Genius Martial Arts Trainer

Nokangho

The shocking news from Ryu Seol-hwa’s lips was not the end.

“The Martial Alliance has also classified those who side with Shaolin as public enemies and moved toward the Zhongnan Sect.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Baek Ga-ryeong and Jegal Muhwan added their words.

“Zhongchong must have moved toward Sichuan as well.”

“It seems there is someone there using their head. It’s likely a strategy to isolate Shaolin.”

Thanks to their words, Mu-jin also understood the picture Shinchun was drawing.

If their words were true, the Sichuan Tang Clan would now have to fight against the Emei, Qingcheng, and Zhongchong in a three-to-one battle.

Zhongnan would also have to face not only the Martial Alliance but also Mount Hua, which is located nearby.

No matter how much internal strife Mu-jin’s machinations had sown in Mount Hua, the Nine Great Schools were still the Nine Great Schools.

If the Martial Alliance and Mount Hua were united, Zhongnan alone would not be able to hold out.

The remaining options were to move Wudang and the Jegal Family to the west to help the Tang Clan and Zhongnan, or to move them north to assist Shaolin.

Jegal Muhwan clicked his tongue lightly and said, “This is why we tried to form an alliance before the Sa-doryeon could move, but their response was quicker than expected.”

If Shaolin had been the first to form an alliance, they could have united the small and medium-sized sects that sympathized with them and could have resisted the Sa-doryeon to some extent.

However, it was indeed difficult for Shaolin to stop the Sa-doryeon, which was an alliance of various demonic sects, on their own.

Even though one of the Seven Evils, the Salmak, had fallen.

Perhaps to lift the gloomy atmosphere, Jegal Muhwan opened his fan with a ‘snap’ and spoke.

“However, it is merely an unfavorable situation, not an impossible one.”

He then began to discuss several strategies to overcome the current situation.

And the only person who could immediately grasp his intentions with just a few words was Baek Ga-ryeong.

That did not mean their thoughts were perfectly aligned.

Rather, it felt like a stark contrast.

“If we choose that strategy, we can inflict significant damage on the Martial Alliance, but most of the Zhongnan Sect disciples will die!”

As soon as Jegal Muhwan uttered a few words, Baek Ga-ryeong glared at him with cold eyes and shouted.

Of course, the rest of the people did not even understand why most of the Zhongnan Sect disciples would die.

And Jegal Muhwan, who had come up with this cruel plan, responded to Baek Ga-ryeong with a playful smile.

“You, miss, are too idealistic. In war, it is natural for people to die. Trying to save one more person might lead to the death of a hundred more.”

Jegal Muhwan spoke as if mocking a naive child.

After that, the two continued to argue.

Ancient stories were casually brought up, along with discussions on Sun Tzu’s Art of War, the Six Secret Teachings, and the Seven Military Classics.

Everyone in the Abbot’s room could only keep their mouths shut and watch the two argue.

However, they were not just fighting.

“Then, how about this?”

Baek Ga-ryeong, who was treating the Seven Yin Terminating Pulse, surprisingly shouted with an angry, flushed face.

“Oh. That is quite an interesting strategy. But instead of proceeding as is, how about modifying it like this?”

Jegal Muhwan also refined her ‘idealistic’ strategy.

It was a process where the cold-hearted Jegal Muhwan, who did not care about the damage to their allies, and the idealistic Baek Ga-ryeong, who sought minimal damage, clashed and found a compromise. ꭆâΝоВΕŝ

Of course, Mu-jin could not keep up with their conversation.

Even though he had been awakened in the world of martial arts novels for over ten years, it felt like he was listening to an alien language instead of the language of Zhongyuan.

Sitting there with a half-dazed expression, Mu-jin realized he had forgotten something very important.

“Oh!! Come to think of it, the Sa-doryeon will have no choice but to retreat if the war drags on.”

Within the demonic sects, Dao Yuetian was gaining power.

Even more so, he had built some rapport with Hao Clan and Guryongbang, two of the Seven Evils, making internal strife within the demonic sects a plausible story.

After hearing Mu-jin’s outburst.

“Oh. It seems the Shaolin Dragon has also planted some seeds in the demonic sects.”

Jegal Muhwan, with a peculiar smile, looked alternately at Mu-jin and Baek Ga-ryeong.

“Indeed. So, Miss Baek was discussing stable strategies all this time. Did you think the Sa-doryeon would withdraw on its own if we just bought time?”

“……That was part of it, but I also did not want to let our allies die.”

She replied with a sense of injustice as if her hidden secret had been exposed, and Jegal Muhwan gave a sardonic smile.

“Shaolin Dragon and Miss Baek Ga-ryeong. Now that we are all in the same boat, I would appreciate it if you could provide any available information.”

It was as if he was warning them that he could betray them at any time.

As if to lighten the mood, Jegal Muhwan closed his fan with a snap and spoke in an excited tone.

“Then it is somewhat better. If the situation can improve just by buying time, the number of strategies we can choose from will double.”

After that, discussions on how to stall against the Sa-doryeon continued.

However, Mu-jin’s expression was not very bright.

‘…Even if Dao Yuetian stirs things up from behind, it is still too early to face Hyeok Jin-gang….’

Originally, in the novel, Dao Yuetian faced Hyeok Jin-gang at the end, so he had not yet reached that level.

And the same went for Mu-jin.

Even if Shaolin bought time at the front and Dao Yuetian, Guryongbang, and Hao Clan stirred things up from the rear.

Mu-jin was not sure if they could win against the Sa-doryeon and Hyeok Jin-gang.

Even if they did win, it was clear from the passionate strategizing of Jegal Muhwan and Baek Ga-ryeong that the damage would be considerable.

‘Is there anyone besides Dao Yuetian who can overturn the situation?’

Mu-jin pondered over the contents of the novel he had read but could not think of anyone immediately.

* * *

The news of the Sa-doryeon’s movement quickly spread throughout the martial world.

Amidst the internal strife of the orthodox sects and the movement of the Sa-doryeon.

The entire martial world was preparing for the imminent war and reeking of blood.

At this time, the Namgung Family in Anhui Province exuded an oddly peaceful atmosphere.

They, who had not sided with either the Martial Alliance or Shaolin, were, in a way, mere bystanders in this war.

And deep within the Namgung Family.

In a special space prepared for the training of the Namgung Family’s direct descendants, a man called the Namgung Sword Emperor, Namgung Muguk, was wielding his sword.

No matter how special the training space was, it could not withstand his sword technique.

Therefore, Namgung Muguk swung his sword towards the sky, and the sword energy gathered on his sword soared into the air, tearing through the air.

Boom!!!

The sound was so unreal that it seemed impossible to have been caused by mere air friction.

* * *

However, the expression on Namgung Muguk’s face, who had just displayed that absurd level of martial arts, was not bright.

‘…Is this the limit?’

Uncharacteristic thoughts penetrated his mind.

Namgung Muguk had encountered several individuals superior to himself throughout his life.

The previous Heavenly Demon and Hyeongwang were among them.

But he had confidence in himself.

Namgung was the best under heaven, so even if he was defeated then, he was certain that he would ultimately reach the highest peak.

That was why he had gone into seclusion for several years after losing to Hyeongwang.

Of course, although Hyeongwang had already passed away, Namgung Muguk did not care.

Just as he had done with the previous Heavenly Demon, he thought of Hyeongwang in his mind and strived to surpass the Hyeongwang in his memory.

But now, he too had aged.

Though he did not want to admit it, his body was saying otherwise.

He was already past eighty and heading towards ninety.

No matter how diligently he practiced martial arts, his body had reached its limit.

In reality, he was in a state where he moved and performed martial arts not with his muscles or joints, but with his internal energy.

As a direct descendant of the Namgung family, he had consumed countless miraculous elixirs since he was young and had accumulated overflowing internal energy, which made this possible.

However, even substituting everything with internal energy seemed to be reaching its limit now.

No matter how much he trained, nothing changed.

‘…Is it time for me to retreat into seclusion like Hyeongwang or Yunheo?’

With these troubled thoughts, the old swordsman retrieved his sword and emerged from his closed training.

Yet, despite the thought of giving up crossing his mind, he could not easily accept that choice.

‘No. That is not the way fitting for me.’

The path he pursued was not the same as Hyeongwang and Yunheo.

It was a path of living proudly as the best under heaven.

Forty years ago, he had been shown what lay beyond the well he was in by that person. The path the Heavenly Demon had walked was the very path he pursued.

Then, should he return to the training ground and strive to surpass Hyeongwang?

While he was lost in such thoughts, the sound of a conversation reached Namgung Muguk’s ears.

“Have you heard the news?”

“Are you talking about the matter with the Sa-doryeon?”

“Yes. It seems they have made a firm decision this time. Many of the Sa-doryeon warriors have already moved.”

“Hmm… But what does that have to do with us? The family head has no interest in this war, so you should also stop caring.”

Although it was a small conversation beyond the wall, it was heard in detail by Namgung Muguk, who had reached a high level.

And a moment later.

As he stood still, listening to the conversation beyond the wall, Namgung Muguk’s presence vanished like a mirage.

* * *

Near Hengshan in Hunan Province.

The gates of the Sa-doryeon were wide open as they began to gather the demonic sect warriors in preparation for war with Shaolin.

The Sa-doryeon warriors guarding the main gate were recording the names of the demonic sect warriors lined up to enter.

It was to verify which sect each warrior belonged to.

While they were busily recording names without rest, one of the Sa-doryeon warriors frowned and looked at the old man standing before him.

There is a saying in the martial world to be wary of old men, women, and children.

However, this old man was a face he had never seen before, and he felt no presence from him.

If he were a famous demonic sect master, he would have recognized him by appearance, so the warrior judged that the old man was merely a third-rate swordsman from a rural sect.

‘Even if we are preparing for war with Shaolin, to accept even third-rate warriors…’

Clicking his tongue lightly, he asked the old man.

“State your name and affiliation.”

Without an ounce of respect for the elderly, the Sa-doryeon warrior received a calm response from the old swordsman.

“My name is Namgung Muguk.”

“Namgung Muguk?”

Why would someone from the Namgung family appear here?

As he looked at the old man with a puzzled face, a person he had long referred to only by his title came to mind.

“Namgung Sword Emperor!?”

As soon as the gatekeeper exclaimed, the Sa-doryeon warriors nearby and the demonic sect warriors who had come to join the Sa-doryeon all turned their gazes towards the old swordsman.

But only for a moment.

“Kuhaha. An old fool dares to come to the Sa-doryeon, claiming to be the Namgung Sword Emperor!”

Judging the old man’s words as lies because he felt no presence, the Sa-doryeon warrior burst into hearty laughter, and the people around him smirked.

“Old man, I’ll let you go this time out of pity, so leave before you break something.”

The man who had been recording the names stood up to push Namgung Muguk away.

“Huh?”

For some reason, the old man seemed to be getting farther away.

No, his body was flying backward.

Unbeknownst to him, the old swordsman had already struck him in the chest.

Moreover, none of the people present saw the old swordsman’s strike clearly.

“!? ”

Only then did the demonic sect warriors, realizing the old man was not a senile fool, try to draw their weapons.

Thud.

None of the dozens of warriors gathered at the gate of the Sa-doryeon could draw their weapons.

An immense aura emanating from the old man had already taken control of the entire area.

“I have come here today to determine the best under heaven.”

Namgung Muguk, who had made everyone around him kneel with just his aura, spoke in a monotonous tone.

“So, bring Hyeok Jin-gang.”

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