Chapter 176: Formation of the Blood Cult Expedition-1
Chapter 176: Formation of the Blood Cult Expedition-1
Sharing such sweet moments with Dang Yeoeun, Seonwoo Jin experienced something entirely new, something he had never felt before.
Namely, the experience of time flying by.
When he finally parted lips with her and suddenly checked Hae's location, Seonwoo Jin was horrified.
'Has so much time already passed?!'
He felt not just flustered, but utterly bewildered.
He had often experienced time slowing down when using the Moonlight Illusion Sword Dance or when Mukrang emerged, but this was the first time he had experienced time racing forward so quickly.
He simply could not believe that he had to end this sweet time already.
Seonwoo Jin felt like he did on a cold winter's day, buried under the blankets, not wanting to move an inch from that spot.
But he was not someone who failed to distinguish public from private, and he knew exactly what he had to do now.
Forcing his reluctant lips apart, he spoke to Dang Yeoeun.
"Yeoeun, I think I have to go now."
"Ah..."
At those words, Dang Yeoeun also looked at Seonwoo Jin with regretful eyes.
Yet she was also a martial artist of the frontlines.
Moreover, she was a wise woman who knew that chaining the one she loved to her side was not what was best for him.
Dang Yeoeun forced a smile and nodded.
"Yes, you must. Please go carefully."
But just as she was about to send him off, Dang Yeoeun suddenly recalled what she had been thinking about earlier.
Hadn't the reason she had been unable to bring herself to leave been because she had something to say regarding the expedition force?
Dang Yeoeun hurriedly grabbed Seonwoo Jin, who was about to depart, and spoke.
"Jin, just a moment! I have something to tell you! This time, some people came with me from the Dang Clan. If it's them..."
As he listened to Dang Yeoeun's explanation with curious eyes, Seonwoo Jin's gaze began to sharpen.
The White Crane Old Sword Yang Mun-heon, one of the Thirty-Six Stars of the World. If such a supreme master could accompany them, there would be nothing more to wish for.
So the two of them hurriedly went to find Yang Mun-heon.
And after explaining the situation, they asked him to join them.
However, having heard their explanation, Yang Mun-heon's answer was not positive.
He sighed with a regretful look and said,
"Huh, as it turns out, I don't think I am the right person for that mission. My apologies."
At his refusal and apology, Seonwoo Jin and Dang Yeoeun grew a little flustered.
It was because the White Crane Old Sword Yang Mun-heon was a master of such renowned chivalry that they had never imagined he would refuse so outright.
But the reason, it seemed, was not that he simply did not want to go.
Hong Hae-ah Jeung Chil, who was beside Yang Mun-heon, cut in with a sly laugh.
"Kehehehe! Didn't I tell you to practice your movement techniques on a regular day? See, you never listen to me. You've wasted your breath on him. That old man there is absolutely hopeless at movement techniques, kehehehehe!"
At that, the Je Un Swordmaster Byeok Ri-jung, who was also nearby, cleared his throat and said,
"Surely that's not because my older brother is lazy, is it? It's simply that his nature is exceedingly laid-back. Hmm, hmm."
"Ahh..."
They could roughly grasp the situation now.
It seemed the White Crane Old Sword Yang Mun-heon, one of the Thirty-Six Stars of the World, was simply not very exceptional when it came to movement techniques.
Dang Yeoeun suddenly recalled how her martial grandfather always moved with a slow, leisurely gait and understood those words.
Now feeling apologetic instead, Seonwoo Jin and Dang Yeoeun hurriedly spoke to Yang Mun-heon.
"No, Elder Yang! It's fine for us to go alone. We're sorry for troubling you with needless words."
"Yes, Grandfather. We would be grateful if you came, but there's no reason at all for you to apologize because you can't."
That was the moment.
The White Crane Old Sword Yang Mun-heon, who was smiling faintly, looked toward Hong Hae-ah Jeung Chil and spoke.
"I cannot go, but now that I think of it, there happens to be someone perfectly suited for that mission right here. A transcendent peak martial artist skilled in movement and stealth techniques, that is. Isn't that right, Grandnephew?"
At those words, everyone's eyes shifted to Hong Hae-ah Jeung Chil.
Jeung Chil, who had momentarily worn a flustered expression, snorted and replied.
"Ehng? Grandnephew? You mean me? Oh, I was your grandnephew, wasn't I? Heh! Forget it! Why should I lower myself by joining kids playing around? It's bothersome! My little sister isn't even going, so I'm sticking right by my little sister's side!"
Then he jerked his head away and took a swig of liquor from his gourd.
Witnessing Jeung Chil's whole body radiate an aura of absolute refusal to go, Yang Mun-heon tried to persuade him with a subtle tone.
"Heh, is your elder grandfather not telling you to go and come back?"
But Jeung Chil was stubborn.
"No! I wouldn't go even if it was my great-grandfather instead of my grandfather telling me to! No means no! And why do you only call yourself my grandfather at times like this when you're always nagging me?!"
"Huh, good grief."
That was the moment.
Seonwoo Jin, who had been closely observing Jeung Chil's figure and reactions, suddenly sent a telepathic message to Dang Yeoeun.
- He seems very childlike, doesn't he? Still, it looks like he cares deeply for you, Yeoeun. What if you stepped forward and tried coaxing him a little?
Dang Yeoeun, who had glanced sideways at Seonwoo Jin upon hearing that, soon let out a soft laugh and began to cajole Jeung Chil in a slightly alluring voice.
"Aww, orabeoni. If a supreme expert like you came with us, I would feel a little more at ease... Do you really not want to go?"
"Uh, uhng?"
The aegyo of Dang Yeoeun, speaking shyly as if playfully coaxing him with a smile on her face, was powerful.
It was an attack of an intensity difficult for Jeung Chil, who had never once in his life received a woman's aegyo, to handle.
Jeung Chil, swallowing dryly, showed signs of wavering slightly.
"I-is that so? Would you feel at ease if this orabeoni went?"
That was the moment.
Seonwoo Jin furrowed his brow slightly and spoke.
"I don't think that will be necessary. If it is not Elder Yang accompanying us, I doubt it would be of much help to us anyway. And I doubt that an aged body could follow us either."
It was a dismissive remark, as if someone like Jeung Chil was hardly needed at all.
Those words lit a fire in the heart of Jeung Chil, whose mind had just begun to waver.
Instantly enraged, he shouted.
"Wh-what did you say?! Did you, you brat, just dare to say you had no need of the help of this great Jeung Chil Elder?!"
At that, Seonwoo Jin smirked and replied.
"Ah, my apologies. It's just... I meant that you are elderly, so it would be hard for you to keep up. At your advanced age, shouldn't you avoid overexerting yourself?"
His words alone would have been enough to rile Jeung Chil up, but he had even said it while giving Jeung Chil's body a once-over with a greasy smirk.
That attitude and those words finally made Jeung Chil, who had been on the verge of boiling over, explode.
He roared like a wildcat.
"You arrogant bastard!"
At the same time, Jeung Chil's form shot out like a beam of light.
Pabak!
In an instant, his form had already materialized right in front of Seonwoo Jin.
Simultaneously, his hand was darting out like lightning to grab Seonwoo Jin's ear.
He intended to properly teach this insolent brat a lesson.
"How dare you...?!"
But the next moment, Jeung Chil was greatly startled.
It was because Seonwoo Jin's form, which he had definitely thought he had caught, slipped through his hand as lightly as air.
Seu-euk!
Then, before he knew it, Seonwoo Jin had moved two steps aside and was grinning back at Jeung Chil.
His expression seemed to ask if that was really the best he could do.
At that, Jeung Chil was now completely ablaze.
"Oho! So you do have some skill after all! Fine! Today I will show you that there is always a heaven above the heavens! You brat!"
Shiii-ing!
Jeung Chil's form once more charged toward Seonwoo Jin like lightning.
But this time was no different.
Seonwoo Jin's form, seemingly catchable yet impossible to grasp, kept slipping away as lightly as air.
Now having completely forgotten why this all started in the first place, Jeung Chil gradually began to pursue Seonwoo Jin with all his might.
"Caught him! Huh?! You little! Hng?! Damn! Huh?!"
Seonwoo Jin's two afterimages had now become two streaks of fierce wind, playing a game of tag.
And the hands of Jeung Chil, who had become completely immersed in the game, grew increasingly violent.
"Hap!"
Kwagwang!
"You brat!"
Kwajik!
The Red Sea Child Jeung Chil was originally a master who had earned renown for his movement techniques, fist and foot arts, and throwing weapons.
As he unleashed his fist and foot techniques toward Seonwoo Jin, the trees and earth that Seonwoo Jin brushed past began to be utterly devastated.
Kwakwakwagwang!
At that excessive display, Dang Yeo-eun was watching Seonwoo Jin with worried eyes, her hands clasped tightly together.
Seeing this, the Je Un Swordmaster Byeok Ri-jung also frowned and asked Yang Mun-heon.
"Can we really leave that reckless old fool be, hyung-nim? At this rate, it seems that child will be seriously injured."
But Yang Mun-heon slowly shook his head and replied.
"No. That child does not seem to be giving his all yet. And... I also wish to see just how far that child can go."
At those words, Byeok Ri-jung looked back at Seonwoo Jin with a surprised expression.
Having believed that Dang Yeo-eun was the greatest among those in their twenties, he was already greatly astonished just by the display Seonwoo Jin had shown so far.
And yet to hear that this was not even his best effort—even if it was only in the achievement of movement techniques, it was excessively astonishing.
That was when it happened.
Jeung Chil, who finally exploded at the sight of Seonwoo Jin seemingly about to be caught yet never being caught using the Cheonpung Movement Technique and Explosive Advance Step, at last fired off throwing weapons as well.
"You brat!"
Pyusyusyuk!
In an instant, a water dart of tremendous speed pierced through Seonwoo Jin's afterimage. It was enough to make Dang Yeo-eun clap her hands over her mouth and scream.
"Kyaak!"
But Seonwoo Jin had not been struck by the throwing weapon.
Only his afterimage had been pierced; his true body had lightly scattered and slipped past the projectile by a margin of a single sheet of paper.
Seuseuseuk!
To Seonwoo Jin, who had even experienced the throwing weapons of Am Hyeol-hyang, the world's greatest assassin, the half-hearted projectiles of Jeung Chil were at a speed that did not feel so threatening.
After deflecting Jeung Chil's throwing weapon, Seonwoo Jin disappeared behind a tree as if to evade the projectiles.
At this, Jeung Chil snorted and flew over like lightning, striking the tree trunk.
"Where do you think you're hiding!"
Kwaaaang!
Ujijik!
The thick tree trunk split powerlessly and began to topple slowly over.
But no one was behind it.
At this, Jeung Chil, who had naturally expected to find Seonwoo Jin, now had to look around with a bewildered expression.
"Huh? What, this brat? Where did he go?"
Seonwoo Jin, who had definitely been behind the tree, had vanished without a trace.
He seemed to have concealed his presence.
At this, Jeung Chil let out a fierce laugh and muttered.
"Now you even dare to hide your presence before this old man, Jeung? Hmph! I'll have to teach you what proper concealment is...!"
That was when it happened.
At that moment, something rushed at Jeung Chil from behind as he was looking around.
Shwiiiik!
But Jeung Chil was a transcendent peak master.
He sensed the presence immediately and whipped his head around, shouting.
"There you are?!"
At that instant, what entered Jeung Chil's eyes was not Seonwoo Jin.
Unbelievably, it was a massive, soft violet-colored phoenix.
Biiiik!
"Ying?!"
Seonwoo Jin had unleashed the Vermilion Phoenix Manifestation.
Jeung Chil leapt into the air and evaded it with a start.
"Eek!"
But in that moment, Jeung Chil could finally see Seonwoo Jin's sword charging in from behind the phoenix.
As if he had become one with the sword, Seonwoo Jin was thrusting his blade like a ray of light.
The First Form of the Sail Sword Technique.
One Strike.
Shwiiik!
It was a sword strike of such tremendous speed that even Jeung Chil, a transcendent peak master, could barely handle it.
Now truly aghast, Jeung Chil let out a cry that was almost a scream.
"Th-this brat!"
And in the next moment, the two men's forms passed by each other.
Shaaaak!
A moment later, both of them landed safely on the ground as if nothing had happened.
But the expressions on their faces were starkly contrasting.
While Seonwoo Jin was grinning broadly, Jeung Chil's face had turned completely red and blue by turns.
Because just moments ago, Seonwoo Jin had deliberately not thrust his sword and had simply passed him by.
At the humiliation of having been shown mercy by a black-haired junior, Jeung Chil burst out yelling.
"You arrogant brat! I went easy on you because you're an acquaintance of my little sister! Fine! Now I'll truly show you the real skill of this old man, Jeung!"
It was the moment the Red Sea Child Jeung Chil, a transcendent peak master, now resolved to reveal his true, full ability.
But at that instant, White Crane Old Sword Yang Mun-heon, who had been watching the two with a genial smile, suddenly and naturally drew his sword and pointed its tip toward Jeung Chil.
At the spine-chilling sensation that struck him in that moment, Jeung Chil had no choice but to hastily retreat backward.
"!"
Pabak!
And Jeung Chil, who had urgently turned his head, realized the source of the chilling feeling was Yang Mun-heon and shouted.
"What is the meaning of this?! You scared the hell out of me!"
At this, Yang Mun-heon smiled genially and said.
"Isn't that enough? That child has proven his level is not low, and you have proven you can keep up with him sufficiently."
But Jeung Chil scowled even more and shouted.
"What do you mean enough?! I never once properly displayed my skills! So I must show that bastard my true...!"
That was when it happened.
Cutting off his words, Yang Mun-heon asked Seonwoo Jin.
"Child, you too must have learned the Moonlight Illusion Sword Dance like Yeo-eun?"
At his words, Seonwoo Jin bowed his head respectfully and replied.
"Yes, that is so, Elder."
At this, Yang Mun-heon nodded in satisfaction, turned his head back to Jeung Chil, and said.
"So he says."
At this, Jeung Chil could say nothing more and could only gape his mouth open and shut.
Dang Yeo-eun had currently taught the first form of the Moonlight Illusion Sword Dance, Flying Moon, to her honorary grandfather, Yang Mun-heon.
Therefore, Jeung Chil also knew very well what level of skill that technique brought when used.
So he too could now realize it.
Just as he himself had not done his best, that young brat had also not done his best yet.
That was when it happened.
Seonwoo Jin suddenly clasped his fists toward Jeung Chil with great deference and said.
"Senior, you are truly a great master. Moreover, I never even imagined that you would be someone whose movement techniques are this exceptional. This junior was shallow in judgment and failed to recognize your skill, and committed a discourtesy. I apologize. Please, I beg your forgiveness."
It was an excessively respectful apology.
At this earnest apology from Seonwoo Jin, whom Jeung Chil had frankly been finding quite formidable, the simple-natured Jeung Chil's mood secretly improved.
He cleared his throat and answered.
"Hmm, hmm. Well, that could happen. As long as you realize it now, it's fine."
At this, Seonwoo Jin began to earnestly entreat him.
"Could you perhaps help us rescue our comrades from the evil enemies of the Blood Cult? If an ultimate master such as yourself could accompany us, it would be a tremendous help."
At that moment, Dang Yeo-eun also did not miss her timing.
She too provided supporting fire with earnest eyes.
"Yes, orabeoni. They are also acquaintances of mine. Please, I beg you, won't you?"
Under that combined assault, Jeung Chil finally crumbled.
He cleared his throat again and replied.
"Hmm, hmm. I-is that so? If my little sister puts it that way, well then, shall I give it a try?"
It was the moment the transcendent peak master, Red Sea Child Jeung Chil, was added to the Blood Cult expedition force.