The World’s Greatest Martial Arts Instructor - Chapter 141

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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 141. I Cannot Lose

 

 

The martial duel between the two had reached the peak of splendor.

People stared blankly, mesmerized by the sight.

Countless stars of the Heavenly Star Sword Technique embroidering the gradually darkening sunset sky.

The waves of the Taiji Wisdom Sword sweeping away those stars.

The harmony between the two was truly magnificent and beautiful.

“Wow…”

Such exclamations flowed from various places.

Baek Ri-pyeong and Ju U-myeong.

Ju U-myeong and Baek Ri-pyeong.

Subtle smiles hung on both their lips.

What had happened until now did not occur.

Neither of the two had entered the State of No-Self.

It was inevitable.

The experiences of the two days spent in the Winter Competition were melting into their swords.

Yesterday and today.

The realizations the two had gained were countless.

Now was the time to make those their own.

Sword techniques that elevated their level higher with each passing second.

Among those gathered here, how many could truly recognize this?

 

“For those children, the Winter Competition has become a fateful encounter. Realization followed by embodiment. How many times in a lifetime would an ordinary martial artist experience such a thing?”

Gongsun Mu-oe spoke with admiration.

Ha Mu-baek simply watched quietly.

“Wow!!”

Dan Mok Un-hye and Gung So-yu watched with exclamations of wonder.

Dan Mok Un-hye had already escaped from the shock of her brother’s defeat.

She was simply absorbed in the tremendous spectacle the two were creating.

‘Did I make a mistake after all?’

Ha Mu-baek thought, slightly frowning.

 

The skills of Baek Ri-pyeong and Ju U-myeong were evenly matched.

Those most surprised by this fact were the people on the platform.

They thought they knew Baek Ri-pyeong’s abilities to some extent.

It was inevitable, as rumors about the conflict between Maengryong Corps’ Seventh Group and Jamryong Corps’ First Group in the first half had spread.

Wasn’t Maengryong Corps’ Seventh Group unable to handle even Dang Chu alone?

They had been shocked when those same people defeated Namgung Ji-hu in the Summer Competition and brought down Jamryong Corps’ First Group.

In the Winter Competition, Baek Ri-pyeong had defeated Namgung Ji-hu alone and was now dueling Ju U-myeong as equals.

Could this really make sense?

They had entered the academy in March, and now it was December.

Such transformation in merely nine months, at most ten months.

Several instructors and corps leaders glanced at Ha Mu-baek on the rooftop.

How had he managed to raise someone no one had paid attention to, to match none other than the sole disciple of the former Wudang’s First Sword?

In just ten months.

Their gazes were filled with questions.

Some even sent looks filled with envy.

Moyong Jin-ho simply looked at Ha Mu-baek with apparent detachment.

‘Perhaps the Academy Director’s words might all be true.’

In truth, Moyong Jin-ho hadn’t fully believed what Peng Do-yul had secretly told him the night before Ha Mu-baek’s arrival.

It was inevitable.

There had been a major flaw in his words.

Hadn’t he said that fewer than twenty people in all of Murim would know that fact?

‘But how does the Academy Director know that fact?’

The Academy Director’s influence was great within Gyoryong Hall, but when the scope expanded to all of Murim, the story changed.

Just at the Jeongcheon Alliance Main Headquarters alone, the number of people greater than the Academy Director exceeded fifty.

Yet the Academy Director knew a fact that most of those people didn’t know?

‘It’s impossible.’

That’s why he had only half-believed the Academy Director’s words.

There were too many suspicious aspects to believe everything, but it was also unsettling to dismiss it as complete lies.

Since Peng Do-yul had shown such caution.

He too had refrained from touching Ha Mu-baek.

And it was proven that this had been an excellent choice.

Looking at what Ha Mu-baek had accomplished at Gyoryong Hall so far.

But watching the Winter Competition, he began to think that perhaps the Academy Director’s words might all be correct.

‘Otherwise, how could such results…’

Moyong Jin-ho was the leader of Maengryong Corps.

As such, he knew well what the cadets of Maengryong Corps’ Seventh Group had been like when they first entered Gyoryong Hall.

So his shock was greater than anyone else present.

The shock had transcended into detachment.

Only Peng Do-yul was concentrating on the martial duel with a subtle smile.

A smile as if he had expected this.

In fact, it was difficult to look elsewhere during this beautiful martial duel.

They were showing such tremendous exchanges that made it impossible to look away.

Instructors of lower skill couldn’t even recognize all the changes.

Those who looked away from such a duel to gaze at Ha Mu-baek, whether positively or negatively, were proof of how great their shock had been.

 

***

 

Swooosh!

Sssshk!

The sound of swords cutting through space could be heard.

Clang!

Clang clang clang clang!

The sound of swords clashing rang out.

Exchanges impossible to follow with the eyes.

Therefore, it was impossible to judge who had the advantage.

But the two people clashing knew.

Baek Ri-pyeong was gradually being pushed back.

Ju U-myeong’s Taiji Wisdom Sword was gradually expanding the space it occupied on the martial arts arena.

The space where Baek Ri-pyeong’s stars could fall was slowly shrinking.

Nevertheless, Baek Ri-pyeong did not retreat even slightly.

Rather, he stepped forward one more pace.

As if he would pour out everything he had.

His feet stepping the Taiyi Steps were without hesitation, and his hands wielding the Heavenly Star Sword Technique moved even faster.

Ju U-myeong, responding to this, remained unwavering.

‘Don’t get consumed by competitive spirit, focus on the essence of the sword.’

It was a very small enlightenment he had gained just moments ago.

Ju U-myeong concentrated on that.

The Taiji Wisdom Sword gradually showed its true nature, taking control of the space on the martial arts arena.

Before long, Ju U-myeong even stopped his footwork technique. He concentrated everything solely on the changes of his sword.

‘I cannot lose.’

Baek Ri-pyeong gritted his teeth and drew up even more internal energy.

Internal energy extending from his dantian throughout his entire body.

Following the Taiyi Heart Method, internal energy flowed into his limbs and meridians, imbuing Baek Ri-pyeong’s sword with qi energy.

Sword qi began to manifest on his blade.

Along with it, his sword moved stronger and faster.

Brighter and swifter stars flew toward Ju U-myeong.

Sword qi also manifested on Ju U-myeong’s blade.

Sword light flashing from all directions.

The darkening surroundings flickered and shone with light.

The sword qi manifesting on Ju U-myeong’s blade grew increasingly dense.

Though Baek Ri-pyeong also drew up more internal energy, his limits were clear.

Ju U-myeong, who had systematically cultivated martial arts under the guidance of the previous Wudang’s First Sword at Wudang.

Baek Ri-pyeong, who had been practically neglected at his main sect Zhongnan after his grandfather passed away, then sent to the Maengryong Corps.

The fundamental difference between the two.

That was determining the outcome of the match.

Their talents didn’t differ greatly.

Their efforts weren’t much different either.

Both had cultivated intensely and continuously.

Their enlightenments were also not different.

Both had encountered successive opportunities at the Eastern Competition.

The difference was only one thing.

How they were treated by their main sects.

That was it.

That difference gradually widened the gap between the two at this moment.

Ju U-myeong’s Taiji Wisdom Sword, based on solid and profound internal energy, gradually destroyed the stars.

Though Baek Ri-pyeong also gave his all.

The sword’s stars shattered into pieces.

The direction of the martial duel was gradually flowing toward Ju U-myeong.

Even so, there was no change in Ju U-myeong’s sword.

Just the Taiji Wisdom Sword.

He was merely unfolding that itself.

It was different from his appearance during the martial duel with Dan Mok Un-rae in the quarterfinals.

It was different from when he was intoxicated by excitement and fighting spirit, simply swinging his sword.

Because of that, there were no openings.

It was thoroughly the true nature of the Taiji Wisdom Sword itself.

Yet the sword’s movements became increasingly meticulous.

Though Baek Ri-pyeong threw countless stars, it felt like seeing a solid wall he couldn’t break.

If it were before, he would have given up here.

But now it was different.

It was thanks to Ha Mu-baek.

His experiences with him made him not give up until the very last moment.

From their first meeting.

Hatuje.

Sanwol Demon Forest.

And even the cultivation and training matches in preparation for the Eastern Competition.

All of that was enlightenment and growth for Baek Ri-pyeong.

Baek Ri-pyeong put all of that into his sword and clashed against Ju U-myeong’s blade.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

The loud sound of sword clashing against sword!

Baek Ri-pyeong knocked on the wall without rest.

Aiming at only one spot.

With the mindset that succeeding with just one sword strike would be enough.

He concentrated a thousand, no, two thousand stars on only one location.

And.

Cracks began to form in the wall little by little.

Though it was the Taiji Wisdom Sword that dominated most of the martial arts arena’s space.

Because it had to block the Heavenly Star Sword Technique that aimed at only one spot, ultimately Ju U-myeong’s sword also moved to one location.

The massive sword wall that blocked Baek Ri-pyeong’s path.

The sword wall created by the Taiji Wisdom Sword.

It couldn’t completely block Baek Ri-pyeong’s sword strikes.

When two thousand stars converged on one spot.

Cracks appeared even in the solid wall.

An attack concentrated on only one point.

Ju U-myeong made changes to his sword.

To block the attack concentrated on a single point, he gradually reduced the size of the sword wall.

Instead, its thickness gradually increased.

The two who concentrated on just one point like that.

In the end, their swords engaged in fierce offense and defense over only one point.

The swords filled with sword qi shone brighter and brighter.

Finally.

A single point.

The two swords that had been moving like lightning clashed sword tip against sword tip at that one point.

Claaang~!

A sharp ringing sound.

The two stopped just like that.

There was no movement at all.

They just remained as they were.

Their swords stopped, and the two stopped.

And the spectators’ eyes also stopped.

A moment when even time seemed to have stopped.

“Gulp.”

The sound of someone swallowing dry saliva rang out.

Was that the signal?

“Kheuk.”

Baek Ri-pyeong coughed up blood and staggered backward.

“Cough.”

Ju U-myeong also coughed up blood.

However, he remained standing in place.

Ju U-myeong raised his sword again.

He took one step forward.

At that moment.

“I lost.”

Baek Ri-pyeong lowered his sword and acknowledged his defeat.

He had truly poured everything into that final strike.

His dantian screamed in agony.

He hadn’t coughed up blood for nothing.

Of course, he could have squeezed out one more attack.

But he didn’t.

This was a martial duel, after all.

If it had been a real battle, he would have squeezed it out. But this wasn’t a fight where losing meant death.

This was a martial duel where there would be a next time even if he lost.

Now was the time to acknowledge defeat and step back.

Ju U-myeong lowered his sword at Baek Ri-pyeong’s declaration of defeat.

It truly had been a hair’s breadth difference.

The strength remaining to Ju U-myeong was just enough for one sword swing.

Anything more would have been beyond even Ju U-myeong’s capacity.

Since this wasn’t a life-or-death battle.

That single reserve of strength.

It had ultimately led to victory.

“Winner, Ju U-myeong!”

The judge’s verdict was announced.

Ju U-myeong and Baek Ri-pyeong stood facing each other.

Smiles formed simultaneously on both their faces.

“Ugh.”

And then Baek Ri-pyeong staggered.

Ju U-myeong went to his side and supported him.

But soon Ju U-myeong also staggered.

“Woooooooh!!!! Amazing!!!”

“The best!!!”

Thunderous cheers erupted from the spectators.

Clap clap clap clap!

The sound of applause that wouldn’t stop.

Then, Peng Do-yul rose from his seat.

And he channeled his internal energy to unleash a Lion’s Roar.

“I announce that this year’s Eastern Tournament champion is Ju U-myeong!”

As Peng Do-yul’s victory declaration fell, the cheers grew even louder.

“Woooooooh!!! Ju U-myeong!!”

“Ju U-myeong!!”

“Ju U-myeong! Ju U-myeong! Ju U-myeong!!”

“Baek Ri-pyeong was amazing too! Well done!”

The cheers the spectators burst into made their ears ring.

The two stood on the martial arts arena, shoulder to shoulder, waving to the spectators.

As they staggered down below, Dan Mok Un-rae was waiting for them with a smile.

“Well done. You were both magnificent.”

At Dan Mok Un-rae’s praise, the two smiled simultaneously once again.

“Rather than having time to smile, it would be better to start with energy circulation recovery first.”

A voice suddenly heard from behind.

When had he appeared?

Ha Mu-baek was there.

“Yes.”

“Understood.”

The two who answered simultaneously sat in cross-legged position and immediately began energy circulation.

Before they knew it, the sun had completely set, the sunset had faded, and darkness was settling in.

“Excellent. Both of you. Beyond my expectations.”

Ha Mu-baek spoke in a whisper-like voice, as if buried in the darkness.

Ha Mu-baek stood there, crossing his arms and quietly watching the two.

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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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