The Ghost Army Sorties (1)
Yeon Wi let out a low hum. “So that’s what happened.”
“Yes, Father.”
Yeon Wi clicked his tongue.
“I wondered why your expression had changed so much. You never said a word to me, but it seems you had that kind of conversation with him.”
Kang Liang, who had just taken a sip of tea, spoke with an awkward look on his face.
“I’m worried I may have said something I shouldn’t have.”
“Don’t speak like that. You said exactly what needed to be said. If anything, it’s my fault for failing to offer guidance at the proper time.”
“Ah, you needn’t go that far…”
“No, it’s true. Lately I’ve been so focused on external affairs that I’ve neglected our internal foundations. I’ll have to pay closer attention from now on.”
Yeon Wi let out a quiet sigh, then smiled as he examined Kang Liang’s condition.
“In any case, it looks like you’ve been training with great diligence. The aura radiating from you is well-honed now. It no longer scatters as it once did.”
Although he hadn’t witnessed the actual sword force, a warrior’s level could be measured from their emitted aura alone. As fellow swordsmen, there was no hiding it from Yeon Wi’s eyes.
Kang Liang shook his head.
“There are still many deficiencies. Far too many, in fact.”
“You truly believe so?”
“When I was even clumsier than I am now, I couldn’t even recognize what the problems were or which areas were lacking. At least now it’s different. The shortcomings in the power I’ve obtained keep catching my eye. I find myself constantly agonizing over what needs to be supplemented and which path I must take forward.”
His manner of speech had grown noticeably more mature. The gravity and depth in his voice were especially striking compared to before.
He’s catching up.
Affection and concern mingled in Yeon Wi’s gaze as he looked at the young man.
He is earnestly pursuing the sword path. He pays no heed to the eyes of others, living the life of an ascetic solely for his own completion.
It was impressive.
The transformed aura, the torment evident in his voice, and yet the unwavering light in his eyes belonged to a practitioner determined to perfect a single path.
Such an expression was rare to find in a youth who had only just passed twenty. Regardless of his actual skill, a martial artist with such profound depth was not common even if one scoured the entire Central Plains.
Yeon Wi spoke.
“The martial art you practice is called the Ghost Sword, correct?”
A ghost-possessed blade. It was quite a ferocious name.
Kang Liang nodded.
“More precisely, it is the Ghost King Martial Arts. It is a comprehensive art encompassing divine energy techniques, swordplay, and footwork. Perfect mastery of the lower stages allows ascension to the higher ones.”
The Ghost King True Qi had once been regarded as one of the ten supreme divine arts in the history of the Dark Faction.
Yet just as times change people, the Ghost King True Qi had evolved with the ages. Its weaknesses had been supplemented and its strengths amplified.
The result was an art that could be called the greatest masterpiece in the history of the Guicheol Sword Sect without exaggeration. In the Orthodox Murim, it would be comparable to the highest profound teachings of the Nine Great Schools.
“The Ghost Sword you showed me previously appeared extremely murderous and sharp, yet at its core it was a sword art centered on unparalleled heavy strikes that pulverized the enemy.”
“Correct.”
“Yet the aura you display now is slightly different. Have you set aside the fundamental Dominance for the time being to focus more on sharpness?”
Kang Liang smiled.
“As expected, you are incredible. You see right through it.”
“To understand what one’s own sword and the martial art one practices truly pursue is of utmost importance. That is why most martial artists equate the path their art follows with their own and walk it as such.”
“I don’t believe that’s necessarily wrong. To understand a martial art, one must be able to face the endpoint it defines.”
“That is true. However, you have already moved beyond that point. You perceive the endpoint that the Ghost King Martial Arts seeks, yet you yourself have stepped off that path.”
Yeon Wi nodded.
“It may be difficult, but if your efforts remain as they are now, I am certain you will achieve unexpected results. That is what I believe.”
“Thank you.”
“Hm.”
Yeon Wi stroked his chin for a moment, then smiled and rose from his seat.
“In the recent operation, I used a certain sword strike against the enemy. I created it as my own secret technique, though in truth I conceived it as three swords.”
“…?”
“I have developed the First Sword among them, but it is not yet complete. The power has been perfected, yet the time required to activate it is too long and the true qi consumption is excessively high. That is the problem.”
“Pardon?”
“Would you like to see it? The sword I created.”
“Would that truly be acceptable?”
“What is there that cannot be shown? The reason I have not yet revealed this sword to Ji-pyeong is because he has not yet found his own sword path. I feared that becoming captivated by this sword force might negatively impact his growth.”
Yeon Wi gestured toward the door.
“Go and observe it. If there is anything you can learn from this sword, take it without restraint. And if you notice any deficiencies in me, I hope you will point them out without hesitation.”
“Cough!”
Yeon Hojeong spat out a mouthful of blood, his entire body drenched in crimson. There was literally no uninjured spot left on him.
He had drawn out as little power as possible, reduced the toxicity, and slowed the speed, yet a secret technique remained a secret technique. He had deflected most of the hidden weapons, but the accumulated impacts continued to build, and with each one the number of wounds increased.
The only saving grace was that Dang Gwan had not unleashed the final chapter—the last secret technique among his secrets. Since he had not even completed half of it to begin with, he was in no condition to use it anyway.
Even so, the fact that the assault had stopped at this level was remarkable in itself.
Dang Gwan was utterly dumbfounded. What kind of monster is this?
The Full Heaven Art and Flower Rain Art each consisted of three chapters of secret techniques, and he could only manifest them up to the middle chapter. He had not even grasped the final chapter yet.
His ultimate goal was to one day merge Full Heaven and Flower Rain into a single, freely controllable hidden weapon art. Of course, that did not mean the power of the two arts he had currently mastered up to the middle chapter was weak.
He received the Flower Rain first and middle chapters along with the Full Heaven middle chapter? And it only ended at this level?
Yeon Hojeong’s blood-soaked appearance was so gruesome it would make any onlooker shudder.
Yet Dang Gwan could tell. Despite how it looked, Yeon Hojeong had not suffered truly severe injuries. The poison and penetrating force had caused considerable internal damage and substantial external wounds, but with proper treatment he would be able to move without difficulty in just two days.
It was an absurd outcome. Whether first or middle chapter, these secret techniques were powerful enough to annihilate an entire military unit the moment they were deployed.
And he had taken them all alone—even while wielding an unfamiliar pair of axes, despite the reduced power, toxicity, and speed.
“Cough! Khaak, ptoo! Damn, I really nearly died back there.”
Yeon Hojeong collapsed heavily onto the ground.
They were not serious internal or external injuries, but his energy was completely drained. The mental exertion of swinging his axe while reading the movements of the hidden weapons and the flow of true qi had been extreme.
Clang.
Yeon Hojeong set the Black and White Twin Dragons down and grumbled.
“That really is an outrageous martial art. I doubt there are many in the current Murim who could withstand it.”
“……”
“You adjusted the power as much as possible, correct?”
“……That’s right.”
Sssssss!
The Yeon Family Divine Elixir spun at high speed, expanding the Vermilion Bird Fire Qi.
The poison that had invaded his body evaporated rapidly. He had been told to sit in a lotus position to purge the toxin, but since Dang Gwan had suppressed it as much as possible, there was no need for intense concentration.
Even so, the fact that he could still speak so energetically was impressive. Dang Gwan spoke with admiration.
“You really are a man of iron. Honestly, after you took the final Flower Rain middle chapter, I expected you to be carried out on a stretcher.”
“It is thanks to you holding back.”
“Even when I hold back, it is not a martial art so mild that just anyone can block it. This is clearly because you are extraordinary.”
It was rare praise. Without absolute confidence in his secret technique, such words would never have left his mouth.
“Let’s say that’s the case. By the way…”
Yeon Hojeong stroked his chin.
Dang Gwan’s eyes sparkled.
“Well? Did you see any points that need improvement?”
“Yes, I did. I saw several, but I’m not sure if I should speak of them.”
“What nonsense. No matter what you say, if I decide I don’t need to accept it, I can simply discard it. Speak without reservation.”
Yeon Hojeong had reason to hesitate.
What if it goes wrong because of me?
The Invincible Secret Technique of the Poison Sovereign Dang Gwan—the legendary profound art that would one day be called the strongest in the history of the Tang Family—Torrential Flower Rain was a martial art whose framework had been established by the previous generation and completed through Dang Gwan’s tireless devotion.
Even without his advice, Dang Gwan would eventually complete Torrential Flower Rain.
The issue was the present. He worried that his hasty counsel might harm the supreme technique destined to bloom in the future.
History can change with a single trivial remark. My advice might cause the mastery of this art to take even longer, or in the worst case, prevent its completion entirely.
Yeon Hojeong’s expression darkened.
I should have considered this before accepting the request. What a burdensome favor I’ve been given.
After a moment of thought, Yeon Hojeong shook his head.
No. History has already changed from the moment I died and returned. The prestigious families have fallen by my hand, and the Martial Alliance was established earlier than in the original timeline. The flow of the world has already diverged from the past. There is no need to worry about something like this.
The water had already been spilled. In that case, the correct choice was to live faithfully in the present.
Yeon Hojeong firmed his resolve.
“Then I will begin with the Flower Rain Art. In the first chapter of Flower Rain…”
He revealed the weaknesses of Torrential Flower Rain that he had perceived, without adding or omitting anything.
As Dang Gwan listened, he was greatly astonished at every turn.
Even if one was relatively stronger, at this realm each person’s realizations were bound to differ. Even a relative expert could display shallow knowledge in a weaker practitioner’s field of expertise.
The reverse was equally true.
The flaws in the Full Heaven Art and Flower Rain Art that Yeon Hojeong pointed out were aspects Dang Gwan had never anticipated. Moreover, while identifying specific weaknesses he never lost sight of the overall flow, showing just how deeply he had analyzed the art.
That was only natural. Yeon Hojeong’s insights were those of the Black Dark Emperor, allowing him to detect with astonishing perception the parts Dang Gwan had overlooked or lacked creativity to address.
“In short, if you properly grasp the linkage between the first and middle chapters as I described, the path to the final chapter should open naturally. Of course, the oral formulas and methods to control that flow will need to be created by the Patriarch yourself.”
Dang Gwan muttered with a grave expression.
“Reduce true qi consumption from empty-space manipulation… induce diffuse reflection… diversity of flow created by impacts between fragments…”
Yeon Hojeong smiled.
The sight of Dang Gwan standing motionless while muttering to himself was rather refreshing. He seemed utterly absorbed.
Yeon Hojeong carefully picked up the Black and White Twin Dragons and stood. He had no desire to disturb the man.
Just as he turned to leave the training ground—
“Wait!”
“Hm?”
Yeon Hojeong looked back.
Dang Gwan came running over in a hurry.
“Do you have time? If so, stay and have a cup of tea with me.”
“…I need to treat my wounds.”
“I’ll treat them myself, so stop talking and follow me!”
In the end, Dang Gwan was a martial artist through and through.
As a result, Yeon Hojeong remained caught by Dang Gwan until dawn the following day, helping refine Torrential Flower Rain, before fainting once more. He had lost far too much blood.
Only then did Dang Gwan click his tongue, hoist Yeon Hojeong onto his back, and head toward Ki Woo-hee.
“A young fellow like you being so frail—honestly. In my day, even after spitting three full bowls of blood, I’d spend three days drunk in a wine jar…”