Chapter 156
Chapter 156
Youngho spoke with the same bored expression he had worn when he first arrived at the training ground.
“Since this is training conducted with wooden swords, no one will die, so act as if it were real combat without worry. Take a moment to discuss preparations with your respective strategists, and once everything is ready, we will begin.”
Soon after, Myeongnyang relayed instructions to the Asura Squad, while Zhuge Lianhua explained the strategy to Namgung Cheon, the Nine Sects and One Gang, the Five Great Families, and the other soldiers of the Unorthodox Alliance.
Even though the atmosphere felt as though they were truly preparing for war, Youngho showed no interest in the training. Seeing how genuinely bored he looked, Cheonung spoke to him in a tone of advice.
“Can’t you at least focus a little?”
“The Asura Squad will win anyway. In a small-scale battle of roughly a hundred people, there are only a handful of groups in the world capable of defeating them.”
“But the ones called elites are all out due to injuries right now, aren’t they?”
“The result will still be the same. Whether it’s an overwhelming defeat or an ordinary defeat for the Murim Alliance, it’s still defeat in the end.”
Cheonung groaned at Youngho’s unusually cold attitude.
This was an extremely troublesome situation. To think Youngho would start a dispute at a time like this….
It was a clear mistake. What was even more concerning was that the atmosphere within the Asura Squad was far from ordinary.
Even Jeonghyeon had originally looked completely unmotivated, but after Kang Hosan whispered something into his ear, he returned looking like a completely different person.
Perhaps the one burning with the greatest motivation here right now was Jeonghyeon.
After a quarter-hour passed, Youngho spoke to those who had finished their preparations.
“Begin.”
Kang!
Sword Qi shot forward at terrifying speed and collided in midair.
Startled for only a moment by the sudden clash, Kang Chowon’s body movement form vanished. In the next instant, she had already appeared in the very center of the enemy formation.
A wolf that had entered the middle of a flock of sheep swung its sword to trample them.
Kang Chowon smiled cruelly, as if anticipating the slaughter that was about to unfold.
Clang!
Seeing the one before her who had blocked her strike, Kang Chowon’s fighting spirit ignited.
“It’s been a while.”
“…Indeed.”
Boom!
“It has been a long time—”
Before Namgung Cheon could finish his words, a massive explosion rang out from the front.
What was that sound!?
The use of Hardened Force had clearly been prohibited. No wave of Qi could be felt, yet such a massive sound normally only occurred when Hardened Force was used.
Namgung Cheon instinctively tried to look toward the source of the sound, but Kang Chowon seized the fleeting opening and unleashed a storm of swift sword strikes.
If he relaxed even slightly, the wooden sword would strike his body. Realizing this instinctively, Namgung Cheon immediately moved his body, dodging or blocking Kang Chowon’s attacks as best he could.
After enduring the rapid barrage, Namgung Cheon tried to counterattack, but Kang Chowon kicked the ground and hurled dirt toward him.
Namgung Cheon dispersed the widely scattered dirt with a burst of sword wind and immediately tried to charge at her.
“…Huh?”
But Kang Chowon had already long since left his field of vision.
Despite the bewildering situation, Namgung Cheon sharpened his senses like blades, refusing to lose his composure.
“You lunatic!”
At that moment, Tang Gunhyeon—who should have been behind him—shouted in alarm.
Namgung Cheon decided he would think later about why Tang Gunhyeon had suddenly fallen into danger. For now, he moved.
Kang Chowon had already arrived behind Tang Gunhyeon and quietly thrust her sword forward.
Seeing Kang Chowon casually employ a move that an assassin might use, Tang Gunhyeon hurriedly unleashed a Poison Palm Strike and created distance.
He lightly bit his lip as pain throbbed in his thigh.
If that had been a real blade, he would have suffered a serious injury. If luck had been worse, it might even have severed his leg.
He had never expected the strongest member of the Asura Squad to enter the center of the enemy formation.
In a way, this was an opportunity. A chance to remove the enemy’s greatest combat power—a variable.
But Tang Gunhyeon could not suppress the unease rising in his heart.
There was no way Kang Chowon didn’t know she stood in the middle of the enemy formation.
Then what exactly was that expression on her face?
Her eyes gleamed like a demon’s, befitting her title of Sword Ghost, and she wore a terrifying yet relaxed smile like a ghost.
How was he supposed to interpret that expression?
“Stop her!!!”
“What the hell is going on!?”
The situation was so disastrous that the word pandemonium came to mind.
Some could not distinguish friend from foe and ended up stabbing their own allies.
Others failed again and again at coordinated attacks because their sword techniques clashed poorly.
The Asura Squad pressed forward with savage force, ultimately forcing Namgung Cheon himself to take action.
However, Jeonghyeon blocked Namgung Cheon’s path, completely binding his movements.
It was impossible to properly define the situation.
This was supposed to be training in preparation for war.
But Tang Gunhyeon had never seen such an overwhelmingly one-sided situation in any training before.
Half a quarter-hour.
After exactly that amount of time passed, Tang Gunhyeon realized that half of their allies were already incapable of fighting.
If they had been trampled by absolute masters like Kang Chowon or Kang Hosan, they could at least attribute it to a lack of ability and continue advancing.
But the ones ravaging this battlefield were not Transformation Realm masters or Transcendent Peak Masters.
They were merely Master Level experts.
The Transformation Realm experts like Kang Chowon and Kang Hosan were simply engaging opponents of similar level lightly while securing victory.
And before a full quarter-hour had passed, the only ones still standing were experts who had reached the Transformation Realm, such as Namgung Cheon and Hwangbo Nyeong.
Even they appeared greatly exhausted.
Compared to the Asura Squad, the difference was like heaven and earth.
Hwangbo Nyeong was sweating, yet Kang Chowon showed no sign of fatigue whatsoever.
While Tang Gunhyeon was catching his breath, Kang Hosan led the Asura Squad forward, gradually tightening the pressure around them.
It was an utterly unbelievable outcome.
He had thought they might lose. After all, the Sword Exalted had reached a realm no ordinary person could hope to follow.
Even the greatest geniuses would appear to Youngho as nothing more than rolling stones on the roadside.
He thought he had acknowledged that fact.
He thought he had cast aside arrogance and learned humility.
But now Tang Gunhyeon truly realized the truth.
He was still a frog in a well.
A naive brat who knew nothing.
Suddenly, stubborn defiance rose within him.
They were still standing—was it truly over? Shouldn’t they try to seize even the faintest thread of victory?
Crack! Crack!
A chilling sound of bones echoed from his hand.
His tightly clenched fist trembled violently.
Tang Gunhyeon let out a bitter laugh at how pathetic he felt.
It was defeat.
On a real battlefield, circumstances might have been different.
But on this joint training ground, the victors were the Asura Squad personally trained by Youngho.
Roughly two years.
Not especially long, yet not short either.
During that time, Tang Gunhyeon believed many things had changed.
He thought his Martial Learning had improved.
He thought his realm had risen.
And he believed his character had completely transformed.
“To think it was all an illusion….”
He was lacking.
Endlessly lacking.
A deep sense of powerlessness spread through his entire body.
Even Namgung Cheon, who was usually positive and bright, now bowed his head and trembled uncontrollably.
And the disciples of the Wudang Sect and Shaolin who had fought alongside the Asura Squad previously could not utter a single word at the awe-inspiring sight.
Those who had never fought them directly could not understand.
They could not know how perfectly the Asura Squad had shattered enemy formations—or how skillfully Kang Chowon moved her body.
Battle-hardened veterans.
Only after stepping away from the battlefield did their true value become visible.
From their perspective now, every single member of the Asura Squad possessed the capability to command troops in war.
Myeongin suddenly realized what he had once said to Jongpal of the Asura Squad.
And despair followed.
If he had lowered his pride and followed the Asura Squad’s words, would they have been able to save their junior disciples even if an army of Jiangshi had appeared?
Perhaps not all—but the damage would surely have been far less.
Such negative thoughts ultimately led him to doubt his own ability.
Youngho spoke to the forces of the Murim Alliance, who no longer showed any sign of moving.
“Below expectations.”
Thud.
It felt as though his heart had dropped.
A dull pain spread from the center of his chest throughout his body.
Was it because they had failed to meet Youngho’s expectations?
No.
It was not that simple.
Youngho clearly had not expected anything from the beginning.
His attitude until now made that obvious.
Yet he spoke as though he had held some small expectation.
That gentle lie—spoken with good intentions—only made the listeners feel even more miserable.
They feared the kindness that would follow in Youngho’s next words.
They wished he would say nothing more.
But contrary to their wishes, Youngho’s lips slowly parted.
“Are you miserable?”
“…!”
The unexpected question caused everyone present—including the Asura Squad and all who had witnessed the battle—to turn their gaze toward Youngho.
No aura emanated from his body.
In fact, his presence was so faint that one might fail to notice him even standing directly in front of them.
And yet an intense spirit radiated from him.
Youngho’s eyes—his bored expression—dominated the entire training ground.
“I don’t know what you think, but honestly, I had some expectations.”
He looked directly into Namgung Cheon’s eyes.
“But….”
Youngho spoke.
“I’m disappointed.”
It was frustrating, but it was the truth.
The Asura Squad had proven their worth.
The others had not even earned the qualification to possess value.
Namgung Cheon’s eyes trembled pitifully.
It felt as though all the training he had done until now had been denied.
His hands and feet trembled faintly.
As a gloomy atmosphere filled the training ground, Han Yonghu closed his eyes tightly, unable to watch any longer.
So it has come to this…!
No matter how talented a martial artist might be, compared to Youngho they were merely stones lying by the roadside.
Namgung Cheon possessed talent capable of surpassing even Han Yonghu.
Yet that flower was being crushed before it could fully bloom….
The light of a mere star could never overcome the blazing brilliance of the sun.
Youngho glanced briefly at Tang Gunhyeon before turning his gaze to Hwangbo Nyeong.
“Hwangbo Nyeong, perhaps because you experienced proper chaotic combat before, your movements were better than the others.”
“…Are you mocking me?”
“No. I’m praising you. And encouraging you.”
“…What?”
Hwangbo Nyeong’s eyes widened, and Youngho looked puzzled.
“With the war against the Demonic Cult just around the corner, what benefit would I gain from breaking your morale?”
“Then why…?”
Her throat tightened.
She wanted to ask why he was giving them such despair, yet the words would not leave her mouth.
“Right now, none of you have any value.”
“To be honest, those lying over there could be blown away with a single wave of my hand. Even you who reached the Transformation Realm are no different from stones on the roadside.”
At that moment, Youngho’s eyes flickered sharply.
It was a brutal expression, as if testing them.
“Do you think a person’s value is determined at birth?”
No one answered.
But Youngho continued without caring.
“Even a crude stone can surpass most jewels if properly polished.”
“Conversely, even the finest raw gem has no value if it is never refined.”
Youngho tapped the sword hilt hanging at his waist twice with his index finger.
“Will you give up?”
“You haven’t even seen where your limits lie yet.”
“And you’re already giving up?”
“This isn’t even a real war. It’s just a mock battle.”
“Are you truly giving up already?”
No one answered.
Youngho scoffed and looked at Namgung Cheon with eyes full of disdain.
“I command the Asura Squad.”
At those words, every member of the Asura Squad immediately knelt and bowed their heads.
“The Murim Alliance appears to be completely useless in the war against the Demonic Cult.”
“In that case, it may be more beneficial to expand the power of the Unorthodox Faction instead.”
Youngho looked coldly at Han Yonghu.
“From this moment onward, we will begin war against the Orthodox Sect—”
Thud!
At that instant, Namgung Cheon slammed his head into the ground with such force that the training ground cracked.
Kneeling with his forehead pressed to the ground, blood flowed down his brow.
“We will prove our worth.”
His tone was calm.
But the calmness made his voice all the more sincere.
“We will not give up here.”
“So shameless as it may be, I ask for help.”
“Please grant us your instruction.”
Youngho looked down at Namgung Cheon for a moment.
The proud and arrogant expression on Youngho’s face suited him perfectly.
Soon he turned away and spoke to the Asura Squad.
“The order is suspended.”
“Instead, I will issue a new one.”
The Asura Squad remained kneeling.
Youngho turned around to return to his quarters and spoke over his shoulder.
“From now on….”
“Show those young masters and young ladies raised in greenhouses what hell truly looks like.”
“Yes, my Lord!”