"Alright! That's it for today!"
Thud! Thud!
As soon as Chung Myung's voice rang out, the disciples of Mount Hua, including Hae Yeon, collapsed like bundles of straw. The relaxed demeanor they had when arriving at the training ground early that morning was nowhere to be seen.
"Hmm, already?"
"It's almost midnight now."
"Hmm."
Tang Gunak slowly retrieved his daggers, seeming reluctant to stop.
"I was just starting to warm up. Back in my day, once I got going, I'd throw daggers day and night for three days straight… Why stop at a moment like this?"
"Don't worry. We'll start again exactly four hours from now."
At those words, the Mount Hua disciples who had collapsed like corpses suddenly lifted their heads like lightning.
"F-four hours?"
"It was originally six hours, you bastard! Why the change of words now?"
"Oh, was it six?"
Chung Myung clicked his tongue.
"But are these guys full-bellied pampered kids? It's none other than the great Lord Tang himself training them, and yet they don't even try to secure a tiny bit more of that precious time!"
"Ugh…"
Honestly, that wasn't wrong. In fact, it was a rare, very rare correct statement coming from that brat's clique.
It was none other than Tang Gunak. The Poison King Tang Gunak. He is one of the absolute warriors ruling the current murim world.
Such a person was personally conducting training close to real combat all day long, not just simple sparring or dueling.
"If others heard this, they'd bring millions of coins and beg to spar even once with that man! These guys are living in luxury!"
"Ughhh."
It's true… but still…
"…Forget millions, we have to survive first."
"What's the use of improving skills if we die?"
"Save me."
"Amitabha… I see paradise…"
"That's… hell, monk. You won't reach paradise."
The Five Swords shed sad tears.
Is Tang Gunak's dagger technique truly merciless? No, not to that extent. If he had truly intended to attack seriously and Five Swords had to block all day, how many of them would still be alive?
Naturally, Tang Gunak was holding back out of consideration for their skill. Moreover, they had trained in real combat-like sparring with Chung Myung, who was equal or perhaps superior to Tang Gunak, for three years.
'Yeah, I know that.'
Baek Cheon shivered. Even knowing all that, the goosebumps on his back showed no sign of fading.
The problem lay in the difference between the sword and the dagger.
They had absolute trust in Chung Myung's sword. No matter how fiercely he swung it at their necks, they had the ultimate belief that the sword would never truly pierce their throats.
Without that trust, they could never engage in dagger sparring where lethal moves are exchanged. Their absolute confidence in Chung Myung's skill allowed them to attack and defend with all their might.
But the problem is that daggers are not swords.
No matter how much Tang Gunak is the Poison King of the world, and even if Chung Myung has unmatched skill in throwing and handling daggers, once a dagger leaves the hand, it's a weapon that is out of control.
A momentary mistake, a simple miscalculation, and that dagger might lodge into the leader.
'I never thought it would be this chilling.'
Every time a dagger filled with fierce qi brushed past their faces, it felt as if their souls briefly left their bodies and returned.
If anyone wants to experience a near-death experience, just stand them here.
But they repeated this all day from morning till midnight. Who could remain sane?
"Poor things."
"…Better just to move the body."
"As expected of Mount Hua folks. We can't keep up with that."
You could tell how extreme their experience was just by the reactions of the nearby Green Forest and Tang family. Those who had long looked at Mount Hua with envious eyes now clicked their tongues as if seeing the most pitiful people in the world. Even a Beggars' Union beggar starved for three days wouldn't be looked at that way.
"How is it?"
At Chung Myung's question, Tang Gunak gave a strange smile.
"There's definitely a difference from throwing daggers alone. I felt this when we fought at Plum Blossom Island before."
"Right?"
Tang Gunak nodded.
"I started to help, but it seems I'll be the one receiving help. If we repeat training for just half a month, I think we'll grasp something."
"H-half a month?"
"You mean to do this for half a month more?"
"You're joking, right?"
The Five Swords had a fit.
Even now, their clothes were full of holes as if pierced by needles, and their bodies covered with scratches… They had to do this for half a month more? Half a month?
"And… I think I know what the Tang family lacked. Also the solution."
Tang Gunak looked alternately at Mount Hua and the Tang family with meaningful eyes. Like discovering an interesting toy, the disciples of Mount Hua and the Tang family members shivered simultaneously. It was strangely chilling.
"The combination is good."
The most fatal weakness of the Tang family originates from the fundamentals of their martial arts.
Other sects swing swords and spar repeatedly to compensate for weaknesses, but the Tang family cannot do that. Most of the secret techniques they use cannot have substitutes like wooden swords used in sparring to reduce power.
What if you carve feather-light feather needles from wood instead of metal? If made the same, they're too light to hold qi; if you increase size to add weight, the secret technique's characteristics disappear, making it meaningless.
Moreover, no matter how blunt the tip is made, an assassination technique is the same. A slight mistake piercing the eye risks blindness or even death.
So the Tang family can train by releasing and controlling secret techniques in the air, but they have extremely little experience truly using them against opponents. This is a natural limitation.
But…
"Anyway, you all blocked my daggers."
"…Us?"
"We never did."
"…I was just standing there."
Tang Gunak smiled faintly.
"Mount Hua disciples are certainly humble. Maybe because they resemble the Mount Hua's Sword Saint?"
"…Is that an insult?"
"Lord, that's crossing the line. Apologize to us."
"That brat being humble? Humble?"
Tang Gunak nodded approvingly at the Mount Hua disciples having fits.
"Still energetic. Truly reliable."
Though joking, Tang Gunak was actually quite surprised.
'I didn't expect it to come this far.'
No matter how much they trained with Chung Myung, he had the fixed idea that early disciples are early disciples. So he thought they wouldn't use even 30% of their true power.
But their skill easily surpassed his expectations. Though not showing it, he was quite tired.
'I almost had to use lethal moves.'
No matter how many daggers he threw, they blocked and parried desperately while advancing forward, sending chills down his spine. What kind of training had these young men repeated to reach this level?
They didn't just defend and endure; they advanced without being deceived by the dagger's changing movements.
"In other words…"
"Yes?"
Tang Gunak's smile deepened.
"If they can block my daggers, then the secret techniques my kids throw won't be much of a threat to you all."
So it's possible.
Just as he throws daggers freely at them to test himself, the Tang family members get perfect targets that hardly get hurt no matter how much they attack.
"Mount Hua's Sword Saint"
"Yes?"
"As long as skills improve, anything is good, right?"
"…"
"Right?"
Under that subtle pressure, Chung Myung glanced at the Mount Hua disciples.
Their eyes seemed to desperately plead, "We don't care what you want to say, just say no!" Chung Myung nodded reassuringly.
Then he looked at Tang Gunak and said.
"Of course."
"Hey, you bastard!"
"You rotten bastard! Selling your sahyung?"
"I'll curse you even in hell! I'll definitely kill you!"
Chung Myung rubbed his ears.
"Dogs bark like this under the moonlight."
The Mount Hua disciples glared at Chung Myung with fierce eyes, but it didn't matter much. No matter what, you can't kill someone with just a look.
"Alright, let's go."
"Sure."
"How about it? You still seem lively. A drink?"
"Hmm. Since you ask, I can't refuse. But drink moderately today. I'll choose the liquor."
"A bit disappointing, but alright."
The Mount Hua disciples, watching the two walk away chatting, soon dropped their heads.
"…Yoon Jong."
"…Yes?"
"Sew that bastard's mouth shut."
"Soso went to get needles a moment ago."
"Good. Quick."
Baek Cheon staggered and barely sat up.
"…I never thought daggers could be this terrifying."
"Indeed. I'm truly feeling it to the bone now."
"First of all, it's scary that they're not held in the hand."
"Exactly."
Those they had faced so far all wielded weapons or fists directly with their hands. That means as long as they didn't lose their grip, they could somehow handle them.
But Tang Gunak was completely different.
He was just standing, yet the daggers leaving his hands flew at terrifying speeds, toying with them.
"…No restrictions."
"Yes. That's right, sasuk."
Baek Cheon nodded heavily.
No matter how free a swordsman wants to be, they can't escape the limitation of holding a sword in their hand. So the sword's movements are confined by the body's limits.
But a dagger that leaves the hand has no such limits. That's why it causes unimaginable changes.
This was another shock to them. Having always lived holding a sword, they never once thought the sword was confined by the body's limits.
"…There's so much to learn."
"The progress is too fast, sasuk."
"But… one thing is certain…"
Baek Cheon looked at Tang Gunak's now distant back and continued.
"If we perfectly internalize this, Mount Hua will become stronger by one step. It's an opportunity no martial artist can miss. I am infinitely pleased."
A radiant light flowed from his composed eyes.
But those who heard his words were indifferent.
"That's only if we don't die first."
Jo Gul grumbled.
"We could die as soon as tomorrow… What a frozen shit opportunity."
"…"
"Let's just go sleep. I'm exhausted."
"Yeah, let's go."
"I'm hungry too."
"We need to eat something."
One by one, they shook off their places and headed to the lodging, leaving Baek Cheon behind.
"Anyway, that's a sickness too."
"Leave him be. He's our sasuk."
"Taoist Baek Cheon sometimes takes things too seriously. That's also an obsession."
"Sometimes he just gives me goosebumps. Sigh."
Left behind, Baek Cheon blankly watched their retreating backs.
"Hey… guys?"
A cold wind from the riverbank swept past Baek Cheon.
He shivered and quietly stood up.
"Ahem."
He lightly cleared his throat and awkwardly followed the others.
"Let's go together, guys. Guys? Hey?"