Chapter 29
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Assault on Pagoda Peak
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Yu Hyun, having bestowed death upon the Five Ring thugs, immediately dashed toward the entrance of Pagoda Peak where the illusion formation was deployed.
From his previous experience, there would be about two guarding it.
Yu Hyun roughly gauged where the bandits might be positioned and gripped his curved saber with all his might.
He had emerged from the forest, so they must have spotted him by now. The distance was about ten-odd zhang.
Sufficient.
With a faint smile playing on his lips, Yu Hyun roughly stomped the ground.
Kuuu....
Unlike before, his eyes dug deep into the distance, leaving no shadow even in the footprints etched on the earth—this was the swift lightness skill of the Beggars' Sect, Soaring Shadowless Step.
Pahat!
Dirt sprayed from the foot he pushed off with full force, and Yu Hyun's form accelerated in an instant.
Shuaaaak!
At a speed that transcended even the wind, a vacuum formed momentarily in his wake.
As the surrounding air along that straight path rushed in, it looked as if a white spear was shooting toward Pagoda Peak.
"W-What the?"
The bandits guarding the entrance panicked at Yu Hyun's suddenly accelerated figure and hurriedly gripped their weapons.
But before they could respond, Yu Hyun's body pierced through the illusion formation and brushed past them.
"Wh......"
"Kuhk...."
As Yu Hyun came to a halt without leaving any extra traces, blood dripped from the half-saber that had sliced horizontally.
Puhat!
The two bandits, unable to even ask who he was or sound the alarm, spurted blood from their throats.
But perhaps because some strength remained in their final moments?
One of the bandits managed to put a finger-sized flute to his lips, which Yu Hyun couldn't fully prevent.
Piii....
However, due to insufficient breath, the flute's sound faded like a dying gasp.
Even so, perhaps because they had been on alert from a previous encounter, Yu Hyun's ears picked up the shouts of healthy bandits rushing down from the ridge.
And soon, the vanguard of the bandits descending in a pack along the mountain path came into view.
Roughly thirty....
"......"
Chwaak.
Yu Hyun gazed at them indifferently, lightly flicking his curved saber to shake off the lingering blood, and curled his lips upward.
A pack of rabid beasts.
Nothing had changed.
With a cold smile on his lips, as if laughing or mocking, Yu Hyun stepped forward once more.
Kwaak.
One step, one step.
The crunching of snow underfoot grew as he advanced....
Thump, thump-thump.
Like the gears of a halted mechanism slowly turning, his heart began to pulse, supplying vital energy along with blood to his entire body.
Tszztsz.
The vital energy spread through his limbs settled at their tips, flowing along the curved saber in his hand with a pale mist, surpassing the boundary of its broken tip and pushing to the limit.
As the rapidly summoned energy reacted, the fur on his stolen clothes bristled upright, and in the moment a whirlwind started from his toes and enveloped his body.
"Die!"
The vanguard of the bandit pack leaped high and swung his blade down vertically.
"......Yeah, come on. I'll kill you all."
A short phrase.
As Yu Hyun drew his curved saber to his waist like the start of a saber draw, a glint shone in his eyes.
The vital energy from the Child Ginseng equated roughly to the present vital energy realm, so it had a range limit.
However, unlike the energy martial artists accumulated in their dantians, vital energy was the purest force possessed by all living things, slicing through anything and destroying anything.
Moreover, if the user was Yu Hyun, who had awakened to the essence of martial arts through his masters?
Kaddddduk, sggeok!
"......!"
Though the bandit struck first, Yu Hyun's curved saber reached the end first.
Puhat!
The bandit's body, not even finishing his attack, was cleaved in half, and Yu Hyun's body, stomping the ground hard, shot through the gap toward the bandit's center.
"Kuaaaak!"
The bandits screamed in agony as the curved saber slashed wildly in all directions, collapsing one by one.
Blood sprayed everywhere, limbs severed and falling onto the snow.
When skill falls short, one retreats and bides their time; when it overflows, one pierces the enemy's core and metes out merciless punishment for their crimes.
That was the dignity of the strong, the way to instill terror in the weak.
Forms? Stances? No such thing.
Swordsmanship, saber arts—they all began with slashing and thrusting.
He had learned as much.
His masters taught that it wasn't about good techniques, but good martial artists.
Mastering a good technique didn't make one a master.
Even the Six Combinations Fist, called the basics of basics, decided victory by who understood it more deeply and applied it more dynamically.
Kaddddduk, sgeok.
Using four liang to deflect the enemy's attack with a saber infused with borrowed force, then using that rebound to sever their neck—worth a thousand jin.
Quick sword, later strike first—debates of right and wrong....
In the end, it was speed!
Even if starting late, move faster to strip the opponent of their combat ability—that was paramount.
The bandits' attacks couldn't even graze Yu Hyun's clothes, but Yu Hyun severed their necks with his curved saber and snapped their limbs with hands and feet.
"Kuaaaak!"
Halfway there?
The bandits' eyes filled with visceral terror at the sight of Yu Hyun, drenched in blood, swinging his curved saber expressionlessly.
Fear dulled movements and blunted attacks.
Since the enemies were frightened....
A murderous intent flickered in Yu Hyun's halting eyes, and a chillingly gruesome smile rose on his youthful face.
Now.... it was a massacre.
These hyena-like bastards, I'll slaughter them all!
Pahak!
Yu Hyun rampaged ferociously to his heart's content. Like a starving tiger charging into a wolf pack, he slashed and tore at everything in reach.
Pyung!
In an instant, at the grating whoosh piercing his ears, Yu Hyun urgently twisted his head.
"Kek!"
An arrow grazed his cheek by a hair's breadth and pierced the throat of a bandit behind him.
Pyung! Pyupyu-pyung!
"......!"
At the following whooshes, Yu Hyun flipped backward like a swallow and retreated, as three or four arrows flew into where he had stood.
"You idiots! Fall back! What are you thinking, worthless trash clinging so close!"
"......?"
At someone's shout, the surrounding bandits withdrew in unison, encircling Yu Hyun.
"Huu...."
Having retreated from the sudden arrow attack, Yu Hyun assessed the situation rather than pressing the assault.
First off, the two figures in his sight were the ones who had ganged up on him before.
Dressed like leaders, perhaps? Even in this dire state, Guo Xiaoshan was nowhere to be seen.
Well, all the better. Fewer enemies made it easier.
But scanning the surroundings, the encirclement looked unfavorable.
He had killed half, leaving about fifteen including the vice leaders. Archers interspersed here and there....
Chwarrr.
And one spinning a chain sickle, making whirring sounds with the iron chain.
Damn vice leader bastards.
No wonder they were missing while their underlings died off—they were preparing for a tiger hunt.
But this much could never capture him.
It would just be a bit more annoying, take a bit longer.
Ssswyk.
As Yu Hyun extended one foot sharply, as if sweeping the ground, the flinching bandits readied themselves in unison.
You bastards know that?
Thanks to your hesitation, I got a chance to catch my breath.
The moment Yu Hyun poured strength into his hand gripping the curved saber and twisted his body toward the weakest point in the encirclement.
"Halt, you bandit scum!"
"......?"
Startled by the strangely familiar voice, Yu Hyun abruptly stopped his movement.
The bandits were equally shocked.
Everyone turned toward the source of the voice, spotting a figure descending from the dizzyingly high cliff, backlit by the sun.
"Damn it! Shoot!"
Pyut, pyupyu-pyut!
At the vice leader's bellow, the archers raised their bows and loosed in unison.
"Hmph! These puny arrows....!"
Ddarrrruk!
The appearing man didn't deflect or cut the arrows but swung his sword, sweeping them up entirely.
And then....
"You vile bandits! Shooting arrows like cowards! I'll send them right back!"
"......"
In midair, the sword traced a circle and thrust out again.
Papapapa!
"Kraaak!"
"Kueeek!"
The arrows caught in the sword's trajectory reversed direction and swiftly pierced the bandits.
Spouting ridiculous lines about bandits being cowardly, but his skill was impressive.
Catching incoming arrows with the Plum Blossom Grafting technique and returning them with the sword was no easy feat.
And yet.... that voice, that attire—it seemed awfully familiar.
From the moment he heard the voice, Yu Hyun halted his actions and stared fixedly at him.
"Are you alright?"
"......"
The man, now landed beside him, glared sharply at the bandits with his sword aimed, and asked.
Silhouetted against the sun, he had been unclear, but up close, it was unmistakable.
"Guard.... Huang?"
"Hm? You know me?"
Yu Hyun eyed the bandits warily while wearing an incredulous expression.
No, why are you here?
Did he come all this way looking for me?
Well, it had been nearly a month since he left the letter about heading to the Nangong Clan....
His old man must have flown into a rage, unable to send out his precious son.
"Um, Guard...."
"Damn, I thought you were the young master...."
"......?"
"Young hero, it seems you have quite the grudge against these Nine Dragon Lair bandits. For one so young, your hands are brutally ruthless."
"......"
"That's not the point. By chance, have you seen an old man here with a face full of wrinkles? Build roughly.... like yours, young hero. He's lost some weight lately. But even a glimpse would stick in your memory. I'll hold these off, so try to recall."
"No, that's not...."
"Hap!"
As Yu Hyun tried to explain, Guard Huang charged straight at the bandits.
"Th-This! Block him!"
"......"
Yu Hyun stared incredulously at Guard Huang beating down the bandits one by one.
What an oblivious guy. A bodyguard with zero perception?
Of course, even he thought he'd changed a lot. To the point one might believe a complete transformation.
But still, when meeting someone who knew your name for the first time, shouldn't you at least be surprised?
And didn't they look nothing alike on sight?
His own sister had recognized him instantly upon seeing his face reflected in a stream....
Yu Hyun sighed and lowered his curved saber. There was no need to help.
Bandits?
They couldn't survive now, no matter what.
Though he faced disdain from the Yu Clan Manor folk and Yu Hyun himself, Guard Huang was a righteous warrior, former Dali Temple Censor called the Emperor's Sword.
In terms of combat experience or skill, he was a master dozens of mere bandits could never block.
Amidst it, a righteous master who could even employ the noble "Sword Threads" technique.
He might even be faster at clearing out this rabble.
Shugagak!
As Guard Huang swung his sword, crescent-shaped sword qi scattered in all directions.
"Kraaak!"
"Uwaak!"
In an instant, he severed the bandits' limbs to disable them, even felling the trees beyond.
Yet since he appeared, the bandits only suffered wounds—no deaths.
Just subduing them.
Likely because, as a military man taught that even heinous criminals must face imperial law.
Wasn't that how official subjugation forces operated? Subdue first, lethal force only if unavoidable.
Well, anyway, Guard Huang saved him some effort.
The remaining one was Guo Xiaoshan, that bastard....
As Yu Hyun lifted his gaze to the peak, Guard Huang, subduing the bandits, bellowed loudly.
"Hap! Don't get distracted—try to remember properly. He's truly important to me."
"......"
Yu Hyun shook his head at Guard Huang's shout.
That loyalty of his....
"Hap! Our young master! Has a rotten temper!"
"......"
"Hap! Stubborn as a mule too!"
"......"
"Hap! Tends to look down on others harshly, acts like the world owes him, and has no manners whatsoever. You really haven't seen someone like that?"
"......"
Why phrase it like that?
What am I, a rotten-tempered, arrogant, stubborn slob?
As Guard Huang shouted blows to jog his memory, veins bulged on Yu Hyun's forearm gripping the curved saber.
Should I just kill this guy first?