Chapter 8: Hand Over Everything You Have (1)
Chapter 7 – Hand Over Everything You Have (1)
Around sunset, Qingyang County.
Namgung Cheon stood on a low hill, looking down at the market street where lanterns were just beginning to light up.
Just then, Yun Jong-seung ran over in a flurry and panted heavily, his breath rising all the way to his chin.
“Hah, haa… L-let’s rest a bit before we go… Hah, hah!”
“Tsk, tsk. How can someone who is supposed to be the child of a martial family be gasping so hard after just this much? Seriously, kids these days have no grit.”
“Y-you are also a kid these… a person, too.”
Thwack!
Namgung Cheon smacked the back of Yun Jong-seung’s head soundly as he spoke.
“Seeing how you have the energy to talk back, you must have rested enough.”
“Aw, jeez! Why the head…?!”
“Why? Shall we have another round of the sparring you like so much while we’re at it?”
“Ugh. It’s not that… I even carried your luggage, too.”
Yun Jong-seung slinked away, tucking his tail.
It was a wise choice.
If he had flared up and resisted, it wouldn’t have ended with just his head stinging.
“Stop exaggerating. Our clan has become poor, so I didn’t even bring much.”
The atmosphere momentarily turned solemn.
“And before this, I carried your luggage, so you shouldn’t have any complaints, right?”
Yun Jong-seung winced.
It was true.
In the past, Yun Jong-seung had made Namgung Cheon carry even his own luggage, even though he traveled in a double-horse carriage.
Under the pretext of helping him train in lightness skill, it was actually just bullying for fun.
Namgung Cheon casually slung his arm over Yun Jong-seung’s shoulder.
“Thanks to that, my lightness skill has improved by leaps and bounds. I can’t be the only one to enjoy such a good thing, can I? Good things should be shared between friends. Ah, now that I think about it, you didn’t take the carriage this time? I was hoping to get a ride.”
“M-my father told me to walk…”
Looking at Yun Jong-seung as he made a vague excuse, Namgung Cheon chuckled.
It was written plain as day on his forehead that he was lying, but it didn’t matter.
His bad habits would be fixed soon anyway.
“Indeed. Training in lightness skill is the foundation of all martial arts.”
The two walked down the hill and entered the most luxurious inn on the market street of Qingyang County.
It was also the place where Yun Jong-seung stayed whenever he went to the academy.
“Welcome!”
When the waiter ran over with a bright smile, Yun Jong-seung replied in a tired voice.
“The best room.”
“Understood, sir. I shall guide you right away. And the other guest…?”
The waiter asked, turning to Namgung Cheon.
“That room is my room.”
“Ah…?”
When the waiter turned back in confusion, Yun Jong-seung whipped his head around with an expression as if he had chewed on dung.
‘Is this bastard extorting the room fee from me right now…?’
The clueless waiter urged Yun Jong-seung.
“Sir? Would one room be enough?”
“…Guide me to the next best room!”
Ultimately, Yun Jong-seung replied irritably, his cheeks trembling.
Whether he did or not, the waiter happily led the way.
“Right away, please follow me, both of you.”
Namgung Cheon grinned at Yun Jong-seung.
“As expected, it is good to have friends. Well, since I paid for your room and board until now, let’s consider this paying me back.”
This was also a fact he had heard through Bok-seong.
Namgung Cheon had been extorted of his travel money by Yun Jong-seung every single time.
After being guided to his room, Namgung Cheon spoke to the waiter who was turning around.
“I’m hungry, so prepare a feast that will break the table. Make it the most high-class food possible.”
“Yes, yes! Leave it to me! I shall serve it to you quickly!”
The waiter, who had received jackpot customers for once in a while, ran downstairs with a broad grin.
Namgung Cheon patted Yun Jong-seung on the shoulder.
“Don’t hold back and eat your fill. It is my treat, paid with the money you’re returning. Grateful, right?”
“Y-yeah.”
Yun Jong-seung tightly squeezed the pouch containing his travel money and closed his eyes.
* * *
The next morning.
“Thank you, guest! Please come again!”
The inn’s waiter shouted loud enough to blow the roof off.
Namgung Cheon casually waved his hand while picking his teeth.
“Right, I rested well.”
However, beside him, the face of Yun Jong-seung, who was walking while carrying the bundle, was miserably distorted.
‘One hundred taels… in a single night…! This crazy bastard!’
How could it be possible to spend one hundred taels in a single night just on eating and sleeping, without any alcohol or women!
Namgung Cheon patted Yun Jong-seung on the back.
“You don’t have to be too grateful. What are friends for, after all?”
‘No, why should I be grateful when it’s my money being spent!’
The words he wanted to shout in protest rose to his throat, but Yun Jong-seung suppressed them.
Right, hadn’t he prepared himself to some extent?
He did not know what kind of fortuitous encounter he had obtained from where, but Namgung Cheon had clearly changed.
Let’s admit what needs to be admitted.
A head-on confrontation with this guy was dangerous.
It was not a level where he could win by playing cheap tricks.
Even so, he would not just take it like a fool.
The opponent was Namgung Cheon.
The son of the Great Killing Star condemned by the whole world, and the posthumous adopted son of a collapsing clan.
And the official pushover of the Dragon Heaven Academy!
He, Yun Jong-seung, was not one to lose heart while waiting on such a pathetic bastard.
‘Namgung Cheon… laugh all you want now. Soon… Uh, uh? Don’t do that, you bastard…’
Confusion appeared on Yun Jong-seung’s face as he glared at the back of Namgung Cheon’s head.
It was because Namgung Cheon, having reached the entrance of the town, began to warm up by stretching his limbs.
Before long, the dreaded words popped out of Namgung Cheon’s mouth.
“Well, now that our stomachs are full, shall we start running?”
‘Hey, hey, don’t do it. Running after eating makes your stomach hurt, you bastard…’
“Nothing is better for training than running. Now, let’s go!”
Tap, tap!
Without even waiting for Yun Jong-seung’s reply, Namgung Cheon sprinted forward.
Namgung Cheon turned into a dot and disappeared in an instant.
Ultimately, Yun Jong-seung, carrying both bundles, chased after him while cursing at the top of his lungs.
“Hey, you son of a bitch!”
* * *
Namgung Cheon ran about fifty li without stopping.
Only after completely ascending a fairly steep slope did he stop his steps and catch his breath.
Circulating his internal energy lightly for one cycle, the flow was not bad.
‘My physical condition has improved quite a bit.’
Of course, even so, it did not even reach half of his peak level.
Still, this much would be more than enough to easily deal with any ordinary first-rate expert.
After finishing his breathing exercise, he glanced around to find dense forests lushly overgrown on both sides.
Although the road cutting through the forest was a public road, it was desolate, looking perfect for something to happen.
That meant it was a perfect location for some despicable person to plot something.
And Namgung Cheon had stopped walking because he smelled that despicable plot just a moment ago.
Having been hunted as a public enemy of the Martial World all his life, he was incredibly quick to notice such things.
Just then, Yun Jong-seung ran over, panting, and collapsed.
“Hah, hah, hah… Please… let’s rest a bit… hah, hah…!”
“Tsk, tsk. You really need to train in lightness skill.”
When Yun Jong-seung glared with a flared-up look, Namgung Cheon immediately smacked the back of his head.
“This bastard is a slow learner. If you glare with those eyes when a friend is giving you advice, do you think I’ll feel like dog shit or horse shit?”
“S-sorry.”
“And you.”
“Uh, yes?”
“You cursed at me from behind when I started running, didn’t you?”
“N-no.”
“I heard something about a son of a dog.”
“N-no! You… you must have misheard. Why would I curse at you after eating so well at your expense?”
“Exactly, right? I spent a hundred taels to fill your belly, so you shouldn’t do that.”
‘That was my money, you bastard!’
Yun Jong-seung swallowed the words that rose to his throat and nodded.
“O-of course.”
“Right. But are you waiting for someone? Your eyes are busy.”
“W-what do you mean? It’s just because I’m so tired. Who would I be waiting for here?”
“Indeed. We’d be lucky if bandits didn’t show up on a mountain path like this… oh, they’re here.”
No sooner had Namgung Cheon spoken than a rustling sound came from the bushes on both sides, and seven masked men suddenly appeared.
They were acting as bandits in every aspect, but the aura radiating from their bodies felt quite out of place.
‘One first-rate and the rest are second-rate? That bald guy is the leader.’
While Namgung Cheon quickly assessed the opponents, the bald man, as expected, walked over with a broadsword resting on his shoulder.
“Where are our peach-fuzzed young masters heading in such a hurry?”
“We are on our way to the academy.”
When Namgung Cheon answered unexpectedly bluntly, the bald man seemed slightly flustered.
The bald man’s gaze slided toward Yun Jong-seung.
Namgung Cheon clicked his tongue inwardly.
He knew it would be like this.
From the start, these guys were likely ambushed here by Yun Jong-seung.
There were three pieces of evidence.
First, the aura felt from them was too clean to belong to bandits, which was proof that they had practiced orthodox arts.
Second, despite being bandits, they paid little attention to Yun Jong-seung, who was carrying the luggage, and directed their hostility solely at him.
Third, if they were real mountain bandits, there was no reason to wear masks. It meant they were either acquaintances or could not afford to have their faces known.
This was why they said the old sayings were never wrong.
When you crush someone, you must crush them completely.
So they can never crawl back up again.
The bald man scoffed.
“The kid is quite bold. But when you lose your fear, your body pays the price.”
“Are you bandits?”
“Do we look like Taoist priests instead of bandits to those eyes of yours? Hand over everything you have. Then we’ll spare your lives.”
“Our family’s fortune has declined sharply, so I don’t have much. Instead, that guy has a lot.”
When Namgung Cheon pointed at Yun Jong-seung, the guys momentarily wore blank expressions.
However, it was highly unlikely that they would pay attention to Yun Jong-seung.
As expected, the bald man raised his eyebrows and barked.
“A kid selling out his friend? You’ve only learned rotten things. Hand over what you have first! Otherwise, I will kill you.”
“Before that, let me ask one thing.”
“What is it?”
“Are you really bandits?”
“Of course we are…”
“Think carefully before you answer. Because this is a very important moment.”
As Namgung Cheon’s gaze grew cold, the bald man flinched and shut his mouth.
‘What kind of gaze does a kid have…!’
But soon, his pride wounded, he swung his sword hilt threateningly and shouted.
“You cheeky bastard! You don’t seem to understand the situation. It looks like you need a taste of the blade!”
“So you really are bandits, swinging blades at innocent people?”
If they came out like this, it was actually easier.
Even if they were from the orthodox sects, this was sufficient justification to show no mercy.
In other words, these guys would have nothing to say even if they got beaten to a pulp by me.
On top of that, the bald man spat out the decisive words.
“Hmm? Now that I look, the sword you have seems quite decent. With that, I might extend your life a bit.”
“Ah… this?”
Sliiiide.
As Namgung Cheon drew the Emerald Silk Sword, the seven martial artists flinched and brought their hands to their sword hilts.
Namgung Cheon pointed the tip of his sword at the bald man.
“Jong-seung, if you don’t want to get caught up and beaten, step back.”
At that, Yun Jong-seung tossed away the bundle he was carrying.
As the bundle hit Namgung Cheon’s back and fell to the ground, Yun Jong-seung drew his sword and sneered.
“I don’t want to.”
He was a guy who begged for a beating in any case.
Just then, the bald man charged forward with a shout like a battle cry.
“Didn’t I tell you that your body pays the price when you lose your fear! You greenhorn bastard!”
In an instant, the First Sight Skill-Breaking Eyes was activated, and the bald man’s qi paths unfolded vividly before Namgung Cheon’s eyes.
Sure enough, a red light stretched along the Hand-Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian.
‘Both their martial arts and personality are consistent.’
Swish!
Namgung Cheon quickly stepped with his footwork, brushing past the side of the bald man as he slashed the Emerald Silk Sword upward.
Clang!
As the clear metallic sound rang out, a thrilling sensation he had forgotten for a long time brushed his fingertips.
Yes, it was this feeling.
Wielding a real sword for the first time in a while made the blood throughout his body feel like it was boiling.
As always, crushing despicable bastards was enjoyable.
The bald man could not withstand the sudden counterattack and ended up losing the sword from his hand.
Whoosh, thud!
The broadsword flew far away and embedded itself in a tree trunk.
After that, Namgung Cheon’s one-sided beating ensued.
Swish, thud!
Namgung Cheon swung his scabbard recklessly at the bald man.
Thud! Thud! Whack! Thump!
“Argh! Ack! Aaah!”
“You’re right. When you lose your fear, your body pays the price like this.”
The bald man squirmed and screamed repeatedly.
There was no such thing as a form or technique in the scabbard Namgung Cheon brandished.
It was a random beating, like local thugs swinging clubs.
Because that sight was so savage and domineering, the surrounding martial artists just gaped and froze like stones.
Finally, Namgung Cheon struck the back of the bald man’s head precisely with the scabbard.
Crack!
“Guh…!”
The bald man froze on the spot, then rolled his eyes back and fell with a thud.
After twitching a few times, the bald man soon lost consciousness and went limp. Perhaps because he was even foaming at the mouth, his mask was wet.
The surroundings became dead silent.
Clatter…!
It was the sound of a blade dropping to the ground.
It was Yun Jong-seung’s sword.
“D-did you kill him…?”
As Yun Jong-seung weakly squeezed out a parched voice, the six martial artists finally snapped to their senses and drew their swords.
Shriing!
“Y-you bastard! What’s this? Suddenly!”
“That crazy guy k-killed the group leader…!”
“Don’t make a fuss. He just fainted.”
Namgung Cheon grinned, and then with his tongue, the blade…
‘Oh, shoot, I almost licked it! I must get a grip. If I do that, I’ll really look like the Great Killing Star.’