TL: FoodieMonster007

    Slowly, with focus, Cho Cheonsang meticulously sharpened his blade with a whetstone.

    His sword was always perfectly maintained, so there was no real need to hone the edge right now, but this was a ritual he always performed before an important match or a critical mission ever since childhood. Slowly sharpening his blade helped him clear his mind of distractions and focus entirely on himself.

    "Feeling nervous?" a slightly teasing voice asked.

    Cho Cheonsang paused and look up from his work. Yayul Hwang had pushed aside the tent flap and entered the waiting room.

    He rose from his seat and greeted the Murim Alliance Chairman politely, "Greetings, Chairman."

    "Did I interrupt your concentration?"

    "No, it''s just an old habit. I don''t really need to do it anymore."

    Cho Cheonsang appeared calm, but Yayul Hwang, who had observed him for years, could see right through him.

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    The young man''s eyes were burning brighter and hotter than ever. He had begun to sharpen his blade not out of necessity, but to cool the heat rising inside him.

    Yayul Hwang grinned. "I never knew you were such a competitive martial artist."

    "...I''m not being competitive for competition''s sake. I''m just curious about my opponent''s swordsmanship."

    "Your fighting spirit is a little too intense for just mere curiosity."

    "That''s..." Cho Cheonsang''s face reddened slightly. He hadn''t expected the Chairman to lay his true feelings bare.

    "Hahaha!" Yayul Hwang laughed heartily at the sight. Cho Cheonsang was one of the strongest swordsmen in the Murim Alliance, but perhaps because he was a disciple of the Nine Sects One Gang, he was more naive than most martial artists his age.

    "It would be weirder if it didn''t bother you. A random guy suddenly appears out of nowhere, gains fame on par with the Ten Supremes, and then demands a high-ranking position within the Murim Alliance. No matter how you think about it, it''s absurd."

    "......" Cho Cheonsang fell silent, speechless. Aren''t you the very person who acquiesced to that person''s demand!? he protested inwardly, but did not say it out loud.

    In the end, he replied hesitantly, "I don''t envy the Azure Dragon Hero''s fame, but... it''s true that I''m curious about his swordsmanship."

    Yayul Hwang nodded. Cho Cheonsang was the Mount Hua Sect Leader''s disciple, a genius who had been praised since childhood, and a top graduate of the Heavenly Martial Academy, where only the most talented martial artists gathered.

    He was, arguably, the most talented martial artist of his generation.

    He must have believed that no one his age could rival him. Then, one day, Baek Suryong appeared and quickly eclipsed him in fame.

    It was easy for Yayul Hwang to guess how Cho Cheonsang was feeling.

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    "Annoying, isn''t it?" he remarked.

    Cho Cheonsang blinked in surprise. "...Excuse me?"

    Yayul Hwang grinned. "You can''t stand having someone above you, can you? Especially if they''re your age. How dare others think they''re better than you? When you haven''t even crossed blades with them yet?" R?A??O??Εs?

    "I wouldn''t go that far..."

    "No need to deny it, it''s only natural that you think that way." Yayul Hwang, one of the absolute rulers of the murim, stared at Cho Cheonsang with piercing eyes. "You won''t be satisfied until you''re at the very top. This arrogance is what brought you to your current level and will continue to drive you forward. I understand, I was like that too.

    "......"

    Cho Cheonsang could afford to be humble because he was overwhelmingly strong, but at the root of that humility was an unwavering belief that he was the best. Now that that belief was being challenged, he couldn''t help but feel frustrated.

    "...That might be true," he finally relented.

    His fighting spirit surged uncontrollably. He had never experienced anything like this before, whether it was in the Mount Hua Sect or in the Heavenly Martial Academy. There had always been competition, fierce competition, but in the end, he was always the victor.

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    As such, he had never considered any of his peers as rivals. Instead, he set his sights higher, toward the Ten Supremes, the absolute masters of the murim.

    The Azure Dragon Hero earned a reputation rivaling the Ten Supremes far too easily. I won''t accept it. I refuse to accept it.

    Cho Cheonsang gazed at his sword. Whether the Azure Dragon Hero''s martial arts truly lived up to his fame, he would see it for himself.

    And if he proves unworthy... I will teach him a harsh lesson with this blade of mine.

    Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind, and he turned to Yayul Hwang. "I heard that people outside are betting on the outcome of the duel. Chairman, who would you bet on?"

    Yayul Hwang smirked. "I''m not sure. What I do know is that the Azure Dragon Hero is a cunning bastard who''s hiding both his wit and strength."

    His intuition as a seasoned master was tingling. Even now, Baek Suryong was still hiding much more than he had revealed.

    "That guy is going to try and defeat you without showing his full power," he added.

    "That''s impossible." Cho Cheonsang''s eyes blazed with quiet ferocity. "I''ll make sure he has no choice but to reveal everything."

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    "Interpret it however you like."

    Baek Suryong smirked coldly. "You people... are so fucking arrogant."

    Earlier, he had heard that the Vice Commander of the Heavenly Martial Corps had insulted his students, claiming that students from the Azure Dragon Academy were no better than street thugs. It seemed that Namgung Su had rebuked him, but stopped short of open conflict.

    And Namgung Su''s reason for tolerating an insult he usually wouldn''t ignore?

    "If a commotion breaks out and the duel is canceled, wouldn''t you lose your chance to crush the Heavenly Martial Commander in front of an audience?"

    Is it just me, or is that guy getting weirder by the day...

    Baek Suryong looked at Cho Cheonsang, who was standing in the starting stance of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.

    "You''re exactly the kind of person I hate the most," he remarked.

    "......"

    "You think of yourself as special, right? You''ve spent your whole life looking down on people weaker than you, and now, out of nowhere, some upstart appears, and it''s driving you crazy. You want to humiliate me in front of everyone, don''t you?"

    "Shut up."

    SHIING!

    Scoffing, Baek Suryong drew the Azure Dragon Sword in one swift motion. The Nine Sects One Gang might be revered like saints by the world, but to Baek Suryong, they were no different from any other orthodox sect.

    Cho Cheonsang''s expression hardened. The aura Baek Suryong currently emanated was overwhelming.

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    "This is what happens when you spoil kids too much," Baek Suryong chuckled.

    Cho Cheonsang gritted his teeth. "How conceited can you get? Do you really think you''re qualified to lecture me?"

    Instead of answering, Baek Suryong took a step forward.

    BOOM!

    In an instant, he closed the distance between them.

    For a moment, Cho Cheonsang was taken aback by Baek Suryong''s speed, but since he was already prepared, he could still follow his opponent''s movements.

    There! I can see it all!

    Cho Cheonsang unleashed the Twenty-Four Plum Blossoms Sword Technique. Red sword qi burst from his blade, spreading across the duel platform like scattered plum blossoms in the wind.

    "It''s the Plum Blossom Sword Technique!"

    The audience erupted with excitement at the breathtakingly beautiful sight that was Mount Hua''s signature technique.

    The swordsmanship of Mount Hua was renowned for its finesse and elegance. Each technique contained countless complex variations, yet the swiftness of the attacks ranked among the fastest in the world.

    RUSTLE RUSTLE RUSTLE!

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    Anyone who became entranced by the mesmerizing blossoms would soon find their throat pierced by the hidden sword within.

    I''ll slice his clothes to shreds! Cho Cheonsang thought as Baek Suryong''s figure disappeared beneath the swirling plum blossoms. He had no intention of killing the man, but humiliating him thoroughly in front of everyone was another matter.

    "The Twenty-Four Plum Blossoms Sword Technique, huh? It''s famous, which means it''s also been studied extensively. This must be Plum Blossom Flutter," Baek Suryong''s voice echoed clearly from within the storm of flower petals. "Using such a well-known technique without any modifications... Do you take me for an idiot? Or are you just an idiot yourself?"

    Cho Cheonsang''s eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "How...?"

    Every single petal was made of sword qi. How was Baek Suryong still unharmed inside that storm?

    WHOOSH!

    The plum blossoms scattered and vanished, revealing a completely unscathed Baek Suryong.

    "Judging by your shocked face, I guess you''re just an idiot," he sneered, bring the Azure Dragon Sword crashing down on Cho Cheonsang with the force of a thunderbolt.

    CLANG!

    Unable to withstand the overwhelming strike, Cho Cheonsang''s sword flew out of his hands, soaring into the air.

    The warriors of the Heavenly Martial Corps gaped as if they were seeing a ghost.

    Baek Suryong walked toward the stunned Heavenly Martial Commander. "Watch closely, Heavenly Martial Corps. I''m about to teach your Commander a lesson. Learn well, and decide how you''ll behave in front of me from now on. Unless you want to get your ass handed to you just like him."

    Translator''s Note: ONE HIT KO.