Sichuan's Mad Dragon (Novel) - Chapter 147 - Let's Go to Guizhou

Chapter 147 – Let’s Go to Guizhou

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Translated by Heavenly Cat
Edited by Celestial Knight

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Life is a series of choices.

[Ju-seong, who do you like better… the troupe leader or me?]

When Ju-seong turned five, that’s what Duhua-noona, the vice-leader of the Qinghua Troupe, had said.

Ju-seong had looked back and forth between Patriarch Hwang and Duhua-noona, then went to embrace Duhua-noona since she’d bought him sweets that day.

They say men become more sentimental as they age… Patriarch Hwang sulked for half a day and ignored Ju-seong even when he tried to talk to him. This is why choices are difficult; they bring consequences. Ju-seong was pondering for exactly that reason.

“Mm… Finger, finger, Finger Flicking Technique…”

Ju-seong was on the third floor of the Martial Alliance’s Grand Repository, where the B-grade martial arts were kept.

When he hummed to himself, Zhuge Hye, who was guiding him, sighed and said.

“Young Master, such miscellaneous skills are over there. The B-grade repository has very few miscellaneous skills like the Finger Flicking Technique. They occupy only one bookshelf section.”

Zhuge Hye led Ju-seong weaving through the bookshelves. Even while moving, Ju-seong opened and skimmed various books out of curiosity.

Every time Ju-seong tried to turn more than two pages, Zhuge Hye cut him off precisely.

“How stingy.”

“The reward is only one martial art, Young Master. This B-grade repository selection wasn’t even designed for people like you. Just pick a Finger Flicking Technique and leave.”

Originally, this reward was meant for martial artists in the quarterfinals who’d achieved remarkable results with low-grade martial arts.

Afterall, the B-grade repository overflowed with what could be called superior martial arts, meant to give wings to talented and determined rising stars.

It was a reward hardly needed by Ju-seong, who already possessed storied and powerful martial arts.

“How dusty.”

Ju-seong grumbled while dusting off and examining wooden slips one by one.

What he sought was none other than the Finger Flicking Technique.

The Finger Flicking Technique was an ancient martial art and also a type of hidden weapon skill. Uniquely, despite being a hidden weapon skill, it wasn’t rejected by the orthodox path.

Among orthodox masters, many emphasized internal energy.

The evil path tended to rely on external tools and various exotic weapons as variables. The orthodox path, meanwhile, tended to steadily build strength through excellent internal energy cultivation methods.

The Finger Flicking Technique’s power was greatest in the hands of internal energy masters.

In other words, it was a martial art that orthodox masters liked for showing off, which was why it wasn’t shunned.

Ju-seong picked up one wooden slip, his eyes gleaming.

“Ohh.”

The title on the first line of the slip read: “Divine Finger Flicking Technique… The name’s corny to start. But old is good.”

“It was the signature art of a famous master once. Calling it corny is rude.”

“It’s not corny in a bad way… How to say it. It feels sturdy. It’s a Finger Flicking Technique, so the name is Divine Finger Flicking. Straightforward.”

Somehow Ju-seong liked this stubborn, simple-minded name. Reading through it, the martial depth was also not to be taken lightly.

‘It’s no ordinary martial art. I’ll go with this one.’

The biggest reason for choosing the Finger Flicking Technique was, of course, the new hidden weapons Bai Li had made.

The Myriad-Year Cold Iron balls seemed most powerful when flicked with the Finger Flicking Technique.

“I’ll take this one.”

“All right. Divine Finger Flicking Technique… noted. When you pass away, ownership reverts to the Martial Alliance. Teaching others is forbidden, but if you personally improve or modify it, you may transmit it.”

“Understood.”

They weren’t giving it unconditionally. The martial art was given only to the individual who placed. Freely teaching children, grandchildren, or disciples was strictly prohibited.

However, after significant modification, the modified version would be recognized as the individual’s property.

This was because of the nature of martial arts.

If a martial art’s principles and formulas spread, countermeasures would soon be developed, making that martial art useless.

Zhuge Hye led Ju-seong to the Elixir Repository this time.

“What did Won-gong, that baldy, pick?”

“Monk Won-gong chose the Guanyin Tear.”

“Whoa… He picked a prime item. Though I’m not interested.”

The Guanyin Tear was a bell-shaped flower with extremely transparent petals. Named because its shape resembled the tears of Guanyin Bodhisattva.

Actually, there was also a saying that so many people had died fighting over it that Guanyin wept at the carnage.

Consuming the entire flower made your body absorb natural energy at a tremendous rate for a month. In other words, abnormally accelerating energy accumulation.

A flower good for breaking through to a new realm.

Ju-seong was looking for something else.

“I’ll take this one.”

“…Really? It matches your martial arts, but your absolute internal energy volume is lacking… Roughly speaking, about half a cycle short…”

Precisely measuring internal energy volume was itself vague and grasping at clouds, but this compared to how long an ordinary person with so-so martial arts would train.

What Ju-seong picked up was the fruit of the Flame Grass. As Zhuge Hye had said, its internal energy content was unremarkable, but its quality was extremely biased toward fire energy, and harvesting was tricky. Get even slightly close and this thing would explode, shooting seeds in all directions.

Those seeds’ power could pierce even an internal energy master’s defensive techniques, and the seeds themselves contained lethal poison.

The edible part that aided internal energy cultivation was the fruit’s flesh.

Therefore, harvesting Flame Grass was extremely delicate.

“Should I remove the seeds for you?”

When Zhuge Hye asked, Ju-seong let out a roar of protest.

“Absolutely not! That’s the key part! The most delicious part… removing that would ruin everything!”

Zhuge Hye, now completely worn out by Ju-seong’s antics, just sighed deeply and waved her hand.

“Take it.”

* * *

The reason Ju-seong chose the Flame Grass was none other than its seeds.

Specifically, the lethal poison within the seeds.

Ju-seong had obtained the formula for Soul-Severing Sand several months ago in Chongqing.

Something found by searching the corpse of Odd Tactics Odd Obsession, a Night Guest of the Assassination Curtain.

Reading it had both dramatically advanced Ju-seong’s knowledge of poison arts and allowed him to master the formula for the extremely deadly poison sand.

Additionally, Ju-seong had mixed the dust from Bai Li’s Myriad-Year Cold Iron processing into the Soul-Severing Sand to dramatically increase its power.

“Mm, good. With this, I can survive at least once against even the strongest opponent.”

Ju-seong nodded with satisfaction, gauging the weight of the thick leather pouch filled with sand.

Just as he finished production, someone conveniently knocked on his door.

“Benefactor, are you in?”

‘What, the baldy?’

Tilting his head, Ju-seong opened the door himself. Sure enough, the Buddhist monk he’d tangled with in the finals stood there.

“What brings you here?”

“I came with business.”

“Have you eaten?”

Ju-seong had something to feel sorry about to this innocent baldy, so he was treating him with great courtesy.

Won-gong narrowed his eyes and looked at Ju-seong, then spoke.

“…I haven’t eaten yet. So you’re a refined gentleman outside the arena?”

“Of course. It was merely a ploy to provoke anger. I couldn’t stand by as a man, as a martial artist, when you were clearly trying to throw the match.”

Won-gong was apparently more petty than he seemed.

He stroked his head with his palm and spoke. Bringing this up out of nowhere showed it.

“Monks are not bald but shaved. Even my master still has hair so thick without a single gray strand that shaving it every fortnight is a chore.”

“I understand. There’s a big difference between bald and shaved. Now… sit down. I’ll have the innkeeper bring up some vegetable dishes.”

“Ahem, ahem!”

Won-gong straightened his robes and sat ramrod-straight on the chair. The chair groaned under his enormous frame.

‘If it breaks, I have to pay for it…’

Ju-seong glanced nervously. But he couldn’t exactly snatch the chair and make him eat in a horse stance.

After the anxious mealtime passed, Won-gong finally got to business.

“Do you know of the Crimson Spider Sect in Guizhou?”

Ju-seong nodded readily.

Crimson Spider Sect. Also known as Guizhou’s Premier Sect.

The Crimson Spider Sect Master was also known by the alias Blood Flower Crone and occupied a seat among the Ten Greats Under Heaven.

In jianghu they were classified as evil path, but they had virtually no dealings with other evil path sects and were an insular group that rarely left Guizhou.

Rumor had it they received tribute from all martial forces in Guizhou but didn’t commit serious atrocities.

Ju-seong had formed a connection in Chongqing with Heuk-wol, one of the Blood Flower Crone’s foster daughters.

“The Martial Alliance heard you’re acquainted with a key figure in the Crimson Spider Sect.”

It wasn’t strange for the Martial Alliance to know this. Qingcheng and Emei would have already reported the series of events to the Martial Alliance.

Ju-seong readily admitted. Live long enough in chaotic jianghu and you’d know some evil path people, wouldn’t you?

“We formed a connection in Chongqing. I saved her life, so we’d smile and greet each other if we passed on the street.”

“As you know, benefactor… There will be a great battle in jianghu.”

Ju-seong’s expression darkened as he nodded.

The Martial Alliance intended to use exterminating the Ten Thousand Ears Gang as an excuse to push into evil path territory.

There was no way the evil path would let that happen. Clashes were inevitable, and the Martial Alliance Leader had declared there would be no compromise in this campaign.

Two sides rushing headlong to butt heads. Usually the evil path’s skull would crack, but…

‘This time there are those pills the Ten Thousand Barbarians bastards were making.’

Who consumed all those pills made from countless lives? Whoever did would not be friendly to the orthodox path.

While Ju-seong was lost in thought, Won-gong tapped the table and continued.

“So, the Martial Alliance Leader’s Office and Military Affairs Division want to send you to Guizhou to negotiate with the Crimson Spider Sect so they don’t intervene in this battle.”

Ju-seong stared blankly, then asked.

“…Does the Martial Alliance have no one else?”

Won-gong shrugged.

“I don’t know the Martial Alliance’s internal affairs, but… it’s not that reason at least.”

“Then?”

“The Crimson Spider Sect is extremely insular, and, how to say it… They value only personally formed connections and rarely communicate as organization to organization.”

“Then I can understand why they chose me… But why do they think I’ll go?”

“They said they’d provide one Resurrection Pill.” “This Ju-seong is eager to go to Guizhou as soon as possible.” Ju-seong blurted out his hasty acceptance, then immediately took it back.

“No, wait, that’s not right… Sending me to Jiangnan when the Orthodox-Evil War is just starting? That’s suicide. Are you telling me to die? You take the nice Resurrection Pill and go to Guizhou yourself.”

“Excuse me, benefactor.”

“What I mean is: You go to Guizhou.”

Won-gong closed his eyes briefly at Ju-seong’s nonsensical rambling, let out a sigh showing deep cultivation, then answered.

“I’m also going.”

“…Hm?”

“I said I’m also going. The Martial Alliance values the Crimson Spider Sect’s position more than you’d imagine.”

Won-gong was Shaolin Temple’s treasure, essentially the face of this generation’s Shaolin. If they’d put him on the roster, this journey might be more important than expected.

“Well.”

“If negotiations conclude successfully and you return, rewards beyond imagination will follow.”

“One more Resurrection Pill?”

“You demand our sect’s elixirs so casually… The Martial Alliance will prepare an elixir of similar grade.”

Ju-seong smiled broadly and extended his hand to Won-gong.

“Let’s go to Guizhou.”

Won-gong let out a small sigh and clasped Ju-seong’s hand.