#74: Loosening And Tangling (5) — The Patriarch of Sichuan

“How are you here?”

At Seol So-ha’s question, Lee Yong-dan smiled coolly.

“Why? Have I come somewhere I shouldn’t?”

“…”

“Sichuan was ours to begin with. We were its de facto rulers. Is it so shocking to come to land that was originally ours?”

His leisurely voice brimmed with unconcealed desire.

It wasn’t only his obsession for Sichuan. In his eyes toward Seol So-ha, a base lust also swirled thick.

On Seol So-ha’s already cold face, a blizzard seemed to whip.

“You’re delusional.”

At her words as frigid as her expression, Lee Yong-dan flushed.

“You ungrateful wench!”

“…”

“The Seol clan rose entirely thanks to us! You forget the support we gave for so many years and stab us in the back? How dare you? Even a dog won’t bite the hand that feeds it!”

His once fairly calm face twisted at once with rage and betrayal.

Before such a Lee Yong-dan, Seol So-ha felt no value in replying.

The Seol clan and the Mighty Tiger grew together. If her forebears had not protected them, they would have suffered under wastrel nobles and never once stretched.

Naturally, the one-sided support never continued. They joined hands and advanced together.

Lee Yong-dan had forgotten the history and spoke only of what they had bestowed.

What talk could be done with such a petty man? To one who likened the Seol Clan to dogs, she had nothing to give but the blade.

Lee Yong-dan prattled louder.

“If only we hadn’t gotten tangled with you, we would have…”

“Pathetic.”

“What?!”

Seureureung!

Seol So-ha drew her sword.

The swords the Seol clan warriors now carried were all masterpieces, forged with special care by every smith of the Yeo Family Ironworks. Naturally, Seol So-ha’s blade, too, was a sword one could rarely see in this world.

“For a man, you sure say ‘if this, if that’ a lot.”

“!”

“What happened to you lot is due to the karma you wrought upon yourselves. It’s no one’s fault but your own.”

“Y, You!”

Wooong!

Seol So-ha raised the Qi-vibrating sword before her eyes.

Lee Yong-dan, about to spit a curse, gulped unconsciously.

It was no time for it, but with her gaze lowered and sword raised, Seol So-ha looked madly beautiful.

The slapping river sounded like praise for her, the moonlight on the bank was a blue candle for her alone, her white clothes swaying in the river breeze seemed a mystic mist.

Lee Yong-dan’s cheek twitched.

“Put the sword down.”

“…”

“Filthy blood runs in your veins. Still, I’ll give you a chance. Past ties are ties.”

“When did I ever form ties with a petty man like you?”

“You little!”

Flash!

A dangerous light rose in Seol So-ha’s half-opened eyes.

“So, when are you coming at me?”

Lee Yong-dan flinched despite himself.

Her talent surpassed the previous generation, at her age she was already called a top-ranked late-generation expert of Sichuan.

One couldn’t know without crossing blades, but none denied her martial strength.

Lee Yong-dan too learned martial arts. That too being first-rate martial arts refined over long years.

But his strong suits were mind and commerce. He could draw the blade when needed, but it was always the second choice.

A blade ought to be wielded by the underlings. That is how a master’s dignity is upheld.

“She’s a girl born with talent greater than her father’s. Though she’s young, don’t let your guard down.”

Lee Yong-dan stepped back.

“Handle her with care.”

Seureung.

The two men at his sides, experts of the Oh Family Merchant House, the Black Cat Twin Swords, drew their blades.

Both wielded the same short swords, shorter than common swords yet with broader blades, looking very stout.

“…”

The wind clawing the riverbank stilled.

Paaak!

The Black Cat Twin Swords charged at Seol So-ha.

Shwik!

Mong Hyeong’s sword that crossed the space was fast and free as wind.

Half-stepping aside to evade, Jin-hyeon dropped his stance sharply.

Flash!

The Indestructible Sword’s slashing range was wider than Mong Hyeong’s blade, and Jin-hyeon’s strength refined by the Body-Refining Art swung that heavy sword like a twig.

‘Good.’

Retreating a step to avoid Jin-hyeon’s cross-cut, caution settled on Mong Hyeong’s face.

‘Very good.’

Buuuung!

The Indestructible Sword that had cut crosswise now slammed straight down.

Though longer and broader than common swords, its sword speed was tremendous. Mong Hyeong withdrew once more, seeking a counter.

Then Jin-hyeon’s wrist snapped with force.

Flash!

Though it was clearly two swings, it came as a single blow.

It was a cross-shaped strike that swept wide. A formless sword wind roared, pressing fearsomely.

It was the War-Sword Three Arts’ first move, Cross Soul-Slash. Mong Hyeong was greatly surprised by his charging attack.

Jjeojeojeong!

He had to swing twice to neutralize that first move.

Still, shock lingered in his wrist. Stable internal energy erased it at once, but not the shock in his mind.

‘Heavy. And fast.’

A few exchanges sufficed to gauge his skill.

Such skill was enough to look down on most masters. This meant that with such skill, he would not fall short of the late-generation prodigies groomed by the finest central-plains sects.

‘Where did this one spring from? Such martial arts at this age.’

From posture and movement alone, a bit of awkwardness bled through. He was not the so-called orthodox swordsman.

Yet the swordwork he used was extremely threatening. His raw power in particular was impressive. Compared to the aura he shed, his physical ability looked especially strong.

‘Has he learned some special martial art?’

Mong Hyeong’s eyes flashed.

His foe’s martial arts were surprising, but not to the point of dismay.

Striking the Indestructible Sword’s flat to scatter its line, Mong Hyeong finally countered.

Pabababak!

What seemed a single cut, on reaching its mark, scattered into over a dozen, targeting every angle.

Like a bud bursting into full bloom; with mere wrist motion and exquisite internal energy distribution, he unleashed a breathtaking illusory sword.

Gripping the Indestructible Sword with both hands, Jin-hyeon swept it fast.

Jjeojeojeojeong!

Mong Hyeong’s strikes pinged off the Indestructible Sword. A few etched small cuts on Jin-hyeon’s shoulders and forearms.

‘Now now, will you look at this?’

He thought he would retreat. No matter his strength, blocking an illusory sword with that heavy blade should be impossible.

But he did it. Allowing even one attack through would have brought forth a grave wound, yet he defended aggressively and readied the next attack.

‘This one’s truly impressive.’

Flash!

From low to high, sweeping like a broom, a strong blade-wind rose beyond the Indestructible Sword.

The sword pressure was considerable. Had he dodged only the solid blade, his chest would have been cut.

It was clearly a martial art focused on offense. In that case, its defense should have been weak, yet with sheer reflexes and strength he instantly filled any openings that appeared.

Mong Hyeong’s admiring face grew steadily grave.

‘A fearsome one, he is. He’s barely past twenty, yet why is he so seasoned? It’s like fighting a veteran of a hundred battles.’

Paak!

Easing back to evading, Mong Hyeong moved like lightning.

He lunged in an instant and stabbed down with Mount Tai Suppression.

A stroke to decide by strength against one whose forte was power; Mong Hyeong had no doubt Jin-hyeon would meet it.

Kakang!

The earth groaned under the intense pressure.

Jin-hyeon took the flank at once and swung for Mong Hyeong’s torso.

He did not meet the attack head-on, but instead sought to evade and then counterattack. His movement once again slipped free of Mong Hyeong’s expectations, carrying the force to cut him in two with a single stroke.

Sparks popped in Mong Hyeong’s eyes.

Chiriring! Teo-eong!

With staggering rotational speed he deflected the Indestructible Sword and kicked. Jin-hyeon was shoved to the path’s side and struck a tree.

Koong!

The tree shuddered, scattering leaves by the dozens.

Mong Hyeong looked at Jin-hyeon.

Jin-hyeon was smiling. He was kicked in the chest yet was seemingly unfazed.

‘This bastard.’

He had withdrawn his body at impact to diffuse the shock.

More dumbfounded than angry, Mong Hyeong nearly shook his head.

‘What kind of reactions… It’s like facing a beast outright.’

At this rate, it would go on without end. He could take him, but it would devour time.

In the end, Mong Hyeong decided.

Hwaaak!

Mong Hyeong emitted a menacing aura.

Jin-hyeon’s eyes flashed.

‘Here it comes.’

He lowered his head and raised his sword, and even without meeting his opponent’s gaze, he left not a single opening.

“…”

Jin-hyeon stood the Indestructible Sword with his back to a tree, whereas Mong Hyeong, head bowed, raised his sword and unleashed a fierce aura.

The five onlookers swallowed without knowing.

Hwoong!

A breath of wind blew between them.

In that instant, lightning flashed in both their eyes.

Peobeobeobeok!

Mong Hyeong rushed and shredded the tree Jin-hyeon had leaned on.

Jang Yu’s face turned pale.

‘Tremendous!’

He couldn’t see the sword’s path, sword-light flashed, split into several blades, and the tree was pulverized.

“Hoo.”

Letting out a light breath, Jin-hyeon was already out of the way, stance lowered.

‘Savage.’

It was a superb martial art. The Qi art and swordwork in concert was worthy of being called a “masterpiece.”

Jin-hyeon’s sleeves and hems had turned to rags. Had he been a half beat slower, his wrists and shins would have been severed.

“You dodged well.”

Mong Hyeong’s voice was almost leisurely.

Turning his sword hand slowly, he stepped in.

“There won’t be a second.”

Kwang!

Stamping the ground, Mong Hyeong’s body reached within three meters of Jin-hyeon.

It was an explosive speed fit to be called exploding. It was worlds apart from his earlier fluidity.

Mong Hyeong’s sword moved savagely.

It was Mong Hyeong’s true secret technique once called ghostly by his unit, the Death-Snare Ghost Sword.

Peobeobeobeok!

It was like a crescent rain of arrows. The storming Death-Snare Ghost Sword seemed set to tear Jin-hyeon into dozens of pieces at once.

Pishuk! Jjeojeojeong! Parararak!

He couldn’t block all with the Indestructible Sword. One by one cuts began to etch his body.

But.

‘What’s this.’

Jjeojeojeojeong! Pabak!

Even before the all-around flurry of blades, Jin-hyeon did not collapse.

Mong Hyeong’s eyes wavered.

‘This guy?!’

Wooooong!

Be it illusion or real.

A bluish light seemed to ripple from Jin-hyeon’s body, and at once the Indestructible Sword moved faster, more springing.

Half the Death-Snare Ghost Sword moves were knocked away. Of the rest, he dodged seven parts and took three on his body.

But the way he took them was remarkable. With minute posture fixes, what would have been severed he paid in flesh alone.

Mong Hyeong’s face flushed.

He might be a step below as a martial artist, but he looked even more capable in an actual fight.

Whether it came from long experience or was simply innate, he couldn’t tell. It was unthinkable that anyone could respond to the Death-Snare Ghost Sword with nothing but their own combat ability, without relying on a superior martial art.

‘You!!’

At last, killing intent tinged Mong Hyeong’s face.

That chilling intent swallowed the whole way in an instant.

Lee Yong-geum’s eyes shook.

“Swordsman Mong! No!”

Flash!

His sword moved along the killing move of the Death-Snare Ghost Sword, Ghost-Claw Kill.

Right then, Jin-hyeon’s body vanished.

Kagagagagak!

The savagest blade-wind shredded the ground mercilessly.

Mong Hyeong’s eyes went wide.

‘Where?!’