Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 706

TL Notes: Hello friends. Adapted all the new characters, things will be easier now. I really want you to enjoy the tournament to the fullest! 

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The main rounds of the Shinryong Martial Tournament were nothing like the lackluster preliminaries—it was the real deal.

Surrounding the arena was a packed audience in the grandstands, buzzing with anticipation.

At the center stood two large combat platforms, designed to host two matches simultaneously. The victor from each pair would advance to the next stage.

It was a simple yet efficient format.

“Begin.”

The referee's low voice signaled the start, and the air immediately grew electric.

“Hyaaat!”
“Hup!”

Boom!

A clash of internal energy erupted, rippling waves across the arena.

Woooaaahhh!

The audience roared, their excitement intensifying with every shockwave.

This was a rare sight—the clash of Peak Level-level martial artists, their movements quick and their power awe-inspiring. The spectators watched in captivated silence, mesmerized by the sheer intensity of the combat.

“…Quite the start, isn’t it?”
“Who is that man? Did they call him Mupung Twin Blades?”

A burly man wielding a massive iron mace hurled himself forward, his movements rough but powerful. Yet, his opponent, a dual-sword wielder, evaded with effortless grace.

Even an untrained eye could see the disparity in their skill.

"Mupung Twin Blades? I’ve never heard of that title.”
“He’s gaining a bit of fame in Hubei recently.”

More and more attention shifted to the swordsman.

“It’s impressive. To handle someone like Dae Cheol Heuktae (Great Iron Black Smash) so easily.”

The mace-wielding fighter, known as Great Iron Black Smash, was a renowned figure in Sichuan, famous for his brute strength and aggressive combat style.

Yet, instead of overwhelming his opponent, he was being effortlessly countered and outmaneuvered.

The crowd began to murmur in growing fascination.

An unfamiliar name.
Unexpected strength.

This was exactly the kind of fighter the audience loved.

"Mupung Twin Blades, huh? I’ll have to remember that name."
“He seems destined for greatness.”

As the match continued, Mupung Twin Blades’s twin swords glimmered with deadly precision.

“Tch!”

Seeing this, Great Iron Black Smash swung his mace in a desperate arc.

“You’re too late.”

The swordsman had already closed the distance, his blades carving through the air with fluid elegance.

Clang! Swish!

The mace never reached Mupung Twin Blades, who deftly evaded while bringing the tip of his sword to rest against Great Iron Black Smash’s throat.

“…Damn it!”

Realizing his defeat, the burly fighter released his grip on the mace, his body trembling with frustration.

The referee raised his hand, declaring the outcome.

“Match over. Fighter Seventeen is victorious.”

“A good fight.”
“…Thank you for the lesson.”

With Mupung Twin Blades’s victory, the crowd let out a collective sigh of disappointment.

Though another match was still ongoing on the adjacent stage, the audience’s focus lingered on the swordsman’s remarkable performance.

“What a shame. I wanted to see more.”
“Well, he’s advanced to the next round. We’ll see even better from him, won’t we?”
“That’s right. My nephew’s a first-rate martial artist, and he says that someone at this level hasn’t shown their full power yet.”

The comment about a nephew was dubious, but no one bothered to argue.

“It seems the Alliance really put effort into this event. To have such talent on display from the very first day.”
“I didn’t have high expectations for the opening day, but Mupung Twin Blades and even that Gunjeong Geom (Righteous Sword) earlier—what an unexpected treat.”
“To think there are so many exceptional martial artists.”

The emergence of unknown yet skilled fighters was enough to ignite the hearts of the Central Plains spectators.

Perhaps, they thought, they were witnessing the birth of the next generation of the Ten Great Masters.

The audience clung to this dream, their attention fixed entirely on the arena.

Then,

“Next! Fighters Seventeen and Eighteen!”

Two new figures ascended to the platform vacated by the previous competitors.

One was a hulking man of similar size to Great Iron Black Smash, while the other was relatively smaller and leaner.

As soon as the giant appeared, someone in the crowd exclaimed loudly:

“It’s Forest Tempest Fist!”
“What!?”
“Forest Tempest Fist?”

The name belonged to Myeong Cheongseok, a direct disciple of Guangdong's renowned school and a rising master.

He had surpassed the Peak Level before reaching the age of forty, achieving the rare level of Wansukh Jeoljeong—Mature Absolute.

Standing at nearly eight feet tall, with rugged features and bronzed skin, he possessed a wild, masculine beauty that captivated the women in the audience.

“I can’t believe Forest Tempest Fist is appearing this early….”
“What a stroke of luck.”

Even the men in the crowd grew quiet in awe of the famous master’s arrival.

“Who’s his opponent? He looks young.”
“Young? He’s practically a kid.”

“Wait… that’s…”

The smaller figure also carried a name, though it wasn’t as widely recognized.

“That’s So Yeomra. That young man is So Yeomra.”
“So Yeomra?”

Hearing the name, the crowd’s attention shifted to the youth.

Barely over twenty, with sharp eyes and dressed entirely in black, he exuded an air of quiet ferocity.

“So Yeomra? Isn’t he the son of the Ho Hyeop?”
“The one involved in the Shinryong Pass Incident….”

While many seemed vaguely familiar with the name, the reaction paled in comparison to the enthusiasm surrounding Forest Tempest Fist.

Still, even this muted acknowledgment was a step forward.

“So Yeomra? Wasn’t he the one who clashed with Yutan Geom (Oil Sword)?”
“That’s right. They say he exchanged blows with Oil Sword.”

The Oil Sword, one of the Hundred Great Masters of the Central Plains, had reportedly crossed swords with this young man.

“Of course, Oil Sword must have gone easy on him.”

Most dismissed the rumor as an act of leniency on the master’s part, but a few saw it differently.

“Even if he was going easy, the fact that a young fighter could cross swords with Oil Sword speaks to his skill.”
“That’s true. Just making it to the main rounds proves his worth.”

Although he had earned the moniker So Yeomra, marking his departure from the junior ranks, many still regarded him as a fledgling fighter.

“Poor lad. He probably got here by sheer luck….”
“Only to face Forest Tempest Fist of all people….”

A man who had not only reached the Peak Level but refined it to Perfected Peak Level.

The seasoned man, whose skills were nearing the Flowing Flame level and poised to join the ranks of the Hundred Great Masters, stood as an insurmountable wall for a young man barely past his coming of age.

“This will be a good experience for him.”

“Indeed. They say sparring with a senior is an invaluable opportunity for juniors. It’s a gift for the lad.”

No one expected So Yeomra to win. Such was the perception of the crowd.

The two combatants stood facing each other.

“Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
“I’m ready.”

Forest Tempest Fist assumed his stance, speaking calmly.
So Yeomra tilted his head slightly in acknowledgment, his expression casual.

The referee frowned slightly at the young man’s attitude but focused on the duel.

“In that case, we shall begin,” the referee announced, extending his hand low before swiftly raising it.
“Begin.”

The instant the word left his mouth:

Kuuuuuuuung—!

“…!!”
“Ah…?!”

A tremendous force erupted from Forest Tempest Fist's body.

It was battle Qi, heavy and ferocious, taking physical form and dominating the arena.

“Guh!”
Even the other duel on the adjacent stage faltered, their movements disrupted. Despite the distance, the sheer pressure reached across the arena.

The overwhelming power shifted the flow of air, causing visible ripples that began radiating from Forest Tempest Fist.
A voice from the stands rang out:

“It’s the Flowing Flame level…! Forest Tempest Fist is at Flowing Flame level!”

The crowd erupted at the revelation.

“Flowing Flame? But wasn’t he said to be at Perfected Peak Level?”
“Was he hiding his strength all along…?”

The aura emanating from him was unmistakably that of a Flowing Flame master.

Though ordinary spectators might not discern the difference, martial artists within the crowd immediately recognized it.
Forest Tempest Fist had concealed his true level, only to reveal it now during the main tournament.

“Amazing… a new Flowing Flame master…”
“To witness such a milestone with my own eyes!”

This marked the beginning of a new chapter in martial history.

To reach the Flowing Flame level before the age of forty was a testament to future greatness—ample reason to predict that Forest Tempest Fist would someday join the ranks of the Ten Great Masters.

As his aura continued to swell, Forest Tempest Fist assumed his stance, his eyes fixed on the young man before him.
Then, he spoke:

“My apologies.”

“Hmm?”
So Yeomra tilted his head in confusion.

“For what?”

“It was not my intention to reveal this before a much younger junior. I apologize for the circumstances.”

Having suppressed his power for so long, Forest Tempest Fist had finally unleashed it, solidifying his position in the martial world.

“I see.”
So Yeomra chuckled lightly.

“Don’t worry about it. No need to apologize—it’s actually quite nice of you.”

“…”

Forest Tempest Fist smiled faintly, mistaking the young man’s attitude for resignation.

Perhaps he had accepted the impossibility of victory after witnessing the overwhelming power disparity.

Despite his confidence in his display, a tinge of bitterness remained.

‘My apologies, truly.’
He hoped his brilliance wouldn’t overshadow the young man’s potential.

If anything, this duel would serve as motivation for his growth.

With that thought, Forest Tempest Fist clenched his fists, prepared to deliver his ultimate technique—a culmination of his refined mastery.

For the sake of teaching the younger generation, and to demonstrate the heights one could reach, he began gathering his Qi.

“Hoo…”

Guguguguung—!

As his energy condensed, a visible distortion shimmered around him.

“Such power…”
“This is beyond incredible…”

Forest Tempest Fist seemed destined to rise among the Ten Great Masters.

As the air buzzed with anticipation, the crowd was on the verge of roaring its approval.

Thud.

“…?”
“…Huh?”

A sudden sound silenced the gathering.

It was the sound of knees hitting the ground.

The mighty Forest Tempest Fist had collapsed.

His massive form, which had radiated such power just moments ago, crumpled to the floor.

And then…

Thunk!

A resounding crash echoed as his body hit the ground.

“…”

“…What? W-What just happened?”

The once-roaring crowd fell utterly silent.

Only one sound remained:

Thud.

The soft footsteps of someone walking past the fallen form of Forest Tempest Fist.

It was So Yeomra.

Calmly, he moved past his collapsed opponent and returned to his original position.

No one had seen what had happened.
No one had noticed how or when So Yeomra approached the mighty Forest Tempest Fist before he fell.

Standing once again in his starting position, So Yeomra bowed deeply toward the unconscious man.

“It was a great match.”

He spoke with sincerity, his voice echoing faintly in the stunned silence.

The crowd, utterly bewildered, could only stare.