Chapter 199

Chapter 199

Swoooosh!

“Keu-euuk…….”

“Whew.”

Geomhu, who had been glaring at the opponent whose bracelet had been torn off as they became hazy, sighed and wiped the sweat flowing down her forehead. The rapidly increased physical exhaustion due to the loss of inner power.

“What a petty trick.”

When she first entered the formation, she was flustered that she couldn’t feel her inner power. She couldn’t feel even a handful of the inner power she had accumulated over decades, and even the sword and secret daggers she carried had disappeared.

However, Geomhu was one of the Ten Heavens. One who had reached the pinnacle in martial studies.

The next moment she realized. The inner power that disappeared the moment she entered the formation hadn’t disappeared but was merely suppressed in one corner of her dantian. And unless she destroyed the formation, she couldn’t draw out and use her inner power.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but…… Haa.”

Geomhu, who had collected the bracelet of the opponent she just defeated, sighed deeply while loosening her stiff shoulders. Because she couldn’t guess what Sado Alliance Leader was thinking.

Fight without inner power?

He probably didn’t truly want that. If you take inner power from martial artists, they’re just ordinary people with good techniques.

Those who learned external arts  might stand out a bit more, but external arts also don’t completely avoid using inner strength. From the basic Iron Skin  to Indestructible Body Technique , none would show their usual effects if inner power was completely suppressed.

“There must be a way to restore inner power.”

She wondered if she could restore inner power by earning points.

Geomhu clicked her tongue and placed the torn cloth bracelet over her own bracelet.

First, finding a sword was the urgent matter.

Some time had passed since entering.

“Hmm, so it’s roughly this structure.”

“K-kill me…….”

“Why would I kill you?”

I smiled slightly while checking the three Unorthodox Path martial artists squirming beneath my feet. Three martial artists from a fairly major sect but not belonging to Chilmun-iga who had teamed up to attack me.

They were nimble. Combined with the situation of being empty-handed , it was briefly dangerous. 

Well, even though I mainly use a sword, my fist and foot techniques aren’t significantly inferior to my swordsmanship.

“Inner power…… These guys don’t have any either. So it’s a restricted situation.”

“Urgh.”

When I poked their dantians, the Unorthodox Path martial artists let out groans. As expected, it seemed everyone was affected by the inner power restriction.

“They took away weapons and seized inner power.”

No matter how overpowered weapons are in situations without inner power, if you take everything away like this, those who learned external arts or fist and foot techniques have no choice but to rise up. There wouldn’t be any outstanding martial artists without knowledge of fist and foot techniques, but even so, could they be better than those who specialized in fist and foot techniques?

For instance, among the Ten Heavens attending here, Bulgoe is from Shaolin Temple. That means he came from the birthplace of external arts and fist and foot techniques. But if inner power is restricted and you leave it at that? What if there are no weapons either?

‘Bulgoe would be a god.’

Under those conditions, even if Manwang came in person, it would be difficult to defeat Bulgoe.

“How long are you going to keep stepping on us……!”

“Ah.”

These guys were here.

Finishing my thoughts, I tore off all the bracelets of the Unorthodox Path martial artists squirming on the ground, and soon they became hazy and turned into an untouchable state. Like ethereal forms that became hazy as if they had become spirit bodies.

“So that’s how it’s structured.”

It’s an amazing formation. I thought only Orthodox Path illusionists could deploy such formations.

Swish!

While clicking my tongue and collecting the bracelets, I suddenly blinked at a red energy that faintly passed before my eyes and immediately hid myself. Then, shortly after, footsteps slowly approaching.

‘Two people.’

I gauged the number and suppressed my presence. Seeing hostile energy meant the opponents’ level wasn’t ordinary.

I hid my body like using concealment arts and stuck flat against the wall, narrowing my eyes. And at that moment, the opponents’ figures began to appear.

‘……It’s a sword.’

I wasn’t mistaken. The martial artist in pink robes before my eyes was holding a sword. Probably a martial artist from Hwasan Sect.

It wouldn’t be their original sword. It seems that those who originally used swords, including me, had their swords confiscated somewhere when they fell here, so they must have obtained it separately.

But that’s not what’s important. Those footsteps. The stride they take.

‘They’re using a small amount of inner power.’

Special treatment?

It probably isn’t. Because the opponent is from Hwasan Sect. If it were the Unorthodox Path, perhaps, but from Sado Alliance’s standpoint, there’s no reason to give special treatment to Hwasan Sect.

Then it means there’s a way to regain sword and inner power.

Should I ask?

‘……Well, hoping they’ll obediently answer is wishful thinking.’

This is a kind of competitive system.

If I throw a question at that Hwasan sword master, that sword master would probably choose to eliminate me rather than take the time to answer and increase competitors. The hostile energy showing was probably for that reason. To catch opponents without inner power when you have inner power, you’d have to accept great losses.

‘It’s probably a structure where anyone can regain inner power.’

Then I should go in the direction the Hwasan sword master came from. Anyway, there should be something over there.

“Mm.”

After waiting for the sword master who deployed lightness skill  to completely pass, I got up and looked at the path the sword master came from. Something hazily visible beyond the forest.

“Is it over there?”

Shall I go check?

To confirm what was beyond, I diligently moved my feet following the path the sword master came from. And shortly after.

The moment I reached the end of the path, I could see it.

“……What’s this?”

[Number One Under Heaven Shop Branch 7]

An entire village falling to ruins.

As I silently entered inside the village, my body became hazy. At the same time, a hazy man who had been sitting languidly at a stall glanced at me.

“Welcome to Number One Under Heaven Sho…… Wait, who’s this.”

“You don’t remember me? We even met as enemies once. Changcheon Corps Commander .”

“Changcheon Corps…… Ah.”

I remember. Definitely.

“I think I saw your face at Sado Alliance’s Muryeokdae . Were you Baekgol Corps Commander ?”

“I was Vice Commander back then. Now I am the Corps Commander, though. Even if I’m doing such menial errands.”

The Baekgol Corps Commander who giggled and laughed tapped the stall and continued.

“Do you have some points you brought? Since you’re that Changcheon Corps Commander, you must have already taken care of a few.”

“Only three people.”

“What were those guys worth?”

“Ten points each.”

“They were idiots. Well, that’s common. Then with what you have, combined with the Corps Commander’s points, it should be about forty points.”

Forty points.

The Baekgol Corps Commander, who glanced at me briefly, pulled out a product list from one side and handed it to me.

“This is about what you can buy with forty points.”

Let me see.

“Worn Iron Sword, twenty points. Inner Power Pill , twenty points. Total forty points?”

“Inner Power Pills are elixirs that can only be used inside here. Even if you eat it, your actual inner power doesn’t increase; it’s more like the inner power you can use within the formation increases.”

“So it’s like an illusion.”

“Well, the iron sword is the same. Basically, everything sold at this shop is like an illusion. Rather, when it’s hazy like this is the real body.”

“Does tearing off the bracelet mean being judged as outside the formation?”

“That’s right. Those inside the formation can’t hit those outside the formation. The reverse is also true.”

The Baekgol Corps Commander, confirming my speculation by nodding, continued.

“The twenty-point Inner Power Pill won’t have much effect even if you eat it. It only increases inner power by a rat’s tail amount, not even enough to be third-rate.”

“Of course, that would still be meaningful to a master like the Corps Commander, but anyway, don’t have high expectations. Either accumulate more points to buy better Inner Power Pills, or buy better weapons…… Something like that.”

“Hmm.”

I see, so that’s the structure.

I gave a slight bow of thanks to the kindly explaining Baekgol Corps Commander and skimmed through the product list. Items I can’t buy, but filling the product list were various products.

“One thousand points, three thousand points…… Not easy. Arithmetically, it means you have to cut down a hundred or three hundred people alone.”

“It’ll be easier than you think. If you search the zones well, you can find objects or missions with large point allocations. Each time you can earn a hundred, two hundred points, so Changcheon Corps Commander should look around carefully. You could also earn points by taking down those who earned points that way.”

“Can you tell me all this? Doesn’t it go against fairness?”

“It’s all written in the instructions next to it anyway. Whether I explain it verbally or you figure it out by reading the instructions, it’s the same.”

I nodded while looking at the chuckling Baekgol Corps Commander and narrowed my eyes at the product list. What catches my eye most right now is the Zone Transfer Authority and Detection Device.

“……What’s this Detection Device?”

“You can detect roughly where the target you want is. Anyone.”

“It’s expensive.”

“It’s worth the money for its price. Isn’t it natural everywhere to want to gather your disciples or martial brothers?”

Indeed, that’s certainly true. Even I’m thinking of buying it to find my disciples.

“One thousand points and two thousand points respectively.”

Should I keep it in mind for now?

“Give me one Inner Power Pill and one sword.”

“Here you go.”

When I spoke while holding out both the acquired bracelets and my bracelet, the Baekgol Corps Commander who received the bracelets handed me a bracelet marked with “empty”  along with an Inner Power Pill and sword. A straight sword with a slightly different form from what I use, but with a similar weight.

“If you eat it, it’ll apply immediately without needing to circulate energy.”

“Then, I’ll eat it right away.”

The moment I heard Baekgol Corps Commander’s words, I tossed the Inner Power Pill into my mouth. As soon as I ate the Inner Power Pill, inner power faintly budded in my dantian.

“I’ll come again.”

“Come leisurely.”

Leaving behind the waving Baekgol Corps Commander, I exited the village. Right now, the urgent matter is gathering points.

‘What should I do?’

Should I proceed by prioritizing completing missions or collecting objects as Baekgol Corps Commander said?

While walking and thinking for a moment, I quietly stopped at killing intent caught in my senses. And as expected, five giants walked out as if they had been waiting.

“Do you have business with me?”

“Business? Hahahaha!”

Clearly Unorthodox Path origins.

After completing my assessment and casually asking, the Unorthodox Path martial artists blocking the front drew out their respective weapons. And the following words.

“You know what? If you wait here, tasty guys come out.”

“I have no points though.”

“Even without points, you have a weapon. If you bring the weapon and sell it, they convert it back to points.”

“Even if not, we can reduce potential competitors. Can’t this be considered clever?”

Clever.

“You each seem to have eaten one Inner Power Pill.”

“Of course. Otherwise, we couldn’t beat someone who ate an Inner Power Pill.”

“That must be quite disadvantageous. What I ate was just one lowest-grade Inner Power Pill.”

“If you know that, hurry up and tear off your bracelet and offer…….”

“This will be interesting.”

“……What?”

I slowly assume a starting stance . All I have is rat’s tail-like inner power. The number of opponents I must face is five.

Even a skilled martial artist would break out in cold sweat in this situation. No matter how well you distribute inner power, overcoming a numerical disadvantage five times over isn’t easy.

But that’s only the case for other martial artists.

“How much do you fellows have on your bracelets?”

“Ah, you don’t need to say. I can check by tearing them off myself.”

Inner power as small as a grain of rice that budded.

I divide that inner power into Yin and Yang. I contain in my body Taiji  that doesn’t even reach Small Taiji, an Extremely Small Taiji. And when I clash that Taiji.

A spark ignites.

“I hope you’ve done a lot of hunting so far.”

Lightning.

Crackle-!

Buds forth.