Chapter 148
Chapter 148
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Chapter 37: Jang Cheon Sect (7)
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Whoosh!
Nangong Yun-ho quickly leaped back at the burst of flames erupting beside him.
Roooar! Boom!
It was by a hair's breadth.
The streak of fire that had just grazed where he'd been standing engulfed the shattered furniture and exploded.
'Heterogeneous true energy?'
And it was an extreme fiery yang art at that.
One that could turn objects into charred lumps in an instant.
'How is a demon wielding such notoriously tricky fiery true energy?'
There was no time to be surprised.
"I'll kill you first!"
The boss, his killing intent raging out of control, lunged at the nearest target: Nangong Yun-ho.
Shooo!
"Urk!"
Fwoosh!
He flattened his body with Iron Plate Bridge to dodge, but the heat grazing past his nose was scorching.
Pop!
He sprang up and countered with a straight punch.
But this foe was on a whole different level from those they'd faced before.
Boom!
The moment fist met fist, sparks flew wildly, shoving Nangong Yun-ho back five steps.
"Urk."
It wasn't just raw power overwhelming him.
The heat surging up his arm was shaking his true energy.
'So this is heterogeneous true energy.'
Just clashing like this delivered such a shock.
"Heh heh heh. Not bad for a brat."
Shooo!
As the flickering twin fists stabbed chaotically at his throat and ribs, Nangong Yun-ho stepped into footwork once more.
Fwoosh! Fwoosh!
Blinding flames filled his vision.
Followed by trails of fire.
He'd ended the hand exchange quickly enough to evade, but Nangong Yun-ho couldn't hide his dismay.
'Hot. Even blocking it is tough.'
This wasn't someone he could confidently claim victory over just by outpacing in hand techniques.
Even dodging the flawless strikes at his vital points, the scorched air seeped into his lungs with every breath, searing them.
'Breathing's getting hard.'
Was this the power of heterogeneous true energy?
With his breathing disrupted, true energy wouldn't flow properly, making his movements increasingly erratic as techniques chained.
'A sword. If only I had a sword.'
He could face this heat without worry then.
As he debated picking up even a broken blade, the instructor's voice rang out.
"If you don't have a sword in hand, you just run away?"
Then what was he supposed to do?
'Even clashing is barely doable.'
In that moment, something clicked.
The bizarre palm technique the instructor had unleashed moments ago.
- Shattering Storm Hands!
That's what the boss had shouted, but Nangong Yun-ho, ignorant of Qingcheng Sect arts, recalled something else.
'Divine Martial Swordsmanship?'
A familiar trajectory surfaced from the unfamiliar palms.
'Is my hunch right?'
He couldn't be sure.
He was just the Ghost of Bronze Hall, after all.
What he did know for certain was that he had to unleash something, anything, or he'd be in danger.
"Heh heh heh! I'll turn you into charcoal!"
Roooar!
A fiercer wave of heat singed the hair on his forehead with a sizzle.
In the haze of acrid smoke and stifling breath, Nangong Yun-ho drew an imaginary sword.
Slightly.
And gripped the phantom blade conjured in midair.
'Sword Art Finger Technique.'
Imagining a sword in hand filled him with an odd sense of security.
"I'll roast your brain too!"
Roooar!
The peak master's fiery palm art, fueled by rampaging demonic energy, was utterly terrifying.
But...
'I have a sword.'
The thought made his body react first.
Swoosh!
With his most familiar stance.
- Divine Martial Swordsmanship, First Form: Single Stroke Vertical Slash.
A simple downward cleave from above.
Yet the form etched into his life as Bronze Hall's Ghost sprang from his fingertips faster and fiercer than ever.
Vmmm.
His inner power responded naturally.
Slash!
It was the first time.
The oncoming flames split head-on.
"Hoo."
Cool air flowed into his nostrils at the same time.
His boiling true energy settled in an instant, sharpening his mind further.
"What?! What trick did you pull?!"
The boss, seeing the flames scatter, reacted with utter confusion.
'Of course.'
All he'd seen was a hand gripping empty air drawing a straight line downward.
"You bastard! Playing petty tricks!"
The infuriated boss unleashed even fiercer palm strikes.
Fwoosh!
Fwoosh!
Stabbing at eyes, ribs, flanks—the blindingly swift and ruthless palms were matchless.
Pop pop pop!
But Nangong Yun-ho, having read the opponent's forms, anticipated the next moves and unraveled the tangled assault like a knotted thread.
And cleaved through.
"Wind Scattering Horizontal Sweep."
Crack! Crickle crack!
The skin-searing flames scattered like trembling leaves.
'It works.'
The sudden insight proved effective, reminding him of the instructor's recent words.
"Does it matter if you drop silver coins, as long as you execute the swordsmanship?"
"It's about not losing the sword's center."
The instructor had answered Baek Ri-seol's question.
"Think of when you train lightness skill. Sword arts are the same."
'Body and sword are one.'
Why say that specifically?
'You knew a day like this would come.'
As that thought crossed his mind, another followed.
'If sword and body are the same...'
Why think of sword and body as two separate things?
Body (身). The body and...
Sword (劍). The sword...
Unite (合). Become one.
One (一). Draw the form.
It was then, mid-reverie.
"Tch. You're getting ahead of yourself."
Thwack!
The boss, swinging both hands like a demon, was suddenly blasted back.
"Urk."
Snapped from his thoughts, Nangong Yun-ho staggered and spat blood.
"Why for me..."
"That's still too advanced for you."
Thud!
The instructor smacked his head and bellowed.
"Hey! You just gonna stand there?"
"I'm just as stunned."
Shwaa!
Jegal Tan snapped open his folding fan and shook it vigorously.
"Grrraaah! You little shi—."
The boss thrashed his head, exuding even denser killing intent.
Overcome by it, he could barely speak coherently as Jegal Tan advanced.
Ssssh.
Glowing blue fireflies settled on the fluttering fan edge.
"No need for a sword, really."
Not nearly enough on my own.
Flutter. Flutter.
Blue true energy sparkled around Jegal Tan as he waved the fan.
"Graaaah!"
The boss wildly spewed flames into empty air.
Boom! Boomboom!
Fwoosh! Boom!
Innocent bystanders screamed amid the indiscriminate fiery yang blasts.
"Aaaah! Boss!"
"P-Please, spare us!"
But the boss was already rampaging, black energy streaming from his eyes.
"D-Demon?"
"The boss is a demon?"
"We're all dead."
Even black path warriors had lines they shouldn't cross.
Losing reason and devolving into a demonic beast via forbidden arts.
No being could wield the orthodox murim's taboo demonic arts and live.
Now the fight was irrelevant.
"Groooar!"
His last shreds of humanity severed, the boss unleashed feral savagery.
Roooar!
His rampaging demonic qi birthed fiercer flames, spewing chaotic heat waves.
"Aaaah!"
"Fire! It's fire!"
The venue, devoured by the fire demon, descended into pandemonium.
Amid it all, one person smiled.
Baek Ri-seol.
"Perfect conditions for Flame Flower Dance."
She murmured, flicking her wide sleeve.
Boom boom boom boom!
Light gestures like a sword dance made the encroaching flames waver every which way.
Whirrrl!
Flames trailed and twisted after her billowing sleeves, losing control.
"Graaaah!"
The boss's eyes turned pitch black.
Fully consumed by demonic qi.
Watching this, Chu Un-hwi dusted his rear.
"Kid. This won't do."
Hey, you.
Tap tap.
Flames parted indifferently before him.
He toed aside debris and picked up a liquor bottle.
"Here."
Crack!
Smash!
The boss toppled.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Before they could even sigh in relief amid the fire-ravaged venue.
"Instructor!"
Whirl!
Moyong So-hye soared in with Floating Flight, cleaving flames, and shouted.
"The officials are coming!"
"Officials?"
The group peeked outside in alarm. Sure enough.
Boom boom boom!
Signal flares burst chaotically over the darkened lake.
Dong dong dong!
Beneath, countless torchlit boats beat war drums as they closed in rapidly.
"Over there! That's them!"
"Grab the ones jumping in the water first!"
People fleeing the fire into the lake were suffering calamity.
Intent on capture, officials yanked them out and clubbed without mercy.
"Arrest them all!"
At the Northern Gate Guard banner, gamblers wailed in chorus.
The four blanched at the brutal arrest scene.
"Why officials now?"
"We gotta get out."
"Instructor! Hurry!"
Instructor?
Turning, the four froze.
They spotted Chu Un-hwi frantically scooping up loot.
"Ins...truc...tor?"
As Moyong So-hye approached, Chu Un-hwi yelled urgently.
"You guys take some too."
"Pardon?"
"It's money I won?"
Not content with shoveling cash into a sack, he'd already pocketed vouchers. Their faces hardened at his scheming.
Baek Ri-seol asked, half-disbelieving.
Instructor?
"Did you call the officials, Instructor?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"To nab these black path scum."
Justice in action, justice.
He insisted righteously, but the four were convinced.
'Evidence disposal.'
'He's disposing evidence.'
'Evidence disposal, huh.'
Moyong So-hye said coolly.
"That's a crime."
"It's my winnings. You all saw? Fair and square bet."
The moment he claimed fairness, conviction set in.
'Cheated.'
'He cheated.'
'Definitely cheated.'
Baek Ri-seol clawed her hair.
"Kyaaah! Stop it! What are you planning? We'll get caught!"
"Got an escape route ready."
Calculated, this guy.
Realizing it, Nangong Yun-ho moved.
Stuffing an empty pouch with silver frantically.
"Yun-ho?"
"No choice. If we're caught here, it's not just you in trouble, Instructor!"
Caught on site, they'd all be done. Expulsion would be lucky.
Arrest meant criminal branding.
"We sink or swim together."
"Damn it!"
Jegal Tan joined the urgency.
"Sister. Hurry and grab some."
"Urk. I don't wanna be a criminal couple."
Moyong So-hye and Baek Ri-seol turned looters too.
As they joined reluctantly amid the gloom, Chu Un-hwi wouldn't quit nagging.
"So-hye. That's not my silver."
"Argh! How do you sort tangled-up coins?!"
"I know. I'm righteous."
Didn't look it.
"You got a fetish for pocketing others' cash?"
That's theft.
Crime?
Already aggrieved at looting tearfully, now slandered—Moyong So-hye exploded.
"Instructor! Shut up!"
"Whaaat? Talking back to your sky-high instructor?"
Theft and backtalk.
"Our Byeol-seo became a delinquent lady."
"No I didn't!"
Lady, even.
"Too harsh on a young girl!"
"Lady or girl."
"Please."
Shut up!
Holding back that last line was impressive, even by her standards.
But the instructor's next words, amid her worst inner curses, were unbearable.
"It's fine. I heard women like bad boys. Even if you fall to evil, some guy will like you for sure."
"Waaah. Then why's the bad Instructor so unpopular?"
"Urk."
"Unpopular and evil—worst combo."
"Gaaah."
In the end, Moyong So-hye burst into tears, and Chu Un-hwi clutched his chest.
Mysterious Truth Sect's first commission.
- Search for cat abuser.
Ended with one black path sect in flames, countless gamblers wailing,
a girl's tears, and a man's pure heart trampled.