episode_0014

The modern person Cheongun didn’t know martial arts.

He knew what kinds of martial arts existed, which were divine techniques, and the compatibility of each.

Because he had played *Cheongpung Jeon*, the original work.

But that didn’t mean he truly *knew* martial arts.

To know something meant to embody it, make it one’s own, and be able to wield it freely.

Therefore, Cheongun did not know martial arts.

In games, martial arts were merely ‘skills’, weren’t they?

Since martial arts were automatically activated with a mere click of a button, there was no reason to ponder their deeper principles.

Perhaps that was why.

When he was called for his first lesson, a Zen dialogue immediately began.

“What are martial arts?”

“It’s just an exaggerated way of saying ‘beating people to death’.”

Jin Mooseong stared intently at Cheongun, who stood tall before him.

For some reason, this young man lacked a general understanding of martial studies despite his innate martial talent. No, at this level, he simply knew nothing.

That’s why such an answer would pop out when asked what martial arts were.

Jin Mooseong intended to fill in these deficiencies while teaching him.

“Martial arts are the study (gongfu) of martial techniques.”

“Study?”

“Yes. Then, what is study?”

“It’s learning and embodying.”

“Exactly! That’s it. It is introspection about oneself, which can be called cultivation.”

“Aha.”

Cheongun nodded vaguely.

It was quite important knowledge.

As expected, perhaps due to his age, he had abundant knowledge.

“One guides qi with breathing, and when that qi meets a trained body, it creates synergy, reaching a superhuman level. This is called internal energy. Training and controlling it is cultivation, which, in the end, can be called martial arts.”

“Ohh.”

“Therefore, the prerequisite for accumulating internal energy is self-cultivation. That’s why the Nine Great Sects and One Alliance each have their own paths they pursue. They interpret martial studies according to their goals and imbue them into the sword.”

“Those are the stances, then?”

“Hahahaha! Precisely!”

So that’s how skills are acquired in this world.

It was truly troublesome and complicated.

“You may have controlled qi with your innate martial physique and qi sensitivity until now, but that alone cannot achieve complete sword mastery. What good is it if you can swing a fishing rod like a sword? If you cannot wield a sword like a sword, it is merely swinging a sharp iron rod.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Therefore, what this old man will teach you from now on is a sword art called Red Night Heaven-Cleaving Sword.”

It was a sword art he knew.

As one of the Five Great Sword Techniques symbolizing the current murim, it was impossible not to know it.

“Watch this.”

No sooner had he finished speaking.

Jin Mooseong assumed a preparatory stance with the wooden sword he held, then drew an arc in the air.

*Whoosh!*

The sharp air-splitting sound made by the sword tip cutting through the air grazed his ears.

Suddenly, the wooden sword seemed to stop in mid-air, but that was an illusion.

Jin Mooseong’s right foot subtly pushed the ground.

Simultaneously, his relaxed muscle fibers tensed up in an instant, pulling taut.

A subtle tremor at the sword tip flowed down the blade, then abruptly changed direction like lightning.

Soon, a long, horizontal sword path was drawn.

A blue sword light, trailing a long, flickering tail like a meteor, cut through the air.

*Crackle!*

With a sound like ice cracking, white sparks crackled out from the trajectory drawn by the wooden sword.

Cheongun’s eyes, watching this, did not stray from the sword’s trajectory.

The sword’s movements, flowing as if dancing, were truly like a beautiful sword dance.

How could such movements be possible from one person’s hand?

Cheongun watched, entranced, forgetting even to blink.

The profoundness of the sword skill unfolding before his eyes was beyond imagination.

It was literally flawless.

Perhaps it was thanks to pushing his qi sensitivity stats to the limit when creating his character.

It was on a completely different level from seeing skill effects on a monitor.

Cheongun could not only see how the sword moved, but also how qi flowed and changed simultaneously with it.

The difference was immense.

“Huu.”

Having finished the demonstration, Jin Mooseong stopped his sword.

As the sword stopped, the qi that had been operating shimmered around the blade like flames.

“Did you see?”

“Yes.”

“Tell me your impression.”

“That was insane.”

“Haha! You have a good eye. So, can you imitate it?”

Cheongun suddenly fell into thought.

Even though he had pushed his qi sensitivity to the limit, he couldn’t remember it in detail.

No, he *did* remember.

From the movements to the sword path, to how qi moved. All of it.

If he were asked to imitate the movements right now, he felt he could mimic them somewhat.

However, he didn’t understand the profound principles contained within at all.

Even if he followed the same movements, he had no confidence he could replicate them perfectly.

“I don’t think I can.”

“Do you remember it?”

“Yes.”

“Excellent. Then let us begin your martial arts training now.”

Jin Mooseong led Cheongun to a private training ground behind the manor.

Since it was a space accessible only to members of the Namgung clan, the surroundings were quiet.

Jin Mooseong handed Cheongun a wooden sword from the ground.

“Take it. And let’s spar.”

“Sparring? What about training?”

“Sparring *is* training.”

“???”

Jin Mooseong smirked, looking at Cheongun, who stood dumbfounded with his sword.

“Let’s start right away!”

“W-wait!”

The moment their eyes met, Jin Mooseong swung his wooden sword towards Cheongun’s thigh.

The immense force carried by the sword flew towards his thigh with terrifying momentum.

“Are you crazy!”

Cheongun, startled, twisted his entire body to dodge it.

It was a reaction barely possible thanks to pushing his qi sensitivity to the limit.

Even so, he twisted his body so abruptly that he stumbled, almost toppling forward.

“You said it was training!”

“Hmph, where would you find better training than this!”

“This is just beating me up!”

“Nonsense! The essence of martial arts is not learned through theory, but by directly clashing and experiencing it in real combat! For your immature body, which has grown strong through innate talent, directly beating each part into shape is the best!”

“What kind of twisted… Argh!”

Jin Mooseong’s wooden sword rose, then began to swish through the air erratically.

Soon, the back of the sword, flying menacingly, struck Cheongun’s shoulder with a *thwack*, his back with a *thump*, and his butt with a *wham!*, beginning a barrage like beating a drum.

While doing so, he began to explain the principles contained within the sword path without hesitation.

“This is the profundity of change, and this one is the profundity of dominance!”

“Oof!”

“Here, align the sword tip with your shoulder, then step forward with one foot… Good! Next, break your sword stance and strike down to break the opponent’s momentum, and the Seven Star Sword Path becomes possible! This can be called the core profundity contained in the first stance of the Red Night Heaven-Cleaving Sword!”

“Aargh!”

Damn it! This is training?!

Each hit hurt so much that a grunt of pain automatically escaped him every time he was struck.

He wondered if he was going to die like this.

So Cheongun even drew upon the natural qi he had accumulated in his dantian.

Still, the one-sided beating did not stop.

Cheongun was astonished.

It was so fast that his eyes struggled to follow.

“Heheh, what a slippery little loach.”

On the other hand, Jin Mooseong was secretly impressed.

As time passed, Cheongun’s frequency of deflecting or dodging the sword increased.

He instinctively twisted his body to avoid the fast sword coming from all directions, adjusted his stance immediately in response to the opponent’s sword momentum, and even possessed the fundamental skill of lowering his body the moment he sensed danger!

And that wasn’t all.

In unavoidable situations where he had to be hit, he would instantly contract his muscles to reduce damage, or emit qi to specific areas to offset the impact.

Jin Mooseong genuinely trembled with excitement at his disciple’s genius.

“Hahaha! Truly a martial talent bestowed by heaven!”

“Aargh! What’s this crazy old man talking about!”

“Well then, let’s keep going!”

“Your disciple is going to die!”

“Exaggerating, are we! As your master, I shall personally impart everything to you!”

“You, you crazy— Argh!”

****

Meanwhile.

Righteous Alliance Qingcheng Branch, underground prison cell.

“……”

*Whoosh.*

A figure emerged from beyond the darkness, like a shadow gliding.

The one who appeared was a masked man, an assassin additionally sent by Biyeongmun.

‘Number 35…’

There was only one reason he came here.

Because reports from Hong Soyeon, who was hiding here as a spy, had ceased.

It happened occasionally.

Because it wasn’t uncommon for foolish women to show a careless opening and get caught.

But the problem started after that.

Hong Soyeon already had a poor reputation.

The Master knew this, so he had ordered her to be dealt with before she could blabber any information, and for this purpose, he sent Junior Sister Baek.

But even Junior Sister Baek lost contact and disappeared without a trace.

There were two possibilities.

Either she was discovered during her infiltration.

Or Senior Sister Hong had betrayed them.

‘Junior Sister Baek wouldn’t have been caught so easily.’

The man concealed his presence and moved.

When he arrived at prison cell number 35, where Hong Soyeon was imprisoned, Hong Soyeon, lying behind the bars, met his eyes.

“Senior Brother Kim?”

“Where is Junior Sister Baek?”

He immediately demanded to know Baekseol’s whereabouts.

“No, how would *I* know that?”

“The very fact that you’re still alive and breathing is a sign of betrayal. And what’s that grain-abstinence pill in the corner? You damned woman! Do you want to survive by servilely wagging your tail for those orthodox faction bastards?!”

It was truly a statement that hit the nail on the head.

But Hong Soyeon was far too calm.

No, she was genuinely outraged by the man’s words.

“What?! Wagging my tail like a dog? Do *you* know my circumstances, Senior Brother? Have you said all you need to say?”

“Tell me if my words are wrong.”

“Nothing’s wrong with them, though?”

“……”

…Is she really crazy?

The man was momentarily dumbfounded, utterly flabbergasted.

“Did you sell out Junior Sister Baek too?”

“Yes.”

“…Is she dead?”

“She’s alive. Why? Did you get dumped like that and still can’t let go of your lingering feelings?”

“……Where is she now?”

“Behind you, Senior Brother.”

“What?”

At those words, the man’s head snapped around.

As Hong Soyeon said, Baekseol was lying in the prison cell located behind the man.

And she had a Shadow Needle clasped between her fingers.

Then.

“!!!”

*Thwack thwack!*

The Shadow Needles, flying in an instant, embedded themselves one after another into the man’s glabella.

A moment later, the man’s corpse collapsed.

And then.

Baekseol, who had assassinated the intruder in an instant,

“Hoho!”

While munching on her grain-abstinence pill.

Celebrated her achievement of assassinating the intruder.