Chapter 255
Chapter 255
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Returning (1)
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The disciples of the Twin Dragon Sect gasped in horror at the sight of Gwan-ak, the Undying Dragon Sword, reduced to a single streak of blood.
Who was the Undying Dragon Sword?
He was the right-hand man of the Four Kings who dominated Fujian Province, a ferocious beast of a man.
For such a figure to be cleaved in half—it was enough to make anyone cry out in shock.
"How... in a single strike."
If he had shown even a hint of overwhelming dominance, they might not have been so terrified. But the duel everyone witnessed had ended far too simply and swiftly.
"...Did he sever his intent?"
In particular, Young Leader An Jin-baek was even more stunned because he knew fragments of the technique Gwan-ak had unleashed at the end.
"A Mythic Realm expert."
A powerhouse who had shed his human shell and strode toward divinity.
"A new supreme master?"
One of the peerless experts who could be counted on one hand across the vast expanse of the Nine Provinces martial world.
The people called these figures the Ten Great Masters of the Martial World.
It didn't matter what number they ranked among the world's experts.
From the moment they stepped into the divine realm, a Mythic Realm master was a calamity simply by existing.
"Can Father even stand against that man who has returned?"
An Jin-baek could envision no hopeful future.
'The Mythic Realm... that's a level comparable to the Alliance Leader.'
No matter how much of a top expert the Cruel Iron King was in the Iron Chain Alliance, he couldn't face a superhuman who had entered the divine realm.
As the Dark Venerable received gazes filled with shock,
he radiated a terrifying aura and asked,
"...Is the deathmatch over now?"
"......"
When no answer came, the Dark Venerable slightly pushed up his bamboo hat.
"What a pity. I was just starting to enjoy myself."
Half of the White Swords still remained intact, and the three hundred Heavenly Swords stood on their feet, but the Dark Venerable pointed a finger at An Jin-baek as if no one else was there.
"You, there."
"...Dark Venerable. Do you truly intend to see this through to the end?"
An Jin-baek's heart sank as he shouted desperately.
"Your martial arts may be profound, but if I resolve to a mutual destruction, I could take at least one of your arms with me."
"Tch. What a foolish dream."
With a click of his tongue, the Dark Venerable reached into his robes and tossed something out.
Srrrrk.
It was a tattered, shredded booklet that slid through the air, infused with inner energy.
"Water King Manifesto? What is this?"
"The Apostle's relic."
"The A-Apostle?"
"Haven't you heard yet? The Twin Dragons' ears are deaf indeed."
Suddenly mentioning the Apostle, An Jin-baek began to panic. The Dark Venerable's mouth opened again.
"The ten thousand evil heroes and the Four Kings gathered at Lake Dongting lost to the Long River Waterway Stronghold."
"Even with Father there, they lost?"
"Yes. The Cruel Iron King died alongside the Iron Blood Beast Corps to the Apostle."
"I can't believe it. It's a lie!"
"As one who walks the same path as the Apostle, I couldn't stand idly by, so I avenged him. Yet instead of gratitude, you try to kill me? Are there dogs so ungrateful in this world?"
"I-I didn't mean to..."
The Dark Venerable's aura grew even fiercer.
"As fellow travelers on the same path, I've held back until now."
In the midst of the raging heatwave that made breathing impossible, the final verdict fell.
"From here on, don't expect any more luck."
No one dared to block his path as he turned away, his long robes fluttering like a declaration of war.
Thud. Thud.
They could only stare at the back of the newly emerged absolute being.
Before word of the massacre at the central market could spread, dire news arrived from Lake Dongting.
- Death of the Cruel Iron King.
The death of the Iron Chain Alliance's de facto leader.
What shocked people even more was that the two Four Kings, a hundred Iron Blood Beasts, and even the ten thousand sects of Lake Dongting had been defeated by the Waterway Stronghold.
"They say he conjured a sorcery that raised waves dozens of zhang high."
"One wave turned a thousand experts into fish food, or so they say."
Once tales of the Apostle's godlike feats from ancient legends spread, questions piled up endlessly.
"Did the Dark Venerable really kill the Apostle?"
"Killing a demon who annihilated ten thousand experts? It doesn't add up."
"But it's too grand a story to call a lie."
Amid the skepticism, those who had witnessed the Dark Venerable's prowess snapped back.
"You haven't seen the Dark Venerable's martial arts."
Then rumors spread of how he had single-handedly shattered the Heavenly Swords and White Swords like a one-man army at the central market. Doubts turned to certainty, and certainty to awe.
"A Mythic Realm expert, no less."
"A powerhouse contending for the throne of the world's best."
"How long has it been since a Mythic Realm master last appeared?"
Those well-versed in the martial world began to realize.
The Twin Dragons' reign over Fujian Province had come to an end.
"So what happens to the Twin Dragon Sect now?"
"Haven't you heard?"
"Heard what?"
"The Twin Dragons' experts are starting to receive visits from the Dark Venerable."
Some hoped in the accumulated might of the Twin Dragon Sect, but most were skeptical.
"It's the Dark Venerable who killed the Apostle. Terrifying, and no pretext to help. Who would rashly touch the hero who avenged the Four Kings?"
People whispered among themselves, reciting the song drifting through the markets.
The Hao Gate's song, now a hymn of hope.
"Eheheh. Ehehehehe."
An Jin-baek trembled under the covers on his bed.
His dilated pupils darted ceaselessly around the pitch-black room.
"He's coming. He's coming for me."
In recent days, disciples had been dying one by one.
The Ten Sword Masters, wielding precious Deep Sea Dark Iron Swords.
The White Sword Masters, respectable enough to be called martial world experts.
All found as cold corpses by morning.
"N-next is my turn."
Yesterday, Jo Hyu had died.
Along with the Black Dragon Family retainers.
Even more tragic was that a top expert among Fujian's three heirs had perished without anyone noticing the intruder's visit.
A man who could shake the martial world with his fame, killed without a sound.
"Grind. Grind."
Gnashing his teeth, his bloodshot eyes twitched wildly. No trace remained of the Twin Dragon Sect Young Leader's dignity.
"What do I do? What do I do?"
Whenever the song echoing in his mind resurfaced, he pulled the covers over his head and swallowed hard, again and again.
"The Dark Venerable will come for you first."
"Ehehuk! Hehehehuk!"
As he whimpered in a mix of fear and chaos, a faint sound reached his ears.
Shhhh.
At first, he thought it was leaves rustling in the night wind.
Flutter. Flutter.
But at the wriggling shadow cast by moonlight through the paper window, An Jin-baek realized his turn had come.
"I let them all go! I returned everything! The people! The goods!"
At the end of fear came rage. Despite releasing everything from the Twin Dragon Sect, the sinister shadow visited nightly. Finally, he bellowed.
"Kill me! No! Die with me!"
As he thrust out his trembling hand, throwing off the covers toward the sword by his bedside.
"Hello?"
His eyes met a pair of red ones grinning upside down in midair.
"Aaaargh!"
Parararak!
The damned shadow that had tormented him for days slithered between the covers. An Jin-baek tried to scramble back on his butt.
Srrrrk. Crunch.
But the black bandages now wrapping his limbs allowed no such thing.
"No! No!"
Save me! Don't kill me!
As he wailed desperately, the red-eyed man's lips tore into a grin.
"Nothing is impossible."
The binding force tightened, and his joints began twisting in unnatural directions.
"If it's what my lord desires."
"Aaaargh!"
As An Jin-baek screamed, the sound of his bones cracking throughout his body filled his ears without cease.
"Young Leader!"
By the time the Twin Dragon Sect disciples rushed in at his screams, they found.
Dangling.
An Jin-baek, eyes rolled back, tightly bound in black bandages and hung from the beam,
and the short lyric scrawled in blood on one wall.
The Dark Venerable will come for you first.
"Hm. Nice aroma."
The tea after finishing a job always tasted special.
As he savored the multi-fragrance tea with his stuffy bamboo hat off, a hot gaze came from beside him.
The source was Yagul Cheok.
"Is your body alright now?"
"Thanks to you."
"You're too fragile. I hope you won't need my help as much from now on."
"I'll do my best."
Yagul Cheok's piercing gaze didn't waver at the curt reply. Wondering what it was about, Chu Un-hwi turned, and Yagul Cheok scratched his head awkwardly.
"Your face without the hat is just so novel."
It seemed his bare face was quite the curiosity.
"Anyway, it feels like time to wrap up our relations. What do you think?"
"Since we've achieved perfect vengeance, we should keep our promise."
Yagul Cheok muttered dryly, knelt, and knocked his forehead on the floor repeatedly.
"This Yagul Cheok doesn't know what use a wretch like me might have, but as your subordinate, I pledge my life to serve the Dark Venerable like a dog or horse, without refusing any toil."
Even declaring lifelong loyalty, his tone remained dry.
'Consistent guy.'
Smiling, Chu Un-hwi corrected him.
"Chu Un-hwi."
"Huh?"
"My name."
"Even a being like you has a human name."
Quite the rude response.
About to retort, Dan-ya interjected.
"Wow! My lord! I have a little brother now?"
"Yeah!"
"I'm thrilled. Little brother. I'm a big brother now. My loooord. Thank you. I want a little brother share too."
Dan-ya, who had dropped from nowhere, began dancing like a jellyfish with his bandages, and Myo-gwang teared up beside him.
"Congratulations, Master. You've gained talent to overturn the world."
'Overturn what?'
Seemed like it was time to set a date and announce the martial world's peace and future policies.
As he thought that, Yagul Cheok scratched the back of his head and spoke.
"By the way, I have a question."
"Ask away. As commemoration of boarding the same ship, I'll tell you anything."
"How old is the leader?"
"!"
Suddenly, his hand reaching for the teacup froze in midair.
"Dan-ya hyung looks young too, but the leader seems even younger."
"...I look youthful."
"Even for youthful looks, it's not just young—it's baby-faced. Not criticizing, just curious."
"Yagul Cheok. First order."
Speaking solemnly, Yagul Cheok's eyes shone loyally.
"No questions about my age."
"?"
"Never. Got it?"
"Th-that's the first order?"
As Yagul Cheok panicked, Dan-ya snickered and flapped his bandages.
"Can't be helpediii. My loooord is really young? Hasn't even had his coming-of-age—Kek!"
Lightning-fast, Chu Un-hwi punched his solar plexus. Dan-ya collapsed screaming. Quickly kicking his side and stomping, Dan-ya curled up like a millipede in bandages.
"Stay still, main body."
"Aak. Aak. My loooord. I'm dying."
"Shut up, Dan-ya. Shut up, Dan-ya."
Yagul Cheok backed away in horror at Dan-ya's mashed-up state.
"Leader. Your age... it's that much."
"I'm older! A proper adult of marriageable age!"
"...Uh..."
"I've been older since birth. It was decided from the beginning of time!"
"Got it. Got it, so don't get mad."
The daunted Yagul Cheok quickly changed the subject.
"Anyway, Leader, what should I do now?"
"What do you mean?"
"As you declared, I've instilled fear in enemies and awe in people. Are you really founding a sect?"
"I don't take back my words."
"Really making a sect with just us two? Since there's hyung too."
Visibly worried, Yagul Cheok glanced at Dan-ya.
"Hehehe. Got a little brother. Kikik."
Face-down on the floor, nosebleeding, hips twitching obscenely.
"A two-man sect doesn't sound bad."
"Glad you understand."
A few more socially inept guys wouldn't hurt.
"Do you know about sect founding ceremonies?"
"Saw some while begging, peeking at banquets. They send invitations to nearby sects and hold grand feasts."
"Right. First, send invitations to invite people and announce the sect's founding."
"But we don't even have a palm-sized plot of land or disciples?"
Chu Un-hwi laughed at that.
"No way. As far as I know, no great sect in the world can hold a founding ceremony more splendid than ours."