The World’s Greatest Martial Arts Instructor - Chapter 127

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 127. Begin!

 

 

“Haha. So you are human after all.”

At those words accompanied by hearty laughter, Ha Mu-baek turned his head toward Gongsun Mu-oe.

“Pardon? What do you mean?”

Ha Mu-baek asked with a puzzled expression.

“Since meeting you, I just saw your most varied expressions. It was truly human-like. Until now, I thought you weren’t a person.”

At Gongsun Mu-oe’s words, Ha Mu-baek showed a slightly embarrassed expression.

He had been so focused on Ha Seol-ran’s duel that he hadn’t thought about what kind of appearance he might have shown.

“Still, your younger sister is truly remarkable. You said she was only recently cured of severed meridian syndrome, so she couldn’t have trained martial arts for long. Yet she managed to handle Namgung Ji-yu’s Changgung Muae Sword to that extent.”

“She did better than I expected.”

A deep smile spread across Ha Mu-baek’s lips.

He was simply pleased by the praise for his younger sister.

“Amazing! Truly amazing!”

The Group Seven cadets of Maengryong Corps and Ju U-myeong, who greeted Ha Seol-ran as she came down from the dueling platform, continuously expressed their admiration around her.

It was because she had shown tremendous skill beyond expectations.

In truth, Ha Seol-ran had few sparring sessions during her training.

The reason was that she had started learning martial arts late.

Come to think of it, she had also gone to Sanwol Demon Forest with them, and she too had faced jiangshi there.

Despite starting martial arts late.

Even that alone was talent surprising enough, but what she showed today was beyond that.

“How on earth did you respond to every single move of Changgung Muae Sword?”

Dang Jin-san asked with amazement.

“Well, that… I could see it.”

Ha Seol-ran answered with a still somewhat dazed expression.

“Huh? You could see it?”

Dang Jin-san asked back with a puzzled face.

Similar expressions appeared on the other cadets’ faces as well.

“Well, perhaps because I often watched Young Master Namgung’s sparring, I could see all the sword movements.”

The explanation that followed.

Dang Jin-san looked at Ha Seol-ran with disbelieving eyes.

Then, as if realizing something, he looked at Dan Mok Un-rae.

Hadn’t that guy said something similar, though different?

“I guess only monsters are gathered here… Sigh…”

Dang Jin-san, muttering with a somewhat dejected expression, trudged over when he heard his name being called.

It was Dang Jin-san’s turn for a duel.

“Even so, calling me a monster…”

Ha Seol-ran showed a slightly hurt expression. Being a young woman in her prime, she seemed somewhat wounded by being called a monster.

Shortly after, the other cadets’ names were called one by one.

Everyone went up to their assigned dueling platforms according to their turn and fought their duels.

The results were surprising.

 

Round of 16.

The sixteen strongest at Gyoryong Hall.

All five Group Seven cadets of Maengryong Corps were included in it. Ju U-myeong was naturally included as well.

A total of sixteen strong fighters remained, and six of them were from Maengryong Corps.

It was an incredible upset.

The remaining ten spots were taken by Jamryong Corps and Waryong Corps, five each, so ultimately Maengryong Corps had the most participants in the round of 16.

At such results, Sang Gyeong-mun and Neung U-dam showed displeased expressions.

They had naturally believed that Waryong Corps and Jamryong Corps would be overwhelming, but the revealed results were completely different.

From Maengryong Corps, they had only been wary of Ju U-myeong alone, but that wasn’t the case.

Seven from Maengryong Corps participated, and six made it to the round of 16.

It was unbelievable.

“Haha. What unbelievable results.”

Peng Do-yul burst into hearty laughter while checking the completed tournament bracket.

At that laughter, Sang Gyeong-mun and Neung U-dam showed sour expressions.

It sounded as if he was saying it for them to hear.

“Corps Leader Moyong. You should buy drinks today, shouldn’t you?”

Peng Do-yul looked at Moyong Jin-ho with a meaningful expression.

At those words, Moyong Jin-ho simply shook his head.

“It’s all Instructor Ha’s doing. All the cadets who participated in the Winter Tournament are cadets touched by Instructor Ha’s hand.”

At Moyong Jin-ho’s answer, Sang Gyeong-mun and Neung U-dam bit their lips.

Instructor Ha.

Ha Mu-baek.

What the hell was this guy doing?

Thinking of the humiliation they suffered at the last Autumn Tournament because of this bastard.

So they had requested information about Ha Mu-baek from their main sect, but nothing came back.

Where on earth had such a guy suddenly dropped from?

Looking at the Academy Director’s attitude toward that guy, he definitely seemed to know something, but he never told them.

Seeing how he attributed all the credit to Instructor Ha, Moyong Jin-ho probably knew something about him too, but he always played dumb.

Maengryong Corps.

Ju U-myeong, Baek Ri-pyeong, Dan Mok Un-rae, Yeon Ha-min, Nak U-jin, Dang Jin-san – six people in total.

Jamryong Corps.

Namgung Ji-hu, Namgung Ji-yu, Yeong Ho-jun, Cheong U-ja, Zhuge Ung – five people in total.

Waryong Corps.

Mok Cheong-san, Beom Il-so, Ma Rip, Hwa Tae-ak, Gwan Ha-gyeong – five people in total.

The tournament bracket for these sixteen people was decided this way.

The bracket was arranged so that cadets from the same corps would only face each other if they reached at least the quarterfinals.

Peng Do-yul, who noticed this fact, let out a hollow laugh.

“Ha, the bracket is arranged quite cleverly. This must be Gi Yu-chan’s handiwork, of course?”

“That’s correct, Academy Director.”

The answer to that muttering came from beside him.

It was Vice Director Yeon Baek-jin. His face was soaked with fatigue.

It was probably because he had been tormented by Gi Yu-chan.

It couldn’t be helped.

Since Academy Director Peng Do-yul had returned yesterday, Gi Yu-chan must have squeezed the Vice Director throughout the entire Winter Tournament preparation.

The western sky was gradually turning red.

Peng Do-yul looked up at the sky thoughtfully and said.

“It seems today’s duel will be the last one this time. This year was quite fierce. I don’t know how many years it’s been since the Winter Tournament went beyond one day.”

That was right.

The winter solstice, the day with the shortest daylight of the year.

The Winter Tournament was a martial arts competition held on that winter solstice.

If the duels were fierce and long, the Winter Tournament wouldn’t end before sunset.

It would have to be postponed to the next day.

But in recent years, the winner had emerged just before sunset.

There was probably a night raid.

Peng Do-yul’s eyes turned cold as that thought crossed his mind.

It was because he remembered the morning’s events.

This year, that commotion aside, there had been many fierce martial duels overall.

The eight duels of the round of 16 seemed like they would be today’s final matches.

Sixteen cadets had climbed onto the eight martial arts arenas, each facing their respective opponents.

 

Baek Ri-pyeong, Zhuge Ung.

Namgung Ji-hu, Nak U-jin.

Namgung Ji-yu, Dang Jin-san.

Yeon Ha-min, Ma Rip.

Ju U-myeong, Gwan Ha-gyeong.

Yeong Ho-jun, Hwa Tae-ak.

Dan Mok Un-rae, Mok Cheong-san.

Beom Il-so, Cheong U-ja.

 

“Begin!”

The martial duels started with the judges’ simultaneous shouts from all eight locations.

 

***

 

Baek Ri-pyeong’s opponent Zhuge Ung was a disciple of the Zhuge family. A cadet from the third group of Jamryong Corps who had advanced to the round of 16 by consistently showing excellent skills.

The weapons he used were a spear and shield.

They were unusual weapons for the Zhuge family.

A spear was one thing, but a shield?

However, thinking of Instructor Zhuge Ming who always emphasized the usefulness of shields as weapons, it made sense.

Being from the same Zhuge family, he must have been influenced.

The moment Baek Ri-pyeong’s opponent was decided to be Zhuge Ung, he picked up a shield for the first time in the tournament.

Wasn’t he also learning Zhuge Ming’s shield technique?

Moreover, he had experienced Sanwol Demon Forest.

Knowing well the usefulness of shields, Baek Ri-pyeong also took up a shield when facing an opponent with one.

Zhuge Ung looked dismayed as he faced an opponent wielding both sword and shield.

‘He only used a sword before…’

Zhuge Ung had also carefully observed those who would become his opponents.

How much had he admired the swordsmanship of Baek Ri-pyeong from Zhongnan?

But since he had only used a sword, he was somewhat confident.

He thought his martial arts that combined spear and shield would be able to handle it adequately.

But!

His opponent came out with sword and shield. This would throw off his plans.

Shaking his head briefly to clear distracting thoughts, Zhuge Ung thrust his spear first.

“Hah!”

A spear extending straight with a short battle cry.

Clang.

Baek Ri-pyeong lightly deflected his opponent’s spear with his shield.

At that moment.

Zhuge Ung instinctively knew his defeat. Because his opponent’s shield handling was superior to his own.

After an exchange that lasted about half an hour.

“I have lost.”

Zhuge Ung dropped both his spear and shield and admitted defeat. It was as he had expected.

 

The match between Namgung Ji-hu and Nak U-jin.

Nak U-jin swallowed dry saliva as he looked at his opponent.

He had really trained hard.

Really.

It had been grueling training.

And he had countless sparring matches with cadets from the same group.

Sometimes there were sparring sessions with Namgung Ji-hu too.

That Jamryong Corps guy often came looking, saying the only people worth sparring with were in Maengryong Corps’ seventh group.

And his sparring matches with Namgung Ji-hu were complete defeats.

Despite giving his all, he had never won even once.

‘Today I win.’

Nak U-jin made that resolution.

And he drew his internal energy to its limit and kicked off the ground.

Recalling Ha Seol-ran’s impressive performance against Namgung Ji-yu.

Hadn’t he also watched Namgung Ji-hu’s sword until he was sick of it?

However, the result was.

Though they exchanged over a hundred forms.

Nak U-jin’s defeat.

“Ha, maybe I should have taken up a shield…”

Coming down from the martial arts arena, Nak U-jin glanced at Baek Ri-pyeong’s still ongoing duel and muttered quietly.

“It was an excellent duel.”

Namgung Ji-hu left those words to Nak U-jin as he passed by. His back was slightly damp with sweat.

The day he first met Namgung Ji-hu came to mind.

That day.

Namgung Ji-hu hadn’t even moved a fingertip. They all got beaten because they couldn’t even handle Dang Chu alone.

But now, he had fought nearly a hundred forms with Namgung Ji-hu.

Making that Namgung Ji-hu’s back damp with sweat.

‘Next time I’ll win.’

Nak U-jin made that resolution.

“I’ll get revenge for you. Watch closely.”

Before climbing onto the martial arts arena, Dang Jin-san said that to Ha Seol-ran.

Since his opponent was Namgung Ji-yu, who had defeated Ha Seol-ran.

Though they weren’t from the same group, hadn’t they shared hardships and joys like group members?

He would definitely get revenge for her.

Dang Jin-san climbed onto the martial arts arena with that thought.

And came down.

“Sorry…”

With his head hung low.

Soaked in sweat.

It was Dang Jin-san’s defeat.

“It’s alright, Young Master Dang.”

Ha Seol-ran smiled brightly at Dang Jin-san.

She had clearly seen how fiercely Dang Jin-san had fought.

There was none of the playful behavior he usually showed at the training ground.

He had truly poured out everything he had.

His disheveled martial uniform and sweat-soaked appearance showed that.

That’s why Ha Seol-ran could smile at him like that.

Though that smile was hidden behind her veil, Dang Jin-san could see it clearly enough.

“Next time, I’ll really get revenge for you.”

Dang Jin-san, who had somehow lifted his head and straightened his shoulders, said with a slight smile.

Namgung Ji-yu, who saw this scene while descending from the martial arts arena on the opposite side, shook her head from side to side.

She too was in a disheveled state.

It had been that difficult of a match.

“Is my opponent a woman? Perhaps my next opponent might be a woman too.”

Ma Rip, who had climbed onto the martial arts arena and was looking at Yeon Ha-min, spoke.

His gaze briefly turned toward Namgung Ji-yu on the other martial arts arena before returning.

Ma Rip from the Iron Cavalry Guild.

With bulging muscles and a massive build.

Though he appeared to have cultivated only external arts, he was a student whose internal energy had also reached a certain level.

Yeon Ha-min quietly observed his appearance.

Though he had spouted unpleasant words, those muscles weren’t built for nothing.

She knew this because she had tried external cultivation due to Ha Mu-baek.

She knew how much blood and sweat it took to reach that level.

In Ma Rip’s right hand was a massive cavalry spear.

Iron Cavalry Guild.

Iron Cavalry.

A sect whose main force was cavalry.

There was a saying that Iron Cavalry Sect techniques fighting on the ground without horses lost half their power.

But this place had individual matches, so it couldn’t be helped.

Ma Rip’s massive spear flew toward Yeon Ha-min, stirring up rough winds.

An tremendous qi aura as if trying to blow away Yeon Ha-min in one strike.

If it were the old Yeon Ha-min, she wouldn’t have known how to face such tremendous qi aura. But now it was different.

Hadn’t she faced Blood Jiangshi in Sanwol Demon Forest?

If you were careless and got bitten, you’d become a jiangshi. She was someone who had faced even that tremendous fear.

Yeon Ha-min lightly shifted her feet.

Ma Rip’s spear swept past Yeon Ha-min’s side.

Yeon Ha-min’s sword flew toward Ma Rip.

“Hmph.”

Ma Rip swung his spear, intending to easily deflect it.

Clang.

A sound like something bouncing off rang out.

However, the sword slid smoothly down along the spear shaft as it was.

Yeon Ha-min’s feet moved quickly.

A speed he hadn’t anticipated.

“Grr.”

Ma Rip roughly shook his spear, trying to shake off Yeon Ha-min.

Yeon Ha-min instead used that force to launch her body.

It was a soft, graceful, and beautiful movement.

Her face veil fluttered, and the face that was subtly revealed was incredibly beautiful.

Ma Rip quickly tried to turn his spear to attack Yeon Ha-min, but Yeon Ha-min’s movement was faster.

Before he knew it, Yeon Ha-min’s sword was aimed at Ma Rip’s throat.

And.

Ma Rip was defeated.

Ma Rip looked at Yeon Ha-min with eyes that couldn’t believe it.

“The moment you looked down on me for being a woman, your defeat was already decided.”

Yeon Ha-min left these rather lengthy words and turned around to descend from the martial arts arena.

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