Chapter 15. Activation of the Four Gods (5)
Peopeong!
With a bang like a bursting drum, hidden weapons flew everywhere.
She used a powerful martial art, but there were no openings. Her stance was as precise as her qi was powerful.
"Ho-oh?!"
Surprise flickered across the face of Ma Bang, leader of the Thunderfire Gang.
A pure white energy emanated from Je Gal-ahyeon, who lowered her stance behind Je Gal-jun.
It was a gentle and pure, yet powerful qi. Even though it wasn't a Taoist divine art, it was very deep and pure. It even carried the pleasant scent of birch.
It was the Hyeonwon Jeondan Divine Art, the pride of the Je Gal family. It was one of the secret techniques that no one could learn without the permission of the head of the family and the elders.
"Amazing! So even a girl is better than your brother, huh?"
"Shut up!"
Thump!
Je Gal-ahyeon rushed at Ma Bang.
Unleashing her hidden technique, she moved faster and with more agility. Surprised, Ma Bang wildly swung the dagger in his left.
Fing! Fiing!
Je Gal-ahyeon's upper body moved flexibly, dodging every swipe of the dagger.
Ma Bang's daggers were poisoned. Even one hit would drastically reduce her combat power. That sense of danger heightened her senses.
Je Gal-ahyeon's hand struck Ma Bang's abdomen.
Peo-eong!
'Got it!'
Ma Bang staggered back.
It was the So-Cheon-Seong Palm linked with the Jeondan Divine Art. It was clearly superior to Je Gal-jun's So-Cheon-Seong Palm, and moreover, the power of her inner qi was much stronger.
'Now, a follow-up...!'
At that moment, a flash of steel glinted.
Je Gal-ahyeon, who was about to launch an attack immediately, hurriedly bowed her head in surprise. The sudden twist strained her lower body.
"Keoleok! You damn bitch! I'll rip you to shreds!"
Ma Bang coughed roughly and glared at Je Gal-ahyeon.
Je Gal-ahyeon was taken aback.
'How did he counterattack?'
She had landed a hit with the Jin character incantation of the So-Cheon-Seong Palm, imbued with Jeondan True Qi. If he hadn't defended with internal energy, his internal organs would have ruptured, and even if he had defended, his insides would be vibrating, making it difficult to move.
"Gaak, spits! You bitch! I was being nice, and you pull this crap?!"
Pa! Pa! Pa!
Nine daggers flew, aimed at Je Gal-ahyeon's vital points.
Firiing!
Again, Je Gal-ahyeon evaded the daggers. Despite her lack of experience fighting an equal, she reacted quickly.
But that was all she had.
Peoeok!
"Keuk!"
A powerful blow struck her side. Ma Bang, sneaking up on her, attacked with a kick.
If she hadn't blocked instinctively, her ribs would've shattered. Retreating, Je Gal-ahyeon lashed out with a punch at Ma Bang's chest.
Peok!
"Eueum!"
Ma Bang staggered back. But the blow, while it landed, hadn't knocked him down or even slowed him.
'How can this be?!'
What the hell is his body made of?
"Huuk. Huuk."
"Just as I thought."
Seureung.
Ma Bang drew another dagger.
"That technique was too much for you."
Drip.
Sweat beaded on Je Gal-ahyeon's forehead.
Ma Bang was right. The Hyeonwon Jeondan Divine Art could be a trump card, but it was a martial art difficult to sustain. Her level, her inner strength, wasn't enough to sustain the technique.
Ma Bang looked around and shouted.
"What are you, scared? She's exhausted, just rush her!"
The hesitant Thunderfire goons screamed and charged.
Despair washed over Je Gal-ahyeon's face.
'Is this it?'
The instant her breathing faltered, the qi of the Jeondan technique dissipated.
Qi follows intent. With her breathing unsteady and worry overtaking her will to fight, her inner energy naturally wavered.
Her limbs felt like lead. Facing the murderous glares of the approaching thugs, a strange feeling welled up inside her.
It was raw fear.
"Get her!"
"Aaaargh!"
Whoosh! Crack!
A chaotic brawl erupted, one against many.
"Hyung-nim!"
"......"
There was no response from Yeon Ho-jeong.
Yeon Ji-pyeong gritted his teeth.
"If Hyung-nim won't go... I'll go!"
Pat!
Yeon Ji-pyeong vaulted over the railing, leaping down to the third, then second, and finally the first floor.
Yeon Ho-jeong, who'd been watching Je Gal-ahyeon, lowered his gaze. Yeon Ji-pyeong, now on the first floor, sprinted towards the main gate.
Yeon Ho-jeong sighed.
Hwaruruk!
From the first floor, he could see flames leaping outside the main gate. They were impossibly high, considering the height of the wall.
'Iik!'
Yeon Ji-pyeong flinched involuntarily.
Being trapped here, even if his body escaped unharmed, his mind would be shattered. Yeon Ji-pyeong struggled to steel himself against the fear creeping in.
'It's nothing. I have to save the Je Gal family and put out this fire!'
Taking a deep breath, Yeon Ji-pyeong reached for the main gate when...
Buaang! Kwaang!
With a whoosh of burning air, the gate latch exploded.
The shattered gate fragments fed the flames. A powerful gust of wind whipped the inferno forward.
Yeon Ji-pyeong's eyes went wide.
He caught a glimpse of a blue blur, wreathed in flames, bursting out.
"Hyung-nim!!"
Peok!
"Kkeoleok!"
An iron club slammed into Je Gal-ahyeon's side, forcing a cough of blood.
'My guts are messed up.'
Her mind cleared, but her body remained heavy as lead. The Thunderfire goons were nowhere near as skilled as Ma Bang, but they knew how to channel their qi into each blow.
The repeated blows had taken their toll, and this one caused internal bleeding.
Pulsseok!
Her knees gave way. This was Je Gal-ahyeon's limit; she'd never been in a fight like this.
"She's down!"
"Heh! She was flailing around like a wild horse!"
"Boss! Why don't we have some fun with her right here and now?"
Crude, lewd whispers reached her ears.
Fear and rage surged. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't find any strength.
Je Gal-ahyeon raised her head.
In the distance, she saw Ma Bang's sinister grin. He looked like he was about to force himself on her right then and there.
'I'll kill myself...!'
It was then.
Peoeok!
Something shattered, and a scarlet spray splattered Je Gal-ahyeon's vision.
Huduk! Kung!
"Huh!"
"Wh-what is it?!"
The Thunderfire goons gaped at the fallen corpse.
The corpse was a gruesome sight. Its head was ripped clean off, as if crushed by a giant, and scattered in pieces. Even headless, its fingers twitched, fueling the fear of those who watched.
A long iron rod was planted in the ground beside the corpse.
Ma Bang's eyes narrowed.
"What is it?"
The Thunderfire goons stared at the main gate of the Choseong House.
"Hu."
A young man strolled in, breathing easily.
He looked barely out of his teens. Tall, but with a scholar's build. He had a sharp, but principled air about him.
Ma Bang's face hardened like ice.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Shut your trap, you pyromaniac bastard."
"......?"
"Why the hell are you burning down a perfectly good tavern, you moron? I oughta shove a piss pot down your throat!"
The words were raw and vulgar.
Ma Bang was stunned. He'd spent twenty years in the back alleys, but he'd never heard such foul language.
One of the goons, face flushed with violent frenzy, charged at him with a club.
"You little shit, where do you think you are...?"
Puk! Teolseok!
The goon collapsed mid-stride.
Ma Bang's eyes widened.
'What?'
The fallen goon did not get up again.
Not knocked out. Dead.
'How the hell did he do that?'
Yeon Ho-jeong, holding the dead goon's club, stomped his foot.
Ma Bang felt a chill run down his spine.
"Stop him!"
Peoeok!
Before he could finish, another goon dropped.
His head was caved in, blood gushing. The club had crushed his skull. One hit, instant death.
Yeon Ho-jeong flexed his shoulder.
"Hope my shoulder holds out."
Peoeok!
Another goon fell while they stood there, dumbfounded.
The head, again. He'd already blown one head apart with that iron rod throw – the Jeonsa technique – and now he was crushing skulls with a club.
He was a ruthless, efficient killer. Nothing like Je Gal-ahyeon's formal style. He saw an opening, he took it – one hit, one kill.
Finally realizing they were outmatched, the goons raised their weapons.
"This bastard?!"
"Get him!"
Ma Bang roared.
"You fools! Take hostages, threaten them...!"
Peobeobeok!
He didn't get to finish.
Yeon Ho-jeong, darting among the goons, swung the club like a man possessed. But his swings were… odd.
Not fast, not particularly strong. Seemingly easy to dodge, even with your eyes closed.
Yet the goons fell, unable to block the seemingly simple blows. One hit, one kill. Some with crushed skulls, others with blows to the chest or spine.
'Vital points!!'
Exactly.
Yeon Ho-jeong was striking only vital points with his iron club. Head shots were full-force smashes, other blows targeted the closest vital point.
Ma Bang was incredulous.
Hitting vital points with a club, not a blade, wasn't something just anyone could do. It required the inner power of a true master.
'And yet?!'
He clearly wasn't a supreme master. His movements, his qi – at best, he was on par with Ma Bang, maybe a bit weaker.
So how was he killing them so easily?
"What are you, amateurs? The street punks back home are more organized than you lot."
Yeon Ho-jeong, having dropped twenty goons, tossed aside the bloodied club and pulled his iron rod from the ground.
Ma Bang's earlier amusement was gone.
"What's your name?"
Yeon Ho-jeong ignored him, looking down at Je Gal-ahyeon.
Je Gal-ahyeon's eyes flickered.
"Th-thank you..."
Teok!
"Ghk!"
Yeon Ho-jeong grabbed Je Gal-ahyeon's wrist.
Yeon Ho-jeong felt her pulse, clicked his tongue, and released her wrist.
"Not the one I'm looking for."
"Wh-what?"
"Get your brother and get back."
"......"
"You're in the way, get out of here!"
Je Gal-ahyeon, startled, scrambled to her feet.
His voice was firm, commanding. Strength flooded back into her legs.
Yeon Ho-jeong turned to Ma Bang.
Ma Bang's face was twisted in a sneer.
"You greenhorn punk..."
"Not Yin-Cold White, but Yin-Fire Red?"
"......!!"
Ma Bang's face turned pale.
Yeon Ho-jeong chuckled.
"So there was a reason why you were going around setting fires."
"You, how do you know about Yin-Fire...?!"
Huuuung!
The heavy iron rod began to spin.
"Fire, you say? Perfect timing. It's just right for nurturing Water."
"......?!"
"What are you doing? Come on in."
