Chapter 370: The Path Forward (5)
The place Tang Kwan took Yeon Ho-jeong was a training ground prepared not far from his residence.
Although it was an outdoor training ground, it was not properly maintained, leaving it cracked and broken here and there. The Murim Alliance grew quickly, but there were still many spaces like this within the alliance that were not properly utilized.
Yeon Ho-jeong blew a whistle.
“It’s spacious.”
“It is spacious.”
“If repaired well, it’s a size where even a unit-level could train. To think there was a place like this, this alliance still has a long way to go.”
“Thanks to that, it’s perfect for training alone.”
Training.
For some reason, it was a word that didn’t suit Tang Kwan. He was a person who seemed like he would remain arrogant and aloof forever.
“Come up.”
“Yes.”
Yeon Ho-jeong, who stepped onto the training ground, suddenly noticed that the floor was damaged here and there.
‘It’s melted.’
It was broken and melted at the same time.
It was a trace of training poison arts. It was an extremely minute trace, but with Yeon Ho-jeong’s level of discerning eyes, it was a trace he could clearly see through.
‘Fist, palm, finger, and leg techniques are not the main focus. There are traces of that, but the main is hidden weapons.’
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes shone.
‘It’s a trace of flying hidden weapons loaded with poison qi. Amazing.’
Simply not smearing poison, but penetrating poison qi into the hidden weapon itself and maintaining it until the moment of impact was usually not an amazing feat.
Setting aside the operation method, the force emission oral formula itself would be incredibly complex. Even if it was just one or two hidden weapons, to scatter dozens of them, one must know how to operate dizzyingly complex oral formulas simultaneously.
This is why the Tang Clan’s martial arts are frightening. Not anyone can easily approach it, and even a rare genius would find it difficult to achieve great success. Not only must one accumulate general knowledge about poison and hidden weapons, but melting it into martial arts required imagination-transcending effort and brains.
‘It’s still lacking.’
During his time as the Dark Emperor, Tang Kwan was called the Ten Thousand Poisons Emperor and made a name for himself as the terror of Murim.
However, that was the result of Tang Kwan thoroughly hiding himself. He flaunted an unparalleled capability in poison enough to be called the emperor of ten thousand poisons, but in reality, his true secret art was not poison, but hidden weapons.
‘Compared to the days of the Ten Thousand Poisons Emperor, there are still many lacking things. The traces tell of it. However…’
Yeon Ho-jeong looked at Tang Kwan again.
Tang Kwan stood with his back turned, his hands clasped behind his back. He seemed lost in his own thoughts.
‘He is definitely taking the steps. He knows exactly what form the invincible secret art he will gain in the future will be realized in.’
Yeon Ho-jeong admired inwardly.
‘He’s a genius.’
Tang Kwan in those days was not a person with many words.
It couldn’t be helped. Whatever the reason, Yeon Ho-jeong was the emperor of the Black Path, and Tang Kwan was the second-in-command of the White Path Murim.
However, he knew that the’legendary’ secret art he was practicing was passed down from his father, Tang Hyeong.
‘An incomplete secret art. Then it means that the current Dark King is also complementing this martial art.’
He passed down an incomplete martial art to his child. That meant he was that confident in this martial art.
And comparing the traces now with’that martial art’ shown by Tang Kwan during the Ten Thousand Poisons Emperor days, there was a high probability that he had awakened it alone without the help of the Dark King and created the strongest secret art in the history of the Tang Clan.
Tang Kwan spoke.
“At your level of realm, you wouldn’t be unable to use it in actual combat just because it hasn’t been long since you gained new weapons.”
“Of course. Although I won’t be able to draw out ten tenths of these weapons’ abilities.”
“I suppose so.”
Tang Kwan turned his body.
In an instant, Yeon Ho-jeong flinched. It was because the pupils of Tang Kwan looking at him were more serious than ever.
“Do you know the reason why I want to show this martial art to you, who is neither your father nor my daughter?”
“I do not know.”
He was sincere. For this at least, Yeon Ho-jeong couldn’t read Tang Kwan’s intention.
Tang Kwan spoke with a slightly pained face.
“I saw the secret art your father showed to the 1st Martial General. It was truly amazing. Such a martial art cannot be learned by someone teaching it. It is a martial art solely for oneself, which can be gained through self-vomiting effort and exhaustion.”
“I think so too.”
“Because of that, your father wouldn’t have asked anyone for advice. There is no need, nor meaning to do so. He must have just endlessly devoted himself to the martial path and grasped that absolute one sword in his hand.”
“That is correct.”
“However, my martial art is different from the one move your father possesses.”
Fire caught in Tang Kwan’s eyes.
“My martial art possesses countless forms, and being the sum of chaotic strikes and linked strikes rather than a single strike, it draws out incredibly complex internal energy operation and true qi depletion.”
“…”
“Your father, Clan Head Yeon’s enlightenment is supreme. At least regarding the sword, it is. The problem is that his enlightenment is biased towards the sword. Unless he reaches the extremity of the Sword Way later and masters all martial arts, at least right now, he won’t be able to look into the lacking points of my martial art as well as you.”
It was a surprising statement.
Tang Kwan was certain that Yeon Ho-jeong would look at his martial art better than Yeon Wi. And he was directly saying those contents to the person involved.
Yeon Ho-jeong was greatly surprised.
He didn’t know Tang Kwan evaluated him this highly, and he also didn’t think he would openly show the weaknesses of the martial art he possessed.
“Your father’s martial art is the pure strike of non-transformation, and my martial art is the chaotic strike of multi-transformation. Your father’s martial art is simple yet strong, and my martial art is colorful and sharp.”
Srrrk.
Tang Kwan raised both hands.
Tsu-tsu-tsu.
A dark green fog flowing out from his fingertips slowly wrapped around his entire body. It was as if two giant green poisonous snakes were protecting him.
“I won’t show everything. I won’t show it twice, either. However, if there is anything you see and feel, I want you to tell me as it is.”
Yeon Ho-jeong’s expression became strange.
“Is that the repayment you demand from me who gained the Black and White Twin Dragons?”
“That’s right.”
“I gained two and will have to give ten.”
Tang Kwan chuckled.
“No one knows whether your advice will be one or ten.”
“Of course that’s true. So I mean.”
Srrng.
There was no scabbard to collect the blades, but a cool sound rang out when he lifted the twin axes.
“I will receive it directly.”
“…?!”
Tang Kwan’s eyes opened wide.
“Are you saying you will directly receive this martial art with your body?”
“To properly understand a martial art without knowing its oral formulas or dharma texts, there is no method as good as directly facing it.”
“Arrogant bastard! This martial art is not an ordinary martial art! Right now, even I can’t control the strength or the direction! It’s that dangerous of a martial art!”
“Then I must collide with it head-on even more. To give you a satisfactory repayment.”
“…!”
“Do not worry. If I die doing this, it’s my lack of capability to blame, so I will not resent the Clan Head.”
It was a meaningful remark.
In the past, Yeon Ho-jeong lost his life to a cow-hair needle flown by Tang Kwan. Since it was a remark made by him, the weight carried in the words was different.
And Tang Kwan felt that weight from Yeon Ho-jeong’s words.
“Do you want to die that much?”
Srrrk.
Yeon Ho-jeong lowered his posture.
As if he had been practicing such martial arts normally, the hand holding the White Dragon Axe naturally pushed forward, and the hand holding the Black Dragon Axe was fixed in front of his right upper body.
“Shall we begin?”
Tsu-tsu-tsu-tsu.
The dark green fog that had been wrapping Tang Kwan’s body slowly seeped into his sleeves.
Tang Kwan, who had been blankly glaring at Yeon Ho-jeong, nodded.
“Controlling the poison qi will not be easy. However, I will not contain extreme poison, so if poisoning symptoms arise, immediately sit cross-legged and drive the poison out.”
“Understood.”
“…Stupid bastard.”
Chi-ri-ri-ri-ri-ring.
In an instant, lines of sparkling iron fragments flowed out from inside his sleeves.
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes flashed.
‘Void Manipulation.’
There was nothing to be surprised about. Tang Kwan’s secret art was an absolute secret art that could only be executed if at least Void Manipulation was possible.
Hwa-rr-rr-rr-ruk!
Vermilion Bird Fire Qi bloomed from Yeon Ho-jeong’s body.
Hwooo-ung.
On the other hand, pure white smoke was blooming from his two feet stepping on the ground. White Tiger Metal Qi, White Tiger’s Sovereign Step, was naturally manifesting.
Feeling those two energies, Tang Kwan nodded inwardly. The harmony of the fire qi and metal qi, as well as its intensity, was tremendous, so he thought that with Yeon Ho-jeong’s skill, he would at least not die.
“I’m starting.”
Hwiii-i-i-ing!
Following Tang Kwan’s hands drawing circles like flowing water, the path of the sparkling hidden weapons moved beautifully.
‘Flower Rain Art First Chapter.’
Chi-ri-ring! Chi-ri-ri-ri-ring!
Dagger fragments smaller than a thumb clashed and made a chilling sound.
Even though it was a secret art he had already seen, Yeon Ho-jeong felt his body naturally tense up. It was because he had seen that secret art sweep away enemies at once, but he had never directly faced it himself.
Flash!
A dark green radiance burst out from Tang Kwan’s pupils.
“…Sudden Wind Form.”
It was that moment.
Hwiii-i-i-i-i-ing!!
In an instant, an incredibly strong gale blew as if to tear the atmosphere apart, and two giant fragments of light shot toward Yeon Ho-jeong’s front.
‘…!!’
Surprise colored Yeon Ho-jeong’s face.
‘It’s different!’
It was different from the secret art shown by Tang Kwan in the past during the Ten Thousand Poisons Emperor days.
No, it was a kind of that secret art, but the content was different. In terms of martial moves, it was a frontal direct-hit attack completely contrary to the martial move of that time.
It was as if two giant imoogis made of thousands of iron scales were flying in, competing with each other to get ahead.
‘Damn it! This martial art, could it be that every form has a different attack range and direction?!’
It was as if he had been blindly expecting and was completely struck in the back of the head.
Yeon Ho-jeong quickly took a step.
Kwa-ang!
With a more urgent and powerful foot stomp than ever, the Black and White Twin Dragon Axes burning with Vermilion Bird Fire Qi were swung at tremendous speed.
Vermilion Bird Art, Red Flame Six Killing Art.
Flower Rain Art, First Chapter Sudden Wind Form.
Two extreme killing arts collided head-on.
Crack!
The countless crescent moons drawn by the Black and White Twin Dragon Axes caused a sudden wind and struck away the shot dagger fragments.
It was a truly tremendous speed. Even though it was his first time handling them properly, Yeon Ho-jeong’s Twin Axe Art had already reached the realm of a master.
Crack! Whoosh!
However, even with that amazing Twin Axe Art, he couldn’t block all the fragments. The bombardment of hidden weapons rushing in while causing a sudden wind, the number was so large that it couldn’t be counted one by one, so complete defense was impossible even for the heavenly Yeon Ho-jeong.
Crack! Whoosh!
He struck away almost all the hidden weapons in the front, but a hidden weapon that rode the axes up with a bizarre air current grazed Yeon Ho-jeong’s forearm and escaped to the rear.
Peo-peo-peok! Sa-sa-sa-sa-sak!
Yeon Ho-jeong’s both arms were instantly dyed with blood. It wasn’t just one or two, but dozens of hidden weapons had grazed past his forearms.
‘Oh no.’
Chi-i-i-i-ik!
Milky white smoke rose from the wounds. Vermilion Bird Fire Qi was evaporating the poison qi that penetrated into his body.
However, the real problem wasn’t the poison qi.
‘Why is the power so strong?!’
The shock transmitted from the twin axes was truly tremendous.
Each hidden weapon contained a power that couldn’t be ignored. As he had to strike down hundreds of those hidden weapons, the shock was accumulating from his wrists and elbows to his shoulders.
It was a terrifying linked strike. The endlessly rushing dagger fragments were like scattering petals, but their power was like a pouring shower of iron.
Yeon Ho-jeong gritted his teeth and endured. The moment he made a mistake and put down his axes, his upper body would be hacked into thousands of pieces by that terrifying storm of hidden weapons and turn into a blood mist.
Crack! Kwang!
Yeon Ho-jeong, who blocked the Sudden Wind Form with hundreds of axe swings, twisted the direction of the curving hidden weapons to the sky with a final foot stomp.
“Huu-uk!”
Yeon Ho-jeong let out a deep sigh.
‘Damn it, this really isn’t easy.’
At that time, Tang Kwan spoke.
“Did you receive all of that?”
Yeon Ho-jeong looked at Tang Kwan without answering.
Tang Kwan, who was looking at Yeon Ho-jeong with a surprised face, unconsciously let out a chuckle. It was because he saw the expectation, surprise, and passion dwelling on Yeon Ho-jeong’s face.
“Do you want to receive more?”
“Yes.”
“…Good.”
Chi-ri-ri-ri-ri-ri-ring!
Wherever they surged from, dagger fragments formed a giant dark cloud above Tang Kwan’s head.
Scales of death embroidering the entire sky. Each one was like a petal made of light.
“Then, shall I give you a taste.”