Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Plum Blossom Inheritance (1)
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"Junior Brother, our first meeting wasn't the best, was it?"
At those words, Ouyang Jue struggled to lift his head.
There, Ha Jin-ak, clad all in white, was kneeling and gazing blankly at him.
The world was entirely pitch-black.
As if painted over with black ink, there was nothing.
It was as if only Ouyang Jue and Ha Jin-ak existed.
*...This is...*
Ouyang Jue bit his lip.
This sensation, this feeling, this situation. He had experienced it all before.
This was a world isolated from the one outside.
At the same time, it was a fragile space that could shatter with the slightest impact.
The moment of Invitation, born from Ha Jin-ak's immense internal energy.
Within it, Ha Jin-ak placed his right hand over Ouyang Jue's Baihui acupoint.
Though he looked as if he might collapse at any moment, he struggled to lift his chin and smiled.
"But it's fortunate, isn't it?"
Ha Jin-ak mumbled, his lips barely moving.
He seemed to lack even the strength to speak loudly.
"Because the end is good like this..."
At the same time, the world painted entirely in black began to surge toward Ouyang Jue.
An infinite sense of fulfillment filled Ouyang Jue, and his dantian expanded in an instant, increasing its capacity.
Ouyang Jue knew this process.
The transmission of internal energy.
A technique also known as transference.
He also knew its end.
*Certain death.*
Moreover, Ha Jin-ak was guiding the internal energy during the transmission to expand the dantian's capacity.
An act that would completely drain what little stamina he had left.
A hundred out of a hundred times.
He would die.
*Grip...!*
Ouyang Jue raised his left hand and gripped Ha Jin-ak's wrist.
But Ha Jin-ak's hand did not move.
Ha Jin-ak was carrying this out with a will of iron.
"You can't do this."
"Are we not in the middle of a transmission? Be silent, Jue."
Ouyang Jue's face flushed red with a torrent of emotions.
"Senior-most Brother... no, you are someone who must not die!"
"Now that I'm about to die, you dare to treat your Senior-most Brother as an equal."
A trickle of blood leaked from the corner of Ha Jin-ak's mouth, staining Ouyang Jue's abdomen.
He was surely dying.
Ouyang Jue pressed his lips together.
As if sensing his feelings, Ha Jin-ak gave a bitter smile.
"When does a person's life ever flow as destined? Don't be too sad. Don't cry. Are you not a disciple of Mount Hua?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the world painted in black turned colorless.
The internal energy he possessed had long since seeped into every corner of Ouyang Jue's meridians.
The transmission was possible only because the fundamental energy of both martial artists was the same Purple Mist True Qi.
Thirty-five years of power, which Ha Jin-ak had accumulated with the help of elixirs, was gradually settling in.
Even if he couldn't assimilate it all right now, it would be of great help someday.
"You must become a greater Taoist than I, Jue."
"Senior-most Brother!"
"As long as you don't neglect your training, the martial world will welcome a master of immense internal energy."
With Ha Jin-ak's thirty-five years of internal energy and Ouyang Jue's five, even if some were lost during training, he would become the owner of at least half a cycle's worth of power.
Ha Jin-ak shrugged his shoulders in satisfaction.
At the same time, the white form that constituted Ha Jin-ak began to crumble.
Soon, a warm true qi surged through Ouyang Jue's Baihui acupoint.
The world distorted.
The true qi that sustained Ha Jin-ak's very life, often called by connoisseurs by the name of True Essence.
As his foundation scattered, the Invitation forged by Ha Jin-ak was gradually being overwritten by the outside world.
At this rate, Ha Jin-ak's survival would become nearly impossible.
Ouyang Jue cried out urgently.
"Senior-most Brother!"
"...Honestly, I told you to be quiet."
Before he knew it, Ha Jin-ak's form from the knees down had vanished.
The world of the Invitation had been eroded by the outside, turning into a hazy gray.
Ha Jin-ak smiled.
He had many lingering regrets and things he hadn't seen, but he smiled.
"I am grateful that you are the one with me at my end. I could have died in vain, so how could I blame you, who faithfully protected me? It is all karma. It is the fault of this Senior-most Brother, who was overconfident in his martial arts and failed to look after himself."
After his long speech, Ha Jin-ak let out a final sigh.
Watching him, Ouyang Jue had a chilling thought.
*Perhaps that sigh was the last word Ha Jin-ak left behind in his past life.*
Maybe Ha Jin-ak had met such a mysterious death because there was no one else around.
As his thoughts reached that point, Ouyang Jue's lips twisted.
"...Hk."
To think he was still deducing the cause and effect of the past life, even in this situation where he had received everything from Ha Jin-ak.
Feeling disgusted with himself, Ouyang Jue frowned.
Seeing this, Ha Jin-ak forced Ouyang Jue's lips into a smile.
"Ha, haha... Why the long face? You are the very person who will give my life meaning."
"...?"
"Because I've found someone who will tell the world what kind of man, what kind of Taoist, Ha Jin-ak was... that Ha Jin-ak stood resolute even against many villains..."
*Is that what you think?*
*Are you, Ha Jin-ak, truly satisfied with that?*
Ouyang Jue felt the internal energy that had filled him up to his chest and nodded.
"This junior brother will prove it."
"Yes, that's... enough."
As if he desired nothing more.
*Shhhhh...*
Ha Jin-ak's remaining body scattered in the wind and vanished.
His True Essence, his internal energy, were now Ouyang Jue's.
As the fleeting moment forged by the Invitation shattered, Ouyang Jue heard a gust of wind.
"I'll be watching. I leave the future, and the Mount Hua Sect, to you."
"Leave it to me."
As he answered, Ouyang Jue looked Ha Jin-ak in the eye until the very end and smiled.
"...But shouldn't you be there to watch it happen?"
*Grab!*
A divine art of the long-lost Maoshan Sect seemed to manifest in Ouyang Jue's hand, and he seized Ha Jin-ak's scattering soul.
* * *
While Ha Jin-ak was transferring all his internal energy to Ouyang Jue, a heavy silence had fallen outside.
The Clear Profound Sword, Gwak Un-pae.
Though he looked like a pot-bellied middle-aged man, any martial artist with an ear to the ground knew of the great deeds he had accomplished in the past.
That was why even Ak-gun, who had been confident of victory, was breaking out in a cold sweat.
*It's impossible.*
Before the fight even began, Ak-gun foresaw his defeat.
Even if the five dead swordsmen came back to life and joined him, he had no confidence he could defeat Gwak Un-pae.
*Still, I have to take that bastard's life.*
Ak-gun's gaze turned vicious.
It was no wonder.
The notoriety he'd built as one of the Three Evils of Shaanxi was, in the end, something that existed because there were three of them.
If Ak-gun were left alone, there was no way his shattered reputation would ever recover.
Especially if it was because of a fight against a junior, he wouldn't even be considered a third-rate fighter.
If the deceased Tu-gwang saw this, he would have a fit.
*Wasn't it just a bluff?*
Ak-gun had already decided to retreat.
This life was not something to be thrown away so easily with a rash move.
The job from the Black Dragon Gang was, in the end, just a job.
Compared to his life, it was utterly insignificant.
If he could survive and plan for another day, that would be enough.
*Shhk.*
Just as Ak-gun's feet slid subtly backward.
Gwak Un-pae's right hand moved. No, an afterimage that seemed like it had moved blurred his vision.
*Kaaang.*
A clear ring soon echoed from Gwak Un-pae's sword.
"When did he...!"
The swordsman, vaguely sensing the difference in their levels, paled even further.
It was said that in the past, the moment that sword rang out, the heads of six martial artists from the unorthodox factions who had been pressing in from all sides were sent flying.
This was not good.
Feeling the frost-like sword qi from Gwak Un-pae, the swordsmen of the Black Dragon Gang broke into a cold sweat.
"You will die here."
This was a far cry from the Gwak Un-pae who, as the Master of the Reception Hall, usually showed a foolish grin to visitors.
Short and cold.
The killing intent in those words froze the swordsmen in place, like frogs before a snake.
Ak-gun swallowed a sharp breath.
*Is that really...*
As a joke, a rumor had circulated among the villains of Shaanxi.
That they couldn't understand why Gwak Un-pae, who had made such a great name for himself in his youth, was not only left to rot as a pot-bellied man but was also used like a mere clerk.
Back then, Ak-gun had cursed Bai Duanxian's use of his subordinates.
He had sneered, calling it a foolish move.
But what about now?
*It's deadly.*
Ak-gun let out a cynical smirk.
*Any more is impossible. I have no choice but to flee and wait for the next chance.*
*Ssk.*
Ak-gun stealthily widened his stance to the rear.
From that, Gwak Un-pae realized he was about to flee.
Gwak Un-pae's eyebrow twitched.
But it wouldn't be easy. Between Ak-gun and himself, the swordsmen of the Black Dragon Gang stood guard with their swords raised.
Just then.
A sword suddenly shot out from behind Gwak Un-pae.
*Puhak-! Thud!*
Severing Manifestation flew like an arrow, pierced through Ak-gun's body, and continued until it embedded itself in a tree.
Truly peerless.
It was a single strike that made full use of Severing Manifestation's sharp qi.
"Rotten bastard, where do you think you're running?"
Ouyang Jue pushed his bangs back with a blood-stained hand.
The internal energy Ha Jin-ak had refined over a lifetime was more than enough to fill Ouyang Jue's dantian to the brim.
Not only that.
Thanks to Ha Jin-ak using even his True Essence to soothe it, there were no adverse reactions.
Thanks to that, Ouyang Jue could move his limbs as he pleased, as if the internal energy had been his from the start.
After confirming Ak-gun was dead, Ouyang Jue urgently prompted Gwak Un-pae.
"Elder Gwak, please check on Senior-most Brother! If we act now, we can save his life."
"...! Understood!"
At those words, Gwak Un-pae's figure vanished for a moment before reappearing in front of Ha Jin-ak.
Seeing that, the swordsmen of the Black Dragon Gang felt a chill run down their spines.
There was Ouyang Jue, who had used a flying sword technique that crossed ten zhang, and Gwak Un-pae, known as the strongest gatekeeper in Gangbuk.
There was no way to predict a victory.
The swordsmen trembled in the face of this despairing situation.
Ouyang Jue glanced back at Ha Jin-ak with desolate eyes.
He had used the divine art of the Maoshan Sect to keep him alive, but he couldn't guarantee how he would survive from now on.
In the worst-case scenario, he might never return.
"..."
One of Ouyang Jue's knees bent.
His expression was indifferent, but his eyes were a chaotic tangle.
A mixture of fiercely boiling anger and sorrow resided there.
*...Shlk, kachak.*
Ouyang Jue picked up Ha Jin-ak's sword, which had fallen to the ground.
It had been well-maintained, so the blade was sharp, and the center of gravity was perfectly balanced.
While not on the level of Severing Manifestation, it was a fine sword that would be praised anywhere.
Just like the usual Ha Jin-ak.
*So, after his internal energy, I've inherited his sword as well.*
Ouyang Jue lifted the sword, his mind filled with many thoughts.
At first, soaked in the joy of his return, he believed he could change everything.
Six months of training amplified that confidence, and after pruning the branch that was the Golden Ring Merchant Guild, his confidence became certainty.
That was why he could stand tall at the Mount Hua Sect's gathering, which had convened around him.
Soon, by winning the Nine Dragons Tournament, he gained the fame he had never achieved in his past life.
What's more, he had dealt with one of the Three Evils representing Shaanxi; it was impossible for there to be no change.
Amidst all those major events, Ha Jin-ak was supposed to be nothing more than a brief companion with whom he would part ways.
And yet.
He had received everything from him.
To an arrogant junior brother who had never once shown him respect, Ha Jin-ak had given his all.
And while doing so, he had shown an absurdly pure smile.
"I am grateful that you are the one with me at my end."
Disgust, anger, hatred.
Such emotions raged within Ouyang Jue.
And yet, no inner demon arose.
*I've been through too much to be brought down by something like this.*
Ouyang Jue wiggled the fingers gripping the sword, mulling over the emotions he felt.
Disgust at his reckless arrogance, anger at himself for being unable to prevent this despite knowing the future.
And a great hatred for himself for failing to protect Ha Jin-ak in the end.
*...Grip!*
Ouyang Jue tightened his grip on Ha Jin-ak's sword.
"Grit your teeth and endure a wound like this, Senior-most Brother."
He would not let Ha Jin-ak die like this.
Ouyang Jue had decided it.