Chapter 335
Chapter 335
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 90
>Chapter Title: The Culprit (1)
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-Whoa!
The Tang Clan executives and warriors keeping watch over the outside from atop the clan's walls buzzed with agitation.
It was all because of the colossal clash unfolding right before their eyes.
“Clan Head... what in the world is going on?”
Outer Hall Leader Dang Cheol-yong's jaw hung slack, refusing to close.
And who could blame him? The battle playing out before them had utterly transcended the realm of ordinary martial artists.
Even a duel between transcendent masters would be deemed impressive.
But this? It defied any evaluation.
‘Is this a clash between peerless experts?’
To Dang Cheol-yong, who had reached the pinnacle of the transcendent realm, their movements were invisible—only the sounds of impacts reached his ears.
Yet with every collision, the world seemed to shatter anew, leaving devastation in all directions.
The ground cracked and crumbled in chaos.
Occasionally, visible motions appeared, unleashing supreme techniques of transcendent ascension that left him speechless.
“W-what the hell is happening?”
“Forget the bandits—what are those monsters doing here?”
“How should I know?”
The Tang Clan executives were utterly baffled.
Though the high-level duel captivated them as martial artists, unable to tear their eyes away, worry was creeping in.
Why were these people fighting here, of all places?
‘...Hah.’
Tang Clan Head Dang In-hae felt the same.
He knew who that muscular man was.
The golden ring marked him as the guardian who had protected the Tang Clan for ages.
But the newcomer? A mystery.
He seemed unconnected to the bandits, yet battling the clan's near-guardian meant he was likely an enemy of the Tang Clan.
‘How do we handle this?’
It almost felt preferable when the bandits had them surrounded.
Just as a master at the early Transformation Realm, barely past the wall, couldn't challenge the fortress of the supreme Eight Stars, those two had clearly surpassed even that wall.
‘...Impossible.’
If he intervened, could he last a dozen exchanges? Maybe.
Even external arts master Green Forest Bandit King Seok Pae-woong had been utterly defeated, highlighting the gap.
What were these two?
By appearance, neither seemed past their forties.
Had they undergone bone transformation and rejuvenation, defying age?
Dang In-hae clicked his tongue repeatedly, lost in thought.
The best outcome was the monstrous guardian claiming victory.
But if the ferocious, domineering fighter won, the Tang Clan could face its worst enemy in history.
‘Or hope for mutual destruction?’
The duel looked evenly matched, like a dragon-tiger standoff.
Without overwhelming might or heavenly fortune, such battles between equals never ended unscathed.
They might need to bide their time.
If the ferocious monster won, strike at that moment.
-Kaboom!
‘Huh?’
Then he saw Yu Mu-jin rolling across the ground.
Dang In-hae's pupils trembled.
He'd hoped for Yu Mu-jin's victory, but blood poured from his abdomen and back—a piercing wound.
The battle's outcome was clear.
‘The monster?’
Dang In-hae glanced over hopefully.
There stood Mok Kyung-un, barely holding his stance with trembling hands.
Not as bad as the guardian, but his internal energy was depleted, injuries severe.
Dang In-hae's eyes sharpened.
A chance, perhaps.
‘They'll settle it in one or two moves. Miss this, and no other opportunity.’
Just then.
“Clan Head? What's going on out there?”
‘Ah!’
He turned awkwardly at the voice behind him.
It was Ye Song-a, granddaughter of the Holy Fire Spirit Lord.
Perplexed by the clan head's abrupt departure mid-conversation, the ongoing explosions, and the warriors' unrest, she'd come out.
Dang In-hae waved her off.
“Go to the annex. It's dangerous here...”
-Gulp!
He trailed off, swallowing dryly.
What was this?
The air grew suffocatingly heavy.
An immense aura assaulted not just his senses, but his very being from behind.
The battle was nearly over—why was the energy surging stronger?
Perplexed—
-Kabooooom!
Before he could finish the thought.
A thunderous roar shook every Tang Clan building, the earth quaking.
Startled, Dang In-hae whipped around.
Dust and debris surged toward the clan amid the fragments.
-Swish!
Dang In-hae raised a hand, unleashing profound internal energy to blast away the flying debris.
-Pop-pop-pop-pop-pop!
As one of the Eight Stars, this was trivial.
As the dust cleared, Yu Mu-jin appeared—skin blackened and flushed, muscles compressed like coiled steel—thrusting a fist forward.
In its path, a fan-shaped swath nearly twenty zhang wide lay in ruins. Jaw-dropping.
‘He hadn’t exhausted his energy after all?’
Dang In-hae was dumbfounded inwardly.
He'd thought the guardian done for, yet this hidden reserve...
Was it reserve? This was holding back full power.
‘Unbelievable force.’
Dang In-hae's face twisted in horror.
One punch leveling twenty zhang—if facing it head-on, one's body wouldn't just tear; it'd vanish.
‘...A true monster.’
Why hadn't such a beast emerged in the martial world?
If he had, the landscape would shift—Six Heavens to Seven.
Those titled Heavens had transcended human limits.
This man qualified.
Yet,
“L-look at that!”
“No way...!”
Exclamations erupted everywhere.
Dust fully cleared: two streaks of transcendent sword energy crossed, spinning a barrier.
‘...’
Dang In-hae was speechless.
The duel seemed ending, yet neither had gone all out.
Monsters clashing with monsters.
Then,
“Ah!”
He frowned and sighed at the voice beside him.
Distracted by the monsters, Ye Song-a had climbed the platform overlooking the wall.
“Hey, I told you to go. This isn't the place for you...”
Then—
-Thud!
Ye Song-a dropped to her knees, hands crossed over her shoulders, eyes welling with tears.
Perplexed by her sudden behavior, Dang In-hae asked,
“What's wrong with you?”
“It's him. He's here.”
“Him? What are you...”
“Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Clan Head.”
Her abrupt gratitude left him baffled.
Why was this girl acting like this?
She looked at him, voice choking.
“I prayed you'd make the right choice, Clan Head. It seems my prayers were answered.”
“Song-a, what are you...!?”
His expression hardened.
Was she referring to that?
She continued.
“I worried you'd be swayed by desire and make a grave mistake. But seeing him protect the Tang Clan like this proves you chose wisely. I sincerely apologize for ever doubting you.”
“What?”
“He's fighting that fiend to protect the Tang Clan, isn't he?”
‘!!!!!’
Dang In-hae choked.
She had it backward—the protector and the threat.
But this revealed the monster's identity.
The being from her prophecy via the Holy Fire Spirit Lord's will?
‘Hah...’
How could this happen?
He recalled their conversation.
She had said,
[Grandfather Moon-no hid him even from Grandmother because he needed protection.]
[To protect him?]
[Yes. Without wings to spread, even he is still weak. If he encounters enemies now...]
She trailed off, fearful.
[Clan Head... I've told you everything I know. Please help Grandfather Moon-no. Danger approaches him.]
From this, Dang In-hae inferred one truth.
If prophecy were absolute, why worry about the future?
Fixed outcomes rendered concern meaningless.
Her anxiety meant prophecies weren't inevitable—variables could arise, altering paths.
Thus, prophecy could guide against dangers.
‘Tempting indeed.’
A power to preempt future events.
Irresistible to anyone.
* * *
[Hah... hah... You dare... covet what you shouldn't...]
[Covet? Ha! Isn't it worse for such dangerous power to foment chaos in that den of yours? It belongs with those upholding justice and righteousness.]
[...Draping a noble pretext. You're admitting your own greed. Cough... cough...]
-CRUNCH!
Moon-no truly grated on him.
Always had.
Grandfather, Ten Thousand Poison Lord Flower Thousand Poison Hands Dang Yeon-jong, had nearly passed core secrets to this distant branch kin.
Only father and he had stopped it.
Their enmity began then, perhaps.
[Spit all you want. Poisoned by Formless Toxin, you're bound for the afterlife soon. Powerless.]
[Cough... hah...]
Seeing him pale and weakening brought relief.
Grandfather's poison mastery prompted the Formless Toxin—wise.
Even he couldn't move now.
Time to finish.
-Slash! Slash!
With the prepared sword, Dang In-hae carved a mark on the immobile Moon-no: two horizontal lines bisected by a vertical.
Their secret society's symbol?
Dang In-hae's lips curled slyly.
The conclave wanted not prophecy, but to eliminate the prophesied one.
They'd thank him.
He'd delivered it gift-wrapped.
‘Two birds, one stone.’
Perfect.
Stripped of all, even Song-a would rely on him more.
[Chapter 90: The Culprit (1)] End