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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Young Dragon Ascension Tournament (2)
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Seok Il-do cautiously extended a hand toward the tent where the martial artists of Xichang, the hosts of the Young Dragon Ascension Tournament, were seated.
"Elder. We will escort you to the VIP seats. Please, come inside."
"Hmm. I find this spot more interesting than that one."
From the Poison Emperor's words, Seok Il-do realized he was interested in the shabbily dressed group.
Spotting the young martial artist in worn-out robes with his arms crossed, Seok Il-do recognized him at a glance.
"Oh my! Young Master Hwa of the Yeomhwa Family is here as well. My apologies. My eyes must have been dim."
It was only natural that with the Poison Emperor present, no other martial artist would have caught his eye.
"My face isn't some kind of signpost. Why is not recognizing it something to apologize for?"
A smile crept onto the Poison Emperor's lips at Mujin's remark.
He was reminded of the day he met Hwa Ju-tae, long ago, before the name 'Flame Emperor' had spread through Sichuan.
It was during a time of aimless wandering, when his entire world—everything he had known and believed—had collapsed because of an unbelievable martial artist from beyond the heavens, the Divine Demon.
Seeing Hwa Ju-tae walk his own path, not one laid out by others, allowed Dang Su-mun to rise again as a martial artist.
When they met again years later, after the name Flame Emperor resounded throughout Sichuan, the man still possessed the same spirited demeanor of his youth.
Though they had met only twice in their lives, to Dang Su-mun, the Flame Emperor was a friend with whom he shared a deep bond and a benefactor who had given him the inspiration to overcome a difficult time.
Decades later, here in Xichang, where he had first met the man, Dang Su-mun found it immensely enjoyable to see his grandson, who looked just like him.
"Th-Thank you for saying so. It seems your younger siblings are participating in this year's Young Dragon Ascension Tournament? Do you perhaps have any intention of participating in the Orthodox Grand Tournament?"
The Orthodox Grand Tournament.
Like the Young Dragon Ascension Tournament, it was a martial arts competition for the Orthodox Faction held once every five years. Preliminaries were held across the country, and the main tournament was a grand event held at Mount Song, known as the holy land of the Orthodox martial world.
It was an event that drew the attention of everyone, not just the common folk, but all martial artists of the Central Plains, regardless of whether they belonged to the Orthodox or Unorthodox Factions.
"Not interested."
Mujin's reply was curt.
He had absolutely no intention of participating in some talent show where green-as-grass martial artists showed off their skills in front of a crowd.
The only time Mujin drew his sword and used his martial arts was when he intended to harm his opponent.
He had not learned martial arts to show off to others.
His firm refusal left Seok Il-do at a loss for words.
He had been trying to strike up a conversation and somehow join their group, but just as things weren't going as planned, the dignitaries of the Xichang martial world, who had approached at some point, began to clasp their fists and greet the Poison Emperor.
"We greet the Elder Poison Emperor!"
The Poison Emperor didn't even glance at the martial artists saluting him.
He had humored Seok Il-do because the man at least recognized him and acknowledged his presence, but he had no intention of fraternizing with the others.
As the Poison Emperor lifted the nearly empty wine bottle to pour the last of it, the general manager of the Baek Clan fidgeted with an anxious look.
"Uh, E-Elder. If you were perhaps offended by the earlier misunderstanding…"
Manager Jang cautiously began, speaking from behind Seok Il-do.
The eyes of everyone in the arena focused on him.
Manager Jang's stomach was in knots now that he knew the clueless old man who had been clapping and laughing while listening to his squabble with the Yeomhwa Family's young master was the Poison Emperor.
However, the Poison Emperor ignored the Baek Clan's manager who had spoken to him as if he weren't there.
Seok Il-do quickly tried to change the mood and spoke to Mujin.
"Young Master Hwa. It seems you have a connection with the Elder?"
To his question, Mujin once again gave a one-word answer.
"Never met him."
"…I see. Then you must have been quite surprised? That an ordinary-looking man turned out to be the Poison Emperor…"
"Not really. I knew he was from the Tang Clan from the start. I just assumed he was one of their elders."
At Mujin's words, the surrounding martial artists stared at him in disbelief.
If the Poison Emperor hadn't been sitting right in front of Mujin, they would have accused him of bluffing and shamed him.
Moreover, their surprise was even greater because there were not many martial artists with the audacity to refer to the Tang *Clan* as the Tang *Family* right in front of the Poison Emperor.
Seok Il-do glanced briefly at the Poison Emperor and his granddaughter before speaking.
"Ah, you have a discerning eye."
"…More importantly, when do the matches begin?"
Seok Il-do replied to Mujin's question with a sour expression.
"They will begin as soon as the tournament bracket is drawn up. But, uh…"
Just as Seok Il-do was about to speak again, the Poison Emperor looked at his granddaughter and opened his mouth.
"Hye-a. It's getting noisy."
As soon as the Poison Emperor finished speaking, the woman sitting beside him stood up and clasped her fist toward the martial arts dignitaries of Xichang who had gathered around.
"Thank you for recognizing and seeking out our family's elder. However, my grandfather does not enjoy crowded and noisy atmospheres. We will attend to our business, so please attend to yours."
In short, she was telling them to stop bothering them and leave.
At her words, the gathered martial artists had no choice but to turn away in disappointment.
None of them were bold enough to linger after the Poison Emperor himself had made his wishes known.
Even Seok Il-do, looking as if he'd been hit by a frost, clasped his fist and retreated.
Once the crowd of dignitaries had returned to their original seats, the Poison Emperor spoke.
"How did you know I was from the Tang Clan?"
Mujin answered with an indifferent expression.
"The loose-fitting robes, the old man, and the young woman next to him all have calluses on their fingertips. That's how I knew."
"Do you think there are only one or two martial artists in the world with callused fingertips?"
The Poison Emperor's granddaughter nodded, looking at Mujin.
She was certain that Mujin, who was said to have suffered from madness until recently, was just bluffing.
"Among the many martial artists here, only those from the Tang Clan possess an aura as stinging as that woman's."
The Poison Emperor's eyes twitched at the phrase 'stinging aura.'
"You read Hye-a's aura?"
"Why are you surprised? Is reading an aura such a difficult thing? You're quite good at it yourself, old man."
For him, who had already reached a state of communion with the energy of heaven and earth in his past life, reading another person's aura was as easy as breathing.
Whether it was thanks to his Heavenly Martial Body or a lingering sense from his past life, Mujin's ki sense far surpassed that of martial artists of a similar level.
"Incredible. Hye-a is quite adept at concealing her aura."
"It seems she's not as good at concealing it as you are, old man. I can't feel a shred of aura from you."
An irrepressible smile spread across the Poison Emperor's face at Mujin's words.
Had there ever been another junior who acted with such spirit in his presence?
Even the young martial artists of the Four Demonic Heavens showed him respect and watched their words.
For a junior from the same Orthodox Faction to call him 'old man' and treat him this way was a first for the Poison Emperor.
And he didn't dislike it, as Mujin's demeanor reminded him of Hwa Ju-tae.
"Well, how many years have I endured being called the Poison Emperor? It wouldn't do to appear on the same level as my granddaughter, would it?"
"Perhaps. There may be a difference in level, but something feels different. A different sort of path. Well, it's not like I need to know about another family's secret arts."
!!!
The smile vanished from the Poison Emperor's face at Mujin's words.
He lifted his wrinkled, drooping eyelids and stared at Mujin.
Not only the Poison Emperor but also Dang So-hye, who had been thinking of the young martial artist as a pathetic bluffer, stared at Mujin with disbelief.
"Hah, I heard a rumor once. That a martial prodigy with a Heavenly Martial Body was born into the Yeomhwa Family, the Phoenix of Xichang. It was a rumor that died down not long after, but I never forgot it because it was Great Monk Hyegwang of the Shaolin Temple who said it."
At the mention of the Heavenly Martial Body, an undeniable pride surfaced in the eyes of Elder Jo and Manager Do, who had been holding their breath.
Mujin, on the other hand, furrowed his brow and nodded.
"That damn… Ahem! Well, I heard something like that happened when I was young, but I don't really know."
Mujin answered as reservedly as possible, looking at the two children, Dojin and Soyeon.
If he had his way, he would have let out a string of curses about the damn constitution that had severed his sect's martial lineage.
"…I see."
Mujin said he didn't know, but the Poison Emperor had already determined the truth of the rumor in his mind.
"From this moment, the Young Dragon Ascension Tournament will begin! Please look kindly upon the skills of these children who will one day be responsible for the future of the Orthodox Faction!"
As Seok Il-do stepped onto the stage, people looked toward the children who would be competing with expressions full of anticipation.
"First, Baek Sa-hyeon of the Baek Clan and Hwa Soyeon of the Yeomhwa Family! To the stage!"
At Seok Il-do's shout, Soyeon shot up from her seat.
"Young Lady! Just think of it as putting what you've learned into practice!"
Soyeon nodded at the words of Elder Jo, her instructor.
Just as Soyeon was about to head to the stage, Mujin spoke.
"Soyeon. Don't forget the training you did with your brother."
"Okay!"
Soyeon turned to Mujin and answered with a bright smile.
A child in a white uniform ascended the stage with a stern expression and disciplined steps, while Soyeon stepped onto the stage with a light gait.
Watching Soyeon face a child from the Baek Clan right from the start, Mujin sent a telepathic message to the elder and the manager.
—Is the Baek Clan on bad terms with us?
—There wasn't a major issue while Lord Flame Emperor was alive, but…
As Elder Jo trailed off, Manager Do continued the telepathic message.
—After the previous Family Head held his succession ceremony and took his seat, a few of the retainers who left the family took refuge with the Baek Clan. A good number of warriors followed them. Since then, the more our family's influence waned, the more hostility the Baek Clan showed us.
Manager Do's words caused the wrinkle on Mujin's brow to deepen.
—Damn it. They're the ones who poached our people, so why are they giving us shit?
—They were people who left due to disagreements with the previous Family Head. Besides, there was a lot of talk in the area when the Baek Clan took in our warriors and retainers. They're probably turning that into hostility towards us.
Mujin shook his head at Elder Jo's telepathic message.
—What a load of bullshit. The nerve of the one who made the mess to throw a fit.
The two old men nodded at Mujin's words.
They were now completely used to his rough language.
Having struggled to survive through harsh times, Manager Do and Elder Jo were unaware, but the Baek Clan's wariness toward the Yeomhwa Family was not simply due to the past.
It wasn't just the Baek Clan; all the sects based in Xichang were wary of the Yeomhwa Family.
The Yeomhwa Family's power, which had once shaken not only Xichang but all of Sichuan, had been truly formidable.
The sects of Xichang, which had been overshadowed by the Yeomhwa Family, had not forgotten those days.
Naturally, those who had benefited from the Yeomhwa Family's rapid decline were now on high alert with the recent rise of 'Madman' Hwa Mujin as the Hidden Dragon of Xichang.
They did not want a repeat of the Yeomhwa Family's rise, which had built up immense power in a single generation centered around one martial artist, the Flame Emperor.
But from Mujin's perspective, unaware of these facts, it was no different from the one who made the mess throwing a fit.
It was the day the Baek Clan's name was negatively etched into his mind.
As the match began, Soyeon and Baek Sa-hyeon took their stances and glared at each other.
"Hmm… Her fundamentals are good. Did you train her?"
Mujin shook his head at the Poison Emperor's question.
"I wasn't in my right mind, so I didn't have the chance. Elder Jo here built Soyeon's foundation."
Only then did the Poison Emperor turn his gaze to the two old men sitting beside Mujin.
Elder Jo, receiving the attention of a man who wouldn't even glance at someone he wasn't interested in, gave a slight bow.
"Good. Building a foundation with kicking techniques doesn't seem like a bad idea. Hye-a, what do you think?"
"I believe it is a standard choice. Women generally have less lower body strength than men. Therefore, I think it is good to start with kicking techniques that can develop their natural flexibility."
The Poison Emperor nodded and shifted his gaze back to the stage.
After circling each other for a moment as if sizing each other up, the two children rushed toward each other simultaneously.
*Thud!*
Baek Sa-hyeon kicked off the ground and leaped forward first.
He thrust the wooden sword he held with great force, trying to seize the initiative.
In a fight between martial artists, the first move is extremely important.
Among those of similar skill, who attacks first can often have a decisive impact on the outcome.
This was why masters often let their juniors have the first move.
It was a principle that applied not only to martial artists but also in brawls between ordinary people.
There was a reason for the saying, "He who strikes first wins."
"Hoh. Not bad. To think he's already using a move to pressure his opponent's space at that age."
As the Poison Emperor expressed his admiration, watching the boy leap and use his wooden sword to preemptively strike into Soyeon's potential attack space, Mujin spoke with a blunt expression.
"It'd be strange if a kid who learned martial arts couldn't even do that."
No sooner had Mujin finished speaking than Soyeon lightly twisted her body to the side and kicked her leg up.
*Thwack!*
Baek Sa-hyeon hastily withdrew his thrusting wooden sword to block Soyeon's foot.
However, he couldn't help but stumble as his landing became unstable.
From that point on, Soyeon rained down attacks, appropriately targeting her opponent's lower and upper body, forcing Baek Sa-hyeon onto the defensive.
"That's right! You have to be at least that good to be called skilled! Did you see that, Manager Do? Did you see, Elder Jo? The moment he thought he was at a disadvantage, he abandoned his attack route and disengaged! You have to be that good to be known as someone with the insight to properly assess aerial control."
As if he intended for the Poison Emperor to hear, Manager Do and Elder Jo glanced at the old man and laughed awkwardly.
The Poison Emperor also smiled as he watched Mujin, who seemed thrilled to be bragging about his younger sister.
The man whose words and actions seemed to fear nothing in the world now showed a vulnerable side while watching his young sister, which seemed human.
The Poison Emperor played along with Mujin.
"Indeed! My eyes were dim. It seems she has an innate sense for creating room to maneuver. That is no ordinary footwork! Her martial talent seems anything but ordinary."
Mujin nodded at the Poison Emperor's words.
"Now that I see it, your insight is as good as your skill. I suppose that's why you have 'Emperor' in your title. Look at that! Her hips are so flexible, her legs move like a whip, don't they?"
"Hoh. To be pushed back by an unarmed opponent while holding a sword, it's already no different from a real whip. The flexibility of her joints is incomparable to her peers. Do you train her joints separately?"
"Not at all! Things like that are all innate."
As Soyeon, who had been relentlessly pushing Baek Sa-hyeon, seemed to tire slightly and failed to follow up as he retreated, Mujin and the Poison Emperor fell silent.
The two men made no mention of Soyeon's shortcomings.
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