Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Wavering Demon Shadow Squad
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"That's right. It's a sect where recent disputes have broken out. They're being pushed back by a newly emerged faction nearby."
Dugun Un felt an ominous premonition.
"Tell me about the factions they're clashing with."
The Vermilion Bird Unit Leader pulled another list from his bosom and offered it politely. He had come prepared.
Dugun Un nodded and took the list, scanning it from top to bottom.
"There's a red line here too. Black Death Hall...!"
"Yes, that's the one."
Dugun Un nodded. He knew the story well. How could he not, when Heavenly Thunder had been mentioned?
"Then where is the place opposing them?"
The Vermilion Bird Unit Leader answered immediately. He had anticipated the question.
"Ak Family Manor."
"Ak Family Manor..."
The Ak Family Manor was actually quite a renowned clan. Its head, Ak Bi-hwan, was a man whose name carried weight thanks to his domineering blade arts.
"First, look into the relationship between Ak Family Manor and Henan Escort Bureau."
"Understood."
"By the way, it's truly astonishing that the Heavenly Qi Master created so many martial arts."
At Dugun Un's murmur, the Vermilion Bird Unit Leader added to his report.
"It's not just martial arts. It seems he had some influence in the merchant world as well."
"The merchant world?"
"We haven't confirmed it definitively yet, but there appear to be several trading companies under his sway. Traces of the Heavenly Qi Master are popping up here and there besides that."
"Heavens, what a remarkable man this Heavenly Qi Master was."
Even in life, the Heavenly Qi Master's fame had shaken the world. For his name to resurface after a full decade since his death was truly extraordinary.
"He's no ordinary person."
Dugun Un nodded and issued an order to the Vermilion Bird Unit Leader.
"Dig deeper into the traces he left behind. It feels like there's something there. Something we can't afford to miss."
"Yes."
The Vermilion Bird Unit Leader bowed and left the Alliance Leader's office. Dugun Un watched him go, then let out a soft sigh.
"Whew, the Heavenly Qi Master..."
The Heavenly Qi Master had deep ties to Dugun Un—and to the Martial Alliance—in many ways. Hadn't Dugun Un claimed the Yang Gu from the Yin-Yang Gu the man had left behind? Currently, the Yang Gu was firmly rooted in Dugun Un's dantian.
In truth, it would be a lie to say he hadn't felt uneasy taking it at first. But not anymore. Ever since the Yang Gu took root in his dantian, Dugun Un's internal energy had surged dramatically. The Yang Gu meshed perfectly with the energy accumulated there, creating a synergistic effect that produced far greater power.
Dugun Un lightly stroked the area near his dantian.
Wriggle.
The Yang Gu stirred in his dantian. As Dugun Un's internal energy grew, so did the Yang Gu, bit by bit. It had grown large enough now that he could feel it moving.
It might become troublesome if it got too big, but Dugun Un wasn't worried at all. He had discovered that once it reached a certain size, it would molt like a snake shedding its skin. It had already molted once, and a little more growth would trigger the second molt.
As he stroked his dantian, feeling the Yang Gu's movements, Dugun Un glanced around and pulled a letter from his bosom.
The letter was filled with tiny script.
"Hmm, a hidden cave..."
Dugun Un's brow furrowed.
"If this is mishandled, it could unleash a storm of blood across the jianghu."
After reading the letter through, Dugun Un gathered energy in his hand.
Whoosh!
The letter burst into flames in an instant.
As if sensing Dugun Un's feelings, the ashes scattered into the air.
9. Wavering Demon Shadow Squad
After the Sword King revealed his true colors(?) to Dan Hyeong-u and Jong Chil from atop the carriage roof, the three of them—the Sword King, Dan Hyeong-u, and Jong Chil—grew much closer. Jong Chil still found the Sword King intimidating, but the Sword King treated the two with a friendly demeanor unlike before.
The person most flustered by the Sword King's change in attitude was Geum Yuhwa. She had never imagined him capable of such behavior, so she struggled to adapt. But as the daughter of Geum Ja-hang and fiancée of Yu Baek-sang, she hid her visible confusion deep within.
From then on, the Sword King continued riding atop the carriage with Dan Hyeong-u. If nothing happened, they would have kept it that way.
Jong Chil's skill at driving the carriage was already quite impressive. But during this escort mission, it had improved even further. He was putting extra effort into minimizing the carriage's jolts to accommodate the Sword King and Dan Hyeong-u.
In truth, Geum Yuhwa didn't register it. Though beautiful, she stayed inside the carriage, leaving no time to properly see him—and compared to the name Sword King, she felt little interest.
At any rate, Jong Chil drove so smoothly that even the Sword King atop the roof was impressed.
"You're far better suited as a coachman than a swordsman. Haha!"
Jong Chil's lips puffed out at the Sword King's laughter, but he couldn't retort. It was the Sword King, after all. Still, if this kept up, he might snap eventually. Though even then, Jong Chil would be the one getting hurt.
Jong Chil decided to focus solely on driving. Lately, he hadn't felt much enthusiasm for sword training. He had been learning the peerless Divine Art before, so practicing something inferior killed his motivation.
He trained daily regardless, but the thought of falling behind his comrades at the bureau made his stomach churn. And every time, he resented the Sword King.
"Tch, if you don't know, just stay quiet."
Jong Chil grumbled under his breath. Though soft, the Sword King surely heard it.
Thwack!
"Keurk!"
Jong Chil felt his mind go blank and reflexively steadied the reins before snapping back to awareness.
Even then, the carriage didn't shake at all. It was a divine level of skill.
Jong Chil seethed inside. How many times had this happened now? He kept grumbling and getting smacked, but to hit him so hard his soul nearly fled—how could the Sword King do that?
"Haha! That rascal's truly reached divine realm now."
The Sword King's words twisted Jong Chil's guts once more. Just as Jong Chil could bear it no longer and opened his mouth to yell, something leaped in front of the carriage.
"Gasp!"
Jong Chil's hands moved busily. He separately controlled the two horses pulling the carriage, deftly swerving around the sudden obstacle. His skill was astonishing.
The intruder seemed startled by the maneuver, staring wide-eyed at the passing carriage. But without much concern, he slowly walked toward it. The carriage had no choice but to stop eventually.
As the man predicted, the carriage halted. It had to, with so many people blocking the road ahead.
The man, Ma Young, grinned and quickened his pace. He needed to arrive before Ma Young Squad clashed with the Sword King, so they could fight him at full strength.
Ma Young Squad knew this too, so none even exuded killing intent.
Ma Young approached the carriage and looked up at the Sword King seated atop it.
"As expected of the Sword King. I can feel your momentum from here."
The Sword King's expression twisted oddly at Ma Young's words.
"You know I'm Yeom Cheol-gun, yet you still stopped the carriage?"
Ma Young grinned at the Sword King's remark.
"Care to have a go?"
The Sword King chuckled at Ma Young's challenge. But he didn't underestimate him. Ma Young was a worthy opponent. He could understand that confidence. At such a young age, possessing that level of strength would naturally breed arrogance.
"Cheeky brat with no manners. Hold on... Do I really need to step in?"
Ma Young's eyebrow twitched at the Sword King's words. He was offended.
"Shall we start by smashing the carriage?"
The Sword King frowned at Ma Young's statement.
"That wouldn't be wise."
"Too late."
Ma Young's sword shifted slightly.
Whoosh!
A massive sword wind whipped toward the carriage. It had enough force to shatter it to pieces in one blow.
Swoosh.
But the result was different. The sword wind Ma Young unleashed merely brushed past the carriage like a gentle breeze.
Ma Young's eyes blazed with fierce fighting spirit.
"As expected of the Sword King. To disperse my sword wind so effortlessly."
The Sword King widened his eyes at Ma Young's words, pointing at himself with a finger.
"Me? Why would I do something like that?"
Ma Young scowled.
"Are you messing with me now? Think you can keep blocking the carriage?"
Ma Young raised his sword. Sword energy streamed from it. But the Sword King didn't even twitch an eyebrow.
"I said I didn't do it. Anyway, you're in big trouble now. Someone scarier than me won't let you off."
"What nonsense!"
As Ma Young shouted, the Sword King glanced at Dan Hyeong-u standing to the side. Dan Hyeong-u regarded Ma Young with indifferent eyes.
The moment Ma Young's gaze met Dan Hyeong-u's, he unwittingly stepped back.
'Th-this...!'
Shame colored Ma Young's face as he retreated. It wasn't intimidation—it was instinctive fear. The fact that he had been briefly terrified humiliated him. And it enraged him—at himself and at Dan Hyeong-u for causing it.
"Don't touch the carriage."
Dan Hyeong-u's indifferent words flowed out, and Ma Young glared.
"Or what?"
"You'll die."
Ma Young snorted at Dan Hyeong-u's blunt reply.
"Hah!"
It was absurd. Upon closer inspection, the man had nothing special. He couldn't fathom why he'd felt fear. No internal energy, no presence. Just an ordinary guy with a sword at his waist.
"Don't butt into adults' conversation, kid."
Ma Young ground his teeth slightly as he spoke to Dan Hyeong-u. Dan Hyeong-u showed no reaction. Ma Young sneered and added,
"Or you'll die."
Dan Hyeong-u's chilling gaze swept over Ma Young. In that instant, Ma Young felt utterly exposed, as if his innermost thoughts were being dragged out. It was an eerie, deeply unpleasant sensation.
Grip tightening on his sword, Ma Young carefully examined Dan Hyeong-u again. There was something off. Maybe a hidden master concealing his arts.
'Come to think of it, I've been so fixated on the Sword King that I forgot one thing.'
Ma Young's mission wasn't to kill the Sword King. It was to kill Dan Hyeong-u of Henan Escort Bureau. The man who had slaughtered dozens at the council.
Only one aura emanated from inside the carriage—a woman's, not well-versed in martial arts. That left the three outside: excluding the Sword King, only the coachman had trained in martial arts.
Ma Young's gaze shifted to Jong Chil, then he shook his head slightly. No. Jong Chil's skills were too weak to massacre thirty Heaven-Shaking Squad members alone.
Ma Young looked back at Dan Hyeong-u. That left only one possibility. Hard to believe, but...
"You're Dan Hyeong-u."
Surprise tinged Ma Young's words. Someone who seemed utterly untrained, capable of killing thirty Heaven-Shaking Squad elites? Impossible. A man without internal energy couldn't defeat thirty masters rivaling sect elders.
"You know me?"
Dan Hyeong-u's eyes grew icier. He disliked the vibe emanating from Ma Young. It was a familiar yet repulsive sensation.
Dan Hyeong-u leaped down from the carriage and faced Ma Young. Cold sweat poured from Ma Young's body.
Ma Young couldn't comprehend himself. Few could defeat him—mostly confined to the council. Among outsiders, almost none. Perhaps only Heavenly Demon or Martial Emperor, top of the Ten Great Masters?
Yet this inexplicable terror—what was it? Unpleasant, but not unfamiliar.
'It feels similar to standing before the Council Lord.'
Ma Young stepped back again.
This was unheard of for him. His excessive fighting spirit made him charge at anyone who seemed strong. Fury welled up at himself. This wasn't him.
Flames ignited in Ma Young's eyes—and on his sword.
Roar!
Ma Young let the flame-wreathed sword hang naturally and stared at Dan Hyeong-u.
His sword shot forth like a beam of light.
Fwoosh!
The flames followed, engulfing Dan Hyeong-u in an instant.