Chapter 215
Chapter 215
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Visit to Infinite Pavilion (2)
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There are many paths to becoming a powerhouse.
One could build up muscle to possess monstrous strength, or obsess solely over internal energy cultivation to become a master of profound power.
If one had talent, they might read the opponent's moves and overwhelm them with clever techniques.
However, the Divine Martial Academy was the cradle of the righteous sects.
Its primary goal was to cultivate well-rounded martial artists.
Thus, the options available to Un Ho-seung were straightforward.
"Your case is simple."
Chu Un-hwi flicked his index finger as he looked at Un Ho-seung.
"You're too one-track with aggressive offense. No backup. Your strikes are too straightforward."
"But Instructor, didn't you say that little guy's brute-force aggression is his strength?"
"So-hye and you are different."
Moyong So-hye lacked fundamentals from the start, so she focused deeply on one thing.
Un Ho-seung was the opposite.
"You're the young master of the Jinju Un Clan, aren't you? Haven't you been building a solid foundation since childhood?"
"I did learn it."
"There's no reason for you to abandon all other strengths and pick just aggressive strikes."
Moyong So-hye had discarded every advantage, focusing only on speed and powerful fists.
She'd forsaken martial intuition, balance—all the makings of a master—for single-minded focus.
Un Ho-seung, with his foundation intact, had no such need.
No, he couldn't afford that.
"Even just utilizing what you've learned would make you several times stronger than now."
"Ugh. You think so?"
Un Ho-seung looked glum, clearly not fully convinced.
"Show me your strikes."
"That's easy."
Snap.
Un Ho-seung stepped aside, drawing a semicircle with his toe as he assumed the Un Clan Fist's basic stance.
Whoosh! Boom!
The moment his straight fist shot out, the fist wind roared loudly.
Bam! Boom boom!
After unleashing a barrage of aggressive punches, Un Ho-seung stopped.
"How was it?"
"Hm. Not bad at all."
Exactly that—nothing more.
Above all, the brief demonstration revealed clear flaws, impossible to ignore.
"What! My Un Clan Fist is already nearing six-tenths mastery!"
"Think you'll get it once you feel it on your body."
Swish.
As he slid forward foot by foot, Un Ho-seung's flustered face drew near in an instant.
'Shall I test him lightly?'
Releasing a faint killing intent, Un Ho-seung's face paled, and he threw a punch.
His reaction speed was incomparable to before, when he hadn't even sensed the intent.
'Speed's decent.'
In the sluggishly moving world, he deflected the punch aside, keeping Un Ho-seung's fist in view.
Beyond the calluses on the knuckles, he read the muscle and skeletal movements.
Snap!
As the straight fist retracted, his left palm strike surged toward the jawline.
'Not bad linkage.'
Whirl.
True enough, Un Ho-seung twisted his upper body to dodge the palm, and his toes tensed.
Always primed to launch full-force, his toes pressed the ground, thigh muscles rigid.
Thwack!
"Guh!"
A swift kick to the ankle sent the leaping Un Ho-seung horizontal to the ground.
Splat.
He sprawled out flat.
"Ha, one more. Again."
"Same result no matter how many times."
"My pride won't accept such an easy loss."
Fine, he'd indulge him.
Thud thud!
Two kicks to the ankle as counters, and Un Ho-seung rolled his eyes with defiant resolve.
"Side's open."
Thwack!
"Heh. No eyes in the back of your head?"
Thwack!
"Ankle's exposed again?"
Thud thud thud!
After repeated kicks, Un Ho-seung collapsed completely.
"Huff huff huff. What the hell was that?"
"Told you. You focus only on unleashing your fist art, leaving tons of openings."
Obsessed with one-strike kills, he'd nullified all other strengths.
"Advanced martial arts are sharp blades. Swinging wildly won't yield efficiency."
"...No one's pointed that out before. They nosebled and dropped before they could."
"The rookies you've met cowered at your aggression, but as you face true masters, they'll target your weaknesses."
"Tch. One-strike kills are effective, though."
Ignoring Un Ho-seung's grumbling, Chu Un-hwi beckoned with a finger.
Pointed out, Dang-gan gulped, pleading in a mosquito-like voice with a horrified face.
"T-Temporary Instructor. Go easy, please."
"Depends on your performance."
Swoosh!
Closing fifteen paces in a blink, Dang-gan started hiccuping.
Thud thud thud thud!
Merciless strikes to solar plexus, nape, ribs—Dang-gan shrieked.
"Wh-what! I didn't do anything, why!"
Dang-gan clutched his sleeve, then shielded his head and yelled.
"That's the problem—not doing anything."
This one needed squeezing until some grit emerged.
Even a dry towel yields water if wrung hard enough.
***
Next, after dismantling the Jeok So-il and Jeok So-i twins, Chu Un-hwi's verdict was simple.
"Why are you all so lacking in tension?"
With their decent talents, this level was a huge disappointment.
"Drop the idea of quickly and simply knocking foes down."
It might've worked so far.
Inexperienced rookies would've quailed at their basics, internal energy, and combined arts.
"As battle-hardened foes increase, you'll fall behind."
"Ugh. Then what do we do?"
The solution was straightforward.
"Admit you're no longer predators and start from the bottom."
"Hm. That necessary? I didn't even lose! They're the cowards—seven of them challenging me nonstop."
Handling just one or two at a time might pass?
Chu Un-hwi pinched his brow at the response.
"Haa—. You idiot."
Sighing, he clicked his tongue.
"Even with a knife in your gut, you'd whine, 'If you cowards hadn't ganged up, I'd have won'?"
"...Not that."
"This is an opportunity. Harsh real combats will sharpen you further."
"But if we lose..."
"Grit your teeth, train harder, and smash them."
"...Feels undignified."
The Jeok twins reacted like Un Ho-seung.
"Right, Instructor. Can't we use some clever trick like before?"
"Heard those standouts had epiphanies and skyrocketed. Got any secret ploy?"
"Haa."
Their attitude choked him.
'Mindset's rotten from the start.'
Ways to force rapid growth existed.
'But with this attitude, I don't even feel like guiding them properly.'
Rivers-and-lakes folk aren't glamorous heroes.
'Quite the opposite.'
They live bearing the fate of death by blade someday.
Yet they shine brightest wielding the sword, surviving—that contradiction defines them.
Hoping only for glory and coolness? Can't survive the turbulent jianghu that way.
'Never.'
Growth by luck, sans pain, is a sandcastle.
"You don't seem to get it."
Rarely, Chu Un-hwi lowered his voice gravely.
"Your greatest fortune is being alive today."
The living can do anything.
But remember one thing.
"Don't think today's luck lasts till tomorrow. Drop that delusion now."
Tomorrow belongs to those rolling in the mud today.
***
That evening, as training loomed.
"...A lake, you say?"
Duggo Yul, met in secret, looked utterly perplexed at the proposal.
"Yeah. Deep enough to drown an elephant, wide enough for an imugi to dance comfortably."
"...The mock training ground won't do?"
"No good. Might trash it."
He'd buy and relocate a Sichuan jungle if needed, but the Divine Martial Academy docked pay for a single broken tile.
No risks.
"Not easy."
"Knew you'd say that. Any ideas?"
"Why not visit the Baek Family?"
"Baek Family?"
"Infinite Pavilion's master has been raking in fortunes lately with massive investments. They own several wharves at Infinite Castle—sure to have what you need."
Worth of the Ten Great Families?
They handled transport ships and owned wharves.
"Jackpot. Thought he was a fool, but he delivers when it counts."
"Thanks to you, he got his act together. We slipped some support, too."
"I'm a diligent instructor who handles family bliss too."
Even with covert Hao Clan aid, swaying the Baek Family's purse strings wasn't simple.
'Elder Baek Ri-seon-ho leaving Infinite Pavilion for the small branch? Maybe renewed trust in the Pavilion Master.'
Discarded card proving useful unexpectedly.
With that, Chu Un-hwi flicked his finger.
"Good. Time for a house call to the Baek Family."
"I'll draft the permit right away."
***
That evening.
Out for once, Chu Un-hwi wasn't alone.
"Hehe. This is nice."
Baek Ri-seol clung tightly, beaming.
"Hey, back off. Hot."
"It's been ages since we went out cozy like this."
"Hot, I said?"
"After graduation, how about wandering the jianghu together?"
"...Hot..."
"Ah, touring famous sights. Admire the views, and at night, this and that... Hehe."
No conversation possible.
Trying to shove off the head latched to his arm, her desperate headbutts forced him to tussle, then give up.
"Heehee. Heehee."
Lending an arm wasn't hard.
'Sigh. Whatever now.'
As he sighed deeply.
"By the way, Instructor."
Baek Ri-seol, cicada-like on his arm, looked up, eyes meeting.
"What's up at Infinite Pavilion?"
"...Yeah, about that."
Brief explanation, and she hummed, nodding.
"Father would know."
"...Father or jerk."
Pick one.
"For training?"
"Yeah."
Short affirmation. He'd considered dragging them to the plains like old times.
'But Wind Guest might relay info anytime—better stay put.'
Moreover.
- Yangtze Waterway Division. Lower Channel Master.
Wind Guest's note recalled his final drink with Neung Pung-un.
"Have you heard of the Yangtze Waterway Division?"
"Why suddenly?"
"Heh. Nothing."
From the mood, Neung Pung-un knew of the apostle's moves too.
Unknown when, but to hunt the apostle himself, he needed to revive his naval senses.
'Work these guys hard, regain old instincts. Good chance.'
Luck willing, drag Neung Pung-un into apostle-prep training.
"Heh heh heh. I'll grind you all."
His chuckle brought a shiver from the weighted arm.
With an ominous tone, Baek Ri-seol looked up.
"Why? Got chills suddenly."
"Nothing."
"You're grinning scary now—really nothing?"
"Nothing, I said."
Damn.
Why are women so perceptive?
'Impossible to figure out.'