Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: On the Way to the Academy (4)
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The fight had begun.
Watching Eon Yong-un charge straight to the front, Yin Xia Lian unconsciously bit her lip.
'You're already throwing yourself into the thick of it, and now you're deliberately provoking the bandits to take on even one more yourself.'
They had already discussed beforehand that something like this might happen.
But now that the situation was upon them, she felt utterly pathetic for being able to do nothing.
'...A talisman containing a formation.'
This alone was proof enough.
A talisman containing a formation?!
From what Yin Xia Lian had picked up while living in the merchant world, only a handful of people in the Zhuge family—which had devoted over a thousand years to formation research—or the Sima family, or even the Mount Mao Sect, which had studied talismans and wards for similar ages, could create such things.
'These aren't items that circulate outside.'
So it wasn't something easily obtainable at any price, but if it truly contained a formation that slowed the enemy, just as Eon Yong-un had said?
That was no different from him giving her a spare life.
'...If only I could pull my own weight.'
In truth, the one Eon Yong-un wanted to handle her share was her sister, Yin Ha-seong.
Yin Xia Lian, on the other hand, was the one he had blocked off.
She had wanted to learn a unique martial art from the Silver Radiance Merchant Group's escorts, or from a renowned hero in An-hui Province, or even hire a teacher from the Nangong family's outer branch. But Eon Yong-un had forbidden it, saying she might pick up bad habits learning from the Sword Empress.
But in this moment, none of that crossed Yin Xia Lian's mind.
As a friend, she felt sorry toward Eon Yong-un.
And even more so as a merchant, she hated wasting the talisman.
'The debt I owe Young Master Eon keeps growing.'
But she had no time to dwell on such thoughts.
"Big sis! They're coming! I can maybe handle one with the polearm, but not at the same time! Hurry and tear that thing Young Master Yong-un gave you!"
Riiip—
Thus, Yin Xia Lian felt her own weakness cut to the bone once more as she tore the talisman Eon Yong-un had given her.
Throwing the severed head of the fake Guan Yu while provoking them had a powerful effect.
So powerful that it made veins bulge on the neck of the Luoyang dropout scholar, who had been posturing as some great strategist.
"Golden Tiger General! Black Tiger General, secure Yin Xia Lian quickly! The central forces left from the Golden Tiger and Black Tiger Brigades—follow your direct generals and secure the Eon family wench!!"
At the Luoyang dropout scholar's shout, some of the bandits facing him hurriedly moved toward the left and right flanks.
But I didn't spare a single nerve on them.
It was just an extension of their thinking: since my martial prowess seemed unusual, secure Yin Xia Lian quickly to force me to drop my sword myself.
And right on cue, a sinister energy unique to the Curse of Ages hummed from the merchant carriage—Yin Xia Lian must have torn the talisman.
- Your ward techniques never cease to amaze me, no matter how many times I see them.
My master, who had no blind spots now that he resided in the sword rather than its sheath, had confirmed it personally.
"Wh-what are those guys doing?! Why are they standing there frozen like statues?! Am I dreaming or something?!"
The Luoyang dropout scholar's dumbfounded voice followed right after.
So all my focus turned squarely forward.
Even excluding the scholar, beheading and tossing the fake Guan Yu's head had a powerful effect.
"You bastard to kill!!"
The fake Zhang Fei—gripping his helmet with its lion mane whiskers—couldn't hold back his rage and charged first.
"Let's see if you can keep yapping after this spear lodges in your brow!"
Next came a spearman with a bulbous nose, utterly unlike the Zhao Zilong I knew.
"What are you lot doing?! The one who brings me the head of that yapping escort scum gets heavy silver and a new Five Tiger General spot! The one who shows his back gets whipped by my own hand after this fight, while the others feast!!"
The bandits—even those who had frozen at the sight of their supposed reincarnation of Guan Yu bisected with one sword and left only a head with two more—raised spears and blades again at Complete Three Rocks' shout and charged.
Ssssh!
Clang!!!
Weapons thrusting in from all directions, enough to dazzle the eyes.
Ssssh!!!
Clang clang!!!
Killing intent pouring from every angle, stinging the skin.
I was truly in the Sword Forest of Mount Do, where one misstep meant death.
'Whoa.'
Brutal.
Really brutal.
I'd flown pretty high in my prime back then.
But this was my first time thrown into a swarm of killing intent armed only with a single sword, no buffs from items, no summons.
Yet I wasn't flustered or scared by the situation at all.
I laughed, instead.
I had no choice but to.
This was my first time leaping naked into a horde of enemies wielding weapons like this, but my past life's countless experiences crossing the boundary between life and death kept my mind calm even now.
And though this was my first real combat, looking back, I'd done plenty of similar training with my master.
'Now I see—there's nothing to discard in Master's teachings.'
- Ahem. Do you think the one called Sword Demon would teach you anything useless?
'True, but you know that saying about geniuses not making good teachers?'
- ...No, I thought you were just quietly following orders, but you had such cheeky thoughts inside?!
'...Not always, just occasionally?'
- ...No hands, so I can't even flick your forehead! Infuriating!
As a sword newbie, when he'd told me to practice footwork bare-chested and blindfolded in a thorny honey locust grove, or on the peak of Lotus Peak, I'd thought he was just venting frustration from being stuck inside Regret.
But now I realized those trainings were lessons prepared for exactly this situation.
Anyway.
Though I'd occasionally doubted Master's teachings deep down, I'd endured them quietly regardless—so here I was, treading the Heaven-Splitting Twelve Steps without hesitation amid the storm of spears and blades.
The Heaven-Splitting Twelve Steps.
My master called it the world's greatest footwork: preempting by at least half a step all thrusts from the twelve combined front, back, left, right, and diagonal directions; creating twelve thrusts of your own; making a mountain-cleaving sword split the heavens.
The Nine Blossoms Stronghold bandits were honestly too unskilled to handle it.
"Rat bastard!"
And so, the weapons aimed at me invariably sliced empty air, or...
Puk!!!
"Kek?!"
"Z-Zilong!!!"
...skewered their own comrades.
Calling that face Zilong—talk about no shame.
Anyway.
For those who didn't fall into the first two cases?
Clang!!!
"From the looks of it, you're playing Zhang Fei, right?"
"Grrgh!!"
"Better hurry after your big bro before you miss the road!"
Slash!!!!!!!
They became morning dew on Regret, unable to withstand the Heaven-Splitting Swordsmanship's First Three Forms poured out through the path opened by the Heaven-Splitting Twelve Steps.
"!"
"!?!"
The Nine Blossoms bandits who had charged me recoiled in horror, as if facing Yama himself, shuffling backward.
Seizing the gap, I tossed a question to my master.
'Just now, Heaven-Splitting Thunder Fall would have suited better than Heaven-Splitting Whirlwind, right?'
- Nicely deflecting that cheap Zhang Yide's spear was good, but rather than parrying and wasting two exchanges on a lateral cut, slashing straight down would have been more refined. That's how I'd do it.
'Ha, habits from my scythe-swinging days stuck with me.'
- Shake off those habits and draw out the First Three Forms fluidly where needed, and you'll finally qualify for the True Four Forms. Keep at it.
'Yes, Master.'
- Not bad, though. And judging by your attitude constantly pondering how to wield the sword better, you'll reach the True Four Forms soon enough.
'......'
- What.
'Afraid too much praise will ruin this disciple's discipline.'
'Your discipline's already rotten enough—scratch your head if you're embarrassed. No more stern words.
'Got it.'
Anyway, as we bantered, I spotted Complete Three Rocks and the Luoyang dropout scholar whispering not far off.
"Emperor Gaozu of Han..."
"...Won't become a laughingstock of the unorthodox?"
"...Even Liu Bei at Xu Province."
I didn't catch the full conversation.
But from snippets about Emperor Gaozu of Han and Liu Bei in Xu Province, plus their shifty eyes, I could guess what they were plotting.
'Thinking of cutting and running, eh?'
I lightning-quick bit Regret's hilt in my mouth.
Then I picked up the cheap eighteen-foot serpent spear the fake Zhang Fei had used, infused it with internal energy, and stomped.
Crack—!
The cheap spear snapped into one short spear and one spear shaft.
I gripped them one in each hand.
Mouth: sword.
Both hands: spears.
'Hanging with fakes got me feeling like a fake three-weapon style.'
Then, at this point—no goblin fire!
...I lightly circulated the Heaven-Splitting Divine Art and hurled the short spear and spear shaft at Complete Three Rocks and the Luoyang dropout scholar, respectively.
Sssssh!!!
Sssssh!!!!
The short spear and spear shaft flew like arrows.
Clang!!!!!
As expected of someone leading one of the Seventy-Two Green Forest Strongholds, Complete Three Rocks easily batted the short spear aside with his axe.
But the Luoyang dropout scholar couldn't deflect the spear shaft.
"Gaaak!!!"
His right shoulder properly skewered, I transferred Regret from my mouth to my right hand.
Then opened my mouth with a giggle.
"Hey, Strategist sir. No running now—and don't even think of yanking that spear shaft out recklessly. It's a rough break, so the edge is jagged; pull wrong and your death risk skyrockets. Oh, and I don't know if your readings included medical texts, but lose too much blood and you die—so staunch it well and stop the bleeding."
Ignoring the Luoyang dropout scholar—who couldn't even scream properly, face pale white as he gurgled and clutched the wound with his hand—and ignoring Complete Three Rocks beside him, I addressed the remaining bandits.
"Fellow green forest brethren, I'm not your enemy. See? I've opened up three spots in the Five Tiger Generals for you! And I've caught the scheming scholar and that cowardly Three Rocks trying to abandon you and flee?"
Thus igniting distrust and suspicion in the rank-and-file bandits' hearts, I pointed Regret at Complete Three Rocks and said,
"You, Three Rocks! Where do you think you're slinking off to!"
"Bastard! My name is Sam-seok! Sam-seok!!!!"
"No denial on the fleeing part! I used polite speech thinking you were a stronghold leader, but you don't deserve it! Come to think of it, crossing swords with you is a waste too—just go, run if you can!"
"For real?"
"Sure. I'll personally submit a report to the King of the Green Forest. That Nine Blossoms Stronghold scum dreamed of rebellion. I'll write it with the character for 'Three' as Sam-seok, not Seok-sam."
I figured needling him this much would draw him in.
And sure enough, Complete Three Rocks reversed his retreating steps.
Swinging the massive axe he called Giant Moon, he charged me.
"Teasing me to the end, eh?! Die!!"
Instantly, green haze enveloped Giant Moon, scraping out in slashing form toward me.
Ssssh—!!!!!!!!!!!
From Complete Three Rocks' perspective, it was a strike laden with his all and fury.
For me, it was exactly what I'd waited for.
I split the instant valuably with the Heaven-Splitting Twelve Steps. Then wrapped Regret in inky sword aura, crouched my body, and...
Whoosh—!!!
As the slash from Complete Three Rocks' Giant Moon shaved off a few strands of my ponytail...
"!"
...I stretched my right arm like yawning and unleashed Heaven-Splitting Fierce Advance, the thrusting form among the First Three Forms of Heaven-Splitting Swordsmanship.
Puk!!!!!!
Complete Three Rocks' head instantly skewered.
Leaving it like this would make perfect propaganda to shatter the Nine Blossoms remnants' will to fight, but I figured my master would dislike it.
I quickly withdrew the sword, shook off the blood on Regret, and asked my master,
'This time, I used it right where it fit, right?'