Chapter 237: An Arrow Already Released (4)

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From the way the Heaven’s Will Gate disciple used his body to the sword forms of his weapon, it was obvious he hadn’t trained in martial arts for long. It meant he possessed absolutely no talent.

Of course, a genius in sword forms and a genius in inner power are different. To perform sword forms well, one must know how to use their body, whereas to accumulate inner power well, one must be capable of introspection and concentration.

“Aaagh! Damn it!”

However, judging by how he shrieked and cursed after losing his arm, his mental cultivation didn’t seem particularly deep either.

Myeong-il’s expression returned to a complete blank, to the point where one might think his smile from earlier was a mere illusion.

“Next.”

As Cheong-ui spoke indifferently, the Heaven’s Will Gate Leader bellowed in anger.

“Who would use such a brutal technique in a martial duel between orthodox sects?!”

“It seemed your side intended to do the same.”

Cheong-ui was correct. In truth, the strikes executed by the Heaven’s Will Gate disciple were all killing strikes. They simply hadn’t worked against Myeong-il.

However, the Heaven’s Will Gate Leader raised his voice even further.

“What does that matter?! In the end, our disciple’s arm was severed!”

“Be grateful that he only paid with a single arm after attempting a killing strike.”

Cheong-ui spoke with cold eyes. The Heaven’s Will Gate Leader wanted to argue further, but shut his mouth upon meeting Cheong-ui’s gaze. That was how much overwhelming pressure was contained within Cheong-ui’s eyes.

“Next.”

At the aura exuded by Cheong-ui, even the Wudang Sect disciples flinched.

It was their first time seeing their usually gentle and easygoing Sect Leader display such a sharp edge.

Next, Myeong-seong stepped forward. The Heaven’s Will Gate disciple also stepped out hesitantly.

He no longer possessed the arrogance he had shown during his initial provocations. After all, his martial brother’s arm had just been severed right before him. He was finally feeling the weight of the provocations he had so thoughtlessly uttered.

“Begin.”

At Cheong-ui’s low voice, Myeong-seong and the Heaven’s Will Gate disciple clashed.

Although it was painful to admit as his direct junior brother, Myeong-seong’s sword forms were indeed far inferior to Myeong-il’s. That was how exceptional Myeong-il’s talent was.

Myeong-seong could not replicate the art of dodging by a hair’s breadth with astonishing precision that Myeong-il had shown. In the end, he had no choice but to opt for a head-on clash.

In the first exchange, Myeong-seong was visibly pushed back. Seeing this, the Heaven’s Will Gate disciple, who had been intimidated by Cheong-ui’s presence, began to regain his confidence as he pressed forward step by step.

“……Mmm.”

Myeong-yeop let out a low groan as he watched the duel. He judged that it wouldn’t be an easy fight. I felt the same way.

I focused on the movement of the Heaven’s Will Gate disciple. He was clumsy, yet extremely powerful. It was highly unusual. Normally, as a martial artist grew stronger, their movements became more precise. Martial arts progressed in direct proportion to refinement. In all my years in the martial world, I had never seen such an unbalanced martial artist.

“It is beyond strange; it is downright bizarre.”

Myeong-yeop muttered. My senior brother had felt the exact same doubt as I did.

“Is such a case common?”

Since my knowledge of the martial world was relatively brief, I asked, thinking it might simply be my first time witnessing it.

Myeong-yeop was at least ten years older than me, so his experience was bound to be broader. However, even Myeong-yeop shook his head firmly.

“No. I have never seen such foolish movements. It is as if a thug who has never even learned martial arts is using powerful inner qi.”

“I thought so too.”

I narrowed my eyes, staring at the Heaven’s Will Gate members. What on earth was this sense of disharmony? How could such power emerge from such clumsiness?

My intuition was telling me. They definitely hadn’t raised their disciples’ strength through normal means. Whatever it was, it was bound to be a method that would disrupt the order of the martial world if it became known. If every ruffian possessed that level of power, the world would truly become a terrifying place.

While I was harboring other worries, the tide of the duel slowly began to turn. At some point, Myeong-seong stopped retreating. In the process of parrying the Heaven’s Will Gate disciple’s sword, which only relied on brute force, he was gradually adjusting to his opponent.

Developing during a fight. In truth, this was closer to a middle ground between a friendly duel and a battle to the death. As such, the quality of experience gained was highly valuable.

Here, the difference in talent between the Heaven’s Will Gate disciple and Myeong-seong became apparent. As Myeong-seong grew accustomed to the fight, he began to press forward, whereas the Heaven’s Will Gate disciple could do nothing but sweat profusely and swing his sword up and down. He didn’t even seem to know how to properly grip a sword, to the point that his fingernails were tearing.

“Ugh!”

Unable to even control the sword he was swinging. He was woefully unqualified as a martial artist.

What was even more amusing was the fact that the Guardians of Heaven’s Will Gate were currently sending powerful mental waves to that disciple. It meant they were sending him voice transmissions.

Seeing how poorly he performed even with his movements being guided, he was indeed completely devoid of talent.

Thud!

The ground cracked as the sword struck the training ground. Myeong-seong nimbly retreated with a fluid movement technique.

Though he had initially been forced to defend, Myeong-seong’s sword strikes gradually began to show composure.

“Oh!”

An exclamation arose among the senior brothers. The movement technique just shown was the finest Myeong-seong had displayed today.

This too was surprising. Then again, Myeong-seong had outstanding talent, having been officially registered as a disciple of Wudang’s main mountain. It was simply that Myeong-il was exceptionally brilliant; Myeong-seong also possessed excellent comprehension and martial aptitude.

Yes. Myeong-seong also needed such a catalyst. There was a saying: simultaneous pecking from inside and outside. In order for a chick to break out of its egg, it must peck from the inside while the mother hen pecks from the outside. To obtain enlightenment, an external stimulus is also required.

Of course, there were those like Myeong-il who could break out of their shell entirely on their own, but with assistance, one could shed their shell far more easily.

―You do not even need to use the Flowing Cloud Sword Art against a fellow like that. Rather than such a profound technique, swing your sword slightly lighter.

At my voice transmission, Myeong-seong flinched slightly.

Originally, it wasn’t uncommon for masters to offer advice via voice transmission from behind when their disciples fought.

That was why Cheong-ui hadn’t blocked the voice transmissions of Heaven’s Will Gate. A master of Cheong-ui’s level would have long noticed that they were using voice transmissions. As expected, Cheong-ui glanced at me briefly and then looked away.

―Perform the Blue Cloud Steps to the left while executing the Golden Dragon Circles the Heavens.

The fourth form of the Five Elements Sword. Golden Dragon Circles the Heavens. It was a simple sword technique. It wasn’t a particularly difficult skill to face either.

Although it was advice that could raise doubts for Myeong-seong, he executed it without a moment’s hesitation. Instantly, Myeong-seong’s sword lightly sliced the Heaven’s Will Gate disciple’s shoulder.

“Argh!”

Myeong-seong paused slightly in surprise. It was natural to be surprised when a defense that hadn’t been pierced by the Flowing Cloud Sword Art was easily breached by the simpler Five Elements Sword.

The Flowing Cloud Sword Art was a sword technique that induced the opponent to trap themselves within a shroud of mist. It possessed poor compatibility against mindless swings that lacked any concept of strategy.

On the other hand, Golden Dragon Circles the Heavens was a simple form consisting of one feint and one true strike. Myeong-seong hadn’t expected the Heaven’s Will Gate disciple to fall for such a simple feint.

I had focused on the fact that the area that takes the longest time to train is the eyes. According to my hypothesis, the Heaven’s Will Gate disciples hadn’t spent time practicing, meaning their eyes would be highly slow.

From then on, it was easy. Myeong-seong easily toyed with the Heaven’s Will Gate disciple using only simple forms.

“Stop!”

The Heaven’s Will Gate Leader shouted urgently.

His anxiety that another disciple would be permanently disabled was evident in his voice. However, it was already after the disciple had been thoroughly cut up and covered in blood by Myeong-seong’s sword.

“Uaah……”

Having lost a significant amount of blood, the Heaven’s Will Gate disciple collapsed backward.

“We shall call off this martial duel!”

The Heaven’s Will Gate Leader ultimately canceled even the third duel that had been agreed upon. It was a moment that clearly revealed how much they had underestimated the foundation of a prestigious sect.

“We will surely repay this insult during the full-scale battle!”

The Heaven’s Will Gate Leader hurriedly gathered his disciples and left the Wudang Sect.

“Woahhh!”

Once the eyesore of Heaven’s Will Gate vanished from sight, the Wudang disciples finally celebrated their victory with loud cheers.

“You did well, Senior Brother.”

“Whew. That was dangerous.”

I smiled at the returning Myeong-seong. Myeong-seong also smiled brightly, as if his tension had fully melted away.

Smiles spread across the faces of the other disciples as well. It was a victory seized after six months of persecution. To the Wudang disciples who had been constantly depressed, it was like a sweet rain after a long drought.

“I could have looked that cool too.”

The only one with a pouting mouth was Myeong-gyeong. Since the Heaven’s Will Gate Leader had run away, preventing him from having his duel, he couldn’t help but feel that way.

“He ran away because he was too scared of you, Senior Brother.”

“Forget it. Am I a child to fall for such words?”

I tried to cheer Myeong-gyeong up like in the old days, but it wasn’t easy. Indeed, one of the times a child was cutest was when they denied being a child.

“Hehe.”

“Don’t laugh like that. It’s creepy.”

“Hahaha.”

Seeing Myeong-gyeong’s dejected figure, not just me, but all the senior brothers burst into laughter. Myeong-gyeong’s expression resembled a squirrel that had lost all the acorns it had gathered throughout autumn, making it impossible not to laugh.

“Now, let us clean up. Level the training ground as well.”

Returning to his gentle expression, Cheong-ui spoke.

“Yes!”

The disciples moved in perfect unison. It was Wudang’s long-lost liveliness. And furthermore, it was a turning point for the martial world.

After finishing the cleanup, I was summoned to the Three Pureness Hall.

“A junior brother offering advice to his senior brother via voice transmission during a duel. It was a sight I have never witnessed in all my life.”

The moment I entered, those were the first words I heard. I immediately bowed my head.

“I apologize if I overstepped my bounds.”

“That is for Myeong-seong to judge. Since Myeong-seong trusts you, I have no intention of making an issue of it.”

Then why did he even bring it up? When I showed a slightly disgruntled expression, Cheong-ui let out a hearty laugh.

“It seems you also felt it.”

“Regarding the bizarre achievements of the Heaven’s Will Gate disciples?”

“Exactly.”

Cheong-ui stirred his teacup with a small spoon. The yellow tea swirled.

“I had suspected it for some time. It makes no sense for newly established sects to spring up like mushrooms in just six months, possessing such power.”

“Indeed.”

“And those sects always contact a specific place at the beginning. You could call it their origin.”

I pondered briefly upon hearing those words. And I soon realized.

“The Zhuge Clan.”

“Yes, indeed. The Zhuge Clan wasn’t originally a group particularly renowned for martial strength, yet they suddenly nurtured young talents powerful enough to pressure our sect. At the time, I thought they had merely hidden their true foundation since they are one of the Five Great Clans, but it seems that wasn’t the case.”

“I hadn’t thought of that.”

I shook my head in amazement. Indeed, that was the case. Exceptional young talents had suddenly emerged from the Zhuge Clan as well.

If so, was there some secret within the Zhuge Clan?

“I suspected it might be a demonic art, but we cannot know for certain without proof.”

Cheong-ui said. However, I secretly thought it wasn’t a demonic art. If what they practiced was a demonic art, there was no way it would have escaped my eyes.

“Whether it is a demonic art or something else, it is certainly a dark art that defies the natural order.”

“Indeed. We must do something about it. For we are the Wudang Sect.”

I nodded. What was the true significance of the Nine Great Sects? While some used the title merely to swagger around, the essence was to protect the martial world from crisis when a threat arose that shook the foundation of the orthodox path.

“What would you do in this situation?”

Cheong-ui asked. So that was why he had summoned me. Indeed, when discussing such political affairs of the martial world, I was far more suited than the elders, having lived as a merchant.

“There is only one thing we can do.”

“Let us hear it.”

“We have no choice but to overcome this crisis in a truly orthodox manner.”

Hearing my reply, Cheong-ui smiled warmly.

“You have indeed changed a great deal.”

“Is that so?”

“Had it been the you of the past, you would have suggested we crush them using an even superior dark art.”

Cheong-ui’s teasing made me feel slightly embarrassed. Indeed, I felt that the me of the past would have said exactly that.

But now, it was different. I understood the true value of a martial artist.

“Sect Leader. Would it be possible for you to entrust the disciples of the Myeong generation to me?”

“Hmm.”

Cheong-ui showed a slightly troubled expression. He understood what my words implied.

“Even if you have grown strong through a miraculous encounter, I wonder if the other children will accept it. After all, you are the youngest by generation. Learning from a junior brother can hurt their pride.”

“I do not believe this is a time to worry about such pride. It is a crisis, after all.”

“Then try to convince the children yourself. It will not be easy.”

“I understand.”

“As for the elders of the Cheong generation, I believe we must visit the other clans and sects to inform them of this situation.”

“That is perfect.”

I smiled broadly.

It was the moment that the signal arrow to change the warped landscape of the martial world was fired.