Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Ancient Clan Martial Genius
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Yuk Jin-yang and Yi Jeong-baek stepped forward simultaneously without any signal.
The most efficient way to counter sonic arts was simple. Plugging one's ears wasn't a particularly good response.
That might work against an amateur unleashing sonic arts, but a master's technique wasn't about the sound itself. Its core lay in the substantial qi carried through the sound waves.
Since it possessed physical force, blocking your ears was useless. It would only leave your neck exposed in a defenseless state.
In the end, the correct answer was to prevent the performance from even beginning.
It wasn't for nothing that sonic arts were viewed with disdain among the wanderers of the jianghu. Without someone to take the vanguard or proper preparations, it exposed vulnerabilities far too easily.
Whoosh!
The Blazing Woman plucked her strings. The energy that swept in like wind transformed into a barrier. The weapons of the two men, which had closed in right up to her nose, came to an abrupt halt.
The fierce backlash felt strong enough to send their bodies flying. Their hair and sleeves whipped wildly in the gale.
"Kuh!"
Yi Jeong-baek couldn't hold out in the end and was flung far back. A thin trickle of blood seeped from between his tightly clenched lips—a sign of internal injury. He barely managed to steady himself by dropping to one knee.
Yuk Jin-yang was different. He kept his right hand extended, gripping the Silver Dew Sword, while operating the incantation of the Ascending Lion Dance with his left arm. The foundation of dual-hand techniques he'd built through the Tiger Brush Cloudy Forest Art proved more useful than expected.
The light steps of the Ascending Lion Dance thrashed fiercely. They shattered and sliced through the qi waves produced by the sonic arts, pressing forward unhindered. At last, the barrier was breached, freeing his movements.
The moment Yuk Jin-yang tried to advance one step further.
Thrum.
A low string on the seven-stringed zither vibrated faintly, resounding. Ripples spread through the air, undulating like waves. There was no need to sense it with qi perception. The immense pressure pressing against his skin instilled tension on its own.
'It's coming.'
Whoosh!
A heavy pressure battered Yuk Jin-yang roughly. The recoil from the clash was monstrous. He could feel his instinctive protective qi shattering into pieces.
In the end, even Yuk Jin-yang couldn't endure and was hurled far away. Stabbing pains pierced his joints and muscles. It was fortunate his organs hadn't been damaged.
There was no time to recover. The Blazing Woman's hands began moving dazzlingly. No longer single notes, but varying melodies intertwined chaotically.
Strikes of indistinct form rained down like a volley of arrows from an army.
This wasn't the time for each to fend for themselves. They lacked the limbs to block all directions. Yuk Jin-yang called out to Yi Jeong-baek as if issuing an order.
"I'll leave the left flank to you."
"Mm!"
Yi Jeong-baek nodded with a shout, looking as if he had no spare breath even for words.
Yuk Jin-yang drew his Silver Dew Sword and entrusted his body to his qi sense. He recalled the hidden projectiles fired by the Guangdong Jin Clan warriors before. He wielded his sword with the same sensation.
Smooth arcs and fluid connections deflected the melody's slashes. The air warped from the clashes between sword and qi waves, leaving countless scars on the dirt ground.
The woman's hand movements quickened further.
Her melody's soft tones sliced like chilling blades, while the strong notes boomed through the air like majestic fists. Harmonizing into chords, they produced effects akin to a combined assault from seasoned masters.
Yuk Jin-yang didn't yield. He channeled the Moon Maiden Divine Art's energy. With the Silver Dew Sword, he unleashed the Moon Maiden Sword Art, while his left hand fired off successive Random Water Palm Strikes. Even employing entirely different martial arts, he showed no faltering.
In the end, the woman's sonic arts couldn't push the two back. But Yuk Jin-yang's expression darkened.
Though it seemed like a standoff at first glance, if things continued this way, they would ultimately lose.
'This isn't good.'
He had to remember this was enemy territory. Turning it into a battle of attrition on the spot would only benefit them. Worst case, she could call in reinforcements.
The Blazing Woman seemed to think the same. Even as her hands busied themselves, a loathsome smile played on her lips.
Yuk Jin-yang changed his approach.
Now that the performance had begun, a frontal clash offered no chance of victory. Pouring out all his inner energy might make it possible, but it would only lead to mutual destruction without looking back.
To plan for what came after, he had no choice but to employ stratagems.
'I'll break it.'
If he could trace it back to its source and seal the Blazing Woman's ploy entirely, he could turn the fight into an easy win.
Yuk Jin-yang circulated his energy to open his ears wide. The chaotic melody buzzed in his eardrums. Though it felt like his eardrums might burst, he ignored it and read the flow of the melody.
He began to perceive the faint flow of qi starting from her fingertips, traveling along the strings into the air.
In the end, the melody was the medium carrying the qi. Disrupting the resonance between sound and qi waves could yield entirely unexpected results.
It wouldn't work with mere noise. Qi countered with qi, martial arts with martial arts. He needed to mimic the enemy's sonic arts technique.
His body moved in sync with the thought. He stepped intuitively. Not to advance, but to strike the ground and produce a resonance that would scatter the opponent's melody.
Boom!
A dull thud like war drums rang out, perfectly syncing with the opponent's melody.
The waves resonated with each other, creating an entirely different flow. The oppressive pressure eased noticeably. He'd succeeded in suppressing the sonic arts' power.
Of course, it wasn't the level where she could materialize physical force like the woman. Stealing a lifetime of cultivated skill with a mere imitation after seeing it once was no easy task.
But for now, this was sufficient.
The Blazing Woman's brows furrowed. Still seeming doubtful, she continued the melody.
He countered with the same method again. Finally convinced, the Blazing Woman snarled venomously.
"Impudent trickery!"
Her expression was fully twisted. The cold qi surging around her betrayed her rattled mind.
Yuk Jin-yang glanced sideways.
Yi Jeong-baek couldn't hide his astonishment either. Though sonic arts were dismissed as tricks, they weren't techniques anyone could learn. Without innate aptitude for the unique sense, even cultivation was difficult.
Having met countless scions of famed families as a Shaanxi man, Yi Jeong-baek had many friends who demonstrated sonic arts as a hobby. Yet this was the first time he'd seen someone grasp and imitate the essence of sonic arts at a glance like Yuk Jin-yang.
Yuk Jin-yang asked without hesitation.
"While I suppress her, can you go for the kill?"
"If I fail with this chance, I'll call you 'brother' for life."
"Not a bad proposal."
There was no need to rely solely on footwork. Having fully grasped the essence, Yuk Jin-yang snapped his fingers. Differing qi waves resonated and clashed. Success again.
The smile vanished from the Blazing Woman's face. Sweat beaded on her brow as her hands moved even faster. It was utterly futile resistance.
Yuk Jin-yang advanced slowly. Ripples spread from his exquisitely placed steps, severing the melody's flow strand by strand. At last, terror dawned on the Blazing Woman's face.
Yi Jeong-baek seized the momentary opening. He unleashed his lightness skill, shooting forward. Overtaking Yuk Jin-yang in an instant, he closed in on the Blazing Woman in the blink of an eye.
His fierce eyes gleamed. Like a tiger spotting prey.
The tang dao gripped in both hands absorbed the sunlight. It traced a bold arc like an executioner's swing, aiming for her neck. In that hair's-breadth moment, the Blazing Woman suddenly slammed her hands down on the seven-stringed zither.
Twaaang!
All seven strings snapped with a piercing screech. The erupting qi wave blocked the slash. It was a desperate life-saving strike, abandoning her means of unleashing martial arts.
The Blazing Woman's actions didn't end there. Abruptly flipping the zither from her lap, she thrust her hand inside and pulled something out. The blade of the narrow concealed sword gleamed thinly.
Shorter than common styles, almost like a hidden dagger. It seemed deliberately shaped abnormally to fit inside the instrument.
"How dare you!"
Her sudden strike threw Yi Jeong-baek off guard. He parried with his tang dao, but her swift sword pierced his defenses repeatedly. She wasn't just reliant on sonic arts; her swordsmanship was considerable too.
'Not dependent on sonic arts? This is tricky.'
Having ultimate techniques yet prepared with alternatives showed thorough foresight. The mindset of a true master, but troublesome as an enemy.
Yuk Jin-yang unleashed his lightness skill. He charged like lightning, wedging into the Blazing Woman's guard. Rather than striking from behind, he appeared head-on to draw her attention and rescue Yi Jeong-baek.
Clang!
The clash of weapons produced a harsh ring.
Yuk Jin-yang pressed close to the Blazing Woman, blades locked. He showed no sign of yielding in strength. The benefit of qi—it overcame the limits of his natural physique through profound inner energy.
Crack!
The blades ground against each other, pushing and shoving. A deadlock with no give. Amid the scattering sparks, their gazes remained fixed solely on each other.
The tedious standoff ended with Yi Jeong-baek's intervention. His tang dao slashed through the air. Severed strands of hair fluttered like falling leaves.
"Honestly, I'm impressed. To think you'd break my sonic arts. Quite the show."
The Blazing Woman retreated with a body technique, brushing back her hair. Murderous intent gleamed in her eyes. Her glaring gaze was sharp as frost.
"Improvisational wit, martial talent, and such young age to boot. Thanks to you, I'm certain. If you grow, you'll become our greatest enemy."
"Thanks for the high praise."
"Well, it was a declaration that I'd surely rip out your throat and offer it at the altar of the Mother of No Birth."
The Blazing Woman curled her lips smugly and raised her aura. Yi Jeong-baek exhaled deeply and proposed first.
"I'll take the front."
"Can you handle it?"
"Of course."
There was no time to discuss detailed tactics. The Blazing Woman's form, slicing fiercely through the air, was already before them. She thrust her narrow concealed sword straight at Yuk Jin-yang.
Clang!
Yi Jeong-baek's upward tang dao deflection sent her strike flying. The immense sword force whipped up a great gust. It split her hairpins, sending her locks into wild disarray.
"You'd best not underestimate me."
"I have no interest in small fry."
Contrary to her calm words, the Blazing Woman's arms trembled. Suddenly, she spun in place, extending her arm toward her rear.
Yuk Jin-yang, who had ambushed from behind, countered with the ultimate technique of the Ten Thousand Rivers Single Source Art.
Boom!
Their palms, unleashing palm strikes, collided.
