Chapter 576
Chapter 576
Chapter 576. How to Screw Someone Over (1)
I poured the well-brewed Tiger-Bear Origin Body Decoction into a bowl.
Glug glug.
Black medicinal decoction filling the bowl.
Kuh! It is bitter just from the smell.
I took it and headed to the backyard.
“Nine thousand nine hundred five!” (Warrior Daenok)
“Nine thousand nine hundred six!” (Warrior Suam)
The ten thousand sword forms I had ordered them to do were slowly nearing their end.
I waited until they completed ten thousand, then approached with the decoction.
“You have worked hard. Drink this down in one go.” (MC)
“Hah, huff, what is this?” (Warrior Daenok)
“It is a medicinal decoction I brewed myself.” (MC)
At those words, they were startled.
“You brewed it yourself, Master?” (Warrior Daenok)
“Yes.” (MC)
I smiled brightly.
“This is expensive. It is a decoction made with a secret prescription, and it will sharply raise your lacking physical stamina.” (MC)
At my words, they felt deeply honored and drank the decoction down in one go.
“Urp!” (Warrior Daenok)
“Uuuk!” (Warrior Suam)
“Ah, it will be extremely bitter. But they say bitter medicine is good for the body. So do not even think of spitting it out, and drink it all down. All down!” (MC)
“…….”
“If you leave any decoction behind or spill it, it will be ten hanging sit-ups per drop.” (MC)
At my words, they looked as if they were about to cry, but they still drained the decoction without leaving a drop.
“I-I will go drink some water at least.” (Warrior Daenok)
“No. From now on, for three days, you cannot consume anything except the decoction. The only thing you may consume is the decoction.” (MC)
“…….”
They looked as if their country had fallen, but I was firm.
“Run lightly around the clearing while you listen.” (MC)
At my words, they began circling the clearing, and I explained the decoction to them.
“…So endure it for just three days. As they say, pleasure comes after hardship, and if you suffer for just three days, you will see the same effect as if you had done physical training for three months.” (MC)
“Hah, hahh, but why is physical training necessary?” (Warrior Daenok)
“Good question.” (MC)
I nodded and continued speaking.
“The martial arts you learned draw out your potential to the utmost when you are angry. But as a counterbalance, your stamina is exhausted quickly. Do you remember when I checked your pulses before and told you to try getting angry?” (MC)
“Yes.” (Warrior Daenok)
“I remember.” (Warrior Suam)
“At the time, because the two of you had already been angry because of those black path people, your stomachs sent signals right away. Even if you grow stronger, it is useless if you cannot maintain it for long.” (MC)
“You are right.” (Warrior Daenok)
“That is why physical training is necessary. First, it is to lengthen the duration for which you can draw up your potential through anger, and at the same time, to resolve the imbalance between your mental image and your physical strength.” (MC)
“Hoo, hoo-ook, I see. But….” (Warrior Daenok)
Warrior Daenok asked with his face twisted.
“It feels as if someone is wringing out my whole body. Is this all right?” (Warrior Daenok)
“I told you earlier, did I not? That the muscle pain would be severe. And it is only that much because you are moving your bodies right now. Try stopping.” (MC)
At my words, they stopped their feet, and a moment later.
“Kkeuuuup!” (Warrior Daenok)
They twisted their whole bodies in pain.
“If you move your bodies, you should at least be able to endure it.” (MC)
At my words, they gritted their teeth and began running around the clearing.
Seeing that, Warrior Myeongjong and Warrior Changwoon seemed interested in the decoction, so they dipped their fingers into the bowl and tasted it.
And then….
“Ueeek!” (Warrior Myeongjong)
“W-water!” (Warrior Changwoon)
They rushed back to the inn in a flurry.
.
.
.
It was the second day of the friendly duels.
I gave the two warriors their training instructions and headed to the dueling arena.
In any case, physical training was something they had to do on their own.
And since Miss Seohyang and Palgap did not necessarily need to come watch the duels, they stayed behind at the inn as monitors.
All of the escort warriors followed me.
Because while watching various high-level duels, they might perhaps gain enlightenment.
On the way, we met Vice Captain Bok Yun and ended up going together.
“Vice Captain Sagang has been absolutely overjoyed these days.” (Vice Captain Bok Yun)
I recalled how he had been lovey-dovey with Miss Jeongryeon and chuckled.
“Is that not how it is when things are good?” (MC)
“That is true. By the way, when are you planning to marry, Vice Captain Eun?” (Vice Captain Bok Yun)
“Yes?” (MC)
“It is not as though you have no intention of marrying, is it?” (Vice Captain Bok Yun)
“……I have never particularly thought about it.” (MC)
To me, marriage felt like something rather distant.
I had worried a little because the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Guizhou Province had told me to marry his daughter, but….
My foremost goal is to take revenge on the Martial Alliance and the Baekcheon Trading Company.
To drag even a wife onto a path of hardship for that would honestly make me feel sorry.
“Is there not perhaps a young lady around you who, when you look at her, somehow makes you feel as if your throat is drying up?” (Vice Captain Bok Yun)
“…….”
There is someone who comes to mind when he says that, but….
Phew, I do not know either.
That was when it happened.
“……!”
A familiar gait entered my eyes.
A man was walking toward me, and he passed by me.
His appearance was clearly that of a stranger, but the feeling was not unfamiliar.
Could it be Master?
Has Master come here as well?
Only belatedly realizing it, I hurriedly turned around, but Master was already nowhere to be seen.
Did he bring Hyung Jeongho to the main branch and then come here?
“What is wrong?” (Vice Captain Bok Yun)
At Vice Captain Bok Yun’s question, I shook my head.
“It is nothing.” (MC)
Since there was no telling where the eyes of the Martial Alliance might be, I had to be careful with my behavior.
So for now, I would simply keep in mind that Master had come.
Soon, we arrived at the dueling arena and headed to our respective seats.
Since my parents had left the inn first, they were already seated and waiting.
Beside them sat Chief Administrator Go Il-pyeong and Hyung Jinho.
“Oh, you’re here?” (Eun Jinho)
“Yeah.” (MC)
I nodded and asked Hyung Jinho.
“Are you nervous?” (MC)
“No. I was a bit nervous on the first day, but now, not really.” (Eun Jinho)
Confidence was buried in Hyung Jinho’s answer as he spoke.
He had probably felt it too.
That the level of those participating in the friendly duels was not as high as expected.
That was because the friendly duels, which had originally been duels where high-level experts sparred, compared martial arts, and shared enlightenment, had degenerated into a pride contest among prodigies.
Because of that, martial artists with some years on them no longer participated out of concern for face.
Even though, officially, there is no age limit.
There is a saying that stagnant water that neither receives new water nor flows will rot.
The Martial Alliance, and this event as well, had been stagnant for so long that they had become distorted.
“Fellow martial artists of the murim!” (Captain Geum Yeonhwa)
At some point, Captain Geum Yeonhwa, the Red Rain Sword, was standing atop the dueling stage.
“From now on, we will begin the second day of preliminaries for the Murim Grand Banquet’s friendly duels!” (Captain Geum Yeonhwa)
“Waaaaaaa!”
The people cheered.
“We will reveal the matchup that will open the second day’s duels!” (Captain Geum Yeonhwa)
At those words, an assistant removed the cover from the wooden plaques hanging on the bracket.
“Eon Seungyeon of the Jinju Eon Family! And his opponent is Yeom Woo of the Yeom Clan!” (Captain Geum Yeonhwa)
Warrior Eon Seungyeon and Warrior Yeom Woo, whose names had been called, climbed onto the dueling stage.
Hearing Yeom Clan made me think of my maternal uncle’s affair, as well as the fraudulent match-fixing called prearranged victory at the Dragon Phoenix Dueling Tournament.
But unlike the Dragon Phoenix Dueling Tournament, it was difficult to attempt a prearranged victory in the Murim Grand Banquet’s friendly duels.
At the Dragon Phoenix Dueling Tournament, everyone’s skills were so wildly different, and the duels were not so important, so prearranged victories were possible, but the friendly duels were not like that.
Most of the participants were evenly matched, and the pride of the clans or sects they belonged to was on the line in these duels.
If someone tried a prearranged victory in a place like this….
Mm, I will omit any further explanation.
Boom-!
With the sound of the drum, Warrior Eon Seungyeon and Warrior Yeom Woo took their starting stances.
And soon the two approached each other, and Warrior Eon Seungyeon’s iron gauntlets and Warrior Yeom Woo’s sword collided, sparks flying.
Clang! Clang clang! Clang!
Originally, in a fight, the side with the longer weapon tends to seize the initiative.
So it is easier for a sword to seize the initiative over fists, and for a spear to seize the initiative over a sword.
However, the Jinju Eon Family is a family famous for fist arts.
They have martial arts capable of overturning that much common sense.
One of those martial arts is that.
Iron Body Art.
It is also called Corpse Stiffening Art, but at some point, instead of Corpse Stiffening Art, people began calling it Iron Body Art.
It is a method of making one’s own body as hard as a lump of iron to block attacks from long bladed weapons.
Warrior Eon Seungyeon’s body burrowed toward Warrior Yeom Woo.
Screeech!
Warrior Yeom Woo’s sword grazed Warrior Eon Seungyeon’s body, but what rang out was not the sound of flesh being cut, but the sound of metal scraping.
As expected, people who appear in the friendly duels are different.
The Iron Body Art of the one who fought Young Master Jegal Yu-a at the Dragon Phoenix Dueling Tournament was not that outstanding.
“Ugh!” (Warrior Yeom Woo)
Warrior Yeom Woo hurriedly tried to create distance, but Warrior Eon Seungyeon quickly dug in as though he had anticipated even that.
Paradoxically, a weapon with great length becomes unfavorable when the distance between the two fighters closes.
But the Yeom Clan is also a prestigious martial family. They must have prepared for that as well.
Thwack!
One of those preparations was the fist-and-kick techniques they learned as a supplement.
At Warrior Yeom Woo’s kick, the marker attached to Warrior Eon Seungyeon’s stomach fell to the floor.
The first duel, which had gone back and forth and made everyone’s palms sweat, ultimately ended in Warrior Eon Seungyeon’s victory.
“Waaaaaaa!”
“Well done!”
“Iron Body Fist Hero! Iron Body Fist Hero!”
A hero of fist arts with a strong body… that is a fitting title.
Assistants came out and cleaned the floor of the dueling arena.
Because it had been a rather fierce duel, quite a lot of blood had been spilled.
Golden wound medicine will sell well this time too.
“Then we will reveal the second matchup!” (Captain Geum Yeonhwa)
The assistants removed the covers from the name plaques.
“Disciple Jo Un of the Zhongnan Sect! The participant facing him is Eun Jinho of the Eunhae Trading Company!” (Captain Geum Yeonhwa)
At that, Hyung Jinho rose from his seat.
It is finally Hyung Jinho’s turn.
Hyung took off the long robe he was wearing, picked up Azure Dragon Dance, and respectfully bowed to Father and Mother.
“I apologize for not telling you. I will accept your scolding later.” (Eun Jinho)
Mother let out a sigh instead of answering, and Father spoke with a bitter smile.
“Heoheoheo, since you are going out anyway, make sure you win.” (Father)
“Yes!” (Eun Jinho)
“But do not get hurt. If you lose but do not get hurt, I will not scold you, but even if you win, if you get hurt, I will scold you plenty.” (Father)
“I will keep that in mind.” (Eun Jinho)
After making that promise, Hyung Jinho turned his head toward me.
I grinned and said.
“Hyung.” (MC)
“Yeah.” (Eun Jinho)
“Stop pretending to look cool and get out there already. Can’t you see the spectators are waiting?” (MC)
“Ahem, ahehem.” (Eun Jinho)
At my words, Hyung Jinho climbed onto the dueling stage with an awkward expression.
Who does Hyung Jinho think he is, trying to act cool?
The two of them each attached seven markers to their bodies.
Boom-!
With the sound of the drum, the duel began.
The first attack came from the disciple of the Zhongnan Sect.
“Is he someone you know?” (MC)
At my question, Warrior Changwoon nodded.
“Yes. He is my Senior Brother. Among us, he had peerless skill, and the elders called him the future of Zhongnan.” (Warrior Changwoon)
Warrior Changwoon’s face looked full of pride.
“I see.” (MC)
I nodded.
“What is his specialty?” (MC)
“Yes? Are you perhaps… planning to send a telepathic message?” (Warrior Changwoon)
At that question, I chuckled.
“You know better than anyone that that is impossible, do you not, Warrior Changwoon?” (MC)
Because a formation was spread over the dueling arena, making it impossible to send telepathic messages.
It was to block people from giving advice through telepathy or interfering with the duels.
As if realizing that, he lowered his head.
“I had forgotten. My apologies.” (Warrior Changwoon)
“It is fine. This is a situation where you could think that.” (MC)
“Yes. To explain briefly, Senior Brother Jo Un’s specialty is the Heavenly Star Swift Sword.” (Warrior Changwoon)
Among Zhongnan’s representative martial arts, the Heavenly Star Sword, it is a sword art that maximizes speed.
Because of that, the power of each individual strike is not very strong, but the attacks that continue in every direction are superb.
If one fails to regain one’s senses under that indiscriminate assault and only blocks in a daze, one will end up defeated.
“He may perhaps be a difficult opponent for the Second Young Master.” (Warrior Changwoon)
“Is that so?” (MC)
I chuckled.
Well, Warrior Changwoon does not know Hyung Jinho very well, which is why he says that.
Hyung Jinho’s martial arts are not easy either, and he has never seen Hyung Jinho use his martial arts in earnest.
Taat!
It was Warrior Jo Un’s first attack.
A plain Heavenly Star Sword. Is he trying to feel him out?
Taat-!
Clang!
Clang clang!
Hyung lightly blocked that attack and immediately counterattacked.
“Haat!” (Eun Jinho)
Azure Dragon Dance began to dance, and in an instant, they exchanged six moves.
Clang! Clang clang clang clang clang!
“Hoo, I acknowledge you.” (Warrior Jo Un)
Warrior Jo Un said.
“I apologize for looking down on you because I thought of you as a person from a trading company. I will now go properly.” (Warrior Jo Un)
Sashak!
No sooner had his warning ended than Warrior Jo Un’s form disappeared.
No, it was the Heavenly Star Swift Sword.
As expected, he can be called the future of Zhongnan.
Most peak warriors would not be able to keep up with that speed.
However.
Kakang!
Hyung Jinho’s Azure Dragon Dance blocked that attack. Warrior Jo Un’s startled expression is quite something to see.
One of Hyung Jinho’s greatest strengths is that his field of vision is wide and his reaction speed is fast.
That is why he is optimized for spear arts.
Tap.
Hyung Jinho’s performance did not simply stop at blocking Warrior Jo Un’s attack.
He blocked that attack and immediately counterattacked, destroying the marker on his shoulder.
“Waaaaaaa!”
“As expected of the Trench Spear Hero!”
The people of our trading company were cheering Hyung Jinho on, calling out Hyung Jinho’s title.
“It is not over yet!” (Warrior Jo Un)
“Come! I am not done either!” (Eun Jinho)
At Hyung Jinho’s words, Warrior Jo Un bit his lip and attacked again with the Heavenly Star Swift Sword.
His insides must be burning.
It had been an attack he made with some resolve, yet it was blocked too easily, and he even allowed a counterattack.
In truth, Hyung Jinho had not been able to respond to swift swords so calmly and accurately before….
But by sparring with me, he adapted to my speed and movements, and his skill rose like that.
Ah, if Warrior Jo Un loses, would that be because of me…?
I sneakily looked over at Warrior Changwoon.
His expression was gradually stiffening.
Mm, I should just stay still.