The Legend of the Northern Blade-Chapter 193: Justice is Not Always the Right Answer (3)

Shim Won-Yi's eyes widened as he looked up at Jo Wol. The dark aura swirling around his opponent's body had grown thicker, creating a bizarre sight that perfectly matched his alias, the Black Fog Warrior.

Although the warriors below the duel stage could not sense it, sinister energy flowed from his body, restraining Shim Won-Yi from moving. He hurriedly tried to resist by summoning his inner qi, but the pressure only intensified, draining the color from his face.

"Do you really think you can stop us with just these Demon Hunter brats?"

"You're from the Silent Night."

"Heheh!" Jo Wol chuckled darkly instead of answering.

Their conversation echoed throughout the arena, reaching most of the gathered people.

"The Silent Night?"

"Someone who reached the finals of the Demon Hunter Selection is from the Silent Night?! What the hell...?"

The revelation struck the warriors like a bolt from the blue. There was no greater humiliation than this. This glorious occasion was meant to select martial artists to fight on the front lines against the Silent Night, but now, a spy from that very organization had infiltrated their sacred event and made it to the finals.

Those who had become Demon Hunters after life-or-death struggles trembled with rage.

Jo Wol scanned the warriors and smiled cynically. "Did you say you'd stand against the Silent Night? With this rabble?"

His low voice echoed clearly in the ears of every warrior present.

"S-Shut up!"

"Prepare yourselves, Central Plains! Soon, you will know the terror of the Silent Night. Cherish this moment, for you will soon know fear like never before. A time will come when you'll tremble with every breath. The earth will be stained with blood, and all living things will be cursed."

Overwhelmed by Jo Wol's strange presence, the crowd shuddered, and the martial artists stared blankly. An uneasy feeling washed over them, as if those words might come true at any moment.

Jo Wol scanned the warriors' faces one by one, his gaze moving deliberately through the crowd until he found someone in the middle of the crowd.

Unable to resist, the other martial artists followed his line of sight to see a man in a reddish-brown coat—Jin Mu-Won.

As the two men's eyes met, Jo Wol smiled meaningfully, leaving everyone else confused.

Why is that man smiling at the Northern Blade?

Even though it was just a smile, the people became suspicious of Jin Mu-Won once more.

Jo Wol turned back to face Shim Won-Yi. "It's time to end this. Don't resent me, resent your own powerlessness."

Shim Won-Yi gritted his teeth. "Shut up! How dare someone from the Silent Night..."

Suddenly, he caught sight of his father Shim Mu-Wae sitting on the platform. Even though he was in danger, the man simply sat there, not doing anything.

Shim Won-Yi's defiance stirred. His martial arts may be inferior, but he would not allow his spirit and dignity to be second to Jo Wol's. Straightening his back, he unleashed a Lion's Roar, "I am Shim Won-Yi, the Young Lord of Justice Heaven and the man who will become the Demon Hunters' Commander. I'll never yield to a mere spy from the Silent Night."

This sight was deeply engraved in the minds of the audience.

"Heheh! So you'll protect your pride even in death? Fine, I'll grant your wish. You won't even be able to lie on the ground after you die."

Jo Wol took a step toward Shim Won-Yi, his thick black aura swirling around his body like a god of death.

Shim Won-Yi quivered, but he stayed firm.

"No!"

"Stop him!"

Several watching martial artists launched themselves at Jo Wol, unable to hold their emotions in check any longer. To hell with choosing a Commander, the pride of Heaven's Summit and the Central Plains was about to be shattered.

"GAAH!"

"UGHH!"

Unfortunately, everyone who tried to stop Jo Wol screamed and fell to the ground before they could even get close to the stage. They had been attacked by the very same people who had been laughing and watching the tournament together until yesterday.

The hidden assailants quickly blended back into the crowd.

"The Silent Night is hiding among us!"

The martial artists grew agitated. They had no way of knowing how many more Silent Night warriors were hiding among them.

Jo Wol approached Shim Won-Yi and raised his hand, gathering the black aura swirling around his body into his palm.

Shim Won-Yi's face twitched. He could feel the immense power gathering in Jo Wol's hand, difficult to handle even if his body were in perfect condition.

Jo Wol swung his hand toward Shim Won-Yi. "Farewell, Young Lord of Justice Heaven and the man who almost became the Commander of the Demon Hunters."

SWOOSH!

A storm of enhanced qi flew toward Shim Won-Yi, and he squeezed his eyes shut.

CRASH!

He felt a wave of power wash over him. His body trembled and his hair whipped wildly in the wind, but strangely, the pain didn't come.

He slowly opened his eyes. Standing before him was a large man with a broad back and wild hair that fluttered in the wind like a lion's mane.

"Finally, you've completed your seclusion training," he gasped.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Soo-Cheon."

Dam Soo-Cheon nodded. Indeed, he had finished his seclusion training and was revealing himself to the world once more.

Jo Wol's eyes flashed as he stared at the man who had intercepted his attack. "Who are you?"

"My name is Dam Soo-Cheon."

"The Lone Star of the Azure Sky?" Jo Wol muttered, his pupils wavering. How could he not know who Dam Soo-Cheon was?. Every young martial artist in the jianghu had heard of him.

"Are you going to interfere with my duel?"

"You are a member of the Silent Night, and we are in Heaven's Summit. Are any more words necessary?"

"I see. Yes, you're right."

Jo Wol's body stretched like malt candy as he lunged forward, raised his hand, and sent a wave of black qi flying toward Dam Soo-Cheon.

However, Dam Soo-Cheon didn't move, even when the black qi was right in front of his face.

The watching martial artists immediately cried out in alarm. "Watch out..."

ROAAAAR!

A powerful burst of light erupted from Dam Soo-Cheon's body, blinding almost everyone present.

Jin Mu-Won was one of the few who didn't even blink at Dam Soo-Cheon's flashy technique. Rather, he was observing the young man closely.

Dam Soo-Cheon's powerful light stripped away the black aura enveloping Jo Wol's body like armor, after which he pummeled Jo Wol's face and body with his massive fists.

Jo Wol's body bent and crumpled like a helpless doll. There was no time to scream. In the blink of an eye, most of his bones were shattered, and his face was caved in so badly that his features were no longer recognizable.

"Kkh!" A bizarre groan escaped his lips as he raised a trembling hand and pointed at Dam Soo-Cheon. "Grrrk!"

He tried to speak, but his mangled tongue wouldn't obey him. Only a hollow wind escaped from his damaged vocal cords.

What martial art is this?

His scream of despair only swirled inside his mouth.

Little did he know, Dam Soo-Cheon's Divine Flash was a martial art created one hundred and fifty years ago by a deranged martial artist to combat all the evil demons in the world. Moreover, for the past ten years, the Lone Star of the Azure Sky had devoted himself solely to perfecting the Divine Flash.

For Dam Soo-Cheon, the past ten years was a time of obsession with achieving ultimate perfection. He had set his sights on one goal and poured a decade into it. During that time, his technique grew sharper, and its weaknesses disappeared. Still, he wasn't satisfied.

He desired a Divine Flash that shone more intensely and possessed enough power to pierce the heavens. Despite his efforts, however, he realized that it was impossible to break through his limits with seclusion training alone. He had to fight for his life in fierce, real combat. The more real battles he fought, the stronger and more perfect the Divine Flash would become. For this reason, he ended his seclusion training.

"Kkeueueu! Oooh..."

Jo Wol flailed around as if to grab onto Dam Soo-Cheon, but his broken body refused to support him, and he crashed to the ground with a thud.

A suffocating silence fell over the arena. Those who had felt terror at Jo Wol's appearance now felt a thrill at Dam Soo-Cheon's arrival. The Lone Star of the Azure Sky had killed a terrifying enemy from the Silent Night in a single blow as he announced his return to the world.

Had anyone in the history of the jianghu ever made such a dramatic entrance? It was as shocking as a well-orchestrated opera.

The martial artists' gazes naturally turned to Jin Mu-Won. These two were the rising young martial masters making waves in the current jianghu.

There was Dam Soo-Cheon, who had carved out a legend of invincibility with the Hundred Duels Trial. And then there was the Northern Blade Jin Mu-Won, who was writing a new legend.

This encounter between the two men created such immense tension that everyone momentarily forgot about Silent Night.

Dam Soo-Cheon descended the stage. With each heavy step he took, his sheer intimidating presence overwhelmed the martial artists in his path, and they unthinkingly parted to make way for him.

Dam Soo-Cheon walked down the path laid out before him and approached Jin Mu-Won.

The two martial artists locked gazes, and Jin Mu-Won marveled at how much Dam Soo-Cheon' had improved. His aura was incomparable to that of ten years ago.

Finally, Dam Soo-Cheon stood before Jin Mu-Won. After a decade, the two men faced each other once again.

The powerless young boy had become the Northern Blade, an unparalleled swordmaster, while the young martial artist who had earned the great name Lone Star of the Azure Sky now exuded the aura of a fist god.

Dam Soo-Cheon greeted first, "Long time no see."

"It's been ten years."

"Has it really been that long already?" Dam Soo-Cheon smiled a smile as relaxed and strong as his intense aura.

"I heard you were in seclusion training. Have you achieved what you desired?"

"What do you think?"

"You look well, at least."

"Do I?" Dam Soo-Cheon's smile deepened. Only someone who recognized and believed in their own strength could possess such confidence. "You look well too, Master Jin. The first story I heard after coming out of seclusion training was about the Northern Blade, a young swordsman of the jianghu who appeared like a comet. The moment I first heard that title, I knew it had to be you, Master Jin. I instinctively knew that you'd finally drawn your sword against the world."

"......"

"Do you know what I want to do most at this moment?"

"What is it?"

"To test my skills against you, Master Jin."

"I feel the same."

"As I thought..."

Just as Dam Soo-Cheon's blood boiled, so did Jin Mu-Won's. Their very existences were a stimulus to one another.

"Let's meet separately soon, Master Jin."

"Anytime."

"I'll send someone along to inform you of the details."

"I'll be waiting."

The Northern Blade and the Lone Star of the Azure Sky agreed to a duel in front of a crowd of nearly ten thousand.

"Before that..." Dam Soo-Cheon turned around and scanned the martial artists of the Silent Night hiding among the spectators. Others might not have noticed, but to his eyes, they stuck out like a sore thumb. "I'll have to clean up this mess."