Chapter 49: Honing (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 49: Honing (1)
Mokryun Hall.
Though it was one of the Ten Halls of the Azure Heaven Association, it had a strong reputation for keeping to itself. While the other halls frequently collaborated on missions, Mokryun Hall almost always operated alone.
This was not due to any discrimination, but rather the stark difference in the temperament of its members.
Mokryun Hall was the only group within the Azure Heaven Association composed of martial artists who walked the line between the orthodox and unorthodox, or even those who belonged to the Demonic and Heretical Paths. It was a gathering place for avenging ghosts who lived for the sole purpose of destroying the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult.
'I heard their entry exam is completely different, too.'
Martial artists from the neutral, Demonic, or Heretical Paths had to undergo an exam twice as difficult as the standard test. Even after passing Mokryun Hall's exclusive trial, they could only be recognized as a Cloud Rank after being personally approved by the Ink Lord and the Azure Heaven Association Leader.
Because the admission process was so rigorous, Mokryun Hall was only half the size of the other halls. Yet, in terms of missions and overall strength evaluations, Mokryun Hall's combat power consistently ranked near the top.
In short, Mokryun Hall was a small, elite force.
The Sword Demon, their leader, was a supreme expert ranked among the top three of all the Hall Masters. Thus, while others in the Azure Heaven Association kept their distance from Mokryun Hall, no one dared to look down on them.
"Is this the place?"
Spotting the Mokryun Hall pavilion tucked away in the northern corner of the Azure Heaven Association, Namgung Jun pushed open the doors without hesitation.
'Judging by the atmosphere, this doesn't even feel like part of the Azure Heaven Association.'
The Eighteen Classical Weapons and all manner of exotic arms were scattered about in disarray. Dried bloodstains marred the ground here and there.
The Qi Waves filling the air were sharp and chaotic. A thick aura of battle spirit and keen killing intent clung to the atmosphere, making it difficult to breathe. If he hadn't known this was the Azure Heaven Association headquarters, he would have mistaken it for some battlefield in the Jianghu.
"So you're the Azure Star Sword? You've got guts."
"I don't like him. He looks like some pampered young master from a prestigious clan."
"Who cares, as long as he can swing a sword? I heard that despite being a newcomer, he's already cut down quite a few of those Demonic Cult bastards."
The avenging ghosts of Mokryun Hall were a disheveled bunch. Though they all belonged to the same hall, each wore a different martial uniform, none of which bore any embroidery indicating their affiliation. The only thing they had in common was a bright red cloud stitched onto their sleeves.
While the martial artists of the Ten Halls usually wore uniforms that varied by division, Mokryun Hall seemed to have no such rules. It was a peculiar, free-spirited atmosphere that seemed entirely devoid of discipline.
Every one of the Mokryun Hall experts glared at Namgung Jun with fierce, sharp eyes.
"I have come to see the Mokryun Hall Master."
Namgung Jun showed polite respect without a hint of being flustered. In return, he received no greeting. Unbothered, he attempted to step further inside.
"Where do you think you're going? Stop right there."
Led by Sa Dan-hae, a middle-aged man with a saw-toothed saber slung over his shoulder, Mokryun Hall experts began gathering from all directions. They swaggered forward like a gang of street thugs, yet Namgung Jun did not underestimate them.
'They're positioning themselves for a coordinated attack, naturally blocking off every key direction.'
Despite their sloppy appearance, their movements were like a pack of wolves closing in on their prey. The experts of Mokryun Hall didn't care whether their opponent was a master or a novice; they seemed satisfied as long as they could sink their teeth in and bring their target to its knees.
Namgung Jun calmly scanned the assembled martial artists.
'He is remarkably calm.'
'A tiger is a tiger, no matter how young.'
A gleam of intrigue flashed in the eyes of the Mokryun Hall experts.
"What must I do for you to clear the path?"
"Hmm. First, bring us some wine and meat. Enough to feed all of us to our hearts' content. Then, maybe I'll think about it."
At Sa Dan-hae's reply, the surrounding experts burst into laughter.
With a slight curl of his lips, Namgung Jun slowly reached his right hand toward his sword hilt.
Then, he replied in a calm voice, "I will simply force my way through. I ask for your understanding in advance."
Perhaps they had anticipated his response.
"He certainly knows how to act like a man!"
"So you're not just an empty shell."
"I wonder if he's ever faced exotic weapons before?"
Far from being angry, the Mokryun Hall experts seemed delighted as they eagerly drew their weapons. The variety they wielded was incredibly diverse. In addition to common swords and sabers, Namgung Jun spotted saw-toothed sabers lined with thorn-like spikes, narrow-bladed swords, and flexible swords that bent like snakes.
'They have all kinds of exotic weapons.'
There were iron claws resembling a beast's talons, a fishing rod made of a flexible pole and bladed line, and iron spikes as long and thin as awls.
Though he saw exotic weapons he had never encountered before, Namgung Jun remained unfazed. Instead, he raised his sword to a mid-level guard, quietly lowered his center of gravity, and channeled his Sword Force.
Swoosh!
The first move was a volley of hidden weapons. Daggers and large needles flew toward him, deftly weaving through the gaps between the Mokryun Hall experts.
As the projectiles whistled through the air, Namgung Jun leaned forward, his sword a blur that deflected them all.
Facing a direct thrust, Sa Dan-hae raised his saw-toothed saber and brought it down with all his might, aiming to shatter Namgung Jun's sword.
Clang!
The blade of Namgung Jun's sword caught on the fine teeth of the saw-toothed saber, locking it in place. Yet, Namgung Jun's eyes did not even flicker.
With a subtle shift of his fingers on the hilt, his sword slipped free as if it had been greased.
Witnessing this from inches away, Sa Dan-hae's eyes widened.
'He freed his blade from the serrations with minute vibrations, generated by shifting his grip two or three times!'
Sa Dan-hae's saw-toothed saber faltered at the unheard-of technique. It was only for a split second, but for Namgung Jun, it was enough time to strike multiple times.
Pushing the saber aside and spinning backward, Namgung Jun parried the iron chains and fishing lines that sought to entangle his limbs. The chains and lines became hopelessly tangled in the curved sword path of the Distant-Cloud Layered-Wall Stance. In the next moment, Namgung Jun flipped his sword into a reverse grip and lunged into the midst of the experts.
Thud!
Unleashing the Heavenly Thunder Palm Technique, Namgung Jun's left hand struck the chest of a martial artist swinging a great saber. His mouth agape, the man was sent flying. A woman right next to him lashed her whip fiercely, but Namgung Jun's right hand was faster. He struck her abdomen with the pommel of his reverse-gripped sword. While it couldn't compare to the Heavenly Thunder Palm Technique, the blow was heavy enough to knock the wind out of an expert.
"Ugh!"
His charge had disrupted their coordination. A moment later, a succession of whooshing sounds erupted above Namgung Jun's head.
Whoosh!
It wasn't weapons. It was the long robes the Mokryun Hall experts had been wearing. Fluttering like flags as they flew rapidly toward him, they were clearly infused with internal energy.
While the multiple robes obscured his vision, the experts lunged at him once more from five directions.
'Amusing.'
The way Mokryun Hall fought was definitely different from the other Ten Halls. They seemed willing to do absolutely anything to win.
"His strikes are quite fierce!"
"No mercy even for a woman. That's exactly how a swordsman should be."
Two shadows surged from behind Namgung Jun. They were the very same people he had just struck with the Heavenly Thunder Palm Technique and his sword hilt.
'Their fighting spirit is remarkable.'
He had struck them with the intention of taking them out of the fight, so he hadn't expected them to rejoin so quickly. Judging by their expressions, it wasn't that his strikes had been weak, but that they were pushing through the pain with sheer grit.
Clang! Clang!
Namgung Jun's sword fiercely sliced through the air, completely disrupting the forms of the incoming exotic weapons.
"You fools! Don't just rush in blindly! He's alternating between heavy and swift sword techniques!"
"Keep throwing hidden weapons! Create an opening!"
"That kid's footwork is extraordinary, too."
Even though Namgung Jun's Sword Force and sword speed were extraordinary, they refused to back down. Instead, with venomous expressions, they dug in their heels and fought to hold their ground.
"Now! Grab him!"
As he thrust his sword forward, Namgung Jun suddenly pulled his left foot back and retreated. A Mokryun Hall expert, who had been pretending to be down, had rolled across the floor in an attempt to grab his leg.
Sa Dan-hae immediately pursued the retreating Namgung Jun. Swinging his saw-toothed saber relentlessly, he pursed his lips.
"Ptooey!"
It looked like he was just spitting, but a tiny hidden weapon shot out from his mouth.
However, Namgung Jun lightly flicked it away with his finger and corrected his stance. No matter how many underhanded and bizarre tricks Mokryun Hall threw at him, his response remained calm and solid.
'He doesn't waver at all. How old did they say this kid was?'
Sa Dan-hae forced down the admiration rising within him. Mokryun Hall's coordinated attacks were tricky enough to trouble even highly experienced veterans, yet the boy before him showed absolutely no signs of shaking.
It wasn't simply a matter of their level of martial arts. Namgung Jun was young, and he had heard the boy had only recently begun learning. His experience in the Jianghu must be minimal, so how could he be this proficient?
'Is this what true talent is? A difference in caliber that can overwhelm even time and experience.'
Boom!
Stamping his foot in an Earth-Trembling Stomp, Namgung Jun unleashed the wind of the Heavenly Wind Sword Technique, sweeping away the three experts who had been guarding the left flank.
"You sluggish bastards! Fill the gap immediately!"
"Don't let him run wild any longer! Aim for his legs!"
The Mokryun Hall experts rushed in frantically, but Namgung Jun's sword was faster by two breaths.
It was not the Heavenly Wind Sword Technique, the Thirteen Lightning Flash Sword Thunders, nor the Distant-Cloud Layered-Wall Stance. His sword began to exhibit a completely different nature.
'Loosen the grip of the ring finger slightly, and secure the top of the hilt with the thumb.'
Sweeping his sword downward, Namgung Jun changed his grip. It was a grip unfamiliar even to him. By experiencing Mokryun Hall's chaotic and dizzying coordinated attacks, he sought to manifest the inspiration flashing through his mind into his swordplay.
Slash! Slash!
A flurry of irregular sword strikes whipped out in all directions, deflecting every exotic weapon flying in from the eight cardinal points.
But his sword was not satisfied with just that. It began to move with even greater vitality.
The tip of his sword wriggled and split into countless paths as if it were a living flexible sword. The irregular, whipping trajectories of chains and fishing lines melted into his sword path. In his fierce thrusts, one could glimpse the iron spike; in his wild, sweeping strikes, the saw-toothed saber.
"You crazy bastard!"
Swinging his damaged saw-toothed saber, Sa Dan-hae could not help but spit out a curse.
The sword strikes suddenly pouring down from all directions contained the characteristics of all kinds of exotic weapons, melted together as if by a single martial principle. The raw, unrefined forms he wove together looked almost like Mokryun Hall's own coordinated attack.
If all the martial arts of Mokryun Hall were to be compiled into a single sword technique, would it not look exactly like this?
Crash!
With the final, novel sword strike Namgung Jun displayed, the exotic weapons of the Mokryun Hall experts were completely shattered. Reeling from the impact, they were all forced back once more.
Amidst them, only Namgung Jun stood with his sword raised in the exact same posture as when he had started.
It couldn't be helped. Their eyes, dazed by his new forms, could no longer guide their limbs, which had lost their natural flow and become hopelessly tangled.
"Ha. Unless my eyes deceive me..."
"It looked like an Illusion Sword, a Changing Sword."
"Was the rumor true? That he created a sword technique just by clashing blades with our Hall Master?"
Namgung Jun slowly sheathed his sword as he looked at the Mokryun Hall experts, who were staring back at him with blank, dazed eyes.
A calm voice drifted out on his steady breath.
"That was quite an impressive coordinated attack."
Only a chilling silence settled over Mokryun Hall.