Light Novel: Volume 5 Chapter 1
Manhwa: Chapters 79
Episode 1. Siege of the Demon Capital (1)
Gu Jang-saeng’s eyes widened as he stared at his own forearm. A piece of white bone was protruding through his arm, thick as a log.
It was his radial bone,1 the bone that supports the forearm, that had been broken and was now piercing through his skin and muscle.
“……”
The sight was so shocking and surreal that he didn’t even feel the pain at first.
It was only after a moment of blinking that Gu Jang-saeng realized the reality.
“AHHHH!”
A gut-wrenching scream escaped his lips. As soon as he realized that his radial bone was broken, an excruciating pain engulfed him.“Big brother!”
“Damn it! This crazy bastard.”
His brothers, realizing the situation too late, rushed towards Lee Gwak.
Swoosh!
Their weapons sliced through the air towards him.
Lee Gwak stood still, indifferently observing the scene unfold.
The Three Berserk Bloodhounds possessed enough skill to strut around the mercenary market. If Lee Gwak had been an ordinary Outer Hall martial artist, he would have been overwhelmed by their powerful attack.
However, unfortunately for the Three Berserk Bloodhounds, Lee Gwak was no ordinary martial artist of the Outer Hall.
Their all-out attack was clearly visible to Lee Gwak’s eyes. The trajectory of their swords, the areas they targeted, the rhythm of their breathing– Lee Gwak grasped all of it in an instant.
A single step was all it took to avoid their earnest attack.
“Damn!”
“What!”
Realizing too late that their attack had missed, the two let out cries of frustration. They quickly turned to launch another attack on Lee Gwak, but his movements were faster than their reaction.
Lee Gwak approached them effortlessly, like a cloud drifting in the wind. His movement was so natural that even the mercenaries in the market gasped in awe for a moment.
Crack!
“Keuk!”
With a bursting sound, teeth flew from the mouth of the second brother as the handle of the sword Lee Gwak was holding was brutally jammed into him.
Seeing the second brother collapse to his knees with his hands clutching his face, the third brother let out a roar.
“You son of a bitch!”
He unleashed his killing move with all his might.
Originally, committing murder within the fortress walls was strictly prohibited. Any trouble could be somewhat overlooked as long as it didn’t lead to murder. Conversely, committing murder would entail severe consequences. Ꞧä₦Ộ𐌱ȧ
But blinded by rage, the third brother recklessly executed his killing move, having lost all reason.
Whoosh!
As he gathered his energy to its extreme, a faint blade aura enveloped the third brother’s sword. However, Lee Gwak narrowly dodged the sword, letting it pass just beside his face.
To those who didn’t know any better, they might have thought that Lee Gwak narrowly dodged the blow by sheer luck. But in truth, this entire scenario was a result of Lee Gwak’s meticulous calculation, not chance.
Through his battles with Mo Yong-shin, the leader of the Heavenly Control Escort Agency, and Yul Cheon-ak, the leader of the Black Assassin Ghost Mist Squad, Lee Gwak’s martial arts rose by leaps and bounds. The third brother’s crude swordsmanship was no match for him.
Thump!
Lee Gwak’s sword scabbard struck the third brother’s solar plexus.
Gasping in pain and unable to breathe, the third brother’s mouth gaped open. Lee Gwak whirled around his body like a top and took his back. Then he struck the back of the third brother’s head with his elbow.
“Keugh!”
With a scream, the third brother collapsed to the ground.
“Wow!”
At that moment, Gu Jang-saeng roared and charged at Lee Gwak like a mad dog. He swung his sword wildly with his uninjured arm, throwing his entire body into the attack.
His appearance, filled with madness, was enough to induce a chilling fear in those who saw him. However, Lee Gwak advanced without any sign of agitation. He deflected Gu Jang-saeng’s attack overhead and closed in right up to his face.
For a moment, their gazes locked at such close range that they could feel each other’s breath.
Lee Gwak saw the fear hidden in the eyes of the wildly mad Gu Jang-saeng. Gu Jang-saeng had never imagined that the martial artist he had once looked down upon could be a master of such caliber.
If he could turn back time, he would have wanted to sever the cursed wrist that had rummaged through Lee Gwak’s belongings.
The eyes of Lee Gwak, whom he had once ridiculed, were as deep and tranquil as the ocean. His eyes were so peaceful that it was hard to believe they belonged to someone engaged in such a fierce battle.
Suddenly, a proverb usually said in Jianghu came to his mind.
—Beware of the ordinary. Those who can become ordinary are the most dangerous.
But he couldn’t continue his thoughts any further.
Thwack!
At that moment, Lee Gwak’s palm slammed into Gu Jang-saeng’s face. Lee Gwak then used the force of his arm to slam Gu Jang-saeng’s head into the ground.
Thud!
With a dull thud, Gu Jang-saeng’s head hit the floor. Unable to even scream, he trembled and then collapsed limply.
His head was cracked open, and blood flowed profusely, but he was still breathing. However, if left untreated, he would surely die.
“……”
The mercenaries who witnessed the entire scene held their breath. None of them had expected that a seemingly inexperienced warrior could swiftly subdue the Three Berserk Bloodhounds.
What’s more, Lee Gwak did not use any special moves or techniques worthy of being called ultimate skills while subduing the Three Berserk Bloodhounds. This meant that he was a master who could overpower them without even using his true martial arts.
‘Damn it!’
‘Is he really a novice?’
They didn’t dare to voice out their thoughts and instead just looked at the ground, avoiding Lee Gwak’s gaze.
Mercenaries have the habit of pouncing on those weaker than themselves like wild dogs, but in the presence of someone stronger, they would tuck their tails and turn away. As soon as they realized Lee Gwak was stronger than them, they fell silent as if by agreement.
It didn’t matter if others called them cowardly, the only thing that mattered to them was ensuring their own safety.
“Hoo!”
Lee Gwak looked at the mercenaries for a moment and then let out a soft sigh.
“Haha! Master, look at these dogs with their tails tucked between their legs. Isn’t it hilarious?”
Just then, the loud laughter of a young girl echoed through the mercenary market.
Angered by the sound of being ridiculed, the mercenaries glared in the direction from which the girl’s voice had come. In their view appeared a girl, laughing heartily with her hand on her hips, accompanied by an old woman in shabby clothes.
The girl seemed cunning like a silver fox, while the old woman beside her appeared gloomy like a black crow.
The girl laughed heartily, clutching her stomach.
“Oh my, my stomach hurts! Really, these bastards are hopeless. As expected, their nature is that of a dog, even in death. Hahaha!”
“Eek!”
Just then, an elderly-looking martial artist walked over toward the girl. He was unable to contain his anger at the girl’s audacious attitude, openly calling and mocking him as a dog.
“Young brat, you sure are letting your mouth run, huh?! Shut that trap of yours, now.”
“Haha! You’re a dog, an old dog! An old dog with all its fur fallen out. You look so pathetic!”
“What did you say?!”
Incensed by the girl’s mocking attitude, the older warrior couldn’t hold back his anger and drew the large axe he carried on his back.
It was this very axe on his back that he had been able to survive all these years while wandering the world as a mercenary.
Gok Woo-chang, the Huntsman of Mount Heng.2
Like his nickname, he had been a hunter active in Mount Heng. In his youth, he had fortuitously met a master who taught him martial arts and ventured into Jianghu. However, as his martial prowess was not particularly outstanding, he couldn’t join a prestigious sect and instead became a wandering mercenary.
Although he was a mercenary, his axe skills were so exceptional that he earned himself a certain level of respect in the mercenary market.
With his pride already wounded by Lee Gwak, he couldn’t stand being mocked further by the girl and swung his axe in anger.
Whoosh!
“Die, you cursed girl!”
“Haha! You want to kill me with those skills?”
The girl didn’t even flinch, much less blink as the axe flew towards her.
Everyone watching expected her head to be split in two by the force of Gok Woo-chang’s axe. Such was the tremendous power behind it.
Clang!
“Ugh!”
A metallic sound followed by Gok Woo-chang’s stifled groan rang out.
His axe had stopped right in front of the girl’s face.
The tense muscles on Gok Woo-chang’s face, above the halted axe, proved that his attack wasn’t stopped by his will.
“Ugh!”
An invisible force bound Gok Woo-chang’s entire body.
Despite summoning all his internal energy, Gok Woo-chang couldn’t shake off the invisible force binding him.
“What, what is this?”
Eventually, Gok Woo-chang gave up resisting and looked up. That’s when he saw the haggard-looking old woman standing behind the girl, staring at him.
The moment their eyes met, Gok Woo-chang was so startled that his heart seemed to drop.
It was because the old woman’s eyes were eerie and chilling like those of a malevolent deity.
Gok Woo-chang’s body gradually started levitating into the air as an intangible force lifted him up. At the sight, the mercenaries exclaim,
“Heuk! It’s the Art of Telekinesis!”3
“Good heavens!”
The Art of Telekinesis was an exalted skill that could only be attempted by those who had reached the pinnacle of martial arts.
The mercenaries didn’t dare to approach the old woman, watching in terror.
If she knew the Art of Telekinesis, she was undoubtedly a master of the highest caliber.
At that moment, the old woman spoke up.
“How dare you try to harm my disciple with that lousy axe of yours?”
The old woman’s voice was harsh and piercing, like nails scraping across metal, causing discomfort to those who heard it.
Gok Woo-chang’s face turned deathly pale.
“I’ve committed a mistake worthy of death! P-Please forgive me…!”
“If you’ve made a mistake worthy of death, then you ought to die.”
The old woman’s eyes shone with a ruthless glint.
Crack!
“Keuk!”
At that moment, Gok Woo-chang’s neck snapped. With a scream, he fell, his tongue lolling out.
He was dead.
Witnessing the sight, the girl burst into laughter.
“Haha! Old dog, you overstepped your bounds and met your end. In your next life, you should learn to know your place.”
Thud!
When the old woman finally released her telekinetic hold on Gok Woo-chang, his lifeless body tumbled gracelessly to the ground.
Though the mercenaries know that they might meet their end on the roadside at any moment, such a miserable demise was still too harsh.
“Eeek!”
“Who on earth is that old woman?”
The mercenaries, filled with terror, hesitantly backed away. They didn’t want to end up miserably dead like Gok Woo-chang by accidentally meeting her gaze.
Fortunately for them, the old woman’s attention was elsewhere– she was looking at Lee Gwak.
“Keke! Your skills are quite impressive, kid.”
“……”
Lee Gwak silently observed the old woman.
‘Monster!’
While the mercenaries could only see her terrifying aura, Lee Gwak saw her qi waves.
He had seen many masters in his life, but never before had he encountered such a dreadful mix of malicious intent and murderous aura as the old woman’s.
A being capable of taking life in front of her at any moment, and one who could commit murder without any reason at all. The old woman was such a monster.
Lee Gwak’s palms became damp with sweat.
Looking at him, the old woman bared her yellowed teeth.
“Why aren’t you replying? Are you looking down on me?”
“Not at all.”
“Hoho, it seems you’re not mute. I was about to tear your mouth open if you hadn’t answered this time.”
As the old woman expressed disappointment, the girl stepped forward. She scanned Lee Gwak from head to toe with a mischievous gaze.
“What’s your name?”
“Lee Gwak. I’m a squad leader of the Outer Hall of the Jade Heaven Alliance.”
“Haha! I already knew you were from the Jade Heaven Alliance. Consider yourself lucky. My master is in a good mood, so she’s letting you go.”
“And what is your name, young lady?”
“You’re asking for my name?”
The girl’s eyes sparkled with interest, intrigued by Lee Gwak’s audacity to inquire about her name.
“My name is Yeom So-so. And my master’s nickname is Ghost Spirit Granny.4 Have you heard of her?”
“Ghost Spirit Granny? The same Ghost Spirit Granny who is one of the Eight Great Martial Artists?”
“That murderous demon is here? Good heavens!”
The ones reacting to Yum So-so’s words were the surrounding mercenaries. Their faces now bore a level of fear, unlike anything they had shown before.
SoundlessWind21’s Notes:
I’ve tried to skip chapters and translate to know where it corresponds to the manhwa. So, Episode 101 (Light Novel) = Chapter 79 (Manhwa).
If there are any errors, whether it be grammatical, spelling, translation, or website-related issues, feel free to let me know. (´◡`) Anyway, thank you for reading!
- Radial bone. Raws: 요골(橈骨).
- 橈骨 ráogǔ – radius (anatomy) / bone of the forearm
- Huntsman of Mount Heng. Raws: 항산엽사(恒山獵師).
- 恒山 Héng Shān – Mt Heng in Shanxi.
- 獵 liè – hunting
- 師 shī – teacher / master / expert / model / army division / (old) troops / to dispatch troops
- Art of Telekinesis. Raws: 허공섭물(虛空攝物). This can also be translated to Spatial Manipulation Technique.
- 虛空 xūkōng – void / hollow / empty
- 攝 shè – to take in; to absorb; to assimilate / to take (a photo) / (literary) to conserve (one’s health) / (literary) to act for
- 物 wù – (bound form) thing / (literary) the outside world as distinct from oneself; people other than oneself
- Ghost Spirit Granny. Raws: 귀혼파파(鬼魂婆婆). This was mentioned in Episode 5.
- 鬼 guǐ – ghost; spirit of dead; devil
- 魂 hún – soul, spirit
- 婆婆 pópo – husband’s mother / mother-in-law / grandma
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