Chapter 217: Jin So-eun-5
Chapter 217: Jin So-eun-5
Jin So-eun's eyes were nailed to that man.
She felt somehow that she had to look at him.
He was a person who possessed a strange magical power that seized one's gaze.
And in the next moment, the man's figure vanished from atop the mast as if suddenly erased.
Seureureuk!
Jin So-eun was startled.
It felt exactly as if she had seen a ghost.
"?!"
But she could confirm soon enough that he was no ghost.
Because he, who had vanished from atop the mast, had suddenly appeared at the gunwale of the very ship she was on.
Standing at the gunwale as though he had materialized out of thin air, he asked in a low voice.
"Are you the pirates of the White Religion Sect?"
Only then did the Four Heavenly Kings of the White Religion Sect, now aware of his presence, hurriedly thrust out their sabers and shout.
"Who are you?!"
"What are you?!"
Then he smiled coldly and asked again.
"Am I not asking whether you are the White Religion Sect's pirates?"
Jin So-eun stared blankly at him.
Beneath the darkening sky, he was a man in pure white robes that seemed almost to emit light, with a handsome face that appeared to radiate even more brightly than his white robes.
'White Religion Sect?'
Jin So-eun repeated the name inwardly.
The four peak-level masters were wearing flustered expressions at merely hearing that name.
As the man in white had implied, they indeed seemed to be members of the White Religion Sect.
'If it's the White Religion Sect, then certainly...'
It was a name she had just heard from her younger sister Jin Ga-in the day before.
A sect somewhere between righteous and unorthodox that had recently grown rapidly to become the second most powerful force in Gwangju after the Jin Family Stronghold.
But Jin Ga-in had dismissed them as nothing much, saying this:
'They're rumored to have grown quite strong, but that's all it is. They've never once clashed with us while building up their power. That means they fear our Jin Family Stronghold.'
But if those men really were the White Religion Sect, then Jin Ga-in's words seemed utterly wrong.
The reason they had never once clashed with the Jin Family Stronghold was likely because they had been hiding their fangs and keeping their heads low.
Just as a tiger does when hunting beasts.
The four men, the Four Heavenly Kings of the White Religion Sect, gnashed their teeth and shouted.
"Who the hell are you?! Knowing that we are of the White Religion Sect, you dare interfere in our affairs?!"
"Was sinking that ship your doing too?!"
Then the young man in white smiled gently with his beautiful face.
It was mystifying how he could maintain such a relaxed attitude before four peak-level masters.
"I interfered precisely because I knew you were scum of the White Religion Sect."
"Wh-what did you say?!"
"How dare you!"
The Four Heavenly Kings of the White Religion Sect now seemed to realize that a fight was inevitable.
They immediately lowered their stances and raised their momentum as if to pounce on the man in white.
At that moment, the man in white opened his mouth again.
"Dogs of Jin Tae-do."
At that instant, the four peak-level masters, who were about to hurl themselves forward, flinched and froze.
Jin So-eun could not understand why, but it seemed to have been a very significant statement.
And at that moment, the figure of the man in white moved first.
Paak!
His movement technique was astonishing.
The instant she thought he had moved his body, he had already arrived right in front of the four.
It was a movement as if he had traversed space itself.
And Jin So-eun remembered what such a movement technique was called.
"Phantom... Shift?"
In that instant, the man's white sword left its sheath.
Syuhwaaak!
It was a tremendous sword strike that left behind pure white afterglow in space the very moment it was drawn.
Four ten-pointed crosses drawn upon the empty air entered Jin So-eun's eyes.
Cha-cha-chaeng! Puhak!
"Keurgh!"
"Urgh!"
"Kuaaak!"
"Maknae!"
Jin So-eun barely managed to take in the situation.
Three of the masters had barely managed to raise their sabers and block his sword.
But Po Si-ham, who had fought her moments before, could not.
His right arm, still gripping his saber, had been severed whole and was rolling across the deck.
Jin So-eun could not believe it.
The peak-level master who had given her so much trouble earlier had failed to withstand even a single exchange and lost his arm.
Moreover, the man in white did not stop there.
Hwiririk!
As he lightly scattered his sword, Po Si-ham's left arm and both legs were also all severed in an instant.
It was a sword strike as indifferent as pruning the branches of a tree.
Puhwaaak!
"Uwaaaak! My arm! My legs!"
Now reduced to a mere torso rolling upon the deck, Po Si-ham was screaming a horrific scream.
Then the remaining three charged in fury.
"Maknae!"
"You bastard! Die!"
"Kiyaaaap!"
Their full-powered attacks were ferocious.
It was a frenzied attack beyond all comparison to when they had faced Jin So-eun.
But the man, who glanced at them, stepped one pace toward them with the same indifferent expression as before.
"!"
Seureureureuk!
Then something astonishing happened.
His form gently flowed past their saber strikes like a flower petal carried by the wind, naturally advancing between them.
Seureureureuk!
"Th-that's impossible!"
Jin So-eun cried out in shock.
But her astonishment could not possibly compare to that of the three peak-level masters.
They had evaded their combined assault — attacks delivered with the entirety of their soul's strength — as if moving through air, and now the three could only stare wide-eyed at the man in white who had slipped between them before they knew it.
Then his handsome face, smiling gently, entered their vision.
And the flash of white sword light as well.
Hwiririk!
They now had no means to block the sword strike of the man in white. Because he had evaded all of their full-powered blows and had slipped into their blind spots.
Just as had happened to their youngest, Po Si-ham, they could do nothing but gaze with despairing eyes at his sword strike lightly passing through their limbs.
Puhwaaak!
"No!"
"Uwaaaak!"
"My arm!"
Jin So-eun stared blankly at the scene before her eyes.
The four peak-level masters who had seemed so vicious moments ago were now rolling upon the deck, having lost all their limbs in an instant.
It was such a one-sided fight that she felt a strange sense of pity even for them, who would never be able to use martial arts again.
She abruptly raised her eyes and looked at the person responsible for the carnage before her.
And he was already looking at her.
With a radiantly beautiful face, wearing a gentle smile completely different from before.
He opened his mouth and spoke to her.
"You must be the young lady of the Jin Family Stronghold? Your staff technique was magnificent. Is that the Natural Bound Staff?"
Jin So-eun found herself answering blankly without realizing it.
"Ah, yes? Oh, yes. Thank you. No, to call it the Natural Bound Staff, I am still unskilled. It is merely imitation."
For a person who had so overwhelmingly defeated opponents she could not even match to call her mere staff technique magnificent — it certainly seemed he had to be mocking her.
But despite that, Jin So-eun somehow did not feel bad.
Because his smile seemed too beautiful.
***
Mukrang spoke admiringly from within Seonwoo Jin's head.
- Is that called the Natural Bound Staff? Magnificent. Beautiful. It feels like looking at an outstanding work of art. Why did I never know of such a splendid staff technique?
Seonwoo Jin, who had smiled wryly inwardly at his admiration, answered him.
'Natural Bound Staff Jin Ji-in was a contemporary of the Southern Sea Sword King In Jeung-ho. They say he was a late bloomer, so during your lifetime, Elder Mukrang, he probably had not yet completed the Natural Bound Staff. But... is her staff technique truly that great? I also thought it was impressive, but I am not sure if it is to the degree where you would express such admiration?'
Her staff technique, which seemed to move alive on its own, was certainly unique and impressive.
But was it not, at most (?), a staff technique insufficient to face even four peak-level masters of this caliber?
It was somewhat doubtful whether it was great enough to make the Sword God, called the greatest of all time, express admiration.
Then Mukrang answered with a hollow laugh as if dumbfounded.
- Heh, calling four peak-level masters 'at most' — you yourself were a frog who had forgotten your tadpole days. Have you already forgotten that until just a few months ago, you too were not even at the peak level?
'Ah, was... that the case?'
Thinking on it, that was certainly true.
Seonwoo Jin himself had not long ago reached the realm of the peak.
And being able to easily handle four peak-level masters was even more recent.
Mukrang spoke in a voice tinged with laughter.
- Compared to the you of that time, that young lady can now safely be seen as a fully grown frog. It is merely that her legs still lack the strength to leap.
'Her legs lack strength? Ah, so that is the issue.'
Seonwoo Jin could immediately grasp what Mukrang meant.
With the realm she had demonstrated, she was now more than worthy of being peak-level or above.
But the reason she had not yet reached the peak despite that seemed to be because her internal energy was still insufficient.
A later-generation talent whose realm was high but who could not display her full power because her internal energy was lacking — somehow, that piqued his interest even more.
At that moment, Mukrang spoke as if something was strange.
"Hmm, but that is also a bit odd, Ha Gun. Was the Jin Family Estate not said to be a rather prosperous place? Why would they neglect such a talent, failing to even buy her spirit medicine to feed her, leaving her unable to reach the peak-level?"
Hearing those words, Seonwoo Jin's gaze suddenly swept over Jin So-eun's short, mannish hair and shabby clothes.
There seemed to be some circumstances at play.
'Maybe the Jin Family Estate failed to recognize a gem and didn't treat her properly.'
And if that were the case....
Having thought that far, Seonwoo Jin wore a meaningful smile and spoke to her.
"Sojeo, these White Religion Sect scoundrels intended to capture the Jin Family Estate's children here as hostages, then strike the Jin Family Estate. Even now, they must be hiding troops near the Jin Family Estate, waiting for these people to return."
At those words, Jin So-eun was startled.
"Wh-what! Then the Jin Family Estate right now?!"
"It should be fine for the moment. They would not have moved until they had captured all of you."
"Ahh...."
Seonwoo Jin had been able to obtain information about that plan from the White Religion Sect members he encountered while crossing the Zhu River.
And that was also how he was able to arrive here without being late.
"However, there is not much time. If these people do not return, they might take action on their own. So in my humble opinion, the best course would be to head to the Jin Family Estate first, dig a trap, and wait for the bastards."
It was when Seonwoo Jin had said that.
Someone came out from the cabin and interjected.
"If that is the subject, then speak with me, Daehyeop. I am the young master of the Jin Family Estate."
He was Jin Gye-gun, the young master of the Jin Family Estate and Jin So-eun's half-brother by a different mother.
He was approaching Seonwoo Jin wearing a leisurely smile.
But Seonwoo Jin frowned slightly as he looked at him.
Because he could not get a particularly positive impression from him.
His arrogant attitude, which seemed ingrained, and his flashy attire, unlike Jin So-eun's, caught the eye first.
'And on top of that, only now sauntering out and saying "if that is the subject, speak with me"? Why do I feel like I'm being reminded of my Seonwoo clan brothers?'
At that moment, Jin Gye-gun glanced at Jin So-eun and spoke.
"This child is my younger sister who came down from the mountains not long ago. She does not hold much influence within the family."
In his gaze, Seonwoo Jin could easily read a glint of contempt for Jin So-eun.
Just like the looks his Seonwoo clan half-brothers often showed when looking at Seonwoo Jin.
Seonwoo Jin felt he could now grasp roughly what kind of person he was.
Having swept a cold gaze over him, Seonwoo Jin abruptly asked him.
"The young master of the Jin Family Estate, you say. However... Young Master, why did you not come out while this Sojeo here was fighting four peak-level masters?"
At those words, Jin Gye-gun could not help but be flustered for a moment.
But he immediately erased that expression and answered.
"Ah, I was inside fighting enemies...."
At that, Seonwoo Jin chuckled and asked back.
"Aha, enemies so formidable you couldn't come out to help even while your younger sister fought four peak-level masters—perhaps there was a transcendent peak master or something inside."
"Th-that is...."
Seonwoo Jin spoke to him in an icy voice.
"Young Master, first handle the remnants left on those ships. If they flee and inform their main base, matters will become troublesome."
Right now, the remaining White Religion Sect members were frantically scrambling off the Jin Family Estate's ship and fleeing to their own vessels.
It seemed they had lost even the will to fight after their leader, one of the Four Heavenly Kings, had been dealt with so absurdly.
The ships that had surrounded three sides, excluding the sunken one, were also just about to depart.
At that, Jin Gye-gun, who had been surveying the ships following Seonwoo Jin's gaze, asked with a troubled expression.
"...With just our own strength, you mean?"
Seonwoo Jin gave a hollow laugh.
The man was looking at him with an expression that said, "Can't you handle it for me?"
It was astonishing that such a person was the young master of the Jin Family Estate, a place infamous throughout the martial world for its ferocity and tenacity.
It was then.
Jin So-eun, who had been standing there blankly, suddenly seemed to remember something and shouted toward the ship on the side.
"Ah! Ga-in, Ga-in is!"
On the White Religion Sect ship that was just now breaking away from the Jin Family Estate's vessel, her half-sister by a different mother, Jin Ga-in, was staring this way with pitiful eyes, bound tightly.
Probably too afraid of the pirates around her to even cry out.
"Ga-in!"
Without further thought, Jin So-eun tried to launch herself toward that ship.
At that, Seonwoo Jin grabbed her shoulder.
Grab!
"Ah?!"
When Jin So-eun looked back at him in surprise, Seonwoo Jin let out a sigh and said.
"I will go and rescue her, so please begin your energy circulation and breathing exercises first."
At those words, Jin So-eun asked, flustered.
"Pardon? Energy circulation? But my body is fine?"
Jin So-eun abruptly examined her own body.
Her clothes had become a bit like rags, but there didn't seem to be any particular wounds on her body.
Nor had she suffered internal injuries.
So she didn't think energy circulation was particularly necessary.
But even at her question, Seonwoo Jin gave no answer and instead rummaged through his pack.
Then he took something out from inside and handed it to Jin So-eun.
It was a small pill emitting a subtle fragrance.
She asked with a puzzled look.
"This is?"
At that, Seonwoo Jin smiled gently and answered.
"It is a spirit medicine. It is of the highest quality, so you should be able to gain roughly twenty years or more of internal energy."
"Ah, a spirit medicine. No wonder the scent is... Whaaat?!"
Jin So-eun was horrified.
A spirit medicine? Why on earth would he give her a spirit medicine?
And if it was a spirit medicine that could grant twenty years of internal energy, it would truly be of the finest quality....
Ever since coming down from the mountain, Jin So-eun had never once received proper treatment at the Jin Family Estate.
That was because her father Jin Gong-mu was indifferent to the family, and the great matron, the birth mother of Jin Gye-gun and Jin Ga-in, disliked her.
It was probably, she suspected, because the great matron, who had become the real power after Jin Gye-gun became the young master, had deeply hated Jin So-eun and Jin Jeong-gun's mother, who was now deceased.
So, far from spirit medicine, she had never even received a warm meal welcoming her....
Jin So-eun could not understand why this man she had met for the first time today, who had even saved her life, was showing her such kindness.
At that, Seonwoo Jin firmly pressed the pill into her hand and spoke.
"I truly wish to see that magnificent Natural Staff technique of yours properly displayed. If you fill a full cycle of internal energy and ascend to the peak realm, you will be able to see a different world."
Then he shouted toward the side of the ship.
"Elder Son! Might I trouble you to act as dharma protector for this Sojeo?!"
At that, a portly old man with a red nose, who had been clinging to the ship's railing, leaped lightly up and spoke.
"Dharma protector, you say? Leave that much to me, Young Master Yin."
And next to him, a teenage girl of about fifteen or sixteen leaped up as well and spoke to Seonwoo Jin with a prim expression.
"Young Master Yin, you are terribly kind to that eonni, hmpph!"
They were Son Dae-su the Drifting Cloud Guest and his granddaughter Son I-rang, who had decided to accompany Seonwoo Jin starting from the Hapsan Sect.
When they appeared, Jin So-eun was immensely startled.
It seemed they had been hiding, clinging to the side of the ship all along, yet she had felt absolutely no sign of their presence.
For Jin So-eun, who had always lived chasing and hunting wild animals in the mountains, this was an utterly unfamiliar experience.
At that moment, after entrusting Jin So-eun to Son Dae-su, Seonwoo Jin unhesitatingly launched himself into the air.
Swiftly!
He had told that so-called young master of the Jin Family Estate to handle the cleanup, but somehow he didn't seem like someone to expect much from.
Since he planned to erase the White Religion Sect anyway, it was better to handle it himself.
"Waaah!"
Jin So-eun let out an exclamation at Seonwoo Jin's movement technique as he soared up so incredibly lightly.
She had seen quite a few so-called masters of movement arts so far, but this was the first time she had seen a movement technique that felt like the wind.
On the other hand, Jin Gye-gun furrowed his brow and sneered.
"Hmph!"
He was utterly displeased with the white-robed man, who seemed not to pay due respect to him, the young master of the Jin Family Estate.
The memory that he owed his life to that man had already been shoved into a corner of his mind.
When Seonwoo Jin launched himself not toward the ship where Jin Ga-in was held captive, but toward a different vessel, Jin Gye-gun quietly muttered as if mocking him.
"His movement technique is outstanding, but his brain seems lacking. He doesn't even know where the person who needs saving is...!"
But Jin Gye-gun, who had been speaking thus, soon found his mouth gaping open, unable to continue his words.
Because Seonwoo Jin, who had flown onto the other ship, had swung his sword.
Chwaaaaaaak!
"!"
"H-how can that be!"
It was a sight utterly unbelievable even while watching it with his own eyes.
Because with just a single swing of the sword in midair, one large ship was cleanly split into two pieces.