Chapter 144: New Ten Kings. -03
Namgung Ho clicked his tongue inwardly as he fixed his gaze on Ban Hojin, who sat before him.
Unfortunately, the chances of things going as he intended were slim.
“Isn’t the Great Desert closer in distance?”
“That’s true, but nothing has been decided yet.”
“Do you have sothing in mind?”
“I’ve been moving nonstop for a while, so I’m thinking of resting for the ti being. There are things regarding my martial arts that I need to organize, and I also need to review my past battles.”
“You have traveled quite a bit.”
Not only Namgung Ho, but the three siblings also nodded.
Having captured six of the Eight Evils, he was bound to be exhausted.
He had even accomplished feats that ordinary Later-Generation Experts would not dare to attempt.
Because of that, so gossipmongers were saying that Ban Hojin had already reached the level of one of the Ten Great Masters Under Heaven.
“Not just —my companions also need ti to reflect on themselves.”
“That’s important. Simply experiencing sothing isn’t the end of it. It’s not enough to recognize your shortcomings—you must fill them. I understand. I would have liked us to go together, but if that is your will, it can’t be helped.”
“Travel safely.”
Ban Hojin revealed a faintly surprised expression.
Since Namgung Ho had co all this way, he had expected him to press further, yet he withdrew so readily.
Judging by their curious glances toward Namgung Ho, the three siblings seed to share the sa thought.
“You’re still as cold as ever. Out of courtesy, you could at least pretend to stop once.”
“Is there anything more to say?”
“Did you know? You’re the only one who treats this harshly.”
“You should consider yourself fortunate that at least I do.”
“Hahahahaha!”
Namgung Ho burst into hearty laughter.
Though it was slightly uncomfortable, it was also undeniably amusing.
Perhaps that was why he did not find him detestable.
“Still, I’ll at least see you off to the front courtyard. You ca here personally, after all.”
“I should pay my respects to the Abbot before leaving. Of course, before that, there’s one more matter. It wasn’t in the schedule.”
“Hmm.”
“It’s exactly what you’re thinking. So, I would like you to arrange the setting.”
“Do you truly need my help?”
Ban Hojin asked in return as he took a sip of tea.
Both Sang Il-gi and Namgung Ho were martial artists who could be called grandmasters without exaggeration.
They had already once exchanged a flash like lightning.
That was why he wondered whether there was any need for him to step forward.
“Rather than a stranger suddenly requesting a sparring match, wouldn’t it be better, atmosphere-wise, if you arranged it from the middle?”
“That’s true.”
“I’m asking you.”
“Shall I prepare a separate location?”
“It might be good for everyone to watch.”
As if he had already thought it through, Namgung Ho spoke without hesitation.
If he were being greedy, he would have preferred only Namgung Gwang to observe, but that would have been far too unfair.
He also had his dignity as the Yama King.
Moreover, this was not the Namgung Family but right beside Shaolin Temple, so it would be difficult to do entirely as he pleased.
“Thank you for your consideration.”
“Ahem! If you’re grateful, then take care of my children.”
“Understood.”
“Good.”
Namgung Ho grinned.
If Ban Hojin were guarding them, he could truly fight with peace of mind and give it his all.
Whoooosh.
Perhaps because it was midsumr, even the wind blowing down from the mountain carried the heat.
It was not suffocatingly hot, but a thick, heavy breeze swept once between Namgung Ho and Sang Il-gi.
Yet both n quietly stared at one another as if unaffected by the wind.
“Shall we begin?”
“Let’s.”
Since Sang Il-gi clearly appeared older at a glance, Namgung Ho showed proper courtesy.
It was not rely his age—his skill was far from ordinary, and so he expressed respect.
He believed the man was worth it.
At the sa ti, his heart pounded.
‘Is this the first ti since Ban Hojin?’
The aura he faintly sensed did not fall far behind his own.
And in other words, that ant even the Yama King of the world could not accurately gauge his opponent’s level.
That thrilled Namgung Ho.
Truthfully, his clash with Ban Hojin had been too sudden, and the unexpected display of martial prowess had prevented a proper exchange.
But this ti was different.
Each had a rough sense of the other, so it would not end absurdly like it had before.
Wooooong!
As he felt the wind gradually settle, Namgung Ho revealed his aura.
He unleashed the montum that only a martial artist who had reached the Transcendent Realm could radiate.
At once, as if waiting for that very mont, Sang Il-gi spread out the aura he had kept contained.
Kiiiiing! Kiiiiiing!
The auras flowing from the two soon collided fiercely in midair.
Though invisible, a savage battle of domains unfolded.
“Gasp!”
“Huff!”
Watching from a distance, their companions simultaneously drew in sharp breaths.
Despite the considerable distance, the auras the two scattered were overwhelmingly oppressive.
Even rely observing, the crushing pressure that weighed down their entire bodies left everyone pale.
And in that mont, they understood why the Transcendent Realm was also called the Transcending-Human Realm.
If it was this intense from so far away, then had they been facing them directly, they would not have been able to move even a finger.
Feeling that, the three siblings—Namgung Gwang, Namgung Su-yeon, and Namgung So-yeon—quietly glanced at Ban Hojin.
Swish.
Yet contrary to their expectations, Ban Hojin remained calm.
Even while watching the clash of montum between two absolute masters, he neither seed surprised nor impressed.
As always, his expression was indifferent.
And that was not the only strange thing.
‘They seem less shocked than I expected?’
‘It’s like they’re watching a familiar sight.’
Even as their father, it was rare for the three siblings to witness Namgung Ho in such a state.
Within the Namgung Family, there had been little reason for him to be this tense.
No, even considering the entire Murim, such a case was rare.
Kakakakang!
Even as the three siblings were puzzled by the reactions of Ban Hojin’s group, Namgung Ho’s sparring continued.
Formless Force Energy surged without pause and rushed toward Sang Il-gi.
Yet even against the Formless Force Energy imbued with the profound principles of the Emperor’s Sword Form, Sang Il-gi remained steadfast.
As if such Formless Force Energy could not inflict even a single wound, he wore a faint smile and blocked Namgung Ho’s Relentless Wave Offensive.
Kkigigik!
‘As expected, it doesn’t work.’
Seeing Sang Il-gi not rely blocking but instead pressing forward with overwhelming montum, Namgung Ho let out a silent sigh.
But the shock was not as great as he had anticipated.
Perhaps because he had already once been defeated by Ban Hojin, he did not feel despair.
Nor did he grow agitated.
‘A swordsman must speak with the sword.’
Though he had failed to gain the upper hand in the battle of montum he was confident in, Namgung Ho did not feel disappointed.
If his opponent had been soone he could defeat easily from the start, his competitive spirit would not have been stirred.
Thus, for the first ti in a long while, Namgung Ho revealed an excited expression as he drew his beloved sword, Changcheon Sword.
And then he charged straight at Sang Il-gi.
Kwaaaaang!
Though the strike bore no Sword Energy, the aftershock that erupted upon collision was trendous.
As if a typhoon had arisen, it swept through the surroundings in an instant.
A savage shockwave raged outward from the two n, yet no one closed their eyes.
They knew all too well that this was not a sparring one could witness rely by wishing to, so despite the violent gusts, they instead widened their eyes and fixed their gaze on the duel.
Kkaaang! Kkang!
Yet neither Sang Il-gi nor Namgung Ho spared a single thought for the onlookers.
They focused solely on each other with extre concentration.
Like Namgung Ho, Sang Il-gi’s hands were not coated in Fist Energy, yet even when clashing directly against the Changcheon Sword’s thrusts, not a single wound appeared.
His fists, tempered over decades, did not even suffer a scratch despite colliding with a weapon.
Kwang! Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!
In fact, though empty-handed, Sang Il-gi pressed Namgung Ho back.
He unleashed the Myungwang Fist to its utmost and battered Namgung Ho’s entire body.
Ssaaaeak!
Of course, Namgung Ho did not simply endure passively.
He fully unfolded the Emperor’s Sword Form that had made the Namgung Family the Greatest Sword Clan Under Heaven.
At the sa ti, he spread his own domain.
He sought to turn a certain area into his Domain of Control to hinder Sang Il-gi’s movents.
Kkadeudeuk!
But astonishingly, Sang Il-gi tore apart Namgung Ho’s domain through sheer force.
With savage punches, he crushed the very space itself.
Though invisible to the naked eye, the vivid presence of Sang Il-gi’s fist strikes was unmistakable, and Namgung Ho thrust his sword forward without retreating.
He believed that while their cultivation levels were similar, his physical abilities held the advantage.
Jjeoeoeong!
But that thought shattered along with the collision.
No matter how diligently one trained the body, aging and decline were unavoidable with the passing of years.
That was common sense—yet Sang Il-gi shattered that common sense.
Even in a direct clash of strength against strength, he did not fall behind.
“Keugh!”
Nor did Sang Il-gi rely stop at blocking the sword.
At the mont of impact, a coiling strand of energy burrowed along the blade and invaded Namgung Ho’s body, causing him to grit his teeth.
Knowing that if left unchecked it would ravage his ridians at will, Namgung Ho forced Sang Il-gi’s power back with all his might.
But the problem was that this was not the end.
Buuuuung!
This attack had rely been the first.
A man had two arms, and the mont his right fist was blocked, Sang Il-gi shot out his left.
He aid precisely for the fully exposed flank.
Teoong!
Namgung Ho blocked the thunderous punch with the body of his sword.
At the sa ti, he released Sword Force compressed to the utmost limit.
Jjeojeojeok!
Dozens—no, hundreds—of Sword Force bursts sprayed from the blade, forcing Sang Il-gi to retreat reflexively.
He had judged that evading was wiser than blocking, and moved at the sa instant as that thought ford.
Even so, he did not escape perfectly, as his Plain Gray Martial Robes split in places.
Like ground cracked into a spiderweb pattern.
“Chahap!”
But Sang Il-gi had no ti to notice.
To counter the Emperor’s Sword Form that ca surging once more, he drove the Myungwang Fist to its peak.
Kwaaang! Kwang! Kwa-gwagwagwang!
The battle raged on endlessly—Namgung Ho refusing to allow approach, Sang Il-gi seeking to break through at all costs.
Neither had the slightest intention of yielding, pouring everything into the fight.
At a glance, one might mistake it for a duel to the death—their concentration was that overwhelming.
In every fleeting instant, offense and defense switched without pause.
“Wow……”
“Incredible.”
“This is insane.”
“……Who on earth is he?”
It was a level entirely different from the sparring of Later-Generation Experts, and everyone stood agape.
Though they could not properly follow the exchanges between the two absolute masters, what they felt was similar.
Yet if examined closely, the direction of their thoughts diverged completely.
While Seo Jo-woon and the Four-Man Group simply marveled in pure admiration at the duel of absolute masters, the three siblings—Namgung Gwang, Namgung Su-yeon, and Namgung So-yeon—were shocked and curious about Sang Il-gi’s true identity.
“I heard he was Young Master Jeong’s master.”
“At that level, isn’t he on par with the Ten Great Masters Under Heaven? Father looks like he’s using the Emperor’s Sword Form with all his strength. What do you think, Sister?”
“I think so too. What about you, Brother?”
“How could anyone call that holding back? Ugh!”
A terrifying storm of energy raged in all directions, to the point that it was difficult to believe this was a battle between humans.
Not only did it devastate the area around the two, but its aftereffects reached even this distant spot.
But the three siblings did not know.
They did not realize that Ban Hojin was neutralizing the shockwaves generated by the duel.
“……Father won’t lose, right?”
“I don’t know. From what I see, it’s evenly matched.”
Namgung Gwang’s gaze turned toward Ban Hojin.
Since he was the strongest present, Namgung Gwang believed Ban Hojin would perceive what the rest of them could not.
Hooaaang!
At that mont, a massive surge of energy writhed.
And not one, but two.
The aning was clear, and everyone fell silent as they stared at Sang Il-gi and Namgung Ho.
Ppeoeoeong!
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