Return of the Dark Moon
Chapter 30. Who Held a Knife to My Throat and Told Me to Regress?
Martial Way of Crouching Dragon: Giving One’s Most Effort.
It was like a downpour of paper.
How much true qi must it have required?
To unleash such an ultimate technique in an imperfect state...
His body must be in tatters.
It wasn't a single strike.
Using his upper dantian, he had simultaneously cast not one, but tens, hundreds of techniques!
It must be like when I forced myself to use the Sunlight Over Moonlight Sword Style: Falling Star Sword Dance.
His body is probably wrecked.
To have such useless, stray thoughts in a situation like this.
Perhaps I really was cut out to be a strategist after all.
In that case, from now on, I am the Grand Strategist of the Righteous Heaven Alliance.
"Ilgyeokmujeok!"
I'm sure I shouted, but I couldn't hear it.
The surroundings merely flashed with a blinding thunderclap; the collision of such immense energies had entered a realm devoid of sound.
What sin did I commit to end up fighting these freaks with my current level of martial skill?
In the martial world, being weak is a sin in itself.
She was already floating in the sky with Void-Treading Steps, gazing at the rain of talismans with an indifferent eye.
Her hair, once dark as shadow, now cascaded down in a long, blue stream.
Long legs.
Legs that stretched out like a divine sword.
A body absolutely advantageous in a battle of range.
Her black robes began to stretch to fit her grown form.
A unique Dharmic treasure of the Yangcheonhwe.
"Her Banrohandong was released?
I had never seen Ilgyeokmujeok's martial path.
After all, I wasn't the one who killed her in the past.
Now, in this very place, her life's story is revealed.
The name of her martial path, buried beneath the wildly flashing lightning,
Becoming a child means this.
The muscles built over a lifetime vanish.
The qi and blood throughout the body shrink to match the smaller frame.
Even if one returns to a young body, decline is inevitable.
But now is different.
She raises her sharp, arrogant chin and looks to the sky.
The Heaven-Shattering Sect, a single-minded will to break the heavens, passed down for a thousand years.
The sky, which cracks little by little from the occasional lightning strike.
'The Greatest Under Heaven'
"Ilgyeokmujeok.
A name that shook the martial world for a long time.
A transcendentally beautiful body and appearance.
The ideal for all who train in the leg arts.
That Thunder Goddess speaks, her voice laced with laughter.
"What was my name? I forgot it long ago during Banrohandong. Now, I can only remember the name Tamrang."
The lightning qi of the world begins to gather around her.
The myth of Lü Dongbin, who was said to have freely controlled the lightning of the heavens, flashes through my mind as her excited, high-pitched voice rings out again.
"Children of the martial world, witness the greatest under heaven!"
With a single, light step from the excessively arrogant woman,
Jegalbi's life's work shattered.
The rain falling from the sky vanished as if washed away.
A thrilling thunderstorm (unpleasant) replaces the rain of paper.
For a moment, my upper dantian stopped.
She was always skilled in single, powerful strikes, enough to be called Ilgyeokmujeok—Invincible with a Single Strike.
The apex of the way of the hegemon.
It was a blow so powerful it momentarily stopped my thoughts.
How much time passed in that state?
When she descended to the ground again, she was back in her child form.
As if the release of her Banrohandong was only temporary.
For now, however, the "invincible" part of her name rings true.
The hegemon who brought the world to its knees with a single step into the martial world.
My eyes meet her black pupils for a moment.
A fleeting glance.
Then the child raises her eyelashes and turns her head away.
Is becoming a girl truly a blessing?
A monster who could live for ages with martial arts that have already reached the heavens—why did Ilgyeokmujeok become a child?
I soon shook my head.
In the end, using my head like this didn't suit me.
As I've said repeatedly, this kind of thing was Baek Seol-hyang's specialty.
The one who killed Ilgyeokmujeok was Baek Seol-hyang. If Ilgyeokmujeok had fought with all her might, there's no way Baek Seol-hyang could have won...?
Ah, why am I so smart?
I really was the right choice for Grand Strategist of the Righteous Heaven Alliance.
Baek Seol-hyang is also a Regressor.
I only just realized it, but she never had any intention of hiding it from me in the first place.
She'd fully revealed that broken personality of hers to me.
—Wangcho. Have you ever killed your father? The thrill of that moment, that chilling feeling... Ah, but you don't have parents, do you? A pointless joke. You can't feel that pleasure? Someday, I'll have to dissect your corpse and study that strange body of yours.
I just thought it was the madness peculiar to a practitioner of demonic arts.
The martial arts of the Sun Moon Divine Cult are like that.
They are those who sing of despair to the world.
The very intent that forms their mental cultivation is like a sharp claw.
That is why they are demonic arts.
Groaning from the fatigue rising through my body, I looked back at Maryeong.
He was sitting cross-legged, recovering by circulating his qi.
What the hell is this bastard even doing?
Suddenly, the competent Ilgyeokmujeok, who isn't even a regressor, seems amazing.
I grabbed my head, momentarily dizzy with worry, and turned back.
For me to even exchange a few blows with a peerless master at my current level was a feat worthy of being recorded in the history books.
Jegalbi, who was dribbling blood from his mouth and nose, and Cheonritong, whose arm was severed, were both unable to fight.
Of course, our side didn't have the strength to lift a finger either,
I barely managed to straighten my back and raised the corners of my mouth.
Looking around, I saw that Unhwaru itself had completely vanished.
"Well now, Master of the Haomun. Wasn't Unhwaru under the Haomun's jurisdiction? It's been reduced to a pile of ash. The owner of Unhwaru is going to shed some tears. 'Master of the Haomun, you son of a bitch... Didn't you say you'd make Unhwaru the best in the Central Plains? You can't trust these Unorthodox ruffians. Die!' It would be quite a sight to see him stab you, again and again."
"Sword God, you don't need to stall for time. Hmm, the Udo-eosa's condition over there seems a bit strange, which is unsettling. But this time, it seems we're indebted to the Lord of the Heavenly Palace. Heh heh, that son of a bitch... Who asked for his help? He's asking for a beating."
Jegalbi said this, covering his mouth with his fan and laughing unpleasantly.
He'd noticed I was stalling for time so Maryeong could circulate his qi.
What did he mean by receiving help from the Lord of the Heavenly Palace?
Cheonritong was staring intently only at Maryeong's right arm.
His obsession sent a shiver down my spine, and I unconsciously turned my head again.
Stop staring.
You wanna die?
I hate obsessive women.
I hate obsessive men even more.
If you were a peerless beauty like Ilgyeok here, I might consider it.
"Who gave you permission to use a pet name?"
Looking at these bottom-feeders, I missed Beomcheon's benevolent smile.
Where did the dignified battlefield go?
Why are we having this dogfight?
But then again, I too was a master of dogfights.
I sheathed the iron sword in my hand at my waist.
I noticed the blade was chipped; it looked a little pitiful.
"From now on, I'll handle you delicately."
They say a swordsman's beloved sword is like his partner.
You must cherish it as you would a woman.
"Your name from now on will be..."
I was about to give it a name, but that seemed a little too crazy, so I stopped.
The sound of footsteps approached.
Hearing light steps mixed with heavy, dull ones, it seemed to be the beggars of the Beggars' Sect and the martial artists of a nearby family.
The Pyeong Family of Hebei. One of the Five Great Families, a place where masters of the blade gather. Located in Beijing, many of them have become officials through the provincial civil service examinations.
In other words, they have power.
And nasty personalities.
I was looking in the direction of the footsteps when I turned my head at the sound of Jegalbi's voice.
"Hmm, it seems we must be going. It was a pleasant diversion, but this body is too precious to die just yet. Eh, it seems dealing with the Pyeong Family's forces would be too much of a burden on my body. It's a great loss that our Sect Leader's arm was severed, but... please relay this to the Lord of the Dark Heaven Society. The Master will be visiting soon."
—Farewell, then?
The playful words tickled my ear for a moment.
I blinked, and in that instant, Jegalbi and the Haomun Lord were gone, leaving behind a single piece of yellow paper.
I slowly approached and picked up the paper.
The characters were written in a neat standard script.
-The Infernal Prison always welcomes the Sword God's defection.
Smiling faintly, I burned the paper using the Samadhi True Fire.
"'Defection, my ass. They should at least have a drink with me before saying something like that.'"
To me, there's no difference between the Journey to the West and Purgatory anyway.
In that case, I might as well stick with the friendlier, richer guys.
The clattering of helmets was heard several times, and then an old man's rough voice struck my ear.
"Hugae! Perfect timing. There was some yellow rain falling from the sky, and then thunder went boom, crash... Holy crap. Where did the tavern that was here go? And who's that kid? Whoa, she's cute. What a bright-looking kid. Don't tell me she's yours?"
KRRRUNG!
Lightning struck again from the clear sky.
I tapped Ilgyeokmujeok on the shoulder to stop her from flying off the handle.
In any case, this old geezer was Elder Yong.
Wow, was that old man always this talkative?
Come to think of it, all beggars were great talkers.
Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to make a living.
Jeho, the Hangdongjeonju, an old man who wanders the mountains all over Beijing, fending off grotesque monsters.
His level of mastery, I remember, was at the very peak of the Hwagyeong stage.
Right now, he was pinching and stretching the cheek of the once-again-shrunken Ilgyeokmujeok.
I wonder if Elder Yong himself knew.
That he had just stepped onto the line between life and death.
"Hmm, you're too cute to be Hugae's child. No, wait, those eyes. Those eyes that practically scream 'I have no manners' are a perfect match!"
"Unhand me."
"Ho ho, look at this little rascal. Hah. Hugae got married when even the Sect Leader couldn't?"
I let out a long sigh at the old man's delusion and said.
"Elder Yong, that child is Ilgyeokmujeok."
"Aigoo, her name is Gwon... Huh? What the hell? Who?"
"Ilgyeokmujeok. The Master of the Pacheonmun."
Elder Yong recoiled in horror.
At his age, he might have actually witnessed Ilgyeokmujeok's time in the martial world.
"Why the hell is that damn woman back in the martial world..."
"What was that?"
"A slip of the tongue. Hah, son of a... Hugae, this beggar is off to hunt some grotesque monsters."
And with that, Elder Yong took off like a bat out of hell.
There were actual beads of sweat forming on his wrinkled brow.
I looked down at Ilgyeokmujeok, who was frowning in displeasure.
Just what the hell did you do in your past life?
Off to one side, Maryeong was talking to some of the Pyeong-ga's martial artists, who had sabers at their waists.
I figured he could handle that on his own.
The way he was so excited to talk to a woman...
This is why they should all have their junk chopped off and be turned into eunuchs.
Maybe the father who abandoned me was a eunuch, too.
An un-castrated one.
If so... Ah, quiet.
Barely chasing away the Inner Demon that briefly surged within me, I picked up a pebble from the ground and threw it at Maryeong.
Blocked by his golden protective aura, the pebble fell with a soft tok.
Useless.
"Mujeok, let's go to the main sect. Shouldn't you have a touching reunion with your disciple?"
"This one is not yet tired."
Ignoring Mujeok's quiet threat that she could still easily beat me up, I headed for the main sect with a fluttering heart.
The feeling of going home to rest after a long journey.
Neither Ilgyeokmujeok nor anyone else can interfere with my rest.
The Peach Blossom Spring?
Let them come.
Right, I can just start over.
On second thought, regressing again would be a pain in many ways.
Having to rebuild all the relationships I've made so far?
I looked up at the sky, and it felt as if the face of some Mujeokja I didn't even know was saying to me:
Who put a knife to your throat and told you to regress?
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