Chapter 377
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 377
Chapter Title: The Field Training Plan
"It certainly seems like a solid approach..."
Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader So Hwi-woong trailed off.
Yeon Ja-kyeong nodded as if he had received the answer he wanted.
"As expected, I figured the Alliance Leader would respond that way."
So Hwi-woong looked at Yeon Ja-kyeong with a troubled expression.
"Then I'll handle that part."
Yeon Ja-kyeong spoke with the look of a man who had achieved his goal.
It was quite an annoying matter.
More than anything, it wasn't even Righteous Heaven Alliance business—it was Dragon Training Pavilion business.
And yet Yeon Ja-kyeong was stepping up so proactively.
"Since it's Dragon Training Pavilion's affair, why not let them handle it?"
Yeon Ja-kyeong shook his head at So Hwi-woong's suggestion.
"The Dragon Training Pavilion is sending the students, but the ones receiving them are the martial forces and organizations under the Righteous Heaven Alliance. Coordinating with them would be more efficient if done through the Alliance."
It was a reasonable argument.
There would be far more work for the places hosting the field training.
The Dragon Training Pavilion just had to assign and send the personnel.
'What is he after?'
Yeon Ja-kyeong surely had some scheme tucked away for his own benefit.
He couldn't give an immediate answer here.
"I'll discuss it with the Strategist first and decide."
So Hwi-woong thus deferred his response.
"Understood. The break period isn't far off. With so much to do, I kindly ask for a swift reply."
With that, Yeon Ja-kyeong rose and left.
So Hwi-woong stared at the door through which he had exited.
The proposal had been too reasonable and normal—suspiciously so.
That man wasn't one who moved for the Righteous Heaven Alliance.
'An old fox who acts for the Baekdo Association and his own gains...'
So Hwi-woong shook his head.
Such political maneuvering wasn't his forte after all.
Better to leave it to those skilled at it.
So Hwi-woong immediately summoned Heavenly Eye Pavilion Lord Gong Son Dan-gyeong through his attendant guard.
A moment later.
"You called for me, Alliance Leader?"
Gong Son Dan-gyeong arrived promptly.
"Elder Yeon was just here."
Gong Son Dan-gyeong flinched.
"Yeon Clan Head, you mean?"
Yeon Ja-kyeong was someone who openly opposed the Alliance Leader, so he rarely met with him alone like this.
So Hwi-woong watched Gong Son Dan-gyeong's reaction and recounted his entire conversation with Yeon Ja-kyeong.
Gong Son Dan-gyeong's expression shifted by the moment.
"What do you think Elder Yeon is aiming for?"
Even to So Hwi-woong's question, Gong Son Dan-gyeong remained deep in thought.
"It's tricky. He must have hidden something self-serving in that proposal..."
Gong Son Dan-gyeong tilted his head.
No obvious gain stood out.
The students from the Dragon Training Pavilion gaining field experience was mutually beneficial, whether for Hidden Dragon Corps or Wa Dragon Corps.
Even Fierce Dragon Corps had conducted training, thanks to Ha Mu-baek.
The moment Gong Son Dan-gyeong's thoughts reached that point.
"Fierce Dragon Corps... Ha Mu-baek... Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest..."
Gong Son Dan-gyeong muttered as he organized his thoughts.
Seeing he had realized something, So Hwi-woong waited quietly.
"Perhaps... that's it."
"What do you mean?"
"The assignment of students for the training."
"Hm?"
"Assigning most Wa Dragon Corps students to dangerous places like the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest, while placing Hidden Dragon Corps students in safe, comfortable spots."
So Hwi-woong's eyes widened.
He hadn't considered it.
"What gain does he get from that?"
"A drop in Wa Dragon Corps students' morale... something like that."
Gong Son Dan-gyeong frowned.
Even so, the benefit to Yeon Ja-kyeong seemed too small.
Without knowing what secret actions Yeon Ja-kyeong was undertaking.
He couldn't speculate further.
A key clue for deduction was missing.
"He wouldn't be insane enough to send Wa Dragon Corps students to the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest just to get them killed, right?"
So Hwi-woong joked lightly.
Gong Son Dan-gyeong's face hardened.
It was an absurd notion.
No matter how ruthless Yeon Ja-kyeong was, such madness would strip him of any claim to being an upright martial artist.
It would be leading the future of the righteous sects to death.
Still, it might be wise to prepare for it.
Considering his ambitions.
"We're already considering it anyway. Approve it, but have Hidden Dragon Corps and Wa Dragon Corps send equal numbers for the training."
So Hwi-woong nodded at Gong Son Dan-gyeong's words.
"Yes. We'll do that."
"Tahat!"
"Iyap!"
Fierce Dragon Corps students thrust their swords and shields vigorously.
Wi Ji-gun, currently using the name Ji Gun-wi, watched them before his gaze fixed on one spot.
There stood Dan Mok Un-roe.
'Hmm. That strangely familiar energy is growing stronger...'
He knew well how diligently Dan Mok Un-roe trained.
And how relentlessly he was growing stronger.
Yet the more he did, the more a peculiarly familiar sensation emanated from the internal energy in Dan Mok Un-roe's dantian.
At first, he thought it was some novel aura.
But as it grew, it felt increasingly familiar.
Even its profundity.
His gaze, fixed on Dan Mok Un-roe, shifted sideways.
There was Baek Ri-pyeong.
His sword swings were sharp.
He was executing named forms for now.
But his movements were beginning to incorporate Baek Ri-pyeong's own insights.
He had just barely stepped into a realm worthy of founding his own style.
'That one too.'
His gaze moved to Joo Woo-myeong.
It was the result of talent, drive, and effort befitting a disciple of the former Wudang Sect's top swordsman.
Turning back, he saw Yeon Ha-min.
She was even more impressive.
He had heard she was from the prestigious Hubei Yeon Clan.
But she had only learned what Ha Mu-baek taught her.
Three Talents Arts and named forms.
Yet her progress was astonishing.
'And precognition on top...'
This time, Ha Seol-ran.
His own disciple.
Not quite on her brother's level.
But that was an unfair comparison.
Ha Seol-ran had overcome the Seven Sounds Meridian Blockage.
The condition said to produce a once-in-a-millennium prodigy if survived.
And it wasn't wrong.
Her talent shone brilliantly.
Beside her, Dang Jin-san swung his sword diligently.
'That one's decent too.'
Talent befitting a scion of a renowned clan.
The only issue was it didn't mesh well with Tang Clan arts.
'That one I just can't read.'
Finally, Wi Ji-gun's eyes turned to Nak Woo-jin.
Like Yeon Ha-min, he had only learned Three Talents Arts and named forms.
He kept up well in training and seemed talented enough.
Yet Wi Ji-gun couldn't fathom his depths.
As if there was some backstory.
Whenever Ji Gun-wi—Wi Ji-gun—shifted his gaze, the students' swords moved even more energetically.
They didn't want to get singled out and drilled harder.
Thus, Ji Gun-wi scanned the Fierce Dragon Corps students with the eyes of a hawk.
'Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest...'
Seven under Ha Mu-baek's watch.
How many others would return alive from there?
Come to think of it, he himself had never been.
As he stroked his chin, lost in thought.
An energy stimulating his senses.
He turned toward it.
It was the direction of Hidden Dragon Corps' training ground.
Namgung Ji-hu.
The aura of him cultivating the Emperor Sword Form.
'He's grown stronger. Definitely.'
He had heard briefly from Ha Mu-baek about Namgung Clan matters.
Once more, Wi Ji-gun tilted his head.
Different from Dan Mok Un-roe's, but the Emperor Sword Form carried a strangely familiar energy.
Ha Mu-baek hadn't mentioned that the Emperor Sword Form held a fragment of primordial radiance.
At the time, Ha Mu-baek hadn't fully grasped the concept of the primordial.
Even so, Wi Ji-gun focused on Namgung Ji-hu's energy.
It was definitely something he had encountered before.
'Radiance... perhaps?'
Because Ha Mu-baek had obtained Radiance.
Only by sensing that energy could he recognize it.
Imperfect compared to Radiance, but unmistakably the same.
A fragment passed down in the Namgung Clan's Emperor Sword Form.
Wi Ji-gun nodded, his gaze returning to Dan Mok Un-roe.
'Which means...'
The boy's martial art must contain a shard of primordial fragment.
'Dragon Training Pavilion. Is this the nature of this place? Because of Mu-baek? Hmm.'
Unaware of Ji Gun-wi's musings.
Dan Mok Un-roe swung his sword even more vigorously.
Sweat drops splattered to the ground.
Pang!
Pak!
Swords flashed, accompanied by various whooshes.
Having executed all forms, Pyeong Deok-jo blankly stared down at his sword.
While Ha Mu-baek was off washing up.
He had unfolded the Dawn Sword Art once more.
And it had changed.
Just from Ha Mu-baek's advice.
His mindset had shifted a bit, sure.
But just from that?
Could his sword movements alter so drastically?
Was this even possible?
Lost in such thoughts.
"You've got talent. You've broken through the wall. Congratulations."
Ha Mu-baek, back before he knew it, said casually.
Pyeong Deok-jo's head snapped toward him.
But Ha Mu-baek indifferently tidied their bedding spot.
"We have to hurry and depart."
At Ha Mu-baek's words, Pyeong Deok-jo swallowed his questions and packed up the tent where he had slept.
Breakfast was hardtack crumbs and jerky.
He chewed while driving the cart.
Ha Mu-baek still held the reins.
"Um... Instructor Ha."
"Hm? Yeah?"
Ha Mu-baek, mid-chew on jerky, glanced at Pyeong Deok-jo beside him.
"What do you mean by breaking through the wall...?"
"Exactly what I said. Your level rose. Not quite first-rate yet, but you've definitely shed second-rate."
At Ha Mu-baek's what-kind-of-question-is-that reaction.
Pyeong Deok-jo wore a dazed expression.
He couldn't process if what he heard was real.
So he had surpassed second-rate?
Him?
Just from one sentence telling him not to limit himself?
True, when he swung again, such thoughts had crossed his mind.
But he had doubted if it would even work.
Yet it did?
Pyeong Deok-jo's face still screamed disbelief.
Ha Mu-baek looked at him pitifully.
"When a bowl is full of water, even one drop makes it overflow. Your bowl was full. My words were that drop. Without it, it stayed full but didn't overflow."
Ha Mu-baek explained in detail.
Only then did clarity return to his eyes, bit by bit.
So.
All those countless sword swings had meaning.
They had piled up, filling his vessel.
He just needed the trigger to overflow it.
And Ha Mu-baek had provided it.
"Thank you, Instructor Ha."
Pyeong Deok-jo clasped his hands in respect and bowed deeply from the driver's seat.
"Don't do that in tight quarters. No room."
Ha Mu-baek grumbled curtly.
Still, Pyeong Deok-jo's back remained bent.
"Instructor Pyeong."
"Yes."
Pyeong Deok-jo straightened and replied.
"You. You've got impressive talent. The arts you're learning are solid too. Don't undervalue yourself or your martial arts because of your days wandering as a third-rate ronin. That's poison in the end. Take pride in yourself. Hold yourself in esteem."
At Ha Mu-baek's praise and encouragement, Pyeong Deok-jo's eyes trembled.
"And."
Ha Mu-baek paused briefly.
"Don't get complacent at this level. You'll need to grow stronger before we arrive."
Ha Mu-baek smiled faintly as he finished.