Chapter 34: Falcon Warrior Na Yuk-hyeong (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 34: Falcon Warrior Na Yuk-hyeong (3)
Sama Yeong was beaming.
Despite her bright expression, her flushed face and ragged breathing betrayed just how exhausted she truly was. Her body was covered in cuts and puncture wounds. Fighting off over twenty experts on her own had clearly pushed her to her limits.
Still, it was an incredible feat. To think she had finished them all off and even managed to provide backup at the very end.
Do you even have a heart, Sodam Sword?
As the tension bled out of me, I slumped onto the ground.
Thump! Thump!
“Ugh!”
As the True Blood Golden Body deactivated, the aftereffects surged through my entire body. My muscles screamed as if they had all been torn apart, wracking me with agony. As expected, this technique carried more risks than benefits for anyone without a specialized constitution.
“Deputy Unit Leader!”
Sama Yeong rushed to support me. When she fought with such ferocity, she was the spitting image of the Moon Evil Sword Sama Chak’s successor, yet her behavior toward me was that of an innocent young girl. She was truly an enigma.
“Good heavens...”
A voice filled with awe reached my ears. Jo Seong-won approached from behind me, limping on one leg.
He took a cut to the calf.
Judging by his numerous wounds, he wasn't in much better shape than I was. Had the fight dragged on any longer, this place surely would have become our grave.
“Did... did you actually defeat Falcon Warrior Na Yuk-hyeong?” Jo Seong-won asked, his face a mask of disbelief.
His reaction was only natural. In a sense, Falcon Warrior Na Yuk-hyeong was a master of the same generation as the Namcheon Sword Guest or the Bizarre Hae Ak-cheon. Defeating such a man was nothing short of a miracle.
“I got lucky.”
To be honest, there was a clear gap between us. He was a master of a higher caliber than me, but by utilizing unpredictable skills and several variables, I had managed to kill him.
If not for the Heavenly Secret...
I never would have been able to break his secret technique. By repeatedly observing his moves through the Heavenly Secret, I had seen the process of how Na Yuk-hyeong was defeated by the Namcheon Sword Guest. I guessed that as a martial artist, he would have developed a countermeasure. If my prediction had been off by even a hair, I would be the one dead right now.
Was it divine luck?
I was truly glad to be alive.
“Thank you, My Lady,” I said, expressing my gratitude to Sama Yeong.
At my words, she gave a bashful smile, twirling a strand of hair that had escaped from her yellow turban. Was she actually... shy?
“Ahem.”
Jo Seong-won cleared his throat and stared at me intently. His expression practically screamed for acknowledgment, as if reminding me that he had also put his life on the line.
“Right. Thank you too.”
Jo Seong-won let out a short laugh. He seemed to find the situation amusing himself. If you knew it was awkward, why did you fish for a compliment? He quickly changed the subject.
“The martial world will be shocked when they hear of Na Yuk-hyeong’s death. Isn't a man of his stature on par with the Four Venerables or the Blood Stars?”
I shook my head at his exaggeration. He was certainly a formidable master, but after facing him, I knew for sure. I didn't know how strong he was twenty years ago, but he was no match for Hae Ak-cheon.
He might be on par with Hengshan’s First Sword.
I had briefly clashed with Hengshan’s First Sword before. Na Yuk-hyeong seemed to be slightly superior or roughly at the same level.
...Excluding the twelve monsters who have transcended humanity, he’s likely near the very top.
The Namcheon Iron Sword, having observed Hae Ak-cheon for a long time as the Namcheon Sword Guest’s blade, concurred with my assessment. I turned back to the questioning Jo Seong-won.
“Stop talking nonsense and... gah.”
Throb!
My shoulder flared with intense pain as I spoke. Seeing my arm hanging limply, Jo Seong-won stepped closer.
“Your shoulder is dislocated. I need to pop it back in. Are you ready?”
“...Do you know how?”
“Of course. This much is basic.”
Right, he was someone who had learned the Descending Dragon Eighteen Palms, one of the pinnacles of external martial arts. He would naturally be well-versed in human anatomy. When I nodded, he grabbed my elbow and shoulder.
“This is going to hurt. One... two... three!”
He gave a sharp, inward tug on my dislocated shoulder.
Crack!
“Guh!”
A cry almost escaped my lips. I had experienced a bone being reset once before, but it was just as agonizing as I remembered.
“You can handle it, right?”
“.......”
For some reason, he was being annoying. I had tried to keep my composure as his superior, but the pain was so sharp I couldn't answer immediately. Only after the throbbing subsided slightly could I find my voice.
I spoke to the two of them.
“Phew. Let’s dispose of the bodies first and move to a safe location so we can perform energy circulation.”
The forest path was littered with corpses. It was better to hide the evidence to avoid potential trouble. We didn't have the strength to dispose of them completely right now, but we could at least hide them in the brush before we recovered our energy.
“Hup.”
I tried to push myself up. However, the aftereffects of the True Blood Golden Body caused my muscles to spasm, and I collapsed right back down.
“Deputy Unit Leader, please just rest. We’ll take care of the bodies,” Sama Yeong urged.
I felt bad since they weren't in great shape either, but I needed to circulate my Innate True Qi if I wanted to move at all.
“...I’ll leave it to you.”
“Oh, please. There’s no need for formalities between us.”
“!?”
Between us?
When I looked at her with a confused expression, she scurried off toward the bodies with surprising energy. She had looked exhausted just a moment ago; where was she getting this stamina? She was truly unpredictable.
“Phew.”
I needed to start my meditation quickly. Staying here too long was dangerous. I began the Innate Heart Method. Immediately, a heat like a kindled fire rose from my heart and spread throughout my body. It was the Innate True Qi.
Huh?
But something had changed within the Innate True Qi. After completing one Small Heavenly Cycle, I could sense the state of my Middle Dantian; the vessel for my Innate True Qi had grown slightly larger. I knew that Innate True Qi could grow when one faced a life-threatening crisis, but it was still surprising.
Does it grow in proportion to the hardship endured?
It was a peculiar power. Perhaps it was because it was an energy that grew centered around one's primordial essence, the core of life itself. While it was a welcome development, I had to hurry.
It was just as I was finishing my second Small Heavenly Cycle.
“!?”
My eyes snapped open. I heard a ringing sound—someone was approaching this location rapidly. It sounded like a single person, but I couldn't be certain.
Damn.
If I could have meditated for just a few more minutes, I would have been able to move properly. The fact that I heard the ringing meant they were carrying a weapon. Coming from the direction of Mangok Village, they were undoubtedly martial artists, but I couldn't tell if that was a good thing or not.
I forced myself to stand, my legs trembling. Having completed two cycles, I finally had enough strength in my legs to stay upright.
“Everyone!”
At my shout, Sama Yeong and Jo Seong-won, who were moving bodies into the brush, looked up.
“Stop what you're doing. We need to leave. Someone is coming—”
“Deputy Unit Leader!”
In that instant, Sama Yeong shouted and lunged toward me. I realized why she did it when I heard the sound behind me. The ringing had been approaching, but someone else had arrived even faster.
Shing!
She urgently drew her sword.
Clang!
With a metallic screech, she was blown backward. I turned my head to see a middle-aged man with a face twisted in rage standing behind me. I didn't recognize his face, but the long whip he held told me his identity immediately.
He appeared to be a disciple of Falcon Warrior Na Yuk-hyeong. I had heard he had two disciples; this must be one of them. I had assumed both disciples were among the dead, but I was wrong.
Haa... this is a nightmare.
It was truly one obstacle after another.
“You bastards! How dare you harm my Master!” the man roared.
I didn't know if he was Myeong-jeong or Myeong-hae. Both of Na Yuk-hyeong’s disciples were known to be Peak Realm masters, and right now, I didn't have the strength to deal with him.
I looked at Sama Yeong; her hands were shaking violently.
Ah...
She was exhausted too. She had fought all those experts and hadn't even had a chance to rest. There was no way she had any strength left.
“Dammit!” Jo Seong-won cursed.
Behind the middle-aged man, a group of about twenty people was rushing toward us.
They split into two groups.
I realized it then. Na Yuk-hyeong and his subordinates didn't know the exact location of the secret passage, so they must have split their forces to cover all likely exits. These men had probably been guarding another location.
What was I supposed to do?
The disciple glared at us and shouted, “I will tear you limb from limb to appease my Master’s soul wandering the underworld!”
His eyes were fixed on us, burning with fury. He had realized instantly that we were in no condition to fight. That was the only reason he could talk so big. Otherwise, would he dare act so recklessly against people who had killed his master, his fellow disciple, and their entire group?
Slide.
I reached for my scabbard again. There was no other choice. Enemies don't only appear when you're at your best.
Seeing my trembling legs, the disciple sneered.
“Do you really think you can even swing a sword in that state—huh?”
He cut himself off, his eyes narrowing as he looked toward the forest path we had intended to take. I turned my head to see what it was. An incredibly fat man was thumping toward us at a run. It was a wonder he could even run with a body like that.
Who was he?
“Stop right there, you lot!” the fat man bellowed.
The disciple looked at him with utter disbelief. “Hey, pig. If you value your life, don't interfere in the business of the martial world and get lost.”
Despite the warning, the fat man waddled right up to us. As he approached, Sama Yeong tried to level her sword at him, sensing a threat.
But then, the fat man said something unexpected.
“Ha! I wondered where these brats had wandered off to, and it turns out you've caused quite a mess. You killed that Falcon Warrior fellow? Khahahaha!”
That boisterous laughter... The moment I heard it, my eyes widened.
This man is...
On the other hand, the disciple was offended by something else.
“That Falcon Warrior 'fellow'? You fat pig, how dare you!”
Crack!
He lashed his whip at the fat man. The whip flew with the momentum of a crashing wave. But the fat man simply reached out and snatched it out of the air.
Grab!
He caught it with such ridiculous ease that the disciple was momentarily stunned. Recovering quickly, the man tried to yank his whip back.
In that exact moment...
Snap! Whoosh!
“Ack!”
Instead of the whip coming back, the disciple was pulled off his feet and dragged toward the fat man. Startled, the man attempted a claw technique to attack, but—
Crunch! Snap!
“Aaaargh!”
The fat man grabbed the disciple’s hand and snapped it like a twig. The man was a Peak Realm master, yet the fat man handled him like a mere child.
Grip!
The fat man seized him by the throat. The disciple, now terrified, managed to choke out a few words.
“Urgh... cough... who... who the hell are you...?”
“A mere worm like you dares to target my disciple?”
“Disciple?”
It was then that the fat man’s body began to change.
Crack! Snap! Pop!
His skeleton, which had appeared to be of average height, rapidly rearranged itself and grew. It was the phenomenon of releasing the Bone Shrinking Art. As his body expanded, the clothes on his upper body shredded apart.
“!?”
The disciple’s eyes bulged. What he had thought was fat was actually pure muscle. The subordinates who had followed the disciple stood frozen, mouths agape at the sight of the man’s massive, bulging muscles.
The now-giant man reached up and roughly tore the skin from near his ear. The face revealed beneath the human skin mask was none other than the Bizarre Hae Ak-cheon.
“!!!”
“The... the Bizarre...!”
The disciple’s face turned deathly pale.
“Too late.”
Crunch!
Hae Ak-cheon’s massive hand clamped down on the head of the terrified man. Then, as if popping a cork off a bottle—
“Gwaaaaah!”
Rip!
He tore the man’s head clean off his shoulders. The disciple who had dreamed of revenge met a truly gruesome end.
“D-dammit!”
“Run for your lives!”
Horrified by the death, the remaining group scattered in an attempt to flee. However, their path was blocked by a group of masked men. They were warriors of the Blood Cult.
“What... what is this...?”
As they panicked, Hae Ak-cheon gave a bored command to the masked men.
“Hmph! Kill them all.”
“Understood!”
The moment the order was given, the masked men began to slaughter them. Having given the command, Hae Ak-cheon walked over to me, scanned me from head to toe, and chuckled.
“See what happens when you leave home? You suffer, you brat. Heh heh.”
I never thought I’d be so happy to hear that laugh.
*
Early the next morning.
A dilapidated manor located northeast of Seokmun County. This was one of the Blood Cult’s hidden safe houses.
The twin brothers Song Jwa-baek and Song Woo-hyeon, along with their Deputy Unit Leaders Ha Mun-chan and Lee Gyu, were walking through the manor entrance with triumphant strides, as if returning from a glorious conquest.
Song Jwa-baek spoke excitedly to Ha Mun-chan.
“That guy probably hasn't even made it back yet.”
Song Jwa-baek had secured the position of his family’s representative for the Successor's Martial Discussion in just three days out of the allotted fifteen. He was certain he had arrived back sooner than So Woon-hwi. He was confident that this time, his master, Hae Ak-cheon, would finally praise him.
“Who goes there?”
The sentries guarding the entrance blocked their path. Song Jwa-baek pointed to the blue sash around his waist and produced his sect token to identify himself.
Flash.
The sentries bowed their heads in a silent salute.
“Please, enter.”
The sentries stepped aside to open the gate. As Song Jwa-baek was about to walk in, he stopped and asked with a smirk, “Deputy Unit Leader So Woon-hwi hasn't returned yet, right? I mean, I did get back pretty early...”
“He has already arrived.”
“What?”
Song Jwa-baek’s grin vanished instantly. The sentry leaned in and whispered excitedly.
“The main hall is in an absolute uproar right now.”
“Why? What happened?”
“Deputy Unit Leader So Woon-hwi and the Great Leaders returned with the head of Falcon Warrior Na Yuk-hyeong.”
“!!!”
Upon hearing those words, Song Jwa-baek’s face fell into a look of utter dejection.