Chapter 224
Chapter 224
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Contact (3)
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Having subdued the Second Young Master in an instant, the Wind Guest came rushing over in shock.
"What in the world do you think you're doing!"
"What do you think? It means I'm about to show you the answer."
"I can't comprehend your methods at all. Crushing your opponent mercilessly like this—what makes you any different from the fiends of the demonic cults!"
The Wind Guest was disappointed by the sight of him rampaging purely on brute force without reason or justification, to the point of considering abandoning the Heavenly Net Society.
But his opponent didn't stop. Instead...
Splash!
The Second Young Master vanished into the water in a flash, leaving the Wind Guest's mouth agape.
'This madman's really trying to kill him!'
The counter-demon he'd gone to such lengths to find, no less.
He'd paralyzed the body with pressure points, sealed the vital energy meridians, and tossed him into the water. This was more vicious than a clean kill with a single stroke.
It meant sinking into the water fully conscious and dying slowly.
'I can't work with this guy.'
He tried to move quickly to intervene, but his opponent was one step faster.
Whoosh.
Grabbing the Second Young Master by the scruff of the neck and dragging him along, he hurled him into the middle of the canal.
One couldn't extend a hand to a greater villain just to slay an evil one.
"Get out of the way!"
He leaped in to rescue the Second Young Master, but it wasn't easy.
"Stop."
The Wind Guest gritted his teeth and retreated under the overwhelming pressure he'd felt before.
'That presence back then wasn't my imagination.'
The aura had been so domineering that even after experiencing it, he could scarcely believe it.
Now confirmed again, the overwhelming gap he'd sensed wasn't a fear-induced illusion.
'However... I can't join forces with him.'
As he rolled his eyes, pondering his options, a scoffing laugh came from his opponent.
"I can hear your eyeballs rolling from here."
"......"
"I won't stop you from leaving, but if it were me, I'd choose to see the answer first."
"You want me to watch a man die?"
"If there's reason for him to die, then he should."
What on earth did that mean?
His opponent raised a hand and began counting slowly on his fingers.
"One... twooo..."
As he counted with excruciating slowness, a small anomaly occurred.
Bubble. Bubble.
Bubbles began rising from where the Second Young Master had sunk.
His last breath, perhaps?
"See? I told you the water knows the answer."
"Making jokes while a man's dying right in front of you... Hm?"
Bubble bubble bubble bubble.
Bubble bubble bubble bubble.
Shockingly, the canal water began churning as if boiling in an instant.
"Th-this!"
"Right. A pretty familiar trick, isn't it?"
A small whirlpool formed soon after, and with a peng! sound, a water spout erupted.
"You bastard!"
The figure flickering with red light within the water spout was unmistakable.
"Second Young Master!"
"Exactly. This guy's no innocent either."
Splash!
A beautiful silver line sliced through the water spout, and soon the canal ran red.
Click.
Sheathing his sword, his opponent turned with a grin.
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend? Nonsense. The enemy of my enemy is just another enemy."
"...I see."
"You think you're the only one who thought of raising a counter-demon?"
"......"
The Wind Guest could say no more.
There was nothing left to say.
If he'd tried to use the Second Young Master as planned, it would only have alerted the Seven Apostles to his change of heart.
'I've been utterly defeated.'
He'd been outmaneuvered in reading his opponent, probing his inner energy, even in mind games. Astonishingly, he'd even received help instead.
A perfect defeat with no room for excuses.
The Wind Guest closed his eyes in despair.
Then, a low, sweet voice whispered in his ear.
"Wind Guest. I've humored your tests this far. Test me again, and our alliance ends here."
"I'll handle the Blood Cult alone."
At that quiet but firm declaration, the Wind Guest dropped his head.
The Wind Guest left.
Having shown genuine submission from the heart at the end, he'd be quite cooperative from now on.
"The outcome's good, but nothing's ever straightforward."
Everything demanded so much effort.
Muttering complaints, he left the room and descended to the lower floor, where a server boy came running.
"Good sir, will you be dining?"
"Bring something decent."
"Right away!"
Smirking at the energetic boy dashing off, he heard an odd conversation from those already seated.
"Did you hear?"
"About the Pure Sword Sect Leader being assassinated?"
"With even the eldest and second young masters killed, losing the sect leader too—that's no small matter."
"Who could be behind it?"
"Who knows. The Iron Chain Alliance seems suspicious..."
Chu Un-hwi, eavesdropping, soon lost interest.
'Looks like the Wind Guest finished his business.'
He'd vanished saying he'd tie up the loose ends of his own doing, apparently settling the Pure Sword Sect affair.
'He's made up his mind.'
Enough to stake his fate on a stranger.
In truth, the Pure Sword Sect matter had gone rather luckily.
In his previous life, the Wind Guest had recounted numerous times the hardships from supporting them.
- The apostles suspect my true intentions. It won't be easy to meet for a while.
It had taken years to dispel the suspicions and reclaim his position as an apostle.
'He lamented it every time he drank, since he'd suffered so much.'
Thanks to that, he'd anticipated it this time.
"Meeting that Baekga fool was lucky too."
The Pure Sword Sect's Second Young Master.
An apostle infamous in his past life for his water-manipulating abilities.
Having crossed paths multiple times, he knew the face and hadn't let him slip away—dealt with him preemptively.
'Judging by the timing, perhaps the current apostle failed to recover and took him as a disciple.'
Not that it mattered anymore.
The dead don't speak.
"Anyway, with the Wind Guest tracking down the Seven Apostles, all that's left is waiting."
The Yangtze was vast.
With determination, he could be found, but there were many inconveniences.
Above all, apostles of water were tricky opponents.
'If they flee into the water, they're nearly impossible to catch.'
The Second Young Master in his previous life had been the same.
Fleeing into the water, following the river to the sea for high-speed escape—the apostle's persistence was spine-chilling.
'Well, if the Wind Guest keeps him pinned, it's a different story.'
"Here's the fish soup!"
"Oh."
As he organized his thoughts, a hearty meal arrived.
"It's carp caught fresh this morning, simmered into porridge."
"Just hearing it makes me full. Dig in."
Forgetting his worries, he savored a leisurely meal for once.
Around lunchtime, the tailor shop owner arrived.
"Sir, the items are ready."
Opening the wooden box, it revealed layers of pitch-black garments neatly folded.
"Made with the blackest, sturdiest fabric as requested."
"Looks like it."
Back in his room, changing into the clothes, they fit snugly—most pleasing.
"You put real effort into this."
"Stitched multiple times over, so they won't tear even in fierce combat."
"Is that so?"
Pulling at the hem vigorously, it held firm, just as described.
"Far better than I imagined."
"Heh heh. Glad to hear it. Haven't made martial robes in ages, so I was worried."
"No need for concern."
Praising him, the server boy who'd been watching blankly came scampering over.
"Grandpa! This is when you ask for extra service fee!"
"Foolish boy, this guest already paid."
"Aww. Service fees depend on the situation, you know?"
Chu Un-hwi burst out laughing at the boy whispering about extra income.
"The kid's right. Effort deserves reward."
Clink.
Adding a generous tip to the balance, the tailor blinked in surprise.
"Heh heh. See? I was right."
Flicking the smug boy's nose, he yelped and hopped about clutching it.
"You've learned to fleece customers first thing—can't have that. Lunch is on you today."
"Where's the rule saying that?"
"You've got that advance tip. Deduct from it."
"Hiiing."
His reaction evoked someone familiar, making Chu Un-hwi chuckle again.
Back in his room, Chu Un-hwi smirked at his new attire.
"Putting on new clothes really drives home that I've left the academy."
Such a simple thing.
Just clothes bought with a few coins, yet he felt renewed.
"Anyway, seems I've wrapped up everything in Evil City."
The crucial meeting with the Wind Guest.
Concluded perfectly without a single misstep.
"Now, what's left is Neung Pung-un?"
Youngest Plum Blossom Sword Sage or Plum Blossom Storm Sword— to Chu Un-hwi's eyes, he was like a child left by the riverside.
His skills were one thing, but the current jianghu folk lacked tension.
Moreover, Neung Pung-un's opponents this time were transcendent realm masters.
No fool, he wouldn't rush into fighting the Four Armies or Ironblood Beast Corps directly, but concerns abounded.
"He wouldn't even reach the Yangtze Canal intact—dying en route wouldn't be surprising."
Unorthodox battles were filthy.
Not something novices raised in righteous sects could endure easily.
"Maybe just watch to ensure he doesn't die too soon? Feels like I've become his full-time babysitter."
Of course, first...
"I need to gauge his level."
Leaving Evil City, Chu Un-hwi retraced his steps.
"It was definitely around here."
The place he recalled was a small roadside inn on the official path.
A rest stop for passing merchants.
- Dragon-People Inn (龍人客棧).
"Odd name."
Originally different, apparently, but weathered away, leaving only the 人 character.
Unlike the shabby sign, inside it was decent enough.
"Window seat."
Telling the server boy curtly and passing by, he overheard merchants setting up drinks.
"Did you hear? About the Brutal Death Squad."
"The caravan hit was run by my distant uncle. All massacred, they say."
"Who can live in fear? What the hell is the Murim Alliance doing?"
Mostly merchants griping about the Iron Chain Alliance.
'Nothing noteworthy.'
Nothing substantial despite listening in.
Turning to the window, he watched travelers on the path.
"How long since I just idly people-watched like this."
Savoring the leisure, his awaited figure appeared on the road.
Worth the window seat, perhaps?
Pretending ignorance, he gauged the presence and counted inwardly.
At a suitable distance, he called out casually.
"Hey! Is that you?"
The passerby looked up, eyes widening in surprise.
"Huh? Friend!"
Shocked by the unannounced encounter yet beaming widely—quite the sight.
'Well now. Didn't expect the wart.'
An unexpected companion, that is.
"Friend?"
A woman by Neung Pung-un's side shooting him a cold glare.
The Emei Sect's Golden Summit.