted, aren't you looking down on me too much? Even if he is missing an arm, he is still a man who was called the Sword Emperor."

Dan Woo-hyun let out a short sigh.

Sword Emperor, Sword Emperor…

Not only Namgung So-hye, but also Gwon Mu-jin, Jang Sam-tae, and even the person himself in front of him seemed to take considerable pride in the title of Sword Emperor.

A title was merely a name.

It did not save one's life in battle.

"Show the best you can. That is all I can tell you right now."

He did not know where such confidence came from, but Namgung Cheon felt his pride cracking.

He suddenly gripped the wooden sword in his right hand tightly, glared at Dan Woo-hyun in front of him, and began to move slowly.

His movements, devoid of internal energy, were neither fast nor slow. It was just similar to an adult running, but soon the extended sword moved here and there, dazzling the eyes as if mocking the opponent.

Gwon Mu-jin, who was watching the sword path, opened his eyes wide.

It was surprising in itself that someone without even internal energy could draw such a sword path.

Tak-!

However, Dan Woo-hyun's lightly extended wooden sword easily blocked Namgung Cheon's sword, which showed dazzling movements.

Even Namgung Cheon, who thrust the wooden sword, had a look of surprise on his face, as if he did not expect it to be broken so easily.

But Dan Woo-hyun looked down at the surprised man with a very calm gaze and muttered.

"I misspoke. Even if you were physically whole and had not lost your internal energy, the outcome would not change, so fight with all your might."

Namgung Cheon gripped the wooden sword even tighter. Dan Woo-hyun's way of speaking, as if he had already won just because he broke a technique once, deeply wounded Namgung Cheon's pride.

He rushed in even faster.

Tak-tak-tak-!

The sound of wooden swords clashing successively was heard.

Neither of them retreated from their spots, and the sword paths containing both splendor and conciseness danced and extended.

In the eyes of Jang Sam-tae and Gwon Mu-jin, who were watching from the side, the speed was so fast that they could not even tell how many clashes had occurred.

They realized once again that even in a duel of techniques without using internal energy, if experts of this level clashed, it could not help but be this amazing.

'But… compared to the Sword Emperor's sword…'

Gwon Mu-jin thought as he watched the fight unfolding before his eyes.

The Sword Emperor's sword was splendid but lacked substance. On the other hand, Dan Woo-hyun's sword was concise but kept gaining something.

Each move accurately reached the opponent's body, and before they knew it, the Sword Emperor was busy blocking it.

As time gradually passed, the splendor disappeared, and only Dan Woo-hyun's concise sword caught the eye.

This clearly meant that the Sword Emperor was being pushed back.

It probably looked that way to Jang Sam-tae's eyes as well.

At that moment, Namgung Cheon, who thrust the sword in his right hand, suddenly twisted his body.

But the moment he twisted his body, Dan Woo-hyun's wooden sword, which flew in quickly, struck his chin.

Peogeok!

"Agh!"

Namgung Cheon let out a grotesque scream and tumbled absurdly.

It was a miserable sight, to the point of wondering if that man was truly the Sword Emperor.

Although it was clearly a duel of techniques without using internal energy, the Sword Emperor's sword could not even graze Dan Woo-hyun's collar.

"What, even I could win?"

"…"

Jang Sam-tae muttered as he watched the sparring for half a double-hour.

Indeed, Namgung Cheon tumbled helplessly, and that was by no means a sight that a figure called the Sword Emperor should show.

Because his level was still low, the sight of the Sword Emperor being unilaterally beaten seemed simply laughable in Jang Sam-tae's eyes.

"Cough, cough… You are amazing."

Drip-

Namgung Cheon, who was sweating profusely, muttered.

Dan Woo-hyun's sword was very concise.

It felt simple but carried an unstoppable momentum. Since he was not using internal energy either, this situation could be called a clear difference in skill.

'Nonsense… That I, Namgung Cheon…'

Namgung Cheon felt futility. The sparring held under the pretext of adapting to his right hand.

Even so, he did not think for a moment that he would lose.

That was how confident he was, and how much he trusted his skills.

Yet, when the lid was opened, the result was the exact opposite.

The man in front of him was strong.

He possessed something that transcended simple strength.

It felt as if he had crossed the very wall that Namgung Cheon had so desperately wished to overcome.

'Is that possible at that age?'

Although he shook his head, thinking it was absurd, this strange sensation still seemed to throw him deeper into the pit.

"The Namgung Family members all have great vanity. That girl did too, but you are especially worse."

"…"

"A sword that only has showy forms cannot contain sincerity. That is why no matter how much death or life you put into it, it cannot reach me."

Quietly looking at Namgung Cheon, who could not even say a word, Dan Woo-hyun threw the wooden sword away.

Dan Woo-hyun was not leisurely enough to deal with someone who had already lost the will to fight.

"If you can discard your vanity and put sincerity into that sword, come find me with your sword again. The current you is not even worth dealing with."

Namgung Cheon sat in his place, saying nothing.

At first, he believed he was being defeated because his right arm had not yet adapted.

With his genius talent for martial arts and outstanding physical ability, he did not doubt that he would soon suppress Dan Woo-hyun.

Squeeze-!

Namgung Cheon gripped the wooden sword to the point of crushing it.

The name of the world's Sword Emperor.

That lofty pride.

In an instant, it shattered and vanished.

"Old man, don't be so devastated. Just standing safely after facing that man is a surprising thing."

"Ol… Old man?"

"Of course you're an old man! Do you want to be treated with respect when you're all old?"

Jang Sam-tae grumbled, but he sighed inwardly.

He had really high expectations.

Since it was said to be a fight between absolute experts, he thought he would see a thrilling fight where world-shattering power shook the surroundings.

But?

When the lid was actually opened, there was nothing.

'It just felt like an adult beating up a child.'

Contempt seeped into Jang Sam-tae's eyes. People kept saying Sword Emperor, Sword Emperor, so he wondered how amazing he was, but didn't it look like even he could win if he rushed in?

It was the third-rate Jang Sam-tae, who completely failed to realize that Dan Woo-hyun's skill was just that outstanding and thought that what he saw in front of him was everything.

Namgung Cheon trembled.

Receiving Jang Sam-tae's insolent gaze made his heart twist for no reason.

"Do you… know how to use a sword?"

"Haha! Me? No way! Don't even dream of fighting me. Unlike our manor lord, I don't go easy."

Gwon Mu-jin, who had approached to stop them, broke into a cold sweat upon hearing that.

Seeing Namgung Cheon's gaze turn chillingly sharp, he turned his back. Praying for Jang Sam-tae's soul in his heart, he slowly slipped out of the place.

Because he might get caught in the crossfire.

"Come to think of it, I wonder what Somi is doing."

Using Dan So-mi's name as an excuse, he quickly escaped the place. The last thing he saw was the scene of Namgung Cheon's wooden sword striking down forcefully toward the head of the heartily laughing Jang Sam-tae.

"Aaaargh! Sp… Spare me, cough!"

* * *

That evening, Dan So-mi's gaze, scanning the people eating silently in the dining hall one by one, moved quickly and fixed on one spot.

Jang Sam-tae's face was a mess.

His right eye was colored like that of a male cat, and big and small wounds were visible all over his face.

Moreover, there was something slightly different about his behavior.

It was Jang Sam-tae's attitude toward Namgung Cheon.

When Namgung Cheon slightly reached out his hand to drink water, he flinched in surprise and quickly brought the water to that spot.

"Hehehe, h-here it is."

"Thank you."

"Oh, don't mention it."

Dan So-mi tilted her head.

Jang Sam-tae was not originally such a kind person, so she wondered why he was acting like that.

It seemed to be related to the wounds on his face, but could he have been beaten up by Namgung Cheon, who only had one arm?

She shook her head vigorously.

"Uncle Jang, what's wrong with your face?"

"Ah… Haha! T-This? This is, well…"

The moment Jang Sam-tae tried to explain, Namgung Cheon glared at him sharply.

At the gaze that felt like a single blade, Jang Sam-tae flinched and turned his head.

"I… fought a bear."

"Huh?! A bear? A… Are there bears here too?"

At that, the sound of Dan Woo-hyun laughing was heard.

He stroked the head of the startled Dan So-mi and then shook his head.

"Do not worry. That fellow is talking nonsense. There are no bears."

"But your face…"

"He tripped. He hit his face hard against a rock."

"Ah… Are you okay, Uncle? Should Somi blow on it?"

"…Thank you."

Jang Sam-tae grumbled inwardly.

If he was going to lie anyway, what would it hurt to say he fought a bear? Saying he tripped embarrassingly, what would become of his dignity in front of the child?

With a frown, he sat in his place and silently ate his food.

"Come to think of it, nearly two months have already passed. You seem to have recovered your energy, so shouldn't you be leaving soon?"

Namgung Cheon groaned at the sound that reached him.

Considering Namgung So-hye, as well as his family, it would not be strange for him to return to the family right away. But his feet did not move as he wished.

Because he did not want to be treated as an old man confined to the back room.

With his internal energy gone and his strength gradually weakening in this situation, returning would surely make him nothing but a burden to his family.

Moreover, Namgung Cheon had a goal.

Raising his head, he stared intently at Dan Woo-hyun.

He could not go anywhere until he defeated this man in front of him.

Unlike at first when he merely guessed that he might be at the level of the Ten Venerables, now all his thoughts were reversed.

'He is strong, stronger than me.'

If he was at a level to easily toy with him, he thought that he must have reached the realm of the Three Heavens.

Of course, since they did not have a proper match using internal energy, he might be lower than that, but to Namgung Cheon right now, he was the very mountain that must be overcome.

Therefore, he could not leave.

Until he surpassed that man.

And until he perfectly reclaimed everything.

He felt a hope that if it was the Dan Woo-hyun in front of him, he might be able to find such a clue.

That was because the existence named Dan Woo-hyun harbored a rather mysterious and bizarre power.

"I will be indebted to you a little longer."

"Do so."

Dan Woo-hyun nodded his head very readily.

Because his situation was pitiful?

Or because he was once strong?

It was not because of that.

He simply wished for this manor to be a little more lively, and he wanted to create a grandfather figure for Somi.

Other than that, there was no reason at all.

Dan Woo-hyun smiled slightly and began his meal.