Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Rolling Tactics
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"Huh!"
Though he had not managed to lift the massive boulder completely, the mere fact that the rock shifted was more than enough to change the atmosphere of the clearing.
Cheongsang gaped in sheer disbelief at the display of raw power, while Cheongu, who had performed the feat himself, beamed with a joy that reached his ears.
They likely believed it was simply a matter of correcting his physical posture to leverage his weight properly, having no idea that when Jinmu had touched Cheongu's wrist, he had slyly channeled a surge of his own potent internal energy into the boy's body.
Who was it that said the hand is faster than the eye? In the world of high-level martial arts, a seasoned master could perform miracles right under a novice's nose without them ever suspecting a thing.
"Uncle Master! I actually did it!" Cheongu cheered, only to be met with a sharp smack to the back of his head.
"Ow!"
"Do not go getting all excited over moving a single rock; you did not even lift the damn thing properly," Jinmu scolded, putting on a bit of bravado to maintain his image.
Cheongsang's face registered even greater shock as he watched the interaction, his suspicion beginning to morph into a look of burning, desperate curiosity.
Jinmu knew he had to play this carefully; he had to wait until the prideful boy was truly desperate before offering his guidance, for in any negotiation, the one who speaks first is the one who loses.
'Heh heh, you little punk Taoist; I am standing right above your head, you brat,' Jinmu thought as he leisurely gathered firewood to build a campfire.
By the time the fire was blazing and the savory aroma of roasting rabbit meat began to tickle their noses, Cheongu was drooling in anticipation while Cheongsang tried his best to remain aloof.
"Want some?" Jinmu asked, offering a piece of the meat.
"No! How could I, as a faithful disciple, violate the Ten Precepts set by our noble ancestors!" Cheongsang declared with a backbone that was almost endearing.
"Really? Hmm, that is odd; I was under the impression that eating meat would make you much stronger, just like it did for Cheongu over there," Jinmu teased, watching the boy's resolve flicker.
Jinmu smirked as he realized his soon-to-be corrupted subordinate was half-hooked, and after the meal was finished and the evidence cleared away, he decided it was time to drive the wedge in further.
"Hey, Cheongsang, standing around must be boring for you—why don't you have a spar with Cheongu here?" Jinmu suggested, catching both boys off guard.
"That is absurd! Senior Brother Cheongsang has already mastered the Flowing Cloud Sword Art, while I have only just begun my training!" Cheongu protested.
"So? Cheongu is going to win," Jinmu stated nonchalantly, a comment that caused Cheongsang to scowl fiercely in his direction.
In the hierarchy of Wudang, receiving a Taoist name signified that one was a direct lineage disciple qualified to learn advanced arts, and Cheongsang had already surpassed the level of Sword Infusion.
To suggests that Cheongu, the weakest of the generation who had only just manifested Formless Qi, could beat him was an insult that set Cheongsang's eyes on fire.
"My sword has no eyes, Martial Uncle," Cheongsang warned, his sentences growing shorter as his anger built.
"All talk and no action; anyone would think you are the strongest master in the sect," Jinmu mocked until Cheongsang finally agreed to the spar, grabbing a sturdy branch to avoid violating the precepts against using real blades in practice.
Jinmu whispered a few secret instructions into Cheongu's ear, making the boy's thin eyes blink rapidly in confusion and fear.
"If you do not follow exactly what I taught you, you are dead," Jinmu whispered, shaking his fist for emphasis while also threatening to revoke the boy's meat privileges.
As the spar began, Cheongsang smirked, expecting a quick victory, but as he launched his opening strike from the Flowing Cloud Sword Art, Cheongu performed a sudden and desperate maneuver.
Cheongu rolled forward in a tumble that looked clumsy but successfully dodged the sword strike, springing up at Cheongsang's flank to unleash a Riding Dragon Retreat kick.
The branch in Cheongsang's hand curved smoothly to deflect the attack, but Cheongu rolled again, relentlessly targeting the side of the boy's sword hand with fierce, short punches.
Cheongsang panicked as his fluid sword forms were disrupted by the "dishonorable" rolling tactics, and he found himself unable to attack or defend properly against the constant pressure on his ribs.
The exact moment Jinmu had described arrived, and Cheongu slammed his shoulder and back into the boy with a powerful Iron Mountain Reliance.
Craaaack!
Unable to withstand the impact, Cheongsang staggered back five full steps and looked down to see that his branch had shattered, leaving him utterly defeated by a junior who fought like a street thug.
"I... I lost..." Cheongsang whispered, his face twisting in a mix of fury and disbelief.
"You idiot!" Jinmu shouted, smacking Cheongu on the head for his lack of focus at the very end.