Chapter 101
Chapter 101
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: The Turtle Province Wolf Sword
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"Hmm? Can't you tell just by looking? You must be pretty clueless about the situation around here."
The man tilted his head. He showed no concern whatsoever about his identity being exposed. It seemed he had absolute faith in the group he belonged to.
"That's right, it is the Turtle Sword Society. And I am Dong Zhongbao."
The general leading the group gasped the moment he heard that name. The other soldiers trembled like aspen leaves.
"The... Turtle Province Wolf Sword!"
"Why the hell is that guy here? I heard he headed south..."
"Shouldn't we run now?"
"Run where? It's already too late."
The soldiers' reactions were far from ordinary. He appeared to be a martial artist of some renown in the region. Yuk Jin-yang asked calmly,
"You're revealing your name without hesitation. Doesn't that make you a failure as an assassin?"
"It's customary, but it doesn't really matter. You're all going to end up as unreturning guests here anyway."
As they traded barbs without backing down, the general grabbed Yuk Jin-yang's sleeve and whispered,
"There's no chance of winning now that he's stepped forward. We need to retreat and find another path. I'll escort you all, so please fall back."
He then briefly recited the man's background.
Turtle Province Wolf Sword Dong Zhongbao.
He was one of the infamous masters of the Turtle Sword Society. He was reportedly the main culprit behind the recent plundering, having cut down numerous guards from Wei Province and their generals in the process—including a Pacification Commissioner, no less.
A Pacification Commissioner in the imperial army was equivalent to a division leader or elite warrior in the martial world.
Not a peerless master, perhaps, but certainly someone who could dominate the jianghu. The fact that he'd slain such a figure meant they couldn't underestimate the man's cultivation.
Was it the weight of his notoriety? The general's body was shaking uncontrollably.
Yuk Jin-yang opened his mouth to rebuke the general, mimicking an imperial inspector's tone.
"As a general, do you not know the words of Master Wu? If you seek to survive by luck, you will only court death. If you wish to live, face him head-on with honor."
"At least that side seems reasonable. Any true martial artist should cross blades at least once, be they long or short."
Dong Zhongbao spat the words casually and charged in again, striking out.
Yuk Jin-yang didn't counter directly. Instead, he stepped with Moon Stream Subtle Steps, slipping to the side. A ray of light grazed perilously past his nose. The sword slamming into the ground kicked up a thick cloud of dust.
He shifted laterally with Moon Stream Subtle Steps. Just as he was about to unleash the palm techniques of Ten Thousand Rivers Single Source Art with his left arm—
Whoosh!
A sudden sword strike tore through the veil of dust. The intruding blade was cloaked in rippling energy like heat haze, wearing it like an outer garment. It was the realm known as sword qi—a principle akin to protective aura.
The tangible energy swirled the darkness, carrying a razor-sharp edge.
Rather than meeting it with a palm strike, Yuk Jin-yang swung the sword gripped in his right hand.
Boom!
Azure Lam vibrated fiercely in his grasp upon clashing with the opponent's blade. From the point of contact, a fierce gale whipped up, and colorless shockwaves rippled outward like waves on water.
"Not a complete amateur, eh? The government dogs brought along someone halfway decent."
Dong Zhongbao's expression turned deadly serious. He spat out his words with cruel relish.
"Everyone, charge. No need to leave any prisoners. Kill them all."
There was no rallying cry repeating the command. The assassins immediately unleashed hidden weapons from all directions and leaped down from the trees to assault the group. The soldiers gritted their teeth and fought back.
In the midst of the chaotic melee of strikes and counters—
Yuk Jin-yang's focus was solely on Dong Zhongbao. No sooner had he bisected an assassin recklessly thrusting a spear than Dong Zhongbao's narrow sword stabbed straight at his face.
Clang! Clang!
Their weapons clashed multiple times in midair. Yuk Jin-yang furrowed his brow slightly.
'As expected, gauging the distance is tricky.'
It was due to the sword qi that constantly altered its length. It gave the impression that the weapon itself was changing.
This disrupted his spacing with every clash. In that sense, it shared a principle with phantom sword illusions—sowing confusion in the foe.
A technique perfectly suited to an assassin. Yet Yuk Jin-yang easily discerned the truths and feints in his opponent's swordplay.
In essence, it was swift swordsmanship. Merely using sword qi for deception.
'Then I'll make him exhaust himself and collapse.'
Yuk Jin-yang advanced slowly, stepping methodically. He focused solely on ripostes with his sword. Vivid beams of light crisscrossed like tangled threads, scattering sparks everywhere.
Did the stagnant exchange of blows frustrate him? Dong Zhongbao's eyebrow twitched. He then stamped forward with a true step, thrusting his sword with greater force.
That was his fatal mistake.
This time, Yuk Jin-yang didn't hesitate to trade blows.
He fiercely swept Azure Lam upward, deflecting the narrow sword. It was a powerful strike that created an opening. The opponent's arm, pushed back by the sword force, rose high, fully exposing his torso.
Into that gap, Yuk Jin-yang's left arm shot like lightning. Accompanied by a thunderous boom that crushed the air.
The foe barely reacted. Even that was hardly a proper defense. He twisted his body, offering up his upper arm as if sacrificing an arm entirely.
Crack!
With a sharp impact, Dong Zhongbao flew backward. A deep furrow gouged the earth where his body had skidded.
But it was shallow. He'd aimed for a vital point, yet unexpected resistance prevented a clean penetration.
Dong Zhongbao pushed off the ground and rose, panting heavily. The spot where the fist had struck had torn through his clothing entirely, revealing gray silk bandages wrapped tightly around his arm.
'He was prepared for it?'
Yuk Jin-yang frowned. Upon closer inspection, it wasn't mere fabric. It was a web of human skin threads and hair woven into inner armor.
"So it is the Turtle Sword Society."
Suddenly, Won Young's voice came from beside him.
She now stood amid the sprawled corpses. Gripping her bloodied iron spear in one hand. While he'd been crossing swords with Dong Zhongbao, she'd been dealing with the lesser assassins.
Only about half the assassins remained. The woman who'd been chattering by the man's side earlier was still alive, clutching her severed arm and groaning.
Dong Zhongbao's face hardened completely upon checking her condition.
Won Young continued her explanation.
"More precisely, the Blood Sword Sect. A killer sect based in Turtle Province. They caused a massive incident in the past, leading to a huge manhunt order. Looks like these guys joined up with the Turtle Sword Society."
Dong Zhongbao ground his teeth and muttered,
"How does a dog of the court know that name...?"
"I know your sect leader's name and face too. You're the vice leader. I had my suspicions the moment I heard your title, and now it clicks."
"......"
"If you really wanted to hide your origins, you shouldn't have revealed your name—or that brushstroke technique. How many people grip the sword in reverse and draw the Eternal Character Eight Strokes?"
Won Young smiled faintly and leveled her spear's blade at him.
"Anyway, I'd love to hear why you're lurking around here."
Dong Zhongbao slowly scanned his surroundings, then bowed his head deeply. He seemed to sense defeat, yet his fighting spirit hadn't vanished entirely. He exhaled raggedly and said,
"You think I'll tell you just because you asked?"
Then he turned and spat,
"Retreat."
His tone was nonchalant. Unbelievably so.
No sooner had he spoken than Dong Zhongbao leaped into the air. His shout echoed a beat later.
"Everyone, flee as best you can!"
His attitude was markedly different from any foe they'd faced before. Rather than overrelying on his skills, he prioritized survival.
Yet in another way, it was perfectly assassin-like. To them, honorable combat was just another word for foolishness.
The soldiers sighed in unison as the suffocating killing intent vanished. The general slumped to the ground, assuming the crisis had passed.
The martial alliance members, however, had no intention of letting them escape.
"Senior, I'll leave the rest to you."
Yuk Jin-yang didn't wait for Won Young's reply. He unleashed the Guarding Body Scripture. After a few steps with Moon Stream Subtle Steps, he kicked off the ground and soared. He glided through the air lightly, like a leaf riding the wind.
Golden Leaf—a lightness skill he'd stolen from the Imperial Guards.
Yuk Jin-yang's shadow fell over the heads of the belatedly fleeing Turtle Sword Society assassins. They looked up in stunned disbelief.
"What... Is this some demon or god in human guise?"
"Shut up and run! He won't chase us out of the forest!"
"He's right. Someone has to survive and report to the Society Leader."
Their voices faded into echoes, growing distant.
Their survival instincts were pathetic. They rationalized their cowardice and卑鄙as necessity.
In the end, even calling themselves the grand Turtle Sword Society didn't change their assassin nature. Scum who couldn't grasp the jianghu's code of brotherhood. They abandoned their leader and fled swiftly beyond the forest.
In that time, Yuk Jin-yang closed the distance to Dong Zhongbao's rear in an instant. He flipped midair and landed. Precisely blocking the enemy's path.
Despite the sudden appearance, the foe's reaction was immediate.
"Hah!"
Spinning around with a short exhale, Dong Zhongbao didn't hesitate. He stamped a true step.
Thud—the ground caved in. His stance was heavy, but the sword strike that followed was blindingly fast and domineering. Far beyond what one might expect from an assassin's blade work.
Creeeeang!
Was it a full-body killing blow? Immense sword force pushed Azure Lam back. No sooner had he barely deflected it than the opponent swung down again.
Freely switching brushstrokes, regripping and slashing the sword, his forms and trajectories were unpredictable. A net of varied strikes unfurled continuously, pressing the assault.
If this continued, they'd repeat the earlier stalemate.
Yuk Jin-yang gripped Azure Lam with both hands. While rousing his internal energy to its utmost limit.
'End it in one exchange.'
His foot moved before his sword. The penetrating true step pierced the exact midpoint of the sword path. It was the realm of sensation. Maximizing his innate energy sense, he bored into the opponent's space at a single point.
"Where?!"
Dong Zhongbao belatedly withdrew his sword to defend. Yuk Jin-yang said curtly,
"Consider it an honor."
This would serve as a good test stone. He needed to precisely gauge the limits and utility of the Middle Dantian.
Yuk Jin-yang swung with both hands. Azure Lam resonated with its master's will and the Moon Maiden Divine Art's energy. A massive aura blazed around the glowing blue blade like flames.
Sword Wave One Sweep Art. An absolute technique swung without regard for defense.
The fearsomely gleaming tip of Azure Lam summoned a typhoon. A streak etched across the sky flickered, followed by the divine art's energy surging violently. It swept everything away.
Rooooar!
A deafening roar swallowed all sounds, like a dragon ascending. Silence fell only after a long while.
Yuk Jin-yang swung his arm to disperse the thick dust. Amid the dim forest shadows, a pool of blood had formed. Shredded flesh floated atop it.
That was the only trace Dong Zhongbao left behind.