Chapter 67
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Mang Mountain's Thistle
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Taiyuan was a military city that had long defended against the northern tribes. That was why an ancient fortress, built in the distant past, still remained.
Phoenix Fortress, known alongside Pingyao Fortress as one of the two great ancient strongholds.
The White Sword Sect was situated in a strategic location, facing the north gate of Phoenix Fortress.
Though its power had waned and its influence in the martial world was now minimal, its local standing was incredibly solid, having shared its history with Phoenix Fortress itself.
This was because it was the only orthodox sect that had acted as the guardian of this place.
Around midnight, as darkness settled.
Beom Gye-wi, gazing at the distant buildings of the White Sword Sect, took a pill from his robes.
"It's a waste. Should I just eat half?"
Looking at the few remaining Sacred Hand Divine Pills, Beom Gye-wi smacked his lips in regret.
After a moment of contemplation, he made up his mind.
"Ah, screw it. I'll just eat the whole thing."
Even if blood was spilled, his mind had to remain clear.
Tossing the divine pill into his mouth without hesitation, Beom Gye-wi unleashed the killing intent he had kept deeply suppressed in his chest.
"They dared to touch Physician Dan?"
Thinking of Dan Ak-seon, who must have suffered greatly because of that incident, made his anger boil over.
*CRACK.*
As Beom Gye-wi stomped the ground, the earth, unable to withstand the impact, caved in, and spiderweb-like cracks spread out in all directions.
In that instant, Beom Gye-wi's figure shot into the air.
Flying over thirty yards in a single leap, Beom Gye-wi immediately plunged toward a single point.
*KRA-BOOM!*
The main gate of the White Sword Sect exploded as if it had been struck by a meteor.
*CRUNCH.*
Following that, the Guest Reception Hall, where outside visitors were greeted, was also completely demolished.
"We're under attack!"
Starting with someone's near-scream of alarm, whistles and shouts erupted from all over, and warriors began pouring out of the various buildings.
Most were in their nightclothes, clearly having been woken from their sleep.
Nevertheless, the weapons they each held glinted with a sharp, vigilant edge that matched their gazes.
But they were all in a state of bewilderment.
Who would dare to scale the walls of the White Sword Sect? Not even the Everlasting Joy Syndicate, at the height of its power, had considered such a thing.
That was how symbolic the White Sword Sect was here in Taiyuan.
"There's only one enemy!"
More than fifty warriors had already tightly surrounded the intruder.
However, despite their overwhelming numerical advantage, their faces were all stiff with tension.
The opponent's aura was far from ordinary.
Beom Gye-wi surveyed his surroundings and gripped the Great Thistle Staff on his back.
*Thump.*
"Which one of you is Baek Un-hwi?"
Among the warriors, a seasoned veteran with extensive experience in the martial world cried out in shock.
"Mang Mountain's Thistle!"
He had recognized the massive physique, the thorny beard, and Beom Gye-wi's signature weapon, the Great Thistle Staff.
"......!"
An undeniable stir spread through the ranks of the White Sword Sect warriors.
Had they not known, it might have been different, but now that they knew Beom Gye-wi's identity, no one could make the first move. Staring at them, Beom Gye-wi let out a low growl.
"Bring him to me."
*Clink.*
Beom Gye-wi tightened his grip on the Great Thistle Staff.
"Or you can all die."
He lacked Cho Ak-ryang's talent for overwhelming opponents with words, so this was better anyway. Besides, there was no one more confident than Beom Gye-wi when it came to annihilating the enemy.
'If I wipe them all out, he'll be among them.'
Beom Gye-wi was a master who had reached the state of Mind-Will Energy Circulation.
His killing intent, naturally rising with his will, thickened explosively. In an instant, the faces of the White Sword Sect disciples, surrounded by his formidable aura, turned pale.
An overwhelming gaze and a formidable presence.
A terrifying pressure that only a grandmaster could possess was dominating the entire space they occupied.
Just as Beom Gye-wi was about to launch himself forward.
—I've found him.
A telepathic message reached him.
Beom Gye-wi turned his head toward the direction the message came from. His eyes met with a man who peeked out from behind the collapsed wall.
It was Yeop Dan-yeong.
His face was drenched in sweat, a testament to how quickly he had rushed here.
"Tch! Why'd he have to show up now of all times?"
Beom Gye-wi scowled with a look of disappointment.
"You're lucky."
Turning away without any lingering attachment, Beom Gye-wi followed Yeop Dan-yeong, who had already vanished, and leaped away, disappearing into the darkness.
"What in the world just happened?"
The White Sword Sect Leader, who had arrived late, pressed the dazed disciples.
But they were just as clueless.
As the disciples looked at each other with bewildered faces, one man stepped forward.
It was the master of the Guest Reception Hall, responsible for the security of the outer courtyard.
"The intruder was Beom Gye-wi."
"What?"
As the White Sword Sect Leader, Baek Un-gyeong, took in the sight of the demolished gate and guest hall, an undeniable suspicion rose in his eyes.
"Why was he here?"
Baek Un-gyeong simply could not comprehend the situation.
The White Sword Sect had not participated in the Martial Alliance's subjugation of the Ten Great Villains. Moreover, they had no significant grudge with the man. To be precise, their areas of activity were so far apart that they'd never even had the chance to cross paths.
"I was also in a state of shock, so I do not know the detailed reason, but..."
The Guest Reception Hall Master, his voice trailing off, mentioned something that didn't add up.
"He mentioned the Young Master Baek Un-hwi's name."
"Hwi? Why would he be looking for that child here, when he cut ties with us so long ago?"
"I do not know."
Baek Un-gyeong, who had been looking around with a devastated expression, let out a heavy sigh.
'Just what kind of trouble have you been causing!'
To attract a monster like Beom Gye-wi was no small matter.
The moans of the injured flowing from between the collapsed buildings made Baek Un-gyeong's heart grow even heavier.
"Tend to the injured and send a carrier pigeon to the Martial Alliance!"
As soon as Baek Un-gyeong's order was given, the blankly standing disciples of the White Sword Sect began to move busily.
* * *
In a small village, a half-day's journey from Taiyuan.
Amidst the darkness that enveloped the surroundings, there was a single inn with its lights on.
Inside, Baek Un-hwi was facing Baek Cheon-in.
A large yellow candle, as thick as a forearm, dripped wax as it illuminated the area, but deep shadows were cast upon the two men's faces.
The candlelight flickered occasionally with the wind seeping through the window.
The wavering shadows dancing on the wall further disquieted their already troubled minds.
"There will be another chance."
After a long silence, Baek Un-hwi finally spoke.
"Fortunately, the rumors about the whereabouts of the Divine Physician's son haven't spread."
Baek Cheon-in, who had been silently stroking his white beard, showed a flicker of anxiety in his eyes.
"But we might not have much time."
With the elites of the Everlasting Joy Syndicate having vanished completely, it was only a matter of time before gossip related to the incident started circulating among the curious.
"Do not worry. If we keep knocking, the door will eventually open. There are plenty of others who can replace the Everlasting Joy Syndicate."
Baek Cheon-in frowned at Baek Un-hwi's confident tone.
"I fear we may have needlessly poked the grass and startled the snake."
Having already experienced it once, the Ice Jade Fairy's vigilance would surely be heightened. Moreover, the members of the Everlasting Joy Syndicate sent into the Divine Demon Valley had vanished without a trace.
"Perhaps the rumors about the Ice Jade Fairy are true..."
To disappear as if their very existence had been erased, without so much as a disturbance.
The implications of that were unsettling.
"Do not worry. This time, we will surely succeed."
"How?"
Baek Un-hwi lifted his cold tea to his lips.
After moistening his lips with a sip, Baek Un-hwi opened his mouth.
"I intend to involve the North Sea Ice Palace."
"......!"
Baek Cheon-in's face lit up as he straightened his posture. He too was aware that she had once been a master who symbolized the North Sea Ice Palace.
"It won't be easy to move them, will it?"
"The title of Inspection Emissary is very useful at times like these."
Although not a part of the Martial Alliance, the Ice Palace was the only sect beyond the borders over which the Alliance could exert some influence.
"Just telling them the Ice Jade Fairy's whereabouts will be enough to make them come running."
"Why is that?"
At Baek Cheon-in's question, Baek Un-hwi gave a meaningful smile.
"It is difficult to reveal the reason, but their current situation is not good."
As someone who was thoroughly aware of the recent, unusual developments beyond the borders, he could guarantee this much.
"They will definitely come looking for her. It's a matter of their own survival."
At Baek Un-hwi's confident demeanor, Baek Cheon-in dismissed his disbelief.
"Soon, the day will come when our White Sword Sect will rule the world."
At Baek Un-hwi's words, Baek Cheon-in stroked his beard out of habit, a pleased look on his face.
"Just thinking about it feels good."
It was then.
Baek Un-hwi suddenly felt a strange sensation.
A peculiar sense of discord that was hard to pinpoint.
"What is it?"
"It's nothing, nothing at all."
As Baek Un-hwi forced a smile and opened his mouth in response to the curious Baek Cheon-in, his face hardened.
"......!"
All the hairs on his body suddenly stood on end, as if he'd been doused with ice water.
'What is this?'
Baek Un-hwi hastily looked around.
The air surrounding them was gradually growing heavy.
He belatedly realized it was due to the dense killing intent churning from all directions.
*Creak.*
Suddenly, the door swung open, and a man with a massive frame poked his head in.
While the two were too stunned to speak, Beom Gye-wi calmly pulled up a chair and sat down between them.
Baek Cheon-in, bewildered, looked at Baek Un-hwi.
"Do you know him?"
Though he himself was a large man, this opponent was a full head taller. He had never seen such a monstrous build in his life.
Beom Gye-wi looked back and forth between Baek Cheon-in and Baek Un-hwi, then grinned.
"So it's you."
The Inspection Emissary was said to be the White Sword Sect Leader's younger brother, so it couldn't be the old man before him.
Meeting Beom Gye-wi's grin, Baek Un-hwi's heart sank. He had finally realized who his opponent was.
Noticing his nephew's unnerving expression, Baek Cheon-in thrust out both palms from his seated position.
*CRACK!*
The palm strike that exploded against the opponent's back swept violently through the room.
"Gah!"
A wretched scream echoed at that same moment.
It was a scream that came from Baek Cheon-in, the one who had launched the preemptive attack.
Baek Cheon-in stared down at his own hands in disbelief, his wrist bones shattered and dangling loosely. Then, he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
"How can such an absurd body-protecting aura exist..."
It was as if he had struck a colossal wall of steel.
Muttering, Baek Cheon-in couldn't continue. A large hand suddenly shot out and gripped his head.
Baek Cheon-in, gasping for air, tried to raise his hands again.
*CRUNCH.*
Simultaneously, a sickening sound erupted from within Beom Gye-wi's grasp.
"......!"
Baek Un-hwi's eyes trembled uncontrollably.
Baek Cheon-in's hands hung limp and powerless.
His head, crushed in Beom Gye-wi's grip, was caved in as he died with blood pouring from his nose.
His eyes, wide open in death, were filled with nothing but shock and terror.
As his gaze met Beom Gye-wi's, Baek Un-hwi hastily shouted.
"If you harm me, the Martial Alliance will not stand by!"
Beom Gye-wi scoffed.
"They put a bounty on my head ages ago. What's new about that?"
Left with nothing to say, Baek Un-hwi's eyes darted around nervously. Just then, the door opened, and Yeop Dan-yeong quietly entered.
Belatedly spotting Baek Cheon-in, dead with blood streaming from his nose, Yeop Dan-yeong froze on the spot.
'This is a disaster!'
Once Beom Gye-wi saw blood, he completely lost his mind.
Knowing him well, he concluded that there was no hope of resolving the situation quietly.
'Damn it!'
No, forget resolving it; it would now be difficult to even escape this place safely.
Yeop Dan-yeong glared at Baek Un-hwi. This was all that idiot's fault. Then, he suddenly noticed something strange.
Beom Gye-wi's eyes, as they looked at him, were incredibly clear.
Yeop Dan-yeong asked cautiously.
"Are you... alright?"
"What about?"
"The... madness... I mean."