Chapter 1813 – Return of The Mount Hua Sect
Im Sobyeong
smirked as he observed Jongli Gok’s twisted expression.
“Do you have
a problem with this?”
Jongli Gok
almost drove his sword into that sly face.
No, perhaps
there wasn’t even a need to hesitate. After all, wasn’t this guy part of the evil
sect? It might even be better to take this opportunity...
“Hoo.”
However, Jongli
Gok soon suppressed his frustration and let out a long sigh.
Those
associated with the Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword all seemed to have a knack for
shattering one’s composure.
But
regardless, this was clearly his own mistake this time.
“This won’t
happen again.”
“Oh, it’s
not something that can end so simply.”
“....What do
you mean by that?”
“You don’t
intend to fight forever, do you? I’m sure you’re familiar with the term ‘contradiction’.”
Jongli Gok
let out another brief sigh.
‘Contradiction.’
He wasn’t
wrong. Jongli Gok’s sword could hold off Jeok Ho, but it was difficult to bring
him down. Conversely, Jeok Ho couldn’t overcome Jongli Gok’s sword, but he
could endure.
In short, it
was a fight without a definitive outcome.
If this
weren’t a battlefield, one could continue until one of them tired out. But now
wasn’t the time for that.
Jongli Gok
glanced briefly at Im Sobyeong.
‘So, I’m
supposed to trust this unreliable guy.’
It was a
conclusion he’d rather avoid, but there was no other choice.
Still, one
thing nagged at him.
“….But.”
“Hmm?”
“That
scenario doesn’t seem to work in our favor.”
As soon as Jongli
Gok finished speaking, Thousand Faced Manipulator, Dam Yeohae, stepped forward
to stand beside Jeok Ho.
“Hah! Are
you underestimating me?”
Im Sobyeong
asked as though he were incredulous, but Jongli Gok ignored him completely.
No matter
how highly one rated Im Sobyeong, it was hard to see him as equal to Thousand
Faced Manipulator. Even though Im Sobyeong had just blocked his attack a moment
ago…
‘That alone
doesn’t mean they’re on the same level.’
It was a
cold, objective assessment, devoid of flattery. Even if Im Sobyeong was a
genius with both extraordinary intellect and martial talent, Thousand Faced
Manipulator possessed an undeniable advantage he couldn’t surpass.
The
advantage of time—years of experience.
“Hmm.”
Jongli Gok
frowned slightly. No matter how he looked at it, the situation wasn’t
favorable. But it didn’t really matter.
Jongli Gok
spoke firmly to Im Sobyeong.
“Hold that
formation for a moment. I’ll take care of Thousand Faced Manipulator and come
help.”
“You’re not
suggesting a joint attack?”
“….The mere
thought is horrifying. Working hand-in-hand with someone from the evil sect.”
“Let’s be
clear. I’ll be the hands, and you can be the feet.”
For a
moment, Jongli Gok’s patience was about to snap. Only the decades he had spent
as the leader of Zhongnan’s sect allowed him to hold back the stream of curses
on the tip of his tongue.
He briefly
entertained the thought that dragging the fight out wouldn’t be so bad, as long
as it lasted until Im Sobyeong lost his head.
“Can you do
it?”
“What do you
think of me?”
“A bandit.”
“…You’re not
wrong, but still.”
Im Sobyeong
muttered something about needing a career change, grumbling about how filthy
this job was. Jongli Gok ignored his complaints and focused all his attention
on Thousand Faced Manipulator.
Thousand
Faced Manipulator and Jeok Ho didn’t seem to consider working together, either.
Not surprising—combining forces without prior coordination wasn’t as simple as
it seemed.
Instead,
they would likely opt to quickly defeat their individual opponents.
Just as Jongli
Gok would.
“Now answer
me. Can you manage it?”
“Tsk.”
Im Sobyeong
leisurely fanned himself, exuding a relaxed air as if he were here for a
pleasant outing.
Regardless
of his true thoughts, simply maintaining such composure in a situation like
this was impressive. Jongli Gok had to admit that much. It was clear why
someone so young could rise to the title of the Nokrim King.
“Well, I’ll
finish quickly and come to help you. Just hold on without making a mess. There
will be a gentleman who will feel uneasy if the Sect Leader dies here.”
For the
first time, Jongli Gok chuckled faintly.
“You mean he’d
feel upset, not relieved?”
“Hmm. That’s
possible too.”
Jongli Gok
found himself growing a little curious.
If that
fiery-tempered rascal heard that Jongli Gok had been killed by the evil sect,
how would he react?
“But I doubt
he’d be happy about it.”
“...Hmm?”
Jongli Gok
looked at Im Sobyeong as though he had just said something unexpected.
“The sect
leader of a righteous faction, humiliated and defeated by the evil sect? That
guy would throw a fit, screaming about what that makes Mount Hua, who took
beatings from Zhongnan while he was gone.”
“Kuh…”
He tried to
hold back, but a laugh escaped him. The thought of Cheong Myeong frothing at
the mouth, shouting those exact words, vividly played in his mind.
“That does
sound likely.”
“Doesn’t it?”
“…Then I
guess I have no choice but to survive. I can’t let him mock me even after I
die.”
Im Sobyeong
chuckled as well. Though it wasn’t the time for laughter, he quickly suppressed
it.
His gaze
turned toward Jeok Ho.
‘So, that’s
my opponent?’
A sigh
naturally slipped out. That type of simple-minded brute wasn’t exactly to his
taste. If he had to fight, he’d prefer someone with a little more refinement.
“Your name’s
Jeok Ho, right?”
“....”
“Consider it
an honor. I’ll be your opponent.”
Jeok Ho’s
lips twitched, clearly displeased.
“You?”
“Why? You
don't like it...”
Kwaaaaah!
Without
warning, a powerful surge of qi unique to Jeok Ho shot toward Im Sobyeong. It
was the same clean and overwhelming energy that had shaken him once before.
Jongli Gok's
expression stiffened. The trajectory of the qi was peculiar—if Im Sobyeong
failed to block it, it would naturally redirect toward Jongli Gok. The arc of
the attack made it clear that this was Jeok Ho’s way of lodging a complaint.
Reflexively,
Jongli Gok moved his sword.
“Tsk.”
In that
instant, Im Sobyeong clicked his tongue softly, then extended his fan with an
almost casual motion.
Swish.
It looked as
though he was lightly fanning himself, but the result was anything but light.
Kwaaaang!
The qi that
had grazed past Im Sobyeong buried itself into the ground, exploding on impact.
With a simple motion, the fan had diverted the trajectory of Jeok Ho's attack.
Jeok Ho's
eyes flickered with interest.
‘What was
that fan's movement just now?’
It was soft,
almost like the flowing style of the Wudang sword technique, yet distinctly
different. The curves and straight lines intertwined freely, exuding a sense of
wild unpredictability.
One thing
was certain—there was a martial principle within it that Jeok Ho had never
encountered before.
Intrigued, Jeok
Ho stepped forward.
“Interesting.
You're worth facing.”
“Well,
that's quite an honor.”
Im Sobyeong
replied with a bright smile.
Jeok Ho’s
upper lip twitched with irritation. Strangely, the Nokrim King's smile was
irritating. Even though it didn't seem to be intended to provoke him.
Still,
wiping that smile off his face was simple enough.
It was the
moment when Jeok Ho was about to kick the ground and rush at Im Sobyeong.
Crack.
Jeok Ho's
eyes widened in shock.
The fan was
already in front of him—no, it was directly covering his face. The fully opened
fan was descending toward him like a curtain.
Instinctively,
Jeok Ho swung his blade horizontally.
The moment
his blade clashed with the fan, he realized something was wrong. Instead of
tearing through the fan, it clung to his blade, wrapping around it tightly like
a taut bowstring.
Before he
could process the sensation, a powerful rotational force traveled up the blade,
invading his wrist.
Thud.
The twisting
force threatened to snap his wrist, and Jeok Ho, realizing the danger,
immediately leapt backward, spinning his body to release the pressure.
“Keuh!”
Despite the
recoil, Jeok Ho retaliated with another slash, unleashing three consecutive
strikes in quick succession—upward, left, and right.
Yet, before
the strikes could fully manifest, the folded fan intercepted his blade
mid-motion.
Clang!
‘What?’
Jeok Ho was
startled. The fan hadn't blocked a completed strike—it had intercepted his
intent before the attack could take form. It was as if Im Sobyeong had read his
thoughts.
Jeok Ho was
so surprised that his heart leapt into his throat that he tried to quickly pull
away.
“Not so
fast.”
At that
moment, the fan, which had been folded, opened once more and multiplied,
surrounding Jeok Ho from all sides. His entire field of vision was overtaken by
the fluttering movement of fans, resembling a swarm of butterflies.
Jeok Ho grit
his teeth and channeled all his strength into his grip.
Thud.
His entire
body became a whirlwind of qi as he swung his blade wildly in all directions. A
violent storm of energy surged around him, making it seem impossible for mere
fans to penetrate.
But then, Im
Sobyeong’s fan changed its form again.
One of the
fans that had been swinging around Jeok Ho with its wide-open shape folded with
a clanging sound and swung around fiercely, hitting Jeok Ho’s sword tip
precisely.
Taang!
The blade
stopped, frozen in mid-air. And then...
“Uppercut.”
Thud!
Im Sobyeong
pushed Jeok Ho’s sword aside with consecutive strikes, closing the distance to
his chest in an instant.
“Long time
no see, huh?”
“You!”
Bang!
Im
Sobyeong’s palm struck upward, hitting Jeok Ho’s jaw. Jeok Ho’s head snapped
back as if it would break, and his body was sent flying into the air.
The folding
fan, seemingly weightless, struck Jeok Ho's chest mid-air. It looked as
effortless as swatting a fly.
Tudududuk!
Jeok Ho’s
body hurtled like an arrow and crashed into the earth.
Kung.
Kuung.
After
rolling a few times, he lay sprawled out on the ground.
“....”
A strange
silence followed.
Jeok Ho’s
silence was to be expected, but the true source of the quiet was Jongli Gok and
Thousand Faced Manipulator. They stood frozen, unable to hide their shock,
staring blankly at Im Sobyeong.
What in the
world just happened?
“Tsk.”
Im Sobyeong
calmly unfolded his fan, gently fanning himself as he spoke.
“See? I told
you. Martial artists like you from Kangho don’t think things through. Did you
think I won the title of Nokrim King in a gambling den or something?”
He let out a
scoffing laugh, clearly annoyed.
“Believe it
or not, I’m a rare owner of the Five Yin [o-eum,오음(五陰)]... or is it Four Yin now? Ugh... how many Yin was it again?”
Tilting his
head as if trying to recall, he eventually gave up and shook it with a carefree
gesture.
“Anyway, as
someone possessing one of those rare meridians, do you think I’d be weak?
Looking down
at the collapsed Jeok Ho, Im Sobyeong let out a faint chuckle.
“Sure, I
can’t handle someone like the monster from Mount Hua, but come on—do you really
think someone like you could take me down?”
Jeok Ho, who
had been lying still, began to stir. Slowly, he pushed himself to his feet, blood
dripping from his lips.
“...Indeed.”
His teeth,
now stained crimson, gleamed as he smiled. Even after being thoroughly
defeated, his face glowed with unmistakable joy.
“It seems I
started off wrong. I humbly request your teachings, Nokrim King.”
“It’s not
too hard to oblige. But…”
Im Sobyeong
flashed a sly smile.
“You’d
better be prepared. The teachings of the Nokrim King are expensive.”
From Jeok Ho’s
eyes, a murderous intent mingled with exhilaration began to pour out.
❀ ❀ ❀
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