Chapter 16: Clear Flow Sword (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 16: Clear Flow Sword (2)
The situation in the Red Light District could be summed up in a single sentence.
It was a total shitshow.
Actually, calling it a disaster waiting to happen would be an understatement—the shit had already hit the fan.
By the time Seo-jun and Chun-bong strolled into the district, the streets were already colorfully decorated with blood and corpses.
"Typical."
Seo-jun clicked his tongue, scanning the surroundings. People were screaming and fleeing, courtesans were being dragged away by their hair, and Black Path thugs were menacingly brandishing their blades. The sheer chaos of the scene was enough to make his chest feel tight just looking at it.
A quick glance at Chun-bong revealed her expression wasn't much better. At this rate, she looked ready to draw her sword and charge in at any second.
Seo-jun took a deep breath.
"SILENCE...!"
The Lion's Roar, infused with heavy internal energy, momentarily quelled the commotion.
But it only lasted a second. A few people nearby turned to look at Seo-jun, but the rest of the rabble went right back to what they were doing.
"This isn't going to work."
Seo-jun, whose sword and scabbard were firmly bound together with a leather strap, began to stride forward.
"Hey! Who the hell are you?"
The man shouting was clearly a Black Path thug. Approaching with a massive iron club slung over his shoulder, his eyes gleamed lecherously as they locked onto Chun-bong.
"Ho, this little girl looks like she’s got potential. Come here. If you play your cards right and act sweet, I’ll treat you well."
What?
Seo-jun’s eyes widened. Chun-bong currently had her bamboo hat pulled low, her face barely visible.
How did he know? Even looking at that flat body, he can tell it's a girl—ack!
Chun-bong kicked Seo-jun squarely in the ass and marched forward.
"Hehe, that’s right. A wise choice."
The man reached out toward Chun-bong. Slipping past his grasp with a fluid motion, Chun-bong dove into his guard and delivered a vicious high kick straight between his legs.
Crack—!
"Aaaaagh...!!"
Ouch... That definitely burst.
Seo-jun winced instinctively, looking at Chun-bong with trembling eyes.
"...You brutal woman."
"What, you punk? You want a taste too?"
"No...?"
Drawn by the man's agonizing screams, the nearby Black Path thugs began to close in.
Offering a brief moment of silence for the man's newly extinct lineage, Seo-jun swung his scabbard down.
Crunch!
The screaming abruptly stopped. Seo-jun shook off the blood and brain matter clinging to his scabbard and nodded.
"Rest in peace, you cradle robber."
"What did you say, you bastard?!"
"Summary execution is the only cure for pedos."
Geum Chun-bong’s eyes flared fiercely beneath her hat.
"Pedo? I don't know what that means, but I'm starting to feel really shitty right now."
The thugs clearly didn't appreciate the sight of the duo casually chatting after caving their comrade's head in.
"These bastards...!"
"Get them!"
The Black Path thugs lunged forward, their faces flushed red with rage.
Thwack-thwack-thwack!
Seo-jun’s left hand moved in a blur. His four fingers—excluding the thumb—flicked outward, scattering Finger Pellets. Four men instantly collapsed.
"W-What...?"
"He's a master! Go get the boss!"
Watching the remaining men scurry away in terror, Seo-jun shook his head.
"Let's go, Geum Chun-bong."
"Fine."
The duo set off, fully intent on beating the living daylights out of these back-alley Black Path thugs.
* * *
How many of these Black Path friends had they thrashed by now?
Slowly grasping the reality of the situation, the surviving thugs began to hesitate, no longer daring to approach.
"Alright, friends. This is our territory now. If you crawl back in here, you're dead."
"You think you can just swallow the Black Tiger Sect's territory all by yourself?! Does that even make sense?!"
"If you've got a problem, come at me."
When Seo-jun tilted his scabbard, the Black Path thugs recoiled in terror.
It is a bit awkward, though.
Killing them all felt excessive, but letting them live didn't seem particularly necessary either. It was impossible to exterminate people like this anyway. They’d just keep multiplying like cockroaches.
Besides, being weak didn't necessarily mean they were good. These guys were just overt thugs, but the back alleys were overflowing with all kinds of lowlifes.
Well, that's not my problem.
As Seo-jun smacked his lips, Chun-bong sidled up to him and casually wiped the blood from her knuckles onto his clothes.
"Um... why are you wiping that on me?"
"What. You don't like it?"
"Yeah. It's shitty."
"Deal with it."
Pouting, Chun-bong pulled her hand back and started wiping the blood on her own clothes instead.
By the way, she was one terrifying woman. She hadn't even drawn the sword at her waist, yet she had turned all those Black Path thugs into bloody pulp with just her bare fists.
It looked like she was venting some pent-up stress. I hope she doesn't try to vent it on me later.
Such a horrific future could not be allowed to come to pass. He needed to make sure Chun-bong was properly educated before then.
"Let's go. I wonder where that woman is."
"What are you going to do when you find her?"
"I don't know either."
Half of the brothels in the Red Light District belonged to the Black Tiger Sect. Since the criminal friends he had met on his first day were part of the Black Tiger Sect, she was likely in one of their establishments.
"Stop right there."
Suddenly, a hulking man blocked their path.
Seeing the faces of the surrounding Black Path thugs brighten instantly, it seemed this guy was the "boss" they had been crying for.
"Begone!"
A river flows.
He slammed the Clear Flow Sword—the technique he had copied from that Cheong-something guy of the Azure River Sect—straight into the man's head.
"Huh...!"
The startled man raised his iron club to block, but it was utterly useless.
Crr-ack!
The man collapsed, his head crushed right along with his iron club.
Seo-jun shook off his scabbard and waved his hand dismissively.
"Alright, now seriously, get lost. Unless you want to die."
* * *
As they entered one of the brothels, Chun-bong finally spoke up.
"You, be careful."
"What is it this time? Why are there so many things to be careful about?"
"There wouldn't be so many if you lived like a normal person, you jerk! But you don't live normally!"
Fuming, Chun-bong pointed to the sword at his waist.
"If you keep copying and using the martial arts of random sects, you're going to end up as a Public Enemy of the Murim, and then you're really screwed."
"They're being awfully petty."
"Agh!"
Chun-bong stomped her feet in frustration.
Though he grumbled, Seo-jun knew she was right.
When he thought about it, it made perfect sense.
First, every sect's martial arts possessed distinct characteristics.
If someone knew how to use the Azure River Sect's techniques, then even if they stabbed a completely random person, the Azure River Sect would be the first to fall under suspicion.
Second, every martial art had a counter form.
To use a simplified example, if there was a technique that involved a horizontal slash followed by a vertical one, someone who knew the sequence could block the horizontal slash and immediately dodge to the side to counter, putting the practitioner in a fatal bind.
Of course, counter forms weren't usually that simple, but since a sect could be shaken to its core if its counters were exposed, they had to be extremely cautious.
Third, that's just human nature.
People get jealous even when their cousin buys land. If someone stole a recipe from the restaurant next door, there’d be a brawl; imagine stealing a martial art.
Furthermore, martial arts were like sacred heirlooms passed down through generations. It wouldn't be strange for someone to draw their blade the very moment they realized their techniques had been stolen.
"You do it even though you know all that?"
"No, I'm being framed here."
Seo-jun had only copied the mental imagery and the flow of Qi to roughly replicate the heart method; he didn't actually know all the forms of the Clear Flow Sword.
His internal energy might share similar traits with the Azure River Sect's... but was it even possible for a normal person to distinguish that?
A sect usually gets suspected when someone is cut down by their signature forms, not because the internal energy feels somewhat similar.
Maybe only Demonic Qi or Death Qi, which appeared often in wuxia novels, could be easily distinguished.
Or if someone had insane talent like himself.
Bullshit, seriously.
For similar reasons, facing a counter form was also highly unlikely.
How could someone use a counter form against him if he didn't even know the actual forms?
It might be possible if an opponent created something that naturally countered the Azure River Sect's internal energy, but even for him, that was a bit much to worry about right now.
Maybe later, but not now.
"So, in conclusion, if those guys come after me, it's just because they're jealous."
"Hey."
"What."
"Are you... an idiot?"
"Are you asking if I'm a dumbass?"
"Yes, you bastard!"
Chun-bong slapped her forehead and lamented.
"How would they know that?"
"Aha?"
"They'll obviously assume you stole the manual! Do you think they'd ever imagine you copied it just by looking at it once?"
"That makes sense."
Seo-jun nodded seriously.
"Then next time, I'll try to use it more discreetly."
"...Do whatever the hell you want, then."
Chun-bong let out a long, exhausted sigh.
* * *
"Are you referring to a courtesan who arrived about a year ago?"
"Uh... yes."
As soon as they entered the brothel proper, a woman had greeted them.
The woman, who introduced herself as Mae-wol, seemed to hold a high position among the courtesans, and she carried a rather peculiar aura about her.
"There aren't just one or two who fit that description, so it's difficult to say. I can call them all out if you wish."
Seo-jun awkwardly met Chun-bong's eyes and scratched his head.
"No, well. There's no need to go that far."
"Is that so? Then... is there something else you desire?"
The corners of Mae-wol's eyes curved seductively. Seo-jun instinctively reached for his sword hilt...
Smack!
"You crazy bastard!"
"Ah, sorry. Force of habit."
Seo-jun shook his stinging hand and shook his head.
"Well then, we'll be—oh?"
Seo-jun’s eyes widened slightly.
Just as he was about to leave the brothel, he spotted a familiar face. It was that woman.
"Found her."
At Seo-jun’s reaction, Mae-wol knit her brows elegantly.
"That girl is..."
"Is there a problem?"
"It's not that, but... well, do as you please."
Mae-wol stepped back. Though Seo-jun tilted his head in confusion, he walked toward the woman.
"Excuse me."
"...Yes?"
The woman turned her head.
Her face was covered in dark bruises. She quickly bowed her head and limped over to Seo-jun.
"D-Did you call for me?"
What should he say? As he was contemplating his next words, the woman looked up. Her eyes widened, instantly brimming with tears of sheer rage.
"Y-You...! You son of a bitch...!"
What? Is it happening now?
Smack!
His hand, which had reflexively flown to his sword hilt, was slapped away once again.
"Hey, seriously! Are you some kind of psychopathic killer?!"
No, can't she see the killing intent in this woman's eyes?
"I'm hurt, Chun-bong."
"A-Actually, I didn't mean to hit you that hard..."
Chun-bong stepped closer and apologetically nudged his side. He wasn't hurt anymore.
Taking his hand entirely off his sword, Seo-jun stared intently at the bruised woman.
"Excuse me."