Chapter 135: New Hall (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 135: New Hall (2)
Man Hun, the Head of the Elders' Council, looked at the secret manual Namgung Jun held out. The strong scent of fresh ink wafting from it suggested it was recently made.
As Man Hun examined the title, his eyebrows twitched.
"The Azure Firmament Martial Canon? Isn't this the ancient martial art of the Ten Halls?"
"I have refined the Azure Firmament Martial Canon."
"Hmm. A martial art that no one practices anymore?"
With a dubious expression, Man Hun flipped open the cover.
So this is what he was doing.
He’d heard that Namgung Jun had spent the last two months secluded in the Self-Reflection Martial Repository. The reports said he did nothing but pore over the secret manuals, lost in contemplation. The manual before him was likely the fruit of that time and devotion.
Man Hun could guess why Namgung Jun had chosen to modify this particular art. He must have selected the Azure Firmament Martial Canon to be the foundational martial art for the new hall. After all, it was the root from which the unique martial arts of the Ten Halls had originally sprung.
The Azure Firmament Martial Canon was a compilation of the Azure Heaven Association's martial arts from that era. It contained a vast array of principles, but that was also its greatest weakness. It was bloated, lacking true depth.
Recognizing these limitations, successive Hall Masters had focused on selecting and deeply researching the principles that best suited their respective halls. Only after generations of refinement did the unique martial arts of today take root.
Thus, returning to the Azure Firmament Martial Canon now didn't seem like a wise decision. While it was undoubtedly the root of the Azure Heaven Association, Man Hun was deeply concerned that Namgung Jun might have gone down the wrong path this time.
Was the burden of building the foundation of a new hall from scratch simply too great?
Man Hun thought it highly likely.
Namgung Jun was a supreme expert who had achieved the Three Flowers Gather at the Crown and a core figure in the Azure Heaven Association who had reached the rank of Fourth Cloud. Even so, he was still only eighteen. He had barely crossed the threshold from boyhood to manhood, yet he bore an incredibly heavy responsibility.
Though he possessed a maturity far beyond his years, he couldn't possibly resolve everything with ease. Age alone made him a rising star who hadn't even reached twenty.
Intending to offer his full guidance, Man Hun began to examine the new Azure Firmament Martial Canon. He was engraving the mnemonic formulae into his mind with a serious gaze when—
"Hmm?"
The faint, wry smile on Man Hun's lips stiffened.
Leaning forward from his previously relaxed position, he found himself becoming increasingly absorbed in the manual without even realizing it. The contents were vastly different from what he had expected.
Man Hun's eyes and hands moved faster and faster as he flipped through the pages.
After finishing the entire manual, he fell into deep thought. A long silence passed before he finally spoke.
"It shares only the name. This is an entirely different martial art."
Nodding, Namgung Jun continued, "Rather than judging it solely by reading, it will be much easier to evaluate if we clash directly."
His voice brimmed with confidence as he proposed the duel. At Namgung Jun's earnest tone, Man Hun found himself nodding in agreement.
* * *
A stir rippled through the normally quiet Elders' Council. The elders, who had been secluded in their private rooms and engrossed in research, rushed outside one by one upon hearing the news.
Elder Kwon, who had spent his life researching and analyzing the Heaven's Mandate Demonic Sword Unit and the Life-Ending Twin Owl Sword, also sensed something unusual and stepped out to investigate.
Looking around with a bewildered expression, he grabbed an elder who was hurrying past.
"What's going on?"
"They say the newly appointed Fourth Cloud is dueling the Head of the Elders' Council."
"The new Fourth Cloud? You mean Namgung Jun? Why?"
"I don't know the details."
Elder Kwon squeezed through the crowd of elders blocking his view and made his way to the front. In a small training ground in a corner of the Elders' Council, Man Hun and Namgung Jun stood facing each other.
It's true.
A smile touched Elder Kwon's eyes as he looked at the four embroidered clouds on Namgung Jun's sleeve. Thanks to the counter-strategies Namgung Jun had devised at the Third Cloud Training Camp, his own research had progressed significantly. In a way, Namgung Jun had provided him with the clue to resolve a lifelong conundrum. Naturally, Elder Kwon looked upon the young man with immense pride and fondness.
But what is this about? Is it simply for training?
While Elder Kwon was wondering, Man Hun glanced at Namgung Jun's waist. The Eternal Righteous Sword, which he always wore, was nowhere to be seen.
"You don't intend to use a sword?"
"No. Considering the significance of this martial art, fighting empty-handed will allow its principles to resonate more clearly."
"Hmm. That would indeed be better. Let's begin."
The hem of Man Hun's robes, which had been still, fluttered. In an instant, the sole of a leather boot filled Namgung Jun's vision.
It was a technique of the Void-Wave Flooded Body Art.
Enveloping his foot in a circular wave of qi from his lightness art, Man Hun's kick blasted toward the space between Namgung Jun's brows.
Thud!
A dull thud echoed as the sole of Man Hun's foot was deflected upward. Striking out in the blink of an eye, Namgung Jun had used his palm to twist the trajectory of the kick. Not only that, but he was also redirecting the Qi Wave spreading from the kick, forcing it upward.
Paying no heed, Man Hun twisted his body in midair and brought his heel down like a mace. He had enveloped his entire body in the Qi Wave of the Void-Wave Flooded Body Art, allowing for optimal movement. He moved with absolute freedom, even in midair where there was no ground to push off from.
First, I must restrict his movement.
Namgung Jun decided to unleash a powerful strike to restrain the airborne Man Hun. His right hand, which had been resting at his waist, shot forward, vibrating the very air.
Boom!
A mighty Palm Force erupted from his palm. The training ground shook from the sheer power, which was enough to make the air itself ripple violently. It was an incredibly fierce strike; few martial arts could produce such power in a single blow. It was like witnessing a peerless hegemonic art, a rare sight in the Jianghu.
At this, the elders, who had sensed something strange from the very first exchange, began to murmur amongst themselves.
"That Palm Force… Aren't those the principles of the Martial Conquest Grand Selection Formula?"
"No, it was the Majestic Shattering Assault Axe of the Crushing Hall. Did you not see how the unleashed Palm Force didn't disperse, but concentrated along a single line? That's the mastery of the Majestic Shattering Assault Axe, which increases the density of a single strike."
Their opinions clashed. The elders who spoke had belonged to the Martial Conquest Hall and the Crushing Hall, respectively, during their active years. Since each had spent a lifetime practicing their hall's signature art, neither could easily back down.
Thud-thud-thud!
With a succession of air-splitting sounds, Namgung Jun's body spun. The Void-Wave Flooded Body Art, when mastered, didn't just wrap the user in a Qi Wave; it also restricted the opponent's movements.
Whoosh!
Man Hun disrupted Namgung Jun's balance, trying to prevent him from landing. The gradually condensing Qi Wave from the lightness art turned into several gusts of wind that wrapped around Namgung Jun's body. Under its influence, he was instantly flipped upside down. At this rate, he would crash headfirst into the ground.
Yet, even with his head pointing toward the ground, Namgung Jun displayed effortless movement. While spinning upside down, he continuously extended his hands and feet to parry Man Hun's attacks.
Bang!
Immediately after, a wave of Qi erupted from Namgung Jun's entire body, shaking off the Qi Wave that had been binding him. Having regained his freedom, he landed safely on the training ground.
"The Inverted Bat Traverse of the Nether-Fathoming Hall!"
"And in the Qi Wave he just emitted, I saw the subtle principles of the Void-Wave Flooded Body Art!"
Familiar martial principles were emerging clearly from Namgung Jun's movements. The elders watching the duel began to notice the anomaly.
"How is he using the unique martial arts of all Ten Halls?"
Elder Kwon, who had been staring intently at Namgung Jun's movements, spoke up. "No. If you look closely, there are also principles that don't belong to the martial arts of the Ten Halls. Though I can't tell what they are…"
Swoosh!
Namgung Jun's hand-blade thrust forward like a spearhead. Deflecting the strike with the back of his hand, Man Hun stepped back slightly.
The subtle principle of gradually stacking Qi Waves within a single routine… Is that the Gleaming-Wing Rain-Chasing Bow?!
Even in the midst of the duel, Man Hun noted the elders' reactions. They were in a state of shock as they recognized the martial arts of the Ten Halls emerging one after another from Namgung Jun's strikes.
No, that's not the most important part.
Man Hun looked at Namgung Jun, who was unleashing a relentless barrage. There was nothing awkward or forced in his movements; they flowed as smoothly as water. It meant he had harmoniously integrated the principles of the ten unique martial arts.
While the fact that the unique arts shared their roots in the Azure Firmament Martial Canon surely played a part, Man Hun focused on a different aspect.
The Sword Lord's Harmonious Music-Reflection Dance. And the mnemonic formulae that Namgung Jun devised himself.
Regarding the latter, it seemed Namgung Jun had translated his own physical sensations into mnemonic formulae, allowing others to replicate his movements exactly. The Great Derivation Sword Technique was added to the mix as well. In other words, he was using these three core insights as a foundation to freely unleash the principles of the other nine unique martial arts.
Whoosh!
Man Hun's toes swept through the air, and in an instant, over forty afterimages of his feet surrounded Namgung Jun.
Namgung Jun didn't attempt to counter them one by one.
Thump!
The Qi Wave erupting from his Earth-Trembling Stomp gradually stacked, instantly dispersing all the surrounding afterimages. It was a technique that blended the Rhythmic Fan Technique, the sporadic splitting of the Great Hall String-Plucking Qin, and the subtle principle of wide-area Qi Wave emission. Yet, the overall framework of Qi Wave regulation was the Void-Wave Flooded Body Art.
Having seen through Namgung Jun's response at a glance, Man Hun let out an exclamation of admiration. He now fully understood the properties of the newly refined Azure Firmament Martial Canon. He stopped his attack and looked at Namgung Jun, who was standing with his arms relaxed at his sides.
He never ceases to amaze me. To think he would take it in such a direction.
"The unique martial arts of the Ten Halls have been melted into a single martial art."
"I didn't incorporate every principle."
"Of course. To refine it, some parts had to be discarded."
Even so, the Azure Firmament Martial Canon displayed by Namgung Jun was truly astonishing. If some genius were to master all the unique martial arts of the Ten Halls and execute them as one, would it not look exactly like this? There wasn't a single flaw to be found.
"Will this become the core martial art of the new hall?"
"Yes."
After a moment of contemplation, Man Hun asked, "It might be possible for you, but will the other members of the hall be able to learn it?"
Namgung Jun nodded. "It's possible if they've mastered at least one of the unique martial arts. Of course, it will require considerable effort."
"So there's a high barrier to entry. However, the talents entering the new hall, whom we intend to raise as the ultimate elite, should certainly be able to handle it."
"Yes. Since they will be among the finest talents in the Azure Heaven Association, it's entirely possible."
Through their duel, Man Hun had realized the true purpose of the Azure Firmament Martial Canon Namgung Jun had created.
It isn't just about using the principles of all ten unique martial arts.
The Azure Firmament Martial Canon was a martial art that allowed the Clouds gathered from each hall to understand one another. They would come to know each other's principles and insights, executing the same routines. This meant they would be able to move as one body and one mind, without the need for explicit communication.
Alternating between the principles of various unique martial arts to enhance one's own martial prowess was just the surface-level benefit. The Azure Firmament Martial Canon would reveal its true worth in group combat. How formidable would the power be when ten unique martial arts overlapped, each revealing their diverse principles?
Furthermore, practicing the Azure Firmament Martial Canon wouldn't require them to abandon their original martial arts; rather, they could refine them even more deeply.
Man Hun had to admit it. "The foundation for the new hall has indeed been established."
Namgung Jun shook his head. "It's still lacking."
"In what way?"
Namgung Jun looked around at the elders who had gathered to watch the duel before speaking.
"I wish to incorporate into the Azure Firmament Martial Canon the martial insights of the elders, who have spent their entire lives mastering the unique martial arts of the Ten Halls."