Chapter 184
Chapter 184
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 184
Chapter Title: Evolution (3)
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Cheol Woo, who had gone out hunting, returned with a massive wild boar slung over his shoulder just as dusk was settling in thickly. A large deer was draped across the back of Black Wolf, who had gone hunting with him.
Boom!
Cheol Woo roughly dropped the wild boar in front of Manchu, who was diligently building a fire.
"Whew, what kind of wild boar grows this huge?"
Manchu exclaimed in shock at the house-sized beast.
"Let's gorge on some meat for a change. I've been filling my belly with nothing but grass-fed stuff every day—I can't tell if I'm turning into a cow or if a cow's turning into me. Anyway, dress it properly. Oh, and since I brought it upside down, no need to drain the blood."
"Got it."
Manchu perked up and inspected the boar.
As Cheol Woo said, there was a deep knife wound on the boar's neck, with coagulated blood visible between the gashes.
"Gwayu, you handle that one."
Cheol Woo pointed at the deer on Black Wolf's back.
"Yes, sir."
Gwayu patted Black Wolf's head before taking down the deer.
"Captain still...?"
Cheol Woo asked So Surin, who was idly sitting on the bench, staring blankly at the flames Manchu had lit.
"Yeah. No movement at all."
"It's been ten days today, right?"
"Yep."
"Wonder how long he'll hole up. Things over there seem like they're about to get moving."
Cheol Woo glanced toward the tent pitched a short distance away and continued.
"The wounded ones are mostly healed by now, aren't they?"
"Not fully, but it shouldn't hinder travel. I heard talk of heading out tomorrow."
"Well, we've got a sparring match promised, so we can't just kill time forever."
Cheol Woo spoke with a face full of regret. So Surin looked at him with an amused gaze and chuckled.
"What? Disappointed?"
"What nonsense is that? Who's disappointed?"
Cheol Woo glared with his big eyes, but it didn't stop So Surin's mouth.
"You look pretty bummed. If you're that torn up, why not beg them to delay their departure a bit? Who knows? They might wait."
Cheol Woo, tempted for a split second, snapped into a scowl and barked.
"Shut it! Keep talking crap and you're dead."
"No need to get mad if you don't like it... Oh, Jin, little bro?"
Cheol Woo whipped around like lightning at So Surin's words, startled.
No one was there as he'd imagined. Manchu, who was slicing open the boar's belly with a knife at that moment, just stared in surprise.
"Heh heh heh heh!"
So Surin's laughter echoed from behind as she clutched her stomach and rolled on the bench.
"This crazy bitch for real..."
Cheol Woo's face flushed red as he was about to roar—
Creak!
The door that had been tightly shut for ten days swung open. Sima Geon emerged slowly, his face so gaunt it was like looking at a completely different person.
"C-Captain."
Cheol Woo called out in his awkward stance. So Surin jumped up from rolling on the bench and rushed to Sima Geon.
"Division Leader, you okay?"
Sima Geon gently pushed away So Surin, who tried to support his arm, and fixed his gaze on Manchu—or more precisely, the boar he was preparing.
"I'm hungry."
Dinner was bountiful.
The wild boar and deer that Cheol Woo and Black Wolf had caught were enough for their group, as well as the Sword Empress's and Sword Pavilion's disciples, to feast on for days.
Cheol Woo set aside an appropriate portion of meat and distributed the rest evenly to the village residents, who were trembling in anxiety over the sudden arrival of these martial artists.
Neung Sohwa, having finished her meal early, watched Sima Geon's group blankly as they shared and drank the liquor she'd obtained in exchange for some meat.
"What has you so entranced?"
Jinrim opened with a playful expression, but Danrihwa shot her a sharp look signaling silence.
Neung Sohwa, her eyes on Sima Geon, spoke softly.
"His presence has changed."
"Pardon?"
"Before, I could vaguely sense the power he held, even if not clearly. But now... I can't tell at all. What on earth did he do?"
"He holed up for ten days. Maybe he's just exhausted? He looks like he's lost a ton of weight."
Danrihwa let out a sigh at Jinrim's innocent reply.
Neung Sohwa shook her head with a light laugh.
"It's not just exhaustion. There's definitely been a major change we can't perceive."
Danrihwa tilted her head.
"Without even moving a muscle? How can someone's skill improve just sitting still...?"
"He probably didn't ingrain it through physical practice. But perhaps some enlightenment?"
Neung Sohwa gazed at Sima Geon with eyes full of conviction.
Her prediction proved true less than a full day later.
The day after Sima Geon ended his brief seclusion(?), the group set off for the Living Immortal Medical House as originally planned.
During the journey, Sima Geon barely spoke, lost in deep thought all day. Then, at evening after the day's march, he sparred with Cheol Woo.
He'd frequently dueled with So Surin, Manchu, and Gwayu lately, but it had been ages since his last bout with Cheol Woo.
In the sparring match, which dragged on for quite some time, Sima Geon showed a different side than usual. Others might not notice, but Cheol Woo, who knew Sima Geon's martial arts better than anyone, felt profound doubt.
From that day on, Cheol Woo's ordeal truly began.
If previous spars had been lessons to elevate the group's skills, these with Cheol Woo were for Sima Geon to hone his own.
To concretize and embody through practice the insights gained from days of seclusion, Sima Geon held nothing back.
Sensing the ominous aura from Sima Geon, Cheol Woo gave his all—not to win, but to survive. He squeezed out every ounce of strength from his nursing days.
'It's not clicking.'
That was Sima Geon's habitual mutter during the spars. Each time, Cheol Woo wailed inwardly.
'Bullshit! If that's not clicking, then what the hell!'
The one who observed their spars most intently was Neung Sohwa.
The Sword Empress, who had grasped the key to enlightenment from Sima Geon's prior fight with Yagul Jae, steadily watched their bouts and gained much once more.
But her growth paled compared to Sima Geon's.
Neung Sohwa sensed that Sima Geon's once wild, discordant movements were becoming simpler, more ordinary by the day.
There was only one implication.
In the short time en route to the Living Immortal Medical House, Sima Geon was evolving at a terrifying pace.
"I see you've heard as well."
Sima Sang greeted Yagul Soseong and Yagul Cheon-gyeong with a smile as they flung open the door with urgent faces.
"Yes. We rushed here right after the report."
Yagul Soseong continued, his face flushed with excitement.
"I never imagined Father's trip to the North Sea Ice Palace would bring back such intriguing developments."
"Honestly, even this old man was surprised. We've effectively allied with the North Sea Ice Palace, and they've promised to make some moves, but I never dreamed they'd strike south so swiftly. Even the Cult Leader likely didn't anticipate it."
Despite his words, Sima Sang's face brimmed with leisure as he lifted his teacup. Perhaps he'd foreseen it all.
"I'd heard the North Sea Ice Palace was strong, but I couldn't have imagined the Northern Hebei Peng Clan crumbling so helplessly. Even if they've been rated below their former glory lately, they're still one of the Five Great Clans."
Yagul Cheon-gyeong still looked incredulous.
"The martial world is in an uproar over the Northern Hebei Peng Clan."
"To be precise, it's because of the North Sea Ice Palace."
Sima Sang chuckled.
Indeed. With rumors swirling that the Heavenly Demon Cult and the Southern Martial World were stirring uneasily, all eyes in the martial world had turned there. Then this happened out of nowhere—not some minor incident, but a massive event shaking the entire jianghu.
"How far does the agreement go?"
Sima Sang answered Yagul Soseong's question.
"For now, they've promised to keep Shaolin in check."
At the mention of Shaolin, Yagul Soseong and Yagul Cheon-gyeong flinched in unison as if on cue.
The name Shaolin carried that much weight.
"Is that feasible? It's Shaolin."
Sima Sang smiled faintly at Yagul Cheon-gyeong's concerned words.
"That's for them to handle. Not our concern. Personally, though, I'd root for the North Sea Ice Palace. With the Martial Alliance in its current state, Shaolin won't easily get aid from others—but the North Sea Ice Palace is different."
"What do you mean?"
"They didn't descend alone; they brought many forces with them. Not easy to block."
Yagul Cheon-gyeong shook his head at Sima Sang's words.
"No matter how rundown the Martial Alliance is, Shaolin changes the equation. Wudang, Huashan, and the Beggars' Clan will rush to help right away. The Shandong Eum Clan, deeply tied to the Northern Hebei Pengs, will move too. The Sichuan Tang Clan... well, Tang and Nangong Clans lack the capacity. Still, with just Huashan, Wudang, and Eum, it'll be no easy fight."
"Then letting it play out is ideal."
"Pardon?"
"From our Cult's perspective, a pyrrhic victory where they slaughter each other is best—no easy win for either side."
Yagul Soseong, deep in thought, spoke up.
"Afterward, the Righteous Heaven Alliance will step in."
Sima Sang flashed a meaningful smile.
"You've caught on?"
"No need for keen insight. You mentioned before—the Alliance Leader's first move will be to block the North Sea Ice Palace's invasion."
"Indeed."
"Does the North Sea Ice Palace not know of our ties to the Righteous Heaven Alliance?"
"Of course not. No reason to tell them."
"Then the Alliance waits for mutual destruction? Dragging it out risks disappointing the people—or drawing suspicion."
"We'll ensure that doesn't happen. Don't worry. At the right moment, something will seize the public's attention."
As Yagul Soseong and Yagul Cheon-gyeong shot questioning looks, Sima Sang set down his teacup.
"The villain will make their entrance, stirring up a storm. Anyway, that buys the Alliance time to move. Then we strike the North Sea Ice Palace and utterly dismantle the Martial Alliance. That's the picture the Cult Leader and I have drawn."
"Ah!"
Exclamations burst from both simultaneously.
"And..."
Sima Sang outlined the subsequent plans. When he finished, Yagul Soseong was genuinely impressed.
"Incredible. When did you devise all this?"
"The thoughts are old. But it was the Cult Leader who shaped this old man's ideas into reality."
Sima Sang credited it all to Yagul Jae.
"But is it true Father has entered seclusion again?"
"Yes."
"He only just emerged. Why...?"
"Who knows. Even this old man can't fathom his every intent."
Sima Sang omitted mentioning that Yagul Jae had gone straight into seclusion after losing to Sima Geon.
"Anyway, no need to worry. He said it won't take long."