Chapter 205
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 205
Chapter Title: The Sword Emperor's Pursuit
"Ah!"
Having escaped the village through the secret passage the old servant had shown him, Neung Un-bi gazed at the column of fire rising in the distance.
"They didn't just erase the traces; they obliterated the entire place."
"Mm."
Neung Un-bi nodded at Wang Cheon's words.
The village that had served as a secret branch of the Beggars' Union. He'd never imagined the old servant's words about shutting it down meant this.
An explosion of that magnitude wouldn't just leave no traces; the village itself would be gone.
It would also draw attention.
If anyone was watching...
"Let's go. We must use this opportunity to get away quickly."
"Yes!"
They would be in the Unorthodox Faction's territory for a while.
They would follow the ridge from the start of the Qilian Mountains to the Great Snow Mountain. The path was treacherous, but the risk of being discovered was low.
Then, they had to cross the same desert he had traversed when he first came to the Central Plains. There was no better place to erase their tracks.
Afterward, they would travel along the desert until they reached the vicinity of Jade Gate Pass.
The Orthodox Murim Alliance might have set up a blockade to contain the Demonic Cult, but the Cult wouldn't have remained idle.
Although the Demonic Cult was filled with his political opponents, didn't they say that blood is thicker than water?
If he were to be killed, they would be the ones to do it. Surely their pride wouldn't allow the Third Young Master of the Demonic Cult to die at the hands of the Orthodox Faction.
As long as he caught the attention of the Demonic Cult there, his chances of crossing the border alive would increase significantly.
However...
Neung Un-bi glanced at Yun An-ro.
Though he didn't show it, he looked utterly exhausted. Neung Un-bi doubted he could endure the arduous journey ahead.
"My lord."
"Yes?"
"I will look after Guild Master Yun."
"..."
Ju Seung approached and spoke, as if he had read Neung Un-bi's mind.
"...Thank you."
"It's nothing. Easing the burdens on your heart is also my duty."
Ju Seung calmly accepted Neung Un-bi's gratitude.
Come to think of it...
Not just Ju Seung, but Wang Cheon and the entire Lunar Eclipse Squad were silently fulfilling their roles. Even Hyang-i was finding and carrying out her duties.
In the end, he was the only one who was lacking.
He felt sorry and grateful. In a way, they were in danger entirely because of him.
"What are you doing? Aren't you coming?"
"...Ah!"
It was Wang Cheon's voice, hurrying him along.
Normally, he would have been irritated, but Neung Un-bi just chuckled. He could repay his gratitude to them little by little from now on.
"Alright, let's go."
At Neung Un-bi's words, Hyang-i walked ahead, scanning their surroundings for threats. The warriors of the Lunar Eclipse Squad, led by Wang Cheon, spread out to the left and right, preparing for any potential danger.
Fortunately, there was no danger until they crossed the Qilian Mountains.
After a short rest, Neung Un-bi considered checking on the nearby Dancheon Gate, but he quickly shook his head.
Would they have been left unscathed? They had likely already withdrawn and returned to the Demonic Cult, unable to withstand the pressure from the Orthodox Murim Alliance.
In the end, the group resumed their journey, running along the base of the mountain ridge.
One day, two days... The days passed quickly.
They ran when the sun rose and rested when it set. The path was too treacherous to travel under the cover of night. A single misstep could send them plummeting off a cliff.
"My lord, I think we need to rest for a moment."
"Mm."
At Ju Seung's words, Neung Un-bi looked at the warriors of the Lunar Eclipse Squad.
They were among the Demonic Cult's most elite warriors, but the long and arduous escape was gradually wearing them down.
They would soon reach the desert, but it would be difficult to continue like this.
The journey through the desert would be even more grueling.
When he finally looked at Yun An-ro, his condition was even more severe.
His face was deathly pale. Besides his ragged breathing, his gaze was unfocused from exhaustion.
"Ju Seung. First, find a place to rest and prepare some water and food."
"Yes, my lord. But more importantly... I think you should check on Guild Master Yun."
"..."
"He is not in good condition."
Neung Un-bi nodded at Ju Seung's heavy words and approached Yun An-ro.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm... alright."
Yun An-ro forced a smile, his chapped lips parting with difficulty.
That smile made his heart ache.
How had this man, once so proud and always so dependable, ended up like this?
All he did was call out what was wrong and try to set things right...
Damn them.
The ache in his heart turned into rage toward the powerful figures of the Orthodox Murim Alliance.
Those bastards who stole the lives of others to maintain their power, framed the innocent, and even resorted to murder to hide their misdeeds...
*Grind.*
Gritting his teeth, Neung Un-bi suppressed his anger and maintained a forced smile as he spoke to Yun An-ro.
"I'm going to take a look at your wound."
"...Yes."
Neung Un-bi carefully unwrapped the bandage around the wound.
"Ugh..."
The moment the wound was exposed, not only Neung Un-bi but also Shin Ye-rang and Kim San, who were standing nearby, grimaced in horror.
Having not been properly treated, the flesh had gone beyond festering and was now rotting.
"The pain must have been severe. Why didn't you say anything?"
"Haha, how could I?"
"..."
"If it weren't for me, you all wouldn't be suffering like this."
"Mm..."
For a moment, Neung Un-bi was at a loss for words.
He was thinking the exact same thing. He hadn't said anything because he felt he was already a burden.
He should have checked sooner. Neung Un-bi felt a surge of anger at his own complacency.
"Guild Master, I will treat this immediately. We can't let it be."
"...I understand."
"This will hurt. It would be best to bite down on something."
"I will endure it."
"...Alright."
At Yun An-ro's response, Neung Un-bi took out a small knife and began to cut away the rotten flesh.
"Kngh..."
It was the pain of having living flesh carved out. It should have been agonizing enough to elicit a scream, not just a groan, but Yun An-ro merely clenched his thigh tightly, his body trembling uncontrollably.
But Neung Un-bi didn't stop, skillfully cutting away the dead tissue from the wound. Only after applying a styptic powder and re-bandaging it did he stand up.
"Hoo, that should do it. He might develop a fever overnight. Please watch over him closely."
"Understood, Young Master Neung."
Shin Ye-rang replied respectfully to Neung Un-bi's words. Now, there wasn't a trace of suspicion or wariness in their eyes.
"Thank you... Young Master Neung."
"Don't mention it."
Seeing Yun An-ro struggle to express his gratitude, a shadow of worry crossed Neung Un-bi's face.
He should have treated it in time. It wouldn't have become this severe if he had...
What should he do?
Could he cross the desert with his current stamina?
"My lord."
"...?"
"Let's rest for another day."
"A whole day?"
"Yes. Considering Guild Master Yun's condition, he'll only become a burden if we try to cross the desert now. It would be better to let him recover a little before we proceed."
"The Lunar Eclipse Squad Leader is right this time."
Wang Cheon nodded in agreement with Ju Seung. They were showing consideration for someone they had no connection to.
Neung Un-bi, believing they were concerned about Yun An-ro because of him, swallowed his guilt.
He felt he would have to tell them someday.
About his past.
About the strange events that had happened to him and why things had come to this.
He didn't know if they would understand.
"Damn it... Fine, let's rest. It's not like anyone will complain if we're a day late, right?"
"Thank you, Hyang-i."
"Thank me, my ass... Don't say things that don't suit you. I'm just tired too. And it doesn't seem like anyone's chasing us in these mountains any... ?!"
Hyang-i, who had been shrugging off Neung Un-bi's sincere thanks, suddenly widened her eyes and shouted.
"Damn it! Danger!"
"...?"
He was momentarily puzzled by her shout and her sudden leap.
*Swoosh!*
A chill ran down Neung Un-bi's spine at the sound whistling past his ear. He instinctively drew his Soaring Swallow Sword and twisted his body.
*Claaang!*
The powerful impact bent the Soaring Swallow Sword like a bow, and Neung Un-bi was thrown backward.
"Kuh!"
Neung Un-bi grimaced as a tearing pain shot through his sword hand.
The object that struck his sword was another sword. The blade, which had flown out of nowhere, was deflected upon impact and shot back into the forest.
"My lord!"
Wang Cheon and Ju Seung urgently stepped forward, pointing their swords toward the forest. Daggers had already appeared in both of Hyang-i's hands.
"Not bad."
"...?"
A low but powerful voice echoed from the woods.
It was followed by the sound of multiple footsteps, and a group of figures emerged from the forest.
At their head was an old man with sharp eyes.
His blue outer robe was embroidered with a dragon pattern, and the two characters for 'Vast Heaven' were emblazoned on his chest.
"Namgung Mu-wi..."
Recognizing him instantly, Neung Un-bi's face contorted into a deep scowl.
How could he ever forget?
That face, which had looked down on him with a cold sneer as he lay dying...
"To know of me, you must be well-informed, but it seems you haven't learned any manners."
"..."
Neung Un-bi couldn't muster a reply to the man's chiding words.
He was a man he wanted to tear limb from limb, but the moment he appeared, a crushing pressure filled the air, making it hard to breathe.
The Sword Emperor.
The pressure of that title and the sheer presence emanating from the man made every hair on his body stand on end.
Even Hyang-i, who usually threw a dagger first and asked questions later, was tense, her senses heightened.
Neung Un-bi forced himself to hide his tension and began to assess the situation.
Namgung Mu-wi was not alone. He could feel numerous killing intents surrounding them in the forest.
They were already surrounded.
The others were likely staying hidden to preserve Namgung Mu-wi's dignity.
However, having already sensed their presence, the Lunar Eclipse Squad had formed a circular formation to defend against attacks from the outside.
The problem was Yun An-ro and the others.
The earlier attack had created a gap between him and them. It was only about ten paces, but he couldn't move rashly.
Hyang-i and Neung Un-bi.
No matter how incredible their movement techniques were, could they be faster than a sword thrown by the Sword Emperor?
Especially not under the pressure of the aura he was exuding, which restricted their speed.
Shin Ye-rang and Kim San seemed to know this as well, and they could only watch cautiously.
From this point on, he had to walk on a knife's edge. His every action, every word, would have a massive impact.
[Hyang-i.]
"...?"
[Hide your true strength.]
Hyang-i tilted her head at the inexplicable telepathic message, but there was no time to explain.
Forcing himself to regain his composure, Neung Un-bi slowly stepped forward.
"My, my apologies. I was so surprised by the Sword Emperor's arrival that I misspoke."
"..."
"Allow me to introduce myself again. I am Neung Un-bi of the Demonic Cult."
"Heh heh, trying to act composed? Against me?"
"Of course not. Who would dare to act composed in front of the Sword Emperor?"
Neung Un-bi tilted his head and walked slowly.
One step at a time.
So that Namgung Mu-wi wouldn't notice he was getting closer to Yun An-ro.
"But this is unexpected. Has the proud Namgung family been raising mongrels like trackers?"
"Hmph! As if!"
"Then... it must be the Beggars' Union, right? With the help of the Black Hounds, I presume."
At Neung Un-bi's words, Namgung Mu-wi narrowed one eye.
"Heh heh, a lad with a tongue more cunning than a snake's. I see you're trying to glean information from our conversation."
"Oh, you've found me out. The Sword Emperor is as sharp as they say. But please, speak freely. There's no need to hide anything from the likes of us, is there?"
"Naturally. What threat could you possibly pose? That's right. The Black Hounds tracked you."
"They must be here with you."
"But don't you worry. I alone am more than enough to take your head."
"Of course, you are."
Neung Un-bi nodded and took another step.
Not much further. The moment he secured Yun An-ro's safety, he would attack with all his might and break through the encirclement.
He didn't need to worry about the others. Only Namgung Mu-wi mattered.
That was why he'd told Hyang-i to hide her strength. So she could strike from behind when Namgung Mu-wi attacked him as he tried to escape.
The distance was closing.
Neung Un-bi's hand moved to his Soaring Swallow Sword.
Outwardly, he appeared calm, but inside, he was burning with anxiety.
If Namgung Mu-wi noticed, it was all over.
Three more paces...
His grip on the Soaring Swallow Sword tightened, and he focused all his senses on his next step.
The next step.
Three Nothings Footwork, Flash Strike. He had to block the path to Yun An-ro while simultaneously unleashing everything he had at Namgung Mu-wi.
It was then.
"Tsk, tsk, how disappointing. I can see right through your little plan."
"...?"
The voice of a youthful young man approaching Yun An-ro's side stopped Neung Un-bi in his tracks.