Book 24 Chapter 3

Swordplay of the Wind, Divine Art of the Clouds

- Beauty and the Beast

"Die!"

Fwoosh!

A thunderous sound of air being split arose, and a fierce gust of wind surged towards the girl. His specialty was a fist technique that emanated from his solidly trained muscles. It seemed he had undergone extensive training, as his two fists were ruggedly conditioned like rocks and were also swift. Ryu Eun-kyung could not evade the strike. Struck by the fearsome blow, her body was flung into the air.

"Kyaaak!"

Yoon Mi let out a scream upon witnessing the horrific sight. The immense power contained within that punch was more than enough to turn a fragile girl into a bloody mess.

"……!"

Na Ye-rin almost screamed as well. But she swallowed her scream. Although Ryu Eun-kyung couldn't evade the strike of the Herculean King, his fist hadn't actually touched her body. The girl's small body, which had been flung into the air, landed back on the ground as softly as a feather. She had only been pushed back a little further than before and appeared quite unharmed.

"……?"

This, however, made the Herculean King bewildered. He alternated his gaze between his fist and the girl with an expression of disbelief. Doubt was clearly etched on his face.

"I… I definitely hit her…"

Yet, he felt no proper impact, no sensation of his fist crushing something. It felt as if he had hit a ball of cotton.

"What in the world happened?"

Yoon Mi, surprised that Ryu Eun-kyung was more intact than expected, asked in return.

"Hah, that's an interesting footwork."

Yeon Bi chuckled, finding the bewildered Herculean King amusing.

"Yeon Bi, you think so too? I think 'body movement technique' would be a more accurate term than footwork."

Na Ye-rin said in a cautious tone. She was engrossed in analyzing the series of events she had just witnessed.

"Indeed, she isn't moving with her feet, so your description of 'body movement technique' might be more precise, Rin. But let's just call it footwork for now. Footwork is a type of body movement technique anyway. But to hide such a skill… it's showing a more interesting spectacle than I expected."

"Moving as if riding the wind… she's like a feather. This is also footwork I've never seen before."

Na Ye-rin's own learned secret footwork from Geomgak, the "Flying Snow Step" (비설보), was a technique that moved the body so quickly it dazzled the opponent's eyes. It created an illusion of swirling snowflakes by moving beyond the opponent's field of vision. But this was different. This was a waiting footwork. She moved her body with the wind generated by the opponent's attack. Na Ye-rin had not missed the thin membrane of air that had momentarily separated the Herculean King's fist and the girl's body just moments ago. The girl had used that force to move backward. Compared to the Flying Snow Step, which consumed a massive amount of internal energy and stamina, this was an extremely economical technique.

"Yaaah!"

Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh!

Believing that what had just happened might have been a fluke, the Herculean King unleashed a barrage of punches without pause. The shadows of countless fists filled the space in front of the girl's body. However, no matter how fast or powerful his punches were, they never managed to reach the girl. This time too, the girl effortlessly moved her body with the wind the Herculean King generated. It was an incredibly light movement, devoid of any sense of weight.

Clap, clap, clap!

"Magnificent! Your footwork is like stepping on clouds. What is it called?"

It was Yeon Bi, who had been watching intently, who clapped with excitement. Though she spoke quietly, her voice was so loud that it reached Ryu Eun-kyung in the center of the arena. This was possible because she had subtly infused her voice with internal energy.

"Ah, the name of this martial art is…"

Ryu Eun-kyung spoke, looking at Yeon Bi, who was far away. During a fight, this was a very foolish action. Moreover, Yeon Bi was seated almost to the side.

"How dare you ignore me!"

The Herculean King, not missing such a large opening, lunged a fist filled with power capable of crushing rocks towards the girl's face. A ferocious gust of wind like a storm lashed at Ryu Eun-kyung's entire body.

"Danger…!"

Na Ye-rin cried out in a desperate voice, but it wasn't very necessary. Even with her attention elsewhere, the wall of air prevented the Herculean King's fist from encroaching on the girl's body.

Ryu Eun-kyung, once again riding the wind sent by her opponent and landing lightly, finished what she had started to say.

"It's called Su-yak-tap-un (Water Leap Treading Clouds)."

* * *

Unable to bear the sorrow of not being loved even by her own mother, Ryu Eun-kyung ran away from home, got lost in the mountains, and encountered a pack of wolves, putting her life in danger. It was then that she met an extraordinary person. The person was a middle-aged woman in her mid-forties, with a sallow complexion. When the girl was surrounded by wolves and on the verge of death, the woman suddenly appeared and saved her. The girl still remembered the mysterious sight of the woman, who looked as if she would collapse at any moment, yet the fangs of dozens of wolves could not even graze her clothes when they attacked from all sides. The woman introduced herself as Sword Immortal I-yak-bing, who was undefeated. The girl, abandoned by her family, found a new connection and was taken in. It was a meeting with a true master.

Her master, Sword Immortal I-yak-bing, had been very frail since childhood. She was often ill and could not be expected to have any resilience. Her body was much weaker than that of other ordinary women. She turned to martial arts precisely because she was too weak. It was a challenge against fate. The path of martial arts was long. However, though I-yak-bing's body was weak, her spirit was not.

Especially because of her weak physique, she felt the need to develop a martial art that suited her. A footwork so fast it was invisible was not suitable for her fragile body. Such techniques required pushing the strength of muscles and joints to their limit, and she would have surely self-destructed before the enemy's attack even landed.

Though her body was weak, her mind was sharp. After years of research, I-yak-bing finally succeeded in developing the mysterious footwork 'Su-yak-tap-un,' which allowed her to evade enemy attacks while remaining still. It was a very peculiar footwork that used the wind generated by the enemy to evade. It didn't have to be a strong wind. Even the slightest breeze was enough.

Once Su-yak-tap-un was perfected, no martial art could touch her. No matter what enemy she fought, she would not lose. However, her naturally weak constitution meant she lacked a decisive blow to defeat her opponents. Therefore, while she never lost to any enemy, she never won either. This is how she earned her other moniker, Undefeated.

Su-yak-tap-un!

Indeed, it could be called the supreme body movement technique for defense.

* * *

"I've heard from my master. She said there's a fantastic footwork that seems to play with the wind, riding it, and making any attack unable to reach. I'm sure the name of that footwork was 'Su-yak-tap-un.' I can't believe I'm seeing that legendary footwork here…"

Indeed, it seems one never knows how human destiny will unfold.

"Hmm, really? Is it quite famous?"

Yeon Bi, who had thought the girl had considerable skill, never imagined she was the wielder of such a renowned martial art. Of course, she wasn't the type to care much even if she knew. What was important to Yeon Bi was her current skill, not her background or master. A master doesn't feed you; that was her firm belief until death.

"She was quite interested because she's one of the few female swordswomen."

Her master, Sword Queen, had a long-held belief that the skills of female swordswomen in the martial world should be further developed so that foolish men could not disparage them.

"I can't believe that child is the senior disciple of Sword Immortal I-yak-bing…"

Her respected master, the Sword Queen, was notoriously picky, and it was no exaggeration to say she rarely praised any martial art. Yet, one of those arts, a technique called a legendary footwork, was unfolding before her eyes. Na Ye-rin was also a swordswoman. She focused her gaze even more, watching the duel between the girl and the giant. Her eyes were filled with determination not to miss a single movement of the girl.

"If that's the case, does that footwork have no weaknesses?"

Yeon Bi asked, watching Ryu Eun-kyung skillfully evade here and there, like a leaf swaying in the wind or a feather.

"No. It has weaknesses."

Na Ye-rin answered without a moment's hesitation, as if she already knew. She had heard from her master.

"Oh? What are they?"

Na Ye-rin replied without taking her eyes off Ryu Eun-kyung's movements.

"That footwork, Su-yak-tap-un, is incredibly strong against martial arts like the fist techniques or leg techniques that the Herculean King uses, creating wind like a gale to attack the enemy. But conversely, it is very vulnerable to swift sword techniques that cut through the wind."

No matter how powerful a fist, it's hard to crush a falling leaf or a ball of cotton. However, a sharp and swift sword technique that cuts water and wind can sever them.

"Of course, she knows that fact. She can never forget it."

"Why is that?"

"Although it's not known in the martial world, the person who first brought defeat to Sword Immortal I-yak-bing, who was called Undefeated, was our master."

Yeon Bi tilted her head.

"Then that's strange. If she lost once, she's no longer Undefeated, is she? She's 'Lost Once' (不勝一敗)!"

"It's because no one, not even our master, wanted to reveal that fact."

"Why is that?"

"Our master was satisfied just by the fact that there was a female swordswoman who could fight her for more than ten rounds. Moreover, she didn't want to denigrate one of the representatives of female swordswomen in the martial world."

This was a secret history unknown to the martial world.

"After being defeated by my master, Sword Immortal I-yak-bing swore to reinforce the weakness of Su-yak-tap-un and challenge my master again."

"Your master must have eagerly accepted, right?"

"How… how could you know that?"

Na Ye-rin asked, startled.

"I just had a feeling."

Yeon Bi shrugged as if it were no big deal. *That auntie could totally do that*, she omitted.

"So, did she succeed?"

Na Ye-rin shook her head.

"Unfortunately, no one knows. Because after that, Sword Immortal I-yak-bing's whereabouts became completely unknown."

She must have secluded herself in the deep mountains or some other place, pouring all her mind and body into finding a way to compensate for her weakness.

"If I-yak-bing succeeded in reinforcing it, and that progress was passed down to that child, we might witness a new 'legend'."

She would be incredibly happy if she could witness such a scene. If that fact became known, how happy would her master be? Just imagining it brought a slight smile to Na Ye-rin's lips.

However, no matter how lightly, like a feather, or like cotton playing in the wind, Ryu Eun-kyung moved with her fantastical footwork, the match did not end easily. Each time she saw an opening, Ryu Eun-kyung's twin swords were blocked by the steel gauntlets encasing the Herculean King's forearms. The powerful fists the Herculean King forged could crush rocks and deform iron ingots, and he could block swords and spears barehanded, but his skill wasn't high enough to block sword qi barehanded. So, he compensated for that deficiency with thick steel gauntlets.

Clang, clang, clang!

Ryu Eun-kyung swung her sword three times again, taking advantage of an opening, but was once again blocked by his steel forearms. Due to his large build, with his two forearms like logs extended forward, it was incredibly difficult for the small Ryu Eun-kyung to get between them.

"As expected, she lacks a finishing move. She won't be able to tie it up like this…"

In the current situation, the only option was to use the footwork that consumed minimal internal energy and wait for the opponent to tire.

"You mean a secret ultimate move?"

"Exactly."

Defense alone won't end the fight. A technique that can bring the battle to a close is needed. Is it foolish to expect the opponent to suddenly turn into a pacifist?

"Does she not have one, or has she not shown it yet?"

Yeon Bi asked, her expression full of interest.

"I hope it's the latter."

Ryu Eun-kyung was also frustrated. She had gained confidence in evasion. Her master had never lied, and no attack could harm her. But now the problem was how to bring down that enormous giant.

There were a few techniques specialized for offense, but they seemed unlikely to work on this giant with its tough skin. Above all, getting within range was difficult.

*'Is it only 'that' left?!'*

That technique, which her master had warned her not to use carelessly because it was unfinished, could probably defeat the giant. It was a technique that didn't care about the opponent's size.

*'I can't retreat at this point!'*

There was no turning back. Only moving forward. The only thing that could open that path was the single silver sword clutched in her hands.

Her master, I-yak-bing, had taught her that to forge one's destiny, one must clash with all their might and wholeheartedly. Just as her master had fought against the destiny of her frail body, she said that she was destined to fight against the harsh bonds of destiny entwined by her sex and family. She said it couldn't be avoided. There were only two choices: to conquer it or to be subjugated by it, and there was no option to choose neither. She then warned in a calm voice that destiny doesn't change easily. Trying to get something for free would only lead to a harsh lesson. Something obtained without paying a price would eventually demand its price in some form. She warned that by then, the price would have accrued substantial interest. It was advice from a senior who had fought destiny before, rather than from a master to a disciple. To avoid such lingering resentment, the accounting had to be settled at this very moment.

There was no perfectly safe path. Without bearing risks, one could not gain corresponding rewards.

*'What's needed is resolve!'*

Ryu Eun-kyung finally made up her mind. Then, her silver sword shone white and began to emit wind. Simultaneously, Ryu Eun-kyung's body, which had been motionless, began to flutter in the wind. It was the wind generated by the release of the wind layer protecting her.

"How can someone so young possess such internal energy…!"

Na Ye-rin was astonished. It was too great a power for such a small girl's body.

"She might have obtained a miraculous encounter and eaten a spiritual herb, or… her master might no longer exist in this world. Or perhaps they are quite weakened…"

"Are you saying she completely transferred her internal energy to her disciple? Then she wouldn't be unharmed either?"

"It's likely she can no longer be active. Although that girl doesn't seem to realize it… Perhaps she wanted to create a successor while she could still teach others. So, she sought a disciple worthy of inheriting her ultimate techniques. And that happened to be this girl. Otherwise, it's inexplicable."

Yeon Bi, who never considered the possibility of being in the same situation herself, found this hypothesis much more plausible than the girl digging up spiritual herbs like thousand-year-old Polygonum multiflorum or doll-like Reishi mushroom on the back mountain.

"It was strange that she had such distinct physical changes at that age…"

With that thought, everything fit.

"If so, what was passed down wasn't just internal energy. Her martial arts, encountering a new vessel, might have bloomed with new possibilities."

Despite her frail body, Sword Immortal I-yak-bing had achieved astonishing feats, being second only to Sword Queen. She had overcome her destiny. What kind of power would her martial art wield when meeting a healthy body? Only Ryu Eun-kyung herself, who had inherited I-yak-bing's qi, techniques, and spirit, could answer that.

"Wh-what is this?!"

The Herculean King found it difficult to even open his eyes due to the fierce wind suddenly blowing towards him. He squinted and saw that the source of the wind was the silver sword the girl held.

*'What is she trying to do?'*

It didn't matter what she was doing. He was confident he could block all of the girl's attacks. Even if he lacked in qi, he had a trained body to make up for that gap.

"Are you cooling down the sweat you've shed, old man? How kind. Even if you generate dozens of such winds, it will only be refreshing. Stop this useless effort!"

However, Ryu Eun-kyung had no intention of retracting the qi she was emitting. She knew that such wind could not harm people. But what her sword sought to cut was not the Herculean King's tough physique. What she sought to cut now was the wind itself. Her sword was now trying to cut the wind with wind.

Wind Spirit Sword (풍령검) Secret (비전).

Ultimate Technique (오의).

Whirlwind Sword Formation (선풍검계).

Ryu Eun-kyung's silver sword, Eun-pung (Silver Wind), cleaved horizontally across heaven and earth. The wind generated by her strike then swirled and enveloped the Herculean King's body.

The Herculean King was taken aback by the suddenly formed wall of wind. However, that wall of wind was not directly attacking him.

"This much!"

The Herculean King brought both hands to the wall of wind, intending to pierce through it.

Pah-pat!

At that moment, he had to withdraw his hands quickly with a burning pain. This was because an invisible sword strike had blocked his fists.

"Eek…!"

The dusty wall made it difficult to discern anything in any direction. As he couldn't tell where or how an attack would come from, a sense of fear suddenly struck him. He wasn't afraid of swords he could see, but he was afraid of swords he couldn't. That fear became his undoing and paralyzed his movements.

The thought of 'Where will the attack come from this time?' took precedence over 'How do I get out of here?'. He tried a few more times, but each time he was blocked by sword strikes beyond an invisible barrier. Moreover, while he was concentrating on the front, invisible attacks would suddenly come from behind like a whip. However, they were not powerful enough to defeat him. Even within this wall of wind, his steel armor remained effective.

"Will that attack be effective? It seems to have little effect for the size of the technique."

Na Ye-rin said with a regretful tone. The internal energy and skill required to create such a massive wall of wind were astonishing, but it still failed to inflict damage on the opponent.

"But there's still confidence in that child's eyes. Is there another intention? Whatever it is, the result should come out quickly."

A large technique also meant a short duration. It was impossible to maintain such a technique for long.

A grand technique was a double-edged sword. If that technique collapsed now, the girl, having expended immense energy, would become the Herculean King's prey. And even a dull-witted Herculean King could figure that out.

"You foolish girl! Do you think you can kill someone with a wall of wind like this! It won't last long anyway. When this annoying wind dies down, you…"

At that moment, the Herculean King's head suddenly reeled.

"Huh?"

The next moment, his knees were on the ground. And his vision began to blur. As his thoughts became hazy, his consciousness drifted further away.

"What's happening… I can't… breathe…"

For some reason, breathing became difficult. He opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water, but only empty space entered his mouth.

"What in the world…"

Thump!

Finally, the Herculean King's head hit the ground. And he fainted. Only then did the wall of wind enveloping him slowly subside. This also meant that Ryu Eun-kyung's sword, which had been swinging incessantly to create the wall, was also slowing down.

"Haa! Haa!"

Ryu Eun-kyung, who had been swinging her sword relentlessly to deploy the Whirlwind Sword Formation, was exhausted. If the effect of the Sword Formation had manifested even a little later, the one who would have collapsed would have been herself, not the Herculean King.

"To think she could create a vacuum with sword qi…"

Na Ye-rin quickly grasped the principle of the technique. No living creature can survive without breathing. Respiration is a connection with the world and the primary act of sustaining life. If it is severed, it leads to confusion, headaches, and shortness of breath, and in severe cases, death. The brain could be damaged before that. The purpose of the Whirlwind Sword Formation was not to cut the opponent's body, but to sever their breathing.

"Hmm, it's not bad, but it's a bit inefficient. Is it because it's still unfinished? I feel like there's another step after this. I get that feeling. It seems she hasn't reached that point yet."

But her courage to attempt a new technique in such a dangerous situation was commendable. Retreating was something anyone could do, but those who could move forward were always a select few. The girl took one step forward and succeeded magnificently. That fact alone was enough.

"The match is decided."

Against the expectations of the spectators, the match ended with Ryu Eun-kyung's victory.

"It was a beautiful sword technique."

And Ryu Eun-kyung achieved the feat of eliciting admiration from Na Ye-rin. It was very rare for her to praise someone else's sword technique like this.

"Oh dear, Jin unni needs to be a bit more tense. What if the Chief of the Bureau falls head over heels for her now?"

Fierce eyes poured onto Yeon Bi.

"That has nothing to do with me!"

Jin Ryung shouted, fixing her burning gaze on Yeon Bi.

"Really? Now that she's achieved a visible victory, won't the two men waiting in the waiting area look at that young lady differently?"

The mention of 'two' men caused both Jin Ryung and the nearby Ma Ha-ryung to flinch. Seeing their slight but definite reaction, Yeon Bi smiled with satisfaction. Jin Ryung, choked up by that smile, shouted.

"It has absolutely nothing to do with me, and certainly not with you!"

"Really?"

"You're persistent. Really!"

"Hmm, it really doesn't… Ah! Over there, the Chief of the Bureau is hugging that young lady!"

Jin Ryung's head snapped around at the speed of light. It was tremendous power. However, Ryu Eun-kyung was nowhere near hugging Namgung Sang; she hadn't even reached the waiting area yet. Unaware of the chilling gaze from afar, Ryu Eun-kyung walked towards the waiting area with a flushed face. This match was a meaningful first victory for her as well. Yeon Bi smiled with satisfaction.

"Well, I see. It really had nothing to do with it."

Her face clearly showed amusement, which only made Jin Ryung angrier.

"Iii…"

Realizing she had been tricked, Jin Ryung gritted her teeth. Then, it suddenly happened.

As Ryu Eun-kyung returned with a flushed face, Namgung Sang ran towards her with a bright smile and grabbed both her hands. Ryu Eun-kyung's shyly blushing cheeks were clearly visible. Jin Ryung, who was able to witness the scene clearly thanks to Yeon Bi, turned pale.

Watching Jin Ryung tremble with betrayal, Yeon Bi scratched her head and muttered to herself.

"Foolish Namgung. Digging a grave that isn't deep enough yet."

She decided to pretend not to notice his foolishness. Fortunately, no one heard her muttering.

The second match was between Yong Cheon-myung. From the Fierce Three, a man called Geodo (巨刀) appeared. True to his nickname, he wielded a gigantic sword taller than himself. It was a sword that could likely cleave an ox in two. He was ranked two levels higher than the Herculean King who had just fallen.

"Tch, to think I have to fight a sissy like this. This elder's sword weeps, it weeps. That 'Herculean Soldier' (巨力卒) fellow was unnecessarily careless and made this elder tired."

Geodo grumbled with dissatisfaction, glancing at his opponent. Yong Cheon-myung frowned upon hearing that.

"As expected of a member of the dark path, you have no manners. No learning ability either."

Yong Cheon-myung grumbled with displeasure. He always valued formality, but it was rarely observed here at Macheon Pavilion.

"Oh, you're a spirited sissy, are you? Sorry for not recognizing you, you brat! Hehehe!"

Yong Cheon-myung calmly became angry. Then, he raised his index finger and pointed it at the hairy second man.

"What's that finger for, sissy? Are you going to dig out this elder's ear canal? Or will you give this elder the honor of digging out his nostril? Hehehe, that would be a very honorable task. Truly."

Then Yong Cheon-myung replied in a cold tone.

"What nonsense are you spouting, hairy fellow? This single finger is enough to deal with a useless, bulky weapon like yours."

Geodo burst into laughter at that.

"Puhahaha! What nonsense are you spouting? You sissy, have you lost your mind? You have a handsome face, but you're gone. You're not sane."

Geodo tutted sympathetically. However, Yong Cheon-myung's expression did not change.

"You'll find out soon. Do you think this is an ordinary finger? This finger is imbued with Shaolin cultivation."

Geodo snickered to mock him, then, with a crimson face, thrust his sword, larger than his height, straight forward. The spectators, who had expected him to swing or slash, were surprised by this unexpected attack. Perhaps due to his surprise, Yong Cheon-myung remained motionless with his index finger raised.

There wasn't a loud sound. Only a clear metallic ring, 'Clang!', echoed. However, the distance between Yong Cheon-myung and Geodo had become 'zero'. Yong Cheon-myung remained in the same spot, not having moved an inch.

Ma Ha-ryung's face turned pale watching the scene. The large sword protruded from Yong Cheon-myung's back. Ma Ha-ryung's breath seemed to have stopped, and she was pale.

"Grrr… Grrr…"

At that moment, a muffled, gurgling sound was heard from somewhere. The source of the sound was the spot between Yong Cheon-myung and Geodo where they had collided.

Thud!

One person's knee bent and hit the ground. It was Geodo. He was already in a kneeling posture facing Yong Cheon-myung. Yong Cheon-myung looked down at him calmly. His gaze was emotionless.

Geodo then collapsed towards Yong Cheon-myung as if bowing to Buddha. Only a few experts could see the round hole pierced in his neck before he fell.

"That's Shaolin's Finger of Divine Power (彈指神通)!"

Yoon Mi exclaimed involuntarily. Although she was a disciple of the Huashan Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects, she didn't have many opportunities to witness the secret techniques of other sects. Seeing such a technique here, she couldn't help but cry out in excitement. Then Yeon Bi said.

"That's a 30-point answer. The first part might be that Finger of Divine Power, but the second part was a different finger technique."

"The second part?"

"The technique that made a hole in that hairy fellow's neck was definitely a different finger technique. Isn't that right, Rin?"

"Yeon Bi is right. It seems the second finger technique is Shaolin's Vajra Finger (金剛指). But the technique that lightly deflected the thrust of the large sword is definitely the Finger of Divine Power. That's when the 'Clang!' sound echoed."

"Does that make it 100 points?"

"Even with that, it's still only 60 points. Because there's one more thing."

"Is that also a finger technique?"

Yeon Bi and Na Ye-rin shook their heads simultaneously. Then, they said in unison.

"No, that's footwork (步法)."

"Footwork? But Young Master Yong didn't move an inch?"

"That's why it's footwork."

Yoon Mi couldn't help but be bewildered. However, Yeon Bi only knew it was footwork and not its name. In fact, Yeon Bi wasn't very interested in the secret techniques of other sects and had never tried to investigate them thoroughly. She only had a good memory and retained what she had overheard during her time at Cheonmu Academy and what she had learned in mandatory elective courses.

"What's going on, Teacher Mubak? Young Master Yong Cheon-myung didn't move an inch, right? Then how did player Geodo fall?"

Teacher Mubak stroked his chin beard for a moment, pondered, and then exclaimed.

"Immovability (不動)!"

"Pardon?"

"That's Shaolin's ultimate secret, 'Immovable Wisdom King's Step' (不動明王步)! Oh my, to see such a technique here! It makes being in charge of this place worthwhile."

His voice carried a hint of admiration.

"Please explain in more detail."

Young Master Miso Jin requested. He too was very curious about what had just happened.

"Player Geodo attempted a thrust with his massive sword just now. It wasn't a bad choice. A thrust has a shorter range of motion, thus revealing fewer weaknesses. And it has the advantage of closing the distance to the opponent in the shortest possible way. At that moment, the gap between player Geodo and player Yong Cheon-myung became a straight line. Geodo's sword tip was precisely aimed at the vital organs of player Yong Cheon-myung's lungs. It was standard and fast. But player Yong Cheon-myung's response was even more remarkable. He didn't move even when he saw the sword tip flying towards him. Then, he flicked out his index finger and slightly deflected the axis of the thrust. The finger technique used at this moment was probably the Finger of Divine Power. The shifted axis was only about the width of a fingernail, but that was enough. When it's a straight line, such a twist changes the thrust in a completely different direction. In fact, Geodo's thrust grazed the side of player Yong Cheon-myung's neck. His collar was slightly cut, but his skin was unharmed. At that moment, the distance between them became 'zero'. Yong Cheon-myung pierced Geodo's neck with the 'Vajra Subduing Demon Finger' (金剛伏魔指) as Geodo charged towards him. It's not called 'Subduing Demon' for nothing. If you're hit properly by this, you'll unknowingly kneel, have difficulty breathing, and fall forward as if bowing, in a posture like prostrating with all five limbs."

"Hmm, that's a truly terrifying martial art."

Indeed, Geodo, trembling and bowing towards Yong Cheon-myung, looked truly gruesome.

"Because of its cruelty, I've heard it's rarely used in everyday life even within Shaolin. To see such a technique here is fortunate. As you know, due to the regional characteristics here, Shaolin martial arts are very rarely seen."

Teacher Mubak seemed very satisfied.

"But when was the Immovable Wisdom King's Step used? Young Master Yong didn't move an inch, did he? Perhaps he moved so fast that my eyes couldn't catch it?"

"He probably truly didn't move an inch. That's the essence of the Immovable Wisdom King's Step. From what I've heard, the higher the realm, the fewer the steps taken. If you take three steps or more, it's no longer the Immovable Wisdom King's Step. This is my personal speculation, but it's more accurate to view it as a secret to ascension rather than footwork. As you'll realize if you experience it, it requires immense willpower not to evade the incoming sword tip, which you sense with your finely honed senses. If player Yong Cheon-myung had moved even a little from that spot, Geodo's thrust would have sliced through his face or lungs. It's Yong Cheon-myung's victory for maintaining immovability until the end. Just as he boasted."

Yong Cheon-myung's match ended all too anticlimactically. Geodo's bulging muscles and heavy weaponry could not stop this Shaolin prodigy.

As the hairy fellow boasted, this Shaolin prodigy defeated his opponent with a single finger without even drawing his sword.

"It's over."

Yeon Bi said.

"Indeed."

Na Ye-rin replied.

"It was an interesting match. I don't know about the three young ladies over there, though."

Jin Ryung, Namgung Sansan, and Ma Ha-ryung were silent. The aftermath of the previous match and the scenes they had witnessed were still lingering before their eyes. She had expected them to retort something, but since all three were silent, Yeon Bi soon lost interest.

"Well, then, it's our turn next. Shall we get up?"

"Okay."

Yeon Bi, Na Ye-rin, and Yoon Mi all rose from their seats and began to move to prepare for their matches.

*'Finally, I'll fight those 'White Clad Doctors'.'*

Yoon Mi followed the two behind her, calming her pounding heart. The first contestant was Yoon Mi herself.