Not Like the Old Days
This wasn't a fight.
It was a one-sided slaughter.
Every time Jeong Gwang moved, limbs flew and fountains of blood sprayed into the air.
The Baek Merchant Group escorts could only think one thing.
Blood Sand Wind. The name fit perfectly now.
Their blood turned the yellowish sand crimson.
Jeong Gwang swept over it like the wind.
He might have seemed less terrifying if he'd been grinning as he massacred them.
But his expression was utterly calm.
Just a man doing his job.
And that made it all the more frightening.
"Argh! Run!"
"Yeah. No can do."
"Gahk!"
The survivors scattered in every direction.
Half-moon sabers from the corpses flew out, skewering or smashing them.
All thrown by Jeong Gwang.
"Huh? Already over?"
Jeong Gwang approached the Blood Sand Wind deputy leader, whose limbs he'd pulverized.
"Urk. P-please... spare me."
"Why should I?"
"H-Heavenly... guk!"
Jeong Gwang clicked his tongue and stomped the man's heart to pulp.
How do they manage to blabber like this?
Judging by the reinforcements this deputy had brought, the ones he'd just killed weren't even a fifth of Blood Sand Wind's total forces.
That meant over four hundred in all.
Way too many.
He'd occasionally culled their numbers before, knowing more would crawl out of the woodwork anyway.
But this many?
Something must be going on in the cult.
The thought was fleeting.
Whatever. Not my problem.
It had been a while since he'd gotten a proper taste of combat. That was enough.
Jeong Gwang flicked the blood from his sword and wiped it meticulously clean.
If Master sees a single bloodstain...
A storm of nagging would follow. Just thinking about it made his body shudder.
"Ugh. Gives me the creeps."
He sheathed his sword and approached Heo Yeo-min.
She backed away as he drew near.
"What's wrong?"
"......"
"Oh. Afraid I'll hurt my wet nurse? Don't worry. I don't touch my own people."
My own people.
If a member of the True Jade Dragon Guard heard that, they'd die without regrets.
But she wasn't one of them.
Still, it eased her mind a little.
"......Thank you, Jeong hyeop."
"Ugh. 'Hyeop'? Come on."
Seeing him scratch at his arms furiously somehow put her at ease.
Then.
Jeong Gwang seized the throat of Jang Han, who had been supporting her.
"Gurk."
"N-no!"
"Let him go!"
"He's one of ours!"
To the shocked cries, Jeong Gwang replied,
"He's a spy."
"......!"
Stunned silence gripped them before they snapped back.
"What proof do you have?"
"It has to be more than suspicion."
Jeong Gwang shrugged.
"Come on. You think I'd go by a hunch?"
"......"
Everyone eyed Jang Han suspiciously now.
He sounded so certain—it was hard not to waver.
Jeong Gwang explained confidently.
"This guy's got spy stink all over him."
"......"
"What? Why the faces? I'm serious. It's the smell."
"......"
Baek Jin-hwan took a deep breath to steady himself.
"......Isn't that just a hunch?"
"I said smell, not hunch."
"......That's what I mean! Isn't it the same thing?!"
"Argh, seriously."
A hunch combined circumstances and instinct.
A smell was sensing the unique aura someone gave off.
Jeong Gwang had spent over a century rolling in the demonic pits of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult—the Subjugation Hall of the Subjugation Halls—sniffing out countless spies and traitors.
And they still didn't believe him?
"Fine. Let's take the quick route."
Jeong Gwang jabbed a finger into Jang Han's skull.
His eyes bulged, and a scream like tearing flesh erupted.
"Gaaaaah!"
Everyone's eyes went wide.
Torture out of nowhere?
How could he!
Jeong Gwang was their savior, impossibly strong—but this was too much!
His comrades, who'd shared hardships with Jang Han, reached for weapons. Baek Jin-hwan and his wife cried out to stop it.
Then—
"Guh! S-stop! I-I'm the spy! Please! PLEEEEASE STOP!"
"See? Told you."
"......"
The escorts sheepishly sheathed their half-drawn weapons. The couple barely closed their gaping mouths.
"Money! I needed money! Aaaagh! Then Blood Sand Wind came to me..."
Jang Han spilled everything unprompted.
What evil he'd done.
What he wanted.
His hobbies, favorite woman.
Even how sandstorms chafed his skin.
Soon, the Baek Merchant Group knew his childhood black history too.
"Ah, shut up."
Jeong Gwang yanked his finger out.
Jang Han, mid-wail, blinked in confusion.
Blood streamed from the hole in his head.
"......Huh? Doesn't hurt?"
Jeong Gwang tossed him to the escorts. Suddenly, it hurt—a lot.
They pummeled him.
"That's how Blood Sand Wind knew to come here?!"
"How could you do this?!"
He passed out soon after.
"Stop! We need him alive for more details!"
At Baek Jin-hwan's shout, the beating escorts slumped one by one.
Their wounds and exhaustion from the Blood Sand Wind fight hit them all at once.
And then—
"Jeong Sam! Open your eyes! Please!"
"Ughhh. Sin-o! Sin-oooo!"
The escorts clutched their dead comrades and wailed.
The brutal fight had only claimed lives in the initial charge.
Blood Sand Wind had focused on capturing the Baek couple, so few had severe wounds. Theirs were the worst.
"Let me see. Hmm. Just scratches."
The couple stared, dumbfounded.
Bone-deep gashes, and he calls them scratches?
Truly an enigma.
Jeong Gwang pressed their wound acupoints, then slathered on golden wound salve.
"Ahh."
"No way."
They gasped in awe.
Almost instantly, the pain ebbed, replaced by cool relief.
Jeong Gwang inspected their pallor and wounds, satisfied.
No side effects? Nice.
It was a rough mix from herbs gathered crossing the Kunlun range, but it worked well.
"Thank you."
"Thanks."
He nodded curtly, then scowled.
"Ah, this jerk."
The couple startled at the sudden curse—
Paat!
Jeong Gwang vanished.
"Gasp!"
"Wh-where?!"
Baek Jin-hwan scanned around, then shouted.
"Th-there!"
Jeong Gwang was already racing toward the horizon.
* * *
Jeong Gwang already hated the desert's scorching heat and choking sandstorms.
So he'd planned to wrap it up quick and leave.
But this guy had dodged him for nearly a month!
Finally caught him collapsed from exhaustion today—only to find familiar faces there.
Couldn't let them die, so he'd helped briefly...
And he slips away in the meantime?
In pursuit, Jeong Gwang spat sand-mixed saliva.
"Ptoo! You bastard, stop!"
The target didn't stop—he zigzagged wildly.
"Getting cocky just 'cause I let you!"
Jeong Gwang, using Flying Dragon Chases Lightning, kicked off the ground.
"Think I can't sense your qi?!"
Flying Peng Body Technique.
He soared like a roc, twisting direction three times before landing.
The sword in his hand plunged handle-deep into the sand.
"Hah!"
Vast inner energy surged through the blade into the earth and detonated.
Kwaang!
Simultaneously—
"Kweeeeeek!"
The sand exploded, hurling something massive skyward.
"Ow, eyes sting."
Jeong Gwang waved his palm, whipping up a gust that cleared the dust.
Its form emerged.
Over eighty feet long.
Thicker than a towering tree.
Sand-hued scales cloaking its body.
A spirit beast straight out of legend—a Double-Horned Sand Dragon.
"Miss me?"
It didn't answer his greeting. Instead, it raised its tail to shield its head.
"Oh? Won't move?"
"Grrr..."
"Should I just lop off your head?"
"......"
The Double-Horned Sand Dragon seethed with rage.
A mere human threatening it!
Just swallow him whole!
But.
As a spirit beast, it didn't judge by eyes alone.
It knew Jeong Gwang's true nature.
That's why it'd fled so desperately.
Long ago, it'd been captured by him, suffered hell, and ordered to wait at a designated spot.
It had obeyed—not daring to defy.
Seventy years without a visit; it'd assumed he was dead...
Fool's hope.
It lowered its tail limply.
Its "double" horns? Just one left now.
The other had been taken long ago.
"Good thing I left half."
Jeong Gwang smirked, then frowned.
"But what's with the mess?"
Up close, fresh wounds riddled its body.
He grasped the situation instantly.
"Daring to steal my property?"
Only two others knew this spot besides him.
"Life-and-Death Quack? One-Life Undertaker?"
The dragon recalled the pair who'd dragged it like a dog for Jeong Gwang.
It shook its head furiously.
"Then who?"
"......"
"Sigh. Won't say?"
"......!"
Unfortunately, the Double-Horned Sand Dragon couldn't speak. Frustration welled—tears streamed.
Did he get it?
Jeong Gwang nodded as if he understood.
"Not those two, then. Some new guy who can throw his weight around?"
Nod nod.
"So you ran?"
The Double-Horned Sand Dragon nodded vigorously.
Mitigating circumstances! Not my fault!
Tried to stay, but had to flee!
Its eyes pleaded.
But the opponent was Jeong Gwang.
"I'll deal with him later. Anyway, I told you to stay put, right?"
"......"
Seventy years ago.
"And you ran even after sensing me coming?"
"......"
Obviously!
Anyone would agree.
But Jeong Gwang wasn't the understanding type.
He spun his sword lazily.
"Head down."
"......"
"Chop your tail again? It regrows anyway—maybe just behead you?"
......No longer Double-Horned—now Single-Horned Sand Dragon shuddered.
Traumatic memories flashed.
But that was the past.
Its spirit power had grown; his aura felt puny compared to before.
Worth a shot now!
I can win!
He's that guy, but not that guy anymore!
Just chomp!
"Oh? Gonna try me? Fine! I've been pissed chasing you a month—bring it!"
A chilling aura rippled from Jeong Gwang.
His true killing intent unleashed.
"Come at me. I'm lazy."
"Krarrat!"
The Single-Horned Sand Dragon lunged its head at blinding speed.
The picture of deference.
"Wasting my time."
Jeong Gwang slashed casually.
Kaang!
"Kweok!"
"Huh? Not cutting?"
Kkaang!
"Kweok!"
"Sigh. Am I getting old... no, too young."
Kwaang!
"Kroaak!"
"Damn. You got tougher?"
Jeong Gwang rolled up his sleeves, gripped the sword two-handed.
And hacked like an axe at the horn.
Kwak! Kwajik! Kwajik!
"Kkok! Kraaak! Kwak!"
"Hang in there! Almost!"
Lies.
It took ages before the horn finally snapped off.
Now a Hornless Sand Dragon, it turned and sobbed.
Jeong Gwang pocketed the horn, chuckling.
"Grown some endurance, huh? Twitched like you might fight, but held back."
Anyway, main ingredient for the Half Immortal Pill secured—good mood.
"Spare you?"
Nod nod.
"But now I kinda wanna kill you."
The Hornless Sand Dragon shook its head desperately—so hard its head might fly off.
"Hm. Too much hassle. Might need you later."
After a moment, he magnanimously decided to let it live.
"Wait at the spot I assigned before. Run again, and I'll wring you like a rag."
It slammed its head into the sand repeatedly.
Jeong Gwang patted the beast's massive head and turned.
Instantly, the Hornless Sand Dragon's eyes turned feral.
Now!
All that patience—to lure complacency!
Mouth agape, it lunged silently from behind!
Kwajik!
Heh. Barely a snack.
As it smugly tried to gulp Jeong Gwang—its eyes widened in shock.
Nothing in its mouth.
"Crazy bastard?"
The Hornless Sand Dragon slowly turned.
Jeong Gwang stood there, radiating bone-chilling killing intent.
As the spirit of spirits, it forced its trembling body still and mustered its cutest face.
"......Kyuuung."
Futile.
Jeong Gwang wasn't swayed by cuteness.