Chapter 162
Chapter 162
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 162
Chapter Title: Fox Hunt
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“…….”
“…….”
Yi Cheolsan stared at me silently.
His eyes suggested he had a lot to say.
I met his gaze with a light smile.
I didn’t respond.
I’d already said everything I wanted to.
If there was more to say, it would come from him.
I was even prepared for our paths to diverge if our views clashed here.
I’d long sensed that our roads might differ.
“You two—”
The three women watched us in silence until Dang Gyujin stepped forward to mediate.
But before she could, Yi Cheolsan spoke again.
“Do you even know what you’re saying, Dang Je?”
“Yes. I do.”
“No. You don’t. Those words don’t mean standing in the martial world through righteousness and alliances. They mean dominating it through hegemony and force. Completely different meanings.”
“No. I know. That’s exactly why I said it.”
“…What?”
“I told you, didn’t I? This is the Tang Clan, and before that, the martial world. I’m just following its laws. What’s wrong with that?”
“Dang Je!”
“No matter how you dress it up, the essence of the martial world is martial prowess. You need strength to avoid contempt. You won’t be ignored or oppressed. You can right all wrongs and quell chaos. Isn’t that right?”
“!”
“The Tang Clan’s moniker is West Tyrant. It means walking the path of hegemony. And the Tang Clan’s precept is karma—cause and effect. The founder left it as a reminder that all things are connected, so repay kindness with kindness and grudges with grudges.”
Having lost my followers and sect once already, and still searching for my missing master, I knew full well how vital strength was.
No matter the lofty words, the martial world weeded out the weak.
In the end, strength was the only way to protect myself, my people, and my sect.
That was why the Tang Clan’s precept resonated so deeply with me.
“I agree that we need force. I’m just a wandering swordsman myself, after all. But unchecked hegemony will only devastate the world and breed chaos. It invites turbulent times. That’s why we need righteousness and alliances.”
Yi Cheolsan had a point.
The path I intended to walk might well be the root of this world’s chaos.
No—almost certainly.
The road I chose was anything but smooth.
And someday, he might stand blocking it right in the middle.
Our parallel views would likely never align in our lifetimes.
Yet despite that mindset, I liked Yi Cheolsan as a person.
At the very least, he wasn’t narrow-minded.
“In the end, the key to our strategy is justification and public opinion, right?”
I softened my expression and chuckled, shifting the topic.
Yi Cheolsan let out a hollow laugh.
As if he had no choice.
“…What scheme are you cooking up now, Dang Je?”
“We might have to stand back-to-back someday. Can’t have knives in the back instead, right?”
I winked at him.
As he’d said, pure hegemony and force had limits.
People’s hearts weren’t that simple. Push too hard, and plenty bounced back like rebellious brats.
This was one area where I could learn from the orthodox sects.
“If we secure the justification, would you join us then?”
Yi Cheolsan shook his head helplessly, then nodded.
“Let’s hear it.”
“So—”
I laid out my prepared plan slowly, and disbelief flickered across the four faces.
Really? That would work?
But I smiled confidently.
It was time to hunt the fox.
* * *
“…You really think this will work?”
Yi Cheolsan eyed me skeptically.
This stubborn guy really doesn’t trust people.
“Just trust me, okay? Have I ever steered you wrong?”
“…I’ve heard from the Nine Dragons Branch Leader and the Chief Instructor that your ‘solutions’ are always too extreme.”
When did he get chummy with those two old men?
Classic case of biased reporting.
Where else would you find someone as pure and innocent as me, with a heart as clean as a newborn’s?
I never lied.
Well, maybe a tiny bit of deception or white lies.
「That statement right now is blatant deception… Kuek!」
I swatted away the babbling wraith and blinked at them with my most trustworthy face.
Blink blink!
“…….”
Suddenly, Yi Cheolsan averted his eyes.
Hah! Eyes are the windows to the soul. He must have glimpsed my pure heart and felt ashamed of his doubts.
「More like he’s dodging your murky gaze before his suspicions deepen… Kueeeek!」
I stomped the nonsense-spouting wraith and clapped loudly to change the mood.
“Come on, let’s hurry! We need to catch the examinees and Tang clansmen while they’re all out! It won’t work if they’ve gone inside!”
The other three women looked dubious but had no better option, so they followed my lead.
We five were dressed not in casual training robes, but neat uniforms.
To anyone watching, we looked like juniors politely visiting their elders.
More people had gathered outside than before.
Disgruntled examinees upset over dorm assignments, Tang clansmen come to gawk, martial artists, even locals from the city.
All eyes turned our way.
“Whoa, who’s that?”
“Th-the Azure Purity Sword Saint, Little Life Half-Demon, Thousand Leaf Sage, Pure Moon Fairy, White Sword Orchid… What are all these big shots doing together?”
The first to spot us were the examinees we’d traveled with.
“N-no way, war!?”
“You idiot! Can’t you tell from their clothes? Do they look like they’re heading to battle!?”
“That’s why I’m asking!”
“Use your brain! They’re going to ‘apologize’!”
“Huh? Apologize!? The Half-Demon crew?”
“They’re outnumbered, right? Public opinion’s against them too. They must figure it’s too risky to proceed with the real tests like this.”
“Even so! The Half-Demon crew from prestigious sects, bowing to some no-name riffraff—”
Murmurs rose.
Indeed.
To anyone watching, we were clearly heading to apologize to Gonghon Beom and his group.
Mocking laughter soon followed.
Even prestigious sect disciples bend to numbers—nothing special.
Some openly sneered that Mount Gale Squad entry required such humiliation from the famed sects.
Yi Cheolsan said nothing more. His stern face made him look truly committed to apologizing to Gonghon Beom.
Yoo Sumin bit her lip to suppress a smirk at the chance to strike back at those bastards, while Sima Seon kept her blank expression.
Dang Gyujin, though, was different.
She was smiling, but… it didn’t feel like a smile? Like harsh reality had hit her hard.
“Whew.”
“Yes, Sister.”
“As I said, I’ll be your sword.”
“?”
“But if you don’t use me right… you know.”
She meant that after embarrassing everyone like this, failure to wrap it up properly would mean hell to pay.
That was when it happened.
“What is the meaning of this, Great Hero?”
A familiar-faced warrior blocked our path.
Behind him stood five or six with grim determination.
All disciples or sons from prestigious sects in the Half-Demon crew.
Yi Cheolsan, our group’s leader (on my orders, of course), let out a heavy sigh with a somber face.
“Song Great Hero.”
“Why are you, the great disciple of the Azure Purity World Wanderer, in such a state? Why would a hero of your renown bow to lowborn nobodies like them!”
Yi Cheolsan shook his head calmly.
“I’m not bowing.”
“What do you—”
Yi Cheolsan spoke solemnly.
“I’m joining them.”
“!”
“Only by mending the wounds from our past conflict can we all draw closer to the Mount Gale Squad name, don’t you think? I believe Gonghon Great Hero feels the same.”
Yi Cheolsan spoke of grand justice, righteousness, alliances, and chivalry.
「These orthodox fools are spouting exactly the crap they go nuts for! How’s that!!」
「And in the Azure Purity Sword Saint’s voice? His silver tongue’s landing perfectly!」
The stuff that drives the righteous mad with joy.
For the greater good, personal humiliation meant nothing—they’d bow their heads gladly. Tears welled in Song Great Hero’s eyes.
“We didn’t know you had such a grand heart, Sword Saint…! This Song vows to join the Half-Demon crew for the greater good!!”
“Our brothers will follow too!”
“Me too! Count me in!!”
“Who else but us to stand by this great hero’s noble cause!”
Our group swelled.
Eyes blazing—they were top fighters too.
「Kya! Recruiting this many servants with a few words!」
「Do these dumb orthodox idiots know? A good chunk were pre-recruited cheerleaders!」
「Cheerleaders? They’re all ‘volunteers’ inspired by the cause—purely ‘spontaneous’ actions!!」
「Oh, r-right, that’s it?」
「Pump ’em full of that drug near lethal dose, and they’re in heaven.」
「The Sword Saint’s eloquence wasn’t half bad either.」
「Truly, Young Leader’s schemes sit atop these orthodox fools’ heads!!」
Far in the West, there’s a tale of a man piping rats from town.
That was Yi Cheolsan.
Wherever we went, eyes followed.
And those moved by his words joined us.
Even clueless examinees unaware of Half-Demon or riffraff tags tagged along out of curiosity.
Our crowd ballooned to dozens in moments.
All drawn by the famed title of Azure Purity Sword Saint, impossible to ignore for any Sichuan martial artist.
The righteous Sword Saint of justice, grand causes, and alliances, right?
Who could argue?
Plus, names like mine, Dang Gyujin’s, Sima Seon’s, and Yoo Sumin’s carried weight.
Especially mine—skyrocketing from the Nine Dragons Great Battle.
Yoo Sumin from Emei Sect, Sima Seon as heir to a Top Ten Master.
Such figures bowing to lowly warriors for unity and reconciliation?
Who could refuse?
Even if they desperately wanted to, too many eyes watched.
Especially reputation-obsessed types like Gonghon Beom.
“Though branded riffraff, for martial world harmony, I’ll gladly take the bat label!!”
“Our brothers will help too!”
Soon, even riffraff warriors joined.
Public opinion was mine now.
Well, fox? What now?
You tried burying me with your schemes?
Too bad.
Even back as Young Leader, your sect tried and failed repeatedly—nearly disbanded from the backlash.
Same trick burning you now, huh? Spicy?
And I wasn’t stopping here.
Had to snip that fox pup’s last threads to sleep easy.
So sit there like idiots and take it. Heh heh heh.
「His biggest mistake from the start: trying to out-scheme the Young Leader with rabble-rousing and lies—」
「Bury these guys socially, and we’re done with them forever.」
「Feels damn good! Kyaa! Boss! Another bowl of Young Leader dope!!」
By the time we reached Gonghon Beom’s dorm, our core group neared a hundred. Casual followers doubled that.
The warrior guarding the dorm entrance paled.
“Let us see Gonghon Great Hero.”