Chapter 141
Chapter 141
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 141
Chapter Title: Martial Arts Should Be Martial Arts-Like
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At that moment, a massive, mountain-like obese jiangshi burst forth.
The thing looked like a walking dumpling, swinging its stiff arm to smash into Han Ibi's head.
Han Ibi ducked low in an instant, stepping into the Eight Trigrams Footwork as he thrust the red-hot blade into the creature's bloated belly.
The jiangshi's clothes immediately ignited, surpassing the ignition point.
The flames started small but spread across its entire body in moments.
"Grrraaah!"
Were the already-dead monsters still capable of feeling pain?
The jiangshi thrashed wildly in agony.
But before the fury of the devouring hellfire, the resistance of its slightly tougher hunk of meat was utterly meaningless.
Finally, its body collapsed forward, crashing to the floor.
Han Ibi watched and remarked,
"Smells kinda like roasting meat, doesn't it?"
Sa U-yeon grimaced in horror.
"Don't say that. You're gonna make me puke."
As the twice-dead jiangshi's corpse blazed fiercely, the others hesitated to approach.
Un Geuk-byeong ground his teeth at the sight.
"You... you worthless scum. Do you think my life's work will crumble because of a brat like you?"
He pulled a wooden talisman from his robe, covered in tiny blood-written script.
Un Geuk-byeong muttered an incantation under his breath, then hurled it toward Han Ibi's group.
Thud.
The talisman hit the ground with a sound.
But that tiny signal drew the jiangshi's gazes like thunder's roar.
"Grooo!"
"Kraaa!"
The jiangshi howled in unison and charged madly at Han Ibi's group.
Han Ibi shouted,
"Big bro swordsman! And you, kid! Grab swords like me, quick!"
No sooner had he spoken than Seon Mu-jae and Sa U-yeon snatched up glowing-hot blades with the tongs.
Sa U-yeon grumbled,
"This is seriously uncomfortable."
Han Ibi shot back,
"Then get bitten by the jiangshi instead."
The jiangshi launched their all-out assault.
This time, Seon Mu-jae moved first.
He unleashed the Beggar Clan's signature footwork, the Drunken Eight Immortals Step, weaving drunkenly through the jiangshi.
Staggering as if he might fall, yet rising unsteadily—the unpredictable steps offered no glimpse of what lay ahead.
With each brush, he gifted the jiangshi his flaming sword.
"Whoa! That's awesome."
Han Ibi whistled, activating the Eagle's Eye Technique's favorites to store the footwork in his mind.
Sa U-yeon's approach was different.
The beggar kid crouched low and dashed forward, suddenly setting the jiangshi's hair ablaze.
The inferno engulfed their heads in seconds, toppling them efficiently.
Han Ibi gave a thumbs-up.
"Clever trick. Can't let you two have all the fun hunting."
Han Ibi stepped through the Eight Trigrams sequence, slipping artfully between the jiangshi.
He incorporated the essence of the Drunken Eight Immortals Step he'd glimpsed earlier.
His form became even more impossible to track.
Han Ibi casually ignited the jiangshi struggling to follow him.
The acrid smoke and stench filled the workshop, making it hard to breathe.
They swapped to fresh-hot blades whenever theirs cooled.
Then it happened.
Sa U-yeon froze in place, as if paralyzed.
Han Ibi caught it from the corner of his eye and shoved the kid down in shock.
Boom!
A jiangshi's leg smashed a hole in the floor—right where Sa U-yeon had stood.
Han Ibi realized why Sa U-yeon had been dazed.
The attacking jiangshi... was the old man they'd called Ha Ho-bup.
"Raaagh!"
Ha Ho-bup the jiangshi bellowed.
His eyes were like rotten fish orbs, his reason long buried in the dirt...
Han Ibi flipped airborne, aiming to set the old man's white hair aflame.
But then—
Pressure on his leg.
Sa U-yeon, on the ground, clutched Han Ibi's pant leg with all his might.
Shaking his head wildly, Sa U-yeon pleaded,
"No... don't..."
Ha Ho-bup swung his arm viciously.
Han Ibi had no choice but to channel the Dark Shell Art, blocking with both arms.
Boom!
Immense pressure.
Han Ibi's whole body shook.
He licked his burst lip and said,
"Oof. They say power scales with the raw material... Guess this guy was a martial artist in life."
Ha Ho-bup's leg came crashing down again.
"Pretty flexible joints for a grandpa."
Han Ibi split his legs wide front and back, dodging the attack.
Now eye-level with the seated Sa U-yeon...
Han Ibi stared straight at him.
"Send him off peacefully! With your own hands, not anyone else's. He wouldn't want to linger like this... Whoa!"
Thud!
Han Ibi blocked Ha Ho-bup's descending strike with his left hand.
"Ouch, that hurts!"
Sa U-yeon's expression finally shifted.
Daze... sorrow...
Resignation... rage...
Resolve...!
Han Ibi glanced back.
"Now, do it!"
Sa U-yeon kicked off with one foot.
Midair, he plunged the flaming sword into Ha Ho-bup's back, which was fixated on Han Ibi.
Flames roared instantly, engulfing the old man's back.
Within the fierce blaze.
Somehow sorrowful, Ha Ho-bup turned his head.
That profile.
That grieving face.
It was a final farewell to the master and father figure.
Tears welled unbidden in Sa U-yeon's eyes.
'Farewell...'
Han Ibi gently gripped his shoulder for a moment.
But soon, he had to rush toward Seon Mu-jae’s fight.
The fiery feast reignited!
As the jiangshi's defeat loomed...
All the heated blades had cooled completely.
Seon Mu-jae said,
"Damn, still plenty of jiangshi left... What now?"
Han Ibi replied,
"I have a plan."
Seon Mu-jae asked hopefully,
"What is it?"
"Run like hell."
"What?"
Han Ibi pointed at Un Geuk-byeong.
"That guy's off. My instincts are screaming to get away."
Seon Mu-jae frowned at him.
The man muttered endlessly like a rain-soaked madman.
"How dare you... How dare you harm my precious children... You filthy dogs... I'll make sure you can't even close your eyes in death. I'll turn all your corpses into my jiangshi..."
Han Ibi clapped his hands over Sa U-yeon's ears.
"Whoa. Kid's present, and you're spewing that filth..."
He turned to Seon Mu-jae.
"Better retreat for now, right?"
Seon Mu-jae replied grimly,
"Beggar Clan heroes don't retreat."
'Damn. Isn't that just beggar talk?'
Then—
Un Geuk-byeong suddenly squatted down.
Han Ibi's group watched in confusion.
Han Ibi thought,
'Bad omen. Real bad. That plot device wuxia authors pull out when they're desperate...'
Suddenly, Un Geuk-byeong retched with guttural "Grrk grrk" sounds and stood.
The remaining jiangshi froze in fear.
Un Geuk-byeong began slapping yellow talismans onto his body.
At the same time—
Crack crack.
Eerie, grating sounds echoed from his joints.
Han Ibi eyed his face.
The sharp, cunning features had twisted into bestial savagery...
Shockingly, drool dripped from his mouth.
Living jiangshi—or activated jiangshi.
The forbidden art of turning the living into jiangshi.
Han Ibi always slammed the book shut at such scenes in wuxia tales.
His firm belief: martial arts should stay true to martial arts.
But now...
'Ugh... Should've skimmed countermeasures back then. Who knew I'd face this for real.'
Un Geuk-byeong snarled,
"I'll kill you all... every last one..."
Han Ibi warned,
"Everyone, be careful... all of you..."
Then—
Whoosh.
With the wind, Un Geuk-byeong's form lunged at Seon Mu-jae in a blink.
Seon Mu-jae raised his sword in alarm.
Un Geuk-byeong struck bare-handed at his side.
Seon Mu-jae twisted his grip for a vertical block.
Clang.
Metal clashed, and Seon Mu-jae flew airborne.
Crash!
A workbench collapsed entirely.
Unarmed, his stiffened, multi-fold reinforced skin was steel itself.
Un Geuk-byeong didn't stop.
He leaped dozens of feet, swinging at Sa U-yeon.
Sa U-yeon swung his staff in counterattack, but...
Bang!
He slammed into the wall.
Sticky blood trickled from his mouth.
The snapped staff rolled across the floor, still humming with force.
Cold sweat dripped down Han Ibi's back.
He'd expected strength, but not this monstrous.
At that instant, Han Ibi was behind Un Geuk-byeong.
Judging it prime for a sneak attack, he was about to spring—
Suddenly, Un Geuk-byeong's back filled his vision, expanding rapidly.
The stiff jiangshi lightness skill, executed backward!
Now inches away, Un Geuk-byeong spun, smashing both arms at Han Ibi's head.
Han Ibi couldn't defend in time.
His skull would shatter.
He surged the Dark Shell Art to his head.
Crack!
"No!"
Seon Mu-jae cried out in despair, too late.
But...
"Urk!"
Han Ibi retched from the unimaginable impact.
He muttered,
"This guy's a real monster."
Seon Mu-jae, Sa U-yeon—even Un Geuk-byeong looked somewhat stunned.
Sa U-yeon whispered,
"Golden Light Indestructible...?"
Han Ibi chuckled darkly and spat blood.
"Wouldn't that be nice."
He charged Un Geuk-byeong.
Pouring all his power into a single sword strike at the throat.
But Un Geuk-byeong blocked bare-handed, unmoving.
Thud!
As expected, no effect.
But...!
Han Ibi spun, stabbing the Mysterious Frost Blade—drawn in his left—at the knee.
'Frost Penetration Strike!'
Yes.
Han Ibi had paralyzed Un Geuk-byeong's movement instantly.
Timing it mentally, he swung mercilessly.
Clang clang clang!
First form, second, third!
But...
Wham!
Han Ibi's body soared from the massive shock.
His solar plexus, hit by Un Geuk-byeong, ached into numbness.
Incredibly, the living jiangshi's supernatural power had shattered even the frost attribute's paralysis.
Un Geuk-byeong grinned.
"You wield strange arts."
Damn it. As if you're normal.
His paralyzed facial muscles made the smile utterly grotesque.
Un Geuk-byeong stepped that stiff lightness skill toward Sa U-yeon.
Grinning blankly, he said,
"Pretty child. Why the beggar rags? This old man has no taste for women, but I can't abide such waste. Come, let me adorn you beautifully."
He raised an arm overhead.
Sa U-yeon squeezed his eyes shut.
Then—
"Hey! What the hell is this?!"
All eyes turned to Han Ibi, the voice's source.
He glared at the sprawled Sa U-yeon.
"A girl? A girl! You tricked me, didn't you?!"
Sa U-yeon snapped back indignantly,
"When did I ever say I was a boy?!"
Han Ibi said,
"We'll settle this later. First, let's deal with that freak."
His eyes darkened like abyssal caves as he shuffled toward Un Geuk-byeong.
(To be continued...)