Chapter 25 of 100
Chapter 25
8 min read2,083 words
Chapter 24. Goyuel, the Commander of the Seven Dragons (1)
Shinbi was indeed strong.
Only after Seohui's stamina was completely drained could he finally kill him.
"What a damn dog!"
Especially the resistance just before his death was truly dangerous.
He almost lost his life.
[Critical Hit! You inflicted a fatal wound on Shinbi.]
Shinbi [Commander of the Black Gold Brigade, one of the seven organizations of Taihuang Pavilion]
Health 0 (↓320)/15,000
"Haa. Hahaha."
Was it cognitive dissonance?
Seohui's face was smiling, but his hands and feet were trembling.
Shinbi's unpredictable sword techniques, which involved blocking, thrusting, and counterattacking, were objectively superior to his own.
There was nothing to say but that this fight was a matter of luck.
[You have completed the mission! As a reward, you have received one Thousand Dragon Pill.]
Seohui's eyes sparkled.
Finally.
The window announcing the long-awaited reward appeared.
Seohui quickly checked his inventory.
[Inventory]
<Herbs>
Yeonyanggang 1 (one bite taken), Iron Blood Toxin Antidote 1
<Medicinal Herbs>
Thousand Dragon Pill 1
<Equipment>
[Weapon] Wolhyangbi 1
[Armor] Cheoneunshingap 1
[Accessory] Beolryeokdan 1
<Secret Manual>
Four Great Extreme Demon Arts: Wind (風)
<Miscellaneous>
Treasure Map of Mugando (7/7)
'Really a Thousand Dragon Pill!'
It wasn't a dream.
An increase of over 10,000 in both health and inner energy.
He had obtained a medicinal herb superior to the treasures of Mugando.
Seohui lifted his head to check his status window.
Seohui [Junior Squad Leader]
Inner Energy 242/7,070
His health and inner energy were both at rock bottom.
Now, even encountering minor enemies could be a disgrace.
It was fine.
He had no regrets in this life, having obtained the Thousand Dragon Pill.
Seohui wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked around.
It was still dangerous here.
Reviewing the battle with Shinbi and analyzing the openings could wait.
The most urgent task was to confirm what he had and quickly escape.
[You have obtained 5 Golden Wound Healing Pills.]
[You have obtained the map for the Body (身) test of Mugando.]
[You have obtained the test sequence record of Mugando.]
[You have obtained one Hwansokyeongshindan (還速英身丹).]
[You have obtained 7 pieces of bamboo for the Body (身) test.]
"What are these?"
Before Seohui could pick up the items, everything except the bamboo pieces went into his inventory.
What puzzled him were the test map and the test sequence record, as well as the medicinal pill called Hwansokyeongshindan.
○ Map for the Body (身) test of Mugando
Description: A map of the Body (身) test of Mugando, showing the locations of treasures hidden in 7 buildings.
○ Test sequence record of Mugando
Description: A record of the test sequences of Mugando.
Reference: Speech - Writing - Judgment - Body
'So this is it!'
Seohui finally understood when he saw the map and the sequence record.
The order of the tests. The final test of the Body.
This must be the sign that one has been chosen to enter Mugando.
"What is this?"
Seohui opened another item.
○ Hwansokyeongshindan (還速英身丹)
Description: A medicinal herb made from stone water obtained from the deepest ravine of the Shenjiang Continent.
Effect: It has the ability to recover a certain amount of health and inner energy.
"This must be the reward from another test!"
Seohui's doubts were finally resolved as he looked at the items.
This was probably the reward for passing three tests: Speech, Writing, and Judgment.
Thus, it made sense that it contained detailed information about the names, uses, and locations of the treasures.
"Huh? I killed Shinbi?"
'Oh!'
Was he too relieved?
Seohui reflexively drew his sword at the sound behind him.
Turning around, he saw a woman smiling.
"It doesn't seem like you killed him by ambush..."
'Ah!'
Seohui, who had been prepared for an enemy ambush, froze.
He was speechless at the sight of the woman.
She was like a painting.
Her beauty was so captivating that it made him forget everything just by looking at her.
"Amazing. I didn't expect such a skilled person to be here."
The woman complimented him, but Seohui couldn't speak.
Everything felt mysterious, and even though she was wearing a dress that didn't reveal her figure, she looked graceful.
Her skin was almost pale white, with eyebrows and curled sideburns.
Most striking were her large eyes, which drew him in.
"Um..."
The woman tilted her head when Seohui didn't respond.
Then she smiled, as if realizing something.
"Taihuang Pavilion member. You won't survive in Mugando like this."
"..."
"Still, I'd like to see you again. A master who killed Shinbi. I'm busy, though..."
The woman walked down the corridor.
Seohui just watched her, dazed.
Anyone would think he looked stupid, but in fact, he couldn't do anything.
[Status]
Sergeant [Graduate of Hongmayuan]
Physical Condition: Normal
[Statistics]
Health 28,000/28,000
Inner Energy 24,000/24,000
Combat Power 90,000
He didn't dare to chase her because of the overwhelming stats that surpassed Shinbi.
* * *
Seohui crouched low in the sugarcane, hiding.
Hiding means concealing the body.
Therefore, the basic principle of hiding is to find a hiding place.
'About here.'
Seohui came here because of his memories from his previous life.
He had crouched in the sugarcane and passed the test.
'What is the best method?'
Thinking about the future, Seohui had many thoughts.
He now had two lives.
His current life and the next life after death.
He needed to decide which path to focus on.
Seohui [Junior Squad Leader]
Health 243/7,708
Inner Energy 242/7,070
After checking his stats, Seohui opened his inventory.
He looked at the two medicinal herbs.
'Use all my abilities now, or save them for later?'
Hwansokyeongshindan and Thousand Dragon Pill.
Hwansokyeongshindan rapidly restores health and inner energy.
And if he took the Thousand Dragon Pill, his health and inner energy would skyrocket.
It would give him stats that surpassed Shinbi.
However, if an incredible expert appeared or he was ambushed and failed the test?
His life would be the worst.
Not only would he fail to pass Mugando, but he wouldn't even be able to capture Shinbi.
'Maybe I should save them for later.'
What worried Seohui the most were the people at dawn.
To pass Mugando, he would inevitably have to face them.
They wouldn't let him alone, knowing he had obtained treasures.
'Come to think of it, how did I pass back then?'
After spending a day here, he walked to the entrance of Mugando.
There were no restrictions then.
'Let's put on the Quanmatoujia first and think about it.'
The best weapon he obtained from Mugando.
Wearing it alone could generate a fist wind, and he had to keep it.
It didn't quite fit his sword skills, but it had greatly helped him overcome several crises.
The Bahuangzhenshenjia he was wearing was in tatters, so there was no need to put it in the inventory.
He considered putting the Danyeong Sword in but decided against it.
After all, it didn't have any special abilities.
'Why won't the inventory open?'
He touched the [Inventory] at the top, but there was no response.
Then, Seohui turned his head back, sensing something.
Sure enough.
A man in a wind cloak was standing there, looking down at him.
"There's someone hiding here?"
The man, dressed in black, with his arms crossed and long eyebrows fluttering, had a large sword on his back.
His ankle guards and red gloves were particularly eye-catching.
His lightness skill, which allowed him to stand on the leaves of the sugarcane, made Seohui doubt his eyes.
'Damn.'
Seohui understood why the inventory wouldn't open.
His life was in danger.
Moreover, since the enemy had shown hostility, this fight couldn't be avoided.
[Status]
Goyuel [Commander of the Seven Dragons, Hongmayuan]
Health 25,000/25,000
Inner Energy 22,000/22,000
Combat Power 63,000
Stats similar to Shinbi.
But unlike before, there was a huge difference in Seohui's current physical condition.
"What are you rolling your eyes for, trying to survive?"
Thud.
Goyuel kicked a sugarcane leaf that was three meters high and landed on the ground.
Swish.
Then he drew his large sword.
Despite its massive size, he held the hilt with ease.
'Right. Even if I die, I must strike first.'
Seohui immediately infused his inner energy into the Danyeong Sword.
Xiaoxima Gong.
As the proficiency of this martial art reached the basic level, Seohui's physical reactions improved dramatically in all aspects.
His ability to track Shinbi's movements was due to the power of Xiaoxima Gong.
"Haah!"
Seohui leaped from his position before he finished speaking.
Then, thud. Something caught his body.
[Warning! Goyuel has discovered your opening. How will you respond?]
▶ Counterattack
▷ Defend
▷ Flee
Was it because of the overwhelming difference in skill?
He tried to attack first, but before he could swing his sword, a disadvantageous status window appeared.
<You chose 'Defend.'>
The process continues.
'...!'
Seohui, who was running, had no choice but to hesitate at Goyuel's action.
A peculiar movement of lifting one foot.
When he stepped on the ground again, an abnormal lightness skill appeared before Seohui's eyes.
It was the martial art called Qianyingbahuangjiao (千影八荒脚), which Seohui had never experienced before.
Smack!
Goyuel's snake-like foot struck Seohui's chest.
In one blow, his body bent vertically and fell to the ground.
Crack!
Goyuel kicked Seohui's head as soon as he hit the ground.
It didn't end there.
Smack!
He then stomped on Seohui's back with his heel.
<Critical Hit! Goyuel inflicted 235 damage on you.>
Seohui [Junior Squad Leader]
Health 8 (↓235)/7,708
Inner Energy 242/7,070
Seohui's mouth was full of white saliva.
It was a truly terrifying pain.
The agony was so intense that the thought of defeating the enemy disappeared.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Goyuel looked at Seohui, who was groaning in a sitting position.
Even in a semi-conscious state, he saw that Seohui was still holding his sword.
"Argh!"
A scream of pain burst from Seohui's mouth.
Goyuel had crushed the hand Seohui was extending.
"Ugh!"
Goyuel grabbed Seohui's hair and lifted him up.
"Someone like you, just be my loyal fertilizer."
He shook him and said,
"Be stepped on when stepped on. Be hit when hit. Be killed when killed."
"..."
Seohui just listened helplessly.
He had no strength to resist or fight back.
The only thing in his mind.
'Right. Now I understand.'
Even as his life repeated.
Even as he was dying. And in the moment of his imminent death, he thought.
Why he needed to become stronger.
Why he had to rise from the dirty muck.
Because if he stopped, he would die.
Because he had to live in a dirty world, becoming their fertilizer.
[A Great Opportunity! You have discovered Goyuel's opening. How will you respond?]
▶ Attack
▷ Use a martial art
▷ Use the inventory
▷ Approach the enemy
'...'
Seohui stared at the opening window for a moment.
He suspected it might be a mistake.
His health and inner energy were almost depleted.
His right hand was crushed, making it impossible to even touch, let alone kill.
<You chose 'Attack.'>
The process rewinds 3 seconds.
Not all choices are made with a purpose.
Knowing the end, he chose the beginning without much meaning.
"Someone like you, just be my loyal fertilizer."
He felt he had to do something in response to the enemy's humiliating words.
He saw the sword and touched it,
And since the only thing he could do was swing, he did.
"Be stepped on when stepped on. Be hit when hit. Die!"
However, shockingly, this appeared.
[Using the Daebak Sword.]
'...!'
A powerful martial art that instantly dispelled anger, frustration, and pain.
He had tried to find a way but couldn't, and he had pondered but couldn't solve it.
In the midst of this, it reappeared.
Zing! Fwoosh! Whoosh
Particles like fireflies gathered at the tip of the sword, gradually taking on a spiritual quality and moving the true energy.
Seohui, who should only have been able to perform this technique after comprehending the essence of martial arts, executed it.
<Perfect Hit! You inflicted over 20,000 damage on Goyuel.>
"Chok!"
Goyuel, caught off guard, spat blood and stumbled backward.
Thud.
He sat down, his face showing disbelief.
Above him, the status window recorded an abnormal damage value.
[Status]
Goyuel [Commander of the Seven Dragons, Hongmayuan]
Health 3,170 (↓21,830)/25,000
Moreover,
The Daebak Sword not only reduced the enemy's health.
[Status]
Goyuel [Commander of the Seven Dragons, Hongmayuan]
Health 3,170 (↓21,830)/25,000
Inner Energy 9,445 (↓12,555)/22,000
It also drained the enemy's inner energy.