Chapter 145: Baek Seojun (2)

The method of countering martial arts wasn’t much different from breaking the 108 Arhat Formation he had accomplished before.

However, while the 108 Arhat Formation was relatively easy to disrupt because 108 people moved as one, martial arts were much more difficult.

First, the workings of martial arts occurred within the martial artist’s body.

Interfering with that? If that were possible, you could just twist their qi and blood. They’d collapse coughing blood.

But unless there was a massive gap in skill, that kind of interference proved impossible. In martial arts, you had to unravel results that were already set in motion.

To achieve this, Seojun broke martial arts down into three core elements:

Form, Intent, and Qi.

Form was the technique’s physical manifestation.

How you gripped the sword, where you stepped, how the blade carved through air, the seamless flow into the next movement.

Every action the body took, Seojun classified all of it as Form.

Next was Qi.

This was equally straightforward. Every effect generated through qi.

The circulation of qi between pressure points, the radiating sword qi, the force that reinforced the body, and countless other applications of qi arts.

Everything accomplished with qi.

Intent was different.

Intent is the bridge connecting Form and Qi, the overarching will that runs through a martial art.

If Form and Qi built the skeleton of a martial art, then Intent breathed life into it, transforming scattered elements into true martial arts.

This made perfect sense.

In battle, countless moves clashed with infinite possibilities emerging from every exchange.

How could anyone handle such complexity by memorizing Form and Qi alone?

Intent was the answer.

If a grand will penetrated the martial art, you could follow that Intent through any scenario.

This explained why advanced martial arts manuals grew increasingly cryptic, filled with mystical phrases that seemed to grasp at clouds.

Intent, once absorbed by the body, settled into the mind as mental imagery. Only when all three elements harmonized could a martial artist truly utilize their art.

Form, Intent, and Qi.

Among these, Seojun relied primarily on Intent and Qi when countering enemy martial arts.

For Ju Cheoryak’s Heavenly Sun Emperor Supreme Fire Divine Art, its Form was essentially swordsmanship.

Seojun wasn’t particularly confident in swordsmanship anyway.

He quickly abandoned that approach.

Next came Qi.

Manifesting suns through inner energy, channeling overwhelming power—all of that fell under Qi.

Finally, Intent, the bridge connecting the two.

The mental imagery driving the Heavenly Sun Emperor Supreme Fire Divine Art.

Having observed it repeatedly, he could infer Qi’s workings through Intent, then reverse-engineer Intent from Qi’s manifestations, allowing him to grasp most of the martial art’s essence.

With everything except Form laid bare, he could deduce Form as well.

Then it became simple. Just twist what he could see.

Ju Cheoryak’s tendency toward brute-force applications made it even easier.

Now I can definitely take him down within three moves.

Seojun moved through the Imperial residence with such confidence, as if he owned the place.

The defenses were decent enough, but ultimately this was just a courtyard house.

Nothing that could handle his Shadowless Under the Moonlight.

He calmly tracked Ju Cheoryak’s presence through the building.

Finding that qi signature proved effortless.

Seven stories, maybe?

A towering structure that made him wonder how they’d even built it.

Seojun bloomed plum blossoms beneath his feet, leaped three times, then hung upside down from the roof to observe the scene below.

“That insolent bastard…!”

Ju Cheoryak was drunkenly wreaking havoc.

Actually, looking closer, he wasn’t drunk at all.

Though alcohol had clearly gone down his throat, his rage-fueled inner power racing through his system seemed to have burned away every trace of intoxication.

“General, please don’t be like this…”

The women beside him smiled forcedly, trying to calm him.

“Shut up! What would a whore know!”

But they could only fall silent at his outburst.

A few more words and their heads might be crushed beneath his palms.

Clicking his tongue, Ju Cheoryak drank straight from the bottle.

Like that, drink, rage, drink again. As if throwing tantrums served as drinking snacks, the rampaging Ju Cheoryak emptied his final bottle and threw the women onto the bed.

Truly wine, women, and song. Or perhaps booze, bitches, and belligerence?¹

Oh… didn’t expect murim porn.

Time passed quickly as he admiringly watched the man handle four women simultaneously.

If he were to leave a one-line review…

As expected of a Transcendent (Climax) Realm master!

His skill in guiding the women beyond their limits was no ordinary feat. The sight of the women reaching transcendence (climax) and rolling back their eyes was quite impressive.

After considerable time, Ju Cheoryak left the unconscious women and got off the bed.

Naked, he leaned against the railing and began muttering while looking outside.

Seojun scratched his head watching this.

Should I just leave him alone?

He didn’t seem to have recovered from qi deviation yet, so he might self-destruct if left alone.

“…That bitch…”

Suddenly, killing intent surged from Ju Cheoryak.

“Said she was his master… They must be close. If I kidnap her…”

Ju Cheoryak muttered despairingly, suppressing his rising anger with wavering drunkenness.

He knew that he had no chance of beating Heaven-reaching True Qi again.

Unless he uncovered the secret of that counter technique, defeating him head-on was impossible.

Even if he could win, the backlash would be too severe after already losing the duel.

He couldn’t do it openly.

Then what?

That Geum Clan daughter. She was merely Peak Realm with only Heaven-reaching True Qi as backing.

If he captured her, wouldn’t Heaven-reaching True Qi be unable to act carelessly?

While planning like a man possessed, a cold wind blew.

Having undergone Body Rebirth, his body had achieved near-immunity to heat and cold. A mere spring breeze like this couldn’t possibly make him feel cold.

Ju Cheoryak turned his stiffly frozen neck at the eerie sensation.

“W-who…”

A sharp killing intent carved into his bones, his heart turned to ice, every beat heavy and slow.

Ju Cheoryak swallowed dryly, meeting the man’s eyes.

“…How dare you! Do you know where this is!”

Even when shouted at, the man showed no reaction. He simply gazed at Ju Cheoryak with eyes colder than the northern wind and snow.

Overwhelming.

The man before him gave off the aura of an Emperor.

A ruler sitting on the throne above all others, looking down at the people beneath his feet.

No, that was wrong. This wasn’t such a gentle existence.

This being regarded everyone beneath his gaze as insects, a predator who stood alone at the top.

“Kugh…!”

Without even a stitch of clothing, Ju Cheoryak trembled in the approaching cold.

The man watched him indifferently, then casually kicked the sword at his feet.

“What…”

Ju Cheoryak caught the sword, his eyes trembling. The man spoke.

“Draw it.”

He carefully drew his sword while observing the man.

His own reflection appeared on the blade’s surface. A naked man. An ugly sight.

His mind snapped awake as killing intent settled in his eyes.

“Whatever you are thinking, you shall regret it!”

The man before him was undoubtedly overwhelming.

Though he didn’t know what realm he’d reached, there was something about a person’s entire presence.

Just how miserable must he look in those arrogant eyes?

Even so.

This was Henan. Just three moves. He only needed to endure that long.

No matter how strong this man was, he couldn’t defeat him within three moves.

“HYAAAH…!”

Ju Cheoryak forced his suppressed fear into his sword and swung with all he had.

CRACKLE!

Massive flames erupted, burning the world as they bloomed. A single strike unleashed with the intent to consume the entire building.

Against this inferno, the man casually extended his hand.

FREEZE!

The flames crystallized mid-blaze. Fire turned solid while still burning, blazing cold in their frozen form.

“Impossible…!”

Recoiling in shock, he realized someone capable of such impossible feats, the identity of the one wielding that distinctive ice art was obvious.

“North Sea Ice Palace Lord…! Why is the Palace Lord in Henan…!”

The man didn’t spare him a glance. Behind him, four women lay unconscious on the bed. Looking at them, he tilted his head in displeasure.

“You know not how to cherish the women you bed.”

“…They are mere courtesans.”

They would have burned to death in his flames if the man hadn’t intervened, but why care about mere courtesans?

Ju Cheoryak bought time while watching the man’s mood.

The man wouldn’t humor him.

He immediately glided forward and reached out.

“Damn it!”

Ju Cheoryak twisted desperately and swung with full force.

If this man were truly the North Sea Ice Palace Lord, it would be over the moment that hand touched him.

But if he could just avoid that hand… what a tremendous achievement that would be.

If Shaolin’s Abbot arrived to support him, they might capture the North Sea Ice Palace Lord here.

If that happened, he could atone for his transgression, restore the Imperial Family’s honor, and his own honor as well.

“I am…! The Heavenly Yang Great General…!”

Ju Cheoryak unleashed everything. Even drawing upon his innate true qi.

A massive fire demon rose as if to touch the heavens, painting the night sky with untimely sunset hues.

Against this ferocious strike, the man swept his hand once more.

CLANG!

That simple gesture sent Ju Cheoryak’s sword flying. The flames that had threatened to consume the entire building froze solid in an instant.

Ju Cheoryak gritted his teeth. I can endure this. Repeating this mantra, he brought down his deflected sword with all his might.

However.

“Ah…”

The man appeared right before his eyes.

Before he could even react, that hand touched his chest.

“N-no, don’t…!”

Ju Cheoryak squeezed out every ounce of strength, trying to move his stiffening body.

CRACK!

But his movements only grew slower. Eventually, most of his body froze solid, unable to move even a single fingertip.

Ju Cheoryak, his eyes filled with terror, barely managed to move his head, looking at the man.

The man met his gaze with indifferent eyes. Then his mouth stretched into a grotesquely wide grin.

“Heh…”

The man covered his face with his hand.

When he lowered it, a completely different face appeared.

“You… you are…!”

Ju Cheoryak’s eyes bulged. Blood vessels burst across his body, his bloodshot eyes turning crimson.

Qi deviation.

Blood flowed from seven orifices as he glared at the man.

“Heaven-reaching True Qiiii…!! You fucking bastard…! How dare…! HOW DARE YOUUU…!!!”

“This time, stay dead for real.”

CRACK!

As Seojun grinned wickedly, Ju Cheoryak’s screams cut off.

A perfect ice statue, breath completely snuffed out.

The final moment was captured in vivid detail, the expression of one who died hating the person before him.

“Even when I try to spare the bastard, he goes and digs his own grave.”

Seojun patted his shoulder and walked among the frozen flames.

The courtesans still hadn’t awakened. He had struck their pressure points during the fight to make them sleep.

After observing them briefly, Seojun moved to the window. His hair fluttered in the night breeze.

Leaning against the window frame and looking outside, the streets were unusually noisy for such a late hour.

Martial artists were converging from all directions.

Looking down at them, Seojun chuckled.

“Let’s see, now how should I make my escape?”

There were plenty of ways.