Chapter 472

This duel had great significance for both Mount Hua Sect and the Namgung Family.

The more attention they drew, the more they could take back the initiative that had passed to Shaolin Temple and the Righteous Alliance.

Therefore, the movements of Northern Li Sword Immortal and Sword King were leisurely, and the more so, the more people’s expectations amplified.

Countless martial artists gathered toward Yuelu Mountain.

Son-bi and Yeong-gwi also accompanied Jin Ja-gang.

Son-bi wore pure white attire, looking like a celestial maiden, constantly drawing the gazes of many martial artists. In contrast, Yeong-gwi didn’t want to stand out and disguised herself as an ordinary female martial artist, which she was now regretting.

The group numbered over thirty people, so they rented an entire inn to stay.

After eating dinner and having a light drinking session, the curious young martial artists bombarded Jin Ja-gang with questions.

From light topics to discussions about martial arts, the youths’ questions were endless.

Among them, one threw a particularly sharp question.

“Why did you accept being recruited as an observer, Hero?”

Other youths rebuked him, saying wasn’t that obvious.

The youth stubbornly added.

“Being invited as an observer to the duel between Sword Immortal and Sword King is certainly honorable and will greatly raise your reputation, Hero. However, the two sects have different positions from yours. The victor of this duel will surely emerge as a new rival to Shaolin Temple and the Righteous Alliance. Then the Tang Family’s position will become narrower.”

Other youths who heard his explanation nodded their heads as if thinking that could be so. Mount Hua Sect had been especially close with Baek Li-jung from before, but the Namgung Family was different. Those who would come to the Tang Family Main Estate might turn their steps toward the Namgung Family instead.

Jin Ja-gang is currently the most talked-about person on gossipers’ lips in the martial world. Northern Li Sword Immortal and Sword King’s invitation of Jin Ja-gang must have had the calculation that their duel would draw even greater attention because of him.

Jin Ja-gang looked at the youth who asked the question.

He had a small build and unremarkable appearance, but his eyes were very intense. He was a youth who had rushed out from a small, nameless sect.

Jin Ja-gang thought briefly then asked seriously.

“Excluding all calculations of profit and loss, was there a problem with inviting me?”

“No.”

“They may gain benefits through me, and I may do so as well. However, there was no problem with the invitation itself. Anyone in the martial world can request observation for a fair duel, and one may respond to observation without any compensation.”

The questioning youth’s face reddened somewhat.

“Was I too focused only on profit?”

“If immediate profit and loss is most precious, you can think that way. However, didn’t you all come to the Tang Family Main Estate because there’s something more important than that?”

The youths understood Jin Ja-gang’s words and nodded their heads.

If you apply the standard of profit and loss even to the basic rules that maintain the martial world, the martial world won’t function.

“It’s difficult.”

When the youth shook his head, Jin Ja-gang smiled slightly.

The female martial artists blushed at Jin Ja-gang’s smile.

Son-bi grabbed Jin Ja-gang’s hand from the side and wrote.

—Isn’t that too much?

“Me?”

—You asked to spend time with me, yet you’re increasing competitors like this.

Then Yeong-gwi slammed down paper, brush, and ink between Son-bi and Jin Ja-gang.

Son-bi threw a sheet of paper upward and drew her sword. She dipped the sword in ink and swung it through the air.

Cha-ra-rak!

Then she grabbed chopsticks and threw them. The chopsticks pushed the paper and flew, embedding in the wall.

As if written with a fine brush, the character for heart (心) was drawn.

Writing with the sword tip without tearing the paper was considerable skill.

However, it was also a subtle jab at Yeong-gwi’s affections for interfering with the two.

Yeong-gwi glared at Son-bi. If Son-bi smiled even a little, it would be clear whether she was picking a fight or not, but with almost no change in expression, it was ambiguous to start an argument.

The young youths cheered at Son-bi’s move.

“Magnificent! The ice-cold heart of Ice Phoenix. But doesn’t it mean everyone’s heart toward the martial world is the same!”

Having drunk some wine, the atmosphere suddenly heated up.

“Though my skill is lacking, let me try once!”

One youth threw paper, wrote in the air with a brush, then threw chopsticks the same way. Perhaps lacking strength in handling hidden weapons, the chopsticks pierced through the paper.

Then another youth nearby sent finger wind to make the paper bounce upward instead of falling. Another shot palm force to gently push the paper to the wall.

“Thank you!”

The youth thanked those who helped him. When the paper flew to the wall, he threw chopsticks to embed them above Son-bi’s writing.

Above the character for heart (心), the character for sound (音) meaning “deeply cherish” was attached, forming the character for meaning (意).

“I wrote this hoping our hearts gather to form meaning, and that meaning will someday spread over the martial world!”

Others exclaimed how wonderful it was and raised their wine cups.

One drew a blade and carved writing directly on the wall.

Shhaaak! Another heart radical was added to the wall, forming the character for remember (憶).

“I also added another heart character meaning not to forget today’s feelings!”

“That’s good too!”

The inn became noisy in an instant. Those who got excited pushed tables and chairs to the corners and began simple sparring and sword discussions.

Jin Ja-gang watched them and suddenly felt his heart surge. Thus even amid contentment, he couldn’t comfortably enjoy himself.

He took a cup of wine and quietly went out to the rear garden, looking at the dark night.

Gwak Oh came to mind.

The betrayer who drove Hundred Flowers Valley to annihilation.

But perhaps, this right now was exactly the martial world Gwak Oh had dreamed of.

Engaging in sword discussions and sparring, boldly exchanging their youth, wandering the martial world…

Jin Ja-gang raised the wine cup toward the sky then poured it three times before his feet.

Thinking of what Gwak Oh did, he couldn’t pray for his peace even in the afterlife, but he hoped he could rest for the time it took to drink this one cup honoring him.

That was the maximum consideration Jin Ja-gang could give Gwak Oh.

* * *

Seven days and nights remained until the duel at Yuelu Mountain.

Martial artists gradually began appearing frequently on the road toward Yuelu Mountain. Getting rooms at inns also became difficult.

As rumors spread that the Poison Dragon was coming as an observer, the martial artists’ interest was certainly growing greater.

Around that time, Jin Ja-gang entrusted leading the youths to Son-bi.

And he himself departed for Yuelu Mountain first.

* * *

Yuelu Mountain is not a high mountain.

About six hundred feet, it can be climbed in a moment.

At the summit was a large lake with a long bridge crossing through its center.

That bridge was the location of this duel.

At both ends of the bridge were pavilions, naturally becoming the seats for Mount Hua Sect and Namgung Family respectively. Though time remained until the duel, Mount Hua Sect and Namgung Family disciples had already come to prepare.

Just because the date arrived didn’t mean the duel between Northern Li Sword Immortal and Sword King would happen immediately. For at least two to three days, disciples would be sent out first to spar.

After the atmosphere heated up that way, finally the duel between Northern Li Sword Immortal and Sword King would be realized.

It wasn’t simply a duel between two experts. Each disciple would fight staking their sect’s honor and pride while simultaneously having the opportunity to make their own names known.

Therefore, even before the duel started, many martial artists had already flocked to surround the lakeside and secure positions. Only those with permission could observe from nearby, but a decision was made not to limit watching from afar.

Everyone waited for that day with pounding hearts.

Finally, Sword King Namgung Rak arrived first.

“It’s the Sword King!”

The martial artists filling that wide lakeside cheered seeing Namgung Rak.

Namgung Rak wore long robes and ascended the pavilion with leisurely steps. He raised his hand toward those watching him in response.

He seemed to raise his hand casually, yet a water column surged over ten zhang from the middle of the lake.

Puuuuung!

“Wowww!”

“As expected of Sword King!”

“Incredible.”

Having imprinted the Sword King’s name on people in his own way, Namgung Rak sat in the pavilion.

Local dignitaries who had been waiting nearby sat with Namgung Rak and greeted him.

Disciples brought food and prepared seats.

Namgung Rak had just a light meal and looked across the lake.

“Has he still not come?”

Namgung Family disciples looked at Mount Hua Sect’s pavilion on the opposite side of the lake with displeased expressions.

“They’re discourteous. It’s already past time for them to arrive.”

“We’ll give them a sharp lesson.”

The disciples who should participate in sparring were brimming with morale and spoke one by one.

Then Namgung Rak raised his finger and pointed at an ordinary warrior in the corner.

“You there, come here for a moment.”

The ordinary warrior came forward and bowed his head.

Namgung Rak asked.

“When does the Poison Dragon arrive?”

Others were surprised he asked such a thing of an ordinary warrior.

“You’ve been sneaking into our family’s procession and peering around for several days.”

Yeong-gwi, disguised as an ordinary warrior, admired Namgung Rak’s discernment and answered.

“He’s with Mount Hua Sect. He’ll arrive together with them.”

“I see. Now that I know, you may go.”

Yeong-gwi cupped her fists and withdrew from Namgung Rak’s presence.

Namgung Rak slowly stroked his beard and said.

“I thought the Poison Dragon was just a young friend, but it seems he bears tremendous weight.”

Former Rising Talent and someone acquainted with Jin Ja-gang, Namgung Won, bowed his head at Namgung Rak’s words.

“Though rough, he’s a friend with deep substance.”

“Indeed. Just seeing he attached people to us shows he understands well what this duel means.”

Namgung Rak stroked his beard and glanced casually at the pavilion across.

* * *

Northern Li Sword Immortal, Mount Hua Sect’s sect leader, used the alias Northern Li (北里) meaning an ordinary old man living in a northern village. Then when he became one of the Three Swords, the title Sword Immortal was attached after his alias.

His actual capabilities were never ordinary.

Just having led Mount Hua Sect until now from the opposing point to Wudang Sect and Namgung Family, he was absolutely not a person to be taken lightly.

While heading to Yuelu Mountain with his disciples, he encountered a group at the entrance of Yuelu Mountain.

They were warriors of the Righteous Alliance.

Seeing them blocking the way, Northern Li Sword Immortal laughed in disbelief.

“On whose orders do you dare block my path?”

The leader among the warriors came out and said.

“It’s the Righteous Alliance’s will. There was an order from the Alliance Leader to resolve the discord with the Namgung Family through the Righteous Alliance’s own mediation.”

“What?”

Mount Hua Sect disciples came forward with angry faces.

“When all the comrades of the martial world are watching us, now you tell us to withdraw?”

“Just because we joined the Righteous Alliance doesn’t mean you can order us around as you please!”

“How can the Righteous Alliance do this to us!”

Northern Li Sword Immortal’s face also became very uncomfortable.

“Go and tell the Alliance Leader. If you do this one more time, I will completely withdraw support for the Alliance Leader! And get out of my sight right now.”