Chapter 71: The Preliminary Round
The preliminary matches began immediately after Moyong Cheonhwi declared the opening of the tournament.
There were nearly a thousand participants, so the event needed to move quickly.
Because of that, the Grand Training Ground had been divided into several sections, allowing multiple preliminary matches to take place at the same time.
Among the four of us, the first to compete was none other than Hyeongwon.
“Section One! Taoist Hyeongwon of the Kunlun Sect!”
The moment his name was called, murmurs spread through the audience.
“Oh! Kunlun disciples are participating this time.”
“I heard this is their first Dragon-Phoenix Awakening Tournament in twenty years!”
“I've never even seen a Kunlun disciple before.”
Compared to the other Nine Great Sects, Kunlun rarely involved itself in outside affairs.
Perhaps because of that, the mere fact that Kunlun had sent participants was enough to draw attention.
Hyeongwon climbed onto the platform with his spear strapped across his back.
The audience watched him with a mixture of anticipation and doubt.
Soon, his opponent stepped onto the opposite side.
“I am Do Yeontak of the Flying Swallow Sword Sect.”
The swordsman gave a martial salute.
The Flying Swallow Sword Sect.
It had built a respectable reputation in the martial world for its fast sword techniques.
For a first preliminary opponent...
he was fairly strong.
But Hyeongwon showed no sign of nervousness.
“Hyeongwon of Kunlun.”
He raised his spear and answered briefly.
Do Yeontak didn't seem offended by Hyeongwon's curt introduction.
If anything...
his face showed only the tension of having to face a martial artist from one of the Nine Great Sects.
“Begin!”
The instant the referee lowered his hand...
Do Yeontak's sword flashed from its sheath.
Clang!
At the same time, his body shot toward Hyeongwon.
In the blink of an eye...
he had already closed the distance.
His sword swept straight toward Hyeongwon's neck.
...Fast.
It truly lived up to the name of a swift sword.
This was the kind of critical moment where a single exchange could decide the entire match.
But...
there wasn't even the slightest tension on Hyeongwon's face.
He lightly moved the spear shaft in his hands.
CLANG!
The tip of Hyeongwon's spear pushed aside the sword point.
Do Yeontak's swift attack was neutralized instantly.
His posture broke.
An opening appeared.
It's over.
I nodded inwardly.
There was no way Hyeongwon would miss an opening like that.
With the next move...
Do Yeontak would be forced to his knees.
But my prediction was wrong.
...Hm?
Instead of counterattacking...
Hyeongwon actually stepped back slightly.
Do Yeontak quickly recovered his stance and attacked again.
Perhaps because he'd nearly been defeated in the previous exchange...
he now unleashed a chain of attacks with everything he had.
His swift sword rained down.
It looked as though three or four sword paths were attacking Hyeongwon simultaneously.
What is he doing?
Why is he deliberately giving him room?
With the Hyeongwon I knew...
he could've subdued Do Yeontak before the second chain of attacks even began.
To my eyes...
it looked as though he had intentionally created an opening.
Then...
“Azure Dragon Ascends to Heaven!”
Hyeongwon suddenly shouted loudly and swept his spear upward from below.
CLANG!
“Ghk!”
With a violent collision...
Do Yeontak's sword flew from his hand.
Then another booming shout followed.
“Blue-Flame Dragon Break!”
Hyeongwon thrust his spear violently toward the sky.
BANG!
The spear tip struck the sword still spinning through the air.
The impact sent it flying completely off the platform.
Do Yeontak, now disarmed, stared in disbelief before dropping to his knees.
The referee immediately raised a hand.
“Winner! Taoist Hyeongwon of the Kunlun Sect!”
Cheers erupted from the stands.
“Ooooh! Amazing!”
“Did you see that? He knocked the sword away with his spear!”
“What was the name of that move again? Azure Dragon Ascends to Heaven?”
Watching the cheering crowd...
I realized what he'd done.
That bastard did it on purpose.
He had deliberately allowed Do Yeontak to continue attacking...
just so he could create a flashy scene like that.
The moment the victory was declared...
Hyeongwon raised his spear high and shouted,
“Did you see that?!”
His voice echoed across the arena.
“I am the Blue-Flame Dragon Spear of Kunlun!”
Silence.
I clicked my tongue.
Why is he like this...?
You couldn't just force a title into existence like that.
And the title itself was so embarrassingly tacky—
“I-It was... pretty cool!”
A voice came from the stands.
“Y-Yeah! Blue-Flame Dragon Spear... kind of works!”
Then more people started reacting.
Hyeongwon immediately shouted again.
“Blue-Flame Dragon Spear!”
“The Blue-Flame Dragon Spear of Kunlun!”
And then...
“Blue-Flame Dragon Spear!”
“Blue-Flame Dragon Spear! Blue-Flame Dragon Spear!”
“Blue-Flame Dragon Spear! Blue-Flame Dragon Spear! Blue-Flame Dragon Spear!”
The audience actually began chanting along.
For a moment...
my mind went blank.
They're actually going along with that ridiculous title?
The world was truly wide.
And people were truly diverse.
A little later, Hyeongwon came down from the platform and looked at me.
“Did you see?”
He smirked.
“The fame of the Blue-Flame Dragon Spear.”
Then he walked past me.
For some reason...
goosebumps rose across my skin.
And another thought immediately followed.
Wait a second.
Doesn't that bastard use the Martial Discipline Spear Art?
Since when could he make up technique names however he wanted?
The moment we returned to Kunlun...
I firmly decided the first thing I would do was report this to Hall Master Hyeonyul of the Martial Discipline Office.
The moment Hyeongwon's little spectacle ended...
the next name was called.
“Yu Seola of the Kunlun Sect!”
Yu Seola calmly stepped onto the platform.
Her sword hand didn't shake.
Neither her eyes nor her breathing showed the slightest instability.
She simply waited for her opponent with a composed expression.
Soon, her opponent appeared.
He was a large man with a thick saber strapped across his back.
“I am Gwak Mancheol of the Black Tiger Hall.”
Black Tiger Hall.
A fairly well-known martial organization based in the Namwon region.
Gwak Mancheol looked at Yu Seola and let out a scoffing laugh.
“Heh.”
“A young woman like you came to such a dangerous place?”
Then he grinned.
“What will you do if that pretty face of yours gets scarred?”
He was probably trying to intimidate her.
Unfortunately for him...
he had chosen the wrong person.
Yu Seola immediately snorted.
“What kind of stupid bullshit are you spouting?”
