Chapter 108: Building Blocks for the Future (2)
When gripping a sword, the most difficult thing was the sense of distance.
When bare-handed, the head, the body’s senses, instinct, and reason quickly finished calculations.
One understood in an instant where, how, and with how much force to stretch out, grab, and deflect, and then moved.
However, with a sword, that sense of distance could not be grasped. This was because a path had not yet been forged within the body.
Martial arts training was a succession of repetitions. It was through those continuous repetitions that a path was made within the body.
Myeong Il-seo’s trick of utilizing his shoulders could be seen as similar. He performed it naturally because it was so deeply ingrained in his body that he could execute it even in his sleep.
‘Though the direction was a bit wrong.’
Among the tricks and techniques used to deceive people, there were many methods that were useful and convenient in real combat.
However, if one only sought out such easy paths, the Tao would drift away before one knew it.
Of course, someone might emerge who could reach the realm of the Tao if they pushed the realm of techniques to its ultimate limit.
But that was only possible for a genius born with an overwhelming talent that could be said to be bestowed by heaven.
It was not that Myeong Il-seo’s talent was poor. The mere fact that he had survived after rolling around in real combat enough to master such a method was worthy of high praise.
However, it was not to the extent of being called heaven-sent.
‘So I have to show him.’
Those who had walked only convenient paths stopped growing the moment they hit a wall. This was because they lacked the driving force to break through or leap over the wall.
Myeong Il-seo’s petty tricks were also the result of struggling in a state of stagnation without showing any achievements.
Therefore, all I had to do was show him a different path.
I just needed to make him realize that there were plenty of other paths without having to overexert himself like that.
[You heard clearly how to use the muscles inside your body when using the sword I just taught you, right?]
“Yes.”
[You must be able to clearly feel and move all the muscles in your body, down to a single blood vessel and a single strand of muscle. Only when you reach that level can it barely be said that you have entered the gate.]
‘Yes, of course you would say that.’
That damn entry level!
I wondered if even those called peak experts would fall short of the standard, merely being at the entry level in Master’s eyes.
[Since I have taught you the forms and formulas, I will not give you direct coaching.]
“Yes, yes~.”
“……What are you muttering about!”
Seeing me talking to myself after telling him to watch closely as if I were about to show him something, Myeong Il-seo must have thought he was being ignored, as he charged in all at once.
A reckless charge!
A slight trick added to that linear attack.
I thrust my sword toward the rushing Myeong Il-seo.
Whoosh!
And when my sword stopped.
“……!?!”
“Once.”
My sword was touching Myeong Il-seo’s throat.
Because I was not yet used to it and could not stop it properly, blood flowed from a shallow cut, but Myeong Il-seo did not even register the wound due to the shock.
It was only natural.
“J-Just now……?”
“Again.”
“Ugh!”
I kicked the frozen Myeong Il-seo in the chest.
Only after rolling on the ground once did Myeong Il-seo, whose senses had completely fled, look at me with eyes that had regained some clarity.
His eyes, filled with disbelief, shook as if an earthquake had occurred.
As if to shake off that disbelief, Myeong Il-seo roared and rushed at me, and I showed him a sword path that would pile up even more disbelief.
‘Tension the muscles of the entire arm, tighten the muscles that lock the elbow joint, and then…….’
Although there was no change on the outside, the muscles inside my arm tightened tensely.
And the moment I thrust the sword.
‘Release!’
As the muscles tightened to their limit released, the surging vibration influenced the trajectory of the sword’s tip.
It clearly seemed to slash to the right, but the moment his body reacted to the arm’s vibration and corrected its posture, the sword’s trajectory completely changed.
From right to left.
The trajectory that Myeong Il-seo sought and wished to draw unfolded naturally.
There was a way without overexerting oneself like Myeong Il-seo. It was entirely possible without thrusting one’s body in front of the opponent’s blade.
“Twice.”
Another scratch appeared on Myeong Il-seo’s neck.
The flowing blood soaked his collar.
Having witnessed it twice, Myeong Il-seo’s eyes shook even more violently.
Even though the stance and the weapon held were different, he must have recognized that the trajectory and movement I drew were the very routine he pursued.
“Shall we keep going?”
Now it was time to show the trajectory when swinging the sword continuously.
I swung my sword mercilessly at the wavering Myeong Il-seo.
“Three times.”
Slash!
I embedded a single feint amidst the aggressive attacks.
From a stable stance, unlike Myeong Il-seo.
“Four times, five times……”
Swish! Whoosh! Slash!
Every time the sword moved, a scratch was made on Myeong Il-seo’s body.
Though they were called scratches, if I had not controlled the sword, each one of them would have been a mark that claimed his life.
“Heh…… Hah…… Gasp!”
By the time enough time had passed to slowly count to ten in my head, the scratches on Myeong Il-seo’s body numbered thirty-one.
“Thirty-one times.”
And that was also the number of times I had swung the sword.
“So that makes thirty-one stances.”
“……My saber art consists of thirty-eight stances.”
Myeong Il-seo protested weakly.
It was his final resistance, writhing weakly as he denied reality.
“Because I cut out the useless parts.”
“What……?!”
“Keep what you just saw well in mind. I do not expect you to execute it from a stable stance like I just showed you right away. However, even if you only examine the parts where useless movements have been eliminated, you will gain something.”
Once a third-rate martial art went through Master Zhang Sanfeng’s hands, it instantly became a first-rate, peerless divine art that even peak experts would admire.
Regardless of the shock that man Myeong Il-seo received, this event was no different from an immense fortuitous encounter for him.
Seeing his shocked state, he probably would not realize it right now, but if he listened to me and began to train seriously, he would be able to feel himself changing.
“Did you really…… accomplish this the moment you saw my martial arts? You supplemented it this much just by catching a glimpse out of the corner of your eye?”
It was not solely my own ability. If I had researched it seriously, I would have found some points of improvement, but not to the extent of what Master Zhang Sanfeng had adjusted.
However, bluffing was necessary right now.
It was to make him yield in his heart.
“Is there a problem?”
Although the words felt obnoxious even to myself, I consciously maintained a calm attitude.
I drove in the wedge.
“Ah, one more thing.”
“What is it?”
“I am still more comfortable bare-handed than with a sword. As you would know if you have heard the rumors about me in the martial world.”
According to the advice my grandfather’s friend had given me, when laying it on, doing it to the point of being a bit excessive was just right.
The result appeared immediately.
“……This is driving me crazy.”
He was an overwhelming existence that one would not even dare to disobey.
In Myeong Il-seo, who let out a hollow laugh and shook his head, suspicion or disbelief toward me could no longer be felt.
Instead, it was visible that an emotion close to awe was gradually taking the place where those negative feelings had been.
Although I felt incredibly embarrassed, it seemed that I had successfully obtained a clear submission anyway.
This did not apply only to Myeong Il-seo.
“You said absolute obedience was the condition, right?”
Ju So-ran, who had watched everything with eyes no less astonished than Myeong Il-seo’s, had a flushed face.
On the face of the girl, who looked like a gambler clutching a sure card guaranteed for success and victory, a strong determination could be seen.
“I will do it.”
“No matter what I order you to do?”
“Yes! No matter what you order me to do!”
She looked as if she would not just pretend to die if told to, but would actually thrust her own neck onto a blade.
It seemed things had worked out as desired.
‘Though the problem is that running an escort agency is not accomplished through martial arts alone.’
Even so, the most fundamental thing was martial arts. And that part could definitely be filled.
Any lacking areas could be filled from elsewhere.
***
“Mmm……”
Jong In-geol of the Jungshin Merchant Group let out a shallow groan while examining the account books.
People of the world did not call Jong In-geol a good person. They only called him a great man who boasted a wide network of contacts.
This was because of his past record of swallowing up others’ power while building the Jungshin Merchant Group, and stabbing those who had helped him in the back to grow his own strength.
Of course, due to adult circumstances, there were many who associated closely with Jong In-geol, who possessed a wide network and influence, but this too was merely out of necessity.
In other words, Jong In-geol’s network of contacts was created for mutual exploitation.
“It feels like my neck is gradually being strangled.”
After the birthday banquet, Seo Yun-geon, the Counselor of the Ministry of Personnel for Hubei’s Provincial Administration Commission, had begun to dig around Jong In-geol’s surroundings little by little.
Seo Yun-geon’s words, when receiving a precious jade as a ‘gift’, that he might act a bit tightly when handling the affairs of the Ministry of Personnel in Hubei, had not been empty words.
And with such movements from Seo Yun-geon, Jong In-geol’s protective fence began to be chipped away.
That the Jungshin Merchant Group could grow its power in a short period was not because Jong In-geol possessed a natural talent for business. It was simply because the connections he had made during his time as an official had played their part.
It went without saying, but gathering wealth so rapidly in the business world equated to not shying away from all kinds of dirty deeds.
Bribery was basic, and in severe cases, there were even instances where cumbersome targets were cleared away through assassination.
The problem was that once the master of the Ministry of Personnel, who governed appointments in Hubei, showed movements of digging around Jong In-geol, many people began to play it safe.
Those who provided minor conveniences had already washed their hands of him early on. Even those who were somewhat entangled distanced themselves. Those remaining now were only those bound to him like a community of shared destiny, staying by his side reluctantly as if eating mustard while crying.
It was the limit of connections that prioritized profit.
“Should I place a request with the Black Slaying Squad?”
He was so frustrated that he even mentioned the Black Slaying Squad, known as one of the Six Great Heavens and the world’s number one assassination gate.
Assassinating a current high-ranking official like Seo Yun-geon was an act that crossed the line. The Black Slaying Squad would never accept it, and it was clear that his leash would be caught, forcing him into a lifetime of servitude.
Jong In-geol was cornered to that extent.
“Leader.”
Deep in thought, Jong In-geol frowned at the voice of his subordinate.
“What is it?”
“They say there has been movement from the Bright Fate Escort.”
“……Those useless bastards?”
To dilute the prejudice of Seo Yun-geon implanted by Yeon Cheong-un and Baek Jin-seong, Jong In-geol had provided various support to Bright Fate Escort, but it had no effect.
Although he had placed surveillance on them thinking they might be useful later since Bright Fate Escort had a connection with the Baek Family Escort, even that had grown cold lately.
“Yes! Information came in that a few days ago, Ju So-ran disguised herself as a man and left the escort agency with the chief escort, Myeong Il-seo.”
“Meaningless information. Forget it. Just recall all the guys planted there, too……”
While ordering the withdrawal to reduce unnecessary expenses, Jong In-geol trailed off as a certain sense of incongruity struck him.
“……Wait. Disguised as a man? That wench Ju So-ran disguised herself as a man?”
“Yes.”
“There seems to be something to this……”
With his eyes darting around, Jong In-geol quickly rolled his brain.
“Which direction did they say they headed?”
“To the north.”
“The Baek Family Escort.”
A sinister smile hung on the corner of Jong In-geol’s mouth.
“It might be different for Seo Yun-geon, but for you bastards, it is a different story.”
Having made his decision, Jong In-geol immediately gave instructions.
“Go to Mount Hyeongmun and summon Taoist Master Guak.”
“Taoist Master…… Guak?”
The subordinate who received the instruction uttered the name of Taoist Master Guak with half reluctance and half fear.
He was a ominous and fearful existence just by mentioning his name.
However, Jong In-geol’s smile deepened instead.
“Let us watch that monster’s game of curse-killing after a long time.”