Signs of Collapse (1)
Five days later.
“Really...”
Hwang Seok-tae furrowed his brow.
“It’s brutal.”
The road leading into Sichuan Province was nothing short of murderous.
Of course, for masters confident in their movement techniques, it was merely a somewhat challenging path. In fact, there wasn’t a single person in the group lacking in lightness skill.
Kang Liang shrugged.
“Didn’t you know? That entering Sichuan is difficult?”
Hwang Seok-tae glanced at him and spoke in a stiff voice.
“I knew.”
He had even crossed into Sichuan several times during his jianghu travels. It wasn’t the same path as now, but Sichuan was a difficult place no matter where you entered from.
The reason Hwang Seok-tae was frowning again was something else. As expected, advancing will be difficult. Other units might be different, but it seemed the Iron Cavalry Unit would take quite a long time to enter Sichuan.
In reality, to quickly advance from the Central Plains to Sichuan Province, one had no choice but to pass through Hanzhong or go up the Yangtze River.
Otherwise, they would have to take the plank roads. The time it took was one thing, but the danger was beyond imagination. For a small force it might be manageable, but a large army advancing would literally be staking their lives.
Don’t martial artists ignore terrain?
Unless one could fly through the sky, dangerous terrain was equally dangerous for both ordinary people and martial artists. There was only a slight difference in how safely they could traverse it.
Only a group like theirs—composed of the highest-level experts classified as top-tier even in the Central Plains—were almost unaffected by the terrain.
Even so, they had crossed several rugged mountains. Entering this region was different in many ways from entering others.
Whoooosh.
It was the season when autumn was giving way to winter. The blowing wind was quite cold.
Standing on a cliff-like ledge and looking down at Sichuan Province’s vast basin, Yeon Hojeong’s eyes sank deeply. The humidity is quite high.
Sichuan’s enormous basin was sunken inward. Surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges of incredible height, it offered tremendous advantages for city defense.
Moreover, due to the basin’s nature, clouds and fog were frequent. Sunlight was naturally scarce, so clear days like today when the view opened up fully were rare. The wind, huh.
Strong gusts swirled wildly, flapping the group’s clothes in every direction.
Facing that wind, Yeon Hojeong felt his senses growing sharper by the moment. Strange.
From here to the city where the Tang Family resided would take at least another three days.
If they ran with everything they had, that time could be drastically reduced, but now they needed to focus on preserving their stamina. The reason was simple: they had no idea what might happen in Sichuan Province. The important thing is the atmosphere. Especially, I need to grasp what the atmosphere is like near the capital city.
The Tang Family tightly controlled most of Sichuan Province with the capital at its center.
In other words, the atmosphere of the capital largely reflected the Tang Family’s own atmosphere. From now on, we absolutely will not move hastily.
There was another reason Yeon Hojeong had decided against rushing, besides the unknown situation. It feels stuffy.
Uwoong. Uwoooong.
The Yeon Family Divine Elixir repeatedly spun and halted, radiating uneasy true energy. It’s murky killing intent.
To be precise, he wasn’t even sure if it was killing intent.
He had simply felt something unpleasant in the wind sweeping up from the Sichuan basin. It was extremely faint, but it was there.
And at the center of this unpleasant atmosphere, there was a high probability that vile killing intent lurked.
“The atmosphere feels strange,” Kang Liang said.
Yeon Hojeong looked to his side.
Kang Liang frowned.
“The sun is shining brightly, but there are lots of clouds over there… Is it just my imagination?”
Yeon Hojeong asked.
“What about the atmosphere?”
“I don’t know. Should I say it feels gloomy? Or maybe it’s because the road here was so tough. The humidity is pretty high too.”
Pae Yul tossed out in an indifferent voice.
“A young punk complaining about just this much? How are you going to handle anything?”
“Isn’t it tiring even when you’re young? And consider the difference between your martial arts and mine, senior. Why do you keep picking on me?”
“I’m telling you to stop the nonsense. Gloomy my ass—the air’s perfectly fine.”
“Looks like you’ve gotten old, senior.”
“Your rudeness is getting worse by the day, isn’t it?”
“I was famous in my neighborhood for having no manners. My parents spoiled me rotten.”
His verbal sparring skills were improving by leaps and bounds.
Pae Yul chuckled and asked Yeon Hojeong.
“What’ll you do? Rest a bit before we go?”
Yeon Hojeong silently looked at Kang Liang.
Kang Liang blinked.
“Why are you looking at me? Something on my face?”
Yeon Hojeong shrugged.
“Just that you look especially ugly today.”
Kang Liang’s face crumpled. On the other hand, a strange sense of satisfaction flashed across Pae Yul’s face.
Yeon Hojeong spoke calmly.
“We’ve already camped out for several days. No need to do it again today. If we push for another two hours, we should reach some decent inns. Let’s endure just a little longer.”
During his days as the Black Dark Emperor, there wasn’t a single region he hadn’t visited. He had come and gone from Sichuan Province multiple times due to its regional characteristics.
“Let’s go.”
Paang!
The moment Yeon Hojeong shot forward, the entire group quickly followed.
Their light body techniques remained perfectly steady even as they descended the brutally steep mountain path. Everyone was quite tired, but their postures didn’t falter from this level of exertion.
Yeon Hojeong read and confirmed each member’s condition one by one.
This was a dangerous mission. They had faced many difficult tasks before, but this time it was a battlefield where a single slip could cost them their lives.
It would be good if everything passed smoothly without incident, but the unpleasant smell the air carried suggested the odds were low. Still…
Yeon Hojeong glanced at Kang Liang running beside him. This guy’s senses were this sharp?
Even Pae Yul and Hwang Seok-tae—who had broken through the Limitless Wall and were acknowledged as having established their own realms—had failed to sense the ominous feeling riding the wind.
That was only natural. Their martial prowess was far below Yeon Hojeong’s. Their true energy and enlightenment couldn’t even be compared. It wasn’t strange that they couldn’t feel what he felt.
That was why Kang Liang’s senses stood out even more.
A gloomy atmosphere? It couldn’t possibly be mere imagination. He might think so, but to Yeon Hojeong, Kang Liang was an extremely sensitive individual.
With martial arts lower than even Pae Yul and Hwang Seok-tae, Kang Liang had sensed nearly the same ominous feeling that only Yeon Hojeong had detected. As expected.
Yeon Hojeong looked forward again.
Though his gaze returned to the path ahead, his thoughts remained on Kang Liang. It was the same in the past.
The Iron Blood Sword King, one of the Five Divine Generals who were the strongest experts of the Black Emperor Castle.
Though the youngest among the Five Divine Generals, his martial prowess had been more than enough to deserve the title.
Especially, Kang Liang had been called the incarnation of the sword for his profound enlightenment. His sword intent alone had been evaluated as surpassing even the current greatest swordsman under heaven, the Sword God Moyong Gun.
Enlightenment was directly connected to the expansion of one’s cognitive domain. Kang Liang, who possessed the highest enlightenment, was the owner of super senses that could see what others could not see and hear what others could not hear.
That extremely sensitive perception of his was beginning to bloom little by little now, as he stood before the Limitless Wall.
“Kang Liang.”
“Yes?”
Yeon Hojeong spoke while running, his face indifferent.
“Stop playing around and hurry up and ascend.”
“What do you mean?”
Yeon Hojeong said nothing more.
Kang Liang grumbled quietly.
“That really is a terrible habit. Hyung-nim’s way of speaking needs serious reform.”
Despite his words, Kang Liang was seriously pondering what Yeon Hojeong had said. At some point, he had grown accustomed to his hyung-nim’s peculiar speech patterns. Hurry up and ascend?
Kang Liang looked at Yeon Hojeong’s profile.
It was an indifferent face that felt chilling compared to usual. His expression revealed just how seriously he was taking this matter. Play moderately and ascend…
Kang Liang gripped his sword hilt. I want that too, hyung-nim.
Just like that desire, he needed to change now.
Yeon Hojeong had never once rushed him. Especially when it came to martial arts. He had mostly heard warnings not to be greedy and try to grow too quickly.
Yet now that same Yeon Hojeong was telling him to ascend.
To the realm that broke through human limits.
Shiver!
Kang Liang unconsciously rubbed his forearm.
Yeon Hojeong’s words weren’t simply scolding him for being slow. He’s acknowledging me.
At last. Finally.
Yeon Hojeong, who had always treated him as a younger brother, was now facing him as an equal.
As a comrade-in-arms.
I’ve received recognition from this monster.
His heart pounded. The excitement was so intense his nape burned red.
Kang Liang opened his mouth.
“Hyung-nim.”
“Speak.”
“Hyung-nim, you really have a talent for toying with people.”
“Stop the nonsense and manage your stamina properly.”
“Yes, yes. Who would dare disobey you?”
“You’ll get beaten.”
“I don’t have that kind of hobby. Please coax me gently.”
Kang Liang’s face was flushed bright red as he spoke.
Yeon Hojeong chuckled.
Pae Yul, listening to their conversation from behind, grumbled to himself. Horrible bastards. They might even run holding hands at this rate. Are all the kids these days like this?
Two hours later, the group entered a rather lively inn in a bustling city.
* * *
Your brother is returning to the family with Yang-seon.
— From the Martial Alliance
“Hmm.”
Dang Ho’s eyes deepened as he read the letter.
Dang Yang-seon asked.
“What is it, Father?”
“......”
“Did something happen in the Martial Alliance?”
Dang Ho folded the letter and said.
“It seems your uncle is returning to the family with Yang-seon.”
“......!”
Dang Yang-seon’s face crumpled.
“Surely not Yang-seon?”
Dang Ho shook his head.
“Yang-seon is arrogant and lacks caution. However, his respect for his father is genuine. Moreover, didn’t you see it yourself? Yang-seon is also capable of growth.”
“That may be true, but……”
Dang Yang-seon did not like Dang Yang-seon. To be exact, he did not trust him.
Though they were cousins, to him Dang Yang-seon was an object of jealousy and hatred.
Simply because he was the family head’s son, that talentless bastard was aiming for the position of successor.
That much he could overlook, but the problem was himself. Having the previous family head’s son as his own father—just like Dang Yang-seon—meant he had no opportunity to become the master of the Tang Clan.
If Dang Yang-seon’s talent and character had been outstanding enough for everyone to acknowledge, he might have recognized him even while hating him.
But Dang Yang-seon was so ruined that he could not even be compared to his own father or grandfather.
“If it’s not because of Yang-seon, then why is Uncle coming?”
“How could I know your uncle’s heart? However, with the Martial Alliance in a half-sealed state, he probably intends to stop by and see how the family is running.”
“Is that truly the reason?”
Of course not.
Dang Ho did not reveal his true thoughts in front of his son. Not because he distrusted him, but because it didn’t seem like something he should say to him.
“What about the Elder Council?”
“They report that they are approaching cautiously. The remaining elders are so hardline……”
“I see.”
Dang Ho estimated the time until Dang Gwan’s arrival.
A moment later.
“We must completely seize control of the Elder Council within three days. And……”
Dang Ho’s eyes turned toward the window.
For an instant, a subtle fear flickered in his pupils.
“It seems it is time to see Father.”