Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: The Gauntlet of Pungroe-gok
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*Fwip!*
Spotting the hail of hidden weapons, Bu Eun-seol shot into the air without hesitation.
*Clank, shwiiiiik!*
Just then, another volley of hidden weapons rained down toward the spot where Bu Eun-seol had leaped.
They had anticipated he would leap above the rope to dodge and had set up a weapon mechanism accordingly.
“Damn!”
Just as Je-un, who was watching, let out a cry of dismay,
*Tap.*
Bu Eun-seol, who was falling, struck the top of his left foot with his right ankle, using the recoil to launch himself into the air once more.
“The Sky-Ascending Ladder?”
Je-un’s jaw dropped as he watched.
This movement technique, also known as Bal-bo-deung-gong, was a method of kicking one's own foot to jump a second time.
However, the Sky-Ascending Ladder was quite tricky to execute, as it required not only reaching a state where one could freely manipulate their internal energy but also possessing delicate control over one's body.
*Whoosh.*
Launching himself into the air again, Bu Eun-seol performed a swallow-like spin and descended back to the ground. In that instant,
*Fshaaaaaa!*
This time, an incredible number of hidden weapons poured down, enough to cover every possible escape route.
“It’s dangerous!”
Je-un shouted, watching the scene unfold.
The sheer number of weapons made it impossible to dodge without jumping down.
*Ssssss.*
Just then, faint afterimages began to pour from Bu Eun-seol's body as he stood on the rope.
At the same time, the incoming weapons started to pass right through him.
*Kwa-ooooo!*
Continuously generating afterimages, Bu Eun-seol began to run forward, piercing through the storm of weapons.
It was the ultimate movement technique, Geuk-sok-mu-yeong, which combined body and footwork simultaneously.
“Th-that’s…”
The eyes of the Changsindae members widened as they recognized the technique Bu Eun-seol was using as Geuk-sok-mu-yeong.
A boy who hadn’t even reached adulthood was freely using an advanced technique where a single mistake could shatter his legs?
*Fwip!*
After breaking through all the weapons and landing on the opposite cliff, Bu Eun-seol immediately entered the guard post.
*Clunk.*
Opening the door and stepping inside, he found two men in the post.
But they were already cold corpses, each with a willow-leaf dagger embedded between their brows.
*'Is that the mechanism?'*
Spotting a long metal lever installed inside the post, Bu Eun-seol pulled it forward with all his might.
*Koo-woong.*
With a low rumble, the hidden weapon mechanisms in front of the post retracted back into the wall.
*'It's done.'*
Bu Eun-seol stepped outside and waved at the Changsindae.
The members of the Changsindae on the other side began to cross the single rope one by one.
*Fwip. Thud.*
Je-un, arriving on the other cliff, patted Bu Eun-seol's shoulder and said.
“Did you learn Master Go's Geuk-sok-mu-yeong?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Excellent.”
Just then, So-jeon, the last one to cross the rope, scoffed.
“Hmph. Don't react to every little thing.”
Watching So-jeon pass by coldly, Je-un gave a playful smile.
“Don't mind him. The Commander is always stingy with praise.”
“It's alright.”
The Changsindae members who had crossed the cliff walked slowly down the narrow path below.
Soon, the entrance to a large cave leading into Pungroe-gok appeared.
The cautiously advancing Changsindae came to a halt.
The end of the cave was blocked, and below it was a small pond.
“If you dive and cross this pond, you'll find an exit. That is the entrance to Pungroe-gok.”
One of the members leading the way stopped and began to explain.
“The problem is that the bottom of this pond is filled with hundreds of ice crystals.”
“Ice crystals.”
As So-jeon stroked his chin, the member continued.
“You have to swim through the freezing pond while constantly circulating your internal energy.”
“So this is how Pungroe-gok has survived like a weed.”
The member nodded at Je-un's exclamation.
“That's right. It's a place that's difficult to enter for anyone who hasn't undergone Pungroe-gok's body modifications.”
“How long is the pond?”
The member quickly replied to So-jeon's question.
“Even if you swim as fast as you can, it will take a quarter of an hour to reach the entrance.”
“So you have to hold your breath for a quarter of an hour while intensely circulating your internal energy.”
The faces of the Changsindae members grew tense.
Internal energy is raised through breathing. To raise one's internal energy for a quarter of an hour on a single breath required both incredible lung capacity and profound internal energy.
“This will be tough. Let's move.”
At So-jeon's words, the Changsindae members took deep breaths and began to enter the pond.
One by one, the members went in. When it was Bu Eun-seol's turn, Je-un spoke.
“You wait here.”
No matter how solid his internal energy, Bu Eun-seol had yet to reach adulthood.
He had no expectation that the boy could raise his internal energy for a quarter of an hour on a single breath.
“It's alright.”
But Bu Eun-seol walked to the edge of the pond without hesitation.
“Are you saying you can hold your breath and circulate your energy for a quarter of an hour?”
Je-un said, his eyes flashing.
“This isn't a place you can enter out of sheer stubbornness.”
“It's not stubbornness.”
Bu Eun-seol said with a nonchalant expression.
“I've been practicing holding my breath since I was a child.”
“Still, no.”
But Je-un shook his head.
“Even if you can hold your breath, your body will be severely damaged by the ice crystals if you can't properly circulate your internal energy.”
Just then, So-jeon grabbed Je-un's shoulder and said.
“Let him be.”
“What?”
“From now on, don't stop him if he says he'll do something.”
“Commander.”
“This is his test.”
Leaving that short remark, So-jeon,
*Splash.*
entered the pond with an indifferent face.
“Then I'll be going in.”
Bu Eun-seol entered the ice-crystal-filled pond without hesitation.
*'Hooo.'*
Having submerged himself in the pond, Bu Eun-seol raised his internal energy with all his might.
A single ice crystal could turn an entire well into a block of ice. And there were dozens of them at the bottom of the pond?
If he didn't circulate his internal energy like mad, his blood vessels would freeze in an instant.
*'Hm?'*
But as he raised his internal energy, Bu Eun-seol blinked.
He had expected a piercing chill to envelop his veins the moment he entered, but he felt no cold at all.
*'Did the ice crystals disappear?'*
Feeling something was off, Bu Eun-seol looked down at the bottom of the pond.
There, pale ice crystals were firmly embedded like pillars, constantly emitting a white, cold energy.
*'Strange.'*
He reached out a hand toward the cold energy emanating from the crystals, but again, he felt no chill.
In fact, it felt pleasantly warm, like touching temperate water.
*'The ice crystals must have lost their potency.'*
But this was Bu Eun-seol's misunderstanding.
Due to the events at the Demonic Hall, Bu Eun-seol's latent potential had been activated, and his Ban-geuk-sim-beop had already entered the third stage.
In other words, he had reached the state of Su-hwa-bul-chim, where his body could not be invaded by hot or cold energy.
However, Hyeol-geum-gang had not expected Bu Eun-seol to progress so quickly, so he hadn't explained the different stages of the Ban-geuk-sim-beop.
As a result, Bu Eun-seol still didn't know the level of his internal energy or what abilities he gained at each stage.
*Pash!*
Finally, Bu Eun-seol emerged from the pond.
“Hoo.”
He could see the Changsindae members panting for breath.
Holding one's breath while circulating internal energy at full power was more exhausting than running dozens of li at top speed.
*Chiiii.*
A few members circulated their yang energy to dry the ice clinging to their clothes.
*'Was the water cold?'*
Bu Eun-seol glanced at the faces of the members who were diligently circulating their energy.
Every one of them was emitting a fierce aura from their entire body, as if they were raising their internal energy with all their might.
“Finish circulating your energy within a quarter of an hour. We will proceed immediately after.”
At So-jeon's shout, the remaining members also closed their eyes and began to circulate their energy.
The only ones not circulating their energy were So-jeon, Je-un, and Bu Eun-seol.
*'So Pavilion Master Bu didn't send him for nothing.'*
So-jeon's eyes glinted as he watched Bu Eun-seol sitting there idly.
*'I'll find out soon enough anyway.'*
He would soon know whether the boy was truly a peerless martial prodigy who could learn in the heat of battle, or if this was all just an overreach.
A life-or-death battle was about to unfold.
So-jeon scanned his men, then slowly rose to his feet.
“Is everyone ready?”
At his words, the eyes of the rested Changsindae members flashed in the darkness.
“Then let's begin.”
Drawing the great saber from his back, So-jeon smiled, baring his fangs.
The all-out battle between Nang-ya-gak's elite unit, the Changsindae, and Pungroe-gok had finally begun.
***
The origin of body strengthening arts is the Un-sin-gang-che-dae-beop of the Pae-gyo.
Afterwards, numerous evil cults researched body strengthening arts that could grant superhuman strength in a short amount of time.
And Pungroe-gok added body modification and drugs to the secret methods of these arts, creating a unique technique called Geum-ryeok-hae-bang-sul.
The humans who undergo this Geum-ryeok-hae-bang-sul are called Geum-ryeok-gwi. Not only can they wield power comparable to martial arts masters, but it is said that their emotions, such as fear, are completely erased.
The heart of Pungroe-gok.
The masters of the Changsindae were relentlessly cutting down the Geum-ryeok-gwi that poured out.
Not only the key figures of Pungroe-gok, but even the stable hands and servants had all undergone the Geum-ryeok-hae-bang-sul, making their numbers truly countless.
*Chaaat! Paaat!*
Bu Eun-seol's eyes gleamed as he swung his longsword, cutting down the Geum-ryeok-gwi.
*'They've even eliminated their sense of pain.'*
Even when their limbs were blown off by weapons, the Geum-ryeok-gwi charged forward without any hesitation.
Whatever special secret method was used, the Geum-ryeok-gwi had been stripped not only of fear, but also of the sensation of pain.
*Fwip!*
Dodging a sickle that flew at him from behind, Bu Eun-seol swung his longsword again.
*Psh! Paaa!*
In an instant, he slashed the vital points on the necks and chests of three Geum-ryeok-gwi, sending blood splattering in all directions.
“Kehehehe!”
But the Geum-ryeok-gwi just burst into laughter and swung their weapons.
When they lack the reactions and movements that a human should have? Even a master would be caught off guard.
*Swish!*
Just then, five or six groups of Geum-ryeok-gwi rushed toward Bu Eun-seol.
Charging as a single mass, the Geum-ryeok-gwi took the brunt of Bu Eun-seol's sword techniques with their bodies as they closed the distance.
*'I need to increase the power.'*
Ordinary sword forms couldn't put down the Geum-ryeok-gwi in a single blow.
The moment Bu Eun-seol was about to lower his stance to use a move that was slower but more powerful,
*Bang!*
With an explosive sound, a massive saber shot past Bu Eun-seol, turning the Geum-ryeok-gwi into a bloody mess in one strike.
It was a single strike from the Changsindae Commander, So-jeon.
“Brat, you're in the way! Get back!”
And before Bu Eun-seol could reply, he swung his great saber and charged forward.
*Paat! Papapak!*
As So-jeon cleared a path with his saber, the masters of the Changsindae unleashed their own sword techniques to support him.
Whether the enhanced humans were steeped in drugs, unable to use martial arts, or incapable of feeling pain…
The masters of the Changsindae mechanically blocked the flood of attacks and counterattacked.
If the enhanced humans were fearless beasts, then the masters of the Changsindae were like killing machines made of metal.
*Whoosh. Spurt.*
A spray of blood erupted from all sides.
Each time, the charging enhanced humans fell in droves.
*'Right. I came here to learn ultimate techniques.'*
Bu Eun-seol flicked the blood from his blade. Only then did he recall his purpose for coming here.
*'From now on, I have to watch and learn their sword techniques!'*
Using Geuk-sok-mu-yeong to evade the attacks of the Geum-ryeok-gwi, he began to observe the fights of the Changsindae masters.
How much time had passed?
Bu Eun-seol's gaze soon became fixed on three people.
The Changsindae Commander, So-jeon, who wielded his massive saber like lightning.
The Vice-Commander, Je-un, who held a heavy sword in one hand while continuously throwing willow-leaf daggers with the other.
And the Changsindae member, Han Dan, who used a simple yet powerful sword technique.
Bu Eun-seol had discerned that not only were these three masters the most skilled among the Changsindae, but they also used very mysterious and unique martial arts secrets.
*'I must learn those three techniques!'*