Chapter 5 Learning More

Chapter 5 Learning More

Song Chae-ji was slowly reaching her limit.

After defeating Pung Hyo, then Jin Chung, she had faced two opponents in a row. Now, as she crossed swords with her third opponent, Song Chae-ji struggled to regulate her breathing.

‘Not enough Internal Energy…’

As a Rising Prodigy of the Hengshan Sect, Song Chae-ji had received considerable support, giving her more Internal Energy than the average for her age.

However, it naturally couldn’t compare to the Nine Great Sects, and the Hengshan Sect itself ranked low even among the Five Great Sword Sects. Especially recently, with the Unorthodox Faction’s growing influence in the Shanxi Martial World, the sect’s power had dwindled further.

Though she had more than her peers, Song Chae-ji’s Internal Energy was nowhere near enough to endure the Wheel Battle tactics of Unorthodox Faction Martial Artists who had spent years, even decades, honing their blades without rest.

“Ugh!”

Her opponent didn’t miss the brief moment Song Chae-ji’s focus wavered as her Internal Energy bottomed out.

Though his martial arts realm might be lower than Song Chae-ji’s, the experience he had accumulated by surviving the brutal Unorthodox Faction Martial World was formidable.

Shhhk! Clang!

The opponent’s Greatsword slid up Song Chae-ji’s Sword Body. Song Chae-ji, regaining her senses belatedly, tried to repel the Greatsword with a Recoil Force, but it was already too late.

“Ah…”

As if to repay Song Chae-ji for aiming her Sword Tip at Pung Hyo’s Adam’s apple, the opponent pressed his blade against Song Chae-ji’s pale, slender neck.

It was an irreversible blunder caused by a single mistake.

“Hah hah, that’s the end of it.”

Pung Hyo, who had been watching with his arms crossed, burst into laughter.

Song Chae-ji bit her lip.

‘I could have won…’

The words “I lost” simply wouldn’t come out. Regret, self-reproach, and emptiness churned within Song Chae-ji.

“What are you waiting for? Admit defeat.”

With the urging, the Greatsword lightly grazed Song Chae-ji’s neck.

A stinging sensation, and a trickle of blood ran down her neck. It was a clear threat.

“Ugh…”

If she admitted defeat, the Inn that Yang So-dang and her father had spent their entire lives saving for would be lost.

Song Chae-ji couldn’t say a word.

Did someone read Song Chae-ji’s mind?

The answer came not from her, but from another’s lips.

“Young Lady Song has lost.”

As Song Chae-ji was subdued and caught in her inner turmoil, Namgung-woo realized it was his turn.

Acknowledging Song Chae-ji’s defeat, Namgung-woo stepped forward.

“So, please remove your blade.”

His polite tone conveyed a strange sense of composure.

The onlookers, who had dismissed him as just a spectator, now looked at him with questions. Who is this man, suddenly stepping forward?

The Black Bear Faction’s thoughts were no different.

“Who are you? Your face is quite handsome… If you’re a Young Master from a noble clan, don’t meddle in Martial World affairs and just leave.”

Pung Hyo used a somewhat respectful, yet condescending, tone he rarely employed.

Such a confident attitude towards Martial Artists, each carrying a weapon, was difficult to display without strong backing.

Moreover, Namgung-woo was exceptionally handsome. In this era, appearance often influenced one’s inner evaluation. Outstanding looks were almost exclusively the domain of powerful Martial Artists or those of high status.

Even if the Black Bear Faction had strong backing, they wanted to avoid the burden of provoking a noble who hadn’t even practiced martial arts.

“Just now, you said this Martial Arts Duel was between the Inn and the Black Bear Faction, not between you and Young Lady Song. If Young Lady Song has lost, then it’s only right for the next challenger from the Inn to step forward, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Hah! So you’re stepping up?”

Pung Hyo’s attitude changed abruptly.

He must have practiced some martial arts, after all. If he stepped up willingly, the Black Bear Faction had nothing more to hold back.

Namgung-woo nodded broadly.

‘He looks flashy on the outside, but I can’t feel any Internal Energy.’

Pung Hyo was a genuine Jianghu Martial Artist, classified as a Master within the Black Bear Faction.

Though not yet a Peak Master, Pung Hyo was considered a Top-tier Martial Artist, almost at the threshold of that realm.

His eyes found no trace of martial arts training in Namgung-woo. While his physique was hidden by his clothes, Martial Artists who cultivated Internal Energy typically emitted a faint Aura of internal force.

It was said that a Peak Transcendence Grandmaster could subdue an opponent with just the oppressive presence of their natural Aura.

However, Namgung-woo had none of that.

‘He must have been lucky to be born with a good body, but I’ll have to show him what the real Martial World is like.’

Pung Hyo regretted that he couldn’t personally teach Namgung-woo a lesson, only because he had already lost to Song Chae-ji earlier.

“Good. Park Jung-eon, don’t hold back. Give him a proper beating.”

At those words, Song Chae-ji cried out.

“Wait! That man is an ordinary person who hasn’t practiced martial arts! To challenge him to a Martial Arts Duel, that’s…!”

“He volunteered himself.”

Song Chae-ji grabbed Namgung-woo as Pung Hyo scoffed.

“Hey, this isn’t the time for recklessness. You could end up a cripple!”

Namgung-woo barely suppressed a laugh that threatened to burst out.

Watching the Martial Arts Duels here had completely captivated him, but apart from the enjoyment, there was also a slight disappointment.

‘They’re only First-rate at best. The martial arts level of this world can’t be that low, can it?’

With only five Black Bear Faction Martial Artists and Song Chae-ji as his samples, it was too soon to draw conclusions.

The Shanxi Martial World wasn’t particularly known for powerful sects, and in Pingyao County, not a large city like Taiyuan in Shanxi Province, the level was bound to be even lower.

But at least one thing was certain.

There was nothing here that could threaten Namgung-woo.

“You don’t need to worry. I’ve observed their level well.”

It was an expression of confidence born from clear evidence.

Song Chae-ji, whose Qi Senses were developed through martial arts training, could feel it.

As if enchanted, Song Chae-ji slowly lowered the hand that had been holding Namgung-woo back.

“No need for introductions, let’s just begin.”

Namgung-woo raised both hands. Bare-handed Combat. It meant he would fight with his bare hands in Close-Quarters Combat.

He didn’t have his cherished weapon, his sword, but it didn’t matter.

In fact, bare hands were easier for controlling his strength.

But did presenting bare fists against a Greatsword provoke them?

The atmosphere around the Black Bear Faction Martial Artists turned menacing.

“Cut off at least one of his arms.”

At Pung Hyo’s command, a Greatsword flew towards Namgung-woo.

When Namgung-woo played Chullok Murim, he was primarily a Hunting Player.

He had little interest in PvP Content, commonly known as Martial Arts Duels.

It wasn’t that he had an aversion to fighting people, but as a latecomer, he had to focus on hunting to catch up with those who were already near Max Level, rather than dueling.

Therefore, Namgung-woo’s entry into dueling only happened after he reached Peak Transcendence, alongside close acquaintances like Namgung Mae and Namgung Pung.

Up to that point, Namgung-woo was focused on growth. He still had the Enlightened Realm, which could be considered Max Level, to achieve.

However, because Namgung Mae, his closest friend, was an avid duelist, Namgung-woo was practically dragged into dueling as soon as he reached Peak Transcendence, and he realized he had been a frog in a well.

Namgung Mae was an excellent master/teacher. She was knowledgeable about the entire Chullok Murim Game, but her true value lay in dueling.

Namgung-woo couldn’t land a single hit. All his Sword Forms were countered, and every time Namgung Mae swung her sword, he exposed his Vital Points and Vulnerable Spots.

This was true even though he had no petty thoughts of “going easy” or “not wanting to hit a friend” after the first match.

Was it because Namgung Mae was in the late stage of Peak Transcendence and Namgung-woo was in the early stage? But if that were the case, Namgung-woo would have an advantage due to his longer attack range.

Chullok Murim set hitboxes according to the avatar’s form. While female characters had an advantage in evasion during hunting, in dueling, Initiative was overwhelmingly important, so nine out of ten top duelists were male characters.

The advantages and disadvantages between the two should have been almost equal.

Even after Namgung-woo achieved the Enlightened Realm, he couldn’t win a single match against Namgung Mae.

Of course, there was the handicap of forbidding AoE Aura Techniques that could unilaterally crush an opponent’s Protective Skill, but even considering that, the difference between the Enlightened Realm and Peak Transcendence was vast. Yet, Namgung Mae transcended that gap.

When Namgung-woo asked her why, Namgung Mae replied:

‘You just have to anticipate your opponent’s moves and act.’

In other words, Namgung Mae didn’t react to Namgung-woo’s actions; she predicted what he would do and chose the optimal counter.

This was both Namgung Mae’s innate talent and proof that she knew Namgung-woo extremely well.

Namgung-woo had concluded that he couldn’t replicate it and instead chose to learn a new, secret martial art that she wouldn’t know.

But why was Namgung-woo reminiscing so extensively about old memories?

The reason was simple.

‘Is this what Mae-nim was talking about?’

What he had once given up on as impossible, Namgung-woo now felt he could achieve.

Namgung-woo’s eyes glowed with a pale blue light.

He saw it.

The movement of Internal Qi stirring within the charging opponent’s body.

The subtle muscle pulsation hinting at the next action.

The emotions in the opponent’s eyes and the target revealed by his gaze.

Everything.

Azure Serenity Eyes.

Namgung-woo’s unique eyes, unlike any other in the world, were showing him a glimpse of the immediate future.

‘The exaggerated movement is a Feint. The knee joint is the target. I’ll use Infinite Steps and aim for his liver with Explosive Thunder Fist.’

His body moved simultaneously with his thoughts. It was a rapid movement, as if chasing the speed of his mind.

Internal Force surged through Namgung-woo’s body.

The Namgung Clan’s unique footwork, Infinite Steps, in Chullok Murim was fundamentally an aggressive footwork that incorporated a True Stomp.

As Namgung-woo’s foot slammed into the ground, True Qi, surging from his Yongquan Acupoint, raced through him in an instant and gathered in his fist.

KWA-AANG!

A violent collision sound echoed, making one doubt if it was truly the impact of human flesh.

There was no scream. Only a silent roar, as if his mouth was ripped open.

The liver was one of the body’s Vulnerable Spots. Even a bare-fisted strike there would steal one’s breath and drain all strength from the body. Namgung-woo had tried to control his strength, but he had still struck with Internal Force. It was a miracle the man hadn’t fainted.

As Namgung-woo withdrew his fist from the opponent’s side, the man’s physique crumbled.

Thud. Crash.

Park Jung-eon’s knees hit the ground, followed by his upper body collapsing, his forehead striking the earth.

It was a truly pathetic sight for a Black Bear Faction Martial Artist who had swaggered around Pingyao County.

Namgung-woo glanced at the back of the man’s head once, then looked away, examining his own hand. The sensation remaining in his hand was subtle. The attack hadn’t landed perfectly. This was because his body and Internal Qi hadn’t fully merged.

‘I think I’d get it if I tried one more time.’

Namgung-woo shook his hand as if to dispel the lingering sense of incongruity. The strange feeling that had lingered in his fist scattered into the air.

With that, Namgung-woo completely lost interest in his previous opponent. His gaze turned forward.

The dazed expressions of the others entered Namgung-woo’s Field of Vision. Namgung-woo didn’t give them time to grasp the situation.

Namgung-woo’s voice forcibly awakened the minds of those who couldn’t comprehend what was happening.

“Who’s next?”

Namgung-woo repeated, addressing those who were speechless with shock.

“I’d appreciate it if you’d be quick. I think I’m just getting the hang of it.”