Chapter 27: Fierce Entrails (2)
Namgung Paeng-saeng.
The master of the grand palace located in the north of the manor.
An influential figure of the Namgung Clan who had been in the Council of Elders since the time of the previous Clan Leader.
Chui quietly stared into the face of such a Namgung Paeng-saeng.
Eyes slit like a snake’s, a harshly shaped aquiline nose, a gray beard grown down to his chest, and a scar slicing vertically across his cheek and eye.
‘Correct.’
Chui nodded.
Although he was somewhat younger than the face in his memory, such a thing did not matter.
The name and physical description that had been at the very top of Ho Ye-yang’s death list in the past.
The charge against him was simple.
‘The bastard who, despite receiving the report on the destruction of the Tiger Pit Sect, covered it up without properly investigating it. That was because he was distantly related to Cao Yangzi of the Cao Family Manor.’
Namgung Paeng-saeng was receiving separate kickbacks from Cao Yangzi, the patriarch of the Cao Family Manor, in addition to the protection fee.
Furthermore, he had received kickbacks or other entertainment from other subordinate sects besides the Cao Family Manor.
If he took a liking to a daughter of a family whose fortunes were declining, it was a common occurrence for him to force her to be his concubine by using his power and status.
In addition, Namgung Paeng-saeng had also earned direct resentment from Ho Ye-yang and Chui.
For one, he was the figure who stubbornly pursued Ho Ye-yang as she fled all the way to the border and inflicted large wounds on her chest and waist, and he was also the figure who ran a public opinion war to brand Chui, who was called by the alias of Spear King after wiping out the remnants of the Five Poisons Cult, as a public enemy of the martial world.
One way or another, Chui and Namgung Paeng-saeng were sworn enemies who could not live under the same sky.
*Squeeze-*
Chui exerted strength into his hand holding Namgung Yul’s neck.
And he asked Namgung Paeng-saeng, who had climbed onto the altar.
“I heard from the butchers at the slaughterhouse. That you were the one who caught these wolves. Is that correct?”
“It is.”
“If you caught the mother wolf, that should have been enough; what was the reason you caught even the wolf cub?”
At Chui’s question, Namgung Paeng-saeng snorted.
“Dangerous breeds must have their seeds dried up. Even if left alive, they will only become harmful beasts harboring a desire for revenge against humans.”
“……”
That served as an answer.
Namgung Paeng-saeng had probably pursued Ho Ye-yang, the sole survivor of the Tiger Pit Sect, with the same way of thinking.
Even though it should have ended once Ho Yeon-am, the Sect Leader of the Tiger Pit Sect, died, seeing that he went out of his way to pursue and kill even the child showed his stubbornness and viciousness.
Chui spoke toward the mother wolf and wolf cub lying dead on the altar.
“I shall catch that old fox instead.”
At the same time, Chui lifted Namgung Yul, whom he held in his hand.
When he tapped her mute acupoint, her mouth gaped open.
Namgung Yul spoke slowly, in a tone that had become slurred as the paralysis was half-released.
“You… villain… in the middle of… the Namgung Clan… even after committing such an act… do you think you can be… safe…”
However, Chui did not listen to her words at all.
*Shove!*
Something entered Namgung Yul’s open mouth.
It was a tongue.
Precisely, it was Chui’s tongue.
“……!?”
“……!?”
“……!?”
Everyone watching was astonished.
Namgung Yul was the same.
But regardless of that, Chui continued to lock tongues with Namgung Yul.
*Gulp-*
Namgung Yul was startled when something slid over her uvula.
“Cough!?”
The moment the saliva of the man and woman mixed together, a spicy taste as if her mouth was burning was immediately felt.
“Aaaack!”
When Namgung Yul screamed, Namgung Pa below the altar urgently shouted.
“W-What are you doing! The promise is different!”
“I did not inflict any wounds. I only fed her poison. I did not break the promise.”
Chui wiped his mouth once with his sleeve and kicked Namgung Yul’s buttocks hard, dropping her below the altar.
Namgung Pa stepped on the air, flew up, and caught Namgung Yul.
Namgung Yul was foaming at the mouth with her eyes rolled back.
Even at a glance, it was obvious she was in a poisoned state.
‘…Damn! What on earth is this poison?’
Even Namgung Pa, who had experienced all sorts of hardships, had no poison he could think of.
It was probably an extremely rare kind of energy-dispersing poison.
“Physician! Where is the physician!?”
Carrying Namgung Yul on his back, Namgung Pa ran as if flying toward the place where the physician was.
Meanwhile, the warriors of the Namgung Clan drew their swords and surrounded the altar.
Since Namgung Yul had escaped, there was absolutely no reason to leave that mysterious man alive.
However.
Chui took out a small bottle from his pants pocket.
“This is the antidote.”
“……”
“If any other bastard climbs onto the altar, or if you, Namgung Paeng-saeng, run away, this bottle will be broken immediately.”
At Chui’s calm words, Namgung Paeng-saeng’s expression distorted once again.
The warriors of the Namgung Clan, who were about to climb onto the altar with their swords drawn, went back down the altar and ground their teeth.
Soon.
*Snapping!*
Chui cut the ropes that were binding the wolves.
The black staff, which required three or four robust men to cling to when moving it, was held in Chui’s hand.
Only then could a few experienced people, including Namgung Paeng-saeng, recognize its identity.
“That is the staff of Staff Ghost Gu Gang-ryong… What is your relationship with the Debt Collecting Ghost of the Heterodox Alliance?”
“You do not need to know.”
When Chui waved his hand as if irritated, Namgung Paeng-saeng ground his teeth.
“I see. I understand. I get a feel for it now. You were the bastard named Three Calls of the Yellow Springs who wiped out the Cao Family Manor and the Black Path Gang.”
“Think whatever you want.”
“You insignificant scoundrel. If you compare me to the likes of Cao Yangzi, you will get badly hurt.”
Soon, with the bottle containing the antidote in front of him, Namgung Paeng-saeng raised his momentum.
Under the watch of the Namgung Clan warriors holding swords, Chui also entered battle.
*Ssssss…*
The black staff held by Chui began to heat up red-hot.
The spear ghost shed tears of blood and crawled up the tip of the staff.
That was visible only to Chui and Namgung Paeng-saeng.
“J-Cao Yangzi!? Why are you…?”
Seeing Cao Yangzi’s face wailing at the tip of Chui’s staff, Namgung Paeng-saeng opened his eyes wide, shocked as if he would faint.
Soon, Namgung Paeng-saeng spat out and shouted.
“Sorcery! It is sorcery! No, this is clearly demonic arts… Urgh!?”
However, Namgung Paeng-saeng’s voice was buried in the wind.
Chui’s black staff flew in with tremendous momentum.
*Boom!*
The black lightning falling simply from top to bottom split that high altar into two pieces.
*Craaaack!*
The altar splitting to both sides.
Namgung Paeng-saeng quickly swung his sword to counter Chui’s staff.
But?
*Swish-*
Chui let go of the staff immediately after swinging it to split the altar.
Then, clutching two awls from his bosom, he aimed straight for Namgung Paeng-saeng’s eyes and heart.
“……!?”
Namgung Paeng-saeng hastily raised his left hand to cover his eyes and twisted his body sideways as much as possible.
Because of that, the awl aimed at his heart ended with merely cutting off his beard, and the awl aimed at his eyes stopped after piercing his left hand.
*Drip- Drip-drip-*
This time, a hammer fell over the head of Namgung Paeng-saeng, who retreated while scattering red blood.
Namgung Paeng-saeng hastily stepped back to avoid the hammer, but.
*Crunch!*
He ended up stepping on a few of the numerous caltrops already positioned on the floor.
“Ugh! What kind of dog shit is…!”
Namgung Paeng-saeng ground his teeth looking at the caltrops that pierced through the sole of his foot and poked their heads out of the top of his foot.
Under such circumstances.
…*Thud!*
Chui pulled his hand back.
Then, the silk thread tied to his wrist pulled up the staff that had fallen into the middle of the altar.
*Rattle! Whoosh-*
Chui’s staff was swung once more.
“Fight properly. Do you not need the antidote?”
“You arrogant brat!”
Namgung Paeng-saeng pulled up his internal energy with all his might and loaded it onto his sword.
The sword and staff collided together.
*Clang!*
The heavy metallic sound shook the entire manor.
The internal energy of Namgung Paeng-saeng, who had reached the peak realm, was indeed profound.
The sword energy arising from the tip of his sword had surpassed the level of gas and transformed into a dense liquid.
Sword qi dripping stickily like honey; they were fiercely scattered toward Chui.
“……”
Chui bent his body like a bow to dodge Namgung Paeng-saeng’s sword qi.
As if droplets of lava had splattered, the places touched by Namgung Paeng-saeng’s sword qi split and burned with fierce momentum.
*Boom! Crack- Clang!*
Chui deflected and blew away all the dripping sword qi flying in.
‘Go.’
Chui gave orders to the spear ghost that were clinging to the staff.
Numerous spear ghosts converted their resentment into internal energy and circulated inside Chui’s blood vessels.
They soon transformed into highly pure spear energy and hung like sticky liquid at the tip of the staff.
Seeing that, Namgung Paeng-saeng’s eyes widened.
Chui jumped straight in front of such a Namgung Paeng-saeng.
“I told you.”
And he scattered all the caltrops hidden in his bosom.
“That I can easily beat down someone like you.”
Chui’s staff rushed toward the caltrops floating in the air.
*Pop-pop-pop-pop! Tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!*
Along with sparks, a large amount of caltrops collided with the staff and flew off.
They were all heading toward Namgung Paeng-saeng.
“Ugh!?”
Namgung Paeng-saeng swung his sword and spread his sword qi widely.
It was a form just like a sword barrier.
However, Chui’s spear qi were also smeared on the flying caltrops.
*Thud-thud-thud-thud!*
They penetrated through the sword barrier spread by Namgung Paeng-saeng and lodged shallowly in his entire body.
Namgung Paeng-saeng deflected with his sword a few caltrops flying toward his vital spots including his eyes.
Because of that, he failed to see Chui’s hammer falling toward the crown of his head.
“Urgh!?”
Namgung Paeng-saeng hastily jerked his head to the side.
Chui’s hammer fell in a straight line, tearing his ear, and immediately after, crushed his collarbone.
*Crack!*
The sensation of the collarbone not just breaking, but crumbling like grains of sand.
Namgung Paeng-saeng ground his teeth tightly.
A highly powerful martial arts, and a combat style that was not.
Where on earth had such an unconventional expert appeared from, and why did he harbor resentment toward him? Namgung Paeng-saeng was merely filled with wonder.
“Die!”
However, more important than satisfying such curiosity was killing the enemy before his eyes.
Deep blue sword qi surged from Namgung Paeng-saeng’s sword.
A long crescent-shaped trajectory drew the essence of the “Boundless Azure Sky Sword Art” in the air.
Right at that moment.
Chui lowered his body.
It was not a particularly effective defensive posture.
To be precise, it was the posture of a rolling donkey to escape by rolling on the floor.
It was an evasion movement that orthodox martial artists who valued face would look down upon.
However, judging that the opponent was an unconventional person who might roll on the floor or even crawl to escape, Namgung Paeng-saeng wove the trajectory of his sword even tighter.
Like a net cast from the heavens, Namgung Paeng-saeng’s sword strikes were constricting Chui.
Right at that moment.
*Spit-*
Chui spat.
Saliva mixed with bright red blood flew, piercing through the meshes of the sword qi net that Namgung Paeng-saeng had woven.
It entered precisely into Namgung Paeng-saeng’s mouth, which was half-open.
“Cough!? Kahak!”
Namgung Paeng-saeng suddenly pulled back his sword.
His entire mouth was burning.
His scalp, armpits, and groin became damp with sweat in an instant.
His mind naturally grew dizzy from the spicy taste as if the root of his tongue was being pulled out.
Chui thought of the words Hong Gong had said in the past.
‘One who has proficiently learned this martial art is called the Towering Vessel. The blood of the Towering Vessel is like extreme poison to ordinary martial artists. Because it burns and dries up others’ internal energy that is not one’s own.’
It was literally so.
Chui’s saliva was like extreme poison.
Because, along with a terrifyingly spicy taste, it dried up others’ internal energy like a rice paddy hit by a drought.
‘Although the duration is not very long because the realm of the Towering Vessel is still low… it will still be quite shocking.’
The saliva Chui fed Namgung Yul through a kiss earlier was also based on the same principle.
“Cough! Keheck! Ugggh!?”
Namgung Paeng-saeng retreated while clutching his throat.
At that time, Chui took an unexpected action.
It was an action that no one gathered in this place had expected at all.
…*Clatter!*
Chui threw the antidote bottle at Namgung Paeng-saeng’s feet.
And then he said calmly.
“There is only this one antidote for the poison I fed you.”
Chui intended to say the rest after that.
“Choose. Whether to feed this antidote to Namgung Yul, or if you will eat it…”
However, Chui’s words were cut off midway.
“Aaaaah!”
Because Namgung Paeng-saeng picked up the antidote and immediately shoved it into his own mouth.
With his internal energy drying up minute by minute, and above all, his mouth being so incredibly spicy, he probably could not maintain his sanity at all.
However.
“……”
“……”
“……”
There was no one in the crowd who understood that point.
A bastard who greedily swallowed the only antidote that could save his niece just to save himself.
That was the gaze with which the public looked at Namgung Paeng-saeng.
…However.
“Cough!?”
The situation of Namgung Paeng-saeng, who had swallowed the antidote like that, only grew even worse.
It was spicy, his internal energy was burning away, and even breathing began to become difficult.
Namgung Paeng-saeng’s complexion died down to a darkish hue.
“……? ……? ……”
To Namgung Paeng-saeng, who raised his head with a bewildered look, Chui spoke nonchalantly.
“Just kidding.”
The opponent fell into his scheme.
The toxicity possessed by Chui’s saliva would naturally disappear within less than half a shijin.
However, the poison Namgung Paeng-saeng swallowed just now thinking it was the antidote was the famous Qiang tribe’s poison.
It was also the deadly poison Chui had used when destroying the Cao Family Manor.
In other words, what was contained in the glass bottle just now was the real trap.
‘It is over.’
Chui felt intuitively that the end of the battle was approaching.
In addition, his business at the Namgung Clan would also disappear now.
*Drrrr…*
Chui walked toward Namgung Paeng-saeng while dragging the heavy tip of the staff against the floor.
Meanwhile.
“Aaaaack!”
Namgung Paeng-saeng was suffering, shedding black tears.
It seemed nothing was visible to his bloodshot eyes.
Having been dragged around by the opponent from start to finish, and in the end getting caught in a scheme and futilely poisoned, it was natural for him to be blinded by anger.
Namgung Paeng-saeng struggled, swinging his sword toward empty space where no one was.
“Y-You cowardly bastard! Fighting so unfairly!”
“……Fairly?”
Chui laughed, raising the hexagonal iron pillar high.
Cowardice and fairness.
Was it not a joke he had heard after a truly long time.
Unrivaled Spear Ghost