Cooking Swordmaster [EN]: Chapter 304

‘Ugh…!’

Activating Brilliant Road allows me to perceive the optimal sword path.

The more I use the skill, the more my ability to perceive space itself increases.

Moreover, I’ve been crossing between gates almost every three days, further enhancing this spatial awareness.

Therefore, Cainchel could understand the changes happening to his body.

The clouds that were distant in his vision were now rushing overhead.

In less than 0.1 seconds, the surrounding scenery blurred into a rapid montage.

And before he fully registered it, he could see the back of Royal Constable Sam, who had previously disappeared from sight.

“…This isn’t simply moving through space, but rather, taking incredibly large steps using some kind of trick.”

“That’s right. That is the essence of Chukjibeop [a legendary Taoist technique that allows one to traverse great distances with a single step]. But are you alright?”

“Um. Just a little dizzy.”

Royal Constable Sam’s eyes widened in surprise.

Most people who experience Chukjibeop for the first time can’t withstand the intense spatial distortion and collapse immediately.

But he only felt a little dizziness.

“It seems you’ve learned some martial arts related to manipulating space.”

“Something like that. Anyway, to achieve this by using natural objects and artificial arrangements without relying on your own mana… It’s truly amazing.”

“Haha, you’re too kind. The dish you made earlier was far more amazing than this. What kind of meat was that? The moment I chewed it, it was crunchy, and the juice exploded with flavor. I almost fainted from the sheer deliciousness. And that spicy kick…”

“Ah, that? It’s chorizo made from the meat of a Gorgon, a monster known for casting a petrification curse.”

“…So, you’re telling me I ate monster meat?”

“Would you like me to pack you a few more pieces if you enjoyed it?”

“Oh, that precious delicacy…! I’ll gratefully accept it! But didn’t it have a Spirit Orb [a magical core found in some monsters]?”

It was a reaction Cainchel hadn’t anticipated.

Even in the New World, people rarely eat monster meat unless they’re on the brink of starvation.

But to enjoy it so much suggested a different perspective.

It seemed that monsters were treated as a rare delicacy, perhaps even an elixir, due to their scarcity.

“It wasn’t a monster powerful enough to produce a Spirit Orb.”

Then Maia, who had followed behind, subtly twitched her lips.

From the perspective of someone who actually possessed a dragon heart, it seemed that the conversation was grating on her nerves.

“Tch, those filthy humans sure know what’s good. I was staying quiet because I could reduce travel time without having to revert to my true form, but I can’t stand listening to this anymore. If you have time to chat leisurely, let’s get moving!”

Royal Constable Sam, who had never imagined that Maia’s true identity was an ancient dragon, tilted his head in confusion.

“Then, since neither of you seems to suffer from motion sickness, let’s depart immediately. Just follow me closely.”

Each step covers a whopping 100 li [approximately 50 kilometers].

In Britannia terms, that’s moving 4 kilometers. You have to be careful, or you might end up in a completely wrong location.

Thus, the group began to move at an incredible speed, closely following Royal Constable Sam’s steps.

Chukjibeop requires a short rest after each step.

Skipping through spatial distortions puts a significant strain on the body.

“Hoo… Then let’s rest here for 5 minutes. We’ve traveled 10,000 li [approximately 5,000 kilometers] in less than an hour. If we keep this up, we might be able to have dinner in Kunlun.”

“That’s welcome news.”

“Hahaha. But what was it you wanted to ask me earlier? Since we have some time, I’d like to hear it now.”

“It’s about this… Would you mind taking a look at this for a moment?”

Cainchel took out the hair ornament he wore around his neck and placed it in Royal Constable Sam’s hand.

Then, he recounted the extraordinary experience he had in that fleeting moment, starting with his encounter with Jeokun.

“Oh… That’s…”

Royal Constable Sam listened intently to Cainchel’s story, punctuating it with frequent exclamations of surprise and empathy.

He even teared up during the part where Cainchel promised to give the hair ornament to his daughter, Sang-ah.

“…So, you’ve crossed the continent to fulfill that promise?”

“Yes. I’m also escorting Maia-nim, but that’s secondary.”

“But you mentioned that the young lady you need to meet is named Sang-ah, correct? That name sounds strangely familiar…”

Sang-ah was another name for the moon goddess Hange (姮娥) who appears in Chinese mythology, and it was a relatively common name.

“Well, there must be tens of thousands of people with the same name, so it will be difficult to find her quickly.”

If necessary, he was considering asking Maia to use a super-wide-area tracking spell.

But Royal Constable Sam’s reaction was quite peculiar.

“…But there can only be one Sang-ah whose father is the vice-chef of Junghwaru restaurant in Sansi Province.”

“…!? Have you ever met Sang-ah?”

“Goodness… I never imagined I’d be so connected to you… Yes, that’s right. I’ve met Sang-ah in Sansi Province. It’s not just that I met her; her aunt passed away from an epidemic, leaving her with nowhere to turn, so I took responsibility for her safety.”

It was Cainchel’s turn to be utterly shocked.

There are millions of people living in the Central Plains. Yet, he found Sang-ah’s trail so quickly. Perhaps Tae-eul Seonsa had foreseen this and sent Royal Constable Sam as a guide.

“Then, where is Sang-ah now…?”

Royal Constable Sam sighed deeply.

“I travel all over the country, so I couldn’t personally care for the young lady. So, through my connections with the Golden Eagle Guard [a renowned intelligence organization], I helped her secure a position in the Imperial Palace kitchen.”

That was approximately three years ago.

Now, the Imperial Palace was completely under the control of the Gumiho [a mythical nine-tailed fox spirit]. Therefore, Sang-ah’s safety could not be guaranteed.

“At least she’s not dead. The noodles she makes were truly exceptional. Even His Majesty the Emperor, who has a notoriously picky palate, enjoyed them.”

That was certainly welcome news.

Cainchel clenched the jade hair ornament tightly.

He had to defeat the Gumiho to fulfill the last request left by his teacher, Jeokun.

And as Royal Constable Sam had assured, as the sun began to set.

The group arrived safely at Mount Kunlun.

* * *

Bancheonryeon resembled a temple nestled in the heart of the mountains when viewed from the outside. It was difficult to believe that it served as the base of the Kunlun Sect, a prominent force in the Jianghu [the martial arts world] martial world.

“Are other sects like this as well?”

“Ah, this is unique to the Kunlun Sect. From the outset, it’s a sect that aims to cultivate and ascend to godhood. They don’t forbid eating meat, but their practices are similar to those of monks.”

Opening the door, a man sweeping the stone floor with a broom looked up.

A face so exquisitely beautiful and a figure so slender that he could easily be mistaken for a woman.

He possessed the refined air of a scholar.

“What is it, you Wang brat? I heard you were going to pick up some important person; why are you back already? Ah, don’t tell me you failed? Hahaha! That’s why I said you shouldn’t send a weakling who only knows how to run away.”

However, the tone that came out of his mouth was far rougher than expected.

Royal Constable Sam shrugged his shoulders and retorted.

“What are you talking about, Great Hero Baekho? Didn’t I bring him here as planned?”

Then the lips of the man called Baekho twisted grotesquely.

“That green young man is the last hope to face Dalki [the Gumiho’s name]? If you’re going to lie, at least make it believable! I didn’t like it from the start when you left this Baekho as a gatekeeper instead!”

It seemed that Royal Constable Sam had been serving as the gatekeeper until then.

Baekho sneered at Cainchel.

“Consider it an honor. This Poisonous Gentleman Baekho will test your skills.”

At that moment, an enormous amount of poison began to emanate from his body.

Royal Constable Sam shouted in embarrassment.

“But this isn’t the Green Forest [a bandit hideout]! Tae-eul Seonsa told you not to spew poison everywhere!”

“Tch, you half-wit who can only run away, get out of here!”

One of Baekho’s arms twisted into a bizarre shape. And in an instant, it transformed into the form of a ‘cannon.’

The condensed poison from his body was fired like a cannonball.

The power was so immense that it didn’t seem like a mere test of skill.

Moreover, Royal Constable Sam, as well as Maia, were clearly within the attack range.

‘Tch, the initiation is certainly grand.’

It was clear that the Green Forest was a group of bandits who had learned martial arts.

Only then did he realize that this place was a union of both orthodox and unorthodox factions.

Cainchel activated Aglio e Olio in an instant. A wall of aura materialized in front of him.

Koo-oong-!

The cannonball fired by Baekho was easily blocked by Aglio e Olio.

Baekho sneered.

“Tch, that’s quite a high level of internal energy. But this master’s attack can’t be blocked so easily!”

As Baekho spoke, the cannonball exploded upon impact with the wall, like a water balloon, unleashing the poison contained within.

It was an unusual form of attack that he had never encountered before. But Cainchel didn’t avoid it. Instead, he walked directly through the poisonous cloud, inhaling as much as he could.

“Wh-what?!”

It was Baekho’s turn to be utterly bewildered.

While he might not be worthy of being called the Poison King, he prided himself on being among the top three when it came to poison skills.

Moreover, the ability to transform his body and fire deadly poison like a cannonball was a unique attack technique that only he possessed.

But his opponent was exceptional.

Cainchel licked the poison flowing down his cheek with his tongue and shrugged.

“It’s the poison of a Human-Faced Spider. Furthermore, it’s specially processed to only paralyze the whole body of the person who inhales it. However, if you’re hit directly, there’s a small chance that your heart will stop. It’s too dangerous for a simple test.”

“H, how did you know that?!”

“My tongue is a little sensitive.”

“…That’s ridiculous…”

The poison of the Human-Faced Spider has no taste or smell. Yet, he perfectly identified it simply by tasting a small amount.

“Anyway, can I go in now?”

“…”

Baekho, with a shocked expression, quietly moved out of the way. Cainchel shrugged and entered.

From here and there, voices calling out Dalki’s name could be heard.

They were martial arts masters who had already been partially seduced by her.

‘I need to make a lot of Chorizo Potato Stew.’

Baekho remained frozen with a blank look on his face long after Cainchel had passed. He was clearly shaken by the fact that his confident, unique martial art had been so easily deciphered.

Cainchel sighed quietly, so that others wouldn’t hear him.

‘Anyway, I would have been in big trouble if my poison resistance was any lower. My fingertips are still tingling?’

In the Jianghu martial world, there are many masters who utilize poison skills. If one were to choose the strongest among them, it would be the Poison King, who wields the Extreme Killing Poison.

Extreme Killing Poison.

It was a terrifying poison that would melt the entire body upon direct contact, regardless of one’s internal energy.

And the Poison King had also been seduced by the Gumiho and become her subordinate.

Cainchel checked his status window.

– Poison Resistance (91.4%)

‘I should focus on raising this for a while. It needs to be at least 95% to withstand Extreme Killing Poison.’

In the Central Plains, they enjoy eating various greens that Britannians don’t. If he makes dishes using them, he will be able to easily raise his poison resistance, which has been stagnant for some time.

While he was contemplating this.

The figure of an old man sitting in front of a large stone tower came into Cainchel’s view.

He was a kind-looking man with a long, flowing beard.

Royal Constable Sam bowed politely and greeted him.

“Master. I have brought the noble you spoke of.”

“Haha. You’ve worked hard coming from afar. I am Tae-eul, who is in charge of Bancheonryeon, though I am insignificant.”

Tae-eul Seonsa approached Cainchel and made a fist and palm salute [a traditional Chinese greeting].

Cainchel replaced the greeting by offering a knight’s courtesy rather than awkwardly attempting to mimic the gesture.

“I am Cainchel van Jistad. I came to assist Bancheonryeon’s efforts.”

Maia, who was frowning as if dissatisfied with something, grumbled.

“I’m Maia. Tch, I wondered who was so noisy asking for help, but it was just a complete old geezer.”

“I am grateful for the assistance of a great being.”

It seemed that Maia and Tae-eul Seonsa were acquainted. When asked about it, Maia frowned and replied.

“He claimed that the Central Plains was facing a crisis of destruction because of the Gumiho, and he desperately sought out this dragon. Tch, I don’t particularly want to fulfill the request of an old geezer who failed to become a god. He’s probably thinking of accumulating merit with this and ascending to the heavenly realm.”

“Well, wouldn’t it be beneficial for everyone if it ends well?”

“Hmph! Jistad is too nice. Anyway, make sure you receive a mountain of gold and silver treasures when the work is done. So prepare in advance.”

“Haha, I understand.”

He would have liked to have a cup of tea and discuss future matters, but it seemed that there was no time for that.

At that very moment, the scream of Baekho, the gatekeeper of Bancheonryeon, echoed so loudly that Mount Kunlun seemed to tremble.

“Damn it, it’s an ambush! Masters possessed by the Gumiho have invaded!”

Cainchel’s eyes narrowed. He hadn’t expected to be fighting so soon after arriving in Kunlun.

That meant that his and Maia’s presence was perceived as a significant threat by the enemy.

“Then, Maia-nim, if necessary, please revert to your true form and use that mini-breath.”

“In exchange, you have to prepare a feast tonight that’s so extravagant it breaks the table.”

“Of course.”

Most of those remaining in Bancheonryeon were either injured or possessed by the Gumiho.

The immediate priority was to drive away the Gumiho’s invading subordinates.

Cainchel grabbed Durendal and Fragrach in both hands, kicked off the ground, and soared into the sky.

He saw the figures of martial arts masters engaged in fierce combat at the main gate of the Kunlun Sect.