Myth of Martial Arts - Chapter 5

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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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Episode 5
“Enough. Go through the withdrawal procedures already. I don’t have time to play with you.”

He was being dismissed.

Jang Wook felt slightly cornered, thinking that if he didn’t demonstrate his strength, his opponent would never acknowledge him.

Then…

“I have Mu Heon Heon’s application form right here. If you have real strength, come take it from me directly.”

Jang Wook pulled the application form that Mu Heon Heon had signed from his pocket, held it up with a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth.

In this moment, he felt like a villain from an old TV drama in his past life.

Hearing these words, Mu Muk raised one eyebrow.

“You want me to take it directly?”

Wang Do laughed and spoke.

“A trivial matter like this would be child’s play for you, young master, wouldn’t it?”

Wang Do harbored deep confidence in Mu Muk’s abilities.

Jang Wook fixed Mu Muk with a look that was neither quite a smile nor a frown.

“Well? Don’t tell me you’re afraid?”
“Your pardon.”

Mu Muk made a beckoning gesture with his hand, and the moment the words left his lips, he burst forward like an arrow loosed from a bowstring, leaving only afterimages and a sharp whistling sound in his wake as he charged at Jang Wook.

Mu Muk, son of the patriarch of the foremost clan in the Imperial City, was undoubtedly the finest among the youth of his generation. Few of his peers could even claim the right to stand against him.

He was one of the most brilliant prodigies in the Imperial City, an object of admiration and enthusiasm for countless young women.

With such an extraordinary family background and exceptional martial skill of his own, there was no way he could avoid being beloved by all.

In this moment, Mu Muk possessed absolute confidence that he could seize the application form without injuring Jang Wook.

But when he closed to within three paces

of Jang Wook, his vision suddenly blurred, and Jang Wook’s figure vanished before his eyes.

And before he could even react, he felt a razor-sharp cutting sound and an intensely dangerous presence coming from directly behind him.

Not far away, a startled cry rang out from Mu Heon Heon.

“Brother, be careful!”

Wang Do also stiffened in shock, crying out loudly.

“Young master, watch out!”

Mu Muk had no time to evade; driven solely by combat instinct, he spun around in panic and thrust his palms forward.

“Banya Palm!”

In that instant, Mu Muk’s cultivation method and martial arts were completely laid bare before Jang Wook’s eyes.

【Cultivation Method: Yu Wun Gyeol (Spirit-tier Lower Grade, ten stages total, capable of advancement up to Waseon Realm Lower Stage, average of thirty-two flaws per stage)】

【Martial Art: Banya Palm (Mortal-tier Upper Grade, four hundred eighty-eight flaws)】

‘True to his reputation—the Imperial City’s foremost prodigy, whom people praise without end. This reaction speed is truly extraordinary.’

A glimmer of admiration flickered in Jang Wook’s eyes.

Yet despite his appreciation of Mu Muk’s skill, Jang Wook did not hesitate for even a moment.

In an instant—

Bang!

Crack!

Jang Wook sidestepped Mu Muk’s palm as though blinking from existence, then channeled a mysterious power into his fist and brought it down hard against Mu Muk’s shoulder.

To avoid accidentally killing Mu Muk, Jang Wook had restrained himself at the crucial moment, withdrawing nine-tenths of his strength.

Even so, Mu Muk was flung backward with a tremendous impact and the sickening sound of bone fracturing, as though struck by a carriage.

He soared through the air like a kite with its string severed, rising freely before the trajectory betrayed him.

Thud!

Mu Muk crashed to the ground like a falling leaf, tumbling several times before coming to rest.

“Ugh—”

Crimson blood sprayed from Mu Muk’s mouth, his face gone deathly pale.

It was an undeniable defeat in a single exchange.

“Young Master… Young Master has been defeated.”

Wang Do stared at Mu Muk, his expression frozen in disbelief.

“Brother!”

Mu Heon Heon cried out in shock and alarm, rushing forward with tears streaming down his face.

“Brother, are you all right?”

The urgency in Mu Heon Heon’s voice jolted Wang Do back to his senses, and he hurried over to assess Mu Muk’s condition.

After a moment, Wang Do let out a breath of cautious relief.

“His bones are cracked but mercifully not shattered. With proper treatment, there should be no lasting damage.”

A blessing amid the catastrophe.

Yet Wang Do’s mind reeled from the shock all the same.

‘What manner of power could fracture the bones of a Gyeseon Realm 6th Stage master with a single fist?’

Wang Do’s gaze fixed on Jang Wook with unmistakable wariness.

In his memory, there were scarcely a handful of people in all the vast Imperial City who could accomplish such a feat with such ease.

But Wang Do could never have imagined it.

That Jang Wook, who appeared so formidable, was at this very moment gritting his teeth against a wave of exhaustion coursing through his body, pretending nothing was amiss.

‘Three seconds should be enough, they said — but I suppose anything beyond that was too much to ask.’

Jang Wook was deeply troubled. After mere breaths of combat, the True Energy flowing through his body had run dry.

Had Mu Muk pressed on despite his injury, Jang Wook would have had no choice but to drop to his knees at once.

But surrender was impossible. Especially now — he absolutely could not yield.

Jang Wook ran his tongue across his lip, letting his expression suggest he still had more to give.

“So, want to keep going?”

Before Jang Wook’s gaze, Mu Muk drew a deep breath, gritting his teeth against the burning agony in his shoulder as he forced himself to his feet. His eyes locked onto Jang Wook with wary intensity.

In his heart he refused to accept defeat, yet he understood with absolute clarity how vast the gap between him and Jang Wook truly was. Continuing would only end in a more devastating loss.

This time he had suffered injury — but next time, it might not end with merely an injury.

After a long silence, Mu Muk lowered his head with evident pain and spoke.

“I have lost.”

I have lost.

The moment those four words left his lips, a crushing sense of defeat flooded his heart.

He had never once tasted defeat in combat with his peers.

Even the other two geniuses who stood at his level could manage only a draw against him.

None of them could wound him with a single blow as Jang Wook had done.

His pride, his honor — shattered completely in those few brief moments of struggle.

Jang Wook smiled composedly.

“Good. A wise choice!”

Thanks to his acting prowess worthy of a film star, no one around him suspected the truth.

Watching Mu Muk’s crestfallen expression, Wang Do found himself at a loss for words. He had never seen the young master look this way before.

‘Is this really the same arrogant and conceited young lord from before?’

“Jang Wook, you’ve gone too far!”

Furious, Mu Heon Heon didn’t even call him “Master.” Anger blazed across her small, delicate face.

Hearing this, Jang Wook raised one eyebrow.

“Young lady, your brother has already conceded — what more do you want? If you don’t believe him, why don’t all three of you challenge me together?”

Jang Wook flexed his fingers with effortless grace.

Hearing this, Mu Muk wanted nothing more than to strike him — but in the end, he held back. What choice did he have? He couldn’t win.

As Jang Wook’s arrogance deepened, so too did Mu Muk’s fear.

Mu Muk drew a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his chest, and spoke with measured calm.

“That’s enough. I lost—we lost. The people of the Mu Clan know how to accept defeat.”

At these words, Jang Wook found himself regarding him even more highly.

“Brother, let’s go home.”

Mu Heon Heon supported Mu Muk’s arm, and his heart twisted at the sight of him—his face ashen, cold sweat trickling down his brow.

“We need to get home and receive treatment immediately. You absolutely cannot be left with any aftereffects.”

Wang Do, too, was deeply wary of Jang Wook and offered his support.

“The young lady speaks true, sir. The young master must return home at once and receive immediate treatment.”

Mu Muk, gazing intently at Jang Wook, turned to leave.

But then Jang Wook suddenly called out.

“Wait!”

Mu Muk stopped in his tracks, turning his head to regard Jang Wook, and waited quietly for him to speak.

Jang Wook asked his question.

“By the terms of our agreement, Mu Heon Heon wouldn’t need to leave the academy, would he?”

Yet even as Mu Muk conceded Jang Wook’s superior strength, his stance remained uncompromising.

“Impossible! Heon Heon must leave the academy. On this point, there is absolutely no room for compromise!”

He showed not the slightest hint of backing down.

“You’d be wise to act prudently. Give me Heon Heon’s academy enrollment papers now. Otherwise, my father will come himself!”

Mu Jin—the greatest martial master of the Imperial City, a powerhouse at the Gyeseon Realm 9th Stage.

To any faction, the name Mu Jin carried overwhelming pressure.

Jang Wook’s expression grew somewhat more serious, his brow furrowing. Mu Jin was indeed a formidable opponent.

Jang Wook fell silent for a moment in thought. Then, smiling, he fixed his gaze on Mu Muk.

“Aren’t you even curious why my power is this strong?”
“Nonsense.”

Even as Mu Muk spoke those words, his eyes shifted, and inwardly he thought:

‘Of course I want to know—but why would he tell me?’

In truth, this question had circled through his mind for quite some time.

Yet he could not guess at the answer.

The one thing he could say with certainty was that it had nothing to do with martial arts whatsoever.

Jang Wook had not used a single martial technique from beginning to end.

Not only Mu Muk, but Wang Do was deeply curious about this point as well.

“Come here. I’ll tell you.”

Jang Wook gestured to Mu Muk.

“What trick is it this time?”

Mu Muk’s guard was up.

“If you want to know, come here.”

Jang Wook feigned annoyance.

“I’ll give you time to think for three breaths. If you don’t come after that, I’ll assume you’re not interested.”
“Brother, don’t go.”

Mu Heon Heon spoke up with concern.

Mu Muk hesitated for a moment, then shook his head at Mu Heon Heon with a sigh.

“Even if the three of us joined together, we couldn’t match him. If he truly wanted to harm me, no one could stop him.”

Having spoken, Mu Muk walked straight toward Jang Wook. With each step, the wound on his shoulder pulled taut, and his brows furrowed deeply.

Upon reaching Jang Wook’s side, Mu Muk spoke calmly.

“Tell me.”

Jang Wook turned his head and whispered a few words into his ear.

Surprise suddenly bloomed across Mu Muk’s face, and his eyes flickered with a light of disbelief. To this, Jang Wook said:

“Can’t you judge for yourself whether it’s real or false?”

Jang Wook spoke with a sly smile.

“So? Don’t you want to learn?”

Jang Wook whispered in a seductive tone, like a con man.

“Want to hear more? Anyone who comes to Changung Academy can learn it!”

Mu Muk was torn between belief and doubt.

“Is that truly so?”

When Jang Wook nodded, Mu Muk’s expression shifted rapidly. After a long moment, he steeled his resolve and lifted his head.

“Very well. I shall enter Changung Academy!”
“Ha! How refreshing! You’re a man who decides boldly, after all.”

As if by magic, Jang Wook produced a fresh enrollment application from his breast pocket and handed it to Mu Muk.

“Sign it. From the moment you write your name on this, you become part of Changung Academy!”

With his resolve firm, Mu Muk signed his name on the application without a moment’s hesitation.

And so, Mu Muk, who had come to make Mu Heon Heon leave the academy, ended up enrolling in Changung Academy himself.

“That will do for now. You all head back, and return tomorrow for your next lesson. Don’t forget to bring the tuition—ten thousand Hwang Bi

per year should be sufficient.”

Jang Wook began waving them toward the door.

He hadn’t yet decided what to teach them or how to teach it, so he wanted to postpone the lesson for as long as possible.

The complete Extreme Flawlessness was too potent a martial art to pass on to the Mu siblings so readily.

Even if he were to teach it, he would need to make careful modifications and deliberately introduce certain flaws.

That way, the results would still be extraordinary, but they would reach a level barely within their capacity to bear.

Ten thousand Hwang Bi a year—even a scaled-down version of Extreme Flawlessness far exceeded that price in value.
* * *
Half an hour later.

In the Mu Clan Residence, south of the Imperial City.

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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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