Chapter 149

Baek Li-gwon was walking through the burning village as if strolling through his family’s garden. However, his fierce gaze searching for Jin Ja-gang did not soften.

Whoooosh!

A burning house next to him collapsed and poured down on Baek Li-gwon. Baek Li-gwon paid no attention and continued walking, then briefly stopped.

Crash…

The burning beams and planks fell precisely in front of and behind Baek Li-gwon. Baek Li-gwon stepped over the debris and continued walking.

At that moment, two hidden weapons flew from within the flames toward the back of Baek Li-gwon’s head. Baek Li-gwon turned his body halfway and extended his left hand. It was a posture as if he intended to block the hidden weapons with his palm.

The hidden weapons curved in a parabolic arc. They passed between Baek Li-gwon’s extended fingers.

Baek Li-gwon clenched his fist and grabbed.

Thud thud.

The poison needles that had been caught between his fingers fell.

At the same time, a ball of fire burst out from the flames. It was Jin Ja-gang. Jin Ja-gang rushed at Baek Li-gwon with fire still clinging to his body.

Jin Ja-gang extended his left hand to cover Baek Li-gwon’s vision with his palm. Then he fitted a long needle between the fingers of his right hand and stabbed at Baek Li-gwon’s stomach.

Thwack!

Clearly Baek Li-gwon had not moved, yet the needle caught on something.

Baek Li-gwon was blocking the needle with the narrow handle end of his silver ornamental knife. Jin Ja-gang did not give up and continued stabbing with the needle.

Tat tat thwack! Thwack thwack!

Baek Li-gwon seemed possessed as he continued blocking the needle tips stabbing at his stomach and chest with that narrow end.

Jin Ja-gang changed the direction of the needle tip. If Baek Li-gwon tried to block by looking only at his hand movements, the silver knife handle wouldn’t be hit but rather the fingers gripping it would be stabbed.

But this time it caught without even making a sound. Baek Li-gwon had wedged the needle between the silver knife handle and his own finger and was pressing down on it. No matter how hard Jin Ja-gang tried, it wouldn’t budge. Even though Baek Li-gwon was only pressing down with a single finger.

Jin Ja-gang released the needle and attacked Baek Li-gwon with his body. He rammed Baek Li-gwon’s chest with all his might using his shoulder and back.

Jin Ja-gang had spent eight years in narrow mine shafts swinging hammers and carrying stones. Even without using internal energy, he was stronger than most adults. If he pushed with all his strength, the opponent would have to lose their center or be pushed over.

Thud!

But it was Jin Ja-gang who bounced back. His shoulder ached as if he had rammed into a large boulder.

Jin Ja-gang thought Baek Li-gwon would counterattack and stepped backward. However, Baek Li-gwon was just standing in place looking at Jin Ja-gang.

In a heavy, low voice, Baek Li-gwon said.

“What are you doing? I haven’t moved a single step.”

Jin Ja-gang stabbed at Baek Li-gwon’s throat with his fingertips. Baek Li-gwon lightly pushed Jin Ja-gang’s hand away with the back of his hand, deflecting it. Jin Ja-gang pulled back his deflected hand and grabbed Baek Li-gwon’s arm. Baek Li-gwon, as if he couldn’t tolerate having hands placed on his body, struck upward with his elbow. Jin Ja-gang’s arm was knocked upward.

Jin Ja-gang, with his body’s center shaken, twisted his waist and kicked upward at Baek Li-gwon’s groin with his knee. Baek Li-gwon raised his own knee to block Jin Ja-gang’s knee.

“Shameless wretch.”

His tone contained both hostility and contempt.

However, Jin Ja-gang paid no mind. He pulled his waist back forcefully and headbutted Baek Li-gwon’s jaw.

Thunk.

Baek Li-gwon pressed Jin Ja-gang’s forehead with his index and middle fingers held together like a sword hand, blocking the headbutt. Though only two fingers touched, Jin Ja-gang’s head could not advance.

When Jin Ja-gang tried to stab Baek Li-gwon’s side with his right hand, Baek Li-gwon again pressed Jin Ja-gang’s wrist with his sword fingers to block the action. He was using his fingers like a sword or staff.

Thwack! Thwack thwack!

Every time he tried to do something, Baek Li-gwon’s fingers continuously interfered with Jin Ja-gang’s movements. When he tried to extend his arm, he pressed the forearm, when he tried to twist his waist, he pressed the hip bone to prevent the waist from turning. When he tried to kick with his foot, he pressed the shoulder so the leg wouldn’t lift.

Jin Ja-gang felt as if he were trapped in a very narrow box.

Thwack thwack thwack. Thwack!

For Jin Ja-gang, it was no different from just standing there unable to do anything. Before he could try anything, his movements were continuously blocked.

By mere fingers!

Baek Li-gwon seemed to be reading Jin Ja-gang’s thoughts.

Jin Ja-gang pulled his body backward. Then Baek Li-gwon raised his foot.

The distance between Jin Ja-gang and him was about three steps.

But the moment Baek Li-gwon thrust out his foot, Jin Ja-gang felt the illusion that Baek Li-gwon’s foot had stretched long. He reflexively turned his head to dodge, but Baek Li-gwon’s sole followed and kicked Jin Ja-gang’s cheekbone.

Crack!

Crash clatter!

Jin Ja-gang was sent flying without fail.

He rolled on the ground so much that the fire clinging to his body was extinguished.

Baek Li-gwon carved another sword mark on his chest.

Then he approached and grabbed Jin Ja-gang’s hair. When Baek Li-gwon put strength into his arm and lifted, Jin Ja-gang was raised into the air. Jin Ja-gang gritted his teeth and kicked Baek Li-gwon’s stomach with his toes.

Thud! Thud!

Baek Li-gwon’s expression slightly frowned but that was all. Rather, Jin Ja-gang’s toes hurt as if they would break.

Tendons appeared on Baek Li-gwon’s jaw.

“I can’t believe it.”

Baek Li-gwon looked Jin Ja-gang up and down while holding him up.

Jin Ja-gang had jumped out with fire clinging to him, so his clothes were half-burned, his hair and eyebrows were melted or singed. His face and arms had soot and burns with blisters… he was truly a mess. Pus was even flowing from severely burned areas.

Baek Li-gwon had an incredulous expression.

“Going this far… yet you haven’t inflicted a single wound on me. But… such a fellow killed Sister Yan? Really?”

Jin Ja-gang gritted his teeth tightly and glared at Baek Li-gwon. Sparks flew from Baek Li-gwon’s eyes.

Baek Li-gwon slammed Jin Ja-gang into the ground.

“Don’t make Sister Yan’s death seem trivial!”

Bang!

Jin Ja-gang was planted head-first into the ground and his body stiffened.

“Kheuk!”

Baek Li-gwon bent his waist and again smashed Jin Ja-gang’s head into the ground.

“How could the likes of you harm Sister Yan! If you still have hidden moves, bring them out quickly. Bring them out quickly, I say!”

Bang! Bang bang bang!

Baek Li-gwon continued smashing Jin Ja-gang’s head into the ground while screaming.

“Uaaaaaaah!”

Bang—!

Jin Ja-gang’s head instantly became bloody… Baek Li-gwon stepped on Jin Ja-gang’s neck with his foot and wildly slashed at his own chest.

Thunk thunk, thunk.

Baek Li-gwon’s blood splattered onto Jin Ja-gang’s face, which was already broken and bloody.

“This silver knife was given to me by Sister Yan. Do you understand? The woman you killed… the woman who no longer exists in this world gave this to me!”

Crack, crack.

As Baek Li-gwon began putting strength into his foot, uncomfortable sounds came from Jin Ja-gang’s throat.

“If you have nothing more to say, I’ll break your neck like this. I’ll cut off your broken neck, salt it, and take it to Guizhou. And I’ll hang it in front of Sister Yan’s grave for a year. You won’t be able to close your eyes peacefully even in death, and you won’t be able to go to the afterlife in proper form.”

Even at that moment, Jin Ja-gang did not give up. He drew out one drop of cocklebur seed poison and sent it to the Shaoze point on his right hand.

He controlled the concentration of poison by adjusting the amount of poison liquid dissolved in saliva. He contained one drop of cocklebur seed poison in a single drop of saliva. It became a single drop of highly concentrated poison liquid containing pure poison energy that could poison twenty people at once.

Jin Ja-gang tried to coat the poison liquid on a long needle and stab Baek Li-gwon’s foot.

However, when he raised his head and saw Baek Li-gwon’s eyes, he changed his mind.

Baek Li-gwon’s eyes were unbelievably tiger-like yellow. Not the whites but the black pupils themselves showed a yellowish color. Baek Li-gwon was shedding tears in that state.

‘Scorched yellow pupils!’

It refers to when the color of the pupils changes like medicinal herbs turning yellow when roasted. It’s different from the eye area turning yellow due to illness.

Such cases occur when essence is drained from excessive drinking and debauchery, causing the pupils to become cloudy…

Or when one is on the verge of becoming a madman, consumed by extreme killing intent.

Of course, now it was clearly the latter.

However, Jin Ja-gang did not want Baek Li-gwon to become a madman. The moment Baek Li-gwon lost his reason, he would kill Jin Ja-gang in just one second and end the entire situation.

So Jin Ja-gang judged it was better to face him while Baek Li-gwon’s reason remained.

Jin Ja-gang gave up on stabbing the poison needle into Baek Li-gwon’s foot pressing on his throat. The probability of failure was much higher than the possibility of properly stabbing anyway.

Therefore, Jin Ja-gang… simply raised his arm. He openly showed the poison needle coated with poison.

He didn’t even try to stab Baek Li-gwon’s foot with that needle. He just remained still while holding the needle.

Then he looked up at Baek Li-gwon with his neck slightly bent.

Baek Li-gwon looked at Jin Ja-gang with bulging eyes. He seemed to think for a moment, trying to guess the intention behind Jin Ja-gang’s action.

A single blood-stained needle held in trembling hands.

If he applied just a little more force, this fellow would die with a broken neck. Yet his gaze was not withered at all but rather provocative.

“Ah… so that’s it.”

Baek Li-gwon understood Jin Ja-gang’s intention.

He removed his foot from the throat and took away the needle.

Then he stabbed it into his own left palm without hesitation.

Stab!

He clenched his fist so tightly that the embedded needle bent, then opened it and shook off the needle.

Jin Ja-gang rolled his body away from Baek Li-gwon.

Baek Li-gwon glared at Jin Ja-gang with an angry expression.

“So… this is the poison that took Sister Yan’s life?”

Because he had used extremely concentrated poison, the effects were also immediate.

Bubble bubble.

White foam formed at Baek Li-gwon’s mouth. His pupils became hazy and blood flowed from his nose. Even his breathing, which had been orderly even when extremely angry, instantly became rough.

Wheeze, wheeze.

Baek Li-gwon spat out blood-tinged foam and said.

“Unbelievably potent poison. Certainly, if it’s this much, Sister Yan could have been affected…”

“I’m sorry, but no.”

“What?”

“I don’t know what poison the Zhuge family’s young lady was poisoned with. And that’s something you won’t be able to find out even if you defeat me.”

Baek Li-gwon flared up in anger and glared. He was so dumbfounded that he couldn’t speak for a moment.

“How dare… you mock me…!”

Baek Li-gwon even began stuttering, then soon stepped forward with determination.

Rumble!

As he began properly drawing up internal energy, a whirlwind started from beneath his feet and his clothes swelled tightly. The whirlwind wrapped around his entire body and his clothes fluttered.

“This much can’t bring me down!”

Baek Li-gwon, who had blocked the poison energy with internal energy and restored his breathing and physical condition to some degree.

Jin Ja-gang quickly went toward the burning house where he had been hiding. He pulled out two sickles he had embedded in the pillars there. The blades of the sickles that had been embedded in the burning pillars were glowing red-hot.

Jin Ja-gang held one sickle in each hand.

Then he lowered his posture and prepared to fight.

“Cunning wretch!”

Whoosh! Baek Li-gwon’s body became blurred. Jin Ja-gang already knew how fast Baek Li-gwon’s movements were. However, this time Jin Ja-gang was also different.

He drew up his third and final internal energy.

The internal energy generated from one breath of true qi circulated through his body, gradually becoming a larger wheel. As internal energy spread through Jin Ja-gang’s right side, vitality began to dwell within.

Jin Ja-gang widened his eyes. Though only on the right side, Baek Li-gwon’s movements were visible to his eyes infused with internal energy. Baek Li-gwon’s body was approaching while leaving afterimages. Baek Li-gwon extended his right palm.

Thunderous Song Breaking Cry Palm!

It was a powerful palm technique known as one of the three absolutes of the Baek Li family.

Jin Ja-gang twisted his waist to the left.

Rumble rumble rumble!

With the sound of thunder, Baek Li-gwon’s palm grazed past Jin Ja-gang’s face.

Crash— ah— ang!

Even the foundation stone where the burning pillar had been embedded was pulled out and flew backward. About half of the house was completely crumpled and burst outward. It became a wasteland as if a giant armored carriage had passed through.

If he had been hit by that palm force, Jin Ja-gang’s head would have met the same fate as that house.

Baek Li-gwon’s eyes contorted at his missed strike. The movement just now was completely different from the body movements he had shown until now.

“This fellow was hiding his skills…!”

Jin Ja-gang didn’t listen to the end of his words and swung his sickle with all his might. It was the Moon-Severing Sickle Blade he had practiced whenever he had time.

From the center of the chest outward.

The sharp sickle aimed for Baek Li-gwon’s throat.