Myth of Martial Arts - Chapter 6

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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 6
“Pffft!”

Clan Patriarch Mu Jin sprayed the tea he’d just taken a sip of across the room, then stared at Mu Muk, who sat rigidly before him in shock.

“What did you say? You enrolled at Changung Academy?”

He had ordered Mu Muk to take Mu Heon Heon and leave the academy, not to enroll at Changung Academy himself.

Mu Jin pointed at Mu Muk, his fingers trembling with fury.

“You, you… I told you to withdraw from the academy with Heon Heon, and instead you yourself enrolled at Changung Academy? What manner of spell does this Jang Wook have that he’s bewitched both of you like this?”
“Father, you know me well enough. Do I strike you as someone who would be fooled so easily?”

Mu Muk met his father’s gaze and spoke with patience.

“My decision to enroll at Changung Academy was neither impulsive nor the result of anyone’s influence.”

Mu Jin fell silent for a moment, then gradually composed himself.

“Fine, then. Explain yourself. Why did you enroll at Changung Academy?”

Rather than answer immediately, Mu Muk pulled back his collar to reveal the wound on his shoulder.

The wound was raw and bloody, and heavy bruising still lingered around its edges—a ghastly sight.

“What in blazes happened?”

Mu Jin’s complexion shifted, and he forgot all about questioning Mu Muk’s enrollment. His voice rose in fury.

“Which old dog dared to do such a thing!”

As a master of the Gyeseon Realm 9th Stage, he recognized it at once. The wound had been inflicted by a single punch.

“There are only a handful of people in all the Imperial City with such skill. Tell me—who did this to you?”

If Mu Muk had suffered this at the hands of his own generation, it would simply reflect his own lacking prowess.

But if someone had exploited their age to torment Mu Muk…

Mu Jin could not abide such a thing.

Otherwise, would not someone soon come and act recklessly over the head of the Mu Clan itself?

“I expected you to think that way, Father.”

Mu Muk fastened his collar again and shook his head with a wry smile.

“But the person who wounded me was Jang Wook.”

Compared to Jang Wook, those who were lauded as the Imperial City’s three great prodigies were mere children.

A flicker of surprise crossed Mu Jin’s eyes.

“Jang Wook?”

People whispered that he was merely at the Gyeseon Realm 4th Stage, but through their single clash today, Mu Muk had learned the truth.

His true strength was no weaker than a master of the Gyeseon Realm 8th Stage—perhaps even stronger.

Mu Muk still trembled at his chest as he recalled that single strike from back then.

“All these years, we’ve all been deceived by him.”

Despite clearly being at the Gyeseon Realm 8th Stage, or perhaps even higher in his cultivation level, he had endured for all those years. That man was terrifying.

“Even if his strength is considerable, there’s no need for you to enter Changung Academy, is there?”

When Mu Jin furrowed his brow and caught the flash of fear in Mu Muk’s eyes, his frown deepened, and his voice turned cold in an instant.

“Did that bastard threaten you?”

Mu Muk explained hurriedly.

“No, he didn’t coerce me. I decided of my own will to enter Changung Academy. He said that if I came to the Academy, he would teach me a cultivation method called ‘Extreme Flawlessness.’ This method can refine True Force to its maximum, making it incredibly pure. He said he himself has cultivated this method.”

Jang Wook had certainly said such things, but he had not told Mu Muk that ‘Extreme Flawlessness’ currently only had cultivation techniques for the first stage of the Gyeseon Realm.

Moreover, the cultivation method Jang Wook would teach Mu Muk was not the original ‘Extreme Flawlessness’ but a diminished version, one that contained several flaws Jang Wook had deliberately left behind.

“Father, as you know, the higher one’s cultivation realm, the harder it is to advance further. My cultivation realm has been stuck at Gyeseon Realm 6th Stage for two years now, and I haven’t been able to break through.”

Mu Muk took a deep breath and looked seriously at Mu Jin.

“I must find another way to grow stronger.”

To be honest, the Mu Clan’s cultivation method, ‘You Un Gyeol,’ was not bad, but if a better method existed, Mu Muk thought it wouldn’t be unreasonable to receive transmission of another cultivation method.

Even if converting his True Force would require considerable time.

Since Mu Muk had directly experienced Jang Wook’s ‘True Force,’ he naturally understood how terrifying it was.

Mu Jin listened quietly, and after a long moment, he shook his head with a sigh and stood up.

“Let’s go.”
“Where to?”
“We’re leaving the Academy!”

Mu Jin glanced at Mu Muk and spoke calmly.

“What? Why? Surely you don’t think Jang Wook has deceived me?”

Mu Jin waved his hand, signaling Mu Muk to calm himself, and only after Mu Muk had settled did he speak slowly.

“I believe everything you’ve said. And I also believe that Jang Wook has not deceived you.”
“Then…?”

Mu Muk couldn’t understand. If his father believed him, why was he stopping him?

“To be frank, I actually respect that fellow quite a bit. Ordinary people cannot endure for such a long time. And with so many eyes trained on him, he hasn’t revealed a single weakness—truly remarkable.”

After offering this brief admiration, Mu Jin immediately changed his tone.

“But a young man is still a young man. No matter how precocious, eventually he couldn’t hold back when the moment came.”

And with a short sigh, he continued.

“Of course, his current strength ranks among the highest in all of Imperial City, and fairly matched, there may be no one who can definitively defeat him. But that doesn’t mean he can rest easy. Rather, revealing his strength now is the most dangerous choice he could have made!”

At Mu Jin’s words, Mu Muk said nothing and simply watched his father. Mu Jin pressed on.

“Consider this: how many factions plundered Changung Academy’s resources back then? Were any of them virtuous? No one touched him before because his father, though absent, still cast a shadow of authority—everyone feared him. They trembled at the thought that his father might return someday, and besides, the boy himself posed no threat to them whatsoever.”

Mu Muk knew this well enough. Even a street urchin understood that the factions had refrained from harming Jang Wook only because they feared Jang Ho Yeon might one day return.

“Now it’s different. Jang Wook has revealed his strength, so those factions that once plundered Changung Academy’s resources won’t sit idle. They are not merciful people. The moment they sense a threat, they will move to eliminate it.”

As he finished speaking, Mu Jin exhaled a weary sigh.

“That Jang Wook won’t live long—mark my words.”

Facing attacks from so many factions at once, even a master at the Gyeseon Realm 8th Stage or Gyeseon Realm 9th Stage would find themselves besieged from all sides.

“I see…”

Though it was hard to accept, Mu Muk had to acknowledge that his father’s words were sound.

“What of it? Do you regret giving up?”

Mu Jin regarded his son with quiet displeasure and posed the question calmly.

“Did you truly believe that from your first day at Changung Academy, this Jang Wook would teach you complete Extreme Flawlessness? Or do you hope our Mu Clan will throw away our lives alongside Jang Wook for some unknown cultivation method?”

The Mu Clan was strong, but far from invincible.

If each of the major powers—particularly if Sinwang Academy and Unsan Academy were to unite—they could very well bring the Mu Clan to ruin.

In that instant, Mu Muk came to understand many things. Though his heart ached with regret, he bowed his head to his father in assent.

“I understand, Father. I will withdraw from the academy.”
“Good. That’s all I needed from you.”

Mu Jin smiled with satisfaction, well pleased by his son’s response.
* * *
On the western edge of the Imperial City stood Changung Academy.

“Mission complete. Would you like to receive your reward?”
“Yes.”
“First-Class Alchemy has been granted. Please confirm receipt.”

In that moment, a torrent of knowledge flooded into Jang Wook’s mind. And Jang Wook, who had never once studied Pill Crafting, instantly became a First-Class Alchemist.

Jang Wook sat at the edge of his bed, quietly organizing the information about Pill Crafting in his thoughts.

Pills came in many varieties: blood-replenishing, curative, life-extending, and barrier-breaking pills among them.

They were also graded by quality, divided into six ranks in total.

Even pills of the same rank showed more patterns on the surface the higher their quality.

Alchemists were so rare that none could be found even throughout the entire Imperial City.

Across all the great continents combined, fewer than a hundred alchemists could be found, and most of them dwelt in Hamdan City, the capital of the realm.

Given their scarcity, one could easily imagine just how high an alchemist’s standing truly was.

Even the lowest rank of First-Class Alchemist held an honorable position—one so exalted that even masters of the Gyeseon Realm’s 9th Stage dared not treat them with contempt.

Of course, if an Alchemist’s actual strength was too weak, there remained the possibility of being raised like cattle.

“This reward is quite promising.”

A smile spread across Jang Wook’s face.

The First-Class Alchemy that the system had granted him elevated him at once to the rank of the most exceptional First-Class Alchemist.

Simply by crafting pills as the inspiration struck him, he could now easily produce First-Grade Three-Pattern

pills.

Pills were divided into two types: those bearing patterns and those without, and among patterned pills, the three-pattern variety stood as supreme.

An ordinary First-Class Alchemist could produce but a single First-Grade Three-Pattern pill only after dozens or hundreds of attempts.

Yet Jang Wook could now craft numerous First-Grade Three-Pattern pills with ease, and the difference was unmistakable.

Jang Wook paused briefly in thought before reaching a decision.

“I should defer the work of Alchemy for now. First, I need to supplement the Gyeseon Realm 2nd Stage cultivation method of Extreme Flawlessness.”

It wasn’t that he had no desire to craft pills immediately.

Rather, the Academy’s pill furnaces and medicinal ingredients had all been seized seven years prior, so he needed to first acquire a furnace and the necessary materials.

But furnaces and medicinal ingredients were extraordinarily expensive—far beyond Jang Wook’s current means.

This situation could only gradually improve once Mu Muk’s siblings paid their tuition.

“Very well. Once they pay, I’ll acquire a furnace, gather some materials, and begin pill crafting.”

Jang Wook began calculating Mu Muk’s siblings’ tuition with barely containable anticipation.

Once a clear plan had taken shape in his mind, he rose at once and made his way to the Library Pavilion.

Having experience modifying the Gyeseon Realm 1st Stage cultivation method, Jang Wook grew increasingly skilled at revising cultivation methods.

This time, it took him less than two hours to perfect the Gyeseon Realm 2nd Stage method for Extreme Flawlessness.

Gazing at the newly completed cultivation method in his hands, Jang Wook’s face brimmed with undisguised pride.

【Extreme Flawlessness: Mortal-tier Lower Grade, two stages total, maximum cultivation to Gyeseon Realm 2nd Stage, average zero flaws per stage】

This cultivation method—one capable of shaking the heavens—was gradually taking shape in Jang Wook’s hands.

Though currently it could only be cultivated up to the Gyeseon Realm 2nd Stage, he was confident he would soon complete it in full.

Without hesitation, Jang Wook immediately sat in lotus position and began cultivating according to the Gyeseon Realm 2nd Stage method of Extreme Flawlessness.

Before long, Jang Wook’s level had broken through the pinnacle of Gyeseon Realm 1st Stage and rushed upward with unstoppable momentum, reaching the pinnacle of Gyeseon Realm 2nd Stage.

As Jang Wook finished his cultivation, So Gang’s barking erupted once more outside the Library Pavilion.

“Woof! Woof woof!”
“Jang Wook, come out! Jang Wook, come out… Jang Wook, come out… Jang Wook, come out….”

Hearing the commotion that filled the Academy, Jang Wook started in surprise. This situation—he was certain he’d witnessed it before.

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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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