—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Yang Jeong had a problem.
It wasn’t a major one. Or was it? He wasn’t sure. It might actually be a rather significant dilemma.
At first, Namgung-Woo thought Yang Jeong was seasick, but seeing his consistently gloomy expression despite a lack of other symptoms, he spoke to him.
And as if waiting for the opportunity, Yang Jeong confessed his inner turmoil to Namgung-Woo.
“I’m really worried that the entry requirement for our Azure Sky Group will become the Peak Realm…”
His twin brother, Yang Kwai, had already entered the Peak Realm.
Peng Ha-ryeong, younger than him, was already a high-level Peak Realm expert.
He could ignore Yang Kwai’s teasing when it was just the three of them, but with such an impressive new recruit, it no longer sounded like a joke.
“What if I’m the only one kicked out, or…”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Just reach the Five Dragons Reaching the Summit and enter the Peak Realm yourself.”
“…I wish it were that easy.”
This sounded like a serious case of inner demons.
Namgung-Woo realized Yang Jeong was deeply troubled.
Had being surpassed by his brother again, so soon after finally surpassing him in the Thirteen Lightning Sword Techniques, been that much of a shock?
Realizing he’d been neglecting the Yang brothers, preoccupied with his own training and matters related to the Hebei Peng Family, Namgung-Woo decided to act as their mentor again.
“How’s your sword technique training coming along?”
“I’m stuck on the sixth form. It’s hard to execute properly without Sword Qi.”
While not as demanding as the last four forms, which required Sword Qi, the sixth form onward assumed the user possessed Sword Qi.
Fortunately, unlike the last four forms, Sword Qi wasn’t strictly necessary, but its presence made a significant difference.
For example, the seventh form, Flying Thunder Strike, was a ranged attack using Sword Qi or Sword Wind.
Executing Flying Thunder Strike with only Sword Wind required a higher level of True Qi control and physical conditioning than simply throwing an invisible blade.
“And your Thunderclap True Qi?”
“That’s also stalled. I’ve been trying to refine my True Qi based on the lightning Qi you shared with me, Boss, but it’s difficult.”
Namgung-Woo sensed Yang Jeong’s impatience.
His brother’s breakthrough to the Peak Realm had made him anxious. The feeling of being left behind was difficult to understand unless experienced firsthand.
Instead of pushing Yang Jeong to continue with his current training, Namgung-Woo decided to try a different approach.
“How about a change of pace?”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Before coming to this world, Namgung-Woo had enjoyed accumulating random knowledge.
And among the psychological phenomena he knew was the Incubation Effect.
The same incubation as the hatching of an egg.
A psychological phenomenon that could enhance creative thinking, allowing one to find solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems.
The idea was that stepping away from a problem and returning to it later could trigger a breakthrough.
There was a similar concept called the Fly on the Wall Effect.
Based on his knowledge of future psychology, Namgung-Woo made a suggestion.
“Let’s practice observational skills.”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
What were observational skills? Simply put, the art of seeing.
Humans rely on sight for most of their information processing.
It was the most intuitive sense.
Information received through the optic nerve, directly connected to the brain, was processed rapidly, forming the basis for situational analysis.
Smell, taste, and pain, even when experiencing the same stimuli, could be interpreted differently by different individuals. Experiences varied, and the information itself was often ambiguous.
One might smell something and find it a repulsive stench, while another might find it appetizing.
One might hear a sound and identify it as the wind, while another might perceive it as the whoosh of a weapon.
One might feel pain and describe it as the burning of frostbite, while another might claim it was the sting of extreme cold.
Thus, sensory information, filtered through individual experience, often resulted in varying interpretations.
But sight was different.
It was incredibly direct, and barring hallucinations, everyone perceived and interpreted the same information in the same way.
There might be differences in detail and depth of perception, but conflicting interpretations were rare.
Therefore, even for martial artists who honed their six senses and perceived the world through Qi, sight remained a crucial sense.
“But there’s a limit to enhancing vision through Qi. Experts operate at superhuman speeds. Even with enhanced dynamic vision, it’s difficult to fully track their movements.”
Even Namgung-Woo, with his tempered body, couldn’t keep up with certain exchanges without using his Ever-Clear Vision.
The Sky-Gazing Howler, Guo Duan, Peng Hou-sang… and perhaps even Han Gye-ran, if he broadened the criteria.
These examples, all monstrous yokai or peerless experts, highlighted the limitations of physical abilities.
They were proof that even enhanced physical prowess had its limits without resorting to special abilities.
“That’s why observational skills are necessary. It’s not just about enhancing vision. It’s about learning how and what to see. A master’s battle begins with observation.”
Namgung-Woo had realized this during the battle at Longevity Hill. He’d learned it the hard way, in a life-or-death struggle, so he felt justified in sharing his insight.
“But, Oppa, observational skills are usually secret techniques. Only the Nine Sects possess true observational arts, right? Even among the Seven Great Families, only the Tang Family of Sichuan and the Zhuge Family are known for their observational skills.”
The Hebei Peng Family also had their own observational art, the Mixed Void Observation Method.
But its role was supplementary, enhancing the abilities of the Heaven and Earth Infinite Void Divine Art.
Unless an observational art itself reached the level of a divine art, it was difficult to surpass the intuition and experience of a high-level martial artist.
Especially when dealing with techniques like the Heaven and Earth Infinite Void Divine Art, which granted precognitive abilities.
“True. I haven’t learned any observational techniques like the Peng Family’s Mixed Void Observation Method. Frankly, I rely entirely on my constitution. But the observational skills I’m talking about are more fundamental.”
“What do you mean by fundamental?”
“Expanding your field of vision. There are times when you need to focus intensely on a specific area, but broadening your awareness can help you anticipate surprise attacks and hidden intentions.”
The deck of the ship wasn’t suitable for practicing swordsmanship or saber arts.
There wasn’t even enough space for proper sparring, let alone freely swinging a sword.
Constantly circulating True Qi was boring and inefficient, so he figured they could use this opportunity to train their observational skills.
His main goal, however, was to trigger the Incubation Effect in Yang Jeong.
With a hint of his true intentions, Namgung-Woo revealed his ultimate goal.
“If you take it a step further, you might even be able to see yourself from a third-person perspective.”
This was something he hoped to achieve himself.
He believed that combining meditation with observational training could lead to a more objective view of oneself and one’s surroundings.
This was the Fly on the Wall Effect he’d mentioned earlier.
To become a fly on the wall, observing oneself from an outsider’s perspective, overcoming failures and setbacks, and achieving positive growth.
Meditation in martial arts wasn’t that different, but Namgung-Woo’s plan was to combine it with the Incubation Effect to achieve the Fly on the Wall Effect more quickly and easily.
“So, let’s start by identifying blind spots.”
Namgung-Woo smiled.
It was a moment of excitement in the otherwise monotonous journey, which had been enjoyable only for the first few days.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“I was actually looking forward to it, you know.”
“Uh, looking forward to what?”
“You know, the usual stuff when you first enter the Jianghu? Encountering bandits or river pirates? But the bandits are basically highway patrol, and there’s not a single pirate in sight. It’s a bit disappointing.”
As he spoke, all three heads snapped up, their eyes scanning the air for any sign of movement.
They’d sensed Namgung-Woo’s visualized bursts of energy, aimed at their blind spots, and dodged.
“Boss, what pirates? There are no pirates on the Grand Canal. They’d be fish food before they could even blink, blasted to bits by the Imperial Navy’s cannons. Oof!”
“It was just a figure of speech.”
“Maybe… huff! But once we disembark, it’ll be just like the Jianghu stories you’ve told us. The south…”
Yang Jeong abruptly twisted his body, cutting himself short.
Namgung-Woo had increased the speed of his energy bursts.
“The south is where the unorthodox sects thrive? But I heard there are plenty of righteous sects there too. The Mount Mo Sect, one of the Nine Sects, is right below Nanjing.”
This time, it was Peng Ha-ryeong who answered.
Unlike the Yang brothers, who were clearly struggling, she seemed relatively at ease.
Even though Namgung-Woo was using more force against her, given her higher skill level.
With her opened meridians, her mastery of the Mixed Void Observation Method had improved significantly, allowing her to anticipate and evade his attacks.
“Oppa, it’s… not just… the unorthodox sects… it’s… the Four Seasons Gathering! That’s why…”
But even she found it difficult to speak while dodging and her words came out in short bursts.
“You’re saying there will be troublemakers.”
“Exactly! As expected… of Oppa!”
Namgung-Woo stopped his barrage.
Catching his breath, Yang Jeong continued.
“Whew… I’ve only heard rumors, but apparently, the Four Seasons Gathering attracts more up-and-coming talents than established masters.”
“Because it’s embarrassing. Imagine being somewhat famous, but not chosen by the Nine Dragons Master, so you apply for the Four Seasons Gathering, only to see someone you consider a rival get chosen. It’s a blow to their pride and reputation.”
“You two seem well-informed. The Nine Dragons Master’s Four Seasons Gathering is usually focused on up-and-coming talents. There are exceptions, but they’re considered the main players.”
The southern regions, far from the capital and its influence.
The unorthodox sects thrived there, undisturbed as long as their profits weren’t threatened.
And countless martial artists flocked there from all over for the Four Seasons Gathering.
In this confluence of circumstances, plots brewed.
A conspiracy to eliminate the up-and-coming talents heading to the Nine Dragons Estate.
Was it simply personal grudges? Or a desire for fame, earned by defeating renowned talents?
Such individuals existed, and in no small number.
But the true threat wasn’t individuals, but a group.
A group driven by primal instincts, beyond mere grudges.
“The Withered Hope Society [Bokmanghoe]. A group targeting up-and-coming talents, officially designated as enemies of the martial world.”
A society of those who hope to pluck the buds.
Hence, the Withered Hope Society.
The Four Seasons Gathering wasn’t just a peaceful event filled with the clang of steel.
The scent of blood, shed by those seeking the Nine Dragons Estate and those seeking to destroy them, seemed to waft towards Namgung-Woo.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
