Chapter 86
Chapter 86
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: Martial Arts (7)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Stop properly.”
“Dodge properly.”
Whether Cheon Wi did or not, Oho and Danmun traded barbs back and forth.
Taking it a step further, Oho strode forward.
Cheon Wi instinctively took a step back.
“This?”
His reaction was slow because of the blood scent.
He picked up the blood-red Water Star Pill that Oho had taken out.
He had to stop him.
Cheon Wi had to try it first. It was a drug whose stability hadn’t been proven.
Pa-pat!
Cheon Wi hurriedly reached out. He even used the Golden Claw Technique.
Pang!
Cheon Wi couldn’t snatch the pill from Oho’s hand.
The Eight Purviews Golden Claw was Oho’s specialty. Cheon Wi’s Golden Claw, which had retreated from the blood scent, was on the defensive. Even if he had taken the initiative first, even strengthened by the power of blood, it would have been hard to break through Oho’s Eight Purviews Golden Claw defense. Oho’s mastery was that profound.
“You’re being overly cautious, unlike you.”
Oho popped the Water Star Pill straight into his mouth.
Cheon Wi charged with eyes glowing red. He planned to grab his jaw if he had to and force him to stop. Oho simply used footwork to evade Cheon Wi’s hand.
Having only one arm was a weakness too. Oho was relaxed. More relaxed now. It was right after his spar with Danmun. He had grown even during those exchanges. His senses were at their peak in this moment.
“Spit it out.”
“Fuck, you don’t take food from a dog’s mouth either.”
Oho spoke while chewing the Water Star Pill with a crunch.
“That thing hasn’t... yet.”
“You said it was urgent. No time to be picky, right?”
Oho crushed the pill with his teeth and swallowed it down.
Cheon Wi furrowed his brow.
“Hey, but this tastes weird?”
Oho tilted his head.
Danmun asked.
“How so?”
“Sweet.”
“Sweet?”
“This isn’t a proper Water Star Pill anymore. Water Star Pills are bitter.”
“Bitter.”
“And... my stomach’s burning hot?”
That’s why he told him to spit it out.
The reaction was immediate.
Cheon Wi had seen many things, but he hadn’t foreseen this future.
The unknown was unsettling.
The result could be good or bad. It couldn’t be the latter. He hadn’t expected the madman to just swallow it.
“I need to circulate my qi. This. The medicinal power. It’s strong. Pretty damn strong.”
More than pretty damn strong.
Oho plopped down cross-legged right there.
His words came in fits and starts, then he closed his eyes and sank into a trance.
“You okay?”
Danmun asked Cheon Wi this time.
“Don’t know.”
That’s all Cheon Wi could say. It was an unexpected answer for Danmun.
Cheon Wi always knew everything. He had always been that way, and Danmun thought he always would be.
Danmun was a madman too, but a friend was a friend. He narrowed his eyes with worry and watched Oho closely. If Oho’s qi circulation went wrong, he was ready to place a hand on his meridian points and guide the flow.
“Huh?”
Danmun’s eyes widened.
The wound on Oho’s forehead was healing.
He could see the split skin knitting back together with his own eyes. Rapidly.
It was astonishing.
This Water Star Pill definitely worked.
Stronger than what Physician Seok had said in the dream. In the time it took Oho to take a few deep breaths, the gash had completely closed.
That was.
Unquestionable success.
He could sense a fiery hot energy writhing in Oho’s body as he circulated his qi.
His internal energy was rising too.
Cheon Wi witnessed that moment with his own eyes.
But something was off.
Having seen this much, he should have been able to predict what came next.
He couldn’t see the future.
The unfamiliar sensation was just that—unfamiliar.
Deep in Cheon Wi’s pupils, a red energy writhed ominously.
* * *
Oho’s qi circulation continued until evening the next day.
Even after Danmun returned from the branch, making excuses for Oho’s absence, Oho hadn’t stirred.
Cheon Wi watched Oho’s condition closely and waited in silence.
Fortunately, no accidents occurred.
The moment Oho opened his eyes after finishing, he stuck out his tongue in amazement.
As he rose to his feet, he said.
“What did you make?”
Oho’s eyes were different already.
His gaze was sharper, clearer. His energy more stable. Oho shook his head in disbelief and continued.
“My true qi volume hasn’t increased yet, but my minor meridians have opened. Properly. I can accumulate more internal energy now. This is incredible.”
“Any backlash or side effects?”
“Not sure yet. None so far. Feels great.”
Oho clenched and unclenched his fist repeatedly. He grinned and said.
“Won’t lose now. For a while, at least.”
“As if.”
Danmun shook his head.
A martial artist doesn’t change overnight.
Suddenly, Oho drew his black-and-white sword.
Ching! Chwa-ang!
Danmun drew his red sword at the same time. The black-and-white sword was faster. Its tip pressed down on the red sword’s hilt. Danmun couldn’t fully draw his sword; he was blocked midway.
“Knew it. The body knows first.”
Oho didn’t hide his smugness.
A tale he’d only read in reports of young masters’ martial world encounters had become reality here.
“This isn’t right.”
One pill, and equals were no longer equal.
Danmun glanced aside.
His eyes landed on the jar. The one holding Cheon Wi’s blood, with Water Star Pills submerged inside.
Cheon Wi stepped forward to block the view.
Danmun said.
“Hand it over.”
“Not yet.”
“Why not.”
“Actually, this is good. Danmun, catch up and surpass him. Then I’ll give it to you.”
“What?”
“Being evenly matched was nice, but staying the same dulls the edge. A bit of a gap isn’t bad.”
“Bullshit.”
“Get more Water Star Pills. I’ll keep making them. Even with opened minor meridians, filling them with energy takes time. Work hard, and you could win tomorrow.”
Cheon Wi’s words were slick sales talk.
Danmun saw through it immediately.
Oho was definitely faster than yesterday. Tomorrow or the day after, closing the gap instantly was impossible. At least not with the same swordsmanship.
“No way tomorrow.”
Oho kept grinning.
Danmun glared at Oho with killing intent, then something occurred to him, and he smirked.
“But you know.”
“What.”
“Regeneration still the same?”
“Who knows.”
“We should check. It’s important.”
“What?”
Danmun turned to Cheon Wi.
Cheon Wi agreed.
“Yeah. Danmun’s right.”
“Fuck?”
The grin vanished from Oho’s face, while Danmun’s smile deepened.
“Come on.”
Danmun raised his red sword.
Oho’s eyes widened.
“Cut off an arm?”
A fair question.
Cheon Wi’s response was a spectacle.
“Later for that.”
“Crazy.”
“Just a light cut. If it doesn’t heal, I’ll give you that too.”
Cheon Wi jerked his thumb over his shoulder toward the jar. The smile on Danmun’s lips faded slightly.
“Tch.”
Shiiik! Pshut!
“Argh!”
“Quit whining.”
Blood spurted from Oho’s forearm.
A light cut. Very shallow. But long. A diagonal line slashed across the forearm.
“Hey, fuck, isn’t that too much?”
“Why act cocky? Just because you got stronger from a pill.”
Danmun was surprisingly competitive.
The wound wasn’t deep, but there was plenty of blood. Drops trailed from his wrist down his fingers.
Cheon Wi gritted his teeth again. He even took two steps back.
“Whoa!”
Oho looked down at his arm and let out an exclamation.
He hadn’t seen it when his forehead was cut.
The skin on his forearm was knitting together. He raised his arm to eye level to inspect closely.
“Hey, this is wild.”
“Not your first time seeing it.”
“You’d be amazed too if it was your body.”
Danmun didn’t deny it.
In his eyes, a marvel was a marvel.
While Oho twisted his arm this way and that, the bleeding stopped.
Not as fast as Cheon Wi’s, but instantaneous enough. Even a shallow sword cut takes four or five days to fully heal for an internal energy master.
“We’ll check tomorrow too.”
“What?”
Cheon Wi smoothed his furrowed brow and continued.
“Can’t tell how long the regeneration lasts. I don’t think it’ll hold for days.”
“Eh, that’s no good.”
Danmun said it first, before Oho.
The tone was oddly meaningful. Oho didn’t miss it. He looked at Danmun and asked.
“What’s no good about it?”
“Can’t slash you freely.”
“Ha!”
“What.”
“You can slash me?”
“Told you not to get cocky.”
They traded barbs again.
Cheon Wi didn’t like it but didn’t stop them. It would help their growth.
“Pissed? Then draw your sword. I’m invincible now.”
“You’re dead.”
Danmun truly aimed his red sword.
No matter how strong Oho had become, Danmun didn’t care.
Cclang!
Sparring resumed immediately.
Sword lights flashed.
Danmun was pushed back from the first clash.
“Take this!”
Oho’s shout carried mockery.
He showed his arrogance without restraint.
“I’ll really kill you.”
Danmun was genuinely angry.
Killing intent gleamed in his eyes, riding straight to his sword tip. Deadly strikes flew wildly.
“Whew...”
A sigh escaped on its own.
Regardless of them, Cheon Wi gathered the jar and headed deeper into the cave.
He had to hide it somewhere.
Danmun was far from upright and fair. He didn’t scruple in a fight. Stealing and swallowing Water Star Pills? He wouldn’t bat an eye. How such a man came from that refined Poison Garden couple was a mystery.
He wedged the jar into a rock crevice and piled stones to conceal it. Ten should do. Crude, but not obvious. He wasn’t aiming for perfection.
Cheon Wi knew Danmun too well.
Madman, but with weird pride. If he lost, he’d turn red-eyed and hunt this jar. But even if he found it, clearing the stones would cool his head. Too much hassle to move ten stones, pull out the jar, and grab a pill. He’d quit at seven or eight. Unless he totally lost it—then he’d smash the jar and stuff one in. After that? Who knew. Oho had taken the first one, so first-come, first-served. They’d see it through.
Cheon Wi returned to the cave clearing.
The match was nearly decided.
Danmun catching Oho now was a stretch. Oho was exhilarated, momentum at its peak. He played the fool sometimes, but not enough to let his guard down against Danmun, who targeted the heart without mercy.
Cheon Wi could see the outcome clearly.
He fixed the stone stairs. Moved toward them.
“Where you going?”
Oho asked Cheon Wi.
“Eyes wandering mid-spar?”
Danmun kept his eyes on Oho.
“Got the luxury.”
‘Damn.’
Cheon Wi clicked his tongue inwardly.
This taunt was harsh.
Danmun’s sword tip grew fiercer.
“Off to Samsojeong.”
With that, he donned the bamboo hat by the stairs.
Cheon Wi emerged above ground. The waning sun cast deep shadows under the hat brim. Empty right sleeve fluttering, he descended the wild mountain.
Songgang’s panorama lay at his feet.
Even with growing crowds, it felt serene. A fine city. He felt it anew.