Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: The Five-Move Trial
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In the heart of Ma-jeon was a grand training ground, large enough for over three hundred martial artists to practice at once.
The Sip-ma-jeon-in tournament had also begun here in the past.
Countless prodigies, who had entered Ma-jeon with lofty dreams, had bled and died in this very place.
“This is the place.”
Sim-wol, who was guiding Bu Eun-seol, pointed to the stairs leading up to the grand training ground.
“Once you ascend to the training ground, you will find those who are waiting for you, Young Master Bu.”
Bu Eun-seol nodded and was about to take a step when he suddenly asked.
“What is the relationship between Ma-jeon and the Ten Demonic Sects?”
“The relationship, you ask...”
“Are there masters from the Ten Demonic Sects stationed in Ma-jeon?”
Sim-wol blinked for a moment before speaking.
“Of course. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the key positions in Ma-jeon are held by masters from the Ten Demonic Sects.”
“Then are they people of the Ten Demonic Sects, or are they people of Ma-jeon?”
Understanding the crux of the question, Sim-wol's eyes gleamed.
“For now, you could say they are people of Ma-jeon. Once they take a position here, they can no longer involve themselves in the affairs of their sects.”
“I see.”
Bu Eun-seol narrowed his eyes.
He had a premonition that his fate would drastically change depending on whether those conducting the five-move test belonged to Ma-jeon or were masters dispatched from their respective sects.
*If that person is a master sent directly from Baek-ma-sa... it will be difficult for me to survive.*
Just then, Sim-wol clasped her hands together.
“Well then, I wish you good fortune in your martial endeavors, Young Master Bu.”
Bu Eun-seol nodded and slowly ascended to the grand training ground.
Step by step…
As he neared the grand training ground, memories of what had transpired here in the past resurfaced.
The boys and girls who had died so brutally in a scene of utter chaos. And on that day, Bu Eun-seol had been the sole survivor.
*I will survive today as well.*
*Thud.*
As he stepped onto the grand training ground, he saw a small platform with a table, where four people were seated side by side.
“Ahem.”
Among them, an old man standing in the center cleared his throat and spoke to Bu Eun-seol.
“Are you the Sip-ma-jeon-in from Nang-ya-gak?”
The old man's appearance was gaunt and unimpressive, but his eyes held an energy that could overwhelm anyone.
“I am Bu Eun-seol, a disciple of Nang-ya-gak.”
As Bu Eun-seol politely clasped his hands and bowed, the old man nodded.
“This old one is Gok Gyo-bong, residing in the back rooms of the Hall of Elders. I am here today to oversee your test.”
He introduced himself as a back-room elder, but he was a master of a past generation, once known as the 'Heaven-Shaking Blood Hand,' who had terrorized the Yang-gwang martial world.
However, Bu Eun-seol, completely unaware of this fact, simply bowed respectfully.
Gok Gyo-bong then gestured to the middle-aged man on his left.
“This is Yu Un-seong, the leader of the Mil-yeong-dan from the main hall.”
Yu Un-seong wore a sword at his waist. It was about three *chi* longer and half a *chon* narrower than a standard longsword.
He was clearly a master from the Hwa-u Sword Sect.
“Leader Yu.”
Bu Eun-seol bowed, but Yu Un-seong only stared back with cold eyes.
“This is Neung-gak, the master of the Hyeon-hyeon Hall of our pavilion. He is from Nang-ya-gak, just like you.”
Where Gok Gyo-bong pointed, a tall man dressed as a scholar sat with a gentle smile.
“Master Neung.”
“A pleasure. I've heard so much about you here my ears are ringing.”
Smiling warmly, he nodded with an expression of admiration.
“Our pavilion has truly discovered an outstanding disciple.”
“And this is Go Gun-pyeong, the commander of the Muk-ryong Brigade of our pavilion.”
At Go Gun-pyeong's waist, seated at the very end, hung a glittering whip that looked as if it were made from crushed diamonds.
He was a master from Baek-ma-sa.
“Commander Go.”
Bu Eun-seol bowed, but Go Gun-pyeong remained seated without even glancing at him.
“Well then, let's get started.”
Gok Gyo-bong said calmly, glancing around.
“This matter began at the request of Baek-ma-sa and the Hwa-u Sword Sect. Baek-ma-sa wished to evaluate the qualifications of the Sip-ma-jeon-in, and the Hwa-u Sword Sect claimed that an unacceptable special privilege was granted.”
“It is not a claim, but a fact. That boy learned the Jeon-roe-mu-ssang-sik despite not being a disciple of our sect.”
At Yu Un-seong's words, Gok Gyo-bong shook his head.
“Let's not debate the justification for today's events. Not when it's something that must be done anyway.”
His words held a veiled criticism of the Hwa-u Sword Sect's stubbornness.
“I will ask one more time. If he passes this test, do you agree not to impose any sanctions for him having learned the Jeon-roe-mu-ssang-sik?”
“We do.”
When Yu Un-seong agreed, he turned to Go Gun-pyeong.
“I ask you. If he passes this test, will Baek-ma-sa no longer hold this boy responsible in any way?”
“That is correct.”
As Go Gun-pyeong answered without hesitation, Gok Gyo-bong nodded.
“Then let the test begin.”
At that, Go Gun-pyeong, who had been sitting, slowly walked to the front of the training stage.
“Five moves.”
He said to Bu Eun-seol, who stood in the center of the stage.
“If you can block just five moves, it will be over.”
“Understood.”
As Bu Eun-seol replied, Go Gun-pyeong took a deep breath.
*Ssssk.*
The White Horse Whip coiled around his waist slithered up his forearm like a living snake.
He was demonstrating the state of *Sim-eo-pyeon*, controlling the whip freely with his will.
“Draw your weapon.”
“I will draw it when the time comes.”
“Hmph.”
Recalling that Nang-ya-gak's martial arts did not rely on weapons, Go Gun-pyeong nodded.
“Do as you wish.”
“Then, I shall learn from your moves.”
Bu Eun-seol respectfully clasped his hands and slowly lowered his stance.
It was a flawless stance, but in Go Gun-pyeong's eyes, it was merely the posturing of a novice who had yet to learn a true ultimate art.
*Hmph.*
Go Gun-pyeong glanced down at his White Horse Whip and sighed inwardly.
It was called a test, but the difference in skill between him and Bu Eun-seol was that of an adult and a child. No, it was even greater.
*I don't know what I'm even doing here.*
Go Gun-pyeong was one of the foremost masters of Baek-ma-sa, scouted early on by Ma-jeon to lead the Muk-ryong Brigade.
*Even if it is the Temple Master's order...*
He couldn't hide his burgeoning dissatisfaction.
Go Gun-pyeong was a master renowned even in the Jianghu. To think he had to face a mere novice in a place like this.
“Then I shall begin.”
Gripping the White Horse Whip, Go Gun-pyeong narrowed his eyes at Neung-gak, who was seated far away.
*For the sake of Nang-ya-gak's honor, I'll let him pass the first four moves and then take both his arms on the fifth.*
The Baek-ma-sa Temple Master's original order was to take Bu Eun-seol's head.
But for him, a commander in Ma-jeon, to take the head of a nameless novice was too great an injury to his pride.
*Living without two arms will be more agonizing than death. The Temple Master will surely understand.*
Having made up his mind, Go Gun-pyeong lightly extended his whip and initiated the first move.
Bu Eun-seol's eyes flashed.
*A fast sword technique?*
*Whoosh.*
In that instant, with a tremendous sound of tearing air, something fast shot toward the space between Bu Eun-seol's eyebrows.
*Urk.*
He twisted his body as much as possible to avoid it, but with a sharp *smack*, a long gash was torn across his cheek.
*Drip.*
Fresh blood welled up and trickled from the split skin.
If he hadn't learned the fundamentals of practical combat from Dang Cheong and been unable to predict the movement, he never would have dodged it.
“First move, White Demon's Heart Snatch.”
Go Gun-pyeong muttered lowly.
He announced the name of the technique after executing it in order to count the moves accurately.
*The boy has some decent fundamentals.*
Nodding, Go Gun-pyeong opened the palm that was holding the White Horse Whip.
*Fwoosh!*
Simultaneously, the White Horse Whip in his hand transformed into five streaks of light, lunging toward Bu Eun-seol as if to seize his body.
*They're all feints!*
Having already deeply mastered Ya-su-do, Bu Eun-seol saw through the five whip shadows, recognizing them all as feints.
*Below!*
Sensing killing intent surging from the floor, Bu Eun-seol threw himself backward.
*Fwing!*
At the same time, a single lash of the White Horse Whip grazed the tip of Bu Eun-seol's nose and dug into the ground.
“Second move, White Demon's Descent.”
Muttering softly, Go Gun-pyeong watched Bu Eun-seol manage to evade and nodded inwardly.
*He has certainly learned Ya-su-do.*
As Bu Eun-seol easily dodged even the second move, Go Gun-pyeong's eyebrows shot up.
*Perhaps... I should push him a little.*
This time, Go Gun-pyeong opened the hand gripping the whip, showing his palm.
“You'd do well to be careful from now on.”
He muttered lowly, this time shouting the name of the technique beforehand.
He was confident that Bu Eun-seol would not be able to escape unscathed.
“Third move, White Demon's Chaotic Shadows.”
*Shaaaaaa.*
Bu Eun-seol felt the illusion of hundreds of whip shadows pouring down from the sky like rain.
No matter how he scanned the falling shadows, there was no way to discern which was real and which was an illusion.
*If I can't discern them, I have to dodge them all.*
Endless whip shadows, impossible to know from where they would strike.
Watching the whip shadows pour down, squirming like hundreds of snakes, Bu Eun-seol drew upon his internal energy with all his might.
*Ssssk.*
A hazy mist seemed to rise from Bu Eun-seol's shadow, and soon his entire body blurred.
At the same time, the hundreds of whip lashes falling from the sky began to graze past his body.
*Kwoooooo!*
With a sound like a passing storm, the whip shadows that had filled the stage vanished as if washed away.
“Not bad.”
Go Gun-pyeong couldn't hide his surprised expression.
He had expected that even if Bu Eun-seol dodged the White Demon's Chaotic Shadows, he would still suffer significant injuries.
But aside from his clothes being torn to rags, Bu Eun-seol stood perfectly fine, without a single fatal wound.
“Huu. Huu.”
Bu Eun-seol panted heavily.
Not only had he drawn upon his internal energy with all his strength, but it was also the first time he had used the unfamiliar Geuk-sok-mu-yeong in actual combat.
*If he had followed that move with a consecutive attack...*
Fat beads of sweat streamed down Bu Eun-seol's forehead like rain.
*I would have been fatally wounded instantly.*
Bu Eun-seol had only just mastered the third level of Geuk-sok-mu-yeong.
Nevertheless, he had been able to avoid the White Demon's Chaotic Shadows for two reasons.
First, Go Gun-pyeong had not used his full power, and second, he had stopped immediately after executing the single move.
*This won't do. A standard move won't be enough.*
Go Gun-pyeong, for his part, was greatly surprised.
Bu Eun-seol possessed far greater skill than he had anticipated. If he half-heartedly let the fourth move pass as well, he might not be able to take his arms.
*I have no choice.*
This time, Go Gun-pyeong slowly raised his arm into the air.
“Fourth move, White Demon's Heart Strike.”
*Gooooooh.*
In an instant, a tremendous energy began to pour out in all directions.
Seeing that movement, Bu Eun-seol's expression changed for the first time.
*I can't read the move.*
Ever since learning the fundamentals of practical combat from Dang Cheong, Bu Eun-seol had been able to predict moves to some extent.
But this time, he couldn't detect even a hint of an attack in Go Gun-pyeong's stance.
*If I can't sense the attack, I'll die!*
At this moment of crisis, Bu Eun-seol recalled a secret manual he had read in the library, the *Nang-ya-il-jeon*.
—Ya-su-do is not omnipotent. To move by sense alone is the way of a beast. A martial master must 'think' a little more. Amplify your senses only when necessary...
Recalling the passage, Bu Eun-seol closed his eyes.
And he pushed the senses of Ya-su-do, which he had kept locked away until now, to their absolute maximum.
*Hwaak.*
In that instant, Bu Eun-seol's eyes flew wide open.
At the same time, he saw a vision of a sharp whip shadow from above piercing through his body.
*Kwajik!*
In that moment, the whip unleashed by Go Gun-pyeong was embedded in the ground right below Bu Eun-seol's feet.
The moment he saw the vision, Bu Eun-seol had instinctively taken a step back.
*He dodged... the White Demon's Heart Strike?*
Go Gun-pyeong's eyes widened like saucers.
The White Demon's Heart Strike was a secret killing move, an unorthodox application of the Phantom Sword, an art that almost no one in the current martial world used.
Even in Baek-ma-sa, masters who could avoid this technique were rare, yet a novice who had not even properly learned martial arts had dodged it?
*So that was it.*
Only then did Go Gun-pyeong understand why the Hwa-u Sword Sect had joined the Baek-ma-sa Temple Master's plan for revenge over his grandson's death.
They were wary of such an unparalleled martial prodigy inheriting the true legacy of Nang-ya-gak.
*The root of trouble must be eliminated beforehand.*
Go Gun-pyeong, having witnessed firsthand what an exceptional talent Bu Eun-seol was.
It felt as if hundreds of flames were flaring up all over his body.
In the end, he decided to take not just Bu Eun-seol's arms, but his life.