The Martial God with Psychic Powers-Chapter 91

"Not only the lowerclassmen but even the intermediate students need to be reevaluated?"

"Yes. What exactly happened at Baekyeong? The kids in the report are completely different from the ones I saw."

Hwang Sung began to meticulously go through the report that Heo So had submitted.

Then he asked, "In your opinion, did you see anyone worthy of being considered a hidden dragon?"

"They all had decent potential, but none of them were at the level to be evaluated as a hidden dragon."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. That boy, Seon Woo Baek, had remarkable talent, but he was far from being considered a hidden dragon."

"I see. You've worked hard."

"Not at all. I actually enjoyed it quite a lot."

"Enjoyed it?"

"Haha. Do you know what happened to me in the end?"

"What do you mean? What happened?"

"Well, the lowerclassmen ganged up on me, saying they were going to get revenge for what I did to them."

"That actually happened?"

"Yes! It was the first time I experienced something like that, so it was quite refreshing."

"You didn't hurt them, did you?"

"Of course not. I left before I was tempted to respond seriously."

Hwang Sung’s eyes widened at Heo So’s admission that he had almost retaliated seriously.

"You mean they pushed you that far?"

"Ugh, don't even mention it. No matter how many times I knocked them down, they just kept getting back up and attacking again. It was as if they had two lives."

"And it wasn't just one of them?"

"Every single one of the kids I evaluated was like that. At this rate, in a year or two, Baekyeong will be the best martial academy under the Martial God Sect."

As Heo So praised them so highly, a glimmer of interest appeared in Hwang Sung's eyes.

"It seems like I'll have to stay here a bit longer."

Hearing that, Heo So smiled and said, "Include me as well. I want to stay and watch those kids grow."

"Huh, using someone like you as a mere instructor at a martial academy is such a waste."

"I could just step away whenever the Ascension Hall needs me. It's not like I'm evaluating talent all year round anyway. And there are plenty of other inspectors besides me."

"Hahaha, you've really fallen for this place, haven't you?"

"Yes! Completely!"

"Hmm... that much, huh? Hahaha, alright. I'll bring it up to the main hall."

"Thank you."

"No, it's me who should be thanking you. It would have been lonely here by myself, but having you around is very reassuring."

After a moment, Heo So carefully asked, "But do you really think there's a hidden dragon here?"

"Well... I don't know. I did have a feeling..."

"I also felt something odd," Heo So said.

"You did?"

"Yes. It was the kids."

"The kids? What about them?"

"Normally, kids that age are rebellious and difficult to unite under one banner, aren't they?"

"True."

"But the kids who attacked me were different. They moved like trained martial artists, coordinating their attacks. That means they must have been training together for quite some time."

"Hmm..."

"And to bring them together like that, there must be a central figure. But from what I saw, Seon Woo Baek is not that person. There's someone else."

Hearing Heo So’s assessment, Hwang Sung's eyes sparkled.

Whoever that "someone" was, that would be the hidden dragon.

"Should I secretly follow the kids?"

Hwang Sung nodded.

"Please do."

****

Heo So began to stealthily tail the kids.

With his level of skill, none of the intermediate students or lowerclassmen could detect his presence.

Especially since Heo So was an inspector from the Ascension Hall.

Moving undetected was something he excelled at.

"Baek Yaksa?"

The place where the kids had gathered was marked by a moss-covered stone inscribed with "Baek Yaksa."

"I see. They’re gathering in the courtyard of an abandoned temple to train."

Now that he had found the meeting spot, observing their activities would be simple.

However—

"What the hell is this? There’s a formation set up here?"

Following the kids, Heo So suddenly lost his sense of direction.

Even the way he had come from became unclear.

There was definitely a formation set up.

Which meant that someone was behind these kids.

A serious expression crossed Heo So's face.

If the person behind the kids wasn’t a hidden dragon but a master at the Manifested Realm level or higher...

Then that person would definitely have a purpose for training these kids.

And if they were going so far as to hide it within a formation...

For now, Heo So’s top priority was to escape the formation.

He placed his palm on the ground.

Buzz—

A faint vibration spread through the ground as Heo So’s hand trembled slightly.

He was using the Resonance Divine Art to send out waves and read the flow of energy through the ground.

In an instant, the waves spread throughout the area, revealing the patterns of the formation and the path to escape.

"Got it!"

Following the revealed path, Heo So quickly moved forward, his thoughts racing.

"To go so far as to set up a formation to conceal everything... Whoever is behind this, I will find them."

As Heo So moved swiftly, a shadowy figure, Cheon Hoseong, watched him carefully.

He vanished without a trace.

****

“Young Master, that man named Heo So is passing through the formation and heading this way.”

“Was the formation that poorly set up?”

“No, it’s because Heo So’s martial arts are the natural counter to the formation. No formation can restrain him.”

Martial arts that counter formations.

Interesting.

Yeon Woo Jin sank into deep thought.

Then he nodded and said,

“Heo So is affiliated with the Ascension Hall, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s bring him and Hwang Sung over to our side. If we leave them alone, they’ll just keep getting in the way.”

At Yeon Woo Jin’s words, the three men around him grinned.

“What? Why are you all smiling? Did I say something wrong?”

“No, not at all.”

Yeon Woo Jin tilted his head, puzzled.

—Kukuk. The Young Master is slowly but surely taking over Mushincheon.

—And he doesn’t even realize it himself.

—He’s already accepting it as the norm.

—At this rate, he won’t even need to compete for the position of Sect Heir. He’ll just take over the entire sect.

—Haha. Isn’t ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) that obvious?

—Everyone, be careful not to let the Young Master catch on.

Seeing Yeon Woo Jin’s still confused expression, the three men quickly masked their expressions.

“Shall I go and bring him here now?”

At Chun Ho Seong’s question, Yeon Woo Jin nodded.

Meanwhile, Heo So, who had successfully made it inside Baekyak Temple, was stunned by what he saw.

“What the...? Most of Baekyeong’s kids are here?”

It wasn’t just the lowerclassmen.

Intermediates and even seniors were mixed in as well.

“What the hell are they doing?”

As Heo So watched intently, his expression gradually hardened.

The kids were performing a battle formation that far exceeded their level.

Two groups were engaged in intense, coordinated combat.

As Heo So watched, his expression became more serious by the second.

Who in the world was training these kids? And for what purpose?

He sharpened his hearing to listen to their conversations.

“Cheongseok doesn’t move like that! Do it properly!”

“Faster! Move faster!”

The imagined opponent they were practicing against was Cheongseok Martial Academy in the Western Region.

A place close to Baekyeong.

But why would they be preparing to attack Cheongseok?

It didn’t take long for Heo So to hear the reason.

“If Cheongseok dares to look down on us, we’ll show them our strength!”

Had Cheongseok provoked Baekyeong?

What could they have done to warrant such a fierce response?

The scene before Heo So’s eyes resembled a martial sect preparing to invade a rival sect.

“We start with Cheongseok and then take over the Western Region! That’s our goal before the end of the year! Move!”

Heo So’s eyes widened in shock.

Baekyeong wasn’t content with dominating the Southern Region.

Now, they were aiming to claim the Western Region as their territory.

No, it wouldn’t stop with the West.

They wouldn’t be undergoing such systematic training just to end it with the West.

Then, what was their true objective?

‘No way... Are they planning to conquer all the martial academies?’

It was something no one had ever succeeded in doing.

If they managed to pull it off, every faction in Mushincheon would be clamoring to recruit Baekyeong’s students.

Heo So stood there, watching the students’ training with a dazed expression.

It wasn’t mere training.

They were fighting as if it were a real-life battle.

Blood splattered, clothes were torn, but they kept charging forward without hesitation.

Seeing them like that, Heo So felt like he was beginning to understand why these kids had become so strong.

But how was he supposed to report this?

Would Hwang Sung even believe him if he reported it as it was?

Would he need to bring Hwang Sung here to witness it firsthand?

Even while watching it with his own eyes, it was hard to believe. How could he possibly convey this in words?

While he was wrestling with how to report what he was witnessing, he felt a light tap on his shoulder.

Turning around, he saw a boy dressed in the uniform of a Baekyeong lowerclassman standing there.

Heo So hadn’t even sensed the boy’s approach until he was right next to him.

“Who are you?”

At the boy’s question, Heo So hesitated, unsure of how to respond.

“And who are you, spying on our training like that?”

“And who are you to ask?”

“I asked first.”

The boy’s demeanor suddenly changed.

A fierce, menacing aura radiated from him.

Heo So’s expression hardened.

‘What...? This presence is making me tense?’

This was no ordinary aura.

“You’re acting suspicious. I’ll need to subdue you first.”

At the boy’s words, Heo So’s face twisted in disbelief.

His aura was certainly impressive, but not to the point of subduing someone like Heo So.

What arrogance.

“You might be strong enough to surprise me, but you’re far from being able to subdue me. You have no idea who you’re up against.”

“Really? That’s strange. I feel like I could take you down.”

At the boy’s taunt, Heo So chuckled.

“Fine. If you can subdue me, I’ll tell you who I am.”

“Oh, that sounds fun.”

In that instant, Heo So knew.

This kid was the hidden dragon lurking in Baekyeong.

If that was the case, he had to properly assess him.

He was genuinely looking forward to it.

How extraordinary was this hidden dragon’s potential?

“Alright then. Where should we do this? Here?”

The boy shook his head.

“There’s a better place. Let’s go there.”

“Fine.”

****

They arrived at a spacious clearing.

‘This place is perfect.’

It made sense why such a large temple had once been built here.

If Mushincheon hadn’t taken over this area, Baekyak Temple would likely still be standing strong.

From what Heo So knew, Baekyak Temple was a branch of the Shaolin Temple.

When Mushincheon took control, all the monks of Baekyak Temple had returned to the Shaolin Temple.

“Shall we begin?”

At the boy’s bold words, Heo So chuckled.

“Alright. Show me everything you’ve got.”

“Everything? That would be dangerous. I’ll just give you a little taste.”

What a cheeky kid.

But for some reason, he wasn’t unlikable.

“Do as you please.”

“Shall I go first?”

“Hahaha! Or should I? Go ahead. You start.”

“Alright, then. I won’t hold back.”

“Come on.”

Swoosh—

Before the words even fully left his mouth, the boy launched himself forward.

“Huh?!”

Whoosh—

Chill ran down Heo So’s spine as a fist grazed right past his face.

‘What...? That speed and power...?’

There was no way this kid was at the level of a typical martial academy student.

“Wow! You dodged that. I guess not just anyone can become an inspector.”

He even knew Heo So’s identity.

“You know who I am?” ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

“Yes. I know exactly who you are.”

“What?”

“You’re the Ascension Sword, Heo So.”

Heo So’s face stiffened.

“And who are you?”

The boy grinned.

“Well, if you can satisfy me, I might tell you.”

“You arrogant little...”

As Heo So summoned his internal energy, his clothes fluttered violently.

“I guess I’ll have to teach you some manners first.”

The moment he finished speaking, Heo So lunged at the boy.

He only intended to teach him a light lesson.

But then—

Swoosh—

His attack passed right through the boy, striking empty air.

At the same moment, the boy’s image faded away like a mirage.

“Spatial Deviation?”

Bam—!

“Urgh!”

Before he could react, a sharp pain exploded in his side.

The boy had already moved to his flank and driven a fist right into Heo So’s ribs.

Vrrr—

Heo So quickly activated the Resonance Divine Art, using its shockwave to dissipate the impact, then swung a fist toward the boy’s face.

Whoosh—

But once again, his attack hit nothing but air, the boy’s afterimage vanishing like a ghost.

A shiver ran down Heo So’s spine.

It felt as if he were being haunted by a phantom.