Chapter 101: Jinheung Village (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 101: Jinheung Village (3)
After our intense lovemaking, I went out to the nearby forest to cool my head. A large full moon hung in the sky. The cloudless night was so bright it illuminated even the dark woods.
“It’s quiet.”
Not even the sound of insects chirping could be heard.
Having been so busy lately, I welcomed the silence. My brain, exhausted from overusing magic, seemed to rejoice as if it had found rest. It wasn't for nothing that mages took long breaks of several months after finishing their research.
Just by awakening their magic, their lifespans extended, and they could live even longer depending on their realm. Mages tended to live rather leisurely, prioritizing great achievements years down the line over small, immediate gains.
‘Maybe I'll take it easy for a while when I return to Earth after this match ends.’
Of course, with my admission to the Magic Tower just around the corner, I wouldn't have much time to relax, but it's the thought that counts.
I continued walking through the forest, lost in such trivial thoughts. As I walked, I couldn't help but feel a pang of regret that Cheon Yeo-hwa wasn't by my side. But I couldn't very well drag someone along who said her back hurt and needed to rest.
“That aside, what do I do now?”
My mind was completely filled with thoughts of stealing the ‘Formless Vajra Art’. At this point, assuming the manual wasn't there was meaningless.
From what I'd heard from the Investigation Team Leader, the old temple was currently being guarded by the 7th Elder of the Mount Hua Sect, the 6th Elder of the Zhongnan Sect, and one of the Four Great Vajras of Shaolin. There was no way three elder-level figures would be standing guard over an empty place.
If I had my way, I'd run to the temple right now, steal the manual, and make a run for it.
But if those three guards were powerhouses on par with the white-bearded old man, stealing something under their noses and escaping would be impossible.
‘...My magic is focused on combat, which will make it even harder.’
In the first place, mages who specialized only in combat like me were rare. To raise their realm, mages needed to conduct research in various fields.
Actually, it wasn't that there were no options. I could kill the three of them with Cheon Yeo-hwa and steal the manual.
‘...I'm willing to become a Divine Thief, but I'll pass on becoming a crazed murderer and a public enemy of Murim.’
Besides, the plan was fraught with problems. The path was rough and complicated, but it didn't take long to get from Jinheung Village to the old temple. If the martial artists at the campsite sensed something was wrong and came as reinforcements, it would all be for nothing.
‘I guess I have no choice but to look for an opportunity and steal it tomorrow.’
It went without saying, but the people of this world were ignorant about magic. If I could find even a small opening, stealing the manual without anyone noticing wouldn't be difficult. Not stealing it wasn't an option. I had no intention of coming all this way only to leave empty-handed.
I roughly organized my thoughts and continued my walk. Since I'd come this far, I figured I'd venture a little deeper.
Of course, I didn't plan to stay long. Every second felt precious when I thought of Cheon Yeo-hwa eagerly waiting for me in bed.
[Remaining Match Time: 69:41:23]
‘It would be great if I could get the Formless Vajra Art within the remaining time...’
But there was no need to rush. There would be other chances.
I swiped the screen away and walked along the crude forest path. Judging by the rather large footprints here and there, it seemed a bear might live around here.
“Will I see a panda?”
Since this was another world, there was a high chance animals that couldn't be found on Earth lived here. It had been the case in the Great Forest, after all.
Rustle!
Just as I was walking along, lost in idle thoughts, I sensed a faint presence nearby.
Shwing!
It sounded like someone swinging a weapon.
‘There's only one presence, so it doesn't seem like a fight.’
My curiosity was piqued by this unexpected event. I muffled my footsteps and moved toward the presence.
After pushing through the undergrowth and slipping between tightly packed trees, I soon came upon a wide-open clearing.
“...Oh.”
There, a woman was brandishing a sword, bathed in the light of the full moon.
Whoosh! A vicious killing intent emanated from her sword dance as it cut through the air. It was a Killing Sword, filled with the will to waste not a single movement on empty formalities.
She looked like a celestial maiden descended from the heavens. Why? Because the woman wielding the sword was a beauty.
Her silky hair fluttered, her black eyes were clear and bright, and her full breasts were apparent even through her martial arts uniform. She was so stunningly beautiful it was hard to look away.
‘That uniform... It's the Mount Hua Sect.’
That means she's from the same sect as the Sword Dragon and the white-bearded old man I met earlier today.
‘Didn't they say the Sword Dragon was the greatest genius of the Mount Hua Sect?’
Amazingly, that weakling was apparently called one of the greatest rising stars in the Central Plains. It was absurd. While that guy reached the pinnacle of the Peak Realm in his mid-to-late twenties, Cheon Yeo-hwa reached the Transcendent Realm at the mere age of twenty.
Of course, she had reached that realm through the shortcut of demonic arts, but I doubted that guy called Sword Dragon would be stronger than Cheon Yeo-hwa even if he'd trained in demonic arts from childhood until he was twenty. I believe Cheon Yeo-hwa's talent surpasses the Sword Dragon's.
And it was hard to say that the talent of the woman before me was inferior to the Sword Dragon's. There was, of course, a difference in their absolute skill, but in terms of raw talent alone, she was a greater genius than the Sword Dragon.
Of course, being a layman when it came to martial arts, my judgment might not be accurate. But I was certain that if she continued to hone her skills while maintaining her current level of talent, she would one day become stronger than the Sword Dragon.
‘...Sharp, and fast.’
And at the same time, it's endlessly versatile. Sword Qi scattering from multiple angles transforms into a single strike. The Sword Qi, gathered into one line, then transforms into a beautiful flower and blooms.
Changing Sword and Swift Sword.
She was an opponent I wouldn't want to face in close combat. Her swordsmanship made me want to just fling magic from a distance.
‘...I should go back.’
Spying on another's training is a grave offense. If I caused trouble and drew the attention of the Mount Hua Sect or others, it could create complications when I try to steal the Formless Vajra Art tomorrow.
Of course, I'd already drawn attention with my duel against the Sword Dragon, but I'm not foolish enough to dwell on what's already done.
Just as I stealthily turned to leave.
Ping! A small dagger flew past and embedded itself in the tree next to me.
“Who's there?”
I'm screwed.
All sorts of thoughts raced through my mind, but I couldn't come up with a way to get out of this.
I slowly stood up with my hands raised.
“...You are?”
“Haha... Hello...?”
The woman's eyes widened when she saw me. She seemed to recognize me. Considering what happened earlier today, it would be stranger if someone from the Mount Hua Sect didn't know who I was.
But even taking that into account, her reaction was somewhat strange.
It was as if... rather than being angry that an outsider had spied on her training, she seemed strangely pleased. Was I imagining things?
“My name is Kang Hyun-woo. I'm currently a guest of the Hundred Flowers Sect.”
It felt awkward to just stand there, so I offered a handshake.
“I-I'm Yoo Sowol of the Mount Hua Sect!”
The woman, who introduced herself as Yoo Sowol, grabbed my hand with both of hers. Her hands were damp with sweat, which wasn't surprising since she'd just been training.
“Ah, then may I call you Young Lady Yoo?”
“Y-Yes! Please do!”
“...”
Yoo Sowol's every reaction was so intense it was almost burdensome. She was like a fan meeting her idol at a signing event.
No matter how I racked my brain, I couldn't understand it.
Setting aside the fact that we'd just met, since she was from the Mount Hua Sect, there was no way she could have a good impression of me. After all, I had a record of beating down their most promising genius in front of a huge crowd.
‘The glares those old guys gave me were murderous.’
It was ridiculous how they blamed others after raising their disciple to be so weak.
“Th-Then, may I call you Great Hero Kang...?”
“...Young Hero is sufficient.”
“Ah...! Yes, Young Hero Kang!”
The smile that bloomed on Yoo Sowol's lips was brighter than the full moon in the night sky. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call her a celestial maiden.
“...Plum Blossom Fairy.”
“Pardon?”
“It's nothing.”
I feigned ignorance after the words slipped out unconsciously.
“Um, Young Hero Kang, what brings you here...?”
“Ah.”
I bowed my head slightly.
“My apologies. It was a mistake, but I ended up spying on your training, Young Lady Yoo.”
To be honest, calling it a mistake was a bit of a stretch. I could have at least run away before getting caught.
I had simply been mesmerized by Yoo Sowol's beauty and her elegant sword dance and watched for a long time.
“I-It's okay, it was just a mistake...”
Yoo Sowol twirled a lock of her hair with one finger.
She forgave me so easily that it threw my internal understanding of wuxia settings into confusion. In the wuxia novels I'd read, people would demand a life-or-death duel for spying on someone's training.
My worries proved pointless, as I soon began to guess the reason why.
Yoo Sowol kept avoiding my gaze, as if determined not to make eye contact. Whenever our eyes did meet by chance, she would startle and quickly turn her head away.
A deep red blush bloomed across her face.
‘...Has she fallen for me?’
After thinking it over, I realized it was a possibility.
Lately, I'd been repeatedly meditating, burning away the impurities in my body with fire and lightning ki, and my facial features were becoming more defined. On top of that, my body had gotten better thanks to physical training.
I was confident that my appearance was now well above average.
It wasn't because of the ‘Alpha Male’ skill, like with Jo Yeon-hee. I hadn't broken a single drop of sweat.
“Um... Young Hero Kang, how old are you?”
“I'm twenty-one. And you, Young Lady Yoo?”
“I, I turned twenty this year...”
“So I'm one year older.”
She was the same age as Cheon Yeo-hwa, but their auras were completely different. If Cheon Yeo-hwa felt like an older woman, Yoo Sowol gave off a strong little-sister vibe.
“Y-You can speak comfortably with me...”
“Alright, then can I call you Sowol?”
“...Yes.”
Yoo Sowol ducked her head as if to hide her face, which was flushed so red it looked like it might burst. If she had been born in Korea and debuted as an actress, the title of 'the nation's little sister' would have surely been hers.
“Um... Young Hero Kang, would it be alright if I asked you something?”
“Me?”
Gulp. I heard the sound of a dry swallow. For the record, it wasn't me.
“...Are you... perhaps promised to the young lady you were with?”