Chapter 148: Let Me Think About It Carefully. (1)
Chapter 147 – Let Me Think About It Carefully. (1)
“Do you… know me?”
First Twin Blade swallowed hard and asked.
He naturally spoke respectfully.
Although he wondered what he was doing against a cadet, he must absolutely not let his guard down.
He had handled the eldest brother of the Three Killers of Guizhou, who had the best skills, in a single blow.
Perhaps…
‘Did he not just bypass the containment line, but destroy it?’
However, was he not too fast to say that? Or, it meant the opponent was so strong that the containment line was meaningless.
‘I don’t even want to think about it.’
Namgung Cheon nodded.
“I do. In the past, you were so nervous that you would almost wet your pants when you saw me.”
“The past…?”
“Hmm… has it already been about twenty years since then?”
“Twenty years ago… your age…”
“Me? Right now, I’m nineteen.”
As Namgung Cheon replied innocently, First Twin Blade stiffened his expression.
Surely this guy was one of two things.
A rising star with formidable strength who was teasing him because he was strong enough to fear nothing…
‘Or he’s just a crazy bastard.’
Knowing or not knowing his thoughts, Namgung Cheon twisted his lips.
“Why? Seeing me after a long time, are you indeed wetting your pants a bit?”
“I clearly know you are an expert. But I would appreciate it if you showed some manners.”
“True. You were on the polite side. Right?”
“…”
“In that sense, if you withdraw quietly, I will pretend not to know.”
“I cannot do that.”
Swoosh.
First Twin Blade drew his huge blade. Namgung Cheon scratched his ear and said.
“Anyway, guys with big swords are always incompatible with me.”
“If possible, go back. Even if you can defeat me, you won’t be able to pursue him anymore anyway.”
“This bastard is taking me lightly.”
“What?”
Namgung Cheon chuckled and pointed with his chin behind First Twin Blade.
“There. A formation is installed on the rock wall, right? Looking at it, it seems they are holed up in a cave. Step aside while I’m speaking nicely.”
“How do you…”
“In my past life, I was extremely experienced in avoiding people. I’m amazingly good at finding places to hide.”
“Then I really cannot let you pass!”
After finishing his words, First Twin Blade began to openly raise his internal energy.
Namgung Cheon also stiffened his expression now and slowly put the Emerald Silk Sword forward.
Namgung Cheon, whose smile had completely vanished before anyone knew it, looked at First Twin Blade and murmured.
“I think I’ve given you enough of a chance out of consideration for old times. I’m not usually like this, you know? I kill because I’m in a bad mood, I kill because they can’t read the room, I kill because they keep following me. The kids I killed like that are more than enough to fill the valley of Mount Huang. Ah, there’s a common point here: they are all fellows who, like you, pointed their blades at me first. But I gave you quite a few chances, yet you refuse the cup of hospitality and insist on the penalty cup, so what can I do? Your fate must end here.”
“What are you talking about…”
“Enough. Still, since you were a polite fellow, I will face you seriously, so come at me with all your might.”
Rustle.
In that instant, Namgung Cheon slowly assumed the starting stance. Sincerity was felt in every single movement.
First Twin Blade could clearly feel it.
‘This guy is the real deal.’
It was not bluff or arrogance.
He could feel the principles of martial arts contained in even a single breath.
Although he seemed to fight like a back-alley thug when fighting the First Killer, it was different now.
In every aspect, was it not the appearance of a true martial artist?
“Could you tell me your prestigious name?”
“Namgung Cheon. The man who will become the Number One Dragon under Heaven.”
“…!”
Ta-tat!
In that instant, First Twin Blade kicked the ground and shot forward. The ground he kicked sank by a span.
Whoosh!
“You will have to pass me first!”
Movement unmatched by his huge body!
He was certainly using martial arts that were a cut above the Three Killers of Guizhou.
However, Namgung Cheon had already completely seen through the opponent’s movements.
The internal energy rising from his dantian was concentrated in both hands, but more was loaded into his left hand.
Yet, the hand holding the blade was his right hand.
In the end, it meant the strike swung with the right hand was a feint.
‘Still fond of swapping hands.’
It was a characteristic of First Twin Blade’s martial arts.
Wielding a blade that was about the height of an ordinary adult was already marvelous, but he held that large blade with one hand.
However, he was ambidextrous.
That is, he would move the blade held in his right hand to his left hand and swing it, or vice versa, swap the blade swung with his left hand to his right hand in an instant to seek a reversal.
That huge blade freely traveled between both hands, storming in so that one could not tell where it would fly.
A blade art rarely seen among those who used great sabers.
The reason the Giant-Bodied Twin Blades raised their notoriety in the Jianghu was largely due to this tricky martial art.
Namgung Cheon had met those Giant-Bodied Twin Blades briefly a long time ago.
‘Well, in my past life, the only unorthodox martial artists I didn’t meet were just small fry…’
Clang!
As the heavy blade strike fell diagonally, it rang with a loud metallic sound.
Namgung Cheon’s light body staggered.
Step, step!
Clang!
First Twin Blade, who swapped the blade to his other hand in an instant, swung it fiercely once more. This time, it was a blade rising diagonally from below.
Sure enough, Namgung Cheon staggered and bounced away.
‘Well done…!’
Gritting his teeth, First Twin Blade pushed fiercely once again.
Clang!
The powerful blade strikes continued, and sparks exploded.
Namgung Cheon flew staggering like a kite with its string cut.
‘It’s done!’
The moment one’s body was floating in the air was when one could not evade. Even if he blocked his continuous strikes, he would not be able to endure with strength.
Stamp, stamp!
As First Twin Blade shot forward while kicking the ground, deep footprints appeared on the ground in succession.
“It’s the end!”
Whoosh!
The great saber, containing a dense energy, fell down as if it would split Mount Tai.
Namgung Cheon’s eyes, still hovering in the air, flashed in that instant.
All of a sudden, a deep blue energy rose like a vortex from Namgung Cheon’s entire body.
‘What is this…?’
Was it like Namgung Cheon was riding the wind?
Did Namgung Cheon not quickly retreat backward as if pushed by the wind of First Twin Blade’s swing?
At this rate, the energy he unleashed actually pushed Namgung Cheon away and created an opportunity for him.
Slash!
The great saber brushed Namgung Cheon’s collar by a hair’s breadth and slammed straight into the ground.
Boom!
First Twin Blade, who had expected a complete victory for a moment, could not understand the current situation at all.
‘How can this be?’
It was clearly a strike filled with killing intent.
Yet his energy pushed the opponent away instead of striking him? As if protecting him?
In fact, this was a phenomenon that occurred as Namgung Cheon combined his newly learned Azure Emerald Art with the First Sight Skill-Breaking Eyes.
The Azure Emerald Art was basically a martial art that valued the flow of air and utilized its subtle principles to the maximum.
Additionally, he responded to the Wood phase energy utilized by First Twin Blade with the Fire phase energy that generated it, thereby riding the wind.
For First Twin Blade, who could not understand this inner workings, it felt like being possessed by a ghost.
However, he could not just stand there in a daze.
Boom!
In that instant, Namgung Cheon, who had been pushed away, stamped his foot and flew in like an arrow.
Whoosh!
The sword tip became a ray of light and descended upon First Twin Blade.
‘Must block…!’
But that was it.
The pure white light completely enveloped First Twin Blade, and he could no longer continue any thoughts.
Thud!
First Twin Blade, whose forehead was pierced, knelt on the spot.
As he slowly fell backward, the Emerald Silk Sword that had been embedded in his forehead was pulled out.
Thud!
Namgung Cheon looked down at First Twin Blade with an indifferent face.
“I told you to withdraw when I gave you a chance.”
He had no particular friendship with First Twin Blade. No ill feelings either. Well, he must have done quite a few bad things in his life, but Namgung Cheon did not care much.
However, since he had pointed a blade at him, he could not just let it pass. If it were in the past, he would have already sliced off his wrists.
Yet, giving him that much of a chance was an exceptional case.
‘My temper has softened a lot too.’
Namgung Cheon sighed lightly and walked toward the rock wall.
Soon, he disappeared as if permeating into the rock wall.
* * *
Jo Wi, the Captain of the Black Blood Squad, glanced toward the cave entrance while lighting a torch.
Because he thought he heard a fairly loud sound just a moment ago.
Due to the nature of the formation, sounds from the outside could be heard to some extent inside, but sounds from the inside did not travel outside.
“It seems to have started already.”
Come to think of it, the pursuer seemed quite fast.
Did the Righteous Sword Squad Captain come in person?
Even if the Righteous Sword Squad Captain had come, nothing would change.
His energy would have been quite depleted from breaking through the containment line, and those two waiting outside were stronger than him.
Even if by some miracle the Righteous Sword Squad Captain succeeded in eliminating First Twin Blade and the First Killer, that would be the end.
He would not be able to find this cave where the formation was installed.
‘In any case, have I bought some time?’
Jo Wi, who finished his thoughts, threw the Thieving Ghost, whom he had been carrying on his back, into a corner.
Thud!
The Thieving Ghost, whose hands and feet were bound in Qi-Suppressing Iron, did not move at all, as if he had completely lost consciousness.
However, Jo Wi did not care and said bluntly.
“Get up. I know you’re awake.”
“…”
Thud!
The moment Jo Wi kicked the Thieving Ghost hard, a scream burst out.
“Keugh! You son of a bitch!”
As the Thieving Ghost spat out curses and glared, Jo Wi, who drew a dagger from his chest, quickly pressed it against the Thieving Ghost’s adam’s apple.
“If you want to live, answer what you are asked.”
“Does that mean you have to keep me alive to get the answer you want? Hehehe.”
“This bastard…”
“There is a crazy guy here! Righteous Sword Squad, come here and catch this crazy bastard! This fellow kidnapped me here…!”
Slap!
In that instant, the Thieving Ghost’s cheek burned.
To the Thieving Ghost, whose face had turned away, Jo Wi said in a cold voice.
“Where do you think you’re playing tricks, you bastard? Even if you go wild, it can’t be heard outside. This cave even blocks sound with a formation.”
“Damn it…”
Only then did the Thieving Ghost’s face stiffen.
The Thieving Ghost growled, showing his teeth.
“I don’t know anything.”
“I haven’t even asked yet, you bastard.”
“Anyway, I don’t know.”
“It would be better to know something. Only then will you become a bit more comfortable.”
“Heh. Are you telling me to die comfortably?”
“Because in a little while, you will want that more.”
After finishing his words, Jo Wi held the dagger in reverse and stabbed it straight into the Thieving Ghost’s thigh.
Stab!
“Aaaaaarggh! You son of a bitch!”
“Now, do you feel like talking?”
“You bastard who deserves to be torn to death! My leg… Keugh!”
“If the Thieving Ghost wants to maintain even that meager reputation, both legs must be intact.”
As Jo Wi gripped the dagger embedded in the thigh with his hand, the Thieving Ghost’s scream filled the cave once again.
“Now, speak. Where is it?”
“Wh-What! Aaaaaarggh! St-Stop!”
“Stop trying to get things for free. You must listen to what a person says and answer. I will ask again. Where is it?”
“I-I will talk! Move that damn hand first!”
“Ah, yes. My bad.”
Jo Wi loosened the strength in his hand that he had supposedly forgotten.
The Thieving Ghost, who was breathing heavily, glared at Jo Wi with a face wet with sweat.
“If I speak… do you intend to kill me?”
“I am sorry, but I cannot lie.”
“You intend to kill me.”
“Isn’t that how life originally is? Discarding the hunting dog after the hunt.”
“What a brutally honest bastard.”
“So, the answer is?”
“That is…”
The Thieving Ghost, who caught his breath, grinned.
“Ask your mother, you bastard.”
“…”
In that instant, Jo Wi’s face crumpled.
In a flash, he pulled out the dagger embedded in the Thieving Ghost’s thigh.
“Keuuugh!”
“You will beg me to kill you soon.”
Whoosh!
Again, it was the moment Jo Wi was about to strike down with the dagger.
“Freeze.”
A strange, youthful voice suddenly struck his back.
To Jo Wi, who had stiffened like a piece of wood, the youthful voice clicked its tongue.
“Tsk tsk. What is this? This. Can you really hide properly with such a crude formation? This shows you don’t even have the basic posture of a fugitive. Sigh.”