Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Jinmu Crushes Jinhyeo
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Thwack!
"……."
Jinhyeo's expression went blank.
An empty hand.
A sword fallen to the ground.
The stinging shock transmitted through the Divine Gate acupoint.
'Heavens! Such a thing…….'
Inexpressible shock and bewilderment momentarily froze even his movements.
How could this be possible?
Even if he had targeted crude spots like the groin, eyes, and armpits, altering the sword path was no easy feat.
Yet Jinmu had done it.
Jinmu, who had become a First Generation Disciple a mere year ago.
Jinhyeo wasn't blindly stubborn.
'Heavens! To think I lost.'
The match was over.
Even if it was pure form sparring, a loss was a loss.
Rather than feeling ashamed of losing to Jinmu, Jinhyeo marveled at his junior brother's growth.
Before he knew it, wasn't he following in the footsteps of Myeongjin, once known as the finest among the First Generation Disciples?
A swell of pride and admiration filled him.
"Jinmu……."
The moment he opened his mouth to offer praise amid surging joy, a tightly clenched fist and Jinmu's wicked expression hurtled toward him.
The match was clearly over…….
'The match isn't over for him. What the hell is this bastard doing?'
For Jinhyeo, the match had ended, but for Jinmu, it continued until his opponent collapsed.
Crunch!
A dull impact burrowed into Jinhyeo's face.
He didn't even have time to groan.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The barrage of fists left him unable to regain his senses.
Jinmu rampaged like a colt with a loosened bridle, and Jinhyeo finally blacked out amid his junior brother's explosive "growth"(?).
'Heavens, damn straight! As expected of a Taoist—the taste of pummeling one is exquisite. This thrill!'
The joy he felt after so long made it seem as if the frustrations pent up under Myeongjin's "oppression"(?) had all melted away like ten years' worth of indigestion clearing up.
Cheongu watched as Jinhyeo was reduced to mush and slammed into the dirt, his mouth hanging open.
But what rose in his eyes was not horror, but respect.
The youngest of the Jade Generation.
Jinmu, who had stayed only in Void Serenity Hermitage and thus remained unknown in the sect, had beaten down Jinhyeo—one of the Wudang Seven Heroes.
And mercilessly, at that.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
"Huh?"
Jinmu called out to Cheongu, who stood there blankly.
"Take him to the Pure East Hall infirmary."
Pure East Hall was one of Wudang's Eight Palaces, serving as the sect's medicine hall.
"Huh? Yes!"
Cheongu hurriedly hoisted the unconscious Jinhyeo onto his back and ran off.
Jinmu watched them depart, a sly smile creeping across his face.
He had beaten Jinhyeo.
Taking him to the Pure East Hall infirmary meant rumors would spread, and if Cheongu opened his mouth, they'd be fleshed out with plenty of embellishments.
The competition to become a Great Disciple.
He had finally taken his first step.
Even in a Taoist sect, it was still a murim faction.
Did they think murim played by different rules?
Strength was all that mattered.
What if he crushed every one of the Wudang Seven Heroes and became the strongest among the First Generation Disciples?
'Heh heh heh, Two Forms Heart Art! I'll definitely master it.'
Jinmu's ambitions began to sprout vigorously.
"That Jinmu beat Jinhyeo?"
Sect Leader Myeonghyeon's eyes went wide at the words of Myeongseon, Elder of Origin Harmony Hall.
"Yes."
"Heavens!"
Exclamations of surprise burst from the assembled elders, murmurs rippling quickly through the group.
Who was Jinhyeo?
The youngest, yes, but still one of the Wudang Seven Heroes, composed entirely of First Generation Disciples.
"Impossible……."
"Right? I thought the same, so I tried to summon Jinhyeo to ask."
"……."
"But he wasn't in any condition to come."
"What do you mean by that?"
Myeonghyeon and the elders, who hadn't yet heard the full details of the morning commotion, tilted their heads.
"He was beaten to a pulp."
"……."
"Too severely."
"Beaten? Jinhyeo? By Jinmu?"
"Yes. He's been unconscious for half a day now. We should summon Jinmu and reprimand him properly…… but it's just too absurd."
"……."
Myeonghyeon wore an expression as if wondering whether Myeongseon had eaten something odd that morning and was now playing a prank, but the elder's face was utterly serious.
"Is that even possible? Jinmu's been under Myeongjin's tutelage as a First Generation Disciple for barely a year."
"I don't understand it either. I asked the Jade Generation kid who carried Jinhyeo in, and he said Jinmu used the Divine Gate Thirteen Swords."
"Divine Gate Thirteen Swords?"
"Yes."
"Heavens! The nerve."
It made no sense at all.
The Divine Gate Thirteen Swords were meant for subduing weaker opponents without killing them, not for clashing at full strength with a superior foe.
"But that kid said something strange."
"Strange? What?"
"That he modified the sword art."
"Modified it? The Divine Gate Thirteen?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"I didn't get that far. As I keep saying, it was too ridiculous."
Myeonghyeon stared at Myeongseon, speechless, then let out a chuckle.
"Nonsense."
"It's true."
"……."
Myeonghyeon coughed awkwardly a couple times, flustered by Myeongseon's utterly sincere expression.
"Ahem, ahem. Did Myeongjin teach him that?"
"Could be."
"True, ever since then, Myeongjin's been dissatisfied with Wudang's sword arts, hasn't he?"
"Exactly. He said to discard the flashiness and pursue practicality."
The elders nodded one after another in agreement with Myeonghyeon's question.
But.
"I thought so too…… but he said Jinmu also modified the Seven Stars Fist to teach him."
"What? The Seven Stars Fist?"
"Yes. Jinmu did. Tailored to his own body type."
"Ha ha, what a joke……."
"Right?"
Myeongseon's confidence wavered slightly.
Even he, having said it himself, found it utterly unbelievable.
Of course, modifying martial arts wasn't difficult.
The elders gathered in Purple Empyrean Palace's grand hall could easily split and recombine forms as the situation demanded.
But for First Generation Disciples, it was another matter.
Such a realm required profound insight into the essence of the art.
"Heh, the Jade Generation kid must have exaggerated due to his shallow knowledge."
"Right? But Jinhyeo's condition was so……."
Myeongseon's tone grew less certain. Truth be told, he couldn't fully believe it himself.
However.
"At any rate, it's a fact that Jinhyeo lost to Jinmu. And that he was beaten to a pulp is also fact."
"Good grief……."
If a junior brother defeated his senior, it warranted praise for the achievement, but injuring the senior in the process called for punishment or reprimand.
The problem was that the perpetrator was Jinmu and the victim Jinhyeo.
It should have been the other way around by all accounts…….
"For now, since Jinhyeo hasn't woken, we should hear Jinmu's side."
"Quite right. Better to summon him quickly."
Myeonghyeon stroked his chin beard thoughtfully and shook his head at Myeongseon's words.
"Mm, no. Lately, with the Qingyang Merchant Group matter, I haven't been able to visit Myeongjin. Might as well go see my junior brother early tomorrow."
"That would be best. I'm curious what Myeongjin has taught Jinmu as well."
"Indeed. Then everyone, let's go tomorrow morning."
"Yes."
The next day after that very minor(?) scuffle with Jinhyeo.
He came again. That damn pig-like Cheongu.
Unusually, it was the time when Second Generation Disciples should be cultivating qi before breakfast, yet here he was.
Before even eating breakfast, lugging a huge pack.
"Sigh, why the hell are you here again?"
As Jinmu sighed and asked, Cheongu replied proudly.
"Starting today, I've been transferred from Origin Harmony Hall to Void Serenity Hermitage. Junior Uncle."
"What? Why? Who? How?"
This useless lump!
"Junior Uncle Jinhyeo said I should learn a lot from you from now on."
"……."
This mad bastard! Dumping this baggage on me. Not beaten enough? I'll go find him right now and finish the job!
As Jinmu clenched his fist and trembled, Myeongjin opened the door.
"Jinmu."
"Yes, Master."
"I gave permission."
"Ah, you did…… Yes?"
Jinmu started to nod in acceptance but snapped his head up in shock, prompting Myeongjin to grin broadly…… no, leer unsettlingly.
"Jinhyeo came last night and asked, so I agreed."
Jinhyeo, you bastard—tricked my naive master while I was away.
"Teach him plenty from now on."
"Yes…… Huh?"
Jinmu's face grew even more flustered as he responded politely.
"Master, this disciple isn't yet skilled or prepared enough to take a disciple."
Jinmu protested.
"Who said anything about taking a disciple? I heard the circumstances from Jinhyeo. I doubted your talent, yet you've already grown enough to beat him? Ha ha, truly a heaven-sent prodigy. Wudang's great fortune."
From what Myeongjin knew, the rumors had indeed spread.
It was good news, but.
"Ah, well……."
"Enough. Enough. I heard about the process too. Something about returning to the source. Even if it strayed from the proper path, this master is simply overjoyed at his disciple's achievement."
"……."
Myeongjin turned his gaze from the speechless Jinmu to Cheongu.
"Cheongu."
"Yes, Grandmaster."
"Work hard from now on."
"I will!"
"Good. Heh heh."
Why are these two suddenly buddy-buddy! Work hard at what! And who said you could answer!
Jinmu couldn't glare at his master, so he shot Cheongu a fierce look.
Cheongu merely took it as a gaze meant to steel his resolve further and firmed his determination once more.
And then.
"Jinmu."
"……Yes."
"Let's eat. I'm starving."
What a glutton of a master!
But once again, instinct forced a polite reply.
"……Yes."
Ah, damn these memories.
Screw it, whatever happens.
As Myeongjin closed the door and went back inside, Jinmu let out a sigh that seemed to cave the earth.
"Uncle. How should I prepare Master's breakfast? I'll handle it from now on."
"……."
Jinmu stared at Cheongu with unfocused eyes.
A plump face with squinted eyes curved into a smile, mouth corners upturned. Utterly innocent.
"Hey."
"Yes, Uncle!"
Jinmu scowled as menacingly as possible and placed a hand on Cheongu's thick shoulder.
"I'll accept you on Master's orders."
"Yes!"
"First, I'm not your master."
"……."
"Second, from now on, do exactly as I say."
"……."
"No answer?"
"……Yes."
"Third—and last—no more 'wow!', 'amazing!', 'ooh!' exclamations during training like last time."
"……."
"Just follow these three rules. No problems then. Got it? And every time you break them, think of it as a beating to within an inch of your life…… can't kill you, but close."
"……Ah, got it."
Cheongu replied with a slightly deflated look.
"Good. Now go."
"Where to?"
"Catch a chicken."
"Huh? A chicken? You're not going to eat it, right? Meat hinders pure qi cultivation—it's forbidden in the canon."
Thud!
The immediate punch sank into Cheongu's plump side.
"Guhk!"
Even with the thick fat protecting it, the pain made Cheongu's eyes bulge as if about to burst through his flesh.
"I told you. A beating to within an inch of death."
Cheongu nodded frantically, face twisted in agony.
"First offense, so this much only. Now go."
Seeing his understanding expression, Jinmu released his shoulder with satisfaction.
"Um…… Uncle."
"What!"
"Where do I catch the chicken……?"
"……."
In lieu of an answer, Jinmu's face bloomed into a smile as he raised his fist.
"Eek! I'm going! Super fast!"
Cheongu unleashed Wudang's secret lightness skill, Ladder Cloud Vertical, and dashed off to catch a chicken from who-knows-where.
Meanwhile, Jinmu filled the pot with water and lit the fire.
Come to think of it, having Cheongu around meant a convenient errand boy for all sorts of tasks.
'But why's this guy taking so long? Master's going to starve.'