Chapter 206
Chapter 206
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Ecosystem Disruptor (5)
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Shaaa...
"I must look pretty ridiculous to you."
A chill poured out from Neung Pung-un's body as his expression darkened.
"Ugh."
The most flustered was Geum Jeong, who had to face his aura head-on.
She was acknowledged for her skills in the Emei Sect, but confronting Neung Pung-un's pressure made her breath catch in her throat.
'Was Instructor Neung always this strong?'
She wasn't the only one surprised.
The instructors had forgotten he was the Plum Blossom Swordsman while watching him always smile so amiably.
Why had they forgotten?
'What a mistake. Who knew Instructor Neung possessed such profound martial arts.'
'I'd heard the Plum Blossom Swordsman was impressive, but not to this extent.'
'Gulp. Come to think of it, the Plum Blossom Storm Sword was paired with a fiery temper.'
Realizing anew just how terrifying the man before them was, Geum Jeong finally managed to speak.
"Young Master Neung..."
"It's Instructor Neung now."
"I didn't mean to meddle in Instructor Neung's affairs specifically. I just..."
Geum Jeong stammered on.
"...thought getting tangled with the wrong person might tarnish Mount Hua Sect's reputation."
"Don't worry."
Neung Pung-un's aura subsided in an instant. Feeling the pressure that had choked her throat moments ago scatter like a gentle breeze, Geum Jeong realized something.
'That aura just now might have been only a fraction of his true power.'
Perhaps even the title Plum Blossom Swordsman was just one descriptor for this man.
To her, still stunned, Neung Pung-un returned to his smiling face and grinned.
"I'll handle my own affairs. Unless..."
Smoothly.
He glanced around, and those watching him suddenly pretended to look away.
"If anyone meddles out of turn or dares to slander Instructor Cho..."
You'd better watch yourselves.
With a sharp warning, Neung Pung-un shook out his sleeves and stood.
Thud!
Leaving the instructors' room, Neung Pung-un shrugged off the sunlight over his shoulder, glanced back at the darkened door, and shook his head.
"This place never changes."
Muttering, he stretched.
The tension from before was gone; he now wore a mischievous grin.
"A place called a microcosm of the jianghu, and someone's living here all on their own terms. How could I not be curious?"
Shaking off his mood, he checked the time and chuckled cheerfully.
"She's so prickly, alcohol alone won't cut it. I should bring some snacks at least."
Checking his pouch, he headed toward the mess hall.
Deep into the night.
Arriving at the swamp, Neung Pung-un dangled a bottle of liquor as he headed inward.
In one hand, he carried a bundle stuffed with dried snacks.
"Hope this apology does the trick."
As he stepped forward, inhaling the crisp scent of decaying leaves, he soon noticed something off.
"Feels eerily desolate today."
A chill ran down his spine?
A bit puzzled, but chalking it up to the late hour and empty surroundings, he pressed on.
He reached the usual fishing spot where Chu Un-hwi slacked off.
Beside the protruding rock perfect for sitting by the riverbank lay an abandoned fishing rod.
"Where'd he go?"
Should he head to the clearing? Just then.
"Over here."
A voice called out.
And there was the man he'd been looking for.
Though not in the form he'd expected.
In his hand was a standard-issue longsword given to instructors.
"Brother. I apologize if I went too far. But do you really need to draw such a dangerous thing?"
"......"
Meeting silence, Neung Pung-un held up the bundle in his hand.
"I brought gifts intending to apologize sincerely."
"...Leave it and follow."
Swish.
Chu Un-hwi turned and vanished into the inner clearing. Neung Pung-un smacked his lips.
"Doesn't look like he'll cool off easily... He's even angrier than I thought."
Setting the alcohol and snacks aside, Neung Pung-un shook his head.
"Gotta smooth things over properly."
Facing this prickly type for the first time, Neung Pung-un muttered softly.
Stopping in the clearing, Chu Un-hwi said.
"Draw your sword."
"This is..."
Facing the cold reply, Neung Pung-un scratched his temple with a finger.
'How do I get him to calm down?'
He couldn't get a read.
In years wandering the jianghu, he'd never met someone who bristled so sharply.
'Can't even read his thoughts.'
His shaggy hair hid his face completely, making expressions impossible to gauge.
As he pondered, Chu Un-hwi spoke again.
"No need for apologies."
Tap tap.
Thumping his scabbard, Chu Un-hwi growled low.
"Just make sure there's no reason to apologize in the first place."
"You really plan to fight with real swords?"
"Why? Does the Plum Blossom Swordsman prefer wooden swords?"
"Ha-."
Neung Pung-un burst out laughing at the provocation.
"Frankly, drawing swords isn't a good choice."
"Why? Prefer getting punched?"
"Brother. To become Plum Blossom Swordsman, one must master Mount Hua's twelve ultimate arts and at least seven forms of the Twenty-Four Plum Blossom Sword. You know that, right?"
"So?"
"Aigoo. Let's drop the fight and settle this amicably. My bad."
Raising both hands in surrender, Neung Pung-un stepped back.
"You seem really pissed, so tell me what you want. How can I make it up to you?"
Staring silently, Chu Un-hwi asked.
"Tell me. Why are you following me around like this?"
"Just like someone because they're cool. Need a reason?"
"Damn it."
Neung Pung-un swallowed a chuckle at the curse.
'Been a while since I've been treated like this.'
At least since becoming Mount Hua's Plum Blossom Swordsman, no one had dared handle him so roughly.
'Makes me want to get closer.'
Though the other clearly didn't feel the same.
Clutching his neck and cursing the air, Chu Un-hwi scowled.
"Fine. You seem sincere, so forgive you if you meet three conditions."
"Three? Lay 'em out."
Chu Un-hwi held up one finger.
"First. Cut that damn bangs."
"Bangs? That's what bugged you? I thought our styles matched perfectly."
"Your looks overlap too much."
"?"
Neung Pung-un looked puzzled. Chu Un-hwi raised a second finger.
"Second. Drop the 'brother' crap. Change the title."
"Isn't it respectful?"
"Friendly my ass."
Chu Un-hwi cut him off.
"Don't need it. You're the newbie."
Then pointed at himself.
"I'm the senior."
"You're the one ignoring hierarchy and talking about rebellion, yet saying that?"
"I can, you can't."
"What should I call you then?"
"Senior, politely."
"Haha."
Neung Pung-un laughed.
'Younger than me, and wants the Plum Blossom Swordsman to call him senior.'
Ridiculous, but Neung Pung-un accepted. What did a title matter when he wanted to befriend this weirdo?
"Haha. Not hard at all. Senior."
The polite address flustered Chu Un-hwi instead.
'What the hell is this bastard.'
He'd hoped for some prideful pushback from the righteous sect guy, but now he was speechless.
'This is a problem.'
His plan to pick a fight and beat him down was derailing.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Third condition."
Thumping his shoulder with the scabbard, Chu Un-hwi said.
"After today, don't show your face in front of me. You annoy me."
"Hoo?"
For the first time, Neung Pung-un's aura shifted.
"That's tough. I really like you."
This crazy bastard.
"Haha. Sorry, but you can't know how much I've wanted to meet someone like me."
How the hell am I like you?
"Genius talent. Free-spirited, unbound by stale traditions. Aloof personality ignoring worldly eyes. Pretty similar, right?"
Stop. You lunatic.
"Haha. Hear that a lot!"
Skillfully parrying the inner shout, Neung Pung-un drew a line.
"Regretfully, can't accept the last one, so..."
Whirl.
Flicking his shoulder, the scabbard spun in the air.
Click.
Handsomely holding his sword horizontal, he called out.
"I want a match, but can't hurt my senior."
"Haa... Driving me crazy."
Muttering at the ground, Neung Pung-un shouted again.
"I'll seal Mount Hua swordsmanship. Restrict my internal energy too."
"Ugh. This jerk..."
He'd planned to crush him, but the chick crowing like a rooster softened his resolve.
'...Plum Blossom my ass. You're dead.'
The chick crowed boldly.
"Come on!"
"Haa, you little..."
Cracking his neck toward the sky, Chu Un-hwi gritted his teeth.
"First, you lie down."
Thud!
Chu Un-hwi's form scattered like wind.
'He's coming!'
Seeing the form charging beyond the scabbard, Neung Pung-un's eyes gleamed.
Terrifying speed.
Whoosh!
The afterimage stretched long, then.
Shuuuk! Shuk!
The sharp sword strike aimed to pierce chest and shoulder like venomous fangs in the blink of an eye.
Clack! Clack clack clack!
Instead of drawing, Neung Pung-un whirled his scabbard like a windmill and narrowed his eyes.
'Considerable reverse energy in the sword.'
Even without internal energy?
Muttering, he lightly stepped into footwork.
Sasasak.
Brushing his toes against the ground, he retreated five steps and slid on the earth.
The Five Elements Steps from Divine Martial Academy. Basic even for children, but in a master's hands, it rivaled ultimate arts.
"Ha. You do it all."
Whoosh-!
The opponent was already spinning a kick, aiming for a chilling follow-up.
Closing distance instantly, looking down with a shadowed face.
'Stronger than the rumors.'
Fights with the strong were always welcome.
Thump thump.
Feeling his heart pound, Neung Pung-un smirked, swiftly raising his scabbard to bisect the assault.
Paak!
Blocking alone made his hand throb.
"Impressive swift sword!"
Honestly, beyond an unknown's level. Perhaps comparable to the weakest Plum Blossom Swordsman?
But that was a misjudgment.
"Swift sword my ass..."
Whish. Whish.
Lightly shaking his upper body, then whoosh, closing to his face.
The casual face at arm's length suddenly loomed right before him.
'Incredibly erratic moves.'
Unable to hold back, Neung Pung-un blocked with his scabbard and flicked his left palm.
"Chaotic Flower Welcoming Palm?"
"Haha. You recognize it. At mastery, it traps thousands of plum petals swirling in the wind with palm momentum alone."
A martial art as flashy as its name.
Chachachang!
The shaking palm shadow created incredibly soft palm force.
Whirling his scabbard for Divine Martial Swordsmanship while unfolding another art with his other hand—anyone seeing would gasp.
Using two arts at once was beyond most geniuses.
"How about this?"
Neung Pung-un didn't stop.
Continuing the fluttering palm technique, he flipped his palm to grab the descending blade at the shoulder.
Bang bang!
Followed by fierce straight punches.
"Nine Palaces Half-Heaven Fist."
"Impressive insight. Few know it as well as those who learned it."
Thud! Boom boom!
Unfazed deploying flashy soft palms and fist shattering nine directions in succession.
'Does he see now?'
Plus dodging attacks by a hair with Mount Hua's Five Elements Plum Blossom Steps.
Four arts in a flash—a show of force.
'This should make him back off.'
As Neung Pung-un moved to flick the incoming blade with his right scabbard.
As expected, the opponent leaped back over ten paces.
"Haha. Anger cooled now?"
He tried approaching with a smile, but the other grumbled.
"Hit soft, I endure. Hit hard, I die. Tricky."
'What?'
The opponent stabbed his sword into the ground and said.
"Hey. Bite down hard. Wrong hit breaks bones?"
As he raised the blade again.
Chilling.
'!'
A piercing chill through his heart made Neung Pung-un instinctively step into footwork.
- Dark Fragrance Flutter.
A faint plum scent lingers on the night path where traces passed.
No more leisure in his swiftest, quickest footwork he knew.