Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 86

The experienced Bongak immediately recognized it as a top-grade magical artifact, its power considerable. As Han Li began to swing the flag wildly, a dazzling blue spiritual light erupted, its momentum truly extraordinary. Although he had full faith in the Yellow Mountain Armor, Bongak, cunning and cautious by nature, kept his eyes fixed on Han Li’s blue flag. He was wary that it might possess some strange ability that could break through his defenses. However, he dismissed the remaining Chaos Origin Beads as mere decoys to distract him. The pitiful power of the Chaos Origin Beads wouldn’t even scratch the Yellow Mountain Armor, even if they struck it all day long. Yet, as Han Li continued to bring out top-grade magical artifacts, Bongak began to feel uneasy. He speculated that Han Li, like the woman in white, was a junior or disciple of some deceased expert, and his resolve to kill him became even stronger. If someone of such status were to escape, it would surely lead to future troubles. Moreover, since he had witnessed Bongak killing people and plundering treasures, if he were to inform the woman’s seniors, it would bring about immense disaster. As Bongak focused on Han Li’s flag, his killing intent burning, the remaining Chaos Origin Beads finally reached him. They were blocked by the defenses of the Yellow Mountain Armor and bounced off with a crisp sound. The sound made Bongak unconsciously glance at them. “Trying to attack me with mere Chaos Origin Beads! You don’t know your place. Those things are…” ‘Wait? That one is too small and has a bluish color…’ Just as Bongak was about to mock the Chaos Origin Beads, he noticed one of them, a small, pill-sized bead, hiding behind the others. Before he could even process what was happening, the blue bead collided with the spherical barrier. White light, beautiful and dazzling, captivating the eyes! This was the last sight Bongak saw in this world. From Han Li’s perspective, as the blue bead collided with the yellow light, a silver-white light erupted and exploded. Silently engulfing most of Bongak’s body, the white light disappeared after a moment, revealing a bewildered Bongak, seemingly unharmed. Han Li’s expression hardened, unsure of what to do, but then Bongak’s body began to crumble with the wind, turning into ashes in an instant. Only his feet, still wearing shoes, remained on the ground, creating a bizarre scene. Rather than being frightened by this sight, Han Li immediately sat down on the ground and let out a deep sigh. He needed to give his nerves, which had been on edge for so long, a rest. He had only been able to completely eliminate Bongak from this world by using his ultimate weapon, the Sky Thunder Bead, while also deceiving him with the flag. However, instead of joy, a self-deprecating smile appeared on his face. It was only the second day since he had entered the forbidden area, and he had already used all his magical artifacts and his trump card, the Sky Thunder Bead, so there was nothing to be happy about. Thinking about how many more formidable opponents like Bongak he might encounter, his lightened heart quickly became heavy again. Still, if it hadn’t been for the Sky Thunder Bead, he wouldn’t have survived this time. Bi Cheon-soon was in immediate danger of not being able to stop the Yellow Mountain Armor, and even if he managed to resolve that, the opponent possessed the woman in white’s storage pouch, which meant he had countless magical artifacts. Although he had paid a hefty price for the Sky Thunder Bead, it was the right choice to use it decisively and eliminate him. Thinking this far, Han Li’s mind snapped back to reality, and he quickly looked at the spot where Bongak had died. After searching for a long time, his mouth dropped open, and he was once again speechless. * * * Only his feet, still wearing shoes, remained where Bongak had stood. The spoils he had marked and the storage pouch were nowhere to be seen. He jumped up from the ground like a fish and rushed away as if his backside was on fire. However, no matter how hard he searched in the space where Bongak had disappeared, the storage pouch was gone. ‘Could the power of the Sky Thunder Bead have been so strong that it even annihilated the storage pouch?’ He circled the area repeatedly, eventually arriving at a gloomy conclusion. He expanded his search area, but the result was the same. However, the mirror, the crystal ball, and the small sword that had returned to its original form after its owner’s death were still there. Han Li picked up these three items and thought about the Sky Thunder Bead, the silver ring, and the blue rope he had lost. Adding the storage pouch that the Sky Thunder Bead had devoured, he could only look up at the sky. Still, he was the victor in this great battle. It was better than being like Bongak, who had died and turned to ashes! Trying to console himself, Han Li, feeling a pang of regret over his losses, looked at the only thing left, the feet. Han Li shook his head and immediately created a fist-sized fireball and shot it. What was the point of leaving the feet behind when the person was already dead? ‘Bang! Bang!’ With two explosions, flames engulfed it, and everything except the shoes turned to ashes in an instant. Han Li nodded and was about to leave when he turned back. ‘Something’s strange. How can ordinary shoes be intact after a Fireball Technique?’ He was about to take a step when he turned back, and the seemingly ordinary shoes caught his eye. Looking at them closely, they were indeed strange. Not only had they not burned in the Fireball Technique, but there wasn’t even a trace of scorching, and he could faintly feel spiritual energy emanating from them. “A magical artifact?” It was an astonishing discovery. He moved closer and looked down at the black leather shoes. ‘Thin, light, and tough. They’re not made of cloth or anything else, but leather shoes made from some animal hide.’ The closer he got, the clearer the subtle spiritual energy of the shoes became. They were definitely a magical artifact, probably made from the hide of some demonic beast. An idea struck Han Li, and he immediately swapped his cloth shoes for these magical ones. They were so comfortable and light, it felt like he wasn’t wearing anything at all. This was the first sensation Han Li felt when he put on the shoes. He examined his feet closely, but couldn’t find anything else unusual. Han Li raised his eyebrows and took a light step. ‘Whoosh!’ In an instant, Han Li vanished and reappeared a half-length away. ‘Wind Riding Technique! No, it’s faster than the Wind Riding Technique!’ Now the secret of Bongak’s fast movement was revealed. It was these shoes that had enabled his strange movements and lightning-fast speed. Equipped with the magical artifact, Han Li began to walk slowly in the small open space, gradually increasing his speed. Finally, he used the Rapid Shadow Step to accelerate further. Before, when Han Li reached his maximum speed, his figure would blur, leaving afterimages. Now, with these shoes, a series of identical phantoms appeared, lined up and moving in the same way, all smiling and coexisting at the same time. As time passed, all the phantoms merged into the center, and eventually, only one Han Li remained. Han Li stared blankly for a moment, then suddenly burst into loud laughter, laughing so hard that he bent over and almost shed tears. After laughing for a while, Han Li’s bent figure flickered and disappeared into the air like a gust of wind. At this moment, the open space where he had been standing was very quiet, except for the occasional sound of the wind. ‘Crack! Crack!’ A series of loud noises rang out, and the trees nearby were severed one by one. The cross-sections were as smooth as mirrors, but the one who had caused this phenomenon was nowhere to be seen. The speed at which the trees were cut down increased rapidly, and in the blink of an eye, all the trees around were reduced to stumps. Han Li, emitting a faint blue light all over his body, finally appeared, covered in sweat. However, the corners of his mouth were twitching, unable to hide the joy that was bursting out. With the Rapid Shadow Step, the magical leather shoes, and the Wind Riding Technique combined, he had achieved a movement that was surprisingly impossible to follow with the naked eye. It was as if he was hiding and disappearing in the air, becoming invisible to others. He estimated that even with the best eyesight and the Heavenly Eye Technique [a technique to see through illusions and hidden things], others would only be able to catch a faint shadow of him. Moreover, when he was unable to use his magic, he would be even more powerful. Now, Han Li could be far away just by thinking about it. Of course, this acceleration that transcended the limits of the body could only be maintained for a short time. If it lasted too long, his entire body would be completely ruined. It was a bit much for Han Li’s body to withstand such acceleration. However, he could kill an opponent dozens of times in an instant, and if he used the Invisible Thread magical artifact together, he could unleash several times the power. He lowered his head and looked at the leather shoes that fit snugly on his feet. This magical artifact was perfect for him, and he would never exchange it for any other magical artifact, no matter who offered it. Filled with confidence again, Han Li looked around excitedly. He discovered the body of his female fellow disciple and sighed lightly. He created a small fire pit and buried her body. This was the best he could do for her. After finishing the task, Han Li disappeared back into the bushes. It was time to head to the central area. He was still unaware that after the round of slaughter, only about seventy disciples from each faction remained in the forbidden area. Half of those who had entered the forbidden area had died, and he was also unaware that the elites of each sect were gathering in the center, preparing for a second round of sweeping using the ‘waiting for the rabbit to bump into the tree’ [a Chinese idiom meaning to wait for luck] method. They had completely eliminated those they deemed weak. In fact, the woman in white and Bongak of the Thousand Fiend Sect, who had been killed by Han Li, were originally among the strong ones they had tolerated. But they were all dead, so what did it matter! * * * In the western region, away from the center, in a basin where rare herbs grew. Three cultivators were fiercely battling a Three-Eyed Fire Wolf with all their might. One was a middle-aged man dressed in the robes of the Giant Sword Sect, wielding a blue giant sword to block most of the Fire Wolf’s attacks. The other two, an old man in yellow robes and a young man in gray Taoist robes, were providing support from his left and right. * * * After a while, the Giant Sword Sect disciple, enduring a massive fireball, cleaved the demonic beast’s head in one strike. He sheathed his giant sword and laughed, raising his head. “Brother Mong’s magical power is truly profound. To kill the Three-Eyed Fire Wolf in one blow! A remarkable talent of the Giant Sword Sect…” The old man in yellow robes immediately rushed over, showering him with praise, his face showing no sign of shame. If Han Li were here, he would have recognized that this old man was the one who had bothered him with the idea of forming a weakling alliance just before entering the forbidden area. However, the young disciple who had been with him was nowhere to be seen, as if they had been transported to different locations. “Hehe! If it weren’t for Brother Hyang and Taoist Yi’s help, how could I have won so easily!” The middle-aged man in black, wielding the giant sword, was still humble. “There’s no need to be modest. It’s clear that Brother Mong contributed the most to capturing the demonic beast.” The young Taoist’s words were appropriate and skillful, despite his young age. The middle-aged man in black smiled at his words. “But aren’t those guys who just fight and kill each other really stupid? If they knew that three of us from different sects could work together to defeat demonic beasts and collect spiritual herbs, they would probably be shocked.” “That’s right. If Brother Hyang hadn’t persuaded us with his clear analysis, we would still be fighting each other to the death.” The Taoist agreed with the black-clad man as he changed the subject. “You flatter me. You two are exceptionally intelligent, and I simply stated the facts. Why should we lose our lives trying to obtain things that are beyond our reach? While everyone else is killing each other, we can just sweep up the rare spiritual herbs in areas outside the center. Moreover, it’s much easier to deal with demonic beasts when we all work together.” Hyang Ji-rye grinned and spoke eloquently. The two men who heard his words began to praise each other. “Alright, let’s move quickly and collect the Fire Dragon Grass! We’ll divide it equally.” Perhaps he was in a hurry, the black-clad man spoke first and walked towards the few red plants growing behind the Fire Wolf’s corpse. As he turned his back, Hyang Ji-rye and the Taoist exchanged meaningful glances and quickly agreed with the black-clad man, following him. And neither of them noticed the cold expression that flashed across the face of the black-clad man as he stood with his back to them. # 88