Ep471 - I Became a Drunkard in a Martial Arts Novel.

Crises tend to emerge suddenly and at the most unexpected times. The crisis that struck Qinghae Fortress was no different. It was during a period when the increasing number of monsters kept giving everyone a headache day after day. "The Alliance reinforcements have arrived!" "They brought a ton of supplies!" "Those monsters are as good as dead!" Due to various twists and turns at the base of the Alliance, the reinforcements had been gradually delayed, but they finally arrived. Baekikdan and Heukikdan. Two elite groups composed of the finest forces from both the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions, merged to form the Twin Wings! Their arrival brought a ray of light upon the clouded Qinghae Fortress. "There, the Heavenly Light Swordmaster did...!" "No way, that happened?" "Wow! The Alliance was also suffering from a great worry, just like us...." The stories they shared provided understanding to those who were unaware of the underlying details. "Twin Wings! Charge!" As a united front, they took on the role of the vanguard, dispelling fear with remarkable precision. "What is your affiliation?" "I, I am with the Orthodox faction, but...?" "Wrong! We are the Alliance! United beyond Orthodox and Unorthodox against a common enemy!" The actions inspired by Baek Woo-jin's words gradually led the warriors of both Orthodox and Unorthodox gathered at Qinghae Fortress to open their hearts to each other. The unification of a command system, which no one had succeeded in before, was achieved, doubling the organizational strength. The sight of Orthodox and Unorthodox warriors driving away monsters together was nothing short of picturesque. "If this continues, not only can we maintain our frontlines, but we might even advance further." "Indeed, the Heavenly Light Swordmaster has brought remarkable achievements once again." The frontlines, which had retreated near Qinghae Fortress, regained their original position, and there was even hope they might advance further. If they could solidify the frontlines and push further, it would mean restricting the enemy's attack routes while diversifying the allies' paths in any future war against the Demon Sect—a true win-win situation. As the situation stabilized and they began planning operations to press forward on the newly formed frontline, sudden chaos erupted. "Monsters, monsters in the village!" "They’ve appeared in the village!" "Please save us!" "Father!" Unexpected confusion emerged. Monsters appeared inside the village, causing turmoil within what was supposed to be the secure Qinghae Fortress. However, the chaos was not extensive. Only three or four monsters appeared in the village. Before they could cause significant havoc, patrolling warriors took care of them. Residents who had fled in terror quickly returned to their daily lives. Nevertheless, this small incident left a faint anxiety and fear among the villagers and warriors. Anxiety over when monsters might reappear to disturb their peaceful lives. Fear of being caught in their clutches and dying a horrible death. "The people within the fortress are growing uneasy." In response to this situation, the leadership decided to intensify patrols. They increased patrols, shortened intervals, and ensured stricter security within the fortress. Seeing one patrol pass only to be reassured by the sight of the next one soon after brought some peace to the anxious residents. Yet, the constant patrolling began to drain the stamina and mental strength of the warriors. Especially on days when battle with monsters occurred, the strain was even greater. “Damn it..., just fought those monsters and now patrols.” “What can we do? We must obey orders from above.” As more personnel became involved in patrols, it occasionally included those who had just been on the battlefield that day. Each time, small complaints built up among the warriors, and their stamina and mental strength wore down. Their hard work gradually calmed the villagers' anxiety, which had slowly started to fade without further incidents. But when everything seemed ordinary, unusual monsters appeared on the once familiar battlefield. “Grrr…!” “I, must… kill... all…!” “Kill them all, must kill them all.” From the mouths of these monsters, who seemed only capable of roaring, came clumsy words in the language of the Central Plains! And the surprises didn’t end there. Even though they spoke a word or two hesitantly, the movements of these monsters differed from typical ones. “Just… die….” With a murderous intent in their voice, the monsters displayed a systematic movement, a form adhering to martial arts techniques. Their attacks, although clumsy and awkward, bore a rudimentary structure over their inherent brutishness. It was crude and ungainly, yet it was remarkably effective. These actions broke the mindset of the Alliance members, who were accustomed to responding to the monsters' instinctive behaviors, leading to loss of lives. The warriors of the Twin Wings, as well as those within Qinghae Fortress, suffered greatly. “R-retreat! We must retreat!” Ultimately, they had no choice but to order a retreat. It was the first withdrawal and defeat since the Twin Wings had arrived at Qinghae Fortress. The first defeat experienced at such an unexpected moment. The defeat had a tremendous impact on the warriors of the Alliance. And it affected them in a very negative way. Yet, despite the tremors, they did not collapse. In hindsight, the adversaries still weren't formidable. Once they familiarized themselves with the monsters' clumsy martial arts forms, evading them became easy. That was the result. "Once we got used to them, these guys were nothing, right?!" "You’re right! I’m embarrassed I was scared!" After the initial defeat came a series of consecutive victories. They regained the momentum that had been so close to slipping away, and the tension that had hung over Qinghae Fortress began to dissipate. Then, once again, changes were observed in the monsters. Had their clumsy martial arts become more refined? No. This time, the change stemmed from their characteristics. Crash! Monsters with thighs three or four times thicker than humans had become even more powerful. Monsters with tendrils on their backs grew more and shot them faster. The charge of a monster with a massive torso broke their formation. A monster, whose body hardened, managed to withstand sword energy, becoming an impenetrable wall. "H-How is this possible…?!" "Even sword energy doesn't work?!" "Cough…!" "Ahk!" They were defeated once more. It was even more painful and horrific than the first defeat. The Alliance members, bewildered by the monsters' rampage, saw their organization crumble, and the shouting officer guiding them fell silent as tendrils pierced his throat. While they floundered, they were brutally overrun by masses of monsters, receiving a retreat order. Those who barely returned alive realized too late. After the battles and the one before that. Their comrades, who had always fought by their side, were no longer present. Though not officially announced to avoid morale drop, a staggering thirty percent fell to the monsters in this battle. This was the first major defeat since the early days when they hadn't yet figured out how to combat the monsters. The heavy atmosphere pushed them further into a corner. "Retreat, retreat!" "Retreat!" "Retreat…!" Retreat after retreat followed. The frontlines were pushed back as they continued to suffer defeats one after another. Amidst plummeting morale due to consecutive losses, one man quietly drew his sword, realizing the next battle would be a turning point. "The Immortal Sage within the Clouds is entering the battlefield…!" The Immortal Sage within the Clouds, Myung Hyeon. The leader of Qinghae Fortress's core, and the Supreme Elder of the Kunlun Sect based in the Kunlun Mountains. Renowned for perfecting the Cloud Dragon Eight Styles among the sacred arts of Kunlun, his combat seemed ethereal, as if an immortal wandered in the clouds, thus known as the Pillar of Kunlun. Having reached the transcendental state early on, he was hailed as the Sage of the Immortals, a pillar of the orthodox martial world. Some say that if he had been more ambitious, he might have been known as the Sword Sage instead of the Immortal Sage. Even though he could have claimed the pinnacle with his sword, his innate humility made people praise him. "If he cannot attain immortality, who else can?" Those who deeply resonated with this sentiment coined the title 'Immortal Sage' for him. His emergence, both as an eminent character and a master of unparalleled skills, dramatically lifted the plummeting spirits of the Alliance warriors. "Eradicate the wicked beings!" His aged yet powerful voice resonated with grandeur. Inspired, the warriors grit their teeth and charged. Myung Hyeon shared this resolve. Mastering the Cloud Dragon Eight Styles, he maneuvered effortlessly through the horde, slicing at monsters with deadly precision. Combining it with the Supreme Kunlun Blade Art, Supreme Void Dragon Sword Art, monsters were cut down as effortlessly as bamboo shoots every time the form of a dragon manifested in his sword. After dispatching hundreds of monsters in a single sweep, he clenched his teeth. "We must seize victory in this battle…!" He was acutely aware. Realizing how the exertions of battle depleted his internal energy, which felt like large chunks being consumed with each action. "The years are unkind." His age stood at ninety-nine this year. With only another year to his centennial, he was termed as elderly. To fight, his aging body required the pouring of internal energy, and a more profound mental focus was needed to maintain clarity in his now hazy mind. Though he stood as a monumental figure, a titan by mere existence, time had turned his body into a rusty, toothless blade. "Haah…!" Regardless, he swung his sword. If he could dispel the looming clouds over Qinghae Fortress and the martial world with his worn-out and aged body. "What is this life worth to me…!" Just as another dragon shot from his sword, slicing through the monsters yet again. "Gasp, gasp...!" Just as he paused to catch his breath, which felt like it was about to burst from his chest, he realized something. "Damn...!" He belatedly noticed the presence that had stealthily positioned itself behind him. When he quickly turned around, what came into his view was a woman who teetered on the boundary between human and monster. Seeing his reflection in her entirely jet-black eyes, devoid of whites, he understood. 'It's too late.' It was too late to dodge or block. In that fleeting moment, he resigned himself to fate. The woman, who spread foreboding through proximity alone. 'I shall take this malevolent being with me...!' His internal energy surged. A dragon's delicate form, crafted from qi, was intricately etched onto his thin sword blade. Seeing the woman's sharp claws aiming for his heart, he thrust his sword as well. "Let's go together, you wicked thing!" Sword and claw. Different blades pierced each other's hearts. Author's Note I'm sorry, dear readers. Once again, I’ve missed a day of posting. Lately, writing this story has become a bit challenging for me. Though I’ve finished planning the ending and the path to it, I keep pondering whether there’s a better conclusion, and I find myself writing and erasing more often because I want to craft each sentence more beautifully. In various ways, my own desires have imposed upon you. From tomorrow, I’ll write with more determination and clarity. I’ve disregarded the importance of timing in daily serialized web novels too often. I promise to push forward without showing such lapses again until the end. I kindly ask for your understanding one more time. I’ll see you in the next episode. Thank you for reading every time. Have a peaceful night. (_ _)