Chapter 210
Chapter 210
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 210
Chapter Title: Namdo Iron Gate
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The Heavenly Storm Unit arrived at the Heavenly Demon Palace, and the very next day...
Having finished their preparations, they promptly set off from Heavenly Mountain once more.
"Let's get moving."
As Hyeok Mulin took the first step, the unit surrounded him protectively, like an escort.
For this journey, Hyeok Mulin had decided against using a carriage.
He rode in one for official occasions or when transporting goods slowly, but he generally didn't favor traveling by carriage.
Sometimes it just feels too stuffy.
In any case, a horse-drawn carriage couldn't compare to Hyeok Mulin's lightness skill, so there was a world of difference in speed.
Thus, Hyeok Mulin was now freely slicing through the wind, leaping over rugged mountain peaks.
"Division Leader, where's our destination this time?"
The unit members keeping pace near Hyeok Mulin directed their question to Ibija, but all he could do was shake his head.
"I don't know either."
The Cult Leader hadn't informed him of the route.
However, considering he was bringing the entire unit along despite it not being an official mission...
Ibija briefly projected his own personality onto the situation and offered a speculative remark.
"Maybe he's planning some very special training."
"...!"
A chill of dread rippled through the unit members, freezing them in place.
The Division Leader's special training had already weeded out more than half with its brutality—what would the Cult Leader's be like?
"Ugh..."
They clutched their heads, letting out pained groans as horrific visions flashed through their minds.
At that moment, Hyeok Mulin, who had been leading the way, whipped his head back toward them.
He silently gazed at the unit members following him.
Cult Leader?
Does he have something to say?
As they looked up with puzzled eyes, Hyeok Mulin spoke.
"I'm a bit disappointed. I figured traveling through mountains would mean you'd pick up the pace, but is this your best?"
Hyeok Mulin's casual remark scraped at the pride of these men who had spent their lives traversing peaks.
The path had indeed been a series of mountains, just as he said, so they could have gone faster.
But they'd been matching his lightness skill, which left them feeling deeply wronged.
Yet they couldn't dream of explaining themselves to the Cult Leader.
As they stood there with stiff expressions, saying nothing, Hyeok Mulin opened his mouth again.
"You all look awfully aggrieved. Does that mean you can normally move faster than this?"
Song Jwa nodded on behalf of the group.
"Yes, sir."
"Hoo..."
Hyeok Mulin gave them a sidelong glance before nodding slowly.
"Fine. Then I'll give you all one chance."
"What kind of chance... if I may ask?"
As they blinked in confusion at the sudden offer, Hyeok Mulin elaborated.
"The rules are simple. Anyone who catches up to me ends it right then and there. Whoever grabs me gets a gold ingot worth a hundred nyang on the spot."
Catch the Cult Leader.
The unit members were briefly stunned by the bet-like command, but soon their eyes blazed with determination.
Even setting aside the hefty prize of a hundred nyang in gold...
They all took pride in being the fastest when it came to mountains.
They stood no chance against the Cult Leader on flat ground, but in these hills? It was worth a shot.
"Looks like you're all ready."
Confirming their fired-up gazes, Hyeok Mulin turned forward.
"Then let's begin—now."
And with those words...
Boom!
Hyeok Mulin shot forward like a cannon, instantly widening the gap.
Then he continued on leisurely, hands clasped behind his back.
"What?!"
"Ch-chase him!"
The unit members stared dumbstruck for a moment before cranking their speed to the max and charging like arrows.
And so they raced on, and on.
Aside from occasional stops for rest, sleep, and meals, they poured every ounce of effort into catching Hyeok Mulin.
But...
"Huff! Huff!"
"Why... why can't we reach the Cult Leader?!"
Even after days of burning through their entire qi reserves and squeezing out their last dregs of strength, not one had caught up.
What frustrated them most was how he stayed just within sight—close enough to snatch—yet never quite let them close the distance.
Ibija, watching it all, smirked.
The Cult Leader's toying with them.
Hyeok Mulin never pulled far ahead from start to finish.
He simply maintained that tantalizing, just-out-of-reach distance.
That was the hallmark of supreme mastery.
Maxing out speed was easy; fine-tuning it precisely at peak velocity was a feat few in the world could match.
This had been an unwinnable fight from the outset.
But this direction...
Ibija pondered their path over the past few days, then glanced at the bows his men carried and muttered in realization.
"So that's it."
A smile crept across his lips as he pieced together the destination from Hyeok Mulin's route.
With that thought settled, he surged ahead, sticking right behind Hyeok Mulin before speaking up.
"Cult Leader, the men have no chance."
"Don't you trust your subordinates?"
"It's not that I don't trust them—it's that I trust you."
Ibija met Hyeok Mulin's gaze for a moment before making his pitch.
"So how about a match between just you and me instead?"
He couldn't guarantee victory, but he wouldn't go down easy.
Ranged martial artists always needed ways to create distance, so they treated lightness skills like their lifeline.
And this was the mountains—his domain. Worth a try.
But contrary to his bold confidence, Hyeok Mulin looked at him with pity.
"I don't mind, but are you okay embarrassing yourself in front of the unit?"
"I'm fine. I won't go down that easily."
With their intentions exchanged simply, they soon faced forward.
And without a word on who went first...
BOOM!
They both accelerated at once.
On they went, and went, and went some more.
Exactly three hours later...
"...I lose."
Ibija, arriving at the destination, squeezed his eyes shut and conceded defeat.
Hyeok Mulin, waiting leisurely with hands behind his back, nodded in acceptance.
Ibija glanced between his own legs and Hyeok Mulin.
He'd given it his all, hit the speeds he knew he could.
But the Cult Leader had surpassed his wildest expectations.
And that wasn't even his top speed.
Ibija could feel it.
Even against him, the Cult Leader hadn't gone all out.
Yet he'd still lapped him by a massive margin, arriving long ago to wait.
Total defeat.
No excuses possible—a flawless loss.
The Cult Leader's lightness skill was on another plane.
That said, regretting the defeat as a warrior stung, even if the Cult Leader's prowess was expected.
Ibija approached Hyeok Mulin.
"How can I catch up to your speed?"
"Hm..."
Hyeok Mulin pondered briefly, then pointed to his bow.
"Fire an arrow."
Following the order, Ibija swiftly nocked and drew.
Twang!
The arrow whistled through the air, piercing dead center through a fluttering leaf on a massive tree a hundred jang away.
Ibija looked back at Hyeok Mulin, who spoke.
"When your lightness skill outpaces that arrow, you'll put up a decent fight."
"...Pardon?"
Hyeok Mulin turned and walked off, leaving Ibija to let out a hollow laugh.
Run faster than an arrow?
Was that even possible?
His mind tangled in confusion, but it soon resolved into one conclusion.
"Somehow... I bet the Cult Leader could."
Shaking his head with a wry smile, Ibija gave up cleanly.
His mind cleared and lightened, he hurried after Hyeok Mulin.
Just then, the rest of the unit straggled in, gasping for breath.
They gawked at Hyeok Mulin like he was a monster, caught their breath, then looked up.
Their eyes widened at the plaque before them.
"This place...!"
Ibija walked over to the stunned group.
"Yes, the Cult Leader's destination this time is..."
He glanced up at the plaque to finish.
"Namdo Iron Gate."
One of the four sects representing Singang—the Namdo Iron Gate, a pillar of the Demonic Classic Sects.
Hyeok Mulin led the Heavenly Storm Unit straight through the entrance and inward.
Unlike his previous visit, countless martial masters awaited them gathered respectfully at the forefront.
Hyeok Mulin smirked at the markedly warmer reception and approached.
The vice sect leader Tak Segon, at the head, bowed deeply and called out.
"We greet the esteemed Cult Leader!"
"We greet the esteemed Cult Leader!"
The martial masters echoed him, paying homage to Hyeok Mulin.
"..."
But Hyeok Mulin merely scanned them without reply.
Then he spoke in a chilling tone.
"One person's missing."
"That is..."
"Where's the sect leader?"
The most vital figure of Namdo Iron Gate, Sect Leader Gun Dosang, was absent.
Tak Segon answered cautiously to Hyeok Mulin's question.
"Truth be told, the sect leader has been unwell lately and couldn't come out."
"The sect leader's sick again? Do I have to raze the place this time to drag him out?"
"N-no, sir! He's genuinely ill this time!"
As demonic energy gathered in Hyeok Mulin's hand, the martial masters flailed in panic.
They'd lied once before, eroding the Cult Leader's trust, but this was undeniably true.
As they scrambled to explain in detail...
"I see."
Hyeok Mulin slowly dispersed the energy.
In truth, he knew their words rang true.
So why the theatrics?
An era here will soon end...
He shared a solid bond with the current sect leader. But who knew what the others truly thought?
A simple show of force to test and rein them in.
"The sect leader's sick, huh."
After eyeing the group, Hyeok Mulin spotted someone and said,
"It's been a while."
"Yes, I hope you've been well."
The man Hyeok Mulin had noticed—the fifth artisan Shim Hyo, who crafted the scabbard for the Heaven-Splitting Demon Sword.
Pointing at him, Hyeok Mulin issued the order.
"Lead the way."
It was time to meet the truly aged and ailing sect leader.