Only I Am A Reader

Unlike how most of the tournaments around murim or on modern Earth proceeded, the Mount Hua Sword Conference didn't use groups or match types. Rather than qualifiers and rebounds, there was only advancing or being kicked out!

Those who won would proceed to the next round while that was it for those who lost. Round after round would be started till only two competitors were left. One would think that the longest round had to be the first one, but that wasn't always the case…

"Chung Maeng wins!"

Even for an event that covered the righteous martial community whole, the number of 1st rate Martial Artists wasn't as large as one would expect. Enough talent and preservation were required to take the last step towards the stage of a 1st rate.

However, it wasn't like every 1st rate Martial Artist who used the sword would automatically join the Sword Conference's tournament. Let alone having the confidence to do so, the overseeing organization was often the one deciding who would participate and who wouldn't. After all, no one would let an underperformer present them in a global event like that.

As for wandering Martial Artists, most of those who cared to join eyed the opportunity to impress a prominent sect or family to take them in. Without sufficient ability, some would even go as far as to climb Mount Hua only to chicken out in the queue.

In the end, aside from exceptions who joined just for the sake of fighting without caring about anything else, the filtration of participants was a natural process that took place even before the competition started. Of course, a second cycle was still necessary!

"Lee Hyung wins!"

"Geon Ohjin wins!"

"Kang Yuwon wins!"

Despite being the one with the least participants, the 1st rate competition still had 200 competitors. The overconfident, the fighting maniacs, and so on… Like weeds that grew in an Elixir Garden without permission, all of those that joined without fully comprehending the event's importance were quickly being eliminated!

'This is even more helpful than expected.'

As the fights quickly went on, Leo's interest only grew more and more. He was only causally observing at first, but witnessing the consecutive change of sword styles seemed to greatly resonate with his changing martial arts.

Instead of feeling the urge to combine what he saw into the White Tiger's Transfigurations, it was the essence of change itself that resonated with him. Although it wasn't a mind-blowing change, Leo felt that the cycle of change between styles and movements had become faster and smoother to execute!

Naturally, this was nothing but something to consider on the side, the reason that Leo had come here was still to…

"Cheon Baekho! Namgung Pyung!"

'I guess not even the Mount Hua Sect is as fair as they say.'

Leo inwardly sighed as he walked to the stage. Originally, he thought that there was a good chance that things would change after the little show that happened earlier, but there he was, being matched with the same opponent that Cheon Yong would have faced if he didn't take his place.

Although Namgung Geon only happened to be the second most skilled person within the group of Namgung Swordsmen joining the Conference, the results were openly manipulated to give him a tough match from the very start.

Through some hidden method, they were obviously hoping to disqualify him from the very start to prove their point. In this way, the Heavenly Strength Society wouldn't be able to complain unless they wanted to admit the weakness of their numbers.

"Please provide me guidance, senior Beak!"

The swordsman dressed in blue robes smiled amiably at Leo, putting him on a high pedestal and even directly using his name to appear friendly. However, Leo was well aware of his sinister intentions.

'Cheon Yong gave you a good thrashing…'

Shiiiiing!

'And I plan to do the same.'

The White Tiger roared in Leo's hand as he drew it out of its scabbard, he muttered no words as he vertically swung it as Namgung Pyung!

Klang!

The pretentious opponent was quick enough to take out his sword and block. However, as if it had been bitten by a ferocious beast, a small chip appeared on the White Tiger's impact point.

Klang! Klang! Klang!

'Although I'm not a fan of how the protagonist ended up…'

Rather than showing everything he had, he purposefully dragged the battle on to damage Namgung Pyung's sword.

'I hated what you and the others did even more!'

Leo's malicious intentions had little to do with the fact that the match was made up. Rather, he still remembered the irritation he felt as he read about the Namgung descendants who unrestrainedly bullied the protagonist.

From a certain point of view, they were just characters that were written to be that way. However, Leo felt the urge to beat up one of the reasons that the protagonist became that screwed up that he agreed with the quest of killing him…

"Wait…"

Namgung Pyung retained his false confidence at the start before realizing that things weren't going his way. Only a moment of hesitation held him back from withdrawing as his sword shook, but…

Crack!

It was already too late!

"...Cheon Baekho wins."

Everything happened so fast that even the referee was lost for words, the more focused ones in the audience could tell what Leo's target was, but the owner of the destroyed sword was tricked by Leo holding back into believing he had a chance to win.

'That much should be okay.'

Since he would only be criticized or possibly attacked by some 'senior' if he went as far as to take one of the opponent's arms, Leo simply flaunted the quality of his sword and its corresponding martial art within reason.

"You!"

Although Namgung Pyung seemed like he had some complaining to do, Leo already started walking back to his seat. The only thing he received was a stare from his senior that he shouldn't embarrass them any further!

The unforgiving cycle of elimination pushed forward, unbothered by Namgung Pyung's internal cries. Before long, the second 'fixed' match came to a start!

"Cheon Yeon! Pung Miyoung!"