Chapter 48: First Appearance in the Martial World (4)
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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Teottry
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Mancheon laid Xiaoshao on his own bed, since Xiaoshao’s room was locked, and noticed something strange.
It was unusually quiet, even for this late hour.
He had searched for the innkeeper and the waiters on the first floor to summon a physician, but they were nowhere to be found.
The second floor was also deserted, except for the rooms occupied by him and the other young martial artists.
An unsettling silence, devoid of any human presence, filled the inn.
“Haah… haah…”
He looked at Xiaoshao, who, just moments ago, had been perfectly fine, but was now struggling to breathe, his body wracked with fever.
‘What’s going on?’
The innkeeper, the cook, the waiters, the other guests who had been present earlier in the evening… they had all vanished.
The only ones left were him and the promising young disciples of the renowned orthodox sects.
While he couldn’t be certain, he had a feeling they were caught in some dangerous plot. This was no longer something he could handle alone.
“Young Master Quan! Young Master Dao! Miss Tang! Wake up! Something’s wrong!!”
He banged on the doors of the young martial artists’ rooms, but there was no response. There was no time for hesitation, so he broke down the doors.
Inside, he found them all unconscious, their bodies burning with fever, their breathing labored, just like Xiaoshao.
He was certain now. This was a trap.
Someone had used some kind of drug to incapacitate all the young martial artists, deceiving even the discerning eyes of the Tang Family.
He had two choices.
He could run to the authorities and bring back the guards, or he could—
“Well, well, look who’s awake.”
“This is why you shouldn’t do business with an asshole who talks shit. Every time they opens his mouth, They’re all liars.”
“He seems to be the only one awake.”
He stood on the second-floor balcony, looking down at the assassins who had entered the inn at the precise moment all the young martial artists had been incapacitated. What perfect timing.
While he shouldn’t judge people by their appearances, these men, with their sinister expressions and the weapons they carried, looked undeniably like thugs, or assassins.
His two choices had been reduced to one, due to time constraints. He had no choice but to fight.
“No refunds, I guess.”
He sighed, muttering to himself, and made his way down to the first floor.
Those ascending the stairs, intent on killing, and he, descending, determined to protect. Their eyes met, an unsettling tension filling the inn.
The creaking of the old wooden stairs echoed in the silence.
“Just to be clear, who are you here to kill?”
“Nangong Xiaoshao.”
“Did he do something wrong? Or is this a personal vendetta?”
“I don’t know. Probably some internal family dispute.”
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Mancheon stretched casually, then addressed the assassin who had approached him, seemingly without a care in the world.
“Thanks for the information, but… are you sure you should be telling me this?”
“We’re about to kill you anyway. Consider it a parting gift.”
“In that case, consider this your change.”
Dog Beating Staff Technique – Striking the Mangy Cur – A swift, upward strike.
The assassin, struck squarely in the jaw by the staff, went flying, crashing to the floor with a loud thud.
“Wh-what…?”
The assassins’ eyes widened in surprise. They glanced at their unconscious comrade, his jaw broken.
A pure, yet heavy and potent energy emanated from the man they had dismissed as a mere cripple. Judging from the aura he exuded, he was at least on par with the most promising young disciples of the renowned orthodox sects, if not stronger.
They had thought this would be an easy mission, simply entering the inn and eliminating Nangong Xiaoshao, but they hadn’t anticipated this hidden threat.
The assassins looked at the stairs where Mancheon stood, their minds racing, calculating their options. Their priority was to eliminate Nangong Xiaoshao.
There was no need to engage this unknown martial artist. They weren’t being paid extra to risk their lives.
“If we allow you to leave unharmed, will you agree to not interfere?”
Mancheon smiled faintly, his expression revealing his resolve.
“Did you know? Nangong Xiaoshao’s swordsmanship is beautiful.”
“What?”
Their offer wasn’t bad, honestly. Whether it was genuine or not, the smart move would be to escape.
Risking his life for a stranger he had just met wasn’t a wise decision. It was foolish.
But… the image of Xiaoshao’s beautiful sword dance in the moonlight was etched in his mind.
What kind of life, what kind of dedication, had forged such beautiful swordsmanship? He was curious.
He wanted to learn more about Nangong Xiaoshao. He wanted to discuss martial arts.
He wanted to claim that beautiful, moonlit swordsmanship for himself.
He chuckled. He shouldn’t have judged Jegal Liang so harshly. The old man wasn’t so crazy after all.
He channeled his internal energy, assuming a ready stance, prepared to unleash his techniques. He would block their path, preventing them from reaching the second floor.
“Beautiful things should be preserved.”
“He’s insane. Attack from both sides.”
He might be strong, but he was only one man. A coordinated attack from both sides would inevitably create an opening in his defenses.
Almost simultaneously, blades flashed, aimed at his throat and heart, infused with killing intent. With his back to the stairs, there was nowhere to dodge. He would have to meet their attacks head-on.
Clearing his mind of all distractions, he raised his hands.
He divided his focus.
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Meanwhile, at the Sima estate, shortly after Mancheon’s departure…
Jang Chun-hwa cleaned Mancheon’s room, her eyes filled with tears, the absence of her mischievous son keenly felt.
“I don’t understand why he insisted on sending Cheon-i away, especially when he’s not well. I hope he’s sleeping well. I hope he’s eating properly.”
While she understood her husband’s desire to groom Cheon-i as his heir, she couldn’t help but worry. He was a child who required a lot of care, which only amplified her concern.
“Older Brother is strong. He’ll be fine. Don’t worry, Mother.”
Yeonhwa’s gentle, reassuring voice eased Chun-hwa’s anxieties, and she smiled softly.
“I should be the one caring for you. Forgive me for my weakness.”
“It’s alright. It’s only natural for me to care for my family.”
Yes, as the future wife of her beloved older brother, it was her duty to care for her mother-in-law in her husband’s absence.
It was perfectly normal, a matter of common sense.
Incidentally, since Sima Bu was both her father-in-law and her biological father, she felt no particular obligation to show him respect or deference.
But Chun-hwa, unaware of Yeonhwa’s true feelings, interpreted her actions as those of a kind and considerate daughter, concerned for her mother and brother.
As the two women cleaned Mancheon’s room, chatting amicably, they discovered a chest filled with stacks of paper.
It was, quite literally, a mountain of paper. Thousands of sheets filled with various doodles – triangles, squares, circles – were piled inside the chest.
Yeonhwa, as if drawn by an invisible force, reached out and picked up one of the sheets.
On it were a perfectly drawn circle and square.
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Years of training, undertaken for Gwahae, to defeat half dragon, to never see that precious girl cry again.
The resolve of a thirteen-year-old, combined with five years of relentless effort, five years of setbacks, five years of unwavering dedication, had finally allowed him to overcome the seemingly insurmountable obstacle.
Twin Hand Combat.
Right—Dog Beating Staff Technique, Left—Emptiness Illumination Fist.
He simultaneously executed two different techniques with each hand, effortlessly countering attacks from both sides.
The relentless barrage of the Dog Beating Staff Technique struck the enemy’s solar plexus, while the yielding Emptiness Illumination Fist deflected and neutralized their attacks.
Three assassins fell in rapid succession. The remaining assassins, who had been observing the fight, watched with horrified fascination, their faces twitching. There was no time for pride.
To be thwarted by a single man, their target still alive and unharmed… it was unacceptable.
“Call in everyone waiting outside.”
At the signal, the assassins waiting in reserve poured into the inn.
A steady stream of footsteps echoed through the inn as they surrounded Mancheon, their swords drawn, forming a semi-circle around him, his back to the stairs.
Never underestimate a demonic sect. And this man had insulted the Murderous Curtain.
This was no longer a simple matter of eliminating a witness. They would kill this man, no matter the cost, then ascend the stairs and eliminate Nangong Xiaoshao.
This was a matter of pride for the demonic sect martial artists.
“You won’t escape this time, boy.”
‘They brought a lot of people…’ Mancheon thought.
He couldn’t be certain, but there seemed to be at least fifty assassins.
He glanced towards his room on the second floor, where Xiaoshao lay sleeping. He sighed.
He turned back to face the assassins.
He extended his left arm, measuring the distance, and tightened his grip on his staff. He steeled his resolve.
‘Fifty to one… I’m about to make history.’
He wasn’t sure who moved first.
All he knew was that those who sought to ascend, and he, who stood in their way, clashed.
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1 on 50 hell yeah!!!
Hell yeah!!’
Thanks Teot!