Chapter 84
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Clash in the Depths
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KUAAAA!
A massive torrent roared loud enough to tear through his eardrums.
KWAaaaa!
There were no words to describe Yu Hyun's current predicament.
The closest might be "swept away."
The moment he plunged into the whirlpool, he was caught in the current before he could even swim, dragged along helplessly.
It felt like being tossed into the maw of a rampaging dragon and whipped around like mad.
KWANG!
And that was just the start?
Two streams of water twisted like they meant to burst him open, slamming his body down onto the bottom.
For an instant, the impact felt like it shattered his spine, nearly forcing the breath he'd been holding right out of him.
Water whirlpools lashed out wildly from every direction, with no rhyme or reason to the flow.
It was like being smack in the middle of chaos itself. If he didn't cling on desperately, he'd black out in a heartbeat.
This is insane...
Yu Hyun cursed nonstop in his head.
A mere puddle of water, and it's thrashing around like this?
At this rate, he'd never even glimpse the thousand-year clam before getting dragged to his death.
No one shaking your head by the hair could feel this bad.
What grudge does water have against me? First the Child Ginseng, now this—why am I always tangled up in it?
Does my fortune say "beware of water"?
But he had to pull himself together.
The moment he faltered here, his dream of saving the martial world and living a cushy retirement as a rich man would all vanish.
But how?
They say if a tiger grabs you, keep your wits and you'll live—but this is water?
Damn it... somehow...
Yu Hyun flailed his limbs, desperate to escape the current.
How far had it dragged him?
Tok.
Huh?
Suddenly, something brushed his flailing fingertips.
Instinct screamed it was his lifeline, and in that crisis, thought and action synced perfectly.
Grab! KWAak.
Yu Hyun seized it fast.
A rock... it's a rock.
The jagged tip of a protruding reef, no doubt.
The torrent lashed his body wildly, trying to yank him free, but he held on with everything he had.
He couldn't open his eyes, and all he heard was the deafening roar like a monster's howl.
KWAuuuu...
In the unrelenting onslaught, he clung to the reef like a barnacle, but suddenly his hand stung.
Damn clams... strong grip.
His hand must've been sliced by the sharp shells of the clams clustered on the rock.
But was a little cut the problem now?
Let go, and he'd die without seeing a single shard of the thousand-year clam's shell.
If he'd known, he should've learned something useful from the Water Dragon King.
Staring at that ice trick in awe, asking to learn how to freeze stuff right before parting was a huge mistake.
Should've delved deeper into water arts instead of useless crap...
Regrets flooded him, but first he had to navigate this vortex.
And not just that—time was running out.
He didn't know exactly, but plenty had passed.
The Abyss Heaven Jade's limit was one hour. He had to find the clam within that, no matter what.
He tried circulating his internal energy, but it was useless.
Forget sensing the clam's energy—even his own got swept away and scattered by the flow.
First things first: escape this spot.
And to do that... he needed to grasp the water's flow.
Yu Hyun withdrew the energy he'd scattered everywhere and let it trace the currents passing close by.
Can't see the forest for the trees? Right now, focus on the tree right in front of you.
I'm lost in the deepest part of that forest.
KWAAAA.
KWANG!
Waves crashed against him roughly then shot straight up.
The thousand-year clam had to be in the whirlpool's deepest heart. So he needed to dive deeper.
Which meant finding the currents sucking downward, not surging up.
Amid the churning water's frenzy...
Find it. I must...
Yu Hyun focused every nerve on the flow his energy relayed and the currents grazing his body.
Now!
KUUUUUK!
Strength surged into his grip on the rock, his arm muscles bulging powerfully.
PWOONG!
The moment he shoved off the reef like pushing the world itself and let go, his body plummeted toward the depths at insane speed.
KWAuuuuuu!
Yu Hyun hurled himself into downward-sucking currents, then clung to reefs against upward surges, repeating the cycle.
Time passed like that, and gradually, the torrent weakened.
It got slack enough that he didn't need to ride the flow or swim hard. That's when Yu Hyun withdrew his energy.
Ugh, cold.
A sharp chill hit him suddenly, making his body shrink instinctively.
Keurk!
This time, crushing water pressure slammed his eardrums like they might burst.
Hup!
Yu Hyun pinched his nose and mouth shut, exhaling with all his might.
Emergency counter to the pressure.
His ears rang dully, but the pain faded soon.
He cracked his eyes open, swapping energy sense for sight, revealing pitch-black water.
Ow, stings!
Damn, forgot it's saltwater.
Yu Hyun quickly circulated energy to shield his eyes.
It didn't form a frog-like membrane, but he adjusted enough to endure.
At least his breath held—for now.
Subjectively, eons had passed, but it hadn't hit the hour mark yet.
Still, not much left. Had to find it fast.
If the chill seeped to his bones, it had to be nearby...
Hope pounded in Yu Hyun's chest.
It's here. That thing's definitely here.
Even without energy, his heart raced like it'd met its soulmate.
Where? Where you hiding?
Yu Hyun whipped his head around.
Seaweed swayed like a forest atop a flat rock spanning a good ten-plus yards, and below it...
There!
Yu Hyun's eyes lit up.
Clams—massive ones—clustered under the rock.
There you are, thousand-year clam!
Hiding in these unreachable depths, enduring bone-chilling cold—that beast was there.
Yu Hyun swam swiftly under the rock.
Not this one, not that one.
He touched countless shells, probing with energy, but no standout prize.
Damn, why so many?
Which one's the thousand-year clam?
Frustration boiled as he found no prime candidate—then.
Kraduk, kraduduk.
What sound's that?
The noise echoing through the water made Yu Hyun snap his head around.
Nothing... huh?
What the hell is that?
Something pitch-black and enormous wrapped a tentacle around a clam—tentacle weirdly shaped.
It looked just like... his old master Won-gak Seonsa's bald head?
But...
Kraduduk, kradududuk!
Sh, shell-cracking?
The mushroom-headed freak yanked off the whole shell with its tentacle.
Then... huh? Eating it raw?
It crushed the tough shell, slurped out the meat, spat the empty husk and a small pearl onto the floor, then lunged at fresh prey.
Wobbling, squelching along...
What kind of creature is that mushroom-head with freaky tentacles? Eating clams?
H, hold up. Eating? Clams?
Flames ignited in Yu Hyun's eyes.
You bastard! That haul might have the thousand-year clam, and you're chowing down?
Crazy? It's not even fish—you half-formed freak eyeing my prize?
Infuriating beyond belief.
After all this hardship, he might lose the clam to some random monster?
Who are you to screw with my martial world salvation, you mushroom-headed shit!
No choice. Chase it off.
Can't let it eat more.
Freaky shape, kinda big, but... it'd attack a human?
Time for a manners lesson.
Let's see you panic.
Yu Hyun invoked the Thousand-Pound Hammer's art, his body sinking instantly from the added weight.
Kuuu.
His feet hit the sandy bottom. He assumed a horse stance, cocking his fist at his waist.
About ten yards. At this range...
Wuuuuung!
Energy flooded his fist in a flash, then thrust out like lightning.
Kurrrr rumble!
Underwater, maybe?
The Hundred Paces Divine Fist's power shot out rougher than usual, smashing the clam-feasting monster's head with force.
Twaaaaaang!
The calm water churned wildly. Amid crunching sounds, the beast's surface dented deep, its motion halting.
...Overdid it? Meant to scare it off, not kill... huh?
Had he poured too much into his already low reserves? Yu Hyun's face hardened as he pondered.
Degul.
The head he'd thought dead lifted slightly, one huge eyeball fixed on him.
No way... is that fucker glaring at me?
Nah, can't be. Right?
Yu Hyun smirked, dismissing it—then.
Saa...
The monster's color shifted wildly.
Wh, what? Its b, body color's changing?
Red, orange, yellow, green... no, it's not some beast mastering camouflage, right?
As Yu Hyun gawked in disbelief, it turned bright red.
Bright red...
Mad? Like humans flush when pissed...? N, no?
An awkward smile tugged at Yu Hyun's lips—then it unfurled its massive body, spraying black ink.
Wh, what's this?
Shwaaaak!
Jjeeeeeeok!
Everything went black as something whipped like a lash, slamming his gut. Yu Hyun's mouth gaped in shock.
“Kruaaaagh.”
Wh, what the hell? What kinda impact...
The hit popped the Abyss Heaven Jade from his mouth. Salty seawater flooded in.
Ah, fucked...
He snatched it back, clamping his mouth, but his held breath escaped fully, plus gulps of water—he could barely think straight.
Shwaaaak!
Pwaaaak!
In the blinding black water, tentacles flew at him madly.
Not just speed—the power was unreal.
Gotta break free. Secure vision first...
Yu Hyun swam away fast. The beast floated up, glaring.
Still blood-red all over, eight freakish legs splayed wide...
Huge.
It'd been curled eating clams, so he hadn't noticed—bigger than a small boat.
Eyes narrowed in rage, pissed for sure.
Fine, I admit it. My bad.
They say don't bother a dog while it's eating... I went too far.
H, hey, buddy. Sorry about that.
I panicked thinking you'd snag the thousand-year clam. Instinct kicked in with Hundred Paces Divine Fist. Meant just a warning tap, hand slipped...
KuoOOO.
H, hey, don't do that. Put down the weird tentacles and talk?
That head—you Buddhist? Truth is, I'm one too. One master's a Shaolin monk. No lie.
So, as fellow followers of Buddha's teachings, show some mercy?
Don't want much.
Breath's running low?
Just hand over the thousand-year clam. Rest are yours, yeah?
Yu Hyun poured every pleading ounce into his gaze...
Shwaaaaak!
Staring at the insanely fast tentacle, despair flashed in his mind: two words.
Fuck... didn't work.