SYM 59
by Emerlyn“Eung-wang!”
The moment Eun-hyeon saw the flying blade, his body moved before his head could even think.
Eun-hyeon realized for the first time that he was capable of such strength. He pulled Eung-wang towards him and kicked the Undead’s hand with his foot.
Thwack.
Even though he kicked with considerable force, its wrist didn’t break; it was merely pushed aside. Fortunately, since he pulled Eung-wang while kicking, Eung-wang wasn’t hurt.
“…Huh?”
As Eung-wang stared at Eun-hyeon with a blank expression, Eun-hyeon moved nimbly. He switched places with Eung-wang, circling around to create distance from the Undead.
“Damn it…!”
Eung-wang belatedly realized what was happening, slashed at the Undead’s arm, and retreated.
“Brother…! Have you mastered Martial Arts?”
“Ah…!”
Seeing the surprised look on Eung-wang’s face, Eun-hyeon then realized that he had used martial arts when evading.
“Ah, no. My body just moved from shock. Let’s go somewhere safe!”
Eung-wang tilted his head, but still ran towards Godeok Temple with Eun-hyeon.
Eun-hyeon sighed deeply inwardly.
The footwork he had just used was a technique he often used in his days as Taoist Eun-hyeon. Faced with an urgent situation, his body seemed to have instinctively reacted with what it knew best.
Can I use Martial Arts with this body?
Ha Yeo-un was struggling alone, so he wanted to join in and help even a little, but he soon gave up the thought.
It was already too much to do anything more with his barely recovered body. It would be a relief if he didn’t become a burden to Ha Yeo-un, like this time.
Still, he felt a little excited to have used Martial Arts after so long.
It had been a long time since his body moved the way he wanted it to.
At the same time, he clearly felt the limitations of this body. Just using that little bit of footwork and physical technique was enough to leave him breathless, his heart throbbing, signaling that he was pushing himself too hard.
Ha Yeo-un glared at the guards of Madam Hwang, who were blocking his path.
“Move!”
“We only follow the orders of our employer. Even if you are Eung-wang Heir, we cannot allow it.”
“Do you realize that you are threatening the Namgung Heir and me right now? We are only trying to leave this place, so move aside!”
“Seize Eung-wang! Seize him and bring him before me!”
Madam Hwang shrieked from the side.
At Madam Hwang’s words, the guards glanced at each other. But this time, they didn’t listen to Madam Hwang. They were hired by Golden Mountain, the owner of the Golden Pavillion. Golden Mountain had told them to prioritize the safety of his daughter, Hwang Jumi, above all else, and letting the Namgung Heir and Eung-wang out through the life gate wouldn’t particularly endanger Hwang Jumi.
“You fools! You’d better be prepared to take responsibility for this later! The Namgung Clan will hold you directly responsible for endangering the Namgung Heir and me!”
Eung-wang sternly rebuked the guards, seeing them hesitate and look at him.
It wasn’t easy to protect Eun-hyeon and face a dozen or so people with his own skills.
The best way out of this situation was for them to voluntarily step aside.
“What a joke. Do you think leaving this place is something you can decide among yourselves?”
Just then, the Blood Demon appeared, squeezing through the space between Eung-wang and Madam Hwang’s guards. While the Demonic spirit was dealing with Ha Yeo-un along with the Undead, the Blood Demon had come to the front of Godeok Temple to stop Eung-wang and Eun-hyeon from escaping the formation.
The Blood Demon grinned as he looked at Eung-wang.
“I hate guys like you the most. You’ve lived your lives enjoying everything without lacking a single thing, yet you act like you know everything. So annoying.”
Eung-wang gripped his sword tightly, tense.
Eung-wang had never experienced the world of martial arts. Madam Hwang had always opposed it, saying it was dangerous.
So, this was the first time he had faced such a demonic figure.
“Today, this old man will teach you a lesson.”
The Blood Demon must have done something, because in an instant, the sky turned dark. It seemed he was trying to do something using the formation.
“Blood Demon, you fiend! What are you trying to do to my son! Protect him! Protect my son!”
Madam Hwang screamed in alarm.
Madam Hwang’s guards didn’t know what to do in the face of the sudden change in the situation, and they just glanced around, unsure of what to do.
Rumble, crash, boom!
Loud thunder rumbled across the darkened sky, and just as raindrops began to fall, suddenly half of the sky brightened.
Madam Hwang’s guards stared at the Blood Demon with horrified faces.
They knew he wasn’t an ordinary old man from the moment he set up this formation, but what on earth was he doing to make it rain on one side of the sky and be bright on the other?
But even the Blood Demon was flustered as he looked at the brightened sky.
“What, what is this?”
People felt something strange right after that.
The ground shook, and the sky tore apart.
“What on earth is going on!”
“Blood Demon! What’s wrong with the formation?”
“Who is it!”
It was utter chaos. The panicked people looked to the Blood Demon or the Demonic spirit for answers, but the two of them seemed to be just as clueless.
“Someone has broken through the formation and invaded!”
It was when the Blood Demon belatedly grasped the situation and shouted that someone was flying in from one side of the brightened sky.
Eun-hyeon looked at the people descending as if falling from the sky.
Namgung Juwon, his face twisted hideously, had entered with the warriors of the Namgung Clan.
Even before his feet touched the ground, Namgung Juwon unleashed Sword energy, slicing off the head of an Undead. Wielding his sword with a ghastly expression, Namgung Juwon looked like a veritable demon.
Behind him, his maternal uncle, Jegal Hyeon, whom he had seen once before, ran quickly towards Eun-hyeon.
Jegal Hyeon took out a pouch and scattered something in front of Godeok Temple. At first glance, it looked like white powder, like salt. The moment the salt touched the ground, white smoke soared from the ground to the sky. The eyes of the Namgung Clan warriors widened at the sight. Jegal Hyeon sighed, looking exhausted.
“I’ve suppressed the poison coming from this formation, so you should be fine for a while.”
After hearing those words, it felt easier to breathe.
After that, Jegal Hyeon went around doing strange things in the eyes of others, such as removing trees or breaking rocks. As he did so, the rocky mountain they were standing on gradually became lower, and the bizarre rock formations disappeared.
Eun-hyeon was momentarily captivated by the amazing sight.
“Formations are truly amazing.”
Eung-wang nodded in agreement with Eun-hyeon’s words.
Like Ha Yeo-un had said, Eun-hyeon thought that if he ever had the chance, he would like to learn formation techniques from Jegal Hyeon.
Just then, Ha Yeo-un approached. Eun-hyeon felt relieved to see Ha Yeo-un unharmed. His legs trembled, and he was about to collapse when Ha Yeo-un supported him.
“Namgung Heir, are you alright?”
“Yes. I was just relieved, my body is fine now.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Great Hero Ha, are you hurt anywhere?”
Ha Yeo-un’s clothes were dirty, making it difficult to easily check for injuries. At those words, Ha Yeo-un smiled and nodded.
“I’m perfectly fine.”
As the two were having a brief conversation, Namgung Eung-wang approached and offered a fist salute to Ha Yeo-un.
“Great Hero Ha, thank you. I have received a great favor this time.”
Ha Yeo-un smiled and accepted Namgung Eung-wang’s greeting.
Does that young pup know? How many lives he saved.
Ha Yeo-un had intended to change his choice depending on how Namgung Eung-wang turned out.
If Eung-wang was going to abandon the path of the orthodox martial arts world, he would have tried to settle everything with the same standards. However, because Namgung Eung-wang chose righteousness over the affection of his family, he himself was able to remain as Ha Yeo-un.
“Eung-wang Heir, you made a difficult but right choice. You created the opportunity.”
Namgung Eung-wang’s face reddened at Ha Yeo-un’s praise. It wasn’t something he had done hoping for praise from others, but he didn’t dislike hearing it.
“Eun-hyeon! Are you alright?”
Just then, Namgung Juwon came running.
Seeing Namgung Juwon’s pale face, Eun-hyeon felt a complicated mix of emotions.
“I’m fine. Eung-wang helped me a lot.”
“Eung-wang did? Good! Brothers should help each other, of course. Are you both hurt anywhere?”
Namgung Juwon quickly scanned Eun-hyeon and Eung-wang from top to bottom and let out a sigh of relief.
“I’m so glad you’re both safe, Eun-hyeon.”
Jegal Hyeon approached.
Namgung Juwon’s face briefly hardened as he looked at Jegal Hyeon, but he let out a short sigh as if there was nothing he could do.
“Uncle, how did you get all the way here…?”
“The Jegal Clan Head was a great help in breaking through this formation. If it weren’t for the Jegal Clan Head, we wouldn’t have been able to enter the formation like this.”