Chapter 87. The Thousand-Li Escort (5)
Right now, he was clad in yellow robes to blend with the ochre cliffs, camouflaging himself perfectly.
This was the secret of his stealthy swordsmanship.
Of course, he wasn't trying to suppress his cultivation, which rivaled the early stages of Super Peak.
Disguise Sword and Super Peak-level swordsmanship.
That was the key that had made him a master who terrorized all of Shanshi Province.
But Han Bin knew his true face, thanks to memories from his past life.
In that life, he'd fallen to the Black Wind Killer's sword. Only after the scar was left on his back did he learn the truth—but now, there was no need to take a wound to find out.
Glancing in the direction where his foe had vanished, Han Bin smirked and focused his senses on the tip of his nose.
Instantly, a sweet fragrance tickled his nostrils.
Han Bin casually thrust his sword toward the source.
Whoosh!
At the same time, a maple-leaf-shaped red shadow flickered and vanished.
Han Bin grinned at the sight.
The fake Cold Iron Box he'd tossed earlier had been filled to the brim with honey.
Known as a hunting dog in his past life, Han Bin retained that keen sense even after returning to the past.
This fight was child's play—like taking candy from a baby.
As he overwhelmingly dominated his opponent, the event Han Bin had anticipated finally occurred.
Bzzz! Bzzz!
Suddenly, bees began swarming in.
Wherever the Black Wind Killer hid, the bees followed, revealing his position.
And thanks to his movements, they started attacking him too.
Bzzz! Bzzz!
Han Bin was already a handful, and now the bees were charging him as well—the Black Wind Killer was driven to the brink of madness.
His erratic movements, which might fool onlookers into thinking it was some bizarre lightness skill, only let Han Bin's sword dance freely.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Unable to use his Disguise Sword stealth technique, the Black Wind Killer was completely outmatched.
Stab!
Han Bin's blade pierced his shoulder.
At the same time, Han Bin unleashed the Beggar's Eighteen Steps to its limit.
His maximally accelerated footwork turned everything within three paces into his absolute domain.
Poke! Poke!
Han Bin sealed his pressure points and meridian points. Now, the man couldn't move or even speak.
Time to harvest the formulas.
Thwack! Thwack!
Han Bin began mercilessly pounding the Black Wind Killer to extract them.
The Black Wind Killer's eyes widened in shock.
In twenty years as a Sapa swordsman, he'd never met a lunatic like this.
When a fight ended in the jianghu, victors either killed their foe or demanded tribute. Those were the norms.
But sealing pressure points and then just beating the crap out of him?
Even Sapa didn't have rules that barbaric.
'This fucking...'
As he tried to curse, he realized his speech points were sealed.
Gazing at Han Bin's expression, the Black Wind Killer's eyes twitched.
Han Bin was genuinely enjoying himself.
Truly delighted while pummeling a man?
The Hebei Paeng Family was definitely a Righteous Sect.
One of the Five Great Families of Jiangbei, no less.
So why?
That question didn't last. The pain was too excruciating.
Han Bin, unperturbed, wore a faint smile.
Confirming formulas with Dragon Eye.
Acquired Strike from the Applied Volume of Yongrin Sword Art.
Completed one formula from the scattered Dragon Blood Divine merit. Formula activated.
Voice the East, Strike the West - Shout in the east and attack from the west. This feint renders the opponent powerless for one attack. However, if their martial realm is higher, success rate is 10%. Requires 5 years of skill.
At the appearing text, Han Bin let out a moan of ecstasy.
"Mm."
It meant he could render powerless any opponent of equal or lower realm.
In a one-on-one duel against a peer, he'd be invincible.
But against a higher realm?
There was a catch.
To boost the 10% success to 100%, he'd simply need twenty years of skill.
But if luck failed?
Best not to think about it.
What he needed now was absolute skill and more formulas.
Glowing points indicating formulas still dotted the Black Wind Killer's body here and there.
Han Bin began mining the visible ones.
Of course, even while pondering, his fists never stopped.
Thud!
This time, a new message appeared.
Acquired Merit from the Basic Volume of Yongrin Sword Art. Holding absorption due to insufficient pages.
The new phrase repeated several times thereafter.
……Holding absorption due to insufficient pages.
To surpass the Basic Volume's limits, he'd need extra pages or to enhance his internal energy and senses.
As Han Bin considered giving up and halting his fists...
A different message appeared.
Exceeded strike threshold. Activating supplementary explanation for Yongrin Sword Art. Unable to absorb...
The strokes of "holding absorption" separated, forming new characters.
Characters like merit (Merit), speed (Speed), body (Body), power (Power) detached and recombined into sentences.
...To add pages, gather Human-grade formulas...
Once the strokes completed, the explanation halted.
"Damn it all!"
Han Bin resumed targeting the points on the Black Wind Killer.
The supplementary explanation continued.
...Gather three to add a Basic Volume page.
To subdue Pyeon Yuk Rang-a's wolf fang staff, Escort Leader Yun Yong-ho had to break a real sweat.
Pyeon Yuk Rang-a's skill level was higher than expected.
While wary of the wolf fang staff, Yun Yong-ho kept glancing back anxiously.
He didn't fully trust Seol-hwa and Han Bin to handle Binghyeol Seosaeng and the Black Wind Killer, who were a cut above Pyeon Yuk Rang-a.
But after subduing Pyeon Yuk Rang-a, he looked around and was stunned.
The first thing that caught his eye was the maid Seol-hwa.
She was kicking the unconscious Binghyeol Seosaeng.
"Why do I have to play maid?"
Thud!
"Why are you picking on me like this?"
Thud!
"I oughta just grind you up and dump you in the Yellow River..."
One kick, one grumble.
A maid subduing Binghyeol Seosaeng?
Of course, he'd guessed from her lightness skill that Seol-hwa had some skill, but this outcome was beyond imagination.
At best, he'd thought she'd lure him away to buy time.
And this ruthless handiwork—what was that about?
Yun Yong-ho couldn't believe such brutality came from a fifteen-year-old girl.
Approaching Seol-hwa cautiously, Yun Yong-ho called out.
"Miss!"
He'd called her by name casually at the start of the journey, but now a respectful title slipped out naturally.
"This worthless cur picked a fight with me."
But Seol-hwa just kept grumbling and kicking Binghyeol Seosaeng.
Unable to watch, Yun Yong-ho gingerly tapped her shoulder.
Tap! Tap!
At his cautious signal, Seol-hwa stopped kicking and turned.
In that instant, Yun Yong-ho realized what a demon from hell looked like.
Not from her appearance, but her aura.
That aura was pure killing intent.
Seol-hwa's furrowed brow relaxed as she tilted her head at him innocently, as if nothing had happened.
Speechless, Yun Yong-ho pointed at Binghyeol Seosaeng.
Seol-hwa looked at the fallen man.
Her eyes widened.
Rushing to him, she pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed his wounds.
"Sorry, mister. The young master said only half-kill you, but I got carried away... Sorry."
Yun Yong-ho shuddered involuntarily at the sight.
Was this "poison and then cure"?
After tending Binghyeol Seosaeng's wounds, Seol-hwa stood. Yun Yong-ho hesitated before asking.
"Are you alright?"
"Oh, him? He won't die. Ah, this is frustrating. I was told half-kill for sure... Might've overdone it a bit..."
As Seol-hwa rambled, Yun Yong-ho waved his hands.
"No, I meant are you alright, miss?"
"Me?"
Seol-hwa pointed at herself in surprise. Yun Yong-ho nodded.
"Yes, your condition seems a bit off."
"......"
Seol-hwa tilted her head silently.
Sensing something ominous, Yun Yong-ho quickly asked.
"What's wrong, miss?"
"But mister, why call me 'miss'? You called me Seol-hwa so friendly at the start."
"Ah, well..."
"Call me casually."
"Ah, got it. Seol-hwa."
Yun Yong-ho smiled awkwardly, like he was wearing ill-fitting clothes.
Yun Yong-ho sealed the meridian points of Pyeon Yuk Rang-a Gang Sochu and Binghyeol Seosaeng So Kyung-un, then bound them beside the carriage.
With everything seemingly settled, he sighed in relief.
"Phew..."
"Why the heavy sigh?"
"Shanshi's Three Killers? Subduing them like this is unimaginable..."
Yun Yong-ho trailed off.
Only now did he recall the first of the Three Killers: the Black Wind Killer.
He hurriedly continued.
"Where's Young Master Sa? Kidnapped?"
"Our young master kidnapped? That'd be grea—"
Seol-hwa caught herself and pointed toward a bend in the trail with her finger.
Yun Yong-ho followed her gaze and tilted his head.
He heard the sound of laundry being pounded from afar.
Thud! Thud!
It was rhythmic, like beating clothes with a laundry bat.
"What's that?"
Then Seol-hwa dashed off frantically.
"Tells me half-kill, but does this himself!"
Not grasping the meaning but sensing urgency, Yun Yong-ho chased after her.
Arriving at the nearby scene, Yun Yong-ho finally understood.
Han Bin was pounding the Black Wind Killer like garlic in a mortar.
The problem was Han Bin's expression.
Unlike Seol-hwa's furious venting on Binghyeol Seosaeng, Han Bin looked utterly serene.
His face evoked the Buddha's serene smile.
Yet his ceaseless fists were like those of an asura.
Yun Yong-ho approached Han Bin cautiously, intending to tap his shoulder.
At that moment...
Han Bin stopped striking and turned.
Yun Yong-ho's eyes quivered slightly.
A Buddha's face, but fists dripping blood—perfect dissonance.
Then Seol-hwa rushed up, pulling out a handkerchief in panic.
"Cheolno was right. Keeps hurting your fists. I begged you not to use them."
"Ah, sorry."
"Treat the wounds first."
Seol-hwa wiped the blood from Han Bin's hands.
Watching, Yun Yong-ho hurriedly averted his gaze.
Clearly not Han Bin's blood, but the Black Wind Killer's.
Yet their conversation framed Han Bin as the victim.
Suddenly, Yun Yong-ho recalled what the Wandering Blade Yi Semyeong had said.
-You'll learn the jianghu on this thousand-li journey. And steal whatever you can from Hebei Paeng's Fourth Young Master.
He'd misunderstood it before.
Thought it meant gaining experience escorting fragile cargo that might break anytime.
But now, it seemed otherwise.
Still, he had no clue what to learn.
Unthinkingly, Yun Yong-ho looked to the sky, mulling the meaning of the thousand-li escort.