Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Hidden Masters
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The next morning.
Ak Muyoo finished breakfast and handed two books to Ageukta.
“What are these?”
“Martial arts manuals for the men.”
“Wouldn’t it be better if you gave them out yourself?”
“I was going to call them in and do it personally, but it felt like something you should handle.”
“...”
“I’ve written down everything else and left it in your room.”
“You’re really telling me to become the Sovereign of the Border Wastelands?”
“You lack confidence?”
“The Sovereign of the Border Wastelands isn’t something you claim with confidence alone.”
“You’re talking about qualifications. If the Lord of the Great Desert Wolf Heaven lacks them, then no one can claim the title. Besides, you survived for a reason—to become the Sovereign of the Border Wastelands. Just know that.”
“Better an interpretation than the dream itself, kid.”
Ageukta chuckled.
Truth be told, he wasn’t entirely uninterested in the title. But it seemed impossibly distant. He’d have to start from scratch.
“So quit whining and do a good job. I’ve got to head out. Ara!”
Ak Muyoo called to Ara, who was off to one side.
“Yeah.”
“Bring what you made last night to the training grounds.”
He said as he headed outside.
A moment later, he entered the training grounds.
All six hundred members of the Heavenly Center Corps, High Citadel Corps, and Chaga Corps were assembled. Those who had been sitting here and there sprang to their feet at his arrival, swiftly forming neat ranks.
“Welcome.”
The three commanders stepped forward to greet him.
“Eaten breakfast?”
“Yes.”
“Today’s just a meet-and-greet. Training starts in three days.”
“Understood.”
The three bowed their heads.
“Selected your squad leaders?”
“Yes.”
“Bring them out.”
“Squad leaders, front and center!”
Jung Taerang turned and bellowed.
“Yes!”
Sixty men broke from the front ranks and lined up.
Ak Muyoo eyed them carefully.
“Anyone trained in martial arts?”
He asked, lightly raising his right hand. All sixty raised theirs.
“How’s their internal energy?”
He glanced at Heulchi, the High Citadel Corps commander.
“Mostly twenty to thirty years’ worth.”
Heulchi replied.
“Thirty years should be enough for sword wind, right?”
Sword wind referred to the realm where a chilling gust of killing intent trailed a swung blade.
“Yes.”
“You.”
Ak Muyoo pointed at the man in the center.
“Yes!”
The man barked back.
“When I call on you, state your rank and name. That’s your corps, squad, rank, and name—in that order.”
“Heavenly Center Corps Tenth Squad Squad Leader Mo Harak!”
The man shouted again.
“Catch.”
Ak Muyoo tossed him the Secret Heaven Ruyi Ink.
Mo Harak caught it without thinking.
“Urk!”
He jolted in surprise. The ink stick, which he’d taken for a mere club, was far heavier than expected.
“Can you swing it?”
“I can swing it.”
“I mean like a sword or saber.”
“Well...”
Mo Harak trailed off. He might manage a few swings, but fighting with it seemed impossible.
“I wield this in one hand and this in the other.”
He drew the Demon Hook from his belt.
“Isn’t it heavy?”
“You’ll get used to it. What’s the most important thing for that?”
“Stamina.”
“Right. I wielded these with raw physical strength alone, fighting off enemies. Work hard, and you can do the same.”
Just then, Ara arrived carrying something wrapped in cloth. She set it on the platform and unwrapped it, revealing books.
“Distribute them.”
Ak Muyoo told her.
“Got it.”
Ara helped in public to preserve Ak Muyoo’s dignity before the men. As she focused on the books, they floated up one by one, flying toward the commanders and squad leaders.
“Oh!”
Exclamations rose from the ranks.
“What are these?”
Jung Taerang asked.
“Open them. You’ll find an internal energy method, sickle and sword techniques, archery based on the Great Heaven Demon Bow, a few formations, and lightness skills. Memorize everything before training begins. Most can be used without prior internal energy.”
“Martial arts.”
“Even the best techniques are worthless if you don’t master them. Remember that.”
“Understood.”
“Let’s wrap this up.”
Ak Muyoo stepped onto the platform.
He looked down at the assembly and spoke.
“War is best avoided. I sincerely hope it never comes. But if they covet what’s ours, I’ll stake my life to defend it. Because it’s mine—our livelihood, our family’s sustenance. I’ve distributed the manuals through your commanders and squad leaders. I trust they’ll make you stronger. See you in three days.”
Ak Muyoo stepped down.
“Good work.”
He bid farewell to the commanders and left the grounds. At home, Luha waited, dressed for travel.
“You said the ranch.”
She said, seeing his puzzled look.
“Right, I did. Who’s coming?”
“Ara the general and A the hero.”
“The two of them?”
“Busy with martial arts.”
Ageukta answered.
“Muk Busung!”
Ak Muyoo looked up and called.
A window soon opened, and Muk Busung poked his head out.
“Let’s go for a ride. Seo Haran, you too.”
“I’m...”
“Wrapping your head around it won’t make it click instantly. Just memorize it first. Let it simmer in your mind until it suddenly makes sense. Then practice.”
Muk Busung stared at Ak Muyoo.
He’d been stuck from the start, struggling with the Sea Horse Storm Great Heaven Flow manual. Its principles clashed with everything he’d learned before. He couldn’t even begin.
Seo Haran was in the same boat.
“Coming down.”
Moments later, the two emerged.
Total steward Heo Se-wook arrived leading horses—tall Western steeds. Luha mounted her white horse, and the others followed suit. Ak Muyoo’s was brown.
“Thanks.”
Ak Muyoo patted his horse’s neck.
Prance!
As if thrilled for the outing, it neighed happily, shaking its head. A packhorse laden with gear trailed Luha’s.
“What’s with that one?”
Ak Muyoo asked.
“We might eat lunch there.”
“Pretty far, huh?”
“Yeah. I’ll be back.”
Luha nodded to Heo Se-wook and urged her horse on.
“Let’s stop by the forge first.”
She said as they rode.
“Why the forge?”
Ak Muyoo asked.
“Promised to make arrows.”
“Do it.”
The group headed to the forge.
Word of Ak Muyoo’s party heading to the ranch spread quickly to the other families. The first to hear was the New Wind Thousand Li Revolution Clan to the east.
“It’s me, Patriarch.”
Jeok Mulri entered Patriarch Hyeokse Ulmyeong’s quarters.
“What is it?”
“The Heavenly Center, High Citadel, and Chaga family heads are leaving the kingdom.”
“Where to?”
“The ranch.”
“Go welcome them.”
“Yes.”
Jeok Mulri departed.
Soon after, he returned with one warrior. It was Sa-gwi Geo Bu Chi, commander of the Sand Wind Spirit Demon Squad from the Wind Sand Evil Clan.
“I heard on the way they’re leaving the kingdom.”
Geo Bu Chi said.
“True.”
“Where are they headed?”
“Eliminating them would be fine, but only if it doesn’t concern us.”
“Understood.”
“There’s a ranch to the north. That’s their destination. Get details from the total steward.”
“Got it.”
Geo Bu Chi clasped his fists, turned, and left. An hour later, he exited the east gate, followed by Cha Ji Woong on a camel. He was the one who’d tipped off the New Wind Thousand Li Revolution Clan about Luha’s outing.
They rode east to the Huayang Wood forest. As Geo Bu Chi arrived, hundreds emerged from the trees—surviving Sand Wind Spirit Demon Squad members and five hundred Wind Sand Evil Clan warriors.
“That bitch Luha’s left Chacha Kingdom.”
Geo Bu Chi announced.
“Where to?”
Deputy commander Bu Cha asked.
“Their target is Heavenly Mountains. We leave now.”
“Understood.”
The men fetched camels and mounted.
“Lead the way.”
Geo Bu Chi told Cha Ji Woong.
“Follow me. Hya!”
Cha Ji Woong whipped his reins.
Five hundred Wind Sand Evil Clan warriors kicked up a sandstorm toward the Heavenly Mountains.
At that moment.
Ak Muyoo’s group had reached the forge.
“Welcome.”
Cheol Mok bowed to them.
“The arrows I requested?”
Luha asked.
“The arrows?”
“Yes.”
“Five hundred are ready.”
“I’ll take three hundred.”
“Very well.”
Cheol Mok went inside and returned with ten quivers, thirty arrows each.
Luha slung them on either side of her horse.
“How many of mine did you make?”
Ak Muyoo asked.
“Faked Dark Current Arrows: a hundred. Real ones: haven’t started.”
“Give me those.”
“Where to?”
“Practice.”
“Not just archery practice, is it?”
Cheol Mok eyed him.
“Planning a gold mine visit too.”
“You think it’s guarded?”
“If unguarded, Chacha Kingdom would overflow with gold. It doesn’t. Problem is, Heavenly Center, High Citadel, and Chaga aren’t guarding it.”
“I see. One moment.”
Cheol Mok returned with a box and a quiver-like bandolier.
“That for the Dark Current Arrows?”
“One per pocket.”
He pointed to the bandolier’s small pouches. Ak Muyoo slipped a Dark Current Arrow from the box into one. Perfect fit.
“Four bandoliers total. Twenty arrows each. Sling over the shoulder. Makeshift.”
“Thanks.”
Ak Muyoo expressed his gratitude.
The group left the forge for the ranch at the foot of the Heavenly Mountains north of Chacha Kingdom.
It took over two hours.
Riding nonstop, they arrived just past noon. The ranch, fenced half a zhang high, stretched endlessly.
The herders’ quarters lay midway between pastures and pens.
“Lots of livestock?”
“Ten thousand sheep, a thousand pigs, five hundred camels, two hundred horses. Recently started raising cattle too.”
As they neared the quarters, an old herder rushed out. A local worker.
‘Huh?’
Ak Muyoo’s eyes widened.
The old herder was a martial artist—roughly Cheol Mok’s level.
‘But how does he spot me as one right away?’
Ak Muyoo tilted his head.
It hadn’t happened before. But after consuming the inner core and mastering Mad Thousand Blood Steps, things had changed slightly.
‘Damn. With three inner cores from absolute experts with a thousand years’ energy, this is the least.’
“Long time.”
“Welcome, Family Mother.”
The herder brightened at Luha.
“But...”
He glanced at Ak Muyoo’s group.
“I’m the new family head.”
“New family head...”
The herder looked to Luha.
“She passed in the desert.”
“...I see.”
The herder nodded.
“I’m Cha Ak Muyoo.”
Ak Muyoo introduced himself, deliberately adding the ‘Cha’ surname.
“Mok Woo.”
The old man gave his name.
“Pleased. How many here?”
“Ten.”
“All masters like you?”
Ak Muyoo dismounted as he asked.
“Pardon?”
“Martial arts.”
“...”
Mok Woo stared in shock. No one had ever recognized his training—not even the previous head. Yet Ak Muyoo saw it instantly.
“Cheol Mok isn’t one of ours, so fair enough, but I wish you’d come along. Bit of a shame.”
“We didn’t ask. He’d have agreed if we had.”
“I see.”
Ak Muyoo nodded.
“You really trained in martial arts?”
Luha asked Mok Woo.
“Retired. Sorry I couldn’t help.”
Mok Woo bowed.
“I understand. No—tending the ranch helps greatly.”
Four more emerged soon after, all around Mok Woo’s age.
‘Martial artists too.’
Ak Muyoo mused inwardly. All four were masters.
“Time for archery practice.”
Ak Muyoo grabbed his Heavenly God Sun Bow and Dark Current Arrows, scanning the area.
“That’ll do.”
He spotted a large tree and headed there. Stopping fifty zhang away, he nocked a Dark Current Arrow—five cun long, like a shrunken arrow, less than a span.
For such a small arrow to fly true, its center of balance had to be perfect. Any flaw would make it spin wildly, useless. Straight flight meant speed and power.
That’s why a smith’s skill mattered for odd weapons like Dark Current Arrows.
“Let’s see how well Cheol Mok did.”
He steadied his breath and slowly drew the string.