Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 018
Chapter Title: The Power of Wind Energy
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Whoosh.
Without even a simple preparatory motion, Dan Mun-hyeok lightly leaped into the air and unleashed the initial stance of the Clear Wind Sword Technique's first four forms, Carefree Sudden Change.
The stance, composed of a total of eight movements, flowed out fast and as naturally as water, as if it were a single motion.
Watching the form he himself had used not long ago, Seok Du-myeong wondered if this could really be the same technique, as its feel varied so dramatically depending on the practitioner.
Seok Du-myeong stared, mesmerized, at his master Dan Mun-hyeok demonstrating the martial art.
'Tch. Got nothing to say to that. How the hell does he do it?'
Dan Mun-hyeok executed the motions of the Carefree Sudden Change stance like beams of light and landed. He thrust his sword toward the pine tree in front of him.
As if he hadn't even noticed the pine, he sheathed his sword and walked straight toward Seok Du-myeong.
"Master, that was incredible."
For the first time seeing his master Dan Mun-hyeok demonstrate a martial art, the awestruck Seok Du-myeong moved toward him...
At that moment.
Crack... snap.
The sturdy pine tree let out a scream as it revealed a cleanly severed cross-section and tilted over.
Creak...
Thud!
With a deafening crash, it kicked up dust as it toppled to the ground.
'What the... this is insane...'
Seok Du-myeong stood dumbfounded, mouth agape, blankly staring at his master approaching him slowly.
And he had every reason to. The pine tree Seok Du-myeong was watching fall was five jang away from Dan Mun-hyeok.
The Wind Energy that had pierced through five jang had sliced the mighty pine at invisible speed.
It was truly terrifying power.
"It's been a long time since I last held a sword. The feeling is fresh again."
Dan Mun-hyeok gazed at the sword in his hand, seemingly lost in thought for a moment.
'Yes, there was a time when I loved the sword more than myself.'
A lonely air clung to Dan Mun-hyeok's eyes as he looked at the blade.
"Right now, my internal energy is less than a tenth of what it was at my peak, so I couldn't show you the full power of Wind Energy. I don't even have enough to manifest Wind Force..."
Even as Dan Mun-hyeok spoke sheepishly to Seok Du-myeong, the latter still couldn't close his gaping mouth.
'This is it not being proper?!... I have to learn this Clear Wind Sword Technique.'
"Master, what about Wind Force for real?"
Finally snapping out of it, Seok Du-myeong asked Dan Mun-hyeok with a serious face.
"Compared to the power of Wind Force, this Wind Energy is just a minor warm-up."
A passion for martial arts began bubbling up fiercely in Seok Du-myeong's chest. Of course, how long that resolve would last remained to be seen.
Seok Du-myeong had seen peak masters manifesting sword energy multiple times before. Peak masters were rare, but not so rare they couldn't be seen.
However, the sword energy he'd witnessed back then was nowhere near this level of power.
The sword energy that barely pierced one jang wasn't even comparable in might.
Yet even those guys were treated like treasures among ronin—heroes no one dared speak ill of, fought over by sects everywhere.
No matter how much Seok Du-myeong had given up on the jianghu, he couldn't forget the envy he'd felt watching those peak master ronin.
'...Yeah, even if I never eat sword rice again, I'll get stronger than those bastards. A man's pride is on the line. Even if I lock my sword away and never draw it, I'll reach peak level. And who knows—with my luck, I might face a peak master in the next battle.'
In that moment, Seok Du-myeong gained a clear goal.
For once, Seok Du-myeong came out to the clearing behind the barracks at dawn and practiced his martial arts.
"Bro, what's up with you practicing this early in the morning?"
The ever-useless Jin Yeom-pal, still bothered by his side wound, pressed his waist with one hand as he shuffled over to Seok Du-myeong.
'Doesn't this guy know he's still hurt? Why does he have to bustle around like that before meals?'
As Jin Yeom-pal approached, Seok Du-myeong's face soured with annoyance, his glare plainly showing it.
"Bro, that martial arts manual the captain gave you last time... was it real?"
"Why ask about that all of a sudden?"
"Well, your skills in that last battle exploded out of nowhere, insanely strong. No matter how I think about it, that Demonic Cult guy we ran into was a first-rate master, but you pushed him and killed him. So now you're first-rate too, but that's impossible in such a short time. Then I remembered the manual the captain gave you."
'Yeom-pal, this guy's nose for it is spot on.'
Still, Seok Du-myeong wasn't the type to just hand it over.
"Yeom-pal, truth is, I was a master all along and just hid my skills for a bit."
"Bro, even I know that's not true."
"You punk! I was a disciple of a one-line inheritance sect, that's why you don't know. Believe me."
No matter how much Seok Du-myeong insisted, Jin Yeom-pal eyed him suspiciously, scrutinizing his face.
"I absolutely can't believe it. Knowing your personality—loose-lipped and flighty—you couldn't keep a secret like that."
'Have I been stuck with this guy too long?'
With no other choice, Seok Du-myeong switched tactics from denial to admission.
"Fine. Yeom-pal, how'd you figure it out? It was real."
Jin Yeom-pal, who had guessed it, looked genuinely shocked at Seok Du-myeong.
"Bro, I knew it. Good thing you finally got a decent opportunity. Thinking of all your hardships, brother, this little bro's eyes are tearing up."
The preamble was long, but he got to the point soon enough.
"But bro, about that... I kinda want it too..."
Jin Yeom-pal trailed off, but Seok Du-myeong caught his drift.
"Showing you the manual isn't hard, but it won't be much use."
"I'll be the judge of that. Let me see it."
Seok Du-myeong had a reason for acting so generously.
He had once asked his master Dan Mun-hyeok.
"Master, about that Clear Wind Sword Manual? Are the forms in it the same as what you're teaching me now?"
"Why do you ask?"
"No reason. I was thinking of studying it when I have nothing to do during the day."
Dan Mun-hyeok was pleased his disciple wanted to train but irked by the qualifier.
'When I have nothing to do during the day.'
"Foolish disciple, that book isn't all that useful. Not completely worthless, but... I excerpted various arts just enough to pique average warriors' interest and achieve moderate results. See it as a separate sword manual from the Clear Wind Sword Technique."
"Master, then if that sword manual disappeared, would it affect you appearing in my dreams?"
"That manual served its purpose as a medium the moment you and I met. Now it's just an old book. No relation at all."
Seok Du-myeong pondered, glancing at Dan Mun-hyeok's expression.
'Wait, so I could sell that sword manual for money! How much could I get?'
A wicked thought of selling his master's belonging crept into the impudent disciple's mind.
"Anyway, Yeom-pal, I left the manual in the barracks, so I'll grab it real quick."
Seok Du-myeong dashed to the barracks and came back with a manual.
Of course, it wasn't the real Clear Wind Sword Manual. That was tucked in Seok Du-myeong's bosom.
This was a sword manual he'd picked up from a dead ronin in the previous battle, kept in case he could sell it. Named Falling Mountain Sword Technique, he'd ripped off the cover entirely.
Jin Yeom-pal's eyes sparkled as he took the manual Seok Du-myeong handed him.
"But Yeom-pal, you're a blade user. Will a sword manual help?"
"Bro, what are you saying? There's a saying: all arts converge to one. Swords, blades—all metal weapons work the same way in the end."
Jin Yeom-pal pieced together some half-remembered phrase into his own logic.
"But bro, why no cover on the manual?"
"What do you know, punk? Real manuals from way back get worn out over time, covers fall off."
"Bro, then can I borrow this for a bit...!?"
Before Jin Yeom-pal could finish, Seok Du-myeong snatched back the manual.
"Hey, nothing's free in this world. Showing a secret manual that opens the path to mastery takes a magnanimous heart most can't imagine. It's lamentable there's a shameless punk trying to mooch it."
Even Jin Yeom-pal had to admit Seok Du-myeong was right, smacking his lips at the manual in his hand.
In truth, this sleazy exchange between the two was unheard of in the murim.
What lunatic would share a manual they'd obtained? Manual-related incidents were common.
The moment rumors spread that someone got a manual somewhere, warriors high and low swarmed like dogs for a scramble, regardless of skill.
Most turned out fake, but warriors risked their lives on the off-chance.
Tales of low-rank warriors striking luck, holing up in mountains to train, and emerging as masters drove every warrior to hunt manuals like gold rush prospectors dreaming of instant riches.
In the jianghu, where martial prowess decided everything, they'd do anything to level up.
For warriors, it transcended fame or money—it was life or death.
The sole reason underdogs died to masters?
Weak skills.
That was it.
Against this reality, casually trading manuals showed how uniquely odd Seok Du-myeong and Jin Yeom-pal were.
Even renting one out, fake as it was.
"Bro, can't I rent that manual for a month?"
"A month? Yeom-pal, don't you know martial manual rentals have a minimum one-year term?"
Jin Yeom-pal, hearing this for the first time, panicked.
"Wha... really? Then how much for a month?"
'Wait, a month. How much per month? Too high and this stingy punk won't bite. Street manuals go for about 10 nyang? Not sure... yeah.'
"One nyang per month, or 10 nyang for a year-long rental."
"Bro, I'll do monthly."
"Long-term is better value, but suit yourself."
"But bro, no first-month-free promo?"
'This punk's ruthless! ...Still, with his brain, a month might be his limit.'
Abacus beads flew in Seok Du-myeong's head at light speed.
The verdict?
"Fine, go ahead. Yeom-pal, be grateful—you lucked out with me. Who else gives a free first month? I'm being generous for my little bro. Remember that and serve your bro well."
"Aigoo, of course. I'll serve you even more diligently from now on."
Jin Yeom-pal nodded eagerly, but inside:
'In one month, I'll, Jin Yeom-pal, memorize that whole manual. I can do it. I can do it. I can do it.'
From that day, Jin Yeom-pal pored over the manual with bloodshot eyes, straining his already dim wits to memorize it.
The ronin who trained in Falling Mountain Sword Technique had died sword-pierced in battle, oblivious to it all.
