Chapter 49
Chapter 49
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Heavenly Central High Citadel Cha Clan (1)
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The group ate breakfast and set off the next day. For breakfast, they grilled pork again.
The Chacha Kingdom lay to the southeast of the Heavenly Mountains.
It was a small city-state with a population slightly over forty thousand. At its center flowed the Guja River, which originated from the Heavenly Mountains. According to Ruha, the Chacha Kingdom had been founded by the union of six clans.
“The World Subduing Heaven Rak Clan, Heavenly Central High Citadel Cha Clan, Golden Dragon Great Heavenly Mujak Clan, New Wind Thousand Li Revolution Clan, Cloud Central Lone Mysterious Cloud Clan, and Mysterious Rain Storm Full Clan. They’re shortened to the Witch House, Heaven House, Dragon House, Wind House, Cloud House, and Rain House.”
“So Heavenly Central High Citadel Cha Clan makes it the Heaven House?”
“Yes.”
“Is that it?”
Ak Muyoo pointed ahead. Far in the distance, the city walls came into view.
“Yes.”
Ruha nodded.
“Do they farm?”
“They do more trade than farming.”
“What do they trade with?”
“They bring goods from the Western Regions and Tianzhu to sell in the Central Plains. They also take Central Plains goods to the Western Regions or Tianzhu to sell.”
“So they’re middlemen in transit trade.”
“That’s right.”
“Those with connections in the Central Plains must live well.”
“Yes.”
“Does the Heavenly Central High Citadel Cha Clan have any such connections?”
“They had the most until ten years ago, but not anymore.”
As they talked, they arrived before the walls. The walls were black stone, just shy of three zhang tall.
“Who goes there!”
A sharp shout rang out from atop the walls.
Ak Muyoo turned to Ruha. Just then, Ruha looked at him too.
“Looks like it’s my turn to answer, right?”
“Yes.”
Ruha nodded.
“I am the clan head of the Heavenly Central High Citadel Cha Clan.”
Ak Muyoo shouted.
“Please wait a moment.”
The man on the wall vanished immediately.
The group waited before the gate. But even after a long time, the gate didn’t open.
—They’re giggling among themselves inside?
Seo Haran, who had deployed her Heavenly Reason Pure Ear Technique to scout the situation, said.
“Isn’t the Heaven House the top clan?”
“It used to be... but now...”
Ruha trailed off.
“Who’s on guard duty?”
“The Wind House handles the east gate.”
“...Old man!”
Ak Muyoo called out to Ageukta.
“Speak.”
“Don’t you have nowhere to go?”
“Don’t you know the Great Desert is my home?”
“You can’t go back right now.”
“So you want me to stay here?”
“I don’t need you long-term—just help me get established.”
“For free?”
“I’ll give you this.”
Ak Muyoo untied the bell from his camel and tossed it over.
“A camel bell to make me work...”
Ageukta’s eyes widened. The surface of the bell was engraved with tiny scripts like sesame seeds.
“M-martial arts manuals? No way...”
Ageukta looked at Ak Muyoo.
“I didn’t erase the Sovereign Iron Wolf Dance.”
“D-did you just say Sovereign Iron Wolf Dance?”
“Wanna make a deal?”
“So if I serve as your attendant, you’ll give me this?”
“I erased everything except the Sovereign Iron Wolf Dance. What’s left are just the names of the arts and who created them.”
“Isn’t the Sovereign Iron Wolf Dance the ultimate technique of the Great Desert Wolf Heaven that vanished twelve hundred years ago?”
Seo Haran, who had been listening, asked.
“I don’t know.”
Ak Muyoo shook his head.
“What other arts are on there?”
Seo Haran asked with eager anticipation.
“What was your affiliation again?”
“Demon Temple.”
“The Demon Temple’s art is the Buddha-Demonic Wheel Blood Heretic Art, right? And the Sea Demon Fortress has the Sea Demon Storm Great Heaven Flow?”
“My god.”
“Gasp!”
Seo Haran and Mok Busung stared at Ak Muyoo in shock.
Whoosh!
Seo Haran even leaped onto Ak Muyoo’s camel.
“I want to smash that gate.”
Ak Muyoo pointed at the city gate.
“Leave it to me.”
“Got it.”
Seo Haran and Mok Busung charged the gate almost simultaneously.
Boom!
With a dull thud, the gate exploded inward.
“Gah!”
“Huh!”
“Eek!”
Those inside jumped in surprise and drew their weapons. Ak Muyoo drove his camel inside.
“W-who are you!”
Someone who saw Ak Muyoo’s face shouted.
“Who’s the guard captain?”
Words in the Chacha Kingdom’s tongue flowed from Ak Muyoo’s mouth. He had mastered their language on the journey here.
“M-me.”
A sturdy man stepped forward to the camel.
“Did your clan head say not to open the gate even if the Heavenly Central High Citadel Cha Clan head returns?”
“That’s...”
“Answer straight!”
A thunderous roar erupted from Ak Muyoo’s mouth. Though devoid of internal energy, the guards’ bodies stiffened rigidly.
“Gasp!”
“Eek!”
The guards soon realized their disgrace and groaned.
The guards weren’t the only ones shocked.
‘What the hell?’
Seo Haran turned to Ak Muyoo in astonishment. She was more surprised than they were. As far as she knew, Ak Muyoo had no internal energy—not even a drop. Yet his shout carried the power to overwhelm thousands.
Of course, such authority often emanates from generals commanding many troops or leaders of great organizations.
It’s commonly called ‘aura’ or ‘dignity.’
But dignity innate from birth, not from position or status, is known as sovereign’s aura or emperor’s aura.
Not every emperor’s son or heir to a massive organization is born with it. If even one child in a family possesses it, the house is considered fortunate. It’s that rare.
Thus, princes born with emperor’s aura almost always become emperor, even if not the legitimate heir.
Emperors lacking it face constant unrest in the palace and fail to win ministers’ respect. They inevitably turn into tyrannical rulers. That emperor’s aura was what Ak Muyoo had unleashed.
‘What a ridiculous guy.’
“I’ll forgive you this once. But if it happens again, I’ll take your heads.”
Ak Muyoo shouted again.
“Are you really the Heavenly Central High Citadel Cha Clan head?”
The guard captain wasn’t one to back down easily. He stared straight at Ak Muyoo and asked.
“What’s your name?”
Ak Muyoo dismounted and walked up to him.
“I’m Ul Rang.”
Though a captain, he only guarded the east gate—a lowly post. Ul Rang’s boldness stemmed from a relative in the New Wind Thousand Li Revolution Clan, his in-laws. That connection had gotten him the captaincy.
“Look!”
Ak Muyoo thrust his fist forward.
On it gleamed a ring denoting the Heavenly Central High Citadel Cha Clan head. Known as the Heavenly Central Ring.
“What am I supposed to look at?”
Ul Rang surely knew the Heavenly Central Ring.
Guard captains first learned about the clans.
The ring was genuine, but not on its original owner. That meant Cha Sawoong was dead.
And this stranger before him—who knew who he was.
He had no intention of acknowledging him as clan head just because he wore the ring.
A bigger reason for his contempt was the weak martial arts. He’d checked first—no sign of cultivation.
“Ever hear ‘the fist is near, the law is far’?”
“That’s...”
“You little shit, you’ve got no future. Guard the gate like the dog you are.”
In that instant, Ak Muyoo’s fist sliced through the air.
Yet its speed was so slow he could dodge blindfolded.
‘Take this, you punk.’
Ul Rang dodged inwardly and countered with his right fist.
Thud!
“Gurk!”
Ak Muyoo screamed and tumbled back.
“Did you just hit me?”
Ak Muyoo sprang up.
‘Huh?’
Ul Rang’s eyes widened. He’d infused internal energy—enough in that half-breath to shatter sturdy wood. No one without energy could bounce back from such a blow.
Yet he rose as if he’d merely tripped.
Whoosh!
Ak Muyoo lunged again with a fist the moment he stood.
‘Fine, punk. This time...’
Ul Rang dodged and aimed for Ak Muyoo’s face—the same path as before. That’s when Ak Muyoo’s face vanished from the fist’s trajectory.
‘Gasp!’
Thud!
A mighty impact exploded from Ul Rang’s jaw. Ak Muyoo’s sluggish fist had suddenly accelerated, smashing his chin.
Crack!
Ak Muyoo grabbed the falling Ul Rang’s hair and yanked hard, slamming his left fist into the man’s face.
Thud!
“Argh!”
A scream burst out as Ul Rang’s mouth filled with blood in an instant. Ak Muyoo yanked the head down again, pressing it low. As it neared chest level, he drove his right knee up. Then he released the hair.
Thud!
“Aaack!”
Ul Rang flew back with a wretched cry.
Ak Muyoo eyed the guards silently, then mounted his camel.
“Let’s go.”
He said to Ruha.
“Yes.”
Ruha nodded and drove her camel.
The Heavenly Central High Citadel Cha Clan lay at the kingdom’s heart. After an hour straight past the east gate, they reached a river.
“There’s a river?”
Ak Muyoo asked, amazed. A river in the desert was novel.
“It’s the Guja Great River, a tributary of the Guja River originating from the Heavenly Mountains to the north.”
Ruha explained.
Ak Muyoo looked right. Endless massive peaks stretched out—the Heavenly Mountains, roof of the Central Plains.
“Nice.”
He nodded and urged his camel on. Soon they reached the bridge.
“Beyond the river is the Heavenly Central High Citadel Cha Clan’s territory.”
Ruha said as they crossed the bridge over the river.
“What’s that smell?”
The far bank brimmed with fragrant aromas.
“Grape scent.”
“Grapes?”
Ak Muyoo tilted his head. He’d never heard the word.
“Know wild grapes?”
“I lived in the mountains, so yeah.”
“Grapes are like wild grapes grown ten times bigger.”
“Tasty?”
“Can’t even describe it.”
“I’m curious now.”
“I’ll let you taste some on the way.”
The group rode along the road. Soon, vast vineyards unfolded before them. The vines stood slightly taller than a man, laden with clusters of purple grapes dangling low.
Ruha dismounted, entered the vineyard, and picked several bunches. She gave one to Ak Muyoo first, then shared the rest.
Ak Muyoo plucked a grape and popped it in. Sweet, aromatic juice flooded his mouth.
“Wow...”
He exclaimed. It was incredible.
“Tasty?”
“Yeah.”
Ak Muyoo nodded and kept eating, seeds and skin and all.
Woof!
A bark emanated from near Ak Muyoo’s rear.
“Want some?”
Ak Muyoo offered a grape to Zabjong. It sniffed, then turned away.
“More for me then.”
Ak Muyoo munched away.
Thud thud thud thud! Thud thud thud thud!
Just then, thunderous hooves approached with over a hundred camels charging toward them. Sturdy men rode atop.
Ak Muyoo regarded them.
“Word travels fast.”
Ruha murmured softly.
“Who are they?”
“His relative’s younger brother.”
“Looks urgent.”
“Can’t blame him.”
“Whoa!”
“Whoa!”
The camels halted en masse before Ruha’s group. The lead rider advanced.
He scanned Ak Muyoo’s group coldly. His gaze halted on the ring on Ak Muyoo’s finger.
“I am Cha Jiwoong, heir of the Heavenly Central High Citadel Cha Clan. Who are you?”
The man glared at Ak Muyoo and bellowed.