Chapter 166
Chapter 166
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: What is a Grandmaster? (3)
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The next to appear was Myo Gwang, the leader of the Mystic Needle Sect.
"It seems we've kept our esteemed guests waiting."
But the most shocking revelation was the identity of the smiling old man at his side.
"Elder Wang-u!"
Why was the Kunlun Sect's transcendent master here of all places?
Suspicion arose immediately.
Sensing it, Wang-u softened his narrow eyes with a gentle smile.
"Hohoho. You seem quite surprised."
"Wh-why are you..."
"I know the council's rules. I had no intention of making contact originally."
But there was no other way.
"My top priority is to inform you of what happened to the Nameless Elder who was watching over the Jang Cheon Sect."
Go Il-seo's initial doubts quickly faded.
"Did you say Nameless Elder?"
"At the time, I had received a secret order from the Messenger and tried to make contact. The situation wasn't good, so I withdrew."
A secret order from the Messenger?
He had thought that if Xiao He fell into the hands of the Nether Heaven Society, he would be the one most favored.
'To receive a direct secret order that even I didn't get.'
A twinge of jealousy arose, but Go Il-seo steeled his resolve.
'No. Someone of Elder Wang-u's caliber could manage it.'
It wasn't regrettable to be outdone by a figure of this magnitude. In fact, it was better to feel relief at this unexpected ally for now.
With that thought, Go Il-seo subtly probed Wang-u.
"I heard you were with the Beggars' Sect's Beggar Elder."
"That was fabricated. As you know, without the Messenger's permission, how could I have survived under the sun and reached the Murim Alliance?"
Go Il-seo's suspicions largely dissipated at those words.
'He knows the Society in detail.'
Relaxed now, he turned to Myo Gwang.
"Sect Leader Myo..."
"Heh heh. The Cunning Fox's Three Lairs. Even a rabbit digs three escape routes. Is it strange to make one more?"
"...True enough."
The Cunning Fox's Three Lairs.
A phrase the Messenger often used.
"Moreover, the timing of the previous Mystic Needle Sect Leader's retirement is awfully convenient, isn't it?"
"Did the Society have a hand in it?"
Myo Gwang nodded with a knowing smile.
Wang-u interjected again.
"Above all, I sought you out to give a warning."
"You said you were at the Jang estate."
"Correct. I told Shin Chang, but it seems he didn't pass it on."
Xiao He Divine Spear laughed loudly from the side.
"That's precisely why I called the Elder here."
His boastful demeanor was grating, but Go Il-seo kept his composure and asked,
"Were you at the Jang estate?"
"Yes. I rushed there after seeing that things had gone wrong with the Jang Cheon Sect."
He even knew about the Jang Cheon Sect connection.
As silence fell, Wang-u continued.
"They were quite skilled in combat. Accustomed to slaughter as well."
"Do you remember anything specific?"
"By the time I arrived, the situation was already dire."
But what I want to tell you is the makeup of the attackers.
"They wore masks, so I'm not certain, but they didn't seem like righteous faction warriors."
"Their method of erasing traces was quite unique. They had Dissolving Bone Powder."
"Dissolving Bone Powder!"
"Melting bones and flesh to erase traces is something no ordinary righteous warrior would even consider."
Dissolving Bone Powder.
A potent acidic solution, an extreme poison that dissolves bones and flesh.
A vicious tool used to eliminate traces, expensive and hard to obtain.
'Definitely not something the righteous factions would use.'
Then who were these villains?
"I suspected the Nangong Family..."
Go Il-seo had pegged the Nangong Family as the culprits behind the attackers.
This was a situation where the family head himself was traveling.
He figured the Heaven-Soaring Hundred Swords Brigade, who only followed the family head's orders, could pull it off.
But a counterargument came from Xiao He Divine Spear as well.
"Not the Nangong Family."
"What makes you so sure?"
"Who do you think I am? For a branch chief like me, uncovering the Nangong Family's inner workings is child's play."
"......"
As Go Il-seo fell silent, Xiao He Divine Spear continued.
"That's why I suspected the Iron Chain Alliance. Then the Elder showed up."
He said some rather interesting things.
"Indeed. While investigating the background, I caught something intriguing."
Intriguing?
"It seems the Hao Gate is behind it all."
The Hao Gate!
The two sect leaders shot to their feet at the shocking declaration.
"Th-the Hao Gate?"
"How did they catch wind of this?"
Impossible to say.
"I can only surmise there was some reason."
The room fell silent amid the successive shocks.
"If the Hao Gate is involved, it explains the Nameless Elder incident too."
"The Hao Gate was behind the Jang Cheon Sect's collapse?"
"Hmph. They must be the ones who hired the assassins too. Handling corpses in such a filthy way seals it."
As everyone reached that conclusion,
Go Il-seo suddenly asked something out of left field.
"Elder Wang-u."
"Speak."
"How did you obtain the Kunlun Sect's martial arts?"
"On the Messenger's orders. He told me to find traces of the Kunlun Sect."
Go Il-seo, listening, murmured as memories surfaced.
"That's strange. I thought Wind Guest was the one assigned to that task?"
Suddenly, Wang-u's smiling face twisted like a malevolent demon.
"Only one mouth worth keeping."
Pfsh!
A fountain of blood erupted from the side.
Myo Gwang had drawn a dagger from his bosom and lunged at the stunned sect leader.
Pfsh!
Wang-u flicked his sleeve, and another spray of blood followed.
"What!"
The startled Xiao He Divine Spear hastily raised his black spear and bellowed.
"You've deceived me!"
"Well done, you fool."
Shing!
A sword flash gleamed, but no more pointless deaths occurred.
"Hah!"
Wooong.
True to the fame of the Xiao He Ten Heroes, Xiao He Divine Spear channeled his inner energy in an instant and stomped the ground.
Crack!
The floor of the Confucius Temple cracked and sank under his energy-infused foot.
Boom!
"Hah!"
He swung his spear like a windmill, stirring chaotic energy waves and sharp whooshes.
Thud!
Clang clang clang!
A cacophony of metal rang out as spear and sword clashed, sparks flying wildly.
Whoooong. Hoooong.
Whirling his spear, Xiao He Divine Spear led with his left hand, pushing off his right foot and stomping with his left, unleashing thrusting strikes like beams of light. Wang-u wildly swung his sword to deflect the barrage.
Clang! Clang!
But against the precise, intricate thrusts keeping distance, Wang-u was pushed back eight paces in a moment.
Tat.
Shaking his form side to side with erratic footwork as he retreated, the seam of Wang-u's shoulder split open.
Sliced by the energy in the spear strikes.
"Urgh."
"You sly old bastard! This is your grave!"
Enraged, Xiao He Divine Spear's flurry enveloped Wang-u, who quickly kicked off the wall, leaped high, and twisted mid-air.
It was the Kunlun Sect's signature technique, Cloud Dragon Eight Forms.
Xiao He Divine Spear's strikes repeatedly pierced empty air against the nimble lightness skill, and he roared in fury.
"Let's see how far you can run!"
His spear thrusts and sweeps grew even fiercer, so swift that their afterimages flickered.
Clang! Clang clang clang!
Wang-u tilted his sword to block overhead, twisted to parry low sweeps—his movements precise yet precarious.
'I must join soon.'
Clang!
Go Il-seo shoved back Myo Gwang, who was trading blows with him, and twisted his body.
'Dealing with that idiot can wait.'
Above all, this incident must not leak outside.
"Forgive me, Elder Wang-u."
Wooong.
Seeing the golden light shimmering at the sword tip, Wang-u smiled faintly.
"Oh my. A joint attack against this old man? No mercy."
"You brought it on yourself. Don't hold it against me."
Shwaang!
Go Il-seo unleashed radiant sword strikes and kicked off the ground.
Bright Justice Sword.
The golden sword aura was the technique that earned him a place among the Xiao He Ten Heroes.
Papapapak!
Astonishingly, as he executed the form, his hands multiplied to three, pouring out a chaotic barrage.
Each one no feint, but lethal strikes targeting vital points across the body.
Go Il-seo had never seen anyone emerge unscathed from this technique in his life.
No matter how great Elder Wang-u, he couldn't withstand a joint assault from two of the Xiao He Ten Heroes.
'Two hundred years of inner energy. Think you can endure?'
Power bought by selling a wanderer's soul. Bitter, but the thrill rose at the thought of piercing a renowned master's heart.
'I'll surpass the Venomous Flying Sword Warrior!'
Everything was perfect.
With Xiao He Divine Spear's attacks drawing his focus, and indoors to boot.
Even superb lightness skill had limits here.
'I'll surpass the Venomous Flying Sword Warrior!'
As the three arms unleashed golden energy to shred Wang-u's back,
"Ngh!"
Wang-u groaned and muttered,
"As expected, I can't match the liege yet."
He had tried to unleash the Kunlun Sect's signature technique.
Shiiik!
Startled by the sword flying at him, Go Il-seo flipped mid-air.
Whoosh. Ta-ang!
As the sword embedded in the wall and hummed, Wang-u raised his left hand against the fierce spear thrusts.
It looked like he meant to block the spear tip with his palm, drawing a derisive "Ha!" from Xiao He Divine Spear.
"Foolish old demon! I'll pierce that palm first!"
Whirrlik.
Go Il-seo's heart sank at Wang-u's smile amid the flailing spearhead.
'What is he planning?'
Unclear what ploy, but Wang-u's expression was utterly serene.
He spoke.
"Wrong."
Young friend.
"Though I'm the weakest among the Dark Soul Black Wind Envoys, I'm not one to fall to a young friend."
As he murmured, a chilling wail struck their ears.
- Kyaaaaaaa!
Xiao He Divine Spear's face twisted at the piercing child's scream-like cry.
Go Il-seo gaped at the blackening palm.
"Th-that technique!"
"You might not know it."
Wang-u smiled, raising his hand where black-red haze rippled.
"Its previous master was quite infamous in many ways."
Whooo.
As the black palm shook, clang! The spearhead flew off.
Kwajik!
The palm snapped the shaft and still had power left, unleashing mighty energy.
"Cough!"
Not even struck, Xiao He Divine Spear staggered from the palm's force.
Unyielding long-range power slammed into his chest.
Splaaat!
"Argh!"
Struck by the palm force, Xiao He Divine Spear flew like kicked by a horse and crashed into the wall with a yell.
Boom!
Yet the palm's momentum lingered, cracking the wall.
"Hoo."
Even as Wang-u exhaled and withdrew his hand, Go Il-seo couldn't close his mouth.
"Th-that..."
A single palm strike routing Xiao He Divine Spear was shocking enough, but what seized his gaze was the palm mark on the wall.
Like a giant's hand swipe, the massive print resembled a goblin's grinning face.
"Puhuk!"
Seeing Xiao He Divine Spear, embedded in the wall spewing black blood from his chest, Go Il-seo was certain.
"Asura Black Blood Palm!"
"Kek. Kekhek."
Go Il-seo trembled at Xiao He Divine Spear's face, veins bulging black.
"H-how does Elder Wang-u know the Blood Cult's technique!"
"Heh heh. You seem quite shocked."
It happens occasionally in the martial world.
"Things that absolutely shouldn't happen... do."
His benevolent smile chilled Go Il-seo further, making him step back.
"Don't fear too much. This too shall pass. With your death."
"Y-you..."
Backing away from the approaching Wang-u, he suddenly sensed presence behind him.
Swish.
Myo Gwang had silently positioned himself, dagger raised.
Escape sealed.
Caught between hammer and anvil.
Then, Xiao He Divine Spear twitched against the wall and spat curses.
"Heh. Heh heh heh. Sly old demon. Not just me—you've deceived the world."
"Overpraise."
"But... right now... this place has the council's experts... Think you can escape?"
Wang-u smiled faintly at the venomous cry.
"Ah, you're counting on them?"
Flick!
His sleeve whipped, and boom! The Confucius Temple door shattered.
Revealed was a chaotic hellscape unfolding.
And,
Step. Step.
One figure striding straight toward them.
Wang-u bowed his head.
"Welcome."
The cleanup is finished, my liege.