Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: The Blinded Prodigy of Qingcheng
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Mok Yang-il, who was staring straight ahead, shook his head urgently with wide eyes, sending a silent signal toward him.
However, Yi Bi-ja ignored it completely and charged straight at them.
Yi Bi-ja, who had been fleeing expressionlessly toward them, waved his hand as he drew closer and called out.
"You finally came to help! Over here!"
"What?!"
The six or seven warriors chasing him spotted Hyeok Mulin and Mok Yang-il, and their faces twisted in frowns.
"This bastard was deliberately stalling for time, waiting for his comrades' support!"
"There were no signs of him requesting backup along the way—how in the world...!"
"Don't get rattled. No need to overthink it."
Just as they were panicking, the one who appeared to be their leader spoke firmly.
"Target change. Capture is impossible—kill them all without mercy, not a single one spared."
"Yes, sir!"
Mok Yang-il pressed a hand to his forehead, as if he'd unwittingly gotten tangled up with Yi Bi-ja and become a target himself, turning a headache into reality.
But seeing this, Hyeok Mulin only smirked.
'He dragged their attention to us to survive.'
Now that they'd pegged us as enemies, no half-hearted explanation would convince them otherwise.
A clever man.
Tadak!
Yi Bi-ja, who had been rushing toward them, spun around.
But his legs didn't stop.
He kept backing away while watching the warriors, yet the distance between them didn't close.
It was a speed that could never fall behind even the full sprint of an average warrior.
'What an unusual movement technique.'
With no internal energy to speak of, achieving such motion purely through lower-body springiness—it was a physical prowess worthy of awe.
Without hesitation, Yi Bi-ja nocked five arrows between his fingers and loosed them one by one with minute time differences.
His Three Arrows in One Line appeared as a single arrow from the enemy's perspective, but in truth, several arrows chased each other's tails along the same trajectory.
Tadak!
The first two or three were blocked, but the relentless follow-up pierced one warrior's chest, sending him crumpling to the ground.
"You—what are you doing right now...!"
Yi Bi-ja, now arriving nearby, brushed off Mok Yang-il's words and used him as cover while nocking an arrow.
Gripping dozens of arrows in a bundle, he unleashed Heavenly Star Flying Shot toward the sky.
In an instant, arrows embroidered the heavens like stars, each converging on the foes in a one-point assault.
Thudududududu—
Arrows struck like falling rain.
They scattered left and right in panic to evade, but two warriors who couldn't escape perished on the spot.
And as the approaching warriors attacked with murderous intent, Mok Yang-il had no choice but to join the fray.
Hyeok Mulin glanced at him sidelong, committing his fighting style to memory.
'Finger strikes—no, claw techniques.'
He'd vaguely guessed as much, since he wore no special gear.
Curving his fingers into claws, he targeted vulnerabilities to seize the advantage.
Soon enough, his nails pierced the enemy's throat.
'This one's done.'
Hyeok Mulin's gaze shifted to Yi Bi-ja.
He was locked in close quarters with the warrior who seemed to be their leader.
Yet despite being an archer, he showed no weakness up close.
He lightly deflected the deadly swinging blade with his bow, nocked an arrow right in front of the enemy's face, and fired in one fluid motion.
The sequence was so swift and graceful that the foe had no time to react.
Kwajik!
The enemy's skull shattered before his eyes, brains spilling out.
As the dead warrior toppled, Mok Yang-il wiped the blood from his fingers and said.
"Is that all of them?"
Hyeok Mulin answered.
"One's still left."
He pointed to a single warrior fleeing far off without looking back.
"When the tide turned, he bolted in a different direction."
The enemy who'd been charging at Hyeok Mulin had fled the moment he sensed the worsening odds.
His judgment to run was swift, and now he was out of sight.
"Damn, if he makes it back alive, he'll report us."
Just as Mok Yang-il voiced his concern.
Phewing—
Yi Bi-ja nocked a single arrow and shot it toward the sun.
Moments later, the fleeing man's presence halted in place, then vanished entirely.
"He's dead."
"...!"
Mok Yang-il's pupils dilated at the words.
Hyeok Mulin gazed steadily at Yi Bi-ja.
'Truly remarkable skill.'
Too many obstacles for a straight shot, so he sensed the presence, predicted the path, and arced the arrow skyward.
And that arrow traced a beautiful parabola, striking the target dead center.
Few archers in the world had reached such heights.
At least, none in the cult could compare.
As the Yeongdo Tyrant Alliance warriors lay annihilated and Yi Bi-ja dusted off his clothes, Mok Yang-il approached with furrowed brows.
"What the hell was that? Your reckless stunt nearly got us in trouble."
Mok Yang-il protested the way Yi Bi-ja had deliberately used them as shields to take out the foes.
But Yi Bi-ja replied curtly, as if it were nothing.
"In the end, you're all safe. And with them wiped out, no one will know anyone intervened. No problem, right?"
Hyeok Mulin's lips curved faintly at the brazen response.
In a way, this man was the one best adapted to the Thousand-Year Prison's ecosystem.
When everyone's out for themselves, dragging others in and using them to survive was only natural.
He'd fully adapted here, so he didn't even consider it an issue.
"Hah. What kind of... "
Unlike Hyeok Mulin, Mok Yang-il stared at him in disbelief, prompting Yi Bi-ja to speak again.
"Fine, next time you're in danger, I'll help once. Fair now, isn't it?"
Having neatly settled the matter himself, Yi Bi-ja turned on his heel.
"Things are busy, so I'll be off. See you around."
With that farewell, he left without waiting for a reply.
Mok Yang-il gaped at his retreating figure in astonishment.
"I'd only seen him from afar a few times—I had no idea he was like that. Is that personality why he survives alone?"
Mok Yang-il clicked his tongue, but Hyeok Mulin didn't think poorly of him.
He just figured the man had adapted well to his circumstances.
"Let's get moving again."
After cleaning up traces, Mok Yang-il resumed walking with Hyeok Mulin.
Even as they traveled, spotting signs of recent battles, he said in confusion.
"I know he lives in the western region... No idea why he's in the northeast, getting chased by the Yeongdo Tyrant Alliance. They usually ignore each other's existence."
"No need to dwell. We came out even, and he promised help next time—not a bad outcome."
Mok Yang-il scratched his sideburns.
"Hm. Sounded more like an offhand remark than a real promise."
"Who knows."
Hyeok Mulin had a hunch.
Before leaving this island, he'd cross paths with that archer again.
Tadak, tak.
A few days later, with Mok Yang-il guiding, as they headed north, the surroundings began to change.
The bizarre rocks faded, giving way to diverse plants and trees.
Eventually, they left the sheer cliffs behind and entered a dense jungle.
"This way."
Mok Yang-il, intimately familiar with the island's terrain, navigated by unique rocks and tree shapes.
Spotting a river split in two, he followed the wider upstream branch.
After another day or so, they spotted a striking landmark in the distance.
"We're here."
Amid the thick foliage, colossal azure-green trees, ancient as millennia, thrust their majestic forms skyward.
Each was so enormous that a dozen sturdy men linking hands couldn't encircle one.
Layered like natural ramparts, they formed an impregnable fortress warding off intruders.
Hyeok Mulin let out an admiring sigh at the drifting azure-green leaves.
"What grandeur."
"I can't help but marvel every time. Let's head in."
As they neared the entrance, Hyeok Mulin felt countless wary gazes upon them.
Mok Yang-il stepped forward and greeted the frontline guard amiably.
"Long time no see. You've bulked up nicely since last I saw."
"Mok Gong? Been a while."
Recognizing him, the guard relaxed and chatted casually, as old acquaintances do.
Then he eyed Hyeok Mulin.
"Who's he?"
"New recruit. I'm showing him around, helping him settle in."
"Got it. Reminds me of when you helped me when I first arrived."
After reminiscing briefly, he got to the point.
"So, what brings you here?"
"Need to ask the Vice Leader something. Available now?"
"Vice Leader, huh. Hold on."
He whispered to a nearby subordinate.
The man returned shortly after entering, nodding.
"Vice Leader will see you."
"Good. Follow him."
Passing the entrance, Hyeok Mulin and Mok Yang-il trailed the guide.
The interior was unlike a typical mountain stronghold.
Vines and towering green trees sprouted haphazardly amid irregularly built huts.
Passing them, Hyeok Mulin was led under a massive tree.
Its roots had been hollowed into a rounded chamber like a annex.
"He'll be here soon—wait a bit."
Once the guide left, Hyeok Mulin surveyed the space and remarked.
"Impressive scale."
"Obviously. This is the faction splitting the island with the Yeongdo Tyrant Alliance. Fewer warriors, but higher average skill."
Hoo.
"So who's this you're meeting?"
"The Vice Leader here. We crossed paths once; got acquainted."
Not a soul he doesn't know somewhere.
Hyeok Mulin reaffirmed choosing this well-connected companion was wise.
"Once hailed in the Central Plains as the next Qingcheng Supreme Sword—a swordsman of remarkable prowess."
Next Qingcheng Supreme Sword.
Then, a promising star highly touted even in Qingcheng Sect.
Why would a core talent from the Nine Great Sects—one of the Martial Alliance's pillars—end up imprisoned in the Thousand-Year Prison?
As Hyeok Mulin pondered, footsteps approached from behind.
"You were looking for me."
A middle-aged man appeared before them.
Hyeok Mulin recognized him instantly.
There was only one prodigy of Qingcheng Sect in the world with both eyes lost.