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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
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“I didn’t show you such sloppy form! Do it again!”
Even if it was a low-level martial art, how could I perfectly execute the forms after seeing them only once? I wasn’t some naturally gifted prodigy with a Heavenly Martial Body; how could I master it instantly?
“Yes!”
Still, in situations like this, it was best to respond without complaint. Let’s try again properly. I spread my legs just as he had shown me.
“Hap!”
As I shouted and performed the first and second forms of Three Talents Sword Technique…
“That’s not it!”
“Oops.”
Another roar.
“Do it like this!”
Completely agitated, Senior Brother came up to me and demonstrated the forms of Three Talents Sword Technique again.
Whoosh!
“Ooh!”
Amazing, as expected!
Clean forms with no wasted movement!
If one were to allow such a sword strike to land, being split in two wouldn’t be unusual. I watched in admiration, engraving Senior Brother’s movements in my memory once more.
Come to think of it, people who got frustrated and yelled like this were often good teachers.
They tended to shout until they were satisfied with your performance.
If you just followed their instructions, you could at least learn the basics.
A teacher needed to have some stubbornness.
“I’ll show you again, so watch carefully!”
“Understood!”
I meticulously observed Senior Brother’s forms, trying my best to memorize them. It wasn’t a baseball bat, but a long blade with a sharp edge… That’s what I had to swing.
Not hitting with the flat of the blade, but cutting with the edge.
“Try it!”
“Yes!”
Alright!
Let’s replicate what I just saw.
“Kraaaap!”
This time, I shouted a little louder, focusing on cutting with the edge, not hitting with the flat, as I performed the first form.
Whizz!
The sound of the wind cutting through the air seemed cleaner somehow.
“Next form!”
“Haaap!”
I performed the next form, cutting through the air.
“Next!”
“Hiya!”
I took a step forward and thrust the sword forward. Even I thought it was a clean thrust. What would the evaluation be?
“Yes! Now your form is starting to look like something!”
Ooh, I received praise. I must have done well.
“Of course, it’s still at a basic level, but it’s enough to start with!”
“Thank you!”
“Then let’s keep practicing that today! Again!”
“Yes!”
I continued practicing the Three Talents Sword Technique as instructed by Senior Brother.
My form wasn’t perfect, but he seemed to think it was decent for the first day. I would continue coming to the school, so I would gradually improve.
Senior Brother left at some point, and I continued practicing the forms on my own.
“Huu.”
This was more tiring than I thought.
Still, swinging the wooden sword like this, I could feel my martial arts experience increasing, making it quite enjoyable.
To find enjoyment in training… I was truly a natural talent… Yes. From today onwards, I was Kim Geun-hyeop, the Divine Sword of the World.
Let’s strive for the pinnacle of swordsmanship!
Could I really become a divine swordsman like this?
“Stop!”
It was closing time. I saw the students packing up and leaving one by one.
I should leave too.
I tidied up my area and joined the other students as they headed out.
“Hehehe.”
To be training in martial arts after coming to the Murim…
Even if it was basic, low-level martial arts, it had been a fulfilling time.
From now on, I’d have to balance my livelihood with martial arts training.
Somebody save me, please!
The next class day.
“Inhale!”
“Huu…!”
“Inhale!”
I practiced external skills together with the other students.
Since the equipment was limited, not everyone was doing the same thing. We alternated between bodyweight exercises and exercises using equipment.
“…”
Observing the atmosphere, it seemed that not everyone who attended the same school was necessarily friendly.
Close friends stuck together, and there seemed to be little sense of camaraderie just from belonging to the same school.
Usually, in martial arts novels, people from the same sect or clan had strong bonds.
Guanxi, was it? People here valued belonging above all else, and if you were on the same side, they would almost always protect and support you. That’s how you survived in this harsh world. Like animals forming packs.
But this was just a local martial arts school, so there seemed to be no sense of belonging.
That was quite disappointing. If I could befriend everyone here, life in this world would be much safer.
This would be resolved later when I improved my skills and joined a larger sect.
“Huu…!”
I finished the squats and waited for my turn with the deadlifts.
Since I had been weightlifting in the modern world, I had practically already mastered Horse Stance Tendon Strengthening. I could take it easy.
“Your form is wrong, your form! You’ll hurt your knees like that!”
“I apologize!”
Of course, there were students who got scolded. I didn’t pay them any mind and focused on my own training. My achievement in Horse Stance Tendon Strengthening was truly high.
“Good! That’s enough external skill training! Everyone, practice Primordial Qi Cultivation by circulating your Qi!”
After external skills, it was time for mental cultivation.
Everyone put away the equipment, sat down in neat rows, and assumed the lotus position. I also sat down and began circulating my Qi.
“Huu… Ha.”
Deep breathing, accumulating natural Qi in my lower dantian. Originally, I should be circulating my internal energy through the meridians in my body, but as a martial arts noob, I didn’t know how to do that.
For now, I would do what I could.
It was said that circulating Qi like this was good for recovering muscles damaged during external skill training. That’s why it was beneficial for beginners to circulate their Qi frequently.
“Yes. Slowly. Accumulate your internal energy with deep breaths.”
Senior Brother walked around, checking on our progress.
“Stand up. It’s time to practice Six Harmonies Fist.”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
We finished circulating our Qi, stood up, and took our stances.
“Begin!”
First-Rate Master Hong, standing on the platform ahead, demonstrated the forms of Six Harmonies Fist, and we all followed along.
“Haaap!”
“Hah!”
Forms composed of punches and kicks.
As we mirrored Master Hong’s movements, Senior Brother patrolled the area, providing feedback to anyone with incorrect form.
After finishing the fist technique practice, the long-awaited sword technique practice finally arrived.
“Now we will practice Three Talents Sword Technique! Go and get your wooden swords!”
“Yes!”
This was the main event.
We each grabbed a wooden sword provided by the school and practiced Three Talents Sword Technique, mirroring Master Hong’s movements just as we had done with Six Harmonies Fist.
Whoosh!
A downward cut, a step forward and an upward cut, another step forward and a downward cut, followed by a horizontal slash, bringing the hand back to the waist, and then a thrust forward.
Relentless attacks and checks.
These were the most basic forms.
Of course, there were many openings, and a skilled martial artist could easily counter them, but not everyone in the Murim was a master. Masters were a rare breed. Most martial artists were Third- or Second-Rate.
Martial artists of that level were greatly intimidated by such a barrage of sword strikes.
If someone was attacking you with a real sword, unless you were a master, you’d naturally be scared. When faced with a fierce attack, you couldn’t help but shrink back in fear, and the attacker, fueled by this, would explode with fighting spirit.
Therefore, at the beginner level, it was advantageous to strike first and attack relentlessly. It was better to launch an offensive than to calmly defend. Beginners weren’t good at defense anyway. They just needed to be good at attacking.
“Haaaaap!”
With that in mind, I focused on maintaining accurate form.
While form and technique could break down in a brawl, practicing proper form now would allow me to learn better martial arts later.
To become a master, one had to start with proper form.
I would do as I was taught.
“Pay attention to your footwork!”
“Yes!”
Did my steps get tangled?
I wanted to learn footwork separately, but they charged extra for that. I should focus on what I was currently learning.
“That’s all for today’s lesson! Everyone, clean up and go home!”
“Krah!”
“Thank you!”
Today’s class was over.
I wanted to practice more, but the next class was for the intermediate students who paid a lot more. If I interfered with that, I could get beaten to a pulp, so I had to clear out quickly.
“Another productive day.”
These days, I was balancing martial arts training with work.
If I had work in the morning, I would work and then attend the evening group class. If I had monster hunting work at night, I would train in the morning class, rest, and then go to work.
It was physically demanding, but thanks to the martial arts training, I felt healthier rather than worn down. I had also been eating well recently.
“Ah.”
Still, frequently switching between day and night shifts was tiring.
But perhaps because it was so tiring, I fell asleep instantly as soon as I lay down, so thankfully, fatigue didn’t accumulate too much.
This was my daily life in the Martial arts world.
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“Ugh.”
I woke up naturally, even without an alarm.
Laziness would get me nowhere, so I immediately sat up and stretched. It was early morning. I had to wash up quickly and go to the Dahui Room to find work.
I got ready and went to the Dahwebang, but…
“Hmm?”
Unusually, there was no work today.
There were no manual labor jobs or monster hunting requests. Was this even possible? A day without work? I wondered if it was some kind of recession, but when I asked, they said this happened sometimes.
The only jobs available required some kind of specialized skill, like climbing up wooden pillars for construction work.
That wasn’t something I could do.
“Should I take a break today?”
I had no choice but to rest.
Besides, the martial arts school was closed today, as it was only open four days a week. For the first time since coming here, I had a real day off.
“…”
But what should I do?
What did people do on their days off?
Now that I had a day off, I had no idea what to do. I decided to walk around and think. It wouldn’t hurt to explore the town and see what it had to offer.
I’d browse the shops.
If there was anything famous, I’d check it out.
I currently had 370 mun. That should be enough to buy some snacks and enjoy myself.
Thud.
As I was walking…
“Kyaaaaaaaaaaah!”
I heard a scream from somewhere.
“Hmm?”
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