Chapter 213
Chapter 213
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: News from the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains (5)
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Iron Chain Alliance Lord Cheol Pae-cheon.
The leader of the Evil Alliance, which divided the martial world alongside the Murim Alliance.
At his fury, Demon Brain hurriedly bowed his head.
"Alliance Lord. Please quell your wrath."
"Demon Brain. This seat clearly ordered you to bring me that 'brat'."
Demon Brain answered immediately amid the pressure that tightened like iron shackles on his limbs.
"You did indeed say that."
"The brat was a rat in a trap. And right in our home territory, no less."
With the emergence of the Eight Thousand Demon Envoy, rumors of heterogenous true qi had begun to spread far and wide.
No matter how hard the Murim Alliance tried to suppress it, they couldn't cover up the massive damage inflicted on a giant city like So-ho.
At that time, Cheol Mu-hon, who learned of the heterogenous martial arts faster than anyone, issued a command.
- Capture the Demonic Envoy.
Compared to the Murim Alliance, the Iron Chain Alliance had more warriors in number, but due to the nature of unorthodox martial arts—which lacked depth despite their ferocity—it had long been a weakness that they had few true masters.
"You must know how much this seat has agonized to overcome our disadvantage in martial prowess."
"...How could this Demon Brain not know of your worries, Alliance Lord?"
"And yet you failed a mission I personally commanded!"
Boom!
As he slammed his hand down again, the already teetering desk shattered with a crash, spilling its ornate decorations everywhere.
"......"
Demon Brain, his body rigid with fear, barely managed to speak.
"I will correct the mistake."
"Hmph! The greatest shame is failing a task done in my name."
"......"
Demon Brain was at a loss for words.
Honestly, the reason for failure was simple.
'He was far stronger than our initial assessment.'
Even with five detachments from the Iron Chain Alliance and over twice that from subordinate sects mobilized, the enemy had wiped out a third of them.
'He broke through a thousand elites alone, killing three hundred and injuring even more.'
If exceeding expectations so vastly was a blunder, then yes, it was.
Still, Demon Brain had to endure the Alliance Lord's reprimand stoically.
"If even tasks begun in this seat's name can fail, who will follow me?!"
It was because he understood Cheol Mu-hon's intent all too well.
Unlike the Murim Alliance, which operated under the grand ideals of protecting the martial world and strict discipline, the Iron Chain Alliance was held together solely by Cheol Mu-hon's overwhelming martial prowess and authority.
Once that prestige faltered, it might plant seeds of betrayal in the hearts of those forcibly subdued.
"...I will erase the failures from the Iron Chain Alliance's name."
"That's a given."
"Furthermore, I will punish their clans to elevate your dignity, Alliance Lord."
"Insufficient."
"To ensure no one harbors other thoughts, I will make an example of them with one punishment for a hundred offenses, so all tremble at your name."
"...That much at least."
Only then did Cheol Mu-hon somewhat restrain his rage, growling.
"Explain how to obtain that heterogenous true qi."
At the stern command, Demon Brain felt a chill down his spine.
The Alliance Lord had unified the scattered unorthodox factions into one with his supreme martial arts and sinister cunning.
To appease such a ruthless master required a clever scheme.
"......"
After a moment's thought, Demon Brain spoke up.
"The brat won't have many places to flee."
"Naturally. He can't set foot in righteous or unorthodox territories."
"Then his destination is obvious."
In this vast Central Plains, few places offered refuge outside righteous and unorthodox domains.
"The gray zones?"
"Yes. He'll hide where government influence doesn't reach."
"Obvious deduction."
"The opponent is a monster who broke through a thousand elites alone, even while injured."
"So. Possible, or impossible?"
After deliberation, Demon Brain bowed his head.
"Lend me one of your sharpest blades, my lord."
"A sharp blade?"
"A hundred from the Iron Blood Beast Corps should suffice."
"A hundred Iron Blood Beasts?!"
Cheol Mu-hon himself had mastered numerous unorthodox arts and raised elite forces.
The Iron Blood Beast Corps ranked among the top ten in the Iron Chain Alliance.
"Also, attach the Brutal Death General and Thousand Latent Killing Sword."
"Mm. Those two as well..."
The Brutal Death General and Thousand Latent Killing Sword were peak superhuman experts of their generation.
They had long been infamous within the Iron Chain Alliance, but Demon Brain named them for another reason.
"If they fail, hold them accountable and punish them."
They had amassed considerable influence, power, and wealth as long-standing unorthodox masters.
"Huhu. Success gets us the heterogenous true qi. Failure gets us their wealth."
"Even in success, if the precious Iron Blood Beasts don't return intact, someone must take responsibility."
"Huhu. Either way, I profit."
For the first time, Cheol Mu-hon smiled faintly, recalling the two who always meddled in his affairs.
"Very well. As you wish, Demon Brain."
"I will act at once."
He clasped his fists in salute and bowed before leaving the room. Shortly after,
countless messenger birds flew from the Iron Chain Alliance headquarters to various outposts.
And, not even a full month later.
Dududududu.
A hundred Iron Blood Beasts and two old monsters of the Iron Chain Alliance departed from the main stronghold.
The Iron Chain Alliance's movements were immediately reported to the Beggars' Sect disciples.
Soon after, news from their head branch in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, prompted Beggar Elder to urgently seek out Alliance Leader Yi Jun-ho.
"Alliance Leader. We've found a trace of the Demonic Envoy."
"Where?"
Beggar Elder, looking utterly haggard, slammed a map down on the desk cluttered with beautiful flower and landscape paintings.
"More precisely, we think we've pinpointed it."
"...Not certain, then."
"No exact location confirmed, but with the Iron Blood Beast Corps mobilizing, there must be a reason."
"Iron Blood Beasts?"
Yi Jun-ho, well aware of their notoriety, responded gravely.
"Quite credible."
"According to the disciples' reports."
Tap tap.
His finger, pointing at Hangzhou, slid southwestward.
"They're heading to Jiangxi Province."
"Jiangxi... That suggests."
"A fugitive won't have many options."
Grinding his teeth, Beggar Elder muttered quickly.
"Unless he's wandering to Nanchang, the provincial capital, hiding spots in Jiangxi are limited."
There were smugglers, but few dared incur the Iron Chain Alliance's wrath.
"...Poyang Lake has water bandits."
Ones so powerful their name hardly befitted mere thieves.
"Yangtze Eighteen Gangs."
"...Damn it all."
Gazing down at his blood-soaked body, the man in splendid robes muttered.
"To end up like this at the hands of unorthodox rabble."
The muttering man glared east with venomous eyes, biting his lip.
Seven Thousand Demon Envoy Heo Ryang honestly hadn't anticipated such a predicament.
Having proudly claimed the title of Demonic Envoy under the Heavenly Destruction Society, he believed no one in the world could match him.
The problem was the one who knew his weakness all too well.
"Jeok Mu-gyeong. If not for that bastard..."
Iron Chain rabble would've been mere post-meal snacks.
Rivalry among Demonic Envoys wasn't unusual, but he hadn't expected outright assassination attempts.
If only he'd had a chance to unleash his heterogenous power.
Racking his memory, Heo Ryang exploded in rage once more.
"Tch. This isn't the end."
Glaring east again, he muttered with eyes burning for revenge.
"Let's see who wins. I'll become a god with your blood!"
Whoosh.
Turning, he swiftly deployed his movement technique and sped away.
A thick water mist rose where he headed.
Around that time.
A single messenger arrived at the Hao Gate's Jiangnan branch.
On the red paper, to be opened only by the branch chief.
- Guest.
A short name was written.
Chatter chatter.
The grilled pork restaurant in Pamir was as rowdy as ever today.
Amid the raucous cheers that evolved from noisy into monstrous roars after a few drinks, a cheerful voice rang out.
"Have you heard of the Yangtze Waterway Gang, by chance?"
"Huh? Yangtze Waterway Gang?"
No one hadn't.
They were too infamous.
People said: eighteen mountain bandit gangs in the mountains, Yangtze Waterway Gang in the rivers.
"Mountain bandits and river pirates, right?"
"Not wrong. Though not exactly common thieves."
Moyong Seon-ya, her face cleared after successfully avenging herself at the academy, chimed in.
"Instructor Nung. Why the Waterway Gang?"
"Just curious."
Nung Pung-un hesitated, but the topic—fresh off mocking the academy—made perfect drinking fodder.
"Not much is known compared to the Mountain Bandit Eighteen Gangs."
"True. They move along rivers, so they're elusive."
Riversiders rarely encountered the Yangtze Waterway Gang.
Few traveled by boat often, and even if they did, avoidance was the norm.
"Ran into them a couple times wandering the jianghu. Ferrymen paid protection fees to pass."
"Yeah, yeah. Bandits on land are one thing, but water fights are different. Ordinary masters can't handle those water assault experts."
"I can't even swim—fighting underwater sounds horrific."
"A Daoist told me I court disaster near water."
As the two veered into fortunes and fates, Chu Un-hwi asked,
"Why the sudden interest in the Waterway Gang?"
"Nothing."
Nung Pung-un tried to dodge with a grin, but Chu Un-hwi wasn't fooled.
"Doesn't look like nothing—your face is dark."
"Haha. My stomach's just off."
Forcing a smile, Nung Pung-un shot up, raising his cup high.
"Bah! Worries be damned! Innkeep! Ring the bell! Drinks on me tonight!"
Clang clang clang clang!
Spotting a reliable patron, the innkeep rang vigorously. Chu Un-hwi's sidelong glance swept over Nung Pung-un's odd expression.
As expected.
Suspecting as much, his discreet visit to Azure Wall Tower found Yo-ran waiting.
"Young master. I figured you'd come."
"Knew it. My lord—how'd you know?"
Varied reactions aside, as he took the seat of honor, Yo-ran offered a silver tray.
A lone red paper lay atop it.
"An anonymous note arrived."
"From the Wind Guest."
Faster than expected.
Unfolding it casually, no lengthy message appeared.
- Jiangxi Province.
Seeing the brief words, Chu Un-hwi chuckled.
"Still playful. Paranoid as ever."
Infusing subtle qi into the paper from his fingertips, it didn't just turn black—the red bled away.
"What? How?"
"Nothing special."
Such secretive folk loved testing with messenger tricks; he'd seen it plenty in his past life.
"Simple parlor trick."
Let's see.
"Tower Lord. Fetch me a lantern, some ice, oil, and water."
"Yes, understood."
Ringing a bell, attendants appeared with the items as requested.
Evidently, the Heavenly King Blade Method he'd taught had advanced further; their bowed forms radiated firmer energy.
'Not the priority now.'
Unfolding the paper, Chu Un-hwi sequentially exposed its square corners to ice, oil, flame, then dipped one in water.
Whoosh.
The color faded rapidly, turning into plain white paper.
"Well now."
Chuckling delightedly at the sight,
"Looks like this Demonic Envoy's power is specialized in 'water'."
And.
On the fully decolorized paper, another line appeared.
- Yangtze Waterway Gang, Jiujiang Gang.
Folding it, he added,
"A water manipulator, cheekily holing up in the river, of all places."