A Medieval Knight in a Martial Arts Novel – Chapter 37

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Shrine
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William wasn’t sure how many beatings would be necessary for Mun-kyung. He observed Hong Mun-kyung, who was charging at him with his upper body slightly bent forward.

He charged at him with bloodshot eyes, a contorted face, and red veins visible beneath the skin.

His state was completely abnormal.

It wouldn’t be strange to call him a demon who had learned demonic arts.

William calmly observed Mun-kyung’s right arm as it swung within reach of him.

‘Is he literally just swinging wildly?’

The simple attack lacked both the precision of martial arts forms and the agility they offered.

There was only ferocity like that of a starving beast in his swings. William avoided the attack by simply bending his upper body greatly, and then struck Mun-kyung’s body five times in rapid succession, so fast it left afterimages.

When the final blow connected with his chin, Mun-kyung couldn’t withstand it and flew backwards.

“Gah!”

Mun-kyung’s body, having flown back a distance of 3 zhang due to the rattling impact, rolled on the ground.

If a normal person had taken such a powerful punch head-on, they would have lost consciousness immediately. But for Mun-kyung, who had become a madman , it didn’t have much meaning.

The boiling qi in his body and the paradoxically back flowing internal energy protected his body from the shock. William shook his tingling hand a couple times and resumed his stance.

‘I’m not a bestiarius (a gladiator who specializes in fighting beasts). It’s like I’m beating an animal.’

William sighed as he watched Mun-kyung get up, making low groaning sounds like a beast.

It would probably be better to incapacitate him first.

Having made up his mind, William took a step forward with his right foot towards Mun-kyung, who was charging at him like a blood-crazed beast.

‘I’ll subdue him in one go.’

He took one step.

But Hajin and Elder Baek, who were watching from behind, instinctively sensed that William’s aura had changed dramatically compared to when he was holding a sword.

A terrifying fighting spirit enveloped William’s body.

“It’s like seeing a lion.”

“The pressure is strong enough to make my skin tingle. I unconsciously put my hand on my sword hilt just now…”

While expressing their admiration for William’s aura, the two also observed Ma-ryang’s condition. Ma-ryang was just watching the fight between Mun-kyung and William with a blank expression.

His eyes expressed his feelings that were as tangled as a messy ball of thread.

‘Why on earth did brother…?’

What could have turned his brother into such a monster?

Ma-ryang couldn’t understand.

Not only did he know nothing about martial arts, but his brother, who had been full of love and hate but still maintained his sanity before, become like this in just a few months.

“I’m sorry, but this is going to hurt.”

The moment William’s right foot touched the ground, an explosion rang out and dust erupted.

Mun-kyung, left with only instinct, swung his arms. The remnants of the reddish internal energy surrounding his arms formed a trail as they rushed towards William’s head.

But what meaning could an attack without any martial principle have? William’s hand grabbed Mun-kyung’s wrist as it swung at him with internal energy gushing out, and he pushed his body inwards.

Then he thrust his shoulder into Mun-kyung’s neck and lifted him up entirely.

Mun-kyung tried to break free in panic, but once he was lifted in a reverse crucifix position, all he could do was struggle.

“I wonder if you can withstand this too.”

Then the aura flowing from William’s mana core began to strengthen his body.

The aura enveloped his body, which boasted an overwhelming physique strengthening it even more.

The aura completely blocked the invasion of Mun-kyung’s internal energy. This was possible thanks to his aura that had become even more powerful after absorbing the power of the hundred-year-old Polygonatum.

“Seven… Severance… Dao…!”

Mun-kyung swung his free arm to escape, but due to the aura surrounding William’s body, all his struggles were in vain.

William slammed Mun-kyung’s body into the ground while he was still struggling.

“Ugh?!”

A handful of blood spewed from Mun-kyung’s mouth as he was helplessly driven into the ground by the fierce force. The blood that stained his front spread across his clothes.

“Argh…”

William released his stance and stood up, looking down at Mun-kyung who couldn’t get up due to the shock that had shaken his entire body.

Perhaps due to being completely in the state of demonic possession, he kept trying to get up, but because of the violent collision with the bare ground, he repeatedly fell back down every time he tried to get up.

‘He seems to be at about the level of a veteran martial artist. For a guy his age, to reach the level of a veteran in 5 years, was he talented, or…’

“Father…”

“Elder Baek. Is there a way to calm down someone who’s demon-possessed, or rather, fallen into qi deviation?”

“…There’s no way once the qi deviation has progressed this far. Even if we could calm him down, he’d become a madman soon enough. It would be better to send him peacefully to King Yama’s side.”

Elder Baek shook his head and gave a hopeless diagnosis.

If it were the early stages of qi deviation, it might be possible to calm him down with acupressure, but in this state where the qi deviation had progressed as far as it had, there was practically no chance of return.

Buddhist or Taoist martial artists might have a way, but it was nearly impossible with the martial arts of the Haenam Sword Sect.

In this situation, there was only one choice left.

“Ma-ryang. Your brother is beyond hope now.”

“Fa…ther…”

Was it hatred or grief he felt towards his brother?

It was hard to put the emotion into words. William placed his foot on Mun-kyung’s solar plexus and looked down at him.

A posture from which he could crush his heart at any moment.

Whether he knew this or not, the madman beneath his foot trembled uncontrollably.

“It won’t be long now.”

At William’s words, Ma-ryang blankly stared at his brother.

‘Is he really beyond hope…?’

He had no good memories of his brother.

From the moment his brother was able to reason, he had been going around acting like a scoundrel. By now, he barely even felt like they were brothers anymore.

But how many people in the world could coldly cut off their own flesh and blood?

Ma-ryang couldn’t open his mouth, knowing what would inevitably happen.

While he hesitated, Mun-kyung continued to struggle. Though pinned down by the strong force and unable to rise, his mad struggles trying to somehow get up threatened William, but he was not a man to be intimidated by such things.

He looked at him with the gaze of a lion that was called the king of beasts, he merely looked down at the demon-possessed man with calm eyes.

“Father… I’m… sorry…”

‘He’s apologizing after killing him himself with assassination techniques?’

Had he gone completely insane from being demon-possessed?

Demanding the Seven Severance Dao, yet apologizing to his father.

Was it hatred and love for his father that had driven him into this mental state?

William frowned at the symphony of love and hatred coming from the madman’s mouth.

“…Sir. Please send him off peacefully.”

“Alright.”

William applied force to his foot.

Ma-ryang covered his eyes and ears.

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“So this is the secret manual of the Seven Severance Dao.”

I looked at the secret manual of the Seven Severance Dao in Ma-ryang’s hand.

Was this what led to the start of this tragedy?

I was curious about how secret manuals of the martial arts world were written, but since it wasn’t my secret manual, I couldn’t look at it carelessly. I raised my gaze to look at Ma-ryang’s face.

“What do you plan to do with it?”

“I intend to burn it.”

With those words, Ma-ryang immediately lit a fire next to him and placed the secret manual of the Seven Severance Dao on top of it.

We quietly watched this scene.

Ma-ryang needed time to sort out his feelings too.

The Seven Severance Dao, which was once the representative martial art of Wuchang County, blazed up in flames.

When the secret manual of the Seven Severance Dao had completely burned, Ma-ryang covered the fire with dirt to extinguish it. Then he turned to us and said with a relieved expression:

“Thank you.”

“What will you do now?”

“Now that family matters are settled, I’m thinking of reopening the Hong Family Inn.”

“You’ll be busy.”

“Yes, I will be.”

But his face was brighter than when we first met. Perhaps because even though he was now alone, the tragedy surrounding his family had been resolved.

It was a bit bitter, but this could be considered a happy ending of sorts.

“Next time, we’ll be able to stay at the Hong Family Inn.”

“Whenever you come next, I’ll treat you better than I would treat the Son of Heaven himself.”

“I’m looking forward to it. Next time I stop by Wuchang County, I won’t have to worry about where to stay.”

I didn’t know when I’d visit again, but I’d probably return to the Haenam Sword Sect at least once, so I could stop by then.

“Take care. If anything happens, send a letter to the Wulin Alliance.”

“Take care.”

“I hope you have a smooth journey.”

Hmm. I guess that wraps things up here.

We turned and headed towards the inn where the rest of our group would be.

And we found Hye-ryeong pacing in front of the inn.

When Hye-ryeong made eye contact with me, she waved her hand and shouted:

“Blue-Eyed Lion Uncle!”

Blue-Eyed… what?

“What is she talking about?”

“It seems you’ve gotten your alias.”

“Congratulations. You’ve truly become a known figure of the martial arts world now.”

“Uncle got such a cool alias! I want to get a cool alias like Blue-Eyed Lion too!”

…Is it cool?

It seems they just roughly came up with Blue-Eyed Lion because I have blue eyes and my aura seemed like that of a lion’s.

Whoever it was that gave me that alias, they have terrible naming sense.

Still, I did a good deed but that alias sounds more like an evil sect martial artist’s name.

They should have come up with something that sounds more dignified.

…Oh well, I guess it’s better than not having one.

Thus, My first alias became Blue-Eyed Lion (Cheong-an Sa-ja).

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