Chapter 197
Chapter 197
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 197
Chapter Title: The Die is Cast
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“Who would do such a thing?”
Though separate from the main grounds of the Mount Zhongnan Sect, this was still part of their territory.
No one, save for a disciple of Zhongnan, could have entered this place so secretly.
“Could it be an outsider… No, that’s impossible.”
Jin Ga-ryeong shook his head.
It was unthinkable that someone could have snuck in here, evading the bloodshot eyes of the masters from the main sect.
If anyone could, it would have to be a master of movement techniques who left the martial world long ago, someone like Go Wol of the Extreme Speed, No Shadow.
“Hmm.”
Swallowing a groan, Jin Ga-ryeong circulated his internal energy and pushed the cow dung aside.
Beneath the wooden box, he saw sharp, sword-like calligraphy.
—If you want your Go board and stones back, come to Mangyeongdae in four days.
“Hahahaha.”
Jin Ga-ryeong let out a bewildered smile.
In his hundred years of life, he had never imagined something so absurd would happen to him.
“Hahahahaha!”
As he burst into a hearty laugh, the young attendant from outside rushed in.
“Sir. Did you call for me?”
“Telling this old man to come find his Go board? Hahahaha.”
Jin Ga-ryeong was laughing, but his eyes were bloodshot, and a chilling killing intent shimmered around his body like a haze.
“S-Sir…”
As the frightened attendant took a step back,
“The sun sets in the west.”
Jin Ga-ryeong said with a light sigh.
“Like the fading sun, the day has finally come when this old man is insulted by the ruffians of the martial world.”
“Sir.”
“Take this wooden box to Ok-in.”
Shim Ok-in. He was the current Sect Leader of the Mount Zhongnan Sect.
“Tell him to retrieve this old man’s Go board in four days, without fail.”
“What does that…”
“He will understand when you tell him.”
As a cold glint flashed once more in the eyes of the usually serene Jin Ga-ryeong, the attendant bowed his head in alarm.
***
Mabangmun’s Blood Transport Cave.
This was the elixir repository managed by Mabangmun.
The reason they could expand their influence in such a short time and produce disciples of exceptional skill…
It was because of the miraculous elixirs they obtained by conquering demonic sects from all over.
In particular, Mabangmun mass-produced a pill called the Geumma-hwan.
It had the drawbacks of making the user ferocious and causing addiction, but it dramatically increased one's internal energy.
Thus, the talented disciples and hall masters who received large quantities of Geumma-hwan were already addicted, showing withdrawal symptoms if they went without it.
In the end, they pledged their loyalty not for Mabangmun, but to obtain the Geumma-hwan.
“Get them!”
From the passage leading out of the Blood Transport Cave, about thirty warriors in red, wearing demonic face masks, were rushing out.
And ahead of them, ten figures in masks with bundles on their backs were moving swiftly.
*Whoosh!*
The warriors in blood-red robes each threw hidden weapons.
But the masked figures’ movement techniques were so fast that the projectiles fell to the ground before they could even reach them.
“Such audacious bastards!”
Just then, the ranks of the pursuing warriors parted, and a man in a black demonic face mask appeared.
His movement technique was incredible, and he instantly began to close the distance on the masked figures.
He was Go Ryong-pung, the Vice-Sect Leader of Mabangmun who managed the Blood Transport Cave.
“Who dares to steal our sect’s treasure!”
In truth, the Geumma-hwan was so highly addictive that no one outside of Mabangmun’s disciples dared to consume it.
So who would infiltrate Mabangmun, nestled deep in the mountains of Yulim, to steal a massive quantity of Geumma-hwan?
“Hmph, it’s not like you can escape anyway.”
A sinister smile formed on Go Ryong-pung’s lips as he hotly pursued the masked figures.
The only exit from Mabangmun was a single long bridge between two cliffs.
And the moment an intruder was detected, a mechanism would be triggered to instantly destroy the bridge.
“You won’t be able to escape unless you can fly.”
But the expression on the triumphant Go Ryong-pung’s face gradually turned strange.
Even with the destroyed bridge clearly visible in the distance, the masked figures didn't stop. Instead, they ran at full speed.
‘Are they trying to kill themselves?’
Just as Go Ryong-pung’s eyes widened in shock,
*Whoosh!*
The masked figures launched themselves from the ground, soaring through the air between the cliffs.
“No! If that happens, the Geumma-hwan will be!”
Go Ryong-pung shouted in dismay.
Unless they were birds, it was impossible to cross a gap of a hundred *jang*.
The masked figures had taken most of the Geumma-hwan stored in the Blood Transport Cave.
If they fell from the cliff, the pills would be impossible to recover.
*Swoosh.*
But just as the bodies of the masked figures, suspended mid-air, began to descend,
*Twang!*
They suddenly sprang up in the air as if on a spring, leaping again.
*Twang! Twang!*
As if crossing an invisible bridge, they made a few more leaps and crossed the chasm.
“Stepping on Air? No.”
Narrowing his eyes, Go Ryong-pung spotted something stretching from the bridge pillar on his side to a rock on the opposite cliff.
It was a very thin silver thread.
“You bastards!”
Furious, Go Ryong-pung tried to cut the silver thread tied to the pillar with his sword.
But just then,
“Good work, everyone.”
A young man in blue robes appeared on the opposite cliff. It was Hyeok So-jin.
He nodded as the masked figures all crossed the cliff safely, then pulled his arm back forcefully.
*Whirrr!*
The faint silver thread, as if by magic, was reeled back onto his left arm.
It was the Gang-sak-hyeol-sa he had obtained from the Eight Demon Pavilion of the Ma-jeon.
*Smirk.*
Hyeok So-jin spotted Go Ryong-pung glaring from the opposite cliff and shouted loudly.
“You stinking dogs of Mabangmun!”
He waved at Go Ryong-pung, who was now just a black dot.
“If you want these stinking pills back, you’d better catch us quick!”
Then, infusing his voice with internal energy, he roared.
“If you can’t catch us before we leave Shaanxi, I’ll dump all these pills in the river!”
Hearing this from afar, Go Ryong-pung’s eyes became bloodshot.
The Geumma-hwan they stole amounted to seventy percent of the cave's entire stock.
Making Geumma-hwan required expensive medicinal ingredients and took a lot of time.
What if they disposed of all the pills? The addicted disciples would be the first to cause an uproar.
“Assemble all the masters of the Blood Transport Cave!”
As the enraged Go Ryong-pung shouted, a subordinate beside him clasped his hands.
“Shouldn’t we report to the Sect Leader first…”
“It won’t be too late to report after we’ve recovered the Geumma-hwan!”
Staring at the opposite cliff, Go Ryong-pung ground his teeth and yelled.
“We must catch that bastard before he leaves Shaanxi!”
***
Mangyeongdae.
It was a wide, rocky plateau near Mount Yeonhwa in Xi'an.
With beautiful surrounding scenery, a wide-open view, and a flat, solid rock ground, it was a popular spot.
Travelers would often take a short rest here or eat the food they had brought.
*Whooosh.*
In the center of Mangyeongdae, where a dry, biting wind blew.
A figure stood there like a stone statue, a large wooden chest placed on the ground before him.
Through his fine hair fluttering in the wind, his jet-black eyes, shining like obsidian, and a sharp nose were visible.
If not for his thick eyebrows and height exceeding six feet, he could have been mistaken for a peerless beauty.
It was Bu Eun-seol.
*Swoosh.*
Just then, a low sound of something cutting through the air was heard around the quiet Mangyeongdae.
Three groups of people, kicking up a gale, were rushing toward the plateau.
*Thud.*
The first to arrive was a young man in blue martial arts attire, approaching from the east.
Though drenched in sweat, his handsome features and sharp aura could not be concealed.
It was Hyeok So-jin.
*Swoosh.*
Following him was a young man with long bangs, his robes fluttering. It was Wi Cheon-gyeong.
*Thud, thud, thud.*
One by one, the members of the Mubondae’s Second Team arrived behind him.
“Hoo. Hoo.”
The team members were all breathing heavily, as if they had run at full speed.
Wi Cheon-gyeong, who walked up without any sign of fatigue, clasped his hands before Bu Eun-seol.
“Thanks to the Vice-Commander’s help, we successfully stole the Geumma-hwan.”
At a glance from Wi Cheon-gyeong, the team members gathered the bundles they were carrying and placed them in a large box.
It was the Geumma-hwan they had stolen from Mabangmun's Blood Transport Cave.
“Well done.”
Bu Eun-seol nodded.
However, all the members of the Second Team had bright smiles on their faces.
As Bu Eun-seol furrowed his brow, Wi Cheon-gyeong answered.
“Thanks to the secret technique the Commander taught us, not only I, but all my team members have increased our movement speed by over thirty percent.”
“The secret technique alone wouldn't have been enough.”
“Pardon?”
“It means you all put in the effort.”
Bu Eun-seol said calmly.
“The end of this mission is a life-or-death battle. Prepare for that time by constantly honing your movement techniques so you can survive.”
‘Survive using movement techniques.’
*Thump.*
Wi Cheon-gyeong’s eyes, hidden by his long hair, widened.
He had more talent for movement techniques than martial arts. But with only an outstanding movement technique, he was destined for the intelligence unit, which trained spies.
—"Isn't a movement technique a form of martial art? I don't want to join some intelligence unit."
It was a useless protest.
He was always compared to his brother, fifteen years his senior, the Commander of the Cheonsal Unit, and everywhere he went, the label of "Cheonsal Commander's younger brother" followed him.
After repeatedly disobeying orders, he ended up in the Mubondae, a gathering place for troublemakers.
Most of the members in the Second Team had similar stories.
But now, he had met a superior who recognized his abilities and used them in the right place.
“Understood.”
Wi Cheon-gyeong respectfully clasped his hands and returned to his position.
And a smile similar to his team members’ lingered on his lips.
“Ugh, ugh!”
Next, Won Se-mun, with twin swords on his back, and the members of the First Team arrived at Mangyeongdae.
“Damn it all.”
Won Se-mun, bent over and gasping for breath, grumbled in a low voice.
“How did those Mount Hua bastards start chasing us without even a day’s delay?”
After panting for a while, he met Bu Eun-seol’s cold gaze and turned his head away, shouting.
“Fatty!”
At his call, Han So-ung, a large young man wearing bronze plate armor, set down the wooden chest he was carrying.
*Clank.*
When he opened the chest, a longsword with two tassels attached lay inside. It was the sword of Bang Uk, a second-generation disciple of the Mount Hua Sect.
“Are the Mount Hua disciples on their way here?”
At Bu Eun-seol’s question, Won Se-mun nodded.
“They’ll be here within a quarter of an hour. We’ve maintained that distance the whole time.”
“Well done.”
When Bu Eun-seol nodded, a triumphant expression appeared on Won Se-mun’s face.
“We may be crazy, but you’re just as crazy, Commander. Telling us to pick a fight with the Mount Hua disciples by insulting them.”
He chuckled and added.
“And you even insisted we include an insult about their Sect Leader.”
The members of the First Team also snickered and chimed in.
“But wasn't it fun? I’ve always wanted to have a go at those Orthodox Sect bastards.”
“Yeah. It’s been a while since I had this much fun. If the Ma-jeon had given us missions like this, I would have been a loyal member.”
The members of the First Team were not only strong but also free-spirited and loved to fight.
They found it difficult to maintain the strict hierarchy and chain of command, but who would have thought they would meet a superior who was even more reckless than they were?
—"Pick a fight with the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect. Make sure to insult their Sect Leader so they give chase."
It was a truly bizarre order.
Moreover, Bu Eun-seol didn't enforce a strict hierarchy and said he wouldn't hold them responsible.
How could the members, who loved to stir up trouble, not be thrilled to meet such a superior?
“This is nothing.”
Bu Eun-seol said in a low voice.
“Soon, I will drive Zhongnan, Hua Shan, and Mabangmun all mad. All you have to do is break things.”
“Hehehe. I like the sound of that!”
Won Se-mun and his team members cackled.
Just then, another group of people began to ascend Mangyeongdae.
It was the Third Team, led by Jo Nam-cheon.
“Hoo.”
Jo Nam-cheon and his team stood before Bu Eun-seol, panting.
“The Mount Zhongnan Sect has sent out the direct disciple of the Yeongbo Pavilion Master and all the second-generation disciples under him.”
He and the Third Team had caused a ruckus at the Mount Zhongnan Sect to allow Bu Eun-seol to easily steal the Go board hidden in the Okcheong Pavilion.
The members of the Third Team were relatively ordinary, and since Jo Nam-cheon led them well, they had carried out their mission without any major issues.
“Brother Bu.”
Hyeok So-jin, who was gazing at the distant sky, whispered softly.
“I think they’re coming.”
“I hear them too.”
“But I don’t know who it is. I hope the plan works out.”
Bu Eun-seol nodded and lightly stomped his foot.
*Thump.*
The entire Mangyeongdae seemed to shake as a low vibration spread out.
‘It worked perfectly.’
Gauging the distance, number, and skill level of the approaching figures with his Gongpa-siman, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
‘Today is just the beginning.’
He had his Mubondae members steal a Mount Hua disciple’s sword and Mabangmun’s Geumma-hwan.
And he himself had infiltrated the Mount Zhongnan Sect and stolen the Go board and stones of their highest elder, Jin Ga-ryeong.
All of this was just the small beginning of his plan to bring down Mabangmun.
*Dudududu.*
Just then, a very faint vibration and the sound of footsteps reached Bu Eun-seol’s ears.
It was the sound of dozens of people using their movement techniques at once.
*Tatatak.*
The sound of footsteps grew closer, until the distinct sound of dozens of pairs of feet could finally be heard, and then,
“You bastards!”
With a thunderous roar, about fifty warriors in red robes arrived at Mangyeongdae.
It was Mabangmun's Vice-Sect Leader, Go Ryong-pung, and his subordinates.
‘The die is cast.’
Just as Bu Eun-seol nodded after once again sensing the surrounding situation with his Gongpa-siman,
“So you did have accomplices.”
Go Ryong-pung, a man of vast experience in the martial world, saw at a glance that Bu Eun-seol, Hyeok So-jin, and the Mubondae members were all on the same side.
“To dare steal our sect’s Geumma-hwan. You will neither live nor die…”
His words were cut short.
Hyeok So-jin suddenly stepped forward and clasped his hands.
“We’ll give it back.”
“What did you say?”
“I said we’ll give it back. Are your ears blocked?”
As Hyeok So-jin made a flippant joke, flames erupted in Go Ryong-pung’s eyes.
“You must have a death wish.”
At that moment, Bu Eun-seol, who had been gazing at the distant sky with his eyes closed, snapped them open and said,
“Return everything.”
At his command, Jo Nam-cheon placed the wooden chest that had been at Bu Eun-seol’s feet.
Then, Wi Cheon-gyeong and Won Se-mun each placed the chests they were holding near where Go Ryong-pung stood.
“What are all those?”
“You’ll know when you receive them.”
As Jo Nam-cheon replied indifferently, Go Ryong-pung frowned.
‘Did they split the Geumma-hwan into three chests?’
Come to think of it, the number of stolen Geumma-hwan was not small.
“Bring them here.”
Though tilting his head in confusion, Go Ryong-pung had his subordinates bring the chests over.
*Click.*
Opening the chests, he blinked several times.
Inside the three chests were not only the Geumma-hwan, but also a useless Go board and a longsword.