Chapter 172
Chapter 172
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 172
Chapter Title: It's Clearly a Trap
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Byeok Taesan headed to the rear courtyard attached to the inn's private villa, the Sword Demon in tow.
The Sword Demon still wore a bewildered expression.
Upon arriving at the courtyard, Byeok Taesan asked him.
"What do you make of it?"
The Sword Demon snapped to his senses at Byeok Taesan's question and observed the scene unfolding in the courtyard.
Byeok Taesan's companions were in the middle of their training.
Once he began watching them train, the look in the Sword Demon's eyes changed.
"They are all different."
The Sword Demon remained confused even as he answered.
Why couldn't he say a single word back to this young man, Byeok Taesan, who was speaking down to him?
And why had he answered so respectfully?
Above all, why did this entire situation feel so natural? As if it had always been this way.
The Sword Demon set aside his confusion for the moment and continued his explanation.
"It seems a few of them have only been learning martial arts for a few years. They all appear to have considerable combat experience. And… it's a bit strange, but the caliber of their movements is unusually high."
Byeok Taesan grinned and nodded.
"Your eye is as sharp as ever."
At those words, the Sword Demon's expression hardened again. The confusion he had just managed to push away returned.
"Who… who in the world are you? I've never met you before, yet you speak as if you know me well."
"Indeed. Why do you think that is?"
Byeok Taesan smiled faintly as he looked at the Sword Demon.
"Why don't you try and guess?"
The Sword Demon, speechless with disbelief, simply stared at Byeok Taesan.
*His manner of speaking really doesn't match his appearance.*
The thought suddenly occurred to him.
"Stop joking around."
"I'm not joking."
The Sword Demon stared at Byeok Taesan with an incredulous look.
Then, Byeok Taesan glanced at the people training and spoke.
"So, is that the extent of your assessment? Do you have anything more to say?"
The Sword Demon turned his gaze back to the courtyard.
From the way he spoke, it seemed he was expecting a different answer.
And since the Sword Demon had considerable pride in his own insight, he wanted to pinpoint the exact answer Byeok Taesan was looking for.
After all, he didn't seem like the type to lie about such things.
The Sword Demon carefully observed the trainees. As he focused more intently than before, he began to notice some oddities.
*What is this…?*
The Sword Demon sought to confirm what he was seeing with Byeok Taesan.
"Those women over there, when did they begin their martial arts training?"
The women the Sword Demon pointed to were, of course, Byeok Taesan's handmaidens.
"Hmm. I don't recall when they started. Well… it couldn't have been a year yet."
The Sword Demon's eyes widened.
He looked back and forth between Byeok Taesan and the handmaidens.
He wanted to ask if that was really true, but he had a feeling the man would dislike such a question, so he kept his mouth shut.
"No wonder… I felt a strange sense of disharmony."
But no matter how talented they were, he couldn't comprehend how it was possible to reach that level in less than a year.
What's more, they occasionally displayed a caliber that startled even the Sword Demon.
The source of that caliber was spiritual power, but since he was unaware of this fact, his surprise was only natural.
"Do you need to look longer?"
At Byeok Taesan's prodding, the Sword Demon's expression hardened. Feeling as if his insight was being belittled, he clenched his jaw.
The Sword Demon focused again, analyzing their training.
As he did, he began to understand each person better.
He couldn't identify every martial art they were practicing, but for some, he could infer the style from familiar movements.
He even found himself contemplating what advice to give and how they could train to improve further.
And only after deconstructing their movements in such a way did he realize what Byeok Taesan wanted from him.
The Sword Demon's expression grew more serious.
"It seems you've figured it out."
The Sword Demon nodded.
"Yes. With the exception of one person… they have all regressed."
Only then did Byeok Taesan smile with satisfaction.
"It seems my initial guidance paid off. Your insight has certainly improved."
Hearing that, the Sword Demon felt strangely pleased. And he couldn't understand why he was so elated by such a simple remark.
"Think you can do it?"
The Sword Demon flinched and looked at Byeok Taesan.
"Me… with them?"
"I thought you would be capable. Do you lack confidence?"
The Sword Demon spoke calmly.
"What's important is how far the Young Master wishes them to go."
"What I want is the same as it has always been. Just one thing."
The Sword Demon looked at Byeok Taesan with a curious expression.
"They just need to be able to strike before they get hit."
The Sword Demon's eyes grew as wide as saucers.
He finally understood why he had been shown their training, why he had been made to ponder it, and why he had been brought here.
And from the depths of his memory, the fact that something similar had happened before slowly surfaced.
Of course, back then, he had been in the position of those swinging their swords earnestly in the courtyard.
His confusion only deepened.
And watching the conflicted Sword Demon, Byeok Taesan smiled faintly.
***
In Changsha, near Mount Yuelu, countless people were gathering.
They were all practitioners of martial arts.
Ordinary people couldn't even get close to Mount Yuelu today. The atmosphere was far too menacing.
The martial artists, too, were mostly in groups.
There weren't many moving alone. Even then, most of them were masters of a considerable level.
Martial artists below a certain level didn't dare move alone and either formed their own groups or lay low in hiding.
Those in hiding would probably move cautiously later when things quieted down a bit.
Among the gathered factions, the most conspicuous was undoubtedly the Martial Alliance.
The Martial Alliance had dispatched none other than the Thousand Sword Group. Moreover, Bang Durip, the leader of the Thousand Sword Group, was leading them personally.
Bang Durip had brought only the squad leaders and vice-leaders of the Thousand Sword Group.
Though not all of them were present, their numbers still exceeded forty.
The leaders who had not accompanied him were currently managing the remaining members of the Thousand Sword Group back at the Martial Alliance.
Bang Durip nonchalantly scanned his surroundings.
A short distance away was a group from the Black Alliance. And at a similar distance in another direction, he could see people from the Five Great Families.
The vice-leader leaned in and whispered quietly in his ear.
"The quality of the Black Alliance and the Five Great Families is a bit lacking. This might turn out to be easier than we thought."
"Don't be careless."
"Of course. The Thousand Sword Group is never careless."
Bang Durip nodded and once again surveyed the area.
"Quite a crowd has gathered."
"It is for the Hyeoncheon Sword, a treasure of the Cult said to hold the Heavenly Demon's insights, after all."
"That's right. The Hyeoncheon Sword."
As Bang Durip uttered the words 'Hyeoncheon Sword', a flicker of greed flashed through his eyes.
"By the way… this treasure map, do you think it's authentic?"
"Who knows."
At Bang Durip's lukewarm reply, the vice-leader lowered his voice even more.
"I don't understand why no one seems to have any doubts. Honestly, I find this whole situation extremely suspicious."
"Everyone is likely suspicious."
The vice-leader smirked and glanced around.
"It certainly doesn't look that way…"
"Of course, there will be some who aren't suspicious. But more than half of them probably came despite their doubts, on the off chance it's real."
"That's certainly true."
After all, the reason the Thousand Sword Group was here was precisely because of that 'off chance'.
And it was likely the same for those scoundrels from the Black Alliance and the Five Great Families, their eyes gleaming sharply in the distance.
They were probably all scrambling behind the scenes to figure out who was pulling the strings in this affair.
"In any case, now that we're here, we must at least confirm whether this treasure map is real or not."
"You're right. So, when do we move? Half the people have already entered Mount Yuelu. Shouldn't we hurry up and find the Heavenly Demon's Grotto?"
The Heavenly Demon's Grotto was the place where the Hyeoncheon Sword was said to be hidden.
The treasure map was a map indicating the location of the Heavenly Demon's Grotto.
"We must be cautious. Didn't you say it yourself? That it's suspicious. The first one to move is the first one to get hit."
"Then how long must we wait?"
"Until those bastards make a move."
Bang Durip's gaze shifted to the members of the Black Alliance.
The vice-leader, who had followed his gaze, nodded.
He agreed that it was the better course of action.
In any case, they were the strongest force here. As long as they didn't get caught in a surprise attack, they could control almost any situation.
Having made up his mind, he felt a sense of ease. And with that ease, his surroundings came into sharper focus.
This was true not only for the vice-leader but for Bang Durip as well.
Bang Durip slowly scanned the area, checking if there were any masters he had failed to notice.
As he looked around, his eyes met with a man in the distance.
It seemed the man had just arrived, not someone who had been nearby all along.
The moment their eyes met, a chill ran down his spine.
The man seemed to feel the same, as he stopped in his tracks and continued to glare.
"Leader, what is it?"
At the vice-leader's question, Bang Durip frowned. His concentration had been broken.
He shot a glare at the vice-leader before turning to look back at the man.
But in that brief moment, the man had vanished.
Bang Durip hurriedly searched for him. Turning his head this way and that, he was able to spot him quickly.
"He wasn't alone."
The man had companions. A young man and an exceptionally beautiful woman.
They seemed to be about to ascend the mountain immediately.
Bang Durip rose from his seat.
"Let's go."
"Pardon?"
The vice-leader looked at Bang Durip in surprise.
"The Black Alliance hasn't moved yet."
Not only the Black Alliance, but the Five Great Families were also holding their positions. And all the other significant groups were just watching and waiting.
"Forget it, let's go. That kind of chaff is useless anyway."
"But Leader…"
Bang Durip cut the vice-leader off and started walking.
Ultimately, everyone had no choice but to follow.
As the Thousand Sword Group began to move, the Black Alliance and the Five Great Families, who had been observing until then, slowly rose to their feet.
They, too, had come to the same conclusion as Bang Durip.
Once the major groups started moving, the rest began to rise one by one.
They headed towards Mount Yuelu.
Glancing around cautiously all the while.
***
"They are all following us."
At the Sword Demon's words, Byeok Taesan nodded.
"I know."
"Wouldn't it be better to pick up the pace and lose them?"
Byeok Taesan smirked.
"So, you're telling me to run away."
"It's not running away. It's just picking up the pace to shake them off."
"That's called running away."
The Sword Demon fell silent. It wasn't an incorrect statement. That was indeed called running away. But he couldn't bring himself to agree immediately. He felt extremely uncomfortable.
When the Sword Demon quieted down, Byeok Taesan turned to Hwaok, who had come with them.
"Where to now?"
Hwaok checked the treasure map and pointed slightly to the side.
"This way, please."
After that, Hwaok continued to lead the way, and Byeok Taesan and the Sword Demon followed her.
"How long will it take?"
"According to the map, we just need to proceed at this speed for about this distance."
Byeok Taesan nodded. He was a bit puzzled that it was so close, but since it was a trap anyway, he figured it didn't matter.
About halfway there, the Sword Demon, who had been walking in silence, spoke up cautiously.
"Young Master, this is clearly a trap."
Byeok Taesan didn't answer. Anyone around Byeok Taesan knew that already.
"If nothing else, there's no way the Hyeoncheon Sword is there."
When there was still no reaction, the Sword Demon added urgently.
"All the Hyeoncheon Swords were destroyed. I witnessed the process myself, so I am certain. Whatever is in the Heavenly Demon's Grotto, it is absolutely not a Hyeoncheon Sword."
At the Sword Demon's words, Byeok Taesan finally looked at him.
And said one thing.
"I know that too."
"No, but then why…"
Byeok Taesan again gave no answer, simply watching the Sword Demon for a moment before quickening his pace.
In the end, the Sword Demon had no choice but to fall silent again and follow Byeok Taesan.
How long did they walk like that? Hwaok stopped and looked back at Byeok Taesan.
"We have arrived."
At her words, Byeok Taesan and the Sword Demon looked around.
There was nothing there.
Hwaok quickly added.
"The location marked on the treasure map is precisely here."
That meant the entrance was hidden. By a mechanism or a formation.
Byeok Taesan glanced around.
In the distance, he could see the people who had been following them.
First, he saw Bang Durip and the Thousand Sword Group, and behind them, the warriors of the Black Alliance and the Five Great Families.
And even further away, countless martial artists were rushing towards them.
Byeok Taesan tapped the spot Hwaok had indicated with his foot and asked.
"Is this the right spot?"
Hwaok nodded.
"Precisely."
Byeok Taesan lifted his foot slightly and then stomped it down.
*Thump!*
For a moment, the mountain trembled slightly.
< It's Clearly a Trap > End