Chapter 231

Chapter 231
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Chapter 231
Wings Unfurled

My sword strike carried my inner energy, driven to its absolute peak.

Watching Peng Wang’s eyes widen in pure shock sent a sharp spark of satisfaction coursing through me.

As the grandson of Peng Beom, Peng Wang must already know exactly what qualifications his grandfather looks for in a disciple.

A body sound, sturdy, and capable of containing immense inner energy from a young age. In short—an exceptional constitution.

*He had a general idea, but he never imagined it could be this extraordinary.*

It made no difference that his opponent was the Young Heir of the World’s Supreme Clan; even at roughly thirty years of age, holding inner energy of five gapja far surpassed any reasonable expectation. Once inner energy crossed a certain threshold, no amount of spirit pills could raise it further.

“So this is where your strength ends…”

Peng Wang could not even finish the sentence before he was forced to block my strike.

His blade was as thick as an average man’s thigh and must have weighed no less than a hundred geun, yet—

“Ngh…”

The weapon swayed like a willow twig caught in a gale, and Peng Wang gritted his teeth, fighting through the pain.

“Ah. As I would expect from the Peng Clan’s Young Heir. You managed to withstand it. Now it is your turn.”

His expression made it clear he was deeply vexed. He must have realized he had walked straight into my trap.

“This was never a strategy that favored the Peng Clan, was it?”

“Precisely. You are no ordinary opponent, Young Heir Peng—I simply had to think a step or two ahead.”

“…Even so, this will not be easy.”

Peng Wang ground his teeth together and lifted his blade until it stood level with his head.

“My grandfather has always sought someone with a constitution able to bear overwhelming inner energy. He says it is essential to inherit his martial arts completely. I admit you possess every quality to become his disciple. But—*but*!”

He brought his blade sweeping down, explosive power surging through every movement.

*Kwaaaaang!*

The Peng Clan’s signature art was the Five Tigers Gate-Severing Blade Method. Fascinatingly, though it had been refined into a distinct sword style when the clan was founded, its roots as a combat technique stretched all the way back to Shaolin.

*One of the Shaolin Eight Laws, if I recall correctly.*

Given that the founder of the World’s Supreme Clan had once been a lay disciple of Shaolin, one might even argue Shaolin itself was the true supreme sect under heaven. Could Wudang ever truly stand above it?

The thought flashed briefly through my mind as I watched Peng Wang’s blade descend.

Five Tigers Gate-Severing—five great beasts tearing through every defense in their path. True to its name, the technique overwhelmed opponents with relentless, ferocious strikes.

*Which means you can never unleash its full power if you only trade blow for blow.*

Each individual strike was devastating in its own right, and with nearly twice my years behind him, Peng Wang had every reason to believe this style worked in his favor.

*Tok!*

I deflected the greater part of the force behind his attack and smiled faintly.

“You recognize this, don’t you? The Laughing Tiger. You were the one who showed it to me—said it would stir my competitive spirit.”

I had used it before to avoid an embarrassing, public display of discord when our auras clashed. Refusing to fight openly during the group matches had also been less than honorable, though far milder by comparison.

*Still, I can understand where Young Heir Peng is coming from.*

Caught up in the whims of a being far beyond them, forced into the Dragon-Phoenix Contest without invitation, then pushed through grueling training all in the name of preparation—seeing the person responsible would naturally make his blood boil.

*Even I might have felt the urge to lash out just as fiercely.*

But grievances were one thing, and the present moment was another. All of this had made things far more complicated than they needed to be.

“Now it is my turn!”

I struck downward, channeling the very force of Peng Wang’s own blow back against him.

*Kwaaaaang!*

“Kuh… ngh!”

A faint flush of red touched Peng Wang’s lips; his internal organs had been jostled, and he swallowed back a mouthful of blood.

“Young Master Baek… you have risen far above anyone else of your generation.”

“Ah, well—I suppose so.”

“With ability such as yours, the title of Supreme Dragon must mean very little.”

I met his gaze for a moment.

*He did not earn his place as Young Heir of the World’s Supreme Clan through luck alone.*

Up until this point, Peng Wang had acted from straightforward, uncomplicated feeling—retribution against the one who had put him through so much.

But the emotion shining in his eyes now was entirely different. It was the bearing of the previous Supreme Dragon, the true heir to the World’s Supreme Clan.

“I had intended to withdraw gracefully, you know. To concede at an appropriate moment and step aside, even with my grandfather’s influence behind me.”

“Something along the lines of, ‘I have seen the younger generation shine, and so I shall take my leave’?”

If becoming the Supreme Dragon of this generation did not carry such weight, such a plan would never have crossed his mind. Even if it meant enduring some measure of shame, Peng Wang would have fought to claim the title without hesitation.

“From where you stand as Young Heir, I can see why. Grandson of a Heavenly Martial Venerable, heir to the most powerful clan under heaven—you have never truly needed to prove your worth to anyone.”

Peng Wang frowned; my tone clearly irked him.

“I have spent my life proving myself. And I have known more than my share of failure.”

“For instance—failing to become the disciple of Great Peng Dragon King?”

I had struck the mark exactly. Fire flared in his eyes.

“Exactly. That was it. I never once imagined you would actually be accepted as my grandfather’s pupil.”

A tangible, seething energy enveloped his blade, so intense the weapon seemed to hum beneath it.

“But seeing your strike… something has awakened in me. A new shoot pushing up through the earth.”

A shoot springing from the depths of his heart. Its name—envy.

“Defend yourself. Five Tigers Gate-Severing Blade: Three Directions Tiger Guard stance.”

Tigers charging from every direction, jaws gaping wide. A name as direct and unpretentious as the Peng Clan itself.

*Kwaaaaang!*

One strike containing the weight of three separate blows. I countered with the subtle, fluid grace of the Laughing Tiger, but the impact still rang out across the clearing.

“My hands are still tingling. Impressive as always, Young Heir Peng—but you will not be advancing any further.”

There had been two reasons for challenging him to that earlier clash of auras. I needed his cooperation in the second preliminary round, certainly—but there was a far more important consideration.

“I intend to become Supreme Dragon, no matter what stands in my way. Removing a rival as strong as you here is a massive advantage.”

“…Why do you desire the title so deeply? Fame is nothing but empty prestige. You know that.”

I offered no answer, only a smile.

*Peng Wang could not possibly understand. He could never share my feelings.*

I would claim the title of Supreme Dragon—I swore it. To undermine Wudang’s schemes? To expose the machinations of the Three Great Demonic Cults? Neither was wrong; both were essential goals. But the true reason Yang-hwi sought the title lay elsewhere.

“Because it would make my father happy.”

Peng Wang was not entirely mistaken. Winning the Dragon-Phoenix Contest and earning the title of Supreme Dragon might seem insignificant—with enough strength, one could build that same renown whenever they chose. For Yang-hwi, the title was never about prestige. It was proof.

“The Heaven-Covering Baek Clan will be known throughout the world as the house that gave birth to the Supreme Dragon.”

“…Haha. I see. The simplest of reasons, and the most powerful. I lost sight of that for a moment.”

His response surprised me; I had not expected him to understand.

“Recognition and joy for your family… there is nothing more precious. Worth enduring any hardship to secure.”

A thought occurred to me.

“You once hoped to become Great Peng Dragon King’s disciple yourself, did you not?”

“Hopeful? As a boy, I thought my grandfather was nothing less than a god.”

Yet he had never been chosen. He was the grandson of the previous Supreme Dragon, heir to the World’s Supreme Clan—the most promising candidate in the martial world, and yet the one thing he wanted most had always been just out of reach.

“I envy you. Your talent gnaws at me, drives me half-mad. I cannot bear it silently—I must release this feeling somehow.”

His admission made me smile. In the life I had lived before turning back time, Peng Wang had been an untouchable legend. In that timeline, at this very moment, Yang-hwi had been nothing more than a wandering swordsman while Peng Wang stood exactly where he stood now.

“I am truly flattered—that someone of your standing, Young Heir Peng, would see me as worthy of envy.”

“You may regret saying that before this is over.”

“We shall see. I intend to bring this to an end right now.”

I tightened my grip on my sword. I had given my old blade to Baek Heon-so and received this one in its place roughly a year ago, yet it felt strangely familiar—almost wearisome. To Yang-hwi, a sword was a companion shared across two lives.

“Here I come.”

Feathers seemed to bloom from the blade itself, swirling and dancing around the steel. Peng Wang’s eyes went wide.

“That realm…”

“You recognize it. Then you know exactly what this is.”

“Hahaha! So it is! This is the very gift my grandfather has spent his life seeking!”

I knew he would see it. Eighteen years from now, in the future Yang-hwi remembered—the end of all things—one figure had stood unbroken through every disaster. One title had been earned at the end of the world.

“Well then—shall we finish this?”

“Come at me with everything you have!”

Power gathered around Peng Wang’s blade as well, taking shape before our eyes—a single tiger, roaring with unbridled fury.

“Let us make a promise, you and I. Ten years from today, we will cross blades again. It might even be enjoyable.”

“I accept.”

The feathers coalesced and spread, forming wings. A shape of pure white took form—a hawk, crouching ready to take flight at any moment.

“Here it is.”

“Come on!”

I swung. He raised his blade to meet it. The hawk unfurled its wings; the tiger bared its fangs and lunged.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

Yang-hwi clutched four flags to his chest. Peng Wang carried the unconscious Jin Yeong-jin across his shoulders. Both moved with incredible speed, lightness skill carrying them swiftly forward.

“What a waste.”

There was no need to say what he meant. Yang-hwi felt exactly the same.

“If not for Young Master Jin, I could have stretched this fight out and truly enjoyed myself.”

“Haha! The way you speak—you would fit right in with the Peng Clan!”

“Is that meant as a compliment?”

They exchanged light banter as they drew near their destination. A judge stood a short distance away; they were already inside the duel zone, and one final leap would end the match instantly.

“You do not intend to finish it right away?”

“Of course not. Where would be the fun in that?”

“Nor would it be wise—we stand to gain far more if we wait.”

He seemed to understand exactly what I had in mind.

“Just a little longer. This will be worth seeing.”

Four of the five flags had been collected. Every group but one had already been eliminated.

“Young Master Baek… I am still to receive my share of the flags, as we agreed?”

“Have no fear.”

As Peng Wang tended to the still-unconscious Jin Yeong-jin, the remaining groups began arriving one by one—four in all. Two stood out immediately: Ok Cheong’s party and Namgung Cheon-yeong’s.

*Where is Adu-ne?* The thought crossed my mind briefly, but I pushed it aside and met the newcomers with a broad grin.

“As you can see, our group holds four flags. Only one remains.”

Namgung Cheon-yeong’s companions tensed, ready to charge and seize it by force. I added a single cautionary note.

“Take one step toward us, and we end this match right here—the judge is close enough to touch.”

They understood the implication. We could claim victory at any moment.

“The reason we waited is simple. That last flag will go to one of the groups standing here.”

The mood shifted instantly. Yang-hwi smiled.

*They all see it now.*

Nearly a hundred spectators had gathered near the finish line to watch.

“So—fight among yourselves. Let us enjoy the show before the final act.”