"Huh? Me? Why would I do that?"
If you ask why, well, I suppose there wasn't any grand reason. I simply wanted to observe the martial arts of Jegal Haesu, who suffered from the Turbid Pulse Condition, and see just how capable he was. Or rather, how pathetic. Besides, watching the weak struggle and scramble against one another seemed like it would be quite the entertaining spectacle.
"And I don't even know who those guys are."
"They are the Black Serpent Society. They’ve been running wild in Yangyang lately, and they have a great deal of contempt for the Jegal Clan."
"……."
"If you take care of them, I won't ask for the money I gave you back."
"But I……."
His lack of confidence was somewhat unexpected. I had heard that he had desperately thrown himself at Soma-gi before.
*Was he only able to muster that courage because of the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng back then?*
I intended to find out.
"And they were pestering Baek Sam last time, so I gave them a good thrashing. It seems they’ve come back for revenge."
"What? You mean they were making passes at Sami?"
Can a person change so drastically in a single moment? Jegal Haesu’s fighting spirit blazed as if he had never been hesitant in his life.
"Exactly. So, why don't you teach them a lesson yourself?"
As I goaded him, my body flashed—and vanished. I reappeared directly behind Jegal Haesu. And then, a strange sort of beating ensued. My fingertips struck dozens of acupoints on his back in rapid succession.
*Thwack! Thwack-thwack! Thwack-thwack!*
"Argh! Why are you beating me? Are you trying to kill me? Ugh!"
"Pull yourself together and focus."
"Why on earth are you doing this to me…… Huh?"
Jegal Haesu realized it a moment too late. The fact that the Turbid Qi that had filled his entire body had vanished.
"It is the Acupoint-Striking Technique. I struck the acupoints where the Turbid Qi had accumulated the most, so it will be effective for a while."
The Acupoint-Striking Technique. It was a skill that used fingertips infused with internal energy to strike meridians and facilitate the smooth circulation of Qi. It was just as I had said. Despite having just been beaten, Jegal Haesu felt his body grow remarkably light. It was a lightness he hadn't felt since Sami had infused him with that golden energy.
Come to think of it, even when he was at the Jegal Clan, he remembered his father hitting him often under the guise of the Acupoint-Striking Technique. Of course, given the difference in their cultivation levels, my technique was far more painful and precise than his father’s.
*My body felt lighter for a moment back then, too.*
But his wretched body would soon fill itself with Turbid Qi again. The rate at which waste accumulated was faster than the rate at which it could be expelled. I kicked the chair Jegal Haesu had been sitting on.
"Go on, face them. That guy looks like he's about to fly at me with his sword."
Jegal Haesu finally stood up. His opponent was just one man, and not even a master at that. Judging by his appearance, he didn't seem capable of using Sword Aura, just like himself.
*This is doable.*
As soon as he finished assessing his opponent, Jegal Haesu flashed a faint smile.
"How dare you, a member of the Unorthodox Factions, interrupt our meal?"
"I'll tear your mouth off."
"A mouth that speaks such savage words is a bad mouth! You need to be taught a lesson!"
"You insolent brat!"
Jegal Haesu deliberately provoked him. In any fight, if one becomes agitated, they cannot perform at their full potential. They are bound to reveal openings. Sure enough, the man who rushed at him in a rage was full of openings—enough for even Jegal Haesu, whose martial arts were not particularly high, to see.
The man’s sword swung sluggishly. Jegal Haesu blocked it with his fan.
*Clang!*
A surge of confidence rose from that single clash.
*This is actually doable!*
For the first time in a long while, Jegal Haesu assumed a starting stance. His posture was low, his hand holding the fan even higher. As the man’s sword headed toward him again, Jegal Haesu swiftly traced the Jegal Clan’s Fan Technique. The fan, which had lightly deflected the blade, flowed like water into the next movement.
Jegal Haesu’s body spun on the spot, and his fan extended horizontally with a *Swiiish—!* sound that cut through the air. A whirlwind erupted from the tip of the fan. It wasn't large, but it was fierce and solid. The wind struck the man’s acupoint precisely, and he collapsed on the spot without even a scream. It was an acupoint that could render an opponent unconscious.
*How do you like the taste of the Drifting Wind Fan Technique, heh.*
Jegal Haesu folded his fan with a flourish. He thought his movements had been fast and accurate because the Turbid Qi had temporarily vanished. If the Turbid Qi were to disappear completely, he could master the Fan Technique even more perfectly. But the Turbid Qi that had briefly vanished was already beginning to fill him up again. Jegal Haesu felt happy that he had dealt with the man, yet bitter at the same time.
However, he swallowed his bitterness and acted even more brightly.
"Sami! Wasn't I cool just now?"
"You were so cool! I have a new respect for you, Young Master."
As expected, Sami was the only one who truly saw him for who he was. The other two men just looked at him without much interest.
*I suppose it can't be helped, since to a master, my skills must seem infinitely lacking.*
It was the moment Jegal Haesu was about to return to his seat. He heard the few people in the inn whispering toward him.
"Th-that's the Jegal Clan's martial art."
"Was there a handsome young master in the Jegal Clan who uses a fan technique?"
*Oh, dear.* Jegal Haesu hurriedly covered his face. *Drat, I forgot this was Yangyang.* Since it was a region under the influence of the Jegal Clan, there were quite a few people who recognized the clan's martial arts. Especially since using a fan was not a common style, it was even more recognizable.
Jegal Haesu strode over to his group.
"Let's leave quickly, everyone."
They packed their belongings and prepared to leave the inn. Before heading out, Jegal Haesu calculated the cost of the items the Black Serpent Society thugs had broken and paid the innkeeper.
"Thank you, Sir."
"Sir…… Hehe. If the Black Serpent Society thugs visit and cause a scene again, leave word that a warrior of the Jegal Clan will not stand for it."
"Sir, even without that, the token your companion gave me was enough to stop the Black Serpent Society's visits several times."
"The token my companion gave you?"
"Yes, isn't that person also from the Jegal Clan?"
The innkeeper’s gaze turned toward me.
"May I see that token?"
"Yes, Sir."
The innkeeper pulled a gold token from his robes. A familiar seal was engraved on the gold-plated surface. It was the seal of the Jegal Clan Head—his father’s seal.
"This is……."
*A gold token personally bestowed by Father.*
It was something not just anyone could possess. His father had high standards for what he demanded of others, and the people he acknowledged could be counted on one hand. That meant it was extremely rare for his father to personally bestow a gold token. Why was I in possession of it? And to hand over such a difficult-to-obtain gold token to an innkeeper so nonchalantly.
Of course, this inn would be safe because of that token. As long as the innkeeper held it, it was the same as saying the Jegal Clan Head was watching over this place. No matter how bold the Black Serpent Society was, they wouldn't dare touch this inn unless they were prepared for an all-out war with the Jegal Clan.
But to give a gold token, which was likely impossible to replace, to a stranger……
Jegal Haesu tilted his head.
"Thank you for showing it to me. We’ll be going now."
"Yes! Thank you!"
Jegal Haesu quickly caught up with the group that had already left the inn. He grabbed my shoulder, forcing me to stop.
"Young Master Sau."
"What?"
"I saw the token you gave the innkeeper. How do you come to possess such a thing?"
0 Comments