Chapter 87: Martial Arts Test (2)
It cant be!
That scream was not from Jun Myung or Yuk Su-chan. It was one of the third-generation disciples watching the martial arts spar who shouted it out.
Everyone was astonished. The fact that Son Hee-il, who was among the strongest of the third-generation disciples, was sent flying with a single strike.
But the person most shocked to see his friend tumbling on the ground was none other than Jun Myung.
That cant be possible
He had recently sparred with Son Hee-il.
Son Hee-il was in his prime condition. It was impossible for him to be defeated with a single blow.
Sit down.
One of the second-generation disciples, acting as an assistant in the examination, growled softly.
It was then that Jun Myung realized he had stood up abruptly.
Hes alright.
Ah Yes!
Son Hee-il, who had fallen backward, twitched and then sprang up as if propelled.
Jun Myung sat down, patting his chest in relief. Fortunately, Son Hee-il had not lost consciousness.
Hee-il spat out the blood pooling in his mouth.
He was kicked in the jaw but managed to deflect most of the impact, which is why it ended this way. His exaggerated rebound was due to that.
He rubbed his sore jaw and spoke, Youre fast.
It was absurd to have a conversation during a martial arts spar, but his curiosity was overwhelming.
How did you move faster than me without using internal energy?
Son Hee-il was a martial prodigy. He had even realized the direction his swordsmanship was headed.
His pursuit of swift swordsmanship was unparalleled among the third-generation disciples. His wooden sword, swift as a flash of light, would strike vital points in the blink of an eye.
Moreover, he had launched a swift strike of the Blue Mountain Five Swords at the opponents throat without any carelessness.
But Yi-gang avoided that swift sword strike and then, with a foot technique, kicked Hee-ils jaw. It was incomprehensible to him.
If truly unable to use internal energy, such movement was absolutely impossible.
Answer me.
However, that was solely from Son Hee-ils perspective.
Its not that Im fast.
What?
Its not that Im faster than you. If I must put it into words, its more like Im earlier.
Son Hee-il furrowed his brows. Not fast, but earlier?
Playing with words
Son Hee-il executed a controlling strike. This time, it was aimed at the torso.
Yi-gang responded calmly.
Do you see it?
It was visible again.
The warning conveyed by Son Hee-ils entire body before his sword even flew.
The momentary pause in breathing, the gaze rising in the direction the sword would swing, the big toe of the foot where the weight first shifted.
Knowing in advance that the sword would come flying, no matter how fast the sword strike was, it could be avoided.
Swoosh
Just moments ago, where Yi-gangs chest had been, the wooden sword passed through.
With your keen senses and accumulated experience, you should now see more broadly and farther than before.
Yi-gang had experiences that Son Hee-il and the third-generation disciples didnt have.
The real combat experience of facing death multiple times, and even losing his internal energy, he once had intense genuine sword fights with an uncle who had surpassed the Supreme Peak level.
It wasnt for nothing that the Immortal Divine Sword advised Yi-gang to accumulate real combat experience.
As for Son Hee-il, who fought revealing everything like a novice, his sword moves were completely transparent.
The examiners also recognized that Yi-gang had seen through Son Hee-ils sword.
Hmm.
Sage Do Gang narrowed his eyes sharply.
As the Blue Flower Palaces Wisdom Sword Pavilion Master, he was known for his strict and fearsome personality among the first-generation disciples.
He had just expressed his admiration for the recent martial arts spar.
Amazing, beyond expectations.
Are you referring to Yi-gang?
Only Jin Mu, a great disciple, dared to speak so casually to Sage Do Gang.
At Jin Mus words, Sage Do Gang nodded.
And that Hee-il boy is quite impressive too.
Hee-il?
His swift swordsmanship has matured well. Its usually not good for such tendencies to solidify at a young age But he seems to have the talent to continue developing.
Jin Mus eyes widened. It was rare for Sage Do Gang to praise someone.
There were more than a few second-generation disciples who regretted joining Blue Flower Palace to learn swordsmanship from Sage Do Gang.
Hee-il is also from a sword clan.
The Son Clan Indeed.
The Son Clan was a well-known sword clan in Hunan. Of course, their reputation couldnt be compared to that of Yi-gangs clan.
How about Yi-gang? Jin Mu asked, more curious.
Seems like the blood is thick. Even born with meridian blockage disease, a Baek is still a Baek.
Yi-gang dodged Son Hee-ils sword and frequently thrust his wooden sword. His strikes invariably hit Hee-ils arms or legs.
Yi-gang was dominating.
Despite Hee-ils sword being extremely fast, Yi-gang manages to counterattack.
Yes, Yi-gang Do Gang
Haha, you are the future of our Azure Forest, said Sage Do Seon with a kind smile.
His appearance, patting his protruding belly and gently waving a fan, reminded them of Zhongli Quan, one of the Eight Immortals, suggesting his nature was full of compassion.
Soon you will be official disciples. Youve worked hard.
Warm smiles spread across the faces of the third-generation disciples.
After all, the promotion to the next level was essentially at the end of this test. What followed would depend on their chosen path.
Especially in the martial arts spar, you must have had a hard time because of Sage Do Gang. Did that stubborn old man not trouble you? Haha!
The third-generation disciples, initially smiling warmly, now wore troubled expressions.
Regardless, Sage Do Seon looked around at the children with a broad grin.
Here, we will assess your achievements in internal energy. Its also the test with the highest scoring. Does anyone know why that is?
Do Seons small eyes scrutinized the children.
Someone shot their hand up. Do Seon recognized her immediately she had eyes just like his youngest junior brother, Yu Jeong-shin.
Right, youre Su-rin?
Yes, Bright Sun Pavilion Master.
Lets hear what you have to say.
Yu Su-rin answered clearly and distinctly, Internal energy cultivation is the starting point of all rising martial arts.
Half right.
At the words half right, Yu Su-rin looked disappointed. Do Seon smiled lightly and added an explanation.
The era of dividing martial studies into internal and external art, like the vast sea, has passed. In the era of the Great Ming, the purpose of learning martial arts branched out in hundreds of ways, each different from the other
He lifted his fan made of feathers.
The closely packed feathers began to separate, as if they were alive.
It was an admirable display of energy control.
However, our Azure Forest, along with other Taoist martial sects, all aim for one ultimate point in our martial training. Do you know what that is?
Do Seon scanned the children, but again, it was only Yu Su-rin who eagerly raised her hand.
Alright, Su-rin, tell us again.
Its to reach the state of an immortal!
Thats correct.
Taoist sects aimed to become immortals.
Originally, in Taoist practices among the public, the secret art of alchemy was used to create elixirs to become immortals.
However, Taoist martial sects like Wudang and Azure Forest aimed to become immortals through the training of martial arts.
The ultimate goal of a Taoist martial artist is to refine the body through martial arts to reach the realm of immortals. That is why training in internal energy cultivation takes precedence even before physical conditioning! After all, the physical body is ultimately bound to the earthly realm
Do Seon spoke majestically, but the children just blinked.
He quickly realized his mistake.
Such talk of immortality was unlikely to appeal to these boys and girls.
Ahem, anyway. Since the existing methods cant fully gauge internal energy achievement, I have devised a new test format.
Saying this, Sage Do Seon approached something covered with a cloth.
It was an object much taller than a person, which had been piquing the curiosity of the third-generation disciples.
A method that minimizes the influence of swordsmanship or muscle strength, focusing solely on the internal energy one possesses!
As he unveiled the object, something unusual was revealed.
Its a bianzhong. Interesting, isnt it? Ehehe.
A bianzhong was a type of musical instrument. On a long rod, twelve bells were hanging in a row.
Starting from the smallest bell on the left, the bells increased in size towards the right.
This bianzhong is specially made from yellow jade, which is highly sensitive to Qi.
How can the twelve bells determine the achievement of internal energy? Master Do Seon soon demonstrated the method himself.
See here, at the end of the rod there is a dragon head carved? Gently grasp this dragon head with your hand
That meant holding the end of the rod with the right hand.
Guide your internal energy to the center of your palm and release it all at once.
Then, something astonishing happened.
Without any wind, the bell closest to Do Seons hand began to sway.
Dadadadadang
All twelve bells chimed in sequence.
The sound was so clear and melodious, like birds singing in unison.
The third-generation disciples gazed in awe at what Do Seon had accomplished. It was a high-level demonstration of energy release using only the power of his Qi.
Haha, just do it like this.
Do Seon spoke with a laugh, as if it were a simple task.
A look of excitement crept onto the faces of the third-generation disciples.
And at this moment, there were people who were particularly beaming with smiles.
It was Son Hee-il and his two close companions.
They all turned to look at Yi-gang, then exchanged glances. Quietly, they murmured among themselves.
He said he cant use internal energy, right?
Sure. It wasnt a lie.
What Do Seon had shown was absolutely impossible for someone with the meridian blockage disease.
If he scores the lowest this time its a game changer.
That meant the representative of the third-generation disciples, the great disciple, would be determined by this test.
Their eyes all lit up at once.
So
The great disciple.
It should be me.
It was a moment when their ambition was reignited.
