Chapter 28 – The Eighth Dragon (2)

Hwa-rin, straddling Yu-jin’s center, used her trembling hand to part her thoroughly soaked flesh.

Guiding his member, which she already held, Hwa-rin traced the entrance to her slick cavern.

Then, she lowered her pale, moon-like hips, impaling his member, which stood tall as if to pierce the heavens, upon her petals.

“Haaaah!”

Feeling the massive shaft pierce the core of her body, Hwa-rin let out a cry of ecstasy. She could feel the pulsing of his member as it throbbed, filling her completely.

“Haah! It feels good! So good, Young Master!”

After a moment of savoring the fullness of the man inside her, Hwa-rin began to move, her hips swaying in a gentle, rhythmic dance.

Beads of sweat trickled down her pale, firm thighs, a clear sign of how aroused her body had become.

“Today… you’re incredible… Ugh!”

Hwa-rin’s tightness and movements were so intense that even the great Yu-jin struggled to endure.

“Haaak!”

“Huk…!”

At last, the climax arrived. Yu-jin emptied a torrent of white fluid deep inside Namgung Hwa-rin, and she, in turn, gushed a clear liquid of her own.

Embracing each other, they could feel the rapid beat of the other’s heart through their touching chests.

“I love you, Hwa-rin.”

“I love you too, Young Master.”

The two confessed their love for one another. But their lovemaking did not end with just one round.

***

Having relentlessly savored Namgung Hwa-rin, Yu-jin smiled as he felt his internal energy swell.

The power of the Yin-Yang Lust Arts was truly immense. Far from feeling tired, Yu-jin felt invigorated as he waited for his opponent to appear.

The Seven Dragons and Five Phoenixes had been seeded directly into the main tournament in recognition of their martial prowess, but Yu-jin had not. While he was the Grand Young Master of the True Dragon Sword Clan, he had no personal achievements to his name, so he couldn’t rely on his background alone.

‘Well, it doesn’t matter.’

Yu-jin wasn’t bothered by not being seeded. Whether he went straight to the main tournament or fought his way through the preliminaries, the fact that he would win remained unchanged.

As Yu-jin was lost in thought, a young man wielding a rather long sword stepped onto the dueling stage.

“I am Dan Yeong of the Sword Garden Sect. In the martial world, I am known as the Flying Tiger Sword.”

The Sword Garden Sect was a fairly well-known school in Shandong. Though not one of the Five Great Clans, it boasted the next greatest influence after the traditionally famous Shandong Yue Clan, making it a force to be reckoned with.

The man called Dan Yeong also had a formidable aura. But that was merely the judgment of others; to Yu-jin, he was an opponent of little consequence.

“I am Kang Yu-jin of the True Dragon Sword Clan. I am still lacking and have yet to earn a title. I look forward to our match.”

Hearing this, Dan Yeong was pleased with his choice. Though Yu-jin’s martial arts were said to be lacking, he was still the Grand Young Master of the True Dragon Sword Clan. Defeating him would surely boost his reputation, even if only slightly.

Dan Yeong drew his sword, feeling that no more words were necessary. Seeing this, Yu-jin also drew his weapon.

The crowd watched with intrigued expressions. Most were cheering for Dan Yeong, partly out of jealousy for the True Dragon Sword Clan’s success and partly because they wished to see the ill-behaved Yu-jin get his due.

“Begin!”

At the official’s cry, Yu-jin rushed toward Dan Yeong without hesitation, and that was the end of it. The crowd had expected a fierce battle, but the duel ended far too anticlimactically.

“H-How!”

Staring at the sword resting against his throat, Dan Yeong couldn’t believe it. He, a promising talent in Shandong, had been defeated in a single move by this so-called Earth Dragon.

Dan Yeong could only stare at Yu-jin with a dazed expression. He deeply regretted underestimating and being careless with Yu-jin.

“Yu-jin is the victor!”

“I… I have lost.”

Careless or not, a loss was a loss. There was no point in disgracefully denying his defeat, as it would only tarnish his reputation. Dan Yeong numbly acknowledged his surrender. Shoulders slumped, he walked off the dueling stage.

A murmur swept through the crowd.

People stared at Yu-jin in disbelief. While not on the level of the Seven Dragons or Five Phoenixes, Dan Yeong was a recognized prodigy in Shandong.

To see such a talent defeated with a single stroke of the sword was something they couldn’t believe, even having witnessed it themselves.

But the people did not yet know that this was only the beginning. Nor did they know that the day the Seven Dragons would become the Eight Dragons was not far off.

‘Now, I’ll make a name for myself.’

Thinking this, Yu-jin smiled inwardly.

***

Clang! Clang!

Every time the dazzling sword energies clashed, an explosive sound reverberated. The young men wielding the swords were already drenched in sweat, panting from exhaustion.

But the fire in their eyes remained. They desired only one thing: victory. However, their exhaustion was undeniable, and the once-fierce duel entered a brief lull. The spectators watched the two with tense expressions.

“Haat!”

Just then, the young man with a green headband, having caught his breath slightly, charged forward again.

His opponent, not yet fully recovered, was slightly flustered as he defended against the green-banded man’s attack. But he moved half a beat too late, and as a result, he began to be pushed back.

“Wintry Wind Slash!”

“Soaring Moon Strike!”

The man with the green band, seizing the advantage, formed a powerful gust of sword energy and swung down. His opponent hastily executed a technique of his own and brandished his sword.

However, it was not enough to block the wind-like sword, and the green-banded man managed to land a shallow cut on his opponent.

“Keuk!”

Once he allowed an attack to land, his opponent began to falter even more. The green-banded man, sensing it was time for the final blow, shouted the name of his technique and swung his sword.

“Heavenly Wind Blade!”

A small whirlwind formed around the green-banded man’s sword and wrapped around his opponent’s right hand. His sleeve was torn to shreds, and droplets of blood scattered into the air. The powerful attack forced his opponent to drop his sword.

“I have lost.”

“You fought well.”

The duel was over, and the two young men bowed their heads. In a duel, both winner and loser were expected to show respect. The official overseeing the match nodded at their conduct and shouted loudly.

“The winner! Clear Wind Sword, Ha Seo-jin!”

“Woooooah!”

The spectators erupted in a loud cheer. The Clear Wind Sword, Ha Seo-jin, had already secured three victories. Just one more win, and he would advance to the main tournament.

Until that moment, Ha Seo-jin had been filled with confidence. But the next day, he fell into despair.

‘Heavens, why him of all people…?’

The Clear Wind Sword, Ha Seo-jin, couldn’t hide his tension as he looked at Yu-jin. No, it was more than just tension; it was utter despair.

He had already won three times and needed only one more victory to advance, yet his final opponent was Kang Yu-jin. He could only lament his cruel fate.

It was no wonder. In his three matches, Yu-jin had never once needed a second attack.

He had shocked all the spectators by defeating every opponent with only a single strike.

At first, some had attributed it to luck, but after the third time, the public could no longer speak ill of Yu-jin.

“It is an honor to cross swords with the Grand Young Master of the True Dragon Sword Clan!”

Ha Seo-jin’s cry was one that already accepted his own defeat as a fact. Among the opponents Yu-jin had faced, there had been rising stars even stronger than him.

Yet even they had failed to block Yu-jin’s single strike. In such a situation, there was no way he could possibly win against Yu-jin.

Moreover, Ha Seo-jin’s stamina was already depleted from the preliminary rounds, whereas Yu-jin had subdued his opponents with a single stroke, creating a vast difference in their physical condition.

Even without that, Ha Seo-jin had to admit that Yu-jin was someone who existed on a plane far beyond his reach. The gap was so immense that he had no choice but to acknowledge it.

“You flatter me.”

To make a good impression on others, Yu-jin displayed the virtue of humility.

This very attitude was what made the public reconsider their opinion of him. With his profound martial skill and admirable character, his reputation was rapidly improving.

“Though I may lack skill, I am a martial artist! I will not surrender victory easily!”

Ha Seo-jin shouted as he drew his beloved sword. He might be lacking, but he was the direct disciple and senior brother of his sect. For the sake of his fellow disciples watching this duel, he could not go down easily.

“Of course. Come at me!”

At Ha Seo-jin’s resolve, Yu-jin nodded and spoke.

“Haaat!”

Ha Seo-jin unleashed the finest sword technique he was capable of against Yu-jin. He knew well that if he didn’t give his all in this one strike, there would be no next chance.

True to his title, Clear Wind Sword, he moved as swiftly as the wind, and his sword seemed about to reach Yu-jin.

‘I did it!’

Ha Seo-jin felt a surge of elation at his technique, which was faster and fiercer than any he had ever executed before. It was a sword strike born of extreme concentration.

But his elation was short-lived. Just as he thought his sword had touched Yu-jin’s body, something knocked it away.

The force was so tremendous that Ha Seo-jin couldn’t maintain his grip and lost his sword. It flew high into the air before embedding itself elsewhere.

Yu-jin’s sword was already at Ha Seo-jin’s throat. Seeing this, there was only one thing Ha Seo-jin could say.

“I… I have lost.”

It was disheartening to admit defeat in a single move despite showing his best technique, but a loss was a loss.

“You fought well.”

Yu-jin gave a slight nod.

“Wow, the Grand Young Master of the True Dragon Sword Clan won again!”

The crowd began to cheer. It was praise for Yu-jin, who had now defeated four opponents with a single move each. And so, Yu-jin’s reputation continued to soar.

***

“Namgung was right. He’s been hiding his skills all this time. He might be stronger than both Namgung and Kang.”

At Mo Yong-jin’s words, the young men of the Five Great Clans’ Seven Dragons nodded. The level Yu-jin had displayed was truly extraordinary.

No matter how much weaker one’s opponent was, defeating them in a single move was an incredibly difficult feat.

To win in one move meant settling the match in the simplest and clearest way possible, which required not just martial skill but also quick judgment.

Even they, who sat among the Seven Dragons, might be able to do it once, but to do it four times in a row was practically impossible.

Yet, Yu-jin had achieved the impossible four times, forcing them to feel a sense of unease.

“A swift and precise victory is impossible without a significant gap in skill between opponents. I must admit, he’s the real deal.”