Chapter 85: Subjugating the Green Forest (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 85: Subjugating the Green Forest (3)
Seo-jun and the Cheonpung Unit made their way steadily up the mountain.
One might wonder how they could possibly track down the Green Forest bandits in such a vast mountain range—especially given their small numbers—but the Cheonpung Unit had Hwan Bae-ho.
"This way."
Is that actually some kind of tracking magic?
Seo-jun followed blankly behind Hwan Bae-ho, chatting with the other unit members.
"Isn't it amazing? It impresses me every time I see it."
"It impresses us too. Back when Bae-ho was young, he used to worry a lot about his martial arts. But once he found his true aptitude, he really took off."
"Oh, really? He told me it was just a basic tracking technique anyone could learn, but no matter how I look at it, it’s far beyond that level."
"Haha! That fellow has always been a bit too humble for his own good."
The atmosphere among the group was light and easy.
After climbing for a while, Hwan Bae-ho suddenly stopped and scanned their surroundings.
"It looks like the Hwangbo Clan will make contact first."
"Is that so?"
Seo-jun twitched an eyebrow and closed his eyes.
Whoosh! His Qi sensing, which grew wider and more refined by the day, swept out in the direction Hwan Bae-ho had pointed.
Indeed, just as he said, the Hwangbo Clan had already encountered the Green Forest bandits.
"They've already clashed."
Seo-jun opened his eyes while maintaining his Qi sensing. His golden-glowing pupils seemed to pierce straight through the distant trees blocking his view.
Whirrr!
A Finger Pellet began to spin rapidly at the tip of Seo-jun's index finger.
Ideally, the Heaven-Defying Sun-Moon Art would be better, but...
The Heaven-Defying Sun-Moon Art slowed down the further it traveled. Due to its convergent nature, the Finger Pellet was far superior for long-distance sniping.
Extending his finger forward, Seo-jun closed his left eye and took steady aim.
Even if the target wasn't visible to his naked eye, sensing it through Qi was no different from seeing it in broad daylight.
The marksmanship of a man who had completed his mandatory military service—and even received commendations for his shooting—was enough to pierce the heavens.
Maintaining his stance, he held his breath and fired.
Bang!
The projectile shot across the mountain like a bullet.
"Ten points! I’m heading out first, so take your time catching up!"
Seo-jun dashed forward into the woods.
"Let's go."
The Cheonpung Unit followed close behind him.
*
Meanwhile, the Geumgang Unit of the Hwangbo Clan was struggling far more than expected.
Hwangbo Jun had succeeded in detecting the Green Forest's presence first, but the bandits were intimately familiar with the mountain. They skillfully executed a series of hit-and-run ambushes, slowly whittling down the Geumgang Unit's stamina.
"These bastards...!"
Enraged, light brown Astral Qi gathered around Hwangbo Jun's fist. He lunged forward with a speed that belied his massive frame and threw a devastating punch.
Boom!
The impact of that single punch shook the mountain. However, the deep scowl on Hwangbo Jun's face showed no signs of fading.
"How dare mere mountain bandits...!"
"If we're just mountain bandits, why don't you just let us go?"
A man had quickly darted out to block Hwangbo Jun's fist. It was Chief Jang-geuk, and he was grinning ear to ear.
"Now!"
At Jang-geuk's shout, heavy iron nets flew out from between the trees.
The warriors of the Geumgang Unit deflected the nets without much trouble, but in that brief opening, the Green Forest bandits dove in and swung their weapons.
Slash!
"Urgh...!"
The Geumgang Unit was no pushover, either. The wounds they received while evading the ambush were merely minor scratches.
But this wasn't the first time they had been ambushed today. The Geumgang Unit was growing exhausted, and their morale was steadily plummeting.
"Unit Leader! I'll send the signal!"
"Don't you dare! We are more than enough for this scum!"
"But...!"
Ignoring his subordinate's pleas, Hwangbo Jun spread his palms wide and charged at Jang-geuk.
He had to admit that for a mountain bandit, the man's martial arts were quite profound. But that was it. The martial arts of the Green Forest were undeniably crude compared to the refined techniques of the Hwangbo Clan.
Hwangbo Jun snatched the incoming broad blade, yanked it toward himself, and laughed savagely.
"Die!"
He swung his free hand, aiming directly for the bandit's head. However, Jang-geuk merely smiled as he watched the fist approach.
"Too predictable!"
Jang-geuk twisted his body even as he was being pulled forward. At the exact same time, he let go of the broad blade in his hand, spinning in mid-air to parry Hwangbo Jun's fist.
"What...!"
Hwangbo Jun pulled back in shock, but he was a moment too late. Jang-geuk's foot descended powerfully toward Hwangbo Jun's neck.
It was a dangerous strike. His neck wouldn't snap from the hit, but the damage would be significant.
There wasn't enough time to evade.
"Damn it...!"
KABOOM—!!
Hwangbo Jun's eyes widened. Something fired from afar had violently knocked Jang-geuk's foot away.
It was a terrifyingly precise snipe. Who was it? While Hwangbo Jun stood there bewildered, he instinctively reached out, but Jang-geuk had already retreated.
Twisting his body in the air to land safely, Jang-geuk stared intently in the direction the projectile had come from.
"Tsk, I was a bit late."
Jang-geuk raised his hand high. Seeing the signal, the Green Forest bandits, who had been engaging in hit-and-run tactics, shouted loudly.
"Run for it, you bastards!"
"Yes, sir!"
The bandits scattered and vanished into the brush in an instant.
"I don't think so."
At that moment, Seo-jun appeared high in the sky above them and drew his sword.
Looking up at him through the dense canopy of trees, Jang-geuk's expression crumpled.
"No...!"
Flame Plum Blossom. A tidal wave of fire cascaded down from the heavens.
"Aaaaaagh...!"
"It—it's hot...!"
"Save me...!!"
Five Green Forest bandits were burned to ash by that single, devastating move.
Landing lightly on the ground, Seo-jun rested his sword casually on his shoulder.
"Classic Righteous Faction move. Ganging up on—wait, what?"
Jang-geuk wasn't even paying attention to Seo-jun; he had sprinted toward a bandit who was writhing in agonizing pain from the burns.
"Mansu!"
He waved his hand frantically to clear the flames, but the bandit's breathing had already stopped.
Jang-geuk remained silent for a moment before slowly lifting his head. His eyes were completely bloodshot. Catching his breath, he let out a low growl.
"Everyone, retreat. This guy won't be the last. Head north and keep the ones swarming in at bay."
"Chief...!"
"Shut up and go, now!"
The bandits quickly fled the battlefield. Hwangbo Jun signaled the Geumgang Unit, and they disappeared into the woods in hot pursuit of the fleeing bandits.
Jang-geuk stood up, tightly gripping the broad blade of the man called Mansu. His bloodshot eyes glared daggers at Seo-jun.
"What a goddamn world."
"No, well... now I feel kind of bad."
It wasn't a joke; seeing that kind of raw, emotional reaction made Seo-jun hesitate to use more force.
It makes me feel like I'm the one in the wrong here.
As Seo-jun awkwardly scratched his head, the corners of Jang-geuk's mouth curled up into a smile. However, his eyes weren't smiling at all, making the expression eerie and chilling.
"What's there to be sorry about? This is just how life is. If you're really sorry, how about letting me go?"
"I can't do that."
It would be extremely troublesome if the Black Lotus Union's strength continued to grow. The Namgung Clan was a prestigious pillar of the Righteous Faction. If they lost the war against the Black Lotus Union, they wouldn't be left in one piece.
Even if these men weren't bandits but ordinary martial artists who had done absolutely nothing wrong, he still had to cut them down to eliminate any future risks.
"Instead, I'll send you off painlessly."
"Well, that's very kind of—"
Boom!
Hwangbo Jun abruptly lunged forward and swung his massive fist. Jang-geuk bared his teeth like a wild beast as he blocked the heavy blow with his broad blade.
"No sense of decency!"
Kicking out to push the large man away, Jang-geuk immediately pivoted and charged straight at Seo-jun.
His speed was considerable. The dense energy gathered along the edge of his broad blade couldn't be ignored, either.
Seo-jun immediately coated his own sword in Astral Qi.
Wang Family Saber Technique.
The swung sword clashed violently with the broad blade.
Clang!
"Huh?"
Seo-jun's sword was bounced back helplessly. Startled by the sheer force, he immediately made plum blossoms bloom across his entire body for defense.
However, Jang-geuk charged recklessly through the blossoms, completely shrouded in Protective Energy.
"You've only just reached the Super Peak Realm!"
Jang-geuk bared his teeth and swung his broad blade in a vicious arc. The energy gathered on it was certainly manageable.
But how?
Seo-jun hastily pulled his body back and clapped his hands together.
Crack!
Primordial Unity Sun-Moon Art.
A massive explosion erupted between them, and using the concussive impact, Seo-jun launched himself backward to create distance.
Jang-geuk ruthlessly sliced through the explosion and relentlessly pursued him.
The energy coating the broad blade was certainly sharp. But that was all.
In terms of density, quantity, and overall quality of Astral Qi, I'm superior in every single way.
Yet, when they actually clashed head-on, Seo-jun was the one losing out.
It wasn't that he didn't have a guess as to why. He recalled something Namgung Jin-cheon had told him while teaching him the sword.
‘Your martial arts are certainly great, but... they won't be very effective against an opponent of a similar realm. Rather, they are far more suited for facing a large army...’
So this was what he meant?
"Your opponent is me, bandit!"
Hwangbo Jun charged back at Jang-geuk. Taking advantage of the distraction, Seo-jun bloomed plum blossoms in the air to leap high into the sky, gathering dense energy in his hands.
Then what's the problem? Is the area of effect too large? Is it a lack of mental imagery? Intent?
The merged Yin and Yang distorted in his palms, drawing a Reverse Taiji.
Swoosh—
Heaven-Defying Sun-Moon Art.
Jang-geuk flinched and hurriedly threw himself out of the way to dodge.
So the Heaven-Defying Sun-Moon Art works.
Seo-jun stepped back for a moment, silently analyzing the fierce battle between Jang-geuk and Hwangbo Jun.
Thud! Boom!
Fist and blade clashed repeatedly, creating booming, explosive sounds, but the actual aftereffects on the surrounding environment weren't that large.
Since all the kinetic impact was delivered entirely into the opponent's body, there was no wasted energy spilling out to damage the surrounding space.
"Hmm..."
In the end, was it a matter of the direction of force, or pure concentration? It could be called the Mystique of Concentration.
It was like the fundamental difference between a mage who excelled in wide-scale destruction against an army, and a warrior who excelled in focused, one-on-one combat.
But did that mean Seo-jun's own path was wrong? He didn't think so.
I just have to add that aspect to my own martial arts.
In Jang-geuk's case, he seemed to deliver his power fully through his deep enlightenment of the Saber, rather than relying purely on Astral Qi. But Seo-jun didn't need to do that.
If it could be done with a blade, it could be done with Qi.
Seo-jun pointed his sword back at Jang-geuk. Lightning crackled furiously as the mental imagery of the heavens dwelled within the steel.
Internal energy dissipated far less when there was a physical medium to contain it. So, he infused the volatile energy entirely into the sword and let go of the grip.
As the sword began to fall, Seo-jun delivered a flawless, spinning kick directly to the pommel of the hilt.
KABOOM—!!
The sword tore through the air like a meteor, aiming straight for Jang-geuk's head.
Jang-geuk violently struck Hwangbo Jun's fist with his broad blade, using the fierce recoil to twist his body and narrowly dodge the incoming projectile.
He fights well.
Hadn't Chun-bong mentioned that, if nothing else, the Chief's martial talent was absolutely outstanding? Indeed, it was.
But Seo-jun certainly wasn't lacking in talent, either.
Clap!
He pressed his palms together. The Yin and Yang of both hands unified perfectly to form a Taiji.
Primordial Unity Sun-Moon Art.
But unlike usual, this time he actively applied the Mystique of Concentration to that murky sphere of energy.
Specifically, he used rotation. The Taiji spinning rapidly inside the sphere forcefully held onto the volatile energy that was desperately trying to spread outward.
"Give me a review on this one!"
Seo-jun fired the compressed sphere. Jang-geuk, who had just dodged Hwangbo Jun's heavy kick, confidently sliced into the sphere with his broad blade, but—
BOOOOOOM—!!!
The sphere, about three meters in diameter, detonated. The hyper-concentrated explosion swirling inside that confined space utterly erased everything within its range.
"You crazy brat...! Are you trying to kill me too?!"
Hwangbo Jun, who was almost caught in the devastating blast radius, shouted in anger, but Seo-jun completely ignored him.
"How was it?"
"It was intense...!"
Jang-geuk, now heavily covered in blood and burns, ignored Hwangbo Jun entirely and charged madly at Seo-jun.
Seo-jun drew all the internal energy from his Dantian and gathered it into his hands.
Jong-in and the Soul-Stealing Demon were also in the Super Peak Realm.
The 24-Move Plum Blossom Sword Technique and the Black Water Great Demonic Palm. Those martial arts certainly struck a wide area of effect, but thinking back on it now, they were fundamentally a bit different.
Jong-in had concentrated his power into each individual plum blossom, and the Soul-Stealing Demon had maintained perfect stability in his Astral Qi even while firing a massive attack like the Yangtze River.
They had simply met a terrible end because their martial compatibility with Seo-jun was the absolute worst possible matchup.
Was it something like this?
He performed the Black Water Great Demonic Palm, infusing it with the newly realized Mystique of Concentration, but using Primordial Unity Qi instead of Demonic Qi.
Boom!
Jang-geuk struck the massive, palm-shaped Astral Qi with his blade.
"Ugh...!"
But a technique performed with full, explosive power and one performed while conserving internal energy could not possibly yield the same result.
Jang-geuk was sent flying backward, violently slamming into a thick tree trunk.
"Mm. Good."
Seo-jun kicked off the branch he was standing on and landed lightly on the ground. As he retrieved his thrown sword and looked toward where Jang-geuk had crashed, a loud, booming laugh rang out through the forest.
"Hahaha...! Good! I suppose this mountain is to be my grave!"
Gulp.
Jang-geuk swallowed something. Simultaneously, his momentum exploded, surging upward like a raging storm.
Is that a Giant Spirit Pill?
Seo-jun stared intently at Jang-geuk.
Vroom!
As the bandit's momentum grew, a suffocating, unidentified pressure settled over the entire mountain.
The Giant Spirit Divine Art and the Giant Spirit Pill. As the two gears meshed together perfectly, Jang-geuk's martial consciousness soared to an incredibly high realm.
Giant Spirit. A faint, terrifying image of a giant seemed to shimmer into existence behind Jang-geuk.
Seo-jun smirked.
"You've gotten quite lively. Then would you mind reviewing this as well?"
"Review? I don't know what that means."
Ah, right. There was no way a mountain bandit would know English terms.
"I'll just take the feedback myself, then."
Yellow Cloud Qi dwelled within Seo-jun's sword. Simultaneously, the internal energy within his body ran wild as if exploding, infusing his entire being with absolute, overwhelming power.
It was the Giant Spirit Divine Art, interpreted as a martial art by Seo-jun through the lingering efficacy of the Giant Spirit Pill he had consumed before.
Giant Spirit Divine Art versus Giant Spirit Divine Art.
It was truly a magnificent sight.