Chapter 80
Translator: uly
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: Ara's Past
Martial God (80)
He entered the ranch, but no one was there.
He immediately headed to Cheonju Valley. At Cheonju Valley, Luha, Ageukta, Ara, and the Mok Woo group were waiting.
"It's over?"
He asked, looking at the Mok Woo group.
"We got everything we wanted."
"Then let's go down."
"What about Father King?"
"I have something to do."
"What do you have to do?"
Ageukta asked.
"Hundreds died, and hundreds of houses burned. To hold a ritual, we need sacrifices, right?"
"That guy's strong."
Ageukta immediately realized what Ak Muyoo intended to do.
"No matter how strong, they'll die if stabbed by a sword or shot by an arrow."
―How's Jeon?
Luha asked.
"I treated him for now, but I don't know how it'll turn out. Same for Cheol Mok."
"We need to hurry down."
"They'll need Lady Lu."
"Got it."
"You too, Haru. Go down with Lady Lu."
"Is Mom okay?"
Arak Haru asked with a face like she might cry.
"She's strong, so she'll be fine. If you're by her side, she'll recover even faster."
"I'll go."
Luha hugged Arak Haru. Soon, Luha, the Mok Woo group, and Mok Dong descended from Cheonchu Valley.
"You guys aren't going?"
Ara, Ageukta, Muk Bu-seong, Seo Haran, and Ara remained there, so he asked.
"We can't."
Muk Bu-seong answered.
"Why?"
"Because the lord isn't going."
Muk Bu-seong pointed at Ageukta with his chin. Truth be told, it was an excuse—he was curious about the Western Pure Land Plain too. No, more accurately, he was curious about the martial arts of the Central Plains warriors gathered there.
"What about Ah No?"
"I'm curious what the Western Pure Land Plain looks like."
"What about Ah General?"
"How can I leave you alone without any internal energy?"
"I've lived well so far without internal energy, eating and surviving just fine?"
"Anyway, I'll keep my promise to that person."
"Who? General Gun?"
"That person said for me to safely escort you to the Central Plains, I need to stay alive."
"Fine, let's go. Hold these for a bit."
Ak Muyoo handed over two of the Seventy-Two Carriages. The group each took some food and left the cave. Jabjong trailed sleepily behind them.
Unlike the previous day, many people were climbing the mountain. Most of those going up were Border Wastelands warriors.
"I wonder if the guards are okay."
"Where are you headed?"
Ageukta asked.
"There's another passage below the mountain peak."
"You're not really going for sacrifices—you're going to wipe them all out, right?"
Seo Haran asked.
"Yeah."
"You're not talking about heads this time?"
"I know you're smart, so what."
"Why try to wipe them out when you don't have the ability?"
"If Parap and the Black Wind Society bastards survive the Western Pure Land Plain and come down, the only place left for them is Chacha Kingdom."
"The war hasn't ended yet?"
"Yeah."
"They'll all die then."
"If I don't die, that's what'll happen. Truth is, that's the best place in the world to die."
"Why?"
"It's the Western Pure Land. The country's called Paradise Nation."
"So up there is Paradise?"
"Right."
"Then we're going to Paradise alive."
"This is the entrance to Paradise."
Ak Muyoo pointed to a cave opening below the rock. He took out the night-luminous pearl he'd received from Gwangja and lit the way as he entered the cave.
The group followed Ak Muyoo, scanning their surroundings.
"How'd you find this place?"
Ara asked.
"I'm good at finding hidden paths like this."
"You've got every talent, huh."
"If you marry me, you'll never go hungry."
"Are you proposing to me right now?"
"Proposing? ...I can't even speak."
"You're already married to two wives, you punk. You can't go around saying stuff like that to a woman."
"Can't you tell dream from reality?"
"Dream?"
"Yeah."
"So you think this situation is a dream?"
"Not exactly a dream, but something like it."
"No way, you idiot. Lady Luha is..."
"We're here."
Ak Muyoo pointed upward.
"That's the Western Pure Land Plain up there."
It was still night, so the top was pitch black.
"Want to go out and rest, or rest here and leave at dawn?"
"Kraaak!"
"Aaak!"
"Euaak!"
Screams rang out suddenly.
"Let's check it out."
The group hurried outside.
They didn't leave the building but scanned the area from there.
Clang! Clang clang clang! Clang clang!
The fighting wasn't isolated there. Weapon clashes echoed from various spots across the Western Pure Land Plain.
"Let's go."
Ak Muyoo left the building. Moments later, they arrived near a group fighting.
One side was Central Plains folk, the other Border Wastelands warriors. The fight must have broken out when the Eight Desolation Whirlwind Flags arrived.
"How big is this place?"
Ageukta asked.
"Bigger than Chacha Kingdom."
"That big?"
Seo Haran asked, her face shocked.
"Chacha Kingdom's ancestors were from here too."
"Ah! But if they're from here, they must be connected to the Absolute Six Thousand—why are they so weak?"
"I don't know the details. But the ones left here were from branch families."
"Let's go somewhere else."
Ak Muyoo moved again. He was looking for Black Wind Society warriors. He didn't care what happened to the others. He lay flat on the ground and pressed his ear to it.
'The sound of sword or saber clashing differs from broken blades.'
Ka-kang!
'Found them.'
Ak Muyoo jumped up.
He dashed toward the sound. The group silently followed. It took nearly half a shichen before they reached the destination.
There, hundreds surrounded and attacked a single group. They were the Black Wind Society warriors Ak Muyoo sought. Split into groups, about three hundred were here.
"Aak!"
"It's a woman?"
"Yeah. Hurry."
Ara charged forward.
"She seems urgent— what do you think, Seo Haran?"
"Probably knows someone."
"Knows someone?"
"From the past."
"The surrounded ones are Emei Sect nuns?"
"Only female sect around there."
"True."
Ak Muyoo roughly shook both arms.
Two demon hooks popped out.
"The demon hooks changed."
Ageukta said.
"The sorrow of the weak."
"Weak?"
"Cheol Mok spotted it at a glance."
"Then that person is..."
"A descendant of the demon hooks."
"..."
"I told him to take them if needed, but he refused. Then I thought, there can't be just one descendant like Cheol Mok."
"I get what you mean."
"Alright! Let's get started."
Ak Muyoo charged at the Black Wind Society.
Mad Thousand Blood Steps unfolded, and the Black Wind Society's rear began collapsing. Ageukta, Muk Bu-seong, and Seo Haran eliminated Black Wind Society warriors beside Ak Muyoo.
"Kraaak!"
"Aak!"
"Euaak!"
"You bastards never should have come to Chacha Kingdom. It's not as easy as you thought."
Slash! Thud! Slash! Slaaash!
"Kraaak!"
"Aak!"
"Euaak!"
The two demon hooks ravaged the air madly, blood and flesh spraying upward each time.
"Enemies behind!"
"Enemies!"
The Black Wind Society members shouted.
"Kraaak!"
"Aak!"
"Euaak!"
Black Wind Society members died in droves. None blocked Ak Muyoo's attacks. Some landed hits, but that was it—they couldn't pierce his Solar Robe.
The demon hooks struck them.
Now Ak Muyoo could unleash Mad Thousand Blood Steps even in place. He moved a few steps forward, back, left, right, wiping out enemies.
Just five of them, yet the Black Wind Society couldn't fight back.
They retreated step by step. As they did, Ak Muyoo fully unleashed Mad Thousand Blood Steps.
"Amitabha! Who is saving us..."
As Seo Haran predicted, the besieged attackers were Emei Sect nuns. Their leader was Bullyeon.
"Martial aunt!"
One nun called to Venerable Bullyeon.
"What is it?"
"That martial art she's using."
The nun pointed at Ara.
"Hm?"
Venerable Bullyeon's eyes widened.
The long-haired woman's technique was astonishingly one of Emei Sect's supreme arts: the Single Sumeru Sword. More brutal and bloodthirsty than original, but unmistakably Emei swordsmanship.
"Even Divine Travel Maze Step! How... No way, Buljeong?"
Venerable Bullyeon muttered like a groan.
Buljeong.
One of Emei Sect's sore spots.
Fearing donations from Thousand Jade Merchant House would stop, they laicized and expelled her. Buljeong begged tearfully to stay, but the sect leader and elders ignored her.
Buljeong left Emei Sect.
No one knew what happened after. They searched for news, but found none.
'Did she really go to the battlefield?'
Someone said she went in place of an only son. But no one believed it—sending a woman to war made no sense.
"Confirm..."
Venerable Bullyeon headed toward Ara.
"Kraaaang!"
A guttural roar thick with killing intent grabbed her ankle. Venerable Bullyeon turned.
A burly man swung a bizarre weapon chained to his wrists, eliminating foes. He ignored enemy attacks completely. Every exchange was mutual destruction.
A dog followed beside the man. It moved swiftly, biting the ankles of those attacking him.
"Kraaak!"
"Aak!"
"Euaak!"
It was an astonishing sight. Severed heads and limbs floated up as if tossed from below. Some heads had ears sliced off.
The man was drenched in the blood pouring from the severed pieces.
"Beast."
The word that came to mind seeing the man.
She walked on. Ara's skill was different from what she remembered. Concise and brutal. The Single Sumeru Sword was originally flashy. But Ara's version had no frills—purely for killing. Divine Travel Maze Step too: piercing blind spots precisely, slicing enemies in one go.
Enemy numbers dwindled rapidly.
When the pushed-back Emei warriors joined, it sped up even more.
"Retreat!"
Someone yelled.
"No."
Clang! Clang clang clang! Clang clang!
"Guhk!"
"Keuk!"
"Euk!"
Fleeing ones collapsed one by one. Venerable Bullyeon approached Ara.
"My goodness, Buljeong!"
Tears streamed from Venerable Bullyeon's eyes.