Chapter 141: Continuing the Training-2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 141: Continuing the Training-2
Thwack!
"Ugh..."
Thwack!
"Gah!"
Thwack!
"Aaargh!"
The Yin-Yang Demon began to pummel Sun-woo relentlessly.
Sun-woo tried his best to consciously sense the flow of power, but it was useless. The strikes landed before he could even register them, leaving him no time to feel anything.
If he couldn't perceive the flow, he couldn't divert it. He couldn't manifest the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth.
Sun-woo simply continued to take the Yin-Yang Demon’s fists head-on.
How much time had passed?
Sun-woo, his body swollen and bruised to a severe degree, finally lost consciousness.
The Yin-Yang Demon gave the unconscious Sun-woo a final kick.
Thud!
Sun-woo’s limp body flew through the air and tumbled into the center of the cavern.
"Sun-woo!"
Startled by the sight, Ok-ryeong rushed to his side.
His condition was beyond critical. There wasn't a single spot on his body that wasn't swollen, and he was drenched in blood from head to toe. It was clear he had been subjected to violence beyond imagination.
"This isn't training!" she screamed, glaring at the Yin-Yang Demon.
She already knew, from what Sun-woo had told her, that this process was meant to help him master the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth. But this was going too far.
What was training, after all? Wasn't it a process of perfecting one's Essence, Qi, and Spirit through discipline and refinement? This was nothing more than a one-sided beating.
Ever since Sun-woo began this training, his body had been broken day after day. The blood never had a chance to dry, and he was covered in deep blue bruises and festering wounds. And today, he had even been knocked unconscious.
She couldn't stand it any longer.
He might be the demon's disciple in a formal sense, but to her, he was her precious lover. What woman could stand by and watch her lover be reduced to such a state?
"Not training, you say...?"
The Yin-Yang Demon trailed off, repeating her words.
He seemed to be debating whether to explain himself or simply punch her in the face. Ultimately, he chose to speak. Despite everything, he didn't want to use violence against his daughter’s only disciple.
"If this isn't training, then what is it?" the Yin-Yang Demon asked Ok-ryeong calmly.
"It's one-sided violence. This isn't a process of refinement."
"You are far too soft. Even iron must be struck repeatedly to become harder."
"A human being is not iron!" Ok-ryeong shot back, refusing to back down. This treatment was only going to leave Sun-woo with permanent, crippling injuries.
"Heh."
The Yin-Yang Demon let out a dry chuckle. He figured that someone like her, who had learned the martial arts of the Orthodox factions, might find this incomprehensible.
"You say interesting things."
The demon continued, his smirk lingering. "You're right. A human isn't iron."
Ok-ryeong felt a flicker of confusion at his agreement. She hadn't expected him to concede the point.
"A human is a creature that can become far harder than mere iron," the Yin-Yang Demon added flatly, looking her in the eye.
"That's nonsense!"
"Heh heh... what would a girl like you know? You, who learned martial arts in comfort under a master's protection?"
"W-what did you say?!" Ok-ryeong stammered, taken aback. How could he speak so dismissively of her when he knew nothing about her?
"You wouldn't know. You don't know what someone without talent has to do to become strong."
"Sun-woo is not untalented!" she protested.
Sun-woo was a master who had reached the Transcendent Realm, a stage often called the Absolute Realm, before even reaching the Age of Thirty. Who could possibly call him untalented?
"No, he has no talent. It's almost pitiful how little he has."
"He's in the Transcendent Realm!"
"He is merely in the Transcendent Realm."
The Yin-Yang Demon spoke with total indifference.
"Stop measuring everyone by your own standards!" she argued back.
Of course, from the perspective of the Yin-Yang Demon, who had reached the Profound Realm—the stage of a Half-Immortal—Sun-woo's talent might seem lacking. But Sun-woo wasn't the Yin-Yang Demon. The only person who could possibly meet his standards was likely Lee Jae-won.
"No. Even among all the Transcendent masters currently in the Central Plains, he is the least talented."
The Yin-Yang Demon maintained his stance, unbothered by her rebuttal.
"Do you have any idea how many times that boy has crossed the line between life and death to reach that stage? His body has been hacked by blades, drenched in lethal poison, and he has even visited the World of Nothingness, the very boundary of life and death. Do not belittle his efforts by calling it 'talent.'"
The Yin-Yang Demon pointed a finger at Sun-woo. In his eyes, Sun-woo was never someone meant to reach the Transcendent Realm—not even with the help of a supreme technique like the Yin-Yang Harmony Divine Art and countless fortuitous encounters.
He had simply forced himself to that height by gambling his life over and over again. His arrival at the Absolute Realm was the result of countless brushes with death.
It infuriated the demon to hear his disciple's hard-won progress dismissed as mere "talent." This woman would never understand. She had simply blossomed under a good master with proper guidance. How could someone who had never even put their life on the line understand Sun-woo?
The Yin-Yang Demon was disappointed in Sun-woo's innate talent, but he never denied the boy's effort. Because Sun-woo was a man who had traded his life for the power he lacked.
"So, do not interfere. This, too, is merely the process of forcibly dragging out the talent he doesn't have."
"........."
Ok-ryeong was left speechless by the demon's firm tone. She slowly turned her gaze toward Sun-woo. Her eyes began to redden. She felt a deep surge of pity for the man who had been forced to risk his life so many times just to survive.
"Go on, treat him."
With those words, the Yin-Yang Demon turned and walked back into his stone chamber. Ok-ryeong could only stare at the still-unconscious Sun-woo.
*
The next day, and the day after that, Sun-woo continued to drag himself up to face the Yin-Yang Demon.
To call it a "match" was embarrassing; it was a one-sided slaughter. Yet, Sun-woo persisted, almost out of habit.
A few more days passed. It was the one-month mark.
Swoosh!
The Yin-Yang Demon’s fist blurred toward Sun-woo with incredible speed.
As expected, Sun-woo still couldn't track the punch with his eyes. Even though the demon was holding back significantly, he was still a master of the Profound Realm. To Sun-woo, who was only at the beginning of the Transcendent Realm, the demon was like an unstoppable natural disaster. There was no way he could follow that fist with his vision.
But then...
Zing!
A sudden jolt ran through his entire body, and a strange sensation washed over him. It was a chilling, hair-raising feeling.
Instinctively, Sun-woo expanded his senses.
Suddenly, he felt a flow. A flow of immense, violent power.
It was the Yin-Yang Demon’s fist.
Following his instinct, Sun-woo quickly manifested the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth.
Pang!
For the first time, the Yin-Yang Demon’s fist was deflected.
Looking at his throbbing fist, the Yin-Yang Demon broke into a wide grin.
'Finally, the Sixth Sense has been engraved into his instincts.'
After a full month, Sun-woo had finally begun to internalize it through his body.
The Yin-Yang Demon swung his fist again.
Bang!
The fist was deflected once more. The demon felt the ache in his hand, but he didn't stop. If he stopped now, Sun-woo would lose the chance to fully solidify this realization.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The Yin-Yang Demon unleashed a relentless barrage of punches.
After some time...
Drip. Drip.
For the first time, blood began to seep from the Yin-Yang Demon’s knuckles. His own skin had split, unable to withstand the force of his own power being reflected back at him.
The Yin-Yang Demon smiled with satisfaction.
"That's enough. Rest."
Thud.
At the demon's words, Sun-woo collapsed as if his strings had been cut. The mental and physical exhaustion had hit him all at once.
Lick.
The Yin-Yang Demon lightly licked the blood from his scraped knuckles and watched Sun-woo quietly. He had expected it to take at least three more months, but the boy had mastered the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth in just two. It was a decent performance.
'The Great Shift of Heaven and Earth will be your greatest strength the more powerful your opponent is.'
Thwack!
The Yin-Yang Demon smirked and gave Sun-woo a kick.
Slide...
Sun-woo’s body slid across the floor until he hit the edge of the cavern.
"You, come treat him," the demon called out.
*
"I asked you who did this!"
Joo So-yang, a beautiful woman with skin as white as jade, raised her voice in fury.
"......"
Despite her mother's demand, Lee Ye-seol remained silent, refusing to utter a single word.
Her daughter's reaction drove Joo So-yang to the brink of madness. Who was her daughter? She was her most precious, lovely child, and the future Cheonmu Alliance Leader who would one day rule the Murim. And yet, she had returned with injuries so severe they could only be described as hideous.
How could she not be enraged? Who had dared to do this to her?
"Are you truly not going to tell me?" Joo So-yang asked again.
"............"
Lee Ye-seol kept her mouth shut, hiding her trembling heart. She had never seen her mother this angry in her entire life. Her mother, who always wore a gentle smile, now had a face contorted like a vengeful god. The sheer pressure was terrifying.
She felt that if the truth came out, things would spiral out of control. So, she chose silence.
She couldn't possibly admit that she had been the one to mutilate the Poison King’s wife—her own aunt-in-law—with a blade. In her mind, it was a miracle she had escaped with only these injuries. Though, losing the Dragon Tail Soft Sword was a bitter pill to swallow.
Joo So-yang’s eyes turned cold and sunken. It seemed she wouldn't get a straight answer from her daughter.
"If you won't speak, I have no choice. I will have to pay a visit to the Rising Stars of Dragon and Phoenix."
Joo So-yang spoke as she watched her tight-lipped daughter. Ye-seol had only ended up like this after attending the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering. It was only logical to ask the other participants what had happened.
"They won't answer you either," Lee Ye-seol finally spoke.
She was certain they would keep quiet. Although they hadn't directly harmed anyone, they were essentially accomplices for standing by and watching the mutilation happen. If the truth were revealed to the Murim, the reputations of the Great Clans and Prestigious Sects would be dragged through the mud.
"Do you think they will keep their secrets when faced with death?"
"...!"
Ye-seol’s eyes widened like lanterns. She hadn't expected her mother to play such a heavy hand.
"The sects and clans would never allow that!" she protested, finding the idea absurd.
The sects and clans valued honor above all else. No matter how famous Joo So-yang was as the Best Among Women, she couldn't possibly hold the power of life and death over the top disciples of every major power.
"Seol-ah, your mother is currently at the limit of her patience. I am controlling my temper now because I am in front of my beloved daughter, but I have no confidence I can do the same in front of them."
"......"
Ye-seol’s face turned pale. Her mother was serious. She was going to act first and deal with the consequences later.
"And I possess more than enough power and authority to cover it all up. I am the primary wife of the Absolute Martial God, the World's Greatest Martial Artist and Leader of the Cheonmu Alliance. I also possess the martial prowess of the Best Among Women. Do you really think I cannot handle a few fledglings like the Dragon and Phoenix?"
"..........."
Ye-seol’s face went from pale to ghostly white. It was true. With her mother's status and strength, disposing of a few Rising Stars would be trivial. Even the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Clans wouldn't want to cross her over a single disciple. In fact, they might even end up begging for her forgiveness.
"So, tell me. What happened?"
Joo So-yang’s tone was icy, leaving no room for further argument.
Despair clouded Ye-seol’s face. She realized that if she stayed silent, the innocent Rising Stars might actually be sacrificed.
Looking at her mother, Lee Ye-seol slowly began to speak.
"The truth is..."
.
.
.
.
After some time had passed, Joo So-yang closed her eyes, having heard the full story from Ye-seol. Then, she slowly opened them again.
"Is that everything?"
"Yes, Mother."
"I see."
Stand.
Joo So-yang stood up abruptly. Her sudden movement startled Ye-seol. She had confessed everything, yet there was no scolding, no comfort—nothing.
"Seol-ah."
Joo So-yang spoke softly as she looked at her daughter.
"Yes, Mother."
"I shall avenge you with the head of the Poison King."
Step. Step.
With that, Joo So-yang began to walk out.
"M-Mother! Mother!"
Ye-seol called out to her, but it was no use. Her mother had already vanished into the distance.
Lee Ye-seol could only stare at her mother's retreating back with a look of utter hollow shock.