Genius Martial Arts Trainer-Chapter "364"

Chapter 364n

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The Azure Sky and The Ice Flowern

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A sharp pain surged through his abdomen, and an overwhelming sense of exhaustion began to weigh down his entire body.n

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In addition, blood surged up his esophagus, causing Mu-jin to involuntarily cough up a mixture of blood.n

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"Cough…"n

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Even in such a state, Mu-jin attempted to move his hands to grab Cheon-ju.n

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Perhaps due to his desperate effort, Mu-jin's iron-like hands managed to grasp Cheon-ju's shoulder, but alas, it was not Cheon-ju's flesh that he caught, but rather the black dragon robe he wore.n

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Thud!n

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At the same time that Mu-jin's danjeon was struck by Cheon-ju's Naegajungsuh technique, Cheon-ju used a stepping technique to leap backward.n

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Rip!n

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As a result, the black dragon robe in Mu-jin's grasp was torn, revealing Cheon-ju's upper body.n

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At that moment, an onslaught from the Muja Trio and Hye-geol rained down upon Cheon-ju.n

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Since Cheon-ju had prioritized targeting Mu-jin above all else, he couldn't fully defend against their combined assault.n

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Boom!!!n

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Mu-gung's Tathagata Palm, Mu-gyeong's Golden Rain Technique, and Hye-geol's Dragon Fist all struck the spot where Cheon-ju had been standing, causing a dust storm to erupt in the aftermath. Mu-yul and Ling-ling, seizing the opportunity, charged into the dust cloud with relentless strikes.n

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Thud!n

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Several times, the sound of Mu-yul and Ling-ling's limbs clashing with something reverberated through the air.n

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"!?"n

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Sensing something ominous, Mu-yul and Ling-ling quickly retreated.n

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Crackle!n

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A purple aura suddenly surged, scattering the surrounding dust in an instant.n

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The Cheon-ju that emerged from the cloud was unlike the one they had seen before.n

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The relaxed, untouchable figure that had effortlessly fought against the Shaolin masters without sustaining a scratch was nowhere to be found.n

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Cheon-ju's upper body, exposed by the torn black dragon robe, was now marked with burns and wounds from which blood seeped, and his hair was disheveled.n

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However, the expressions of the Shaolin disciples upon seeing this were not as bright as one might expect.n

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"Amitabha…"n

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Though Cheon-ju had sustained some minor injuries, none were fatal or even severe enough to be called serious wounds.n

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Then, as if to confirm the incongruity of his appearance with the self-proclaimed deity he believed himself to be, Cheon-ju swung his arm.n

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Crackle!n

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The purple aura swirling around Cheon-ju surged forward with frightening speed in the direction he swung.n

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"Dodge it!!"n

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Mu-gung and Mu-gyeong, who became his next targets, narrowly evaded the attack by throwing themselves to the side.n

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Boom!!!n

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But as the attack collided with the Nahan Formation standing by, several of its members spewed blood and collapsed.n

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Despite witnessing such a scene, Mu-jin couldn't move.n

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'Please!!!'n

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He cried out inwardly as if trying to will his body to move, but the internal energy flowing through Mu-jin's body did not obey his command.n

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His danjeon, shattered by Cheon-ju's Naegajungsuh technique.n

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The internal energy that had resided in that danjeon was now rapidly escaping Mu-jin's body, contrary to his desperate wishes.n

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No matter how hard he tried to hold onto that energy, it was slipping away faster than he could grasp it.n

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Mu-jin's role was to remain engaged in close combat with Cheon-ju to prevent him from running amok.n

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And for that, more than anything, it was essential to maintain his protective Qi.n

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But now, with his danjeon destroyed, he could no longer fulfill that role.n

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Crackle.n

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The monster that had destroyed the barrier confining it, at the cost of sustaining injuries, began to rampage uncontrollably.n

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* * *n

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Ssshk!n

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Dao Yuetian, having successfully dealt with In-ju, was now slaughtering Shinchun's warriors alongside Pae Jin-seong.n

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Every time he swung his black saber, the wounds inflicted by In-ju on his left forearm and right side ached, but he paid them no mind and continued to wield his weapon.n

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As he methodically cleared the area around him,n

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Boom!!!!n

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A massive explosion occurred in a nearby battlefield.n

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Feeling an inexplicable sense of foreboding, Dao Yuetian turned his gaze towards the source of the explosion.n

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And what he saw was a man in a black dragon robe charging towards Mu-jin, completely ignoring the attacks of the Shaolin monks.n

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Dao Yuetian thought to himself that if it was the Mu-jin he knew and trusted, he would surely withstand the attack.n

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But the sight that followed was far beyond his expectations.n

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Mu-jin, who had been struck by the man in the black dragon robe, was now coughing up blood.n

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Moreover, while the black dragon robe-clad man was rampaging after having his robe torn, Mu-jin stood still, like a man nailed in place, bleeding.n

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It was then that Dao Yuetian realized something was gravely wrong with his benefactor.n

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"Brother!"n

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Dao Yuetian urgently called out to Pae Jin-seong.n

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No matter how precious his brothers in the Tu-shin Bang, who had crossed the gates of death with him, were, he couldn't abandon the benefactor who had protected him and his family.n

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Crack!n

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After impaling an enemy with his spear, Pae Jin-seong quickly turned his head to look at Dao Yuetian.n

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"Brother. I'll leave this place to you."n

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Dao Yuetian spoke with a serious gaze, but within his eyes, a deep sense of unease was also present.n

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Pae Jin-seong, being an experienced master, had been steadily assessing the battlefield situation.n

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"Are you planning to help the Shaolin?"n

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"…Yes."n

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Even though Dao Yuetian had formed a sworn brotherhood with Pae Jin-seong and had been active together in the Southern Sky Association, he couldn't reveal that he had become a part of the demonic path at Mu-jin's request.n

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Naturally, Pae Jin-seong was unaware of Dao Yuetian's thoughts or feelings towards Mu-jin.n

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"Go ahead, I trust you."n

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Pae Jin-seong concluded that there must be a reason for the troubled look on his brother's face that he hadn't yet shared.n

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Grateful for his trust, Dao Yuetian nodded once and then turned to leave.n

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Slash!n

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Cutting down the warriors of Shinchun who blocked his path, Dao Yuetian pressed forward.n

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Towards the place where the monster was running rampant.n

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* * *n

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A little before the events above:n

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After entrusting In-ju and his subordinates to the Southern Sky Association, Jegal Jin-hee and the martial artists of the Jegal family moved to aid the Namgung family.n

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At the heart of the battlefield:n

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"Damn leeches!"n

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Shards of shattered energy from Hyeok Jin-gang's Unyielding Will scattered in all directions.n

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"How insolent."n

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As Namgung Chang-hwi and Namgung Jin-cheon swung their Qi-infused swords, deflecting the remnants of the sword-breaking technique, Jegal Jin-hee fearlessly plunged into the fray.n

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"I'm joining the fight!"n

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Frost surged around her as she opened her fan wide.n

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She advanced towards the more pressured Namgung Jin-cheon, waving her fan as she went.n

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A curtain of frost formed along the path of her fan, and at the same time, Hyeok Jin-gang's sword-breaking technique struck the frost curtain in quick succession.n

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Crack!n

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Due to her insufficient internal energy, Jegal Jin-hee's Moonlit Fan Dance could not fully block the sword-breaking technique.n

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However, it was effective enough to slow the speed of the sword-breaking energy, even if only slightly.n

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Crack!n

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Thanks to her help, Namgung Jin-cheon found it easier to deflect or evade the attacks.n

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"Hm."n

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Namgung Jin-cheon observed Jegal Jin-hee with a peculiar expression as she had intruded into their fight.n

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To be honest, if she had been a hindrance, he might have immediately shouted at her to leave.n

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However, since they had fought together against Hyeok Jin-gang once before, her assistance was so flawless that it was hard not to appreciate it.n

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Even though she was right next to him, swinging her fan and creating a barrier of frost, he didn't feel the slightest bit of discomfort as he wielded his sword.n

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She perfectly filled the gaps between the paths of his Chang-gung Muae Swordsmanship, preventing the sword-breaking energy from reaching him.n

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In fact, he even had the thought:n

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'It's almost as if she's showing me the path my sword should take.'n

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It was a truly perfect synergy.n

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Such a feat would have been impossible without constantly considering both his martial arts and herself.n

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Namgung Jin-cheon had never really pondered over such synergy before.n

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As an emperor stands alone, there was no need for him to match his movements with anyone.n

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Conversely, this meant Jegal Jin-hee had likely spent considerable time thinking about how to match her movements with his.n

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'Hmm. This means she's been quite interested in me.'n

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Namgung Jin-cheon arrived at his own strange conclusion.n

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And with this reasoning, her sudden involvement was now something he could fully understand.n

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'Hyeok Jin-gang is an enemy of our family. While we don't need outsiders' help, if she wishes to stand with our family, I can certainly accept that.'n

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What a beautiful sight, indeed, to see a granddaughter-in-law lend a hand in avenging her grandfather.n

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Namgung Jin-cheon was quite pleased with her loyal heart towards him and his family. However, now was not the time to dwell on such matters, as he was in the midst of a fierce battle with his enemy.n

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"Step back, Miss."n

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Speaking with the weight of a king, Namgung Jin-cheon advanced forward.n

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Thanks to her support, it had become easier to deflect the sword-breaking technique, allowing him the space to move forward.n

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As Namgung Jin-cheon approached Hyeok Jin-gang and swung his sword, Hyeok Jin-gang's attention naturally shifted to him.n

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Clang!!n

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Namgung Jin-cheon's heavy sword clashed with Hyeok Jin-gang's Unyielding Will, creating a dull sound.n

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As expected, the sword, meeting Hyeok Jin-gang's unyielding defense, screamed in protest.n

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Just before Namgung Jin-cheon's sword could break, Namgung Chang-hwi swiftly moved in and struck at Hyeok Jin-gang with his sword.n

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Namgung Chang-hwi, whose movements had become smoother thanks to Namgung Jin-cheon drawing Hyeok Jin-gang's attention, was now able to act more freely.n

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"Hup!"n

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Hyeok Jin-gang quickly halted his breath, gathered his internal energy, and executed a stepping technique.n

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He took a step back, diverting Namgung Jin-cheon's sword, and then swung his Unyielding Will again, narrowly blocking Namgung Chang-hwi's sword.n

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"Ugh…"n

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Although Hyeok Jin-gang had deep internal energy, the Changcheon Sword that Namgung Chang-hwi wielded was just as formidable in strength as the Unyielding Will. This caused Hyeok Jin-gang to momentarily struggle with his breathing.n

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"Hup!"n

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Even in this situation, Hyeok Jin-gang forcibly drew more internal energy, thrusting out his palm.n

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As if anticipating this, Namgung Chang-hwi met his palm with his own.n

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Boom!n

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Using the recoil from their clashing palms, Hyeok Jin-gang swiftly retreated about three jang (about 30 feet).n

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"Hoo…"n

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Hyeok Jin-gang took a deep breath to calm the turbulent energy within him.n

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Meanwhile, Namgung Chang-hwi and Namgung Jin-cheon rapidly closed the distance to pursue him.n

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Zing!!n

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Just before Namgung Chang-hwi's sword could reach him, Hyeok Jin-gang, now ready, unleashed the sword-breaking technique again through his Unyielding Will, sending it out in all directions.n

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Though dozens of energy shards flew at him from such close range, Namgung Chang-hwi effortlessly deflected those heading his way.n

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At the same time, Jegal Jin-hee had already approached close to Namgung Jin-cheon, assisting him once more.n

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Clang!n

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Namgung Jin-cheon was impressed by her perfect support, though Jegal Jin-hee herself remained expressionless as she swung her fan.n

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It was only natural. She harbored no feelings for Namgung Jin-cheon.n

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Jegal Jin-hee's focus on synergy wasn't because of Namgung Jin-cheon.n

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A few months ago, during a Special Operations Unit mission to eliminate the head of Shinchun who had been hiding in Shandong with Mu-jin, she had experienced something that left a lasting impact on her.n

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Two members of the Special Operations Unit, one being the first disciple of Wudang and the other a Zhongnan Sect elder, had willingly sacrificed themselves to protect her.n

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This was shocking for Jegal Jin-hee, who had considered them future rivals, more than mere allies.n

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After that day, she had no choice but to acknowledge it.n

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She wasn't yet at Mu-jin's level. She couldn't face the top warriors of Shinchun on her own.n

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So, she began to obsess over the concept of synergy.n

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Her Moonlit Fan Dance, which combined ice techniques with the soft and flowing characteristics of her style, was well-suited for defense.n

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This made her techniques a surprisingly good match for the brute strength of the Namgung family's heavy swordsmanship.n

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Clang!n

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With her flawless synergy, Jegal Jin-hee succeeded in protecting Namgung Jin-cheon from the sword-breaking technique.n

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Immediately afterward, Namgung Jin-cheon nodded in her direction as he resumed his advance toward Hyeok Jin-gang.n

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"??"n

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Jegal Jin-hee frowned slightly, puzzled as to why Namgung Jin-cheon had nodded at her, and then shifted her gaze back to Hyeok Jin-gang.n

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Allowing her thoughts to wander in the midst of battle? Such foolishness was absolutely unacceptable to someone as cold and calculating as her.