A Modern Man Who Got Transmigrated Into the Murim World

Despite the defeat, there was no feeling of humiliation or emptiness.

It was understandable because he couldn’t even consider his opponent as a rival.

As Namgung Jangho slowly gathered himself and looked up at Jo Hwi, there was a light of joy in his eyes.

Living in the same era as such a swordsman.

He understood the significance of that.

‘Cheonggeomryu (Heavenly Sword Style)…….’

A sword style that reaches the heavens!

The name was ridiculously grand, but somehow, it felt justified.

The last sword strike he unleashed felt as though it did not belong to the human world.

As Namgung Jangho gazed at Jo Hwi, almost like a woman looking at him, Jo Hwi shuddered with goosebumps.

“What are you doing? Get up quickly.”

“Oh, I understand.”

Suddenly, Jo Hwi surveyed the training hall.

The swordmasters of the Namgung family were looking at him with astonishment.

It was only natural after he had defeated Namgung Se-ga’s youngest lord, who was known as the “Little Sword Master” and stood at the forefront of the Six Great Divine Dragons, in just two moves.

This reality was incomparable to his former life as an ordinary modern person, a lifelong civil service exam candidate, Jo Yeonghoon.

A strange sense of intoxication.

It wasn’t unpleasant.

It was then that the person who broke Jo Hwi’s contemplation was none other than the approaching Jeongal Un.

“I have something to say. I won’t be returning to the alliance for now. I want to speak with you….”

“Wait a moment. Just a moment.”

Jo Hwi’s fixed gaze, unwavering.

Where his eyes were focused, a young man wearing the attire of the Blue Dragon Sect stood with his mouth tightly closed, looking distant.

It was Jo Hwi’s older brother, Jo Hyeok.

When Jo Hwi’s gaze met his, Jo Hyeok walked over and stood before him.

“Who are you?”

With an unusual aura surrounding his brother, Jo Hwi entered a state of contemplation, blocking all sound within a three-chang radius.

Jo Hyeok spoke again.

“When you raised our father’s iron wall when he was on the brink of collapse, when you built up all the businesses and turned Hefei into another world, I thought that could be possible. After all, you were always so brilliant.”

“……”

“But martial arts is different. A family who has lived together all these years, and I, your older brother, know you well. You are not my younger brother.”

The time had passed, and his older brother had now become a proud martial artist.

Jo Hwi’s heart grew heavy.

A gaze full of certainty beyond doubt.

Looking at such an older brother, Jo Hwi’s eyes filled with a tinge of sadness.

“I was eleven years old… It was a day with a beautiful sunset. You were crying under the spruce tree in the backyard for a long time. I thought you were crying because you had hurt yourself practicing the fist technique while looking at the spruce tree, stained with blood.”

“……”

“But now that I think about it, I still don’t understand why you were crying. Was it because of our father, who had been hurt by the bandits? Or was it because of our mother, who was hiding in the basket, unconscious? Or….”

Jo Hyeok shook his head.

“I didn’t cry because of the bandits who harmed our parents.”

“Then…”

“After escaping from the bandit group, we wandered the mountains for two months, and then our sister, Yeon, became…”

Jo Hyeok clenched his fist, trembling with anger.

His sickly younger sister had grown even weaker after catching a cold during their difficult travels.

Now, she could barely leave the house in the winter. If she caught a cold, she would lie in bed for almost a week.

“And… you… my younger sibling, Hwi-a (Whirl)…!”

Jo Hyeok’s biting lips glared at Jo Hwi’s belly.

“The wound on your stomach hasn’t healed, has it?”

That damn bandit had shoved his spear into his sister’s abdomen, as if playing a joke.

She was so shocked she couldn’t even scream.

She just stood there, staring blankly at her exposed intestines, holding her belly.

The memory of his sister coughing up blood for three days and nights still made his blood boil.

“……I couldn’t protect my younger siblings. After that, I never stopped training my body. I… I…”

Jo Hyeok finally broke into a sorrowful cry.

Now, Jo Hwi understood completely why his older brother had blindly pursued becoming a martial arts master.

*Was it because of me…?*

The memories of Jo Hwi’s previous life, as Jo Yeonghoon, had only been imprinted into this body. His true identity was that of Jo Yeonghoon, so he could recall the memories, but he couldn’t fully understand the emotions tied to them.

What Jo Hwi understood clearly now was that the original Jo Hwi, the one he was reincarnated into, had died.

If he hadn’t, Jo Hwi’s soul would have been there.

Jo Hwi had lived as a completely different person for over thirty years, so he didn’t feel any genuine sibling love toward Jo Hyeok.

But that didn’t mean the soul of the original Jo Hwi had completely disappeared.

Jo Hwi smiled faintly and lifted his shirt to reveal his stomach.

“It’s all healed now. There’s no trace left.”

A smooth, firm abdomen.

“Are you sure you’re really my brother?”

“Is there anyone else who knows about the shameful crying of my older brother other than me?”

“You damn kid.”

But Jo Hyeok’s mind couldn’t shake one question, the one thing that still bothered him.

“What kind of martial art is that? How can that even be possible?”

Martial arts.

Jo Hyeok knew better than anyone the pain and trials of learning martial arts.

For more than ten years, he had trained diligently in the mountains, and he was confident he had worked harder than anyone else, but when he came to the Namgung family, all his efforts had crumbled.

The people of the family were born to refine martial arts.

To catch up with them, he had spent six years training relentlessly, but his achievements were only second-rate.

The painful memories of those days still made him tear up.

But the younger brother he remembered had never trained martial arts, nor did he even enjoy exercise. He had been an intellectual who hated physical training.

Yet that person had defeated the “Little Sword Master” with a sword in just one move.

“Still don’t understand?”

“What…?”

Jo Hwi chuckled softly.

“I’m a genius at martial arts too.”

Yes, he had no choice but to brush it off like this.

Everything that had happened so far was so unbelievable even to him, so how could he explain it to his older brother?

“Damn kid.”

Jo Hyeok instinctively felt that his younger brother was hiding something.

But there must be a reason for Jo Hwi’s behavior.

Jo Hyeok decided to just accept it.

“I’m returning to the Iron Wall.”

Jo Hwi frowned in confusion.

“Suddenly? Why?”

It was hard to believe that his brother, who had been obsessed with martial arts, would say such a thing.

“The scale of what you’ve been doing is too large! Aren’t you worried about all the resentment you’re creating?”

Jo Hwi nodded.

“If you guard the house, then I’ll feel at ease.”

“…You’re heartless.”

With those words, Jo Hyeok turned sharply and walked towards the outer courtyard.

Jo Hwi looked at his brother’s retreating back and chuckled.

Is he really my brother?

Then Jo Hwi lifted the mental block he had placed earlier and approached Jeongal Un.

“Sorry, please go ahead with what you were saying.”

Jeongal Un spoke with careful deliberation.

“Now that Jo So-hyeop has become a member of the Namgung family, I believe this matter should be discussed with the family leader.”

It seemed as though Jeongal Un’s words were heard, as soon after, Namgung Su, the family leader, and his executives walked toward the center of the training hall.

As they arrived, Namgung Su stroked his beard and spoke.

“Please speak, Supervisor of the Inspection Office.”

“Yes, Lord.”

Jeongal Un, who had been bowing respectfully, replied.

“Normally, I would return to the alliance to report everything… but…”

At that moment, Jeongal Un’s eyes briefly showed a flash of realization.

“After seeing the martial arts competition, I’ve changed my mind. I will go to Jiangxi with Jo Hwi So-hyeop. Please grant me permission.”

“Is this your own decision? Without any orders from the alliance?”

“Yes.”

The order from the sect had not yet arrived, but it seemed that he intended to carry out an independent mission.

Such authority could only be granted to someone in a position equivalent to the sect’s law enforcer.

“If there are no outstanding results, the responsibility will be heavy,” said the sect leader, Nangong Su.

“Of course, I will take full responsibility,” replied Zhegallun.

Nangong Su stroked his beard thoughtfully, his eyes flashing.

“So, you intend to jump into the Black Heaven Alliance’s territory with just the two of you… Bold. What is your goal?”

Zhegallun answered without hesitation.

“Choi Hwi is a rising star, with a very free range of activities compared to the masters of the Nangong family.”

“And?”

“The intelligence organization of the sect, Silver Wind Command, is no small group. There must be people hiding from the Black Heaven Alliance’s assassins. I plan to rescue them, and if possible, gather the intelligence they have collected. Moreover, if conditions allow, I also plan to rebuild the Silver Wind Command.”

Nangong Su eyed Zhegallun suspiciously.

“Is that truly possible? That’s in Nanchang.”

Nanchang, the heart of the Black Heaven Alliance’s base at Longdan Valley.

Zhegallun glanced at Choi Hwi with a slightly exhausted look.

“He is an absolute powerhouse unknown to the martial world.”

Nangong Su turned his gaze to Choi Hwi.

“However, even if I approve, if our benefactor does not agree, wouldn’t it be meaningless?”

In that moment, Choi Hwi’s face turned as cold as a demon’s.

“They are the ones coveting my wealth. There’s no reason not to cooperate. But…”

Choi Hwi’s eyes became piercingly clear.

“Rebuilding the Silver Wind Command? That’s quite a ridiculous notion.”

Choi Hwi had no intention of forgiving those who coveted what was his, whether they were from the Black Heaven Alliance or the Martial Arts Alliance.

Zhegallun bit his lip, showing signs of nervousness.

It was his mistake to mention the sect’s name so casually.

Had he known beforehand that Choi Hwi was the ‘Absolute’, he would never have spoken such foolish threats.

His mind raced rapidly as he reorganized his thoughts.

Soon, he began speaking again, with more persuasion.

“Fine, let’s say rebuilding the Silver Wind Command is a sect matter. But, gathering the intelligence they’ve collected might be in the best interest of the Choga Trading Association, don’t you think?”

“Hmm…”

Choi Hwi became silent, considering the suggestion, as Zhegallun added more weight to his argument.

“There may already be spies from the Black Heaven Alliance within the Choga Trading Association. If we could monitor their movements, wouldn’t it be worth it?”

The Silver Wind Command, the sect’s most elite intelligence network, would have invaluable information that couldn’t be dismissed lightly.

“Alright. I’ll cooperate.”

Choi Hwi had no qualms about using the Martial Arts Alliance for his own purposes, as long as it meant eliminating the Choga Trading Association’s enemies.

Hearing Choi Hwi’s decision, Zhegallun respectfully cupped his fists toward the sect leader, Nangong Su.

“Choi Hwi has made his decision. Now, we only need your approval, Lord Sect Leader.”

Nangong Su, with a grave expression, turned his gaze to his son, Nangong Jangho.

The passionate gleam in his son’s eyes made it clear what he desired, and as a father, he knew what he wanted.

“There’s a condition.”

At this, Zhegallun immediately rejected the idea.

“If you’re asking for your son to accompany us, I must firmly refuse.”

“…Huh!”

Nangong Su’s eyes flickered with strange light at Zhegallun’s blunt refusal.

He had only heard rumors about how intelligent Zhegallun was, but after meeting him, he realized he was truly worthy of the title of ‘Small Zhegallun’.

“Can you explain why?” Nangong Su asked.

Zhegallun frowned, looking at Nangong Jangho.

“The Young Master is too upright. He is a man of justice, someone who embodies the righteous path.”

Zhegallun explained that, in their current situation, they needed to operate covertly within the realm of the underworld, and Nangong Jangho’s upright nature would be a hindrance.

At this, Nangong Su laughed mockingly.

“Is that so? Then, you too are from a righteous sect, aren’t you? Is the Zhegallun family of the righteous path?”

“I… well, I…” Zhegallun stuttered, taken aback by the sudden retort.

Nangong Su smiled wryly.

“Your abilities and talents are exceptional, but the both of you have limited experience in the martial world. Jangho.”

At his father’s call, Nangong Jangho straightened with military discipline.

“Yes, father.”

Nangong Su’s gaze turned toward the outer courtyard.

“Didn’t you bring a teacher who can guide us in the ways of the underworld?”

Nangong Jangho’s eyes widened in shock.

“Did you already know about the identity of Jang Il-ryong?”

Jang Il-ryong had been secretly assisting them, and it seemed his identity was already known to his father.

“You’ve been in conflict with the Black Heaven Alliance for years, yet they have not attacked in that time. Don’t you find that odd?”

“Ah…!”

Nangong Su scolded his son with a stern look.

“From now on, there should be no more secrets from me.”

“Understood!” Nangong Jangho bowed his head apologetically.

After the scolding, Nangong Su returned to his calm demeanor, turning to the three people present.

“Engaging in espionage in enemy territory is a matter of life and death. I want you all to learn from the ways of the underworld, from our external guard, Jang Il-ryong.”

Choi Hwi nodded in agreement.

“Understood.”

—

The guards of the outer courtyard would change shifts at the hour of Shin (3:00 p.m.).

Jang Il-ryong was about to enter the compound when suddenly, Nangong Jangho and Zhegallun barged into his room.

Jang Il-ryong, irritated, saw them and immediately spoke.

“What’s going on? I’m busy.”

As he entered, Jang Il-ryong noticed Choi Hwi was following behind them.

“…Why is he here? Is something serious happening?”

Seeing the serious expressions on the faces of his older ‘brothers,’ Nangong Jangho gritted his teeth.

“We’ve come to learn the ways of the underworld, no, the underworld’s methods.”

“The underworld’s methods?” Jhegallun gave a scornful look at Nangong Jangho before speaking.

“Not exactly, Young Master. We’re going to…”

Zhegallun proceeded to explain briefly what had happened and how they could act covertly within the underworld while keeping their righteous identities intact.

Of course, they did not mention that they were carrying out a mission for the sect.

No matter how much Jang Il-ryong claimed to be from a righteous sect, they could not fully trust him yet.

“Hmm…”

Jang Il-ryong, who was resting his chin on his hand, suddenly became serious and made a formal bow.

“I, Jang, respectfully request you to leave my room.”

When Jang Il-ryong suddenly demanded that they leave with formality, Namgung Jang-ho and Je-gal Un had no choice but to bow in return.

“Understood.”

“Alright.”

However, Jang Il-ryong’s reaction was strange.

He was eyeing the two of them with a look that seemed to say he found them ridiculous.

“Ugh. You can’t even get the basics right. The moment your opponent shows any form of respect, you immediately return it with a bow.”

Namgung Jang-ho tilted his head, looking confused.

“What do you mean? If the other side shows respect, it is natural to reciprocate with respect…”

“Ugh, damn it! With one bow, you’re immediately exposed as a righteous sect member. Why don’t you just get a tattoo on your forehead saying ‘righteous sect’ and go around?”

The person most shocked by that comment was Je-gal Un.

He had secretly thought that, given his own intellect and talent, he could easily operate in the realm of the unorthodox.

But that confidence crumbled completely with just a single bow.

At that moment, Jang Il-ryong swiftly assumed the bowing stance again.

“Huh?”

“…”

Namgung Jang-ho and Je-gal Un instinctively mirrored his bowing posture, and slowly unbent, looking somewhat embarrassed.

Both of them appeared disheartened, shoulders slumped and faces downcast.

“Why don’t you just give up? You’re both deeply ingrained in the formalities of the righteous sect. This isn’t something you can fix by practicing.”

At that moment, Jo Hwi intervened.

“There are those who want to take over our association. We are going to catch them.”

Jang Il-ryong’s curiosity immediately piqued.

“Ha? Who dares to challenge us?”

“Heukcheonryeon,” Jo Hwi replied.

Jang Il-ryong’s eyes widened.

“…Heukcheonryeon?”

Not all factions within the unorthodox world get along.

The Green Forest Thirty-two Branches and Heukcheonryeon had a long-standing rivalry over control of the Changjiang River area.

“Those greedy bastards are eyeing our association too?”

Crack, crack.

Jang Il-ryong stretched his joints and gave off a determined aura.

“So, you want us to help you out? Fine. I will cleanse all of you from the righteous sect’s influence within three days.”

Jang Il-ryong then fixed his intense gaze on Namgung Jang-ho.

“Especially you, Jang-ho. No shouting your sect’s battle cry while fighting.”

To someone from the unorthodox world, nothing was more ridiculous than the righteous sect’s battle cries.

When fighting for life and death, it was not some child’s play, shouting things like ‘Nine Dragons and Heavenly Slaughter’ or ‘One Thousand Blossoms’—it was simply laughable.

Seasoned fighters could prepare for an attack just by hearing a battle cry.

If they weren’t planning to throw the match, it was a habit that had to be broken.

“Why do you shout battle cries when assuming fighting stances? Is it like saying ‘I’m going to attack this way, so please dodge’?” Jang Il-ryong asked.

“Well, it’s…” Namgung Jang-ho hesitated, then gave up trying to explain.

The reason for the battle cry was exactly as Jang Il-ryong described it.

The martial arts of righteous sects stemmed from a mindset of respect for the opponent.

In martial arts, to prevent injuries, they would call out a battle cry to give the opponent a chance to defend.

Such manners and consideration had been ingrained in them since childhood.

But there was another reason for it.

It looked stylish.

Namgung Jang-ho, too, was a man who could not easily give up that elegance.

Jang Il-ryong smirked meaningfully as he stared at Namgung Jang-ho.

“There’s a ruthless guy in the unorthodox world known as Smiling Poisonous Dagger. Do you know what his specialty is? He makes a bow with a smile, and then throws a poisoned dagger. He’s a perfect example of ‘a knife behind the smile.'”

“…” Namgung Jang-ho was stunned.

How could someone who called themselves a martial artist resort to such a dirty trick?

“Have you heard of the name ‘Evil Demon Child’ or ‘Yue Shao Jun’? He’s said to have the most pitiful face in the world. He drains the vital blood of anyone who feels sorry for him and uses it to increase his inner power.”

Jang Il-ryong’s gaze grew more profound.

“There are also those who pretend to be lame or crippled, but you need to watch out for them. A sneaky move from an Iron Leg Demon could break an experienced fighter’s skull.”

And so, Jang Il-ryong continued to list the characteristics of famous unorthodox martial artists.

Jo Hwi shook his head in disbelief.

“There isn’t a normal one among them. They’re all crazy.”

“Hehe. Anyway, the basic nature of the unorthodox world is…” Jang Il-ryong paused.

“Backstabbing,” Jo Hwi completed the thought.

“You got it, brother,” Jang Il-ryong grinned.

After hearing all the details about the unorthodox world, Namgung Jang-ho finally realized how naive he had been.

Je-gal Un had the same realization.

“Now you understand why seasoned unorthodox experts are all so cold and calculating?” Jang Il-ryong asked. “Without that kind of cold-heartedness, you can’t survive in that world. The unorthodox world is all about backstabbing and being ready for betrayal at every turn.”

Everyone’s face grew somber.

Having lived as a young noble from a righteous sect, they were not prepared for the harsh reality of the martial world.

Romantic notions about the martial world?

Once they had decided to enter the unorthodox realm, such soft-hearted ideals had to be set aside.

“Now, Je-gal hyung?” Jang Il-ryong asked.

“Yes, what is it?” Je-gal Un replied, startled as Jang Il-ryong suddenly stared at him.

“You, too, must stop waving that fan with such elegance. And that scholarly look in your eyes, cut it out.”

Je-gal Un, who had been elegantly waving a fan with the Golden Phoenix Silk, froze and hurriedly folded it up.

“Why is this forbidden?” he asked.

Jang Il-ryong sighed and then shot him a sharp look.

“Am I some noble? Am I a scholar? Am I the son of a wealthy family? Are you going to advertise it with your entire body?”

“…”

“The Black Path Sect is fundamentally made up of bottom-tier people. For those whose lives are already tough, what would the idea of study mean? The privileges of the children of noble families? The entitlement of the well-fed?”

As Jeegal Un’s shoulders slumped again, Jang Il-ryong glared at all three of them in turn and harshly spoke.

“Hey, you damn, breast-smelling fools of the righteous sect! What are you pretending to be, copying the ways of the Black Path! Go back and suck your mother’s milk some more! Hahahaha!”

“You damn bastard!”

“Ha!”

Namgung Jang-ho and Jeegal Un immediately rose and took a fighting stance.

“If you get all trembling and pull out your weapons just because someone curses you once, you’re most likely from the righteous sect!”

“You crazy bastard!”

“Hmph! Keep your jokes within bounds!”

Jang Il-ryong’s meaningful gaze turned towards Jo Hwi.

“If you’re truly a member of the Black Path, you’d never be shaken by such petty insults. You would simply coolly observe the opponent’s eyes or sleeves. Loud and rowdy types are usually trying to attract attention to poison you.”

“…Heh!”

Jo Hwi’s eyes glinted coldly, and he smirked ominously.

“I guess I was born for the Black Path, Jang.”

Jang Il-ryong pulled out a dagger from his sleeve with a calm and determined gaze, and Jo Hwi was the only one who met his eyes without flinching.

After skillfully displaying the dagger, Jang Il-ryong scanned them all.

“These insults are considered quite tame in the Black Path… If anyone insults your parents, would you simply stand there or rush in foaming at the mouth?”

He then shouted roughly to the still-dazed men.

“We’re starting special training! Jang-ho! Jeegal Un! Face each other and find each other’s flaws, curse at them! If you tremble or bite your lips, then you lose immediately!”

***

A person’s martial arts can be counted.

Of course, one can also possess the talent to earn money and the learned wisdom of a noble family.

If one is gifted, it is entirely possible.

But Namgung Jang-ho thought this was utterly absurd.

“An unscrupulous merchant who only cares about money!”

“Yep, damn.”

Namgung Jang-ho forced himself to calm down as his eye twitched and yelled again.

“Just a loud-mouthed flatterer!”

“Yep, old man.”

Trembling.

Namgung Jang-ho couldn’t hold back any longer and stood up.

“Ugh!”

He couldn’t handle Jo Hwi, who was like a parrot, only attacking with insults about his parents, without a flicker of emotion in his eyes.

“Wow!”

Jang Il-ryong watched with admiration.

Normally, a righteous sect person would feel guilty about even bringing up someone’s parents, but Jo Hwi didn’t care in the slightest.

But it wasn’t even anything dramatic.

“Yep, your mom.”

“Yep, your dad.”

Except for the strange tone, it wasn’t even something that could truly be called an insult.

It was that strange tone that dug into the heart worse than the insult itself, and that was the problem.

Why would such a talent be wasting away in the righteous sect?

“Jo Hwi seems to have little meaning in this training.”

Suddenly, Jo Hwi gave a meaningful smile.

In this brutal modern world of the internet, he was someone with an iron mentality, hardened by all the foul language and vulgarities.

This kind of insult battle was nothing to him.

From the beginning, his level was on an entirely different scale compared to these noble youths from the righteous sect.

“Hmm…”

Jang Il-ryong’s expression grew complicated as he looked at Namgung Jang-ho.

In fact, verbal battles in the Black Path sect, and their insults, were even harsher than this. But Namgung Jang-ho just couldn’t hold back.

His entire life, spent as the child of a prestigious family, and his ingrained sense of etiquette and privilege, were holding him back.

If they could use force, this wouldn’t even be necessary. But since their goal was intelligence gathering, they had no choice but to settle this issue.

“Rather than this, Namgung hyung, why don’t you just keep silent? Avoid getting tangled up in verbal battles and simply act like a wandering man, wearing a conical hat and keeping a low profile.”

Jeegal Un nodded as if he agreed.

“That seems better. Let’s go with the setting of me and Jo Hwi acting as escorts.”

Jo Hwi also nodded.

“I see, that’s a good idea.”

After all, a weak mentality like his couldn’t be trained away. If it couldn’t be overcome, then hiding it was a viable option.

With everyone agreeing, Namgung Jang-ho stared vacantly at the distant mountains outside.

The two hours of verbal sparring had made him feel as if his soul had been crushed.

What have I been doing up until now?

He sighed inwardly and stood up firmly.

“Whenever are we departing?”

Jo Hwi also stretched and stood up.

“First, I’ll notify the Dae-sang-hoe about my temporary absence and finish some miscellaneous tasks, then we’ll head out.”

As he watched Jo Hwi, who was now acting with proper etiquette, Namgung Jang-ho shook his head slowly.

Though the verbal sparring had begun with the promise to remain emotionless, he still felt like his heart was torn apart, shivering from the aftermath.

But this man before him, with his incredible martial skills, was as immovable as a thousand-year-old giant rock.

He was definitely not an ordinary person.

“Understood. If you send word, I’ll join you immediately.”

“Got it.”

As Namgung Jang-ho left the room, Jo Hwi’s intense gaze turned to Jeegal Un.

“I’ve heard there are around 8,000 warriors in the Black Path.”

Jeegal Un, who had almost reflexively begun to take out his fan, awkwardly put it back into his sleeve.

“Yes, half of them are in Namchang’s main base.”

Jo Hwi already knew this fact.

His face filled with suspicion.

“So, in Namchang, which is full of Black Path experts, and with our inexperience, how are we supposed to track down Yeon Bong-ryeong?”

A meaningful smile spread across Jeegal Un’s face.

“With the Gyeonggi Tong, which allows us to sense all the hidden energies within a 30-meter radius; with the Cheon-eum-gyeong, which lets us hear a person’s premonitory energy; with the Tongcheon-an, which can see through the opponent’s inner vision. I have learned the Absolute.”

“…”

“Do you want me to continue? There’s Wan-dok-bul-chim (immune to all poisons), Han-seo-bul-chim (immune to heat and cold), Geum-gang-bul-gae (indestructible), Geom-gang-ji-gyeong (sword force realm), Eo-geom-sul (sword control), Eo-geom-bi-haeng (flying sword control)…”

“Enough, enough.”

The three years of training had engraved incredible swordsmanship within him. However, Jo Hwi had never heard of such amazing techniques before.

“With the name Absolute, all strategies, tactics, and common sense are overturned. Our Shin-gi Jeegal fears only one thing, and that’s fear.”

“…”

“What’s most frightening about a martial artist who practices the Absolute is that, should they choose to retreat, there’s no way to catch them. The Absolute makes it so they can slip away at will, no matter how many experts surround them.”

This was what made the concept of Absolute so heavy.

“The concept of an extraordinary being,” Jo Hwi murmured.

“That’s the most accurate description.”

Even in modern times, there are things like that.

A force so absolute that it renders all tactical manuals useless.

An overwhelming, asymmetrical strategy weapon that makes all human resources, assets, economic strength, and military might meaningless.

Right now, Jo Hwi was being treated as something similar to such a nuclear weapon.

Being treated like a walking nuclear weapon wasn’t exactly something Jo Hwi was enjoying.

“You’re placing too much expectation on me.”

“Because you’re Absolute.”

Jo Hwi gave a frustrated look at Jeegal Un, who kept repeating the word “absolute” like a parrot.

“Absolute is not invincible. It’s just one person, and why are you treating it like some kind of religion?”

“Until you meet another Absolute, it is invincible. Belief? Yes, Shin-gi Jeegal is the only one who fears and believes in the martial artist of the Absolute. No matter how brilliant the strategy or surefire plan, it is nullified by Absolute.”

Jeegal Un’s unwavering belief in the Absolute was based on the long history of the martial world proving its greatness.

That boy is blindly believing in your half-hearted Absolute.

‘Exactly.’

In fact, the concept of *Absolute Martial Arts* (Absolute zero) for Chohwi was a bit ambiguous.

Chohwi had never undergone the harsh martial training or years of perseverance that one would expect.

The foundation of internal energy (Inner strength) would normally be carefully laid, strengthening the body through rigorous exercises, and studying martial theories widely. Once the foundation was solid, the *Eye Technique* (Anbeop) would be learned, inscribing a flow of energy onto the eyes, which would then be transferred to the body itself. Through countless hours of meditation, the optimal flow of energy would be honed and sharpened.

Throughout this process, the balance of both internal and external power was essential, and the mind needed to remain unwavering to avoid the risk of going astray. Martial arts training was an incredibly tough process of self-discipline.

However, Chohwi had not gone through any of these long, grueling years of training. Instead of achieving *Absolute Martial Arts* through years of painstaking effort, his mastery was a shortcut achieved through his identity as a *Sword God*, a special existence.

Currently, Chohwi’s martial arts consisted of only three main skills:

– *Gyeomcheon Daesingong* (Sword of the Heavenly Emperor), the power of a *Void Pill* (Industrial complex).
– The *Gyeomcheon Jeonnyeong Jiche* (The Omnipotent Body of the Heavenly Sword) and *Cheongeomryu* (Heavenly Sword Style) learned through swordsmanship.
– *Sword God* was the term used to describe Chohwi’s state, as if a three-year-old child wielded a world-dominating sword. Despite this, the *Sword God* assured that in the martial world, fewer than ten people could surpass Chohwi’s skills. This was because *Cheongeomryu* was an extraordinary sword technique that transcended human capabilities.

In reality, Chohwi did not possess a single characteristic of a martial artist who had attained the *Absolute Martial Arts* (Absolute zero), as described by Jeagalun.

For example, how could he possess *Tongcheon Eye* (Tongcheon-an), a technique that sees through energy flows, when he had never even learned the *Eye Technique*? Or how could he possibly eavesdrop on someone’s energy using *Cheonyeomgyeong* (Cheon-eumgyeong), a skill that required an understanding of the theory of sound waves and energy frequencies?

Moreover, Chohwi had never trained his external martial abilities, so concepts like *Golden Vajra Body* (Indestructible) or *Immune to Poison* (Immune to all poisons) were utterly meaningless.

To be blunt, Chohwi only had three things: tremendous internal power, a unique vision that allowed him to see the world through a physics-like lens, and the legendary *Cheongeomryu* sword technique.

Martial skills like *Qigong*, *Footwork*, *Evasion Techniques*, *Assassination Arts*, and basic elemental skills like *Water Control*, *Sound Techniques*, or even *Stealth*—all of these essential skills for any martial artist in the world—Chohwi had none of them.

“Looks like there’s some misunderstanding,” Chohwi said. “But the *Absolute Martial Arts* you’re talking about is not what I have.”

It was difficult to explain with words.

What he had could still be considered *Absolute Martial Arts*, but it wasn’t the type described in common martial lore.

The key feature of true *Absolute Martial Arts* was that when one sets their mind (*Yi*, Meaning), their form (*Hyeong*, Form) would follow naturally. According to this principle, Chohwi’s current state could be considered *Absolute Martial Arts*.

“The highest martial artist of the Namgung family and the *Cheongcheon Sword Master* both acknowledged your skills. What do you say about that?” Jeagalun asked.

Chohwi massaged his aching temples.

If the strategy or plan in his head came from his martial abilities, he would need to correct it, either by revealing his true potential or by confirming that he truly was *the Absolute Martial Artist* in the traditional sense.

One of these had to happen first.

“…Wait.”

All of this misunderstanding had stemmed from the elders of the Namgung family. Upon reflection, it dawned on Chohwi that he could just make them take responsibility for the confusion.

“Why don’t you stay at *Jogagakjeon* for a while? I need to prepare something.”

“For how long?” Jeagalun asked.

“Well… maybe a week or two? Possibly a month?”

“That’s absurd! The situation is urgent! We don’t have that much time!”

“Then go ahead to Namchang and wait there,” Chohwi replied.

Jeagalun, biting his lip for a moment, finally spoke again.

“I’ll give you three days. That’s all. Beyond that, it might be too late. Your *Jogaga* might all burn to the ground!”

At that moment, Chohwi’s face grew serious.

“I’ll try my best,” he replied.

Jeagalun watched as Chohwi walked away, his gaze lingering on him for a while.

This was the beginning of Chohwi’s journey to reconcile his martial abilities with his reality in the martial world.

—

*Modern-day martial artist falls into the world of Jianghu.*

BUKDU NEO ORIENTAL FANTASY STORY

Author: Cheongluyeon

Publisher: Kwak Dong-hyun / Publishing company: Good World Co., Ltd.

Copyright of this book is owned by Good World Co., Ltd. and the author.

This book is not allowed to be reproduced, modified, or adapted without permission.

ⓒCheongluyeon / Good World Co., Ltd.

ISBN: 979-11-391-0707-4

Printed in Seoul, Korea.

The publisher accepts e-book submissions for any genre of writing.