Chapter 180. Shedding the Immortal (4)
Ami Baek Seon stared blankly at Han Bin.
Why was she staring at him so vacantly?
She couldn't detect any hostility or intent in his actions.
Even Han Bin's Muyeongsu—the Shadowless Hand—didn't look like an attack.
It seemed more like he was reaching out to take her hand.
On top of that, she was still flustered from hearing her real name and her master's called out.
All these factors combined allowed Han Bin to land his Muyeongsu squarely on the glowing point representing a sword formula.
Thwack!
With a resounding crack echoing through the forest, Ami Baek Seon staggered back more than ten steps.
Now, she glared at Han Bin with eyes that said she was done holding back.
Han Bin stared straight ahead as well.
Of course, he wasn't looking at Ami Baek Seon, but at empty air.
He gritted his teeth to hide his elation.
After all, showing true emotions to an opponent was a cardinal sin for any gambler worth his salt.
You have completed one of the scattered formulas of the Yongrin Sword Art. The technique is now activated.
Geumsang Cheomhwa (Gilding the Lily) — A body enhancement technique from the Yongrin Sword Art. For a set duration of one sijin (about two hours), it brings your body—head, arms, legs, and all limbs—to peak condition. Usable once every twelve sijin. Requires five years of inner power.
Geumsang Cheomhwa, huh?
Confirming the new technique, Han Bin fell back.
Ami Baek Seon sneered at the sight.
"You bastard, trying to run away?"
"What else am I supposed to do?"
"And you call yourself a martial artist?"
Fuming with rage, Ami Baek Seon slammed her bamboo flute against the ground.
Snap!
Han Bin retreated nonchalantly, shouting back.
"Aw, come on. Don't you old ladies know the golden rules of the game?"
"Golden rules of the game?"
Ami Baek Seon's perfectly arched brows twitched.
Seeing that, Han Bin smirked faintly.
"It's common courtesy to let the other guy bluff. 'Catch up later'—haven't you heard that old gambler's proverb? That's why I call you granny."
Han Bin even waved cheerfully at Ami Baek Seon, feigning utter nonchalance.
With those words, his figure vanished from the spot.
Swish—rustle.
Ami Baek Seon's eyes widened at Han Bin melting away like spring snow.
"You little—!"
Her face twisted in fury—the first real emotion she'd shown since encountering him—as she shot off in the direction he'd fled.
Han Bin glanced back and let out a frustrated sigh.
"Damn, she's fast."
He meant it.
His Gugeol Ship-pal-bo—the Beggar Clan's supreme lightness skill—was the best in the Central Plains, yet Ami Baek Seon was closing the gap with sheer inner power.
Truth be told, her lightness skill was no slouch either.
It was Ami Sect's signature Un'u Pahoe (Cloud-Rain Breaking Step), a technique said to let you dodge rain pouring from the heavens by stepping atop the clouds.
The "breaking" in its name came from the legend that mastering it to perfection made the clouds and rain vanish entirely from your path.
Fleeing from Ami Baek Seon's grasp, Han Bin tilted his head.
The recovery attribute—bok (return)—from the Yongrin Sword Art's basic formulas was dwindling.
He picked up the pace a bit more.
Swish—rustle.
Continuing the Gugeol Ship-pal-bo, he glanced at his arm.
The red blood was turning pitch black.
Blood flowing black through his veins?
It meant the poison had burrowed deep into his meridians.
One more step, and he'd escape the forest back to the village.
But that wasn't what Han Bin wanted.
He had to hide his identity completely.
So Han Bin came to a quiet halt.
To enact his second plan.
Waiting for Ami Baek Seon, he whistled leisurely.
As if shouting, I'm right here!
Arms crossed, leaning against a massive boulder, he stared ahead.
Finally, Ami Baek Seon appeared in his view, beaming triumphantly.
"Phew, there you are. Know what pisses me off most in life?"
"Do I have to care about your granny problems?"
"Quit calling me granny. With a body and face like this? I'm a young lady, thank you very much."
Ami Baek Seon thrust out her chest, proudly showing off her figure.
Then she took a step closer to Han Bin.
He chuckled at the sight.
"This is fun. So, what's the thing that ticks you off most? Now I'm curious."
"It's when my meal tries to run away. I can tolerate side dishes bolting, but rice? No way."
"Gotcha. But looks like you lace your rice with poison, huh?"
Han Bin pointed to the black blood trickling down his right arm.
Ami Baek Seon glanced at it.
"I always mix my rice with poison."
She licked her lips and stepped closer.
"Man, granny, you've got some weird habits."
Han Bin shot back, eyes locked on her every move, tension unbroken.
As expected, Ami Baek Seon drew her Hyeolhyang Mihonso from her bosom.
Up close, it looked like several reed pipes bundled together.
A row of tiny flutes side by side—like a comb, naturally.
Her intent was clear: bewitch the enemy with her melody, then cook them at leisure.
Her "rice" wasn't the body, but the victim's vital energy.
To harvest it at peak vitality, she needed them utterly helpless—alive and kicking.
Ami Baek Seon bit her lip lightly after fitting the Hyeolhyang Mihonso perfectly in her mouth.
Her blood stained it, making the already red flute gleam even brighter.
At once, a mournful piper's wail filled the forest.
Pii—whiiirii.
As she played, she could sense the enemy’s eyes glazing over, their spirit clouding.
Satisfied, Ami Baek Seon reached out.
Her hand caressed Han Bin's jaw.
Then stroked his nape.
Red energy flickered in her palm.
Infusing her inner power to perfect the bewitchment technique.
Han Bin's eyes half-lidded as he activated one of the Yongrin Sword Art techniques.
'Jaseung Jibak.'
It reflected the opponent's inner power back at them.
Since her realm outstripped his, she'd get her own technique rebound.
Why Jaseung Jibak?
Simple.
From his experiments, it didn't just reflect raw inner power.
It could bounce back any of Ami Baek Seon's attacks, including her bewitchment arts.
This was the opening Han Bin had waited for.
He followed up with Kwaegeom Nanma.
It would react even more fiercely to her demonic arts.
Han Bin seized her nape in turn.
Reflecting part of her bewitchment technique right back.
Ami Baek Seon kept playing wordlessly.
Han Bin grinned wolfishly.
"About that poison."
"……."
She couldn't speak.
She had to keep playing the Hyeolhyang Mihonso.
But at the word "poison," her brows twitched again.
Only for a moment. She steeled herself and continued.
But Han Bin's next words threw her into chaos anew.
"I added some to it too……."
He trailed off with a sly smile.
"……."
Whii—hic.
The flute's note faltered slightly.
So did Ami Baek Seon.
She played on silently, refusing to fall for his mind games.
Whii—riirii.
Han Bin pressed on.
"No joke. I mixed it into that log earlier and smeared it on my sword. You should be feeling a dull ache rising from your Yongcheon acupoint by now. I like my rice poisoned too."
"……."
Ami Baek Seon was speechless.
Han Bin was telling the truth.
Playing the flute, she inwardly scanned her body. Impurities stirred in her meridians from the Yongcheon point.
She couldn't stop the Hyeolhyang Mihon Daebeop midway.
Halting it would rebound every ounce of energy onto herself.
She was at a disadvantage.
But no need to worry.
No one had ever escaped her bewitchment arts.
She'd bind him completely, then administer the antidote.
She poured more inner power into the flute and her hand on his nape.
Then she noticed something odd.
A strange energy flowing in through her hand.
Like her own power returning.
It swirled oddly inside her.
Lulling her, caressing her.
Then she realized what it was.
Undoubtedly, the inner power of her bewitchment art, which she'd blown into him to ensnare him.
The classic murim "pear flower grafting branch" reversal.
But that technique used the enemy's power against them.
Not reflecting sorcery back like this. Unheard of.
Only then did Ami Baek Seon realize she'd underestimated him.
His inner power might be inferior, but his sorcery outmatched hers.
She abandoned trying to claim him.
Instead, she tensed her right hand on his nape.
To snap his neck.
But her hand wouldn't obey.
She couldn't stop the flute either.
'Damn it, this madman…….'
Ami Baek Seon's eyes began to glaze over as she stared at Han Bin.
Desperate, she unleashed all her dantian energy.
Whii—riirii.
The flute's wail grew thunderous.
Like a mountain tiger's roar.
So fierce that birds in the opposite woods burst into flight.
Flutter flutter.
An unintended development for Han Bin.
The sudden surge made him grit his teeth.
He'd been holding out with Jaseung Jibak's reversal and the recovery attribute, but now he was at his limit.
Blood trickled down his cheek.
Drip drip.
From his ear.
His hearing couldn't withstand the explosive onslaught of the Hyeolhyang Mihonso.
Then, the new technique appeared before his eyes.
'Geumsang Cheomhwa.'
Han Bin activated it instantly.
Geumsang Cheomhwa pushed a body part to its absolute limit.
He directed it to his head.
His eyes widened.
The torrent of flute sounds assaulting him like a flood now soothed like a lullaby.
Even the bewitchment's effects clouding his mind faded like a mirage.
Now for the finishing blow.
Han Bin bit his lip hard.
Blood pooled in his mouth—a mouthful. He spat it forth with Baekbal Baekjung precision at the Hyeolhyang Mihonso in Ami Baek Seon's lips.
Whoosh!
The blood from Baekbal Baekjung struck true—flute and lips alike.
Her face contorted demonically.
Ami Baek Seon thrashed to escape his grasp.
But Han Bin tightened his hold on her nape.
Crunch.
Locked nape-to-nape like statues, neither moved.
How much time passed?
The Hyeolhyang Mihonso's wail cut off, and the entwined pair separated.
More precisely, Han Bin shoved Ami Baek Seon away.
Looking at her, he let out a deep sigh of relief.
"Phew……."
This time, it was genuine.
Without Geumsang Cheomhwa, the flute's melody might have overtaken his mind.