Chapter 275

Chapter 275
## Chapter 275. Those Who Break Walls (1)

—

Clang—
The moment his weapon shattered.
Sun-jik-Cheol found himself unable to tear his eyes away, even as his form went airborne. The opponent was undeniably a practitioner from the Tae-eul-mun, a sect famed for its rapid strikes and deceptive afterimages. Yet, the technique that had just flown from that man’s hands was unquestionably the Blue Bamboo Sword Art of the Juk-hyeon-bang.
“How could you…”
So-un-Jin, his face visibly drained and displaying deep fatigue, quirked the corner of his lips into a smirk.
“Did it slip your mind that I possess an excellent memory?”
“Even if that were true…”
Furthermore, the rendition of the Blue Bamboo Sword Art he just displayed was Sun-jik’s very own. It was a martial discipline he had personally refined and layered over decades of dedication, yet So-un-Jin had mirrored it flawlessly after merely observing it. Then, the man remarked nonchalantly.
“Just as you possess your particular style of engagement, I have mine.”
“Ha…!”
The moment the initial shock receded, a profound bitterness flooded his senses. Ultimately, it was his own downfall. His strategy, which had held an absolute guarantee of triumph, had unraveled, whereas So-un’s strategy, which seemed destined for ruin, had prevailed. Recognizing this reality brought a violent wave of indignation crashing over him.
What was the reason for his failure? Sun-jik-Cheol shifted his gaze toward the figures gathered around So-un-Jin. These were the allies who had unswervingly obeyed a reckless tactical directive to plunge directly into the heart of the opposing forces. They appeared barely capable of remaining upright, visibly battered or teetering on the edge of collapse. Any ordinary martial artist would have abandoned the test long ago, yet not a single hand relinquished its weapon.
Conversely, the subordinates of his own faction, the White Army, stood largely unscathed. This made it glaringly obvious that very few had genuinely invested themselves in his strategy.
“Why is the disparity between us so vast?”
“……”
Sun-jik-Cheol directed his glare toward Hwa-seong-Nam. Meeting that gaze overflowing with animosity, Hwa-seong-Nam shifted his eyes away. Sun-jik-Cheol ground his teeth, muttering internally.
“How is it that you all manage to act with a single mind?”
So-un-Jin and he were cut from the same cloth. From their humble origins and their exceptional intellects to their stubborn resolve that refused to bend under coercion. Both were individuals who had scrambled up from the identical depths toward the pinnacle. Even so, So-un’s allies harbored no terror of leaping into the jaws of destruction alongside him. Neither the young lady of the Cheol-geom-mun, a historical adversary of the Tae-eul-mun; nor the pampered youngest scion of the prestigious Nam-gung Family; nor even the pupil of the Sam-won-mun, an direct rival in these formal trials. It defied his comprehension entirely.
“I demand to know why your group alone displays such devotion!”
Aligning mutual benefits and establishing a shared target. Ostensibly, there was zero divergence in the methods he and So-un-Jin had employed, yet the outcomes were entirely polarized. He had never once blamed the heavens for placing him in the same era as titans like Yong So-a, Il-myeong, or Dang Seo-hui. He viewed them as individuals who were granted entirely different instruments from birth. However, being forced to share a generation with So-un-Jin brought a deeper malice than anything else. So-un loomed before him like a barrier that could never be overcome.
“Give me an answer! So-un-Jin! What causes such a massive divide!”
Despite the desperate outburst, So-un-Jin merely leveraged himself off the ground, acting as though the question required no response.
“Why… just why…”
Eventually, heavy tears spilled from Sun-jik-Cheol’s eyes. A man who had never once wept out of spite, he shed tears now from the pure devastation of facing an absolute boundary for the first time. Right at that instant.
“…It isn’t… it isn’t finished yet. Sun-jik…”
Hyeon-jik-Cheol, who had been sprawled unconscious, forced himself up by propping his weight against his blade.
“Brother…”
Hyeon-jik-Cheol lurched toward So-un-Jin with unsteady steps, keeping a grip on his weapon with a trembling hand.
“…I will… I will fulfill your strategy for you.”
“Brother…!”
Hyeon-jik-Cheol managed a desperate stumble forward, dragging the tip of his blade across the dirt as though lacking the vital power to even lift it. From the hands of So-un-Jin, who observed the approach with an icy gaze, the Myriad Flowers Matchless Fist erupted.
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!
With a single execution, Hyeon-jik-Cheol was stripped of consciousness and dropped to the earth once more.
“Brother!!!”
Turning toward Sun-jik-Cheol, who could only stare blankly at the scene, So-un-Jin spoke.
“There is at least one person here who pursues your path as well.”
“……”
“Reflect deeply on what separates your brother from the 12 Peaks. Do that, and the answer to your failure in this engagement will present itself.”
Concluding his statement, So-un-Jin turned away without a second thought. Moments later, a standard was gripped in his hand, thrust toward the sky with absolute conviction. In short order, the emblem of the Red Army was driven into the soil of the White Army’s headquarters.
“Waaaaah!”
“Waaaaah! Victory is ours!”
“The White Army headquarters has fallen!”
Observing the handful of remaining survivors erupt into celebratory shouting, Sun-jik-Cheol spoke with a rigid countenance.
“However, this marks the conclusion for you as well.”
“……”
“Did your forces not completely deplete themselves in the process of seizing the White Army stronghold?”
Sun-jik-Cheol sneered, casting his eyes over So-un-Jin’s remaining followers.
“As you claimed, perhaps a distinction exists between us. Yet… despite that, my overarching plan has borne fruit. The two representatives from your primary squad, Mo-ran-Seong and Geum-pyo-Lee, will ultimately face disqualification.”
He gestured broadly with a hand lacerated by shards of metal.
“Observe. The Blue Army, which has maintained its full strength up to this moment by merely watching from the sidelines, will imminently charge in to claim the ultimate triumph like a scavenger reaping the rewards of others’ labor.”
“……”
“In the end, you fell short of breaking through the barrier that I represent. Hahahaha!”
So-un-Jin, tracking the trajectory toward the Blue Army that Sun-jik indicated, gave a casual shrug.
“Works for me.”
“What?”
So-un-Jin offered a soft chuckle and nodded his head forward.
“Watch closely.”
“……”
Sun-jik-Cheol’s artificial laughter cut short. So-un’s demeanor carried the absolute certainty of someone stating an undeniable truth.
“See exactly how high we can ascend.”
Because his allies began to stir as if driven by pure instinct. Tracing the line of So-un-Jin’s gaze, Sun-jik-Cheol’s vision shifted as well. Those unit members, sparse as scattered iron filings, began to take forward steps one after the other. These were individuals so drained by the brutal conflict that falling unconscious on the spot would surprise no one. Yet, these very people began to close ranks around So-un-Jin as if drawn by an invisible tide. Sun-jik-Cheol found himself completely transfixed.

“Are you holding up?”
Geum-pyo’s features twisted into a harsh grimace. It was a look that screamed, *Are you seriously asking me that right now?*
“I feel like my life is slipping away.”
“You and me both.”
Sigh. A heavy breath escaped past my lips; I genuinely cannot deal with this—actually, why am I even forcing myself to endure it…?
Thwack.
I delivered a sharp slap to the reverse of Geum-pyo’s head.
“Then what possessed you to rack up three Mu rankings!”
“……”
As the reprimanded Geum-pyo lowered his gaze like a convicted criminal, Mo-ran-Seong, positioned on the flank, snapped back with irritation.
“Young Master Jin, are you aiming those remarks at me by any chance?”
I replied with utmost politeness.
“Indubitably.”
“ grandmother…”
Mo-ran-Seong’s expression hardened as though she felt slighted. I turned my focus back to both Mo-ran-Seong and Geum-pyo, speaking with absolute gravity.
“I have zero desire to stand by and watch the two of you get thrown out. Because of that, failure is not an option in this round.”
Hearing this, Mo-ran-Seong’s rigid features relaxed slightly, and she gave a firm nod.
“But our adversary is that miserable… no, it’s Il-gak.”
Ideally, the smartest route involved the Red Army conserving its vitality while the Blue and White factions tore into each other, allowing us to sweep over the Blue Army after they emerged victorious but utterly drained. Yet, by some stroke of cosmic irony, things developed along this trajectory. It was a crisis so severe it made me wonder if the heavens were actively cultivating the worst possible outcome.
‘In any case, I always suspected that annoying monk would trip me up eventually.’
I scanned the surviving members of our unit sequentially and asked in a low tone.
“But we aren’t the type to just tuck our tails and run, are we?”
Before long, the overseers signaled by unfurling red banners. It was the warning that the evaluation’s conclusion was fast approaching. Both the Blue Army and the remnants of the Red Army were now backed into a corner where nothing short of a total collision would suffice. I tightened my fingers around my hilt once more.
“Form the sword array.”
“Understood!”
Following my directive, the subordinates shifted with flawless coordination. Our numbers were pitiful, but this represented our sole viable option at present.
“Banish any thoughts about facing the Nine Sects and One Gang, or the legendary Shaolin Temple. To us, they are merely obstacles to clear.”
“Young Master Jin, surely you realize that telling someone to avoid a thought only cements it in their mind?”
“Just purge it regardless. It’s our only path forward.”
“……”
It was a classic case of ‘just execute because I commanded it.’ A chaotic battlefield is no place for overthinking.
“If we focus on staying alive, think only of survival; if we push forward, think only of the strike. Keep your mind pinned to a single objective. As your leader, I will handle the strategy and tactical shifts, so your only job is to move.”
“You expect us to blindly place our faith in you under these conditions, Young Master Jin?”
“Do you see an alternative?”
Mo-ran-Seong contemplated the situation briefly before shaking her head in resignation.
“…There isn’t one. However, if I end up disqualified, ensure you recruit me into your division when I eventually join the Murim Alliance as a low-tier soldier. I refuse to take directives from any other fools.”
“Consider it a pact.”
Even the Blue Army, which had been the first to advance upon our position, halted their approach as the clash between the White and Red forces reached a fever pitch. Having settled their internal rankings and kept the bulk of their forces pristine while the other two factions obliterated each other, the Blue Army’s numbers were virtually unchanged from the start of the trial.
“Amitabha.”
Moments later, Il-gak drew near, piloting a massive horde that easily outnumbered our small band tenfold. Naturally, that irritating shaven-headed monk had secured the leadership of the Blue Army. Then again, it was entirely predictable.
“Hey, isn’t someone dedicated to the teachings of the Buddha being a bit too predatory here?”
Il-gak beamed with a radiant grin, completely unbothered by my jab.
“The Awakened One taught that if one maintains a righteous foundation, the wicked will naturally crumble away.”
Listen to that smooth, practiced rhetoric. I wouldn’t be surprised if he secretly sneaks meat dishes when no one is looking.
“For you to spout that, weren’t you acting incredibly underhanded at the start?”
“Within the sacred teachings, it is written: ‘An individual who redeems their past negative karma with virtuous deeds will illuminate the world like the moon breaking free from dark clouds.’ Having thoroughly balanced my ledger with righteousness, I have effectively been reborn.”
“Wow, turning over a new leaf sounds incredibly convenient for you.”
Il-gak’s smile widened as he inquired with mock concern.
“Benefactor Jin, you appear thoroughly spent. Wouldn’t it be wiser to step down at this juncture?”
“How about you, you miserable… no, how about the Monk steps down instead? Show some of that famous Buddhist mercy for the sake of the students facing expulsion here.”
“Alas, that does not align with the true cosmic order of the Buddha. Namu-amitabha.”
Had I anticipated this exact scenario, I would have committed a few sutras to memory. Perhaps then that bald monk would have hesitated or given ground.
“I’ll pass. I suppose that’s precisely why I was never cut out for the monastic life.”
“The divine essence resides within Benefactor Jin’s spirit regardless, so there is no cause for anxiety. Furthermore, the Black Maitreya…”
“Oh, give it a rest already!!!!”
“Ahem, cough.”
Il-gak cleared his throat before pressing me one final time.
“Are you truly intent on pressing forward?”
“There’s a particular maxim from your teachings that goes like this, right?”
I unsheathed the Black Dragon Sword and spoke clearly.
“Rely on no external savior, but let your own self be your guiding light.”
Hearing my response, Il-gak’s grin stretched even wider.
“Behold. Just as I suspected, the Buddha truly dwells within Benefactor Jin’s heart.”
I mirrored his expression, flashing an equally broad smile.
“Let’s find out which one of us the heavens favor today!”
Stepping into the vanguard, I took my place at the absolute front alongside Geum-pyo, replacing Hwa-seong-Nam.

Sun-jik-Cheol kept his eyes locked onto the forward battlefield without blinking. Part of it was physical paralysis from pushing his body to its absolute threshold, but a greater part was an intense fixation on witnessing So-un-Jin’s ultimate ruin.
“You will meet the exact same fate.”
Just as he had. Sun-jik-Cheol barely managed to sustain his upright posture. From the beginning, the ultimate triumph of the Blue Army held no weight in his tactical calculations. His singular goal centered on the elimination of So-un-Jin and his immediate circle. In fact, according to his original blueprint, it was only fitting for the White Army to succumb to the Blue Army after successfully dragging So-un-Jin down into disqualification. Therefore, you will share this failure, So-un-Jin.
“Without a doubt… you will break…”
As he muttered the refrain under his breath, the massive tide of the Blue Army crashed into the Red Army. The staggering numerical imbalance, favoring the attackers ten to one, rapidly resulted in a suffocating encirclement. A tight siege lines drains a martial artist’s stamina exponentially, inevitably culminating in total destruction.
“Without fail… without fail…”
Yet, something defied expectation. So-un-Jin’s small band refused to break.
“How can this be…”
The tactical formation they deployed was merely the White Tiger Sword Formation, a standard methodology familiar to every student in the institution. In a scenario where internal reserves were forbidden, it possessed no inherent miracle, yet they held their ground with terrifying tenacity.
“How…”
No, there was a subtle deviation. The array currently active possessed a slightly altered structure compared to the standard White Tiger Sword Formation he was accustomed to. They systematically covered one another’s vulnerabilities while manufacturing sudden openings for retaliation, throwing the attackers off balance. It operated as though it had been engineered specifically for flawed martial artists to patch over each other’s weaknesses, maximizing the core utility of a cooperative formation.
“Ha…”
Neither the specialized strikes of the Shaolin Temple nor the combined martial disciplines of the Nine Sects and One Gang could make a clean breach. The students stationed on Cheong-san, unable to endure the suspense, began descending and ascending Baek-san in waves. The density of the Blue Army forces trapping So-un-Jin swelled continuously.
“This defies logic…”
Simultaneously, a nagging realization surfaced. Real victory remained an impossibility for So-un-Jin regardless. With such a meager force, he could never hope to breach the Blue Army’s distant base, nor could he shatter the dense wall of combatants currently pressing the siege. Even so, So-un-Jin and his followers maintained an unyielding defense in a conflict that was mathematical suicide. They fought as if triumph were still on the table.
“It is an impossibility.”
The Blue Army, marshaled by Il-gak, amplified their pressure ruthlessly to conclude the matter. At last, a member of So-un-Jin’s line collapsed, causing the sword array to falter. They poured their remaining spirits into the resistance, but once the structural integrity fractured, the formation could not be re-established properly.
Flutter, flutter!
The arbiters began unfurling black indicators. It was the sign that the trial’s time limit was running out. Spotting this, the Blue Army combatants redoubled their aggression to deliver the final blow. The corners of Sun-jik-Cheol’s mouth pulled into a bitter grin.
“Indeed, this is the reality. This is the extent of their capabilities.”
Though his primary strategy had unraveled, he could view this as a partial victory. So-un-Jin was entirely spent, and his forces were fragmented into isolated pockets, scattered to the winds. Just as he had anticipated, So-un-Jin met his limitation. But right as he prepared to voice his mocking satisfaction.
‘Fragmented?’
Sun-jik-Cheol’s eyes widened in sudden realization.
‘They aren’t present. They’ve vanished!’
A portion of So-un-Jin’s core unit was entirely missing from the immediate battlefield. He swept his gaze across the slopes of Baek-san to check if they had been eliminated, but they were nowhere to be found. Right at that moment.
“Waaaaah!”
A detachment of twenty martial artists was charging up the slopes of Cheong-san with frantic speed.
“Intercept them!”
“Gah!”
“Clear the path, move!”
They refused to halt, and they refused to engage in prolonged combat. Their sole focus was forward momentum. They left falling allies behind, and even when enemy strikes targeted them, they bypassed the confrontation entirely, ducking around opponents to sprint toward the apex of Cheong-san. While the onlookers stood frozen in sheer bewilderment, a remnant of fewer than ten individuals drove a standard directly into the Blue Army’s stronghold.
“Waaaaaaaaagh!”
“Waaaaaaaaah!”
“Waaaaah!”
Exultant shouts drifted over from the distant peak of Cheong-san. A tiny Red Army vanguard, featuring Eun-ho-Lee and Yayul-geuk, had successfully planted their crimson banner deep within the Blue Army base.
“……”
Judging by the stunned, blank expressions of the Blue Army defenders left at the base, the concept of a Red Army counter-raid had never even crossed their minds. Sun-jik-Cheol shuddered violently as if struck by a physical jolt.
‘Was failure never even a factor in his calculations?’
If not, how could anyone possess the audacity to peel away essential combatants for a flanking maneuver in the depths of such an overwhelming defensive crisis? Sun-jik-Cheol shifted his head back toward the figure who had just dealt him an insurmountable psychological defeat. The man was currently dangling from the shoulders of Il-gak, whose jaw had dropped in utter disbelief.
“Chomp…! Gah, it’s incredibly salty!! Pui, pui!”
…So-un-Jin was without an ounce of shame sinking his teeth directly into the glossy scalp of the monk.
“What in the world are you…”
Experiencing a sense of insignificance far sharper than when he had encountered Yong So-a, he found himself utterly unable to look away.

Warm greetings to all.
I am Jeok-seol-mok.
I trust you have stayed robust and found tranquility throughout this biting winter season.
The cycle of the Im-in year has drawn to its ultimate close. The chronicle of So-un-Jin, which I began structuring since the prior year, made its public debut during this cycle, and I have been graced with far more affection than I deserve from the vast community of martial artists across the land. I wish to utilize this moment to convey my profound appreciation once more.
Without the shared passion of you great martial artists, navigating this path would have proven immensely difficult. Rest assured, So-un-Jin will pick himself up time and again, fueled by the conviction of your collective backing, even when besieged by the underhanded tactics of the Jianghu’s worst—rather, his fiercest rivals.
A vast expanse of So-un-Jin’s journey remains untold. I humbly request your sustained companionship as he continues his frantic gallop across the martial landscape.
I cannot fathom what strange arts the northern tribes have invoked, but the current winter drops a chill more severe than any prior memory. Do not neglect your daily physical conditioning and the refinement of your internal reserves, and ensure you consume your valuable medicinal supplements regularly. For the principles of true justice to remain unshakable in the world, the vitality of you great martial artists remains paramount.
With that said, may you bring this year to a successful resolution, and I anticipate greeting you all with renewed vigor in the approaching cycle of Gye-myo.
May immense prosperity attend you in the coming cycle!