Chapter 302: The Answer is One (2)
Swooooosh!
The sword he swung was heavy, but the sound of the blade cutting through the air was extremely refreshing.
Saaaak! Saaaaak!
Because the sword was so massive and thick, it seemed more suitable for slashing than for stabbing. It was a giant sword that could be used for the purpose of pushing while stabbing, like a spear, which is a heavy weapon, as well as possessing characteristics like a single-edged blade.
“Huff! Huff!”
Gang Ryang’s body was soaked with sweat.
His breathing was extremely broken. Because his breathing was broken, the strength delivered to his muscles was all over the place, and the footwork he had perfectly embodied was also gradually becoming messy.
Further training is meaningless. If a master had seen Gang Ryang’s appearance now, they would have likely said so.
However, Gang Ryang did not think so.
Flash! Thud!
The thick sword blade was lodged in a fairly thick tree trunk.
With Gang Ryang’s internal power output, it was a thickness he should have been able to slash with a single strike, yet he could not even slash half of it. it was as if a woodsman had swung a dull axe.
“Huff! Huff!”
As he used explosive breathing for the final strike with all his might, his already excessive breathing became even rougher.
No matter how much of a stubborn person he was, he could not endure any longer. Gang Ryang, who let go of the sword from his hand, lay sprawled on the ground.
“D-Dammit.”
Drip. Drip.
Both of Gang Ryang’s hands were completely torn and burst, so blood was continuously seeping out.
He stared at the sword lodged in the tree while gasping for breath.
The lodged sword, unable to overcome its own weight, was slowly trying to slip out.
‘It is tremendously heavy.’
That sword was a giant sword ordered as a subcontract from the ironworks with which Yeon Wi had dealt with in the Alliance. Its size was close to five feet, and the width of the sword blade was also well over half a foot.
At this level, just lifting and swinging it was hard labor. It was a weapon that even an internal master would find difficult to handle easily.
Gang Ryang had swung such a sword for over half a double-hour.
“Exactly how does Brother Yeon swing an eighty-geun axe like that?”
Gang Ryang had also personally tried to lift the Crazy Dragon Axe.
And he thought. Unless Yeon Ho-jeong insulted his parents or siblings, he must never act up toward him in the future.
‘He is not a person.’
It was said to be eighty geun, but swinging that as if it were a fast sword was a difficult task even for a peak master.
Even if it were possible, if one repeatedly used such martial arts, their joints would not remain intact in the future. Internal power is not omnipotent. Although it can maximize physical durability and flexibility, it cannot deform the structure of the human body or change its properties.
Nevertheless, Yeon Ho-jeong looked like he had no load on his joints and muscles even after using the Crazy Dragon Axe for more than half a day.
It was just amazing.
‘Surely, it must have been accompanied by a tremendous training that I do not know about.’
Previously, the Clan Head of the Yeon Clan had told him about Yeon Ho-jeong’s past training schedule.
He was very surprised to hear that schedule, but he also did not believe it entirely. It was because he thought it was not a training that a master who had not broken through the Wall of the Martial Arts´ End could handle.
But now he knew.
‘That training is real. No, rather, it would not be strange if he had done even more vicious training in places where the Clan Head did not see.’
As he organized his thoughts, his breathing soon returned to normal.
Gang Ryang sighed.
“How pathetic.”
It was not just Yeon Ho-jeong.
Although he called her Sister, Muk Bi was also at a very young age in the Murim. Nevertheless, she was right in front of the Wall of the Martial Arts´ End.
It was a realm that could not be explained by talent alone. She also must have reached that realm through blood-vomiting and bone-carving effort.
And finally.
‘I think they said it was Yeon Ji-pyeong.’
Gang Ryang’s eyes wavered.
‘He was amazing.’
After returning to the Alliance, Gang Ryang had been resolving his board and lodging in this thicket all along.
It was not for any other reason. It was because he had received a shock greater than any other time.
‘He said he was younger than me. Nevertheless, such martial arts…….’
On the way back from escorting the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions, Gi Wu-hui.
At that time, the martial arts shown by Yeon Ho-jeong and Muk Bi were not enough even if expressed as divine techniques. While Yeon Ho-jeong engaged in close combat and held the enemies with combat command, Muk Bi showed the highlight of an ally escort by killing the enemies with long-range attacks.
However, the number of enemies swarming was too many. Those who escaped from the martial arts of the two monsters, Yeon Ho-jeong and Muk Bi, countless times attacked Murong Yu, who was carrying Gi Wu-hui on his back.
Right then, Yeon Ji-pyeong stepped forward.
‘It was an amazing sword study. Before considering the characteristics of the sword technique, that level was already enough to be said to have entered the realm of a master…….’
Yeon Ji-pyeong’s sword technique was perfect.
No, he did not know if it was actually perfect, but at least it looked that way in Gang Ryang’s eyes.
It was a sword technique of an iron-walled fortress that nothing could penetrate. Instead of responding flexibly in accordance with the enemy’s attack, he was using a sword technique of an iron wall that blocked any attack altogether.
To use such a sword technique at an age not even reaching twenty, it was truly something that would surprise the world. Gang Ryang had to return to the Murim Alliance under the protection of Yeon Ji-pyeong, who was younger than him, without being able to do anything.
That shock was something so immense that one would not be able to understand it unless they were the person involved. Even when he was shouted at by Yeon Ho-jeong to face reality, he had not received that much of a shock.
At first, he thought like this. That both Yeon Ho-jeong and Yeon Ji-pyeong were truly monsters. Since the martial arts of the Clan Head of the Yeon Clan were originally outstanding, the talent of the two people who inherited that blood also could not help but be immense.
However, such a thought was nothing more than an escape.
‘My father was also strong.’
The owner of the Ghost Iron Sword Sect. The pride of the Black Path sword sect.
The martial arts of his deceased father were also great enough to be counted among the best in the Black Path. And he was the child of such a father.
Gang Ryang closed his eyes.
‘Of course there is talent. There will also be a difference in teaching. However, the most important thing would be how much he devoted his soul to the acquisition of strength.’
Everyone makes an effort. The important thing is whether one knows something more than effort.
And to find out what that was, Gang Ryang had swung his sword in the forest for several days.
The result?
“……I do not know.”
Gang Ryang gave a bitter smile.
“Was I such a stupid fellow?”
He was someone who was called a rising star who was counted among the best in the Black Path, but looking at it now, he was truly as stupid as could be.
“I do not know what else to do beyond this. I do not know, but……”
Still, there was one thing he realized through these few days of self-abuse.
“If it does not work, I must do it until it does.”
At that time, a voice tinged with laughter was heard.
“It is a good mindset.”
Surprised, Gang Ryang jumped up and looked back.
When did he come? Yeon Ho-jeong was crouching there, looking down at him.
“B-Brother?”
“Yeah.”
“When did you come?”
“Around the time you were chopping wood on that tree with that sword that is as solemn as can be?”
Gang Ryang scratched his head with an embarrassed face.
“I have shown a pathetic sight.”
“Pathetic? It was very cool. It was a single strike in which your soul was loaded.”
“Loaded with my soul? It was merely something I threw out as a do-or-die attempt. I could not even split the tree.”
“That is why your soul was loaded.”
“Yes?”
Yeon Ho-jeong chuckled.
“Does there have to be a purpose to be able to load strength? Do you have to be angry or sad to be able to load yourself onto the sword?”
“……!”
“Sometimes, a single strike swung without any thought is the way that vividly shows the direction in which you are heading.”
Gang Ryang looked at the tree.
The sword, which was slowly slipping out until then, looked so unsightly, even though it was only large in size.
“Recall not the sword, but the moment you swung that sword, yourself at that time.”
“Myself at that time…….”
“At least in my eyes, that single strike was reflecting your confused heart as it was, but the trajectory drawn by the sword was extremely honest and clean.”
Gang Ryang’s eyes wavered.
Yeon Ho-jeong stood up from his seat.
“My younger brother, he was strong, wasn’t he?”
“Yes. He was truly strong.”
“Even though you try not to compare, you keep comparing yourself to him, don’t you?”
“It was like that.”
It was an honest answer.
At a blood-filled age in his twenties, it would not have been easy to admit, even for the sake of his pride. However, although Gang Ryang was bitter and regretful, he was extremely honest with himself.
“It does not matter if you compare. However, you should not think that the path you have walked so far was wrong because of that, right?”
“……?!”
“To me, you were an outsider. Ji-pyeong is different. He is my blood relative. However, now, both are my younger brothers.”
Gang Ryang’s eyes widened.
“Do you understand? You can be different. However, neither of you is wrong.”
“I, I see.”
“I will not tell you to increase your capacity. However, do not be trapped in delusion for too long. You have your own path.”
Yeon Ho-jeong gave a smile.
“And one more thing. At least in terms of actual combat ability, you are still far ahead of Ji-pyeong.”
“……!”
Strength was naturally filled into Gang Ryang’s fists.
“When you come to engage in an unavoidable battle, even if the opponent’s martial arts are superior to mine, you cannot just quietly take the blade. There is always a way. However, the key will be how quickly you find that way and to what extent you can maximize it.”
“That is true.”
“It is the same in martial arts training.”
Yeon Ho-jeong reached out his hand.
Gang Ryang took that hand and stood up.
“This much self-abuse is enough. Pick up your sword and follow me.”
“W-Where are you going?”
“Do you not remember what I said at first? I told you I would make you strong.”
A bloodthirsty smile appeared on Yeon Ho-jeong’s face.
“A duel like actual combat, an excessively brilliant realization is not the only way to make a person grow. If you want to regain the reputation of being the strongest swordsman of the Black Path, you need to broaden your field of vision further.”
* * *
After washing up cleanly and even satisfying his hunger with rice balls, Yeon Ho-jeong took Gang Ryang and headed for the Strategist’s office.
Zhuge Wen-hu’s eyes widened.
“Oh, Commander Yeon, you have come.”
“Yes, Strategist.”
“But that young man beside you……?”
Zhuge Wen-hu’s eyes sparkled.
“From Hunan?”
“That is right.”
Gang Ryang clasped his hands in a disciplined salute.
“Gang Ryang greets Strategist Zhuge.”
It was a very manly greeting. No prejudice was tinged in his revealed voice.
Zhuge Wen-hu could not help but admit the fact that his first impression of Gang Ryang was better than he had expected.
“Indeed, you are a talent worthy of bringing along so tenaciously.”
“Haha.”
“But it does not seem like you came to introduce this friend to me; what brought you here?”
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes flashed.
“The two sponsors for Clan Head Tang, the registration is complete, right?”
“Of course. Did you not bring the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions yourself? I registered them immediately.”
“I see.”
“By the way, I wanted to ask immediately, but the atmosphere was too bloodthirsty, so I could not bring myself to ask. Exactly what did you say to Physician Gi? Physician Gi’s face was almost on the verge of fainting……”
“I will tell you about that later. First, I will tell you the reason I came.”
Zhuge Wen-hu chuckled.
“What a person, I do not know why you are coming out so aggressively to exercise what kind of momentum again. Fine. Let us hear it.”
“I intend to request a private meeting with Clan Head Murong.”
“……!!”
Zhuge Wen-hu’s face hardened.
“Murong Jun, with that person?”
“That is right.”
“……I will not ask the reason. But what does that matter have to do with me that you have come this far? It would be enough if you just visited him and asked to meet.”
“Please concentrate all the Alliance’s intelligence on southern Hubei.”
“Hmm?”
Yeon Ho-jeong pointed at Gang Ryang.
“I will go and clean out Murong Jun with this friend. If we succeed, Murong Jun’s allies will come up from Hunan and head for the Murim Alliance.”
“……!!”
“Identify every single person associated with Murong Jun, among those who come to the Murim Alliance.”