Chapter 93
Chapter 93
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: A Warning to the Sichuan Tang Clan
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Cheol-bi envisioned the battle that would unfold in the tavern. If he was a member of the Demonic Cult, killing him here would be fine. There would be no repercussions later.
‘The problem is his skill…’
He had to strike when the man’s guard was down.
‘Even if he’s a greater master than I think, it doesn’t matter. If I call the Tang Clan warriors nearby to join in, we can handle anyone.’
Cheol-bi figured that if he could buy some time and have Ga Se-pyeong leave the tavern to request support from the main family, he would have backup in case anything unexpected happened.
However, Baek Mu-heun could see right through Cheol-bi’s thoughts and spoke with a sneer.
“I can hear you scheming from all the way over here. Ah, no, wait. Should I give you some information to help you scheme better?”
Baek Mu-heun tore off the demon-sealing talismans wrapped around his wrists and ankles, releasing his energy.
At that moment,
“……!”
“N-No…!”
A suffocatingly sinister demonic energy enveloped the entire tavern. Feeling Baek Mu-heun’s power, his companions emerged from their rooms. They started to hurry downstairs, but Baek Mu-heun’s telepathic message reached them.
[Go back into your rooms. You must not come any closer. I have a plan, so just watch for now.]
Ga Se-pyeong and Cheol-bi were utterly bewildered. The demonic aura emanating from the man before them was incomparably more powerful than that of any cultist they had ever met.
‘H-How can such an energy exist in this world?’
He had gravely, gravely misjudged his opponent’s true strength.
“How about it? Getting a better picture now?”
“W-Who in the world are you?”
“I am Hwang Cheol-ung, Pavilion Lord of the Red Demon Pavilion, one of the Five Pavilions of the Demonic Cult.”
“T-The Pavilion Lord of the Red Demon Pavilion!?”
Cheol-bi and Ga Se-pyeong had, of course, heard of the Red Demon Pavilion’s Lord.
As someone who acted as a cleaner in Sichuan, it was impossible for him not to know. He had heard it so many times it made his ears ache: at the heart of the exchange between the Demonic Cult and Sichuan were the Tang Clan and the Red Demon Pavilion.
‘The Pavilion Lord of the Red Demon Pavilion is in charge of the Cult’s trade with Sichuan, isn’t he? A figure that important came to Sichuan in person this time?’
In truth, it wasn’t that strange. It had been months since trade between the Heavenly Mountains and the Central Plains had been cut off. It was only natural that the person in charge of trade, the Lord of the Red Demon Pavilion, would come in person at this point.
However, if his opponent was indeed the Red Demon Pavilion’s Lord…
Even if he, Ga Se-pyeong, and every other Tang Clan warrior here were to attack together, victory was not guaranteed.
Cheol-bi clutched his chest and spoke again.
“You are making a mistake. I admit I misspoke, but… if you wish to trade with the Sichuan Tang Clan, it would be best not to touch me. I am, after all, a man of the Tang Clan.”
Cheol-bi, judging that he could not fight the man named Hwang Cheol-ung, wracked his brain for a way to survive. But Baek Mu-heun was enjoying the process.
“You son of a bitch. You’re going to keep scheming? What? Don’t touch you for the sake of trade with the Tang Clan? Hey, you bastard. Did you think the Divine Cult has been staying quiet all this time because we’re afraid of the Tang Clan? If our Cult so desired, we could wipe out the likes of the Tang Clan in an instant!”
“Can you take responsibility for those words! The Tang Clan is a family belonging to the Orthodox Sects of the martial world! We are not alone!”
“What? Not alone? The Tang Clan is doing everything it can to obstruct our Cult’s trade, and now I’ve come to settle the score, but you’re telling me I have to humor a dog raised by the Tang Clan? Are you saying if we want trade, we shouldn’t displease the Tang Clan?”
“No, that’s not what I meant…”
“No, this is for the better. I should just cut off your head and present it as a gift to the Tang Clan. That’s the only way you bastards will come to your senses, isn’t it?”
“Th-That’s…”
Cold sweat trickled down Cheol-bi’s back. He didn’t even dare to take out the poisoned hidden weapons prepared in his sleeves. His opponent was clearly a master who could kill someone like him as easily as swatting a fly.
“Th-There are many masters from the Tang Clan outside. I will take them all and withdraw so that you may rest comfortably. Could you not show me mercy just this once?”
Cheol-bi scrambled for any way to survive before Baek Mu-heun.
“Scheming again. Fine. Let’s see just how tough that head of yours is!”
Just then, Baek Mu-heun kicked off the ground and rushed at Cheol-bi.
“Gah!”
Seeing Baek Mu-heun charge, Cheol-bi reflexively unleashed his poisoned hidden weapons with all his internal energy.
However, the demonic energy generated from Baek Mu-heun’s dantian formed the shape of a black dragon and deflected all the projectiles.
And then.
*CRUNCH!*
In an instant, he grabbed Cheol-bi’s head with one hand. Two more black dragons emerged from Baek Mu-heun, coiling around Cheol-bi’s body and constricting it.
*Crack*
“Aaarghhh!”
Cheol-bi’s bones were being crushed, and his screams echoed throughout the tavern.
“You said you stomped a Divine Cult member to a pulp because you fancied a woman? Well then, since I don’t fancy you, I’ll make sure your distinguished face is known to all.”
Baek Mu-heun raised his fist and spoke to the wall of the Black Dragon Tavern.
“Explosive Art of the Eight Demons.”
*BOOM!*
With a tremendous roar, a huge hole was blown into the tavern wall. The sound was so massive that every Sichuan Tang Clan warrior staying nearby noticed it.
But Baek Mu-heun didn’t seem to care one bit. He grabbed Cheol-bi by the back of the head and dragged him through the neighborhood, slamming his face into every wall he saw.
*CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!*
Cheol-bi focused his internal energy on his face to defend himself, but under the continuous assault, his face began to cave in.
*CRASH! CRASH!*
Baek Mu-heun trampled Cheol-bi brutally, inflicting immense pain.
“How about it? Does it ring a bell? Won’t everyone be able to recognize you now?”
“I… w-wro… ng…”
His entire face a bloody pulp, Cheol-bi could no longer speak properly.
“What is this bastard saying? Can’t you speak clearly?”
At that moment, numerous warriors surrounded Baek Mu-heun. They were all holding hidden weapons, the tips of which glistened, suggesting they were coated in poison.
It was the Poison Blood Unit, one of the Sichuan Tang Clan’s assassination squads.
“Why are you here? Looking for a show, you bastards?”
In the guise of the Red Demon Pavilion’s Lord, Hwang Cheol-ung, Baek Mu-heun once again unleashed his sinister demonic energy. It was the aura of a Transcendent Demon, the level of a supreme master known in the Central Plains as one who has Entered Divinity.
Just then, a man who appeared to be the captain of the Poison Blood Unit hastily descended and spoke.
“W-Who are you to do this? Why are you causing such a scene in Sichuan?”
“What? Who? Have you shameless bastards all coated your faces in steel?”
Baek Mu-heun’s hand, still gripping Cheol-bi’s head, erupted with a sinister internal energy.
*SPLAT!*
Cheol-bi’s head instantly exploded, splattering red blood everywhere.
“I am Hwang Cheol-ung, the Pavilion Lord of the Red Demon Pavilion, in charge of the Divine Cult’s trade with Sichuan. Did you think the Divine Cult would stand by while you bastards obstruct our trade? Perhaps if I kill all of you today and send you to the Tang Clan, they’ll finally understand our Cult’s intentions?”
A menacing aura pressed down on the assembled Poison Blood Unit. The warriors swallowed dryly, cold sweat dripping down their faces.
That day, a hellish scene unfolded in the Divine Dragon district of Sichuan’s capital. The incident that began with Cheol-bi at the Black Dragon Tavern stained the entire area with blood—all of it belonging to the Tang Clan.
***
Paeng Ri-hyeok of the Martial Alliance’s Sichuan branch summarized the incident.
[The blood of the Sichuan Tang Clan’s warriors was spilled upon the land known as Divine Dragon in Sichuan Province. The large man who emerged from the Black Dragon Tavern showed no mercy. He crushed the head of Cheol-bi, known as the Tang Clan’s cleaner, with a single hand and mercilessly slaughtered over fifty warriors of the Poison Blood Unit.
The aura radiating from the large man spread rapidly through the surroundings, and the common folk who were there unanimously expressed their astonishment.
Among them, those with a deep knowledge of martial arts, though not part of the Tang Clan’s Poison Blood Unit, were unable to contain their horror, stating that the large man’s martial prowess was terrifyingly dreadful and powerful.]
Paeng Ri-hyeok went around the Divine Dragon district, questioning anyone who might know something one by one.
“I am Investigator Paeng Ri-hyeok from the Martial Alliance’s Sichuan branch. What is your name? Do you know what happened here last night? Tell me everything you know. You will be compensated.”
“My name? My name is Pa-sun. Do I remember what happened that day? Of course. It was just yesterday. How could I forget after only a few days?
The man was an incredibly powerful master. His energy was unique. He wove his formless aura as if weaving cloth from thread. The formless energy soon became a dragon. I immediately judged that no ordinary master could stand against him.
But it seems the Tang Clan’s Poison Blood Unit thought otherwise.
The rooftops, eaves, walls… warriors hidden everywhere simultaneously launched their poisoned hidden weapons. Some flew in a straight line, while others curved around.
In any case, there were hundreds of them visible to the naked eye. Anyone less skilled would have been unable to even follow them with their eyes.
It was like witnessing the Myriad Blossoms Fill the Sky technique, performed by a supreme master of the Tang Clan. While they weren't supreme masters, it seemed such a feat was possible with many Tang Clan masters working together.
So, did their weapons reach the large man?
That is the crucial point. The man neither parried nor dodged the incoming weapons. The answer lay in the formless energy I mentioned earlier. The formless energy was woven into violet-black dragons, five of them by my count.
Let me say it again, anyone less skilled wouldn’t have even been able to follow them with their eyes.
The five black dragons were neither particularly fast nor slow. They simply coiled tightly around the large man, their hard, draconic scales deflecting every single poisoned weapon that flew at them.
The Poison Blood Unit warriors faltered, clearly flustered. Having witnessed Cheol-bi’s gruesome end firsthand, they knew better than anyone that prolonging the fight was not in their favor. It seemed they had poured all their strength into that first strike. But the man had blocked the entire unit’s attack without the slightest movement.
No, it wasn't so much that he blocked it… it would be more accurate to say he had indifferently stopped it, feeling it wasn’t even worth dealing with.
After that, it was just as I said. Everyone present was mercilessly slaughtered. The man showed no mercy. The Poison Blood Unit warriors numbered at least fifty, but half of them were taken down in an instant.
Then, the man relentlessly hunted down and butchered those who fled. I don't know how he found them all. It was as if he was connected to them by some scented thread, seeing the location of every fleeing person perfectly.
Judging by the man’s sinister demonic energy and ruthless slaughter, he must be a figure from the Demonic Cult. A high-ranking master at that.
And how did I survive, you ask?
I believe there is only one reason. The large man did not kill anyone who wasn’t from the Tang Clan. Besides myself, there were many others nearby who had not learned martial arts.
But the man showed no intimidation, nor did he cause any harm. He was as indifferent to us as he would be to stones rolling on the street.
Do I have any idea why?
Of course.
According to recent rumors in the martial world, the Tang Clan has been obstructing trade between the Demonic Cult and the Central Plains. That man was likely in charge of trade within the Demonic Cult, and in his eyes, the Sichuan Tang Clan must have been a thorn in his side.
Why am I siding with a demon?
I am not siding with a demon. I am simply stating the facts as they are. To begin with, if the Tang Clan and the Demonic Cult were to fight, the current sentiment in Sichuan is to hope for their mutual destruction.
You must know that there are few people in this land who have not suffered under the pressure and persecution of the Sichuan Tang Clan. In such a situation, with the public enemy of the martial world fighting against the Tang Clan, known as the Venom of Sichuan, why would anyone take only one side?
Survivors? Ah, yes, there was one. A man named Ga Se-pyeong from the Black Dragon Tavern. I heard he was drinking with Cheol-bi that night. The large man grabbed Cheol-bi’s head, broke through the tavern wall, and before leaving, he said something to Ga Se-pyeong.
What did he say?
How would I know that? Since Ga Se-pyeong is also from the Sichuan Tang Clan, just like Cheol-bi, he must have gone there and delivered the message.
In any case, I have told you everything I saw and felt. Please give me the promised payment.
Thank you. To think such a grim event could also bring some money.”
Paeng Ri-hyeok, the investigator from the Martial Alliance’s Sichuan branch, meticulously wrote down everything he heard from Pa-sun.
“A strange incident indeed.”
He only killed warriors of the Sichuan Tang Clan… It was truly strange.