Chapter 362
Chapter 362
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 371
Chapter Title: Blockade at Yicheng
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Bustle filled the Iron God Sect's guest hall. The Nangong Family's younger disciples moved busily, packing bundles and loading goods onto carts.
They were preparing to head back after wrapping up negotiations with the Iron God Sect Lord, Ban Hojung.
Clink, clink!
With every step Namgung Hyuk took, the twin swords hanging at his waist clashed together, making noise. Each time, the corners of his mouth and his cheekbones shot up toward the sky.
"Heh heh, heh heh heh."
A bizarre laugh spilled out.
It sounded like a frog puffing its cheeks to croak its loudest, or a horse snorting roughly.
"Puh-heh! Puh-heh heh."
Was that a man or a horse?
Hwangbo Chung stared in bewilderment.
"What's wrong with that bastard?"
Geum Cheomsang, who had been packing, flashed his eyes.
"That bastard?"
"......Ah, no, I mean that gentleman. Why's he acting like that?"
"Acting like that?"
......This fucking servant punk?
"......Like that?"
"Never mind. It's not like it's the first day or anything."
So it wasn't just a day or two.
'......But why's this servant always glaring at me?'
Hwangbo Chung's massive fist trembled.
He was feeling the true meaning of "tiger by the tail" down to his bones.
Even the Mad Dragon's servants strutted around like this now.
'Just where do we stand in the family hierarchy back home?'
The thought made him curious for a moment, but the more he dwelled on it, the more bitter and depressed he felt, leaving him with nothing but a sigh.
"Hurry it up. Start with that young master's luggage over there."
"......"
Hwangbo Chung quietly packed and loaded his things onto the cart.
As he lamented his fate, he stole glances at Namgung Hyuk, who kept giggling nonstop from the side.
Namgung Hyuk lightly tapped his demon swords.
His gaze turned to the piles of blades stacked high on the cart.
'Nice, nice.'
The sharpness emanating from these mere hunks of metal was worlds apart from before.
As expected of true craftsmen.
'They even pour their souls into mass-produced gear.'
A craftsman spirit bordering on perfectionism.
Soon, that spirit would spread to the artisans of the Five Great Families.
Exchanging techniques like this, they might one day stamp out divine swords like factory goods.
Namgung Hyuk had actually seen such cases a few times before.
"It's the martial arts that are the problem."
Fucking idiots, tsk!
Namgung Hyuk let out a cold sneer before shrugging.
Mutual benefit all around—nothing wrong with that.
The Nangong Family and Five Families Alliance would gain superior weapons, while the Iron God Sect would exchange techniques and establish a mass-production system.
As they reached the Iron God Sect's main gate, Sect Lord Ban Hojung and the sect elders had all come out to see them off.
Namgung Hyuk let out a short whistle of admiration.
"Aren't you busy? Why'd everyone come out like this?"
Ban Hojung stepped forward.
He swept his gaze over Namgung Hyuk and his trailing younger disciples, then politely cupped his hands in salute.
"How could we not see off such esteemed guests?"
"Aw, the esteemed guests are me and my brother. These guys are nobodies."
Hey, you jerk!
The younger disciples groaned inwardly.
Ban Hojung chuckled good-naturedly.
"I feel like my eyes have been opened. Something that's been blocked feels cleared now."
"Glad to hear it."
"Thank you for the opportunity."
"Mutual opportunity. You seized it, Sect Lord."
At Namgung Hyuk's casual tone, Ban Hojung nodded with a smile.
'The more I see, the more different he is.'
Light tosses of words, but they landed with deeper meaning.
Perhaps because this youth in his twenties possessed insight and perception beyond his years.
On top of that, there was something indescribable about him.
The analogies he used came across calm and vivid, like an old man recounting his experiences.
'Exchanging techniques to advance further.'
Namgung Hyuk's proposal shattered common sense.
It seemed simple, but was anything but.
Yet he'd laid it out so naturally.
'Nangong Family. Now I get why Wudang's so wary.'
Even now it was like this—who could predict how the Mad Dragon would grow in the future?
"Heh heh, thank you for the chance. Let's meet again sometime."
"Keep that up and it'll get awkward."
"Heh heh heh! Right now, I'd even take you as a son-in-law."
"Hah hah ha, pretend that never happened."
"......Heh, heh heh, just kidding, kidding."
"That's some lethal joking."
Son-in-law my ass.
Even before ascension, my age topped ninety, you punk.
And......
Look at that.
"Sob sob! Young master, sob sob! This girl will definitely come visit. We'll meet alive for sure. If we can't meet here, then in the Nine Heavens at least."
Namgung Hyuk let out a hollow laugh as he watched Ban Ha-ryeong bawling in front of Nangong Ryong.
"Even with that?"
"......My daughter's not usually like that......"
"Aw, I wasn't like this before either."
"Heh heh heh."
"Hah hah ha!"
Namgung Hyuk laughed heartily and shrugged.
"I'll send good news soon."
"I believe you!"
"Yeah, of course! You have to."
Namgung Hyuk said.
"As long as it's not the wrong path."
"Hm?"
"I'm saying there'll definitely be good results."
Namgung Hyuk guffawed, and Ban Hojung laughed along.
Ban Hojung and the artisans bowed their heads in farewell.
"Take care on your way!"
"Travel safely!"
Then came the bizarre sight of Ban Ha-ryeong and the countless maidens residing in the Iron God Sect waving at Nangong Ryong with teary eyes.
Paeng Junghyuk, Tang Myeongjin, and Hwangbo Chung swallowed hard.
'......Filthy world.'
'So bitter.'
'Has the world always been this harsh?'
Fuck.
* * *
Namgung Hyuk's group left the Iron God Sect and immediately turned toward Anhui Province.
"Let's knock back one round first."
At Namgung Hyuk's words, Paeng Junghyuk firmly shook his head.
"You've been drinking nonstop since we got to the Iron God Sect."
"We're heading back today, so another round!"
"......"
"Got to suck it down quick when you're in a good mood! It tastes bad once the mood fades."
Though he hadn't purified the demon sword's demonic qi, its functions had improved dramatically.
Even before, it had been called a divine blade, but now it was beyond that.
'And I found a clue to refining the demon sword.'
From the scabbard to the Heavenly Sky Bright King Art, he'd gained the ability to break down and purify demonic qi.
An unexpected windfall.
Personal gains overflowed like this, but public ones were no less impressive.
Technique sharing with the Iron God Sect, plus a promise of mass-produced weapons.
This would make the Five Families Alliance even stronger.
'Mood's great. Can't not be.'
The fence had grown more solid.
A springboard for the Nangong Family and himself to leap further.
Namgung Hyuk grinned.
"So let's down it quick and dash to Anhui!"
"Even quick, we can't dash quick—that's the problem."
"Why?"
"The ox ain't great. Think it'll run like that?"
Paeng Junghyuk nodded toward Hwangbo Chung, who was grunting as he pulled the cart.
Namgung Hyuk grinned.
"You pull it."
"Let's have that drink. Where to?"
As Paeng Junghyuk muttered while eyeing distant mountains, Geum Cheomsang chimed in.
"We'll hit Yicheng soon after here. Decent inn there."
"How do you know that?"
"Beggars' Gang said so."
"Using Beggars' Gang intel freely...... Hey, cut it out."
Namgung Hyuk grabbed Geum Cheomsang's shoulder.
Geum Cheomsang broke into a cold sweat.
"......Wh-why?"
"You been reporting to Hefei this whole time?"
"Th-that's...... 'Report departures, meet for returns'......"
"Yeah, punk. I'll send your obituary with mine on the way back."
"Y-young master, y-young masteer!"
Namgung Hyuk grabbed Geum Cheomsang's head and flicked it hard.
Thwack!
"Kek!"
"Punk's loyal to the wrong shit."
"I-I was just......"
"You. Switch."
"Y-yes? Wh-what?"
Geum Cheomsang scratched his head and looked at Namgung Hyuk.
Namgung Hyuk jerked his chin.
Geum Cheomsang gulped and slowly turned toward where Namgung Hyuk indicated.
There, Hwangbo Chung sweated bullets and grinned.
Like a bull huffing through its nostrils.
Geum Cheomsang's eyes bulged.
"......The cart?"
"Yeah."
"Me?"
"Yep."
"Pull it?"
"Punk, hurry up."
"......"
Geum Cheomsang made a miserable face and headed to Hwangbo Chung.
Hwangbo Chung yanked him close with a big hand and grinned right in his face.
"Keh heh heh heh, that's the pecking order."
"......"
"Pull, servant boy."
At Hwangbo Chung's words, Geum Cheomsang weakly gripped the cart, gritted his teeth, and trudged forward.
'Fuck! I was just following the family head's orders! Just that!'
"Graaaah! Uwaaaaaah!"
Watching Geum Cheomsang pull the cart with veins bulging in his neck, Namgung Hyuk stretched grandly.
"Aw, how far to Yicheng?"
"Y-young master. My bad. Real bad......"
"Hm, this might take longer than I thought."
"Th-there it is ahead."
"Nah."
"Wh-why?"
Geum Cheomsang, looking like he was dying, glanced at Namgung Hyuk.
Namgung Hyuk halted and stared blankly at the entrance to Yicheng.
"Ah, they won't make it annoying, right?"
"Yes?"
Just as Geum Cheomsang looked puzzled.
Nangong Ryong turned his head, Paeng Junghyuk smirked then sobered and gripped his sword hilt.
Thud thud thud!
From the deserted path, Taoists in white robes appeared, black Daoist caps on their heads, sleeves bearing embroidered pine trees.
Only one group in the world dressed like that and carried such swords.
'Wudang Sect!'
Paeng Junghyuk, clutching his sword hilt, sighed.
Wudang already?
Eleven of them, all second- or third-generation disciples at least, by their ages.
Things were starting to tangle.
Wudang's second-generation disciples were mid-tier experts thriving in the jianghu.
Namgung Hyuk muttered nonchalantly.
"Those long-noses blocking the road?"
"......Now what?"
"What now? Don't make eye contact. Just keep walking."
"......"
"Hey, no eye contact. Could just be passing through."
Right.
Wudang was beyond the path they'd come from.
But they weren't moving and blocked the way?
Paeng Junghyuk sighed.
"What're we gonna do?"
"......Doesn't seem like they're after me? Not me. Not......"
"Who's the Mad Dragon?"
Ah, fuck.
Namgung Hyuk sighed and glanced over.
Wudang's first-generation disciple Jingong silently scanned the Nangong group.
Near fifty, but Jingong looked early thirties.
Tall and lanky, his eyes held dignity and integrity.
His voice echoed down the path to Yicheng.
"I asked, who's the Mad Dragon!"
Paeng Junghyuk whispered.
"It is you."
"Who's the Mad Dragon."
You, jerk.
"I don't know the Mad Dragon."
You, jerk.
At Namgung Hyuk's playing dumb, Paeng Junghyuk sighed.
'Obviously here to grill us on Iron God Sect.'
If Wudang sought them out specifically, only one sore spot: the demon sword scuffle—no, incident, no, assault......
Paeng Junghyuk sighed deeply and stepped forward.
"I'll talk. We haven't fought yet, so maybe dialogue......"
"Ooh, loyal bear as expected!"
Should I just bail?
Paeng Junghyuk felt odd self-loathing as he eyed Jingong.
He was about to cup hands and step up.
Suddenly, Hwangbo Chung bellowed like a scream.
"The Mad Dragon's heeeere!"
He pointed vigorously at Namgung Hyuk with finger, eyes, and chin.
Nangong Ryong's sword swung toward Hwangbo Chung, Paeng Junghyuk's jaw dropped.
But fastest were So Hye-yeon, Paeng Yeon-hwa, and Tang Myeong-ok charging at Hwangbo Chung.
The moment their "bribed" loyalty shone.
Smack!
"Kweeeek!"
"Quiet!"
"Betrayal?!"
Overpowered by the three women in an instant, Hwangbo Chung was dragged behind the cart, wailing pitifully.
Jingong and the Wudang disciples blankly watched, then recomposed and faced front.
Namgung Hyuk eyed Jingong with clear annoyance.
"Ah, fuck. Dealing with long-noses is a hassle."
"Not in front of long-noses!"
"Ah, whatever. That guy's calling me Mad Dragon too."
Namgung Hyuk stared at Jingong with indifference.
Jingong and the Wudang experts' faces chilled and hardened.