Chapter 579: The White Snake Won't Be Coming Back
Chapter 579: The White Snake Won't Be Coming Back
Geom Mu-geuk stared at the back of Yeon Baek-jin, who stood protectively in front of Seo Jin.
This was the man he had always been—someone who wouldn't hesitate to face death for the sake of another.
However, before the regression, Geom Mu-geuk had only ever lived on the dark side of this heroic persona. Back then, the Sword King and everyone else must have only seen the reverse side of the coin.
Seo Jin looked up at Yeon Baek-jin and asked, “Why are you trying to save me?”
He couldn't exactly tell her that his eyes were drawn to her, or that his heart fluttered whenever she was near. Instead, he replied, “Because my brother is the one in the wrong.”
Yeon Baek-jin looked back at Geom Mu-geuk. “You said you came out here to protect Seo Jin too, right?”
Geom Mu-geuk nodded.
“Then help me protect her!”
Yeon Baek-jin was agitated. He knew he needed to stay calm, but the three masked men before them possessed no ordinary aura. The fact that they had revealed themselves so openly meant they were masters who didn't even feel the need for a sneak attack.
The elite of the White Snake Unit have arrived.
His hand trembled as he gripped his sword. It wasn't just fear; it was a cold, burning rage directed at his own brother. Sending masters of this caliber meant his brother had no intention of failing.
He really intends to kill me.
If he was going to die anyway, Yeon Baek-jin wanted to at least save this woman.
“I am merely the brother of a martial arts hall master, but the woman beside me is of the Ghost Gate’s bloodline. If you kill her, the Ghost Gate will wipe you all out.”
Seo Jin, who had been standing behind Yeon Baek-jin, stepped forward to stand beside him.
“I don't think they're the type to back down because of a threat like that.”
Yeon Baek-jin looked at Seo Jin. She should have been terrified, yet she was remarkably composed.
Is it because she’s the child of a prestigious sect?
While it was partly her innate personality, her composure stemmed from her absolute trust in the two people behind her. With Geom Mu-geuk and Lee An at her back, what was there to fear?
Yeon Baek-jin’s gaze shifted to Geom Mu-geuk and Lee An. He misunderstood their silence.
Are you just going to stand there? Are you not going to step forward?
The thought crossed his mind, but he didn't voice it. They were young; it was natural to be afraid. He understood them.
Of the three masked men, White Fifth Snake was the first to speak.
“People about to die by our hands only ever say three things: they threaten, they curse, or they beg.”
A look of mockery flickered in White Fifth Snake’s eyes as he looked at Yeon Baek-jin.
“In my experience, those who threaten are always the weakest.”
Yeon Baek-jin remained unshaken. He pushed aside his anger toward his brother; he had to stay focused on the moment.
“You know it’s not an empty threat. Do you really think the Ghost Gate Leader will let his daughter’s death slide?”
This time, White Eighth Snake spoke up.
“You mean the brother of the Yellow Dragon Martial Arts Hall Master? The one who vanished after raping and murdering new recruits because he was captivated by their beauty?”
With those words, it became clear how they intended to handle the aftermath. They weren't just going to kill him; they were going to frame him.
Fury surged within Yeon Baek-jin. Not only would he lose his life, but his reputation would be dragged through the dirt.
Yeon Baek-jin leveled his sword, his voice turning ice-cold. “Give it your best shot.”
White Eighth Snake drew his sword and glanced at White First Snake, waiting for permission.
At that moment, White First Snake was staring at only one person: Lee An.
White Eighth Snake and White Fifth Snake assumed he was staring because she was beautiful, but they were wrong. White First Snake was sensing a true nature that the other two could not perceive.
I see why the Sect Leader sent me.
White Eighth Snake was more than enough to handle Yeon Baek-jin and Seo Jin. The problem was the two young people standing behind them. The vibe coming from Geom Mu-geuk and Lee An was strange. He couldn't be certain of their skill level. Usually, a person was either a master or a novice, but these two felt like they could be greater masters than himself—or perhaps nothing at all.
The woman is the stronger one!
White Fifth Snake, on the other hand, had reached a different conclusion.
“It’s a waste of a woman to kill her.”
It seemed White Fifth Snake had judged her to be of no consequence.
Finally, White First Snake’s command fell.
“Kill the man first.”
White Eighth Snake stepped forward. “I’ll handle it.”
He lunged at Yeon Baek-jin, giving his opponent no time to breathe. His sword flew forth, aiming for Yeon Baek-jin’s throat, heart, and vital points.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Fortunately, Yeon Baek-jin responded with composure. An exchange followed where a single mistake would mean certain death.
Lee An focused on Yeon Baek-jin’s movements.
Yeon Baek-jin was a man who had achieved Great Achievement in the Yellow Dragon Sword Technique. Through his fight, she could see how the traditional style was applied in actual combat. She needed to understand the original technique perfectly to see how it had been reinterpreted.
In an instant, thirty exchanges passed. Having mastered the Yellow Dragon Sword Technique, Yeon Baek-jin was no weakling.
However, as the fight progressed, he fell into a disadvantage. The martial arts he had learned were the orthodox sword techniques of a hall master, while White Eighth Snake’s techniques were designed solely for slaughter. Furthermore, Yeon Baek-jin was woefully lacking in real combat experience.
Blood sprayed from Yeon Baek-jin’s arm.
The sight of his own blood agitated him, making the situation even worse. Seizing the opportunity, White Eighth Snake pressed his advantage.
Just as he reached his limit—
Hieeeeeek!
Suddenly, with a ghostly wail, Yeon Baek-jin’s shadow surged up and enveloped White Eighth Snake.
It was Seo Jin’s Ghost Art. She was currently only capable of Ghost Arts that showed illusions or restricted an opponent's vision, rather than direct attacks. However, in this fight, that one move was the opportunity that could flip the scales.
Because of the shadow covering his face, White Eighth Snake momentarily lost sight of his target.
Yeon Baek-jin did not miss the chance. Instead of retreating, he slid forward at an angle and swung his sword.
Swish!
Slash!
Blood sprayed from White Eighth Snake’s flank as he failed to block in time.
The situation had reversed. Just as Yeon Baek-jin was about to rush in to finish off the staggering assassin—
White Fifth Snake, who had been watching, threw a volley of hidden weapons. He aimed at both Yeon Baek-jin and Seo Jin.
Sh-sh-sh-sh-sh!
As the hidden weapons flew toward them, Yeon Baek-jin instinctively threw himself in front of Seo Jin. He couldn't let the woman who had just saved him die.
Is this the end?
He braced himself for the impact of cold steel in his back.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Instead, he heard the sharp ring of metal being deflected from behind.
Yeon Baek-jin turned around to find Lee An standing in front of them.
She deflected all of those?
There must have been dozens of hidden weapons in that throw. Yeon Baek-jin stared at Lee An in shock. But that wasn't all.
Thud.
White Eighth Snake collapsed forward. The hidden weapons Lee An had deflected were now embedded in his throat and heart.
White Fifth Snake stepped forward, his eyes narrowing.
“So you were hiding your skill.”
He looked back at White First Snake. His gaze suggested they should attack together, as her method of deflecting the weapons was extraordinary, but White First Snake did not move.
Is he refusing to cooperate out of pride?
He hoped that was the case. If White First Snake was holding back out of a sense of crisis because the opponent was truly formidable, then they were in serious trouble.
In the meantime, Seo Jin stopped the bleeding on Yeon Baek-jin’s arm. He was the one who had thrown himself in front of her when the hidden weapons were flying.
Watching this, Geom Mu-geuk was certain that the fate of these two had completely changed. They were now people who had saved each other's lives.
It’s done.
The primary goal of coming to the Yellow Dragon Martial Arts Hall was being achieved.
Soon, the fight between White Fifth Snake and Lee An began.
As Lee An fought using the Yellow Dragon Sword Technique, Yeon Baek-jin was inwardly astonished.
It’s similar to the Yellow Dragon Sword Technique...
It seemed similar, yet it was fundamentally different from what he had learned.
That instructor must have taught her!
In those forms, Yeon Baek-jin saw the leisurely flow of a great river and the fierce howling of a gale. He saw flames rising hotly and the striking of lightning.
As the fight continued, Yeon Baek-jin’s eyes grew wider. He realized for the first time just how powerful and beautiful the Yellow Dragon Sword Technique could be. He didn't know that the swordsmanship she was displaying was something she had just learned today—or that she was using it so brilliantly in actual combat.
While White Eighth Snake had gained the upper hand against Yeon Baek-jin, Lee An gained the upper hand as her fight went on. Through this first real combat, her Yellow Dragon Sword Technique was becoming incomparably more stable with every move.
White Fifth Snake thought he had a chance during the first exchange, but the balance quickly crumbled, and he began to be pushed back.
The moment White Fifth Snake opened his mouth to call for help—
Flash!
Stab!
Lee An’s sword pierced White Fifth Snake’s chest. The moment she had heard the word "rape" from White Eighth Snake earlier, she had lost all hesitation about killing them.
“...You will die a miserable death. That man is the rank one of our headquarters.”
Lee An wasn't intimidated by White Fifth Snake’s dying words.
“You’re saying the same thing before you die.”
It was exactly what White Fifth Snake had said earlier. He had said that before dying by his hand, opponents either threatened, cursed, or begged. He, too, had failed to escape that category.
Spurt!
As Lee An withdrew her sword, he collapsed, spraying blood.
Geom Mu-geuk looked at her with a satisfied expression. Displaying this much skill with a martial art learned only today was a testament to her incredible talent and her current high realm.
Get even stronger, Lee An.
In this Murim, crowded with all sorts of villains, she would need to become strong enough that no one would dare challenge her if she wanted to live with that face revealed to the world.
Lee An didn't look happy or triumphant. She simply looked down at her sword in silence.
Both were firsts for her. It was her first time killing with the Yellow Dragon Sword Technique, and her first time staining the Sun and Moon Sword with blood.
The reinterpreted Yellow Dragon Sword Technique felt like it had absolutely no wasted movement. And while its power was weaker than the Flying Heaven Sword Technique, it required far less internal energy. As such, it was the perfect secondary martial art. There would be times she needed to hide her identity, and times she needed to fight while conserving her energy.
White First Snake’s expression was completely frozen. This was a situation he had never imagined. However, he didn't feel fear. He was White First Snake, after all.
“Who are you people?”
Geom Mu-geuk answered casually.
“We’re the new recruits of the Yellow Dragon Martial Arts Hall’s White Dragon Unit. You should have investigated that before coming.”
The investigation had been completely wrong.
Unit Leader! If something felt off, you shouldn't have accepted the contract.
But he couldn't blame the Unit Leader. When he came here, he had been full of arrogance, thinking that he had been sent instead of White Second Snake because there was something suspicious.
“Rank one of the White Snake Unit? The rank one is facing off against a recruit from the White Dragon Unit, the basic class of the Yellow Dragon Martial Arts Hall! If I were you, I’d be too embarrassed to show my face.”
Geom Mu-geuk stood at the very back, provoking and mocking him, but White First Snake didn't take the bait. He cautiously engaged Lee An. He intended to kill them all, one by one, just as he always had. In the end, he would be the one left standing.
Whoosh!
Sword Qi suddenly erupted from White First Snake’s blade.
Boom!
The Sword Qi emitted from Lee An’s blade collided with his. A deafening explosion rang out as dust billowed into the air.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
As sword met sword, sparks flew within the dust cloud.
White First Snake was strong. He was on a different level from the two who had died. His martial arts were a sword style that had climbed to the very peak of a tower of slaughter.
However, Lee An’s Flying Heaven Sword Technique, which she had brought to Great Achievement, was a martial art that even a tower of slaughter reaching the heavens could not withstand.
Her Flying Heaven Sword Technique was completely different from the Yellow Dragon Sword Technique she had displayed earlier, and it was also different from the version Geom Mu-geuk used. Her swordsmanship was delicate and elegant, yet simultaneously sharp and powerful.
To his shock, White First Snake sensed his defeat the moment they exchanged their first blow. He found himself wishing White Eighth Snake and White Fifth Snake were still alive. Only if they saw this fight would they understand why they had lost.
No, even if they saw it, they wouldn't understand just how strong this woman was.
Swoosh.
Her sword cut through the air, creating a dazzling trajectory that he could not possibly follow. In that moment, he saw it. In Lee An’s eyes, the countless people he had killed flashed by like a revolving lantern.
Swish.
Thud!
Even though the sword pierced his chest, he felt no pain. His final words were not a plea, a curse, or a threat.
“Perfect.”
His last words were a tribute to Lee An’s skill. With that, White First Snake collapsed and breathed his last.
Lee An felt a bit dazed. She had expected a much harder fight. She had even sent a voice transmission to Geom Mu-geuk earlier.
— Is this person really the rank one of the White Snake Unit?
Geom Mu-geuk’s pleasant reply came back.
— Do you finally realize your own strength?
Lee An’s realm was not something the likes of the White Snake Unit could handle.
Yeon Baek-jin stared blankly at White First Snake’s corpse. This woman had killed the rank one master of the White Snake Unit?
In a trembling voice, Yeon Baek-jin expressed his gratitude to Lee An. He no longer spoke to her dismissively.
“Thank you for saving me.”
“Didn't you also try to save our Seo Jin, Hero Yeon?”
Yeon Baek-jin felt more depressed than joyful at having survived. He hadn't known his brother was trying to kill him, and he hadn't recognized that this woman was such a formidable master.
I deserve to die.
His gaze turned toward Geom Mu-geuk. This man had given off a strange feeling ever since they met. Perhaps he was an even greater master than this woman.
“Since you’ve killed their rank one, the White Snake Unit won't let this go. The entire unit will come for you!”
At Yeon Baek-jin’s concern, Geom Mu-geuk gave a cryptic smile.
“In the future, all sorts of animals might come to the Yellow Dragon Martial Arts Hall. But the White Snake won't be coming back.”
“How can you be so sure?”
Geom Mu-geuk said to Lee An, “Send word to the White Snake Unit. Tell them not to interfere in our business anymore.”
“Yes.”
Yeon Baek-jin asked in a trembling voice, “Just who are you people?”
Would the fearsome White Snake Unit really stop interfering just because they were told to?
Geom Mu-geuk finally revealed his identity.
“I am Geom Mu-geuk, the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”
“!”
Yeon Baek-jin froze instantly. Lee An and Seo Jin also identified themselves.
“I am Lee An, the Ghost Shadow Squad Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”
“I am Seo Jin, the 2nd Team Leader of the Ghost Shadow Squad of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.”
Yeon Baek-jin turned pale, unable to utter a word.
Could he believe that a blood relative of the Ghost Gate was a mere team leader? Yes, if it were that one place, he could believe it. What about a man who traveled with the world's most beautiful woman, who could easily kill the rank one of the White Snake Unit? Yes, if it were that one person, he could believe it.
But still... the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult!
And he had been treating him so casually until now.
Toward that confusion and disbelief, Geom Mu-geuk spoke calmly.
“Whether I vanish from your life like smoke or become a cruel Young Cult Leader is now up to you.”