Chapter 26: Jegal Tan (3)

“Oh my, it’s hard to spar without a sword, isn’t it? Here you go.”

“W-what the…”

Clang!

Baek Ri-seol returned his sword, only to snatch it away again in a flash.

She seamlessly transitioned from a single sword to a dual sword stance, her movements as graceful and fluid as a phoenix taking flight.

“Oh my, another gift? You’re so thoughtful.”

She disarmed him again and again, her attacks focused on his lower body.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

With each flick of her wrist, a flurry of sword strikes rained down on him, forcing him to retreat in a frantic dance.

“Hahaha, you’re a good dancer.”

She chuckled, mocking his clumsy footwork.

Wham!

She swept his legs out from under him with a swift kick.

Crack!

“Ugh!”

Despite her slender frame, her kick was powerful enough to send him crashing to the ground.

“Hiya! Hiya!”

She stabbed at the ground with her swords, forcing him to roll out of the way.

“Hiya! Hiya! Hiya!”

She continued to attack, her movements relentless.

She paused, placing a hand on her cheek, her expression a mixture of amusement and pity.

“That was a nice roll. I’m not sure I could pull that off.”

Jegal Tan scrambled to his feet, realizing that he had been completely outmatched.

‘This is the skill of a Dongcheon Hall student?’

He was speechless.

Baek Ri-seol, whose talent had been recognized by Cho Un-hwi, had been blossoming under his guidance.

She was like a phoenix rising from the ashes.

She was now a formidable opponent, capable of holding her own against the best students from any prestigious clan or sect.

Jegal Tan, who had spent more time drinking than practicing his swordsmanship, never stood a chance.

The spar was a one-sided affair.

***

“…I surrender.”

Jegal Tan, his hair disheveled and his clothes covered in dirt, admitted defeat.

“Already?”

Baek Ri-seol sounded disappointed.

She could have continued to torment him for hours.

Jegal Tan shuddered at the cold glint in her eyes.

He trudged back to his spot and slumped down, his spirit broken.

Cho Un-hwi, who had been attaching eyes to a training dummy, grinned.

“Do you understand now?”

“…Is Namgung Yun-ho this strong too?”

“He’s about the same. Their talents lie in different areas, but they’re both quite skilled.”

“I was arrogant.”

Jegal Tan’s eyes darkened.

“…Third… can I be your third student?”

“Hehehe, you want to spar with this little girl too?”

Mo Yong So-hye, who had been attaching a head to a training dummy, cowered under his gaze.

“No, sir. It was my fault. I was arrogant.”

“I’m glad you realize that. But don’t get too comfortable. She’ll surpass you soon.”

Mo Yong So-hye gasped.

“B-but I haven’t learned any proper martial arts yet!”

“Why not? You’re learning right now.”

“You mean fixing these wooden dummies?”

“Of course. I never lie.”

Cho Un-hwi’s voice was unconvincing.

“What kind of martial art is this?”

“It’s a combination of grappling techniques and dagger techniques.”

Grappling techniques.

A martial art that involved using both hands to break an opponent’s joints and control their movements.

He had never heard of a technique that combined grappling techniques and dagger techniques.

And all Cho Un-hwi had taught her so far were some basic hand techniques.

Mo Yong So-hye’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“Instructor, what’s the name of this technique?”

“Hmm…”

“You’re making it up, aren’t you?!”

“No, it’s the Wooden Hundred Hands Technique. That’s it, the Wooden Hundred Hands Technique.”

The Wooden Hundred Hands Technique.

It sounded like he had just made it up. And it wasn’t a very impressive name. It didn’t sound like a real martial art.

“It’s a secret technique that involves using wooden dummies to simulate real combat situations. It’s all about speed and precision.”

“You just called it the Wooden Hundred Hands Technique! You can’t change the name now!”

“Did I? I don’t remember.”

Mo Yong So-hye stomped her foot.

“Instructor! That’s not fair!”

“Stop whining and attach those eyes. You’ll be fired if you don’t finish on time.”

He handed her a wooden arm, his expression unconcerned.

Jegal Tan was still reeling from Cho Un-hwi’s words.

“If you’re going to compare yourself to someone, compare yourself to the best in the world, not your siblings. You’ll never amount to anything if you’re always dwelling on your past failures.”

“But I…”

“Go away. I don’t have time for your childish tantrums.”

His heart sank.

***

Jegal Tan sat down in a corner of the training ground, his usual arrogance gone.

‘I was a frog in a well.’

Now that he had let go of his pride, he could see things more clearly.

When Namgung Yun-ho was training with needles, it had looked dangerous, but once the needles were removed, he moved with ease, as if nothing had happened.

When he was writhing in pain after swallowing those strange pills, it had looked like he was suffering from poison, but after he circulated his internal energy, he seemed stronger than ever.

And the same was true for the other training methods.

He even started to see Mo Yong So-hye’s hand movements in a new light.

“Instructor! Only thirty dummies left! Ugh, my hands are sore.”

“Keep going, Student Mo.”

Mo Yong So-hye’s movements were getting faster.

At first, she had struggled to attach a single limb to a dummy, but now her hands were moving so fast that they were a blur.

She was shaping pieces of wood with incredible speed and precision, as if the wood itself were peeling away to reveal its true form.

“Haha, I can’t even see her hands anymore.”

The instructor was right.

It had only been fifteen days.

And now, he could barely keep up with Mo Yong So-hye’s movements.

‘What have I been doing with my life?’

Had he wasted all those years, only to be surpassed by a little girl in a matter of days?

He clutched his head in despair.

He had felt inadequate in his own family.

And now, he was feeling the same way in Dongcheon Hall, the dumping ground of the Shinmu Academy.

He slumped down, his shoulders sagging.

He needed a drink.

***

After training.

“Jegal Tan, let’s talk.”

“Namgung Yun-ho.”

Namgung Yun-ho led him to a small stream behind Dongcheon Hall.

It wasn’t really a stream it was more like a small creek that Namgung Yun-ho used to fetch spring water.

They found a spot and sat down.

Namgung Yun-ho pulled out a flask from his robe.

“What’s this? You’re not usually a drinker.”

“I keep it for emergencies.”

“Well, today qualifies.”

Gulp.

“Phew.”

Jegal Tan took a swig of wine and ran a hand through his hair.

“I lost. I never thought I would be defeated so thoroughly.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I was arrogant. I thought I would be able to handle him easily.”

He took another swig of wine and spat it out.

“Damn it, where did that monster come from? Even the elders from the main family aren’t that strong…”

“Is he really that strong? I’ve never seen a real master before.”

“I can’t judge his true strength, but he feels as strong as an elder from the main family.”

His voice lacked conviction.

It was understandable.

The masters he had met before all had a certain aura, a presence that commanded respect and instilled fear.

But Cho Un-hwi was different.

He was unassuming, his presence faint and elusive.

‘Maybe he’s just a good teacher.’

Whatever the reason, he was unlike anyone Jegal Tan had ever met before.

“I’ve heard that the Murim world is vast, but I never thought I would meet a monster like him in Dongcheon Hall.”

“He’s a strange one.”

They continued to chat, using Cho Un-hwi as a convenient topic of conversation.

“So, what are you going to do?” Namgung Yun-ho asked.

“I’d like to stay here, but I don’t know if I’m good enough.”

“Try your best. I think you’ll be fine.”

“What makes you say that?”

“The instructor ignores people he doesn’t like. The fact that he’s allowing you to train here means he sees something in you.”

Something in him?

‘I hope so.’

But what could he possibly offer? He had wasted so much time chasing after petty ambitions.

“Sigh, I don’t even know how to prove myself.”

“You’re a scholar…”

“I’m not good at academics or strategy. I tried to keep up with my brother when I was younger, but I never enjoyed studying.”

“That’s true. You were always more of a doer than a thinker.”

“Yeah, so I tried to excel in martial arts, but I never expected my Younger Brother to be such a prodigy.”

He shuddered as he recalled his Younger Brother, who had surpassed him in swordsmanship after only three years of training.

“I was never anything special. I was just driven by my competitive spirit. I never had any real goals or aspirations. And now I realize it.”

Namgung Yun-ho listened patiently, then snatched the flask from Jegal Tan’s hand.

Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.

He drank deeply, his face turning red.

“Dude, you can’t even hold your liquor.”

Namgung Yun-ho handed the flask back to him, his eyes blinking slowly.

“Sometimes, you need to loosen up to come up with good ideas.”

“I agree, but…”

Gulp. Gulp.

Namgung Yun-ho, slightly tipsy, said casually, “You always enjoyed formations, didn’t you?”

Formations.

A method of arranging objects, such as stones or trees, in a specific pattern to create illusions or disorient opponents.

Legend had it that geniuses like Zhuge Liang from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Guiguzi, a legendary strategist from the Warring States period, could create hundreds of illusions with just a few stones.

“The Jegal Clan is known for its formations, but we don’t have any of those legendary formations that create illusions. The formations I learned are quite basic.”

“But is it possible to combine formations and swordsmanship?”

“That’s a drunken idea if I’ve ever heard one.”

Jegal Tan chuckled.

“If that were possible, the Jegal Clan would be the strongest clan in the Murim world, not just known for our tactics and strategy.”

He paused, then asked, “But why formations and swordsmanship?”

“You can’t defeat the instructor with swordsmanship alone.”

That was obvious.

Cho Un-hwi’s strength was unfathomable.

“And it’s dangerous to rely solely on your intellect.”

“Why?”

“The instructor kicks people who talk too much.”

“Ah, I see.”

He could imagine it vividly.

“I was thinking that maybe you could combine your strengths,” Namgung Yun-ho continued. “I got the idea while watching her work on those wooden dummies earlier.”

“You mean the grappling techniques and dagger techniques?”

It was an unusual combination, but it seemed to be working for Mo Yong So-hye.

“Do you think it’s possible to combine swordsmanship and formations?”

“Maybe. It’s something you’re good at. Your brother is smart, but he’s terrible at martial arts. And your sister is a martial arts prodigy, but she’s not interested in academics.”

“Hehehe, so you’re suggesting that I embrace my mediocrity?”

Jegal Tan looked up at the moon and smiled.

“Well, it could be fun.”