Chapter 11

Heavenly Sword Hall (2)

Namgung Jun chewed the heshouwu thoroughly.

The root was so large that eating it was inconvenient, yet his jaw never stopped moving.

As its sharp, earthy fragrance filled his mouth, Lee Seha's blazing yang qi surged through the Myeongmun Acupoint and raced through his meridians.

As expected of a three-hundred-year-old heshouwu.

It was not among the highest-grade spiritual medicines, but for Namgung Jun, whose internal energy cultivation was still shallow, it would be an immense boon.

Master and disciple circulated their internal energy according to the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Art, preventing the heshouwu's medicinal essence from dispersing throughout the meridians.

The blazing yang qi spread like fire, rapidly filling the meridians and forcibly drawing in the heshouwu's energy.

Gradually, the medicinal essence began merging into the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Art.

As he assisted in the process, Lee Seha's eyebrows rose slightly.

Part of it is because I'm helping him, but Jun's internal energy control is extraordinarily refined.

Because he was directly assisting the circulation process, Lee Seha could feel every nuance of Namgung Jun's energy manipulation.

The more he observed, the greater his admiration became.

This was absolutely not the level of internal energy control one would expect from a boy who had only recently begun learning martial arts.

It felt like the skill of a veteran master who had cultivated for decades.

In some aspects, Lee Seha was even gaining insights and inspiration from watching Namgung Jun's techniques.

Just what kind of monster is Jun...?

Though endlessly impressed, Lee Seha did not allow his concentration to waver.

His goal was to help Namgung Jun absorb as much of the heshouwu's essence as possible.

As the circulation continued smoothly, a question naturally arose in his mind.

How much of it will he absorb?

Simply consuming a spiritual medicine did not mean one could obtain all of its power.

Absorbing half was considered normal.

Those with exceptional energy control or extraordinary sensitivity could sometimes absorb sixty to eighty percent.

What about Namgung Jun?

Hm?

While channeling his internal energy, Lee Seha suddenly felt puzzled.

Until now, Namgung Jun had merely been receiving assistance.

Now he was taking control of the entire circulation process.

Though surprised, Lee Seha did not interfere.

He trusted the judgment of his exceptionally talented disciple.

Adjusting his own circulation, he began following Namgung Jun's lead.

Feeling that trust, a faint smile appeared on Namgung Jun's lips.

With Master's help, I can be much bolder in my control.

He carefully drew out the heshouwu's essence that had gathered stubbornly in the corners of his meridians.

Then he spread his internal energy like an enormous net, gradually collecting every fragment of the medicinal power.

Lee Seha supported the process from behind with unwavering precision.

Had Namgung Jun attempted this alone, his cultivation would have been insufficient.

But Lee Seha's assistance played a decisive role.

Without exchanging a single word through sound transmission, Lee Seha naturally followed the flow that Namgung Jun created.

Even for a supreme master, that was no easy feat.

Yet Lee Seha matched Namgung Jun's rhythm perfectly.

As expected, Master is no ordinary talent either.

This session of circulation would undoubtedly grant Lee Seha numerous insights into internal energy control as well.

Namgung Jun found great satisfaction in their relationship.

It was one in which both master and disciple benefited from one another.

"Hoo..."

At last, the spiritual medicine's energy had been completely refined, and the circulation process came to an end.

The two simultaneously released slow breaths and opened their eyes.

The moment they did, Lee Seha jumped to his feet.

"My disciple... if I'm not mistaken..."

Watching his master trail off, Namgung Jun revealed a faint smile.

A blue flash of lightning flickered within his eyes.

"Yes. You're correct."

"I absorbed all of the heshouwu's essence."

"That's impossible!"

Even though he had personally assisted throughout the process, it was difficult to believe.

He had expected perhaps seventy percent absorption.

Never had he imagined the entire medicinal essence would be devoured.

He had never heard of anyone completely absorbing a spiritual medicine's power.

At least not within his knowledge.

Even the other hall masters of the Azure Heaven Society—and even the Sword Lord himself—had never fully absorbed the essence of a spiritual medicine.

To possess such talent... even considering the Nine Yin Severed Meridians...

Once more, Lee Seha realized that Namgung Jun possessed talent worthy of the ages.

Meanwhile, having rapidly stabilized his newfound internal energy, Namgung Jun drew his sword.

As he injected internal energy into the blade, a faint layer of lightning qi formed along its edge.

Crackle!

Lee Seha's gaze deepened further.

Being able to gather internal energy in one's hands was one thing.

Being able to channel it into a weapon was the mark of a true first-rate martial artist.

And if one could go beyond mere infusion and manifest visible sword qi, it was said that they had reached the Peak Realm.

Though he had only recently begun practicing martial arts, Namgung Jun had already reached the threshold of the first-rate realm.

In most great sects, reaching the first-rate level by the age of twenty was enough to earn the title of genius.

Those who advanced beyond that and reached the Peak Realm were regarded as future leaders of their sect.

Considering Namgung Jun's age and the short time since he had begun cultivating, his growth was beyond astonishing.

It was miraculous.

He could take the promotion examination right now and pass without issue.

Within the Azure Heaven Society, the rank of Second-Class Member required at least first-rate cultivation.

If Namgung Jun accumulated a few mission merits, promotion would be all but guaranteed.

Will he become the youngest and fastest Second-Class Member ever?

Watching his disciple achieve things even he himself had never accomplished, Lee Seha clenched his right fist.

Namgung Jun's growth was dazzling.

And it filled him with joy.

At the same time, he felt a faint sense of guilt.

As a master, it felt as though he had done very little.

His disciple was so exceptional that he continued growing at a terrifying pace even without much guidance.

"Master."

"Thanks to you, I've come this far."

"I'll continue striving even harder."

Lee Seha paused for a moment at Namgung Jun's sudden words of gratitude before breaking into a bright smile.

"At this rate, the day you catch up to me may not be far off, Jun."

"I'll do my best to make that happen."

At Namgung Jun's lightly amused reply, Lee Seha playfully smacked him on the shoulder.

"It won't be easy. I'm not exactly weak myself."

As he watched Namgung Jun leave the room first, Lee Seha recalled the circulation session they had just completed.

It feels like I might be able to break through a wall...

Perhaps he had gained inspiration from Namgung Jun's method of controlling internal energy, because a certain martial principle continued lingering in his mind.

Without delay, Lee Seha headed straight for his office.

He intended to attempt a breakthrough in the bottleneck that had long stalled his Heavenly Thunder True Yang Art.

***

After officially joining the Heavenly Sword Hall, Namgung Jun began training alongside its members.

The first thing he focused on was learning the hall's foundational sword art.

"Every member of the Heavenly Sword Hall has their own primary sword art," Gong Junam explained, "but there is one sword art we all learn in common."

"A sword art designed with group combat in mind."

"Correct."

Holding his sword upright, Gong Junam continued.

"Using this as a foundation, we can execute combined attacks and form sword formations. That's why it must be mastered."

"I understand."

"Keep in mind that you must reach at least five-star mastery before you're permitted to undertake missions."

Gong Junam slowly demonstrated the techniques.

The sword art blended multiple schools together in remarkable balance—heavy sword, swift sword, illusion sword, flowing sword, and others.

Not bad at all. An appropriate introductory sword art.

Namgung Jun silently repeated its name.

Lesser Evolution Sword Art.

Once one achieved mastery of the Lesser Evolution Sword Art, one could learn the Greater Evolution Sword Art, which was the true sword art used by members of the Heavenly Sword Hall.

In essence, the Lesser Evolution Sword Art seemed to exist solely to make mastering the Greater Evolution Sword Art easier.

After demonstrating the entire set once, Gong Junam nodded.

"Now perform it yourself. I'll correct any mistakes immediately."

"Understood."

Taking his stance, Namgung Jun began executing the first movement of the Lesser Evolution Sword Art.

Whoosh!

His hands and feet moved continuously as each form flowed seamlessly into the next.

The transitions were so natural that even Gong Junam and the other Heavenly Sword Hall swordsmen doubted their own eyes.

"Hm."

It began with Gong Junam's low murmur.

Soon the other swordsmen were muttering as well.

"What is this?"

"This really is his first time learning it, right?"

"Did the Hall Master secretly teach him beforehand?"

Every movement was astonishingly precise.

The sword strikes of the Lesser Evolution Sword Art sliced through the air with sharp whistling sounds.

As they watched, a single word surfaced in every swordsman's mind.

Mastery.

Namgung Jun's refined sword forms lacked nothing that would prevent them from being called complete mastery.

Whooom—

After executing the final technique, Namgung Jun calmly sheathed his sword.

While the Heavenly Sword Hall members stared with blank expressions, he quietly spoke.

"It seems I can proceed directly to the Greater Evolution Sword Art."

No one could refute him.

At least regarding the Lesser Evolution Sword Art, Namgung Jun's execution could only be described as perfect.

Gong Junam stood speechless for a moment before nodding.

"Did the Hall Master teach you separately?"

"No."

"You understood an unfamiliar sword art at a glance and integrated it into your body immediately?"

He shook his head in disbelief.

"You're a monster."

The other swordsmen clearly shared the same thought.

All of them looked at Namgung Jun as though he were some strange creature.

Each unconsciously compared him to their younger selves and clicked their tongues.

Though the Lesser Evolution Sword Art was the Heavenly Sword Hall's introductory sword art, it was far from simple.

In fact, because it combined so many different sword philosophies, it was easy to learn incorrectly and end up mediocre at everything.

When first learning it, one had to proceed slowly and carefully.

That was why everyone present had spent considerable time mastering the Lesser Evolution Sword Art before earning the right to learn the Greater Evolution Sword Art.

"Even the current Hall Master wasn't like this."

"We'd better work harder. At this rate, the youngest will surpass us in no time."

"A talent worthy of the Heavenly Sword Hall. The future looks secure."

After a brief moment of thought, Gong Junam nodded.

"I'll teach you the Greater Evolution Sword Art."

Namgung Jun's training progressed at a frightening pace.

The swordsmen of the Heavenly Sword Hall gradually stopped their own practice and simply watched him train.

It was as if observing Namgung Jun's swordsmanship had become a more valuable form of cultivation than practicing themselves.

***

Meanwhile, in the grand conference hall, the senior members of the Sword Fragrance Division and the Fragrant Ink Division had gathered for their usual meeting.

"Jiangxi Province has been showing unusual activity recently. The unorthodox factions that were constantly splitting and regrouping have begun uniting. Intelligence suggests the influence of the Iron War Camp is behind it."

"So the Iron War Camp is stirring again after remaining quiet for so long."

"We'll need accurate assessment of the situation and military intervention if necessary."

"If intervention becomes necessary, I'll go personally."

The conference dealt with events occurring throughout the martial world, determining future policy and assigning missions to the Ten Halls accordingly.

One matter after another was addressed.

Eventually, they arrived at the final agenda item.

Kang Mong, serving as secretary for the meeting, pulled out a new document.

"Next agenda item: authorization for First-Class Member Namgung Jun of the Heavenly Sword Hall to officially enter the martial world."

The moment his disciple's name was mentioned, Lee Seha's eyes sharpened.

This matter was far more important than it appeared.

Rescuing Namgung Jun from the clutches of the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult had been one thing.

Allowing him to leave again was something entirely different.

No one knew what the Sun-Moon Demonic Cult might attempt regarding a boy possessing the Nine Yin Severed Meridians.

Extreme caution was required.

"Is this even a matter that needs discussion? The answer has already been decided."

The first person to speak was a middle-aged man whose sleeve bore four cloud insignias.

"Namgung Jun must absolutely be prohibited from entering the martial world."

As soon as those words were spoken, the atmosphere in the conference hall turned icy.