Chapter 76
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Missing (2)
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There was only one road leading into Huanin County.
But if someone was determined enough, they could take the mountain paths instead of the main road to slip away somewhere else.
I figured Gwang-u and that woman hadn't escaped via the road entering Huanin County.
Shooooaaaah...
I raced mindlessly along the mountain path.
A cluster of pine trees standing in a row about ten zhang ahead whipped past my back in an instant, only for another stand of trees to rush into view before me.
The air whipping against my face was so cold it stung.
Tatuk! Tak!
I used a massive tree branch as a foothold right in front of me and leaped straight to the treetop, soaring into the air.
I landed lightly atop the tree, which pointed toward the sky, and scanned the surroundings. All I could see was an open plain stretching out, with another mountain looming beyond it.
Ping!
I shot into the sky like an arrow from a slender twig serving as my bowstring. The moment I hit the ground, I dashed across the plain.
Soon, the distant mountain loomed right before my eyes.
Huuu...
I took a deep breath and stared at the mountain ahead.
Someone was there.
The hairs all over my body stood on end.
"Come out."
A figure emerged from behind a massive boulder, as if it had heard my voice.
It was the Infinite Sword Demon, Baek Jang-cheon.
"You were the one who took Gwang-u?"
The Infinite Sword Demon slowly approached me, shaking his head.
"The Crimson Moon Great Demon took your junior brother."
"Doesn't matter. You're still on the same side, aren't you?"
"Fair point."
We faced off about five zhang apart. He glanced around, then nodded slowly once more.
"Perfect spot to settle who's superior. I waited all night, worried you might not come this way."
I subtly pushed the sword shield on my left hand.
At almost the same moment, the Infinite Sword Demon moved his thumb just like I did.
"I harbor no grudge against you. I just want to test your strength. If I lose, I'll tell you where your junior brother is."
"Appreciated."
Bang! Bang!
Gwang-u and I charged at each other simultaneously.
Kwa-bam! Bam! ...!
The sword energies cloaking our blades clashed, exploding through the space like a detonation.
Tatuk. Tak.
A brilliant barrage of sword energy poured down over my head as I was pushed back by the shock.
The onslaught collided with the dazzling sword aura enveloping my body.
Kwa-bam!
I dove through the radiating shockwaves as a gleaming blade sliced toward my throat.
Slash.
In that instant, I was already behind the Infinite Sword Demon.
Thud!
Before his split-afterimage could scatter, a brilliant surge of energy flew at me from the left.
At the same time, my sword thrust out to meet it.
Kwa-kwa-bam... Bam!
Tatuk... Tak...
The Infinite Sword Demon and I both staggered back three or four steps.
"Ma Tae-je...?"
The Infinite Sword Demon's eyes widened in shock as he muttered something I couldn't understand.
"What was that?"
The wild turbulence in his gaze settled into calm.
"What a pity."
I scanned our surroundings at his words.
Moments later, tiny black dots appeared at the edge of the open plain.
The approaching dots grew into human shapes.
A hundred? No, at least a hundred fifty of them.
"Looks like the Crimson Moon Great Demon dragged the Green Forest bandits into this. Quite the dirty trick."
The Infinite Sword Demon sheathed his sword.
"We'll have another chance."
"Where's Gwang-u?"
"No winner yet, so I can't say. But don't bother searching. If he doesn't die, he'll show up before you soon enough."
He turned and walked away without a hint of hesitation.
"The Crimson Moon Great Demon still doesn't know the first thing about you."
After the Infinite Sword Demon vanished from sight, a booming laugh echoed out.
Kuhahaha!
A massive man clad in shaggy black fur garments was doubled over in guffaws.
His build was so enormous it rivaled Gwang-u's.
Thud!
He slammed a massive cleaver sword as tall as himself into the ground.
Paaah...
A wave of energy rippled out from the cleaver.
"This lord is Woo Jung-ho, the supreme Mountain King of the Green Forest!"
Waaaah!
Just his introduction had the vicious-looking bandits raising their weapons and roaring in cheers.
The Green Forest, modeled after the Five Great Kings of the martial world, had five Mountain Kings.
And this Woo Jung-ho was one of them.
I slung my sword over my shoulder.
"How much are you getting paid to kill me?"
Kuhahaha!
"Ten thousand silver taels! Not bad, eh? Ain't no easier way to pocket that much silver in this world!"
Kekeke.
All I could muster was a scoff.
The fool was rejoicing over silver he'd never collect.
My focus wasn't on him anyway.
There was someone watching us from the far edge of the plain.
He'd report the outcome of this fight to the Crimson Moon Great Demon.
'If I catch that guy...'
I might learn where the Crimson Moon Great Demon was hiding.
"Attack!"
Woo Jung-ho's bellow signaled the start of the battle.
The bandits charged at his command.
I shot my body toward the man at the plain's edge.
Swoooosh...
But a massive cleaver came flying right at me.
I twisted away just in time, the blade grazing my hair.
'King? More like a mere lord.'
Bam!
I parried the cleaver digging into my back and decapitated a string of bandits, then whipped my gaze to the plain's edge.
"Damn it."
The watcher was already gone.
Bam!
I deflected a cleaver swing at my waist, leaped into the air, and rained sword energy down on the bandits below—including Woo Jung-ho's bulging eyes.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-bam!
No one survived on this plain.
And the one who carved them up wasn't here either.
A sinister-looking man wandered the plain, stained red with blood and chunks of flesh.
He spotted a corpse clutching a cleaver in its right hand.
Its head was gone—only the neck stump remained.
'Even Mountain King Woo Jung-ho and a hundred fifty bandits weren't a match for him.'
The man took a long breath to steady his trembling chest.
Huuu...
The Crimson Moon Great Demon had clearly underestimated his foe.
To face power like this, the Great Demon would have to step in personally.
The man turned to leave the blood-soaked plain.
That's when he spotted a young man watching him from no great distance.
The very one who had turned this plain into a slaughterhouse.
The man squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them.
The young man was already ten zhang away.
"Where's the Crimson Moon Great Demon?"
Sling...
Having steeled his resolve, the man slowly drew his sword.
"I'm dead anyway."
Slash.
He slit his own throat.
Thud.
"Damn it...!"
The man who could've led me to the Crimson Moon Great Demon was dead.
I'd waited here, certain he'd return. Instead, I got another corpse.
My last thread of hope to find Gwang-u was gone.
Just as the Infinite Sword Demon said, all I could do was wait for Gwang-u to return—if he survived.
Huuu...
"Don't you dare die, you bastard."
I trudged away from the deathly silent plain.
Before long, my junior disciples who had come searching for me appeared.
They rushed over at full speed.
"Go-gong..."
I cut off Myeong-gak, who couldn't continue.
"Couldn't find that idiot Gwang-u."
"What the hell happened?"
"No idea."
I brushed past them and kept walking unsteadily.
I had no clue how far I'd gone from home.
Keep walking, and it'd appear eventually.
"Namu Amida Butsu, Guanyin Bodhisattva."
"Prime Celestial Venerable."
From behind came Myeong-gak and Cheongpung chanting sutras and incantations for the dead.
Comfort for the corpses strewn about like slabs of meat.
"They look like bandits from the outside."
"Why would bandits show up here all of a sudden?"
"Hey, isn't that Woo Jung-ho? I heard he carried a huge cleaver..."
Amid their chatter came Zhuge Ji's voice.
"That's Mountain King Woo Jung-ho, all right. Second strongest among the five Mountain Kings."
'Not first, but second?'
Makes sense. The worst scum in the martial world only had two places to hide: the Green Forest bandits in the mountains or the water pirates on rivers and seas.
'First or second, doesn't matter to me.'
"Those are some deep wounds... Did Woo Jung-ho do this?"
Myeong-gak applied golden sore salve to my back, casually probing.
I nodded, and Cheongpung sidled up beside me.
"How strong was he, Go-gong?"
"Around Do-gun's level... Maybe a bit less."
His martial arts matched Do-gun Paeng Cheon-ho's, but lacked the depth.
Smack!
Myeong-gak slapped Cheongpung's shoulder as he sat too close.
"Who cares about that right now? So... how're we finding Junior Brother Gwang-u?"
I stared blankly at Myeong-gak, who was only now pretending to worry about Gwang-u.
Ahem, hem...
"Namu Amida Butsu, Guanyin Bodhisattva. No one here doesn't care about Junior Brother Gwang-u."
"Who said otherwise?"
Ahem, hem...
I found Myeong-gak's averted gaze and fake coughs utterly ridiculous.
"We have to find Brother Seok. I'll use my clan and the Beggars' Clan to track him down."
I shook my head at Zhuge Ji's words.
"No need. He'll come find me."
"How can you be so sure?"
"The Infinite Sword Demon said so. If he doesn't die, he'll come back to me."
Myeong-gak, who was applying salve; Cheongpung, eyeing me; Zhuge Ji and Namgung Hye, watching from a bit away—all asked in unison, stunned.
"You met the Infinite Sword Demon?"
"He was there too?"
I said nothing, just slipped on the clothes I'd set aside.
Then a comment from the Infinite Sword Demon popped into my head.
"Ever heard the term 'Ma Tae-je'?"
"No. Related to Brother Seok?"
"Dunno."
***
"Ever heard of 'Ma Tae-je'?"
The Great Heavenly Demon shook his head.
But from his expression, he seemed to have an inkling.
So did I.
"Tell me your guess first."
"The successor to your arts, right?"
He nodded with a smile, thinking the same.
Tsk tsk tsk...
"The Infinite Sword Demon recognized that you've inherited my martial arts."
I shared his view.
He must have seen right through my techniques.
"He said Gwang-u would show up before me again."
"You still see that fool who fell for a cheap honey trap as your brother?"
"Brother's a brother, no matter what."
Tsk tsk tsk...
This laugh wasn't pleasant—it was downright sinister.
"Why the laugh?"
"You think the Crimson Moon Great Demon will just send that fool back? If he were the type, he wouldn't have bothered with the honey trap and kidnapping in the first place."