Chapter 166
Chapter 166
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 166
Chapter Title: Heavenly Secrets Bewildering Steps
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Heavenly Secrets Bewildering Steps.
One of the few renowned martial arts of the Zhuge Clan, which in most martial arts novels serves at best as a clever advisor using their wits.
It's an exquisite footwork technique often described as predicting the opponent's movements to evade them, akin to reading the heavenly secrets and outmaneuvering them.
I began researching the Heavenly Secrets Bewildering Steps right after leaving the Nangong Clan. That was even before I'd developed the Mechanism Net.
The Nangong Clan hadn't possessed it, and I had a feeling the Zhuge Clan might not either (which ultimately turned out to be true).
Thus began the development of the Heavenly Secrets Bewildering Steps.
I set aside all the grandiose talk of reading heavenly secrets and focused purely on reading the opponent's attacks.
Honestly, to predict attacks, do you really need to read heavenly secrets?
You just need to know which direction the opponent is moving in and how they're swinging their weapon.
Conveniently, I was already racking my brains over Ye So-ha and Chilji tricking my senses to close in, so I continued my research into enhancing my senses.
What emerged from that was the Eye Technique.
It was a byproduct of my attempts to strengthen all five senses, including the Pure Ear Skill.
Well, shortly after, thanks to Zhuge Cheonsang, I developed the Mechanism Net and didn't use it much.
"Use the Eye Technique only when necessary. Otherwise, your internal energy will hit rock bottom in no time."
"But when I try to use the Eye Technique, the Protective Aura..."
"Forget the Protective Aura. If you can dodge a hit, why bother with a shield?"
The serious training began.
The first order of business was mastering the use of the Eye Technique.
I banned the use of the Protective Aura and focused on training the internal energy circulation for the Eye Technique.
But trouble arose right from the start.
Unlike Nangong Hyun, Zhuge Geunyong just couldn't get a feel for operating his pure energy for the Eye Technique or releasing internal energy.
Compared to Nangong Hyun, Hyeok Ri-gwang, or the others in our group who'd trained under me up to now, his aptitude was markedly inferior.
I never imagined I'd feel so viscerally what it means to have no martial talent.
"I'm sorry..."
Zhuge Geunyong trailed off, looking mortified.
I shrugged as I gazed at him.
"Well, it's fine. I planned to use a cheat method from the beginning."
Unlike Nangong Hyun, who'd had plenty of time, Zhuge Geunyong only had a few shichen left.
There was no way to get him up to speed with orthodox methods in time, so what choice did I have? Time for shortcuts.
"...A cheat method?"
"Yes, have a seat first."
I had the puzzled Zhuge Geunyong sit cross-legged, then positioned myself behind him, placing my palms on the Mingmen acupoint on his back, and warned him.
"Do not open your mouth under any circumstances, and etch this sensation into your senses right now. Got it?"
Then I channeled my pure energy into Zhuge Geunyong's body and began the energy guidance.
"...!"
Zhuge Geunyong flinched at the initial sensation of someone else's pure energy circulating through his meridians.
But following my warning, he clamped his mouth shut and focused on the flow of energy inside him.
I repeated the guidance several times to ensure he got the hang of it.
As a result, in about one shichen, I managed to drill the sensation of internal energy operation into him.
Of course, it cost me a substantial amount of the internal energy stored in my dantian.
"...Incredible. To think you can infuse pure energy into another's body to imprint the operation technique...!"
"How about it? Can you do it now?"
At my question, Zhuge Geunyong nodded vigorously and demonstrated it himself.
He fumbled a bit at first, but soon it looked passable.
A little disappointing, but at this level, we could call the basics complete.
"Now, let's begin the proper transmission of the Heavenly Secrets Bewildering Steps."
"Yes!"
With Zhuge Geunyong's spirited reply, the real training commenced.
*
About two shichen passed after that.
Zhuge Geunyong kept his feet moving ceaselessly, ingraining the movements of the Heavenly Secrets Bewildering Steps into his body.
Well, "ingraining" just meant shuffling around the nine directions of the Nine Palaces.
The Heavenly Secrets Bewildering Steps was undoubtedly a footwork technique, but its essence lay in reading the opponent's movements and responding accordingly.
In other words, solo movement practice had its limits.
"Now we can move on to some live combat practice."
"Live combat...? How?"
"Like this."
"...Why are you drawing your sword still in its scabbard?"
Zhuge Geunyong, who had tilted his head at my words, looked anxious upon seeing me draw my sword sheath and all.
In response, I tugged the corners of my mouth and said,
"We don't have much time, do we?"
"Y-Yes... I suppose not...?"
"To master it quickly in a short time, nothing beats clashing head-on and getting thrashed."
As I approached him while loosening up, his face took on an expression beyond words.
He'd instantly grasped my meaning.
As expected of the Prodigy Zhuge—sharp mind.
"Dodge well. I'll go easy on you. Of course, if you get hit, it'll hurt like hell."
"W-Wait a moment. I'm not mentally prepared yet... Young Master Goon!?"
I lowered my upper body and charged at the flustered Zhuge Geunyong.
Normally, I'd have closed the distance in an instant with Soaring Palace Flash Strike, but going full throttle from the start would leave him no chance to react.
As promised, I went easy—no internal energy release, just a quick dash.
Zhuge Geunyong, who had been tense and at a loss, gripped his sword tightly upon seeing my unexpectedly slow approach.
Against him, I swung my sword equally gently.
From my perspective, it was a yawn-inducingly slow overhead strike aimed at Zhuge Geunyong's crown.
-Bwoooong!
He dodged the sword strike descending from above by moving to the east, the Zhen direction.
In the end, my sword sliced emptily through the air.
Relief washed over Zhuge Geunyong's face, and the corners of his mouth twitched upward.
Hmm, you shouldn't look that pleased already.
There are endless attacks left for you to dodge.
"Hup!"
I immediately followed with a horizontal slash targeting his side.
He evaded once more by shifting to the southeast, Xun direction.
But this assault didn't end there.
-Swaaak!
"Hup?!"
I pursued Zhuge Geunyong with a continuous barrage.
He dodged in the Xun direction again, and I chased after him, smacking his crown.
"Argh!?"
Zhuge Geunyong screamed, clutching his head as he collapsed.
I rested my sword on my shoulder and said,
"There, you should've dodged north to the Kan direction. That was a chance to counter while evading."
"Ugh...! Y-Yes...!"
He groaned in response to my advice, barely managing to stand.
Seeing him unable to relax his face from the pain, I let out a hollow chuckle.
"You're whining over just that one hit?"
"W-Well... It's my first time taking a hit without Protective Aura..."
"...Oh, for heaven's sake."
I instantly realized the implication and smacked my forehead.
First time taking a hit without Protective Aura?
That meant he had zero tolerance for pain... Talk about a true scholar.
"...Looks like we've got a long way to go. Still, if you get hit hard enough today, you'll build up some resistance."
"Ugh..."
Seeing his slightly horrified expression at my words, I subtly prodded.
"You're not thinking of abandoning the clan just because it hurts, are you?"
"...!"
Whether my pointed remark struck a nerve, snapped him out of it, or both,
Zhuge Geunyong gritted his teeth and readjusted his grip on his sword.
"...Please, again."
Satisfied with his renewed resolve, I smiled and charged at Zhuge Geunyong once more.
After that, Zhuge Geunyong's screams echoed until deep into the night.
But the intervals gradually lengthened, eventually tapering off,
As the dawn light began to break.
*
Zhuge Clan's internal steward, Zhuge Sun, stood atop the training platform where he had dueled Geunyong just yesterday.
He was here alone, of course, due to the promise he'd made with himself yesterday.
-One day. Just one day, and I'll make sure the branch head can defeat the steward.
"...Ridiculous nonsense."
Yeah. It was ridiculous.
The gap in ability between Geunyong and himself was clear.
The years spent wielding the sword differed, as did their mindsets.
Geunyong had trained diligently in his own way, but a sword swung out of duty could never match one swung in pursuit of power.
To bridge that gap in a single day?
'What nonsense—even a passing dog would laugh.'
Zhuge Sun inwardly concluded as much.
Yet, contrasting that, the heavy presence in his bosom felt all too real.
"...Why am I..."
He drew out the hefty object from his bosom.
It was a fairly thick ledger.
Needless to say, the double ledger Geunyong had wanted.
Even while dismissing that youth's proposal as nonsense and deeming it impossible for Geunyong to defeat him, why had he brought this ledger?
'...Could it be.'
Was he hoping that nonsense would turn into truth?
As Zhuge Sun's eyes wavered in this self-confounding turmoil,
-Kkiiik
The sound of the training ground's door opening reached him.
Turning toward the sound, Zhuge Sun's eyes caught two figures.
"You've arrived early and been waiting?"
Zhuge Sun's face hardened at the sight of Ja-seong speaking so casually, as if exchanging pleasantries.
On the surface, just a green young warrior.
But he hadn't forgotten.
How a single foot stomp had rendered him utterly immobile.
Some martial art he didn't know? Or perhaps sorcery.
One thing was certain: the opponent was a powerhouse who could subdue him effortlessly.
As Ja-seong met his wary glare, he shrugged.
"No need to be so guarded. I'll keep my promise. Today, the steward won't have to fight me."
With that, Ja-seong stepped aside, finally allowing Zhuge Sun to take in Geunyong behind him.
Hair caked in dust.
Training garb in utter disarray.
Bruises visible here and there.
His appearance was in no condition to be called anything but wretched.
"You must have had a rough time over the past day."
"...Yes."
Geunyong gave a low reply to Zhuge Sun's question.
His once endlessly soft voice now carried real strength.
Judging by that utter mess, he'd at least done something.
"Even so, nothing's changed. The gulf between us is too vast to close in a mere day."
Despite Zhuge Sun's firm declaration, Geunyong strode forward without hesitation, ascending the platform to face him.
And slowly drew his sword.
-Sring
"......."
Zhuge Sun, staring at the blade pointed straight at him, tucked the ledger back into his bosom and drew his own sword.
The two warriors stood in exactly the same positions as yesterday at this hour.
Amid the silent training platform, devoid even of small noises, they held their standoff for a time.
At last, without a word from either, they charged at each other simultaneously.