Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 314

314. The Monk Who Left the Temple

Jang Samchae, the Deputy Chief of the Wuhan Branch of the Heroes Alliance, said to Lee Musim,

“But the Jeong family is not to be trifled with. The family head, Ilseomgeom [One Sword Sword], is highly skilled in martial arts…”

“So what if he’s skilled? Does he think my sword won’t cut him?”

Lee Musim smirked and said,

“Ilseomgeom is nothing before the Taiyuan Three Fiends. Hahaha.”

“Of course.”

The eldest of the Taiyuan Three Fiends, Gwangma, who was riding a horse, laughed and said,

“Ilseomgeom? It’s easier than twisting a child’s arm. Hehehe.”

The second, Gwangsall, and the third, Gwanghyeol, also chuckled.

Watching them, Jang Samchae swallowed hard.

The Taiyuan Three Fiends were notorious masters of the Demonic Sect from the Taiyuan region.

Their evil deeds were so extreme that they became targets for assassination by the Murim Alliance [Martial Arts Alliance], and they went into hiding after suffering severe injuries.

Now, they had suddenly appeared with Lee Musim.

‘Their intentions are obvious…’

The Taiyuan Three Fiends’ goal was clear.

They wanted to enter the Heroes Alliance through Lee Musim, the Lord of Taiju in the Heroes Alliance.

In fact, with their skills, it would have been easy for them to take a position in a Heroes Alliance branch.

However, Lee Musim’s position as the Lord of Taiju was nominal, and the Alliance Leader Yeom Jungbu didn’t even care about Lee Musim.

‘With the Taiyuan Three Fiends backing him, I can’t say anything…’

The Taiyuan Three Fiends were now acting as Lee Musim’s bodyguards.

Because of this, Lee Musim, who would usually only break furniture in taverns when drunk, had boldly set out to plunder the Jeong family.

Even inciting some bandits.

‘Damn it.’

Jang Samchae cursed the branch leader in his mind.

The Wuhan branch leader did not stop Lee Musim.

Instead, he told Jang Samchae, the deputy chief, to manage the situation and passed the responsibility on to him.

In the end, Jang Samchae was left to suffer in silence.

“Yes! That’s right! Kill them well. Hahahaha.”

Jang Samchae forced himself to ignore Lee Musim’s excited voice and looked at the Jeong family.

Clang, clang.

“Kuaaa!”

In the darkness, the sounds of metal and screams continued incessantly.

Already, dozens of people had fallen, bleeding, but even that was just a temporary amusement for Lee Musim.

‘Let’s just endure tonight. The tournament will be over tomorrow.’

Jang Samchae sighed inwardly.

Unexpectedly, many guests had come to the Heroes Alliance branch tournament.

The Demonic sects, trying to curry favor with the Heroes Alliance, and merchants and clans, fearing retaliation, flocked to celebrate the tournament.

Even Hangzhou, where the Heroes Alliance headquarters was located, was overflowing with Demonic Sect masters, showing how successful the Heroes Alliance was.

“Huh? Who’s that guy?”

At Lee Musim’s voice, Jang Samchae turned his head.

And he saw a bandit falling to a sword.

The middle-aged martial artist who appeared in martial attire was none other than Jeong Ikgang, the head of the Jeong family, Ilseomgeom.

Swish.

“Kuaaa!”

“Aaaagh!”

The family head’s swordsmanship was amazing.

With a single flash of his sword, three or four bandits fell instantly.

“You bastards!”

Ilseomgeom Jeong Ikgang shouted in a thunderous voice.

“Aren’t you afraid of the heavens!”

His cry echoed all around.

He was showing the dignity of a family head, but Lee Musim snorted.

“Heavens? What heavens? How dare you talk about the Dao of Heaven [the natural order] in front of this Iron-Faced Ruthless! Originally, the Dao of Heaven has no obstructions, so it goes this way and flows that way!”

‘He’s at it again.’

Jang Samchae shook his head.

Acting like an enlightened Taoist was an old habit of Lee Musim.

“Iron-Faced Ruthless? Then you’re that Lee Musim!”

Jeong Ikgang frowned and asked.

Pleased that he knew his name, Lee Musim replied with a proud expression.

“That’s right! I am Lee Musim.”

“The Jeong family has no grievances with you, so what is this all about! Even if there were grievances to be repaid, is it the way of the Surochae [likely a title or organization] and the Heroes Alliance to kill people like this without warning!”

His words were just.

But Lee Musim was not a man to listen to such words.

“What law! The path I walk is the Dao, and what I do is the law!”

Gritting his teeth, Family Head Jeong Ikgang realized there was no room for further conversation with Lee Musim.

Jeong Ikgang said to his son, who was standing next to him, in a small voice,

“Look for an opening and take your mother and escape.”

“Father!”

His son looked back in surprise, but Jeong Ikgang said with a firm expression,

“You’re the only one.”

His voice was trembling slightly.

“You’re the only one who can take care of your mother and younger sister, and the only one to whom I can entrust the future of the Jeong family.”

Jeong Ikgang had already recognized that the three people next to Lee Musim were masters.

The aura they exuded was not something he could handle.

No, he wasn’t even sure if his son could escape properly.

“Father…”

“Don’t worry about me.”

A woman’s clear voice came from behind.

Step, step.

A young lady, who seemed to have just passed her maidenhood, walked out with a sword in her hand.

Her beautiful eyes were already full of determination.

“I can fight too.”

“Yes. Don’t worry about us.”

Another woman’s voice rang out.

A middle-aged woman, Jeong Ikgang’s wife, said with a small dagger in her hand.

“We will gladly share our fate with the Jeong family today.”

“Y-You…”

Jeong Ikgang gritted his teeth.

Gratitude for his wife and anguish over the inescapable reality were evident in his eyes.

“Oh, really?”

Lee Musim’s mocking voice awakened Jeong Ikgang.

“If dying together is your wish, I’ll grant it.”

Lee Musim said, turning to the Taiyuan Three Fiends,

“Isn’t that right?”

The eldest of the Taiyuan Three Fiends, Gwangma, gave a bitter smile.

He said quietly,

“Third.”

“Yes, Brother.”

Gwangma said to the third, Gwanghyeol,

“Go and kill them.”

Swish.

Gwanghyeol disappeared instead of answering.

And the next moment, Gwanghyeol was rushing towards Family Head Jeong Ikgang.

“Gasp!”

Jeong Ikgang reflexively raised his sword.

Clang.

“Cough.”

A sharp metallic sound and a short groan followed.

Thud, thud.

Jeong Ikgang stepped back with his sword in hand.

“Father!”

“Husband!”

“…I’m fine.”

Jeong Ikgang said, gritting his teeth.

But his complexion was already turning dark.

Thud.

The third of the Taiyuan Three Fiends, Gwanghyeol, landed lightly on the ground.

In his hand, a long, sharp claw-like weapon, Jo (爪) [Claw], gleamed crimson.

“Hehe, next time, I’ll cut off your head. And then…”

Gwanghyeol licked his lips and said,

“I’ll drink the blood of your wife and children.”

His voice was chilling.

Jeong Ikgang’s son, daughter, and wife turned pale.

“That won’t happen.”

Step.

Jeong Ikgang took a step forward.

Raising his sword straight, Jeong Ikgang said,

“Even if it costs me my life, I will kill you.”

It was a declaration of life and death.

But the Taiyuan Three Fiends and Lee Musim sneered.

“Let’s see…”

Swish.

Gwanghyeol’s figure blurred.

“Try it!”

He rushed towards Jeong Ikgang with tremendous speed.

Jeong Ikgang gritted his teeth, took a step forward, and swung his sword down.

It was his signature move, Ilseomgeom [One Sword Sword].

“Haa!”

His sword cut through the air, and Gwanghyeol’s iron claws rushed towards Jeong Ikgang’s neck.

And the next moment.

Kwaang.

A tremendous explosion shook the surroundings.

“Kugh.”

“Cough.”

Jeong Ikgang and Gwanghyeol groaned simultaneously.

The Taiyuan Three Fiends, Gwangma and Gwangsall, frowned.

Thud, thud.

Meanwhile, Jeong Ikgang and Gwanghyeol stepped back several paces.

Judging by their distorted faces and the way they were clutching their chests, both seemed to have suffered internal injuries.

“A mutual wound?”

The second of the Taiyuan Three Fiends, Gwangsall, muttered with a frown.

Because Family Head Jeong Ikgang’s skills did not seem to be at a level where he could inflict a mutual wound with Gwanghyeol.

“It’s not a mutual wound.”

The eldest of the Taiyuan Three Fiends, Gwangma, said.

He turned his head and looked into the darkness.

“Who is it! Show yourself!”

Lee Musim, as well as Jang Samchae, could not hide their bewildered expressions.

They had no idea why Gwangma was suddenly acting like this.

But that curiosity was soon resolved.

Step.

A sturdy young man appeared from the darkness.

With a shaved head and wearing a monk’s robe, he put his hands together in a Buddhist greeting and chanted a Buddhist invocation in a low voice.

“What? A monk?”

Lee Musim said with a displeased expression.

He immediately shouted boldly,

“Who are you! What makes you dare to interfere with the Heroes Alliance’s affairs!”

“I am…”

The young monk, Hyecheon, said in a calm voice,

“A monk who left the temple.”

Lee Musim’s expression twisted even more.

Then isn’t this place outside the temple?!

Thinking he was playing word games, Lee Musim said, unable to hide his anger,

“How dare this bastard…”

“Shaolin?”

The voice of the eldest, Gwangma, interrupted Lee Musim.

Gwangma’s expression was even more hardened than before.

“That’s right.”

Hyecheon answered readily.

Putting his hands together is a long-standing tradition of Shaolin.

“Your Dharma name?”

“Hyecheon.”

Gwangma tried to recall.

But there was no way he could remember.

He had already gone into seclusion many years ago, and that monk looked very young.

“You must trust the skills you learned in Shaolin…”

Gwangma wore a sneer.

“I’ll let you know that there is a sky above the sky [there’s always someone better].”

“Oh, that’s a very surprising thing to say.”

Step.

Another young man appeared.

The young man, dressed in rather flamboyant martial attire, Mae Hwa Geom Yeonghojun [Plum Blossom Sword Yeonghojun], continued with a smile,

“Since when have the Taiyuan Three Fiends become qualified to teach about the heavens?”

“T-That bastard!”

The expression of the second, Gwangsall, instantly hardened.

“Mae Hwa Geom! How did you get here!”

“Yo, how have you been?”

Yeonghojun waved lightly at Gwangsall.

“You ran away with your tail between your legs, but you’re still alive. But your eyes seem to be fine? I should have scratched them a little harder back then. Tsk, tsk.”

Yeonghojun said as if he was truly disappointed.

Gwangsall gnashed his teeth.

Gritting.

“To think I’d meet you here. I couldn’t be luckier.”

Gwangsall drew his sword.

Sreung.

The bizarrely shaped sword gleamed in the light.

“Today, I will gouge out your eyes and repay the debt from back then.”

Gwangsall was defeated by Mae Hwa Geom Yeonghojun in the past because he was being chased by the masters of the Murim Alliance.

Gwangsall was confident that he would never lose in a situation like this.

“Ah, that’s going to be a little difficult.”

Yeonghojun gave an awkward smile as if he was in trouble.

The eldest, Gwangma, frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“Because the one who will punish you today…”

Yeonghojun smiled brightly.

“Is this person right here.”

Yeonghojun said, slightly stepping aside.

Only then did Gwangma and Gwangsall turn their heads to look at Hyecheon.

And they swallowed dryly without realizing it.

Hoo Woong.

In the meantime, while his eyes were being taken away by Yeonghojun, Hyecheon was gathering his inner strength, bringing his hands together in front of him.

In an instant, Hyecheon’s monk’s robe fluttered, and dust swirled around him.

The energy gathering in Hyecheon’s hands was truly terrifying.

“A-Avoid it!”

Gwangma shouted immediately.

But that warning was already too late.

Seureuk.

Hyecheon pulled one hand back and clenched his fist.

And with a thunderous shout, he thrust it forward.

“Haa!”

Kwagwagwagwag.

A tremendous force erupted with his fist.

That powerful and fierce fist, which seemed to blow away anything that stood in its path, was rushing mercilessly towards the eldest of the Taiyuan Three Fiends, Gwangma.

At that moment, the word that came to Gwangma’s mind was ‘Baekbo Shin Kwon’ [Hundred Step Divine Fist – a legendary Shaolin technique].

“N-No way…”

Kwaaang.

Gwangma’s voice could not continue.

Hyecheon’s one punch swallowed not only Gwangma, but also Gwangsall, Lee Musim, and Jang Samchae who were next to him.

That was what happened in the middle of the Jang River [Yangtze River], near Wuhan, heading from Hangzhou to Chengdu in Sichuan Province.