episode_0035

[ Title: What’s with the fishing rod among the weapons? ]

I’m a newbie who just started.

I was just looking through the weapon list, and I saw something called ‘Strange Weapons (奇門兵器)’.

Other weapons can just be equipped, but the Strange Weapons section is completely locked, so I can’t even equip them.

What are the unlock conditions?

[ Comments ]

—(ㅇㅇ) Strange Weapons is just a general term for weapons that are not well-known or are unconventional. Lol. Usually, it’s content for those who play with specific concepts, so newbies don’t need to know about it.

ㄴ(Author) Is their performance good?

ㄴ(ㅇㅇ) It depends on the weapon.

ㄴ(Author) A fishing rod? What are the unlock conditions for this?

ㄴ(ㅇㅇ) You can use it if you max out your proficiency in Hidden Weapons, Staff Arts, Sword Arts, Spear Arts, and Whip Arts, then raise your fishing level to 50 or higher in life content, and finally max out your Perception stat with achievement points when creating your character.

ㄴ(Author) F*ck that, I’m not doing it.

…

…

…

****

For a martial artist, a weapon is their ‘identity’.

Beggars roaming the streets survive by begging.

What, then, is the most threatening presence when begging?

It’s the hungry packs of wild dogs roaming the streets.

If a beggar can’t beg, they starve that day.

So what choice do they have?

If they don’t want to starve, they have no choice but to beat the wild dogs and chase them away, shouting, ‘This is our territory!’

But how would beggars have the money to acquire weapons?

That’s why they pick up discarded tree branches from the street, tie them with string or cloth scraps to make rough, long clubs, and use them to chase away dogs.

It’s called the Dog Beating Staff (打狗棒).

As the name suggests, it’s a staff for beating dogs.

It’s not for nothing that the Beggars’ Sect is famous for Staff Arts, Palm Arts, and Fist Arts.

Since they have nothing but their bare bodies, martial arts that fight with bare bodies naturally developed.

Cheongun was no different.

Before he first met the Demonic Cultist, he lived as a beggar for a long time.

He had to do anything to survive, but if he begged, the Beggars’ Sect beggars interfered, claiming it was their territory, and if he became a servant, his pride as a modern person wouldn’t allow it.

So, what Cheongun chose was self-sufficiency.

Among them, the most efficient was fishing.

He didn’t need to exert much effort, it was good for passing time, and at least he wouldn’t starve.

Is that all? A fishing rod is already an excellent weapon in itself.

The bamboo pole part could be used as a staff like the Dog Beating Staff, the sharply carved tip could be used like a spear, and the fishing line at the end could be swung like a whip while also serving as a sharp hidden weapon.

Cheongun gazed at his fishing rod with satisfaction.

His cherished weapon that had been with him through his toughest times.

It was a weapon that held the memories of the days he had fallen into ancient Zhongyuan and survived alone.

Every time he saw it, affection welled up.

A weapon imbued with memories is like a lover to a martial artist.

This was why he chose to use his fishing rod, even with the Red Night Sword bestowed by his master.

But that only held meaning for Cheongun.

To others, he just looked like an eccentric swinging a fishing rod when he had a perfectly fine sword.

“……”

“……”

Moyong Jin carefully observed Cheongun’s face as he left the preliminary venue.

His age, at first glance, seemed a little under twenty.

Anyone could see that his face still carried an abundance of youthful charm.

Seeing this, Moyong Jin was confused by the cognitive dissonance between Cheongun’s peculiar behavior and his youthful, boyish face.

‘What is his true identity?’

A stone slab made of black jade was sliced through by that thin fishing line as if it were a radish, *swish swish*?

Moreover, the immense aggregation of qi that rippled above the fishing line when it was swung.

It was clearly sword qi.

But isn’t sword qi usually only manifested to the level of a faint shimmering?

It was too thick, too long, and too fierce to be mere sword qi.

To load such a massive torrent of qi onto that incredibly thin fishing line!

It was an outlandish technique he had never heard of in his life.

Cheonwi whispered to Moyong Jin.

“My younger brother. Is that even possible?”

“…I don’t know.”

“Does this make any sense? Just in case, I even discreetly looked at his teeth…”

“How were they?”

“They were white and even, exactly what you’d expect for someone his age.”

Experts who have reached a certain realm don’t age visibly, so it’s common to find old masters who appear unusually young.

However, the condition of one’s teeth cannot be hidden, so in the murim, it’s used as a criterion to distinguish whether someone is an old master or not.

“Then isn’t it one of two things?”

“Either a super-expert who has undergone youthful reversion, or simply a young expert.”

There is a realm that peerless martial artists reach when they achieve enlightenment.

It is called Samhwachwijung, as it is said to achieve the ‘Three Flowers’ of Heaven, Earth, and Man within the body.

To have entered the realm of Samhwachwijung means that the martial artist has entered the realm of Hwakyung.

Is that all?

A martial artist who has entered the Hwakyung realm can directly receive Heavenly Qi through the Baihui acupoint on the crown of their head, and at this time, their physical body undergoes a transformation process to become suitable for martial arts, in order to digest the received Heavenly Qi into internal energy.

This is what is commonly referred to as bone-changing and marrow-cleansing.

In essence, from this point on, they enter the ranks of absolute experts.

And there was a realm even higher than this: youthful reversion.

Unlike bone-changing and marrow-cleansing, which simply changes the skeletal structure, youthful reversion allows one to regain youth once, transcending the boundary between death and life.

From then on, they are simply no longer the same human.

They could be seen as monsters resembling immortals, on the verge of ascension.

Cheonwi and Moyong Jin’s minds became complicated.

What on earth was he?

His behavior alone made him seem like a madman, yet his martial arts were exceedingly profound.

It was then.

—Clang!

Suddenly, the sound of a bell rang out.

It was the signal for the main matches to begin.

*****

Cheonwi and Moyong Jin accompanied Cheongun.

Their accompaniment happened because they were curious about the boy Cheongun, and Cheongun enjoyed their misunderstanding and interest.

In the main venue, a massive martial arts arena, capable of holding hundreds of people, was laid out.

In the center, Cheongun, Cheonwi, and Moyong Jin sat side by side.

Cheonwi parted his lips.

“Great Hero Cheong.”

“Hm?”

It was Cheonwi, whose title had changed from “little brother” to “Great Hero”.

“Is the Great Hero’s objective also to win?”

“That’s right.”

On the other hand, it was Cheongun, whose speech had changed from respectful to informal.

Originally, an expert should be dignified.

Since his opponent used respectful speech, Cheongun immediately switched to informal speech.

“Great Hero Cheong, how old are you?”

It was pure curiosity.

However, Cheongun was speechless.

How old was he again?

He had simply lived day by day since being transmigrated, so the concept of age itself didn’t exist for him.

It wasn’t a world with resident registration numbers, so of course such a thing wouldn’t exist.

Only the fact that he had lived for quite a long time since being transmigrated remained.

So Cheongun vaguely said.

“Curious?”

“Yes!”

“Indeed. Then keep being curious.”

“???”

Then, a man standing on the platform shouted resoundingly.

The content was that the martial arts matches would proceed, all participants must abide by the rules, and those who showed outstanding skill would receive appropriate rewards.

Soon, the man snapped his fingers.

Then, warriors in white robes rushed in and set up a large wooden board on the platform.

On it, something was written in rows like a list, and lines were diagonally drawn across them, connecting names.

Seeing that, Moyong Jin said.

“It’s a bracket.”

As expected.

“This is the bracket for the martial arts matches!”

The man shouted once again.

“Junior martial artists participating in the main matches of this Dang Family Gathering! Display your skills without reservation and adorn the glory of the Dang Family Gathering!”

The eyes of those seated became serious.

A martial arts match is a stage where one’s martial arts are competed against each other.

Naturally, it was a bloody battle directly tied to the pride of martial artists, and with their own sects watching, they couldn’t help but feel even more nervous yet exceptionally motivated.

The tedious explanation continued.

A moment later, the man took out an iron ball from a wooden box on the platform.

Then.

“Cheongun!”

Cheongun’s name was called.

“Hoyugang!”

The opponent’s name was called.

“Exchange greetings.”

Cheongun and Hoyugang, who had ascended the platform, exchanged fist-and-palm salutes while looking at each other.

“I am Hoyugang of the Ho Clan.”

“Cheongun.”

“…Your speech is short.”

In response, Cheongun retorted curtly.

“None of your business.”

A grinding sound.

Hoyugang was incensed.

The tone of speech from some unheard-of boy grated on his nerves in many ways.

Then, a martial artist, presumed to be the referee, asked Cheongun.

“Where is your weapon?”

Instead of answering, Cheongun showed him the fishing rod in his hand.

The martial artist who saw it blinked his eyes.

Was he speaking with a sound mind?

He sent a look with that meaning, but Cheongun smiled kindly and nodded his head.

For a moment, the martial artist was about to say something, but stopped.

This was because there were no specific regulations regarding the weapons used in martial arts matches.

But Hoyugang felt extreme fury.

He had a perfectly fine sword at his waist, yet a fishing rod?

There’s a limit to insults.

He truly was a fellow he hadn’t liked at all, from the moment he stepped onto the platform until now.

Hoyugang scoffed, looking at Cheongun.

“Are you daring to fight a martial arts match in front of me without a sword?”

“It’s right here.”

“You’re not in your right mind. How is a fishing rod a sword?”

Cheongun said with a wistful expression.

“If I swing it, then it is a sword.”

“…”

Is he really crazy?

Hoyugang’s voice grew steadily louder.

“Why can’t you understand what I mean by ‘do your best’!”

“Well, if I do my best, your life will be in danger, so I’ll go easy on you.”

“…Are you provoking me?”

“Provoking? Did I get under your skin?”

Hoyugang glared at Cheongun.

On the surface, he seemed to possess some aura, but it was rather weak, suggesting he was merely a first-rate expert.

That’s why he was playing such a ridiculous game.

He might have hidden his martial prowess, but if so, he would have known his name long ago.

But he swore he had never seen the name Cheongun before.

Hoyugang glared at Cheongun, steeling his resolve for battle.

Cheongun was lazily waving his fishing rod in the air.

It was literally full of openings.

‘I’ll end it in one move.’

Hoyugang swiftly drew up the internal energy from his dantian.

He intended to end the match in one move as soon as the signal was given.

There was no need to conserve strength.

How many people were watching him here?

He would defeat the fellow even by drawing out his full power, showcasing his martial might.

Then, the warrior in black robes lowered his hand from top to bottom and shouted.

“Begin!”

Simultaneously.

*Whoosh!*

Hoyugang kicked off the ground, launching his body forward.

Exclamations of awe burst forth from those watching.

He was so fast that his body seemed to vanish, leaving only an afterimage.

It was a movement that had reached at least the early peak realm.

“!!!”

In an instant, Hoyugang, who had rushed to Cheongun’s feet, raised his sword.

The sword tip sprayed sword qi, drawing a twisting sword path.

Aiming for the vital acupoint located on Cheongun’s shoulder blade.

The corners of Hoyugang’s mouth curled into a sneer.

He was full of openings.

If he continued like this, he would definitely hit him.

He tilted his sword point diagonally.

The moment he was about to thrust it straight at Cheongun.

—*Whoosh!*

Suddenly, Cheongun’s body vanished.

Hoyugang’s sword slashed through empty air.

And at the same time, Cheongun’s body appeared to Hoyugang’s right with a *swish—* sound.

Hoyugang was aghast.

When on earth?!

He had clearly been watching him constantly?!

Then.

—*Thwack!*

Cheongun struck Hoyugang’s back of the head with the bamboo pole of his fishing rod.

That moment flowed dreadfully slowly.

A shockwave rippled like a mirage from the center of his head.

It spread radially, sweeping past the surroundings.

Everyone’s hair was ruffled by the immense wind pressure.

Soon after.

*Crack crack crack—!*

Cracks, starting from beneath Cheongun’s feet, spread out in all directions like a spiderweb.

The floor caved in, and cracks spread as if breaking glass.

*Crumble!*

The stone floor simply collapsed and crumbled.

“Ugh…”

Hoyugang was knocked out cold by the immense impact.

He wasn’t dead.

This was because Cheongun had only controlled it enough to knock him out.

The moment the bamboo pole touched the back of his head, he regulated his strength by simultaneously releasing the condensed qi outwards.

…It was just that the surroundings turned into a mess in the process.

“……”

The air froze solid.

The martial artist acting as referee also couldn’t hide his astonishment at the scene he was seeing for the first time in his life.

The elders of each sect, who were seated side by side on the platform, also froze with dumbfounded expressions.

How long did that silence last?

Cheongun, who had been standing still, opened his mouth.

“Victory. Overwhelming.”

“……”