Chapter 121
Chapter 121
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: Three-Eyed Buddha
-----------------------------------------------------------------
To speak coldly, calling the fight against the Three-Eyed Buddha a hunt was too generous.
It was more akin to a meal. Slowly savoring the food entering the mouth, then leisurely chewing and swallowing it.
Dang Mujin thought the Three-Eyed Buddha's two arms resembled molars. Just as molars moved up and down to grind food, every time the two arms crossed and swung, people were flung away, weapons snapped, and bones crumbled.
"Die already!"
"Haha!"
An utterly bizarre battle continued.
The basics of martial arts were to protect oneself first, with subduing the opponent coming second.
But in this fight, neither the Three-Eyed Buddha nor the Jeomchang Sect warriors bothered with defense. Though the reasons differed.
The Jeomchang Sect warriors lacked the ability to withstand the Three-Eyed Buddha's attacks.
Conversely, the Three-Eyed Buddha saw no need to defend against the Jeomchang Sect warriors' strikes. Their swords could not pierce his flesh.
A Jeomchang Sect warrior swung his sword at the Three-Eyed Buddha's ashen skin. But the blade neither penetrated, sliced, nor split it.
It was eerie, like steel clashing against steel—the blade simply slid across the gray skin.
'Is this the pinnacle of external arts?'
At least the peak experts fared slightly better. The Three-Eyed Buddha at least pretended to defend against them, catching incoming swords barehanded.
Wei Huan desperately twisted his sword, wrenching it free from the Three-Eyed Buddha's grasp. By then, the blade was mangled, its teeth missing.
"What a mad bastard."
The only reason this fight hadn't ended immediately was thanks to Namgung Myeong's efforts.
Namgung Myeong fought using a sword scavenged from a corpse, and even the Three-Eyed Buddha paid some attention to blocking his strikes.
Namgung Myeong refrained from aggressive attacks, merely dipping half a step into the fray.
Instead, whenever the Three-Eyed Buddha aimed a fatal blow at someone else, he intervened with his Sovereign Sword Form, taking on the defense in place of the Jeomchang Sect warriors.
The Three-Eyed Buddha swatted away Namgung Myeong's sword with an annoyed look.
"Hey now. Impressive skill for someone so young. Why not retreat and plan for another day?"
"As if you'd let me live. I can see your hand itching to grab the back of my head."
"Haha. Sharp eyes, eh."
Dang Mujin fiddled with the Heavenly King Needle Case in his bosom. But there was no way its needles could pierce skin impervious even to swords.
Still, he couldn't just sit back and watch. Dang Mujin pondered ways to target the Three-Eyed Buddha and found a possibility.
'If the issue is extreme external arts, then strike the interior.'
Dang Mujin had a means to target the Three-Eyed Buddha's insides: poison.
'One chance.'
Dang Mujin drew out all the poison qi from his Poison Core. The condensed poison qi gathered in his left palm, forming a few drops of inky blue poison liquid.
The poison liquid seemed eager to spread, refusing to stay as mere liquid and trying to mix into the air.
The tricky part came next. An attack he'd only theorized, never attempted.
But he didn't agonize over success. This was his only shot anyway.
Dang Mujin poured all his internal energy to envelop the poison liquid like a wall or a box.
He possessed internal energy comparable to others, but the amount required for this feat was overwhelming even for him.
Somehow, the first step succeeded.
The poison qi formed a black mist but couldn't escape the transparent box Dang Mujin had formed with his internal energy. The box containing the mist slowly floated into the air. A strange sensation, like Air Grasp yet not quite.
Hong Geolgae stared in shock at the sight, but Dang Mujin ignored him and focused.
The mist-filled box hovered above the Three-Eyed Buddha's head.
'No one checks overhead mid-battle.'
As Dang Mujin predicted, the Three-Eyed Buddha didn't notice the phenomenon above.
Then, the fist-sized inky blue poison mist condensed further, shrinking to the size of a pinky nail and hovering near the Three-Eyed Buddha's face.
Seizing the moment of inattention, the poison Dang Mujin created rode the Three-Eyed Buddha's inhalation into his body. Dang Mujin clenched his fist.
'Success.'
Over a year of accumulated poison qi fused into a single drop and seeped inside. Even the Three-Eyed Buddha couldn't endure this much poison. Hadn't the Imperial Physician Sword Sect Leader knelt before far less?
Sure enough, a reaction came instantly. The Three-Eyed Buddha froze, eyes bulging, upper body slightly bent as he coughed.
His condition must have been dire; he failed to block Wei Huan's swung sword. The Spectral Sword Technique infused with a peak expert's internal energy left a long gash on the Three-Eyed Buddha's forearm.
Not deep, but plenty of blood flowed from the red wound.
The Jeomchang Sect warriors glimpsed a faint chance of victory.
No, perhaps not victory. Even if they felled the Three-Eyed Buddha, six peak experts from the Demonic Cult and the Bloodveil remained. But they had no leisure to worry that far ahead.
"Now!"
The Namgung Sovereign Sword Form and the Jeomchang Fourfold Sword Technique unfolded toward the Three-Eyed Buddha. Back of the neck, abdomen, heart—all vital points.
But just before the swords struck, the coughing Three-Eyed Buddha spat out a clump of black blood. Black poison qi rose from the blood droplets on the ground, spreading a chilling medicinal scent. In mere breaths, he'd expelled all the clumped poison qi from his body.
The Three-Eyed Buddha swiftly swung his arms, blocking all four peak experts' attacks.
Then, seizing the opening as Namgung Myeong joined the assault, he smashed Wei Ying's temple with his elbow. Wei Ying's temple caved in, his neck snapped, and he died. Even renowned peak experts paled before a transcendent one.
Finally, the Three-Eyed Buddha spat once more, then slowly scanned the surroundings. His breathing had already steadied. He'd fully purged the poison.
Soon, his gaze locked onto Dang Mujin.
"It was you. The one who pulled that interesting stunt."
The Three-Eyed Buddha grinned and crouched low. The next instant, his toes powerfully stamped the ground. So forceful that dirt and stones sprayed behind him.
His massive gray form shot toward Dang Mujin. He ignored the first-rate Jeomchang Sect warrior between them.
The intervening warrior merely collided with his body, bones shattering as he met his end. Now nothing stood between Dang Mujin and the Three-Eyed Buddha. Dang Mujin's turn to die.
But one person was beside Dang Mujin: Hong Geolgae, who hadn't properly joined the fight due to his club-like weapon.
"Lotus Fall!"
Hong Geolgae executed a movement technique, lunging forward to grab the off-balance Dang Mujin's collar. The two barely dodged the Three-Eyed Buddha's charge, tumbling across the ground. They hadn't died yet, but it was mere improvisation.
The Three-Eyed Buddha's extended right palm targeted Dang Mujin's head, still rising.
Too fast to react, and even if he could, no escaping the grasp.
Dang Mujin sensed death. The moment his head met the ground, it would burst.
Yet someone intervened again.
Namgung Myeong leaped in from the side, kneeling before Dang Mujin and thrusting out his left hand. The Three-Eyed Buddha's right hand met Namgung Myeong's left.
Namgung Myeong had a risky but simple plan: palm-to-palm, unleash maximum internal energy. Use the rebound from clashing energies to spring backward.
The problem: the Three-Eyed Buddha's internal energy was vast, and its speed far exceeded Namgung Myeong's expectations.
Before Namgung Myeong's internal energy reached his palm from his dantian, the Three-Eyed Buddha's surged like a wave, invading up to his left elbow. Peak and transcendent energies collided in Namgung Myeong's left elbow.
'...Screwed.'
The two energies exploded inside Namgung Myeong's left arm. It severed and burst at the elbow.
Blood and flesh sprayed. But the time Namgung Myeong bought with his left arm wasn't long.
Dang Mujin quickly regained his wits, yanked Namgung Myeong back, and hurled him away. Hong Geolgae, risking it all, pressed his palm to the Three-Eyed Buddha's forearm.
"Jade-Breaking Palm!"
It looked unremarkable, but it had some effect. The Three-Eyed Buddha flinched.
"Learning Weight-Shift at your age? Meeting all sorts of oddballs today."
The Three-Eyed Buddha kicked Hong Geolgae. Hong Geolgae launched into the air, tucking arms and legs tight to absorb the leg strike.
He rolled away without much resistance. He'd apparently learned all sorts of bizarre arts following the Great Wind Elder.
The Three-Eyed Buddha paid Hong Geolgae no further mind. He shook his assaulted right arm a couple times, flexed and opened his hand repeatedly, then advanced on Dang Mujin.
Despair.
Dang Mujin, Namgung Myeong, Hong Geolgae, even the Jeomchang Sect warriors—all had exhausted their means, yet none could overcome the Three-Eyed Buddha.
As if others were beneath notice, he squatted before Dang Mujin. His massive frame blocked the sunset, shrouding Dang Mujin in shadow.
The Three-Eyed Buddha muttered.
"Others aside, you need to die here to eliminate future troubles."
"I'm the best, huh?"
"Best? Who knows. But if anyone's bound to cause trouble someday, it'll be you."
Dang Mujin laughed. The direction was odd, but it felt like he'd won against Namgung Myeong. A fairly amusing end.
As the Three-Eyed Buddha's grasp loomed to engulf Dang Mujin's face, he urgently withdrew his hand, covering his own temple with his palm.
'What?'
The next moment, a flying club collided with the Three-Eyed Buddha's hand. Then an absurd sight: the Three-Eyed Buddha, unmoved by any attack, was pushed sideways.
All eyes turned toward the bamboo club's origin. There stood an old man with a red nose and ragged appearance. The Three-Eyed Buddha shouted.
"Geolseon!"
Hope dawned on faces. One of the Orthodox Faction's Six Venerables: Beggars' Sect Leader Geolseon.
Unclear if he'd win against the Three-Eyed Buddha, but he wouldn't fall easily.
Yet the distance between the Three-Eyed Buddha and Geolseon was nearly a hundred zhang. Wisest response: kill Dang Mujin right in front of him first.
But as the Three-Eyed Buddha reached with his right arm, a sword thrust from behind Dang Mujin's shoulder toward his brow. Slow, but laden with Mount Tai-like pressure.
Dang Mujin turned. A familiar middle-aged face: Sword Demon Namgung Jincheon.
The Three-Eyed Buddha retreated unsteadily. He enjoyed battle, but not against two venerables.
"Geolseon and the Sword Demon together? You set a trap to kill me?"
Certainty, not suspicion, laced his words.
But Geolseon and the Sword Demon's reactions were subtle. They eyed each other with expressions saying, 'Why are you here?'
Namgung Jincheon spoke first.
"Trap? I heard Demonic Cult fiends approaching Anhui Province direction, so I came ahead."
Geolseon trudged over, picking up his discarded staff.
"A wandering monk, heard a commotion and birds fleeing. Came to check."
Namgung Jincheon made sense seeking demonic heads, but Geolseon here purely by chance. The Three-Eyed Buddha muttered.
"Damn lucky bastards..."
Without hesitation, he leaped backward and fled. Whatever befell the Demonic Cult heads or Bloodveil assassins was none of his concern.
Seeing this, a few Bloodveil and Demonic Cult peak experts began backing away, then fled after him in panic.
"Where do you think you're going!"
Geolseon swung his staff, smashing one fleeing demonic head's occiput. An unremarkable strike, yet a peak expert died effortlessly.
As vast the gap between first-rate and peak, so between transcendent and peak.
But only one died. The other five escaped alive. Geolseon didn't overextend to pursue.
Dang Mujin's group and the Jeomchang Sect warriors surveyed the surroundings. Corpses lay mangled and crushed everywhere. The fight hadn't been long, yet less than half the Jeomchang Sect warriors survived.
"..."
Dang Mujin gazed at the dead, then belatedly thought of Namgung Myeong. Recalling his left arm had burst clashing with the Three-Eyed Buddha.
Namgung Myeong knelt halfway, propping himself with his sword's right hand, staring at Namgung Jincheon.
Namgung Jincheon spoke.
"Myeong-ah. You faced the Three-Eyed Buddha for your benefactor?"
"Not a benefactor—a friend."
Namgung Jincheon slowly nodded. An inscrutable reaction.
Yu Jingwang and the Jeomchang Sect warriors, plus Hong Geolgae, gawked at Namgung Myeong and Namgung Jincheon. Someone whispered.
"What's Namgung Myeong's relation to the Sword Demon?"
"How should I know?"
Namgung Jincheon eyed the sword in Namgung Myeong's right hand. Their gazes met.
Namgung Jincheon spoke in his usual stiff tone.
"I hear you kept your tongue."
"Saved one, lost another."
Namgung Myeong raised his left forearm, severed at the elbow, blood streaming.
Then Namgung Jincheon's right hand and sword blurred. Namgung Myeong's left upper arm tumbled to the ground. Blood sprayed fiercer.
Dang Mujin startled, blocking Namgung Myeong's front and shouted.
"What are you doing!"
"Just keeping a promise. No business of yours, Young Master Dang."
He knew the promise: while wandering the Central Plains, mentioning the Namgung Family meant tongue severed; wielding a sword, arm severed.
But Dang Mujin couldn't fathom Namgung Jincheon's attitude. Even if the arm was mangled beyond saving, he shouldn't casually sever his own son's.
Dang Mujin pressed Namgung Myeong's acupoints to staunch the left arm's bleeding and yelled.
"You mean he should've died to the Three-Eyed Buddha without drawing his sword? Without Namgung Myeong's sword, who else here would've suffered? You may not praise him, but punish him?!"
Namgung Jincheon lightly scratched his chin.
"I don't see it as wrong. Quite right. Better if he hadn't drawn it. That's all."
"What's the point of a promise with no flexibility, just coercion?"
"There's meaning in the family head upholding his word. And since the party himself, Myeong, doesn't complain, no reason for an outsider like you to interfere."
Namgung Jincheon said this, then looked back at Namgung Myeong.
"Coming home now?"
"No."
"Understood."
As Namgung Jincheon turned, Namgung Myeong called.
"Father."
Namgung Jincheon replied without turning.
"Listening."
"You said to return as an adult."
"Yes."
"Am I an adult now?"
Namgung Jincheon pondered briefly before answering.
"Yes. An adult, and a fairly capable warrior."
"Then I'll decide for myself now. I'm not returning to the Namgung Family."
Namgung Jincheon turned to face Namgung Myeong. Brief but clear regret crossed his face.
"No regrets? With that level already, you could claim the next family head seat."
Namgung Myeong propped himself up with his right hand, meeting Namgung Jincheon's eyes.
The moment a grown son faced his father.
"It's not claimed. It's inherited. I have no interest in such a seat."
"Don't act rashly in youthful folly and regret it."
"No worries. If the day comes when the Namgung Family needs me, I'll take it myself."
Namgung Jincheon stared piercingly at Namgung Myeong, then burst into laughter. Drawing all eyes.
He laughed long, then smiled proudly and turned away.
"Fine. Do as you will. Won't be easy."
Namgung Myeong said nothing, silently watching his father depart.