Chapter 61 : Chapter 61

Chapter 61. Talents Gathering (3)

In his past life, Junggang came out into the world after his elderly mother, whom he had been supporting, passed away.

And although he only did manual labor to make a living, he attracted people's attention with his innate divine strength.

Then, he entered a nameless sect called the Jang Clan Fist Gate and learned martial arts at a late age.

The martial arts of the Jang Clan Fist Gate were weak, barely escaping the label of third-rate even when viewed favorably.

However, when those third-rate martial arts were unfolded by the hands of the Great Power Diamond Body, they displayed power comparable to first-rate martial arts.

The only regret was that no matter what, the limitations of the Jang Clan Fist Gate's martial arts could not bring out all his potential.

Junggang fought bravely in the Second Great War of Righteousness and Evil but eventually died in battle against the Limitless Gate.

He died without ever being able to fully bloom his talent, a talent of the ages that had the potential to aim for the title of the World's Best Person.

'I won't let that happen in this life.'

Han Cheong-un looked at Junggang and said.

"I will introduce you to a good master soon. Until then, live comfortably with your mother. If there is anything inconvenient about your stay, please tell me."

"Yes. Thank you."

The naive young man, Junggang, smiled brightly and answered obediently.

Thus, the legendary Great Power Diamond Body joined the Ultimate Path Gate. The next person Han Cheong-un sent someone to recruit was Jo Bi, who would be active as a cavalryman on the front lines of Liaodong.

Han Cheong-un thought he had to go himself to persuade Jo Bi, but...

"No."

"Opposed. Absolutely opposed."

"Stay where our eyes can reach you. Don't cause trouble again."

Due to the opposition of the sect members, he had to send someone else. The only person other than himself who knew Jo Bi's value.

It was Baek Sua.

"I really don't like that person..."

"But he is too valuable to miss. You know that, right?"

"Haa... Liaodong is too far."

"Please. Hmm?"

"Fine. I will go for now."

Eventually, Baek Sua sighed and accepted Han Cheong-un's request.

And when she returned a few months later...

"Oh, is this Yueyang? It is indeed a splendid city."

She arrived bringing Jo Bi with her.

He looked at Baek Sua, smiled brightly, and spoke.

"Sister Baek, is this our new home... Cough..."

"I told you that you would get beaten if you spouted nonsense, didn't I?"

"Urgh... My lover is still feisty... Aaaagh! Aaaagh!"

"Listen! When! I! Speak!"

THUD THUD THUD! WHACK! SMACK!

A man getting beaten mercilessly by Baek Sua's scabbard.

That man was Jo Bi, the master of the Jo Clan Spear Art whom Han Cheong-un wanted to recruit.

Seeing his appearance, Han Cheong-un smirked.

'Still the same.'

Jo Bi was a talent with excellent martial arts skills and a chivalrous spirit that did not ignore the weak.

Especially on the battlefield, he was a man among men with enough courage to charge into the enemy lines alone and bring back the head of a Jurchen chieftain.

However, if there was one flaw...

"Aaaagh... W-wait, of course, Sister Baek is beautiful even when angry... Aaaagh! The bone! Sister Baek, you hit my bone."

"Just die!"

He liked women a bit too much.

Should it be said that his masculinity was excessive?

When Han Cheong-un was on the northern front.

[Brother Han. You don't know women. Kuh... It's a pity. A tragedy that won't happen again.]

[Since ancient times, life is desolate without women. Beautiful women are what enrich a man's life.]

Thanks to being close to that man, his understanding of spear arts increased significantly, but at the same time, he was able to visit every brothel in Liaodong.

There was no other reason why Han Cheong-un sent Baek Sua. He was certain that her beauty would definitely work.

'Well, that probably wasn't the only reason...'

Han Cheong-un approached Jo Bi, who was being beaten by Baek Sua, and spoke.

"Welcome to the Ultimate Path Gate. I am Han Cheong-un, the Sect Leader."

"I am... Cough... Successor of the Jo Clan Spear... Urgh! Art... Ouch! Aaaagh!"

Conversation was impossible.

Han Cheong-un stared at Baek Sua.

At Han Cheong-un's gaze telling her to stop hitting him, Baek Sua huffed and spoke.

"Sect Leader. Please keep this human out of my sight."

"I can't guarantee that..."

It would be easier for a dog to stop eating poop. There was no way Jo Bi would stop hitting on beautiful women.

"I don't know!"

Baek Sua turned her back sharply and left.

It seemed she had suffered quite a lot on the way here from Liaodong.

And the sprawled Jo Bi staggered to his feet and spoke.

"Groan... Sister Baek is great in every way, but her temper is too hot. Well, that is also her charm, but..."

Han Cheong-un spoke to the grumbling Jo Bi.

"Have you thought about my offer written in the letter?"

"Hmm, about that."

Jo Bi brushed off his clothes, looked straight at Han Cheong-un, and spoke.

"I don't know well just from looking at the letter, but you certainly know the strengths and weaknesses of our Jo Clan Spear Art well."

That was to be expected.

They had sparred until they were sick of it while in the north, polishing each other's martial arts.

"As per your offer, staying here and further developing my spear arts might not be bad. But..."

Jo Bi spoke firmly.

"There are two problems."

"Speak."

"First, I am a martial artist who has aspirations for the government, not the Murim. My goal is to repel the foreign tribes in the north and bring peace to the people."

"I know. But as I wrote in the letter, even if you serve in the military as you are, you won't be able to achieve what you desire."

"Why do you think so?"

"Because you won't be able to succeed."

"..."

"The military is an organized society. You need to obtain at least a position where you can lead a unit and command them to unfold your will. But you don't have the ability to succeed in an organized society."

Jo Bi knew what the word 'ability' Han Cheong-un was talking about here meant.

"So? Are you telling me to use bribes like other trash? To succeed first by doing that?"

"If you were someone capable of that, wouldn't you have done it already?"

"Then what do you want me to do?"

"There is a legitimate way."

"What is that?"

"Gaining fame. You know the example of Namgung Gwal, don't you?"

"Hmm..."

Jo Bi couldn't reply.

Namgung Gwal.

He was born as the third son of the Namgung Clan and gained fame in the Murim first, but later dedicated himself to the military and rose to the position of general.

Because of this figure, young people in the Murim began to see a future in government office, and the reason the Murim Alliance was currently dispatching martial artists to the northern front was a relationship created because of such precedents.

"No matter how hard you work in the north, it will be difficult for you to even get a position as a squad leader. Gain fame in the Murim first, and then return to the north in glory based on that."

"..."

"If you do that, you might be able to obtain a position sufficient to unfold your will."

"Hmm..."

Jo Bi pondered.

But Han Cheong-un knew.

The fact that that man was conflicted to that extent meant he was almost won over.

He just needed to deliver one decisive blow here.

"Repelling foreign tribes in the north is also work that brings peace to the people, but isn't repelling the Evil Way in the Murim to protect the people also upholding chivalry?"

"Hmm, that is true. It makes sense."

Upholding chivalry for the people.

This was the goal of life itself for Jo Bi.

"If you think my actions go against righteousness, you may leave at any time."

"Well, I like that."

"Then..."

"There is still one more problem."

"What is it?"

At Han Cheong-un's question, Jo Bi grinned and spoke.

"No matter how you put it, entering the Ultimate Path Gate means entering under you, right?"

"That is correct."

"Then..."

Jo Bi grabbed his spear, stomped the ground with a thud, and spoke in a voice full of competitive spirit.

"There is no reason to go under someone weaker than me."

Seeing Jo Bi shouting confidently, Han Cheong-un grinned and spoke.

"That is a problem that can be solved much more simply."

A moment later.

In the training ground of the Ultimate Path Gate, Han Cheong-un and Jo Bi faced each other with spears and began a duel. And...

"Kuh..."

BAM BAM BANG!

Jo Bi was busy blocking Han Cheong-un's spear arts, which flew in dominating the upper, middle, and lower sections like lightning.

'How is a young brat's spear tip so sharp?'

Jo Bi was inwardly confident.

Aren't swords and sabers the main weapons of martial artists?

How well could they use a spear?

And Jo Bi had never seen anyone use a spear better than himself since his father.

That confidence...

"You can't keep your balance. Can you not even maintain the basics of the spear?"

"Eek..."

Was shattered into pieces.

Even though it was a duel competing only in the skills of spear arts without using internal energy, he was no match.

Han Cheong-un's spear arts, despite him not yet being twenty, were far superior to his in both technical and experiential aspects. Eventually...

"..."

Jo Bi could not last forty exchanges.

Feeling the cool sharpness of Han Cheong-un's keen spear tip touching his neck, he raised both hands.

"I lost."

Han Cheong-un spoke to Jo Bi.

"Then will you keep the promise?"

"Ah, a man's word is worth a thousand gold."

Then Han Cheong-un smiled and said.

"That's great. I look forward to working with you, Jo Bi."

"A young brat? Using informal speech?"

"You are my sect member now."

"Groan."

At Han Cheong-un's words, Jo Bi groaned but spoke as if he had no choice.

"Tsk, I won't be here for long anyway, so don't expect much."

"Is that so?"

"As the Sect Leader said, when the time comes to return to the north after gaining fame, I will leave. I am a man like a wolf who must run across the northern grasslands by nature."

"Is that so? Well, that can't be helped."

"It will be a short time, but I will be in your care until then."

"Do so."

Han Cheong-un readily gave permission.

And that evening, Jo Bi...

"Oh, such a beautiful woman. Young Lady, please tell me your name... Cough!"

"Why is this bastard hitting on someone else's sister?"

Once he saw Dang Seoyeon...

"I can't believe it. I have never seen a woman as beautiful as you. Please tell me your name... Uh?! Who are you guys? Where did... Aaaagh!"

"How dare this bastard hit on the Young Lady?"

"Do you want to die?"

Once he saw Eon Sohui.

Of course, his brave challenges were blocked by Dang Jin and the loyal retainers of the Eon Clan.

The important thing was that he saw not only Baek Sua but also Eon Sohui and Dang Seoyeon with his own two eyes.

The very next day.

"Sect Leader. I, Jo Bi. Will bury my bones in the Ultimate Path Gate."

"What about the north?"

"It will run well without me."

"..."

"Instead, I have a request."

"What is it?"

"Please teach me how to seduce women... Aaaagh! Why are you hitting me? What did I do wrong... Aaaagh! Ouch!"

Thus, Jo Bi joined the Ultimate Path Gate.

Junggang and Jo Bi joined the Ultimate Path Gate smoothly.

Having recruited two excellent talents, Han Cheong-un had Junggang teach the Eon Clan's fist arts and Jo Bi gather the new entrants to teach horsemanship and spear arts.

"Isn't the Jo Clan Spear Art not strictly forbidden to be taught to outsiders anyway?"

"Right? It's just that few people learn it because the training process is hard... But how do you know that?"

"I just know. Just because."

As the Ultimate Path Gate settled in Yueyang, there were many disciples requesting to join.

But there were no martial arts to teach them.

To teach martial arts properly, both training methods and internal energy cultivation methods must be systematically established.

Currently, such martial arts in the Ultimate Path Gate were the Eon Clan Fist of the Jinju Eon Clan, the Plum Blossom Sword Art of Mount Hua, and the hidden weapon arts of the Sichuan Tang Clan...

'If I taught these, a war would break out, right?'

Naturally.

The Eon Clan might be okay, but Mount Hua and the Tang Clan would come foaming at the mouth.

In such a situation, Jo Bi happened to come, so it was perfect.

The Jo Clan Spear Art he practiced was a martial art with a systematically organized training method, and its characteristics were well-balanced enough to be called colorless and odorless.

Moreover, since the weapon used by the Sect Leader Han Cheong-un was also a spear, the appearance was just right.

And a few days later.

In the training ground of the Ultimate Path Gate, the energetic shouts of the newly accepted disciples sweating and training began to ring out.

The recruitment of talent did not end with just Junggang and Jo Bi. There were also those recruited as an unexpected jackpot.

One of them was...

"Sect Leader. I'm coming in for a moment."

Late at night.

The owner of the voice heard from outside the door was Baek Sua.

"Come in."

When Han Cheong-un gave permission, the door opened and Baek Sua appeared. She was wearing thin sleeping clothes and, unlike usual, had applied fine makeup as she entered the room where Han Cheong-un was alone.

Towards her, Han Cheong-un...

"Oh my, shouldn't you dress a bit better? It must be cold."

Saying this, he took off his robe and hurriedly covered Baek Sua with it.

Late at night.

In his room.

Wearing only sleeping clothes.

A beautiful woman who came alone.

"..."

To think the first thing he did to such a woman was cover her with his clothes...

Baek Sua looked at Han Cheong-un with pathetic eyes and spoke indifferently.

"Should I cut him?"

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