Chapter 11 - The Heavenly Sword Hall (2)
Namgung Jun chewed the hasuo root thoroughly. Though its large size made it inconvenient to eat, he nevertheless moved his jaw without rest.
As the sharp fragrance filled his mouth, Lee Se-ha’s Hot Yang Energy raced through his meridians via his Gate of Life Point.
‘So this is a three-hundred-year-old hasuo.’
Though it was not a top-grade spiritual medicine, it would be of immense help to Namgung Jun, whose maturity of internal energy was still shallow.
The master and disciple circulated their internal energy according to the oral formulas of the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Art and prevented the hasuo’s energy from scattering throughout his meridians.
The Hot Yang Energy, which rose up like a flame, quickly filled his meridians and forcibly pulled in the hasuo’s energy.
Because of this, the hasuo’s energy slowly began to seep into the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Art. Lee Se-ha’s eyebrows rose slightly as she was assisting in this process.
‘It’s partly because I’m helping, but Jun’s circulation of internal energy is exceptionally skillful.’
As she was helping with the Qi circulation and breath regulation, Lee Se-ha was feeling Namgung Jun’s circulation of internal energy in extremely fine detail.
And as such, her admiration gradually grew larger.
This was absolutely not the internal energy circulation of a boy who had only just learned martial arts. It felt as if it held the proficiency of a veteran master who had trained in internal energy for decades.
In some parts, it was to the point where Lee Se-ha herself would gain inspiration or learn something from watching Namgung Jun’s circulation of internal energy.
‘Just what in the world is Jun…’
Even while endlessly marveling, Lee Se-ha did not let her concentration waver.
It was so she could help Namgung Jun gather up even a little more of the hasuo’s energy.
As the Qi circulation and breath regulation continued smoothly, a question naturally arose in Lee Se-ha’s mind.
‘Just how much will he be able to absorb?’
Even if one consumed a spiritual medicine, one could not obtain all of its energy.
Absorbing about half was the norm, and in cases where one’s circulation of internal energy was outstanding or one’s innate Energy Sense was exceptional, one would obtain sixty to eighty percent of the internal energy.
So, how would Namgung Jun fare?
‘Huh?’
Lee Se-ha, who had been infusing her internal energy, let out an internal cry of question.
It was because Namgung Jun, who until now had only been receiving help, had begun to take the lead in the Qi circulation and breath regulation.
Lee Se-ha was bewildered, but she did not go against the flow. She trusted and followed the choice of her disciple, whose talent was so outstanding.
Lee Se-ha changed her circulation of internal energy and began to follow Namgung Jun’s. Namgung Jun, who felt her intention, felt the corners of his mouth gently relax.
‘Since I have my Master's help, I can afford to circulate my internal energy more boldly.’
Namgung Jun began to slowly draw out the hasuo’s energy, which was stubbornly clumped in the corners of his meridians and refused to move.
Then, he spread out his internal energy wide like a net and began to gather up the hasuo’s energy. Lee Se-ha thoroughly assisted this movement from behind.
If he had attempted the Qi circulation and breath regulation alone, it would have been difficult due to the shallowness of his internal energy's maturity. But Lee Se-ha’s assistance played a huge role.
Without needing to communicate via telepathy, Lee Se-ha had followed the flow that Namgung Jun was leading on her own.
This was not an easy feat, even for a supreme master. Despite that, Lee Se-ha had followed Namgung Jun’s breathing perfectly.
‘As expected, my Master’s talent is also no ordinary matter.’
It was clear that Lee Se-ha must have also gained several new insights into the circulation of internal energy through this session.
Namgung Jun was only pleased with their current relationship, where they were helping each other.
“Huu.”
And so, having gathered up the spiritual medicine’s energy, the Qi circulation and breath regulation was complete.
The master and disciple, who had let out a light exhale, opened their eyes at the same time. Simultaneously, Lee Se-ha shot up from her spot.
“My disciple. If I’m not mistaken…”
Looking at Lee Se-ha trailing off her words, Namgung Jun showed a subtle smile. Blue lightning energy dwelled in the pupils of Namgung Jun as he raised his eyelids.
“Yes. That is correct. I have absorbed all of the hasuo’s energy.”
“No way!”
Even though she had helped with the Qi circulation and experienced it herself, it was hard to believe.
She had inwardly thought he might gather up about seventy percent of the energy, but she had not known he would swallow up the spiritual medicine’s energy in its entirety.
She had never heard of a case where someone had absorbed all of a spiritual medicine’s energy. At least, not as far as Lee Se-ha knew.
She had heard that the other Hall Masters of the Azure Sky Society, and even the Sword Lord, had never absorbed all of a spiritual medicine’s energy.
‘Even considering he was born with the Nine Yin Severed Meridians, to think he possesses talent of this degree.’
Lee Se-ha realized once again that Namgung Jun was born with the martial talent of a millennium.
In that time, Namgung Jun, who had quickly gathered his internal energy, drew his sword.
As he gripped the hilt and infused it with internal energy, a faint lightning energy settled on the blade.
Crackle!
The look in Lee Se-ha’s eyes deepened as she saw this.
If one could go beyond drawing internal energy to their hands and could infuse a weapon with it, it was no exaggeration to call them proficiently First-Class.
It was said that if one went beyond infusing internal energy and could draw out a visible, distinct form of Sword Qi, they had risen to the Peak Realm.
Despite it not having been long since he had learned martial arts, he had already reached the realm of the First-Class.
In a great sect, one would typically be evaluated as a genius if they rose to the First-Class at the age of twenty. If they went beyond this and rose to the Peak, they would be treated as a leading figure who would guide the future of the sect.
Considering the time Namgung Jun had begun his martial arts training and his age, this was a growth speed that was beyond surprising and was simply phenomenal.
‘He wouldn’t be lacking even if he took the Rank Advancement Test right now.’
The rank of Two-Cloud in the Azure Sky Society was a hierarchy that one could only ascend to by reaching at least the realm of the First-Class.
It seemed that Namgung Jun would pass easily, if only he accumulated some meritorious deeds through a few missions.
‘Will he become the youngest, fastest Two-Cloud member?’
Lee Se-ha watched her disciple, who was achieving a level that surpassed her own, and clenched her right fist.
Her disciple’s growth rate was dazzling, and she was just as happy for it. At the same time, she also felt a little apologetic.
It was because she felt as if she had done very little for him as a master. Her disciple, who was so exceptionally talented, was growing by leaps and bounds without any particular teaching.
“Master. It is thanks to you that I have come this far. I will devote myself to improving even further.”
Lee Se-ha, who had paused for a moment at Namgung Jun’s sudden words of gratitude, soon showed a radiant smile.
“Perhaps the day that you catch up to me, Jun, is not far off.”
“I will work hard so that may be so.”
At Namgung Jun’s laughter-tinged reply, Lee Se-ha playfully tapped his shoulder.
“It won’t be easy. I’m no pushover, either.”
As she watched the back of Namgung Jun, who was the first to leave the room, Lee Se-ha thought back to their Qi circulation session from just a moment ago.
‘I feel like I might be able to break through a wall.’
As if she had gained some inspiration from Namgung Jun’s circulation of internal energy, there was a martial principle that kept flickering through her mind.
Lee Se-ha immediately headed for her office.
It was her intention to make an attempt at breaking through the wall where her Heavenly Thunder True Yang Art had been stagnating.
ִ ﾒִ ﾒִ ﾒ
Namgung Jun, having been inducted into the Heavenly Sword Hall, began his training alongside the other Heavenly Sword Hall members.
The first training that Namgung Jun began was learning the new sword style of the Heavenly Sword Hall.
“Though everyone in the Heavenly Sword Hall has a sword style that they primarily train in, there is a sword style that we learn in common.”
“It is a sword style designed with group battles in mind.”
“Correct.”
Gong Jun-am spoke as he held his sword in a middle stance.
“Based on this sword style, we can unfold joint attacks, and we can also deploy sword formations. That is why you must master it.”
“I understand.”
“Take note that you must learn this sword style to at least the fifth level of understanding before you can go on missions.”
Gong Jun-am slowly unfolded the forms and began to demonstrate the sword style.
It was a sword style where various branches of martial principles, such as the Heavy Sword, the Swift Sword, the Illusory Sword, and the Flexible Sword, were mixed in a balanced and appropriate manner.
‘It’s a pretty decent sword style. Appropriate for an introduction.’
Namgung Jun recalled the name of the sword style.
The Lesser Amplification Sword Style.
He had been told that if one mastered this Lesser Amplification Sword Style, they could then learn the Greater Amplification Sword Style, and that the Greater Amplification Sword Style was the one that the members of the Heavenly Sword Hall actually used in practice.
In truth, the Lesser Amplification Sword Style seemed to be a sword style created to make the introduction to and accomplishment of the Greater Amplification Sword Style easier.
Gong Jun-am, who had demonstrated the Lesser Amplification Sword Style once, gave a sharp nod.
“Try to perform it once. I will correct any mistaken forms right away.”
“Yes.”
Taking his starting stance, Namgung Jun unfolded the Lesser Amplification Sword Style, beginning from the very first form.
Swoooosh!
Namgung Jun’s hands and feet moved without end as the forms followed one after another in sequence.
The flow was so natural that Gong Jun-am and the other swordsmen of the Heavenly Sword Hall had to doubt their own eyes.
“Hmm.”
Starting with Gong Jun-am letting out a low hum, the Heavenly Sword Hall swordsmen began to let out their own low voices.
“What is this?”
“It’s definitely his first time learning it, right?”
“Did the Hall Master teach him separately?”
Namgung Jun’s forms were too perfect.
The sword strikes of the Lesser Amplification Sword Style exquisitely cut through the air, creating a sharp sound of tearing wind.
There was a word that came to the minds of all the Clouds who saw Namgung Jun’s sword strikes.
‘Great Mastery.’
Namgung Jun’s refined sword form was in no way lacking to be called, with reverence, Great Mastery.
Fwoosh!
Having unfolded the final form, Namgung Jun sheathed his sword with an indifferent face.
“……”
While the swordsmen of the Heavenly Sword Hall stood with their mouths agape, Namgung Jun quietly opened his mouth.
“It seems I should be fine to learn the Greater Amplification Sword Style right away.”
No one could refute it.
As far as the Lesser Amplification Sword Style was concerned, one could dare to attach the modifier of perfect to Namgung Jun’s forms.
Gong Jun-am, who had been at a loss for words for a moment, soon nodded his head.
“Did the Hall Master teach you separately?”
“No.”
“Are you saying you understood the forms of a sword style you saw for the first time in a single go and melted them into your body? What a monster.”
The other Heavenly Sword Hall swordsmen, as if they all had the same thought, stared at Namgung Jun with fascination.
All of them were comparing Namgung Jun to their past selves and were left astonished.
Though the Lesser Amplification Sword Style was the introductory sword style of the Heavenly Sword Hall, it was not that simple of a style.
Rather, because various martial principles were tied together in it, if one learned it incorrectly, it was easy to end up in a state of being neither this nor that.
When first learning it, one had to do so slowly and properly.
For that reason, everyone here had spent a considerable amount of time to be initiated into the Lesser Amplification Sword Style and earn the qualification to learn the Greater Amplification Sword Style.
“Even the current Hall Master wasn't this good.”
“We’ll have to work harder, too. The youngest one will catch up to us in a single breath.”
“A talent befitting the Heavenly Sword Hall. Our future is in good hands.”
After thinking for a moment, Gong Jun-am nodded his head.
“I shall teach you the Greater Amplification Sword Style.”
Namgung Jun’s training progressed at an extremely rapid pace.
The swordsmen of the Heavenly Sword Hall would stop their own training and all quietly watch Namgung Jun as he swung his sword.
As if observing Namgung Jun’s sword form was more helpful training than their own.
ִ ﾒִ ﾒִ ﾒ
In the Great Conference Hall, as was usual, the key figures of the Sword Scent Division and the Ink Scent Division had gathered and a meeting was in progress.
“Jiangxi Province has been showing unusual signs lately. The Unorthodox Faction, which had been repeating a cycle of alliances and breakups, is uniting as one, and we have intelligence that the Iron Battle Camp is providing its backing.”
“The Iron Battle Camp has been quiet lately, are they rising up again?”
“It seems a proper assessment of the situation and, if necessary, armed intervention will be required.”
“If it is necessary, I shall go.”
In the meetings held in the Great Conference Hall, they would discuss the events occurring in all corners of the Martial World and decide on future courses of action and the corresponding mission assignments for the Ten Halls.
As various agenda items were thus handled, they had, at some point, reached the final turn.
Gang Mong, who was serving as the meeting’s scribe, took out a new document.
“Next is the agenda item regarding the permission for One-Cloud Namgung Jun, of the Heavenly Sword Hall, to go out into the Martial World.”
As her disciple’s name came up, Lee Se-ha’s eyes quietly sharpened. She couldn’t help it.
This agenda item was far more important than she had thought.
Rescuing Namgung Jun from the clutches of the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult was one thing, but sending him back out was a separate issue.
As there was no telling what the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult planned to do with the boy with the Nine Yin Severed Meridians, they had to be all the more cautious.
“Is this even a topic worthy of being an agenda item? The answer is already decided.”
The sleeves of the middle-aged man who spoke first fluttered with four clouds.
“Namgung Jun's venturing out into the Martial World must, as a matter of course, be forbidden.”
At the middle-aged man’s declaration, the atmosphere of the Great Conference Hall instantly turned cold.