Chapter 71
Chapter 71
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: Secret Place, Secret (1)
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"Ugh."
In the dark forest.
Murong Bi shivered as he submerged himself in the cold puddle.
Faint steam rose from his overheated body.
"Young master, are you all right?"
"...Nngh."
Normally, he'd toss out a joke or two, but the pain was too intense for that.
Still, it was better than right before their escape.
With nothing left he could do to help, Shadow simply stood guard, keeping watch over their surroundings.
How much time passed?
"Hoo, hoo."
As he gradually steadied his breathing, the pain faded, leaving only a stabbing residual ache.
Shadow spoke up again.
"Are you feeling better now?"
"...Not yet."
His hoarse voice dripped with exhaustion.
"No signs of life in the vicinity. It should be safe, so wait here a moment. I'll be back within half an incense stick's time."
He didn't say why he was leaving, and Murong Bi didn't ask.
Once Shadow departed, Murong Bi let out a deep sigh.
"Damn it, can't force this thing too hard after all."
The internal injuries from extreme internal energy depletion were no big deal. With the Mixed Origin Heart Method, they'd heal in two days—light stuff.
The real problem was the muscle and nerve damage from misusing the Brain Gate Heart Technique.
As one's internal energy cultivation deepened, the nerves would naturally develop accordingly, but right now, his were no different from an ordinary person's.
Forcing the Brain Gate Heart Technique in that state had artificially boosted his nerves' signal speed and unlocked the limits of his brainpower.
Without it, he couldn't have pulled off the Phantasmal Shadow Phantom Technique, let alone the Golden Gate Five Wheels Palm.
As payment, he'd felt pain like his whole body was being shredded into pieces. He'd experienced it a few times before, or he might have passed out on the spot.
Back in his Murong Cheon days, he'd blacked out more than once.
'Still, this is manageable.'
It was a dangerous technique that could rupture every muscle in his body or burn out his nerves if mishandled.
Without deep understanding of the Brain Gate Heart Technique and precise control over internal energy flow, it could straight-up kill you.
Luckily, he had experience and insight on his side.
The fact that it hadn't gone worse was thanks to his thorough calculations.
Srulk.
The rustle of leaves brushing against each other sounded unusually loud.
He could even hear the gentle whisper of the wind and the skittering of insects somewhere nearby.
Opening his eyes, he looked around—the world seemed brighter, and he could smell every scent in the forest.
His nerves activated, sharpening his five senses to a razor's edge.
Hoooong.
Taking a deep breath, he felt rich natural energy permeating every part of his body.
'Nice.'
There's a saying: empty yourself to be filled.
His dantian, drained of even a single drop of internal energy, swelled rapidly. It was desperately absorbing new pure energy.
'Gotta say, the gains make it worth it.'
The Phantasmal Shadow Phantom Technique and Golden Gate Five Wheels Palm weren't arts for someone whose Three Extraordinary Meridians weren't constantly open.
Yet he'd used them. Even with his senses maximized via the Brain Gate Heart Technique.
The pain had been dizzying, but in return, he'd vividly felt his pure energy piercing through the meridians.
The human mind strengthens and develops nerves in areas it focuses on.
With sensations this clear lingering, those opened meridians wouldn't close easily, and reopening them later would be far smoother.
"Shit, but I ain't doing that twice."
He wrung out his soaked clothes, crawling out like a man with a bad back.
They didn't squeeze well without strength, but he deliberately pressed hard. That was how he'd regain his power.
A moment later.
"Better now?"
"Told you, not yet."
Still, the way he grumbled while wringing his clothes suggested he could walk.
Shadow shook a wooden staff.
"Brought this."
"Ah, good work."
Two plump bundles of jerky hung from the end of the staff.
"No bugs in there, right?"
"None."
"Good."
"I grabbed it just in case, but should I toss it?"
"Why waste good jerky? It's delicious."
"But it was from the enemy?"
"We took their money, their house, their whole damn lives—what's a little jerky gonna hurt?"
"Fair point, but..."
"Worried about poison? You eat first then. You must've chomped down on plenty during assassin training to build poison resistance, right?"
Shadow's face twisted slightly.
Of course he'd done that training. He'd even chewed live venomous bugs with legs sprouting everywhere raw.
Not a memory he cared to revisit.
"Phew, starting to feel some energy now."
Slapping his legs as he stood, Murong Bi smirked.
"Got some loyalty in you, huh?"
"Pardon?"
"Didn't kill me when you had the chance?"
"W-what are you talking about?"
"Slave contract and all? If it were me, I'd slit my master's throat for freedom."
"I'm from an assassin background, but once I say something out loud, I keep my word."
"Oh ho, really?"
"...I try to."
"Trying's good enough."
Rubbing his nape, Murong Bi turned.
"Let's head back. Whew, what a filthy tiring night."
The two walked along the path.
After a while, Shadow asked,
"Young master, if I may ask something presumptuous?"
"Then don't ask."
"......"
"What?"
"That technique... what exactly is it?"
"Why? Think it's demonic arts?"
"N-no way."
Honestly, demonic or not, it was so impressive he might learn it if given the chance.
Not just the movement art that vanished him in a blink, but the palm strike that blew Hong Junak's upper body away—it was unbelievable even seeing it.
Of course, the realm's top masters could shatter boulders with energy blasts or crumple steel gates.
'But the young master's arts felt different somehow.'
Level of mastery? Unfathomable. At any rate, they were clearly supreme techniques on par with the world's best.
But what truly amazed him was the elegance emanating from the arts themselves.
Such brute, overwhelming power, yet they had this subtle grace to them.
Like something only the ruler of the world could wield—refined, stylish, brimming with class.
"Can't use it properly yet."
"Figured as much."
"Wanna learn it?"
Yes! nearly burst out unbidden.
Shadow shook his head.
"Even if you taught me, I couldn't master it."
"Why's that?"
"If you really offered, it'd be hard to resist... but it just doesn't feel like it suits me."
"Our slave here's got shoulders like an eighteen-story pagoda already? Picking and choosing arts?"
"Th-that's not what I meant."
Murong Bi burst into laughter.
"I get it. Yeah, it wouldn't suit you."
Sharp instincts, for sure. Different from Sujing's innate genius.
'Sujing's is pure-born talent, while this guy's is the hypersensitivity forged walking the line between life and death.'
Not everyone gets that sharp from such experiences, of course.
At any rate, it meant Shadow had exceptional talent too.
"Shadow."
"Yes, young master."
"You really wanna learn arts from me?"
"I'm trying to please you."
"You're still too green for me to teach anything."
"I'll keep trying."
Even hearing it straight to his face, Shadow didn't seem offended.
"Good, keep at it. Tonight's work at least lays the foundation for that pagoda."
The pagoda was called trust.
Shadow knew how hard it was to build a tower of trust.
You had to meticulously stack stones carved, carved, and carved again.
Even then, one mistake midway, and it all came tumbling down. And it could collapse from a gust of wind not even your fault.
At the very least, he understood that principle well.
'...Martial arts.'
Shadow's eyes, fixed on Murong Bi's back, swirled with confusion.
'What kind of person is the young master, really?'
The arts were one thing, but the resolve and drive he'd shown tonight were beyond what any youth that age should possess.
'Wunan’s already in turmoil because of what he handled.'
One man's hand had toppled the leadership of the Ten Sword Sect and Hong Sword Clan.
A massive clash might erupt soon. Wunan could turn into a sea of blood.
Yet knowing that, he felt strangely calm.
Because it wasn't his fight? No.
'What did those guys even mean to the young master?'
The master who'd toyed with Wunan's overlords like playthings.
Regardless of right or wrong, it was a huge deed, yet he wasn't overly pleased or excited—just satisfied, like wrapping up a job well done.
If anything, he seemed indifferent to the Ten Sword Sect and Hong Sword Clan.
As if declaring they couldn't escape his grasp no matter what.
'A storm's brewing.'
The winds from Wunan would soon shake all of Hubei Province.
Those winds might even stretch across the entire world beyond.
"Why the slow pace? Did you get stabbed somewhere without me knowing?"
"N-no."
"Hurry it up. Gotta get home and eat."
The moment they arrived home, Murong Bi nearly went deaf.
"Hey!!"
Even a tiger or lion roaring in his face wouldn't be this loud.
"You lunatic! Where the hell did you disappear to mid-way, making you this late! You lost your mind? Wanna die?!"
"My ears are ringing. What the hell do you eat to have lungs like that?"
"You think this is a joke, you bastard! I'll kill y—!"
"Here, take this."
"What's this?!"
"Jerky."
"Oh, you want it made into jerky? Sounds good. Where's the salt...?"
"Calm down. You think I went out joyriding?"
"That's exactly what you did! Why would the clan lord hold you till this late?!"
Our Suhyang had no eye for subtlety.
"Grown-ups talking drags time."
"Bullshit."
"Anyway, no food? I'm starving."
"Nope! Starve!"
"Gimme some jerky then."
"No!"
She clutched the two bundles to her chest, glaring at her brother like she'd defend them to the death.
"I didn't scavenge anything to eat on the way home—you're being harsh."
"Your table manners suck anyway, why eat? Glutton like you."
"Told you I didn't. Didn't touch the jerky I brought for you and sis either."
"Hmph."
The fury blazing on her face subsided considerably.
"Did those guys say anything? They even sent someone to invite you?"
"Probably just wanted a look at my handsome face."
"Why would they wanna see a withered old tree root like yours?"
"Yeah, they looked disappointed up close."
Murong Suhyang burst into giggles.
Then, Old Man Gwak approached from afar.
"Thought you might be hungry, so I whipped something up. Perfect timing."
"Wondered where you went—kitchen, huh? No presence, so I hopped the wall."
"Heh heh, good call."
Murong Bi smiled faintly at Old Man Gwak.
"Eat with us, Old Man Gwak?"
"I'm fine. Eat plenty, young master. Oh, but even if you're starving, you should stop by the patriarch's quarters first."
"Right."
Murong Bi turned toward the patriarch's quarters.
Beyond the still-flickering lamplight, a shadow lingered.
'...A home to return to.'