The Counterattack of the Nameless Foot Soldiers (1)
The entrance was right behind the lion statue.
Visitors to the Jegal family manor were always overwhelmed by the statue's majesty. It was designed so that the lion seemed to speak through its mouth, which was only natural.
Thus, no one had ever noticed the stone slab behind it opening like a lid.
Rays of light from beyond the horizon reflected off the lion statue. Time had passed while they wandered underground, and dawn was now breaking.
The blue-robed man scanned his surroundings.
Fortunately, he sensed no presence of Jegal family warriors lying in ambush.
'Perhaps because there are so many secret passages, they didn't bother setting up an ambush?'
Or maybe they figured anyone emerging from the lion statue entrance was just trying to flee and thus unworthy of attention.
Only a single boy remained in the Jegal family manor.
Any other martial artist would have seized the chance to bolt rather than risk rescuing him.
That was the way of the jianghu, where everyone fended for themselves.
But the blue-robed man was different.
Now that he had set foot back in the Central Plains, he would never abandon a comrade again.
Wang Yi Sam seemed to feel the same.
"What're you dawdlin' for? Let's move!"
Wang Yi Sam strode forward like a man itching to swing his broad dao.
The blue-robed man smiled at him.
'He must be eager to rescue our comrade as soon as possible.'
The two headed toward the building housing the refugees, following a dusty path.
The structure, packed with hundreds of people, was a chaotic mess. Though dawn was breaking, they lay crammed in tight spaces, fast asleep.
The tension of fleeing the revenant horde to reach the Jegal manor had finally eased.
But Wang Yi Sam couldn't stand the sight.
"Sleepin' at a time like this? Pathetic bunch."
"Who could've imagined the Jegal family plotting something so vile?"
"Yeah, fair point."
Wang Yi Sam agreed with the blue-robed man.
That only made the Jegal family's treachery all the more infuriating.
"Everyone, wake up! The Jegal family is threatening one of our juniors!"
Wang Yi Sam bellowed until the whole building shook, rousing everyone.
The awakened refugees came to their senses and asked,
"The Jegal family is attacking?"
"That's right!"
Wang Yi Sam explained everything that had happened during the night.
Yet even after hearing it all, the people looked skeptical.
They wanted to trust Seo Baek's group, who had earned immense merit escaping Wang Family Fortress, but clashing with a righteous famed sect like the Jegal family gave them pause.
Sure enough, a man with a goatee and wrinkles around his eyes spoke up.
"From what you're saying, it sounds like the Jegal family is after you lot, not us. What did you do wrong?"
"They're the ones in the wrong!"
Wang Yi Sam finally lost his temper.
But nothing changed.
Most of the refugees clearly had no intention of meddling in martial world affairs.
The martial artists felt the same.
Of the roughly hundred martial artists, fewer than half believed Wang Yi Sam.
Those who did step forward—about thirty men—were barely a third of their number, determined to repay the debt from Wang Family Fortress.
One of them said,
"We can't ignore the debt we owe from the fortress. We'll join forces."
"Thanks. You are true martial artists!"
Wang Yi Sam clasped his fists in salute. He shot a fierce glare at the rest, who hung back pretending not to notice.
"Alright, let's go give the Jegal family a piece of our minds!"
Wang Yi Sam shouted boldly.
But his momentum deflated in an instant.
Among the thirty martial artists, not a single one looked like a true expert.
Most were sword-for-hires like Wang Yi Sam, scraping by on martial skills. The others were weaklings who could barely swing a blade properly or obese louts unfit for combat.
They called themselves martial artists, but they looked more like inn errand boys clutching a single sword....
Wang Yi Sam turned to the blue-robed man, at a loss.
"What now?"
"......"
The blue-robed man had anticipated this.
He'd observed the refugees closely on the way in and knew there were scarcely any skilled fighters.
"Tch! Not a single famous name among 'em. Might as well fight the underground revenants instead."
As Wang Yi Sam grumbled, the blue-robed man said something cryptic.
"Sometimes, nameless foot soldiers prove more useful than famed righteous experts."
"Hah, you serious?"
Wang Yi Sam scoffed, but the blue-robed man gazed at the martial artists, thinking,
'Nameless foot soldiers again, this time?'
The blue-robed man chuckled at the memory of the past.
They said the Central Plains teemed with famed sect experts like grains of sand on the shore—so why were they always absent when needed?
But nameless foot soldiers weren't useless.
No, compared to arrogant famed sect disciples with middling skills and bloated egos, these grunts would be more effective now.
The blue-robed man devised a strategy in his mind for clashing with the Jegal family.
'We need the simplest, most efficient tactics possible.'
He glanced at Wang Yi Sam.
Among them, Wang Yi Sam was the strongest and burning with resolve to save Seo Baek.
Forming a small elite unit centered on him was the best option.
'In that case...'
Wang Yi Sam wielded a broad dao.
Its blunt, heavy blade couldn't match precise sword strikes targeting vitals.
But its sheer destructive power in wide sweeps surpassed any sword.
'Can't rely on internal arts, so external arts it is. And pick the sturdy ones.'
One more thing.
Those who matched Wang Yi Sam's temperament.
'Ones who prefer straightforward brawls over clever schemes.'
With criteria set, the blue-robed man began selecting.
No need to wander—he stood with arms crossed, eyes flicking to scan and analyze every martial artist.
In the brief moment Wang Yi Sam grumbled, he'd finished choosing in his head.
'To guard the four directions, with Wang Yi Sam already placed, we need three more.'
The blue-robed man pointed out three martial artists and called them forward.
As they stepped up, he said,
"My thanks. Let's go rescue the boy."
He saluted the rest with clasped fists.
"This operation requires secrecy, so we've selected a small elite team. The rest of you, protect the refugees here."
Wang Yi Sam sidled up and whispered,
"Hold on. Not everyone—just three?"
"Yes."
"Even with you and me, that's only five total?"
"Yes."
"We're short-handed as it is, and you're sayin' just five of us go? That make any sense?"
Wang Yi Sam burst out.
The blue-robed man leaned in and whispered,
"They're all third-rate at best—no choice. Right now, we need battle-tested experts like you who know real combat."
"Battle-tested expert?"
"Yes."
"......"
Wang Yi Sam's raging energy evaporated like a deflated rat.
His mind flooded with swirling thoughts.
'Me, a battle-tested expert?'
'He means it?'
'Not wrong, though. How many times have I carved through sword forests eating my fill in the jianghu!'
Moments later, his eyes sparkled like morning stars, shoulders squared like mountains.
Snapping to, he saw the blue-robed man and the three martial artists already exiting the building.
"Wait for me!"
Wang Yi Sam scrambled after them.
* * *
Seo Baek had predicted that removing Jegal Myeongjae's talisman would dispel the sorcery, reverting him to an ordinary blood ghost.
He was wrong.
Instead of a paper talisman, Jegal Myeongjae had dozens of talisman tattoos etched across his upper body.
Tattoos couldn't be peeled off or torn away.
This fight would end only by severing his head and eradicating the blood thread worm.
'Neutralizing him easily won't work.'
Decision made, Seo Baek launched himself without hesitation.
Dwelling on impossible choices was a waste of time.
That was when it happened.
Jegal Myeongjae snapped his head up, glaring at Seo Baek.
In the instant their eyes met, the revenant curled his lips in a human-like smirk.
'......!'
His wretched appearance screamed mindless revenant.
Yet he smiled like a thinking, acting high revenant?
Sensing something amiss, Seo Baek veered from his charging path.
That instinct saved his life.
The next moment, Jegal Myeongjae's hand struck like lightning where Seo Baek had stood.
Shiiik. Boom.
As his five fingers clenched empty air, a ear-piercing sonic boom erupted from his grip.
His steel claw technique wasn't mere restraint.
It crushed and shattered foes' muscles and bones, evoking the illusion of Shaolin's Dragon Claw.
'No ordinary blood ghost.'
For reasons unknown, Jegal Myeongjae wielded proper martial arts, not flailing wildly.
Yet his eyes held no trace of reason, confirming he was a true revenant.
Jegal Hyeok must have used tattoo sorcery.
Then Seo Baek felt the limit of his Shika Heart Method.
'Can't push further.'
Hooo.
Seo Baek exhaled deeply, halting the Shika Heart Method.
No more internal arts, including Shika Sword Technique.
'Good timing. A chance to test pure external arts against a revenant expert.'
Back at Shika Manor, he'd endlessly trained external arts for revenants when internal arts were unavailable.
A perilous challenge.
But one he'd face eventually.
Right then.
Jegal Myeongjae's eyes flashed, and the tattoos on his torso glowed blood-red.
Gooo.
His power doubled.
'Jegal Hyeok's sorcery.'
As the tattoos reddened, his muscles writhed and swelled visibly.
External arts pushed to the extreme.
'So that's possible. Black Wolf Secret Book's power.'
Seo Baek's deduction was spot on this time.
The human body held infinite potential, but reaching its limits was nearly impossible.
Push too far, and external arts shattered bones; internal arts twisted qi flows, blocking meridians—self-immolation.
Jegal Myeongjae transcended his limits.
Thus, his body would collapse before ten exchanges.
'Just stall, and victory's mine.'
But Seo Baek resolved to behead him sooner. Safety assured, he craved a proper clash with a revenant expert.
His prediction missed again.
Jegal Myeongjae drew twin judge's brushes from his waist and charged.
Seo Baek laid his sword horizontally, blocking with the flat. The brushes clashed, unleashing a metallic screech.
Kakang!
Seo Baek's hands numbed and trembled; he nearly dropped his sword.
'Kuh.'
Judge's brushes: weapons forged from molten steel into brush shapes.
Their arts focused on acupoint strikes.
Short but ringed for finger grips, enabling versatile changes—favored by scholar-warriors.
Yet Jegal Myeongjae ignored the block, thrusting straight.
Those strikes wouldn't just acupoint—they'd rip flesh, pierce, and pulverize bones!
His body had surpassed limits.
But he wouldn't fall.
Seo Baek had overlooked one thing amid internal-external concerns.
Jegal Myeongjae was already a dead revenant.
'This is dangerous.'
Even surrounded by hordes before, Seo Baek now felt true peril—unfelt since leaving Shika Manor.
He had to admit it.
External arts alone couldn't fell Jegal Myeongjae.
Above ground, the blue-robed man and Wang Yi Sam must be fighting Jegal Hyeok's sorcery.
'Senior Brother, how much longer?'
As Seo Baek silently pleaded, Jegal Myeongjae's eyes gleamed, thrusting his brushes.