Martial Arts Ain't Anything Special
Chapter 132: Blood Crow Sect (1)

Chapter 132: Blood Crow Sect (1)

0% “It’s not nothing. Where are you going?”

Chunbong asked, looking at Seojun carrying a pile of luggage.

“Um... staying out overnight?”

“With which woman?”

“Probably a man?”

“Hmm... that seems unlikely.”

Two weeks remained until the Dragon Phoenix Tournament’s main event.

By Seojun’s estimation, that would be more than enough time to visit the Blood Crow Sect and return.

In that case, it was better to act immediately.

Leaving those annoying people who kept pestering him unchecked?

He would surely regret it later.

Thinking he should have dealt with them earlier when he had the time...

“Our Chunbubbie. You can sleep well without your brother, right?”

“If I said I couldn’t, would you not go?”

“Of course not.”

“What?”

Slightly thrown off by the unexpected answer, Chunbong sighed.

“I sleep perfectly fine, so just go and come back quickly. And don’t cause trouble.”

“Yes.”

“Did you say goodbye to Big Sis?”

“I’m about to.”

“What about your luggage? If you’re going somewhere far, you need food, blankets, spare shoes, money... and plenty of water, and also...”

“Mom! I’m just going for a quick trip!”

“I just worry whenever I look at you. What kind of trouble will this idiot cause today?”

“That’s too harsh...”

In truth, he was going to cause something like trouble, so he couldn’t really argue.

Or was he?

Erasing one sect didn’t seem like such a big incident.

Besides, wasn’t it a sect from a faction already at war?

This wasn’t trouble—it was earning merit.

Still, Chunbong would worry, so he glossed over it.

“It won’t take that long, and it won’t be dangerous, so eat well and fatten up those cheeks while I’m gone.”

“Bullshit.”

Hmph. Chunbong exhaled through her nose and glared at Seojun.

“You’re going there, right? The Blood Crow Sect.”

“What! How did you know?”

“What are you talking about? You were going on about erasing them last time.”

“Oh, right.”

Sigh. Chunbong exhaled deeply.

“I know you’re confident, but if things look bad, just run. Got it? I saw how fast you can go last time.”

“Obviously. I don’t think even most Unrestrained Realm masters could catch me.”

“Don’t get overconfident and cause trouble.”

“I’m so humble, you know.”

“...Just don’t go.”

“Aww.”

Seojun thoroughly mussed up Chunbong’s hair and quickly ran away.

“I’ll be back soon...!”

Chunbong reluctantly waved her hand.

“Be careful, seriously! Before I have to come storming in to find you!”

*After saying goodbye to his acquaintances, Seojun left the villa and lightly stomped the ground.

After a few leaps stepping on air, clouds brushed past him.

Stopping at that point, Seojun took out a map.

“Hmm.”

Placing a compass on the map to roughly gauge the direction...

“Should be this way, right?”

He wasn’t stupid enough to be unable to find his way.

Just head straight in the north-northwest direction, right?

If he was wrong... well, he’d just do some sightseeing and come back.

It should be correct anyway.

As he firmed his resolve, the plum blossoms beneath his feet split. One yin, one yang.

Soon, they harmonized, and...

CRASH────────!!!

With pressure that seemed to crush his entire body, the world stretched like lines.

He had broken the sound barrier long ago.

After maintaining the Primordial Step for about ten minutes, he started to get the hang of it.

Father-in-law probably...

Did it like this?

Swoosh-

Seojun raised his hand to split the air in his path.

The pressure decreased, and simultaneously, his speed increased further.

Then immediately, he faced another wall of air.

CRASH────────!!!

With the unpleasant feeling of being struck, Seojun clicked his tongue.

Okay. I’ll postpone this until after reaching the Unrestrained Realm.

Continuously cutting through the air in his path was still quite demanding.

He’d have to keep swinging his arms, and no matter how you looked at it, that was too bothersome.

Instead, he changed his posture.

Since he was just flying through the air anyway, he lay prone in the void.

In that position, he slightly modified the form of the protective reinforced qi surrounding his body.

Though he only knew the basics of aerodynamics, not the optimal form, he roughly shaped his qi into a streamlined form, thinking of bullets or aircraft bodies.

He didn’t need to know about lift or any of that.

Such concerns were for those who needed to use their brains because their bodies weren’t powerful enough.

Anyway, as long as he could fly fast, that was all that mattered.

CRASH────────!!!

As he deployed the Primordial Step once more, it was indeed somewhat better than before.

With stable posture came more leeway.

Setting aside pressure and speed, he could now at least check the map and compass while flying.

Thanks to the protective reinforced qi surrounding him. The space enclosed by it was stuffy due to pressure, but at least there was no wind.

“Oops, almost screwed up.”

While flying and checking the compass, he realized his direction had slightly veered off without him noticing.

He almost became another lost soul in the Central Plains.

After immediately correcting his course, Seojun continued flying carefully for a long time.

And so, as the sun began to set, dyeing the sky red...

“Hmm.”

Feeling something was off, Seojun landed and looked around.

“Where am I...?”

It seemed he had lost his way after all.

*He realized the problem with the Primordial Step.

Was it the enormous inner power consumption required to maintain the protective reinforced qi?

That wasn’t an issue. Inner power could be replenished in real-time.

Was it the mental strain from maintaining the streamlined form of the protective reinforced qi, in addition to inner power consumption?

That wasn’t a problem either. Feeling tired from manipulating inner power was impossible for Seojun.

The problem with the Primordial Step wasn’t such trivial matters.

The real issue was...

If the user was stupid, it was easy to get lost.

“What is this, seriously.”

Seojun sat on the ground and examined the map.

The Namgung Clan villa is here...

He traced his finger roughly along the travel route.

A straight line toward the Blood Crow Sect.

Then he remembered realizing mid-way that his direction had veered slightly.

So from here, slightly to the left.

Not long after, he had realized his direction was off again and corrected it, so from here, turning north-northwest again...

“Ah.”

So I came a bit too far left?

Having reached this obvious conclusion, Seojun let out a hollow laugh.

To get from here to the Blood Crow Sect, he first needed to know where “here” was.

He knew he had gone wrong, but not how far wrong.

Probably quite far...

Seojun jumped up and started walking.

There was a minor issue, but it wasn’t a big problem.

It might even be a good thing.

The Primordial Step was far from a stealthy movement technique.

If he wasn’t careful, he might attract the attention of an Unrestrained Realm master.

From here on, it would be better to just run on the ground.

Seojun extended his qi sense and ran toward where he felt people’s presence.

After running for a while, he soon arrived at a city.

At a glance, it was unexpectedly clean.

He had thought it would look similar to the back alleys since it was Black Serpent territory, but it wasn’t much different from orthodox faction areas.

Well, I guess that makes sense.

Even if they treated commoners differently from the orthodox factions, this was still their living area.

They wouldn’t leave such a place in a pigsty state.

Treating people like livestock?

Even livestock have places like stables or pigpens, and owners take reasonable care of them to keep them alive.

There might be slaughter depending on the purpose of raising them, but it’s rare to kill livestock just because one is in a bad mood.

Of course, judging by how martial artists behaved, it might not be that rare, but anyway, the place seemed to have its own order.

Having understood this, Seojun deployed the Shadow Concealment Technique—inspired by the Hidden Sword in Darkness—and infiltrated the city.

After reaching a suitably crowded place, he released the technique and blended in with the people.

Should I just grab anyone and ask?

After considering, he headed toward what looked like an inn.

Inside, there were scattered patrons.

“W-welcome, sir.”

As he entered, the innkeeper bowed politely.

It was because he had spotted the sword hanging at Seojun’s waist.

Noticing his gaze, Seojun understood the atmosphere of this place.

Rather than being polite, acting like an arrogant martial artist would be less conspicuous.

It wasn’t difficult. Acting like an arrogant martial arts geezer? That was Seojun’s specialty.

“Innkeeper.”

“Y-yes, sir.”

“How far is the Blood Crow Sect from here?”

“The Blood Crow Sect...? I’ve heard the name, but as for its location...”

As the innkeeper stammered, a snicker was heard from behind.

“As if a bug like him would know a sect’s location.”

When Seojun turned around, he saw a group of men. One of them smirked and said:

“You there, why are you looking for the Blood Crow Sect?”

“I need to go there, what other reason would there be?”

“That’s exactly what I’m asking—your purpose.”

The man’s companions also stared at Seojun.

Can’t one just ask about a sect’s location? Why were they being so sensitive?

“If I tell you, will you guide me there?”

“If that’s what you want.”

What? He’d really do it? Was he just a kind young man?

As Seojun stared blankly, the man burst into laughter.

“Hahaha! Look at that stupid face!”

“Does he think carrying a sword makes him a martial artist when he’s just a commoner?”

“He’s a fearless one.”

The men laughed among themselves, then one of them abruptly stood up and approached Seojun.

“Well, you made me laugh, so I’ll let you off with just one arm and one leg.”

Then he drew his sword and swung.

Seojun realized.

“Ah.”

These idiots felt nothing from him with their senses and thought he was just a commoner walking around with a sword.

It was a reasonable deduction—there was no reason for a master to be here like this.

Unfortunately for them, they were wrong.

Crack!

The arm of the man swinging the sword instantly froze.

“Wh-what...?”

Seojun slapped the face of the man who was staring up at him blankly.

SMACK-!

The man’s body flew and crashed into a corner of the inn.

The man’s companions stared at Seojun with widened eyes.

Seojun smirked.

“With such poor discernment, you won’t live long.”

“W-who... are you?”

“How impolite.”

As Seojun dusted his hands, a long icicle flew past, grazing the cheek of the man who had opened his mouth.

The terrified man immediately prostrated himself.

“M-may I ask for senior’s name...?”

“You may. I permit it.”

“Thank you...!”

The man repeatedly knocked his head on the floor.

These Black Serpent friends had good reactions.

“I am Baek Seojun of the North Sea Ice Palace.”

“N-North Sea Ice Palace? But all the masters of the Ice Palace are women...”

“Are you talking back?”

“I-I’m sorry!”

“Who knows the Ice Palace better, you or me?”

“...I have committed a mortal sin, senior!”

“Good to see you understand. I’ll let it go this time.”

Baek Seojun, Transcendent Realm master of the North Sea Ice Palace, grinned.

“Now, guide me.”

He had found a navigation system.

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