Black Leopard’s face stiffened at the cryptic response.
“What does that mean?”
“If you have that kind of money, you could hire an assassin yourself. So why ask me?”
“That’s…” Black Leopard faltered.
“Your actions just now told me that Yeop Hwa is a master not even three thousand gold taels could kill.” At those words, Black Leopard’s face turned ashen.
As Bu Eunseol said, Yeop Hwa was a supreme master, untouchable by three Myoan Stones. That was why Black Leopard had never been able to kill him.
“You don’t seem much older than me…” Black Leopard said weakly, putting away the wooden box. “But you talk like someone who’s been in the martial world for decades.”
“It’s true. Three Myoan Stones can’t kill a supreme master like Yeop Hwa.”
“Why make this request of me, then?”
“Because you’re young and exceptionally skilled,” Black Leopard said in a low voice. “More importantly, you’re new to the martial world, so I thought you’d kill him without hesitation.” He continued, “Yeop Hwa is known as a great man. Killing someone like him… only fearless newcomers would dare.”
Killing a master renowned as virtuous in the martial world was no easy task. Such an act would brand you a demon or a star of slaughter, drawing scorn and condemnation. In the worst case, you could be labeled a public enemy of the martial world, hunted by the righteous sects.
“I’m sorry for the unreasonable request. Can you quietly forget this matter?” Bu Eunseol nodded, and Black Leopard clasped his hands in gratitude.
“Thank you.” Bu Eunseol merely stared at Black Leopard’s dejected figure as he left.
***
The next day.
The Jeongmu Tournament proceeded swiftly.
Gok Uncheong versus Woo Jingang.
Bu Eunseol versus Yeop Hwa.
The first match ended with Woo Jingang’s victory. Gok Uncheong, a righteous sect master, couldn’t withstand Woo Jingang’s domineering swordsmanship and lost an arm.
“The next match pits the rising star Bu Eunseol against our own master, the Hero Among Mercenaries, Yeop Hwa!” Cho Mucheon announced.
As soon as he spoke, a middle-aged man in a yellow robe stepped onto the arena. In his mid-thirties, Yeop Hwa had a robust build and eyes brimming with vitality. He didn’t look like someone who would commit depraved acts.
“I look forward to a good match,” Yeop Hwa said, bowing politely to Bu Eunseol, who was at least a decade younger.
His demeanor was not that of a mercenary but of a renowned hero of the righteous sects. Bu Eunseol silently clasped his hands in return and drew his sword.
‘He’s stronger than I expected.’ Yeop Hwa, a seasoned bounty hunter with countless real battles under his belt, held a stance strikingly similar to Bu Eunseol’s—relaxed yet flawless.
“Skill doesn’t always match age, so this humble Yeop Hwa will strike first!” As Bu Eunseol stood still as a stone statue, Yeop Hwa launched the first attack.
Swish. A clean, flawless strike.
Against an ordinary opponent, this single blow would have forced them to retreat defensively, but his opponent was Bu Eunseol.
Hum.
By merely turning his sword tip backward, Bu Eunseol distorted the path of Yeop Hwa’s strike.
But Yeop Hwa, aware of Bu Eunseol’s use of the sword momentum, didn’t falter. He spun his sword.
Swish, swish, swish.
His rapidly spinning sword seemed to emit a hazy mist, and its tip stabbed from all directions.
‘Scattering Sword?’ Yeop Hwa’s technique was the Scattering Sword, creating countless dazzling sword shadows.
Zing.
Bu Eunseol unleashed the sword momentum again, but diverting all fourteen sword shadows in different directions proved difficult.
Clang!
As four Scattering Sword strikes pierced through the sword momentum, Bu Eunseol swung his sword, deflecting all of Yeop Hwa’s attacks.
Whoosh.
But Yeop Hwa’s cascading strikes vanished like phantoms, then merged into a single blade aimed at Bu Eunseol’s chest.
‘His transitions are swift.’ Yeop Hwa wasn’t just a master of the Scattering Sword—he was a battle-hardened veteran. Had Bu Eunseol been an average fighter, this single move might have left him stunned, dropping his sword in surrender.
‘But it’s too straightforward.’ Like lightning, Bu Eunseol retreated, spinning his sword widely and meeting Yeop Hwa’s chest-aimed Scattering Sword.
Boom!
A sound like a temple bell rang out, and a powerful shockwave forced Yeop Hwa back. Bu Eunseol had used the Heavy Sword’s reverse force to repel Yeop Hwa’s blade.
“Tch.” Letting out a stifled groan, Yeop Hwa unleashed the Scattering Sword again.
Flash, flash, flash!
This time, only eight sword shadows poured forth, but their power was greater, and their movements more intricate.
‘Strange.’ Deflecting the Scattering Sword once more, Bu Eunseol’s eyes glinted. Yeop Hwa’s techniques were as upright and honest as a Shaolin monk’s. For a veteran of his experience to use such straightforward moves, there were only two possibilities.
Either his character was so upright he couldn’t deceive others, or…
‘He’s deliberately using simple strikes to lure me into a trap.’
Clang, clang, clang!
As Bu Eunseol deflected all eight sword shadows, Yeop Hwa stepped back briefly.
“Phew. Truly impressive,” Yeop Hwa said with a bitter smile. “How a young master like you remained unknown until now is beyond me.”
“…”
“Quite the taciturn young man. Very well.” Seeing Bu Eunseol’s silence, Yeop Hwa took a deep breath and said, “I will now unleash the Three Lightning Swords. If you can block my three strikes, I’ll concede defeat immediately.”
His proposal aimed to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. The martial artists in the plaza clapped and nodded in approval.
—As expected of the Hero Among Mercenaries! Even against a young prodigy, he remains upright!
Raising his sword, Yeop Hwa let out a shout and unleashed the Scattering Sword.
“Three Lightning Swords, First Strike: High Noon Sky!” A transparent Scattering Sword shadow poured down on Bu Eunseol’s head like glass.
Whoosh!
Staring at the light-splitting Scattering Sword, Bu Eunseol suddenly ignored it and swung his sword forward.
Clang, clang, clang! The shadows above his head vanished, and Yeop Hwa’s Scattering Sword now surged toward his front.
“Sharp eyes. Take the Second Strike: Glory and Decay in a Single Breath!” The Scattering Sword, withdrawn by Yeop Hwa, transformed into hundreds of sword blossoms, enveloping Bu Eunseol like mist.
Swish, swish, swish…
It was impossible to discern which were real blades and which were shadows—so intricate they resembled Illusion Sword rather than Scattering Sword.
‘Hm.’ But Bu Eunseol, with a bored expression, struck down each Scattering Sword shadow one by one. To him, with the superhuman senses of the Beast Way, such Scattering Sword techniques were mere flashy tricks.
“Heh heh heh.” Yet something was off.
Even as Bu Eunseol leisurely deflected the strikes, Yeop Hwa wore a triumphant smile.
“Good. Now, the Third Strike: Swallowed Alive and Skinned!” The name of this technique was strange.
After such ordinary names, suddenly “swallowed alive and skinned”?
‘This is it!’ Bu Eunseol’s eyes flashed as he parried the cascading Scattering Sword.
Flash!
His stance faltered, and blood sprayed. Unable to fully block Yeop Hwa’s Scattering Sword, his shoulder was cut.
“Heh heh heh. As expected, you couldn’t perfectly block the third strike.”
Swish, swish, swish!
As Yeop Hwa pressed his attack, Bu Eunseol was forced to use footwork to retreat. For Bu Eunseol, who had been steadily gaining the upper hand, to suddenly show signs of defeat? Unable to counter Yeop Hwa’s Scattering Sword, the spectators began to murmur.
—As expected. No matter how talented a prodigy, he can’t match a veteran like Yeop Hwa.
Then, Bu Eunseol halted his footwork and thrust his sword toward the oncoming Scattering Sword.
Clang!
He barely blocked a deadly strike aimed at his throat, but the force pushed him back three steps.
“Heh heh. My Scattering Sword grows heavier with each strike,” Yeop Hwa said, sheathing his sword briefly and extending a hand courteously. “You’d do well to concede before you’re gravely injured.”
His demeanor was that of a righteous sect hero, and applause echoed from the plaza below.
—Truly, the Hero Among Mercenaries, Yeop Hwa!
—Even as a mercenary, his conduct rivals that of a righteous hero!
“Ridiculous,” Bu Eunseol said, looking down at Yeop Hwa with a cold smile. “A man who scatters Meridian-Crushing Powder and Galmi Poison calls himself the Hero Among Mercenaries?”
Yeop Hwa’s smile vanished.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You’ve been secretly poisoning each clash of our swords. You use the Scattering Sword because it’s easiest to spread poison while striking.”
Yeop Hwa’s expression shifted dramatically. His method of administering Meridian-Crushing Powder and Galmi Poison was so subtle that even professional assassins wouldn’t detect it. Yet this young man, fresh to the martial world, had seen through his technique?
“There must be some misunderstanding,” Yeop Hwa said, relieved that Bu Eunseol’s voice was too low for the crowd to hear. “Do you have proof to back your words?”
“Of course not. Meridian-Crushing Powder and Galmi Poison leave only symptoms of poisoning, as the toxins evaporate.” Having performed countless missions with the Nine Deaths Squad, Bu Eunseol had used and been exposed to poisons extensively.
He was now as knowledgeable about poisons as any seasoned assassin.
“I see,” Yeop Hwa said, a cruel smile creeping across his face, reassured by Bu Eunseol’s words. “You’re making up stories as defeat looms. Don’t falsely accuse others.”
‘Foolish brat. You may know about poisons, but you’re too late to defend against them.’
“Will you stop here?” Yeop Hwa asked.
“No way,” Bu Eunseol replied.
“Then I’ll end this without causing you too much harm.”
Hiding his vicious smile, Yeop Hwa swiftly unleashed the Scattering Sword. Fearing Bu Eunseol might concede and stop the fight, he aimed a lethal strike to end his life.
Flash!
The Scattering Sword enveloped Bu Eunseol’s body.
Normally, he would have unraveled each strike and escaped, but poisoned by Meridian-Crushing Powder and Galmi Poison, his movements were sluggish.
“There are no eyes on a sword!” Yeop Hwa declared, narrowing his wide-ranging sword strikes to target Bu Eunseol’s vital points.
“Hmph.” With a sneer, Bu Eunseol suddenly unleashed his footwork, darting like lightning to the side of Yeop Hwa’s charging body.
His speed was blinding, showing no signs of poisoning from Meridian-Crushing Powder or Galmi Poison.
‘What?’
Yeop Hwa screamed inwardly. Bu Eunseol’s sudden burst of speed forced Yeop Hwa to charge past him like a wild boar caught in a forest fire.
Shing.
Bu Eunseol’s longsword, still sheathed, was drawn like lightning. It slashed diagonally across Yeop Hwa’s charging body.
Flash!
With a cold glint, a red line of blood appeared across Yeop Hwa’s torso.
Crash!
A fountain of blood sprayed as Yeop Hwa’s body, cleaved in two, collapsed to the ground.
“…” The plaza was so silent you could hear a pin drop.
Yeop Hwa, the renowned Hero Among Mercenaries, a dominant figure in Guizhou, had been gruesomely killed by an unknown youth’s single strike.
“…The victor is Young Master Bu Eunseol,” Cho Mucheon finally managed to say, his voice breaking the stunned silence.
But the plaza remained shrouded in a deathly stillness.
