That’s How I Feel Now. (2)

When he slipped the prayer beads off his wrist, the veins on the back of his hand swelled.

His heart hammered as if it would burst; he couldn’t contain the surge of power.

His left hand trembled uncontrollably—a reaction he’d never felt before.

A black qi crept toward his fingertips, ominous and alive.

‘Stay still, you bastard!’

The wicked thing sealed in his left hand rampaged like a dog with its leash cut.

A nauseous sensation writhed somewhere in his core.

A dark urge to destroy everything and a causeless rage welled up.

If he left it unchecked, something terrible would happen.

Yu Jinsan drew a deep breath and steadied himself.

‘Calm down. You can subdue it, Jinsan!’

Regaining his composure, he began the hand seals of the Muscle Changing Technique.

A faint golden radiance flowed from him, illuminating the dark.

The Muscle Changing Technique was the finest Shaolin art left by Bodhidharma, rooted in pure Buddhist qi.

As warm Buddha qi manifested, his mind cleared instantly.

The qi smoothed and his senses sharpened to the faintest stir.

He pushed the Muscle Changing Technique’s qi outward through his left hand.

Pain flared from his grip.

It felt as if his skin were melting and his finger joints crushed—Muscle Changing qi and the evil qi in his left hand entangled, vying for dominance.

It was a fight against himself—agonizing, but he refused to yield.

Groans escaped him; veins on his forehead bulged.

Suddenly dark blood spurted from his mouth.

“Gurgle!”

It was stagnant blood—bruised blood.

Paradoxically, after spitting the bruised blood his mind sharpened and his qi flow eased.

Not perfect, but the Muscle Changing Technique was clearly restraining the left hand’s evil power.

Yu Jinsan held himself steady and endured.

How much time had passed?

It was the first time he’d kept such clarity after removing the beads.

Just as his relief peaked—

Rustle—!

When he turned, a wild boar stared at him.

It trembled, frozen with fear.

‘Perfect timing. I was wondering what to feed our little one tomorrow morning.’

Yu Jinsan avoided needless killing, but not when it came to food; it was the way of nature.

He also wanted to test his left hand’s power.

In a blink he swung his left hand in front of the boar’s snout.

He struck the crown of its head, aiming a single painless blow.

The crunch of bone echoed through the mountains.

The sound had been louder than he’d expected; Yu Jinsan looked embarrassed.

‘Damn!’

He hadn’t wanted to wake his granddaughter, but that concern was pointless.

A familiar voice answered as if she’d been waiting.

“Did you catch that to roast for me?”

The voice came from a branch five feet to the right; he hadn’t sensed her at all.

Yu Jinsan hurriedly slipped the prayer beads onto his left hand and asked, “How long have you been there?”

“I just got here. I couldn’t sleep because I was hungry.”

“Still, try to sleep soon. I’ll roast it golden for you tomorrow morning.”

His granddaughter padded over, rubbing her belly. She had come to see the boar he had caught.

They’d taken only a few steps when Yu Seol flinched and opened her eyes wide.

“Huh? What’s wrong with that?”

Yu Jinsan saw the boar’s corpse and was equally surprised.

Even in the pitch-black night its condition was obvious.

It was rotting, starting at the head and progressing alarmingly fast.

Yu Jinsan glanced at his left hand.

‘Is it because of this wicked thing’s qi?’

It was nothing less than vicious demonic qi, the sort used by the Demonic Cult.

Now that he thought about it, hadn’t this happened before?

Once, when exchanging blows, Yu Seol’s palm had blackened.

Back then, the Buddha Lion Roar Divine technique’s qi had likely repelled it and she recovered quickly, but this time the pattern was different.

The brown boar had withered and blackened.

“I suppose we can’t eat this one.”

“Then what will we eat tomorrow morning? If I’m hungry I can’t fight.”

His granddaughter was particularly sensitive about food.

With their provisions ruined, she couldn’t help but be cranky.

“Shall I catch another?”

“I don’t want pork… look at that.”

Seeing the grotesque carcass, her appetite vanished.

That didn’t mean there was no solution.

“Hmm. Then we’ll go to the village and buy something for breakfast tomorrow.”

“At the market? We don’t have any money.”

“Don’t worry. Grandpa has a little left.”

“Hmm. Really?”

She eyed him suspiciously.

Yu Jinsan felt a pang but answered confidently, “Of course! Don’t worry. Has grandpa ever let Seol go hungry?”

“…No, never.”

“See? Now let’s go back and rest—tomorrow will be busy, so sleep well.”

Using lightness skill, the grandfather and granddaughter traversed the mountain path.

They had camped nearby the previous night, so it didn’t take long.

In less than an hour the village came into view.

They hid their cumbersome bundles and moved on carrying only the twin dragon spear wrapped in cloth.

After a short while the lightness skill set them down near the village entrance.

“This is the village where the Tang family lives together.”

“Let’s hurry to collect the money.”

Their purposes were different. Yu Jinsan wanted to confront the Tang family’s top fighter; Yu Seol wanted compensation for the house price.

“Child. Saying it like that makes us sound like loan sharks.”

“You have to take what’s owed. We should’ve asked the Southern Edge Sect for it too.”

Yu Seol seemed to regret leaving the Southern Edge Sect so easily.

Yu Jinsan scolded her, baffled. “Didn’t I teach you to give up greed for wealth? Where is the dignity of a warrior?”

Yu Seol raised a fist and muttered, “This is my dignity. I speak only with dignity.”

Yu Jinsan sighed and pressed a hand to his forehead. Who had she learned that from? It sounded like a ruffian.

“Ugh. Anyway, don’t act rashly without permission—we could ruin everything. Understand?”

“Why aren’t you answering?”

“…Alright.”

She answered reluctantly.

Relieved, Yu Jinsan pointed to a street. “Street vendors are gathered over there. Let’s eat first.”

Aside from a calm, quiet atmosphere, it was like any other village.

The few villagers about looked peaceful.

But there was one major difference.

“Grandpa, do all the people here practice martial arts?”

“That’s what they say. Outsiders shouldn’t enter recklessly.”

From the street vendors to old men by the roadside, an uncanny qi flowed from each.

A lurking ferocity ran beneath the calm.

Ordinary outsiders would be too frightened to enter.

But the Yin Yang Twin Monster’s faces showed no trace of tension.

“That spot looks good.”

Yu Jinsan pointed to a small noodle stall. There were only four small tables set out and, being early, there were no customers.

“Noodles? I want to eat meat.”

“Before a fight you must keep your stomach light. You’ll become sluggish otherwise.”

“Then will you buy me meat after it’s over?”

Yu Jinsan nodded and sat down with his granddaughter.

A moment later a middle-aged man with a kind face approached and asked, “Are you two together? Should I make two bowls of noodles?”

Yu Jinsan glanced at the price tag. With his money he could only afford one bowl.

“Just one bowl, please.”

The owner regarded them strangely, then turned away. “Alright, wait a moment.”

Yu Jinsan sat back and watched him prepare the noodles.

The cook’s hands, where you’d expect delicacy, were calloused; muscles showed subtly beneath his light robe.

At a glance he looked like a martial artist trained in external techniques.

After a short while he returned and set the noodles before them. “Here. Enjoy your meal, kid.”

Yu Jinsan placed two chopsticks and pushed the bowl toward his granddaughter.

“For me to eat alone?”

“Yes. I don’t have an appetite.”

Yu Seol hesitated, then began to eat. She was starving and ate eagerly.

Seeing her like that warmed Yu Jinsan’s heart.

When about half the noodles remained, “It’s really delicious. Here, Grandpa, you should try some of this,” she said, pushing the bowl toward him and holding out the chopsticks.

“I don’t really care for it.”

“Don’t lie. You only ordered one because we didn’t have money, right?”

She was astute as a ghost.

But how could he tell her the truth?

He pushed the bowl back and said, “I really have no appetite. Don’t worry about me, just eat.”

Yu Seol paused, then nodded. “Then I’ll drink a bit more broth and give it to you. Okay?”

“No, just eat it all.”

“No, wait. I’ll save some for you.”

As she lifted the bowl to drink the broth, an unpleasant voice came from behind them.

“Hey, you beggar brats. How did you get into our village?”

Turning, they saw five kids approaching to surround them.

They looked about thirteen, their martial skills surprisingly advanced.

The front one seemed the leader; his dress set him apart. Unlike the others in gray robes, he wore a blue garment embroidered with bamboo.

Yu Seol clutched her bowl, met his gaze and asked, “You weren’t talking about us just now, were you? I hope not.”

The boy in blue nodded arrogantly. “Yeah, that was for you. There are no beggar brats in this village.”

As the atmosphere soured, the vendor who’d been boiling broth rushed over, but strangely he clasped his hands and kowtowed to the boy.

“They must be lost and came here by mistake. I’ll persuade them to leave, Young Master.”

In an instant the ‘Young Master’ kicked the middle-aged man’s shin without warning.

It looked light, but the man crumpled—his leg broken—and collapsed.

The gap in internal skill must have been overwhelming.

He should have groaned, but fear kept him silent.

“Know your place.”

“…I-I’m sorry.”

An incomprehensible scene unfolded.

Then the ‘Young Master’ ordered the others, “Quickly seize them and drag them here. We’ll show what happens to those who enter this land without permission.”

As they closed in, Yu Seol’s fist clenched.

Noticing, Yu Jinsan signaled her to stay still; he wanted to observe, curious about the place.

Soon one boy grabbed the back of Yu Jinsan’s neck and threatened, “If you don’t want to get beat up, come quietly.”

They even snatched the twin dragon spear wrapped in cloth.

When they unwrapped it, the boys whispered in astonishment. “What’s this? Beggars carrying spears?” “Outsiders even bringing weapons into our land?” “We should interrogate what kind of guys they are, shouldn’t we?”

They were brazen.

Onlookers gathered but did nothing, watching from afar.

Yu Jinsan had never seen a family sect with such an atmosphere and couldn’t adapt.

Two boys had grabbed his granddaughter’s arms from both sides.

Where on earth were they planning to drag her?

At that moment Yu Seol looked back with a wronged expression and pleaded, “Even if we’re going, can’t I finish my noodles first?”