Chapter 52

Yang Jeong has a concern.

It’s not something grand. Or is it? He’s not sure. It might be quite a grand torment.

At first, Namgung Woo thought he might be seasick, but seeing Yang Jeong’s dark expression without any other symptoms, he approached him.

And Yang Jeong, as if he had been waiting, poured out his heart to Namgung Woo.

“I’m really afraid that the entry standard for our Changcheon Pavilion might reach the peak realm…”

His twin brother Yang Kwae has already entered the peak realm.

Paeng Ha-ryeong, a peak late-stage master, is much stronger than him despite being younger.

When it was just the three of them, Yang Kwae’s teasing could be ignored, but now that a new member has joined who is too outstanding, it doesn’t sound like a joke anymore.

“If this continues, I might be the only one to be expelled, or something like that…”

“What nonsense. Just achieve the Five Dragons Serving the Saint and reach the peak, that’s all.”

“…I want to do that too.”

This seems like a proper mental demon.

Namgung Woo realized that Yang Jeong’s condition wasn’t very good.

How shocking it must have been for him to be surpassed so soon after entering the Thirteen Lightning Flash Swords and thinking he had overtaken his brother.

Realizing that he had been too focused on his own training and the affairs with the Hapbuk Paeng Family, neglecting the Yang Brothers, Namgung Woo decided to play the role of a teacher for the first time in a while.

“How’s the training with the Lightning Flash Swords?”

“From the sixth form onwards, it’s hard to properly execute without sword energy, so I’m stuck.”

The later four forms require aura energy, but from the sixth form onwards, sword energy is a prerequisite.

Fortunately, unlike the later four forms, sword energy isn’t absolutely necessary, but its presence makes a big difference.

For example, the seventh form, Flying Strike Thunder, is a long-range attack that releases sword energy or sword wind. Executing Flying Strike Thunder with just sword wind requires more internal energy control and a well-trained body than simply releasing flying sword energy.

“How about the Thunderbolt True Energy?”

“That also feels blocked. I tried to increase the purity of my internal energy based on the thunder energy you transferred to me, but it’s difficult.”

Namgung Woo could sense impatience in Yang Jeong.

His brother has become a peak master, making him anxious. The feeling of being left behind alone is hard to understand unless you’ve experienced it.

Instead of forcing Yang Jeong to train in sword techniques and mental techniques, Namgung Woo sought another path.

“Then how about changing direction a bit?”

Before coming to this world, Namgung Woo liked to accumulate various bits of knowledge.

Among the psychological phenomena he knew, there was something called the incubation effect.

It refers to the hatching of an egg.

A psychological phenomenon aimed at improving creative thinking, where when faced with an insurmountable problem, stepping away from it and returning later can reveal the solution.

Similarly, there’s the fly-on-the-wall effect.

Based on future-developed psychology, Namgung Woo suggested to Yang Jeong:

“Let’s train in eye techniques.”

§

What are eye techniques? Simply put, they are ways of seeing.

Humans rely on vision for the most information processing. It’s more intuitive than any other sense. The optic nerve, directly connected to the brain, processes information rapidly, using it as a major premise for situational analysis.

Smell, taste, and pain can be interpreted differently by different people due to varying experiences and the ambiguity of the information itself.

You smell something. One person might think it’s a terrible stench, while another might find it delicious.

You hear a sound. One person might say it’s the wind, while another might argue it’s the sound of something being swung.

You feel pain. Someone might say it’s a burn from heat, while another might claim it’s from cold.

Thus, sensory information can lead to different conclusions based on personal experiences.

But vision is different.

It’s extremely intuitive, and barring hallucinations, everyone interprets the same information similarly. There might be differences in detail, but opposing interpretations are rare.

Therefore, even martial artists who sense the world through energy cannot overlook the importance of vision.

“But there’s a limit to enhancing vision through energy. The world of masters is one of speed. Even with enhanced dynamic vision, it’s hard to perfectly track their movements.”

Honestly, even Namgung Woo, with his refined body, finds it impossible to keep up with certain attacks without opening the Azure Tranquility Eyes.

Examples include the Netherworld Horn, Gwak Dan, and Paeng Hu-sang. Extending the criteria, Han Gyeran might also fit.

These examples, all comparable to calamities from the Black Ghost Gate or peerless masters, highlight the limitations of the body without special powers.

“That’s why eye techniques are necessary. Beyond simply enhancing vision, it’s about studying how and what to see well. A master’s battle begins with how they see.”

Namgung Woo realized this during the Manse Mountain Ghost Gate Sealing Battle, but having learned it through life-and-death battles, he can confidently speak about it.

“But, elder brother, eye techniques are usually secret arts. Proper eye techniques are only found in the nine sects, right? Among the Seven Great Families, only the Sichuan Tang Family and the Jegal Family are famous for their eye techniques.”

The Hapbuk Paeng Family also has a hereditary eye technique called the Mixed Void Observation Technique. However, its role is merely supplementary, enhancing the effects of the Heaven and Earth Void Divine Technique.

Unless the eye technique itself reaches the level of a divine art, it’s hard to surpass the intuition and experience of a seasoned martial artist.

Especially with a supreme art like the Heaven and Earth Void Divine Technique, which has foresight capabilities.

“Right. I haven’t learned any eye techniques like the Hapbuk Paeng Family’s Mixed Void Observation Technique. Honestly, I rely entirely on my physique. But the eye technique I’m talking about is more basic.”

“Basic, you say?”

“Having a wider field of vision. Sometimes you need to focus intensely on a specific area, but broadening your vision makes it easier to anticipate ambushes or hidden moves.”

The deck isn’t a suitable environment for proper sword or blade training. It’s hard to even swing a sword freely, let alone spar.

Just endlessly circulating internal energy is boring and reduces efficiency, so why not take this opportunity to train in eye techniques?

The main goal is to induce the incubation effect in Yang Jeong.

Hiding a bit of his true intentions, Namgung Woo revealed the real aim of the eye technique training.

“Taking it a step further, you might even see yourself from a third-person perspective.”

This is also an area of expectation for Namgung Woo.

The hope that combining meditation and eye techniques might develop a more objective view of oneself and one’s surroundings.

This is similar to the fly-on-the-wall effect.

Becoming a fly on the wall, observing oneself from a third-person perspective, overcoming failures and setbacks, and achieving positive progress.

In fact, meditation in martial arts isn’t much different, but Namgung Woo’s plan is to induce the fly-on-the-wall effect more easily and quickly by adding the incubation effect.

“Then let’s start by identifying blind spots.”

Namgung Woo smiled.

It was a moment that brought life to the otherwise dull voyage, which had only been enjoyable for the first few days.

§

“Actually, I was a bit hopeful.”

“Huh? About what?”

“Well, when you start in the martial world, you usually encounter bandits or pirates, right? But the bandits are practically highway maintenance workers, and the pirates are nowhere to be seen, so it’s a bit disappointing.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the three of them quickly turned their heads. Their eyes darted rapidly to catch the faintly shimmering air currents.

They dodged the visualized energy waves Namgung Woo sent targeting their blind spots.

“Hey, boss. What pirates on a canal? The imperial navy’s cannons would turn them into fish food before they could even become water ghosts, huh!”

“It’s just a saying, a saying.”

“Probably, huff! Once we disembark, it’ll be the kind of martial world adventure you mentioned. Jiangnan is…”

Yang Jeong stopped mid-sentence and quickly twisted his body.

As the three dodged well, Namgung Woo increased the speed of the energy waves.

“Jiangnan is dominated by the邪派, right? But there are quite a few orthodox sects too. Right below Nanjing is the Mosan Sect, one of the nine sects.”

This time, it was Paeng Ha-ryeong who answered.

Unlike the Yang Brothers, who seemed to struggle, Paeng Ha-ryeong looked much more at ease.

Given her superior skills compared to the Yang Brothers, Namgung Woo was sending the energy waves with serious intent, yet she managed to dodge them all.

“Elder brother, that’s not just about the邪派, it’s because of the Four Seasons Brew! That’s why.”

Even Paeng Ha-ryeong found it tricky to speak while dodging, her words punctuated by sudden movements.

“So there will be troublemakers.”

“Exactly! As expected, elder brother!”

At that point, Namgung Woo stopped the barrage of energy waves targeting their blind spots.

Catching his breath, Yang Jeong continued his unfinished sentence.

“Whew, I’ve only heard rumors, but the Four Seasons Brew usually attracts late-blooming prodigies rather than the top masters of the sects.”

“They’re embarrassed. They’ve made quite a name for themselves but weren’t chosen by Guyajang, so they aim for the Four Seasons Brew. Then, someone they thought was similar gets chosen by Guyajang, and their pride and face are completely crushed.”

“You two seniors know a lot. Usually, the Four Seasons Brew at Guyajang is centered around late-blooming prodigies. There are exceptions, but the main players people think of are them.”

In the Jiangnan region, far from Beijing and with less official interference.

Here, the邪派 factions dominate the martial world, only moving if their profits are threatened.

And the numerous martial artists flocking from all over for the Four Seasons Brew.

In the intersection of these various environments, conspiracies sprout.

The sinister plot to eliminate late-blooming prodigies heading to Guyajang.

Is it to settle personal grudges? To defeat famous late-blooming prodigies and gain fame?

There are certainly such individuals. Not a few.

But the real threat isn’t these individuals, but a collective.

A group driven by more primal emotions beyond personal grievances.

“The Bokmang Association. A group targeting late-blooming prodigies, designated as a martial world public enemy.”

A gathering of those who wish to pluck the buds (䵗) they look upon (望).

Hence, the Bokmang Association.

The Four Seasons Brew isn’t just a peaceful event filled with the scent of iron.

The thick smell of blood from those heading to Guyajang and those trying to eliminate them seemed to brush past Namgung Woo’s nostrils.