Tang Soso jumped onto the stage.

“Sago!”

As if Hae Yeon didn’t even bother her, she only went to support Yu Yiseol.

“Are you fine?”

“… I am fine.”

Yu Yiseol nodded her head.

She had suffered a few minor injuries, but nothing life-threatening, and it was only as the confrontation continued for a while did it become difficult to maintain consciousness.

“Let me help you.”

“… please.”

Tang Soso stood up, supporting Yu Yiseol, and Yu Yiseol put her arm around the shoulder of Tang Soso. They walked away with some difficulty.

At that moment.

“… excuse me.”

Hae Yeon’s trembling voice called for her.

When Yu Yiseol turned back, Hae Yeon asked with a red face,

“H-How…”

Actually, even Hae Yeon wasn’t sure what he wanted to ask right now as he called for her.

He wanted to ask how she could wield the sword through a merciless technique?

Or maybe ask why she didn’t give up despite the overwhelming difference?

Maybe it was both.

He knew it was stupid to ask, but he had to.

Because he couldn’t understand.

There was a huge skill gap between him and Yu Yiseol.

Even if they fought a hundred times, Hae Yeon would win all a hundred matches, and that too with no injuries to his body.

Even if the first wound on his body was a fluke, the second wound was something he shouldn’t have taken.

However, the skills of Mount Hua’s Yu Yiseol had broken this common sense and left this scar on him.

If Yu Yiseol had a little more strength left within her, the scar would have been quite deep.

“…how?”

Yu Yiseol looked at Hae Yeon. After a while, she spoke with her pale face,

“Because I had to reach you.”

“…”

“That is all.”

Hae Yeon just stared at her.

Yu Yiseol, who was about to go down the stage, looked back again,

“Aren’t you the same?”

Hae Yeon’s face stiffened at her remark.

Yu Yiseol turned away as she walked down with the support of Tang Soso.

The disciples who were waiting for her surrounded her,

“Samae! Are you alright?”

“Sago!”

“Your ankle! It looks injured!”

Yu Yiseol just nodded to all their questions with a calm face,

“I am fine.”

Baek Cheon had a stiff face.

“Still, your injuries need to be treated right away. Let us head to the infirmary right now. Soso, take sago with you.”

“Yes, sasuk!”

Tang Soso nodded her head, and Baek Cheon hesitated as he said,

“And…”

He coughed as he continued,

“… it was wonderful.”

A small smile appeared on the lips of Yu Yiseol. Everyone nodded their heads at the words of Baek Cheon.

“I will go.”

“Yes.”

Tang Soso supported her, and both headed to the infirmary. And just in case, Baek Sang followed them.

‘Hmm.’

Baek Cheon looked at Yu Yiseol with heavy eyes.

‘Just one more swing.’

Would that have brought them victory?

Well, it was impossible to be sure.

This wasn’t an issue of martial arts. This was a matter of will.

It was a matter of one not losing their will even when their whole existence was being crushed down by their opponent.

“Did you all see that?”

“Yes, sasuk.”

“We all saw it.”

The other disciples nodded their heads, feeling things.

Hae Yeon’s skills were overwhelming. If they had faced him, they would have lost the motivation to fight before they even got on stage.

However, in the end, Yu Yiseol broke through the overwhelming skill gap and drew a slash on Hae Yeon’s body.

“In the end…”

They all turned their heads at the words of Chung Myung.

“Development depends on whether you exceed that one point or not.”

“… one point?”

Chung Myung nodded his head,

“Unexpectedly, anyone can do that with all their might. What is more important is whether you wield your sword one last time in those extreme situations by squeezing out your last drop of energy.”

Chung Myung narrowed his eyes,

“Those who can do this become stronger. Thinking about the situation now, it would be even stronger because of the flow today.”

Chung Myung glanced at them,

“Can you all do that?”

“…”

Upon hearing Chung Myung’s words, the Baek disciples all fell silent at once.

“Just talking about it. It seems like it is a matter of willpower alone. However, a person who hasn’t pushed himself past the limit on a regular basis cannot overcome their instincts at the last minute. That person cannot do what sago did. Only someone who always pushes past their limits. Those who keep pushing till the end.”

Baek Cheon nodded his head,

“I know what you mean.”

“Now this competition is over,” said Chung Myung sternly.

“All that is left is what the sasuks and sahyungs have gained from this place and the competition. If you don’t push yourself and act on what you have gained here, there is a limit to how much farther I can take you all.”

The faces of the disciples turned more serious.

Looking at those eyes, Chung Myung smiled.

‘The thing which sago did.’

Up until now, the training in Mount Hua had been nothing more than a leash in the hand of Chung Myung.

But in order to advance to the realm where their sago was, they needed to devote themselves on their own accord. Now they have reached a point where they cannot be forced to put in physical effort.

What Yu Yiseol wielded against Hae Yeon showed many things to the disciples of Mount Hua.

‘It would have been a little nicer if it was more extended.’

But he could not expect that.

He knew that Yu Yiseol breaking through Hae Yeon’s technique was nothing short of a miracle. And it was enough to show that she wouldn’t give up.

‘How is it, you bald-headed bastard!’

Chung Myung turned his head and looked at the stage.

Indeed.

The Abbot was looking at this side with a bewildered face. Seeing that expression on his face, the pain of suffering for ten years seemed to lessen.

The Abbot could have never imagined that Yu Yiseol could even touch Hae Yeon, let alone wound him.

“Hehe. Is that bald head shining now?”

“Chung Myung.”

“Uhahahahaha!”

“Chung Myung.”

“What?”

“… you are next.”

“Uh?”

Ah, right?

With a red face, Chung Myung grabbed his sword.

Concentrating on Yu Yiseol’s spar, he forgot that he had one more spar left.

‘Tch. Such a mistake.’

Still, his opponent had come all the way to the semi-finals. This wasn’t a good posture to show as a warrior.

“Who is my opponent?”

“…”

“Well?”

“It felt like Moyong or something?”

“Who?”

Seeing the disciples of Mount Hua use their heads, Chung Myung smiled,

‘They are all dumb brains.’

I believed in such people? Uh? Such people?

“I will head up for now!”

“Ugh.”

Chung Myung shook his head and went up.

‘The atmosphere is a bit different.’

And looking around, he savored this. The crowd was no longer bustling.

Well, this was expected.

Others must have accepted a spar involving Mount Hua’s disciples a while back.

Those who thought that Hae Yeon’s martial arts were omnipotent must have been quite shocked.

The skill he used.

It was one of the most difficult techniques in the Shaolin martial arts, and it was said that only a few people throughout the history of Shaolin had learned it.

And since they saw such a strong technique in front of their eyes, there was no way they could just enjoy this anymore. It felt like they were doing everything to calm their excitement.

From Chung Myung’s point of view, it would be better to break through the thoughts of his technique and concentrate more on Yu Yiseol, who injured Hae Yeon, but in the end, the winner was the one who took all the glory.

‘I don’t like this.’

Those gathered here were guessing that Hae Yeon would win this.

How many of the Seventy-Two martial arts did he show?

In addition, he showed the technique that only the best in Shaolin could do. From an objective point of view, it would be strange if he didn’t win.

“But you know.”

Chung Myung smiled.

“Moyong Family’s Moyong Myung.”

“Uh?”

Suddenly, the opponent on the other side shouted. He seemed to have noticed that Chung Myung wasn’t interested in him,

“Ah. Sorry. Sorry.”

This wasn’t a polite thing, either.

Courtesy was said to have been given to the strong, but still, he had to show manners in the presence of other people.

“Mount Hua’s Chung Myung.”

Srng.

Chung Myung drew his sword.

At the same time, Moyong Myung, too, drew his sword. There was a tension in his eyes which couldn’t be hidden.

But even those in the audience didn’t care about the two. Most of them were looking at the Shaolin disciples.

“Hmm.”

Chung Myung smiled.

And he glanced at the Abbot. Rarely can one see any form of dissatisfaction on his face.

‘Such a greedy one.’

He did want Hae Yeon to capture the attention of the public, but he didn’t like him being hurt in the meantime.

There was no doubt that he wanted an overwhelming victory.

Chung Myung smiled.

Well, nice.

It wasn’t too bad that Hae Yeon got his attention. And it wasn’t too bad that the people thought that Shaolin would win.

“Be prepared,” shouted Moyong Myung loudly.

And he ran for Chung Myung with sword in hand.

Swish!

There was no reason for anyone who came to the semi-finals to think they were inferior.

Moyong Myung’s sword had a white qi on it, instantly filling the area around the stage. It wasn’t as flashy as what Yu Yiseol did, but it had a better speed to it.

The sound of a sword swishing through the wind and the pure white qi coming for Chung Myung’s sword.

In that moment…

“So far.”

Chung Myung rushed toward the sword.

Swish!

His body had turned into a haze, and then he moved behind Moyong Myung and used his sword qi.

Pang!

A short pounding sound.

So small that no one could ever hear it.

Moyong Myung’s form stiffened from this technique.

Tak!

Chung Myung retrieved his sword and pushed it into the sheath. At the same time, Moyong Myung’s body fell to the ground.

Thud!

There wasn’t even a single wound on his body, yet Moyong Myung had lost consciousness.

Moyong Myung fell, and Chung Myung stood alone.

Cold silence again.

One hit.

A single hit.

A shocking sight for those who couldn’t even fully concentrate on the match to begin with.

“… one hit?”

“Oh my…”

This was the semis, so how can such results come?

Now all the gazes gathered on Chung Myung, who was walking down.

It was clearly visible that the Abbot had lost his composure now.

“The winner?”

It was funny yet boring at the same time.

Chung Myung smiled,

“Shaolin or not. It is my specialty to make others upset. Hehe”

The plan you made will be crushed down.

Now I wonder what kind of expression you will have at that time?

This isn’t a bad thing.

-You sure?

Ah, don’t keep popping out only at such times!

Chung Myung giggled and went down.

He didn’t care if the Abbot continued to look at him.

This competition.

This long competition would culminate in the finals between Shaolin and Mount Hua.

Shaolin has been called the tip of the kangho, the top of it, for hundreds of years.

Mount Hua, which miraculously resurrected after being kicked out of the Nine Great Sects.

Only one fight was left to resolve the many things that were entangled by this.