Chapter 72 - Flying Freak
Shaaak—!
Muheo's sword sliced through the air like lightning, shooting toward the woman seated atop the palanquin.
But the woman was no ordinary master.
Claaang—!
She swiftly drew her sword and parried Muheo's strike.
Using his momentum, she fluttered her white silk robes and soared into the sky with a whoosh.
"Where do you think you're going!"
Kwaaang—!
Muheo kicked off the palanquin and gave chase.
Chaaeng! Chaaeng! Chaeng chaeng chaeng!!
Dozens of exchanges flashed in the air in an instant.
Muheo's sword was swift and ferocious, while the woman's was soft and leisurely.
She deflected, redirected, and evaded, never once clashing head-on with raw power.
Her white hair and robes billowing like wings made her look like a graceful butterfly in flight.
"Wow..."
An admiring sigh slipped from Jin Hayeon's lips unbidden.
"To block Master's sword like that... who could she be?"
Jin Hayeon gaped, her eyes glued to the aerial duel between the two masters.
She hadn't fully grasped the profound principles of the sword yet, but to her eyes, this was a clash between equals where victory was impossible to predict.
"You bitch! I've been waiting for this day!"
Shaaak! Claaang!
Muheo's shout made his sword strikes even wilder.
But Jin Muhon's eyes saw something else.
What the hell is he doing?
Jin Muhon frowned.
Muheo was spewing foul curses left and right, but he wasn't going all out.
Jin Muhon narrowed his eyes and scrutinized the woman.
That woman...
Without the stark white hair, she looked to be in her late thirties or early forties.
Her beauty was rare even now; in her youth, she must have shaken the entire martial world.
Jin Muhon delved into the memories of the Haomen branch chief connected through soul division.
Someone with that level of skill and beauty, tied to Muheo somehow—it wouldn't be hard to pinpoint.
"Hmm..."
The woman's identity began to narrow in Jin Muhon's mind.
At that moment, she shouted coldly.
"What are you just standing there staring at!"
Pabababat!!
With her command, the four men carrying the palanquin leaped into the air.
"Such cowards!"
"Hmph! Who's the one ambushing whom?"
"Argh!!"
Claaang! Kwaang! Chaeng chaeng chaeng!!
The palanquin bearers were no slouches in martial prowess either.
Muheo, pursuing the woman through the sky, was forced back to the ground by their combined assault.
"Get out of my way!"
Even then, Muheo didn't stop his sword.
Before long, he was facing the woman in white and her four escorts.
"Uncle, Master looks like he's struggling. Shouldn't we help?"
"Hmm..."
Jin Muhon was too absorbed in sifting through the Haomen chief's memories to answer Jin Hayeon.
She looked at him with worry.
"Uncle?"
"Ah. Found it."
"Pardon?"
Jin Muhon's gaze locked onto the woman.
"To think that face belongs to an eighty-year-old..."
Her identity was even more astonishing than he'd expected.
It was none other than Buso-yong, lord of Okhwa Palace.
The righteous faction's female master spoken of in the same breath as Sword Duke's Sword Queen.
In her youth, she'd been famed as one of the world's great beauties, captivating countless men.
And Muheo had been one of them.
"Tsk tsk. Pathetic old fool who can't act his age."
Jin Muhon clicked his tongue.
This was the reason Muheo was obsessed with shedding bones and rebirth.
But Jin Hayeon, oblivious to this, grew increasingly anxious.
"Uncle!"
"It's fine. Your master won't die from that. Hell, maybe he'd be better off getting run through by Okhwa Palace Lord's sword."
"Pardon? Okhwa Palace Lord? Who? Is that white-haired lady the Okhwa Palace Lord?"
Jin Hayeon blinked her wide eyes and focused on Buso-yong.
She'd heard the name countless times while learning the sword from Muheo.
Treated like a goddess in the martial world, but in truth, a rotten bitch or something like that.
But at that moment—
As Jin Hayeon mentioned Okhwa Palace Lord, one of the veiled women watching drew her sword on Hayeon.
Shaaak—!
"Tch."
Jin Muhon lightly clicked his tongue and drew the Four Emperors Sword.
Shaaaak—
The veiled woman's sword wasn't at Buso-yong's level, but it was still too fast to follow with the naked eye.
In contrast, Jin Muhon's sword moved slow enough to track clearly.
Claaang—!
Yet it sliced through the veiled woman's blade like paper and plunged toward her throat.
"Stand down!!"
Shiiiiiik—!!
At that instant, a streak of light flew toward Jin Muhon.
Buso-yong had abandoned Muheo and unleashed her lightness skill to save her disciple whose life hung in the balance.
Not bad.
Jin Muhon noted her movement with interest.
No wonder he hadn't sensed her presence properly.
Okhwa Palace's lightness skill truly lived up to its reputation as one of the world's supreme techniques.
But no matter how fast Buso-yong was, she couldn't reach her disciple before Jin Muhon's sword.
In that brief moment, Jin Muhon glanced at the distant Muheo.
Until just now locked in a deathmatch with Buso-yong, urgency now flickered in his eyes.
Pathetic.
Jin Muhon smirked and slowed his sword.
Buso-yong's eyes flashed as she snatched her disciple and whisked back.
A belated gust whipped up dust.
Jin Muhon casually brushed his sleeve.
Whiiing—
The dust infused with Buso-yong's energy hung trapped in an invisible barrier before dispersing.
Buso-yong's graceful eyes widened in surprise.
Whiiik—Thud!
Muheo landed beside Jin Muhon a beat late.
"You bitch!"
"Quiet."
"...Hmm."
Buso-yong cut Muheo off and closely examined Jin Muhon.
Soon, the four bearers surrounded Jin Muhon's group.
"Tch. Stand down. You'll just get yourselves killed meddling."
"Yes, Palace Lord."
The bearers retreated behind Buso-yong without a flicker of emotion.
Muheo pointed accusingly at them.
"You bastards! Once-famous names in the martial world, now wrapped in some skirt, hauling a palanquin? Aren't you ashamed!"
He seemed to know them personally.
But despite Muheo's insults, the bearers just smirked silently.
"That bitch has a pretty face but a viper's heart! You could carry her palanquin your whole lives and never even hold her hand!"
Still, Muheo ranted on, face red and spittle flying.
Buso-yong ignored him, staring fixedly at Jin Muhon without expression.
Finally, the middle-aged bearer with the sharpest gaze spoke coldly.
"Muheo. If you're jealous, just say so. The Palace Lord wouldn't even offer you a spot as a bearer."
"What, what! You son of a bitch!"
Muheo's eyes rolled back as he prepared to launch again.
But Buso-yong's next action halted him dead.
Slap—!
"Who told you to speak?"
Buso-yong struck the bearer's cheek with a frigid glare.
Blood sprayed as he dropped to his knees.
"Forgive me, Palace Lord! That bastard was so rude to you, I couldn't help it!"
"Shut up and get lost."
"P-Palace Lord! Please, not that!"
"I said get lost."
"......"
In the end, one wrong word cost the bearer his position.
He wept bitterly over losing the palanquin spot, but Buso-yong's gaze had already moved on.
She turned to Jin Muhon.
"Impressive skill for one so young. I haven't heard of any master like you in the martial world... Oh! That's reverse appearance technique, isn't it? Astonishing. Even I couldn't pull that off. Might I ask your esteemed name?"
Age, status—she lacked for nothing, yet she addressed Jin Muhon with utmost courtesy.
Muheo's hand trembled as he pointed at her.
"You... you...! You won't even talk to ugly mugs like us, so why...!"
Buso-yong shook her head and gave Muheo a chilly look.
"When did I say I don't talk to ugly men? I'm speaking to you right now, old man. And he's using reverse appearance technique. Not ugly at all."
Muheo whipped around to Jin Muhon.
"Jin family head! Don't fall for that fox's tricks! Look at those bearers! They were all hotshots once! Fooled by that vixen, now look at them hauling her around!"
Jin Muhon regarded Muheo impassively.
"If they like carrying the palanquin, what's it to you, old man?"
"...What?"
"Don't tell me you want to carry Okhwa Palace Lord's palanquin too?"
"Jin family head!"
Muheo jumped.
Buso-yong's eyes sparkled as she covered her mouth with her hand.
Unlike her smooth face, the wrinkles on her aged hand betrayed her years.
"Hohoho! Remarkable! Figuring out my identity at once. Skill aside, your insight is top-notch—the finest man I've seen lately. Since that old man calls you 'Jin family head,' you must be head of the Yunbong Jin family?"
Her seductive smile and soft voice.
A world apart from how she treated Muheo or the bearers.
Jin Muhon subtly lifted the corner of his mouth and cupped his fists in salute.
"Jin Muhon, head of the Yunbong Jin family. This is my niece, Jin Hayeon."
As Jin Muhon introduced her too, Jin Hayeon hurriedly saluted in panic.
"N-Nice to meet you, Palace Lord! I'm Jin Hayeon!"
"Hohoho! Seeing young miss Jin's lovely face, I can imagine the family head's looks too. Skill, insight, and now appearance. It's been ages since I met such a fine man—I'm delighted. Hohoho!"
Buso-yong threw her head back and laughed heartily, exposing her white throat.
Muheo ground his teeth lowly.
"Vixen. Flirting at your age? Jin family head! Don't fall for her seduction arts!"
Buso-yong's laughter cut off abruptly.
Her face turned icy as she glared at Muheo.
"Muheo. Called the Dao Destroyer, yet how did your temper twist so? You know I don't use seduction arts."
"Hmph! How many lives has that fox ruined? Whether she uses it or not hardly matters! And before nitpicking my title, look at yours first! Flying Freak!"
Bi-goe (Flying Freak).
Likely from her peerless lightness skill.
Buso-yong was one of the world's Four Freaks, like Muheo.
Keep running into these weirdos.
Sword Freak Dan Ri-ye, Dao Freak Muheo, and now Flying Freak Buso-yong.
Three generations cursed just to meet one of the Four Freaks—and Jin Muhon had already crossed three.
Buso-yong smiled warmly again and addressed Jin Muhon.
"Jin family head. A great man like you should choose companions wisely. I worry that hanging with that narrow-minded fool might taint you with the Dao Destroyer's madness."
"What!"
"Old man."
As Muheo spasmed again, Jin Muhon called him sternly.
Muheo turned.
"Huh? Did you call me?"
"I'd like to handle things with Okhwa Palace Lord separately later."
Jin Muhon glanced at Jin Hayeon.
Meaning: keep some dignity in front of your disciple.
Perhaps taking a disciple had matured him a bit—Muheo cleared his throat and stepped back.
"Ahem! Hmm! Okhwa Palace Lord! We'll settle this later!"
"Hmph."
Buso-yong snorted lightly, but inwardly she was quite shocked.
That mad old coot backs off without argument? Just who is that young man?
She glanced back at her veiled disciples, but they just shook their heads.
For such a figure to appear in the martial world now... this isn't trivial.
Quickly composing herself, Buso-yong met Jin Muhon's eyes with a gentle smile.
"Jin family head. If I may ask, where are you headed?"
Jin Muhon answered casually.
"To the Murim Conference."
"Ah! I'm heading to the Nangong family estate myself. Same road—shall we travel together? I'll cover the travel expenses."
"......"
Instead of answering, Jin Muhon silently met Buso-yong's gaze.
That impassive look weighed on her chest for some reason.
What kind of eyes...
Jin Muhon slowly spoke.
"Just one question."
"Yes."
"What's your business at the Nangong estate?"
"......"
This time, Buso-yong avoided a direct reply.
After a pause, Jin Muhon turned without hesitation.
"Then I wish you good fortune."
"Wait."
Buso-yong's voice caught him from behind.
Jin Muhon half-turned.
She spoke softly.
"Nangong's Sword Emperor... asked for my help."