Chapter 20 - Forging (3)
Lee Se-ha observed Namgung Jun’s condition in detail.
Namgung Jun’s breathing was rough. His chest heaved violently, and his limbs trembled intermittently.
It was remarkable that he had dueled for so long with such a frail body.
Namgung Jun’s tenacity and concentration were just that astonishing. It would have been difficult for anyone of his age to show the same appearance.
Lee Se-ha did not bother to ask if he was okay. As a master, she could now tell.
How firm her disciple’s will was.
She knew that his current request had come out of his mouth after deep and serious consideration.
‘If this is the case, I can’t stop him.’
Lee Se-ha’s red lips curled upward. She felt herself growing heated along with her disciple.
“Alright. If you are my disciple, then of course you must experience this martial art.”
Lee Se-ha’s sword twisted in a circle, and its path changed indiscriminately.
The sword style that Lee Se-ha would have taught first if Namgung Jun had not created his Thirteen Sword-Thunders of the Lightning Flash.
The Heavenly Thunder True Yang Sword Style.
A sword style that formed a pair with the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Art.
It was also Lee Se-ha’s true signature skill.
Crackle!
The lightning energy, which had been clumped together like a cloud when she had unfolded the Distant Cloud, Layered Wall Form, was now sharply honed.
The lightning energy, densely packed on the body of Lee Se-ha’s sword, erupted at once. Sword strikes that surged toward twelve different directions in an instant.
It was so swift that the parting of the atmosphere was faintly visible to the eye. Even though it was clear she was controlling her power, it had such might and speed.
Namgung Jun did not evade the merciless surge of sword strikes. He twisted his hilt slightly and thrust his sword out head-on.
The Thirteen Sword-Thunders of the Lightning Flash.
Eighth Form. Eight Masses.
In an instant, the indigo streaks of light that pierced in eight directions were brightly distorted.
The curved Swift Sword strikes, which extended as if wildly brandishing a brushstroke diagonally, met each other and deflected all of the rushing sword strikes.
Clang-clang-clang-clang!
As Swift Sword clashed with Swift Sword, a loud metallic sound erupted endlessly. Dozens of metallic sounds continued without break, as if they were a single sound.
From the after-effects of the clashing blades, a cloud of dust rose from the floor of the training ground.
Though she had been incredible when unfolding the Distant Cloud, Layered Wall Form, the current Lee Se-ha, displaying the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Sword Style, came across as several levels stronger.
Despite the throbbing pain that felt as if his hands would be torn, Namgung Jun showed a faint smile.
‘Magnificent.’
Namgung Jun marveled at Lee Se-ha’s sword.
Though she was a young master, there were definitely things to be learned from her in the way she used a sword, and parts from which he could gain inspiration.
Just because one’s accomplished martial arts realm was high did not necessarily make one a good master.
The compatibility of a master and disciple was also important, and in that respect, it would have been difficult to find a master like Lee Se-ha.
‘If I am with my Master, I can become stronger.’
Namgung Jun felt it keenly.
It was different from his past life, where he had no master.
The existence of a master like Lee Se-ha would become the driving force that would allow him to surpass the Sword Emperor of his past life very quickly.
Lee Se-ha was also being influenced by her disciple.
She knew that if she crossed swords with him, she would also grow stronger much faster, and in the end, she too might be able to catch up to the Sword Emperor of the past at an early age.
‘That way, we will be able to aim our swords at the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult together.’
The two swords intertwined without rest.
The members of the Heavenly Sword Hall, who were watching the master and disciple fiercely engage, could not contain their admiration.
“To think he can exchange blades with the Hall Master like this.”
“Even considering that the Hall Master is matching her power to the youngest one’s.”
“He is truly a supernatural horror.”
The Heavenly Sword Hall members were drawn into the scene before their eyes as if possessed by something. In the current duel, there was not a single thing to be missed.
From the sword of the Hall Master, and from the sword of the youngest one.
A sublime artistry was exuded as if it were breathing.
It felt as if they could gain great inspiration and accomplishment if they could digest even a small fragment of this Sword Skill as their own.
Already, a few of the swordsmen had sat down in the lotus position on the spot and fallen into meditation.
SWIIISH!
‘An Advanced Swift Sword.’
Namgung Jun, who had fiercely rotated his body to the left with the finer points of the Infinite Steps Footwork to evade the sword strike, felt his eyes sparkle.
‘The Heavenly Thunder True Yang Sword Style. If it were in the Martial Repository of Self-Reflection, it would be an Advanced Supreme Art stamped with at least a Four-Cloud rank.’
As his Heavenly Prominence Point grew hot, blue lightning bolts repeatedly plunged down inside Namgung Jun’s mind.
‘It is the same Swift Sword, but it is clearly different.’
He was in the middle of thoroughly disassembling and reading the sword path of the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Sword Style. Then, he melted it down into the forms of his Thirteen Sword-Thunders of the Lightning Flash.
This entire process was perfectly natural.
‘Huh?’
The one who felt the change the fastest was Lee Se-ha, who was directly crossing blades with him.
From a certain moment, the sword path of his Thirteen Sword-Thunders of the Lightning Flash had begun to change little by little, and that change was familiar.
It was precisely the martial principles of the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Sword Style.
Though the forms of the Thirteen Sword-Thunders of the Lightning Flash had not changed greatly, the finer points of the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Sword Style could be glimpsed in the detailed and minor sword paths.
The Sword-Thunder that Namgung Jun’s sword was drawing came at her, even more fierce and sharp.
‘My disciple. You’re scary.’
The smile of Lee Se-ha, who extended her sword once more, deepened.
She had not yet shown Namgung Jun the secret manual for the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Sword Style. This was because she had a strong desire to have him experience it directly with his body first, before giving him the manual.
But Namgung Jun had melted the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Sword Style into his own sword without even seeing the secret manual.
‘He also digested the Distant Cloud, Layered Wall Form just through an exchange of blades, so is this only to be expected?’
Lee Se-ha was both phenomenal and happy about this.
‘If I, one day.’
As long as she was active as a Cloud of the Azure Sky Society and facing the Sun and Moon Demonic Cult, she considered death to always be right beside her.
In such a situation, to have a disciple who could fully inherit her Martial Arts was a very joyous thing.
Even more so if that disciple’s sword and heart were upright.
‘I’m so glad I was able to meet Jun.’
Lee Se-ha’s sword gradually became faster. It was to the point where the swordsmen of the Heavenly Sword Hall who were observing the duel began to lose track of the sword paths one by one.
The blue lightning, which had pierced the combat distance in an instant, tried to run Namgung Jun through.
But Namgung Jun was not defeated so helplessly. Because at this moment, the only one who could fully take in Lee Se-ha’s Swift Sword was Namgung Jun.
At some point, Namgung Jun’s sword, which had been raised to an upper stance, rushed forward powerfully.
A vertical lightning strike pressed down on the lightning that was plunging in head-on.
KREANG!
With a light and clear metallic sound, the swords of the master and disciple stopped.
Namgung Jun was the first to withdraw his sword and pay his respects.
“I have learned much.”
“The Thirteen Sword-Thunders of the Lightning Flash. It has changed a lot.”
“It is thanks to you, Master.”
It was as Lee Se-ha said.
The change in his Thirteen Sword-Thunders of the Lightning Flash was great.
If the Sword Demon, whom he had first encountered, were to see the current Thirteen Sword-Thunders of the Lightning Flash, he would have thought it a completely different sword style.
“And on top of that, you’ve even learned the Distant Cloud, Layered Wall Form. My disciple, you are magnificent.”
“Not at all. It was nothing more than an imitation. I will have to see the secret manual and learn it properly.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be sure to teach you properly.”
Namgung Jun smiled at Lee Se-ha’s confident declaration.
“Yes, Master.”
The Distant Cloud, Layered Wall Form.
The Heavenly Thunder True Yang Sword Style.
The hilt of the sword of Namgung Jun, who had newly melted two sword styles into his body, was fully heated up.
***
Namgung Jun repeatedly did his external art training.
He ate every meal heartily to put on weight, and through high-intensity training, he began to carve out his body little by little.
The external art training that Namgung Jun was doing was not anything special.
It was simply that he was faithful to the basics.
Because he had trained like this in his past life as well.
Though his growth rate might be somewhat slow, it was a part that could be supplemented.
As he consumed the spiritual medicine he had received as a mission reward, his growth became even faster. It felt as if he could reach the Peak Realm right away if only he had the opportunity.
On top of that, the external art training methods that Lee Se-ha had read and taught him were also a great help. While he had only known the basics regarding external art training, he was now able to pay more attention to the finer details.
In the middle of all this, Namgung Jun was able to hear a new piece of advice from Gong Jun-am.
“Your current situation is not bad, but if you wish to raise your accomplishment in external arts faster and deeper, go and visit the Iron Pagoda Hall.”
“What kind of place is the Iron Pagoda Hall?”
“It is a place where all sorts of giants from our society are gathered. You will know what I mean when you go and see for yourself.”
Namgung Jun, who had finished his external art training, headed straight for the Iron Pagoda Hall.
“Hoo-uk!”
“Hyaaaaap!”
The atmosphere inside the Iron Pagoda Hall was quite different from the Heavenly Sword Hall.
Unlike the Heavenly Sword Hall, which was furnished with all kinds of swords and where members endlessly engaged in duels, the Iron Pagoda Hall seemed to focus on individual training.
The place was filled with iron equipment of various shapes, and the members of the Iron Pagoda Hall were using these for their training.
Namgung Jun’s attention was drawn to the bodies of the Iron Pagoda Hall members.
‘The level of their external arts is incredible, without exception.’
Perhaps because the Iron Pagoda Hall had a special training method, the level of their external arts was one rarely seen even in the Martial World.
‘So they said the Iron Pagoda Hall belongs to the Three Strongest. There was a reason for it.’
Among the Ten Halls belonging to the Sword Scent Division, the three that were evaluated as the strongest were called the Three Strongest.
The Iron Pagoda Hall was a Hall that belonged to the Three Strongest.
‘The fact that the Heavenly Sword Hall does not belong to the Three Strongest is a matter that hurts my pride a little.’
Was it because it was the military group that he and his master belonged to?
Though the time he had been affiliated with the Heavenly Sword Hall was not that long, Namgung Jun felt a strong sense of belonging.
As if he had entered a new sect.
‘The Three Strongest.’
As Namgung Jun was falling into a new train of thought, a giant shadow fell over him from behind.
A giant with a build even larger than the other Iron Pagoda Hall members was looking down at Namgung Jun.
“Namgung Jun. What is your business here!”
“Do you know me?”
“How could I not know you?”
The muscles on the giant middle-aged man’s arms twitched.
Namgung Jun was very famous.
Not only had he been famous since the time of the Placement Test, but everyone at the main fortress of the Azure Sky Society knew that he had recently performed great exploits on his first mission.
Even now, how many Hall Masters were there who had formed a deep-seated resentment over not being able to recruit Namgung Jun? Namgung Jun was receiving all sorts of attention from the Azure Sky Society just for that.
“And you, do you know me?”
At the middle-aged man’s question, Namgung Jun looked at the four clouds on the man’s sleeve and lowered his head.
“Greetings to the Iron Pagoda Hall Master.”
“Khahahaha! A relief that you know me. Yes, what is your business?”
“I have come because I was wondering if I could receive some advice on external art training.”
“Oho!”
With the exclamation of the Iron Pagoda Hall Master, Dan Jung-se, the training of the Iron Pagoda Hall members who were far away came to a halt all at once.
Their gazes were so intense that Namgung Jun had to turn his head.
‘What?’
The Iron Pagoda Hall Master’s booming voice erupted.
“There have been countless Clouds who have come to the Iron Pagoda Hall until now and asked for advice on external arts. But all of them could not endure it and gave up midway. I wonder, how will you fare!”
The eyes of the Iron Pagoda Hall Master were fixed on Namgung Jun.
‘An incredible talent born with the Nine Yin Severed Meridians.’
He had heard so much about his talent that his ears ached.
But the Iron Pagoda Hall Master did not look upon Namgung Jun in a wholly favorable light.
Thanks to his innate talent, he had reached his current realm without any particular difficulty. It was an unbelievable growth rate.
And just as much, he must not have experienced any hardship.
The Iron Pagoda Hall Master felt a doubt as to whether the genius before him could overcome the harsh training of the Iron Pagoda Hall.
Rather, it was possible that he would face a new type of wall in a domain other than that of enlightenment.
For that reason, the Iron Pagoda Hall Master did not immediately open up the opportunity for training to Namgung Jun. He had to prove himself as was right.
“Hmm.”
Though Namgung Jun sensed that something was strange in the middle of this, he did not back down.
There is no easy way to become strong.
The training of the Iron Pagoda Hall must be the same.
If he could become stronger with more certainty, he had the confidence to properly carry out even a training harsher than the present.
No, he had to.
For the Martial World of this era was a clear age of chaos, and the enemies he had to face were vast and powerful.
“I will see it through to the end.”
“A good choice!”
The moment Namgung Jun answered, the members of the Iron Pagoda Hall stopped their training and began to surround them.