"Hooooo..." The Viridian Scholar took a deep breath and concluded his training. A faint aura briefly swirled around him, before slowly settling back inside his body.

Emerging from a state of selflessness, he wore a dazed expression, as if he had just woken from a long dream. Gradually, however, his vision cleared and his mind returned to reality.

"...Was learning martial arts always this fun?" he mused, surveying the scene he had created.

Distinct marks were carved into the ground within a thirty-meter radius around him. The earth looked as if the claws of a massive tiger had torn it asunder. He had unknowingly created these gashes while in a trance, unleashing waves of qi.

"Congratulations on achieving complete mastery," Baek Suryong said with a grin.

"B-Boss...!"

"Congrats!!"

Jang Geol and Gu Gil were on the verge of tears, and not just because the Viridian Scholar's martial arts had reached a new level. They had watched him for a long time as he strove to change the Viridian Forest. He was the benefactor who taught their ignorant selves to read and write, advised them to live in harmony with one another, and helped them become martial artists instead of common criminals.

This is a nonprofit translation. There are no ads. Do not make Mimi cry.

To everyone in the Yama Keep, he was like a father. Seeing such a man achieve great enlightenment overwhelmed them with emotion, and tears burst forth.

"Hwaaah! Booooss!"

"We'll follow you for the rest of our lives, Boss!"

The hulking men rushed forward, tears and snot streaming down their faces.

The Viridian Scholar recoiled in disgust. "Eww! Stop it, you're gross!"

Unfortunately, he was too exhausted to push Jang Geol and Gu Gil away, and the two large men tightly embraced him.

"You fools. You reek of sweat..." he grumbled in annoyance, and then his vision faded to black.

THUD!

"......"

"B-Boss?"

"Booooss!"

Seeing their boss fall unconscious, Jang Geol and Gu Gil's faces turned deathly pale. Panicking, they grabbed his body and shook him frantically, not knowing what to do.

Sighing, Baek Suryong stepped in. "Idiots. You're going to kill him at this rate!" he scolded.

THWACK! THWACK!

He stared down at the two bandits now rolling on the ground, clutching their heads in pain. A strong sense of déjà vu washed over him.

I feel like I've seen this exact same scene just a few days ago.

How about reading Demon Instructor Wiji Cheons exploits at .

Shaking his head, he checked the unconscious Viridian Scholar's pulse. As expected, the man had fainted from pure exhaustion.

He looked back at the fidgeting Jang Geol and Gu Gil. "He just collapsed from exhaustion, so there's nothing to worry about," he reassured. "Prepare a place for him to sleep and start a fire. It looks like we'll have to camp here tonight."

""Yes, sir!""

Jang Geol and Gu Gil scattered to gather firewood and leaves for bedding, while the Silver Tiger purred and nuzzled its face against the Viridian Scholar's cheek.

Baek Suryong gazed silently at the unresponsive Viridian Scholar, his expression reflecting a mixture of pride and regret.

Damn. It would've been better if we had met sooner.

CRACKLE, CRACKLE!

The Viridian Scholar regained consciousness to the sound of a crackling campfire. When he opened his eyes, he was greeted by a night sky blanketed with twinkling stars.

Baek Suryong sat before the campfire, poking the kindling with a stick. "You awake?"

""Zzzzz~ Pshhhh...""

Read this at ?

Off to one side, Jang Geol and Gu Gil snored loudly in their sleep, utterly worn out from the grueling training. They wouldn't stir even if thunder struck right beside them.

The Viridian Scholar glanced at them, then slowly sat up. "How long was I out?"

"About four hours. For someone who collapsed from overexertion, you sure woke up quickly. How do you feel?"

"I had... a dream."

"A dream?"

The Viridian Scholar nodded. He wriggled his arms and legs for a moment, then muttered dazedly, "Somehow, my body doesn't feel like my own."

"You'll adapt in time."

The Viridian Scholar examined his own condition. Outwardly, nothing had changed. His muscles hadn't suddenly bulked up, nor had his physique been reconstructed like with Body Reformation.

Nevertheless, he could feel an unfamiliar power stirring within him. Now that he learned the Eighteen Strikes of the Viridian Forest, the strength that had been lying dormant inside him due to years of dedicated physical training had awoken.

The dreamy haze in his eyes sharpened into a sharp glint.

This is a nonprofit translation. There are no ads. Do not make Mimi cry.

"I believe I can now declare myself the successor to the Bandit King without shame," he said confidently, rising to his feet.

His shadow, cast by the campfire, momentarily swelled to the size of a giant.

"Of course, I'll have to get permission before that," he added.

Baek Suryong tilted his head. "Permission? From whom?"

The Viridian Scholar walked into the open area and faced Baek Suryong. He spread his feet apart at a moderate distance, angled his stance, raised his arms, and lightly clenched his fists.

This was the martial art he had discovered on the rock left by the Bandit King. He had trained in it daily for over thirty years. This time, though, his opening stance was based on the Eighteen Strikes of the Viridian Forest.

"Would you mind sparring with me?" he asked.

"......" Baek Suryong stared at him blankly for a moment. The bandit boss's eyes were as calm as a lake. Still, he asked worriedly, "You just woke up after fainting from exhaustion. Are you really going to be okay?"

"To be honest, I feel like my power is boiling over to the point where it's hard to control."

Baek Suryong finally nodded, agreeing to the spar. Rising from his spot, he took a starting stance nearly identical to the Viridian Scholar's.

"......"

"......"

The two men stood facing each other in silence. The stars twinkled in the night sky overhead, seemingly ready to rain down. The flames of the roaring campfire flickered back and forth.

WHOOSH!

A sudden gust of wind made the flames swell. As if on cue, the two men simultaneously sprang forward.

PAPAPAPAPAK!

Fists and palms collided, while feet and legs tangled. Clouds of dust were kicked up by their footwork and strikes as both men moved constantly, each aiming to seize the upper hand.

SHWAAAAK!

The air itself shrieked at their explosive speed. Their sleeves flapped wildly, whipping toward each other's faces, but even that counted as an intentional attack.

Form didn't bind them. Using their entire bodies, the two fighters endeavored to subdue the other. Techniques that orthodox sects would deem cowardly came naturally to them as they engaged in close-quarters combat.

This is a nonprofit translation. There are no ads. Do not make Mimi cry.

Despite the ferocity of the clash, neither man used inner arts, competing only with their physical prowess.

Baek Suryong marveled at the Viridian Scholar's skill. A decade ago, the man would have ranked among the world's top ten external arts masters. Now that he had achieved enlightenment, he could easily be ranked among the top five, or even top three. He was a truly exceptional martial artist.

If I hadn't overcome the Heavenly Yin Severed Meridians, I wouldn't even have been able to hold my ground properly.

He gritted his teeth. He fought with all his might, but as time passed, he realized that he was being gradually pushed back.

The reason for the difference was the amount of time they had spent training in external arts. Thirty years of relentless training had honed the Viridian Scholar's body into a diamond, cut and polished to perfection. In comparison, despite its outstanding potential, Baek Suryong's body was still a raw gem.

BOOM!

Baek Suryong crossed his arms to block a palm strike from the Viridian Scholar, but the force of the impact pushed him back, his feet carving two furrows into the ground as he slowed his momentum.

"Hoo..."

"Phew..."

The two men stood for a moment and regulated their breathing. White steam rose from their bodies.

The Viridian Scholar recovered first. "I mentioned earlier that I had a dream. In that dream, I met the Bandit King."

"......" Baek Suryong's eyes widened in shock.

The Viridian Scholar smiled. "He was a much bigger man than I thought. To my surprise, he personally demonstrated the Eighteen Strikes of the Viridian Forest and taught me how to use my body."

Read this at ?

Baek Suryong remained silent, listening intently as the Viridian Scholar recounted his dream meeting the Bandit King.

"Besides martial arts, I asked him about many things I was curious about, and he told me many stories. He was quite talkative."

"Calling him 'talkative' is an understatement. He's hopelessly obsessed with the sound of his own voice."

Although the Viridian Scholar called it a dream, neither the speaker nor the listener dismissed it as a fleeting fantasy. They were connected by the martial art established over Maeng Ho'ak lifetime. Such a thing was bound to contain its creator's will and soul.

"The Bandit King said that if I wish to call myself his successor, I must first receive permission from my Senior Brother."

"Your... Senior Brother?" Baek Suryong muttered the unfamiliar honorific blankly. This was the first time in both his lives that someone was addressing him like that.

The Viridian Scholar brought his hands together and bowed humbly, as if he were addressing an elder. "I, Ju Pyo, formally greet you, Senior Brother. Please grant me permission to carry on our master's long-cherished wish."

"Ha... haha." Baek Suryong couldn't help but laugh incredulously. Now that he thought about it, since Number 27 was Maeng Ho'ak's only true disciple, that did make him the Viridian Scholar's senior brother. "Seriously? Master Maeng appeared in your dream and told you to get my permission? What if I don't allow it?"

"......" The Viridian Scholar bowed his head to show that he would abide by Baek Suryong's decision.

Baek Suryong shook his head in disbelief. How many people would voice out a request they heard in a dream?

"Sigh, Master Maeng is as frustrating as ever," he groaned.

"Does that mean..."

"I'll grant you my permission, so go create the Viridian Forest that Master Maeng dreamed of."

"...!!"

Baek Suryong smiled. To think the new Bandit King would be my junior brother. I can hardly believe it. The source of thɪs content is novel{f}ire.net

Just in case though, he asked, "By the way, did that old man say anything about me in your dream?"

"I don't know if I should tell you this, but..." The Viridian Scholar hesitated for a moment, then continued, "He said that you're worse than a bandit, so you definitely shouldn't become one."

Baek Suryong chuckled. "What the fuck? That chatty geezer is bad-mouthing his disciple even in death."

He changed his stance. He had suddenly gained a junior brother, but the task before him hadn't changed.

"Since my junior brother has mastered the basics of the Eighteen Strikes of the Viridian Forest in the blink of an eye, I'll start teaching you the Savage Tiger Fist in earnest. If it's you, I don't think you'll struggle to learn it."

Baek Suryong uses the Heaven Defying Divine Art on you.

The Savage Tiger Fist was one of the Bandit King's ultimate techniques, with five different forms. Although relatively straightforward, it required training the Eighteen Strikes of the Viridian Forest to a high level to avoid straining the body.

As expected, the Viridian Scholar learned the Savage Tiger Fist in a matter of minutes. All that remained was to master it through diligent training.

"As expected, you learn fast."

"Thanks to Senior Brother's excellent teaching."

"Hm? Well, that's a given."

"......"

Of course, there was no better way to master a new technique than using it in practice, so Baek Suryong suggested with a grin, "Shall we go another round?"

"Very well, Senior Brother."

The two men competed in external arts until dawn. By sparring with the Viridian Scholar, Baek Suryong's skills also improved rapidly. Ultimately, for both the student and the teacher, this was a time of great realization and learning.

A few days later, they arrived at Mount Heng, where the unorthodox sects' meeting would be held.