The World’s Greatest Martial Arts Instructor - Chapter 349

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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 349. I’ll Have to Prove It

 

 

Ha Mu-baek was drinking tea in a room at the Reception Hall that Dang Ji-yeon had guided him to.

Even to Ha Mu-baek, who didn’t particularly enjoy tea, it was an exceptionally delicious brew.

It was clear that Dang Ji-yeon had put special care into this.

However.

‘The atmosphere wasn’t good…’

Even if Dang Ji-yeon didn’t know.

He couldn’t help but notice the poor atmosphere among the Tang Family martial artists who had come with her.

As he finished emptying his teacup completely.

Ha Mu-baek’s eyebrows twitched.

He sensed that Dang Ji-yeon had encountered the person with the most powerful aura in this Tang Family territory.

‘So it was the Tang Family Head after all.’

She had said the Tang Family Head’s approval was necessary.

It seemed she had gone straight to find the Tang Family Head.

He lifted the teapot and refilled his teacup.

After warming the slightly lukewarm tea using the fire energy within his body.

He brought it to his lips again.

As he was savoring the tea’s fragrance like this.

After a while.

He could sense movement heading toward the Reception Hall.

The presence of Dang Ji-yeon, the Tang Family Head, and Dang Ja-cheong.

Along with them, he could also sense the movement of many martial artists.

By the time he had completely emptied his second slowly-sipped teacup.

He could sense those entering the Reception Hall.

Clack.

The moment Ha Mu-baek set his teacup down on the tea table.

Creak.

The room door opened and a group of people entered.

Ha Mu-baek rose from his chair with a calm expression.

“It’s my first time meeting you. I am Ha Mu-baek, Chief Instructor of the Maengryong Corps at Gyoryong Hall.”

Since Peng Do-yul had called him Chief Instructor, he had now started using that title outside as well.

“It’s my first time meeting you as well. I am Dang Mu-ryeong, Family Head of the Sichuan Tang Family.”

Ha Mu-baek and Dang Mu-ryeong.

The gazes of the two men met in midair.

As Dang Mu-ryeong said, this was their first meeting.

During the Murim War, Dang Mu-ryeong had mainly guarded the family estate or only dealt with the Demon Cult and Blood Cult near Sichuan Province, so there had been no opportunity to encounter Ha Mu-baek.

‘Just as he said.’

When he had encountered Dang Ja-cheong several times on the battlefield, he had spoken boastfully to Ha Mu-baek.

That his son, to whom he had passed the position of Family Head, was much stronger than himself—the Tang Family’s strongest martial artist.

Both the aura emanating from his body and the power Ha Mu-baek sensed he was restraining with his energy perception.

Indeed, it was worthy of such words.

Perhaps it was because such a person was his father that Dang Jin-san had become the Seongdo Hwahwa Prince.

An exceptionally outstanding father, and brothers and sisters.

Dang Jin-san alone lacking talent among them all.

Perhaps ending up as just the Seongdo Hwahwa Prince could be considered fortunate.

It was an environment where he could have become much more twisted and broken.

‘The boy does have a fundamentally good nature though.’

As Ha Mu-baek slightly nodded while recalling the true character of the always-fooling-around Dang Jin-san.

“It’s been a while. You should have visited sooner.”

Dang Ja-cheong, who had been standing beside Dang Mu-ryeong, smiled broadly as he offered his greeting.

“I apologize, Elder.”

Ha Mu-baek returned the greeting.

“Come, come, let’s sit and talk.”

At Dang Ja-cheong’s suggestion, everyone gathered around the large tea table.

“I heard from Yeon-ah what Instructor Ha desires.”

Dang Mu-ryeong brought up the main topic immediately upon sitting down.

This was already being considerate of his father’s dignity.

Otherwise.

He might have immediately smashed down the Reception Hall door and shouted about what kind of crazy nonsense this was.

“It’s absolutely necessary for the Maengryong Corps, who will face jiangshi alongside the Demon Suppression Corps in Sanwol Demon Forest.”

Since he was in the position of making a request, Ha Mu-baek spoke with proper courtesy.

“Until now, Poison Immunity Pills haven’t been supplied to the Maengryong Corps, so suddenly demanding them puts the Tang Family in a difficult position.”

“Until now, it was because the Maengryong Corps was simply treated as expendable.”

Ha Mu-baek answered calmly.

Expendable.

At those words, Dang Mu-ryeong fell silent for a moment.

He had no words to refute.

It was an undeniable fact.

And right now, his son, his sixth child, was there to become expendable.

“Then you’re saying they’re not expendable now?”

“At least not while I’m there. For that to be possible, one Poison Immunity Pill per person is absolutely necessary to prepare for contingencies.”

“Even so, the supply of Poison Immunity Pills is ultimately according to the Jeongcheon Alliance’s demands. It’s not a matter to be decided by individual requests.”

Dang Mu-ryeong was firm.

No matter what Ha Mu-baek said, he was clearly expressing his refusal.

Ha Mu-baek looked directly at Dang Mu-ryeong, but he only met that gaze with fierce eyes, showing no sign of backing down.

For Ha Mu-baek, there was no other method he could employ.

The justification was clearly in Dang Mu-ryeong’s hands, and procedurally, his words were correct.

Ha Mu-baek looked away from Dang Mu-ryeong and gazed up at the ceiling for a moment.

‘Sigh. Should I go beat up Gongsun Elder…’

But going all the way back to Luoyang would be troublesome.

“Now, now. Please calm down for a moment. Let this old man interject briefly.”

At Dang Ja-cheong’s words, both men’s gazes turned to him.

“First, Instructor Ha. Do you know how precious Poison Immunity Pills are?”

“I know they can temporarily make someone without any martial arts immune to all poisons, but?”

Dang Ja-cheong nodded at Ha Mu-baek’s answer.

“Yes. You do know how precious they are. Then, even though we are the Sichuan Tang Family, do you think we can easily make such things?”

At this returned question, Ha Mu-baek hesitated for a moment.

“I know that such pills are difficult to manufacture. But I believe it would be possible with the Tang Family’s capabilities.”

Ha Mu-baek answered with a calm expression.

Even during his time as Hocheon Corps Leader, the supply of Poison Immunity Pills had never been cut off.

Dang Ja-cheong gazed intently at such Ha Mu-baek.

“Currently, we produce roughly one hundred fifty to two hundred per year.”

“Hmm…”

At Dang Ja-cheong’s answer, Ha Mu-baek let out a low murmur.

He had thought manufacturing would be difficult, but it seemed even more difficult than he had imagined.

That must have been why Dang Mu-ryeong had been so stubborn.

This wouldn’t work.

It was more than half the amount the Tang Family produced in a year.

“I apologize. I made an unreasonable request.”

Ha Mu-baek acknowledged this and apologized cleanly.

If he couldn’t obtain poison antidote pills from the Tang Family, he would have to find another way for now.

‘Should I go to Luoyang after all…’

If the Tang Family wouldn’t work, he would have to go get some from the Jeongcheon Alliance’s stockpile.

“Well, you probably only remember easily receiving supplies during your time as Hocheon Corps Leader, so I suppose that’s understandable.”

Dang Ja-cheong spoke as if he understood.

“How was that possible back then?”

Ha Mu-baek suddenly asked with curiosity.

“We had stockpiled them for many years, and it was an emergency situation at the time. We also made them desperately. Of course, the Hocheon Corps’ help was significant in that.”

Ha Mu-baek tilted his head for a moment, then soon recalled an operation.

An operation launched to recapture a place that wasn’t even a strategic stronghold.

Even though the Hocheon Corps was supposed to protect the Alliance Leader’s safety, they moved separately from him at So Hwi-ung’s command.

During the Great Murim War, such things happened so frequently.

The Hocheon Corps had transformed from being the Alliance Leader’s guard corps to something closer to an independent strike force directly under the Alliance Leader.

In the fierce situation of the Great Murim War, there were many battlefields where every hand was needed, so the Alliance Leader even gave up his own protection and deployed his guard corps here and there.

Wudo in Gansu Province.

It was an operation to recapture that place located near Sichuan Province.

After fierce battles, only after recapturing that place could they understand the reason for the operation.

It was a recapture operation carried out at the Tang Family’s request for medicinal herbs that grew in the surrounding mountains.

While it had no tactical significance, it had strategic meaning.

After recapturing that place, the supply volume of various pills provided by the Tang Family increased.

“Wudo.”

At Ha Mu-baek’s brief words, Dang Ja-cheong nodded.

At that part, Dang Mu-ryeong slightly avoided Ha Mu-baek’s gaze.

Even now, the Tang Family was receiving medicinal supplies from that place.

It was precious land where many truly valuable medicinal herbs grew.

The Tang Family, while based in Sichuan, had gained influence over that place in Gansu because of the Great Murim War.

The Jeongcheon Alliance had recaptured that place and entrusted its management to the Tang Family.

Among the many who had fought fierce battles shedding blood at that time was the Hocheon Corps.

They had achieved the greatest military merit.

It was natural.

Ha Mu-baek had been there.

“We received great help. Moreover, isn’t my grandson currently in the Maengryong Corps? Among the poison antidote pills you’re trying to obtain, there would be that child’s share too, wouldn’t there?”

Ha Mu-baek nodded.

Dang Mu-ryeong acknowledged Ha Mu-baek at least in that regard.

He could have made demands using Dang Jin-san as an excuse, saying the poison antidote pills were for his son’s use.

But Ha Mu-baek hadn’t mentioned Dang Jin-san’s name from beginning to end.

How could one not acknowledge such behavior as that of a true man?

“Then how about we do this?”

Having spoken thus, Dang Ja-cheong briefly moistened his throat with tea.

Both Ha Mu-baek and Dang Mu-ryeong’s gazes focused on him simultaneously.

“Father. This won’t do. If you think of the servants who are doing all sorts of difficult work to make poison antidote pills even now…”

“Hehe, Family Head, please listen to what I have to say for a moment.”

Dang Ja-cheong extended one hand to stop Dang Mu-ryeong’s words.

Then he looked at Ha Mu-baek again.

“Right now, the Central Plains faces an enormous disaster. Do you happen to know about it?”

At the sudden unexpected question, Ha Mu-baek tilted his head.

An enormous disaster.

This was the first he’d heard of it.

Could there be something other than the Blood Cult and Demon Cult?

Right now, Ha Mu-baek’s attention was entirely focused on Sanwol Demon Forest.

“I don’t know.”

An honest answer.

“This matter began in the Southern Barbarian lands.”

Having started thus, Dang Ja-cheong told him everything that had happened.

Though much of it was still classified, he didn’t hide anything.

Dang Mu-ryeong tried to interrupt several times, but Dang Ja-cheong didn’t give him the chance.

“A poison that even the Myriad Poison Immunity cannot block…”

Ha Mu-baek muttered while lost in thought.

If that were true, even Ha Mu-baek himself wouldn’t be safe.

His level of poison resistance was also around the Myriad Poison Immunity realm.

In addition to that.

“Ten Thousand Year Poison Crystal…”

Shocking words.

At Ha Mu-baek’s muttering, Dang Mu-ryeong showed an uncomfortable expression.

Hadn’t he himself only heard this from his father just a moment ago?

That meant even Jeongcheon Alliance Leader So Hwi-ung didn’t know this story yet.

“Do you believe it?”

When Dang Ja-cheong asked, Ha Mu-baek nodded.

He had to.

Hadn’t he directly seen the Ten Thousand Year Ice Crystal not long ago?

‘If the Ten Thousand Year Ice Crystal exists, there’s no reason the Ten Thousand Year Poison Crystal couldn’t exist…’

Dang Ja-cheong showed a surprised expression at Ha Mu-baek’s too-easy acceptance.

It was a story that ordinary people would find hard to believe, like mere fantasy and legend.

Like how people speak of dragons’ existence, but no one has actually seen a dragon.

“So, I’m thinking of going to the Southern Barbarian lands this time. Not to the village that child Yeon-ah visited, but tracing back to where this calamity first began.”

At Dang Ja-cheong’s words, Dang Ji-yeon showed a startled face.

“So I’m asking. Would you go together with me? That fellow won’t let me go because he’s worried about his father, so if someone reliable like you came along, it would be a great help.”

Dang Ja-cheong’s proposal.

“Absolutely not! Father!”

Before Ha Mu-baek could even think about it, Dang Mu-ryeong jumped up and shouted.

Hocheon Corps Leader Ha Mu-baek.

He knew the man was strong.

But this was different.

The very journey to seek poison that even Myriad Poison Immunity couldn’t withstand was nonsensical.

No matter how strong one’s martial arts, they would be useless before such deadly poison.

“Then should I go alone?”

Dang Ja-cheong asked, looking at his son.

“As Family Head, I cannot allow that either!”

Dang Mu-ryeong was resolute.

“What is your reason for suddenly making such a request of me?”

Ha Mu-baek interjected into the father-son argument.

“Since it’s a difficult matter, let’s help each other. If you go to the Southern Barbarian lands with me, I’ll prepare two hundred poison antidote pills for you.”

“Father!!!”

Dang Mu-ryeong shouted again.

However, Dang Ja-cheong ignored his son’s outcry.

“Though I am a former Family Head, I still have that much authority. Isn’t that right?”

Dang Ja-cheong asked with sharp eyes.

“….”

Dang Mu-ryeong could not give any answer.

Because it was the truth.

“Instructor Ha’s martial arts are truly Unrivaled Under Heaven. He will be of great help to me.”

“I cannot accept this.”

Ha Mu-baek had not yet given his answer.

The two were arguing.

‘Luoyang and Namman….’

Ha Mu-baek was weighing the two options.

Of the two places, the one with less burden was.

Indeed.

‘Namman it is.’

Going to Luoyang to deal with Gongsun Elder and So Hwi-ung would be quite a tiresome affair.

“Understood. I shall accompany you.”

At Ha Mu-baek’s answer, Dang Ja-cheong smiled faintly.

“This is ridiculous!!!”

Dang Mu-ryeong burst into a roar.

He absolutely could not allow this.

“Now, now. It’s better than going with you.”

Dang Ja-cheong spoke with a resolute face.

At those words, Dang Mu-ryeong sharply turned his head and glared at Ha Mu-baek with fierce eyes.

What exactly was this man that Father showed such trust in him?

To the point of ignoring his own son’s words.

“If that’s the case. If that’s the case, then he must prove himself.”

A savage voice flowed from Dang Mu-ryeong’s mouth.

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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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