Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Yangtze Waterway Eighteen Strongholds
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Yangtze Waterway Eighteen Strongholds. Total Stronghold.
The current lord of the Yangtze Waterway Eighteen Strongholds' Total Stronghold, the Yangtze Waterway King, had maintained his ironclad position not only through his overwhelming martial prowess that had dominated the Yangtze for so long, but also through his keen insight in grasping situations. He had adeptly blocked and guarded against the advances of external forces eyeing the river and the rising ambitions of his subordinate strongholds.
"The Iron Divine Dragon has set out."
It was a report from one of his subordinates.
Due to the incident that occurred just before winter arrived, he had kept his men watching the Iron Lion Sect throughout the entire season.
"How many?"
The one asking right in front of the Yangtze Waterway King was the Fan Master.
Quick-witted and sharp, he was presiding over this meeting of the total stronghold's leadership. Lined up in two long rows ahead of the Fan Master were over twenty stronghold leaders, the elite experts of the total stronghold. Even if every bandit on the Yangtze turned traitor, these men alone could deploy and clean house in an instant. They were the ones the Yangtze Waterway King had painstakingly gathered from all directions over the years, granted the title of Yangtze Patrolmen, and led by the Chief Patrolman, Ghost Blood Wanderer, who was infamous even among the unorthodox.
A ronin with the blood of ghosts.
The Ghost Blood Wanderer, who had wandered as a ronin for a long time, was called so for his ruthless brutality and sinister nature.
"Four, excluding the coachman."
"Coachman? You mean they're coming by carriage?"
"Yes. They say there's a woman among them too."
"They must think this is the entrance to paradise, coming here all leisurely like that. Hmph!"
The Fan Master snorted derisively and turned to bow toward the Yangtze Waterway King.
"As I reported before, the Iron Divine Dragon is the only one worth watching in the Iron Lion Sect. The thief tagging along can barely protect himself, so he's no real concern."
"No chance they've allied with anyone else?"
The Yangtze Waterway King asked.
With his black beard and ruddy complexion, his calm expression made it hard to read his thoughts.
"I've sent men to all potential players, including the White Sword Sect and the Baekri Clan. If there's even a hint of suspicious movement, they'll report immediately, but everything's been quiet so far."
The Fan Master answered.
With no further questions from the Yangtze Waterway King, the Fan Master raised his head and spoke.
"Do you plan to receive them just like this?"
"Strike the Iron Lion Sect?"
"Shouldn't we teach them that fighting us means betting everything they've got?"
"Then we should strike the Great Righteous Alliance, not the Iron Lion Sect. You want all-out war with the orthodox sects?"
They said a woman smashed the Dongho Stronghold. Then suddenly the Iron Divine Dragon pops up. Digging deeper, the Iron Lion Sect where the Iron Divine Dragon is has the Alliance Leader of the Great Righteous Alliance. Even Heaven-Rending Legion is there. That woman's supposed to be the Pavilion Master of the Secret Shadow Pavilion. But the one who hit the Dongho Stronghold was the Iron Divine Dragon. He admitted it himself and said he'd come down the Yangtze personally once winter ended.
They hadn't moved right after the trouble last autumn, waiting out the winter until now because the background of the incident felt suspicious.
The Fan Master couldn't respond.
It was dredging up the doubts they'd harbored all winter.
But right then—
"Enemies!"
"Block them!"
Dang-dang-dang-dang-dang!
Urgent bell tolls signaling an intrusion from outside, shouts, and screams erupted simultaneously.
"Go check it out!"
At the Fan Master's shout, the Yangtze Patrolman at the far end dashed outside. He returned before even a few breaths had passed—but his appearance was utterly changed.
Thud!
He crashed onto the log building's floor, shaking it. Unconscious. His chest was caved in deep. One strike had done that much.
"Who the hell are you!"
One of the Yangtze Patrolmen yelled.
Two hulking figures in black windbreakers burst into the meeting hall and attacked without warning. Heavy impact sounds boomed as the shouting Patrolman and three others near the entrance collapsed simultaneously.
Utterly defenseless.
Unable to mount any attack, they were sent flying one-sidedly. The Patrolmen retreated in unison, on guard.
"Aid from the Iron Lion Sect?!"
The Chief Patrolman Ghost Blood Wanderer gripped his sword hilt and stepped forward.
The intruders at the entrance ignored him, parting to the sides. In that moment, two figures strode in through the wide-open door.
A woman boldly exposing her heaving bosom with every step—the Iron Rod Sovereign Geum Cheong, and the Pavilion Master of the Gold Martial Hall.
The two advanced with utter confidence.
Not a single soul in the Yangtze Waterway Eighteen Strongholds recognized them.
"Walking with legs spread like that—you're begging for it!"
The Ghost Blood Wanderer advanced with a sinister aura. At his movement, the Patrolmen spread wide to the flanks, ready to encircle the moment fighting broke out.
"I'll handle the one embarrassing fellow men."
The Gold Martial Pavilion Master scowled and said. As the Ghost Blood Wanderer drew his sword and lunged, the Pavilion Master moved as well.
Flash!
The Ghost Blood Wanderer's curved sword cleaved the instant.
Crack!
A heavy thud followed, and the Ghost Blood Wanderer flew backward. One punch caved in his face.
"Attack! Attack them!"
The Fan Master bellowed.
In that instant, the Iron Rod Sovereign moved.
Shwick-shwick-shwick!
The sword drawn from the sheath on her back whipped in all directions.
Judging by the sheath's length, the blade was a mere four feet (1.3 meters), yet the radius it ravaged exceeded ten feet (6 meters).
Bluish energy lashed like a whip, slicing the enemies around her.
Energy extending beyond the sword's length—sword qi.
In other words, she was a supreme master who could wield sword qi freely like a whip, far beyond mere manifestation.
A groan escaped the Yangtze Waterway King's lips.
"Fall back!"
Too late. Over half were already bloodied wrecks. Many lay dead on the floor. All in mere moments.
The Yangtze Waterway King rose from his chair.
The king of the Yangtze was a giant among giants.
Just standing filled the room with crushing dignity.
"I won't ask who sent you. Kill you all, and your backer will show themselves!"
Enraged, the Yangtze Waterway King reached out. A slender long spear flew from the back wall into his hand. Even the spearhead was narrow and pointed, optimized for underwater spear combat.
"Old ginger is still spicy, huh? Not entirely wrong."
The Iron Rod Sovereign sneered.
Facing one of the Ten Unorthodox Masters without a hint of tension. Even the Gold Martial Pavilion Master watched with arms crossed, amused.
That much confidence.
The Yangtze Waterway King knew it wasn't born of ignorance or arrogance. So he planned to go all out from the start.
"Even Heaven-Rending Legion lowers his voice here. I'll etch the reason into your bones!"
The Yangtze Waterway King lifted his right foot and slammed it down hard.
Boom!
A massive shockwave erupted outward, crumbling the log building.
His residence, built by driving hundreds of logs from the riverbank to mid-river, then erecting a two-story structure, collapsed entirely into the Yangtze's waters.
"What the—?"
The Gold Martial Pavilion Master grimaced and leaped away. His subordinates and the Iron Rod Sovereign's men swiftly retreated to the bank.
The Yangtze bandits, however, dove into the water. For these masters of diving, the river was the perfect battlefield to unleash their full might.
The Yangtze Waterway King was the same; in water, he fancied himself not just one of the Ten Masters of the World, but the world's best.
Leaping into the air while stepping across falling debris, the Iron Rod Sovereign glanced below.
Then, the Yangtze Waterway King burst from the surface, his attack engulfing her.
Kraaang!
Sparks flew in succession.
After a dozen exchanges, the King dove back into the depths. The Iron Rod Sovereign, suspended briefly by the clash's aftermath, scowled before pursuing him into the river.
Splash!
A water column shot up.
And moments later—
Krwaaak!
The Yangtze churned in massive whirlpools, roiling violently.
As if two giant imugi were tearing into each other underwater. The chaos lasted a full incense stick's time (30 minutes).
Do Cheon's carriage headed straight for the Yangtze Waterway Eighteen Strongholds' Total Stronghold.
"I originally planned to visit the strongholds one by one so you could get real combat experience. But with the Gold Sovereign Clan butting in, we have to check the total stronghold first. If any loudmouth under the Yangtze Waterway King shows up, step in. Win or lose doesn't matter—just fight."
"Understood."
Yi Yeol replied to Do Cheon.
"The Iron Rod Sovereign is moving?"
Even Byeon Ryeo-gun didn't know.
It was info from the Haomun yesterday; they'd been too busy preparing for the Yangtze trip to share it.
"Looks like they're striking first. Quite a few were heading that way."
"Striking first... They think we'll use the bandits to collect tolls?"
"He's no fool."
"What do you mean?"
"That's what I thought too."
Do Cheon grinned. But Byeon Ryeo-gun couldn't smile. It threatened to derail what Do Cheon and Yoo Geon were planning.
Yi Yeol's training could wait; opportunities would come. But the Yangtze affair? One slip, and it was over. A behemoth like the Gold Sovereign Clan wouldn't leave any openings.
'I'd do the same. To block us, wipe out the Yangtze bandits completely... even the Yangtze Waterway King?'
The thought led to a startling question.
"The Yangtze Waterway King is the type to boast even against Heaven-Rending Legion on his turf."
Ong Jung-seo interjected.
"Protector Ong is right. The King's diving skills are unmatched among bandits; once in the water, he can hold out over a full incense stick (30 minutes) without surfacing."
Byeon Ryeo-gun added to Ong Jung-seo's words. He nodded gravely.
"If they don't care about the King's diving... we really need to be cautious..."
He trailed off, glancing at Do Cheon. Do Cheon beamed back carefree.
"I'll handle that side, so Protector, just focus on Yeol's training."
Ong Jung-seo recalled Do Cheon had mastered the Generation's Heavenly Demon's arts and nodded.
"Well, with that master's ultimate techniques..."
"It's more than just mastering them."
"Hm? What do you mean?"
Ong Jung-seo asked Byeon Ryeo-gun.
"He said it last time. That he'd awakened to them. It slipped out casually amid other talk, but he definitely said it."
Ong Jung-seo gaped at Do Cheon. Byeon Ryeo-gun stared too. Do Cheon just smiled at them.
"Um..."
Yi Yeol spoke up.
But Ong Jung-seo and Byeon Ryeo-gun ignored him, pressing Do Cheon. Seeing that, Yi Yeol had to ask.
"Feels like I'm the only one out of the loop. Mind filling me in?"
"Little Brother Yeol doesn't need to know yet."
"Just focus on combat training."
Yi Yeol glanced awkwardly, but they spoke in unison, eyes still on Do Cheon.
"If the Yangtze Waterway Strongholds are done, we'll reroute, so it might take longer than planned."
Do Cheon said smilingly.
"Eldest Brother!"
"Young Pavilion Master!"
Byeon Ryeo-gun and Ong Jung-seo urged, but Do Cheon just grinned wider.
Five days later.
Do Cheon's group arrived at the Yangtze Waterway Eighteen Strongholds' Total Stronghold.
But the stronghold's buildings were utterly demolished, rubble scattered everywhere. No trace of the grandeur that ruled the Yangtze.
"It's real."
Do Cheon muttered.
A Haomun broker had come yesterday, reporting the total stronghold smashed. Seeing it confirmed. Not even Yangtze bandits in sight.
"What now? Two days ago, you said if it's wrecked, we'd go elsewhere. Where?"
"Gotta check there first."
Byeon Ryeo-gun followed Do Cheon's gaze to mid-Yangtze.
A large ship floated in the center. A small boat was lowering from it. Do Cheon smirked mockingly, as if spotting someone aboard.
"Iron Rod Sovereign?"
Byeon Ryeo-gun asked tentatively.
"Yeah. She's waiting there."
Do Cheon still smiled. But look closely, and faint irritation showed.
'That woman's misunderstanding wrecked the innocent Yangtze bandits. What a pain...'