Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: No Time for Salt
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"This isn't the time to send salt."
💬 Comments — Azure Cloud Swordsmanship Ha ha! Are you all suckers? Why show such favor to a scammer? A new anon suddenly bursts in, branding me a scammer.
Needless to say, no viewers were swayed by his baseless claim.
— Viewer Suddenly? — Viewer Scammer? Got any proof? — Viewer What scam are you even talking about lol — Azure Cloud Swordsmanship Think about it! Does it make sense for someone to be on the Abandoned Continent, sealed off by barriers over a hundred years ago? It was a somewhat reasonable argument.
But still utterly absurd.
And for good reason.
— Viewer So the dinosaurs we saw were hallucinations, you lunatic? Lol — Viewer Lol this guy's turned thousands of us blind in an instant — Azure Cloud Swordsmanship Illusion magic or something, right? I've heard those Westerners can do that stuff. His words made the chat, which had been mocking him just moments ago, fall silent for a beat.
Then one chat appeared.
— Viewer Uh... yeah, that's possible I guess — Viewer What? So the dinosaurs really were fake? — Viewer It was kinda suspicious. The Abandoned Continent was sealed ages ago, right? As the mood grew increasingly strange, Azure Cloud Swordsmanship kept chatting.
— Azure Cloud Swordsmanship What gets me most is this: a commoner using palm wind? Ridiculous! — Viewer Nah, that's too far. Several people saw the palm wind shoot out — Viewer Yeah, I saw it myself — Azure Cloud Swordsmanship Of course I saw it too. I'm not saying the palm wind was fake. — Viewer Then what? — Azure Cloud Swordsmanship That Shihanbu guy isn't a commoner. How many here can even spot a dantian on screen? The chat fell quiet for a moment.
To discern a dantian on screen, you'd need to be at peak master level or top-tier sword expert.
— Viewer True, masters like that wouldn't be hanging out in the gallery — Azure Cloud Swordsmanship Exactly! Would exalted experts waste time in a dump like this? You all assumed no dantian because that's what he said, right? I was starting to panic as the mood turned weirder by the second.
That's when a welcome nickname popped up.
⭐ Top Comment — Heavenly Demon I vouch for him. He has no dantian. The Heavenly Demon, who had helped me out in various ways before.
I appreciated her intent to back me up again this time, but...
— Viewer Failed cult, stay quiet — Viewer Go dig weeds, Heavenly Demon — Viewer Lol believe the one posting pics of mountain veggies like it's a big deal? It backfired spectacularly.
⭐ Top Comment — Heavenly Demon Why... why! Don't you trust me?! — Viewer Would you believe someone foraging weeds and claiming peak master? Lol — Viewer Even hitting peak master would have them begging to recruit you lol ⭐ Top Comment — Heavenly Demon I-it's true! The Nine Great Sects and One Clan are shunning me! — Viewer Pffff the Nine Great Sects lol — Viewer Look at this solid backstory lol Why not write a novel? You've got talent. ⭐ Top Comment — Heavenly Demon Y-you...! "Heavenly Demon-nim's gonna cry."
Or not?
Maybe she's enjoying it?
Community concept posters love attention, after all.
I was pondering which it was when...
— Azure Cloud Swordsmanship See? The only one claiming no dantian is the self-proclaimed peak master Heavenly Demon. ⭐ Top Comment — Heavenly Demon N-not self-proclaimed, you fool! — Azure Cloud Swordsmanship We've been duped by a scammer. Using sensational bait like dinosaurs and geniuses to suck up donations. — Viewer That... makes sense! — Viewer Seeing that fake Heavenly Demon defend him... — Viewer Yeah, her backing him suddenly makes it super suspicious. ⭐ Top Comment — Heavenly Demon W-watch your mouth! Especially you, whatever Azure Cloud! Enough! Any more and I'll come rip your throat out! — Azure Cloud Swordsmanship Hmph! Go rip your own crotch. So, Shihanbu, what now? Were those tears in Heavenly Demon's text? Just my imagination?
My heart ached; I wanted to comfort her, but now wasn't the time.
"So what do you want me to do?"
— Azure Cloud Swordsmanship Simple. We want proof. Or else... we'll report you as a scammer. Gallery suspension incoming. Gallery suspension.
That word sent chills down my spine, like a dog's bark in the night.
For me, living on the uninhabited Abandoned Continent, the gallery was a survival essential.
Even a day's ban could put my life at risk.
"So how do I prove it?"
— Azure Cloud Swordsmanship Simple. Prove your genius. "Genius..."
I gave a wry smile.
Proving something I'd never even claimed. Absurd.
— Azure Cloud Swordsmanship I am the head of Azure Cloud Dojo. Azure Cloud Swordsmanship suddenly revealed his identity.
The chat stirred.
— Viewer Oh! The Azure Cloud Swordsmanship master himself — Viewer ? Famous place? — Viewer Yeah, pretty well-known dojo near Hundred Thousand Great Mountains. Produced like 10 Imperial Guards, I think? — Viewer Oh, Imperial Guards! Apparently the head of a somewhat renowned dojo.
His next chat appeared.
— Azure Cloud Swordsmanship This humble one will teach you a unique martial art. If you're a genius, you'll master it in no time. Prove it that way. With those words, a new window popped up in the air.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Azure Cloud Swordsmanship has requested a 1:1 chat.] I hesitated for a moment.
But I had no choice.
I hit accept.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Uahaha! To think there are such fools!"
Chun-seok, head of Azure Cloud Dojo.
He was roaring with laughter in his office.
The target of his mockery? The viewers, now biting at Shihanbu thanks to his incitement.
Yes, incitement.
Chun-seok already knew.
Shihanbu was an unprecedented genius.
So he wasn't surprised when Shihanbu flawlessly executed the sword art he'd just taught on screen.
"I knew from the palm wind without a dantian... but this is insane."
Yet Chun-seok stooped to this sleazy ploy for one simple reason.
"This'll draw tons of disciples to the dojo. Heh heh."
Using the hot topic of Dinosaur Island and the once-in-a-lifetime genius Shihanbu to advertise the dojo.
Plan: Have Shihanbu learn Azure Cloud Swordsmanship and use it for dino hunting.
Spectators would admire it and flock to Azure Cloud Dojo.
— Viewer ... Insane, pulling off swordsmanship after hearing it once? — Viewer Whoa, historic talent — Viewer What's that sword art? Looks strong "Oops. No need to hunt dinos for promo after all."
Chun-seok grinned at the incoming promo effects.
He started typing a chat.
Acknowledge the talent, show magnanimity, turn this into a mere mishap.
"A perfect wrap-up with free dojo promo for me."
As he typed to claim that beautiful victory...
Words shattered his plan on screen.
[This martial art? So crude. What a mess.] Shihanbu's mouth uttered that his martial art was crude.
Chun-seok slammed the desk.
"How dare he! A fool who doesn't know the first thing about martial arts judging my unique technique!"
As rage-filled Chun-seok went to counter...
Shihanbu's sword moved again on screen.
Chun-seok's fingers froze.
"The swordsmanship... evolved?"
Unbelievable.
Wind Extinction Three Cuts, taught by Chun-seok, struck neck, waist, and leg in flowing sequence.
But Shihanbu's version hit all three spots simultaneously with just two swings.
[Hmm... still kinda crude.] Another pride-shattering remark.
But Chun-seok didn't rage this time.
He was afraid.
Shihanbu swung again.
Once. Twice.
On the third...
Bang!
The desk in Azure Cloud Dojo's office shattered.
On screen, one swing carved three sword marks into the wood simultaneously.
"I-impossible..."
His 30-year unique martial art had evolved beyond recognition in moments.
His entire life as a martial artist negated in an instant.
But true despair came next.
[Even fixed, it's meh. Guess the foundation sucks.] "Kuh... ack!"
Blood spurted from Chun-seok's mouth.
Qi deviation.
His inner energy reversed from the shock of total negation.
But his ordeal didn't end there.
Bang-!
The dojo door burst open as instructors rushed in.
Their news was catastrophic.
"M-master! Parents are swarming! All demanding refunds..."
"A-and that's not all... Martial Alliance messenger pigeon..."
The instructor trailed off, handing over a letter.
Chun-seok's face paled as he tremblingly opened it.
-For tarnishing the righteous faction's dignity, Azure Cloud Dojo's license is revoked.-
Blood sprayed again as he read.
The instructors quietly slipped away.
Alone, Chun-seok muttered.
"...Talent beyond a wretch like me."
His voice echoed like an empty jar.
Meaningless. Emotionless.
Like a despairing ghost.
A realization gained after losing everything.
Too late.
As he sat dazed...
"Tsk tsk. Didn't I warn you?"
A stranger's voice echoed in the empty office.
Startled, Chun-seok reached for his sword.
But he couldn't.
"My fingers... gone."
Invisible.
Intangible.
No pain even.
"Kaaaaack!"
Pain hit belatedly.
A supreme expert, incomparable to him.
Sensing it, Chun-seok slammed his head to the floor.
"Th-this lowly one was wrong! Spare me, great hero!"
Desperate apology for survival, reason unknown.
Returned with mockery.
"Heh heh. Calling me 'great hero'? Hilarious."
The "bennyeo" made Chun-seok look up unwittingly.
Despair hit.
"The Heavenly Demon for real..."
His words ended there.
A woman in patched, threadbare robes.
Heavenly Demon Cheon A-ryeong severed his neck.
Yet even after slaying her insulter, A-ryeong's expression soured.
Simple reason.
"Sigh, swarmed by flies."
The aggro from this guy boosted Shihanbu's viewers.
Worse, many skilled usernames poured in.
Shihanbu's talent spread further.
"One loach spawned a horde of rivals."
A-ryeong sighed, fiddling with the gallery.
To win Shihanbu's favor, buy salt for his grilling fish.
"Celestial salt... bland. Something else... Salts so expensive?!"
Shocked at salt costing 5% of her fortune, briefly.
"Th-this is an investment. Investment!"
Trembling hands finally bought the salt.
The moment she returned to Shihanbu's stream...
[Uwaaaaaack!] A scream pierced her eardrums.
On screen, a dinosaur with a 10-meter neck loomed behind tiny Shihanbu, jaws agape.
"...This isn't the time to send salt."
Nothing went right, she thought, slumping to the floor.
Her eyes sparkled.
She was hooked on Shihanbu's stream.