Chapter 141
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 141
Chapter Title: Stealing the Center
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Dan Ak-seon looked around in bewilderment.
Except for his three companions, everyone wore a shocked expression.
In truth, while there was a gap in talent and martial skill, another disparity existed.
It was the experience gained from repeated sparring over a long period.
Bang So-bang and Un Jung-san were the same.
The up-and-coming disciples of Kunlun, on the other hand, were sparring with an outsider for the first time.
The problem was that Dan Ak-seon wasn't the only one in a difficult situation.
"Ahem. It seems our martial arts are overly focused on practical combat, making them somewhat lacking for sparring."
"On the other hand, that young physician has clearly mastered the knack of sparring. He's perfectly reading the rhythm of deflecting incoming force and immediately striking back."
The Kunlun disciples, feeling awkward, tried to soothe their own embarrassment.
‘This is quite…’
The situation had also become awkward for Master Gwangjin, who had permitted the sparring.
But he couldn't very well send out an official disciple, who was much older, to be his opponent.
"Age doesn't matter, so how about letting him spar with someone of a higher rank?"
Cho Ak-ryang's words slightly wounded Master Gwangjin's pride.
Then, Beom Gye-wi rubbed salt in that already wounded pride.
"The skill gap with our Physician Dan is just too wide, isn't it? And he's only been learning for a year."
At those words, Master Gwangjin's eyebrow twitched.
Just then, a young Daoist standing behind Master Gwangjin stepped forward.
"Master! I will do it."
He was Goengseongja, the only disciple Master Gwangjin had taken in his later years.
He was eighteen years old.
With outstanding perception and innate perseverance, he was an up-and-coming disciple who carried the expectations of all the sect elders.
However, Master Gwangjin shook his head.
"You stay out of it."
"What! Why?"
"Looking at the glint in your eyes right now, I can tell you'll cause trouble."
How could he not recognize the blazing competitive spirit in his disciple's eyes?
But his disciple was not one to give up easily.
"No, Master! Look over there. Our Kunlun is falling like autumn leaves to a thirteen-year-old boy! How can I just stand by and watch this?"
Master Gwangjin let out a bitter smile.
Even as they spoke, disciples of a similar age to Dan Ak-seon were being defeated one after another.
Yi Hwi-gyeong, the most skilled among their age group, had been taken down in an instant; there was no need to even mention the others who were less skilled.
"Don't be so dramatic! What do you mean, falling like autumn leaves in a children's spar!"
"I will go and restore Kunlun's pride!"
Master Gwangjin shot him a look of exasperation.
"Don't you realize that even if you win, you'll only break even? And look at that boy. What's the point of beating a child who already looks exhausted?"
Due to the continuous sparring, Dan Ak-seon was showing signs of fatigue.
Even though it was simple sparring, facing unfamiliar martial arts consumed a great deal of mental energy and concentration.
After confirming Dan Ak-seon's condition, Goengseongja smacked his lips with a regretful expression. Then, he approached the training ground.
"That brat?"
Ignoring his master glaring at him from behind, Goengseongja greeted Dan Ak-seon.
"I am Goengseong, a second-generation disciple."
After revealing his identity, he bluntly said.
"How about you and I have the first spar tomorrow?"
Dan Ak-seon smiled brightly.
He had taken a liking to the young Daoist before him, who projected an air of cheerful vigor.
"Alright."
As Dan Ak-seon accepted, Goengseongja grinned.
"You know, I like your smile."
Having secured permission in an instant, Goengseongja looked toward Master Gwangjin and shrugged.
Master Gwangjin, whose eyes met his disciple's, frowned as if dealing with a headache.
But he was not an inflexible man.
Besides, what did it matter if they themselves were fine with it?
Though he wasn't entirely pleased, Master Gwangjin reluctantly nodded his head.
That evening.
After finishing the treatment for the third-generation disciple, Neung Un, Dan Ak-seon returned to find the three of them surrounding him.
It was to give him advice for the next day's spar.
The first to speak was Cho Ak-ryang.
"In truth, Kunlun's martial arts are not well-suited for sparring that only measures skill."
What the Daoists had been muttering during the day wasn't entirely wrong.
"Having fought the Demonic Cult at the closest proximity for a long time, they pursue an extremely practical form of martial arts."
The method of sacrificing one's own flesh to cut the opponent's bone was a prime example.
"If you look closely, these guys seem to resemble those madmen from the Demonic Cult."
Beom Gye-wi's comment made Cho Ak-ryang chuckle and nod.
Generally, every sect had techniques for mutual destruction.
However, these were improvisations for unavoidable situations.
Kunlun was different.
They had a martial art called the Mountain-Shattering Broken Jade, designed from the very beginning solely for mutual destruction.
It was a martial art meant to counter the Demonic Cult's mutual destruction technique, the Great Art of Reversed Blood.
The Great Art of Reversed Blood was a technique that reversed the flow of internal energy, intentionally inducing Qi Deviation.
It stimulated one's innate energy and latent potential, allowing one to momentarily exert several times their usual martial power.
However, this came at the cost of the user's life.
For a short time, one could display a nearly invincible divine might, but they would ultimately die from the Qi Deviation.
Kunlun's Mountain-Shattering Broken Jade was not much different in that it also reversed the flow of internal energy.
But its effect was vastly different.
It made the reversed internal energy collide with the existing energy, compressing it, and then detonating it all at once.
Naturally, the body could not withstand it.
The user's body would be torn to shreds and vanish without a trace, but the shattered bone fragments and pieces of flesh would each become formidable projectiles, sweeping through the area.
Its power was such that an ordinary protective aura could not endure it.
In fact, it was the technique that had claimed the most lives of key figures in the Demonic Cult.
A martial art reflecting the desperate will to take at least one enemy down, even if it meant sacrificing oneself.
That was why it was named Mountain-Shattering Broken Jade.
It meant that broken jade could bring down a mountain.
"Unlike the young Daoist you sparred with today, that fellow named Goengseongja has likely experienced real combat."
Also, his personality seemed very fiery.
He was highly likely to respond with an all-out offensive style, even if it meant taking some damage.
"Rather than confronting him with strength, the standard approach is to deflect his attacks and induce an opening. Even small damages accumulate to become the same in the end. If you defend by incorporating capturing and shaking techniques, then at the decisive moment, apply a stumbling technique to disrupt his balance, you will have a chance of winning."
Dan Ak-seon nodded at Cho Ak-ryang's explanation.
Before, he would have found it difficult to understand the meaning, but recently, just the explanation alone painted a clear picture in his mind.
Han Seol-hwa also opened her mouth to help.
"If Huashan has the Plum Blossom Sword Arts, then Kunlun has the Great Eight Forms of the Cloud Dragon."
"Ah! I've heard of that."
Han Seol-hwa nodded and continued her explanation.
"The Great Eight Forms of the Cloud Dragon is a movement art, but in a way, it is not."
"Why is that?"
"Because when the Great Eight Forms of the Cloud Dragon is added to an ordinary technique, it is no longer an ordinary technique. For example..."
Han Seol-hwa mentioned the young Daoist who had sparred with Dan Ak-seon during the day.
"That child's internal energy was still insufficient, so he couldn't utilize the Great Eight Forms of the Cloud Dragon. However, if the eight applications of the Great Eight Forms of the Cloud Dragon were added to the nine forms of the Jade-Severing Hand he used, it could have produced seventy-two variations on its own."
From what she could remember, Han Seol-hwa explained the Great Eight Forms of the Cloud Dragon in as much detail as possible.
Beom Gye-wi, who had been waiting for his turn, spoke up as soon as Han Seol-hwa finished.
"Kunlun uses both the sword and the saber. Their representative martial arts are the Dual Principles Sword Arts and the Great Void Dragon-Slaying Saber Arts. Both are difficult to predict as they are appropriately mixed with power and variation."
"How should I face them with my staff?"
Beom Gye-wi grinned.
"It's very simple. Block and thrust, deflect and then strike. Like this, *whap*! Block, and like that, *thwack*! Like this, *swoosh*, deflect, and then *bam*! See? Easy, right?"
Beom Gye-wi explained eagerly, even mimicking the motions, but Cho Ak-ryang and Han Seol-hwa frowned as they watched.
However, Dan Ak-seon skillfully mimicked Beom Gye-wi's movements.
‘Don't tell me?’
‘Again?’
Unlike the two surprised people, Beom Gye-wi shrugged.
After finishing his demonstration, Dan Ak-seon asked Beom Gye-wi.
"Like this?"
"That's right. Since it's a spar, he won't be using a real sword, so its original power will be significantly reduced. A wooden sword is no different from a blunt weapon anyway, so if you just remember these movements, you'll be able to handle him."
The next morning.
"If you're going to do it, do it properly. You only break even if you win, so if you end up embarrassing yourself..."
At Master Gwangjin's threat, Goengseongja burst into a hearty laugh.
"Oh, Master. Don't worry. I'll go and teach him a lesson... No, I will go and restore the honor of our sect."
Seeing his confident disciple, Master Gwangjin let out a small smile.
In truth, though it wasn't widely known, Goengseongja possessed skills that were not inferior to any of the up-and-coming disciples of the Nine Great Sects.
Goengseongja strode onto the training ground with a confident gait.
He stood face to face with Dan Ak-seon, who was already waiting in the center.
"Shall we begin?"
As Goengseongja, being the senior, yielded the first move, Dan Ak-seon immediately closed the distance and threw a punch.
‘Huh!’
Goengseongja, who intended to deflect Dan Ak-seon's fist, inwardly swallowed a cry of alarm.
Just as it seemed his punch would be blocked, Dan Ak-seon suddenly opened his hand and deployed a grasping art, aiming for his wrist instead.
Power and technique, imbued with fighting spirit and tenacity.
The movement he pushed into his opponent's opening was astonishingly precise.
*Clang!*
"...!"
Goengseongja, who had swung his arm to shake off Dan Ak-seon's hand, had a look of surprise in his eyes.
Any thought of underestimating him as a child vanished in an instant.
His technique was that fierce and heavy.
However, Goengseongja was no pushover either.
He began to calmly deflect the incoming attacks with a cold gaze.
With each blocked attack, Dan Ak-seon marveled inwardly.
Excluding his three close companions, Goengseongja was the strongest opponent he had ever faced.
A tense back-and-forth exchange continued for a short while.
It was then that a faint smile settled on Goengseongja's lips.
Goengseongja's movements changed in an instant.
Unlike before, when he had faced Dan Ak-seon with ordinary footwork, he began to earnestly display the Great Eight Forms of the Cloud Dragon, the symbol of Kunlun.
With that, the balance was instantly shattered.
Though he was responding with the same techniques, their power and variation were incomparable to before.
Overwhelmed by Goengseongja's attack, Dan Ak-seon was quickly forced onto the defensive.
Even Dan Ak-seon's companions, watching from a distance, showed a subtle look of surprise on their faces.
"The kid's pretty good."
"At this rate, he's no less than the leading disciple of Huashan."
Han Seol-hwa nodded in agreement with Beom Gye-wi and Cho Ak-ryang's words.
"It's over!"
A thunderous shout shook the training ground at that moment.
Goengseongja swooped in like a fierce hawk toward Dan Ak-seon, who was retreating frantically under the one-sided assault.
In that instant, something unbelievable happened.
"Hah!"
Goengseongja, who was preparing the final blow, suddenly gasped and leaped backward.
Not missing the rare opportunity, Dan Ak-seon charged forward this time.
But Goengseongja raised his hand, stopping Dan Ak-seon.
"Wait!"
"What's wrong?"
Goengseongja cast a bewildered look at the puzzled Dan Ak-seon.
It lasted for a moment.
He scratched his head once, then asked Dan Ak-seon.
"How did you do that just now?"
"I used a grasping art."
"I mean before that. Your hand suddenly disappeared and then reappeared."
"Ah, that?"
Dan Ak-seon explained as if it were nothing.
"Your movement art was so unpredictable that I couldn't keep up at all. Your center was also too solid for me to break. Then I suddenly had a thought. What if I tried to steal my opponent's center?"
An unconcealable look of bewilderment appeared on Goengseongja's face.
"Steal... what?"