“A realm humans can’t touch?”What realm was that?He was curious.As far as Gwangpung Shinga knew, Yeon Cheon Baek’s realm was the Mythic Realm.In truth, even that had already left human limits far behind.But Yeon Woo Jin’s tone didn’t sound like he meant it that way.It meant the realm had gone higher still than what they already knew.The fact that Yeon Woo Jin was worried for the Northern Sea Ice Palace proved it.He wasn’t worried for Yeon Cheon Baek possibly fighting the Northern Sea Ice Palace; he was worried for the Northern Sea Ice Palace—a single power second only to the Martial Deity Heaven under one roof.That they might be wiped out.Which meant Yeon Cheon Baek was that strong.Gwangpung Shinga wanted to see that strength with his own eyes.He thought:Given Yeon Cheon Baek’s temperament, there will surely be friction with the Northern Sea Ice Palace.Then I’ll be able to see it—The divine prestige of Yeon Cheon Baek.Gwangpung Shinga found himself looking forward to that day. ****The day the main event of the Divine Dragon Tournament opened.Crowds thronged the arena where the matches would be held.There wasn’t room to set a foot; every gaze was fixed on the late-generation disciples who stepped up onto the stage.Under the burning eyes of the spectators, the matches began.They went as people had expected.Hadn’t everyone already gauged the measure of strength in the preliminaries?Among the crowds, some even gambled on the outcomes.The lowest payout was for the most powerful title favorite—the Plum-Blossom Invincible Sword of Mount Hua.He was a martial talent who ranked among the top three ever produced by Mount Hua.No surprises.The Plum-Blossom Invincible Sword subdued every opponent in a single exchange and climbed straight up the bracket.The late-generation disciples of the other eminent sects likewise surged upward in that fashion.Everyone knew how it would go, yet they still cheered and enjoyed it.Then, at last, the ones people had been waiting for appeared.“They’re finally out.”“Have you heard of a place called Shincheon—Shincheon Manor?”“No, first I’ve heard of it in my life.”“I’ve heard of it.”When someone said he’d heard of Shincheon Manor, every head turned his way.“What is it? Where is it?”“In Anhui, where the Namgoong Clan is. They run the Shincheon Escort Bureau.”“The Shincheon Escort Bureau! I’ve heard of that. Isn’t that the escort bureau hired by the Namgoong Clan?”“There’s a rumor Shincheon Manor itself belongs to the Namgoong Clan. Another says it was set up separately to raise talented people outside the direct line.”“Then that kid is one of those talented ones?”“Exactly. Children the Namgoong Clan raises in secret, so the rumor goes.”“How does that make sense? What would the Namgoong Clan be lacking that they’d raise children in secret?”“Who knows. Maybe to stand against the Martial Deity Heaven. And it isn’t only the Namgoong Clan—other sects hush up the same sort of thing.”“Is that so?”People got swept up in the storyteller’s words,half-baked falsehoods about Shincheon Manor.“Begin!”Just as they turned their heads at the call to start—Smack—Thud—“Stop! Jang Woon of Shincheon—victory!”All they saw was Jang Woon’s arm held high.They hadn’t seen how he attacked at all.They’d expected as much, given his power in the prelims, but they hadn’t thought he’d end it without giving them time even to turn their heads.They had to make do with hearing from those beside them who had caught glimpses of Jang Woon’s movement and imagining the rest.“Wow! Incredible.”“Did you see it? I didn’t even see him move.”“Exactly. I blinked and the match was over.”“How is movement like that even possible?”Everyone marveled at Jang Woon’s motion.Those who’d missed it because they’d been listening to the storyteller beat the floor in regret.Then a voice consoled them:“Seon Woo Baek of Shincheon! Kim Cheon of the Ten Thousand Flowers Gate!”Shincheon again.Eyes widened to miss nothing this time, people stared without blinking.“Begin!”At the very start, Seon Woo Baek’s body left an afterimage and vanished—Rip—“Gah!”Thud—His opponent collapsed, foaming at the mouth.The referee rushed in and stopped the match.“Stop! Seon Woo Baek of Shincheon—victory!”In the span of a true instant, another match was done.The shock delivered by Shincheon’s two entrants was immense.The Divine Dragon Tournament had been a feast for the Nine Schools and One Gang, the Five Great Clans, and the Twelve Celestial Halls of the heretical side—but this year, something was different.There was a sense that the ones from Shincheon would do something.Would a champion emerge for the first time from a sect that wasn’t an eminent name?“This year’s Divine Dragon Tournament is truly entertaining.”“Indeed. Hm? Aren’t those the ones who distinguished themselves in the prelims as well?”“Yes. Their sect names were new to me too.”“A new wind is blowing across the Central Plains. Talents are rising from every quarter.”“So it seems.”“Even so, from what I see, they still don’t reach Shincheon’s level.”“By all accounts, the two to watch this tournament are those two fielded by Shincheon.”Jang Woon and Seon Woo Baek grew ever more famous on everyone’s lips. ****The heads of the Nine Schools and One Gang, the Five Great Clans, and the Twelve Celestial Halls sat in the VIP seats and watched the Divine Dragon Tournament.They too had watched Jang Woon and Seon Woo Baek of Shincheon with their own eyes—More clearly, in fact, than ordinary spectators.“Incredible. Where did such monsters come from?”“That place called Shincheon is suspicious. To produce two monsters like that—there’s something there.”As some began to regard Shincheon with suspicion, Namgoong Cheon, Head of the Namgoong Clan, spoke.“Shincheon is not some shady place. It maintains close ties with our Namgoong Clan. Please refrain from groundless conjecture.”“Close ties with the Namgoong Clan? Then tell us—what kind of place is it?”“It hasn’t been around long, but every martial man there is strong and valorous. Have you heard of the Shincheon Escort Bureau?”“Ah! I have.”“That escort bureau belongs to Shincheon.”“Is that not suspicious? A place that sprung up overnight, packed with strong, valorous fighters?”“He’s right. Did you truly look into it properly?”“We did.”“I find it hard to believe. You aren’t plotting something behind our backs with them, are you?”At the Gongdong Sect Head’s words, Namgoong Cheon bristled.“What are you implying? Our Namgoong Clan vouches for Shincheon!”“Vouching so carelessly could land you in serious trouble.”At the Gongdong Head’s remark, Yeo Hwarin spoke from where she had been listening quietly.“Our Sword Pavilion vouches as well.”The Sword Pavilion vouches?“Our Pang Clan vouches. Do not doubt them.”“The Hwangbo Clan says the same. Do not doubt Shincheon!”“The Zhuge Clan vouches!”“The Wudang Sect vouches.”“The Beggars’ Sect vouches for Shincheon as well. You know our Beggars’ Sect’s information network. If even we vouch, it’s solid.”“To suspect Shincheon—were it anyone else, they’d be made to swallow a handful of poison.”Even the Tang Clan showed their displeasure.Then the Qingcheng Sect, the Emei Sect, and the Kunlun Sect all stepped up to vouch, and the heads of Mount Hua, the Gongdong Sect, the Zhongnan Sect, and Shaolin could only be astonished.Barring four, nearly every orthodox pillar had stepped forward to vouch.“What in the world… what is this Shincheon that you all leap up so hotly to defend?”“The future of the martial world.”“What?”“Know that much and leave it. My tongue itches to say more, but I’m restraining myself.”They all wanted to reveal Yeon Woo Jin’s identity, but they forced themselves to hold back.Everyone else only blinked at words they couldn’t make heads or tails of.What on earth is this?Have they all gone mad together?Or are they playing some group prank?No—their faces were all too serious for that.The Head of Mount Hua set his face again and spoke.“Even so, this will not do! How does one sect field two entrants?”“Two from a single sect are permitted. Do you not know so basic a rule when hosting the tournament?”Was there such a rule?He hadn’t read the charter closely.“Had I known, we would have fielded two from Mount Hua as well!”“No—you wouldn’t have, even if you knew. Because if you sent out two and both were knocked out early, it would shame the sect.”“That is why other sects err on the side of utmost caution and send only their single best.”“Mount Hua also exercised utmost caution to select one, did it not?”At their words, the Head of Mount Hua flared up.“What’s to be cautious about! There’s no one who doesn’t know An Ho, the Plum-Blossom Invincible Sword!”“Exactly. If you sent out someone other than that child, the attention on him would be divided.”“Th-that is true.”“Hence sending one. The entrant here is the face of the sect.”It was all true; there was nothing to say.“Our Wudang, too, considered sending two, but in the end we sent only one.”“The one called the Lone Sword of Wudang—Myeong Gong, that child?”“No. We sent another. We’ll have Myeong Gong focus further on cultivation.”“You sent someone else?”“Yes. In any case, the fact that Shincheon fielded two and both advanced is not strange.”“All right, all right—enough chatter. Let’s focus on the Divine Dragon Tournament for now.”“You aren’t curious about those children?”“I am. But when the event ends, we’ll naturally find out.”“Naturally?”“Yes. When all is concluded, I’ll introduce you to the Lord of Shincheon.”What sort of figure was he, that everyone here would leap to defend him like this?They were curious.They wanted to meet him at once, but they held themselves in check.“Very well. I’m truly curious—what kind of person he is.”“You’ll know when you see him—the charm of that one.”That one?This was not how one spoke of the head of a mere manor. It was like a loyal minister speaking of his lord.Not that they could ask so bluntly.That would be to openly insult the other side.“Understood.”They were mad with curiosity, but all they could do was wait—For the moment they would meet the Lord of Shincheon. ****The Divine Dragon Tournament had already entered its middle phase, and the ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) round of thirty-two was set.Twenty-seven of those slots, as expected, were taken by the late-generation disciples of the Nine Schools and One Gang, the Five Great Clans, and the Twelve Celestial Halls of the heretical side.The remaining five—Jang Woon and Seon Woo Baek of Shincheon, and the late-generation disciples of the Golden Flower Gate, the Dao Immortal Gate, and the One Flower Gate filled those places.They were the very ones who had made their mark unmistakably in the prelims.Especially, the two who drew every eye at a glance:Jang Woon and Seon Woo Baek.Jang Woon’s first opponent was a Kunlun Sect late-generation disciple, the Cloud-Dragon Divine Sword, Yun Hwa.He knew Jang Woon well.A man raised by the lord, Yeon Woo Jin.With a tense face, Yun Hwa swallowed and saluted Jang Woon with a fist-and-palm.“I’ve heard much about you, Young Hero Jang. Please grant me your instruction.”“Thank you. I likewise ask for your guidance.”When the two finished their courtesies, the referee glanced between them and thrust his hand up.“Begin!”At his cry, the two rushed toward each other at the same time.Clang—Whoom—At the very instant of their clash, the backlash of it rolled out into the stands.Cries rose from the seats struck by the wave of qi.“Oh!”“He’s not outmatched at all against the Cloud-Dragon Divine Sword.”“Exactly. Where in the world did such a talent spring from?”The audience watched with faces full of interest.“As expected—you aren’t easy.”“Indeed—the strength of an eminent sect is formidable.”Grinning, they pressed forearms that had just collided.They sprang apart, and the Cloud-Dragon Divine Sword drew his blade.Shing—The blue blade flashed, kicking back the sunlight.Drawing steel against bare hands was not cowardice.Each fought with the art he commanded best; there was nothing for it but to meet with what one did best.As Yun Hwa drew his sword, Jang Woon tightened his shoe bindings.

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