Chapter 138
Translator: penny
Chapter: 138
Chapter Title: The Great White Tiger Formation
Following Baek Rihyeon to the training ground, practice was already in full swing.
'Huh? Already?'
The others had set out first, but we'd followed right behind them without much delay.
Still, how could this be? Then I spotted the First Platoon members hastily forming up in the distance.
'Ah, so the First Platoon was the late one.'
The other groups probably didn't have any rookies like me to slow them down.
It wasn't strange that they'd started practicing ahead of us.
"Come this way."
Baek Rihyeon took the lead, heading toward where the First Platoon was.
But as I followed at a leisurely pace, my gaze locked onto one particular direction.
'Ooh, she really is pretty.'
It was the direction where the members of the Third Platoon, where Baek Iryeong was assigned, were training.
Even amid dozens of people, she seemed to shine with a radiant aura.
As I admired Baek Iryeong like that, she must have sensed my gaze and looked my way.
Our eyes met, and just like before, I responded with the brightest smile I could muster.
A grin—.
But Baek Iryeong frowned and turned her head away.
She must really dislike me.
'What a prickly one.'
Well, this was already the umpteenth time this had happened, so her reaction was understandable.
And honestly, this situation wasn't all bad.
'Better than indifference, anyway.'
They say the opposite of love isn't hate, but indifference.
I could somewhat agree with that.
'No wonder they call it love-hate.'
From what I'd learned about Baek Iryeong in advance, despite her stunning looks, exceptional skills, and impressive background, men didn't flock to her much.
The reason was her personality.
She preferred being alone, avoided mingling with others, and even stepped back when people approached her first.
So, how would one go about winning over a Baek Iryeong like that?
'Make her come to me first.'
It'd be ideal if it stemmed from fondness, but any reason would do.
The key was creating a point of contact.
"What are you thinking about?"
I'd been too focused on Baek Iryeong, and Baek Rihyeon must have noticed something off, because he asked me a question.
I answered shamelessly, without changing my expression.
"Just watching the seniors train."
It wasn't a lie.
Baek Iryeong was a senior of mine, after all.
Satisfied with my response, Baek Rihyeon nodded with a pleased look.
"What do you think, now that you've seen it with your own eyes?"
"Hmm... what do I think?"
Only then did I take in not just Baek Iryeong, but the entire training ground.
Something looked familiar.
'Huh? I've seen this formation somewhere before.'
Actually, to be precise, I'd fought it before.
Obviously, back in my days as the Lecherous Demon.
'So this was the White Tiger Formation?'
It hadn't left a deep impression.
I only vaguely remembered it.
Wondering why, I realized it was because I'd crushed it too easily back then.
I'd faced the White Tiger Formation after the Lecherous Demon Extermination Squad was formed.
In other words, after I'd already reached the Transcendent Realm.
They'd thrown everything at me—dozens of formations and illusions from the orthodox and demonic sects combined—just to catch me, so it was weirder if I'd remembered some half-baked formation like this clearly.
But the guy next to me, Baek Rihyeon, boasted as he spoke up.
"Impressive, right? Can you feel that fierce, tiger-like energy?"
'Fierce tiger-like energy, my ass.'
Of course, there was some intangible energy emanating from it.
That was the point of a formation, after all.
A formation deployed by martial artists wasn't some simple battle array from military tactics.
It was a true formation where those forming it stood in precise positions, channeling their internal energy to create a single martial art in itself.
'Still, seeing it now, it's not bad.'
Back then, I'd overwhelmed it with raw power, but if I faced it head-on in my current state, I wasn't sure.
I could probably win somehow, but it'd be tough.
"What each platoon is deploying right now is the White Tiger Formation. It requires at least twenty people, and..."
Baek Rihyeon chattered on beside me.
I let it go in one ear and out the other as I resumed watching Baek Iryeong.
About half an incense stick later.
The White Tiger Platoon leader, who had been standing quietly in the center of the training ground, bellowed.
"Open! Great White Tiger Formation!"
""Open! Great White Tiger Formation!""
All three platoons echoed the call in unison, swiftly reforming their positions.
Baek Rihyeon beside me tried to add more explanation.
"That's the Great White Tiger Formation, which requires at least a hundred people to—"
"No, Senior, I have a question."
I cut him off abruptly, but he smiled as if he found my curiosity admirable.
He asked with a kindly expression.
"What is our junior wondering about?"
"Do they really have to shout it out loud?"
He looked puzzled, not understanding.
I grumbled, furrowing my brow.
"That 'Open, Great White Tiger Formation' just now. What are they, parrots?"
Baek Rihyeon looked utterly baffled by my words.
"You... that's what was on your mind?"
"Think about it. How do you shout that on a battlefield without dying of embarrassment?"
"Ahem, what's wrong with echoing commands? On the battlefield, it's even more essential. It's for informing comrades who might have missed it, and confirming that orders have been properly relayed..."
I didn't sense much sincerity in Baek Rihyeon's earnest explanation.
He must realize it's embarrassing himself.
'And what's with Great White Tiger Formation anyway...'
White Tiger Platoon, so White Tiger Formation, and bigger, so Great White Tiger Formation?
Whoever named it sure phoned it in.
'But this is new to me.'
Each platoon had about forty members.
The Great White Tiger Formation, formed by over a hundred people total, was far more threatening than its ridiculous name suggested.
'It looks stronger than the Shaolin's One Hundred Eight Arhats Formation.'
The Shaolin's One Hundred Eight Arhats Formation that had once cornered me in the past.
This felt even more dangerous.
Actually, the Great White Tiger Formation itself wasn't superior.
It was a matter of realm disparity.
The Shaolin monks who'd deployed the One Hundred Eight Arhats back then were mostly first-rate, with fewer than ten at the peak realm.
But the White Tiger Platoon?
'Over half are at the peak realm.'
Sure, there were still first-rates like that Wangjeom guy I'd sparred with earlier, but even they were at the cusp of peak realm.
Plus, the platoon leader forming the core was at the super peak realm.
Given that, even I lacked confidence in smashing through it head-on.
'Tch, the White Tiger Platoon guys have some chops.'
After observing for a while, I pinpointed the formation's weakness.
To be exact, the Life Gate.
'That side looks a bit weak. I could probably break through there easily.'
Finding the Life Gate of a formation I'd never seen before today wasn't due to any special talent on my part.
It was just that my past experience ascending to the Transcendent Realm helped.
Those who reach the Fusion Realm balance their bodies for a complete transformation of marrow and bones, while those entering the Transcendent Realm open their upper dantian to communicate with heaven and earth.
This is called Heavenly Communication, and from then on, they can manipulate the energies scattered between heaven and earth.
After regressing, I haven't opened my upper dantian yet, so I can't directly wield heaven and earth's spiritual energy, but since I know the sensation, I can at least sense the flows.
That was why I'd recognized Somwol's internal energy right after regressing, back when I was barely second-rate.
Finding the weakness in this Great White Tiger Formation was similar.
'Hmm, so that's how it is.'
I'd never formally studied formations, but now that I saw one, it didn't seem that complicated.
The energy flow within a person's body during personal martial arts is hidden, but an outwardly manifested energy like this was crystal clear to sense.
Thanks to that, I lost what little interest I'd had.
"In the Great White Tiger Formation, you'll be on the outer perimeter. See over there..."
Ignoring the noisy guy beside me, I sneaked another peek at Baek Iryeong.
This time, not with any particular intent—just boredom leading me to ogle a pretty girl.
'Oh, she looked this way.'
Baek Iryeong seemed quite bothered by me, stealing glances during training.
After quite some time like that.
"One incense stick break!"
The platoon leader leading the Great White Tiger Formation shouted from his position.
Once again, the echoing response resounded.
""One incense stick break!""
'That really grates on me.'
I'm just spectating now, but thinking about doing it myself later made me sigh.
As I pondered if I could just mouth the words silently when the time came, a small commotion arose nearby.
"Huh? Why is Red Phoenix heading to him?"
"Does the rookie have something to say to her?"
Wondering what it was, I saw Baek Iryeong striding toward me.
Her face was twisted in clear annoyance...
'Faster than I thought. I figured it'd take days.'
Surprised by her quicker-than-expected reaction, I responded once more with a smile.