“Huff... huff...!”
Namgung Gang could barely remain standing, using his sword as a cane while he gasped for breath.
“That’s enough.”
At Jeok Mugun’s command, Tang Un calmly straightened without so much as looking winded. Namgung Gang, meanwhile, had to struggle just to stand properly.
“I’ve seen enough to know what level you bastards are at. Absolutely pathetic. And they call you promising young disciples who’ll be responsible for the future of the martial world? Tsk, tsk.”
The four lowered their heads in shame.
Tang Un had fought all four of them without showing the slightest hint of fatigue.
Just how much stronger had he become?
Once, Tang Un had been the one looking at them with envy.
Now their positions had reversed.
And yet, rather than discouraging them, that realization only made their expectations soar.
Because if Tang Un could become that strong, perhaps they could too.
The Heavenly Martial Emperor addressed someone nearby.
“Get these bastards’ basic conditioning up to a proper level first.”
“Understood.”
Two men stepped forward at Jeok Mugun’s order.
Chu Sohwan and Taecheon.
They had emerged from seclusion stronger than before, only to be assigned the task of training the people Jeok Wigang had brought with him.
At first, they had been disappointed.
But once they learned how seriously Jeok Wigang regarded this task, the two of them threw themselves into it harder than anyone.
Chu Sohwan grinned and pointed to one side.
“See those over there?”
The four turned their heads.
There were several black bands.
“Put them on.”
Disappointment immediately set in.
They had been expecting something extraordinary, only to be told they were starting with physical conditioning.
They wanted to protest that they had no need for such basic training, but the order had come directly from the Heavenly Martial Emperor. There was no refusing it.
The black bands were fairly heavy.
Still, this much weight was nothing.
All four put them on and lined up in front of Chu Sohwan, their expressions practically asking how this was supposed to count as training.
Chu Sohwan grinned.
Then he sealed their pressure points.
Tap-tap-tap—!
It happened so quickly that none of them had time to react. The four stared at him in shock.
But that was hardly their greatest concern.
“Urgh!”
The weight that had felt heavy but manageable a moment before suddenly seemed crushing, as though it might drive their entire bodies into the ground.
“What you’re feeling now is the state of your bodies with your inner qi restricted. Understand now? This is how pathetic your physical conditioning really is.”
Even as the Heavenly Martial Emperor spoke, none of them could answer. They were too busy straining with everything they had just to stay upright.
They were this heavy?
“Starting today, you are forbidden from using inner qi until I give you permission. Now. Take the horse stance.”
The horse stance?
That kind of elementary training?
Their pride smarted, but they assumed the stance anyway.
None of them lasted even fifteen minutes before collapsing.
“You bastards! Are you screwing around with me? You can’t even hold it for fifteen minutes? Pathetic!”
At Jeok Mugun’s roar, the four gritted their teeth and forced themselves back up.
They could hardly believe it.
They had never imagined they would struggle this badly with something as basic as a horse stance.
“The fundamentals are the most important part of everything. Work hard.”
“Yes!”
Their legs were already trembling, but they poured every ounce of strength into holding their stance.
Then they noticed Tang Un beside them.
He wore black bands that looked even heavier than theirs, yet stood peacefully in the horse stance without the slightest strain.
All four stared.
Had he really become this strong simply by drilling the fundamentals that thoroughly?
If so, there was nothing they couldn’t do either.
They clenched their teeth and endured.
A man wearing a hero’s headband embroidered with the characters for Namgung was making his way toward the True Martial Sect.
Then he spotted a familiar-looking group in the distance and changed direction.
“Well, look who it is. Isn’t that Brother Hwangbo Su, Leader of the Heavenly King Unit and pride of the Hwangbo Family?”
“Hahaha! Pride, my ass. Aren’t you the pride of the Namgung Family yourself, Leader of the Azure Sky Unit?”
“Come now. We’ve still got a long way to go compared to the Heavenly King Unit.”
“You. That’s far too modest.”
“Are you heading to the True Martial Sect too?”
“That I am. You as well?”
“Yes. The Family Head ordered me to go personally and confirm the situation.”
“Same with us. And I imagine those bastards coming this way are here for the same reason.”
Hwangbo Su pointed.
Another group was approaching in the distance.
“The Paeng Family’s pride, the Iron-Blood Unit.”
The two were chuckling when they noticed the man riding at the head of the group.
They blinked, unable to believe their eyes.
“That’s... him, right?”
“Looks like it....”
“No... The Family Head came personally?”
“With the Paeng Family Head’s personality, I suppose I should have expected it.”
While the two were still reeling, the man had already drawn near.
It was Paeng Gong, Head of the Paeng Family.
“Hahaha! Well, look at this! The Hwangbo Family’s proud Heavenly King Unit and the Namgung Family’s proud Azure Sky Unit!”
“It has been a long time, Family Head.”
“It has. The last time was at the gathering of the Great Families, wasn’t it?”
“That’s right.”
“You fellows are headed to the True Martial Sect too?”
“You’re going personally, Family Head?”
“Of course! I hear the Heavenly Martial Emperor himself is giving instruction. How could I possibly resist? And who knows? Perhaps I might even manage to pick up a lesson or two myself.”
One look at his face made it obvious how excited he was.
“Come, come! We have no time to waste. Let’s hurry.”
“Understood.”
As Paeng Gong strode ahead, the Leader of the Iron-Blood Unit followed behind with a bitter smile, clearly embarrassed by his Family Head’s behavior.
The other two gave him sympathetic looks before falling in behind Paeng Gong.
Jeok Rihyeon came rushing out in surprise at the sudden arrival of so many guests.
“What brings you all the way to such a humble place?”
“My apologies for arriving without warning. The truth is, we received this letter and came to verify its contents.”
Jeok Rihyeon read the letter Paeng Gong handed him and nodded.
He already knew that Jeok Wigang had brought over the promising young disciples of the Five Great Families.
“I see. The children should be training at the training ground right now. Shall I show you there?”
“My sincerest apologies for troubling you.”
“Not at all. A parent’s heart is the same everywhere. I understand. However...”
“Is something wrong?”
“There’s no problem with watching their training, but... please don’t be alarmed by what you see.”
“Hahaha! They’re being trained personally by the Heavenly Martial Emperor. Naturally it must be grueling. That’s perfectly fine. A man ought to be able to endure that much hardship.”
“I appreciate your understanding. Then I’ll show you the way.”
“We’d only cause trouble if we all went swarming over there. The rest of you stay here and rest.”
“Yes!”
“You two are leaving your men behind as well, I assume?”
“We were planning to.”
Paeng Gong, Namgung Baek, and Hwangbo Su left their respective men behind and followed Jeok Rihyeon.
“A horse stance?”
Upon reaching the training ground, Paeng Gong stared in disbelief, checking again to make sure he was actually seeing what he thought he was seeing.
“You’re... making my son hold a horse stance?”
“Yes. That’s right. There’s little better for building physical conditioning.”
“Well, yes, but that’s for beginners who are just starting martial arts. My son has already reached the supreme level. And you’re making him practice the horse stance?”
Seeing the displeasure on his face, Jeok Rihyeon looked awkward.
“Well, it wasn’t actually my order. My father was the one who—”
Before he could finish, a voice suddenly cut in.
“Why? Got a problem with it?”
Everyone turned toward the voice.
Jeok Mugun stood there with a broad grin.
“Paeng Gong, Head of the Paeng Family, greets the Heavenly Martial Emperor.”
“Namgung Baek, Leader of the Azure Sky Unit, greets the Heavenly Martial Emperor.”
“Hwangbo Su, Leader of the Heavenly King Unit, greets the Heavenly Martial Emperor.”
All three gave martial salutes and bowed deeply.
“Enough with the greetings. So, you don’t like the horse stance?”
“Well, that’s... It’s the most basic of basics, and... my son has already reached the supreme level. Making a boy like him practice the horse stance seems rather...”
“What’s wrong with the horse stance? Your son can’t even do that properly. Just look at him.”
“What?”
“You’re no different. From what I can see, you haven’t even mastered the basics properly yourself.”
Paeng Gong was dumbfounded.
He was in the Profound Realm.
“You just thought about your cultivation level, didn’t you?”
“I did, sir. I am the Thunderbolt Saber King, one of the One Emperor and Eight Kings of the martial world.”
“Your realm has nothing to do with it. If you had no inner qi, do you think you could beat that bastard over there?”
Jeok Mugun pointed.
Taecheon stood ramrod straight with his hands clasped behind his back.
“Come now. Of course I could.”
“And if you lose?”
“What?”
“I said, what happens if you lose?”
“Come on. Surely you don’t think I’d lose to some green brat like that.”
“So what happens if you lose? What, getting cold feet? Why are you running your mouth instead of answering?”
Getting cold feet?
That single remark dug straight into Paeng Gong’s pride.
“Sir! What are you talking about? Getting cold feet? Even without inner qi, I’d finish a brat like that in one move! Fine! I’ll show you. If I lose, I’ll do anything you tell me. But if I win, you have to grant me one request.”
“Fine. I will.”
The moment Jeok Mugun agreed, Paeng Gong cheered inwardly.
I get to knock down one brat and make the Heavenly Martial Emperor, the greatest martial artist in the Central Plains, owe me a favor?
This was pure profit.
“Excellent. Let’s do it. Shall we start right now?”
Jeok Mugun grinned at the supremely confident Paeng Gong.
“Sure. But first...”
Tap-tap-tap—!
“Ghk!”
Before Paeng Gong could even react, his pressure points had already been sealed.
“As agreed, you won’t be using inner qi.”
Paeng Gong stared at Jeok Mugun in awe.
His reputation really is well deserved.... I thought I’d at least closed some of the distance between us....
If Jeok Mugun had meant to kill him just now, he would already be dead.
Paeng Gong had never imagined the gap between them was still this enormous.
It drove home once again just how extraordinary the Heavenly Martial Emperor truly was.
With the inner power that normally flowed from his dantian and filled his entire body now cut off, Paeng Gong felt strangely naked.
Even so, he remained confident.
Taecheon had also had his pressure points sealed and now stood holding a spear in one hand.
“You pick up your saber too.”
“Yes.”
Paeng Gong lifted his saber.
And paused.
Huh?
It was heavier than he remembered.
Was this thing always this heavy?
It was hardly too heavy to wield, so he raised it and faced Taecheon.
WHOOOOM— WHOOOOM— WHOOOOM—
Paeng Gong couldn’t help but admire the sight of Taecheon swinging the spear as naturally as if it were an extension of his own limbs.
Not a single wasted motion.
He was indeed worthy of serving the Heavenly Martial Emperor.
“All right. Begin.”
“Sir, I’ll finish this quickly.”
Paeng Gong launched himself at Taecheon.
Normally, he would have yielded the first move.
But this was a fight where neither of them had access to inner power. They were on equal footing now.
WHOOOOM—
CLANG!
Taecheon deflected the rapidly descending saber with the tip of his spear and immediately counterattacked.
WHOOOOM— WHOOOOM-WHOOOOM—
Paeng Gong twisted and dodged as the spear came at him from every direction.
This was not going nearly as easily as he had expected.
He had planned to end it in a single move, yet Taecheon was giving him this much trouble.
Worse, Paeng Gong could feel his stamina draining at an alarming rate.
The saber was simply too heavy.
Normally, his inner power supported him, so its weight hardly mattered.
Now it was a different story.
The thought that he might actually humiliate himself here began to creep into his mind.
WHOOOOM— WHOOOOM-WHOOOOM—
Even without inner power, Taecheon’s spear seemed alive, stabbing relentlessly toward every opening.
CLANG—
Paeng Gong used his saber like a shield, blocking each thrust as he searched for an opportunity.
There was none.
Even without inner power, Taecheon moved with such speed and agility that Paeng Gong could barely keep up.
“That’s enough.”
At Jeok Mugun’s voice, Taecheon immediately halted his attack and stepped back.
“Huff... huff...!”

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