Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Never Underestimate the Outer Hall Again (3)
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*Swish.*
A sharp sword strike flew at my neck.
“Hup!”
*Shhk.*
I quickly tilted my head back, but.
*Stab.*
“Kuk.”
Baek Ja-cheon's sword changed direction and pierced my shoulder.
A searing pain was accompanied by a cold sensation.
“This son of a bitch!”
I couldn't just take this lying down.
*Wham! Bap!*
I slammed my knee into his solar plexus while simultaneously landing a punch that twisted his jaw.
*Stagger.*
The moment I saw Baek Ja-cheon's balance falter, I rushed in like a predator.
My aim was to start a dogfight at shoulder-to-shoulder range.
Just as I was about to throw a punch.
*Flash!*
A sword, like a beam of light, flew horizontally.
I could feel it on my skin—it held enough power to shatter human bones with ease.
It wasn't imbued with internal energy, but it was a powerful strike from the Sunlight Sword.
A move with no room to escape.
As expected of a supreme swordsman.
However.
*Thwump.*
I had my ultra-super, absolute-defense Dragon Scale Armor.
It could easily deflect the sword of Baek Ja-cheon, who couldn't use his internal energy due to the dispersing poison.
“This is the power of gear!”
I leaped right in front of his face as he froze in bewilderment.
A flustered Baek Ja-cheon thrust his sword at my neck again.
I dodged with minimal movement and threw a punch.
*Wham!*
I felt a heavy impact as my fist slammed into his side.
Seeing my chance, I continued to strike with all my might.
The moment I was about to launch my fifth attack.
*Chill.*
My sixth sense flared, and a chilling feeling washed over me.
I immediately ducked my head.
“......!”
A sword, coming from a completely unexpected angle, grazed the back of my neck.
A cold sweat ran down my spine as I registered the near-fatal blow.
He was a tough opponent, indeed.
‘I didn't want to use this, thought it would look uncool.’
I had no choice but to pull out my trump card.
As soon as I made up my mind, I lifted my head and threw a punch.
“Hmph! Useless!”
Baek Ja-cheon instantly widened the distance.
He was avoiding close-quarters combat, which favored a fist fighter.
Once he regained his composure, he showed the true face of a supreme master.
However.
*Poof!*
When my saved-up trump card went off, that composure vanished. No, it was bound to vanish.
“Cough, cough, ugh!”
Baek Ja-cheon, who had burst the thrown pouch with his sword, was now retching with tears and snot streaming down his face.
It was a Sancho pepper bomb, enhanced with all sorts of foul medicinal herbs on Cheong So-so's advice.
Its power was incomparable to the one I'd used against Lee Jeok-ha.
In game terms, you could call it a +10 enhanced Sancho pepper bomb.
An opponent who couldn't regain his senses.
On the other hand, me, perfectly fine.
What was there to think about?
“Die!”
All that was left was to give him a good beating.
*Whack!*
It was the beginning of a merciless assault.
“Ugh!”
My respected Director Apcheon used to say.
There's nothing more vicious than a punch you don't see coming.
Baek Ja-cheon screamed as my fist struck the back of his head.
*Crack.*
A kick delivered with all my strength buckled his knee.
*Thud.*
*Crunch.*
I felt bone give way under my uppercut.
His jaw must have been dislocated.
“It's not over, you bastard!”
I grabbed his head and brought my knee up. A knee kick.
*Crack. Crunch.*
“Gaaah!”
Along with the sound of his nose bridge breaking, Baek Ja-cheon let out a breathless scream.
However.
“This one's for my boys who were unjustly arrested!”
I had no intention of stopping.
I couldn't kill him, but I planned to put him in recovery for a good two or three years.
I threw a punch and smashed it into his cheek.
*Clatter.*
A couple of his molars flew out of his mouth.
“This one's for me, who was unjustly arrested!”
I grabbed Baek Ja-cheon's arm and snapped it.
*CRACK!*
“Aaargh!”
His elbow bent in the wrong direction, and he let out a scream of agony.
Is this not a punch?
Well, whatever.
“This one's for So-pyeong!”
“This one's for Jin-hyeong!”
“For Mr. Wang who lives next door...”
“For the Misan Inn's...”
A moment later.
“Hah, hah!”
I stopped punching, out of breath.
“......”
When I looked up, the headquarters was shrouded in silence.
Ga Rip, in particular, was staring this way, his mouth agape.
That's right.
They must be unable to contain their admiration for me, who took down Baek Ja-cheon single-handedly.
“Vice Hall Master! I won.”
As I waved, Ga Rip squeezed his eyes shut.
He must be holding back tears of emotion, seeing me uphold the honor of the Outer Hall.
Indeed, in the martial world, the strong rule.
* * *
“......”
“......”
Silence filled the Hall Master's residence of the White Dragon Hall.
Baek Jung-cheon, seated at the head, spoke softly.
“Jeong-ha.”
*Clank.*
“You called?”
A handsome young man who resembled Baek Mu-ha opened the door and entered.
He was the commander of the Ten Swords Corps, which guarded the Hall Master's residence.
“...Go and find out.”
“Yes.”
It was an abrupt order, but Baek Jeong-ha didn't ask for clarification.
He knew the "news" referred to Baek Ja-cheon, who had gone to strike the Outer Hall.
Leaving the residence, he moved with great speed.
It had all started with the Hall Master's order to mobilize the Disciplinary Corps and capture the Fighting Dragon.
The intention was to lock him up and then arrange for his death.
Baek Ja-cheon, the head of the Disciplinary Corps, had agreed to the plan and sent his men to the Outer Hall.
And not long after, unexpected news arrived.
The entire first squad of the Disciplinary Corps sent to the Outer Hall had been arrested.
Enraged, Baek Ja-cheon sent a message to the Hall Master, declaring he would settle things with Bukgung Baek, and immediately stormed the Outer Hall.
This was the situation as the White Dragon Hall understood it.
There had been no news since.
Baek Jeong-ha, known for his sharp mind, came up with two hypotheses.
The first was that the Outer Hall would release the arrested members of the Disciplinary Corps.
In other words, they would save Baek Ja-cheon's pride.
If they did that, it would also save the White Dragon Hall's face, so the Hall Master might end the matter through negotiation.
There was nothing more foolish than continuing a fight with nothing to gain, even in victory.
The second hypothesis was that Bukgung Baek had stepped in and captured Baek Ja-cheon and the entire Disciplinary Corps.
If things had gone that way, there was no turning back.
The White Dragon Hall's pride had already taken a huge blow. Not just one, but several.
If Baek Ja-cheon was also captured on top of that, the Hall Master would lead the entire White Dragon Hall to kill Bukgung Baek and everyone in the Outer Hall.
Political pressure? Condemnation from other Halls?
He would ignore it all.
When one's pride and face were trampled into the dirt, such things didn't matter.
On the contrary, if they did nothing, they would become a laughingstock for years to come.
And half a quarter-hour later.
Upon hearing the news, Baek Jeong-ha was dumbfounded.
Baek Ja-cheon, severely injured.
All his subordinates from the Disciplinary Corps, imprisoned.
And worse, the one who fought Baek Ja-cheon wasn't even the Outer Hall Master, but the Fighting Dragon.
A supreme master, defeated and severely injured by a mere Outer Hall Squad Leader.
What kind of nonsense was this?
There was a matter of standing.
If Baek Ja-cheon stepped forward from their side, his opponent should have been Bukgung Baek.
Only then could they save the other's face, even if just a little.
But Jin Mujeon's standing was even lower than his own.
If this fact became known, the White Dragon Hall would become a laughingstock.
The martial world was a place where, once you were looked down upon, you would face endless challenges.
How many sects in the history of the martial world had vanished that way?
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Baek Jeong-ha immediately rushed back to the Hall Master's residence.
*CRASH!*
Upon hearing the news, Baek Jung-cheon drew his sword and split the ceiling of the residence in two.
*Rumble.*
Amidst the falling dust, Baek Jung-cheon spoke.
“Summon the Blood Sword Corps and the White Sword Corps. I will go myself.”
“Yes!”
Baek Jung-cheon stopped the departing Baek Jeong-ha.
“Wait.”
“Yes.”
“Inform the Death Sword as well. Tell him this unworthy Hall Master, in his foolishness, has endangered the family, and ask for his aid.”
“......!”
Hearing the name Death Sword, Baek Jeong-ha's eyes widened as he looked at Baek Jung-cheon.
Baek Jung-cheon urged him on.
“There is no time.”
“...Yes.”
Baek Jeong-ha quickly left the residence.
Baek Jung-cheon stared at the split ceiling with eyes full of killing intent.
The sunset today was burning a brilliant red.
* * *
I took a Yosang Pill and circulated my energy.
After feeling my internal injuries heal to some extent and my internal energy replenish, I immediately called for Yu So-pyeong.
“...What do you plan to do now?”
“About what?”
“The head of the Disciplinary Corps is the White Dragon Hall Master's only brother. After what you did to him, there's no way the Hall Master will stand by. He might be gathering his warriors as we speak.”
He was right.
To be honest, even I hadn't expected things to escalate this much.
My plan was to interfere just enough and then stop once tempers had cooled down.
But the White Dragon Hall didn't back down and played a hardball move by mobilizing the Disciplinary Corps again.
This time, it was clear that being dragged away wouldn't end with a simple investigation, so I consulted with Ga Rip, arrested the Disciplinary Corps, and even set a trap to capture Baek Ja-cheon.
That part went well. The problem was that I'd beaten him up more than planned.
Now, as Yu So-pyeong said, there was a high chance the White Dragon Hall Master would declare all-out war.
Of course, as long as we had a supreme master like Bukgung Baek, we wouldn't lose easily.
The Outer Hall warriors had also grown stronger daily since the Southern Barbarian War, boasting tight-knit teamwork.
However, we couldn't prevent the bloodshed during the fight. Dozens could die.
That was precisely why I had called for Yu So-pyeong.
Believe it or not, this kid's dad is the Grand Chancellor, the highest administrative official in Nine Dragons Fortress.
“Looks like we're in big trouble, doesn't it?”
“Why are you asking me?! You're the one who caused all this.”
“So, should we fight? Or should we all run away to some deep mountain valley?”
He sighed, looking down at the half-dead Baek Ja-cheon.
“That's why I'm thinking we should go to the Inner Fortress and request mediation.”
“From the Great Pure Adept? Or are you suggesting we ask the Red Dragon or Gray Dragon Halls?”
“Have you ever seen the Great Pure Adept get involved in something like this? And would the White Dragon Hall Master even accept mediation from the Red or Gray Dragon Halls?”
“Are you perhaps suggesting we ask the Lord of Nine Dragons...”
“Can we even get a meeting with him?”
After a moment of thought, Yu So-pyeong's eyes widened in shock.
“...Don't tell me?!”
“I need a favor.”
* * *
*BOOM!*
The main gate was shattered with a sound like a thunderclap.
*Rumble.*
Nearly two hundred members of the White Dragon Hall crossed the threshold of the Outer Hall.
*Thud.*
Baek Jung-cheon, exuding a tremendous aura, stood among them.
“So you've come. And I believe you'll have to pay for the gate.”
As I stepped forward, he shot a sharp glare at me.
“I'll give it to you as fare for the road to the underworld.”
“If you give it to me first, I'll accept it as such.”
*Toss.*
Baek Jung-cheon tossed a heavy coin pouch. Considering his position, it couldn't have been a small amount.
“I've put in a generous amount. It should be enough fare for a hundred men.”
He meant to kill them all. Everyone in the Outer Hall began to murmur.
They knew that fighting the elites of the White Dragon Hall meant certain annihilation.
*Shing.*
Just as Baek Jung-cheon was drawing his sword.
*Thud.*
An even thicker coin pouch flew from behind.
“This is for two hundred. I'm a bit short on funds, so I packed it tight. Spend it wisely.”
It was Bukgung Baek.
Dressed more neatly than usual, he walked out.
“I suppose I should have broken more of him. Enough so you wouldn't even think of coming here.”
“It's a shame to think your insolence ends today. Please, do try to be polite to King Yama.”
*Whoosh.*
The killing intent emanating from the two men filled the area.
A hair-trigger situation.
I took a deep breath and stepped between the two.
“By the way.”
“What is it?”
“I take it you don't care if your brother dies, Lord of the White Dragon Hall?”
I had to buy time until Yu So-pyeong returned.