Surviving as a Rival in a Martial Arts Novel

Chapter 17 – The Beginning of the Sacheon Blood Assassin (02)

I feel the poison spreading throughout my body through my throat.

The deadly poison was not absorbed into my body, but it acted to temporarily neutralize my entire internal energy, dispersing the gathered energy from the Dahnjeon throughout my body. The sensation vividly transmitted from the tip of my tongue to the inside of my throat, and eventually, it felt like it reached my stomach.

‘It feels like an ion drink advertisement.’

Soon, as the efficacy reached the Dahnjeon, all my internal energy was momentarily expelled throughout my body. Only the internal energy forcibly fixed by Chugeom remained in the Dahnjeon.

Gulp.

As I drank the last sip of the poisoned liquor, even Chugeom’s internal energy in the Dahnjeon began to disperse due to the poison’s effect. In just a short span of time, the Dahnjeon became completely empty.

Suddenly, the sensation of the empty Dahnjeon felt strangely peculiar. However, as Chugeom’s internal energy dissipated and was driven out of the Dahnjeon, I felt the sensation of my body’s energy rushing to fill the empty Dahnjeon.

“Huuugh!”

Poisonous breath filled the air from my mouth, and my entire internal energy was forcefully activated. My head began to shine white, as if it were emitting light, as I usually did when operating my internal energy beyond a certain level.

‘Good… If I do this once, I can achieve the first-level cultivation…’

Kwoong!

I rotated the full internal energy in the Dahnjeon throughout my body in one breath, unleashing the internal energy I had suppressed for days.

As the energized internal energy enveloped my body, and the white energy flowed out from my entire body, expressions of astonishment and certainty appeared on the faces of Tangchakmun and Jegalyeon.

“Hoo!”

Finally exhaling a short breath, I confirmed that my body had returned to the previous state, or rather, with slightly increased internal energy.

‘It was solved more easily than I thought.’

Suddenly, it felt like I had swallowed 100 condensed energy drinks, overflowing with strength. In other words, a life without internal energy was a body so lethargic?

People in the martial world could quit alcohol, gambling, women, and drugs, but it seemed that martial arts training was an addiction that couldn’t be quit.

The feeling of getting stronger every day, and the surging vitality in the body.

If addicted to such a feeling, there was no resisting it with other pleasures.

Clap clap clap clap clap…

Looking at me in that state, Tang Chakmun clapped his hands in a slightly distant manner, marveling.

“A distinctive aura exuding from the body. A peak master at a young age! Unless it’s someone nurtured with utmost care by a prestigious family, akin to the Oryong (Five Dragons), there’s hardly anyone comparable to you!”

‘Ah, come to think of it…’

In my focus on regaining strength, I had forgotten that Jegal Yeonji and Tang Chakmun were present here.

Unless it was a level of discretion that needed to appear intentionally similar, I didn’t particularly want to hide my state. However, being discovered by someone I hadn’t even thought about made me wonder how to handle this…

“Munju. It goes without saying, but this matter must be kept confidential.”

This gentleman was Munju!?

“hehehehe… Of course, it’s a matter of course. In the martial world, information about a newly emerging divine figure is a valuable asset for the one who gets it first. However, it’s a bit regrettable that if this body’s consort were of the right age, I would propose a marriage consultation with Yeon Gongja, but she seems too young for that.”

“I will politely decline…”

Let’s deal with such matters after resolving all the incidents happening in the novel. While Jegal Yeonji deftly and thriftily creates only seven lovers in the meantime, I’m not that reckless troublemaker.

After the treatment was over, as Samma returned with a wide smile, I was contemplating whether to accept the proposal of a cheerful gathering or to go in first.

“Miss Yeonji, a messenger has arrived.”

While the engine sputtered, a small note was handed to Jegal Yeonji.

“A special envoy has arrived through Jeonseogu.”

“Special…?”

After checking the note, Jegal Yeonji handed it back to the engine, as if understanding.

“What does it say?”

“Messages from prestigious families are not easily disclosed.”

Although she gave a light rebuke, she recited the contents of the note to me without concealing anything.

“The Jegalse family is entrusting goods through Jinju Eonga, and the messenger instructs to personally inspect the items one by one with the spear guild, Ami guild, and Tangmun. It’s a special item emitting a unique fragrance, so be sure to verify it…”

Snap.

“Why are you like this? A gift for Yeon Sohye?”

In response to Lady Jinanghyeon’s question, I used the technique of intercepting and neutralizing the incoming gift, which had the engine running.

“A gift for Yeon Sohye!”

“Hmm…”

Lady Jinanghyeon scolded me with a mournful voice, but I covered my mouth, feeling the pungent smell similar to chemicals emanating from the box without needing to check its contents, which were neatly packed inside a wooden box.

“To intercept a gift that is supposed to be delivered to the gatekeeper!”

In response to the sharp criticism from Jegal Yeonji, I handed him the gift that I had been holding absentmindedly and asked.

“Is the sender by any chance Jegal Se Ga… Jegal Hongju?”

“Yes. Because that person is in charge of external gifts… But how did you know?”

Without realizing it, I was leaking information that I already knew, arousing suspicion from Jegal Yeonji, but now was not the time to fuss over such trivial matters.

“What’s going on…? Why is it so… fast?”

The time for the catastrophe to begin was early autumn, at least two weeks from now, and the estimated date was still around a month away.

But the cargo has already arrived?

“Even if it’s a catastrophe… No, even if it’s a catastrophe, how can it be resolved in just three days? There is no way to handle things this quickly…”

Originally, Jegal Yeonji, sensing her sister’s death and being in shock, could not properly perform this task. She reluctantly calmed herself down and roughly guessed the nature of this gift. She didn’t know what it was, but she thought there might be a group tracking this scent, so she called Banggyuseong and Hansoso to the harbor and placed the gift nearby.

And the Silhons were attracted to this scent and gathered at the harbor. While trying to stop the sudden attack from the Silhons, Samcheondang suffered significant damage, and Amipha and Jeomchangpa managed to escape from the Silhons’ attack route, resulting in a minimal loss. It was an item that caused the occurrence of a Samcheon bloodshed.

However, Jegal Yeonji had not properly confirmed this item, and the fact that it arrived much earlier than the time she was supposed to receive it…

Snap.

“The Silhons have started to move!”

The Four Blood Warriors had already begun.

The appearance of this incense burner meant that there was no need for food or drink. It was a thought that one could die after this job was done, and that there were plenty of soulmates waiting in the middle. It was almost impossible for anyone to fit so many bodies into the carriage, almost as if they were moving corpses, tightly packed all the way to the Four Bloods.

The soulmates, including Giroo and the shops that were captured last time, appeared from the piles of luggage they had stored and, following the incense burner, collectively rushed in to slaughter everything that was alive.

That was the Four Blood Warriors. It was the event where the identity of the soulmates who would later terrorize the Zhongyuan Martial Arts World was first revealed.

Gulp!

“Should I… say something?”

The gift had arrived at the entrance, and the soulmates had already started moving.

But who would believe it if I suddenly said that crazy people were going to rush in here and that we had to stop them?

Even though I was just a nobody who knew a little about martial arts, no one would listen even if I said such things…

“Jegal Yeonji!”

“Yes?”

Damn it, I should have called her by her title, Zinryanghyunyeo, or called her Cheonbong, but I was in such a hurry that I called her by her name as if she were a regular character. Despite it being rude, Zinryanghyunyeo couldn’t properly react, probably because my voice was too forceful.

“Damn it, this is such a sensitive matter now…!”

I had no choice but to use telepathy to quickly convey the situation to Zinryanghyunyeo.

“The Heukwoldang has begun their attack!”

“Heukwoldang? So, you know the identity of those people after all!”

Before the displeasure and distrust could rise in Jegal Yeonji’s eyes, I quickly used telepathy to convey the situation to her.

“They are transporting cargo through the Janggang River, forcing soulmates into large wooden boxes. Currently, there are over 300 soulmates inside!”

While it may be familiar to have an army of one million soldiers and 100,000 troops, just 300 soulmates with powers surpassing first-rate experts were a number that all the factions in the Four Bloods could barely handle. In fact, the protagonist and his group had fought and survived against about 20 soulmates who had passed through the defenses of countless martial artists in the Four Bloods.

[An actual marriage? The technique used to create a real marriage is a dark art that was practiced by the evil blood sect, branching off from sorcery and blood rituals. Especially after the celestial demons of sorcery collaborated to annihilate the blood sect, it could no longer appear in the central plains…]

[You should know. What scent emanates from this fragrance!]

Gazing suspiciously at the box in her hand, Jinyanghyeon lady sniffed the subtle aroma wafting from the censer as she lowered her hand.

The moment she detected a pungent smell akin to strong chemical compounds at the tip of her nose, Jinyanghyeon lady realized that my words were not lies.

[How do you know all this? What is your identity…]

[It’s urgent! Immediately issue an emergency summons to all factions of the Four Corners and prepare to confront the actual marriages!]

[What? How can we… They won’t believe it.]

[My words may be so, but…]

I pointed at Jinyanghyeon lady’s chest with my finger.

[In the martial world, the words of Jinyanghyeon lady, the most outstanding woman, are credible.]

“……”

Upon hearing that, Jinyanghyeon lady, Jegalyeonji, furrowed her delicate eyebrows.

Continuing the conversation through sound transmission might make the ears muffled due to the direct impact on the auditory nerves. Also, the basic trust in what I said might be complicated because there were too many circumstantial pieces of evidence, even though the ears were so muffled that there was a buzzing sound.

“Alright. So, what about this item…?”

“The item that went elsewhere, I…”

Thinking about it, I couldn’t synchronize the time alone.

“Samae!”

“Yes, death penalty.”

“Do you know the way to Amipa?”

“I learned the way by looking at the map before.”

“If you follow the path to Amipha, run along it, and retrieve the incense sent by Jegalsega. Then, hurry to the port of Sacheon that you saw before! No matter what happens along the way, don’t look back and run with all your might. Throw the incense into the Chang River and cleanse the scent by plunging into the water at Samaedo.”

No explanation was given as to why this must be done.

“Yes, understood!”

Samae would unquestioningly fulfill my request.

Pah!

“Hmm… one more peak master… and the Jade Soldier looks even more formidable. Impressive.”

Dangchakmun, unaware of the situation unfolding, absentmindedly played with snacks alone and stood up, breaking the snack in half.

“It looks interesting. Shouldn’t I join in?”

“……”

Due to the bloodshed, Sacheondangga suffered significant losses and had to make a decision close to Bongmun, but if this changed history…

“Jinlang Hyunyeo will inform you. I am also in a position to obey orders.”

“Huh?!”

Jegal Yeonji’s expression collapsed again. Am I better at breaking down Jinlang Hyunyeo’s expression than Bangyuseong?

“Yes. Then I will immediately rush to retrieve the cargo with the spear as instructed.”

“Just a moment, this is…!”

When she pointed to the incense she was holding and asked, I shouted loudly on her behalf.

“Then I’ll see you at the port I mentioned earlier!”

Since the port collapsed due to the swordsmanship of Chugeom last time, all work had stopped, and it was an empty place where no one was using. It was the safest place to handle the dead.

‘I’ll retrieve the cargo that left with the spear and immediately go to Bangyuseong and Hansoso!’

In the current situation, I had to borrow their strength.

And I have to reproduce the original work.