Chapter 190
Chapter 190
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 190
Chapter Title: The Diversion
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KABOOOM!
A martial artist, who had been blinking blankly at the main gate collapsing with a violent explosion, snapped to his senses and shouted.
“An enemy!”
A sharp cry, and then… he fled?
What kind of guy was that?
If he knew an enemy had arrived, he should have drawn his sword and charged.
Neung Un-bi shook his head, dumbfounded.
But soon, martial artists from the contact point, having heard the man's shout, poured out from all directions.
Right. If I'd planned to end things this quietly, I wouldn't have come.
To make them raise their voices even louder and announce my presence, I needed to cause a proper ruckus.
And I had to make sure they knew my identity wasn't just 'an enemy,' but Neung Un-bi!
“Hooo…”
Exhaling a long breath, Neung Un-bi relaxed his body and slowly gathered his demonic energy.
“You bastard!”
Just as his body was filling with demonic energy, the martial artist who had fled moments ago returned, swinging his sword with all his might.
He probably hadn't heard the name Neung Un-bi. That must be why he'd found his courage, now that he had more allies.
But having seen me shatter the main gate with a single strike, he should have realized I wasn't an opponent to be challenged just by relying on numbers!
Swoooosh!
Neung Un-bi dodged the sword strike, which drew a long arc, by leaning back, then clenched his fist tightly.
But I won't take your life.
You've done nothing wrong.
Wham! Craaack!
As he stepped forward and threw a punch, the martial artist, struck square in the face, was sent flying backward, spun once in the air, and collapsed flat on the ground.
“……!”
That single punch froze the entire scene in an instant.
The shouts that had filled the air vanished as if washed away, and the martial artists who had been charging forward with bravado stopped dead in their tracks, as if nailed to the spot.
“Tsk, who do you think I am? Attacking me with swordsmanship that couldn't even catch a dog.”
“……?”
As his eyes, blackened by demonic energy, gleamed like obsidian, a beggar who appeared to be a Beggars' Sect disciple among the contact point's martial artists cried out in terror.
“You, you're… Neung Un-bi!?”
“As expected of a Beggars' Sect member, you have a sharp eye. That's right, I'm that very Neung Un-bi.”
Seeing Neung Un-bi's incessant, sneering grin, the Beggars' Sect disciple spoke with a flustered expression.
“What are you doing here?”
“Oh dear, it seems word hasn't reached this far yet, has it? That I've vanished once again.”
“……?”
“What do you think I've been doing? You don't think I'd just stay in Luoyang, knowing the net was closing in, do you?”
“You escaped?”
“Isn't that obvious?”
“That's impossible…”
“Is it?”
The Beggars' Sect disciple couldn't bring himself to answer.
Unlike others, the Beggars' Sect disciples, who prioritize information above all else, had practically memorized Neung Un-bi's wanted poster.
His face, and even the thin sword he held in his hand.
It was definitely Neung Un-bi.
But why was he alone?
According to the latest information, hadn't he appeared in Luoyang with three groups trying to overthrow the Orthodox Murim Alliance, along with his guards who had fled from Dengfeng County?
The Beggars' Sect disciple was puzzled, seeing Neung Un-bi appear alone.
But before he could sort out his thoughts, Neung Un-bi raised his Flying Swallow Sword and aimed it at the disciple.
“At first, I considered just fleeing back to the Demonic Cult, but the more I thought about it, the angrier I got.”
“What?”
“After experiencing such humiliation, if I just went back, what would become of my pride as the Third Young Master of the Demonic Cult?”
“What are you talking about?”
“What do you think? It means I can't stand it without rampaging properly, like a true member of the Demonic Cult!”
As soon as he finished speaking, Neung Un-bi stepped forward, his form seeming to stretch as he closed the distance. The startled Beggars' Sect disciple hastily retreated.
But how could the Drunken Gait Footwork, used by mere low-level disciples of the Beggars' Sect, possibly compare to the Three Nothings Footwork?
Not a chance!
Seeing Neung Un-bi catch up in an instant, the Beggars' Sect disciple, realizing he couldn't shake him off, drew the Dog Beating Staff from his waist and swung it.
But before he could even execute a move, the Dog Beating Staff was caught in Neung Un-bi's hand.
“Am I… a dog?!”
“……!”
Thwack!
Struck by a powerful punch, the Beggars' Sect disciple staggered back.
Shaking his head to clear the impact, the disciple hurriedly prepared for Neung Un-bi's next attack.
Fortunately, Neung Un-bi didn't follow up, remaining stationary.
“…Huh?”
But an expression of bewilderment greater than the shock of the blow appeared on the disciple's face.
The Dog Beating Staff that should have been in his hand… why was it now in Neung Un-bi's?
And that expression on his face…
“Are you trying to get yourself killed, treating a person like a dog? If it's a Dog Beating Staff, it should be used for beating dogs, not people. Did your sect leader teach you that?”
“…”
Seeing Neung Un-bi angrily wielding the Dog Beating Staff, the disciple was utterly baffled.
Who ever said the Dog Beating Staff was only for beating dogs?
That was just its name.
“You should try getting hit with it too. You need to know how it feels for a person to be struck by a dog-beating stick.”
“…Wait, what kind of—?!”
He wanted to say the logic was absurd, but there was no time to argue.
The variations created by the Dog Beating Staff in Neung Un-bi's hand already filled the sky.
“Lunar Eclipse! Moonlight Over the World!”
“…Huh? Huuuh?”
The moment he tried to flee, the staff rained down from the sky.
Thwack! Thwack-thwack-thwack-thwack-thwack!
“Gyaaaah!”
Head, shoulders, knees, fingers, and even toes.
The Beggars' Sect disciple screamed in agony as every part of his body was pummeled.
“Guuuh…”
He couldn't remain standing.
Beaten until his body felt like mush, the disciple collapsed to the ground, let out a faint groan, and finally lost consciousness.
“Now then… are you next?”
“…”
Seeing Neung Un-bi with the Flying Swallow Sword in one hand and the Dog Beating Staff in the other, a wicked smile on his face, the contact point's martial artists looked utterly terrified.
“Well, who's next doesn't matter. What matters is that you've all caught my eye!”
The Orthodox Murim Alliance's contact points were established to quickly transmit news throughout the Central Plains.
In other words, their purpose was to disseminate orders, not to serve as military outposts.
Thus, there were no renowned martial artists here, nor were there any with the courage to charge at Neung Un-bi, who advanced while exuding demonic energy like a heat haze.
“I'm going to knock you all down and head straight for the Orthodox Murim Alliance headquarters. I won't feel satisfied until I've smashed a few fortress walls and pavilions.”
Feeling fear at the sight of Neung Un-bi approaching with gritted teeth, the martial artists hesitated and backed away.
“Ugh… R-run!”
Then, they promptly turned and began to flee.
But unfortunately, the distance was too short.
Neung Un-bi was a martial artist who had already neared the realm of sword energy.
Moreover, hadn't he grown to the point where he could transcend his five senses and exert some control over the space around him?
“Fools. If I was going to let you escape, would I have come here myself?”
Unleashing the energy of the Demonic Spirit Divine Pill all at once, Neung Un-bi lightly lifted his foot and then stomped it forcefully onto the ground.
Lunar Eclipse, Moonlight Prison!
Kuuuuuuung!
The crushing energy compressed into the ground before erupting outwards in all directions.
BOOM! KABOOM!
The nearby walls exploded simultaneously, and the martial artists caught in the blast were thrown to the ground.
However, a few who had used their comrades' bodies as shields barely survived and tried to continue their escape.
“Heh, you think that's the end of it?”
Scoffing at the martial artists who hadn't given up on fleeing, Neung Un-bi's hands drew a large circle. The debris from the shattered walls and buildings swirled around, following his hands, and then scattered in all directions.
Thwack! Thwack-thwack!
“Kuaaack!”
Swept up in the storm of debris, the martial artists collapsed to the ground before they could get very far.
And then.
“Wh-what is going on here?!”
“……?”
Martial artists who hadn't yet left for Luoyang and were still nearby rushed into the contact point, drawn by the sudden commotion.
Dozens? No, to exaggerate a bit, it seemed like well over a hundred.
Then again, had the commotion been that big?
The contact point's pavilions and walls had completely crumbled into dust, and martial artists were strewn everywhere…
“Hey, are you alright?!”
“Ugh… Demonic Cult… Neung Un-bi…”
“Hmm?”
“Neung…”
One of the contact point's martial artists, supported by someone, barely managed to lift a finger and point at Neung Un-bi.
He lost consciousness before he could finish his sentence, but there was no one who didn't understand his words.
“Demonic Cult?”
“Neung Un-bi?”
How could he be here when he was supposed to be in Luoyang?
But martial prowess of this level was anything but common. Besides, it was unlikely the contact point's martial artists wouldn't recognize his face.
Moreover, seeing as his face was familiar to them as well…
“It's Neung Un-bi! That bastard is the Third Young Master of the Demonic Cult! There's no doubt!”
“…That's right! That was his face!”
People who recognized Neung Un-bi's face began to pop up here and there. Some even took out the wanted posters they carried and began to compare them.
“Tch! This is getting annoying. I have no choice but to hurry and join the Lunar Eclipse Squad and head for the Orthodox Murim Alliance.”
Neung Un-bi scowled and made to leave the contact point.
“Stop, you bastard!”
“…Stop?”
At that, martial artists blocked his path, aiming their swords at him.
Seeing this, Neung Un-bi let out a smirk and tilted his head.
“You're going to stop me?”
“…O-of course!”
He said that, but the hand gripping his sword was trembling.
Well, they must be scared. In their words, I'm no different from a great demon.
Especially since I reduced the contact point to this state all by myself…
“Then stop me.”
“……!”
Neung Un-bi simply walked.
However, he walked while unleashing all the energy he possessed.
Overwhelmed by his immense presence, the martial artists who had blocked his path stumbled backward before finally collapsing to the ground.
Neung Un-bi walked right past them, but the martial artists could only stare up at him blankly.
“As if you could stop me…”
Scoffing at them, Neung Un-bi looked in the direction of the Orthodox Murim Alliance.
This should be enough.
I've announced my name and deliberately revealed my next destination to cause confusion. When the martial artists from the contact point wake up, the rumor will spread like wildfire.
And that rumor will reach Luoyang via carrier pigeon.
Then, an escape route will open. It might not be wide open, but with Hyang-i and the Lunar Eclipse Squad's skills, it will be a gap they can surely squeeze through.
That's enough.
Now, I just need to pretend I'm heading to the Orthodox Murim Alliance, then change direction and go to Sanmenxia.
The place where I'm supposed to meet Hyang-i.
And after that…
To be honest, I haven't thought that far ahead.
But since I've appeared here and there, that Zhuge bastard is bound to be suspicious.
He'll wonder which appearance is the real me.
He'll also meticulously examine the revealed circumstances.
And by then, he will probably realize it.
The fact that I had Yun An-ro and the others escape first…
In other words, from now on, it was a race against time.
When would those clever Zhuge bastards catch on?
If they don't figure it out before Hyang-i and the Lunar Eclipse Squad join me, we should be able to escape safely by following the northern waterway.
But if they figure it out too quickly, it will be a difficult escape. They might even send a separate pursuit team to capture Yun An-ro while keeping me tied down.
“In the end, I can only leave it to fate.”
Neung Un-bi bit his lower lip and headed for another nearby Orthodox Murim Alliance branch.
It would take some time for Hyang-i and the Lunar Eclipse Squad to escape Luoyang and reach Sanmenxia. In the meantime, I had to make those bastards believe I was really going to the Orthodox Murim Alliance headquarters.
Only then would they hesitate to make a decision and waste time.