[Chapter 39]
After Yeon Ho-jung returned to the clan, the atmosphere of the clan changed.
To put it nicely, it became hotter, and to put it badly, it became fiercer. The reason was entirely because of Yeon Ho-jung.
The day after he came back, Yeon Ho-jung showed up at the clan's large training ground.
The large training ground was an outdoor training ground that anyone could use. It was so spacious that it was also used for ceremonies and celebrations.
Yeon Ho-jung ran around the edge of the large training ground.
He ran endlessly around the place that was over two hundred yards in circumference. That was his morning training.
He loosened his body with jumping and ate a light lunch, then he repeated running at full speed and slowly in the afternoon training.
The martial artists of the clan were puzzled.
The eldest son's training was literally stamina training. The importance of stamina was undeniable, but trained martial artists had their own training methods.
The eldest son's martial arts were lacking. The martial artists shrugged it off.
The next day.
Yeon Ho-jung got up early and ran. But it was different from the day before.
He wore a thirty-pound weight vest with chains on it.
The martial artists were shocked. That vest was a training item that the clan's soldiers used only when they did hell training.
Yeon Ho-jung, who wore that heavy chain, collapsed before noon.
It was natural, if natural. He repeatedly ran at full speed without using inner power, so even the most trained person couldn't stand it.
The martial artists moved Yeon Ho-jung to his quarters with a tongue click.
The next day.
Yeon Ho-jung appeared at the large training ground again. He looked like a human being, since he ate a lot and rested well.
But he collapsed that day too. But he seemed to have run more than yesterday.
That's how five days passed.
Yeon Ho-jung finally vomited blood and collapsed. No matter how well he ate and rested, training beyond the limit was a cause of illness.
The martial artists couldn't help but admire Yeon Ho-jung's determination, even though they sneered at his simple training. It was impossible to run to the point of losing consciousness with just a little determination.
Ten days later.
Yeon Ho-jung, who had reorganized his body, came out to the large training ground again. But he was completely different from before he collapsed.
He became faster and more agile. He even wrapped heavy chains around his arms, but his movement was much better.
That day, Yeon Ho-jung was able to finish his training for the first time. The martial artists who were training at the large training ground also applauded Yeon Ho-jung's success.
But Yeon Ho-jung's training started from then on. He trained beyond his limit every day, and he set the training intensity higher than yesterday.
The martial artists who had sneered at his simple training began to look at Yeon Ho-jung with awe as time passed.
One month, two months, and soon over eight months of training.
When the new year came and the winter cold made its last surge.
Yeon Ho-jung no longer wore the vest and chains on his body.
"I'm going."
"Okay."
Boom!
Yang Heum approached with a brisk movement and swung his wooden sword.
It was a sharper sword strike than before. It was a straight and honest strike aimed at the middle, but it was so fast that it was hard for any decent master to handle.
Swoosh.
The swift strike cut through the air.
Yeon Ho-jung twisted his body and moved one step. That simple movement avoided the sword strike and seized the opportunity to counterattack.
Yeon Ho-jung's fist aimed at Yang Heum's side and dug in.
It wasn't fast, but it was too timely. Yang Heum immediately collapsed his posture and kicked his fist away.
He deliberately collapsed his posture, so his center didn't collapse. Yang Heum, who bounced off his fist, immediately threw a three-legged kick.
A fast kick focused on the upper body acupoints of Yeon Ho-jung.
Then, Yeon Ho-jung's elbow hit Yang Heum's foot.
Thud!
"Ugh?!"
Yang Heum's body rolled on the ground.
His right leg felt paralyzed as his Yongchun acupoint on his foot was hit. He quickly regained his posture in panic.
His movement was very good. His flexibility and elasticity were outstanding even among the Changying group.
But Yeon Ho-jung's palm was already touching Yang Heum's chest.
'…!'
Yang Heum's face turned pale.
Yeon Ho-jung stomped on the training ground hard.
Boom!
"Ugh!"
Yang Heum's body flew and crashed on the ground.
Hooong.
A faint mist rose from his low posture and outstretched palm. It was Yeonhwanbiyeonjang, the basic skill of the clan that was like Yeongasanheon.
Yeon Ho-jung smirked.
"Did you lose?"
"Cough! Yes, I lost!"
Yang Heum spat out a cough. A little blood came out with the cough.
Yeon Ho-jung said with an embarrassed face.
"I'm sorry. I'm still not good at controlling my strength."
"No, no! It's my fault for being hit."
That wasn't the important thing. Yang Heum asked with a doubtful voice.
"But that palm technique just now, was it Yeonhwanbiyeonjang?"
"Yeah."
"What?!"
Yang Heum and the twenty Changying members who were watching were all surprised.
"Was Biyeonjang originally such a powerful martial art?"
It was a basic skill, but Yeonhwanbiyeonjang was more practical than Yeongasanheon.
But that was it. A basic skill was a basic skill, and it couldn't produce more than a certain amount of power. Besides, Yeonhwanbiyeonjang was a martial art that focused on disabling the enemy with fast and agile hand skills, not a powerful strike like its name.
But such a heavy and powerful blow? They couldn't imagine it.
Yeon Ho-jung bit his tongue.
"Look at my feet."
He lifted his foot.
"Gasp!"
The Changying group was shocked. The ground that Yeon Ho-jung stomped on with Jingak was two inches deep.
The hard ground was hollowed out in the shape of a footprint. It was a tremendous force.
"Jingak is not something you stomp on to scare people. It's to pull up the rebound and the earth energy, and to make the silk-reeling and the foot output stronger."
"…!"
"Whatever the nature of the martial art, if Jingak is strong, you can suppress the enemy with one blow."
That's why Shaolin's martial arts were strong. Shaolin's Jingak was known to suppress the ten thousand demons by itself. That meant that Jingak's utilization was excellent.
And that was the same for Yeon Ho-jung. His martial art was not a fast and sharp Yeonhwancho, but a heavy and powerful blow that suppressed the myriad changes.
"Did you run on the large training ground for that?"
"Yeah, it was to maximize the use of Jingak as well as to improve my stamina drastically."
There was a strange change in Yeon Ho-jung's jumping after two months.
Sometimes there was no trace, but sometimes there were deep footprints on the ground. The depth and the distance between the steps were also random.
The martial artists thought that Yeon Ho-jung's stamina was fluctuating, but the reality was different. He was polishing the flow of his strength through Jingak.
"That's amazing. Is that possible?"
"Of course it is. You've never done this kind of training before, have you? You don't believe it because you haven't tried it."
"Then, can we train like you?"
"That's a foolish question. This training is my own martial path. You have to find the training that suits you."
Yeon Ho-jung smiled.
"Basics are always important. But to see beyond that, you have to know your level and personality, and what you pursue."
"That's a headache."
"Did you try to get stronger without using your brain?"
"Uh-huh."
"Take this opportunity to remember. People grow at different speeds depending on what they desire. If you pursue one, you will grow up to there, and if you pursue ten, you will work hard to get there."
"Do you mean to set a goal?"
"That's right. There is a clear difference between those who know where to go and those who don't."
The faces of the Changying members became serious.
This was something anyone could say. But Yeon Ho-jung confirmed that truth with his actions for over eight months.
The same words are received differently depending on the situation. The Changying group was quietly shocked by Yeon Ho-jung's words.
Yeon Ho-jung looked at the other side.
There were also some members of the Flying Eagle group.
"You are the same. If you are satisfied with that, I don't know, but if you want to be stronger than that, it's better to set a goal first."
Then, one of the Flying Eagle members raised his hand.
Yeon Ho-jung lifted his chin.
"There."
"Hello. I'm Yu Ji-ha, the third group of the Flying Eagle group."
He looked younger than expected. He was about the same age as Yeon Ho-jung. It was also a great thing to join the Flying Eagle group at that age.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Anytime."
"Changying group is the same, but the Flying Eagle group also has separate training for the main group. To perform the role of the group properly, everyone has to move as one."
"So?"
"But the training of the main group is packed except for meal and sleep time. It's very hard to make personal training time like today."
"I know that the group training is entirely entrusted to the leader. It's not much use to tell me."
Yu Ji-ha blushed.
"Oh, yes! I'm not talking about the group training, but whether I can do self-development in my sleep time…"
He meant to train personally, even if he reduced his sleep.
"How many hours do you sleep?"
"I sleep for four hours."
"That's enough. You can reduce your sleep a little."
"Yes. That's what I'm saying."
Yeon Ho-jung chuckled.
"Then you can train by reducing your sleep, right?"
"Ah… That's…"
"Is there a fool who stops you from training by reducing your sleep?"
"No, no."
"Then do that. Your strength is the way for the Flying Eagle group to be stronger. If the Flying Eagle group is stronger, the clan is stronger too."
"I think so too."
"But you are a member of the Flying Eagle group, so you shouldn't affect the group training with excessive training. If you adjust that, I don't think there's any problem."
Yu Ji-ha's face brightened.
"Thank you."
"What's there to thank me for? Anyway, work hard."
"Yes!"
Yeon Ho-jung said to Yang Heum.
"Your sword power is better than before. I don't know what training you're doing, but I hope you grow more in the future."
"Thank you."
"Then I'll go in."
"Huh? Eldest son, aren't you training more today?"
Yeon Ho-jung shrugged his shoulders.
"I'm going to rest a little today."
* * *
Of course, Yeon Ho-jung didn't rest. He went into his quarters and practiced his spear technique without hesitation.
He polished his stamina and Jingak at the large training ground, and his spear technique at the backyard of his quarters.
He had trained every day without skipping for over eight months. The clan's martial artists thought that Yeon Ho-jung would go to sleep right after his stamina training, but he only slept after swinging his spear for an hour.
'It works.'
Papapapak!
He hit ten spear strikes on each of the five pieces of firewood he threw in the air. The hit firewood pieces were torn like they were clawed by a beast.
'As expected.'
He realized that his martial art had reached a new level while fighting with Yang Heum. He thought he could change his weapon soon if he polished it a little more.
Kwoong!
He was about to swing his spear again with a powerful Jingak.
He heard a sound of knocking on the gate from far away.
"Eldest son. The leader is calling you."
"Huh? What's the matter?"
"That is, I don't know…"
Yeon Ho-jung scratched his head.
"Am I really resting today?"