Each to Their Own Intent
Yoo Jeong had thought, If any trouble arises within our group, it will undoubtedly be because of that man, Hwangbo Mujin.
It was a miscalculation.
"Is this puppy yours?"
Yoo Jeong asked, holding out the puppy cradled in his arms. The yellow-furred pup was a little thing he had found and rescued from beneath a bridge. However, the young girl shook her head side to side.
"No, it's not."
"Ah, I see."
She was incredibly firm. Yoo Jeong offered an awkward smile as the girl refused to spare even a single glance at the puppy he had brought.
Woof.
When he cradled it again, the puppy snuggled deeper into his arms. Since it wasn't wary of humans, he had assumed it was someone's pet, but it clearly didn't belong to this child.
It was a pity, but as someone just passing through, Yoo Jeong couldn't take responsibility for it. Just as he was heading back to return the pup to where he had found it, Hwangbo Mujin walked toward him.
His face was contorted like a wrathful deity. Yet, cradled in his arms was a tiny puppy, and upon reaching the child, he was visibly trying his best to control his expression.
But the child remained resolute.
"No, it's not."
"Tsk."
Letting out a stifled grunt, Hwangbo Mujin turned back the way he came. Realizing Yoo Jeong was watching him, he snorted derisively.
"Young Master Hwangbo."
"What is it?"
"Is that... really a puppy? It looks more like a wolf cub."
Yoo Jeong said, sounding highly skeptical. The creature Hwangbo Mujin was holding was far closer to a wild beast. For starters, it was significantly larger than the puppy in Yoo Jeong's arms. With its thick neck and coarse fur, it was hard to believe it could ever be a child's pet.
It's literally biting him right now.
The young beast was furiously gnawing on the collar of Hwangbo Mujin's robe as if he were its mortal enemy. Sensing this, Hwangbo Mujin glared down at the creature in his arms with a grimace.
"Make sure you return it to where you found it."
"Ha. Of course I will. Did you think I'd just dump it somewhere?"
"No. I was worried you'd kill it on the spot."
Ever since they began their journey on the Path of Righteousness, the Hwangbo Mujin that Yoo Jeong had observed was a man with a fiery temperament. He was impatient, easily angered, and highly authoritarian.
"...You worry about the strangest things."
"There's no need to kill it for no reason if you're not even going to eat it."
"Are you from the Shaolin Sect by any chance?"
"One does not need to be from Shaolin to know that all life is precious. It is common sense."
A newly arrived man answered the sarcastic remark. It was Byeok Sogun.
"Hmph. How amusing to hear a Kunlun Slave talk about common sense."
Yoo Jeong narrowed his eyes. Since the first day of their journey—no, even before that, actually—the war of nerves between the two had been ongoing ever since they met in front of the Yellow Crane Pavilion. Even though they had introduced themselves, Hwangbo Mujin persistently referred to Sogun as a Kunlun Slave.
A Kunlun Slave. When people heard "Kunlun," they usually thought of the mountain range in Qinghai and the Taoist sect nestled within it. However, "Kunlun" also carried the meaning of the color black. Thus, "Kunlun Slave" was a derogatory term used to refer to dark-skinned individuals. In other words, Hwangbo Mujin's constant use of the term was a direct mockery of Sogun's dark skin.
Despite this, Byeok Sogun simply endured the contempt thrown his way, his face wearing an expression of long-standing familiarity. It was no different now. He silently walked past Mujin and presented a puppy to the child.
"Wow! That's him! It's Dduk-ie!"
The previously resolute child's eyes sparkled as she reached out. Byeok Sogun gently placed the puppy in her arms, a warm smile spreading across his thick lips.
"I am glad you found him."
"Yes! Thank you so much, mister!"
"Tsk."
Hwangbo Mujin clicked his tongue, clearly displeased by the heartwarming sight of the child bowing politely with the puppy in her arms and Sogun watching her with a gentle gaze.
"...It seems this task is finished as well. I will go call the others."
Yoo Jeong said with a soft sigh, brushing his hair back. The other group members were likely searching for the puppy in various places. Although they had agreed on a time and place to regroup, it was best to let them know the task was complete.
The Path of Righteousness of the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering. A journey where young talents traveled together and performed righteous deeds. Yoo Jeong had assumed that if any trouble arose along the way, Mujin would be the cause.
...
Yoo Jeong looked at Byeok Sogun with a complicated expression. Helping others, whether the task was grand or trivial, was a noble deed. How could anyone criticize Sogun or the overjoyed child? Yet, he could also understand the frustration of the other young martial artists.
Repairing a cart with a broken wheel. Carrying an elderly couple on their backs to visit their son and daughter-in-law. Removing a beehive. Hunting a wild boar that was tearing up a crop field. And now, finding a lost puppy. Ever since the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering began, these were the "righteous deeds" they had performed, and every single one of them had been at Byeok Sogun's insistence.
This is difficult.
He had thought his role as an observer and mediator would be simple. But experiencing it firsthand made him realize otherwise. Letting out another heavy sigh, Yoo Jeong began to walk.
The atmosphere inside the inn was ice-cold. Both the innkeeper and the waiter had holed themselves up in the kitchen, anxiously watching the situation unfold. Two men sat at a table, glaring at each other in tense silence. Even a brawl between ordinary thugs could cause significant damage; how much worse would it be with martial artists? If they clashed, not only the tableware, tables, and chairs, but the entire building itself could be demolished. This was why the innkeeper had been biting his nails in sheer anxiety for some time now.
Whether he was aware of their anxiety or simply didn't care, Hwangbo Mujin sat with his arms crossed, glaring intently at his opponent.
"Hey, Kunlun Slave."
"My name is Byeok Sogun."
"The Byeok Clan. Of course I know of it. The clan that practices the Thunderbolt Divine Art."
Thunderbolt Divine Art. At the mention of that name, Sogun's eyes shifted.
"My clan also possesses a martial art of the exact same name."
"What...?"
"The word 'Thunderbolt' doesn't belong solely to the Byeok Clan, after all."
Hwangbo Mujin curled his lips into a crooked smirk as he watched Sogun's flustered reaction. His words were not mere mockery; they were a fact. In the vast Jianghu, eccentric masters and hidden experts were as numerous as grains of sand. The same applied to martial arts. Naturally, there were techniques that shared the exact same name.
"But the Tai Chi Chuan sold in common marketplaces is hardly the same as the Tai Chi Chuan of the Wudang Sect."
Though they shared a name, the underlying mental imagery and core mnemonics of the martial arts were entirely different. This was why people distinguished between Chen-style Tai Chi and Wudang Tai Chi.
"So, when people hear the name Tai Chi, which one do you think they picture?"
Most would immediately think of Wudang's Tai Chi. Was it because Wudang was the origin? No. Was it because Wudang's Tai Chi was objectively the superior art? Unless one gathered every single style of Tai Chi in the world to compare them, there was no way to know. There was only one reason: the people who used it. The Wudang Sect was deeply respected in the Orthodox Wulin, often hailed alongside Shaolin in the saying, 'Shaolin in the North, Wudang in the South.' Commoners viewed Wudang's martial artists as Daoist immortals. Naturally, Wudang's martial arts were famous, and their Tai Chi was the first to come to mind. Thus, Mujin's point was crystal clear.
"It is a difference in class."
Byeok Sogun's face stiffened as he grasped the underlying implication.
"And isn't it true that the Byeok Clan's Thunderbolt Divine Art has lost its core mnemonics? What was it again... Ah, yes. Didn't your grandfather, the family head from two generations ago, drop dead of a sudden illness?"
Byeok Sogun clenched his fists at the mocking question. It was exactly as Mujin said. A portion of the Byeok Clan's Thunderbolt Divine Art had been lost due to the sudden death of the family head two generations ago. He had passed away in his prime, as if struck by a curse—a tragic, untimely death. The succeeding family head was far too young at the time. Having never properly inherited the clan's martial arts, the Byeok Clan rapidly declined. Idle gossips whispered that there was no way a young family head would just die like that, mockingly clicking their tongues and claiming he had died of sexual exhaustion, warning that a man must distance himself from lust. To wash away that disgrace and revive the clan, the previous family head and Sogun's father had run themselves ragged day and night.
Scrape—
Byeok Sogun stood up abruptly and spoke to his sneering opponent.
"Step outside."
He had tried to endure it until now, worried about causing trouble for the rest of the group. But the memory of his father, who had tirelessly strived for the clan even after losing an arm and his martial arts, flashed through his mind. Sogun could not let this mockery slide.
"Gladly."
Hwangbo Mujin readily agreed, rising from his seat.
Crack. Hwangbo Mujin cracked his knuckles, a menacing grin spreading across his face.
"We shouldn't disrupt our schedule, so let's agree not to use internal energy."
A Peak Expert and a Second-class fighter. The gap between them was astronomical. If Hwangbo Mujin wished, he could easily overpower Sogun just as he had when they first met at the Yellow Crane Pavilion. Yet, he chose to forbid the use of internal energy. Under similar conditions, I can make him feel the difference in our class even more acutely.
"No."
Byeok Sogun gave an unexpected reply. Despite being the weaker fighter, he was insisting on using internal energy.
"The reason I challenged you to a duel is to prove that my clan's Thunderbolt Divine Art is not something you can look down upon."
"Ha."
It was laughable. He doesn't even know his place. To Hwangbo Mujin, Byeok Sogun was someone utterly beneath his notice. His clan had fallen, and Sogun was merely an adopted son. A rootless Kunlun Slave. His skills weren't even impressive. And what of his behavior? Dragging them into trivial chores, lecturing them about righteousness and chivalry, forcing them to waste precious time. A worthless insect. To Mujin, it all looked like Sogun was just trying to show off. Lacking both noble blood and wealth, the Kunlun Slave was merely trying to dress himself up with a pathetic display of playing the hero. A bastard like him could never understand true righteousness.
"Fine. I shall teach you a lesson today. I will use exactly thirty percent of my internal energy."
Within Mujin's elixir field, his true qi began to stir. The Sumeru Heavenly King Divine Art. It was a secret art passed down solely to the direct descendants of the Hwangbo Clan. In Buddhist cosmology, Mount Sumeru is the center of the universe. Atop Mount Sumeru lies the Trayastrimsa Heaven, ruled by Lord Shakra, who is guarded by the Four Heavenly Kings. The "Heavenly King" in the Hwangbo Clan's martial arts referred to these very guardians. Consequently, the martial arts of the Hwangbo Clan were exceptionally robust and unyielding.
Thirty percent is more than enough.
He calmed his internal energy, which was rearing to charge like a rampaging bull, and circulated exactly thirty percent of his power.
"Hwangbo Mujin of the Hwangbo Clan."
"Byeok Sogun of the Byeok Clan."
After exchanging a formal, half-hearted fist-and-palm salute, they fell into their starting stances.
Byeok Sogun made the first move. As if releasing all the resentment he had bottled up, he charged forward with formidable momentum and threw a punch.
Lanky, just like a typical Kunlun Slave.
Byeok Sogun possessed a build far larger than average. His hands were as broad as pot lids, and his limbs were as long and thick as pillars. The fist hurtling forward resembled a flying harpoon. However...
Slow and predictable.
Taking a swift step forward, Mujin deflected the strike with the back of his hand. His target was Sogun's wrist.
*Smack!*
With a sound like two stones colliding, Sogun's fist was knocked off course. In the same breath, Mujin unleashed a counter-punch. Sogun hastily raised his arm to block.
*Thud!*
Byeok Sogun skidded backward. His blocking arm trembled slightly, throbbing from the impact.
"My clan's martial arts are defined by sheer strength."
Though the subtleties of martial arts were often categorized into speed, change, weight, strength, and softness, no single attribute existed in isolation. The techniques of the Hwangbo Clan, rooted in the Sumeru Heavenly King Divine Art, were fundamentally strong, heavy, and domineering.
"Did you honestly think you could block it?"
*Thud, thud.* His heavy footsteps shook the very ground. With his opponent still off-balance from the clash, Mujin closed the distance.
"Take this!"
The Hwangbo Clan's Thunderbolt Divine Art was a hand-based style. Fists, palms, and hand strikes—these three methods were unleashed, each embodying the principles of strength and dominance. *Whoosh!* A torrent of forms tore through the air. The overlapping sounds of his strikes gathered like a low rumble of thunder from dark storm clouds. To defend against the onslaught, Byeok Sogun frantically moved his hands.
It's too heavy.
Sogun thought. Just as Mujin had said, every single form of the Hwangbo Clan's martial arts carried immense weight. Had he been a martial artist of Wudang, he might have utilized the principle of overcoming hardness with softness to minimize the damage while counterattacking. However, the Thunderbolt Divine Art he practiced was far closer to hardness than softness. When hardness clashed with hardness, no matter how much one endured, the weaker side was bound to shatter. Sogun was no exception. His reactions grew sluggish under the bone-rattling strikes. Mujin's palm strike pushed his right arm aside, and a follow-up hand strike seized his left arm. With his defenses completely breached, Sogun watched as his opponent prepared to deliver the final blow. Sogun's eyes widened.
Flash—
Mujin unleashed a punch as fast as a lightning bolt. The fist grazed past Sogun's head, missing by a hair's breadth.
*Slash—*
A thin red line appeared on Sogun's dark cheek, and a bead of blood trickled down.
"This is the Thunderbolt Divine Art."
"...Impressive."
Byeok Sogun said, closing his wide-open eyes. Setting aside his opponent's personality, he was genuinely filled with admiration for the martial arts Mujin had displayed. Sogun had witnessed the true essence of thunder and lightning in those strikes. It was undoubtedly one of the paths he himself aspired to reach.
"Do you understand the difference in our class now?"
"No. I lost because I, Byeok Sogun, am weak. But my clan's Thunderbolt Divine Art is by no means an art that can be compared to cheap street-side martial arts."
"Ha. You still haven't learned your lesson even after being thoroughly beaten. Fine."
Withdrawing his fist, Hwangbo Mujin sneered, his lips curling with contempt.
"I'll make sure you never forget this."
His aura shifted completely. If he had been holding back until now, his entire body was now radiating a lethal intent that warned Sogun he might be severely crippled. Sensing this, Sogun braced himself. The martial arts of the Hwangbo Clan he had just experienced certainly lived up to their legendary reputation. If Mujin was going to fight in earnest, Sogun had to prepare himself for the worst. As he readied his stance...
A voice echoed directly in his mind. It was a rapid, detailed stream of instructions that felt as though it were being engraved into his brain. Sogun recognized the owner of the voice instantly.
Lady Yoo?
But he had no time to ponder.
*Whoosh!*
Hwangbo Mujin launched his attack.
The voice in his head continued.
This time, Sogun followed the instructions. But he was a fraction of a second too slow. Though he successfully blocked the punch, his hand caught Mujin's collar instead of his wrist. He pulled, but Mujin had already braced himself, keeping his balance intact.
Only then did Sogun realize what was happening. Yoo Jeong was orchestrating a counter-strategy by combining the very forms of the Thunderbolt Divine Art that Sogun had displayed earlier. In other words, every instruction she gave was something he was fully capable of executing. Emptying his mind of all doubts, Sogun moved his body exactly as directed.
Their limbs clashed and tangled. Though Hwangbo Mujin's fists managed to land on Sogun...
It's different.
He was no longer merely enduring the thunderous strikes. Byeok Sogun was now pressing forward with incredible speed and fluid, unpredictable variations. In the face of this sudden shift, Mujin's attacks lost their momentum and went astray.
For the first time, a look of sheer bewilderment washed over Hwangbo Mujin's face. Yet, even as that arrogant, haughty expression finally cracked, Sogun felt no sense of triumph.
He was simply filled with pure, unadulterated joy. So this is how the Thunderbolt Divine Art can be unleashed. It was a state of selflessness, a profound awakening, and an incomparable ecstasy. He moved faster and faster, striking harder and harder, executing the martial arts precisely as guided. And finally...
"A lightning bolt shows countless variations in the brief moment it strikes."
Just like the drawing Sogun's father had traced on the dirt floor to show him, a multitude of variations manifested within a single, lightning-fast hand strike.
"What...?"
Unable to keep up with the dizzying changes, Hwangbo Mujin's defense crumbled completely. And just as thunder inevitably follows lightning, a fist tore through the air with a roaring boom, slamming squarely into Hwangbo Mujin's face.
"Argh!"
With a choked gasp, Mujin's head snapped backward. But instead of watching his opponent fall, Byeok Sogun stared down at his own fist. In that fleeting moment of absolute focus, he had unleashed the Thunderbolt Divine Art in its truest, most complete form.
With a dazed expression, Sogun spoke.
"This, too, is the Thunderbolt Divine Art."