Chapter 633: If Once Is Not Enough

A mistake? Or a trap?

The moment Wiji Cheon dropped his sword, two possibilities flashed through Ilgak’s mind, but he was already hurtling toward Wiji Cheon at full speed. Pushing the Vajra Indestructible Body to its limit, he closed the distance Wiji Cheon was trying to put between them in an instant.

They were all trying to sound nonchalant, but their faces betrayed their anxiety.

A martial artist’s instinct made the call for him.

As long as he’s not using a sword, he’s not much of a threat.

When it came to swordsmanship, the Sword Wonder Wiji Cheon was a genius whose limits were impossible to gauge. He could conjure any variable he wanted with a single blade. For this reason, Ilgak remained wary of Wiji Cheon’s sword even while pressing his relentless assault.

It was hence only natural to conclude that without his sword, Wiji Cheon posed no serious threat.

Whatever you have prepared, Sir, dropping your sword was a grave mistake.

He was confident that he could subdue Wiji Cheon within ten exchanges.

WHOOSH!

He radiated fighting spirit as he settled into an opening stance, declaring that he would not retreat another step.

The gap between them vanished in a heartbeat. Previously, while Wiji Cheon held his sword, this had been off-limits to Ilgak. Now, he charged into it without hesitation.

The murim hailed him as Shaolin’s Divine Dragon and showered him with praise. They did not know about the bone-grinding effort and grueling training behind it all.

However similar they were in shape, a scabbard and a sword were worlds apart. If Wiji Cheon had been holding a proper sword, he could have withstood Ilgak’s onslaught far more easily.

No, they had never cared to know.

I will not deny that this humble monk was blessed with more talent than most.

He was the future of Shaolin, which occupied the highest position among the Nine Sects One Gang and the Five Great Clans. All his life, he was the object of envy and jealousy. Although he was grateful for his circumstances and good fortune, there were times when he felt he was being judged unfairly.

I only wish they would recognize that my efforts are second to none.

These were the true feelings he never let show, always hiding behind a benevolent face and an “Amitabha” chant. He may be a Shaolin monk who studiously followed the Buddha’s teachings, but he was also a young, hot-blooded prodigy.

Ilgak’s eyes blazed with a fierce competitive spirit as he glared at Wiji Cheon.

I have no intention of losing to a junior!

FLAP FLAP FLAP!

The two prodigies continued to clash in a trance, neither giving an inch.

His monk’s robe whipped wildly in the wind, and his two outstretched arms turned the mystical shade of gold characteristic of the Great Strength Vajra Palm. Having trained in this martial art until he could leave his handprints in a rocky mountainside, he trusted it above all others.

Finally, for the first time since the duel began, he and his opponent met each other’s gaze at close range.

As I thought, he has a hidden trump card...

No longer did the retreating young swordsman appear panicked. He was no longer a nervous junior, but a cool, sharpened blade.

Ilgak judged that he could handle whatever the boy threw at him. At close-range, he was unmistakably in his element, while a swordsman without a sword could only have so many tricks left.

“...Watch out,” Wiji Cheon warned softly, reaching toward his waist.

SWISH!

“Are you not thinking about what comes next?!” Ilgak shouted, glowering at Wiji Cheon.

He drew his scabbard at blinding speed, as if it were a sword.

A scabbard is not designed for stabbing or cutting. Still, in a master’s hands, it was every bit as dangerous as a naked sword. And Wiji Cheon was a skilled swordsman virtually unmatched among his peers.

SHWACK!

“Urk!”

Ilgak’s robe was sliced open diagonally. He immediately spun out of the way, but his stance faltered, leaving him vulnerable. A sharp, stinging pain washed over him.

Wiji Cheon did not miss the opening. He dodged the Great Strength Vajra Palm by a hair and took another step forward.

The Hundred Steps Divine Fist exploded right in front of Wiji Cheon’s face, but he barely deflected the impact with his scabbard before closing in once more.

Although the Unlimited Sword could slice through fluttering cloth with only a scabbard, cutting through Ilgak’s sturdy protective qi and hardened body was an impossible feat. Even so, it packed a solid punch.

THWACK!

Struck in the thigh, Ilgak lost his balance. Since every Shaolin martial art relied on a sturdy lower body, he intentionally aimed for the thigh.

First, I have to take away his Vajra Indestructible Body. Take away his mobility before anything else. If I don’t want to be overwhelmed by his speed, I need to solve the annoying problem of his defense.

The two prodigies continued to clash in a trance, neither giving an inch.

However, Ilgak did not simply take the hit. The moment his thigh was struck, he lashed out with a lightning-fast palm strike despite his wavering stance.

His hardened palm grazed Wiji Cheon’s shoulder, tearing his martial arts uniform. Although it was only a glancing blow, the impact sent a jolt through Wiji Cheon that rattled his insides.

It was hence only natural to conclude that without his sword, Wiji Cheon posed no serious threat.

CRUNCH!

Wiji Cheon clenched his teeth. Swallowing the blood welling up from his internal injuries, he closed in on Ilgak again. He had narrowed the gap only by luring his opponent into carelessness, and he could not let Ilgak pull back now.

CRACK!

Ilgak grimaced in pain as he staggered from a blow to his ankle. Still, he bent his knees to stabilize himself and punched straight ahead.

BOOM!

The Hundred Steps Divine Fist exploded right in front of Wiji Cheon’s face, but he barely deflected the impact with his scabbard before closing in once more. Blood trickled down his torn cheek.

“Are you not thinking about what comes next?!” Ilgak shouted, glowering at Wiji Cheon.

He radiated fighting spirit as he settled into an opening stance, declaring that he would not retreat another step. Although his stance was not as steady as it had been at the start, his aura was every bit as fierce.

Spinning his body, Wiji Cheon plummeted straight down, a razor-sharp sword qi blooming along his blade. A single streak of sword light flashed from the sky to the ground.

Still, a single red line stood out vividly against his rock-hard body, where sword qi had cut his robe.

Wiji Cheon smiled brightly, his manner eerily reminiscent of a certain teacher. “What comes next? I don’t know. I never learned to think about things like that,” he said innocently.

The vehemence in his eyes intensified as he swung the scabbard again.

As Ilgak said, he didn’t think about the next duel at all. His mind was filled with nothing but winning this fight.

That was the greatest difference between the two of them.

However similar they were in shape, a scabbard and a sword were worlds apart. If Wiji Cheon had been holding a proper sword, he could have withstood Ilgak’s onslaught far more easily.

Chuckling, Wiji Cheon took another step forward. “Monk, do I look so weak to you that you can afford to think about what comes next?”

He wiped the blood on his face roughly with one hand, letting the scabbard dangle from the other.

The spirit emanating from the young swordsman left countless spectators holding their breath.

Shaolin’s greatest prodigy, Ilgak, sighed heavily. “I believed there was none left, but it seems a trace of arrogance still remains within me.”

For this reason, Ilgak remained wary of Wiji Cheon’s sword even while pressing his relentless assault.

He hadn’t noticed that he hadn’t chanted “Amitabha” once since the duel began.

VWOOONG!

A golden aura coiled around the Divine Dragon of Shaolin’s arms before spreading across his entire body. Unleashing the Vajra Indestructible Body again, he closed the distance.

He was slower than before, his movement leaving a long, blurred afterimage behind him. Yet, that only made him look more threatening.

Ilgak’s eyes blazed with a fierce competitive spirit as he glared at Wiji Cheon.

“You’ve gotten a lot slower, haven’t you?”

Wiji Cheon read Ilgak’s movements and timed his scabbard strike to coincide with their path. In reality, this was easier said than done. Despite his reduced speed, Ilgak was still overwhelmingly strong.

The two prodigies continued to clash in a trance, neither giving an inch. Heavy fist qi and sharp sword qi collided and died out over and over again.

Eventually, however, Wiji Cheon was forced onto the defensive.