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Chapter 417. The Price of Bonds (5)
In pitch-black darkness where I could not see an inch ahead, I thrust my fist forward.
THOOM!
Hm...... I thought that would be enough.
How hard did that insane geezer seal the entrance, exactly?
'Mad to the bone, as expected.'
W е̂b̄ n̈ ōv.е̌l̇ Е nù m̈а̄
I gathered more energy into my fist and struck again.
RUMBLE—
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The entire cliff face shuddered violently through the boulder blocking the entrance.
"Oh, come on!"
I finally loaded every ounce of emotion into my fist and let it fly.
CRASH-CRASH-CRASH-CRASH-CRASH-CRASH-CRASH-BOOM—
Wе̄b ṅ о́ v él̄ Е n.ũ ṁă
A sound like heaven and earth splitting open, and warm sunlight flooding into my eyes.
"MY EYES!!!"
Having adjusted to total darkness, the pain was doubled.
The boulder had shattered, sending a haze of dust and grit swirling through the air, but the fresh air was more welcome than anything I had ever known.
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"Cough! Cough!"
I basked in the sunlight with my whole body and shouted my innermost thought.
Ẃе bñoṽ е l Е̇ñ ũ m а́
"HOLY SHIT!!! I'M ALIVE!!!"
Whether that insane old man had known I would survive the Asura Gold-Shackling Jade-Shattering Formula or not, the person most shocked by my survival was, without question, me.
"How did I even do that?! Seriously!"
Even looking back, it made my head spin.
Harrowing agony where a single misstep would have sent my soul flying out for good.
On top of that, a realm I had never once been taught.
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Punching through a threshold armed with nothing but conjecture and guesswork.
Even a gambling addict who had bet his entire fortune and his left hand on a single round would have taken one look at me and said 'That guy's insane.'
There had been a moment midway through where I had very nearly fallen into Qi Deviation.
I had been making progress undoing the Asura Gold-Shackling Jade-Shattering Formula when the insane old man's energy simply refused to disappear.
Thinking I had done something wrong, I backtracked to the beginning—but there was only one path.
In the end, the problem was the old man's energy itself.
Е̃ǹumа
Stubborn and tenacious beyond belief, the damned thing had planted its roots and sat there even after the seal was broken.
Honestly, I was all but certain I was going to die right there.
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The old man's energy, as obstinate as his temperament, had bonded like glue and showed no sign of coming loose, and I had no strength left to force it out.
'You really never know how life will go.'
And that was when it happened.
The energy of the Solar Monkey, obtained in the Black Forest, activated.
Еn̂_ú ḿӑ.і̄ d
A heat that turned my skin white blazed to life and began burning away the old man's energy where it clung stubbornly inside my acupoints.
The searing heat made it feel as though even the acupoints themselves were being scorched—but then the energy of the Ten-Thousand-Year Earth Bear followed, cooling the acupoints down.
Through all those twists and turns, I had overcome it.
And survived.
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As a result, despite having consumed the Taiji Pill, my inner arts had actually decreased by a full Cycle and a half.
My hard-won inner arts had noticeably shrunk, yet I did not feel any sense of loss.
W е̌bnо̃ v̀е̂l Ёnu m̂ а
If anything, it felt as though unnecessary bulk had been stripped away and the density had markedly increased.
"Definitely different."
I approached the cliff face where the cave was situated and tested its hardness.
I could not say it was as tough as blue-steel stone, but it was no rock that would crumble under ordinary force.
"Let's see......"
The moment I willed my internal qi to rise, my qi center stirred furiously and unleashed the Taeul True Scripture's energy.
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I immediately channeled it into the Great Yang Fist, originally a Taeul Sect technique.
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BANG!
CRACK, CRACK—
I had struck with only moderate force, yet the rock face collapsed as miserably as if it had been hit by the Ten Thousand Transformations Invincible Fist at the Eighth Star level.
"Was this technique always this incredible?"
The reason for the change was clearly the difference in inner arts.
Е̃ n ǔ ṁă
The Great Yang Fist was, after all, nothing more than a basic-level fist art that did not even require a special shattering method.
But just as the saying went—a master does not blame his tools, and a true expert does not blame his techniques—the Great Yang Fist, powered by my newly refined inner arts, looked no different from any upper-tier martial art.
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"And every ounce of inner arts I accumulate from now on will be at this level."
The reason I did not feel it was much of a loss, despite dropping from Five Cycles to barely Three—
My qi center had expanded.
Around Five Cycles before, there had always been a feeling of congestion.
Ӗ nũ ḿа̊ . і̌ d̄
Like a stomach stuffed after overeating, the qi center had sometimes felt uncomfortable from the constant pressure of accumulating energy.
But now, the qi center felt empty.
As though I could pour in all the spiritual medicines and pills I wanted and still never run out of capacity.
I ran my hands slowly down my body and a smile crept out.
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I was looking forward to it.
To what direction the path to higher realms would take.
Е̇nů ḿ а́.
I flew down the mountainside and hit the main road at a sprint.
The moment I deployed the Unrivaled under Heaven Movement Art, the difference was unmistakable.
Before, my body had often locked up when activating movement arts, but now they unfolded as naturally as walking without effort.
Less inner arts consumed, and the steps flowed in and out with ease and smoothness.
I had not tested it yet, but I had a feeling the Radiant Heaven Divine Palm would no longer devour my inner arts the way it used to.
Still, I did not bother testing it.
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This was a public road with people traveling on it, and—
"I've changed."
With my Sensory Perception now reaching even further, I eased the pace of the Unrivaled under Heaven Movement Art.
In the old days, I would have pushed even faster, eager to show off that I had learned martial arts.
But having changed, all of that felt meaningless.
That was right. I was not some petty man who flaunted his martial arts in front of civilians as though it were a badge of honor.
Е̇n uma
'I am a master of qi manipulation who overcame the Asura Gold-Shackling Jade-Shattering Formula and ascended a stage.'
I greeted the approaching travelers with a courteous, well-mannered smile.
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But then—
"EEEK?!"
"Don't look, sweetie."
"H-hurry, let's go!"
Еǹu̇ m а́. їd̊
A group that appeared to be a family recoiled in alarm and hastened their steps as though fleeing.
What?
Next, I encountered a merchant guild on an escort run.
"Get away! Shoo!"
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"We've got nothing to spare for the likes of you!"
"Scram! If you want to keep those feet of yours!"
Е̄.n ûm̀ а
......Somehow, I was being treated even worse than before I had changed.
What? Why?
I dashed to a nearby stream and peered at my reflection on the water's surface.
And I understood.
Just how wretched I looked.
The moment I plunged into the stream, black blood and grime bled off me in a filthy slurry, staining the water pitch-dark.
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"I need to buy some clothes before heading to the Murim Alliance......"
I had rinsed off the dust and dried blood with water well enough, but my martial arts uniform was still ripped to shreds everywhere—no better than a rag.
"No matter how I look at it, I don't look like a customer here to buy clothes. I look like a thief here to steal them......"
I was walking down the road mulling over that worry when a resplendent carriage came rolling toward me from up ahead.
I stepped aside to let it pass, but for some reason, the carriage gradually slowed and finally came to a stop right in front of me.
A man dressed as a scholar and another who appeared to be a guard stepped out and pressed their hands together in a clasped hands greeting.
Е̇ n ùm ӓ
"It is good to finally meet you, Young Hero Jin."
Oh......
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I studied the scholar-garbed man who had emerged from the carriage.
Then I gave the perfectly normal response any person would give.
"Who are you?"
When I tilted my head, the scholar approached me with a smile.
Ё n ù m̆а . ì d_
"We have come from the Murim Alliance. To escort you, Young Hero Jin."
"Ah...... Is that so?"
Well, look at that.
"Judging by your state, it seems you have been through considerable hardship. From here on, we will take care of everything."
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A windfall dropping right into my lap.
I stated what I needed most.
Ѐ n_u m̌а
"Can you get me some clothes, too?"
At my words, the scholar offered a smooth smile.
"For the duration of your journey to Wuhan, you need not worry about food, clothing, or lodging."
Oh...... is that so?
Still, ever the rational man, I listed only the bare essentials.
"I have expensive taste, so I only stay at the finest inns and wear the finest clothes...... I also need a bottle of the highest-grade wine with every meal."
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The scholar faltered for a moment, but I could see him forcing the corners of his mouth back up.
"......Of course. Everything will be provided in full. You need not worry."
"Ha ha! Finally the Murim Alliance is doing things right."
I threw myself into the carriage at once.
It was the first taste of comfort I had experienced in far too long.
***
W̄ e b̂ n оv̈ ёl Е̊_n̈ ů m а̄
Jin So-un, who had single-handedly escorted Dam Ak to safety.
Jang Bo-geuk, dispatched to find that very Jin So-un, found himself in a rather bewildering situation.
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"How have you still not found him?!"
"W-well, the thing is......"
The problem was that Jin So-un's whereabouts were utterly unknown.
Starting from Eunhyeon, they had been searching for seven days and nights, but his trail from Eunhyeon toward Wuhan had simply cut off partway.
Ѐnú m а
In the end, they had contacted a nearby branch office and hired a tracking specialist to trace Jin So-un's movements.
Fortunately, it had not rained in the interim, and his trail was uncovered before long.
The location where Jin So-un's traces were found was a cave in an unnamed, rugged mountain.
But then—
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"There is blood everywhere......"
The inside of the cave was a mess beyond imagining, and every step squelched through pools of blood.
W eb̌ ñõ v̊ ē l Ê n̈ŭm̄а̄.
"Isn't it just animal blood?"
At Jang Bo-geuk's question, the tracking specialist shook his head.
"There is none of the gamey smell typical of animals. This is assuredly blood coughed or hemorrhaged by a human due to internal injuries."
"......"
The specialist's words carried the certainty of a man who had found traces that even the Red Dragon Pavilion and the Beggars' Sect had missed.
Jang Bo-geuk's brow furrowed deeply as he fell into brooding silence.
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"Are you saying he sustained internal injuries during the process of extracting Dam Ak...... and stopped here to rest on his way back?"
"I do not believe so."
"Then what on earth......"
The tracking expert pressed his eyes close to the ground and added in a grave tone.
"It appears Young Master Jin was attacked by a formidable individual."
"What?!"
Е̃ǹ u m ӑ
"There are traces of three people in total here."
"Three?"
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The specialist surveyed the entirety of the cave and nodded.
"Yes. It seems Young Master Jin was attacked by a master and then abandoned in this place."
"Did you not just say three?"
"I did. And roughly seven days after that, a third person—stronger than Young Master Jin but below the master's level—appears to have arrived and retrieved him."
W̆ е_b n̂ о v е l Ě nū m̆а
"......"
Jang Bo-geuk listened in silence, but something about the wanderer's account struck him as dubious.
No matter how skilled a tracker might be, could a few footprints on the ground really reveal such minute details?
"I can see the skepticism in your eyes."
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The wanderer, as though accustomed to such reactions, began to explain in plain terms with an unfazed expression.
"It may not be visible to the Great Hall Master's eyes, but these footprints bear traces of qi manipulation. See here—the master's prints are so clean they look carved with a blade, without a hint of spreading. Meanwhile, these prints, presumably Young Master Jin's, are full of spread and smearing."
Еnu m а́
Hearing the explanation and then examining the footprints, Jang Bo-geuk had to admit they were reasonably convincing.
The wanderer pointed to one more footprint with his finger.
"And look at this comparatively recent print. Does the spread not appear to fall somewhere between the master's and Young Master Jin's?"
Indeed, it was not as immaculately clean as the master's, as though drawn by a brush, yet it was not nearly as rough as Jin So-un's.
There was no denying it.
Jang Bo-geuk nodded.
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"My apologies. I harbored needless doubt. I have never seen qi traces put to use like this before."
"No need to apologize. It is how I make my living, after all."
Jang Bo-geuk gave the specialist a light pat on the shoulder, then a shadow fell across his face.
The Righteous Path Association's atrocity had spiraled into a conflict between Wudang and Jin So-un.
They had come out here themselves, fearing Wudang might have moved against Jin So-un.
Had Wudang beaten them to it once again?
Е̂n u.ma .і̆d́
"Then can you follow the trail of the person who appeared later and then disappeared?"
"Yes. The traces are relatively clear, so tracking should be quite feasible."
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"Good! I will pay you double the agreed sum. Find him as quickly as you can."
"You need not ask twice!"
The wanderer set out again with renewed vigor.
Jang Bo-geuk followed close behind, worried about the safety of that insolent young brat.
Е̃ňûm̃ ӓ ..і̃ d
***
The carriage carrying Jin So-un was headed for Wuhan.
They made sure to rest at intervals so the schedule would not be strained, and they slept exclusively at reputable inns.
And the sole passenger inside the carriage, Jin So-un, slept ceaselessly even as the wheels rolled on.
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Even the scholar and warrior watching him from close quarters were amazed.
[Remarkable. Setting aside the first day, how can he possibly sleep like this the entire way to Wuhan?]
E n̄u m ӓ
The scholar sent a Sound Transmission, and the warrior gave a small nod.
[Must be because he is from the gutter—he does not seem to care where he sleeps.]
No matter how fine the carriage, an unpaved road meant constant jolting.
At times, the bumps were severe enough to lift one's body off the seat—and yet even then, he would briefly stir, then sink right back into sleep. It was enough to leave them silently astonished.
[And that is not all. The moment he heard we were from the Murim Alliance, he dropped his guard completely without an ounce of suspicion. How in the world did the Fierce Tiger Unit lose to a dimwit like this?]
At the scholar's Sound Transmission, the warrior scoffed.
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[As if that were his doing. It was all the sorcery of Dam Ak and the Black Thought Alliance's trickery.]
[Even so, it does not erase his crimes.]
[Indeed.]
Every person in the Murim Alliance was pointing fingers at Wudang, and their spiritual pillar, Clear Water True Man, had been hauled off to the Inspection Office.
Letting the man who had caused this humiliating state of affairs walk free was something they could never tolerate as Wudang disciples.
That was why they had gone to the trouble of posing as a scholar and a guard warrior to come all this way.
Ẇе̊ bn̊ о̂ v ӗ l̃ En̂ù ṁа
[He must be made to answer for this.]
The scholar and the warrior locked eyes and nodded firmly.
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In that instant—
CLATTER— CLICK.
"Yaaawn......"
Jin So-un stretched broadly and pushed open the carriage window.
Е̄ n ũm ā
"Ugh, so sleepy...... No matter how much I sleep, I'm still tired."
Bleary-eyed, Jin So-un sat up straight in his seat, leaned against the window frame, and surveyed the outside.
And then—
"Huh?"
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He turned to the scholar and warrior with a look of considerable surprise.
"What—we're in Wuhan?"
Ӗ ǹu m̊а̀
"Yes, of course it's Wuhan—"
"Why didn't you head for Mount Wudang instead?"
"Mmph!"
"Hkh!"
The scholar's and the warrior's eyes bulged.
When had he figured it out......?
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No—more importantly, how?
Jin So-un wore a cold smile at the corners of his mouth as he spoke.
"What? Don't tell me you actually thought I got into this carriage without knowing a thing."
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