Chapter 158

Seven days and nights.

Seven days and nights had passed since I began sparring with Cheongpung. Eyes closed, I thought,

According to the Quest Window, I have to defeat Cheongpung before New Year’s Day…

Only three days remained. How many times had I fought Cheongpung by now?

All I knew was that we had dueled at least sixty times. Of course, I had lost every single one of them without exception.

And he hasn’t even used Sword Energy.

Cheongpung wasn’t fighting at full strength. For a Peak master, not using Sword Energy was an enormous handicap, but Cheongpung was still strong without it.

He had learned Huashan’s supreme martial arts under the guidance of Sword Saint Mae Jonghak since childhood.

Even Jin Mukyung, considered one of the greatest young prodigies in the current orthodox Murim, had lost to Cheongpung.

Jin Mukyung was injured at the time, but… Cheongpung is definitely different.

I recalled Cheongpung’s movements, which I had seen so many times that I was sick of them.

They were grace itself.

That was probably a characteristic of the martial arts he had learned, but it was only possible because his own strength supported them.

So he’s simply a cut above me.

Of course, I hadn’t shown him everything, right down to my underwear.

I still had One Annihilation, the Inventory System, and the Unnamed Sword, which could contend with Cheongpung’s Sword Energy.

But this was a spar, not a life-and-death duel.

I have to beat him with martial arts.

As far as I was concerned, the System was my final card.

In a battle where the slightest margin could decide life or death, it could turn the tide. But if my attack was blocked even after I used the System, only death would await me.

It was literally my final card. There was nothing after that.

I can’t rely on the System every time I fight.

The world was vast, and there were many masters.

To prepare for powerful enemies who could appear at any moment, sharpening my martial arts had to come first.

“Whew.”

With a deep exhale, my forty-five years of internal energy, which had been flowing steadily through me, coiled once more within my dantian.

System

• You have successfully completed circulating your qi.
• The realm of the Jin Family’s Cultivation Technique has risen slightly.
• Your stamina and fatigue have recovered.

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was Cheongpung and Hyuk Mujin locked in a fierce battle.

Whack! Whack-whack-whack!

“Gaaagh!”

“…”

Correction. It wasn’t a fierce battle. Mujin was just getting the crap beaten out of him.

Disoriented by the forms of the Crouching Tiger Fist raining down on him like a sudden shower, Hyuk Mujin gritted his teeth.

“Hah!”

The sword in his hand shot forward like a ray of light.

The forms weren’t particularly unpredictable, nor did the sword technique reveal any extraordinary profundity, but his fundamentals were solid. He had probably swung that same sword thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of times by now.

Swish! Swish-swish!

Head, shoulder, then chest. Cheongpung evaded all three attacks in an instant, only for Hyuk Mujin’s sword to thrust toward his chest.

Whooosh!

A clean, sharp strike stripped of all unnecessary movement.

Unfortunately, he had picked the wrong opponent.

“Wow, you’ve improved a lot!”

The blade trembled violently between Cheongpung’s index and middle fingers as Hyuk Mujin poured strength into it.

Empty-Hand Seizes the Blade.

It was a technique possible only when one’s martial arts were overwhelmingly superior to one’s opponent’s.

Hyuk Mujin’s face flushed red at the unexpected humiliation.

“Hngh!”

“Putting more strength into it won’t—”

Cheongpung’s eyes suddenly widened.

Hyuk Mujin had appeared to be putting more strength into the sword he had seized, but he abruptly released the hilt and lunged into Cheongpung’s arms.

Look at that bastard.

A quiet laugh escaped me. I had a pretty good idea why Hyuk Mujin, who had fought so honestly until now, had suddenly tried something like that.

They say even a dog at a village school can recite poetry after three years.

It was a method I often used: abandon the weapon a martial artist valued as much as his own life, catch the enemy off guard, and seize the advantage.

A good attempt. His only mistake was trying it against someone far too skilled for such a trick to work.

Boom!

With a sound like a drum bursting, someone’s body sailed through the air. Grinning, I looked down at Hyuk Mujin, who had landed right at my feet.

“Lose?”

After a fit of coughing and retching, Hyuk Mujin replied irritably,

“You watched the whole thing. Why ask?”

“What number was that?”

“That makes ninety.”

“You’ll hit a hundred soon. How about Hundred Battles, Hundred Losses as your nickname?”

“I’ll pass.”

“Still, that last move wasn’t bad.”

Hyuk Mujin’s ears twitched at my praise.

“Really?”

“Yeah. But the difference in skill was way too great. Size up your opponent before trying that.”

“I knew it. I was wondering why you were praising me for once.”

“Do you think you could have landed even one hit with a move like that?”

“If Young Hero Cheongpung hadn’t used a palm technique, I could’ve hit him at least once.”

As Hyuk Mujin grumbled with his lower lip sticking out, Cheongpung ran over with an innocent expression.

“Are you all right?”

“No, weren’t you supposed to use only fist techniques?”

“I was going to start using palm techniques now. You’ve improved much faster than I expected.”

“Ahem. Well, go ahead, then.”

Look at that bastard. His grin was about to split his face.

Normally, I would have cut in to knock him down a peg, but I largely agreed with Cheongpung.

He really is improving quickly.

I wasn’t the only one who had grown over the past week. Hyuk Mujin had as well.

Even though he had Cheongpung’s help, he had completed his Wall Lizard Technique training despite having far inferior stats. He had also improved enough for Cheongpung to bring out his palm techniques first.

That’s not all.

I activated Qi Sense to check Hyuk Mujin’s Level.

System

• You used Qi Sense. At its current six-star realm, you can search for targets at Level 80 or below within 60 jang.
• Qi Sense has identified the target.

Lv. 50 Hyuk Mujin

Only ten days ago, Hyuk Mujin had been Level 48. But after training, he had gone up two Levels.

Level 50? Already?

By checking Levels with the System, I could roughly gauge an opponent’s strength.

The problem was that most people’s Levels either stagnated or rose so slowly that it was difficult to notice.

But this guy’s Level keeps shooting up.

I suddenly remembered when I had first met Hyuk Mujin.

Back then, he had been only Level 20. He wasn’t anywhere near me—I had already passed Level 60—but even so, his Level-up speed was no joke.

Maybe it’s because he’s been dragged around with me.

Now that I thought about it, he had gone through every kind of hardship while traveling with me. Had actual combat naturally trained him?

Under my gaze—as though I were studying some fascinating creature—Hyuk Mujin asked,

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Huh? Nothing. I was just thinking you really have improved a lot.”

“Ahem. Ahem!”

“That was me being generous. From now on, you’re my pinky.”

“…You’re awfully stingy.”

“Never heard the phrase ‘the painful pinky’?”

“So you’re saying I’m your painful pinky, Captain?”

“No. I’m just telling you the phrase exists. Remember it.”

“…”

“All right, our Great Hero Hyuk Mujin of Hundred Battles, Hundred Losses can step back now.”

“I told you I’m not using that nickname!”

Letting Hyuk Mujin’s shout go in one ear and out the other, I steadied my breathing and stepped forward.

“How about circulating your qi once?”

Cheongpung smiled brightly.

“I barely moved, so I didn’t even break a sweat. Why would I?”

Mujin was going to cry. He really was.

I smiled along with Cheongpung’s radiant expression.

“You’re going to sweat a little now.”

“Someone at your level is a fun opponent, Benefactor.”

That challenging tone was unusual for Cheongpung. But from everything I had seen, this was his true nature—the competitive spirit of Cheongpung the martial artist.

I clearly remembered how he hadn’t smiled even once while fighting Jin Mukyung with his sword.

“It won’t be fun much longer.”

“That’s all right. Winning is always fun. Hehe.”

“Sure you won’t regret saying that?”

“Yes! I’m already beating you without Sword Energy!”

“…”

Damn. That hit a nerve.

I calmed myself after that brutal statement of fact and tightened my grip on the spear.

“This time will be different.”

“My grandfather told me something. He said only weaklings say things like that. True masters show it through their actions.”

“Don’t worry. That’s what I intend to do now.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

I looked at Cheongpung, who was still grinning from ear to ear, and murmured inwardly.

Open Status Window.

System

Status Window

Lv. 64 Jin Taekyung

Job: First Rate martial artist
Fame: 2,400 (+250)
Titles: 5 (Title effects active)

• Returnee (All stats +10)
• Sleeping Dragon of Shanxi (All stats +15, Fame +200)
• Scion of a Great Family (All stats +5, Fame +50)
• Gambler (Combat-related stats +10% in one-on-one combat)
• Intermediate Trainee (Training speed +20%)

Strength: 205 (+30)  Stamina: 207 (+30)
Agility: 200 (+30)  Intelligence: 40 (+30)
Charm: 40 (+30)  Internal Energy: 45 years
Toughness: 200 (+30)

Remaining Points: 100

• Distribute your remaining points.

My combat stats had finally broken through 200 thanks to training the Wall Lizard Technique and sparring. And I still had the points I had diligently saved in preparation for encountering an enemy.

At this moment, I didn’t envy even the greatest under heaven.

“I was really saving these up… but I’m using them because of you.”

“Huh?”

“Sword Energy, the Zaha Divine Technique—anything is fine. Give it everything you’ve got.”

“Then it’ll be too bland.”

“You should taste it before deciding whether it’s spicy or bland.”

Before I had even finished speaking, an order had already been delivered to the System in my head.

Assign fifty points to Agility.

Whooosh.

It was a force only I could feel in this world.

The moment an unprecedented power, whose origin I could not identify, flowed through my entire body like a wave—

“Let’s start with mild Neoguri.”¹

Whoooosh!

My spear began moving faster than ever before.

Swish—boom!

Cheongpung twisted his neck. His hair, tied tightly behind his head, burst through the air.

But the spear didn’t stop there.

Whoom—whooosh!

More than ten spear images charged in from every direction. Cheongpung stepped forward without hesitation.

Crack!

The few remaining bluestones shattered, and dirt erupted into the air.

Jin Taekyung looked at Cheongpung, who had retreated three jang in an instant, and asked,

“Knew it. Dark Fragrance Drift?”

“I mixed in the Five-Element Plum Blossom Steps.”

“Can you even do that?”

“It worked, didn’t it?”

“So how does it taste?”

“Bland. Very bland.”

“That’s possible. For now.”

After finishing his sentence, Jin Taekyung suddenly shuddered from head to toe and grinned.

“Next up: spicy Jin Ramen.”

The incomprehensible words had barely left his mouth when he charged.

The spearhead rose as if it would pierce the sun, then slashed downward with a terrifying sound as it tore through the air.

Whoooooosh!

At that moment, Cheongpung drew his sword. Vivid violet Sword Energy had already gathered along its blade.

No—the Zaha Divine Technique was flowing from his entire body, not just his sword.

Boom!

Force collided with force.

A thunderous roar rang out as though the sky itself were splitting apart.

The smile vanished from Cheongpung’s lips. A considerable backlash traveled through his aching wrist.

How?

He was different. Far too different.

Even the phrase looking at someone with new eyes fell short.

Before Cheongpung could even rub his eyes, Jin Taekyung had grown stronger, then stronger again.

And his internal energy…

The Zaha Divine Technique was an Extreme Yang internal-energy cultivation technique. Yet the internal energy transmitted through Jin Taekyung’s spear was no less powerful.

Cheongpung felt a faint tremor coming from the spearhead pressing down on his sword.

Vrrr. Vrrrr.

They said that those who reached the wall of the Peak realm could hear someone crying before breaking through it.

A martial artist’s weapon, as precious as life itself, was the first to notice its owner’s transformation.

Internal energy that had reached the realm. A physique fully prepared to become a Peak master.

When all of those conditions were met, this was the sound that rang out.

A Sword Cry?

But it wasn’t a sword. It was a spear.

A Spear Cry.

As Cheongpung stared openmouthed, Jin Taekyung grinned.

“All right. Now for spicy Puramyeon.”

Krrrnnng.

With the force of a thousand catties, the spear’s cry rang out even louder.²