Chapter 74 – Selflessness

Chapter 74 – Selflessness

For the first time, bewilderment showed in Tae-oh's eyes.

He felt his fingertips stiffening. The series of movements of clenching and opening his hands felt strangely heavy. As his senses gradually dulled, Tae-oh let out a hollow laugh.

“Just when did…”

Stopping mid-speech, his gaze landed on the ground.

There, he saw a small pouch that had not been there a moment ago.

Poison sand.

The sand harboring poison was faintly shimmering.

It seemed to have been secretly scattered, taking advantage of the explosion earlier.

San-ho wiped his blood-splattered cheek with his sleeve and spoke.

“You seem to have quite a bit of immunity to poison. Seeing that your body is paralyzed instead of you losing your breath.”

“Indeed… There was a reason why your family is evaluated as more unorthodox than the unorthodox sects. To think you use poison and hidden weapons while using a sword.”

“I don't think that's an evaluation I should hear from an unorthodox bastard who set fire to someone else's house.”

The gazes of the two, which met in mid-air, gleamed menacingly.

There was not a single shred of shaking in their eyes as they glared at each other like wild beasts targeting prey.

Tae-oh spoke as he gripped the sword hilt tightly.

“Since there isn't much time, shall we stop playing along here?”

Unless one possessed the Ten Thousand Poisons Immunity, there was a limit to delaying the poisoning.

Moreover, this was none other than inside the walls of the Tang Clan. In order to safely return with what he was looking for, he had to decide the match quickly.

Swoosh!

Keeping low, his body flew toward San-ho's lower body.

The tip of the blade swung horizontally grazed San-ho's right leg slightly.

The thin clothes split open, and red blood seeped out of the exposed skin.

“You speak so boldly about finishing this before getting poisoned.”

San-ho, who stepped back and regained his balance, adjusted his grip on the Black Cloud Sword.

Then, he began to take footwork steps, looking just like his master.

A haze shimmered on the dark-colored blade into which internal energy was infused. The fully infused internal energy gradually took a clear shape. Owooo, the deeply echoing sword cry vibrated loudly in his hand.

Shhh-

The tip of the sword, drawing the path of the Green Cloud Meteor Sword Art, flowed elegantly.

Gently, and yet quickly.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

As San-ho's sword path, which filled the space without any gaps, continued, wounds were added to Tae-oh's body one by one. The cold metallic sound and the sound of hot blood bursting intertwined bizarrely.

It was at that moment.

Stab!

The dark-colored blade dug deep into Tae-oh's flank. He tried to twist his body to dodge, but as if even that had been anticipated, it lodged an inch deeper and sliced his flesh.

Tae-oh, who grit his teeth to suppress a groan, raised his head.

“…The Tang Clan's poison is indeed potent, it seems.”

“If you know that, why don't you just give up?”

“I cannot do that.”

Turning his body in the opposite direction, Tae-oh escaped the sword path.

Blood gushed from his flank where the blade had left.

But that was not the end. Before he knew it, Soul-Chasing Daggers flying right in front of his nose were already filling his vision. A relentless onslaught poured in.

“……!!!”

He raised his sword and barely deflected the Soul-Chasing Daggers.

Over the deep scar on his face, a new wound was etched.

Gritting his teeth, Tae-oh kicked off the ground forcefully.

A shadow that had become even denser in the darkness fell over San-ho's head.

Clangggg!

As sword clashed against sword, a powerful impact shook the bodies of the two. Dust rose thickly all around them.

It was a fierce clash where neither side backed down.

The moment the two, extending their swords toward each other, faced one another.

Amidst the momentary silence, it was Tae-oh who spoke first.

Catching his breath quietly, he spoke.

“It seems you have grown attached over time. Seeing how hard you are trying like this.”

San-ho frowned at the incomprehensible words.

“Affection?”

“Emotions are truly trivial things. Is there any value in risking one's life for something formless?”

“If you want an answer, speak comprehensibly.”

“I do not understand the reason why you block my way until you are in this state, when it is a matter that would be resolved if you just handed over the person I am looking for.”

“………”

San-ho's inner self, which was not revealed on the outside, wavered for a moment. This was because he had thought the assailant's target was merely an object, and had not anticipated it would be a person.

Composing himself, San-ho spoke nonchalantly.

“That's too bad. I don't know who you are looking for, but they are not here. The annex is a place where I live alone.”

“No, they are here.”

“……”

“…What if the person you are shielding is not the one you knew, Young Master?”

“What on earth does that…”

Frowning, San-ho waved his hand.

“No, forget it. I'm sick of this nonsense now. Whatever it is, you can't enter here.”

The same straight gaze as at the beginning was directed toward Tae-oh.

Even though it was obvious that severe pain would encroach upon his mind, San-ho possessed an unyielding persistence.

“……”

Feeling the sensation in his hand which had become heavier than before, Tae-oh bit his lip. Not much time was left.

‘It wasn't supposed to take this long.’

His plan was perfect.

It was only a matter of drawing attention and dispersing the forces while the Family Head and Hall Leaders were away. The only martial artist who should have been at the annex was the Young Master of the Tang Clan.

However, there was a variable he had not anticipated.

It was none other than the Young Master.

‘Just what…’

Questioning filled his eyes as he stared blankly at San-ho.

Wasn't the Young Master of the Sichuan Tang Clan a half-wit who lived in hiding without any presence just a few years ago? Although he did not know what on earth had happened, this level of martial prowess was a stage that completely defied common sense.

A person who uses a sword and hidden weapons at the same time.

There were always martial artists who made such attempts, but wasn't their destined end to eventually degenerate into third-rate martial artists who were neither here nor there? High-level martial arts were difficult to master even if one dug deeply into only one.

Yet, standing before his eyes was someone who had perfectly embodied two types of weapons. Moreover, a young martial artist who was a direct lineage member of the Sichuan Tang Clan and used poison arts at will.

‘Could it be that the recent rumors are not false?’

Tae-oh's eyes narrowed.

If the information he knew was accurate, it meant the Young Master had grown this much in just a few years. If so, after a few more years passed from now…

‘I must kill him now.’

Having finished his thoughts, Tae-oh began to pour his internal energy into his legs instead of his sword. Suppressing the poison was also slowly reaching its limit.

Finish it in one go.

Having made his decision, Tae-oh's eyes took on a murderous intent.

He felt a surging energy violently fluctuating in his legs.

Boom!

Tae-oh kicked off the ground with all his might.

The space vibrated as if an earthquake had occurred.

It was an impact so great that the dust created a thick cloud.

Swoosh!

Through the dust, the blade that flew in in an instant slashed across San-ho's neck.

“Ugh…!”

San-ho retreated with a short groan.

He felt a chilling sensation where the sword had passed.

Bright red blood streamed down between his fingers clutching his neck.

It was a single strike that should have severed his neck. However, in that split second, San-ho bent his waist backward and barely dodged the blade. Had it been just half an inch deeper, he would have already lost his life.

Without missing the opportunity, Tae-oh charged toward him once more.

The sharp sword was aiming at San-ho's chest as fast as lightning.

A desperate crisis.

Regaining his focus on his shaken vision, San-ho held his breath and raised his sword. He knew that they were both already reaching their limits. He could not fall first.

At the moment Tae-oh's sword, suspended in mid-air, finally approached as if to pierce through his life.

“Stop.”

What blocked the great storm was a small voice.

“……!!!”

The small voice, which should have been impossible to hear, penetrated Tae-oh's mind. Abruptly stopping his movement, Tae-oh's body touched the ground like a dry leaf. Just before the blades crossed, Tae-oh's eyes, meeting in mid-air, shook violently, colored with shock.

But Tae-oh was not the only one shaken by this situation.

San-ho's lips parted slightly at the unfamiliar voice he was hearing for the first time.

The place where the sound came from.

The one who opened the door of the annex and came out was none other than the child.

The child, with a face showing not even a shred of emotion, approached the two. It was an extremely natural action without any hesitation. When the soft sound of footsteps stopped, a quiet silence filled the space before they knew it.

“………”

The approaching child's gaze lingered on San-ho, who was messily slashed.

After looking at him for a moment, the child shifted his gaze to Tae-oh, who stood unable to even blink. The calm gaze pierced deep as if looking right through him.

A short time, or perhaps, after a long time had passed.

The child's mouth slowly opened.

“Tae-oh. It is the second name your master gave you.”

“……!!!”

The moment those words ended, Tae-oh lowered his body like lightning.

It was a gesture mixed with confusion and awe.

Falling to one knee to show respect, he lowered his head deeply.

An unfamiliar voice flowed like water from the child's mouth.

“You were born in Hangzhou and spent fifteen arduous years there. Another year in Dareung, and two years in Guangdong's Huadu. Since then, in Suzhou and Yiyang… Yet, you have still been unable to take root.”

“………”

It was difficult to grasp the emotion contained in the child's voice.

It was heartless yet pitiful, displeased yet gentle.

“…Tell your master.”

Although it was a youthful voice, it exuded a massive sense of intimidation that made it impossible to imagine it belonging to a child. A heavy air, to the point where even swallowing saliva became conscious, pressed down on them.

“That I exist here.”

The eyes looking into the distance were shining clearly.

“……”

San-ho's brow furrowed at the bizarre situation unfolding.

Everything was unfamiliar.

The voice heard for the first time, and the expression seen for the first time.

Even the instantly changed atmosphere and overwhelming aura.

This was just like another person's soul dwelling in the body…

San-ho struggled to compose his confused voice and asked.

“Who… are you?”

At that, the child turned his head toward him and smiled with eyes crinkling slightly.

“Mua (Selflessness).”

The whole world looked slow, as if time had stopped. Mua. It was a name that meant forgetting one's own existence.

At that moment, Tae-oh, who raised his face with a determined expression, spoke.

“Lord Mua. I will serve you. Please, together…”

Mua, who raised a small hand to stop his words, shook his head.

“Return. I will be where I wish to be.”

“Are you saying… you will stay here?”

“Yes.”

Tae-oh asked like a person facing an insolvable problem.

“I, I do not understand. Why to such a trivial child, and not my master…!”

At that moment, Mua, who was looking up at the sky, lowered his gaze. Close to the ground. He looked deeply into the eyes of Tae-oh, who was kneeling. The eyes facing each other seemed to thoroughly dig into the depths of the abyss.

Thus, even without hearing it with ears, the meaning could be known.

Do not make me say it twice.

Tae-oh bit his lip at Mua's gaze, which struck him like a dagger.