Chapter 243: The Four Fiends
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 243: The Four Fiends
How could they do such a thing?
What crime had they committed?
How could they block off something so important to humanity?
“Lord Gomodo…! Please, calm your anger!”
Tang Muyeong prostrated himself once more.
…This wasn’t something to be angry at him for, so I immediately withdrew my aura.
The ones I should be furious with were Jin-ryong and his followers.
My gaze then shifted to Tang Soyeong.
“Heehee, what is it?”
She giggled, oblivious.
“Gek…”
“…What’s with that look?”
This poor thing.
“Hey, I don’t think I’m pitiful at all, you know?”
Right, I did think there was no way she could be that small.
It wasn’t like Soyeong wanted to be small; it was all because of Jin-ryong’s wicked curse.
And I, ignorant of the truth, had treated that poor child…
“Eek! I’m actually very satisfied right now, you know? It’s just because I’m wearing bandages, but if I take them off… Hey, I told you not to look at me like that! Do you really want to see?”
It seemed her mind had gone strange as well.
After wiping my moist eyes with my tail, I offered her the confiscated Plumpness Pills again.
“Heehee… Wait, no. If I accept these now, I feel like I’ll become really pitiful, won’t I?”
Tang Soyeong took the pills but didn’t use them.
For some reason, she was making a face like Swish-Swish.
Wait, why is she getting all prickly?
Thanks to Tang Muyeong’s story, I learned more of the truth.
The depravity of Jin-ryong.
And the relationship between the Tang Clan and Gomodo.
Since the clan head’s daughter, who he claimed was his precious child, and the young clan head were both favorable toward me, I could consider the Tang Clan to be on my side.
“The radical faction was a concern, but they were mostly dealt with through a recent, fortunate incident. Our Tang Clan can lend its strength to Hero Gomodo at any time.”
The radical faction was dealt with?
That was excellent news.
This was one of the Five Great Families, no less.
And the Tang Clan, specialized in poison, was now my ally.
Besides, there might be others as skilled in the medical arts as Tang Soyeong.
…Wouldn’t that diminish Soyeong’s unique advantage?
“There’s no physician who knows Hero Go’s body better than I do, you know? I may not know about other spirit beasts, but I’ll be the one to look after your body, Hero Go.”
“Gek?”
What do you mean?
How do you know my body?
“Because I touched you all over every time we slept?”
I’d felt like I was losing a few scales every time I slept with her, but I guess it wasn’t just my imagination.
I have plenty for now, so it’s fine, but it could get dangerous if she keeps plucking them.
“S-slept together… Ahem, so, Soyeong… with Hero Gomodo… uhm…”
Tang Muyeong stammered.
He had clearly misunderstood Soyeong’s words.
She had a way of phrasing things that could be misleading, but there was nothing strange about us sleeping together.
First of all, I’m a lizard, a cold-blooded animal. The weather has been getting chilly lately, so it’s only natural for me to sleep next to a creature with a high body temperature.
Soyeong gets to fiddle with my scales, and I get her body heat.
It’s a win-win situation.
Of course, when it comes to body heat, the wolves are the warmest, but if I only slept with them, the other followers might feel left out, so I take turns.
To be precise, it seems the followers have set up a rotation and are competing over it, but I can assure you it’s a far cry from the impure thoughts Tang Muyeong is having.
“Hmm… no. If she has received Hero Gomodo’s favor, then that in itself is…”
While Tang Muyeong was lost in delusions similar to Tang Soyeong’s, two spiders entered, crying, “Kiiieeng.”
They carried a tray laden with snacks and tea.
“Kioong.”
“Keng.”
Tus and Pus, as reliable as ever.
Seeing this, they seemed about ten times more competent than Soyeong.
“Kiieng.”
Pus retreated, as if to say there was no need to state the obvious.
“Heehee.”
Soyeong popped a snack into her mouth.
Tang Muyeong, who had changed his posture to a low bow, sipped his tea.
Seriously, just relax a little.
After we briefly quenched our thirst, the conversation resumed.
This time, I was the one asking the questions.
It was difficult to get news from the outside world here, so I asked about the Mount Hua Sect.
“Gegegegek.”
“He’s asking if anything has happened recently. Specifically, if anything special has occurred with a major sect like Mount Hua.”
As Soyeong interpreted, Tang Muyeong’s eyes widened.
Then, he went from bowing to a full prostration.
Thud!
“To think all of this was Hero Gomodo’s divine plan! I have never been so proud to be a member of the Tang Clan, serving Gomodo!”
Huh?
What’s with him now?
“Gek.”
“He says to cut the chatter and get to the point.”
I didn’t say it quite like that.
“A great storm has swept through Mount Hua. The Sect Leader, Ak Bulhwi, has gone missing, and all the evil deeds he committed have been exposed.”
Thankfully, it seems the plan worked.
“Furthermore, by the unanimous decision of the elders, the Dragon Person of Mount Hua has been appointed as the acting Sect Leader and is reforming the sect.”
Unanimous?
How on earth did she manage that?
Although, I suppose if the Red Dragon was breathing fire in front of them, they wouldn’t have much choice but to agree.
Isn’t the Red Dragon a little too competent?
“I was truly astonished. Not only did you eliminate all the Gu-poison in the Tang Clan, but you turned it around and implanted it in the Mount Hua elders to make them your puppets…!”
…Huh?
“Geeeeek?”
What are you talking about?
Used what?
Gu-poison?
How could I possibly use that?
Tang Muyeong continued his explanation.
The Tang Clan Head, Tang Seong-ik, had been bedridden due to illness.
Just as they were about to make a critical decision, a woman in black arrived at the Tang Clan.
She killed an elder and extracted the Gu-poison from within him.
Thus, a member of the radical faction was eliminated, and the Clan Head regained his health.
Hearing his words, I realized one thing.
There was only one being who could fly from here to the Tang Clan alone and kill all the elders.
My Master had made her move.
And she didn’t stop there; she even helped the Red Dragon take control of the Mount Hua Sect.
Master, why would you go that far for me?
I’ll have to go see her with my tail held high in respect.
“If this Tang Muyeong may venture a guess… Grandmaster, you have been building your forces to stand against Jin-ryong.”
He spoke in a respectful posture, his voice trembling slightly.
He was partially correct.
It was obvious I would have to fight Jin-ryong someday, so I had been gathering strength.
“If you achieved such results fighting thousands of spirit beasts alone… then with your expanded forces, Grandmaster… you will surely be able to defeat that evil dragon this time.”
Alone?
I told them Gomodo had allied with the Heavenly Demon, but it seems the Tang Clan doesn’t know that fact.
Well, if they knew, they probably would have scurried over to the 100,000 Great Mountains to ally with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult themselves.
Still, in the end, it seems we’ve formed an alliance of sorts.
“The Tang Clan, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, and now you’ve even taken control of Mount Hua. And yet, no one in Murim has noticed a thing.”
Hearing it put like that, I sound like some mastermind operating in the shadows.
…Is that close to the truth?
“As a member of the Tang Clan, I am moved, but as a martial artist, it is even more astonishing that these three have joined forces. They are beings that should never mix, are they not? Even though Mount Hua and the Tang Clan are both considered Orthodox Factions, their natures are polar opposites.”
It’s less that the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult is on my side and more that my Master cherishes me, but there’s no need to point that out.
Look at those sparkling eyes.
I don’t want to shatter his expectations.
“Of course, if Jin-ryong reappears, the rest of the Nine Factions and One Sect will likely side with him, so we will be at a numerical disadvantage… but it will still be a fight worth fighting.”
The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult is evil, and so is Gomodo.
Unless I take control of all the Orthodox Factions, a clash with the martial artists of Murim is unavoidable.
Wait a minute.
Come to think of it, there’s one more place I have a connection with, isn’t there?
Shaolin, regarded as the leader of the Nine Factions and One Sect, the Mount Tai and Big Dipper of Murim.
…If I can somehow win them over, the others might follow suit.
Those monks said they would bring a huge reward, so I should try to negotiate with them then.
They won’t trust me right away, but since I’m the Iron Head Dragon’s benefactor, they’ll at least hear me out.
“Gegegegek…”
“Hero Go, you look a little evil when you laugh like that.”
“Gek!”
I covered my mouth with my foreleg.
It reminds me of when I first met Soyeong.
I might scare people if I smile carelessly, so I should practice making a friendly face.
Something along the lines of, “My lizard doesn’t bite.”
*
Having claimed the Snow Mountain, the Iron Head Dragon rapidly expanded his power.
It was all for his benefactor, Gomodo, who had embraced him despite his past transgressions.
He had already distinguished himself in the recent war by defeating the spirit beast named Duulli, but that wasn’t enough.
He had to become stronger, strong enough to face beings on a different level, like Gongbok.
Strong enough to fight back-to-back with Gomodo.
He didn’t just focus on his personal training.
He had a vague premonition that this war was not the last, so he began taking beasts on the Snow Mountain that hadn’t lost their senses as his subordinates.
Though not officially followers of the Gaegaek Cult, the number of those with ties to it steadily grew.
However, the Snow Mountain didn’t only attract those who wished to become his subordinates.
It was also teeming with challengers who sought to defeat the Iron Head Dragon and become the new master.
Of course, most of them fled before even seeing his headbutt.
KWWWWAAAAANG!
Occasionally, there was one who managed to see it.
“Kuweong!”
A massive, goat-like spirit beast named Toru collapsed, unable to withstand the Iron Head Dragon’s charge.
“Hmm… you’re the strongest challenger yet.”
The Iron Head Dragon stared down at the fallen Toru.
“I believe you’re from Kunlun… Well, it’s a place with winged dragons, so I guess it’s not that strange.”
Instead of finishing Toru off, the Iron Head Dragon sat down with a thud.
A spirit beast of that caliber was useful.
It had great potential to be helpful not only to him but to Gomodo as well.
It was just as he was thinking of accepting the beast as his subordinate.
“Hoh, you won, yet you don’t kill him.”
A voice came from behind the Iron Head Dragon.
“There’s no reason to kill him.”
He said, slowly turning around.
What entered the Iron Head Dragon’s sight was an old man with graying hair.
“…A human wouldn’t be here, so you must be a spirit beast.”
“You’re more perceptive than you look.”
The Iron Head Dragon could tell his opponent was no pushover.
He had been snuck up on without even realizing it.
If the old man had intended to launch a surprise attack, he would have been helpless.
“But you don’t seem as strong as I thought.”
The old man clicked his tongue.
“I heard a new master of the Dragon Gate had appeared, but to think it’s just a creature like this.”
“You don’t seem like you want to serve under me. Is the Dragon Gate your objective?”
The Iron Head Dragon drew power from his dantian.
This was an opponent he absolutely could not underestimate.
If he didn’t go all out from the start, he had no chance of winning.
“Who knows. If the power of the Dragon Gate is only this much, I don’t see any need to take it.”
The Iron Head Dragon kicked off the ground and charged at the old man.
His instincts were screaming at him.
If he couldn’t end this in a single blow, he would be the one to lose.
Swaaaaak!
His headbutt, containing the profound principle of a one-hit kill, flew in a straight line.
No, it only looked like it was flying in a straight line.
It was an attack with enough power to create the illusion that it was warping space itself.
An attack that was impossible to dodge by reading its trajectory—a sure-hit.
KWAAAAAAAAANG!
But the Iron Head Dragon’s attack never reached him.
To be precise, it was stopped by a single hand of the old man.
“Guuuh…”
How could this be?
Didn’t even Gomodo try to dodge his headbutt?
This man had blocked his attack with such ease.
While in human form, and with just one hand at that.
“To think a creature like this defeated Gongbok. Hah, as if I’d believe that.”
The old man muttered and swatted the Iron Head Dragon away.
KWAAAAAANG!
Even with his Adamantine Body, the Iron Head Dragon couldn’t do anything about the shock that rattled his head.
“Guaaaaaahk!”
“Your body is quite sturdy, I’ll give you that.”
The old man looked up at the sky, as if he had lost interest in the Iron Head Dragon.
“If the subordinate is this strong, the master should be useful enough.”
At those words, the Iron Head Dragon’s eyes wavered.
The old man’s target wasn’t him.
It was the true master of this Snow Mountain, the one who had defeated Gongbok.
He was after Gomodo.
“Guh… ugh…”
The Iron Head Dragon staggered to his feet.
“Who… who in the world… are you…”
Hearing this, the old man grinned.
“There aren’t many words to describe this old body.”
He said so, but a bizarre smile spread across his face.
As if he had been waiting to say these words.
“One of the Nine Sons of the Dragon.”
“The, the Nine Sons of the Dragon!”
The corners of the old man’s mouth tore wider.
He seemed pleased with the Iron Head Dragon’s reaction.
And why wouldn’t he be?
He was an eccentric who deliberately took on the guise of an old man just to enjoy his opponent’s reaction.
In a certain black lizard’s homeland, this type of being was what you’d call an attention seeker.
“And one of the Four Fiends.”
“D-d-don’t tell me… the Four Fiends!”
The fifth of the Nine Sons of the Dragon.
A being said to be uncontrollable even by Jin-ryong himself.
A ferocious beast, greedy, attention-loving, and relentlessly belligerent.
“Go and tell your master that Taotie awaits him here.”
“One of the Nine Sons of the Dragon, and one of the Four Fiends! Taotie!”
It was Taotie, one of the Four Fiends.
At the same time, a thought crossed the Iron Head Dragon’s mind.
‘…He’s letting me live?’
Normally, he wouldn’t have let him go unharmed, but he was so pleased with his reaction that he had a whim.