Chapter 102

Chapter 102

Who knows Baek Risan’s full strength best?

If you ask this question, most would point to Baek Risan herself, and some would point to the instructors who taught Baek Risan. As the saying goes, a monk can’t shave his own head—clearly grasping one’s own level is harder than you’d think.

Common sense dictates that to know Baek Risan’s level, you must either be superior to Baek Risan in skill or be Baek Risan herself.

However, if you ask this question to those most closely associated with Baek Risan—the Mujeong Hall disciples—they would all say in unison:

Kwaaaaang—!!!

The one who knows Baek Risan’s full strength best is none other than Namgung Hyeon , who engages in daily battles  with Baek Risan.

“That foolish girl!”

Mujeong Hall waiting room.

Watching the match, Namgung Hyeon unconsciously raised his voice in an agitated tone at the explosion of flames and clenched his fist with bulging eyes. The white flames already filling the training ground before his eyes.

‘What on earth are you thinking……!’

He knows Baek Risan better than anyone. Even her weaknesses.

It’s natural. In four years, Namgung Hyeon has sparred with Baek Risan about seven hundred and forty times—once every two days. How could he not know what structure his opponent’s martial arts has when sparring at that rate?

‘Don’t you know this is eating away at your own flesh? Baek Risan!’

Lack of endurance.

The flame martial arts of the True Flame White Fire Art that doesn’t suit Baek Risan’s body has that shortcoming. Though he couldn’t exploit that part himself due to martial arts incompatibility, it’s a clear fact.

That’s why the moment the match’s momentum shifted from offense to defense, Namgung Hyeon sensed Baek Risan’s defeat. He thought Baek Risan couldn’t reverse it.

But what is this current scene?

“Baek Risan is pressing forward!”

“Hiya, how fierce! This is what a final match should be like!”

Voices cheering for Baek Risan’s desperate struggle. Fiercely burning flames. The offensive turning around.

The audience raised voices of excitement seeing Baek Risan, who had regained the upper hand. To them, Baek Risan must look like she rose again after overcoming crisis.

But Namgung Hyeon, only Namgung Hyeon knows.

That power is ‘not permitted’ to Baek Risan.

“Ku…… hup.”

Tuk.

“Namgung Hyeon?”

At the sight of Namgung Hyeon standing up, supporting his trembling legs drained of strength with his hand, Paeng Jin , who had been sitting and watching the sparring platform with a serious expression, spoke in a puzzled voice. But ignoring him, Namgung Hyeon bore the pain and moved his steps to stand before Cheongryoo.

“What is it?”

“We must stop the match immediately.”

“……What?”

At Namgung Hyeon’s firm words, those who had been watching the match focused their gaze on Namgung Hyeon.

“What are you saying, Namgung Hyeon? She’s pressing forward now, so why suddenly.”

“No, Paeng Jin. We must stop the match immediately. If it continues like this…… Baek Risan could become a cripple.”

“What?”

“She could become unable to use martial arts. Because Baek Risan has a weakness.”

The reason Baek Risan can’t sustain the True Flame White Fire Art for long is that constitutionally, her blood channels are weak against Yang energy.

Until now, she had avoided that weakness as much as possible by deciding matches in short battles. Even if opponents could endure, they were in a state of exhausted stamina.

But now the situation is different.

“She’s drawing power beyond her limit. I don’t mean simply scraping the bottom of her internal energy.”

“Then…….”

“It means she’s using martial arts while prepared for blood channel damage.”

At Namgung Hyeon’s words, the shocked Mujeong Hall disciples turned their gaze toward Cheongryoo as if to confirm. But Cheongryoo continued watching the sparring platform with no change in expression.

“……Cheongryoo sajyeong . Is what Namgung Hyeon sihu  said true?”

“Right now I’m an instructor. Cheonggyeong . Distinguish between public and private matters.”

“That’s not what’s important right now!”

At Cheongryoo’s calm response, Cheonggyeong, feeling frustrated, clenched his fist.

“Please tell us. If that’s true……!”

Just as Cheonggyeong was about to speak.

“If it’s true?”

With a quiet question, Cheongryoo’s eyes calmly turned toward Cheonggyeong.

“Yes……?”

“If it’s true that she’s fighting by burning her blood channels, should I accept that and stop the match?”

“Of course……!”

“Don’t misunderstand. Cheonggyeong. And Namgung Hyeon.”

Cheonggyeong’s body stiffened at Cheongryoo’s coldly hardened gaze. But Cheongryoo’s words didn’t end.

“This place is important to you too, but it’s also more important than anything to Baek Risan. You know that fact well, don’t you?”

“Baek Risan standing on that platform and fighting with full strength isn’t due to anyone’s external pressure. It’s her own will.”

Cheongryoo paused and continued.

“If she’s fighting by burning her blood channels by her own will, she must have made that much resolution. Even if you try to stop Baek Risan saying to think of the future, can Baek Risan accept that?”

“……That’s.”

She couldn’t possibly accept it.

Blood channels, along with the dantian , are no different from a martial artist’s life. If she’s abandoning that, the resolve behind it must be extraordinary.

“Stopping Baek Risan’s will with half-hearted worry is also arrogance.”

Looking at Cheongryoo who firmly cut off his and Cheonggyeong’s opinions, Namgung Hyeon clenched his fist. Because it wasn’t wrong.

“I know.”

He knows.

Baek Risan is never rash. Rather, she has such a meticulous personality that she’s overly cautious.

If such a Baek Risan made a decision, it must be a conclusion reached after much deliberation. Whether that’s right or wrong isn’t for him to judge.

“I can’t trust you. Instructor.”

That’s only the story when looking at Baek Risan alone.

“You repeatedly said you wouldn’t lose to Instructor Baek Riyun.”

“So.”

“For you to beat Instructor Baek Riyun, you have no choice but to win this match. So didn’t you plant strange ideas in Baek Risan’s head?”

“Conjecture.”

“I know. I know it’s conjecture.”

It’s conjecture. A claim based only on intuition with no evidence whatsoever.

However.

“If there’s even the slightest danger, I have no choice but to probe.”

“Why is that?”

“Because she’s my…… our close friend.”

Chaeng!

Having finished speaking, Namgung Hyeon gritted his teeth and drew his sword to point at Cheongryoo.

“Step aside, Instructor. I can’t trust you.”

“You can’t trust me that much?”

“Isn’t two months too short a period for trust to bloom between us?”

“I see.”

Cheongryoo nodded as if understanding and looked at Namgung Hyeon’s sword pointed at him. The sword of Namgung Hyeon aimed straight at him without wavering, though no internal energy was infused.

And.

“If you won’t step aside…….”

Just as Namgung Hyeon began to put strength into the hand gripping his sword.

“──If you can’t trust me that much.”

Cheongryoo quietly spoke.

“Instead of trusting me, how about trusting your comrade?”

“……What do you mean?”

“There’s a saying in the world. The Namgung Family is arrogant, the Paeng Family is ignorant, the Tang Clan is vicious, and the Jegal Family is sinister.”

Characteristics of the Five Great Families that spread like established truth. Even those who belong to those families acknowledge them to some extent.

“Do you know what evaluation the Baek Ri Family receives in that saying?”

“……They’re crazy.”

“Right. But the Baek Ri Family members look perfectly normal on the outside. Then why does the Baek Ri Family receive the evaluation of being crazy? Have you ever thought about it?”

It’s simple.

The actions of the Baek Ri Family are something ordinary people  simply cannot understand.

“They’re called crazy, but in my view, they’re not crazy. They’re just.”

“……Just?”

“Infinitely greedy.”

When they must give something up, the bloodline of the Baek Ri Family is so greedy that they try not to let go of anything.

“As expected of the Baek Ri Family, she’s exactly like her older brother. Baek Risan is.”

Speaking coldly, Cheongryoo turned his gaze to the training ground. The sight of Baek Risan with a tired face.

“You don’t need to worry.”

Because there’s not just one way to win.

Kaaang!

It’s gradually weakening.

At the force transmitted through the clashing swords, Seonwoo Gang bitterly put strength into his sword hand.

‘Baek Risan. What on earth are you thinking?’

Baek Risan can’t maintain full strength for long.

This came from Baek Riyun’s own mouth. Baek Riyun understands Baek Risan’s constitution better than anyone, and simultaneously has seen through even the essence of the martial art called True Flame White Fire Art.

Baek Riyun’s opinion penetrates most of the elements that constitute the martial artist Baek Risan. Unless a miracle occurs, the probability of it being wrong is almost nonexistent. So even if she burns her blood channels, the meaning is that he’ll win if he just endures.

Baek Risan wouldn’t not know that.

‘Why do such a foolish thing?’

Exhaling deeply, Seonwoo Gang lowered his sword.

“Can’t we stop now, Baek Risan?”

“……It’s too late now.”

“No, it’s not too late yet.”

Burns aren’t all the same. If the blood channels are slightly scorched, even if vitality is somewhat damaged, it can be restored after rest and recuperation.

So. So.

“If you won’t forfeit, I’ll forfeit.”

“……What?”

“I didn’t feel too good about this from the start anyway.”

He received too much help from Baek Riyun. Originally, he wouldn’t have made it this far facing Baek Risan.

Perhaps it’s natural. If he loses in this match, he might face death at the hands of his master, the Great Evil Sword . He has to survive first to do anything.

“I know, Baek Risan. The sect master isn’t cold-hearted enough to abandon family.”

Baek Riyun cherishes Baek Risan.

If he defeats Baek Risan with what he received from Baek Riyun, and the result is Baek Risan’s ruin, that’s repaying kindness with enmity.

“If you’re going to choose the end, I have no choice but to stand in your way.”

He’s already received too much.

If he’s stubborn beyond this point, wouldn’t that be no different from a child?

“Forfeit. If you don’t forfeit, I will.”

At Seonwoo Gang’s threat that wasn’t quite a threat, Baek Risan, who had been looking at him while wrapped in white flames, clicked her tongue as if displeased.

“So, you can’t fight with full strength because I might become a cripple……?”

“Right.”

“Why are you worried about me?”

“Because I received a lot from the sect master, and you’re the sect master’s younger sister.”

“Ah, I see. What a gentleman.”

Baek Risan sneered at Seonwoo Gang’s words and raised her sword.

“Raise your sword.”

“If you keep fighting, I’ll forfeit…….”

“So shut up and raise your sword.”

“In the end, the story is simple, isn’t it?”

Slowly.

“If you’re afraid to swing your sword because I might become a cripple, then I just won’t become a cripple, right?”

The sword wraps itself in flames. Pure white flames, the color of an egret’s feathers.

“I’ll prove it to you.”

“You fight with full strength too. Don’t go easy like you have been.”

One step.

The moment she stepped forward, Baek Risan’s form scattered like flames and appeared before Seonwoo Gang.

True Flame White Fire Art

Hundred Flowers in Chaos

‘This is bad, if she overexerts more……!’

The moment Seonwoo Gang received the seven-stroke Hundred Flowers in Chaos again.

Blue Moon Lesser Heaven Art

New Moon

At the cold energy that suddenly descended, Seonwoo Gang stopped moving and looked at Baek Risan blankly.

“Just now that was…….”

“Sorry about this. The power is pathetic though.”

Looking at Baek Risan speaking bluntly, Seonwoo Gang let out an empty laugh. Because it was truly as she said.

Was it called Blue Moon Lesser Heaven Art?

The power is pathetic. The proficiency isn’t much either. It might be powerful when mastered, but it’s not good martial arts to bring out in the current situation.

“How…….”

There’s a question incomparably larger than that.

That is.

The Blue Moon Lesser Heaven Art is Yin art .

And.

“How are you using Yang arts and Yin arts simultaneously?”

The Yang art True Flame White Fire Art and Yin art Blue Moon Lesser Heaven Art were deployed simultaneously.

“It’s a simple story.”

With a hardened expression, Baek Risan glanced toward the Mujeong Hall waiting area and smiled bitterly.

“Both people preparing for this match were so annoyingly competent that I really wanted to beat them head-on at least once. And there was a way to do it.”

“Both?”

“Right. You can’t say either you or I fought alone.”

“……Don’t tell me.”

“That’s exactly it.”

The principle constituting the Baek Ri Family’s basic arts is Yin and Yang .

Many martial lineages have taken the harmony of Yin and Yang as their basic arts since ancient times. However, among them, the martial sect that can be called the representative is only Wudang .

There are studies transmitted in Wudang for handling two opposing energies.

“Taiji …… no.”

It’s not the publicly known Taiji. Something more advanced than that.

A move even Baek Riyun couldn’t dare predict.

Once upon a time, there was a martial art that argued that to handle both Yin and Yang without deficiency, the mind must be divided in two.

That martial art’s name is.

“Two Minds…….”

Realizing what it meant, Seonwoo Gang’s eyes widened in shock.

Two Minds Heart Art .

Cheongryoo unlocked Wudang’s sacred martial art.