Chapter 69: The Great Art (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 69: The Great Art (1)
The headquarters of the Azure Heaven Association welcomed the Clouds who had returned from the Mount Song Gathering.
"You have both worked hard."
Ha Mu-jung, the Martial Conquest Hall Master, commended the two rising stars standing before him.
His gaze, as sharp and dry as jagged rock, remained the same, but it had lost some of its harsh edge. This was thanks to his interactions with Namgung Jun and Baekri Cheong on their journey from Mount Song to Huangshan after the gathering had concluded.
Though it was called an interaction, their conversations had been minimal; their time had been mostly filled with countless martial duels. However, that was more than enough to get to know the two of them.
Namgung Jun and Baekri Cheong.
Even among the most promising talents of the Ten Halls, these two stood out. It was clear they would one day reach the rank of Hall Master.
Especially...
Ha Mu-jung's gaze shifted slightly toward Namgung Jun.
Baekri Cheong's talent was indeed remarkable, but Namgung Jun was different. There was something about him that defied conventional standards.
A sublime swordsmanship that seems to transcend time. Can that even be called mere talent?
If a peerless swordsman—who had lost most of his internal energy and whose body was severely weakened—were to barely swing his sword, would it look like that?
That was how peerless Namgung Jun's swordsmanship felt. The sword paths he had drawn still lingered in Ha Mu-jung's mind.
Even though Namgung Jun was clearly his inferior, sparring with him had been immensely beneficial. Ha Mu-jung realized firsthand that the rumor about the Ink Lord coming down personally after watching Namgung Jun's entrance exam was no lie.
I wonder how the Sword Lord will react.
Recalling the Sword Lord, who was known for his occasional eccentricities, Ha Mu-jung added, "Namgung Jun. My expectations for you are very high. Keep striving forward."
"I will do my best to meet them."
Namgung Jun clasped his hands in response to Ha Mu-jung's encouraging words.
"You may go."
At Ha Mu-jung's dismissal, Namgung Jun looked at Baekri Cheong.
"Brother Baekri, I'll see you later."
"Ah, yes. We'll both be busy with our missions, so I don't know when we'll meet again. Take care, Brother Namgung."
After parting ways with Ha Mu-jung and Baekri Cheong, Namgung Jun headed straight for the Heavenly Sword Hall. Since Ha Mu-jung was handling the verbal report for the mission, Namgung Jun only needed to submit a written one later.
It's been a while.
Upon returning to the Heavenly Sword Hall, he saw the swordsmen sparring as usual. Walking slowly, Namgung Jun carefully observed the swordplay of the Heavenly Sword Hall members, a faint smile playing on his lips.
He was not the only one growing and moving forward. A good amount of time had passed, and the swordsmen of the Heavenly Sword Hall had also made their own progress. A few of them, in particular, showed remarkable improvement. It was only natural, given they swung their swords like madmen every single day.
As Namgung Jun crossed the threshold of the Heavenly Sword Hall, his comrades' blades stopped one by one.
"Oh, our youngest! You're back!"
"You're finally back. That took quite a while."
"How were the rising stars at the Mount Song Gathering?"
Spotting the youngest of the Heavenly Sword Hall, his seniors halted their training and crowded around him, all curious to hear about his exploits at the Mount Song Gathering.
"Young Master Namgung, your aura has changed. It seems you've made some progress."
Heo Il, who had closed the distance with his signature stealthy footwork, slightly lifted his bamboo hat and grinned.
Watching Heo Il's movements, Namgung Jun let out a soft exclamation of admiration.
"You have changed as well, Senior Heo."
Was it because of the realization he’d gained last time, or perhaps the duel during the competition? There was a significant change in Heo Il's bearing. Although he would have to cross swords with him to know for sure, it was clear Heo Il had found his own path.
"Fufu. It is all thanks to you, Young Master Namgung."
"Namgung Jun! I've finally mastered the Great Wind Sword Technique!"
Man Ye-won rushed past Heo Il, who was replying with a triumphant expression, and interrupted loudly.
Her lips moved as if she wanted to say more, but Gong Jun-am, who had approached unnoticed, pulled her back.
"That's enough. You can catch up later. Namgung Jun, report to the Hall Master first."
Namgung Jun bowed in gratitude for Gong Jun-am's consideration as he sent Man Ye-won and the other swordsmen back to their training.
As he headed toward the Hall Master's office, a bitter, fragrant aroma drifted out. Having already sensed her disciple's return, his master was brewing tea.
"Jun, it's been a while. Welcome back."
"Master."
Lee Se-ha, who was tilting her head from side to side with exaggerated movements, smiled brightly and clapped her hands.
"You've grown taller since I last saw you! You'll be taller than me soon."
"Is that so? You haven't changed at all, Master."
With a gentle smile, Lee Se-ha rested her chin on her hand.
"How was the Mount Song Gathering? The rising stars there must have had their noses quite high in the air."
"The training and advice I received from you were a great help, Master."
The smile on Lee Se-ha's red lips grew even more radiant.
"Mmm, hearing you say that makes me even more curious. Hurry up and tell me everything."
Sipping the tea his master had brewed, the disciple slowly recounted the events at Mount Song.
Lee Se-ha's expressions shifted dynamically as she listened. She furrowed her fine brow at certain parts and smiled broadly with pride at others.
However, when he reached the part about dueling the Wudang Sect Master, she asked with a completely serious expression, "You dueled the Wudang Sect Master?"
"Yes. I fell into a selfless state midway through, so I don't remember it clearly, but I was able to achieve great progress in the Distant-Cloud Layered-Wall Stance."
"Crossing swords with one of the Five Great Masters under Heaven... I'm actually a bit jealous."
Until now, she had been listening as a master, but her current curiosity was purely that of a fellow martial artist.
"My disciple turned a simple opportunity into a fated one."
Resting her chin on her hand, the master reached out. It was a gesture to pat her disciple's head in praise, but Namgung Jun subtly leaned back.
Having anticipated his reaction, Lee Se-ha laughed brightly as her hand swiped through empty air. "Just because you duel a peerless expert doesn't mean you can easily gain great insight," she continued.
"It was also thanks to the consideration shown by the Wudang Sect Master."
"I suppose I'll have to look out for Wudang disciples if I ever meet them in the future."
Having heard all of Namgung Jun's report, Lee Se-ha toyed with her hair, looking satisfied.
"You performed spectacularly this time. I was shocked when I saw the reward designated by the Ink Fragrance Department, but it makes sense now."
"Has the reward already been decided?"
A gleam of anticipation flickered in Namgung Jun's eyes. Since it was a reward personally selected by the Azure Heaven Association Leader, he couldn't help but look forward to it.
Seeing the vivid life return to Namgung Jun's eyes, Lee Se-ha pouted slightly and tilted her chin.
"It seems the reward catches your eye more than the master you haven't seen in a long time. How disappointing."
"How could that be?"
Namgung Jun smiled awkwardly and reached for the teapot. Because they had talked at length as soon as he arrived, the tea had grown lukewarm.
But Namgung Jun didn't mind.
He poured a cup, and as he held it, Blue Thunder Qi flickered from his hand. Before long, the tea, which had only held a faint warmth, began to boil. Namgung Jun handed the steaming cup to Lee Se-ha.
"Master, please drink."
"It boiled in just three breaths. Your mastery and manipulation of internal energy have improved significantly, haven't they?"
Taking a sip, Lee Se-ha's lips curved beautifully like a crescent moon.
"It's not too hot. Just right."
"It's the exact temperature you prefer, Master."
"You remember well."
"As your disciple, it is only natural."
"My disciple... you seem so blunt, but you're actually quite attentive."
Smiling with her eyes, Lee Se-ha set down the empty teacup.
"Go to the Azure Medicine Pavilion."
"The Azure Medicine Pavilion?"
Despite Namgung Jun's questioning look, Lee Se-ha merely nodded.
"The reward should be ready by now."
*
The Azure Medicine Pavilion was the organization responsible for all medical care within the Azure Heaven Association. Its physicians were dispatched not only to the headquarters but also to various branches to practice medicine.
These physicians were also quite proficient in martial arts. Not only could they defend themselves, but they were also deeply knowledgeable in medical arts that utilized internal energy.
"Come to think of it, I'm probably going to get an earful."
Thinking of the Azure Medicine Pavilion Master, Namgung Jun smiled bitterly but did not slow his steps.
As the Azure Medicine Pavilion came into view, the thick scent of medicinal herbs drifted from afar. This was likely because the Clouds who had returned injured from their missions were recuperating there.
Namgung Jun was one of them, in a way. He had been suppressing the symptoms and seizures of his Nine Yin Severed Meridian with the decoctions constantly sent by the Azure Medicine Pavilion.
Upon entering the Azure Medicine Pavilion, he saw a middle-aged man with hair streaked with white sitting on the wooden veranda.
The Azure Medicine Pavilion Master looked at Namgung Jun with disapproval.
"It's hard to even get a glimpse of your face, no matter how important your missions are."
"That's just how things turned out."
"You shouldn't relax just because your proficiency with your heart method has improved. You might be fine now, but it will be even more painful when you undergo meridian opening or treatment. You must manage it thoroughly while you're still young. Even if you're a martial artist who treats your body roughly, you must learn to cherish it."
The sharp voice of the Azure Medicine Pavilion Master poured out in succession like martial forms, piercing his ears.
Despite the lecture having the force of a sonic technique, Namgung Jun endured it and bowed his head.
"I will keep that in mind."
Clicking his tongue, the Azure Medicine Pavilion Master stood up and asked, "Did you come for the reward?"
"Yes."
"Let me check your pulse first."
The Azure Medicine Pavilion Master took Namgung Jun's wrist and let out a low groan.
"At your age, the symptoms of the Nine Yin Severed Meridian should be gradually worsening, but the balance of Yin and Yang in your body is still decent. Is it thanks to opening the first meridian and your increased mastery of the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Formula?"
"Is that so?"
"However, you still have a long way to go. You've only opened a single meridian so far."
Namgung Jun nodded.
"Every time I check your pulse, I can't help but lament that this old man's medical skills are lacking, preventing me from curing your severed meridian."
"I've heard that even a normal case of Nine Yin Severed Meridian is extremely difficult to treat. Since I have a unique constitution—being born male with it—it must be even harder."
The Azure Medicine Pavilion Master shook his head.
"That doesn't matter. It is simply lamentable that my medical skills cannot reach you. All I can do is research the Nine Yin Severed Meridian and brew decoctions."
"Even that has been of immense help. If not for you, Pavilion Master, I wouldn't have been able to properly utilize the secret manual I received from the Tang Clan."
There was no exaggeration in Namgung Jun's words. The secret manual Tang Yeo-jin of the Tang Clan had given him was closer to a medical text. The person in the Azure Heaven Association who could utilize it most effectively was, of course, the Azure Medicine Pavilion Master.
In fact, by combining his own research with the Tang Clan's medical text, the Azure Medicine Pavilion Master had greatly eased Namgung Jun's pain and burden.
However, he did not seem satisfied with just that.
"There is no immediate strain on your body. It seems we can proceed with the Great Art."
"The Great Art?"
"The reward the Association Leader prepared for you is indeed the Great Art."
Namgung Jun nodded after hearing the explanation of what the Great Art entailed.
Indeed, there is no better reward for me right now.
The Association Leader saw exactly what he lacked.
Having finished his explanation, the Azure Medicine Pavilion Master asked, "Well? Will you undergo the Great Art?"
"Yes. When is it possible?"
"If you wish, we can do it right now."
Nodding, Namgung Jun's eyes shone brilliantly.
"Please proceed immediately."