The World’s Greatest Martial Arts Instructor - Chapter 216

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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 216. That’s Even Better

 

 

The other students were looking at them with the same kind of gaze.

Since they were treating fellow cadets like servants.

Especially the Maengryong Squad Seven Cadets were looking at them with disapproval.

However, the members of Waryong Corps first-year Group One seemed oblivious to the surrounding stares.

“It’s an unpleasant sight, isn’t it?”

Namgung Ji-hu, who had approached at some point, asked.

Dang Jin-san nodded his head.

“What the hell is that all about?”

“I found out yesterday when I heard it from my elder sister. They found an interesting method.”

The Group Seven Cadets’ gazes turned toward Namgung Ji-hu.

“You mean that Maengryong Corps first-year cadet who got crushed by Instructor Ha?”

“Ah, the one who’s supposedly the son of Dorim Province Lord?”

“Right. Un Do-heon. I have no idea what he was thinking when he entered Maengryong Corps… But it turns out he didn’t just enter casually.”

The Group Seven Cadets tilted their heads in confusion.

“He had his attendants enrolled as Maengryong Corps cadets. Said he needed people to take care of him at Gyoryong Hall.”

It was an utterly bewildering statement.

To think he had his attendants enrolled in Maengryong Corps for such a trivial reason.

But they have to go to Sanwol Demon Forest in two years?

“And other sects within the Eight New Gates found out about this method too.”

Just as he said that, five people carrying bamboo water containers came running hurriedly.

“So those guys are also…”

At Dan Mok Un-rae’s words, Namgung Ji-hu nodded.

“But Waryong Corps should be different from Maengryong Corps, right?”

It was different from Maengryong Corps, which accepted anyone due to lack of personnel.

“It seems they taught them some basic techniques and sent them over.”

Namgung Ji-hu shook his head disapprovingly as he said this.

Smack!

Crash.

Just then, a loud commotion erupted.

Byeok I-gyeom had slapped the cheek of the cadet who offered him a water container.

He had hit so hard that the struck cadet collapsed to the ground.

“Damn it. The pancakes are all cold. And break time is over too. What kind of idiot comes with this. Tsk.”

Byeok I-gyeom threw the pancakes straight onto the ground and turned to enter the school building.

“That bastard…”

Sparks flew from Dang Jin-san’s eyes.

It was going too far, no matter what.

Namgung Ji-hu grabbed his arm.

“It’s another sect’s business.”

Dang Jin-san understood the meaning behind those words and didn’t move any further.

The cadet who got slapped by Byeok I-gyeom was probably from Noejeongnru.

Even though it was happening within Gyoryong Hall, they lacked justification to interfere in a matter between Noejeongnru people.

Meanwhile, the cadets entered the school building.

It was almost time for the next class to begin.

The ones left behind were the Waryong Corps Twentieth Group cadets.

“Are you okay?”

Dan Mok Un-rae, who had approached, checked on the cadet who got slapped.

“I’m, I’m fine. Thank you.”

The thoroughly intimidated cadet bowed his head in greeting and hurriedly got up to head inside.

The Maengryong Squad Seven Cadets watched the Twentieth Group cadets with complicated eyes.

“It’s unfortunate, but there’s nothing we can do. It’s their internal affair.”

“Nothing?”

Dang Jin-san responded to Namgung Ji-hu’s words with a look of disbelief.

“I wonder if the Academy Director knows about this?”

Dan Mok Un-rae suddenly asked with curiosity.

At those words, Namgung Ji-hu’s face hardened expressionlessly.

The Academy Director, who closely monitored affairs within Gyoryong Hall, might know, but he felt it wasn’t time for that yet.

“But you know that wouldn’t be for those guys’ benefit, right?”

Namgung Ji-hu’s question.

His gaze was directed not at Dan Mok Un-rae who asked the question, but at Dang Jin-san.

Dang Jin-san nodded.

Both of them were direct descendants of great families belonging to the Five Great Noble Houses.

As such, they understood well the workings of noble families.

“If the Academy Director finds out, those five will be expelled and have to return to their main sect. And they’ll suffer terribly there.”

Dang Jin-san described the obvious process.

“Right. If you’re not going to take responsibility to the end, don’t help. They might end up in an even worse situation.”

Namgung Ji-hu nodded in agreement.

“So we need to use a different method. This is Gyoryong Hall, after all.”

A subtle smile appeared on Dang Jin-san’s lips.

“What do you…”

Namgung Ji-hu tilted his head.

The other cadets had the same reaction.

“Maybe it’s because I went through something similar last year.”

Dang Jin-san said as he walked toward the school building.

“In the end, in Gangho, the winner is strong, and you can’t touch the strong.”

“Their eyes looked completely dead…”

Dan Mok Un-rae interjected.

“Well, there’s still some time, so we can take it slow. Slowly. But intensively.”

“So what exactly?”

Baek Ri-pyeong’s question.

“Summer Tournament.”

A short answer.

But at those words, everyone made expressions of understanding and nodded.

Namgung Ji-hu turned his gaze away with a slightly reddened face.

Ju U-myeong chuckled at that sight.

The reason he came to Maengryong Corps.

It was because he had heard about the results of last year’s Summer Tournament.

He had sought out Gyoryong Hall out of competitive spirit.

And currently, Ju U-myeong was very satisfied with that choice.

He was having experiences he never could have had if he had stayed only with his master at Wudang.

And those experiences were making him stronger and more mature.

“Summer Tournament?”

Ha Seol-ran tilted her head and asked.

She knew about the Winter Tournament since she had participated directly, but she didn’t know the details about the Summer Tournament.

“It’s a group battle martial arts tournament that only first-year cadets participate in.”

Dan Mok Un-rae explained briefly.

“You just need to crush them there. With skill. The instructors will be watching, so they won’t be able to pull any dirty tricks.”

“Not all battles take place under instructor supervision, right?”

That’s what happened with Dang Jin-san and Dang Chu.

At Namgung Ji-hu’s question, Dang Jin-san’s smile, who had said those words, deepened even more.

“Then that’s even better. Heh.”

A chilling laugh.

“Well, only if those guys have the heart to do it.”

“There must be fighting spirit hidden deep in their hearts.”

A word from Yeon Ha-min, who had been silent.

Her voice was utterly cold.

Even containing subtle anger.

“What about martial arts?”

Namgung Ji-hu’s continued point.

The Seventh Group Cadets’ gazes turned toward him.

“Oh, no. I was just examining the feasibility…”

“For martial arts, even just the Three Talents technique should be enough, right?”

Baek Ri-pyeong’s words.

Namgung Ji-hu couldn’t particularly refute that statement.

He was the one who had been defeated by that Three Talents technique.

Though it was a sword formation.

They would be able to teach that sword formation.

“And the Flowing Dragon Movement Technique. It was an excellent movement technique. Don’t you also have sword techniques or fist techniques?”

“Ah!”

Namgung Ji-hu let out an exclamation as if he had just remembered at Baek Ri-pyeong’s words.

Having focused only on training his family’s martial arts, he hadn’t thought of that.

“Right. That was there…”

“More importantly, let’s hurry. We’ll be late.”

At Nak U-jin’s words, everyone hastened their steps.

 

***

 

“Ha. This is ridiculous.”

Ha Mu-baek quietly looked down at the manuscript placed before him.

Emperor Sword Form.

The secret manual of the Namgung Family Estate’s supreme sword technique was in his possession.

Namgung Ji-hu, who had visited last night, had left it behind.

Begging him to please provide guidance.

“Was it unnecessary meddling?”

He had given a word of advice because the diligent training looked admirable, but who knew it would result in such homework for himself.

Ha Mu-baek just quietly looked down at the secret manual.

Namgung Ji-hu had honestly revealed his circumstances and begged for help.

“The Namgung Family Head…”

He had memories of passing by him once or twice.

A figure full of pride in the Namgung Family Estate.

For such a person to select the Young Family Head in this manner.

It was indeed strange.

With the greatest talent right before his eyes, he insisted on verification.

And under conditions unfavorable to his eldest son at that.

Others might think he was a truly fair and just Family Head who thought of the family’s future.

‘But it seems like he’s doing this to avoid giving Namgung Ji-hu the Young Family Head position.’

Ha Mu-baek had this thought because he knew Namgung Ji-hu’s talent.

‘Come to think of it, there seemed to be something…’

Ha Mu-baek frowned.

The talkative deputy leader of the Haocheon Group, Dam Mu-heun.

He had memories of hearing something about the Namgung Family Head from him.

Since it was him rambling one-sidedly to relieve boredom during a tedious operation, Ha Mu-baek hadn’t listened carefully.

That’s why he couldn’t remember the content.

“Well, I’ll ask while eating.”

 

Ha Mu-baek went to find Han Seol-bing.

He entered Damryong Pavilion with her and took a seat.

It was Damryong North Hall.

“Don’t you get tired of that?”

Han Seol-bing asked, pointing at the sweet and sour pork.

“It’s delicious.”

Han Seol-bing nodded at those words.

Sweet and sour pork was on her plate as well.

“About the Namgung Family Head.”

Ha Mu-baek spoke while eating.

“Yes?”

“What was it that Dam Mu-heun was rambling about before, saying there was some story?”

“Ah, Dam Mu-heun, that meddler.”

Han Seol-bing frowned as soon as Dam Mu-heun’s name came up.

Though they had served together as deputy leaders, he was truly incompatible with her.

“The Namgung Family Head’s story?”

Han Seol-bing asked back.

Ha Mu-baek nodded.

Han Seol-bing quietly searched her memory.

The stories that man had told were not just one or two.

“Ah.”

Han Seol-bing let out a small exclamation as if she remembered.

“That’s a really old story. From before the war even broke out.”

“What was the content?”

“Well. It was a story about how the Namgung Family Head suffered because he couldn’t have children when he was the Young Family Head. The Family Head at the time said that to become Family Head, one must have descendants.”

Hearing that much, the general outline came to mind.

“He even took concubines but still had no children, wasn’t it?”

“That’s right. Then after departing on a journey through the Central Plains, he returned with children…”

“He returned alone with just a son and daughter, they said.”

Han Seol-bing nodded.

“So all sorts of rumors circulated at the time, they said. How did that Dam Mu-heun know about Namgung Family Estate affairs.”

“It was indeed a suspicious situation.”

That was right.

The Young Family Head who had departed on a journey with his wife, concubine, and a guard warrior returned alone with only children.

“They said the guard warrior took the wrong path and entered Sanwol Demon Forest.”

It was the era when the Blood Cult was powerful.

When Sanwol Demon Forest was a much more terrifying place than now.

A time when there wasn’t even the Great Wall.

Taking the wrong path could lead one to cross the boundary of Sanwol Demon Forest, and if one was unlucky enough to encounter something like a Dark Blood Jiangshi or Black Blood Jiangshi, such things could happen.

But it was an extremely unlikely occurrence that could only happen if everything aligned perfectly.

“There were also stories that the Young Family Head killed the escort warriors and wives, then brought two children from civilian homes.”

It was a plausible story.

He could have just pushed the escort warriors and wives into Sanwol Demon Forest.

Sanwol Demon Forest was that kind of place.

A place where people could be killed without leaving a trace.

It was a place no one would dare enter to search for corpses.

Ha Mu-baek nodded his head.

He remembered up to that point.

And it seemed he hadn’t heard the story that followed.

Because the operation had started right away.

“So what happened then?”

Now that he was listening with interest, it was quite an intriguing story.

“Sorcery.”

“Sorcery?”

“Yes. They say there was a sorcery formation installed at the Namgung Family Estate to verify Namgung bloodline.”

It was a sorcery technique he had heard of before.

“As soon as those rumors started circulating in the family estate, the Young Family Head immediately dropped the children’s blood onto that sorcery formation.”

“The result must have confirmed they were of the bloodline.”

Han Seol-bing nodded her head.

That’s why Namgung Ji-yu and Namgung Ji-hu were here now, and why he had become the Family Head.

“But I don’t remember hearing this story?”

“Ah, during the after-party following the operation, someone asked. They wanted to know what happened in the end.”

Of course, Ha Mu-baek wasn’t at that gathering.

Ha Mu-baek had never attended after-parties.

“But who installed that sorcery formation in the first place?”

“Seonyu Valley.”

“Ah.”

Ha Mu-baek let out a small exclamation.

Seonyu Valley of medicine and sorcery.

Since Ha Mu-baek mainly interacted with them regarding medicine, he hadn’t thought about their sorcery.

“In the orthodox faction, Seonyu Valley is unrivaled. In the unorthodox faction, there’s Gwireung Palace, and the Demon Cult. Oh, and Mosan Sect too.”

Han Seol-bing listed the sects skilled in sorcery.

“But why did you suddenly ask about the Namgung Family story?”

“Something’s been bothering me.”

At Ha Mu-baek’s answer, Han Seol-bing tilted her head.

She couldn’t understand what connection the Family Head’s past rumors could have with Ha Mu-baek.

“Thanks for telling me.”

Ha Mu-baek, who had finished his meal, released his energy barrier and stood up with his empty plate.

Han Seol-bing had also nearly finished her meal.

“Let’s go together. I need to head to the Great Training Ground anyway.”

She also stood up from her seat.

‘Namgung Hwa-hyeon and Namgung Ji-hu…’

Ha Mu-baek recalled Namgung Family Head Namgung Hwa-hyeon, whom he had briefly encountered.

What kind of person he was.

 

***

 

‘Sigh… Hae-eun saja.’

Touching his severely swollen cheek, Eun Hwa-ryang thought of one person.

The instructor on the platform was enthusiastically explaining something, but it didn’t register in his eyes or ears.

Noejeongnru.

That place took in orphans who wandered Gangho begging and made them disciples.

Disciples in name only.

The role of those who entered this way was to serve as attendants to the true disciples, doing menial tasks.

Since doing menial work at Noejeongnru was much better than wandering Gangho begging and dying alone, many orphans headed to Noejeongnru.

Eun Hwa-ryang was one of them.

And he was quite lucky.

Myeong Hae-eun.

Because he met her.

Though she was a disciple who didn’t receive much attention at Noejeongnru, she had a kind heart.

To him, who was only a disciple in name and didn’t receive proper treatment, she consistently called him sajae and had him call her saja.

Not just to him, but to other orphan-born disciples as well.

Actually, he had volunteered to come to Gyoryong Hall hoping he might meet Myeong Hae-eun.

But she had already completed Gyoryong Hall and left.

Unable to meet the saja he had hoped for, he instead ended up only serving that vicious Byeok I-gyeom.

At this fact, the remaining four years felt overwhelming to Eun Hwa-ryang.

That’s why his eyes were growing dark as death.

‘Can I endure this?’

Only that thought lingered in his mind.

Meanwhile, class ended.

Soullessly, he followed behind Byeok I-gyeom to Damryong Pavilion and ran his errands.

Getting hit one more time was nothing.

At least it ended at this level because other people were watching.

Next was group training time.

One of the few times during the day he could escape Byeok I-gyeom’s reach.

Eun Hwa-ryang headed to the Waryong Corps Twentieth Group training ground.

Of course, after escorting him to the 1st Group training ground first.

On the way, he encountered other Twentieth Group cadets.

Though each had different circumstances, they were all cadets in similar situations to his own.

He felt a sense of kinship, but the burden each carried was too heavy for them to care for one another.

Then.

“Hey. Juniors.”

As they arrived near the Twentieth Group training ground, someone called out to them.

It was a voice he had heard once before.

Their gazes turned in unison toward where the voice came from.

There stood a man.

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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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