Chapter 10
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As the night passed, the Martial Alliance was soon filled with energy. Among the lively crowd, even commoners were mixed in.
“You seem to be wondering about something.”
“Yes, it’s surprising to see commoners here within the Alliance grounds.”
Wi Jin-gyeol noticed his son’s curious gaze at the commoners and explained.
“The Azure Dragon Tournament is indeed a martial arts competition among the Martial Alliance’s warriors, but it’s also like a festival for the commoners of Jeongju.”
“Is that so?”
“Of course. Though the commoners of Jeongju see martial artists daily, they rarely get to witness their martial arts in action.”
It made perfect sense. For the commoners, stories of martial artists alone provided ample entertainment. Yet, listening to such tales naturally made them want to see it with their own eyes. Each year, the people of Jeongju eagerly awaited the Martial Alliance’s Azure Dragon Tournament.
“In other words, the Azure Dragon Tournament is practically a festival for all of Jeongju.”
Seeing the excitement on the commoners’ faces, Wi Yeon-cheon now understood why his father had said so. Each of their faces was filled with anticipation and joy.
“Still, is it permitted for merchants to sell their goods here?”
Merchants were moving around with bundles, selling their wares even within the Alliance. The items they sold the most were, of course, various snacks.
“The large crowd gathered for the Azure Dragon Tournament spends money with the merchants, which circulates wealth throughout Jeongju and brings prosperity to everyone. The Alliance acknowledges this.”
“Of course, the merchants conducting business within the Alliance grounds must pay a small fee to the Alliance.”
Suddenly, Jegal Hyeon-song added to Wi Jin-gyeol’s explanation. Wi Jin-gyeol looked at him with slight irritation and asked,
“Hyeon-song, don’t you have enough on your hands to keep you from observing the Azure Dragon Tournament?”
Jegal Hyeon-song, looking a bit embarrassed by Wi Jin-gyeol’s pointed question, replied,
“Haha, are you reprimanding me because you’re the former Chief Military Officer? I only came to greet Senior Wi and will be on my way shortly.”
“Then that’s settled.”
Watching his father chide the Chief Military Officer of the Martial Alliance, Wi Yeon-cheon felt a strange mix of emotions.
“It really hits me now that Father used to be the Alliance’s Chief Military Officer.”
Listening to the conversation between Jegal Hyeon-song, the current Chief Military Officer, and his father, Wi Yeon-cheon let out a slight smile.
“I’m not sure what the Young Prince finds amusing.”
With a playful smile, Jegal Hyeon-song led Wi Jin-gyeol and Wi Yeon-cheon further inside with a constant grin on his face.
“Just as lively as ever.”
Below the railing, about a hundred warriors of the Tianxia Martial Alliance were gathered. Standing beside his father, Wi Yeon-cheon observed them closely, his sharp gaze never resting.
“So, these are the warriors of the Martial Alliance…”
Most of them had slightly lower martial prowess than Jeong Myeo-yeon, but their precision of energy felt entirely different. The warriors carried an air of readiness to fight at any moment. Seeing the imposing energy radiating from the Martial Alliance’s warriors, Wi Yeon-cheon couldn’t help but smile.
“You look proud.”
“I can’t help it. Those who were warriors when I served as Chief Military Officer have now become leaders, and those who were trainees have become full-fledged warriors.”
As Wi Jin-gyeol took in each face of the warriors filling the vast courtyard, he nodded lightly.
“It’s truly a source of pride.”
When his father’s reflections ended, a middle-aged man sitting nearby approached him. Younger than Jegal Hyeon-song, the man greeted Wi Jin-gyeol with a respectful gesture.
“Chief Military Officer Wi, it’s been a long time.”
With his hair neatly tied up and wearing a yellow robe, he had an air of dignity that was unmistakable.
“Right Division Commander, it’s been a while.”
The middle-aged man responded with a modest smile.
“Sometimes I still feel unworthy of holding the position of Right Division Commander.”
“Sa Ma-yul, you’re as humble as ever.”
“You flatter me.”
The Right Division Commander of the Martial Alliance, Sa Ma-yul, bowed his head in response to Wi Jin-gyeol’s praise.
“Apart from you, who else could lead the Martial Alliance’s battalion?”
“I will do my best to protect the Martial Alliance you established, Commander Wi.”
“What do you mean I established it? And there’s no need to keep calling me ‘Commander.’”
“To me, you will always be Commander Wi.”
“I’d like to retire, too, you know. Haha.”
Unlike Jegal Hyeon-song, Sa Ma-yul never uttered a single joke. To Wi Yeon-cheon, Sa Ma-yul looked exactly like the strategist he seemed to be.
“To possess such dignity that I cannot even perceive his True Qi…”
Wi Yeon-cheon could always sense the energy flow in others, yet this was the first time he was more drawn to a person’s dignity than to their Qi.
Just as Wi Jin-gyeol’s words ended, the sound of a massive drum filled the area, signaling the start of the Azure Dragon Tournament. The overwhelming beat of the drum silenced the murmurs of the crowd.
“It’s starting.”
“Yes, please enjoy the Azure Dragon Tournament.”
After bowing to Wi Jin-gyeol one last time, Sa Ma-yul approached the railing. As he looked down at the battalion filling the entire courtyard, he began to speak.
“Your fighting spirit is plain to see. And I have no doubt that this spirit will only grow sharper as it becomes the Martial Alliance’s sword…”
Sa Ma-yul’s speech was flawless, embodying the role of the Right Division Commander of the Martial Alliance. As he concluded, he introduced Wi Jin-gyeol.
“For this Azure Dragon Tournament, we are honoured to have the presence of the Demon Slayer Commander, who once served as the Chief Military Officer of the Martial Alliance.”
At the mention of Wi Jin-gyeol’s title, “Demon Slayer Commander,” the battalion’s gaze shifted, as if they were witnessing a living legend. Wi Yeon-cheon couldn’t hide his surprise as he watched the battalion’s eyes change upon hearing his father’s epithet.
“Commander Sa has already said much, so I won’t add anything further. I simply hope that this Azure Dragon Tournament hones your skills.”
With these few words, the battalion’s resolve burned even brighter. The legendary hero who, alongside the current Alliance Leader, rooted out the demonic cult from the martial world—this was Demon Slayer Commander. His words were enough to fuel the flames of the Azure Dragon Tournament even further.
And so, the Azure Dragon Tournament, now ablaze with the hero’s words, continued. Here, warriors wielded their swords and threw punches to uphold and strengthen the martial world. As he observed these fierce battles, Wi Yeon-cheon was left speechless.
“So, this is the true essence of martial arts.”
Training in the secluded Wi Family estate, Wi Yeon-cheon had been nothing more than a frog in a well. Yet the “frog in the well” saw each movement in vivid detail, missing nothing in the radiant motions before him. He watched the flow of True Qi trailing the sword paths, the trembling Qi from each punch’s impact, and embedded each of these scenes into his memory.
As the Azure Dragon Tournament progressed, Wi Yeon-cheon began analyzing everything he saw.
“So, the fundamental Footwork is the same.”
It didn’t take him long to realize that while the movements of each battalion member weren’t identical, there were many shared elements. After observing two more duels, Wi Yeon-cheon was able to memorize their Footwork completely.
This Footwork, unique to the battalion members of the Martial Alliance, was called the Heaven Serpent Shakes the Earth Technique.
To memorize such a technique just by observing it was an astonishing feat.
“So this is the true unity of sword and body.”
Watching the battalion members wielding their swords, he continued to refine his own understanding of the Unity of Sword and Body.
“How beautifully it all flows…”
He admired the endless flow of True Qi from the martial masters as their weapons sliced through the air. The masters moved swiftly, their weapons cutting through the sky, but the True Qi merely flowed along.
“It seems you’ve learned something.”
“Yes, I have.”
“Then I’m glad I listened to the Alliance Leader.”
Seeing the gleam in Wi Yeon-cheon’s eyes after the Azure Dragon Tournament ended, Wi Jin-gyeol smiled faintly.
Wi Jin-gyeol had witnessed countless warriors who dedicated years to attain the smallest accomplishments.
Yet his son, who had already taken one step forward on their journey to the Martial Alliance, now displayed a gaze filled with countless insights.
An enviable talent, perfect for a martial artist.
A realm where one could swiftly master martial arts and gain insights from all things beyond innate talent.
This was a level that inevitably sparked envy and jealousy among martial artists.
“Don’t rush yourself too much.”
Still, Wi Jin-gyeol could only repeat the same words again and again. His son, who had once been bedridden after attempting to learn the Profound Star Five Elements Heart Technique, the Wi Family’s core heart technique. No matter how extraordinary his son’s talent appeared now, he could not erase that memory.
“I always keep that in mind.”
Wi Yeon-cheon also understood his father’s concern, so he answered with a light smile.
As the sky began to take on a violet hue after the sunset, Ha-ryeon approached them.
“Commander Wi, here you are.”
“What is it?”
“The Alliance Leader has summoned you.”
“What reason could the Alliance Leader have for summoning me?”
“I’m not entirely sure, but he mentioned it was regarding a prior matter.”
At the mention of a previous incident, Wi Jin-gyeol’s gaze shifted, and he rose immediately.
“Let’s go at once.”
“Yes, let’s go.”
Watching his father follow Ha-ryeon as if pursued by something urgent, Wi Yeon-cheon quietly nodded to himself.
It was his first solitary moment since arriving in Jeongju. Without hesitation, he gripped his sword and began searching for an empty training ground.
He had anticipated easily finding an empty training ground in the vast Martial Alliance.
However, the members of the Alliance were dedicated to training in martial arts, making it nearly impossible to find an unoccupied area.
“The warriors here are really devoted to their practice, it seems.”
After wandering around for nearly half an hour, Wi Yeon-cheon finally spotted an empty training ground. Excitedly, he headed toward the open space.
Unlike other training grounds, this one had a floor of polished marble. However, Wi Yeon-cheon’s excitement over finally being able to practice made him overlook the fine details of the training ground floor.
“Whew…”
Taking a deep breath to gather his focus, he clenched his fists slowly.
He then closed his eyes and began to mentally rehearse the martial arts techniques he had seen during the Azure Dragon Tournament.
Among them, the technique that left the deepest impression on him was a Qi circulation method, one capable of drawing out far more power than his usual internal energy.
“If only I could merge this with the Yin-Yang Divine Art…”
Wi Yeon-cheon’s Qi circulation had already reached a level similar to the natural flow of the universe, but he was not yet satisfied. He refocused on the flow of True Qi.
As fluid as the blowing wind, as steady as falling leaves, his True Qi flowed.
Moving in the Heaven Serpent Shakes the Earth Footwork he had memorized from the battalion members, Wi Yeon-cheon began striking out with his fists.
He recalled the external flow of True Qi he had seen, now focusing on the feeling of Qi touching his skin, replicating the exact movements he had observed without the slightest deviation.
* * *
“Alliance Leader, why did you grant permission to use the Alliance Leader’s Training Hall?”
The Martial Alliance Leader, sensing Direct Battalion Commander Cheon So-baek’s curiosity, offered him a slight smile.
The powerful aura emanating from the hall was unmistakable, and the Alliance Leader burst into laughter at the undeniable genius.
“So-baek, you must have sensed that boy’s Qi as well.”
“Yes, it’s truly remarkable. In ten years, he’ll be renowned without question.”
The Alliance Leader nodded at Cheon So-baek’s comment.
“Indeed. The Grand Prince of the Wi Family—Wi Yeon-cheon. Someday, he may even become the master of this hall.”
At the Alliance Leader’s kind words, Cheon So-baek was visibly shocked.
“Are you planning for that?”
The Alliance Leader shook his head.
“It’s merely a possibility. He’s still only fifteen, after all.”
“Well… yes, that’s true.”
Smiling at Cheon So-baek’s reaction, the Alliance Leader slowly stood and directed his gaze out the window.
There, a young man stood in the middle of the Alliance Leader’s Training Hall, eyes closed, emanating a powerful aura.
A moment later, the youth’s eyes remained closed as he executed a martial art that combined the Heaven Serpent Shakes the Earth technique with various strikes.
Watching the youth’s movements intently, the Alliance Leader chuckled and asked Cheon So-baek,
“Didn’t Commander Sama mention there was a vacancy in the Ninth Battalion?”
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