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Chapter : 48
My Fate is the Status Window (48)
“I, as you can see, practice the Way.”
“Yes.”
Unlike Nae Kwang-cheol or Oh Jeong, Go Il-ak began by briefly explaining himself before sparring.
Of course, I hadn’t asked him to.
He drew his sword and started talking freely as if on his own accord.
“My martial art is called the Yin-Slaying Blade. I discovered it myself in the secret technique repository of the main temple and mastered it.”
“I see…”
“It’s a sword technique that emphasizes speed and rotation.”
“Yes.”
How exceedingly polite.
At this rate, he might even go so far as to teach the basic forms.
“And you?”
“I use the Secret Shadow Sword of the Black Killing Sect.”
This time, it seemed I would have to draw my sword.
He wasn’t someone I could casually play with, like I had with Oh Jeong.
“Secret Shadow Sword… unfamiliar.”
“It’s a sword technique used by assassins, I believe.”
“Does it work as effectively in a frontal battle as it does in an ambush?”
“Well…”
We were going to fight soon anyway. Why ask?
I could find out firsthand.
“Haha. Foolish question. I’ll soon experience its power for myself.”
“Indeed.”
“Shall we begin?”
“By all means.”
At my signal that I was ready, Go Il-ak gestured to Oh Jeong.
“Leaders, please take three steps back.”
Following Oh Jeong’s lead, the distance between the two of us increased.
“Start!”
Oh Jeong shouted “start” with vigor, but neither of us moved.
It seemed we were both waiting to counter if the other attacked.
“I’ll yield the first move. Come at me.”
Go Il-ak lifted his chin and said.
‘Ah… so he’s the stronger one, huh?’
Of course. As a senior leader, it wouldn’t be fitting to rush recklessly at the start.
So, I’d accept it and play along.
Secret Shadow Sword: Thousand Hidden Flow of Light.
I launched forward like a shooting arrow, executing Thousand Hidden Flow of Light.
The ink-colored energy on my sword split into multiple streams, surging toward Go Il-ak.
—Kakang! Kkak! Kkak!
Despite the erratic flurry of attacks, Go Il-ak calmly raised his sword and blocked them.
‘Fast!’
He was definitely fast.
His sword’s movements were agile enough to defend against all the scattered strikes.
“Let’s play for real, young assassin!”
Go Il-ak lifted his feet off the ground.
“Ghostly Yin Break Formation!”
He called out the name of his move politely and attacked.
It was a cutting strike of incredible speed.
—Kkak kkak kkak kkak!
I barely blocked the first strike, but the blows came in rapid succession.
The Ghostly Yin Break Formation was a continuous series of cuts that used the opponent’s defensive rebound to chain attacks.
Sustained strikes aimed at breaking my guard came in like a flood, leaving me no chance to counter—only defense.
—Kwahd-deudeuk.
‘Cold?’
Every time his sword clashed with mine, a chilling cold enveloped me. Even protected by my energy, the sword’s surface began to frost.
‘So this is what they call elemental martial arts!’
I’d heard about it in the White Tiger Corps lessons.
Some practitioners focus their martial arts on a specific element among the Five Elements of Yin and Yang.
Go Il-ak’s art seemed concentrated on Yin energy.
Each strike carried a wave of cold.
—Kkaahng! Kkak!
Every clash felt like my hands were freezing, but it was bearable.
I pushed my energy through the cycle of Great Victory Perfection, maintaining body warmth.
I wasn’t about to fall to this cold.
“Will you just defend all the way?”
Amidst the dizzying exchange of attacks, Go Il-ak shouted.
Seeing me barely holding off his relentless strikes, he seemed to mock me.
It was deliberate.
He wanted to unsettle me, provoke an overreach, and create an opening.
‘Stay calm. Focus on defense.’
I was already on the defensive.
If I tried to force a reversal, I’d only get into a worse position.
I’d wait for the right moment.
“You fight unlike an assassin!”
Seeing me calmly defend without ambushes or tricks, Go Il-ak showed delight.
He truly enjoyed fighting.
“Try to block this too. Yin Wolf Shatter!”
Just when I thought I had adapted to the Ghostly Yin Break Formation.
Go Il-ak’s technique suddenly changed.
Unlike the previous pattern, Yin Wolf Shatter was so fast that the sword seemed to vanish from view.
‘Left!’
I couldn’t track it with my eyes.
I had to rely on instinct, reacting to the aura from the left and swinging my sword.
—Kkaang!!
I barely deflected the blade.
If I had been a moment slower, it would have cut my side.
Yin Wolf Shatter—like a stealthy wolf hunting—was a fast and sharp attack.
“Ho! You can even defend against Yin Wolf Shatter?”
Go Il-ak genuinely admired.
Even while I blocked his strikes, he carried the relaxed confidence of a superior martial artist.
‘If I go all out, I could win.’
After defending twice, it became clear.
Go Il-ak thought he was stronger, but if I risked everything, I could defeat him.
With fists, not swords.
With White-Step Divine Fist, not the Secret Shadow Sword.
If I fully unleashed my true power, I was confident I could overpower him.
He was comparable to Maeng So-pyeong.
Strong, with deep internal energy, yet my cultivated martial arts surpassed his.
His Yin-Slaying Blade and Ghostly Yin Break Formation were threatening with cold energy, but lacked profound intricacy.
They were flashy but hollow.
If I fought sincerely, I could win.
But what would I gain from defeating him here?
Only misunderstandings and suspicion.
The wisest choice was to fight moderately, then allow a loss.
“Try blocking again! Yin Wolf Shatter!”
Excited, Go Il-ak swung wildly.
The second Yin Wolf Shatter was now more familiar.
It seemed to exploit momentary blind spots to create the illusion of disappearance.
In the end, it was just a trick.
Not a profound technique.
—Kkaang!
The swords clashed, and mine flew backward.
I had intentionally let it deflect off his blade.
“I lost.”
“Ah… already? No serious injuries, right? Take the sword again and one more round…”
“I sustained some internal damage from the cold…”
Even though I admitted defeat, Go Il-ak tried to continue, eager to prolong the fun.
When I mentioned internal damage, he sighed and nodded reluctantly.
“Good work, young assassin. Rest well and heal. That was a fine sparring match.”
“Thank you for your guidance.”
The sparring ended.
Go Il-ak left the training ground, clearly disappointed.
“Good work. Here, take your sword back.”
“Thanks.”
Oh Jeong, who had been witnessing the match, quickly retrieved the deflected sword and handed it over.
His gaze had changed.
It was the recognition of a true superior.
Though I lost to Go Il-ak, the way I matched his strength and fought evenly confirmed I was leader-level.
“Shall I escort you to the guest hall? You said you were injured…”
“I’ll be fine. I plan to go to my quarters first.”
“Understood. Good work today, and thank you for your teaching.”
“Yes.”
Oh Jeong bowed politely.
I almost bowed reflexively but quickly raised my hand in acknowledgment and left the training ground.
“I heard you were injured.”
“You get news fast.”
Back at my quarters.
Apparently, Jo Ryeong had heard and arrived carrying medicinal herbs and decoctions.
“May I take a look?”
“That’s alright. It’s nothing serious.”
I lay on the bed, and Jo Ryeong and the attendants prepared to tend to me.
There was nothing to treat.
No serious injuries.
“I’ll have you remove your clothes briefly. Please sit up.”
“Ah, I’m fine…”
“There may still be residual cold energy. Treatment is needed.”
“Ha… alright.”
Reluctantly, I sat up.
She skillfully removed my top, checked my pulse, and assessed my condition.
“Do you know medicine?”
“Only basic knowledge. Luckily, your condition isn’t severe.”
Of course not.
I hadn’t taken much damage.
“Still, I brought decoctions. Take some. You’ll need to restore your energy.”
“Understood.”
I didn’t refuse a tonic.
It might taste bitter, but I was no child; I could drink it with a smile.
“Here’s the decoction.”
The attendant handed it carefully. I drank it steadily.
‘Bitter…’
The taste was unpleasant, but it invigorated me.
“I’ll rest now. You can go about your duties.”
“Yes. But please, don’t use formal speech with us, sir.”
Now that I thought about it, that made sense.
In the strict hierarchy of the sect, it was odd to speak formally to attendants.
I had only done so because we were strangers.
“Very well. You may rest now.”
“Yes, understood.”
All three left immediately.
Finally, I could rest.
It was thoughtful, but also slightly bothersome.
Perhaps it was because I had lived alone all my life.
I lay back on the bed.
No matter what, a soft bed is truly comfortable.
Indeed, the sect’s accommodations were top-notch.
Three days after sparring with Go Il-ak.
Sama Jong issued an order.
The mission: escort the sect’s ship to the main temple.
Assigned were Go Il-ak’s Blood Friendship Unit and me.
Rumors had circulated that the Green Forest and the Three Sword Alliance were plotting revenge for the previous Red Cliff incident.
Sama Jong had therefore assigned escorts to most trade convoys connected to the sect, especially those carrying silver, requiring extra protection.
I joined the convoy with the Blood Friendship Unit.
“How’s your body?”
“Fine. Fully recovered.”
Onboard the ship traveling up the Yangtze.
On deck, I chatted with Go Il-ak while enjoying the scenery.
I had risen to a high status in the sect.
Upon joining the mission, I was even provided a separate cabin like Go Il-ak.
No one complained.
Aside from Go Il-ak, no one spoke to me.
They only saluted or shouted allegiance when our eyes met.
The sect’s hierarchy was absolute.
Everyone was accustomed to strict obedience.
“The Green Forest scum should be appearing soon.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Until Wuhan, our leader could intervene anytime, so they held back. But now they’ve advanced near Yichang. Just a bit further, and it’s Chongqing. If they plan an ambush, now is the time.”
Chongqing was rugged territory where the Miao people lived—a place we had dealt with during a previous mission.
Beyond Chongqing lay Sichuan, where the power of the Three Sword Alliance and Green Forest diminished, and the sect and Martial Alliance’s influence surged.
“But it’s quiet. Are they afraid?”
“Not necessarily. If we reach Sichuan safely, the mission succeeds.”
“Haha, that’s true. But isn’t it like holding back a bowel movement—unpleasant? Better to resolve things cleanly.”
“Ha ha, true indeed.”
Leader Go’s metaphor was… vivid.
Better to face them head-on and finish things decisively than worry constantly.
“Enemy ship spotted at the stern!”
A lookout shouted from the mast.
“Ha ha ha! Excellent. Let’s settle this cleanly!”
Leader Go laughed heartily and drew his sword.
Yes. Let’s resolve this cleanly and move on.
