The World’s Greatest Martial Arts Instructor - Chapter 241

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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 241. Congratulations

 

 

Namgung Hwi’s sword movements also began to change little by little.

At that sight, Namgung Ji-yu’s jaw dropped open.

‘H-how is this happening…’

Anyone could tell just by looking.

Both of them had entered the state of no-self.

It was already shocking enough that Namgung Ji-hu, who had experienced the state of no-self during his recent training match with Ha Mu-baek, had entered it again.

But now even Namgung Hwi, who had been guiding him through the training match, had also entered the state of no-self.

Could there truly be another such miraculous event in all of Gangho?

Her eyes trembled finely.

The two men’s swords seemed to tangle chaotically at first, then gradually began to blend harmoniously.

Rather than a training match, it looked like they were performing a well-choreographed sword dance together.

An overwhelming yet majestic sword dance that seemed to perfectly dominate all the space between the two men.

The movements of their swords were similar yet different.

Each was finding their own path.

‘Ah, it’s beautiful…’

Namgung Ji-yu couldn’t take her eyes off that sight.

A feeling that tickled one corner of her mind and one corner of her heart.

Watching the two men, she too was about to experience some kind of breakthrough in her martial arts.

‘I want to draw my sword too.’

But she couldn’t do that.

The training ground was already perfectly the domain of those two.

She dared not intrude into that space.

It would be good to organize what had just occurred to her through meditation, but she chose to watch the two men’s sword dance instead.

Because that seemed like it would give her far more inspiration.

 

“Huh…”

Ha Mu-baek let out an exclamation.

It was because of Namgung Hwi’s appearance.

“Remarkable.”

Wi Ji-gun nodded and spoke.

“Indeed. It wouldn’t be easy to gain an opportunity to break through a wall like that at his level.”

“The Emperor Sword Form became that opportunity.”

Ha Mu-baek nodded at Wi Ji-gun’s words.

Emperor Sword Form.

The final, strongest sword technique that consolidated all of the Namgung Family’s sword techniques.

Ha Mu-baek could tell the moment he saw the secret manual that its foundation was the Great Flame Sword Technique and Azure Sky Unhindered Sword.

Though he hadn’t seen the latter part of the secret manual, the first part alone was enough to make an educated guess.

The latter part would be what enabled one to pioneer a new sword path.

That was the realm of talent.

Ha Mu-baek thought it was an unfortunate sword technique whose development had been slowed precisely because of the restriction that only the Family Head could learn it.

After all, it wasn’t necessarily the most talented person who became Family Head.

Wasn’t the Family Head position determined by bloodline?

“How far do you think he’ll reach at that level?”

Wi Ji-gun asked Ha Mu-baek.

“He’ll probably reach the very edge of the transcendent peak realm.”

“In one go?”

Ha Mu-baek nodded at the returned question.

“With that level of talent, it’s sufficient. Though this time he’ll stop when he hits the wall before the edge of the transcendent peak realm.”

It was a wall both men had long since surpassed.

However, few in current Gangho had seen the existence of that wall.

Right now, Namgung Hwi was about to become one of those few.

 

Meanwhile, the two men’s swords unfolded every sword path and stopped.

Focus gradually returned to Namgung Ji-hu’s eyes.

“Wh-what in the world is this…”

Everything he had unfolded after entering the state of no-self was vividly present in his memory.

An enormous amount of sword paths swirling through his mind.

He didn’t know what to do with any of it.

[Quickly enter meditation and organize your enlightenment.]

Just then, Ha Mu-baek’s sound transmission rang in his ears.

Namgung Ji-hu instinctively followed that instruction, sitting cross-legged and closing his eyes.

Though he was told to meditate, he had no sense of what he should do.

But there was no need to worry.

His movements from just before came to mind, allowing him to review them.

And within those movements, he gained enlightenment one by one.

After that.

Focus returned to Namgung Hwi’s eyes.

However, he had experience, so he didn’t panic.

He simply stood still, closed his eyes again, and organized the enlightenment that had swept over him.

How much time passed like that?

Namgung Ji-hu slowly opened his eyes.

A clear light flashed in his eyes.

Namgung Ji-hu, who was about to unfold from his cross-legged position and stand up, was startled when he saw Namgung Hwi standing with his eyes closed.

Namgung Ji-yu signaled him to be quiet by putting her index finger to her lips.

[Wh-what’s going on?]

Namgung Ji-hu asked carefully through sound transmission.

[He entered the state of no-self during your training match. And right after coming out of the state of no-self, he immediately became like that.]

Namgung Ji-hu nodded at the returned answer.

He had been completely unaware of Namgung Hwi’s condition while enjoying himself in the state of no-self.

But to think that even Namgung Hwi had entered the state of no-self.

[How did this happen…]

As Namgung Ji-hu tilted his head and spoke through sound transmission.

[Probably because of the Emperor Sword Form?]

Came the returned answer.

[Ah…!]

His fingertips tingled at the sensation from that time.

The satisfaction of having properly unfolded a fragment of the Emperor Sword Form.

‘Instructor Ha’s words about needing to cultivate the Great Flame Sword Technique and Azure Sky Unhindered Sword first were correct.’

The unity of the Great Flame Sword Technique and Azure Sky Unhindered Sword.

Who would have thought that was the path of the Emperor Sword Form?

Meanwhile, Namgung Hwi slowly opened his eyes.

And immediately swung his sword.

The sword moved, leaving behind a beautiful trajectory.

Namgung Ji-hu and Namgung Ji-yu watched that sight.

The movements appeared to be the Great Flame Sword Technique, yet they were definitely not the Great Flame Sword Technique.

They were more profound and mysterious, even mystical.

“Em-Emperor Sword Form…!!!”

Namgung Ji-hu was startled.

Though it differed from the Emperor Sword Form he had realized, that was definitely the Emperor Sword Form as well.

He could tell because he had learned it himself.

If Namgung Ji-hu’s Emperor Sword Form was like the horizon where sky meets sea.

Namgung Hwi’s Emperor Sword Form was like the depths of the ocean.

“How…”

It was an unbelievable sight.

How could Namgung Hwi, who didn’t know a single character of the Emperor Sword Form, be displaying the Emperor Sword Form like that?

Even just the visible level was far above Namgung Ji-hu’s.

Higher than himself, who had studied and cultivated the secret manual so thoroughly.

Thus, amid Namgung Ji-hu and Namgung Ji-yu’s shock, Namgung Hwi finished displaying all the sword techniques.

“Whew…”

The moment he exhaled deeply and sheathed his sword.

Brilliant light burst forth from his body.

Crack. Crack.

Then cracks appeared across the skin of his entire body.

Rustle.

A layer of skin crumbled to dust and scattered.

And his revealed appearance.

His skin was even whiter and more lustrous, and the scars on his face had become slightly fainter.

“Sk-sk-sk-Skin Shedding!!!”

Namgung Ji-hu was so startled he shouted without realizing it.

Bone Transformation Skin Shedding.

The supreme miracle of changing bones and shedding skin.

It was something he had only heard about in words.

He had never seen it directly.

Namgung Hwi’s gaze turned toward Namgung Ji-hu.

Namgung Hwi took a cupped fist salute and bowed deeply at the waist.

“Thanks to Young Master Namgung, I have made tremendous progress. I truly thank you.”

“I am grateful. Senior. I too have achieved great progress thanks to you, senior. Thank you.”

“Then…”

Namgung Hwi bowed his head once more and left that place.

The Namgung siblings were left alone.

“Why would such a person disappear from the noble family estate without any records?”

Namgung Ji-yu muttered with an incomprehensible expression.

He still called himself Nam Hwi.

Even in a situation where everyone knew he was Namgung Hwi.

“I don’t know. When we return to the family estate this time, we’ll have to look into it.”

At Namgung Ji-hu’s words, Namgung Ji-yu also nodded with a determined expression.

“More than that, if he experienced Skin Shedding, just what level is his cultivation at?”

Namgung Ji-hu muttered as if truly curious.

“Rather than that, shouldn’t you be more curious about your own cultivation level?”

At Ha Mu-baek’s sudden question, Namgung Ji-hu whipped his head around.

There stood Ha Mu-baek with an expression full of annoyance.

“Don’t just stand there like that, swing your sword once. You saw how to do it just now.”

“Ah…”

At Ha Mu-baek’s words, Namgung Ji-hu drew his sword again.

And he displayed the Emperor Sword Form.

It was definitely different from Namgung Hwi’s.

Namgung Hwi’s Emperor Sword Form based only on the Great Flame Sword Technique, Namgung Ji-hu’s Emperor Sword Form that unified the Great Flame Sword Technique and Azure Sky Unhindered Sword.

One couldn’t say which was superior.

That was entirely a matter depending on the capability of the one holding the sword.

Namgung Ji-hu’s Emperor Sword Form gradually revealed its form.

As the forms progressed.

Namgung Ji-hu became more and more absorbed in the sword technique.

When he had displayed the entire first half of the Emperor Sword Form.

Heaven dwelt within his sword.

Azure Sky.

A blue-colored sword aura like the high heavens was shining brilliantly.

Namgung Ji-hu looked at his own sword with a dazed expression.

Ha Mu-baek chuckled.

“Congratulations. You’ve entered the pinnacle realm.”

With those words, Ha Mu-baek disappeared.

Only Namgung Ji-hu and Namgung Ji-yu remained with blank faces.

The sword aura gradually faded.

The pure white practice sword revealed its form again.

“It-it’s not a dream, right?”

Namgung Ji-hu spoke as if he still hadn’t come to his senses.

“C-can you do it again?”

Namgung Ji-yu’s voice also trembled.

When Namgung Ji-hu recalled the sensation from the end and infused internal energy into his sword.

The blue sword aura revealed its form.

“Huh…”

“Ha…”

Exclamations burst out simultaneously.

Sword aura.

The pinnacle realm.

It was a realm they hoped for even in dreams, a place they didn’t know when they could reach.

To think they had reached it like this.

The two people’s eyes met.

Bright smiles appeared on both their faces simultaneously.

 

***

 

Ha Mu-baek, having left the two people, lightly leaped over Gyoryong Hall’s wall.

He was following Namgung Hwi’s presence.

The place where he, having reached the edge of the supreme pinnacle, headed was unexpectedly a shabby tavern in Muchang’s back alleys.

One that kept its doors open until this late hour yet had no customers at all.

He thought it impressive that he knew of such a tavern.

Ha Mu-baek didn’t hide his presence.

Revealing enough presence for Namgung Hwi to sense, he slowly headed toward that tavern.

When he opened the door, Namgung Hwi sat there drinking alone with a strange expression.

“You’ve come?”

Namgung Hwi glanced at Ha Mu-baek and spoke.

Ha Mu-baek sat down heavily in front of him.

The innkeeper, who had been somewhere, came with chopsticks and a wine cup.

“Please bring one roasted duck as well.”

At Ha Mu-baek’s order, the innkeeper disappeared into the kitchen.

“It’s been a long time, Nameless.”

“It really has been a long time, Hocheon Corps Leader.”

It was their first greeting.

The two had encountered each other several times at Gyoryong Hall, but each time they had passed by pretending not to know each other.

This was the first time they were properly facing each other and looking at one another.

“Please have a cup.”

Namgung Hwi lifted the wine bottle with his left hand.

Ha Mu-baek extended his cup to receive the alcohol and swallowed it straight down his throat.

The burning sensation of the cheap soju traveled down his throat and into his stomach.

“Congratulations.”

Ha Mu-baek’s single remark.

“Just where has the Hocheon Corps Leader’s level reached? Even now, I still cannot see its end.”

At Namgung Hwi’s words, Ha Mu-baek smiled bitterly and said.

“I am merely an instructor at Gyoryong Hall.”

At his answer, Namgung Hwi’s bitter smile deepened.

“This is making my resolve suddenly waver. I thought it was time to go reclaim what is mine… But facing the heaven beyond heaven right here, my confidence is disappearing.”

Glug glug.

Namgung Hwi filled his own cup.

He downed the soju in one gulp.

“What did you lose?”

Ha Mu-baek’s question.

Namgung Hwi quietly looked up at the ceiling.

What should he answer?

He seemed to be organizing his thoughts.

“Well, it seems like all I lost was one arm…”

Namgung Hwi shrugged his right shoulder and briefly looked at where his arm used to be.

“Now that I think about it, I seem to have lost my existence as a person. The existence of the person called Namgung Hwi.”

Namgung Hwi filled his cup again.

This time he only filled the cup and left it there.

“What happened to make you feel this way?”

Ha Mu-baek asked.

Before.

When they met in Sanwol Demon Forest, he had asked nothing.

He had shown no interest.

But now he had no choice but to ask.

The appearance he had shown at Gyoryong Hall, and the appearance he showed today.

This naturally compelled Ha Mu-baek to ask the question.

Perhaps Master Wi Ji-gun’s encouragement had also played a part.

“Would you like to hear it?”

At Namgung Hwi’s words, Ha Mu-baek nodded.

“The night is still quite long.”

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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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