Chapter 46: Chapter 46

The party stayed in the village to help with the aftermath and to recover their minds and bodies from the battle.

Although they had rescued the detained villagers, many had already died, so there were plenty of empty houses to stay in.

Sitting in a corner of the room, Lee Byeok applied a gold sore medicine to the sword wound on his side.

He hadn't felt the pain from the wound inflicted by the leader's surprise attack, but it was more severe than he had thought.

It could have easily been a fatal wound.

However, the gold sore medicine that Wang Suyeon had packed for him before he left Flower Pavilion Village was very effective.

The faint scent was quite familiar.

‘…Is this something the Sect Leader made?’

Thanks to it, the wound was healing quickly.

Likewise, the village was quickly returning to a semblance of normalcy on the surface. The surviving villagers washed away the traces of the battle.

They buried the bodies of their families and neighbors and burned the bodies of the bandits.

They wiped the blood and flesh from their houses and fields and tried to get their lives back on track. Neither the sorrow nor the anger was prolonged.

The weight of making a living is heavy.

No matter what had happened, the surviving villagers had to continue to cultivate their fields and live on their land.

If anything, the aftermath of the battle seemed to have left a deeper scar on Lee Byeok.

The villagers called the party their saviors. Even though they had nothing left, their hospitality was extremely sincere.

But he didn't know if he deserved to receive that hospitality.

In the gazes of the villagers looking at him, Lee Byeok saw fear.

No different from the bandits.

To the villagers, a martial artist was nothing short of a potential disaster just by being nearby.

And Lee Byeok could not deny that fact.

‘I lost control of my mind.’

And when he came to his senses, he couldn't even count the number of people he had killed.

There wasn't even the same emotion as the first time.

He had become desensitized to killing. The inner demon was sealed, but at the same time, its presence there was becoming a matter of course.

If Eon Mi-hee hadn't stopped him, what would have become of him after killing all the enemies?

Once you know certain facts, you can never go back to the state before you knew them.

If he continued to roam the world and gain experience , would the day ever come when he could return to Flower Pavilion Village?

Around that time, the door opened.

It was the first time since Lee Byeok had cooped himself up in the house. The figure that entered the room with the sunlight at its back was Eon Mi-hee.

Eon Mi-hee looked down at Lee Byeok, and Lee Byeok looked up at Eon Mi-hee.

But Lee Byeok had nothing to say. There was no way he could.

Lee Byeok had swung his sword at her.

In the face of that clear fact, even saying sorry somehow felt inadequate.

Then Eon Mi-hee spoke.

“You got stabbed! I said take it off!”

Eon Mi-hee strode forward.

“Don’t lie! You’re not even eating properly! If you just give up like that, what will happen to us who followed you?!”

Grab, Eon Mi-hee grabbed Lee Byeok's clothes. She began to haphazardly undo his top.

Lee Byeok did not resist.

“…Oh, it really has healed a lot, hasn't it?”

“I have a good medicine……”

An awkward air flowed behind him. Of course, Lee Byeok, whose top had been taken off, was just as awkward.

“…S-sorry. Still, it could get infected, so we should finish up properly……?”

Eon Mi-hee took out a cloth she had brought.

As she wrapped the cloth around Lee Byeok's wound, her two arms encircled his waist.

Her touch was delicate.

Every time her hand brushed against his bare skin, Lee Byeok felt a little strange. It was a little different from the pain of the wound.

“Ahaha… it's nothing. For something .”

Her breath touched him.

Perhaps thinking the distance was too close, Eon Mi-hee’s face flushed. Whoosh, she moved away.

“B-but, Young Master, you have a lot of scars on your body. I felt it last time too……”

Lee Byeok tilted his head.

He searched his memory. Come to think of it, there was a time when he had run into her while washing himself in the stream after fighting the bandits for the first time.

“Didn’t you say you saw nothing?”

“…I’m sorry. I actually saw.”

Lee Byeok let out a small laugh.

Ahaha, Eon Mi-hee laughed back.

“That was Old Master Go's martial art, wasn't it?”

And then Eon Mi-hee spoke.

Her eye for martial arts was extraordinary. There was no use denying it. Lee Byeok nodded his head.

“…I see. Not only enhanced qi, but also using a completely different internal energy with a sword art you’ve only learned for about fifteen days. The more I get to know you, Young Master, the more you defy common sense.”

“I won't ask how such a thing is possible. To be honest, I'm incredibly curious, but……”

Eon Mi-hee scratched her cheek.

It was a very grateful consideration. It was a part that Lee Byeok himself didn't understand well enough to explain.

Suddenly, Eon Mi-hee sighed.

“Anyway, I'm relieved. I thought you were so depressed that you'd given up on everything and were holed up……”

“It's not like that. It's just……”

Somehow, the situation was not unfamiliar.

Lee Byeok was suddenly reminded of Jaegal Somi.

“Anyway… we’ve both got a lot of blood on our hands. Even if it’s the blood of villains, the color isn’t different. But since this is the path we’ve chosen, we have no choice but to keep going, right?”

Eon Mi-hee spoke in a deliberately bright voice.

Of course, there was no disagreement.

In any case, there was no turning back, and there was nothing to be gained by staying in this village for a long time.

“The wound has healed enough, so I think it would be fine to leave this place tomorrow.”

“I-I see. Then please rest.”

Eon Mi-hee stood up from her seat.

She hurried towards the door, then suddenly stopped and turned back.

“Um, Young Master, this might be nosy of me, but… at least while I'm here, don't worry.”

“Well… if your head gets strange again. I can always give you a headbutt.”

Ahaha, Eon Mi-hee laughed again.

He had been headbutted by Eon Mi-hee. It had, surprisingly, been decisively helpful in regaining his composure.

“That's reassuring. Thank you.”

“Pardon? Oh, I was joking……”

“A-anyway. And if possible, please show your face to the other two as well. They're all worried.”

Lee Byeok thought of Gongson Su and Pa Jin-seong. The word ‘worry’ somehow didn't seem to fit the two of them.

Eon Mi-hee let out a small laugh.

“Well, they are worried… but they're too scared to come themselves, so they asked me to pass on their regards.”

The Azure Sea Twelve Swords were like a turbulent wave.

When it seemed to advance, it retreated, and when it seemed to retreat, it advanced. At its core lay a complementary understanding of speed and change.

Lee Byeok drew a similar sword.

The subtleties of the Azure River Sword Style's Sword-Drawing Form, 'Swift,' and the Sword-Withdrawal Form, 'Change,' alternately embroidered the air. Google seaʀᴄh novel⦿fire.net

Speed with more speed.

Change with more change.

Soon, cold sweat began to flow down Pa Jin-seong's forehead. But he was roughly keeping up with the flow of the Azure River Sword Style.

Lee Byeok was reminded of Maeng U-gang.

Putting aside the internal energy he possessed and its application, and looking purely at the techniques, Pa Jin-seong's understanding was definitely higher. If so.

Along with the previous two subtleties, Lee Byeok mixed in the subtleties of the Sword-Drawing Form, 'Straight,' and the Sword-Withdrawal Form, 'Curve.'

As Lee Byeok's sword unfolded the four subtleties in alternation, Pa Jin-seong's sword quickly began to crumble.

At that moment, a dagger flew like a shadow through Pa Jin-seong's wavering sword formation.

Lee Byeok's sword deflected the dagger.

Ping-geureureu, deop-seok.

In the meantime, Gongson Su, who had blocked Pa Jin-seong's front, snatched the spinning dagger from the air.

A pair of daggers intertwined.

The two daggers, thrown and retrieved from Gongson Su's hands, were quite grotesque.

As a martial art intended for assassination rather than direct confrontation in the first place, it was on a different level from existing subtleties.

It was unpredictable where they would come from, and the stealth was further maximized through the unique footwork of the Dark Shadow Pavilion.

It was quite interesting.

It was a type of martial art that Lee Byeok, and the Seonwoo Clan's martial arts, did not possess.

However, as a martial art that maximized stealth, its limitations were also clear when blocking from the front as it was now.

As Lee Byeok's sword unleashed the subtlety of 'Strong,' the daggers crossed and blocked the sword.

But unable to overcome the pressing force, one of her knees touched the ground.

At that moment, Pa Jin-seong thrust his sword again.

The combination of the two was certainly a good match.

The intersection of boldness and stealth was not easy for even Lee Byeok to face simultaneously.

But for that very reason, the way to break it was also clear.

Instead of facing them at the same time, he would strike their weaknesses one by one and definitively break them.

While Lee Byeok's and Pa Jin-seong's swords were entangled, Gongson Su tried to regain her momentum again.

He had no intention of letting that happen. At that moment, Lee Byeok kicked the kneeling Gongson Su.

As if she had never expected an attack other than a sword from Lee Byeok, Gongson Su's body flew into the air.

Pa Jin-seong, who had been unconsciously expecting her assassination attempt, let out a deflated sound.

Naturally, an opening appeared.

[Azure River Flowing Leaf Sword Style: Second Form of the Sword-Drawing Style: Swift Sword]

Lee Byeok's sword shot towards a single point. The sword, which advanced with extreme speed, was aimed at Pa Jin-seong's throat.

“…Haa, we lost again.”

Gongson Su, who had landed some distance away, let out a dejected sigh while clutching her stomach.

“But that's too much, Orabeoni. To kick a delicate girl's stomach. I was a little hurt~”

“Kehe, it seems there's no chance even if we attack together. What are you? A monster? This is driving me crazy, for real. Kehehe!”

But contrary to their words, satisfied smiles were on both of their faces.

Although they were each called promising talents in their own right, the more they faced Lee Byeok, the more they keenly felt that they had been frogs in a well.

It wasn't a very good feeling, but it was much better than not knowing their own weakness.

“Is that it for today?”

“No, one more time. Please.”

Gongson Su stood up, staggering.

No matter how promising a prospect one was, the opportunity to receive personal instruction from a Peak Master was by no means a light one.

But since leaving the village, thanks to Lee Byeok, they had been accumulating such experiences every day.

Naturally, it was a series of awakenings, and they could feel their skills improving day by day.

The two of them burned with enthusiasm.

Whatever the case, the two were martial artists, and they became endlessly serious in front of martial arts.

Lee Byeok also responded seriously.

Throughout their journey to Hunan Province, Lee Byeok continued to spar with the two, and sometimes with Eon Mi-hee.

It started about three days after they left the village.

For the first few days, a subtle awkwardness flowed between the party members.

Although they pretended to be fine, the other two, besides Eon Mi-hee, seemed to feel an unprecedented distance from Lee Byeok.

Naturally, conversations became shorter, and the party rode their horses in their own thoughts.

Then, one day, Gongson Su suddenly approached Lee Byeok with a hardened face.

“Orabeoni, I have a favor to ask.”

Determination could be felt in her expression.

But he couldn't quickly understand the meaning. When Lee Byeok asked for an explanation, Gongson Su slowly continued.

“…I'll be honest. The plan I made has gone quite awry. Very much so.”

“For a mere bandit to be a Peak Master, no matter how I think about it, it's something that shouldn't be possible.”

“Perhaps. If it's not simply a bandit, but the Green Forest… or some other hidden force of that level……”

She didn't finish her sentence.

But the unfinished words were easy to guess.

Since the Green Forest King pledged allegiance to the Demonic Cult fifty years ago, the name Green Forest has always been classified as a subordinate force of the Demonic Cult.

But it was also a name too heavy to bring up on weak grounds.

“There have always been minor conspiracies in the history of Murim, but… at the very least, a force with a Peak Master secretly operating as a bandit is no ordinary matter.”

“As I said, my plan was to raise the Flying Dragon Squad and revive the influence of the Paewang Family. But that was based on the premise that this is a relatively peaceful era.”

Dag-geudak, dag-geudak.

Before he knew it, everyone was listening to Gongson Su's words.

In the silence, only the leisurely sound of horses' hooves filled the void between their voices.

“To unite the forces of the east, including Hunan Province, and gather prodigies to increase the size of the Flying Dragon Squad… But no matter how many you gather, if you meet one wrong Peak Master, all their heads will fly off.”

“In any case, there's no change in the fact that we need to build our strength… but perhaps what we need now is not a superficially good political force, but real military power.”

That was a very reasonable statement.

Lee Byeok looked at her intently.

“…So. It's a bit much for me to say this myself, but… no matter where you look, it will be hard to find prodigies like us. So……”

“It's hard to understand. So what's the conclusion?”

Gongson Su swallowed hard.

She closed her eyes tightly and continued.

“Orabeoni, please spar with us.”

“W-we are in the same boat, so us getting stronger will be a way to lighten Orabeoni's burden. Of course, it would be quite a bit of trouble—”

Uncharacteristically, Gongson Su stuttered.

“Why make such a simple matter so difficult?”

Lee Byeok nodded his head.

For a moment, Gongson Su looked blank.

“Is there any reason not to be?”

It was, needless to say, not a simple request. It might even be a somewhat unreasonable request.

For a martial artist, it is a matter of reluctance to carelessly reveal one's martial arts, which are like one's lifeline.

Let alone not being from the same sect.

But for Lee Byeok, sparring was nothing more than a daily routine that he had done with his martial brothers since his time in Flower Pavilion Village.

No, perhaps even before that.

He had already crossed hands with Eon Mi-hee when he was in the Evil Faction Alliance.

It wasn't particularly difficult.

“…No. There's no problem. Thank you, Orabeoni. It's not much of a substitute, but shall I give you myself?”

“Aww, you don't have to pass. I'll hold onto it for now, so just let me know whenever you need it~”

Gongson Su let out a small laugh.

She was beginning to take an interest in and understand Lee Byeok as an individual, not as the number one prodigy of the evil path.

She stored a debt in her heart.

And after that, sparring sessions continued among the party members whenever there was a chance. The atmosphere naturally reversed.

At first, Gongson Su and Pa Jin-seong naturally tried to face Lee Byeok one-on-one.

But not long after, they realized they were no match for him, let alone being able to spar, and after that, the two attempted a joint attack.

Their talent was excellent.

Even without Lee Byeok's specific comments, the two were finding their own difficulties and growing.

Their purposes and dispositions were different.

But within the single great interest of martial arts, a small bond began to sprout among the party members.

It wasn't a bad feeling.

“Kyaaaaa! Let’s go!!”

Pa Jin-seong, who had built up his momentum again, extended his sword towards Lee Byeok.

Leaving the rest to Gongson Su—

“Alright, that's enough. The food is ready.”

At that moment, Eon Mi-hee spoke from a distance. Immediately, Gongson Su's dagger disappeared into her sleeve.

Pa Jin-seong, left alone, made a dumbfounded sound. Lee Byeok's sword flashed and pierced his opening.