Chapter 54 : Blooming Stage. -03

Chapter 54: Blooming Stage. -03

“Cough!”

At the same time, Seonwu Bang also spat out fresh blood.

He, too, had suffered no small internal injuries.

But what mattered was that while Peng Chu-yeong, who had been confident from start to finish, was rolling around on the ground, Seonwu Bang was standing upright, even if he was leaning on his sword.

Moreover, Peng Chu-yeong had fallen unconscious due to the backlash of his true energy.

“T-This is impossible…….”

At that sight, Peng Juyeong, Peng Chu-yeong’s younger brother and the Second Young Lord, wore an expression of utter disbelief.

Peng Juyeong knew Seonwu Bang’s abilities well.

Though he was from a prestigious family, Seonwu Bang had been nothing more than a rising junior of unremarkable skill.

In other words, he had absolutely not possessed the ability to defeat Peng Chu-yeong.

Yet the result was Seonwu Bang’s victory.

Peng Juyeong could not believe it.

“Bang wins.”

Ban Hojin’s clear voice rang out across the training grounds, where silence had descended.

When no one spoke, he had delivered the verdict himself.

“As expected, Brother Bang! I knew you’d win!”

“H-Hey, don’t shake me. My head’s ringing.”

“Hehehe! Is that what matters right now? What matters is that you crushed that bastard’s arrogance!”

“What did you say!”

“Be quiet.”

Peng Juyeong, who had come to his senses belatedly, glared at Seo Joun, who had referred to his older brother Peng Chu-yeong as “that bastard.”

However, he soon had to turn his head away.

That was because Ban Hojin, the same age as him, was staring at him with icy eyes.

Feeling an inexplicable chill run through him, Peng Juyeong averted his gaze without realizing it.

“You did well.”

“Heh heh. I’m not the man I used to be.”

“I know. I know how much you struggled.”

As Seo Joun supported him and brought him over, Ban Hojin smiled and patted Seonwu Bang on the shoulder.

Because he knew better than anyone how much effort Seonwu Bang had put in, Ban Hojin congratulated him on his victory.

“Now it’s my turn.”

“Huh?”

“I can’t just sit still either.”

Seo Joun handed Seonwu Bang over to Ban Hojin and approached Peng Juyeong, who was tending to Peng Chu-yeong, with a cold gaze.

Then, out of the blue, he requested a spar.

“I request a spar with the Second Young Lord.”

“What?”

“Are you going to avoid it?”

Peng Juyeong, who had been hoisting Peng Chu-yeong over his shoulder and walking toward where Peng Mancheol and his younger sisters were standing, partly to avoid Ban Hojin’s gaze, looked utterly dumbfounded.

Being challenged to a spar out of nowhere left him speechless.

But Seo Joun was serious.

“You want to spar with me?”

“Yes. If you’re tired, then it can’t be helped.”

Seo Joun shrugged his shoulders and wore a magnanimous expression.

It was as if he fully understood if Peng Juyeong wanted to avoid it.

At that sight, Peng Juyeong bared his teeth.

It was irritating enough that he had already tucked his tail between his legs before Ban Hojin, but now this insignificant brat was throwing out a half-baked provocation.

Peng Juyeong handed his brother over to his younger sisters and growled,

“Fine. I’ll accept your challenge.”

“Thank you.”

Though Peng Juyeong spoke as if he were about to tear him apart, Seo Joun was not frightened in the slightest.

He said thank you, but his expression was the complete opposite.

Seeing that utterly ungrateful face, killing intent flared in Peng Juyeong’s eyes.

“This should be interesting. But don’t show me such a pathetic sight twice in a row.”

“That won’t happen.”

“Good.”

Peng Juyeong spoke boldly toward Peng Mancheol.

Ban Hojin felt slightly uneasy, but Seo Joun did not.

At a glance, Seo Joun looked like nothing but a greenhorn, so Peng Juyeong took his position while spraying a savage cold glare.

Soon, the spar between the two began.

Clang!

At the very start, Peng Juyeong’s Geopae Blade and Seo Joun’s sword collided violently.

At a glance, there was nearly a twofold difference in their physiques, yet surprisingly, the match was evenly matched.

Peng Juyeong tried to crush Seo Joun with the strength pouring out of his massive body, but the result was failure.

Though small in stature, Seo Joun possessed tremendous Extreme Yang Energy, and by utilizing it, he instead pressed Peng Juyeong back.

“Grrhk!”

“Hup!”

Everyone was shocked, but no matter what anyone said, the most flustered person was Peng Juyeong himself.

He had assumed Seo Joun would avoid a head-on clash as much as possible, like Seonwu Bang, since he would obviously be overpowered in terms of strength.

That assumption was wrong.

Faced with Seo Joun charging in for a desperate frontal confrontation, Peng Juyeong clenched his teeth.

Having lived his entire life as a man among men, backing down from a fight that had come to him made no sense.

Crack!

So Peng Juyeong drew out every ounce of strength in his entire body.

Not only his physical power, but even his inner energy was pushed to its limit as he unleashed it straight at Seo Joun before him.

At the very least, he intended to gain the upper hand in a contest of force against force.

Kwaaang!

Just like Peng Chu-yeong, blade energy blazing like flames tore through the air.

As a Blade Master, he had unleashed his most powerful technique, One Cut, Two Halves.

However, even at this very moment, Peng Juyeong underestimated Seo Joun.

He had overtrusted the power that surged from his physique.

“Kraaaah!”

Another name for a head-on clash was a clash of pride.

And this kind of fight made the outcome clearer than any other method.

Because as long as they collided, one side would inevitably be sent flying.

“Heh.”

Seeing his second son rolling disgracefully across the ground just like Peng Chu-yeong earlier, Peng Mancheol pressed a hand as big as a pot lid to his forehead.

His vague sense of unease had struck true.

“Kheong heong heong!”

One saving grace, however, was that perhaps because the gap between the two was not that great, Peng Juyeong did not lose consciousness like Peng Chu-yeong had.

Having been blown backward and rolled twice, Peng Juyeong sprang right back up and charged again like a beast.

His face was twisted fiercely, as if being knocked away had been the ultimate humiliation.

“That’s more like it!”

Yet even in the face of Peng Juyeong’s ferocious momentum, Seo Joun did not falter.

Rather, he drew out even more fighting spirit and swung his sword, now imbued with a ferocious aura.

Although he had not achieved Sword Energy Becoming Force, the sword energy—driven by his tremendous Extreme Yang Energy and reaching just short of that stage—lashed out at Peng Juyeong’s Geopae Blade with terrifying momentum.

Kwaaang!

Once again, with a thunderous roar, the two bodies swayed like crashing waves.

They were struck head-on by the recoil.

Yet even though their bodies were pushed back, carving deep grooves into the ground, neither of them retreated a single step.

That was because their pride would not allow it.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Instead, both of them clenched their teeth and swung their weapons.

As if they were engaged in a life-and-death duel, they viciously hacked toward one another.

As a result, superiority was soon decided.

Unlike Seo Joun, whose complexion remained calm, Peng Juyeong’s face grew redder and redder as time passed.

“Kheuk!”

In the end, unable to suppress his internal injuries, Peng Juyeong spat out bright red blood and was flung backward.

Unable to endure any longer, he once again rolled across the ground.

“Khahaha!”

However, Seo Joun’s condition, though he remained standing on his own two feet, was not particularly good either.

Unlike Peng Juyeong, he did not cough up blood, but his mouth was filled with it.

He simply had not spat it out—he, too, had suffered no small internal injuries.

Even so, Seo Joun burst into hearty laughter.

“Kkeuk! I won!”

Glancing sideways at Peng Juyeong, who had rolled away and lay sprawled out in a big ‘大’ shape, Seo Joun shouted once more.

Even though both his arms and legs were trembling violently, Seo Joun raised both arms high and savored his victory.

Meanwhile, Peng Juyeong, lying on the ground, squeezed his eyes shut.

He could not believe his defeat.

“This can’t be…….”

And Peng Suyeong, the third child and eldest daughter, felt the same way.

With both her eldest brother and younger brother defeated in succession, Peng Suyeong’s gaze turned vacant.

But Peng Hwayeong was different.

She had considered that things might turn out this way, so the shock was not particularly great.

“Interesting fellows.”

Watching Seo Joun approach the victorious Seo Joun and Seonwu Bang to share in the joy, Peng Mancheol let out a hollow laugh.

Despite having given them his full support, the results felt far too meager.

In particular, he was deeply disappointed in his eldest son, Peng Chu-yeong.

The fact that Peng Chu-yeong had lost to Seonwu Bang—who had not even stood out among the rising juniors, let alone among the Four Dragons—stabbed directly at Peng Mancheol’s pride.

“I-I’m sorry.”

Perhaps sensing that mood,

Peng Chu-yeong, having come to his senses, could not lift his head.

His body trembled violently, unbefitting his large frame.

“Go into Closed-Door Training.”

“……Yes.”

“Take Juyeong with you.”

“I understand.”

Having no right to refuse his father’s order, Peng Chu-yeong answered obediently.

He himself was also consumed by resentment at that moment.

Above all, the fact that he had been defeated by Seonwu Bang, whom he had looked down upon, made him feel utterly miserable.

“Never forget how you feel right now. Chew on it thoroughly. Don’t fall into an inferiority complex—use it as nourishment.”

“I will do so.”

Swoosh.

Having said everything he needed to say, Peng Mancheol turned his head and looked at Ban Hojin.

As if he had known from the beginning that things would turn out this way, Ban Hojin wore an extremely calm expression, unlike the two parties who were reveling in their victories.

Even now, he remained in place instead of going over to the two who were practically dancing with joy.

“Don’t you have something to say to us?”

“I do.”

Seeing Ban Hojin respond with only a slight turn of his head, as if he had sensed the gaze, Peng Mancheol grinned broadly.

It was as if to say that of course he had not forgotten.

However, he had no intention of bringing it up just yet.

“I think now is the right time.”

“I don’t think so. We still have one more bout left.”

“Father?”

Peng Hwayeong, who had been closely watching their exchange, gasped in shock.

Having immediately grasped the meaning of his words, her eyes widened like lanterns.

“I don’t think it warrants the Blade King stepping in personally.”

“He’s more than qualified. Isn’t he a martial artist who defeated the Green Forest Great Lord all by himself? With that level of skill, he’s fully qualified to match with me. Or are you afraid of me?”

“They say a thief can’t steal blood. It seems your two sons truly inherited your blood.”

“Khahaha!”

At Ban Hojin’s still-bold reply, Peng Mancheol laughed heartily.

There were none among Ban Hojin’s peers who treated him like this, so it felt both novel and amusing.

But above all, it was intriguing.

“You might end up making a fool of yourself.”

“That won’t happen. I am the Blade King.”

“Hmph.”

Ban Hojin let out a soft snort.

The name Blade King was certainly grand and weighty.

But in the end, even the name Blade King would fade with time.

“Aren’t you being overly confident? If you lined up the warriors of Jianghu by strength, the Green Forest Great Lord would barely make it into the top forty, if at all.”

“That’s probably true. But the people you’re thinking of and the people I’m thinking of are likely different.”

“What did you say?”

“If you wish, I’ll oblige.”

“Heh.”

Not only Peng Mancheol, but Peng Suyeong and Peng Hwayeong as well wore expressions of disbelief.

This was a duel with none other than the Blade King.

Even if one brought a bundle of gold and begged for a single spar, it would normally be impossible—yet here he was speaking as if he were the one graciously indulging them.

The three father and daughters let out hollow laughs simultaneously.

“Oh! As expected of you, Brother!”

“Do well.”

And that news reached the ears of Seo Joun and Seonwu Bang, who had just arrived.

At the unexpected duel between Ban Hojin and Peng Mancheol, the two of them shone with bright, eager eyes.

Being able to witness firsthand the martial arts of the Blade King, one of the Ten Great Masters Under Heaven, filled them with anticipation.

“Shall we?”

“Keke! Indeed.”

At Ban Hojin’s consistent demeanor to the very end, Peng Mancheol chuckled softly and walked toward the center of the training grounds.

The ground was riddled with deep gouges from his two sons’ monstrous strength, but it did not matter much to Peng Mancheol.

Having fought life-and-death battles under far harsher conditions, this was more than acceptable to him.

“I’m ready.”

“As your senior, I’ll yield the first move. I was going to yield three techniques, but since you’re so bold, I won’t go that far.”

“I don’t mind.”

“Khahaha!”