SHWEEEEE!

The spearhead shot out like an arrow—its sharpness beyond imagination.

It didn’t even touch his skin, yet Blue Tiger’s entire throat ached with a cold sting. It was real combat spearwork, marked by dense Killing Intent and a chilling edge.

Fast.

Fast, but not so fast he couldn’t respond.

Blue Tiger’s upper body shifted slightly to the side.

THUUUUNK!

The spear-shaft sprang upward.

With a short, springy half-palm, he not only changed the spear’s line—he flicked it away.

That single move said it all: Blue Tiger’s skill was real. His barehanded striking had reached a level that could be called mastery.

He’s strong.

Blue Tiger’s eyes gleamed.

Strong, but lacking experience—

That was when—

KRAAASH!

The kick that tore in with a burst of air was even sharper than the spearwork.

Blue Tiger was startled. It was faster than the spear thrust that had been close to an ambush—and as a bonus, it carried destructive power that threatened to shove his entire upper body backward.

BANG!

Blue Tiger’s body staggered.

A heavy blow. If he hadn’t crossed his arms to block, his neck would have snapped in a single strike.

His barehanded fighting is stronger?

So spearwork wasn’t his main martial art?

TANG!

And that wasn’t all.

Even after using a kick with big motion and heavy power, the footwork that slipped in during that short instant was light and crisp.

Yeon Hojeong’s two fists spewed fire.

RATATATATANG!

Blue Tiger’s skill was incredible as well—he caught every single chained punch with both hands.

WHOOOOM!

Yeon Hojeong’s long outer robe couldn’t withstand the pressure and burst.

RIIIP!

A sharp spear-hand brushed past, and the shoulder of Blue Tiger’s clothing tore long and deep.

It was a razor-thin fight. Blue Tiger wasn’t truly using killing moves with full intent, but in terms of raw ability, they seemed close.

HOOF!

Was it pride that made him sick of retreating?

Blue Tiger slapped Yeon Hojeong’s fist away with a springy, short strike, then in an instant dove into Yeon Hojeong’s space.

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes flashed.

He’s like a beast.

This was nothing like the Orthodox Path’s formal martial arts.

The “shape” was free, and the user’s sense controlled everything—barehanded fighting.

Dark Path martial arts. Unlike Orthodox Path arts that anyone could steadily learn for great power, this was a fighting style heavily influenced by innate talent and reaction speed forced to develop through brutality.

Blue Tiger’s fists and palms targeted Yeon Hojeong’s upper body from every angle.

THUD-THUD-THUD!

Yeon Hojeong blocked the attacks with possessed movement.

It was an elastic clash at point-blank range. Shockwaves that hadn’t dispersed yet shredded the upper clothing of both men into rags.

“That’s incredible.”

Je Gal Ahyeon, who had come up beside Ga Deoksang, spoke in a heavy voice.

“That’s insane skill. To think he’s fighting third senior brother evenly....”

“That’s not it, junior sister.”

“Huh?”

Je Gal Ahyeon looked at Ga Deoksang with puzzled eyes.

Strangely, Ga Deoksang’s expression was complex. He looked startled, impressed—and faintly worried.

“Third really... he can’t do anything wrong.”

“What does that mean?”

Then Pae Yul spoke in a low voice.

“He’s deliberately matching his level.”

Je Gal Ahyeon’s eyes widened.

“Matching his level?”

“Yes.”

Tang Sang-a also cut in, as if entranced.

“Third is far stronger than that Blue Tiger. But on the surface, it looks like a dead-even fight. It’s unbelievable.”

Je Gal Ahyeon found it odd.

If someone had stronger martial skill, wasn’t it not that hard to fabricate a razor-thin fight with someone weaker?

Ga Deoksang spoke.

“Even a national master at board games finds it hard to make a weaker player truly believe they’re equal. It’s the same in any field.”

“...Ah!”

“It’s not just holding back. It’s keeping the fight going in a way that makes the opponent misread it as similar skill. You can’t do that without immense real combat experience and a free way of manifesting martial arts.”

Ga Deoksang gave a bitter smile.

“I don’t want to admit it, but if you travel with third, you never get bored.”

Je Gal Ahyeon looked at Yeon Hojeong with new eyes.

What are you, really?

He did what ordinary people wouldn’t even imagine, as naturally as breathing. It felt like he had no limit at all.

“But....”

Je Gal Ahyeon looked at the other six experts with tense eyes.

Those six experts, emitting chilling Killing Intent, were not joining the duel.

“It’s dangerous. That method.”

“Yeah. It’s dangerous.”

“Can we prove we’re from the Martial Ancestor Sect like this?”

“Who knows... I don’t really know either, but I don’t think third would step up without confidence.”

Je Gal Ahyeon quietly looked at Ga Deoksang.

“So third is the one you understand best, eldest senior brother?”

“Huh?”

“You said you had a pretty serious fight two days ago.”

Ga Deoksang snorted.

“Third and I see the world differently. If we didn’t acknowledge each other, we wouldn’t have built any friendship—we would’ve drawn blades from the start.”

“Hee.”

“I don’t like the method, but he’s still third.”

Ga Deoksang gave a bitter smile.

“He’ll make it work somehow. We have that much trust—each other.”

KRAAASH!

The tearing boom of air was especially loud.

Blue Tiger’s eyes deepened as he backed off three or four steps.

An incredible bastard.

Terrifying barehanded fighting.

Up, down, left, right—he couldn’t predict where an attack would come from. Even with reaction ability trained like a beast and predictive sense hardened by real combat, he couldn’t read the next move.

And...

THUUUUNK!

Yeon Hojeong’s body, which had been driving low, suddenly lifted into the air and unleashed a flashy kick.

THUD-THUD!

Linked Triple Kick. A tricky attack—an art swap so smooth that even an expert with strong real-combat ability would get caught if he slipped for an instant.

He learned many different martial arts.

While receiving Yeon Hojeong’s attacks, Blue Tiger had seen no fewer than five different types of barehanded fighting.

Even Blue Tiger, who excelled in striking, had only seen someone learn that many arts a few times. And they weren’t similar styles—they were barehanded techniques with completely different traits.

So it’s the Martial Ancestor Sect, is it?

A linkage of martial arts with entirely different traits, types, and purposes.

Was there a more intuitive way to prove oneself?

But this isn’t enough.

A blade-sharp light flared in Blue Tiger’s eyes.

If he stops at a level like this, he’ll never meet Elder Yang.

He recalled Elder Yang’s words.

“Proving they’re from the Martial Ancestor Sect is obviously important. But the truly important thing is different. It’s how much they can run wild without a line.”

...?

“Before I even hope they’re from the Martial Ancestor Sect, I want them to be the kind who can prove their value. If they’re the kind I like, I won’t care even if they’re from the righteous sects.”

...Understood.

“Talent that can run wild without a line—and if they have a brain, bring them no matter what. Even if it’s somewhat dangerous, it doesn’t matter.”

Blue Tiger knew exactly why Elder Yang had sent him.

Like the other Twelve Zodiac Gods, he was especially skilled at controlling emotion.

That was also because of his martial arts. The more one learned martial arts that were sensory and beastlike, the more reason mattered.

And in Blue Tiger’s eyes, Yeon Hojeong was somewhat ambiguous.

He proved he’s from the Martial Ancestor Sect through the variety of his martial arts. Fine. I can let that pass.

Blue Tiger’s gaze deepened.

Does he cross the line, or does he stop at proving what he already proved?

That was when—

WHOOOOM!

With a particularly powerful Fist Wind, Yeon Hojeong shoved Blue Tiger back—then kicked up the spear-shaft that had caught at his feet.

Spear?

Blue Tiger’s eyes shook.

He can use a spear too?

So that opening spear strike hadn’t been a move to draw out carelessness?

In that instant, Blue Tiger’s sharp eyes caught Yeon Hojeong’s palm.

Calluses packed thick—calluses that wouldn’t exist unless he gripped something and swung it.

A spear fighter!!

KRAAASH!

Yeon Hojeong lunged into the line where the six experts stood.

Blue Tiger shouted.

“Scatter!”

He was a beat too late.

THUD-THUD-THUD!

Two Tiger Ghosts were struck by spear-shaft technique and lost consciousness.

It was strong, springy spearwork. If they had been hit with the spearhead instead of the shaft, their temples would have been pierced and they would have died on the spot.

Yeon Hojeong’s spear spewed fire.

THUD! TIIIIING! SHKKK!

The remaining four Tiger Ghosts staggered backward.

They made no groans. No screams. They were trained that way.

But they couldn’t hide their faces. Urgency was written plainly across their expressions.

In that instant, Blue Tiger’s body moved at an uncanny speed.

FLASH! THUUUUNK!

Yeon Hojeong’s spear was knocked sharply aside.

THUNK! THUNK!

With heavy impacts, the two men each retreated five steps.

Blue Tiger looked down at his abdomen. Over clothing with a small hole in it, red blood spread.

That was close.

If he hadn’t pulled back in that instant, he would have been pierced clean through.

This spearwork is that powerful. Was his main martial art spearwork, not striking?

Then Yeon Hojeong’s voice came.

“Damn it.”

Blue Tiger looked at him.

Yeon Hojeong frowned, rubbing his shoulder.

“So you were hiding your skill too. That one hurt.”

Blue Tiger asked in a low, sunken voice.

“What are you doing?”

“What?”

“Why did you touch my men?”

Yeon Hojeong smiled with a slick edge.

“You told me to prove I’m from the Martial Ancestor Sect.”

“I said prove it. I never told you to use killing moves.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Should I politely send back men who said they’d kill us if we didn’t prove it?”

“...!”

“And this isn’t bad for that ‘elder’ of yours, either.”

“What?”

Yeon Hojeong rested the spear-shaft on his shoulder ridge.

In that relaxed motion, the ferocity of a beast—one whose line between ally and enemy was blurred—bled through intensely.

“The Fighting King’s martial arts contend for the peak of the Central Plains. If the ones fighting under him can’t even endure my hands, he should be grateful I cleaned out the weak for him.”

“.......”

“And while I’m at it, it lets us skip some pointless ‘initiation’—some useless proof of skill, doesn’t it?”

Blue Tiger’s eyebrow twitched.

He’s sly.

It meant he had already thought beyond the next step before the fight even started.

He was smart. At the very least, he wasn’t stupid.

And that confidence—close to arrogance—acting as if meeting Elder Yang was a given.

Blue Tiger made his judgment.

“Pass.”

“Hm?”

“I’ll take you to Ink Dragon Manor.”

Yeon Hojeong let out a small laugh.

“That’s enough?”

“It is.”

“Isn’t that a sloppy inspection?”

Blue Tiger turned away.

“All judgment will be made by him. My mission ends here.”

“.......”

“We leave immediately. Prepare.”

“Fine.”

Yeon Hojeong said with a smile.

“Let’s get along from here on out.”

Blue Tiger, without answering, woke the fallen Tiger Ghosts.

Ga Deoksang walked up beside Yeon Hojeong.

“How is it? Think it’ll be okay?”

He meant: would it be fine to go straight to Yangcheon like this?

Yeon Hojeong gave a tiny nod.

He didn’t answer with words—he used voice transmission.

[Seeing how they responded, it’s clear. Yangcheon is short on talent right now. Even if he has to accept some risk, if someone has ability and a brain, he’ll gladly meet them.]

Ga Deoksang smacked his lips.

[Things dragged for so long, I didn’t think the meeting would be set up in an instant like this.]

Yeon Hojeong let out a small laugh.

[Where are the Beggars’ Union people ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) right now?]

[Apart from knowing they’re nearby, I don’t know. I didn’t keep their positions in my head on purpose, in case I got caught and blurted out where they were.]

[How do you contact them?]

[We just do it the way we’ve been doing it. It’s a bit passive, but.]

[Then keep leaving traces on the way there.]

[Don’t worry. You did good work.]

[And Hu Gae.]

[Huh?]

[I’m sorry about the other day.]

Ga Deoksang spat out a single line.

[Get lost.]

Yeon Hojeong laughed softly, then spoke to Pae Yul.

“Prepare, martial uncle.”

“All right.”