Chapter 149
Chapter 149
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 149
Chapter Title: They Say He Left at Dawn Already
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That morning, I was busy from dawn to dusk.
The experts who had sensed my qi kept streaming in and out of the White Hall nonstop, pestering me about exactly when I'd reached the Absolute Peak realm.
But I just smiled without answering and sent them on their way.
All I wanted to confirm was the gap between them and me.
And after thoroughly examining them all, I reached my conclusion.
—Now, even against the 'real' masters of the martial world, I could claim victory.
By 'real' masters, I meant the elder-level figures from major sects like the Nine Great Sects or Six Great Families.
Most of them wielded immense influence across the Central Plains.
And...
—If I don the Evil Ghost Battle Robe, I can match even those above them.
As the Ghost King, once I unleashed my full power, I was confident I wouldn't fall short against even the sect leaders of those major factions.
Of course, it wouldn't be an easy win.
But if I activated the Evil Ghost Hell Formation too, at least I wouldn't have to worry about defeat.
I could hold my own at worst.
Pinpointing the exact level of my martial prowess left me with a strange feeling.
I hadn't expected to reach such heights in martial arts so quickly.
But in a way, it was only natural.
The North Sea Sect Master was just the beginning.
To take on the remaining sect masters and unify the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, I still had a long way to go.
So I calmed my renewed excitement and waited for Ilno to return—only to hear unexpected news.
"The teaching scholar you mentioned left the branch family at dawn, sir."
"What?"
Ilno's explanation was straightforward.
In the early dawn, the teaching scholar had left a farewell note saying there was nothing more he could do here and departed.
He'd even spent nearly half a shichen conversing with other notable figures he was friendly with, so it wasn't like he'd fled in panic.
If anything, he'd left right around the time I confronted the North Sea Sect Master.
「Something suspicious is afoot, my lord.」
I nodded at Onma's words.
"It could be pure coincidence... but somehow, I doubt it."
One conviction I held whenever I made enemies in the martial world was that there was no such thing as 'coincidence' here.
If something felt off?
It usually was.
This time was no different.
"What kind of man was this teaching scholar?"
My only interaction with him had been that brief exchange when he signed the guestbook at the start.
He'd put on the airs of a respected righteous faction elder, but I'd caught fleeting glimmers of deep resentment toward the Tang Clan.
「That one is familiar to me as well, my lord. When he failed to stir up bad sentiment against the Tang Clan, he approached the Eight Sages of the Rear Cave afterward.」
"The Eight Sages of the Rear Cave?"
「Yes. He seemed particularly thick with a fellow named Gongson Beom.」
"You're talking about the Flying Fox?"
「Precisely.」
I remembered the Flying Fox too.
A sleazy-looking guy, but with a pretty solid presence, as I recalled.
He was one of the few who'd read my qi.
「That Gongson Beom seemed more interested in the spoils than anything, focusing on forming private factions at the banquets. And the teaching scholar was the one he discussed it most with.」
"Ah! And I hear the last person the teaching scholar bid farewell to before leaving was the Flying Fox."
Ilno chimed in midway.
My gaze turned to him.
"Is that so?"
Something smelled off.
A foul stench...
"Will the Flying Fox be joining this trip to Tang Headquarters, by any chance?"
"Yes, that's my understanding."
Many of the notables gathered at the Nine Dragons Branch Family were set to travel to Tang Headquarters alongside the Dark Lord.
To prepare for the new Stormwind Corps qualification exams.
The main exams were still months away at least, but they believed arriving early to scout the area and exam details would let them advise their sect's participants.
If the Flying Fox was among them and had some prior connection with the teaching scholar, it wouldn't be strange if they were plotting something.
"Onma, keep eyes on the Flying Fox until we reach Tang Headquarters."
「Understood!」
"Ilno, check if there's anyone else the Flying Fox or teaching scholar met with frequently in common. This concerns me personally—don't let the branch family folks catch on."
"I'll see to it."
Ilno's eyes darkened deeply.
The peaceful gaze he'd worn as White Hall steward shifted back to that of a demon after so long.
I turned my eyes to the window.
The first plan had succeeded without a hitch, but much remained unclear.
* * *
Nine Dragons Great Battle.
That was the name the martial world's gossips had slapped on the clash between the Sichuan Tang Clan and the Demonic Horse North Sea Sect.
"What's this 'Great Battle' crap? Humans are so damn bad at naming things, tsk tsk! Should've been at least Tang Clan Victory War or Stormwind Revival Battle or something!"
"...Hey. Don't say that shit anywhere else. It's embarrassing. Ugh, you reek of old man."
"Hey! What's wrong with my naming sense!"
"You really asking?"
The Nine Dragons Branch Family retainers mostly cringed at the childish name, but Sichuan's martial world was already abuzz with the results of the Nine Dragons Great Battle.
"The Dark Lord severed the North Sea Sect Master's dog head!"
"He's the true supreme of Sichuan martial arts! No, the supreme of the entire martial world! How many in recent times have felled a Heavenly Demon Divine Cult sect master single-handedly? None, I say!"
"The Demonic Cult is reviving! They're eyeing the Central Plains again! Now more than ever, we must unite tightly around the Dark Lord!"
"We need a new Martial Alliance centered on the western regions!!"
"The old Stormwind Corps crushed the North Sea Sect's vanguard! And the Dark Lord has announced a new Stormwind Corps!"
"Righteous experts of the martial world! Young prodigies! To the Tang Clan!"
"Let's become the arrows that shatter the Demonic Cult's blades!!"
The Nine Dragons Branch Family was swamped with inquiries about how to apply for the new Stormwind Corps exams.
Hot-blooded warriors crossed their threshold by the handful every day.
Rumors swirled of like-minded fighters banding together here and there to head for Tang Headquarters.
Sichuan martial arts was bubbling over with anti-Demonic Cult fervor.
Wherever you went, talk of the Dark Lord, Stormwind Corps, and the Demonic Cult never ceased.
In the midst of it all, a fortnight flew by.
The Nine Dragons Branch Family faced even busier days than preparing for the Dark Lord's visit.
They had to handle inquiries and see off departing guests.
Preparations were also underway for the large procession to Tang Headquarters.
I was swamped too.
No longer just the Nine Dragons Branch Family heir, Dang Unhwi was now the master of the old Stormwind Corps, deputy leader of the Lion Gate Sect, and a notable known as the Half-Demon Revival.
I had to tail the Flying Fox and teaching scholar, so when the hell was I supposed to...
I needed to revisit the Ten Great Demon Flow, fully master the third stage of the Heavenly Demon Tiger Heart Art, and...
So much to do!!
But no one would hear my screams.
If I didn't catch flak instead, I'd count myself lucky.
"Having a hard time, are we? Yeah right. Want to come clock in at Windflower Pavilion starting tomorrow?"
"...Sorry."
I started to protest, then spotted Dang Gon staggering under a towering stack of documents far taller than himself and bowed my head quick.
Dark circles hollowed Dang Gon's eyes.
A ghastlier sight than the North Sea Sect Master's revived corpse.
Did he survive with the Soul Revival Ice Emperor Method or what?
His crown seemed noticeably thinner these past few days too.
Already sparse to begin with—how'd it get like that...
"Watch where you look, huh? Want me to swap your eyeballs for hidden weapons?"
"Uncle, there's something I've been dying to know forever."
"Keep your curiosity to yourself. I'm not curi—"
"I heard there's this place called the Myriad Poisons Hall at Tang Headquarters? Where they study every poison and medicine in the world."
"Not curious, you bastard!!"
"Rumor has it even guys like the Reincarnated Medicine Sage and Death-Life Divine worked there? So why can't they make just one medicine?"
"This guy's ignoring me again!"
"If they made a baldness cure, they'd rake in all the world's money—why haven't they yet—"
"Shut it!!"
Dang Gon finally snapped, hurling hidden weapons to replace my eyes and cracking his whip.
His roar shook Windflower Pavilion, followed by Gui Jegal and the staff's assorted screams.
"Stop! Cut it out!"
"My sorted files collapsed, you idiot!"
"Aaaah! My tower! My documents! My month's overtime!!"
Whew! Dodged a bullet.
If I'd gotten caught there, my scalp would've been shiny too. Glad I kept my hair.
Windflower Pavilion must be laced with insidious poisons so subtle even Tang clansmen wouldn't notice.
How else could everyone there end up so gaunt and bald?
Dang Gon only turned out like that after Gui Jegal yelled at him to help if he had nothing to do, so the longtime retainers who've slaved there... Ugh! Too tragic—enough of that.
Silver lining: my birth father in this body, Dang Ho-san, had a lush head of hair.
No way to check the maternal side, but with this density, no worries.
So I'd never have to fret like Dang Gon. Heh heh heh!
「Huh? Baldness is hereditary, you know. If you're checking, look at Dang Ho-san's parents, not him—」
「Shh! Quiet! Don't give the young lord needless worries!」
「Whoops! Almost made a huge mistake!」
「By the way, something I've wondered forever.」
「?」
「Isn't balding mostly from scalp inflammation weakening the follicles?」
「Hair loss has many causes, but yeah, that's a big one. Why?」
「But sorcery works the upper dantian, right? Means heavy brain use... So, scalp inflammation... should be... fine...?」
「...Huh?」
「!?」
「Come to think, the Black Bone Death King was already bald—」
「Y-You! Never breathe that word, not even in your sleep! The young lord hears and we're done for!!」
Lost in thought for a moment, I hadn't caught the spirits' chatter properly.
「No, my lord! Absolutely! We said nothing at all!」
「Indeed! We forever support the young lord's scalp!!」
"??"
Felt kinda iffy, but I didn't pry.
Too many other things on my mind right now.
So I returned to the White Hall, cleared the remaining backlog, and a few more days passed.
And then.
The time came to head to Tang Headquarters, the main home of the Sichuan Tang Clan.