Our Master is The Best!

A martial arts expert. An existence capable of slaughtering dozens of ordinary men without suffering a single wound. Even though there are many masters in the Central Plains, a top-tier master can hold their head high and walk with confidence wherever they go. Perhaps that's why the man with the goat beard was overflowing with self-assurance.

"Kid. Let's see if your skills match your big mouth!"

"Suryong! Getl back!"

Clang!

My father, who had quickly drawn his sword, stepped in front of me to face the man with the goat beard. However, Namgung Wook also drew his sword and attacked my father.

"Hey! I need to have a word with you, brother!"

―Clang!

The power of Namgung Wook pushed my father back, and a look of dismay appeared on his face.

"Ha ha ha! The academy head should stick to the academy head!"

"Get out of my way! Suryong!!"

Worried about me, my father couldn't perform at his best and his movements became chaotic.

While Namgung Wook restrained my father's feet, the man with the goat beard grinned and lunged at me.

"Ha ha ha. Let's see you struggle a bit!"

I took a step back, putting on a terrified expression.

This made his laughter grow even more intense, "Ha ha ha! You look just like a rat with its tail on fire!"

'He's just openly mocking me now.'

His movements were unnecessarily grandiose.Spreading his arms wide, showing off as he flaunted his martial arts with flashy footwork. And of course, a smug smile was plastered on his face.

'I'm actually grateful.'

He was confident because he believed I was no match for him. Indeed, it was natural for him to be so complacent. An expert versus an inexperienced youth who couldn't even use their inner energy. It was expected that he would win easily, even if they fought a hundred times.

But there was one fact he could never know.

'I am no stranger to living without internal energy.'

In that harsh Blood Cult, I had taught martial arts to late-stage students for over 20 years without using inner energy.

Were all the students I taught obedient and diligent?

Were there not a few who looked down on the words of a master without internal energy?

Although I had talent and grew in strength were there no one who challenged me?

Of course not!

There were countless people who underestimated me.Even so, until the Demonic Strategist called me to the underground prison, I was the top and most feared instructor of the Blood Cult.

'I'll show you. How to put down a top-tier master without internal energy.'

"There's no need to be so scared. I'll take my time and kill you slowly!"

Swish!

The man with the goat beard turned his hand into a claw and slashed at my chest. It was menacing, but the movements were too exaggerated. I collapsed backward and kicked up my feet.

Rip!

His claws ripped through my clothes, but my kick struck his belly.

Whack!

The unexpected blow made the man with the goat beard stagger several steps back.

"This brat?"

His eyes widened slightly. The impact had little effect, but his expression showed confusion and irritation.

"Hmph. Once, it was just luck…"

He couldn't finish his sentence. At that moment, he had to hurriedly block his face with his arms to stop the coins I had fired at him.

—Clink-clink!

I had hidden small coins in my robe and threw them at his head and eyes.

"Do you think such a petty trick will work?"

Given the close distance, he naturally raised his arms to protect his head.

At that instant, his elbows were wide open.

'Got you.'

With a triumphant smile, I used the last of my hidden coins to accurately strike the Quqji pressure point on his elbow.

—Whack!

The Quqji is an important pressure point where energy gathers in the arm. When struck precisely with strong force, it can paralyze the arm.

"Ugh…!"

Given my current strength, the time of paralysis is short.

'That brief moment will be enough to decide the outcome.'

I charged at him as soon as his arm was immobilized. The man's eyes widened in panic.

"Ugh!"

Despite his efforts to dodge, his reaction was still slow due to the ongoing paralysis in his arm.

I formed a finger strike with my index and middle fingers and targeted the area around his shoulder, specifically the Shoulder acupressure point.

Thud!

The Shoulder acupressure point is where the body's stagnant energy accumulates most. Stimulating it with the right force can paralyze the whole body.

"Ugh...!"

Feeling the sharp pain, he trembled uncontrollably. I firmly grasped the back of his head with both hands and grinned.

"You're done for, you bastard."

Pulling his head with all my strength and simultaneously driving my knee into his face.

Bang!

One hit wasn't enough.

Bang! Bang!

Two hits felt a bit too lackluster.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three, four times, I continued to slam my knee into his face with the intent to finish him off.

"Ugh.... You... bastard...!"

Even as an expert, his endurance was remarkable.

Despite staggering, he swung his arms trying to push me away.

Whoosh!

Even though his wild swings lacked finesse, they were still dangerous given the current state of my body.

I narrowly dodged the attack and moved to his left.

Papapapack!

I continued to press on his acupressure points with my strikes, but the response was much weaker than before.

'Damn, acupressure points won't work anymore.'

He began to seriously channel his internal energy to protect his meridians.

With my own internal energy and strength insufficient, further acupressure attacks were impossible.

I retreated decisively.

"Kraak! I'll kill you!"

Enraged, he charged at me. But his momentum was much weaker than before.

Repeated blows to his head had left him dazed, making it difficult for him to maintain his balance. He was driven only by rage to kill me.

'Such lackluster attacks are no threat.'

Whoosh! Whoosh!

I minimized my movements and dodged all of his attacks by mere inches.

"You're just like the others."

"Graaah!"

He didn't hear my words at all, but that didn't matter.

"Thinking that just because you've mastered some internal energy, learned a few things, and grown a big head, you could look down on me."

"I'll kill you!"

During my time as a martial arts instructor in the Blood Sect. I was despised by many of my students and even fellow instructors simply because I couldn't use internal energy.

"Those who thought I was inferior just because their own dantians were intact."

"Die! Die! Die!"

"Do you know what happened to them?"

I deliberately exposed a gap.

He pounced on it like a beast smelling blood.

I stepped forward just as he lunged.

"Ugh!"

As my foot entered the spot where he should have stepped, his foot twisted.

With his foot twisted, his breathing became obstructed.

With his breathing blocked, his body momentarily stiffened.

This time, that 'moment' was enough.

"Here it comes."

I dodged his attack and turned to the side.

A moment later, my elbow connected with the back of his head.

—Smack!

With a sharp impact sound, the man with the goat-like beard sprawled out on the floor like a frog.

"Ugh..."

I clutched my chest and tried to catch my breath.

My weakened body had clearly overexerted itself; blood was dripping from one of my nostrils.

I wiped the blood with the back of my hand when I sensed a presence nearby.

"Ugh...!"

The man with the goat-like beard was struggling to get up.

It had only been a month since I woke up in this body.

It was clearly an insufficient period to properly train.

"Damn it. If only I could fix the Celestial Yin Severed Meridian..."

Then I'd be able to master all the ultimate arts in my mind. Then I wouldn't need to use such tricks, even if hundreds of them came, it wouldn't be a problem.

"Die!"

The man with the goat-like beard, staggering as he got up, charged at me with a murderous intent, his eyes wild.

"Hoo..."

But I didn't dodge. By now, I had bought enough time. I glanced back and asked,

"Is it over?"

"It took a bit longer since it's been a while since my last real fight."

At that moment, a figure emerged from behind me and swung a sword fiercely.

—Whoosh!

The man with the goat-like beard's arms were severed and flew into the air, blood spraying from the severed stumps like a fountain.

"Gaaaah!"

Screaming and writhing in pain, the man with the goat-like beard faced my father, who stood resolutely with a sword in both hands.

"Are you alright?"

"Yup."

When I looked back, the self-proclaimed Namgung Wook lay defeated on the ground.

In contrast, my father was unscathed.

'Just as I thought. He really is a first-class warrior. A true elite.'

For reasons I didn't fully understand, my father, Baek Muheon, had been hiding his abilities.

Of course, I already knew that. After all, I had lived with him for a month.

From the start, I had provoked them, knowing that we could win easily.

I struggled to catch my breath and said, "With a confession and so many witnesses, handing them over to the Martial Alliance branch will be easy. They will handle the rest."

"We'll have a lot to discuss when we get back…"

At that moment, the roar of cheers interrupted my father's words.

"Wahhhhh!"

"They defeated the wicked Sapa!"

"Long live Baek Muheon!"

"Long live Baek Suryong! Long live The Baek Academy!"

People who had their lives saved by us swarmed around, cheering, and crying tears of joy.

Among them, the expression of the merchant Mr. Jang's snotty-nosed kid, Jang Yi, was the most amusing.

"Master Baek! Our Master is the best!"

Would you look at that, he'll be pestering me for martial arts lessons again tomorrow.

"Oh, what about the others…"

"They ran."

The henchmen of the man with the goat-like beard who were blocking the gate, including Yang Sam and other Jin Academy disciples, had already run away.

As the situation was sorted out, intense fatigue hit me all at once.

"It's all over…"

I staggered.

"Suryong!"

Dizziness set in.

With the tension easing, my knees gave way, and my body tilted to the side.

My eyes slowly closed.

Feeling as weak as ever...

I looked at my father with a sideways glance.

By now, my father had embraced me and was looking at me with a worried expression.

"...I'm going to rest. Please handle the rest."

Thud.

Amid the cheers erupting from all around, I lost consciousness.