Chapter 152
Chapter 152
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 152
Chapter Title: You Picked the Wrong Guy (3)
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Watching the bluish-faced jiangshi pour out one after another, my master, lost in melancholy, let out a remark.
- No wonder they kept pulling back step by step. You'd prepared such a cute little trick.
'Yeah, right?'
I'd suspected as much, and sure enough, they'd hidden jiangshi.
At the sight, I secretly twisted the corner of my mouth and counted the number of jiangshi.
'Twenty of them.'
But the ones who'd been pushing back Gwak Sa-hong until moments ago recoiled in shock.
The first to speak up was Yong-myeong.
"How can there be jiangshi in the ancestral chamber?! Don't tell me they're our ancestors...?"
Someone answered Yong-myeong's question.
"Those ancestors are nothing but bones by now. These ones aren't just fleshed out—they look sturdy as hell."
Jeong-hyeon, whose body brimmed with pure inner energy from long years of Taoist heart method cultivation, instinctively furrowed his brow at the malice emanating from the jiangshi.
"This baleful energy is no ordinary thing."
...To me, it felt like the smell of home.
And Je Gal-seolji noticed something different about the emerging jiangshi compared to ordinary ones and spoke up.
"No talismans on them? Are those the talisman-less jiangshi?"
I'd learned about this in class at the academy.
Plus, jiangshi like these had appeared in the original story, so I could answer easily.
"That's right."
Those who think of using jiangshi in battle work tirelessly to eliminate their weaknesses.
The biggest weakness of conventional jiangshi is ripping off the sorcerer's talisman or overlaying another one.
'To fix that flaw, they engrave the talisman directly into the corpse's body somewhere. That's the talisman-less jiangshi.'
As I cleared up Je Gal-seolji's curiosity,
my master let out a tsk and tossed a question my way.
- ...So even your corpse arts can't find a solution?
As if.
'There's a solution. The problem is it's not just about neutralizing the jiangshi—we have to factor in Gwak Sa-hong too. I need to check one thing before deciding how to proceed.'
That was when it happened.
As I mulled things over and slowly stepped back,
the first jiangshi to burst out of the ancestral chamber closed in right up to us, then leaped with a thud! and spun its body clockwise.
The thudding leap itself looked like a comedic scene from a farce, but no one could laugh at it.
Swaaaaah!!
The jiangshi's arms were held straight out parallel, its pitch-black nails—glistening with what seemed like poison—poised rigidly.
Its movement was no different from a spinning top laced with venom bearing down on us.
I'd fed them the Hundred Poison Pill, but the others might not be so lucky.
I hurriedly stepped forward.
And with Regret, wrapped around my sword, I smacked up the spinning jiangshi's hand.
"I'll handle this! You lot fall back five paces to the sunny spot behind!"
But no satisfying sound of slicing came.
If it were human or a crudely embalmed jiangshi, there would've been a clean thunk!
Thwack!!
What rang out was the sound of chopping firewood, and the wound left by Regret was nothing more than a shallow dent, like an axe bite in a log.
"Talisman-less golden jiangshi."
Confirming the jiangshi's origin, I swiftly withdrew Regret from its arm—as it bared its sharp fangs toward my shoulder—and fell back a few steps to join the others in the sunny spot.
Grrraaah!!
Sunlight was a jiangshi's weakness.
Since the sun hadn't fully dipped to the west yet, the jiangshi couldn't cross into the sun-dappled area amid the neatly trimmed branches of the ancestral hill's grove.
Sizzzzzz!!
Grrraaah!
Seizing the gap, Gwak Sa-hong—who'd retreated in a panic moments before—sneered as he sauntered toward us.
"Hoh. So that's why you were blathering about some artifact or whatever—you know your Eon Family jiangshi craft after all? Heh heh heh. But it's only temporary, Eon Yong-un! The sun will set soon. Reconsider my offer while you can!"
His time to spout nonsense was running out anyway, so I ignored him and reached my decision.
'I can handle this without the kids.'
Gwak Sa-hong's skill level and twenty golden jiangshi.
After carefully assessing both factors, my calculations showed I could take him on alone.
Then the remaining forces should head to the Yi Manor.
'Besides, if I can hide my use of black magic, better to keep it hidden.'
I'd taken the class at the academy and aced it.
And the former Yong-un seemed interested in jiangshi too, so I could play it off, but in the martial world, there was no harm in concealing one's abilities.
'That's why they say in the jianghu, hide half your skills.'
...But would the kids buy it?
The issue was they wouldn't obediently follow my orders.
The situation was outnumbered and trapped either way forward or back, so telling them to fetch help from the Yi Manor while I held the line seemed reasonable.
'...Je Gal-seolji's rational enough; she'll follow if I put it like that.'
Jeong-hyeon and Eon Yong-myeong.
Those two were the problem.
Jeong-hyeon would never leave me behind.
From what I'd seen today, Yong-myeong was much the same.
But it was worth a shot.
'I've got that curse-lifting credit from before.'
I turned to the others and spoke right away.
"Jeong-hyeon, Eon Yong-myeong, Je Gal-seolji. Head back to the Yi Manor immediately."
As expected, they pushed back.
"Young Master Yong-un?!"
"What do you mean, brother?!"
"Are you telling us to run away alone? We can't do that!"
I naturally flicked their foreheads and opened my mouth.
"It's not running—it's a mission. With that many jiangshi out, there has to be some power source fueling them."
At my words, Jeong-hyeon and Eon Yong-myeong showed their surprise.
"Ah."
"Oh, really?!"
But Je Gal-seolji looked like she was about to say something to me.
"Yong..."
I shot her a look to stay quiet, then continued to Jeong-hyeon and Eon Yong-myeong.
"Think back—when we toured the Yi Manor, beyond the pond where they raised small animals, that area was off-limits. There should be some object emanating strange energy. You can sense it, Jeong-hyeon. I'm an A+ in Jiangshi Studies Fundamentals, after all. I've got a way to hold out alone, so while I do, go destroy it. Hurry—the sun sets soon."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Jeong-hyeon, Eon Yong-myeong, Je Gal-seolji.
How much time had passed since the three bolted toward the Yi Manor at Eon Yong-un's command?
"......"
Suddenly, Jeong-hyeon—who'd been leading—halted abruptly.
Eon Yong-myeong and Je Gal-seolji stopped too and stared at him.
"!?"
"?"
Ignoring their gazes, Jeong-hyeon turned toward the Yi ancestral hill in the distance and spoke.
"Something's off."
At Jeong-hyeon's tone, Eon Yong-myeong raised his voice.
"Jeong-hyeon! Brother's alone between that demon and the jiangshi! Whatever's wrong, we deal with it later—destroy the artifact powering them first, like brother said!"
"That's exactly what's suspicious. The situation was urgent, and since it was Young Master Eon's word, I moved without thinking. But now that I reflect, it's strange. My body, trained long in the Taoist heart method, is sensitive to strange energies. But am I implying Young Master Eon isn't?"
Jeong-hyeon's follow-up cast a shadow over Eon Yong-myeong's face.
"...Huh?"
"If it were strange enough for me to notice, Young Master Eon should've spotted it while lifting Elder Sanse Geom-bong's curse. The Young Master I know would've eliminated it on the spot."
"B-but... When he lifted Great-uncle's curse, there were times he just noted it first and acted only when certain."
The shadow on Eon Yong-myeong's face spread to Jeong-hyeon too.
"...The elder's case had complicating factors. Fine, but even so, it's odd that an artifact hidden in the Yi Manor affects jiangshi on the ancestral hill. Don't jiangshi stop moving once beyond the bell's reach?"
"...So you're saying brother lied?"
Je Gal-seolji, who'd been watching the two, suddenly narrowed her brows fiercely and spoke up.
"You finally realized?!"
At Je Gal-seolji's voice,
Jeong-hyeon's sharp gaze poured onto her,
and Eon Yong-myeong's anxious eyes followed.
"...You knew from the start and still went along?"
"Does that mean Jeong-hyeon-dojeon's guess is right? Brother chose that to save us at least? And you knew?"
To those gazes, Je Gal-seolji gave a curt reply.
"Yes. Exactly."
Jeong-hyeon's voice rose unusually.
"How could you?! You should've stopped him!"
"......"
"Knowing your comrade meant to sacrifice himself, how could you just retreat?! Were you afraid he'd die?!"
Je Gal-seolji's neck veins bulged too.
"Jeong-hyeon, you're the one who couldn't read your comrade's heart, yet you say that so well."
Before the sparks between them could flare further, Eon Yong-myeong wedged in.
"Both of you, stop. It's my fault. If I hadn't rashly charged that demon, this wouldn't have happened. It's our family's failing too. Brother's pursuing him alone because we didn't know, and now the sin of branding him a wastrel... I don't know how to atone."
But Eon Yong-myeong's shadow was so dark it absorbed all their anger.
"No. How could this be Young Master Eon or the Pearl Eon Family's fault?"
Cooled momentarily, Jeong-hyeon squeezed his eyes shut and spoke.
"And Je Gal-seolji. I lost reason over Young Master Eon and lashed out at you. I can't take back my words, but I apologize."
Je Gal-seolji's eyes flickered as she replied.
"I'm sorry too. I kept thinking if someone else had come with Elder Sanse, maybe this wouldn't have happened, and that 'smartass' comment wouldn't leave my head. I was frustrated, so my words came out sharp."
With their brief quarrel resolved, Jeong-hyeon gazed back at the ancestral hill and spoke.
"...Shouldn't we turn back now?"
But Je Gal-seolji shook her head firmly.
"No. If Yong-un were here, he'd probably call that the wrong path. Why else would he lie to send us to the Yi Manor? Just to save us?"
"...He wants us to protect the Yi Manor."
She added her own guess.
"Yes. If the Yi Manor falls, it's not just Yong-un's maternal relatives on the streets. Sanse Province crumbles, salt and firewood prices skyrocket north of the Yangtze. The realm falls into chaos, and the people into misery."
Jeong-hyeon nodded deeply, though he sighed.
"Primordial Heavenly Venerable. A true selfless sage. But Young Master Eon's benevolence weighs too heavy on me."
To that, Eon Yong-myeong forced the shadow from his face and spoke.
"Don't take it so heavily."
"Pardon? What do you...?"
"You're acting like something's definitely happened to brother."
"...Ah."
"Brother's got a knack for startling people, so if we tidy up the Yi Manor quick and bring Professor No Sam or the chief steward back..."
"Yes. He'll scold us for taking longer than expected."
"To get chewed out less by Yong-un, we'd better hurry."
The three resumed their steps toward the Yi Manor.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ After sending Jeong-hyeon and the kids off,
Gwak Sa-hong sneered.
"Heh heh heh. I watched thinking you had some plan with all that artifact nonsense since you recognized talisman-less golden jiangshi. Just a ploy to send those three away? So you wanna chat without eavesdroppers? How to join the Divine Cult?"
"......"
"...Your face says no? Ah! Playing the hero then? Makes sense—you stole your mom's jewels to gamble but strutted like a free spirit. Got some lucky breaks and fame, and now it's evolved into selfless sage? Heh heh heh!"
"...You say."
"Scared speechless now, huh? Serves a punk like you rig—"
"Narrow-minded bastard about to die."
Stunned by my sudden shift, he gaped and blinked.
But I was just as baffled.
"Strutting when you need a bell to control a few jiangshi."
I crooked my finger without another word.
"You picked the wrong guy, asshole. Time to pay the price."