Chapter 63
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: Why Me? (2)
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Even after killing Nangong Je, the Sword Emperor remained bound by the restriction. His internal energy was sealed as a precaution, and his limbs were restrained.
It sat uneasy with him to have essentially imprisoned an elder of the family who commanded the respect of thousands.
Within the clan, he had limited knowledge of yesterday's events to as few people as possible. There was no benefit in knowing, and the fewer mouths, the better. Letting it leak out would only bring shame to the clan.
"It's not normal martial arts. It must be some evil art from the unorthodox sects."
"Was there an evil art that causes the whole body to swell and turn black?"
The elders shook their heads at the Sword Tyrant's question. Within their knowledge, they had never even heard of such a peculiar evil art.
In truth, Nangong Je had unleashed several times his normal reserves of energy in one burst through the evil art. They had tried to subdue him and nearly suffered a disastrous defeat. They should have killed him from the start, but instead, they had escalated the damage.
"Their goal is the key here."
"They're probably trying to shake the unity of the Five Great Clans by exploiting Nangong Je's thirst for revenge."
"What scum dares to do this."
They weren't taking the incident lightly, but they had nearly suffered an indelible disgrace in the clan's history. Even the revealed facts were a shameful reality too embarrassing to speak aloud. They had almost been helplessly done in right there in the inner courtyard.
"Any clues on the culprits behind this?"
"Unfortunately, it's all too clean."
Nangong Je, who had turned pitch black, had burned to ashes the moment he died. They had searched his room for evidence but found nothing.
The rooms of the men he had brought were searched too, with the same result.
Looking back, it made sense. They hadn't even suspected malice until it was revealed. It was absurd to expect such cunning foes to leave traces behind.
They brainstormed ways to uncover the masterminds of yesterday's incident, but the meeting ended without much gain.
He dismissed the elders.
Only High Sword remained by the Sword Tyrant's side.
"What a ridiculous mess."
"It was beyond your control, so don't blame yourself."
"No matter how you slice it, it happened because I'm weak."
"Brother, you are strong."
"Just a frog in a well, after all."
He hadn't told the elders. The sight of his father being overpowered yesterday had been shocking. It was some consolation that the man wasn't at full strength.
But a defeat was a defeat.
No words could erase it. The bitterness lingered because it was the defeat of his father, who had inherited the clan's pinnacle arts.
"Absurd strength."
"I can't make sense of it. That's why it's even more suspicious. Could there be some other motive?"
"Motive? Does motive even matter to someone that strong?"
"Better to be cautious."
High Sword voiced his doubts too, but they rang hollow. Even if his father was far from peak condition, how many in the martial world could unilaterally suppress him?
That was why it made even less sense.
He examined the intruder's background.
The eldest son of the Pine Tiger Sect and a notorious playboy of his generation.
The star of absurd rumors. What could a supreme expert with absolute power possibly lack to live with such sleazy gossip? The rumors were likely fabricated on purpose.
"Not just strong, but handled it all so smoothly."
"He might have known."
"That's why I sent Yeonhwa."
"He could be using the treatment as an excuse to gain the clan's backing."
"That's a problem for later."
First, his father's treatment was urgent. They couldn't keep him suppressed forever. Even a supreme expert couldn't ignore age. Leaving him sealed and restrained for long would surely cause issues.
They set their worries aside for now.
Nangong Yeonhwa returned from the inn with Mujin. He couldn't tell if the talks went well or if she had hidden her intentions, but she had come back with him.
The Sword Tyrant eyed Taejin and Cheolho standing beside Mujin. Their championship and runner-up wins at the Little Dragon Tournament had been upsets at the time. Recalling yesterday, though, it clicked.
Hm?
Unlike this morning, Taejin's energy felt deeper.
"I took the Heavenly Ascension Pill. It truly lives up to its reputation."
"Glad it worked for you."
He had received it this morning and swallowed it right away, perhaps fearing someone might coax him out of it. It was utterly Mujin-like in resolve, but annoying in execution. A stark contrast to his father, still bound.
'If he extracted every bit of potency, someone must have assisted him.'
Having an ascension-realm expert aid in fully absorbing a spirit pill was ideal.
Brushing aside the trivial, the Sword Tyrant got to the point.
"Can you do it?"
"No guarantees."
"I can't tolerate failure."
"Then I won't."
"Your best... What did you say?"
"I said I won't."
The Sword Tyrant thought he'd misheard for a moment, but Mujin wasn't one for flippant words. He repeated that he wouldn't take responsibility for risks, so choose wisely.
Hm.
The Sword Tyrant frowned at Mujin's irresponsibility. He knew the man's strength, but this arrogance felt like disdain for the clan.
"Mind your tongue."
"Quite the opposite. Promises must be kept, so I can't make them lightly."
"So you refuse any responsibility?"
"I'm not of the Nangong Clan. And repaying grace with enmity is a burden too heavy to bear."
The Sword Tyrant and High Sword's eyes hardened at Mujin's brazen aura.
It was treatment they'd never received before. Who dared act so arrogant before the Nangong Clan head? Right in the heart of their home.
'This guy!'
Nangong Yeonhwa's head throbbed.
She knew her father's pride. She had thought he wouldn't treat her the same way here in the clan. But no—this man didn't care.
With neither side yielding, the air crackled with imminent clash.
"What do you want?"
"I'll treat him in a sealed room. Alone, naturally. And regardless of success, you pay the reward. If my terms displease you, refuse."
"That's excessive."
"Your choice. No pressure."
Freedom? Where?
His father's life hung in the balance. For the clan, he needed to remain hale. That made it not a choice, but blackmail. Yet they had no other options.
"We'll do as you say."
High Sword and Nangong Yeonhwa couldn't hide their shock at the clan head's decision. He was called the Sword Tyrant for bending for no one, yet here he yielded in a way they'd never seen.
'The clan head is different, indeed.'
-Would you do the same?
'Shut up.'
-Lucky it didn't end in swords drawn.
Mujin hadn't considered the Nangong Clan's plight. Had they yielded from the start, he would have compromised reasonably. But expecting him to obey like a servant was impossible.
'This way, I can squeeze more out of them.'
I have my plans, too.
The Sword Emperor sat cross-legged in the seclusion chamber. Chains bound his limbs, making him look uncomfortable.
'You can do it, right?'
-I'm the superior version.
'Show-off.'
-But did you have to drag it out?
'The more dramatic, the better the effect.'
He had said it might fail due to difficulty, but the treatment was simple. He couldn't claim others could do it easily, though. The Soul-Piercing Demonic Eye was so superior that the Black Demonic Eye seemed inferior. It was the pinnacle ability of the Demon King Art, at the top of the predatory chains.
-Cunning as ever, the best there is.
'Hey, my martial arts are top-tier too.'
-Tie.
'Lost, but put up a good fight.'
He had yielded the mutual destruction technique graciously as a great victory. No more such tricks next time.
Mujin sat casually beside the Sword Emperor. It wouldn't take long anyway, and he needed to kill time.
'Cycle your energy.'
-You think I generate it or something?
'We're one, aren't we?'
-Only when it suits you?
He had promised a day, so at least twelve hours were needed. For dramatic tension, he vented energy periodically.
Woooong!
He infused the leaking energy with powerful aura to prevent rash judgments. He also gripped the Sword Emperor's pulse to guard against breakthroughs. The elders didn't catch on easily, but oddly, they did in moments like this.
He woke from a sound sleep.
He checked the motionless Sword Emperor in cross-legged pose. Time was up; a token gesture was needed. The near-miss of oversleeping was brushed off.
Shuk, clank!
He slashed the air.
The chains binding the Sword Emperor snapped easily. Made to hold grave criminals, even ascension-realm warriors couldn't cut them lightly. The War King Blade, tuned with War King Battle Qi, sliced through even sword energy like butter.
Crunch!
Mujin pressed an acupoint to rouse him. Sleeping soundly cross-legged showed the Sword Emperor's discipline. Ordinary folk would have necrotized limbs from poor circulation.
Hmm!
A groggy hum escaped as heavy eyelids lifted. After wandering dream-realms so long, full clarity was impossible instantly.
The Sword Emperor's eyes were deeply clouded. Even without the seal breaking, the caster's death caused confusion.
"Now, look into my eyes."
"...Huk!"
As the Soul-Piercing Demonic Eye activated, the cloudy pupils churned violently. It was the starting point to purify the ash-gray sea of dazed mind.
"Repeat after me."
"Repeat after me."
"Skip the words you're saying now."
"Skip the words you're saying now."
This punk!
Cheon-gyeong's smirking voice echoed. Lately, he'd been too lenient. Time to show him after this.
Noon passed.
They had waited before noon since he said a day, but no sign of emergence. Tempted to check, but immense energy poured from the sealed door.
"How long has it been?"
"At least an hour. Should we go in?"
"Might be a critical phase."
The Sword Tyrant, High Sword, and Nangong Yeonhwa paced anxiously before the chamber. A day was promised, but delays were expected. Removing seals was far harder than applying them. Recovery with time meant success. But guaranteeing three-tenths was tough. Most freed from seals didn't live long due to mental issues.
'Can he really not treat it?'
The longer the wait, the more doubt crept in. Distrust had no size; once it bloomed in a firm mind, collapse was inevitable. The human heart was both strong and fragile.
Nangong Yeonhwa had branded Mujin brazen and irresponsible, but she acknowledged his skill. Besides, he wouldn't have attempted it if failure loomed.
Doooong!
Suddenly, an explosively amplified energy wave poured through the chamber's tiny gaps like a waterfall. It halted breaths amid peaking tension.
And soon after.
Rumble!
The sturdy door opened.
Shadows crossed as Mujin emerged.
Stagger!
Like an ascetic emerging from seven years' meditation, his pale face wavered on unsteady feet.
The Sword Tyrant rushed to support him.
"You alright?"
"Not alright."
"Good."
"I said not alright!"
"How's my father?"
"No conscience. Go see."
Discarding the exhausted Mujin, the Sword Tyrant, High Sword, and Nangong Yeonhwa dashed into the chamber. He had poured himself into treatment—not fully, but over ten hours sparring a mad elder.
At least ten Heavenly Ascension Pills as thanks.
"Father!"
"Grandfather!"
What about me?
Even seeing this frail act.
That's why you never help black-haired beasts.