Chapter 30
Tang Hwagi coaxed Peng Domyung with kind words and sat him down.
Hong Sochen, who was watching that, showed a faint laugh and then lost interest.
And then he turned his gaze back to the training ground where the mid-term examination was taking place.
Hong Sochen admired Myung Jin, who was engaging with Jeonggak, Jongri Hye, and Tang Somun.
"Moogyeol is Moogyeol, but... how is that Myung Jin guy so monstrous?"
Although So Moogyeol had subdued Baek Unseol and Peng Gahyeok quite quickly, strictly speaking, he had faced them one by one.
On the other hand, Myung Jin was overwhelming even while facing three at the same time.
And unlike Peng Gahyeok or Baek Unseol, if Jeonggak had not been a cautious person, and if it weren't for the Martial Tiger Class students helping them, he would have subdued them long ago.
"That's what I'm saying. He wasn't that good when he was in Wudang..."
Chunghuh knew Myung Jin's skills best.
Although he showed promise among his peers, he was inferior to the Chunghuh of that age.
This was because although his talent was sufficient, his temperament did not match Wudang's Taiji Sword Art.
This was the same for the Chunghuh of the past.
In fact, Chunghuh had made a name for himself in the martial world not with the Taiji Sword Art, but with the Divine Gate Thirteen Swords, which was second to none in terms of sharpness.
It was a choice he had made considering his own temperament, and in conclusion, it had been a great success.
But Myung Jin had chosen the Taiji Sword Art. That was the difference between the Chunghuh of that age and Myung Jin.
However, in a few months, Myung Jin's sword had changed.
The Taiji, which had seemed to be cut off due to its unique sharpness, was now smoothly connected while still maintaining its edge.
Although a weak link could be found if you looked closely, it was so faint that only masters of martial arts like Chunghuh or Hong Sochen could find it.
It was no exaggeration to say that Myung Jin's sword had grown to the point where it was on the verge of a realm.
In a few months, he had far surpassed the Chunghuh of that age.
Chunghuh looked at Hong Sochen.
"What on earth happened to that child?"
"Why are you asking me? Ask your precious disciple later."
Hong Sochen replied spitefully.
Chunghuh's eyebrows twitched with a dissatisfied face.
However, Eon Taejin, the elder from the Jinju Eon family who was on one side, shot up and calmed Chunghuh's excitement.
"Juhye!"
And Zhuge Guk, who was next to Chunghuh, shot up from his seat.
"Damn it!"
***
Four or five swords flew in at the same time, aiming for Zhuge Yeon.
However, Zhuge Yeon, with foolish eyes, did not even move.
Woonhyun, who had rushed over, snatched the back of Zhuge Yeon's neck.
"What are you doing?"
Zhuge Yeon, with trembling eyes, looked for the still screaming Eon Juhye.
"I... didn't mean to... huh?"
"I get it, so just move!"
As Woonhyun roughly pushed Zhuge Yeon away, Zhuge Yeon stumbled back.
However, Woonhyun had no time to worry about that.
It was because Jo Iljang was stepping forward, pushing through the surrounding Martial Tiger Class students.
Jo Iljang glanced at Zhuge Yeon and then glared at Woonhyun.
"Move."
Woonhyun's eyes scanned behind Jo Iljang.
'About ten of them?'
Although many had flocked to that side because So Moogyeol and Myung Jin were making such a scene, there were still many left.
Cheon Youngyoung had no strength to spare as she was facing Joo Jinsung and six or seven Martial Tiger Class students.
Zhuge Yeon was completely out of her mind.
So it was a situation where he had to handle it all by himself.
Woonhyun let out a groan.
"I'd like to, but I have my reasons."
"Then there's nothing more to say. Everyone, attack!"
Jo Iljang was different from Eon Juhye.
He did not step forward alone, but put the Martial Tiger Class students forward and mixed in with them.
"You cowardly bastard."
In an instant, three or four swords extended.
Woonhyun's sword was different from Myung Jin's sword.
He could not deflect them all at once by drawing a long circle like Myung Jin.
Instead, he deflected them one by one by tapping them shortly.
But he moved so cunningly that it looked as if they had been deflected all at once.
Naturally, a space opened up.
To the extent that if he took one step forward, he could catch two or three of them.
However, Woonhyun could not enter carelessly.
It was because Jo Iljang's fist was flying in cunningly, restricting the range of Woonhyun's movement.
"This is driving me crazy."
Of course, it wasn't that he was afraid of Jo Iljang's fist.
Although it wasn't to the level where the opponent's path was clearly visible like with Zhuge Yeon, Woonhyun could now catch it to some extent.
It seemed that if he faced them step by step without being greedy, he could subdue all of them, including Jo Iljang.
However, the problem was Zhuge Yeon behind him.
If he wasn't going to abandon Zhuge Yeon, all he could do was endure.
It was twice as hard as subduing the opponent.
Woonhyun's face contorted as he shouted.
"Ah, really! Finish up quickly and help me here!"
"Just get hit!"
Jongri Hye's sword moved busily. Jongri Hye's sword was so fast and flashy that it seemed as if it had formed a round sword screen.
It was Zhongnan's Flowing Cloud Sword Art, which was said to create a cloud-like sword ki when mastered.
It was dizzying just to look at it.
However, Myung Jin was not shaken at all.
He just looked at it with calm eyes and then drew his sword once.
And then, with a thwacking sound, the sword screen collapsed.
"Huh?"
Panic arose in Jongri Hye's eyes.
And with that, she revealed a gap as she hesitated for a moment.
If he put his mind to it, he could subdue her at once.
However, Myung Jin did not even glance at her and gently received the swords of the Martial Tiger Class students that flew in afterwards.
It was because Jeonggak's fist, hidden among them, was quite scary.
"Move back!"
A considerable amount of experience was contained in Jeonggak's fist, which was cunningly mixed in between the three or four wooden swords.
So he was wary of Jeonggak without moving carelessly.
As Myung Jin drew a Taiji and was wary of him, Jeonggak also could not move carelessly.
Then, a feeling of panic, no less than Jongri Hye's, arose in his eyes.
'How is this possible?'
Just a few months ago, there was no big difference between him and himself.
Even if Myung Jin was a little ahead, it was a distance that could be caught if he extended his hand.
But now, he was so far away that he couldn't even follow his heels with his eyes.
'Damn it!'
Although Myung Jin was a genius, it was the same for himself and Namgung Seocheon.
Even if he was a little inferior to Myung Jin, it wasn't to the extent that the level would widen this much in just a few months.
If that were the case, a much larger gap should have opened up in the first place.
'What on earth is this...'
It wasn't that he had been lazy in his training.
Jeonggak had also been stimulated by Moyong Gi.
For the first time in his life, he had worked with the determination to die while training.
But the result he received was beyond disappointment, to the point of being astonishing, and he could not accept it at all.
Nevertheless, one thing was certain.
'I have to catch him here, no matter what!'
More than thirty percent of the entire Dragon and Phoenix Inn students had stuck to Myung Jin.
No matter how amazing Myung Jin was, he would not be able to handle this number.
But if he failed to catch him despite this, he would be helping to make Myung Jin's name known not only in the Dragon and Phoenix Inn but also in the Nine Sects One Gang.
Of course, it was clear that his own place would be reduced that much.
Just as Jeonggak was lost in thought for a moment.
Thwack! Thwack!
"Ack!"
"Ouch!"
Two more Martial Tiger Class students fell.
Although Myung Jin was using his sword cautiously, unlike his usual self, his basic aggressiveness was not gone.
He would hold his breath under the surface and then, when the calculation was right, he would move like lightning and catch the opponent.
And the number he had caught in this way had already surpassed double digits.
The fact that the number was decreasing meant that the guy's sword was getting closer to his neck.
"You brat!"
Jeonggak extended his fist.
As if he had put in a considerable amount of internal energy with determination, the space distorted. It was quite threatening.
But as if waiting for it, Myung Jin's sword drew a Taiji, and the Taiji swallowed Jeonggak's fist at once.
"Damn it!"
Jeonggak could not hide his flustered voice. But even in the midst of that, he used his head.
'You shouldn't go against the Taiji!'
He had clearly seen what had happened to Namgung Seocheon.
That's why Jeonggak, with his arm given to Myung Jin's Taiji, was led around as Myung Jin swung.
However, that was a mistake.
"Huh? What is this?"
"Hey! Be careful! Jeonggak will get hit if you do that!"
"Can't you stop? What are you doing?"
Jeonggak, whose urgent feelings were clearly revealed.
It couldn't be helped.
Myung Jin had used him as a shield and was dragging him around, blocking the swords of the Dragon and Phoenix Inn students.
Jeonggak belatedly tried to use his strength to get out, but Myung Jin was not one to miss such a good opportunity.
He gently drew a Taiji and controlled Jeonggak so that he could not use his strength, and dragged him around as he pleased.
"Stop it!"
Jongri Hye, who could not watch any longer, quickly raised her sword.
However, Jongri Hye was not what Myung Jin was aiming for.
This time again, he put Jeonggak, who still could not get out of the Taiji, in front.
"Th-th-!"
Jongri Hye retreated, bursting with anger.
And at that moment, a few faint sounds of something cutting through the air were finally caught by Myung Jin's sharply honed senses.
'Now!'
Myung Jin's eyes flashed as he threw his sword. The moment the weakly pulled Jeonggak got tangled up with a few Martial Tiger Class students, Myung Jin's two hands gently drew a Taiji.
It was another ultimate technique of Wudang, the Taiji Fist.
"Huh?"
As the twenty or so stones he had used instead of hidden weapons were trapped in the Taiji that Myung Jin's two hands drew, Tang Somun's eyes widened.
However, Myung Jin did not stop there.
He threw his upper body back, tore the Taiji he had drawn, and the twenty or so stones that had been trapped inside flew out in all directions.
Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack!
"Gasp!"
"Ack!"
"Aack!"
The stones, the size of a finger, were not to be taken lightly.
Myung Jin's strength was added to what had been unfolded with the Dang family's hidden weapon technique.
A dozen or so students screamed and flew in all directions.
Myung Jin's figure extended, not missing the chaotic gap.
And Tang Somun, who met the approaching Myung Jin's eyes, was flustered.
"Th-this!"
Tang Somun was the most tricky opponent.
His own skill did not reach Jeonggak's.
But the skill he showed after taking a step back from the center where the group battle was taking place was quite powerful.
The reason why Myung Jin had not been able to move properly until now was more due to Tang Somun's influence than Jeonggak's.
He was the guy who had to be subdued first.
"Eek!"
Tang Somun belatedly tried to counter Myung Jin with the Dragon Claw Hand, but it was already a step too late.
Myung Jin's fist flowed through the Dragon Claw Hand.
Myung Jin's fist, which was aiming for his face, filled Tang Somun's eyes.
"Damn it!"
Tang Somun squeezed his eyes shut.
But at that moment, someone pulled Tang Somun out.
Because of that, Myung Jin's fist just cut through the empty air with a whoosh.
Myung Jin, who had retracted his fist, opened his mouth with a dissatisfied face.
"What?"
The man who was grinning at Myung Jin, ignoring Tang Somun, who was looking at him with dazed eyes.
"He's my in-law."
It was Moyong Gi.
"So?"
"I think I'll get an earful from my sister-in-law if he goes to the Martial Tiger Class."
Myung Jin, who was looking back and forth between Tang Somun and Moyong Gi, soon his face contorted.
"That guy is a threat."
"I know. So we can do this."
Moyong Gi tapped Tang Somun, who was still looking with foolish eyes.
It was the same technique that Myung Jin had been subjected to every time he learned the lightness technique.
At the sensation of his body becoming drastically heavy, Tang Somun was greatly flustered.
"What, what is this?"
Moyong Gi tapped Tang Somun's shoulder.
"If you don't want to go to the Martial Tiger Class, stay still."
Myung Jin, who was watching that quietly, as if a thought had struck him, glanced away.
"Aren't you going to help that side?"
He was talking about Zhuge Yeon.
It was impossible not to know because Woonhyun was shouting so loudly.
However, Moyong Gi shook his head.
"You don't have to worry. By the way, how about you worry about yourself instead of others? Those guys are full of venom."
And then he gestured with his chin towards Myung Jin's back.
With Jongri Hye and Jeonggak, who were full of venom, at the head, about twenty Martial Tiger Class students approached, panting.
However, as if he wasn't even interested in that, Myung Jin asked something else.
"Did you stop Moogyeol too by any chance?"
There was virtually no way to control So Moogyeol, who was engaging with the Martial Tiger Class students on one side.
If he wanted to, he could join Woonhyun at any time.
Nevertheless, So Moogyeol was still holding his ground.
Moyong Gi just smiled instead of answering.
Myung Jin chuckled and turned his body.
"It won't take long."
(End of Chapter)