Chapter 13
Baek Mu-Gun had already spent three days alternately sparring with the White Wolf Squad members. However, there was still no word of the Sea Dragon Gang making its move.
By this time, the White Dragon Squad and the White Tiger Squad had already received reports about Mu-Gun engaging in sparring matches with the White Wolf Squad, and rumors had naturally spread about Mu-Gun’s outstanding martial prowess. As a result, many began desiring to spar with him, including Baek Yong-Hwan. He honestly wasn’t confident that he could beat Mu-Gun, but that wasn’t his goal. He simply wanted to gauge Mu-Gun’s skills in person.
Having heard that Mu-Gun would spar with anyone who’d challenge him, Yong-Hwan dropped by the White Dragon Ship. The White Wolf Squad members gazed at him with interest as he boarded.
He then approached Mu-Gun, who had just finished a spar and was taking a rest.
“Cousin! I heard you’ll spar with anyone who challenges you. Does that also apply to me?” Yong-Hwan asked.
“Of course. As long as they’re from the Baek Sword Sect, I will take them on.”
“Can I request a spar with you, then?”
“With pleasure.”
Mu-Gun readily accepted his challenge. If Yong-Hwan had dark intentions in mind, he never would’ve requested a spar. Losing in public wouldn’t do his chance to become the successor any good. Mu-Gun judged that Yong-Hwan requested a spar purely to compete with him in martial arts without any political intentions. Above all, there was no harm in this spar for Mu-Gun.
Through this match, Mu-Gun would be able to prove his martial prowess once again and allow him to completely imprint his martial prowess in Yong-Hwan’s mind, preventing him from having any futile greed. It would be even better if he could make Yong-Hwan sincerely admire and follow him through this bout.
Amid the White Wolf Squad’s attention, Mu-Gun and Yong-Hwan faced each other. This composition is securely entrenched in n0v*lbin★
“You can start first.”
Naturally, Mu-Gun conceded the first attack. That applied to everyone, not just Yong-Hwan. Mu-Gun had always conceded the first move even during his matches against the White Wolf Squad. Yong-Hwan was also aware of it, so it didn’t offend him at all.
“Here I go!”
Yong-Hwan quickly dashed forward with Flight Steps and thrust his sword forward.
Rustle!
The tip of his sword shook, scattering sword shadows. He had just executed the Formless Moonlit Willow, one of the 36 Phantom Moon Blades techniques.
‘That’s pretty good.’
Yong-Hwan’s Formless Moonlit Willow was neat and accurate. However, it wasn’t good enough to warrant admiration. Mu-Gun unleashed the Moonlight Reversal, a technique discordant with the Moonlight Formless Willow.
Kaboooooom!
The sword shadow that rose from his sword spread like a fan, tearing through the Formless Moonlit Willow’s shadow. When his attack was easily destroyed, Yong-Hwan responded with an even more powerful technique. However, the result remained the same. Yong-Hwan’s sword couldn’t even come close to Mu-Gun before being blocked.
The pattern didn’t change even after ten, twenty, and thirty seconds. As he faced off against Mu-Gun’s 36 Phantom Moon Blades, Yong-Hwan felt as if he hadn’t properly understood the 36 Phantom Moon Blades. Mu-Gun performed it without any regard for form, which made Yong-Hwan feel as if he was looking at totally different sword techniques.
The surprising thing about it was that the changes Mu-Gun had made brought about a completely different level of power in his sword techniques. Watching him made Yong-Hwan realize that the sword art’s techniques restricted him too much. He had to break the form of the technique’s framework and unleash the technique freely.
However, that wasn’t as simple as it sounded. Such a feat could only be achieved after countless trials and errors, strenuous training, ceaseless studies, and deep research. However, Mu-Gun had already reached that level. He already anticipated Mu-Gun to be powerful, but the latter still far exceeded his expectations. Still, there was a reason why he was considered the greatest talent in the history of the Baek Sword Sect.
Yong-Hwan realized that Mu-Gun was an opponent he could never overcome in just a single bout.
Competing with him for the position of successor? It was illogical. It was basically attempting the impossible. At that moment, Yong-Hwan completely relinquished his greed for the successor position.
He was reluctant to follow his father’s will in the first place. He only did it for the sake of the Baek Sword Sect. However, that was no longer the case now. Mu-Gun had to be the sect’s next leader for its future. Under his rule, he would make the Baek Sword Sect shine brighter than anyone else could.
‘If that Mu-Gun brat just disappears...’
A wicked thought crossed Cheon-Gi’s mind. He was already quite the loser. He couldn’t let his son turn into a loser, too. If something were to go wrong with Mu-Gun, Yong-Hwan would naturally have a change of heart. Cheon-Gi made some sort of decision in his mind. Hiding his ambitions, he convinced himself it was out of paternal love for his son.
However, he didn’t express his inner thoughts to Yong-Hwan. After all, he knew very well that Yong-Hwan would strongly oppose it.
“Phew, I understand where you’re coming from. Even so, don’t give up so easily. A friendly rivalry would allow the two of you to grow further. It would be good for Mu-Gun’s development if you compete with him until the very end.”
“Understood.”
“You may leave.”
Cheon-Gi sent Yong-Hwan away. Alone, he got lost in his thoughts.
***
Meanwhile, in the Sea Dragon Archipelago, Sea Dragon Gang Leader Ak Gun-Hyo summoned Yeo Gang.
“Did you call for me?”
“Your three days are over. Have you come up with a plan?”
“I think it would be a good idea to use decoy tactics and the empty fort strategy[1]together.”
“How do you expect me to understand that? Give me a simpler explanation.”
“Like usual, we’ll send out the Sea Dragon Corps to plunder merchant ships.”
“We’re plundering merchant ships instead of fighting the Baek Sword Sect?”
“Yes. The Baek Sword Sect won’t send out their full power since they’d suspect that we’re simply trying to create a diversion. In doing so, we’ll be able to plunder merchant ships without any interference from the Baek Sword Sect.”
“Don’t tell me your plan to take revenge on the Baek Sword Sect is to plunder merchant ships?”
“No, that’s not it. Once our first attempt confirms that the Baek Sword Sect won’t make a move, then our strategy is basically already ninety percent complete.”
“Why do you insist on explaining this in such a frustrating way?”
“Once we’ve confirmed that the Baek Sword Sect didn’t respond to our movements, we can continue plundering merchant ships until they’re forced to act. Aiming for that exact moment, we’ll send out empty ships as a distraction. When their forces have been divided, we’ll attack the Maritime Defense Base. In doing so, we’ll achieve victory while minimizing the damage we’ll incur.”
“How would we know when the Baek Sword Sect would take action for us to send out empty ships?”
“To be honest, it will be hard to determine exactly when that will be. In fact, while we are plundering, we have no choice but to send out an empty ship once in a while and wait for the Baek Sword Sect to make a move.”
“In short, you want to rely on luck?”
“That’s correct, but this plan has no harm to us. If the Baek Sword Sect prolongs doing nothing, we can easily plunder other ships, which will eventually take a toll on them. We’re not the ones in a hurry. They are. All we have to do is send out empty ships while looting and wait for them to deploy their forces.”
Ak Gun-Hyo thought Yeo Gang made sense. Plundering merchant ships without any Baek Sword Sect interference would certainly benefit the Sea Dragon Gang greatly and financially damage the Baek Sword Sect.
“Alright, let's carry out that plan.”
“Understood.”
Ak Gun-Hyo gave his permission. Shortly afterward, the Red Dragon Ship took off and left the Sea Dragon Archipelago. At that moment, the Baek Sword Sect’s reconnaissance ships monitoring the Sea Dragon Archipelago immediately fired a signal flare into the sky. Signal flares also played the role of a beacon.
Upon noticing it, the reconnaissance ships within a certain distance fired similar signal flares to send news all the way to the Maritime Defense Base.
1. The Empty Fort Strategy is the 32nd of the Chinese’s Thirty-Six Stratagems. The strategy involves using reverse psychology to deceive the enemy into thinking that an empty location is full of traps and ambushes, and therefore induce the enemy to retreat. ?