Battle for the Spirit Beast (2)
“Still haven’t captured it?”
In the Zhongnan Sect, which dominated Mount Zhongnan—a place boasting ancient history and tradition as a sacred site of Taoism— a heated meeting was in full swing.
Sa Muhyeok, the sect leader of the Zhongnan Sect and a super peak expert revered as the Wind Cloud Venerable, furrowed his brow deeply.
“Y-yes, that’s correct.”
The sect’s experts, who rarely acted rashly even in the face of the leader’s fury, wore troubled expressions.
But there was no helping it.
They had truly given it their all.
“That massive frog was so swift and cunning, darting through not just Mount Zhongnan but the surrounding wild hills. We couldn’t catch it at all.”
“Exactly. Even our top disciples, renowned for their lightness skills, chased it relentlessly, but it was all for naught.”
The Sun Golden Frog was a spirit beast beyond imagination.
For an amphibian, it was eerily perceptive—sensing any presence within ten zhang and fleeing the moment anyone with superior lightness skills approached.
“You fools! No matter how exceptional the spirit beast, it’s still just a mere animal. How can multiple peak experts fail at something so simple?”
Sa Muhyeok clicked his tongue.
Though he had a somewhat hot-tempered nature, he wasn’t the type to bully his subordinates.
On the contrary, he rarely even conversed with them unless there was a major blunder.
The change in Sa Muhyeok was inevitable, starting from the moment rumors spread of the Sun Golden Frog’s appearance near Mount Zhongnan.
Damn it, I should’ve heeded those herb gatherers’ words.
Sa Muhyeok regretted it bitterly, recalling the frog’s first sighting.
—We stumbled upon a natural cave... and there’s a gigantic frog inside!
The first to discover the Sun Golden Frog were a pair of herb gatherers who spent their lives foraging on Mount Zhongnan, donating a steady portion of their earnings to the sect.
They instantly recognized its extraordinary nature as a spirit beast and reported it straight to the Zhongnan Sect.
—You expect us to bother our sect members over some frog?
The sect’s leadership dismissed it outright.
Had they handled it properly then, the rumor of the Sun Golden Frog on Mount Zhongnan would never have spread.
Afterward, rebuffed by the Zhongnan Sect, the herb gatherers turned to the local authorities.
—It’s outside official jurisdiction. Mount Zhongnan has always been under the Zhongnan Sect and Taoists’ domain.
Even the magistrates could do nothing.
The gatherers’ desperate bid to slay the Sun Golden Frog stemmed from one reason.
Spirit beasts naturally absorbed the essence of herbs and elixirs they devoured, accumulating it in their inner cores.
A creature like the Sun Golden Frog threatened their livelihoods by devouring dozens of valuable herbs and elixirs from Mount Zhongnan daily.
In the end, they tearfully hired ronin and wandering martial artists, and through those loose-lipped mercenaries, the tale spread across the entire martial world.
“We must hurry. The Huashan Sect aside... if the Murim Alliance, Demon Sword Sect, or some hidden powerhouse intervenes, we’re done for.”
This was the primary reason Sa Muhyeok was raising his voice unusually at his subordinates.
The anxiety of someone else snatching it if they didn’t act fast.
It gnawed at him like being hunted, robbing him of sleep.
At least it’s fortunate our longtime rival, the Huashan Sect, has declared a semi-seclusion.
Had they not, those herb gatherers would have run straight to nearby Huashan after Zhongnan’s rejection.
And the precious Sun Golden Frog would have ended up gulped down by Huashan.
“Curiously, the Murim Alliance has been quiet. Likely because their Shaanxi branch was smashed by the Demon Sword Sect—they’re probably wary of setting foot in Shaanxi.”
Yeon Ilbi, Sa Muhyeok’s junior brother and wielder of the Azure Cloud Ancient Sword—more renowned for strategy and business acumen than martial prowess—quietly offered his view.
“And the Demon Sword Sect’s reaction?”
Sa Muhyeok asked.
In truth, eight parts of his sleepless anxiety stemmed from the Demon Sword Sect.
More precisely, from its leader, Hyeon Yucheon.
“Unexpectedly, they’ve been silent too.”
“Why?”
Sa Muhyeok tilted his head.
Even if the Demon Sword Sect’s base in Hebei was some distance from Shaanxi, their merchant guild’s hub was right there in Shaanxi, so they frequented the area.
He was certain the rumor had reached them early.
In fact, through Haomen leader So Jaun, the Demon Sword Sect knew all the details.
“Well...”
Yeon Ilbi hesitated at his senior brother and sect leader’s question.
He spoke awkwardly.
“Sigh, I truly don’t know.”
“What?”
Sa Muhyeok was taken aback, but it was the truth.
The reason was that Hyeon Yucheon had utterly defeated Crimson Sky Sword King Namgung Ungwang and secretly mastered the second Formless Mystery in a wild cave—something unknown even to unorthodox sects, let alone orthodox warriors.
So Yeon Ilbi was clueless.
“Strangely, the Demon Sword Sect shows no interest. Especially their leader, the Demon Sword Prince Hyeon Yucheon—rumors say he’s gone into secluded training somewhere.”
It was close to the truth.
As Yeon Ilbi faltered, another junior brother—more brawn than brains, the Zhongnan Fighting Maniac Wang Jeongbong—spoke up.
“Perhaps... the Demon Sword Prince isn’t interested in the Sun Golden Frog at all?”
In such meetings, Wang Jeongbong’s opinions were usually ignored or dismissed.
Most were worthless.
But this time?
“...!!”
Sa Muhyeok and Yeon Ilbi exchanged glances, eyes widening in sudden agreement.
When cornered, people cling to hopeful delusions.
What martial artist wouldn’t covet a spirit beast?
But their views diverged here.
“It could be, Senior Brother Leader!”
“Right! I hear that Demon Sword Prince inherited his master the Demon Sword Ghost Slave’s inner power, boasting reserves beyond his years. Overflowing with qi, he might not grasp the spirit beast’s true value.”
Sa Muhyeok grinned unwittingly.
Honestly, it was mere wishful thinking, but days of hunted paranoia had clouded his judgment.
“The Demon Sword Prince is human, after all. Exhausted from expanding his forces lately... no qi shortages to plague him, so he’s surely lost interest in this spirit beast fiasco.”
Yeon Ilbi’s sleep-deprived overwork-fueled nonsense sealed the perfect storm of delusion.
“Excellent! Then I’ll step in personally, claim the Sun Golden Frog as ours, and harvest its inner core!”
Sa Muhyeok boldly declared before his sect warriors.
Would he truly obtain the Sun Golden Frog’s core as planned?
Only time would tell.
“Whew~ Quite the crowd.”
So Jaun sat in Xi’an’s largest inn, the premier guest house in Zhongnan territory, whistling in awe.
Beside the dazzling beauty sat Hyeon Yucheon, with Jeong Se-in competitively seated on his other side.
And that wasn’t all.
“That’s why I told you in advance, Sister. Xi’an in Shaanxi is packed these days—no room to step. If you’re busy, rest at our merchant guild.”
Across from Hyeon Yucheon sat Yeon Jinjin, heir to the Gold Amount Escort Agency and daughter of its leader Yeon Daecheon.
She had once been betrothed to Hyeon Yucheon as a child.
Was it imagination, or did her smile carry thorns?
“Oh ho ho, such a witty young lady. Aren’t you busy with guild affairs yourself? Can you afford to idle like this?”
Thorns met thorns.
So Jaun gave no quarter.
Having risen to lead the cutthroat Haomen, she wasn’t one to be toyed with by the gently raised Yeon Jinjin.
“Young Master Hyeon, look at them clashing auras. Scary, right? Totally.”
Above the dueling pair flew Jeong Se-in’s clever mediation.
To secure the Sun Golden Frog, Hyeon Yucheon had planned to go alone, but Jeong Se-in and So Jaun insisted on tagging along. Upon arriving in Shaanxi, Yeon Jinjin stubbornly joined too.
Thus, Hyeon Yucheon unwittingly found himself at the Xi’an guest house, surrounded by three flowers—hands full—awaiting intel.
With the Haomen leader on it, word from the underlings would come soon.
“Ha ha, ha ha!”
Far better to battle super peak experts hurling sword auras than endure women’s aura wars. Unfamiliar with it, he just laughed heartily.
“Tch, lucky bastard.”
Just then.
Harsh mutters and piercing glares drifted from the upper floor.
Hm?
Sensing displeasure, Hyeon Yucheon glanced up—and sure enough.
Young orthodox talents clustered together.
Actually, these were Murim Alliance youths en route to headquarters, detouring here upon hearing of the Sun Golden Frog.
“Just overheard chatter.”
Crowds and spirit beasts drew martial artists, sparking endless squabbles in inns. Hyeon Yucheon paid it no mind.
Jeong Se-in and Yeon Jinjin felt the same.
Jeong Se-in was seasoned by age; Yeon Jinjin, young but world-traveled with her father, was experienced.
But they had Haomen leader So Jaun.
“Of course we overhear. Losers who can’t get girls always pick fights out of jealousy, right? Our handsome, powerful, wealthy Young Master Hyeon—bear with it.”
So Jaun spoke in her signature charming tone.
Of course, pitched loud enough for them to hear.
“What?!”
“Filthy whore!”
The hot-blooded Murim Alliance youths erupted.
They even shoved tables aside, ready to charge downstairs.
“What they see is all they get...”
So Jaun didn’t flinch at the vulgarity.
She’d have died on the streets long ago if such words cowed her—never mind leading Haomen.
“Gotcha, bitch.”
“Always hated her looks—time to teach her a lesson.”
The itching Alliance youths descended straight for Hyeon Yucheon.
Tch, no choice.
Hyeon Yucheon lamented sparking trouble before even finding the frog—when—
“What’s this commotion? I warned you not to act rashly in Shaanxi!”
A furious roar targeted the Alliance youths.
The man in neat martial robes, wielding a blue-threaded sword, was Namgung Sangjin—the Clear Wind Sword, a peak expert of the Namgung family and instructor supervising the Alliance’s young talents.
He led these disciples, having just returned from stepping out.
“It’s not that—these scumbags over here...”
As the immature youths grumbled—
“Gasp! G-gah!”
Namgung Sangjin, glaring sternly at his charges, finally glanced at Hyeon Yucheon’s group—and freaked out.
“D-Demon Sword Prince Hyeon Yucheon!”