Sichuan's Mad Dragon (Novel) - Chapter 6 - Name and Ultimate Technique

Chapter 6 – Name and Ultimate Technique

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Ju-seong stood beside the Divine Physician, watching the Full Moon Tower burn.

“How wonderful! It burns beautifully! Is this not a magnificent sight, Elder?”

The Divine Physician stroked his beard and nodded.

“It was a place stained with evil, so it had to be burned down. Your words are correct. The world has become that much cleaner.”

Ju-seong suddenly felt it was futile and said.

“Even so, we only eliminated one of these types. There must be as many as grains of sand in the Central Plains.”

The Divine Physician answered in a detached tone.

“Just because there are many mosquitoes in the world, do you not swat them?”

Ju-seong nodded and looked to his side.

“That is absolutely correct. Hey, Three Steps One Kill. Is that not right?”

The man once called Three Steps One Kill. He was now kneeling beside Ju-seong, staring blankly at the burning Full Moon Tower with a dazed expression.

There was still something to ask this fellow, so they had kept him. They had released the chief manager, the martial artists, and the entertainers.

When Ju-seong insisted they should all be killed, the Divine Physician said this:

[I have told you many times, clown. As a physician who walks the path of saving lives, I cannot kill people. What? You will kill them? You cannot either. If I say no, it is no.]

When Ju-seong insisted the entertainers should also be punished, that they should scar their faces so they could never make money with their beauty again, he said this:

[Do not even think such vicious thoughts as slashing faces. How is scarring a woman’s face any different from murder? Besides, they have already been punished. A courtesan who loses her brothel, is that not a great punishment?]

The martial artists had been driven out with their dantians destroyed, and the courtesans had been driven out after losing their brothel. All of them had been shaken down to the last coin in their underwear.

Everyone had left, but only the tower master remained.

He was already half a cripple. The glow of the burning brothel flickered on his greasy face, worn from his ordeal.

“Hmm.”

Ju-seong stared at the tower master. The man was completely unresponsive no matter what was said to him. It was truly boring.

“Give me some reaction.”

Ju-seong picked up a flying dagger and stabbed it into the kneeling tower master’s thigh.

A scream immediately burst out.

“Gahhhhh! Shit! I will kill you by a thousand cuts, you bastard! I will mince your flesh and pickle it! I swear I will get your parents and siblings too, every last one…!”

Following the scream came a stream of horrific curses.

‘It seems like his sect teaches cursing or something.’

The cursing lacked savagery. It was more like an annoyance.

Ju-seong felt the hairs on his skin stand on end as he jeered.

“Ha ha, that sure tingles.”

Had he been known as a local evil path expert? Even with his dantian destroyed, the killing intent he exuded was no joke.

But strangely, Ju-seong was not affected at all by the killing intent of this former martial artist.

“Anyway, tower master. I am a street-born orphan, so I have no parents or siblings. By the way, you are pretty energetic even after that beating. Is it because you were once a martial artist?”

Ju-seong grabbed the handle of the flying dagger and twisted it slightly.

“Guhhhk! Shiiit!”

The Divine Physician stood beside them, watching the fire as if he neither saw nor heard the commotion.

Ju-seong grabbed the tower master’s chin with one hand. Then he locked eyes with him. After a while of this, the tower master’s pupils began to tremble slowly.

The tower master swallowed an inward cry of alarm.

‘Damn, what kind of commoner brat has this kind of presence…?’

It was not normal. How could a young man who was not even third-rate exude killing intent like a beast?

Ju-seong twisted his lips and said.

“I am going to ask you a few things, and if you do not come clean, we will play all night. Understood?”

“…Under…stood.”

His spirit was broken. The man before him harbored distorted madness. With his dantian destroyed, the tower master could not muster the courage to resist.

“You are finally speaking to me respectfully. A dark path expert speaking respectfully to a clown. What an upside-down world.”

Ju-seong cackled and asked.

“You recently tributed women to the Blood Sword Sect at the Full Moon Black Market. Right?”

“Right.”

“Why did you tribute them? And do they go straight to the Blood Sword Sect, or do they pass through somewhere else?”

It was a question that cut out many parts, but the tower master understood everything.

In other words, he was asking whether the ones who received the women returned straight to the Blood Sword Sect, or went around collecting tributes from other places.

“I do not know why. Anyway, they told us to tribute at least two women every month… And I believe they go around to various subcontract organizations in Zhejiang Province to collect tributes.”

The Blood Sword Sect was one of the three major evil factions that divided Fujian Province, and one of the so-called Twelve Evil Sects.

In other words, it was a large organization, and accordingly had many subcontractors.

Of course, in terms of not being able to put a spoon in the real lucrative power struggles in Zhejiang Province, they were a cut below the top four Evil Path sects, the “Four Strongholds of the Evil Path.”

The Full Moon Black Market was held on every full moon night, and the last full moon was only three days ago. In other words, it had only been three days since Ju-seong’s three sisters were taken.

In short, there was still time. He looked at the tower master and said.

“Write down all the subcontract forces of the Blood Sword Sect besides the Full Moon Tower. If you miss even one, it will really be fun.”

The tower master looked at the paper Ju-seong handed him with trembling eyes. There was paper, but no ink or brush.

“What am I supposed to write with?”

-Squelch!

“Guhhhk!”

With no warning, Ju-seong pulled out the dagger stuck in the tower master’s thigh, and blood gushed out. He gestured at the tower master with his eyes and said.

“Use that.”

The tower master seemed to finally realize what kind of person Ju-seong was.

* * *

Ju-seong and the Divine Physician stood idly at a mountain pass in the dusky night. The sounds of crickets and owls were peaceful.

The moon was new, so the surroundings were dark. In that darkness, they chatted in low voices.

The Divine Physician asked incredulously.

“So, you really started learning cultivation methods at fifteen?”

“That is what I am saying. I am eighteen now, and you are mocking me for only accumulating this much internal energy in three years, but I have something to say for myself.”

Ju-seong sensed disbelief in the Divine Physician’s tone.

‘It is probably because my internal energy is pathetic compared to the three years I spent accumulating it.’

But Ju-seong had excuses. Martial artists skimp on even eating and sleeping time to train. Well-off martial artists leech off their sects, so they do not even need to work to earn money.

But how could an acrobat troupe performer live like that? Training in spare moments was all he managed, and this was the result.

Even that had slowed in the past six months, with his internal energy barely growing at all.

But he had completely misjudged. The Divine Physician thought Ju-seong’s growth was abnormally fast.

He shook his head and said.

“No, it is the opposite. You started at fifteen, such a late age, yet you managed to sense energy and cultivate a dantian. That is what I find remarkable.”

“Is this… unusual?”

“Of course. Normally, disciples of prestigious families enter martial arts training as early as five, at latest before twelve. And for them, the slow ones take a year, the average ones three to six months to sense energy and create a dantian.”

Ju-seong asked casually.

“What about geniuses?”

“Usually, if you sense energy and create a dantian within one month, they say heaven sent you.”

“Hmm.”

“Even so, that is only possible because of good bloodlines and various support. For ordinary people, they could wrestle with basic cultivation for three years and still might not succeed.”

It had taken Ju-seong exactly one month to create his dantian.

‘At the time, I thought that was just normal.’

Of course, if creating a dantian and using internal energy were that easy, everyone in the world would be a martial artist.

‘My talent… Truly makes my knees quiver.’

As Ju-seong admired himself and trembled, torches appeared from below the mountain path.

Shielding his eyes with his hand for some reason even in the dark night, Ju-seong said.

“Ah, I think they are here.”

“Are they the right ones?”

* * *

Blood Sword Sect’s Black Bat Pavilion.

An organization under the Blood Sword Sect, engaged in kidnapping, assassination, and intelligence activities.

The Black Bat Pavilion had three squads, and the Hidden Shadow Squad was led by the Blood Sword Sect’s Young Master as its squad leader.

The Hidden Shadow Squad had been operating under secret orders from the Young Master for the past few months. Collecting young women from several subcontract organizations.

First Squad Leader Gu Yu-hwan let out a small sigh.

‘Finally heading back after almost a month. Following the Young Master’s line has been making me regret it lately.’

Collecting “tributes” from all over Fujian Province was no small hassle. They were moving people, not goods, so there was quite a lot to manage.

On top of that, they had to disguise themselves as an ordinary merchant caravan, which was quite undignified.

‘Why does he keep gathering useless women anyway? If the authorities find out we touched commoners…’

Gu Yu-hwan was thinking various thoughts, his bored eyes scanning the mountain path, when he noticed two figures blocking the way and slightly narrowed his brow.

He turned and asked a subordinate.

“Are there bandits on Qingjiao Mountain too?”

“There was not one last time we passed through, Squad Leader.”

Nodding at his subordinate’s words, Gu Yu-hwan spoke with internal energy in his voice.

“Are you gentlemen of the Green Forest? I have not heard of any stronghold here.”

Then one of the two figures, the smaller one, took a step forward.

His face, revealed in the torchlight, looked young.

“We are bandits newly settled on this mountain.”

“…A stronghold newly established here… With few merchant caravans and gentle terrain, it would be easy prey for government soldiers. You have chosen your territory boldly?”

Gu Yu-hwan had already sensed these men were not bandits. In other words, he was telling them not to play games.

The young man placed his hand on his waist and puffed out his chest.

“How rude. Do you know who that man behind me is?”

Gu Yu-hwan let out an exasperated laugh and asked.

“Ha, alright. Let me hear it. Who is he?”

Ju-seong spoke as if he had been waiting for the question.

“That is none other than the Great Hero Wi Ji-baek, known as Peak-Swallowing Fist God. He once shared cups of wine under moonlight and became sworn brothers with Jang Sa-hyeok, the King of Green Forest. He is the hero among heroes, the man among men, the inspector of ten thousand mountains, and the very spirit of the Green Forest.”

The Divine Physician now had his third alias.

It was pretty impressive for something made up on the spot.

Gu Yu-hwan smirked at Ju-seong’s nonsense as if finding it novel, then made an exaggerated fist-palm salute.

“Oh my, how could I not recognize the Peak-Swallowing Fist God. This Gu, I shall consider this the honor of my family. Might I be able to see your esteemed face?”

Ju-seong muttered to himself.

‘That guy must have been pretty bored too.’

The Divine Physician still stood in the darkness with his arms crossed, watching Ju-seong’s performance.

Ju-seong shouted eagerly.

“Silence! How dare you ask the Great Hero to reveal himself so casually! Leave that carriage behind and disappear immediately! The Great Hero says he is in a good mood today, so you are lucky. We shall take only your goods and spare your lives!”

The man who had introduced himself as “Gu” now seemed barely able to contain his laughter.

“Ah, but this is a problem. Right now, we are carrying out Blood Sword Sect business, and the cargo in that carriage is too important to hand over.”

Just as expected, they were Blood Sword Sect men. Their awkward merchant clothes had made him uncertain, but indeed.

They were flying a flag with the blatant name “Golden Pig Merchant Group.” Ju-seong swallowed a wry laugh inside.

‘Golden Pig Merchant Group. That is so obviously fake, is it not?’

The men dressed as guards, merchants, and bearers all began to exude sharp energy.

‘The Golden Pig Merchant Group hides their strength. Something like that.’

As Ju-seong was idly entertaining such thoughts, he heard the Divine Physician sigh from behind.

“What, did you not boast that you would coax them without spilling a drop of blood?”

“I am baffled that this is not working.”

“Baffled my foot. If anyone fell for such a joke, they would not be human but a bird-brain.”

With those words, the Divine Physician stepped forward.

He slightly revealed his presence. Gu Yu-hwan was greatly alarmed.

-Flutter!

The man immediately leapt from his horse like a bird taking flight and thrust his sword.

The moment he sensed the old man was a master, he struck first. An exemplary attitude for a dark path man.

Of course, the Divine Physician easily deflected the martial artist’s sword. Then he moved with exquisite footwork and split the scene in two.

There were nine martial artists total, and he pulled the skilled six to his side while deliberately pushing the remaining three toward Ju-seong.

The Divine Physician had not even touched them directly. He had merely sidestepped and redirected Gu’s sword thrust while moving his feet.

Yet, when the martial artists in the field came to their senses, that was how things stood.

It was truly transcendent skill. Gu Yu-hwan widened his eyes and muttered internally.

‘This is no ordinary expert!’

Like a sheepdog herding, he had made the underlings move as he wished.

The three lower-skilled martial artists had been overwhelmed by the Divine Physician’s presence and caught up in avoiding Gu Yu-hwan’s sword strike. Before they knew it, they found themselves facing Ju-seong.

Ju-seong understood the Divine Physician’s intent. It meant: subdue them without killing.

The Divine Physician had said this before:

[Since you cannot control your killing intent, I must place restrictions on you. If you kill someone in front of me, I will beat you within an inch of your life. And by beating within an inch of your life, I mean at minimum breaking all four limbs.]

[But Elder, you are neither my master nor my parent. Why would you do this to me?]

[In return, did I not save your life? Having received the grace of life-saving, your life is no different from mine.]

[Could I not just pay you a medical fee?]

A patient was saying to a doctor what the doctor should say to a patient.

‘Indeed, the third character of his alias is “Demon,” so he is different.’

Ju-seong complained inwardly.

Anyway, whether he liked it or not, he had to deal with these men. And he had to subdue them without killing.

‘A preemptive strike is essential.’

He glared at the men and said.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Ju-seong and HRAAGH!”

He kicked up sand at their eyes while introducing himself.

‘Now this is a proper self-introduction!’

Along with his name, he showed them exactly what kind of person he was. An efficient self-introduction.

This was none other than Ju-seong’s Name-Telling Ultimate Technique: Sand Throwing.