Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: A Flaw in the Flowing Cloud Sword
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'As expected, lacking experience.'
Bang Gahu instantly pinpointed the weakness in the Flowing Cloud Sword Art.
The hand gripping the sword, the lower guard.
It was well concealed, but the flow occasionally broke.
Bang Gahu dismissed it as simply the limit of Cheongsang, a Second Generation Disciple still unskilled in executing the forms.
'What a shame. For a Second Generation Disciple, he had impressive skill.'
Thinking he had seized the weakness, Bang Gahu's front foot shot forward, burrowing into Cheongsang's right flank.
And the fist he had pulled back fully thrust out rapidly.
Whoosh!
"......!"
In that instant, the fist that should have struck true sliced through empty air, and Bang Gahu's pupils dilated sharply.
As he twisted his waist to evade the punch, the sword switched to his opposite hand and thrust straight out.
"What?!"
Bang Gahu, who had fully exposed his front, spat out a cry of dismay.
Cheongsang had aimed for Bang Gahu's throat.
The Heavenly Pivot acupoint.
"Kuh!"
The moment the scabbard's tip plunged deep, Bang Gahu's breath caught, his face twisting in agony as he staggered back.
Cheongsang's strategy of deliberately exposing a gap had hit its mark perfectly.
And the sword strikes followed immediately.
Nice!
When you're gonna beat someone, beat 'em good!
Damn, worth teaching the kid.
Jinmu cheered inwardly.
Smack!
The first sword strike dug deep into Bang Gahu's side, unleashing a barrage.
This is it. Once you start pounding, forget the forms.
Thwack! Crack! Bam!
Bang Gahu was beaten like a dog by Cheongsang without respite, and rage began to flicker in the eyes of Zhuge Geun watching from above.
'That idiot!'
He had sent him to test them, and here he was getting thrashed.
"Gahu! Aren't you ashamed, fighting a child?!"
He looked the same age, yet acted all high and mighty.
Zhuge Geun's shout pierced the inn sharply.
At that moment, a fierce aura swirled out from Bang Gahu's body like a whirlwind as he took the hits.
Clang!
"Kuugh!"
Cheongsang, who had been swinging wildly, grimaced and retreated.
The scabbard bounced away, baring the blade, and his hand trembled finely on the hilt.
Before him stood Bang Gahu, his face twisted into a demonic snarl.
And.
A bluish energy rose like haze from the drawn sword.
"You little brat......"
Sword qi writhing beyond the blade's edge like a serpent's tongue.
The privilege of those deemed first-rate had emerged.
Oh no, this is bad.
We had it in the bag.
Idiot went easy on him, no doubt.
Should've crippled an arm or leg when you had the momentum.
Jinmu, clicking his tongue in regret and rising to help Cheongsang, ended up chuckling.
Cheongsang's retreating sword.
Hummm.
The finally bared blade trembled faintly.
Not a sudden surge, but a resonance building as energy slowly filled it.
And the sword began to emit a bluish glow.
Resonant Sword.
Cheongsang hadn't given up yet.
And Zhuge Geun's astonished eyes upstairs were quite the sight.
'Shall I watch a bit more?'
Jinmu, who had half-risen awkwardly, sat back down. Cheongu whispered worriedly.
"S-Sasook. Sword qi."
"So?"
"Shouldn't we help?"
Jinmu stared at Cheongu silently and sighed.
Smack!
"Ow!"
"Help my ass!"
"He looks like he's losing......"
Losing? Ugh! No fire in you at all.
How'd a guy like this beat Cheongsang?
Pathetic.
Following me around wanting to be my disciple? Please.
Anyway, Jinmu turned his gaze back to Cheongsang.
"Ho? Resonant Sword? Impressive for someone in his twenties. However."
Bang Gahu was also surprised by Cheongsang's resonant sword.
But a freshly infused resonant sword was worlds apart from sword qi.
The qi density differed, so did the power.
Above all, the range.
A single person's attack distance expanded unimaginably.
"That's as far as you go!"
Swoosh!
The white blade whipped lightly, extending the sword qi like a cracking lash.
Snap!
Caught off guard by the trajectory, Cheongsang dodged urgently, but the hem of his new robe was sliced away pitifully.
Thud! Clang!
Sword qi clashed with resonant sword, screeching to tear the ears.
Cheongsang was giving his all.
But unlike before, he couldn't even approach, merely blocking the sword qi flying from all directions.
Still, his eyes burned with life.
He desperately tried to close the distance and exploit Bang Gahu's openings.
Good kid.
That's what a martial artist should be.
But he couldn't watch forever.
With sword qi out, he wouldn't die, but a mistake could mean severe injury.
And if Cheongsang lost, that annoying Zhuge Geun upstairs would smirk for sure.
'Not my disciple...... but I should train him later. Embarrassing traveling with him like this.'
Jinmu rose.
And leaped before Cheongsang, who had begun retreating under pressure.
Clang!
His drawn sword deflected Bang Gahu's sword qi.
Ziiing.
The blade, failing to fully absorb the shock, trembled faintly.
Click.
Gripping the hilt, Jinmu tucked the sword behind his back, tilted his chin up, and glared down at Bang Gahu with narrowed eyes.
"You bastard! Dare interfere in our bout?!"
"Bout? What bullshit."
"What?"
"You drew blades? This ain't sparring anymore—it's life or death. Break a bone, accidentally kill someone, no complaints."
"Y-You......"
"I picked the fight, you accepted."
"......"
"Got it? We know you're hot shit, so let's get to the main event. Stop bullying my good boy."
Jinmu bared his gleaming white fangs in a brilliant grin.
"Y-You......"
"Sasook!"
Cheongsang, blocked by Jinmu, furrowed his brow and shouted.
In that instant, not just Bang Gahu, but Zhuge Geun and the Zhuge Family scholars' eyes widened in shock.
Sasook.
He clearly said sasook.
That meant Jade Generation.
'Sasook? That kid?'
Especially Zhuge Geun's shock was indescribable.
Jade Generation, Wudang's First Generation Disciples.
Those personally taught by the elders.
Mostly mid-thirties, the true backbone of Wudang.
"What? You didn't think I was one of these brats, did you?"
"......"
No one could speak.
"Sasook, I can still go!"
Cheongsang shouted indignantly.
"Cheongsang."
"......Yes."
"You did great."
Jinmu smiled at Cheongsang with crescent eyes.
"Now I'll show you how to properly crush bastards like him. Watch and learn."
"Ah!"
Cheongsang's eyes sparkled.
Jinmu's martial arts.
He had only heard about the spar with Jinhyeo from Cheongu, never seen it.
Against the Eight Dragon Faction and Ten Words Two Evils, it wasn't really martial arts.
Just beatings.
But Sasook showing his skills personally? He was thrilled.
"Hey, mustache. What're you waiting for? Your boss."
"......It's Bang Gahu."
"Whatever. Sidekick to a punk."
"Young Taoist, mind your tongue."
Bang Gahu's face twisted completely at Jinmu's words, murderous intent rising chillingly.
"That's right. Bring it. Gotta have that to make pounding fun."
Jinmu's eyes gleamed wickedly.
"Gahu!"
Zhuge Geun cried out in panic, but Bang Gahu was beyond control.
This is bad.
Mysterious Wudang First Generation Disciple.
With killing intent, it's not a bout—it's a deathmatch.
And that leads to faction friction.
Even weakened, Wudang was the orthodoxy's mainstay.
And a First Generation Disciple......
"Damn it!"
As Zhuge Geun moved to stop Bang Gahu, Jinmu's foot left the floor.
The distance closed rapidly.
And Bang Gahu's killing-intent sword wove strange patterns.
Minor Celestial Star Sword, permitted to branch families, not headquarters.
Nothing like with Cheongsang.
Alternating left and right steps, the whipping sword trailed a line of sword qi shooting like an arrow.
But Jinmu stepped forward without dodging.
"Sasook!"
At the desperate moment with sword qi at his nose, Cheongu and Cheongsang shouted together.
Swish.
In that instant, Jinmu's sword traced a subtle arc.
And deftly twisted the sword qi's path.
"Ah!"
A faint bluish energy clung to Jinmu's blade.
Resonant Sword.
Jinmu deflected Bang Gahu's sword qi with resonant sword like Cheongsang, without clashing or blocking.
Like a master teaching a disciple.
Heh, power ain't everything—it's how you use it, you brute.
Boom boom crash!
Bang Gahu unleashed sword qi repeatedly, but none touched Jinmu.
All slid off the blade flat, smashing only the intact inn floor.
And step by step, he advanced.
As distance shrank, Bang Gahu's killing intent thickened, strikes denser.
And.
Three paces away.
The subtly curved blade slipped through Bang Gahu's strikes and vanished.
Slash!
First step.
The upright blade flat struck Bang Gahu's left cheek.
His head snapped aside.
"Kuuh......"
Crack!
Second step.
The prone blade flat shattered his exposed collarbone.
"Keurk!"
Thud!
Third step.
Jinmu's foot behind struck Bang Gahu's knee hollow hard.
Thud!
Bang Gahu's knee slammed the floor violently.
And.
Grab.
Jinmu's hand, tossing the sword aside, yanked Bang Gahu's hair.
"Kuuuh......"
Kneeling, head wrenched back, Bang Gahu could only look up at Jinmu.
"Yeah. Right here. From now on, look up like this. Got it?"
With a wicked smile rising, the high-raised fist plunged vertically.
Splat! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Dull thumps filled the inn, blood splattering the floor.
No one could speak amid the brutal, chilling sounds.
Bang Gahu, head gripped by Jinmu, seemed unconscious, body twitching faintly.
"Stop!"
Unable to watch, Zhuge Geun intervened to halt him.
Whoosh!
Striding forward, his extended hand flew at Jinmu's wrist.
Zhuge Family's Golden Claw technique: Coagulated Blood Divine Claw.
Grab the wrist, twist, snap, shove.
But.
"......!"
The wrist he thought grabbed dissolved like mist, and Jinmu, pulling Bang Gahu's head aside, smirked.
Bang Gahu defeated, subordinates watching.
Even using the family's proud Golden Claw, he couldn't stop him or grab the wrist—Zhuge Geun's face flushed crimson.
People called the Zhuge Family a house of scholars with mechanisms and wisdom.
Wrong.
Zhuge Family was a martial house in the jianghu, a great clan.
Superior in civil arts over martial, but not weak.
Undisputed top clan in Hubei.
Humiliation surging to his scalp, Zhuge Geun channeled inner power with Minor Celestial Star Divine Art, accelerating.
Swoosh!
Faint energy at fingertips, Coagulated Blood Divine Claw doubled speed, targets varied.
A direct branch heir's full effort.
Even Jinmu couldn't just watch.
Brat with no dry blood on his head.
Aiming for an adult's collar, not even the wrist?
Time to counter.