Chapter 48: Back from the Dead (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 48: Back from the Dead (1)
Doyeon looked at me and gave a bright smile.
I returned the smile.
Before I knew it, she had become someone I felt a sense of comradeship with, rather than just seeing her as a woman. Having her by my side made me feel secure.
I felt a bit bad for the Twin Heroes of Guiyang and the Seven Heroes, but she possessed a presence that even a hundred of them couldn't fill.
"The only person I can truly trust is you, Fairy Doyeon."
When I said that, she replied as if she didn't mind the sentiment.
"I also place my trust in you, Young Hero Eo."
Suddenly, I felt an urge to share a drink with her. It was a bond forged by strong camaraderie.
"If we’re still alive after this battle, how about a drink?"
"I’d certainly like a drink like that. If we survive this, I’ll gladly join you. And I must say, I envy how you can remain so composed even in a situation like this."
Envious? It wasn’t composure; it was resignation.
I simply gave a thin smile and turned to the members of the Demon Subjugation Group nearby.
"Don't just rush in recklessly. Respond using the sword formation you practiced with Poison Wolf Ibu and Smiling Face Sword. Don't be overeager with your attacks. Assess the situation as you go. Poison Wolf Ibu and Smiling Face Sword, you two will act as the squad leaders for the formation. Judge the flow of battle and issue orders accordingly."
"What about you, Leader?" Smiling Face Sword asked, looking at me.
Me? I need to hide somewhere if I’m going to find a chance to bolt.
However, my hand pointed toward the Blood Luo Living Jiangshi.
"I have to find a way to deal with those things."
"As expected! Don't you worry, Leader. I'll take charge of the Demon Subjugation Group, so you just go ahead and smash those monsters to pieces."
"I'll do my best."
After replying, I moved away from the main battle line. Doyeon followed right behind me.
"Why are you following me?"
"It's too much for you alone. The Blood Luo Living Jiangshi is a forbidden great art of the Blood Thunder Sound Temple, much like the Poison Blood Palm. I have no idea how they appeared here. They might be less powerful than standard jiangshi, but they possess a level of intelligence that makes them much trickier to handle. If the two of us coordinate, we might be able to take down at least one."
I looked at Doyeon, who was interpreting my actions in a completely different direction than intended, and gave another smile.
"I appreciate the sentiment, Fairy Doyeon, but the situation is too dangerous. We are at a disadvantage. I’d prefer it if you, at least, got to safety first."
Doyeon’s eyes widened in surprise at my words.
"What are you saying? Are you telling me to run away? Because we're at a disadvantage? How could you say something so insulting to me?"
Huh? Was that an insult? Telling you to look out for your own life?
Well, I suppose to someone who has lived as loftily as she has, being told to flee could be taken as an insult.
"No, of course not. How could I say such a thing to you? I only said it because the current situation is so perilous."
"Are you saying you're going to shoulder all the danger alone again, just like you did with the Red Robed White-Eyed Demon?"
Having said that, Doyeon stuck to me like glue, following wherever I went.
Aigo, lady. Please, just give me a chance to escape.
But Doyeon, seemingly convinced I was about to confront the Blood Luo Living Jiangshi single-handedly, refused to leave my side. To make matters worse, Hwang Chu joined in as well, making it even harder to slip away.
"I am also a fairly skilled practitioner of the occult arts. Seeing your noble spirit, Young Hero Eo, my heart burned with such passion that I couldn't bring myself to run. I will fight with you."
Doyeon looked at Hwang Chu and spoke.
"It will be a difficult fight. But I trust Young Hero Eo, so I'm not overly worried."
"If Fairy Doyeon trusts him, how could I not?"
Hwang Chu pulled a bell and a ghost sword from his bundle.
"I shall assist you from your side as well."
With them so determined to stick by me, I felt like I was going crazy.
"Phew."
"That's why I said we should fight together," Doyeon added.
"Fine. Let's fight together. Let's just fight. Don't blame me if we die."
I snapped back in a fit of desperate resignation.
"We shall also follow our Lord unto death!"
Suddenly, the Twin Heroes of Guiyang popped out and spoke.
What? Have these guys been tailing me this whole time too? It would’ve been a disaster if I’d actually tried to run.
But I let out a small, bitter chuckle at the thought. What did shame matter if you were dead? High-level masters might value honor more than life, but for a guy like me, honor wasn't worth a single loaf of bread.
"Egu."
As I sighed, the ground began to vibrate. It was proof that the battle was finally beginning in earnest.
Seong Du-kwon’s five disciples and his subordinates were forming a massive sword formation.
"Oh! Impressive."
I was genuinely struck with admiration. With a grand formation of forty men, they were holding their own against five Blood Luo Living Jiangshi and ten Blood Lamas. The power of the formation, triggered under the command of the five disciples at key intervals, was potent enough for even me to feel it from a distance.
"So that's how they killed ten Blood Lamas."
I had wondered how they managed to kill ten Blood Lamas, who were nearly first-rate masters, but seeing this formation, it seemed entirely possible.
Doyeon also spoke with an impressed expression.
"That is the Moon Shadow Filling the Sky Sword Formation. I didn't realize it could be this powerful. The movements of those five disciples are so natural; they're making the formation even stronger."
"As expected of a master's insight. You see things differently."
Seong Du-kwon suddenly appeared from behind and joined the conversation. Doyeon cupped her fists in a respectful greeting and offered praise—a rare sight for her.
"My horizons have been broadened today."
"Not at all. Originally, while facing twenty Blood Lamas with this formation, more than half of this fortress's warriors perished. But now, it is more than twice as strong as it was then. It is all thanks to Young Hero Eo."
At Seong Du-kwon’s words, the gazes of Doyeon and the Twin Heroes of Guiyang fixed on me.
"It was only possible because Young Hero Eo shared his insights with my disciples, allowing them to grow to a level even I barely recognize."
Doyeon looked at me with eyes full of admiration. The Twin Heroes of Guiyang looked moved enough to shed tears, and Hwang Chu watched me with sparkling eyes.
"You flatter me. It's only because the Moon Shadow Slashing Blade and the formation itself are such advanced martial arts. I hardly did anything to help."
Even in this situation, I was playing the humble hero. Even I had to admit, my acting was superb.
"Shall we join them, then?"
Seong Du-kwon took the lead and pulled me forward.
I'm perfectly fine right here. Why don't you let go of me?
With a tearful face, I was dragged along by Seong Du-kwon.
Scanning the battlefield, I realized that if things went well, I might actually survive without having to run away. The Blood Lamas were staggering, unable to withstand the Moon Shadow Filling the Sky Sword Formation, but the five Blood Luo Living Jiangshi seemed largely unfazed, attacking the Seong Manor warriors without hesitation.
If we can just get rid of those monsters, this is a winnable fight.
As I thought the word "monsters," I looked down at my bracelet.
Right. Those things are half-jiangshi and half-human. There's no way they've mastered a proper mental cultivation method. That means the Golden Qi-Poisoning Bracelet will work on them.
Once that thought took hold, others followed in quick succession.
No, no. What am I thinking? Even so, how am I supposed to face all five of them? That's reckless.
I shook my head again.
But wait. If I can just take out two or three of them, the Moon Shadow Filling the Sky Sword Formation can easily handle the rest. Ja-seo, have some hope.
Conflicting thoughts of doubt and resolve tormented me. I took a deep breath and opened my upper dantian.
Immediately, I felt a surge of internal energy, more abundant than anything I’d felt before, writhing through my body. Was this what it felt like for a mother to carry a child? I was even overcome with a sense of awe at the mystery of life.
With this much internal energy, I can properly unleash the Golden Qi-Poisoning Bracelet.
Confidence began to swell within me.
Yeah. Let's give it a shot.
A fatal surge of confidence—the kind a weakling should never have—shattered my "Eight Iron Rules of the Weak" and roared like a dragon.
But now wasn't the time. I had to wait until the Blood Luo Living Jiangshi were struck by the sword formation to ensure my attack did the maximum possible damage. I decided to watch the battle a little longer. I would only step in when my life wasn't in immediate danger.
However, it seems my moments to act always come before I'm truly ready.
"Oh no!"
Hwang Chu let out a cry of horror. I looked where he was pointing and saw that the Blood Lamas, unable to break the formation, were focusing their attacks on a single point.
It was the position of the youngest of Seong Du-kwon’s five disciples. He was already injured, and the flow of the formation was faltering there. When another warrior moved to assist the young disciple, a Blood Lama seized the opening, abandoned the disciple, and struck the warrior squarely in the chest with a Poison Blood Palm.
"Aaargh!"
With a short scream, the Seong Manor warrior collapsed. Seeing him fall forward even in death, trying his best not to break the formation, made my heart ache.
If I felt this way, imagine how the Demon Subjugation Group felt—those weaklings who lacked skill but were full of nothing but passion.
"Fine! Let's all die together today!"
Hearing Poison Wolf Ibu’s shrill voice and seeing the Demon Subjugation Group's fighting spirit ignite, the thought crossed my mind that we might all end up buried here today.
"You bastards!"
Seeing this, Seong Du-kwon, who had been directing the formation, stepped into the fallen warrior's place to protect his wounded disciple.
But the formation was already cracking. The Moon Shadow Filling the Sky Sword Formation relied on a cycle of contraction, expansion, and rotation—closing in for a sudden strike before returning to position. Naturally, it was incredibly taxing on one's stamina. As powerful as it was, its weakness was that its potency dropped significantly as physical and internal energy were depleted over time.
Still, I thought this formation was as good as any from the major sects. How many formations could perfectly pin down five Blood Luo Living Jiangshi and ten Blood Lamas?
As expected, during an expansion phase, a Blood Lama latched onto a warrior who had fallen behind.
"Gah!"
Though the formation continued to function despite the screams echoing here and there, it failed to rotate after expanding. With five men dead, the rotation had become difficult.
Seizing the moment, the Blood Lamas leaped out in all directions. The lack of rotation had caused the focus of the attacks to drop, creating openings. The once-mighty Moon Shadow Filling the Sky Sword Formation finally broke, and the Blood Lamas escaped its reach.
They immediately moved to induce a chaotic melee. It seemed their strategy was to let the Blood Luo Living Jiangshi sweep through the confusion.
"Let's go!"
Doyeon took the lead with fearless resolve. I had no choice but to follow quietly behind. When a Blood Lama attacked me, Doyeon stepped in to defend.
With Doyeon suddenly occupied with the Blood Lama, the master protecting me was gone.
"You guys, at least, should..."
I was about to say I was glad the Twin Heroes of Guiyang were there, but as soon as Doyeon seemed to be in trouble, they rushed in to double-team the Blood Lama.
"What? You're supposed to protect me! Why Doyeon?"
I muttered irritably.
As a Blood Luo Living Jiangshi headed toward me, five Seong Manor warriors charged at it. But they were blown back the moment they reached it. As the monster swung its arms, red palm force flew through the air, and the warriors hit by it were sent rolling across the ground like discarded dolls.
It was a monstrous display of power.
The Demon Subjugation Group was just as fearless. They stood squarely in the path of the Blood Luo Living Jiangshi.
They're all going to die at this rate.
At that thought, I shouted without thinking.
"Demon Subjugation Group, get back!"
At my command, the group retreated like a ebbing tide.
Huh?
That was all well and good, but with the group gone, I was now standing face-to-face with the Blood Luo Living Jiangshi.
Dammit.
I scanned the area for any master who could help me. Seong Du-kwon and his five disciples were locked in a bloody struggle with the Blood Lamas, and the Demon Subjugation Group was also in a precarious state against them.
Curses screamed in my head, but I still had one ace up my sleeve. And as if everyone believed I was the one meant to handle the Blood Luo Living Jiangshi, no one moved to stop the monsters as they bore down on me.
"Fine! Come on! You monsters!"
If I was going to run, I wanted to land at least one blow first. Since I could escape using my lightness skill, I wanted to kill at least one of them with the Golden Qi-Poisoning Bracelet.
I circulated my internal energy and funneled it toward my right wrist.
Zzzzzzzing!
My right wrist vibrated violently.
It seems that energy circulation I did earlier, losing track of time, really was effective.
With newfound confidence, I injected even more internal energy. The Blood Luo Living Jiangshi also reacted to the strange sound coming from the bracelet. They stopped in their tracks and glared at me.
Then, as the vibration of the Golden Qi-Poisoning Bracelet grew even stronger, all five of them suddenly leaped into the air and dove toward me simultaneously.
"So that's how it's going to be!"
One was bad enough, but five of them attacking at once? However, seeing that, a brilliant idea struck me.
The invisible poison must be flowing out of the bracelet right now. If I performed a powerful stomp to disperse the poison, I could infect all of them at once. And with the thought that I could use the force of the stomp to propel myself backward to safety, I channeled my energy into my Yongcheon points.
The monsters' hands glowed a deep, ominous red as they struck down, intending to crush me. At that exact moment, I performed a powerful stomp and drew my sword.
Using the momentum from the stomp, I leaped far back.
BOOM!
A cloud of thick dust rose from where I had been standing, obscuring everyone's vision. This was even better. Now they wouldn't be able to pinpoint my location.
I could already imagine it. When the dust cleared, I would be standing there in a cool sword-drawing pose, and the monsters would slowly collapse to the ground. And the people would cheer.
Attracted by the thunderous sound of the stomp, everyone turned their eyes toward me. Not just the Seong Manor warriors, but even the Blood Lamas paused to witness the clash between me and the Blood Luo Living Jiangshi.
The ground where I had stood was riddled with deep craters. It was easy to see the terrifying power of the monsters' palm strikes. If I had stayed there, I would have been nothing more than a puddle of blood.
The five monsters stood there, facing me, and I stood with my sword lowered quietly.
Radiating the unmistakable aura of a supreme master.