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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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Song Chae-ji was starting to reach her limit.
After defeating Pung-hyo and Jin-chung, she now faced her third opponent and took a moment to steady her breath as their swords collided.”
‘Not enough internal energy…’
Thanks to the support she received as a promising disciple of the Hangsang Sect, Song Chae-ji possessed more internal energy than the average martial artist her age.
However, it still wasn’t enough to match the Nine Great Sects, and even within the Five Mountain Sword Sects, the Hangsang Sect was considered among the weaker ones.
Furthermore, their influence within the Shanxi martial world had dwindled recently due to the rise of the unorthodox sects.
While she had more internal energy than her peers, it was far from sufficient to endure a continuous onslaught from seasoned unorthodox martial artists who had spent years, even decades, honing their skills.
“Ugh!”
Her opponent seized the moment her focus wavered due to her dwindling internal energy.
While his martial arts skills might have been inferior to Song Chae-ji’s, his experience, honed in the brutal world of unorthodox martial arts, was formidable.
*Clang! Bang!*
His broadsword slid along Song Chae-ji’s blade.
She belatedly tried to deflect it with a burst of energy, but it was too late.
“Ah…”
As if to repay her for holding her sword to Pung-hyo’s throat, her opponent pressed his blade against her long, white neck.
A single moment of carelessness had led to an irreversible blunder.
“Haha, it’s over.”
Pung-hyo, who had been watching with his arms crossed, burst into laughter.
Song Chae-ji bit her lip.
‘I could have won…’
She couldn’t bring herself to admit defeat. Regret, frustration, self-reproach and despair filled her heart.
“Well? Hurry up and admit defeat.”
The broadsword pressed slightly harder against her neck as he urged her.
A stinging sensation followed as a trickle of blood ran down her neck. It was a deliberate threat.
“Mmmgh…”
If she admitted defeat, the inn that Yang So-dang and her father had worked their whole lives to obtain would be lost.
Song Chae-ji couldn’t speak.
As if sensing her inner turmoil, someone spoke up for her.
“Miss Song has lost.”
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While Song Chae-ji was pinned down and trapped in her internal conflict, Namgung-Woo knew it was his turn.
Acknowledging Song Chae-ji’s defeat, he stepped forward.
“So, please remove your sword.”
His polite tone conveyed a strange sense of calm.
The onlookers, who had dismissed him as a mere spectator, now looked at him with curiosity.
Who was this man, and why was he suddenly stepping forward?
The Black Bear Gang members shared the same thought.
“And who are you? You have a pretty face, but… if you’re some young master from a noble family, don’t interfere in martial arts affairs and just be on your way.”
Pung-hyo spoke with a level of respect he rarely used.
To speak so boldly to a group of armed martial artists… it suggested a powerful backing.
Furthermore, Namgung-Woo was strikingly handsome.
In this era, appearances often influenced how people were perceived.
Exceptional looks were usually associated with powerful martial artists or those of high social standing.
Even with their strong backing, the Black Bear Gang wanted to avoid the trouble of offending a nobleman who didn’t practice martial arts.
“You said earlier that this wasn’t just a spar between you and Miss Song, but between the inn and the Black Bear Gang.
So, since Song So-jeo has lost, it’s only right for the next representative from the inn to step forward, isn’t it?”
“Hah! So you’re volunteering?”
Pung-hyo’s demeanor changed instantly.
So he knew a little martial arts, did he? If he was so eager to step forward, the Black Bear Gang had nothing to hold back.
Namgung-Woo nodded.
‘All show and no substance. I can’t sense any internal energy from him.’
Pung-hyo was a genuine martial artist and was considered a skilled fighter even within the Black Bear Gang.
While not quite a peak master, he was a first-rate martial artist, close to reaching that level.
However, he couldn’t detect any trace of martial arts training from Namgung-Woo. While his physique was hidden beneath his clothes, martial artists who had cultivated their internal energy typically emitted a faint aura.
It was said that peak masters could subdue their opponents with the sheer pressure of their natural aura.
But Namgung-Woo had no such aura.
‘He must have been blessed with a naturally strong body, but I’ll have to teach him what true martial arts is all about.’
It was a shame he couldn’t personally teach him a lesson because he’d already lost to Song Chae-ji.
“Alright. Park Jung-eon, don’t hold back. Teach him a lesson.”
At his words, Song Chae-ji exclaimed,
“Wait! He’s just an ordinary person who doesn’t know martial arts! How can you have a spar with someone like that…!”
“He volunteered, didn’t he?”
At Pung-hyo’s sarcastic remark, Song Chae-ji grabbed Namgung-Woo.
“Hey, this isn’t the time to be reckless! You could end up crippled!”
Namgung-Woo suppressed a chuckle.
While he had been thoroughly entertained by the martial arts displayed so far, he was also slightly disappointed.
‘They’re barely first-rate. I hope the overall level of martial arts in this world isn’t this low.’
It was too early to draw conclusions based on just five Black Bear Gang members and Song Chae-ji.
The Shanxi martial world wasn’t known for powerful sects, and the level of skill in Pingyao County, a small town far from the provincial capital of Taiyuan, was likely even lower.
But one thing was certain.
There was no one here who could threaten him.
“Don’t worry. I’ve observed their level of skill.”
His confidence stemmed from a clear understanding of his own abilities.
Song Chae-ji, with her heightened senses honed through martial arts training, could sense it.
As if entranced, she loosened her grip on his arm.
“No need for introductions. Let’s just get this over with.”
Namgung-Woo raised his hands. Empty-handed. He would face his opponent unarmed.
He didn’t have his beloved sword, but it didn’t matter.
In fact, fighting bare-handed made it easier to control his strength.
However, perhaps his decision to face a broadsword with his bare hands provoked them.
The atmosphere around the Black Bear Gang members turned menacing.
“Cut off one of his arms.”
At Pung-hyo’s command, the broadsword flew towards Namgung-Woo.
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During his time in Chu-rok Murim, Namgung-Woo was primarily a PvE player, focusing on hunting monsters and leveling up.
He had little interest in PvP content, commonly referred to as “sparring” or “dueling.”
It wasn’t that he disliked fighting other players, but as a latecomer, he had to focus on hunting to catch up to those who were already near max level.
Therefore, he only started participating in PvP after reaching the Transcendent Realm, the same level as his close friends like Namgung-Mae and Namgung-Pung.
Even then, his focus remained on leveling up. He still hadn’t reached the Enlightenment Realm, the true max level.
However, his closest friend, Namgung-Mae, was an avid PvPer, and he was practically dragged into the arena as soon as he reached the Transcendent Realm.
That’s when he realized he was a frog in a well.
Namgung-Mae was an excellent teacher. She was knowledgeable about all aspects of Chu-rok Murim, but her true expertise lay in PvP.
He couldn’t land a single blow. Every one of his sword techniques was countered, and every time she swung her sword, he found himself vulnerable.
Even after their first match, when any intention of going easy on him was gone, the outcome remained the same.
Was it because Namgung-Mae was at the peak of the Transcendent Realm, while he was just at the beginning? Even if that were the case, Namgung-Woo had the advantage of a longer attack range.
In Chu-rok Murim, hitboxes were determined by the avatar’s model.
While female characters had an advantage in PvE due to their smaller hitboxes and easier dodging, attack range was crucial in PvP, which is why the top-ranked players were almost always male characters.
Their advantages and disadvantages were practically equal.
Yet, even after Namgung-Woo reached the Enlightenment Realm, he couldn’t win a single match against Namgung-Mae.
Of course, there was the handicap of not being able to use wide-range AoE skills that could obliterate an opponent’s defense, but even considering that, the difference in power between the Enlightenment and Transcendent Realms was vast.
Yet, Namgung-Mae bridged that gap.
When Namgung-Woo asked her how she did it, she replied,
“You just have to anticipate your opponent’s moves and act accordingly.”
In other words, Namgung-Mae wasn’t reacting to his actions, but predicting them and executing the optimal counter.
This was a testament to her natural talent, and also to her deep understanding of his fighting style.
Namgung-Woo, convinced that he could never replicate her ability, decided to learn secret techniques she was unfamiliar with.
So why was he reminiscing about old memories now?
The reason was simple.
‘Is this what Mae-nim was talking about?’
What he had deemed impossible for himself now seemed within his reach.
Namgung-Woo’s eyes glowed with an intense blue light.
He could see it.
The movement of his opponent’s internal energy.
The subtle twitching of muscles which hinted at the next move.
The emotions in his opponent’s eyes, and the target of his gaze.
Everything.
Azure Eyesight.
His unique eyes, unlike any other in the world, were showing him a glimpse of the future.
‘That exaggerated movement is a feint. He’s aiming for my knees. I’ll use the Infinite Steps to close the distance and strike his liver with the Exploding Thunder Fist.’
His body moved as soon as the thought formed.
It was a swift motion, as if his body was struggling to keep up with the speed of his thoughts.
Power surged through him.
The Infinite Steps, a signature movement technique of the Namgung Family in Chu-rok Murim, was an aggressive footwork technique designed for closing the distance.
As Namgung-Woo’s foot slammed into the ground, True Qi surged from the Yongquan acupoint on the sole of his foot, traveling through his body and converging in his fist in an instant.
Crack!
The impact resounded with a sickening thud, making one question whether it was truly a collision between sword and flesh.
There was no scream. Only a silent gasp as his opponent’s mouth opened wide.
The liver was a vital point. Even a bare-handed strike to the liver could knock the wind out of someone and drain their strength.
And Namgung-Woo, despite holding back, had struck with his internal energy. It was a wonder he hadn’t been knocked unconscious.
As Namgung-Woo retracted his fist, his opponent’s body crumpled.
*Thud. Thump.*
Park Jung-eon’s knees buckled as his upper body collapsed…his forehead slamming into the ground.
It was a pathetic sight for a member of the Black Bear Gang, a group known for their arrogance in Pingyao County.
Namgung-Woo glanced at the back of his opponent’s head before shifting his gaze to his own hand. The lingering sensation was strange.
The attack hadn’t connected perfectly. His body and internal energy weren’t fully synchronized.
‘I think I’ll get it if I try again.’
He shook his hand, as if shaking off the lingering discomfort. The strange sensation in his fist dissipated into the air.
With that, he lost all interest in his defeated opponent. His gaze shifted forward.
He saw the stunned expressions of the onlookers. Namgung-Woo didn’t give them time to process what had happened.
His voice jolted them out of their stupor.
“Who’s next?”
He spoke again to the speechless crowd.
“I’d prefer if you hurry. I think I’m starting to get the hang of this.”
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