[Chapter 41]
Yeon Hojeong's body staggered.
His hand that unleashed Yeon Hwanjang was burning red. In an instant, Yeon Wi also blocked the attack with his palm.
Woo-woong!
A faint aura emanated from Yeon Wi's hand.
'Banryongjang (Counter Dragon Palm)!'
It was one of the supreme martial arts of the Yeon Clan. Each strike had a formidable power, but especially in counterattacks, there was no martial art that could match this palm technique.
But to his surprise, Yeon Wi added more.
"Is it Yeon Hwanbiyeonjang?"
"Yes."
Paaak!
As soon as the answer was over, Yeon Hojeong charged again.
He thought he was coming straight ahead, but in a flash, he lowered his posture and swung his Bangcheon Geuk.
Even though the distance was close, the blade of Bangcheon Geuk, a long and heavy weapon, swept his ankle precisely. It was not affected by the distance.
Yeon Wi's sword scraped the floor of Yeon Mujang.
Ka-ga-gak! Kang!
The sword that scratched the ground knocked out Bangcheon Geuk. This time, too, Bangcheon Geuk failed to achieve its purpose.
The spear shaft that bounced off drew a delicate curve and aimed at Yeon Wi's flank. It was a faster attack than when he swung the blade.
Jjeo-jeong!
It was perfect.
Yeon Hojeong couldn't help but be amazed. His father's martial arts realm had reached the state of perfect offense and defense.
Jjeo-jeong! Kwajik! Paaak!
No matter how many times he swung Bangcheon Geuk, or how he created openings with his fist and palm techniques, he couldn't break through. He didn't allow a single effective hit.
'You've polished yourself to this extent!'
Before the inner power or sword force, the martial arts itself was close to perfection. There was nothing to add or subtract, it was literally a complete martial art.
'You're amazing!'
In the Black Darkness Era, Yeon Hojeong's martial arts were far ahead of Yeon Wi.
But even then, Yeon Hojeong couldn't achieve the perfect offense and defense of martial arts like Yeon Wi now. It was not a problem of realm, but of skill.
If Yeon Hojeong's martial arts were to maximize his strengths.
Yeon Wi's martial arts were like a steel fortress that didn't tolerate a single flaw. The orthodox of the orthodox, the incarnation of Baekdo Muhak.
'Good.'
The first duel with his father?
That thought had already disappeared from his head. Yeon Hojeong faced a martial artist who was hard to come by in the martial world, and felt a burning fighting spirit more than ever.
Paaang! Pabapak! Peo-eong!
Yeon Hojeong's martial arts became more intense.
The heavy Bangcheon Geuk increased its speed to the extreme. The spear technique that was in the uninterrupted flow aimed at Yeon Wi's whole body.
Jjeo-jeo-jeo-jeong!
The heavy attacks were all blocked.
But it was okay. Yeon Hojeong believed. That his father would never get hurt.
Boo-woong! Boo-woong!
As the speed increased, the destructive power increased, and as the destructive power increased, the body movements became more elastic.
Yeon Wi's eyes glowed.
'You're amazing.'
He was surprised by his son's martial arts.
'How fierce and exhilarating martial arts.'
The center of his body was held by Byeokra Jingeol, but his martial arts were so fierce that he didn't think he had mastered the stable Byeokra Jingeol.
Was the balance of offense and defense broken? That was not the case either.
Jjeo-eong!
The short steel sword that struck was blocked by the spear.
He defended with his attack. He didn't block to block, but he wrapped up the opponent's attack and struck back with an extreme martial art.
He couldn't criticize him for being too offensive. Defense was also an attack, and attack was a stronger attack. A practical martial art that endlessly pushed the enemy, a fighting method of the battlefield that aimed to survive by killing before dying.
'And…'
Papapapapang!
Yeon Hojeong was not only good at spear technique.
As soon as the spear strike flew, a kick came flying, and when he blocked the kick, he waited and used his fist and palm. When he avoided the fist and palm, Bangcheon Geuk flew again, and when he knocked out the spear, a delicate foot technique came in.
He didn't rely on weapon technique just because he had a weapon. It was literally a fight. He didn't press the opponent with a powerful martial art, but he dug into the enemy's weakness and knocked him down with a fighting technique.
What was more amazing was the identity of the fighting technique that came in to target the weakness.
'Basic skills?'
Yeon Gasipsamgweon, Yeon Hwanbiyeonjang, Gogongak, Chupungbo.
They were all basic martial arts of the Yeon Clan. They were martial arts that could build the basic qualities of a martial artist, even though they didn't have great power.
He made such an efficient attack with those martial arts?
'Could I do that too?'
A good writer doesn't choose a brush.
That was a word for his son. He was facing the head of the Seven Great Clans with a martial art that trained his body like an exercise.
Yeon Wi's eyes changed.
Jjeo-eo-eong!
Yeon Hojeong's body retreated back and forth with a powerful sword strike.
He had seen enough of his son's martial arts. He could tell the realm his son had reached by just looking at this.
As Yeon Wi was about to open his mouth.
Paaang!
He rushed in with a tremendous speed that he had never shown before.
He narrowed the distance in an instant and swung Bangcheon Geuk like an axe.
Yeon Wi was startled.
'How can this be!'
This sword strike was not simple at all.
It was a technique that made the opponent retreat by applying a strong elastic force. It was normal to be overwhelmed by just holding the center of his body.
But he approached at this speed?!
Yeon Wi quickly raised his sword.
Jjeo-eo-eo-eong!
The sound of the spear and sword colliding spread from Yeon Mujang to the outside of Gaju Sil.
It was the most explosive and powerful strike among the attacks so far. Yeon Wi's sword trembled slightly.
Huk!
Yeon Hojeong, who lowered his posture like lightning, unleashed a terrifying Yeon Hwan Gi.
Papapapapapa.
Yeon Wi, who blocked his son's martial arts with his exquisite skills.
'That's it.'
Yeon Wi finally realized. Why did his son do such an extreme training.
'It was to get this stamina.'
Yeon Hojeong's attack was carried out without a breath.
Each strike, each strike emitted a powerful force, and his son's martial arts were typical one-hit kill type martial arts. But to create that explosive strike, he needed not only inner power, but also physical strength and endurance.
Yeon Hojeong's martial arts were saying. No, proving.
This is me.
This is the martial art I pursue. I pursue the extreme attack power without compromise.
Yeon Wi's eyes closed.
Kwang!
With a terrifying shock, the steel sword drew the shape of a thunderbolt.
Kwaleung!
"Hmm."
Yeon Hojeong's body was pushed to the end of Yeon Mujang.
It was a different power from the previous elastic force sword. He felt a sharp pain in both hands holding Bangcheon Geuk.
"That's it."
Sseureung.
Yeon Wi, who had already left Yeon Mujang, withdrew his sword.
Yeon Hojeong felt regretful.
'I almost saw it.'
As he attacked his father's ironclad martial arts, he found a clue to summon the White Tiger.
The summoning of the Four Gods was not enough with just enlightenment and realization. If he could draw out the White Tiger Qi, which was specialized in offense, his internal energy, body, and martial arts would all grow greatly.
'It's a pity, but there's no other way.'
If he could handle two of the Four Gods, he could summon the other two with just training.
But not the White Tiger. He couldn't easily summon it unless he faced a life-and-death enemy. The Four Gods Martial Arts was born on the battlefield, after all.
'That's how amazing my father's martial arts is. He can summon the White Tiger even though it's not a life-and-death battle.'
Yeon Ho-jeong, who relaxed his posture, looked at Yeon Wi with a strange eye.
'How did he cultivate such martial arts?'
Clang!
Yeon Wi put his sword on the rack and asked.
"How was it?"
"Excuse me?"
"What do you think of this father's martial arts?"
Yeon Ho-jeong's eyes shone.
"I think it's close to perfect."
"Perfect?"
"Yes. You seem to pursue a flawless perfection that has no weaknesses. You want a middle way that does not lean to either side of offense and defense, evasion and counterattack."
He confidently said that there was room for improvement.
His father was not offended by his words, because his son hit the mark.
"Did you notice?"
"Isn't it harder not to know? Every martial artist has their own specialty, but I didn't see any in you."
"…"
"A martial art that encompasses everything. That's your martial art, father."
Yeon Wi's face showed honest surprise.
"You have a great eye. No one else could see through my martial way, but my son did."
"Is that so?"
"That's right."
Yeon Wi, who was quietly looking at his son, sighed.
"I wanted you to follow me."
"Excuse me?"
"Six months ago, you changed since the ancestral rites. I don't know why you changed, but I was pleased with your change as the head of a family."
"Oh, yes."
"But now…"
"…"
"I'm a little, sorry."
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.
"Please tell me if I did something wrong. I'll fix it anytime."
"You didn't do anything wrong. That's why I'm sorry."
Yeon Wi's face showed a deep pride and regret for his son.
"Before I became the head of the family, as a father of two sons, I wanted my sons to follow the same path as me. You can call it greed or stubbornness."
"…"
"But you, you've already taken a different path from me. Through your martial way, I could vaguely see what you're pursuing."
"What is that?"
"You don't want to be the head of the main family."
Yeon Ho-jeong's face hardened.
He wasn't the only one who hit the mark. Yeon Wi also saw through his son's mind by looking at his martial arts.
"I've been thinking about that part since you changed. I was sure today. Your will is not here, but reaching out to the world."
"…"
Yeon Wi leaned back and looked up at the sky.
His eyes, looking at the cloudless sky, were filled with an indescribable sadness unlike usual.
"Didn't I tell you why I wanted to see your martial arts?"
"…Isn't that what you just said?"
"No."
"Then what is the reason?"
"I wanted to see if you had a good mindset as a sub-family head, through your martial arts."
"…!"
Yeon Ho-jeong's face showed surprise.
'Sub-family head…?'
It was a position he had never thought of before.
Yeon Wi shook his head.
"It's a pity. I wanted to test your ability as a head of the family, but as a father, I'm frustrated that your will is not tied to the family."
"…"
"Indeed, the world doesn't go as you wish."
Yeon Ho-jeong couldn't say anything.
Yeon Wi, who had been looking at the sky for a long time, turned his body.
"It was a great martial art. Let's spar with this father from time to time."
"…Yes."
"Good job."
Yeon Wi walked towards the head's room.
Yeon Ho-jeong, who was looking at his father's back, opened his mouth.
"Father."
Yeon Wi turned his back.
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.
"Even if my will is different, my heart is always here. To protect the family, I will point my sword at the world, even if I have to bear the stigma of a demon."
"Nonsense."
Yeon Wi moved to the head's room again.
"If the world calls my son a demon, I will put that world under my sword."
"…"
"Rest well."