The World’s Greatest Martial Arts Instructor - Chapter 312

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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 312. Were You Surprised?

 

 

‘The scent of blood…’

It was an answer he hadn’t expected.

It had also been a long time since he heard this story from his Master.

After Seol-ran no longer felt uncomfortable around him, he had forgotten about it.

In fact, it was during his long-awaited visit to Cheongran Island that he had been concerned about the scent of blood.

When he first returned home, Ha Seol-ran couldn’t easily approach Ha Mu-baek.

He had only been concerned about that.

He never knew it would also be related to the sect’s martial arts.

“It wasn’t just because of Seol-ran.”

Wi Ji-gun nodded as he walked, responding to Ha Mu-baek’s words.

“Actually, that was the most important thing.”

A gentle smile formed on his lips again.

These siblings were such beings to Wi Ji-gun.

“Actually, I never expected you would reach that level.”

Wi Ji-gun’s following words.

What level could he be referring to?

“Last year. When you returned to Cheongran Island after seven years. I was actually quite surprised inside.”

Ha Mu-baek recalled that time.

He had said let’s meet after a long time.

He had drawn his sword and taken the ready stance.

That was the end of it.

Master had smelled the scent of blood that clung to Ha Mu-baek from that appearance.

He thought that was all there was to it.

But was there something else?

“Infinite Adaptable Eight Absolute Sword Technique. You succeeded in unleashing that final secret technique.”

Ha Mu-baek’s eyes trembled.

It was merely the ready stance.

To think he had assessed what level his sword technique had reached.

Ha Mu-baek wondered if he could do the same.

Honestly, he wasn’t confident he could discern the level of sword technique just from seeing the ready stance.

Even though his current martial arts level was higher.

Wi Ji-gun’s smile deepened as if Ha Mu-baek’s reaction was amusing.

“There’s nothing to be so surprised about. I just know something you don’t.”

Something Ha Mu-baek didn’t know but Wi Ji-gun did.

What could it possibly be?

“What is the mastery of the Twelve Stars of the Infinite Adaptable Eight Absolute Sword Technique?”

Master’s question.

“It’s perfectly executing the Eight Severance Infinite.”

Ha Mu-baek answered.

Wi Ji-gun nodded.

“That’s right. The completion of the final form. That is the mastery of the Twelve Stars. Then what level were you at when you left Cheongran Island?”

“I was at the Ten Stars.”

Even that was remarkable.

Ha Mu-baek was only twenty years old at the time, barely an adult.

Considering he started martial arts training at thirteen, it was talent beyond amazing, bordering on miraculous.

Of course, he had also made blood-soaked efforts.

But Ha Mu-baek had reached a place that effort alone couldn’t reach.

It was thanks to his brilliant talent.

“That’s right. It was truly amazing. I wondered if there had ever been such a genius in the history of the Wuji Sword Sect. To reach the level of executing all Eight Severance of the Infinite Adaptable Eight Absolute Sword Technique in just seven years after joining.”

Wi Ji-gun wore a pleased expression as he recalled the day he first saw Ha Mu-baek properly execute the Eight Severance Infinite.

Though he was always a disciple who made him know the joy of teaching, that day was especially so.

The Ten Stars of the Infinite Adaptable Eight Absolute Sword Technique was the level where one could properly execute all eight forms.

If one could refine it further and perfectly execute the Infinite.

That would be the mastery of the Twelve Stars.

“Then is the Twelve Stars the end?”

Ha Mu-baek shook his head and answered.

“It’s the beginning. The beginning of finding one sword. When I left, Master, you showed me your sword.”

Eight forms from the First Severance to the Eighth Severance.

The secret technique that melded them into one sword.

To Ha Mu-baek, it was the final secret technique.

Wi Ji-gun had shown this to Ha Mu-baek when he left.

Ha Mu-baek had seen and learned it that way.

But he had never used it.

More precisely, he couldn’t execute it.

“You wouldn’t have been able to execute it easily. No, I actually didn’t think you would achieve the mastery of the Twelve Stars.”

Ha Mu-baek tilted his head.

It was an unexpected statement.

Why would Master have thought that?

“To complete the Infinite, you must first complete the Wish Fulfillment.”

That was obvious.

“Up to the Sixth Severance might be possible. But the Seventh Severance, Wish Fulfillment, and the Eighth Severance, Infinite… are forms that can never be completed with a body and mind full of the scent of blood.”

Stop.

Ha Mu-baek stopped at Master’s words.

That couldn’t be.

He had completed them, hadn’t he?

Wi Ji-gun also stopped.

And turned to look at his disciple.

“Were you surprised?”

“…”

Ha Mu-baek had no response.

“I was more surprised then.”

He had shown no such sign at all.

He had only said that the scent of blood had grown fainter, that it was good for him.

“Wish Fulfillment dislikes the scent of blood.”

A brief statement.

Ha Mu-baek’s eyes widened.

Martial arts with such characteristics?

Martial arts that dislike the scent of blood.

“You cannot complete the Infinite without completing Wish Fulfillment. But you threw yourself into bloody battlefields for revenge. So I naturally thought you couldn’t achieve mastery.”

Wi Ji-gun paused for a moment.

“But you not only achieved mastery, you made even the final secret technique I showed you your own. One sword that penetrates the principles from the First Severance to the Eighth Severance. When you can execute that, the killing intent shown in the ready stance changes.”

The killing intent changes?

Ha Mu-baek tilted his head.

“When you see Seol-ran, you’ll understand what I mean. The only ready stances you’ve seen are yours and mine. The fact that you felt no difference between your ready stance and mine means you’ve grasped the profound truth.”

Ha Mu-baek nodded slightly.

It seemed there had been changes that even he hadn’t fully recognized.

“You achieved mastery of the Mugeuk Sword Eight Cuts even while ignoring the characteristic of the sword spirit that dislikes the smell of blood. Your talent is that vast. That’s why I was so surprised. It exceeded my imagination.”

Ha Mu-baek felt embarrassed.

In the end, it concluded with praise for his talent.

“However. What you’re curious about now cannot be achieved through talent alone.”

Even talent that transcended the characteristics of martial arts wouldn’t be enough.

“You must completely erase the smell of blood to make it possible. So continue to strive harder. It won’t be resolved just by reaching a higher level or becoming stronger.”

Wi Ji-gun’s words ended there.

He lowered his broom again and began sweeping the ground.

Internal energy flowed into the broom.

Ha Mu-baek quietly watched this scene.

Lost in deep thought.

He had almost forced Hyeon-gwang to shake off his inner demons, injuring his dantian in the process.

But this wasn’t just someone else’s problem.

It was Ha Mu-baek’s own problem as well.

The smell of blood ingrained in his body was like another person’s inner demons.

“I understand.”

Ha Mu-baek answered quietly.

By then, Wi Ji-gun had moved quite far away.

Ha Mu-baek bowed deeply to his Master’s back and turned to leave.

The smell of blood.

He had received a challenge he must overcome.

 

***

 

“You’ve sent word to Gyoryong Hall, haven’t you?”

The Family Head of the Tak Family.

Tak Yo-beom’s question.

“Yes. We confirmed that the Han Family urgently sent Jeon Seo-eung.”

Tak Yo-beom nodded at those words.

His eyes flickered with fierce intensity.

“How dare they. Making my son look like that and humiliating him? Han Seol-bing. That woman. Does she think Ice Heaven Palace is still the same as when she left the palace…?”

His voice was filled with extreme irritation.

As if his pride had been severely wounded.

Not only that.

A frost-like aura began to emanate from his body.

“Then how long will the Palace Lord’s Hall remain sealed…?”

To his subordinate’s question, Tak Yo-beom replied as if it were obvious.

“Until we capture Han Seol-bing. That woman. If we release it now, the Han Family might send word again.”

“Understood.”

The subordinate bowed his head and left Tak Yo-beom’s office.

‘Han Seol-bing…’

Yang Jeok-san, Tak Yo-beom’s right hand and strategist.

A smile appeared on his lips.

‘The time has indeed ripened.’

The Tak Family’s power had grown tremendously strong over the past ten years.

While the Central Plains were engaged in fierce wars of attrition due to the Great Murim War.

Ice Heaven Palace had participated in that war with only about half their forces.

It was a means to maintain their position as one of the Eight Rising Gates in the Central Plains.

The force that led this effort was the current Palace Lord’s family.

The Bing Family.

Among their allied forces, the strongest was.

The Han Family.

The Tak Family was a family that stood in opposition to those two families.

Therefore, ten years ago.

They had been most reluctant to send martial artists to the Central Plains.

After the Great Murim War ended.

The balance of power had completely reversed.

The Tak Family’s power had already surpassed the Palace Lord’s family, the Bing Family, and was pressuring them.

Families continued to defect from the weakened Bing Family’s shadow to join the Tak Family.

By now.

Palace Lord Bing Chwi-seol.

She merely occupied the Palace Lord’s position.

It was an open secret that all real power was held by Tak Yo-beom.

Just look at the current situation.

Wasn’t the Tak Family sealing off the Palace Lord’s Hall?

Though they claimed it was to make Han Seol-bing return to Ice Heaven Palace.

Though they used the pretext of repaying the humiliation and shame Tak Yo-beom’s son suffered at Gyoryong Hall.

‘It’s just an excuse. How much could he really care about Tak Mu-jeon, just one among countless illegitimate sons…?’

The North Sea was cold, harsh, and barren land.

A land where it was extremely difficult for people to survive.

Because of this, people were precious, and people were power.

Men were even more precious there.

Whether hunting or farming.

It was usually men who were thrown into the harsh and barren earth.

Having to work strenuously in harsh environments naturally made men scarce.

Many died or were injured.

Therefore, it was completely natural in this land to take not only wives but also concubines.

Taking many concubines and producing many descendants.

That was power itself in this land, the North Sea.

The Tak Family was the family that put the most effort into increasing their descendants.

It was natural for Family Head Tak Yo-beom to have numerous concubines and even more children.

He had sent one of those many concubines’ children to Gyoryong Hall this time.

And he had attached one orphan servant to him.

But look how they returned.

They were defeated by those Five Cadets, who were in similar circumstances to that lowly orphan.

And in the latter half, they had to serve other members of Maengryong Corps.

How humiliating was this?

The son of Ice Heaven Palace’s Tak Family Head having to serve those pathetic trash of Maengryong Corps.

Initially, Tak Yo-beom was so furious that he vented his rage.

At those lowly bastards.

At those who supported those bastards.

And even at his own pathetic son who was defeated by such people.

His expression changed drastically when he heard that Han Seol-bing was also involved in that bet.

Then he called Yang Jeok-san to begin discussing how to use this situation.

‘Using this incident as an excuse, we’ll destroy the Han Family, and riding that momentum, we’ll also destroy the Bing Family. Now the Palace Lord position of Ice Heaven Palace will belong to the Tak Family.’

Those were Tak Yo-beom’s words at the time.

They had overflowing power, but lacked justification.

Even the smallest pretext would do.

And Tak Mu-jeon had gone to Gyoryong Hall to create just that.

They say even dog dung has its uses.

Yang Jeok-san had never expected to gain justification in such a manner.

 

***

 

“What about Seol-bing?”

“An urgent report came that she has departed.”

The Family Head of the Han Family.

Han Go-jeok’s face was deeply troubled.

“Is there still no movement from the Tak Family?”

At Han Go-jeok’s continued question.

Na Hong-ryeon, the Han Family’s General Manager, shook her head with a dark expression.

Upon confirming her answer, Han Go-jeok’s face hardened even more gravely.

“Their intention?”

“They must be planning to devour Bingcheon Palace.”

“Right. That must be it. Otherwise, over such a trivial matter…”

It was something that happened at Gyoryong Hall, not even at Bingcheon Palace.

Moreover, according to what the Han Family had investigated, it was conducted fairly according to the rules, and Tak Mu-jeon had lost there.

However.

They claimed that the cause of that defeat involved the Han Family’s underhanded scheme using Han Seol-bing.

They were making the absurd demand to officially apologize and give up half their forces.

And the movement the Tak Family had shown was the blockade of the Palace Lord’s Hall.

They had dragged even the innocent Palace Lord into their dispute with the Han Family.

From the Han Family’s perspective, while an apology might be possible, giving up half their forces was impossible.

That would be tantamount to giving up their lifeline.

Though they understood the Tak Family’s intention, they had no choice but to be drawn into that intention.

An all-out war with the Tak Family.

Since it could break out at any moment.

Han Go-jeok had no choice but to summon Han Seol-bing back to the family estate through an urgent report.

Her importance to the Han Family’s military strength was immense.

“By the way. What happened with Seol-bing’s request?”

Han Go-jeok asked as if just remembering.

Na Hong-ryeon gave a bitter smile.

“We tried by submitting a report to the Palace Lord, but it was blocked by the Tak Family’s opposition…”

Han Go-jeok nodded.

He had already expected this.

They had tried at her strong request, but as expected, it was blocked.

The request to improve the treatment of orphans.

In some ways, it was a natural thing.

And it was something Bingcheon Palace had naturally been doing.

Before those Tak Family bastards changed things to how they are now.

Such behavior in the North Sea where every person is precious.

“However, I’ve arranged for that child’s younger sister to do cleaning work at the Palace Lord’s Hall for now.”

Since Han Seol-bing’s strong request had that story at its foundation.

When Tak Mu-jeon returned to the palace.

She was worried he might harm Im Dae-chi’s siblings.

Na Hong-ryeon had taken measures regarding at least that concern.

“I suppose that’s the limit…”

Han Go-jeok wore a bitter smile.

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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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