Chapter 873: If You’ve Been Resurrected, I’ll Kill You Again.
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 873: If You’ve Been Resurrected, I’ll Kill You Again.
A cluttered, messy alleyway.
Step. Step.
The sound of footsteps echoed as a man began to walk through the narrow passage.
After walking for some time, he eventually came to a halt.
A group of burly men with intimidating expressions had appeared before him.
"We will escort you from here," the man at the front said in a polite tone.
"Ho... so you know who I am?"
The man spoke with a look of mild curiosity. He had expected them to block his path and prevent him from entering, so the offer to guide him felt quite refreshing.
"How could we fail to recognize a great hero of the Murim?"
"You’ve been well-trained. Did you distribute my portrait?"
The man continued, a deep smirk playing on his lips as if he were satisfied.
"Indeed. Among the disciples spread across the world, there is likely no one who would fail to recognize you, Great Hero."
The burly man spoke with a respectful attitude.
"Well, I suppose fame has its uses. It helps avoid unnecessary friction like this."
The man continued with an amused smile. The stark difference between having a reputation and not having one was quite entertaining to him.
Back when he had the power but lacked the fame, pointless conflicts would break out constantly. But things were different now. Now that he had a reputation befitting his strength, people began to crawl before him of their own accord.
This was the true power of fame.
"It is only natural, Great Hero," the burly man replied calmly.
"Then I shall ask you to lead me to your Sect Leader."
The man spoke while looking at the brute.
"Understood. Please follow me... Sword God."
The burly man turned around and began to walk.
Sun-woo, the Sword God, watched his retreating back for a moment before following.
He was here to meet the Leader of the Hao Clan.
*
"It is here."
The burly man pointed toward a building tucked away in a corner.
"Has the location changed already?" Sun-woo asked, looking puzzled.
It felt quite different from the last time he had visited.
"The Sect Leader’s residence is changed periodically to prepare for any potential assassination attempts."
"Thorough preparation."
"It is all thanks to the Sect Leader’s insight."
The burly man spoke in a steady voice.
"Ha Su-ryeon is indeed clever," Sun-woo said, a soft smile forming on his lips. "I’ll go in alone from here. Thanks for the guidance."
"It was a walk shared with the Greatest of All Time. The honor is entirely mine."
Bow.
The man lowered his waist deeply in a respectful salute.
Scratch, scratch.
Seeing this, Sun-woo lightly scratched his cheek. The man’s excessive politeness made him feel somewhat embarrassed.
"Right. See you around."
Leaving the man behind, Sun-woo walked toward the building.
Creeeeeak.
He pushed the door open immediately.
Inside, a dark interior lit only by a few candles came into view. Sun-woo looked around, searching for Ha Su-ryeon.
[Please come further inside.]
At that moment, a voice resonated through the room.
Step. Step.
Sun-woo followed the voice and moved deeper into the building.
[Now, move four steps to the right, five steps to the left, two steps forward, and three steps back.]
The voice echoed again. The instructions were significantly more complex than before.
Step. Step. Step.
However, Sun-woo didn't mind and moved his feet exactly as instructed. He realized that these steps were the key to navigating the formation.
After moving his feet for a while...
Flash!
The surroundings suddenly brightened, as if it had become broad daylight.
"Hoh, what a peculiar formation."
Sun-woo let out a breath of admiration. He was impressed by the utility and effectiveness of the formation, which was better than he had expected.
"Is it that fascinating?"
A languid voice drifted into Sun-woo’s ear.
Sun-woo turned his gaze.
And there she was.
Hair as black as the darkest night.
Skin as white as pale jade in contrast.
Sunken eyes that looked strangely lethargic.
A peculiar, slightly drooping eye shape.
A unique atmosphere that triggered a protective instinct.
A sharp, high nose that looked like it could cut.
And blood-red lips that stood out against her dark impression.
A peerless beauty with a decadent aura.
"Uh... uh... uh..."
Facing her, Sun-woo wore a dazed expression. He was momentarily entranced by her beauty, which was enough to steal one's very soul.
He stared at her for a long time until...
Grrr...
Sun-woo felt the blood inside him begin to boil. Her explosive Seductive Qi was heating his blood.
'Disperse.'
Sun-woo quickly steeled his will. He instantly cut through the Seductive Qi that was seeping into his body.
Shing!
The boiling blood gradually began to calm down. He had regained his composure to some extent.
"Hey, why aren't you wearing your veil!?" Sun-woo asked, looking flustered.
She was a natural-born temptress, a woman who inherently radiated Seductive Qi. She possessed a unique constitution that made the lust of anyone who looked at her boil over, which was why she always wore a veil to cover her face—to prevent unfortunate incidents.
So why was she baring her face so freely now?
"You’re fine even when exposed to my Seductive Qi, Master."
She spoke in a nonchalant tone. Sun-woo was different from other men. He possessed the will to disperse her Seductive Qi whenever he wished. That was why she could take off her veil without hesitation. In front of him, she could be just an ordinary woman.
"I am not fine, okay?" Sun-woo replied, looking exasperated.
When exposed to her Seductive Qi, his lust boiled over too, and he felt a surging urge to pounce on her. He was being forced into a state of arousal. How could she say he was fine?
"But you didn't pounce on me."
Ha Su-ryeon began to giggle, her eyes curving into a smile. As she did, the Seductive Qi around her body began to flow out even more explosively. It seemed her Seductive Qi was influenced by her every action.
'She’s damn pretty, dammit.'
Sun-woo tightened his resolve and dispersed all the Seductive Qi, making sure he wouldn't actually succumb to the urge to jump her.
"...Don't smile in front of me."
He spoke to her with an exhausted expression.
"...Why?" she asked, appearing genuinely confused.
"If you smile, I might actually pounce. I’m serious."
Sun-woo stared at her with a sincere gaze.
"......I understand."
Hearing that, Ha Su-ryeon blushed in embarrassment and looked away.
"................"
"................"
An awkward silence began to flow between the two. Both were overcome with embarrassment.
After some time had passed...
".........Come to think of it, you remembered?" Sun-woo finally spoke up.
"Remembered what?"
"That I told you to call me Master."
Sun-woo continued with a mischievous smile.
"............How could I forget... the greatest blunder of my life..."
Ha Su-ryeon spoke with a mock-sorrowful expression. Making a bet with her shares on the line had been the biggest mistake of her life. In an instant, her life had been mortgaged to a stranger.
"Remember? Back then, when I told you to fulfill your duty as a slave... you took off your top and..."
Sun-woo continued with a sly expression.
"Aaaah! Aaaah! Don't say it! Don't say it!"
Ha Su-ryeon screamed desperately, cutting him off. She had no desire to hear the details of her incredibly embarrassing past.
"Back then, you definitely took off your top completely, and your skirt was—"
"Aaaaaah!!!! If you say one more word, I’m really, really never going to see you again!"
She threatened him, shouting at the top of her lungs.
"Hahahaha! Alright, alright."
Sun-woo burst into hearty laughter. Seeing her so flustered was quite amusing.
After laughing for a while, the awkward atmosphere between them finally dissipated.
"Really... you’re so mean."
Ha Su-ryeon spoke with a pouting expression.
"But wasn't it fun?"
"It wasn't fun at all!"
Ha Su-ryeon flared up, raising her voice. Who would find it fun to have their shameful past brought up?
"I thought it was fun."
Sun-woo grinned.
"Master, do you have a problem with your personality?"
"Yeah, I think I might have a slight one. So be careful."
"..........I’ll keep that in mind."
Ha Su-ryeon nodded slightly. She made a mental note to watch her words in front of this master with the personality disorder.
"By the way, did you stop by the Cheonmu Alliance?"
"No, I came straight here."
"What? Why?"
She asked with a puzzled look.
"Didn't you say everyone moved to Nanchang anyway? I didn't see a reason to stop by, so I just came here."
Sun-woo already knew about the leadership's relocation through the Hao Clan. Therefore, he felt no need to visit the Cheonmu Alliance. Why bother going when there was no one to see and nothing to take?
"Oh dear... you missed them."
She spoke with a look of regret.
"Missed them?" Sun-woo asked, confused.
"An hour ago, Taoists from the Kunlun Sect visited the Cheonmu Alliance."
"Taoists from the Kunlun Sect?"
"Yes. They said they traveled that long distance specifically to meet you, Master."
"Me? Why?"
Sun-woo asked, genuinely baffled. He had no connection with the Kunlun Sect, so it was strange that they would come looking for him.
"I’m not sure... they said it was a grave matter concerning the fate of the Murim... but they didn't leak any details."
"A grave matter concerning the fate of the Murim?"
"Yes. That’s what they told the gate guard."
"...You hear everything, don't you?"
Sun-woo looked at her with a surprised gaze. He hadn't expected her to know even the private remarks made to a gate guard—especially something that happened only an hour ago.
"This is the Hao Clan. We have eyes in the sky and ears in the ground."
Ha Su-ryeon smiled brightly.
"Do you know where the Kunlun Taoists went now?"
"They likely headed to Beijing and Nanchang."
She nodded as she spoke.
"Likely?"
"Yes. One person moved north, and the rest moved south. Probably because they didn't want to miss you entirely, so one went to Beijing while the others chose to wait in Nanchang."
Ha Su-ryeon’s eyes sparkled as she explained.
"Smart."
"It was nothing."
She spoke dismissively, as if it were too obvious to even be considered a compliment.
"This is a dilemma... Should I go after them?"
"Just leave it. You’ll meet them in Nanchang eventually."
"But they said it’s a grave matter concerning the fate of the Murim."
"There is something even more important than that."
She spoke with a grave expression.
"Something even more important?"
"Do you remember the request you made last time? To mobilize workers and dig up the Cheonmu Alliance Leader?"
"I remember. That’s actually why I stopped by Jinan."
Sun-woo nodded. He had come to Jinan to tell her that the request was no longer necessary. With his newly mastered Great Shift of Heaven and Earth, he could now flip a mountain over himself.
"Did you already know!?"
Hearing Sun-woo’s words, Ha Su-ryeon spoke with a shocked expression.
"Know what?"
Sun-woo asked, confused. What on earth was she talking about?
"The fact that the mountain has completely disappeared."
"The mountain disappeared?"
"Yes. A few days after you left, I gathered workers and went to the area to scout it. I wanted to estimate the scale of the construction... but when we got there... the mountain was gone, as if it had evaporated."
Ha Su-ryeon continued with a grim face.
"It’s not just that the mountain is gone; the terrain itself has been completely transformed... as if someone had trampled it into the ground."
"................"
Hearing her words, Sun-woo fell into a deep, silent contemplation.
"I... have to go see for myself."
Sun-woo immediately turned around. He intended to check the mountain peak where Lee Jae-won had been buried with his own eyes.
'If you’ve been resurrected, I’ll kill you again, Lee Jae-won.'
Sun-woo’s eyes began to glow with a cold, sharp light.