Great Talent
It has been fifteen days since Mu-jin and his group were confined in the Cave of Repentance.
Before Mu-gyeong left the Cave of Repentance, he went to see the Blood Demon one last ti.
It wasn’t to learn more martial arts from him, as the transmission of the Blood Rain Demon Technique had already concluded two days ago.
“The transmission is complete. What brings you here today?”
When the Blood Demon saw Mu-gyeong, who had remained secluded for the past two days after finishing the transmission, he asked in a curious tone.
The Blood Demon didn’t resent Mu-gyeong for abandoning him imdiately after learning the martial arts. He never had such expectations to begin with.
All he wanted was for Mu-gyeong to spread his martial arts and na widely. That was enough.
“I will soon be leaving the Cave of Repentance as the agreed ti has co. We will likely never et again, so I ca to bid my final farewell.”
“Tsk. It’s a pointless act. It would be more beneficial for both of us if you used that ti to train in the new technique I taught you.”
Despite the Blood Demon’s dismissive tone, Mu-gyeong nonchalantly took the preparatory stance.
It was the preparatory stance for the first form of the second half, Storm Only Leaves Blood.
Since it was a technique from the second half, it naturally required the energy of the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique.
‘He must have mastered the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique in the past two days,’ the Blood Demon thought, with a sinister smile.
But the result was beyond his expectations.
The fifty drops of rain ford around Mu-gyeong were still golden in color.
Then, as the fifty golden drops of rain fiercely whirled around like a storm, they lashed out violently at the surroundings.
The only difference was the color of the rain. It was a perfect execution of Storm Only Leaves Blood.
“…What kind of sorcery is this?”
When the bewildered Blood Demon asked, Mu-gyeong, who had regained his breath, answered.
“I rely altered the technique you taught so that it can be executed without relying on the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique.”
“Is that truly possible?”
“It was possible.”
“Did you alter the remaining forms of the Blood Rain Demon Technique as well?”
“I have only altered the first form so far, but I intend to recreate the remaining four forms. And, from now on, this martial art will no longer be called the Blood Rain Demon Technique.”
“…What do you an by that?”
“I will call it the Golden Rain Divine Technique (金雨神功) from now on.”
At Mu-gyeong’s response, a fierce murderous intent flashed in the Blood Demon’s eyes.
“Are you saying you dare to steal my martial arts and change its na?”
“I didn’t steal it. You taught it to .”
“Hmph. Typical of a sneaky monk. But things won’t go as you think. My fa still remains in the martial world. Even if you claim it’s the Golden Rain Divine Technique in Shaolin, everyone will associate it with my Blood Rain Demon Technique!” RＡƝỒβΕś
The intense killing intent and rough aura from the Blood Demon, who was supposedly stripped of his martial power, pressed down on Mu-gyeong.
However, Mu-gyeong, unfazed, shook his head with a calm expression.
“I am not stealing it. I have no intention of hiding your na. So, please tell your na.”
“You know my alias well enough and yet you ask?”
“I am not asking for your alias. I want your na. The world should know this martial art not as the Blood Rain Demon Technique, but under your na and as the Golden Rain Divine Technique.”
At this, the Blood Demon’s expression turned bizarre as he began to understand what Mu-gyeong was implying.
The expression that started with anger turned into confusion, and eventually into a complex mix of emotions.
It was a face that didn’t seem to fit the alias ‘Blood Demon.’
After a considerable silence, the Blood Demon spoke in a low voice.
“My na is Gwak Gae (郭愷).”
“I understand. Elder Gwak Gae.”
Mu-gyeong replied, then bowed deeply toward the Blood Demon.
It seed like a bow one would give to their master, but Mu-gyeong rose after just one bow.
“As I am a Shaolin monk, I cannot offer the full ceremonial bows. However, I will carry on the martial arts and spirit of the warrior Gwak Gae. I hope you live the rest of your life in repentance, rembering the sins you accumulated as the Blood Demon.”
With that, Mu-gyeong turned away without hesitation.
* * *
The Blood Demon, with a complex expression, watched his successor walk away without looking back even once.
“To carry on the martial arts and spirit of the warrior Gwak Gae…”
For so reason, the more he thought about those words, the more his mind wandered back to the past.
Back to the ti when he first started learning martial arts.
Back then, he wanted to beco strong. He wanted to be the best.
The reason was simple. The world was a place of survival of the fittest, and nowhere was this truer than in the martial world.
Even those who claid to be righteous used force to resolve everything despite their lofty principles.
So, he did whatever it took. If everything was resolved by strength, he saw no difference between himself and the so-called righteous factions.
In fact, he felt superior when he mocked and killed those righteous people and absorbed their inner power through their blood.
Thus, the warrior Gwak Gae eventually beca the Blood Demon.
He had forgotten his own na and took pride in being called the Blood Demon.
But now, soone said they would carry on the spirit of the warrior Gwak Gae.
“Was I, as the Blood Demon, wrong?”
That couldn’t be true.
If it was about getting stronger, the ans didn’t matter. He had to practice the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique to perfect the Blood Rain Demon Technique.
“Did I really have to practice the Celestial Blood Absorption Technique?”
That boy was perfecting the Blood Rain Demon Technique without it.
Perhaps he had just made excuses. Abandoning his pride as a warrior and choosing the easier path.
“…”
The Blood Demon’s gaze fell to his withered body, emaciated from spending twenty years in the Cave of Repentance.
He had lost his body and inner power as a warrior.
The martial arts and spirit he once took pride in were now carried away by his unseen young successor.
All he had left were the countless evil deeds he committed while living as the Blood Demon.
“Hehehe…”
The mories of countless evil acts he had ignored as the right of the strong filled his vision.
“Hehehe…”
Deep within the Cave of Repentance, the weak laughter of an old man echoed softly.
“Hehe… Haha…”
The laughter sounded like groans of suppressed pain.
* * *
Mu-jin and his group left the Cave of Repentance, led by a disciple from the Jurisdiction Departnt.
After exchanging brief greetings with his group, Mu-jin headed to Hyun-gwang’s place.
As Hyun-gwang, who was sitting on the veranda of the hall with his eyes closed, opened them the mont Mu-jin entered.
“Welco, Mu-jin.”
Hyun-gwang’s gentle smile and tone brought a smile to Mu-jin’s face as well.
“I can finally greet you properly. Grandfather, I have returned after completing everything.”
“You’ve done well.”
After a brief eting without Namgung Muguk or any other person, just the two of them, Hyun-gwang asked Mu-jin.
“Was your ti in the Cave of Repentance worthwhile?”
The Cave of Repentance.
A place where those who have sinned ditate and repent for their sins.
But Hyun-gwang was not asking if Mu-jin had repented. Mu-jin understood his intent.
“I was able to organize my thoughts sowhat during the fifteen days of contemplation.”
“Haha. Then, can you tell what you have realized?”
In response to Hyun-gwang’s question, Mu-jin bowed his head first.
“I am sorry, Grandfather. Despite my contemplation, I was unable to understand your martial arts.”
As a grandson and disciple, it might have been a disappointing answer, but Hyun-gwang continued to smile gently.
“Does that an you’ve given up on learning my martial arts?”
“I have realized that no matter what I do, it is impossible for to learn it at my current level.”
“Haha. Isn’t it regrettable that you cannot learn it?”
“It would be a lie to say it isn’t, but there is nothing I can do about it.”
In response to Hyun-gwang’s question, Mu-jin shrugged.
Just as a sparrow cannot follow a stork, Hyun-gwang’s martial arts were sothing he could not follow at his current level.
Instead of feeling disappointed, Hyun-gwang seed pleased with Mu-jin’s decisive answer.
After all, Hyun-gwang’s martial arts were not conventional. It was rely power obtained by understanding the principles of the world.
Moreover, while these principles could be explained in words, their true essence fades once they are expressed.
Nevertheless, anyone with a desire for martial arts would wish to learn Hyun-gwang’s techniques, especially Mu-jin, who was practically his imdiate disciple.
Thus, instead of explaining it directly, Hyun-gwang showed it through a match and gave him a task.
So that Mu-jin could understand on his own and relinquish his desire.
Fortunately, the disciple he chose had co to him after finding the right path on his own.
But giving up desire and not making an effort are different matters.
“Have you given
up on everything?”
In response to Hyun-gwang’s question, Mu-jin shook his head.
Just as sparrows have their way and storks have theirs, Mu-jin realized this thanks to Namgung Muguk.
Namgung Muguk’s martial arts were like a towering structure, feeling both incredibly distant and significant.
While Hyun-gwang’s martial arts were like the sky, inherently unreachable unless one sprouted wings.
People naturally believed they couldn’t reach it, but Namgung Muguk did not.
Instead of hoping for wings that didn’t exist, he decided to build a tower so tall that it would reach the sky.
So might laugh at the foolishness of challenging nature, but Mu-jin didn’t.
However, he didn’t plan to follow Namgung Muguk’s thod either.
“With my current understanding, I cannot grasp your martial arts. Instead, I will create the largest and most perfect vessel in the world to contain it.”
The greatest vessel in martial arts terms is the body that performs martial arts.
Mu-jin decided to create the most perfect body in the world.
Instead of enlightennt, Mu-jin dread of a transformation through rigorous physical training.
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