Chapter 79: Meeting the Black Fortress's Nutcase (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 79: Meeting the Black Fortress's Nutcase (1)
The Blood Wind Squad and the Demon Subjugation Group pressed on toward Kunming, where the Nine Demons Chamber was located. Leaving their carriages and horses behind, they sprinted across the rugged mountain paths using lightness skills.
Even the smaller mountains of Yunnan offered breathtaking views. The scenery, where rivers and mountains harmonized, was like a living landscape painting.
However, no one in the party could afford to admire the view. Their nerves were frayed as they kept a constant watch on their surroundings, leaving no room for sightseeing.
"The Demon Subjugation Group is struggling. Let's slow down and match their pace."
At Eo Ja-seo’s words, Deputy Woo decelerated his lightness skill.
The members of Eo Ja-seo’s Demon Subjugation Group were panting so hard they were practically foaming at the mouth. Only Eo Ja-seo and his sworn brother, Jeok Yeong, moved with effortless grace.
It was marvelous.
How had he managed to kill so many Blood Lamas with such a group of underlings? Even the elite Blood Wind Squad had suffered significant casualties during the battle. Yet, hearing that this man had not only prevented his group of third-rates from being wiped out but had actually annihilated the enemy instead, Deputy Woo bitterly regretted underestimating Eo Ja-seo.
He was a man who brought to mind the words of Chamber Leader Gu: “A warrior must never be judged solely by what is visible.”
Deputy Woo wondered if he could have protected that group of weaklings while fighting the Blood Lamas. He shook his head. It was impossible. He had led three units of the Blood Wind Squad against the Blood Lamas and lost over twenty men.
Yet, this man had reportedly taken the lead at the Seong Estate with these underlings. And they had only lost four or five men. A simple comparison made it clear whose ability was superior.
Furthermore, seeing these weaklings follow Eo Ja-seo toward the Nine Demons Chamber without hesitation—despite the uncertainty of the situation—made Deputy Woo see him in a new light.
Previously, because of his clumsy demeanor and seemingly mediocre skills, Deputy Woo had judged Eo Ja-seo to be a warrior who survived more by luck than talent. He had trusted his own judgment implicitly, as it had never failed him before.
But now, the realization that all of those traits might have been calculated gave Deputy Woo goosebumps.
The peak of his shock came when Eo Ja-seo, provided with only two pieces of information—the need for a manual and the Golden Qi-Poisoning Bracelet—immediately deduced that Chamber Leader Gu had fallen into Qi Deviation.
‘How many people have been deceived by that bumbling act?’
Looking at Eo Ja-seo, the saying that a true genius often appears ordinary seemed like a profound truth. Considering how many people must have fallen victim to that appearance of someone who seemingly hadn't even mastered martial arts, one could not be too careful around him.
"Whoa! I've been to Yunnan a few times, but I've never seen a view like this. The black cliffs, the green pines clinging to them, and the river flowing below like molten silver... it’s fantastic."
Eo Ja-seo marveled at the scenery alone.
Deputy Woo was speechless. While he was too tense to care about the scenery, worried about a potential ambush, Eo Ja-seo had the leisure to enjoy the view as if he were out for a casual stroll.
‘Has this man reached a realm beyond my measurement?’
He felt he finally understood why the notoriously haughty Junior Sect Leader, Ham Bi-hye, deferred so much to Eo Ja-seo. He believed she saw a charm and talent in him that he himself had missed.
‘Yes, if it’s him, it might be possible. We can pin our hopes on him.’
Even while using her lightness skill, Ham Bi-hye’s gaze never left Eo Ja-seo. Seeing her watch the rambling Eo Ja-seo with a satisfied expression, Deputy Woo felt he understood her heart.
‘Perhaps the Junior Sect Leader subconsciously sensed that he is our hope.’
Watching Eo Ja-seo talk excitedly about the scenery to the others, Deputy Woo suppressed a smile.
*
I just wanted to use the scenery as an excuse to rest. These monsters were running without any intention of stopping.
Are we horses that only run when whipped?
I wanted to snap at them, but seeing their grim faces, I couldn't bring myself to say it. They looked like the type to draw their swords if I said the wrong thing.
So, hoping to stall for time, I turned to Jeok Yeong, who showed zero interest in the view, and started muttering.
"Brother Jeok, look at that. Do you feel nothing looking at this landscape?"
Jeok Yeong merely nodded. It was obvious he was only responding because I asked, despite having no interest.
"It's beautiful."
His lukewarm response piqued me. I wondered if I was becoming overly sensitive lately, given how often I felt this way. My irritation this time stemmed from the fact that Jeok Yeong was so oblivious to the beauty of nature.
"Brother Jeok, it’s not just martial arts that are beautiful. Every object has its own inherent beauty. If you cannot see that beauty, you may never realize the limits of martial studies."
When the words 'martial studies' finally left my mouth, he looked at me as if he’d realized something.
"Ah, Brother, are you giving me a martial insight right now?"
Good grief. Everyone thinks everything I say is some profound insight.
"Yes, it’s an insight," I replied curtly.
Jeok Yeong’s eyes sparkled. "I knew it. You didn't tell me to look at the scenery for no reason. What am I lacking, Brother?"
Well, since I’ve already started spinning this yarn, let’s keep going.
"The reason we are captivated by the swords of masters is because they transcend the limits of the martial arts we know and manifest a beautiful form, is it not?"
Jeok Yeong thought for a moment, then nodded. "That is one way to interpret it."
"But have you ever thought about this? How did martial arts begin in the first place? Not the origin of the arts themselves, but what did the very first people who picked up a sword to create a technique see and realize?"
"I'm not sure." Jeok Yeong’s eyes went wide, and he tilted his head.
"I’ve thought that in the days when there were no sword techniques, only swords, they must have created techniques by observing nature. The setting sun, the blowing wind, the flowing river, the drifting clouds, the falling leaves, the raging storms, the wilting flowers, the falling rain, the rising moon... Perhaps they realized sword techniques by watching the angry waves of the sea on a hot summer day or a snowy winter night."
"Of course!" Jeok Yeong exclaimed in admiration. "You are right, Brother. Those who first created martial arts must have realized them through nature."
"Exactly. So why is it that only martial arts are beautiful to you, while nature is not? Can you not realize the meaning of martial arts within nature itself?"
"Ah! Ah!"
Jeok Yeong suddenly let out a series of gasps.
"I have finally realized what I was lacking. Please excuse me for a moment, Brother."
Are you having a breakthrough too?
Jeok Yeong sat down in the lotus position right next to me and entered deep meditation.
Fine, go ahead and realize something. I am, after all, the One Who Receives Fortuitous Encounters.
If my bodyguard became stronger, it was good for me, so I watched him with a satisfied heart. Thanks to him, I got to rest more, which was a win for me.
When Jeok Yeong suddenly began his internal energy practice after our conversation, everyone’s attention shifted to me. I turned away with an awkward smile. I had to ignore the burning gazes of the Blood Wind Squad warriors.
"To think he could make a master like Young Hero Jeok reach a new realization... just how deep does our Squad Leader's martial arts go?"
I overheard Poison Wolf Ibu whispering to Smiling Face Sword.
"Could he be a master who has Returned to Youth?"
Smiling Face Sword offered the absurd suggestion, but Poison Wolf didn't scold him. He looked as if he thought it might actually be true.
"Perhaps..."
A white mist began to drift from Jeok Yeong’s nose—the sign of Nose Manifestation—and his body began to glow. I could feel a much stronger internal energy enveloping him.
"How can this be? Was Young Hero Jeok already at this level?"
Many members of the Demon Subjugation Group hadn't realized Jeok Yeong was a super-peak master.
"He's a super-peak master!"
Not only the Demon Subjugation Group, but Deputy Woo and Ham Bi-hye also looked shocked. Consequently, the admiration in the eyes watching me intensified. Since I was the one who had triggered a breakthrough in such a master, it stood to reason that I was even more powerful. They looked at me with eyes full of yearning.
"It seems Young Hero Eo’s sworn brother is taking another leap forward. Congratulations."
Ham Bi-hye, who had been watching quietly, spoke to me.
"Younger Brother Jeok seems to be very blessed. Regardless, I apologize for the delay in our schedule because of him."
As I spoke, Ham Bi-hye’s expression clouded slightly. I didn't need to be told that she was likely burning with anxiety. She wanted to return to the Nine Demons Chamber as quickly as possible to treat her father, so these constant delays must have been agonizing. I felt a tiny bit guilty.
"We will move as soon as he wakes from his meditation."
When I said that out of guilt, her face brightened instantly.
As payment for our long rest, we sprinted for another two hours without stopping. The Blood Wind Squad moved slowly to match our Demon Subjugation Group’s pace. And even though my group were "underlings," they were all around the second-rate level, so no one lagged too far behind.
Among them, the Seven Cats were the most surprising. Despite being the weakest in our group, for some reason, they were actually outperforming the others in terms of lightness skills.
‘They said my beating them turned into an Acupoint Pressure Treatment... I guess their internal energy has grown a lot since then.’
I had considered them a nuisance, but I needed to rethink that. Their internal energy might actually surpass that of the Twin Heroes of Guiyang. If that was the case, it was worth training them harder to turn them into my loyal subordinates.
As we were passing over a hill, a group of people came galloping toward us from the front. Seeing this, Deputy Woo muttered, "I wondered why there were no ambushes. They were waiting for us here."
Ham Bi-hye calmed him down. "We don't know yet. Let's observe. But just in case, prepare for battle."
Deputy Woo shouted to the Blood Wind Squad, "Form a circular formation and prepare for combat!"
The fifty or so members of the Blood Wind Squad immediately formed a circle around Ham Bi-hye and Deputy Woo. Thanks to that, my group and I were positioned in the center of the circle.
I watched in admiration as the Blood Wind Squad moved in perfect order, drawing their swords the moment the command was given. The Blood Wind Squad was originally a combat unit of three hundred men. However, a hundred and fifty had remained at the Nine Demons Chamber, seventy had returned there with Seop Jung, and Ham Bi-hye had brought eighty to fetch me.
In the process, they had been ambushed by the Iron Blood Demon Group and lost thirty men, leaving only fifty. Yet, to my eyes, their momentum seemed equal to a thousand soldiers.
Thinking we were about to fight again, I gave an order to the Demon Subjugation Group. "Let's prepare for battle as well."
The "enemy" reached us in no time. However, instead of showing hostility, Ham Bi-hye and Deputy Woo wore expressions of disbelief.
The newcomer was surrounded by about ten bodyguards. Deputy Woo, looking up at the man sitting on his horse, cupped his fists.
"Greetings. What brings you here?"
The man looking down at Deputy Woo from his horse spoke in an arrogant tone.
"What brings me here? Is it not only right that I come to welcome Lady Ham?"
Looking at the man, I could tell he was no ordinary martial artist. His ten bodyguards wore gray martial robes, and they radiated a sharp aura that only first-rate masters could emit.
They felt different from the members of the Sword Palace Squad. If the Sword Palace Squad were trained fighting dogs, these men looked like wild dogs raised in the wilderness.
Looking at their robes, they weren't from the Nine Demons Chamber.
‘Where are they from?’
I carefully examined their uniforms. But before I could figure it out, Smiling Face Sword realized and whispered to me.
"Squad Leader, those men are warriors from the Black Fortress."
Huh? The Black Fortress!
Now that he mentioned it, I saw the words 'Black Sovereign' embroidered in red silk on the left side of their chests. It was the unique identification mark of the Black Fortress warriors.