Chapter 135: Spreading Martial Might (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 135: Spreading Martial Might (1)
“Now, shall we take a look at that mysterious face of yours?”
As the young man reached out, the Silver Dragon swung his sword.
However, the Silver Dragon, having already lost his internal energy, had his blade easily caught by the young man from the Divine Light Sect.
The Shadowless Ghost Thief attempted to flee while the experts of the Divine Light Sect were focused on the Silver Dragon, but someone suddenly appeared and pressed a sword against his throat.
“Don’t try anything foolish.”
I swallowed hard upon seeing the face of the man holding the sword to the thief's neck.
It was Blood Flame Blade Mun Gang, the man who had been with the Seventh Overlord, Wi Se-gun, back in the canyon.
It really seems like all the experts of the Divine Light Sect have gathered here.
Blood Flame Blade Mun Gang spoke as the younger men needlessly toyed with the Silver Dragon.
“Third Overlord, Seventh Overlord, it would be best to subdue the Silver Dragon quickly. Then we should go assist the Elders…”
The man addressed as the Third Overlord flared up in anger.
“Who are you to give me orders!”
The Silver Dragon was held fast by the Third Overlord, unable to exert any strength.
He had been captured quite pathetically considering his reputation, but in truth, even I wouldn't have been able to do anything against experts of this caliber.
“We lured the Silver Dragon here because he was relentlessly pursuing the Shadowless Ghost Thief, and he fell for it beautifully. I truly cannot fathom why you are searching for the Thousand-Year Snow Blossom Fruit so desperately.”
The Third Overlord reached out and yanked off the Silver Dragon’s silver mask.
The Silver Dragon’s face was revealed.
As the mask came off, the black hair that had been hidden beneath the hood spilled out.
“What? It’s a girl.”
The Third Overlord spoke as if he found it absurd.
Blood Flame Blade Mun Gang and the others also stared at the Silver Dragon with intrigued eyes.
“I never imagined that the Silver Dragon, one of the mysterious Four Dragons of Sichuan, would be a female hero.”
However, it seemed they didn't know her true identity.
The Third Overlord grabbed the Silver Dragon’s chin and tilted it upward.
It was then that I finally saw her face.
My god!
I cried out inwardly. A face I had never expected to see was right there.
Danyeong. It’s definitely Danyeong, Commander Do’s daughter.
Only then did several puzzles click into place.
The reason the Silver Dragon only appeared in Sichuan—leading to rumors that he was an expert from the government or a local Great Family—was simply because Danyeong had no opportunity to leave the province.
Furthermore, she must have worn the silver mask because she couldn't reveal her identity as the Commander’s daughter.
It was clear that she had been chasing the thieves capable of stealing the Thousand-Year Snow Blossom Fruit after it was taken from her.
She had gone through so much trouble to obtain that fruit to treat her younger brother’s Sun Blocked Meridian, only for it to be stolen. How furious must she have been?
Come to think of it, her martial might in the canyon made sense now. With that level of skill, she certainly earned her place among the Four Dragons of Sichuan.
“If we don't act now, we won't be able to catch the Shadowless Ghost Thief. I’ll snatch him away while you attack them.”
Chu Bong-hwa spoke curtly after observing the situation.
“Are you crazy? You want to fight those experts? You might be fine, but I can’t do it!”
“Didn't you say you were a righteous hero?”
“Who? Me? I only act like a righteous hero when my opponent is a weakling.”
I spoke to Chu Bong-hwa as if confessing a deep secret.
“Are you not surprised?” I asked, looking at her calm face.
“I knew you were that kind of man from the start.”
I spoke to her almost pleadingly. “Can’t we just catch the Shadowless Ghost Thief next time?”
Chu Bong-hwa shook her head.
“No. He isn't easy to find. If we miss this, there won't be another chance.”
As she reached for my wrist, I spoke up.
“Fine, I get it. I’ll stay by your side, so there’s no need to drag me. I think I need to save the Silver Dragon anyway.”
It was better to fight with a made-up mind than to be dragged into it against my will.
“Hmph, I suppose you want to save her because she’s a beauty? You were trying to save your own skin just a moment ago.”
“No, it’s because she’s the Commander’s daughter. Being the life-saver of the Commander’s daughter carries a different kind of weight, don't you think?”
At my words, Chu Bong-hwa nodded, looking slightly surprised.
It seemed even she hadn't realized the Silver Dragon was the Commander’s daughter.
Well, I didn't think we were at a disadvantage in this fight.
The Fist King and the Phoenix King were still holding their own, and if the Blood Witch Chu Bong-hwa joined in, the scales would tip in our favor. Once that happened, the Fist King and Phoenix King would be able to show their true strength, and I could just sit back and enjoy the show.
“Let’s go.”
Chu Bong-hwa propelled herself into the air. I followed closely behind her.
As we landed behind the Silver Dragon, the Third and Seventh Overlords turned to us warily.
“Who are you people?”
“Me? I’m the Gold Dragon. And this here is the Copper Dragon.”
As I threw out the joke and the two Overlords stared at me with bewildered expressions, Chu Bong-hwa moved.
As expected, Chu Bong-hwa and I were a perfect match.
She didn't miss the opening I created by momentarily distracting them.
Using the Shifting Form and Position technique, she closed in on Blood Flame Blade Mun Gang and attacked with the Small Hand Skill. To save his own life, Mun Gang was forced to release the Shadowless Ghost Thief and defend himself.
Clang! Clang!
After defending two or three times, Mun Gang staggered backward.
Wow, that witch’s internal energy has become even stronger than before.
As time passed, she was turning the energy she had drained from others into her own, so it was only natural she was becoming more powerful.
Taking advantage of the Shadowless Ghost Thief’s confusion, I used the Righteous Step to snatch the stone box away from him.
With his Achilles tendons severed, the thief couldn't even steady his own body.
However, since Danyeong was still in the hands of the Third and Seventh Overlords, I couldn't do anything else.
Mun Gang didn't dare attack recklessly and stood alongside the two Overlords.
He realized he couldn't face Chu Bong-hwa alone.
“If you don't return the Shadowless Ghost Thief and the stone box, I will kill the Silver Dragon.”
When the Seventh Overlord threatened us, Chu Bong-hwa retorted.
“Go ahead and kill him! It has nothing to do with me.”
Having said that, she sent me a secret sound transmission.
[Let’s get out of here. We have the thief, so there’s no reason to stay. And it’s better to throw away the Thousand-Year Snow Blossom Fruit than to let them have it.]
Her words were incredibly cold-blooded.
I stared at Danyeong for a long time, lost in thought.
Leaving felt wrong, but actively trying to save her was far too dangerous.
Then, it occurred to me that I might be able to save her using the Dark Sky Flying Explosion and Ring Control Flow techniques I had recently mastered.
But why was I saving the Silver Dragon?
As I pondered that, I told myself there would be a massive reward for saving her.
But those were all just excuses. To be honest, I simply couldn't bring myself to leave Danyeong behind when she was looking at me with such desperate eyes.
I am, after all, the Great Small Hero and the New Dragon of Sichuan.
[What are you doing? Aren't you coming?]
[I’m going to save the Silver Dragon. Block the others when I make my move.]
When I replied via sound transmission, Chu Bong-hwa frowned. She clearly thought I was doing something unnecessary.
I used the Righteous Step and lunged toward the Seventh Overlord, who was holding the Silver Dragon.
“How dare you!”
The man stepped in front of Danyeong and raised his sword.
At that moment, I thrust my right arm forward.
Ping!
The Golden Qi-Poisoning Bracelet on my wrist fired. However, the Seventh Overlord must have been prepared, as he tilted his head back at the last second to dodge.
The bracelet grazed the Seventh Overlord’s neck.
Tsk, what a shame. I could have ended it in one shot.
Since it was only a graze, it didn't cause a major injury; it only served to provoke his temper.
“You think your petty tricks will work?”
Meanwhile, Chu Bong-hwa tucked the Shadowless Ghost Thief under her arm and attacked the Third Overlord and Mun Gang.
Even using only one hand, she fought the two experts with ease. On the other hand, I opened with the Scattering Light Red Sun Flash.
For someone like me with a weak foundation, there was no benefit in letting the fight drag on.
Boom!
The Seventh Overlord was momentarily flustered after blocking my rebounding energy.
His face showed he hadn't expected me to deliver such a powerful strike.
I pressed him hard, unfolding the Whirling Wind Overturning Heaven.
My only chance of winning was to overwhelm him while he was off-balance.
However, as a disciple of either the Heavenly Lord or the Earthly Lord of the Divine Light Sect, his martial arts were formidable.
He blocked the attacks of the Whirling Wind Overturning Heaven without much trouble.
Still, he didn't seem to have the leisure to launch a counterattack.
Without wasting any more internal energy, I decided to settle the match with the recently completed Dark Sky Flying Explosion.
I believed it was the only way to defeat this man.
I squeezed out every drop of my two Jiazi of internal energy and poured it into the Ghost Sword.
When I delivered a downward strike, the man didn't dare take it lightly and blocked my sword with great caution.
But the Dark Sky Flying Explosion didn't end there.
Since I had already split my sword energy into two and sent them to either side, he took the full brunt of the impact.
As I stepped back, blood spurted from both of his shoulders, and his arms fell to the ground with a thud.
Even I felt a chill down my spine at the sight.
“Aaaaaaaagh!”
The scream only erupted long after he had seen his own severed arms with his own eyes.
I supported the Silver Dragon and sent a sound transmission to Chu Bong-hwa.
[Let’s get out of here, fast.]
The Silver Dragon stared at me and spoke.
“This is the second time I’ve been saved by Young Hero Eo.”
Danyeong spoke with an exhausted tone.
“Lady Dan, it would be better for you to keep the silver mask on.”
I handed her the silver mask I had taken back from the Seventh Overlord. It would be a disaster if anyone recognized her.
Chu Bong-hwa forced the Third Overlord and Mun Gang to retreat before flying over to me.
“Let’s go.”
Just as Chu Bong-hwa and I were about to kick off the ground and take flight, three figures dropped down in front of us.
The sudden appearance made me flinch, and I nearly tripped over my own feet and landed on my backside.
“You dare reduce the Seventh Overlord to such a state!”
The aura radiating from the old men was as thick and oppressive as a hundred-year-old fart.
The Seventh Overlord was writhing in agony, his life fading as both his arms were gone.
The Third Overlord was trying to stop the bleeding, but since the arms had been severed from the shoulders, it wasn't easy.
“With the Fist King and Phoenix King running amok, even these insignificant runts are acting up.”
Among the three old men, the one with the black beard glared at me.
Recalling what I had heard, I spoke up.
“Are you seniors the Elders of the Divine Light Sect?”
At my words, the old men’s eyes flashed with a cold, blue light.
“How do you know that?”
I had hoped to create an opening to escape while they were distracted by my question, but instead, the old men surrounded us.
“That girl is quite something.”
The Elders of the Divine Light Sect immediately recognized that Chu Bong-hwa was an expert on par with them.
“This Chu Bong-hwa is not at an age to be called a 'girl' by old hags like you!”
“Chu Bong-hwa? Are you the Blood Witch?”
The bald Elder replied.
“If you are the Blood Witch, you must be well over sixty. To have transformed your skin into that of a young girl, you must really hate growing old. Or perhaps you did it to play around with that young lad next to you.”
“Shut your filthy mouth! Before I rip it wide open.”
The bald Elder’s face contorted at Chu Bong-hwa’s scathing insults. Where else in his life would he have heard such foul language?
Hearing her insults, I almost wanted to clap.
Chu Bong-hwa’s voice flowed into my ears via sound transmission.
[Those men are experts who have surpassed the Super-Peak realm. I might be able to hold off two of them, but if all three attack, we will surely lose. Running away is even more dangerous. So, stay close to me and focus entirely on defense.]
In truth, although I had gained insights into the Nine-Section Soul-Severing Sword and learned up to the fourth move, it wouldn't work against absolute masters like them.
The moves themselves might be powerful, but because of the difference in internal energy, I couldn't properly manifest the technique, so I was bound to be overwhelmed.
Even if I had enough internal energy, I lacked the experience compared to them, meaning I was already at a disadvantage. Lacking in every aspect, it seemed certain that I would bury my bones here today.
My only hope lay in Chu Bong-hwa and the Ghost Heaven Soul Formation.
However, I couldn't just recklessly deploy the formation now. Against experts of their level, they would have taken my head before I could even pull the Soul Spirit Beads from my robe and scatter them into the air.
I had to wait for the moment when the three Elders and Chu Bong-hwa were locked in a chaotic battle to slip them out.