“Wonyang.”
“...Yes, my lord.”
“What did you feel?”
“I felt a wall.”
“Is it a wall you can break, or a wall you must wait to crumble?”
Namgung Wonyang’s eyes gleamed.
“...It is a wall I can break.”
Unhwi smiled.
“Then that is enough. Step back.”
Namgung Ho, who had watched this brief exchange, let out a hollow laugh.
He wondered if they were insane. And then—
“When family is meeting family, is it really acceptable for an outsider to interfere in such a private matter?”
“And why would it not be?”
Namgung Ho’s eyes widened slightly at Unhwi’s answer.
“Now that I look at it, you’re rather different depending on whether it’s voice transmission or face-to-face conversation. Your tone is completely different.”
“Would you prefer I match it for you?”
“Hm... matching it would be a little much. Just continue as you were.”
“That was my intention. And.”
A strange smile spread across Unhwi’s face.
“I never imagined the commander of the Blood Spirit Regiment would stoop lower than a common street thug.”
“...What?”
“In the martial world, they say the difference in realms is absolute. I do not deny that assertion. Though I do think the word absolute is somewhat vague.”
“And?”
“And yet there are situations where the word absolute truly applies.”
“And what situation would that be?”
“A situation like this.”
“......”
“A Harmony realm master oppressing a martial artist who has merely reached the Five Energies Returning to Origin realm.”
“......”
“The reputation of the Blood Spirit Regiment is going to hit the ground.”
Namgung Ho snorted and waved his hand as though amused.
“Don’t say ridiculous things. This has nothing to do with the spirit of the Blood Spirit Regiment. As I already told you, this is simply family meeting family—”
“So then, is that truly family?”
“......”
“I suspect this is the precise situation where one says someone has skin thicker than a city wall. Even before being the Blood Heaven Arbiter, it is unpleasant enough that I find it difficult to watch as a human being. Killing your younger brother. Killing your brother’s wife. And now toying with the one niece you have left... even I feel ashamed.”
At that point, Namgung Ho realized it.
This bastard.
Judging by the way he spoke and the way this situation had unfolded, he had been deliberately provoking one thing the entire time.
“You are more skilled at speaking in circles than I expected.”
“I nearly became disappointed after sending voice transmissions repeatedly and watching you fail to understand.”
Radiance began flowing from Unhwi’s body.
“Unexpected. I assumed you possessed at least that much intelligence.”
The moment those words ended, both moved almost simultaneously.
Unhwi’s fist shot forward.
Namgung Ho’s fist shot forward as well.
KWA-A-A-ANG—!!
The two fists collided head-on.
A shockwave exploded outward in every direction, and the surrounding trees shook violently.
Unhwi was pushed backward.
Five zhang.
His feet scraped across the earth before he stopped himself. His hand throbbed numbly.
The difference in realms.
Harmony realm and Unity of Heaven and Man.
The two-stage gap was contained within that single exchange.
Namgung Ho sneered.
“So this is the strength of the Blood Heaven Arbiter? Disappointing.”
Unhwi did not answer.
He simply clenched his fist again.
Void-Origin Energy spread through his entire body.
He felt the flow of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
Namgung Ho’s energy became visible.
Harmony realm.
A realm where fist and formation became one.
Every punch became a formation, and that formation seized control over space itself.
But—
I can see it.
He had once reached the Harmony realm in his previous life.
He knew what that realm was.
He knew how it moved.
Within Namgung Ho’s energy, he could see the faintest flow.
The point where energy gathered in the instant before an attack.
And the gap where it destabilized for a fleeting moment immediately after concentration ended.
There was no perfect martial artist in this world.
Namgung Ho launched himself forward again.
Fast.
Fists rained down continuously.
Five times.
Ten times.
Fifteen times.
Unhwi evaded them.
He did not block.
If he blocked, he would be driven back.
So he evaded.
His body twisted.
He lowered his head.
He rolled to the side.
Namgung Ho’s fists smashed into the places where Unhwi had stood moments before, caving the earth inward.
After failing to land a clean strike even once, Namgung Ho frowned.
At the same time, doubt began rising within him.
How is this bastard dodging all of these attacks?
He can actually see them?
Was the rumor true?
The rumor that he had crossed hands with Great Elder Yeongunseong and inflicted a near-fatal wound?
Namgung Ho ground his teeth.
He did not want to admit it.
A brat like this?
Impossible.
Fists poured down again.
This time even faster.
Afterimages lingered behind every strike as they flooded toward Unhwi.
Twenty strikes.
Thirty strikes.
Unhwi continued dodging.
But even while evading, he was observing.
Namgung Ho’s movements.
The flow of his energy.
It was the same as with Yeongunseong.
And eventually—
He found it.
After the thirty-fifth punch, the energy around Namgung Ho’s right shoulder destabilized ever so slightly.
An instant.
But a definite opening.
Unlike with Yeongunseong, he had no intention of waiting again.
This opening he had just seen—
This was enough.
Unhwi moved.
In a single instant, his evasive motion transformed into an attack.
He clenched his fist.
Void-Origin Energy concentrated into it.
The Wild Blood Meridians reacted.
Immense power surged through the thickened blood vessels.
Even the power of the True Chapter of the Primordial Innate Mind Art fused into it.
His fist glowed white.
The radiance intensified sharply.
As the fist shot toward him, Namgung Ho’s eyes widened.
Wh... what is this?
He hurriedly raised his arm to block.
Too late.
Unhwi’s fist was faster.
It slammed into Namgung Ho’s right shoulder.
KWA-A-A-ANG—!!
Namgung Ho’s body was forced backward.
Five zhang.
Only then did he stop.
He touched his shoulder.
Pain.
It felt as though the bone had cracked.
Blood flowed.
His clothes tore apart, and flesh split open.
“...This.”
He could not believe it.
A fist from someone in the Unity of Heaven and Man realm had pushed him back?
Injured him?
A body in the Harmony realm?
Unhwi did not stop.
He rushed forward again.
Punches exploded out continuously.
Namgung Ho hastily blocked.
KWAANG! KWAANG! KWAANG!
The impacts surged through his arms.
Heavy.
Unhwi’s fists were far heavier than expected.
And at the same time, Namgung Ho realized something.
This was not martial arts.
These were simply fists.
Violence.
As though fighting in the street.
It was a direct denial of everything Namgung Ho had expected from a battle between martial artists.
Killing intent flashed through his eyes.
As though by prior agreement—
Namgung Ho drew his sword.
Unhwi drew his as well.
Both swung toward one another.
Their swords collided.
KKWA-A-A-A-ANG—!!
A monstrous explosion erupted outward as fragments of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth burst apart.
Between those violent currents, the eyes of the two men met.
Each was aiming for the other’s life.
Unhwi’s sword thrust forward.
Namgung Ho’s sword thrust forward as well.
The blades brushed past each other—
Then sliced across each other’s shoulders.
Both men spun.
Unhwi widened the distance.
Namgung Ho narrowed it.
This was now a battle between swordsmen.
Martial skill mattered, but the difference in the swords they wielded could not be ignored.
Reach.
That was important.
Unhwi brought his sword crashing downward.
Namgung Ho twisted his body sideways.
The True Fire Heavenly Spirit Sword slammed into the ground and devastated the surrounding earth.
Fragments exploded upward.
Through those fragments, Namgung Ho’s sword descended.
Unhwi retrieved his blade and raised it upward.
KKWA-A-A-ANG—!!
Namgung Ho’s strength was tremendous as well.
Both of Unhwi’s legs sank into the ground.
Unhwi immediately tore them free and unleashed a kicking technique toward the earth.
Namgung Ho stepped backward and evaded.
Within that brief instant, Unhwi’s sword flew toward him.
Instinctively, Namgung Ho leaned his head backward.
Then he realized—
It was not enough.
He twisted sideways as well.
Slash—!
Unhwi’s blade grazed the side of his face.
The same spot Namgung Wonyang had cut earlier.
This time, blood flowed.
Namgung Ho tightened his grip on his sword and swung.
Slash.
Unhwi’s collar split apart.
He sensed it.
Unhwi was about to widen the distance again.
He had moved the same way earlier.
Then the answer was simple.
Close the gap.
Just as Namgung Ho prepared to launch himself forward, he faltered.
Unhwi had not widened the distance.
He had narrowed it instead.
Even for a Harmony realm master, dealing with something so irrational was not easy.
Especially against an opponent who was anything but ordinary.
At moments like this, creating distance was the correct decision.
Just as Namgung Ho tried to spring backward—
Unhwi’s foot smashed into his shin.
He had not expected it.
His balance broke apart.
And toward his face—
A sword descended.
He could not evade.
He would die.
No.
No.
He dragged up every ounce of energy within himself.
His right foot remained planted on the earth.
His balance had broken, but it was manageable.
This much—
Would be enough.
He crushed the ground beneath him.
KWA-A-A-ANG—!!
With a thunderous explosion, the earth collapsed deeply inward.
His body burrowed downward.
It was slower than Unhwi’s descending sword, but it bought him time.
This was enough.
He pushed off the ground with his left arm.
His body slid violently sideways.
His entire body became coated in dirt, but Unhwi’s sword stabbed into the earth beside his face.
And in that brief instant—
Unhwi’s hand shot forward and seized Namgung Ho by the throat.
Reflexively, Namgung Ho also reached out and grabbed Unhwi by the neck.
That was the end of it.
Unhwi’s eyes.
Those cold eyes without even the slightest trace of wavering.
The moment Namgung Ho met them, he realized—
This bastard was serious.
He swallowed hard.
Neither man moved even slightly.
Only Unhwi spoke.
“You are truly fortunate.”
“......”
“More importantly, I trust this has become an excellent lesson.”
“......”
“If you touch my people, no matter what the reason may be, you must always wager your life. Do you understand?”
There was no answer.
“I will assume I have received one.”
The first to release his grip was Unhwi.
But when he saw that Namgung Ho still clutched his neck, Unhwi simply slapped the hand away.
“Expensive clothing, you know.”
“...You... insane...”
He ignored him.
Slowly rising to his feet, Unhwi turned toward the bald man leaning calmly against an undamaged tree nearby and offered a fist salute.
“So it was you, Great Elder.”
“...Hah...”
Yeongunseong let out a short sigh of astonishment, waved his hand lightly, then shouted toward Namgung Ho, who still lay sprawled across the ground.
“The commander of the great Blood Spirit Regiment treating the dirt like his own home—what kind of sight is that!”
Namgung Ho slowly rose to his feet.
He looked utterly dazed.
“Return to the Blood Spirit Regiment. As for you—come see me.”
Unhwi looked at Yeongunseong for a moment before nodding.
Then he gestured for Namgung Wonyang to come over.
She approached.
And he asked her:
“How was it?”
“...It was incredible, my lord.”
“Not that. Can you reach it?”
Looking at Namgung Ho’s retreating figure as he walked away in the opposite direction, Namgung Wonyang slowly shook her head.
Truthfully, she could say she could reach it.
But realistically, whether that was possible was uncertain.
That battle had belonged to an entirely different dimension from anything she could currently challenge.
“Then continue your training a little longer.”
“...Yes.”
“You did well.”
Wonyang lifted her head.
“The spirit that refuses to retreat—that is what will complete your revenge, and what will turn you into a true martial artist.”
“...My lord...”
“Get some rest.”
“...Yes.”
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