Chapter 144
Chapter 144
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 144
Chapter Title: Look Who It Is
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"This way, Young Master."
Byeok Taesan walked leisurely, guided by a member of the Underworld Sect.
While the Underworld Sect hadn't spread its intricate network across the entire world, it had branches in every major city.
Each branch operated by planting a few informants in the surrounding provinces and cities, gathering information bit by bit.
And the city most firmly under the Underworld Sect's control was Wuhan.
In Wuhan, the members of the Underworld Sect were intertwined like a spider's web, ensuring that once someone became a target, they could never escape.
Through this net-like organization, they continuously tracked the locations of Jang Jungsan and Ja Deukcheol, relaying the information to the members guiding Byeok Taesan.
So, all Byeok Taesan had to do was follow them at a relaxed pace to meet the people he sought.
Even now, every move of Jang Jungsan's and Ja Deukcheol's groups was being monitored by the eyes and ears of the Underworld Sect.
This information was passed directly to the Master of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion and Hwaok, who meticulously recorded it all.
The Underworld Sect member currently guiding Byeok Taesan was the very same one who had guided him in Yichang.
Recognized for his merits then, he had been transferred to Wuhan, where the Underworld Sect's headquarters was located, and he was fully demonstrating his abilities here as well.
While guiding Byeok Taesan, the Underworld Sect member reported the current situation whenever he had a chance.
"About fifteen minutes ago, five warriors from the Martial Alliance and three from the Azure Serpent Gang reportedly clashed."
Byeok Taesan simply nodded once.
"And ten of our men from the underworld captured two warriors from the Azure Serpent Gang."
The Underworld Sect member's reports continued after that.
His explanations were so detailed and connected the preceding and succeeding events so well that just listening painted a vivid picture of the situation in one's mind.
Currently, the Azure Serpent Gang was split into five groups, attempting to escape Wuhan.
Meanwhile, Jang Jungsan and the High Heaven Sect were moving together in a tight-knit group.
Although the warriors from outside forces gathered in Wuhan, including the Martial Alliance and the Black Alliance, were turning the city upside down in their search, the fugitives were so adept at slipping away that they hadn't achieved much.
"Once we pass through that alley, we'll reach our first target."
At the Underworld Sect member's words, Byeok Taesan quickened his pace slightly.
He could entrust the other bastards to his subordinates, but not this one.
Soon, they emerged from the alley into a fairly wide open space.
It was an open area connected to seven alleys, and from one of them, Ja Deukcheol's group burst out.
They had come here because they needed to cross this space to escape Wuhan.
As soon as he entered the open space, Ja Deukcheol spotted Byeok Taesan, and his eyes widened.
"Look who it is. Isn't it that rude Young Master from the Golden Jade Trading Company?"
Ja Deukcheol laughed fiercely and strode toward Byeok Taesan.
The Azure Serpent Gang warriors with Ja Deukcheol followed him. There were exactly ten of them.
He had personally selected the strongest among the thirty warriors he had brought this time.
He needed to use them to escape if things went south.
"I was just wondering how to vent this foul mood, and this is perfect. Take a few hits and come with me. I'll take good care of you for a long, long time."
Byeok Taesan stood still, watching Ja Deukcheol approach.
The Underworld Sect member beside him spoke cautiously to Byeok Taesan.
"What should I do?"
"Just wait."
The Underworld Sect member laughed awkwardly.
"To be honest, my martial arts are a bit clumsy... If even one of those guys over there came at me, my head would be lopped off in a single stroke."
Byeok Taesan glanced at the Underworld Sect member.
The Underworld Sect member quickly said.
"I will wait. Yes, of course, I should wait right here without moving an inch."
"Should I help you with your martial arts training?"
At Byeok Taesan's question, the Underworld Sect member's eyes became as wide as saucers.
He had witnessed Byeok Taesan's abilities since Yichang. So he knew all too well what an incredible master he was.
If such a master were to help him with his training, how much would he improve?
He wanted to nod and express his gratitude right away.
But before he could even answer, Ja Deukcheol arrived.
"Hey, you there."
The Underworld Sect member's eyes widened as he pointed a finger at himself.
"Yeah, you. Did you guide that thing here?"
"I did, but..."
Ja Deukcheol sneered.
"Surely you didn't guide him here knowing we'd come this way, right?"
"Uh... that 'surely' is correct... but why do you ask?"
Ja Deukcheol grinned crookedly.
"You look like you're from the Underworld Sect. How about you guide us? If we get out of here, we'll pay the Underworld Sect handsomely. Of course, the scraps that fall to you won't be shabby either."
The Underworld Sect member lowered his head slightly.
"I refuse."
"What?"
Ja Deukcheol was dumbfounded. Then, rage began to boil within him.
A dense wave of energy spread through the area. As his anger grew, his energy began to seethe.
It was the same technique he had used against Byeok Taesu at the Golden Jade Villa.
The difference this time was that he was pouring in much more internal energy, making it far more dangerous.
At this level, someone of the Underworld Sect member's skill could never withstand it.
Soon, that bastard would suffer severe internal injuries and vomit blood.
But the Underworld Sect member spoke with a completely unfazed expression.
"You're as good as dead anyway, so how could I possibly guide you?"
"What? You crazy bastard!"
Ja Deukcheol, completely ignoring Byeok Taesan, swung his sword down at the Underworld Sect member.
*Swoooosh!*
It was a fairly fast strike. Not his full power, but a strike intentionally controlled in speed to instill fear in the Underworld Sect member.
It was something Ja Deukcheol often did.
His sword landed on the Underworld Sect member's shoulder.
*Clang!*
Ja Deukcheol's eyes widened as if they would tear.
He had been sure he could slice off the shoulder, but his sword was repelled.
In his moment of confusion, Byeok Taesan reached out for Ja Deukcheol.
*Crack!*
"Keok!"
Ja Deukcheol's face turned beet red as his throat was seized.
He had to do something, but his mind went blank. He just struggled, only then realizing his body was floating in mid-air.
Byeok Taesan, still holding Ja Deukcheol by the neck, slammed him into the ground.
*Craaack!*
Ja Deukcheol couldn't even scream before he lost consciousness.
His body, splayed out, was half-buried in the ground.
Byeok Taesan looked at the remaining ten warriors of the Azure Serpent Gang.
They were all clearly flustered.
But none of them tried to run.
Not only could they not abandon Ja Deukcheol, but they also thought they could defeat Byeok Taesan using the sword formation they had mastered.
The Azure Serpent Gang warriors quickly dispersed and took their positions.
Threads of ki undulated out from between them, connecting one to another.
At first, it was a single strand, but the number grew until they were interconnected like a spider's web.
Byeok Taesan's eyes gleamed as he watched.
"Hoh. What an interesting technique."
He could have shattered it before it was complete, but it was an unfamiliar method he hadn't encountered before, so he watched out of curiosity.
And now that it was complete, wasn't it truly fascinating?
"So you've woven a formation through the connection of ki. I don't know who created it, but it's brilliant."
The expressions of the Azure Serpent Gang warriors hardened.
They never imagined he would grasp their sword formation so quickly.
"I see the Young Master's insight is beyond imagination. But superior insight won't change the situation. It would be troublesome for us all to see this get ugly, so how about you leave our Young Master and just turn back?"
Without a word, Byeok Taesan strode toward the Azure Serpent Gang warriors.
And with that one step, he entered the center of the sword formation.
The Azure Serpent Gang warriors were horrified.
All they saw was the moment Byeok Taesan took a step.
No one saw when he had moved this far.
"Are you just going to stand there in shock?"
At Byeok Taesan's words, the Azure Serpent Gang warriors gritted their teeth and began to move in perfect unison.
Internal energy flowed through the threads of ki, and immense pressure began to bear down on the center of the sword formation.
It was a pressure with tangible killing power.
Sharp sword energy seemed to tear through space itself.
Watching this, Byeok Taesan nodded deeply.
It was a rather decent sword formation. If they started thrusting and swinging their swords in this state, it would likely exhibit even greater power.
But its weakness was too obvious.
Just as the Azure Serpent Gang warriors were about to thrust their swords, Byeok Taesan lightly flicked his hand.
*Snap! Snap!*
The threads of ki connecting them snapped apart.
The pressure that had been focused on Byeok Taesan vanished as if it were a lie.
And the reversed force sent the Azure Serpent Gang warriors flying backward.
*Crash! Thud!*
They were all bleeding from the corners of their mouths. They had suffered internal injuries.
The Azure Serpent Gang warriors lay on the ground, staring blankly at Byeok Taesan.
They, too, knew that the weakness of this sword formation was the threads of ki connecting them.
But they never thought someone could sever them so precisely.
Besides, severing just a few strands wouldn't cause the force to reverse like this.
It was useless unless you cut all of them, or simultaneously severed the eighteen key connection points.
But Byeok Taesan had done it.
Though they didn't know if he had cut all of them or just the key points.
Byeok Taesan looked at the Underworld Sect member.
"Tell them to clean these up."
With that, he started walking toward another alley.
The Underworld Sect member was flustered.
"They still seem to be conscious, are you just going to leave them?"
But what could he do? He had to do as Byeok Taesan ordered.
The Underworld Sect member quickly sent a signal to the surroundings. Then he hurried after Byeok Taesan.
His guidance wasn't over yet.
A moment later, a group of Underworld Sect members arrived at the open space.
They were taken aback by the sight of the Azure Serpent Gang warriors lying on the ground bleeding from their mouths and Ja Deukcheol half-buried in the ground.
But they soon began to handle them skillfully.
They approached the Azure Serpent Gang warriors cautiously, but upon getting closer, they saw that several of their pressure points were sealed, so they relaxed and picked up the pace.
The Azure Serpent Gang warriors had not only their paralysis points but also their mute points sealed, leaving them unable to move or make a sound, just lying there.
The Underworld Sect members gathered them all up, cleaned up every last trace, and quietly withdrew.
* * *
"Hurry up. If we're late, we might run into those Black Alliance bastards."
At Jang Gagu's words, Yuk Taegu, who was running alongside him, scowled.
"You hurry up. Who do you think is ahead between you and me right now?"
"Can't you see my feet are a blur? I'm telling you, if we don't intercept them, the Black Alliance bastards will snatch them away."
"We're here."
Yuk Taegu said, darting forward.
Jang Gagu quickly followed him.
A group of people came into their view. They were just a stone's throw away.
Yuk Taegu and Jang Gagu threw their fists first and asked questions later.
*Craaaash!*
Their fists exploded against the bodies of the High Heaven Sect martial artists led by Jang Jungsan and Gwan Huseung.
Two men were sent flying, and the rest hastily created distance, surrounding Yuk Taegu and Jang Gagu.
Jang Jungsan and Gwan Huseung stopped a short distance away and glared at the two.
They were trying to assess the situation and decide what to do.
But they weren't given the luxury.
The warriors who had followed Yuk Taegu and Jang Gagu rushed out and descended upon the men of the High Heaven Sect.
Naturally, Yuk Taegu and Jang Gagu split off and charged at Jang Jungsan and Gwan Huseung.
The two had no choice but to fight.
Jang Gagu took on Jang Jungsan, and Yuk Taegu took on Gwan Huseung.
Gwan Huseung's and Yuk Taegu's swords clashed countless times, sending sparks flying.
*Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!*
Gwan Huseung was startled. The power behind Yuk Taegu's sword strikes was immense. He was baffled as to where a master of this caliber had come from.
"Who the hell are you? You don't seem to be from the Martial Alliance. Are you from the Black Alliance?"
"Don't give me that Black Alliance crap. You guys have identified everyone from the Black Alliance who entered Wuhan. I wasn't among them, was I?"
Yuk Taegu said, thrusting his sword.
*Whoooosh!*
*Bam!*
Gwan Huseung staggered back, his face contorted in a deep frown.
Yuk Taegu grinned and strode forward.
"You asked who I am?"
Yuk Taegu swung his sword and said.
"A rogue warrior!"
*Clang!*
Gwan Huseung gritted his teeth as he blocked Yuk Taegu's sword.
A rogue warrior like him? Unbelievable.
Where in the world could you find a rogue warrior stronger than the Sect Leader of the High Heaven Sect?
*Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!*
Yuk Taegu's sword strikes rained down relentlessly. Gwan Huseung managed to block each one, but he was gradually being overwhelmed.
'My internal energy is depleting too quickly!'
Gwan Huseung's expression grew more and more grave. Yuk Taegu, despite unleashing such a torrent of attacks, seemed completely unaffected.
Gwan Huseung decided to hold on and wait for an opportunity.
While attacking, Yuk Taegu casually remarked.
"Looks like you're the only one left."
Gwan Huseung, greatly surprised, looked around.
Jang Jungsan was lying on the ground, and all the High Heaven Sect's martial artists had been subdued.
There was no longer any chance of victory.
Gwan Huseung poured his internal energy into his sword as if to make it explode.
*Craaaash!*
The sword shattered, and countless fragments rained down on Yuk Taegu.
*Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!*
Each fragment was imbued with immense energy. Yuk Taegu swung his sword frantically, blocking them all.
In that time, Gwan Huseung launched himself away, fleeing quickly.
Just as he was about to enter an alley, Gwan Huseung's body jerked to a halt and was sent flying backward.
*Crash! Thud!*
Gwan Huseung's body tumbled disgracefully, rolling to a stop at Yuk Taegu's feet.
Yuk Taegu instinctively looked toward the alley.
Byeok Taesan walked slowly out of the alley.