Chapter 27
“I followed Master Hyuncheon to Taejeong Temple.”
Master Hyuncheon’s movements were light and efficient, making me wonder if this was the effect of the Wudang Sect’s Vision Light Technique, Heavenly Cloud Sect.
Arriving at the temple, I could see about 5 to 6 people gathered, probably training in what looked like a not-so-imposing building.
Currently, the interior disciples were nowhere to be seen. I asked Master Hyuncheon.
“The kids were sent to the Wudang Headquarters for a situation briefing. They left yesterday, but they should be back in at least eight days.”
“Even your disciples must have learned the Wudang Sect’s true martial arts; wouldn’t that help in subduing heretical sects?”
Master Hyuncheon shook his head.
“You wouldn’t say that if you saw those demon beasts. They’re not something amateurs can handle. They just become easy targets for sacrifice.”
“…?”
“My disciples are not yet ready. None have surpassed the initial level. I can’t put the future talents of the Wudang in danger.”
Clink!
Master Hyuncheon entered the room and brought out some tea. The fragrant aroma suggested it was high-quality tea. He sat down, savoring the flavor as he spoke.
“In conclusion, all we need to do is eliminate the phantom controlling the demon beasts and fanatics.”
“Hmm… Does that phantom also have martial skills?”
Master Hyuncheon smirked.
“That’s a tricky subject.”
“Tricky how?”
“I wasn’t able to approach due to the demon beasts and fanatics they control. I could have risked my life to get closer, but the stakes were too high, so I withdrew. I couldn’t assess the phantom’s skills.”
“……”
His seemingly silly response made me realize the situation was a bit more serious.
No matter how ferocious their fanatics had become, a peak expert should still be just that. If Master Hyuncheon couldn’t even come close to the flute phantom, it meant the forces of the fanatics and demon beasts were anything but weak.
‘Hmm… Did I jump into the deep end?’
But that was then. Such unusual events didn’t happen often, and I felt instinctively that if I let this pass, it would lead to a big mistake. After some thought, I decided to ask regarding the oddities.
“Is that phantom a man or a woman? And what’s its goal?”
“The phantom only played the flute, and I could only confirm it had a human shape. It didn’t utter a single word.”
“It seems quite some time has passed since you infiltrated that village. What’s it like now?”
“I don’t even want to imagine. When I entered, the village was already in a frenzy, so I doubt it has changed now.”
“……”
I felt the need to steel my resolve. If I had already encountered scenes of blood-soaking human sacrifices during my initial infiltration, now it wouldn’t be strange if human corpses littered the streets and flesh-eaters roamed around. I was accustomed to brutality, but facing such sights unexpectedly might shatter my mind.
‘Ah, come to think of it…’
I realized I had stumbled upon a crucial point rather than asking something obvious. I expressed my thoughts to Master Hyuncheon.
“Heretical sects are fundamentally religious, aiming to expand their influence by increasing the number of their worshipers, aren’t they? But if they’re aware their identities have been exposed to you, why aren’t they acting?”
Master Hyuncheon nodded, seemingly impressed.
“Right. You’ve pointed out something important. I’ve been circling the village for days, trying to observe them, but not a single person has come out. I even monitored from the mountain peak to track newcomers, but there was no change.”
I frowned.
“The flute phantom is planning something.”
“Exactly. If it suspects my identity, it will surely anticipate the formation of a subjugation squad. Yet, if it’s not mobilizing its forces or causing disturbances, it’s probably preparing even more sinister sorcery within the village. It could either be accumulating power through darker arts or creating even more terrifying demon beasts.”
“Delaying this won’t do us any good.”
“Indeed.”
As urgent as the situation was, I understood why Master Hyuncheon had brought me into this mess, risking the exposure of the Wudang’s secret martial arts. In a world where peak experts are not easily found, even for someone like him with good connections, it would be a considerable challenge to recruit one overnight. Thus, it appeared he had no choice but to rely on me.
I took a sip of tea. The warm beverage eased my mind.
“But what exactly are these demon beasts you keep mentioning? What do they look like, and what kind of powers do they have?”
“Well… that’s tough to describe. Let me gather my thoughts for a moment.”
Master Hyuncheon pondered deeply. Then he fetched some writing tools from a nearby table and slowly began sketching. Since I had learned the basics of poetry and painting from Mangnyang, I could tell he had significant skill in drawing as well.
“This is what they look like.”
After a while of drawing, Master Hyuncheon finished the piece. When I saw the completed drawing, I was left speechless, staring at it in disbelief.
“……”
What even was this? Could anything like this exist in the world?
It had the form of a squishy chunk of meat, bubbling all over like some boiling mass, with countless eyes protruding from its surface. Additionally, it had tentacles that resembled hundreds of arms flailing about. Seeing my expression, Master Hyuncheon sighed.
“The real thing is even worse. And it’s huge. It’s a horrifying demon beast I’ve never seen even in the Classic of Mountains and Seas.”
“You mean there are multiple of these?”
“Three in total. However, they move incredibly fast, and their strength is immense. Sword attacks barely work against them. Their bodies are fluid like liquid. While swords can strike them, it would take everything I’ve got to even bring one down.”
Peak experts like Master Hyuncheon preparing for death because of three demon beasts? That was saying something!
But according to his drawing and description, I could see why. I thought that confronting such a creature unprepared would surely daze anyone. Master Hyuncheon’s deep mental training must have allowed him to remain calm, observe the enemy’s characteristics, and plan an escape. It made sense that an amateur wouldn’t do so well against demon beasts.
I looked at Master Hyuncheon.
“You don’t actually mean to face this thing head-on, do you?”
“Of course not. To defeat these demon beasts conventionally would require at least a thousand troops. We simply need to take down the flute phantom.”
“Is there a plan?”
Master Hyuncheon spoke with conviction.
“The flute phantom doesn’t show itself often, but at noon, it appears in the center of the village to play its flute. Then it conducts human sacrifices atop some strange altar. When that happens, the phantom will be defenseless, and we should take the opportunity to attack.”
“And the demon beasts?”
“They will show up after the sacrifices, drawn by the scent of blood and flesh. They won’t appear before that.”
“What do you want me to do?”
Master Hyuncheon seemed to hesitate before answering seriously.
“Clear a path for me to be able to strike the phantom’s neck.”
“……”
That was the answer I had anticipated, but it led to a significant quandary.
Master Hyuncheon’s plan was clear: before the demon beasts appeared, we would quickly raid and knock out the phantom. That meant my role was to eliminate the fanatics that would protect the flute phantom and keep Master Hyuncheon safe. Now it was a matter of risking my life.
‘Damn it. Should I just back out now?’
The thought of meeting my fourth death in such a place was seriously bothering me. Sure, it’d be nice to just die and reincarnate, but what if I were caught by the heretical sect and ended up being vivisected or tortured? Even if I could somehow come back to life, my mental state might turn to complete mush!
Maybe it was better to slip away.
But the temptation of acquiring the Wudang secret martial powers felt too precious to pass up.
After much contemplation, I finally spoke.
“Alright. But before that, I need you to give me some guidance on my martial arts.”
“What do you mean? Isn’t your skill already at world-class level?”
“Well… it’s more like…”
I sighed briefly.
“You’ll understand once you see.”
I led Master Hyuncheon to the training ground of the temple. I picked up nearby weapons and, channeling my inner power, I did my best to execute the Thunder Spirit Eight Forms, Thunder Shadow Sword Technique, Thunder Cloud Palm, and Thunder Shadow Step all in one go. I strove to showcase my skills as best as I could according to the forms.
Whoosh!
Energy surged late, enveloping the training ground in a gentle glow of thunder. It was a phenomenon that happened when my Thunder Dragon One Qi Technique reached its limit.
After seriously observing my display, Master Hyuncheon sighed dramatically.
“Wow…!! Your internal power exceeds three times mine, yet your martial skills barely just surpassed the subpar level! How could such a disparity exist?!”
His voice was filled with shock and disbelief. Indeed, a peak expert could accurately assess my strength. With an embarrassed expression, I sheathed my sword and spoke to Master Hyuncheon.
“That’s why I’ve been hesitant to help you. My internal power is strong, but I lack understanding of martial arts.”
“Hmm… It seems you have received some sort of fortuitous encounter. Perhaps a spiritual pill?”
“I thought you were going to call me a hidden master who had undergone rebirth.”
“Rebirth is just something out of martial arts novels…”
“But your internal power is something that can only be explained that way. The only one capable of matching your internal power in the martial world would be the Master of the White Lotus Sect.”
Master Hyuncheon chuckled shortly afterward.
“Haha! So you really are a teenager… What a twist, Primordial Heaven Master.”
Though he muttered the invocation under his breath, he didn’t seem displeased. After all, it was better for him to pass on martial arts to someone who was an unknown than a reborn old coot. He was perceptive enough to evaluate the other martial skills I possessed.
“Your spear skills and sword skills both have the hallmark of a renowned martial family. However, the achievement is low, meaning you’re not utilizing your internal power fully. You can’t unleash even ten percent of your true strength, barely reaching three percent of the true internal arts.”
“Three percent?! That sounds alarmingly low.”
Master Hyuncheon nodded.
“Of course. Your internal power is unmatched, but your ability to move and concentrate your energy is quite poor. A skilled master would be able to read your energy flow in advance and easily suppress you. No matter how strong you are, if you don’t hit or absorb it, it’s all for naught.”
“That makes sense.”
I smiled wryly. What Master Hyuncheon pointed out resonated deeply with me. After all, even the Elder of the Iron Blood Gate, who couldn’t even match half of my internal power, easily toyed with me and cut my throat during our spar. No way would there be much difference if Master Hyuncheon and I did battle now.
Master Hyuncheon pondered before asking.
“Which internal energy cultivation techniques do you practice?”
“It’s the Thunder Dragon One Qi Technique.”
“That’s a relief. The technique I’m going to teach you is the Hyun Cheon Divine Art, which should be easy for you to master.”
“Why?”
He calmly explained.
“The Thunder Dragon One Qi Technique is a manifestation of thunder energy, associated with the earth element in the Five Elements. In contrast, the Hyun Cheon Divine Art embodies the essence of metal.”
“So you’re saying the earth nurtures metal?”
The Five Elements interact in cycles of mutual promotion and opposition. Since metal and earth aid each other, it means learning both internal techniques together wouldn’t be an issue.
“You’re well-versed in the Five Elements theory. You’re right on the money.”
Master Hyuncheon added.
“As you master the Hyun Cheon Divine Art, you’ll gain powerful vitality and superior recovery abilities to back up the Thunder Dragon One Qi Technique’s offensive prowess. Plus, because they support each other, you won’t have to worry about falling into any demonic traps!”
“……!!”
“Learning the Hyun Cheon Divine Art’s core techniques will only take a short time. In the leftover hours, I’ll help you refine your spear and sword skills from the ground up.”
It dawned on me that I had encountered yet another fortuitous event.
“Understood.”
Having the peak expert Master Hyuncheon teach me the Hyun Cheon Divine Art and other techniques one-on-one was an incredible opportunity. Though it remained uncertain whether I’d get to learn the secret martial arts due to the necessity of subjugating heretics, even just this instruction would allow me to make significant progress.
As Master Hyuncheon promised, the instruction on the core techniques of the Hyun Cheon Divine Art concluded within a short time. To clarify, it wasn’t everything; he just briefly introduced me to the simple Qi Manipulation Technique to manage the needed energy pathways for the Hyun Cheon Divine Art. He mentioned he would provide thorough training after the subjugation concluded.
Getting instruction on the Thunder Shadow Sword Technique and Thunder Spirit Eight Forms was an exceedingly refreshing experience. Practicing with Master Hyuncheon without exerting much internal power felt like every time our wooden swords met, he was reading my mind—as though all my attacks were being deflected. His claim of being able to read every attack was anything but a lie.
Thwack!
“Your wrist’s energy flow is too slack.”
My wooden sword was struck away by Master Hyuncheon’s sword, sailing far. Even in that short time, I was drenched in sweat from head to toe. I hadn’t exerted much internal power, but battling against him made me acutely aware of all my weaknesses.
“Your energy flow is too slow.”
“……!!”
“With your level of internal power, it’s hard even to guide a massive river. You need to let go of hesitation and memorize how your energy will flow with the basic techniques.”
Master Hyuncheon remarked.
“You must have realized what you were lacking right now. However, I don’t know your sword techniques, so I can’t readily point out your flaws. Think about which basic form is lacking and why it is insufficient.”
“Thank you.”
As per Master Hyuncheon’s words, I found training in itself to be a learning experience. Even without being taught any special techniques, I could feel my skills improving remarkably.
When I fought against the Elder of the Iron Blood Gate, he didn’t hold back at all, piercing through my flaws with pinpoint accuracy, leaving me disoriented. But with Master Hyuncheon, I was engaged in a training session where he was methodically guiding me, fully aware of how to give me enlightenment at every moment.
For four days after that, I shared my meals and slept alongside Master Hyuncheon, focused solely on martial arts training. I had to rush into the heretical subjugation, so I couldn’t spare any more time. We would occasionally ascend the mountain in shifts to keep tabs on the movements of the sects, while most of the time, I concentrated on improving my martial skills.
As a result, I managed to eliminate many of the weaknesses in my foundational techniques and succeeded in stepping up to a higher level of swordsmanship. At least in relation to the Thunder Shadow Sword Technique, I could now demonstrate significantly stronger power than before. Master Hyuncheon observed my achievements with satisfaction and remarked.
“With this level of skill, you could probably put out five percent of your real capabilities, not just three.”
Over those four days, Master Hyuncheon made sure to address the shortcomings in my Thunder Shadow Sword Technique while also teaching me adaptations of the Taejeong Sword Method for various situations. It seemed it would come in really handy in practice. I understood the underlying meaning behind Master Hyuncheon’s teachings.
“So now you’re saying it’s time to go subjugate?”
“Yes, we can’t delay any longer; who knows what kind of creature might pop out next.”
“……”
I contemplated briefly before responding.
“Let’s go.”
In my mind, I formulated a plan to help Master Hyuncheon while being prepared to slip away if things got too dicey. I had some loyalty because of the martial arts training, but I had no intentions of sacrificing my life.
Additionally, with the martial arts I had acquired, I could now slaughter fanatics with less burden, effortlessly gaining real combat experience—there was no reason to miss this opportunity.
