Chapter v16c19

*Jin Seong-gon Im Seong-jin’s Strike*

– Father and Son –

“Are you his son?” the masked man asked, addressing Im Seong-jin, who stood blocking his path.

“I am.”

“And your sister?”

“Wouldn’t it be pitiful for a girl to have a father with a face like that?”

“You have a point!”

The masked man readily agreed, ignoring a faint curse from behind him. He continued, “You and your father should be grateful to me. The son won’t have to mourn his father’s death, and the father won’t have to endure the pain of losing his son. What a wonderful thing!”

“What do you mean?”

Im Seong-jin’s thick eyebrows furrowed beneath his sweat-drenched forehead. The masked man replied, his voice laced with a chilling coldness, “I’m going to do what Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, the three heroes of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, failed to achieve, even with their grand oath of brotherhood in the Peach Garden. Consider it an honor.”

*Did he really have to make such a simple statement so long and convoluted?* Im Seong-jin wondered, before he could even decide whether to feel honored or not. *He’s going to kill us both at the same time.*

*Starlight Beginning, was it…?*

The pain was excruciating, as if he were being branded with a red-hot iron. It was a miracle his bones hadn’t shattered. The searing pain made his mind scream, his body writhe. It took all his willpower to suppress it.

The masked man was enraged, consumed by a thirst for revenge. And he didn’t hesitate to act on it. He raised his sharpened sword and kicked off the ground with legs as strong as a mountain deer’s.

He shot forward like an arrow, closing the distance between them. He knew how to fight opponents with a longer reach.

“It’s over!”

His sword was about to pierce Im Seong-jin’s heart. But at the last moment, Im Seong-jin spun his staff with all his might.

A powerful whirlwind, generated by the staff’s rotation, deflected the sword, protecting his heart.

“Ugh!”

The masked man stumbled back, clutching his right hand and his side, his lips twisted in a grimace of pain. The whirlwind had ripped his clothes to shreds, exposing his bare skin. His hand was in an even worse state. The special gloves, made from dragon hide, renowned for their durability, were mangled beyond recognition. Blood dripped from the gashes, as if he had been mauled by a wild beast.

“I underestimated you.”

He hadn’t expected this.

“I warned you. It wouldn’t be easy to defeat me.”

“Don’t get cocky yet!” the masked man spat.

“Save those words for after you’ve blocked this attack!”

Im Seong-jin raised his staff, assuming a basic one-handed thrusting stance.

His father was watching. His father, who had always mocked his staff techniques. His father, who had said that only weaklings used staffs. He couldn’t let him down. He wouldn’t waste this opportunity.

‘Seong-jin, listen carefully.’

‘Yes, Master.’

‘I’m going to teach you our sect’s ultimate technique.’

Im Seong-jin listened with reverence.

‘Do you know what the most powerful strike is?’

His master continued, ‘The staff begins with one, and ends with one. It starts with a thrust, and ends with a thrust. The shortest, simplest attack is the strongest attack. A single strike, infused with your life force, your body, and your mind. If you can achieve that, you can unleash the ultimate strike.’

‘Yes, Master! I’ll keep that in mind.’

*’Defense is a circle, attack is a point, the flow of power is a spiral. These are the fundamentals, never forget them!’*

He had never forgotten his master’s teachings.

With a single-minded focus on striking true, he unleashed a lightning-fast thrust, infused with the power of the spiral.

The simplest, yet most powerful attack. A beam of light shot from his hand, aimed at the enemy’s center.

*Jin Seong Twelve Staffs, Ultimate Technique: One Point, Certain Hit*

The masked man was sent flying, blood spraying from his mouth, as if struck by a bolt of lightning. Nothing could withstand this attack.

“Damn it, I missed him. He’s as quick as a cockroach.”

He vanished as quickly as he had appeared, disappearing into the dense undergrowth.

Im Seong-jin, thinking about the black-clad assassin, couldn’t help but notice the similarities to a cockroach. He imagined the masked man feeling a sense of kinship whenever he saw a cockroach.

“Tsk, tsk, you’re so slow. Who did you inherit that from?”

He glared at his father, blaming him for his bulky physique.

“What’s with that look? You want to fight?”

“Are you serious? With those tree trunk arms and legs? It’s not like I chose to be slow!”

Speed was often a matter of natural talent. There was a limit to what could be achieved through training. There was a rumor of a single, unique method to overcome this limitation. But no one knew if it was true or just a tall tale.

It was called Body Transformation, the legendary art of reshaping one’s body, of rearranging one’s physical abilities. It was a realm that could only be reached through rigorous training of both body and mind. It was said that only a handful of people in the current Jianghu had achieved this level.

“Anyway, how are you feeling?”

“I’m fine! I have a few scratches, but they’re nothing. Hahaha!”

Im Deok-seong laughed heartily, showing off his wounds. His thick beard, as bristly as iron needles, swayed like a pine tree in the wind. His body was as tough as steel.

“Who asked about you?” His son retorted.

“Then what?”

“Why would I worry about someone who’s invincible? Those muscles aren’t just for show, are they? You didn’t learn the Iron Body Technique to become a snake oil salesman. I’m worried about the person you were carrying, not your indestructible steel armor.”

It was unusual for Im Deok-seong, a man known for his pride, to carry someone on his back, let alone someone who looked so young. And he had even run away, something he considered more shameful than death. Who was that person? What had happened? Im Seong-jin couldn’t help but be curious. But his reaction only annoyed his father.

“You… brat! Is that any way to talk to your father?”

He glared at his son, but Im Seong-jin ignored him, turning his head away.

“You’re the one who kicked me out. For a very stupid reason.”

His words were sharp, barbed. Even Im Deok-seong, usually oblivious to such things, felt the sting. He fell silent, sighing softly.

“To think I’d be saved by my runaway son… I’m getting old.”

“Are you finally admitting it?”

“Not yet! But are you coming back?”

Im Seong-jin flinched.

“There’s still so much I want to see and experience. The world is a vast place.”

“I see…”

Im Deok-seong’s voice was tinged with sadness. But then he said, “Work hard!”

It was an acknowledgment of his son’s choices, his life, his path. He had finally earned his father’s approval. He was finally independent.

“Th-Thank you, Father!”

Im Seong-jin said, scratching his nose, embarrassed.

“But who is that person?”

“Well, he…”

Im Deok-seong reluctantly explained the situation. Im Seong-jin was shocked to learn that his father had met the Heavenly Martial Three Saints, his idols, and had even traveled with them. Why hadn’t they thrown him in jail? It didn’t make sense.

After hearing the story, Im Seong-jin looked up at a tree.

“You can come down now. The show’s over.”

“Ah, you caught me.”

A figure jumped down from the tree.

“A father-son fight is a classic, a timeless tale. It’s quite entertaining. You don’t need physical violence to have a good fight. I appreciate the subtle nuances.”

“You… you’re…”

Im Deok-seong pointed at him, recognizing him.

“Oh, it’s the bandit! Long time no see. Are you here on business?” Bi Ryu-yeon greeted him cheerfully.

“I’m on vacation. I’m taking a break from work.”

“Vacation?”

Bi Ryu-yeon tilted his head, confused. A vacation from banditry…? It was an absurd concept.

“I’ve been working for twenty years. I deserve a break. It’s my first vacation in a long time.”

Im Deok-seong said proudly, puffing out his chest. Im Seong-jin cringed. His father was shameless.

“Are you alone?”

He suddenly remembered someone he had forgotten. Someone he had left behind!

“Oh, right! Whale!”

“Is Whale here too?”

Whale was Mo-gyeong’s other nickname.

“Damn it! I have to go. You guys take care of this. It’s probably safer here than with us. He’s still alive… I’m counting on you.”

“Wait, Father!”

But Im Deok-seong ignored his son’s pleas and ran towards the Three saints Pavilion.

Meanwhile, Mo-gyeong was lying in a pool of blood at the Three saints Pavilion, his body twitching, waiting to be rescued.

“Ugh… Brother… Hurry…”

His pale body was on the verge of death. The Grim Reaper was beckoning him from the other side.

“So, what do we do with this?”

They didn’t have much choice.

“I guess we have to carry him.” Im Seong-jin sighed. His father was a burden, not a blessing. He had been a fool to think that they could have a normal father-son relationship.

“What’s that?” Jang Hong asked when they arrived at their cave.

“Oh, this? It’s a temporary storage item.”

“It looks like a person to me.”

“It is a person.”

“Is he dead?”

The limp figure looked pitiful.

“No, he’s still alive.”

“We’re already on edge because of those silver-masked assassins. Why did you have to bring another burden?”

“Well, the Sword Saint asked me to.”

“The Sword Saint?!”

“Yeah, that’s what he said.”

He decided not to mention that it was actually a favor for the bandit leader. It was technically true that the Sword Saint had asked him to do it. It was easier this way. And it would probably be better for the patient. His treatment would be much better if people thought he was connected to the Sword Saint.