Chapter 88
Chapter 88
Translator: Penny
Chapter 88
Where the Cipher Leads (3)
The pointed sword trembled slightly.
I kept my gaze fixed on Shim Hwang's eyes, ignoring the blade's tip.
Just then, the door swung open, and someone strode in, announcing loudly, "He's right. An invitation is simply a ticket for entry."
It was none other than Qiu Dochi, the Qiu Family Manor Lord. Gone was the benevolent and gentle demeanor he had displayed before the crowd; now he radiated a sharp, piercing aura, like witnessing twins with diametrically opposed personalities.
"Take off that bamboo hat," he ordered.
"No," I refused flatly.
Shim Hwang, who had been aiming his sword at me, flinched at my immediate rejection. He clearly wanted to swing the blade and sever my neck on the spot, but with Qiu Dochi's arrival, he couldn't act unilaterally.
I warned him,
"You'd better be careful. My patience for your insolence is limited to one instance. You already used that chance when you drew your sword against me."
A murderous glint flashed in Shim Hwang's eyes. He was far too skilled to be intimidated by such words.
Chu Dochi intervened, stopping him.
"Withdraw."
Shim Hwang retreated, but even several steps back, he continued to glare at me warily.
Chu Dochi turned to me.
"You should be careful too. You only get one chance to live as well."
I chuckled softly. I never imagined deciphering the cipher would lead to this situation.
"So you won't show your face? You're acting too precious for someone who isn't even a beauty."
"After all, we don't slaughter pigs based on their looks, do we?" Chu Dochi replied with a smile.
"Hahaha, you're right about that. Good. As the one who issued the invitation, I suppose I'm entitled to ask a few questions. Jo Byeok, the master of the invitation you carry, is already dead. So why is his invitation in your possession?"
"Because I killed him."
"Just one more question: Who are you?"
"Let's just say I'm someone who couldn't overlook a man who kidnaps children and runs a brothel."
Chu Dochi scrutinized me sharply, but he wouldn't find anything. I had perfect control over my Aura.
"I killed Jo Byeok and happened to find the invitation. That's how I ended up here. Now, let me ask: What exactly is this place?"
Chu Dochi smiled leisurely.
"As you can see, I'm hosting guests for my birthday. You and the others here are specially selected guests."
"Explain it simply."
"We sent invitations to those who share our ideals. We told them to come if they wished, and to stay away if they didn't. Your presence here is entirely of your own volition. Ah, though I suspect you came out of curiosity."
"How many invitations did you send out today?"
Chu Dochi's sharp eyes glinted at my question.
"Why do you ask?"
"Just answer the question."
Curious about my intentions, Chu Dochi readily replied, "Seven in total."
"Then I'm worried about the four who didn't come."
Chu Dochi fell silent for a moment. By now, they had likely all been eliminated. Judging by the skills of Chu Dochi, Shim Hwang, and the other men present, this was no ordinary organization.
Chu Dochi smiled enigmatically.
"If your prediction turns out to be true, you'll be incredibly fortunate. At least you're still alive, aren't you?"
His words were both an answer to my question and a veiled threat.
"We intend to reshape the Martial Arts World."
"How so?"
"Into a righteous Martial Arts World, one governed by chivalry. That's why we're gathering talent. We want a new Martial Arts World cultivated by rising martial artists like yourselves, not one dominated by the old guard."
I chuckled softly.
"Why are you laughing?"
"You don't exactly look young enough to be talking about the 'old guard' yourself."
Chu Dochi's cheek twitched, his eyes narrowing. Yet he maintained his composure, refusing to let his patience crack.
"That's precisely why I summoned you here."
"Let's be honest. You simply want to dominate the Martial Arts World."
"When pursuing a grand ambition, misunderstandings and envy are inevitable."
"Fine. Let's assume I misunderstood. So, what will you give us in exchange for joining your cause?"
"Power."
Chu Dochi signaled, and a subordinate emerged carrying an iron tray.
On the tray lay three pills.
"These are Heavenly Craft Pills. Elixirs that grant half a Cycle of internal energy in an instant."
The other two men's eyes flickered with interest.
In this era where elixirs are scarce, half a Cycle of internal energy was an irresistible temptation. They knew this firsthand, having recently purchased elixirs themselves.
The temptation didn't end there.
"Furthermore, I will impart to you martial arts far superior to those you have already mastered," Chu Dochi said, gesturing toward me as he spoke to the other two men.
"Whoever kills him can also claim his Heavenly Craft Pill."
This was a powerful lure. With two Heavenly Craft Pills, one could possess internal energy approaching a full Cycle.
The two men hesitated briefly. They couldn't make a rash decision without first assessing my strength. Moreover, my relaxed demeanor toward Chu Dochi made them even more cautious.
Yet the temptation was too great to abandon.
One of the two men lunged forward. As long as the anxiety remained that someone else might act first, it was inevitable that one of them would make a move.
The man's sword hurtled toward my heart.
I barely dodged his blade, seizing his wrist. In that instant when our bodies overlapped—
Thwack!
The dagger that had materialized in my hand sliced across his throat.
"Guh..."
The man staggered around like a dancer, blood spurting from his neck, before collapsing face-first onto the ground.
The remaining man turned to Chu Dochi.
"I'll just take what's mine."
Anxious that the situation might change, he strode toward the tray. Just as he reached for the Heavenly Craft Pill, I spoke.
"Are you sure that's the real Heavenly Craft Pill?"
The man froze at my words.
"Let's play a hypothetical. Say you want to rule the Martial Arts World, and you have several Heavenly Craft Pills in your possession. Would you devour them yourself to enhance your internal energy, or would you summon some random stranger and feed them to him?"
The man glared suspiciously at Chu Dochi.
The next instant—
Flash!
The man collapsed.
Chu Dochi stood with a blood-dripping sword in his hand.
With a truly rare display of lightning-fast swordsmanship, he was a master far stronger than Shim Hwang.
"Today's deal is ruined. Dispose of him too."
As if on cue, Shim Hwang and the ten men behind him unleashed their killing intent, closing in from all sides.
Swish!
Chu Dochi hurled a dagger at Shim Hwang.
Shim Hwang twisted to evade the dagger. Of course, the dagger wasn't meant to kill him.
Immediately after throwing the dagger, I charged toward him.
Shim Hwang swiftly drew his sword.
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
In the blink of an eye, his sword struck five points in the air.
As I lunged, I abruptly shifted my body, tackling the man to my right. He had been my primary target all along. Throwing the dagger and rushing Shim Hwang was merely a feint.
Whoosh! Thud!
I crashed to the ground with him. The surrounding men, caught off guard, didn't know how to react.
Though I had only knocked him backward, the first man was already dead. Meanwhile, I sprang up like a coiled spring and pounced on the man hesitating beside him.
Thwack!
My fist slammed into his jaw, shattering it. Using him as a shield, I pushed forward toward the next man.
Swish!
The man behind him desperately swung his sword.
In his panic, the man's sword pierced through his comrade, aiming for me behind them.
But it was a futile attempt. I easily dodged the blade, and before he could draw his sword again, I vaulted over the shield-man and slammed my knee into his face.
Thud!
The man's face caved in as he collapsed backward.
By the time I landed on the ground, the three men who had been my targets were already cold corpses. It had all happened in the blink of an eye.
Shim Hwang roared at his subordinates, "He's a master! Be careful!"
He was far more skilled than they had anticipated, and his techniques were utterly unexpected.
But if caution alone could stop a master, would he truly be a master?
I moved through the crowd like a tiger among sheep, weaving through their ranks with relentless ferocity.
When facing a large group, the first priority is always to eliminate the leader.
However, there's no need to charge straight at the leader right away—at least not in this situation. Moreover, Chu Dochi was lurking behind, watching for an opportunity to strike.
In this battle, I focused on eliminating the subordinates first, sometimes mercilessly, sometimes using them as shields.
Thud!
One man staggered backward from my punch. I pursued him relentlessly, finishing him off with a kick before leaping toward another opponent.
Whoosh!
A Sword Aura hurtled toward me from behind.
It was Shim Hwang's.
I ducked low and slid forward, the Sword Aura passing over my head to strike the man I had been about to attack. The man's body was cleaved in two, and he collapsed instantly.
Still sliding across the floor, I changed direction.
Shick!
Simultaneously, a dagger flew from my hand.
The dagger pierced the ankle of the man ahead, sending him sprawling.
Thwack!
In an instant, I kicked his head and launched myself toward the man behind him.
Another Sword Aura streaked toward me from behind.
Whoosh!
I obscured the attacking man's vision as much as possible, then twisted my body at the last moment.
The Sword Aura narrowly missed me, slicing across the man's face as it passed.
As Shim Hwang cursed, another man's ribs shattered under my fist.
Daggers flew toward the men who were awkwardly waiting for my attack.
Unable to dodge, they all collapsed. Normally, they would have easily evaded such an attack, but their fear-paralyzed bodies couldn't react to this unexpected assault.
Striking when they least expect it—that's the most effective way to use daggers as a supplementary weapon.
In an instant, all ten of Shim Hwang's subordinates lay dead.
"You bastard! I'll kill you!"
Shim Hwang drew his sword and lunged forward. He truly deserved to be called a master swordsman.
His blade flew with swift, precise strikes, targeting my vital points. Realizing he faced a formidable opponent, his fury amplified his already formidable power.
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
But even an enraged hunting dog couldn't defeat a tiger alone.
I pierced through his flawless Forms, exploiting openings he never imagined existed.
In the moment his eyes widened in shock, my arm snaked around his flank.
He stared at me with despair in his eyes, while I, executing my Forms, remained utterly calm. If we couldn't face this final moment, we shouldn't have entered the Martial Arts World in the first place.
Crash!
Shim Hwang's body slammed into the ground.
He died instantly, without even registering the pain.
Now, only Chu Dochi remained.
Whether he was confident in his skills or had some other plan, he showed no sign of fleeing.
I wondered who this man was. Was he the leader, or was there someone behind him? If there was someone behind him, were they connected to Ma Bonggi, or were they the one behind Ma Bonggi? Or perhaps an entirely separate third party?
"They say there are as many martial arts masters as grains of sand on the beach. I've never heard of a master like you... wait."
He startled.
"...I have heard of you. The Nameless Great Hero who killed the Butcher of the Heavenly Blade Gate with hand-to-hand combat. That's you, isn't it!"
I neither confirmed nor denied it, yet he was convinced I was the Nameless One.
"If it were you, I would have sent a very special invitation."
I slowly walked over and picked up the Heavenly Craft Pill that had fallen to the ground.
I smelled it. It had a similar fragrance to the Heavenly Craft Pill, but it wasn't the real thing. I knew this for certain, having taken it myself when I was the Alliance Leader.
At that moment, I detected a subtle, unfamiliar scent mixed with the Heavenly Craft Pill's fragrance. The moment I identified it, I was shocked.
The No Regrets Demonic Spirit Pill!
It was indeed an elixir that granted half a Cycle of internal energy.
But the price to pay was severe. It was known as the Devil's Elixir, a pill that guaranteed death seven years after consumption.
Taking two pills would grant one Cycle of internal energy but reduce one's lifespan to three years. Three pills would grant one and a half Cycles, but the user would only live for a single year. Consuming any more would result in instant death.
The pill was named "No Regrets" because those who took it were said to never regret their decision. It had once been used by the Blood Heaven Divine Cult. Despite its fatal flaw, it was still an elixir, requiring immense wealth and resources to produce.
But why would an artifact from a destroyed Demonic Cult be here?
"How about it? If you take this, I promise you far better treatment than the others."
"Have you taken this yourself?"
My sudden question startled him. The thought that he might have taken it himself crossed my mind. Did he even know what this thing was?
To think there was an organization using the No Regrets Demonic Spirit Pill to expand its power... This was truly an unimaginable situation.
"Well, it doesn't matter. Even if it's not you, there are plenty of fools who would give up anything for internal energy."
He snapped his fingers, signaling someone.
Clunk, clunk, clunk.
The doors around us swung open simultaneously. The Annex was surrounded by a crowd of people.
I was startled. They were the same congratulatory guests I had met earlier.
Over a hundred of them glared at me. I knew instantly—they were all in this together.
Chu Dochi scoffed, mocking my earlier words. "We only send invitations to those we know."
This place was designed to gather people. Birthday banquets were likely held frequently. Each time, these individuals would recite the same lines, pretending to be congratulatory guests.
Their murderous auras were extraordinary. And with Chu Dochi leading them...
Feeling the killing intent converging from all directions, I sneered coldly.
"So you're fond of this 'new Martial Arts World,' are you?"