Wanderer of the Martial World - Chapter 9

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Satori

◈ Wanderer of the Martial World ◈

Chapter 9

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I ran.

Though I knew no lightness technique, the physical ability of a second-rate martial artist and my rapidly draining internal energy had already carried me far ahead of Yi Pyeong and the others.

Since I had been the fastest from the very start of our escape, Yi Pyeong was no longer even in sight.

Yi Pyeong was undoubtedly my benefactor, but this couldn't be helped.

For wandering martial artists, the unspoken rule was to run without looking back if they encountered an opponent they couldn't possibly face.

And it was Yi Pyeong himself who had taught me that.

So I suppressed the faint guilt rising in my heart, telling myself that Yi Pyeong, Jang Wi, and Yi So-gang would understand even if I fled far ahead of them.

Still, I had my excuses.

Wang Gang, a first-rate martial artist, had had his head burst before he could even react.

Sure, that might have been because he had been dealing with the yokai in front of him. But the yokai that resembled Sanhwi had not moved at the speed of an ordinary monster.

At the very least, it was a demonic beast.

It was clearly a demonic beast or higher, a monster that required someone at the Peak to face.

And with Wang Gang, the strongest person there, dead, nobody could stop that monster even for a moment.

So I had to run without looking back. That was the only way I would live.

Tap-tap-tap!

The mountains of the martial world were vast and rugged.

Even though I was fleeing as fast as I could, I still hadn't reached the foot of the mountain.

As anyone could tell from a gersu's appearance, that dog bastard had a good nose.

I had to get away from here quickly.

The one fortunate thing was that gersu were yokai with territories.

I had no idea how large its territory was, but I could hope it would stop chasing me once I left its bounds.

Though I couldn't be certain, given Sanhwi and the bipedal yokai I had seen at first.

I was racing mindlessly down the mountain when it happened.

“Stop... there!”

Someone blocked my path.

The trees grew densely here, making it difficult to pass around them.

I considered striking immediately, but stopped when I recognized who it was.

The blue silk robe from earlier was gone. Azure Balance Gate's Young Master, Gwak Ha-jun, now wore only an ornate robe. He held a sword in one hand, pointing it at me as he blocked the path.

Blood had already soaked through the side he was clutching with his other hand.

Come to think of it, I hadn't seen him back there.

“Help... me.”

What bullshit.

I had only stopped because I recognized him.

I hadn't expected to run into him so suddenly.

But when life and death were on the line, someone's status meant nothing.

And while I was being chased by a gersu, I had no intention of taking care of a bleeding wounded man.

He was first-rate. He was surely strong.

But at the same time, he would be weak.

I quickly drew my straight saber and feinted a swing at him.

“Eek!”

As expected, he reacted with lightning speed, thrusting his sword toward my chest.

But it had only been a feint, so his sword never touched me.

Thud!

I drove my foot into his stomach.

“Urgh!”

I dealt with him the same way I had fought the gersu.

And after facing him, I found that this bastard had less fighting ability than the gersu.

It showed that he had never fought before, whether in sparring or anything else.

Martial arts were done with the body, after all. You couldn't judge someone's strength solely by breaking through realms through Qi Accumulation and energy circulation.

Though it would make you healthier, at least.

Once I saw Gwak Ha-jun drop to his knees, clutching his stomach, I walked past him.

It wouldn't have been a bad idea to finish him off, but I had no time.

Besides, yokai liked the scent of human blood. It would be troublesome if I got blood on myself by killing him in a situation like this.

“Ngh... If you just leave me here! I'll tell my family and have you killed!”

Gwak Ha-jun's desperate voice rang out behind me.

I stopped and looked back.

If this bastard returned to Azure Balance Gate, I really would die.

Second-rate or not, I was just one wandering martial artist to Azure Balance Gate.

There would be no choice but to flee before then.

As anywhere else, a fugitive's life would be miserable.

If I hated that life and stood my ground rather than flee, I would die.

At best, I would live deep in the slums and become no different from those ravenous wretches.

I had to kill him.

Animals or yokai would take care of the corpse.

Since the body might be found intact, I should kill him and then ruin the wounds with my dagger.

Then even someone experienced wouldn't be able to tell.

The bloodlust of battle, the stress of being afraid, and the guilt of feeling as if I had abandoned my companions mixed together, creating a grotesque urge to kill.

Shing.

My straight saber emerged once more.

It was as though the blade, which had not tasted blood today, was urging me on.

“No... no! I misspoke! Nothing like that will happen!”

Only now realizing the situation, Gwak Ha-jun crawled backward, waving his hands.

But it was already too late.

Just as spilled water could not be gathered again, spoken words could not be taken back.

And words carried responsibility.

It was harsh, but it had always been that way.

Then it happened.

“Huff. Huff. Jeong-un?”

Yi Pyeong appeared.

The members of Yi Pyeong's crew arrived one after another behind him.

Had I taken too long? A flicker of regret crossed my mind.

“Huff... huff... Huh? Isn't that... the Young Master?”

Jang Wi pointed at Gwak Ha-jun as he gasped for breath.

Yi Pyeong's eyes quickly took in the situation.

Then his gaze met mine.

Are you going to kill him?

That was what his eyes seemed to ask.

“Huff, huff... Are you all right?”

Baek So-ok quickly knelt in front of Gwak Ha-jun and examined him.

“Here's some wound salve.”

She took wound salve from her robes, pulled aside his robe, and applied it to his side. Then she took out a clean cloth and tied it over the wound.

“Yu Sam, please help me support him!”

“Uh... right!”

At Baek So-ok's call, Yu Sam stepped forward to help Gwak Ha-jun.

Baek So-ok's actions showed her determination to make a good life for herself after returning.

I hesitated.

Did I have to kill him? How far would this go?

Killing an enemy or stranger was entirely different from killing a companion.

Fine. Even if I conceded that I could kill the three people I had met only yesterday, what about Yi Pyeong, my benefactor? Yi So-gang, who had taught me to read? Jang Wi, who had treated me well?

Conflict flashed through me.

If I killed the three strangers, would these people forgive me?

Or... did I have to kill them all? The turmoil in my heart deepened.

“It's fine. There are still plenty of people on this mountain, and we've come quite far.”

Though I had kept my face expressionless so as not to show anything, Yi So-gang seemed to have read my thoughts and moved first.

Even though that wasn't why I had felt bloodlust, his words somehow took the edge off it.

“That... man was trying to help me. He's my... benefactor.”

Gwak Ha-jun spoke up quickly, reading the situation.

I had thought he was a foolish wastrel, but perhaps he could read the room.

“Ha ha ha. Of course. Brother Jeong-un is a good person.”

Yu Sam's oblivious agreement made a hollow laugh escape me.

“Right. Let's get down the mountain quickly. It still isn't safe.”

At Yi Pyeong's mediating words, I gave a small shake of my head and started walking.

The descent was difficult, but we reached the foot of the mountain without any further trouble.

In the chaos of our escape, it was impossible to descend where we had originally come up. We had no choice but to run several ri toward Yeongheung County and make camp.

Getting as far from the mountain as possible was what mattered first.

The mountain was only half a day's journey from Yeongheung County, but once the sun set, we had to camp.

Night was more dangerous than day, and with yokai around, it was far more dangerous still.

One first-rate martial artist who fought worse than a third-rate and one second-rate martial artist would have difficulty overcoming that danger.

So we began making camp in a clearing beside the road.

Before sunset, we lit a fire and placed stones in it to warm them. Once it grew dark, we put out the fire.

Then we sharpened branches and drove them into the ground, setting a few simple traps.

It was basic, but it was standard camping practice.

Meanwhile, I had gone a little way behind the clearing.

I had found a hill by chance.

I sat behind it, out of sight.

I spread dry branches and leaves all around so I would notice anyone approaching first.

It wasn't much, but the wild left little choice.

The reason I was here was to restore my depleted internal energy.

Yeongheung County wasn't particularly far away, but I needed to replenish my internal energy in preparation for anything that might happen.

That was why I had deliberately chosen the time when Yi So-gang was standing the watch before mine to sit here cross-legged.

It was only natural to settle one's mind before practicing an inner-energy method.

My cultivation art's nature meant I would not suffer qi deviation or anything like that, but its efficiency would still be affected.

Then I brought up the issue troubling me most.

What should I do about Gwak Ha-jun?

Even if he called me his benefactor, it would be foolish to believe him right away.

Martial artists were the sort who made light of favors while carving grudges into their bones.

But what kept me from deciding for certain was the attachment I felt to Yi Pyeong's crew.

And now we were far from the mountain.

There was a high chance that merely killing him would cause problems.

After coming this far, Yi Pyeong's crew would not simply stand by and watch me kill him.

If... I decided he had to die, then I would have to kill them all.

The thought that I might have to kill people who had spent years together made my heart sink a little.

Still, I had to do what needed doing.

I would have to kill them and destroy the wounds as much as possible to erase proof that I had done it.

I would have to erase every trace that I had been here as well.

If I went straight into the county, I would obviously be suspected. I would likely have to survive in the wild for quite a while.

Most of our supplies were loaded on the baggage cart, so I had no food. But I roughly knew how to hunt and distinguish edible plants, so I would manage.

And if I returned afterward, wouldn't I be cleared of suspicion?

It felt strange to see myself calmly planning a murder.

But to survive in a world of madmen who treated life lightly, I had to do this much.

Hoo...

Still, making a plan made my mind feel a little clearer.

I steadied my breathing and began Qi Accumulation.

Inhale... Exhale...

I built layers of breath within my heart.

Just as I was about to form one layer, a strange energy flowed in from my side.

Poooh!

I immediately stopped my Qi Accumulation.

The layer of breath that had just begun to form scattered.