Chapter 131
Chapter 131
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 131
Chapter Title: The Reason He Has No Choice But to Live as a Martial Artist
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“Captain! Assassins have slipped in.”
Dong Pung Chung-gwang’s voice transmission reached him.
“How many?”
Ak Muyoo asked, barely moving his lips.
“I can’t say for sure, but definitely more than a few.”
“The name of the technique you learned is Chaos Mill.”
“What kind of technique is Chaos Mill?”
“It’s the supreme martial art of Hidden Heaven, one of the Absolute Six Heavens. The sword form, Phantom Isle, is one of the twelve forms of Phantom Demon Sword.”
“......”
Dong Pung was speechless.
He’d known the technique he learned was impressive. But he’d never dreamed it was from Hidden Heaven, one of the Absolute Six Heavens. And not just any technique, but the supreme art known only to its lord.
“If you’ve learned Hidden Heaven’s supreme art and still can’t wipe out these assassin pests, you might as well die.”
“Damn it, in that case, we can’t let a single one escape!”
“Do your best.”
“Got it.”
“Why the formal speech?”
“No idea, Captain.”
“Damn it!”
Back at the lodging, Dong Pung spat out a curse again.
“What’s up?”
Nam Pung Bukgung Daegang asked.
“You know that technique we learned last.”
“Yeah, so?”
“Do you know what it is?”
“That guy clamped his mouth shut like a clam—how would we?”
“Stealth is Chaos Mill, and the sword art is Phantom Isle, one form of the Phantom Demon Twelve Forms.”
“Just the name sounds insane.”
Seo Pung Goyo said.
“It is insane.”
“How insane?”
“Hidden Heaven’s supreme art.”
“Hidden Heaven... you mean that one from the Absolute Six Heavens?”
Buk Pung Hansan asked.
“Yeah.”
“......”
The four were at a loss for words. They shared Jung Pung’s thoughts exactly. They knew it was powerful, but supreme art of an Absolute Six Heavens faction? No way they’d imagined that.
“Unbelievable.”
Jung Pung Cheon Bosan grimaced.
“I decided to repay that guy.”
Dong Pung Chung-gwang said.
“Yeah, it’s a debt. A huge one.”
Jung Pung Cheon Bosan nodded.
To a martial artist, the most valuable asset is martial arts.
Powerful techniques bring both life and wealth. So when a strong one surfaces, people go bloodshot-eyed to claim it. They won’t even teach their own arts to their closest friends. Hell, they often keep secret what arts they’ve learned themselves. Let alone sharing with outsiders.
They’d fought together for ten years, but their bond was ambiguous at best for true friendship. They’d only introduced themselves recently. And he’d passed down Radiant World Divine Art to them.
“That’s why I slipped into formal speech without thinking.”
Chung-gwang said.
“Formal speech?”
Cheon Bosan looked at him.
“Yeah.”
“You gonna keep it up?”
“Dunno. Anyway, Captain says we’ve gotta earn our keep.”
“Earn our keep?”
“Learn Hidden Heaven’s supreme art and fail to wipe out assassins? Might as well die.”
“Heh!”
Goyo snickered.
“So Pung!”
Chung-gwang shouted toward the outside.
The door opened, and So Pung entered. Chung-gwang relayed Ak Muyoo’s words.
“So the technique we learned is one only Hidden Heaven’s lord knew?”
“Yeah.”
“Guess he pitied us.”
“Kill all the assassins to repay the debt.”
“Got it.”
So Pung left immediately.
Moments later, the entire Wind Squad scattered in all directions. Yet not a single one was visible. They’d all deployed Chaos Mill and vanished.
Assassins versus Wind Squad.
The battle began.
Assassin On-su stared straight ahead.
He stood on a poplar branch, gazing down. He’d just confirmed enemies emerging from each house. But those who’d gone behind the poplars had vanished without a trace. He’d spread Heavenly Ear Divine Listening, but it was like they’d shot into the sky or sunk into the earth—no sign.
He wasn’t worried, though.
Using stealth before an assassin was like a child’s antics before an adult.
“Stealth in front of assassins? Pathetic fools.”
A sneer curled On-su’s lips.
Tap!
“Gasp!”
Something pressed his shoulder, and On-su’s eyes flew wide. But he regained composure instantly. Without turning, he thrust his weapon backward.
Clang!
A sharp metallic ring echoed.
“Urk! Th-that Diamond Inextinguishable...?”
Crack!
Before he could finish, On-su’s head twisted 180 degrees. In his dying gaze, he caught the figure who’d turned it—a woman in ancient garb.
“This woman...”
That was On-su’s last thought.
The corpse plummeted downward.
The woman leaned against the tree, staring ahead.
Many figures entered her vision. She watched them, then slid down to sit against the trunk.
“Taken care of.”
Chung-gwang approached the inn window and reported via transmission to Ak Muyoo.
“How many?”
Ak Muyoo asked.
“We killed nine. One had his neck snapped—not by us.”
“Got it. They might send more, so stay vigilant and rest.”
“Understood.”
Chung-gwang returned to the village.
“All the assassins who came number ten, right?”
Ak Muyoo asked Mu Hyang.
“Yes.”
Mu Hyang nodded.
“Skill level?”
“Third-rate.”
“We just killed them all.”
“......”
“You’ll keep having luck like today from now on.”
Creak!
The door opened, and a group entered the inn. Ten men, all radiating rough auras.
“Welcome.”
Greeting them were five, led by a white-haired elder.
“Customer...”
The first one in scanned the interior. His gaze halted on Myo-yo’s face.
“Surprising. How’s a North Forest Great Heaven Clan member here?”
Myo-yo said, astonished.
“That was in the past.”
The man said quietly, heading to one side and sitting.
“Even the North Forest Five Divine Elders? And you call it the past?”
Myo-yo asked.
“They were excommunicated two years ago. No longer tied to the North Forest Great Heaven Clan.”
“Excommunicated...”
Myo-yo stared at the man quietly. Then said,
“Fine, I’ll take your word for it for now.”
“Done talking?”
Ak Muyoo asked Myo-yo.
“For now.”
“Elders, come here.”
“You mean us?”
The white-haired elder asked.
“Yeah. The young guy who just came can join too.”
“He’s older than the young master, though?”
“Half-informal to you elders, but formal to someone younger? Bad for your faces.”
“Then just be formal with us from the start.”
“That... doesn’t come easy. Anyway, come on.”
Ak Muyoo turned to Ara.
“Shall I fetch it?”
“Yeah.”
“Got it.”
Ara went straight out.
After she left, the five elders including the white-haired one, and the middle-aged man who’d just entered, came to Ak Muyoo’s table and sat opposite.
“I’m Black Wind.”
“What?”
The middle-aged man’s eyes widened. He shot up, hand flying to his sword hilt.
“Hold.”
The white-haired elder said.
“Black Wind’s the rebel leader, Elder.”
“I know. Calm down and sit.”
“......”
The man stared at Ak Muyoo, then released the sword and sat.
“Gun Seol, grab some teacups.”
“Did you really kill my dad?”
“Tea first. Tell your mom to come too.”
“......Got it.”
Gun Seol left. Moments later, she and her mother placed teacups before the group and sat.
“If I’d killed him, your dad wouldn’t have given me the North Forest Ring, the clan lord’s heirloom. Right? Sure, I could’ve killed and taken it, but I’m not the reckless type to risk my life for a ring like this.”
Ak Muyoo removed the North Forest Ring from his finger and placed it in the table’s center.
“Dad gave this to you?”
“Not to me—to pass on.”
“To who?”
“Didn’t specify, but probably you.”
“Women can’t be clan lord.”
“Who says?”
“Clan rules.”
“No clan has a rule barring women lords. If no son, the clan dies out—who’d make that rule?”
“But our house...”
“The ‘no women lords’ rule only applies with both sons and daughters. If only daughters, she becomes lord naturally. The problem is...”
“A problem?”
“Yeah.”
“What kind?”
“Clan members look down on women and act as they please.”
“......”
“So what should a woman do?”
“No idea.”
“Be strong. Not just strong—strong enough those clan fools can’t even meet your eyes.”
“......”
“Can you?”
“I...”
“South of the Heavenly Mountains in the desert lies Chacha Kingdom, a small nation. It has the World-Subduing Heaven Rak Clan, led by a queen. She has one daughter. Husband’s dead. Name’s Haru—eight years old now. To get strong, Haru visits the forge daily without fail. Because the blacksmith there’s the strongest in Chacha Kingdom.”
“No martial arts in Chacha Kingdom?”
“Of course there are. Descendants of those who vied with the Absolute Six Heavens for supremacy.”
“Then they should be insanely strong, right?”
“Sadly, no. They lost to the Absolute Six Heavens, lost everything. Lost their arts; those who knew them lost their heads. They fled Paradise Kingdom, settled at the Heavenly Mountains’ edge, and scraped by as a minor state for millennia. That’s defeat. It doesn’t end with you. Your descendants pay too. So fight wisely. Never pick a losing battle; if you fight, win. Even if it costs your arms, legs, eyes—win. There’s no honorable defeat in this world. That’s losers’ whining, excuses, bullshit.”
“That’s how you fought?”
Gun Seol asked, glancing at Ak Muyoo’s shoulder.
“Yeah. I’m weaker than him. No internal energy. Sword wind, sword aura, sword gang, sword-bullet gang qi, imperial swordplay, heart sword—none for me. Never. Yet I have no choice but to become a martial artist, fight those who wield them. And survive.”
“Don’t you need a dantian to build internal energy?”
“Yeah. No dantian, no energy. So I’m cut off from sword wind, sword aura, sword gang, sword-bullet gang qi, imperial swordplay, heart sword.”
“No dantian—why become a martial artist?”
“Something I must do. Can’t without being one.”
“Life-or-death important?”
“Yeah. Have to stake everything.”
“What is it?”
“Find and kill the one who murdered my mom.”
“......”
Silence fell over the room. Listeners’ eyes widened. Especially Ara’s, who’d just entered—hers bulged.
First time hearing Ak Muyoo’s past.
“You know who killed your mom?”
“No. But one thing I know.”
“What?”
“If I hadn’t been taken hostage, Mom would never have died.”