Chapter 172
Chapter 172
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 172
Chapter Title: Strategic Retreat
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Gu Jeoksa could only wear a dazed expression after taking a sudden blow to the face. The abrupt ambush hadn't turned fatal.
But it had been effective, and if he'd pressed the attack a little longer, he could have easily overwhelmed Gu Jeoksa.
Yet Wi Seongcheon didn't. He fled without even looking back, vanishing into the distance in an instant. At the moment it happened, there was no way to understand why Wi Seongcheon had acted so rashly, but the reason became clear soon enough.
A momentary opening. That was all Sangwan Hu needed. Still, he couldn't help but wonder about Wi Seongcheon's intentions. If he simply wanted to escape, there had been no need to send that transmission.
From the start, with U Hayeon and Ha Ji-eun intervening, there was no reason for Wi Seongcheon to run away.
And yet, he'd deliberately sent a transmission to Sangwan Hu before fleeing. His intent... was blatantly obvious, no need to speculate.
'It was that bastard's own doing.'
His rigid pride protested like that. The surging anger made Sangwan Hu's attacks turn brutal.
Boom!
The thrust of his palm unleashed a thunderous roar. Yang Jeon, the target, failed to fully deflect the incoming force and spat up blood.
U Heera hurriedly caught Yang Jeon as he tumbled backward, while Hwangbo Seongu charged at Sangwan Hu.
"...Hmph!"
He'd inflicted internal injuries on Yang Jeon, but they weren't lethal. With U Hayeon and Ha Ji-eun unlikely to side with Sangwan Hu, he was still isolated in this situation.
The silver lining was that Wi Seongcheon had fled 'first.' It lightened Sangwan Hu's mind considerably, leading him to choose—for the time being—to bide his time.
Boom!
Hwangbo Seongu's fist grazed past with a chilling whoosh. Sangwan Hu didn't counterattack, instead leaping outside its trajectory.
"Yang Jeon!"
Gu Jeoksa didn't make the foolish choice of chasing after the fleeing Sangwan Hu. If he'd had allies like Yeongjin, Dang Heeran, or Yuk Jin-il from their alliance, he could have used them as shields to create variables. But right now, Gu Jeoksa was alone. Pursuing Sangwan Hu recklessly would only lead to certain death.
"Don't... come... closer!"
Yang Jeon, coughing up blood, suddenly raised his hand. Gu Jeoksa, who had been approaching with a worried look, froze and stared at his sworn younger brother.
Yang Jeon, supported by U Heera, wiped the blood soaking his mouth and glared at Gu Jeoksa.
"...Internal injuries..."
"It's none of your concern."
Gu Jeoksa's expression stiffened at Yang Jeon's retort. Yang Jeon shook off even U Heera's support and stood unsteadily. Then, taking U Heera and Hwangbo Seongu with him, he headed in the opposite direction from Sangwan Hu.
"...He accepts support from righteous faction scum but refuses my help?"
Gu Jeoksa spat toward where Yang Jeon had gone. Then he whipped his head around to glare at U Hayeon and Ha Ji-eun.
"Want to try me?"
Ha Ji-eun tilted her head slightly and asked. Gu Jeoksa didn't answer, instead dragging his foot backward. Even without the Black Tyrant's title, Ha Ji-eun's skills were the real deal.
Even at full strength, she'd be a tough opponent.
In the end, Gu Jeoksa vanished without a word. U Hayeon watched him go, letting out a hollow chuckle and shaking her head.
"Everyone's got it rough. Having to protect their pride while also watching their own backs."
"Looks like students from the Righteous Heaven Academy aren't like that."
"We value our pride too, but not to the point where our relationships are as cutthroat as yours."
"It's the environment. You lot don't need to kill each other."
"Maybe. But even in the Black Forest, the saints don't necessarily need to kill one another."
"We don't have to kill, but we don't have to spare each other either. Killing is cleaner, in fact."
Ha Ji-eun muttered that and fell silent for a moment. She thought of Wi Seongcheon and U Hayeon, who had greeted her warmly.
A few days ago, when Wi Seongcheon had come to the center with Baek Ri-hyang after advancing. U Hayeon had smiled brightly, saying she'd go welcome him as if it were the most natural thing. Such a sight was impossible in the Black Forest.
"...It never used to bother me. But seeing you two... I feel a bit envious."
"Huh?"
U Hayeon's eyes sparkled at Ha Ji-eun's murmur.
"What do you mean? Huh? What did you mean by that?"
"It's nothing."
U Hayeon clung to her, prying, but Ha Ji-eun had no intention of answering properly.
She was curious about the true meaning, but having grown accustomed to Ha Ji-eun's way of speaking over the past few days, U Hayeon knew she wouldn't get a straight answer no matter how much she asked.
"Why did Mad Dog and Fighting Ghost fall out?"
So she asked something else.
"It's a mix of trivial matters and plausible reasons. The two have been sworn brothers for a long time, with Mad Dog as the elder just because he's a year older. At first, Fighting Ghost accepted it without complaint and treated Mad Dog as his big brother. But after they grew up and entered the Black Forest, Fighting Ghost, now more mature, grew dissatisfied with serving as sworn brother to Mad Dog despite his superior skills."
"That's the trivial reason, huh. What's the plausible one?"
"The factions they belong to, Mad Sword Sect and Iron Blood Sect, had a falling out. They were once so close they arranged sworn brotherhoods between their heirs, but about five years ago, Mad Sword Sect started encroaching on Iron Blood Sect's territory."
"The Black Death Alliance Leader tolerates that?"
"The Martial Alliance intervenes to mediate when sects under it fight over territory, right?"
"...They would if it gets too extreme. They value justification highly."
"The Black Death Alliance doesn't. Justification is whatever sticks—earring if hung on the ear, nose ring if on the nose. Even if one side is driven to near annihilation, the Black Death Alliance doesn't intervene."
Ha Ji-eun answered in a cold tone. That was the fundamental difference between the righteous and demonic factions.
"I don't know why the Mad Sword Sect leader suddenly started invading Iron Blood Sect territory. Nor do I care. Anyway, Fighting Ghost already harbored resentment toward his sworn brother Mad Dog, and with his sect now under pressure, he could no longer remain sworn brothers. Mad Dog claims innocence, but what can you do? He's too proud himself and insists on staying the elder brother."
That's how the rift deepened.
"Why did Hidden Dragon slap Mad Dog and run?"
"Slap and run? That's not quite right."
"Isn't it accurate?"
"Well... even so. I don't really know why my junior did that. He could have just slipped away quietly."
U Hayeon couldn't guess Wi Seongcheon's true intentions.
"There must be a reason. Maybe he just found Mad Dog annoying and wanted to smack him one."
It wasn't solely for that.
There had been many options. Attack Sangwan Hu with U Hayeon's help. Or target Gu Jeoksa and Yang Jeon.
Either carried risks. Someone else might intervene, and it was only the first day of the treasure hunt. Three more days remained until it ended.
So he fled. Partly because he didn't want to waste energy,
'And Gu Jeoksa and Yang Jeon won't form a united front.'
Wi Seongcheon sharpened his senses, tracking the movements of the presences.
'Sangwan Hu fled too. As expected, he'll want revenge on Gu Jeoksa and Yang Jeon for today's humiliation. Maybe even take it out on me.'
Sangwan Hu's inflated ego was a good thing. There were plenty of ways to manipulate such a guy.
'U Hayeon sunbae and Ha Ji-eun aren't enemies yet. We're after different things anyway, no need to compete directly.'
U Hayeon was after the Endless Lotus Sword from Mount Hua. Ha Ji-eun was probably targeting the Millennium Snow Ginseng. With their goals divided, Ha Ji-eun couldn't monopolize the snow ginseng.
'This is like an auction using twin stones as currency. Without competitors... one pair might be enough to bid.'
Wi Seongcheon sat on a tree branch, deep in thought.
First, Ok Girin had left the forest. With one arm severed and the other broken, he was out of the treasure hunt.
Currently, Wi Seongcheon held one pair of twin stones, two red stones, and one blue stone. The red and blue didn't resonate, so their counterparts were somewhere in the forest.
'Anyone else after the Extreme Blood Leopard?'
No one else besides Ok Girin had mastered Yang Gang's techniques. With other treasures abundant, this one pair should secure the Extreme Blood Leopard stably.
'If I find the counterparts properly, I'll have four pairs. That'll definitely get me the Extreme Blood Leopard and Millennium Snow Ginseng.'
With luck, he could snag others too.
'Tae Hui-myeong sunbae, Cheong Wu-bin sunbae, Yeongjin sunbae, Jin-il, and Heeran are allied with the Black Tyrant and moving separately.'
None of them were after the Extreme Blood Leopard or snow ginseng.
'The problem... Thunder Justice. Jeon Gal Yi-hyeon?'
He hadn't encountered Jeon Gal Yi-hyeon among the Black Tyrants yet. She must have noticed the commotion, but her absence meant...
'While attention was focused here, she freely searched the forest. The rational Jeon Gal Yi-hyeon... chose to split up or stick together?'
Hard to judge rashly, but he suspected she held the most pairs. The students allied with Ok Girin never returned. Likely ambushed and stripped of their stones. High chance it was Jeon Gal Yi-hyeon.
Still, Wi Seongcheon wasn't at a disadvantage. They had to divide their pairs by greed, but he could monopolize his.
'Three more days ahead.'
He'd sown the seeds of variables. Gave Sangwan Hu unhelpful "aid," ensuring enmity toward Gu Jeoksa and Yang Jeon.
'Best if Sangwan Hu takes out Yang Jeon for good. Gu Jeoksa... better if he survives. Then Ok Girin can vent on him.'
The White Flame Witch's warning nagged. If Wi Seongcheon killed Ok Girin, in the worst case, Dawn might seek revenge.
Sorting his thoughts, Wi Seongcheon leaped from the branch to a tree on the opposite side.
'For now, gather as much as I can.'
He resolved to complete four pairs of twin stones before the night ended.
* * *
How did the Fragrant Origin Sect come to be connected with Dawn?
Ok Girin didn't know the full details. He only knew the bond formed during his grandfather's time as sect leader, and the Dawn Bell, which they could request aid with, hadn't been used for decades until passed to him, the next sect leader.
Though Ok Girin was now its owner, protocol demanded consulting his father the sect leader or the elders before using it.
But such procedures were the furthest thing from Ok Girin's mind now.
Severed right arm, broken left arm, crushed groin. All of it robbed him of rational thought.
And so.
Carried on Bang Jun's back out of the forest back to the outer palace. His body reeked terribly from the soaked stench, but Ok Girin burst into his room without washing. He retrieved the white bell hidden deep within.
This finger-joint-sized bell was the Dawn Bell. Dawn had given it to the previous Fragrant Origin Sect leader, vowing to come no matter where in the world it rang.
Ok Girin didn't fully believe it. No one knew where Dawn was. Come running for this tiny bell? All the way to this remote southern island?
Unlikely, but Ok Girin had no time to hesitate. The sooner he rang it, the sooner they'd come, he thought.
So, as instructed, he infused it with inner energy and shook it.
Ding.
Ding, ding.
After three shakes, the Dawn Bell crumbled to dust. Ok Girin flinched in shock at the scattering ashes.
"Called at just the right time!"
"Argh!"
Then he screamed, heart nearly stopping in terror.
A man popped out of thin air where nothing had been, drenched in blood, laughing heartily and grinning wickedly.