Chapter 137
Chapter 137
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Night of a Hundred Ghosts (3)
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Chaos struck overnight.
"Sect Leader!"
The bedraggled state of those rushing in one after another was blatantly one of utter defeat.
Sect Leader Myo Gwang of the Myo Jin Sect came running out in a fluster and asked,
"What happened?"
An instructor with blood caked over half his face shouted,
"I'm Baek Seok, instructor of Silver Hall. We were ambushed on the way!"
"Ambushed?"
As the stunned Myo Gwang hesitated, Yeo Mae-hong spotted a familiar face among those who followed and cried out in surprise.
"Instructor Jo Hyeon!"
Instructor Jo Hyeon was among the sudden arrivals.
She was slumped over, supported by a female student.
"Someone you know."
"A fellow instructor."
At Yeo Mae-hong's response, Moyong Seon-ya put aside her playfulness and hurried over, checking Instructor Jo Hyeon's pulse and prying open her closed eyes for a look.
After examining her, Moyong Seon-ya leaned Instructor Jo Hyeon against the wall and said,
"Just exhaustion."
"That's a relief. Really."
"Thank you. What happened?"
The female student who had supported Instructor Jo Hyeon sobbed as she replied,
"We were suddenly attacked on a mountain path on the way."
"That must have been frightening. Did you see who did it?"
Hiccup. Hiccup. Even as she hiccupped in fright, the student kept talking.
"It was someone using incredibly fast and eerie lightness skills."
Like a bird of prey.
"He spread a blood membrane and flew on the wind, so fast and bizarre."
We couldn't escape no matter what, the student sobbed again.
"It's okay. You're safe now."
Quite the resolute personality, the student choked back tears but pressed on with her memory.
"He moved too fast to see his face clearly. But yes... he was young. I remember black hair."
"And?"
"Sob sob. I don't know. When he swung his hands, blood sprayed. Sob."
Moyong Seon-ya shook her head as she comforted the now openly weeping student.
As she returned after soothing the crying student, Yeo Mae-hong asked,
"Sister. Any guess on the fiend?"
Moyong Seon-ya shook her head.
"A bizarre lightness skill spreading a blood membrane to fly through the air. Up to there, I thought Silver Moon Flying Thief."
She had personally investigated a past attack on a fellow instructor.
"But something's off."
"What's different?"
"Silver Moon Flying Thief is a thief. He wouldn't act this boldly, and his martial arts aren't that advanced."
She looked around at the exhausted people lying about.
"Four instructors and twenty students couldn't handle him and fled?"
Silver Moon Flying Thief's known level was peak mid-tier.
"Even if he luckily gained insight and stepped into the next realm, that's peak high-tier."
No peak expert could unilaterally crush that much force.
Even stranger was the appearance.
"Above all, the black hair."
She knew well about Gon Ya-pyeong from investigating the fiend who harmed her colleague.
"Silver Moon Flying Thief is clearly advanced in years. Black hair? Is there a young demon like that?"
The witnesses' testimonies conflicted on odd details.
"Then who did this?"
"No idea. Time to find out."
With the sudden influx of injured, Myo Gwang busily moved about, checking details with his sect members.
He paused by Instructor Jo Hyeon, examined her for a long time, then stood.
"Sect Leader. Her condition..."
To Moyong Seon-ya's question, Myo Gwang replied with relief.
"Fortunately, no threat to her life."
"Phew. That's good."
"It is, but I'm worried about the others."
In a gloomy voice, Myo Gwang looked over the injured and spoke.
"They say these ones were lucky to escape."
"Then."
"Some were left behind."
Before his words finished, a scream came from one side. Aaak!
Turning, they saw Instructor Jo Hyeon, regaining consciousness, looking around frantically before crying out desperately.
"Squad Leader Yang! Squad Leader Yang!"
Nine Hundred Iron Fists Squad Leader Yang Dae-cheol?
Her face ashen, Yeo Mae-hong shook Instructor Jo Hyeon's shoulders.
"Instructor Jo Hyeon! Why Squad Leader Yang? What happened?"
Jo Hyeon cried out desperately.
"He stayed behind in our place!"
The situation was turning grave.
"...A demon appeared?"
The first summoned was Sima Baek—no, Wang Wu.
As the strongest and most reliable among those present from Kunlun Sect, it was only natural.
But Wang Wu, unexpectedly called, was perplexed.
"How could such tragedy befall the young students..."
The Kunlun giant muttered righteously toward the air, letting out a long sigh.
Meanwhile, inwardly, he sent a cold transmission.
[My lord. What shall we do?]
His transmission carried a sinister tone.
[A few fledglings dying and making enemies of the Murim Alliance and Wangcheon Society isn't a bad picture.]
A scheme befitting a former villain.
His mind was surely swirling with plots to screw both sides using this.
But Chu Un-hwi shook his head.
[We don't know where the girl is. Think a freak running wild helps?]
[True enough. I'll go deal with him at once.]
As Wang Wu readily agreed,
[I'm going too this time.]
Surprise flickered in Wang Wu's eyes.
Knowing his personality hated hassle, it meant he couldn't fathom him stepping up personally.
But Chu Un-hwi had his reason.
[Time to surpass first-rate.]
From experience, first-rate wasn't quite enough to be treated well.
[If you say so...]
[From now on, do exactly as I say.]
Wang Wu, focused on the transmission, cried out fervently.
"To overlook such a tragedy and claim oath to the jianghu's future—utter nonsense."
As if his earlier silence was suppressing rage, he pleaded earnestly.
"This old man will personally go punish the demon's lackey."
"Fear not, all of you!"
Cheers erupted around the shouting Wang Wu.
"Ah, Hero Wang!"
"Elder Wang! Thank you."
"I knew Hero Wang would say that."
A living legend they could hardly address declaring punishment personally—they were all moved to tears.
But Wang Wu wasn't done.
"Thus, I shall step forth, but alone may fall short."
Wishing someone to lend a hand.
As he looked around, Yeo Mae-hong and Moyong Seon-ya stood.
"Elder Wang! I'll go."
"I'll join too!"
Wang Wu praised the passionate pair as if greatly impressed.
"Your righteousness is truly admirable."
No one else?
Eyeing them, Myo Gwang stepped forward.
"I'll also send urgent missives to the minor righteous sects and gather men."
"Good idea, but time is tight."
Even now, some good soul might be dying somewhere.
At his worried reply, everyone stamped their feet in anxiety.
"I'll go!"
"No, me too!"
"I'll stand by your side! Let me join!"
Fired up by the great elder's participation for the jianghu's future, students raised hands eagerly.
But Wang Wu rejected them flatly.
"Eagerness is good, but first, tend your bodies."
Leave this to the adults.
With that, Wang Wu turned.
"Instructor Chu. Will you help?"
Instructor Chu?
As all looked baffled, Chu Un-hwi stood from the corner.
"Kids. This is real combat."
So pack your things now.
"Instructor Chu!"
"Too dangerous!"
The two opposed taking the young students.
"It's fine. No forcing you."
Chu Un-hwi said to the four.
"This is the real jianghu from now on."
The fucking shitty jianghu.
"Wanna dip your feet in the muck?"
At his question,
"I've been waiting."
Clang. Nangong Yun-ho struck his scabbard on the ground.
"Yes, I'll go too."
"Leaving me behind would disappoint."
Baek Ri-seol and Jegal Tan were the same.
Meanwhile, Moyong So-hye fidgeted endlessly.
"I, um."
"Instructor Chu. So-hye should."
Before Moyong Seon-ya could advocate, Chu Un-hwi addressed Moyong So-hye.
"It's okay. Scared? Sit it out. No need to go."
"Really...?"
"Go anytime you want. Even with white hair. But once you step in, no turning back."
No need to ruin your life early.
"Then..."
Her heart softened at the kind words, Moyong So-hye pressed her finger to her lips.
"Then. If you regret today's choice."
Not your fault, right?
To the asking Moyong So-hye, Chu Un-hwi smiled brightly.
"Your fault."
Her softening expression crumbled at the firm reply.
"My... fault?"
"Hey. We're all going to die, and you bail to live alone—not your fault?"
"That's total coercion!"
Moyong Seon-ya's shout came from the side, but Chu Un-hwi didn't stop.
"Might regret it forever."
"No, you definitely will."
"Seriously, it's all your fault, so blame yourself, not me."
"Mad? Kick off the blanket at night or whatever."
"You're too much!"
"Yeah, I am."
"I'm not as bold as Sister or the brothers."
"What do you want me to do?"
At his retort, the fuming Moyong So-hye suddenly looked at Baek Ri-seol.
"Huh?"
Then Jegal Tan and Nangong Yun-ho.
Finally turning to the instructor.
"Forgive you just this once."
Smirk.
A vibrant energy swirled around the smiling instructor.
"Instructor Chu! That's harsh!"
"Right. Moyong is just."
Ignoring the shouting pair, Moyong So-hye swallowed hard.
Her eyes sparkled as she declared,
"Moyong So-hye of Bronze Hall. Count me in!"
So-hye!
Pitying cries rose here and there, but
Moyong So-hye just stuck out her tongue and grinned.
"Can't pass by with a coward in the mix."
In the hasty preparations to depart for support,
"Instructor Chu. A word."
Wang Wu called Chu Un-hwi aside.
The others, having heard roughly, accepted it but eyes gleamed.
Because of what Wang Wu said earlier.
- Situation's urgent, so straight to the point.
- Give me just one shichen (thirty minutes).
- Planning to teach Instructor Chu one simple technique.
Teaching a technique amid such crisis?
But those knowing Wang Wu's caliber couldn't dismiss it lightly.
Kunlun Sect's sole transcendent.
What he passed in emergency wouldn't be some simple move.
Yeo Mae-hong murmured, half envious, half worried, watching Chu Un-hwi leave.
"What does Elder Wang plan to teach?"
Moyong Seon-ya shook her head with the same look.
"Who knows. Just one shichen. What can he impart? Martial arts aren't learned easily."
All eyes turned to the firmly shut annex door.
Wang Wu—no, Sima Baek—was equally perplexed.
"My lord. I handled it as instructed."
But what is your intent?
In the secluded chamber, Chu Un-hwi replied to his question.
"Sudden boom! Getting strong is trouble."
"True."
"Besides, Pure Sword Sect's effects are wearing off anyway."
Simple and worthless swordsmanship, no real use left.
Wang Wu stroked his beard at the response.
"So, setting of learning Kunlun martial arts to grow strong."
"Yep. Boom! style."
But there was a problem.
"My lord doesn't know Kunlun martial arts, do you?"
This was truly awkward for Wang Wu. He knew of peerless supreme arts, but learning new ones was different.
It took him a year to grasp Kunlun martial arts' essence.
Three years to wield them refined. Even then, the sect leader-exclusive Supreme Void Dragon Sword took two full years for half mastery.
Absurd, but as subordinate, he couldn't defy his lord.
"I'll demonstrate from Azure Purity Sword first."
Kunlun's Azure Purity Sword was the entry swordsmanship.
Followed by Lesser Azure Sword, Dividing Light Sword, Cloud Dragon Thirteen Swords, advancing to Supreme Void Dragon Sword.
Tight for one shichen to show sequentially, but his lord could surely grasp the essence.
'If that's all.'
Maybe possible.
Already a high assessment.
Transmitting martial arts in one mealtime was absurd anyway.
But Chu Un-hwi's demand was different.
"No need to bother."
"Pardon?"
"Why take the hard, tedious path claiming it's great?"
Chu Un-hwi extended his hand.
"Got a manual?"