Chapter 190
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 190
Chapter Title: 52. Private Meeting (2)
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Shall we test the waters a bit?
Flying Tiger's expression soured unpleasantly as he shot back curtly.
"There's no way that Ye Hoe could be my senior brother. And the Hanjung Fortress Lord isn't my master either."
Overreacting with emotions and denying it so vehemently—what did that mean?
The old man asked with a grave look on his face.
"Is that how Fortress Lord Wang taught you? That Cheon Chu-chang isn't your senior brother?"
"Who knows. I can't tell you that, but I do know he's an ungrateful wretch."
"Pfft, hah! The height of impudence. How could Wang Yeo-chun have such a thick face..."
"Ha~ So Ye Hoe has his own sob story? That's why he deceived his master and joined the Ghost Faces?"
"Huh? What nonsense are you spouting? Who... are you?"
The old man's face changed abruptly.
That was when Flying Tiger realized there was something off about his question, enough to make the old man suspect he might not be one of Hanjung Fortress's people.
'What was wrong with what I just said?'
***
Asking if Ye Hoe had a backstory wasn't an issue. After all, every grave has its story—no one lives without one.
So was it the part about deceiving his master? Maybe Ye Hoe had joined the Ghost Faces with his master's tacit approval or something like that.
If not, perhaps Ye Hoe hadn't joined the Ghost Faces at all. But given the circumstances, he had clashed with his master, Fortress Lord Wang Yeo-chun of Hanjung, and mingled with the core members of the Ghost Faces. Which meant his true identity might be...
***
Flying Tiger stopped his train of thought there.
It seemed important, but he had to deal with the immediate problem first. The old man was glaring at him with murderous intent.
Did he think he was being toyed with?
Flying Tiger said,
"That's what I told you. The Hanjung Fortress Lord has nothing to do with me. Fine, if you want, I'll tell you who I am. But only if you answer one simple question of mine. How about it?"
"Are you wondering if I'm Left Responder Ki of the Stone Fire Spears?"
"Not anymore. I've realized you're not him, and that to meet Left Responder Ki, I have to get past you first."
"You've seen quite a bit in that short time. So, do you think you can get past me?"
"......"
Instead of a verbal reply, Flying Tiger flicked the blade of his rope dart with the middle finger of his left hand.
Ting~
A picture was worth a thousand words. Words wouldn't convince this opponent anyway, so it was time to let violence do the talking. The old man seemed to sense it too.
Thus, Flying Tiger held off on the question he wanted to ask for now.
'Hold on just a bit longer, Brother Ma Yeop.'
Muttering it like a spell, Flying Tiger took his first step.
Whoosh.
As always, it started with the Wind Water Illusion. He closed the ten paces in one breath, unleashing eight sword strikes.
The hulking old man retreated nimbly, defying his appearance. He poked at the incoming sword winds with precise thrusts of his spear. Each time, the sword winds deflated like burst balloons.
He was suppressing the winds with golden energy the size of a pea at his spear tip.
His skill was impressive, and it looked effortless, like flipping one's palm. Flying Tiger heightened his guard while his competitive spirit flared.
'Oh? Then take this too.'
Tap.
In the next instant, Flying Tiger stepped forward two or three more times, sending out sixteen sword winds. He planned to press on from the fourth to seventh steps, unleashing a total of fifty-six strikes.
Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.
The sword winds assailed from all directions, trying to shred the old man, whose spear tip danced busily as he retreated.
But the pressure of the Wind Water Illusion mounted, and just as the old man seemed about to be buried under the sword winds—
The spear thrust forward, extending about a chi—thirty centimeters—and tapped Flying Tiger's rope dart.
Ting~
It happened as Flying Tiger advanced two more steps for his fifteenth strike. His wrist snapped back, nearly causing him to drop the weapon.
It wasn't overwhelming force that pushed him. The sensation was like a mere needle prick. Yet the aftermath was enormous.
Four Taels Deflecting a Thousand Catties.
A technique that controlled a thousand catties with just four taels. Like pressing an acupoint to disrupt the flow, the old man had read the trajectory of Flying Tiger's strike and struck true.
The Wind Water Illusion's rhythm broke, forcing Flying Tiger to retreat. In an instant, attacker and defender swapped roles.
Flying Tiger raised his alertness to the max. The old man's move had come amid his flurry of high-speed strikes. If not luck, it meant the old man had pierced through his swordplay in that brief moment.
What if such a man attacked?
The old man, now on the offensive, stomped the ground heavily. An advancing stance.
Thud.
Then he thrust his spear straight out. The momentum felt like uprooting and hurling a massive tree.
Flying Tiger countered by retreating and unraveling the Wind Water Illusion in reverse.
Clang clang clang—spear~
The rope dart battered it, chipping away at the spear's heavy momentum.
The old man gripped his shaft tightly and pressed down, shouting.
"Hah!"
As the spear bent, its tip traced a small circle from the rebound. He whipped his right hand to accelerate it.
Ding ding ding ding~
The circling rings deflected all of Flying Tiger's strikes as the old man advanced.
It was the Six Jia Encircling Spear stance, neutralizing even the defensive form of the Wind Water Illusion.
What now?
Slink.
Suddenly, Flying Tiger's form melted into the ground like sinking into shadow. The Shadow Spell Technique.
"Sorcery? You dare use it before me?"
The old man scoffed and scraped the ground with his spear.
Scraaape—
The earth tore open in a long furrow.
But Flying Tiger was faster.
As if anticipating it, he popped up a zhang—about three meters—away from where he'd vanished. Right after, the old man's spear strike gouged and smashed that spot.
The old man's eyes flashed with interest.
'Not bad, but you're cornering yourself.'
He pulled back his spear into a one-handed thrust stance.
And waited.
Unless it was a bird, what went up must come down. He aimed for the peak moment when ascent ended and descent began.
In the blink of an eye, Flying Tiger shot up nearly a zhang, and the old man thrust into the air.
Golden qi extended from the spear tip like a straight line.
Ziiing—slash.
The old man's jaw dropped. This time, it was truly unexpected.
"What is that guy? Not a bird..."
Flying Tiger soared into the air, and at the apex, he flung his rope dart with his left hand. It flew toward a massive dead tree's outstretched branch. The sword at the end spun wildly, wrapping around the branch. Flying Tiger yanked the line, leaping again mid-air.
Executing it all in one fluid motion, to the old man, it looked like Flying Tiger was freely swimming through the sky.
Thus moving a step faster, Flying Tiger rose another zhang and landed atop the dead tree's branch.
Of course, the old man's golden qi passed harmlessly below his feet. Now, the old man looked up at him like a dog chasing a chicken only to stare at the roof. He lacked Flying Tiger's agility and would have to climb the tree to pursue.
Flabbergasted, the old man asked,
"How long do you plan to stay up there? I was going to handle this quietly out of embarrassment for you, but should I call the underlings now?"
Childish intimidation.
Flying Tiger looked down lazily and replied,
"That's up to you. Before that, let me ask one thing."
"Ha~ More questions. What is it?"
"Why did you kill Master Ma Yeop?"
"Ma Yeop? Who's that?"
"Go Seok Mountain Manor. The lord was Mun Hwa-gyun, right? He was there when you lot started the bloodbath."
"......!"
"Ring any bells now? You were ranting to your own Hanjung Fortress comrades about killing him."
"But that was... the Ghost Faces' doing, wasn't it?"
"Woof! Woof!"
Flying Tiger barked like a dog. As the old man stared in shock, he kindly explained he'd just mimicked the old man's bullshit. Then he pressed sharply.
"Don't play innocent. Even if the Ghost Faces were the main culprits, you helped them. Guided the way, covered it up. And who knows? Maybe you even joined in slaughtering the women and children."
"That's not true! We only..."
"Oh ho~ Is that so? But you watched that madman and his men massacre everyone. Right?"
"......"
The old man seemed hung up on that point too. So Flying Tiger prodded the sore spot again, asking softly,
"How was it? They say after watching fights, the next best is watching fires. Was spectating that slaughter just as thrilling?"
"I... I opposed it. Said it was insane. But he kept pushing... Damn it!"
The old man muttered bitterly, then snapped to with a curse. Glaring, he demanded of Flying Tiger,
"So you're here to avenge that Taoist Ma Yeop?"
"Among other things. So how about a deal?"
"......?"
"Spill the Ghost Faces' identity. I'll leave quietly. You and Left Responder Ki get to live through the night."
"Pfft, what nonsense. I'd rather kill you here and sleep easy."
"Last chance. You really think that?"
"What, still think you can get past me to Senior Left?"
Flying Tiger nodded, saying he understood. Then he showed it.
Sway.
He shook the branch, using the bounce to leap lightly through the air.
He landed on the roof of an empty house to the left, where he and the old man had faced off.
He'd bypassed the old man in one bound.
Then Flying Tiger dashed across the roof toward the rear building where he'd sensed presences besides the old man.
The startled old man whirled, took three steps, and leaped to intercept him on the roof.
He pursued so readily because he was desperate and psychologically confident. After clashing, Flying Tiger was clearly one or two levels below him. That's why he was still wary and circling back.
But Flying Tiger's target wasn't Left Responder Ki—it was the old man. Precisely moments like this.
As the old man leaped, Flying Tiger stomped the roof and jumped down. He held his rope dart rigidly upward. To smash down from higher up onto the airborne old man.
Heavenly Punishment, the first of the Heaven-Earth-Man triad.
Slaaash—argh!