Chapter 26

TL Notes: Techniques Translated: Jincheon Taeil Fist (振天太乙拳) – Jincheon Taeil Fist (A powerful martial art strike from the Jincheon sect).Cheonlang Bungyeok (天狼鵬擊) – Celestial Wolf Strike (A powerful, rapid assault).Jincheon Hoyeonjang (振天虎元掌) – Jincheon Tiger Palm (A forceful strike from the Jincheon sect, invoking the strength of a tiger).Langya Yeolgongjang (狼牙熱攻掌) – Langya Heat Palm Strike (A hot, intense palm technique).Jincheon Ssanghojang (振天雙虎掌) – Jincheon Twin Tiger Palm (A twin strike technique using the force of two tiger palms).Pajincheonggyeok (破陣天擊) – Breaking Formation Heavenly Strike (A devastating, powerful martial art move to break through defenses).Jincheon Gak (振天脚) – Jincheon Foot (A powerful strike using the foot from the Jincheon sect). ______________________________________ Seon Woo-baek also took his stance and said, "My technique is the Jincheon Taeil Fist." "I know. Want to see a little bit of the famous Jincheon Taeil Fist?" "Come at me!" With Seon Woo-baek’s signal, Hur Wook charged forward, kicking off the ground with tremendous force. Roooar—! Like a massive wolf, Hur Wook’s body lunged at Seon Woo-baek with ferocious speed. "Celestial Wolf Strike!" Startled by the immense pressure, Seon Woo-baek hastily used his light footwork to move sideways. In that instant, Hur Wook’s unguarded side appeared. Seon Woo-baek wasted no time and quickly struck toward it with a palm. "Jincheon Tiger Palm!" "Hah! Fool. That was an intentional opening." Hur Wook, like a beast, kicked off the ground and leapt into the air, causing Seon Woo-baek’s well-aimed strike to miss and fall into the empty air. Seon Woo-baek found himself momentarily vulnerable. "Not very exciting, but this is where it ends. Langya Heat Palm Strike!" Bam—! Seon Woo-baek was struck directly and sent crashing to the ground. "Ugh!" Crash— Bang—! Hur Wook landed and stared down at Seon Woo-baek. "Don’t bother getting up." "Cough! That’s not going to happen." Wiping the blood from his lips, Seon Woo-baek staggered back to his feet. "You should have stayed down. I spared you just now because I liked you." "Thanks... but I have my own reasons for not losing." Seon Woo-baek’s words made Hur Wook grin. "I really like you. Alright, then. I’ll use all my strength to bring you down." Whoosh—! A fierce aura erupted from Hur Wook’s body, making his clothes billow up. "This next strike will end this." Taat—! Hur Wook charged toward Seon Woo-baek again with terrifying speed. Seon Woo-baek, unsure of how to respond, glanced at Yeon Woojin behind him. Seeing Yeon Woojin’s calm expression, he found himself amused. Wait a minute... I’m fighting this monster every day in sparring. Realizing this, Hur Wook’s movements suddenly seemed lighter. It felt as though he could dodge it now. No longer in a hurry, Seon Woo-baek moved leisurely and confidently, avoiding Hur Wook’s attacks with ease. Whoosh—! Hur Wook’s hand passed by, his fingers curled like beastly claws, swinging toward Seon Woo-baek. Whoosh— Whoosh— Whoosh—! Seon Woo-baek weaved between the attacks, avoiding them as easily as reeds bending in the wind. What I’ve been lacking is composure. He realized then that his previous haste had been his downfall. Letting go of the urgency, the world in front of him shifted. Without realizing it, Seon Woo-baek had gained clarity during the fight. Hur Wook was slightly taken aback by Seon Woo-baek’s sudden change in style. "What’s this? Wasn’t that your full strength earlier?" "No, I just realized what I was missing." "You figured it out that quickly?" "Yeah. Thanks, it’s all thanks to you." "I don’t believe it!" Hur Wook charged again with renewed fury. Now, Seon Woo-baek could easily see his movements. He dodged with ease and then aimed his palms at Hur Wook’s exposed side. "Jincheon Twin Tiger Palm." Bam—! "Ugh!" With a powerful crash, Hur Wook was sent flying to the edge of the sparring ground. Boom! Crash! Hur Wook coughed up blood as he hit the ground. "Ugh!" The attack had left him with internal injuries. Though Seon Woo-baek had also sustained some damage, Hur Wook’s condition was far worse. Hur Wook wiped the blood from his lips and laughed. "This is fun. Hehehe. Yeah, this is how a fight should be." A wild gleam flickered in Hur Wook’s eyes. Seeing this, the other students from Baekho Class began to tremble in fear. "It’s started." "Everyone, be careful! Hur Wook no longer differentiates between friend and foe!" "He’s become a rabid wolf! Watch out for yourselves!" The students from Baekho Class watched in fear as Hur Wook, now spitting blood and growling like a beast, charged forward. Seon Woo-baek stared at him in shock, the sight of Hur Wook resembling a mad dog. Don’t you want to finish this? It’s getting boring.I’m disappointed. This is not the outcome I expected after all that training I put you through.I’ll give you a minute. Finish it in that time.Take the day off. "We’ll have another duel. The final winner will be selected as the candidate for the next top student of Baekyeong Academy." "Wait, are you really going to make a lowerclassman the candidate for the top student of Baekyeong Academy? The intermediate students might protest." Yeocheon looked flustered, but Gwak Pyeong replied with a cold stare. "There are no talents among the intermediate students. It’s better to skip them and train my successor directly." "Oh, alright." "Tell the intermediate students. If they want to protest, they can come directly to me." There would be no one bold enough to challenge him. Gwak Pyeong added, "Tell the strongest lowerclassman as well. If they want to learn from me, they can come. I’ll train them." "R-really?" "Just be prepared. I’m not the type to teach lazily." "Still, they’ll come for sure! You’re the greatest genius martial artist in Baekyeong Academy’s history. This is an opportunity of a lifetime." Gwak Pyeong smiled at Yeocheon’s flattery. "Go now." "Got it." As Yeocheon left, Gwak Pyeong stood alone, smiling as he muttered to himself. "How wonderful it will be. The students I teach will follow in my footsteps and dominate Baekyeong Academy in the future. Even after I graduate, my name and influence will remain." Gwak Pyeong intended to make this a tradition at Baekyeong Academy. His name would be remembered forever. **** Baekyaksa Boom—! "Ughhh!" The sound of explosions and screams filled the air. This was Baekyaksa. "Now that I think about it, there’s no better training than actual combat." Hearing Yeon Woojin’s voice, Jang Woon shouted in disbelief. "Are you crazy!? You nearly killed me!" "It’s fine, you’re not dead. I’ll just save you." There was no response. Even when pushed to the brink of death, Yeon Woojin would use his mysterious power to restore everything. In the past, Jang Woon could at least take a break by claiming he was hurt. Now, that excuse was useless. If he said he was hurt, Yeon Woojin would just fix him instantly. A mad monster. Jang Woon couldn't help but curse under his breath. He appreciated the effort to make him stronger, but this was taking things a bit too far. At least he could curse out loud and feel better. Seon Woo-baek, on the other hand, couldn’t even resist. He was being beaten even worse than Jang Woon. Watching Seon Woo-baek endure it, Jang Woon swore he would never draw Yeon Woojin’s attention in this way. Thud— Something, now resembling a rag, stirred on the ground. It was Seon Woo-baek. "That’s enough for today." Finally, Yeon Woojin’s long-awaited words came. Jang Woon, with his trembling legs, walked over to where Seon Woo-baek was lying, struggling to move. He checked Seon Woo-baek’s nose, and thankfully, he was still breathing. In the past, Jang Woon had hated him, but now he felt a sense of pity. "Are you okay?" At Jang Woon’s question, Seon Woo-baek mumbled, his cracked lips barely moving. "Y-yeah... I... am..." "What?" Unable to hear clearly, Jang Woon leaned in closer. "Does... does this look okay to you?" Seon Woo-baek’s words made Jang Woon chuckle. It seemed there was no need to worry anymore. Jang Woon dragged the exhausted Seon Woo-baek into the formation that Yeon Woojin had set up. The formation was designed to enhance the body’s healing speed and promote rapid recovery, infused with Yeon Woojin’s special energy. They called it the Vitality Recharge Formation. As they entered the formation, Seon Woo-baek’s pain began to fade. Seon Woo-baek, now feeling a bit better, spoke with a clearer voice. "I must be being punished for tormenting you." "You’re crazy. What about me? I haven’t tormented anyone, but I’m being punished too?" "Well, not exactly." "By the way, are you still hung up on that?" "Yeah." "You really are softhearted. Did you do all those ruthless things with that kind of heart?" "If I look weak, it’s over. I’ve lived my whole life like that. I was taught never to show weakness to anyone." "But now, you’ve changed your mind?" "Yeah. I realized that true strength lies in hiding one’s power." "Yeon Woojin?" "Yeah. Even a monster like him lives quietly because he hates being known. What could I possibly do..." "That’s definitely out of the ordinary." "That’s true." "From what I’ve seen, Yeon Woojin’s strength might be at the top level of Mushincheon (Martial God Sect)."