Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Rescue the Alliance Lord! (1)
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In Dong-ro Prefecture, the main district is near the port. Four manors within a hundred-zhang radius had newly opened as the Martial Alliance's Dong-ro Branch.
The original Dong-ro Branch had become the Grand Branch, and the four manors were now the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Branches.
So far, the total number of new members across the five branches, including the Grand Branch, was about five hundred and fifty.
The five hundred fifty members of the Dong-ro Branch, clad in newly issued yellow uniforms with ‘Martial Alliance Dong-ro’ embroidered on the left chest, strode proudly through the streets.
They held a sense of pride greater than that of disciples from the most prestigious Nine Sects, One Union, or the Seven Great Houses.
In fact, that over a hundred of the five hundred fifty members came from those very factions spoke volumes.
Nowhere else in the martial world was there such a massive branch. A typical branch, at its largest, would have thirty to forty members.
But the Dong-ro Branch was a Grand Branch overseeing four other branches, with a staggering five hundred fifty members.
And that wasn't the end of it. It was set to double or even triple in size, meaning a single branch would soon dwarf a major sect.
The members of the Dong-ro Branch were warmly welcomed by the citizens wherever they went in Dong-ro Prefecture. At the taverns run by the Crouching Dragon Group, members were offered free food and drink.
Furthermore, a rumor had recently spread that the Fire Dragon Sword himself had led the Dong-ro Branch members to attack and utterly annihilate the Eighteen Forts of Qiantang and the Yangtze River Water Fortress, both under the Four Seas Way. The prestige of the Fire Dragon Sword, the Dong-ro Branch, and the Martial Alliance soared to the heavens.
***
As soon as I arrived in Dong-ro Prefecture, I received a message that Cho-seon wished to see me, so I went to the floating house where she was staying.
With the bruises and swelling gone, her original beauty had mostly returned. Cho-seon smiled brightly.
“I’ve looked into the matter you asked about, Lord Ak.”
It had only been eight days since I returned from the Yangtze River Water Fortress, yet she claimed to have already found what I had asked for.
“You’ve found where the Blood Crow Saber is?”
“You haven’t had dinner yet, have you?”
Cho-seon beamed.
In the second-floor room of the floating house, Cho-seon and I sat facing each other at a table. Aeng-a stood behind Cho-seon, while Jang Ung and Go Un-hyo stood behind me.
“I haven’t.”
“Aeng-a, serve the meal.”
“Yes, my lady!”
As if prepared in advance, Aeng-a diligently set a lavish spread of food and wine on the table.
“And also.”
Cho-seon gave me no time to breathe.
“Lord Ak, you can speak informally to me. It’s alright.”
It was a direct hit.
“Very well.”
There was no reason to refuse.
“Oh? Thank you!”
Then, Cho-seon blinked her large eyes, leaned toward me, and slyly asked.
“Can I call you brother?”
“!”
My face hardened instantly. The moment Cho-seon said ‘brother,’ I felt an intense sensation, as if my entire brain was being sucked away, and my mind went blank.
A thick, shimmering fog descended, obscuring everything, but a voice from beyond it rang out clearly.
[Brother Ryong! Where are you?]
Jang Ung sternly rebuked Cho-seon.
“Do you wish to die?”
The thick fog lifted, and I quickly snapped back to my senses.
‘What was that?’
It wasn't a dream, nor had I lost consciousness. And yet, the words ‘Brother Ryong! Where are you?’ remained etched in my mind, as vivid as ever.
‘Could it be that I have a childhood I don’t remember?’
But the voice of the very young child who had called me ‘Brother Ryong’ sounded strangely familiar.
Cho-seon protested to Jang Ung.
“I was speaking to Lord Ak. Why are you getting angry?”
Jang Ung had scolded her upon seeing my face harden.
I put an end to it.
“If you say that again, we are through.”
“Hmph! Fine.”
“Have you found out about the Blood Crow Saber?”
“Let’s eat first.”
I took a few bites and then set down my chopsticks.
*Clack!*
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s tasteless.”
“That can’t be.”
Cho-seon immediately tried the food and frowned.
“Aeng-a! What’s wrong with this food? This isn’t what we usually have!”
Aeng-a looked crestfallen.
“Is it that bad? The truth is, the waiter at the tavern we usually go to was being so rude, so we switched to a new one.”
I got to the point.
“The Blood Crow Saber. Did you find anything?”
“Yes.”
Cho-seon pouted.
“I did, you know.”
“And?”
“But why are you looking for the Blood Crow Saber?”
I had heard enough and stood up.
“Let’s go.”
Her constant teasing instead of getting to the point was irritating. In truth, I wasn't that curious about the Blood Crow Saber. It was merely a test of her abilities.
“Wait!”
Startled, Cho-seon quickly stood up and reached out to grab my arm as I headed for the door.
*Thwack!*
“Ah!”
Before she could touch my arm, Jang Ung pushed her away, and she fell to the floor.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“Had you grabbed our lord’s arm, you would already be dead.”
“……”
A chill ran down Cho-seon’s spine, but she understood Jang Ung's meaning.
Moreover, seeing Go Un-hyo draw his Blood Shadow Sword halfway from its sheath, she realized she had made a grave mistake. If things had gone differently, Go Un-hyo would have killed her.
As Go Un-hyo opened the door, Cho-seon quickly said.
“I found the Blood Crow Saber!”
As I walked out the door, pretending not to hear, Cho-seon shouted.
“There’s something else! Masters from the Demonic Emperor’s Grand Union are sailing to the East Sea!”
“!”
I turned back, and Cho-seon spoke rapidly.
“A ship carrying four of the Nine Demonic Lords of the Demonic Emperor’s Grand Union, thirty members of the Life-Reaping Squad, and a hundred Soul-Guarding Masters has set sail for the East Sea!”
Four of the Nine Demonic Lords, thirty members of the Life-Reaping Squad, and a hundred Soul-Guarding Masters. That was a formidable force.
The backbone of the Demonic Emperor’s Grand Union was the Ten Soul-Guarding Demonic Palaces. These were ten factions, from the First to the Tenth Demonic Palace.
I knew all too well that the most elite warriors from these ten palaces were called Soul-Guarding Masters.
With such a powerful force, there would be no faction or individual in the martial world who could stand against them.
“They’re heading to the East Sea?”
Seeing my interest, Cho-seon looked relieved.
“You asked me to find out where the Alliance Lord of the Martial Alliance is, didn’t you? I investigated, and the last trace of him ended at Yeonun Port, north of Jiangsu Province.”
‘She found that out?’
I hadn't expected it, but the information network of the Mysterious Jade Palace was impressive.
“So, I figured the Alliance Lord must have set sail from Yeonun Port. I looked into when he left and what kind of ship he took.”
Seeing me still standing, Cho-seon gestured toward the table.
“Please, sit.”
“Have you found out where the Alliance Lord went?”
Hearing that the Demonic Emperor’s Grand Union was heading to the East Sea with such a massive force, I had no time to sit.
“In my opinion…”
“Speak.”
“Don’t you think the ship from the Demonic Emperor’s Grand Union that left Yeonun Port two days ago is headed to where the Alliance Lord is?”
I thought so too. The Alliance Lord of the Martial Alliance was said to be on a remote island in the East Sea. If the Demonic Emperor’s Grand Union was heading to the East Sea with a large contingent of powerful masters, the Alliance Lord was their obvious target.
“Is this information reliable?”
“I’d stake my life on it.”
“Can you find out where in the East Sea the Demonic Emperor’s Grand Union is heading?”
“It won’t be difficult.”
I grabbed Cho-seon’s arm.
“Let’s go!”
“Oh?”
Cho-seon glanced at Jang Ung. Since he had just pushed her for trying to grab my arm, her look questioned whether it was okay for me to grab hers.
But Jang Ung pretended not to notice.
As I descended the stairs, I gave an order to Jang Ung.
“Summon Heuk-wol.”
“Shall I tell him to prepare a fast ship?”
Jang Ung had already grasped my intention.
“The fastest one.”
“Understood.”
***
Sang Gang-jo was in a separate building of the Dong-ro Branch and greeted me.
“Where have you been all this time?”
Sang Gang-jo hadn't seen me for the eight days I was away at the Yangtze River Water Fortress.
“Are you asking when you already know?”
The news that I had subjugated the Eighteen Forts of Qiantang and the Yangtze River Water Fortress was widespread. It was impossible for Sang Gang-jo not to know.
Sang Gang-jo looked sheepish.
“You’ve worked hard.”
He smiled faintly.
“You’ve turned the world upside down.”
I spoke gravely.
“Dealing with river pirates may be as easy as flipping one’s hand for the Martial Alliance, but for the common people, it is a matter of life and death.”
Sang Gang-jo bowed his head deeply.
“Indeed. You have given us a great realization, Grand Branch Master.”
“That is the Martial Alliance.”
“Yes. My apologies.”
Sang Gang-jo and I sat facing each other at a table, drinking tea.
“Do you know exactly which island the Alliance Lord is on?”
“Mae-dang should know.”
Sang Gang-jo looked at Cho-seon and Aeng-a.
“Who are they?”
“The Branch Mistress of the Mysterious Jade Palace's Hangzhou branch.”
“The Mysterious Jade Palace?”
Sang Gang-jo wore a shocked expression but didn't press further. He surmised there must be a reason since I was the one who brought them.
Just then, Go Un-hyo and So Yang-gun entered. I had instructed Go Un-hyo to bring him.
So Yang-gun greeted me politely.
“Welcome back.”
“Listen to what this person has to say.”
I nodded at Cho-seon.
“Explain it to these men.”
“Hmph!”
Cho-seon puffed out her cheeks and pouted for no reason.
After hearing Cho-seon’s explanation, So Yang-gun and Sang Gang-jo were not just shocked, but utterly terrified.
So Yang-gun quickly asked Cho-seon.
“Did you say the Demonic Emperor’s Grand Union departed from Yeonun Port two days ago?”
“That’s right.”
“How large was the ship?”
“It was a great ship. Probably the largest in the Central Plains.”
I said to So Yang-gun.
“Tell the Alliance Lord to leave that place immediately.”
“That’s impossible.”
So Yang-gun looked distressed.
“A carrier pigeon cannot fly that far.”
“Is that so?”
A carrier pigeon, a bird used for sending letters, can only return to a place it has been to at least once before.
Moreover, a pigeon cannot fly the entire distance at once and needs to rest several times, which is impossible over the vast sea.
So Yang-gun’s words meant that there had been no contact with the Alliance Lord since he left for the island.
Therefore, to contact the Alliance Lord, someone would have to sail to the island in person.
It showed just how cornered the Alliance Lord was, hunted by the Demonic Emperor’s Grand Union and the Ten Heavens of the Unorthodox Path.
Both So Yang-gun and Sang Gang-jo looked extremely anxious. But with no solution in sight, they could only wet their parched lips.
At that moment, Jang Ung entered with Heuk-wol, and they stood beside me.
So Yang-gun looked at me and sent a mental message.
[Is it alright to speak of the Alliance Lord’s location here?]
He was wary of the strangers, Cho-seon and Heuk-wol.
When I nodded, So Yang-gun asked Cho-seon.
“How long does it take to get from Yeonun Port to Seonjuk Island?”
“Where is Seonjuk Island?”
Since Cho-seon didn't even know where Seonjuk Island was, she had no way of knowing how long the journey would take by ship.
Heuk-wol spoke to me quietly.
“Shall I answer?”
“Go ahead.”
Everyone’s attention focused on Heuk-wol.
“Seonjuk Island is an island of the Goryeo Kingdom. A great ship of that size would take about half a month, even at top speed.”
“You know of Seonjuk Island?”
“I know it well.”
“Have you been there?”
“I have passed by Seonjuk Island dozens of times.”
“Oh!”
So Yang-gun and Sang Gang-jo looked as if they had fallen off a cliff only to catch a rope.
I asked Heuk-wol.
“Have you prepared a ship?”
“I have prepared the fastest large ship at Hangzhou Port.”
“Didn’t you say your ships were in Baoshan?”
“The two ships we took to the Yangtze River Water Fortress are at Hangzhou Port.”
“Ah, of course!”