Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Pursuit of the Young Girl
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Zhuge Seon might not have heard it, but Deung Yeopyeong apparently had.
Chwachwachwa.
The faint but distinct sound of someone running through the forest, parting the trees.
Rough.
Definitely a martial artist, yet highly irregular.
"Cheongsang! Cheongu!"
"...?"
At Jinmu's shout, Cheongsang and Cheongu, panting as they climbed the cliff, turned their heads.
"Above! They're falling!"
At Jinmu's words, the two jerked their heads up.
Pahak!
A weary-looking man in white robes leaped straight off the cliff mid-stride.
Spotting Jinmu's group, he hurled something clutched to his chest.
"Aaak!"
A shrill child's voice pierced the air.
The man had thrown a small girl who appeared to be eight or ten years old.
"Cheongu! Catch her!"
At Cheongsang's cry—having shaken off the stone tied to his ankle—Cheongu urgently channeled his internal energy. He slammed his foot into the cliff face and thrust out his hand.
Paang!
Cheongsang leaped into the air, stepping off Cheongu's palm, and soared toward the girl.
He caught her.
Wudang's Cloud-Treading Technique.
His form, treading the empty air lightly as if on clouds, scooped up the plummeting girl and spun swiftly.
And then.
Pee-ing!
Dozens of hidden weapons streaked from somewhere, piercing the back of the white-robed man who had thrown the girl.
"Kuhk!"
Struck by the barrage, the white-robed man plummeted into the water.
Plop!
And right after.
Papapapak!
From the upper cliff where the girl had fallen, dozens of masked figures burst through the forest.
Hmm, masks in broad daylight?
It was highly coincidental that they appeared while Jinmu's group rested near the cliff, but such occurrences were common—nay, frequent—in the martial world.
In these cases, masked figures were usually human traffickers or fiends who had razed a family.
Amid the chaos, the white-robed man had fled with the young girl in his arms, pursued by the fiends. That much was certain.
Even so, tormenting a child? Scoundrels devoid of any martial pride.
Even as a vile unorthodox, Jinmu had upheld one iron rule.
Never harm those outside the martial world.
Especially, he never forgave subordinates who targeted powerless commoner women or children.
Most trafficking preyed on them, so he had kept it strictly controlled.
The girl now in Cheongsang's arms looked not yet ten.
Evil bastards. In times of unrest, kill the adults—why harass kids?
Something even Evil Hegemony Heaven forbade.
'Tsk!'
But it was none of his business.
He had no acquaintance with the girl, no reason to help.
Unlike Jinmu, however, Zhuge Seon and Deung Yeopyeong felt differently.
Of course, so did Cheongsang emerging from the river with the girl, and Cheongu leaping from the cliff.
As if the dead white-robed man were a known ally, or the girl kin, they eyed the masked foes with murderous glares.
Whether they did or not, Jinmu saw no need to intervene.
To him, it was merely others' affairs. But they had Deung Yeopyeong, one of the Justice Alliance's top experts.
"Who are you scum?!"
As Jinmu expected, righteous Deung Yeopyeong bellowed thunderously.
The fugitive was a helpless child; the pursuers masked in daylight.
Naturally, he'd peg them as villains.
"Judging by your attire, Zhuge Family?"
The one who spoke.
With the masked figures who descended the cliff flanking him left and right, he was doubtless their leader.
He hadn't recognized Deung Yeopyeong's face but clocked Zhuge Seon and the others' clothing.
Well, even a master like Deung Yeopyeong—how many in the martial world could identify him at a glance?
Besides, wandering incognito post-seclusion, he looked no different from a rural villager.
Only keen-eyed Zhuge Seon or Jinmu, who'd met him repeatedly, could spot him.
Of course, the former Evil Hegemony Heaven Lord Hyeokryeon Mugang would have been recognized by all.
Truly, a qualitative gap between him and Deung. Qualitative.
"And who are you?"
To Deung Yeopyeong's question, the man replied coldly.
"No business of the Zhuge Family."
"Shut it! Chasing a powerless girl in broad daylight."
"Hmm, some Zhuge elder, eh? But as I said, stay out of it."
They took Deung Yeopyeong for merely an old Zhuge expert.
They're in for pain.
"Release the child and withdraw. No issue then."
"Shut your trap!"
As Deung Yeopyeong unleashed a fierce aura, the masked began subtly encircling Jinmu's group.
"Tsk, not yet time to clash with Central Plains martial folk. But that child is essential—regrettable."
"What?"
As Deung Yeopyeong squinted one eye.
"Elder, the child seems to hold some secret. Their auras differ from vile unorthodox traffickers too. Best observe for now."
Hey, vile unorthodox?
When did Evil Hegemony Heaven ban trafficking!
Those were mere small fry.
Not even proper unorthodox!
Jinmu shot a glare, but Zhuge Seon's judgment fell.
Chaang!
Yulpyeong and the commanders drew swords, circling Cheongsang. Deung Yeopyeong followed suit; Cheongu clenched his fists, filling the gaps. They were guarding.
Jinmu alone stood unmoving.
Arms crossed, merely watching.
Deung Yeopyeong was enough. No need to expend his own energy.
Meanwhile, the tightening encirclement formed ranks—and.
"Kill them!"
At the leader's shout, the masked unleashed their swords in unison.
Kang! Kkang!
Battle erupted in an instant.
The masked swords flashed sharp and fierce, but Yulpyeong and the commanders were no slouches.
Well, the Zhuge main house wouldn't assign weaklings to escort an heir.
Cheongsang guarding the child went without saying; Cheongu's punches unleashed impressive force projection.
Peong! Peopeong!
"Kraaak!"
Amid it all, Deung Yeopyeong's prowess was unmatched.
Subduing two masked in a blink.
'Tsk, holding back. Should've cracked their skulls the moment you deemed them foes.'
Watching the fight, Jinmu tsked and shook his head.
Righteous lot.
Superior skill, yet their conduct ever displeasing.
That self-imposed righteousness always kept them from full power—like now, facing enemies yet opting to subdue rather than kill.
Fools. Only unleashing true skill in desperation.
Only Cheongsang and Cheongu, drilled in lethal strikes from the outset, displayed proper prowess.
"Kuhk!"
But numbers prevail.
One commander took a blade to the chest and fell back; the balanced formation shattered.
"Second Commander!"
Zhuge Seon's cry.
What a name... Second among commanders.
Anyway, as the formation crumbled, sword tips dove toward its heart: Zhuge Seon.
Kkarang!
Zhuge Seon's sword, suddenly in hand, arced through the air, batting away the onslaught.
But that was it.
Fighting while protecting another hampers full exertion.
Moreover, under attack, Yulpyeong and the commanders' guard posts crumbled faster.
The masked exploited the breach, swords menacing Zhuge Seon.
"Tsk!"
Deung! Ttadadang!
A single sweep nullified every assault.
Jinmu's Supreme Purity Landscape Art whirled around, enveloping Zhuge Seon; she escaped peril in a flash.
Yet that was all. Jinmu moved no further.
But that alone sufficed.
"My thanks."
Clear of danger, Zhuge Seon gazed gratefully at Jinmu.
"Hmph!"
As if I'd help the likes of you?
Jinmu had shielded the girl, not Zhuge Seon.
He'd acted lest the clueless child get hurt. Zhuge Seon holding her was incidental.
Deung! Ttadadang!
Jinmu's hands birthed dozens of afterimages, carving a new bastion around Zhuge Seon.
"Ah!"
Relieved of swordplay by Jinmu's aid, Zhuge Seon couldn't stifle her admiration.
His intervention freed Yulpyeong, the commanders, Cheongu, and Cheongsang to shine; the formation steadied.
"Impressive, Daoist Jinmu."
A raspy voice of praise.
Annoying on every level. Swing that sword harder instead of prattling praise.
Jinmu irritably glanced down—and.
Eh? When did she get this close...
Zhuge Seon had retreated to near Jinmu's chest for safety.
A securer perch, no doubt.
But.
A head taller, he had no choice but to peer down. Her upturned eyes, gazing up at him, filled his view.
'Kuhk! Again! This vixen!'
Once more, those doe-like eyes brimming with awe pierced straight through him.
'Pretty... D-Damn it! What am I thinking?!'
Sixty-year gap.
Old fogey—such unseemly folly.
Hadn't even glimpsed her true face.
Beyond the eyes, pure masculine guise.
His mind knew full well, yet this wretched young body refused obedience. His heart broke free, pounding wildly.
Simmer down, you mad heart. I fancy women! Not husky-voiced disguised dames!
To quell the surging ire, Jinmu redoubled his handiwork.
Whoooo!
Thus, whirlwinds even stirred around his Supreme Purity Landscape Art.
And Zhuge Seon didn't miss it.
"Yulpyeong! Left flank, low!"
With breathing room from Jinmu, Zhuge Seon coldly scanned the field.
The masked formation.
She swiftly pinpointed the assault vector and issued commands.
Kang!
A rift cracked the formation.
Piwit!
In a flash, one masked man was wounded.
"First Commander! Center, upper route!"
"Third Commander! Rear, mid-left flank!"
With Jinmu blocking strikes, Zhuge Seon's orders rained down.
Not bad.
Rare is the one who calmly assesses peril.
Especially grasping foe formations at a glance and timing decisions perfectly—rarer still.
Yet Zhuge Seon managed it all.
Piercing the enemy ranks, birthing fissures instantly.
Numerical disadvantage clear, yet her calls bridged the gap in moments.
"Hmph! A skilled tactician among them! Hammer the center!"
The foe leader had sharp eyes too. Reading the tide swiftly, he shifted formation.
"Tch!"
Assaults suddenly swarmed the rear; Deung Yeopyeong tried to pull back.
But five masked wove tight linked assaults, blocking him—no easy retreat, mere steps yielded.
"You filthy curs!"
Woooong!
Thwarted, Deung Yeopyeong erupted his energy.
Qi surged explosively from his dantian, cloaking his fist in azure sword aura.
Kuaang!
His swung fist sent one masked spewing blood, airborne.
"Damn—a sword aura master?"
The leader grimaced, appraising Deung Yeopyeong's skill.
"I'll handle him! Rest, secure the child!"
Paang!
At his order, the masked peeled off, lunging toward Zhuge Seon.