Chapter 317: Ironclad (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 317: Ironclad (1)
Thud…! Thud…!
In the early morning, when the night’s chill still clung to the air, a monstrous, repetitive sound echoed through a training hall large enough to hold dozens. The students watching from the back wore expressions of pure horror.
THUD!
Pe Woocheol’s massive frame slammed into the floor with a series of heavy impacts. Each time he fell, dust mushroomed from the ground, kicked up by his sheer weight. But it wasn't just dust that left the students speechless. They were overwhelmed by the dense, oppressive Qi that now saturated the room.
Woocheol scrambled to get back up, but before he could find his footing, a hand appeared in his vision. It pressed against his forehead, and with seemingly effortless ease, sent him crashing back down.
“Ugh!”
It was a simple movement. His opponent hadn't even seemed to use much force.
“If you’re just going to keep falling, you might as well stay down.”
At those words, Pe Woocheol finally stayed flat on the ground, his stamina utterly spent.
“Huff… Huff…”
“You started off calculating your moves, but halfway through, you got reckless. It was like you were begging me to hit you. Your body may be as big as a mountain, but it feels like I’m punching tofu.”
The words were as cruel as ever. Even the bystanders flinched. Was there anyone who could verbally outmatch Pe Woocheol, given his notoriously foul temper? Probably not. And even if there was, they wouldn't be nearly as terrifying as the one currently dismantling him.
“He’s tossing Pe Woocheol around like a toy…”
“He tore through Pe Woocheol’s Qi with his bare hands… How is that even possible?”
The students watched in stunned silence. It made sense for them to be shocked. Pe Woocheol’s opponent was barely half his size and younger than most students at the Heavenly Dragon Academy, yet he was toying with him. However, his talents and martial strength were so well-known that no one was truly surprised by the outcome.
One of the watching students whispered, “…The True Dragon shreds people apart.”
Just as everyone was about to nod in grim agreement,
“I do not, you crazy bastards!”
“Eek!”
The True Dragon shouted back, having clearly heard the whisper. His hearing was apparently as sharp as everything else. As the students scattered from his roar, the True Dragon sighed deeply.
“…This is why I don’t come here often.”
Especially on days without mandatory morning drills. Martial artists tended to flock to the training hall when there was no group practice. I’m not even sure why I bothered with this big oaf today, I thought, scratching my head as I stared down at the groaning Pe Woocheol.
Well, at least he’s better than the other one. He had perseverance, which was more than could be said for the bastard passed out cold in the corner—Gu Jeolyub.
“Haha…”
Standing over Gu Jeolyub was someone smiling awkwardly. The students might have gathered because of me, but it was more likely they were here to catch a glimpse of that handsome bastard. He was Mount Hua’s greatest prodigy, the genius who had earned the title 'Sword Dragon,' surpassing even the talents of the Namgung Clan and Wudang Sect: Sword Dragon, Yung Pung.
Glancing at the unconscious Gu Jeolyub, Yung Pung asked awkwardly, “…What should we do about Young Expert Gu?”
“What do you mean, ‘what should we do?’ Just leave him. Ugh, it’s so embarrassing I can’t stand it.”
I was ashamed to share the same surname. He begged so hard for a spar, yet he went down in a single strike…! The reason for his effortless faint was simple: Yung Pung had knocked him out with one blow. Yes, just one. He couldn’t even endure that much.
“Ugh…” Just looking at his pathetic form made me want to hide my face. Yung Pung was undoubtedly one of the greatest geniuses of our generation, but Gu Jeolyub wasn’t so weak that he should lose in such a humiliating way. After all the training I’d put him through, to be taken out by a single strike…
“Haha… He, uh… must have been nervous.”
“…You’re still making excuses for him?”
“There has to be a reason.”
“The reason is simple. He lost because he’s weak.”
Try making excuses like that in a real battle. You’d be saying them with your head already separated from your shoulders.
“Sigh.” More than anything, I felt a little guilty toward Yung Pung. He had come to me seeking training, but I’d pawned him off on Gu Jeolyub. “My apologies, Sword Dragon Yung Pung.”
“It’s no trouble at all. I’m fine with it; it was an experience.”
Yung Pung had shed the arrogance he’d shown last time. Despite his pride and competitive spirit, he’d learned to keep his ego in check. …What formidable mental discipline. He had endured Mount Hua’s brutal training while sharpening his mind, elevating his strength far beyond what I’d imagined since our last meeting. He was now at the very pinnacle of the Peak Realm.
It’s completely different from my past life. Back then, I’d heard he struggled within the Peak Realm for a long time. The thought left a bitter taste in my mouth. …And I only showed him one thing. I’d given him a beating mostly because I disliked his arrogance, but he’d used that as a catalyst to become who he was now. Meanwhile, others had struggled endlessly just to reach this point. At this rate, it seemed Yung Pung was destined to become the next Sword King. The Sword King of Mount Hua—a title like that would suit him.
I have some hopes for Muyeon, too. He wasn’t famous in the Central Plains yet, but I knew that once he stopped being my escort and started fighting on his own, his name would spread like wildfire. He's also one of the few people on my side. I didn’t fully trust him yet, but after the friends from my past life, Muyeon was the person I trusted the most. Gu Jeolyub was in that circle too… but maybe I needed to reconsider that after today’s display.
“…My back aches.” I hadn’t paid him much attention lately, being busy with the Academy, and now he’d ended up in this pathetic state.
“Woocheol.”
“Y-Yes, brother…” Pe Woocheol responded with a groan, still struggling to catch his breath.
“Take care of that guy.” I gestured to the unconscious Jeolyub.
“…Uh… Should I just throw him somewhere?”
“If possible, throw him into his room. Leaving him on a random floor is a bit much, don’t you think?”
“Understood.”
Pe Woocheol seemed oddly disappointed. Why did this bastard get so competitive when it came to him? I had no idea.
My allotted training time was nearly up, so I stood. “Are you leaving now?” Yung Pung asked.
“That’s right.”
“…How unfortunate. I was hoping we could enjoy some spirited training together for the first time in a while.”
I frowned slightly at his words. I, for one, had never found our sessions ‘joyful’…? I’d thought the same thing back at Mount Hua. None of the guys obsessed with plum blossoms seemed entirely normal.
“Let’s save it for next time. I’ll remember,” I said, mostly out of politeness.
But Yung Pung’s eyes lit up. “Oh… Really?”
…That was a mistake.
“Uh… actually,” I started to backtrack.
“I will remember it for sure as well,” he said, his smile genuine.
“…Ah, I see.” It was too late to take it back. Yung Pung looked genuinely happy.
Why is he so pleased about it? Hadn’t he gotten enough training at Mount Hua? Besides, his relationships with his seniors and juniors hadn’t seemed bad last I checked.
As if reading my mind, Yung Pung smiled and explained, “I have to assume my seniors and juniors must hate training. They always disappear halfway through, so I often feel lonely.”
“…”
Hmm. I gave a slight nod at his words. So that was it. …Basically, they all ran away from him because they couldn’t keep up. It wasn’t that the people of Mount Hua were weird; maybe Yung Pung was the odd one out after all? My opinion of Mount Hua shifted slightly.
Then, “Hmm?” Yung Pung suddenly tilted his head, his gaze sharpening as it fell on me. Specifically, on my arm.
“…Huh…?” He stared at my left arm as if something was off.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, noticing his intense focus.
Yung Pung quickly took a step back, realizing his stare was impolite. “A-Ah, it was nothing. My apologies. I just felt a… familiar sensation.”
“It’s fine. I’ll be leaving now; I have business to attend to.”
With that, I left Yung Pung and the training hall. Pe Woocheol could clean up the mess. As I walked out, I heard the collective sigh of relief from the students inside. By now, they treated me like a demon. Not that I cared—I was used to it from my past life.
The real problem was Yung Pung’s reaction at the end. …Did he notice? He was definitely staring at my left arm. I quietly rolled up my sleeve. “…Ugh.” The pink bandage came into view. Yung Pung must have sensed something from it. I’d been trying my best to conceal it, but that clearly wasn’t enough to fool a discerning martial artist from Mount Hua.
What do I do about this? Sigh.
I thought back to that day, frustration welling up inside me. I’d survived thanks to the power of this treasure, which Elder Shin had procured from the secret vault using my body. Judging by how Elder Shin used it and the reactions of both the Sword Queen and Yung Pung, it was clearly a treasure from Mount Hua. That part was fine. It proved the vault wasn’t an illusion, and it had saved my life. For that, I was grateful.
However, Why can’t I take it off? The thing simply wouldn’t leave my arm. I’m going to go insane… I’d tried unwrapping it, since it was shaped like a bandage, but it wouldn’t budge. I tried gentle persuasion first, then channeled my Qi to force it off. At one point, I’d even hit my arm out of sheer frustration. …I probably gave myself a nasty bruise from that. I’d struggled to get out of bed this morning because of the pain, but I’d had to try something. Ultimately, nothing worked.
Why was this thing clinging to me? It was a hassle when I tried to wash, and having to explain it to others was just embarrassing. When I showed it to the Sword Queen, she’d thought for a moment before saying she needed to consult the Celestial Plum Blossom about it, as it was a Mount Hua treasure. On top of that, she hadn’t even gotten the Stone of Mount Hua she’d wanted so badly. I’d asked her if the thing on my arm was the stone, but how could this be a stone? Though, when I first grabbed it, it did feel like one. It had felt like a large, smooth marble. But why had it taken this form?
The Sword Queen said she’d ask the Celestial Plum Blossom, but I didn’t know when that would be. There was someone else who could give me answers much sooner. “So please, explain it to me.” But no matter how many times I asked, I got no response. The hero of Mount Hua, the old man living rent-free in my body, Elder Shin. He’d appeared for a moment that day, then vanished again. …I’m going insane, seriously. What did he want from me? He definitely knew what this was. Was he just toying with me? To appear and then disappear like that—what was he playing at?
“Nothing is going right for me, ugh.” I wanted to settle all my business at the Academy before the Murim Alliance came to interrogate me about the secret vault, but since nothing was going according to plan, my frustration was mounting. And this wasn't my only problem. …What’s coming up again? A field exercise? I recalled the Academy’s schedule. I’d heard it was going to be a hands-on training session to practice everything we’d learned so far.
But by this point, That bastard should be making his move soon. I was certain Jang Seonyeon would act soon. If I were him, I’d use the field exercise as cover to stir up trouble behind the scenes. Of course, that also meant it was an opportunity for me to turn the tables on him. Would he be unaware of that? Of course he knows, especially after what I whispered in his ear last time. I’d kindly informed him that he would die here. There was no way Jang Seonyeon didn’t understand my intent. That’s why he had chosen Cheol Jiseon.
How did the bastard find out, I wonder? What puzzled me was how Jang Seonyeon had obtained information on Cheol Jiseon. Knowing his real surname was Zhuge was one thing, but if he had approached him, he likely knew about that ‘power’ as well. But how? Did he get it from the Alliance? The Beggar’s Sect was part of the Alliance, sure, but this kind of intelligence wasn’t easy to come by. “It just means he has significant support behind him.” And I doubted it was from anyone ordinary. It was probably related to those bastards I’d dealt with when I was posing as Wi Seol-Ah. It’s likely connected to them.
If that was true, then Jang Seonyeon was far from being a true member of the Orthodox Faction. Does the Harmonic Sword know about this? I wondered if the Alliance Leader was also aware. If he was, then I’d know whether the entire Murim Alliance was backing Jang Seonyeon. But even if they aren’t openly on his side… The Alliance couldn’t be trusted. I’d never had much faith in them anyway.
With that thought, I whispered quietly to myself, “I won’t give him another chance this time.” He was my most important target here. Since I was determined to kill him no matter what, I had to make sure I finished the job. This had been my goal from the moment I decided to attend the Heavenly Dragon Academy. Unless the heavens themselves stop me.
I hoped nothing that dramatic would happen, but that very evening, I faced an unexpected twist—though it wasn’t quite as catastrophic as the heavens collapsing.
“…What did you say?”
Right as I was about to take a bite of food, the bastard eating across from me said something utterly bizarre.
“Say that again.”
After I asked him to repeat it, Cheol Jiseon spoke his piece once more. “…The Meteor Sword asked me to help him kill you.”
It was such a sudden, blunt confession that I could only stare at him, dumbfounded.
Because… I already knew…? I was already aware that Jang Seonyeon was plotting that. I just hadn’t expected Cheol Jiseon to tell me about it outright.