Chapter 319: Wudang Sect (2) |
Somewhere in the Three Gorges region, located in the westernmost part of Henan Province, bordering Shaanxi and Shanxi Provinces.
A lone house stood in a secluded mountain valley.
It was a quiet and peaceful place, undisturbed by bandits or refugees.
Inside the small house, an old man with a long, white beard, a figure of almost otherworldly grace, stroked his beard thoughtfully and spoke.
“…Tell me again.”
“As you command.”
A man in his late thirties, kneeling before him, his presence as faint as a ghost, repeated his previous report in a monotone.
“The Zhengjian Sect, the Guihong Clan, the Shura Sect, and even the Black Ox Gang in southern Henan Province have all been destroyed. The surrounding factions are now wary, and the conflicts in the area have temporarily subsided.”
The old man stopped stroking his beard and closed his eyes, lost in thought as the man finished his report.
He had been actively instigating conflicts in the area, supporting various groups, both righteous and evil, to weaken the Shaolin Temple’s influence and create chaos…
‘…But it’s just a few sects in southern Henan. It won’t significantly affect my plans… Hmm, something feels off.’
But this sudden variable, appearing amidst the otherwise smooth progress, bothered him.
The unknown assailant, a figure of immense power, was a constant source of irritation for the old man, who valued perfection above all else.
“The culprit?”
“He vanished after killing the Shura Sect Leader, Mad Demon Kwangak, and annihilating the Black Ox Gang.”
“Have we identified him?”
“We’re having difficulty obtaining a detailed description due to his… distinctive attire. Judging by his clothing, he’s most likely from the Southern Barbarian regions, but it’s highly probable that he’s deliberately disguising himself.”
“Hmm…”
Even if there were witnesses brave enough to look him in the eye, their memories would be fragmented and unreliable, focused on a few key features.
They had no useful information to identify him.
‘And that mysterious expert who wiped out the bandits at Dongting Lake and Changjiang… Where did they all come from?’
He had assumed there were no more hidden masters left after all these years of chaos…
But master-level experts, at least at the peak, were suddenly appearing out of nowhere.
It was as if they had just… dropped from the sky.
‘No, that’s impossible. It’s more likely that the Golden Island Sect is involved.’
The old man stroked his beard again.
There were no more ‘true’ otherworlders left in this world.
Only those who had given up their powers and settled down.
“However, there’s one noteworthy detail…”
As the old man pondered the situation,
The man kneeling before him spoke again.
“He called himself… Mad Demon.”
“…Mad Demon?”
The old man’s voice was tinged with interest.
He knew of Mad Demon, a powerful warrior who roamed the Jianghu, his skills undeniable, his actions reckless and unpredictable, earning him a demonic title despite his righteous affiliations.
He had even rejected their offer to join their cause, displaying open hostility towards them.
And now, someone was impersonating him?
“Of course, it’s not the real Mad Demon. He was last seen in Jinju, Gyeongsang Province, involved in a conflict with the Eon Clan.”
It was an imposter.
Or a true madman, who didn't care about the Mad Demon’s reputation or the public’s perception.
The old man nodded slowly, a subtle smile playing on his lips.
“Good. We’ll use this to our advantage. Inform the Mad Demon in Hebei. He won’t tolerate someone using his name.”
“As you command.”
“There’s no need for us to intervene directly. Information is always valuable.”
And so, thanks to their machinations, a battle between the ‘self-proclaimed Mad Demon’ and the ‘true Mad Demon’ was arranged.
A title match to determine the true owner of the moniker.
“The timing coincides with our upcoming plan. Have we chosen the location? And the candidates for the sacrifice…?”
“Yes. And the most important target is…”
The two men continued their clandestine conversation, their voices low and conspiratorial.
A sinister plot, born from the darkness of Ganghwange, began to unfold.
____________________
After the Zhuge Clan and the Wudang Sect joined forces,
Their journey wasn't peaceful for long.
“Attack! This is our chance to crush the righteous factions! Kill them all!”
“Aaaagh!”
“You fools! You dare challenge us?!”
“Khahaha! So the turtles finally came out of their shell! How brave of you!”
The attacks, which had ceased for a while, resumed with renewed intensity.
As if responding to their alliance, martial artists from various factions, their attire diverse and colorful, swarmed them.
“Even in these times, these savages haven't learned their lesson. I shall guide them to the Heavenly Emperor myself.”
“Form the Taiyi Rotating Formation! Show these fools the true power of the Zhuge Clan!”
Elder Yunhyeon of the Wudang Sect and Elder Zhuge Ki of the Zhuge Clan stepped forward, their voices booming with authority.
And amidst the renewed chaos, Hugo, following the others, his eyes gleaming with a strange light, smiled faintly.
He had orchestrated this.
‘…I can finally observe the Wudang Sect’s combat techniques in action.’
The Wudang Sect, a Taoist martial arts sect, valued gentleness, harmony, and balance.
Their philosophy was reflected in their martial arts, which were generally characterized by their soft and yielding nature, using an opponent's strength against them.
Of course, there were always exceptions.
‘But that’s not important right now. I have to start with the basics.’
He couldn’t just stand there and watch.
He had to participate in the battle to avoid suspicion.
‘Well, multitasking is my specialty.’
Perhaps this would even be beneficial for his training.
Saaaa—
Hugo’s 「Ki Martial Arts」, amplified by his 「Heavenly Ki Body」, surged through his body, and his thoughts accelerated, the world around him slowing down.
He gripped his sword, lowered his stance, and took a step forward.
As if pushing through the viscous, water-like resistance of this world.
Thump—
“······!”
An enemy martial artist, who had been some distance away, suddenly appeared before him.
His eyes widened, his mouth opening in surprise…
But before he could even utter a word, Hugo’s sword had already flashed past his neck.
“Gurgle…!”
Hugo left the falling body behind, his gaze sweeping across the battlefield.
‘This is my current limit. Still not enough.’
Enemy warriors, caught in the Zhuge Clan’s formation, their movements disjointed and clumsy, were being cut down one after another. Elder Yunhyeon, unleashing a barrage of attacks too fast for him to even perceive, pushed his opponents back relentlessly.
And the Wudang Sect disciples, moving in groups of seven, their swords flashing in unison, displayed a high level of coordination and skill.
‘Seven… Is that the legendary Seven Star Sword Formation?’
He was momentarily captivated by the elegant and powerful formation, but he quickly dismissed it.
No matter how effective it was, a formation designed for humans wouldn’t be very useful for him.
And it probably wasn’t designed to counter flying opponents.
‘I could use it as a reference for creating my own formation… but my priority is building a foundation.’
Clang—! Cling!
“Ugh, this brat…! How can he be this strong…!”
“Huuuu…”
He continued to move, even as he analyzed his surroundings and pondered his next move.
He cut down the approaching enemies, his breathing deep and steady, his movements precise and controlled.
But his gaze, observing the battlefield, was focused on something else.
‘I can see it.’
His enhanced senses, amplified by 「Heavenly Ki Body」, combined with 「Hypersensitivity」 and 「Insight」, absorbed the surrounding information in an instant.
Of course, that alone wasn't enough for 「Mimicry」. He needed ‘understanding’.
‘But I’m not alone.’
Hans’s wisdom, Heinz’s intuition, Heinrich’s skill, Harley’s instincts, Harris’s experience…
And Hubert’s 「Analysis」 and Horus’s 「Seeker of Mysteries」…
‘…I think I’m starting to understand.’
The martial arts techniques he witnessed were instantly dissected and analyzed, their core principles extracted and adapted for his own use.
A dull ache in his head as his brain strained under the load of processing information from multiple avatars.
But such minor discomfort was nothing compared to his enhanced durability, reinforced by massive Karma investment.
‘I don’t need to copy everything perfectly.’
It wasn’t impossible, but it would be inefficient, and it might even backfire later.
‘If I can just grasp the core principles, I can adapt the form to suit my own style and take only what I need.’
In that sense, the Wudang Sect’s martial arts were exactly what he needed.
Softness, fluidity, and adaptability. The exact opposite of his Auterica-based fighting style.
‘In Auterica, I had to prioritize destructive power to deal with monsters with thick hides and high HP.’
Perhaps there were other martial arts styles in Auterica, but he hadn't encountered them.
And ‘Aura’, the energy used by warriors, was inherently explosive and destructive.
‘But internal energy cultivated through Ki is different. It’s essential for reaching a higher level in this world.’
That’s why Murim-type awakened individuals were considered specialists in one-on-one combat.
Their versatile internal energy manipulation and deadly techniques gave them an overwhelming advantage against opponents with similar physical abilities.
‘Of course, they’re weaker against non-human opponents.’
Like the Heavenly Demon Emperor, who had been easily defeated by Hans after returning from Ganghwange.
Hugo’s movements began to change.
His footsteps, once heavy and grounded, became lighter and more agile.
His swordsmanship, which had prioritized strength and speed, became more fluid and adaptable.
‘I just need to understand the principles of Murim martial arts and internal energy cultivation. In terms of pure combat ability, I’m not inferior to them.’
He had raised several transcendent martial artists. He was a specialist in his own right.
His breathing, once steady and rhythmic, began to shift and change.
It resembled the breathing techniques of the Wudang Sect disciples, including Elder Yunhyeon… but it was subtly different.
‘Done. This should be enough…’
He smiled faintly at his unwitting teachers, then exhaled slowly.
Thanks to them, he had finally grasped the essence of softness and harmony in their martial arts, and how to apply it in combat.
And as if to celebrate his breakthrough,
《The individual meets the conditions and grows. The skill “Ki Martial Arts” has evolved into the growth-type special skill “Nameless Art”.》
…A new message appeared before him.