Chapter 342
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 342
Chapter Title: Not Bad
Ha Mu-baek gazed at Un Gyo-tak with an impassive face.
The rider stance he had assumed.
Indeed.
It was different from the half-baked attempts of the others so far.
This was clearly the Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade, properly mastered.
But.
'Still, the difference in skill is too vast.'
So Hwi-woong's Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade, which he had witnessed clearly from the side.
Compared to that, it felt like an entirely different sword art.
"Draw your sword."
Un Gyo-tak said in a low voice toward Ha Mu-baek.
He shrugged his shoulders, thinking he could handle it barehanded.
But since he was the younger brother of the Dorim Sect Leader,
he decided to give him at least that much face.
'I've changed quite a bit myself.'
He thought as he placed his hand on the sword hilt.
Life in the Dragon Training Pavilion and the Fierce Dragon Corps had brought about changes in him too.
That must be what was gradually diluting the scent of blood on him.
Shring.
Ha Mu-baek drew his sword.
The corner of Un Gyo-tak's mouth curved up slightly.
"This is the pinnacle Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade. Prepare yourself."
The confident Un Gyo-tak.
However, Ha Mu-baek was puzzled.
If it was the pinnacle version, it should surely be So Hwi-woong's.
But compared to that, the skill gap was too wide.
"Taaah!"
Un Gyo-tak kicked off the ground.
The first form of the Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade scattered fierce energy as it flew toward Ha Mu-baek.
The Fierce Dragon Corps cadets watched with eyes wide open.
The signature technique of the world's greatest, Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader So Hwi-woong.
The Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade.
They hadn't expected to see it right before their eyes.
Indeed.
It was a sword art that unleashed an immense energy, just as the rumors said.
The cadets of Squad Seven in the Fierce Dragon Corps felt the same.
They had seen the Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade before.
What Han Pyeong had demonstrated.
But this was incomparable to that.
"In-incredible..."
Dang Jin-san muttered in a trembling voice.
It was truly a spectacular sight.
However.
"It's amazing, but... our instructor is even more amazing."
At Baek Ri-pyeong's words,
Dang Jin-san nodded.
Even while witnessing the unique martial art of the world's greatest—though executed by someone else—their faith that their own instructor was stronger had now taken firm root.
Clang!
The blade cloaked in red sword energy was blocked by Ha Mu-baek's sword and bounced away.
"Not bad."
Un Gyo-tak spat out the words and then truly stormed Ha Mu-baek like a tempest.
All his attacks were blocked by Ha Mu-baek's defenses.
Un Gyo-tak's onslaught showed no sign of letting up.
A storm of sword energy engulfed Ha Mu-baek.
"Wh-whoa, wow..."
The cadets couldn't string words together at the sight.
They could only let out great exclamations of awe.
"But... something feels off..."
Amid the fierce exchange of blows,
some sharp-eyed cadets sensed something strange.
It felt unnatural and odd somehow,
but they couldn't pinpoint what it was.
Even as Un Gyo-tak's stormy attacks overwhelmingly unfolded,
that strange feeling that he seemed to be at a disadvantage.
"He hasn't moved a single step."
Since when had he arrived?
Namgung Ji-hu stood by the Squad Seven and Squad Twenty cadets, speaking calmly.
Baek Ri-pyeong nodded at his words.
"On the contrary, it seems like Great Hero Un doesn't even realize it?"
Yeon Ha-min shook her head at Nak Woo-jin's words.
"No way. He knows. He just doesn't want to admit it."
As they exchanged these words,
Un Do-heon was watching the spar with a delighted expression.
"As expected of Uncle. That damned instructor can't even think of counterattacking. Hahaha."
The moment he let out a pleased laugh,
whoosh.
Ha Mu-baek's sword suddenly thrust out.
Un Gyo-tak barely dodged the attack by jerking his head back.
Strands of hair scattered into the air.
With just one sword strike.
Un Gyo-tak felt a chill run down his spine.
If that sword had been just a bit faster,
his head would have been pierced.
"Gulp."
For the first time, Un Gyo-tak's blade halted.
He swallowed dryly as he looked at Ha Mu-baek.
'He's strong.'
He had no choice but to admit it.
It was the kind of strength that made him understand why Han Pyeong and his nephew had been defeated so thoroughly.
How could he block the pinnacle Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade so effortlessly?
Un Gyo-tak's gaze shifted to Ha Mu-baek's feet.
They were exactly as before.
In the same stance from the start.
Not even a trace of his foot having shifted slightly sideways.
How could someone like this be an instructor in the Fierce Dragon Corps?
Now he finally understood his brother's words.
That you had to experience it to know.
His brother must have known without a doubt.
That this guy was this strong.
But.
He couldn't back down like this.
There was the pride of Dorim Sect.
He couldn't tarnish the name of the Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade.
That was why.
He gathered his internal energy and focused all his spirit.
The realm he had attained without participating in the Great Martial War,
through secluded training.
He still couldn't execute it perfectly,
but he could glimpse it briefly.
He had to show that realm now.
'Heaven-Collapsing Demon-Exterminating.'
The final form of the Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade, the most tyrannical and powerful technique.
When executing it,
he had glimpsed that realm, if only for a moment.
Here and now, he needed to step into it, even briefly.
Only then could he land even a single blow on this guy.
Un Gyo-tak slowly moved his blade.
He erased the image of Ha Mu-baek before his eyes.
He no longer felt the gazes of the countless onlookers watching the spar.
He focused solely on the Heaven-Collapsing Demon-Exterminating.
Only the blade and himself existed.
His internal energy surged, extending through the blade.
And then, a single strike like a thunderbolt crashing down.
Heaven-Collapsing Demon-Exterminating!
At that one strike,
"Gasp!!"
"Whoa!!"
The cadets watching the spar involuntarily cried out in admiration.
Ha Mu-baek looked at the blade descending toward him and
took one step forward for the first time.
He swung his sword.
A white sword aura cleaved through the air.
Boom!!!
A massive clash erupted.
"Kuhk."
Un Gyo-tak spat blood from his mouth and staggered back more than ten steps.
"Urk."
He vomited blood once more.
He had suffered severe internal injuries.
From a single clash.
Un Gyo-tak glared at Ha Mu-baek, trembling.
Ha Mu-baek stood there with the same calm expression.
'He moved.'
Just one step,
but Ha Mu-baek's foot position had changed.
"Not bad."
Ha Mu-baek said nonchalantly.
"Damn it..."
At Ha Mu-baek's evaluation of him,
Un Gyo-tak spat those words and
thud.
passed out on the spot.
"Un-Un-Uncle!"
Un Do-heon rushed over in shock at the sight.
"Take him to the medical hall."
Pang Do-yul ordered his subordinates nearby.
One of the guards hoisted Un Gyo-tak onto his back and hurried away.
Un Do-heon followed behind with a pale face.
Pang Do-yul glanced briefly at Ha Mu-baek before heading to the medical hall.
Since this was an official visit from Dorim Sect with formal documents, the Pavilion Lord had to attend.
"Hmm. That last one felt a bit similar..."
The final Heaven-Collapsing Demon-Exterminating he had unleashed.
It was still nowhere near So Hwi-woong's level,
but unlike before, it actually resembled the sword art So Hwi-woong wielded.
'So that's what it was.'
Having seen both sword arts,
a realization dawned.
'The Alliance Leader must have crossed a wall once. This guy has only glimpsed beyond it a little.'
Ha Mu-baek glanced at Un Gyo-tak, who was being carried away by the guard.
To have glimpsed beyond the wall at such a young age.
Impressive talent.
If guided a little,
that talent could fully blossom.
'But why should I bother? Too much hassle.'
With that thought, Ha Mu-baek ascended the platform.
"Continue training."
At Ha Mu-baek's words, the cadets quickly gathered in the training ground.
Having just witnessed their instructor's incredible martial prowess with their own eyes,
their movements were even sharper.
They knew he was strong from facing him,
but seeing him casually defeat a Dorim Sect expert—
one who wielded the Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade, no less—
made his strength feel real.
Awe welled up in them.
And it showed in their actions.
"Why this?"
Gwan Ha-kyeong stared dazedly at the item his sect had delivered.
Opening the sealed box revealed contents that left him stunned.
The Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade.
A manual bearing those five characters as its title.
In other words,
the secret manual of Dorim Sect's supreme sword art had been passed to him.
Why on earth?
He couldn't fathom it.
There was a letter beside the manual.
He unfolded and read it.
It said that since he had mastered the Heavenly Sword Art to a fine level, he seemed to have talent for the sword, so they were granting him the Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade—train diligently.
Gwan Ha-kyeong tilted his head.
His sect had shown no interest in him during his time in the Dragon Training Pavilion.
How did they know his level?
"Ah..."
About a month ago.
A Dorim Sect martial artist had visited the Demon-Sealing Corps.
He said it was to check on the status of Dorim Sect members.
Since it was an official visit with documents sent to the Righteous Heaven Alliance and permission granted,
Gwan Ha-kyeong and the other Dorim Sect members had conversed with him and demonstrated their martial arts before him.
He had forgotten about it,
but was that the reason?
Yet it felt odd.
Among the Demon-Sealing Corps, he was the only one from Dorim to receive something like this afterward.
There was only one place sending letters or items to them,
so he could confirm no one else had received anything.
"What in the world is going on..."
Gwan Ha-kyeong was still dazed.
This was the measure taken by Sect Leader Un Gyo-cheol, following So Hwi-woong's advice to widely teach the Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade to those with talent.
But Gwan Ha-kyeong had no way of knowing that.
At least during his time in the Dragon Training Pavilion, he had been fully entrusted to their training.
This was the first time he had been evaluated by a Dorim Sect expert.
Gwan Ha-kyeong's hands trembled faintly.
Still,
he was glad that his efforts had been recognized by his sect.
Gwan Ha-kyeong slowly lifted the manual from the box.
And then, character by character,
he read it with full concentration.
If he mastered this,
perhaps,
he might even be able to face the Ironclad Corpse.
Flip. Flip.
Only the sound of slowly turning pages echoed.
"Hoo. Hoo. Hoo."
Rough, deep breaths resounded.
His gaunt arms had swelled with flesh and muscle.
His face glistened with vitality, the deep wrinkles softening.
"I-is it... over...?"
In a trembling voice,
Myo Gu-ung examined his body.
It was an unbelievable transformation, but exactly as described in the Ten Thousand Yellow Ultimate Life-Death Toxin Art.
"S-success! Success! Uwahahahaha!"
He burst into mad laughter.
He had attempted it believing it would surely succeed,
but he had crossed death's door multiple times in the process.
He had even thought it might fail.
Yet it had succeeded.
After laughing heartily for a long while, Myo Gu-ung suddenly stopped.
His solid, muscular naked form.
Just from absorbing the toxin crystal,
his body had completely changed.
Smooth skin like white jade, shimmering with a faint black sheen.
This was the body right after shedding bones and exchanging marrow.
Shedding bones and exchanging marrow using the toxin crystal.
His face had even grown younger.
The elderly man had reverted to a middle-aged visage.
"Excellent."
He smiled faintly.
After moving his body this way and that,
whoosh.
He lightly kicked off the ground,
and in an instant, crossed space.
Tremendous speed.
He spread his palm and drew up toxin energy.
Black haze rose,
and deadly poison that could turn the surroundings into a land of death poured out in an instant.
"Good."
He smiled faintly again.
His pristine white teeth gleamed.
He was satisfied.
No, more than that.
"Absolute Poison Realm, Poison God Physique."
Myo Gu-ung murmured calmly.
"I've achieved it. That realm of fantasy. Kuhahahahaha!"
Myo Gu-ung burst into laughter once more.
Step. Step.
He began walking out of the deep cavern.