Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Who Could It Be?
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But who could it be?
Such a master... there's no way I wouldn't know him.
One Moon Demonic Cult, Evil Hegemony Heaven, Orthodox Alliance.
No matter how hard I racked my brain, there wasn't a single renowned master who fit the description of an old man.
"Not bad at all, kid. You're probably the best in the Central Plains among your peers. I hadn't heard that Wudang had a disciple like you."
The old man chuckled, his sunken cheeks moving without teeth.
"Your ears must be going deaf in your old age."
"Hohoho, you cheeky brat. You've got quite the mouth on you."
"Shut up. Are you with them?"
"With them? Hmm, well... I'm using these kids right now, so I suppose you could call us allies."
Damn it! Geumjeoksan, you son of a bitch. How much did you pay?
Of all people, a master like this.
With that level of skill, he should be holed up somewhere living comfortably as an elder. What the hell is he doing taking commissions? Taking commissions at his age, the shriveled old prune.
Irritation surged up.
In the past, maybe, but with my current power, even with tricks, it was a definite loss.
Even teaming up with Cheongsang and Cheongu, I doubted we'd land a single scratch.
If I'd known there was an old monster like this, I never would've let my guard down.
"Aren't you ashamed, taking a commission just to kill someone like me?"
"Huh? I said we're allies. I never said I took a commission."
"What?"
Is this old bastard messing with me?
Jinmu scowled fiercely at the old man. But then the old man seemed to sense something.
"Hoho, guys with sinister auras, and now even the Zhuge Family? Oh dear, oh dear. What crime has this young Wudang Taoist committed to attract so many hunters already?"
"What did you say?"
Sinister guys? Zhuge Family?
What nonsense is this old coot spouting?
"In any case, I only need that one. What do you say, Wudang kid?"
"......"
The old man pointed to the scrawny man passed out in Cheongu's hands.
"I have to take him alive, so if you don't interfere, I'll pretend I didn't see you."
"Pretend you didn't see us?"
Jinmu repeated, but the old man just laughed with his cheeks sucked in like a prune.
But this was a relief.
No need to fight this terrifying old monster right in front of me.
"Fine."
No sane merchant invests in a losing deal.
Handing over the guy after me didn't sit well, but risking my life over such petty(?) stubbornness was foolish. Better to bow my head and bend my knee.
At least, that's how Jinmu was.
"Good, then. Hohoho."
The old man approached slowly with his hands behind his back, and Jinmu carefully stepped aside.
The old man checked the fallen man's pulse, then slung him over his shoulder like dry cotton fluff.
And then.
He slowly turned his head toward Jinmu.
Huh?
A chilling glint flashed in the old man's eyes for an instant.
You fucking old bastard!
Pang!
Before he could prepare, the old man's hand shot out swiftly.
"Dodge!"
Jinmu shouted and leaped back, flailing his hands wildly.
Whirrr!
His inner energy surged instantly, whipping up wind that blasted from his palms.
Paak!
The collision twisted the old man's palm force.
Kwaang!
The long corridor wall crumbled with a massive explosion.
"Hoo?"
A strange expression crossed the old man's eyes.
Jinmu's quick response at the moment of impact had surprised him.
The old man had proposed the deal because he absolutely needed to save the scrawny man on his shoulder—Go-wol.
The moment that goal was met, he'd unleashed his palm strike to kill Jinmu.
But at the clash.
"Using Wudang's Whirling Wind Palm like that."
Whirling Wind Palm produced a swirling gale-like force.
But Jinmu hadn't used the palm force itself—he'd utilized the resulting wind.
Realizing he couldn't match the old man, Jinmu compressed the wind from the Whirling Wind Palm into an air barrier, deflecting the incoming palm strike.
It was theoretically possible but incredibly hard in practice.
You needed profound martial understanding even to attempt it, and timing it perfectly was near impossible without vast experience.
"Heh, a kid's technique surpasses this old monster who's lived decades."
The old man looked at Jinmu with disbelief.
Where did this guy come from?
"Who the hell are you?"
Jinmu glared at the old man, tense.
"Who knows. Not a name for someone who's about to die."
The old man's face darkened ominously.
In that instant, chilling killing intent swept in like a fierce gust.
Jinmu felt chills down his spine and swiftly drew his sword, swinging left and right.
Clang! Kaang!
Though nothing was visible, friction screeched from his swinging blade.
"Hoo? You sensed that too? This is making me more convinced I have to kill you."
"......"
He was aiming for Cheongsang and Cheongu.
Formless Sword Qi.
The old man could conceal his energy aura at will.
And then, vivid blood-red aura rose from his hand.
Shit.
Fear always became reality.
The old man's realm wasn't mere intent aura—it was the Gang realm.
"......!"
Jinmu shouted and charged at the old man.
"J-Junior Uncle!"
Cheongsang's cry rang out.
But the opponent was a Gang realm master.
The moment he showed his true power, they'd all die.
With Jinmu's mere Dan-gi level, he couldn't block him.
Having warned them, it was up to Cheongsang and Cheongu to escape.
Jinmu only planned to buy a tiny bit of time.
As their protector.
Chiririk!
Kicking off the wall, Jinmu's sword rushed the old man, creating flashy changes that filled the building with sword qi.
It wasn't Jinmu's preferred style.
Swords should always be practical.
Eliminate unnecessary motions, focus solely on power that wounds the enemy.
Short and concise.
But the opponent was too strong for that.
Jinmu's goal was to buy time.
Using as many feints and flourishes as possible to dazzle, stealing glances to gain seconds.
Then prepare a stealthy strike in the gap.
'Please fall for it!'
The sword qi filling every direction converged on one point.
"Hmph!"
Just as the sword qi poured down to shred the old man's body.
Thud!
A light step forward.
Swish!
A small circling gesture.
For those at the absolute realm, having a sword or not didn't matter.
The sword was merely an extension of the hand.
Gang qi could be projected anywhere.
As the old man's fingers spread, blood-red Gang qi unfurled like a spiderweb ahead.
Kaaaang!
Jinmu's blue sword qi scattered.
Chiiing!
The straight-thrust sword tip halted mid-air, trembling like a cicada's wing.
Blocked.
The sword, meant to pierce the center after distracting with qi, didn't even touch the old man's palm.
"You brat, you used your head..."
The old man, nullifying all attacks, looked puzzled at Jinmu's expression.
Jinmu's lip curled up.
A sneer.
Why?
But before his confusion faded, a chill hit.
The old man snapped his head aside fiercely.
Phit!
"......!"
A thin thread of energy grazed his earlobe.
Drip.
Blood flowed.
"Y-You little...!"
As pain stung with the dripping blood, the old man's face flushed crimson with boiling rage.
He'd thought the hidden dagger amid flashy changes was a single strike at the center.
But even that was a feint for a third attack.
Before thrusting, Jinmu had slowly released a thin strand of energy.
A delayed attack.
Pang!
Jinmu, already retreated, taunted the old man.
"How's that? Like it? I used my head a bit. You damn old coot!"
He said that, but it was a shame.
If the old man hadn't dodged, it would've pierced his eyeball.
"You...!"
The old man's narrowed eyes trembled.
To him, Jinmu was an ant.
A worthless bug he could crush with a finger.
But sometimes, bold ants bit human skin without knowing their place.
That's what happened now.
From a venom-laced ant named Jinmu.
And while distracted by Jinmu, Cheongsang and Cheongu had vanished.
"A mere kid dares to face me."
"Bullshit. 'Dares'? You won't even reveal who you are."
Jinmu twisted his sword diagonally and retorted.
He was inferior in martial arts, but he refused to lose a verbal fight.
He had to win something.
But his insides burned, lips parched.
The old man's energy pressed down coldly from all sides. The immense pressure choked him.
Damn, I poked the wrong thing.
Not just a beehive—a wasp nest.
"Fine! You're begging to die!"
Pak!
A faint sound.
Huh?
In a blink, the old man's hand crossed space to Jinmu's nose.
'W-What's this?!'
Palm strike.
No drawing in, gathering, or pushing prep.
A strike exploding straight from the extended hand.
Jinmu urgently kicked the floor at the massive aura.
But the exploding palm was faster than his retreat.
'Damn it!'
Jinmu swiftly kicked up at the wrist while crossing his arms.
Creeeeng!
With massive impact, Jinmu's body crashed through the building wall.
"......"
But the old man's face twisted.
He'd twisted.
In that split second.
As the palm hit the crossed arms' center, Jinmu spun like a top, deflecting the shock.
Still young.
Yet his potential at that age and realm was unimaginable.
His technique execution was superior to anyone.
The old man approached the shattered wall.
Intending to finish him for sure.
But.
He couldn't step out.
Too many eyes.
Dozens just from his senses.
With his skill, he could kill them all and vanish.
But his mission was retrieving Go-wol.
Plus reasons not to reveal himself.
"But."
The old man flicked a finger at the falling Jinmu.
Swaeek!
Fierce finger wind shot toward him.
Daaaang!
The old man's brow furrowed again.
Damn whelp blocked it mid-air with his sword, even now.
Slamming into the ground from the shock, vomiting blood, but alive.
Twice now.
Despite lacking the skill, blocking palm then finger wind.
"Truly remarkable. Shame. I'd kill you myself to eliminate future threats, but it might leave traces for that beggar."
The old man smirked coldly and raised his foot high.
Then stomped the ground with massive energy.
Kwaaaang!