Chapter 17: Great Leader (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 17: Great Leader (2)
“The... the fist dug into the Generation Stone.”
“It’s not just a mark.”
The previously silent students began to whisper and stir from all sides.
Even the Great Leaders looked at me with different eyes now.
If the way they looked at Dam Ye-hwa was a sense of wonder that a junior or student could grow so much, the way they looked at me carried a strange hint of wariness.
The Namcheon Iron Sword spoke to me.
As he said, I had revealed a portion of my full strength.
Over the past six months, my internal power had progressed at an incredible speed.
There were several factors behind this.
One of them was undoubtedly the Yang and Cold energies that had been accumulated throughout my meridians.
Haeakcheon had passed down the Myeongnyun Heart Method to me, which paired with the Myeongnyun Divine Art.
Based on Buddhist theory, which emphasizes balance within the body—much like the Myeongnyun Divine Art—the Myeongnyun Heart Method served to complement the energy circulation of the True Blood Golden Body.
It was the most suitable heart method for me at this stage.
Swish!
Regardless, having completed my task, I returned to my spot and gave a polite fist-and-palm salute.
“Kuk-kuk. You’ve still got a long way to go, brat.”
Haeakcheon shouted as he looked at me.
Your face says something completely different from your words.
Even as he spoke like that, his expression looked as satisfied as if he had just delivered a refreshing blow to the back of the Blood Hand Witch’s head.
“...Your disciple’s internal power is quite extraordinary. As expected of you, Elder.”
The Blood Hand Witch, Han Baek-ha, whose brow had been furrowed, returned to an expressionless face as she spoke.
She was incredibly good at controlling her emotions.
Dam Ye-hwa was biting her lip, looking back and forth between me and Han Baek-ha.
‘I’ll say.’
Even Haeakcheon, who didn't know about the bet, had told me to show my achievements for the sake of his face and pride. One could only imagine the position she was in, caught between her master and our bet.
Still, I couldn't afford to go easy on her.
“What are you doing? You lot show them as well.”
At Haeakcheon’s command, Song Jwa-baek gave a fist-and-palm salute and stepped toward the Generation Stone.
His voice reached my ears via sound transmission.
[Watch. Watch how I do it.]
This guy was burning with unnecessary competitive spirit toward me.
It seemed defeating me was his only joy in life.
“Whew.”
Song Jwa-baek steadied his breathing and circulated his internal power.
Soon, his skin began to take on a slight brownish tint.
This change in skin color was the result of circulating the True Blood Golden Body.
As the Sodamgum noted, he had even activated the True Blood Golden Body in an attempt to show a greater achievement than mine.
Seeing Haeakcheon watch silently despite the use of the True Blood Golden Body, it seemed he was also curious about the extent of Song Jwa-baek’s progress.
“Haap!”
With a shout, Song Jwa-baek thrust his fist toward the Generation Stone.
Crack! Crunch!
The moment his fist connected, small stone fragments went flying.
Upon impact, the Generation Stone at that spot shattered, sending shards scattering everywhere.
“Whoa!”
“The Generation Stone broke!”
The students marveled once again.
“Isn’t that stronger?”
“Fragments actually flew off.”
Whether he heard the students’ voices or not, Song Jwa-baek shot me a triumphant look before turning to Haeakcheon with his lips twitching.
His expression practically screamed, ‘Did I do well?’ as he begged for praise.
However, Haeakcheon’s expression was different from what he expected.
“Tsk, tsk.”
He was clicking his tongue.
The reason he made such a face, even though the stone had shattered rather than just being dented, was simple.
By using the True Blood Golden Body, the force hadn't been concentrated into a single point; instead, it had only struck the surface, causing the stone to shatter.
“As expected of the Elder’s disciple.”
At Han Baek-ha’s words, Haeakcheon shouted irritably.
“If you’re done, why are you just standing there? Get back here!”
Even to my ears, Han Baek-ha’s words didn't quite sound like a compliment.
It was no wonder Haeakcheon was annoyed.
Met with a reaction different from what he’d hoped for, Song Jwa-baek returned with a dejected expression.
While he hadn't met Haeakcheon’s expectations, the same couldn't be said for the Bloody Unit Leader Gu Sang-ung or the other Great Leaders.
They were also looking at Song Jwa-baek as someone extraordinary.
“Go.”
At Haeakcheon’s command, the younger brother, Song Woo-hyeon, nodded silently.
Over the past six months, he had become remarkably taciturn.
Originally, he had a clumsy way of speaking or would just mimic his older brother, Song Jwa-baek, but now he had become quite stoic.
“Since your disciples are so exceptional, I believe I know the results without even looking.”
Bloody Unit Leader Gu Sang-ung finally began to flatter Haeakcheon.
Since three of them had come forward and shown results incomparable to the other students, it was only natural for him to take this stance.
It was then.
BOOM!
‘Boom?’
Everyone’s eyes turned toward the Generation Stone.
They looked because the sound was closer to an explosion, and there they saw Song Woo-hyeon with his head slammed against the stone.
Even I hadn't expected him to use a headbutt.
The spot where his head hit was deeply gouged, but that wasn't the end of it.
Creeeeeak!
‘!!!’
Centering on the point where his forehead had struck, the Generation Stone split clean in half.
I mean, did he turn his head into a diamond or something?
The Sodamgum spoke as if clicking its tongue.
The entire audience fell silent.
The students stood there with their mouths agape, lost for words.
The same went for the Bloody Unit Leader and the other Great Leaders.
Though they didn't literally drop their jaws, they couldn't take their eyes off the split Generation Stone.
“Bwahahahaha! Yes, yes! That’s how it should be!”
Only then did Haeakcheon let out a mad laugh, looking satisfied.
At that moment, I noticed Dam Ye-hwa looking relieved.
Hmm... it certainly seemed that way.
Even I would feel uneasy if I were told to face someone with the absurd monstrous strength to split a Generation Stone in half.
‘Well, I’ll be.’
To think the results of doing handstands on his crown all this time would manifest like this.
I was speechless as well.
Did he gain monstrous strength at the cost of his hair?
I was curious about Song Jwa-baek’s reaction to this.
“Sigh.”
Song Jwa-baek was sighing repeatedly, seemingly frustrated by his younger brother’s performance.
He really is honest.
With that, the demonstration of internal power for me, the twins, and Dam Ye-hwa was over.
Naturally, no one raised an objection.
If anything, it served as an opportunity to confirm just how great the Four Venerables and the Seven Blood Stars truly were.
With the intrusion concluded, the exam for the position of Advanced Warrior began.
Bloody Unit Leader Gu Sang-ung spoke loudly from the platform.
“Who will be the first to take the Advanced position exam?”
A warrior of the Blood Cult wearing a blue belt around his waist walked out in front of the platform.
A blue belt signified an Advanced Warrior.
The greatest benefit of becoming an Advanced Warrior was the removal of the Blood Drum from one’s body.
Perhaps because of that, the students’ eyes were glued to the belt.
Song Jwa-baek spoke to Haeakcheon in a low voice.
“Master. I’ll go first...”
“Don’t you dare.”
“Pardon?”
Haeakcheon stopped him from stepping forward first.
Considering how much he cared about face earlier, I thought he would have sent him out before Dam Ye-hwa, so this was unexpected.
But it wasn't just Haeakcheon.
On the right side of the platform, the Blood Hand Witch Han Baek-ha was also seen stopping Dam Ye-hwa from going out first.
“Watch closely. See what level an Advanced Warrior—a First-Rate Master of our Cult—truly is.”
Though Song Jwa-baek had been eager, he accepted Haeakcheon’s reasoning.
He might have a cranky personality, but he wasn't lacking as a teacher.
In fact, he was among the best.
“Blood Tax! Blood Tax! Blood, Blood Tax!”
One of the senior students suddenly stood up and performed the Blood Cult’s salute.
Then, he walked forward.
The student gave a fist-and-palm salute to the Advanced Warrior in front of the platform and spoke.
“I am training disciple Ha Mun-chan.”
Snap!
“I am Bu Seo-jeong.”
The Advanced Warrior also gave a fist-and-palm salute and briefly stated his name.
Bloody Unit Leader Gu Sang-ung, standing on the platform, spoke.
“If you can endure twelve martial forms against an Advanced Warrior, you pass.”
‘It won't be "only."’
An Advanced Warrior was a First-Rate Master.
Their martial prowess was on a completely different level from Intermediate Warriors.
Enduring twelve forms against such a warrior was by no means an easy task.
One could tell just by looking at the tense face of the student named Ha Mun-chan.
“Begin.”
At Gu Sang-ung’s word, the two men, who had put some distance between them, took their qi control stances.
As if yielding the first move, the Advanced Warrior, Bu Seo-jeong, gestured for him to come.
After a moment’s hesitation, Ha Mun-chan charged toward him.
Dash!
Ha Mun-chan ran forward quickly and threw a kick toward Bu Seo-jeong’s head.
Judging by his posture alone, he had clearly mastered the basic fist-and-kick arts as a senior student.
However, Bu Seo-jeong easily dodged it.
Thud!
After dodging to the side, Bu Seo-jeong aimed for Ha Mun-chan’s leg.
It looked like it would end in a single blow.
However, Ha Mun-chan didn't dodge from that position; instead, he threw his upper body toward Bu Seo-jeong and drove an elbow toward his face.
Tap, tap!
Bu Seo-jeong retreated three steps.
Thanks to that, Ha Mun-chan almost lost his balance and fell, but he performed a recovery roll and regained his stance.
“Not bad.”
Haeakcheon muttered.
As he said, Ha Mun-chan was definitely a natural-born fighter.
What matters in sparring, fighting, and duels is instantaneous judgment, and he possessed it.
If trained, he had the potential to become a First-Rate Master.
The Sodamgum sounded puzzled.
‘He is.’
The Advanced Warrior position exam should be seen as selecting candidates for Advanced Warriors.
In other words, it was to select those with the potential to grow into First-Rate Masters.
If that Advanced Warrior named Bu Seo-jeong had truly intended to take Ha Mun-chan down, he could have done it within three forms, let alone twelve.
Bam, bam, bam!
The two began to clash in earnest.
Bu Seo-jeong didn't use any other martial arts and only engaged with fist-and-kick techniques.
Though struggling against him, Ha Mun-chan stubbornly utilized everything he had learned to engage in the duel.
It was around the fourteenth form.
“Stop!”
At Bloody Unit Leader Gu Sang-ung’s shout, the two stopped their duel.
Gu Sang-ung spoke with a satisfied expression.
“That is enough. Student Ha Mun-chan, pass!”
“Waaaaaaaah!!!”
At the word "pass," the training students erupted in cheers.
The first person to pass the Advanced Warrior position exam had emerged.
He had secured the blue belt.
“Do you have a sense of their level now?”
Haeakcheon asked us.
At that question, Song Jwa-baek spoke with a voice full of confidence.
“I think it’s worth a shot. I won't let your reputation be tarnished, Master.”
At those words, Haeakcheon clicked his tongue and said, “Do you think that’s what I was asking?”
“Pardon?”
“Tsk, tsk.”
Haeakcheon looked at me with a disinterested face.
I recalled the movements of the Advanced Warrior Bu Seo-jeong in my head and answered.
“During the duel, that Advanced Warrior appeared to be holding back about thirty to forty percent of his remaining strength.”
By "remaining strength," I meant the use of internal energy.
In other words, I was talking about how much internal power he had utilized.
It was hard to be certain, but it seemed he hadn't used more than six stars of internal power at most.
While the student Ha Mun-chan’s face was drenched in sweat, Bu Seo-jeong hadn't broken a single drop, which made it obvious.
The corners of Haeakcheon’s mouth curled up slightly.
“And?”
“His movements were also different from the student’s; when they clashed, he didn't move his feet more than three steps from where he originally stood. It seems he restricted his own footwork.”
“Kuk-kuk. So you do have eyes in your head.”
With those words, Haeakcheon glared at Song Jwa-baek.
Song Jwa-baek also seemed to realize Haeakcheon’s intention then and looked embarrassed.
“As for you... never mind.”
Haeakcheon, who had been about to say something to the younger twin, Song Woo-hyeon, gave up.
Song Woo-hyeon hadn't even been watching the duel in the first place, just standing there with a blank stare.
‘...I’m actually jealous of that.’
In the meantime, a second volunteer came forward.
One by one, Advanced Warriors took turns coming out to duel the training students.
The pattern of the duels was almost the same.
The Advanced Warriors faced the students with only about six stars of power, and most of the students struggled against them to earn their blue belts.
I don't know about the previous exams, but all five who had come forward so far had passed.
The smile never left Bloody Unit Leader Gu Sang-ung’s face.
“The last... ahem.”
Gu Sang-ung realized his mistake and corrected himself.
“Who will volunteer for the sixth turn?”
Dam Ye-hwa also didn't step forward, seemingly intending to watch until the end.
The same was true for our side.
Haeakcheon had told us to watch until everyone was finished.
“I am training disciple Jo Seong-won.”
The last volunteer among the students came forward, gave a fist-and-palm salute, and introduced himself.
‘Jo Seong-won?’
Wait, I feel like I’ve heard that name somewhere.
‘I’ve definitely heard it before.’
It wasn't as if I remembered everything from my past life as if it were recorded.
I remembered things or people that were significant enough to leave a clear impression.
Yet, that name was definitely in my mind.
Who was it?
“Begin.”
With Gu Sang-ung’s shout, the duel for the student named Jo Seong-won began.
I felt I needed to watch this duel closely.
In my memory, the final duel was different from the ones before.
Tap, tap, tap, tap!
An Advanced Warrior named Go Jin-chang and Jo Seong-won clashed.
As the two collided, gasps of admiration escaped the students’ mouths.
For the first time, a situation occurred where an Advanced Warrior had to use footwork to dodge a series of fist techniques unleashed by a student.
“Ho. That fellow has learned martial arts before.”
Haeakcheon muttered.
Indeed, now that I had learned martial arts myself, I could see it too.
Jo Seong-won was unleashing fist techniques while cleverly alternating between the basic footwork of the Blood Demon Fist and a different footwork method, which forced the Advanced Warrior to take more than three steps for the first time.
“You brat!”
His pride wounded, the Advanced Warrior Go Jin-chang released his self-imposed restrictions.
He began to pressure Jo Seong-won with much faster movements while utilizing his footwork.
Bam, bam, bam!
Even so, Jo Seong-won managed to block Go Jin-chang’s fists and kicks, and even succeeded in counterattacking.
“Ohhh!”
The watching students, caught up in the emotion, let out cheers.
I could tell for sure now.
That guy was different from the other students.
It wasn't just that he had talent; he was significantly close to being a First-Rate Master.
‘Ah!’
I remembered.
I realized why it hadn't come to me easily.
That guy was destined to die in half a year.
At the Sodamgum’s question, I spoke without taking my eyes off Jo Seong-won.
‘That guy is a spy for the Beggar’s Sect.’