Swish!

Song Dayun’s sword movements were as simple as swordplay could go. Rather than manifesting any form of illusion, everything that was natural seemed to be moving to assist her… That was the true worth of the ‘One With Nature’ swordplay’s energy channeling!

Swish! Swish! Swish!

However, when faced with Yeon’s pressuring Ten Thousand Blades, the effect that it could show was severely overwhelmed. Whether it was on purpose or not, Song Dayun was severely disadvantaged due to the choice of opponents.

“Cheon Yeon wins!”

Neither did the battle end up being too lousy, nor was it an easy win, but it fell short when compared to what the audience was expecting. Most expected Yeon to win even if she wasn’t this ‘lucky’, but they would have at least gotten to watch a worthy performance…

“Kang Kisoo! W…”

Starting from the fourth round, the matches only operated in one stage. It was understandable to watch two battles in casual exchange at the start, but no viewer would want to miss a second now that things were getting serious, especially if it was just for the sake of saving time!

Other than the participants and the ones accompanying them, almost everyone else had come to enjoy themselves and break the cycle of boredom created by the repetition of martial art practice. Naturally, the Great Mount Hua Sect knew exactly how to satisfy the audience as the ones who had been hosting the Sword Conference for decades!

As all three variables had already made it to the next round, the next few matches largely followed the audience’s guesses. Those who came from more prominent sects or showed a great degree of skill in their earlier matches successfully moved forward.

Although the matches followed the trend of lasting longer as the rounds advanced, the fourth round still managed to end in just one day. After another 6 hours of brief rest, the fifth round commenced on the sunrise of the Mount Hua Sword Conference’s sixth day!

“Cheon Baekho! Chang Howan!”

With no second rite of ascension to change things around, the fifth round similarly started with Leo’s battle. The opponent this time ended up being the head student of the Southern Edge Sect.

‘Still the same.’

Whether it was him or Cheon Yong that managed to beat Pung Eunhyung, the Mount Hua Sect’s response was unchanged. Since they had already lost their own cards, it was the Southern Edge Sect’s turn to do so!

Even if the Mount Hua Sect wasn’t in friendly relations with all the organizations of the Righteous Faction, they always tried not to antagonize any one. However, things were always different with the Southern Edge Sect. Not only were they in conflict, but they also maintained a hostile relationship in public!

The Southern Edge Sect clearly denied the fact that Plum Blossom Swordsmanship was the peak of swordplay, while their Sword King always found the Sword Sage for duels over the right to hosting the Sword Conference. In simply words, both sects simply believed their lives would be better if the other didn’t exist…

“Heh, I will make sure to deal with the demon that the Pung family’s trash couldn’t handle!”

Such a match-up could have been regarded as a blatant manipulation at the start. However, the fifth round only had as many as 14 participants that no pick could seem like an improbable coincidence. Most importantly, if the Southern Edge Sect were to complain, they would be admitting their inferiority!

“Whatever.”

Being thrown in the middle of their conflict didn’t make Leo feel good, but that was just how things were for the minority. In any case, he just had to win like usual!

Swish!

‘I will show you equality!’

The Southern Edge Sect’s Frozen Bloom Sword was a great martial art. Similar to the Plum Blossom Swordsmanship, it emphasized the nature of flowering and life within death. However, great symbolism didn’t directly translate into great ability.

Swish!

Chang Howan was undeniably a strong opponent, but he was only at Pung Eunhyung’s level. As the White Tiger re-emerged behind Leo, the flower that resisted freezing to bloom in the snow trembled with chills, no flower or tree could exhibit a sword’s true path like the simple concept of metal did!

The battle didn’t instantly end, but the resilient snow flower quickly withered under the White Tiger’s fangs. In the end, Chang Howan’s Frozen Rebirth could only suffer the Violet Mist’s miserable fate…

“Cheon Baekho wins!”

“No!”

The result of the match came as no surprise to the audience, but Chang Howan denied reality to the last moment. Thankfully for him, he quickly came back to his mind before he overreacted.

Losing a battle was okay, but being disgraced in front of the Mount Hua Sect’s people was anything but acceptable! In any case, both sect’s people had already been eliminated from the competition.

‘This is getting annoying.’

Feeling the intense gazes of the Mount Hua Sect’s Daoists, Leo uncomfortably turned around in his seat. Despite already putting their sights on the protagonist, their greed for talent extended over to their group. Leo was already aware that they were contemplating if they should just keep them from leaving.

They couldn’t guarantee that the reformed Heavenly Demon Cult was as weak as their hiding status implied, but wasn’t taking such talented students away from them a service to justice? The risk was unknown, but the possibility of it being nonexistent was what made it tempting.

‘You will see how it will turn out in the end.’

Following that, the competition smoothly continued as the elimination process became slower and slower. Even head students could no longer guarantee their advancement. However, there was no shame in losing when the Sword Conference was so close to coming to an end…

“Kim Geochin! Tai Jinoh!”

Before Yeon got her turn to march into the stage this time around, Geochin climbed the stage once more. Everyone was completely in focus, ready to see the moves that they missed in his last battle. However…

“Kim Geochin wins!”

Once more, two moves was all it took for the match to conclude.