Chapter 5: The Best
The next morning was...rough to say the least. Shim Ok-Ryeon may or may not have discovered He Lei sleeping in her guest room, and she was incensed at the sight of him. Here is a short version of how the morning went. Ahem.
Insert Burning Battlefield theme.
- A wild Shim Ok-Ryeon appeared.
- Go, Nak So-Wol! I choose you!
- Shim Ok-Ryeon's ability, intimidating glare, activated! It's ineffective!
- Nak So-Wol used speak! The target is patiently listening...
- Shim Ok-Ryeon used deny! Nak So-Wol's request has been rejected.
- Nak So-Wol's ability, Sad Aura, activated! Upon seeing her granddaughter sad, her guard has been lowered.
- Nak So-Wol used Puppy-eyes Jutsu! It's super effective!
- The foe Shim Ok-Ryeon gave in! You won the battle!
- Nak So-Wol gained 100 Exp. Points!
And that's how that situation was solved. Now, he had the guest room to himself as long as he instructed Nak So-Wol. She certainly deserved some kind of reward, so He Lei gave her a head pat. Her reaction to it was...interesting. She liked how nice his hands felt against her hair and when she registered what she was doing, she smacked his hand and ran away. He Lei felt a serious sense of Déjà vu.
Of course, she had to come back to get lessons from him, so she focused all of her attention on what He Lei was saying. There was probably not a word out there to describe how amazing he was. Under his advice, she mastered both the Plum Blossom Sword Art and the 14 Plum Blossom Sword Art in under an hour. Sure, they have been mostly perfected anyway but that last bit had no progress for over two weeks.
Even after she was done mastering them, He Lei gave her tips and tricks on how to use the sword arts more efficiently and how to develop her unique style. According to him, she was a very flexible person with high levels of speed. As such, she should concentrate on turning the Plum Blossom Sword Art into what he calls the Plum Blossom Sword Barrage Arts. This art is expected to be like an ocean where waves of fast, overwhelming, and continuous attacks "drown" the opponent until submission or death.
However, this was only an idea he came up with just for her. If Nak So-Wol wanted to actualize it, she would have to work very hard. He also told her that she could change the plans any time to fit her more perfectly and that he didn't want to force her to learn something. It was a nice gesture but it was kind of pointless. No matter how she imagined it, this future art of hers was perfectly suited for her fighting style.
Leaving her alone for self-studying, he went to the training center and waited. Since it was early morning when he dealt with the old hag and trained Nak So-Wol, only a few instructors were there. They observed him from head to toe and approved of what they have seen. Soon, almost over three hundred people or kids in this situation showed up together.
Spotting He Lei on the training grounds where everything was cleared up, they marched together with their head held high. At the arrival of the large group, He Lei opened his eyes and stood up. As they approached him, elders and other teachers sat somewhere to witness the fight. Yoo Jeong-Mok and Joo Seo-Cheon came together and took a seat at a location where they could easily watch what was about to happen.
Nak So-Wol, who came later, wasn't dumb enough to fight He Lei in his enraged state as she tasted defeat when he was barely trying, so she stood next to her grandmother. Shim Ok-Ryeon had the same stoic face as ever.
Among some of his enemies were older individuals that had different clothing. Some belonged to the Lotus Unit and one belonged to the Plum Blossom Swordsman. Obviously, the fourth generation is not filled with kids. If his middle-aged master is a third-generation disciple that will soon become a Plum Blossom Swordsman then surely some older individuals existed in the fourth generation. He stood out from the kids as he seemed to be in the early twenties to mid-twenties at best.
To this surprise, He Lei chuckled. "I did say all fourth-generation disciples. Good. Maybe this won't be as boring as I thought." 'Volcanic Age does focus on Joo Seo-Cheon a lot so these no names are new to me.'
"Arrogant child, what are the rules?" asked the young man in a demanding tone.
"I'll tell you, ugly dog," replied He Lei. "Fight till you drop or die. Also, you can't run away. The moment you people touched this ground, you became my prey. Since I'm in a better mood today, I'll let you drop out. In the next 5 seconds, if you don't leave, you will fight me. Keep in mind, this is me against all of you."
"I'm not going anywhere until I teach you a lesson little punk."
He Lei made eye contact with him. "And I think that you need a reality check because there are people that you can not offend."
He laughed uproariously. "You believe yourself to be superior? A third-rate cultivator like you is an insect compared to me."
"We'll see. 1." Nobody left. "2." Some third-generation disciples who were masters to some of the future victims hesitated. "3." Backed up by the Lotus Unit and the Plum Blossom Swordsman, every one of them wore mocking smiles. "4."
"Bang Cheol-Sam! Come here this instance!"
The person being called out was disgruntled by the words and the man who said them. "Grandfather! I have a chance to get revenge for breaking my hand!"
To his reply, Zo Mu-Yang jumped to the stage and grabbed his wrist roughly. "Unfilial grandchild! How dare you not listen to me! You are leaving and that is final!" With one scathing glance towards He Lei, he left the stage and joined the elders.
"It was very smart of you to do that," said Hak-Song.
"Smart?" Zo Mu-Yang resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "That bastard would murder my last relative if I left him there. We've all seen a small portion of what he can do."
Young-Jin shook his head. "I'm just worried about how many elixirs this is going to waste."
"I doubt that even the Plum Blossom Swordsman will change the outcome of this match," spoke the Sect Leader. "This boy is dangerous."
"5. Your last chance is over." He Lei turned to one of the instructors. "Please begin the fight."
She nodded. "Ready?" Everyone concentrated whether they were the fighters or they were the spectators. "Start!"
In incredible speeds, He Lei ran to the group and plowed through them. From an aerial perspective, one can see a straight line formed by a gap of people not standing where they originally were.
Drawing their swords, they pounced at He Lei who was standing at the heart of the large group. Using his bracers, he warded off any and every strike that came his way. With his enhanced senses operating together to predict the next attacks, he was working hard to not break the sword he was making contact with. Instead, he devasted the wrists or fingers of those holding the hilts.
Picking up the swords on the floor, he smashed them to the ground, making them stuck. Many questioned what he was doing but none looked away from him. Every punch was swift and precise with no wasted movement. The stronger individuals couldn't figure out how a boy his age was dodging swords from angles he couldn't see.
Once the fodder was thinned out, He Lei took his time against the stronger ones. He Lei had to kick the lying bodies to the side just to have a little moving space.
One of the Lotus Unit members immediately punched out. He was not a sword fighter like the rest. Activating his Shield Sword Art Non-Sword Version, He Lei dodged and parried every move that came his way. After realizing that the person in front of him had no use, he finished him off with a special move; a jumping uppercut.
"Shoryuken motherf*cker!" He swore he heard some teeth shatter when he hit the guy. Not that it was his problem anyway. "Come on you cowards! You talk all that sh*t and you're not even coming to me? At least the ones on the ground deserve some level of respect." 'That did it. I smell the anger from a mile away. Even the big guy is battle-ready.'
"Fine. Have it your way! Ha!"
'24 Plum Blossom Sword Art. I mastered that a month ago.'
"Eat this!"
'I've been waiting to say this my whole life.' "No, you." He Lei unleashed his own 24 Plum Blossom Sword Art move, destroying the opponent's technique like scissors to paper.
That obliterated whatever confidence the rest possessed. He Lei noticed that they were ready to surrender, but this wasn't enough. Only by traumatizing them will the message be more lucid.
"Have you ever been crushed by overwhelming power? No? Then let me show you something." He looked for Nak So-Wol and when he found her, he raised his hand to get her attention. "Nak So-Wol. When I created that tailor-made sword art for you, I was inspired by my first original art to do so. This is my own Plum Blossom technique. Engrave this moment to your mind. It will be the most beautiful and the most violent memory you will have."
She didn't comprehend his words quick enough and the very next minute stunned her. Nak So-Wol and everyone who was there couldn't believe the information that their eyes were giving to their brains.
"Plum Blossom Art. A Thousand Plum Blossoms."
Previously when He Lei grounded the swords, many couldn't discern why he did that. It clicked in their heads at present as they stared at the hundreds of swords disintegrate into Plum Blossoms.
It created this majestic sight of pink that moved like flowing water. Every single flower was being manipulated in harmony under the instruction of He Lei's hand. As they gathered around him like a shield, he sent a calm gaze towards his opponents. With a wave of his hand, the raging sea of Plum Blossoms coiled around them like a snake before striking from every direction. At least that was the intention until the Sect Leader saved their lives.
"You were going for the kill."
"Indeed."
"Why?"
'I gotta be careful here. Mouthing off the Sect Leader is something I can't do yet.' "Those were the rules."
He was unconvinced. "A part of it. You had the option to harm them or knock them out. Why did you try to break the sect laws?"
"Sect Leader. I had to display my power to make sure that they will fear me. After all, winning the war is my intention."
"Winning the war you say." He narrowed his eyes.
He Lei nodded, unperturbed by the gaze. "Yes. By instilling terror into their minds, I hoped to have all of them avoid me. That way I can obtain peace. The other method was the one you stopped."
The Sect Leader raised his eyebrows. "It sounds like you expected my actions."
"It was not necessarily you. I predicted somebody will come and prevent their deaths. You being the savior only further develops what I planned. I thank you for that."
'I aided him. How? What did I...?' He perceived the reverence he was gaining from the harmed disciples. 'I see. That is genius. Since I, the Sect Leader, saved them, they will think that only I can stop He Lei. As none of the other elders didn't come and I did, it indirectly told them that I needed to take action when others couldn't. Furthermore, my injured hand drove that point home. This pain...how long has it been since I have been hurt?' "You are a very good. The sect is glad to have someone like you on our side."
"It was but a small effort Sect Leader. There is no need for praise."
'Small effort my as*! Junior brother, you managed to damage the Sect Leader! That is something many can't say they have done in their entire lives! You're scary as hell little bro.'
Nak So-Wol rubbed her forehead in exasperation. 'Small effort? You won against ninety-eight percent of all fourth-generation disciples alone. This is considered small? What do you consider large??'
'Behind all that bravado, he does have skills to support himself and his words. Allowing him to train So-Wol should do good for her. However, If he influences my sweet angel...'
'Did you witness that Cheol-Sam? This is exactly why I pulled you out.' Zo Mu-Yang glanced at He Lei before he left with his grandson. 'Hmph. This little bastard does have some talent.'
'I was right about him. The sect will be more interesting with him than without.' Young-Jin analyzed He Lei closely. 'Perhaps he ate some mystical herb that grew out his potential? It would make sense.'
Hak-Song's eyes shined. 'His intelligence is incredible. I wish to teach him myself but alas, he's taken and he seems to like fighting more than knowledge. What a waste.'
"How humble. You are a fine pupil." He said with approval in his tone. "You wanted your space to be respected correct?"
"Yes." 'Yes! Hahaha! I got the Sect Leader on my side! Not really but I know what I mean. Wow. That is super lonely. I need to get a spiritual buddy that can talk or something.'
"I'll make sure that is granted. Everyone. Disperse and continue with your day."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Auren02
Auren02 No chapter for the weekend. This is my worst chapter so sorry about that. Have a good day everyone and stay safe.
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