**Chapter 122.**
—
“Please do not take my words the wrong way.”
In the snow-swept white plains, **Cloud Dragon** and **Tyrant Dragon** stood facing each other.
Though the spar had come about suddenly, **Lorellia** did not stop it. On the contrary, she felt satisfied—and even moved—seeing Yuri proactively request a match against another martial artist.
**Silver Martial Queen** did not stop it either. In the first place, the reason **Tyrant Dragon** had come all this way was to test himself against Cloud Dragon.
“I am stronger than you, Young Hero Tyrant Dragon.”
“I know.”
Tyrant Dragon nodded as he replied. It was a plain and simple truth, so there was nothing offensive about it. Tyrant Dragon was still at the **5th Rank**, while Cloud Dragon had reached the **6th Rank**.
The difference between opening the **upper dantian** and not opening it was decisive.
Under the right conditions, a 6th Rank fighter might contend with the **7th Rank**, and a 7th Rank with the **8th Rank**.
But it was impossible for someone of the **5th Rank** to oppose the **6th Rank**.
Especially in a one-on-one fight, there was not even room for variables.
“What I wish to experience is the fist art that the **Hwangbo Clan** prides itself on.”
“I, too, wish to experience the fist art that earned you the title of Cloud Dragon.”
“Haha. Fist techniques aren’t my only specialty, but… how about this? Let us fight using only the minimal internal energy necessary to perform martial arts. Of course, we will not use **Protective Qi** either.”
Not knowing the real circumstances, Tyrant Dragon was deeply moved. He cupped his fists and bowed respectfully. Yuri also returned the gesture with a friendly smile.
*Crack.*
A small sound of bones popping echoed from the fist resting against his palm.
Families that had built their legacy through martial combat were rare across both the Eastern and Western continents.
And among those rare families, the **Hwangbo Clan** held the highest reputation.
For hundreds of years, their lineage of martial artists had continued uninterrupted. Even their secret methods for training the body were on an entirely different level from the vast majority of martial artists.
The current patriarch’s fame was not particularly great, but **Hwangbo Jin-cheol**, who had reached the **5th Rank at twenty-five** and obtained the title of *Dragon*, was considered a genius who would leave his name in the clan’s history.
That massive body was the result of generations of blood and effort accumulated by the Hwangbo Clan.
From childhood, he had undergone rigorous **external training**, giving him strength that could uproot thick trees with pure muscle and crush rocks with bare hands—even without internal energy.
*Under these conditions, I have the advantage.*
Without the use of Protective Qi, the toughness of the body naturally became more prominent.
Tyrant Dragon carefully looked Cloud Dragon up and down with sharp eyes.
Cloud Dragon’s build was sturdy, but it could not compare to Tyrant Dragon’s.
Even their fists were different. Cloud Dragon’s fists were well-developed—fitting for violence—but the same was true of Tyrant Dragon’s.
And in terms of size, his fists were nearly **twice as large**.
“I have already been given many concessions. I will not ask for the first move as well.”
Smiling faintly, Tyrant Dragon raised both fists.
It was the stance of the **Thunderbolt Divine Fist**, a martial art only the direct lineage of the Hwangbo Clan could learn.
That fist art, if described kindly, was honest.
If described less kindly, it was simple.
At least, that was how it looked.
But when facing it directly, its honesty and simplicity did not feel like weaknesses at all.
When a gigantic body charged straight forward while swinging those fists, their sheer size and power rendered most counters meaningless.
“Yes.”
Yuri smiled the same way.
He raised a loose fist forward, as though he were holding an egg.
Since internal energy was restricted, **Qi reinforcement** could not be used either. In this condition, especially for martial artists, sparring would inevitably bring them into close range—close enough for fists to fly.
Having a larger physique meant an advantage in reach.
Tyrant Dragon’s arms and fists allowed him to strike from distances where Yuri’s fists could not reach.
*I don’t need to rush in first. I’ll throw a probing punch, and when he tries to close the distance, I’ll strike then.*
Thinking about the direction of his strategy, Tyrant Dragon stepped forward.
**Thud!**
Though he used only minimal internal energy, the stomp of his naturally monstrous strength shook the snowy ground.
Seeing that, Yuri felt a surge of joy well up in his chest.
*That looks satisfying to punch.*
Yuri also began walking.
Unlike Tyrant Dragon’s thunderous steps, his made no loud sound. His light footsteps simply left prints in the snow.
Without hesitation, Yuri closed the distance between them.
*Now.*
At this range, Tyrant Dragon’s fist could reach.
The moment he judged that, Tyrant Dragon’s **left fist shot forward**.
That enormous fist aimed for Yuri’s centerline—targeting a point where it could crush both of Yuri’s ribs simultaneously.
The instant the fist entered range, Yuri’s hand shot out.
Before it even reached its striking point, the punch was intercepted.
*What?*
At the same time he felt surprise, Tyrant Dragon swung his **right fist**.
Once again, Yuri did not hurry. He moved just slightly later, intercepting the attack the moment it entered range—like gathering it into a net.
*Pak!*
This time he released the captured attack slightly upward.
He merely interfered with the direction of the force and twisted it slightly. Because Tyrant Dragon’s strength was so great, even a small deflection caused the attack to veer widely.
Tyrant Dragon’s fist passed far above its intended target—over Yuri’s head.
And Yuri took a large step forward.
**Bam! Bam! Bam!**
With his middle knuckle protruding, Yuri’s fist struck Tyrant Dragon’s **solar plexus, throat, and philtrum** in rapid succession.
All were places that caused intense pain when struck properly.
Tyrant Dragon quickly dragged his foot back.
*He’s tough.*
It felt like hitting metal.
A fist with only moderate force could not break metal.
Yuri tightened the muscles of his face, forcibly suppressing the smile that wanted to appear.
Being tough meant he could **hit him a lot**.
*That just now… was that the Fist King’s…?*
Not only did Yuri sever the flow of attacks, he also redirected them.
It was not identical, but the method of cutting the flow resembled the **Wave-Severing Fist** used by the **Fist King**.
A year ago, Tyrant Dragon had met the Fist King.
Hearing that the Hwangbo Clan’s young heir had obtained the title of *Dragon*, the Fist King had personally come to visit.
They sparred.
Tyrant Dragon was utterly defeated.
*“You’re decent. I’ll look around a bit more, and if there’s no one better than you, I might pass my martial art down to you.”*
For someone who had come to one of the **Five Great Families**, the Hwangbo Clan, those words were incredibly rude and arrogant.
But the Fist King was a martial artist who had the right to speak that way.
*Could Cloud Dragon have become his disciple…?*
If that were true, it meant the Fist King had evaluated Cloud Dragon more highly than Tyrant Dragon.
Looking at Cloud Dragon now, that would only make sense.
But it still left a bitter taste.
Tyrant Dragon’s face hardened as he raised both arms high like a bear.
He judged that further probing was unnecessary.
**Rumble…**
The muscles across Tyrant Dragon’s entire body twisted and surged, producing a sound like thunder.
**Boom!**
The moment he stomped the ground, Tyrant Dragon’s massive body seemed to grow larger.
It was not imagination.
His body had actually grown slightly bigger.
His muscles swelled visibly—enough that the difference could be seen with the naked eye.
The **Thunderbolt Divine Fist** had begun.
A gigantic fist rushed toward Yuri with monstrous, abnormal strength.
*What’s with this guy?*
He had been cautious and timid despite his size, but suddenly his attitude had changed completely.
**WOOOOONG!**
The tearing sound of the air from the incoming fist was so fierce it made the ears ring.
Facing that punch, Yuri extended his hand.
Instead of meeting it head-on, he slipped slightly downward and struck the **inside of Tyrant Dragon’s elbow**.
The blow embedded in the joint caused Tyrant Dragon’s fist to twitch and stop.
**BAM!**
This time Yuri did not wait.
A fist that burst from outside Tyrant Dragon’s field of vision smashed into his **jaw**.
Normally, a hit like that would knock someone unconscious instantly.
But Tyrant Dragon was not normal.
Instead, he drove his jaw down like an axe, crushing Yuri’s fist.
At the same time, he swung his other fist—which had not been blocked.
But once again, the flow of the attack was grasped and its direction twisted.
“……”
**Yeonri Eunha** watched the spar with blank eyes.
Even under the same conditions, the fight was one-sided.
Every attack from Tyrant Dragon—huge and monstrously powerful—was intercepted or redirected halfway through.
And each time that happened, Cloud Dragon’s fist struck Tyrant Dragon’s body.
“Look, Sister. Cloud Dragon’s attacks don’t seem to affect Brother Hwangbo. His body doesn’t really have any advantage besides being tough. If it continues like this, couldn’t Brother Hwangbo win?”
**Namgung Yeon-bi** chattered beside her.
Yeonri Eunha kept her mouth shut because she did not want to respond, but even she found herself wondering the same thing.
*They’re light…?*
Was it because internal energy was restricted?
No—even considering that, the punches seemed too light.
Several punches had landed already, but Tyrant Dragon had not even let out a small groan, nor had his body staggered significantly.
He was a man who had broken through the wall of the **5th Rank** and ascended to the **6th Rank** as a martial artist.
A warrior’s body inevitably developed according to the martial arts they practiced.
Though his physique was far smaller than Tyrant Dragon’s, **Cloud Dragon**’s fists— even without internal energy—could likely shatter a human body as easily as crushing a cookie.
“Cruel.”
**Silver Martial Queen** saw it differently.
She frowned slightly and glanced toward **Lorellia**. With both hands clasped before her chest, Lorellia was watching Cloud Dragon with a proud and delighted expression.
“Did you teach him that?”
“Should I even call it teaching? Yuri simply took it from me as he pleased!”
“Took it…?”
Silver Martial Queen could not easily understand those words, but she did understand that the root of that ruthless violence came from the **Calamity Saint**.
Those light punches did not miss a single target. They aimed only at **joints and vital points**.
They sought only the places where minimal force would produce the greatest effect.
A vicious fist art focused entirely on **destroying the human body**.
Memories from a past she did not wish to recall surfaced, and Silver Martial Queen’s shoulders trembled faintly.
“You should be careful as well.”
Lorelia looked at Silver Martial Queen with a bright smile. That smile and gaze made Silver Martial Queen’s cheek twitch.
“Careful? What exactly should I be careful about? Surely you’re not telling me to be wary of Cloud Dragon?”
“Yuri’s eyes were sharp before, but now they shine even brighter.”
Lorellia giggled softly as she whispered.
“If you casually display your martial arts before him, little by little… he will take them from you.”
“Take them?”
“Yes, exactly. You know how it is—if something gets taken from you, it only means the one who lost it was foolish. So even if something is taken, you mustn’t get angry and try to kill Yuri.”
“Then were you foolish enough to have something taken?”
At the mocking question, Lorellia’s cheek twitched.
“I, Lorelia, did not have anything taken.”
“Didn’t you just say Cloud Dragon took it as he pleased?”
“I, Lorellia allowed to have it taken.”
Silver Martial Queen was about to respond to that nonsense—
“Ghk…!”
For the first time, a groan escaped from Tyrant Dragon.
His thick **left arm** hung down limply, trembling as it failed to rise properly.
“You’ve taken too many hits.”
Even a robust body could be disabled if repeatedly struck at vital points that robbed it of proper function.
It was as if a poison had spread through Tyrant Dragon’s body, stealing away his freedom of movement.
But even so, he did not want to say the word **“defeat.”**
He had been hit dozens of times already, yet he had not succeeded in landing a single proper attack on Cloud Dragon.
Just a little more.
Just a little more, and he felt he might reach him.
That small difference frustrated him.
*If I land just one punch… I might win.*
Yuri understood exactly what Tyrant Dragon was thinking.
If the gap had been too great, Tyrant Dragon would have admitted defeat long ago.
That was why Yuri had deliberately allowed the distance to feel **almost reachable**.
**Thud!**
A fist struck his chest.
It did not hurt much.
But his body had grown sluggish, and he could not counterattack as he wished.
**Thud!**
Another fist struck his chest.
The exact same spot as before.
**Thud!**
When it struck again, cold sweat ran down Tyrant Dragon’s spine.
He was aiming for the **heart**.
**Thud!**
Another punch struck the thick chest muscles protecting the heart.
With each strike, the impact grew sharper—like a needle drilling deeper.
“Ghh…!”
He tried to do something, but before he could act, a sharp fist grazed the tip of his chin.
This time he could not simply shrug it off.
His body staggered for a moment, and once again Yuri’s fist struck the heart.
*It’s… getting closer.*
Now Cloud Dragon’s fists were both **hammer and awl**.
The awl embedded in his chest was being hammered deeper and deeper toward his heart.
For the first time in his life, Tyrant Dragon felt **fear**.
What would happen if that invisible awl finally reached his heart?
**Thud!**
The hammer struck the awl again.
*How many hits are left?*
How many more strikes before it reached his heart?
All the attacks he had suffered so far—
At first they had been so light they did not even hurt.
But as they accumulated, they became pain that paralyzed his body.
Was this attack the same?
Would it reach his heart at some point—and kill him?
**Thud!**
The nail driven by the hammer pierced through muscle.
The hairs on Tyrant Dragon’s body stood on end.
As he staggered backward, his eyes met Cloud Dragon’s.
Beneath hair whipping in the snowstorm, **blood-red eyes flashed**.
“Uh…”
The thought of becoming the greatest among dragons had long vanished from Tyrant Dragon’s mind.
*I’m going to die.*
That fear filled his mind and emptied his body.
A hollow body with neither counterattack nor defense was nothing more than an easy target.
**Thud!**
Another punch struck his chest.
The nail bit into bone.
Only a few strikes remained now.
*I shouldn’t let this continue.*
Thinking that, Tyrant Dragon tried to say **“I lose.”**
But before he could open his mouth—
another fist approached.
“Kh—!”
Just as the fist was about to strike his chest—
Tyrant Dragon’s eyes rolled back.
He fainted.
“Young Hero Tyrant Dragon?”
Yuri called out in disbelief.
He had not even hit him—so why had he fainted?
**Thud!**
The massive body collapsed backward.
“Are you alright?”
He asked, but a fainted man could not answer.
As Yuri looked down at Tyrant Dragon foaming at the mouth, the sound of footsteps crunching through the snow approached from behind.
“Were you trying to kill him?”
It was **Snow Princess Yeonri Eunha**.
She stared at Yuri with wary eyes as she spoke.
“Your fists relentlessly targeted Tyrant Dragon’s heart. If you had continued…”
“Why would I kill Young Hero Tyrant Dragon? I have no grudge against him.”
Yuri answered with a baffled expression.
“It’s true I targeted his heart, but I had no intention of killing him. If I did, I would have attacked with killing intent from the start.”
“……”
“I only intended to pressure him enough to make him declare defeat. I didn’t expect him to faint without admitting it. My method may have been a little excessive. If Young Hero Hwangbo wakes later, I will apologize.”
“There is no need.”
From a distance, **Silver Martial Queen** spoke.
“He was consumed by a delusion of his own making and fainted. You have nothing to apologize for.”
So that much killing intent must have been present.
Silver Martial Queen thought quietly as she looked at Yuri standing calmly.
That peaceful face, showing not the slightest trace of fatigue, made her think deeply.
“Is Cloud Dragon your disciple?”
After a moment of silence, Silver Martial Queen turned toward Lorellia.
“No.”
Lorellia answered with a bright smile.
Silver Martial Queen nodded slightly and looked back at Yuri.
“Come to the **Yeonri Clan**.”
“…Pardon?”
“I’m telling you to become a member of the Yeonri Clan. The best outcome would be for you to marry someone with the Yeonri surname, but even if you do not wish that, I will treat you as part of the direct lineage. I will give you the surname **Yeonri**.”
“What are you—”
“I am the **Silver Martial Queen**. Within the Yeonri Clan, there is nothing I cannot do. How about this? Become my adopted son. I have never married and have no children, so there would be no problem with you becoming my heir.”
It was a chance to become **Yeonri Yuri**, after **Namgung Yuri**.
“Now? What are you saying?”
A smile colder than the falling snow formed on Lorelia’s lips.
“You intend to take Yuri away from me?”
“Take him? What do you mean? Didn’t you say Cloud Dragon is not your disciple?”
“He isn’t my disciple! But I teach him with the heart of a master toward a disciple!”
“I don’t understand. The choice belongs to Cloud Dragon. It is not something for you to interfere with.”
“That… is true. Yes, if Yuri wishes it, I, Lorellia, will support his decision. However!”
Lorellia raised a finger and pointed toward the **mountain summit**.
“Before that, shouldn’t we settle the business that brought you to see me?”
A cold smile also appeared on the lips of the **Silver Martial Queen**.
“Very well.”
Grasping the **Moonfang Netherblade**, the Silver Martial Queen answered.
