Chapter 40: In the Human World, April's Fragrance Ends (11)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 40: In the Human World, April's Fragrance Ends (11)
The courtesan was drenched in sweat.
She had run so hard that she was gasping for air, her lungs burning.
"What? The Hall Master of the Pungryu Martial Hall isn't here?"
"He went to see the County Magistrate. I believe they said they were going hunting together…"
"Why today of all days…!"
"What is it? What’s happened?"
"Young Master Yeon…"
The inner disciple’s expression sharpened instantly.
"Young Master Yeon So-wol? Why? Did something happen to him?"
"He killed… Seo Mu-ryang."
"He what?"
"He should be at the Golden Powder Gang's headquarters right now!"
"That crazy bastard…"
The disciple whipped around, his robes fluttering violently. He drew upon his True Qi and bellowed at the top of his lungs, his voice echoing through the training grounds.
"Everyone, grab your weapons! This is an emergency! Se-min! You’re the fastest with your Lightness Technique—find the Hall Master immediately! Jang Oh! Go to the Severing Sword Sect and request reinforcements! The rest of you, follow me!"
The once-peaceful Pungryu Martial Arts Hall was suddenly set ablaze with frantic activity.
Meanwhile, in the streets, the exact opposite reaction was unfolding.
"Damn it. You’re telling me Elder Brother Seo Mu-ryang is dead?"
"Hey, you crazy prick. There are lines you don't cross, even for a joke. How could you say that about Elder Brother Mu-ryang…?"
"No, it’s the truth! The Golden Powder Gang is in a total uproar. I went and saw the mess for myself."
"…How is that even possible?"
"They say Yeon So-wol killed him. Even brought an assassin with him."
"What? The hell? So, Lee Yu-baek ordered the hit?"
"Must have."
"That son of a bitch. How much of a fucking joke does that bastard think we are, just because he pretends to be some noble Confucian scholar…?"
"Those goddamn dogs. How could they do that to our Elder Brother Mu-ryang? To slaughter a man in broad daylight like that…"
"We can't just let this slide. At the very least, we have to tear Yeon So-wol and that assassin to pieces. Where is that bastard now?"
"Still holding his ground at the Golden Powder Gang’s place."
"And Lee Yu-baek?"
"Not there yet."
"Let’s go. Now."
"I’ll call the rest of the boys."
"Call everyone! Make it so that even if Lee Yu-baek shows up, he won't be able to lift a single finger!"
From the market stalls.
From the dark back alleys.
From the smoke-filled gambling dens.
From the courtesan houses and the rowdy taverns.
From suspicious, windowless buildings that reeked of rot.
The news spread like wildfire. Every member of the Black Path in Xinxing County began to seize their weapons and converge on the Golden Powder Gang's headquarters.
To them, at least, Seo Mu-ryang had been a good elder brother—a man who generously paid for their drinks and handed out fat purses for the smallest of errands. Where that money actually came from was none of their business.
"I really can't stand for this."
"We'll rip those two to shreds and appease Elder Brother Mu-ryang's spirit."
It might have been a different story if Lee Yu-baek were present. But if it was just Yeon So-wol, they were certain they could hunt him down and kill him.
A thick, murderous aura began to settle over the streets. Seeing the glint of unsheathed swords, axes, and spears, the residents of Xinxing County trembled and bolted their doors shut.
* * *
The majority of those belonging to the Black Path in Xinxing County were mere third-rate martial artists. It was rare for thugs to receive systematic training with a deep history, so their overall quality was poor.
But even by those standards, the Black Path of Xinxing County was exceptionally weak. This was because the truly dangerous elements had been purged long ago by Lee Yu-baek. The ones left now were, for the most part, small fry.
However, their numbers were vast, making them a formidable tide when they decided to swarm.
CR-AAAACK!
A burst of Hard Force erupted from the sword Yeon So-wol swung.
"Keoheuk!"
A third-rate martial artist dropped his weapon, but unable to withstand the sheer pressure, his body spun like a top before he tumbled to the ground.
"Aaargh!"
The flying sword embedded itself deep into the chest of another Black Path member standing nearby.
Yeon So-wol did not stop. He raised his Demon-Slaying Sword, perfectly aligning the power of his internal and external martial arts.
CRUNCH!
As the blade fell, another man's body was split vertically in two.
SQUELCH!
With a casual flick of his blade, a man's head flew four feet into the air. Mere third-rate fighters could not withstand the Hard Force imbued in his steel. Even a second-rate martial artist, if they hadn't yet awakened to Hard Force, wouldn't dare to even think of crossing blades with him.
This was the absolute divide between one who had awakened to Hard Force and one who had not.
Yeon So-wol was like a lion that had leaped into a flock of sheep. One of the thugs who had charged in with misplaced vigor was sent flying, his body twisted like a pretzel. Before the blur of the swinging sword was even visible, the metallic stench of blood exploded in the air.
A liquid. Slick and sticky. A deep, red liquid.
Were people always this wet?
In less than a heartbeat, Yeon So-wol had cut down over ten members of the Golden Powder Gang. He had deliberately used Hard Force to kill them brutally, hoping to display overwhelming power and break their spirits.
However.
'These bastards… their will to fight isn't breaking at all.'
Even as they watched a man get torn in two, saw heads fly, and felt the spray of hot blood misting their faces, not a single one of them backed down. Instead, they ground their teeth harder, their killing intent swelling into a vicious frenzy.
"You son of a bitch from the Yeon family! Did our Elder Brother ever do anything to harm you? Huh? What kind of grudge did you have to kill him so mercilessly?"
"Kill us all! Go on, try it! Do we look like insects to you? Fine! Go ahead and kill us all!"
"He's tired! That bastard's getting tired! If we push him now, we can take him! This is it! It's over for him!"
There was no getting through to them. It was useless to tell them that Seo Mu-ryang had tried to kill him first. Useless to say that he didn't actually see them as insects. Useless to say that he wasn't as tired as they thought.
They believed what they wanted to believe. They would defend their pride even in death, filled with an incomprehensible self-assurance.
Because they were people of the Jianghu. Because they were martial artists who had risked their lives to overcome their own fates. Just as Yeon So-wol had taken up his sword believing he was in the right, so had they.
It was a dizzying realization.
'I used so much power on purpose to scare them…'
At this rate, he had simply wasted his strength for nothing. The Black Path members grew more cautious, beginning to fight with cunning. They would feint a charge and pull back, rush him in small groups of three, or pretend to be overwhelmed only to throw a hidden dagger. They were hitting and running, trying to wear him down through attrition.
'This won't work.'
Yeon So-wol shifted his strategy.
'I have to conserve my strength.'
All he had to do was hold out until Lee Yu-baek arrived. There was no need to stay on the offensive.
'I'll use the power of the Heavenly Killing Star, too.'
Even if the overall level of the Black Path was low, the members of the Golden Powder Gang were on a completely different level from the Mad Dog's pack he had fought before. There was no way he could hold out against dozens of them taking turns to swarm him without tapping into the Heavenly Killing Star.
It was a fight to kill or be killed. If he died, hiding his power would be meaningless. And if he killed them all, it wouldn't matter if they found out.
"Huuuu…"
Exhaling a puff of white mist, Yeon So-wol composed himself and faced the tide.
Fifteen minutes passed. Then thirty.
More than twenty corpses of the Golden Powder Gang were already piled around Yeon So-wol’s feet. But Lee Yu-baek did not come. He could hear the loud clang of steel from beyond the far wall, but it was impossible to tell what was happening.
Yeon So-wol was beginning to reach his physical limit.
CLANG!
An enemy's sword shattered upon contact with his Sword Secret Finger.
"Fuck, look at his hand!"
"Be careful! Don't get close!"
Everyone now realized that something unnatural happened if they entered Yeon So-wol's immediate reach.
Yeon So-wol pursued the enemy who had tossed aside his broken sword and was hastily retreating. It would be easier if he could reduce their numbers by even one more whenever the opportunity arose. Before the man could escape, Yeon So-wol closed the distance and thrust his Demon-Slaying Sword. It was a distance where the tip of his blade could just barely reach.
But—
CR-AAAACK!
A blade cut in from the side, knocking the Demon-Slaying Sword away. It was a strike imbued with Hard Force.
"Ugh…!"
Unable to control the sudden impact, Yeon So-wol staggered. A cracking sound echoed from his joints as the recoil rippled through his body.
"Heup…!"
Forcing himself back into a stance, Yeon So-wol put more strength into the hand forming the sword seal. When using Hard Force, one had to keep a part of their mind constantly vigilant. One had to gauge their own force against the opponent's and receive only as much as they could handle.
That was the theory. The problem was that Yeon So-wol's Fire Phase had not yet reached that level of mastery. When his body and mind were fresh, he could manage it, but as fatigue set in, it became drastically more difficult.
The hand forming the sword seal drooped, and his vision began to narrow. Since they avoided his reach, he had to overextend his sword, but when he did, blades flew in from all sides to parry it. If he blocked a sword with his body, a throwing dagger followed, and after that, a flurry of spears. If his concentration broke for even a second, a lapse in attention would leave a hole in his chest.
Yeon So-wol thought, 'Is this… dangerous?'
He had a gut feeling he could die here.
'Should I pull back now?'
While he still had the strength, if he trusted in the Pungryu Sect's superior Lightness Technique and made his escape…
'Yes, let's escape.'
Yeon So-wol made up his mind. He could fight for Eun-yeong, but he could not die for her.
So he thought. And yet.
'Why won't my feet move…'
It was strange. His mind had reached the logical conclusion to flee, but his feet wouldn't budge. His heart wouldn't move. He simply stood firm, guarding the space in front of Eun-yeong.
"Haa…"
Yeon So-wol's breath scattered, and his body swayed slightly.
"He's tired! He's really flagging now! This is it! Now's our chance!"
The Black Path members cheered and closed the distance. Just as Yeon So-wol bit his lip, trying to cling to his fading consciousness—
"Get a grip."
A clear, indifferent voice spoke as a gust of wind blew past him.
"Guk…?"
"Eok…?"
SWOOOSH—!
With dull gasps, blood spurted like fountains from the necks, wrists, and thighs of the approaching thugs. It was swordsmanship that had precisely severed only their arteries as it passed.
"Uh… uh…?"
Stunned by the sheer volume of blood gushing from their own bodies, the Black Path members collapsed, their eyes wide and vacant.
'That's…!'
Yeon So-wol's gaze was captivated by the elegant move Eun-yeong had just displayed. It was a swift, stealthy footwork that allowed her to approach like the wind, slash her blade, and pass by before the opponent even realized she was there.
'She used… Hard Force in her footwork!'
It made sense. Who said Hard Force had to be channeled only into a weapon? If one used Hard Force in their steps, their movements would become far more explosive.
Thud.
Eun-yeong, holding a blood-stained dagger, returned and leaned her shoulder lightly against Yeon So-wol's. He noticed she felt strangely hot. It seemed as if a faint heat haze was rising from her skin. Amidst the sickening stench of blood, a pungent, burnt smell was mixed in.
"Hard Force. Keep it… constant. Every time. Same power. Same breath. Then… you won't make mistakes. Less tiring."
Her words were clipped, but Yeon So-wol understood perfectly.
"Are you saying I should only use Hard Force in one specific way?"
Eun-yeong nodded. In fact, that was exactly how she had learned to use it—to establish a fixed method for exerting Hard Force and to always operate within that framework. Doing so resolved most of the side effects. If you always performed the same movement with the same power, you wouldn't be crushed by your own strength.
The same went for the Fire Phase. You just had to do what you always did, reducing the worry of mismanaging the 'fire' and causing an over-tempering. It became even more stable if you placed appropriate rest intervals between uses to cool down the body. It reduced the risk of losing control, and since the movements were predictable, it saved stamina.
This was how the Unorthodox Faction controlled Hard Force.
Yeon So-wol thought, 'It's almost like a skill in a video game…'
Using power with a uniform output and a uniform method every time felt exactly like that. There was even something similar to a cooldown. It was an interesting method, but he wasn't drawn to it.
Yeon So-wol realized the fundamental difference.
'So this is how the martial arts of the Unorthodox and Orthodox Factions diverge.'
The Unorthodox method standardized every movement for efficiency. But Lee Yu-baek hadn't taught him that easy way. Instead, he had taught him the absurdly difficult method of always keeping a part of his mind awake and adaptable.
'…There must be a reason. Perhaps it's the only way to properly handle the Pungryu Sect's arts.'
There was a reason he had to exert Hard Force in different ways, with different strengths, each and every time. Yeon So-wol suddenly felt his mind clear.
"I was a fool."
He finally understood.
'To think I'd learned Hard Force the difficult way, only to use it by mindlessly slamming all my power into it in a single fashion.'
At this rate, he was no different from an Unorthodox fighter.
"Thank you, Young Miss Eun-yeong. Thanks to you, my head's a bit clearer now. Though in a different way than you intended."
"A different way?" Eun-yeong tilted her head.
Suddenly, Yeon So-wol's gaze fell upon her.
"But, Young Miss. Your body…"
Her arms. Her legs. Her side. Wherever she had been cut, her clothes were soaked in blood and clinging to her skin. He had no idea how she was even standing.
Yet Eun-yeong remained composed. "I'm fine."
If anything, her face seemed even more flushed with color. Yeon So-wol felt a sense of unease, but since she insisted she was fine, he simply frowned.
"…Please don't overdo it."
"Okay. I'll be… behind you."
It was a strangely insincere reply. Yeon So-wol grew anxious.
'…I can't keep fighting like this. I'm worried about her condition, too.'
For some reason, Lee Yu-baek wasn't coming. The sounds of fighting from beyond the wall weren't getting any closer.
'…I have to be more aggressive and break the encirclement.'
Yeon So-wol drew up his True Qi. He glared at the members of the Golden Powder Gang, whose fighting spirit remained stubbornly unbroken. He recalled the epiphany that had just flashed through his mind.
'If I use a different amount of Hard Force each time I take a step…!'
He gently kicked off the ground.
FWOOSH!
A wave of Hard Force spread across the earth. He had channeled the force not into his sword, but into the tips of his toes, just as Eun-yeong had shown him.
But that wasn't all.
'Once lightly. Once heavily. Varying the Hard Force in my feet with every single step.'
The reason Lee Yu-baek hadn't taught him the Unorthodox method was because the Pungryu Sect's martial arts only revealed their true value when one could unleash Hard Force differently each time. Yeon So-wol was not yet a master of this stage, but in this moment, with his life on the line, he willingly stepped beyond his limits.
Sway—
Like a willow leaf caught in a gale, Yeon So-wol's body wobbled and swayed, gliding as if flying to land directly before the Golden Powder Gang members.
"Huh?"
"This—!"
The thugs couldn't react to his wildly unpredictable movements. Yeon So-wol bared his teeth.
"Got you."
Finally, he had reached a distance where he could touch them with his hands and his sword as easily as pulling a coin from his pocket.
SQUELCH!
Yeon So-wol's sword, swung like a flash of light, sliced clean through a man's neck.