Reincarnated Sword Ghost-Chapter 42 : The Divine Physician's Tomb

The Divine Physician's Tomb
"Traceless Flash" was a martial move ill-suited to chaotic battles against multiple foes.
That was because its consumption of internal energy was incredibly deep—at a level far from ordinary.
To unleash such an extraordinary slash, the sequence of maneuvers scraped all the true ki along the meridian pathways.
As a side effect, all the muscles in the body would ache for a while.
Unless one's cultivated power was exceedingly profound, it was impossible to perform in one's current state with limited internal energy.
For now, it was a strike suitable only for one-on-one, short-term duels.
'It was the best option.'
Though there were five enemies in front of him, the remaining four didn't move.
They must have strongly trusted in the martial ability of the one who had stepped forward.
From Jeong-un's perspective, this was a welcome situation.
If, under the gaze of multiple foes, one was to face a single opponent in a duel, it was vital to seize the momentum with overwhelming martial skill.
Preferably in a single slash, and the more brutal, the better.
Completely severing his opponent's head was just one calculation among many.
Jeong-un now knew that a fight began with imposing one's presence.
If given the chance, crushing their spirit completely would make all future battles easier.
"What... What is that?"
"He died without even being able to react to a single slash?"
"He's just a child..."
As expected, the remaining ones began to murmur.
They couldn't hide their shock, just as foul as the wicked energy emanating from their bodies.
After all, their strongest had lost his head in a single instant.
Normally, this should have prompted them to immediately draw their swords in fear, but they managed to restrain themselves—perhaps because Jeong-un looked so young, almost childlike.
'I can do this.'
Jeong-un observed them and activated One Illumination Movement Technique, introspecting his own body.
As he feared, not much true ki remained. Was it reckless arrogance to think he could handle all of them?
'... When was I ever full of energy?'
He gently shook his head—a reproach against himself. From the start, the one he killed was never an easy opponent.
That was why he had poured his entire strength into that single slash.
"..."
He then noticed the corpses littered on the ground—many martial artists whose affiliations were indistinguishable.
In truth, such distinctions were meaningless to these men. Given the need, they'd surely stab their own comrades in the back.
The division of "righteous" and "evil" had always been a concept created by the Righteous Faction.
'This must be happening in other passages as well.'
This was but one among the many tunnels connected to the original cavern where they'd first fallen.
With hundreds of martial artists having plummeted down, there was no guarantee this wasn't happening elsewhere.
'I thought I didn't care, since no innocents were involved...'
He regretted having strolled at ease with Seonwoo Hak earlier.
Just because someone was a martial artist didn't mean they were not innocent.
If he had hurried, perhaps some here would still be alive. In that case, there was no more time to waste.
Shlrk.
Finishing his brief thought, he sheathed his sword.
Then, as he approached the remaining enemies, he spoke apologetically.
"I don't want to waste true ki or time on you. Come at me all at once."
"You insolent brat!"
"You little whelp!"
Rough curses followed immediately. They considered Jeong-un's words a provocation.
The disgraced men drew their swords savagely.
The intention was awry, but in any case, this worked to Jeong-un's advantage.
'Even the time it takes to imbue my sword with true ki is a waste. One strike each, all at once.'
Jeong-un recalled how he had lessened the impact when he had crashed to the ground earlier.
The method was still unpolished, nameless even, but in that moment of crisis, he had grasped the essence of the fist-and-palm art.
As he understood it, even small movements could channel energy outward to deliver tremendous force.
If so, in times like this, with little internal energy left, it could be a great help.
'A real combat like this is a rare opportunity.'
If he mastered this, perhaps he could even give it a name. Jeong-un recalled the way he'd circulated his true ki when he'd fallen.
"Young hero Yu! Are you all right?!"
Just then, a frantic voice sounded from behind.
Seonwoo Hak and his guard, who had lagged far behind, had finally arrived.
Instantly, the enemy's gaze shifted in that direction. That was the signal.
Smack!
With a burst of movement, Jeong-un dashed forward, feeling the sensation of wind beneath his toes.
He was now quite adept at body-strengthening art.
Saaa―
In an instant, he stood before the one in the center.
The enemy had barely begun turning his gaze from Seonwoo Hak to Jeong-un.
Jeong-un's right fist shot out, slamming into the man's chest.
His hand, filled with true ki funneled through the meridians, struck home.
Bam!
He could feel the jolt through his hand. The moment his fist hit the chest, the man's torso crumpled like paper.
The combined effect of condensing and releasing energy shattered the ribs to pieces.
"...!"
Flung backwards, the man collapsed with eyes staring blankly into space—dead almost instantly, even though it hadn't been a vital spot.
"That lunatic!"
"Kill him!"
The remaining three surged in simultaneously.
Their movements were all over the place but, as martial artists, they managed some sense of timing to launch a combined attack.
'They're slow.'
Jeong-un evaded without moving his feet.
He struck down one's sword with his fist, heavily reinforcing his wrist with internal energy.
The attacker's sword was slammed into the ground, and his eyes widened in disbelief.
Meanwhile, another blade flashed past Jeong-un's head, close to his ear.
He heard the whistle of air by his eardrum. He'd dodged with the barest movement, a testament to his confidence in evasion.
'Was it always this clear...?'
With One Illumination Movement Technique's clear energy enhancing the intricacies of Moonlight Swift Steps, every nerve in his body flared with sensitivity.
He sensed each path of the incoming blades so acutely that their approach almost felt tedious.
So much for worrying about his dwindling internal energy—maybe that concern had been unfounded.
The realization startled him even in the heat of a life-or-death battle.
'I need to reflect on this.'
Even so, Jeong-un slammed a fist into the side of another opponent.
He'd closed the distance and struck before the man could release his grip on the sword guard—killing him on the spot.
"Insane..."
"He's a monster..."
Fear darkened the expressions of the two remaining enemies. They looked ready to bolt at any moment.
"...."
This was the most unfamiliar moment for Jeong-un.
Men who had stepped on others' lives with easy smiles—now wore such thoroughly human expressions.
The least human among them looked the most human only in these last moments...
"You have no right to wear faces like that."
"What—?"
The confused men instinctively retreated at Jeong-un's cryptic words, sensing danger.
"Leave with the faces of villains."
"What... do you—"
Before the enemy could finish, Jeong-un closed the distance in a smooth step, sword already drawn.
He didn't even need to infuse it with ki—his practiced technique sufficed.
A blinding flash swept past.
Slash!
He instantly cut one foe cleanly in half across the torso.
As the upper body tilted and began to fall, the man's arms reflexively tried to block, only to vanish as his eyes went dim before hitting the ground.
"Wa—Wait!"
The last one flung his sword to the ground, completely losing the will to fight.
He stepped forward, pitifully begging for his life.
"I—I never killed anyone! I was just watching from the side! I had no choice—they'd have killed me too if I hadn't helped them!"
"... You never killed anyone, you say."
Jeong-un muttered quietly as he looked at the man.
The enemy frantically nodded and took a few more steps forward.
"They threatened me! Said they'd kill me if I didn't help! What was I supposed to do after hearing that—?!"
Once again, the sword flashed lightly.
The man never finished his sentence. He toppled over like a severed log, his words dying on his lips.
At the same time, a dagger clattered to the ground.
Clang—
"You should have hidden your blade in your sleeve better before trying that excuse."
Jeong-un recited calmly, devoid of the slightest sympathy.
Behind him, Seonwoo Hak stood frozen, watching with a pale face.
* * *
Step. Step.
Only their footsteps echoed in the silence. They traversed another cave corridor, having already passed through a previous chamber.
Several intersections had appeared, but as they walked, it felt as if all the paths gradually merged into one.
Indeed, they soon encountered other martial artists, and when those men attacked, Jeong-un was forced to cut them down.
Jeong-un moved quickly, spreading his senses wide.
Recklessly sprinting with lightness skill would have been too dangerous.
At the same time, he recovered his depleted true ki.
His mastery of One Illumination Movement Technique was nearly complete.
Though restoration was slow, his internal energy steadily refilled.
It would take time, but there was no need to be impatient.
In the martial world, there would be fewer chances to fight always at full power.
Such situations would be commonplace from now on.
"You mustn't hope for anyone's help."
Roaming the martial world was a lonely affair. He would have to get used to it.
Seonwoo Hak, following quietly behind after witnessing the earlier fight, twitched at Jeong-un's mumble.
He had fallen silent since then.
"I'm sorry for being of no help. I should have brought an elixir or something..."
"That isn't necessary. Even if you had one, it would be hard to give away. Even if you offered, I couldn't accept it."
Jeong-un shook his head firmly. Elixirs? That was absurd.
He'd heard occasionally of medicines used to treat internal injuries or replenish true ki.
But those were luxuries reserved for disciples of major sects or scions of great martial families.
Even the Yu household, from which Jeong-un hailed, had considerable wealth but had never seen a true elixir.
Such items couldn't simply be bought with money.
Cultivation pills, elixirs, secret martial manuals—these were treasures beyond price.
In that sense, it was no wonder that thousands of martial artists had flocked to Yangyang at the rumor of the Immortal Spirit Pill.
'I have to see this through to the end.'
It was already astonishing that there was such a space beneath the mound called the tomb of the Divine Physician.
And now, hundreds of martial artists had entered the place. It wouldn't be strange for a massacre to break out at any moment.
Jeong-un had already survived several bloody encounters.
'Martial artists are human, after all.'
He blamed himself for separating the lives of martial artists and common folk in his mind.
If someone could be saved, he ought to save them.
That was why Heavenly Martial Hall sent him on missions in the first place.
'And, there's more than one thing strange about this place.'
Why had the Divine Physician, once the finest in the realm, created a place like this?
And why did whoever found this space first assemble martial artists here?
Did the Immortal Spirit Pill even exist here?
All these questions could only be answered by going all the way to the end.
He halted.
"Wh-what is this...?"
Seonwoo Hak's voice trembled behind him. They could hardly help it—what spread out before them was a horrific scene.
"Unbelievable..."
It was just that gruesome.
The dim light of luminous pearls affixed to the ceiling barely illuminated their surroundings.
Even so, in the faint light, they could measure a distance of about ten sheets in length—within which the floor was packed with corpses.
"It doesn't look like they fought each other."
Jeong-un examined the traces on the corpses and spoke. Seonwoo Hak nodded in agreement.
"You're right. These aren't marks left by people."
"Then by what?"
"It's a mechanical trap formation. But probably not a very sophisticated one..."
Seonwoo Hak muttered as he looked around, then, as if realizing something, bit his lip and resumed.
"They must've simply charged forward as a group heedless of danger, not caring who fell beside them. The sheer number of them must have overwhelmed and destroyed the trap formation in the end."
"..."
If Seonwoo Hak was right, then this was a scene straight out of hell—a horde of martial artists, drunk on greed, hurling themselves forward despite the carnage.
Even "madness" seemed insufficient to describe it.
"Let's keep going."
Jeong-un stated, almost coldly.
Among the jumble of corpses, there were also black-robed martial artists.
Did they also rush forward using their lightness skills, lured by the Immortal Spirit Pill?
"..."
To be honest, if that pill were right before him now, he felt he might cut it down without hesitation.
That was how much unambiguous malice Jeong-un sensed in this place.
Toward the former best in the realm who created such a place. And toward the mysterious person who led everyone here.
'I can't help those already dead.'
If that was so, then he at least had to confront whoever was still alive.
Jeong-un resolved himself as such.