The World’s Greatest Martial Arts Instructor - Chapter 237

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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 237. Why Is This Happening?

 

 

“Th-this is…”

Namgung Ji-hu was standing there with a blank expression, his sword hanging limply.

He had executed it himself, yet he still couldn’t believe it.

Clearly, he had performed the Great Flame Sword Technique.

But.

The more he moved his sword, the more his sword path transformed to resemble the Emperor Sword Form rather than the Great Flame Sword Technique.

How could such a thing be possible?

He had already heard from Ha Mu-baek that the Great Flame Sword Technique was nourishment for sprouting the seed called the Emperor Sword Form.

Even so, to think that performing the Great Flame Sword Technique would lead to the Emperor Sword Form.

It was something he couldn’t even imagine.

Something had changed.

That change was.

“That person.”

It was certainly caused by witnessing that person’s sword technique.

The one-armed worker who had performed the Great Flame Sword Technique that he simply couldn’t take his eyes off.

To think such a change would come from seeing it just once.

Combined with the enlightenment Ha Mu-baek had given him, it created a tremendous synergistic effect.

Namgung Ji-hu immediately sat cross-legged and fell into meditation.

And he tried his best to recall his Great Flame Sword Technique that he had witnessed just moments ago.

As he observed it in his mind’s eye, that sword technique was certainly the Great Flame Sword Technique, yet it wasn’t the Great Flame Sword Technique.

It had already ascended to some realm beyond the Great Flame Sword Technique.

That was precisely.

‘The Emperor Sword Form.’

That was it.

The sword technique that had been merely nourishment had transformed itself into a branch of the Emperor Sword Form.

Namgung Ji-hu opened his eyes.

Before he knew it, the dim light of dawn was falling.

“I must meet that person.”

Namgung Ji-hu’s eyes sparkled as he rose from his seat.

 

***

 

The day at Gyoryong Hall began as unchanging as ever.

Wi Ji-gun was absorbed in sweeping with a gentle smile on his face.

When a visitor came looking for him, he paused his sweeping for a moment.

“What brings you to seek out this old man?”

Before Wi Ji-gun stood Namgung Ji-hu.

“I came because there’s something I’d like to request of you.”

Namgung Ji-hu spoke respectfully.

“A request? Of this old man? Ha, let’s hear it. Though I’m not sure if there’s anything I can help with.”

“It’s about the newly arrived worker.”

“Worker?”

What strange words.

Using an honorific for a worker.

Wi Ji-gun tilted his head and asked with a subtle smile.

“Are you perhaps talking about that fellow Nam Hwi?”

“The one with many scars on his face…”

Since being one-armed could be a sensitive matter, Namgung Ji-hu brought up the scars first.

“Ah, that’s right. That fellow Nam Hwi. What about him?”

“Could you introduce me to Hero Nam Hwi? I feel like it would be rude to visit him suddenly.”

“Hero? Why is a Jamryong Corps cadet calling a mere worker a hero?”

Wi Ji-gun asked as if finding it amusing.

“He truly is a hero.”

His voice carried conviction.

“At this hour, he should be over by the Maengryong Corps. Let’s go together.”

Wi Ji-gun said with a grin.

“Thank you.”

Namgung Ji-hu bowed and followed behind Wi Ji-gun.

After walking a short distance along the path between the Maengryong Corps training grounds, they saw a man diligently sweeping.

“I say, Nam Hwi.”

When Wi Ji-gun called out, Namgung Hwi stopped sweeping and raised his head.

He was startled by the scene before his eyes.

Because Namgung Ji-hu was beside Wi Ji-gun.

“This is a boy from the Jamryong Corps named Namgung Ji-hu, and he says he’d like to meet you. Well then, have your conversation.”

After saying this, Wi Ji-gun turned around.

Since the morning duties had already begun, there was no one wandering about.

Two people facing each other on the small path.

Thump! Bang! Thump! Bang!

Namgung Hwi couldn’t calm his violently beating heart at all.

As he just stared blankly at Namgung Ji-hu like that.

Namgung Ji-hu slowly approached Namgung Hwi.

Then he bowed with a cupped fist salute.

“I meet you again, Senior.”

“Ah…”

“Please forgive my rudeness in secretly watching your cultivation last night.”

Namgung Hwi could only open and close his mouth.

“What business could a cadet of the Namgung Family have with an insignificant worker…”

He barely managed to speak with a trembling voice.

Since he thought it wasn’t the right time yet, he wanted to escape this situation quickly.

He still couldn’t calm his pounding heart.

“The sword technique I rudely witnessed was certainly the Namgung Family’s sword technique. I don’t know what circumstances you have, but you must be a senior of our family.”

Namgung Ji-hu shared the facts he had reasoned out this morning.

Since he was using the alias Nam Hwi, there must be some circumstances.

Those circumstances weren’t important to Namgung Ji-hu.

What mattered was the completion of the Emperor Sword Form.

Only that.

“Please teach me that Great Flame Sword Technique.”

Namgung Ji-hu bowed deeply with another cupped fist salute.

“Wh-what do you mean by that…”

“I saw the path my sword must take in Senior’s sword. So please bestow your teachings upon this foolish junior.”

Namgung Ji-hu remained bowed.

Namgung Hwi couldn’t accept this situation at all.

It was merely the Great Flame Sword Technique.

Namgung Ji-hu, the eldest son of the Namgung Family Head, would have learned not only the Azure Sky Unhindered Sword but also the Emperor Sword Form.

He couldn’t understand why he was so obsessed with just the Great Flame Sword Technique.

Of course, he himself had reached the pinnacle through endless cultivation of that single sword technique.

But when there were more excellent and faster sword techniques available, why the Great Flame Sword Technique?

Thump! Bang! Thump! Bang!

His heart beat even more roughly.

And before questioning, for Namgung Hwi, escaping this situation came first.

So he had to give some kind of answer.

“Ah, I understand. I’ll think about it for a while. I have other things to do now.”

Saying that, he hurriedly turned around and left.

Only then did Namgung Ji-hu straighten his back, a satisfied smile appearing on his lips.

At least he had received a positive response.

But then.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

His heart began beating roughly.

For reasons he couldn’t understand, his heart beat roughly and rapidly.

Namgung Ji-hu’s face flushed slightly.

The excitement of taking another step closer to completing the Emperor Sword Form.

Thinking it must be because of that, Namgung Ji-hu turned around.

 

***

 

“Tahat!”

He swung his sword with a powerful battle cry, but.

Thwack.

It was helplessly blocked and he was knocked backward.

“You can’t just jump out of the sword formation on your own!”

Baek Ri-pyeong shouted at Sim Cheol-san.

He was the one who had just jumped out.

When Sim Cheol-san fell, the remaining four’s coordination became chaotic.

Baek Ri-pyeong struck through that opening.

“Groan.”

“Ugh.”

The Waryong Corps 20th Group cadets let out groans.

“What are you doing! How can the sword formation collapse just because one person is out! You must maintain it even if only two remain!”

Baek Ri-pyeong swung his sword mercilessly while shouting.

And so today too, the Waryong Corps 20th Group was defeated.

However, the time they could endure was gradually increasing.

Sim Cheol-san’s jumping out was actually because Baek Ri-pyeong had deliberately exposed a weakness to lure him.

“You can’t just rush out recklessly when you see an opening. It might be a trap.”

Ju U-myeong kindly explained beside Sim Cheol-san.

“Yes…”

Sim Cheol-san answered dejectedly.

“Well, if Baek Ri-pyeong is setting traps deliberately, it means you’ve improved that much. And being able to identify such openings means your observation skills have gotten better too. So cheer up.”

Ju U-myeong patted Sim Cheol-san’s back as he spoke.

“How is it?”

Baek Ri-pyeong looked back at Dang Jin-san and asked.

“They’ve improved. Even though it’s only been about ten days.”

“I really worked them hard.”

Dan Mok Un-rae answered.

“Then we can move on to the next stage soon?”

Everyone nodded at Dang Jin-san’s words.

“The next stage?”

Eun Hwa-ryang asked.

“We don’t know how long all five of you will survive. We need to train for scenarios when four remain, when three remain, when two remain, and when you’re alone. The goal is to survive as long as possible.”

“That means…”

“We’ll also need to do one-on-one duels.”

Dang Jin-san smiled slightly.

“But I wonder if Ji-hu won’t come today?”

Dan Mok Un-rae muttered while looking outside the training ground.

The Namgung Ji-hu and Namgung Ji-yu siblings hadn’t been seen recently.

They had been quite helpful too.

“He must be concentrating on something. Ji-yu said he didn’t attend morning classes today either.”

Yeon Ha-min said.

“It must be because of the Emperor Sword Form, right?”

Everyone nodded at Dan Mok Un-rae’s words.

That was currently the most important thing for Namgung Ji-hu.

 

***

 

At that moment, Namgung Ji-hu and Namgung Ji-yu were.

Heading toward the training ground of the Jamryong Unit first-year 20th Group.

“Does that make sense? Someone you don’t know displayed the Great Flame Sword Technique at a level beyond ultimate achievement? And his name is Nam Hwi?”

Namgung Ji-yu walked alongside him, speaking with an incredulous expression.

“It’s probably Namgung Hwi, right?”

Namgung Ji-hu firmly believed that Nam Hwi was from the Namgung Family.

Otherwise, that Great Flame Sword Technique couldn’t be explained.

At those words, Namgung Ji-yu pondered and searched her memory.

The names of all Namgung Family members were stored in her head.

But no matter how much she searched, there was no such name.

No, there was, but that Namgung Hwi was still at the family estate.

“As far as I know, there’s no such person in our family…”

Namgung Ji-hu flinched at Namgung Ji-yu’s words.

He knew his sister’s memory well.

“There must be some circumstances. Secret family matters we can’t know about.”

“…”

Namgung Ji-yu couldn’t give any answer to those words.

Because it was true.

Even though they were the Family Head’s eldest daughter and son, there was certainly information they couldn’t access.

They arrived at the training ground like that.

Namgung Hwi was there.

Namgung Ji-hu’s steps quickened.

Namgung Ji-yu also matched his pace.

When they faced Namgung Hwi at about three steps’ distance.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Suddenly, Namgung Ji-yu’s heart began pounding.

‘Why, why is this happening…’

This was definitely someone she was seeing for the first time. Their brief encounter recently was their first meeting.

But strangely, he felt familiar.

Strange, yet familiar feeling.

It’s an inexplicable feeling.

“Have you given it some thought?”

Namgung Ji-hu asked with a pleased expression.

“How did you come to be here….”

Namgung Hwi had been frozen in a daze ever since the two appeared.

In truth, he might not have known if those words were meant for himself.

Due to the day’s events, he had thought that Namgung Ji-hu might come looking for this place.

Even while having such thoughts, he himself had come to this place first.

What was this contradictory emotion and behavior?

Even Namgung Hwi himself couldn’t understand it.

When he came to Muchang, he had only planned to watch from afar to see that they were doing well, then leave.

But after entering Gyoryong Hall as a worker.

After seeing traces of the children and actually encountering them.

He kept developing desires.

Even though he thought it wasn’t the right time.

His steps had led him to this place.

“Somehow I had a feeling you would be cultivating here tonight as well.”

Namgung Ji-hu answered as if it were natural.

“Hah….”

Namgung Hwi let out a hollow laugh.

Then, as if he had finally made a decision, he spoke.

“What kind of help would you like me to provide?”

At his words of permission, Namgung Ji-hu broke into a bright smile.

At the same time.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

His heart began beating wildly.

Namgung Ji-hu was bewildered by his body’s sudden reaction.

However, he couldn’t let this opportunity slip away.

“Please tell me about the inadequate parts of the Great Flame Sword Technique that I practice.”

At Namgung Ji-hu’s answer, Namgung Hwi nodded.

“Understood. Then let’s meet here tomorrow at the hour of Hae (around 10 PM).”

Saying that, Namgung Hwi turned around.

He could no longer bear to keep looking at the two children.

“Uh….”

Namgung Ji-hu was momentarily flustered by Namgung Hwi’s appearance as he hurriedly disappeared after giving a brief response.

However, since he had heard the answer that he would teach him starting tomorrow, his disappointment was lessened.

When he glanced back at Namgung Ji-yu.

Her face was slightly flushed as she placed one hand on her chest.

“What’s wrong?”

At Namgung Ji-hu’s question, Namgung Ji-yu shook her head.

“I don’t know. I don’t understand. Why I’m acting like this.”

An answer filled with complicated feelings.

Namgung Ji-yu stared intently at Namgung Ji-hu.

“Did your heart also beat wildly by any chance?”

Namgung Ji-hu hesitated.

He looked at his elder sister with his eyes wide open.

That served as his answer.

“Why is this happening?”

Another question settled upon Namgung Ji-yu.

—————
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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