Do I Have to Spell It Out? (1)
Tang Jin spoke, keeping his eyes on their surroundings with a hidden weapon poised in his hand.
"Should we just bide our time like this?"
"Probably. That should do it."
This was, after all, only a test.
There was no reason to defeat every single enemy.
They only needed to hold out until the incense burner finished burning.
Having already secured a favorable position, all they had to do was defend it. But...
"Bwahahaha! Kill them all!"
"Yes, Chieftain!"
"Yes, Chieftain!"
In situations like this, there was always someone who lacked situational awareness.
In this case, it was Jin Song of the Black Dragon River.
Leading dozens of his men, he was sweeping through the area, crushing anyone who dared to stand in his way.
Watching this, Han Cheong-un spoke.
"He's working unnecessarily hard."
"Indeed. I wonder why."
"He probably wants to weed out the competition while he has the chance."
"Well, that's one way to look at it."
Jin Song was quite strong, and the men he brought were the elite of the Black Dragon Fort, handpicked for this occasion.
As they attacked in unison, more than half of the examinees inside the building were swept away.
Amidst his rampage, Jin Song...
"You there, brat!"
He shouted, glaring at Han Cheong-un in the corner.
When Han Cheong-un pointed a finger at himself with a look that said, Me?, Jin Song roared.
"You dared to act cheeky earlier."
"Did I?"
Han Cheong-un didn't particularly agree.
But Jin Song had already made up his mind.
"This elder will teach you a lesson in humility."
With that shout, Jin Song of the Black Dragon River charged toward Han Cheong-un alongside his men.
Han Cheong-un watched them approach and let out a cold smile.
"You're making a mistake."
Then, Han Cheong-un abandoned his defensive formation and leaped forward. At that exact moment, Jin Song also vaulted over his men, launching himself at Han Cheong-un. The massive broadsword he swung with ferocious force clashed violently with Han Cheong-un's spear.
BOOM!
The moment they collided.
A terrifying clash of qi erupted, sending shockwaves rippling in all directions.
The two of them landed back on the ground.
Jin Song, looking slightly surprised, spoke.
"For a brat to block my strike, you're not half bad."
"Elder, my foot..."
Han Cheong-un smirked.
Jin Song stroked his chin, a thick grin spreading across his face.
"Impressive. You've got guts, and your skills are outstanding. Truly impressive."
Han Cheong-un felt his temper flare slightly at the patronizing evaluation.
Just as he was about to swing his spear again...
"Good. You pass."
"...What?"
"Become my subordinate."
"...Huh?"
"Become my man, and let's conquer the Yangtze together. I will become the King of the Yangtze."
Han Cheong-un let out a deep sigh.
"This is absurd."
"What did you say?"
"Since when did bandits start calling themselves kings so proudly?"
"You dare..."
"Save it."
Whoosh!
Han Cheong-un swung his spear with force, pointing it straight at Jin Song.
"Come at me. I'll teach you your place."
Jin Song's face flushed red with rage as he let out a roar and lunged forward.
"I'll kill you!"
BOOM!
Han Cheong-un and Jin Song clashed once more.
A shockwave far more intense than before rippled outward. But this time, unlike their first exchange, neither of them backed down.
Immediately after the initial clash, both firmly planted their feet on the ground. And then...
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!
They entered a fierce, rapid exchange of blows.
If one were to describe Jin Song's saber technique in a single word, "savage" or "rough" would fit perfectly.
Though slightly unrefined, the sheer power behind his strikes was more than enough to compensate for any lack of polish.
"Aaaaaaargh!"
His attacks raged like a violent storm.
If one were to be caught in that tempest for even a second, their body would be minced to pieces. But...
CRASH! CLANG! CLANG!
That was only if the attacks actually landed.
From the moment the true battle began, Han Cheong-un's feet remained rooted to the ground, and his torso stood as unyielding as a thousand-year-old tree.
Wielding his spear with effortless grace, he deflected and blocked every single one of Jin Song's wild strikes.
The other examinees, who had now become mere spectators, watched the scene with dropped jaws.
"Incredible."
"For someone so young to possess such..."
"Is he a monster?"
One area where the Unorthodox faction excelled over the Orthodox faction was that they did not let their guard down based on an opponent's appearance or age.
In the Unorthodox faction, strongmen of unknown origins popped up out of nowhere all the time, and there were plenty of fighters who disguised themselves as weaklings to catch others off guard.
Thus, Han Cheong-un's youth was not a reason for them to underestimate him. But still...
Wasn't Jin Song of the Black Dragon River a proven expert?
He was currently one of the most notorious pirates on the Yangtze River.
Yet, Han Cheong-un was not being pushed back at all.
In fact, as time passed, he was clearly dominating the fight.
"Did he say it was the Extreme Dao Sect?"
"I'll have to remember that name."
The name of the Extreme Dao Sect etched itself into the minds of the Unorthodox martial artists present.
"Pant... Pant..."
Jin Song gasped heavily, his breath catching in his throat.
He had focused entirely on offense, trying to overwhelm his opponent. But such a relentless assault, if not paced properly, would only eat away at one's own stamina.
This was especially true when realizing the opponent showed no signs of fatigue whatsoever.
"You... you monster."
"Are you done playing?"
"..."
"Under normal circumstances..."
"...?"
"I haven't heard any rumors of you committing heinous crimes."
"What are you getting at?"
"But you are a pirate. And you're spouting nonsense about reviving the Yangtze River Pirate Alliance."
"Do you dare mock my ambition?"
"A thief wanting to become a bigger thief is an ambition? You deserve to be laughed at."
"I'll kill you!"
Jin Song charged, foaming at the mouth with rage.
And Han Cheong-un made his decision.
He was a man destined for ruin even if left alone. But considering the innocent commoners who would suffer at the hands of his pirates until then...
'Yeah, he's not worth keeping alive.'
Action follows intent.
The moment his mind was made up, his body moved.
For a martial artist of Han Cheong-un's caliber, executing a lethal strike without releasing a single shred of killing intent was child's play.
Thud!
"Cough..."
Without any warning, a straight thrust pierced cleanly through Jin Song's heart.
"Y-you..."
Jin Song glared at Han Cheong-un, his hand trembling as he held the saber he never got to swing.
Han Cheong-un met his gaze indifferently and pulled out his spear. Jin Song collapsed to the floor.
Thud!
It was a pitiful and empty end for a man who had once terrorized the Yangtze.
But in the Jianghu, new figures always rose by stepping over the corpses of the fallen.
"If anyone wishes to avenge this man, step forward now."
As Han Cheong-un took a step forward and spoke, Jin Song's subordinates flinched.
But that was all.
Not a single person charged forward shouting, "I will avenge our chieftain!"
Instead, they quickly averted their eyes the moment they met Han Cheong-un's gaze.
'Well, that's the Unorthodox faction for you. That's how bandits are.'
Just as Han Cheong-un was about to lower his spear...
"...!"
A chilling sensation washed over him, prompting Han Cheong-un to move instantly. An arrow slammed into the spot where he had stood a split second before.
Thwack!
The force behind the arrow was so immense that it penetrated more than halfway through the thick wooden floorboards.
And then, more arrows rained down in rapid succession.
"Tsk."
Han Cheong-un moved swiftly, using his spear to deflect the incoming projectiles one by one.
CLANG! CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!
A spear was not naturally suited for defense. However, a master of Han Cheong-un's level could easily deflect flying arrows. Except...
"The power is terrifying."
His opponent was no ordinary archer.
Having blocked the arrows, Han Cheong-un looked at the archer aiming at him.
He had already guessed who it was.
Jang Hyeon, the Unavoidable Death Arrow.
Who else but this man could shoot arrows with such heavy, destructive force? Especially at such close range.
Han Cheong-un pointed his spear and spoke to Jang Hyeon.
"I thought you would just watch, but I didn't expect you to step in. Do you have some connection to Jin Song?"
"None."
"Then why interfere?"
"I need ten thousand gold coins."
"Well, that..."
"To get that, it's better if there are few or no competitors."
Saying so, Jang Hyeon nocked another arrow.
'Ah... so he wants to eliminate the competition beforehand. I see.'
He understood.
The man was truly desperate for money.
During the Great War between the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions, he was a man who would do anything for money, even accepting a contract to assassinate the Sect Leader of Mount Emei.
And Han Cheong-un knew exactly why he was like this.
"Jang Hyeon, I can give you what you need. So let's talk this out."
At Han Cheong-un's words, Jang Hyeon nodded.
"Of course you can give me what I want."
Oh, he's listening. Thank goodness...
"Give me your head."
Like hell he was listening...
Watching the barrage of arrows fly toward him, Han Cheong-un grit his teeth and moved his feet.
It was a long time ago.
Specifically, after the First Great War ended, when Han Cheong-un was conscripted by the Imperial Court and sent to the northern front.
At that time, Han Cheong-un had already reached a certain level of completion in his martial arts.
He had fully integrated the teachings of the Taiji Sword Emperor.
Honestly, he had thought the barbarians of the far north would be nothing to him. But...
"Damn it... you cowards! Fight me fair and square!"
That arrogance was shattered during his very first real battle.
Fighting nomadic horsemen was entirely different from fighting martial artists in the Jianghu.
Unlike the Jianghu, where the winner of a duel was decided by martial prowess, the war in the north was a brutal affair where everything was mobilized for victory.
It was a real war.
Han Cheong-un had no idea how to counter their tactics—riding in wide circles from a distance, firing arrows, and retreating.
No matter how fast a martial artist was, they could not outrun a horse over a long distance.
No matter how fast and strong Han Cheong-un's spear was, it could not reach further than an arrow.
Cowardly?
What of it?
He later found out that even his own allies had laughed at him.
Ultimately, Han Cheong-un had to retreat from his first battle without accomplishing a single thing.
At that moment, he realized two things.
First, war was different from a duel.
Second...
"Should I learn archery?"
Honestly, the bow was simply too useful of a weapon.
"Well, I tried learning it myself, but I had zero talent and gave up."
Han Cheong-un smiled bitterly as he watched the relentless barrage of arrows.
Martial artists of the Jianghu rarely used bows.
They avoided it because archery was considered distant from the true path of martial arts they pursued.
As a result, proper archers in the Jianghu were extremely rare. But...
Thud! Bang!
This man was an exception.
He was a man who had transcended the technique of archery and reached the Dao of the Bow.
The power of his arrows was unquestionable, and his fluid movements as he fired in all directions was a martial art in its own right.
'He really is a desirable recruit.'
The more they clashed, the more determined Han Cheong-un became to recruit this man.
Han Cheong-un diligently closed the distance, pressing his opponent.
Meanwhile, Jang Hyeon ran along the walls and ceiling as if they were flat ground, desperately trying to maintain his distance.
"You leech! Get away from me!"
Leaping into the air, Jang Hyeon twisted his torso and fired five arrows simultaneously—a display of skill that bordered on the divine. But...
"Why would I?"
Han Cheong-un deftly dodged Jang Hyeon's arrows, steadily closing the gap.
'It's a relief we're inside a narrow building.'
When facing an archer, distance was everything.
Unlike the wide-open outdoors, an archer was naturally at a disadvantage indoors.
'This is dangerous. Have I stepped on a tiger's tail?'
Jang Hyeon broke out in a cold sweat as he watched Han Cheong-un close in.
He had picked the fight first, but he hadn't expected his opponent to be this strong.
Had he known, he wouldn't have chosen to fight in such unfavorable terrain. But...
'I still have a trump card for the final moment.'
Jang Hyeon steeled his resolve.
Normally, this was not a technique to be used in front of so many witnesses.
But given the caliber of his opponent, he couldn't afford to hold back.
He absolutely needed those ten thousand gold coins.
'Come on.'
Jang Hyeon braced himself.
And the moment Han Cheong-un dodged his arrows and finally closed in to arm's length...
"Take this!"
He pulled something from his robe and threw it.
It was a cloth pouch about the size of a walnut.
Before it even reached Han Cheong-un, it suddenly swelled up and...
Pop!
It exploded, spewing a thick cloud of smoke.
Han Cheong-un instinctively covered his mouth.
'Poison?'
No.
It was just smoke. However, the dense fog temporarily blinded Han Cheong-un, and seizing that split second, Jang Hyeon stealthily lunged forward.
For the first time, the man who had done nothing but retreat and evade was moving forward.
His footsteps were as silent as a stalking cat, completely devoid of any presence.
Having closed the distance, he thrust the arrowhead in his hand straight toward Han Cheong-un's throat.
This was Jang Hyeon's life-saving ultimate technique.
A deadly strike where a hunter, having allowed a tiger to get too close, catches the off-guard beast by surprise.
In truth, it was closer to military strategy than a martial arts technique.
But what did that matter?
Its effectiveness was absolute.
Up until now, not a single person had ever dodged this strike. And...
Squelch!
This time was no different.