Chapter 295. The Path of the Beast (5)
“Hoo.”
Dang Sang-a let out a low breath.
‘Good.’
The Tang family’s secret technique, the Chasing Thunder Body Technique, granted tremendous speed and flexibility at the cost of heavy consumption of internal energy and stamina. In other words, unlike typical movement arts focused on efficient travel, this was a technique tailored for combat.
A true movement art allowed one to cover greater distances faster with less internal energy. The Chasing Thunder Body Technique served a distinctly different purpose.
‘Over one ke passed.’
Dang Sang-a’s enlightenment in the Chasing Thunder Body Technique had already reached the realm of mastery. Yet she hadn’t wielded it effectively before, as it didn’t align with the fluid, sharp nature of her martial arts.
But to possess such a profound technique and not utilize it properly was a tremendous waste.
‘Hmm. Well, minor issues. Flaws that will fade as your level advances—not a big deal.’
‘Really? What do you think is my biggest flaw?’
‘Stamina.’
When Yeon Hojeong first said that, Dang Sang-a couldn’t agree. Poisons and hidden weapons varied wildly in power based on distance judgment. Naturally, the Tang family experts invested heavily in movement arts, so none suffered stamina issues.
But now she understood. What Yeon Hojeong meant by stamina.
‘It’s not just endurance. It’s explosive power unleashed in an instant, stamina that maintains consistency even with freely manipulated breathing.’
The denser the power exerted, the faster breathing crumbled. Ruined breathing directly sapped stamina.
Maintaining steady power was possible for anyone, merely a matter of degree. But unleashing successive one-strike-kill bursts at peak output and restoring normal breathing? That realm was rarely attained even through hellish training.
Dang Sang-a’s recent regimen had targeted exactly that stamina.
Even she, unyieldingly resilient in her martial pursuits, felt like quitting multiple times a day amid the grueling intensity.
Yet as those sessions piled up, she could now sustain the Chasing Thunder Body Technique beyond one ke without faltering.
‘That’s not all.’
Extreme stamina training devoured more breath. But for every breath expended, more entered.
Repeated inhalation and exhalation gradually densified the qi held in her muscles.
‘Training internal energy alone isn’t enough. Only through this process does it gain real-world bounce.’
Yeon Hojeong seemed even more remarkable now. He possessed exceptional combat prowess.
Beyond experience, cultivating such battlefield instinct demanded unrelenting extreme training, day after day.
Greater stamina meant denser qi. Denser qi expanded internal energy versatility. Versatility bred diverse techniques, and diverse techniques pierced any dire circumstance.
Training stamina. Every drop of sweat shed today preserved a bowl of blood in battle tomorrow.
Dang Sang-a felt that truth in her bones.
“Impressive.”
“Ah, you’re here.”
Mo Yong Woo gazed at her with admiring eyes.
“Your stamina has surged. Must’ve trained brutally.”
Dang Sang-a smiled.
“Still a long way to go.”
“Of course. But if you keep at it steadily like before, your combat blind spots will shrink considerably.”
He pierced the goal of her stamina training at a glance. In other words, Mo Yong Woo—like Yeon Hojeong—had long recognized its importance.
‘As expected.’
Dang Sang-a looked up at the sky.
‘So many people with lessons to teach.’
A pinnacle among the Tang family’s later generation, the sole recipient of guidance from the Dark King, the Tang family’s strongest.
Perhaps that had unwittingly bred arrogance.
Reflecting on her past self, Dang Sang-a deeply repented.
“Is that the Chasing Thunder Body Technique you mentioned before?”
“Yes.”
“Chasing thunder... Fitting name for such a remarkable art. Paired with poison techniques, it’d leave foes dizzy.”
Dang Sang-a shook her head.
“It pairs well with poisons, sure. But its true synergy is with hidden weapons.”
“Why? Even precise hidden weapons would struggle to hit amid such aggressive movement.”
“We have three in the main family who can. And I’ve seen firsthand how terrifying their arts are.”
“……”
“That’s why the Chasing Thunder Body Technique peaks in efficiency with hidden weapons.”
Curiosity lit Mo Yong Woo’s face.
“Who are they?”
“One is my grandfather.”
Mo Yong Woo let out a low hum.
“The Dark King.”
“Yes. The Grand Elder can also fuse it with hidden weapons.”
“Then the last?”
“Right.”
Dang Sang-a’s eyes gleamed.
“The one who truly sways Sichuan’s martial world—my father.”
* * *
Creeeeak!Splat!
The iron whip, hammered repeatedly, suddenly writhed oddly and tore at Yeon Hojeong’s shoulder.
Thankfully, it spared the muscle, but the sensation of flesh ripping away was excruciating. The whip’s serrated surface tore skin effortlessly.
Thoom!
Yeon Hojeong’s form shot vertically skyward. The Yeon family secret Heaven Vertical Movement Step.
Unlike his explosive assaults on Dang Gwan earlier, this displayed lofty, refreshing grace.
Wham!
As Yeon Hojeong regripped the iron club free of the foe’s grasp, Dang Gwan’s form was already upon him.
Yeon Hojeong’s eyes wavered.
‘Faster.’
Tremendous movement art. Utterly unlike Blood Wing Swing Heaven of the Vermilion Bird Art.
Blood Wing Swing Heaven was attack incarnate, the fastest combat footwork. No elegance—just the butcher’s frenzy to slay in minimal time.
Dang Gwan’s was different. Swift yet infinitely variable. Like lightning from thunderous clouds, unpredictable in direction.
Where Yeon Hojeong’s peak instincts blurred feint from truth, Dang Gwan’s art embodied martial reason in ultimate flux.
Boom boom boom!
Dang Gwan unleashed full-power Triple Layered Palms. Yeon Hojeong blocked the successive palm forces with Black Tortoise Qi-infused iron club, but the destructive might dwarfed the initial clash.
Yeon Hojeong plummeted at horrifying speed. Not descending by choice, but crashing from the shockwave’s force.
Whoooosh!
Dang Gwan pursued relentlessly.
‘End.’
Stance collapsed, internal flow twisted. This strike would decide it.
So Dang Gwan thought.
BOOM!
Dang Gwan’s eyes widened. Yeon Hojeong swept the club horizontally, shoving with both feet to launch diagonally while instantly regulating his energy.
‘What!’
At this level, even Dang Gwan—who viewed Yeon Hojeong dimly—couldn’t withhold admiration.
‘Such a monster exists.’
Dang Gwan swung the iron whip.
Shrrrrk!
Astonishingly, the one-zhang whip extended near five zhang, coiling around Yeon Hojeong.
Not special alloy like the Jiao Dragon Chain. Transparent links between segments possessed immense tension and elasticity, adjustable by Dang Gwan’s internal strength.
Shluck!
The whip binding Yeon Hojeong dug into his flesh. Even Black Tortoise Art’s mighty repulsion struggled against its razor edge. A misstep could shred muscle.
In that instant, Yeon Hojeong’s eyes blazed azure.
Thoom!Splat!
Dang Gwan’s eyes shook. He’d meant to slam him down, but the incoming club struck his wrist, forcing release.
‘Air Grasp?!’
Unbelievable. Every cornered moment, he evaded or countered with unimaginable finesse. To use the club thus in this crisis...
Choking combat sense.
Wham!Kwang!
Yeon Hojeong landed with Thousand Jun Drop, swiftly uncoiling the whip.
Thud!
Nearly simultaneous, Dang Gwan landed—iron club now in his grasp.
“Hoo.”
Yeon Hojeong steadied his breath, eyeing Dang Gwan. The man’s gaze flickered subtly.
“……Remarkable bastard.”
Whirr!Clang!
The club rolled to Yeon Hojeong’s feet. He likewise coiled the whip and tossed it back.
As Dang Gwan reached, the loosened whip slithered snake-like into his sleeve.
Yeon Hojeong frowned.
“That iron whip—isn’t it a hidden weapon?”
Dang Gwan’s eyes widened.
“You knew?”
“After all those gashes? Obviously. With intent, Family Head could shatter it into hundreds of hidden pieces, sweeping enemy lines.”
He saw through that too.
Gazing silently, Dang Gwan quelled his aura.
Whoosh.
The blowing wind stilled abruptly.
Yeon Hojeong tilted his head.
“What’s wrong?”
“What do you mean?”
“Surely not ending now?”
“Indeed.”
“I haven’t properly seen your hidden weapons or poison arts yet.”
Dang Gwan smiled coldly.
“Enduring for your father’s face. Use our secret arts, and you’re eighty percent dead or crippled.”
No absolute death claim. Yeon Hojeong’s prowess had impressed.
Yeon Hojeong grumbled lowly.
“Pity. A prime chance to witness Tang secrets.”
Dang Gwan inwardly reeled.
“Live like that, you’ll need ten lives to stay whole.”
“Family Head wouldn’t grieve my death anyway?”
Speechless.
“So, your verdict?”
“On what?”
Yeon Hojeong smiled.
“My vessel—decent enough?”
Dang Gwan stared fixedly, then turned away.
“You’re like Moyong Gun.”
“Unclear if that’s praise or insult.”
“But one difference.”
“What?”
“No hesitation drawing the blade when needed.”
“Hm.”
“Scheming politics amounts to nothing before overwhelming might. Murim is power. Knowing when to wield it makes one great.”
“……”
“Even vast history sees values corrupt and vanish. One immutable principle: survival of the fittest.”
Dang Gwan turned.
“Use your head moderately. A whelp born with fangs will dull them twirling only his tongue.”
Yeon Hojeong smiled.
“I’ll arrange the meeting with the Western Divine Maiden.”
“Hmph.”
Dang Gwan leaped to the window ledge.
“Clean up before you go.”