Chapter 34
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Do You Really Need To Go That Far?
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The White Tiger Unit warriors' morale was gradually crumbling as they fought the Demonic Cult experts and watched their comrades fall one by one.
On top of that, their unit leader was locked in battle with a Demonic Cult division leader, but the sense of impending defeat hung heavy in the air, making the situation utterly hopeless.
Yet they were stunned to see the scholar driving back the very Demonic Cult division leader that even their mighty unit leader couldn't handle.
"Fourteenth Division Leader O Juhyang."
The scholar had appeared out of nowhere, pinpointing her identity exactly, which made her eyebrows twitch.
"Who the hell are you?!"
"A scholar who dabbles in shamanic arts."
Cheon Taesan responded to O Juhyang's question with a playful quip.
"You little brat, playing word games with me?!"
Ignoring her shout, Cheon Taesan turned to Wang Cheong.
"Unit Leader Wang, how about you and I whip up a dish out of this old monster?"
Wang Cheong rotated his right shoulder, sword in hand.
"Truth be told, she was more than I could handle alone. With Scholar Cheon's help, it'll make for a fine feast."
Wang Cheong asked,
"Did you run into Squad Leader Il, by any chance?"
"Of course. Poison Nose Ghost and Poison Eye Ghost have already become ghosts of the netherworld, wandering the nine heavens."
"As expected!"
Wang Cheong had suspected as much ever since Cheon Taesan arrived.
"Now I can finally let loose without a worry."
He had been concerned about the Ice Palace members he'd dispatched.
"We should monopolize the meal before others arrive to share it, don't you think?"
Though his words were lighthearted, Cheon Taesan wanted to prove his recent breakthrough and insights through O Juhyang.
He snapped open the fan in his hand and unleashed the Clear Cool Thread.
O Juhyang tilted her head, seeing only a fan in the scholar's hand.
'It was definitely the Vault of Heaven Unfettered Sword's Heavenly Dragon. He conjured an aura so refined I thought he was direct lineage from the Nangong Family... but he's a Kunlun Taoist?'
There weren't many martial arts performed with a fan.
Among them, the ones most renowned for their sophistication were the Kunlun Sect's Clear Cool Thread and the Zhuge Family's Boundless Thread.
'No way... he manifested Heavenly Dragon with a fan?'
The realization sent chills racing down her spine, her hackles rising.
But she was still a division leader of the Demonic Cult.
Even if she ranked low among them, her status was acknowledged everywhere.
"You bastards! How dare you defy O Juhyang! Come at me! I'll show you what a division leader of our cult is made of!"
It was then.
A Demonic Cult follower rushed up to O Juhyang and transmitted a message via internal energy.
- Division Leader, you must withdraw. The Nangong Family's Subjugation Squad, who were fighting the Blood Cult, are heading this way.
O Juhyang gritted her teeth.
Leaving these foes behind bruised her pride.
O Juhyang moved first.
But Cheon Taesan unleashed the Nine Oxen Shadow Phantom Technique to the extreme, sticking to her rear.
"You little punk, already learned all the dirty tricks! How dare you attack from behind?!"
He countered with the Vault of Heaven Unfettered Sword Technique via his fan.
"You don't get it. My attacks come from all directions—front, back, left, right. Is there a rule saying I have to strike from the front?"
O Juhyang whirled to seize Cheon Taesan's rear.
But he clung to her back even faster, refusing to let go.
Furious that this scholar upstart had gained the upper hand in footwork she prided herself on, her rage boiled over.
She channeled her internal energy, turning her nails into hooks.
Spinning around, she raked at the scholar behind her.
Whoosh!
The air screamed as an illusion of space tearing apart flashed before them.
Watching her claw technique, Cheon Taesan recalled the Nine Oxen Escape Fate Claw, one of Ghostly Scholar's martial arts.
Tucking the fan into his waistband, he closed in on O Juhyang, who raised both hands again, slashing at him like a beast.
Wang Cheong grew anxious inside, thinking Scholar Cheon had foolishly entered O Juhyang's attack range without a plan.
Their exchange was so fast he couldn't intervene even if he wanted to, so he watched intently.
He stayed ready to jump in the moment Scholar Cheon was in danger.
Then, astonishingly, Scholar Cheon raised his hand—not to block, but to counter her claw technique.
'O Juhyang's claws are the Blood Jade Claw, rated as peerless even in the Demonic Cult.'
Indeed, her hooked nails gleamed redder than ever.
At that moment, I had entered a new realm.
Rotating the three strands of vital energy revealed a world I'd never seen before.
'What are these flows?'
I could see the flows around me in exquisite detail—even the bead of sweat trickling from O Juhyang's nose.
Enlightenment strikes suddenly, but attaining it mid-battle was incredibly dangerous.
'I can feel the flow of water around me.'
Looking closer, it wasn't just any flow—it was the flow of moisture. Growing accustomed, I could even perceive the moisture flowing through O Juhyang's body, more precisely, her blood flow.
'So my second ability is the flow of water? No, more specifically, the flow of moisture.'
I could sense it even in plants, appearing in varying concentrations.
'Left side.'
O Juhyang swung both arms wildly, but those were feints—the real attack came from her left flank.
I could tell from the blood surging through her veins.
The blood flow on her left side had spiked dramatically.
I sidestepped to the right and unleashed the Illusory Full Moon Flash.
O Juhyang, now exposed with her side pierced, pulled out her trump card.
She shook her head.
Her twin braids unraveled, hair whipping out long.
The strands coiled around my wrist, while the other side lashed like a whip toward my throat.
I didn't dodge—instead, I detonated my vital energy to empower the Nine Oxen Escape Fate Claw, slashing through the air.
Her hair, tough as silkworm thread, snapped strand by strand, scattering into the wind.
I raked the Nine Oxen Escape Fate Claw across her throat.
Crunch!
Her Blood Jade Claw blocked my strike, but it shattered like dry bamboo.
Wearing a shocked expression, O Juhyang shot her body back into the air.
"Next time we meet, I'll peel your scalp off!"
Even in flight, she couldn't hide her resentment, screaming as she fled.
"Everyone, withdraw and regroup at the rendezvous point!"
At her command, the Demonic Cult experts scattered like fleas in all directions.
Wang Cheong ordered his men, who were about to pursue.
"Don't chase them. Link up with Squad Leader Il."
Right now, the priority wasn't hunting down Demonic Cult stragglers—it was protecting the Ice Palace warriors.
And with the Blood Cult forces nearby, they couldn't afford to relax.
'Unit Leader Wang truly handles things without letting emotions cloud his judgment.'
Anyone else might have chased the fleeing Demonic Cultists out of vengeance or greed for merit.
Pursuing them often led to greater losses because they laid traps even in retreat.
Sensing the blood flows of people moving nearby, I halted the third vital energy rotation.
The moisture flows vanished from my vision.
I knew this was a transcendent ability, but it fell short of my expectations, leaving me slightly disappointed.
'Heh, have I become a true warrior? I was overjoyed at gaining strength and speed.'
But the flow of moisture had few practical uses.
Except in battles like this.
'Ah, digging wells. It'd be useful for finding underground water flows.'
An important application, but not quite satisfying to me.
'Being able to sense moisture flows is impressive enough—I've grown greedy.'
As I pondered this, Wang Cheong approached.
"Thanks to you, Scholar Cheon, we survived. I thought that old monster had me dead to rights."
"No need for that. If Unit Leader Wang had held out a bit longer, O Juhyang would've fled anyway. Reinforcements were coming."
"I'd be dead before then. Truly, thank you."
Wang Cheong gave me a formal salute.
I returned it respectfully.
I returned to Jong Sobin's side with Wang Cheong.
The White Tiger Unit had clashed with the Demonic Cult experts and suffered significant losses.
They weren't mere cultists but a group of first-rate masters led by a division leader, so the damage was heavy.
In contrast, the Nangong Family's Subjugation Squad, who tangled with the Blood Cult, took minimal casualties since the enemy lacked peak experts.
Aside from the initial injuries from Poison Eye Ghost and Poison Nose Ghost, there were none.
"Are you all right?"
I asked Jong Sobin, who looked exhausted.
"Yes. I'm fine."
As I turned to check on Nangong Mubaek, Jong Sobin bowed politely.
"Thank you."
"Pardon?"
"Thanks to Scholar Cheon, Yeowon gained a profound insight."
Yeowon, hearing her name, scampered over and bowed deeply to me.
"Thank you for sharing your enlightenment with me."
"When did I ever share insights with you, Miss?"
"Non-Human Mercy Kill."
"Ah."
The words meant for Nangong Mubaek had enlightened someone else—a curious thing.
"If you gained insight from my words, you would've reached it eventually, even without me."
"It was no simple epiphany. I'd always felt something lacking in my swordsmanship, and it turned out to be the intent to kill. Realizing that the will to kill isn't guilt for a warrior gave my sword true confidence."
Jong Sobin added,
"I plan to take Yeowon as my disciple."
"Ah! You've found an excellent disciple."
That meant Yeowon was poised to become important.
Once the Ice Palace was reclaimed, Jong Sobin would become palace lord, and her disciple the little palace lord.
Yeowon could very well be the future little palace lord.
"Any insight from my words is due to your own brilliance, Miss. Congratulations."
I smiled as I spoke, and Yeowon beamed back.
Jong Sobin glanced away and spoke.
"More than that, Young Master Nangong's progress was dazzling. After you left, Scholar Cheon, he seemed to ascend to a whole new realm. He took down Poison Eye Ghost."
I looked at Nangong Mubaek, who was surrounded by Nangong Family warriors, looking sheepish.
No junior from the Nangong Family had manifested Heavenly Dragon until now, so it was only natural.
It was rare for their later-generation disciples to grasp the essence of the Vault of Heaven Unfettered Sword Technique, so the fuss was warranted.
Then my eyes met Nangong Mubaek's.
He flashed an awkward smile my way—none of the scoundrel's usual flair.
An expression unimaginable from the old Nangong Mubaek.
'Looks good on him.'
Seeing him bask in others' recognition brought a smile to my face.
'Family Head Nangong Hak will love this.'
Moments later, Nangong Mubaek approached me.
And then, to my shock, he dropped into a deep bow before me.
Caught off guard, my body stiffened.
"What's this about?"
"Words alone can't express my gratitude, so I offer this bow. Please accept Nangong Mubaek's thanks, Brother."
"Pardon? Brother?"
"I've finally realized. Without meeting you, I wouldn't have become human, let alone gained enlightenment. You deserve to be my master, but my heart yearns to follow you for life, so I've decided to take you as my sworn brother."
"Heh heh heh."
Facing Nangong Mubaek's utmost sincerity, I couldn't even tell him to stop—I just stared blankly, letting out a deflated laugh.
"No, this is too much."
"Pang Soun can call you brother—why not me?"
With Pang Soun dragged into it, refusal grew awkward.
'I'd forgotten for a moment. Those who take my energy feel affinity and subservience toward me.'
I tried to deflect.
"We'll settle this later when we get back."
Nangong Mubaek straightened and replied,
"Understood, Brother. No matter how you treat me, I'll always see you as my brother."
"Heh heh, what a mess."
Yet no one stepped in to stop him—everyone watched with warm smiles.
Jong Sobin and Wang Cheong included.
So I deflected again.
"If you want to call me brother, you need Yeoseol's permission first."
"That's the world's toughest challenge. That little one's an impregnable fortress."
Still, he didn't say he'd give up.
"Miss Jong will stay at her clan home for the time being, then decide on a residence."
"That's for the best. Nowhere safer than the Nangong Family right now."
For Yeoseol's sake, neither Jong Sobin nor I preferred staying with the Nangong Family long-term, but we knew the current circumstances left no choice.