Myth of Martial Arts - Chapter 4

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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 4
The Changung Academy at night was as black as spilled ink, with only a faint lantern glow lingering near the Library Pavilion.

A few hours later, Jang Wook could no longer hide his excitement.

“It worked! The flawed portions of the Gyeseon Realm 1st Stage cultivation method have been completely replaced. Now I can truly call it flawless!”

Developed from the Extreme Martial Way, this cultivation method had finally been refined, through Jang Wook’s relentless effort, without a single flaw remaining.

To set it apart from the Extreme Martial Way, Jang Wook named the method “Geuk Mu Gyeol.”

[Geuk Mu Gyeol: Mortal-tier, Lower Grade, one stage in total, cultivable up to Gyeseon Realm 1st Stage, average of 0 flaws per stage]

A method free of flaws, one that even Insight could not find fault with, was surely the most perfect cultivation method in the world.

Though its grade was only Mortal-tier, Lower, and it could be cultivated only up to the Gyeseon Realm 1st Stage, that meant little to Jang Wook, who possessed Insight.

So long as he had enough time and cultivation materials, Jang Wook could gradually supplement the advanced realm methods that would follow Geuk Mu Gyeol.

Not to mention anything else, the cultivation methods within the Library Pavilion alone were enough for Jang Wook to fill in Geuk Mu Gyeol’s cultivation path all the way up to the Gyeseon Realm 6th Stage.

“So if I cultivate with a flawless method, I can raise my cultivation realm as easily as drinking water?”

Jang Wook’s eyes gleamed, and an even more restless anticipation welled up inside him.

“Let’s try it right now!”

Without the slightest hesitation, Jang Wook hurried to sit down and began cultivating Geuk Mu Gyeol.

“Breathe freely, cross your legs, relax your whole body and enter stillness, keep the tailbone and spine in a straight line, lower your head slightly…”

Jang Wook recited the steps under his breath as he adjusted his posture.

“Sense the Spiritual Energy between heaven and earth, enter the Qiyang Point, and pass through the Shimen Point…”

Crackle! Crackle!

In an instant, the True Energy within Jang Wook’s body began to seethe like boiling water. The True Energy that had been cultivated through the Extreme Martial Way swelled into a great flood inside him and began to surge violently along certain meridian channels.

A large volume of turbid Qi separated from the True Energy so rapidly it was visible to the naked eye, and was expelled from his body with each of his breaths.

In only a few breaths, the True Energy in Jang Wook’s body had already become more than twice as pure.

When Jang Wook completed one full Circulation of Geuk Mu Gyeol along the Gyeseon Realm 1st Stage route, his True Energy had already become frighteningly pure.

What was even more astonishing was that even after he stopped cultivating, the True Energy in his body kept circulating unceasingly along the Gyeseon Realm 1st Stage route of Geuk Mu Gyeol.

Showing no sign of stopping, the True Energy, already pure to begin with, was evolving in directions no one could predict.

“This is… incredible!”

Jang Wook’s eyes went wide.

A cultivation method without flaws could run on its own. Had this happened before, he never would have imagined it.

“My True Energy has become purer, but my cultivation realm…”

Without using Insight, Jang Wook could already feel that his cultivation realm was rapidly regressing.

In just over ten breaths, his cultivation realm had instead fallen back from the Gyeseon Realm 4th Stage to the Gyeseon Realm 1st Stage. The river that had once flowed without rest had shrunk into a small, quietly running stream.

Gyeseon Realm 1st Stage Peak, Gyeseon Realm 1st Stage Late, Gyeseon Realm 1st Stage Mid, Gyeseon Realm 1st Stage Early…

Jang Wook’s cultivation realm plummeted fiercely, as if it had no bottom.

Before long, Jang Wook’s cultivation realm hit rock bottom. The vast True Energy he had once possessed had been refined through the purification process, transforming into a mysterious force as fine as a single strand of hair.

This mysterious force, finer than a hair, was the fruit of the grueling cultivation he had endured over the past ten-odd years.

It looked insignificant, but its power was terrifying.

At that moment, his cultivation realm bottomed out and rebounded.

The Spiritual Energy around him began to surge toward the Library Pavilion like a frenzy. Dense streams of it poured into his body, transmuted into an extraordinarily pure mysterious force, and flowed down into his Dantian.

At the same time, his cultivation realm began to soar wildly.

Gyeseon Realm 1st Stage Early, Gyeseon Realm 1st Stage Mid… Gyeseon Realm 1st Stage Peak.

“This is… too fast!”

Jang Wook’s eyes went wide.

The original Jang Wook had cultivated for over ten years and managed to produce only a mysterious force thinner than a hair.

Yet now, with Extreme Flawlessness having circulated only a few Full Circulations, his body had already absorbed several streams of the same True Energy.

How much time had passed?

Five minutes?

Three minutes?

In such a short span, his cultivation gains had reached several times what he had accomplished over the past decade.

“So this is truly Extreme Flawlessness!”

Jang Wook clenched his fist tight.

Faintly, he realized that he had unconsciously created a profound cultivation method.

The terrifying nature of this method had already reached a level beyond words.

Unfortunately, Extreme Flawlessness currently contained only the cultivation method for the Gyeseon Realm 1st Stage, so Jang Wook’s cultivation could rise no higher than the peak of Gyeseon Realm 1st Stage.

To break through to Gyeseon Realm 2nd Stage, he first had to complete the Gyeseon Realm 2nd Stage cultivation method of Extreme Flawlessness.

“My cultivation realm has dropped to Gyeseon Realm 1st Stage, but the True Energy I’ve gained in exchange is far stronger now! Far from a loss, this is a complete win!”

Jang Wook couldn’t tell what kind of power this was, but he could clearly feel that its might was a hundred times greater than ordinary True Energy.

Even a Gyeseon Realm 9th Stage powerhouse would struggle to withstand this force.

“I’d love to spar with a Gyeseon Realm 9th Stage powerhouse!”

Jang Wook licked his lips. His hands itched.

But he could only think it; he could never actually do it.

It was because the mysterious force within his body was far too meager.

With only a single chance to strike, if he failed to finish his opponent in one blow, he would fall into peril himself.

In other words, the Jang Wook of now was the legendary Three-Second Man.

“I need to refine the Gyeseon Realm 2nd Stage cultivation method of ‘Geuk Mu Gyeol’ quickly.”

Jang Wook was certain.

With only the Gyeseon Realm 2nd Stage cultivation method of ‘Geuk Mu Gyeol,’ he could break through to the peak of Gyeseon Realm 2nd Stage immediately.

Once he did, he wouldn’t have to worry about his mysterious power being drained all at once.
* * *
“Woof! Woof-woof! Woof-woof-woof!”

Suddenly, the sound of So Gang barking came from outside the Library Pavilion.

The moment the barking stopped, a thunderous shout rang out across Changung Academy.

“Jang Wook, come out! Jang Wook, come out… Jang Wook, come out… Jang Wook, come out…”

At the echoing call from outside, Jang Wook furrowed his brow, rose slowly, and stepped out of the Library Pavilion.

Before long, Jang Wook arrived near the stone tablet of Changung Academy.

“Are you Jang Wook?”

Mu Muk had heard his name from other people many times, but today was the first time he was meeting Jang Wook in person.

He gave Jang Wook a once-over and spoke calmly.

“Either handle my younger sister’s withdrawal procedures, or return to me the admission form she signed yesterday.”
“Withdrawal?”

Jang Wook raised his eyebrows and stared at Mu Muk with wide eyes.

“So you’re Mu Heon Heon’s older brother?”

[Mu Muk]

[Gender: Male]

[Age: 26]

[Constitution Aptitude: Ordinary Bloodline, Lower-Grade Intellect]

[Five-Star Aptitude: Middling Intellect]

[Special Aptitude: Pill Crafting (Three-Star)]

[Cultivation Realm: Gyeseon Realm 6th Stage]

Mu Muk. One of the Imperial City’s three great geniuses. Jang Wook had heard the name before, but he hadn’t expected this man to have a special aptitude.

Pill Crafting.

This was the first person with a special aptitude that Jang Wook had met since acquiring ‘Insight.’

As he stood there, startled, the System’s mechanical voice sounded once again.

“The system has detected Mu Muk’s special aptitude. Announcing the quest.”

【Main Quest 2: Recruit Mu Muk as a student of Changung Academy】

【To build a great academy, inclusiveness and diversity are essential. As Director, the Host bears the responsibility and duty of recruiting all manner of geniuses to the academy.】

【Quest Reward: One-Star Alchemy】

【Quest Time Limit: 12 hours】

【Quest Failure: No penalty】

‘One-Star Alchemy, you say?’

Jang Wook’s heart stirred.

Alchemy, without any special talent?

This system is strong, to the point of being absurd.

Jang Wook glanced at Mu Muk and furrowed his brow slightly.

‘But… this quest won’t be easy to complete.’

Two more people stood beside Mu Muk. One was Mu Heon Heon, and the other was a middle-aged man.

Jang Wook gave the middle-aged man a cursory look and paid him no further mind.

According to the information he had confirmed through Insight, this middle-aged man was named Wang Tao, and he was something like the steward of the Mu Clan.

His cultivation realm was merely the Gyeseon Realm 5th Stage, lower even than Mu Muk’s.

‘So this girl was from the Mu Clan.’

Jang Wook was taken aback.

The Mu Clan was the foremost family in the Imperial City. Even Jang Wook knew that much.

Yet he had never connected Mu Heon Heon with the Mu Clan, and only upon seeing Mu Muk did the various pieces fall into place.

He had lured one student on a whim, and now the Mu Clan had been dragged into it. Jang Wook cursed his own bad luck a little.

“Brother, let me speak.”

Just then, Mu Heon Heon, who had been standing beside him, bit her lip lightly, stepped forward, and faced Jang Wook.

“Mr. Jang, I’m leaving the academy!”

Her voice was not loud and was very gentle, yet beneath it lay a resolve that would not waver.

‘I expected she would leave the academy since I started luring her yesterday, but I didn’t think it would come this fast.’

Jang Wook was somewhat at a loss.

Shaking his head, Jang Wook let out a faint sigh and spoke to Mu Heon Heon.

“I think you’ve misunderstood something.”

This girl was the academy’s only student. If she left, wouldn’t he be left alone again?

‘System, if Mu Heon Heon leaves the academy, will I still be able to use Insight?’

Jang Wook asked silently in his head, his nerves drawn tight. Without a doubt, this was the most pressing question.

“Rewards already granted remain permanently available. The Host need not worry.”

At the machine voice’s reply, Jang Wook let out a breath of relief.

“Scammer… you lying scammer…”

Mu Heon Heon’s resentful voice drew Jang Wook’s attention.

“Heon-heon, don’t bother arguing with this fellow.”

Mu Heon Heon’s words were cut off midway by Mu Muk. He fixed his gaze on Jang Wook and spoke in a calm, even tone.

“You’re Jang Wook, aren’t you? Whether you agree or not, we are leaving Changung Academy today!”

Who in the Imperial City would dare stand in the way of what the Mu Clan intended to do? That was what Mu Muk believed.

But Jang Wook’s expression darkened at these words.

“What nerve! Coming and going as you please. Does Changung Academy look like your family’s house?”

Sixth Stage of the Gyeseon Realm. Is that really so impressive?

Is your clan simply arrogant, or do you think this Jang Wook can’t lift a blade?

Shaking his head and pursing his lips, Jang Wook said evenly.

“You want to take Mu Heon Heon out of the academy? Fine. Come and have a go with me. If you win, I’ll agree to it!”
“Fourth Stage of the Gyeseon Realm…”

Mu Muk studied Jang Wook with a strange look, faintly amused.

“With that level of cultivation, you dare to challenge me?”

Though he couldn’t sense Jang Wook’s true strength until the man acted, Mu Muk knew Jang Wook had only reached the Fourth Stage of the Gyeseon Realm a year ago.

It was therefore impossible to think he had already broken through to the Fifth Stage.

The Fourth Stage of the Gyeseon Realm challenging the Sixth? Is this man out of his mind?

Butler Wang Tao also shook his head and burst into laughter. He knew his young master’s strength all too well.

Very few in the younger generation could stand against the young master, and Jang Wook was certainly not among them.

Before Jang Wook could even open his mouth, Mu Muk frowned and urged him on.

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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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