Chapter 4: Black sword jincheonwoo

‘Are these guys crazy?’

The Black Fiend Sword, Jincheon-woo, had a thick vein throbbing on his temple.

‘It’s already infuriating that they’re stubbornly staying, but what? They want us to leave the food?’

He thought for a moment that he had misheard.

‘Could they be martial artists?’

The scabbard at their waist.

Though their attire was shabby, looking at them now, the possibility of them being martial artists couldn’t be ruled out.

He wanted to beat them to a pulp right then and there, but…

Isn’t there an adage in the martial world to be wary of elders, children, and women?

But for an armed woman and a boy to be sitting together, honestly, it was too suspicious.

More than anything, their attitude was completely insane.

Countless people were wetting their pants in this ominous atmosphere.

Yet, they were so brazen?

It was one of two possibilities.

They had something to rely on.

Or they were just utterly insane.

Jincheon-woo glared at Cheong-un with piercing eyes.

To survive in the martial world, one had to be quick-witted.

The fact that he had survived in the martial world until now was proof that Jincheon-woo had long relied on his quick wits.

His instincts were ringing an alarm bell.

First, he needed to reveal his identity and explain the situation.

Therefore, Jincheon-woo cleared his throat, “Ahem! Ahem!” and shouted.

“I am Jincheon-woo, the Black Fiend Sword.

I am here under the command of the Blood Affinity Pavilion Lord to eliminate traitors, so I would appreciate it if outsiders would step aside for a moment.”

Jincheon-woo was well-versed in situations like this.

Thus, he expected that if he spoke with such courtesy, they would also appropriately vacate the premises.

Refusing to move now would be a declaration of hostility against the Blood Affinity Pavilion.

However, despite his shout, the two showed no significant reaction.

Instead, they were calmly eating their food and chatting.

“Tsk, tsk, Blood Affinity Pavilion? Oh, that intelligence organization?”

“Does Great Hero Cheong-un know about them too?”

“Roughly.

Now that you mention traitors, I remember.

So, those are the guys who stole the martial arts manual and ran off?”

Intrigue always lurked in the martial world.

To prevent this, most renowned sects operated their own intelligence organizations, and among them, the Blood Affinity Pavilion was considered a considerably large force.

Cheong-un, who had sunk a whopping 20,000 hours into the game, couldn’t possibly not know that name.

Cheong-un asked Jincheon-woo with an unenthusiastic expression.

“Hey, mister, you’re part of the Blood Dragon Unit, right?”

“What?”

“Seeing you taking the lead, I guess you’re probably the Blood Dragon Unit Leader?”

Jincheon-woo was dumbfounded.

This was because he was indeed a member of the Blood Dragon Unit, which could be called the elite assassination force of the Blood Affinity Pavilion.

“Was the Pavilion Lord’s name Wi Yeong-hwa?”

“It’s Blood Affinity Sword Venerable, but……”

“No, did anyone ask for a title? I’m asking for their real name.”

“Th-that’s right.”

Jincheon-woo felt his face flush.

His pride as the Blood Dragon Unit Leader, his anger, and the intense sense of unease he felt from the boy clashed, and the latter won.

The reason he had survived in the martial world, where one could get stabbed if they made a single wrong move, was because he was exceptionally quick-witted.

‘Damn it, could he be a master?’

To casually mention the Pavilion Lord’s esteemed name?

It was an act no one would dare unless they had immense courage.

Moreover, for some reason, he knew the inner workings of the Blood Affinity Pavilion inside and out.

He didn’t know who this person was, but if he messed with them without knowing their true identity, he might end up regretting it.

As he was deep in thought, a man among the four martial artists who had drawn their swords and were on guard in the corner shouted resonantly.

“Young Hero! Please help us!

That man is a truly vicious fiend from the unorthodox sects who preys on honest people!

The martial arts manual he supposedly stole wasn’t originally theirs!

We were merely reclaiming what was taken from us!”

At his words, Jincheon-woo scoffed as if it were ridiculous.

“Damn it! He’s spouting nonsense!

What do you mean ‘taken’ when you sold it for a fair price?!”

“You wicked wretch!

You used all sorts of vile tricks to threaten us into selling the manual, and now you talk about a ‘fair price’?!”

“You’re spouting nonsense.

You won’t be leaving here alive today!”

“No more talk!

Let’s end this here and now!”

“Fine!”

They circled each other, creating a standoff around the table where Cheong-un and Namgoong Yul were seated.

A fierce standoff continued, with them drawing their weapons and glaring at each other, but no one dared to act rashly, unsure what calamity might befall them if they provoked the unknown boy.

Jincheon-woo, who had been about to step forward, looked at Cheong-un with an awkward expression.

If they continued to hold out like this, they would inevitably ruin the boy’s meal.

Unable to bear it any longer, Jincheon-woo irritably spoke to Cheong-un.

“Ahem! Excuse me.”

“What now?”

“The path is narrow, so could you perhaps move aside?”

“Move? Why should I?

Can’t you see I’m eating?”

“You could eat at another inn, couldn’t you?”

There were inns everywhere.

There was no need to insist on this particular place.

Of course, Cheong-un thought differently.

“Ha! Then what about the food I’ve already paid for?”

“That…”

“What about the leftover food?

What about the mental distress of having to leave perfectly good food behind?

What about my time and effort wasted looking for another inn?

What if I find another inn and it’s not as good?

Or more expensive?

Or there’s no seating?”

“Well, that’s…”

“This guy’s ridiculous.

Look, would you like it if you were quietly eating and suddenly got kicked out?

Especially on a very special day?”

“Was it a special day?”

“No? Not really?”

“…”

Damn it.

Then why did he add the premise of a special day?

“Anyway! I was enjoying a meal on such a special day, and suddenly a bunch of unpleasant-looking people burst in, ruining my appetite?

And what?

Threatening to poop right in front of me if I don’t leave immediately?”

“I never said such a thing!”

“Didn’t you?

Is the ‘poop’ coming from your mouth not poop?”

It was a description full of malicious distortion, so Jincheon-woo tried to explain, but Cheong-un’s mouth was already spewing words at lightning speed, as if a motor were attached.

“Thanks to you, my appetite’s completely gone.”

“That…”

“Did I get indigestion from seeing such a disgusting sight?

My stomach feels unwell too?

How are you going to take responsibility for this?”

“What do you mean…”

“Oh, damn it, now whenever I pass near an inn, I’ll remember today, won’t I?

No, from now on, your face will pop into my mind, and I won’t be able to eat freely.

Won’t I just waste away and eventually die of malnutrition?

Wait.

Then you’ll be as good as having killed me!”

“That seems a bit too far-fetched…”

“I felt my life was threatened.

Take responsibility.

Compensate me.”

Jincheon-woo was amazed by Cheong-un’s natural logical leaps, flowing like water.

What kind of lunatic was this?

His tongue was so nimble, it left him utterly speechless.

To turn someone into a murderous maniac just for asking them to move aside!

He had seen all sorts of lunatics roaming the martial world, but he could confidently say that Cheong-un was by far the most insane among them.

“Fuuuuuck!”

At that point, Jincheon-woo’s patience had already reached its limit.

No matter how cautious he usually was, he wasn’t so devoid of pride that he would endure this.

Even if he lost, it didn’t matter.

The sense of impending crisis felt in one’s skin was distinctly different between ‘I might lose’ and ‘I might lose my life.’

At the very least, Jincheon-woo didn’t feel like he would lose his life here.

More importantly, Jincheon-woo was confident he could preserve his own life.

They had more people.

It was a fight they could win.

It was at that moment, as he channeled his internal energy with such thoughts.

Cheong-un’s eyes glowed a vivid blue, scattering his inner light.

It was the realm of ‘Manifestation of Intent’ (意氣發現), where one could materialize ‘qi’ through sheer will alone.

!!!

Soon, a terrifying aura began to press down on them.

A viscous killing intent weighed heavily on Jincheon-woo and the other men.

Jincheon-woo, looking at Cheong-un, felt goosebumps erupt all over his body.

‘Damn it! He’s a master!’

Just being pressed by his killing intent made his mouth parched and his breathing labored.

He couldn’t even dare to hold his head high against the immense aura flowing from Cheong-un’s entire body.

Then Cheong-un’s lips parted.

“I felt it again.

A threat to my life.”

Jincheon-woo was not a demonic cultist.

Nevertheless, the reason Cheong-un could unleash such internal energy was that his dantian was currently filled with it.

How was such a thing possible?

The secret lay in the moment Cheong-un first saved Namgoong Yul, when he subdued Sa Woon-cheon of the Black Forest Gate or whatever it was called.

When he encountered Sa Woon-cheon, a demonic cultist, Cheong-un’s unique characteristic ‘Down with the Demonic Cult!’ manifested, and one of its effects, ‘Empty Spirit Body’ (空靈之體), was activated.

The Empty Spirit Body was a special constitution that allowed one to directly absorb the natural qi of the world.

At that time, Cheong-un had stored as much natural qi from all directions as possible in his dantian through the ‘Accumulate One Dantian Art’ (蓄一丹田功).

This was only possible for Cheong-un, whose various stats, including his qi perception, were abnormally high.

Of course, the natural qi crammed into his dantian was distinctly different from true internal energy.

True internal energy was the pure essence refined within the body through decades of arduous qi accumulation, whereas Cheong-un’s was merely temporarily stored natural qi.

It leaked away like water once used, and its operational efficiency was utterly pathetic.

But it was fine.

Because it was more than enough for someone like Jincheon-woo.

Meanwhile, Jincheon-woo, sweating coldly, asked Cheong-un.

“Wh-which esteemed master are you from?”

“Why do those unorthodox sect fellows all sound the same?”

Jincheon-woo gasped, “H-hiek!” and immediately knelt.

“I apologize for my disrespect in not recognizing an esteemed master!

Please, in your great generosity, forgive me!”

“Generosity? Why should I?

Is this ordinary disrespect?

You almost killed me just now, didn’t you?”

Jincheon-woo’s throat constricted with injustice, but he kept his mouth shut and bowed his head.

Indeed, he was the one who had drawn his sword first, and in the martial world, the strongest one ultimately held the power.

If he provoked such a lunatic’s temper wrongly, he’d be sent straight to the afterlife.

“Just spare my life!

I will compensate you for all the damage incurred!”

“Really? Then hand it over.”

“Wh-what do you mean?”

Jincheon-woo blinked foolishly.

Seeing him, Cheong-un sneered.

“What do you mean?

Money, of course.

And hand over your clothes too.

You see my current state, don’t you?

I look like a complete beggar because of you.”

“No, why is that my fault?!

Your attire was already that of a beggar…”

“Talking back?”

“H-hiek!”

Namgoong Yul, who had been quietly observing them, thought.

‘…This must also be a side effect of living for so long in isolation.’