The Martial God with Psychic Powers

Recalling the feeling of distributing his inner energy while climbing a cliff, Yeon Woo Jin calmed his mind.
Yeon Woo Jin imagined the cliff and slowly drew upon his inner energy.
Then, he slowly began to move his sword.

It appeared slow, but in reality, Namgoong Myeong’s sword was not slow as it shot toward Yeon Woo Jin.
Swish—
The sword pierced directly through Yeon Woo Jin.

In that instant, Yeon Woo Jin’s body, which had been pierced, blurred and scattered.
It had been an afterimage.
Without panicking, Namgoong Myeong unfolded his next technique.

At that moment, a proper execution of the Boundless Azure Sky Sword Art (창궁무애검법) unfolded from Namgoong Myeong’s hand.
Parararak—
The sword began to move splendidly, leaving afterimages in its wake.
Seeing Namgoong Myeong’s movements, Yeon Woo Jin finally smiled faintly.

At last, Namgoong Myeong had achieved enlightenment.
Yeon Woo Jin admired Namgoong Myeong’s sword, which ceaselessly sought out openings and pressed inward.
“Impressive.”

As Yeon Woo Jin voiced his admiration, Namgoong Myeong halted his sword.
He clasped his fists respectfully and expressed his gratitude.
“Thank you. Thanks to you, Benefactor, I realized what I was doing wrong.”

“You must not stop your training until the sensation from today fully permeates your body.”
“Pardon? I thought we were finished for today.”
Yeon Woo Jin shook his head.

“Once you face the crisis of death several times, your body will naturally adapt.”
The moment those words ended, an overwhelming aura surged from Yeon Woo Jin’s body.
It was entirely different from the martial energy thus far.

“Well then, shall we begin again?”
“W-Wait a moment…”
It was already too late.

Yeon Woo Jin was already in motion.
 
****
Barely dragging his battered body, Namgoong Myeong managed to return to the campsite.

Jang Woon and Sunwoo Baek approached him.
“Are you alright?”
He wanted to retort, Do I look alright to you? but restrained himself.

“I am fine.”
“You’ll get used to it eventually.”
“Indeed. We’ve all been through the same, so it doesn’t feel like someone else’s business.”

“R-Really?”
Hearing that the two had gone through the exact same ordeal, an odd sense of camaraderie welled up within Namgoong Myeong.
He asked the question that had been gnawing at him.

“How much longer must I undergo live combat training with the Benefactor?”
“How much longer?”
“Well… that depends on the Sovereign’s mood…”

“We’re still doing it, you know.”
“Just give up. Training doesn’t end until the Sovereign is satisfied. And as you know, the Sovereign is… rather strong. Honestly, even if you trained for a lifetime, you wouldn’t be able to satisfy him.”
“Exactly. It’s better for your mental health to accept it as your fate.”

At their responses, Namgoong Myeong’s face turned pale.
Today, he had comprehended the essence of the Boundless Azure Sky Sword Art.
Moreover, based on today’s enlightenment, his cultivation level had risen by a step.

And yet, he had not even brushed against Yeon Woo Jin’s sleeve.
“What… is the Benefactor’s true cultivation level?”
“He says it’s Hwagyeong, but I don’t believe that.”

“Pardon? What do you mean? If it’s not Hwagyeong, then… Mythic Realm?”
At Namgoong Myeong’s question, Jang Woon shook his head.
“No. It’s beyond that.”

“Indeed. I’ve never seen the Sovereign go all out, but considering how he defeats Hwagyeong Ninth Star martial artists with ease, he’s likely beyond the Mythic Realm.”
“He… he spars with Ninth Star Hwagyeong masters?”
“Not just spars—real combat drills.”

“And three of them attack simultaneously.”
“Three? Surely… they’re not all Ninth Star Hwagyeong?”
“Why wouldn’t they be? They are.”

“And yet, all three can’t even touch the Sovereign’s sleeve.”
“Didn’t one of them manage to graze him once?”
“Oh, right! Someone did graze him once.”

“Back then, the Sovereign was delighted. He said he could finally open the Three Transcendence Gates.”
“Transcendence Gates? What’s that?”
“It appears to be a seal restricting the Sovereign’s power.”

“Right. When he opened the Three Gates… that energy… it was truly overwhelming.”
“After opening the Three Gates, the Hwagyeong masters couldn’t even lift a finger against him.”
“That’s right.”

“Even Mushincheon’s Lord wouldn’t be able to manage that against Hwagyeong Ninth Star masters.”
Namgoong Myeong’s mouth hung open.
How much of what they were saying should he believe?

Were they speaking sincerely?
Or were they mocking him?
“You’re not pulling my leg, are you?”

“What are you saying? Absolutely not.”
“Then… how many Transcendence Gates are there in total?”
“From what I heard back then… seven?”

“Eight.”
“Oh, right! It was eight.”
If opening just three gates allowed him to toy with three Hwagyeong Ninth Star masters, how powerful would he be with all eight open?

He couldn’t even fathom it.
He wasn’t human.
“The real problem isn’t just his martial prowess.”

“His medical skills are extraordinary.”
“And he’s brilliant. He perfectly memorizes everything he sees once and grasps the context precisely.”
“And as if that wasn’t enough, he has mysterious abilities.”

“Mysterious abilities?”
“It’s hard to explain with words. You’ll have to experience it for yourself.”
“Exactly.”

“What’s certain is… those abilities are scarier than his martial arts.”
At Jang Woon’s words, Sunwoo Baek nodded fervently.
“How should I put it… it’s like he possesses omnipotent power.”

What in the world…?
That was practically a god.
“We honestly believe the Sovereign is a god.”

“A god who descended to the mortal realm for amusement.”
“There’s no other way to explain his existence.”
Listening to their conversation, Namgoong Myeong clutched his head.

His mind was spinning.
“You almost died several times today, right?”
“Yes.”

“But you lived, didn’t you? Your body recovered in an instant, right? Do you think that’s a human ability?”
“N-No…”
“The Young Lord received a miraculous opportunity. How many people do you think get the chance to be personally trained by a god?”

Is that so…?
So that’s how it is.
I was being trained by a god.

The complex expression on Namgoong Myeong’s face brightened completely.
“I see! I’m a lucky man!”
“Exactly. We’re all fortunate ones.”

“Shall we fortunate ones unite in camaraderie?”
“Sounds good! When we get to the city, I’ll treat you both to a ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) grand feast.”
“We’ll hold you to that.”

“Now go and get some rest. You’ll need energy for tomorrow’s training.”
“Understood. Thanks to you both, I feel reinvigorated. Rest well.”
As Namgoong Myeong hurried off to his bed, Jang Woon chuckled.

“He’s a good person.”
“He’s got no arrogance whatsoever.”
“Right. He’s respectable. Despite being far older than us, he treated us with courtesy.”

“Still, I didn’t think he’d believe everything we said so easily.”
“Well, it’s not like we lied about anything.”
“In any case, we’ve fulfilled Woo Jin’s order to encourage and boost his morale.”

“Let’s go sleep too. I’m exhausted.”
 
****

The next day.
“You have awakened!”
With a voice that resounded loudly, Namgoong Myeong was the first to run up to Yeon Woo Jin and offer his greeting.

Yeon Woo Jin looked at him with a surprised expression.
“You seem especially energetic today.”
“I achieved yet another realization yesterday.”

“Did you? Congratulations.”
“Thank you! From this moment on, I shall serve you as my lord, Benefactor.”
“…What?”

Namgoong Myeong’s eyes were blazing.
That gaze.
It was the same gaze Yeon Woo Jin had seen in Chun Ho Seong, Ma Ryong, and Jeok Seong.

All Yeon Woo Jin told them to do was boost his morale, yet they had created another fanatic.
Yeon Woo Jin glared at Jang Woon and Sunwoo Baek.
The two of them subtly averted their gazes.

Yeon Woo Jin transmitted his voice to them.
—What the hell did you say to him to make him like this?
—We just… told him exactly what we’ve seen and experienced.

—Exactly.
What they’d seen and experienced.
—You told him that as it is?

—Yes.
—Hey… you should’ve embellished it a little.
That was the embellished version.

Yeon Woo Jin looked back at Namgoong Myeong.
He looked ready to obey any command.
—Starting from tonight’s sparring session, you two will participate as well.

—Huh? U-Us too?
—Yeah. Discuss thoroughly with Namgoong Myeong how to strategize and attack me.
The two reluctantly nodded with gloomy faces.

Yeon Woo Jin spoke to Namgoong Myeong.
“You seem to have become quite close with those two.”
“That is correct. I received much advice from them yesterday. Though they are younger than me, there is much I can learn from them.”

“Is that so? Then, starting with tonight’s sparring, join forces with them.”
“Join forces… with them?”
“Yes. The three of you will have to attack me together, so you’d better discuss it thoroughly.”

“Understood.”
 
****

That night.
Namgoong Myeong was astonished upon witnessing the martial techniques of Jang Woon and Sunwoo Baek.
Their cultivation levels were lower than his, yet their execution was far superior.

There was no wasted energy in their movements.
They distributed only the necessary amount of energy to perform their techniques, and that appearance looked so refined, so remarkable.
He wanted to work hard and reach that level as quickly as possible.

Aside from that, tonight as well, he was thoroughly crushed by Yeon Woo Jin.
Not a shred of mercy was shown.
He still hadn’t adapted to the pain, but it seemed he had at least developed the toughness to endure with sheer grit.

The three of them grew drastically closer through that day’s training.
Jang Woon and Sunwoo Baek began calling Namgoong Myeong “hyung-nim,” and Namgoong Myeong, in turn, affectionately called them “brothers.”
“Wow, Benefactor really is incredible. Even today, we couldn’t lay a finger on his sleeve.”

Namgoong Myeong now spoke comfortably with Jang Woon and Sunwoo Baek.
“We feel that way every time as well.”
“Serving such a Sovereign is truly the greatest blessing.”

“I see. So you’ve already accepted the Benefactor as your Sovereign.”
“That’s right.”
“But earlier, I saw you speaking comfortably to the Benefactor?”

“Ah! That’s only when it’s just the three of us. The three of us are academy classmates.”
“Academy? Ah, right. You’re all from Mushincheon.”
“Yes.”

“I envy you. If only I had met the Benefactor a little earlier, I would’ve been much stronger by now.”
“It’s not too late even now. Hyung-nim possesses exceptional talent. You’ll reach Hwagyeong Realm in no time.”
“Haha… I appreciate the words. But compared to your talents, I still lack a lot. I wasn’t even near your level of cultivation at your age.”

“It’s not our talent.”
“It’s entirely the Sovereign’s power.”
“If I… serve the Benefactor as my lord… will he bestow power upon me as well?”

“He’ll grant it regardless. It seems the Sovereign already considers you one of his own.”
“Already?”
“Yes.”

His heart swelled.
Namgoong Myeong clenched his fists tightly.
I want to serve him.

But I am the Young Lord of the Namgoong Clan.
It’s not a position where I can decide things lightly.
I cannot openly serve him, but with all my heart, I shall serve the Benefactor as my Sovereign.

 
****
Thanks to their swift pace, Yeon Woo Jin’s group arrived at the Hwangbo Clan in Shandong Province within five days.

Namgoong Myeong approached the gatekeeper at the Hwangbo Clan’s front gate and spoke.
“I am Namgoong Myeong, of the Namgoong Clan.”
“Namgoong Myeong… Aren’t you the Young Lord of the Namgoong Clan?”

“Haha, that’s correct. Thank you for recognizing me. I wish to meet with the Clan Lord. Could you deliver the message?”
“Understood. I shall inform them immediately.”
“Also, I’ve brought the goods sent by the Changcheon Trading Group.”

“Ah! The awaited goods have arrived. The Young Lord will be pleased.”
“Is Hwangbo Gwang home as well? Please let him know I’ve come. I must meet the Clan Lord, but I’d also like to see him.”
“Understood.”

 
“Hahaha. How long has it been? Have you been well?”
“Thanks to you, Clan Lord, I’ve been safe and sound.”

“You brat. What’s with those stiff titles between us? Call me uncle like before.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
“Khahaha! That’s more like it!”

Hwangbo Won, the Clan Lord of the Hwangbo Clan, welcomed Namgoong Myeong warmly.
“But you had business with me, didn’t you?”
“My father asked me to deliver this letter.”

“Cheon sent this?”
Hwangbo Won immediately opened the letter on the spot and began reading.
A pleased expression spread across his face as he read, but soon after, he tilted his head and asked Namgoong Myeong.

“The letter said you’d be bringing an esteemed guest. Where is he?”
“He’s outside. I’ll bring him in.”