Chapter 199

“Whoaaa! Go, Auntie!”

“Go, go!”

“Dinner! Dinner!”

The children shouted in delight, clearly accustomed to the spectacle.

Nearby, Dongmun Mutoe’s eyes narrowed into slits.

‘To think she can circulate Yin-Cold Qi in such a manner.’

It transcended the mere emission of a freezing draft.

Typically, martial arts that utilize Yin-Cold Qi project frost and sub-zero air outward.

The energy is either condensed into solid ice and launched, or dispersed widely like a localized blizzard.

In either case, the technique relies on an outward explosion of power.

Yet, her approach was fundamentally different.

The freezing energy was revolving precisely along the outermost surface of her skin.

Like thread winding tightly around an unseen spinning wheel, the cold aura traced patterns about her, piling up tier after tier.

Simultaneously, a faint trace of that energy was seeping into the surrounding air.

‘Retaining and releasing at the exact same moment?’

Such a structural composition should have been impossible.

At the very least, it was a methodology completely absent from any Yin-Cold Qi cultivation manual known to Dongmun Mutoe.

This resembled.

‘A formation.’

Naturally, it wasn’t a literal formation technique.

A true formation required a physical anchor to manifest.

Whether it was a paper talisman, the natural layout of the land, or a dedicated formation core.

This woman, however, was employing nothing but her own physical form as the vessel to guide the cold qi.

It was an extraordinarily innovative and unconventional method of Qi Circulation.

Shwaaaak!

Jeon Rahwa glided forward once more, her movements as fluid as someone brushing past drifting snow, before launching herself directly at Dong Bongsu.

Her blade flashed with the brilliance of an icicle catching the glare of the noon sun.

Adopting a high stance.

She unleashed a vertical downward strike aimed directly at the center of his skull.

As though she genuinely meant to end his life, the icy energy surged with unmistakable murderous intent.

Ssk.

Dong Bongsu shifted his head slightly to the side.

Moving just enough to let the blade pass harmlessly by.

Without a single millimeter of wasted motion.

The sword sliced through empty space.

As if a boundary of ice had been etched into reality, the air along the blade’s path instantly crystallized.

Without breaking her momentum, Jeon Rahwa transitioned smoothly into her next strike from that exact position.

A horizontal sweep.

A fluid combination, delivering a lateral cut immediately following the vertical plunge.

This secondary strike unleashed an even greater volume of freezing qi.

Ssk.

Ssk.

Dong Bongsu tilted his upper torso back a fraction, then promptly ducked beneath the arc.

The blade whistled mere hairs above his head.

A solitary strand of hair was severed and drifted downward.

“Uh-oh? She managed to cut him, she cut him!”

“What are you talking about, cut? It only clipped his hair.”

“Isn’t touching him still considered a hit?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s literally just a single hair.”

The children’s argument carried on.

Seated across the training ground, Dongmun Mutoe paid no mind to the youngsters’ chatter, his gaze entirely locked onto the duel unfolding in the dirt.

Shwaaaak!

Jeon Rahwa brandished her blade once more.

This time, it wasn’t a standard physical strike.

The freezing energy coalesced at the very tip of her weapon, giving shape to a crescent-shaped wave of energy.

Crescent Moon Cold Sword Qi.

Pyooong!

The curved wave of energy surged straight toward Dong Bongsu.

It was rapid, biting, and lethal.

Dong Bongsu made no move to step aside.

Instead.

He simply extended his index finger and flicked.

Pow.

The concentrated energy wave shattered into countless fragments.

Like a pane of glass being smashed to pieces.

The splintered frost drifted through the air like a heavy downpour of cherry blossom petals on a spring morning.

“……!”

A momentary flicker of shock crossed Jeon Rahwa’s eyes.

However, it took only a second for her expression to turn icy once more, regaining her absolute focus.

“Again.”

Dong Bongsu’s monotone command echoed out.

It carried no hint of approval, no criticism, and no overt encouragement.

Dong Bongsu was enforcing a mechanical process of ‘repetition.’ He knew that, fundamentally, this was the most efficient path.

The proof of this method was already undeniable.

Even when accounting for the fact that he had altered the Dragon Phoenix Great Cauldron Reformation Art obtained from Tang Oh into a specialized technique for stimulating acupoints, performing it on her nearly every single day, her rate of advancement was completely absurd.

The mechanics of the What is Hero System, combined with Jeon Rahwa’s inherent genius.

And.

None of it could have materialized without this ceaseless, grueling practice.

“Haat!”

Letting out a sharp, frigid shout, Jeon Rahwa lunged forward once more.

Ssssssk-.

The blade left a pristine white trail of afterimages hanging in the air.

One, two, three, four, five, six…….

An impossible torrent of slashes rained down upon Dong Bongsu nearly simultaneously.

Freezing energy erupted along every single path the sword traveled.

It appeared as though solid pillars of ice were rising around Dong Bongsu, seeking to lock him in a frozen cage.

It resembled an intricate dance choreographed by a Sword Master amidst a chaotic tempest of swirling snow and shredded petals, merging into a lethal display.

Yet.

Dong Bongsu shifted.

To be precise, using the word ‘shifted’ felt inaccurate.

He merely pivoted his torso, by the slimmest margins, without ever vacating the spot where he stood.

In the same way the wind drifts unhindered through a violent blizzard, every single strike slid harmlessly past his skin.

“Wow……. He really is the Sect Leader for a reason.”

“Auntie hasn’t given up yet! Keep going!”

The children gasped and shouted their encouragement.

Conversely, Dongmun Mutoe had dropped his crossed arms and found himself repeatedly swallowing hard.

‘This is insane…… I cannot decipher it.’

Despite his profound capacity to evaluate the world through the principles of the Eight Trigrams and Nine Palaces, and despite the deep analytical skills he had developed as a master of formations, this man’s coordination defied interpretation.

Like water finding its path, like the wind gusting freely.

It was entirely uncomplicated.

It was wholly instinctive.

‘There is no underlying system.’

Every martial art possesses a framework.

There are stances, deviations from those stances, and methods of linking them together.

Regardless of how accomplished a master might be, they invariably operate within those boundaries.

But that man.

‘He is purely evading…….’

That was the entirety of it.

It lacked any formal system, yet it achieved perfection.

It followed no logical doctrine, yet it was entirely without flaw.

Shwaaaaaaaaaak!

Jeon Rahwa prepared herself to unleash her ultimate technique.

The pressure in the air transformed instantly.

Jeon Rahwa’s expression hardened with absolute gravity.

The freezing energy within her reached its absolute peak.

The temperature across the entire training ground plummeted drastically.

The observing children began to shiver from the sudden frost, pulling their arms tight against their bodies.

“Ugh, it’s freezing.”

“It looks like Auntie is putting everything into this one.”

“Do you think she might actually kill the Sect Leader this time?”

“Hey, there’s no way the Sect Leader dies…….”

“But he’s the one always demanding to be pushed to the brink of death, isn’t he? Treating a sparring match like a mortal duel, and a mortal duel like a sparring match.”

“That’s just rhetoric, you blockhead.”

“Just shut up and watch, you fools.”

Ignoring the children’s petty bickering, Jeon Rahwa focused entirely on regulating her breath, drawing in deep, measured lungfuls of air and releasing them slowly.

Hooooo…….

A stream of pale mist escaped her lips.

A vapor composed of pure, concentrated energy.

Even the wisps of that breath quickly began to spiral around her physical frame.

Ssk-.

She leveled her sword perfectly straight, aiming the tip directly at Dong Bongsu.

An offensive posture designed to channel every ounce of freezing qi residing in her body into a singular, concentrated point at the very apex of her weapon.

The length of the blade frosted over until it was stark white.

Jjeojeok, jjeok-.

The sound of the atmosphere within the training enclosure fracturing from the extreme cold echoed through the space.

Then, inexplicably, a sudden warmth rippled across the entirety of the training ground.

In fact, it felt closer to a sweltering heat, as though the oppressive sun of midsummer had suddenly burst through.

Save for one specific spot.

The very tip of Jeon Rahwa’s weapon radiated with absolute clarity, like the epicenter of a deep freeze.

A fraction of a second passed.

Jeon Rahwa’s figure blurred forward.

The Ice Sword shot outward in a piercing thrust.

A beam of pure white light streaked directly toward his chest.

Incredibly fast.

Immensely sharp.

And beautifully uncomplicated.

A microscopic point.

A single node of concentrated Ice Qi gathered at the sword’s tip.

As the distance closed toward Dong Bongsu, that point expanded violently.

As if it possessed a life of its own.

A few inches.

A foot.

A dozen feet.

In an instant, it ceased to look like a mere weapon.

A massive, primeval Ice Beast tore open its jaws, lunging savagely at Dong Bongsu.

Intending to consume him entirely.

Intending to shred his physical form.

Intending to solidify his very life force.

Once more, the environment of the training ground inverted completely.

Shifting violently from winter to summer, and then plunging back into a deep winter in the blink of an eye.

The children recoiled from the overflowing waves of frost qi.

Even Dongmun Mutoe instinctively shifted his upper body backward.

In a heartbeat, the entire world was washed out in pure white.

Every single spectator of the duel held their breath in anticipation.

At that exact crossroads.

Dong Bongsu reacted.

For the very first time.

He executed a deliberate, proper movement.

Ssk.

He pinched the advancing blade between two fingers.

“……!”

The weapon halted instantly.

Absolutely.

Failing to progress even a fraction of an inch further.

The climate stabilized into neither winter nor summer, transforming instead into the mild essence of spring.

Like the gentle embrace of a warm spring day carrying a pleasant breeze.

“Ah-.”

A look of sheer bewilderment washed over Jeon Rahwa’s features.

Her absolute best, most devastating strike had been neutralized by nothing more than two fingers.

So this…… this remains the absolute limit of my current strength.

The gathered frost qi slowly began to evaporate.

The thin coating of ice that had encased the weapon’s metal melted away.

Drip, drip.

Moisture cascaded down onto the dirt floor.

One droplet, then another.

Dong Bongsu released his grip on the captured blade and spoke.

“Your conviction is so prominent that your intentions are entirely transparent.”

“Excuse me?”

“That was a solid effort.”

“……”

“You are making excellent progress.”

You are sufficiently prepared to go out and hunt on your own terms now.

Pat, pat.

Dong Bongsu reached out and gently tapped Jeon Rahwa on the top of her head.

Offering words of praise costs nothing.

Yet, the psychological impact can be immeasurable.

There was absolutely no reason to withhold it.

“Tch. Next time, I’m definitely going to take your life.”

“Understood. I sincerely hope you manage to do so.”

“Ah, am I going to be forced to miss dinner tonight as well?”

“No.”

Dong Bongsu quietly manifested a brief Super True Qi Field across the ground.

Instantly, the short segment of severed hair, floating amidst the pooled water, was drawn directly into his palm.

“A immaculate separation.”

“It’s literally just a single strand of hair, is it not?”

“It remains hair regardless.”

“……?”

“To a man, this represents everything.”

“I have no idea what point you are trying to make, but does that mean I am permitted to eat?”

“Yes.”

Leaving it at that, Dong Bongsu turned and exited the training area.

Behind his retreating back, Jeon Rahwa, a massive grin breaking across her face in absolute delight, dashed over to join the youngsters.

As if that singular confirmation, ‘yes,’ was equivalent to receiving some prestigious award.

While Jeon Rahwa and the children raised an energetic clamor.

Dong Bongsu crossed the grounds and halted directly in front of Dongmun Mutoe.

“You have regained consciousness.”

Dongmun Mutoe offered a subtle, knowing smirk.

“On account of your hospitality, I was treated to quite an entertaining display.”

With the sun positioned directly behind him, Dong Bongsu’s facial expressions were completely obscured.

Only his eyes, entirely devoid of emotion, remained discernible.

Dongmun Mutoe slowly hauled himself up from his seated position, locked gazes with him, and spoke.

“Why exactly did you choose to escort me to this place rather than ending my life?”

“Why would I execute you? You possess the qualities of an incredibly practical slave.”

“Calling me a ‘slave’ feels rather unrefined, don’t you think? For your enlightenment, this physical form belongs to a Trigram Master of the prestigious Formation Tower.”

“Formation Tower? Trigram Master? What significance do those titles hold?”

“……”

“……”

“It is one of the revered Three Powers Beyond the Heavens.”

“……”

“Ah, of course. There is no actual need for you to concern yourself with it. It amounts to nothing. The Formation Tower is merely a collective of lunatics obsessed with hoarding currency, and a Trigram Master represents the absolute pinnacle of stupidity among that collective.”

“I understand.”

He could sense he was being pulled into an absurd dynamic, but Dongmun Mutoe remained entirely unbothered.

“Excellent, excellent, regardless of that.”

He harbored a massive repository of inquiries.

“If I commit myself to serving as your slave, will you grant me responses?”

“Regarding what?”

“The matters I intend to query.”

“Whether I choose to provide answers or withhold them, your status as my Subordinate is already established.”

“Fine, fine. I will occupy the role of your subordinate. What does it matter? I am already at your disposal. Whether you choose to handle my backside or sti… Ah, that might be crossing a line. In any case.”

Dongmun Mutoe pressed his palms together, his gaze radiating intense curiosity.

“You made mention of conviction during our previous encounter. What exactly does that entail? What classification of martial technique is it? Does it fall under the category of Formation Dao? Or perhaps some entirely different paradigm……”

“Be silent.”

“Mmph!”

The command took effect instantly.

He had completely sealed the man’s lips with a single spoken phrase.

He would need to test the boundaries systematically to chart the exact parameters, but the true scope of the ‘Power of Subordination’ was undeniably more extensive than he had initially projected.

Sssreung-.

Dong Bongsu unsheathed his razor-sharp blade and rested the edge gently against Dongmun Mutoe’s throat.

“Well, the situation is already set in stone, but you will be required to remain in close proximity to me for a highly extended duration from this point forward.”

Hearing those words, Dongmun Mutoe’s smile grew even wider.

“Mmph!”

“……”

Is he actually finding enjoyment in this predicament?

What an incredibly bizarre specimen.

It was highly evident that his utility would be exceptional.

The man looked as though he might genuinely feel appreciative for having his existence placed under threat.

Dong Bongsu returned the weapon to its scabbard and commanded.

“You may speak.”

“Ah, ah. Wow, what exactly is this phenomenon? How on earth did you manage to manifest such an effect? Does this constitute a command-driven technique? Or is it sustained entirely by willpower? How can a metaphysical formula be anchored without the utilization of an actual formation core? Don’t tell me you are employing the spiritual essence itself as the primary conduit? If that is the case, where exactly is the anchor point located? Within the meridians? The spiritual sense? The spiritual altar? No, hold on. In the first place, I never gave explicit consent, so how could a binding oath possibly materialize? What serves as the initiating trigger for the restriction? Is it a matter of timing? Geographic location? Verbal articulation? Or are you somehow reverse-engineering the laws of causality themselves to……”

Dong Bongsu could now thoroughly comprehend the fundamental nature of the individual standing before him.

To a person of this disposition, nothing else in existence held any real weight.

Only the pursuit of truth.

He was the exact archetype to treat survival as an insignificant detail while viewing absolute truth and knowledge as paramount.

“Be silent.”

“Mmph.”

“A single query per day.”

Dong Bongsu leaned his face in close, nearly touching Dongmun Mutoe’s nose.

“Regarding your questions, I mean.”

“Mmph!”

“However, there is an explicit condition attached.”

Dongmun Mutoe’s head began to nod up and down with incredible speed.

Dong Bongsu’s detached voice followed without a moment’s delay.

“From this precise second onward, you will be inducted as an official member of our Hero’s Sect.”

Dongmun Mutoe agreed instantly with a firm nod.

Dung-.

[You have added a qualified, trustworthy person to your guild.]

[Your guild has become slightly more righteous.]

“The Hero’s Sect represents an honorable and virtuous alliance. Moving forward, you simply need to conduct yourself in accordance with that standard.”

Once more, Dongmun Mutoe nodded his head in compliance.

Simultaneously, Dong Bongsu flashed a sharp, white grin, baring his teeth.

“Welcome.”

To your enrollment at the absolute pinnacle of the food chain.

═══【 Guild Member Details 】═══

[Dongmun Mutoe]

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▸ Position: Guild Member

▸ Combat Level: Unmeasurable

▸ Status: Normal

▸ Trust: [Subordinate]

▸ Main Specialty: Formation Dao

▸ Sub Specialty: Magic-type

▸ Current Mission: None

▸ Main Equipment: (Held in Inventory)

▸ Growth Rate: Very Slow

▸ Potential: Supreme

[Special Notes]

• Trigram Master of the Heavenly Formation Dao Alliance

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