Chapter 99: I Won't Die (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 99: I Won't Die (1)
Geom-yeong of the Sword Sect.
The moment he arrived in Shanxi with reinforcements, he was thrust straight into the heart of the conflict. He didn't think much of it. If there was an enemy, he simply cut them down.
Having slashed his own eyes to walk the ultimate path of the sword, he perceived the world entirely through Qi Sensing.
Eventually, he found mere sensing to be insufficient. He enlightened himself to a new method and named it the Dark Heart Eye Technique.
By emitting internal energy at a specific frequency, this martial art allowed him to perceive everything in his surroundings. It unveiled a world even broader than what his physical eyes had ever shown him. Because of this, Geom-yeong had never felt his vision was lacking.
‘What in the world…?’
That was why the current situation was so bewildering. The very last thing Geom-yeong had "seen" was a man snapping his fingers. Immediately after, his vision was dyed pitch black.
Even through the confusion, he pushed his remaining senses to their absolute limits to compensate for his lost sight.
The wind brushing against his skin. The scent of his opponent. The metallic tang of blood on his tongue. The faint hiss of sliced air.
He bound them all together with his sixth sense and frantically twisted his body.
Swaaaaak—!
Goosebumps erupted across his skin. A hair's breadth slower, and he would be dead.
Geom-yeong constantly projected his internal energy to regain his vision, but it was futile. He could only rely on his remaining senses, desperately contorting his body to survive.
Wounds began to accumulate, though by some stroke of heavenly luck, none were fatal.
Then, for a single, fleeting moment, his vision flickered open.
“Hah…!”
The other senses he had honed to a razor's edge instantly dulled in that split second. Geom-yeong hurriedly searched for the man, but he was nowhere to be seen.
‘Did he retreat?’
That thought lasted only a fraction of a second before his instincts screamed a warning.
For a single heartbeat, the man’s form registered within the Dark Heart Eye Technique. It was nothing short of a miracle—his latent potential manifesting in the face of death.
But it was too late. The man was already right in front of him.
“You…!”
Chwaak!
Searing pain flared as one of his arms went entirely numb. Simultaneously, sinister Yin energy bored into the wound, freezing Geom-yeong’s body on the spot.
He sensed the end. In a few more exchanges, his head would roll.
Yet, the man merely clicked his tongue softly and backed away.
“You’re lucky. See you next time.”
With those final words, the man vanished once more. Completely.
Geom-yeong realized he could no longer capture the man within his vision. It wasn't just about this moment—it was a realm he could never reach. That brief glimpse he’d caught of the man through the Dark Heart Eye Technique was… indescribable.
“The world is truly vast…”
Geom-yeong cast aside his sword and began to walk away with staggering steps.
He didn't know where he was going. He just headed toward a place where no human footsteps could reach. Forward, and forward.
Sometime later, a small stir would arise in the martial world when a renowned master of the Sword Sect suddenly went into indefinite seclusion.
* * *
Five Elements, Earth, Ejection.
Seo-jun layered his own Lightness Skill over the surging power of the earth, launching himself forward like a bolt of lightning.
As he moved, he briefly reviewed the previous battle.
‘Not bad.’
A master who replaced physical sight with Qi Sensing. By deciphering the technique, Seo-jun had neutralized the sensory vibrations the man emitted, effectively robbing him of his "vision." Then, by momentarily returning that vision to induce confusion, Seo-jun had blended his own presence into those same frequencies to hide himself before launching a surprise attack.
It was truly a move worthy of "Stealth Seo-jun."
If he had one regret, it was that he couldn't finish the job. But he had no choice. If he had lingered any longer, the other Super Peak masters pursuing him would have caught up.
Regardless, he had gained something valuable from the exchange, so he wasn't too disappointed.
‘Becoming completely undetectable to Qi Sensing…’
If he delved into this concept a bit more, he felt he could develop a rather decent Shadow Hiding Technique.
“You’re back? That was fa—wait, what!?”
Seo-jun snatched Jang-geuk mid-run without slowing down and accelerated even further. Jang-geuk was utterly terrified by the unprecedented speed.
“W-Wait a second…! My Lord! No, hold on…! Aaaaagh…!”
Aaaaaaaaagh—!
Trailing Jang-geuk's long-drawn-out scream behind him, Seo-jun quickly returned to the main unit. He immediately met with Namgung Chang-hwi to report his results.
“A good number of them are dead. Also, there was a Super Peak master I’ve never heard of.”
“Another Super Peak master? That could have been disastrous… I’m just glad you returned safely.”
“It wasn't that dangerous.”
When Seo-jun waved off the concern and described the blind swordsman, Namgung Chang-hwi’s eyes widened.
“Geom-yeong…! He is a swordsman who is quite famous, even among Super Peak masters. And you cut off his arm?”
“Yeah. He probably won't be much of a threat for a while.”
“You’ve achieved something truly incredible…”
After taking a moment to politely praise Seo-jun, Namgung Chang-hwi sank back into serious contemplation.
“To think they would deploy someone like Geom-yeong… Forcing them to retreat is encouraging, but I don't think this is entirely good news.”
“Really? Isn't it a good thing that they retreated?”
“Not necessarily. If they sent Geom-yeong, it means the Black Lotus Union considers this battlefield highly important. They won't just give up like this.”
“Won't they pull back after taking such heavy losses?”
“I wonder…”
Namgung Chang-hwi scratched his neck irritably and let out a heavy sigh.
“Well, there’s no point in agonizing over it now. While you were out there, I sent a carrier pigeon to the Murim Alliance. Other martial artists will arrive soon; we just need to hold out until then.”
“You only requested reinforcements just now?”
Seo-jun scratched his head. For a moment, he almost questioned the commander's intelligence, but he held his tongue. He wanted to believe a member of the Great Namgung Clan wouldn't be that incompetent.
Fortunately, Namgung Chang-hwi shook his head.
“I’ve been requesting them consistently. That’s how you received word and came here in the first place, isn't it? The pigeon I sent just now was an updated request detailing our changed situation. Though, I’m not even sure if it will arrive safely. The Black Lotus Union might shoot down any pigeons they spot. The best-case scenario is that the Murim Alliance already anticipated this and dispatched a support unit.”
“I guess… that’s true.”
“For now, we can only hope the enemy doesn't do anything outrageous. At any rate, you’ve worked hard.”
Namgung Chang-hwi performed a formal Fist and Palm Salute. He looked intently into Seo-jun’s eyes and continued.
“Physical exhaustion aside, you must be mentally drained. Don't worry about anything else for a while and get some rest.”
Seo-jun returned the salute.
“Sure thing.”
* * *
Leaving the tent, Seo-jun looked around.
Setting the traumatized Jang-geuk aside, he found it strange that Ji-baek was nowhere to be seen.
‘What is he doing? Why isn't he around?’
Wandering through the camp, Seo-jun eventually found Ji-baek tucked away in a quiet corner. He was sitting on a reasonably flat rock, incessantly chanting under his breath. It was likely a Buddhist scripture.
“What are you doing?”
“Ah, you have returned.”
Ji-baek opened his eyes and looked at Seo-jun. His lifeless gaze stared blankly for a moment before drifting back toward the empty air.
“This humble monk was simply reflecting on how complacent I have become in times of peace. I thought I lived quite intensely in my youth, but age has reduced me to this.”
After watching Ji-baek for a moment, Seo-jun plopped down onto the dirt.
“Are you struggling?”
“Amitabha… It seems this monk is in no position to complain about hardship.”
“Man, why do you always have to beat around the bush so much…”
Scratching his cheek, Seo-jun quietly observed the monk. Despite being a Super Peak master, Ji-baek just looked like a typical, slumped-over old man. His weary eyes were cloudy, and his aged back was hunched.
As Seo-jun watched, Ji-baek, who had been silently rolling his prayer beads, suddenly spoke again.
“I fear the cycle of rebirth after death. I know that I have committed too much slaughter to possess the merit required to be reborn as a human. If so, it is only right to live in the present and practice the Way… but the war before my eyes is so cruel that I cannot bring myself to look at it directly.”
“War is… a bit much, isn't it?”
“Amitabha… I seem to be taking a long detour, confused about what is right and what is wrong at this late stage in my life.”
Ji-baek let out a long, heavy breath. Watching him, Seo-jun stood up.
“I don't know much because I don't practice the Way, but…”
Seo-jun lightly patted Ji-baek’s shoulder and walked away with his usual casual stride.
“Well, hang in there, old man. You’ve recited a mountain of scriptures by now; the answer is probably already inside you.”
Long after Seo-jun left, Ji-baek remained silent before softly murmuring to himself.
“Indeed… for the Buddha is within me…”
He rolled his prayer beads and recited his scriptures just as he always did. Even though he knew the answer, truly finding it was still no easy task.
* * *
‘Was I being too nosy?’
In truth, Ji-baek likely knew far more about the world than he did. Having lived several times longer, how much must the old monk have read and experienced? In the end, the comfort Seo-jun offered was just a cheap cliché boiling down to, "Figure it out yourself."
“Seriously, these guys.”
War, my foot. What were they even trying to achieve by doing all this? Seo-jun clicked his tongue and stared off into the distance.
Then, his jaw dropped.
“Wait, what the f—?”
A massive, suffocating presence was approaching. It didn't just feel like a single person; it felt as if space itself was closing in on him. It was a sensation Seo-jun was somewhat familiar with.
‘Transcendent Realm?’
Startled by the sudden shift in the atmosphere, he looked up at the sky to see a young man staring down at him from mid-air.
“You have sharp senses.”
“Aren't you popping up a bit too out of the blue?”
“I couldn't exactly move openly. Do you know how many hounds would pounce the moment they realized I’d left my post?”
“Then why the hell did you come here?”
“Such foul language for one so young.”
“I might just become a 'Parent Slayer' right now, so why don't you just get lost?”
“My parents were used as human sacrifices long ago. There is no need for you to do anything to them.”
“Oh, wow…”
As Seo-jun scratched his head, the young man slowly raised his hand.
“Well, I’m a busy man, so please understand.”
“Oh boy.”
Centering on the young man’s raised hand, the natural energy of the surroundings began to completely warp and twist.
Sorcery? Martial arts? It was hard to tell.
Acutely aware of the atmosphere growing frantic, Seo-jun drew his sword.
“This is ridiculous, seriously.”
Can I win? Along with the creeping doubt, his lips curled up in a strange, undeniable sense of excitement.
And then, an uninvited guest intruded.
“Giryeon Sect Leader!”
A sheer mass of muscle—something closer to a gorilla than a human—flew in and swung a massive fist.
It was a bare fist. No Fist Astral Qi, not even a trace of Fist Qi was visible on it.
The young man clicked his tongue and brought his raised hand down. Space itself swirled, crashing violently toward the muscular man.
Yet, the man simply followed through with his punch.
Cr-crack—!!
With a single, ordinary-looking punch, space itself shattered.
Seo-jun watched blankly before a realization hit him.
‘The Fist King.’
So a bare fist really could be stronger than Astral Qi.
Kwang!
With another casual gesture from the Giryeon Sect Leader, the wild Fist King was sent flying backward.
‘Is he not at the Transcendent Realm yet?’
To make matters worse, several more presences were rushing in from the distance. Three of them were Super Peak masters. It would have been nice if they were allies, but unfortunately, they felt like friends from the Black Lotus Union.
“Hmm. Objectively speaking, I’m pretty screwed.”
Seo-jun gave a refreshing, fearless smile.
“Alright, let’s have a go, you bastard!”
What’s the worst that could happen? I die?