Chapter 445
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 445
Chapter Title: In a Tough Spot...
Ha Mu-baek kicked off the ground and leaped over an unnamed mountain.
In the midst of that, a suitable spot caught his eye.
It was deep into the night, past midnight, in the heart of the mountains.
A perfect clearing where no one would be.
The sound of rushing water even reached his ears, suggesting a waterfall nearby.
Ha Mu-baek halted his hurried steps.
He knew Han Seol-bing would be waiting.
But right now, tempering his body took priority.
He couldn't just rush ahead blindly, so since a good spot had appeared, he planned to train for a bit.
He took off his upper garment and hung it on a nearby tree branch.
He also unfastened his sword sheath and hung it beside it.
Then he slowly began moving his body.
Having run nonstop using lightness skill, his body was already nicely warmed up.
Ha Mu-baek started with the Flowing Extreme Five Forms.
The Flowing Extreme Five Forms he had practiced sporadically while heading from Lake Dongting to Luoyang.
Thanks to that, he could now execute the entry-level form at a level no different from before entering Cave Investigation Peak.
Of course, without using internal energy—purely with muscular strength.
Sweat soon beaded on Ha Mu-baek's body.
The sweat dripping from his body scattered into the air with his movements, shattering into droplets.
"Hoo."
After executing the Flowing Extreme Five Forms once, Ha Mu-baek let out a deep breath.
"Now it should be fine to circulate some internal energy."
The Flowing Extreme Five Forms infused with internal energy.
It was astonishing.
This was no longer an entry-level technique.
It was a perfected ultimate art.
And that was unfolding from Ha Mu-baek's body right now.
Ha Mu-baek gradually raised the level of his internal energy.
One layer, two layers, three layers...
Ha Mu-baek's eyebrow twitched.
When he reached nine layers.
He felt a misalignment.
He stopped at that instant.
Then he switched techniques.
Infinite Breaking Fist.
Again, starting purely with muscular strength, then incorporating internal energy.
The Infinite Breaking Fist showed misalignment at seven layers of internal energy.
Finally, he picked up his sword.
He executed the Infinite Free Eight Severing Sword Wave purely with muscular strength, then began raising his internal energy.
One layer, two layers...
He executed the Infinite Free Eight Severing Sword Wave with even greater caution and focus.
Given the technique's power.
If he couldn't properly control his own energy and the sword method, he could devastate the entire area.
Thus unfolded the Infinite Free Eight Severing Sword Wave.
Divine Initial Stance.
He had no intention of attempting the Nine Severing Abyss.
That would only be possible after fully absorbing all the fortune gained from Cave Investigation Peak.
Right now, normalizing his body was the most urgent task.
Four layers.
'This much is fine.'
And the moment he raised it to five layers.
Ha Mu-baek urgently halted the sword wave's deployment.
The sense of incongruity was enormous.
Cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
Because he was so focused, he immediately sensed the subtle incongruity the moment he raised his internal energy.
What if he hadn't noticed and continued the sword wave?
'It would've backfired on the sword technique.'
Just raising the internal energy had caused that reaction—what if he'd executed the sword technique in that state? It would've happened nine times out of ten.
"This is tricky..."
Ha Mu-baek muttered lowly.
He had clearly grown stronger.
That was a fact.
Yet right now, Ha Mu-baek was actually weaker than before.
The Infinite Free Eight Severing Sword Wave at four layers.
Was comparable in power to the six-layer version he had executed before entering Cave Investigation Peak.
In other words, the maximum power Ha Mu-baek could currently output was equivalent to his previous six-layer Infinite Free Eight Severing Sword Wave.
He could no longer freely unleash the sword technique at its peak as before.
Of course, he could force it to peak power.
But would the Ha Mu-baek at that time truly be himself?
He knew the answer.
Relentless training.
That was the only way.
Ha Mu-baek started again with the Flowing Extreme Five Forms.
From the internal energy level where he hadn't felt the incongruity.
One by one.
Without haste.
Slowly, with focus.
Even if he couldn't unleash all his power, there were few in the world who could oppose the current Ha Mu-baek.
Dragon Training Pavilion.
In their respective training grounds.
Two people wrestling with similar worries.
Namgung Hu and Dan Mok Un-roe.
Through conversations with the parties involved, Yeon Ha-min and Ju Woo-myeong.
They had lightened their burdens somewhat.
But what they had done didn't vanish, so guilt still lingered in a corner of their hearts.
That guilt had become a heart demon.
To overcome it, the two spent time in the training grounds.
Hidden Dragon Corps Squad One's training ground and Fierce Dragon Corps Squad Seven's training ground.
The time they could spend here was running out.
Hidden Dragon Corps would soon depart for field training.
And Fierce Dragon Corps' graduation from the Dragon Training Pavilion was imminent.
Since the Eastern Tournament had ended yesterday.
That point was probably tomorrow.
"Heh heh heh."
At that moment, Namgung Hu turned at the sudden laughter.
Elder Wei was there.
'When...?'
He hadn't sensed any presence at all.
Not knowing Elder Wei's true identity, Namgung Hu couldn't help but be startled.
The old man who always cleaned every corner of the Dragon Training Pavilion had snuck up so naturally and was chuckling.
Namgung Hu's hand went to his waist.
The treasured sword from his clan, the Great La Creation Palace Sword, hung at his side.
"No need to be on guard. You're about to leave soon, so it's just lingering regret. Instructor Seol also asked me to."
"What do you...?"
Namgung Hu was swept into confusion.
The words were too sudden.
"Rather than wondering who I am, your current state seems more important. So, what is the nature of your heart demon? Regret for nearly killing your friend? Self-reproach for losing yourself?"
Elder Wei Ji-gun's question.
"I..."
Namgung Hu's lips trembled at the probing words.
Even yesterday, he hadn't answered Yeon Ha-min.
After a day of torment and contemplation, his conclusion was simple.
"It's self-loathing for losing myself and nearly killing my friend."
Self-hatred.
How could one grow stronger while hating oneself?
It was a massive heart demon.
Something every martial artist faces at least once.
Elder Wei Ji-gun casually extended his hand.
A training sword from the rack on one side of the training ground flew over with a whirl and floated steadily in the air beside him.
"Th-that..."
Namgung Hu was shocked.
It was only natural.
Maintaining a sword in the air with telekinesis was no ordinary feat.
"Sometimes, instead of brooding endlessly, working your body is faster. No one in the pavilion seems up to drilling you right now, so I'll do it."
Elder Wei Ji-gun smiled faintly.
And then.
Without waiting for Namgung Hu's reply, he thrust his finger forward.
Scree.
In that instant.
The sword shot toward Namgung Hu like lightning.
He urgently drew his sword to block.
Clang!
He barely deflected the sword's path.
But.
Slash.
His sleeve tore, and blood flowed from his forearm.
"Weak. You'll need full power."
The sword circled in the air and flew at him again.
Namgung Hu hurriedly circulated his internal energy.
Blue sword aura bloomed on the Great La Creation Palace Sword.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
'Flying sword control.'
It wasn't mere telekinesis floating the sword.
It was the advanced realm of flying sword control.
That's why the sword hovered in the air.
'Then this person is...'
The expert who had shattered his sword barrier at the critical moment to save Yeon Ha-min.
"Stray thoughts will only invite crisis."
Elder Wei Ji-gun's voice was calm, but the sword's movements grew fiercer.
Namgung Hu sustained wounds all over.
He had no choice but to focus.
He swung his sword with full power, again and again.
Just like in that spar.
He pushed the Creation Palace Carefree Sword to its limits.
To block the vicious attacks aimed at him.
As he wielded his sword at full force, it was as if he'd never fallen into the heart demon.
He entered that state once more.
The sword barrier of samadhi.
A sturdy blue wall of sword aura manifested before Namgung Hu's eyes.
Elder Wei Ji-gun had guided him there.
He had pushed Namgung Hu to the brink of desperation, but once confirming entry into samadhi, he loosened the assault.
Thanks to that, the sword barrier of samadhi reemerged.
The sword barrier fell toward Elder Wei Ji-gun.
Up to here, it was the same as before.
But the opponent was different.
Not Yeon Ha-min, but Elder Wei Ji-gun.
The flying sword clashed with the sword barrier.
Boom!
The sword barrier shattered and scattered.
However, Namgung Hu remained in samadhi.
His sword followed the Emperor Sword Form toward Elder Wei Ji-gun.
With brilliant blue sword aura gleaming.
Clang!
Once again, it was blocked by the flying sword.
"Run wild to your heart's content."
Saying that, he extended his left hand.
Another training sword flew up.
Two swords hounded Namgung Hu relentlessly.
Namgung Hu's sword changed moment to moment.
From Creation Palace Carefree Sword to Emperor Sword Form, then back.
Sometimes the Grand Linked Sword Method.
Bang!
At some point.
Unable to endure, Namgung Hu flew back and collapsed on the ground.
The two swords aimed for his throat and dantian.
Just before the swords pierced Namgung Hu.
Focus returned to his eyes, samadhi ended, and the two swords stopped as if by magic the instant they touched his skin.
An acupoint mark above his Adam's apple.
A dot-like hole in the fabric above his dantian.
The swords slowly withdrew to their places.
"How did it feel, nearly dying?"
Elder Wei Ji-gun turned away.
As if he had no interest in the answer.
Namgung Hu sat in lotus position right there.
Elder Wei Ji-gun headed to Fierce Dragon Corps Squad Seven's training ground.
Dan Mok Un-roe had a similar experience.
The one difference was that Dan Mok Un-roe, knowing Elder Wei Ji-gun's identity, had fought desperately from the start.
Elder Wei Ji-gun climbed onto the schoolhouse roof and looked at the two youths in lotus position.
Then he patted his waist.
"Aigoo. Not easy for an old man to clean up after the disciples."
A complaint to himself in a place with no onlookers.
For Namgung Hu, at Ha Seol-ran's request; for Dan Mok Un-roe, as one of Fierce Dragon Corps whom Ha Mu-baek had asked.
He had acted.
He could see their heart demons growing larger after today.
"Still, talented lads—they'll overcome it well. Though the guilt of that moment won't fade easily. But that's a natural human emotion."
"He's not here?"
She had run without rest.
Thinking back, she had pushed harder than when returning to the Ice Palace last time.
She arrived in Luoyang even sooner than Ha Mu-baek had anticipated.
Late at night, past midnight.
Han Seol-bing had just crossed Luoyang's walls and reached this inn.
They hadn't set a prior meeting, but.
She knew Ha Mu-baek would come here before entering the Righteous Heaven Alliance.
A fact known only to Hocheon Corps members.
Or perhaps the Strategist knew too.
They hadn't moved in complete secrecy.
So when Elder Wei Ji-gun mentioned Ha Mu-baek heading to Luoyang.
Han Seol-bing naturally assumed she'd meet him here and raced over.
But he wasn't there.
When she described Ha Mu-baek's appearance to the errand boy, he said no such guest.
"Ha."
With a hollow expression, she sat at a first-floor table.
Noticing the errand boy's wary glance.
"Rice wine and a fried chicken."
She placed a simple order.
The errand boy scurried to the kitchen.
She obviously looked like a martial artist, so his movements were cautious.
Even though she had burst in while he was dozing at the late hour approaching two in the morning.
She was the only guest on the first floor right now.
The others had already gone upstairs to their rooms to sleep.
"Did he go to the Alliance first? Or... no, he hasn't arrived yet?"
The second was absurd.
Knowing Ha Mu-baek's abilities, it was impossible unless he deliberately dawdled.
And Ha Mu-baek wouldn't dawdle.
She knew why he was heading to the Righteous Heaven Alliance.
To sync up with the Fierce Dragon Corps lads, time was short.
To check if Ha Mu-baek had entered the Alliance first, she'd have to wait for dawn.
Even she couldn't enter the Righteous Heaven Alliance at this hour.
She couldn't scale the walls either.
"Hate to go looking for that guy... Tch."
In the meantime, the wine and chicken arrived.
Unlike Ha Mu-baek, Han Seol-bing wasn't in a position to visit Strategist Gong directly.
So she planned to seek out Dam Mu-hyeon, the Righteous Heaven Alliance's information source.
Her best friend and frenemy.