Chapter 757: Forced Execution
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 757: Forced Execution
"So-yang!"
Sun-woo called out her name, his voice laced with urgency.
But she did not respond. She simply lay there, her eyes closed peacefully as if in a deep slumber.
Sun-woo rushed to her side. Dropping to his knees, he began to shake her gently.
"Wake up, So-yang!"
Still, her eyes remained shut. A sense of desperation clawed at Sun-woo’s heart. A chilling fear that something had gone terribly wrong began to overwhelm him.
He pressed his fingers just beneath her nose.
She’s still breathing!
He felt a faint wisp of air against his fingertips. Relief washed over him; at the very least, the worst hadn't happened.
Sun-woo quickly placed his hand over her dantian.
Vroom, vroom...
He immediately began to circulate the Yin-Yang Harmony Divine Art. The Nature Qi in the surrounding air was gradually converted into Yin-Yang Harmony Qi, swirling and gathering into the palm of his hand.
Sun-woo allowed the concentrated energy to permeate Joo So-yang’s body. The Yin-Yang Harmony Qi flowed through her acupoints, circulating rapidly and beginning to restore her vitality.
After some time had passed...
Flutter.
"...Sun... Sun-woo..."
Joo So-yang finally regained consciousness, her eyes fluttering open as she whispered his name.
"So-yang!" Sun-woo exclaimed, looking down at her.
"Haah... Uncle Yoon... the... the Sword Emperor... he betrayed us..."
She forced the words out with great difficulty. Part of her wanted to close her eyes and simply drift into the peace of unconsciousness, but she couldn't. Her sense of duty to report Yoon Je-gyeom’s betrayal kept her tethered to reality.
"I know... I know, so save your strength. You can tell me everything later!"
Sun-woo looked down at her with a worried expression. His primary concern was her well-being, as she seemed barely able to string a sentence together.
"N-no... I have to... tell you... now..."
Joo So-yang clung to her fading consciousness and continued.
"The Sword Emperor... he took... Lee Jae-won... and fled..."
"He took Lee Jae-won?!"
"He... couldn't have gone far yet... You must... catch him..."
"But..."
Sun-woo hesitated, his face etched with concern. He knew he had to catch Lee Jae-won. He knew that letting him escape now would lead to disastrous consequences in the future.
Yet, he couldn't bring himself to leave her side. Joo So-yang’s condition looked far too critical for him to just walk away.
"I'm... fine... Sun-woo... Really... I'm okay..."
Joo So-yang forced a smile onto her pale face.
"How can you say you're okay when you're drenched in cold sweat like this!" Sun-woo’s voice rose in frustration.
Her breathing was ragged, and sweat was pouring down her face. There was absolutely nothing "okay" about her state.
"It's just... my mental image... took a hit... I'll be fine... once I recover..."
She maintained her bright smile, trying to reassure him that there was no need to worry.
"..."
Despite her words, Sun-woo remained rooted to the spot. His anxiety for her wouldn't subside.
As if sensing his inner turmoil, Joo So-yang raised a trembling hand. She gently stroked Sun-woo’s cheek.
"Sun-woo... my beloved... Sun-woo..."
Her touch was incredibly tender.
"...I'm... truly fine... I have to... bear your children... in the future... How could I... die like this?"
She continued with a soft smile.
"So... don't worry... and go... catch the Sword Emperor... Please... make sure... Lee Jae-won... is killed..."
"..."
Sun-woo fell into a pensive silence. He seemed lost in thought for a long moment.
"Alright... So-yang."
Finally, Sun-woo spoke, his voice firm with resolve.
"I'll be back soon. Wait for me."
"Yes... I'll be waiting... my dear husband..."
Joo So-yang replied with a radiant smile.
Tap, tap, tap, tap!
Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from outside. Sun-woo turned his gaze toward the entrance.
A woman wearing a veil appeared in his line of sight. It was Ha Su-ryeon, the Leader of the Hao Clan.
"W-what on earth happened here?!"
She gasped as she entered the room, her face pale with shock. The scene before her was utter chaos. The room was a wreck, Joo So-yang was gasping for breath, and Sun-woo was cradling her in his arms.
Everything was in shambles.
"The Sword Emperor betrayed us," Sun-woo said, his expression grim.
"The... the Sword Emperor?! That... that can't be!"
Ha Su-ryeon’s eyes widened in horror. It was impossible to believe. The Sword Emperor had betrayed them? He was Joo So-yang’s guardian—how could such a man turn his back on them?
"Then... what about Lee Jae-won?!"
"He took him."
Sun-woo’s eyes flashed with a cold light. The thought of Lee Jae-won being spirited away made a deep, burning rage bubble up within him.
"Ha Su-ryeon."
Sun-woo called her name in a calm, level tone.
"Y-yes?!"
"I'm entrusting So-yang to you."
Sun-woo gestured with his eyes toward the woman in his arms.
"Ah... yes, of course."
Ha Su-ryeon hurried over. Sun-woo carefully handed Joo So-yang over to her, ensuring she was held securely.
Then, he slowly stood up and began to walk toward the exit.
"W-where are you going?!" Ha Su-ryeon called out urgently.
"To catch a traitor."
Sun-woo’s eyes glittered with a chilling light. His gaze held a fury colder than the bitter northern winds.
Boom!
With a sudden burst of internal energy, Sun-woo’s figure blurred and vanished instantly. He had used the Transposition Technique.
Ha Su-ryeon stared blankly at the spot where he had been. The sheer, god-like power Sun-woo displayed felt utterly surreal.
*
Sun-woo ran tirelessly, spreading his Qi sense far and wide. He was desperate to find any trace of Yoon Je-gyeom.
But it was no use. It seemed too much time had passed since the man had fled; Sun-woo couldn't sense anything.
Dammit!
Sun-woo cursed under his breath. He had rushed out in a frenzy to catch Yoon Je-gyeom, but he couldn't find a single lead. The distance between them was already too great.
What do I do?
Sun-woo’s brow furrowed. He couldn't give up now. If Lee Jae-won escaped here, there was no telling what kind of threat he would become in the future.
I have to find him.
Sun-woo’s mind raced as he tried to deduce where Yoon Je-gyeom might go.
If he’s running, he’ll head somewhere beyond the influence of the Murim clans... That narrows it down to the North Sea, the Western Demon Blood Palace, Xinjiang, the Southern Barbarian Lands, or the Western Desert...
Sun-woo pondered deeply, searching for the most likely answer.
After a moment of intense deliberation...
Alright.
His eyes sparkled with renewed determination. He activated his movement technique once more, his body shooting forward like a bolt of lightning.
*
Tap, tap, tap, tap!
Yoon Je-gyeom sprinted along a mountain path, his movement technique at full throttle.
Thump, thump.
With every violent stride, the body of Lee Jae-won, lashed to his back with rope, jolted precariously.
Tug.
Yoon Je-gyeom tightened the ropes across his chest to secure the swaying body. Once Lee Jae-won was firmly fixed, he increased his pace even further.
He pushed through thickets, leaped over boulders, and bounded across trees, focusing entirely on speed. His goal was to put as much distance as possible between himself and Jinan.
Eventually, the sun began to set, and twilight took hold.
Seeing the fading light, Yoon Je-gyeom moved even faster. Rather than risking a dangerous trek through the mountains at night, he intended to find a place to rest.
Tap, tap, tap, tap!
He ran and ran until he finally spotted a small cave in the distance. He skidded to a halt in front of it.
"Hmm."
Yoon Je-gyeom peered into the cave with a serious expression, checking to see if it was a suitable shelter.
It’s empty.
Fortunately, the cave was unoccupied.
Thud.
Yoon Je-gyeom unceremoniously dumped Lee Jae-won onto the ground. The man’s body hit the floor limply.
Roll, roll, roll.
Lee Jae-won’s body tumbled across the dirty cave floor. Having lost both his arms and legs, he rolled like a ball.
Step, step.
Yoon Je-gyeom walked over to the rolling body. He grabbed Lee Jae-won by the hair and dragged him further into the cave.
Whoosh—thud!
He tossed the body into the back of the cave as if he were discarding a heavy sack of luggage.
Plop.
Yoon Je-gyeom sat down, crossing his legs and closing his eyes. He intended to recover some of his depleted internal energy.
Vroom, vroom...
Pure, refined internal energy began to shimmer around his body. He was in the middle of a full circulation to restore his strength when...
Snap!
Yoon Je-gyeom’s eyes flew open. He scrambled to his feet, grabbed Lee Jae-won, and hoisted him onto his back, frantically tying the ropes again.
He was in a desperate hurry.
Tug.
Just as he finished securing Lee Jae-won and turned to leave...
"Where are you going in such a rush, Sword Emperor?"
A sharp, piercing voice cut through the air and struck his ears.
Yoon Je-gyeom froze. He slowly turned his head back.
There, he saw him. A young, absolute master staring at him with eyes like ice.
"I've been looking for you for quite a while."
The young master, Sun-woo, spoke as he glared at Yoon Je-gyeom. His eyes were filled with a frigid rage, as cold and biting as the bitter northern winds.
"......How... how did you know?"
Yoon Je-gyeom’s face was a mask of bewilderment. He had been confident that following him would be impossible. He hadn't told anyone his destination, and he believed he had put enough distance between them.
How could Sun-woo have found him so easily?
"I figured you’d head for Xinjiang," Sun-woo replied calmly.
".......And why did you think that?"
"Is there anywhere else but the Demonic Cult that would take Lee Jae-won in?" Sun-woo’s gaze remained icy.
"...........Did you not consider that I might go to the North Sea or the Southern Barbarian Lands?"
"I didn't think you'd risk taking a cripple like Lee Jae-won to places like that. If his wounds festered or he caught frostbite, he’d be dead, wouldn't he?"
"..............I suppose you're right."
Yoon Je-gyeom nodded slowly, acknowledging the logic.
"For the same reason, you wouldn't go to the Western Desert. That left the Western Demon Blood Palace and Xinjiang... and it seemed to me that only the Demonic Cult in Xinjiang would welcome a half-corpse."
"............Perhaps I should have headed toward the Western Demon Blood Palace instead."
"Indeed. Then you might not have been caught like this."
"......I'll ask... just in case... Is there no way you'll let us go?"
"If I were going to let you go, I wouldn't have chased you in the first place, Sword Emperor," Sun-woo said, his voice freezing.
"You injured So-yang and made off with Lee Jae-won. How could I possibly let you go?"
Vroom, vroom...
A terrifying murderous aura began to radiate from Sun-woo’s body. His fury toward Yoon Je-gyeom for hurting Joo So-yang had manifested into a physical pressure.
".............I see."
Yoon Je-gyeom looked regretful. Seeing the murderous intent in Sun-woo’s eyes, it was clear there was no room for negotiation.
"Then I have no choice either."
Shring!
Yoon Je-gyeom drew the sword at his waist and leveled it at Sun-woo.
"You intend to resist?" Sun-woo asked, his eyes narrowing.
"I cannot hand over Lee Jae-won," Yoon Je-gyeom replied firmly.
"Then I have no choice either," Sun-woo said, his expression turning cold and impassive.
"I'll just have to carry out a forced execution!"
Whoosh!
An explosive amount of internal energy erupted from Sun-woo’s body. Yoon Je-gyeom watched him, his entire being tensed with apprehension.