Chapter 44

Chapter 44
The stone barriers flanking the practice grounds stretched even taller toward the sky, crowned at the highest ridge by an entrance that resembled a mountain pass.

Every martial artist present tilted their head back to take it in. A suffocating pressure settled over the crowd, far exceeding the tension from the horizontal course. Scaling this perpendicular ascent presented a completely different tier of danger.

During the previous test, their soles had at least remained pressed against firm ground; now, they were expected to evade lethal projectiles while suspended completely in empty air.

Narrow footholds were carved unevenly into both facing walls, demanding continuous zigzagging leaps from one side to the other to gain elevation. While a master blessed with peerless lightness skills might attempt to shoot straight toward the clouds in a solitary bound, such an effort invited catastrophe, as it would expose the climber to a concentrated barrage of flying weapons from every angle above.

“Surely you are not planning to showcase this course as well?”

Baek So-cheon inclined his head in response to Hwang Il-bi’s query.

“Without utilizing any internal energy, of course.”

“The opening run was already pushing your luck far too far.”

“This is fundamentally different. How can anyone dodge concealed weapons mid-jump without internal energy to maneuver? What happens if you slip from that altitude?”

“Naturally, I would perish.”

“Then go do your dying somewhere else! Why must you do it right before my eyes?”

“Would it really distress you that much?”

“Are you saying you would find joy in that?”

Hwang Il-bi swallowed the rest of his words, frightened that speaking them might manifest a disaster.

‘If you suffer an injury here, Chung Yang will host an absolute festival of celebration! That is precisely why you must not attempt this!’

Baek So-cheon signaled the mechanism operator to configure the trial to extreme difficulty, mirroring his earlier setup. By default, the extreme setting widened the distances between footing points and unleashed faster, far deadlier projectiles than the advanced tier.

Turning back, Baek So-cheon addressed the assembled fighters.

He reminded them that when a warrior’s life hung by a thread, if even a single person managed to survive in the future because of what they witnessed today, the gamble would be worth every bit of danger. He told them to keep their eyes wide and observe closely.

“Understood!”

With their thunderous shout ringing in his ears, Baek So-cheon propelled himself upward.

His opening ascent was flawless. He achieved an elevation impossible for any ordinary man lacking internal cultivation, clearing the distance with the silent, fluid grace of a prowling feline.

No mechanisms triggered just yet.

Instantly, Baek So-cheon sprang across the void toward an outcropping jutting from the opposite stone face.

A sharp whistling sliced through the air.

Two concealed projectiles hurtled downward, one angling from the left and the other cutting in from the right.

A crisp metallic ring echoed through the arena.

Twisting his torso mid-flight, he slapped away the projectile approaching from his left.

Harnessing the recoil generated from striking the second projectile, he drifted smoothly across the gap toward his mark.

Roars of awe erupted from the spectators below.

Baek So-cheon’s physical form had already shattered its mortal boundaries repeatedly. When coupled with the profound footwork derived from the Heavenly Thunder Nine Fists, his maneuvers forced gasps of sheer reverence from every onlooker.

His steps were nimble and his calculations instantaneous. He offered a masterclass in how to distribute physical leverage in midair, maximizing hang time while steering the body precisely toward its intended destination.

Every warrior watched in astonishment at what sheer flesh, bone, and explosive momentum could achieve without a speck of internal qi.

A handful of moments chilled the blood of everyone watching.

Yet each time disaster loomed, he effortlessly transformed peril into a stepping stone. The most breathtaking moment arrived when, trapped in a seemingly unavoidable trajectory, he spun his body midair, planted the sole of his boot onto a flying projectile as if it were a rock in a shallow brook, and vaulted cleanly across to the opposite ledge.

Just like that, Baek So-cheon reached the uppermost summit untouched. Having drilled this mechanism countless times in the past, his exquisitely conditioned physique paired with the lightness movements of the Heavenly Thunder Nine Fists easily compensated for his empty dantian.

As he stood proudly atop the highest platform, a deafening wave of applause and shouting rolled across the grounds.

Swept away by a surge of nostalgia, Hwang Il-bi cried out unthinkingly.

“Our Captain was never one to hide in the rear!”

He had consistently put himself in front of them all. Whenever an enemy ambush had to be shattered, he was the first to soar into the breach just like this. And from the high ground above, he would gaze down, urging them onward while guarding their advance with vigilant eyes.

It was for this very reason that, despite undertaking the most horrific and perilous operations under Captain Baek So-cheon, their company had maintained the lowest death toll among all ranks.

‘Captain! Please return to lead us once again, just as you used to!’

The plea rose from the deepest chambers of his soul.

Hwang Il-bi was far from alone in harboring that desperate longing. Many men standing there felt the exact same sentiment—not merely as hardened soldiers, but as ordinary human beings.

Men do not merely relish watching legends fall. They yearn for new champions to emerge, and they desperately pray for their fallen heroes to rise and return. To the men standing on this training field, Baek So-cheon remained that very hero.

Baek So-cheon descended with effortless precision, hopping between the left and right footholds until his feet touched the earth.

“Now then, let us commence your actual drill.”

“Yes, Sir!”

The men of the Iron Sword Unit calibrated the course to the advanced tier and threw themselves into the vertical trial.

Baek So-cheon positioned himself to offer precise pointers on dodging angles and counter-striking techniques. Exactly as he had pledged from the start, he executed his duties as a temporary instructor with utter perfection. It was this steadfast dedication that deeply touched the hearts of the Iron Sword Unit.

Though several men found themselves in harrowing positions, the exercise ultimately wrapped up with merely one sprained ankle and a pair of superficial contusions.

Baek So-cheon gathered the men before him once more.

“I am grateful everyone completed the run without serious harm.”

“We offer our deepest thanks for your instruction!”

The warriors of the Iron Sword Unit bellowed their appreciation in unison. The light residing in their eyes now bore no resemblance to the cold wariness present when Baek So-cheon had first arrived.

“Breaking a sweat alongside all of you after such a long time felt wonderful. In all honesty, this drill served my purposes even more than it did yours.”

Through these trials, Baek So-cheon had accurately measured the current boundaries of his flesh.

Right at that moment, an interruption came.

“Instructor, grant me the honor of a spar.”

The one stepping forward was Cheon-su, one of the six designated unit commanders.

The gaze of every soldier swiveled toward him. Why call for a duel when the mood was so harmonious?

Aside from the most clueless soldiers, nearly everyone understood that Chung Yang had orchestrated this confrontation. It was common knowledge that he viewed Baek So-cheon with bitter hostility.

Cheon-su was certainly not issuing this challenge out of an arrogant belief that he could triumph. Baek So-cheon had already demonstrated a level of capability during the drills that far surpassed theirs. This was simply a duty he could not refuse.

Baek So-cheon accepted the request without a hint of hesitation.

“Very well. Shall we trade a move or two?”

“I would be grateful.”

“Deliver your strike with full commitment. If you hold yourself back out of concern for my condition, this match will conclude in a single breath.”

“Understood. I will comply.”

Under the watchful eyes of the gathered warriors, the exchange commenced.

Cheon-su lunged forward with a sharp thrust of his blade. He poured his absolute power into the blow, but directed the tip toward the shoulder—an area that would avoid fatal injury should the attack land true.

Yet Baek So-cheon did not evade; he stepped straight into the strike.

‘What?!’

For an ephemeral heartbeat, Cheon-su was convinced his steel had driven clean into Baek So-cheon’s flesh.

In the very next instant, a wave of numbness paralyzed his wrist, his footing vanished into the sky, the horizon flipped into a blur, and his back collided firmly against the dirt.

Staring upward from the chilly dirt, Cheon-su looked into the face above him.

Baek So-cheon stood over him, looking down calmly.

“I warned you that holding back out of worry would bring an instantaneous end.”

The man had struck with full vigor, a fact Baek So-cheon recognized completely. By framing it this way in front of the assembled comrades and subordinates, he graciously protected Cheon-su’s honor.

Baek So-cheon lowered his hand. Looking into his expression, Cheon-su found neither mockery nor arrogance. Without hesitation, he took the offered hand and stood.

“Thank you for granting me leniency.”

The movement Baek So-cheon had executed belonged to the Heavenly Thunder Nine Fists.

To be exact, it was Flower Message Wind, belonging to the seven sequences of the First Fist: Wind Flowing Mountain.

“Unit Leader Cheon-su, your right flank drops out of alignment whenever you lunge.”

Baek So-cheon immediately pointed out the mechanical opening in his stance, firmly cementing the man’s total capitulation.

Turning toward the assembled ranks, Baek So-cheon spoke in a grave tone.

“All of you must already perceive that the shadows gathering across the realm bode ill.”

The members of the Iron Sword Unit were consistently among the earliest to receive high-level intelligence, secondary only to the supreme leadership.

“The danger is far more imminent than you realize.”

“Is an open war truly upon us?”

Every soldier present knew the brutal truth: should war ignite, their unit would be hurled straight into the meat grinder of the bloodiest engagements.

Baek So-cheon gave a firm nod.

“Indeed.”

“How much time do we have?”

“A year at the very latest. At the earliest, before this coming winter passes or early next spring.”

Not a single soul within the Alliance—not the high commanders, nor even the Hyun-cheon Pavilion—dared to offer such concrete timelines.

“Three years ago, the Black Heaven Alliance Lord who obliterated my dantian achieved a total recovery. The terrifying master whom I could not defeat even at the height of my strength now stands as your impending foe.”

The area fell so quiet that nobody dared to breathe aloud.

“On the morrow, Hyun-cheon-dae will publicly issue a call for recruits. There is no luxury to educate green recruits from scratch; we require seasoned veterans of your caliber. The Iron Sword Unit faces lethal danger, yet Hyun-cheon-dae will march into even darker jaws of death. Any among you who wish to take the field beside me, step forward and seek me out.”

Right at that second, a furious voice boomed across the yard.

“What in the blazes is happening here?!”

Chung Yang stormed onto the grounds from the rear, bellowing with unbridled fury.

“I permitted you to serve as a guest instructor, and you dare use the opportunity to poach warriors from my Iron Sword Unit? Have you completely lost your senses?”

Baek So-cheon replied with quiet sincerity, maintaining his customary composure.

“You have my apologies. My circumstances are exceedingly dire.”

He held more than enough justification to utterly humiliate Chung Yang on the spot.

Assigning such a deadly obstacle course to an individual lacking internal cultivation was clear proof of malicious intent from the outset. Baek So-cheon could easily have torn his reputation to shreds before his own men.

Yet he refrained.

Tearing down a commander in the presence of his loyal subordinates would only sow seeds of discord and mutiny within the ranks.

Truthfully, he had even come to look back with regret on how brutally he had beaten Chung Yang in their earlier confrontation. It had felt righteous at that moment, but with hindsight, it had been unnecessary. The human heart wavers from day to day; a year from now, he might reflect and decide it had been the right course after all.

“My apologies.”

Faced with such polite deference, Chung Yang found himself stripped of any leverage to press his outrage.

He had observed the proceedings from a distance the entire time. Although he had been too far to catch the dialogue, the mounting cheers of reverence directed toward Baek So-cheon had made it painfully clear that his trap had failed completely.

His final card had been Unit Leader Cheon-su, who was widely acknowledged as the deadliest combatant in the unit aside from Hwang Il-bi. Cheon-su was known for his unbending discipline and would never disobey a direct command.

Yet Chung Yang had never envisioned Cheon-su being dropped onto his back in a single exchange. Had he not witnessed Baek So-cheon conquer the obstacle mechanisms with his own eyes moments earlier, he would have suspected an orchestrated farce.

“As you are well aware, Unit Leader Chung, our feud with the Black Heaven Alliance grows more precarious by the hour. It is imperative that we combine our strength.”

“Pardon my refusal, but I possess zero interest in aligning my men alongside Hyun-cheon-dae.”

“I see. In that case, I shall take my leave.”

As Baek So-cheon spun on his heel to depart, the gathered members of the Iron Sword Unit let out a unified, thunderous shout.

“We thank you, Instructor!”

“The debt is mine. I gained profound insight and learned much today. It has been deeply rewarding. Treat my broken state as a stern reminder of caution—never allow yourselves to suffer foolish injuries!”

Leaving those final words behind, Baek So-cheon walked away.

Chung Yang swept a piercing glare across his ranks, his eyes blazing with an unsaid threat: Dare to defect to his side, and you will pay dearly.

Yet such intimidation was hardly necessary; voluntarily surrendering the elite standing and bountiful privileges of the Iron Sword Unit to start anew elsewhere was never an easy choice.

Once the soldiers were formally dismissed, Hwang Il-bi stepped up beside Chung Yang, attempting to pacify his ruffled feathers.

Chung Yang cut across him with an abrupt demand.

“Are you planning to leave?”

Hwang Il-bi thought to himself that Chung Yang truly harbored deep affection for his men. When Baek So-cheon had earlier extended the invitation to join Hyun-cheon-dae, his own instinct had been to leap at the chance immediately.

Yet Baek So-cheon’s parting counsel remained lodged in his mind: should a crisis strike, you must remain to hold the Iron Sword Unit together.

“Captain Baek seems to have changed considerably, does he not? He was never a man to offer apologies so gracefully.”

“Are you attempting to divert the topic? I demanded to know if you are departing.”

“Are you truly frightened that I will abandon you?”

“You clearly yearn to go!”

“Not in the slightest. I shall remain right where I am.”

“Is that the truth?”

“Without a doubt. If I walk away, who will be left to guard the Captain?”

Only upon hearing those words did the harsh tension drain from Chung Yang’s face.

“Let us be on our way.”

“Understood.”

Hwang Il-bi fell into step behind him. He knew Chung Yang’s anxiety was entirely justified.

Hwang Il-bi could already see what was coming: today’s demonstration would inevitably drive multiple veterans to seek out Hyun-cheon-dae. Had Baek So-cheon battered Cheon-su maliciously or made a mockery of Chung Yang in public, fewer men might have felt the pull.

Whether it was a deliberate strategy or merely his natural character, his measured, principled conduct today had ignited a fire in every man present—including Hwang Il-bi himself.

‘To hell with inheriting the command of the Iron Sword Unit—can I not simply enlist as well?’

He had been unable to march beside him to Mun-seong in the past, but at this moment, the hunger to follow him burned fiercer than ever.