Chapter 153: Sibling Showdown (2)

The main bracket of the Dragon Phoenix Tournament was strictly random.

While slight manipulations might be acceptable during preliminaries, tampering with the main tournament where disciples from the Sixteen Great Sects swarmed would create quite diresome consequences.

If manipulation were possible, they would have avoided matches between members of the same family. However, since that wasn’t the case, this sibling duel came to pass.

“It’s been a while since we’ve sparred, hasn’t it?”

When Namgung Suah smiled softly, Namgung Myeong’s lips curved into a smile as well.

“Yes, Sister.”

“Can’t you go easy on me since I’m your big sister?”

“Go easy? I’m the one lacking compared to you, Sister.”

“Thanks for saying so, at least.”

Namgung Suah giggled as she drew her greatsword.

Schwing—

The gigantic sword came into full view, brilliantly scattering the sunlight as it touched its surface.

Namgung Myeong also drew his sword and waited for the referee’s signal.

Recently, his elder sister had been receiving various teachings and her skills had visibly improved.

While Namgung Myeong might surpass her in mastery of the Sword Form of the Emperor, other aspects remained uncertain.

Moreover, his sister had rarely engaged in activities outside of the clan, so he could only gauge her abilities from what she’d shown in this Dragon Phoenix Tournament.

— Begin…!

Thud!

The moment the signal dropped, Namgung Suah charged forward.

With the information advantage on her side, she held back from unnecessary probing, careful not to reveal her hand.

Anticipating this, Namgung Myeong maintained his upper guard stance and waited.

Crackle!

The lightning-infused greatsword carved a massive crescent moon.

Namgung Myeong didn’t retreat. He stepped forward and brought his sword down.

Boom!

The Sword Form of the Emperor unfolded as his blade drove her greatsword into the ground.

Namgung Myeong moved flowing like water, stepping on the flat side of the greatsword to pin it down, then twisted his shoulder and forcefully drew his sword upward across the trapped sword.

Namgung Suah proved equally formidable.

She rotated her greatsword to turn the blade edge up, the lightning-charged edge threatening his sole.

Namgung Myeong layered his foot with inner qi to buy time, but couldn’t prevent his stance from wavering.

Eventually, an opening appeared in his sword path, Namgung Suah turning her body immediately.

Swoosh!

Her sword grazed through the air. In a fluid motion, she spun, retrieving her trampled greatsword.

“Hap…!”

Using that momentum, she swung the greatsword with tremendous force.

A greatsword’s reach far exceeded that of a regular sword. Namgung Myeong could only duck to avoid it.

A kick immediately followed, flying towards him. Thud! He barely blocked the strike containing her full rotational force.

Pushed back several steps, Namgung Myeong smiled brightly.

“Magnificent, Sister!”

Even so, he remained alert; Namgung Suah could unleash her ultimate technique at any moment.

The finishing blow she had shown against Cheongsong.

The match could end without warning in a single moment.

Knowing this, Namgung Suah held back from recklessly using her ultimate technique.

Their fight settled into a stalemate, trading blow for blow.

Fifteen minutes passed, then thirty, with neither side moving ever so slightly towards victory.

WOOOOO────────!!

Cheers erupted from the crowd. Namgung Myeong steadied his ragged breathing as he studied Namgung Suah’s movements.

Her style fundamentally embraced the greatsword’s immense weight.

Rather than fighting against the massive blade’s momentum, she surrendered to it completely, fluttering like a butterfly.

With her strength, Namgung Suah could easily wield that greatsword one-handed.

Yet he couldn’t help but admire how gracefully she manipulated that power.

“Hah… hah… Please be careful, Sister.”

Finally, Namgung Myeong made the first decisive move.

Qi waves exploded from his body, claiming dominion over the arena.

Though too crude to be called a proper domain, it was far beyond anything achievable at Peak Realm.

He was borrowing the Sword Form of the Emperor’s power.

Standing perfectly straight, he raised his sword high.

A defenseless stance. An arrogant posture that paid no heed to an attack from those beneath.

But Namgung Suah couldn’t rashly exploit this opening.

His figure, radiating tyrannical presence, had become a sword itself.

This was the bearing most befitting the Namgung Clan’s Young Lord.

A bright smile crossed her face as she gripped her greatsword.

“I really do… have a wonderful little brother.”

Unlike his useless big sister who contributes nothing.

She crushed the intrusive thought and channeled lightning into her blade.

RUMBLE────────!!!

Fierce lightning surged violently, threatening to tear apart the space Namgung Myeong had claimed.

He stood motionless, not even a twitch. Calm eyes tracked the lightning as he took one heavy step forward.

BOOM!

The heavens moved with him.

The vast, vibrant azure contained within his sword painted the earth below.

Sword Form of the Emperor.

As the sky fell, lightning shot upward.

BOOOOM────────!!

The collision was evenly matched at first.

But soon the balance shattered, and the sky tore through the lightning, falling through the scattering bolts.

— Ah…!

An exclamation burst from the crowd.

Though it seemed to lament Namgung Suah’s defeat, the expressions of those involved told a different story.

“Oh my…!”

Having intended to tear the lightning, Namgung Suah released her grip.

The greatsword spun skyward as she freed both hands, smiling brightly.

“I’ll preserve my dignity as a big sister a bit longer.”

Charging in for palm techniques would take too long. They both knew it, but the outcome was already decided.

Because the person Namgung Suah had learned from was Seojun.

A brilliantly glowing orb of lightning shot from her fingertip like a beam of light.

Divine Thunder.

ZZZING────────!!

Lightning crossed the sky with a sharp crack.

— Winner…! Namgung Suah of the Namgung Clan…!

The victor was decided.

Watching the duel, Seojun unconsciously shot up and applauded.

“Oh…!”

That finger bullet. No matter how he looked at it, it resembled his old Primordial Sun-Moon Strike.

To think she’d been hiding such a technique.

As he marveled, the nearby elders murmured amongst each other.

“Hmm… it seems the Namgung Clan will dominate the next generation.”

“Both are promising talents for the future.”

Some discussed future matters, while others expressed pure admiration.

“There’s no need to deliberate over her title. Thunder Phoenix fits her perfectly.”

“Thunder Phoenix seems rather plain, wouldn’t you say? Perhaps Brilliant Thunder Sword Phoenix?”

Rising stars reaching the Dragon Phoenix Tournament’s top eight received nicknames.

Dragon for men, Phoenix for women.

They were usually composed of two words, like Sword Dragon or Divine Dragon.

I wonder if a woman using a staff would be Staff Phoenix?¹

While Seojun entertained random thoughts, Namgung Myeong composed himself and bowed toward the crowd.

First, he headed to where the Sixteen Great Sects’ elders were gathered.

Seokjun grinned and waved at him.

“My lil bro did great!”

After their greetings, both siblings descended from the arena.

As testament to the fierce duel, the crowd’s fervor showed no signs of cooling.

More than a few spectators looked exhausted and drenched in sweat despite not participating in the match themselves.

As Seojun settled back with a pleased expression, the Red Face Beggar chuckled.

“Aren’t you disappointed?”

“About what?”

“The Young Lord also had the skill to aim for victory. With a better bracket, he surely would have reached the top eight.”

“Well… that’s true…”

Though Namgung Myeong had fallen short without even reaching the top eight, purely in terms of ability, it was strange he couldn’t be counted among the Dragons and Phoenixes.

“Still, Myeong has future opportunities. But for big sis, this… is her last chance.”

By the next tournament, Namgung Suah would be past thirty.

“Look at you, never mention that in front of her.”

“Hey, even I’m not crazy enough to do that…”

“I may not have known you for long, but you do seem capable of it?”

“I’m biased when it comes to people.”

If Namgung Suah heard herself being called a woman past her prime and burst into tears, Seojun didn’t know how he would recover from the guilt.

Objectively speaking, she didn’t deserve such words.

If she’s pretty, age doesn’t matter, she’s still big sis.

“Hoho, someone would really appreciate hearing that.”

“Who?”

“You’ve never heard of them? There’s a famous person. Someone who has devoted everything to martial arts and reached the Transcendent Realm, but alas has never held a man’s hand…”

“Gasp.”

“A woman’s body is truly mysterious. Who would have known menopause would come despite looking so young?”

“Oh damn… So who is it?”

“Forever Alone Single From Birth, Lotus Divine Monk.”

That’s a pretty pitiful title.

Seojun asked with a dubious expression.

“What kinda nickname is that?”

“It praises how she follows righteousness and moral duty while maintaining her humble nature.”

“You sure it isn’t meant to mock her?”

“Mocking? Is there anything to mock? Anyone who has met Lotus Divine Monk would never think to  ridicule her.”

The Red Face Beggar clicked his tongue.

“Anyway, from what I know, she’s currently striving to reach Unrestrained Realm. She desires to achieve bodily rejuvenation and restore her reproductive functions.”

“Uh… if you meet her later, tell her I’m rooting for her.”

“Hoho, I will.”

Scratching his head, Seojun recalled something Namgung Suah had said jokingly.

I’ll be thirty soon. Actually, I’m already a bit late. At this rate, I’ll become a grandmother soon.

Though she’d said it jokingly, wasn’t there some truth mixed in?

Shouldn’t she hurry it up if she’s gonna have kids?

She was only twenty-eight, but if time kept slipping away like this, forty and fifty would arrive in a flash…

“Hmm.”

Seojun quickly stopped that train of thought and waited for the next match.

The next duel would definitely be between Hwangbo Hyeji and Eun Wiryong.

He wondered if Eun Wiryong had resolved his inner demon. From recent observations, it didn’t seem so.

Who should I root for?

Sister-in-law? Or the man chasing his dreams?

He wasn’t sure, but he did want to properly see Diancang’s Sun-Shooting Sword Technique once.

You know?

For like, future reference or something.

Since he’d given him advice, he trusted the guy wouldn’t get angry about sharing some enlightenment.