Chapter 119
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 119
Chapter Title: Ridiculing the Fundamentals
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"I'd heard so much about the Latent Dragon Squad that I was secretly looking forward to it, but you're younger than I expected."
"......"
Yu Hyun's eye twitched at the cold, mocking tone.
If you'd learned any manners, you'd usually keep that kind of talk to yourself, right?
You think I mutter a thousand words inside my head for no reason every day?
Rage boiled up, but he forced a smile anyway.
In a way, it made sense. The guy looked at least ten years older at a glance......
Yeah, there's a reason for sayings like 'respect your elders.' Even a bastard dog gets its three bites at home first—what about a senior Taoist instructor?
On top of that, the eyes staring at him were already unfavorable after yesterday's major blunder. Stirring up more trouble wouldn't do any good.
"So, what's brings you here so early in the morning?"
"Ah, well......"
For a split second, he nearly snapped back and stormed off, but Nangong Seong's eager gaze caught his eye.
If our Seong wants to watch that badly, how can I turn away as his uncle?
He hadn't even heard the name yet, but he'd just chalk it up to a poorly mannered Taoist and endure.
Half-listen, half-let it slide—what's a little informal talk?
Suppressing the itch in his fist that wanted to smash the Taoist's face, Yu Hyun spoke with forced politeness.
"If it's not too much trouble, may I observe your morning training?"
"Observe?"
"Yes. I've always admired Wudang swordsmanship......"
"......"
He trailed off, glancing sideways, and saw the smirk deepen on the Taoist's lips.
This punk wouldn't even fill a single punch......
"I've heard you're from a scholarly family."
"......"
"No wonder you're curious. Wudang's advanced sword arts aren't just anything. I permit it. But we can't casually show off sect secrets, so you'll only observe the basic forms."
Every word dripped with condescension, but Yu Hyun swallowed his piling anger and nodded.
I know your so-called secrets better than your sect leader, you punk.
These so-called prestigious families and sects must've planted millennium iron in their noses for attitude...... Especially ones without the skills to back it up.
He'd thought mountain hermits might be different, but apparently not.
Well, even Taoists who claim to transcend fame and glory are human in the end.
Ignore it. He wasn't here to fight Wunhyeon; grab him and go.
Exercising ultimate patience, Yu Hyun carefully stepped aside, as the instructor turned to the training ground and muttered.
"Tsk tsk, entrusting a warrior squad to someone not even born to martial arts, from a scholarly clan no less. And so young at that...... What is the Orthodox Martial Alliance thinking?"
"......"
Ha, listen to this? That's said loud enough to hear.
"What are you lot doing? Draw your swords!"
Oblivious to Yu Hyun's stiff expression, the instructor's shout had the second-generation disciples uniformly raise wooden swords into stance.
"One!"
"Hah!"
The synchronized movements matched the command as if performed by a single person.
"Two!"
"Chah!"
Even as feet shifted and stances changed, the ranks remained ruler-straight, sword tips all thrusting in perfect unison.
The uniformity was impressive enough to draw admiration, but they'd never grow beyond a certain point like that.
Overemphasizing rigid frames stifles freedom.
Sticking to basics doesn't mean obsessing over uniformity—tsk.
"You fool! Hyun-gong! Your sword tip is off! Raise it three inches higher!"
"......"
Yu Hyun couldn't help but chuckle at the instructor's bellow.
The second-gen disciple Hyun-gong's issue wasn't the sword tip—it was his foot placement.
But that was natural too. Being shorter, stretching his feet like the others would lower his stance and droop the sword inevitably.
He needed to readjust his spacing, but the instructor insisted on forcing the exact sword form template.
Pathetic...... They'd take forever to improve like this.
Seeing that explained why prestigious clans' arts were hard to master and progressed slowly.
Sure, more intricate and profound than random junk arts, but ditching that rigid training alone would speed up growth immensely.
Then their number of masters would swell quickly, and they might not have crumbled so easily during the chaos.
Whatever—mind my own business. They have their ways.
Shaking his head to clear the thoughts, he sensed something off in the atmosphere.
What? Why'd they stop training to stare at me?
Puzzled, Yu Hyun narrowed his eyes to scan around, only to find the instructor glaring fiercely at him.
"Why did you laugh?"
"Pardon?"
"I'm asking why you laughed the moment I corrected Hyun-gong."
"......"
Ah, I thought I'd laughed discreetly...... Sharp eyes, caught that too.
"Are you mocking Wudang swordsmanship?"
"No, it's not that."
"Then explain."
"......"
Sensing trouble from the stiff tone, irritation flickered across Yu Hyun's face.
"I just laughed."
"Just laughed? Are you toying with me?"
"......"
If you're just gonna nitpick words, don't ask?
Making that face like he won't understand no matter what I say.
"Explain the reason for your laugh right now."
"......"
Staring him down, as if he'd swing a fist without an answer, something deep inside Yu Hyun—the real Jin Wi-gang—finally reared its head.
"Why should I?"
"What?"
"Why do I have to?"
"You insolent—!"
"......"
Sensing the worsening mood, Nangong Seong rushed over to calm the instructor and defuse things.
"Why is this happening?"
"Stay out of it."
"Please calm down. Won't the Wudang disciples and Latent Dragon Squad be family soon?"
"Who said that!"
"Pardon?"
"Who said anything about family?"
"......"
The instructor's eyes blazed as he raised his voice.
"I heard it all. Some nobody without connections snagged a squad leader post in the Orthodox Martial Alliance."
"......"
"Ridiculous. How can someone ignorant of the martial world's ways lead other warriors? Absurd. I hear you, Little Iron Dragon, and Dark Dragon came with him? My advice: don't waste your time following that trash—go back where you belong. This isn't kids' play......"
"......"
A thick smile crept onto Yu Hyun's lips as he listened quietly.
He instantly understood the sudden informal tone and rudeness.
But even so. Mocking him right to his face like this? That's practically begging him not to hold back.
Especially when he was ready to take responsibility for his words.
"Man, the more I listen quietly, the prettier your words get."
"......?"
As Yu Hyun burst into laughter and turned combative, everyone's faces there stiffened.
Ignoring it, he crossed his legs casually and cocked his head.
"Yeah, I laughed."
"Wh-what?"
"Un-uncle!"
The instructor's face twisted savagely at the sudden shift, like a different person, while Nangong Seong's eyes widened like saucers.
"Your teaching's a mess—why wouldn't I laugh, praise it?"
"What?"
"If you've got a brain, use it to think. Martial arts are water, people are vessels—fit the water to the vessel, not the vessel to the water?"
"What are you trying to say?"
"Look at you, not even grasping that. No wonder the kids are like this. An unprepared fool trying to teach."
"......Wh-what did you call me? Fool?"
The Taoist's face flushed hot at the icy jab.
Informal and picking fights? 'Fool' fits—why call him 'sir'?
Yu Hyun sneered fully at the instructor.
"Scholarly birth or not, should I say you can't see what's plain? Or keep quiet if you can't feel what's obvious?"
"You dare—!"
"Screw you."
"......"
"A mangy mutt like you judging others and picking fights? Save that for your disciples who blindly follow your nonsense teaching. Not for a precious son from a stranger's house."
"......"
The Taoist's eyes twitched wildly at Yu Hyun's frost-laced glare.
"Un-uncle, please stop."
"Shut it."
"......"
Nangong Seong tried intervening, aware of the gravity, but any intent to hold back had vanished long ago.
Relations with Wudang? Past-life master Wunhyeon? Screw 'em.
I didn't learn Mount Hua swordsmanship from my past-life dad just to live as a back-alley thug and wastrel for nothing.
When I snap, I brawl to the death even with neighborhood mutts—that's me.
No backing down now.
Tucking tail here would just make him look ridiculous, and his temper wouldn't let him draw a sword just to swing at air and sheathe it.
"My—my teaching is wrong? Mine, Unsang of Silver Moon Palace's first-gen disciples?"
"......U-Unsang!"
Nangong Seong jolted at the revealed name.
Sword Adept Unsang.
He didn't know the face, but who hadn't heard the name?
One of the late-generation rising stars from the Seven Dragons' prior era.
Rumor had it he was a top candidate for Silver Moon Palace's next lord......
"Nangong Clan's Seong greets Senior Unsang."
Unsang barely nodded back at the hasty bow, then lifted his chin to look down at Yu Hyun.
"The Latent Dragon Captain must fancy his skills and insights quite profound."
"......"
He'd switched to polite speech, but it was pure sarcasm.
His eyes even smirked thicker at Nangong Seong's greeting boosting his ego.
"No answer? Scared now that you heard my name?"
"Bullshit. Ever seen someone flinch at a first-time name?"
"What? First time?"
Unsang's pride stung at Yu Hyun's reaction, eyes bulging.
"Yeah, first time. Don't care about your name anyway, but I'm confident I'm better than you at least."
"......"
Unsang ground his teeth audibly at the assured words, then glared across the training ground and bellowed.
"Silver Moon Palace disciples, clear out now!"
"Y-yes!"
At the abrupt order, the second-gen disciples shuffled nervously to the edges, as Unsang leaped to the training ground's center.
"Come down! Face me and prove your words!"
"......"
"Scared now that it's real?"
"......"
Yu Hyun looked down at him chin-high, then chuckled again.
Those pathetic eyes, trapped in petty prestigious pride, blind to truth......
I'll show you how futile that is.
Yu Hyun lightly hopped down to face Unsang.
"Fine, I'll prove it if you want. But first, make a promise."
"What's that?"
"Though a small laugh sparked it, this spar's by mutual agreement—and you asked first."
"Hmph, music to my ears."
"Good. Then no excuses no matter what happens."
"You're the one who shouldn't whine!"
Unsang snatched a wooden sword, spun it, then pointed it groundward, glaring at Yu Hyun with blazing eyes.
Yu Hyun sighed shortly and picked up a wooden sword to match.
Pathetic. Challenging me with Wudang sword arts.
He could thrash him outright by skill, but first, crush that useless pride.
With what you call the basics' basics, spread even to market kids: Three Talents Swordsmanship......
Perfect for you, flailing blindly stuck in fundamentals.