Chapter 53: Ancient Dragon Leg Art
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 53: Ancient Dragon Leg Art
“Huiya. As I've told you before, your body's structure is different from a human's. Therefore, you cannot achieve greatness by simply mimicking me.”
A day passed with Baek Yeon-yeong grabbing my hands and legs, moving them around.
It seemed less like she was trying to teach me anything and more like she was just having fun, making me flop around.
“Huiya. You must feel the flow of your internal energy. What good is learning the Dragon's Claws if you face a foe you cannot even approach? It would be useless. If you build your internal energy and reach a higher realm, distance will no longer matter.”
Another day was spent teaching me Qi Cultivation.
“Huiya. Your scales are truly beautiful. How about you spare one for this lady?”
A day was spent pulling out my scales and venom.
…Isn't she just satisfying her own selfish desires?
“Huiya. This is a bit awkward to say, but I hope you realize your own identity. It's fine for you to like whomever you want, but those spiders… their size just isn't a match.”
Love life? Another day passed with her counseling me.
Seriously, when is she going to leave?
At this rate, the spider will die!
But to say that, Nephila Jurassica looked perfectly fine.
Baek Yeon-yeong was sharing some kind of medicinal pill from her robes, and it seemed to have the effect of restoring vitality. Thanks to that, the spider seemed fine too.
Still, she can't keep feeding it these forever, so she'll probably leave soon.
I won't be able to see her for a while, so I should get a good look now.
“Keeeng….”
Right. Go on and quickly become an Arachne.
Another day passed.
Today was finally the day I would learn a martial art.
There was only one martial art I would choose.
The leg art called Ancient Dragon Leg Art, depicted in the mural on the wall.
Its very name suggested it was a martial art meant for me.
“A leg art.”
Baek Yeon-yeong nodded after briefly examining the painting on the wall.
“The Ancient Dragon Leg Art is a martial art that blends the profound principles of kwae, jung, and hwan.”
Kwae, jung, and hwan!
I'd only heard of them, but I didn't know exactly what they meant.
Roughly, kwae meant fast.
Jung meant slow and powerful.
Hwan meant confusing or deceptive.
That's all I knew.
“Hardness and softness are fundamental principles, so I won't bother explaining them.”
Huh? Aren't those the most important things?
Please don't overestimate me.
“There are three representative forms. The first is a technique where you pull back your standing foot and continuously strike. The second can be seen as an extension of footwork, a technique where you strike the enemy with an explosive burst of power. The third is a technique that strikes with a trajectory the enemy can never predict….”
….
“Ge-ek!”
Just listening to her is making it hard to breathe.
Please take a breath while you talk. I'm struggling here.
“Do you understand?”
Not really.
“Gek? Gek.”
I'd forgotten, but my master was terrible at explaining things.
I had a hard time understanding when I was learning the Dragon's Claws, too.
Is my comprehension lacking?
No, I don't think so. It's Baek Yeon-yeong's explanation that's weird.
At least, that's what I choose to believe.
“Aish. Why can't you understand!”
“Gek-ge-gek!”
Try explaining it better!
Baek Yeon-yeong rested her chin on her hand and began to ponder.
“Do I have no choice but to demonstrate it again….”
As she said that, she glanced at me.
You're not planning on using it on me, are you?
“Ge-eeek!”
I quickly fled to Tang Soyeong's side, but she ignored me, pretending to treat the spider.
“Ge-ge-gek!”
In the end, I was caught by Baek Yeon-yeong and dragged back to my original spot.
And so, one lizard-shaped scarecrow was recruited.
Baek Yeon-yeong was staring at said scarecrow.
“I'll show you quickly.”
“Ge-ge-gek!”
Just spare my life.
Baek Yeon-yeong's foot cut through the air.
The tip of her foot, which grazed past my cheek, shot out continuously as if the process of retracting it had been skipped.
It was an unbelievably overwhelming speed, yet I could tell she was still holding back.
“This is kwae.”
The moment she finished speaking, Baek Yeon-yeong kicked powerfully, as if pushing the very air.
Paaang!
It was a slow movement, but the power it contained was by no means small.
“This is jung.”
Baek Yeon-yeong's foot swung toward my upper body.
Then, its trajectory suddenly bent.
Shwiiiiik!
“And this is hwan.”
A kick that feinted high, then suddenly aimed low.
…Isn't that a Brazilian kick?
“What do you think?”
What do I think?
Well, I saw it clearly, but….
How should I put it? It's a bit different from what I imagined.
I was a little disappointed.
They were moves impossible to perform with a lizard's body.
I might manage the others, but how am I supposed to do a Brazilian kick?
“The Ancient Dragon Leg Art is a martial art created by the Founder of the Sect.”
The Founder?
If it's the founder of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, then of course….
“That's right. It is a martial art the Heavenly Demon left for us.”
The Heavenly Demon!
My heart began to pound.
“However, the Ancient Dragon Leg Art was a martial art that could not be performed by a human body. What I just showed you was a modified version.”
Wait a minute.
A martial art that can't be performed by a human body?
Does that mean the Heavenly Demon was that powerful?
Or does it mean the Heavenly Demon wasn't human in form?
“Now, I will show you the original form.”
The original form?
But you said it couldn't be performed by a human body.
Baek Yeon-yeong looked at the cave wall.
The moment I thought her foot moved slightly…
Paaaaaang!
Jjeoong!
The sound, unable to keep up with her movement, echoed belatedly.
There were more than ten holes punched into the wall.
I hadn't even seen her foot move once. It was a terrifying speed.
“This is the profound principle of kwae. The Flying Dragon's Flash Lightning.”
Flying Dragon's Flash Lightning.
What a cool name.
It's much better than something like 'Green Basilisk-style Random Pummeling'.
“And this is jung.”
Kugugugugu!
A heavy internal energy pressed down from all sides.
It felt similar to when I activated Uprooting Heavens and Overpowering the World.
Kuuung.
Baek Yeon-yeong had only taken a single step.
Kudududuk!
And yet, the ground was twisting.
From that position, she exerted her strength once more.
Kurrrrrrr!
A vibration powerful enough to suggest the heavens and earth were splitting apart shook the entire cave.
“This is the Descending Dragon Tremor.”
Kwaarrrrrr!
“The last is hwan.”
Baek Yeon-yeong moved her foot slower than ever before.
It was a consideration, allowing me to follow her movements even just a little.
Her foot moved.
Not one, but tens, hundreds of feet.
Afterimages, good enough to be called clones, swung out continuously.
Jjeooooong!
A single kick was unleashed.
It was one, and yet it was hundreds.
“This is the Wandering Dragon Illusion.”
My jaw dropped.
The martial art she had just demonstrated was more beautiful and powerful than anything I had ever seen.
“Normally, I shouldn't have shown you this. There are no drawings of these movements in the mural. There is only the trace left behind by the Founder.”
A trace?
There was only one thing here that could be called a trace.
The mark carved at the very top of the rock, like a sword mark.
That pattern, carved in an impossible location.
The one who carved it was the Heavenly Demon.
Could it be that the mural in the Silver Dragon Cave also recorded a martial art created by the Heavenly Demon?
I felt a fire ignite in my chest.
If there were two murals, it meant there could be more.
That there were more martial arts created by the Heavenly Demon!
The true Heavenly Demon Divine Art!
“We can't call it the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, but it is a martial art that can be used effectively in any situation.”
So it's not the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
Well, I suppose I'd have to learn things like the mental cultivation method first to use that.
Still, the fact that it was a martial art left by the Heavenly Demon was strong motivation to train.
Of course, right now I'm just a big lizard who can't even use the Ancient Dragon Leg Art, but one day, I will learn every martial art depicted in the murals.
Training.
And more training.
“As I've said repeatedly, your body and mine are different. You must create your own movements. This martial art might suit your body better than mine.”
“Gek-gek!”
Right.
Let's proceed step by step.
I'll practice in the empty air.
Until I can create my own movements.
“As it happens, there's a good opponent.”
Huh?
Baek Yeon-yeong's figure vanished in an instant.
She reappeared far in the distance.
In her hand was something familiar.
【Utahraptor LV27】
【Status】
「Frightened」「Starving」
Uh…. hello?
Have you been trapped here ever since that time?
Because you were scared of Baek Yeon-yeong?
Aigoo, you poor thing.
I'll help you get out soon.
…Right after I practice the Ancient Dragon Leg Art.
*
More time passed, and a week had gone by since I came to this cave.
It wasn't perfect, but I could finally use the Ancient Dragon Leg Art.
My training was now over.
The end of training also meant it was time to part ways.
“Hero. Thank you so much for everything,” Tang Soyeong said, holding my hand tightly.
I was a little worried about her going to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's headquarters without me, but she had gotten somewhat close to Baek Yeon-yeong over the past week.
She still stuttered sometimes, but as long as she wasn't rude to someone of higher standing than Baek Yeon-yeong, it was likely my master would look after her.
Be observant and act accordingly.
And please take good care of our spiders.
Make sure they become Arachnes.
Got it?
“Gek-gek.”
As I was conveying these requests, the spiders came scuttling over.
“Kiek.”
“Kieeek.”
“Kieng!”
Sorry. I don't really know what you're saying.
But you guys take care, too.
Let's meet again when you've become beautiful Arachnes.
Especially you, Nephila Jurassica.
Even if you can't become an Arachne, there must be no side effects on your body.
I finished saying my goodbyes to the four Tang Clan sisters.
There was no need to drag it out.
We would be meeting again in a few months anyway.
I just had to wander the 100,000 Great Mountains alone and lonely while I waited.
…Just kidding. She said if I just scratch my belly and roll around, Baek Yeon-yeong will come find me on her own.
“Huiya.”
My master called my name.
“If a human were to speak to you, what would you do?”
What would I do?
I'd just go 'gek-gek'.
“It goes without saying, but no one in their right mind would talk to a lizard they've never seen before.”
I know, but you're not one to talk.
“…Heok!”
Why do you look so shocked, Soyeong?
“From now on, do not trust those you meet so easily. They are stronger than you, and more vicious.”
Baek Yeon-yeong was worried about me.
Come to think of it, she did say there were a few other humans who had entered this place, like Tang Soyeong.
“Gek.”
I let out a valiant cry to tell her not to worry.
“Alright. Always be careful.”
“Ge-gek!”
It was time to leave.
I hadn't decided where to go yet.
Now that I was alone, it wouldn't be a bad idea to challenge the upper regions of the swamp. Going back into the Silver Dragon Cave to study the sword mark on the mural wouldn't be bad either.
“If you have nowhere in particular to go, how about just heading east?”
East?
I hadn't even considered it.
“There should be a tropical rainforest to the east. …It has nothing to do with this lady, but I have a feeling a fortuitous encounter might be hidden there.”
…There's something there!
Something like the Gongcheongseokyu, I bet.
Right.
When she's spoon-feeding me like this, it would be against my lizard principles not to take it.
“Ge-ge-ge-gek!”
I let out a booming cry and gave Baek Yeon-yeong a bow.
Of course, my 'bow' was just a single nod of my head, but Baek Yeon-yeong seemed extremely pleased.
“Are you performing the rite of bowing to your master? …Not bad. Yes. Stay healthy. And don't worry too much about the Tang family girl. I will take responsibility and look after her.”
Yeah, that's reassuring.
Now, all the arrangements were finished.
It was time for a brief farewell and the start of a new encounter.
The tropical rainforest.
In other words, the jungle.
Just you wait.
The fortuitous encounter hunter is on his way.
“Ge-ge-ge-gek!”