Chapter 180: Chapter 180
A month passed since the training began.
‘Still, since they only train all day, their stamina got better than before.’
Cheon-hwi stared one by one at the disciples who sat collapsed on the ground taking a rest.
Now, the disciples’ stamina had risen significantly compared to when they first met.
Of course, it wasn’t to a level that completely satisfied him yet…
‘Still, we can start now.’
Cheon-hwi smacked his lips.
“Let’s move on to the next training now.”
The resting disciples sprang up.
“Is that true?”
“Finally…”
“At last…, sob! We’re doing proper martial arts training!”
Tears welled up in the disciples’ eyes.
Those were tears of joy.
‘Finally, we won’t have to do the Horse Stance now!’
‘I thought I was going to die from muscle pain every time I woke up in the morning!’
‘Sob sob, finally we won’t have to run!’
Watching that sight, Cheon-hwi opened his mouth.
“Then before we start, let me ask one thing. What do you think is the method to become the strongest within a short time?”
Everyone was puzzled by the unexpected question. However, that was only for a moment, and some of the disciples raised their hands high and spoke.
“Isn’t it elixirs?”
“It seems to be a superior martial art.”
Excited answers were heard from here and there.
Most of them spoke implicitly about the training they wanted to receive from Cheon-hwi.
‘He wouldn’t have asked for no reason.’
However, contrary to their thoughts of shining their eyes in expectation, Cheon-hwi wagged his index finger left and right and spoke.
“Elixirs? You want to eat more even though you ate Dark Fragrance Pills so sufficiently?”
“Gasp!”
In an instant, all the disciples glared at the First-Generation Disciple who answered elixirs.
When the flustered First-Generation Disciple waved his hand.
“Let’s digest the Dark Fragrance Pills you ate first, right? You haven’t even properly absorbed that, so what kind of elixirs are you looking for.”
Cheon-hwi saved him.
“Ha, haha. Right.”
“I thought so too.”
The disciples, who thought they might have to eat the Dark Fragrance Pill again by any chance, swept down their chests in relief.
Cheon-hwi looked at them and snickered.
Because he was going to feed them the Dark Fragrance Pill later.
No matter how shallow the poison qi was, it was natural that problems would occur if it continued to accumulate.
Therefore, Cheon-hwi thought of changing the ratio this time when making the new Dark Fragrance Pill. And when that time came, he thought of feeding it again, but it was still in the future.
Around the time the disciples, who did not know Cheon-hwi’s thoughts, smiled in relief, Cheon-hwi looked at the Second-Generation Disciple who gave another answer and spoke.
“And a superior martial art?”
“That’s right!”
The Second-Generation Disciple who answered a superior martial art shone his eyes and nodded his head.
‘If I learn martial arts from Martial Uncle Cheon-hwi, like Senior Martial Brother Jeok-geom or Senior Martial Sister Seol Ran…’
A broad smile formed just by the imagination of receiving teachings.
However.
“With that skill? With your current skills, even if you learn a superior martial art, you will be like a young child holding a good weapon.”
At Cheon-hwi’s words mixed with a sigh, the Second-Generation Disciple’s smile shattered and hardened.
As Cheon-hwi refuted them item by item one by one like that, everyone shut their mouths without being able to say anything.
“Hmm, is there nothing else that comes to mind?”
Cheon-hwi asked while scanning the disciples, but.
“…”
There was no answer.
“Whew, do you not even know this.”
Cheon-hwi shook his head side to side.
“The method to increase your skills the fastest is to steadily do basic training and build actual combat experience, there are only these two.”
The disciples protruded their lips.
‘Who doesn’t know that?’
‘I thought it was something amazing again.’
Who wouldn’t know that basic training and actual combat experience were important.
They merely expected that there might be another method because it was Cheon-hwi.
As the disciples could not hide their disappointment, Cheon-hwi smirked and opened his mouth.
“And if you gather in a group like this, there is one more method.”
Only then did everyone shine their eyes.
Because they felt that something they would learn would finally come out.
“That is exactly a joint attack formation.”
“Ah…!”
“A joint attack formation!”
Cheon-hwi, who was looking at the disciples shining their eyes brightly while bursting into short exclamations, narrowed his eyes and spoke.
“Even if each person’s skill is terrible and useless, if you unfold a joint attack formation, you can hide each other’s shortcomings and instead maximize your strengths.”
This was the first thing Cheon-hwi thought of when he heard the word armed squad.
If it was a joint attack formation, they could still combine the strength of lacking guys to do the portion of one person.
“Then I will teach you the joint attack formation, so first, Seol Ran and the Martial Bloom Squad should step forward.”
As soon as Cheon-hwi’s words fell, Seol Ran and the Martial Bloom Squad lined up in front of Cheon-hwi.
“Remember it well. You are the center.”
“Understood.”
“You step on the Root of Yin and Yang, and the remaining squad members divide into the Four Directions and the Eight Trigrams to move…”
Cheon-hwi explained for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
As the explanation lengthened, the Martial Bloom Squad looked at Cheon-hwi in surprise.
How much time had passed while they continued to burst into admiration at the depth and internal energy operation that was completely different from the joint attack formations they knew?
Cheon-hwi finished the explanation and asked.
“Did you memorize it all?”
At the question, the Martial Bloom Squad members including Seol Ran immediately nodded their heads up and down.
“Understood.”
“Hmm? Did you understand immediately?”
“Martial Uncle’s explanation was good.”
Seol Ran answered while smiling.
She also opened her ears as if bewitched by Cheon-hwi’s explanation and absorbed everything.
Cheon-hwi’s explanation was that easy.
“Then that’s a relief.”
“However, Martial Uncle. What is the name of this joint attack formation?”
“Name? I haven’t decided it yet.”
“Pardon?”
Everyone around, including Seol Ran who asked, was dumbfounded.
Did that not mean that it was not an already existing joint attack formation, but a newly created one?
“It’s annoying, so let’s just call it the Martial Bloom Sword Formation.”
“…”
Around the time Seol Ran and the Martial Bloom Squad stared with their mouths wide open, Cheon-hwi moved his feet.
“Then next is the Flying Sword Squad.”
As soon as those words fell, Jeok-geom and the Flying Sword Squad ran forward with shining eyes.
“Did you call?”
As Jeok-geom answered with intense strength, Cheon-hwi explained another joint attack formation.
And Cheon-hwi, who then also taught a joint attack formation to the Hwaryeong Squad, spoke.
A short while later, the disciples who escaped from the nightmare of continued basic training let out laughs.
“It’s good!”
“Hehehe, it’s a joint attack formation!”
“Let’s try it quickly!”
Soon, the three armed squads moved busily, but…
“Should we not do it like this?”
“We need to control our internal energy more…”
“From there to the left…”
Cheon-hwi shook his head side to side.
A sigh naturally came out from being dumbfounded.
What was the point of teaching them a joint attack formation.
They did not know how to do it properly, so they couldn’t even think of unfolding it at all.
“Whew, stop for a moment.”
Eventually, Cheon-hwi stopped them.
“At this rate, far from properly learning the joint attack formation, you will continue to make slow progress, so…”
Cheon-hwi twisted the corners of his mouth.
The disciples’ expressions hardened like stone statues upon seeing that twisted smile.
“Let’s learn through proper actual combat.”
Along with the words, Cheon-hwi took out his scabbard, hung it on his shoulder, and then took a step.
Whoosh…
“…!”
Cheon-hwi, who stood in front of Jeok-geom in an instant, curled up the corners of his mouth even more and spoke.
“Then starting with the Flying Sword Squad.”
Jeok-geom, who was watching Cheon-hwi walking in large strides, hurriedly turned his head and shouted, perhaps sensing that it was unusual.
“Prepare the Flying Sword Formation!”
As soon as the command fell.
Tatadat!
The Flying Sword Squad hurriedly assumed formation.
With Jeok-geom at the center, the Flying Sword Squad members lined up behind him and stood in unison.
It was as if all the strength of the Flying Sword Squad was being poured solely into Jeok-geom.
“You assumed the formation well.”
The Flying Sword Formation was a joint attack formation modeled after a sword.
It would make them pour all their internal energy into Jeok-geom, who was the sword tip and center, and the Flying Sword Squad members supporting him would also resonate.
Disregarding defense and guarding.
It was a joint attack formation solely composed of attacks.
‘It’s decent for something made hastily.’
Cheon-hwi nodded his head.
It was to the point that it felt a little sharp and rough to be called a Daoist joint attack formation.
However, it could not be helped.
Because the things he referenced when trying to make the Flying Sword Formation were the Wind and Cloud Four Directions Formation of the Mad Wind Sand and the Cult’s Battle Demon Ten Directions Sword Formation.
At that time.
Hwaaaak!
The Flying Sword Formation exuded an astonishing momentum.
Was it because the internal energy of twenty people synchronized?
An intense aura unfolded around them, and a heavy momentum built up layer upon layer to the point that it was difficult to even approach.
“The momentum exuded at first is good. Then should we check if it is proper?”
Cheon-hwi correctly lifted his scabbard.
Only the posture changed, but everyone could not take their eyes off Cheon-hwi.
The posture Cheon-hwi soon took was the starting stance of the Heavenly Flow Sword.
As a basic sword art that everyone learns upon entering Mount Hua, it was something everyone had already mastered.
However, everyone stared at Cheon-hwi as if possessed and even forgot to breathe.
That was exactly the same for Jeok-geom, who was closest to anyone else.
Even he, who had sparred with Cheon-hwi several times, had his eyes stolen by the current sight.
At that time, the corners of Cheon-hwi’s eyes curved.
“Until when are you going to space out?”
He kicked the ground while putting strength into his toes.
“…!”
Jeok-geom’s eyes widened.
Cheon-hwi, who was in front just a moment ago, suddenly seemed to magnify and was right in front of him.
Seueuk…
Cheon-hwi slashed down his scabbard.
The scabbard falling down from above was drawn towards the crown of Jeok-geom’s head.
Heavenly Flow.
That which flows in the sky.
That exactly meant the wind.
The most free-spirited thing in the world, yet sometimes becoming a storm and causing all kinds of disasters…
And Cheon-hwi contained that meaning.
In this scabbard, in this Heavenly Flow Sword.
“Heup!”
Jeok-geom, who belatedly came to his senses, hurriedly drew his sword and loaded internal energy.
Clang!
The sword struck away the scabbard.
However, Jeok-geom’s legs trembled.
‘It, it’s heavy!’
The formidable weight contained in the Heavenly Flow Sword unfolded by Cheon-hwi crushed him down even though he had inherited the strength of the Flying Sword Squad members.
‘This is the Heavenly Flow Sword…?’
Jeok-geom’s pupils shook greatly.
The Heavenly Flow Sword was just a simple sword art of cutting, swinging, and stabbing.
However, this was different.
‘To think it is this unpredictable!’
Jeok-geom bit his lip.
After doing so for a moment, he burst out a spirit yell.
“Haap!”
Then the trembling legs stood straight, and the internal energy revived the vitality of his whole body.
At the same time, he unleashed a Lion’s Roar.
“Everyone, advance the formation!”
In an instant, the Flying Sword Squad drew up their internal energy.
As the internal energy of a total of twenty people including Jeok-geom was explosively emitted, a momentum that was hard to compare with before spread in all directions from them.
“To think there’s such a momentum!”
“Is this the new joint attack formation…?”
The disciples who were watching swallowed their saliva at the sharpness cutting into their skin. At the same time, excitement soared inside them.
‘If so, our joint attack formation too…’
‘We can also reach that level…’
It was then.
Jeok-geom lifted his sword.
The end of the sword tip was accurately pointing at Cheon-hwi who was standing far away.
“Here I go.”
Jeok-geom half-opened his eyes.
A cold and level-headed light, different from usual, hovered and disappeared in his pupils, which had been guided by the internal energy of the other squad members.
Astral Qi bloomed from his sword.
Threads of red and highly concentrated Astral Qi soon intertwined into one.
Hwaak…
Dozens of plum blossoms bloomed brightly in the air, scattering fragrance.
And between them, Jeok-geom’s sword soared, and soon the plum blossoms fell.
Falling Blossom Sword!
It was the most familiar and confident one among the sword arts Jeok-geom had learned.
‘Oh my? Look at this.’
Cheon-hwi let out a snicker.
Was it because he embraced mighty internal energy?
Confidence was evident in Jeok-geom’s sword.
“The momentum is good, but you’re too excited. If you are someone handling a joint attack formation, you should move cool-headedly and rationally. If you move according to your instincts like that, your shortcomings will be highlighted.”
Cheon-hwi drew his scabbard diagonally.
It swayed like a faint wind.
However, Jeok-geom and the Flying Sword Squad who faced it forgot even to breathe.
‘Th-this cannot be!’
Because before they knew it, the scabbard was approaching their eyes like a massive great mountain.
“You don’t become stronger just by pouring more internal energy into a sword form. The important thing is the intent contained in such a sword form.”
Soon, the falling Falling Blossom Sword was blocked by the great mountain and shattered to pieces.
Puk!
The scabbard stabbed Jeok-geom’s chest.
Paang!
The wind blew fiercely as Jeok-geom flew away.
Jeok-geom, who flew back about three zhang, rolled on the floor and collapsed on the ground.
And the Flying Sword Squad members who lost their center in the Flying Sword Formation fell to their knees one by one.
And then.
“Uweek!”
“Keuheok!”
They vomited from their mouths.
Because their internal organs were violently shaken by the recoil of the joint attack formation being broken.
Amidst the chaotic situation that unfolded in an instant.
“Don’t try to do it all alone. You are the center, not the whole.”
Cheon-hwi spoke quietly.
“Since it’s the first time, I’ll let it slide at this level, but there is no second time. I will check again in a little while, so what if we clash again and there’s no difference from now?”
Cheon-hwi’s eyes narrowed.
The cold gaze pierced like a needle into Jeok-geom, who was struggling to raise his upper body, and the Flying Sword Squad, who were wiping their mouths with their sleeves.
“The Flying Sword Squad shouldn’t think about sleeping tonight.”
“…!”
Cheon-hwi, who spoke as if notifying them, turned his head and stared at the disciples who were watching.
“Then before the Flying Sword Squad properly comes to their senses, next…”
“We will do it first.”
Before the words could even finish, Cheon-hyang and the Hwaryeong Squad stepped forward with determined expressions.
“You chose well.”
Cheon-hwi smiled and lifted his scabbard.
“It is good to take the beating first.”
* * *
Late evening when all training was completed.
At the time when the sun set and the risen moon was peeking from halfway up the mountain, Cheon-hwi undid his cross-legged posture and opened his lips.
“You’re a little late.”
“You monster-like guy. How can you notice even while doing Qi circulation breathing?”
Heavenly Ear Beggar grumbled and appeared through the faintly settled darkness.
“Did you bring the information?”
“What kind of guy gets straight to the point without even greeting. Tsk, well whatever.”
Heavenly Ear Beggar spoke with a blunt expression and then took out a paper from his embrace.
“Here is the information about the Four Supreme Powers of Sinju.”
Cheon-hwi received the paper.
On the paper, the sect names, sect leaders, and brief personal details of the experts of the four sects belonging to the Four Supreme Powers of Sinju were written.
“Is this all?”
Cheon-hwi half-opened his eyes, raised his head, and met gazes with Heavenly Ear Beggar.
“Where did the behind-the-scenes power go?”
“Wait a little for that. It is not clear yet so we are investigating.”
“It’s taking a long time even though it’s the Beggars’ Sect.”
“How can we bring it quickly in a flash? It takes time for us too. Still, rest assured since I brought important information that you will find worth listening to the most.”
“What is it?”
In an instant, Heavenly Ear Beggar’s expression became serious.
“Today, the Four Supreme Powers of Sinju will hold a meeting.”
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