Chapter 126
Chapter 126
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 126
Chapter Title: Eagle's Eye Clarity
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Um Hu gazed at her utterly audacious disciple.
To think he'd noticed she was watching.
'How on earth did he know? I kept more than enough distance.'
For Um Hu, it was a range where she could spy on her disciples' every gesture and movement, but from their standpoint, it was an impossibly distant remove.
Even for a bold disciple whose talent could draw gasps of admiration from the Ten Heavenly Martial Venerables themselves, it should have been impossible to detect.
"Your disciple Baek Yang-hui pays his respects to Master."
After offering proper obeisance to his teacher with utmost courtesy, Yang-hui answered her question.
"I figured Master wouldn't send Seol-ha off alone."
"Is that the full reason?"
"Yes. Seol-ha's far too lovely and precious a disciple to send out by herself, wouldn't you say?"
Of course, that wasn't the whole story.
He'd gained certainty just the day before last.
'Looks like I've finally hit the Peak Realm.'
In practical terms, his already keen qi sense had sharpened to an even finer edge.
Granted, if Um Hu—one of the Ten Heavenly Martial Venerables—had truly committed to concealing her presence, he never would have picked up on it.
Um Hu valued monitoring her disciples' activities over total stealth.
Figuring they wouldn't sense her anyway, she'd extended her qi ever so faintly to eavesdrop on the whole scene and conversation.
'Even that was so subtle that without my past life's memories, I wouldn't have caught it.'
The simple reason he'd confirmed Um Hu's tailing from that sliver of unease and suspicion?
'Master's love for her disciples is just as fierce in this life as it was before.'
The deeds of the Ten Heavenly Martial Venerables echo across the world, no matter how minor.
And so, one anecdote he'd heard.
'She wiped out an entire sect for injuring a disciple she'd summoned.'
Black path or not, ending their bloodline over a mere wound to a disciple.
It spoke volumes about her exceptional devotion.
Well, considering the nature of the Sacred Sound Jade Ling Sect, it made sense.
A enigmatic art passed down one-to-one, where the martial style made finding a worthy inheritor exceedingly rare.
Even Um Hu herself would have spent at least a decade more searching without Jeon Gal Seol-ha.
Taking that into account, her fierce protectiveness was only natural.
'Definitely smart to call Seol-ha. It was just a backup plan on the off chance.'
Winning over Sowolhyang's favor with Jeon Gal Seol-ha, mobilizing an absolute powerhouse like Um Hu, and even helping his little martial sister's Full Moon Guidance in the meantime.
A true triple win.
"Hey. What was that you said earlier? What? That I should drop dead? Say it one more time."
The Blood Night Seven Blades, pinned by formless qi and forced to their knees.
Their faces stuffed with fluster and horror drew a scoff from him unbidden.
"Wh-who might this senior be?"
Um Hu offered no reply, merely glaring at the Blood Night Gang warriors.
Her eyes were colder than glacial ice.
Sensing mortal peril, their leader shivered in terror yet pressed on for survival.
"Th-this gang's affair is solely to reclaim the wealth your honored disciple swindled from us. Please... we beg your understanding, senior..."
Hey, that punk just crossed the line. One thing Master despises above all is treating people like objects.
Sure enough, Um Hu snapped her fingers.
Snap!
"Gaaahhh!"
The leader's body slammed flat against the dirt.
Not satisfied, it began crushing down as if trod by a titan.
"Unorthodox cur, say it again."
"Sp-spare me, please."
"Hmm, no. I told you to speak. Did you truly value a person as mere property before this lady?"
"N-no! Mercy! Just spare my life, and I'll vanish from your sight this instant!"
The leader had finally grasped his place.
But having crossed paths already, Um Hu had no intention of sending black path trash away unscathed.
Snap!
"Gaaahhh!"
"Urk... guh... grrr..."
The formless qi of one of the realm's mightiest ten permeated the air.
Blood Night Seven Blades and every gang warrior floated helplessly skyward.
'Hmm. She's gonna wipe 'em all out.'
That wouldn't do.
Having orchestrated this with full awareness of Master's presence, he'd catch hell later unless he put on a proper show.
"Master."
"Speak, young hero."
"Does Master really need to handle trash like this?"
"Hmm?"
Shing!
He drew his sword and continued.
"It's been ages since we met, so I imagine you're curious about your disciple's progress. How about letting me entertain you and sate that curiosity with a little fun?"
Um Hu's eyes narrowed faintly, a pleased smile curving her lips.
"Now that you mention it, young hero—you've ascended to the Peak Realm."
"What?!"
Jeon Gal Seol-ha cried out in shock.
"Senior brother is a Peak master?"
"Didn't you know?"
"No... We haven't clashed since we met."
"A pity, Seol-ha. You trained relentlessly to catch your young hero and reached First-Rate, only for him to leap ahead once more."
Um Hu spoke true. Futility shadowed Seol-ha's face.
'Peak master at just sixteen? Was that even possible?'
Merely attaining Peak before thirty earned cries of genius.
The Peak Realm was a towering, impenetrable wall.
Yet not even twenty—no, barely past boyhood?
For Jeon Gal Seol-ha, who'd honed herself targeting Yang-hui, it sapped her strength utterly.
But.
She balled her slender jade fingers into a fist.
"You're pulling ahead again, senior brother. Just you wait—I'll catch you for sure."
He chuckled softly.
"By all means."
Being someone's goal felt great.
He'd welcome being surpassed, even eagerly.
It would spur him to refine himself further.
It was then.
"I'm Peak too!"
"Pardon? You as well, monk?"
"Amitabha!"
Golden fist qi shimmered on Adu's knuckles.
Jeon Gal Seol-ha reeled in shock once more.
That boyish face, barely twenty or less, already at Peak.
Talent every bit Yang-hui's equal.
"Speaking of which, young hero—I did want to ask. How'd you meet Adu?"
"You know Adu?"
"Heard it from that old baldhead. He boasted endlessly about the world-saving child cradled in Shaolin's bosom."
'Right—Shaolin's grand elder is one of the Ten Heavenly Martial. Must keep in touch.'
Hold on. Then the 'great monk' Adu mentioned... no way.
Nah.
The monk yapping about pleasure houses to that kid was someone else.
Anyway.
"Adu. Wanna join the fun?"
"Yeah!"
"Master, all right with that?"
"Of course. I was curious about the boy's skill anyway."
The formless qi faded gradually. Blood Night gangsters, rigid and breathless till then, heaved ragged gasps in unison.
At the sight, he bellowed.
"Hey. You heard, right? Let's throw down."
"......"
The Blood Night Seven Blades' leader rolled his eyes for an out instead of replying.
Yang-hui pressed on.
"Just me and this bald kid on our side. As you can see, we're both less than half your ages."
"...Little brother. I've truly erred gravely. Beg the senior on our behalf—won't you let us go?"
Yang-hui scowled, scratching his ear furiously.
"Who's little brothering who? You suicide baiting?"
"......"
Silence thick with defeat and despair. One shedding tears in deathly fright.
They looked broken—couldn't fight worth a damn like this.
No fun at all.
Time to sow a seed of hope.
"Shut it and stand up. Subdue us, and I'll send you packing alive."
"...For real?"
Thirst for life flickered across the Blood Night Gang's faces.
"A man's word weighs a thousand gold. Beat us, you live. Lose, you die. Better? Got the will to fight now?"
"...Our thanks for the grace."
Yang-hui snorted in sheer absurdity.
Grace? What grace?
Did these idiots actually think they could win?
Two lads under twenty against seven Peak masters and a dozen more.
Common sense screamed impossible odds.
So yeah, their cocky certainty was kinda understandable.
But.
-Kyaaaah!
Leaping sword cry. Hawk's piercing screech.
The aura rippling through the tremor locked every Blood Night Seven Blades' faces in grim resolve.
"Grace, eh? Bit early for thanks, no?"
He grinned brazenly, channeling inner energy into his blade.
Sword qi sprouted skyward like shoots after rain.
"Confident? Then earn that grace."
In that instant.
The Blood Night Seven Blades drew and lunged as one.
Telepathic plotting for a sneak attack, by the looks.
'Gang up and take us down no matter what.'
Four on Adu, three straight at Yang-hui.
Stung his pride oddly. They saw his side as the weaker?
'You'll regret that.'
-Kyaaaah!
Sword cry laced with sonic subtlety.
Eagle's Eye Clarity unfurled, he fixed on the seventh, second, and first blades.
Three blades arcing for limbs.
A single line traced.
The most efficient arc to parry all three in one clash.
"Ambushing? Should've led with sword qi."
Cha-ching!
Blade met sword. Three against one, yet Yang-hui seized the advantage.
"Ngh...!"
"What inner power from a brat!"
"I've scavenged plenty. You geezer uncles gang-rushing and ambushing a fresh-faced kid— not embarrassed spouting that?"
"Shut your trap!"
The leader roared, beaming orders to seventh and second via transmission.
-Full throttle now!
They'd held sword qi back initially, wary of overkill.
But this kid had chops—better injure quick and subdue.
"Haaap!"
Dark sword qi rimed blades flecked with blood.
-Second upper-right, seventh lower-left!
Leader transmitted anew, hacking at Yang-hui's crown.
Not to kill—merely force defense his way.
Meantime, brothers wound arm and leg.
Then the kid crumbles easy.
Clang!
As planned, Yang-hui lifted blade to guard head. Leader unleashed suction arts, gluing steel to steel—no deflection possible.
Kid's lower body wide open now.
Leader crowed inwardly, awaiting the follow-up.
'...Huh?'
Silence. Nothing.
Sounds, yes—but nothing like expected.
"Cough... cough..."
"Gahk, you filth... what've you...!"
Coughing up blood.
Voice wracked with agony and blame.
Leader whipped his head around unwittingly.
And beheld.
His two brothers writhing on the ground.
'What in the...?'
Reading the leader's shock from his face, Yang-hui curled a lip.
"Curious?"
"What foul sorcery?!"
"Oh, this? Eagle's Eye Clarity. Your turn next."
-Kyaaaah!
Sword and blade still locked. Hawk's screech resounded again.
Sonic penetration realm bored unhindered into the leader's acupoints.
"Cough!"
Blood fountained from the leader's mouth.
In that instant.
"That's...!"
Astoundment flared in Um Hu's eyes as she watched Yang-hui.
Not mere Eagle's Eye Clarity.
She'd instructed him for years—knew it inside out.
Her shock stemmed from elsewhere.
'What insight did you gain, young hero!'