Chapter 51
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Chapter 1: I Am the Bell Master
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Henan’s Heavenly Central Mountain.
A multitude of martial artists were gathering nearby. Thanks to them, the villages around the mountain were experiencing an unexpected boom.
Inns were overflowing with people, and taverns had no room to stand. Some couldn’t even find lodging and were camping out on the streets.
With so many martial artists crowded together, clashes broke out frequently. Some escalated into full-blown faction brawls that bordered on war.
They all shared one goal.
To find the Heavenly Qi Master’s hidden cave and claim the wondrous treasures inside.
The group most troubled by this situation was, naturally, the Martial Alliance.
“We can’t just force them all to leave. This has become a real headache.”
Victory Dragon Unit Leader Ha Won-hu’s words drew a heavy nod from Martial Alliance Leader Dugun Un.
Dugun Un had been startled by the rumor spreading like wildfire and had no choice but to lead the Azure Dragon and Black Tortoise Units here. The Victory Dragon Unit, which had been stationed at the Henan Escort Bureau, left half behind and brought the rest to the mountain.
Ha Won-hu had already been searching for clues about the Heavenly Qi Master’s cave nearby, so he didn’t even need to move.
“How’s the Henan Escort Bureau holding up?”
“It’s quiet for now. But we won’t be able to take any escort jobs for a while.”
Dugun Un furrowed his brow at Ha Won-hu’s response.
“I’m sorry about this. I never imagined it would cause such chaos.”
“It couldn’t be helped. It was for the peace of the martial world, so the bureau will understand. Strictly speaking, it’s not the Martial Alliance’s fault anyway.”
Dugun Un shook his head at Ha Won-hu’s words.
“No, that’s not true. We’ll make sure to compensate the Henan Escort Bureau properly later.”
“Understood. I’ll issue the orders right away.”
As he listened to Ha Won-hu’s reply, Dugun Un gazed out over the vast mountain slopes. He and Ha Won-hu stood atop the highest peak of Heavenly Central Mountain.
The rest of the Martial Alliance members were combing through every inch of the mountain. Of course, they weren’t the only ones here.
The entire mountain was in an uproar.
“We need to be careful. Something feels off about this whole affair.”
Dugun Un’s expression grew increasingly grave. He couldn’t make sense of it. Someone had clearly spread the rumor on purpose—and in a way that was malicious toward the Martial Alliance.
The rumor had spread faster than the Martial Alliance could counter. Their prestige had taken a serious hit as a result. This was the second incident after the treasure map involving the Heavenly Qi Master’s martial arts, so it was no wonder distrust was creeping into the hearts of the martial artists.
“Perhaps the Heavenly Demon is making a move...”
Dugun Un muttered. Ha Won-hu started at the words.
“Has there been any sign of that?”
Dugun Un shook his head.
“No, not yet. But it never hurts to be cautious.”
Ha Won-hu nodded solemnly.
“I understand. We’ll proceed with even greater care from now on.”
The mood froze in an instant. The name Heavenly Demon carried that much weight.
“I just hope the Henan Escort Bureau doesn’t suffer any more damage. That worries me.”
Dugun Un murmured softly, his eyes filled with concern.
As Dugun Un feared, the Henan Escort Bureau was far from peaceful. But it wasn’t just a minor inconvenience as Ha Won-hu had described.
Buildings were smashed here and there, large sections of the walls had collapsed, and many people were injured.
The only silver lining was that no one had died yet.
For the Henan Escort Bureau, it was a desperate situation. They had just started to rebuild, only to be struck down again. Most would collapse under the weight and struggle to rise.
But Jo Seol-yeon didn’t falter. Her expression was as composed as ever. And deep in her heart, her resolve burned brighter.
“Stay strong, miss.”
Jo Seol-yeon gave Hyeong Pyo a faint smile.
“I’m fine. I never thought we’d recover easily anyway. Honestly, getting this far was smoother than expected.”
Hyeong Pyo couldn’t help but admire her poise. But admiration aside, the reality was dire.
“At least we still have funds left. If not for the Golden Lotus commission, we’d really be in trouble.”
“Exactly. It’s a huge relief. And that makes me even more grateful to my brother.”
Jo Seol-yeon thought of Dan Hyeong-u and smiled brightly. Just recalling him lifted her spirits.
But she couldn’t hold onto that feeling for long.
“The real problem is the people in Heo-chang.”
Hyeong Pyo nodded at Jo Seol-yeon’s words.
“Yes. At this rate, we’ll be stuck in the bureau without accomplishing anything.”
“Sigh... What a false accusation...”
Jo Seol-yeon sighed and shook her head. Hyeong Pyo muttered with a wronged expression.
“How could we possibly use gu poison with what power...?”
Hyeong Pyo had tried talking to the martial artists outside. But it was impossible. To them, the Henan Escort Bureau had already become their sworn enemies.
No matter what he tried, they lunged for him, forcing him to flee back inside without a word.
He had investigated every angle to uncover the cause. Fortunately, he had ways to gather information in Heo-chang and pieced it together.
It started with the Victory Dragon Unit. And the Heavenly Qi Master’s cave.
A dispute arose between the Victory Dragon Unit searching for the cave on Heavenly Central Mountain and nearby sects who heard the rumors and came rushing. The Victory Dragon Unit slaughtered them mercilessly.
Word quietly spread from Heo-chang that the Martial Alliance’s Victory Dragon Unit had committed such an atrocity.
Then the gu poison incidents erupted. Key figures from prominent sects centered in Heo-chang were poisoned.
They lost their internal energy day by day, becoming invalids. And evidence surfaced implicating the Henan Escort Bureau.
Hyeong Pyo couldn’t determine what that evidence was. Nor could he verify if the Victory Dragon Unit had truly massacred them so brutally. That was simply how events had unfolded.
The martial artists besieging them outside were desperate for the antidote from the Henan Escort Bureau. They were frantic in their own way—and growing more violent by the day.
In such chaos, no escort jobs could proceed. The newly hired escorts weren’t even at the bureau.
The incidents happened before they could settle in. New hires had no loyalty. None returned to the bureau.
“We can’t just stay like this. We have to do something...”
Jo Seol-yeon and Hyeong Pyo racked their brains together but found no clear solution.
The best they came up with was abandoning the bureau temporarily and fleeing. But even that wouldn’t be easy. The martial artists in Heo-chang were no ragtag bunch.
As Jo Seol-yeon and Hyeong Pyo were deep in discussion, someone approached their room.
“Miss Jo, may we come in?”
Jo Seol-yeon’s office door was always open. Standing outside were Paeng Cheol-yeong and Namgung Jin.
Hyeong Pyo’s expression cooled slightly. But his eyes betrayed anxiety. The root cause was the Victory Dragon Unit, yet their presence was barely maintaining balance.
“Come in.”
At Jo Seol-yeon’s permission, Paeng Cheol-yeong and Namgung Jin entered. Their faces were etched with guilt.
“What is it?”
Jo Seol-yeon asked as soon as they sat. Her tone was calm, but to them, it felt laced with thorns.
“We’re sorry. We never imagined things would turn out like this.”
Paeng Cheol-yeong forced out the words, and Jo Seol-yeon smiled.
“What’s done is done. The future matters more.”
Paeng Cheol-yeong and Namgung Jin exchanged uneasy glances, fidgeting as they struggled to speak.
“If you have something to say, just say it. I need to plan ahead.”
Jo Seol-yeon’s words pierced Paeng Cheol-yeong’s heart. Finally, he spoke haltingly.
“The entire Victory Dragon Unit needs to withdraw.”
Jo Seol-yeon gave a slight smile at Paeng Cheol-yeong’s words.
“I see. It can’t be helped. Truth be told, it’s been a burden.”
Her voice remained steady and cold. Paeng Cheol-yeong gave a bitter smile. If the Victory Dragon Unit left now, the bureau’s fate was obvious.
Among the martial artists nearby, there were experts even Paeng Cheol-yeong couldn’t underestimate.
Without the Victory Dragon Unit, the bureau couldn’t hold out.
“Miss Jo, why not come with us to Heavenly Central Mountain?”
Paeng Cheol-yeong gazed at her earnestly.
“You know better than anyone what will happen if we leave. Come with us instead.”
Namgung Jin nodded silently in agreement. They had coordinated beforehand. He wasn’t at ease either.
They had believed their presence would help, not harm. Now, they couldn’t show their faces.
“Miss Jo, do it. It’s the best option.”
At Namgung Jin’s urging, Jo Seol-yeon sighed.
“Ha... Then what about everyone else here? You’re not suggesting we all go to Heavenly Central Mountain, are you?”
Paeng Cheol-yeong winced as if struck.
“Th-that would be... difficult.”
He felt overwhelmed by her presence. This Jo Seol-yeon was not the one he remembered.
“But with you, Miss Jo, and Great Hero Hyeong here...”
Namgung Jin jumped in hastily, but Jo Seol-yeon shook her head coldly.
“No need. We’ll handle our own affairs. The Victory Dragon Unit should withdraw now.”
Paeng Cheol-yeong and Namgung Jin stared at her in stunned silence. Then, unable to hide their gloom, they rose.
They offered Jo Seol-yeon a respectful fist salute.
“Then, we wish you the best of luck.”
They left. Jo Seol-yeon watched their retreating figures with composure until they vanished. Then her expression turned troubled.
“Another problem added.”
“Indeed. Without the Victory Dragon Unit now, we have no countermeasures. No one will wait for us.”
Jo Seol-yeon bowed her head gravely. She turned her mind every which way, but no solution emerged.
Seeking aid from the Tang Family or Umun Family was impossible; both lacked the capacity due to the Heavenly Qi Master’s cave on Heavenly Central Mountain.
What they needed most was one supreme expert. Someone to overwhelm them all. Dan Hyeong-u.
“Brother should have reached Soju by now, right?”
“We just got word from the Golden Lotus. He arrived safely without incident.”
“Good.”
Jo Seol-yeon beamed. No harm done—what more could she ask? One worry lifted.
“Now it’s just us.”
Hyeong Pyo nodded, eyes gleaming. A crisis was another word for opportunity.
Overcome this wisely, and the bureau could soar again. He believed that.
Jo Seol-yeon pondered deeply. Then, with resolve, she spoke.
“Let’s use the Victory Dragon Unit just a little.”
“The Victory Dragon Unit? How...?”
“We’ll head to Heavenly Central Mountain too. We can bring everyone. Miss this chance, and it’ll be impossible later.”
Hyeong Pyo finally nodded, though his expression remained tense. He knew how dangerous her plan was.
But no alternatives existed. Miss this, and they’d all be dragged out by the besiegers, enduring torment until death. Not one spared.
“Then we must hurry.”
Hyeong Pyo rose swiftly and headed out. Jo Seol-yeon watched him go, then stood. She walked slowly, taking in her surroundings as if committing everything to memory.