Myth of Martial Arts - Chapter 19
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 19
Meanwhile, Na Gun was gasping for breath, looking wretched. Unlike when he had arrived, the venom had drained from his eyes, and fear had taken its place.
He was terrified. If things continued like this, he would die right here.
“You old bastard, hurry up and help me… Gah!”
When Jeon Pung still hadn’t stepped forward, Na Gun flew into a rage and shouted.
But before he could even finish, Im Myeong and his group seized the moment his attention was diverted and struck a devastating blow to his chest.
The wound he had been forcing down could no longer be held back. Blood spewed from his mouth, staining the black cloth of his mask and collar a deep red.
Having landed their strike, Im Myeong’s group pressed in with relentless attacks.
Covered in wounds, Na Gun could no longer stand toe-to-toe with them. He could only scramble backward, dodging in a panic.
The tide of the battle was steadily turning in Im Myeong’s group’s favor.
Jeon Pung’s eyes wavered unsteadily. Hesitation and impatience warred across his face. After a long while, he drew a deep breath and fixed his stare on Mu Heon Heon.
“I can’t tell whether you’re truly afraid or just putting on an act, but today I’ll make sure you understand that the dignity of a Gyeseon Realm 9th Stage expert is not to be trifled with!”
The moment the words left his mouth, Jeon Pung launched his attack.
His opening move was the famed masterwork, Baeun Su—the Cloud-Parting Hand.
【Cultivation Method: Jaha Jingyeong (Spirit-tier Lower Grade, ten stages total, highest attainable stage: Waseon Realm Lower Stage, average of 38 Flaws per stage)】
【Martial Art: Baeun Su (Spirit-tier Lower Grade, 302 Flaws)】
Mu Heon Heon was not Jang Wook, so she could not make out the cultivation method and martial art Jeon Pung was wielding.
Yet her skill had never been inferior to Jeon Pung’s—if anything, she was the stronger of the two.
All she needed to know was that Jeon Pung was strong, and that against a powerful opponent, one must use powerful means.
When she raised her hand, her silk sleeve, covered in purple patterns, moved of its own accord even though there was no wind.
As if caught by a powerful gust, it billowed outward with a low, humming *whoom*.
In an instant, a wrinkled, weathered palm and a soft, pale palm met.
Boom!
Gyeseon Realm 5th Stage, peak, versus Gyeseon Realm 9th Stage, early.
A fifteen-year-old girl versus a sixty-seven-year-old man.
An ordinary student of Changung Academy versus the vice-director of Sinwang Academy.
In the blink of an eye, the victor was decided.
The girl, Mu Heon Heon, swayed slightly and stepped back a single pace.
The massive force rippled through the ground, and wherever her feet had passed, cracks spread out like spider webs.
While Mu Heon Heon remained utterly composed, Jeon Pung was driven back again and again, as though struck by a thunderbolt.
Every time his feet touched the ground, small craters opened up, and dirt and stones were flung in all directions.
It felt like being caught in a violent storm.
“Pff!”
With a single exchange, blood burst from Jeon Pung’s mouth.
Strong.
Incomparably strong.
Jeon Pung raised his head. His clouded eyes were brimming with terror.
“How could anyone be this strong…”
The aura radiating from Mu Heon Heon was just like that of Im Hae Ae, Director of Sinwang Academy.
It was an absolute strength, the kind that could crush him without effort.
In the Imperial City, only three people had ever given him this feeling.
Mu Jin, Im Hae Ae, and Na Ak San.
And now, in this clash with Mu Heon Heon, he felt something similar.
In other words, Mu Heon Heon’s skill far surpassed his own. She might not reach Im Hae Ae or Na Ak San, but the gap was not wide.
‘Im Myeong alone is troublesome enough, and this Mu Heon Heon is far stronger than Im Myeong!’
Jeon Pung’s heart trembled.
His skill was weaker than Na Gun’s, but the pressure he felt was greater than Na Gun’s.
Because the opponent he faced was far more terrifying than Im Myeong.
On the surface, she looked like a peak-level Gyeseon Realm 5th Stage cultivator, but in truth she was a witch of terrifying ability.
‘It’s over!’
Despair filled Jeon Pung’s heart, and nothing but fear remained in his eyes.
Only now did he realize what monstrous beings they had run into.
Far from carrying out the assassination of Jang Wook, he was going to die without even seeing Jang Wook’s face, at the hands of juniors whose names he didn’t even know.
Jeon Pung’s complexion was terrible. Seeing Mu Heon Heon about to attack again, he clenched his teeth.
“Wait!”
But Mu Heon Heon paid him no mind and did not stop her attack.
“Stop! I am Jeon Pung, Deputy Director of Sinwang Academy! You cannot kill me!”
His eyelids twitching, Jeon Pung shouted in a panic.
The moment the words left his mouth, Mu Heon Heon halted a few paces short of him. Her white palm hung motionless in the air.
Meanwhile, Im Myeong’s group and Na Gun also broke off their fighting and put distance between themselves. Then Im Myeong’s group turned their eyes to Jeon Pung, keeping a wary watch on Na Gun.
Drip.
Beads of cold sweat gathered on Jeon Pung’s brow as he stared at the palm mere inches from his face.
Mu Heon Heon looked at Jeon Pung with a puzzled expression.
“Deputy Director of Sinwang Academy?”
Feeling the suspicious stares of the people around him, Jeon Pung drew a deep breath, then slowly pulled off the black cloth that had been covering his face.
His aged, frail face was revealed.
There was no longer any way to hide. Only by revealing his identity himself could he hope to find a thread of survival.
“It’s him!”
“Jeon Pung, Deputy Director of Sinwang Academy!”
“It really was him!”
Im Myeong and his companions could not hide their shock.
They had seen Jeon Pung from afar before, so they recognized him at once.
“I think I’ve seen you before.”
Mu Heon Heon said, gazing at Jeon Pung in a daze.
“In that case, are you truly the Deputy Director of Sinwang Academy?”
At this, Mo Jang Bong furrowed his brows and asked.
“If you’re the Deputy Director of Sinwang Academy, then that man over there…?”
His gaze shifted toward Na Gun.
“I am Na Gun!”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Na Gun tore off the black cloth from his face and declared his identity.
“Deputy Director of Unsan Academy, Na Gun, is here!”
“Yes. He is undoubtedly Na Gun, Deputy Director of Unsan Academy.”
Mo Jang Bong nodded and spoke. He had clearly recognized Na Gun.
Jang Hyung Yang muttered in a low voice.
“A Deputy Director from Sinwang Academy and one from Unsan Academy… What on earth are these two scoundrels doing at Changung Academy?”
Im Myeong gave a cold smile and replied.
“Didn’t they just say it? Their goal is to assassinate the Director!”
At Im Myeong’s words, everyone recalled what Na Gun had said earlier, and their expressions hardened into icy scowls.
“Without even being able to win ourselves, they had the nerve to try to assassinate the Director. I can’t imagine where such courage comes from.”
Jang Hyung Yang said with disdain.
Jeon Pung ignored Jang Hyung Yang’s sneering remark and spoke calmly.
“I admit it. I underestimated you. But don’t grow too arrogant! Remember, I am the Deputy Director of Sinwang Academy. If I die here, you would be wise to await the savage retribution of Sinwang Academy!”
Sinwang Academy was his greatest backing. With that backing, even if Mu Jin came in person, he could not easily harm him.
He knew he could not defeat Mu Heon Heon and Im Myeong’s party, so threatening them with his status was his best option.
Na Gun wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and sneered.
Think carefully! If the two of us die here today, neither Sinwang Academy nor Unsan Academy will let you off!
Everyone who heard this glanced at one another, plainly hesitating.
Jang Hyung Yang looked from side to side and asked uncertainly.
“What do we do?”
Mo Jang Bong kept his eyes on Jeon Pung and Na Gun and said nothing.
“Is there anything to hesitate about? We just kill them where they stand!”
Murderous intent flashed in Im Myeong’s eyes as he spoke in a cold voice.
In the worst case, we’ll have to be prepared to die alongside Sinwang Academy and Unsan Academy!
At this, Mo Jang Bong shook his head and furrowed his brow.
“I’m not afraid of dying, but if we kill them here, won’t we be implicated with Changung Academy?”
“That’s…”
Im Myeong faltered. The killing intent was still there, but hesitation showed on his face.
In Im Myeong’s heart, Changung Academy was another home. He was not afraid of dying himself, but he was afraid of Changung Academy being dragged into this.
Under the lantern light filtering through the classroom windows, the hesitant expressions of the disciples were clearly illuminated.
“An opening!”
Jeon Pung’s mind was made up, and he immediately called out to Na Gun.
“Let’s go!”
By the time Jeon Pung had already taken a step forward, he was still warning Na Gun.
With their skill, if they could just break through Im Myeong’s encirclement, their chances of survival were very high.
After all, of the nine students at the scene, only Mu Heon Heon could keep pace with him, and the rest, though they wanted to give chase, could not follow.
If it were only Mu Heon Heon, it was clear she would not be able to stop the two of them.
Na Gun had already been looking for a chance to escape, and the moment he saw Jeon Pung move, he followed without a second’s hesitation.
In a moment as swift as lightning, Jeon Pung and Na Gun tore through the encirclement of the crowd with the thunderous momentum of a storm.
By the time Im Myeong and Mu Heon Heon’s party reacted, it was already too late.
After putting distance between themselves and Im Myeong and Mu Heon Heon’s group, Na Gun paused for a moment, turned his head, and spoke with menace.
“You little brats. I, Na Gun, will remember this humiliation today! From now on, you’d better not cross my path. Otherwise…”
“Otherwise what?”
A calm voice suddenly rang out, cutting off Na Gun’s words.
The classroom door had quietly opened, and Jang Wook stood in the doorway with an unreadable expression, calmly watching Na Gun and Jeon Pung.
The purple robe the Academy Head always wore caught the lamplight, reflecting a mysterious and dignified sheen.
Behind Jang Wook, Mu Muk stared at the two of them as though he were looking at fools.
In truth, Jang Wook had already noticed the commotion outside the classroom, but he had deliberately held back from showing himself, wanting to use the opportunity to test the students’ abilities.
But when Jeon Pung and Na Gun moved to flee, Jang Wook could no longer stand by and watch.
“Jang Wook!”
Na Gun narrowed his eyes, looked Jang Wook up and down a few times, and sneered.
“You got lucky today, but you won’t get another stroke of luck like this next time!”
Unlike Na Gun’s arrogant bearing, Jeon Pung’s expression was deadly serious.
‘This fellow’s aura…’
He could not sense the ripple of True Energy from Jang Wook’s body.
It was uncanny.
It was far too uncanny.
Generally speaking, there were only two kinds of people whose True Energy fluctuations he could not detect.
One was an ordinary person who had never crossed the threshold of the martial path; the other was a martial master whose cultivation was on par with his own or even higher.
But was Jang Wook an ordinary person?
Certainly not.
In that case, the answer was obvious.
‘This idiot!’
Seeing Na Gun still provoking Jang Wook, Jeon Pung cursed inwardly. He swore that in this lifetime he would never again cooperate with Na Gun.
‘I can’t fathom how an idiot like this managed to cultivate to the Gyeseon Realm 9th Stage.’
If Na Gun had not been the son of Unsan Academy’s Head, Na Ak San, Jeon Pung would have already abandoned him.
Jeon Pung let out a deep sigh, yet all the while he was quietly wary of Jang Wook, and he spoke coldly.
“Enough, Na Gun. Have you no shame left? If you don’t run now, I won’t take responsibility for you!”
“Why are you so frightened? Do you really think they can catch up to us?”
Na Gun said with a swagger. He seemed to have forgotten the pain the moment his wounds began to heal, and an unfounded confidence radiated from his body.
But Jang Wook paid Jeon Pung and Na Gun no mind at all. He turned, smiled, and looked at Im Myeong and Mu Heon Heon’s group, speaking as though in deep thought.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————