Chapter 174
Chapter 174
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 174
Chapter Title: Why Are You Coming Out From There?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Plop!
The moment the Sword Emperor of Longing's head hit the floor, my mind snapped back to clarity.
A flurry of stray thoughts and ideas resurfaced in my head.
As my state of selflessness shattered, the surroundings came into focus one by one.
The Sword Emperor of Longing's headless body stood rigidly like a statue.
Covered in wounds.
As if furious at me.
‘…I pulled off Sword Unity Wave Barrier Strike.’
A hollow laugh escaped me.
In truth, the third form of the Heavenly Demon's Nine Swords was something I’d planned to learn after deepening my mastery of the Mara Heavenly Sword Forms and the Ten Battles Divine Demon Style just a bit more.
I’d only just comprehended Sword and Man United, starting to grasp what the ‘sword’ truly was bit by bit. I’d been worried that adding something else prematurely might disrupt the sword theory I was barely building.
But after merging with pure demonic energy and becoming one with all things, the Heavenly Demon's Nine Swords began to ‘unfold’ naturally in my understanding.
The characteristics of each of the nine sword arts that comprised it.
Their strengths and weaknesses, the best ways to assemble them accordingly, and the attributes they gained from different assembly methods, and so on.
My understanding of the linking rings between the nine sword arts solidified firmly.
That was precisely why the Sword Unity Wave Barrier Strike had manifested.
It was the sword art with the best synergy when combining the Mara Heavenly Sword Forms and the Ten Battles Divine Demon Style, and the most effective for slaying the Sword Emperor of Longing in the current situation.
And now that selflessness had broken. An afterimage—or an echo—of my understanding of the Sword Unity Wave Barrier Strike lingered.
It was fading quickly, like a dream, but it had imprinted intensely on my body and soul. With steady consolidation, I could achieve rapid mastery.
‘…That’ll elevate my attainment in the Mara Heavenly Sword Forms and Ten Battles Divine Demon Style even further.’
“Hoo—”
I regulated my breathing at length, finally calming my turbulent dantian.
The Sword Emperor of Longing's energy that had been tormenting my meridians had also vanished cleanly at some point.
It seemed the pure demonic energy had devoured it. A relief.
I approached the Sword Emperor of Longing's corpse, still standing blankly, and rummaged through his bosom.
Fortunately, as expected, there were two worn-out manuals inside.
—Strange Dragon Great Nine Forms
—Thunder-Chasing Dragon-Slaying Sword
Both derived from the martial arts that once symbolized the old Kunlun Sect.
I had no intention of learning them.
But the essence of a thousand-year martial heritage would provide me with new perspectives, making them a great help.
「These could be of use to the Three Elders of Kunlun as well. They mentioned before devoting themselves to the Demonic Path that they hailed from an outer sect of Kunlun—」
I tucked the two manuals securely into my bosom and approached the Great Power Divine Demon.
Rrrumble…!
Chained in frozen iron shackles, the Great Power Divine Demon could only roll his eyes frantically.
His terror-filled eyes seemed to scream.
Spare me. Whatever orders you give, I’ll follow with utmost loyalty.
I smiled faintly.
Was my reaction unexpected?
A flicker of hope glimmered in the Great Power Divine Demon's eyes. He forced a grin.
Boom!
I lightly placed my hand on the iron chains.
With my Crushing Palm, the sound of his heart bursting rang out.
His eyes, filled with shock, stared at me for a long while before losing focus.
“Ugh, uwaaa…! Aaaahhh!”
Just then, I heard Namgung Oh fleeing in panic.
Watching him clutch his empty right shoulder as he ran drew a hollow laugh from me.
Trapped in the Violet Nether Net, running was pointless, the fool.
I flicked my finger in his direction.
* * *
The Bloodsworn Trio and I finished preparing to head outside.
But then.
“…You’re really going out like that?”
Dang Gyujin blocked me with a look of utter disbelief.
“Yes. Is there some problem?”
“A problem…? You’re saying that after looking at yourself?”
“?”
I tilted my head.
Why?
Wondering if I’d missed something, I checked my appearance again.
The torn martial robes and bloodstains were proof and traces of fierce battle—better to leave them as is.
In my left hand, I gripped Namgung Oh’s nape, his acupoint sealed, eyes barely rolling.
In my right, at the end of a long pole, the heads of the Sword Emperor of Longing and three other demon heads dangled prettily—intact skulls and all.
Each frozen in shock or tongue lolling out—quite the sight.
Was there a surer way to proclaim my monumental feat to the world?
I’d once carried a White Bone Net Sect leader’s head like this, only to get mysteriously reprimanded by Dang Gon. Now, at last, I could fulfill that dream.
In short, nothing wrong with my look anywhere.
So I stared blankly at Dang Gyujin.
“…….”
“…….”
“?”
“……?”
“??”
“…You really have no self-awareness, do you?”
“???”
Dang Gyujin sighed as if the ground might cave in.
Utterly baffled, I turned to Yu Sumin and Sama Seon-ui.
But their reactions differed sharply from Dang Gyujin’s.
Yu Sumin slapped her thigh, bursting into laughter.
“What’s wrong, sister! You look majestic and splendid! Tangma Demon-Slayer, Righteous Wanderer of Revival Evil-Bane! Doesn’t it sound great? Say you felled the Sword Emperor of Longing, and it’ll cause a uproar. Great promo for drawing crowds to the Revival Evil-Bane branch too, right?”
Dang Gyujin pressed her temple with her index finger.
“Sumin, you know? Sometimes when I look at you quietly, you seem the meanest.”
“Hey! I’m your disciple in name, aren’t I? Besides, you being from the Tang Clan makes it a bit—”
“You think good words will come out for egging this on instead of stopping it?”
“I really think it’s great? The head branch even encourages righteous acts of slaying demons on the road.”
“…That’s only for relief efforts among the common folk. Not to intimidate like that.”
Dang Gyujin seemed only more frustrated arguing with the still-grinning Yu Sumin.
She glanced at Sama Seon-ui, pleading for backup with her eyes.
But Sama Seon-ui was eyeing my pole with sparkling eyes.
“So cool!”
Finally, someone appreciated my aesthetic.
“Heh. Exactly, right?”
“Yes. Why didn’t I think of this sooner? It effectively shows demons are dead and no longer a threat, and warns the others too!”
“Right? As expected of Sama, you grasp my profound intent.”
See? Yu Sumin and Sama Seon-ui both approve.
I wasn’t the problem. The Tang Clan folk (Dang Gon, Dang Gyujin) had warped tastes.
That’s why they say holing up in a back room isn’t good—you need some outside life.
Look at the Tang Clan. Cooped up in narrow Tang workshops hammering away like mad, or drooling over poison like perverts—
“Both of you, shut it! Hurry and take those down! You want to spread rumors of South Palace Clan showing up at the Tang workshops far and wide?”
…Well, true—that’d just brew bad vibes for the fledgling Tang Clan.
I clicked my tongue and wrapped the heads in cloth. Sama Seon-ui looked disappointed.
Dang Gyujin glanced at us with a hollow laugh, but.
“Then let’s head back.”
Yu Sumin raised her Demon-Exorcising Sword high, pouring in magic power.
Still thinking the illusions here were South Palace Clan’s work, trying to shatter them.
I feigned their collapse under the magic while dispelling the Violet Nether Net.
Reality emerged.
A thick stench of soot stung my nose over the collapsed stables.
Pop, paaat—
We headed straight to the inner compound.
* * *
‘How’s Gong Son-beom doing?’
Glancing at the sky, I sent a mental message, and soon a reply came from Onma.
「Young Leader! I heard you endured a grueling battle with the wraiths! Give but the word, and this lowly one will fly to Anhui where the South Palace Clan is and give those bastards a thrashing—」
‘Don’t even think it. Just answer properly. What’s Gong Son-beom up to?’
「…Doubting this lowly one’s loyalty tears my heart into a thousand—nay, ten thousand—shards—」
‘…….’
「…R-reporting at once! The criminal Gong Son-beom, after sending out a massive flock of messenger birds, infiltrated the inner compound and hasn’t shown himself outside at all!!」
I narrowed my eyes.
‘Infiltrated the inner compound?’
「Yes.」
‘Are there other spies there too?’
「Couldn’t confirm that far. He hasn’t emerged at all—」
‘Which hall did he enter?’
「Poison Mist Hall.」
Poison Mist Hall was one of the clan head’s direct key institutions.
Given Gong Son-beom’s personality so far, if his contact was exposed, he might’ve met a Tang workshop acquaintance for an alibi.
But I couldn’t rule out a South Palace Clan plant in Poison Mist Hall entirely, so leaving it be wasn’t an option.
‘And suspicion lingers that Dark Venerable still doesn’t know about this.’
The guy who used himself as bait to assassinate the North Sea Sect Lord. No surprise if he was pulling some fool scheme to cut off the South Palace Clan’s lifeline.
‘Keep watching.’
「Understood.」
By then, we’d arrived at the clan head’s quarters.
The guard warriors blocked the way.
“What business brings you here?”
“We seek an audience with the clan head.”
“The clan head has other matters this afternoon. Unless you had a prior separate appoint—”
Mid-sentence, the guard snapped his head up. As if receiving a mental command from somewhere.
His face hardened, and he stepped back.
“…The clan head will see you four personally. Enter.”
At that moment, the main gate of the clan head’s quarters creaked open on its own.
Creak!
I tensed up unwittingly.
No energy was detectable, yet an aura hard to approach emanated.
The Bloodsworn Trio seemed to sense it too, their tension evident.
Acupoint-sealed Namgung Oh had gone pale, mouthing silent screams of ‘Mmph, mmph!’
We four crossed the long corridor to the clan head’s chamber.
“Hm? I wondered who it was—it’s Hwi. What brings you here suddenly?”
Inside, Dang Ryong had paused a grave talk with Dark Venerable and now stared wide-eyed at us.
I wondered if this guy should be here, but seeing Dark Venerable at the desk grinning amiably, it seemed fine.
Instead of answering, I tossed Namgung Oh to the floor.
Dang Ryong tilted his head.
“Who’s this beggar-looking—”
“Direct blood kin of the South Palace Clan. Found him in the outer stables.”
“!”
In that instant, all emotion drained from Dang Ryong’s affable face. Like a doll.
Now I got it.
That was Dang Ryong’s true face.
His gaze on Namgung Oh was icy cold.
Seething with enmity toward one daring to defile his land.
“Let’s finish our talk later. Step out for a bit.”
Then Dark Venerable spoke for the first time from behind.
Dang Ryong glanced between Namgung Oh and Dark Venerable, face full of unspoken words, then nodded heavily.
“…Yes. I’ll return around dinner time, Grandfather.”
Whoosh!
Only after Dang Ryong’s presence fully vanished did Dark Venerable speak again. He was still smiling.
“This won’t be the last one, will it?”
As expected.
This inscrutable sly old fox knew everything.
I muttered curses inwardly and showed him the cloth bundle in my right hand.
“Here they are.”
“Bring it here.”
Dark Venerable pulled the bundle through the air with Telekinetic Grasp and unfurled it wide.
“Pwahaha! Packaged so prettily. Sword Emperor of Longing, this fool crawled in to catch me but couldn’t even graze my robes before croaking. Tsk tsk. That’s what you get for harboring malice day to day.”
The old man dubbed the realm’s top schemer lecturing on malice. Truly the end times.
The Bloodsworn Trio, stunned that Dark Venerable had known of the South Palace Clan all along, worked their lips soundlessly for a while.
I let out a light sigh and asked.
“When exactly did you know?”
Dark Venerable’s impish smile deepened.
“When do you think?”
“…From the start.”
“Got a busybody friend who always brings me fun news as my eyes and ears. Let me introduce.”
No sooner had Dark Venerable finished than a figure dropped down beside him.
Incredibly stealthy footwork. Even my sharp senses barely caught it.
But that face… strangely familiar. I was dumbfounded.
Gong Son-beom, why are you coming out from there?