Chapter 234
Chapter 234
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Brutal Death Army (2)
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Daily life at the Thunder Tiger Sect was monotonous.
Staying in the guest quarters, wandering around the sect, Black Light would come running over.
"If you're up, you should come to work. What are you doing wandering around?"
"I was admiring the manor. It's worlds apart from the rundown shack I used to live in."
"Since you've struck it rich, just buy a nice manor. Come on, follow me."
Unable to resist his nagging, he would pretend to give in and head to the Black Gate Scholar Sword's office, where the clerks awaited.
"Recite the incantations for me."
When he pleaded impatiently, recalling and reciting them appropriately was a simple task.
Of course, he never recited the entire manual at once—that would be a mistake.
The real fun was cutting off right when the impatience peaked.
"Why are you stopping mid-recitation?"
"My throat's a bit dry."
"I'll give you whatever you want, just keep reciting."
"A fancy spread of delicacies with a drink on the side would be perfect."
"You want alcohol?"
"Forget it if you don't like it. Can't do it."
When he threw a tantrum, Black Light would groan and give up.
"What's your problem today?"
"Nice weather. Don't want to smell ink."
Teasing Black Light by scratching just the right itch was quite entertaining.
Heh heh. Let's make you sweat a bit.
Process him once his usefulness ends? Just extend that shelf life then.
However, not everything went exactly as planned.
For Chu Un-hwi especially, there was the frequent visitor who kept seeking him out lately.
"A-jang!"
The guest was Jin-jin from the High Sword Sect.
For some reason, this little lady showed up at all hours.
"You're here? Little miss?"
"Little miss? A-jang has no manners for a lady."
"Heh heh. I'm a bit rough around the edges."
This lively girl, true to her lively appearance, was unusually outgoing for someone from an unorthodox sect.
Not all unorthodox folk are brutish monsters, but she's particularly sweet and approachable?
He could tell from how she'd accepted the name he gave her, since she had none.
A-jang (牙獐)—toothed roe deer.
She must have remembered that 'ditch-water muskrat' line.
Recalling her serious face as he named her always brought a smile.
"Why are you laughing?"
"Just thinking of someone."
"Weird that someone like A-jang reminds you of people."
"Why can't I know people?"
"Figured you'd only have enemies. Heard you picked fights passing by some folks yesterday? Word's already spread."
"Loose lips around here."
As he smacked his lips, Jin-jin narrowed her eyes reproachfully.
"Slacking off again today."
"Slacking? Just recalling martial incantations."
"You've memorized them all already."
"Truth is, I've gotten a taste for freeloading booze and meals in that fancy tiled mansion like a whale's back."
"Mercy. A-jang would've been a famous con artist without becoming a martial artist."
"Thanks for the compliment."
"Not a compliment."
Jin-jin's purpose wasn't just someone to banter with.
This little girl dragged him around the Thunder Tiger Sect, knowing plenty as the daughter of a sect long associated with it.
"This is the maids' quarters. That's the food storehouse."
"Sneak in and snag a bottle of booze?"
"If you want a beating from the Thunder Tiger Lord, I won't stop you."
"Kekeke."
Thanks to her, he explored the sect and learned much.
What he appreciated was her reason for looking after him so openly.
"A-jang seems like the type to barge anywhere recklessly, so be careful."
"Grateful for the concern."
Responding casually, he savored another day at the Thunder Tiger Sect.
Nearly two hours of wandering later, the little lady finally stopped.
"Whew. Tired."
"Drink if you're thirsty."
Handing her the water flask, she gulped it down like a sparrow fleeing a fire.
"You've been a big help. But why are you so good to me?"
"Because you're good to me."
"Thought it was normal."
"Normal folks fawn over my sister. No one really listens to me. My martial arts are weak too."
"Is that so? Blind bunch."
Jin-jin smiled, her big eyes crinkling in her small head.
"Things going well?"
"So-so."
"Heard the sect's chief steward, Black Gate Scholar Sword, is pretty scary. Better not rile him."
"How could a good, diligent guy like me ruffle feathers?"
"Never thought that endless self-praise might be the ruffle?"
As they chatted idly, a chilling killing intent suddenly approached from afar. Beyond the garden, a group in black robes marched together.
Iron Blood Beast Corps.
Spotting the wolf emblem on their chests, he realized her voice, lively until moments ago, had gone silent.
Looking down, Jin-jin—who'd been giggling—was gnawing her thumbnail fiercely.
"Hey. What's up?"
"Those guys scare me."
"Can't blame you."
As she admitted outright, unlike her sister dubbed the Upright Maiden of Dongting Lake, she didn't seem properly trained in martial arts.
Even unorthodox world has normal folks—not all Iron Chain Alliance thugs.
Most picked up superficial skills, muddled through without deep faction ties.
Fearing the Iron Chain Alliance's killer squad is natural.
But her fear seemed excessive.
"High Sword Sect's a top local sect, right? No need for a daughter of that house to fear them?"
"Well... whenever they visit, my family looks so downcast."
"That happened?"
As they talked, amid the orderly marching Iron Blood Beast Corps, a familiar hem caught his eye.
"Sister. Why is she...?"
It was Jin-yang, the Upright Maiden of Dongting Lake.
Surrounded by the corps' circular formation, she looked like a wildflower amid beasts.
"Why is Sister heading to the forbidden bamboo grove with them?"
"Huh? Can't go into the bamboo forest?"
"Told you. Forgot already? Beyond the bamboo is someone extremely important. Absolutely no approaching."
"Extremely important, huh."
Jin-jin didn't know the identity, but Chu Un-hwi could guess.
Frowning slightly, channeling inner energy, he sensed a massive, sticky aura.
Hiding here, eh.
Its mere presence froze people, deterring approach—not ordinary.
Definitely the Brutal Death Army.
He'd finally found him.
The culprit behind all the chaos around Dongting Lake.
About time to sneak a peek at his face.
Any good opportunities?
Jin-yang emerged from the bamboo path soon after.
She was deathly pale, like someone who'd seen a ghost.
"A-jang. See you later."
As worried Jin-jin left, amid the sudden silence, staggering Jin-yang appeared.
And one person pitying her from the side.
"Young master?"
After staring silently where Jin-yang and Jin-jin vanished, he spotted them and approached.
"What are you doing here?"
"Just resting. Little miss Jin-jin came by."
"Tch. Wasting time."
Clicking his tongue, he turned sharply, leaving a sharp warning.
"Hand over the incantations quick. Better not play games."
Snapping that, he flicked his sleeve and vanished.
"Doesn't seem in a good mood."
Time to dig deeper.
Day by day, more people came and went from the Thunder Tiger Sect.
"Well, if it isn't Poison Face Tiger."
"Three Vein Sword. You're here too."
Unorthodox martial artists entering greeted each other here and there, knowing faces.
Some exchanged hostile glares, but no fights broke out.
"It's a place with people, after all."
No idiot would cause trouble near the Iron Blood Beast Corps.
Pretending ignorance, observing passersby to gauge the mood, Jin-jin arrived as usual.
"A-jang."
Unlike her usual cheer, this spirited girl's face was deeply gloomy.
"Something wrong?"
"Well... Sister's becoming a disciple of the Brutal Death Army and going to the Iron Chain Alliance."
"Oh. Congrats?"
"But something feels off. She won't tell me, but Father and Mother were so sad. Sister seemed to cry buckets too."
"Sudden parting would do that."
"Hope so."
Jin-jin poured out her woes, sensing a hidden reason.
Listening, Chu Un-hwi intuited a perfect pretext.
A seventy-year-old suddenly taking a disciple.
Especially the High Sword Sect's forbidden jade leaf. Reasons aplenty, but the阴森 aura from the bamboo lingered.
Not ordinary internal arts.
Standard inner cultivation absorbs and refines nature's energy via heart methods, storing in the dantian.
Orthodox sects trained this orthodox way.
Unorthodox sought shortcuts, defying norms for quick power.
Unorthodox arts are阴森, but Brutal Death Army's is extreme.
Bordering on demonic arts.
"Everyone's down, sect mood's bad. What to do?"
"Dunno. Lived alone, clueless on that."
"Useless as expected. Parting's sad, but I'll cheer everyone up."
"I'll cheer you on."
Waving Jin-jin off, Chu Un-hwi's face turned icy.
Recalling a technique matching the familiar aura.
"Corpse Fusion Technique. Felt familiar. Since this lively little lady helped, time to investigate."
Reciting incantations casually, escaping again that afternoon.
Wandering the manor freely, no one blocked him.
Partly because he'd become known touring with Jin-jin.
"Gasp. Cross Demon Sword."
"Damn. What brings you here? Picking fights again?"
"Knows the chief steward's backing him, acting all lawless."
"Shh. He's looking. Play dumb."
Efforts paying off.
The manor entrance still buzzed with identity checks on entrants.
Ahead of the Yangtze Waterway Stronghold clash, screening spies?
But no one dared check him.
They parted like he carried plague, letting him roam freely.
Feigning ignorance near the bamboo path, spreading his senses, he detected a group approaching.
Undisciplined hostility laced with faint blood scent.
The awaited Iron Blood Beast Corps heading this way.
Time to start?
Grinning slyly, Chu Un-hwi counted inwardly and stepped forward.
"You! Where do you think you're going!"
Hook, line, and sinker.
Hearing rapid footsteps from behind as he mentally hit three, Chu Un-hwi grimaced.
"What? Who are you to speak casually?"
"Gasp! You...?"
It was even the Beast Corps member from the earlier market brawl.
Jackpot.
Setup for a brawl complete.