0055 : Demon Subduing Hall
I revealed to Samjeol Lee Kwang that I had been a disciple of the Thunder Spirit Sect and had practiced it since a very young age. Normally, one might doubt the level of skill that I had achieved in just a few years, but he seemed to think that I was not at the level of a half-step expert. Of course, I honestly mentioned that I had consumed the Heavenly Spirit Pill.
After hearing all of my explanations, Samjeol Lee Kwang assessed my pulse. Then he let out an admiring sound.
“The Heavenly Spirit Pill is indeed an extraordinary elixir. The meridians throughout your body are nearly unblocked, and you’re on the brink of reaching the level of the Heavenly Spirit Pill.”
Heavenly Spirit Pill?
I tilted my head at the unfamiliar term, but he did not elaborate further. Instead, he said,
“You and I are of the same lineage. If you wish to serve me as your master once more, perform the Nine Prostrations Ritual here.”
“Yes.”
Without hesitation, I performed the Nine Prostrations Ritual. I had come with the resolve to learn everything under him, prepared for decades of commitment. Once the nine bows were completed, Lee Kwang spoke.
“Rise. From now on, I shall be your master, and I will pass on the teachings of the Thunder Spirit Sect to you.”
“Yes.”
“Baek Woong. You may have already heard from your previous master, but the Thunder Spirit Sect is a legacy of multiple transmissions and a martial school that astonishes the world. Since you show great potential, strive to train diligently so that you may attain the peak of the Thunder Spirit Sect.”
“I understand.”
This time, I did not inquire further about the history of the Thunder Spirit Sect. I was wary of being overly eager and asking too many questions, which might give away any discomfort I felt. Instead, I noticed something strange.
‘In the past, Lee Kwang had asked about the power of my Hyun Cheon Divine Art and moved on. But why has he made no mention of it this time?’
Could it be that he hadn’t noticed? Or was he intentionally avoiding the topic?
I had learned the unique techniques of the Hyun Cheon Divine Art through my past connections, and it had merged with my significant internal energy, allowing me to command a separate force of this unique art. I continued to consume elixirs and train my internal energy, developing the divine art further. Yet, Lee Kwang didn’t probe into the origins of the Hyun Cheon Divine Art.
However, it would be foolish to reveal my concerns outright. Regardless of Lee Kwang’s intentions, if he had wished to kill me, he had no reason to go through such troublesome methods. Strengthening my resolve, I said,
“I have come to learn the martial arts of the Thunder Spirit Sect. I am prepared for that.”
“Prepared, indeed. That is a good sentiment.”
Samjeol Lee Kwang smiled contentedly.
“From today onward, you are my direct disciple, and you are to treat Jin So-cheong as your direct senior sister. Given your skills, I will bestow upon you the title of Master, and for the time being, you shall learn from me one-on-one.”
“Yes.”
Then he seemed to remember something and murmured.
“Speaking of which, So-cheong said she was going to meet a friend.”
Coincidentally, I had entered the sect on the same day as before. By now, Jin So-cheong would likely be accompanying Namgung Hwan, escorting him and his fiancée to the Lord of the Zhao Family. Soon enough, they would secretly escape with the help of the Lord, although their escape would be intercepted by a dozen first-class experts, leading to an unavoidable confrontation before Hangu Pass.
I asked,
“What should I do?”
Samjeol Lee Kwang thought for a moment before waving his hand.
“No… that’s fine. She will come back on her own. You should go and rest for today.”
“Yes.”
In the past, I had expressed a strong desire to directly meet my senior sister, which had led to Samjeol Lee Kwang assigning me the task of bringing her. At that time, my eagerness to see Namgung Hwan had driven me to take the lead.
However, this time I decided not to step forward. At this point, Jin So-cheong’s strength was already beyond the level of mere first-class experts. Left to her own devices, it would be like a wolf traversing a flock of sheep, easily dispatching them all. History had indeed unfolded that way.
I want to save even a little time and energy.
After all, I would be training with a life-or-death resolve from now on. I didn’t want to waste my energy wandering around unnecessarily. Moreover, knowing Jin So-cheong’s capabilities all too well, there was no need for me to evaluate my position again.
“Bangil. Show Master Baek to his quarters.”
“Yes, Your Honor, Sect Leader.”
I followed Bangil’s guidance to the separate room assigned to the master. As he escorted me, I could sense his disbelief, casting wary glances in my direction. Unlike before, he could no longer bolden himself to grab me or threaten me.
This was understandable, as a cultivator of Bangil’s caliber would already be aware that someone like Lee Kwang, who stood at the peak of the martial world, would not take on just anyone as a disciple unless they had corresponding abilities. It seemed he had judged that if he provoked me unnecessarily, he would not recover from the fallout.
“Master. This is the separate room. Please rest comfortably.”
Bangil’s tone had shifted to one of courtesy. In my first initiation, as a disciple of Jin So-cheong, he had some room to challenge me, but being directly appointed by the Sect Leader meant he had to show respect and treat me as his superior. For a tenacious cultivator like Bangil, this was unavoidable.
I lay down on the comfortable bed in the separate room and contemplated.
“There’s no need for pretense. I’ll go all out starting tomorrow.”
Originally, I had considered feigning a lack of competence due to my young age. However, through many years of guidance from Samjeol Lee Kwang and Jin So-cheong, I had learned that any half-hearted deception would not work with them. It would be far better to face my understanding and confront the reality honestly while making my efforts.
The next morning, Jin So-cheong returned. Upon meeting me, the new disciple, he greeted me with a bright smile.
“I have a new disciple! I look forward to working with you, Baek Woong.”
“Yes, Senior Sister.”
I couldn’t help but let out a wry smile. After years of competing and learning with this person, it felt that he was more of a master than Samjeol Lee Kwang. However, I couldn’t let that sentiment show too much, so I concealed my feelings and remained slightly aloof.
And the training began.
From day one, Samjeol Lee Kwang decided we would spar one-on-one. It wasn’t the wooden spear sparring with Jin So-cheong; it was with wooden swords. In the standoff, with a distance between us, Samjeol Lee Kwang took a stance that blocked his upper body and said,
“Come at me.”
“Hup!”
I didn’t hold back. I knew very well that Samjeol Lee Kwang was a master several times stronger than public opinion suggested.
Crack!
In an instant, the realm of the Thunder Spirit Technique I had acquired erupted, and my reflexes and speed surged. The wooden sword was enveloped in a blue thunder energy, and a hit from it could obliterate even a first-class expert like the Golden Eagle Guards. My body surged forward at a terrifying speed.
Swish!
Utilizing the Thunder Shadow Step, I glided forward as if sliding along a mirror and executed a series of three consecutive slashes. This was an improvement from when I trained during my second initiation. My movements, enhanced by the Thunder Shadow Step, were so rapid that briefly, flames seemed to flicker like a tail along the ground.
Whoosh!
“…!!”
Yet, I realized that every one of my attacks had been deftly deflected as if they were a mere sheet of paper. Furthermore, Lee Kwang didn’t merely evade but, before I knew it, he had struck me with a blade energy puncture attack. The idea of being able to infiltrate using blade energy, without being visible, was beyond my wildest imagination at this moment.
Wait, is this the Thunder Shadow Sword Technique?
I keenly felt that he had already stepped into a realm transcending ordinary swordsmanship, a state of martial mastery beyond anything I could fathom.
Thud!
In just five seconds, my past life experiences crumbled as I collapsed. As I attempted to relieve the pressure point, Samjeol Lee Kwang spoke.
“Baek Woong.”
“Yes?”
“Your internal energy and skills will likely work well against ordinary martial artists. However, they lack intent. Thus, even unparalleled internal energy will have difficulty landing proper hits against a true master.”
“……”
This isn’t the first time I’ve heard these words. Before Samjeol Lee Kwang released me from his teachings, I had heard them dozens of times. I felt that, after just one day of training, I had returned to that same starting point. In other words, Samjeol Lee Kwang had objectively evaluated my skills right at this moment.
‘That’s right. And back then, I had no chance of understanding those words, ultimately wasting my time…’
It wasn’t that I had idly waited. After hearing those words, I thought long and hard about what intent (意) means, what thought (念) means, until my head felt like it would burst. Despite swinging my sword continuously, I couldn’t grasp what they truly meant. So, for the following two years, I desperately sought teachings from Jin So-cheong, but that too did not lead to understanding. In that state, I got embroiled in the affairs of the Golden Eagle Guards, which ultimately sent me to Luoyang.
I gritted my teeth and said,
“I don’t understand.”
“What do you mean?”
“Before I came to see you, I fought against an extraordinary master. In that battle, I exerted all my internal energy and momentarily increased my speed and power, yet at that time, just like now, all my attacks were read and toyed with by that master. Despite possessing what I believe to be unparalleled internal energy, why did such a difference arise?”
I was referring to my life-and-death struggle with the commander of the Golden Eagle Guards. No matter how extraordinary he was in the imperial palace or how exceptional he was, I had been toyed with far too easily back then. Even though he had fought with three limbs restrained, I had experienced the humiliation of having my blade break against his fingers.
“Hmm…”
Samjeol Lee Kwang showed a slightly surprised expression. After assessing my sincerity, he seemed to thoughtfully consider my words before responding.
“It is fortunate that you survived against such a master. Let’s take a moment to reflect on that duel.”
“Yes.”
“Recall the flow of the battle and describe it to me as you remember it.”
I focused on recollecting my tactics during the fight with the commander and how he dodged in various directions and at incredible speeds. After about a meal’s time, I stumbled through my explanation as best as I could. Although I was embarrassed at how rough it was, it seemed Samjeol Lee Kwang understood everything, as he patiently sorted through his thoughts.
“That person is undoubtedly a formidable master. The technique he employed is called the Shape-shifting Technique (移形換位), a pinnacle skill of unorthodox methods.”
“Shape-shifting Technique?”
“It is a technique not well known in the world, but this is how it works.”
Swish!
“……!!”
I widened my eyes.
In a startling moment, the figure of Samjeol Lee Kwang split into two before my eyes! I could distinctly see two of him, which could only be described as a technique of creating clones. Samjeol Lee Kwang sent me a message in this state.
[How about it? Can you discern which one is real?]
I concentrated my energy and scrutinized them closely. However, I couldn’t figure it out at all, so I shook my head.
“… I don’t know.”
Whoosh!
Samjeol Lee Kwang’s figures merged back into one. He perched on a chair and continued speaking.
“This is not a mere technique like cloning. It’s a skill that leaves behind remnants of energy to deceive the opponent, and those relying solely on the speed of their body are particularly vulnerable to the gaps in the Shape-shifting Technique. This is because the density of the figures is almost uniform, making it difficult for ordinary eyesight to pinpoint the real body.”
“C-Could I use the Shape-shifting Technique as well?”
“Of course, you can. There are hardly any martial arts skills in this world that you can’t perform with your internal energy. However, there is an issue.”
“An issue?”
Suddenly, his figure multiplied into four, eight, and then sixteen, filling the training ground. Remarkably, each one maintained a different pose and location as if time had stopped for them. Determining which of them was the real Lee Kwang amidst this illusion felt utterly impossible. Then, unexpectedly, I felt a gentle pressure on my back from a fingertip.
“Gah…”
I felt a jolt of electricity surge through my spine. If his hand had held even a small dagger, I would have undoubtedly perished in that instant.
“Couldn’t figure it out at all, could you? That’s because you’re trying to see energy (氣) with your eyes. With your current level of proficiency, it would take a lifetime to acquire the Shape-shifting Technique.”
“Isn’t it natural to see with my eyes? If I concentrate my internal energy, I should be able to see the opponent’s energy.”
“The Shape-shifting Technique starts precisely from exploiting that gap. Energy is not a physical entity; thus, a master can manipulate it at will to create illusions. In battles above an extraordinary level, the distinction between reality and illusion is automatically enforced.”
“……!!”
If that’s the case, does it mean I would inevitably be outmatched and lose against a first-class expert? While I was pondering this, Samjeol Lee Kwang continued explaining.
“In my view, your foundation in the Thunder Spirit Sect is exceptionally solid. This indicates that your former master’s teachings were excellent. Therefore, from now on, I will focus on teaching you application techniques and advanced combat methods.”
“Yes!”
I was overwhelmed with joy at the prospect of receiving what I had longed for. I remembered how Samjeol Lee Kwang would lose enthusiasm and give up after a few days of passionately explaining things when I struggled to understand. However, this time, it felt as though he had a better grasp of my level and would provide detailed advice.
“First… the initial training.”
I couldn’t help but feel tense at the following words.
“Your technique resembles the Thunder Shadow Sword Technique, so perform it a hundred thousand times.”
“A hundred thousand times?”
“Yes. And do it in my presence.”
What connection could there possibly be between advanced combat methods and repeating a ridiculous foundational technique—I was overwhelmed with curiosity but forced myself to hold back the urge to voice it. In the past, I had asked Samjeol Lee Kwang many questions without even giving it thought, and each time he had looked quite displeased. It seemed he found my attitude uncommitted for not attempting to think things through on my own.
In other words, to have Samjeol Lee Kwang teach me properly, I first needed to display the mental attitude of thinking until I reached my limits. I gritted my teeth and responded,
“I will do it.”
From that day, I began to tirelessly execute the Thunder Shadow Sword Technique repeatedly. While I had occasionally gone back and reviewed the foundational techniques during solo training, I had never engaged in the same frenzied repetition as I did now. Samjeol Lee Kwang watched me with his arms crossed and gave me a smack on the back of the head each time my form was incorrect.
Whack!
“Focus! Who told you to be sloppy? Execute the Thunder Shadow Sword Technique with precision as you learned it.”
Whack!
“I didn’t say to dawdle either. Concentrate all your mental energy and do it quickly; swiftly and accurately!”
“Ugh…!!”
By the end of that day, I must have performed the technique around four thousand to five thousand times. By the time I finished, my entire body felt like it was bruised. Had I not unconsciously used my internal energy for defense, an average person likely would have died dozens of times over. It was bothersome to think that Samjeol Lee Kwang had managed to keep the level of punishment just right.
And when that day’s training concluded, I expected to enter the room, but suddenly, as the hour of midnight approached, Samjeol Lee Kwang called for someone else.
“Jin So-cheong. Ensure he doesn’t take any breaks until he completes a hundred thousand repetitions.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Watch over him for six hours and then alternate with two other instructors.”
“Yes.”
Having said that, Jin So-cheong sat down in a chair, and Samjeol Lee Kwang went inside to sleep.
‘No breaks?’
In that moment, realization hit me.
“……!!”
The hundred thousand repetitions Samjeol Lee Kwang mentioned didn’t mean to be carried out while eating and sleeping; it literally meant to perform them [without resting for a single moment].
