Myth of Martial Arts - Chapter 17

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 17
“As expected, my goddess. You’re beautiful even when you’re angry.”

Im Myeong rolled his eyes and shifted away from Jang Hyung Yang, muttering under his breath.

“She’s only fifteen, you beast!”
“The way you talk, you’d think you were ancient.”

Jang Hyung Yang pouted.

“If my memory serves, you’re fifteen too, aren’t you?”

Im Myeong faltered for a moment, then responded with utmost seriousness.

“I’m different. In a few days, I’ll be sixteen.”
* * *
Upon hearing Mu Heon Heon’s words, Jeon Poong halted his steps and sneered coldly.

‘Just as we anticipated. So Jang Wook has secretly become an Alchemist!’

The position of Alchemist carried great prestige. If they could bring him into their fold, it would surely grant some faction tremendous momentum.

But if this Alchemist turned out to be an enemy—that would be quite troublesome.

Na Gun’s concerns diverged from Jeon Poong’s. He furrowed his brow and spoke.

“These children fear nothing at all?”

Mu Heon Heon, Im Myeong, Jang Hyung Yang, Yo Mok Wan, Mo Jang Bong—none of them showed even a trace of fear from start to finish.

Instead, their eyes held subtle anticipation, and they seemed almost eager to try their hand at combat.

The students’ reaction deeply dissatisfied Na Gun.

When had a master at the Gyeseon Realm 9th Stage ceased to be a threat?

‘No… they have no idea of this one’s cultivation realm!’

Na Gun suddenly understood.

His cultivation realm was so advanced that he could easily sense the cultivation realms of martial artists like Mu Heon Heon and the others.

But Mu Heon Heon’s group could not sense his realm, and thus had no idea how high his stage was or how formidable his strength truly was.

“Hehe. Little miss, your opponent is me.”

Having found his answer, Na Gun grinned wickedly.

Though his face was obscured by black cloth and his expression hidden, his gaze remained distinctly unpleasant. He crooked a finger at Mu Heon Heon and spoke.

“Come on, uncle will play with you.”

But Mu Heon Heon, as if he hadn’t heard a word, kept his eyes fixed straight on Jeon Poong, gathering his ki.

Observing Na Gun’s lecherous demeanor, Jeon Poong furrowed his brow in warning.

“That girl is Mu Jin’s daughter. Don’t play too rough! Our mission is simply to kill Jang Wook—there’s no profit in drawing the Mu Clan into this.”

If things went too far, they would be impossible to contain.

“Don’t worry. I know my place.”

But Na Gun smiled calmly.

He knew full well who Mu Heon Heon was, and he understood that Mu Jin was not someone he could afford to cross for the time being.

But he thought there was no harm in gaining a small advantage through mere words.

Listening to the two of them converse, Mu Heon Heon looked startled and studied them intently. She asked blankly.

“You two are trying to kill the principal? Just the two of you?”

A peculiar expression crossed the faces of Im Myeong and the others, and they regarded the two as if watching fools.

Although they had never seen Jang Wook fight with his full strength, they all knew his power was terrifying. Even Mu Jin was no match for him.

They had even overheard Mu Jin hint in passing that Jang Wook was likely a legendary master of the Wa Seon Gyeong realm.

“Us two? Ha—your words are quite harsh for one so young!”

Feeling the gazes from Mu Heon Heon and Im Myeong, Na Gun spoke coldly as if provoked, as though deeply insulted.

“Do you know who you are speaking to? We are both masters of the Gyeseon Realm 9th Stage. With a mere flick of our fingers, we could kill your precious principal! Does that frighten you?”

Mu Heon Heon asked, bewildered.

“Is Gyeseon Realm 9th Stage really that impressive?”

Not long ago, she herself had fought Mu Jin once, alongside her brother Mu Muk.

Though she ultimately lost, she had nonetheless endured several dozen exchanges.

According to Mu Jin’s own words, though she and her brother had reached only the peak of Gyeseon Realm 5th Stage in their cultivation realm, their true power could match that of an ordinary Gyeseon Realm 9th Stage master.

These two were both Gyeseon Realm 9th Stage masters. Didn’t that mean their strength was comparable to hers?

If that were the case, perhaps she need not fear them after all?

“From the way you speak, you seem to be from around here. And even if you’re not, you’ve clearly spent a long time in the Imperial City.”

Mo Jang Bong, the oldest among the students present and possessed of considerable composure, narrowed his eyes slightly as he analyzed.

“There aren’t many Gyeseon Realm 9th Stage masters in the Imperial City. Only Sinwang Academy and Unsan Academy—aside from the Mu Clan—could muster two of them. You’re clearly not from the Mu Clan, which leaves only one possibility…”

He gazed at Jeon Poong and Na Gun deeply, as if he could see right through them.

“You belong to Sinwang Academy or Unsan Academy! Or perhaps you have a foot in both!”
“This guy!”

Na Gun looked at Mo Jang Bong with startled eyes. To see through their identities so quickly at such a young age—this was no ordinary opponent.

“Stop talking. Let’s begin!”

A flash of contempt crossed Jeon Poong’s eyes. He found Na Gun deeply irritating.

Had this fool not continued running his mouth so carelessly, their identities would never have been exposed.

Now their only option was to quickly eliminate Jang Wook and flee.

Since they were masked anyway, even if someone suspected them later, they could simply deny everything.

Before Na Gun could respond, Im Myeong across from him burst into laughter.

“Fight? Sure! Come on, let’s start. We’ve been wanting to see the real strength of a Gyeseon Realm 9th Stage master!”

Since entering Changung Academy, he had yet to test himself against anyone. Now was the time to prove what he’d accomplished over the past month of training.

“We’re in too!”

Mo Jang Bong, So Yeol, Yo Mok Wan, Jang Hyung Yang—all of them wore grins and eyes bright with excitement.

Watching the thrilled students, Na Gun asked with genuine surprise.

“You’re not afraid?”

And Jeon Poong narrowed his eyes, his brow furrowing as he spoke in a low voice, a warning.

“Be careful. Something’s wrong.”

Normally, children at the Gyeseon Realm 3rd or 4th Stage would pose no real threat to him, yet he kept his guard up, suspicious even as the thought crossed his mind.

Beneath the lamplight spilling out from the classroom, the students’ smiling faces stood vivid and clear, their expressions carrying something subtly, unsettlingly odd.

“If you’re going to fight, start already. Why so much talk?”

Im Myeong’s smile faded as he regarded Na Gun calmly.

Those who trained in Geuk Mu Gyeol possessed combat strength far from ordinary.

Though Im Myeong, at Gyeseon Realm 4th Stage, could not match a Gyeseon Realm 9th Stage master, a master of that realm would need considerable effort to defeat him.

Na Gun, stung by Im Myeong’s clear provocation, felt fury kindle in his chest. He laughed, a sound thick with rage.

“Fine, fine! Since you’ve come seeking death yourself, I’ll grant your wish!”

The moment the words left his mouth, Na Gun’s feet barely grazed the ground as his body shot forward like a phantom.

In an instant, he lunged toward Im Myeong.

As his body hurtled through the air at such speed, it tore against the air itself, producing a sound like wind shredding paper.

Bang!

The terrifying velocity of a Gyeseon Realm 9th Stage master was on full display.

A savage smile played across his features.

“Die, you little worm!”

In the same breath, he drove his five fingers together, curled his calloused fist tight, and brought it crashing down toward Im Myeong’s head.

In that instant, immense pressure and force warped the very air around them.

Without employing any martial technique, Na Gun was absolutely certain—this single blow would crush Im Myeong to death.

What need had a confident Gyeseon Realm 9th Stage master for martial arts to kill a Gyeseon Realm 4th Stage opponent?

He could not touch Mu Heon Heon, but that did not mean he could not lay a hand on Im Myeong.

A discarded child of the Im Family—or indeed, the entire Im Family itself—he held in no regard whatsoever.

“Phew…”

Watching Na Gun dash away, Jeon Poong let out a breath of relief before sprinting toward the classroom as planned.

At that moment, Im Myeong planted his feet firmly on the ground like a pine tree, drew a deep breath, and released a battle cry brimming with force.

“Hah!”

With this shout, Im Myeong slowly withdrew his fist, then suddenly unleashed a terrifying burst of power and drove it forward.

The Chon Pok Kwon—the Clan’s supreme martial art.

【Cultivation Method: Miniature Extreme Flawlessness (Mortal-tier Middle Grade, Six Stages Total, Maximum cultivation to Gyeseon Realm 6th Stage, Average 3 Flaws per Stage)】

【Martial Art: Chon Pok Kwon (Mortal-tier Upper Grade, 412 Flaws)】

The Chon Pok Kwon was merely a Mortal-tier upper-grade martial art, yet it possessed unique advantages in the explosive power of its Ki.

In an instant, Na Gun and Im Myeong collided head-on.

Two tremendous forces clashed, sending a massive surge of air that scattered dust across the ground in all directions.

Mo Jang Bong, Yo Mok Wan, So Yeol, Jang Hyung Yang, and the others nearby had their clothes violently whipped and their hair tossed about.

Save for Mu Heon Heon, who had followed Jeon Poong, everyone’s eyes widened as they stared intently at the two fighters.

When the two fists met completely, a deafening crash echoed across the field.

Bang!

In the next instant, groans escaped from both Na Gun and Im Myeong’s lips, and both were forced backward by the powerful shockwave.

The difference was that Im Myeong retreated two steps, while Na Gun staggered back three, with crimson blood smeared at the corner of his mouth.

Jeon Poong glanced back absently, and at that single look, he froze, his eyes widening.

Mu Heon Heon stopped when Jeon Poong stopped, still gazing at Jeon Poong with his innocent eyes, utterly oblivious to what had just unfolded behind them.

Na Gun stood completely dumbfounded. He stared at Im Myeong in disbelief, his voice trembling.

“H-how… how is this possible!”

A child at Gyeseon Realm 4th Stage had held his own in a direct confrontation and emerged with the upper hand?

Na Gun’s mind teetered on the edge of chaos. Was this world insane, or was he?

Weren’t they supposed to be weak lambs? When had they transformed into man-eating tigers?

Jeon Poong, too, was overwhelmed by the sight—a deep shock blooming in his chest.

‘Is this brat’s cultivation truly only at Gyeseon Realm 4th Stage? Could he be some Gyeseon Realm 9th Stage elder in disguise?’

And Im Myeong, furrowing his brow, was clearly deeply dissatisfied with the result.

‘Did this brat only receive a light wound?’

He had expected that by targeting an undefended moment with his prepared strike, using that martial art against an ordinary fist, he would at least inflict severe injuries on Na Gun, if not kill him outright.

Yet contrary to expectations, Na Gun had suffered only minor wounds.

This result fell far short of Im Myeong’s hopes, naturally leaving him deeply disappointed.

“Sigh.”

Im Myeong exhaled heavily, disappointment flickering across his eyes.

“With my current strength, I still fall short compared to a master of Gyeseon Realm 9th Stage…”

He ran through the calculations carefully in his mind and arrived at a conclusion: his present power could only match that of a Gyeseon Realm 8th Stage master.

“Stop it, Im Myeong. If you actually kill him, where’s the fun for the rest of us?”

Jang Hyung Yang pouted for a moment before breaking into a grin, his muscles relaxing.

“Hehe, now this is perfect. Everyone gets to have some fun!”

Until now, the students had harbored a certain dread of Na Gun—the overwhelming presence of a Gyeseon Realm 9th Stage master was undeniably formidable.

But now, the invincible legend of the Gyeseon Realm 9th Stage master had been completely shattered by Im Myeong. Consequently, reaching that pinnacle no longer felt like an insurmountable peak.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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