Chapter 87. The Scramble (3)

Jin Yuseong, who had been reminiscing about his past life, calmly opened his mouth.

“Try learning hidden weapon techniques.”

After speaking concisely, Jin Yuseong took out a small dagger he had been carrying in his bosom and threw it to the side.

Thwack!

Right after the satisfying sound of the dagger embedding itself in a tree, Jin Yuseong added.

“Imagine that dagger is coated with poison. Even if it doesn’t hit a vital spot, just a graze on the forearm or thigh could be a fatal wound.”

In his past life, Jin Yuseong had almost died when he went to challenge the Poison Immortal to a duel because he had been hit by such a technique.

The Poison Immortal was a man well-versed not only in poison arts but also in hidden weapon techniques.

Dang Sopyeong frowned and looked at the dagger stuck in the tree.

“Hidden weapon techniques?”

Perhaps because he was born into a prestigious family, albeit as an illegitimate son.

He felt a strange sense of repulsion.

Among the renowned sects and clans in the Jianghu, none were famous for hidden weapon techniques.

Street thugs, unorthodox masters, assassins. Hidden weapons were known as the methods used by such people.

After thinking about that for a moment, Dang Sopyeong smiled cynically.

‘I almost got beaten up by that crazy bastard again.’

If he had spouted nonsense about it being cowardly, he would have surely been beaten by Jin Yuseong.

In the first place, if one were to go by that logic, poison arts were just as cowardly.

Once he abandoned his prejudice, his thoughts flowed more flexibly.

“Hmm. If I use hidden weapons coated with poison, I won’t have to worry about my allies getting poisoned.”

Dang Sopyeong nodded, saying ‘Indeed,’ and then muttered to himself about the advantages of learning hidden weapon techniques.

“I only need to apply a small amount of poison to the hidden weapons, so there’s no need to spray a large amount of poison in the air. I won’t have to worry about the direction of the wind or anything like that when I try to poison someone. Besides…”

After watching Dang Sopyeong muttering to himself like a madman for a moment, Jin Yuseong realized an important fact.

‘So that’s why the Poison Immortal learned hidden weapon techniques.’

In the first place, the Poison Immortal was a loner, so there was no need for him to research techniques that considered allies.

Considering the temperament of that eccentric recluse, he probably learned hidden weapon techniques while researching more efficient ways to use his poison arts.

‘How strange.’

The Poison Immortal of his past life had learned hidden weapon techniques purely for efficiency.

On the other hand, the current Dang Sopyeong was considering learning hidden weapon techniques for the sake of his comrades.

The process was clearly different, yet the result was the same, which was strange in many ways.

While Jin Yuseong was thinking about the Poison Immortal, Dang Sopyeong, who had organized his thoughts, opened his mouth.

“Then what is the best way to learn hidden weapon techniques? Although they are collectively called ‘hidden weapons,’ there are many types, aren’t there?”

“Since you’re used to needles, try using needles as hidden weapons.”

An answer that came out without a moment’s hesitation.

For some reason, Dang Sopyeong showed a hesitant expression at that answer.

“Is there a problem?”

“I learned acupuncture to save people, so I was wondering if it’s really okay to learn hidden weapon techniques with needles.”

At his concern, Jin Yuseong snorted.

“What foolish talk. That too is a medical art.”

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

“What’s so special about medical arts? Isn’t saving people medical art?”

“……Hidden weapon techniques are for killing people, aren’t they?”

“Just use those needles to selectively kill the trash who were tormenting innocent people. The diseases that were tormenting the common people will disappear, so isn’t that also a technique for saving people?”

“……”

Dang Sopyeong was at a loss for words.

He was not impressed by Jin Yuseong’s logic.

‘I shouldn’t even bother talking. Sigh.’

As Dang Sopyeong was shaking his head, a strange sight came into his view.

“B-Bro is smart.”

The sight of Nam Geon vigorously nodding his head up and down as if moved by Jin Yuseong’s crazy talk.

He could understand that much.

“Those are truly wise words, Senior Brother.”

He just could not understand why even Baek Hyang, who seemed quite intelligent, believed all of Jin Yuseong’s nonsense to be right.

***

After their chat, Jin Yuseong and his companions began to move, combining training with travel as usual.

And now, Jin Yuseong was watching Baek Hyang’s sword dance and nodding.

‘As expected.’

During the fight with the master of Choi Manor, he had not had the leisure to observe his comrades.

But after watching her for a few days on the way here, he had noticed it to some extent.

‘She has really improved while I wasn’t looking.’

Junior Sister Baek Hyang’s skills had changed beyond recognition.

Her movements were no longer dragged around by her insight as before.

She was perfectly controlling her body and swinging her sword freely.

Considering that it had not even been a year since Junior Sister Baek Hyang started learning martial arts, it was a truly absurd growth rate.

Although it had only been about a year since Jin Yuseong returned, he was an exception because he had the experience and knowledge from before his regression.

In addition, thanks to the spiritual medicines he had obtained due to his memories from before the regression, his internal energy had also increased tremendously.

Baek Hyang, who had finished her sword dance, asked Jin Yuseong with an expression full of anticipation.

“Is there anything I need to fix?”

At her request for guidance, Jin Yuseong shrugged his shoulders once.

“I don’t see anything in particular that needs fixing.”

However, there was one thing he was slightly disappointed about.

‘Her internal and external energy are still lacking compared to her growth rate.’

He could feel that she had been diligently building up both her external and internal energy. It was not that her training was lacking.

It was just that it was lacking compared to her understanding of swordsmanship and footwork.

The reason he did not mention this was the same.

It was a problem that could not be solved by words, and it was a problem that time would solve anyway.

As for her external energy, she was still in her growth period, so her physique would grow more as time passed, and if she continued to train as she was now, her muscles would naturally develop.

In other words, it was something that would be resolved in two to three years at the latest.

The same was true for her internal energy, but there was a slight difference.

Baek Hyang had started learning the Great Swallow Nest Building Divine Art under Jin Yuseong’s guidance.

Compared to those who learned third-rate internal arts, she was accumulating internal energy at a very fast pace.

But to accumulate the internal energy needed to open the Ren and Du meridians and the Gate of Life and Death, it would take at least ten years.

‘Perhaps Junior Sister Baek Hyang, like me, will reach Sword Unification before becoming a master.’

Or it would be nice if a spiritual medicine just popped out from somewhere.

Thinking this, Jin Yuseong chuckled and said to Junior Sister Baek Hyang.

“Thanks to you, Junior Sister, it seems I’ve rediscovered my original intention, which had been shaken. Thank you.”

Perhaps because he had consumed three spiritual medicines after regressing, he had been unconsciously treating spiritual medicines as if they were some kind of candy sold in the market.

‘To have already forgotten my tadpole days.’

Come to think of it, in his past life, he had not obtained a single spiritual medicine in the thirty-eight years he had trained in martial arts.

‘Have I become arrogant without realizing it?’

He resolved inwardly to train as tenaciously as he had in his past life, no, even more so. Furthermore, he resolved to push his comrades to do the same.

Baek Hyang, who was scheduled to be pushed even harder by Jin Yuseong from now on, asked back with a puzzled expression.

“Pardon?”

Baek Hyang could not understand at all why Jin Yuseong was suddenly expressing his gratitude to her.

***

A few days of even harsher training continued.

Jin Yuseong and his companions arrived near a place called Lianzhou in Guangdong.

“Let’s stay there for a few days and regroup.”

Since the sun was still high in the sky, it was better to just pass by and sleep outdoors, in order to get to Great Ridge of Color, where the Black Market was held, as quickly as possible.

The reason he was deliberately staying here for a few days was simple. He had business at the forge.

“I-I almost died.”

Nam Geon, who had been pushed hard, let out a sigh of relief with a face that looked like he was about to die.

On the other hand, Baek Hyang and Dang Sopyeong said nothing.

It was not that they still had stamina to spare.

“Heok. Heok.”

“Seueub. Huu.”

On the contrary, they were too tired to even open their mouths.

Regardless, Jin Yuseong entered Lianzhou with his companions.

He had a strange feeling.

‘Something is chaotic.’

With that impression, Jin Yuseong asked the residents for the location of the forge and headed there.

The sound of iron being hammered, the smell of metal mixed with the sour smell of sweat.

It had the truly familiar atmosphere of a forge.

“Welcome!!”

A middle-aged man who seemed to be the owner of the forge welcomed them.

Soon, Jin Yuseong’s party held out three weapons towards the man.

They were the weapons used by the bandits they had encountered on Ma’anshan.

He planned to melt some of them down to make hidden weapons.

“Please melt down two of these and make needles. One of them is the payment for the request.”

At Jin Yuseong’s request, the forge owner tilted his head.

“I can melt them down and make them, but do you have any silver? Wouldn’t needles made of just iron be quite dangerous?”

It was common sense that proper medical needles were made of silver.

At the blacksmith’s question, Jin Yuseong replied in an indifferent tone.

“I plan to use them with poison, so silver needles would be troublesome.”

“……”

The blacksmith looked at Jin Yuseong with a speechless expression.

He realized it belatedly.

The bloodstains splattered on the black clothes he was wearing.

“Gulp.”

The blacksmith swallowed dryly and cautiously took the weapons Jin Yuseong held out.

“How long do you think the work will take?”

“Th-Three days. No, t-two days will be enough.”

After nodding at the blacksmith’s answer, Jin Yuseong asked again.

“By the way, is there any trouble in the village?”

He was asking because he recalled the chaotic atmosphere of the village.

“Have some Underworld fellows appeared and are they harassing the residents?”

At Jin Yuseong’s murderous question, the blacksmith looked around awkwardly and replied.

“As for the Underworld, they’ve been around since long ago…”

“Where are they? Just tell me the location.”

He looked ready to charge in and kill them right away.

It should have been a welcome suggestion to deal with the Underworld fellows who had been tormenting them, but for some reason, the blacksmith had a troubled expression.

It was not because he did not trust Jin Yuseong, nor was it because he was wary of the Underworld fellows.

“Well… there won’t be anyone there even if you go now.”

“What do you mean there won’t be anyone? Has someone already taken care of them?”

At that question, the blacksmith shook his head and replied.

“According to rumors, a miraculous herb called the Hundred Yang Ten-Knot Grass or something was discovered on the southern mountain over there. The gang leader took all the thugs and ran off, saying he was going to claim the herb.”

***

Meanwhile, around that time.

An old man was heading somewhere in a carriage with a middle-aged man.

“Branch Leader.”

At the old man’s call, the Branch Leader who managed the Black Market at Great Ridge of Color answered in a tense voice.

“Y-Yes, Elder.”

“Will there be no problem preparing for the next Black Market even if you are away like this?”

“W-We are making all the necessary preparations.”

“That’s a relief. There’s no need for an old man in the back room to step up and meddle. I’ll be counting on you.”

Just as the Branch Leader was about to say something in response to the old man’s words, the old man added with a faint smile.

“However, if those preparations are inadequate, you will have to pay a fitting price.”

A smile that reeked of blood.

The Branch Leader, recalling the elder’s alias, Qingliang Xueshang, swallowed dryly and answered.

“H-How could there be any question.”

While inwardly suppressing his curses.

‘Damn it. How am I supposed to prepare for the Black Market when you’ve dragged me out here like this.’

He was overflowing with resentment, but he could not bring himself to say it out loud.

That old man was an elder of the Unwol Sect who oversaw the entire Black Market in Guangdong.

The reason such an old man was personally leading the Branch Leader was simple.

It was because of the spiritual medicine that had appeared nearby, the Hundred Yang Ten-Knot Grass.

In fact, Qingliang Xueshang was just as displeased.

‘Tsk. It’s so troublesome because of that damn brat.’

Thanks to the rampage of some brat called the Ghost Sword Young Master, a conflict with other factions had recently begun.

Thanks to that, the Unwol Sect was suffering from a manpower shortage.

This was also the reason why he, an elder, had to step up personally.

Was it because he had vented some of his anger by threatening the Branch Leader?

He rummaged through his sleeve and took out a judge’s pen and some paper.

Inside the moving carriage, he scribbled on the paper, calculating something.

‘Come to think of it, they said that Ghost Sword Young Master brat was hanging out with the Beggar’s Gang fellows in Chimju. Since I’m heading north anyway, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to take care of that brat.’

Before long, he had the face of a merchant.

‘Wait. The Silver Wolf Unit Leader said he had a grudge against that brat, so if I capture him alive and hand him over to the Silver Wolf Unit Leader, I should be able to get a pretty good price.’

Strangely, every time Qingliang Xueshang’s judge’s pen moved, blood-red letters were written on the paper.

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