The World’s Greatest Martial Arts Instructor - Chapter 446
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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 446. You’ve Come?
Dawn broke.
Han Seol-bing, who had entered the Righteous Heaven Alliance as soon as its gates opened, had no choice but to return empty-handed.
“Nothing?”
Han Seol-bing muttered as if incredulous.
She had sought out the Hocheon Corps, but only heard that Dam Mu-heun was absent and nothing else.
Even when she asked her former subordinates, she only received the answer, “Vice Corps Leader Dam is currently away.”
And then they firmly shut their mouths.
Since Han Seol-bing was no longer affiliated with the Hocheon Corps, she couldn’t continue pressing them.
In fact, just by telling her that Dam Mu-heun was absent, they had already violated alliance regulations.
Returning to the inn, Han Seol-bing ordered a simple breakfast and fell into thought.
Dam Mu-heun was the vice corps leader of the Hocheon Corps.
And currently, the corps leader position was vacant.
After the former corps leader Namgung Hwa-u had taken the position of Namgung Family Head, the position remained vacant, with no new Hocheon Corps leader being appointed.
‘They’re trying to call the Corps Leader back.’
Han Seol-bing inwardly guessed the reason.
Ha Mu-baek, the corps leader from two generations ago.
It was to bring him back.
Since Ha Mu-baek’s actions after becoming an instructor at Gyoryong Hall had unintentionally weakened the White Path Society considerably.
The Alliance Leader and Military Advisor were probably keeping the position vacant while waiting for the right moment.
However.
‘The problem is that the Corps Leader has no intention of doing so.’
Having watched from his side, Han Seol-bing could tell.
Ha Mu-baek no longer had any lingering attachment to the Hocheon Corps.
While he might have affection for his former subordinates, he seemed to have no thoughts or regrets about the position of Hocheon Corps Leader itself.
Well, what would such a monster have to regret about status?
‘But still, the fact that Dam Mu-heun is absent…’
The vice corps leader being away was no ordinary matter.
Even during Ha Mu-baek’s time as corps leader, that guy had never even taken a vacation.
Though it seemed he had used up all those vacations during Corps Leader Namgung’s time.
With the corps leader position vacant, the vice corps leader Dam Mu-heun had left the alliance?
‘Does this mean the Alliance Leader has left the alliance?’
That was the only thing she could speculate.
Now that her thoughts were organized, she could understand how much resolve her former subordinate had needed to tell her this fact.
Since it was information that could lead to speculation about the Alliance Leader’s absence, Dam Mu-heun’s absence would also be top secret among top secrets.
‘What’s happening?’
The current martial world was peaceful.
At least on the surface.
For the common people living their ordinary daily lives.
Having experienced those two terrible wars.
In other words, there should be no reason for the Alliance Leader to leave the alliance, but the fact that he had meant that while people were unaware, something equally serious was happening.
Han Seol-bing’s gaze turned toward the window.
Toward somewhere where Ha Mu-baek would be rushing here from Dongting Lake.
‘Could this be related to the Corps Leader saying he would become the Maengryong Corps Leader?’
She suddenly had that thought.
No, she was certain of it.
Because she had heard something from Ha Mu-baek.
He had said that monster-like jiangshi had appeared.
‘Right. This would be something worth the Alliance Leader personally stepping out for.’
Han Seol-bing came to that conclusion.
Her eyes sharpened.
“But why is he so late?”
***
“Hmm.”
Il-no let out a frustrated groan.
Eight Myeolcheon jiangshi.
He was currently awakening all of them, but the progress was sluggish.
It was probably because he was awakening all eight simultaneously.
Awakening them all at once took less total time than awakening them one by one, which was why he was proceeding this way.
Compared to when he had awakened only Chu Geum-ryeong, it felt like a turtle was walking.
Moreover, the First Guardian God, whom he had started working on first, was progressing the slowest.
From his experience awakening the previous two Myeolcheon jiangshi, combined with this current experience, he could speculate:
‘The stronger they are, the more time it takes to awaken.’
Indeed, even among the other seven Myeolcheon jiangshi he had started working on simultaneously, there were differences in progress.
“It’ll still take several more days.”
After checking the progress, Il-no left the room and headed elsewhere.
To where Gae Hong-cheon’s corpse was.
The work of turning him into a jiangshi was also slow.
Though it had gained speed after overcoming the biggest obstacle, that was only compared to before.
The absolute speed was still slow.
So slow that even Il-no couldn’t guess when it would be completed.
Nevertheless, he was steadily progressing through each stage.
Once all the Myeolcheon jiangshi awakened.
And even the Asura Blood Heaven jiangshi was completed.
“Ha Mu-baek. You’ll be finished too.”
Il-no muttered with a face full of killing intent.
His hands moved busily.
It was time to use various medicinal ingredients to proceed to the next stage.
***
Gyoryong Hall’s Great Training Ground.
All the Maengryong Corps second-year cadets had gathered.
Academy Director Peng Do-yul had come up to the platform.
Originally, this should have been done after New Year’s.
But because of the Jamryong Corps and Waryong Corps’ field training, the Winter Competition had been moved up.
The Maengryong Corps’ graduation was also accelerated.
About a month earlier compared to usual.
Thus, the Maengryong Corps second-years’ departure ceremony was now beginning.
Peng Do-yul looked at the ninety-seven cadets lined up before him.
His eyes were somewhat different from the previous departure ceremony.
If his gaze then had been merely complicated and regretful.
Today, there was even a small expectation contained within that.
The cadets who had received training from Ha Mu-baek and become incomparably stronger.
Honestly, he thought they were stronger than the Jamryong Corps or Waryong Corps cadets who would graduate this year.
While many individuals might be weak, he was confident that at least in group combat, these cadets were stronger.
“Second-year cadets of Maengryong Corps. You have worked hard all this time. As of this moment, I declare that your training at Gyoryong Hall has ended. As the Academy Director of Gyoryong Hall, I permit your departure!”
The loud proclamation struck the ears of the cadets in the great training ground.
What appeared on the faces of those second-year cadets was fear.
It couldn’t be helped.
No matter how harsh the training they had received from Ha Mu-baek, it was still just training.
Now was the moment they had to leave Gyoryong Hall for real combat.
Even the faces of the Seventh Group cadets who had experienced Sanwol Demon Forest showed traces of small fear.
The five Seventh Group cadets and Ju U-myeong looked around their surroundings.
They were searching for their instructors.
Ha Mu-baek and Han Seol-bing.
Since the two had happened to be absent on the day of the departure ceremony.
They looked around with a glimmer of hope, but as expected, they weren’t there.
Ha Seol-ran already knew this fact through her qi sense, so she was just looking at Academy Director Peng Do-yul on the platform.
But inwardly, she felt disappointed.
‘What on earth could be happening…’
While everyone was lost in their own thoughts.
Peng Do-yul stepped down from the platform and Zhuge Ming came up.
The same order as last year.
“You have truly worked hard all this time. Continue to steadily practice the shield techniques you’ve learned diligently. Think of the shield on your back as another life. Please return alive so we can share a drink together.”
At Zhuge Ming’s words, the Maengryong Corps cadets became solemn.
He wasn’t even an instructor for Maengryong Corps.
He was an instructor for Jamryong Corps.
Yet he had looked after the Maengryong Corps cadets as if they were his own assigned students.
This year too, without fail, the sturdy shields he had prepared with his own money were strapped to the backs of the Maengryong Corps cadets.
Even Zhuge Ming stepped down from the platform.
Three unfamiliar men climbed onto the platform.
“I am the Bongmadan Enemy Unit 1 Squad Leader. I am the person responsible for leading you. From now on, you are informed that you have been incorporated into Maengryong Corps under Bongma Corps. Now follow the orders of these Bongma Corps members.”
He stepped down from the platform.
The two Bongma Corps warriors busily organized and led the Maengryong Corps cadets, no, the martial artists.
Thus, Maengryong Corps left Gyoryong Hall.
Heading toward Sanwol Demon Forest.
There was a shadowy figure secretly following them.
But no one noticed.
Except for one person.
Except for Ha Seol-ran.
***
Intense sunlight had risen, but it couldn’t reach this place where trees grew densely.
Still, the darkness had retreated, and in a place where tree shadows fell thickly.
Ha Mu-baek was taking deep breaths.
It was only one night of training.
Nevertheless.
There had been considerable progress.
“Now up to five stars should be fine.”
His entire body was soaked with sweat.
The Wuji Yeoui Eight Fold Sword Technique and Wuji Close Combat that he had practiced without rest.
As a result, he could now perfectly control the Wuji Yeoui Eight Fold Sword Technique up to five stars.
Six stars was still too much.
But his adaptation was gradually improving.
When he went to where he had heard the sound of water, there was a small waterfall.
After washing his body there and putting on his clothes, he kicked off the ground.
He deployed the Thousand Li Sprint toward Luoyang.
He gradually raised his internal energy level.
Starting from six stars where there was no strain, then seven stars, eight stars.
Whoooooosh!
Leaving a tremendous sound of cutting through air behind him, Ha Mu-baek ran at full speed.
Even while running, his body was gradually adapting to the new realm.
His physical body was also becoming strong enough to withstand the power of martial arts at the new level.
Thanks to this, while running, he adapted up to nine stars of the Thousand Li Sprint.
Training at night, lightness skills during the day.
He ran for three more days like this.
During this time, Ha Mu-baek had only slept for two hours total.
Nevertheless, his eyes shone brilliantly.
As his body gradually adapted to the new realm, his eyes became even clearer and brighter.
The walls of Luoyang came into view.
The sun was setting.
“Tsk. I wonder how much of a fuss that guy will make.”
Clicking his tongue lightly, Ha Mu-baek ran even faster.
When the sun set and dusk fell, he crossed over Luoyang’s walls.
The place Ha Mu-baek headed to was a fairly large inn on the outskirts of Luoyang.
A gathering place known only to Hocheondan members.
If it was Han Seol-bing, he would surely be waiting for him here.
Palseon Inn.
The old signboard welcomed Ha Mu-baek, who was visiting after a long time.
When he opened the door and entered.
His eyes met directly with Han Seol-bing, who was sitting at a dining table having just finished his evening meal.
“You’ve arrived?”
Han Seol-bing greeted him calmly.
At that sight, a strange light appeared in Ha Mu-baek’s eyes.
“I thought you’d be jumping around frantically?”
Ha Mu-baek asked as he sat across from him.
“I was like that only on the night I arrived in Luoyang.”
Han Seol-bing spoke calmly while bringing tea to his lips.
The shopkeeper quickly approached and set down a teacup in front of Ha Mu-baek.
The aroma of cheap tea that had been steeped several times wafted up.
“One plate of dumplings, half a roasted duck, vegetables.”
Ha Mu-baek simply placed his order and looked at Han Seol-bing.
“And then?”
“The Alliance Leader wasn’t there. At the alliance.”
“Oh?”
Ha Mu-baek showed a surprised reaction.
It was certainly so.
The Alliance Leader So Hwi-ung that Ha Mu-baek knew wouldn’t leave the alliance for long.
Because he knew his lifelong goal.
Last time.
How surprised he had been when she came looking for him.
Though he had said it was just a brief outing, he would have had to be away for several days.
“He probably went to Sanwol Demon Forest.”
Han Seol-bing shared her thoughts.
“Why?”
“Because of that monster called Myeol-cheon.”
Ha Mu-baek crossed his arms and fell into thought.
The Bongma Member who had delivered the news had said he would also report to Cheonmok Pavilion, so naturally the Alliance Leader and Gongsun Elder would know about it too.
Since Ha Mu-baek had already turned the Alliance upside down once over the Soul-Sleeping Poison Jiangshi, the report would have been even more thorough.
“That’s not like the Alliance Leader though?”
He had already informed them about the existence of Myeolcheon Gangsi when they first met.
He had told them it was a jiangshi with power rivaling the Blood Cult Leader.
Even so, the Alliance Leader had chosen to preserve Sanwol Demon Forest.
“Well, I’ll find out when I meet him.”
“Pardon?”
“Gongsun Elder. I came to meet that old man.”
“Ah…”
Just then, the food arrived.
Ha Mu-baek quickly devoured the meal.
In fact, during his rush here, he hadn’t just missed sleep.
He had also skipped almost every meal while running.
It wasn’t because of Han Seol-bing.
The Eastern Tournament would be over by now, and then those guys would head to Sanwol Demon Forest.
He too had to hurry to get what he wanted here and go to Sanwol Demon Forest.
Was it because he had skipped so many meals?
Ha Mu-baek finished all the food in an instant.
Clack.
Ha Mu-baek set down his chopsticks with a sound.
He took out an iron coin from his chest and placed it on the dining table.
“Let’s go.”
“Pardon?”
“Let’s go meet Gongsun Elder.”
“At this hour?”
It was the time when twilight had turned to darkness.
To enter the Jeongcheon Alliance at this hour when the sun had completely set and night had fallen.
Han Seol-bing, who had been looking at Ha Mu-baek with a bewildered expression, nodded and stood up.
She had momentarily forgotten that this man was originally this kind of person.
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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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