Chapter 269
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 269
Chapter Title: The Method Remains
Cho Mu-ha's entire body trembled uncontrollably.
He couldn't help it.
The Summer Combat Festival.
The Summer Combat Festival, of all things.
How could he possibly participate in the Summer Combat Festival?
He had never even dreamed of it.
No, not just him—most of the first-year cadets in the Fierce Dragon Corps felt the same.
Last year's legend of Squad Seven in the Fierce Dragon Corps was just that: a legend.
Why call it a legend?
Because it was impossible for them.
Their instructor wasn't that same figure the seniors of Squad Seven had spoken of.
Yet, by order of the Pavilion Lord, even the first-year Fierce Dragon Corps cadets were all participating.
Even as they headed toward Magnolia Mountain, where the festival was held, his trembling wouldn't stop.
His gaze fell on a cadet striding confidently ahead.
Her name was Gong Ya Hwi-yeon.
A female cadet from the same squad.
The one with the lowest achievements, barely able to cultivate any internal energy.
Yet a smile played on her lips.
How, in a situation like this?
"Huh? Why?"
Gong Ya Hwi-yeon glanced back, sensing Cho Mu-ha's stare.
"No, it's just... Gong Ya Hwi-yeon, how can you smile in this situation...?"
"Should I cry, then?"
Cho Mu-ha shook his head at her retort.
"No, not that, but..."
"You won't know until you compare long and short. Who knows? We might pull off something like what your beloved Squad Seven seniors did last year."
Cho Mu-ha forgot his tension and let out a chuckle.
It was because of Gong Ya Hwi-yeon's nonchalant way of dismissing the impossible.
She narrowed her eyes at his laugh.
"There's no such thing as absolutely impossible in this world. There's at least a slim chance—a penny's worth, no, a mile's worth."
Cho Mu-ha had no reply to that.
"So, let's give it our all."
Gong Ya Hwi-yeon flashed a bright smile.
A face one might call plain, even ugly.
But the moment he saw that smile, Cho Mu-ha's heart raced without warning.
Her crinkled eyes looked strangely beautiful.
'Wh-what's wrong with me? Have I gone mad all of a sudden...?'
Unaware of Cho Mu-ha's reaction, Gong Ya Hwi-yeon stroked her bow.
Four-Character Thunder Bow.
She had pulled it out for the first time since entering the Dragon Training Pavilion.
To properly get revenge on those bastards.
'Huh? Come to think of it, has Gong Ya Hwi-yeon ever trained in archery?'
Cho Mu-ha tilted his head at the sight.
Now that he noticed, the bracelets she always wore on her arms were gone too.
Anyway.
Thanks to Gong Ya Hwi-yeon, perhaps, Cho Mu-ha realized his trembling had stopped.
'Right. The seniors did it, so I'll go all out too. If it doesn't work, I'll just train harder.'
***
The night before the Summer Combat Festival.
The area around Magnolia Mountain was bustling.
Because so many people had gathered, including the entire Fierce Dragon Corps.
Ha Mu-baek watched the scene calmly.
"With this many people this year, it'll be quite chaotic."
"I never imagined they'd have the entire Fierce Dragon Corps participate."
Han Seol-bing muttered beside him.
"Well, it's probably to check the results of their training. The Pavilion Lord would do something like that."
Ha Mu-baek replied dismissively.
Unlike these two,
Squad Seven of the Fierce Dragon Corps and Squad Twenty of the Wa Dragon Corps were reconfirming their strategy amid the sudden change.
More opponents meant lower survival odds.
"Don't underestimate the Fierce Dragon Corps and charge in recklessly."
Dang Jin-san said with uncharacteristic seriousness.
The Fierce Dragon Corps cadets nodded.
"How strong are they, exactly?"
Eun Hwa-ryang asked cautiously.
In truth, the Fierce Dragon Corps cadets and they themselves started from similar points.
They had been at a level to join the Fierce Dragon Corps but had slipped into the Wa Dragon Corps through a loophole for errands.
"Objectively, you all are stronger. The martial arts and heart methods you've learned differ, after all. Plus, you took spirit elixirs, and Instructor Ha personally oversaw your training."
At Baek Ri-pyeong's explanation, the five paled slightly.
They had grown stronger, but memories of that pain resurfaced.
As did the taste of the elixirs.
"But the Fierce Dragon Corps has shields."
The five tilted their heads at that.
"In group battles like the Summer Combat Festival, shields wield tremendous power."
Yeon Ha-min said.
"We benefited greatly from them last year too. Moving with shields on mountain paths is tough, but in open battlegrounds? The story changes."
The Fierce Dragon Corps cadets nodded again at Yeon Ha-min's words.
That's how they had caught Namgung Ji-hu last year.
"And this time, they've had proper group combat training."
Dan Mok Un-roe added.
They themselves had gone through it too.
"The method is still."
Yeon Ha-min declared firmly.
"Ambush and surprise attacks."
The cadets of Wa Dragon Corps Squad Twenty nodded resolutely.
They had practiced endlessly while memorizing Magnolia Mountain's terrain.
Tracking, ambush, stealth, assault.
"Never clash head-on. Hit from behind, retreat, hide. Repeat. Your goal is to survive the longest."
***
The sun blazed fiercely in the clear blue sky.
On a high cliff overlooking a steadily flowing river, there was a grassy patch.
Two mounds stood there.
And two people gazing at them.
Namgung Yu and Namgung Hu.
Several days had passed since they arrived at the village where Namgung Hwi had lived.
The villagers welcomed the family warmly.
Here, he had lived simply as "Mugyeong."
He couldn't reveal the Namgung name.
When they gave the names Nam Hwi, Nam Yu, Nam Hu,
The villagers smiled brightly, saying they finally knew their names after over a decade.
He could see why his father had returned here.
Because his mother was here too.
The left mound was Namgung Yu's mother, the right Namgung Hu's.
The two visited every morning, returning in the late afternoon.
The river stretched before them.
It flowed from the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest, they said.
Thanks to that river, his father had survived.
"Come to think of it, today's the solstice."
Namgung Hu muttered, looking up at the sky.
Namgung Yu smiled faintly.
"Reminds you of last year, huh?"
Namgung Hu nodded silently.
His first defeat in life.
He would never forget it.
That defeat had changed him, leading to today.
A small trigger, in a way.
Yet it led him to find his father and mother.
A day full of meaning in many ways.
Their gazes turned toward Magnolia Mountain.
"Wonder if those guys are doing okay."
Namgung Hu muttered.
Due to Dang Jin-san's bet, Wa Dragon Corps Squad One had to face off against Squad Twenty.
Having helped with their training, he felt concerned.
"Well, with Instructor Ha there."
A smile tugged at Namgung Hu's lips at Namgung Yu's words.
That man made anything seem possible.
"More importantly, you planning to avenge that defeat?"
Namgung Yu asked.
"Who knows. Is there any reason to be hung up on it?"
He seemed transcendent somehow.
Since reaching the peak realm, his perspective had broadened.
Namgung Yu smiled, pleased by her brother's demeanor.
"Now it's my turn."
"Huh?"
"I need to get stronger. For this Summer Combat Festival."
Namgung Hu's eyes sparkled.
He said there was no reason to dwell, but words were just words.
***
The solstice.
The longest day of the year.
True to form, the scorching sunlight stabbed at their faces.
Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul ascended the platform, gave a brief speech, and declared the Summer Combat Festival underway.
The cadets of the Hidden Dragon Corps, Wa Dragon Corps, and Fierce Dragon Corps entered Magnolia Mountain with the judges.
One hour from now.
Combat begins.
Ha Mu-baek watched the cadets depart impassively.
Han Seol-bing did the same.
The two had been excluded from judging duties.
Fierce Dragon Corps instructors didn't participate as judges in the festival.
Likely due to limits on their martial prowess.
Though the two were exceptions, they were sidelined for being Fierce Dragon Corps instructors.
With increased participants, even first-year instructors from Hidden and Wa Dragon Corps, plus some second-, third-, and fourth-years, had been drafted.
"How long will they last?"
Yeon Ha-min approached and asked.
"Hard to say. With an unexpected participant thrown in... I wonder what variable she'll be."
"Pardon?"
An unexpected person?
The seven from the Fierce Dragon Corps turned to Ha Mu-baek.
"It's nothing."
Ha Mu-baek brushed it off.
But his sharp eyes traced the path where he had just seen her pass.
'Wasn't there, then there? She fooled my senses... Definitely no internal energy.'
He crossed his arms.
Unlike other cadets, she had zero internal energy, making her memorable.
'Interesting. She used artifacts to sneak into the Fierce Dragon Corps.'
No way her level could evade Ha Mu-baek's senses otherwise.
Yet no traces of training.
Must be artifacts.
Unorthodox sects, and artifacts.
"Must've been noisy."
Ha Mu-baek muttered softly.
"Pardon?"
Han Seol-bing turned to him.
"Nothing."
With that, Ha Mu-baek leaped toward Magnolia Mountain and vanished.
He figured he should check it out himself.
She wasn't ordinary, that much was clear.
***
Hubei Yeon Clan, the world's greatest family.
Clan head Yeon Ja-kyeong eyed his subordinate.
"A messenger from the Evil Union has entered Wuchang?"
Interest lit Yeon Ja-kyeong's face.
"Yes."
"What's the purpose?"
"It seems they're looking for Ha Mu-baek."
"Hmm."
Yeon Ja-kyeong pondered the report.
"Recent movements of the Evil Union?"
Such sudden action meant change.
"Nothing major overall, but..."
"But?"
"The Black Bird Corps has been quite active."
Black Bird Corps.
If the Righteous Heaven Alliance had the Heavenly Eye Pavilion, the Evil Union had the Black Bird Corps.
Their intelligence network.
Their busyness meant...
"Something's up with the Evil Union."
Yeon Ja-kyeong's interest piqued.
Trouble in the Evil Union.
And now seeking Ha Mu-baek.
"What do you think it is?"
He asked his subordinate.
"Probably something in righteous faction territory. Otherwise, no reason to contact Ha Mu-baek."
Yeon Ja-kyeong smiled satisfiedly at the answer.
He thought the same.
Ha Mu-baek was an oddity—a righteous man with no hostility toward unorthodox sects.
The only ones he opposed were the Blood Cult, Demonic Cult,
and those who picked fights with him.
"Something fun might happen."
Yeon Ja-kyeong's eyes gleamed.
The subordinate stayed silent.
"Chaos brings change. So far, all changes favored the Alliance Leader."
The chaos began with Ha Mu-baek's demotion.
Who knew it would backfire?
Now, they needed to steer that chaos their way.
"Let's poke the grass and startle the snake."
Beat the grass to scare the snake.
Unable to discern the Evil Union's issue, they'd prod for a reaction.
"But if you move directly..."
"We can't move. Leak this to Shaolin Monastery; that'll do it."
"Ah!"
The subordinate looked impressed.
Shaolin Monastery.
The foremost righteous sect.
The world's greatest.
No one disputed it.
Yet the recent war had greatly diminished their power.
Thus, in the current martial world, people thought of Wudang first.
Still, they hated demons and heretics.
When the Evil Union allied with them against the Blood Cult and Demonic Cult, Shaolin opposed from start to finish.
Just leak the info about the Evil Union messenger sneaking into Wuchang.
They'd beat the grass themselves.
"They might even go after Ha Mu-baek, whom the messenger came to see."
Yeon Ja-kyeong grinned sinisterly.