He Was A Good Hyung (1)

Cheon Unpil momentarily couldn’t believe his ears.

Who was he, the pride of Dunhuang and the top person of the Protectorate.

Knowing that, and yet she wanted to add two more to the fight? His pride was naturally wounded, even if the opponent was a battle-hardened martial expert.

One of the commanders, speaking for the Protectorate, shouted in fury.

“You wench! How dare you… Gah!”

He couldn’t finish his sentence; Yu Seol’s aura had suddenly shifted.

“What did you say?”

The air grew so cold and frozen that even breathing felt difficult.

Her gaze sank like an abyss. The pupils shining within looked almost transcendent, beyond human.

The most startled seemed to be Protectorate Cheon Unpil; his once fierce expression had become that of a scared little dog.

Then from behind, Yu Jinsan called out two names.

“Lieutenant Myung Hak-sung! General leader Man Sajong! Come out quickly and pay for your crimes before we drag you out!”

They were the military officers who had been backing the slave traders.

Did they expect to be singled out? The two commanders walked out willingly and stood shoulder to shoulder with the Protectorate.

Although it was a three-versus-one duel by tradition, they must have sensed it wasn’t a moment to argue about pride.

“Can I come out to fight now?”

Yu Seol looked at her grandfather with an impatient, puppy-like expression.

“Yes, I allow it. Finish quickly; we need to go eat skewers.”

The three watching their exchange looked baffled but prepared a defensive stance. From their ‘品’ formation, it was clear they knew a formation technique.

And by the direction their spear tips pointed, there was no doubt: it was a Blue Dragon Troops formation.

‘The Dragon Walk Three-Strike Formation.’

Yu Jinsan knew that formation too; he’d learned it with the children at the hellish Mount Emei training ground.

It’s a formation used when three masters unite as one to face a stronger opponent.

The techniques are cunning and powerful, making them tricky to face, at least from Yu Jinsan’s perspective.

By Yin Monsters’ standards, such things were mere child’s play.

Even now, Yu Seol’s mind was full only of the desire to try the lamb skewers as soon as possible.

Taaat!

Without any preparatory move, Yu Seol’s new body shot forward.

A beam of light moved forward like a swift spear thrust, a motion too fast for the eye to follow.

In the blink of an eye, Yu Seol had closed to the very front of the Dragon-Walk Three-Strike Formation.

‘Gasp!’

‘…This can’t be.’

The three people, startled, hastily raised their blades.

The Dragon Flower Spear racing toward them bent as if it would break from the speed; it intended to strike in one blow.

Shaaang-!!!

With a dull boom, all three new bodies were hurled back at once.

“Guh!”

“Ugh!”

“Urrgh…”

Myung Hak-sung and Man Sajong were flung five feet and tumbled pathetically on the ground, unfortunately landing right in front of Yu Jinsan.

And Protectorate Cheon Unpil was being pushed back, his feet scraping the ground.

Skreeeek-!

Though Cheon Unpil managed to hold on, his face was far from bright; that mysterious girl was still charging at him like mad.

‘What on earth is this insane situation?’

Unimaginable speed and brutal strength; it felt like an insurmountable wall.

A helplessness he had never felt in his life. But Cheon Unpil wasn’t the sort to give up easily.

His blade flashed ceaselessly, sending waves of fierce qi.

Pa-pa-pa-pat-!

It was indeed an attack worthy of the Protectorate’s leader; even Yu Jinsan watching admired it.

But that was all it amounted to: Yu Seol’s spear tip split it at once.

Ssshk-!!

The armor split along a diagonal. If the blow had been an inch deeper, his torso would have been halved.

A chill ran through Cheon Unpil; the hair on his body stood on end.

The rising dragon tattoo on his exposed chest showed, but that was the least of the problems now.

‘…No way?’

No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t accept being so overwhelmingly outmatched.

Only one word came to his mind.

A being higher than the famed realm of mastery called Supreme Warrior, the most exalted human state, Profound Realm.

And seeing the scene before him, he was certain.

The dazzling golden radiance enveloping Yu Seol’s entire body, and the even more brilliant halo around her head.

‘…This can’t be.’

Clenching his teeth, Cheon Unpil prepared the strongest spell he could muster.

A furious cluster of light riding up the blade.

Then a crescent-shaped torrent shot forward, as if it could cut through anything.

Swoooosh-!

The fierce attack approached, but Yu Seol showed no alarm; she lazily thrust the Dragon-Fire Spear as if annoyed.

It was the Yu Family Wind-Slaying Spear’s seventh move, One Light Extreme Flash Movement.

A streak of light sped toward the crescent’s center at the speed of light.

Kwang-!!!

The spearhead pierced between the split crescent and continued onward.

If it continued, his chest would be pierced. Frowning, Cheon Unpil summoned all his strength and executed a footwork technique.

It was the Illusion Shift, a technique that explodes one’s qi to instantly shift position.

Paang-!

But Yu Seol had anticipated his movement; she was a child with an unprecedented natural combat sense.

As if waiting, the spear’s blade traced a curve along the path he would take.

In an instant Yu Seol twisted the spear and gripped it; the broad spearface reflected the sun and emitted a wailing sound.

Then it mercilessly struck Cheon Unpil’s helm.

Thunk-!!

The helmet was ripped off and flew high into the sky; at the same time Cheon Unpil’s head smashed into the ground.

Thud-!

What followed was a one-sided beating.

The spear tip created dozens of afterimages and began savagely battering his entire body.

Wham-! Whack-!! Wham-whack-!!

The Dragon Flower Spear’s tip was blunted; if no qi was emitted externally, it wouldn’t slice. Instead, it inflicted crushing blunt trauma as if bones would shatter.

With every tremor of the spear tip, petals seemed to float up gracefully.

Just as onlookers were captivated by the beauty, Cheon Unpil was already a broken mess.

“…Ugh.”

Laid out flat, he couldn’t even twitch a finger, only barely gasping for breath.

The other Blue Dragon Troops members, Myung Hak-sung and Man Sajong, were already dead, as were lieutenant Bang Chung and the commander captured with him.

Yu Jinsan had never intended to spare them; so when the chance came, he executed all four.

Only Protectorate Cheon Unpil remained. He needed to be questioned before being killed.

“Well done, child. Step back a moment.”

Yu Seol nodded, dragging the spear tip diagonally as she walked a large circle to ensure no one could interfere with her grandfather.

Soldiers who found themselves too close to Yu Seol panicked and backed away.

“…Eek!”

“Gasp!”

Each and every face was filled with terror.

Every life is precious.

Though their superiors had been taken out, no one stepped forward; instinct told them it was a fight their numbers couldn’t win.

And they had no moral ground; Dunhuang’s residents had already begun pointing fingers at the dead officials.

Cheon Unpil, still breathing, bore a look of deep injustice.

“…Who on earth are you? Why are you… antagonizing us?”

Yu Jinsan glanced at his granddaughter, then spread a qi membrane around them so no sound would leak.

“That girl’s parents were killed by your men. My innocent children were all butchered in one place.”

He hadn’t told his granddaughter that truth; he wanted to preserve her innocence. If she learned it, her heart might get tainted and she could rampage.

“What do you…”

Cheon Unpil seemed unable to process it: two tiny kids being a grandfather and granddaughter? And the girl was a bit older, too.

But how he accepted it wasn’t the crucial point.

“I don’t care what your goals are. If you want a peaceful death, tell us everything you know about anyone related to the Blue Dragon troops.”

“…”

He kept his mouth clamped shut and offered no reply.

Perhaps due to rigorous training, even after more questions, nothing changed.

Then there was no reason to waste any more time.

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll find them one by one and wring every neck.”

As he grabbed Cheon Unpil’s jaw and head with both hands, the man hastily spoke.

“…W-wait.”

At that moment, Yu Jinsan’s gaze dropped low.

“…?”

“I don’t beg for my life. But you must not kill me now.”

“Why?”

“I must remain here to watch the Western Regions. If they invade like this… the Central Plains will be doomed.”

Yu Jinsan vaguely remembered hearing the same from an old monk at Shaolin’s Repentance Cave.

Long ago, the Eclipse Cult had pacified Tianzhu’s foreign murim world, and the Blue Dragon’s purpose was said to be defending the Central Plains from them.

The monk’s words might be true, but to Yu Jinsan both sides seemed equally bad.

“So it’s those Eclipse Cult people or whatever. But why should I care about that?”

Cheon Unpil looked genuinely surprised that Yu Jinsan knew that much.

“We’ve been preparing for their invasion for a long time… Only the Blue Dragon troops can protect the Central Plains.”

“Ah, so you’ve prepared well, by any means necessary. You kidnapped children, murdered innocent people to pin it on dark forces, raised funds through filthy deeds. What else?”

“All… for the greater cause.”

A cold gleam flared in Yu Jinsan’s eyes at that moment.

“The ‘greater cause’… Whatever you call it, keep going. We’ll protect the Central Plains from your Blue Dragon Troops. That’s the cause of our Yin Yang Twin Monsters.”

At the resolve to annihilate the Blue Dragon Troops, Cheon Unpil cried out in despair.

“…No, n-no.”

“Even the world’s villains think themselves righteous. I guess I don’t know which is worse, you or the Eclipse Cult.”

He tried to shout more, but Yu Jinsan no longer wanted to hear it.

Without hesitation, Yu Jinsan twisted both of his hands forcefully.

Crack-!

Dunhuang’s street market.

The grandfather and granddaughter sat across a small outdoor table eating lamb skewers.

Soldiers formed a perimeter around them but merely watched; none dared to make an arrest.

Those dragged away had been nothing but petty bandits and slave traders.

Having gotten rid of just a few, the Protectorate finally began to play its part.

Though the soldiers had lost their superiors, new men would soon replace them. He felt certain they wouldn’t repeat the same filthy deeds.

“Eat up. Always fill your stomach well before a long journey.”

Yu Seol’s mouth was already full of meat; she could barely speak properly.

“Nom. It’s so savory and tasty.”

The lamb meat seemed to agree with her palate as it was her first time tasting it.

Yu Jinsan handed her a bamboo cup of water with a pleased smile.

“Here, drink some water too. Eat slowly so you don’t get indigestion.”

“Mm.”

As she gulped water, Yu Seol suddenly looked around.

“Are you uncomfortable with people staring? Should we go somewhere else to eat?”

“No, it’s not that. He disappeared. The bald grandfather; he was definitely following us this whole time.”

Unaware of what she meant, Yu Jinsan tilted his head.

“Who are you talking about?”

“The grandpa who looks for treasure and smiles, you know?”

A chill ran over Yu Jinsan at that moment; he realized who his granddaughter was talking about.

The mad apostate monk Jeong Hye, who had wandered Mount Song seeking the Buddha Lion Roar Divine Arts.

That absolute warrior, originally from Shaolin, had apparently chased them across the desert to Dunhuang.

“Why are you telling me this now? Since when has he been here?”

“You didn’t ask, grandpa. He’s been watching since I was fighting earlier.”

To think that crazed, reckless man hid and merely watched; perhaps he lacked the confidence to face the granddaughter.

But that man was an astounding master, not inferior even to the ten greatest warriors of the martial world.

You couldn’t simply ignore such a master; they needed to meet him and finish things properly.

‘Let’s see.’

Yu Jinsan pondered how best to lure him out.