035 ————————————————
Embroidered Uniform Guard (錦衣衛)
When they arrived at the gate of Hangu Pass, there were people waiting in front of it like Nangong Huan said. They were all dressed in blue clothes. When they found Nangong Huan, they prostrated themselves.
“Sky Team (天空隊) is meeting the Young Master (少家主) of Nangong Clan.”
The Sky Team was probably a direct force group of Nangong Noble Clan (南宮世家). I looked at about twenty people and found that more than half of them were First-class martial artists. I was surprised that this kind of power could sweep away the small or middle size sects in a day.
Nangong Huan talked to the captain of the Sky Team.
“Why didn’t you come to see me at the castle of Guanzhong?”
“I’m sorry. When we stepped into the castle, Six Great Clans in Guanzhong would be much concerned about us. It was necessary to avoid friction.”
“Is that really what you think?”
“…”
“Huh.”
Nangong Huan smiled bitterly and turned around, and the captain of the Sky Team was still standing. I could know from the look of it that there was some kind of conflict between them, but it wasn’t the time to dig up now. Nangong Huan said, holding hands of my Senior Brother (师兄), Jin So-Chung.
“Thank you very much. If it had not been for you and Baek Woong, I wouldn’t have escaped three hundred meters from the house of Joe Clan.”
“No. You trusted me and came all the way to Blue Dragon Martial Hall, didn’t you? I appreciate it more.”
They seemed to have their own friendship. I wondered why Nangong Huan and Murong Yan were being pursued by the strong martial artists alone, and what the relationship was between the Sky Team and Murong Yan. However, I could not ask the question directly, so I put up with it for now.
Nangong Huan also held my hand and said.
“Young Hero, thank you very much. If you visit Nangong Noble Clan at any time, I will also treat you highly as a savior of my life. Be sure to come and see me.”
“Don’t mention it…”
I took a gesture and glanced at Murong Yan. She has done nothing unusual in this affair. She was just following Nangong Huan around in silence as if she had to.
‘She is at risk of rape when she gets caught. How is she that cool?’
I felt something strange. No matter how strong her mental was, a dozens of martial artists came together to rape her. She had to be terrified or her emotional changes should be meandered. But she did not show even a handful of quirk as if it would not happen to her.
“Then check it out when you return.”
“Okay, see you.”
When Jin So-Chung’s farewell was over, Nangong Huan and Morong Yan disappeared into the night, accompanied by the Sky Team. They were quite tired, but they seemed to be trying to push their pursuers a little further. By the time the two disappeared, Jin So-Chung started talking to me.
“Then let’s go back, Junior Brother (師弟).”
He now looked quite confident in admitting me as a new Junior Brother. In the previous life, he used to treat me as a laboratory animal to be raised as needed, but now he was clearly happy. Feeling a little proud in my mind, I said.
“Senior Brother, I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“It’s so weird today. The Young Master of Nangong Noble Clan carried Heavenly Yin Qi Body (天陰之體) without guards, and the Sky Team probably arrived early at Hangu Pass but did not come down the mountain to escort.
“…”
“Senior Brother, do you know anything about it?”
When I mumbled the words, Jin So-Chung said after a long silence.
“It is no longer our business. I’ve done my duty with Nangong Huan as a friend, and I want him to take care of the rest. I don’t think anything will go wrong anymore.”
“Do you know what this is all about?”
“Do you want me to tell you?”
“Yes.”
Then Jin So-Chung mussed my hair and giggled.
“Okay, then why don’t you make a bet?”
“Bet?”
“I’ll tell you if you compete against me and hold out for a hundred Moves (招式).”
I was a little surprised.
“That’s…”
“How do you feel? Isn’t it okay to be a trainee?”
I felt a sense of triumph. Jin So-Chung was not just a Senior Brother. He has been a teacher who had taught almost everything of my martial arts, and he had overwhelming talents and abilities that were incomparable to me. I did not want to avoid such a martial-arts bet.
“All right.”
Jin So-Chung and I ran back to Blue Dragon Martial Hall on the night road, and when we arrived, it was close to nine o’clock because it was a considerable distance. However, though we were tired, we had to report quickly since the command of the master was first.
“I’ve been here,” Jin So-Chung said.
“Yes, come on in.”
Three-Absolute, Lee Kwang, was reading a book with a light of kerosene lamp at Waryong Hall.
“I think it’s a little bit late.”
“I am late helping my friend.”
“If you are honorable to yourself, I will not ask you more.”
Lee Kwang passed away this case like that. I felt envious when I saw it. Lee Kwang trusted his disciple because he thought his disciple was always honorable. I could not but be envious of how much such an attitude would be of great help to the disciple.
Then Lee Kwang said, “Have you heard the story? Baek Woong came to be my disciple from another Lightning God’s Flow (雷神流).”
“Yes. He helped me a lot.”
Lee Kwang nodded satisfied.
“As you can see, he is a child with the great Internal Energy and he will be able to revive Lightning God’s Flow with you in the future.”
“Yes. I’ll keep it in mind.”
The number-one martial artist in the world!
My heart throbbed when the big word suddenly came up. It was a term of all the martial artists have been dreaming of. But, as Three-Absolute, Lee Kwang said that, it came to me with a sense of reality. Indeed, if I trained under him, I could become the best in the world.
“Cut it out.”
“Yep.”
“Good night.”
We both stepped away from Lee Kwang. And as we walked through the dark corridor, Jin So-Chung spoke to me softly.
“You and I have been feeling less relaxed. Why don’t you make a bet now?”
“Can I make the bet until I win?”
“Absolutely.”
“Well, of course I will.”
Jin So-Chung and I came out of Waryong Hall, and headed to the drill hall. We lit the lights to fill the hall and each held a wooden spear to take a form. Both of us took Lightning Spirit Eight Spearmanship.
Jin So-Chung said, “For your information, you may use all of your Internal Energy without hesitation.”
“Are you going to be okay? Even you would be okay, but all of this training camp would be destroyed.”
“Don’t worry, I just want to see your skills.”
“Yes.”
I was afraid that I would spend too much Internal Energy and get into a frenzy at night, but when I stood nine meters away with the wooden spear, I could see that such concerns were meaningless.
“…!”
My whole body seemed to be pierced. Jin So-Chung was just holding his posture quietly, but my vital points have already appeared naked, and his spear was felt like a dagger in my heart. It was no use even if I could use all the Internal Energy in the world. The moment I was going to swing the spear, the shimmering blade would be cutting my Adam’s apple under the light of the training camp.
It was not a matter of the art of the spear or sword.
What…!
I ate Millennium Snow Ginseng three times!
And how come?
I couldn’t admit it.
It was really disappointing.
If anyone else ate the Millennium Snow Ginseng, which could not be achieved for a lifetime…
I could not beat Jin So-Chung at all, even though my body was almost inexhaustible. Moreover, my memory added to the surprise because I knew that this time of Jin So-Chung had just entered the Peak-class.
This was the same pressure of standing before the first elder of the Iron Blood Sect!
Sweat was leaking out of my hand holding the spear. I felt like a vision in front of my eyes was talking to me, when I took the posture of Lightning Spirit Eight Spearmanship. The tickling of my hair made my breath choked.
I could not withstand it.
Ugh…
I couldn’t stand it.
So I thought about pulling my Internal Energy and moving to the other direction, but I couldn’t get my thoughts to act. That spear was always moving as if it were alive to catch up with me.
No way.
This was not going to work.
“… I lost.”
In the end, I could not move for a second and admitted the defeat on the spot. Only then did Jin So-Chung release the pressure. He put his wooden spear back on the training camp.
“I’m sorry, Junior Brother. I didn’t mean to show off my skills from the first day, but I couldn’t help giving advice because your current condition was so dangerous.”
“Dangerous?”
I went to the front of Jin So-Chung after putting the wooden spear back, and sat down because I knew that he had something to say about this bet.
He said, nodding, “You may be thinking about this: All I lack is the skills to control the Qi and martial arts, and if it is satisfied, I can instantly become the most powerful man in the world.”
“… I won’t deny that.”
Jin So-Chung sighed briefly, and looked genuinely worried.
“But, that’s a bad idea. No matter how much Internal Energy you have, the body of you which controls the Internal Energy is a human body. It is not different from standing bare and dying in the cold wave of the North Pole, and it is a very unfortunate. You have to think about what the Will is.”
Will (意)?
What is the importance of Will?
I didn’t understand what he meant, so I tilted my head. Until this point, I thought he was talking about speed, talking about the martial-arts principle.
When I got flustered, and he smiled bitterly.
“My actions may seem like a narrow check. But if you are taught by the master one-on-one from tomorrow, you will be immediately read by him. Since the master is not a man to express his disappointment externally, you will spin in a circle without any clues. I am worried about it and want to point it out.”
It would be certainly dangerous. Unlike Jin So-Chung, who was always enthusiastic when teaching people, the master was accustomed to teaching a genius, and no talented person seemed to be out of his hand. It was probably a tendency that came from being a genius himself.
I decided to accept his favor without distorting it. His Will has just passed through my body, so it was important to accept it without doubt.
“Well, I don’t deny that I think so, but I don’t know what you’re talking about, “Will?”
Buzz.
I pulled out my Internal Energy and the killing intent (煞气), which an average person shrinks and flinches at the mere touch of.
But he shook his hands.
“No, it’s not the Will, to be sure, it’s just a phenomenon that your Internal Energy is overflowing because of Heart Qi Blood Essence (心氣血精) and it can be said that it is also Qi (氣).”
“Do you know that a man can influence this world by the Will alone?”
“That is the advanced stage of the martial arts. When you begin to escape from the stage of Moves or Internal Energy, you will know that the masters compete at a completely different dimension. Of course, we can not ignore Moves and Internal Energy at all, but at least the advanced stage is different from the lower stage of the martial arts.”
I could see it at that moment.
‘Jin So-Chung also put his foot into that area!’
In addition, Three-Absolute, Lee Kwang, who was the outstanding competent expert, has reached that area a long time ago. I was able to feel the same Will when I dealt with the Formless Qi (無形之氣) of Lee Kwang. They were the ones who reached the advanced area that could not be divided into the categories of martial arts.
I also realized that Jin So-Chung was able to deal with the First-class martial artists, even if I did not interfere today. Because in the original history, there was no one who was hurt or killed, but today’s work was an incident that happened regardless of my interference.
In the real history, it meant that Jin So-Chung had defeated all ten First-class experts by himself. I guessed earlier that he was just exploring the situation and fighting them in moderation.
Jin So-Chung said, “First, after the training is over tomorrow, let’s continue the duel like today, and this will surely help you improve your martial arts.”
“Yep.”
I accepted it immediately because I had no reason to refuse.
”… to hold on a hundred Moves with a wooden spear… It’s not going to take long.”
Soon after chatting something, we broke up and went to bed. Today I was quite tired, so I washed myself and slept soundly.
From the next day, I started to be taught by Three-Absolute, Lee Kwang. In the early morning, he came to the training room in Waryong hall and said, “You seem to be using the swordsmanship as your specialty in Lightning God’s Flow. Do you like the Lightning Spirit Swordsmanship?”
I scratched my head. “Yes. I realize that Lightning Spirit Eight Spearmanship is the most powerful, but it doesn’t suit my personality.”
“You already realized that swordsmanship is actually weaker than spearmanship. I’m proud of that.”
“…”
There was no way to answer the question, while he was saying that the sword was weak. He was also an expert of sword, spear and fists. It was ridiculous for a chick like me to give my opinion to him, but he laughed as if he had read my unevenness.
“I do not want to divide the martial arts, but the reality is reality. You have to understand that the spear has never been weaker than the sword since ancient times. Spearmanship has developed into a battle technique but swordsmanship as an extension of self-defense.”
“Yes.”
“Of course, when you become the best expert, you will reach the same area as the spear. Until then, it is better to learn swordsmanship based on the spearmanship. It is a way to save your talents and time as much as possible.”
“Are the talents going to be consumed as well?”
Lee Kwang nodded, as if it were natural.
“Talents are not infinite; they are consumed in time and possibility. When people are young, talents become excellent, but as time goes on, talents become normal. It is the truth of life that human beings have to learn a lot when they are young.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You have mastered all the basics of Lightning Spirit Eight Spearmanship, and from today I will teach you the advanced applied skill of spearmanship, and correct the loopholes of your martial arts.”
So, after a decade, I started to learn martial arts at Blue Dragon Martial Club. According to the guidance of Lee Kwang, I rehearsed spearmanship again from the beginning, and in the meantime I was able to learn three advanced applied skills such as Pull, Shock, Stick.
“From today, practice these techniques at least 500 times each a day.”
I started in the morning and practiced my skills all day long, consuming my strength to the point where the beads of sweat formed on my nose and dripped down. After the class of that day, I went to Jin So-Chung and started the wooden spear duel. I couldn’t move a step under the pressure of Jin So-Chung yesterday. But I felt that it would be a little different today, so I made up my mind.
He took hold of the wooden spear and stood opposite.
“…”
However, I couldn’t move a foot to Jin So-Chung as if stuffed into a web. I thought that the moment I moved, the vital points of the whole body would be cut. I did not understand at all, so I sat there and thought deeply.
‘Why can’t I move? Everything gets overwhelmed before I move. What’s the principle?’
When I was worrying about, said Jin So-Chung.
“Junior Brother. Try to feel the gap with the sixth sense rather than an eye.”
It seemed like something important advice, but I did not understand at all what he was talking about, so that day ended in vain. If I had been a genius enough to realize something at once, I would have conquered the world by now.
“I can’t help it, but I’ll help you with what you learned today.”
He laughed bitterly as if it could not be done, and kindly explained the advanced applied skills I had learned today. When I heard the explanation of Jin So-Chung, I felt that it was easier to understand what I had heard from Lee Kwang.
‘Okay, I can do it!’
The self-study was also a foolish idea.
Now I will practice this way and I will surely get into the stage of the Peak-class in the future!
One day, three years later.
It’s been three years since I joined Blue Dragon Martial Club again, but I barely survived the eighty Moves.
He said bitterly, “Junior Brother, you have no talents.”
That’s right.
Three years after making the bet, I still couldn’t hold out for hundred Moves in duel. Even though it was a confrontation that I raised my whole Internal Energy, there was little progress because all the movements were read in advance and dominated before that.
However, thanks to the courageous devotion in Blue Dragon Martial Club, my work has been much improved. Now I could cast Lightning Spirit Eight Spearmanship and Lightning Spirit Swordsmanship well that could not be compared with the previous ones.
About a year ago, Lee Kwang had stopped teaching me one-on-one. He seemed to be eager to teach me in his own way, until he realized that I was not talented, but soon he lost interest and threw me away to learn from Jin So-Chung. Of course, as Jin So-Chung had the sincere, good nature, he taught me to the best of his ability, but my self-esteem was already torn apart.
Then, Jin So-Chung tried to comfort me.
“Don’t hate the callous attitude of the master; that’s the way he is, and he has no malice.”
“I have nothing to hate. I don’t even feel that way because the difference of the level is too much.”
I poured out my honest feelings.
The master of Blue Dragon Martial Hall, Three-Absolute, Lee Kwang.
The core disciple, the headteacher, Jin So-Chung.
These two people were monsters!
They had already had skills that could not be classified within the framework of the Peak-class three years ago, and have grown faster than a newcomer. It was impossible to follow them who were geniuses, but practiced every moments.
Of course I had my own achievements. I was confident that I have improved a lot higher than I was three years ago. But I only looked shabby as there were two geniuses around.
After a while, said Jin So-Chung.
“Actually, the master told me the day before yesterday, “Now take your personal training session instead of giving him time.”
“…”
Maybe it was from the perspective of Lee Kwang that I deprived of the talents of Jin So-Chung. Until now, he has been watching me because I had come from the same Lightning God’s Flow, but now he was going to give the training time to Jin So-Chung. I felt pretty miserable, but I held on to it and nodded.
“The master’s judgment is correct.”
“I’m sorry, but come visit whenever you don’t know anything during training. I’ll help you.”
“Before that, one thing… Can you tell me what happened three years ago?”
Jin So-Chung answered, “Today is the last day, and I’ll tell you about it.”
“Yes.”
“That day… frankly, Nangong Huan brought it on himself (自業自得).”
“What? He brought it on himself?”
The following words were shocking.
“Nangong Huan was more flamboyant and bravado than he looked. So he originally had to hide the secret of Heavenly Yin Qi Body (天陰之體) of Murong Yan, until he would go to the grave. Nevertheless, before he married her, he came out to take a tour to the Moorim and told the secret under the influence of alcohol without knowing it himself.”
“…”
It was Nangong Huan himself who had leaked the secret of Heavenly Yin Qi Body to the Moorim!
I was surprised, and Jin So-Chung sat down at the training center and continued to talk.
“In the Murong Noble Clan, of course, they were going to cancel the marriage with Nangong Huan right away, but the Clan Leader of Nangong Noble Clan, his father hurriedly sent the two people to the Moorim in order to earn time. They were driven out of the clan without an escort.
Jin So-Chung was quite nice. Probably, he only came to help while all the friends of Nangong Huan refused to help.
“Why didn’t the Sky Team come down to escort Nangong Huan?”
“His brother who was competing with him in the Nangong Noble Clan would do something, and Nangong Huan was neglected in the way that they could not help him if he died.”
“…”
“Well, I eventually escorted them there, but now Nangong Huan must be fighting for his succession in the clan.”
I became understood roughly what happened that day. But there was only one thing that did not make sense.
“But, at that time, she was so calm and unmoved, even though she was too vulnerable to be a woman of crisis to be raped, was it not strange?”
“Well, maybe it was because she really loved Nangong Huan.”
“What? Love?”
“Unless she believed the person who had leaked the secret of Heavenly Yin Qi Body, could they walk alone in the Moorim? It was an emotion that I could not understand well, but Murong Yan loved Nangong Huan so much that she did not even think about betrayal.”
“…”
It was really incomprehensible.
Nangong Huan was so handsome, but would it be possible for a woman to love a man so much like that? It was the strangest thing I have never seen in my life. I thought that Morong Yan was a pitiful woman, because unlike Morong Yan, Nangong Huan would not be a man who would give such an innocent love to a single woman.
When the story was over, Jin So-Chung said, “Junior Brother, don’t be so disappointed, but keep your eyes open. Your ability is now on First-class, and you are no longer weak anywhere. At least there will be few people in Guanzhong to deal with you.”
“Yes, thank you.”
I left him and returned to my private room. Then I sat back against the wall, but my thought was complicated.
In fact, the secret of what happened three years ago was all right now. But what really pissed me off was that I couldn’t hold on the hundred Moves of Jin So-Chung. I felt the great wall of talents that I had never realized before.
‘Ah… There is nothing I can do.’
I shook my head and practiced martial arts again.
I would try another ten years.
I decided to take a different direction to relieve the heat.
[I wouldn’t be a match for you if you had spent ten years wielding up your sword.]
The words of the first elder of Iron Blood Sect, who had cut my neck in the past, came to my mind.
‘I’ll do as you said. At least, if I would be strong enough to take revenge on you, I would lose all my heat.’
It was a moment of self-deception by creating a new motive.
Footnotes:
Heart Qi Blood Essence (心氣血精: where there is mind, there is Qi; where Qi flows, blood flows; where blood flows, essence is created)
035 ————————————————
Embroidered Uniform Guard (錦衣衛)
When they arrived at the gate of Hangu Pass, there were people waiting in front of it like Nangong Huan said. They were all dressed in blue clothes. When they found Nangong Huan, they prostrated themselves.
“Sky Team (天空隊) is meeting the Young Master (少家主) of Nangong Clan.”
The Sky Team was probably a direct force group of Nangong Noble Clan (南宮世家). I looked at about twenty people and found that more than half of them were First-class martial artists. I was surprised that this kind of power could sweep away the small or middle size sects in a day.
Nangong Huan talked to the captain of the Sky Team.
“Why didn’t you come to see me at the castle of Guanzhong?”
“I’m sorry. When we stepped into the castle, Six Great Clans in Guanzhong would be much concerned about us. It was necessary to avoid friction.”
“Is that really what you think?”
“…”
“Huh.”
Nangong Huan smiled bitterly and turned around, and the captain of the Sky Team was still standing. I could know from the look of it that there was some kind of conflict between them, but it wasn’t the time to dig up now. Nangong Huan said, holding hands of my Senior Brother (师兄), Jin So-Chung.
“Thank you very much. If it had not been for you and Baek Woong, I wouldn’t have escaped three hundred meters from the house of Joe Clan.”
“No. You trusted me and came all the way to Blue Dragon Martial Hall, didn’t you? I appreciate it more.”
They seemed to have their own friendship. I wondered why Nangong Huan and Murong Yan were being pursued by the strong martial artists alone, and what the relationship was between the Sky Team and Murong Yan. However, I could not ask the question directly, so I put up with it for now.
Nangong Huan also held my hand and said.
“Young Hero, thank you very much. If you visit Nangong Noble Clan at any time, I will also treat you highly as a savior of my life. Be sure to come and see me.”
“Don’t mention it…”
I took a gesture and glanced at Murong Yan. She has done nothing unusual in this affair. She was just following Nangong Huan around in silence as if she had to.
‘She is at risk of rape when she gets caught. How is she that cool?’
I felt something strange. No matter how strong her mental was, a dozens of martial artists came together to rape her. She had to be terrified or her emotional changes should be meandered. But she did not show even a handful of quirk as if it would not happen to her.
“Then check it out when you return.”
“Okay, see you.”
When Jin So-Chung’s farewell was over, Nangong Huan and Morong Yan disappeared into the night, accompanied by the Sky Team. They were quite tired, but they seemed to be trying to push their pursuers a little further. By the time the two disappeared, Jin So-Chung started talking to me.
“Then let’s go back, Junior Brother (師弟).”
He now looked quite confident in admitting me as a new Junior Brother. In the previous life, he used to treat me as a laboratory animal to be raised as needed, but now he was clearly happy. Feeling a little proud in my mind, I said.
“Senior Brother, I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“It’s so weird today. The Young Master of Nangong Noble Clan carried Heavenly Yin Qi Body (天陰之體) without guards, and the Sky Team probably arrived early at Hangu Pass but did not come down the mountain to escort.
“…”
“Senior Brother, do you know anything about it?”
When I mumbled the words, Jin So-Chung said after a long silence.
“It is no longer our business. I’ve done my duty with Nangong Huan as a friend, and I want him to take care of the rest. I don’t think anything will go wrong anymore.”
“Do you know what this is all about?”
“Do you want me to tell you?”
“Yes.”
Then Jin So-Chung mussed my hair and giggled.
“Okay, then why don’t you make a bet?”
“Bet?”
“I’ll tell you if you compete against me and hold out for a hundred Moves (招式).”
I was a little surprised.
“That’s…”
“How do you feel? Isn’t it okay to be a trainee?”
I felt a sense of triumph. Jin So-Chung was not just a Senior Brother. He has been a teacher who had taught almost everything of my martial arts, and he had overwhelming talents and abilities that were incomparable to me. I did not want to avoid such a martial-arts bet.
“All right.”
Jin So-Chung and I ran back to Blue Dragon Martial Hall on the night road, and when we arrived, it was close to nine o’clock because it was a considerable distance. However, though we were tired, we had to report quickly since the command of the master was first.
“I’ve been here,” Jin So-Chung said.
“Yes, come on in.”
Three-Absolute, Lee Kwang, was reading a book with a light of kerosene lamp at Waryong Hall.
“I think it’s a little bit late.”
“I am late helping my friend.”
“If you are honorable to yourself, I will not ask you more.”
Lee Kwang passed away this case like that. I felt envious when I saw it. Lee Kwang trusted his disciple because he thought his disciple was always honorable. I could not but be envious of how much such an attitude would be of great help to the disciple.
Then Lee Kwang said, “Have you heard the story? Baek Woong came to be my disciple from another Lightning God’s Flow (雷神流).”
“Yes. He helped me a lot.”
Lee Kwang nodded satisfied.
“As you can see, he is a child with the great Internal Energy and he will be able to revive Lightning God’s Flow with you in the future.”
“Yes. I’ll keep it in mind.”
The number-one martial artist in the world!
My heart throbbed when the big word suddenly came up. It was a term of all the martial artists have been dreaming of. But, as Three-Absolute, Lee Kwang said that, it came to me with a sense of reality. Indeed, if I trained under him, I could become the best in the world.
“Cut it out.”
“Yep.”
“Good night.”
We both stepped away from Lee Kwang. And as we walked through the dark corridor, Jin So-Chung spoke to me softly.
“You and I have been feeling less relaxed. Why don’t you make a bet now?”
“Can I make the bet until I win?”
“Absolutely.”
“Well, of course I will.”
Jin So-Chung and I came out of Waryong Hall, and headed to the drill hall. We lit the lights to fill the hall and each held a wooden spear to take a form. Both of us took Lightning Spirit Eight Spearmanship.
Jin So-Chung said, “For your information, you may use all of your Internal Energy without hesitation.”
“Are you going to be okay? Even you would be okay, but all of this training camp would be destroyed.”
“Don’t worry, I just want to see your skills.”
“Yes.”
I was afraid that I would spend too much Internal Energy and get into a frenzy at night, but when I stood nine meters away with the wooden spear, I could see that such concerns were meaningless.
“…!”
My whole body seemed to be pierced. Jin So-Chung was just holding his posture quietly, but my vital points have already appeared naked, and his spear was felt like a dagger in my heart. It was no use even if I could use all the Internal Energy in the world. The moment I was going to swing the spear, the shimmering blade would be cutting my Adam’s apple under the light of the training camp.
It was not a matter of the art of the spear or sword.
What…!
I ate Millennium Snow Ginseng three times!
And how come?
I couldn’t admit it.
It was really disappointing.
If anyone else ate the Millennium Snow Ginseng, which could not be achieved for a lifetime…
I could not beat Jin So-Chung at all, even though my body was almost inexhaustible. Moreover, my memory added to the surprise because I knew that this time of Jin So-Chung had just entered the Peak-class.
This was the same pressure of standing before the first elder of the Iron Blood Sect!
Sweat was leaking out of my hand holding the spear. I felt like a vision in front of my eyes was talking to me, when I took the posture of Lightning Spirit Eight Spearmanship. The tickling of my hair made my breath choked.
I could not withstand it.
Ugh…
I couldn’t stand it.
So I thought about pulling my Internal Energy and moving to the other direction, but I couldn’t get my thoughts to act. That spear was always moving as if it were alive to catch up with me.
No way.
This was not going to work.
“… I lost.”
In the end, I could not move for a second and admitted the defeat on the spot. Only then did Jin So-Chung release the pressure. He put his wooden spear back on the training camp.
“I’m sorry, Junior Brother. I didn’t mean to show off my skills from the first day, but I couldn’t help giving advice because your current condition was so dangerous.”
“Dangerous?”
I went to the front of Jin So-Chung after putting the wooden spear back, and sat down because I knew that he had something to say about this bet.
He said, nodding, “You may be thinking about this: All I lack is the skills to control the Qi and martial arts, and if it is satisfied, I can instantly become the most powerful man in the world.”
“… I won’t deny that.”
Jin So-Chung sighed briefly, and looked genuinely worried.
“But, that’s a bad idea. No matter how much Internal Energy you have, the body of you which controls the Internal Energy is a human body. It is not different from standing bare and dying in the cold wave of the North Pole, and it is a very unfortunate. You have to think about what the Will is.”
Will (意)?
What is the importance of Will?
I didn’t understand what he meant, so I tilted my head. Until this point, I thought he was talking about speed, talking about the martial-arts principle.
When I got flustered, and he smiled bitterly.
“My actions may seem like a narrow check. But if you are taught by the master one-on-one from tomorrow, you will be immediately read by him. Since the master is not a man to express his disappointment externally, you will spin in a circle without any clues. I am worried about it and want to point it out.”
It would be certainly dangerous. Unlike Jin So-Chung, who was always enthusiastic when teaching people, the master was accustomed to teaching a genius, and no talented person seemed to be out of his hand. It was probably a tendency that came from being a genius himself.
I decided to accept his favor without distorting it. His Will has just passed through my body, so it was important to accept it without doubt.
“Well, I don’t deny that I think so, but I don’t know what you’re talking about, “Will?”
Buzz.
I pulled out my Internal Energy and the killing intent (煞气), which an average person shrinks and flinches at the mere touch of.
But he shook his hands.
“No, it’s not the Will, to be sure, it’s just a phenomenon that your Internal Energy is overflowing because of Heart Qi Blood Essence (心氣血精) and it can be said that it is also Qi (氣).”
“Do you know that a man can influence this world by the Will alone?”
“That is the advanced stage of the martial arts. When you begin to escape from the stage of Moves or Internal Energy, you will know that the masters compete at a completely different dimension. Of course, we can not ignore Moves and Internal Energy at all, but at least the advanced stage is different from the lower stage of the martial arts.”
I could see it at that moment.
‘Jin So-Chung also put his foot into that area!’
In addition, Three-Absolute, Lee Kwang, who was the outstanding competent expert, has reached that area a long time ago. I was able to feel the same Will when I dealt with the Formless Qi (無形之氣) of Lee Kwang. They were the ones who reached the advanced area that could not be divided into the categories of martial arts.
I also realized that Jin So-Chung was able to deal with the First-class martial artists, even if I did not interfere today. Because in the original history, there was no one who was hurt or killed, but today’s work was an incident that happened regardless of my interference.
In the real history, it meant that Jin So-Chung had defeated all ten First-class experts by himself. I guessed earlier that he was just exploring the situation and fighting them in moderation.
Jin So-Chung said, “First, after the training is over tomorrow, let’s continue the duel like today, and this will surely help you improve your martial arts.”
“Yep.”
I accepted it immediately because I had no reason to refuse.
”… to hold on a hundred Moves with a wooden spear… It’s not going to take long.”
Soon after chatting something, we broke up and went to bed. Today I was quite tired, so I washed myself and slept soundly.
From the next day, I started to be taught by Three-Absolute, Lee Kwang. In the early morning, he came to the training room in Waryong hall and said, “You seem to be using the swordsmanship as your specialty in Lightning God’s Flow. Do you like the Lightning Spirit Swordsmanship?”
I scratched my head. “Yes. I realize that Lightning Spirit Eight Spearmanship is the most powerful, but it doesn’t suit my personality.”
“You already realized that swordsmanship is actually weaker than spearmanship. I’m proud of that.”
“…”
There was no way to answer the question, while he was saying that the sword was weak. He was also an expert of sword, spear and fists. It was ridiculous for a chick like me to give my opinion to him, but he laughed as if he had read my unevenness.
“I do not want to divide the martial arts, but the reality is reality. You have to understand that the spear has never been weaker than the sword since ancient times. Spearmanship has developed into a battle technique but swordsmanship as an extension of self-defense.”
“Yes.”
“Of course, when you become the best expert, you will reach the same area as the spear. Until then, it is better to learn swordsmanship based on the spearmanship. It is a way to save your talents and time as much as possible.”
“Are the talents going to be consumed as well?”
Lee Kwang nodded, as if it were natural.
“Talents are not infinite; they are consumed in time and possibility. When people are young, talents become excellent, but as time goes on, talents become normal. It is the truth of life that human beings have to learn a lot when they are young.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You have mastered all the basics of Lightning Spirit Eight Spearmanship, and from today I will teach you the advanced applied skill of spearmanship, and correct the loopholes of your martial arts.”
So, after a decade, I started to learn martial arts at Blue Dragon Martial Club. According to the guidance of Lee Kwang, I rehearsed spearmanship again from the beginning, and in the meantime I was able to learn three advanced applied skills such as Pull, Shock, Stick.
“From today, practice these techniques at least 500 times each a day.”
I started in the morning and practiced my skills all day long, consuming my strength to the point where the beads of sweat formed on my nose and dripped down. After the class of that day, I went to Jin So-Chung and started the wooden spear duel. I couldn’t move a step under the pressure of Jin So-Chung yesterday. But I felt that it would be a little different today, so I made up my mind.
He took hold of the wooden spear and stood opposite.
“…”
However, I couldn’t move a foot to Jin So-Chung as if stuffed into a web. I thought that the moment I moved, the vital points of the whole body would be cut. I did not understand at all, so I sat there and thought deeply.
‘Why can’t I move? Everything gets overwhelmed before I move. What’s the principle?’
When I was worrying about, said Jin So-Chung.
“Junior Brother. Try to feel the gap with the sixth sense rather than an eye.”
It seemed like something important advice, but I did not understand at all what he was talking about, so that day ended in vain. If I had been a genius enough to realize something at once, I would have conquered the world by now.
“I can’t help it, but I’ll help you with what you learned today.”
He laughed bitterly as if it could not be done, and kindly explained the advanced applied skills I had learned today. When I heard the explanation of Jin So-Chung, I felt that it was easier to understand what I had heard from Lee Kwang.
‘Okay, I can do it!’
The self-study was also a foolish idea.
Now I will practice this way and I will surely get into the stage of the Peak-class in the future!
One day, three years later.
It’s been three years since I joined Blue Dragon Martial Club again, but I barely survived the eighty Moves.
He said bitterly, “Junior Brother, you have no talents.”
That’s right.
Three years after making the bet, I still couldn’t hold out for hundred Moves in duel. Even though it was a confrontation that I raised my whole Internal Energy, there was little progress because all the movements were read in advance and dominated before that.
However, thanks to the courageous devotion in Blue Dragon Martial Club, my work has been much improved. Now I could cast Lightning Spirit Eight Spearmanship and Lightning Spirit Swordsmanship well that could not be compared with the previous ones.
About a year ago, Lee Kwang had stopped teaching me one-on-one. He seemed to be eager to teach me in his own way, until he realized that I was not talented, but soon he lost interest and threw me away to learn from Jin So-Chung. Of course, as Jin So-Chung had the sincere, good nature, he taught me to the best of his ability, but my self-esteem was already torn apart.
Then, Jin So-Chung tried to comfort me.
“Don’t hate the callous attitude of the master; that’s the way he is, and he has no malice.”
“I have nothing to hate. I don’t even feel that way because the difference of the level is too much.”
I poured out my honest feelings.
The master of Blue Dragon Martial Hall, Three-Absolute, Lee Kwang.
The core disciple, the headteacher, Jin So-Chung.
These two people were monsters!
They had already had skills that could not be classified within the framework of the Peak-class three years ago, and have grown faster than a newcomer. It was impossible to follow them who were geniuses, but practiced every moments.
Of course I had my own achievements. I was confident that I have improved a lot higher than I was three years ago. But I only looked shabby as there were two geniuses around.
After a while, said Jin So-Chung.
“Actually, the master told me the day before yesterday, “Now take your personal training session instead of giving him time.”
“…”
Maybe it was from the perspective of Lee Kwang that I deprived of the talents of Jin So-Chung. Until now, he has been watching me because I had come from the same Lightning God’s Flow, but now he was going to give the training time to Jin So-Chung. I felt pretty miserable, but I held on to it and nodded.
“The master’s judgment is correct.”
“I’m sorry, but come visit whenever you don’t know anything during training. I’ll help you.”
“Before that, one thing… Can you tell me what happened three years ago?”
Jin So-Chung answered, “Today is the last day, and I’ll tell you about it.”
“Yes.”
“That day… frankly, Nangong Huan brought it on himself (自業自得).”
“What? He brought it on himself?”
The following words were shocking.
“Nangong Huan was more flamboyant and bravado than he looked. So he originally had to hide the secret of Heavenly Yin Qi Body (天陰之體) of Murong Yan, until he would go to the grave. Nevertheless, before he married her, he came out to take a tour to the Moorim and told the secret under the influence of alcohol without knowing it himself.”
“…”
It was Nangong Huan himself who had leaked the secret of Heavenly Yin Qi Body to the Moorim!
I was surprised, and Jin So-Chung sat down at the training center and continued to talk.
“In the Murong Noble Clan, of course, they were going to cancel the marriage with Nangong Huan right away, but the Clan Leader of Nangong Noble Clan, his father hurriedly sent the two people to the Moorim in order to earn time. They were driven out of the clan without an escort.
Jin So-Chung was quite nice. Probably, he only came to help while all the friends of Nangong Huan refused to help.
“Why didn’t the Sky Team come down to escort Nangong Huan?”
“His brother who was competing with him in the Nangong Noble Clan would do something, and Nangong Huan was neglected in the way that they could not help him if he died.”
“…”
“Well, I eventually escorted them there, but now Nangong Huan must be fighting for his succession in the clan.”
I became understood roughly what happened that day. But there was only one thing that did not make sense.
“But, at that time, she was so calm and unmoved, even though she was too vulnerable to be a woman of crisis to be raped, was it not strange?”
“Well, maybe it was because she really loved Nangong Huan.”
“What? Love?”
“Unless she believed the person who had leaked the secret of Heavenly Yin Qi Body, could they walk alone in the Moorim? It was an emotion that I could not understand well, but Murong Yan loved Nangong Huan so much that she did not even think about betrayal.”
“…”
It was really incomprehensible.
Nangong Huan was so handsome, but would it be possible for a woman to love a man so much like that? It was the strangest thing I have never seen in my life. I thought that Morong Yan was a pitiful woman, because unlike Morong Yan, Nangong Huan would not be a man who would give such an innocent love to a single woman.
When the story was over, Jin So-Chung said, “Junior Brother, don’t be so disappointed, but keep your eyes open. Your ability is now on First-class, and you are no longer weak anywhere. At least there will be few people in Guanzhong to deal with you.”
“Yes, thank you.”
I left him and returned to my private room. Then I sat back against the wall, but my thought was complicated.
In fact, the secret of what happened three years ago was all right now. But what really pissed me off was that I couldn’t hold on the hundred Moves of Jin So-Chung. I felt the great wall of talents that I had never realized before.
‘Ah… There is nothing I can do.’
I shook my head and practiced martial arts again.
I would try another ten years.
I decided to take a different direction to relieve the heat.
[I wouldn’t be a match for you if you had spent ten years wielding up your sword.]
The words of the first elder of Iron Blood Sect, who had cut my neck in the past, came to my mind.
‘I’ll do as you said. At least, if I would be strong enough to take revenge on you, I would lose all my heat.’
It was a moment of self-deception by creating a new motive.
Footnotes:
Heart Qi Blood Essence (心氣血精: where there is mind, there is Qi; where Qi flows, blood flows; where blood flows, essence is created)
