Chapter 238 – It’s Been Quiet for a While (1)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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One by one, the elders of the Cheong generation, led by Sect Leader Cheong-ui, descended the mountain. In order to carry weight when delivering their opinions to the intimidated sects and clans, Cheong-ui had judged that at least elders of the Cheong generation had to go.

It was the first time I had ever witnessed the Sect Leader personally taking action. That itself showed how much Wudang and the martial world were in a state of emergency.

“So, what do you plan to do?”

The only elder of the Cheong generation remaining in the Wudang Sect was my master. They had left Cheong-hwa behind due to his exceptional martial strength so he could respond to any contingencies.

“What do you mean, what do I plan to do?”

When I innocently asked back, Cheong-hwa frowned.

“I heard everything from the Sect Leader Senior Brother. He said you asked to be entrusted with all the disciples of the Myeong generation.”

“Ah. I did.”

“Pretending you didn’t know. You sly one.”

“I have never hidden even a speck of dust from you, Master.”

“Lying has become second nature to you.”

Cheong-hwa clicked his tongue. Having spent a long time together, my master indeed knew me all too well.

“Before we discuss that, you’ve heard, haven’t you? That Heaven’s Will Gate is highly unusual.”

“Yes. It was indeed bizarre.”

As expected of a master of Cheong-hwa’s caliber, he harbored the exact same suspicions as I did.

“The problem is this. If even ruffians can become this powerful, what would it be like for actual masters?”

“It might be a grand technique that cannot be used on actual masters.”

“Even if that is the case, there is no guarantee it will remain so in the future.”

I continued.

“If that occurs, the level of martial artists as a whole will experience a dramatic surge. That will surely bring chaos. Because those who believe they have obtained power will surely wield it.”

“It is a difficult problem. But what does that have to do with you taking charge of the Myeong generation disciples?”

“It is highly related. For we too must match their level. However, we must not use the same dark methods they do. The orthodox path must always traverse the righteous road.”

“So, you want to whip them into shape?”

Cheong-hwa pierced straight to the core. Without attempting to explain further, I nodded.

“Yes.”

“If it is the orthodox path, it means growing strong through fair and square training. But is there a reason it must be you who takes charge? I could easily take charge of it myself.”

“There are two reasons for that.”

“Let us hear them.”

“First, to the senior brothers of the Myeong generation, I am their junior brother, whereas you are their highly respected martial uncle.”

“Then shouldn’t I be the one to take charge?”

“People are originally moved by stimulus. But if you take charge, there is no stimulus for my senior brothers. It is far too natural an appointment. If their junior brother teaches them, they will train fiercely if only out of sheer embarrassment.”

“Is that so……?”

“Naturally. Second, the period when I was still a novice is relatively recent. This means I will be much closer to the struggles my senior brothers are currently experiencing.”

Cheong-hwa pouted. He didn’t have anything concrete to say, but he clearly wanted to argue back.

“Ordinarily, geniuses are terrible at teaching, though.”

“Are you currently insulting the Sect Leader? Where else could you find a genius comparable to one of the Five Great Swordsmen of the Realm?”

“Why on earth does it turn into that?”

However, I had a counterattack prepared. Cheong-hwa was ultimately forced to close his gate of speech at my unblockable retort.

“Do as you wish.”

In the end, I managed to obtain Cheong-hwa’s permission as well. Now, there was absolutely nothing left to stop me.

I sauntered over to where the disciples were training. Even in this freezing winter, all the disciples were training as if it were only natural, sweating profusely.

Since the two youngest had upheld the pride of Wudang, it seemed the senior brothers felt motivated to do the same.

“Oh. Hui-yeong is here.”

“Come train with us.”

The senior brothers greeted me warmly. Ordinarily, I would have responded with equal warmth, but that wasn’t my purpose today.

“Quiet……”

“……?”

“Silence!!!”

At the roar I unleashed, everyone stopped swinging their swords and stared at me. What made me feel slightly wronged was that instead of being shocked, their gazes seemed to say, ‘Ah, he’s starting again.’

“This is no time to be doing this, Senior Brothers!”

I unclasped the scabbard at my waist and slammed it into the ground. As I did, the ground caved in slightly in a semi-circle, throwing up a cloud of dust.

“Did you not sleep well last night?”

“Have you been sick somewhere for the past six months?”

Despite my outburst, my senior brothers warmly expressed their concern for me. I was grateful for their hearts. Because I was grateful, I could delay this no longer.

“We cannot continue like this. You all need to become far, far stronger.”

“Is that not why we are training?”

“No. Your current training is merely a repetition of the past. Training must be a path that moves toward an unreached future.”

I was fully qualified to utter such words. Because during my five years inside the burial mound, I had truly pushed myself in that exact manner. The single-minded focus of ‘I must escape’ had driven me.

However, my senior brothers currently lacked such fierce resolve. If anything, they seemed to lack strength due to poor nourishment, and the intensity of their training had actually decreased.

“Then what would you have us do?”

“From now on, I will control your training.”

At my words, the senior brothers’ brows furrowed. This was especially true for the oldest disciples of the Myeong generation.

“Hui-yeong. Currently, you are the youngest of our generation.”

“Senior Brother Myeong-yeop, please say something.”

The disciples protested. Among them, people gathered around Myeong-yeop, the Eldest Senior Brother of the Myeong generation.

Lowering his sword, Myeong-yeop stared at me quietly for a moment, then nodded.

“I have nothing to say. Let Hui-yeong do as he pleases.”

“Pardon?”

The senior brothers, who had hoped Myeong-yeop would take action, were shocked. I was also slightly surprised.

Come to think of it, Myeong-yeop had witnessed me fight. After all, I was the one who had rescued him from the clutches of Ghost Hawk Hand. However, the other senior brothers had never seen me fight. Thus, it was only natural for them to protest.

“If anyone has a complaint against me, please step forward. Teach this junior brother a lesson yourself.”

With Myeong-yeop’s endorsement, I was able to speak even more confidently.

“……Haa.”

The senior brothers sighed. A few of them exchanged glances and whispered among themselves. They seemed to be deciding who would step forward.

“Hui-yeong. Although I care for you deeply, I must give you a scolding this time to uphold the foundation of our brotherhood.”

The one who stepped forward was Senior Brother Myeong-hye. He was one of the few senior brothers who was of the same class as Myeong-yeop in the Myeong generation. Although Myeong-yeop was treated as the Eldest Senior Brother due to his age, Myeong-hye was also fully qualified to be the Eldest Senior Brother, whether by martial arts or seniority.

“Please do not forget that I also care for and love you, Senior Brother.”

“Yes, yes. I know. I do not doubt that.”

“I am grateful that you understand.”

Myeong-hye approached me and stopped at a certain distance. He seemed to know my sword range precisely.

I offered a respectful cupped-hand salute before the duel. Myeong-hye nodded with a solemn face. He showed no sign of carelessness simply because I was the youngest. After all, he was also someone who had witnessed my talent.

“Since I am the senior brother, I cannot bring myself to strike first. I will yield the first move to you.”

“I will gratefully accept it.”

My goal was not to crush their pride, but merely to stimulate them.

I pushed Myeong-a with my thumb. As the blade of Myeong-a was revealed to the world, a chilly aura spread. Myeong-hye’s expression changed instantly.

My sword art was already integrated into the Hunyuan Muhui Sword. However, that did not mean I couldn’t use the Flowing Cloud Sword Art or the Five Elements Sword that I had previously learned.

I assumed the opening stance of the Flowing Cloud Sword Art. Mist no longer billowed out. I had realized that rather than scattering mist, the Flowing Cloud Sword Art that swallowed and internalized that very energy was far stronger.

“Here I come.”

I swung the Flowing Cloud Sword Art toward Myeong-hye. Its nature was slightly different from the original Flowing Cloud Sword Art. The strengthened Heavenly Demon’s energy had slightly altered all my martial arts into a domineering form.

“Hup!”

Myeong-hye’s sword and my sword crossed diagonally. The clash instantly became a shockwave that swept across the surroundings.

I had never practiced the Flowing Cloud Sword Art inside the tomb. However, perhaps because the overall level of my martial arts had risen, the Flowing Cloud Sword Art was executed at a far higher level.

“Oh……”

Someone let out an exclamation at the completion of my Flowing Cloud Sword Art. That was how clean my sword execution was.

Gritting his teeth, Myeong-hye pressed forward. As the senior brother, he seemed determined not to retreat.

Myeong-hye’s sword surged forward, aiming for my waist. I nimbly dodged by rotating my body, while simultaneously aiming for Myeong-hye’s shoulder with my sword.

In that instant, Myeong-hye displayed a high-level physical technique. Leaning his body back, he kicked toward my chest. I brought my elbows together to block his foot.

Ordinarily, I should have been pushed back, but the one who was repelled was actually Myeong-hye.

“Huh?”

Perhaps having expected me to be pushed back, Myeong-hye let out a startled sound.

In truth, I could have ended this duel far quicker. I had easily defeated Ghost Hawk Hand, who had completely overwhelmed Myeong-yeop. The disciples of the Myeong generation could no longer defeat me.

However, I had a specific reason for dragging it out. The purpose of this duel was to clearly show the difference between my senior brothers and me. If I ended it too quickly, they wouldn’t be able to properly perceive my level.

Bending my knees slightly, I rotated and leaped. Looking down at Myeong-hye from above, he was glancing left and right. The other senior brothers were the same. Currently, they still couldn’t follow my movements.

Having scanned left and right, Myeong-hye finally looked up. His pupils dilated in shock. For I was falling at an immense speed, utilizing the Thousand-Catty Weight technique.

Since it was a friendly duel, there was naturally no need to use a killing strike. I flipped Myeong-a, striking down with the hilt, while Myeong-hye attempted to block by laying his sword horizontally.

Boom!

As the hilt clashed with the sword, the ground caved in slightly, throwing up a massive cloud of dust.

Once the dust cleared, Myeong-hye was buried up to his knees in the ground. It was proof that he had been completely unable to dissipate my force.

“Cough.”

Myeong-hye’s hands trembled violently, and he dropped his sword, coughing up a mouthful of blood. Although I had controlled my force as much as possible, it seemed an internal injury had been unavoidable.

I caught Myeong-hye with my shoulder as he collapsed forward.

“……You are indeed strong.”

Myeong-hye barely managed to mutter those words before losing consciousness. Pulling Senior Brother Myeong-hye out of the ground like a radish, I pressed several of his acupoints to help manage his internal injury.

Once I finished the treatment and looked around, my senior brothers were staring at me in absolute shock, their mouths agape.

Among them, Myeong-yeop showed a resigned expression, as if he had expected this, while Myeong-gyeong stood proud, chest puffed out.

In this place, the only master who surpassed Myeong-hye was Myeong-yeop. But since Myeong-yeop had already acknowledged me, no other senior brother dared to step forward.

“Is there any other senior brother who wishes to offer this junior brother a lesson?”

Just as expected, no answer came.

It was the moment it was decided that the absolute youngest in Wudang would lead the Myeong generation.

And to the senior brothers, it was no different from the gates of hell swinging wide open.

* * *

Inside Heaven’s Will Gate, there was a secret chamber. Located in the deepest recesses of the inner courtyard, it was a place that ordinary people couldn’t even catch a glimpse of.

Yet, there was no one who was unaware of its existence. For it was a place that every member of Heaven’s Will Gate visited.

With a clear voice, Zhuge Yeon guided a man into the inner chamber of Heaven’s Will Gate.

“It is our first time welcoming a master of your caliber, Great Hero, into this formation.”

“Indeed. I too never expected to set foot in such a trumpery sect.”

The man with a bristly beard chuckled.

His thick hand groped Zhuge Yeon’s shoulder, who was dressed in scholar’s robes. Just as his hand attempted to slide further down, Zhuge Yeon nimbly slipped away.

“Even if the Blood King Sword is a highly renowned senior in the martial world, I am still a daughter of the Zhuge Clan. If you behave so carelessly with your hands, your wrist might be severed.”

It was a shocking statement. The Blood King Sword was a member of the Four Calamities, whose martial level was said to be on par with the elders of the great sects.

Who were the Four Calamities? They were the four Public Enemies of the Martial World who had remained uncaught for the longest time. For a daughter of the prestigious Zhuge Clan to be in the company of such a public enemy was an unthinkable sight.

“Hahaha. How terrifying indeed.”

The Blood King Sword laughed, raising his hands. With a cold face, Zhuge Yeon lightly adjusted her slightly disheveled collar.

“The name of this formation is the Thousand Autumns Resonating Illusion Formation. You will likely experience immense pain upon entering. In fact, many have gone mad, unable to endure the agony.”

“Hmph, do not compare me to such mediocre fellows.”

“I see. My apologies.”

Zhuge Yeon bowed her head with a half-hearted gesture. In that instant, the Blood King Sword swiftly reached out and grabbed Zhuge Yeon’s chin. Zhuge Yeon frowned at the rough grip.

“……Ugh.”

“Child of the Zhuge Clan. As you know, I have never cared about the likes of the Nine Great Sects or the Five Great Clans in all my life. Needless to say, now that their power has waned, I care even less.”

The Blood King Sword growled. Yet, Zhuge Yeon stared up at the Blood King Sword without even blinking.

“Unlike the other Five Great Clans, the Zhuge Clan has not waned. If anything, we are prospering even more.”

“Yes. Knowing that is why I tolerate you. However, do not test my patience too much. Bear in mind that I can kill or take you at any moment.”

“I understand, Great Hero Blood King Sword.”

Only after Zhuge Yeon replied did the Blood King Sword release his grip.

Looking at the completely unfazed Zhuge Yeon, the Blood King Sword clicked his tongue.

“How dull. Young youngsters these days lack any charm.”

“I am merely sorry.”

Waving his hand, the Blood King Sword stepped into the formation. As the mist of the formation enveloped him, Zhuge Yeon wiped the spot where he had grabbed her with her sleeve.

“Pui.”

Zhuge Yeon spat sharply onto the ground.

Feeding on Zhuge Yeon’s humiliation, Heaven’s Will Gate was rapidly growing stronger.