I'll Handle That Revenge Myself (4)
Hwagyeong. Throughout the entire history of Mu, the realm that nearly every martial artist who left their name behind had stepped into. Simply standing upon it granted one a body and mind that transcended humanity.
In some eras, it was called a transcendent realm, even worshipped. These days, it wasn't quite to that extent, but it was undoubtedly extraordinary.
Crack.
'D-Did this crumple so easily?'
Geum Dondong stared blankly down at what he'd been wearing just moments ago.
The sudden shock. Coming to his senses, he felt something pressing on his head and removed his helmet first. What he saw was one side of the Golden Dragon Helmet—which had easily blocked the sword aura of a peak expert—crumpled.
With eyes full of disbelief, Geum Dondong looked at the one responsible.
"I just tapped it lightly, and it crumpled. Is that thing defective or what? You're not gonna make me pay for it, right? So petty."
The beggar-like man spun his arm around, wearing a disappointed expression.
Regaining his composure, Geum Dondong calmly spoke.
"Sword aura?"
There was only one thing that could deform his gear like this, surpassing sword aura. But the response was different.
"I just hit it, like I said. Sword aura for something that weak? And for reference, if I'd infused it with sword aura... you'd be dead right now."
"I'm getting sick of all these lies."
He'd heard somewhere that among masters, some precisely channeled energy only to the strike point.
To minimize energy waste.
Sword aura consumed an unimaginable amount of qi, after all.
"So you're not just a big-talking braggart."
Geum Dondong stripped off his outer robe. The beggar man jumped in surprise.
"You don't mean...? You fell for me? Even so, I'm a prime specimen of healthy Central Plains manhood. What I like is women, got it!"
I knew he was crazy, but...
This guy was even crazier than expected.
"Beggar, I'm a married man with kids."
"Phew~ You scared me for nothing. For the record, if you were trying to freak me out, mission accomplished. First time in ten years my spine's tingled."
"Shut up and look closely. Tell me what you see."
The beggar man—Namgung Cheon—began scrutinizing Geum Dondong as instructed.
There it was. Something transparent enveloping his skin. And another layer of transparency over that.
If the previous helmet felt like a scrap of cloth, this gave the strong impression of iron plating.
Yes, that was...
"Not ordinary armor, huh?"
Geum Dondong let out a low chuckle.
"Right. This is Gyoryong Armor, made from gyoryong scales. And the undergarment inside is woven from cheonjam silk. Plus!"
He held up his hand.
"This is the True Flame Cannon, said to be crafted by the Tang Clan's founding master."
He aimed the tube-like device at Namgung Cheon and placed his thumb on the protruding part.
"The moment I press this, needle-fine feather needles will shoot out in all directions from me as the center. And every single one is coated with Gucheon Earth Poison, the deadliest toxin in the world."
Geum Dondong was warning the beggar man.
With the Golden Dragon Helmet useless, the next head strike would end it. The fight would likely be decided in one move. And the man's speed was too great—he probably couldn't win.
This True Flame Cannon was his only counter to the beggar.
If it were just a light poison prick, he wouldn't need to warn so kindly. But linking Gucheon Earth Poison with the True Flame Cannon was Geum Dondong's strongest attack.
If even one feather needle pierced the man, he'd melt into a puddle of toxic sludge.
"So beg for mercy now, and I'll generously forgive you. Even if you're a beggar's spawn, I'll chalk it up to stepping in shit. And I swear here and now, no grudges over today's events."
Geum Dondong spoke with utter sincerity, hoping the man would recognize it.
He had no qualms about killing, but he wasn't the type to murder someone just for blocking his path.
"You talk real smooth, huh?"
Geum Dondong's face crumpled the instant the man spoke.
"We've got this old strategist back home who sounds just like you. But threats? That's not how you do it. Nobody listens to that crap."
"Hah, you madman. You could really die. Don't take it as bluff!"
"I'm not dead yet. And like I said, threats..."
Suddenly, Geum Dondong's eyes widened.
The beggar had vanished from sight.
He frantically scanned around, but the man was nowhere.
Then, the thickest killing intent he'd ever felt came from behind.
I'll die like this!
Squeeze.
Instinctively, Geum Dondong pressed his thumb down.
Clink.
A faint sound, audible only to him, filled his ears.
Shwaaaaaaaa!
Feather needles fired in all directions.
At the same instant, a voice came from behind, along with the chill of a blade.
"Threats gotta have your life in their grip to work, like our old man says."
I definitely heard it.
Geum Dondong calmly replied.
Just before the sharp sword touched his throat, he'd clearly heard the needles hit.
"You're already poisoned. That was probably your last sane words. You can't even speak now."
"Hah... hah... hah."
Irregular breaths came from behind. The poison was spreading.
"Count to three, and you'll lose your sight."
Wobble.
The sword at his throat slipped weakly down his shoulder.
"Seven, and your muscles will stiffen."
Clang!
The sword hit the ground.
Geum Dondong turned to face the beggar directly.
"Ten, and all your senses will be stolen amid heart-wrenching pain. Past thirty, death."
The man's body was covered in fine needles.
Even Geum Dondong, with his antidotes, couldn't guarantee he could save him.
"Here, take this. Antidote."
He truly didn't want the man to die.
"Right, you probably can't even hear me now. I'll feed you myself. If you're lucky... you might live."
He uncorked the antidote vial from his bosom, its pungent scent tickling his nose.
The moment Geum Dondong moved to pour it into the man's mouth...
A guttural voice emerged.
"Grrrrk."
Just hearing it told Geum Dondong the man was nearly gone.
"Don't let stupid pride kill you!"
"Grrrrk."
A phlegm-boiling sound. The man kept his mouth shut, making weird noises.
Geum Dondong frowned at the stubbornness. Then, the man's mouth opened.
"Kaaack! Ptoo!!!"
He spat out a black, nauseating glob of phlegm and saliva onto the ground.
Sizzle.
The stone melted instantly on contact.
No way?
Geum Dondong's eyes widened at the sight.
"Whoa~ Even I, immune to three thousand poisons if not ten thousand, almost got done in! What the hell's that poison? Seriously impressive!"
The man's clear, melodious voice struck Geum Dondong's ears.
No!! He neutralized Gucheon Earth Poison himself?!
Geum Dondong stared dumbly at him.
"Hey. Keep spacing out, and you'll get poisoned. Move!"
Instinctively, Geum Dondong backed away.
The man glanced at him, confirmed the distance, then tensed his whole body with a shout.
"Hah!"
His already large frame swelled as hidden muscles bulged, nearly doubling in size.
Then, the unbelievable happened.
Thud thud thud thud.
The feather needles were ejecting from his body!
"Impossible!"
Once embedded, feather needles couldn't be removed. They rode the blood flow into the veins upon piercing the skin. Even a divine doctor couldn't extract them.
"How..."
The man grinned.
"The instant they hit, I clenched every muscle in my body. Couldn't stop the poison, but still impressive. Most bugs would've died in one shot."
Namgung Cheon. One of the Namgung Clan's nine elders, a once-in-a-generation genius born with divine strength since childhood.
His main art wasn't the sword. He carried it only because he had to. Fists were his specialty.
His super-developed physique—beyond normal torsos—was proof. Hidden under clothes before, now he looked clad in muscle armor.
"Earlier and now, you carry some fun toys. Gyoryong Armor, right?"
Crunch—crack crack crack.
Geum Dondong's eyes widened impossibly further. The Gyoryong Armor was splitting.
"Cheonjam silk undergarment?"
Riiip!
The fabric, said to withstand a thousand catties, tore to shreds in the man's hands.
"And these?"
Crack.
Various guards made from spread millennial cold iron.
Snap crackle pop!
They shattered one by one with his hand and foot gestures.
"Phew~"
Finally stopping, the man looked relieved at Geum Dondong.
"First time in years I've stretched so freely. Was gonna smack you once for interrupting my enlightenment, but this feels way better. I'll let it slide. Lucky you. I'm off. That was fun."
Geum Dondong hurriedly called after him.
"You!"
"What? Not making me pay, right?"
"No, what's your name?"
"Gonna get revenge?"
"Just... curious..."
The first humiliation of his life.
"Namgung Cheon. That's me."
Namgung Cheon. Geum Dondong repeated the name.
By the time he snapped out of it, the man was gone.
Left naked save for a single loincloth in the empty space, Geum Dondong stood there.
"Namgung of Hebi... the Namgung Clan?"
A time when the Namgung Clan wasn't yet renowned.
Geum Dondong looked up at the sky.
"Perhaps..."
The one who'd gazed at the sky from the well bottom...
"...was me."
That day, a rumor spread in Beiping: some lunatic wandered the night in his underwear...
* * *
As Geum Dondong finished, most sent him looks of sympathy and understanding. Then, they all started talking, spilling the words they'd held onto their whole lives.
"I thought I was a genius."
A once-in-fifty-years talent from a rural dojo.
"I was the top late disciple in my city."
The city's best late starter.
"Met some old man on the road. Said if I followed him, I'd never lose a fight."
One duped by a hidden master.
"There was a decent martial tournament in the village. Everyone pegged me as the winner. If not for that Namgung guy who wandered in."
A tournament favorite.
"Found a manual in a cave by chance. A top-ten master's, I was thrilled. Ten years later, I emerged... head smashed."
Dreams of glory shattered at birth.
Fifty such stories.
I listened, tilting my cup...
Yeah.
Each had their reasons. All utterly crushed by the absurd monsters of the absurd Namgung Clan.
Not world-conquering elites, but plenty strong to shine in their domains.
I boldly raised my cup high. For them, no one else.
No one bearing the Namgung name understood their pain like I did.
'Cause I've been there.
Those who didn't give up...
They overlapped with pre-regression me. Naturally.
They...
'Won't quit, even knowing the outcome.'
Yeah. You can't know till you die.
Maybe my rash words that day came from empathy for Geum Dondong's tale. Or I was crazy.
I told them:
"You stubborn bears. What's so hard about it! I'll do it! That thing you want! Me!"
After, I partied with the old-timers all night, collapsing into exhausted sleep.
* * *
'Ugh... my head...'
I woke in my room.
"You're finally up."
Someone had been waiting. Since I passed out last night.
"I have something urgent to tell you."
Yesterday's business wasn't over.