The World’s Greatest Martial Arts Instructor - Chapter 311

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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 311. Why?

 

 

Han Seol-bing, who left the Great Training Ground, headed straight to her room.

A letter neatly folded on one corner of the desk.

The contents were all written in the cipher of Ice Heaven Palace, specifically the Han Family cipher that Han Seol-bing’s family used.

No one but her could decipher it.

The content was not long.

 

Return requested.

Tak Family stirring.

 

Just eight characters.

This was the content revealed after deciphering the code.

There were no detailed explanations.

This was due to the limitations of cipher created to convey urgent news.

However.

Although the Tak Family had been arbitrarily controlling Ice Heaven Palace, they had never taken actions that could be described as “stirring” like this.

Something had changed.

It was too sudden.

Moreover, unlike usual letters, they had specifically used cipher.

That’s why she was flustered.

She couldn’t just sit still.

Now that Ha Mu-baek had returned.

It seemed she would have to return home after a long time.

How many years had it been…?

She decided to finish preparations today and leave at dawn tomorrow.

Still, she needed to properly greet Ha Mu-baek who had finished his travels before leaving.

After all, wasn’t it Han Seol-bing herself who had arbitrarily followed him to Gyoryong Hall in the first place?

 

***

 

“Huff. Huff. Huff.”

“Ugh…”

“Kheuk…”

The Maengryong Corps Seventh Group collapsed in exhaustion.

The first thing Ha Mu-baek did when he stepped onto the platform was to suppress the internal energy of those who had learned it.

Han Seol-bing’s training had certainly been manageable.

She hadn’t suppressed their internal energy.

This was because she thought learning movements, positioning, and tactics came first.

She believed it would be difficult to learn movements, positioning, and tactics when physical strength was strained.

However.

Ha Mu-baek was different.

He believed in the principle that repetition upon repetition would somehow work out.

It was better for the body to learn first, then think with the head.

If you think and then move in urgent situations, it’s already too late.

You must make the body react automatically before thinking.

Only then does the probability of survival increase even by one percent.

This was the conviction Ha Mu-baek had held for many years.

He had actually drilled his subordinates this way.

The Maengryong Corps would be no different.

‘Han Seol-bing definitely has a soft side… This can’t be helped.’

Han Seol-bing was unknowingly quite sentimental.

This reflected her nature.

Since it was Ha Mu-baek who had left everything to her and departed, he had no intention of criticizing this.

From now on, he just needed to properly drill them himself.

He was simply grateful to Han Seol-bing.

Because she was there, he could leave his post with peace of mind.

He could focus on Shaolin’s affairs and Gongya Hwi-yeon’s matters.

Thus.

This day’s training was hell.

Even the second-year Seventh Group cadets directly under Ha Mu-baek collapsed completely.

What about the other cadets then?

Nevertheless, Ha Mu-baek calmly observed them.

“That’s all for today. Well, since there’s still much of today left, those who want to train more can do so voluntarily.”

The cadets’ faces turned pale at those words.

It sounded like he was saying he would go in, but they should continue training.

“I’ll properly adjust the training intensity within a few days.”

Violent tremors occurred in the cadets’ pupils.

Didn’t those words mean he had gone easy on them today?

Could humans even do this?

Just as such doubts arose.

Ha Mu-baek stepped down from the platform and disappeared.

Dan Mok Un-rae’s face had turned deathly pale.

“Whew… So. What are your thoughts on the long-awaited return of our instructor?”

Dang Jin-san looked at Dan Mok Un-rae and Baek Ri-pyeong with an exhausted face and asked.

“Huff. Huff. Huff. Feels like proper training after a long time?”

At Dan Mok Un-rae’s answer, Dang Jin-san shook his head back and forth.

Baek Ri-pyeong sat in cross-legged position.

“Huh? What’s this?”

“Now that the internal energy suppression is lifted. I need to circulate energy and then train.”

Baek Ri-pyeong answered as if it were obvious.

Dang Jin-san’s eyes trembled.

Here he was.

The person who would do the voluntary training Ha Mu-baek mentioned.

“Sigh.”

Dang Jin-san let out a deep sigh.

Then he sat cross-legged.

He couldn’t just return to the dormitory saying he alone would rest here.

Since Yeon Ha-min and Nak U-jin were also sitting cross-legged before he knew it.

The shield technique training with suppressed internal energy was certainly exhausting enough to feel like their whole bodies would break.

However, they were different from other Maengryong Corps cadets.

Since they possessed internal energy that had reached considerable levels.

They could recover this physical fatigue to some degree through energy circulation.

What they did today was group training.

There was no individual practice.

In the end, they intended to recover their stamina through energy circulation and then train their martial arts.

Ju U-myeong and Ha Seol-ran had also already entered energy circulation.

What could he do?

Dang Jin-san himself also had to train.

Self-study.

It was an all too familiar word.

 

***

 

Ha Mu-baek headed toward the Instructors’ Quarters.

This place also had separate areas for men and women.

Though they weren’t completely separated in different locations like the cadets’ dormitories.

Ha Mu-baek confirmed Han Seol-bing’s location with his ki sense.

[Let’s meet for a moment.]

Ha Mu-baek’s voice transmission echoed in her mind across the distance.

Ha Mu-baek didn’t even move his lips.

It was truly the technique of voice transmission at the supreme level.

Combined with the Mind Reading technique, he deployed the Thousand-Li Voice Transmission across great distances.

Han Seol-bing wasn’t surprised by Ha Mu-baek’s sudden voice transmission.

She had probably expected him to come looking for her like this.

The two headed to the shabby inn that Ha Mu-baek always frequented.

Today too, there were no customers.

Only the old innkeeper was keeping his post.

“You’ve had a hard time.”

Ha Mu-baek said as he filled Han Seol-bing’s cup with liquor.

Han Seol-bing just pouted her lips.

“Well, what other choice do I have? When told to do something, I have to do it.”

At her playful complaint, Ha Mu-baek just chuckled softly.

Ha Mu-baek filled his own cup with liquor.

The two lightly clinked their cups together before bringing them to their lips.

“I think I have to leave tomorrow.”

Han Seol-bing spoke first as she set down her cup.

Flinch.

Ha Mu-baek’s liquor cup stopped.

He immediately set his cup down on the dining table and looked at Han Seol-bing.

“Where to?”

“To the palace.”

She meant the Ice Heaven Palace.

“Suddenly?”

“An urgent message was delivered.”

At her answer, Ha Mu-baek frowned.

He had no choice but to react that way.

Urgent messages usually meant bad news or troublesome matters.

“It seems there’s been some trouble at the palace.”

“Hmm.”

Ha Mu-baek crossed his arms.

He looked deep in thought.

Seeing this, Han Seol-bing smiled faintly.

She could guess why he was acting like this.

He was probably thinking of ways to help her.

Ha Mu-baek was that kind of person.

Someone who was sincere about taking care of his people.

However, he had responsibilities.

He was the chief instructor of the Maengryong Corps.

Academy Director Peng Do-yul had said there would be no break period for the Maengryong Corps.

And Ha Mu-baek had agreed to be responsible for the Maengryong Corps’ training during that period.

It was a job Ha Mu-baek had committed to.

So if he were to leave his post, someone would need to replace Ha Mu-baek.

Until now, Han Seol-bing had been fulfilling that role.

But with Han Seol-bing having to leave due to urgent business, Ha Mu-baek couldn’t also leave his post to help her.

If he did.

He would be breaking his promise to Peng Do-yul.

Entrusting the role to someone Ha Mu-baek acknowledged was about the limit of what could be tolerated.

The other Maengryong Corps instructors couldn’t possibly meet Ha Mu-baek’s standards.

He had trusted her because it was Han Seol-bing.

“Even if it’s trouble, it probably won’t be anything major.”

Though she said this.

If it was urgent enough to hasten her return, it was likely not the case.

“Even if it were major trouble, could it compare to the Sanwol Demon Forest? Could it compare to the Demon Cult?”

Han Seol-bing spoke with a faint smile.

She was right.

Han Seol-bing was a warrior who had survived all those battlefields by Ha Mu-baek’s side.

There weren’t many warriors in the current Gangho who could pose a threat to her.

Ha Mu-baek nodded.

“If you need help, send Baek-a.”

Baek-a.

He was referring to the Thousand-Li Black Dog that followed only Han Seol-bing.

That creature would move toward Han Seol-bing again.

“Understood.”

And so, the next dawn.

Han Seol-bing left Gyoryong Hall and headed north.

In the vastly high sky.

A single black pigeon circled above her head as it followed her.

 

***

 

The daily routine of Gyoryong Hall repeated itself every day.

Training.

Drills.

Training.

Drills.

Amidst all this, there was one leisurely figure.

Wi Ji-gun.

Today too, he was sweeping around various parts of Gyoryong Hall.

The places he had passed were spotlessly clean without a speck of dust.

These days he was sweeping by infusing his broom with internal energy.

After Wi Ji-gun passed by, dust really didn’t accumulate for quite a while.

It was time when all of today’s training had ended.

Though the sun was still long and everything was bright, the western sky was beginning to turn slightly red.

Ha Mu-baek came looking for Wi Ji-gun.

“Master.”

“It’s been a long time.”

Wi Ji-gun welcomed Ha Mu-baek.

The day he returned after leaving right after Hatuje ended.

Ha Mu-baek had come to pay his respects upon his return.

At that time, he seemed like he wanted to say something but said nothing.

Finally, it seemed he had made up his mind.

“Yes. What brings you here?”

Wi Ji-gun didn’t stop sweeping.

It was something he had to do at Gyoryong Hall.

“…Do you know about the Abyss?”

He asked after deep contemplation.

The qi energy he obtained at the end in the Sutra Repository.

It was certainly the same as the internal energy qi that could be obtained through the Mugeuk Yeoui Heart Method.

“…”

Wi Ji-gun didn’t answer.

“Then what about something called the Primordial?”

Another question thrown out.

Wi Ji-gun’s broom stopped.

His gaze turned toward his disciple.

“How did you come to know of it?”

This time Wi Ji-gun asked.

Ha Mu-baek told him about what happened with Hyeon-hwang.

Hyeon-gil’s story too.

The story of what he experienced in the Sutra Repository too.

The two walked.

Wi Ji-gun walked carrying his broom.

Before they knew it, the sweeping had stopped.

“So such a thing happened.”

Wi Ji-gun nodded his head.

“Come to think of it, I didn’t teach you that far.”

Ha Mu-baek left the mountain immediately after achieving enlightenment.

To accomplish his revenge against the Blood Cult and Demon Cult.

In that process, he became stronger.

He became even stronger after coming to Gyoryong Hall.

To the point of surpassing his master.

And now, looking at him again.

Was it because of what he experienced at Shaolin Temple?

He had become even stronger once more.

“Even so, to surpass me and reach such a level. Truly admirable.”

At his master’s praise, Ha Mu-baek smiled awkwardly.

“However.”

Wi Ji-gun’s words continued.

“It’s not yet time to know.”

That meant his master also knew something.

“Why?”

Ha Mu-baek asked.

The reason for his urgency was one thing.

Ha Seol-ran.

Ha Mu-baek’s younger sibling.

She too was Wi Ji-gun’s disciple and learned the same martial arts as Ha Mu-baek.

The Mugeuk Yeoui Heart Method.

What would happen if she, whose level was still low, encountered that being called the Abyss?

With will.

A being that invades human will.

Ha Mu-baek had no worries about himself since he had already achieved a certain level.

After all, it was Ha Mu-baek who defeated Hyeon-hwang who had accepted the Abyss.

“You’re worried about Ran-ah.”

Wi Ji-gun read Ha Mu-baek’s concerns.

“There’s nothing for you to worry about. There is no Abyss in the Mugeuk Yeoui Heart Method.”

Wi Ji-gun spoke with conviction.

Ha Mu-baek’s eyes lit up.

As expected, his master also knew about the Abyss.

“Have you also encountered the Abyss, Master?”

Wi Ji-gun smiled slightly.

“What did you just hear? Didn’t I say there is no Abyss?”

Then how did he know about the Abyss?

The questions only multiplied.

According to his master’s words, it was something he would know when the time came.

But now he became curious about when that time would be.

“When is that time?”

So he finally asked.

A behavior unlike Ha Mu-baek.

The impression left on Ha Mu-baek by what he experienced this time was that deep and intense.

The smile on Wi Ji-gun’s face deepened.

It was because it had been so long since he’d seen his disciple like this.

Ha Mu-baek had been like this after entering martial arts on Cheongran Island.

He couldn’t bear questions and would investigate and investigate.

If he still couldn’t solve them, he would ask him.

He would pester his master like that.

Those days briefly came to mind.

Ha Mu-baek and Ha Seol-ran might not know.

But for Wi Ji-gun, those days were truly happy times.

It was during those times that he first learned ‘so this is what happiness is.’

That’s probably why it remained so vivid in his memory.

“The scent of blood dwelling in your body still needs to fade more.”

That was Wi Ji-gun’s answer after finishing his brief reminiscence.

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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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