Chapter 92

“…It’s getting noisy outside.”

Wolhwa muttered quietly at the sound of people running hurriedly towards somewhere.

“……”

Sososo gripped the bedsheet and silently stared at the shattered dice on the table.

An impossible result, a seven rolled on the dice.

A simple sophistry, a play on words.

“Wolhwa, bring me my outdoor clothes.”

She struggled to get up from the bed.

…But I want to believe.

Not just the outcome of this match.

Perhaps I can escape the fate I was born with, as Mantian said.

-A hope arises.

Even while thinking that fairy-tale heroes don’t exist, I yearn for a hero to save me, a contradictory mix of anticipation and anxiety.

‘Young Master Sima…’

Slowly and carefully, she leaves the hospital room.

***

The attention of the crowd is focused on the unarmed stage.

As if Mantian’s provocation, saying he would lose if he didn’t give it his all, was the signal.

Two battered men, Mantian and Modan, face off, keeping their distance.

Both their stamina and internal energy are at their limits.

In Modan’s eyes, Mantian stands upright despite his tattered state.

A figure resembling the gentleman his master often spoke of.

Anger surges.

With such skill, why didn’t you fight to restore our master’s honor?

What have you been doing all this time?

If you were going to show up and interfere, you should have appeared before I crossed the line.

“……”

No, that’s not it. I always had the chance to stop.

I made the decision myself.

He calms his rough breathing and shakes off his distractions, revealing his killing intent towards the enemy before him.

The Martial Alliance leader Jaro, corrupted by the righteous faction, and you are all fakes.

“A warning… I’ll return it as is.”

Only I am the master’s true disciple.

He draws a hidden weapon.

The Wudang Sect’s technique, which allows one to master different internal energy methods by harmonizing yin and yang.

Two Forms Divine Power (兩儀神功)

The yin energy disappears from Modan’s body, and yang energy begins to rise.

Yin and yang are reversed.

The hot energy rapidly fills the void left by the yin energy.

Ironically, because he had no talent for ice techniques.

He could simultaneously master the extreme yang martial arts taught by his master through shortcuts.

The scentless peony could possess talent.

“If you don’t give it your all, you’ll die.”

Rough heat flows from Modan’s mouth. A purple aura emanates from his body, enveloping him.

“That, that’s-!!”

“Impossible… What…?!”

The Huashan Sect martial artists’ voices burst out in agitation.

They are so shocked that their bodies freeze.

Prepared to face the monstrous dragons, the sword dragon and the wandering dragon.

Purple Mist Divine Power (紫霞神功)

The Huashan Sect’s secret technique is unleashed.

Kwa-ang!!

As his foot stomps the ground, the rough energy splits the stage floor.

A violent purple flash, like a red meteor, streaks through the air.

A thrust so powerful it takes the breath away from onlookers.

…Yet Mantian remains utterly calm.

『Fudo Myo-o’s Step (不動明王步)』 – Eye (眼)

In the slowed world, he calmly observes his opponent and times his move.

The founder of the Huashan Sect, Hak Daetong, was said to possess a unique constitution where his body would turn purple and his physical abilities would skyrocket when applying internal energy.

The Purple Mist Divine Power is a martial art derived from this constitution.

A buff technique that explosively increases physical abilities and skill power by releasing extreme yang energy.

As it was created by the first generation, a disciple of Wang Zhongyang of the Jeonjin Sect.

Unlike the Huashan Sect’s martial arts, which confuse opponents with illusions, it carries a stronger Jeonjin Sect flavor, crushing opponents with sheer force like the Ice Palm.

In other words, even a graze is a critical hit.

He slides his right leg and arm forward, preparing to unleash his technique.

The plan is simple: if the opponent goes hard, I go soft.

Reduce the power with the Empty Clarity Fist and switch to Taijiquan to send them flying.

If anything goes wrong, it’s a crazy move that could blow his hand off.

…But if it succeeds, it will be the coolest thing ever.

He exhales and smoothly circulates his internal energy.

Imagining the coolest version of himself. A genius who deceives even the heavens.

‘Carrying the Taiji above my head.’

‘Holding the Eight Trigrams in my arms.’

‘Stepping on the Five Elements.’

Believing in himself, he meets the purple flash with the insights he has accumulated.

He grabs the blade surrounded by rough energy with his hand.

…And at that sight, Jaro’s eyes widen in shock, and he jumps up from his seat.

“That guy- Could he really-!?”

The highest good is like water, softness overcomes hardness.

Zhang Family’s Taijiquan (張家 太極拳)

No matter how strong the sword, it cannot cut flowing water.

“……?!”

People’s gazes naturally rise upwards.

Thud-!

The sword, having slipped from its owner’s grasp, falls from the air and sticks into the ground.

The energy of the Purple Mist Divine Power, recklessly unleashed, scatters like petals, and beautiful plum blossoms flutter in all directions.

Modan, thrown upwards by his own force, is engulfed in a floating sensation.

‘So… I… was thrown.’

He gazes at the plum blossoms filling the sky, just like when he first met his master.

…At first, I just wanted to bloom the same plum blossoms as my master.

When did I start obsessing over worldly honor?

When did I stop believing in myself and start scheming?

What a foolish thing…

Even though I resorted to dirty tricks against my respected master’s teachings, perhaps it’s because I lost.

Modan feels an inexplicable frustration and relief as he loses consciousness.

He falls towards the spectator seats.

“Quick, catch the young palace master-!!”

The North Sea Ice Palace martial artists hurriedly move to catch the falling Modan.

Beyond that, the atmosphere on the stage is utter chaos.

A mysterious cripple suddenly appeared and defeated all the late-stage masters up to the Eight Strong.

Moreover, with the defeat of Seol Modan, who was practically considered the winner.

“The Ice Dragon lost… How on earth…”

“Th-This is impossible… Did he use some kind of sorcery…?!”

The audience begins to buzz like startled chicks.

Amidst the noisy murmurs.

“Hoo…”

Mantian, left alone on the stage, explains the very obvious reason for Modan’s defeat.

His downfall was for one simple reason.

“That guy, Sima Mantian (司馬瞞天)…”

He delivers the iconic line he couldn’t say when he was stopped by Sososo at the inn.

“Made me angry.”

North Sea Ice Palace (北海氷宮) young palace master, Ice Dragon (氷龍) Seol Modan (雪牡丹) defeated.

With those words, his stamina and internal energy completely spent.

His body, pushed to its limit, collapses.

“You overdid it… What a mess…”

He almost fell backward.

Feeling the sensation of being caught by a delicate hand, he smiles at the person before him.

“Namgung Hyung, did you see? The so-called predetermined fate is nothing special.”

“Yes… I saw it clearly.”

Sososo’s small body tightly embraces Mantian, who fought for her.

Holding back her tears, she smiles back at the hero who jumped out of a fairy tale for her.

***

At the martial arts arena assigned to the Jiegal Family, on the second-floor pavilion.

Jiegal Yang lets out a hearty laugh at the exploits of his long-time Go friend.

“Hahahaha! I knew he would be great, but causing such a stir!!”

“…What happened? Why was the Ice Dragon thrown out?”

Unable to grasp the situation, Jiegal Yeon asks, and Jiegal Yang explains without taking his eyes off Mantian.

“It’s simple. First, he reduced the power of the Purple Mist Divine Power with the Empty Clarity Fist, then sent him flying with Taijiquan.”

At Jiegal Yang’s simple explanation, Jiegal Yeon’s face turns pale.

The content was simple, but the feasibility was anything but.

If Mantian had been even slightly late in executing Taijiquan, his hand would have been torn off.

It was a tightrope walk over a thorny path.

Not martial arts, but acrobatics, gambling.

“…He’s insane.”

“That’s why he’s great. Yeon-ah, not all martial artists are lunatics.”

Jiegal Yang’s eyes gleam with greed as he watches Mantian, now in the arms of the Namgung Family’s little one.

“But all strong martial artists are lunatics.”

Like Cao Cao looking at Guan Yu, regret wells up from within.

I should have kidnapped him and tied him to the Jiegal Family back then.

…If only I hadn’t lost at Go.

Watching the gazes of the Huangbo, Tang, and other miscellaneous families on the second-floor pavilion fix on Mantian, Jiegal Yang clicks his tongue.

“Tsk! Pathetic… They’re already eyeing him.”

That guy belongs to our Jiegal Family (諸葛世家).

“Guhae, prepare for marriage immediately. I’ll provide the dowry.”

“Gr-Grandfather-?!”

At the sudden marriage declaration, Jiegal Yeon is startled, but Guhae, the person in question, remains silent.

Crack- Crackle-!!

The wooden railing, unable to withstand the pressure, screams and breaks.

“Ch-Chirp…! Chirp chirp…!”

“Chirp chirp! Chirp chirp chirp-!!”

The cold energy, like a winter sea, sends the chirping birds into a frenzy.

“…….”

Deep, deep blue eyes, like the abyss.

They glare at the reckless challenger who dared touch the most precious treasure in the world, the missing half.