Chapter 120
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 120
Chapter Title: Chapter 120
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 120
Chapter Title: Chapter 34. The Tiger's Maw (3)
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"Hey, bear with it. Gon-son may be infuriating, but he's a vital resource we need right now."
"But that mongrel..."
"I get it. It's got nothing to do with me liking Flying Tiger or not—I recognize him as useful. That's why it's so frustrating. But listen, even Unseong Chilrang is in that state now, and Flying Tiger's broken too. If Gon-son bails on us as well, who do we take on the mission?"
"Hmph. An organization can't function without discipline. You're saying we'll forgive him for that reason?"
"Not at all. Honestly, wasn't this all started by that Flying Tiger making a fuss first? So even the old-timers can't be trusted anymore. Look around you. Don't they all look satisfied?"
"......"
Ho Ye-hwa glanced around at Jeong-geum's words and saw that, aside from Sama Gulgi—the direct opponent in Flying Tiger's duel—the other two, Bong Yeonja and Ilgwang, showed no hint of regret.
Ilgwang in particular, still smarting from getting thoroughly thrashed by Flying Tiger, spat out a remark while pretending to mind his own business.
"He's the idiot who got done in."
Ho Ye-hwa felt deflated but acknowledged Jeong-geum's point.
For now, they needed to carry out the mission smoothly. Personal grudges could wait!
With that resolve, Ho Ye-hwa drew his sword and stepped toward Flying Tiger. Things had come to this, so he meant to at least make sure to sever the bastard's leash properly.
'Yeah. You brought this on yourself. Blame your vicious nature—who else is there to fault?'
Originally, the plan had been to test Flying Tiger's true skills and, while at it, temper that thunderbolt hothead of his.
Push too hard, and he might actually drop dead.
That's why they'd emphasized stopping at an appropriate line, but it seemed they'd underestimated that sly Gon-son's true intentions.
Anyway, Flying Tiger was now useless and thus marked for disposal. It was obvious he'd become a massive headache if left alive.
Now, who would claim that masterless sword?
Sama Gulgi seemed to have a conscience, so he probably wouldn't claim it as the duel winner. Gon-son was brazen, but even he wouldn't insist on a share for himself. The rest didn't even qualify.
Jeong-geum, as the one in charge here, might step in, but knowing he'd taken a loss, he might yield it graciously enough.
Besides, since he'd be the one finishing off Flying Tiger, he'd have the legitimate claim as successor.
Ahem, ahem.
"Hold on."
Sama Gulgi took a step forward to block Ho Ye-hwa, having seen his approach. Things felt off somehow, but for now, it was to protect Flying Tiger.
Then he flinched.
"What's the matter?"
"...Nothing."
"Boring."
Ho Ye-hwa sneered inwardly as he passed Sama Gulgi. He knew exactly what had happened. Jeong-geum had surely persuaded him just like he had Ho Ye-hwa.
Something along the lines of: Interfere with the organization's business like this, and they'll see you differently.
'Come to think of it, people's hearts in this world are so shallow, aren't they? Ha, the cold jianghu... what the—?!'
Ho Ye-hwa froze, his body hair standing on end. He'd witnessed a sight beyond imagination.
Flying Tiger, who had been sprawled out vomiting blood and wheezing... how to describe it? He was melting? Not figuratively—he was literally doing so, and at an astonishing speed!
Liquefaction.
From around his chest down, Flying Tiger had turned into a viscous black liquid soaking the ground, while his intact head swiveled above it, locking eyes with Ho Ye-hwa.
......!
Flying Tiger's eyes had no whites left; the black pupils gleamed like glass beads.
And he wore a bizarre smile—innocent? Cunning and evil? Or both? Who could say.
Even as his face melted away with that grin, until no expression was discernible, those glossy black eyes fixed on Ho Ye-hwa.
Splatter.
In an instant, even the last strand of hair dissolved, leaving a wet black stain that seemed to seep into the floor.
And then the black stain darted away.
There was no presence or sound—it was like a shadow.
"Gasp!"
Ho Ye-hwa had stared blankly, entranced for that brief moment, then jolted back a step at the black thing's movement.
So when the others turned to him at his reaction, Ho Ye-hwa's gaze was already following the shadow's path.
There stood Gon-son the Mage.
And Gon-son the Mage misinterpreted Ho Ye-hwa's stare.
'Heh heh heh, what're you gonna do glaring like that? The rice is cooked already.'
What indeed?
No sooner had Gon-son the Mage smirked smugly than his face rotted away. He'd finally noticed the eerie shadow lunging at him.
Suddenly.
Like a grain of rice popping from a boiling pot, Flying Tiger burst from the shadow.
And he smashed his fist into Gon-son the Mage's abdomen.
Before Gon-son could react, he instinctively thrust out his palm to block, but flesh tore and blood sprayed.
Splat.
Flying Tiger held the Yuan-yang Yue in his right hand; the thrust was the Pushing Yue Form, and Gon-son's attempt to grab it had sliced him with the hooked blade.
Gon-son urgently gathered his sinister inner energy into his left palm and struck at Flying Tiger's face.
Flying Tiger countered by swinging the Yuan-yang Yue in his left hand down in the Splitting Yue Form, deflecting the incoming palm strike.
Thud.
Meanwhile, the Yuan-yang Yue in his right hand flipped nimbly.
As Flying Tiger twisted and yanked, the upper blade—called the deer horn—severed Gon-son the Mage's right index finger clean off, freeing his grip.
Riding the momentum, the lower blade—the fish tail—finally pierced Gon-son the Mage's abdomen.
Precisely two inches below the navel—the location of his dantian.
Stab.
And Flying Tiger unleashed the power of 'Lightning Flash' through the weapon.
Crackle.
'Oh ho~ So how did our young warrior end up spewing blood? Did the mage's arts shock him so much he bit his own tongue?'
This was what Bong Yeonja had teasingly said upon seeing Flying Tiger stagger under Gon-son the Mage's 'Binding' spell and cough up blood.
And she was partly right.
Flying Tiger had deliberately bitten his tongue. Why? To test if it would snap him out of the spell.
He'd guessed Gon-son the Mage's talisman arts were more mental—hypnosis or hallucinogens—than physical force.
So first, he'd circulated Lightning Flash energy through his body. Lightning was said to dispel evil energies since ancient times. He'd seen real results against Western sorcerers' curses before.
Yes, Lightning Flash worked.
But dizziness lingered, so he'd bitten his tongue to draw blood, feeling his mind clear like a splash of cold water.
Thus, Flying Tiger had secured a defense—imperfect, but effective—against Gon-son the Mage's talismans.
During the clash with Sama Gulgi, when his strength suddenly drained, he'd realized the sneaky mage's trick and used Lightning Flash and the tongue bite to recover.
His wariness—that the bastard might pull something—had saved him.
Then, tumbling as if struck by Sama Gulgi's sword, he'd sprayed the blood from his mouth.
Dropping his Overgold Sword amplified the act.
The effects were threefold.
First, it scattered attention from him. What a treasure, right?
Second, silent persuasion: even his prized weapon was abandoned—what must his state be?
Third, it signaled they could let their guard down. He was disarmed, after all.
In truth, he'd braced for a real sword strike from Sama Gulgi for authenticity. But the blade hesitated at the last moment, poking a hole in the performance.
Luckily, eyes on the sword covered it, but it was a close call.
That's why suspicion flickered on Sama Gulgi's face. Pushed back frantically, he wasn't sure, but it hadn't felt lethal.
Anyway.
With preparations complete, Flying Tiger waited for the perfect moment—an unchallenged chance to strike Gon-son the Mage. The method? The same shadow technique used on Elder Response of the Northern Plateau, that legendary archer.
One of Flying Tiger's three signature assassination arts: Earth Conquest, aka 'Shadow Sorcery.'
Thus, Heavenly Punishment was a physical dive from the heavens, adding weight to the slash.
Earth Conquest was pursuing as a shadow for ambush sorcery. Sorcery wasn't Gon-son the Mage's exclusive domain!
And finally, the Human Conquest prepared for the Fire Human Sword's true form...
Flying Tiger had always planned to deal with Gon-son the Mage once he had an excuse. The man was insidious, dangerous, and harbored ill will toward him. If no pretext arose soon, he'd fabricate one. But it wasn't easy. The fallout from prior incidents had eyes glued to him.
Yet here Gon-son handed him the perfect excuse on a platter.
Perhaps Gon-son hadn't wanted him dead—just enough pretext lacking. So he'd borrowed another's blade for a moderate end, but it turned into clumsy provocation.
And in the jianghu, 'provocation' meant...
"How dare you scheme against me? You deserve death!"
Flying Tiger shattered Gon-son the Mage's dantian, hooked the Yuan-yang Yue's blade at his throat, and seized him from behind. Slowly retreating, he bellowed triumphantly.
The room's occupants snapped out of stunned spectatorship at his voice.
"Wait a minute."
"What?"
Poke. Poke.
Ignoring Jeong-geum's shout, Flying Tiger jabbed Gon-son the Mage's shoulder twice with the empty-handed Yuan-yang Yue. Gon-son twitched, shuddering from the dantian rupture shock.
"Remove that hand right now!"
"Why should I?"
"Didn't I warn you? No causing trouble."
"Hmph! If anyone's to hear that, it should've been this cripple first."
"......"
Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke.
Flying Tiger jabbed Gon-son the Mage's thigh and elsewhere, retorting to Jeong-geum.
Jeong-geum was speechless—it rang too true. Unable to stand it, Bong Yeonja stepped forward with a beaming smile, feigning goodwill.
"Little brother, calling the mage a cripple... I get you're angry, but your words are harsh."
"Lady, you're misunderstanding again. Not an insult—just fact. His dantian's shattered, tendons severed in multiple places. If not a cripple, what is he?"
"What?"
Poke-poke-poke-poke-poke.
Flying Tiger grinned wickedly as he replied, punctuating each word with jabs. Even if Gon-son the Mage wasn't a cripple yet, he would be soon.
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