Chapter 123
Chapter 123
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: Leaving Sichuan
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“Is that all?”
“No. As you might have guessed, the water bandits waited for Jin Hong to leave the village. The moment he was gone, they set the village ablaze, beheaded the women and children, and hung their heads from the trees.”
“……”
“Upon hearing the news, Jin Hong returned to find the bandits, but they had already moved their base and disappeared.”
“He was quite a naive man.”
“Indeed. Every martial artist in the Orthodox Sects who heard the story criticized him, and Jin Hong himself admitted it. He said the deaths of those villagers were all his fault.”
“That can’t be the end of the story, can it?”
As Mu-heun raised an eyebrow, the Tang Clan warrior smirked as if the answer was obvious.
“Of course not. From that day on, Jin Hong began to hunt down those water bandits. Twice a year, he would visit the village and repent for his mistake for a week, without eating, drinking, or sleeping. After about three years… he finally caught them.”
“He surely killed them this time?”
“Hahahaha! That’s right. As soon as Jin Hong found them, he began to subdue them. He cut off their arms, their legs, inflicting every possible pain as he overpowered them.”
“That’s a relief.”
“It didn’t end there. He also wiped out the local officials who lived off the bandits’ money, as well as their families. Then, he hung the bandits’ heads on their boat and set it adrift.”
“……”
“He then set the blood-soaked boat afloat on the river, and soon, crows swarmed it, pecking at their heads. Standing before it, he once again reflected on his past error and finished the job by setting the boat on fire.”
“I see…”
The incident that began Jin Hong’s rise to fame in the martial world stemmed from his actions. He had been a naive young man, but a gut-wrenching experience had forged his resolve.
In that case…
He must have established his own standards of good and evil.
He seemed to have a disposition for understanding and helping others, but various experiences might have twisted him.
Satisfied with the warrior’s answer, Mu-heun posed his final question.
“What about his martial prowess? Is anything known about his fighting style?”
“Ah, his martial arts are beyond question. I’ve heard that when Jin Hong enters a battle, his presence is overwhelming. His Plum Blossom Sword is said to dance in the air as if it were alive, slaughtering his enemies.
“What’s most famous is that when his blade catches the light, it shimmers with a beauty like plum blossoms swaying in the wind.”
“I meant something other than that, like his power or his accomplishments.”
“Ah. There’s a simple example. Since you’re from the Demonic Cult, you’ll know this well, but he once fought against the Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, Cheon Mu-jin. Although he lost by a hair’s breadth, they say it was a nearly even match.”
“…!”
“Of course, that was a long time ago, so who knows who would win if they fought now.”
“I see. Thank you.”
Mu-heun imagined it.
If the Plum Blossom Sword Venerable, Jin Hong, and the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s leader, Cheon Mu-jin, were to fight now, who would win?
As expected…
It probably wouldn’t be much different from before.
The Plum Blossom Sword Venerable was likely stronger than the Cult Leader’s other disciples, but he seemed to be at the mid-level of the Profound Realm at best. The Cult Leader Cheon Mu-jin I had seen was at the peak of the Profound Realm… in other words, on the verge of Transcendent Demon.
He was already an absolute existence when it came to martial arts, but after completing his secluded training, he had attained a level of strength that was simply unparalleled.
‘At my current level, I don’t even know if I can take on my senior martial brothers and sisters. If I reach the peak of the Supreme Demon stage… I think I could handle anyone except for my eldest brother, the Sword Demon.’
However, after reaching the Supreme Demon stage, also known as the Enlightenment Realm—the highest state in the martial world—it was not easy to increase one’s internal energy.
In any case…
Plum Blossom Sword Venerable, Jin Hong. I had learned a little about him. When I was sufficiently prepared, perhaps we could speak face to face.
‘First, I’ll deal with Seol Ha-ryeong’s immediate problem, then I’ll focus on honing my skills.’
As Mu-heun’s mind raced, Seol Ha-ryeong, who had been watching from the side, couldn’t hide her admiration.
‘Even when he resolved the trade issue with the Tang Clan in such a way, I couldn’t help but be astonished by the Dragon Demon’s immense caliber… And now he seeks to gather information on the Plum Blossom Sword Venerable!’
When Ha-ryeong had faced the Plum Blossom Sword Venerable, she had only one thought: she must never cross paths with someone like him again. It was fortunate she was a guest of the Sichuan Tang Clan this time; had they met outside, she would already be dead.
Though she couldn’t accurately gauge his martial prowess, the overwhelming gap made her skin crawl, and her reason had been on the verge of paralysis.
At that moment, Ha-ryeong had been thinking only of how to escape the situation, and that feeling hadn’t changed even now that she was safe from him.
However.
‘The Dragon Demon is qualitatively different from other members of the Demonic Cult. At first, I thought he was too compassionate for a cultist. Sometimes, I thought he was no different from a member of the Orthodox Sects. But now, I understand clearly. He is a man of such immense caliber that someone like me cannot even begin to fathom it.’
In Seol Ha-ryeong’s eyes, it seemed as though Mu-heun was gathering information on the Plum Blossom Sword Venerable, the greatest variable for the Demonic Cult. Thus, contrary to his intentions, she was building a grand misunderstanding.
Just then, a knock came at the door.
“It’s me.”
It was Dang Yeon-hwa.
It seemed Dang So-so had finally made her decision.
* * *
“Come in.”
Dang Yeon-hwa opened the door and entered, followed by Dang So-so. Dang So-so was in her late thirties, approaching forty. However, she looked to be in her early thirties.
Dang Yeon-hwa smiled lightly at Mu-heun and Seol Ha-ryeong.
“Thank you for waiting. It took a while because this child was suspicious of you. She said that your intention to go to the Martial Alliance might be a cover for some other conspiracy. So, I told her to meet you and see for herself.”
Mu-heun actually preferred this.
“Her suspicion is only natural. If there weren’t even that much doubt, the Orthodox Sects would have perished long ago.”
“Haha, thank you for saying so. In conclusion, she has agreed on the condition that she sticks by your side to keep an eye on you. Is that acceptable?”
Both Seol Ha-ryeong and I nodded and replied.
“Of course.”
Dang So-so, who had been hiding behind Dang Yeon-hwa the whole time, stepped forward after seeing our reaction.
“That’s not to say I’ll be treating you as villains and only watching you. It’s just that I need to maintain a minimum level of suspicion for any unforeseen circumstances. I’m sorry. I don’t know you well yet, so I hope you can understand why I must be this way.”
Mu-heun thought that if she intended to watch them, she could have just done so without saying anything. Seeing them be this forthright made him think.
‘They see me as a better person than I thought and are showing me due respect.’
“Haha, I am simply grateful that you have agreed to accompany us. I will do my best not to cause you any concern. However…”
“However…?”
“The Plum Blossom Sword Venerable has seen our faces. It might be a problem if he also comes to see the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly.”
“…!?”
“Ah, you don’t need to worry. I know a few disguise techniques, and I can completely conceal my demonic energy. It will be fine if I change my face.”
“You even know the art of disguise. Just who are you…?”
“Ah! Also, Miss Ha-ryeong’s demonic energy is not that strong to begin with, so she should be fine. However, I think it would be best if you could change her impression with a bit of makeup.”
Feeling burdened by the praise that was about to start again, Mu-heun quickly cut in and suggested changing Ha-ryeong’s appearance with makeup.
Dang So-so nodded at Mu-heun’s suggestion.
“Alright. I’ll take care of that.”
“Thank you.”
Seol Ha-ryeong, who had been listening quietly from the side, scrunched up her face in shock.
“Excuse me? What was that?”
* * *
That evening, Mu-heun and Seol Ha-ryeong were scheduled to depart with Dang So-so for the Martial Alliance in Hubei Province.
They had finished their preparations long ago but had to consider the possibility that high-ranking masters from the Martial Alliance, like the Plum Blossom Sword Venerable, might still be around.
Worried that things could escalate if they were to clash with someone who drew their sword without a word, they didn’t leave immediately, instead gathering at the main gate at night after all the Martial Alliance executives had departed.
The night sky was clear without a single cloud, and a perfect full moon hung in its center.
The first to emerge was Dang So-so.
As a female martial artist of the Tang Clan who had mastered poison arts, Dang So-so stood out with her beautiful green hair.
In her youth, she was known as the First Beauty of Sichuan. Like a flickering lantern in the dark, she would precariously captivate and sway the hearts of men.
Of course, she was a bit older now and not quite the same as before, but she still maintained herself so well that anyone would think she was in her early thirties.
Naturally, she wasn't enough to stir the heart of Mu-heun, who was long past the age of youthful fervor. However, any ordinary young man would have been captivated by her beauty.
Usually, her lean, trained body and the aura she exuded diminished her beauty, but dressed for the journey to the Martial Alliance, she seemed to be showing off that she was still worthy of being called the First Beauty of Sichuan.
Her long green hair was let down, giving the impression of flowing and shimmering like snake scales. The ends were slightly curled, and whenever she moved, it exuded a fatal beauty, as if snake venom were seeping out.
Her skin, illuminated by the moonlight, was pale yet had a healthy glow. But then, he saw something he hadn't noticed during the day.
A green pattern was etched on Dang So-so’s face.
“Miss Dang So-so, what is that pattern on your face?”
“Ah, this pattern is connected to the poison arts I developed myself. I don’t usually show it, but it has appeared because I’ve added some special poisons in preparation for the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly.”
“I see. It’s quite unique.”
“It holds a mysterious power that allows its color to change depending on the type of poison I use. However, my opponents won’t know which poison I’m using, making it difficult for them to counter.”
“The color changes depending on the type of poison you use… In that case, do you also have poisons for paralysis? Surely not all of them are lethal?”
“Of course. Since I can’t kill the younger generation at the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly, I’ve prepared a special, powerful paralysis poison for this occasion.”
“Hoh, is that so.”
Dressed in a green robe, she looked like a young lady who had spent her life buried in books, but within her lay deadly poisonous thorns.
A being where beauty and danger coexisted.
Both were sources of her pride.
‘Indeed, she has the beauty to have once been called the First Beauty of Sichuan, and at the same time, she is a martial artist of the Tang Clan.’