Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Proof (1)

As soon as leaving Imcheong County and entering the mountain path I found a place with few people and sat in the lotus position.

“Three-legged, watch well if anyone comes.”

『Understood.』

The body condition is similar to when catching the flu, waking at 6 in the morning, doing hard labor in the grass until 6 in the evening, and returning home.

‘I thought there would be no matter of internal energy bottoming out for a lifetime, but I was a frog in a well.’

Fortunately there was no internal injury and the blood taste lingering in the mouth was from clenching the teeth too hard, seeping from the gums.

‘The dantian has grown a bit.’

Is it because I grasped and understood part of the essence of energy?

Is it because I realized the principles of the world and changed mentally?

‘Perhaps both.’

Finishing qi circulation I feel like I will live.

Since the Three-legged Crow thing was dozing on the tree I jumped up in one go and snatched it.

“This bastard I trusted and left as protector and you’re sleeping? Huh? Sleepy? Even like this? Even like this!?”

『Gyaaak! It hurts, hurts! Feathers are falling!』

“Hey! What if you were attacked by someone and fell into qi deviation!”

『Anyway even in that state you can feel all the surrounding situations! And what qi deviation is the boss!』

Rubbing the head with a flick of the forehead it screams and protests.

『Qi deviation is when internal energy loses control and runs wild causing internal injury! However the boss handles internal energy more freely than limbs, so qi deviation does not come!』

Uh, is that so?

Trying moving while maintaining qi circulation once, bumping the body against a tree, and speaking, there is no big difference from when sitting in the lotus position.

『The boss falling into qi deviation is nonsense on the same level as a fish drowning in water!』

“...Hey, even if physically okay what if! Suddenly someone jumps out and you get surprised and fall into heart demon and what if! That can happen too!”

『The personality is tougher and more poisonous than driving an iron tendon into stubbornness, what heart demon!』

“Why does this bastard’s way of speaking look so hateful?”

『Gyaaak! This seat only spoke the truth! Do not cover the truth with violence!』

Anyway I learned a good fact.

After that, crossing mountains and running south along the river, I quickly arrived at a large village by the river.

‘I’m tired so I should rest at an inn.’

Entering the inn recommended by people the loud voices of customers calling waiters were heard.

“Hey! Waiter! Two bowls of somyeon here!”

“Yes! Waiter Jang Sam is coming!”

...I pondered where the unknown sense of déjà vu came from, but ultimately could not figure it out.

‘Just an illusion, right?’

It was a decent village so I stayed a few more days, and then I came across an interesting rumor.

“Have you all heard about Imcheong County? A immortal appeared!”

As the saying goes a word without feet travels a thousand li, the matter of Imcheong County spread from merchants’ mouths riding mouths.

“Giant text engraved on the cliff, even testimonies of people who saw a dragon! A sword immortal was born and the Jade Emperor sent a dragon to take him away for sure!”

“They say the eccentric who lost his whole life as Hundred Battles Hundred Defeats attained the Dao and became a sword immortal.”

“I heard the text on the cliff was engraved by a disciple?”

Half the people talking around with interest and curiosity.

“Aing! A dragon appearing? Exaggeration should have a limit!”

“Isn’t it that text someone engraved on the cliff long ago got covered by moss and was only now discovered?”

“It is obvious it is a self-made play created to attract people from other places.”

Half the people trying to dig up the truth without believing the rumor.

‘In a world without photos or videos who would believe such a rumor as is?’

Well, it was not bad.

“I hear that because they treated the one who became a sword immortal coldly until now, they fear whether they might be harmed.”

“Ah, I heard. So they are even building a shrine? The name was probably Unryong Shrine.”

No, it might be a little good.

Then I also came across a rumor about bandits.

There were bandits who came down from Hebei in this region as well, and although the number is small they have not yet been subdued.

‘I was running low on travel expenses anyway so it worked out well.’

As a result of searching the surrounding mountains and valleys, I was able to find a mountain stronghold quickly.

“Come over here!”

“Huh? What is this again?”

“A greenhorn who went crazy wanting to die came?”

“Uahaha! This fellow! No matter how you look the pretty one is a female hero dressed as a man!”

Blood rises a little.

Why are these bastards’ lines all the same?

“Wait a moment, a pretty face and a young fellow who suddenly barges in?”

“Huh? Could it be!?”

“H-hieek!”

The faces of the fellows who were proud turn white.

Then one fellow stepped back and pointed at me.

“J-Jade-Faced Asura! The Jade-Faced Asura has appeared!”

What is Jade-Faced Asura?

I was curious but first loosened my hands.

“First get hit and then start.”

* * *

“So Jade-Faced Asura is a term referring to me?”

“Heh, heh! Geuheuheuhiha!”

“Not you, the fellow next to you with a normal face answer.”

“Y-yes! That is correct! Among us bandits we call the great hero Jade-Faced Asura!”

Because with a pretty face he goes around beating people like an asura, it is Jade-Faced Asura.

“Jade-Faced Rakshasa, Iron Fist Immortal Fairy, Asura Killing Ghost and so on various aliases circulated but as expected Jade-Faced Asura suits best...”

“This is pure bullshit season.”

“Hieek! I am sorry!”

But why Jade-Faced Asura?

I only beat up the first bandits I met, and after that only subdued by the teacher’s order?

Asking about this, among the bandits in the first mountain stronghold a few were of refugee origin and had relatively light crimes so only received the rod and were released from the government office.

Then they crossed to this region and became bandits again and spread my rumor.

‘Tsk! Teacher, there are so many beast cubs who cannot receive even if given a chance.’

I want to kill them all.

But I will not kill.

I will hand them over to the government office so they pay for their crimes and the teacher would wish for that too.

“...What are you guys doing?”

The bandits all rolled their eyes back. Some foamed at the mouth, and some wet their lower bodies as if they peed.

『They fainted from receiving the boss’s killing intent.』

“I harbored the heart of wanting to kill but that influenced to this extent?”

『Not atmosphere or gaze or the like but did you not directly put killing intent into the energy? This seat did not know I would see a human putting will into energy and exerting influence on the surroundings.』

I understood what it meant.

‘Just as I put the teacher’s intention into internal energy, the killing intent of wanting to kill the bandits was contained.’

Looking at the grass at my feet also withered and small insects like ants around dead, it seems it works on things other than people too.

‘The teacher contained intention after suffering madness and training for several decades and reflecting it so easily means one of two.’

My strength is special.

Or my killing intent still pierces the heavens.

After that I escorted the awakened bandits and took them to the government office.

“Aigoo, great hero! Thank you!”

“There seem to be many bandits nearby.”

“Yes! How many there are, hands are insufficient!”

And for a while I went around subduing bandits.

I did not kill but since there is no teacher either, after beating them to my heart’s content with sincerity the insides were all refreshed.

“N-never! Never will I commit a crime again! Please, please spare me!”

“I didn’t even hit that many times so why the exaggeration.”

After going around beating so much, at some mountain strongholds they heard the news and came down themselves to surrender.

“They say the Jade-Faced Asura beats people to a pulp and kills them like a real asura!”

“They say the number of bandits who died from being hit by the fist cannot be counted!”

“The face is glossy, but the nature is vicious and he likes killing people?”

...And false rumors too.

No, if this is also fame then it is fame.

‘I understand why martial artists are obsessed with aliases.’

If it was a slightly better alias this kind of notoriety would not have arisen, right?

How severe the notoriety is, the village children cried or fled upon seeing me.

“Hieek! It’s the Jade-Faced Asura!”

“Run! If caught you’ll die!”

To soothe such children I separately made a snack bundle and carried it around.

“To the brave child who does not run I will give one candy and one mooncake each!”

“Heok! Me! Me!”

“No! Hyeongseol-ah! If you eat that you’ll die!”

“Yeah, you won’t die.”

After repeating a few times they came first and pestered for snacks, and after a few days passed they started playing around me.

“Snack hyung! Give snacks!”

“Did you leave it to me? You, since yesterday when playing hide-and-seek you didn’t do the seeker? If you do the seeker today I’ll give snacks.”

“Ah! Stingy!”

Remembering the children of the hometown and the memories of that time I played with them fun.

“Hehe! Hyung! Is hyung a hyung? Or a noona?”

“If you get hit by this flick you will be able to know.”

“Uak!”

Around the time I was preparing to leave the village.

Suddenly a group of people came looking and they were officials and soldiers.

“I heard the rumor that the Jade-Faced Asura is staying here.”

“Yes, it is me, but what is the matter?”

“We came from Jeongju. The Henan Provincial Administration Commissioner wishes to see you.”

Jeongju is the capital of Henan Province and the Provincial Administration Commissioner is a high official who oversees the administration of that province.

“For what reason is a high person looking for me?”

“It is a matter on which lives depend. Please, come to the capital city. We will escort you.”

The expressions of the officials and soldiers were dark and tired so it seemed a big problem had occurred and I followed them to Jeongju.

“Oh! You are the Jade-Faced Asura! As soon as I see the face I understand the reason for calling Jade-Faced!”

And in a splendid mansion I met the Henan Provincial Administration Commissioner.

The middle-aged man had fatigue piled up to the point of collapsing at any moment, looking haggard as if he had not slept for several days.

“This late learner of the martial world Lee Shin. I heard the great person looked for me.”

“This great hero! There is something I wish to request of you!”

What request does a high person have of me who has only just become known by an alias?

“I heard that an outstanding expert can even subdue ghosts. They say your sword calls a dragon and your fist vibrates under heaven, does it also work on ghosts?”

“I wish to hear the reason.”

“As I just said.”

The Provincial Administration Commissioner wiped his fatigue-stained face and loosened the front of his clothes.

On the revealed upper body several scars cut by a sword were clear.

“An evil spirit is trying to kill us.”