Chapter 246
Chapter 246
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 246
Chapter Title: The World's Greatest Martial Arts Tournament (9)
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Even among absolute masters, there are levels of difference.
That was my impression after watching the duel between Sajo and Im Jeong, between the War King and the Ultimate Killing Great Demon.
However, Im Jeong never gave up.
As defeat drew near, he unleashed every ounce of the martial prowess he had built over a lifetime, as if to show why he was called the Ultimate Killing Great Demon.
When his hand moved, the air exploded. When his foot moved, the ground split. When his saber moved, the world itself seemed to crack.
That wasn't all.
The eighteen strikes of the Heaven-Sundering Eighteen Forms blocked all of Sajo's attacks, demonstrating exactly why it was called a divine art.
A veritable great mountain.
Such was the image projected by the martial arts Im Jeong had cultivated.
In response, Sajo unleashed the full power of his War King Arts to face him.
For a quarter of an hour, they exchanged blows with all their might.
The winner of the earth-shattering duel was, as expected, the War King, Sajo.
*Clatter. Thud.*
"Kuh-heok..."
Im Jeong dropped his broken great saber and collapsed.
His internal injuries must have been severe, as he repeatedly coughed up blood.
His right arm, in particular, was completely broken. It seemed he would have difficulty even moving for a while, let alone wielding a saber.
I couldn't help but nod at the sight of an injury that would surely leave him bedridden with chronic pain for at least a year.
'Perfect.'
It was the moment my soul-infused bluff succeeded perfectly.
I had specifically requested that since he was going to beat him up anyway, he should make sure to leave him with lasting injuries.
It was necessary for Yong Ma-san to carry out the next phase of his plan.
Of course, it wasn't an easy victory. Sajo himself was considerably injured before he could finally take Im Jeong down.
*Step, step.*
As Sajo walked forward, gasping for breath, everyone's eyes were fixed on him.
The Hall Masters and warriors of Nine Dragons Fortress, along with everyone from the Mountain King Society and the Water Dragon Gate, held their breath.
Sajo, who had approached without me noticing, spoke in a voice only I could hear.
"What did you see?"
"I realized that there isn't just one path."
"You saw it correctly, then?"
*Grin.*
"I've left your appearance fee at the inn. I've also prepared a few bottles of fine liquor, so please go and rest."
"...You know something?"
"What is it?"
"From the moment I first saw you, you didn't feel like a stranger."
"I'll call you Grandfather."
"Khehehe."
After Sajo passed by me, I called out to Geum Geom-jin.
"Shall we announce the winner?"
Staring blankly, he was startled into a reply.
"Huh? Y-yes! We should. No, I will."
I wanted to get home quickly to my bunny-like lover.
"Ahem! The winner is the War... no, the Mountain-Shattering Fist Elder, Nam Ji-sip!"
And so, the first World's Greatest Martial Arts Tournament came to a close.
* * *
At the Grand Chancellor's suggestion, the award ceremony for the tournament was postponed.
After all, it was a tournament held in the name of Nine Dragons Fortress, one of the Five Hegemons of the World. It wouldn't do to present awards in a shattered ruin.
Well, to be honest, I didn't care much about the ceremony anyway.
The important thing was the unbreakable... no, the bluff.
To wrap things up, I met with the Water Dragon Gate Lord, Ju Geum-san.
"...You deceived us well."
"Deceived you? I don't know what you're talking about."
"Wasn't your intention to lure us in and humiliate us?"
"There must be some misunderstanding. What could I possibly gain from doing such a thing?"
"How would I know? You, the one who brought in the War King, would know."
"Goodness, would the great War King come just because a young punk like me called? To be honest, I still can't believe that old man is the War King."
"Do I look like a fool to you!"
*Bang!*
I don't know why the hell he had to smash a perfectly good table.
"...You're agitated."
"How can I not be?! If I had my way!"
"If you had your way?"
"Hmph!"
*Shnk.*
As he stood up, all the warriors stationed at the inn also rose to their feet.
They were members of the Mountain King Society—each one exuding a menacing aura, perhaps because their leader was gravely injured—and with them were the disciples of the Water Dragon Gate.
"Just like a bunch of scoundrels from the Unorthodox Faction... Look here, Gate Lord. Do you think this is the Lion's Alliance?"
"What?!"
It was then.
*Rumble.*
Noticing the tense situation, Bukgung Chang came up, leading his Black Dragon Corps members.
His sudden appearance, crossing his arms and exuding the aura of a transcendent master, made the atmosphere even more hostile.
The situation was a tinderbox.
I looked around and said.
"I understand you're angry about the unexpected turn of events, but let's assess the situation. I may not look like much, but I am the Lord's one and only disciple. Please, save me some face. I'm asking you nicely."
"...Very well."
Just as expected from men who live and die by their pride, when I took a step back, Ju Geum-san also tempered his demeanor.
"Now then, to continue our conversation... First, we never dreamed that the War King... no, the War King impersonator would participate. Thanks to him, we ended up wasting a Lightning Arrow and twenty-five pounds of black iron."
"After the finals, you two seemed acquainted. Enough to have a private conversation."
"He is a great senior of the martial world. I was merely paying my respects as a junior. If you concluded we were close based on that, you're jumping to conclusions."
"...I'll choose to believe you."
He took a sip of the tea in front of him and asked.
"So, what happens now? Does what we discussed still stand?"
"Of course. That's why I came to see you, to discuss the details. But before that..."
I glanced around meaningfully, and Ju Geum-san nodded in understanding.
"Everyone, leave us."
"Black Dragon Corps Leader, could you give us some space too?"
"Yes, sir."
*Rumble.*
And so, we were left alone in the inn.
After a moment of silence to set the mood, I asked.
"Is the Mountain King Society Leader upstairs?"
"He's recuperating from his internal injuries in a quiet place."
"You won't tell me where."
"Because I can't be sure we're on the same side yet. Actually, I never once thought of you as an ally from the beginning."
"I understand. In fact, I prefer it that way."
"..."
"Let me ask you frankly. What are your thoughts on defecting to Nine Dragons Fortress?"
"...I think neither good nor bad of it."
"I take that to mean it depends on the will of the Mountain King Society Leader."
At my direct words, Ju Geum-san gave a self-deprecating laugh.
"Such is the position of the Water Dragon Gate."
"Indeed..."
As Yong Ma-san had explained, the power structure of the Lion's Alliance was simple.
There was the Alliance Leader Faction, a coalition of the Namgung family and the many small and medium-sized sects that followed them, coexisting with the Anti-Leader Faction, a coalition of major sects led by the Mountain King Society and the Water Dragon Gate.
In terms of the number of sects, the Alliance Leader Faction might seem weaker, but the reality was quite different.
The Namgung family alone accounted for nearly half of the Lion's Alliance's total military strength.
This was precisely why the Mountain King Society Leader had positively considered the offer to defect to Nine Dragons Fortress.
In any case, because of this background, the Water Dragon Gate had no choice but to be dragged along by the Mountain King Society.
The moment their ties to the Mountain King Society were severed, they would be left high and dry.
And I was about to make the Water Dragon Gate an offer they couldn't refuse.
"My master once said that what his Nine Dragons Fortress needs is not one absolute master, but financial power rivaling that of the Gold Dragon Hall."
"The meaning of that is...?"
"In truth, what we wanted from the beginning was not the Mountain King Society, but the Water Dragon Gate. What help would the Mountain King Society Leader be if he came? It would only create another competitor."
"...I can't believe it. But why?"
"It costs a lot of money to run a large organization. Just look at the Lion's Alliance; they sustain themselves by shaking down the Hwi merchants, don't they?"
"That's true, but..."
"My master intends to bring down the Hwi merchants. And the Water Dragon Gate will be at the forefront of that effort."
"...So you intend to devour the Lion's Alliance. Are you aiming to unify the world?"
"Was I too blunt?"
Ju Geum-san asked, feigning surprise.
"I heard the Combat King had no interest in power?"
"Jiang Ziya only caught the eye of King Wen of Zhou when he reached the age of seventy. My master is the same."
That was a lie. Coveting power? Bullshit. If he knew my master spent his days drinking, he wouldn't buy it.
Sometimes, it felt like he had chosen me as a proxy to rebuild the Bukgung Clan in his stead while he was busy drinking.
"He waited for the right time? For so long?"
"Nothing in this world can be achieved without waiting."
I urged the hesitating man.
"I will write you a letter of commitment, handing over the management rights and privileges of the Hanzhong Merchant Guild."
"..."
"Furthermore, as soon as the Water Dragon Gate arrives at Nine Dragons Fortress, my master will grant you the position of Hall Master. The name fits perfectly, too. Water Dragon Gate, Water Dragon Hall. Don't you think?"
An offer so sweet even I found it tempting, but this too was a lie.
In the martial world, a contract was a matter of faith, not law.
It was only upheld because the world was filled with men who lived and died by their honor.
The reliability of a contract did increase with the status of the person who wrote it, but...
'What's he going to do if I just say 'sue me'?'
In any case, in a martial world without courts or even a system for seizure of assets, a contract was nothing more than a scrap of paper to me.
But Ju Geum-san was different.
At the mention of a contract, he looked at me with the eyes of a devotee who had fallen for a cult.
"...What should I do?"
"For now, just return to Duchang in Jiangxi Province, where the Water Dragon Gate's main base is located."
"You're just telling me to go back?"
"You're not coming to Nine Dragons Fortress with just the clothes on your back, are you? You'll need to pack everything. That will take some time."
Even moving houses in the modern world is so difficult people hire moving companies; relocating an entire sect with so many people couldn't possibly be easy.
Even if they hastily packed only their people and valuables, it would still require at least fifty carriages.
Fortunately, as former river pirates, they had sailboats capable of traveling up the Yangtze River, which made the idea feasible.
"That's true."
"You just need to do me one small favor on your way."
"I'll do anything you ask."
Seeing Ju Geum-san acting as if we were already on the same side, a thought crossed my mind.
If there were levels to the art of bluffing, I must have reached the absolute realm.
'Now, it's the bald man's turn.'
* * *
Three days later.
Ju Geum-san led everyone from the Water Dragon Gate and the Mountain King Society away from Nine Dragons Fortress.
Naturally, the warriors of the Mountain King Society protested, concerned about Im Jeong's condition, but he persuaded them with his eloquent speech.
"How can we trust those Righteous Faction bastards? If they were to aim for our brother's life, could we even stop them?"
"The War Dragon Hall Master? Don't make me laugh. He's the most dangerous one. He's the type to draw his sword at any moment for the sake of his goals."
"Don't worry. I've already sent a carrier pigeon. As soon as we leave Sichuan and arrive in Zunyi County of Guizhou, disciples of the Water Dragon Gate will be there with renowned physicians."
"To you, he may be your lord, but to me, he is a brother. If you can't trust me, who can you trust?"
Moved by his apparent concern for his sworn brother, the warriors of the Mountain King Society procured a carriage and laid Im Jeong inside.
Placing a patient with internal injuries in a carriage.
If he hadn't been a master who had reached the absolute realm, it would have been an unthinkable act.
They took the risk and moved him because Ju Geum-san's words—that staying in Nine Dragons Fortress could be dangerous—were plausible.
"Brother, from now on, I will take care of you!"
"...I... will trust... only you... my brother."
Hearing this, Im Jeong also agreed to be moved.
Three days passed.
Upon arriving in Zunyi County of Guizhou Province, the warriors of the Mountain King Society sensed that something was wrong.
"...What is this?"
The members of the Water Dragon Gate, who had gone ahead promising to secure lodging, were nowhere to be seen. In fact, there wasn't even a mouse in sight.
These were warriors tasked with assisting an absolute master.
Naturally, they were the most elite members of the Mountain King Society, and they intuitively knew they were in danger.
Above all, every aspect of the situation pointed to them having fallen into a trap.
An empty village.
Their leader, gravely injured.
An escort of only a hundred men.
And most importantly, the members of the Water Dragon Gate who had abandoned them and vanished.
"Form a defensive perimeter around the carriage!"
The escort captain shouted at the top of his lungs.
No.
He tried to shout.
"Quickly...! Kgh."
That is, until strength suddenly drained from his body, and he staggered.
*Thud. Thud.*
Looking around, he saw the warriors of the Mountain King Society collapsing one by one.
The escort captain remembered the breakfast they had all eaten together.
The bastards from the Water Dragon Gate must have drugged the food.
'I have to protect the Leader!'
*Bite.*
"Kuuugh."
Biting his tongue to clear his head, he ran toward the carriage where the Mountain King Society Leader lay.
*Flutter.*
"Your loyalty is admirable."
A bald man in a bright yellow robe blocked the escort captain's path.