Chapter 184

Chapter 184

Generally, if martial arts belong to the same martial lineage, even if the learned techniques differ, there’s inevitably a shared foundation.

For instance, the most central value permeating Shaolin’s martial arts is ‘compassion’. It’s not that Shaolin martial arts lack cutting and piercing attacks, but the reason striking-type martial arts are predominant is because Shaolin martial arts aim to reform evildoers.

Therefore, a foundation permeating Shaolin martial arts clearly exists. Then what about Wudang’s martial arts?

The most appropriate word to describe Wudang’s martial arts is continuous flow.

Wudang martial arts, which emphasize endless circulation, are commonly contrasted as soft arts. Kongdong and Qingcheng are no different, and Namgung’s martial arts are no different either.

Like this, if they’re from the same martial sect, they inevitably branch out like twigs from a certain central foundation based on that foundation. Such sects’ martial arts often have a grand master establish the foundation first, then derivatives spread from there.

And.

In that sense, Uicheonmun’s martial arts could be said to be fundamentally different from conventional schools. Because.

‘I can’t see it……!‘

There was absolutely no commonality in the characteristics of their martial arts.

Gulp.

Watching Baek Risan walking up to the bimu stage, Namgung Su swallowed dry saliva and racked his brain. His head, which usually spun well, only froze in situations like this.

‘What on earth kind of martial arts are these?‘

At first with Seomun Cheok, he thought it was martial arts that exploited the opponent’s weak points. A one-hit kill martial art strong against those weak in technique, but ineffective against those with a solid center.

However, the martial arts Seonwoo Gang showed next were similar in feeling but fundamentally different in reality.

And for good reason—the densely drawn sword energy net wasn’t the type that waits for the opponent to reveal weak points, but rather a meticulous design that forces action and induces them to move as intended.

‘Based on temperament alone, I thought they were opposites. How could they learn such martial arts?‘

No, perhaps because their temperaments are like that, they learned martial arts that could compensate for their weaknesses. Anyway, the important thing is that he can no longer read the opponent based on the martial arts they showed before.

‘What should I do……‘

He must not lose. If he loses, demotion to regular member. But at this rate, he might lose.

What should he do?

“What are you doing? Aren’t you coming up?”

“……I was about to come up. It’s been a while. Baek Ri Sogaju.”

At Baek Risan’s urging, Namgung Su took heavy steps and slowly climbed onto the bimu stage. Then, watching that, Baek Risan chuckled.

“Why? Can’t figure out what kind of martial arts they are?”

“……Watch your words. As if I delayed coming up to gain an advantage in the match……!”

“Seems like that’s exactly the reason.”

“……”

At Baek Risan’s mockery, Namgung Su couldn’t bring himself to answer, and Baek Risan clapped his hands clean. And Baek Risan’s words that followed.

“Still, well, if it bothers you that much, I don’t mind telling you.”

“……What?”

“I mean I don’t want to hear excuses like ‘I lost because the martial arts were unusual.’ Besides, I didn’t learn Uicheonmun’s martial arts—I just received Uicheonmunju’s guidance.”

Cheok.

Having finished speaking, Baek Risan raised his sword and pointed it at Namgung Su.

“I heard you attended the exchange tournament too, so you must have seen it.”

“……”

“My martial arts are the same as the ones I used at the exchange tournament. Well, it’s a bit more developed, but the classification is the same. Is this enough?”

“How arrogant. You think you can win even after revealing your martial arts’ origins?”

“If there’s a skill gap, how would seeing the martial arts once let you win? Wouldn’t that be stranger? Looking at you, you probably wouldn’t even match Namgung Hyeon. You know he and I were about equal when attending the training hall, right?”

“……”

“Seems you couldn’t even properly gauge your own Sogaju’s abilities. Well, that’s why you live being treated like this. So clueless. What a waste.”

Grumbling, Baek Risan took his ready stance. At the same time, white flames rose viscously along the blade.

“I’m telling you in advance, but unlike Namgung Hyeon, I’m a bit rough. I had to prove my abilities because the previous Sogaju-nim was quite outstanding.”

“……What?”

“I mean I have no intention of going easy like your Sogaju would.”

Changgung Sword Corps’ Deputy Commander. About a ten-year age difference.

“You’re perfect as my first test opponent.”

Chuckling, Baek Risan flicked his blade provocatively. And.

“I won’t stand for this any longer……!”

As the enraged Namgung Su took a step forward and assumed his ready stance.

“Bi, bimu begin!”

The bimu started.

***

“Your abilities haven’t gone anywhere, it seems. You’ve raised your disciples well.”

“You’re too kind.”

I responded matter-of-factly to the voice heard from behind while watching the unfolding bimu. Then Namgung Yeoncheon quietly approached beside me.

“Ah, I greet the Family Head.”

“Save the courtesy. We’re in the middle of a bimu.”

Glancing at the disciples and Jo Hyeon taking courtesy gestures and waving his hand, Namgung Yeoncheon watched Baek Risan and Namgung Su circling around looking for openings and opened his mouth.

“What do you think?”

“A mess.”

“Right. The current Namgung Family is rotten. So rotten with mold that even I as Family Head can’t do anything about it.”

Just because you can’t see the mold doesn’t mean it hasn’t grown.

No, in reality it’s not like that. When mold has grown large enough to be visible, the entire food has usually already rotted, and even when not visible, the food is often already rotting. Namgung Family’s arrogance must be the same.

“Namgung Family is arrogant. That’s how the world evaluates Namgung.”

“……”

“But until now, that arrogance hasn’t functioned as a flaw. Just as the Paeng Family’s brutishness doesn’t function as a flaw—it was, so to speak, a kind of strength.”

If a child who’s learned martial arts for one year looks down on a sajeo who’s learned for three years, we call it arrogance, but if a martial artist who’s learned martial arts for forty years looks down on a young martial artist who’s learned for three years, that’s not arrogance.

Even if they didn’t show respect, if ability supports it, arrogance cannot be called arrogance. Having made such an argument, Namgung Yeoncheon continued.

“But the current Namgung Family doesn’t have that level of standing. The Grand Family Head, who was once comparable to the Sipcheon, entered Juhwaipma, and Namgung Family’s elite died or were injured and withdrew from the front lines.”

“……”

“Having nothing while only maintaining pride—that’s Namgung’s current address. Saying it wasn’t like this before, that Namgung Family is a family comparable to the world’s greatest family. Yet none of those who achieved that standing remain.”

Muttering bitterly, Namgung Yeoncheon glanced to gauge the time.

“The bimu is the day after tomorrow at noon, as I said earlier. Until then, rest comfortably within Namgung Family. And.”

“And?”

“If we lose, we’ll decide on compensation and present it from our side. No objections, right?”

“……Will you be alright? It amounts to putting a price on the Grand Family Head’s life.”

“Even if not what it used to be, this is still Namgung.”

Even if we give excessive compensation, it’s far better than having an outsider put a value on Father’s life.

Muttering quietly, Namgung Yeoncheon waved his hand.

“We just need to win.”

“……”

“We won’t lose. Neither I nor Namgung Family’s children.”

Indeed.

Does this mean he’ll save face and secure practical benefits too?

“I wish you good fortune.”

“……?”

“Unless considerable good fortune follows, you won’t easily win. Can you handle this? Even quite some time ago, the gap wasn’t that large.”

Twenty years.

At my appearance asking if he hadn’t narrowed the gap during that time, Namgung Yeoncheon let out a bitter laugh. And the answer that followed.

“You said you wished me good fortune.”

“……”

“I’ll wish you that fortune too.”

Really.

Those bearing Namgung’s name can’t stand losing. Same as before, same as now.

Chuckling, I nodded.

Two days remained until the bimu.

***

Not surprisingly, but Namgung Family’s inner courtyard is vast.

Though driven from Hapbi and moved to Cheonjusan, since Cheonjusan was their origin, Namgung Family’s Cheonjusan main residence is so large and vast that it looks down on any decent manor. It’s large enough to rank among the largest even compared to other Five Great Families, and compared to Baek Ri Family’s relatively small manor, it could be called enormous.

Over a thousand people pass through Namgung Family’s gates. Because Namgung Family is so enormous, naturally many get lost, and among them exist those like Wangpal and Seonwoo Gang who unknowingly enter Namgung Family’s training grounds without realizing it.

The only unfortunate thing for them, if anything.

Would it be that their appearance happened to catch the eye of Changgung Sword Corps Deputy Commander Namgung Su, notorious for his narrow-minded temperament.

“What are you doing right now?”

Namgung Family’s Third Training Ground.

Namgung Su, who had caught Wangpal and Seonwoo Gang peeking around wondering where this was, frowned and asked. Then Wangpal immediately stepped forward.

“We apologize. My sajae and I got lost and accidentally……”

“When a martial world elder asks, shouldn’t you first introduce yourself?”

“……My apologies. This unknown junior greets senior. I am called Wangpal, a Uicheonmun disciple. This is my sajae, Seonwoo Gang.”

“Uicheonmun disciple? Ah, right, I heard you were arriving today.”

Recalling the conversation in his memory at Wangpal’s words, Namgung Su frowned slightly and looked at Seonwoo Gang. Because the face he’d seen at Sangsan two years ago was here.

“Seonwoo Gang? You’re the companion of that presumptuous junior who was at the Murim Alliance back then. His name was Oh Ryeong, wasn’t it? A junior who treated seniors like dog shit.”

“……My introduction is late. Uicheonmun disciple Seonwoo Gang…….”

“Ah, I already received the introduction, so no need for more. My ears are terribly itchy.”

“……”

Looking at Namgung Su sneering, Seonwoo Gang sighed inwardly, took a courtesy posture, and bowed his head. Then, watching that, Namgung Su stood crookedly and continued speaking.

“Well, I roughly know who you are. So what’s the reason for peering at our family’s training ground? Our family’s training grounds aren’t open to outsiders.”

“We apologize. We went out to see the sights because Namgung Family’s scenery is said to be so excellent, but got lost and ended up here. Had we known it was a training ground, we wouldn’t have looked so carelessly.”

“Really?”

“……Yes?”

“To my eyes, you look like you came to spy on Namgung Family’s martial arts ahead of the bimu in two days.”

“What are you…….”

There aren’t even martial artists in the training ground—what spying would they do? If they’d heard training shouts, they wouldn’t have even glanced over the wall.

At Namgung Su’s absurd complaint, Seonwoo Gang frowned. But Namgung Su didn’t back down.

“Isn’t that so? There’s no reason to wander inside our family without even bringing someone to guide you. Anyone who knows etiquette should be careful about their behavior in someone else’s home. Isn’t that right?”

“Being careless about peering at the training ground deserves apology, but the sightseeing was at Namgung Yeon sojeo’s invitation. We walked because we heard Namgung Family’s gardens are so beautiful. We had no intention of visiting the training grounds……”

“Are you contradicting me right now?”

At Seonwoo Gang’s logical words, Namgung Su frowned and raised his energy to pressure Seonwoo Gang and Wangpal. Words poured out from Namgung Su immediately.

“They say the upstream must be clear for the downstream to be clear.”

“……Yes?”

“Didn’t you hear? I said the upstream must be clear for the downstream to be clear. Your sect’s munju doesn’t particularly care about martial world propriety and acts recklessly, so how could you set an example for subordinates?”

At Namgung Su bringing up Baek Riyun, Seonwoo Gang reflexively twitched his hand and looked at Wangpal. But Wangpal shook his head and answered.

“We apologize if we upset senior. However, this is our lack of virtue. Our munju-nim’s matters……”

“Well. Doesn’t the saying go ‘seeing one, you know ten’? The sect’s discipline not being proper is the munju’s responsibility. Doesn’t it mean he didn’t educate his disciples and left them to run wild?”

“……”

This is Namgung Family. Anyone with sense wouldn’t cause a disturbance in someone else’s family, and even if they did, the situation would flow favorably to them.

Using the difference in status and advantage of the situation, Namgung Su pressed down on his opponent with a narrow smile and pressured them. And.

“I’ve led Changgung Sword Corps, so I know—people shouldn’t be handled like that. The more you cherish disciples, the more you should raise them harshly, not coddle them. I read a renowned scholar’s book on Jewanghak, and that’s what it said. Uicheonmunju should probably read it too—shall I gladly lend it to him?”

“……”

“What do you think?”

As the Uicheonmun disciples endured the humiliation silently, unable to say anything, Namgung Su was about to wear a bitter smile when.

“Oh, if it’s Jewanghak, I’ve studied it a bit myself.”

“……?”

Before Namgung Su, a small, pale-faced scholar appeared.

“Shall we discuss it together?”

As if to say ‘you’re in for it now,’ with a beaming smile across the face.