Chapter 259: Man Inhwa on the Run (1)
"You blocked my enhanced qi with Protective Energy?"
Yong Hwarin hardened his face as he looked at the trench his foot had carved into the ground.
He hadn’t expected Jang Goe to unleash Nascent Qi without any warning.
‘I let my guard down. I overlooked that Jang Goe is an old master who has been dormant for a long ti!’
Normally, to activate Nascent Qi, one had to draw upon all the internal energy throughout the body, so the energy it released was distinctly different.
That’s why it was usually possible to react in ti, but Jang Goe had manifested Nascent Qi in an instant, and Yong Hwarin couldn’t react.
It ant Jang Goe was that skilled in executing Nascent Qi.
Yong Hwarin barely managed to block it with his Protective Energy.
‘If Jang Goe's internal energy had been even one gap higher, my Protective Energy would’ve been torn apart and I would’ve suffered greatly.’
Jang Goe was also surprised. He hadn’t expected Yong Hwarin to block the Nascent Qi he had unleashed without warning.
A surge of stubbornness flared within Jang Goe.
"Let’s see you block this!"
From Jang Goe’s Cheonghong Judge’s Pens, blue and red energy intertwined and surged toward Yong Hwarin.
Yong Hwarin still couldn’t manifest Nascent Qi as quickly as Jang Goe.
It was all due to his lack of experience and age. Only by investing more ti in training his qi could he eventually manifest Nascent Qi as swiftly as Jang Goe.
Back when he fought a bloody battle against Eum Sajeok at the manor, he had used various tactics to stall for ti to activate Nascent Qi — all because he couldn’t manifest it instantly.
As the blue-red Nascent Qi bore down upon him, Yong Hwarin realized his current Protective Energy wouldn’t be enough to block it.
He could sense it just from its aura.
To strengthen his Protective Energy, Yong Hwarin summoned the Thunder Qi from his Self-Revolving Inner Qi and layered it over the Protective Energy.
As his body beca cloaked in a flash of blue thunder, Jang Goe was startled. A crackling light burst out, followed by a thunderous boom.
Kurung!
Yong Hwarin flew back three jang and tumbled across the ground.
Blood dripped from his mouth.
"The old man can manifest Nascent Qi about five tis in a row. That makes three more. Try surviving those three."
Yong Hwarin looked miserable, but the impact was less than before.
‘It’s true. When I reinforce my Protective Energy with Thunder Qi, the shock is reduced.’
Then, a certain hypothesis struck Yong Hwarin.
‘The reason Ihwa Palace wants to obtain the Jaha Divine Art from Mount Hua Sect to complete the Glass Divine Art might be because the Jaha Divine Art can regulate spiritual energy. That would explain why they need the White Tiger Demon-Subduing Sword. And the claim that the Self-Revolving Inner Qi can be extinguished with the Jaha Divine Art implies that Self-Revolving Inner Qi might be a true qi composed of spiritual energy.’
The nature of things that had long remained unclear was beginning to reveal itself.
‘The confirmation that Self-Revolving Inner Qi is made from spiritual energy cos from seeing the blue glow when the Blood Demon of the Self-Transmission used the Blue Dragon Three Marbles. Artifacts imbued with spiritual energy are naturally operated through true qi composed of spiritual energy. Otherwise, items with spiritual energy are nothing more than ordinary objects.’
Yong Hwarin had realized the true nature of the Self-Revolving Inner Qi.
‘The reason Self-Revolving Inner Qi can’t be extinguished by regular circulation techniques is because it’s made of spiritual energy, and thus unaffected by qi. Power created from a human’s essence can’t be extinguished with ordinary true qi. Only the Jaha Divine Art, which operates through spiritual energy, can do it.’
As Yong Hwarin stood dazed in thought, Jang Goe unleashed another Nascent Qi strike.
Yong Hwarin shielded his body with his Protective Energy wrapped in Self-Revolving Inner Qi.
Kuwang!
Yong Hwarin tumbled another three jang.
The Three Chivalrous Sisters moved to attack Jang Goe, thinking that Yong Hwarin couldn’t counterattack due to the blow, but Yoro didn’t let them through.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Yoro blocked the Three Chivalrous Sisters with all his might, prompting Jeong Minji to shout,
"Release the Forbidden Restriction!"
Jeong Suji, knowing there was no other way, tapped Jeong Minji’s acupoint. Just as Jeong Minji reached for the point on her chest, Jeong Daji cried out urgently,
"Wait, Unnie! Hold on. Young Lord Yong looks strange."
They hadn’t tried using the Vermilion Grand Fla Art yet because releasing the Forbidden Restriction consud their Innate Qi. If they continued like this, the consumption could destroy their Dantian entirely.
Jeong Minji’s fingers stopped.
Just as Jeong Daji had said, Yong Hwarin’s face looked serene. Moreover, the thunder qi had vanished, and the surrounding air felt compressed.
At that mont, Yong Hwarin had reached the state of Twisted Qi (孼罡氣).
Once he realized that Self-Revolving Inner Qi was a true qi ford from human essence, Yong Hwarin wrapped his own Nascent Qi in the energy of Self-Revolving Inner Qi. Qi had to be enveloped in spiritual energy to maintain its shape and resist its return to nature.
That was why qi without spiritual energy couldn’t beco Nascent Qi.
The reason the peerless martial artist Gwae Wolbaek of Mount Mo Sect, being a sorcerer, was the first to manifest True Qi was precisely due to this principle.
However, since spiritual energy within Self-Revolving Inner Qi couldn’t fully form the structure of true qi, Yong Hwarin couldn’t reach the stage of True Qi, and remained at Twisted Qi.
‘Ah, so the phrase “you need the Blue Dragon Three Marbles to fully unleash the power of the Soaring Dragon Emperor Sword” ant that the spiritual energy in the Blue Dragon Three Marbles was strong enough to manifest True Qi.’
As Yong Hwarin’s sword qi ford into a qi clot and gathered around his sword, he amplified it through his Tai Chi Dantian using Self-Revolving Inner Qi and wrapped the qi clot in it.
Jang Goe swallowed nervously.
Even after being struck directly by Nascent Qi three tis, the creeping fear that slithered up inside Yong Hwarin raised its head.
It was the first ti since he had been hunted by the experts of the Nine Great Sects thirty years ago.
Jang Goe poured all the internal energy in his body into the Cheonghong Judge’s Pens. Thinking this would be his last, he imbued his most confident technique with true qi.
Yong Hwarin saw Jang Goe swing the Cheonghong Judge’s Pens infused with his entire power, unleashing Nascent Qi aid at his head.
In response, Yong Hwarin invoked the energy of Dongyeo Thunderquake and amplified his Self-Revolving Inner Qi.
He then infused the form of Yongjo Thunderquake with Twisted Qi.
Everyone in the field clearly witnessed the clash of qi between Jang Goe and Yong Hwarin.
They all backed off, watching to see who would erge victorious. Even the Four Demonic Horsen forgot that their brother had died and focused on the duel.
Man Inhwa pulled out the Hidden Weapon Cylinder from her robe and gripped it tightly.
If Jang Goe died, she intended to shoot Yong Hwarin with the Hidden Weapon Cylinder specially ordered from Amcheonmun.
Kurururung!
Crack!
Thunder roared and bolts exploded, knocking down nearby trees.
No one had imagined that such a sound and force would erupt from a battle between two people.
Even Yong Hwarin seed surprised that their fight had produced this level of power.
‘To think Twisted Qi had this much power.’
Nascent Qi was powerful, but Twisted Qi possessed twice the power of Nascent Qi.
That was natural, since Nascent Qi released true qi into the air where it scattered, diluting its strength.
In contrast, Twisted Qi compressed true qi with spiritual energy and shaped it into form, increasing the explosive cohesion drastically.
As the mont resembling a thunderous blast passed and only the sound of the wind remained, Yong Hwarin stood alone.
The thunder qi, not yet fully dissipated, flickered from the tip of Yong Hwarin’s sword in bluish sparks before fading away.
"Elder Jang?"
Man Inhwa looked bewildered when she couldn’t see Elder Jang Goe, who should have been standing before Yong Hwarin.
Then, following the direction of Elder Yoro’s gaze, Man Inhwa turned her head and looked up at a gnarled old tree about ten jang away.
Astonishingly, Elder Jang Goe was hanging from one of its branches.
He was far from intact.
Only one arm and one leg remained, and even those had bare white bones exposed.
Jang Goe glanced at Yoro and muttered sothing.
It was too faint to be heard.
However, Yoro read his lips and understood what he had said.
"What, what did he say?"
Man Inhwa was curious about Jang Goe’s words.
Yoro’s face twisted.
"He said to run."
Jang Goe’s neck drooped and dangled below his chest.
His exposed white bones made him look like a wooden puppet.
Man Inhwa was so stunned by the unexpected situation that she didn’t even think to fire the Hidden Weapon Cylinder in her hand.
"You... you bastard."
As Yong Hwarin approached, Man Inhwa snapped back to her senses.
Then she rembered the Hidden Weapon Cylinder in her grasp.
"I’ll kill you!"
Consud by fear, Man Inhwa pointed the Hidden Weapon Cylinder at Yong Hwarin without hesitation.
Yong Hwarin smiled faintly and said,
"Don’t expect to leave here alive today."
Yong Hwarin intended to kill Man Inhwa. Leaving this vile woman alive would only bring harm to many.
Yoro realized that Yong Hwarin truly had no intention of sparing their lives and began to think quickly.
Elder Yoro struck Man Inhwa’s wrist and snatched away the Hidden Weapon Cylinder.
"What are you doing?"
"If we want to live, we can’t shoot that thing at him!"
Elder Yoro held up the seized Hidden Weapon Cylinder and fired it toward the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect, who were fighting the Four Demonic Horsen.
Swaaaaaaak!
A sound like pouring rain rang out as hundreds of fine needles rained down on the Mount Hua Sect disciples like a downpour.
Yong Hwarin had already raised his Protective Energy, ready to block the hidden weapons.
But in the brief mont of his carelessness, Elder Yoro had seized the Hidden Weapon Cylinder and fired it at the Mount Hua Sect disciples, surprising Yong Hwarin.
Even the Four Demonic Horsen were hit by the hidden weapons.
Yoro threw the Hidden Weapon Cylinder aside and shouted,
"Without tily antidote, all of this poison will beco a fatal venom!"
Then he turned to Man Inhwa and said,
"Give the antidote."
"Why the antidote? Just let them die."
"If you want us to survive, we need to give it."
Man Inhwa regained her composure and understood what Elder Yoro was implying.
She pulled out the antidote from her robe and handed it to Elder Yoro, who tossed it into the air and grabbed her wrist, fleeing.
Yong Hwarin caught the antidote and glared at Man Inhwa.
The Mount Hua Sect disciples, struck by the hidden weapons, already had their faces darkening as if being burned.
"Ugh."
As they writhed in pain, Yong Hwarin said,
"Everyone, circulate your qi."
Yong Hwarin distributed the antidote and helped them begin qi circulation.
"You three, assist them quickly. Escorts, form a periter."
At his command, the escorts who had been gathered in one corner rushed out and surrounded the area.
Elder Yoro had aid the Hidden Weapon Cylinder at the Mount Hua Sect disciples instead of Yong Hwarin for this very reason.
From his perspective, even if the hidden weapons were fired, Yong Hwarin’s Protective Energy would render them useless.
If that happened, they would surely die by Yong Hwarin’s hand, so he changed his strategy.
They needed to keep Yong Hwarin from pursuing them if they wanted a chance to survive.
That was why he had fired the hidden weapons at the Mount Hua Sect disciples.
Yong Hwarin blad himself for letting the Mount Hua Sect disciples fall into danger during his brief lapse in focus.
It took nearly half a si-jin of effort, but he finally succeeded in detoxifying five of the Mount Hua Sect disciples by helping them circulate their qi.
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