Chapter 144: Capturing the Heavenly Lord's Son (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 144: Capturing the Heavenly Lord's Son (2)
"Aaargh!"
In terms of pure skill, the elders of the Divine Light Sect were indeed a cut above. One of the Black Fortress Protectors, a high-level expert, had his neck snapped by a Divine Light Sect elder.
However, that same elder, having consumed the Energy Dissipating Poison, lacked the internal energy to defend himself and was immediately struck down by another Black Fortress expert.
"Gah!"
Bushi Jo Ji, in particular, was unleashing his palm strikes without mercy.
The Divine Light Sect elder struck by Jo Ji’s palm couldn't even put up a proper defense due to the Energy Dissipating Poison; his chest caved in, and he died instantly.
The elders who had ingested the poison were no match for the experts of the Black Fortress.
One Divine Light Sect elder shouted, "Second Overlord! Heavenly Wind Squad! Take the Young Lord and retreat! We will hold them here!"
The surviving members of the Heavenly Wind Squad, who had been attacking the Black Fortress experts elsewhere, began arriving at the battlefield one by one.
The number of these absolute masters was roughly equal to the combined forces of the Black Fortress experts and the Divine Light Sect elders, bringing the battle to a tense equilibrium.
In this situation, if the Heavenly Wind Squad decided to escort the Young Lord away, there would be no one left to stop them.
Except for us.
As the twenty or so members of the Heavenly Wind Squad, the Second Overlord, and two elders prepared to move with the Young Lord, I stepped forward to block their path.
"Aren't you overdoing it? You don't usually take such an active role in a fight," Chu Bong-hwa asked with a worried expression.
That’s only when I don’t have a plan. It’s different when I do, I thought.
Come to think of it, I had spent most of my life avoiding fights. Even when I won, it was usually through luck or some exquisite coincidence while I was trying to run away. I had rarely engaged in a battle of my own volition like this.
I guess being prepared really does give you confidence.
In that moment, I had a sudden realization about the way of the world.
I used to think that successful people were just lucky. I thought the great masters of Murim only became experts because they had the right background and good fortune.
Because of that, I had spent my life doing nothing but complaining about the world.
But now, I looked back and wondered if I had ever truly put in the preparation and passion required to achieve something.
Because I was prepared now, I didn't feel the need to shrink back, even when facing masters.
It reminded me of something Elder Third Rate used to say whenever I tried to do something.
—The weak look at others; the strong look at themselves. That is why the weak never improve, while the strong continue to grow. That is what makes them strong. Ja-seo, if you want to succeed, look at yourself.
"I was planning to deal with you before I left anyway, but you’ve come to me on your own," the Young Lord said, his voice dripping with murderous intent.
However, his voice sounded strained, likely due to the Energy Dissipating Poison. He was probably in no condition to step into the fray himself.
"Subdue him!"
The twenty members of the Heavenly Wind Squad lunged toward me.
"Fine, come at me. I'll sweep you all away."
Chu Bong-hwa and Jeok Yeong stepped up to stand beside me.
"Stay back, you two. I can handle this alone."
At my words, Chu Bong-hwa and Jeok Yeong stared at me blankly. Their expressions clearly said, Look at this crazy bastard.
I quickly pulled a small whistle from my robes, put it to my lips, and spread the windbreaker cloak draped over my shoulders wide.
Pweeeeeeeet!
As the whistle shrilled, black shapes suddenly shot into the sky from within the cloak.
Bzzzzzzzzzz!
The things soaring into the air emitted an eerie, droning sound.
As I blew the whistle again, infusing it with internal energy, the black swarm dived toward the Heavenly Wind Squad charging at me.
"Aren't those Blood Bees?"
Jeok Yeong recognized them instantly, having seen them before in the Hell Hall.
"No. Those are Poison Bees. Their sting is lethal; one prick and you're dead on the spot. They’re a secret weapon of the Tang Clan."
I had saved Tang Ja-seong specifically to get my hands on these.
Of all the training in the Hell Hall, the Blood Bees had left the deepest impression on me. I had once overheard that those Blood Bees were originally purchased for a fortune from the Tang Clan, and I’d kept that in mind. When Tang Ja-seong started blathering about the "debt of the Tang Clan," those bees were the first thing I thought of.
As it turned out, Blood Bees were just a domesticated version of these Poison Bees.
It had taken me an entire day just to get the Poison Bees to cling to the inside of my cloak.
Bzzzzzz!
As thousands of bees swarmed them according to my command, the Heavenly Wind Squad panicked, swinging their swords wildly.
Dozens of Poison Bees fell to the ground with every sweep of a warrior's sword glare, but their momentum did not falter.
"Urgh!"
A Heavenly Wind Squad warrior collapsed, letting out a suppressed groan as he was stung. Seeing the black blood flowing from his nose and mouth, it was clear this was no ordinary toxin.
Amazingly, the twenty elite masters of the Heavenly Wind Squad, who had seemed like monsters just moments ago, were all sprawled on the ground like wet laundry within the span of a single incense stick's burn.
Even then, a massive swarm of bees continued to hover about, awaiting my next command.
"This is revenge for my two subordinates you killed, you bastards."
Thinking of the two members of the Seven Heroes who had died, a sense of catharsis washed over me.
Pweeeet!
I blew the whistle, and the Poison Bees flew toward the Young Lord.
I didn't intend to kill him; I just wanted to threaten him so he couldn't escape. Sensing the danger, one of the elders stepped forward and deployed his Body Protective Aura.
The Poison Bees that collided with the aura burst and died as if consumed by flames.
Because of that, the number of bees was instantly cut in half.
I blew the whistle to cancel the attack order and retreated the swarm into the air.
The enemies couldn't counterattack because of the bees, so they focused on defense, using their Body Protective Aura to catch their breath.
It seemed they were waiting for the other elders to finish off the Black Fortress experts and come to their rescue.
Meanwhile, Bushi Jo Ji of the Black Fortress was locked in a bloody struggle against the Divine Light Sect elders.
The elders who hadn't been affected by the Energy Dissipating Poison were overwhelming Jo Ji and the Black Fortress Protectors.
But Jo Ji was a force to be reckoned with.
He was holding his own against two elders simultaneously.
As one elder closed in and thrust his sword, Jo Ji leaned back to dodge, then spun in place, slamming a palm strike into the elder's legs.
The elder, never expecting an attack from such a posture, had both his legs crushed and collapsed to the ground.
However, as he fell, he braced himself with one arm, lunged upward, and struck Jo Ji’s chest with his palm.
Anticipating this, Jo Ji sidestepped and brought his palm down on the elder's head.
CRACK!
The elder, who had already lost his legs, had his skull shattered and died on the spot.
Without pausing, Bushi Jo Ji charged toward the other elder.
A faint blue energy flickered around Jo Ji’s hands. The elder also manifested sword glare to block Jo Ji’s palm strike. As he retreated, the elder kicked out at Jo Ji’s face, but Jo Ji tilted his head to avoid the strike.
Thwack!
However, what struck Jo Ji’s face wasn't the elder's foot, but his shoe.
Having focused only on the foot and failing to see the shoe being kicked off, Jo Ji exposed a fatal opening in that split second.
"What an exquisite move."
Chu Bong-hwa murmured in admiration. She hadn't expected an elder-level master to use his own shoe as a projectile.
What a low-life. Even I wouldn't pull a stunt like that, I thought.
The elder's sword pierced through Jo Ji’s abdomen. But Jo Ji wasn't one to go down quietly.
His hand likewise tore through the elder's chest.
One can survive a stomach wound, but a pierced chest is certain death.
Realizing his end was near, the elder suddenly lunged forward.
He wrapped both arms around Jo Ji in a tight embrace.
Suddenly, the elder's body began to swell.
"It's the Heavenly Demon Flesh Flying Art!" Chu Bong-hwa whispered in shock.
The Heavenly Demon Flesh Flying Art was a demonic technique used as a last resort. The practitioner literally detonates their own body, turning their flesh and bone into shrapnel to blow the opponent apart.
To think an elder of the Divine Light Sect would use such a technique.
BOOM!
Bushi Jo Ji, unable to escape due to his abdominal wound, was caught in the explosion and sent flying nearly thirty feet away.
Bits of flesh and bone were scattered everywhere.
Watching that gruesome sight, I was reminded of the battle against the Four Wheels Twenty-Four Guests at the Nine Demons Chamber.
Jo Ji was gasping for air, his breaths shallow and ragged.
"He won't survive that," Chu Bong-hwa muttered, looking at Jo Ji.
That’s not good. They still have too many experts left.
With Bushi Jo Ji down, the remaining Black Fortress Protectors were no match for the Divine Light Sect elders.
After three of the five Protectors were killed within dozens of exchanges, the Chief Protector had no choice but to retreat, taking Galwi and Jo Ji with him.
"Hey! Where are you going?"
If they left like that, what was I supposed to do?
I remained standing tall, still having my Poison Bees, but I wasn't sure if they would work against the elders who hadn't been poisoned.
"I won't let you die easily."
The Young Lord ground his teeth, clearly furious over the death of so many elders and the humiliation I had dealt him.
Just then, a group of people flew toward us like birds.
Judging by their lightness skills, they were top-tier masters.
"Are you alright?"
The voices echoing from a distance belonged to the Phoenix King, the Fist King, and Han Wol-baek.
I was so relieved I could have cried.
If the Phoenix King and the Fist King were here, we could actually win this.
The Young Lord scanned the elders, seemingly giving some sort of instruction.
I braced myself, drawing my internal energy in anticipation of an attack.
But then, right before the Fist King and Phoenix King arrived, the elders fled, leaving the Young Lord behind.
"Huh? What?"
Even in that situation, the Young Lord stood there calmly with his arms crossed. It seemed the elders' withdrawal was his own command.
Usually, the Young Lord is the one who flees while the elders stay behind to block the path. This was backward.
I stared at the Young Lord, baffled by this absurd situation.
I could understand the elders who were poisoned retreating since they were no match for the Fist King and Phoenix King, but leaving the son of the Heavenly Lord behind was incomprehensible.
"He stayed because he’s confident he can escape whenever he wants. He must have a trick up his sleeve," Chu Bong-hwa said, which seemed like the most plausible explanation.
"Is that boy the Heavenly Lord's son?" the Fist King asked.
"Yes."
"You did well."
"It would have been a disaster if the Tang Clan's message had been delayed," the Phoenix King added, letting out a sigh of relief.
You should have come sooner. Now these old geezers are just swooping in to take the credit when the meal is already cooked, I grumbled internally. Still, I knew that if they hadn't arrived, we would have been in for a very dangerous fight, so I didn't hold too much of a grudge.
"And what are these flies?"
When the Fist King pointed at the Poison Bees hovering in the air, I blew my whistle.
The bees immediately swarmed back inside my cloak.
"Ho ho, you carry some strange things with you."
"We would be dead men if not for these," Han Wol-baek said, nodding to me before approaching the Young Lord.
"Let's see that famous face of yours."
Han Wol-baek yanked the mask off the Young Lord's face.
"Hmph!"
As the handsome face was revealed, Han Wol-baek let out a small groan and stepped back. He clearly hadn't expected the boy to be so good-looking.
"He looks like a damn pretty boy," Han Wol-baek grumbled.
The Young Lord spoke up. "What do you intend to do with me?"
"What else? We're taking you to the Murim Alliance," the Fist King replied.
"Right now?" I asked.
My original plan was to hand the Young Lord over to Galwi to incite a war between the two factions.
However, since Jo Ji was likely to die, the Black Fortress wouldn't stay quiet anyway, so half of my plan was already a success.
Handing the Young Lord to the Murim Alliance seemed like a safe alternative.
"No. It's too dark and dangerous now. We'll escort him tomorrow when the Nine Dragons Group arrives."
It turned out the Murim Alliance had already dispatched the Nine Dragons Group to Sichuan at the request of the Phoenix King and the Fist King.
"The Nine Dragons Group?"
Does that mean I have to see that insufferable Mu Gyeol, the leader of the group?
Seeing Jeok Yeong frown, I thought we might have to leave this place sooner rather than later.
"It's on the tip of my tongue..."
As it turned out, Jeok Yeong wasn't frowning because he was annoyed about meeting Mu Gyeol; he looked like he was struggling to remember something.
Just as I was about to ask him, the Phoenix King spoke to me.
"Stay in this government office for tonight. And you, keep an eye on this fellow."
"Where are you two going?"
"We can't just sit around here. We entered Sichuan to track the movements of the Foreign Forces."
The two of them were searching for the meeting place between the Divine Light Sect and the leaders of the Foreign Forces.
Even after the Phoenix King and the Fist King left the office, Jeok Yeong remained lost in thought.
"Brother, what's bothering you so much?"
"It's nothing."
Jeok Yeong gave a vague answer and headed back to the quarters assigned to us by the office. He looked visibly exhausted.
Come to think of it, I wasn't in great shape either.
The tension of the day followed by the battle had left me drained.
In times like this, what I needed wasn't energy circulation, but the "Sleep Divine Art" of the weak—a good night's rest.
"I'm going to sleep, so please watch him for a bit."
I turned away without even waiting for Chu Bong-hwa's answer.
Just then, a group of people rushed into the office. I flinched, thinking the Divine Light Sect had already returned.
But looking closer, it was Galwi in the lead, followed by the warriors of the Black Fortress.
"What is it?" I asked.
Galwi approached and replied, "I've brought a physician. I thought it would be safer to treat him here, so I came back."
One of the Protectors was carrying Bushi Jo Ji on his back. Judging by the state of him, he looked like a man on the verge of death.
I guided them toward the annex where we were staying. After all, he had fought alongside me last night, and I felt a bit guilty about his condition, so I couldn't just ignore him.
After showing Galwi to the annex, I fell into a deep sleep without even washing up.