Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Subduing Demon Hall
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Zhongnan Sect is one of the premier sword sects among the Nine Great Sects and One Gang. Though it might fall slightly short of Azure Cloud Temple or Mount Hua Sect, its prestige in southern Shaanxi was sky-high. No one in the martial world would dispute that it was a true prestigious sect, having produced countless Peak Experts across generations and possessing numerous exceptional techniques.
It was a great sect on par with the Luoyang Twin Temples that I had challenged before! The Twin Temples might boast within Luoyang that they rivaled the Nine Great Sects and One Gang, but the Nine Great Sects themselves were continental powers whose names rang across the world. In terms of fame and influence within the righteous faction, they were an untouchable Mount Tai.
That was why I stared at my senior brother in disbelief and said,
"Are we really challenging them here?"
"You've come all the way to Zhenguo and unpacked at the inn—what kind of talk is that, junior brother?"
Jin So-cheong, savoring his warm tea, let out a chuckle.
"Don't worry. Zhongnan Sect is a prestigious righteous sect—they won't resort to anything underhanded rashly."
"......"
We had arrived in Zhenguo Village. That also meant we were right in front of Mount Zhongnan, the base of Zhongnan Sect.
I glanced out the inn window at the peaks of Mount Zhongnan. It wasn't an especially tall range, so traces of buildings dotted it here and there. Somewhere in there would be the structures of Zhongnan Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects and One Gang.
"I hope so."
I couldn't relax in the slightest. Iron Blood Sect had been classified as a righteous sect too, yet they had records of decapitating a wandering swordsman mid-spar. Having already been royally screwed over once, I had no guarantee it wouldn't happen again. Perhaps mistaking my worry for tension, Jin So-cheong said,
"If you're too tense, you don't have to step up this time, junior brother. Master said spectating alone is enough."
"It's not tension—it's worry..."
"Make your intentions clear."
Haa—
I let out a deep sigh but soon replied calmly.
"Of course I'll have a bout. How could I pass up a chance like this?"
"Hahaha! As expected, junior brother has the bold spirit of a true man."
"......"
Indeed. It wasn't an opportunity I could let slip just because my life was at risk. True experts were rare in the martial world, and chances to fight them were hard to come by. Especially against experts from one of the Nine Great Sects and One Gang—this was a golden opportunity to gain real combat experience. Imagining being ganged up on by Zhongnan Sect experts was terrifying, but I steeled myself anyway.
'With that guy here, I can probably escape if things go south.'
The reason I only grumbled after coming all the way to Zhenguo Village despite my worries was because I fully trusted Jin So-cheong's skills. No—trust wasn't quite right; I was absolutely certain. Jin So-cheong was a monster.
After resting for a good while, Jin So-cheong spoke.
"The day's almost over, so let's climb Mount Zhongnan at dawn tomorrow. What do you want for dinner?"
"Dumplings for me."
"Then let's grab something suitable at the inn."
Clink...
While eating, I noticed people in道服 or white robes milling about the inn. They were likely martial artists connected to Zhongnan Sect or disciples themselves. Hoping to avoid any trouble with them, I focused solely on my meal, pretending not to see. Jin So-cheong seemed to share the sentiment, slowly savoring his stir-fried vegetables.
As we ate, Jin So-cheong brought up a topic.
"Among the young martial artists I've seen, your skills stand out the most. How did you cultivate such prowess?"
He seemed genuinely interested in me. I downplayed it humbly.
"I'm still quite clumsy. I just got lucky with a few fortuitous encounters."
"Haha... Master has high expectations for you. He's always held that secret techniques shouldn't be taught rashly, yet he broke that principle for you. To be honest, he's never paid this much attention to anyone before—not me, and not anyone else in the future."
"You're receiving plenty of attention too, aren't you, senior brother?"
"Well... Master doesn't interfere much with me. He teaches what's needed and then leaves me to my own devices."
A faint bitterness colored Jin So-cheong's face as he said this. Seeing it, I could roughly guess the situation.
'It's because genius is teaching genius.'
Triple Excellence Lee Gwang was a martial genius, and so was Jin So-cheong. It was common for those with similar talents to be drawn to each other, and gauging each other's abilities was easy. Lee Gwang probably knew exactly how far Jin So-cheong could go, so he avoided unnecessary meddling. But to Jin So-cheong, that approach felt a bit lacking in affection.
I envied it, though. For the past half year, Lee Gwang had stuck to me like glue, teaching nonstop around the clock—not out of some deep bond, but because I was such a blockhead that I wouldn't pick up techniques without constant prodding and beating. It was incomparable to simply trusting and leaving Jin So-cheong alone.
A sudden thought struck me, so I asked,
"Senior brother, have you mastered all the secrets of the Thunder Spirit Eight Forms?"
"Spear arts are an endless path. My cultivation is still too shallow to claim full mastery."
"......"
When I eyed him suspiciously, Jin So-cheong shrugged.
"Fine, fine. I've learned everything there is to learn for now."
"I see."
"Of course, I have no intention of using secret techniques in tomorrow's spar. It's pointless."
"What? You're not using them?"
I was stunned. Challenging one of the Nine Great Sects head-on without using aces? But Jin So-cheong nodded as if it were obvious.
"Naturally. We can't kill opponents from other sects, so why risk leaking techniques? No matter how supreme the world's best technique, repeated observation by others will reveal counters. Seal all your learned secrets for tomorrow's spar too, junior brother."
"Uh...!!"
Of course, I hadn't learned anything truly secret yet—just the Heavenly Thunder Seal at best. Still, after half a year under Triple Excellence Lee Gwang, my swordsmanship had improved vastly, and I'd picked up secret transmissions, so I hesitated. Jin So-cheong added,
"Heavenly Thunder Seal is fine. Just defeat foes with minimal movements."
"Senior brother, aren't there too many caveats? Their level here is supposed to be incredibly high."
I grumbled, but Jin So-cheong just laughed heartily.
"Hahaha, don't worry."
As if you wouldn't worry!
I wanted to shout, but held back. We were already speaking softly to avoid attention—if we'd spoken louder, the Zhongnan Sect affiliates in the inn would pick a fight. Our conversation was arrogant enough as it was.
After eating, I lay down comfortably and slept. Staring at the ceiling before drifting off, no particular thoughts came, and sleep came naturally.
The next dawn, we ascended Mount Zhongnan. The path was so well-maintained it felt like a stroll, with rest spots everywhere. This showed how many visitors Zhongnan Sect received and the wealth they'd amassed. They surely hadn't built these roads themselves—donations and tributes from admirers funded it all.
Soon, a building marking the sect's proper entrance came into view amid the mountains. Two white-robed swordsmen stood guard—definitely Zhongnan Sect disciples. Their sword tassels were uniquely twisted, likely the sect's emblem.
Sure enough, one shouted our way,
"From here lies Zhongnan Sect's main base. Outsiders, state your name and purpose!"
"I am Jin So-cheong of Azure Dragon Martial Hall, and this is my junior brother Baek Woong. We've come from Guanzhong to request a match with Zhongnan Sect."
"......!!"
They seemed genuinely shocked by Jin So-cheong's calm declaration. It was a polite way of issuing a direct challenge to spar. Overcome with fluster, one guard blurted,
"You do know this is Zhongnan Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects and One Gang?"
"Of course."
"You're insane..."
"How long do you plan to keep us waiting? Relay the message quickly."
Rebuked, the white-robed swordsman glared resentfully and said,
"Fine. Wait here one incense stick's time."
Whoosh!
He dashed off with lightness skill—likely Zhongnan Sect's famed Cloud Light Step. His skill wasn't low at first glance, so his position might be fairly high.
Soon, he returned with three comrades. In a cold voice, he said,
"Follow us. They've agreed to receive you in the Training Hall."
"Who said that?"
"Shut up. Do I need to tell the likes of you?"
I was dumbfounded.
'Wow, look at this guy.'
Of course, I was playing it safe and staying back, but wasn't that attitude too arrogant? A warrior from a mid-tier sect would explode at those words.
Jin So-cheong remarked,
"You have such refined manners. Is this how you treat guests?"
"Gutter trash scum! Can challengers be called guests? You look like wandering swordsmen trying to gain fame by clumsily challenging a great sect. Don't think you'll leave in one piece."
Jin So-cheong paused thoughtfully, then said,
"We've clearly stated our origins—yet you call us wanderers."
"Why not? You look rootless."
Jin So-cheong's face hardened.
"That sounds like an insult to Azure Dragon Martial Hall and my master as well."
"Haha! Azure Dragon Martial Hall? Where's that even attached? Haha..."
That bastard!
I nearly lunged in fury, but before I could, Jin So-cheong's shadow shot forward at blinding speed. I realized it was the Thunder Shadow Step secret, Heavenly Pivot Killer, and held my breath. He'd already mastered the secrets I had yet to learn. The white-robed swordsman didn't grasp what was happening until Jin So-cheong closed in.
Crack!
"Ugh...!!"
Jin So-cheong's palm strike slammed into the man's solar plexus in an instant, sending him floating a full palm's height into the air. Even I would have missed the motion without focusing qi.
"You old..."
Before his comrades could half-draw their swords, Jin So-cheong unleashed twelve consecutive strikes. Hands and feet left only white afterimages.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
All three looked like First-Class Experts, yet they crumpled like paper, smashed in seconds. Jin So-cheong spun, kicking the last in the gut.
Boom!
"Urk... hrrk..."
Frothing at the mouth, the man collapsed forward, unconscious.
"I can tolerate insults to myself, but not to my master."
Having felled the Zhongnan Sect disciples in a flash, Jin So-cheong's eyes gleamed with cold madness. I'd never seen him like this and swallowed hard. Normally, one would fear repercussions for attacking sect disciples, but Jin So-cheong's aura was so stern and overwhelming that such thoughts didn't arise.
Gazing at his handiwork, Jin So-cheong murmured,
"Junior brother, rein me in a bit. I might see blood today."
I grumbled,
"You already have..."
Wasn't this already bloody? The fallen men were beaten to potential cripples—some rolled eyes back, foaming, twitching like insects. It was clear Jin So-cheong had struck to hurt.
"Maybe I should just tear down the signboard."
Whoosh!
With a fearsome shout, Jin So-cheong clenched his fist and soared off at incredible speed with lightness skill. I could match that pace, but factoring in his internal energy, his mastery was exquisite. Astonishing for a man in his mid-twenties.
Shaking my head, I glanced at the scattered white-robed swordsmen and clicked my tongue.
"Fools. Plucking hairs from a tiger's snout?"
Even I wouldn't dare anger Jin So-cheong. The guts of those idiots, shaking him with mere words, were impressive. Feeling oddly refreshed, I chuckled and dashed forward.
Tadak-tadak!
After about two li, Zhongnan Sect's main buildings loomed ahead. Around ten disciples lay unconscious from Jin So-cheong, while the rest formed a tense circular formation around him. A Zhongnan Peak Expert in his thirties bellowed from the front,
"You bastard!! What outrage is this in Zhongnan Sect territory!"
"You insulted my sect first. I came peacefully, but you brought this on yourselves."
"What? Even if true, unforgivable!"
Shing-shing-shing!
As he spoke, surrounding white-robed swordsmen raised their sword qi with resonant hums. Any normal martial artist would tense or falter at the menacing scene. But Jin So-cheong muttered even more coldly,
"The unforgiven ones are here."
Boom-boom-boom!
His figure suddenly split into three afterimages, palm-striking the charging swordsmen in sequence. Mid-air double and triple strikes boomed heavily, sending white-robed swordsmen flying with sprays of blood. None could match him, let alone block a single form.
Thud-thud-thud!
"Arrrgh!"
"Ugh!"
Snatched and kicked from the air, the swordsmen shattered spectacularly. No deaths yet, but eyes rolled and they fainted routinely after a few hits.
I watched the electrifying scene, mouth agape. There were second-raters mixed in, but most were First-Class Experts, some even entry-level Peak Experts—yet utterly dominated? More shocking: Jin So-cheong hadn't drawn his signature spear, dismantling Zhongnan head-on with only Thunder Cloud Palm and Thunder Cloud Hard Fist.
'...Ha! Not the time to gawk!'
I shouted urgently,
"Senior brother! Stop!"
Boom!
As the last white-robed swordsman trembled against the sect gate, Jin So-cheong's hard fist pulverized the massive door—thousands of jin in weight—like paper. The huge gate panel flew, crashing heavily to the ground right beside the terrified, urine-soaked swordsman.
Only then did Jin So-cheong withdraw his hand and say,
"I'm still not satisfied, junior brother."
"Huh?"
Jin So-cheong looked up slowly. Realizing he eyed the deepest sect buildings and their Peak Experts within, I panicked. Sure enough, he strode forward steadily.
I was witnessing pure dojo-storming with my own eyes.
And I realized I'd misjudged Jin So-cheong all this time.
He wasn't some gentle, kind lamb. Quiet normally, but once ignited, he was a beast shredding all without mercy—a destruction god with absolute confidence in his power!
"Let's have some fun."
"......"
I wanted to argue what "fun," call him crazy, but terror sealed my lips as I followed.