The World’s Greatest Martial Arts Instructor - Chapter 390

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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 390. Just Once More

 

 

 

 

 

Despite meditating, reviewing, and pondering until late at night.

 

She couldn’t understand it at all.

 

She couldn’t find even the smallest clue.

 

Early in the hour of the Tiger.

 

In the end, Gwan Ha-gyeong stopped meditating and went to bed.

 

She could have meditated and pondered all night.

 

But this place was the Sanwol Demon Forest.

 

When dawn broke, she would have to start fighting jiangshi again.

 

To maintain her physical condition, some sleep was necessary.

 

She had heard that once one reached the pinnacle realm, there would be no problem with one’s physical condition even without sleeping for a day.

 

But Gwan Ha-gyeong’s level was still mid-first-class.

 

Day broke, and the same routine began.

 

In fact, it had only been about ten days since this routine started.

 

But to the Bongma Corps members, it felt like they had been living this way for months.

 

It was proof that each day was that intensive and dense.

 

Now only three days of this schedule remained.

 

They moved according to Ha Mu-baek’s instructions, and when they encountered jiangshi, they fought and defeated them.

 

Sometimes only the Bongma Corps fought, sometimes only the Maengryong Corps fought.

 

Sometimes Pyeong Deok-jo stepped forward alone to fight, and sometimes it was Pung Geon, Yu Gwi-gwang, Gwan Ha-gyeong, or Chu Ryang.

 

Ha Mu-baek watched them all closely, especially Gwan Ha-gyeong.

 

The blade technique she displayed.

 

Perhaps because of what he had said yesterday, there was definitely a change in Gwan Ha-gyeong’s blade work.

 

However, it was a change for the worse.

 

Hesitation and worry had appeared in the path of her blade’s beginning, the blade’s road.

 

The blade work that had flowed smoothly just yesterday.

 

Now wavered as if it had encountered obstacles.

 

The change was noticeable enough for others to see.

 

Worry for Gwan Ha-gyeong showed on their faces, but only Ha Mu-baek’s expression remained unchanged.

 

‘Good.’

 

Ha Mu-baek nodded slightly.

 

Things were moving as he had intended.

 

Night came again.

 

Now there were only two days left to spend with Ha Mu-baek.

 

Gwan Ha-gyeong sat cross-legged again and entered meditation.

 

Ha Mu-baek scattered his qi aura around to prevent unwanted things from approaching.

 

While watching over Gwan Ha-gyeong.

 

Again, she meditated until the end of the hour of the Ox, then tried to sleep at the beginning of the hour of the Tiger.

 

“Any results?”

 

Gwan Ha-gyeong was startled by Ha Mu-baek’s sudden question.

 

She thought everyone had gone to bed.

 

Before meeting Ha Mu-baek, they had taken turns keeping night watch.

 

Since they never knew when jiangshi might appear.

 

However.

 

After meeting Ha Mu-baek.

 

Following his actions, they rested comfortably without night watches.

 

Since nothing had happened, they now considered it natural.

 

Naturally, she thought Ha Mu-baek would have gone to bed too.

 

Since she had always seen him sleeping in the mornings.

 

She knew they could spend safe nights in the Sanwol Demon Forest thanks to him, but she couldn’t even guess what method he used.

 

“I’m lacking, so I don’t understand anything…”

 

Gwan Ha-gyeong answered honestly.

 

Because that was the truth.

 

“What should I do? No matter how much I meditate, worry, and think, I don’t know. Instructor.”

 

Her voice was sorrowful yet filled with deep determination.

 

She was directly asking her idol.

 

How she could become stronger.

 

Since Ha Mu-baek had told her she could become stronger.

 

She wanted to become stronger, but there were limits to what she could achieve alone.

 

So she asked for help.

 

Ha Mu-baek smiled slightly.

 

“The Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade is a blade technique that moves the blade. No matter how much you meditate, you won’t understand anything.”

 

At Ha Mu-baek’s words, Gwan Ha-gyeong stared at him intently.

 

Wasn’t it Ha Mu-baek who had told her to remember that day?

 

“Then what should I do?”

 

Gwan Ha-gyeong’s question.

 

“Cultivation through meditation becomes meaningful after one’s pinnacle has ripened. It’s still too early a method for you. Of course, it’s not completely without results.”

 

Gwan Ha-gyeong focused on Ha Mu-baek’s answer.

 

“Hesitation has appeared in your blade’s movement. More precisely, I’d say worry has emerged. It’s a good phenomenon.”

 

That was all Ha Mu-baek said.

 

Gwan Ha-gyeong tilted her head with a thoughtful expression.

 

Ha Mu-baek was already heading to his spot.

 

“It’s a blade technique that moves the blade.”

 

With those final words, Ha Mu-baek lay down and closed his eyes.

 

Unlike the others who prepared small tents to sleep in, Ha Mu-baek spent the night under the dew with just a blanket.

 

Gwan Ha-gyeong’s lips moved as if to say something, but she couldn’t speak.

 

Covered with a blanket and eyes closed.

 

She couldn’t bring herself to ask questions of Ha Mu-baek, who was showing through his actions that he intended to sleep now.

 

So Gwan Ha-gyeong also gave up and was heading to her small tent to sleep when she paused.

 

‘The Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade is a blade technique that moves the blade. Hesitation in the blade’s movement is a good phenomenon.’

 

After repeating Ha Mu-baek’s words.

 

She changed direction.

 

A small space a little away from where the group was sleeping.

 

The trees didn’t allow for much space, but it was just barely enough for Gwan Ha-gyeong to swing her blade alone.

 

Before going to sleep.

 

‘Just once.’

 

Gwan Ha-gyeong decided to practice the Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade once.

 

The fruitless meditation and today’s terrible real combat.

 

Thinking of all that, she started from the ready stance and moved her blade.

 

As expected, hesitation and worry emerged everywhere.

 

The blade stopped several times.

 

In real combat, she couldn’t stop, so she had swung her blade halfheartedly without conviction.

 

But now was different.

 

At the parts where hesitation made her blade stop, she worried and reinterpreted the secret manual’s incantation formulas to choose the optimal path.

 

Stopped again.

 

He repeated this process.

 

He had picked up his blade with the thought of performing it just once.

 

But that one time really became quite long.

 

Completely absorbed.

 

Performing the Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade once took nearly half a shichen.

 

Gwan Ha-gyeong didn’t notice at all that Ha Mu-baek, who had been lying down, had gotten up at some point and was secretly watching him.

 

‘He’s going in the right direction.’

 

Ha Mu-baek lay back down and intensified his qi aura even more.

 

So that no random creatures could even come near.

 

“Huff. Huff. Huff.”

 

He had only performed the blade technique once.

 

His entire body was drenched in sweat.

 

His breathing naturally became rough.

 

Even so, he felt refreshed.

 

He couldn’t be certain, but he felt something had changed.

 

‘Just one more time.’

 

This time he had no intention of doing it the same way as before.

 

It was simply a desire to confirm his blade technique that he had decided on after much hesitation and contemplation.

 

And so.

 

The Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade that Gwan Ha-gyeong performed again.

 

In an instant, it unfolded from the ready stance to the final form, Heaven-Collapsing Demon-Annihilation.

 

The Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade was clearly different from yesterday.

 

Yesterday and now.

 

It was certainly the Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade.

 

But its power was clearly different.

 

Though Gwan Ha-gyeong himself didn’t fully realize it.

 

Nevertheless, he finished his cultivation feeling that the blade’s movements had become much smoother and freer.

 

 

 

The next day.

 

Slash.

 

The Blood Jiangshi’s neck fell helplessly to Gwan Ha-gyeong’s blade strike.

 

Thud!

 

Pung Geon’s sword pierced through the Blood Jiangshi’s head that had fallen to the ground.

 

He looked at Gwan Ha-gyeong and asked.

 

“What happened? You’re completely different from yesterday?”

 

“Uh, well…”

 

Gwan Ha-gyeong couldn’t properly answer that question.

 

He was bewildered himself.

 

Could just that one cultivation session change him this much?

 

All of the Bongma Corps looked at Gwan Ha-gyeong with surprised faces.

 

It might have seemed even more impressive because it contrasted with his disastrous performance the day before.

 

But he had definitely become stronger.

 

It was a difference as if his realm had changed overnight.

 

‘At this level, he’d be upper first-rate? Peak first-rate? Somewhere around there.’

 

As Ha Mu-baek had observed and confirmed, her vessel was indeed full.

 

She had simply lacked the opportunity.

 

During her time with the Waryong Corps at Gyoryong Hall.

 

No, from much earlier than that.

 

Steadily.

 

Doing her best.

 

Silently.

 

The cultivation she had worked hard at had filled her vessel to the brim and beyond, to the point of overflowing.

 

The opportunity.

 

Without that, she had been unable to break through the wall of the mid first-rate realm.

 

Just then.

 

Ha Mu-baek’s ki sense detected two Blood Jiangshi approaching.

 

Since she seemed to have grasped a clue, it was time to push her further.

 

“Everyone fall back. Only Gwan Ha-gyeong stays. Two Blood Jiangshi will appear shortly. Face them as much as you can.”

 

The Bongma Corps hesitated momentarily at Ha Mu-baek’s instruction.

 

That was understandable since they had never made one person face two Blood Jiangshi before.

 

Nevertheless, seeing Ha Mu-baek’s face that was no different from usual, they gradually moved behind Ha Mu-baek.

 

Only Gwan Ha-gyeong remained.

 

Her expression was calm.

 

There was no fear or surprise about suddenly having to face two Blood Jiangshi alone.

 

Only thoughts about her blade filled her face.

 

Before long.

 

Two Blood Jiangshi appeared.

 

Thud.

 

As soon as Gwan Ha-gyeong saw them, she kicked off the ground.

 

And began swinging her blade.

 

Gwan Ha-gyeong’s blade, filled with her internal energy, flew toward the two Blood Jiangshi while emanating blade qi.

 

Clang!

 

Though it seemed momentarily blocked by their claws in a brief struggle.

 

Gwan Ha-gyeong’s blade strike moved along a subtly different yet more profound path than before, instantly severing the Blood Jiangshi’s arm.

 

The moment the other one’s arm also shot up into midair.

 

There was no obstruction in her movements.

 

With movements free of hesitation or doubt.

 

Slash. Slash.

 

She beheaded both Blood Jiangshi.

 

Thud. Roll roll roll.

 

The Blood Jiangshi heads rolling on the ground.

 

Pop. Pop.

 

Exploded and turned to dust with a single glance from Ha Mu-baek.

 

“Uh, hmm…”

 

Gwan Ha-gyeong felt something lacking.

 

A tickling sensation.

 

If she continued to experience more real combat.

 

It seemed like it would be resolved.

 

That day.

 

The day she had been consumed by blade technique and lost her memory.

 

It was like the feeling that those memories might return.

 

Moving the blade directly.

 

That was the answer, just as Ha Mu-baek had said.

 

What had shown no sign despite all her meditation.

 

Was reacting like this.

 

But it wasn’t enough.

 

It seemed she needed to face these creatures a bit more.

 

Having made that decision, Gwan Ha-gyeong.

 

“Could I ask for a little more?”

 

He requested Ha Mu-baek.

 

He wanted to face more jiangshi alone.

 

At that sight, Ha Mu-baek chuckled softly.

 

Tomorrow would be the last day.

 

“Except for Gwan Ha-gyeong, wait here in formation. Gwan Ha-gyeong will face the jiangshi that appear here. Only up to two at once. If three appear at the same time, join the formation.”

 

With those instructions given, Ha Mu-baek’s figure disappeared.

 

It was time to drive them.

 

To provide a suitable opponent for Gwan Ha-gyeong who desired real combat, he stimulated and lured the nearby Death Jiangshi, Poison Jiangshi, and Blood Jiangshi to drive them forward.

 

Thus jiangshi appeared endlessly.

 

One or two at a time.

 

Sending them in moderate intervals like this was also a skill.

 

Thanks to this, Gwan Ha-gyeong swung her blade without rest.

 

Each time, her blade strikes became more uninhibited.

 

As the results of the previous night’s contemplation continued to mature.

 

Gwan Ha-gyeong’s Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade was advancing toward a new realm.

 

The Bongma Corps, maintaining formation in preparation for any emergency, continued to be amazed by Gwan Ha-gyeong’s appearance.

 

Such an uninhibited Gwan Ha-gyeong.

 

It was a sight they had never imagined.

 

The more enemies Gwan Ha-gyeong defeated, the more frustrated she became.

 

There was definitely a tingling sensation as if something was about to burst forth.

 

But it only continued to tingle.

 

Because it wouldn’t burst out.

 

Then.

 

One Death Jiangshi, one Poison Jiangshi, and one Blood Jiangshi each.

 

All three entities revealed themselves.

 

When the Bongma Corps formation was about to move according to Ha Mu-baek’s instructions.

 

“Gwan Ha-gyeong will face them alone.”

 

At Ha Mu-baek’s instruction as he returned, they stopped.

 

‘Just a little more now.’

 

Ha Mu-baek also recognized Gwan Ha-gyeong’s frustration.

 

Now truly just a little remained.

 

In Ha Mu-baek’s view, if she faced these three entities, it seemed like it would burst forth.

 

“Kraaaak!”

 

The Poison Jiangshi let out a shriek and charged toward Gwan Ha-gyeong.

 

It was the one Ha Mu-baek had driven from the nearby Poison Lands.

 

Its claws gleamed with a dark purple color.

 

Claws with deadly poison that could cause fatal poisoning with just a graze.

 

The Poison Jiangshi’s hand flew toward Gwan Ha-gyeong’s right arm, but.

 

She calmly moved her body to avoid that hand and swung her blade.

 

Slash.

 

The moment she cut one of the Poison Jiangshi’s forearms, aiming for her back.

 

“Kuuuuuu.”

 

The Death Jiangshi charged, but.

 

It was slow.

 

The more threatening one was actually the Blood Jiangshi swinging its arms from the front.

 

Gwan Ha-gyeong didn’t overexert herself and first withdrew her body.

 

She faced the Poison Jiangshi first.

 

Because the one with poison that could cause poisoning with just a graze was the most troublesome.

 

But due to the interference of the Death Jiangshi and Blood Jiangshi, she couldn’t cut the Poison Jiangshi’s other arm.

 

The Blood Jiangshi instantly blocked the Poison Jiangshi’s front and thrust its claws.

 

And the Death Jiangshi, though slow, continuously aimed for Gwan Ha-gyeong’s back.

 

They were quite troublesome enemies.

 

This time too, the Blood Jiangshi blocked the front.

 

Gwan Ha-gyeong’s blade struck the Blood Jiangshi’s right shoulder, but the direction was diagonal, so she couldn’t cut it off.

 

She hastily pulled out her blade and retreated.

 

She couldn’t lose her weapon by having it stuck in the enemy’s body.

 

‘If only I could slice through them all at once…’

 

Frustration and such yearning arose in Gwan Ha-gyeong’s heart.

 

Meanwhile, she saw an opening in the Death Jiangshi charging toward her, so she instantly severed its neck.

 

Thus she reduced their number by one.

 

Now she tried to defeat whichever of the remaining two she could handle more quickly.

 

But the combined combat of the two was quite formidable.

 

If they were human, they would have collapsed the moment she drove her blade into their shoulder.

 

But jiangshi.

 

These things charged regardless of such things.

 

Their movement remained the same except for being unable to use one arm.

 

The moment the two simultaneously charged at Gwan Ha-gyeong.

 

Something burst with a pop in Gwan Ha-gyeong’s mind.

 

Internal energy arising from her dantian raced through her blood meridians and seeped into her blade through her palm.

 

As if filling it with sword qi.

 

Clang!

 

A chilling blue light began to settle over the blade.

—————
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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