Chapter 421: Azure Dragon River (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 421: Azure Dragon River (2)
Two months had already passed since our journey to Sichuan began.
Setting out from Henan, we had crossed countless mountains, yet more than half the distance still lay ahead. Now, a massive river barred our path—the largest I had seen since my regression.
This was the Azure Dragon River.
Generations ago, these waters were nothing but vast plains. Legend told that a White Demon, running rampant during the Blood Demon War, had carved this riverbed through sheer destruction. The notion of a demon forging a river sounded absurd, but then I remembered the Black Palace, hidden deep within a mist-wreathed forest. If White Demons could warp geography on such a scale, creating a river was well within their power.
How did anyone manage to slay such a thing?
The thought of those who fought these monsters alone made my teeth chatter. Elder Shin had slain the Mist Dragon, a being that shrouded an entire land in perpetual fog. The Heavenly Poison had destroyed the Azure Dragon, the very demon responsible for turning these plains into a river. He was one of the five great heroes who halted the Blood Demon, the man who restored the Tang Clan to the Orthodox Faction.
They were all madmen.
In this era, with the Blood Demon gone, only the lesser Blue Demons roamed the land. But soon, the Heavenly Demon would rise, and with her, the Red Demons would emerge. Then the world would truly descend into chaos.
Even a Peak Realm martial artist couldn't hope to defeat a Red Demon single-handedly. So how in hell did the heroes of old take down White Demons on their own?
However I look at it, they must have been at least as strong as the Three Venerables, if not stronger.
I'd always thought of Elder Shin as just a cranky old man, but in truth, he was a legendary hero. Even the Celestial Plum Blossom of Mount Hua was second only to him in prestige.
So could you please wake up already…? How long do you plan to sleep?
Ever since he aided me at the Heavenly Dragon Academy, he had fallen silent again, as if in a deep slumber. The beast within me had also quieted down, offering no disturbance.
…Tsk.
I had once craved solitude, but now the silence felt unnerving.
As I stood by the riverbank, organizing my thoughts, a voice interrupted me.
“Young Master Gu.”
It was Moyong Hi-ah.
“You… should prepare to depart soon.”
“Ah, I’ll head over now.”
She hesitated mid-sentence, her eyes darting to Tang Duk, who stood behind me. She still hadn't grown accustomed to the giant, perhaps intimidated by his horrifying visage. To be fair, his face was every bit as fearsome as my own.
“Oh, by the way.”
“Yes?”
“Where is your aunt?”
“Ah… She said she would board the boat first.”
“…” I massaged my forehead. She was supposed to be my escort, yet she’d boarded before me. How utterly absurd.
Moyong Hi-ah seemed to recognize the impropriety, her expression souring. “I’m sorry… My aunt is…”
“It’s not your fault, so don’t worry about it.”
“…Okay.”
Despite my reassurance, her face remained clouded. I understood; if my own relative acted so shamefully, I’d be mortified too. I gave her head a light pat.
“Go on ahead. I’ll join you shortly.”
“…Understood.”
A faint smile touched her lips before she turned and headed for the vessel.
Yes, a boat. To cross the Azure Dragon River, we had to travel by water.
Hmm.
We hadn't used a boat on our previous journey, but now it was unavoidable. The Poison King had decided this was the fastest route, and I knew he was right. Still, the idea of sailing unsettled me.
I glanced back at Tang Duk. “Hey.”
“…”
His eyes shifted toward me, but he remained silent. He wasn’t permitted to speak without my order.
“Where are the lackeys you hid? It’s an order—answer me.”
His lips quivered as he obeyed. “…After the first point…”
“So about two hours after we set sail. They’re still in position?”
“…Yes…”
“You prepared them there in advance? Quite the foresight.”
A smile tugged at my lips. Tang Duk’s shoulders trembled at my satisfied tone. I’d wondered how he planned to ambush a group that included the Poison King and the Lord of the Pe Clan. It seemed he had anticipated our route across the Azure Dragon River and positioned his men accordingly. He must have been confident in his ability to fight on water.
He hid them there despite the river demons? Does he have a way to deal with them?
The Azure Dragon River teemed with demons, particularly fish-like variants, making it impassable for ordinary folk. That was precisely why the Poison King had chosen this path—the risk of human ambush was low, and it was the quickest way to Sichuan. A master like him could handle any demons we encountered, and we had other means, like weapons and treasures, for protection. He likely deemed it safe.
But Tang Duk intended to exploit that very sense of security. With the Poison King burdened by protectees, including his daughter, a battle on the river would put him at a disadvantage.
This raised a question: how had Tang Duk learned of our plans? I’d only found out a few days prior, yet he had prepared far in advance.
Moreover,
It’s strange that he possessed such a treasure.
The artifact his minions carried—which I now held in my pocket—was activated by qi and could conceal the presence of the user and those nearby. A valuable tool, and an oddity for a mere bandit to own. Whether it was the intelligence or the resources at his disposal, something felt off.
“Hey.”
“…”
I decided to press him. “Your spy in the Tang Clan. Who is it?”
“…!”
His eyes widened in shock. That reaction confirmed it. I knew his information was too precise. He had indeed planted a mole, and since I’d never asked, he’d kept the secret until now.
“Tell me who it is.”
Now that I knew, he had no choice.
“…Ough…” He strained against the Shackle I had planted deep in his heart, but willpower alone couldn’t break it. As expected, his reluctant lips began to part.
“Oh?”
The name that emerged surprised me. I could only imagine how shocked that spy must have been when Tang Duk appeared as my escort. The Poison King might not have noticed him, but that person certainly had.
Suppressing a laugh, I started walking. It seemed there was another rat I needed to deal with on this boat.
After half a day of preparations, we set sail. The delay had been necessary to secure the prisoner in the hold and stock the ship with enough supplies for four to seven days. Thanks to those efforts, our journey began comfortably.
“Woah…” Wi Seol-Ah gazed at the river from the deck, utterly captivated.
“What’s so fascinating?” I asked.
“We’re moving on water!”
“Well, it is a boat.”
“Wow…”
Was this her first time aboard a vessel? Now that I thought about it, I had no memory of ever sailing with her. No wonder she was so enthralled. I should take her on boat rides more often. Her bright smile as she enjoyed the scenery was almost contagious.
In contrast, Moyong Hi-ah stood beside her, spaced out and looking pale.
“What’s wrong?”
“…I don’t feel well.”
“Huh? Seasick?”
“…Perhaps a little?”
I cocked my head. While her cultivation level was lower than most, it was surprising to hear a First-Class martial artist suffering from motion sickness.
She seemed to read my thoughts, coughing awkwardly before explaining, “I… had a very bad experience last time I was on a boat. I’ve felt like this ever since.”
“How terrible must it have been to leave such a lasting effect?”
“…I’d rather not remember that day.”
“Oh… I see.”
Her expression made it clear she truly despised the memory, so I didn’t press further.
I scanned our surroundings. Cheol Jiseon had retreated inside, also feeling unwell, and the Sleeping Dragon had gone to sleep. It seemed everyone was taking the opportunity to rest, as training on a moving boat was impractical. For my part, I could still practice my Mind Art, as the mental discipline required was challenging enough. It was a pity I couldn’t engage in physical training, though.
And as for Namgung Bi-ah…
She was nowhere to be seen. Probably asleep somewhere—most likely in my cabin. I’d long since given up on stopping her. Where she slept didn’t matter much, especially since she barely rested due to her relentless training. This voyage was a good chance for everyone to recuperate.
A little more now.
Soon, we would reach the spot Tang Duk had mentioned. His bandits were lying in wait to ambush us, and I saw no need to order him to call it off. This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. I planned to help thwart the attack and leverage that assistance to ask a favor of the Poison King. An ambush without Tang Duk leading it wasn't much of a threat anyway.
Of course, there was a chance the bandits would abort without their leader, but I was prepared for that too. This was also my opportunity to eliminate the spy hidden among the Tang Clan’s retinue.
Crack-
I stretched lightly.
Hmm…
My body still felt the aftereffects of my battle with Tang Duk. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t push myself in this condition, but these were not normal times. The Poison King, the Lord of the Pe Clan, the White Ripple Sword, the Dishonored Venerable, and the Dark King were all aboard. This assembly alone possessed enough power to erase an entire clan. At the very least, our safety was assured.
It was also the perfect chance to make a show of my contributions.
As I refined my plans, I sensed a presence approaching.
“Young Master Gu!”
A cheerful voice rang out. Turning, I saw Tang Soyeol smiling brightly, a snack in her hand. I eyed it warily.
“What is that?”
Her face fell at my cautious tone. “I brought it for you… Why are you looking at me like that…?”
“Is it poisoned?”
“Of course not…! Do you really think I only eat poisoned food!?”
“Don’t you?”
“No!”
She shouted, exasperated. Was I wrong? I could have sworn I only ever saw her consuming toxic teas and treats. I felt a twinge of awkwardness.
“If that’s the case, then I apologize.”
“…Hmph…”
Sulking, she turned her head away as I accepted the snack. To my surprise, it seemed genuinely harmless. That was unexpected.
Noticing my shocked stare, she grew even more frustrated.
Amusingly, Wi Seol-Ah only scampered over for a treat after she saw me eat it.
…Did she just use me to confirm it wasn’t poisoned?
How sly. When had she learned such tricks? I wasn’t offended, just impressed.
Then, Tang Soyeol, still distributing snacks, approached Tang Duk with a bright smile. “You should have some too.”
“…”
His shoulders shook. To him, she was a blood relative of the enemy he despised. Her kindness must have enraged him. Just as I moved to intervene,
Woong-!
“…!” My head snapped toward the river. A strange sensation prickled my senses. I leaped lightly onto the deck railing.
“Young Master Gu…?”
My sudden movement drew everyone’s attention—except for Wi Seol-Ah. Her eyes were also wide, fixed on the water. I wasn't the only one who had felt it.
What is this?
My gaze swept over the river. The ship continued its course, the surface appearing unchanged, yet I knew something was different.
Thud!
Slam!
Footsteps pounded behind me. Woo Hyuk and Namgung Bi-ah arrived simultaneously, with Cheol Jiseon following, breathing heavily.
They felt it too?
The other martial artists looked on in confusion, but I kept my focus on the water. The presence was growing.
Finally, the others began to sense the shift and stirred into action.
At first, I thought it might be the ambush I was expecting. We were nearing the designated point, and an attack could come at any moment.
But this was different.
A presence of this magnitude couldn’t belong to a human.
Huh…?
Squinting, I saw something take shape beneath the boat. A shadow, eight or nine feet wide, began to form. A cry rang out from among the martial artists.
“It’s a demon!”
Panic spread. No demon should have been able to approach the Tang Clan’s vessel. They possessed a treasure that warded them off—it was the only reason they could sail the Azure Dragon River safely. Yet, shadows were converging around us, all Green and Blue Demons.
Confusion rippled through the passengers, but this wasn’t a major crisis. Blue Demons were manageable, and with so many high-level experts aboard, we could defend ourselves even on water.
However.
“…I was wrong.”
My eyes narrowed. This isn't just about them.
I bit my lip. The number of Blue Demons was impressive, but not truly threatening. The real problem was something else, something lurking beneath them, approaching while using the lesser demons as cover.
I channeled my qi, sensing its approach. This shouldn’t be happening. Why now?
Deep below the swarm of demons, something far more massive began to move. As others detected the colossal presence, the atmosphere shifted palpably. Shouts of confusion and alarm erupted, but I knew exactly what it was. And that knowledge made it harder to believe.
Unlike the demons of this era, true demons had existed generations ago. They were supposed to be extinct, not due to reappear for another four or five years. They were monsters that only Fusion Realm masters and above could hope to challenge.
Red Demons, born from the crimson Gate of Demons.
And now, I could feel the immense presence of one of these ancient terrors, stirring deep beneath the river’s surface.