Chapter 208: Hangzhou (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 208: Hangzhou (1)
There was a perfectly good reason for their sudden trip to Hangzhou.
Zhejiang Province, home to Hangzhou, was under the jurisdiction of the Haebyeok Sect. Much like its obscure name, the sect's influence was mediocre at best.
While they did possess a Super Peak expert—a necessity for any sect claiming dominion over an entire province—that was the extent of their power. No matter how one looked at it, they couldn't even begin to compare to the Sixteen Major Sects.
However, word had just reached them that the bastards from the Black Lotus Union had invaded Zhejiang. And they had done so by sea.
From the Haebyeok Sect’s perspective, the fire was already burning at their feet. Naturally, they scrambled to request reinforcements from the nearest of the Sixteen Major Sects: the Namgung Clan.
In Zhejiang, which bordered Anhui, several sects had branched off from the Namgung Clan. Some were founded by collateral branches of the family, while others were established by martial artists who had served the Namgung and received permission to start their own factions.
Given these personal connections and the fact that the Namgung Clan was the closest major power, there was no reason to refuse the official request for aid.
The Namgung Clan accepted the Haebyeok Sect’s plea.
Upon hearing the news, Seo-jun readily nodded his approval. After all, he hadn't seen the sea once since arriving in the Central Plains.
During his trip to the North Sea Ice Palace, he had been so busy that he hadn't even found the time to look at the actual North Sea. This time, he planned to bring his fiancées along and enjoy the ocean view.
"Zhejiang Province? I’ve been there before."
Furthermore, according to Chun-bong, one of the Geum family’s great prides was located there.
"I went there briefly with my father when I was little... There’s a Sword Mark left by my grandfather there."
"A Sword Mark?"
"Yeah. It’s out in the sea. That’s why the waters there are called the Sea of Sword Blades."
Chun-bong gazed into the distance with a nostalgic expression, seemingly lost in thoughts of her family.
Seo-jun picked her up and sat her on his lap.
"Then let’s stop by the Sea of Sword Blades while we’re at it. Since we have a new family member now, think of it as an initiation ceremony."
"N-new family..."
Geum Chun-bong, a woman who was notoriously easy to please only when it came to her 'Oppa,' blushed deeply and beamed.
"Hehehe... I like that!"
And so, the trip to Hangzhou was decided.
* * *
There was still plenty of time before the engagement ceremony.
However, in Seo-jun’s experience, all sorts of crazy incidents broke out every single day in this madhouse called the Central Plains. The more time they had to spare, the better.
For that reason, 'Seo-jun Airlines' was scheduled to transport the travelers to Hangzhou.
"Alright, hold on tight."
Chun-bong and Namgung Su-ah each grabbed one of Seo-jun’s arms.
If he used the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, he could simply carry them with Void Object Grasping, but it was better to exercise some restraint while in the territory of the Righteous Faction.
Actually, this is better.
They were hugging him tight from both sides. Why bother with Void Object Grasping?
BOOOOOM────────!!
As he unfolded the Primordial Unity Step at a moderate speed, a fierce wind whipped against their faces.
"Hieeeek...!"
Chun-bong was startled at first, but soon her mouth hung open in awe.
It wasn't every day one got to experience soaring through the sky with the clouds as companions.
"Whoa...! The people look like ants!"
"That’s right, Geum Chun-bong. Keep those lowly commoners beneath your feet."
"What are you even talking about?"
Despite her words, Chun-bong smirked as she looked down at the ground below. Her heart thudded with a surging sense of superiority.
"One day, the Central Plains will be under the Geum family’s feet..."
"Wait, what?"
Chun-bong’s ideology seemed to be heading in a slightly dangerous direction, but whatever. Wouldn't the people of the Central Plains actually enjoy being stepped on by Chun-bong?
"We’re here."
The fun flight ended quickly, and they arrived in Hangzhou in no time.
"Hangzhou is quite a distance away, though..."
Namgung Su-ah tidied her messy hair and scanned the surroundings. It was definitely Hangzhou.
She hadn't expected they could arrive this fast.
Seo-jun shrugged.
"If you master the Su-ah Divine Art to a certain extent, you’ll be able to do something similar, Noona."
"Really?"
"Yeah. The Namgung Clan’s martial arts already incorporate the heavens and lightning, after all."
In the future, she might even be able to become lightning itself and streak across the sky.
"You should be able to do it without much trouble once you reach the Transcendent Realm."
"...Are you teasing me?"
"I’m being serious, though."
Is the Transcendent Realm really that hard?
As Seo-jun snickered, Namgung Su-ah poked him hard in the ribs.
"Urgh...!"
Pouting, Namgung Su-ah grabbed the arm of the exaggerating Seo-jun and led him away.
"Let’s go quickly. They must be waiting."
"Actually, I think they’ll be shocked if we show up now."
It hadn't been long since they sent the request for aid. The Haebyeok Sect likely assumed it would take some time for reinforcements to arrive.
Normally, when a Knight Commander visits a unit, it’s common courtesy to give advance notice. If a two-star general suddenly drops by unannounced? It wouldn't be strange if the officers collapsed from heart attacks.
This should be fun.
He had to do it immediately. Seo-jun quickened his pace.
* * *
"Is anyone there!" Seo-jun shouted in front of the Haebyeok Sect’s main gate.
The martial artists guarding the gate blinked in confusion. Chun-bong covered her face with both hands and let out a sigh.
"He’s so embarrassing to be seen with..."
"He’s your husband, Geum Chun-bong."
"What..."
Chun-bong’s body stiffened. The effect was superb.
"Are you... from the Namgung Clan?" asked a martial artist who noticed the emblem on Seo-jun’s clothes.
"Yes. You called for backup, didn't you?"
"Uh, yeah..."
As the martial artist stood there dazed, the man next to him grabbed his companion's head and forced it down into a perfect ninety-degree bow.
"Welcome! I will escort you to the Sect Leader!"
Is this the taste of power?
Seo-jun followed the guide with a light step toward the Sect Leader's quarters.
He was able to meet the Sect Leader shortly after sending word. The man scanned Seo-jun and the two women beside him, then furrowed his brow.
"We are currently in a state of war."
"I know?"
So what? Seo-jun shrugged and introduced his companions.
"This is Geum Hee of Returning Dragon Peak. And this is Namgung Su-ah of Danroe Peak."
"Hmm..."
"They won't be a hindrance, so wipe that look off your face."
Seo-jun casually sat on a nearby chair. Judging by the Sect Leader’s expression, he didn't seem particularly thrilled about the reinforcements.
Not my problem.
He just had to solve the issue and leave. As long as they didn't do anything stupid, he didn't plan on saying much.
"...I haven't introduced myself. I am Yeo Un-jeok, the Leader of the Haebyeok Sect."
"Lee Seo-jun, Elder of the Namgung Clan."
Yeo Un-jeok let out a long breath through his nose and asked, "Are you aware of the current war situation?"
"To some extent."
The martial artists of the Black Lotus Union had taken a long detour by boat to infiltrate eastern Zhejiang.
Currently, the Murim Alliance was concentrating its strength in the western part of the Central Plains. One could say the Black Lotus Union had aimed for a gap in their defenses. However, since the force that infiltrated Zhejiang couldn't actually have a major impact on the Righteous Faction as a whole, the Alliance wasn't paying it much mind.
But that was the Murim Alliance’s perspective. For the Haebyeok Sect, with the enemy right at their doorstep, it was a massive headache.
"Their numbers aren't that great. At most, a few dozen."
"I heard they have three Super Peak experts?"
"That is correct. We are managing to hold them off somehow, but... our losses are mounting."
While Yeo Un-jeok could handle one Super Peak expert, dealing with the other two was highly problematic.
The leaders of other sects who were close to the Super Peak Realm had teamed up to block the second. They were squeezing out every last bit of strength to hold back the third, but as time passed, their forces were only being whittled away.
Three Super Peak experts, huh.
To be honest, Seo-jun was confident he could win even in a three-on-one fight. Forget tapping into the Fire Demon Realm; he could overwhelm them even fighting casually.
He felt a fresh sense of perspective.
The fact that Zhejiang Province was struggling this much against three Super Peak experts meant that Seo-jun could single-handedly lay waste to the entire province, didn't it?
I’ve really become a national-level martial artist.
In the Central Plains, a single province could be considered a country in its own right. Yet, no matter how he looked at it, he could probably conquer Zhejiang within a few days if he set his mind to it.
He wouldn't actually do it, of course, since there was zero reason to.
"Are the Super Peak martial artists gathered in one place?"
"No. One is guarding the ship, moving between the sea and the port, while the other two are scattered, launching surprise raids."
In that case, cutting off their retreat was the priority.
Super Peak experts might be a joke to Seo-jun, but to normal people, they were walking natural disasters. It would be a waste to miss the chance to pick off three of them at once.
"Let’s go to the port immediately."
Yeo Un-jeok nodded, seemingly of the same mind. However, his brow furrowed when Chun-bong and Namgung Su-ah naturally moved to follow behind Seo-jun.
"Look here. I know you both hold noble status, but that is exactly why you will be a hindrance on the battlefield. War is not child’s play."
Chun-bong let out a sharp snort. This man, Yeo Un-jeok—the look in his eyes was incredibly unpleasant.
"We’ll take care of ourselves, so mind your own business."
"I know Peak Realm martial artists are helpful on the battlefield, but they are sacrificed in countless numbers in even a single battle. If you get hurt, it’s our side that takes the blame."
Seo-jun, who had been waiting for them to follow, turned his head.
The man wasn't entirely wrong, but his fundamentals were severely lacking.
"You should have practiced your Qi Sensing a bit harder."
At the sudden remark, Yeo Un-jeok frowned. "What do you mean by that?"
"Peak Realm? Anyone can see they’re at the Super Peak Realm."
Unless one actively revealed their aura, it was difficult to gauge their realm at a glance. This was especially true the closer the realms were in power.
But still, to mistake the Super Peak Realm for the mere Peak Realm?
"The Namgung Clan will handle Namgung business. You should practice hiding your true feelings a bit more."
"......"
"I don't know what you’re unhappy about, but you shouldn't let it bleed into your energy."
The energy that had been prickling his skin for a while now wasn't very clean. For some reason, the man had been deeply wary of them this entire time.
"If you’re worried that the Namgung Clan will use this as an excuse to intervene in Zhejiang..." Seo-jun smirked. "You wouldn't be able to stop us even if you knew, so just relax."
* * *
"It’s a total mess." Seo-jun scanned the port.
The docks, which should have been bustling with people, were now home only to rats and crows. All sorts of debris and corpses floated on the rolling tide.
At this rate, even if they cleared out the Black Lotus Union, the damage would be immense.
His first view of the Central Plains’ sea didn't seem very suitable for sightseeing.
Clicking his tongue, Seo-jun peered intently at a ship visible at the far edge of the horizon.
"Noona, Chun-bong."
"Yeah?"
"You know the saying, ‘train like it’s the real thing,’ right?"
Namgung Su-ah nodded. "Right?"
"Since we happen to have some live teaching aids, I’ll set the stage. You two try fighting them."
It would be a life-and-death duel against a Super Peak expert—except their safety was entirely guaranteed, and the enemy's death was already decided.
Yeo Un-jeok glared at them with cold eyes, but no one paid him any mind.
Zap!
Seo-jun grinned as blue currents coiled around his fingers. The azure electricity flowed like water, dancing between his knuckles.
Heaven-Thunder Explosion.
As Seo-jun lightly flicked his hand—
RUMBLE─────────!!
A bolt of lightning surged from the sky and slammed into the distant sea.
It was a strike that even a massive warship shouldn't have been able to withstand, yet the vessel narrowly avoided sinking.
Clang!
A man wielding a giant scythe had somehow managed to block the lightning.
"Guaaaah...!"
However, he couldn't block all of the current. Several martial artists on deck were instantly electrocuted to death.
Dead fish floated to the surface of the boiling sea. Seo-jun smirked and, this time, flicked his other hand.
RUMBLE────────!!
Crack!
Finally, the ship split in half and began to sink. A man leaped from the sinking vessel, letting out a roar filled with unbridled rage.
"Which motherfucker did that...!"
Seo-jun smiled brightly and pointed at him.
"Now, you two can take turns fighting him."
It would be difficult for them to win immediately, but he firmly believed that Chun-bong and Namgung Su-ah would eventually seize victory.
Since their internal energy had increased to an absurd degree after consuming the Divine Deer Pills, it was by no means an impossible task.