Chapter 77
Chapter 77
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: Never Underestimate the Outer Hall Again (4)
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CLANG!
A sword, fast as a flash of light.
From Baek Jung-cheon’s hand, the Sunlight Sword, the ultimate swordsmanship of the White Dragon Hall, erupted and aimed for my neck.
Crack. BOOM.
But Bukgung Baek’s blackened hand deflected Baek Jung-cheon’s sword.
“A surprise attack from the Sun and Moon Divine Sword of all people... You've really hit rock bottom.”
“It was your subordinate who provoked me first.”
“Provocation? I was merely stating a fact.”
As I answered with a shrug, Baek Jung-cheon growled.
“You must have a death wish.”
“Before that, I think your younger brother might meet King Yama first…”
He stared at me with cold eyes.
“What do you want?”
“Well, what do I want?”
What I wanted was time, but I couldn't say that outright.
If I did, he might abandon Baek Ja-cheon and immediately order an attack, so I deliberately changed the subject.
“Money is good, elixirs are good. Give me whatever you can right now.”
Baek Jung-cheon’s gaze deepened, and his lips twitched.
He was probably sending a telepathic message, ordering his men to search the area.
“Searching will be useless. I buried him underground. Ah! Don’t misunderstand. I even drilled some air holes and placed him gently in a spacious ‘coffin.’ He should be resting comfortably.”
At the mention of being buried underground, the color drained from the faces of the White Dragon Hall members.
Baek Jung-cheon spoke, his voice brimming with killing intent.
“How much do you want?”
“Just a thousand nyang of gold. It’s a conscientious price.”
For reference, a thousand nyang of gold is equivalent to one hundred thousand nyang of silver—an astronomical sum today.
In other words, it was an amount that not even the White Dragon Hall could procure immediately.
Naturally, Baek Jung-cheon couldn't hide his agitation.
“Are you messing with me right now?!”
“Do I look like I’m messing with you?”
The enraged Baek Jung-cheon looked ready to swing his sword at any moment.
“Hmph!”
He gripped the hilt so tightly that sweat dripped from his hand.
Barely restraining himself, he looked back and shouted.
“Go to the Secret Pavilion at once and bring the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Herb!”
‘The Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Herb?’
The name sounded familiar.
But that wasn't what was important right now.
‘When the hell is he coming?’
My top priority was to buy time until Yu So-pyeong, who had gone to the inner fortress to fetch the Grand Chancellor, returned.
About fifteen minutes passed.
The young warrior who had run into the inner fortress returned, panting, and handed a small wooden box to Baek Jung-cheon.
“This is the most precious spirit herb in the world. Now, release Ja-cheon.”
Thud.
After confirming its contents, he tossed it to me.
As I caught it, a cool sensation spread through my hand.
It was undoubtedly genuine.
“It could be a fake, so I’ll decide after I eat it…”
I opened my mouth, trying to stall for more time.
“If you utter one more word, I will tear you to shreds this instant.”
So that wasn't going to work...
His resolute voice gave me a gut feeling that if I dragged this out any longer, Baek Jung-cheon would give up on his brother.
I had no choice.
“Try digging over there.”
I had to tell the truth.
As I pointed to a large tree by the Outer Hall wall, a large number of warriors rushed over and began to dig.
“We found him!”
Before long, they found the coffin containing Baek Ja-cheon.
Clunk.
The White Dragon Hall warriors immediately pulled up the coffin and lifted the half-dead Baek Ja-cheon out of it.
All of Baek Ja-cheon's limbs were broken and bent backward, and his teeth were all shattered. Blood trickled from his mouth, suggesting internal injuries.
FWOOSH!
Seeing this, Baek Ja-cheon’s ferocious aura erupted.
“My god…”
It was an understandable reaction.
Shedding tears of blood as the veins in his eyes burst, Baek Jung-cheon spoke in a low voice.
“White Dragon Hall, slaughter the enemies before you.”
At Baek Jung-cheon's command, the warriors unleashed a tiger-like aura and drew their swords.
Even those who had fought alongside me at the Mount Hua Sect’s branch were no exception.
They had no choice, even if they didn't want to.
The Hall Master's command was absolute.
‘Maybe I should have beaten him a little less…’
As the enemies moved, the Outer Hall warriors also formed their ranks.
Bukgung Baek, Ga Rip, and I took the lead, with the rest supporting us from behind.
Just as the clash between the two sides was about to begin.
“Hall Master of the White Dragon Hall, withdraw your warriors at once!”
The Grand Chancellor, the de facto administrative head of the Nine Dragons Fortress, had arrived.
A sweat-drenched Yu So-pyeong was panting behind him.
‘It worked.’
With this, the estranged father and son must have reconciled.
A sense of pride washed over me, knowing that I had helped a family find happiness again.
Meanwhile, at the Grand Chancellor's appearance, Baek Jung-cheon let out a low groan.
No matter how blinded by rage he was, he couldn't ignore the Grand Chancellor and proceed.
“This is a matter between the Outer Hall and the White Dragon Hall. Grand Chancellor, stay out of it.”
“I will not interfere in a personal grudge, but I cannot condone mobilizing warriors for it.”
“Hmph! You can still say that after seeing this?”
Baek Jung-cheon pointed at the battered Baek Ja-cheon.
“...Um, w-well, he seems more injured than I thought.”
The Grand Chancellor, famous for his eloquence, stuttered.
“Though he is my brother by blood, he holds the position of Disciplinary Corps Captain. To see him in such a state, I will punish the Outer Hall on behalf of the Fortress.”
“I cannot permit it.”
“Do I need your permission to act, Grand Chancellor?”
“I am not speaking of my permission. It is the Fortress Lord’s command.”
Finishing his words, the Grand Chancellor looked up at the roof of the main building.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Thirty warriors clad in black uniforms appeared.
They were the Black Tiger Corps, the Fortress Lord's direct armed forces, commonly known as the Black Mountain Tigers.
“He has ordered that if you do not withdraw your warriors immediately, they are all to be executed.”
“...!”
“What will you do?”
No matter how strong the White Dragon Hall was, it couldn't handle both the thirty Black Mountain Tigers and the Outer Hall.
Which meant Baek Jung-cheon had only one option left.
“We’re leaving!”
Retreat.
Rumble.
At his command, the entire White Dragon Hall turned to leave.
Everyone in the Outer Hall watched them go with expressions of relief.
They must have felt like they’d just escaped death.
I immediately sent a telepathic message to Yu So-pyeong.
[I’m buying you drinks later.]
He smiled slightly and nodded.
My mouth was already watering at the thought of the boiled pork from Misan Restaurant.
Just as the crisis was being resolved.
“However.”
Bukgung Baek committed an act of pure trolling.
“Who said you could leave?”
“Ha!”
Baek Jung-cheon, who had been walking away, stopped in his tracks.
For him, this was all the justification he needed.
I wanted to shut the troll’s mouth immediately, but.
FWOOSH.
The pressure of the aura he emitted was so intense I couldn't even get close.
The Outer Hall warriors and the Grand Chancellor stared at Bukgung Baek with looks of utter shock.
Having turned back, Baek Jung-cheon said.
“…And you still expect me to endure this?”
“…”
The Grand Chancellor couldn't answer.
That was how heavy a warrior's pride was.
Moreover, when the pride of the entire White Dragon Hall was at stake, not even the Fortress Lord could stop this.
And Bukgung Baek’s provocation didn't end there.
“I alone am more than enough for a cowardly son of a bitch. No one interfere.”
Finally, Baek Jung-cheon could no longer hold back and drew his sword. At the same time, Bukgung Baek’s hand turned black.
CLANG! Crack.
A massive explosion erupted as the two collided.
Baek Jung-cheon’s sword, wrapped in a white aura, flashed.
Bukgung Baek unleashed a black hand aura and struck it down.
BOOM.
With a sound like a mortar shell exploding, a thick cloud of dust rose.
“Ugh!”
“Kuh.”
The force, like a lightning strike, sent the onlookers scrambling for cover.
Everyone watched, mesmerized, the fight between two prideful geniuses.
And as I observed their duel.
‘Something’s strange.’
I felt an inexplicable sense of discord.
BOOM!
On the surface, they seemed evenly matched, but with each exchange of blows, Bukgung Baek’s aura grew stronger while Baek Jung-cheon’s was being hopelessly crushed.
And it seemed I wasn't the only one who noticed.
“Protect the Hall Master!”
An elderly man shouted with a desperate expression.
He, too, must have sensed something.
Before long, I was able to identify the source of the discord I had felt.
Fwoosh.
A black dragon emerged from Bukgung Baek’s right hand and coiled around Baek Jung-cheon’s right arm.
“Kugh!”
Thud.
As if struck by a powerful impact, Baek Jung-cheon lost consciousness and collapsed.
Everyone who saw it was struck with horror.
Where his right arm should have been, there was nothing.
The wound didn't bleed a single drop.
It wasn’t a clean cut. Nor was it violently torn off.
It had been instantly incinerated by a momentary burst of intense heat.
Even the divine sword passed down through the generations of the White Dragon Hall was gone.
Which meant.
“The Creation Realm…”
Bukgung Baek had broken through the wall of a supreme master and reached the Creation Realm.
Everyone’s eyes widened at the astonishing fact.
Only then did Bukgung Baek’s earlier words make sense.
‘The Nine Dragons Fortress was formed by the union of nine major factions that once ruled the southwest of the Central Plains. With over two thousand warriors gathered here, how could there not be conflict?’
‘So?’
‘What I’m saying is, don’t worry about the consequences. Just go wild.’
I thought it was just baseless confidence, but it had all been true.
He was so cool, I almost called him Dad.
He could have told me sooner, though. I made So-pyeong go through all that trouble for nothing.
Just as Bukgung Baek was about to deliver the final blow to the unconscious Baek Jung-cheon.
WHOOSH!
A massive aura descended upon the back of his head.
It was Baek Ryang-ji.
For an ordinary warrior, it would have been a life-threatening crisis.
But for Bukgung Baek, who had reached the Creation Realm, it was no great danger.
BANG!
He casually waved his hand and blocked Baek Ryang-ji’s sword.
Thud.
Looking at Baek Ryang-ji, who had landed before him, Bukgung Baek gave a slight nod.
“Elder Bamboo Sword.”
“…It has been a while.”
“Indeed. It feels like only yesterday we were fighting side-by-side against the Ten Demon Alliance. To meet again under such foul circumstances.”
“You’re right about that.”
“That’s why you should have come out when I invited you for a drink. For our first meeting in ten years to be like this…”
“A retired old man has to have a source of income. As your elder, I couldn't possibly let my junior treat me, could I?”
“It doesn’t matter. Just show your face from time to time.”
“I’ll visit soon. So.”
After the brief greeting, Baek Ryang-ji suddenly knelt.
“...!”
Bukgung Baek’s eyes widened at the unexpected action.
His seniority was a generation above Bukgung Baek’s; he was considered an elder of the martial world.
Furthermore, considering his affiliation with the White Dragon Hall, his current action was almost unimaginable.
“Spare the Hall Master. I ask this of you.”
“He started this.”
“That is why I am asking. If you had started it, everyone in the White Dragon Hall would have fought to the death.”
“Are you asking for a favor? Or are you threatening me?”
“Do I look like I’m in a position to threaten you?”
In truth, it was a threat to anyone watching.
A threat that if he killed the Hall Master, they would attack the Outer Hall warriors.
But for some reason, Bukgung Baek accepted his request—and his threat.
“Take him away. And when he wakes up, be sure to tell him. Never underestimate the Outer Hall again.”
“With you here, I doubt anyone could underestimate it even if they wanted to.”
Baek Ryang-ji shouted to the warriors of the White Dragon Hall.
“We’re leaving!”
The departing warriors of the White Dragon Hall glared at Bukgung Baek with eyes full of resentment.
Tears of blood were even streaming from Baek Mu-ha’s eyes.
Seeing that, it really sank in that we had become complete enemies with the White Dragon Hall.
Still, they were the ones who started it, and now they were playing the victim.
Just as expected of this hardcore martial arts world, overflowing with psychopaths and sociopaths.