Chapter 25: This Isn't Wuxia..! (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 25: This Isn't Wuxia..! (2)
The Armored Ghost.
While there were individual variations, they were generally monsters possessing strength ranging between the First-rate and the Peak Realm.
However, the reason the Armored Ghost was so notorious wasn't just because of its strength. It was because of the pitch-black armor covering its entire body. Forged from an unknown material, this armor boasted defensive power capable of deflecting even Sword Qi.
So, could a person wear that armor after killing the beast?
No.
The moment an Armored Ghost died, its armor lost its unique defensive properties.
The Jegal Clan claimed this was related to the Armored Ghost's unique flow of internal energy. Consequently, people came to believe the creature was enveloped in something similar to Protective Energy. Naturally, Protective Energy lost its effect once the caster died.
In short, it was a complete "bust" of a monster—incredibly difficult to kill, yet dropping absolutely nothing of value once dead.
"Hey! You have to be careful!"
"Got it."
Chun-bong watched Seo-jun with a strange look as he leaped recklessly from the roof.
The Armored Ghost is tough, but if it's him...
An inexplicable sense of trust welled up within her. He would handle it. She simply couldn't imagine Lee Seo-jun losing to anyone when he was using his internal energy to his heart's content.
* * *
Seo-jun landed in front of the Armored Ghost.
"Grrr..."
Thick saliva dripped from the creature's protruding snout.
"Are you a bit slow, buddy?"
Seo-jun clicked his tongue in pity. Even though it was a monster, did it somehow understand the intent behind his words?
"Kiyaaaah!!"
The enraged Armored Ghost stomped its feet and charged at him.
"Let's see here."
Seo-jun dashed toward the Armored Ghost, drawing his sword.
Sring—
As the blade revealed itself, the Armored Ghost swung its massive arm. Seo-jun instantly dropped his posture.
Whoosh!
The monster's arm grazed right over his head. Using his planted foot as an axis, Seo-jun spun around. His sword, enveloped in murky golden Sword Qi, slashed fiercely at the Armored Ghost's leg.
Clang!
The sword bounced off, leaving behind nothing more than a tiny scratch. Seo-jun's eyes narrowed.
It really is hard.
It seemed hitting it without his full power would be meaningless. What should he do in a situation like this? Thinking logically, he had a few options.
No matter how much armor covered its body, the joints would be relatively weak. So, one method was to focus his attacks entirely on the joints. Another was to use something like the Internal School Heavy Hand Technique to strike its insides while completely ignoring the armor.
Of the two logical options that immediately came to mind, Seo-jun chose a third.
"Alright, friend. Are you ready to get beaten?"
If he just kept hitting it until it died, it would eventually die. A free sandbag for testing his martial arts! It was practically a clearance sale.
"Grrr...!"
The furious Armored Ghost charged wildly. Seo-jun smirked and stomped hard on the ground with his right foot.
Boom!
Cr-crack! The ground, infiltrated by his Yin energy, froze instantly, causing the Armored Ghost's feet to stick fast to the floor.
"Kyak!"
But the beast wasn't a pushover, either. It tore its feet away with sheer brute strength and lunged forward, leading with its shoulder. From the look of it, a direct collision would result in at least a few broken bones.
Of course, that only mattered if it actually hit.
Seo-jun chuckled and flicked his middle finger off his thumb.
Psh—!
As the Finger Pellet flew like an arrow, the Armored Ghost raised its arm to block. However, as its arm froze upon impact, the creature's speed slowed significantly.
"Hah!"
Primordial Unity Sun-Moon Finger. A Finger Pellet made of pure Yang energy shot toward the Armored Ghost.
"Grrr!?"
Did it sense the danger instinctively? The Armored Ghost desperately threw itself aside to dodge the incoming Finger Pellet.
"Oh? You're dodging?"
It was failing its sacred duty as a sandbag. Irritated, Seo-jun strode forward and swung his sword.
Cr-crack!
The Armored Ghost raised its arm to block, but the limb froze solid from the Sword Qi overflowing with Yin energy.
"Kiyaaaah...!"
"Okay. Stay still this time, alright?"
Seo-jun raised his sword. Radiant golden Yang energy transformed into Sword Qi.
"You crazy bastard! If that explodes, you'll die too!"
"Oops."
Realizing the danger at Chun-bong's shout, Seo-jun leaped far away from the Armored Ghost.
"You'd better catch this!"
Psh!
The condensed Yang energy shot out in the form of a bullet.
"Kiyaaaah!!"
The Armored Ghost desperately threw its body to dodge.
"This little...!"
Seo-jun gritted his teeth.
Fine, so you want to dodge? Let's see if you can still dodge once your whole body is frozen.
Blue Yin energy surged fiercely from his sword.
* * *
"That cruel bastard!"
"Even if it's a monster, is this right?"
"What do you mean 'is it right'?! Why show mercy when killing a monster!"
"Exactly! Kill it! Kill it all the way!"
The people gathered in the Red Light District were buzzing with noise. The reason was none other than the Armored Ghost. More accurately, it was because the terrifying Armored Ghost was getting the absolute crap beaten out of it.
Who would miss such a spectacle? Very few in the Central Plains. Not only the courtesans of the Red Light District but also people who had caught wind of the commotion flocked to the area, filling the streets.
Cr-crack—
The Armored Ghost, its entire body frozen stiff, let out a mournful cry.
"Kiyaaaah...!"
"Yeah, yeah. Try dodging again. I'll just keep firing until I hit you."
And the Killing Ghost stood far back from the Armored Ghost, relentlessly firing Finger Pellets.
Thwip—
"Kiiiaaaah!!"
The Armored Ghost threw its body with true desperation. It was a movement so earnest it almost made the onlookers feel a twinge of pity.
"It dodged again! I won the bet, right?"
"Dammit. Here, ten copper coins."
Now, people were even starting to gamble on the poor creature's survival.
"Mae-wol Unni, is that the person you were talking about?"
"Yes. Watch closely. Information on a rising star is always worth money."
Among the crowd, Mae-wol observed Seo-jun's every move as if her gaze could pierce right through him. A boy who had appeared out of nowhere. Ever since he had single-handedly wiped out the Black Tiger Sect, Mae-wol had kept her ears wide open for any information regarding him.
He has the skill to toy with an Armored Ghost. Does that mean he's at least a Peak Realm martial artist?
Her eyes narrowed. And at that exact moment, a cold sensation touched her neck.
It was a blade.
"What are you doing?"
"You are... the little lady who travels with the young hero?"
"Shut up, you vixen."
"Hehe, a vixen? The young hero wouldn't even spare a glance for a lowly person like me."
"As long as you know."
"I envy you. To be so loved by someone like him."
Loved? Pouting, Chun-bong withdrew her sword.
"Hmph, as long as you understand. Just stick to your duties as a member of the Hao Sect."
"Hmm, did the young hero tell you? I thought I hid it quite well."
"Don't try to test me."
"That wasn't my intention."
Chun-bong snorted at Mae-wol's words. Her gaze never wavered from Seo-jun as he continued to torment the Armored Ghost.
Mae-wol smiled softly.
"You really like your brother, don't you?"
"Be quiet."
Clicking her tongue, Chun-bong silently watched Seo-jun. For some reason, she felt like she could hear his annoying voice ringing in her ear.
No, Geum Chun-bong! You're like the queen of supportive wives!
So noisy.
Chun-bong let out a huff. Soon, she crossed her arms haughtily, tilted her chin up, and hardened her expression into a cold, indifferent mask.
Of course, that was only in her head. Mae-wol was watching the corners of Chun-bong's mouth, which had unknowingly curled into a soft smile, with a highly amused expression.
* * *
"Man, this guy. Making me work so hard."
Seo-jun clicked his tongue as he looked at the Armored Ghost.
"Gyiaaaah..."
The Armored Ghost was frozen solid like an ice statue. Meeting the creature's pitch-black eyes, Seo-jun scratched his cheek.
"You're looking at me with such pity."
But he couldn't let it live. It only looked pitiful now because it was the one getting beaten; a quick look around revealed several mangled corpses lying about. They were the bodies of the unfortunate people who had encountered the Armored Ghost before Seo-jun arrived.
"Farewell."
Seo-jun gripped his middle finger with his thumb.
Thwip—!
The fired Finger Pellet embedded itself squarely in the Armored Ghost's chest, and—
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The violent meeting of Yin and Yang energy triggered a massive explosion.
Seo-jun fell into deep thought as he watched the aftermath.
There's still a lot to improve.
First, hitting the exact same spot twice was much harder than he had thought. And another thing: the ratio of Yin and Yang energy was far more important than he'd expected.
Actually, while experimenting on the Armored Ghost, he had struck the spots where Yin energy resided with Yang energy quite a few times. However, because an overwhelming amount of Yin energy had already accumulated within the Armored Ghost's body, the Yang energy was completely smothered by it. The only reason he was able to make the Armored Ghost explode just now was because he had drastically increased the concentration of Yang energy to balance out the ratio.
"Well... it's not too bad, I guess."
Seo-jun smirked at the sight before him. Armor that could deflect Sword Qi? Now, only the shattered, meaty remains of what used to be an Armored Ghost existed before his eyes. A deep, smoking crater was an added bonus.
This was... basically an instant-kill move against humans, wasn't it? Anyone who could stay alive after being hit by something like this wouldn't usually be called human anymore. Against human opponents, a clean hit meant guaranteed instant death. As for monsters...
I'm not sure.
Since he didn't know what kind of terrifying creatures were out there, it was hard to say. But one thing was certain: he remembered the exact flow of the Protective Art the monster had used. Since the anatomical structures of monsters and humans were vastly different, he wasn't sure how it would translate, but it was definitely worth experimenting with later.
"Phew. My bones ache."
Seo-jun stretched his body and grinned as he saw Chun-bong walking toward him.
"Did you see that?"
"Yeah."
"Pretty awesome, right?"
"You looked... kind of cool."
"Wh-What...!"
Seo-jun gasped in exaggerated shock, covering his mouth with both hands.
"Who—who are you?! You're not Geum Chun-bong!"
"Shut up."
"A miracle has occurred!"
Watching Seo-jun act like a complete idiot, Chun-bong let out a long sigh.
Why is he like this...?
She was starting to get seriously worried, and she wasn't joking. Qi Deviation could strike suddenly, but it could also progress slowly, seeping into the mind over time. She usually just accepted his eccentric behavior because that was simply how he was, but sometimes she genuinely wondered if he was even human. At times like this, she couldn't help but worry if he had secretly fallen into Qi Deviation.
"Hey, Geum Chun-bong."
"What."
"Anyway, shall we get going?"
Seo-jun hopped lightly up onto the roof. Chun-bong followed right behind him.
"Are you going straight to the Azure River Sect at this hour? That seems like a huge nuisance."
Seo-jun nodded in agreement at Chun-bong's words.
"True. Let's let them sleep at our place for the night and go tomorrow."
"...At our place?"
"Yeah. You don't like it? We have plenty of spare rooms."
"No. It's fine."
Chun-bong didn't seem particularly thrilled, but there was no other suitable place for the courtesans to stay. Seo-jun smacked his lips and returned to the roof where the women were waiting.
The courtesans seemed to have adjusted to the situation a bit, waiting for him quietly on the tiles. Of course, Chu-ryeong was still sound asleep.
This sleep-point technique is incredibly effective.
Seo-jun nodded in deep satisfaction.
"Everyone, for now, let's head to my house—"
"Please take us too!"
Several of the other courtesans down below who hadn't dispersed yet shouted up at him. In fact, there were still many people lingering on the street. Some were sending jealous glares, some were applauding, and some were greedily rummaging through the shattered remains of the Armored Ghost.
"Sorry, it's first-come, first-served. It's a shame, but maybe next time?"
"How can you say—!"
Crunch!
A roof tile flew down and shattered violently at the feet of the shouting courtesan. Chun-bong stood with a crooked posture, looking down menacingly at the women.
"What did you say?"
"Oh, no, it's just..."
The look in her eyes as she glared down at them was utterly terrifying. To Seo-jun, she just looked like an angry squirrel glaring, but it clearly seemed different from the courtesans' perspective. Their faces turned deathly pale, and they quickly fled into the night.
"Our Chun-bong is quite angry."
When he poked her soft cheek, Chun-bong's eyebrows slanted into a sharp, angry 'V' shape.
"They were being annoying."
"Aww, how cute."
"Do you want to get hit too?"
"In my line of work, that's a reward."
When he shamelessly offered his back to her, Chun-bong flinched and took a step away in disgust.
"That's a bit..."
Aw, what a shame.
* * *
After returning home and assigning the courtesans their rooms, Seo-jun sat in the yard and looked up at the night sky. Now that things were somewhat settled, it seemed like it was almost time to leave. He would take the courtesans to the Azure River Sect, watch over them for a few days to ensure their safety, and then head out on his own journey.
Where would be a good place to go?
24-Move Plum Blossom Sword Technique, Firmament Boundless Sword Technique, Taiji Wisdom Sword, Sun-Shooting Sword Technique, Five Tiger Broken Gate Blade.
His heart began to flutter in anticipation at the thought of actually seeing the legendary martial arts he had only ever read about in wuxia novels.
Come to think of it...
Primordial Unity Thunderbolt Blade.
It was one of the famous blade techniques of the Hebei Peng Clan, right alongside the Five Tiger Broken Gate Blade. And then there was the Primordial Unity Thunderbolt Divine Art, the renowned heart method of the Hebei Peng Clan. He wasn't sure if they used the exact same martial arts in this world, but if they did, it would be quite troublesome for him.
"Primordial Unity Thunderbolt Divine Art? It's famous. It's a core heart method that only direct descendants of the Hebei Peng Clan are allowed to learn."
Those were the words of Chun-bong, who was sitting beside him, quietly counting the stars.
"Son of a..."
"Why are you swearing all of a sudden?"
"Because then it makes my Primordial Unity Divine Art look like a cheap knockoff."
"Now that you mention it..."
Seo-jun fell into serious thought.
"If I exterminate the entire Hebei Peng Clan, wouldn't I become the original?"
"...Are you insane?"
"Hehe, just kidding."
"You are kidding, right?"
"Would I be serious about something like that?"
"I was genuinely worried for a second."
To think you'd doubt your brother like that. I'm disappointed, Geum Chun-bong.
"...Stop being mad, Oppa."
"Okay!"
All better.