Chapter 902
Perhaps the answer varies from person to person.
Some might say it’s the heart, others might mention manners. Some could even suggest a comfortable place to sleep.
However, the thoughts of those who have become accustomed to living at this barren mountain peak seemed to differ a little from ordinary people.
“Driiiiiiiiiiiink!”
“Meat! Meaaaaaaaat!”
“Keuheuk. It’s not rabbit meat! It’s pork! Pork!”
“Euhahahaha! Have another drink!”
A sight that one could never bear to see with eyes open was unfolding here, with Taoist monks wearing robes, half-undressed, indulging in alcohol and meat.
Fortunately, since they were high up in the mountains, there were no eyes to witness this dreadful sight.
Mount Hua’s disciples, who had nothing to worry about, drank violently and ripped meat as if they were going to solve all the regrets of the past three years at this single moment.
As soon as the pre-ordered food was delivered, it repeatedly ran out, so the disciples had to take turns running down the mountain to bring back new food again and again.
Facing Chung Myung in the middle of this boisterous feast, Tang Gun-ak quietly raised his cup. Then Chung Myung smiled and lifted his bottle.
Tang Gun-ak’s expression looked quite relaxed.
Since he has confirmed the growth of Chung Myung to the extent that it is overflowing, and have used the trump card in a battle-like spar, it is no exaggeration to say that the reward of running all the way from the Yangtze River to this place in one month has already been fulfilled.
“How about it?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you convinced that I haven’t just been playing around for three years?”
“…Hmm.”
Tang Gun-ak frowns as if struggling. It’s as if he’s having trouble deciding what to say.
“Certainly.”
“Yes.”
“I have experienced many swords, but this is the first time I have seen such a sword.”
“Hmmm.”
“I completely understand how the sword of Mount Hua Sect could rule the world in the past.”
“Hmmmmmmm.”
“Even if I search the whole world right now, there won’t be many people who can be your opponent with such a sword.”
Hmmmmmmmmmmm!”
“You’ve worked hard. No matter the talent, without strenuous effort, it would have been impossible. You deserve praise.”
Chung Myung’s chin rose higher and higher with each praise from Tang Gun-ak.
“…He’s going to end up looking at the sky at this rate.”
“He already is. Sasuk.”
“Stupid.”
Baek Cheon and Jo-Gol clicked their tongues and Yoo Iseol scolded him, but Chung Myung’s chin, which had already been lifted in triumph, did not seem to be coming down at all.
“And….”
Tang Gun-ak’s keen gaze turned to Five Swords, who sat around Chung Myung.
“…It seems Chung Myung isn’t the only one who has grown stronger.”
There was a satisfied smile at the mouth of Tang Gun-ak.
“Enough with the empty flattery.”
Chung Myung, having lowered his chin, spoke to Tang Gun-ak.
“I don’t know about anyone else, but I don’t think that’s what Gaju-nim would say.”
“Me? Why?”
“That last technique.”
When the word came out of Chung Myung’s mouth, everyone stopped doing what they were doing and looked at Tang Gun-ak. They were all curious about that final technique.
“Gaju-nim made it, didn’t you?”
“…How did you know?”
“Well, the reason is simple. Um. It was entirely different from anything shown before, and…”
Chung Myung, seeing Tang Gun-ak’s slightly suspicious look, grinned and continued his word.
“It was somewhat a bit clumsy.”
“Keuhum!”
Tang Gun-ak coughed loudly and gulped down his drink in one go as if his stomach was burning. No, actually, rather than feeling upset, he seemed embarrassed.
“Clumsy?”
“That technique?”
Baek Cheon opened his eyes wide and looked at Chung Myung. Even Yoo Iseol, who rarely showed much emotion, stared at Chung Myung full of emotions as if saying, ‘Has this person gone mad?’
It’s inevitable.
What Tang Gun-ak showed last was indeed tremendous even in their eyes. But to say that technique was clumsy…
But Tang Gun-ak, far from looking offended, kept coughing as if something was bothering him.
“Was it that obvious?”
“A little too much…….?”
“Hngg.”
A groaning sound came from his mouth. Tang Soso was amazed at the sight of the Tang Gun-ak which was rarely seen and could not take her eyes off it.
Chung Myung asked.
“It’s incomplete, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is.”
“I thought so.”
Tang Gun-ak sighs deeply. To put it bluntly, the technique was not yet usable in actual combat.
“Why do you say it is incomplete? The power is truly enormous.”
Baek Cheon could not contain his curiosity and joined the conversation between the two.
Then Tang Gun-ak answered gently.
“Power isn’t everything.”
“…Yes?”
“That technique consumes too much internal strength. After using it once, I’d be so exhausted that fighting further would be difficult.”
“But there’s a saying about ‘killing with one blow’? If that one strike can definitely defeat the opponent…”
“But it didn’t defeat him.”
“…N- No. That’s….”
Baek Cheon stuttered, unable to finish his sentence.
That’s right. Right, it didn’t defeat him. But that’s because…
‘No, what the hell am I supposed to say to this?’
It’s not that the technique was wrong; it’s just that the bastard who blocked it is the weird one?
If it had been just a bit more refined, it might have been able to decapitate that bastard, right?
Neither of those seemed like a good answer.
“Because it is less sophisticated, it is not a sure-kill strike, and even though it is not a sure-kill strike, it consumes a huge amount of internal strength. Then something like this….”
“An empty wagon makes the most noise?”
“…….”
Tang Gun-ak’s eyebrows twitched at Chung Myung’s words.
“Huh? No? Then maybe it’s all bark and no bite?”
Chaeng!
The cup held in Tang Gun-ak’s hand breaks in an instant.
“Hmm… Mount Hua’s cup must be of poor quality. I’ll tell the Tang Family and have them send you a new cup.”
‘I think it would have broken even if it was made of iron.….’
But no one pointed out that fact. After all, anything given by Tang Family, even poison, should be accepted with gratitude.
Tang Gun-ak, trembling slightly, soon let out a deep sigh.
“It’s incomplete. I don’t even know when it will be completed.”
“Aah, is that so. You used that risky, unfinished technique in a spar?”
Twitch.
Tang Gun-ak’s eyebrows twitched once again.
“…It is incomplete, hence I used it in the spar. If it had been complete, could I have used it against you? I wouldn’t want to kill a hard-earned friend.”
“I don’t think I would’ve died even if it was complete…”
“It’s easy to lose one’s head by being overconfident.”
“I’ve been confident and still haven’t lost my head.”
“…….”
“…….”
Tang Gun-ak and Chung Myung glared at each other with deathly eyes. Intimidated by their momentum, others looked at Tang Soso. They were asking her to do something. She sighed deeply.
“Enough already! You’re not kids!”
“Keuhum.”
“Tsk.”
Only then did Tang Gun-ak and Chung Myung turn their heads away and start gulping down their drinks straight from the bottle.
Im Sobyong, who was watching quietly, clicked his tongue.
“Anyway, those yangban with swords are always…”
This place, where Tang Gaju and Taoists of Mount Hua Sect were condemned by bandits, was Mount Hua Sect.
“Certainly.”
Tang Gun-ak opened his mouth as if to change the atmosphere.
“It’s not yet a technique that can be used in spar or actual combat. I was too greedy. I’m wondering whether I should be more sophisticated even if it means giving up power.”
“Well, is there really a need for that?”
“Huh?”
Chung Myung shrugged.
“Isn’t the excessive consumption of internal strength not due to the power, but because the method of injecting internal energy is too forceful?”
“The method?”
“Yes. It’s currently getting drawn by using rotation, isn’t it?”
“That’s right.”
“Then, rather than condensing then bursting, the energy should be circulated within the throwing knife path in the first place. The consumption is greatest when the stagnant energy suddenly starts moving.”
“Hng?”
Tang Gun-ak’s eyes sparkled. He looked as if he had caught a clue.
“…Coordinate the direction of the weapon with the direction of the internal strength… It is basic. The basics of the basics. However….”
“Yes.”
Chung Myung nodded as if he knew what Tang Gun-ak was going to say next.
“It’s the most basic of basics, so it will connect naturally when you aim to levitate it.”
“…Indeed. I can’t believe I made such an obvious mistake.”
Of course, it is not as simple as Chung Myung says. Making the energy rotate inside a stationary throwing knife is much more difficult than the current method. But if it can be properly implemented, it could significantly reduce the consumption of internal strength.
‘Perhaps the power will increase further.’
If that happens, the Twelve Throwing Knives would no longer be just the Twelve Throwing Knives.
‘Thirteen Throwing Knives… No. Let’s just stay with Twelve Throwing Knives.’
What a terribly lame name…
“Right. Yes, that’s possible.”
As Tang Gun-ak muttered to himself and nodded his head as if he understood, Chung Myung subtly steered the conversation again.
“That’s not the only one that’s incomplete, is it?”
“Hm?”
When Tang Gun-ak asked back pretending didn’t know, Chung Myung grinned.
“Originally, even the throwing knives that fell on the ground should also fly at the same time, right?”
“…Were you a member of the Tang Family in your past life?”
He wasn’t a member of the Tang in his past life, but it was something similar. When he went to the Tang Family, the Gaju would run out to him with only his socks on. Yeah. Telling him not to cause an accident.
“Yes. Only then is it complete. However… It’s impossible to implement with my current abilities.”
“It will definitely be possible if we can reduce the consumption of internal strength.”
“…You think so?”
“Of course.”
A picture was drawn in Chung Myung’s head.
A single throwing knife flying with terrifying power, surrounded by hidden weapons and eleven other throwing knives.
That would definitely be a fantasy-like fantasy-like technique.
And on the day that technique is revealed to the world, another Dark Lord will appear.
“But….”
“Hm?”
“Why did you suddenly decide to create a new technique?”
“Hmm.”
Tang Gun-ak grinned at Chung Myung’s question.
“Of course, it is too much to create a new technique when I haven’t even fully mastered what I have.”
“…….”
Chung Myung did not say a word.
There are two reasons.
One reason is that Tang Gun-ak is right.
Even Tang Bo, a martial artist superior to the current Tang Gun-ak, did not conceive a new technique for the Twelve Throwing Knives. Therefore, it certainly seemed unreasonable for Tang Gun-ak to invent a new technique.
But the second reason for not speaking was quite the opposite.
This is because the new technique created by Tang Gun-ak clearly surpassed the existing technique of the Twelve Throwing Knives that he knew.
“But if you ask me why I particularly created this technique, there’s only one answer.”
“What is it?”
“Because it was needed.”
Tang Gun-ak shrugged and continued.
“The blade and hidden weapon techniques of the Tang Family are definitely excellent martial arts. But… there are definitely some shortcomings in dealing with martial masters who can be called ‘Absolute’. In particular, the more you throw the knives, the more severe the problem becomes due to the nature of the throwing knives that limits the number of martial arts that can be used.”
“That’s right.”
“It would be nice if I could just retrieve the throwing knives, but if I’m dealing with an absolute martial master, I won’t be given the opportunity to do so.”
Chung Myung nodded slowly.
This was also something Tang Bo was concerned about. Why else would he think of attaching a tough silver thread to the end of the throwing knives? Although he eventually abandoned the idea due to it affecting the trajectory of the throwing knives.
“During my contemplation while training, I looked at the throwing knives scattered on the ground and thought to myself. Why should I only use the throwing knives in my hand? The hidden weapons scattered in the sky are not my only hidden weapons, and the throwing knives in my hand are not the only throwing knives I have.”
“Ah….”
Tang Gun-ak cleared his throat sheepishly.
“Well, that was the start of it… but it’s still not working well. I’m embarrassed to have shown such an incomplete technique.”
“No.”
Chung Myung shook his head seriously.
“It was the best.”
“…….”
“Really.”
Then a small smile bloomed around Tang Gun-ak’s mouth as he stared at him.
“…Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Chung Myung filled Tang Gun-ak’s cup. Then Tang Gun-ak took the bottle and filled Chung Myung’s cup.
“Drink.”
“Yes.”
Chung Myung emptied his glass pleasantly.
‘We’re moving forward…’
Mount Hua has certainly gained a lot in the past three years. But it is not just Mount Hua that made efforts.
His descendants created techniques that even Tang Bo could not make in the past. Although it is still not good enough, one day this technique will become perfect like the other Twelve Throwing Knives.
If Tang Gun-ak can’t do it, someone who inherits his will, and someone after that, will gradually complete it.
That’s how martial arts evolve.
‘Right?’
Chung Myung, thinking of a certain person, smiled and looked at Tang Gun-ak. Then, as if he suddenly remembered something, his eyes widened slightly.
“Ah, but there’s one thing I’m curious about.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
Chung Myung asked with a playful laugh.
“You mentioned a shortage of throwing knives, but why only use twelve? Is there a reason?”
“…Huh?”
“It is not necessary to only use twelve just because it is called the Twelve Throwing Knives, isn’t it? You carry around a lot of hidden weapons on your body anyway, if you have about twenty four throwing knives on you, then you won’t have to worry about running out of throwing knives, will you?”
“…….”
“Just because the final goal is to control twelve throwing knives simultaneously doesn’t mean you have to carry exactly twelve. Having spares can’t be a bad thing, right…?”
“…….”
Unlike the playful Chung Myung, Tang Gun-ak’s face grew increasingly pale.
“…….”
And Chung Myung, who saw it, couldn’t laugh anymore.
……Excuse me?
Hello? Don’t tell me…
You didn’t think of that? Really?
– Wow, I didn’t think of that.
Apparently… it’s not just the will that was inherited.