Chapter 19
Training (2)
When the report concerning Namgung Jun arrived at the Ink Fragrance Department, the Heavenly Sword Hall was in an uproar of its own.
"I heard the youngest returned from his first mission. Is he alright?"
"Alright? If you heard what Namgung Jun accomplished, you wouldn't be saying something like that."
"Heo Il tends to exaggerate, but he's not the type to tell outright lies."
The swordsmen of the Heavenly Sword Hall were unable to hide their astonishment after hearing about Namgung Jun's exploits from Heo Il.
A newly recruited Cloud member had destroyed an entire Assignment Hall and subdued Sang Hono.
Of course, the martial level of those unorthodox martial artists had only been around the Third-Rate and Second-Rate levels.
Even so, for a newcomer to flawlessly survive a chaotic battle against numerous opponents without suffering a single injury on his very first mission was extraordinary.
And that wasn't all.
He had gone beyond that and personally slain a Myung Cult Guardian while rescuing more than a dozen kidnapped children.
Even a Third Cloud member would have found such a feat difficult.
Certainly, Heo Il had provided tremendous assistance during the mission.
Yet no one could deny that Namgung Jun had been the central figure.
The swordsmen of the Heavenly Sword Hall had assumed that Namgung Jun would struggle to fully display his swordsmanship in actual combat.
After all, sparring and real battle were entirely different matters.
That was why they had hoped he would gradually accumulate experience through minor missions and build the foundation necessary to fully bring out his swordsmanship.
No one had expected him to perform this well.
"That brat was definitely at the First-Rate Realm, wasn't he?"
"He can already infuse internal energy into his sword, however faintly. He should have reached the peak of the First-Rate Realm."
"It's ridiculous to judge him solely by cultivation. His swordsmanship is probably sharper than that of many Peak Realm swordsmen."
As the swordsmen continued to marvel, they found themselves thinking about Namgung Jun.
The sword techniques he displayed clearly transcended time itself.
It was hard to believe he had been holding a sword for less than a month.
A truly monstrous sword prodigy.
His shortcomings lay in his internal energy, external arts, and overall martial development.
But those were problems that time would solve.
After all, his astonishing talent hardly seemed limited to swordsmanship alone.
"It's foolish that you're all so surprised. You need to train your eyes better."
Gong Junam, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke.
"For reasons I cannot understand, that boy's sword seemed as though it had already been tempered by the harsh winds of the martial world."
His eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"If it isn't experience, then it belongs to the realm of instinct and talent."
He folded his arms.
"His success was only natural."
It had been a very long time since Gong Junam had spoken at such length.
That alone demonstrated how remarkable Namgung Jun's achievements were.
The swordsmen fell silent.
Only now did they truly realize that Namgung Jun's gifts extended far beyond simply wielding a sword.
"By the way, where is the youngster? We should congratulate him."
"The Hall Master already went to his quarters personally. They're probably speaking right now."
"Hah. The Hall Master's affection for his disciple is incredible."
"Hoo..."
After completing a cycle of breathing exercises, Namgung Jun opened his eyes.
The cold yin energy within him had begun to stir again, showing signs of triggering another episode.
He repeatedly circulated his qi to suppress the effects of the Nine Yin Severed Meridians.
It could not completely prevent an outbreak.
But it would at least reduce both the frequency and severity.
As he reflected upon himself during the meditation, Namgung Jun gently ran his fingers across the sword sheath beside him.
'The most important thing right now is still external training.'
His internal energy was not yet particularly deep.
Even so, his greatest problem remained his body.
For a martial artist, balanced development of Essence, Qi, and Spirit was essential.
Only then could one eventually reach the realm of Three Flowers Gathered at the Crown.
At present, the aspect lagging furthest behind was Essence—the physical body.
Hadn't this mission already made that painfully clear?
He had spent his entire life as a sword attendant while suffering from blocked meridians.
Naturally, his physical condition was poor.
Even an ordinary beggar likely possessed a stronger body than his.
Though he had begun training as a martial artist after meeting Lee Seha, a body that had been neglected for years could not transform overnight.
Most of all, the Nine Yin Severed Meridians have a tremendous effect on my body.
There was not a single way in which the condition directly benefited him physically.
On the contrary, it even interfered with the innate yang energy of a male body and hindered his growth.
As a result, Namgung Jun was smaller and frailer than most boys his age.
Only by suppressing the Nine Yin Severed Meridians as much as possible and advancing his Heavenly Thunder True Yang Art could he obtain a physique suitable for a martial artist.
'I'll have to search the Martial Archive for an external cultivation method.'
In his previous life, ordinary external training had been sufficient.
But now he possessed a body burdened by the unique curse of the Nine Yin Severed Meridians.
Naturally, he required a completely new method tailored to his current condition.
Lost in thought, Namgung Jun suddenly looked toward the door.
"You may come in."
"Disciple!"
Having stood guard outside while waiting for Namgung Jun to finish his breathing exercises, Lee Seha immediately entered the room the moment permission was granted.
"I heard everything! Is there anything you can't do, Jun?"
"I am still lacking."
"That's a good thing! It means you still have room to grow!"
Namgung Jun's gaze shifted toward the bundle in Lee Seha's arms.
Several books were piled there.
"Master, what are those books?"
"Ah, these? I thought they'd be useful for you, so I brought them from the Martial Archive."
Iron Body Forging Art.
General Treatise on Severed Meridians.
Records of Yin-Cold Diseases.
External Purification Unified Deer Technique.
Three Harmonies Divine Physique.
A quick glance at the titles revealed not only external cultivation manuals but also medical texts concerning severed meridians and cold-energy disorders.
Every single one was relevant to Namgung Jun's current situation.
"We aren't physicians, but I think it's important to have at least some knowledge."
Lee Seha smiled warmly.
"Let's study books like these whenever we have time—not just martial arts manuals."
With a confident expression, Lee Seha proudly lifted his chin.
"I finished reading every one of them while you were away on your first mission. I'll teach you properly as well. It'll be much faster than trying to read them all on your own."
A faint smile appeared on Namgung Jun's face.
As a master, Lee Seha had accurately understood his disciple's condition and shortcomings.
And he had gone out of his way to find solutions.
Seeing such a young master working so hard for an even younger disciple made the corners of Namgung Jun's lips rise.
"Thank you, Master."
"It's only natural."
Lee Seha lightly tapped the sword hanging at his waist.
"Still, the most important thing is the sword, right?"
"Of course."
Understanding exactly what he meant, Namgung Jun picked up the sword resting beside his bed.
Master and disciple headed toward the training grounds together.
***
The two stood facing each other in the training field.
"Jun, show me the Thirteen Flashing Lightning Swords."
"I will."
Master and disciple simultaneously placed their hands on their sword hilts.
A brief exchange of glances.
Then Namgung Jun moved first.
A swift sword shot forward instantly.
Just before the thrust reached Lee Seha's collar—
CLANG!
Lee Seha's sword emerged at a leisurely pace and knocked aside the thrust by the narrowest margin.
The blade then followed the tremor in his wrist, tracing one elegant curve after another.
His seemingly slow sword path advanced forward and blocked the attacks of the Thirteen Flashing Lightning Swords.
The soft and deliberate strikes were not aimed at Namgung Jun himself.
Instead, they seized control of the surrounding space.
'A mixture of the Slow Sword and the Soft Sword.'
The essence of the Slow Sword lay in controlling space and trajectories through stillness within motion, producing the optimal strike regardless of the opponent's actions.
It was an exceptionally difficult discipline to master.
The fact that Lee Seha had learned it was remarkable.
'I wonder how well the Heavenly Thunder True Yang Art complements the Slow Sword.'
His interest piqued, Namgung Jun accelerated.
His blue sleeves whipped violently behind him.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Namgung Jun's sword became ever faster.
Lee Seha's remained slow.
Yet the flashes unleashed by Namgung Jun never reached him.
Like a net being woven through the air, Lee Seha's sword descended softly and methodically suppressed every form of the Thirteen Flashing Lightning Swords.
'Impressive.'
Namgung Jun saw many things from this exchange.
Truly worthy of the Heavenly Sword Hall Master.
The mysteries of the Slow Sword, which governed the flow of battle.
The mysteries of the Soft Sword, which seamlessly connected the beginning and end of every strike.
And hidden within the brief moments where Lee Seha severed Namgung Jun's momentum, there was even a trace of the Swift Sword.
Lee Seha was combining multiple schools of swordsmanship into a single blade.
Had this been a real battle, he would have severed the flow and immediately transitioned into Swift Sword techniques aimed at vital points.
But this was a spar.
More importantly, it was a lesson.
That was why he responded only with this sword art.
'There is still much that needs refining.'
Namgung Jun had created the Thirteen Flashing Lightning Swords based upon the Swift Sword techniques found within the Martial Archive.
Yet many flaws remained.
Even now, his sword paths were repeatedly being cut apart by Lee Seha's sword.
After more than fifty exchanges, both master and disciple stepped back simultaneously.
"Master, what is the name of that sword art?"
"Cloud-Piercing Wall Stance."
"A supreme martial art."
"It is. In fact, the Martial Archive classifies it as a technique meant for Four-Cloud members."
Namgung Jun nodded.
Having experienced it firsthand, he understood why.
And because he understood, his fingers began to itch.
'I'll make it mine.'
The opening stance of the Thirteen Flashing Lightning Swords changed.
His center of gravity sank deeply into the middle of his body.
His stance widened by another inch.
Even his grip on the sword shifted into something denser and more refined.
The eyes of the Heavenly Sword Hall swordsmen watching from the sidelines widened.
'That's the opening stance of the Cloud-Piercing Wall Stance?'
'What's he trying to do? Is he imitating it? Just from experiencing the sword art once, without even reading the manual?'
Namgung Jun immediately answered their questions through action.
WHOOM!
The weight anchored through both knees flowed into his strike.
His sword traced a path as heavy and billowing as a drifting cloud.
The attack was slow.
Yet the principles of the Soft Sword spread force throughout the trajectory, swallowing the surrounding space.
Having seized one direction in advance, the strike descended toward Lee Seha's shoulder.
Lee Seha smoothly retreated and raised his sword upward.
CRACK!
After exchanging a single strike, Lee Seha's eyes gleamed.
'He isn't merely copying it.'
Namgung Jun was not imitating the form.
The core principles of the Cloud-Piercing Wall Stance were genuinely present within his sword.
Judging from the aura flowing through the strike, it seemed he was compensating for the lack of proper internal energy circulation through sheer talent and instinct.
'Without even reading the manual, he's already doing this?'
Lee Seha was astonished by his disciple's monstrous talent.
At the same time, he became curious about how far Namgung Jun could follow.
Part of him wanted to immediately teach him the complete formulas and secrets of the technique.
But he refrained.
He knew that Namgung Jun's own realizations during their exchanges would become invaluable nourishment for future growth.
The slow sword strikes of the Cloud-Piercing Wall Stance danced through the air like a pair of butterflies—quiet, graceful, and unhurried.
Despite the extreme stillness of the spar, the tension only intensified.
The slightest mistake from either side would result in immediate collapse.
Even so, master and disciple continued exchanging control of space and sword paths.
More than seventy exchanges passed.
'Interesting.'
Namgung Jun could not help but admire both Lee Seha's talent and his martial arts.
He carried memories from his previous life as the Sword Emperor.
Ordinary people would have struggled to serve as his teacher.
Yet Lee Seha fulfilled that role admirably.
'Meeting Master may truly be the greatest blessing of this life.'
CLANG!
The two swords met softly in midair.
Master and disciple had executed the exact same technique.
A light metallic ring echoed outward.
"At this point, comparing it to the Cloud-Piercing Wall Stance manual, I'd say you've already achieved Seven-Star mastery."
"That is only because Master repeatedly demonstrated the core principles and essential branches of the technique through your forms."
"As expected, only my disciple truly appreciates me."
Watching Lee Seha smile, Namgung Jun felt a growing thirst.
He had entered the gate of a new sword art.
Yet it still wasn't enough.
'I'm still lacking.'
Bringing his hands together, Namgung Jun spoke.
"Master."
"Hm?"
"Please show me your Swift Sword as well."
His eyes shone with anticipation.
"I've heard that the Swift Sword is your true specialty."
Namgung Jun fully intended to absorb that as well.