Chapter 211

Tang Lim shouted in fury.

“How dare you… The collection of books here is worth several times more than your worthless life…”

“Then why did you look for me first instead of those precious books?”

Jin Ja-gang threw cold mockery.

“Hide peerless martial arts manuals so I can find and learn them? Don’t talk nonsense. Do you think I’d fall for such tricks?”

“You bastard!”

Tang Lim angrily rushed into the smoke. Jin Ja-gang’s silhouette immediately disappeared.

When Tang Lim felt something soft under his foot, he immediately reached out to grab it. However, what was caught under his foot was the corpse of a warrior he had sent to find Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang’s voice came from behind the burning bookshelf.

“As expected, you can’t kill me.”

Tang Lim bit his teeth.

This bastard is too clever.

He had deliberately positioned the warrior’s corpse so it would catch under his foot to test whether he would use lethal force or not.

It was spine-chilling.

Tang Lim naturally couldn’t kill Jin Ja-gang. Tang Qing’s orders were to observe for ten days.

Today was the ninth day.

Even if Jin Ja-gang had committed the grave sin of burning down the library pavilion that had existed alongside the Tang family’s history, Tang Lim couldn’t kill Jin Ja-gang without King of Hell Tang Qing’s permission.

Breaking limbs was fine, but he couldn’t inflict irreparable wounds. A finger or two, one eye, or perhaps pulling out his tongue might be tolerated, but he absolutely couldn’t kill him. Currently, the authority to decide Jin Ja-gang’s life or death rested solely in the King of Hell’s hands.

Grind.

“Insolent bastard… Do you think I’d hesitate to use force against a worthless fellow like you?”

“You’re bluffing. Then let’s see if those words are true.”

At that moment, Jin Ja-gang pushed over the adjacent bookshelf and toppled it. The burning bookshelf and books poured down on Tang Lim all at once.

Tang Lim thrust out both hands with all his might.

Bang!

The bookshelf shattered into pieces against Tang Lim’s twin palms and exploded outward.

Screech—

Another burning bookshelf came crashing toward Tang Lim from the side. As Tang Lim tried to blast it away again with his palm force, he saw Jin Ja-gang’s eyes glinting between the shelves.

“Urk!”

Tang Lim gathered internal energy in his twin palms but couldn’t release it. If he did, Jin Ja-gang’s head might explode!

Jin Ja-gang burst through between the bookshelf shelves and rushed at Tang Lim. He stabbed at Tang Lim’s leg with a sharp wooden needle.

Tang Lim pressed down on Jin Ja-gang’s head while kicking up at Jin Ja-gang’s chin with his knee. Jin Ja-gang threw what he was holding in his other hand at Tang Lim’s face. It was a burning book, no, just a ball of fire.

Tang Lim turned his head to dodge. In that gap, Jin Ja-gang avoided the knee kick and rolled on the floor. From the floor upward, he stabbed at Tang Lim’s groin between his legs with a wooden needle.

“Shameless bastard!”

Tang Lim leaped up and stretched his legs straight out to either side. He braced his legs between the shelves of collapsing bookshelves on both sides. He raised his hands to catch Jin Ja-gang’s head if he came up from below.

Jin Ja-gang didn’t attack further and retreated.

“Lying about nonexistent secret manuals is what’s truly shameless.”

“I’ll definitely make you…”

But Tang Lim couldn’t continue his words. If he did, Jin Ja-gang would tell him to test it again, and it would only block his own words.

Tang Lim remained suspended in midair with his legs spread wide, watching Jin Ja-gang. Jin Ja-gang hid his body in the flames and smoke again.

Tang Lim gathered internal energy in his eyes and raised his vision to the maximum.

However, he couldn’t easily see Jin Ja-gang.

It was incomprehensible.

How was Jin Ja-gang moving freely with his naked body in this hot fire and blinding smoke?

Even he could barely see and couldn’t breathe properly.

The air was becoming increasingly stifling, and he didn’t think he could last much longer.

Warriors were entering from the outer stairs while extinguishing fires, but they couldn’t easily extinguish the fire in the library pavilion made entirely of wood. Rather, the fire was spreading inward and getting worse.

At most he could endure for one watch period. Within that time, he had to catch Jin Ja-gang alive and drag him out.

But Jin Ja-gang was moving deeper inside as if he knew Tang Lim’s thoughts.

“You crazy bastard… Are you planning to die together!”

“Hardly. I’ve spent a month in spaces hotter than this and full of toxic air. The one having trouble is you, not me.”

Tang Lim didn’t believe it. Due to the heat, Tang Lim’s hair and beard were curling at the ends, and sparks had landed on his clothes, creating holes in several places.

There was no way the naked Jin Ja-gang could endure this. But there was no need to waste time. Tang Lim gathered his internal energy to subdue Jin Ja-gang in one stroke.

Jin Ja-gang’s silhouette was moving hazily.

Tang Lim put strength in his feet, kicked off the bookshelf, and rushed straight at Jin Ja-gang in a direct line. Tang Lim extended his twin palms, breaking through the blocking bookshelves with his body and charging straight ahead.

Boom! Boom boom boom!

The bookshelves, already weakened by fire, shattered against Tang Lim’s palm force and burst apart, spewing flames like screams. Tang Lim smashed through five rows of bookshelves and reached Jin Ja-gang in an instant.

The moment Jin Ja-gang’s silhouette was revealed, Tang Lim reached out his hand but paused briefly.

What if this was another trap? What if it wasn’t Jin Ja-gang but a warrior’s corpse?

But this time it was Jin Ja-gang. Jin Ja-gang dodged behind a bookshelf and threw a wooden needle at Tang Lim.

“Where are you running like a rat!”

Tang Lim lightly knocked away the wooden needle with his hand, kicked a burning bookshelf to split it in half, and rushed at Jin Ja-gang.

Then someone dropped from above the bookshelf. Tang Lim was startled and raised his hands to block above. He grabbed the arm of the one who fell from above, twisted it, and kicked upward with his foot.

Thud!

The person fell helplessly into the flames.

It was a warrior’s corpse. He had placed the corpse on the bookshelf so it would fall on Tang Lim’s head as he smashed through bookshelves and charged forward.

Then Jin Ja-gang threw what he was holding at Tang Lim. Fine powders caught fire as they passed through the flames and scattered as sparks.

‘Poison powder!’

Jin Ja-gang thrust his fist at Tang Lim. No, he opened his fist halfway and changed it to a palm strike.

Blazing Twin Phosphorus Palm!

Tang Lim hastily countered with his left palm.

Whooom!

As the palms met, a large circular resonance was created. Flames spread outward in all directions like concentric circles.

Crack.

Sounds of joints dislocating came from Jin Ja-gang’s wrist and elbow. This was because Tang Lim’s internal energy was far superior.

But Tang Lim couldn’t smile. His palm felt burning hot with searing pain.

Flames leaked out from within their clasped palms.

Though he didn’t scream, Tang Lim’s face was severely contorted with pain.

Tang Lim forcibly separated his palm.

Sizzle!

The skin of his palm peeled off and wounds appeared everywhere. Multiple burns formed on his palm, with the outer skin melted and revealing the bright red flesh beneath.

Jin Ja-gang slammed his shoulder and arm hard against the adjacent bookshelf to reset his dislocated joints.

Thud! Thud!

As soon as he reset his joints, he immediately rushed at Tang Lim.

Tang Lim’s left hand was aching, so he struck Jin Ja-gang’s shoulder with his right hand. Jin Ja-gang bent his body then straightened up, unfolding paper to throw dust. Fine powder flew toward Tang Lim’s face.

Instantly his eyes stung and his nose tickled. Tang Lim shook his head vigorously to blow away the dust with wind.

Then Jin Ja-gang rolled on the floor and grabbed Tang Lim’s ankle. Tang Lim immediately kicked Jin Ja-gang away. Jin Ja-gang took the hit and rolled around. Tang Lim chased after him and stomped down with his foot.

Bang! Bang!

Each time Tang Lim’s foot struck the floor, the floor broke and fragments scattered. Tang Lim was having an even harder time enduring due to the smoke and the poisonous dust that made tears flow from his eyes.

Now he had to smash something somewhere on his body and quickly catch him to get out…

But suddenly Jin Ja-gang’s face appeared right below. He had been chasing and stomping down with his foot when Jin Ja-gang suddenly changed direction and brought his head under his foot!

An action done knowing Tang Lim couldn’t kill him.

It was an action that required risking his life but conversely couldn’t be safer.

“This damn…!”

Tang Lim hastily twisted his foot to the side.

Jin Ja-gang didn’t miss the chance and grabbed Tang Lim’s ankle. It wasn’t just grabbing. Like being branded with a hot iron, Jin Ja-gang’s fingers dug into Tang Lim’s foot.

Coiling Dragon Strike!

Jin Ja-gang’s fingers pierced straight through the silk shoes into Tang Lim’s sole and ankle joint. Not stopping there, he even unleashed Blazing Twin Phosphorus Palm from his hand.

Tang Lim felt dizzy. His foot had been punctured and even caught fire.

“Kraaah!”

Tang Lim kicked with all his might to shake off Jin Ja-gang. Jin Ja-gang took the hit to his stomach and flew through the air, crashing into a bookshelf.

Crash!

The burning bookshelf collapsed and books poured down.

Tang Lim stepped down on the injured foot and his ankle twisted. The joint was already out and his ankle bent at a right angle.

“Krak!”

Tang Lim staggered and hopped on one foot. Hopping on one foot with thumping sounds, he unconsciously tried to lean on an adjacent bookshelf with his hand. But trying to grab a burning bookshelf with his bare hand caused even greater pain. It was like grabbing burning firewood with a hand whose skin was peeled off and flesh exposed!

“Uaaah!”

With one hand and one foot sealed, Tang Lim frantically unleashed palm force in all directions with his remaining arm.

Bang! Boom boom bang!

He could see Jin Ja-gang dodging the palm force and fleeing inward. Tang Lim followed Jin Ja-gang with limping steps.

“I’ll kill you… I won’t let this slide!”

Jin Ja-gang frequently threw wooden needles to hinder Tang Lim. Not just wooden needles but also poison powder. The poison powder was threatening by itself, but when it caught fire it burned up and became flames that blocked his vision. It was obvious Jin Ja-gang was buying time.

Tang Lim’s vision was becoming increasingly dim, making him blink frequently. Mucus kept flowing from his nose, making breathing even more difficult.

Tang Lim realized time was running short and unleashed palm force without reserve, striking away wooden needles and poison powder while chasing Jin Ja-gang.

Fortunately, the fire hadn’t spread severely to the inner part of the library pavilion yet. Most of the bookshelves were still intact. Instead, it was filled with smoke, making vision and breathing very uncomfortable.

Finally, Jin Ja-gang was cornered to the innermost room of the library pavilion. Jin Ja-gang’s figure could be hazily seen crouched and hiding in the corner. He appeared to be naked without clothes. It was definitely Jin Ja-gang.

“Cough cough!”

Tang Lim coughed and wiped his tears.

“Do you have anywhere else to run, bastard!”

Tang Lim entered the room with thumping sounds on one foot. He grabbed the back of Jin Ja-gang’s neck in the corner to lift him up.

But it was a warrior’s corpse with clothes stripped off.

“……”

Tang Lim’s mind went blank. He slowly turned around.

Jin Ja-gang had somehow circled back, gone outside the room, and was putting on the warrior’s clothes.

Finally tying his belt, Jin Ja-gang said coldly to Tang Lim.

“If you happen to find any peerless secret manuals, please let me know later too.”

“You, you bastard! Cough cough.”

Jin Ja-gang pushed hard to topple a bookshelf.

Boom! Crash! Boom boom boom.

The bookshelves with less fire fell in succession, piling up in multiple layers. The room’s entrance was instantly blocked. Jin Ja-gang continued pushing bookshelves to completely cut off Tang Lim’s escape route.

Tang Lim tried striking with all his strength using his right hand, but books flew and bookshelves made cracking sounds as they broke, yet there was still much of the blocking wall remaining.

With his breathing labored and unable to draw internal energy as before, plus only being able to strike with his right hand, his palm force’s destructive power dropped to less than half of half.

Sensing death, Tang Lim let out a terrible scream.

“Uaaaaah…!”

Jin Ja-gang disappeared into the thick smoke, saying.

“See you in hell.”