Chapter 31
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Breakthrough (4)
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The one who appeared was Perfected One Heo Un, the Cloud Dragon Sword of the Kunlun Sect.
“You’ve come.”
Gok Jeon’s expression brightened upon seeing him.
Though they didn’t get along as well as he and Gok Yang did, the arrival of Perfected One Heo Un was a welcome sight.
“Ganging up on someone. Isn’t that what the righteous factions do best?”
At Jinmyeong’s words, Perfected One Heo Un frowned.
“It seems you don’t know when to speak and when not to.”
“My youngest junior brother is right. The Righteous Alliance is the best at ganging up on people.”
“Nonsense.”
Perfected One Heo Un, who had been scolding Jinmyeong, dismissed Mok Jagyeong’s sudden interjection.
“It’s not nonsense. There are less than thirty of us, yet both the Kunlun and Kongtong Sects have made their move. What is this if not ganging up on us?”
“That is because you killed a disciple of the Kunlun Sect first.”
“And you didn’t want that to happen?”
“No one wishes for the death of disciples who are to be the future of their sect.”
To Jinmyeong, Perfected One Heo Un’s words felt incredibly disingenuous.
“You’re saying you have a justification.”
Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the Kunlun Sect had fabricated that justification.
“But isn’t this a bit excessive?”
Even getting the Kongtong Sect involved felt like too much.
Two of the Nine Great Sects had mobilized to capture a group of less than thirty people.
“Hoho. It’s because you might flee. If you’ve committed a crime, you must be punished.”
“Hmm. Is it a crime for warriors with swords to kill each other?”
“Tsk. You’re just twisting my words. There’s no talking to you.”
Perfected One Heo Un felt that conversing with Jinmyeong was not very productive.
“Have you truly cultivated yourself to the point of being called a Perfected One? To be able to hold your temper in a conversation with my junior brother.”
Mok Jagyeong, on the other hand, looked at Perfected One Heo Un with admiration.
“But there’s something I’m curious about, can you answer one thing for me? What do you gain by going this far?”
No matter how much he thought about it, Jinmyeong couldn’t figure it out.
“We can avenge the unjust death of our disciple…”
“No. Let me rephrase. Why are you so certain a war won’t break out?”
This was what he couldn't understand.
He had sensed hesitation from the Twin Elders of Kongtong.
They were wavering because they thought a war might erupt.
But Perfected One Heo Un showed no such hesitation.
“It’s as if someone told you it wouldn’t.”
Jinmyeong wondered if that someone was Mok Jagyeong.
“Tsk. Not worth listening to.”
Perfected One Heo Un shook his head and pressed his lips together, as if to say he would speak no more.
He then surveyed Jinmyeong, Shin Yehyang, and Mok Jagyeong.
‘The Mad Demon’s daughter is a problem…’
Perfected One Heo Un believed he had to kill Mok Jagyeong, but he also thought he shouldn’t kill Shin Yehyang.
Mok Jagyeong was just one of the Heavenly Demon’s disciples, but Shin Yehyang was the cherished only daughter of the Vice Cult Leader, the Mad Demon.
“Perfected One, we must kill that one.”
“What do you mean?”
Perfected One Heo Un looked at Jinmyeong, whom Gok Jeon was pointing at.
He knew Jinmyeong was there besides Mok Jagyeong and Shin Yehyang, but he hadn’t paid him much mind.
“That one is dangerous.”
“What on earth are you talking about?”
Perfected One Heo Un couldn’t understand Gok Jeon’s words.
Of course, it wasn’t that he knew nothing about Jinmyeong.
The incompetent youngest disciple of the Heavenly Demon.
Though he’d been making a name for himself recently, Heo Un didn’t consider him much of a threat.
Wasn’t this the perfect opportunity to kill Mok Jagyeong?
“The Blood-Laughing Demon is right before us…”
Mok Jagyeong would surely become the Heavenly Demon’s successor and ascend to the position of Cult Leader.
He was already superior to the Fifteen Dragons of the Righteous Alliance; there was no telling how much stronger he would become if he mastered the Divine Arts of the Heavenly Demon.
“Gok Yang judged that that one is more dangerous than the Blood-Laughing Demon.”
Perfected One Heo Un’s eyes widened.
He hadn’t thought Jinmyeong was that significant.
Knowing Gok Yang's reputation—or more accurately, his notoriety—made it all the more surprising.
‘Senior Gok Yang, the man they say should have belonged to the Unorthodox Factions, not the Righteous ones…’
Gok Yang was a man with a quick mind who knew how to use it.
He was someone who wouldn't hesitate to do things that went against chivalry to achieve his goals.
‘He thought that man was more dangerous than the Blood-Laughing Demon?’
He had dismissed Jinmyeong because he hadn’t witnessed his martial prowess with his own eyes.
‘Of course, he was a bit unusual…’
Unlike the others, he didn’t feel like a practitioner of demonic arts.
That’s why he had assumed Jinmyeong’s achievements were meager, or that he practiced some slightly peculiar martial art.
‘If I can only kill one of them…’
He couldn’t kill Shin Yehyang, but he was determined to kill Mok Jagyeong.
But now, the Heavenly Demon’s youngest disciple was making him hesitate.
‘In that case, why not just kill them both?’
Although it was a pity that one of the Twin Elders of Kongtong was missing, Gok Jeon was an exceptional master.
He felt that if they joined forces, they could kill both Jinmyeong and Mok Jagyeong.
“Will you help me?”
“Their strength is unexpectedly great.”
Gok Jeon couldn't agree with Perfected One Heo Un’s assessment.
“Can you kill the Blood-Laughing Demon quickly and join me here?”
“Hmm? Shouldn’t it be the other way around?”
Perfected One Heo Un asked back.
Although Mok Jagyeong had surpassed the level of a rising star, he was no stronger than Perfected One Heo Un, the Sword of Kunlun.
The problem was that even Heo Un couldn’t behead Mok Jagyeong in a single blow.
“The martial prowess of those two is quite formidable, and their coordination is tricky.”
Though not on the level of the Twin Elders of Kongtong, Jinmyeong and Shin Yehyang’s coordination was surprisingly effective.
Of course, this was only possible because Jinmyeong wasn’t moving his body directly, instead watching from behind and only moving his sword.
If Jinmyeong had actually moved, he would have clashed with Shin Yehyang several times.
“Where on earth did Senior Gok Yang go?”
Realizing the current situation was more disadvantageous than expected, Perfected One Heo Un grew curious about Gok Yang’s absence.
“…”
Gok Jeon couldn’t bring himself to speak the truth.
It would be utterly humiliating to say that Gok Yang had been defeated by such young warriors.
“In any case, let’s do this.”
Perfected One Heo Un also noticed that something must have happened to Gok Yang.
The moment Gok Yang’s name was mentioned, he could see rage in Gok Jeon’s eyes.
“It’s all well and good for you two to talk amongst yourselves…”
Just as the two were about to charge, Mok Jagyeong’s voice reached their ears.
“Who said we would fight?”
“Are you planning to run?”
“There’s no need to fight.”
Mok Jagyeong smiled and spun around.
The reason he had sent his subordinates elsewhere and come here alone.
It was because he believed he could escape somehow if he was by himself.
“And just as I thought, people are starting to flock here to gang up on us.”
The sounds of many people rushing over could be heard from a distance.
The disciples of the Kunlun and Kongtong Sects, who had been far away, were now running toward this place.
“See, my youngest junior brother was right about everything.”
Watching Mok Jagyeong once again mock them for attacking with superior numbers, Perfected One Heo Un bit his lip.
“What of it?”
But unlike the embarrassed Heo Un, Gok Jeon showed no signs of shame.
“This is why the Twin Elders of Kongtong should have been in the Unorthodox Factions or our Cult.”
Before Gok Jeon could get angry, Mok Jagyeong swiftly took flight.
“We must pursue!”
Seeing Mok Jagyeong flee, Perfected One Heo Un shouted urgently.
“Let’s go too.”
Watching the two of them hesitate, Jinmyeong spoke to Shin Yehyang.
“Damn it!”
As Jinmyeong and Shin Yehyang prepared to move, Gok Jeon, who hadn’t reacted when Mok Jagyeong fled, finally sprang into action.
He lunged toward Jinmyeong without hesitation.
Clang!
But a sword engulfed in white flames suddenly flew at him.
“Keuk!”
“Are you alright?”
Perfected One Heo Un’s expression turned to shock as he watched Gok Jeon being pushed back, despite blocking the sword.
“Is that Sword Control?”
“It’s not quite at the level of Sword Control, but it’s far beyond simple telekinesis.”
The sword that had suddenly flown out and attacked Gok Jeon had already returned to Jinmyeong’s side.
“What will you do? We have to catch one of them.”
Gok Jeon still wanted to capture Jinmyeong.
He had to avenge Gok Yang.
But unlike Gok Jeon, Perfected One Heo Un wanted to catch Mok Jagyeong.
If they split up here, they might lose both.
“We must choose before it’s too late.”
Gok Jeon urged the hesitating Heo Un.
“I understand.”
In the end, Perfected One Heo Un chose Jinmyeong over Mok Jagyeong.
“A wise choice.”
Gok Jeon nodded in satisfaction and immediately headed in the direction Jinmyeong had gone.
“Tsk. So it’s here?”
Jinmyeong clicked his tongue as he saw Gok Jeon and Perfected One Heo Un chasing after him.
‘I think I could handle one of them somehow.’
He was confident he could win against Gok Jeon alone.
But with Perfected One Heo Un joining in, it would be difficult.
“Can’t you go any faster?”
“Sorry, but this is as fast as I can go.”
Shin Yehyang urged him on as she watched Heo Un and Gok Jeon closing in, but Jinmyeong couldn’t increase his speed.
‘Then I’ll just have to slow them down.’
Jinmyeong immediately sent the two swords moving with him flying toward Perfected One Heo Un and Gok Jeon.
Clang!
Perfected One Heo Un flinched as he deflected the suddenly approaching sword.
“Ugh.”
He had merely blocked a flying sword, but his hand was numb.
‘So this is what he meant by it being beyond simple telekinesis.’
The force behind it was so considerable that he would have dropped his sword if he had been even slightly careless.
Having experienced Jinmyeong’s attack just once, he now understood why Gok Yang had considered him a person of interest.
“It seems we must kill him.”
Perfected One Heo Un felt the same way Gok Yang had.
That Jinmyeong’s martial art was still incomplete.
If that art were to be perfected, Jinmyeong would become more terrifying than Mok Jagyeong.
“Let’s go.”
Perfected One Heo Un began to swing his sword, now cloaked in blue energy, to parry Jinmyeong’s swords.
“Are you alright?”
“…This is harder than I thought.”
Perfected One Heo Un answered honestly.
His arm, which had been continuously blocking Jinmyeong’s attacks, was trembling.
“Sometimes, the Demonic Cult feels truly wondrous.”
He was reminded of when he first saw the Heavenly Demon.
At the time, Heo Un was already a master known as the Sword of Kunlun.
But when he first saw the Heavenly Demon, who was not even twenty, he couldn’t help but feel despair.
‘That’s why I thought we had to kill the Blood-Laughing Demon, no matter what.’
The Blood-Laughing Demon wasn’t as strong as the Heavenly Demon of that time, but it was an insult to even compare him to the Fifteen Dragons of the Righteous Alliance.
In the end, the Fifteen Dragons were bound to feel the same despair toward the Blood-Laughing Demon that Heo Un had felt toward the Heavenly Demon.
“The Blood-Laughing Demon is already a handful, and now a guy like this appears.”
Perfected One Heo Un believed that if they didn’t kill the Blood-Laughing Demon, the Righteous Alliance would find it difficult to surpass the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
And in the midst of that, a new young master named Jinmyeong had appeared.
“Why is it that such new masters only appear in the Demonic Cult?”
It would be a lie to say he wasn’t envious.
“Don’t worry too much. The Fifteen Dragons may be weaker now, but they will eventually surpass them.”
It was a common saying.
Demonic arts allow for rapid growth at the beginning, but their limits are clear.
Orthodox arts are much slower to strengthen at first, but it’s said they can eventually surpass all limits.
“Is that really true?”
“…”
“Senior, do you truly believe those words?”
Despite having said it himself, Gok Jeon couldn’t easily answer Heo Un’s question.
In the past, everyone had thought so.
Indeed, the greatest martial artist in the world had almost always been a warrior from a righteous faction.
But that was a story from a very long time ago.
At some point, the title of the world’s greatest had become the Heavenly Demon’s.
No matter how much time passed or how many Heavenly Demons came and went, that fact did not change.
“The most important thing right now is to kill that one.”
Parrying Jinmyeong’s swords flying at them from the front, Gok Jeon and Perfected One Heo Un continued to close in on him.