The World’s Greatest Martial Arts Instructor - Chapter 132

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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 132. Still Not Enough

 

 

Ju U-myeong did not simply allow the plum blossoms trying to engulf him to do as they pleased.

Ju U-myeong’s sword also moved, destroying the plum blossoms one by one.

Even so, twenty-four plum blossoms circled around him.

Ju U-myeong’s Taecheong Sword Technique was effectively blocking Yeong Ho-jun’s Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword. Yeong Ho-jun gritted his teeth and poured even more internal energy into his sword.

The sword moved even more chaotically.

Adding variation upon variation upon variation, he pressed Ju U-myeong.

Ju U-myeong was gradually pushed back.

The Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique, which had reached the extreme of variation, was incompatible with Ju U-myeong’s Taecheong Sword Technique.

‘Hurry up and deploy the Taiji Wisdom Sword!’

Yeong Ho-jun shouted inwardly.

He had already seen him deploy a different sword technique against Gwan Ha-gyeong in the round of 16.

Only after hearing the Wudang-born instructors talking as they passed by did he learn that it was the Taiji Wisdom Sword.

Wudang’s supreme sword technique.

If Ju U-myeong had mastered it and deployed it against Gwan Ha-gyeong, an ordinary fourth-year cadet of the Waryong Corps, then naturally he should deploy it against Yeong Ho-jun himself as well.

Although he was a first-year cadet and she was a fourth-year cadet, he had the confidence that he was much stronger than her.

No matter that she was from Dorim, the blade technique she had learned was just the ordinary Heaven Severing Blade.

Since he had drawn the Taiji Wisdom Sword even against such an opponent, naturally he would have to deploy the Taiji Wisdom Sword to handle his own Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique that had reached the Full Bloom stage.

The real match would begin from that moment.

Therefore, Yeong Ho-jun pressed Ju U-myeong even harder.

Waiting only for the moment when he would deploy the Taiji Wisdom Sword.

Ju U-myeong silently deployed the Taecheong Sword Technique while responding to his opponent’s attacks.

‘The compatibility is definitely poor.’

As time passed, he felt that the Taecheong Sword Technique had poor compatibility with the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.

In that case.

He could just change sword techniques.

The sword techniques Ju U-myeong had learned were not limited to just the Taecheong Sword Technique and Taiji Wisdom Sword.

Heaven-sent talent.

These were the words with which Muyeon Jin-in, the previous Wudang’s First Sword, had evaluated Ju U-myeong.

The reason he had taken Ju U-myeong as his only disciple.

To a disciple with such talent, Muyeon Jin-in taught as many Wudang swords as possible.

He absorbed everything as soon as it was taught, like cotton soaking up water.

Roughly half of half a gak of time (approximately 3 minutes and 45 seconds).

This was the time Ju U-myeong needed to analyze Yeong Ho-jun’s sword technique.

‘He calls it Full Bloom, but there are still many flaws.’

Ju U-myeong recalled his master’s assessment of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.

‘He said that Full Bloom is where the true Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique truly begins.’

In that case, there was no reason to fear just because his opponent had bloomed all twenty-four plum blossoms.

Ju U-myeong’s eyes could already see the flaws.

It was simply that the Taecheong Sword Technique had poor compatibility.

Ju U-myeong recalled the Wudang sword techniques he had learned.

And among them, he selected one suitable for facing his opponent.

In Gwan Ha-gyeong’s case, there was no answer other than the Taiji Wisdom Sword, so he had drawn it.

Her Heaven Severing Blade had that high a level of completion.

In some ways, she was superior even to Namgung Ji-hu. At least Ju U-myeong had never drawn the Taiji Wisdom Sword in training matches with Namgung Ji-hu.

Of course, it had been training matches where they both held back appropriately.

‘Flowing Cloud Sword Technique.’

Ju U-myeong decided on the sword technique.

At the same time, the movement of his sword changed.

A different change from the Taecheong Sword Technique that had been destroying the plum blossoms of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.

It was a sword change that was soft like flowing clouds in the sky while utilizing the opponent’s strength.

Rather than resisting the variations of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique, Ju U-myeong’s sword rode along with the flow of those variations.

Like clouds flowing on the wind.

At the suddenly changing sword movements, Yeong Ho-jun smiled triumphantly.

‘Finally.’

He mistook it for the deployment of the Taiji Wisdom Sword.

But he soon realized the truth.

At least it was different from the movements he had deployed against Gwan Ha-gyeong.

‘It’s not the Taiji Wisdom Sword? Does this bastard look down on me that much?’

Yeong Ho-jun’s face contorted.

He gritted his teeth.

He drew up even more internal energy.

His hand gripping the sword tensed with strength.

Yeong Ho-jun’s sword struck toward Ju U-myeong like a storm.

However, Ju U-myeong’s sword remained calm.

Even if a storm rages, clouds simply roam the sky following the storm.

Moreover, the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique was not a sword technique to be deployed so roughly.

It meant the flaws had grown even larger.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sound of clashing swords occasionally rang out.

Since Ju U-myeong deflected most of the attacks, no loud sounds rang out.

Instead, only sounds that seemed somehow weak, as if they had collided at an angle, rang out.

“Grr.”

Yeong Ho-jun was extremely frustrated.

His sword, deployed with full power, was flowing away like that.

Results completely different from his intentions were emerging.

The more excited Yeong Ho-jun became, the larger his flaws grew, and the more parts Ju U-myeong had to exploit.

The Flowing Cloud Sword Technique moved thoroughly softly while disrupting the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.

The sword movements gradually grew larger.

The twenty-four plum blossoms remained, but rather than flowers blooming luxuriantly, they were just flowers scattering in all directions.

As if they would soon wither and fall.

At that moment, Ju U-myeong’s sword technique changed again.

Taecheong Sword Technique.

He instantly penetrated the enlarged flaws with powerful qi energy.

Clang! Clang-clang! Clang!

Yeong Ho-jun was flustered by his opponent’s suddenly changed momentum, but soon faced his opponent’s attack head-on.

A clash of strength against strength.

It was what Ju U-myeong had intended, and Yeong Ho-jun completely lost the advantages of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique.

Ju U-myeong thoroughly led the martial duel situation according to his own intentions.

The result was crystal clear.

Yeong Ho-jun’s hands and feet gradually became disordered.

Clang! Thud.

A loud sound rang out, then Yeong Ho-jun’s sword left his hand, spun around, and stuck into the floor of the martial arts arena.

Ju U-myeong’s sword stopped in front of Yeong Ho-jun’s eyes.

“Ugh. I… I lost.”

He couldn’t accept it, but he had to.

Yeong Ho-jun gritted his teeth as he admitted defeat.

Then after a brief bow, he turned sharply and descended from the martial arts arena.

“Phew.”

Ju U-myeong let out a long sigh as he sheathed his sword.

Then he clenched and unclenched his right hand several times.

‘Still not enough.’

Though he was an excellent opponent, it wasn’t enough to cool Ju U-myeong’s heated body.

 

“Hmm. How disappointing.”

Gongsun Mu-oe said.

“He was outmatched in experience and cultivation. He was consumed by his competitive spirit.”

Ha Mu-baek’s assessment.

Gongsun Mu-oe nodded as if in agreement.

“Compared to his talent, his temperament is too hasty. To master the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword Technique to the point of Full Bloom, yet kill its very advantages. Truly regrettable.”

“It was thanks to that strong competitive spirit that he reached the Full Bloom level in such a short time. There are pros and cons. If he learns from this defeat, he’ll advance to the next level. If he learns nothing, then that will be his limit.”

Ha Mu-baek answered calmly.

“You’re quite cold when you need to be.”

At Gongsun Mu-oe’s words, Ha Mu-baek made no particular reply.

“More than that, Ju U-myeong – the more I see that boy, the more truly remarkable he is. Worthy of Muyeon Jin-in’s praise as heaven-sent talent.”

“Did you hear that directly from Muyeon Jin-in?”

“We occasionally exchange letters due to connections from the last war. I heard he took as disciple a child blessed with talent from heaven. The more I see, the more apt that assessment seems.”

“He’s an excellent friend. In many ways.”

Ha Mu-baek said with a small nod.

 

***

 

“Huff. Huff. Huff.”

Dan Mok Un-rae took deep breaths in succession, inhaling and exhaling.

The quarterfinals.

He was in the quarterfinals of the tournament.

Even though his turn had come, he still couldn’t believe it.

Now that he was about to step onto the martial arts arena, his heart began racing violently again, and tension washed over him.

Tap.

Beom Il-so lightly bumped Dan Mok Un-rae’s shoulder with his own and stepped onto the martial arts arena first.

“Huh?”

Dan Mok Un-rae watched Beom Il-so’s retreating figure.

Was that intentional? Or not?

He couldn’t know the intent.

However, one thing was certain – after Beom Il-so bumped into him, his violently beating heart had calmed down somewhat.

That small collision had brought Dan Mok Un-rae back to reality.

Chuckle.

Dan Mok Un-rae smiled softly.

What was the smile for? Even Dan Mok Un-rae himself didn’t know.

The smile just flowed out naturally.

Dan Mok Un-rae slowly climbed onto the martial arts arena.

He faced Beom Il-so.

“I never expected to meet you in the quarterfinals.”

Beom Il-so said bluntly.

“Neither did I.”

Dan Mok Un-rae replied as he drew his sword.

Beom Il-so also drew his sword.

“I’ll be different from senior brother.”

Beom Il-so remained blunt.

Dan Mok Un-rae nodded lightly.

In the round of 16, he had glimpsed how Beom Il-so defeated Cheong U-ja.

Even while frantically dealing with Mok Cheong-san’s offensive, the situation on the adjacent arena had caught his eye.

It was a strange thing.

Though the number of sword shadows was sixty-four, fewer than Mok Cheong-san’s, he could still tell that the level was higher than Mok Cheong-san’s sword.

The number of sword shadows wasn’t what mattered.

He could sense it from the sword movements that caught Dan Mok Un-rae’s eye.

Dan Mok Un-rae would face two consecutive opponents from Cheongeom Sect.

In some ways, it might be fortunate.

Since he was facing a sword technique he had already experienced once.

Of course, the level would be different.

Dan Mok Un-rae would simply do his absolute best.

Dan Mok Un-rae’s sword positioned at middle guard.

It was the most comfortable position for him to deploy the Three Talents Sword Technique.

Beom Il-so took the ready stance of the Heavenly Illusion Thousand Paths Sword Technique as he looked at Dan Mok Un-rae.

The opponent who had broken through his senior brother’s Heavenly Illusion Thousand Paths Sword Technique that displayed one hundred twenty-eight sword shadows.

Of course, the opening was visible to Beom Il-so’s eyes as well.

But befitting his reputation as having the greatest aptitude in Cheongeom Sect, even with such openings, it was an extremely high level of variation to those unfamiliar with the Heavenly Illusion Thousand Paths Sword Technique.

He could only call it crude because he too had learned the Heavenly Illusion Thousand Paths Sword Technique.

Because it was a sword technique he already knew.

Yet that guy had struck that spot as if it were only natural.

He absolutely must not let his guard down.

He erased any thought of Maengryong Corps from his memory.

His opponent had clearly demonstrated his skill in the round of 16.

That’s why Beom Il-so moved first.

With all his might.

He swung his sword.

The number of sword shadows that had brought Cheong U-ja to his knees.

Sixty-four.

From the start, sixty-four sword shadows engulfed Dan Mok Un-rae.

Dan Mok Un-rae calmly slashed downward, slashed sideways, and moved his feet busily to dodge as he responded to Beom Il-so’s offensive.

Indeed, with movements free of excess, he handled all sixty-four sword shadows.

He was definitely stronger than Cheong U-ja.

How could this make sense?

Beom Il-so had heard most of the rumors from Gyoryong Hall.

Among them, he had heard that the entire Seventh Group of Maengryong Corps had been crushed by Dang Chu in the first half.

The guy who couldn’t even handle Dang Chu alone had now become this strong.

‘Maengryong Corps Seventh Group.’

What on earth was there?

Beom Il-so swung his sword again.

He had already confirmed with sixty-four sword shadows.

There was no need to drag this out.

He decided to unleash the strongest technique he could deploy in one strike.

The semifinals and finals still remained.

He needed to preserve his stamina and internal energy with a quick victory.

To do that, he would quickly use his full power to defeat his opponent.

Beom Il-so devised this strategy and executed it.

In an instant, two hundred and twenty-six sword shadows flew toward Dan Mok Un-rae.

 

“What, what is that!”

Mok Cheong-san shouted in shock at the unimaginable sword movement.

Though the bitterness of defeat still hadn’t faded, he had come here as a spectator to watch Ju U-myeong and Namgung Ji-hu.

Namgung Ji-hu’s defeat was unexpected.

He was even more surprised that his opponent was Baek Ri-pyeong from Maengryong Corps’ Seventh Group.

No matter that he was a cadet from the Zhongnan Sect.

To think that Namgung Ji-hu would be defeated.

But soon he accepted it. Since he had also lost, he thought Namgung Ji-hu could face the same fate.

Ju U-myeong was indeed Ju U-myeong.

However.

What his fellow disciple Beom Il-so was showing on the martial arts arena now was something he simply couldn’t believe.

Even he, who possessed the greatest talent in the Cheongeom Sect, could barely manage to deploy one hundred and twenty-eight sword shadows.

But that lazy fellow disciple had instantly created two hundred and twenty-six sword shadows.

He couldn’t believe it.

At that level of mastery, wouldn’t it mean he had already completed the nine forms of the Heavenly Illusion Thousand Paths Sword Technique?

That couldn’t be possible.

He was supposed to be the best in the Cheongeom Sect…

Mok Cheong-san’s clenched fists trembled violently.

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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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