Tit for Tat (2)
A nine-tenths healed wound meant one extra life.
But fifteen years?
Han Bin narrowed his eyes. The remaining inner power from the Yongrin Sword Art was three points.
Even if it fully recovered after twelve hours, that would only make ten.
But it required fifteen points of power?
This was nothing but a pie in the sky.
Acquiring the first Human-grade formula allows communion between your innate inner power and the Yongrin Sword Art power.
It meant he could now combine his original ten years of inner power in his dantian with the Yongrin Sword Art power.
While Han Bin mulled over the manual's words, the Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf found a moment to catch its breath.
True to its demonic beast nature, it moved even more cautiously now.
It edged back toward the perimeter of the assassins' encirclement, ready to flee at any moment.
The assassins, too, gained some breathing room.
The wolf's claws and the assassins' swords faced off in a tense standoff.
Blood Flower tilted her head.
There had clearly been nine of them attacking the Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf, including herself.
But now there were ten.
Sensing something amiss, Blood Flower shouted,
"There's one more!"
Her cry sowed confusion in the assassins' joint formation.
A quick scan revealed no additional enemies nearby.
Once again, the Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf's claws swept through the surroundings.
Bam!
With a burst of air, one assassin flew backward.
That was when Blood Flower recounted their numbers again.
She narrowed her eyes.
There had definitely been one extra, but now one was missing.
What the hell?
Along with her bewilderment came a sharp sting in her side.
Her realm was Peak high-grade.
Even among Peak super-elite assassins, she was the best.
Yet someone had slipped past her qi sense!
This was utterly unforeseen.
Blood Flower whipped her head around and stared in shock at her side.
A silver needle was firmly embedded there.
Following the hand gripping it, she saw a figure in a similar mask, eyes gleaming.
The lower part of the mask was twisted in an amused smirk.
He was surely grinning beneath it.
More stealthy than her, more insidious than her.
The foe was unmistakably an assassin.
One a step above her.
Only then did Blood Flower notice the difference between her and the masked intruder.
They had discarded their masks long ago due to the pig blood stench amid the chaos with the wolf.
Only this newcomer still wore one.
"Which faction are you from? What grudge do you have against us to pull this stunt?"
Han Bin narrowed his eyes. The voice belonged to a woman.
Female assassins weren't unheard of, but her skill level was astonishing.
Erasing his surprise, Han Bin playfully altered his voice and replied,
"Me? An assassin!"
"An assassin?"
"Sorry, fellow pros. Your client hired us too."
"Why would the client...?"
"Seems your client has a bone to pick with you. Client details are confidential, but since you're about to kick the bucket, I'll spill."
"What grudge does that client have with Heukcheon...?"
She couldn't finish her sentence.
The paralyzing poison on the silver needle had spread through her body.
Thud!
Leaving the fallen Blood Flower be, Han Bin charged back at the Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf.
With Han Bin filling the gap left by Blood Flower, the battle with the wolf evened out once more.
Clashing swords with the Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf, Han Bin ripped off his mask.
The assassins, who had been fending off the wolf's attacks, had long dismissed Blood Flower's claim of an enemy in their midst.
Han Bin had subtly modulated his voice while speaking to them.
Just enough so they wouldn't recognize him if they met later.
The leader assassin's survival odds were nine in ten.
Her wound was that shallow.
Han Bin needed to spare this Heukcheon super-elite assassin in this fight.
It was to pit the wolf against the assassins like dogs fighting, setting the stage for a clash between the Henan Jeong Family and Heukcheon.
Well, he only suspected Lady Jeonghwa of the Jeong Family—no hard proof.
But dropping this hint would send Heukcheon on a rampage on their own.
If they investigated families wronged by Heukcheon?
They'd peg that as the identity of the client who ordered their deaths.
Of course, if they all died here, nothing to be done—but if this super-elite survived, the client's family would be torn to shreds.
Time passed, and dawn broke.
As the rising sun illuminated the mountainside, the gruesome scene of the Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf and the assassins was laid bare.
Their spilled blood and the wolf's crimson fur made it look like the sunset had been etched into the slope.
Stab!
Han Bin's sword pierced the Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf's thigh.
Being able to inflict such wounds was all thanks to Quick Sword, Difficult Demon.
Now he was drawing fully on his innate inner power as well.
Two assassins remained.
Half fallen to the wolf, half to Han Bin.
The wolf had three points left.
Han Bin had thoroughly profited from this battle.
He'd completed one Human-grade formula and snagged several from the basic section.
Han Bin quickly assessed the situation.
No need for deliberation.
It had been a three-hour fight.
The Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf was drenched in blood, but Han Bin's stamina was spent too.
Quietly, he fell back.
Seeing this, the two remaining assassins yelled,
"Why are you the only one...?"
"Had our fun—time to go."
At Han Bin's words, the assassins realized his attire differed from theirs.
The sunrise had fully revealed his face.
"Who the hell are you?"
"None of your business. See you in the depths of hell—I'll be there in a century."
Without looking back, Han Bin withdrew.
Screams echoed behind him.
"Argh!"
"Spare...!"
The last two assassins fell to the Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf.
The neidan was tempting, but survival came first.
Retreat now, return later for the core.
This intel on the wolf's presence was his alone—no rush.
Racing along for a while, Han Bin narrowed his eyes.
He sensed chilling demonic qi at his back.
Swiftly, he bent at the waist.
Whoosh!
A sound whistled past his ear, and a nearby branch snapped off.
Instinct told him it was the Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf's claw.
The wolf had finished off the assassins and pursued him.
Dodging its attacks, Han Bin was cornered at the edge of the mountainside.
Curiously, a cliff loomed behind him.
Han Bin gripped his sword.
One more formula, and he could turn this around.
He thrust his sword forward.
'Quick Sword, Difficult Demon!'
'One Touch, Immediate Strike!'
Blue sword qi flickered at the tip.
His body shot forward like an arrow.
But the Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf's movements were uncanny.
It twisted sideways, slashing at Han Bin with its spread claws.
Han Bin desperately contorted his body.
Slash!
He dodged, but the claws grazed his chest.
Han Bin gritted his teeth.
The wound was deeper than expected.
Without the restorative energy from the basic Yongrin Sword Art formulas, he'd have collapsed on the spot.
A sheer cliff behind him.
A river raged below.
He weighed his odds: survival if he jumped versus victory against the wolf.
The Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf bared its massive jaws and lunged.
Han Bin summoned his last reserves, twisting aside.
Swoosh.
The wolf shot past him.
In that instant, a new glowing point caught his eye—under the wolf's jaw.
No time to hesitate.
Worst case, back to square one!
With his final strength, Han Bin thrust.
But something unexpected happened.
Clang!
The metallic ring echoed as his sword snapped in half.
Whoosh!
The wolf's claws whistled over his head again.
Han Bin retreated swiftly, assuming a qi stance while eyeing the broken blade.
He regretted leaving Wolah behind.
Then his eyes narrowed.
He remembered the family plaque made of millennium cold iron in his bosom.
Han Bin channeled his last inner power into the plaque.
'One Touch, Immediate Strike'
Faint energy enveloped the plaque.
As the Yongrin energy around it merged with the qi in his hand, Han Bin launched the plaque like an arrow.
Thwack!
The wolf's jaw drew near.
Two steps.
One step.
Finally, the plaque collided with its jaw.
Stab!
Han Bin's eyes widened.
Was it the millennium cold iron's property? Or did the Yongrin Sword Art manual sense his resolve?
His final strike pierced the Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf's jaw like a knife through tofu.
As the plaque burrowed deep into its throat, the wolf exhaled raggedly.
To deepen the wound, Han Bin twisted the plaque. It was a demonic beast, after all.
No room for complacency.
He had to go all out until its last breath stopped.
That was when it happened.
Whoosh!
The Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf's claws flew toward Han Bin's side.
It too was squeezing out its final strength.
But in the midst of severing its lifeline, Han Bin couldn't evade.
The claws sank into his side.
Stab!
Simultaneously, the wolf's breath ceased.
Only then did Han Bin check his wound. Not shallow at all.
Thud!
He collapsed atop the Heavenly Mountain Blood Wolf's massive corpse.
"Hoo."
Letting out a long breath, Han Bin drove the plaque deeper.
Using the millennium cold iron plaque, he ravaged the beast's innards as far as his hand could reach.
After a while, he withdrew his hand, eyes narrowed.
In his grasp, crimson energy swirled around the neidan, replacing the plaque.
Without hesitation, Han Bin popped the neidan into his mouth and sat in lotus position.
His side gaped open.
No healer alive could save him like this.
Moreover, he had no remaining restorative Recovery formulas—blood still poured freely.
His only hope was the life-restoring miracle.
The neidan had to bolster either his innate inner power or the Yongrin Sword Art power.
Han Bin focused intently on the neidan.
He felt it slowly melting into his body.
Whether he'd absorb its power first or bid farewell to the world—he left it to fate.
Upon arriving at the camp, Sim Miho first sent off Jo Ho and the Mangho Squad warriors.
Of course, this was per Han Bin's orders.
Send the Mangho Squad ahead, then scour the mountainside with the others—that was Han Bin's instruction.
Clatter-clatter.
Clatter-clatter.
Receiving orders via Sim Miho, Jo Ho raced ahead frantically.
"Hurry, uncles!"
"We got it, kid."
The Mangho Squad warriors had now reached mid-grade. That's why they could chat leisurely even while dashing along the slope.
"Hurry! If we're late, the young master could be in danger."
"Haha, who's worrying about whom? That guy's so tough, not a drop of blood spills even if you stab him."
"But isn't his martial prowess kinda weak?"
"Weak? The man who beat Yi Mu-myeong?"
"I heard that was just luck."
"Haha, fair enough."
The warrior nodded.
Han Bin, branded Hebei's top coward, had won a public sparring match in front of everyone—yet people chalked it up to luck.
The warrior said to Jo Ho,
"You've built up a lot of inner power, Jo Ho!"
"You uncles too. All thanks to the young master."
Jo Ho grinned.
Lately, life felt worth living.
From a dead-end lowlife existence, meeting Han Bin had turned him into a first-rate man.
First-rate martial arts, first-rate love, everything first-rate.
So what was this nagging unease?