Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Special Abilities (3)
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Even with his inner energy firmly gripping his heart meridians, her voice rang out seductively. It was sorcery. If it had been a mere honey trap, no matter how sweetly she spoke, it would have come across only as disjointed, dry syllables.
It pierced through the emotional defenses of the Heaven-Earth Heart Method and stirred his feelings.
This woman was indeed a witch. And a terribly dangerous one at that.
“It’s not working. I heard the Peng Clan is at the bottom of the Six Families, but I guess that’s not true? Hohoho, you have such a steadfast mind that I’ll give you a little gift. I don’t usually share my name, but I suppose I should tell the young hero of the Peng Clan.”
She covered her mouth as she laughed.
Her fingers were slender and jade-like. Every gesture accentuated her curves.
She spoke in a whisper.
“I’m the White Bone Witch. Oh! Don’t worry. I won’t kill you just because you know my name.”
“White Bone Witch. A yokai’s name.”
“Oh? You know it? How exciting.”
“I’ll ask three times. State your purpose.”
Jungkwang was unmoved. He cut her off sharply and spoke again.
The skull witch White Bone Witch drew even closer. One more step and she’d be within his Assault Blade’s range. She seemed to know this, stopping just one step short.
“I told you my name, but you won’t even share yours?”
“There’s no point in talking further.”
Jungkwang channeled energy into his blade. The White Bone Witch laughed and waved him off.
“Oh, alright! That sword is so scary. Could you put it away for a bit?”
She dramatically shrugged her shoulders.
Her skin was so translucent that blue veins were visible, and her cleavage rose and fell along with her shoulders.
The sorcery grew stronger with the closer distance. Even Jungkwang found it hard to avert his eyes.
Any warrior who hadn’t fully mastered their heart method would have lost their mental composure from that alone. In the cutthroat world of swords and forests, a shaken mind meant instant death. Fortunately, Jungkwang maintained his calm this time as well. He stared straight into the hollow eye sockets of her skull.
“Hehe.”
The White Bone Witch let out a low, satisfied chuckle as she watched him. She continued.
“Give me those two. Then I’ll give you the antidote.”
Her slender fingers pointed at Seol and Hyang.
Jungkwang’s suspicions were confirmed.
The Heaven-Destroying Squad was a renowned combat unit, famous for its unstoppable momentum on the battlefield.
They weren’t the best opponents for testing fighting skills. There was another purpose, as expected. And that was these women.
“I can’t do that.”
“Of course, I didn’t think you’d hand them over easily.”
Her skull face tilted to one side. Jungkwang could easily imagine the expression beneath the mask. She was smiling. A smile that was threatening even to the Heaven-Destroying Squad.
A very brief silence followed.
It was over in an instant.
He and she moved at the same time.
The Assault Blade Method’s Final Slash poured down. She twisted her body flexibly and pulled her left hand back. A club appeared magically from her slim waist. The club’s shape was bizarre. The white-jade club was shaped like a human thigh bone. At the end of the White Bone Club protruded a spike of ominous hue.
Whoosh!
She stomped with her lithe legs and swung the White Bone Club. The club looked like it would shatter upon impact, like a human bone. The Peng Clan blade and the White Bone Club clashed head-on.
Clang!
Surprisingly, the White Bone Club was unscathed.
Jungkwang’s blade slid off. He gritted his teeth and unleashed the Assault Blade. She moved far more fluidly than the skull-masked ones. Her moving form was graceful, like a dance.
Cha-clang!
She leaped back. Then she suddenly thrust her right hand forward from her chest. Her bosom heaved and swelled. Her collar slipped down, exposing half of her left breast.
This time, even Jungkwang couldn’t help furrowing his brow.
A witch and a seductress.
Jungkwang drew up more energy. And he shouted.
“Hidden weapons incoming!”
Her right hand shot out from in front of her chest. Her bosom bounced with the motion, but Jungkwang’s eyes weren’t on that.
Swoosh! Splurt!
Two made sounds, two did not.
This witch possessed agile martial arts that easily deflected his full-powered Assault Blade. And she had even superior hidden weapon skills.
Clang!
He dodged one and deflected another. The other two flew toward Seol and Hyang.
He couldn’t turn to check.
He had to trust the Heaven-Destroying Squad. Now wasn’t the time to divide his attention.
Rustle!
She was charging at him.
Her chest’s neckline was much lower than before. She was no pushover.
Jungkwang was less prepared for this kind of situation.
He’d heard countless tales of villainous women using honey traps, but he’d never trained against them in practice. It was a limitation of a righteous clan like the Peng Family.
No matter how much they trained for all scenarios, they couldn’t invite a scantily clad female master to the Peng Clan’s training grounds. Jungkwang shook off stray thoughts and stomped hard. He forgot about the sorcery. He ignored the white curves. He perceived her body not as a woman’s flesh, but as a mass of malice.
Thud! Flutter!
Jungkwang’s eyes flashed.
The Hebei Peng Clan’s black uniform collar let out a sharp whoosh even in that short arc.
The true Assault Blade.
The White Bone Club blocked the Assault Blade’s edge.
Screeeeech!
He pressed down in one go. The club didn’t split. The grating friction sound was burdensome. The powerful Assault Blade energy swept everything downward. Her body slammed into the ground.
Boom!
The Assault Blade blade cracked the earth.
Roots intertwined in the hard ground, carving a deep trench.
The White Bone Witch rolled once on the ground. She rose, writhing like a snake. Her movements were like a martial art in themselves, not mere seduction.
The White Bone Witch laughed.
“Hohoho, impressive.”
Only then could he glance back at the Heaven-Destroying Squad warriors.
He’d hoped they’d blocked this time, but unfortunately not. One more had been hit. His name was Jeonghae. He’d been lightly grazed on the left shoulder by a hidden weapon, acupoint-sealed himself, and retreated.
The squad leader, slumped and circulating energy, had a beet-red face. His entire face was drenched in sweat, and white steam rose faintly from his head.
“There’s quite a gap in your skills, it seems. Heaven-Destroying Squad.”
The White Bone Witch teased. She added coquettishly.
“Our Peng Clan is so strong, after all.”
The situation was heading for the worst.
Jungkwang saw the skull masks swaying like dolls between the trees. If those three joined in, things would get even graver. Yet they just watched from the rear.
Jungkwang glared sharply at her. He asked.
“What are you waiting for?”
“Oh my, our Peng hero is clever too. But you’re dragging this out just as much, aren’t you, dear?”
She started with “Gaga” and ended with “Peng hero” and “young lord.” Intimate terms for lovers.
Jungkwang didn’t respond further.
He charged, widening his blade in a double grip and swinging wide. The whoosh swept the surroundings. The White Bone Witch laughed hohoho and leaped back. She landed lightly, seductive and leisurely.
“How’s the condition?”
Jungkwang asked without turning, keeping distance.
“Not bad enough to collapse.”
Jeonghae, grazed on the shoulder by the hidden weapon, answered.
It was a relief, but the situation was deteriorating.
He didn’t know how important Seol and Hyang were, but now he couldn’t abandon them for the Peng Clan’s honor.
Should he at least pull Seol and Hyang from the front line and have them flee?
The Heaven-Destroying Squad didn’t just charge blindly. Protecting their charges’ safety always came first. Retreat was rare for them, but they knew how—and did it well. They were trained for it.
‘But……!’
Retreat usually led to pursuit.
A chase would be burdensome in its own way.
The White Bone Witch and the skull masks were all agile and nimble. In a word, fast. Meanwhile, Seol and Hyang’s lightness skills were insufficient to shake off master-level pursuers. They looked fine on the surface, but they were just hanging on. Their stamina must be depleted.
A choice was needed.
Continuing the fight meant protecting the poisoned squad leader and Seol and Hyang. Extremely difficult.
Neither option was easy.
As Jungkwang stood at the crossroads, the squad leader, face flushed red while circulating energy, spoke up.
“Squad leader, no need to hesitate. I’ll be up soon.”
His eyes, wide open in lotus position, were bloodshot. Even amid his fierce battle with the deadly poison, his resolve burned straight.
His words, his intent, were right.
“Got it. We won’t yield anyone.”
They couldn’t falter.
Only with strong hearts were they true Heaven-Destroying Squad warriors.
Jungkwang gripped his blade firmly, took another step forward, and declared resolutely.
“Whew.”
Seeing their resolve, the White Bone Witch sighed.
“It’d be easier if you just handed them over. I said yes, but this guy’s such a pain.”
She grumbled and gripped her White Bone Club.
At that moment, a voice like grinding metal rang out.
“That’s why I say! Playing around like that won’t do!”
Jungkwang was greatly startled.
His rising battle spirit wavered for a moment.
He hadn’t sensed any presence at all.
In contrast, the White Bone Witch was thrilled. She snorted welcomingly.
“Oh my oh my, when did you arrive? I’ve been waiting, Elder Yellow Fur!”
“A yokai’s name holds power. Don’t utter it lightly. Child.”
“Did you care about that, even then? You were just slaughtering us anyway.”
“Such cheek, girl.”
“Oh dear, Elder! Girl? How embarrassing!”
From one side of the forest, the owner of the gravelly voice appeared.
“Long time no see.”
The White Bone Witch bent at the waist, flirting. Her curves were fully on display.
The newcomer didn’t even turn his head toward the White Bone Witch.
He wore a mask too.
His face bore yellow and blue patterns mixed, with a pair of long fangs protruding sharply. Human-shaped but narrowing slimly toward the jaw, it resembled a beast like a wolf.
Red fur like a mane dangled messily behind the mask. The red mane looked like hair.
The White Bone Witch called him Yellow Fur.
True to his name, his upper garment was a yellow robe. Instead of a sash, a bright yellow cloth belt tied his waist, and golden skirt armor draped down both thighs.
It was attire fitting a noble general attending court, not the battlefield.
Jungkwang had heard of him too, like the White Bone Witch. He’d even seen similar illustrations. He was a yokai from tales like the Monkey King’s Journey to the West or the Tang Priest legends.
In the stories, Yellow Fur was said to possess immense power.
Strong enough to overwhelm low-level monks and the like in one-on-one fights. If he was as described, he was extremely dangerous. Even without the old tales, the threat was the same. Jungkwang hadn’t sensed his approach at all. Yet from the moment he appeared, he exuded tremendous presence. It meant he could control his energy freely. A supreme master.