The Blue Eyes Awaken
Song Chae-ji was gradually reaching her limit. After Pung Hyo came Jin Chung. Having defeated two opponents in succession and now crossing swords with the third, she steadied her breathing. 'My internal energy is running dry….'
As a promising disciple of the Hangsan Sect who had received proper support, her internal energy was above average for her age. Yet it still fell far short of the established Nine Great Sects, and the Hangsan Sect itself ranked near the bottom among the Five Great Sword Sects. The situation had grown even worse lately as the Demonic Faction’s influence expanded across Shanxi Murim, shrinking their power further. Though greater than her peers, Song Chae-ji’s reserves were nowhere near enough to endure the relentless wheel-warfare tactics of Demonic warriors who had trained for years—decades, even—without rest.
“Keut!”
The opponent did not miss the momentary opening when her consciousness began to waver from depleted energy. Though his martial realm might have been lower than hers, the vicious experience he had accumulated while surviving the brutal Black Dao world made his movements razor-sharp.
Chiiing!Taang!
The enemy’s greatsword rode up along her blade. Song Chae-ji realized her mistake too late and tried to generate a rebound force to deflect it, but the timing was already gone.
“Ah…”
Just as she had pressed her sword tip against Pung Hyo’s throat earlier, the opponent now laid his blade against her own pale, slender neck. A single mistake had led to an irreversible defeat.
“Haha, and that’s the end of it.”
Pung Hyo, who had been watching with his arms crossed, let out a burst of laughter. Song Chae-ji bit down hard on her lip. 'I could have won….' She couldn’t bring herself to utter the word “lost.” Regret, self-loathing, and emptiness churned inside her.
“What are you waiting for? Admit defeat already.”
Along with the demand, the greatsword pressed a fraction deeper into her neck. A stinging pain bloomed, and a thin line of blood trickled down her throat. The threat was deliberate.
“Ugh…”
If she admitted defeat, the inn that Yang So-dang and her father had spent their entire lives saving for would vanish. Song Chae-ji could not speak a single word.
Perhaps sensing her inner turmoil, the answer came not from her lips but from another.
“Miss Song has lost.”
While Song Chae-ji remained subdued and lost in internal conflict, Namgung Woo realized it was now his turn. Acknowledging her defeat, he took one step forward.
“Therefore, please remove your blade.”
The polite tone carried a subtle composure that made people take notice. Those who had dismissed him as a mere spectator now looked on with puzzled eyes. Who is that guy, stepping forward so suddenly?
The Black Bear Gang’s side held much the same thought.
“Who the hell are you? Pretty face you’ve got there… Look, if you’re some young master from a noble clan, don’t poke your nose into Murim business and just move along.”
Pung Hyo used a half-polite tone he rarely employed. To speak so boldly to armed Murim warriors like that required considerable backing. On top of that, Namgung Woo’s appearance was exceptional. In an era where one’s looks often shaped judgments of inner worth, outstanding beauty was nearly the exclusive domain of powerful Murim experts or those of high birth. No matter how solid the Black Bear Gang’s support might be, they preferred to avoid the hassle of troubling an untrained noble.
“The match just now was not between you and Miss Song, but between this inn and the Black Bear Gang. Since Miss Song has lost, it is only proper for the inn’s next fighter to step forward, is it not?”
“Hah! So you’re volunteering from their side?”
Pung Hyo’s attitude shifted completely. It seemed the man had learned some martial arts after all. If he was stepping up so willingly, the Black Bear Gang no longer needed to hold back.
Namgung Woo gave a firm nod.
'All polish on the surface. I can’t sense any internal energy at all.'
Pung Hyo was a genuine expert recognized as one of the Black Bear Gang’s top fighters. He had not yet reached the Peak Realm, but he stood at its very threshold—a top-tier first-class warrior. His eyes detected no trace of martial training in Namgung Woo. While his bone structure was hidden by clothing, trained warriors who had accumulated internal energy usually emitted faint waves of power. At the Transcendent Realm, that natural pressure alone could overwhelm an opponent. Yet Namgung Woo showed none of it.
'Looks like he was simply born with a gifted body. Time to teach him what real Murim is like.'
It was slightly disappointing that he could not handle the matter himself after losing to Song Chae-ji earlier.
“Fine. Park Jung-eon, don’t hold anything back. Give him a proper lesson.”
At those words, Song Chae-ji cried out sharply.
“Wait! That person is an ordinary man who hasn’t learned any martial arts! To fight someone like him—what is this…!”
“He’s the one who volunteered,” Pung Hyo sneered.
Song Chae-ji grabbed Namgung Woo’s arm. “Hey, this isn’t the time to play hero. You could end up crippled!”
Namgung Woo barely suppressed the laughter threatening to burst from his throat. He had become thoroughly engrossed while watching the matches, but aside from that enjoyment, he also felt a faint sense of disappointment.
'At best, they’re first-class. The martial standard of this world isn’t particularly low, I suppose.'
With only five Black Bear Gang warriors and Song Chae-ji as his samples, it would be premature to draw conclusions. Shanxi Murim was not known for particularly powerful sects, and in a small county like Pyeongyo rather than the provincial capital of Taiyuan, the level would naturally be lower. Still, one thing was certain: there was no one here capable of threatening him.
“There is no need for concern. I have seen their level clearly.”
The confidence stemmed from concrete evidence. Song Chae-ji, whose senses had been sharpened through training, could feel its weight. Almost as if entranced, she slowly released her grip on his arm.
“Enough with the introductions. Let’s begin.”
Namgung Woo raised both hands. Empty-fist combat. He intended to fight bare-handed. He did not have his beloved sword, but it did not matter. In fact, bare hands made it easier to control his strength.
Yet thrusting bare fists against a greatsword seemed to have struck a nerve. The atmosphere emanating from the Black Bear Gang warriors turned vicious.
“Cut off at least one of his arms.”
At Pung Hyo’s command, the greatsword flew toward Namgung Woo.
When he played Chukrok Murim, Namgung Woo had primarily been a hunting player. He had shown little interest in PvP content, commonly referred to as duels. It was not that he disliked fighting people, but as a latecomer, catching up to those already near max level required focusing on hunting rather than duels.
Thus, Namgung Woo only truly entered the arena after reaching near the Transcendent Realm alongside close friends like Namgung Mae and Namgung Pung. Even then, his focus had remained on growth, since the true max level—the Transformation Realm—still lay ahead.
However, because his closest friend Namgung Mae was an absolute duel addict, he had been half-dragged into PvP the moment he hit Transcendent and realized he had been a frog in a well.
Namgung Mae had been an excellent teacher. She possessed vast knowledge about Chukrok Murim as a whole, but her true worth shone in combat. Namgung Woo could not land a single blow. Every sword form was dismantled, and each time she swung, she targeted his vital points and weak spots. Even after he abandoned any shallow notions of going easy or hesitating because they were friends, the result remained the same.
Was it because she stood at the tail end of the Transcendent Realm while he had only just entered it? Yet in terms of attack range, the advantage should have belonged to him. Chukrok Murim adjusted hitboxes according to avatar form. Female characters had an easier time dodging in hunting, but since initiative was overwhelmingly important in PvP, the top ranks were almost entirely male avatars. Their respective advantages and disadvantages were nearly even.
Even after Namgung Woo attained the Transformation Realm, he still could not win a single match against her. Of course, there had been a handicap forbidding wide-area energy attacks that could shatter defensive skills and allow one-sided beatings, but even accounting for that, the gap between Transformation and Transcendent was enormous. Nevertheless, Namgung Mae had bridged it.
When he asked her the reason, she had answered:
'You simply think about the opponent’s next move in advance and act accordingly.'
In other words, she did not react after seeing what he did; she predicted his actions and chose the optimal response. It was both her innate talent and proof of how well she understood him.
Namgung Woo had concluded it was something he could not replicate and had instead chosen to learn new secret techniques she did not know. So why was he now recalling those old memories in such detail?
The reason was simple.
'Is this what Mae-nim was talking about?'
What he had once given up on as impossible for himself now seemed entirely within reach.
Namgung Woo’s eyes blazed with a blue-white light.
Blue Serene All-Seeing Eyes
The unique ocular ability that perceives the flow of internal energy, the subtle twitches of muscle, and the intent hidden in an opponent’s gaze—revealing the immediate future.
He could see it. The budding movement of internal energy within the charging opponent’s body. The faint tremors of muscle that hinted at the next action. The emotions swimming in the man’s eyes and the targets revealed by his line of sight. Everything.
'The exaggerated motion is a feint. The real target is the knee joint. Enter with Infinite Steps and strike the liver with Explosive Thunder Fist.'
His body moved the instant the thought formed. The motion was so swift it seemed to chase the speed of thought itself. Energy surged through Namgung Woo’s frame.
The Namgung Family’s unique footwork from Chukrok Murim, Infinite Steps, was fundamentally an aggressive technique built around powerful stomps. The moment his foot slammed into the ground, true energy erupted from the Yongcheon point on his sole, raced through his body in an instant, and gathered in his fist.
CRACK!
A brutal impact rang out—so violent it was hard to believe it came from flesh striking flesh. There was no scream. The man simply tore his mouth open in a silent, agonized howl.
The liver was one of the body’s vital points. Even a bare-fisted blow there could stop the breath and drain strength from the entire body. Although Namgung Woo had controlled his power, he had still struck with condensed energy. The fact that the man had not fainted was impressive in itself.
The instant Namgung Woo withdrew the fist buried in the man’s side, his opponent’s body crumpled.
Thud.Thump.
Knees hit the ground, the upper body collapsed, and the forehead slammed into the earth—Park Jung-eon. For a Black Bear Gang warrior who had strutted around Pyeongyo County with considerable swagger, the sight was utterly pathetic.
Namgung Woo spared the back of the man’s head a single glance before turning his attention to his own hand. The lingering sensation was strange. The attack had not landed cleanly. His body and energy had not yet fully synchronized.
'One more time and I think I’ll understand it.'
Namgung Woo shook his hand as if flicking away the remaining discomfort. The odd feeling clinging to his fist scattered into the air. With that, he completely lost interest in his previous opponent.
His gaze turned forward. He saw faces frozen in shock and disbelief. Namgung Woo gave them no time to process what had happened. His voice forcibly dragged their stunned minds back to reality.
“Who’s next?”
Addressing those still speechless from the shock, Namgung Woo spoke again.
“I’d appreciate it if we could move quickly. I feel like I’m starting to grasp the rhythm now.”