Book 6 Chapter 5
Namgoong Sang vs. Maeng Yeon-ho
“Hoo!”
Namgoong Sang took a moment to catch his ragged breath and focused his mind.
The gazes of the surrounding people, which felt so hot they were almost burning, intensely focused on him.
In the past, he would have blushed at mere glances like these, but now the situation had completely changed; he had endured too much to be embarrassed by such a display of attention.
The surroundings were somewhat orderly. Those who had sustained more than necessary injuries from the fierce clash between both sides had already been carried away. The floor of the special martial arts stage was tattered from the effects of sword waves. It was a clear demonstration of the intensity of the collision.
Now, the match was narrowing down to a duel between leaders.
Namgoong Sang looked at Maeng Yeon-ho, the man who had defeated him multiple times.
Perhaps due to their past win rate, Maeng Yeon-ho still had an air of confidence in his eyes. However, he was unaware that the Namgoong Sang of today was a completely different person from the past.
“For the sake of my pride, I cannot simply concede victory. If you have the skill, take it.”
This was a declaration that he would definitely win against Namgoong Sang. And he was confident.
“Anytime!”
Namgoong Sang did not refuse. He met Maeng Yeon-ho’s words with a bold and unyielding spirit.
Perhaps because such occurrences had become commonplace, he felt a sense of calm, devoid of even a racing heartbeat.
As soon as Namgoong Sang finished speaking, Maeng Yeon-ho lunged. Red sword energy, like plum blossoms, shot out from the tip of his sword towards Namgoong Sang.
“Plum Blossoms Filling the Sky!”
As the leader of the Azure Dragon Clan and the foremost prodigy of the Hua Mountain Sect, Maeng Yeon-ho’s sword energy was as brilliant as it was sharp. It was also the ultimate technique of the Plum Blossom Swordplay that had defeated Namgoong Sang in past matches. Thanks to the teachings of the Ice Sword, Namgoong Sang had to admit that his movements had become more precise. But he was no longer the same Namgoong Sang of the past.
“A Hundred Lightning Flying Stars!”
The true nature of Namgoong Sang’s cherished sword, Baek Gong, was like a dark cloud, as dozens of lightning strikes shot out like streaks of lightning from his sword.
This was an attack incomparably more powerful than before.
Namgoong Sang unleashed a magnificent strike, implying, “Try to block this if you can!” It was a much more aggressive offense than before.
The god of victory (In China, the god of war and victory is Qi You, a male, without a doubt) was showing increasing favor towards Namgoong Sang.
No matter what unexpected outcome arises from reality, one must not cling to it.
Even if the result is something that can never, absolutely never, be accepted with all one’s heart, even if one’s mouth were split open and one’s stomach cut open, one must accept it and let go of any lingering attachment, as there is no power to change the past. That is, if one does not wish to become pathetic.
If one fails to do so, they will be bound by the chains of that lingering attachment for life, unable to escape the cycle of karma, and will suffer hardships in the sea of suffering.
But as if that were easy! Even here, there are those who cannot accept the obvious outcome that has already unfolded.
They offer various excuses such as their physical condition was poor that day, they only ate half a bowl of rice that morning and were starving, they had suffered diarrhea three times a day for fifteen days, they caught a cold because they didn’t cover their bellies last night, and so on, but without the ability to change the past, it was already a lost ferry.
“I… I cannot accept it.”
Maeng Yeon-ho said with a look of utter despair. His voice trembled severely.
“Even if you don’t accept it, the determined reality will not change. Whether you accept it or die refusing to accept it, the fact that we have defeated you remains unchanged!”
Namgoong Sang’s resolute words left Maeng Yeon-ho speechless. His mouth seemed to be stuck shut with glue.
His sword was chipped in several places from the recent clash, making it an unpleasant sight. In contrast, Namgoong Sang’s sword was intact, without any missing parts. Not a single scratch.
Looking around, he was the only one standing properly. The rest had either been defeated out of bounds or carried away due to injuries.
On the other hand, the Vermillion Bird Clan still had four members remaining: Namgoong Sang, Hyun Woon, Jin Ryeong, Tang Moon-hye, and Namgoong San-san.
These four stood quietly behind Namgoong Sang. And it was Namgoong Sang who was now facing Maeng Yeon-ho head-on. Maeng Yeon-ho understood that his demeanor was a gesture of consideration.
“Kukukuk! I cannot believe it. How… how could you defeat us?”
This was a natural question for an unexpected loser. The events of today were a critical blemish in Maeng Yeon-ho’s life plan.
“Heh heh!”
Namgoong Sang replied to the question from Maeng Yeon-ho, the leader of the Azure Dragon Clan, with a wry smile.
“Have you ever stood on the edge of a ten-thousand-zhang cliff with a strong wind blowing? Stand at the end of a ten-thousand-zhang cliff where a bottomless pit greets you! You’ll feel a chill. Then you can do as I did. I guarantee it. However, I advise you to avoid such experiences as much as possible for the sake of your mental health.
Do you understand? The reason you lost is because your approach to the fight was fundamentally wrong from the start. The difference in that resolve created today’s outcome. In other words, it’s not a coincidence, so there’s no need to blame the heavens in vain! Do you understand now?”
“R… resolve?”
Maeng Yeon-ho retorted with a look of incomprehension.
“You still don’t understand? We approached this battle with the resolve to die. It was a desperate resolve. What about you? Weren’t you just complacent, thinking you just needed to maintain your existing reputation?”
“……”
Maeng Yeon-ho’s mouth snapped shut like a clam. Namgoong Sang’s words, sharp as ground daggers, pierced his heart relentlessly. His face turned red with shame. There was not a single word of Namgoong Sang’s that was wrong.
A desperate resolve? That was never even a consideration.
The Vermillion Bird Clan and the Azure Dragon Clan had different approaches to the battle. The Azure Dragon Clan, with its complacent thought of merely preserving their pride, and the Vermillion Bird Clan, who fought with the mindset of a general putting their lives on the line and fighting with their backs against the wall, determined to win by any means necessary, could never have the same resolve.
The members of the Vermillion Bird Clan gritted their teeth and swung their swords with all their might. And as a result, they grasped victory in their hands.
“We lost.”
Finally, Maeng Yeon-ho sincerely admitted their defeat.
Perhaps the outcome of the match had been decided from the very beginning. Such a thought flashed through his mind. Maeng Yeon-ho’s lips quietly parted again.
“But this cannot be the end.”
Namgoong Sang could feel a firm resolve in his words.
“I understand! And we must also settle our victory and defeat.”
Namgoong Sang nodded as if understanding.
For Maeng Yeon-ho, the defeat of the Azure Dragon Clan was a foregone conclusion.
However, that did not mean he could simply retreat as is.
No one would interfere in the fight between the two of them. This was not just a battle between the Azure Dragon Clan and the Vermillion Bird Clan, but a duel between Namgoong Sang and Maeng Yeon-ho, as individuals.
There was no one to stop them now. The swords had already been drawn. They had to settle the outcome themselves.
“Certainly, in terms of our attitude, it seems we have lost. And with this result, if I were to lose to you as well, I wouldn’t be able to save face for my friends.”
This was a declaration that he would definitely win against Namgoong Sang.
Namgoong Sang did not refuse. He was calm, without even a racing heartbeat.
“Anytime!”
As soon as Namgoong Sang finished speaking, Maeng Yeon-ho lunged. Red sword energy, like plum blossoms, shot out from the tip of his sword. It was indeed brilliant sword energy, worthy of the renowned prodigy of the Hua Mountain Sect.
And it was also the final flourish of this martial arts tournament, a shower of flowers.
The cooperation and mutual coordination of the Vermillion Bird Clan, displayed without reservation in the team battle, created movements reminiscent of a meticulously crafted sword formation. They were comrades who had faced life and death together and shared pain.
“Did we finally win! It took longer than I thought. So weak… still a long way to go!”
Bi Ryuyeon muttered to himself, watching Maeng Yeon-ho charging at Namgoong Sang. He had no need to watch the rest of the fight.
“Then, how much will the payout be?”
Bi Ryuyeon had no intention of deceiving himself; he was more curious about the payout for his keen judgment, which would soon be returned, than about the safety of his disciples.