Chapter 155
Chapter 155
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 155
Chapter Title: What Should I Do? (2)
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While the Gold Chief Steward and Je Gal Seolji exchanged a few words.
The grotesque figures that had been flung to the left and right walls began pulling themselves free.
Their moment to catch their breath ended there.
Jeong Hyeon assumed a starting stance with his Songmun Sword rippling with haze and opened his mouth.
"You all need to prepare yourselves."
At Jeong Hyeon's appearance.
"Young Master Yong-myeong, and your friends. Everyone, stay vigilant."
The Gold Chief Steward readjusted his grip on his sword and charged toward the grotesque figure he was assigned to handle.
"Hoo... Jeong Hyeon, Yong-myeong?"
Je Gal Seolji steadied her breathing and mentally reviewed once more the coordination the three of them had intuitively matched earlier.
"Do you both remember the countermeasures that Young Master Yong-un and Professor No Sam showed us back at Jinseong Fortress?"
At the mention of Eon Yong-un's name that slipped out, Jeong Hyeon and Eon Yong-myeong's mouths fell shut.
But Je Gal Seolji's words continued.
"Treat them like beasts. No mercy in your strikes, and keep in mind that their attacks don't follow fixed patterns of forms."
This time, Jeong Hyeon, having steadied his mind, chimed in.
"Since they're drawing power by burning their life force, dragging it out will weaken them—that's something to consider as well."
"Jeong Hyeon is right too. Just like before. Jeong Hyeon, you be the core. I'll take the left wing. Yong-myeong, you're on tail duty, but mainly stick with me and strike when you see an opening in the grotesque figure... Yong-myeong?"
Eon Yong-myeong still wore a stiff expression.
Separate from his rigid face, he recognized the urgency of the grotesque figure right in front of them, so he was focusing on Je Gal Seolji's words.
"I'm listening."
Confirming that, Je Gal Seolji spat out her final instruction.
"Yes. Attack when the grotesque figure shows an opening, and support us if one appears on our side. No rushing! First, endure until its power drains enough! Here it comes!!"
Right then, one grotesque figure lunged at them.
Kraaaah!!!
Toward the charging grotesque figure, Jeong Hyeon swung his Songmun Sword without hesitation.
Shwaaaaek!!
Jeong Hyeon's sword traced a semicircle, rippling with sharp blue sword energy.
The oncoming grotesque figure changed tactics like an animal.
It had initially planned to claw at him in an embrace while maintaining its charge speed, but realizing it would expose itself defenselessly to Je Gal Seolji and Eon Yong-myeong's attacks like before.
Kigigik!
It bizarrely bent its legs for an abrupt stop and arched its waist back sharply to evade Jeong Hyeon's sword.
Whoosh-
Then it sprang up as if bouncing and thrust its rigidly extended hand blade toward Jeong Hyeon in rapid succession, like a swift sword.
Shuk! Shuk! Shuk shuk shuk!!
Of course, Jeong Hyeon wasn't just watching the grotesque figure's assault.
Shwaaek!
Jeong Hyeon continued drawing semicircles with his Songmun Sword.
Shwaaek! Shwaaaek!
Semicircle after semicircle, then another.
Thus, adhering to the mysteries of Taiji, his footwork and the unfolding semicircles began displaying the Taiji Sword across all facets, forcing the grotesque figure to retract its arm at each precarious moment.
Shwaaaaeek!! Boom!!
Each time, Je Gal Seolji's Oryong Sword and Eon Yong-myeong's Eon Family Fist joined in, scattering sword and fist energy to exploit the grotesque figure's vulnerabilities.
However, the grotesque figure twisted and contorted its body in unnatural ways, unleashing attacks beyond common sense.
Kraaaah!!
In doing so, it carved paths for itself or drove the three into peril.
Of course, during this exchange of blows, the grotesque figure's aura steadily weakened as it consistently burned its life force.
Krrrng.
But that in itself brought a crisis.
"Je Gal!"
"Dodge!"
The weakening grotesque figure planted the thought in their minds that it was worth challenging.
And such a thought naturally bred the urge to dispatch the foe before them as quickly as possible.
"...Haa. Haa. ...That was really close just now. I owe you two my life."
They had started the fight vowing not to get hasty.
But in a situation where dealing with the grotesque figure swiftly was key to rescuing Eon Yong-un, even Je Gal Seolji, who had uttered those words, momentarily lost her composure.
Well, anyway.
Jeong Hyeon charged at the grotesque figure to buy Je Gal Seolji time to catch her breath.
"Catch your breath and follow. I'll handle this one."
Meanwhile, he recalled once more the thought he'd been mulling over inwardly even before this fight began.
'What should I do?'
In the slowing time, various thoughts began flashing through Jeong Hyeon's mind.
The first to cross his mind was Je Gal Seolji's earlier remark: 'If someone else had come with the Yi Manor relief team instead of me, maybe things wouldn't have turned out like this?'
As that thought passed, so did the memory of the day Eon Yong-un announced the Yi Manor relief team's roster.
That day, Yin Xia Lian had commented on each name on the list Eon Yong-un proposed.
'Jeong Hyeon has the skills to guard our backs, so that's fine, but the young Eon heir too...'
Among them were naturally evaluations of Jeong Hyeon as well.
Seeing Eon Yong-un not refute Yin Xia Lian's assessments, Jeong Hyeon had felt inwardly pleased.
At this moment.
Jeong Hyeon reflected once more on that day's joy.
'Am I living up to the value of that joy I felt then?'
It was a moment where he could easily fall into heart demons if careless.
But Jeong Hyeon possessed the steadfast resolve to press forward unyieldingly amid the encroaching heart demons.
And the motivation.
'Cut them down. And protect the Yi Manor folk and the other cadets as Young Master Eon requested.'
At that, the thick haze coiling around Jeong Hyeon's sword began intertwining densely like threads.
This was the moment Jeong Hyeon fully ascended to the ranks of peak masters.
Wooong-
His ensuing semicircles grew larger and sharper, the drawn Taiji becoming fiercer.
Seizing the moment as Eon Yong-myeong and Je Gal Seolji pressed their joint assault, blocking the grotesque figure's retreat.
Shwaaaaaeek!!
The Taiji Jeong Hyeon traced rotated diagonally, cleanly slicing from the grotesque figure's shoulder down to its waist.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Just beyond Yi Manor's front gate lay the front courtyard.
Here, Professor No Sam, fully transformed into a whirlwind of fury, was locked in fierce combat with Elder Gyeong, the internal affairs inspector of the Grotesque King Division.
Kwarung!
Both No Sam and Elder Gyeong were fist fighters, so the battle unfolded in a frenzy of ultra-close quarters.
Bang! Bang! Bang!!!!
When No Sam thrust his fist, Elder Gyeong countered with a palm strike, which instantly morphed into dragon claw form to gouge at No Sam's eyes.
Thud! Thud! Thump thump thump!
Then No Sam raised his elbow to deflect the dragon claw and attempted a headbutt.
Dozens of exchanges flashed in an instant at point-blank range, yet no solid hit landed.
This time, No Sam hurriedly ducked and swept his leg low, brushing the floor like a sweeping fall.
Whip!
Elder Gyeong leaped back to evade, and immediately, a thunderous roar erupted from No Sam's hand as Anti-Dragon Palm shot upward from below.
Kwarurung!!!!
In response, Elder Gyeong clasped his twin palms, unleashing palm force that spewed a crimson earth dragon to counter the Anti-Dragon Palm.
Kwakwakwa bang!!!!
Thank goodness they'd evacuated ordinary folk beforehand.
Had mortals been present, the erupting blasts and shockwaves from all directions would have left blood streaming from their ears and noses.
Even seasoned masters couldn't discern many of the exchanged techniques.
Bang bang!! Kwakwakwakwa bang!!!!
In fact, a few of the demon soldiers Elder Gyeong led had gotten caught in the crossfire and turned to mush.
But a clear superiority existed between the two.
Elder Gyeong's appearance grew increasingly ragged compared to the beggar-like No Sam—that was proof enough.
Thus, Elder Gyeong needed to devise some new ploy.
"That old beggar's got a tough lifeline."
"Seeing that demon's tongue flapping, looks like you've shown all your cards? Starting to sweat bullets? Next year today will be your death anniversary. Not sure if they hold funerals in hell though?"
Seizing the brief breather after exchanging palm forces, Elder Gyeong tossed out some bait.
"I'm an old man who gives credit where due. Beggar, I'll admit you're half a notch above me. Thought that 'Wind-Swept Moon-Claw' title meant you'd gone stale like ginger without its bite, but you've still got some spice."
"Now that you know, crawl over here, kneel nicely, and die clean. I'll send you off painlessly."
"But saying I've shown all my cards? Forgot what your disciple pups who sacrificed comrades to flee were yelling? We've still got the young master I serve and the corpses on this side."
"Who the sacrifice will be is anyone's guess! Enough talk—take my palm force!"
Kwarung!! Kwaku bang!!!!
And from that bait he tossed, Elder Gyeong found a clue.
'Did this beggar brat flinch at the mention of his disciple's sacrifice?'
Of course, No Sam's face just stiffened a bit; his fist path showed no disruption.
Inner anger didn't rattle his limbs.
'Well, duh. A guy who clawed his way to eight meridians in a beggar den won't fall for provoking rage.'
But nearby was No Sam's real disciple, Woo So-reung.
'He called him Woo-gaya?'
Elder Gyeong had intel that No Sam, now titled Wind-Swept Moon-Claw, seemed to have lost all passion at the Righteous Martial Academy.
He'd left him alone so far, wary of getting distracted and taking a fatal blow from No Sam.
'If the old beggar loves his disciples enough to rage at mere mention, then if I go for that Woo punk, he'll definitely throw himself in?'
Of course, he'd have to tank at least one solid hit with his body.
But just trading blows indefinitely would end with No Sam's victory anyway.
'It's a gamble, but right now, it's the only way we seize Yi Manor!'
Shwaaaaeek!!!
Finishing his thought, at a moment Elder Gyeong should have dodged or blocked No Sam's fist with a palm.
Swish-
He subtly shifted his body and instead stepped forward, offering his left forearm to No Sam's fist.
A technique to blunt the power by meeting it a half-beat early.
Crack!!
But since the fist's owner was No Sam, Elder Gyeong's left arm bone snapped with a metallic clang.
"Ngh."
"?"
No Sam himself wore a look of bewilderment at this demon suddenly going mad, and in that instant.
Elder Gyeong clenched his teeth with a grunt and thrust his right palm toward Woo So-reung, who was keeping the demon soldiers at bay.
And he unleashed a burst of palm force, pouring out all his inner energy in one go.
Kwakwakwakwaku bang!!!!!!
That was it.
"You bastard, how dare you?!"
As Elder Gyeong predicted, No Sam hurled himself to shield Woo So-reung.
Thanks to that, the palm force Elder Gyeong unleashed struck No Sam's chest squarely.
Boom!!!!!!!
No Sam spat dark red clotted blood and collapsed to his knees, while Woo So-reung startled and supported him.
"Cough, hack."
"Professor?!"
Seeing that, Elder Gyeong burst into laughter.
"Puhahaha! Look at you! Old beggar!"
And to finish No Sam off, he wrapped crimson haze around his right hand and advanced step by step.
Then Woo So-reung gripped his trembling legs and raised his sword.
"D-don't move, you demon!"
At Woo So-reung's sight, Elder Gyeong laughed once more.
"Puhahaha! What do you plan to do with those shaking limbs? Never heard 'demon' sound so cute in my life. Heh heh. Kid, I'm killing you all anyway, no need to step up. There's that saying about respecting elders, right? Even if we share a memorial next year today, the old beggar goes first."
While Elder Gyeong sneered like that.
No Sam, propping himself up from the ground, formed a triangle with both hands, exhaled steadily to regulate his breath.
Then pressed his left fist to his waist, extended his right palm forward, and spoke.
"Woo-gaya, retreat immediately to the three-line formation where Deok-geun and Jang Ho are."
"B-but."
Woo So-reung hesitated.
Elder Gyeong continued sneering.
"Gonna keep struggling in vain?"
Toward such Elder Gyeong, No Sam spat a glob of blood with a ptui! and retorted.
"Didn't even tickle."
He urged Woo So-reung again.
"Hurry and fall back! Feels like my organs shifted, but I've still got enough to smash one old demon!!"
At No Sam's display, Elder Gyeong sneered once more, and as No Sam composed himself.
Hiihing!!!!!!
A horse's neigh and presence echoed from Yi Manor's front gate.
Both No Sam and Elder Gyeong's heads turned simultaneously.
"Young master?"
"...Eon punk?"
The one crossing Yi Manor's great gate was neither Guo Sa-hong whom Elder Gyeong awaited, nor Eon Yong-un whom No Sam awaited—it was Paeng Mu-hyeok.
"...What the hell?"
And Eon Jeong-ung.
"You've all gone mad with death wishes. Daring to invade Yi Manor."