Even one more skilled fighter - 2
The first instructor Mookhyang encountered was a highly experienced individual. He didn't resemble an assassin at all. A perfect assassin never looks like one. Who would want to be around someone who clearly appears to be an assassin? A true assassin doesn't even reveal killing intent in the moment of the kill. All the instructors who had guided him thus far were either former or active assassins. Those who, due to age, found it difficult to continue in the field were assigned to train their juniors. However, Mookhyang had never considered any of them as perfect assassins until he met this one. There's an old saying that the older the ginger, the spicier it gets. Perhaps it's a form of mastery that comes with age and experience. It's with age that one truly starts to emanate the essence of their craft. This is why most instructors were seasoned veterans who had retired from their assassin careers rather than active assassins. Through this, they could pass down their accumulated experience and knowledge to the next generation.
The new instructor appeared to be in his early forties and was a fairly handsome man. While his face didn't have many scars, there was a long sword mark running from his left eyebrow down to his nose. He introduced himself as Yoo Baek. "From now on, I will be teaching you."
"Senior Yoo, are you an assassin?" Mookhyang asked.
"Why do you ask?"
"Because you don't look like one at all."
Yoo Baek chuckled, "I was once an assassin. But now, I'm just a swordsmanship instructor. From this point forward, I'll be teaching you alone. How long this will take, neither of us knows. I'll instruct you to the point that the higher-ups want you to reach. It seems they've decided after much deliberation that instead of using you as an assassin, they'll employ you as a warrior. As you know, killing someone is easy for an assassin, but escaping after the kill is the real challenge."
"I understand."
"While you learn swordsmanship, you must continue refining your inner energy. But in my experience, inner energy isn't the most important thing. The key is enlightenment. Once you reach a certain state, inner energy naturally follows. Conversely, to reach that state, a certain level of inner energy is necessary, but... what do you think?"
"I agree with your first point, senior."
"Exactly. The younger disciples of renowned sword schools often progress in inner energy faster than others. You've probably seen it in the martial world—those young kids defeating much older masters. That's because they attain enlightenment early. It's unrealistic to think they've trained their inner energy more than the elderly. When we talk about levels of inner energy like one jiazi, two jiazi (60 or 120 years), it's not about literally training for 60 or 120 years. It represents a cycle. A person's strength is determined by whether or not they've surpassed that cycle. With each cycle passed, they gain at least ten times the strength. But inner energy must be balanced—neither too much yin nor too much yang. If you focus on just one, you might become a master in the short term, but it's all for naught. As you progress to higher levels, it becomes harder. Eventually, your life may even be at risk. That's why it's better not to lean too much to one side."
"If your inner energy builds steadily, you'll be able to achieve the extremes of both yang and yin without forcing yourself. Of course, mastering both is possible. There's no need to take unnecessary risks and build a ridiculous amount of inner energy from the start. By the way, I heard you're skilled with the sword."
With that, Yoo Baek unsheathed his sword. The moment it left its scabbard, its transparent jade-like glow indicated that it was clearly a treasured sword. Though it resembled the slender, long swords commonly carried by martial artists, which are designed more for thrusting than cutting, Yoo Baek's sword had the sharpness to cut as well.
"Swords are primarily weapons designed for thrusting rather than cutting. However, that doesn't mean cutting isn't important, just that thrusting is emphasized. The lightweight, long swords that martial artists carry are different from those used by soldiers. They're lighter and more agile, but if the blade is too sharp, it could get damaged in battle or even break under the pressure of another weapon. However, with a treasured sword, the material is strong enough that the edge can remain sharp without worry. A saber, on the other hand, has a single edge, and the blade is slightly curved, specialized for cutting rather than thrusting. While it's not incapable of thrusting, its strength lies in its ability to cut."
"There are some people who, to maximize their strength, use heavy sabers that weigh up to 60 jin (36 kilograms). Let me see your sword."
Mookhyang drew his sword halfway out and showed it to Yoo Baek. It's a custom in martial arts that when showing one's weapon to a superior, you should never fully unsheathe it unless they ask to hold it. Instead, you only show about 30 to 50 percent of the blade. Like many assassins, Mookhyang had his weapon crafted to suit his preferences after completing his training. Some assassins, in an effort to inflict more damage, have the blade of their swords shaped like serrated teeth, designed not to slice but to tear through flesh. When these swords pierce someone, the pain is excruciating, and they often drag out internal organs when withdrawn, dealing even more damage. Even when they cut skin, it's not a clean cut, making it harder to treat and causing severe blood loss. Assassins favor such unconventional weapons because they aren't bound by tradition and must send their targets to the afterlife without fail.
Mookhyang's favorite sword, "Mukhon," was a curved blade about 70 centimeters in length with a relatively long hilt and no guard, giving it an unusual design. Near the base of the blade, the characters for "Mukhon" (墨魂) were engraved.
"Anyone can tell you're an assassin just by looking at that unique sword you use, 'Mukhon.' But the blade isn't black."
"Yes, back when I made this sword, I didn't have the rank to use black refined steel. That's why it's not black."
"Why did you choose such a design? The overall length is fine, but the hilt is too long. It must be inconvenient to carry."
"It does draw attention, but it has its advantages. When I hold the end of the hilt, the sword's effective length is 3 feet. When I hold it closer, it's 2 feet 3 inches. I constantly change my grip, making it difficult for my opponent to gauge the distance between us. As you know, a short sword is faster, but a long sword has a greater reach, each having its own advantages. I also sharpened the blade so that it could cut as well as thrust. So far, all my attacks have been ambushes, so I've never had my weapon clash with an opponent's."
"Hmm. You've clearly put a lot of thought into this sword. But mastering swordsmanship isn't just about confusing your opponent with distance. Without the mindset of killing with one strike—where it's either you or them—you won't reach the pinnacle. If you fail to kill in a single blow, you'll die. In a face-off, the most difficult opponent is one who uses a mutual destruction strategy, someone willing to die just to take you down. If they're weaker, that's one thing, but if they're similar in strength, it's hard to win. Even if they're slightly weaker, you'll have to fight knowing you'll get hurt in the process, or else you might lose your life."
"Even the Art of War says that those who are willing to die will live."
"I'll keep that in mind, senior."
"But I won't force you to change your sword if you've grown attached to it. How many sword techniques have you learned so far?"
"I've learned twelve, but I've never used any of them in actual combat. I was instructed never to use sword techniques in real fights to avoid drawing attention. I was told to kill without them, even in the most desperate situations."
"Hmm. Sword techniques are simply a collection of offensive and defensive movements. Once you understand the concepts of attack and defense, the specific techniques themselves aren't as crucial. That's not to say techniques are useless, but don't rely on them. I'll be teaching you twenty sword techniques, but you must never use them in their entirety. You'll need to utilize only parts of them. These techniques come from various orthodox schools. If you only use fragments of them, even skilled opponents won't be able to identify the origin. Since you won't be using the full forms, it will also be harder for them to counter."
"There's no such thing as an invincible sword technique. Every technique has a counter. That's why the most prestigious martial families always keep one or two techniques hidden for use in life-or-death situations. If a technique becomes known, someone will create a counter to it. However, if you get used to fragmenting techniques, you won't have to worry about that. But it's harder than just learning the full techniques. It took me years to master that."
"Using techniques this way has another advantage for assassins. Mixing techniques from various schools makes it hard for others to deduce the cause of death. Even an expert inspecting a body would struggle to determine the exact technique used. And even if they manage to figure it out, the combination of techniques from different schools makes it nearly impossible to be certain."
"Which approach do you think is better, senior?"
"There are pros and cons, but if you want fast results, mastering the 'Tengjagong' technique will help. However, the martial world is more about ambushes and trickery than direct confrontations. If you get caught up in your opponent's tricks, everything could be over. The choice is yours."
"I'll stick with the methods I've been using so far. I can't afford to lose everything by trying to learn the Tengjagong technique and falling for an enemy's tricks."
"Alright then, let's begin."
Yoo Baek's training was relentless. Mookhyang trained his hearing every morning and evening through wall meditation while refining his inner energy. During the rest of the time, he practiced swordsmanship, stealth, and body movement techniques. The hardest part was the unexpected ambushes. Even in the middle of a conversation, Yoo Baek would suddenly draw his sword and attack, forcing Mookhyang to block the strikes and deflect flying daggers by the narrowest margins. Although it was nerve-wracking at first, over time, Mookhyang became accustomed to it and was able to fend off the attacks more comfortably. However, Yoo Baek gradually increased the strength of his attacks, making it just as difficult for Mookhyang as before.
The World of Absolute Peak - 1
Yoo Baek was an incredibly skilled swordsman with extensive knowledge of various sword techniques. During their training, he often shared insights with Mookhyang about different weapons used in the martial world and how to counter them. One day, after five years of training together, Yoo Baek asked Mookhyang, "How old do you think I am?"
"Late forties?" Mookhyang guessed.
"No, I'm already over seventy," Yoo Baek replied. "How old are you now?"
"Oh my... It's no wonder you possess such profound knowledge about the world," Mookhyang responded thoughtfully. "I'm twenty-one."
"Is that so? You're at a good age. You've probably already married and have a few kids while spending your youth training in swordsmanship. I've also wasted a lot of time handling that fool's sword. I should have retired long ago... yet I'm still here, unsure of what I'm waiting for. I think I'll retire after teaching you. By the way, what age do you think a person's body fully loses its inner energy cultivation?"
"I'm not exactly sure, but I think it's around sixty," Mookhyang answered.
"Correct. Sixty is a crucial turning point. If you don't enter the peak stage—what the righteous sects call the transformation stage—before sixty, your strength will start to decline rapidly afterward. If you don't reach the peak stage, it's difficult to achieve any significant accomplishments. Furthermore, if you slack off in your training, you might regress by three steps at a time. So, once you pass sixty, entering the transformation stage is harder than reaching for the stars. I haven't even come close to the peak stage. Of the few who have entered, only four are still alive... There's no one who can keep up with the rigorous training methods of our sect, yet it's strangely rare for someone to reach the highest realm. I suspect it's due to incorrect training methods. It's only recently that I've started to think this way. Perhaps it's because I've been living as an assassin for so long. Assassins cannot afford to fail in their missions.
"Is there any progress in your training?" Yoo Baek continued.
"Not really... Maybe it's because I'm too old. Even though my inner energy doesn't seem to be affected, I can feel my muscles deteriorating as I pass sixty. On the surface, my physique looks fine, and some maintain their youth through inner energy or special elixirs. But muscle decline can't be avoided. Among my peers, there are those who have mastered the Absorption Technique and accumulated incredible inner energy, but they never even approached the peak stage. In fact, the energy they absorbed became a hindrance, leading to an early death. The energy absorbed from others can never truly belong to oneself. It's no wonder that the masters entering our sect's upper ranks don't practice the Absorption Technique."
"That's enough of that. Ensure you walk the righteous path in your martial arts training. There's nothing to gain from shortcuts."
"What do you think about my comrades who switch weapons every time they kill?" Mookhyang asked. "One of them is skilled in various martial arts, including hand techniques, spear techniques, sword techniques, and whip techniques. I envy him."
"Unless it's a major issue, you should ask him to teach you," Yoo Baek suggested. "It's been five years since you've only learned swordsmanship, and it's becoming a bit tedious."
"Stop babbling nonsense!" Yoo Baek scolded Mookhyang loudly before continuing. "All martial arts are interconnected. All martial arts fundamentally rely on the hands. Think of swordsmanship and spear techniques as slightly extended forms of hand techniques! Wasting time learning various things will only prevent you from achieving mastery in one."
"Which sect is currently the most powerful in the righteous martial world?" Yoo Baek asked.
"Is it the Shaolin?" Mookhyang replied.
"No, while Shaolin was renowned in the past, the Wudang sect has gained more fame recently," Yoo Baek corrected him. "Shaolin boasts 72 forms of martial arts and has numerous skills, which they learn from a young age, wasting time in the process. In contrast, Wudang focuses solely on sword techniques! Their masters are so devoted to swordsmanship that they can't even break a rock with their bare hands. Many of them question how one can strike stone with flesh and blood."
"However, once they wield a sword, few can underestimate Wudang's masters," Yoo Baek added. "You too must dig deep into that well. With the sword, you must unleash every ounce of strength you have!"
"Understood," Mookhyang replied earnestly. "But I have a curious question. How did you get that scar on your face?"
Yoo Baek absentmindedly touched the scar and replied, "This happened when I eliminated my 53rd target. That target was sent to the afterlife. Later, while escaping, I got this injury. You may know of him—have you heard of the Phantom Swordmaster?"
"Yes, I've heard he's a renowned swordmaster trained by the Green Sky Sect," Mookhyang replied.
"That fellow was the guard of my 53rd target. I thought I had lured him away before the ambush, but somehow he returned and ended up in this situation. After mixing swords a few times, I realized he was skilled, even if he wasn't superior to me. Even using my sect's techniques, I couldn't best him. During the fight, I unleashed a surprise attack, and it struck his thigh. Thanks to the relatively equal levels of our inner energy, my attack penetrated his protective energy. However, it seemed like I couldn't even penetrate half his defenses with all my strength. I coated my attack with poison, so when he was slowed down by the poison, I managed to escape."
"You know, when facing a master, you can only shoot one dart at a time. If you shoot multiple darts, even if one hits, it won't breach their defenses. You must maximize your energy with one dart; if you're lucky, you can penetrate their protective energy."
"I've been rambling on, haven't I? Shall we start again?"
And so the days of training continued, with Yoo Baek doing his utmost to impart all his knowledge to Mookhyang. As Mookhyang was his last disciple, Yoo Baek probably felt even more attached to him. Watching Mookhyang diligently train and absorb everything he taught brought Yoo Baek a sense of fulfillment in his role as a mentor. Mookhyang, too, was elevating his skills, gaining clarity on the questions he had pondered during his assassin days through Yoo Baek's explanations.
About two years after Mookhyang turned thirty, Yoo Baek observed that Mookhyang had mastered the basic techniques of swordsmanship and was now cutting through them effortlessly. During a break, he remarked, "Your swordsmanship is nearly complete now."
Hearing this, Mookhyang smiled warmly and respectfully replied, "Thank you."
"However, there's still more to learn. The completion of swordsmanship lies in mastering the basics. As you refine the basics, you will eventually reach a state where the basics become unnecessary. Using the basics unnecessarily is a waste of energy. I'll demonstrate a sword technique for you; see if you can guess which technique it is."
With that, Yoo Baek stood up and took hold of his sword. He took a stance that hinted at his intent without revealing the name of the technique, and began to operate his swordsmanship. His body was enveloped in a terrifying aura as lethal sword energy radiated in all directions. Suddenly, dozens of glimmering, arc-shaped sword beams shot forward, crashing into a wall ten paces away with a deafening sound.
"Boom!"
After the dust settled, they could see a massive hole in the middle of the wall, which was constructed of packed earth and stone. Yoo Baek glanced at Mookhyang, who was watching with a startled expression, and asked with a faint smile, "Do you recognize this sword technique?"
"Haha, do I know how to use it? That's not just any sword technique. That's the signature technique of our sect, the Moonlit Slash."
"Good. Your observation skills are quite sharp. Have you learned this technique?"
"No, I haven't."
"Well, let's learn it together. I've only mastered the 9th level, so I can't demonstrate its full power, but it's a usable technique. I'll also teach you the Blood Dragon Sword Technique. Both techniques can unleash powerful sword energy against your enemies once you reach beyond the 9th level. However, the energy expenditure is immense. Think about it. If you can master just one line of sword energy from both techniques, it would be an incredible feat. I couldn't succeed, but I believe you can. I'm too old to figure it out anymore."
"The first thing you need to grasp is the form of the sword energy. The energy released from techniques typically takes an arc shape, while the sword energy released from sword techniques is often more linear. The name 'Blood Dragon' in the Blood Dragon Sword Technique comes from the long, elongated shape of the sword energy that resembles a dragon. Do you understand why?"
"Perhaps, as you whirl around while stabbing with the sword, the energy bursts forth?"
"Ha ha ha, that's right! That's exactly why the form appears that way. Since you are an assassin, you should understand this: human beings are inherently weak. The only thing they require is a single fatal strike. No need for more than one. You only need to deliver a single fatal blow to your enemy. Why would you want to use various techniques? Once you do, you'll be in a realm where everything falls under your control. Wouldn't it be better to just eliminate them directly? Now, let's try to feel the sword energy first!"
"All right."