A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 28

28. Sword Godly Woman

Silence fell. All eyes were on Sa Su-yeon, who stood over the fallen giant.

“Impressive.”

The speaker was a young man in red martial attire.

Thud, thud.

He walked towards Sa Su-yeon.

“I saw how you broke the Great Earth Shattering Strike.”

Swish.

A particularly long spear lightly cut through the air and was aimed at Sa Su-yeon. The red tassel attached to the spearhead fluttered lightly with its momentum.

“But this time, it won’t be easy.”

Sa Su-yeon responded with a light smile.

Whoo-oong.

His spearhead began to emit a low hum. In the quiet stillness, only the faint sound of the red blade echoed around. However, the strange silence did not last long.

“Haa!”

Whoosh.

With a sharp shout, the red spearhead thrust straight towards Sa Su-yeon. Instead of dodging, Sa Su-yeon lunged towards the spear.

Swish.

Sa Su-yeon’s sword, imbued with blue energy, precisely met the path of the red spear, and at the same time, an explosion erupted.

Kwaang!

The spear and sword, both charged with strong energy, collided. As the spear bounced high, Sa Su-yeon seized the fleeting opportunity and rushed towards the young man in red martial attire.

“Hmph, where do you think you’re going!”

The young man spat out. His red spear was already drawing a large circle, striking towards Sa Su-yeon’s side at tremendous speed.

Swae-aek!

Sa Su-yeon leaned her upper body completely backward. Simultaneously, her sword was raised horizontally in front of her, as if to protect her.

Kieeeing.

Sparks flew between the red spear, which grazed right in front of Sa Su-yeon’s nose, and Sa Su-yeon’s sword, which blocked the spear. The red spear was a metal spear made entirely of metal, even the shaft.

Chae-aeng.

Eventually, Sa Su-yeon’s sword succeeded in deflecting the red spear shaft upwards. But this was not the end.

Whoo-oong.

The metal spear, its trajectory altered by the sword, soared into the sky and then fell like lightning towards Sa Su-yeon. In terms of momentum alone, it was by no means inferior to the Great Earth Shattering Strike unleashed by the giant.

Kwaang!

Dry grass and dust billowed up. Through it, Sa Su-yeon could be seen flying into the air.

Swish.

Like a swallow, Sa Su-yeon arched her body in the air and plunged straight towards the young man in red martial attire. It was a sharp move aimed at the stiffness after a large attack, but it was also the situation the young man in red martial attire had been waiting for.

Shwiiik.

With a light gesture of the young man’s hand, the red metal spear was already flashing its sharp edge towards Sa Su-yeon. And the next moment, the young man’s shout erupted.

“Haa!”

The red spearhead shone as it shot towards Sa Su-yeon. And Son Bin saw it: the red spearhead was rotating at an incredible speed. It was not just a simple thrust.

“No!”

At that moment, it was not Son Bin who shouted. It was none other than the young man dressed like a nobleman.

“If you use the same trick, it will be seen through!”

Whoo-oong.

At the same time as his cry, Sa Su-yeon’s sword gained more blue energy. And at the very moment of colliding with the red metal spear, Sa Su-yeon’s sword rotated. It was a very short, extremely momentary event, but it was enough for Sa Su-yeon.

Kwaang!

The moment her blue sword and the red metal spear collided, a tremendous explosion erupted.

“Tch.”

The young man dressed as a nobleman covered his mouth with a fan and clicked his tongue. Although he was covering it with a fan, it was clear that he was frowning. And as he expected, the result of the two people’s clash was clearly revealed.

Tung!

Something that was part of the red metal spear fell to the ground with a dull sound. What was originally the front part of the spear had been transformed into a strange shape, as if it had exploded from the inside.

“Unbelievable…….”

The man in red martial attire muttered. His hand was still firmly gripping the red metal spear, but a stream of blood was flowing from the corner of his mouth.

“How could you… my Scarlet Breakthrough…”

Tak.

Sa Su-yeon lightly landed on the ground. Her clothes and hair were disheveled as if caught in a whirlwind, but her sword was still exuding blue energy with dignity.

“I saw it right in front of me.”

Sarak.

Sa Su-yeon lightly brushed her disheveled hair back with one hand and replied.

“It would be strange if I didn’t know.”

“Heh heh.”

The young man in red martial attire let out a hollow laugh.

“You saw through my ultimate skill in that one moment? And you countered it with your sword?”

Sa Su-yeon frowned slightly.

“Ultimate skill? To that extent?”

Muttering to herself, Sa Su-yeon glanced at the front part of the red metal spear that had fallen to the ground.

“You are lucky. If the spear hadn’t turned out like this, you would have taken this impact directly.”

“Heh heh heh. Lucky, you say…….”

The young man said through gritted teeth. The part of the spear that had exploded was exactly where Sa Su-yeon’s sword had passed. Perhaps even this result was exactly as she had intended.

“Wait. Someday, I will definitely repay this debt…….”

Thud.

The man collapsed before he could finish his sentence.

“These people.”

Sa Su-yeon frowned and said.

“They use informal speech until the end, just like bandits or thugs.”

Sarak.

Sa Su-yeon turned her body towards the remaining two people: the woman holding a sword and the nobleman holding a small fan.

“Don’t you know how to respect your opponents?”

“I apologize for his rudeness, Miss.”

The nobleman holding a fan bowed with an elegant attitude.

“However, in a martial arts match, all formalities are sometimes abandoned.”

“Hmm, that makes sense.”

Sa Su-yeon nodded and stared straight at the young man dressed as a nobleman.

“Then, will you be the third one?”

“There’s no need for that.”

The answer came from the woman in white martial attire. Sa Su-yeon turned her head to look at her. A sharp glint shone in her narrow eyes.

“Jade Dragon ordered us to deal with that guy [Sa Ja-hyeok]. There’s no need to waste time on this woman. There’s even less need to deal with them one by one.”

“Are you suggesting a joint attack?”

“Yes.”

The woman replied.

“It’s better to get rid of this woman and deal with that guy quickly.”

“That’s an extremely rational point. But…”

The young man dressed as a nobleman replied in a leisurely voice.

“It goes against my aesthetics.”

“Aesthetics?”

The woman sneered.

“I’ve heard a lot that you’re a bit eccentric, but I didn’t know you were a pretentious hypocrite. Now……”

“Ah, I think there’s a bit of a misunderstanding.”

The young man said with a relaxed expression.

“It’s not that I dislike joint attacks, nor am I reluctant to fight against women. Even doing joint attacks against women—well, in some cases, it doesn’t matter. But what I hate is……”

It was when the young man dressed as a nobleman said that much that Son Bin felt a presence and turned his head. And he saw it: Sa Ja-hyeok, who had been silently watching, was slowly starting to move.

‘Huh?’

Before Son Bin could say anything, Sa Ja-hyeok’s hand was already on the hilt of Pa-wol [Sa Ja-hyeok’s greatsword]. And the next moment, Sa Ja-hyeok’s black greatsword Pa-wol cut through the air like lightning.

Whoosh.

It was an extremely simple and clean movement that didn’t convey any momentum, but the result was surprising.

Ka-ang!

Sparks flew in the air with a sharp sound. And something, or rather someone, was thrown out. Like a thrown stone, he flew through the air and soon fell powerlessly to the ground.

Thud.

The figure of the person wrapped in black from head to toe was not even properly visible in the darkness.

“Just because I left you alone,”

Sa Ja-hyeok said in a calm voice, sheathing Pa-wol.

“Doesn’t mean I didn’t see you.”

Sreuk.

The black greatsword Pa-wol disappeared.

“That’s exactly what I mean.”

The young man dressed as a nobleman muttered with a bitter expression.

“If it were a glorious death, it might be different, but I don’t want to lose so pathetically.”

The face of the woman in white martial attire was stiff, because she knew too well what Sa Ja-hyeok’s one move had meant.

‘With a single move……’

A martial artist with keen senses and sharpness can react even to a surprise attack. However, Sa Ja-hyeok not only blocked the surprise attack, but also completely neutralized the opponent with a single move. One of the Five Elites of Yunnan.

“How about it? Will you try it alone?”

The young man asked in a light voice.

“I don’t mind seeing you lose pathetically.”

The young man’s intention was clear: he wanted to back out, and she alone could never handle Sa Ja-hyeok.

“You.”

The woman glared at the young man dressed as a nobleman and said.

“You will have to take responsibility for this.”

The young man smiled lightly.

“Sorry, but you’re not my type.”

“What?”

She was momentarily bewildered. Then soon, she realized that the young man was teasing her.

Adeuk.

She gritted her teeth, but she didn’t want to show any more ugliness.

Sabak.

Without saying a word, she took a step back.

Sreuk.

Her figure slowly disappeared into the darkness. Until the end, her eyes were shining sharply.

“Well, now that the noisy woman is gone,”

The young man said, lightly waving his fan.

“I should be going now too.”

“You’re called the Five Elites of Yunnan, but is this all you are?”

Sa Su-yeon said. The young man smiled.

“It’s no use. I’m not particularly moved by such words, nor will I be involved in this matter any further. I don’t know what Jade Dragon is thinking, but it seems best to quietly hold your breath and watch for now.”

As he spoke, the young man suddenly stared intently at Sa Su-yeon.

“What is it?”

Sa Su-yeon frowned slightly at his gaze.

“Ah, excuse me. I was wondering if you were the one who recently gained the name Sword Godly Woman.”

“Sword Godly Woman?”

Sa Su-yeon looked like she was hearing it for the first time.

“I heard that she is the opponent who caused trouble for the young prodigies of the Jianghu [martial arts world] martial arts world. What is known is her beautiful and mysterious appearance, and that quite famous ultimate skills were all seen through. So, the name Sword Godly Woman was attached, just like you did just now……”

“I don’t know anything about it.”

Sa Su-yeon said with a cold look, interrupting the young man’s words.

“Is that so?”

The young man dressed as a nobleman smiled.

“Then, hoping that fate will bring us together again someday……”

The young man, showing a polite and elegant posture, quietly stepped back.

“Wait a moment.”

Sa Su-yeon called out to him as he was about to disappear.

“What are you going to do with these people?”

The young man’s smiling face could be seen through the darkness.

“Do as you please, because that is the right of the victor. Kill them, or leave them.”

With the young man’s figure disappearing into the darkness, his voice also faded away. Like when he first appeared, without any sign, the young man disappeared.

‘How does he do that?’

Son Bin was amazed. It was like melting into the darkness and disappearing.

Sreung.

Sa Su-yeon sheathed her sword and turned her head towards Sa Ja-hyeok.

“Did you call me to deal with these people?”

Sa Su-yeon asked Sa Ja-hyeok. Her expression was not bright.

“No.”

Sa Ja-hyeok replied.

“But it was necessary to check it out once: whether you can properly unfold this swordplay.”

Complete interest arose on Sa Su-yeon’s face. Sa Ja-hyeok held Pa-wol with both hands and lifted it above his head. The blade of Pa-wol was facing the sky, and the end of the sword was slightly facing the earth, so it looked like he was receiving an attack falling from above.

“Watch carefully.”

Sa Ja-hyeok said, but there seemed to be no need to say it. Sa Su-yeon’s eyes were already fixed on Sa Ja-hyeok.

Shwiik.

In an instant, Sa Ja-hyeok’s one foot stepped forward and his Pa-wol cut through the air. The strongly struck Pa-wol drew a semicircle and rose upwards again, and then fell down again, suddenly stopping its movement in the middle. It was a very simple movement.

“Did you see it?”

Sa Ja-hyeok asked. Sa Su-yeon frowned slightly.

“Again.”

‘Huh?’

Son Bin was puzzled, but Sa Ja-hyeok, as if he knew it would be like this, took the initial stance again, and his Pa-wol cuts through the air again. Pa-wol drew a trajectory in the air that was no different from the one before.

Hoong.

Sa Su-yeon bit her lip as Pa-wol stopped moving.

“The stance is not complete.”

“That’s right.”

Sa Ja-hyeok said.

“It’s exactly one and a half counts.”

“One and a half counts.”

Sa Su-yeon muttered, repeating it.

“It was at this point that Jade Dragon admitted his defeat. He said there was no need to continue any further.”

Sa Ja-hyeok said in a calm voice.

“So I named this swordplay Jade Dragon’s Reverse Scale Strike. Can you unfold this stance with your sword?”

“Show me one more time.”

Sa Ja-hyeok took a stance without any answer.

Whoo-oong.

The black greatsword Pa-wol cut through the air. An extremely simple stance that was no different from the one before cuts through the air.

“It’s quite tricky.”

Sa Su-yeon said with a frown.

“And the problem is……”

“Isn’t it simple?”

Son Bin muttered without realizing it. At the same time, Sa Ja-hyeok and Sa Su-yeon’s gazes turned to Son Bin. Son Bin was a little embarrassed by their gazes, but since he had already said it, Son Bin said.

“No, that’s just like this……”

As if his hand was Pa-wol, Son Bin raised his hand and lightly drew a semicircle downwards.

‘Huh?’

At that moment, Son Bin felt a strange feeling. He clearly moved his hand to draw the same trajectory, but it was very different from what Sa Ja-hyeok had drawn.

“No, not like this……”

Son Bin raised his hand again and struck downwards, but this time again, the result was the same. It was similar, but it was far from the clean curve that Sa Ja-hyeok’s Pa-wol had drawn just now.

No, to be honest, it wasn’t similar at all, even though it was a simple movement of striking down in the same way.

‘Huh? Is this not it?’

While Son Bin was panicking, Sa Su-yeon turned her head towards Sa Ja-hyeok.

“And the problem is how to connect the stance after half a count. It’s too vague with just this.”

“That’s why I need you.”

Sa Ja-hyeok said to Sa Su-yeon.

“If it’s you, you can do it.”

“Haa.”

Sa Su-yeon sighed softly.

“I can’t guarantee it.”

She frowned slightly, but her eyes were definitely shining so that you could tell.

“But, I’ll try somehow.”