Dark and Light Martial Emperor

Chapter 137

A Motley Crew

The New Year had passed.

As expected by everyone, it was finally decided to establish the Martial Alliance. Although it was a decision made after thorough discussion, those in the know were aware that it was determined by a majority vote.

Once the decision to establish the Martial Alliance was made, the organizational structure of the Martial Alliance was swiftly put together.

There were precedents set by ancestors in the past, and the process of reviewing and adjusting the drafted organizational structure by the heads of various factions was incredibly fast even before the official announcement.

Thus, the Baekdo Martial Alliance was formed. The heads of the Nine Great Schools and the Six Major Clans took on the title of officials serving the Martial Alliance, while the position of the Alliance Leader remained vacant.

The news quickly swept across the entire Jungwon.

The revival of the Martial Alliance signaled the beginning of a massive change that shook the peace-conditioned Jungwon martial world.

*BOOM!*

“Ugh!”

“Don’t back off!”

*Swish!*

Yeon Hojeong closed the distance in an instant and delivered a powerful punch.

Okcheong’s eyes widened.

‘Again!’

It was an ordinary punch.

It came straightforwardly without any variation. It wasn’t particularly fast, nor was it something that couldn’t be blocked.

Yet, he had been repeatedly struck by that punch. Specifically, he had been overwhelmed by the unimaginable attacks hidden behind that punch.

‘Not this time!’

He couldn’t afford to be defeated again. Okcheong’s eyes, burning with determination, gleamed with mixed energy.

*Whoosh.*

A strange light glimmered in Yeon Hojeong’s eyes.

He discarded his steel sword and clasped his hands together. Okcheong’s hands, filled with mixed energy, rotated in a peculiar manner.

‘Hmm.’

*Whoosh!*

Yeon Hojeong’s body spun along with the rotation of the energy.

A look of joy spread across Okcheong’s face. He had finally managed to disrupt the stance of the aggressive Hojang, who attacked like a battering ram.

At that moment, Yeon Hojeong, whose stance was broken, delivered a kick to Okcheong’s shoulder.

*Crack!*

“Argh!”

Okcheong dropped to one knee. The power of the Taeguksansu embedded in his hands scattered aimlessly.

‘No!’

*Swish!*

As soon as he knelt, he retreated backward. Yeon Hojeong was a master of practical martial arts. He could deploy techniques to bring down an opponent from any position. Okcheong needed to retreat to find a countermeasure.

*Whoosh!*

However, despite being accustomed to Yeon Hojeong’s relentless sparring, Okcheong still couldn’t fully grasp his limits.

*Whoosh!*

‘What?!’

Okcheong’s eyes widened in shock.

Yeon Hojeong hadn’t moved from his spot. He simply extended his hand and unleashed a pure white energy of a tiger, so powerful that it felt like his entire body was bound.

Though brief, he couldn’t move. Even though he broke free from the mixed energy binding his body, it was more than enough time for Yeon Hojeong to successfully attack ten times over.

*Thud! Pow!*

“Gah!”

Okcheong fell flat on his back.

Yeon Hojeong smirked.

“Eighty-seven matches, eighty-seven wins, and undefeated.”

“Cough, cough!”

“Are you alright?”

“I-I’m fine. Ugh!”

Okcheong finally vomited blood. Despite holding back his last strike, Yeon Hojeong’s palm still contained extraordinary power.

Okcheong staggered as he stood up.

“It wasn’t bad.”

“Pardon?”

“This fight, it wasn’t bad. You’re starting to get it now.”

Okcheong’s face showed surprise.

In all their previous fights, Yeon Hojeong had never praised Okcheong, not even out of politeness.

Instead, he had cursed and ridiculed him, shredding his pride to pieces. He had thoroughly criticized the swordsmanship that Okcheong had trained so hard to master.

It was the first time Yeon Hojeong had ever praised him.

‘…Oh.’

How should he put it?

It felt exhilarating. He had never felt this way even when praised by his master.

“Th-thank you.”

“Thank you for what? It’s your fierce determination that got you this far.”

In truth, Yeon Hojeong acknowledged Okcheong’s determination. Not everyone could endure his relentless verbal abuse.

His pride must have been greatly wounded. He might have even lost confidence. Was it during the seventieth match? There was a point where his skill seemed to deteriorate.

But Okcheong had endured that grueling training and reached this point.

“Whether you train alone or fight others, time isn’t the most important factor in training. It’s about efficient effort.”

“Efficient…”

“You dropped your sword, didn’t you?”

“Huh? Oh, yes!”

“Why did you drop it? You held onto it until the moment you fell.”

Okcheong looked at his fallen sword in confusion.

‘I dropped my sword?’

He realized that he had let go of his sword and used Taeguksansu to twist Yeon Hojeong’s attack.

‘This can’t be.’

A swordsman should never be without their sword. Dropping the sword in a critical moment wasn’t the mark of a true swordsman.

*Thud!*

Okcheong fell to his knees with a devastated expression.

Yeon Hojeong frowned.

“What are you doing?”

“I-I dropped my sword.”

“Huh?”

“A swordsman dropped his sword. Such shame…!”

*Thud!*

“Oof!”

Okcheong rolled on the ground. His white uniform was now covered in dirt.

“You idiot, you should be proud of yourself for finally letting go of the sword. Why are you shocked?”

“…Huh?”

Okcheong blinked with a naive expression.

Yeon Hojeong continued, thinking that his eyes looked somewhat sad like those of a forlorn cow.

“All your martial arts are like that. They’re all rigid and inflexible.”

“Rigid?”

“Why shouldn’t you let go of your sword? If this were a real battle, you’d be dead. Are you going to cling to your sword and die because you’re a swordsman?”

“…!”

“See? You keep thinking that a swordsman must act a certain way, that this technique must be executed in a certain manner, that this footwork must be soft because it’s soft. Everything is like that, isn’t it?”

“Well, that’s…!”

“It’s amazing you’ve achieved this level while being so rigid. Someone without natural talent would remain a third-rate martial artist for life.”

Okcheong’s eyes widened like saucers.

Yeon Hojeong’s face turned serious.

“You’ve only been focusing on your own martial arts while fighting me, haven’t you?”

“…Yes.”

“Why didn’t you try to imitate my techniques?”

“Huh?!”

“I didn’t attack you with some extraordinary martial arts. I used simple movements that even a street thug could use, just with added strength and speed.”

“Oh…”

“When you understand your opponent’s movements and counter them, even ordinary martial arts can become supreme techniques. Your sense of actual combat is extremely lacking. Why? Because you refuse to break free.”

Okcheong’s face was filled with shock.

Yeon Hojeong smirked.

“I could have taught you all this with words, but you were too severe. You’d probably agonize over my words for days.”

“…”

“It’s better to learn through pain and experience rather than wasting time.”

True talent, something that could never be reached by mere skill alone.

That was real combat, experience. While those with natural talent might have a higher survival rate in their first real fight, the difference isn’t as significant as one might think.

In the end, it’s about focus. Determination. Someone who can immerse themselves in something can break free from their constraints sooner or later.

Okcheong lacked that.

And at this moment, Okcheong could fully ‘feel’ what Yeon Hojeong had been trying to teach him.

“I’ve brought you to the door; it’s up to you to open it and walk through. You’ve done well.”

“Wait! Is the teaching over?”

Yeon Hojeong frowned.

“What more is there to do? You’ve learned enough.”

“But I still lack a lot! I want to see more of your cunning tactics!”

This guy, with his innocent face, knew how to stab someone in the back.

“Shut up. There’s no point in continuing this anymore.”

Okcheong, looking crestfallen, lowered his head.

As a disciple of a previous master, he technically outranked Yeon Hojeong. Seeing such a person so downcast was quite a rare sight.

‘By the way, what was that sword master doing?’

Yeon Hojeong often wondered this while fighting Okcheong.

‘How did his disciple become so stubborn? Was he even a proper teacher?’

Yeon Hojeong looked at Okcheong with pity before shrugging his shoulders.

“Well, it’s not my problem.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing. Go back to your quarters. You don’t need to come from tomorrow onwards.”

“…Yes.”

Okcheong stood up weakly and bowed.

“Thanks to you, I’ve learned a lot. I owe you a great debt.”

“It’s nothing. I’ve learned a lot from you too. I’m the one who should be grateful.”

Okcheong smiled.

‘He’s a good person.’

While fighting, Yeon Hojeong had used all sorts of creative insults to get under his skin, but after the fight, he would personally help him stretch and pat him on the back.

‘He’s a great person. I wonder if I can become someone like him.’

For someone who had mastered such advanced martial arts to say that they learned something from him, it was heartwarming.

At that moment, Yeon Hojeong shouted.

“If you’re done saying thanks, get going, man!”

“Oh! Yes! See you later!”

Okcheong hurriedly left Pagun Pavilion.

Watching Okcheong’s back, Yeon Hojeong’s face darkened with a sinister smile.

“Hmmm. Hmmm. Heh heh heh.”

*Boom!*

Yeon Hojeong, stepping forward with great force, lowered his stance.

‘This is what it felt like, right?’

*Whoosh.*

Yeon Hojeong’s fists sliced through the air smoothly.

Surprisingly, it was the Tai Chi of the Wudang Sect. Not the simplified form seen in public but the genuine Tai Chi only taught to Wudang disciples.

‘And from here…’

*Pop! Pop! Pop!*

In an instant, his fists struck seven points, exuding a sense of grandeur.

And it was smooth. Though it was a fast technique, it contained a gentle flow of energy moving fiercely within.

‘Great. I’ve perfectly copied it.’

Okcheong hadn’t made the techniques he learned his own. Instead, he had been replicating them in their original form. In other words, he was practicing the original techniques of the Wudang Sect.

Yeon Hojeong had managed to pick up most of his techniques while teaching him. Though it was just the form of external martial arts.

“Ah, as expected of the Wudang Sect. Even just copying the form creates such a flow in the air? It’s extraordinary.”

At that moment, a voice rang out.

“That’s disgustingly sneaky.”

“Gah!”

Yeon Hojeong was startled. He had been so focused that he hadn’t noticed someone approaching.

Mok Bi frowned.

“Do you enjoy stealing others’ martial arts?”

“Stealing? I just naturally picked it up while teaching him. Isn’t it great? We both benefited.”

“Ugh, ugh!”

“Stop looking at me with such contempt.”

Yeon Hojeong laughed heartily.

“Sigh, stop laughing and follow me.”

“Huh? Where to?”

“My father wants to see you.”

“Why me?”

“How should I know? He mentioned something about Gun.”

The playful expression on Yeon Hojeong’s face quickly turned serious.

“It’s begun.”