Episode 397

Spring Comes to Those Who Endure the Long Winter (3)

 

“Ha-at!”

 

“Cha!”

 

A boy and a girl who looked to be about fifteen or sixteen were in the middle of practicing martial arts. Sweat poured from their bodies as they trained hard, but their movements were still awkward.

 

They were doing their best in their own way, yet everything about them was still lacking. Their motions resembled those of a clown more than a martial artist. But, Lee Gwak, who was watching them, wore a faint smile on his lips.

 

The two children practicing martial arts were Pi Jin-ui and Jo So-hye, the new disciples he had recently taken in.

 

The talent of these children was exceptional—enough for Lee Gwak to choose them as his disciples. They had the ability to absorb what they were taught, and their instincts were sharp.

 

But unfortunately, they had started too late.

 

By ordinary standards, their age wasn’t particularly old, but most prodigies in the Jianghu began their training much younger.

 

Had they begun at the same age as Lee Cheong or even a few years later, they would have reached a much higher level by now.

 

Though they were talented, their bones had already hardened to some extent, and their muscles had developed in the wrong ways, making it difficult for them to execute proper forms.

 

They understood the techniques intellectually, but their bodies couldn’t keep up.

 

Because of this, their limbs had twisted several times, causing them to stumble repeatedly. However, Lee Gwak never scolded or reprimanded them.

 

Everyone is born with different talents.

 

Some could easily master techniques that others found difficult, and vice versa.

 

The martial art Lee Gwak was teaching them was the Six Harmonies Fist, widely regarded in the Jianghu as a third-rate technique.

 

It was a basic martial art that Lee Gwak had learned when he first joined the Outer Hall of the Jade Heaven Alliance.

 

Every advanced martial arts were essentially built upon basic techniques, refined and polished over time.

 

 

 

No matter the martial art, if one practiced it diligently and made it their own, they would eventually become a master.

 

The key was persistence and focus.

 

Fortunately, Pi Jin-ui and Jo So-hye excelled in both.

 

Both children had lost their loved ones due to the actions of the Heavenly Fate Sect, leaving them powerless. This tragic experience had instilled in them a strong obsession with strength.

 

Lee Gwak thought about how he could make it easier for them to learn martial arts.

 

When teaching Lee Cheong or Lee Soo-ah, he hadn’t needed to worry like this.

 

Lee Cheong and Lee Soo-ah possessed rare talents in the Jianghu and could easily digest anything Lee Gwak taught them. Thanks to their natural ability and relentless effort, Lee Gwak rarely needed to intervene. As a result, teaching them wasn’t particularly rewarding.

 

In contrast, Pi Jin-ui and Jo So-hye lacked in many areas.

 

This forced Lee Gwak to think deeply.

 

How could he make their stiff and rigid bodies more flexible? How could he correct their stance?

 

He had to reconsider everything from the basics.

 

It felt like teaching young children, meticulously checking and refining every little detail.

 

This experience greatly benefited Lee Gwak as well.

 

It gave him the opportunity to rethink his own martial arts from the ground up.

 

Teaching was learning.

 

Especially for beginners.

 

Thanks to them, Lee Gwak could revisit his martial arts with a beginner’s mindset.

 

“Yahaaht!”

 

“Hup!”

 

Pi Jin-ui and Jo So-hye’s spirited shouts echoed through the air.

 

Their bodies were already soaked in sweat.

 

Their faces were flushed red, and their legs trembled.

 

They had reached their physical limits. Yet, they refused to give up and stubbornly continued their training.

 

“That’s enough for now.”

 

“Just a little more.”

 

“We’ll keep practicing.”

 

Though Lee Gwak told them to stop, the children insisted on continuing. Both showed a tenacious spirit.

 

Lee Gwak shook his head firmly.

 

“Moderation is key in all things. Your foundations are still weak, and overtraining could damage your muscles and bones.”

 

“But…”

 

“Stop the training and focus on internal energy cultivation.”

 

“Yes!”

 

Reluctantly, the children stopped their training and sat cross-legged to begin their internal energy practice.

 

Lee Gwak had taught them the Blue Heart Method, an internal energy technique he had created himself.

 

He had taken parts of the teachings of the Eight Snake Art and the strengths of other internal energy methods from the jianghu and created a technique specifically for these children.

 

The Blue Heart Method was still incomplete.

 

Internal energy techniques weren’t something that could be perfected overnight.

 

All martial arts, both external and internal, were rooted in internal energy methods.

 

Without mastering a proper internal energy method, one’s progress would eventually stall.

 

This was why renowned orthodox sects treated their internal energy methods as their most prized secrets, never passing them on to outsiders-passing them only to direct disciples and even then under strict rules.

 

Because internal energy methods were so crucial, Lee Gwak had to approach the matter with caution.

 

He didn’t expect to create a fully functional technique overnight. Instead, he steadily researched and refined it, creating a basic framework.

 

For now, it was just a skeleton, but he planned to expand its branches and leaves as the children progressed.

 

The thought of developing a technique alongside his disciples lifted his spirits.

 

Lee Gwak had entrusted all administrative matters of the Mad Martial Sect to Lim So-bo. Together with former members of the intelligence network of the Jade Heaven Alliance, she was fully immersed in structuring the sect and recruiting new members.

 

She only consulted Lee Gwak for major decisions, handling everything else in consultation with Cheong Un-san.

 

Thanks to their dedicated efforts, the Mad Martial Sect had already established a basic framework. Though it was still incomparably weaker than other sects, its foundation was solid. Given time, it would undoubtedly grow into a formidable force.

 

‘Everything flows as it should…’

 

Lee Gwak raised his head and looked at the sky.

 

 

Clouds drifted across the vast blue sky. And his heart seemed to drift along with them.

 

Then—

 

“……”

 

Suddenly, Lee Gwak frowned.

 

He turned his head in the direction of the Black River.

 

At the entrance leading to the Mad Martial Sect, he sensed someone’s qi.

 

It was clear and serene, like the crisp autumn sky—sharp yet composed, stimulating Lee Gwak’s senses.

 

No one in the Mad Martial Sect possessed such qi. That meant an outsider had arrived.

 

Lee Gwak looked at the children.

 

They were still deep in cultivation.

 

Quietly, so as not to disturb them, Lee Gwak walked towards the River.

 

The distance between their training ground and the Black River’s dock was over a hundred paces.

 

“Sect Leader!”

 

“Greetings, Sect Leader!”

 

Along the way, many greeted Lee Gwak.

 

Some were former secret court members, others newly recruited martial artists, and even former members of the Zealous Justice Clan.

 

Lee Gwak acknowledged their greetings without stopping.

 

Soon, he reached the dock.

 

The once run-down dock had been neatly repaired.

 

“Sect Leader?”

 

“What brings you here?”

 

The martial artists guarding the dock looked puzzled.

 

The Black River was a critical passage to the Mad Martial Sect, so guards were always stationed there.

 

Lee Gwak addressed them.

 

“We have a guest.”

 

“Huh? A guest?”

 

The guards exchanged confused glances.

 

They had been vigilantly watching the dock, but no visitors had arrived. But Lee Gwak had suddenly appeared and claimed that a guest was coming.

 

If there had been a visitor, they would have been notified first, followed by their superiors and Lee Gwak.

 

‘We haven’t received any word—how does the Sect Leader know?’

 

As the guards’ curiosity grew—

 

Creak! Creak!

 

The sound of oars came from downstream.

 

‘No way…’

 

‘A guest is really coming?’

 

The guards were stunned to see an actual visitor approaching. They assumed Lee Gwak had learned of the visitor through some hidden network, not that he had sensed him directly.

 

Lee Gwak stood silently, watching the small boat approach the dock.

 

On the boat was a Taoist around Lee Gwak’s age.

 

Dressed in a blue Taoist robe with a sword bearing the Yin Yang symbol strapped to his back—it was none other than Jinghae.

 

The moment the dock came into view, Jinghae stopped rowing and locked eyes with Lee Gwak.

 

Even without oars, the boat glided forward, propelled by momentum.

 

Ripples stirred in Jinghae’s cold eyes.

 

There were still about thirty paces between the boat and the dock, but the intensity of Lee Gwak’s gaze was palpable.

 

The moment their eyes met, every hair on his body stood on end. His body reacted before his mind could process it.

 

‘Lee Gwak!’

 

Instinctively, Jinghae recognized him.

 

Until now, he had been skeptical.

 

A martial artist around his age, with no notable background, whose fame had resounded throughout the Jianghu—it was hard to believe.

 

Jinghae had trained rigorously under the Wudang Sect’s boundless resources, enduring grueling hardships to reach his current level.

 

Naturally, he found it difficult to accept that a martial artist with no foundation could rise to the pinnacle of the martial world on his own.

 

But now, feeling Lee Gwak’s gaze from afar, he knew his assumptions were wrong.

 

Lee Gwak was the real deal.

 

Whether he had truly reached his level alone was uncertain, but the power radiating from his eyes was enough to put Jinghae on edge.

 

‘Interesting.’

 

A smile tugged at Jinghae’s lips.

 

Here was a martial artist his age, already shaking the Jianghu.

 

What kind of martial artist wouldn’t feel their competitive spirit ignite?

 

But he suppressed his excitement.

 

Today, he hadn’t come to challenge Lee Gwak.

 

Thud!

 

The boat finally reached the dock.

 

Instead of disembarking immediately, Jinghae clasped his hands in salute.

 

“Jinghae of Wudang pays his respects to Great Hero Lee Gwak.”

 

“Welcome, Taoist Jinghae.”

 

Lee Gwak was not surprised and answered calmly. The Taoist robes had already given away his identity.

 

‘Wudang’s First Sword.’

 

That’s how Bang Ju-gwang of the Bang Clan’s Inn had described him.

 

Someone of Bang Ju-gwang’s discernment wouldn’t make such an evaluation lightly. Jinghae had demonstrated such overwhelming skill against the Green Forest Emperor, Po Cheon-wol, that he was deemed worthy of the title.

 

Indeed, Jinghae’s aura was extraordinary.

 

Outwardly, he appeared gentle, but his energy was as sharp and straight as a blade’s edge.

 

Lee Gwak sensed that Jinghae carried a sword in his heart.

 

Such individuals were the most troublesome—the epitome of “a dagger hidden in a smile.

 

But Lee Gwak had no reason to feel intimidated

 

If Jinghae was a disciple of Wudang, Lee Gwak was the leader of the Mad Martial Sect.

 

Regardless of their sects’ sizes, he was the head of an entire sect. He didn’t need to assert dominance, but neither could he lower himself—his disciples’ morale depended on it.

 

“The First Sword of Wudang gracing our humble sect with his presence leaves me at a loss for words.”

 

“How could I dare to claim such a title? There are many in my sect who are stronger than me.”

 

“Truly, the Wudang Sect is impressive.”

 

“But how did you know I was coming? I sent no word.”

 

“I was out for a walk.”

 

“Ah! I see.”

 

Jinghae nodded.

 

Unless Lee Gwak was a god, how could he have known of his arrival?

 

It was merely a coincidence.

 

“But you don’t seem surprised.”

 

“About what?”

 

“That I’m from Wudang.”

 

“Should I be?”

 

“Well, no, but…”

 

“Actually, I visited the Bang Clan’s Inn recently and heard about you. Seeing your robes, I guessed it might be you.”

 

“I see.”

 

“Please, step off the boat first.”

 

Only then did Jinghae realize he was still on the boat and awkwardly disembarked.

 

He bowed to Lee Gwak again.

 

“Thank you for welcoming an outsider so readily.”

 

“The Wudang Sect is welcomed anywhere in the world.”

 

“I’m grateful for your kindness.”

 

“But how did you find our Mad Martial Sect? We’ve only just begun, so few know of us.”

 

“I’ve long admired Great Hero Lee Gwak’s reputation and took an interest.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

Lee Gwak’s brow furrowed slightly.

 

At this stage, attracting attention from any sect was burdensome.

 

The Mad Martial Sect was still in its infancy.

 

Especially from a major sect like Wudang—it was too soon. But with Jinghae here in person, he couldn’t turn him away.

 

Jinghae took out a red invitation from his sleeve and handed it to Lee Gwak.

 

“What’s this?”

 

“An invitation from our Sect Leader to you.”

 

“An invitation?”

 

“The Sect Leader hopes you will attend Wudang’s upcoming opening ceremony.”

 

Lee Gwak’s brow twitched at the unexpected invitation.

 

Jinghae watched him intently.