Chapter 112 : Chapter 112

Chapter 112: The Rogues’ Guild Master (1)

An ordinary person can learn nothing from watching a martial artist’s techniques.

No, there’s no need to even go as far as an ordinary person.

A martial artist below the first-rate, who has not reached the peak, can learn almost nothing from the martial arts of a peak master.

This is because it is impossible to perform.

Because one cannot perform what one sees, it cannot be said that one has learned.

That is the difference between a master below the first-rate and a peak master.

The reason why masters who walk the upper echelons of the Jianghu Murim consider the Peak Realm to be the beginning of martial arts is based on such logic.

This is because the Peak Realm is where one can act upon seeing, the beginning of Heart as Action.

In that case, if one reaches the Peak Realm, where one achieves Heart as Action and can give form to sword qi, is everything smooth sailing in learning? Unfortunately, even this is not the case.

Even a peak martial artist can gain nothing from the martial arts of a warrior who has reached the State of Harmony.

This is because they cannot see.

It might be a slightly different story if a master of the State of Harmony were to personally bestow teachings, but at the very least, a peak master has nothing to gain from watching a life-or-death battle between masters of the State of Harmony.

This is because a peak martial artist sees but does not perceive the subtleties woven into the martial arts of a transcendent being who has blossomed their spirit.

Then, can a martial artist of the State of Harmony, who has blossomed their spirit, gain something from a martial artist of the Profound Realm, who has expanded their spirit?

In truth, this is also nearly impossible.

This is because they cannot perceive.

The essence of the martial arts wielded by those who have reached the Profound Realm is precisely the Will, and in a state of insufficient enlightenment, one can neither perform, nor see, nor realize it.

To perform, see, and realize the martial art of the Will, one must reach its foundation oneself.

Only by expanding one’s spirit through one’s own power and awakening the Will can it be said that one has taken a single step.

In other words, a martial artist who has entered the supreme realm of Profound can learn much from the martial arts of another Profound martial artist.

This is especially true if the opponent intentionally shows it with the intention of giving a lesson.

Therefore…….

I know how precious the lesson that the Emperor Breaker, Yeom Gi-ha, bestowed upon me was.

Therefore…….

I know how great a favor the Unrivaled Force, Wiji Han, is showing me now.

Tzeng-!

Wiji Han, who maintained the offensive throughout, and Ma Pyeong-sam, who was busy blocking.

Just because Ma Pyeong-sam had transcended the limits of assassin martial arts with his Ignition Art did not mean that he had transcended his class.

“Try to put a little more strength into it.”

Tzeng-!

“……Damn it.”

“Shouldn’t you at least show the spirit befitting the realm you’ve achieved?”

The Unrivaled Force Wiji Han was consistently pushing Ma Pyeong-sam, as if proving that there were differences in class even within the Profound Realm.

Kukung-

I had once described the Unrivaled Force’s Will as being like an upright sword.

The Unrivaled Force’s offensive, which built up layers of upright swords by his side, was nothing short of a military formation.

Ma Pyeong-sam’s Will, which countered it, resembled a cloud-mist.

The crimson cloud-mist held a sinister energy; it would be appropriate to name it a Killing Cloud Mist.

A cloud-mist is supposed to swallow weapons, but it seemed incapable of swallowing the Unrivaled Force’s upright sword.

Kakang!

This was because the Unrivaled One’s sword tore even illusions to shreds.

“Keuk.”

It was also because Ma Pyeong-sam could not fully display his skills, as the Unrivaled One relentlessly pursued his fading afterimage and brought his sword to bear.

The Unrivaled Force’s martial art was truly an absolute sword.

The flow of Will that such an Unrivaled Force personally demonstrated held insights into the path I was to take.

Tat!

With his unique lightweight body art, Ma Pyeong-sam leaped back, creating distance.

“Hmm.”

In truth, the situation was quite different from when I had captured the Yin Blood Divine Demon, Goru Gwang.

At a glance, Ma Pyeong-sam’s Will was similar to what the Yin Blood Divine Demon Goru Gwang had displayed, but it had to be seen as something completely different. If the Yin Blood’s was a tattered Will, Ma Pyeong-sam’s seemed to be a truly refined crystallization of killing intent.

Even if the Unrivaled Force were to relentlessly press him, he would not be able to subdue him easily.

Just then…….

“There’s no choice but to die together.”

As he muttered so, Ma Pyeong-sam’s true qi began to run rampant.

“Hmm. This is not good.”

The Unrivaled Force’s calm voice signaled a crisis.

* * *

Gangpae could not blink.

He couldn’t afford to waste even that fleeting moment.

Though he had long walked the path of a ruffian, wasn’t a ruffian still a martial artist?

Having diligently honed himself to reach the Transcendent Peak stage, Gangpae was a martial artist with nothing to be ashamed of.

Gangpae had a childhood dream.

It was to become the greatest master in the world, commanding the Jianghu Murim.

What set him apart from others was that he hadn’t left that dream as a childish whim of his thoughtless youth, but was still dreaming it now.

Therefore, his desire to improve in martial arts could be said to be at the core of the man named Gangpae.

He had safely rescued his beloved Sister Yeo-wol. And with his own hands, at that.

Though his sister was unconscious, she didn't seem to have suffered greatly, so Gangpae thought he could wish for nothing more.

-Tsk, I kicked him lightly, but he went flying. Was he a weakling?

In that situation, he saw the Evil Faction Alliance Leader. Along with the boldness to assess the opponent, who looked like a being of supernatural power and mysterious phenomena, as a weakling.

The Evil Faction Alliance Leader, the Unrivaled Force, Wiji Han.

The man he respected most after his big brother who had passed down his current position, the number one man in the Jianghu.

Now, he was breathing the same air as him.

For Gangpae, who considered himself a follower of the Unrivaled Force, it was an honor that would not be enough to describe even if he called it the glory of three lifetimes.

Moreover, it wasn't just an audience; he had the chance to witness the great Unrivaled One’s martial arts in person.

-Watch carefully.

The Unrivaled One had said so and strode toward the villain.

The words the Unrivaled One left felt as if they were for him.

Having gained the opportunity to witness the martial arts of the great Evil Faction Alliance Leader with his own two eyes, it was an event that could not be described as anything less than a once-in-a-millennium miraculous encounter.

Glare-

From that moment on, Gangpae did not blink even once.

The common people called the timeline of great martial artists like the Unrivaled Force a fleeting moment.

In the short gap of time it took for eyelids to meet, there would surely be scenes missed, so even though dust from the blowing wind entered his eyes, Gangpae did not blink.

Even a martial artist cannot overcome the laws of nature, so his unblinking eyes began to turn bloodshot.

But the man Gangpae, with superhuman will, did not blink in order not to miss the footsteps of the great martial artist.

Finally…….

Drip-

A tear flowed down.

He didn't know if it was a physiological reaction caused by the dust in his eye, or a change brought on by the emotion of witnessing the Unrivaled One’s martial arts.

In any case, it was fine.

Because a man’s tears are nothing to be ashamed of.

Tzeng-!

The Unrivaled Force’s fame was indeed well-deserved; his martial prowess was truly worthy of being called a divine skill.

‘As expected of the Alliance Leader!’

An unknown master who had consistently pushed back Brother Ma Sok, a master of a higher rank than himself.

The one Gangpae guessed was the true culprit of this incident, who had incited a small-minded person like Geombigak.

The sight of the Evil Faction Alliance Leader personally punishing that kid couldn’t be more satisfying.

But…….

-There’s no choice but to die together.

After the villain muttered this, the situation began to change rapidly.

The flow of true qi raging inside him was truly formidable.

For the first time, Gangpae knew.

That the flow of true qi, which he thought he could only feel, could actually be seen with his own eyes.

The common people’s saying that the timeline of high-level masters is like a fleeting moment was not wrong.

Right after sensing something was wrong, before he could prepare for anything…….

Flash-!

The true qi raging in the villain’s body exploded violently.

In that moment, Gangpae had a premonition.

‘Danger.’

It was not an attack that could be blocked. At least, not at Gangpae’s level.

‘Am I going to die?’

Such is the life of a ruffian.

They always live with death by their side.

Just as no one fears air or water, Gangpae did not fear death.

But…….

‘Sister.’

That was a story limited to himself.

Gangpae was not afraid of his own death, but he was more afraid of the death of his beloved Sister Wol than anything else in the world.

Gangpae’s actions were faster than thought. It seemed to be in the realm of instinct.

Though it was weak compared to the explosion, he enveloped himself in his best protective qi, embraced Yeo-wol, and turned his back to the blast.

His only wish was to save Yeo-wol.

Kwa-gwagwagwang!

A truly formidable explosion occurred.

Fwoooosh-

As if filling the space emptied by the explosion, a fierce wind rushed in, disheveling Gangpae’s hair.

“Hmm?”

The puzzling point was why he was aware of what happened after the explosion.

The wind died down…….

“Brother Gangpae, are you alright?”

Only after hearing his junior brother’s voice did Gangpae’s gaze move.

“……!”

His junior brother, Dancheon Myeong, stood protectively in front of him and Yeo-wol.

Gangpae and Yeo-wol were in the center of a fan-shaped safe zone that started from his figure.

Outside the safe zone, the deeply gouged ground testified to the formidability of the explosion.

There was no way he could not know that Dancheon Myeong had saved his life.

“……Thank you.”

“Haha, aren’t I your junior brother?”

As if he had done something trivial, the junior brother leaped back to the Unrivaled One’s side.

The junior brother’s back looked broad.

In the world of ruffians, a life-saving grace was called ‘a debt to be repaid for a lifetime.’

Just then…….

“Mmm…….”

Yeo-wol stirred in his arms. It seemed she was regaining consciousness.

‘I see.’

He hadn't just saved his life.

His junior brother had saved Sister Wol, who was more precious to him than his own life.

“Double the life-saving grace……”

Not knowing how to express a grace greater than a life-saving one, Gangpae decided to name the favor his junior brother Dancheon Myeong had shown him ‘double the life-saving grace’ for now.

He had incurred a debt that he could not repay even in a lifetime.

But the man Gangpae had a temperament that couldn’t live with debt.

He would definitely repay it.

For now, he placed the name Dancheon Myeong second on his list of respected men.

Regrettably, the great Evil Faction Alliance Leader had been moved down to third place, but there was no other way.

* * *

After saving Gangpae and Yeo-wol, I approached the Unrivaled Force’s side, and the first words I heard were…….

“My apologies.”

This was it.

It wasn't directed at me, but at Brother Ma Sok.

Although he couldn't bow his head due to his position and status, I could tell that the Unrivaled One’s apology came from the heart.

“Not at all, Alliance Leader. Please take it back.”

Perhaps because the Unrivaled One’s sincerity reached him, Ma Sok bowed his head instead.

Fortunately, there were no casualties at all.

This was thanks to the sword net that the Unrivaled One Wiji Han had deployed with his Will in a fleeting moment, protecting most of the directions.

It was also thanks to me saving Brother Gangpae and Yeo-wol, who had been on the opposite side and thus missed by the Unrivaled One’s sword net.

I looked at the epicenter of the explosion.

“Did he escape?”

The Unrivaled One quietly nodded.

Although it was a martial art that looked like self-destruction, I knew that Ma Pyeong-sam had not died.

This was because it was not enough to deceive my and the Unrivaled One’s eyes.

“It seems it was a life-saving ultimate technique.”

It was said that the beings of supernatural power and mysterious phenomena who reside in the upper echelons of the Jianghu Murim each have a hidden trump card.

Causing a powerful explosion, Ma Pyeong-sam had hidden his figure.

Not even a trace of his presence could be detected, so tracking him would be difficult.

No, it would be correct to assume that a master of Ma Pyeong-sam’s level was no longer in this vicinity.

That was the reason the Unrivaled One had apologized to Ma Sok.

“Tsk, it’s over.”

Brother Chun-baek appeared.

To chide him for being late, it was a point in time not even a quarter of an hour after the Unrivaled One had arrived.

It was a journey from Hunan to Anhui.

To be about a quarter of an hour late compared to the Unrivaled One over such a long distance meant that Brother Chun-baek had done his best.

“You’ve worked hard.”

Moreover, I knew that the Unrivaled One had arrived much faster than I had predicted.

I couldn't be unaware that things had become easier thanks to the Unrivaled One, whom I had summoned for the purpose of cleaning up afterward, arriving in the middle of the battlefield.

To my words of praise, Brother Chun-baek simply smiled.