WeTried Translations
Translator: ZERO_SUGAR
Editor: Abstract
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Episode 40: Western Wind Poison Leg (3)
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Jin Hyang, Gu Yang-gyeong's daughter-in-law, entered the academy infirmary.
The sight of Shin Ui-gyeom, the Eastern River Sword Sage, covered in wounds and worn down by his injuries, left her speechless.
She had hoped it was not true.
Yet he had truly been injured badly enough to be in critical condition.
"Madam Jin."
"Brother-in-law... what happened?"
"Haah..."
At her question, Shin Ui-gyeom let out a sigh.
The timing could not have been worse.
He had only just suffered defeat, and now he was meeting Gu Yang-gyeong's daughter-in-law here. It had been years since they had last met, and to see her under such circumstances left him deeply ashamed.
"You two, wait outside."
"Yes."
At Shin Ui-gyeom's command, his disciples, Yeong Ga-dong and Yeong Chu-seo, left the infirmary.
Once they were gone and their footsteps had faded, Jin Hyang spoke.
"Was it true?"
"I do not know what you heard, but if you mean my defeat, it is true."
"How could this..."
'My brother-in-law stands shoulder to shoulder with Father. How could he lose to an academy cadet who has not even reached manhood? It makes no sense.'
Even after hearing Shin Ui-gyeom admit to his defeat, she could hardly believe it.
Seeing her shock, Shin Ui-gyeom asked, "Did you come to see the children?"
"That was part of it, but I came more to see you, Brother-in-law."
"Me?"
"Yes."
"...Is this because of the Imperial Uncle's daughter?"
"That's right. I came because I was worried that two of the Four Immortal Masters, who have shared such a long friendship, might suffer a disastrous falling-out."
"..."
"I was also worried the children might be in danger if the two of you fought."
"I am ashamed."
"No. We did not even know this had happened. We were simply relieved, thinking that no trouble had arisen yet..."
"We? Did Gu Yang-je come as well?"
"No, he did not. I came with Father."
Shin Ui-gyeom's eyes widened at her words.
Puzzled, Jin Hyang asked, "Why do you ask?"
"You came with Elder Gu Yang?"
"Yes."
"W-where is Elder Gu Yang now?"
"Father said he wanted to see his grandchildren first, so he went toward the academy dormitories for a moment. He has not heard about you yet, Brother-in-law, so he could not come here. Please do not take offense..."
"The dormitories... damn it!"
Shin Ui-gyeom tried to rise, then immediately clutched his chest.
"Urgh."
"Brother-in-law? What is wrong?"
"M-Madam Jin. Bring Elder Gu Yang here at once."
"Father?"
"Yes. Elder Gu Yang must not meet him."
"Him?"
"If he meets Mumu, there will be trouble."
"Mumu?"
"The child who defeated me."
"That child's name was Mumu? But Father knows nothing, and he has no history or connection with that child. Are you not worrying too much?"
Shin Ui-gyeom bit his lip and thought to himself.
'There is. A very deep grudge.'
If Western Wind Lone Angle Gu Yang-gyeong was seriously injured as well, they would lose even their last chance at a combined attack by the three of them.
He had to get Gu Yang-gyeong out of the academy somehow, and quickly.
* * *
-Crack! Crack!
Mumu rose, rolling his neck to work out the stiffness.
Gu Yang-gyeong narrowed his eyes at the sight.
'Look at this brat.'
Though he had used the Flower Grafting Technique to make sure Mumu would not suffer an internal injury even if the tree broke, he had still put enough force into it to knock him unconscious.
Yet Mumu had endured it.
Someone at the second-rate level should never have been able to withstand that. Then Gu Yang-gyeong noticed Mumu's exposed muscles.
'...This boy's physique is far more developed than that of most martial artists.'
He had not realized it from afar.
He had only scanned Mumu with his Ki sense.
Up close, though, the shape of those muscles was extraordinary.
At that moment, Gu Yang Seo-rin ran to Mumu and spoke anxiously.
"Are you okay? Did my grandpa hurt you?"
Mumu shook his head.
"No. I'm fine."
Gu Yang-gyeong had thrown him, yet he really was unharmed.
It was not because his body was sturdy. For some reason, the impact had been directed entirely into the tree instead of him.
That was why Mumu sometimes found Martial Arts so strange.
Unlike Mumu, Gu Yang-gyeong's face was growing hot.
'That brat comes before me?'
Would he really injure someone simply because he was displeased?
Yet the more his granddaughter acted that way, the more he wanted to teach Mumu a proper lesson.
"...Don't stand so close to him. Keep your distance. Don't you know that men and women should not sit together after the age of seven?"
"Grandpa said I should not let myself be bound by such trivial rules."
"When did this grandfather ever tell you to ignore all propriety?"
"You did."
Gu Yang-gyeong grabbed the back of his neck at Gu Yang Seo-rin's answer.
He had cherished her because she was his only granddaughter, but among all his grandchildren, she was by far the most unruly.
And she was acting like this in front of others, not even in private. His anger steadily rose.
-Swish!
Gu Yang-gyeong extended a hand and made a pulling gesture.
Gu Yang Seo-rin's body floated into the air.
-Bob! Bob!
"Ah?"
It was Ki telekinesis, a technique that could only be used with profound life energy.
Drawn by Ki telekinesis, Gu Yang Seo-rin was forcibly pulled to Gu Yang-gyeong's side.
"What are you doing?"
"If you keep acting so improperly, academy or not, I'll take you straight back home."
"Take me home?"
"Yes, you brat."
"Isn't that too much? You said yourself that if a man was qualified enough, you'd acknowledge him as my beloved."
"Good grief. My head."
Gu Yang-gyeong pressed a hand to his forehead as though it throbbed.
Perhaps he should have raised his grandchildren as strictly as his own children.
In the martial world, most people trembled or bowed on hearing his title alone. Yet these children did not fear him at all.
"That brat himself said he doesn't like you."
"There isn't a tree that won't fall after ten strikes. There is no man like him."
"Haah."
Gu Yang-gyeong sighed.
Then he looked at Mumu and said, "There is no man like him? Is that why you're telling this grandfather such an absurd lie just to earn my approval?"
"It isn't absurd."
"What isn't absurd about it? Who is that Shin brat, that he would lose to someone like him..."
"If you can't believe it, why not fight him yourself, Grandpa?"
"What?"
Gu Yang-gyeong was dumbfounded.
He was a great senior of the martial world, one of the Four Immortal Masters. For his granddaughter to tell him not simply to test Mumu, but to fight him, meant she believed the two were on equal footing.
'This won't do.'
He could not leave things as they were any longer.
Glowering at Mumu, Gu Yang-gyeong spoke.
"My granddaughter is being stubborn, so I'll ask you directly. Did you truly fight that Shin brat, no, the Eastern River Sword Sage, as she said?"
Mumu scratched his head before answering.
"Yes. Why?"
"What?"
Gu Yang-gyeong frowned.
Was this boy playing along with Seo-rin?
This insignificant brat was claiming he had fought Shin Ui-gyeom, the Eastern River Sword Sage?
"You're saying you fought Shin Ui-gyeom and actually won?"
"Yes. Is there a problem?"
"Haah..."
Gu Yang-gyeong was speechless.
Mumu's physique was unusual, but judging by what his Ki sense told him, Mumu could never have faced Shin Ui-gyeom.
His martial prowess was so insignificant that Shin Ui-gyeom could have flicked a finger and shattered his head.
"Tsk, tsk."
Gu Yang-gyeong clicked his tongue and reached toward Mumu.
"Fine. If you're so impressive, I'll see for myself whether you're worthy of becoming this child's beloved. I won't go easy on you as I did before. Come here."
-Swish!
Gu Yang-gyeong drew Mumu toward him with profound life energy.
Then...
-Crunch!
Mumu planted both feet into the ground and endured the pull without moving.
'This boy? He withstood that?'
Even Gu Yang Seo-rin, his granddaughter who was much stronger than others her age, could not resist his life energy and had been pulled toward him.
Yet this boy, who was only at the second-rate level, was resisting through sheer strength?
'Is he not ordinary after all?'
If so...
-Whoooooosh!
Gu Yang-gyeong's black cloak billowed.
He drew forth far more life energy than before.
-Creeeak!
Mumu's body began to drag toward him, feet and all.
Mumu reached for the adjustment screw on the Ki-Restraining Bracelet around his left wrist.
[Until you can control yourself on your own, refrain from removing the Ki-Restraining Bracelets whenever possible.]
'...I need to finish this as quickly as I can.'
That old man shone with a brilliant light almost equal to that of Shin Ui-gyeom, the Eastern River Sword Sage.
That meant a partial release of the adjustment screw would likely not be enough.
-Click, click!
The adjustment screw on the Ki-Restraining Bracelet turned.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six...
Then it finally reached one.
-Crackle! Crack! Whoooosh!
The muscles all over Mumu's body surged and heated until they turned black.
Steam poured from his skin.
Gu Yang-gyeong, who had been pulling Mumu with his life energy, stiffened at the sight.
'What is this?'
Mumu had changed in an instant.
An oppressive presence that assaulted all five senses emanated from him.
That changed pressure was even more alarming than the physical transformation of Mumu's body. Gu Yang-gyeong could not dismiss it lightly.
Then Mumu raised one hand and slammed it toward the ground.
-Kwaaaaaang!
An enormous crash rang out as the ground rippled like a wave from the impact.
"What?"
-Smack!
At the same time as Gu Yang-gyeong used his life energy to push Gu Yang Seo-rin back, he gripped his Snake Staff and swung it toward the wave of earth rushing at him.
'Dread Poison Staff Art, Third Technique: Surging Sea Guard!'
-Papapapapapapapack!
Ki manifestation burst from Gu Yang-gyeong's Snake Staff, overturning the sharp wave of earth that surged toward him like hooked claws.
After blocking it, Gu Yang-gyeong's expression changed completely.
This boy was no ordinary opponent.
-Swoooosh!
Dust from the mound of earth obscured his vision.
Gu Yang-gyeong lightly swept his Snake Staff through the air.
A gust rose, and the dust cloud instantly settled.
-Thud!
Something fell.
Looking over, he saw the golden bracelet from Mumu's wrist lying on the ground.
"I-is it done?"
"Yes. Take that and step back for a moment."
It was Mo Il-hwa who had removed Mumu's Ki-Restraining Bracelet.
After using the mound of earth to block Gu Yang-gyeong's view and buy a brief moment, Mumu had rushed to Mo Il-hwa and asked her to release the bracelet.
-Crack! Crack!
Another change came over Mumu after the Ki-Restraining Bracelet was removed.
His blackened skin returned to normal, while his muscles became even denser.
But what had truly changed was...
-Shiver!
Gu Yang-gyeong's face stiffened.
The oppressive presence emanating from Mumu was far stronger than before.
It felt as though he stood in a place of certain death.
'I-is this how strong he is?'
Even Gu Yang Seo-rin trembled from head to toe, as this was the first time she had seen Mumu like this.
She knew only that he had defeated Shin Ui-gyeom, the Eastern River Sword Sage, and vaguely understood that Mumu possessed that much strength.
But this was completely beyond the realm of humanity.
"Grandpa..."
Gu Yang-gyeong did not hear her.
His entire focus was fixed on Mumu.
His wariness had risen so high that he could not even hear the voice of the granddaughter he cherished so dearly.
'Grandpa is this tense?'
It was the first time she had seen him like this.
He had always seemed calm and unhurried, so it was truly unexpected.
This was not how he looked when facing a master of similar standing. It was closer to the look of someone standing before an absolute powerhouse.
Then Mumu took a step forward.
"We don't have time, so I'll finish this quickly."
Gu Yang-gyeong's brow twisted fiercely at Mumu's words.
The changed pressure had put him on guard, but he was one of the Four Immortal Masters.
And this boy was saying he would finish him quickly?
'He has grown arrogant.'
Gu Yang-gyeong's gaze sharpened.
If this boy was truly so strong, there was no reason to hesitate.
'I'll teach you the terror of poison.'
Western Wind Lone Angle Gu Yang-gyeong.
He was known as the most dangerous man in the present martial world.
With a single handful of poison, he possessed the ability to turn an entire region into scorched ground in only a few two-hour periods.
Of course, he could not use poison on such a wide scale within the academy. But a supreme master of poison like him could concentrate it into a single point and melt everything away.
The fact that he was using poison meant he recognized Mumu as someone he absolutely could not let his guard down against.
Only the other Four Immortal Masters or that person from more than seventeen years ago had ever required more than his kicking art.
Gu Yang-gyeong pointed his Snake Staff at Mumu.
-Whoooooosh!
A purple, acrid energy flowed from the Snake Staff.
It was poison ki.
Having perfect control over poison, Gu Yang-gyeong could combine it with materialized ki and wield it.
'Even the Four Immortal Masters fear me when I use poison in earnest. You will be no exception.'
"Take this."
Gu Yang-gyeong thrust his Snake Staff toward Mumu.
Purple poison ki poured from the serpent head of the Snake Staff, rushing at Mumu like a demon's grasp.
-Shaaaaaa!
At that exact moment...
"Huuuuup!"
Mumu drew in such a massive breath that the muscles around his rib cage swelled.
His chest muscles expanded until they looked almost monstrous.
Then...
"Hooooooo!!!!!"
-Phaaaaaang!
A violent gale burst from Mumu's mouth and collided with Gu Yang-gyeong's poison ki.
The poison ki was immediately stopped by the wind pressure.
But the more unbelievable thing was...
-Crack-crack-crack!
Gu Yang-gyeong's materialized poison ki began to freeze from Mumu's breath.
'What?'
For a moment, Gu Yang-gyeong doubted his own eyes.
Footnotes:
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