Chapter v15c23

When the old man in blue mentioned his finger, Sa Ma-heun had assumed it was a metaphorical threat, a common boast among martial artists. He never imagined it would be literal.

The old man raised his right hand, extending his index finger – the one he had just used to clean his ear, a speck of earwax still clinging to it – and pointed it at one of the masked men on the second floor.

He casually twirled his finger, a playful gesture with devastating consequences.

“Huh? Wha- wha- what?”

The masked man, initially confused, let out a cry of alarm. An invisible force, generated by the old man’s twirling finger, enveloped him, constricting his movements.

“Wh-what is this…?”

His words were cut short as the old man in blue drew a large arc with his finger.

“Aaaargh!”

The targeted masked man screamed as his body flipped upside down.

With a loud crash, his head met the floor. He had learned to stand on two feet, but not on his head.

Du-chil, unable to bear the sight, turned away and squeezed his eyes shut. The sound alone suggested a gruesome outcome. He would have a lot of cleaning to do.

“H-How is this possible…?”

Sa Ma-heun, standing a short distance away, was equally baffled. But one thing was clear: the old man’s finger was responsible for this bizarre phenomenon.

The old man’s finger moved again, this time targeting a masked man on the left side of the second floor. Forewarned, the man tried to dodge.

But it was too late. The old man’s finger had already drawn an arc…

Crash!

Another loud crash echoed through the inn. The man had been helpless to resist.

“This is getting tedious.”

The old man said, stretching out his hand. His index finger was still extended. He swirled it around, as if stirring a cauldron.

“Uh… uh… uh…”

Confused cries erupted from the masked men. They were caught in an invisible current, a powerful force that swept them off their feet. They were like boats adrift in a raging torrent.

“Could this be…?”

Sa Ma-heun’s mind raced. He had dismissed it as impossible, but now he couldn’t deny the evidence.

“Is this the Drifting Formless Qi?”

The unique energy flow that preceded the Drifting Formless Sword Art.

“You’re a sharp one!”

The old man said, his voice laced with amusement. But Sa Ma-heun was too stunned to respond. He had recognized the old man.

“Do-seong… Ha-hu Sik…”

There was only one man in the martial world who could manipulate Qi with such mastery. But why was he here, in this humble inn, eating a meal? And at this particular moment?

Sa Ma-heun quickly recovered from his shock. He barked out an order.

“Form the Ten Thousand Catties Sword Wing Formation!”

The men in black, on both floors, converged around a central point, forming a wing-shaped formation, their left hands on the backs of the men in front of them, their right hands gripping their swords.

“Activate!”

With a shout, their feet slammed into the floor, creating a web of cracks that radiated outward.

“Hmm? Hmm? Hmm? What’s this?”

Do-seong was surprised. The masked men were resisting his Qi manipulation. He swirled his finger, but they stood firm, like trees rooted in the ground. They were combining their strength to resist his power.

“Hmm… a group Ten Thousand Catties Technique?”

He muttered, recognizing the technique. Sa Ma-heun nodded.

“That’s right. It’s an impenetrable formation that combines the Ten Thousand Catties Technique of each individual to create an immense weight. Your Drifting Formless Qi won’t work against it!”

The three squads of the Extinction Squad had been specifically trained to counter Do-seong Ha-hu Sik.

“Won’t work? We’ll see about that.”

Do-seong said quietly. He wouldn’t be called “Do-seong” if he were easily defeated.

“Sand is still sand, even when it’s clumped together. It can never become a rock. That was a fun little trick. But the game is over.”

He focused his mind on his index finger, drawing a large circle with his arm. His internal energy surged, swirling around his fingertip.

His inner universe spun, its axis aligned with his spirit.

Drifting Formless Qi, Secret Technique:

Spiral Dragon Whirlwind!

With a flick of his wrist, a powerful whirlwind erupted from his fingertip, sweeping across the inn, engulfing the men in black on both floors. It was a miniature disaster, indiscriminate and unstoppable.

The Ten Thousand Catties Sword Wing Formation, Sa Ma-heun’s pride and joy, shattered like glass. The aftermath was a scene of chaos and destruction.

“H-How is this possible…? The Sword Wing Formation… destroyed so easily…?”

Sa Ma-heun muttered, his voice filled with disbelief.

There were surprisingly few casualties – Do-seong had clearly held back – but many were injured. Sa Ma-heun was devastated. His secret weapon had been neutralized so easily. He was also battered and bruised, his body slammed against the walls and furniture by the whirlwind. Fear gripped him as he witnessed the old man’s power. He knew he couldn’t win.

He chose the next best option.

[We… we can’t win like this. Take that woman hostage!]

He sent a telepathic message to his subordinates on the first floor. He had chosen her because she seemed the weakest of the three, and the youngest.

His subordinates moved to obey.

A sword flashed towards the middle-aged woman’s head. The two old men didn’t seem to notice.

Or rather, they didn’t care. It was a pointless effort. Her power wasn’t limited to her bottomless stomach.

“Huh? Kyaa!”

The woman let out a perfunctory scream, twisting her head slightly to avoid the sword. Then, without missing a beat, she reached out with her chopsticks – she hadn’t let go of them since the food arrived – and caught the tip of the blade.

The sword stopped dead in its tracks. Its murderous aura vanished, neutralized by a pair of wooden chopsticks.

“N-No way!”

The swordsman exclaimed, his face pale with shock. He thought he must be dreaming. He had been sleep-deprived from the past few days of pursuit.

But this was no dream.

The woman held up her index finger. The swordsman flinched, but nothing happened.

She wagged her finger at him.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Bad boy! Only naughty children resort to sneak attacks! And to fail so miserably… how embarrassing.”

“Eep!”

The swordsman struggled to free his sword, but it was no use. It was stuck fast.

“It’s futile.”

A frosty aura enveloped the blade.

“Not only did you attack me, but you interrupted my meal! I can forgive the former, but not the latter.”

Snap!

She snapped the blade in two with her chopsticks.

She looked at the broken pieces, her face impassive.

“This isn’t edible.”

Ignoring someone’s comment that she could probably eat it, she flicked her wrist, sending the broken pieces flying.

A series of screams followed the trajectory of the shards.

The woman resumed eating, her face calm.

“Oh dear, I didn’t want any trouble…”

The old man in white said, sighing.

“Don’t you think you should act your age? It’s unbecoming of a master to brawl with children! Just send them away.”

He said, casually swinging his branch.

His movements were effortless, almost lazy. There was no flashy display of sword energy, no starry spectacle. It was simple, almost boring. But the effect was undeniable.

None of the masked men’s weapons could touch his branch. They couldn’t even scratch it.

It was no surprise, since he wasn’t even clashing blades with them. He was simply tapping their foreheads and heads with his branch, sending them collapsing like rag dolls. He wasn’t killing them. Resistance was futile. But they kept coming, their persistence admirable.

“I don’t want to see any bloodshed.”

He said, swinging his branch, “Galaxy,” again. His sword intent, invisible but potent, swept across the inn.