Chapter 57. Justification for the Fight (1)
Myeong On-ji was flustered.
'What is that?'
Woong! Woong! Woong!
A translucent blue energy flickered, forming the shape of a snake piercing a tortoise shell.
It was an astonishing sight. When the density of qi is strong, its color can be seen with the naked eye when internal energy is released, but this shape was different.
'Intent!'
That's right. It wasn't just simple qi. It was a visualized form of qi following a powerfully trained intent.
Myeong On-ji was genuinely surprised. For qi to manifest a form based on intent was nearly impossible for even a master of the highest caliber.
"You... What is your identity?!"
Just then.
"Kaat! You son of a bitch!"
A faint golden light emanated from Myeong-do's body.
Myeong On-ji's eyes wavered.
"Myeong-do! Don't!"
Paaak!
Blinded by rage, he charged at Yeon Ho-jeong.
Yeon Ho-jeong grinned.
Peok!
Myeong-do's fist was blocked by Yeon Ho-jeong's palm.
'Impressive.'
The force transmitted through his palm was considerable. Although he blocked it easily with hyeonmugi in his hand, it was powerful enough to shatter even a thick tree.
Crack.
Myeong-do's eyes twitched. The fingers wrapping around his fist felt like they could crush it at any moment. It was an incredible grip strength.
"You bastard!"
Tuwoong!
Pushing away the forearm with his palm, he unleashed a flurry of punches.
Pabababak!
Myeong-do's eyes widened.
The martial art he was using was the Iron Chain Eight Fists of the Nine Provinces Famous Families.
It was a powerful fist technique, a modified version of the sanda Iron Chain Strike, used to overwhelm opponents with consecutive strikes.
Surprisingly, Yeon Ho-jeong was deflecting all of it with just one hand.
"It resembles the martial art that the Third Young Master used."
Paaak! Crack!
Myeong-do's eyes were bloodshot. Yeon Ho-jeong, having deflected all sixteen punches, seized his wrist like a ghost.
'Kuk!'
His wrist bent. Then, his entire body twisted to the right.
The grip was too strong to escape. No, it wasn't just that he couldn't escape; the tightening force felt like it would break his forearm.
Crack!
"Kuaaaak!"
Just as Yeon Ho-jeong was considering breaking his arm completely.
Flash!
Swordsmen, who had spread out in all directions, unleashed their sword techniques. They were more cautious than before, but the sharpness of their blades remained.
Yeon Ho-jeong's eyes flashed.
Peok!
Yeon Ho-jeong's foot struck Myeong-do's lower abdomen. Myeong-do's mouth gaped open as he knelt.
Just then, the swords of the Amsadae members closed in.
Kung!
Lowering his stance, he swung Myeong-do.
'Gasp!'
He hadn't expected him to swing a person's arm like an object. And with such speed!
The startled Amsadae members retracted their swords.
Yeon Ho-jeong released Myeong-do. Three Amsadae members caught the flying Myeong-do.
Myeong On-ji's eyes flashed.
'Now!'
Teoeong!
She instantly charged at Yeon Ho-jeong. Her speed was incredibly swift.
Simultaneously, Yeon Ho-jeong's body blurred like mist.
'Gasp!'
Myeong On-ji was startled. As if he had anticipated it, Yeon Ho-jeong was also charging towards her.
The speed of their approach was unimaginable. The moment she pushed off, Yeon Ho-jeong was already half a jang away.
Kwaang!
Myeong On-ji's body flew backward.
The impact wasn't significant. Her martial arts focused on the techniques of Ihwajeopmok. It was difficult to inflict damage on her with ordinary attacks.
However, Myeong On-ji was surprised not by Yeon Ho-jeong's strength, but by the attack itself.
'A body slam?'
To send someone flying with such a reckless charge?
'What kind of power...?'
And that wasn't all.
Teoeong!
After knocking Myeong On-ji away, he turned and charged towards the Amsadae member at the far end, his movements as fluid as flowing water.
Yeon Ho-jeong quickly closed the distance.
He finally swung his massive axe.
Jjeoeoeong!
The sword shattered in a single blow.
The startled Amsadae member dropped his sword and tried to use fist techniques.
Pung!
"Keok!"
The Amsadae member collapsed on the spot. The shockwave from his shoulder had broken his bones.
It was the Yeon family's martial art, Yeonhwanbiyeonjang. How he managed to use it while wielding a heavy weapon and in a broken posture was impossible to comprehend, even after seeing it.
"Get him!"
Sasak!
The movements of the Amsadae members rushing towards Yeon Ho-jeong were smooth and agile. Despite moving so quickly, there was no sound of footsteps.
The Amsadae members swarmed again.
Myeong On-ji gathered her jingi from the rear. She was waiting for the decisive moment.
Just then.
'......!!'
Myeong On-ji's expression changed drastically at the sight of Yeon Ho-jeong glancing at her.
'That guy...?'
Buwoong! Peong!
The blow that broke the sword wasn't his full power.
He was swinging the axe with ruthless speed where everyone was rushing, and the circular shockwaves prevented the Amsadae members from approaching.
'He knows the tactic?!'
Paaak!
And that wasn't all.
After making everyone hesitate, he charged at an Amsadae member who was at a moderate distance and thrust the axe.
An axe is a weapon for swinging and cleaving. It's not a weapon for thrusting like a spear. However, as a heavy weapon weighing eighty geun, it became a formidable attack in itself.
Kwajik!
The Amsadae member couldn't even scream as he was sent flying, spewing blood. Judging by the weight of the axe, three or four ribs must have been broken. It was fortunate that he didn't die instantly.
But that blow revealed an opening. The Amsadae members swung their swords at Yeon Ho-jeong's back.
Yeon Ho-jeong's eyes emitted a bright blue glow.
Jjeojeojeojeong!
It was like a typhoon had struck.
With a single swing, ten swords broke like straw.
Myeong On-ji felt a chill run down her spine.
'Unbelievable!'
It was martial arts beyond imagination, an overwhelming power.
Usually, descendants of prestigious families or high-level martial artists didn't use axes. Besides the appearance, a single sword could deliver heavy attacks just as well.
In other words, skilled martial artists who used heavy weapons were rare. It was the kind of weapon used by bandits who had only learned a little bit of martial arts.
But Yeon Ho-jeong was different.
Peok! Peeoeok!
He pressed down with a downward strike, pushed away with the shaft like a spear. He thrust like a spear to break bones, and in between, he threw punches and kicks.
He changed the axe's center of gravity freely, and if necessary, he even used kicks and punches. He didn't kill by chopping with the axe blade, but rather incapacitated them by striking with the broad side of the axe.
It was truly a whirlwind.
Yeon Ho-jeong himself seemed to have become a giant tornado. The Amsadae members, who had been mesmerized and charged in, were falling like leaves in autumn before Yeon Ho-jeong's heavy weapon techniques.
'Eek!'
Myeong On-ji, thinking she saw an opening and about to jump in, flinched.
The moment she was about to move, Yeon Ho-jeong's eyes turned towards her.
She didn't know how many times it had happened. It was as if he could see through all of their tactics.
'What is this guy?!'
Just then.
"You bastard!"
Paaang!
Myeong-do charged with a ghostly expression.
"I'll tear you to pieces!"
Yeon Ho-jeong's eyes blazed.
After knocking away an Amsadae member with a punch, he infused his axe with Byeokrajingi.
Uwoooong!
A clear blue current arose on the axe blade.
Myeong On-ji shouted.
"Myeong-do!!"
Yeon Ho-jeong's axe moved like lightning.
Peeoeoeok!
Myeong-do's body was split diagonally.
Cheolpeok!
His upper body, unable to withstand the force, flew and hit a tree before falling to the ground.
Kung.
The lower body, having lost its upper half, tilted as if trying to take a step, then collapsed.
Puhwaaak!
A large amount of blood spurted out. Intestines spilled out from the split torso and scattered on the ground.
"......!!"
Silence fell.
Yeon Ho-jeong frowned.
'There's no other way.'
He had tried not to kill if possible. But he couldn't show mercy to someone who was genuinely trying to kill him.
Myeong On-ji's eyes shook violently.
"Do you... do you know what you've done?!"
Kwaang!
An Amsadae member flew through the air and hung on a tree branch.
Now, only one Amsadae member remained. Including Myeong On-ji, only two members of the Amsadae were left.
Resting the axe casually on his shoulder, Yeon Ho-jeong said coldly.
"Shall we go for round two?"
Tseutseutseu.
Killing intent finally arose in Myeong On-ji's eyes.
Yeon Ho-jeong had crossed a line he shouldn't have. Incapacitation would have been one thing, but he had killed someone. And he had brutally killed a member of a prestigious family.
But even in this situation, Myeong On-ji thought as the leader of the Amsadae.
'He's strong. If I use that martial art, maybe, but otherwise, a direct confrontation is impossible.'
But this was a forest. There were no trees around the campfire, but just three jang away, the trees were dense.
Myeong On-ji made a decision.
"Amchil (Dark Seven)! Meet up with the remaining five and go to the branch!"
Paaaak!
The remaining member headed west.
Simultaneously, a golden light emanated from Myeong On-ji's body. It was a much higher-level energy than the jingi Myeong-do had emitted.
Kuung!
She thrust out a palm with a strong stomp.
Kwang!
With a loud explosion, Yeon Ho-jeong's sleeve was ripped and flew away.
It was an incredible power. It was a martial art several levels higher than Myeong-do's fist techniques.
Teoeong!
Myeong On-ji charged.
Yeon Ho-jeong's eyes flashed.
'She's fast, as expected.'
The Amsadae's tactics were simple yet effective.
The entire Amsadae would rush in to subdue the target. But if they couldn't subdue them, they would distract them to create an opening. At that moment, Myeong On-ji would launch a surprise attack.
It was a simple but effective tactic. It was even more effective because of Myeong On-ji's gentle expression and qi.
However, Myeong On-ji individually displayed greater skill in one-on-one combat than when coordinating with others.
This fact was proven through several clashes.
Peopeopeong! Jjeoeong!
She was fast.
With graceful movements like a peacock, she unleashed lightning-fast punches and palms, each strike containing deadly power.
Yeon Ho-jeong gripped the shaft with both hands.
Kwang! Kwaang!
Yeon Ho-jeong's axe was just as fast.
The fierce blows, delivered like a storm, were a threat to life itself. What was even more impressive was that there were no openings despite wielding such a large weapon.
Peong!
'Hup!'
Myeong On-ji's back hit a tree as she staggered.
'It pierced through!'
Her left hand was covered in blood. She had tried to deflect the cheolbu strike, but it was imbued with such destructive force that she was injured.
It wasn't an attack that could be deflected. In terms of attack, he was a level above her.
"Tsk!"
Myeong On-ji leaped into the forest.
Yeon Ho-jeong followed Myeong On-ji closely.
Myeong On-ji's eyes sparkled.
'Yes, follow me.'
She was at a disadvantage in an open area, but it was different in a dense forest.
That cheolbu was not only heavy but also long. It was a heavy weapon and a long weapon. It would be difficult to exert its full power in a forest dense with trees.
Moreover, the opponent had exhausted his stamina while taking down the Amsadae. It was a fight where the scales were sufficiently tipped.
Teoeong!
After entering about thirty jang, Myeong On-ji finally turned around. She planned to launch a surprise attack from behind the largest tree nearby.
'Foolish guy! I'll finish you here...'
Suddenly, Myeong On-ji's eyes widened.
Hwaaaak!
Her vision was blocked by the trees.
But she could see a bright blue energy spreading like lightning on both sides of the tree.
Kwaang!
The huge tree exploded as if hit by a cannon.
And through it, Yeon Ho-jeong appeared, holding up the massive cheolbu, his eyes blazing with terrifying light.
"Is this the tactic you chose?"
"......?!"
"Spying with that brain? Don't make me laugh."
