Chapter 232
Chapter 232
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter Title: The Whereabouts of the Seven Heavenly Apostles (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Work together?”
“It’s not a bad deal for you either.”
The Black Gate Sword Demon lowered his voice and broached the subject.
“Do you know what’s been happening lately at Dongting Lake?”
“No clue. And I don’t care.”
“Tsk tsk. A rookie stepping into the jianghu with ears this deaf.”
Clicking his tongue, the Black Gate Sword Demon leaned in.
“The Iron Chain Alliance Lord has declared a campaign to exterminate the Yangtze Eighteen Strongholds.”
“What’s that got to do with me?”
“It means a chance to make a name for yourself by helping me. What do you say? Just say the word, and I’ll find you a good spot.”
“Not interested.”
“This is your shot to catch the eye of a big shot in the Iron Chain Alliance. Offers like this don’t come around often.”
“My master told me something once.”
Chu Un-hwi smirked as he pressed his index finger firmly against the table.
“He said to watch out for folks in the jianghu who come dangling tempting offers.”
“...Immature advice, but at least your master passed on something.”
The Black Gate Sword Demon straightened up, feigning disinterest.
“I’m at the Thunder Tiger Sect. Come find me if you change your mind.”
“I said I’m not interested in working together.”
“Heh heh heh. You never know what the world might bring, kid.”
Flutter.
As the Black Gate Sword Demon turned, shaking his long robe, the onlookers who had been watching jumped in fright and cleared a path.
‘They say he’s the number two in the Thunder Tiger Sect. Looks like he’s pretty well-known.’
Even third-rate wanderers living day-to-day were intimidated.
Having him by his side would certainly make achieving his goals much smoother.
‘But biting the bait too eagerly would just make me a disposable pawn.’
He intended to decide for himself how he’d be used and what role he’d play.
‘Heh heh. That’s gotta sting.’
The young disciple Mu Gwang caught up to the Black Gate Sword Demon as he left the tavern.
“Master! Why did you let that thunderbolt-headed punk off the hook?”
His master was cold-tempered and ruthless in combat. It was baffling that he hadn’t punished the insolent fool.
“You fool. You think you’ve got room to talk after getting done in by some thunderbolt-headed punk?”
“W-Well, that guy attacked so suddenly.”
“Your eyes must be blind as bats. That punk’s swordsmanship was the real deal.”
“You’re praising him that highly, Master?”
For the first time, the eldest disciple Heuk Gwang showed surprise.
“Did you see him unleash the Inferior Cross Sword earlier?”
“It was fast, sure. But if we were prepared, it wouldn’t have been unstoppable.”
“You fools.”
The Black Gate Sword Demon clicked his tongue at their response.
“He drew the sword from the table, clashed with me in one strike, and then sheathed it again like nothing happened.”
“I saw that much.”
“Did you notice that his scabbard didn’t shake even a bit—from drawing, slashing, clashing with my sword, to sheathing? It means he wasn’t going all out.”
“!”
Reserving strength against his master?
The two disciples’ eyes widened.
“And yet, the rebound in my wrist ached from the power at his sword tip. Get it? Even a half-hearted display of his swordsmanship was enough to startle me.”
“That’s... impressive indeed.”
Mu Gwang’s face hardened as he paled, jealousy flaring at a nobody his age earning his master’s approval.
“Then we can’t just leave him be, right?”
“You think I should’ve personally split him in two during this critical time?”
“W-Well...”
Heuk Gwang slyly interjected.
“You have a clever plan, don’t you, Master?”
The Blood Cross Sword and his master were bitter rivals. There was no way he’d sit idly by knowing a rival’s disciple showed such promise.
As expected, his hunch was right.
“That fool’s so obsessed with passing on his swordsmanship that he raised a greenhorn clueless about the world.”
“He does seem ignorant about the jianghu. Doesn’t care much either.”
“The jianghu isn’t a place where a strong but dumb brute survives. His hot temper will breed enemies, and his illiteracy will make him easy prey.”
“...So you mean...”
“The way he tosses silver around, he’ll be broke on the streets soon enough. Then we use him.”
“You think he’ll come crawling to you, Master?”
“Of course. A fresh-faced kid from the capital won’t beg otherwise.”
Grinning slyly, the Black Gate Sword Demon turned to his eldest disciple.
“Heuk Gwang, follow him and bleed him dry as fast as possible. He’s like a crow that loves shiny, flashy things—it’ll be easy.”
“Yes, Master!”
“Mu Gwang, you handle the background check. Just in case.”
“Understood, Master.”
“Yep!”
At his disciples’ replies, the Black Gate Sword Demon chuckled gleefully just thinking about it.
“Blood Cross Sword. I’ll make good use of your disciple.”
The Black Gate Sword Demon burst into laughter.
“Brother! Brother!”
Heuk Gwang re-entered the tavern and approached the man still drinking at the same spot.
“What? Aren’t you the guy who left earlier? Here to pick a fight?”
Drunkenly reaching for his scabbard, he waved Heuk Gwang off.
“What happened earlier was rude. Master thought it over and decided against it, so he sent me.”
“Huh? Not here to fight? Bah, boring.”
As he pulled his hand from the scabbard and kept refilling his cup, Heuk Gwang called the server.
He ordered the most expensive liquor and sat across from him.
“What? I accepted your apology, so scram.”
“Haha. We’re fated to meet like this—why not drink together?”
“I prefer drinking alone...”
“I’ll cover the tab.”
“Turns out I love people after all.”
He quickly changed his tune and started making excuses, as if guilty.
“It’s not that I’m stingy or anything. I’m a generous soul who doesn’t cling to money.”
“Is that so?”
“For real.”
Heuk Gwang inwardly laughed as the man boasted about his lavishness and big spending for a while.
‘Just like Master said. He’s hopeless outside of martial arts.’
Watching him flaunt his generosity by flicking out silver pieces, Heuk Gwang could almost see his future ruin.
“I’ve seen your magnanimity. Let’s get along from now on.”
“Heh heh. You too.”
“By the way, didn’t you say you’re enjoying Dongting Lake’s pleasures per your master’s last wishes?”
“Yeah. Not really my thing, but it’s his dying wish, so I’ll indulge a bit then leave.”
‘Can’t let that happen.’
Heuk Gwang subtly proposed.
“The Thunder Tiger Sect is a prestigious sect near Dongting Lake. I’d be happy to help you enjoy the pleasures.”
“...Help? What kind?”
Noting his reluctance, Heuk Gwang cast the lure.
“Just drop my name, and it’ll open doors. They give big discounts to regulars.”
“Really? Then I’ll take it.”
Heuk Gwang sneered inwardly at the eager acceptance.
‘Idiot. I’ll strip you down to your underwear.’
The Beggar Elder clutched his neck at the news from the Beggars’ Sect disciple.
“From tavern to gambling den now?”
“He went in this morning and gambled all night.”
“He’s already too conspicuous, yet he walks right into their home turf.”
“There must be some story behind it.”
Neung Pung-un cautiously defended, but the next report was even more despairing.
“The Thunder Tiger Sect’s chief steward, the Black Gate Sword Demon’s senior disciple, is stuck to his side.”
“Gah! Why’s a guy like the Black Gate Sword Demon involved?”
“There was a scuffle at the tavern. It happened in such a dangerous spot that details are scarce...”
“Hurry and tell him to come back! What the hell is he thinking...”
Irritated, he gestured dismissal, but the disciple hesitated.
“More to report?”
“Well...”
Chewing his words, the disciple continued.
“He’s so chummy with that Heuk Gwang guy, like childhood friends, it’s hard to get close.”
“......”
“Plus, he’s drunk and picking fights everywhere, making tons of enemies. There’s even a group tailing him, planning to kill him quietly...”
The rest made it hard to tell if this was a Divine Martial Academy instructor or some unorthodox thug.
“Oh, my poor boy.”
The Beggar Elder staggered and collapsed into his seat, clutching his neck.
“What’s Instructor Chu thinking?”
“Seems like he’s aiming for something.”
No matter how he pondered, the goal eluded him. More questions would just give him a headache.
Especially now, teetering on a knife’s edge.
With a weary face, the Beggar Elder haltingly spoke.
“We stick to the plan first. They say the Four Armies are rushing the purge—time’s short. We need to infiltrate their core before then.”
Neung Pung-un and Geum Jeong nodded slightly.
“Yes, Elder.”
“As you command.”
Heuk Gwang had witnessed sheer absurdity several times in the past few days.
‘Can someone really be this reckless? How has he survived this long?’
The Cross Freak Sword was hands-down the most self-willed person he’d ever met.
Quick-tempered, he’d start fights on the street as a matter of course.
Frustrated, curses flew without a second thought.
Not just curses—fists and blades followed.
His patience was so short, it was a wonder he’d lasted this long with that personality.
‘He’s completely insane.’
For a while, he’d eyed him suspiciously per his master’s orders.
But it was pointless.
Even unorthodox folk had limits to their wildness.
Yet the Cross Freak Sword operated solely on ‘strike first or die, if he strikes first I die’.
‘Even mad dogs size up their prey.’
Yesterday, he bumped shoulders, broke the guy’s arm, then whined for compensation money.
Some kind of consolation, apparently.
‘The problem was that the guy was from the Iron Blood Beast Corps.’
That alone wouldn’t be an issue.
“You see this roaring wolf emblem and nothing comes to mind?”
Luckily, the beast corps member recognized him and tried to let it slide.
“What? That’s a wolf? I thought it was a dog yawning.”
This lunatic even provoked him.
It was a famous anecdote that the Iron Chain Alliance Lord had personally drawn and bestowed it.
Every Iron Blood Beast Corps member felt immense pride seeing the roaring wolf.
He’d openly mocked the source of that pride right in their face.
‘He’s not ignorant of the jianghu—he’s an utter moron!’
Naturally, the opponent’s eyes rolled back.
“You said it, so no regrets dying.”
“Bring it. I’ll make you crawl on all fours like a dog.”
Heuk Gwang had barely mediated the tense standoff to avert disaster.
‘Why am I even involved?’
Since he was part of it, he couldn’t bail and had to sweat bullets pleading.
“Haha. Having a local guide sure makes it fun.”
The oblivious fool chattered beside him.
“...You flatter me.”
“Sick of people-watching. Want to ride a boat—know any spots?”
“Thinking of taking a boat?”
“Master said if I come to Dongting Lake, rent a fancy boat and enjoy the night view. The lights reflecting on the water are a sight, he said.”
At the carefree remark, Heuk Gwang inwardly cheered.
‘Boat, huh? Perfect chance to bankrupt him.’
“Follow me.”