Chapter 18 - Forging (1)
Namgung Jun, who was heading for the Heavenly Sword Hall, stopped his feet and turned around.
Behind him was a middle-aged man, taking heavy steps. His physique was so grand that he looked less like a person and more like a giant ball rolling along.
It was to the point where one might wonder if his eyes, stretched wide to the sides, only looked that way because he was so plump.
But that appearance did not come across as merely comical. Rather, a heavy pressure, as if a giant wall were pushing in, pressed down on his entire body.
A peculiar glint settled in the eyes of Namgung Jun as he looked at the middle-aged man. Not a hint of sluggishness could be found in the middle-aged man’s movements.
Rather, within his ponderousness, a flash of swiftness was laden. It sparked an interest in how he would actually move his body in a real battle.
‘Axes.’
Namgung Jun looked at the pair of hand axes hanging on both sides of the middle-aged man’s waist. They were of a size that an ordinary martial artist would have to grip with two hands, but for the middle-aged man, one hand seemed to be enough.
As if he had read Namgung Jun’s gaze moving to the axes, the middle-aged man stroked the side of an axe and opened his mouth.
“I am the Mountain-Shattering Hall Master, Ganggok.”
“Greetings to the Mountain-Shattering Hall Master.”
Namgung Jun slowly paid his respects and thought back on what he knew of the Mountain-Shattering Hall.
He had heard that when a large-scale battle like a sect war broke out, the Mountain-Shattering Hall took the vanguard.
Their momentary destructive power in breaking the enemy’s formation was said to surpass that of the military groups belonging to the Three Strongest.
Ganggok, the head of the Mountain-Shattering Hall, was also known as a supreme master who unleashed strikes of terrifying power. It was said that even a martial artist of the same level would have their weapon shattered and suffer a fatal blow in an instant if they were careless.
Perhaps because he had trained in a straightforward martial art focused on powerful strikes, Ganggok’s tone was also unhindered.
“I heard you went out on your first mission and encountered the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult.”
“That is correct.”
Step.
The Mountain-Shattering Hall Master, Ganggok, took a step closer and continued to speak. With just that, the intimidating pressure that was pressing down on his entire body became even more distinct.
“Are you properly aware of your current situation? I ask because it does not seem so to my eyes.”
Namgung Jun, who had been gazing at Ganggok for a moment, nodded his head.
“Are you speaking of my Nine Yin Severed Meridians?”
“That’s right.”
A clear light stood out from between his fiercely stretched eyes. Though Ganggok’s gaze fiercely swept over his entire body, Namgung Jun did not even blink an eye.
“I have looked into the recent movements of the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult. They were still chasing you. Which must mean your existence is quite important to the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult.”
Ganggok once again took a step forward. At some point, the distance between them had narrowed to within five steps.
“I do not know what kind of strange things they will do with your body, but it is easy to predict that it will become a great threat to the Martial World.”
Namgung Jun nodded his head. Ganggok’s worry was not an overreaction.
The Sun and Moon Demonic Cult was overflowing with all sorts of bizarre evil arts and great methods.
In his past life, they had even created a body that was neither male nor female through a great method. It was for the purpose of obtaining a body most suitable for handling the energies of both yin and yang simultaneously.
As bizarre as it was, it was profound.
‘A male body born with the Nine Yin Severed Meridians. It is indeed something the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult would covet.’
Namgung Jun’s body was a rare case in the history of the Martial World. Perhaps it was even the first such case. It would not be strange at all, no matter what they did with this unique constitution.
“Don’t you think that it would be better for you on a small scale, and for the Martial World on a large scale, if you were to just stay put in the main fortress of the Azure Sky Society?”
Namgung Jun, who had been nodding his head repeatedly, opened his mouth.
“Originally, this would have been an easy matter to end if I had died. But my Master did not make that choice.”
“I respect the Heavenly Sword Hall Master’s choice.”
Namgung Jun, who had nodded his head, continued to speak.
“I have gained a new life in accordance with my Master's righteousness. Therefore, it is only right that I wish to contribute to the Martial World with righteousness.”
“Righteousness, you say.”
A fierce aura erupted from the entire body of Ganggok, who had his hands on both sides of his waist.
“Those who are born with talent often misunderstand. They think that if they steadily survive, they will become a master who commands the world.”
FWOOOOSH!
The aura raged violently, as if a strong wind were blasting in. Even though he had put strength into his entire body, it was to the point where his body was slowly being pushed back.
The density of the aura was so immense. If Ganggok were to set his mind to it and scatter his aura, low-level practitioners would find it difficult to even keep their balance.
“Until the day you die, you will receive the attention of the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult. Do you possess the Martial Arts to endure this?”
“My sword is upright, and it will continue to be so in the future.”
Namgung Jun’s voice was filled with conviction. Ganggok, who felt that firm will, became curious.
Was that truly a faith born from his own martial arts, or was it nothing more than the paltry vigor and childish arrogance of his young age?
At Namgung Jun’s firm gaze, which did not stir in the slightest, Ganggok’s right hand twitched.
FWHOOSH!
A fierce aura, rising on the wind, wrapped around his axe.
“Let’s find out. Show me your sword.”
At some point, an axe was held in Ganggok’s right hand. The axe blade, thoroughly soaked in a chillingly sharp aura, was aimed straight for the crown of Namgung Jun’s head.
A single strike, plunging vertically toward Namgung Jun’s head in an instant.
The pupils of Namgung Jun, who was taking this in, sharply drew a cerulean streak of light. The lips of Ganggok, who saw the movement of those pupils, filled with surprise.
‘He reacted perfectly?’
Of course, he had controlled his power, so it was not his full strength. However, it was not a strike that Namgung Jun, who had not yet even reached the Peak, should have been able to handle.
It would be normal for him to be unable to react properly. But Namgung Jun seemed to be reading the axe’s trajectory perfectly.
The moment he saw Namgung Jun’s spotlessly clear eyes, Ganggok put a little more strength into his wrist.
He had sensed it instinctively. That the boy before him would be able to handle it even if he added more power like this.
‘If I just block it, my sword will break.’
Namgung Jun immediately performed a backward step, loading rotation into his left foot. As he did, he widened the distance and drew a series of twisted circles with his body.
Thump!
Namgung Jun, who had drawn out the finer points of the spiraling power of Silk-Reeling Power that was now soaring through his entire body, struck his sword upward at the same time as he stomped his foot powerfully.
It was one of the Heavy Sword styles he had learned in his past life.
A sword style that he could, if only faintly, manifest with his current body.
He had unfolded a single thread of the finer points of the Great Wind Sword Style.
The plunging axe and the upward-striking sword clashed at a single point in the middle.
KUUUUUUUNG!
Simultaneously with the suppressed metallic sound erupting, the nearby wall was violently shaken, and roof tiles fell down.
Namgung Jun was pushed back in the exact posture he had been in when he extended his sword. His two feet had created deep furrows in the ground.
Namgung Jun, who had been pushed back for a long while, finally stabbed his sword into the ground and barely managed to stop.
Ganggok’s eyelids were raised as high as they could go as he watched this sight.
‘Unbelievable.’
Ganggok’s face slowly lowered. His gaze fell upon his own right foot.
His right foot, which had been serving as the anchor for the strike, had been pushed back about one chi. At a glance, one might think it was nothing special, but considering his opponent, he could not think so.
For it meant that he had been pushed back by the sword strike of a young junior who had not even achieved the Peak Realm.
Because he had not anticipated this situation in the slightest, the shock was all the greater.
Namgung Jun, who straightened his back while still gripping the sword planted in the ground, calmly opened his mouth.
“I tried to imbue that sword strike just now with my righteousness.”
Ganggok, who felt the vivid shock that remained in his hands, had no choice but to ask.
“And what is your righteousness, that you speak of?”
“The Path of a Single Principle ”
Or, The Single Principle That Pierces All.
To take duty and righteousness as a single attitude, and to hope to be consistent from the beginning to the end.
Hoping that the single will-intent that pierces his life and his martial arts would be righteousness.
Therefore, it is of a single principle.
“The heart of the Path of a Single Principle… How can you be so sure? Most are those who embrace righteousness at first, only to be slowly worn down by the harsh waves of the Martial World and give up.”
“My comrades of the Azure Sky Society will be with me, so what worry could there be? It will be enough for me to make my own sword upright.”
Ganggok stared intently at Namgung Jun for a long while. All the while, his menacing aura continued to rage violently.
Ganggok slowly lowered his axe.
“At such a young age, you have already found your own Path of Martial Arts.”
FWOOSH!
In an instant, the aura of Ganggok that had been filling the air completely dissipated. A truly swift control of internal energy.
He was indeed a supreme master of the Three Flowers Gathering at the Summit.
“Your talent, your Path of Martial Arts. I have confirmed them all. Now that you have properly taken your first step as a martial artist, to debate your future course is absurd.”
At some point, Ganggok’s thin eyelids had settled calmly.
“It is also a ridiculous thing to dispute the path of a young swordsman.”
Ganggok, who had been gazing intently at Namgung Jun for a moment, rummaged inside his robes and then threw him a small wooden box.
“What is this?”
“A spiritual medicine. It should be adequate for healing the internal injury you received from receiving that strike just now.”
Ganggok turned his back just as he was.
Watching that figure, Namgung Jun let out a smirk.
It had certainly been a strong strike. But perhaps thanks to Ganggok’s skillful control of his aura, he had not sustained even a slight internal injury.
All he had was a stinging pain in his hands. The one who had dealt the blow would know this better than anyone.
For him to say such words despite that was likely because he needed a pretext to give him the spiritual medicine.
Namgung Jun expressed his thanks by performing a fist-and-palm salute toward the back of Ganggok, who was growing distant.
***
The Ink Scent Division of the Azure Sky Society.
A scribe of the Ink Scent Division approached the Ink Lord, Yun Gyeong-jong.
“Ink Lord. The report you spoke of has just been submitted to the Ink Scent Division.”
Yun Gyeong-jong’s eyes sparkled as he received the document the scribe had brought.
“Finally.”
Though it was a brief reaction, the scribe was considerably surprised.
‘For the Ink Lord to show such a reaction? And to a report that merely records the deeds of a newcomer Cloud, at that?’
This was the first time such a thing had happened.
Not to mention the newcomer Clouds, even among the many promising Clouds in the Azure Sky Society, there was no one who had caught Yun Gyeong-jong’s eye.
Considering Yun Gyeong-jong’s usual conduct of accepting even the mission reports of the Hall Master-level figures in a dry and tasteless manner, this was a very surprising event.
“Hmm.”
Yun Gyeong-jong, who had momentarily put down the letter he had been reading, immediately turned his hand to the report that Heo Il had submitted.
Even though the letter he had been reading until just a moment ago was a matter that carried considerable weight.
Yun Gyeong-jong’s eyelids rose slightly as he took in the contents of the report at a single glance with the eye technique of the Ink Scent Division.
Heo Il’s report was lucid.
Though on the outside it took the form of a mission report, if one looked within, it was filled with praise for the newcomer Cloud, Namgung Jun.
That being said, it was not too biased or exaggerated. It thoroughly looked at the junior from the perspective of a senior.
It was simply that the newcomer Cloud named Namgung Jun had shown a truly outstanding side of himself.
“As expected, he does not betray my expectations.”
At Yun Gyeong-jong’s distinct reaction, the scribe suddenly became curious.
What on earth could be written in that report? The scribe wanted to see, but he could not.
It was because Yun Gyeong-jong showed no signs of putting the report down from his hands.
As the scribe left the office first, Yun Gyeong-jong muttered to himself.
“With this, the talk regarding his future course will quiet down a bit.”
Yun Gyeong-jong looked in the direction where the Heavenly Sword Hall’s pavilion was located.
“It seems he will be a great help.”
Yun Gyeong-jong intended to immediately make the status of this mission public to the Azure Sky Society.
This would surely be a great help in boosting the morale of the Azure Sky Society.
This was because the appearance of a dazzling new star, regardless of their affiliation, directly raises the morale of the entire organization.
“Was there a spiritual medicine that would suit Namgung Jun?”