The Rising Martial Arts Genius

Chapter 356: The End of the Story

Jade Pivot Mountain of the Three Pure Ones Continent.

It was the mountain where the Three Pure Ones Taiji Sect, the center of the Middle Heaven Martial World, was located.

Jade Pivot Mountain consisted of countless peaks.

Beneath one of them, known as Azure Cloud Peak, a single guest of the Taiji Sect was staying.

Jin Ha-woon, who had become a disciple of the Taiji Sect over ten years ago, returned after completing a mission and headed toward Azure Cloud Peak.

His reputation as one of the rising masters of the Middle Heaven Martial World was well deserved.

Each time he took a step, his figure disappeared for an instant.

Azure Cloud Peak was quite far from the sect's main grounds.

However, because he moved so quickly, he reached his destination in no time.

A wide open clearing stretched beneath Azure Cloud Peak.

A small wooden building stood on one side, and beside it were two women.

At the center of the clearing.

The man Jin Ha-woon admired most and wished to become like was practicing his sword.

Jin Ha-woon walked toward the wooden building.

The two women standing beside it spoke almost simultaneously.

"You're here."

"You came straight here the moment you arrived?"

Yong Seo-hee greeted him warmly.

Beside her, Goon Yu-hye stood with a crooked posture, looking dissatisfied as she stared at Jin Ha-woon.

"And what about you? Why are you here?"

"I came with Sister Seo-hee. It's dangerous for her to walk around alone."

Yong Seo-hee chuckled softly at Goon Yu-hye's excuse.

As a descendant of the Divine Dragon Family, Yong Seo-hee was far from weak.

Moreover, this was the headquarters of the Three Pure Ones Taiji Sect, known as the strongest sect in the Middle Heaven Martial World.

There was absolutely no danger here.

Watching Goon Yu-hye use her as an excuse was so adorable that she could not help but smile.

'She could just be honest. I really don't understand why she's always like this.'

Whenever Jin Ha-woon returned after finishing his work, he always came here.

Goon Yu-hye knew that perfectly well.

'That's why she's always waiting here while pretending she's here because of me.'

"Sister, what's with that expression?"

"Hm? What expression?"

"You looked kind of... suspicious just now."

"Me? Not at all. I was just thinking about how pretty our Yu-hye is."

As Yong Seo-hee answered with a smile, Goon Yu-hye was left speechless.

After being called pretty, what else could she possibly say?

Having effortlessly subdued Goon Yu-hye, Yong Seo-hee turned toward Jin Ha-woon.

"Did everything go well?"

"Yes. It wasn't a difficult task, so I confirmed everything and came straight back."

After Jang Woo-hyun left for the Demon Realm.

Jin Ha-woon became a disciple of the Three Pure Ones Taiji Sect.

There was no special reason.

He had simply wanted to become stronger.

His skills had been insufficient to accompany Jang Woo-hyun to the Demon Realm.

However, Jin Ha-woon did not fall into despair because of that.

Instead of giving up, he prepared for the future.

Even if he could not stand beside his sworn brother, he wanted to become strong enough to protect his back.

Perhaps because of that determination, his strength steadily increased.

Among the younger generation, only Hwa Jin-myeong, the Young Palace Master of the Calamity Flame Sun Palace, and Maeng Ye-ju, the Young Sect Master of the Beast King Sect, were considered superior to the Blue-Red Sword Ghost, Jin Ha-woon.

Step by step, he accumulated strength so that he could help Jang Woo-hyun when he finally returned.

'Though it took my brother much longer than expected.'

Jang Woo-hyun had not returned from the Demon Realm until more than ten years had passed.

And when he finally did...

He possessed completely different strength than before.

"Well, if it isn't you."

Jang Woo-hyun stopped practicing his sword and walked toward the three of them.

Standing before Jin Ha-woon, he exaggeratedly cupped his fists.

"Greetings, Senior Brother Jin."

Jin Ha-woon frowned at the ridiculous display.

"Brother, what are you doing?"

"I'm greeting Senior Brother Jin."

"Why am I your senior brother?"

"Huh? You entered the Taiji Sect before I did, so naturally you're my senior brother. Besides, I heard you've started learning martial arts from True Person Cheon Heo."

Recently, Jin Ha-woon had begun receiving instruction from True Person Cheon Heo and was even being considered as a candidate for the next Sect Master.

"What does that have to do with you calling me Senior Brother?"

Jang Woo-hyun stayed at the Three Pure Ones Taiji Sect as a guest rather than a disciple.

Therefore, seniority and order of admission meant nothing.

Besides, even if they did matter...

"You're learning martial arts from Sword Heaven Lord."

Jang Woo-hyun was learning directly from Zhang Sanfeng.

That placed him far above everyone else.

One year earlier.

Jang Woo-hyun had returned from the Demon Realm.

However, he had returned in a greatly weakened state.

The Invincible Divine Sword, once the new sky of the Middle Heaven Martial World, had fallen to merely the Transcendent Realm.

Everyone was shocked to see how much power he had lost.

Only Jang Woo-hyun himself was different.

'Starting over from the Middle Heaven Realm?'

He had thought he would be separated from all of his companions.

This outcome was actually not bad.

Natural Order had intended to strip away all of Jang Woo-hyun's power and talent before sending him down to the Lower Realm.

However...

The amount of talent Jang Woo-hyun possessed was simply too great.

No matter how much it removed, there was always more.

In the end, Natural Order had no choice but to send him back to the Middle Heaven Realm.

Those around him worried after seeing how much strength he had lost.

Yet Jang Woo-hyun himself paid little attention to it.

Simply being able to learn something once again made every day enjoyable as he devoted himself to training.

Compared to before, his rate of growth was unbelievably slow.

Even so, he liked it.

This way, he could slowly build a solid foundation from the very beginning.

After returning to the Middle Heaven Realm, Jang Woo-hyun stayed at the Three Pure Ones Taiji Sect at Zhang Sanfeng's recommendation and was learning martial arts from him.

"Besides, what does seniority even matter in front of you?"

Jin Ha-woon and a few others knew what Jang Woo-hyun had accomplished.

They also knew whom he had fought alongside.

The Heavenly Demon Lord, Muk Geom-yeong, and Sword Heaven Lord, Zhang Sanfeng, both felt indebted to Jang Woo-hyun.

After all, he had practically saved the world.

Furthermore, not only was the Wind God his friend, but the other Great Sages also regarded him favorably.

Even Sun Wukong's avatar occasionally visited to invite him to the Buddha Realm.

In such circumstances, seniority meant nothing to Jang Woo-hyun.

Even O Song, one of the Taiji Sect's elders, found it difficult to treat him casually.

"Still, if you joined first, then you're my senior brother."

"What senior brother? Brother, Sister Ye-ju is here at the main grounds right now. I haven't met her myself yet, but she was speaking with the Sect Master—"

"Jang Woo-hyun!"

Before Jin Ha-woon's sentence could finish, someone shouted loudly.

"Yung-ah, I told you to slow down."

Maeng Ye-ju's voice followed immediately afterward.

But the one who had shouted ignored her.

The wolf beastman Kang Yung rushed forward at incredible speed and landed in the clearing.

"I've arrived!"

His claws extended as he charged.

In an instant, he closed the distance and attacked Jang Woo-hyun.

At the same time, Jin Ha-woon swung his sword.

Clang!

Kang Yung's claws collided with Jin Ha-woon's sword in midair.

"Sword Ghost? Stay out of this. Right now I'm here to fight Jang Woo-hyun—"

Thud.

Before anyone noticed, Maeng Ye-ju's large hand grabbed Kang Yung by the head.

"I told you not to run wild like this."

"Huh? Ah... Ugh! Sister, wait! Wait! My head! It hurts! It really hurts!"

The wolf beastman, who stood over seven feet tall with an enormous physique, slowly found his head being pushed downward.

"Of course it hurts. Didn't I clearly tell you to behave yourself?"

"N-No, wait! That's not what I meant! Argh! Wait!"

Maeng Ye-ju suppressed the ferocious wolf beastman with one hand, nearly crushing him.

The gap between them had always been considerable.

Now it had grown even wider.

"And if you want to challenge Ha-woon, train a little more first. Don't just charge in blindly."

"I know that already. I came to fight Jang Woo-hyun— Argh! Easy! Wait! Aaaah!"

"If you keep talking, I'll pull out every one of your teeth."

"Ghk!"

Only then did Kang Yung clamp his mouth shut.

Maeng Ye-ju finally released him.

"Has everyone been doing well? It's been a while."

Her expression had completely changed from moments earlier.

"Yu-hye has grown quite a bit. Ha-woon goes without saying. As for Woo-hyun... hmm."

If this had been the Jang Woo-hyun she knew, he should have surpassed her by now.

He was certainly very different from before.

"You're really alright?"

"About what?"

"You suddenly lost all your strength."

"I'll just build it back up again."

"...I see."

She found it astonishing.

He had fallen from such unimaginable heights.

Yet he spoke so calmly.

'If it were me, I might've gone insane.'

Everything he had built had disappeared.

Yet Jang Woo-hyun truly did not seem to care.

It was not an act.

Having known him for years, she could tell.

'Seriously... what a strange guy.'

"So what brings you here?"

"I have something to ask Master Craftsman."

After becoming the Young Sect Master of the Beast King Sect, Maeng Ye-ju spent her days busily.

There was endless work to do and countless people to meet.

After Jang Woo-hyun returned, the Master Craftsman had moved his residence near the headquarters of the Three Pure Ones Taiji Sect.

Maeng Ye-ju had come to commission a weapon from him.

Since she was already here, she also decided to visit the Taiji Sect and see Jang Woo-hyun.

"How have things been lately?"

"The same as always. Just small skirmishes along the Domain Boundary."

Because of the longstanding grudge with the Dominating Family, the Beast King Sect was still at war with them.

It had continued for years, leaving both sides locked in a stalemate.

"In that case... why don't you come with us?"

"Yeah, come with us. This mountain doesn't suit you. You'd fit in much better at the Beast King Sect—"

"Yung-ah."

"Yes, ma'am."

As Maeng Ye-ju's voice became colder, Kang Yung immediately closed his mouth and stepped back.

"Wouldn't it be better to fight directly instead of staying here?"

She understood exactly what kind of martial artist Jang Woo-hyun was.

"Staying here is better. If I move around, something troublesome might happen."

"Troublesome? Ah... Is the Great Sage still coming?"

Jang Woo-hyun nodded.

"He came yesterday morning too."

The Wind God constantly sent avatars from the Demon Realm to fight Jang Woo-hyun.

If the Taiji Sect's martial artists interfered, he would take hostages and demand that Jang Woo-hyun be brought to him.

If a powerful opponent appeared or things became unfavorable, he would flee, only to return later looking for Jang Woo-hyun again.

Ordinarily, he would never behave that way.

But fighting Jang Woo-hyun meant that much to him.

Retreating no longer bothered him.

"If I move somewhere else, that troublesome monkey might start bothering the Beast King Sect too."

"..."

Knowing what the Great Sages meant to the beast races, Maeng Ye-ju said nothing further.

Although the Wind God treated Jang Woo-hyun like a friend, he was still one of the infamous Great Demon Beasts.

Underestimating him would be foolish.

"Then I suppose it can't be helped."

"How are Senior Mak and Senior Seo doing?"

"The same as ever."

Seo Ryeom and Mak Ya-wol were still challenging the leader of the Hundred Martial Association, hoping to claim the position themselves.

Unfortunately, the Association Leader was no easy opponent.

They had done nothing but lose.

Seo Ryeom, in particular, had declared that he would not meet Jang Woo-hyun until he became the Association Leader.

He had still not appeared.

"It won't be easy."

The Hundred Martial Association was filled with martial artists obsessed with martial arts.

Its Association Leader stood at the very pinnacle of those madmen.

Although Seo Ryeom and Mak Ya-wol were famous throughout the Middle Heaven Realm, they were still no match for the Association Leader.

"I should get going now. I've seen your face, so that's enough."

"Sister, you've come all this way. At least stay for a meal."

"Please do, Sister."

"I'd appreciate that as well."

Hearing the requests from Jin Ha-woon, Yong Seo-hee, and Goon Yu-hye, Maeng Ye-ju hesitated briefly.

"Maybe I should."

"Sister, everyone's just trying to make a living—"

"Not Sister. Young Sect Master. Yung-ah, watch yourself."

"...Yes."

Kang Yung immediately shrank back again.

"Then let's head down and get something to eat. Thinking about it now... this reminds me of the old days."

Back during the gathering of the Ten Sects.

Maeng Ye-ju had once parted ways with Jang Woo-hyun in the city near the headquarters of the Three Pure Ones Taiji Sect.

The circumstances and location were different now.

Yet today somehow reminded her of that day.

"Let's go. It's been a while since we've had a good meal together."

Everyone agreed.

They prepared a flying artifact.

With the Dragon King's Scale gone, Jang Woo-hyun could now use flying artifacts properly as well.

"Woo-hyun, you've really grown. Back then, you couldn't even control a flying artifact properly."

Just as everyone laughed softly at Maeng Ye-ju's joke—

"Warrior Jang! Junior Brother Jin!"

Someone rushed toward Jang Woo-hyun's residence using Qinggong.

The person who landed in the clearing was Gi Hu-shin, the Taiji Sect martial artist who had traveled alongside Jin Ha-woon during the gathering of the Ten Sects.

His expression was filled with urgency as he hurried over.

"Senior Brother, what's wrong?"

"Has something happened?"

Jin Ha-woon and Jang Woo-hyun both asked with serious expressions.

"It's not an emergency, but someone has come looking for Warrior Jang and Junior Brother Jin."

"Who?"

"Just a short while ago, a disciple arrived escorting a martial artist who had achieved Ascension. That Ascended One knew Warrior Jang's name."

"What? An Ascended One knows me?"

Jang Woo-hyun's eyes widened at the unexpected news.

Beside him, Jin Ha-woon wore the same surprised expression.

Then something occurred to him.

The corners of his mouth slowly rose.

"Could it be..."

"Do either of you know a martial artist named Hwang An? Someone who knows both Junior Brother Jin and Warrior Jang—"

"What?! Hwang An?!"

Jang Woo-hyun rarely ever raised his voice.

Everyone around him was startled by his reaction.

He was stunned for only a brief moment at the unexpected arrival of an old friend.

Then Jang Woo-hyun looked at Jin Ha-woon with a broad smile.

"Ahahahahaha!"

"Hahahahaha!"

The moment their eyes met, the two burst into laughter loud enough to shake the mountain.

A reunion they had never expected.

An old bond was connected once more.