Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Excessive But Well-Deserved Reward (2)
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"Ah."
It was something that hadn't happened in his previous life.
This, too, was a result of the changes Dang Yu-wol had brought about.
'Good thing.'
-The Ronin King would be a big help.
Dang Yu-wol turned his gaze to the Ronin King.
His eyes were fixed on Dang Yu-wol as well.
"Dang Yu-wol of the Sacheon Tang Clan pays respects to the Ronin King."
"Dang Yu-wol, huh. I've heard stories about you."
"It's an honor."
"We'll talk details later."
The Ronin King's eyes locked onto the demonic jiangshi.
"For now, priority is dealing with those monsters."
"Indeed."
It wasn't wrong, so Dang Yu-wol turned his head.
The demonic jiangshi were far more wary now than before.
"You bastards! Scared now?!"
"Kill them all!!"
Unpredictable hidden weapons and nets in the air.
Were those two restraining methods the reason?
-Krrroar...!!!
But a way to capture them had already been prepared.
Dang Yu-wol's poison paralyzed the demonic jiangshi.
The Ronin King's nets ensnared them.
"Hahaha!! You monster scum!!"
"Try acting tough like before!!"
It was different from earlier when they had no counter.
Thanks to that, the demonic jiangshi were being subdued one by one.
"Dang Yu-wol. Do those things move and attack on their own?"
"No way. They're following orders. There were Blood Cultists in the Wudang Sect."
"...Blood Cultists!!"
"We caught those Blood Cultists, and these came out."
"...So there might be Blood Cultists nearby too."
Killing intent laced Sanggwan Ryu's voice.
"Ones controlling those monsters, at that."
"Yeah."
"Those bastards."
Sanggwan Ryu paused for a moment.
Then he revealed the deep-seated hatred in his heart.
"What relation do they have to the ones who made those things?"
"Same breed, probably."
"...I see."
Sanggwan Ryu gripped his sword tightly.
The Ronin King shook his head at him.
"I took you as a disciple because of that killing intent."
His voice was calm.
He seemed unconcerned by how much hatred Sanggwan Ryu harbored.
"But don't let it consume you with enemies right in front."
"Understood, Master."
"Let's go together."
This side was mostly wrapped up.
'No need for me to stick around.'
The ronin, Wudang disciples, and his group were enough.
There were quite a few demonic jiangshi, but they could handle it.
Dang Yu-wol followed behind the departing Sanggwan Ryu and Ronin King.
"Shall we?"
The search itself didn't take long.
Blood qi reeked strongly from not far away.
"Sang Jun is here?!"
But Sang Jun, the one who created the demonic jiangshi, wasn't there.
Only Blood Cultists remained.
"What?!"
"How dare you to Elder Sang...?!"
"Heh heh. You know him. Then die."
But that was enough to sate Sanggwan Ryu's fury.
He stepped forward alone, sword in hand.
"Kaaak!!"
"What the hell is this guy?!"
"Damn it!! Kill him!!"
There were quite a few Blood Cultists.
But none could withstand an enraged Sanggwan Ryu.
Some tried using poison, but Dang Yu-wol blocked it effortlessly.
"I heard you're helping these kids."
'These kids? Meaning the Sanggwan siblings?'
"We just give and take what's due."
"I see. By the way, I heard you can wield intent even at the peak realm."
"Yes."
"Impressive at your young age. Want to become my disciple?"
"No."
The Ronin King chuckled at the blunt refusal.
"Know how many beg me to teach them just one move?"
"Then take them as disciples."
Dang Yu-wol's nonchalant reply made the Ronin King burst into laughter.
"You're a fun one."
"Thank you."
-Popular guy.
'Tell me about it.'
"How'd you end up taking Sanggwan Ryu as a disciple, anyway?"
"Was in Yunnan, heading to Wudang for business, and met him on the way."
He recalled that time.
It was when Sacheon Escort Agency warriors were fighting bandits.
Sanggwan Ryu was there, killing bandits alongside them.
"Liked his killing intent, so I took him in."
"Makes sense. But why come along?"
"Got things to teach him."
He pointed at Sanggwan Ryu as if it were obvious.
"And a disciple serving his master is only natural, no?"
-Still, Sanggwan Ryu's at transcendent realm.
'To a transcendent realm expert like him, that's just so-so.'
-By the way, is it okay to leave Taeseong Pavilion as is?
Of course, the Tang Clan would have sent people to protect it.
But having a transcendent realm expert made a huge difference.
"Let me make a proposal."
"Speak."
"Planning to establish a sect in Sacheon. Prepare a place for me."
The Ronin King, who wandered the world without a fixed abode.
For such a man to settle in Sacheon?
-What's his reason?
'Who knows. Doesn't matter anyway.'
A friendly transcendent realm expert settling down was nothing but good.
"I'll prepare a building near Seongdo."
"Good. But really no interest?"
-Damn persistent. Why's he so clingy?
Dang Yu-wol inwardly agreed with Ye-ui's exasperated words.
By then, Sanggwan Ryu had finished off the Blood Cultists.
"No more?"
"Doesn't seem so. Feel any better?"
Blood-soaked Sanggwan Ryu laughed at Dang Yu-wol's question.
"Do I look it?"
"Not at all."
Unless they caught Sang Jun, the demonic jiangshi maker.
Unless they eradicated the Blood Cult entirely.
Sanggwan Ryu's murderous intent wouldn't fade.
And the same went for Dang Yu-wol and Ye-ui.
"Hoo."
Hye-gak returned immediately the day the traitor's identity was revealed.
He was moved by the changed Wudang Sect.
"You really did it!! Well done! Splendidly done!!"
"It was nothing."
"Nothing my foot!!"
Hye-gak was overjoyed.
He had saved Wudang, which was everything to him.
"I don't know how to thank you, Young Hero Dang."
His disciples expressed the same gratitude.
They led Dang Yu-wol's group to the Dreamwheel Inn.
"Truth be told, the Sect Leader wanted to host you personally, but..."
"I understand. He's busy sorting out internal affairs now."
They had ousted the traitor and Blood Cultists.
But Wudang's damage was far from light.
Dang Yu-wol figured reconstruction took priority over thanks.
'If it crumbles here, all our efforts are wasted.'
-Right. Thanks can come anytime.
"Thank you for understanding!!"
Hye-gak's first disciple, Chu-kyeong, bowed repeatedly.
"As Taoists, coming to a place like this isn't ideal."
It was true.
The Dreamwheel Inn was too grand and flashy for Taoists.
"But we must do our best to host our benefactor who saved our master."
Who was their guest?
The savior of Wudang and their master.
"We knew Master wouldn't commit such acts."
"That's why we resisted the false leader's orders."
But the disciples under the traitor couldn't do much.
Then Dang Yu-wol's group solved it all.
To them, he was no different from a savior.
"The Ronin King isn't here, I see."
He played a big role too.
Without his ronin, subduing the demonic jiangshi would've been tough.
"Yes. He and his disciple said they were fine and left."
"Why'd he come?"
"Needed Little Azure Pills, apparently."
-The Ronin King? Why would a transcendent realm expert need those?
Dang Yu-wol had no idea.
But they'd meet again in Sacheon anyway.
He could ask then.
"The Sect Leader said something."
"Yes?"
"He wants to repay the great help from Young Hero Dang's group..."
He spoke earnestly.
Seemed like he'd grant any wish.
"Need anything?"
"I'd gratefully accept whatever you give."
"Name it."
"The Sect Leader even said he could give a Great Azure Pill."
Great Azure Pill.
A Taoist elixir comparable to Shaolin's Great Reversion Pill.
"Hoo. Even a Great Azure Pill."
Hwan-gyu was astonished.
Never expected that much.
"Isn't the Great Azure Pill worth causing a bloodbath in murim?"
"Of course, we'll repay the others too."
Hye-gak's disciples smiled, but Hwan-gyu shook his head.
"Have Young Hero Dang receive our share."
"Same here."
"Me too. Saving Hye-gak is enough."
Dang Yu-wol had led the whole operation.
They knew they'd merely lent a hand.
The Wudang disciples were in awe.
'A youth barely in his twenties... planning and executing all this.'
'Heard he can infuse intent into his sword too.'
'A dragon dwells in Sacheon.'
'Peak realm at that age, plus intent mastery.'
'Deep mental fortitude, profound poison and medicine knowledge.'
Impossible to tell where he came from.
Someone this skilled must've been famous since childhood.
"The Tang Clan will revive."
"Still lacking."
"Aiming for the world's top clan?"
"Would be nice if possible."
"You'll need support from many sects."
Chu-kyeong said cautiously.
Worried it might offend Dang Yu-wol.
"It's fine. Speak freely."
Reading his expression, Dang Yu-wol nodded.
Chu-kyeong continued carefully.
"The current top clan is the Nangong family, right?"
He acknowledged the Tang Clan's strength.
But they still fell short.
The clan head was weak, for one.
"Do you know their clan head is trying to break into transcendent realm?"
"Yes."
"And their retired head has already entered it."
"I know."
"I see... Then it's settled."
Chu-kyeong pulled a small plaque from his bosom.
A jade plaque with the taiji symbol.
"Three Peaks Token...!!"
"Even giving that?!"
"What's that?"
While Gu Hwan-gae and Hwan-gyu gaped, Seol Ryu-a tilted her head.
Natural for a non-murim person like her.
"With this, you can issue one command to our entire sect."
"Command..."
A request and a command were different.
A command mobilized all of Wudang's power.
"Even if you order all our disciples to suicide-attack the Demonic Cult, we'd obey."
It was a token that demanded absolute obedience, even to death.
Dang Yu-wol stared at the plaque.
"No need for something like this, but..."
"How can we pursue the Dao without repaying such grace?"
"Then I'll gratefully accept."
Refusing forever wasn't good.
Dang Yu-wol took the plaque and glanced at Seol Ryu-a.
"Ahem. And one request."
"Haha. Speak freely."
"I want the Taeguk Mirror."
Wudang disciples' faces stiffened instantly.
"What's the Taeguk Mirror that's got them like this?"
"One of Wudang's treasures."
"Holds taiji energy, absorbs evil qi just by possession."
Hwan-gyu and Gu Hwan-gae's explanation surprised the two disciples.
Such a treasure existed.
Made them hope Jeoncheong had something similar.
"Hmm. The Taeguk Mirror..."
Chu-kyeong couldn't hide his troubled look.
"Hard to give?"
"Not that. The mirror has an issue."
"What do you mean...?"
"Its evil qi purification hasn't worked for ages."
The Taeguk Mirror's value lay in absorbing evil qi.
If it didn't, it was worthless.
'What now...?'
Seol Ryu-a glanced at Dang Yu-wol.
But his expression didn't change.
'Doesn't care? Then why want it?'
Doubts arose, but it was promised.
"Still want it?"
"Understood. I'll tell the Sect Leader."
Seeing he wouldn't budge, Chu-kyeong nodded.
He wanted to give something better.
But with that earnest gaze, what could he do?
He simply nodded obediently.