Episode 137

The most famous martial arts of the Jegal Noble Clan were of two kinds.

The sword technique called Divine Secret Hundred Schools Sword.

And the White Feather Fan Technique, which involved using a white fan.

The martial arts of the Jegal Clan, fighting while stepping through intricate footwork, were indeed strong enough to be called the best in Jianghu.

Of course, in terms of sword techniques, it was not particularly more remarkable compared to other swordsmanship clans.

However, the White Feather Fan Technique mastered by Jegal Seon was different.

The fan was not an ordinary weapon but belonged to the category of peculiar weapons.

Who would have fought against someone using a fan as a weapon?

Unless one were a martial artist with considerable experience, they would be caught off guard by the fan, its blades sharp and hidden within.

The fluttering, seemingly soft feathers were deceptive.

When internal energy was infused, the blades forming the frame of the fan became rigid, slicing through blood vessels.

However, Jegal Seon was not holding a fan.

“Do you intend to fight barehanded?” asked Yi-gang, with his hand on the meteorite sword.

Jegal Seon was smiling broadly.

“Have you heard of the hand technique named Minor Celestial Star Hand?”

Minor Celestial Star Hand was a hand technique of the Jegal Noble Clan.

It could be described as a bare-handed combat technique that included both fist and foot techniques.

“I have heard of it.”

“The Jegal Clan is not only skilled in swordsmanship but also in hand-to-hand combat. That is what I would like to compete in.”

A small gasp of surprise rose from the audience that Jegal Seon had personally gathered.

Yi-gang frowned.

“You are doing something unexpected.”

“Haha, do not worry. Young Master Baek, you may wield your sword. After all, the Baek Noble Clan is a swordsmanship clan.”

There indeed existed a martial art called Minor Celestial Star Hand, but it was never the mainstay of the Jegal Clan. This was evident from the bewildered expressions of the onlookers.

To fight a sword bare-handed, even if one did not know Yi-gang’s sword was the meteorite sword, was reckless.

Then, was Jegal Seon underestimating Yi-gang?

“Typical of the Jegal Clan.”

“I wonder how Henan’s Sage will act?”

Such murmurs were heard.

There was no way Jegal Seon would completely disregard Yi-gang. He must have felt something extraordinary when they exchanged internal energy through teacups.

His actions surely had some ulterior motive.

「What a cute move.」

‘Indeed.’

「Why not just draw your sword and turn his fingers into twenty?」

How would one go about turning fingers into twenty?

However, Yi-gang decided to give up on resolving that curiosity.

“Then I shall join in as well.”

“You really can use your sword. Haha.”

He unfastened the meteorite sword and handed it to Ha-jun.

One could not wield the meteorite sword against someone who had forsaken the white feather fan and chosen to fight unarmed.

「That’s annoying!」

‘Can’t be helped.’

Yi-gang was not alone. Winning in such a manner would only hurt the pride of both the Azure Forest and the Baek Noble Clan.

Especially if he were to lose.

The ulterior motives of Jegal Seon were also recognized by Peng Mu-ah and Yu Su-rin.

“How petty!”

“I don’t like it.”

If Jegal Seon won, it elevated the name of the Jegal Clan. Even if he loses, since they did not show their true abilities, there’s less burden.

Jegal Seon thought it was a perfect strategy.

To him, Baek Yi-gang was merely the first prey.

“Right now…”

The smiling expression on Jegal Seon’s face suddenly stiffened.

“…What are you doing right now?”

“Pardon?”

Yi-gang, after handing over his sword, had brought a bronze cauldron.

He firmly gripped the handle and even swung it around.

“I’m not confident in hand-to-hand combat. So, I’ll just use this to fight.”

“Are you joking?”

“No joke.”

As Yi-gang received the Three Ghosts Bronze Cauldron from Dam Hyun and swung it around like a weapon, laughter erupted from the audience.

“Haha!”

“Is he joking right now? Hahaha.”

“Handle the cauldron with care, Yi-gang!”

The last comment was a word of caution from Dam Hyun.

People were not mocking Yi-gang.

It seemed they were merely enjoying the spectacle, finding it amusing.

Some appeared worried, thinking Yi-gang was being reckless.

“Why is he doing that!” Peng Mu-ah exclaimed.

Yu Su-rin, standing beside her, shouted simultaneously.

“No…!”

“Shouldn’t Miss Su-rin try to stop him?”

“Stop him? Should I really do that?”

“Jegal Seon is not someone to be taken lightly.”

“Huh? More than that. Wouldn’t hitting someone with a cauldron escalate the situation?”

“Pardon?”

Their reasons for shouting seemed quite different.

Peng Mu-ah thought Yi-gang was acting rashly, while Yu Su-rin believed Yi-gang was finally causing trouble.

Son Hee-il and Jun Myung, standing nearby, rubbed their napes with a bitter expression.

Yi-gang holding the cauldron reminded them of an unpleasant past.

“It’s hard to fight with a cauldron, which is not even a proper weapon and something he’s never used before.”

“Senior Yi-gang will be fine. It’s not his first time handling a cauldron, after all…”

Yu Su-rin did not have a worried expression about Yi-gang at all.

Upon hearing that it wasn’t Yi-gang’s first time handling a cauldron, Peng Mu-ah widened her eyes in surprise.

“There was a time when the three of us, including me, fought against Senior Yi-gang. I had hidden his sword in advance.”

For several years now, Yi-gang had been able to fight against Yu Su-rin, Son Hee-il, and Jun Myung all at once.

At the point where the three of them couldn’t do anything against Yi-gang even when attacking simultaneously, they devised a plan and hid his sword.

Expecting him to panic, they attacked all at once, but Yi-gang picked up a cauldron.

“I thought we had finally won that time. I didn’t know someone could use a cauldron so skillfully.”

“But how can a swordsman… use a cauldron? It must be heavy.”

“It’s true. I heard later that Senior Yi-gang’s sword was as heavy as a cauldron.”

“Really?”

“He picked up the cauldron and swung it effortlessly. Whoosh, he went.”

Jun Myung and Son Hee-il got hit so hard that day that the iron cauldron dented.

Ding—!

They were startled. A similar sound rang out from the stage, reminiscent of that day.

The bronze composing the Three Ghosts Bronze Cauldron was the same material used in temple bells.

The sound it made was similar to a temple bell ringing.

Ding—!

Jegal Seon was flustered, looking at his own fist, which was swollen red.

The cauldron was a peculiar weapon even among peculiar weapons. How many martial artists had ever faced a cauldron in combat?

Yi-gang, while swinging the cauldron, sometimes grabbed it with both hands and used it like a shield against Jegal Seon.

Minor Celestial Star Hand was more suited for foot techniques than fist techniques.

At this rate, Jegal Seon’s hands would break before the cauldron.

He gritted his teeth, searching for an opening.

Seizing the moment, he struck like lightning towards Yi-gang’s exposed left shoulder.

“Hup!”

Who could underestimate the hand-to-hand combat skills of the Jegal Clan?

Yi-gang tried to block with the cauldron, but his reaction seemed a bit slow this time.

Jegal Seon’s hand thrust in sharply.

But then, he was struck with horror.

“What!”

It wasn’t that he had penetrated the cauldron’s defense.

His fingers had merely passed through the ring-shaped handle.

Four fingers, excluding the thumb, were caught in the ring of the handle.

Jegal Seon’s bewildered eyes met Yi-gang’s cold gaze.

He tried to pull his hand out in fright, but it was already too late.

Yi-gang swiftly rotated the cauldron.

Jegal Seon’s hand and body were dragged along by the force.

Crack- crack—

Jegal Seon spun wildly in the air.

With the sound of fingers snapping, his face contorted in agony.

“Aaagh!”

His right hand’s fingers were bent in a strange direction.

Jegal Seon tried to rise, enduring the pain.

But what flew towards his face was the interior of the dark blue cauldron.

Yi-gang had shoved Jegal Seon’s head into the cauldron.

The audience, who had been laughing and enjoying themselves, fell silent.

“Oh, ooh…!”

There were murmurs of confusion.

No one had expected Yi-gang to subdue Jegal Seon so easily, especially with a bronze cauldron.

Jegal Seon’s insufficient strategy crumbled the moment Yi-gang picked up the bronze cauldron.

Being hit by a cauldron, not just a bare fist — what humiliation.

Jegal Seon screamed.

“Aaaaah!”

Yi-gang struck the bronze cauldron that was trapping Jegal Seon’s head.

Ding—!

The loudest noise yet resounded.

Jegal Seon couldn’t withstand the shock that rattled his brain and collapsed to the ground.

“Phew.”

Yi-gang then pulled Jegal Seon’s head out of the cauldron.

He checked if the cauldron had any dents.

“Indeed, a good cauldron.”

Finally, the official overseeing the match came to his senses.

“B-Baek Yi-gang, wins!”

The first to react among the stunned audience was Peng Mu-ah.

“Aha!”

Soon after, cheers erupted.

This was Yi-gang’s first duel where his name would become known.

Although for Jegal Seon, who fainted drooling, it was the worst misfortune.

It was later revealed that Jegal Seon’s ranking was 14th among the top 30.

He was not someone to be underestimated.

The story of how Yi-gang thrashed him with a cauldron spread rapidly.

Even when Yi-gang checked the updated rankings, there was enough murmuring around to notice.

The nickname ‘Henan’s Sage’ seemed as though it would change as quickly as it was attached.

1. Namgung Shin

2. Jeong Myung

First place was held by Namgung Shin of the Namgung Noble Clan.

His swordsmanship was renowned, but this was beyond expectations. He did not avoid confrontations and used his duel rights to challenge stronger opponents.

Second place was held by the Shaolin’s First Fist, Jeong Myung of Shaolin.

Wasn’t it said, “All martial arts under heaven come from Shaolin”?

As the eminence of Jianghu, Shaolin maintained its pride.

Had Jeong Myung not lost to Namgung Shin in their match, he would have taken the first place.

3. Baek Ha-jun

4. Yu Su-rin

……

In third place was Baek Ha-jun, Yi-gang’s younger brother. He lived up to his nickname, “Iron-Blooded Genius,” with impressive results.

And in fourth place was Yu Su-rin. She climbed to fourth after winning several matches.

Yi-gang suddenly became the brother of the third-ranked and the senior of the fourth-ranked.

As for Yi-gang’s ranking:

12. Baek Yi-gang

……

He was ranked 12th.

Although he defeated Jegal Seon, ranked 14th, he was placed 12th instead, influenced by the official’s discretion.

Rankings were not determined solely by wins and losses.

They also considered the impressiveness of the skills shown, the closeness of the match, or whether it was a dominant performance.

Yi-gang barely managed to overwhelm Jegal Seon with a cauldron, earning extra points.

However, considering Jegal Seon also didn’t use a white feather fan or a sword, Yi-gang was ranked 12th.

‘I need to get into the top five.’

Yi-gang muttered to himself.

No response came back.

This was because the ring possessed by the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon was handed over to Dam Hyun.

Dam Hyun took the blood-stained Three Ghosts Bronze Cauldron from Jegal Seon. He planned to use it along with a bloodstone to create a new fox doll.

So, Yi-gang came here without the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon.

Yu Su-rin was fighting in a martial duel against Poison Beauty Tang Eun-seol.

Clang-clang—

As Yu Su-rin wielded her whip sword, the approaching silver needles fell to the ground.

Despite adopting a formal duel format, what actually took place was almost a martial arts competition.

That was to be expected. After all, they were martial artists.

Reading her opponent, Yu Su-rin dodged the hidden weapons shot from the feet of her opponent, leaning back.

Swoosh—

It was an impressive display of agility.

A flat, round piece of iron sliced past Yu Su-rin’s hair just below her ear.

However, that meant the last move of Tang Eun-seol did not work.

“…I surrender.”

The whip sword hovered just above the neck of Tang Eun-seol.

“Yu Su-rin, wins.”

The official declared the winner.

Yu Su-rin came down from the martial contest stage with a proud expression.

Son Hee-il and Jun Myung congratulated her.

It was uncertain if she would rise above the fourth rank, but it seemed sure she would be within the top five.

She stood in front of Yi-gang with a triumphant posture.

“Hehe, you saw, didn’t you?”

“Yes. I saw.”

Yu Su-rin, who had spent her life secluded in the mountains with the martial brothers of the Azure Forest, only realized her martial arts were effective in the outside world after coming to Kaifeng.

It was natural for her to feel proud.

Moreover, she made a commendable offer.

“If I win the prize, I’ll give it to you, Senior.”

“What?”

“Senior, you need to heal your body.”

Yi-gang’s eyes widened.

Others around also had faces of admiration.

Marveling at the close relationship of the Azure Forest disciples.

“…I’m fine.”

“Huh?”

“As if I, no matter how lacking, would take the elixir won by my junior.”

However, Yi-gang said so and declined.

Jun Myung and Son Hee-il were taken aback by this unexpected gesture.

“I’m not that petty.”

He swallowed quietly, but that’s what Yi-gang thought.

His younger brother, Ha-jun, had also offered something similar, but he had refused.

To earn the elixir, one must win it themselves.

“Senior…!”

“You too, try to climb higher in the rankings. That way, you’ll receive a better prize.”

Yu Su-rin’s ranking was fourth.

There was no easy opponent above her, but Yu Su-rin resolved to strive harder.

“Well, I might have just won, but I guess my ranking didn’t go up.”

“Which rank was your opponent?”

“Probably 27th?”

The Poison Beauty Tang Eun-seol didn’t use the poison of the Tang Clan even once. Hence, her performance wasn’t very good.

“That’s a low ranking,” Yi-gang murmured that.

“I’m not weak,” Tang Eun-seol said as she approached.

Despite losing in the martial duel, she still had a good-natured demeanor.

Not a bitter or resentful expression.

Yi-gang’s eyes became thoughtful.

The flamboyant ornaments wrapped around Tang Eun-seol’s body.

Her outfit, which could have concealed hidden weapons or poison, was not disturbed in the slightest.

“I might have caused a misunderstanding. Sorry if it sounded like that.”

“Though my rank is low, I’m not weak.”

Nobody thought of the Poison Beauty as weak.

Yet, her ranking was indeed quite low.

“I didn’t avoid the martial duels. I used all my duel rights.”

It was she herself who had requested a martial duel with Yu Su-rin, ranked fourth.

Why did she risk defeat to do that?

“I wanted to capture the martial arts of other sects with my own eyes.”

“Is that so?”

Her slightly drooping eyes and slow speech—

She was an enigmatic person, difficult to read.

Contrary to her appearance though, she was quite talkative.

“And then I calculate in my head.”

“Calculate what?”

“Whether I would have won if I had used poison.”

Yi-gang slightly opened his mouth, “So, what was the result?”

“Ten.”

He thought she had cursed.

Only later did he realize that it meant a full score, ten out of ten.

Tang Eun-seol tapped her temple, continuing to speak, “I would have won them all. They all would have died.”

Another tap-tap.

A cold silence followed, and Yi-gang thought, ‘She’s a strange woman.’

She had a dangerous look in her eyes.