Chapter 435
## Chapter 435. The Wings of the South (5)
The Tae-eul Sect had performed exceptionally well up to this point.
The youthful disciples had demonstrated their prowess in clashes against seasoned, middle-aged martial artists. By the time Jin So-un stepped onto the stage, he displayed such an overwhelming dominance that even figures who had carved out a name for themselves were utterly powerless against him. Given this level of capability, the Tae-eul Sect was fast approaching a threshold where its reputation would command respect wherever its members went.
“He’s remarkably skilled, isn’t he?”
“He certainly deserves a place among the One Hundred and Eight Peaks.”
“As one would expect from a distinguished sect boasting a five-hundred-year lineage!”
“……?”
“……Hey, even so.”
Still, whether one could truly classify it as a **Myeong-mun** (Prestigious Sect) remained an entirely separate question. Faced with that fundamental doubt, observers tilted their heads in uncertainty.
“It cannot be called a **Myeong-mun** just yet.”
In truth, the designation of **Myeong-mun** was never meant for entities that flared up brilliantly for a fleeting moment only to fade into obscurity.
The martial arts tournament pressed onward, though the underlying mood had shifted drastically. While the earlier bouts had been exhilarating, single-strike engagements, the current matches stretched out for no fewer than twenty exchanges. Spectators who possessed no understanding of martial arts and lacked any insight into the Way of the Sword began to grow slightly restless.
“Is the Black Flame Dragon finally running out of steam?”
“Well, he is already closing in on his tenth consecutive challenger.”
“You people understand absolutely nothing.”
Several individuals who were about to snap back at the man who had abruptly interjected into their conversation closed their mouths upon noticing the blade gripped in his hand.
“Does your side perceive something we don’t?”
The man kept his eyes locked firmly on the arena as he murmured quietly in response.
“At this very moment, Jin So-un is not dragging out the fight because victory eludes him.”
“…….”
“He is intentionally fighting this way despite the fact that he *is* capable of winning.”
“…….”
“…….”
Hearing the words of the escort warrior (Pyo-sa), the common folk traded glances and gave small shakes of their heads. It looked as though a drunken fool simply wanted to boast about possessing a bit of specialized knowledge. After all, had there not been countless instances where people invited disaster by arguing with someone carrying a weapon?
The attention of the crowd gravitated back toward the arena. While the challengers who stepped forward unleashed a torrent of fierce malice and combative energy, charging ahead exactly like their predecessors, Jin So-un met their assaults with serene poise, resembling the surface of a motionless pond. No more bouts concluded with a singular, definitive blow as before, yet somehow, the onlookers found themselves completely captivated anyway. Those who had initially felt weary were soon utterly absorbed by the martial display itself.
—
In his previous life,
‘There is a task you must fulfill.’
That transpired during the era when he served merely as a mechanism for transcription rather than utilizing ink and paper.
‘I understand you unearthed a hidden technique to combat the demonic practitioners during this excursion?’
It was when Jegal Cheon-gi developed the Jegal-sam-sik and was charged with distributing those devastating and ascending principles to the Nine Sects and One Gang as well as the Five Great Families.
‘You will be the one to deliver it.’
I genuinely believed a grand path had opened before me. Even though I was fully aware that the journey required traversing territories dominated by the Demonic Cult and that my own subpar martial skills meant I could easily perish, I still viewed it as a golden opportunity. Perhaps it was my chance to ascend as a true expert. A chance to surreptitiously acquire and master the profound realizations of the Great Sects.
Yet, throughout the process of fully internalizing the Jegal-sam-sik and ensuring their delivery, the truth dawned on me. Naturally, there was no reality in which they would carelessly hand over a responsibility of such magnitude to someone like me. I came to understand that I was nothing more than an instrument. I grasped that a third-rate martial artist who possessed no comprehension of principles or the circulation of internal energy could achieve nothing of substance merely by committing the physical movements of the styles to memory.
In this current existence, once my internal energy expanded vastly and I attained the prestigious boundary of the Five Dragons and Five Phoenixes—granting me the capacity to replicate the esoteric arts of alternative institutions—two realizations became clear to me.
‘Ah, I truly was a fool…….’
The first was that since it did not originate from my own foundation, I could never transform into a towering tree merely through mimicry. And the second realization was this:
‘I am utterly incapable of passing down the insights I possess to my junior brothers.’
The yearning to rectify that severe inadequacy was the exact motivation that compelled me to seek out the Founder from five centuries ago. Naturally, uncovering the source did not signify an immediate resolution to everything or the sudden unfolding of a paradise. The Sword Emperor had not been so considerate as to leave behind a simplified interpretation, leaving me with no choice but to comprehend the martial disciplines that spanned five hundred years solely through the raw written texts.
Every single aspect had to be reconstructed from the ground up. There was not a spare moment to indulge in despair. Failure to advance meant nothing short of demise. The recollections of my former life transformed into a relentless hunter constantly breathing down my neck. Without a solitary moment to relax my vigilance for even a brief breath, I was pursued by passing hours and hunted by terrors of the night as I pressed forward, always forward.
The factor that provided assistance to me—who was practically an absolute simpleton in every aspect save for my flawless recollection—was, ironically, the very forms of the arts belonging to the Nine Sects and One Gang and the Five Great Families that I had memorized during my prior life. While transferring those profound doctrines, I finally deciphered what the Tae-eul Sword Emperor truly intended to pass on.
From the very beginning, a simplified translation or instructions delivered via verbal tradition were never the goal. The **Tae-eul-jin-gyeong** is a discipline centered on exploring the bedrock of the cosmos and examining one’s own internal domain. Within it, a singular correct response does not exist. A person simply carves a path forward while forging their own solution.
It was not designed for the mere purpose of striking down a foe, nor for basic self-preservation, but rather as that essential instruction meant for the ultimate realization of the Way. Even the countless sentiments of agony and hopelessness gathered during my previous life entirely dissolved and faded away within the profound wisdom of the **Tae-eul-jin-gyeong**.
Thus, the core philosophy of the Tae-eul Sect was brought to fruition in that exact manner. This very arena was the designated stage to manifest it. A platform to demonstrate that I had successfully reclaimed our origin. A platform to validate that the Tae-eul Sect had ascended back to its rightful station.
“Heh!!!”
The challenger who had just been disarmed shook violently from head to toe, as if utterly incapable of accepting reality. Even though they had traded dozens more techniques than those who came before him, his countenance mirrored that of someone who had suddenly slammed into an insurmountable barrier. Furthermore, it was a look that signaled he had recognized a profound personal deficiency when faced with that wall.
Had he been a companion or an ally of mine, I gladly would have granted him the necessary time to compose his reflections. The minor revelation and spiritual awakening achieved at the conclusion of a duel—how monumentally vital was it for a warrior to integrate that into their being?
But such consideration was strictly reserved for occasions when the adversary was worthy of receiving such benevolence.
*Slap—!*
“Are you not going to step down?”
The man, who had appeared to be tracing a path while barely clinging to the edge of a slender strand of thread, was instantly jarred back to reality. Across his features, utter bleakness took root.
“Are you not going to step down?”
“…….”
He departed from the elevated platform with his shoulders slumped, utterly crushed by the despair of having allowed a priceless revelation to slip through his fingers. This specific enlightenment was reserved exclusively for my people. It was intended for the patriarchs of the Tae-eul Sect who had been offered up as sacrifices in my previous life, and for my junior brothers who had been consumed by flames and wiped out. Consequently, until these principles are thoroughly and accurately transmitted, I—
“Next!”
Will absolutely never be defeated.
—
“Mmm…….”
Accompanied by the sensation of a soothing and peaceful warmth spreading throughout his entire framework, Gang Yu-seong parted his eyelids.
“Have you finally returned to consciousness?”
“**Baek Sabu-nim**…….”
“I have explicitly instructed you to refrain from addressing me by that title.”
“Ah, pray forgive me.”
The focus of Baek Hae-gwang, who looked as though he might erupt in fury at any second as was his custom, was already fixed entirely on the combat arena. The situation felt peculiar. Although a multitude of the junior and senior disciples of the Tae-eul Sect had assembled to tend to his recovery, every single one of their gazes was directed toward the platform without a solitary exception.
“Is an event unfolding?”
“Yu-seong.”
“Yes.”
“What is the singular lesson I have perpetually drilled into you?”
“The initial strike…… no, triumph is secured by seizing the upper hand…….”
Baek Hae-gwang’s complexion turned an ashen shade as he exhaled a heavy sigh.
“……Not that one!”
“You instructed me never to be misled by the occurrences transpiring directly before my eyes, and to perpetually contemplate my own origins.”
The dynamic existing between Gang Yu-seong and Baek Hae-gwang was highly unorthodox. Having crossed into the **Tae-eul-jin-gyeong**, which demands an examination of one’s inner being, Gang Yu-seong had unconsciously become captivated by sheer power, which rapidly transformed into a fixation on velocity (Heung/Kwae). That particular progression had intensely captured Baek Hae-gwang’s curiosity.
In the midst of evaluating exactly how much this young boy could successfully assimilate, Baek Hae-gwang displayed the full extent of his own capabilities. And Gang Yu-seong, ravenous for knowledge, drank in Baek Hae-gwang’s insights like an arid plot of land absorbing an unexpected downpour, devouring every scrap. Swifter, and swifter still.
Yet, that spectacle did not appear entirely favorable from Baek Hae-gwang’s perspective. Because the fundamentally youthful Gang Yu-seong, rather than constructing his own monument by establishing an unyielding foundation, was allowing himself to be led astray by what appeared potent and rapid, stacking his materials high in a reckless, chaotic fashion.
‘I can easily foresee what the ultimate outcome will be without even witnessing it.’
For the time being, he was maintaining a precarious equilibrium between the **Tae-eul-jin-gyeong** and his personal instructions, but inevitably, he would be forced to lean entirely toward one path at some critical juncture. And when that day arrived, it was completely certain that the unstable monument of stone he had painstakingly raised would come crashing down. What Gang Yu-seong desperately required at this moment was an experience that would force him to re-examine his true foundations.
Baek Hae-gwang shifted his focus toward Jin So-un. A young man who had not even crossed the threshold of thirty years old was turning people’s internal worlds inside out like a deceptive, ancient serpent. In that regard, he could easily be dismissed as an overly clever novice.
However—
‘That individual is cut from a completely different cloth.’
His dark irises were incredibly murky and profound. It was nothing short of astonishing that someone whose existence spanned a mere twenty-odd years could possess such unfathomable eyes, and his conduct starkly diverged from that of typical upstarts. Observe the current scene. This very combat arena. This martial stage. He was intentionally transforming it into his personal theater to exhibit the foundational core of the Tae-eul Sect. Utilizing the adversaries who had arrived to sever their heads as mere instructional tools, he was educating the masses.
Demonstrating that this is the true essence of the Tae-eul Sect. And that this is the absolute doctrine of the Tae-eul Sect.
“Observe carefully.”
Baek Hae-gwang gestured toward the ultimate resolution of his protracted dilemma. His extended finger pointed squarely at Jin So-un, who remained stationary at the epicenter of the training grounds.
“Do not divert your gaze from him for even a fraction of a second, and engrave every single detail into your mind.”
“…….”
“That is the absolute core doctrine of the Tae-eul Sect, and the very element that constitutes your foundation…….”
In that precise instant, Baek Hae-gwang cut his own sentence short as he noticed Gang Yu-seong staring blankly at Jin So-un. His eyes were gleaming intensely, as though he had at long last discovered the exact path he was destined to traverse. Unintentionally, he found himself utterly captivated by those pure and focused eyes, while simultaneously experiencing a sense of profound relief. For an individual who has successfully identified their foundation, no matter what manner of education is presented, their bedrock will never fracture. He felt comforted that he would be permitted to observe the splendid blossom the Tae-eul Sect was cultivating for just a while longer.
Furthermore, the bizarre terms that the eccentric fellow had put forward suddenly drifted back into his consciousness.
“An **Outside Elder** (Mun-oe-jang-ro), he claims…….”
—
The Tae-hwa Squad of the Jeom-chang Sect had suffered a total defeat. This staggering intelligence compelled a man who had been cast aside and left to drift aimlessly within Jeom-chang to set out immediately toward Hefei. Not only had he cast his entire existence directly into a garbage heap, but he had furthermore brought immense shame upon his own master’s lineage. Every bit of it…… was entirely due to Jin So-un.
The reality that he, a man who once possessed a dazzling future, had been dragged around precisely like a hound by Moyong-gang and forced to endure a life of absolute servitude. The reality that he had been rendered utterly incapable of executing any action under the banner of Jeom-chang within Yueyang. The man glared at the deceptive individual standing upon the dueling stage with eyes burning with resentment.
His lower limbs felt entirely devoid of sensation. Jeom-chang had summoned several of the most skilled medical experts in existence to administer aid to him. Although a portion of his dantian had sustained a completely irreversible injury, permanently blocking any prospects for advanced cultivation, they attempted to offer solace by asserting that given the immense capability he had previously displayed, he could still adequately function as a capable individual. Even though he was no longer capable of executing lightfoot arts as he once had due to his severed sinews, Jeom-chang did not completely cast him out.
And yet,
‘The current circumstances are highly unfavorable, so remain here and focus on your recovery.’
They merely began to incrementally impose a multitude of constraints upon his person and entirely ceased to place any real expectations upon him.
‘I have an alternate assignment to allocate to you in due time, so occupy yourself with further rest.’
The man understood perfectly at that moment. He was being methodically phased out by the primary sect. He chose to establish himself within the entertainment districts, abandoned all participation within the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering, and indefinitely delayed his return to the Murim Alliance. Regardless, it was an absolute impossibility to navigate the affairs of the Jianghu while weighed down by such intense infamy.
It was an endless cycle of agonizing and hopeless days. A permanent physical impairment systematically erodes the spirit, and a shattered spirit systematically destroys the physical form. And precisely when he believed himself to be thoroughly ruined, the truth crystallized for him.
‘Jeom-chang has…… completely abandoned me.’
Regardless of what manner of disruption he instigated, they no longer bothered to dispatch reprimands. No matter how extensive his period of inactivity became, they desisted from forwarding missives detailing assignments. They merely forwarded letters hypocritically inquiring after his physical health alongside financial drafts of a magnitude just sufficient to permit him to survive comfortably while wasting away his days in idleness.
Throughout the countless nights he spent submerged in liquor and the company of courtesans, he continuously pondered exactly how his circumstances had degenerated to this point. He had recognized long ago that he was being vastly outpaced by the likes of Yong So-ah, Il-myeong, Dang Seo-hui, and Hwa Jeong-san. Furthermore, he had not wallowed in frustration either. After all, it was he who lacked sufficient power when measured against those absolute ‘aberrations,’ and it was by no means the Jeom-chang Sect itself that lacked power.
Jin So-un was simply another one of those identical ‘aberrations.’ It was merely his own misfortune that he had failed to recognize that reality before it was too late. Consequently, he rationalized that it was entirely logical to be cast aside in this fashion. If it served the ultimate prestige of ‘Jeom-chang.’ Since he was incapable of offering any benefit, it was far superior for both the sect and himself if he were to fade from view entirely. He consoled his own mind by telling himself that once this current era drifted away and history marched onward, when a comparable ‘aberration’ eventually manifested within Jeom-chang once more, the day would arrive when Jeom-chang would once again cause the entire Murim and the Jianghu to tremble.
However—
‘How could this be……!’
To think that a powerhouse like Jeom-chang could suffer a defeat at the hands of the Tae-eul Sect. It was a completely incomprehensible turn of events. To think that the elite Tae-hwa Squad had been bested by the Tae-eul Sect, and not even by Jin So-un himself. Was Jin So-un not merely an isolated ‘mutant anomaly’ produced by the Tae-eul Sect? How then could a completely different member of the Tae-eul Sect manage to bring down the Tae-hwa Squad?
“Young Master Jong, to what destination are you heading?”
“There is an absolute truth I must verify with my own eyes.”
“Whatever do you mean by that?”
“The confirmation that I am nothing more than a complete failure.”
“Pardon?”
The man, forcefully tearing his arm away from the grasp of the entertainer who sought to restrain him, marched directly toward Hefei. The Tae-eul Sect facility he discovered upon arrival bore no resemblance to the dilapidated version of the past. The entrance gates, which had previously been degraded and on the verge of collapsing at any moment, were entirely reconstructed, and the surrounding structures, which formerly looked as though they would be overrun by pests, were so freshly built that the distinct aroma of fresh pine sap had not even begun to dissipate. Furthermore, what could be said about the caliber of the dignitaries assembled there as guests?
Even so, the conviction that this simply could not be real remained dominant in his mind. For there was absolutely no plausible way the Tae-eul Sect could undergo a transformation of this magnitude within such a condensed timeframe. In order to evade the watchful eyes of Moyong-gang, he donned a human-skin disguise and blended in directly with the mercenary martial artists and challengers. Among the secular practitioners and representatives of local training halls, they managed to identify his presence and afforded him basic courtesies.
By observing this Infinite Martial Arts Competition, he came to realize that a substantial number of gifted individuals resided within the Tae-eul Sect. That there were highly exceptional prodigies present, even if they fell short of Jin So-un’s extreme level. Yet, that was the absolute limit of his acknowledgment.
“Precisely as I suspected.”
The Tae-eul Sect is fundamentally incapable of eclipsing Jeom-chang. The incident involving the Tae-hwa Squad was nothing more than an isolated fluke. The underlying foundation of Tae-eul was simply not designed to surpass Jeom-chang. Just as he finalized that thought and prepared to depart the venue—
“Next!”
Jin So-un commenced displaying the true, unadulterated depth of his Tae-eul Sect.
“……!!!”
The profound, concealed capabilities of a sect possessing deep historical roots—elements that common secular martial artists and individuals from masterless ronin backgrounds were entirely blind to. The reality that this man had successfully entered the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering and that his standing as an authentic elite disciple of Jeom-chang was so prominent was by no means a product of mere fortune. It was due to the fact that he possessed the necessary merits. Raw talent and sheer capability had rendered the man’s past exceptionally luminous.
Because he was an individual of that specific caliber, he could discern the truth with absolute clarity. Exactly how deeply anchored the teachings of the Tae-eul Sect truly were. Exactly how immense and boundless its scope was. It was an achievement far more astounding than the feat of besting the One Blade of a Thousand Men within a mere ten exchanges.
‘T-This is impossible……!!!!’
At this very moment, Jin So-un was explicitly laying bare the core foundation of the Tae-eul Sect. Disregarding individual uniqueness, innate gifts, or personal prowess, he was parading it openly as if to declare, ‘Observe.’ Exactly how far the influence of the Tae-eul Sect would expand. Exactly how much grander it would become in the days ahead. And the reality that these core principles did not falter in the slightest when measured directly against the foundation of Jeom-chang caused a wave of intense fury to surge within the man’s chest.
‘No! No!!! It cannot be! A pathetic entity like the Tae-eul Sect!’
An infinite array of technical variations, countless deceptive illusions, and a capacity for fluid adaptation (Byeon-hwa) that bordered on the absolute limitless. All of these displays caused his mind to grow completely faint.
‘A pathetic Tae-eul Sect! A mere Tae-eul Sect!’
That obsessive thought quickly manifested as raw, palpable bloodlust, and the sharp spike of killing intent instantly snapped his consciousness back to full alertness.
“Next, is there truly no one willing to step forward?”
He was consumed by the need to validate it through his own hands. To prove that the foundation of the Tae-eul Sect amounted to absolutely nothing. To prove that the hidden capabilities of the Tae-eul Sect were completely hollow.
“No…… Huh?”
In that exact split second, his vision aligned directly with the loathsome individual who was scanning the crowd for his subsequent challenger.
“Well, look who decided to grace us with their presence.”
He flashed a grin, indicating clearly that he had penetrated his identity despite the human-skin disguise. Then, with absolute precision, he leveled the tip of his blade straight toward him.
“Next!”
The man—Jong Byeok-gi of the Jeom-chang Sect—arose from his place without a single moment of hesitation. And—
“Oh, look at him, he’s actually walking up?”
With a heavily uneven, limping stride, step by excruciating step, he advanced directly toward the center of the training grounds.
