Chapter 89
The martial artist before my eyes, who had tried to lump me in with the bandits and kill me, wasn't some 'villain.'
Her eye-catching white robes. Her straightforward speech and expression, free of pretense. Eyes brimming with a sense of justice. Even ignoring her stunning appearance that naturally inspired goodwill from the first impression, she didn't strike me as a woman who would do anything shady.
But so what?
I'm not magnanimous enough to forgive someone who came after my life.
Chaeng-!
"Eut?!"
The woman barely blocked with the sword in her hand, then gave up on counterattacking and leaped straight back. Bold decision.
"Tch."
My half-moon blade, poised for a follow-up strike, sliced through empty air. Having failed my ambush, I clicked my tongue.
Not bad.
Proof she'd properly trained in swordsmanship. But from that single exchange, I was certain I held the advantage in every aspect, including internal energy.
Wooong-
I channeled internal energy into the crude half-moon blade of the bandit.
"How can a bandit have that kind of power... Wait, hold on! You're not a bandit?"
"And?"
"There seems to have been a misunderstanding. Please forgive my mistake. I am from the Nangong Clan..."
"Raise your sword. It's already too late."
"It's not too late! No one's hurt yet—"
Ju-ru-ruk.
She belatedly realized the cold edge of the half-moon blade at her throat and fell silent. A trickle of blood from a shallow cut.
The reason I hadn't killed her yet, despite her complete inability to react, was simple.
"Raise your sword."
"If you kill me, the Nangong Clan won't forgive you."
"They won't even know it was me. You said you were alone, right?"
"Th-that..."
"Last warning. Pick up your weapon. I'll give you a chance to die honorably. As a knight's courtesy."
Valentine, my bodyguard knight in the romance fantasy novel world of The Youngest Daughter of the Count's Family. Having used the 'knight's swordsmanship' she'd taught me, I couldn't kill a surrendered opponent.
That's what a knight is. And it's the way to not tarnish the name of the knight who loved me.
"Kill me."
"I'll do it if you pick up your weapon."
"I have no intention of dying toyed with like a plaything. So just kill me already."
"I promise I won't toy with you. The moment the duel starts, I'll cleave you straight from head to groin and make it quick."
"...You mean that?"
"I swear on a knight's honor."
"Knight?"
"No need for a dying woman to know."
"......"
I stepped back slightly and waited for her to raise her weapon.
"...What's the problem now?"
"You really don't get it? If you pick it up, you die."
"I said I'd let you die honorably."
"Dying is still dying!"
"Of course. You tried to kill me."
"I apologized."
"Watch your words. You're only apologizing because I'm stronger."
She furrowed her pretty brow at my logical rebuttal.
No comeback, huh?
"Would you kill a powerless kid who charged at you?"
"You think you're powerless?"
"Yes."
The woman who'd sliced through bandits in one strike claimed she was weak.
Can't be helped.
Tok.
Fed up with her sophistry, I tossed aside the half-moon blade.
"Huh? You're forgiving me?"
"No. Since you won't pick up a weapon, I'll kill you barehanded. Fair now, no complaints?"
"I do! Isn't 'not killing me' an option?!"
"Of course n—"
I'd wasted too much time on pointless talk with this woman.
She's no ordinary wanderer.
Ever since getting sniped, my threat detection—searching for enemies—had sharpened noticeably. It had improved dramatically after acquiring internal energy in the wuxia novel world of Is This Heavenly Demon Real?
"Lady Nangong! Are you alright?"
"Lady! You suddenly dashed off alone and scared us!"
"Lady Nangong. Do you know this man?"
"Lady Nangong! Are you okay?"
Men and women in varied, distinctive outfits came rushing over. Blue, black, leather, floral patterns... Ages ranging from college students to middle-schoolers.
Their only commonality? Extraordinary looks!
Having read Is This Heavenly Demon Real? and even reviewed the summary, I recognized them at a glance.
The protagonist's subordinates, future wives—the Nine Dragons Five Phoenixes?
Nine Dragons Five Phoenixes. A camaraderie group of nine men (dragons) and five women (phoenixes) poised to lead the next generation of the Central Plains martial world. But as representatives of their clans and sects, they were deep in politics, so gatherings of all fourteen were rare.
This time was no different—only five members were present.
"I'm fine. But... there's a misunderstanding with this young hero, and it's turning into a tricky situation."
The woman pointing at me. At her words, half of the Nine Dragons Five Phoenixes turned their attention my way.
"No need to be on guard."
"What misunderstanding?"
"Let us introduce ourselves."
Was it because she'd been warned by the woman who'd tried to kill me? They cupped their fists in greeting, showing peaceful intent. Self-introductions followed.
Blade Dragon, Poison Dragon, Fist Dragon, Mi-bong, Sword Phoenix.
I nearly dozed off listening!
For reference, the violent woman's nickname—the one who'd tried to kill me with the bandits—was Sword Phoenix. Literally translated in martial world terms, she was the top sword-wielding marriage prospect among eligible women martial artists? Pretty shocking.
That woman's Sword Phoenix? She was way too weak...
In Is This Heavenly Demon Real?, Sword Phoenix was depicted as a formidable expert. Among the Nine Dragons Five Phoenixes, who would shoulder the next era of the martial world, her martial prowess ranked in the upper tier! She was the strongest of these five fumbling before me.
"So to sum up... that woman who tried to kill an innocent guy out of nowhere is Sword Phoenix, and you're her friends, the Nine Dragons Five Phoenixes?"
"It's a misunderstanding!"
Sword Phoenix bristled, trying to slyly dodge her guilt.
"Wanna die?"
"Your tone got polite after your friends showed up?"
"Not something a guy who only respects the strong should say."
The rest of the Nine Dragons Five Phoenixes glanced at her upon hearing our bickering.
"Did you really?"
"Lady Nangong. Is it true?"
"How could you..."
Rebuked by her comrades, Sword Phoenix waved her hands in frantic explanation.
"It's, it's a misunderstanding! I saw the bandits fawning over him and thought he was their leader! No need to show manners to a bandit boss, right?!"
"Well, in that case..."
"Believe me, Lady."
"If it's a misunderstanding..."
Blood is thicker than water? They bought her petty excuse and turned their arrows on me.
"What's your relation to the bandits?"
"Answer honestly."
"We haven't even heard who you are yet."
To avoid unnecessary fights or misunderstandings here, cooperative dialogue was key. That's what I'd thought while reading Is This Heavenly Demon Real?
I couldn't understand protagonists who escalated problems with their prickly attitudes.
But now that I was in the thick of it... I get it.
Internal energy must have a property that makes people arrogant. Violence and aggression came as bonuses. Otherwise, words like these wouldn't come out of my mouth.
"Come at me. All at once. Beat me, and I'll tell you."
* * *
When I first acquired 'internal energy'—unique to wuxia worldviews—I hadn't expected much. I'd only just taken my first steps, after all. I figured I couldn't match martial artists who'd trained it for years.
That made sense logically.
But reality?
"What an arrogant bastard!"
"You'll regret saying that."
"I'll teach you there's always a bigger sky above."
Ridiculous.
Especially, "A bigger sky above...? You talk like you've seen the sky above."
It was laughable, the attitude of someone who'd never even flown in a plane acting like they knew the heavens.
I wondered if they even knew the Earth was round. The part of wuxia novels I'd never bought: martial artists ignorant of air's composition 'researching' breathing, claiming to understand the cosmos and nature.
Of course, it's fiction.
"Mock— Khek?!"
I charged the bristling Blade Dragon and lightly kicked his gut.
Pu-eong-!
He couldn't react at all.
Because I ambushed him? No. Just like how pre-internal energy me couldn't budge against Wudang Divine Sword's disciple, it was perceptual lag from overwhelming ability gap.
Now I get it.
I'm the owner of cheat-level physique that even overwhelmed the 'athlete' deemed a monster by P's aptitude test.
And now I'd learned 'internal energy.'
"What about the sky?"
This wasn't a fair fight between martial artists. It was athlete versus commoner!
Without some asymmetrical weapon ignoring personal skill, my superiority was absolute.
"Blade Dragon...!"
Fist Dragon belatedly realized his comrade had fallen in the blink of an eye. He charged with an internal energy-infused punch.
U-deuk!
My roundhouse kick snapped his arm like a twig.
"Aaaak~?!"
"Leg muscles that support your body weight all day are stronger than arms."
"My arm~!"
"...Not ready to hear it."
Puk.
I followed up with an instep strike to Fist Dragon's jaw as he flailed with his broken arm. A basic front kick, one of taekwondo's fundamentals.
"How dare you...!"
Poison Dragon hurled a barrage of daggers from his bosom. Fitting his name, poison coated the blades—grazed, and it could be deadly.
Tok, tok, tok.
But misses were useless.
"Too slow."
"Heop— Aaak?!"
I swiftly flanked him and kicked his tailbone. He somersaulted through the air like a trick, then sprawled limbs akimbo in the sand.
"Don't waste time. Go home and develop a plague instead."
"......"
Just spreading historical plagues would turn this pre-modern world upside down, with no advanced medicine.
A doctor who can't fight doesn't get strong just by holding a poisoned needle. Same principle.
Poison blades only work in even matchups.
"You?"
"I surrender. You wouldn't hit a defenseless lady without martial intent, right?"
The girl, looking like a second-year high schooler with youthful beauty, raised her hands above her shoulders in surrender. Mi-bong.
Rated the Central Plains' most beautiful unmarried woman, she was the weakest of the Nine Dragons Five Phoenixes. Trained in martial arts, sure—but her frail build, designed to trigger men's protective instincts, was inefficient for combat.
In short, Mi-bong traded power for charm. Pros and cons, naturally.
"Young master. You're not falling for my body, are you?"
"Want my stinky sole across your cheek?"
"No."
"Don't underestimate me. I have a prettier girlfriend."
"Liar!"
Ignoring disbelieving Mi-bong, I turned aside.
"Not coming?"
"I surrender too!"
Sword Phoenix, meeting my eyes, mimicked her surrendered comrades.
"Don't wanna."
"This discrimination is unfair—"
Bbak!
I flicked her forehead with a surprise knuckle rap. No time for a pain cry—concussed, her head snapped back, and she toppled over.
"That's too much. Hitting a woman's face, her lifeblood..."
Mi-bong, mustering courage, scolded me.
"That's why I hit it."
"On purpose?!"
"For trying to take my life, a forehead bump is a bargain."
"Well... true."
Mi-bong conceded my merciful judgment.
"Mi-bong."
"As I introduced earlier, I'm the second daughter of the Moyong Clan..."
"Give me some money."
"Young master. You're really not the bandit leader, right?"
"You guys killed the bandits I caught, halving my bounty. This is a fair demand."
"Blame Sword Phoenix. I have no money."
"Liar."
"It's true... Blade Dragon and Fist Dragon buy me what I need. So I never carry cash."
"You're really screwed, huh?"
Info not in the novel.
"If I bought for her, she'd think I like her and it'd be awkward."
"Talk about awkward!"
The Nine Dragons Five Phoenixes—or rather, Five Dragons One Phoenix here—were key characters, future protagonist subordinates or wives. Killing them recklessly could derail plans.
Better play it safe until I find Mao Zai.
Jjallang!
I gathered the bandits' heads and loot into a sack.
"...Why?"
Mi-bong stared at me like I was some exotic creature.
"Need money?"
"This is enough."
"I'll vouch for you under the Moyong Clan name. You can claim the bounty without heads."
"Huh? Really?"
Come to think of it, yes. The protagonist subjugated tons of bandits and villains but never collected heads.
"In exchange, escort us to the nearest magistrate."
"Sure."
If it meant not hauling stinking bandit heads, I'd do that much.
"Nice doing business."
"Yeah."
"If it's not rude, may I know your name and sect, young master?"
Mi-bong naturally probed my info. Not being mysterious, I pondered a second and answered.
"Kang Moon-soo."
"Ah! So you're Young Master Kang."
"Grandson of the Heavenly Demon."
"...Pardon?"
"Nice doing business."
Bone master's relic might work somehow?
...Or not.