I Am This Murim's Crazy Bitch

The martial contest may have ended unexpectedly, but there was no need for an official verdict to determine the victor.

Throughout the entire match, as Qing was lost in a trance-like state, Gongsun Yoye took every one of her strikes head-on, getting beaten senseless like a dog.

It was a desperate, calculated effort to allow Qing to continue her enlightenment.

The last move—the one that filled the air with a seemingly endless cascade of flower petals—was, in fact, a deadly blade capable of effortlessly piercing through human flesh.

Had Qing swung with the intent to kill, Gongsun Yoye would have been reduced to nothing but a well-chopped mound of meat.

The reason the floating platform collapsed was simple. The prolonged series of intense battles had weakened the wooden structure, leaving it bruised, cracked, and riddled with fatigue.

Gongsun Yoye’s sword aura, extending and retracting like a staff, left gashes in the wood, and her petals of sword energy clawed at the surface relentlessly.

Finally, unable to bear the accumulated damage, the weakened platform gave way, splintering apart in a chain reaction of collapse.

The event planners’ schedule? Shattered.

The Murim Alliance’s construction budget? Sunk.

And Qing? Sputtering and swallowing water as she floundered in the wreckage.

Why had she unconsciously unleashed the Eighth Technique of the Dokgo Sword Style, Thousand Transformations?

Was it the overwhelming impression left by the hallucination of the Great Mucheon Emperor she saw on the Absolute Sword Wall?

Or was it a subconscious display of bravado, fueled by the sheer outpour of her qi, with her inner meridians acting to protect themselves by releasing a single, devastating move?

No one could say for sure.

But the Great Mucheon Emperor was a martial god who was born human but did not die as one.

In her daze, Qing had dared to imitate a final, godlike move—a realization the Great Mucheon Emperor had only attained at the end of his life, an echelon so high that it was unfathomable to mere mortals.

And yet, in her folly, Ximen Qing, the lowly girl who dared to grasp the skies, found herself rewarded with a full-body cramp and a complete muscle shutdown.

Even for a layperson ignorant of martial arts, it had been a breathtaking spectacle that they would likely never witness again in their lifetime.

For martial experts, however, it was a moment of awe—an exceptional display of skill that could only be truly appreciated by those who understood its profundity.

There was, however, one particularly strange aspect.

Of the five-colored sword aura, the yellow hue was a blend of Buddhist golden light and Daoist qi.

The blue hue was the purest and clearest form of Daoist essence.

The red hue, however, was the most unsettling—a lascivious, carnal qi, ostensibly reminiscent of a Daoist art of vitality and longevity.

But the black and white hues? Especially the black—it was the concentrated embodiment of malicious demonic energy, steeped in utter depravity.

Yet, how could a single person wield such diverse qi types with such ferocity that they could manifest as sword aura?

Perhaps the Great Mucheon Emperor had devised some unique method to alter the nature of qi itself.

After all, it was called Thousand Transformations. Wasn’t it plausible that the very nature of the qi could change as well?

As expected of the Great Mucheon Emperor—truly a master ahead of his time.

That was the general sentiment around the room.

Meanwhile, Seomun Surin, who had been quietly listening, was struggling to suppress her growing sense of unease.

It was then that Yuhwa Jin-in spoke up.

"Junior Sister, was that not the Thousand Transformations move, a technique of the Great Mucheon Emperor?"

"Uh... I-I think so."

Since Qing had no recollection of unleashing the Dokgo Sword Style, her response remained awkwardly ambiguous.

"It was a godlike move, without a doubt," Yuhwa Jin-in said, eyes twinkling. "A blade hidden within a beauty’s smile—such was the essence of the Huashan Sect’s teachings.

Surely, that was the true intent behind the Great Mucheon Emperor’s legacy. Hmm. But you say you don’t remember it?"

"Yes. I suppose I’m still far too lacking to fully grasp the Great Mucheon Emperor’s techniques."

"Well, you’ve only just set foot in the Transcendent Level, so take your time and don’t rush yourself," Yuhwa Jin-in said, patting her shoulder with fatherly affection.

Yet, Qing’s gaze fell on the scroll and brush tightly gripped in Yuhwa Jin-in’s hands.

Right after the match, he had immediately asked if she could provide a written explanation of the technique.

If anyone was being hasty and overly anxious, it was clearly Yuhwa Jin-in himself.

Noticing her gaze, he coughed awkwardly and handed the items over to her.

"Ahem. It’s not that. I just heard you were interested in calligraphy, so I thought I’d bring you a little gift.

After all, witnessing the Absolute Sword Wall with your own eyes is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

The scroll was pristine, its texture luxurious and its pattern elegant—the kind of top-grade material reserved for the highest of aristocrats.

The brush, however, looked like it had been picked up at a roadside stall.

"And this Thousand Transformations move—is it really the Eighth Technique?"

"Yes. It’s the Eighth Technique of the Dokgo Sword Style."

"Ha-ha! You hear that? The Eighth Technique!" Yuhwa Jin-in laughed heartily.

"The Nine Great Martial Sects each possess a single technique, but the Dokgo Sword Style has eight.

Do you know what that means?"

"Kuhum."

"Hmm."

"Ahem."

The various elders who had come to offer their congratulations began to cough uncomfortably.

In the world of martial arts, the higher the technique number, the more advanced and potent it was.

If the Dokgo Sword Style’s Eighth Technique was now revealed, it implied there were seven more above it, each increasingly profound.

"If the Great Mucheon Emperor left behind eight techniques, who’s to say the ultimate Ninth Technique doesn’t lie somewhere in the Wudang Sect?"

Muttered Cheon Geon Jin-in, the Wudang Sect’s grandmaster.

"Oh, shut up! If you Wudang fools think you have the Ninth Technique, then why haven’t you revealed it yet?"

Yuhwa Jin-in shot back, his face flushing red.

"Calm down," Muak Dae-sa said, stepping in to quell the rising tension.

"Are you not ashamed to bicker like children in front of our youngest sister here?"

"Ahem."

"Hmph. Yes, well, the fact remains..."

Despite their bickering, all eyes remained glued to the scroll in Qing’s hands.

"Actually, my master told me that once I reach the Transcendent Level, I should attempt to comprehend the Great Mucheon Emperor’s teachings.

I planned to visit anyway, but to be welcomed so openly like this—it’s truly an honor," Qing said with a serene smile.

And with that smile, she managed to elicit a collective, heart-stopping throb from the hearts of all the old martial masters in the room.

Ah, so this is why they say raising a daughter is a blessing.

****

Behind the stage for the introduction of the new Divine Dragon.

Although the term "new Divine Dragon" was somewhat redundant—since the very title "Divine Dragon" itself signified the newest martial champion—it was a common enough expression that no one thought much of it.

Gongsun Yoye suddenly grabbed Qing’s hand.

"Lady Ximen. Congratulations."

"Hm. How about you? You didn’t push yourself too hard, did you? I heard you took quite a beating when I was... um, swinging my sword in that trance-like state. How’s your body holding up?"

Sure enough, Qing’s gaze fell to Gongsun Yoye’s left hand, the one still clasped around hers. A dark, swollen bruise was stark against her skin.

"Please, don’t feel bad about it. In fact, thanks to witnessing Lady Ximen’s sword technique, I managed to grasp a hint of the Transcendent Level. I should be thanking you instead."

Gongsun Yoye smiled brightly.

"And more than anything... it was such a joyous time. If I could experience that again, I’d do anything. I doubt such a thrilling moment will ever come again in my life."

"Uh, yeah. Don’t talk like someone who doesn’t have much time left, okay? How’s your body? The Innate Energy? Did you overuse it? Do you know how much your lifespan’s been reduced? Here, I have a Great Rejuvenation Pill—"

"I appreciate your concern, but I’ve already taken plenty of restorative pills and had a long rest.

Do you think I’d enter a match with such high stakes without being fully prepared? I took every type of elixir known to our clan to fortify my body and my meridians, so you don’t have to worry about me."

"Hm. Every type? What exactly did you take? Can you tell me? If you’re just saying that because you don’t want to burden me by accepting the Great Rejuvenation Pill, I swear, I won’t let it slide."

"Let’s see. I took a Taiqing Pill, two Summoning Pills, a Kunlun Immortal Elixir, a Sunlight Heavenly Elixir, a Spirit Meridian Elixir, a Vital Yin Protective Speed Elixir, and a Qi Reinforcement Pill.

You’ve probably heard of most of these rare elixirs, right?

My entire body is so saturated with medicinal energy right now that if I take a Great Rejuvenation Pill, I might just blow up and die."

"Oh."

Qing’s eyes widened, and she quickly slipped the Great Rejuvenation Pill she’d been hiding beneath her sleeve back into its box.

She had been planning to toss it into Gongsun Yoye’s mouth while she was distracted, but that would have been a one-way ticket to a funeral.

Qing took a moment to reflect.

Gongsun Yoye wasn’t some tragic heroine locked away by her cruel family to endlessly wield a sword in isolation.

Her clan had clearly gone above and beyond to provide her with the best care possible.

Just hearing the names of those elixirs, each one a legendary remedy, confirmed it.

But... I’ve never even heard of half of those...

I know the Great Rejuvenation Pill, so I guess the Summoning Pill makes sense...

But the ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) rest? No clue. Must be good stuff, though.

Finally, Qing’s name was called, and she stepped forward onto the stage.

The roar of the crowd was so thunderous that she felt it reverberate through her bones rather than her ears.

This time, no one was trying to stifle the cheers, and the applause went on and on, until throats were hoarse and palms were raw.

Of course, not all the shouts were flattering.

There were still murmurs of “Three-Headed Demon” and “Absolute Fiend” here and there, but amidst them, she could hear some pretty satisfying titles.

Moonlight Sword Goddess?

I’ve heard that one before.

Mucheon Immortal Maiden?

Sounds like some kind of shaman.

Number One Beauty Under Heaven?

Ugh, that’s too much. Besides, what’s the point of being beautiful? It’s better for other people to be pretty, not me.

Phoenix Sword?

Sounds a bit tacky.

Divine Vermilion Bird Maiden?

What the hell is that?

Numerous attempts had been made to crown Qing with a new title, but unfortunately for them, the final decision didn’t come down to a democratic vote.

It was crushed under the sheer weight of Muak Dae-sa’s authority as the strongest martial artist under heaven.

Yuhwa Jin-in, who had already come up with a four-character title himself, could only sigh in frustration.

If he was so bitter about it, he should have aimed to become the best martial artist in the world.

On the other hand, Yuhwa Jin-in had to admit that a three-character title held more prestige and authority than a four-character one.

Moreover, the chosen title shared the character “Hwa” with the Huashan Sect, emphasizing the connection.

And so, the greatest martial artist of the present era bestowed a new title upon the prodigy who was poised to become the next greatest martial artist.

He raised his voice, his words resonating throughout the entire stage.

"Cheonhwageom. The Heavenly Blossom Sword."

The sword as beautiful as the heavens.