Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: A Different Caliber
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Inside the stockade were four buildings in total.
They were rather large, two-story structures. The doors to all four buildings burst open, and people rushed out.
Their numbers totaled around forty.
It seemed ten had come from each building.
But they were all real people. There were no half-jiangshi.
"They're not bringing out the elixirs."
Byeok Taesan muttered quietly, scanning the people who had emerged.
They were all about the same. Roughly half were considerably weaker than Cheon Gyeongwan and Yu Seoyeon, while the other half were strong enough to be on their level.
There were no true masters among them.
The real powerhouses had yet to appear, it seemed.
"Who are you! How dare you set foot here!"
Someone's shout rang out.
Byeok Taesan paid the words no mind. He glanced over at the hole in the stockade he had entered through.
Baekri Jangcheon was peeking inside, only his head visible. Then, his eyes met Byeok Taesan's.
With an awkward expression, Baekri Jangcheon slowly pulled his head back.
He then cleared his throat and stepped inside.
"Ahem, ahem. Well… I was just passing by and happened to see… quite a lot of them. I suppose I'll have to help."
Baekri Jangcheon rattled off a series of words, making it hard to tell if he was talking to himself or someone else, then sidled up next to Yeon Harin.
"Elder, thank you in advance for your help."
Baekri Jangcheon smiled with satisfaction and nodded.
"I accept your thanks. And since I've received them, I must provide help worthy of them."
With that, Baekri Jangcheon strode forward.
"We know everything—that you bastards attacked our Hubei Martial Alliance. So kneel quietly. Do that, and I'll spare your lives."
Despite Baekri Jangcheon's words, the enemies didn't stir.
Instead, someone leaped down from the second floor of a nearby building.
It was a man cloaked entirely in black—the very same master who had fought Baekri Jangcheon during the earlier ambush.
"I didn't expect you to follow us all the way here. Cleaning up must not have been easy."
The master said, then scanned the group behind Baekri Jangcheon.
His eyes landed on Byeok Taesan, and his brow furrowed.
"You even brought that cursed bastard."
As the situation unfolded, Byeok Taesan finally let out a deep sigh.
"Hoo. What are they trying to do? It's not like they're deliberately giving us time so everyone can escape."
After saying that, Byeok Taesan glanced around at his companions.
"Just hold on for now."
Everyone looked at Byeok Taesan with uncertain eyes, trying to figure out what he meant.
Byeok Taesan looked at Cheon Gyeongwan and Yu Seoyeon and added.
"I'll be watching how you two fare. I'm seriously considering whether I need to adjust the intensity of your training."
"We will hold on, no matter what!"
"No one will break through or take us down!"
As the two answered loudly, Byeok Taesan's body vanished from the spot.
Startled, everyone looked around. But Byeok Taesan was nowhere to be seen.
And in that moment, Baekri Jangcheon charged at the master who had just appeared.
It was to deny him the time to give orders.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The swords of Baekri Jangcheon and the man in black clashed, sending waves of energy blasting in all directions.
Taking that as a signal, the forty martial artists behind the man in black charged forward in unison.
"Uwaaah!"
Cheon Gyeongwan let out a beastly roar and swung his sword with terrifying force.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The charging martial artists were sent flying back even faster. It wasn't a simple clash of swords; he had imbued his blade with a dangerous energy to inflict damage.
"Haaaap!"
Yu Seoyeon, not to be outdone, let out a kiai and swung her sword.
Like Cheon Gyeongwan's, her sword gathered a dangerous energy before unleashing it.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
An enemy who rushed in was sent flying after a single clash.
But the enemies were numerous.
Facing the swarming enemies, the swords of Cheon Gyeongwan and Yu Seoyeon moved like an impenetrable net.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The two focused on defense as they fought the enemies.
Someone else was responsible for the attack. From behind their defense, the One-Needle Eccentric took out a handful of needles.
Fwish! Fwish! Fwish!
The One-Needle Eccentric's needles found openings and buried themselves in the enemies' bodies.
Each time, an enemy fell without fail.
Then, the Divine Doctor of the Ages and Yeon Harin also began to move. They were masters in their own right.
The remaining people were the Master of the Golden Jade Pavilion and the Underworld Sect member who had guided them. They watched for opportunities, slipping in to attack whenever a clear opening to finish an enemy appeared.
The situation was quite favorable. At this rate, it wasn't a matter of holding on; it seemed they could wipe out all the enemies soon.
But as always, things never go exactly as planned.
From the second floor of a building a short distance away, someone else leaped down.
He was a master who radiated an aura so powerful it was obvious at a glance.
He too was a man in black, but unlike the first, he held a long spear.
The man charged forward and thrust his spear.
Swiiish!
With a sound like something tearing, a sharp energy shot forward.
CRASH!
Cheon Gyeongwan and Yu Seoyeon swung their swords simultaneously to block the energy.
Unable to completely neutralize the force, the two staggered backward.
Then, as if nothing had happened, they instantly regained their footing and swung their swords again.
But in that brief moment, the man with the spear had closed the distance.
His spear spun menacingly as he attacked Cheon Gyeongwan and Yu Seoyeon.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Cheon Gyeongwan and Yu Seoyeon gritted their teeth and swung their swords to block the spear.
He was a truly incredible master.
It was difficult for the two of them to fend him off alone. This man seemed even stronger than the one Baekri Jangcheon was fighting.
If not for the occasional needle from the One-Needle Eccentric, they might have already collapsed.
But somehow, they were holding on.
The problem was the gap this created. They hadn't defeated all the enemies yet.
The remaining enemies charged, and the Divine Doctor of the Ages and Yeon Harin had to face them.
The Master of the Golden Jade Pavilion and the Underworld Sect member were also helping, but it was a difficult situation nonetheless.
The battle thus fell into a slight stalemate.
It had now become a fight of endurance, a literal battle of attrition.
Of course, it was as dangerous as walking on thin ice, but they were managing to hold on.
Yeon Harin suddenly remembered that there were four buildings inside.
Masters had appeared from two of them.
Could it be that there was one master in each of the remaining two buildings as well?
Yeon Harin dismissed the thought and swung her sword.
This was no time for distractions. She had to grit her teeth and endure.
* * *
Byeok Taesan had split from the group because it was clear the enemies would try to move the half-jiangshi.
These weren't just any elixirs. Although he hadn't confirmed it yet, he couldn't afford to lose elixirs that were clearly special.
He had already figured out where the most elixirs were.
And he had also confirmed that someone was guarding them.
Byeok Taesan entered the farthest building.
The elixirs were divided between this building and the one closest to it.
And each location was guarded by a rather skilled man.
As soon as he entered, he activated the Soul-Devouring Demonic Arts.
The half-jiangshi were gathered on the first floor.
They were packed tightly in one corner, allowing a large number to be stored without taking up much space.
Three steps after Byeok Taesan entered the first floor, the half-jiangshi collapsed in droves.
And the inside of the building filled with spiritual energy.
"Magnificent."
It was beyond his imagination.
It wasn't just raw spiritual energy, but properly refined spiritual energy. Of course, not much of it was a perfect match for Byeok Taesan, but it was still more than the energy he had gained from defeating the half-jiangshi with the bandits.
"Damn it. Too late."
As soon as the half-jiangshi fell, a man leaped down from the second floor.
He held a massive blade in his hand. He glared back and forth between the fallen half-jiangshi and Byeok Taesan, then gritted his teeth.
"You'll pay for this with your life."
Byeok Taesan ignored him and whisked out of the building.
The man hurriedly followed.
But by the time the man was out of the building, Byeok Taesan was already standing near the other one.
Surrounded by the collapsed half-jiangshi.
The master in that building had been trying to move the half-jiangshi when he ran into Byeok Taesan.
Byeok Taesan was able to absorb high-quality spiritual energy once again.
A pleasant smile played on his lips.
Soon, a man in black stood in front of Byeok Taesan, and another behind him.
One held a massive blade, and the other held a short spear in each hand.
"Who the hell are you to interfere with our work like this?"
the man with the blade asked, gritting his teeth.
As if he had no intention of answering, Byeok Taesan slowly closed his eyes.
"This elixir has a different caliber."
"What nonsense is that!"
Byeok Taesan's eyes flew open, and he stared intently at the man who had just shouted.
Meeting Byeok Taesan's eyes, which held a cold light, the man flinched.
'What kind of monster is he?'
He had clearly felt fear just now. Although he quickly shook it off, how many people in the world could instill fear in him with just a glance?
The man gritted his teeth. He couldn't let himself be intimidated here. He kicked off the ground and charged.
Simultaneously, the man behind Byeok Taesan also gripped his short spears tightly and charged.
The two had experience coordinating their attacks many times before.
At the perfect moment, the blade swung down and the short spears thrust forward.
It was a cunning attack designed to make dodging impossible.
The only option was to block.
At least, that's what they had thought. Until now.
Byeok Taesan's eyes gleamed.
"Not bad."
He said, turning his body at an angle.
The blade grazed past Byeok Taesan's face.
At that moment, a short spear was piercing Byeok Taesan's shoulder. It was within their expected range, so there was no hesitation in their attack.
Byeok Taesan twisted his body further. His upper body contorted.
The twist deflected the short spear.
But there were two short spears. As if anticipating this, the second spear shot toward Byeok Taesan's thigh.
In that instant, Byeok Taesan's thigh vanished.
Or rather, that's how it appeared to the man who thrust the spear.
Byeok Taesan kicked his leg high in a sweeping motion. The force of his twisting body added to the power, making it a formidable strike.
Thwack!
The top of Byeok Taesan's foot dug into the temple of the man with the short spears.
Byeok Taesan continued the rotation, extending the leg he had just swung straight back.
Crack!
Byeok Taesan's heel slammed into the chest of the man who had just swung the blade.
Thud! Crash!
The two men were sent flying, tumbling across the ground.
The man with the short spears foamed at the mouth with blood and lost consciousness.
And the man with the blade, his back embedded in the shattered wall of the building, coughed up blood.
"Cough!"
The man slowly raised his head to look at Byeok Taesan. His eyes flickered with disbelief.
"You… what are you…"
What in the world was he, to be able to bring him and his younger brother to this state simultaneously? And in a single move.
Byeok Taesan remained calm.
His expression hadn't changed once from the beginning. Except for when he was absorbing the spiritual energy.
"Still, I managed to keep one alive. I need to control my emotions better. To think I lost control of my strength just because I got a little excited. It's embarrassing."
Byeok Taesan muttered with a placid face, shaking his head.
The man stared blankly at him, then suddenly began to laugh.
"Heh heh heh heh! It seems we've stepped into the wrong place, Elder Brother."
With those words, the man tried to take his own life.
But he couldn't.
Byeok Taesan had approached and poked the man's paralysis and mute acupoints simultaneously with the tip of his foot.
Just a tap of his foot, and two pressure points were sealed.
A panicked look flashed in the man's eyes.
Byeok Taesan left the man and turned, walking toward the place where his companions were fighting fiercely.
* * *
It was the limit. No, they had surpassed it. From here on, it was a matter of willpower.
The only saving grace was that Cheon Gyeongwan's and Yu Seoyeon's willpower was extraordinary.
The two had endured combat training so intense it could have cost them their limbs. In the process, they lived with near-fatal injuries.
Near-death experiences take a toll on the mind, but overcoming them leads to significant growth in mental fortitude.
Having repeated such training, their willpower was bound to be high.
Knowing that giving up would only bring greater pain, the word 'surrender' did not exist in their minds.
But even that willpower was reaching its limit.
Their bodies were starting to break down. They had lost too much blood.
Yet, with no time to recover or rest, the damage had accumulated.
It wouldn't have been strange if the two collapsed at any moment.
And if Cheon Gyeongwan and Yu Seoyeon fell, the fate of the others was self-evident.
Despite this, the spear of the man attacking them remained powerful.
The man was in no hurry.
He attacked the two with an irritating calmness. He too knew well that the moment Cheon Gyeongwan and Yu Seoyeon fell, this fight would be over.
Cheon Gyeongwan's and Yu Seoyeon's eyes began to lose focus.
Just as their minds were about to break, a voice seeped into their ears.
"Your training is still lacking, as I thought."
Something unbelievable happened.
Their crumbling minds stood firm. An unknown strength surged from the depths of their cores and coursed through their meridians.
A powerful sword strike erupted.
The man fighting them was startled and hastily moved his spear.
CRASH!
They succeeded in startling him, but it wasn't enough to change the tide of battle.
The man calmly thrust his spear again.
Fwish! Fwish! Fwish!
Just as the spear was about to pierce Cheon Gyeongwan and Yu Seoyeon, their bodies were pushed back. No, they were practically thrown.
Byeok Taesan, who had appeared out of nowhere, had grabbed the back of their necks and tossed them aside.
Even then, Cheon Gyeongwan and Yu Seoyeon forced their bodies to move, landing perfectly on their feet instead of tumbling.
And they let out a sigh of relief.
If they had fallen there, their future training would have become unimaginably harsh.
In their eyes, they saw Byeok Taesan striding toward the man with the spear.
They didn't need to see what happened next to know the outcome.
The spear grazed past Byeok Taesan's side, and he casually flicked his hand, striking the man's solar plexus.
The man was sent flying, spitting blood, while the One-Needle Eccentric, the Divine Doctor of the Ages, and Yeon Harin charged at the remaining enemies. The cleanup was finished in an instant.
Now, only one man remained—the one fighting Baekri Jangcheon.
Byeok Taesan stood still, watching their fight.