Chapter 33
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: True Heavenly Thunder
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True Heavenly Thunder stood at the pinnacle of all firebombs.
People feared the Thunderclap Bombs, but compared to True Heavenly Thunder, they were nothing. Detonating a Thunderclap Bomb required specific conditions. But True Heavenly Thunder's intense heat nullified them all. In other words, any Thunderclap Bombs caught in True Heavenly Thunder's explosion zone would detonate simultaneously. That was precisely why the Thunderclap Sect had been wiped out by True Heavenly Thunder.
And that was also why the Tang Family had provided the Black Market with Thunderclap Bombs without showing any real concern.
One of True Heavenly Thunder's terrifying aspects was its adjustable range. Depending on how much you rotated it to ignite, the blast radius changed—and the surface was etched with precise markings, making it easy for anyone to use.
Hyeong Pyo examined True Heavenly Thunder carefully, then prepared a cloth and wrapped it securely to keep it hidden. No one else had spotted it yet, so as long as he kept Jo Seol-yeon and Dan Hyeong-u quiet, he could claim it without anyone being the wiser. It would give the Henan Escort Bureau a massive edge in future crises.
With True Heavenly Thunder safely strapped to his back, Hyeong Pyo hurried after the group. The escorts were already some distance ahead.
Jo Seol-yeon watched him go and smiled faintly.
"If I'd known he'd be this thrilled, I should've grabbed the other one instead of smashing it."
Dan Hyeong-u's remark drew a shake of her head.
"No, brother. This is perfect. What matters is the sentiment, anyway. We should hope we never have to use it."
Dan Hyeong-u nodded at her words. Having experienced it firsthand, he knew True Heavenly Thunder's terror better than most. Its heat was on par with the fiercest infernos of hell.
That's why, upon spotting the second True Heavenly Thunder—when the Black Market's First Branch Leader tried to use it—he'd cleaved it in two without hesitation. Under Dan Hyeong-u's sword, both the device and the branch leader split apart, and he'd walked out of the Black Market carrying the last one the man hadn't managed to deploy.
And then, the bisected True Heavenly Thunder—which should have been unusable as a firebomb—erupted in a massive blast.
With the lid unable to rotate at all, the range was extremely narrow, but it was enough to obliterate the entire hall where the branch leader had stood.
Shrapnel from the explosion ignited fires throughout the Black Market. In the end, half of it burned to the ground.
That marked the conclusion of events between the Black Market and Dan Hyeong-u.
Jo Seol-yeon didn't truly grasp just how formidable True Heavenly Thunder was. That's why she'd handed it over to the experienced Hyeong Pyo. He was one of the few people she could trust right now.
"Let's hurry too, brother."
Grabbing Dan Hyeong-u's arm, Jo Seol-yeon started walking. A slender smile played on her lips.
"Oh? The Black Market has fallen?"
The voice drifting from behind the curtain sent shivers of dread through anyone who heard it.
Even Shadowless, prostrated deeply before the curtain, couldn't help trembling. He forced his quaking body still and awaited the Blood Demon's next words.
"It must pain you greatly that a place you'd invested so much effort in has crumbled."
Shadowless shuddered violently at the Blood Demon's words. Terror gnawed at his heart, too much to bear.
"So, how did it fall?"
"I-it... Th-the Heavenly Qi Master's..."
Before Shadowless could finish, the Blood Demon's eyes flashed. The light pierced the curtain, binding Shadowless's body.
"The Heavenly Qi Master's? Why stop there?"
"Gah! Th-the one he raised..."
The binding energy vanished in an instant.
"Kuh-huhk!"
Shadowless collapsed, gasping raggedly on the floor.
"Hah! Hah!"
"Speak calmly now. So, you've located the one the Heavenly Qi Master raised?"
"Y-yes. We've found him."
The Blood Demon's tone softened.
"Well done. The Bird-Rat Party proves its worth."
"Y-yes. We mobilized the entire Bird-Rat Party. He's traveling with the Henan Escort Bureau right now."
"Oh? The Henan Escort Bureau."
The Blood Demon nodded.
"There was still one escort caravan on the move, yes?"
"Y-yes. One of the escorts in that caravan is him."
A tremendous aura surged from the Blood Demon at Shadowless's reply.
"One? Just a single one?"
"Hah!"
Shadowless wheezed in agony again. The Blood Demon stared at him silently from behind the curtain before withdrawing his pressure.
"I see. So that one alone brought down the Black Market?"
"Y-yes. The Black Market fell to that single man."
Anticipation gleamed in the Blood Demon's eyes.
"We invested quite a bit there, didn't we?"
Shadowless answered without delay.
"The martial art we provided was the Blood Moon Sword Art. It was overkill for dealing with nearby villains like the Hwa Manor, but with the Tang Family involved, we had no choice."
The Blood Demon nodded.
"Hmm, the Blood Moon Sword Art should have sufficed against the Tang Family. And we had plenty of time."
"We also gave them three True Heavenly Thunders."
Even the Blood Demon's expression flickered at that.
"Is that so? And they still couldn't stop him?"
"Y-yes. From the traces, they used two, and one was stolen."
The Blood Demon nodded.
"Impressive. Truly impressive. What sorcery did the Heavenly Qi Master weave? To create such a monster in mere months. As expected of the Heavenly Qi Master."
Relieved by the vanished pressure, Shadowless bowed his head silently. Soon, the Blood Demon spoke again, slowly.
"Order the Blood Demon Corps into closed-door training. They're still lacking."
"Understood."
"And clean up Hwa Manor. We can't waste the Heavenly Thunder Party on trash like that."
"Understood."
"It's time to shake the martial world. I'll test your abilities once more."
"Understood!"
Shadowless replied loudly, then dissolved into smoke and vanished.
The Blood Demon watched, letting out a sinister chuckle.
"Heh heh heh. I'll shatter them all. Every trace of your filthy legacy."
His laughter filled the grand hall.
Jo Seol-yeon was nominally leading the Henan Escort Bureau, but in truth, Hyeong Pyo was the real head of the caravan. He was the only one who truly understood escort operations.
That's why this situation left him flustered.
"Escort Leader Hyeong, are you heading back to Henan?"
They hadn't even left Chae Sa-cheon Province when they encountered none other than Umun Hye. She'd vanished briefly from the inn, only to reappear blocking the road, speaking to Hyeong Pyo in a subtly coaxing tone.
"Y-yes."
"Perfect! I was heading to Henan myself. Mind if I join?"
Hyeong Pyo had no choice but to nod at her radiant smile. It held an irresistible allure no man could refuse.
And so, Umun Hye's group merged with theirs.
No sooner had she joined than Umun Hye sidled up to Dan Hyeong-u, her three snakes—Shadow Snake, Gold Snake, and Silver Snake—trailing behind.
"Looks like we're traveling together again."
Jo Seol-yeon felt a twinge of intimidation at Umun Hye's stunning smile but quickly composed herself and smiled back.
"Great to see you."
Their eyes met. Both wore smiles, but their hearts weren't as at ease.
In any case, the halted journey resumed.
They hadn't gone far before it ground to a halt once more. Another group blocked their path.
"E-Elder?"
Hyeong Pyo muttered in bewilderment. He'd never dreamed Tang Ho-gwan would appear.
"I have a favor to ask. Will you grant it?"
Hyeong Pyo's head bobbed frantically. Who could refuse such a request?
"P-please, speak."
At Tang Ho-gwan's glance, a young girl stepped forward from behind.
"The girl and I need to head to Henan. May we join you?"
As Tang Ho-gwan finished, the girl bowed politely.
"I'm Tang Mun-yeong."
She was quite beautiful. But after growing accustomed to Umun Hye's face, Hyeong Pyo barely noticed. The weight of the Tang name alone spun his mind into overdrive.
His answer came without hesitation.
"Of course. We look forward to traveling with you, Elder."
Hyeong Pyo bowed deeply. Tang Ho-gwan gave a grateful nod and faint smile.
"My thanks. We'll walk over there, then."
He pointed toward Dan Hyeong-u.
"A-as you wish."
And so, Tang Ho-gwan and Tang Mun-yeong joined the Henan-bound escort group.
Jo Seol-yeon felt a slight discomfort. Too many remarkable people surrounded her now.
Tang Ho-gwan was a Tang Family elder. And Tang Mun-yeong, who accompanied him, was one of the Three Phoenixes and Two Blossoms so often praised by martial world enthusiasts.
And what of Umun Hye? Her beauty far surpassed even Tang Mun-yeong, the Flying Phoenix. Her martial prowess was beyond Jo Seol-yeon's wildest guesses—naturally intimidating. Tang Mun-yeong earned her title for good reason, but Umun Hye was no less formidable.
Even Umun Hye's escorts were far from ordinary. It was no exaggeration to say they were all extraordinary figures.
And the one drawing all their attention was Dan Hyeong-u.
Despite the scrutiny, Dan Hyeong-u's expression remained unchanged as he walked silently onward.
In the heavy silence, Tang Mun-yeong eyed Dan Hyeong-u curiously from top to bottom. Her father Dang Cheon-sang and elder Tang Ho-gwan had impressed upon her the need to observe him closely, piquing her interest further.
But the more she looked, the more she tilted her head. Tang Ho-gwan had called him a peerless master, yet she sensed nothing of the sort.
Tang Mun-yeong lived up to her title of Flying Phoenix with deep knowledge of martial arts and impressive skill herself. Among the Three Phoenixes and Two Blossoms, she prided herself on her prowess. Her eye for talent was sharp.
Yet even she struggled to spot anything exceptional in Dan Hyeong-u.
Unable to hold back, she approached and spoke first.
"Since we're traveling together, shouldn't we at least introduce ourselves?"
Dan Hyeong-u glanced at her briefly before facing forward again. He said nothing.
Tang Mun-yeong's brow furrowed slightly.
"I'm talking to you. Is ignoring me polite?"
Dan Hyeong-u turned back.
"Dan Hyeong-u."
He stated his name plainly, then looked ahead once more. Tang Mun-yeong was exasperated, but mindful of her father and Tang Ho-gwan's instructions, she swallowed her irritation.
"I'm Tang Mun-yeong. You've heard of me, right?"
Dan Hyeong-u had no reason to know the name. Finally, Jo Seol-yeon intervened.
"My brother Dan spent a long time in the mountains, so he's unfamiliar with the world and martial affairs."
Tang Mun-yeong whipped her head toward Jo Seol-yeon, stared into her eyes for a moment, then nodded.
"I see."
But she showed no sign of giving up. In her nineteen years, she'd never met a man so utterly indifferent.
Her gaze flicked to Jo Seol-yeon and Umun Hye.
Jealousy welled up inside. She'd always considered herself the pinnacle. Flattered as one of the Three Phoenixes and Two Blossoms, she'd believed it. But today, that illusion shattered. The world was vast indeed.
"You're still ignoring me. Am I that ugly?"
Tang Mun-yeong pouted playfully, desperate for a reaction. It was no longer just about her father or the elder—it was personal pride now.
Dan Hyeong-u's head turned toward her and stayed, staring intently for a good while.
Tang Mun-yeong walked on in a daze, locked in his gaze.
"What do you want?"
She snapped to at his words.
"Wh-what?"
Dan Hyeong-u's eyes shifted to Tang Ho-gwan.
The elder gave a wry smile.
"He wants the Heavenly Thunder."
The direct words startled those nearby. This was no mere request for instruction—it was demanding a core martial art. Taboo in the martial world.