Chapter 415
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 415
Chapter Title: Snap Out of It!
Chu Geumneung.
He was a man who had risen to the rank of Supreme Protector in the Blood Cult.
His childhood had been one of near-starvation.
By sheer chance, he had joined the Blood Cult and finally escaped the gnawing hunger.
Fortune smiled further, allowing him to learn the Blood Arts. That was when he discovered his own prodigious talent.
Gifted beyond measure in the Blood Arts, he grew stronger at a terrifying pace, climbing the ranks just as swiftly.
And so, he ascended until he reached the pinnacle: Supreme Protector.
To him, the Blood Cult was his very self.
That was why, as the Thousand Hands drew to a close...
Making that decision came easily.
No, he volunteered for it gladly.
The Cult's Guardian Deity.
Instead of the grim title "Heaven-Destroying Jiangshi" for a Protector Jiangshi, they used "Guardian Deity."
It was a reverent name, infused with respect and admiration for those who became undead monsters of their own will, to eternally safeguard the Cult without true death.
Thus, Chu Geumneung became a Guardian Deity with a heart full of glory.
And he was the second Heaven-Destroying Jiangshi that Il-no had awakened.
"Kidnapping the strong ones..."
His black pupils had vanished, leaving only brilliant white sclera as he gazed westward, murmuring softly.
He recalled Il-no's orders.
From the forest encircled by walls, capture those who had mastered powerful martial arts—alive.
The moment he stepped out of the Cult, he spotted some promising prey.
He moved to seize them.
But they slipped away.
Whether one of them was sharp enough to notice, or if they were truly as formidable as his senses judged...
They fled with astonishing speed.
Now, a massive wall loomed before Chu Geumneung.
Il-no had warned him not to go beyond it.
That was why he halted here.
An unpleasant aura seeped from the wall, but it wasn't unbearable.
Or rather, honestly, it was. The first time he sensed it...
Instinct drove him to lash out.
Not because the ones he chased had mocked him.
The wall's foul emanation had irritated him so fiercely that he wanted to obliterate it entirely, hurling his force in rage.
However...
Il-no's command flashed in his mind midway.
Thus averting the disaster of shattering the wall.
He had recalled seventy percent of the unleashed force.
It only rattled the wall violently, without toppling it.
As a Heaven-Destroying Jiangshi, Chu Geumneung faithfully obeyed Il-no's will.
By rights, he should heed only the Cult Leader's command.
But now, even that authority had been delegated to Il-no.
The wall's aura grated on him, true.
But he could endure and cross it if he wished.
Or smash it if he chose.
Yet Il-no had forbidden it.
So he turned away.
He sensed their auras gathered some twenty li beyond the wall.
But the order was etched into him: do not cross.
With that, he vanished deep into the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest once more.
Gwan Ha-kyeong's expression was gradually relaxing.
"It's moving away."
All eyes turned to her at the words.
They were stunned that they could still sense the monster's presence, but relief washed over them at the news it was retreating.
"You can feel an aura twenty li out?"
Pung Geon asked in astonishment.
"It's not so much feeling it as... it's so overwhelming it registers anyway."
Gwan Ha-kyeong replied.
Indeed, everyone here had sensed the monster's existence as it approached.
"It's pulling back?"
Yu Gwi-gwang's question drew a nod from Gwan Ha-kyeong.
The monster was undoubtedly withdrawing.
"Did the Great Wall's spells hold it off?"
Pung Geon muttered in relief.
Gwan Ha-kyeong alone tilted her head.
From what she felt, it could have ignored both the Great Wall's spells and the Demon-Sealing Formation with ease.
So why was it turning back? It didn't make sense—especially after chasing them.
They could never dream of the truth:
That it could cross, but halted and retreated due to a command.
"Just in case, as it moves farther, we'll approach the wall and skirt along outside it back to headquarters."
Pung Geon proposed after some thought.
All nodded in agreement.
They were too terrified of the monster reappearing to climb the wall itself.
Since it hadn't shown beyond, traveling outside along the wall was the safest bet.
And so, this Black Squad of the Demon-Sealing Corps hastened their return to base.
"Stop!"
At Ha Mu-baek's shout, the Fierce Dragon Corps cadets ceased their circulation exercises.
"Thanks to the medicinal soups these past days, your internal energy has grown considerably. You've been building it up nonstop through meditation."
The cadets' eyes gleamed with fervor.
"Now, we train to adapt to that increased energy. Your feel for executing techniques will have changed."
Ha Mu-baek's words drew nods from some.
Those who had privately practiced swinging their swords, no doubt.
"Nothing beats actual combat for acclimating quickly. Form up in formations."
At his command, the cadets arrayed into squads.
Once all were set...
Ha Mu-baek vanished from the dais.
The cadets' gazes snapped to Squad Seven.
Expecting him to strike there first, as usual.
They watched intently—
Bang!
A clash erupted from somewhere entirely different.
"Tch."
The one gripping his shield to block Ha Mu-baek's fist...
Was Cho Mu-ha.
A first-year Squad Nine cadet in the Fierce Dragon Corps.
Fierce Dragon Corps first-years, Squad Nine.
The squad that had included Gong Ya Hwi-yeon, granddaughter of Squad Leader Gong Ya Jang-cheon.
Thus, only four members now.
Ha Mu-baek had struck them first.
While all eyes were on second-year Squad Seven.
A surprise assault on first-year Squad Nine.
Yet Cho Mu-ha reacted.
Raising his shield against Ha Mu-baek's punch.
'Oh ho. Look at this one.'
It was a strike fast and fierce enough to overwhelm any other cadet distracted by Squad Seven.
They'd have been sent flying in ruin.
But he blocked it.
Meaning, regardless of the others, Cho Mu-ha had been vigilantly scanning everywhere.
As Ha Mu-baek withdrew his blocked fist to unleash the other...
A sword thrust at his brow.
From Jin Yeon-sim, a female cadet.
Ha Mu-baek casually leaned back, evading effortlessly.
"Ahh!"
But Jin Yeon-sim couldn't control the momentum of her swing and staggered forward.
The classic sign of failing to adapt to heightened internal energy.
Ha Mu-baek wouldn't let a crumbling stance slide.
Thud.
His fist slammed into her solar plexus, dropping her flat.
Three left.
They all raised shields.
But Ha Mu-baek's triple strike felled them miserably.
Except Cho Mu-ha; the other two's poor adaptation created gaps in the formation.
As the last-standing Cho Mu-ha fell...
Ha Mu-baek glanced at him.
"You've trained diligently. Already adjusting to the energy."
With that, he vanished again.
As they all tensed, fearing he'd appear beside them...
This time, he materialized...
Bang!
Dan Mok Un-roe's shield rattled.
Before second-year Squad Seven.
Squad Seven, ever-prepared, shifted formation to counter.
But in that instant...
Ha Mu-baek vanished again.
Reappearing where...
Guards fully dropped, maximum carelessness—at the moment he showed before Squad Seven.
First-year Squad Two's front.
"Kugh."
"Agh!"
Caught utterly defenseless, screams burst from them.
Ha Mu-baek hit them extra hard.
"Snap out of it! In real combat, you never know what might happen! Once battle begins, never let your guard down, no matter what. Stay at peak vigilance until it's truly over!"
His chilling voice rang out.
Thus, Ha Mu-baek rampaged freely, thrashing the Fierce Dragon cadets.
His attack style wholly unlike before heightened their tension.
Their unadapted internal energy, plus the instructor's completely altered movements.
Double the ordeal.
Once the spar ended...
"Fifteen-minute break, then continue."
Another round followed.
"Seven-and-a-half-minute break, then continue."
Breaks shortened.
After the next...
"We start now."
He vanished with the words.
Bang!
Appearing before an unprepared squad, he resumed the beating.
"No mercy, huh."
Namgung Hu muttered from a tree branch, watching.
"Looks like it's just sparring today, so let's head out."
Namgung Yu said.
Namgung Hu glanced at his sister.
"Stick around longer, and we'll get dragged in."
No sooner had Namgung Yu finished than Namgung Hu leaped away without reply.
Recalling the nightmare of getting embroiled before.
Forced to choke down hellish medicinal soups for seven straight days.
Namgung Yu chuckled softly and followed.
Soon after the siblings left, another spar concluded.
Ha Mu-baek glanced that way—empty, as expected.
He'd sensed their departure via aura, but checked again.
'Was gonna slot them in this time, but they've gotten sharper.'
A twinge of regret.
He'd planned to split the Namgung siblings into two four-man first-year squads for another round.
But they bolted shrewdly.
Abandoning spars, he switched training.
"You've felt your increased energy enough. Now, individual adaptation drills."
Relief flickered across the cadets' faces.
"Those I call out come to me for personal instruction."
A huge boon for those picked.
Baek Ri-pyeong, Dan Mok Un-roe, and Yeon Ha-min knew it well.
They gazed at Ha Mu-baek with burning zeal.
He ignored them.
Not their turn today.
Squad Seven aside, others paled at his words.
For them, personal instruction from Ha Mu-baek might be punishment.
His gaze shifted to Han Seol-bing and the instructors of the average squads.
"Instructors will assist your training too."
At once, the instructors—who'd been spectating in awe from the field's edge—mingled among the cadets.
Training resumed.
"Jeok Ga-ye."
A second-year cadet moved at his call.
An unremarkable-looking girl he'd observed closely yesterday.
"Drop the shield. Sword only."
"Pardon?"
She had to ask.
Fierce Dragon training always paired shield and sword.
To survive, they had to become one with it.
"At your level, you can't handle both. Focus on the sword."
Puzzling order, but she obeyed.
Set the shield aside, gripped the hilt two-handed.
Ha Mu-baek nodded, then unleashed a basic form at her—something she could block.
Clang!
Blades met with a clear ring.
Jeok Ga-ye's eyes widened slightly.
She could handle this strike.
Ha Mu-baek had never before matched their level like this.
Curious, but...
She focused on the foe before her.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The ringing continued.
"Raise more internal energy!"
Ha Mu-baek shouted mid-swing.
"You have plenty now. Mobilize it through your whole body—go all out!"
His commands came like frost.
Jeok Ga-ye had no breath to reply, just followed.
Pouring full energy made her sword waver.
"Focus on the sword. Circulate energy while focusing on the blade. You're forcing it consciously—that's why. Let your will guide it naturally; energy follows automatically!"
He explained, but didn't slow his strikes.
Pressing her relentlessly.
Yet calibrated so she could parry, sharpening her focus amid defense.
'Huh?'
Her energy flowed on its own.
Unconscious, unbidden.
Simple reason.
Ha Mu-baek had induced it.
Three Talents Arts.
A serene method, yet operable as dynamic assault.
Her defensive motions against him partially enacted the dynamic form.
Thus, energy moved naturally.
The sword forms held such subtlety inherently, but she couldn't sense it yet.
So Ha Mu-baek deliberately drew out the dynamic circulation.
Far easier to feel that way.
"Remember that flow. When you wield the sword with that intent, energy mobilizes naturally!"
"Yes, yes!"
Jeok Ga-ye answered vigorously for the first time, swinging.
Far more energy now swirled through her body.
What she'd thought was full power before... wasn't.
Her dantian held vastly more than she imagined, coiled and waiting.