The Qualifications to Seize the Opportunity (7)

The Black Dragon Sword sliced free, spraying a trail of blood across the cave floor like ink on parchment. But I couldn't stop there. Goon Cheonji had already regained his footing, poised for a counterattack.

That's why veterans are such a pain.

I lunged at Goon Cheonji without missing a beat.

Shwick— Shwick—

I swung the Black Dragon Sword relentlessly, carving two more wounds into his body.

"You coward!"

A Jongnam disciple tangled with the priests spat curses, but I ignored him and unleashed the Cartoon Invincible Fist.

Papapapapapapak!

With wounds fresh and caught off-guard by the ambush, he couldn't possibly block dozens of fist shadows.

Whoosh— Thud!

His body flew up and slammed into the wall.

I glanced at the Jongnam middle-aged man. He was speeding up, wary of me joining the fray—aiming to take out one more before I could.

Bad call. That only works in peacetime.

I charged Goon Cheonji, deliberately modulating my power as I swung the Black Dragon Sword.

Boom!Plip plip.

Sword qi exploded, grazing just above his head.

On the battlefield, when an ally's held hostage, the side that panics and backs off first is always at a disadvantage. Come on, take the bait.

I fired solidified sword qi at Goon Cheonji again.

The fallen man barely raised his sword to deflect it.

Boom!Plip plip plip.

The deflected qi veered into the cave wall, showering him with dirt.

I shot the middle-aged man a nod.

As expected.

"Damn lunatic!"

The man, mid-swing at the priests, bolted like lightning.

Clang!

I'd been waiting. Sword qi lanced toward him.

"Eek!"

He hadn't anticipated my pivot and hastily unleashed palm force to dissipate it.

Boom!

He failed to fully deflect, blood trickling from his hand, but somehow positioned himself in front of Goon Cheonji.

Goon Cheonji looked up at him, face twisted in pain.

I threw his words back. "Got time to worry about others?"

Man, he looks like it hurts bad.

"You crazy bastard!"

The middle-aged man gnashed his teeth.

I glanced aside. Hong Saryeon was tending Eunho's wound, while Geum Pyo and Dongryong flanked me.

Perfect—we had the upper hand now.

Geum Pyo and Dongryong took positions at my sides, readying the White Tiger Sword Formation. Panic flickered in the middle-aged man's eyes.

He didn't know Goon Cheonji's state and couldn't decide his next move—mind in chaos. Plus, he'd taken a wound unawares.

"Urgh…."

Goon Cheonji groaned from the ground. The middle-aged man yelled urgently.

"Cheonji, you okay?"

"…Kuhk."

At this obvious moment of hesitation, I spoke up.

"How about we both back off here?"

"…Huh?"

"I held back, so the wounds aren't deep. Treat them now, and you'll wield a sword again no problem."

"You dare toy with Jongnam?!"

His face turned ghastly pale. Tigers get pride-wounded over scratches, after all.

"You saying we should bury our bones here?"

But even tigers need to size up foes properly. What seems like rabbit teeth might be a viper's fang.

"If that's what you want."

Clang!

I drew the Black Dragon Sword in a flash, slashing at his throat.

He blocked in panic. Instead of pulling back, I surged inner energy, shoving blade-first.

"I'll make it so."

To instill fear, show overwhelming dominance.

Spurt—

Blood misted from his wounded hand; his eyes bulged like a rabbit's.

"…What kind of inner energy is that?!"

Nice. After all the hell to build this, he better show that face.

Kreeeeek—

The blade pressed toward him. He flattened it, pushing back with both hands.

But unless he's an external arts master, he can't overpower me in an inner energy clash.

Grrrrrind—

As the Black Dragon Sword nicked his throat, drawing blood—

"S-Stop…."

Goon Cheonji grabbed his ankle in a dying rasp.

"Sajae-hyung, stop…."

"Cheonji!"

"You didn't see it, sajil. He's… dangerous."

Goon Cheonji eyed me. "Will you… keep your word?"

"I've never broken a promise."

"How can we trust you? With your face hidden…."

Fair point. But if you don't, what then?

Kreeeeek—

I pushed harder; his face crumpled.

"F-Fine. Deal."

I slowly withdrew the sword.

The middle-aged man hadn't dropped his guard.

Huh, look at this guy.

"Jongnam going back on its word?"

"…!"

My shout made Goon Cheonji yell at him. "Sajae-hyung!"

The man glared between us, then sheathed his sword and helped Goon Cheonji up.

"Cheonji, you good?"

"Y-Yeah. Ahk, don't grab there."

As they staggered toward the exit, I blocked them.

"…What? More business?"

I pitied the Jongnam disciple trying to skip basics.

"Leave the sword."

"…."

"And empty your pockets while you're at it."

Oh, first time for this Jongnam punk?

#

"You okay?"

Eunho eyed me complexly at my question.

"You thought of looting pockets mid-fight?"

Face hidden, but that irreverent gaze was clear.

"Mouth's working, so yeah, you're fine."

Kids grow best with some rolling in the dirt.

He replied steadily. "Swinging a sword might be tough."

"No issue. Never expected swordplay from you anyway."

"Huh? What does that— …Sajae-hyung? Wait, answer me! Sajae-hyung! Hey! Answer—!"

I sealed his mute acupoint amid the racket and rummaged the Jongnam loot for pills.

Jongnam and Five Great Families disciples always carry emergency meds.

Sama Jeong's salves are better, but vitality pills are another story.

I tested a chunk of Vitality Pill, then fed it to Eunho and applied salve…

Wait, did this kid just 'hey' me?

Squeeze—

"Mmph! Mmph! Mmmph! Mmph!"

Painful as it was, Eunho endured well. Smart kid—knows noise gives away position.

"Sajae-hyung, you can just seal anywhere?"

"He's enduring fine, isn't he?"

"…Doesn't seem voluntary."

"Don't underestimate Eunho. He's sharp."

"Mmmmmph—!"

After rough first aid, Geum Pyo and Dongryong helped him up.

"Sajae-hyung."

Hong Saryeon stared coldly.

"Why… didn't you help our side?"

Still adjusting for her, huh.

I said flatly, "Because it was right."

"What kind of—!"

"That was the right call then. That's it."

"…."

Not something explainable to conviction. Battlefields don't coddle feelings for all to survive.

If they live without understanding, that's enough.

So I skipped extra explanation, knowing her thoughts. Words wouldn't convince; effort to understand means eventual friction.

"…That's all?"

"Yeah."

She bit her lip, sighed—deeming no point in arguing now.

Shifting gears, she nodded at Eunho's arm. "When did you learn this? Not beginner work."

"…."

Oh, right—post-Great War of Righteousness and Evil.

"…I hunted a lot in the mountains. Picked it up along the way."

"Blood stopped too quick for that."

Sharp as ever.

To dodge awkwardness, divert eyes. I smiled warmly, raising a hand.

"Eunho's not badly hurt. Lucky. Right, Eunho?"

"Mmmph—!"

I ruffled his head—glaring like mortal foe—and talk shifted to the fleeing Goon Cheonji crew.

"But really, okay letting them go?"

Worried they'd circle back.

"Like I said, Jongnam can't afford blood here."

"No, I mean, shouldn't we at least capture them?"

"Ho, our Saryeon's a full murim-er now. No blood? Bury 'em alive then."

"No! When did I say that?!"

She shuddered at the thought.

"Don't worry. Reporting truthfully takes time; they won't chase."

"Why?"

"Cheon Cave's swarming with intruders already."

Jongnam's mistake: all external guards dove inside fearing lay disciples grabbing Onyeong Seonhwaryu.

Weakened perimeter, third entrance breached—Sichuan warriors won't sit idle.

Entrances must be chaos now. Ambush report amid that? Minimal impact. Intruders not even fully tracked.

"What if they do chase?"

"Make sure they can't."

We picked this path for a reason.

Surging Great Yang Palm struck the ceiling we'd passed.

Rumble—Kwaruk kwaruk.

Rocks and dirt collapsed, sealing the cave.

"They'll detour far to reach us."

Why bother breaching here? Fastest to Onyeong Seonhwaryu.

One step closer.

#

We sealed several caves past Goon Cheonji's.

Now, to Onyeong Seonhwaryu, folks must loop around.

No more Jongnam after a few tunnels.

"No Jongnam this way?"

"Busy blocking third entrance intruders."

Hong Saryeon nodded. Northeast outskirts here; past blooms southwest—looser watch inevitable.

Deeper in, Jongnam torches thinned, then vanished.

We carried torches onward.

"Hold…."

At my signal, priests hid torches behind rocks. Light dimmed, no leak to other caves.

"Hurry! Outsiders incoming!"

"What?! We blocked the entrance!"

"Damn lay dogs!"

Jongnam disciples' cursing footsteps faded.

Intruders doing their job. Jongnam's desperate—Onyeong Seonhwaryu blooming soon.

"Sajae-hyung, to find Onyeong Seonhwaryu, don't we split up?"

I shook my head at Geum Pyo.

"It emerges predictably."

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"Huh?"

"Onyeong vein tilts one way, fills opposite—cycles. Three southwest blooms; next is northeast."

Mancho ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Chronicles theory, but my target from Murim Spirit Medicine Records—exact spot.

Modest cave, unremarkable.

"Douse torches."

"Huh? More Jongnam?"

"No. Time to kill the lights."

Jongnam missed this, wasting chances.

Darkness absolute.

Soon—

"…Huh?"

"Ah!!"

"Mmph— Mmph—."

Ceiling glowed red like embers.

Spreading crimson outshone torches; pitch-black room now daylight-bright, faces clear.

"What the—!"

Eyes adjusted to dark squinted shut.

I fetched a flask, approached center.

Stubby root-like protrusion wept yellow dew.

Flask caught drops.

Drop— Drop— Drop—

Mysterious fragrance wafted.

"Sajae-hyung, that's…."

Geum Pyo gaped.

I nodded. Jongnam's obsession, Gangho's lingering greed.

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"Yeah. Onyeong Seonhwaryu."