Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Wolhyang
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“Sect Leader. It's Wolhyang.”
Wolhyang was the finest assassin of the Black Moon Sect. Though her face, which looked not yet thirty, possessed an intelligent air and a beauty so stunning it could topple nations, her personality was a stark contrast—decidedly blunt and coarse.
And with a sword in hand, Wolhyang was no different from the grim reaper.
“Yes, come in.”
Wolhyang entered the Sect Leader's chambers. Inside, the Sect Leader was present along with five other assassins.
The five assassins greeted her. Though they were all her seniors in age, they were men who had to bow their heads before her martial might.
“Why are you all here?”
It was rare for the Sect Leader to summon her along with others.
“We were receiving the Sect Leader's orders.”
“Is that so? I see.”
Wolhyang tilted her head in curiosity but soon accepted the situation.
The Sect Leader of the Black Moon Sect held out a portrait and spoke.
“A very big job has come in. That's why I called for you. Take a look.”
Wolhyang looked at the portrait.
“My. What a bewitching portrait. It could charm someone right off their feet, couldn't it?”
“That's because you're a woman.”
“We can't kill a man like this. Are we really going to erase a face that deserves to be recorded in the annals of the martial world? If it were up to me, I'd carry a man like this on my back for a lifetime. Tsk. What a shame.”
“If it’s such a shame, kill him and have him stuffed.”
“Should I really?”
“Damn it, you crazy woman.”
“Agh.”
Wolhyang suddenly felt a headache coming on and clutched her head.
“Is it hurting again?”
“Damn. It seems so.”
“Are you taking your medicine regularly?”
“I've been feeling better lately, so I stopped for a while.”
“Tsk. Start taking it again. If that happens during an assassination, you could be in serious trouble.”
“I get it. So, who is the owner of this sorcerous portrait?”
“…He is the Young Lord of the Namgung Family.”
“…The Young Lord of the Namgung Family?”
The Black Moon Sect Leader's eyes wavered.
“…That's right.”
“The Namgung Family… Hey. Sect Leader. We agreed not to do jobs like this anymore. Why are you doing this?”
For the past year, whenever Wolhyang killed an innocent person, her whole body would strangely ache as if being pierced by an awl. So, six months ago, she had made a strong suggestion to the Sect Leader.
That she would no longer work as an assassin.
So the Sect Leader of the Black Moon Sect had made the decision and promised not to kill innocent martial artists.
In truth, where would you find an innocent martial artist in the martial world these days?
Even if there were, they would be a tiny minority.
That was why he made that decision. It was a hundred times better than losing Wolhyang.
The Sect Leader's brow furrowed slightly.
“Wolhyang.”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
“Let's just do this one job. This is really the last time. The sum is enormous.”
“Hey, why are you being like this? It's Namgung. Namgung! In the martial world, a family like Namgung… Agh. Damn it.”
The surging headache forced Wolhyang to clutch her head again.
“Wolhyang. I'm telling you, it's the last time.”
“I refuse. If you insist, do it yourself, Sect Leader.”
“Hey! It's been almost ten years since I've gone on an assassination myself.”
“Then, you can just give up.”
“Wolhyang!”
“Ah, fuck. I said no! I told you I wouldn't do it!”
The Black Moon Sect Leader gritted his teeth.
“Do-wol.”
An assassin named Do-wol opened the door to the chambers and signaled with a hand gesture.
A moment later, two assassins dragged in a gagged and bound woman.
The woman was an assassin named So-wol, the one closest to Wolhyang.
Wolhyang gritted her teeth.
“You son of a bitch… so you're playing dirty after all.”
“When this job is done, I will let you and So-wol go.”
“How can I believe that? The words of a dirty bastard.”
“Whether you believe me or not is up to you. But you must succeed in this job. That's the only way you and So-wol will live.”
Wolhyang hung her head low as if she had given up on everything.
“Sigh. Alright, have it your way.”
“Hahaha. Yes, a wise decision…”
At that moment, Wolhyang threw hidden weapons at the two assassins holding So-wol with lightning speed.
*Shwing.*
The Sect Leader, knowing Wolhyang's skill, had shown So-wol from a considerable distance.
But…
“Keuk.”
“Keuk.”
The two assassins holding So-wol were pierced by the hidden weapons and died instantly.
The Black Moon Sect Leader was utterly shocked. He had never imagined she could throw hidden weapons like that from this distance.
“…How…”
“You didn't know? They say in the martial world, you should always hide thirty percent of your skill. Didn't you know? You dirty bastard!”
This was not a saying that applied to assassins. Every moment was a brush with death, so there was no reason to hide one's skills, nor was it possible.
*Shing.*
Wolhyang drew her sword.
*Shing.*
The Black Moon Sect Leader, and the five assassins in the room, all drew their swords.
“Oho. So you're all in on it too. Let's all die today.”
Wolhyang began to wield her sword, clashing with the five assassins inside the room.
Meanwhile, the Sect Leader quickly fled outside.
A moment later, after cutting down all five assassins, Wolhyang's eyes gleamed menacingly.
“A dirty bastard's actions are truly filthy. Well, this worked out. As of this moment, I'm taking over the Black Moon Sect. Fuck!”
* * *
I had now mastered all ninety-six forms of the Annihilation Sword. The next step was to link the forms, creating a seamless sword path.
It sounds simple, just connecting form to form, but it's not as easy as it sounds.
I’ve said it before.
Each form contains a profound principle. So, for the forms to connect and become a single sword path, two profound principles must merge to create a new one.
Insane.
Utterly broken.
It was no different from creating an entirely new technique, a new sword art.
Isn't it just astounding?
The back of my neck was so stiff it felt like my whole body was about to erupt into convulsions. Of course, it wasn't as if I, Namgung Urin, was creating a completely new sword art. The forms already existed; I just had to follow them.
It was difficult, yet felt like nothing special, and it was nothing special, yet so difficult.
That's right.
Only at the age of nineteen did Namgung Urin realize that nothing in the world is truly easy. Even though everything had been easy for me until now.
I had already managed to connect more than half of the forms to create new sword paths.
Ah, even I had to admit, it was a truly commendable and proud achievement. It felt like a feat that only I, Namgung Urin, could accomplish.
“Indeed, well done.”
I gave myself a generous evaluation.
Six months ago, I had said it would take a year to kill the Baekri Family Head, but looking at it now, six months would have been plenty of time.
This too was only possible because I am Namgung Urin.
And I had also learned a fair bit of the Primordial Chaos Arts.
The Primordial Chaos Arts strongly felt like a highly advanced version of the Taoist sorcery that was once widespread among Taoist sects. The lineage of Taoist arts was broken 1500 years ago.
Taoist arts were originally created to benefit people. Making it rain, making the wind blow.
In fact, making it rain and making the wind blow were the highest levels of Taoist arts. But in the end, Taoist sorcery was pushed aside by martial arts and disappeared.
Because making it rain and making the wind blow couldn't kill people.
Unfortunately, at some point, the Taoist sects, too, began to prioritize their own interests over benefiting people, and that culture became rampant.
Now, there are no Taoist priests in any Taoist sect in the martial world who practice Taoist arts.
Anyway.
I suspected that the origin of the Primordial Chaos Arts was Taoist sorcery.
Besides the illusion and cloning techniques in the Primordial Chaos Arts, the other sorcerous techniques were also not easy to learn. The reason was that one had to use the middle dantian.
The middle dantian usually becomes naturally usable upon reaching the absolute realm of Transformation. This is because one has reached a state where they can freely use the energy of nature.
It seemed this point had a significant influence on the disappearance of Taoist arts. Taoist priests, who didn't even accumulate internal energy in their lower dantians, trying to accumulate it in their middle dantians, must have faced an incredibly difficult task.
Once you can use the middle dantian, you can freely use psychokinesis. Of course, martial artists who have reached the peak of the supreme realm can also use psychokinesis, but it's not very impressive. To the extent of moving light objects? A step further, maybe using a teacup as a hidden weapon.
But upon reaching the absolute realm, everything can become a weapon.
Just like how Sa Jung-u, the village chief of Primordial Chaos Village, played around with fallen leaves. Of course, Sa Jung-u's level of ability is not something one can achieve just by reaching the Transformation realm.
Also, that's not to say Sa Jung-u is superior to those who have reached the Transformation realm. In fact, one could say those who have reached the Transformation realm are superior.
No, they are definitely superior. Sa Jung-u cannot kill someone who has reached the absolute realm.
This was the limitation of those who only use the middle dantian.
If Sa Jung-u had his upper dantian open, it would be another matter entirely.
And Sword Control is a technique that becomes usable when this middle dantian is formed. That doesn't mean one can immediately control dozens of swords from the start.
This ability also varies with each realm.
In conclusion, one must use this middle dantian to learn the Primordial Chaos Arts.
So, I, Namgung Urin, could now use my middle dantian. Even though I hadn't reached the absolute realm.
It's astounding, but what can I do if it works?
It just works.
“Very well done.”
* * *
The Black Moon Sect Leader had not completely fled from the sect. Ten days later, he returned.
He was leading the Martial Alliance's Flying Shadow Brigade.
The Flying Shadow Brigade was a subordinate organization directly under the Martial Alliance's Grand Marshal, belonging to the Flying Shadow Pavilion.
The Flying Shadow Pavilion was the agency within the Martial Alliance that handled all information in the martial world. And the Flying Shadow Brigade was the martial force that gathered and obtained all that information.
The warriors of the Flying Shadow Brigade were very similar to assassins. They were not a force whose purpose was assassination, but martial prowess was essential in the process of obtaining information.
Leading such a force, the Black Moon Sect Leader had returned to his sect.
A staggering fifty members of the Flying Shadow Brigade and even their commander had come.
As instructed by the Black Moon Sect Leader, the Flying Shadow Brigade took ten people close to Wolhyang hostage.
The Black Moon Sect Leader and Wolhyang faced each other.
“Wow. You're worse than a dirty bastard. Did you really have to do this?”
“All you have to do is make one move. All you have to do is swallow that damn pride of yours for once.”
“Hey, you son of a bitch. How many times have I given in for you? Huh?!”
“There's no need for lengthy words. If you don't move, these women will die today.”
“No. Who are they? They can do it. Huh? They look skilled enough that I don't have to step in. Am I wrong?”
“If they could act directly, they wouldn't have hired us.”
As Wolhyang said, the Flying Shadow Brigade could move to kill Namgung Urin. But if they failed, or even if they succeeded, their involvement being discovered would cause things to spiral out of control.
No matter how corrupt the Martial Alliance was becoming, the Alliance Leader using its organization for personal gain would be a huge weakness.
The Martial Alliance Leader trying to kill someone from the Namgung Family again?
Without any reason?
Those aiming for the Alliance Leader's position would certainly not stand by and watch.
Six years ago, it was buried only because of his great contributions in the war against the Demonic Cult.
“Damn it.”
Wolhyang was not unaware of this.
She spoke to the commander of the Flying Shadow Brigade, who was standing with his hands clasped behind his back without a word.
“I know you bastards are the Flying Shadow Brigade.”
The commander flinched in surprise for a moment, but he did not open his mouth.
“If I succeed in this job and come back to find them hurt? You guys, and that bastard the Alliance Leader, you're all dead! Got it! Ah, fuck!”
With that, Wolhyang shot off towards Anhui.
To kill the Young Lord of the Namgung Family, Namgung Urin.