Ownership VS Cheongyeon-3

“The difference in strength is unavoidable.”

Ice Sword muttered with a hint of regret, but Yeomjin, sitting in front, didn’t respond.

Yeomjin’s narrow eyes, above the fan, remained fixed on the arena, unfazed by the cheers from the audience.

It wasn’t the usual relaxed demeanor that Yeomjin always displayed.

Ice Sword, Yeomjin, and the high-ranking officials of the Martial Arts Alliance in the VIP seats had different perspectives on the battle’s progress.

“However, time is being dragged out.”

Yeomjin, who had been silent, finally spoke.

Large ice crystals had formed around Cheong-yeon, who was embedded in the audience seats.

“Isn’t that out of bounds?”

A murmur arose from the audience, but the referee shook his head.

Since being out of bounds was defined as the body touching the outside of the arena, it didn’t apply to Cheong-yeon, who was surrounded by ice.

And Namgung Soyou didn’t want to end the match with an out-of-bounds ruling.

“Don’t dawdle, come up here.”

Extinguishing the blazing flames, Namgung Soyou said.

“……”

Cheong-yeon reached out and created an ice bridge from the audience to the arena, and Namgung Soyou stepped back slightly to clear the way for Cheong-yeon’s return.

Fatigue was thickly layered like fog on Cheong-yeon’s face as she slid back into the arena.

“Still strong, I see.”

As soon as Cheong-yeon regained her stance, Namgung Soyou’s energy exploded again.

Watching his disciple’s energy erupt, Yeomjin folded his fan and stood up.

“Not watching anymore?”

Ice Sword asked, laced with mockery, as Yeomjin left his seat.

“The outcome is already decided, is there really a need to watch?”

Yeomjin replied to Ice Sword, who was wearing a faint smile, glancing back slightly.

“Indeed, I suppose not.”

Ice Sword grinned as he watched Yeomjin leave.

“Bingryungong, Yomryun Skill, Noeryun Skill… Not only the Three Great Inherited Martial Arts, but most martial arts have Internal energy cultivation method.”

Ice Sword cast his gaze downwards.

“And that Internal energy cultivation method affects people.”

“If Bingryungong is continuously used, the caster loses emotions and becomes insensitive to dealing with life. It’s because they are affected by the Internal energy cultivation method.”

“That’s why Cheong-yeon, with her opposite personality, is a suitable candidate for Bingryungong.”

Cheong-yeon was already throwing ice crystals, creating distance.

“Even if she uses Bingryungong, she is less affected because of her inherent good nature.”

Cheong-yeon continued to be pushed back by Namgung Soyou.

She rolled on the ground to avoid Soyou’s flames, and was thrown back by the impact of the barrier breaking, but she stubbornly got back up.

“What was required of Cheong-yeon in this match was only one thing: to use Bingryungong as little as possible to buy time.”

The flames Namgung Soyou was creating intensified.

“Yeomjin. You took in a child in an unstable state as your disciple for the synergy of Yomryun Skill. A child with a desire to become stronger.”

Ice Sword’s gaze shifted to Namgung Soyou.

Her appearance as she continued to push Cheong-yeon back seemed extremely strained.

Her breathing was ragged, and she occasionally lost her balance and staggered, seemingly dizzy from the heat she was generating.

“I don’t know what side effects come from continuously using Yomryun Skill… but at least you should have taught your disciple how to suppress Yomryun Skill for her sake.”

Raising flames in both hands, Namgung Soyou charged forward.

The explosive force made her fast, but the sharpness was less than before.

-Clang!

Cheong-yeon’s ice barrier blocked Namgung Soyou’s attack for the first time.

“Ugh… Ughaaaa!!”

Whether it was from anger at her attack being blocked, Namgung Soyou screamed and pulled up her Inner Force.

The flames clinging to Namgung Soyou began to burn even more fiercely.

Namgung Soyou, now a human torch, wildly swung her arms, striking Cheong-yeon’s ice barrier.

There was no form of any martial arts in that sight.

“……”

Cheong-yeon, blocking Soyou’s attacks under the solid ice barrier, turned her gaze to the audience.

Cheong-yeon was asking her master.

‘Is it now?’

Ice Sword briefly closed and opened his eyes at the gaze filled with that question.

The heat emanating from Namgung Soyou warmed the arena, and the spectators nearby began to scramble to leave.

Now, only a few people remained in the general seating area.

Ice Sword caught sight of the back of the man Yeomjin had introduced as his attendant.

The man’s face was filled with bewilderment, likely shocked by his master’s ruined appearance.

Ice Sword thought so.

As Ice Sword slowly nodded, Cheong-yeon’s eyes changed.

A cold air gathered around her.

-Bang! Bang!

Soyou, who was constantly striking the ice barrier, felt cracks gradually forming in the barrier.

“If I just break this!!!”

Just as Namgung Soyou let out a shout and slammed her fist into the barrier, the barrier disappeared before her eyes.

Namgung Soyou’s attack tore through the air, and her balance was thrown off by the uncontrolled power.

Cheong-yeon, who had moved beside her unnoticed, raised a sword made of ice particles high, just as she had done to Inho.

“Damn… it!”

Too far to follow, Namgung Soyou predicted the trajectory of the falling sword and threw herself.

However, an ice pillar that rose from the ground blocked her path, and her body paused for a brief moment.

It was here that Namgung Soyou foresaw her defeat.

Cheong-yeon’s sword tore through the air, and a blizzard, dozens of times greater than the snowstorm that had poured down on Inho, engulfed her.

-Sizzle!!

The snowflakes melted, rapidly cooling Namgung Soyou’s body temperature, and she resisted the blizzard, taking a few steps forward, but soon felt her mind growing increasingly hazy.

“N… No…!!!”

Namgung Soyou muttered, feeling herself freezing from the extremities.

Those were the last words she uttered in this match.