Heaven-Defying Hero - Chapter 8
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#008
“Little Brother!”
“Hello, Jinmyeong Jinrin.”
Ja-gang-cheon’s expression brightened as if he had performed a face-changing act.
Seeing that smile made the previous incident feel like a mere prank.
“Little Brother. I’ll thank you properly later. Can you take this child to a safe place?”
Jinmyeong was greatly surprised that Ja-gang-cheon had blocked the Black-Handed Villain’s strike, but he had no time to ask about it.
“Yes. I’ll be back quickly, so don’t get hurt.”
While Ja-gang-cheon was leaving, the Black-Handed Villain picked up the Bloodletter Sect blade that was embedded in the ground.
Sring!
This time, Jinmyeong was the first to thrust his sword toward the Black-Handed Villain.
Clang!
As sparks flew from the collision of metal, complex noises echoed from another location.
Boom!
Jinmyeong, who glanced in that direction, gritted his teeth.
“Gwimyeon Ssangssal has joined hands with you.”
The Shandong Demons, Gwimyeon Ssangssal.
Twin brothers in their sixties who committed evil deeds throughout the Shandong Region.
Their actions were so cruel and their martial arts so strong that righteous martial artists extremely avoided them, and especially the twins’ coordinated attacks were so mysterious that even renowned martial arts masters dared not face them.
Such people had suddenly appeared and were pressuring Unseong Jinrin, Jinmyeong’s mentor.
‘This is not good.’
As he had that thought, a voice filled with deep mockery was heard.
“Don’t worry. You’ll cross the Gates of Hell alongside your mentor.”
The Black-Handed Villain was also a recognized master in the Demonic Sect.
He was not at a level that Jinmyeong, who had just turned twenty, could handle.
“If I have any lingering resentment, my brothers from the Shamans will resolve it. I have no regrets.”
Clang clang!
Jinmyeong charged toward the Black-Handed Villain who held his Bloodletter Sect blade at an angle.
At the same time.
Ja-gang-cheon, carrying the young boy in both arms, quickly crossed through the forest.
‘One person.’
Someone was following them. Judging by how well they kept up, they were quite skilled.
“Wait here.”
Ja-gang-cheon spotted a large tree and ran straight toward it.
Thud!
His body, stepping on the tree, instantly soared into the air.
After setting the young boy down on a thick branch, he placed his index finger in front of his lips.
“Shh.”
Shortly after,
A person arrived beneath the tree where they had disappeared.
The black-clothed man in his mid-forties cautiously surveyed the surroundings.
He had realized that the presence had disappeared here.
Then, Ja-gang-cheon jumped down from the tree.
“Huh!”
By the time the startled black-clothed man gasped, Ja-gang-cheon’s foot was already falling toward his head.
However, the middle-aged man instead threw a punch, striking upward at Ja-gang-cheon’s sole.
Bang!
From the collision of forces, the middle-aged man’s knee buckled and he fell to the ground. But Ja-gang-cheon’s body also couldn’t overcome the force and was launched into the air.
“Huh?”
Ja-gang-cheon was also flustered since he hadn’t expected such a counterattack.
Certainly the middle-aged man had taken greater damage than himself. But it wasn’t a fatal injury.
On the other hand, their positions had switched with that one exchange.
Ja-gang-cheon was falling back down, and the middle-aged man was waiting below.
The middle-aged man quickly got up and could move freely, but Ja-gang-cheon could not.
A situation where fortunes had reversed.
Then, Ja-gang-cheon’s body swayed.
“What the…”
Anyone in mid-air would normally have restrictions on their movements, but Ja-gang-cheon was different.
His body seemed to sway, then in an instant he released his internal energy and changed direction diagonally.
The middle-aged man quickly followed and threw a palm strike.
“Die!”
Terrifying internal energy rushed toward Ja-gang-cheon’s back as he landed on the ground.
Bang!
Ja-gang-cheon’s body lost its center like thread blown by wind and flew away.
The speed was so fast that the sound of wind breaking could be heard.
But the moment he reached the giant tree that was close by, Ja-gang-cheon twisted his body, stepped on the tree with both legs, and gracefully descended to the ground.
“Ah. But this is clothes that mother made for me.”
Ja-gang-cheon stretched his neck long to check his back and complained. When he finally couldn’t confirm it with his eyes, Ja-gang-cheon took off his upper garment to check the large hole in the back.
“I can’t even get compensation for the clothes…”
When Ja-gang-cheon raised his gaze, he saw the middle-aged man with a dazed expression.
The middle-aged man, whose attack had succeeded, was looking at his own palm from which black blood was flowing.
“It’s called Dragon Scale Armor. I heard it’s famous.”
Dragon Scale Armor, one of the ten great treasures of the Martial Arts World.
It was a legendary leather armor made by weaving iron powder that absorbed internal energy with celestial silkworm thread. Not only did it absorb external impacts, but when struck hard, one would be pierced by needles between the leather layers.
Various poisons could be applied directly to the needles, and currently they were coated with the deadly poison left behind by the head of the Sichuan Tang Family when he died.
“Urgh!”
Finally the middle-aged man’s body trembled, then he collapsed foaming at the mouth. He was already dead and his skin had turned blue.
“As expected, it feels unpleasant.”
Though he felt no guilt, the instinctive uneasiness was unavoidable.
“Let’s move quickly!”
Ja-gang-cheon, who had put his clothes back on, moved busily to shake off the unpleasant feeling.
After moving the young boy from the tree to a much more distant location, he quickly gave a warning.
“Stay here quietly until I come back to find you.”
As Ja-gang-cheon turned around, the young boy urgently grabbed him.
“If you don’t come back…”
“That won’t happen.”
Ja-gang-cheon left the young boy behind and ran back toward where the fight was taking place.
***
Swish!
At the chilling sensation that grazed his shoulder, Unseong Jinrin quickly retreated and deployed a sword barrier.
Clang clang clang!
Two curved sabers that had been aiming for vital points were deflected with noise.
Though he had escaped the crisis, Unseong Jinrin had no time to catch his breath.
‘It seems I cannot avoid disaster.’
Gwimyeon Ssangssal’s martial arts were not lacking compared to their reputation. Rather, they had been underestimated due to being buried under their infamy.
Especially the combined attack that the two deployed gave Unseong Jinrin a sense of pressure he had never felt in his lifetime.
When the two were combined, they might not reach the level of the ten greatest masters of the Demonic Sect, but they could easily be counted among twenty.
‘I must save Jinmyeong.’
That was the best option he could think of.
Unseong Jinrin, who had changed his mind, suddenly turned direction and rushed toward the Black-Handed Villain who was fighting Jinmyeong.
“Myeong! Fall back!”
Clang clang clang!
Unseong Jinrin, who had pushed back the Black-Handed Villain with his experience, shouted once more toward his disciple.
“You must report the name of this villain to the Main Sect! Hurry!”
The reports sent to the Main Sect so far only mentioned the Black-Handed Villain. If both of them died like this, Gwimyeon Ssangssal would be buried in obscurity.
Though he pointed this out, Jinmyeong understood the underlying meaning.
‘At least you must survive!’
That’s what he was saying.
“I cannot do that.”
“You fool!”
“The punishment…”
Before those words could finish, Unseong Jinrin grabbed Jinmyeong’s arm and threw him backward.
“It’s an order, so go now!”
As Jinmyeong, who couldn’t bring himself to resist, disappeared between the trees, the Black-Handed Villain tried to follow.
Unseong Jinrin couldn’t let this happen. But as he blocked the Black-Handed Villain, Gwimyeon Ssangssal came at him aiming for vital points.
‘This is bad.’
The moment he thought he couldn’t buy enough time for Jinmyeong,
‘What the…’
Jinmyeong, who had been thrown away, came back again. But he wasn’t alone. Ja-gang-cheon had caught Jinmyeong in mid-air and returned with him.
Whoosh!
Jinmyeong and Ja-gang-cheon pushed off each other and split in both directions. Jinmyeong aimed for Gwimyeon Ssangssal’s vital points, while Ja-gang-cheon clashed head-on with the Black-Handed Villain.
Crack!
The Black-Handed Villain’s axe struck Ja-gang-cheon’s shoulder.
Contrary to expectations that at least one arm would be severed, the suddenly appeared young boy’s body shook once and then deflected the axe.
Thud!
The Bloodletter struck the ground.
Ja-gang-cheon’s foot flew toward the face of the Black-Handed Villain whose stance had crumbled.
As he hastily let go of the axe and protected his right face,
‘Huh?’
The expected impact didn’t reach him.
‘How?’
The Black-Handed Villain, who couldn’t imagine that the path of the extended kick would change at a right angle, drew up his protective energy.
Bang!
As Ja-gang-cheon’s heel drove into his shoulder, the Black-Handed Villain thought something was wrong.
The internal energy of a boy who looked to be in his mid-teens at most was beyond normal, and the weight behind his kicks also exceeded common sense.
Crack!
Finally, the sound of his shoulder breaking rang out. But decades of experience rolling around in the Martial Arts World wasn’t gained for nothing.
Instead of giving up his shoulder, the Black-Handed Villain struck at Ja-gang-cheon’s solar plexus.
‘I can’t let this hit me.’
This was different from the middle-aged man he had chased.
The Black-Handed Villain’s experience exceeded the level that the Dragon Scale Armor could absorb. If internal energy passed through the armor and entered his solar plexus, even Ja-gang-cheon would be in danger.
Instinctively sensing this, Ja-gang-cheon kicked the Black-Handed Villain’s fist with his free left foot.
Bang!
Using that force, Ja-gang-cheon retreated backward and created distance from the Black-Handed Villain.
‘Such body movement techniques at that age?’
Watching Ja-gang-cheon land safely, the Black-Handed Villain was inwardly greatly shocked.
The internal energy contained in his kicks was surprising, but his body movement techniques utilizing lightness skills and footwork were in no way inferior to his own.
‘Perhaps he might even be superior to me…’
He even had such thoughts.
‘Then I must kill him here.’
Even though he couldn’t use one arm and his opponent’s body movement techniques were excellent, the Black-Handed Villain didn’t think he would lose.
That was his mistake.
The fact that he wasn’t the only one thinking that way.
Clang!
At the sudden sharp sensation covering his back, the Black-Handed Villain twisted his body.
Slash!
A hot sensation was felt at his side, and his strength drained away.
As blood spurted from his deeply cut side, his mind became dizzy, and before he knew it, a cool sensation touched his neck.
Thud.
The head of the wide-eyed Black-Handed Villain fell to the ground.
“Now we just need to deal with those bastards.”
It was Unseong Jinrin.
“Leave it to us now.”
Jinmyeong and Unseong Jinrin stood side by side facing Gwimyeon Ssangssal. But Gwimyeon Ssangssal met their fierce gazes and suddenly turned around.
“Don’t chase them.”
When Jinmyeong tried to move after noticing their escape, Unseong Jinrin raised his hand to stop him.
“Right now, returning to Mudang Mountain comes first.”
Though he said that, Unseong Jinrin judged that pursuit would be disadvantageous.
‘They’ll definitely look for another chance to attack together. Their first target will be Jinmyeong.’
Gwimyeon Ssangssal wasn’t even injured, and if a situation arose where Jinmyeong faced them alone, he absolutely couldn’t win.
But if he moved together with Jinmyeong, they couldn’t keep up with Gwimyeon Ssangssal. Eventually, a long pursuit would result in Unseong Jinrin following alone.
Since this was a commonly used trap in the Martial Arts World, Unseong Jinrin gave up the pursuit.
As the situation settled, he first approached Ja-gang-cheon and cupped his fists.
It was excessive courtesy for someone so young, but he showed no hesitation.
“Thank you for your help. Thanks to you, we saved our lives.”
He didn’t diminish Ja-gang-cheon’s help in the slightest.
“Since you’re from the Wudang Sect, we’re family.”
When Unseong Jinrin looked puzzled, Jinmyeong spoke.
“The young brother’s father is from the Wudang Sect.”
“Ah! What a connection!”
Unseong Jinrin was as greatly pleased as Jinmyeong and grasped Ja-gang-cheon’s hands firmly.
“What is your father’s honored name? Which brother raised such an excellent son?”
Pleased by the praise of his father, Ja-gang-cheon answered without pretense.
“He uses the surname Ja and the characters Un and Hak.”
“Ja-un-hak?”
Unseong Jinrin tried to recall a lay disciple with the surname Ja, but nothing came to mind.
“Master. The young brother is also on his way to Mudang Mountain.”
“Ah! Then how about traveling to Mudang Mountain together?”
“No. I have a friend, so I’ll go separately. Please go ahead, you two. You have companions as well.”
Hearing this, the two asked a question they had been curious about.
“Where is that child?”
“Follow me.”
Guided by Ja-gang-cheon, they were able to safely rescue the hiding child.
“Rather than that, how about traveling together? I can’t help but feel uneasy.”
“Don’t worry. Even if those guys come back, I’m confident in running away.”
Due to his repeated refusals, Unseong Jinrin had no choice but to give up on traveling together.
“Then I’ll wait at Mudang Mountain, so please come safely.”
“Little brother. I’ll be waiting at the main temple.”
The two received Ja-gang-cheon’s bright farewell and departed on their journey.
“Let’s hurry.”
Even as Unseong Jinrin deployed his lightness skill, he thought of Ja-gang-cheon whom they had just parted from.
‘Definitely a familiar face…’
Since it wasn’t clear, he hadn’t mentioned it. But his repeated thoughts eventually overlapped with a shocking memory.
“Could it be?”
So shocked that he stopped his lightness skill, he turned around to look back.
“The name Ja-un-hak… could it refer to Unhak Saje?”
But soon he was shaking his head.
“That can’t be.”
He thought longing had played a brief trick on him.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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