Chapter 89

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Translated by Seoulbound

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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“Y-you bastard!”

The jawline beneath the bamboo hat twitched.

It was a face of not having expected this.

It was natural.

Because he had been pushing all along.

Perhaps, if an instant of realization had not come to me, I would have become a rag from this guy’s sword.

A moment.

In just a single moment, I flipped the board.

I realize anew.

That the world of victory and defeat is not decided solely by skill.

I predicted and defeated the opponent’s variation stance.

It was a victory of pure sword stances, seized thanks to a momentary shift in thinking.

However, when filling reaches the extreme, it is bound to wane.

The flow of internal energy in the upper dantian, which was rising high without knowing the sky, shook.

‘Blood loss.’

The blood spat out by the sword wounds all over my body was soaking beneath my feet.

The moment the condensation of internal energy controlled by the upper dantian’s spirit was released, the blue-shining sword blade withered into ash gray.

At the same time.

“Cough!”

Blood flowed from the guy’s mouth.

A severe internal injury.

As the sword qi force-neutralization was released, it was felt that the blade of internal energy, forged sharply by training, was shaking his insides.

Even so, the Young Spirit Slayer was still the Young Spirit Slayer.

His eyes flashed.

Changing and holding the sword in his other hand, the Young Spirit Slayer strongly struck the middle section of the sword lodged in his shoulder.

Jjeong-!

As he struck exactly on the chipped sword blade, the sword blade snapped into two pieces.

Although the pain must be considerable, he endured.

It was the assassin training that did not let out a groan in any situation.

Like that, the Young Spirit Slayer retreated while staggering, and.

The moment I was about to step forward.

A translucent illusion was drawn before my eyes.

Along with the illusion of the guy’s hand heading to his bosom, an intuition flashed.

‘Danger!’

It was a murderous intent felt more clearly after the shift in thinking.

Stopping my advancing footsteps, I moved my body according to instinct.

Catching the hem of true qi that did not easily connect, I pushed it into the half-broken sword blade, and added to the net woven by the Four Symbols Flowing Sword’s force wave, while firmly establishing the Three-Section Brocade true qi shield.

Cheureureuk-

The danger revealed its form belatedly.

‘Thunderbolt Bomb!’

Along with the sound of a fuse burning down, a round object that appeared from the Young Spirit Slayer’s bosom cut through the air.

The opponent was an assassin before being a warrior.

For those who could do anything to kill a person, using weapons that go against national laws did not seem to be a problem, so.

The gunpowder weapon strictly controlled by the government slowly passed through the air and approached before my eyes.

When it rose into the air, the fuse of the Thunderbolt Bomb was already in a state of reaching the center.

‘Disperse the explosion.’

Along the net of the Four Symbols Flowing Sword’s true qi spread in advance, the Thunderbolt Bomb began its descent, and.

The moment the fuse met the center of the explosion.

A flash of light sparkled before my eyes.

Kugang-!

The ground was overturned, and my body rose into the air due to the wind pressure.

Thanks to the net of true qi I deployed and the Three-Section Brocade silk protective robe shedding the shockwave of the Thunderbolt Bomb around my body, the shockwave was not transmitted to the inside of my body, but being pushed back was unavoidable.

While flying, I checked behind me.

I saw a giant cedar tree.

The moment my body collided with the trunk, I spread my back muscles and twisted my upper body to increase the collision surface, and.

As the force field of the Primal Chaos Tai Chi Art softly absorbed the impact applied to my waist.

Kung.

My body stopped.

When I gathered myself from the impact.

I saw the back of the Young Spirit Slayer in the distance.

It was a figure already too far to pursue.

The one who had seemed like he would be stealthy until the moment of death was executing a lightness skill while emitting force waves from his Yongquan acupoint.

With the sword blade still lodged in one shoulder.

An action of self-preservation that even felt petty.

The behavior of an unorthodox warrior was unpredictable like that.

However, this time, watching that sight was not so bad, so a feeling of satisfaction rose like a dam in the rainy season above the middle dantian. Just like that, I looked down at the half-broken sword blade. Even though it had become an ugly sight with chips taken out, I was proud of the sword that had saved my life.

Then, it felt real.

The realization that I had defeated a superior master and survived swept through my entire body.

“Haha.”

I let out a small laugh.

‘I won.’

The satisfaction of a scholar who had solved a difficult problem shook my spine. My fingertips trembled with ecstasy.

Teolseok.

I collapsed and sat down.

For the first time, strength drained from the body of natural divine strength.

In addition, the trembling of my arms did not stop.

“Junior Brother!”

The voices of my senior brothers were heard through the shadows of the forest.

They must have pinpointed the location by the sound of the Thunderbolt Bomb.

The senior brothers who appeared urgently examined me who had become a rag.

Even during that, the trembling of my arms did not stop.

“Monster and Spirit!”

“Junior Brother Yeon!”

Despite the urgently calling voices, I only let out small laughs.

Although I could not be sure whether that was due to pain or ecstasy.

One thing was certain.

The one who showed his back was the Young Spirit Slayer.

**

After returning to the branch.

“This is why I repeatedly said that solo missions are not allowed…”

Senior Martial Uncle Mang-won, who saw me, did not hide his fury.

The direction of his fury was aimed at Yan Song-hwa, who had assigned the mission.

There were not many who could handle the anger of Senior Martial Uncle Mang-won, the strongest master in the branch. Even the heroine Yan Song-hwa, the branch leader, seemed to find it overwhelming.

Therefore, someone had to step forward, and.

“Senior Martial Uncle… my head is ringing.”

Actually, my head was ringing.

Perhaps due to the excessive utilization of the upper dantian, it felt like my head was about to split.

“Right! I was thoughtless. Having raised my voice like this with the child who suffered internal injuries right next to me. I must not put strain on your qi and blood. Yes. Right. Let us go in and rest.”

At my single word, Senior Martial Uncle Mang-won’s fury quieted down.

The warriors of the Guizhou branch greeted me with their eyes, and.

I was immediately moved to the inner courtyard’s medical office.

While the fragrance of medicinal ingredients washed down my sense of smell instead of the smell of blood and iron.

tangy-smelling

Tang Clan’s Third Young Master, Tang Jong-hyeok, appeared holding a herbal decoction.

“Drink it.”

“What is this?”

“It is Peony and Licorice Decoction. Seeing your state, I brewed it as your internal and external wounds, as well as your muscles, seem heavily injured.”

“Mmm.”

Although I shuddered for a moment at the feeling that I could taste it just from the smell.

I opened my mouth.

“Thank you.”

My physical condition was a mess.

That bitter medicine is good for the body is an eternal truth.

I was one who had thoroughly learned that I must make every preparation for my physical condition after coming out to the Jianghu. To refuse a medicine just because it was bitter in the mouth would not save face.

Immediately upon receiving the herbal decoction, I put it in my mouth and swallowed.

Although it felt as if a blade as sharp as the Young Spirit Slayer’s sword qi was piercing my tongue, I swallowed it somehow.

Tang Jong-hyeok’s face showing a mischievous expression came into my eyes as I handed him the empty bowl, and.

I put effort into managing my expression and said.

“Mmm. I already feel like my body is getting better?”

“What banter. You just drank the herbal decoction, and already the effect…”

Tang Jong-hyeok, who was taking my pulse as he spoke, swallowed a dry breath for a moment.

“…Right, Junior Brother Yeon was not an ‘ordinary’ person.”

A small muttering was heard, and.

After applying golden sore ointment to the wounds all over my body, he wrapped clean bandages around them.

It was a meticulous touch, as if he had become a relative.

“For the internal injuries… eat this, brother-in-law.”

And what he took out from his bosom was a familiar spiritual medicine.

It was the Flesh-Generating Tendon-Connecting Pill.

A spiritual medicine of a level that could even change a person’s constitution besides detoxification.

It was a precious object incomparable to the herbal decoction brewed with ingredients in the medical office of the Murim Alliance’s Guizhou branch, so.

I could intuit.

That the moment I received and ate that, the word ‘brother-in-law’ repeatedly coming out of Tang Jong-hyeok’s mouth might not just be a joke.

Since the people of the Tang Clan were those who could use poisons even in spiritual medicines.

I quietly declined.

“It is excessive. Besides, is it not the Tang Clan’s spiritual medicine? It seems right for Brother Tang to take it when you are in an emergency.”

At my reply, Tang Jong-hyeok smacked his lips and put the spiritual medicine back into his bosom.

“Tsk. Still, rest well for the time being. The internal injuries are not light. Your opponent was the Young Spirit Slayer. The internal energy is damaged just by coming into contact with an assassin’s sword qi, so doing only that much is already a miracle.”

Although he offered the spiritual medicine once more as if feeling thoroughly regretful.

“I am fine. Really.”

“…I understand. Since you must take absolute stability, there will be no visitors for the time being. Rest comfortably, bro… Junior Brother Yeon.”

I rejected the sweet spiritual medicine and gulped down only the bitter medicine.

At the thought that it was the path to becoming an adult, my mind felt thoroughly excited.

Like that, I came to stay in a private room of the medical office for a while.

Because it was said that I must take absolute stability, the people visiting were also few. At most, Senior Brothers Myeong-hun and Myeong-jin, Senior Martial Uncle Mang-won, and Tang Jong-hyeok who came to check on the progress.

“Perhaps due to the killing intent infused in the Young Spirit Slayer’s sword qi, the recovery is slow unlike Junior Brother Yeon.”

Thanks to Tang Jong-hyeok’s words, I was able to lead a daily life quieter than Dirac, the genius of England, or even Taoist Priest Su-gyo of Qingyun Chixia.

Because my senior brothers and other Alliance members took charge of clearing the remaining Blood Cult branches, my body could rest comfortably.

However.

“Those Blood Cult bastards. They hid so tightly that they have become hard to find anymore.”

“We did go around too openly until now.”

Ultimately, it meant that the situation had begun to take the aspect of an information war. At the words of my senior brothers, I asked if there was anything I could do to help. However, they shook their heads, putting effort into making my mind comfortable, so.

“Don’t even think about it. Even if Junior Brother steps forward, you cannot overlook this entire vast Guizhou with the Tai Chi Diagram Exposition, can you?”

“Junior Brother would exert force only when the location is pinpointed to some extent, but right now, it is not even at that level. For the time being, we will likely pour our strength into establishing an information network.”

“Since additional personnel are coming from the Sea Fog Pavilion, we will likely take turns and return then. Focus solely on recovery until then.”

I focused on recovery according to my senior brothers’ words.

Like that, around the time the maple tree trunks outside the window of the private room were dyed increasingly red, the gaping wounds firmly closed their mouths, and the torn fine meridians began to pulse powerfully once again.

From then on, I began to take out and savor the memories of the matured fierce battle.

The first thing I recalled was the closest memory.

The fierce battle with the Young Spirit Slayer, the final moment.

I carefully recalled in my head the single move of turning the tables, met after gulping down the bitter medicine again and again.

From the sword path that fearlessly defeated the Four Symbols Flowing Sword stances as if it knew all of my sword paths.

To deriving a single trajectory between the killing swords that poured down randomly without any fixed rules from the moment variation stances were added.

Until finally the moment when I pierced the opponent’s shoulder with the sword.

Although the Young Spirit Slayer’s sword had neither form nor stance, it was thanks to a single clear thing.

Killing intent.

The Young Spirit Slayer’s talent and skill added to that killing intent drew a single sword path.

Because all other variation stances were merely optical illusions, I had been able to predict the Young Spirit Slayer’s sword path.

The core of Wudang Sect’s martial studies of seeing the opponent’s moves ahead.

It was thanks to the True Formula of Wisdom meeting the knowledge of a scholar who transcended space-time and manifesting.

It was the reason why I was able to defeat the Young Spirit Slayer despite lagging behind in both internal energy and sword skills.

Being able to predict the opponent’s sword path in advance meant, in other words, that I could deal with the enemy even in a state of lagging behind the opponent in strength and speed, so.

‘The sword of the Wudang Sect… is specialized in dealing with those who are stronger than me.’

I realized once again that the subtlety of striking second to control first ultimately comes from the True Formula of Wisdom, and.

The memory naturally turned to the next page.

The further past.

While cutting down the blood ghouls, I began to organize once again the path to the Unity of Body and Sword.

The method of operating the sword qi, which I had vaguely referred to as force-neutralization, was drawn in my head more concretely by the fierce battle with the Young Spirit Slayer.

‘To complete the operation of force-neutralization, one must achieve releasing force and returning force simultaneously.’

Releasing force that emits true qi to the outside of the body.

In addition, returning force that revolves internal energy within a part of the body.

Which meant that one converges and disperses internal energy simultaneously, so.

‘What I have been doing until now was learning returning force on the sword blade. I must achieve releasing force simultaneously.’

Watching the Young Spirit Slayer’s sword, I knew it for sure.

His sword extremely reduced the friction occurring between the air and the flow of natural energy.

At the same time, when he wanted to, he exploded the true qi.

The reason why he could load a massive force on the sword while moving without a presence.

It was because he had achieved force-neutralization, the Unity of Body and Sword.

In addition, this point was identically observed in both the Young Spirit Slayer’s assassin’s sword and Senior Martial Uncle Mang-won’s Nine Palaces Shadow Sword skill.

Two martial arts with different roots showing similar characteristics.

A single realization approaches.

‘Regardless of black or white, it is the reason why the movements of masters are fast even in the slowed sense of time, the supreme realm.’

The doubt is resolved, and the path is seen.

It was the path to go forward.

Even if I predict the opponent’s sword path following the True Formula of Wisdom.

Having bitterly learned through the fierce battle with the Young Spirit Slayer that if it is above the speed of that prediction, one sees blood.

‘Ultimately, speed is also important.’

Another reason to proceed to the Unity of Body and Sword has increased.

Beyond the training through mental intent, the desire to move my body arose on its own.

“Since you are fully recovered now, it will not be a problem to step out into actual combat.”

After receiving Tang Jong-hyeok’s confirmation.

I stood on the training ground.

Although the feel of the hundred-refined steel sword that Senior Martial Uncle Mang-won had newly obtained for me after my sword broke in the fierce battle with the Young Spirit Slayer was unfamiliar.

Because that unfamiliarity rather made my mind excited.

I began to slowly move the sword.

**

“Finally, rehabilitation?”

“Since a month has passed since he laid down the sword. It will take time to get the sword familiar in his hand again.”

“Besides, is it not a new sword? Since the sword he used before snapped. It will likely take quite a few days to get the feel of it.”

“He was in the middle of growing so much. I wonder if that momentum has been broken.”

At the words of the Alliance members who saw Yeon Baek-jung holding the sword, a strange smile was drawn on the faces of Myeong-jin and Myeong-hun.

Toward the Alliance members who were bewildered by that sight, Myeong-hun and Myeong-jin quietly spoke.

“I hope you will not be surprised to see it.”

“Junior Brother, these people looked down on Junior Brother Yeon, did they not? Understand them.”

“Indeed. If it is the first time seeing it, it would not easily be understood.”

The Alliance members, who could not understand the words that they would not be able to understand, gradually turned their eyes to Yeon Baek-jung, who was adding speed to the sword.

And.

‘Uh?’

The blue-burning sword qi condensed and gathered on the sword blade, soon dyeing the sword blade in dark blue.

Before the injury.

Exactly the same sword that cut down the blood ghouls.

Because it was a perfect returning force manifested on the sword blade.

A single moniker naturally came to the minds of the Alliance members.

‘Wudang Sect’s Bringer of Chaos!’

For a talent that deviated from common sense and reason, rehabilitation like ordinary martial artists was not needed.

**

I finished my sword art practice deployed along the Three Talents Sword Art routine and wiped the sweat flowing on my forehead.

‘Although both returning force and releasing force can be easily performed… performing the two at once is not yet.’

I tested it, but it did not work well.

It was natural.

Because it was an action similar to tearing one’s body to make one side walk to the right and the other to the left.

‘I should ask Senior Martial Uncle Mang-won.’

Senior Brother Myeong-jin’s sword qi was also in a stage of mature returning force.

It was not yet at the level of having reached force-neutralization.

Like that, I turned my eyes and pursued Senior Martial Uncle Mang-won’s figure.

Beyond the Alliance members who looked at me with strange expressions, and the senior brothers who hung satisfied smiles on their mouths.

Senior Martial Uncle Mang-won broke through the crowd and approached us.

“Pack your bags quickly.”

“Uh? Were we not to take turns with the disciples of the Sea Fog Pavilion?”

At Senior Brother Myeong-hun’s question, Immortal Mang-won handed us a small letter with a stiffened expression.

There, it was written like this.

-Yungzhong Merchant Association intelligence mission deployment disciples, multiple missing.

Without even looking back, we immediately packed our bags.