Martial Arts Ain't Anything Special-Chapter 111: Supreme Force Monstrous Divine Art (1)

Namgung Myeong was going about his usual day when an unexpected visitor arrived.

“Who... are you?”

“I am the Young Master’s great-granduncle.”

“Ah...!”

Namgung Myeong’s eyes widened.

He had heard of him—Namgung Hyeok. A man who had abandoned his clan and family before Namgung Myeong was even born.

Despite surely being hundreds of years old, he showed no signs of aging. Maybe he had reached the Unrestrained Realm and reversed the effects of time.

Regardless, Namgung Myeong smiled and bowed, simply because he was his great-granduncle.

“I’ve heard about you! Have you returned?”

“Not exactly.”

Namgung Hyeok shook his head.

“I’m just passing through. I haven’t reached my destination yet, so I’ll be leaving again soon.”

“Ah, I see...”

“By the way, Young Master, I’ve heard something difficult to believe.”

Namgung Hyeok brought up the Sword Form of the Emperor.

Namgung Myeong was already aware of the matter. When his father had taught the technique to his brother and sister, he had informed him. It was something Namgung Myeong himself had also agreed to.

“Regarding that, I...”

“This cannot be allowed, Young Master.”

“Father...”

“It disregards the legitimacy of the Namgung Clan. I must speak to the Clan Head and rectify this.”

Namgung Myeong sighed internally, troubled. As a great elder of the clan, Namgung Hyeok wasn’t someone he could easily oppose.

He looked ready to confront his father immediately. If that was the case, it might be best to let him.

“I don’t think it’s my place to make such a judgment.”

“If the Young Master voices his opinion to the Clan Head, even he cannot ignore it.”

“Then... perhaps we should first discuss this with my father?”

“A good idea.”

Namgung Hyeok nodded, as if he had been waiting for that response. Namgung Myeong followed as he led the way.

*Another day of fun training with the Fist King.

Boom!

Seojun hurled a boulder three times the size of a person and let out a hearty laugh.

This sucks.

While most martial arts training was enjoyable, this kind of mindless physical exercise was just plain boring.

Not only did it not suit his aptitude, but lifting rocks without thinking wasn’t exactly thrilling.

“Phew...”

The only reason he kept at it was because his regenerative abilities made it quite efficient—and because of his burning desire to beat Namgung Suah in arm wrestling.

Pae Jingwang, who had been watching him for a while, finally spoke.

“Kid.”

“What?”

“Want to learn my martial art?”

Seojun raised an eyebrow at the sudden offer.

“Your martial art? What is it?”

“It doesn’t have an official name. The martial world seems to call it the Supreme Force Monstrous Divine Art.”

The Supreme Force Monstrous Divine Art—a martial art and training method created by Pae Jingwang.

It was also the reason why his realm remained at the Second Rate. Because the Supreme Force Monstrous Divine Art contradicted the concept of realms in the martial world.

Unlike conventional martial artists, who prioritized internal cultivation and treated external training as supplementary, the Supreme Force Monstrous Divine Art flipped that entirely.

It focused on external training, with just enough internal cultivation to store inner qi.

This was why, despite standing on the verge of the Unrestrained Realm, the Fist King was still considered Second Rate.

“Is it really okay to just teach me that?”

“Why not? I created it. I decide who learns it.”

“Hmm...”

Seojun’s eyes flicked to the side.

Chunbong and Namgung Suah were both nodding vigorously.

Learning a martial art from the Fist King? Only an idiot would refuse that.

And Seojun was always ready to be an idiot.

“Chunbong is my only master...!”

“No, you idiot!”

Chunbong launched a dropkick. Seojun took the hit and tumbled across the ground.

“Ugh...!”

“I have no intention of being your master, so hurry up and say yes!”

“But...!”

“‘But’ what?!”

Pae Jingwang laughed heartily as Seojun got pummeled.

“I have no interest in being your master either, so don’t worry.”

“Then why, seriously?”

As Seojun lay on the ground, staring up at Pae Jingwang, he grinned, flashing his teeth.

“Because I see potential in you. Even Namgung Jincheon taught you the Sword Form of the Emperor. Compared to that, this isn’t such a big deal.”

“Uh, then should I teach you the Primordial Divine Art too?”

“Your martial art?”

Pae Jingwang tilted his head. After a moment of thought, he shook it.

“No thanks. Do you know why I created the Supreme Force Monstrous Divine Art?”

“Do you need a reason to create a martial art? You just make it because it happens.”

“Hah. What nonsense. Not everyone in the world is like you. If that were the case, we’d be drowning in Transcendent and Unrestrained Realm martial artists.”

“Ah, I see.”

Seojun nodded. What an unpleasant fellow.

Pae Jingwang continued.

“I have no talent for internal cultivation. If I had tried to balance both the Supreme Force Monstrous Divine Art and internal cultivation, I wouldn’t have reached this level in the first place.”

“The Primordial Divine Art isn’t that difficult, though.”

Seojun activated his deception skill and was promptly smacked by Chunbong. He quickly came clean.

“...Okay, fine, it is difficult. Although it’s a martial art I created, for someone learning from scratch, it might be harder than the Sword Form of the Emperor?”

“That difficult?”

Chunbong, who had memorized all the sutras of the Primordial Divine Art, nodded.

“I guarantee that no one else but him can master it.”

There were two conditions for learning the Primordial Divine Art.

First, successfully creating primordial qi.

Second, converting primordial qi into all forms of inner qi.

Chunbong had been blocked by the first one.

While primordial qi seemed like a singular energy, it actually contained all the qi in the world.

It sounded nonsensical at first—but the more one learned, the more absurd it became.

One couldn’t help but wonder how primordial qi could exist at all—or if it was even possible to create.

“Even if you released the secret manual in the Central Plains, people would probably call it nonsense and treat it like some cheap novel.”

“Well, now I’m curious.”

“Want me to teach you?”

Seojun simply recited the sutra aloud.

Namgung Suah hesitated, but Seojun encouraged everyone to try, just to see if there really was no one else who could grasp it.

An hour later.

Everyone had given up. Completely.

“What is this? This isn’t even a martial art. It’s just your abilities written down in a sutra.”

“No, I’m telling you, it really works if you follow it!”

“So it’s a martial art that only works under the assumption that it works?”

“No. It really works.”

“Haha, you really know how to make someone’s blood boil.”

A vein twitched on Pae Jingwang’s temple. He spoke.

“Want to make a bet?”

“What kind of bet?”

“Whether Namgung Jincheon can understand this martial art or not.”

“Come on, of course my father-in-law would understand it.”

“Even though it’s your unique martial art, you don’t mind sharing it?”

“My father-in-law shared the Sword Form of the Emperor with me, didn’t he?”

“That’s true. That guy’s crazy too.”

Seojun immediately sprang to his feet and ran to Namgung Suah.

“Big sis, did you hear that? This bastard just insulted Father-in-law!”

“That— that petty bastard!”

And so, training was abandoned as the group made their way to the Clan Head’s hall.

*“Hmm... Senior, you’re right... This is barely a martial art... Even I wouldn’t dare attempt it...”

“What.”

Seojun was stunned. Chunbong, on the other hand, sighed in relief.

“Whew, so it wasn’t my talent that was the issue.”

“Of course not. My Chunbong is a genius.”

“You shut up.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Namgung Jincheon, who had been watching the conversation with a faint smile, finally spoke.

“By the way, son-in-law...”

“Yes?”

“I’ve already given a warning, but still... be careful.”

“Warning? What do you mean...?”

Namgung Jincheon explained to the puzzled Seojun.

He told Seojun about Namgung Hyeok, his great-uncle—and that others in the clan were displeased about the Sword Form of the Emperor being taught to an outsider.

Even though Namgung Changhwi had done his best to contain the rumor, it had still spread. Bit by bit, word was getting out.

“Ah, is your brother okay with it?”

“You mean Myeong...?”

“Yes. Wouldn’t he be the one most likely to be displeased?”

Namgung Myeong, the Young Master of the Namgung Clan—also known as Namgung Capybara.

As the next Clan Head, he had every reason to be concerned about more people mastering the Sword Form of the Emperor.

After all, the technique wasn’t just a martial art. It was a symbol, proof of the Namgung Clan Head’s authority.

“That’s correct.”

At the sudden voice, Seojun turned his head.

Namgung Jincheon’s eyebrows rose slightly.

“Great Uncle...”

“Clan Head, isn’t this quite timely?”

Namgung Hyeok gestured. Behind him, Namgung Myeong appeared, scratching his head awkwardly.

“Young Master, speak up. Do you think it’s right to teach the Sword Form of the Emperor to an outsider?”

“I...”

“My stance is clear. While Namgung Suah is a direct descendant and measures can be taken to ensure she never leaves the family, her fiancé is merely an outsider. His dantian should be destroyed, his wrists and tongue severed, to prevent any risk of the technique leaking beyond our clan.”

Namgung Myeong’s head snapped up.

This was going too far.

“That’s not acceptable...”

“Young Master, I’ve told you before—the Sword Form of the Emperor is not just a martial art. It is a symbol of our clan’s history and authority. Do you truly believe it should be handed over so carelessly to an outsider like this?”

“...”

Namgung Myeong’s expression distorted slightly. His dark eyes locked onto Namgung Hyeok.

For a moment, he seemed to wrestle with his emotions. Then, at last, he spoke.

“...Great Granduncle.”

“I’m listening.”

“We are the Namgung Clan, not the Namgung Sect or Namgung Faction.”

Namgung Myeong’s rarely sharpened gaze cut through the air.

Though usually gentle, he was still a direct descendant of Namgung—a martial artist who carried the blood of emperors.

As he steeled his will, the qi around him stirred.

It was the power of the Sword Form of the Emperor. Even at the Peak Realm, he had evoked a tiny fragment of the Unrestrained Realm’s divine might.

The space around Namgung Hyeok seemed to waver under the pressure. His brow furrowed.

“Since when has Namgung placed martial arts above family?”

“Since time immemorial...”

“And what is a clan? It is family. Family comes first, then martial arts—not the other way around.”

Until now, the Sword Form of the Emperor had been passed down only to the Clan Head and their successor as an unwritten rule. But it was no absolute law.

If Namgung Jincheon, who had reached the highest peak among all the Namgung Clan Heads throughout history, chose to change that rule, no one could stop him.

Especially not if his successor, Namgung Myeong, agreed.

“You say the Sword Form of the Emperor represents Namgung? You’re wrong. What represents Namgung is the Namgung surname itself.”

Namgung Myeong met Namgung Hyeok’s gaze without hesitation.

Despite the overwhelming gap in skill between them, Namgung Hyeok did not interrupt.

“Even if the Sword Form of the Emperor were to be sold in the market for anyone to learn, would that tarnish the Namgung name in any way?”

“...”

“Namgung is Namgung. Our sword does not bend, and its light does not fade... even without that divine art. Who would dare be arrogant before the name of Namgung?”

Arrogant words.

But words no one could refute.

Because what made them possible was the name Namgung.

Namgung Hyeok fell silent, staring at the Young Master.

Watching this unfold, Seojun thought to himself.

He’s not wrong, though.

Handing a martial art like the Sword Form of the Emperor to outsiders could potentially cause problems. Especially since it was a symbolic divine art of the clan.

If anything, wasn’t this like an emperor casually handing over the imperial seal to his daughter’s husband and saying, “Give it a try”?

Even though Namgung Jincheon could silence the internal disputes with a single command, Seojun knew he should at least prove himself worthy.

Of course, there would still be talk. But it would be easier to dismiss.

It wouldn’t take much effort to lighten Namgung Jincheon and Namgung Myeong’s burden and repay their trust.

And, as it happened, Seojun had already done quite a bit for the Namgung Clan worthy of being called achievements.

“Oh my, this is awkward. I didn’t want to brag about myself.”

With a grin, Seojun began listing his achievements.

He had created two divine arts that could boost the clan’s actual combat power. He had earned considerable military merits. He had even established the foundation for mass-producing a divine pill that the Namgung Clan had spent ten years developing.

And as a bonus, he had also created a martial art—though still incomplete—that could easily break through the Life and Death Entrance.

“Wait. Come to think of it, I’ve really done a lot for them, haven’t I?”

Though he summarized it briefly, wouldn’t achieving even one of these things would make someone a hero within the clan?

Seojun raised his chin, basking in his own brilliance. A heavy silence filled the Clan Head’s hall.

And then, Namgung Hyeok’s furious roar shattered it.

“...Are you mocking me? Using Namgung’s name as your shield?”

“What.”

“If you insist on speaking, at least make it believable! I have no reason to listen to your nonsense any longer!”

“But it’s true...”

This is unfair.