Chapter 364 ·Epilogue – Jang Woo-hyun
Chapter 364: Epilogue – Jang Woo-hyun
Jang Yu-cheon brushed aside the grass and branches covering the entrance of the cave.
A faint presence could be felt from within.
“Cheong-ha, it's me. It's all over.”
The sound of someone moving deeper into the cave stopped.
A moment later, footsteps approached.
Shortly afterward.
Ye Cheong-ha emerged from the entrance of the small cave, carrying a child in her arms.
“The blood...”
Her eyes widened when she saw the blood staining Jang Yu-cheon's clothes.
“You don't have to worry. It's not my blood.”
Seeing the concern on her face, Jang Yu-cheon gently embraced her.
“Is Hyeon alright?”
“He's sleeping peacefully, completely unaware of everything.”
“Haha. He's going to become someone great. To be able to sleep in a situation like this.”
“What happened to everyone else?”
At her question, Jang Yu-cheon paused briefly before answering.
“...They're all dead.”
“......”
Jang Yu-cheon had just slaughtered every one of the sworn brothers who had fought beside him until today.
It was not because he was an infamous villain or because he had evil intentions.
Until recently, Jang Yu-cheon and his sworn brothers had been extremely close.
Although none of them came from a great sect or a prestigious clan, they shared the same ideals, cherished one another, helped one another, and formed a small group that lived together.
However, something happened that shattered that close bond.
“Hyeon, are you trying to copy me?”
Jang Yu-cheon's son, Jang Woo-hyun.
The little child, who could not even run properly, imitated martial arts.
From that moment onward, everything changed.
“Hyeon, that's not how you do it. Like this.”
Although he copied well at first, Jang Woo-hyun occasionally moved in strange ways.
No matter how many times he was taught, the child would shake his head and stubbornly insist on his own method.
“You want me to try it like this? Haha. I'm actually learning martial arts from Hyeon. My nephew is the youngest Grandmaster in the martial world.”
At first, it was merely a joke.
He was simply copying Jang Woo-hyun's movements.
But it did not take long before he realized something was wrong.
“Huh? This...”
A child who could barely support his own body had improved a martial art after seeing it only a few times.
Following Jang Woo-hyun's footwork made attacks stronger.
Changing the movement sequence made them faster.
Grandmaster.
Someone possessing the aptitude to create martial arts and establish an entirely new sect.
The joke about him being the "youngest Grandmaster" had become reality.
After witnessing that talent, Jang Yu-cheon's sworn brothers lost all reason.
'Anyone would have gone mad.'
It was an ability unlike anything they had ever heard of.
It was truly a Heaven-Sent Genius (天才), a talent worthy only of the First Heavenly Demon, the founder of the Demonic Cult.
His sworn younger brother, who often smiled, became expressionless.
The gentle eyes of his sworn elder brother became clouded with greed.
His sworn brothers tried to take Jang Woo-hyun away.
The swords that had once protected each other's backs were now aimed at each other's throats.
He was a child capable of overturning the balance of the entire martial world.
In a way, such greed was only natural.
Brothers who had spent five years together...
Some even ten...
Were transformed into monsters consumed by greed as they pursued Jang Woo-hyun.
To protect his family, Jang Yu-cheon had no choice but to fight his sworn brothers.
In the end, he killed them all.
“What should we do now? Should we go to Shaolin or Wudang?”
“No. Those places are still inhabited by people.”
There was no telling what would happen if Jang Woo-hyun's talent became known.
Even the Nine Great Sects and the Ten Great Unorthodox Sects could not be trusted.
“It would be better if he stayed with us.”
“But...”
The couple alone lacked the strength to protect Jang Woo-hyun.
“Don't worry. We'll go somewhere that has no martial artists at all.”
“Does a place like that really exist?”
“I once heard about one. They say there's a region on the border between Sichuan and Yunnan where Internal Energy naturally dissipates.”
It was said that long ago, there had even been a prison there for martial artists who had committed crimes.
“A place like that really exists?”
“Yes. Since martial artists never go there, we can live there. Our Internal Energy will disappear too. Are you alright with that?”
“If it means protecting Hyeon, I'd gladly give up something as insignificant as Internal Energy.”
“Alright. Then let's go there.”
On the very day he killed his sworn brothers with his own hands—
Jang Yu-cheon decided to leave the martial world.
Just as Jang Yu-cheon had said, there truly was a place where Internal Energy naturally dissipated.
The Land of Dissipating Cultivation (散功地).
It was a vast region containing several villages.
It was not a place completely devoid of energy.
Curiously, it only dispersed the Internal Energy that martial artists had artificially accumulated within their dantians.
One could resist it for a short period.
However, anyone who remained there for a long time would lose every bit of accumulated Internal Energy.
Because of this, no martial artists entered the Land of Dissipating Cultivation.
Not only were experts absent—
Even Third-Rate Martial Artists were difficult to find.
Just to be safe, Jang Yu-cheon and Ye Cheong-ha never stayed in one place for long, even within the Land of Dissipating Cultivation.
They moved from village to village, staying only two or three years in each.
They feared that someone might discover Jang Woo-hyun's talent.
Jang Yu-cheon was warm-hearted and upright.
Ye Cheong-ha was gentle and thoughtful.
Because of their personalities, they adapted well wherever they went.
Although they raised their son with love, they imposed a few restrictions.
“Hyeon, wooden swords are dangerous.”
“But I want to play too.”
“They're dangerous. Let's go home.”
Jang Woo-hyun could not even play ordinary martial artist games.
Although he was at the age where children should run around freely, he avoided strenuous physical activity as much as possible.
The family, who had spent years moving from village to village, finally settled down because of Jang Yu-cheon's death.
After arriving in the Land of Dissipating Cultivation, the effects on Jang Yu-cheon and Ye Cheong-ha did not stop with the loss of their Internal Energy.
Their health gradually deteriorated as well.
When Jang Woo-hyun turned seventeen—
Jang Yu-cheon passed away.
Three years later.
Ye Cheong-ha was also approaching death.
“Hyeon... perhaps, because of our own selfishness, we ended up imprisoning you.”
With her complexion pale from illness, Ye Cheong-ha spoke with great difficulty.
Preventing Jang Woo-hyun from learning martial arts both protected him and restrained him.
Because his parents had constantly warned him since childhood, Jang Woo-hyun had never even gotten into a fight.
He had never properly held even a wooden sword.
When he was younger, he often felt dissatisfied and disappointed.
But after learning that his parents had once been martial artists, those feelings disappeared.
'Something terrible must have happened to them.'
That was why they had chosen to live in such a remote place.
Jang Woo-hyun understood the parents who had given him boundless love.
“Please don't say that.”
Because they never stayed in one place, he had never made proper friends.
He had never truly enjoyed his childhood either.
Even so, he had no regrets.
Nor did he feel disappointed.
Although he had no friends, he had a father who was like one.
Even though he could not play at being a martial artist, he had countless conversations with his mother.
Jang Woo-hyun's life may have had its restrictions—
But it was also a happy life filled with love.
“Hyeon, from now on, live however you wish. If you want to learn martial arts, then learn them. If you want to travel, then travel. Live entirely according to your own wishes.”
“At my age? What martial arts? Just stay with me for a long, long time.”
“Yes... I suppose it's time for me to leave as well.”
That day became the final conversation between mother and son.
After Ye Cheong-ha passed away.
Jang Woo-hyun spent the next two years living like someone who had lost all emotion.
Even when the villagers expressed their concern, he merely responded with a weak smile.
Then one day, as that lifeless existence continued—
Jang Woo-hyun obtained one of the fragments left behind by Lee Tae-seong.
“Where... is this place?”
As the memories of his previous life intertwined with his own, Jang Woo-hyun came to believe that he had been transported into another world.
“Have you gone mad? Why would someone your age learn martial arts?”
“Brother, have you lost your mind? You're already old. What martial arts? You'll only end up breaking your bones.”
“Why learn martial arts now? You should simply enjoy each passing day.”
“I truly don't understand you, Brother. Why would you suddenly decide to learn martial arts?”
Every villager opposed him.
Naturally.
Jang Woo-hyun was no longer young.
He was already well past the age of marriage.
Now he wanted to chase a dream.
How could they not stop him?
More importantly—
Learning martial arts at his age was no easy task.
“If that's truly what you've decided, then I won't stop you. You only live once. If there's something you want to do, then you should do it.”
“Village Chief!”
“Father, this isn't right. Woo-hyun is already around thirty. Can he really learn martial arts properly?”
Although everyone objected, the Village Chief ignored them and continued.
“Quiet, everyone. Woo-hyun.”
“Yes, Village Chief.”
“They're only saying this because they're worried about you. Don't take it personally.”
“I understand.”
“Good. Then when do you plan to leave?”
“I plan to depart early tomorrow morning.”
“Very well. But remember one thing.”
The Village Chief paused briefly, as though preparing to say something important.
“If you find that you simply can't do it, you may always return. Don't burden yourself too much. If only I were a little younger, I would have gone with you.”
Jang Woo-hyun smiled at the Village Chief's lighthearted joke.
After chatting briefly with everyone gathered there, he returned home.
“Village Chief, why didn't you stop him? You know better than anyone how difficult it is to learn martial arts at that age. Besides, Woo-hyun was seriously ill a few years ago.”
“That's right, Father. You saw it yourself. Back then, he couldn't even speak properly.”
About seven years earlier.
Jang Woo-hyun had suddenly begun speaking in an incomprehensible language while remaining wary of the villagers.
He could not adapt to village life despite having lived there for years.
He barely ate any of the local food.
Back then, he seemed like someone who had suddenly fallen into the village from an extremely distant land.
—His mother also passed away, and the shock wounded his heart deeply. Let us all take good care of him.
At the time, every villager agreed with the Village Chief.
They treated Jang Woo-hyun as though they were meeting him for the first time and looked after him.
As time passed and communication gradually became possible, he slowly adapted to the village and its food.
“He's finally living well now, so why suddenly learn martial arts? Aren't you worried about him, Father? At his age, everyone will laugh at him.”
“It's alright if they laugh.”
“Huh?”
In the Village Chief's eyes—
Jang Woo-hyun was not someone who would give up easily.
“Didn't any of you notice Woo-hyun's eyes?”
“His eyes?”
“What was different about them?”
After Ye Cheong-ha died, Jang Woo-hyun's eyes had always gazed somewhere far away.
The same had happened seven years earlier, when he suddenly changed.
They were the eyes of someone living without purpose.
Eyes that seemed devoid of all will.
'But today was different.'
His eyes had never been clearer.
As though he had finally found the path he was meant to walk.
Even in the Village Chief's opinion, it was impossible for Jang Woo-hyun to learn martial arts at his age.
Like everyone else, he should have tried to stop him.
Yet somewhere deep inside—
He found himself cheering Jang Woo-hyun on.
Somehow...
He felt that the young man would accomplish something.
—I want to learn martial arts.
Those sincere words spoken only moments earlier.
At that moment, Jang Woo-hyun had seemed to shine in the Village Chief's eyes.
“If things become too dangerous, just come back. Don't worry. Tonight, let's all gather together and share one last meal.”
After leaving the place where he had lived for many years, Jang Woo-hyun arrived at a fairly large town.
“Excuse me. Is there a martial arts school in this town?”
“Go straight down this road until you reach an inn. Turn right there, and you'll see a martial arts school.”
“Thank you.”
Following the directions, Jang Woo-hyun soon found a martial arts school with an old signboard hanging above its entrance.
White Tiger Martial Arts School (白虎武館)
Although names such as Azure Dragon and White Tiger were commonly used for martial arts schools, this one held special meaning for Jang Woo-hyun.
His heart pounded rapidly.
His steps felt lighter than ever before.
Standing before the entrance of the White Tiger Martial Arts School, Jang Woo-hyun took a deep breath.
“Hoo.”
He straightened his clothes, suppressed his trembling heart, and called out loudly.
“Is anyone here?”
Believing that he had crossed into another world—
On that day, Jang Woo-hyun took his very first step into the world known as the Martial World.
<The Martial Arts Genius Who Ascends. End>
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