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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Teottry
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To protect (護) and to guard (衛), together forming the word “bodyguard” (護衛).
A bodyguard, as the name suggested, was someone who protected a specific person from various dangers.
Therefore, as the bodyguard of Sima Mancheon, heir to the Sima family, Jang Sam was undeniably third-rate.
A bodyguard’s primary responsibility was the safety of their charge.
And to ensure their safety, they had to be willing to act against their charge’s wishes, if necessary.
In this situation, Jang Sam’s priority should have been Mancheon’s safety, even if it meant knocking him unconscious and dragging him away, not creating a diversion and allowing him to fight.
But he hadn’t.
It wasn’t that Jang Sam was incompetent. If he were, Sima Bu wouldn’t have entrusted him with the protection of his precious son.
He had simply grown attached to his young, reckless master, his judgment clouded by his affection for his friend and charge.
He had unconsciously prioritized Mancheon’s wishes over his own better judgment.
And as a result, he had made a potentially fatal mistake, putting both his and Mancheon’s lives at risk.
Tang Family Hidden Weapon Technique – Twelve Linked Slashes.
Twelve crescent shaped blades, like a pack of hunting hounds, flew towards Jang Sam from all directions as he leaped across the rooftops.
-Whoosh!!
Jang Sam sighed inwardly, feeling the chilling precision of the twelve blades, each aimed at a specific vital point.
‘Haah… I’m in no position to criticize Sima Bu for being soft.’
But regret was useless. What was done was done.
The water had been spilled, the die cast.
He had no choice but to fight. He had to win this gamble, with his life as the wager.
He had to fight like hell.
The Tang Family’s martial arts were feared not only for their skill with hidden weapons, but also for their mastery of poisons. One never knew what kind of poison coated their blades.
While he had a high tolerance for poisons, he couldn’t afford to be careless.
A single hit could be fatal. He had to fight with the mindset that he couldn’t afford to be touched.
‘So…’
A chilling killing intent flickered in Jang Sam’s eyes.
The friendly servant, who joked and sparred with Mancheon, the servant who would endure Mancheon’s staff strikes without complaint, was gone.
‘I’ll deflect every single one.’
He stopped running, turning to face the incoming barrage of hidden weapons.
-Screech! Scrape!!
His abrupt stop sent his feet sliding across the tiles, slowing his momentum.
His body trembled from the sudden deceleration, as the relentless assault of the Tang Family’s secret techniques continued.
But it was alright. He only needed one shot.
He raised his right arm, a single projectile loaded between his thumb and forefinger.
Flicking Finger Divine Skill.
A clear, metallic clang echoed through the air, twelve times, as a single, qi-infused metal ball danced among the shattered tiles and hidden weapons, deflecting every single projectile aimed at its master.
Tang Wu’s eyes widened in surprise, his initial probing attack completely neutralized.
He chuckled, an incredulous sound.
“Hah!”
The tables had turned. He was now the one under attack.
Orchid Blossom Acupoint Striking Hand – A technique that enhanced the speed and precision of one’s fingers.
As his initial attack was deflected, Jang Sam’s hand blurred, unleashing a volley of metal balls.
A relentless hailstorm of steel.
And a blatant feint.
The true attack was a single, hidden projectile, timed to strike while his opponent was distracted by the barrage.
Tang Wu, recognizing the tactic, a fellow master of hidden weapons, smirked, his eyes fixed on Jang Sam through the rain of metal balls.
It was a look of acknowledgment, and a promise of brutal retaliation.
He charged through the barrage of metal balls, recalling the technique that countered the Flicking Finger Divine Skill, one of the secret techniques of the Sichuan Tang Family.
The Twelve Linked Slashes… a hidden weapon technique designed to counter hidden weapons.
It was a complex and demanding technique, requiring precise calculations and adjustments, but also a technique capable of tremendous power, depending on the user’s skill and adaptability.
He had witnessed an impressive display.
‘So, as a token of my appreciation…’
-Crash!
He channeled his internal energy, stomping the ground with explosive force, and drew his weapon, a three-section staff connected by chains, from his waist.
‘I’ll show you something special.’
Emperor Taizu of Song’s Staff Method.
The staff technique of the emperor who had unified the chaotic Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, a technique that crushed all before it.
-Clang! Clang, clang!!
The chained segments of the staff moved with fluid grace, striking down the insignificant opponents that dared to block his path.
“What the… !?”
Jang Sam, sensing the danger, instinctively retreated, but
he was too slow. Tang Wu was faster.
Having broken through the barrage of projectiles, Tang Wu closed the distance, leaping across the rooftop.
He collapsed the three sections of his staff into a single, solid rod and brought it down in a powerful overhead strike.
Jang Sam’s eyes widened at the inescapable blow. He instinctively assessed the situation.
He raised his arms, channeling his internal energy, sacrificing his arms to protect his head. He blocked the attack.
-BOOM!!
The impact of staff against qi-infused arms sent shockwaves rippling through the air.
-Crack!!
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Jang Sam looked up at the gaping hole in the roof through his blurred vision.
He seemed to have avoided having his skull crushed, but the roof, unable to withstand the force of the blow, had collapsed, and he was now falling amidst the debris.
He sighed inwardly, feeling the unpleasant sensation of falling.
‘Haah… I didn’t want to use this, it’s not very elegant, but…’
Bowstring Body, Flicking Shadow.
Just before hitting the ground, he arched his back like a drawn bowstring.
Using the momentum, he spun, landing on his feet.
“Fist techniques, sword techniques, spear techniques, they’re all useless.”
And Tang Wu, landing lightly behind him, his staff resting on Jang Sam’s neck and shoulder, said,
“Throwing techniques and staff techniques are the true martial arts that elevated humanity to the top of the food chain. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Jang Sam frowned at Tang Wu, who was slowly closing in, his face a mask of unsettling amusement, his eyes gleaming with a predatory light.
He had sensed that this man was dangerous, but he hadn’t anticipated this level of skill.
The Tang Family’s hidden weapon techniques, combined with that brutal staff method… he was incredibly powerful, both at range and in close combat.
He was at least on par with an elder of a prestigious family, if not stronger.
“…….”
Not only was he facing a formidable opponent in a life-or-death battle, but if there were others among the attackers, his young master was in danger.
“Haah…”
He sighed. Ever since he had become the young master’s bodyguard, it seemed all he did was sigh.
But it hadn’t been all bad.
In fact, he had grown rather fond of his foolish young master, enough to consider his life as a bumbling servant, catering to a spoiled child’s whims, a worthwhile endeavor.
He assessed his condition. His left arm was broken. His right arm was still functional.
That was fortunate. He could still use that.
While he was reluctant to drop his disguise and reveal his true face, he couldn’t defeat this opponent while holding back.
And then, his carefully laid plans were disrupted by the sudden appearance of a man.
“Excuse me… I apologize for the interruption… but are you… Tie Peng (Iron Roc)? You seem to be… in trouble. Do you require assistance?”
The man appeared suddenly, like a natural disaster, like death itself.
‘I didn’t even sense his approach…’
Tang Wu, his eyes widening in surprise, quickly turned to face the newcomer.
He was a man of ordinary appearance and build, his features indistinct.
His most noticeable characteristic was the prominent dark circles under his eyes.
“The… the bird-masked man behind you… he’s… an acquaintance? A friend? Something like that. Would you mind… stopping the fight?”
‘Is he feigning weakness to make me lower my guard?’
Assuming the newcomer was an ally of the bird-masked man, Tang Wu took a bamboo tube from his pocket and tossed it at the man, who was standing awkwardly, as if unsure of himself.
Exploding Rain of Pear Blossom Needles.
The bamboo tube exploded, releasing a cloud of poisonous gas and hundreds of poison-tipped needles.
But there was no scream of pain, no sound of flesh being pierced, no gurgling cough of blood.
The needles bounced harmlessly off the newcomer’s body, leaving no mark. Even the poisonous gas seemed to have no effect.
“How… how is that possible…?”
Tang Wu’s face hardened in disbelief.
“Well, you see, I’m… impervious to physical attacks and poisons,” the newcomer explained helpfully.
Impervious to weapons, the pinnacle of external martial arts mastery, the金刚不坏 (Diamond Body, or Vajrapani Body), and immune to all poisons?
Tang Wu stared at the newcomer in disbelief.
There was only one person in the entire Central Plains who possessed such abilities.
He trembled, realizing the identity of the unexpected newcomer, a man who shouldn’t be here, a master of overwhelming power.
A madman who, for the price of a single bowl of chicken porridge, had broken the sacred law of non-interference and assassinated a member of the imperial family, becoming a wanted criminal.
An unregistered, unaffiliated assassin, operating alone, unmatched, unrivaled.
“The… Unregistered… Invincible…?!”
Wu Ming, one of the Three Enemies of the Martial World, smiled faintly at the mention of his title.
“I prefer the term ‘Invincible.’ It sounds… cute, like an animal’s cry.”
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Wohooo that’s the uncle guy!😏
It’s [Title Card]