Chapter 141
Translator: uly
Chapter: 141
Chapter Title: Naturally When Binding
Killing intent naturally flowed from Tak Tanyah's body.
"You have no intention of attacking the Alliance Leader now, so you can retract your killing intent."
"......"
"If I truly decided to kill the Alliance Leader, he wouldn't leave here alive. Calm down and take a seat."
Tak Tanyah glared at Ak Muyoo before sitting down.
"I'm not asking you to do this for free. I'll pay the price."
"You call that a price right now?"
Tak Tanyah shot Ak Muyoo a fierce look.
"That's all I can offer. And anyone who sides with that bastard Lee Yang—regardless of age, gender, or status—will die. This is no empty threat. I've lived for one purpose alone: to eliminate him and those behind him. No one can stop me from destroying him."
Their gazes clashed in midair.
"The price I'll pay Master Tak is this."
Ak Muyoo pulled out a book, fixing his eyes on Tak Tanyah's.
"......"
Tak Tanyah stared silently at the book.
"Open it first."
"Urgh!"
Tak Tanyah let out a groan, picked up the manual, and flipped it open.
[Solar Asura Tribulation Force]
"Gasp!"
Tak Tanyah's eyes widened as if they might tear. He trembled, glaring at the manual. The Solar Asura Tribulation Force—the strongest martial art of the Solar Nation, lost fifteen hundred years ago.
"Th-this is......"
"The Solar Nation's ultimate art. Do you recognize it?"
"How do you have this, Master Ak......"
"I came across the Heaven-Earth Solar Command by chance. The Solar Nation's arts were inscribed on it."
"Th-then, Master Ak, you......"
"Unfortunately, I'm not its rightful owner. Any ordinary warrior would have tried commanding with it, but as you can see, I was born into this wretched body. I gave it to someone more fitting."
"But why give this to me......"
"Because your surname is 'Geuk.'"
The answer came from the doorway. Standing there was Geuk Challa.
Tak Tanyah turned his head.
"Y-you......"
Tak Tanyah shot to his feet.
"Yes. It's me."
Geuk Challa walked in and sat down with them.
"......"
Tak Tanyah glared at Geuk Challa.
"Sit."
Geuk Challa said as he took his seat.
"The fact that I haven't dragged you off yet proves heaven has abandoned you."
"Talk."
Ak Muyoo stepped aside.
Dongchang's spy chief, Myo Yo, stood at the door.
"Luck is blooming for you."
Myo Yo said, looking at Ak Muyoo.
"What luck?"
"The moment you try pulling Tak Tanyah in, Geuk Challa shows up. Thanks to him, you'll gain the Black Death Alliance—and controlling that means dominating the White Five Union too."
"You call that luck?"
"When things go smoothly, it's like gears meshing perfectly. People usually call that good luck."
"Eight hundred warriors from the Ten Thousand Demons Poison Clan are here to kill me and Ara. Feels off to call that luck."
"How did you know they were coming?"
Myo Yo asked, surprised. She'd only just learned of the Ten Thousand Demons Poison Clan. She'd come to tell Ak Muyoo, but he already knew.
"I have eyes and ears too."
"You even know Jeo Elder Ok Ju-ham of the Spear Creation Sect is with them?"
"Ok Ju-ham?"
"Ok Cheo-gi's father, the Flame General."
"Ok Cheo-gi was a Spear Creation Sect warrior?"
"Yeah."
"......"
"Feeling a bit scared now?"
"If I eliminate him, will the Spear Creation Sect step in?"
"You were a leader once. You know."
"Know what?"
"Organizations that take subordinates' deaths lightly fall apart fast."
"Not in our Wind Squad."
"No?"
"When one died, my pay went up—so no regrets over lost comrades."
"......Really?"
"Captain Cheol used his head well. More deaths meant bigger payouts for us, so we didn't complain even if pay was delayed."
"So Captain Cheol embezzled the Wind Squad's wages?"
"Yeah."
"Can you testify to that?"
"Testifying's easy—but will they believe it?"
"We'll gather multiple witnesses."
"That's on you. More importantly, the Spear Creation Sect."
"Killing Ok Ju-ham will bring them out."
"They're strong, right?"
"It's the Southern Heaven Spear Sect. Leagues above the bandits here or the Ten Thousand Demons Poison Clan."
"Figured."
Ak Muyoo nodded.
"By the way, watch out for Ha Mi."
"Ha Mi?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"She's just waiting for a chance to barge into your room."
"Why my room?"
"What reason would a woman have for sneaking into a man's room at night?"
"To sleep with me?"
"Yeah."
"Why me?"
"To steal the martial arts in your head."
"You think sleeping with me gets you that?"
"That's how we do it."
"We?"
"Our bodies are weapons."
"......Guess I'll lock the door."
"Pfft!"
Myo Yo chuckled.
Just then, Tak Tanyah emerged, as if the talk had ended.
Ak Muyoo looked at him.
"I'll aid the Leader."
Tak Tanyah bowed his head.
"Thank you."
"I'll come with my wife this evening."
"Dinner's on me."
"Yes. Then."
Tak Tanyah bowed once more and left the inn. Ak Muyoo entered with Myo Yo. Geuk Challa sat alone, sipping tea.
"Misunderstanding cleared?"
"How did you know it stemmed from a misunderstanding?"
Geuk Challa cupped his hands toward Ak Muyoo.
"The elder I know isn't the type to harm kin."
"It was because of the Solar Flag."
"One flag changes nothing......"
"Everything starts with one."
Myo Yo said.
"Really?"
"You need that one to hope for two. Saying 'what can one do?' is wrong."
"Maybe."
Ak Muyoo nodded.
Then, Transforest Squad Leader Yuk Gu-man and Im Choong entered.
"How's progress?"
Ak Muyoo asked them.
"Fortifications complete."
Yuk Gu-man replied.
"Take this."
Ak Muyoo tossed Yuk Gu-man a book.
"This is......"
"The Blood Rain Heaven Earth Hell Blade saber art. The one who gave it to me was Flame General Ak Gun-eok. Before dying, he unleashed Blood Rain and Heaven-Splitting styles, taking out fifty foes. If yours is weaker, I'll cut off your arm. Remember that."
"I'll perfect it, Family Head."
Yuk Gu-man bowed deeply.
"You, Strategist—take this."
Ak Muyoo tossed a book to Im Choong.
"You're giving me one too?"
Im Choong said, moved.
"Stake your life on it?"
"Of course. Thank you, Lord."
Im Choong bowed like Yuk Gu-man.
"Let's go down."
Ak Muyoo headed to the grove. The Wind Squad was out training, leaving only the Hundred Mad Demons resting in their homes.
"You're here?"
Naeong Ok, emerging from her house, spotted Ak Muyoo.
"How is it?"
"Perfect. Can't remember the last time I rested this easy."
"Good. Where's everyone?"
"Probably sipping tea at the hall."
"Let's go."
"Me too?"
"I have something for you. Tell those interested to come."
"Got it."
Naeong Ok infused her voice with inner power and shouted.
"The Leader has gifts—gather up!"
Elders emerged from everywhere. Soon, Ak Muyoo entered the hall.
The hall was vast enough for over two hundred. No chairs—just about fifty low tables. The Brain Hundred crew sat by the window, drinking tea.
As Ak Muyoo entered, all heads turned.
"Come here."
Ak Muyoo sat in the center.
Jeonma and the others moved to sit near him.
"Not coming?"
Ak Muyoo said to Noe Baek, still seated.
"I'll listen from here."
"I need you, elder."
"......"
"Not coming?"
Naeong Ok shouted.
"Urgh!"
Noe Baek grimaced but came and sat in the center. Meanwhile, others filed in and took seats.
Once all were seated, Ak Muyoo pulled four books from his bosom.
"What's that?"
The impatient Naeong Ok asked.
"This is a Solar Heaven art, this a Shadow Heaven art, this a Tribulation Heaven art."
Ak Muyoo lifted each book as he spoke.
Silence fell over the room.
It was the hush of held breath.
Though their days left were fewer than those lived, the Hundred Mad Demons were martial artists to the bone, lifelong obsessives. Strong arts still thrilled them to madness; they'd sacrifice anything to master them.
Before them lay the heavenly arts of three of the six strongest powers in martial history.
Of course they held their breath.
"Wh-why bring them out......"
Naeong Ok spoke again, her tense voice faintly trembling.
"For this."
Ak Muyoo raised the last book.
"What's that?"
"I told you—my head holds all the supreme arts of the Thirty-Six Border Nations and the Eight Desolate Storm Flags."
"We know that."
"They got jumbled with the three heavenly arts into a mess. I had to sort them."
"So that's......"
"It's a compilation of the strongest known arts from the Central Plains and Border Wastes. But there's a problem."
"Wh-what problem?"
"You elders know......"
Ak Muyoo paused.
"I'm no elder—I'm an old hag."
"Anyway. My training's too short to write it properly. I can't tell."
"So......"
"I want you elders and hags to study the three books and refine this one."
"Refining it means seeing the three?"
"That's why I copied them."
"So we can look?"
"On the condition you refine it."
"You think we'd be thrilled?"
Noe Baek glared at Ak Muyoo.
"I see you're thrilled, elder."
"I......"
"They say age means shut your mouth and open your wallet. Heard it?"
"......"
"And one more thing: after mastering the three, merge them with your own arts into one manual. Call it Hundred Mad Demons Dance."
"Make a manual?"
"Weaker than the three is pointless—it must be stronger. Then you'll surpass Absolute Six Thousand as peerless warriors. How's that?"
"You little......"
Naeong Ok gazed at Ak Muyoo, moved. Not just her—the others stared at the ceiling, swallowing emotion.
"If I were twenty years younger, I'd marry you."
"My opinion doesn't matter?"
"Nope."
"So you'll do it?"
"We will."
Naeong Ok nodded.
"I'll do it."
Jeonma followed.
"Me too."
"Me too."
Black Demon and White Demon raised hands.
"I'll do it."
"I'll do it."
Soon all raised hands.
Ak Muyoo looked at Noe Baek.
"I-I'll do it."
"Expect great things."
Ak Muyoo stood abruptly and headed out.
"Busy?"
Naeong Ok called.
"Running before you elders and hags change your minds."
"Eh...... Hohoho!"
"Hahaha!"
"Puhahaha!"
The elders burst into laughter as one.