Chapter 16 - Run Wild as Much as You Want
“How could this be…”
It wasn’t just Hyeokri Chong’s shoulders that were trembling.
His pupils, the voice that ca out of his mouth, and a great upheaval arose in his heart.
How long had it been since he had seen such a dazzling quick sword?
Hyeokri Chong’s mouth hung open, and for a long ti, he couldn't say a word.
Then suddenly, he opened his eyes wide and checked the rock debris.
‘Nine slashes…!’
As if a knife had been used nine tis on a pajeon, the rock was shattered into eighteen pieces.
Nine-Shooting One Flash.
A technique that divided the target into nine directions and cut it down in a single breath.
It was clearly a form of the Sun-Shooting Sword Art, the ultimate secret art of the Diancang Sect.
‘Co to think of it…’
One couldn't enter this place just by breaking the formation.
For an outsider to co here, they had to activate the form of the Nine-Shooting One Flash in front of the stone gate.
When he entered this place.
And just now.
Once could be called a coincidence, but twice could not.
The man before him, who looked a little too young to be called a young man, had truly mastered the secret arts of the Diancang Sect.
Hyeokri Chong, who prided himself on having seen all sorts of things in his life.
But he felt as if the knowledge and common sense he had built up until now were being completely denied.
“Woooow…”
When I turned my head to the side, Hyeokri Hong’s jaw was about to touch the floor.
Well.
Even he, who had witnessed the Sun-Shooting Sword Art several tis in the past, was this surprised, so how much more so for his granddaughter who was seeing it for the first ti?
To show such power not with a real sword, but with a wooden sword.
It was said that a transcendent master could infuse internal energy into ordinary objects, not just swords, but no matter how he looked at it, the kid was just a boy around the age of Jihak (15 years old).
Trudge trudge.
The swordsman who had shattered the large rock was walking towards them.
Hyeokri Hong and her grandfather couldn't say anything and just watched the man.
“…………?”
But the man’s condition was a little strange.
At first, he thought his steps were simply lacking energy.
But when the man reached within arm’s reach, he could sense that his complexion was very pale.
“This should be enough proof, right?”
“You…”
It wasn’t just his complexion.
Sweat was flowing down his temples, and the strength in his sharp eyes had loosened.
Drip.
Blood flowed down the wooden sword.
Looking more closely, his grip was severely torn from the previous strike.
“I… really need the Earth-Drawing Spirit Pill…”
“Ah…!!”
With those last words, Biyoung collapsed as if crumbling.
***
Passing the earthen hut, over a small hill, and through the bushes, a modest wooden house appeared within.
This was the space where Hyeokri Chong and Hyeokri Hong lived.
Looking at Biyoung, who was lying in the room sweating profusely, Hyeokri Chong asked.
“Hong-ah. What does this kid look like to you?”
“A crazy bastard. Or a psycho?”
“………….”
How could she be so much like him?
Hyeokri Chong gave a bitter smile at the unfiltered remark.
“I don’t think this person knows what moderation is. There’s a limit to being ignorant, who in the world swings a sword so hard that their hand gets torn like this?”
“Yes. You’re right.”
It could be understandable in a life-or-death battle where you die if you don't kill your opponent.
But wasn’t he just activating the form for show just now?
‘It ans he was that desperate. But…’
He almost beca unable to hold a sword forever.
Although the Earth-Drawing Spirit Pill was a rare elixir, it couldn't be exchanged for the future of this promising young man.
“What do you think of this kid’s hand?”
“Are you talking about the wound?”
“Similar, but a little different.”
“?”
Hyeokri Chong gazed intently at Biyoung’s hand, which was wrapped in cotton cloth.
“Have you heard of a demon’s face?”
“A demon’s face… Ah! I rember you talking about it a long ti ago, Grandfather. You told never to associate with soone who has a demon’s face.”
“Yes. It’s a peculiar mark that forms on the palm from swinging a sword countless tis. A swordsman with a demon’s face should be considered a transcendent swordsman in nine out of ten cases.”
“Then did this person have a demon’s face on his palm?”
“No. There was nothing.”
“Oing?”
“Not to ntion a demon’s face, I couldn't even find a common callus. This is a hand more befitting a scholar than a martial artist.”
“Uung…”
Hyeokri Hong recalled the ti she helped her grandfather wrap the cotton cloth.
She hadn’t examined his palm closely, but it was white and soft, almost like a woman’s hand.
The smooth texture she felt at her fingertips…
What am I thinking now?
“Ahem ahem.”
Hyeokri Hong cleared her throat for no reason, and only then did her cute eyes sparkle as if she had sensed sothing strange.
“Then sothing is strange, isn’t it? Can a person who swung that monstrous sword just a mont ago have such fine hands?”
“Yes. That’s why I asked about his hand.”
Hyeokri Chong looked down at his own palm with an indifferent expression.
“A perfect form cos from endless repetition. It is sothing that can only be obtained after blisters form and the skin tears. And, apart from the form, a swordsman fundantally has thick calluses. But this kid…”
Hyeokri Chong’s gaze shifted to the sleeping Biyoung.
“It seems like the cause and effect are reversed. He’s a guy who clearly understands and can use the Sun-Shooting Sword Art, but his body can’t withstand it. How can such an absurd thing be…”
“What if he learned the martial art without practicing?”
Hyeokri Chong shook his head firmly.
“That is impossible.”
“But that’s what his body is like, isn’t it? He ended up in this state after using the form just once, so how could he have practiced repeatedly?”
“Eum.”
Is such a thing really possible?
Learning a form through imagination instead of training?
Nothing could be concluded yet, but this one thing was certain.
A prodigy of the century had appeared in the Diancang Sect, which had been burned down and even its ashes scattered.
‘Yeongbi… even that guy wasn’t to this extent.’
Even that guy, who was called the World’s Fastest Sword, only began to seriously learn the Sun-Shooting Sword Art after he ca of age.
But this kid was much younger and even the completeness of his form was high.
The only unfortunate thing was that in his current state, he couldn't use the Sun-Shooting Sword Art properly.
No matter how fast and strong the sword art was, what was the point if the body couldn’t withstand it?
His grip was torn, and his internal energy was twisted due to the aftereffects of using it excessively.
For the ti being, he was in a situation where he couldn't use the Sun-Shooting Sword Art even if he wanted to.
‘But…’
It wasn’t impossible.
If he just had ‘that’ which this kid ntioned even as he was collapsing, there was a possibility of breaking all restrictions at once.
The Earth-Drawing Spirit Pill.
“Eum…”
Hyeokri Chong let out a low groan.
Even though he knew it was a disgraceful act, there were two things he did because he had a lingering attachnt.
Teaching his granddaughter the basic martial arts of the Diancang Sect.
And.
Keeping the now useless Earth-Drawing Spirit Pill carefully.
If it was true that this kid had absorbed the Heaven-Shaking Divine Pill, then creating the world’s greatest next-generation talent was not a dream.
For the first ti in a very long ti.
It was a mont when the desire of the dical Saint and elixirist, which even he himself had forgotten, was stirring.
“Hong-ah.”
“Yes. Grandfather.”
“Do you know why I only made elixirs for the Diancang Sect?”
“Um… I’ve never heard about that.”
“I was once a public enemy in the Murim.”
“What? A public enemy?”
Hyeokri Hong’s cute eyes widened.
“Yes. In the old days, I made elixirs for all the sects, and many people ca to see . But one day, I made an elixir for soone who was to beco the sect leader of a certain sect, and a few days later, that person passed away.”
“!”
“Circumstantially, I was being frad as the culprit. I fled as soon as I heard the news.”
“Why? You wouldn’t make poison, Grandfather!”
“Yes. I had only made the elixir with all my heart as always. I was sure there was nothing wrong with the elixir. But sotis, a person’s sincerity doesn’t matter.”
“Huum. I don’t understand, it’s too difficult.”
“It ans that for those who have already lost their minds, no evidence is needed.
Regardless of the reason, the sect leader was dead, so they had to vent their anger in so way.”
“That’s ridiculous. Are all Jianghu-ins so emotional and rash?”
“To martial artists, power is the most rational logic and justice.”
A blatant sneer appeared on Hyeokri Chong’s lips.
“When I fled, most of the Nine Sects One Union suspected and issued a warrant for my arrest. Only one sect willingly brought into their main mountain and protected .”
“………Then that sect was?”
“Yes. I was able to live thanks to the Diancang Sect.”
Although few rember it now, it was a major incident that spread throughout the Murim at the ti.
The other sects growled at the Diancang Sect, but the sect leader at the ti didn’t even bat an eye and repeated the sa words.
-Bring clear evidence that Hyeokri Chong is the culprit. If what he did is true, I will accompany him.
“So what happened?”
“My innocence was proven in just three days. There was a conspiracy of another faction behind the death of the prospective sect leader. They said they secretly applied poison from Tibet to my spirit pill.”
“Oh my… and they frad you for it? Did the other gullible sects believe them just like that?”
“Yes. After that day, I cut ties with Jianghu and only continued to interact with the Diancang Sect. Do you know what’s funny? The sects that had pointed fingers at back then ca crawling back one by one, asking for forgiveness. They said it would be even better if I could make elixirs for them too.”
“They really have the thickest skin, like dried dung.”
“They do.”
Hyeokri Chong and his granddaughter frowned with the sa expression.
“On the surface, it was a transaction, but I treated the Diancang Sect as my lifesaver. After they were annihilated… I couldn't express my sense of loss in words.”
A fleeting, nostalgic light appeared on Hyeokri Chong’s eccentric and rough face.
It was a sight that even his granddaughter, who had lived with him, rarely saw.
“Hong-ah.”
“Yes. Grandfather.”
“What do you think? Do you think it’s okay to give this person what he wants?”
“This granddaughter is young and her thoughts are short, so I cannot make a decision.”
“Don't pretend to be humble and tell your true feelings.”
“Let’s just give it to him.”
“……I thought you’d at least pretend to think about it.”
“Hehet. It’s true that I don’t really know, Grandfather.”
Hyeokri Hong stuck out her tongue slightly and continued in a clear voice.
“I don’t know much about this person. I can’t understand all of your feelings either, Grandfather. But I do know this one thing.”
“What is that.”
“I think your heart will be at ease if you give him the spirit pill.”
“……!”
“This granddaughter doesn’t know much about things like the future. I just think it would be good if your heart could be a little lighter, even just a little.”
Hyeokri Chong admired his granddaughter’s cute face for a mont, then raised one corner of his mouth.
“Is that so.”
Did they say that a child’s eyes are sotis more accurate?
Like his granddaughter said, Hyeokri Chong thought he could give him the Earth-Drawing Spirit Pill.
No, he wanted to give it to him.
Even if he wasn’t a descendant of the Diancang Sect, he wanted to find comfort in his heart by doing so.
Even if it was just deceiving himself, he wanted to lighten the burden on his heart.
“Then let’s do that.”
Hyeokri Chong stood up and headed to a corner of the kitchen.
In his hands was a wooden box that looked unremarkable.
But inside, there was a treasure that everyone in Jianghu desired.
Click.
As soon as the wooden box was opened, a fragrant scent spread throughout the wooden hut.
Hyeokri Hong instinctively closed her eyes and inhaled the scent.
About the size of a marble that children play with.
Holding the glossy black pill, Hyeokri Chong steeled his heart.
“Now, run wild as much as you want.”
Finally, the Earth-Drawing Spirit Pill flowed into Biyoung’s mouth.
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