The day before, after the drinking party, Cheonyeong gave Yongcheon a separate order.

The highest level of standby readiness to prepare for an enemy's intrusion.

Yongcheon, who had heard about what had happened between Jeokseong and Cheonyeong, snorted like an angry bull and said they should go back immediately, but Baekta stopped him.

He said the Beggars' Sect would look after the Blue Green Sect.

If they moved, they would inform Cheonyeong and Yongcheon, and the Tang Family's estate in Ganyang, first.

And so the third day dawned.

Three warriors remained on the competition stage.

As a result of the tournament bracket draw, Yu Seongyeon got a bye.

What a lucky punk.

As soon as Cheonyeong and Lee Cheongik climbed onto the competition stage, the audience seats began to get extremely heated.

"Kill him!"

"Make it so that a punk like that can never set foot in Sicheon again!"

"Lee Family's Sword Dragon! You are the hope of the Orthodox Faction!"

"Lee Cheongik! Don't lose to a punk from the Unorthodox Faction!"

"Lee Cheongik! Lee Cheongik!"

It was hyped up in the expected direction.

It was a truly ridiculous situation.

The Blue Green Sect is an Unorthodox Faction.

Although a place of exchange had been opened for a while, that fact had not changed. Also, the young master of the Blue Green Sect, Jeokseong, had shown a vicious side in his usual behavior and in the main tournament.

Nevertheless, everyone criticized Cheonyeong.

Although they had not suffered any grudge or harm, they were swept away because the atmosphere was like that.

But the psychology of the crowd was always like that.

They quickly forgot the past, and without even knowing the truth, they evaluated and treated what they had just seen as if it were everything.

"Those punks!?"

Yongcheon, who was sitting in the audience seats, clenched his large fists and glared around.

"Calm down, calm down."

"Do I look like I can calm down? That punk is the worse one! He just took out one Unorthodox Faction bastard! Why is everyone so eager to eat our Cheonyeong alive?"

"Oh my, then what are you going to do? Are you going to fight with this many spectators?"

"If I have to, then I have to fight!"

Yongcheon was in a mood to fight right away.

And he was so strong that it was not enough for the three of them, Gwak and Go, to cling to him and press him down, and it was difficult to control Yongcheon even when they raised their internal energy and used all their strength.

"Vice-Family Head, they don't know, do they?"

"That's why I'm angry! Why are they cursing when they don't know anything?"

"Well."

It wasn't that he didn't understand Yongcheon's feelings.

Last night's drinking party.

They could understand why Cheonyeong had been so angry, and why he had treated Jeokseong so mercilessly, even while enduring the criticism of the people.

They had no choice but to understand...

Weren't they sworn enemies?

Was it because of the atmosphere, or was it because they were drunk?

Everyone had burst out in anger, saying they would help in the fight against the Blue Green Sect.

"Anyway! What if the Vice-Family Head causes a scene right now? What do you think will happen to Family Head Tang's match?"

At those words, Yongcheon frowned.

"I understand you're angry, I understand. But you can't cause a disturbance. Family Head Tang said it yesterday."

"..."

"He said he doesn't care about people's criticism, and that if it's something he thinks is right, he'll step forward confidently, no matter what anyone says."

"Umm..."

"Wow, he was so cool when he said that. I got goosebumps, goosebumps. I was really moved. Well, to cause such a scene at the Blue Green Sect. If it were me, even if it were my sworn enemy's grandfather, I would have been conscious of the Blue Green Sect's opinion first."

"Umm."

As Gwak Wolhyeop even expressed his admiration and brought up the events of last night, Yongcheon became much more subdued.

"Now, now, please sit down. The match is about to begin."

"Uh-huh."

Although Yongcheon still looked displeased at the curses he heard from around him, he no longer insisted.

How could he, the Vice-Family Head, interfere with the Family Head's match?

For now, he had no choice but to endure it.

"Kill him!"

But he couldn't help but flinch every time he heard a shout criticizing Cheonyeong.

Damn punks, they don't even know.

In the meantime, Cheonyeong and Lee Cheongik, who were standing on the competition stage, looked at each other.

Despite the pouring criticism, Cheonyeong's face was indifferent, but Lee Cheongik's expression was one of utter helplessness.

Today, Cheonyeong was like a devil from the Demonic Cult, receiving all the criticism of the world. In contrast, he had become like a hero of the Orthodox Faction, realizing justice on behalf of everyone.

"Why the long face?"

"Pardon?"

"Heh, does it bother you?"

"I suppose so. The Family Head said he doesn't care about criticism, but it seems people's misunderstanding is too excessive. Family Head Tang is definitely not that kind of person."

"What does it matter?"

"Pardon?"

"And so what if they misunderstand?"

"..."

"Don't worry about what's outside the competition stage. The ones standing here are not them, but you and me."

"But..."

Cheonyeong knew the reason why Lee Cheongik was hesitant.

Because he had heard his story.

In fact, Cheonyeong was the same.

He wanted to leave the Blue Green Sect right away and advance to the Blue Serpent Sect.

But if he did that, it would be neither here nor there.

He had to be calm.

Since Baekta had decided to move the Beggars' Sect to observe the movements of the Blue Serpent Sect, he had to do his best in the moment he was facing.

"There was something you wanted to show me. Show me. That thing you realized."

Something he wanted to show...

"It wasn't just for me that you wanted to show it, was it? Show it. To the Blue Green Sect."

"...!!"

At Cheonyeong's words, Lee Cheongik's eyes widen.

"That the Blue Wind is not at all inferior to the Blue Cloud. Tell them clearly with your sword. I'll be your opponent."

Lee Cheongik's body trembles as if in a thrill.

A secular family of the Blue Green Sect.

They were always treated as inferiors.

They always had to revere the Blue Green Sect, and they had to be proud that they had inherited their martial arts.

Wasn't it the fate of a secular family that even when a first-generation disciple visited the family, the family head had to go out to greet them and bow his head first?

"Are you ready?"

"..."

"I don't have the slightest intention of going easy on you, so you'll have to do your best. The moment you hesitate, you'll be slammed into the ground."

Cheonyeong smiles gently and takes a stance first. At that sight, Lee Cheongik's trembling stops and his expression becomes calm.

He must be in a complicated state of mind himself.

He is telling him to move forward.

While being the target of criticism, he is trying to make him stand out in front of the Blue Green Sect.

How could he refuse that hand?

"Hoo."

Lee Cheongik, who had made up his mind with a sigh, grips his sword tightly and takes the sword-drawing stance of the sword style named Blue Wind Descends Red.

"I will show you. What I have realized, to the Family Head... And I will prove it. That my sword is by no means inferior to the Blue Green Sect's."

"Yeah."

Cheonyeong smirked.

And then.

Pa-ang!

He kicked off and rushed at an incredible speed.

"Ugh!"

Although his face hardened slightly at the sight of Cheonyeong rushing at him, Lee Cheongik did not forget what he had to do.

Weight is put on his extended front foot, and the sword is held at his waist.

The beginning of the wind is always a gentle breeze, so the first is from the soft wind.

Seu-reu-reuk!

Lee Cheongik's sword smoothly slips out from between his hands, which had been imitating a scabbard, and creates a graceful arc.

Swi-i-i!

It was a light, but fast and sharp trajectory.

Cheonyeong's body, which had come close, is split in half by the arc and scatters. It was Cheonyeong's afterimage, who had lowered his body.

"Tch!"

His hair is cut and scatters.

He couldn't completely dodge it.

But Cheonyeong did not stop, and as soon as he dodged the sword strike, he dug in and shot up, launching a palm strike.

Lee Cheongik, who had pulled back his body, retrieves his sword and slashes several times at the same time.

Blue Wind, Slaughtering Smoke!

The sword strikes, which had become as sharp as a beast's claws, fly at Cheonyeong as if to tear his whole body apart.

Pa-ba-ba-ba-bak!

The sword strikes rained down on the spot where he had hastily pulled back his hands and retreated.

"Hoo-ah!"

Cheonyeong let out a small exclamation of admiration at the sight of the competition stage, which had been hideously broken by Lee Cheongik's sword strikes.

"You've gotten stronger."

"Thanks to you."

"You realized it yourself."

"I just stuck to the basics."

"Heh, but that's not all, is it?"

"Because the wind has just begun to blow."

At Lee Cheongik's words, Cheonyeong nods.

There are many types of wind.

A gentle breeze, a light breeze that rustles the leaves, a swaying wind that shakes the trees, a strong and fast wind... and a huge typhoon that blows away houses and breaks trees.

How far had Lee Cheongik reached?

He suddenly became curious.

And he felt an impulse to make him bring out everything he had.

"Good, I'll make you scrape the bottom."

"That's what I was waiting for."

Lee Cheongik holds the sword he had drawn with both hands and aims it at Cheonyeong.

"Hoop!"

Cheonyeong takes a short breath and spreads his energy to his four limbs and hundred bones.

Samyang, Body Exchange.

With a hot heat, his whole body overflows with strength from the spread internal energy.

"...!?"

As Cheonyeong's clothes tremble, unable to withstand the energy, Lee Cheongik swallows dryly.

Kku-uk.

Cheonyeong, who had clenched his fists to gauge his strength, smiled brightly and raised his voice.

"Let's do this properly!"

"I'll go first!"

Lee Cheongik approaches as if a wind were rising.

The sword was swung as if following his hand.

Swae-aek!

The gentle breeze turned into a fierce sword wind and created dozens of changes, and Cheonyeong dodged the sword strikes as if weaving through the wind, and launched his hands and feet at Lee Cheongik's vital points.

Pa-pa-pa-pa-pak!

The audience, who were watching the two exchange blows at a speed that was invisible to the eye, moving as if to fill the wide competition stage, stopped their cheers and boos and widened their eyes.

Hwa-ak!

The wind flows and strikes the audience seats.

"Ugh!"

The neat hair of the audience was disheveled and scattered.

But the two focused only on each other and exchanged blows even more fiercely, and the wind grew even stronger.

"H-how can that be?"

The Changlim Sword Saint, Il-u, who was sitting in the distinguished guest seats, stood up abruptly with his eyes wide open.

Blue Cloud Descends Red, clear clouds and red sunset.

It is the sword of the Blue Green Sect.

It had been passed down to the secular family, the Lee Family, a long time ago.

But as time passed and the teachings were not properly passed down, it should have regressed.

But.

"He has contained the wind, he has contained the wind."

His hollow laugh could not help but contain admiration.

He had put something new into the regressing sword, and it was surpassing the original. The wind created by a new enlightenment was cutting the clear clouds and red sunset of the Blue Green Sect and dyeing them blood-red.

"Excellent, excellent."

Good and good.

It was a sincere admiration.

The more the wind grew, the more it flew to the distinguished guest seats and conveyed its sharpness, the more Il-u's admiration grew and grew.

And he realizes the answer to the worries that had tormented him last night.

Lee Cheongik is standing up on his own like that, without the help of the Blue Green Sect.

He is growing in a place where the teachings of the Blue Green Sect have taken root, and is preparing to become a huge old tree. No, he is becoming a wind that can even break an old tree.

"Heh heh, I... was foolish. Truly foolish."

He regretted it and regretted it.

It was not a lament for teaching Yu Seongyeon, but a lament for his own wrong choice.

Yu Seongyeon was a child who would have grown up splendidly even if he had been accepted as a fourth-generation disciple of the Blue Green Sect.

Even if he had built up from the basics according to tradition, he would have one day become an old tree that protected the Blue Green Sect, and one day that wind would have become a wind that blew around that old tree.

It was said that the highest good is like water.

The good is like water, and the Tao should have flowed like water.

Because of greed, because of the impatience of the heart.

He regretted and regretted his foolishness of not just letting it flow.

"Immeasurable Life Buddha."

Il-u closed his eyes tightly in the overwhelming shame and just kept muttering the Taoist greeting.

In the meantime, the atmosphere on the competition stage was getting more and more intense.

"Keuk!"

Cheonyeong's face contorts as he is pushed back by the wind.

He finally understood the saying that the thirteenth change did not exist.

What kind of sword is this...

What on earth had happened to the Lee Family in the past three months?

I even stole and ate the hundred-year-old polygonum multiflorum that was supposed to go to him.

The sword, which had been so light with its focus on change, had become as heavy as a ten-thousand-year-old rock.

It's heavy, but it's fast.

Sometimes it flows, sometimes it presses down.

Ppudeudeuk.

Cheonyeong clenched his teeth.

Even so, he couldn't lose.

"Hoop!"

Cheonyeong holds his inhaled breath and raises his Samyang True Qi to its limit.

Ku-ru-ru-ru!

The surrounding air, unable to withstand the energy, distorts and begins to create a thunderous roar.

First, he had to properly see this damn wind-like sword. If he couldn't find the real one among the numerous changes, he would really be defeated by Lee Cheongik's sword.

Pupil Technique, Golden Eyes.

Cheonyeong's pupils began to turn yellow, not black and white.

If he had reached a slightly higher level, it would have emitted a golden light, but for now, it was a yellowish yellow.

And he couldn't use it for long.

Because his eyes might not be able to withstand the internal energy and burst.

"Well, it'll only be for a moment!"

Kung!

Cheonyeong, with his yellow-glowing eyes shining, forcefully jumped into Lee Cheongik's sword strikes, which were blowing from all directions.

(End of Chapter)