Hwang Cheon Gyeong, the headmaster of the Cheonha Academy, walked onto the arena.

He shouted in a loud voice.

“Let the final match begin!”

With his shout, Ak Wi Cheon moved.

He intended to end the match with Nam Gung Lin as quickly as possible.

He didn’t want to leave an unsatisfying feeling like the previous match with Ji Cheon Wu.

Whoosh!

Ak Wi Cheon moved at high speed.

His sword thrust straight at Nam Gung Lin. It was direct, but powerful.

A technique that ordinary people wouldn’t dare to even think of blocking.

But Nam Gung Lin managed to block his strike.

She even attempted a counterattack.

Her sword drew a beautiful arc as it aimed for Ak Wi Cheon’s shoulder.

At that moment, Ak Wi Cheon felt a chill. He used his footwork to dodge her sword sideways.

Swoosh!

Nam Gung Lin began to attack him again.

Nam Gung Lin’s sword barely grazed Ak Wi Cheon’s ear.

Several exchanges took place.

The match was so close that no one could guess who would win.

Those watching their match muttered in confusion.

“What, is Nam Gung Lin pressuring Ak Wi Cheon now?”

“Does Ak Wi Cheon look flustered?”

Eon Ji Gyeong was also watching Nam Gung Lin. Next to him were Nam Gung Yu Cheong, Ji Cheon Wu, and Shin So Gyeong.

Eon Ji Gyeong muttered without realizing it.

“Young lady Nam Gung is truly a strong person.”

His eyes sparkled more than ever as he looked at Nam Gung Lin.

It was the same for Ji Cheon Wu.

He glanced at Eon Ji Gyeong for a moment, as if annoyed.

But that was only for a moment.

Ji Cheon Wu focused on the match between Nam Gung Lin and Ak Wi Cheon, as if he couldn’t take his eyes off Nam Gung Lin for even a second.

[This is the timeline separator]

As the audience said, Ak Wi Cheon was flustered. It was the first time a situation wasn’t going according to his will.

For him, a match was something he could end whenever he wanted.

He had clearly intended to end the match with Nam Gung Lin quickly.

But the situation wasn’t flowing as he wished.

The match was dragging on.

Ak Wi Cheon thought.

‘This is strange.’

Clang! Clash!

Sword met sword.

Clear sounds echoed through the training ground.

Nam Gung Lin was seen smiling slightly.

Ak Wi Cheon’s heart fluttered.

For him, situations had always been predetermined.

But at this moment, Ak Wi Cheon couldn’t predict the end of this match.

He might not win.

As that thought occurred, his heart strangely started to race.

‘My heart is racing?’

Ak Wi Cheon’s sword began to move faster. The sword that was aiming for Nam Gung Lin’s leg suddenly changed course and aimed for her shoulder.

Nam Gung Lin blocked that sword easily as well.

At that moment, Ak Wi Cheon recalled what his master had said.

The match between the two began to drag on.

But people gradually began to notice. That Nam Gung Lin was starting to overwhelm Ak Wi Cheon.

[This is the timeline separator]

I was currently in a state of trance.

Ak Wi Cheon was much stronger than I thought. And the match with him was more fun than I expected.

I focused on the sword.

At this moment, I could forget everything. My current situation, the Blood Sect’s affairs, and even the things I had to do in the future.

I started to focus on this very moment.

“Haha!”

Laughter burst out.

An irresistible joy rushed in. Blocking Ak Wi Cheon’s sword, swinging my own.

As the exchange of offense and defense continued, I felt as if I was flying in the sky.

And at the same time, I could feel it.

[Nam Gung’s sword must contain the sky. The sky is so high that its end is unknowable.]

I felt my body rising endlessly.

[This is the timeline separator]

Nam Gung Yu Cheong quietly muttered as he watched Nam Gung Lin’s match.

“Lin is… the Nam Gung sword…”

The sword that Nam Gung Yu Cheong should someday reach began to unfold in Nam Gung Lin’s sword. Nam Gung Yu Cheong felt admiration for his cousin.

He had jokingly said to win, but even then, he didn’t think Nam Gung Lin would defeat Ak Wi Cheon.

But the moment he saw Nam Gung Lin’s sword, he could feel it.

‘Lin will defeat Ak Wi Cheon!’

After several attempts, Nam Gung Lin’s sword reached the sky.

And at that moment.

Ak Wi Cheon sensed his own defeat. Nam Gung Lin’s sword stopped right in front of Ak Wi Cheon’s eyes.

If it had moved even a little, it would have pierced both his eyes.

Ak Wi Cheon slowly lowered his sword.

He had lost, been defeated.

Despite experiencing defeat for the first time, he felt surprisingly calm.

Rather, it felt good, to be precise.

Nam Gung Lin approached such an Ak Wi Cheon.

Nam Gung Lin asked Ak Wi Cheon.

“Isn’t it fun?”

The past Ak Wi Cheon wouldn’t have understood those words.

Moreover, it was after Nam Gung Lin had won the match. If someone else had said such words to him, he might have felt it as mockery in this situation.

But now it was different.

For the first time in his life, Ak Wi Cheon thought that swordsmanship was fun.

The desire to defeat someone was indeed enjoyable, as his master had said.

‘The Lord’s words were all correct. This must be what you wanted to tell me.’

Ak Wi Cheon’s heart started to beat rapidly again.

Ak Wi Cheon tried to answer Nam Gung Lin’s words. He wanted to say it was a good match. That he had learned a lot from her.

But he couldn’t utter those words. People from the Murim Alliance started to approach, as if to wrap up the situation after the match.

That’s when it happened.

Splash!

Blood splattered on Ak Wi Cheon’s cheek.

Ak Wi Cheon blinked, unable to understand what had just happened.

His head slowly turned.

Ak Wi Cheon tried to grasp the current situation.

A martial artist in black clothes had intruded onto the arena. Then attacked him. It was an attack from a master, so skillful that he hadn’t noticed.

Mist enveloped the surroundings.

It was fog created by the suddenly appearing black-clad figures.

Ak Wi Cheon slowly turned his gaze.

Nam Gung Lin’s sword had pierced through the neck of the master who had attacked him.

In other words, Nam Gung Lin had easily subdued the one who attacked him.

‘What’s going on?’

He knew Nam Gung Lin was strong.

But to detect the attack of the black-clad figure that he hadn’t noticed, and subdue them in an instant?

At that moment.

Nam Gung Lin and Ak Wi Cheon’s eyes met.

‘Is the person in front of me really Nam Gung Lin…?’

A chilling feeling arose.

Nam Gung Lin’s aura had changed so much that it sent shivers down his spine.

The Cheonha Festival instantly turned into a scene of chaos. Martial artists from both the righteous and demonic factions were seen drawing their swords all at once.

“How dare you!”

In response, Hwang Cheon Gyeong, the headmaster of the Cheonha Academy, drew his sword.

But soon Hwang Cheon Gyeong’s face hardened. Among the martial artists who attacked Ak Wi Cheon, shrouded in mist and hard to see clearly, he saw familiar faces.

‘What on earth is this? Why did they attack Ak Wi Cheon?’

He knew that many among the righteous faction martial artists had negative thoughts about the Cheonha Festival.

They said there was no point in the righteous faction holding the Cheonha Festival when the demonic faction would win anyway.

‘Indeed, its meaning has been distorted.’

The time when the Cheonha Festival was first held was when the Blood Sect was in power. It was held with the intention of joining forces against the Blood Sect.

But this was still unreasonable.

Moreover, among the black-clad figures, there seemed to be some who looked like masters.

It was clear that they had deliberately attacked the Cheonha Festival. Their target was obviously Ak Wi Cheon.

‘This is a mistake.’

Hwang Cheon Gyeong gritted his teeth.

Of course, there were many strong individuals among those attending the Cheonha Festival.

But because it was a festival for young people, too many adults couldn’t participate.

So even the masters were limited to just the teachers of the Cheonha Academy and a few personnel from the Murim Alliance.

In other words, it was his mistake.

If it weren’t for Nam Gung Lin, Ak Wi Cheon would have surely been severely injured.

If that had happened, they wouldn’t have been able to avoid the wrath of the demonic faction.

After all, the Cheonha Festival was hosted by the righteous faction.

‘Is Ak Wi Cheon safe? No, Nam Gung Lin, Nam Gung Lin!’

Cheon Ma and Nam Gung Jin Cheon.

Surely, they would incur the wrath of these two.

Even if that weren’t the case, Hwang Cheon Gyeong couldn’t let the two get hurt.

He had to protect Nam Gung Lin precisely.

‘She’s the future of the righteous Murim!’

Even he felt awe at the match between Ak Wi Cheon and Nam Gung Lin.

However, due to the fog, he couldn’t see how the situation was unfolding.

‘Damn it!’

Urgency filled Hwang Cheon Gyeong’s sword.

‘They’re both exceptional, but still young. They surely won’t last long!’

However, even he was barely managing to fend off the black-clad figures rushing in now.

That’s when it happened.

“You dare to lay hands on my disciple?”

A man appeared.

Hwang Cheon Gyeong’s gaze slowly turned.

Shock appeared on the faces of the demonic faction members who saw him.

Hwang Cheon Gyeong looked at the man questioningly.

Long black hair and cold eyes devoid of any emotion.

He had a dignified appearance but didn’t exude any particular aura.

But Hwang Cheon Gyeong didn’t let his guard down. He too had heard the news recently.

‘Could it be, the person I’m thinking of?’

The man’s appearance was very similar to what he knew of Cheon Ma’s outward appearance.

“Stop!”

It was a resounding shout.

The outward appearance of the suddenly appeared man looked shabby.

Wearing worn-out clothes and swaggering, he looked no different from a country bumpkin on the street.

Of course, he was too handsome for that description.

But none of the martial artists around could ignore this man. His shout was infused with a terrifying amount of internal energy.