Chapter 243

Chapter 243
# Chapter 243 — Heon-so’s Fierce Stand

The day of the decisive matches had finally arrived.

Thirty-two competitors remained. Sixteen bouts in all.

The opening contest paired Baek Heon-so against Nanghon.

“Honored guests of the Central Plains! Let me present the stars of our very first match!” the referee called out, projecting his voice to the farthest corners of the venue.

“Second young master of the Heaven-Covering Baek Clan, Gangsuh Little Dragon Baek Heon-so!”

The crowd roared far louder than anyone might have expected.

He had not stood out especially during the preliminary rounds or the main tournament, and by the exacting standards of the True Dragon Tournament, Baek Heon-so’s skill set was hardly exceptional. Yet no matter who stood across from him, he gave everything he had in every single exchange, earning him a firm place in the audience’s hearts. A gifted young warrior at the late stage of his development showing such unflinching, upright spirit naturally drew their admiration and support.

*I did well raising that boy, all things considered.*

For a moment I pictured Baek Heon-so as I had known him in my past life—around this time he would have been lazing about the family estate, spitting out cruel words like, “Get lost, you wretched beggar.”

I shook my head. There was no use dwelling on it now.

“Gangsuh Little Dragon! Fight well and bring us victory!”

The cheers rose up again.

“And now—his opponent! The dark horse who defied every prediction to make it this far in the True Dragon Tournament—the wandering warrior Nanghon!”

The referee’s call was met with another round of applause, though noticeably more muted than before.

People generally favored the underdog over the expected victor, so why was the response so subdued for Nanghon, who was by far the less renowned of the two?

*Because his fights have all been dreadfully dull.*

When he first advanced into the main rounds, the very fact that he was a ronin had won him thunderous acclaim. But afterward he had deliberately kept his true abilities hidden, drawing out long, unremarkable contests that lacked any real spark. With nothing thrilling to hold their attention, the crowd’s enthusiasm had faded. They had come expecting brilliant, dazzling clashes between the finest rising talents of the age, after all.

*He’s kept a low profile entirely on purpose.*

I found myself wondering if he would stick to that same strategy today.

With that thought, I watched Baek Heon-so step out onto the arena platform.

*Still… something feels off.*

He had clearly chosen to face Baek Heon-so for some calculated reason.

“I am Baek Heon-so, known as the Gangsuh Little Dragon of the Baek Clan! It would be an honor to cross blades with you!” He drew his sword partway in a formal salute, then settled into his stance. “My family’s art is the Heaven-Covering 108 Swords. I hope you will show me all you are capable of.”

The Heaven-Covering 108 Swords—a revered technique consisting of one hundred and eight distinct forms, founded on the six directions: front, back, left, right, above, and below.

“Hah!”

Baek Heon-so stamped forward and launched himself into the attack.

There was subtle, practiced precision in every step, far more than simple raw force. Closing the gap quickly, he brought his sword sweeping down in a fluid, unbroken motion, carrying with it immense weight and ferocity.

*CRACK!*

The impact rang out like a clap of thunder.

*You have trained so hard, Heon-so. That was truly impressive.*

It was a strike that would have made even me take notice.

And yet—

“Kugh…!”

When the clash cleared, it was Baek Heon-so who winced, his strength failing him for a moment.

Nanghon had not shifted in the slightest. Not a flicker of change in his expression, nor a single adjustment to his posture.

Chudal, standing beside me, leaned in and spoke. “Brother, that ronin is terrifyingly strong, isn’t he?”

To block a blow of such power, one would normally widen their stance, bend their knees, and lower their center of gravity to absorb the impact. “He stood perfectly still and didn’t budge an inch while taking Heon-so’s strongest strike. Could he have trained in Shaolin’s Immovable Diamond God technique?”

“It isn’t a matter of any specific art. He is simply that powerful.”

“Really? Was Nanghon always this capable? I knew you had taken an interest in him, brother.”

If he was fighting at full strength, Heon-so stood no chance at all.

“He is no ordinary wanderer. And Heon-so is no weakling, yet the gap between them is this vast.”

Baek Heon-so had already reached the Peak Realm; to attain such heights at nineteen was nothing short of remarkable. But his opponent was the greatest rising dragon I had known in my past life.

“Your swordplay is refined. Most interesting,” Nanghon said calmly.

“Thank you for saying so! In return, I will come at you with everything I have!”

Far from being discouraged, Baek Heon-so readied himself for the next form.

As its name suggested, the Heaven-Covering 108 Swords emphasized blinding speed and deceptive movement across its many sequences. This time he focused entirely on the technique’s finer intricacies rather than overwhelming power.

*Heaven-Covering 108 Swords, Fifth Form — Eagle Feather Scatter!*

Dozens of overlapping sword images filled the air all around Nanghon.

“You will need to do better than that, young master Heon-so.”

Nanghon remained exactly where he stood, calmly deflecting every single strike.

A murmur began to spread through the watching crowd.

“Was Nanghon always this strong?”

“I don’t believe it. His last match was nothing out of the ordinary.”

“Has he been concealing his true ability all this time, right through the tournament?”

Two attacks, two unshaken defenses. Everyone could feel the truth of it: Nanghon held the overwhelming advantage.

“I will not give up… I will not bring shame to my brother.”

A flicker of curiosity crossed Nanghon’s face. “You see how great the difference is between you, yet you will not yield?”

Baek Heon-so smiled. He knew what it felt like to be outpaced, to face an abyss that seemed impossible to cross—he had known that feeling all his life.

“To fall to despair simply because the gap is wide… you are no match for my brother, Nanghon.”

Whatever the difference in strength, what truly mattered was never ceasing to strive.

“Now I shall fight with sword qi.”

The mark of the Peak Realm—streams of sword qi unfurled like fine threads. The treasured steel blade he had inherited from me seemed to cry out in a piercing shriek.

*Kreeee!*

The Heaven-Covering 108 Swords shifted entirely once wielded at the Peak Realm. It was straightforward enough to be learned as a third-rate style, but in the way its forms compressed and flowed together, it could rival even the finest first-rate arts. And beyond that lay something further still.

The Second Secret.

The Heaven-Covering 108 Swords evolved into something truly suited to the Peak Realm—and Heon-so had succeeded in awakening it.

**SKILL ACTIVATED**
**Heaven-Covering 108 Swords — Second Secret: Eagle Roar Heaven-Covering!**

*Kreeeeeeee!*

The sword sang, and the cry of the eagle filled every direction at once. For a moment, spectators swore they saw white feathers trailing in the wake of the blade.

*BOOM!*

Dust and dirt flew in every direction; the blue stone tiles of the arena shattered under the force of the impact.

“Brother, since when did Heon-so become this powerful?” Chudal asked, his tone edged with a mixture of admiration and rivalry—they were the same age, after all.

My expression hardened. “He is pushing himself to the very limit of what he can do.”

It was a strike worthy of an ultimate technique. Yet Nanghon had not moved an inch. He stood as though carved from stone, neutralizing the entire assault with a single, quiet movement of his own blade.

Heon-so stood breathing heavily, his chest heaving.

“That was entertaining,” Nanghon said with a faint smile. “Enough to make me wish to truly join the fight. But before I do—let me make you an offer. Why do you not yield? I will hold nothing back from this point onward, and you could be seriously hurt.”

Despite his exhaustion, Baek Heon-so’s lips curled into a grin.

“As if,” he said.

The smirk he wore was familiar—an imperfect but deliberate copy of my own.

Nanghon’s smile deepened. “Good. This promises to be enjoyable.”

Nanghon took a single step forward.

Five hundred breaths later, after an unrelenting barrage of attacks that never let up, the match came to an end.

“The victor… is Nanghon.”

Nanghon looked down at Baek Heon-so where he had fallen, then turned his gaze directly toward me and smiled.

***

The moment the result was announced, I appeared beside him.

“Heon-so! Come back to your senses!”

I channeled healing energy into him and brushed his cheek. He seemed barely conscious, but the light of the Heavenly Harmony Origin Art began to take effect.

“Brother…”

“How could you let yourself be hurt this badly?”

Nanghon had urged him to surrender again and again. But Baek Heon-so had never once dropped his sword, not even when he lost consciousness. He had kept searching for a way to prevail, refusing to give in.

“That man… he’s incredibly strong,” Heon-so murmured, catching his breath. “I just… I wanted to land at least one solid hit.”

“I told you you didn’t have to prove anything! Why are you so stubborn?”

Even as I chided him, he gathered his remaining strength and managed a smile. His lips trembled, but he held the expression firm.

“You… you can praise me now… I saw it through to the end…” His eyes slipped shut, and he looked at peace.

I poured more energy into him, then stood and turned toward the other side of the arena.

“Nanghon.”

“Young hero Baek Yang-hwi.”

Anger rose hot within me. Nanghon had walked right to the very edge—careful never to cross the line where I might have intervened and ordered Heon-so to stand down.

*He used Heon-so to draw me out.*

Had he been openly cruel, I would have stepped in immediately. But Nanghon had stopped just short of giving me cause—and as a result, Baek Heon-so had thrown himself against an unyielding wall until he could fight no more.

“You have a remarkable brother. His resolve is truly something to behold,” Nanghon said.

“I am well aware.”

If someone has a brother worth fighting for, they must be worth fighting for as an elder brother too. Nanghon would get exactly what he wanted.

*Very well. If that is how you wish to play, let us see how you fare in the rounds to come.*

“Brother… are you all right?” Chudal came to stand beside me, having seen the emotion written plainly across my face. “Gather yourself. There are more matches yet to come.”

Four matches from now, I would face Namgung Cheon-yeong. It was a moment he knew I had been waiting for, and his concern was understandable.

“Thank you.”

Now was not the time to let emotion rule. My coming encounter with Namgung Cheon-yeong was more than just a tournament bout—it would decide the entire future of the Baek Clan.

“This match goes to Reverend Adu! And now—the contest you have all been waiting for! Heaven-Covering Sword Dragon Baek Yang-hwi! Sky-Cleaving Sword Dragon Namgung Cheon-yeong! Champions, make your way to the stage!”

The moment had arrived. The grudge carried over from my past life against the Namgung Clan would finally be settled. And with it would begin the vengeance I had sworn to see through in this life.

I stepped onto the arena floor without hesitation.

“Baek Yang-hwi, of the Gangsuh Heaven-Covering Baek Clan.”

“Namgung Cheon-yeong, of the Anhui Great Namgung Clan.”

I lowered the tip of my sword and held the blade before my chest in salute. Namgung Cheon-yeong mirrored my stance exactly.

“Let us hear it for these two mighty warriors! The match begins!”

Before the last word had faded, Namgung Cheon-yeong vanished from sight. Before anyone could react, his blade was already striking—moving with speed too great for the eye to follow.

*CRASH!*

In that same instant, a single sword wrapped in swirling qi came down: blindingly fast, and heavy as a falling mountain.

*So you intend to fight at full strength from the very start, do you?*

Good. Come then.

I smiled and summoned my own power. My sword began to sing in answer.

*Kreeee!*