Chapter 344
Chapter 344
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 344
Chapter Title: The Soul Escaper Arrives
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Having slipped out of the Extermination Leader's quarters, Yong Jugae and Cheonhwi headed toward the Murim Alliance's inner chambers, where Zhuge Gong and Baekun were said to have gone.
Tap, tap.
As Yong Jugae advanced using the Heavenly Flight Shadowless Technique—one of the Beggar Clan's countless evasion arts, renowned as the fastest— he glanced sideways at Cheonhwi, who followed with casual ease.
The Heavenly Flight Shadowless Technique was at its pinnacle in his hands, to the point where even most experts couldn't keep up with him...
Yet Cheonhwi kicked off the ground effortlessly, matching his pace with room to spare.
What technique is that?
Yong Jugae's eyes narrowed slightly.
He was the Beggar Clan's Leader, a master of information.
In other words, he prided himself on knowing more about the world's secrets than anyone else.
Yet...
A movement technique I've never seen before. No, I'm not even sure if it's a body or foot technique.
Yong Jugae's eyes sparkled as he observed Cheonhwi's footwork.
It was bizarre and intricate.
It looked like a foot technique if he thought of it that way, or a body technique if he considered it otherwise.
Did Mount Hua have a evasion art like this?
Perhaps due to the Beggar Clan's habits,
he methodically cataloged every one of Cheonhwi's movements in his mind.
It was then, as he was imprinting Cheonhwi's evasion art in his head while pressing forward.
"Quite a crowd has gathered."
Cheonhwi muttered to himself.
While staring into empty space.
Following Cheonhwi's gaze upward, Yong Jugae furrowed his brow.
The distant sky above was rippling.
Right over the inner chambers.
"Trouble's already brewing."
Yong Jugae shook his head.
There was still some distance to the inner chambers, but the diverse auras leaking from there had already reached this far.
They prickled at his skin.
Thud!
Suddenly, Cheonhwi kicked off the ground fiercely.
In an instant, his form stretched long, crossing ten zhang in a single bound.
"Hah... ramping up the speed here, of all places."
Yong Jugae clicked his tongue in disbelief.
It was truly overwhelming speed.
No technique he'd ever seen could hope to match it.
Even Kunlun Sect's Flying Dragon Chasing Lightning, hailed as the fastest, or Killing Curtain's Soul-Chasing Residual Shadow... compared to what that guy's using...
As his eyes deepened with thought,
Whoosh—
Cheonhwi, now proficient in the pinnacle Heavenly Flight Step, pressed on with gleaming eyes.
A feast of extraordinary auras.
More than enough to stir him.
Have all the Alliance's experts gathered?
As Cheonhwi raced forward, staring at the quivering air laced with energies,
"...Soul Escaper."
"To come to the Murim Alliance alone."
"Amitabha. Even the Four Messengers of the Evil-Black Alliance."
Sharp voices drifted over.
It was the murmurs from the crowd gathered near the entrance to the inner chambers.
And every single one of them was remarkable.
Not just the Nine Great Sects' experts residing in the Alliance, but the Three Brigades' leaders, the Four Armies' commanders, Elder Jade Lion Divine Sword of the Elder Council, and even the Three Great Peak Experts' Human Hero Duke.
All glaring at the door.
As if ready to strike at any moment.
As Cheonhwi passed through the door late to the scene, the watching crowd's eyes turned to him.
"Plum Blossom Divine Hero?"
"The Extermination Leader's here too."
They showed no surprise or special reaction to Cheonhwi's arrival.
They accepted it as natural.
As Cheonhwi met the eyes of those staring at him,
"Hwi!"
Hyeondo hurried over.
"You here to stand guard too?"
His eyes were already steely with tension.
Clear anxiety etched on his face.
In contrast, Cheonhwi shrugged nonchalantly.
"Just came to see who it is."
It was at that moment.
Yong Jugae, who had arrived silently behind Cheonhwi, murmured lowly.
"He's coming."
With those words, everyone's gazes turned coldly toward the door.
Beyond the closed door, an aura pressed in.
An absolute, overwhelming presence no door could block.
He's openly radiating his energy.
Cheonhwi's lips curved faintly.
Baekun wasn't hiding his momentum in the slightest—he was unleashing it.
And it was formidable.
Like a masterfully honed famed sword, the razor-sharp energy seemed ready to slice through the door and everyone beyond it.
"......"
Sweat beaded on the foreheads of some facing that intense pressure.
Others placed hands on their sword hilts.
Poised to draw at any second.
In that razor-sharp atmosphere,
Creeeak—
The closed door finally opened.
And at that instant.
Step, step.
Baekun stepped out.
His figure, shrouded in deep shadow, emerged into the sunlight, fully revealed.
A bizarre sight adorned in flashy garb.
If they didn't know him, anyone might point and laugh at his appearance—but most here grew even more tense at the sight.
"Quite the grand welcome."
Baekun's lips twisted.
At the same time, his horizontally slanted, serpentine eyes swept over them.
"...!"
The moment he spoke to them, most widened their eyes and stiffened.
These gathered were all at least at the Ultimate Realm, sensitive to auras.
Thus, they felt it bone-deep.
The profound martial prowess of the one before them!
What internal energy!
This is the former hegemon of the unorthodox, the Soul Escaper!
As they stiffened, glaring at Baekun,
Hmm, at that level, he's at least equal to the Immortal Heaven Cult Leader, or perhaps...
Cheonhwi's lips curved faintly.
The opponent's prowess was impressive.
His energy, his presence.
Everything screamed that he had reached an extraordinary realm.
First time seeing energy like that. What art did he cultivate?
Cheonhwi's eyes narrowed as he watched.
His gaze burned hotter than the midday sun with fighting spirit and curiosity.
"Oh ho, quite a few familiar faces. Human Hero Duke, Elder Yuan Jong, Jade Lion Divine Sword, and even Trace Moon Divine Spear."
Baekun's lips moved toward them.
His voice laced with amusement.
Meanwhile, those he eyed and named grew increasingly grim.
"Amitabha."
A low chant rang out as someone strode forward before Baekun.
A nun in monastic robes: Soyeon Abbess.
"Why have you come to the Murim Alliance?"
Her eyes sharpened as she asked.
Among the Nine Great Sects, Emei Sect had suffered the greatest losses in the war against the Evil-Black Alliance.
Thus, they had every reason to despise them.
For one of their core experts, Baekun, to visit the Alliance...
How could they stand idly by?
"He is leaving now. Please calm yourself and make way."
Zhuge Gong, who had followed, interjected between them.
"Strategist, we must know why he appeared...!"
As Soyeon Abbess's voice rose,
"He is the Evil-Black Alliance's emissary, bearing a letter from their Alliance Leader. A meeting will be held shortly regarding its contents."
Zhuge Gong revealed the reason for his visit.
"A letter from the Evil-Black Alliance Leader...?"
Soyeon Abbess narrowed her brow.
She wasn't alone.
Naturally, most encircling Baekun hesitated at Zhuge Gong's words.
The Soul Escaper coming as an emissary was already public knowledge. And he'd just met the Alliance Leader, so it wasn't entirely surprising.
Moreover, for someone of his stature to be sent as emissary, a letter from their leader made sense.
Yet, in the midst of war, hearing it confirmed was still shocking.
And with the strategist announcing an imminent meeting, the contents were surely no trifling matter.
As everyone bit their lips,
"Hm?"
Baekun's eyes gleamed.
The moment he locked eyes with the Jongnam Sword Sage.
"Oh ho, so you're Jongnam's Sword Sage."
Baekun said, meeting Jongnam Sword Sage Go Hyun's gaze.
"It's been a while."
"A while? Have we met?"
"We have, once before."
"Hm, I don't recall."
"It's natural you wouldn't. My skills were meager then; I only watched from afar."
"Ah! I'd forgotten for a moment. The one who reached the Heavenly Martial Realm in his later years."
Baekun swept his gaze over the Jongnam Sword Sage as he spoke.
His serene, lake-like eyes calmly took in the Sword Sage.
"Remarkable. Entering the Heavenly Martial Realm late and reaching this level."
"Age means nothing to enlightenment."
"True enough."
Baekun's eyes curved.
"But your energy feels a bit unsteady."
The Jongnam Sword Sage's eyebrow twitched faintly.
He'd been circulating his energy to conceal his internal injuries, yet it was seen through instantly.
"This is nothing."
"I hope so."
Baekun let out a cold chuckle.
He had already discerned it.
That the Jongnam Sword Sage was currently suffering internal injuries.
As he turned aside, his gaze caught red-and-white Daoist robes.
Mount Hua Sect?
His eyes chilled.
Spotting a warrior from the sect most disrupting the current Evil-Black Alliance, he regarded the robed figure with coldly refined eyes.
Is that the Plum Blossom Divine Sword?
A solid presence emanated from the middle-aged Daoist with a bandit-like face.
His energy was well-refined too.
But that was it.
It was hard to say his prowess or energy surpassed the Jongnam Sword Sage's.
As Hyeondo narrowed his brow at the serpentine eyes suddenly fixing on him,
If that's all there is, no need to worry much about this so-called Plum Blossom Divine Hero...
Baekun's eyes wavered slightly mid-thought.
A dignified presence stimulating his senses emanated from right beside the Plum Blossom Divine Sword.
Whoosh!
He whipped his head around.
Locking eyes with the young Daoist beside the Plum Blossom Divine Sword, he felt as if lightning had struck his mind.
A sensation he hadn't felt in ages.
Baekun moved immediately.
"...!"
"Showing his true colors!"
Those surrounding him tensed at Baekun suddenly approaching, preparing their stances.
But before they could,
Step.
Baekun halted before the young Daoist.
"Who are you?"
Unlike his earlier leisure, his voice carried a hint of excitement.
As everyone marveled at his demeanor,
"If you want my name, shouldn't you give yours first?"
Cheonhwi smirked.
"Hwi!"
"Extermination Leader!"
Hyeondo and the others cried out in alarm.
The opponent was Soul Escaper Baekun.
No matter how many Murim Alliance experts were here, he was far more dangerous.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The shocked crowd gripped their sword hilts in preparation for the worst.
Ready to intervene if Baekun moved.
But what followed defied their expectations entirely.
"Fair enough."
Baekun replied plainly.
It was astonishing.
The vast gap in status between them—Baekun wasn't one to let insolence slide from those he hadn't acknowledged.
Yet he accepted Cheonhwi's words without protest.
"Baekun."
"Cheonhwi."
"...The Plum Blossom Divine Hero."
Baekun's eyes flashed.
And with that, he burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
As if encountering great delight, he guffawed—then abruptly stopped.
In that fleeting instant, their gazes locked.
Exchanging cold, clear looks for a moment, Baekun spoke.
"Strong."
"You too."
Everyone was baffled by their exchange.
Baekun treated the much junior Cheonhwi as an equal without a hint of disdain.
As if it were only natural.
After eyeing Cheonhwi briefly, Baekun turned away as if there was nothing more to see.
Then, to Zhuge Gong:
"Let's go."
Zhuge Gong glanced at Baekun, who had suddenly urged departure, then at Cheonhwi.
...To think the Soul Escaper would react this strongly to someone.
His eyes darkened.
As far as he knew, Baekun never lost composure, no matter the situation.
Yet he had been wary of this young warrior.
Perhaps, in the future, the greatest threat to the Alliance Leader might be...
He turned from Cheonhwi.
Not yet.
A matter for the future.
"This way."
Zhuge Gong quickly composed himself and stepped forward.
Those encircling them exchanged tense glances as Zhuge Gong and Baekun approached, then parted to let them pass.
They followed silently behind.
In case of any mishap.
Not everyone, of course.
Some moved elsewhere to gather intel on the situation, while others stood dazed, tension easing.
And Cheonhwi, recalling Baekun's earlier piercing momentum, smirked.
"Soul Escaper Baekun, huh..."
Fighting spirit surged.
More intensely than during his life-or-death duel with the Immortal Heaven Cult Leader.
"Tch, what a shame. Would've been better to meet on the battlefield instead of here."
Cheonhwi licked his lips watching Zhuge Gong and Baekun recede, then unleashed the Heavenly Flight Step.
* * * No sooner had Baekun left the Murim Alliance than people began gathering in the grand conference hall.
"Alliance Leader, what is the meaning of this?"
As the attendees assembled, Yong Jugae glared at the Murim Alliance Leader.
He'd held back his questions long enough.
And he wasn't alone in his frustration.
All present stared at the Alliance Leader's sealed lips, awaiting answers.
The Alliance Leader smiled softly.
A gentle smile, yet one that stirred complex emotions in the beholders.
Then his lips parted.
"The Evil-Black Alliance has requested a truce."
"A truce?!"
"Explain precisely!"
Some shot to their feet at the evasive-seeming reply.
But the Alliance Leader maintained his smile.
"Exactly as I said."
"What sort of truce demands the Soul Escaper as emissary?!"
"We're asking what it entails!"
As tempers flared, the Alliance Leader met each gaze before speaking.
"Regarding the armistice."