The World’s Greatest Martial Arts Instructor - Chapter 135

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

 

 

 

 

Chapter 135. What Are You Doing!

 

 

“I’ll go all out from the start.”

Baek Ri-pyeong said as he pointed his sword toward Yeon Ha-min.

Yeon Ha-min nodded lightly.

She had already sparred with him dozens of times.

But this was the first time they would clash with full power.

And he was declaring he would come at her with full force from the beginning.

Her hand gripping the sword hilt naturally tensed up.

The sword strike that had defeated Namgung Ji-hu in the quarterfinals was still vivid in her eyes.

Though Yeon Ha-min had also defeated Namgung Ji-yu in the quarterfinals.

Objectively speaking, Baek Ri-pyeong was stronger than her.

‘But I’m going to win.’

Yeon Ha-min gritted her teeth.

And she took the first step forward.

She had never faced the Heavenly Star Sword Technique that Baek Ri-pyeong used. He had always only used the Three Talents Sword Technique.

This time he would surely deploy the Heavenly Star Sword Technique.

She had to attack first.

Yeon Ha-min swung her sword down.

Clang!

Baek Ri-pyeong clashed swords with her, and the sword’s ring echoed.

Soon after, Baek Ri-pyeong struck his sword toward Yeon Ha-min.

As he had said beforehand, it was the Heavenly Star Sword Technique with full power.

Yeon Ha-min deflected all the countless stars covering her with the Three Talents Sword Technique.

While recalling the movements Dan Mok Un-rae had shown.

‘I just need to move faster.’

Strike three times in the time it takes to strike once.

Then the variations would also increase.

Yeon Ha-min realized this fact watching Dan Mok Un-rae face Beom Il-so.

And she immediately applied it to her own martial duel.

Clang!

Clang clang clang clang!

Clang clang!

The loud sound of clashing swords echoed throughout.

Baek Ri-pyeong gradually pressed Yeon Ha-min.

Though Yeon Ha-min struck with her sword at full power, she was slowly pushed back.

‘How on earth did Un-rae do this?’

When watching, it seemed doable.

But when actually trying it, it wasn’t.

How exactly had he struck his sword so quickly?

Yeon Ha-min moved to her limits, but gradually more and more stars slipped past her guard.

Baek Ri-pyeong was also giving his all.

Just like when he had faced Namgung Ji-hu.

No, he had even incorporated into his current sword that something he had glimpsed, even if just a fragment, back then.

So perhaps he was now slightly stronger than when he fought in the quarterfinals.

Yet Yeon Ha-min was managing to handle it.

‘Is it thanks to Un-rae’s martial duel?’

He too had been impressed back then.

He never would have thought it possible to counter Beom Il-so’s Heavenly Illusion Thousand Paths Sword Technique with countless variations in such a way.

‘But I also watched that martial duel.’

The Three Talents Sword Technique and Heavenly Star Sword Technique were different sword techniques.

The Heavenly Star Sword Technique wasn’t as concise as the Three Talents Sword Technique and had many variations.

He wasn’t sure if the method used for the Three Talents Sword Technique would work on such a Heavenly Star Sword Technique.

‘I’ll try it for now.’

This was one of the things he learned from Ha Mu-baek after coming to Maengryong Corps.

Try it for now.

If it doesn’t work, then think about it again.

Don’t give up by predicting results without even trying.

Not just him, but all four others had learned this too.

So wasn’t Yeon Ha-min blocking his sword by immediately applying the method she had seen in the previous martial duel?

Then he could do it too.

Baek Ri-pyeong’s sword became even faster.

The number of stars in the night sky began to increase rapidly.

 

***

 

“Oh? Making the speed of deploying sword techniques even faster? The speed of sword techniques should be thoroughly calculated considering their variations, shouldn’t it?”

Gongsun Mu-oe said with interest as he watched Baek Ri-pyeong’s movements.

“Grandfather. Isn’t the cadet named Yeon Ha-min also using that method?”

Gongsun Bi-yeon asked, tilting her head.

“It’s different from sword techniques with simple variations like the Three Talents Sword Technique. If it’s Zhongnan’s Heavenly Star Sword Technique, its variations are complex. It’s not just about moving quickly. You have to move fast while handling all those variations. Calculating all that while increasing speed like that is no ordinary feat.”

Gongsun Mu-oe’s lengthy explanation.

It was an unusual sight for him, who focused more on medical arts than martial arts.

His gaze turned toward Ha Mu-baek.

“Isn’t that right?”

Ha Mu-baek nodded at that question.

“That’s correct. It’s a much more difficult task. But he’s handling it well. It seems he gained something from his martial duel with Namgung Ji-hu.”

“It must have been an amazing martial duel.”

Gongsun Bi-yeon said with sparkling eyes.

“This is also an amazing martial duel.”

Ha Mu-baek answered briefly.

His eyes were still directed toward the martial arts arena.

“Wow. I can’t see anything at all…”

“I don’t know what’s what.”

Gung So-yu and Dan Mok Un-hye, who were sitting and mumbling while eating rice balls, said.

At their words, Ha Mu-baek smiled slightly.

“You don’t need to see everything. And in the current situation, Baek Ri-pyeong has a slight advantage.”

Then he gave them a brief explanation.

 

“Hey. Instructor Jang. Is that even possible?”

One instructor watching the martial duel asked the instructor beside him.

The reason was simple.

That instructor was from Zhongnan.

The man called Instructor Jang who received the question shook his head.

“I’ve never seen it even at the Main Sect. Deploying at a speed that exceeds the predetermined variations of the sword. Yet the variations don’t fall apart.”

Instructor Jang muttered in disbelief.

Would anyone have even thought to attempt such a thing in Zhongnan in the first place?

They would only focus on refining the sword’s variations, never even considering the aspect of speed.

Even the elders and senior masters of the Main Sect were doing just that.

‘Ah, would Sect Leader Baek Ri have been different?’

Instructor Jang recalled the previous sect leader who had died in the last war, the Galaxy Sword Hero Baek Ri-dan.

He always emphasized the basics. While also emphasizing new attempts.

Because he showed these contradictory aspects, Instructor Jang couldn’t easily understand it.

But now it was unfolding before his eyes.

Without being faithful to the basics, could such innovation have been possible?

Instructor Jang was gaining new enlightenment from the cadet’s martial duel.

‘Come to think of it, that child… indeed, blood cannot be deceived?’

Instructor Jang also recalled that Baek Ri-pyeong, who was showing amazing prowess on the martial arts arena, was the only blood relative of former Sect Leader Baek Ri-dan.

‘The sect leader may have made a grave mistake…’

Instructor Jang knew the circumstances of how Baek Ri-pyeong came to Maengryong Corps.

He had even received a separate message from the Main Sect.

Not to provide any assistance whatsoever.

But what kind of place was that Seventh Group of Maengryong Corps?

For all the cadets to undergo such bone transformation skin shedding.

Even he couldn’t have imagined that the tournament semifinals would become Maengryong Corps’ festival.

 

***

 

‘Wh-what is this!’

Yeon Ha-min screamed inwardly.

She knew Baek Ri-pyeong was outstanding.

But this.

‘This is too much!’

It was truly like cheating.

Just because she increased the speed of her sword technique, Baek Ri-pyeong responded in kind.

Three Talents Sword Technique and Heavenly Star Sword Technique were different sword techniques.

Moreover, Baek Ri-pyeong had barely practiced or cultivated the Heavenly Star Sword Technique.

Yet he was showing such prowess.

She had truly moved her sword with all her might.

It was the maximum speed she could produce. She felt sharp pain in her dantian.

She was scraping the bottom of her meager internal energy to use it.

Only then could she barely maintain her current speed.

But her opponent also increased the speed of his sword technique.

On top of that.

Something was about to change in Baek Ri-pyeong’s movements.

‘It works. If so.’

One more thing occurred to Baek Ri-pyeong.

An aspect he hadn’t thought of.

He had only focused on the variations of the Heavenly Star Sword Technique.

It was because he felt the progress made while cultivating the Three Talents Sword Technique.

But now his thinking was slightly different.

What if Maengryong Corps’ cultivation hadn’t just strengthened the Heavenly Star Sword Technique, but had made Baek Ri-pyeong himself grow?

He could try other things too.

Baek Ri-pyeong’s footwork changed.

Taiyi Steps.

It was Zhongnan’s sword technique, a footwork technique that paired well with the Heavenly Star Sword Technique.

When Baek Ri-pyeong combined the variations of the Heavenly Star Sword Technique with the Taiyi Steps footwork, the variations became even more dizzying.

Stars that gradually increased in number.

Attacks that increasingly pressed in from all directions in complex patterns.

The strength slightly left Yeon Ha-min’s grip as she gritted her teeth and swung her sword.

Though she had resolved to fight with all her might to win, her heart weakened slightly as the level of Baek Ri-pyeong’s offensive increased further.

Was this her limit?

No, wasn’t it already something that she had come this far?

Such thoughts began to creep up in one corner of her mind.

Accordingly, Yeon Ha-min’s sword became slightly slower.

Baek Ri-pyeong didn’t miss that opening.

Rather, Baek Ri-pyeong moved even faster.

Yeon Ha-min’s surroundings were completely surrounded by stars created by the Heavenly Star Sword Technique.

 

“Oh my…”

Gongsun Mu-oe let out a regretful exclamation.

“Her heart broke first.”

Ha Mu-baek also wore a regretful expression.

Since both had taught her, it wasn’t regret felt from anyone being advantaged or disadvantaged.

They simply hoped that even in defeat, her heart wouldn’t be broken, so it was regret about that.

“Sister Ha-min…”

Dan Mok Un-hye looked at that scene with pitiful eyes. She had even stopped munching on her rice ball.

Dan Mok Un-hye still couldn’t see that fast and complex exchange of offense and defense.

However, she could see countless stars like those in the night sky surrounding and trying to torment Yeon Ha-min.

“Sister, fight on!! Don’t lose!!”

Dan Mok Un-hye unconsciously shouted loudly at that sight.

The cry of a cute girl holding rice balls in both hands.

In this place where countless people had gathered, that sound was too small to reach the martial arts arena.

So there were far more people who didn’t hear that sound than those who did.

But that cry did reach Yeon Ha-min’s ears.

Yeon Ha-min’s gaze briefly turned in that direction.

And she confirmed Dan Mok Un-hye’s appearance, Ha Mu-baek’s appearance.

She also saw three other unknown people there.

However, only Dan Mok Un-hye and Ha Mu-baek entered her sight.

‘I can’t give up.’

Yeon Ha-min steeled her heart once again.

The trigger was something very trivial.

Dan Mok Un-hye’s small but wholehearted cry.

Strength returned to the hand gripping her sword.

She moved even faster.

Her eyes came alive.

“Her broken heart has revived.”

It was just as Gongsun Mu-oe’s assessment said.

Her heart straightened up again with fighting spirit.

The determination that she absolutely could not lose.

The resolve to pour out everything.

Though the variations were dizzying, Yeon Ha-min tenaciously followed along and erased the stars one by one.

Baek Ri-pyeong’s attack continued.

The Heavenly Star Sword Technique unfolded faster and more precisely. With the directional steps of Taiyi Steps added, she couldn’t keep her wits about her.

Nevertheless, Yeon Ha-min’s eyes blazed as she swung her sword to the very end.

Then at a certain moment.

‘Huh?’

Suddenly seeing a sword flying at her from behind, Yeon Ha-min judged she couldn’t possibly block it and threw her body forward.

Both Baek Ri-pyeong and Yeon Ha-min were startled by that action.

Since Yeon Ha-min had thrown herself toward Baek Ri-pyeong’s sword.

And in an extremely dangerous direction at that.

If Baek Ri-pyeong continued moving his sword like this, he might pierce around Yeon Ha-min’s heart.

“Ah!”

A startled scream burst from Yeon Ha-min’s lips. She hurriedly tried to move her sword to block that attack.

Baek Ri-pyeong also gritted his teeth and twisted his sword path.

Clang!

With a loud sword cry, Yeon Ha-min rolled on the ground and got up.

“Huff. Huff.”

Rough breathing escaped her.

Just now was really dangerous.

She almost died.

If Baek Ri-pyeong hadn’t twisted his sword path, she might have really died.

“What are you doing!!”

Baek Ri-pyeong shouted angrily.

Though he was angry, it was purely an outburst of concern for Yeon Ha-min.

He had almost killed a fellow cadet he was dueling with by his own hand.

“S-sorry…”

Yeon Ha-min apologized with a flustered face.

She herself didn’t understand the current situation either.

She had clearly thrown her body to avoid a sword flying from behind, but Baek Ri-pyeong’s sword was there.

It wasn’t a variation of the Heavenly Star Sword Technique.

If what just happened was Baek Ri-pyeong’s intention, he wouldn’t have panicked like that and forcibly changed his sword path.

 

“What on earth was that? Grandfather. Just now it looked like she threw herself at her opponent’s sword.”

Gongsun Bi-yeon asked, tilting her head.

“W-well. I don’t know what it means either.”

Gongsun Mu-oe spoke as if he didn’t understand either, while glancing at Ha Mu-baek.

Ha Mu-baek was frowning deeply.

‘Could it be?’

Ha Mu-baek, who had read all the exchanges just now, was frowning at the thought that came to his mind.

He hadn’t expected such talent to be hidden in Yeon Ha-min.

“Do you know what happened?”

Gongsun Mu-oe asked subtly.

“It might be a coincidence.”

Ha Mu-baek answered Gongsun Mu-oe while also telling himself the same thing.

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