Chapter 116
Chapter 116
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: Ghost Valley Lord Returns Empty-Handed
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A crescent moon curved like a blade.
The Ghost Valley Lord sat on the manor’s roof, meticulously tending to his beloved sword, an extension of his very soul.
Moonlight reflected off the blade, tinting the Ghost Valley Lord’s face a pale blue. It was not mere faint moonlight that caused this.
As Ghost Valley’s divine treasure, it radiated such brilliance even in the slightest light.
‘I will take at least one of their heads.’
As the Ghost Valley Lord steeled his resolve, his subordinate approached from behind.
“Lord, preparations are complete.”
“Wait a moment. I haven’t finished my conversation with this one yet.”
“Yes.”
The Ghost Valley Lord held the sword to his face and began muttering as if chanting an incantation. It was his personal ritual before embarking on a killing spree.
The subordinate watched the scene quietly from behind.
After a moment, having completed the ritual, the Ghost Valley Lord opened his closed eyes. Still seated, he asked,
“Have you prepared enough fierce fire oil?”
“Yes. We’ve readied more than enough to easily burn down several halls.”
“Then let’s go.”
“Yes.”
It was as the Ghost Valley Lord rose to his feet.
“Huh?”
“What is it?”
“Someone is approaching.”
“Probably just passersby.”
“Doesn’t seem like it.”
At his subordinate’s reaction, the Ghost Valley Lord swiftly stood and moved to the edge of the roof.
His subordinate pointed into the darkness beyond.
“Look over there.”
The Ghost Valley Lord’s gaze turned in that direction. His brows furrowed, and he bit his lip hard.
Their movements clearly had the manor as their target.
“Hurry down and prepare for combat.”
“Do you think our presence has been exposed?”
“They wouldn’t move like that otherwise. Make haste.”
“Yes!”
The Ghost Valley Lord stared at the shadows piercing the darkness, then suddenly flinched and drew his sword.
Ching!
“Who goes there!”
The Ghost Valley Lord’s gaze fixed on a massive tree behind the manor.
“Who knows? Guess.”
An indifferent voice drifted from the tree.
It was Ju Tae.
He landed lightly on the roof.
The Ghost Valley Lord’s eyes narrowed for a fleeting moment.
‘He was this close, yet I sensed nothing until now… Wait, this man!’
Belatedly recognizing Ju Tae’s face, the Ghost Valley Lord was overcome with dread.
‘How is the Great Prince’s guard here…’
“You seem to recognize me. Even more suspicious.”
Ju Tae slowly drew his sword.
Srrrring.
Right then, the Ghost Valley Lord charged at Ju Tae without a word. In an instant, dozens of afterimages appeared, bewildering Ju Tae’s vision.
But Ju Tae’s sword struck precisely at the Ghost Valley Lord’s true form.
Boom!
A thunderous roar erupted, sparks flying.
Pa pa pat!
Ju Tae and the Ghost Valley Lord were each forced back five steps. In the process, roof tiles caught in the shockwave rained down below.
Crack!
Thud!
Thunk!
The door flew open, and black-robed men poured out from within. But they could not climb onto the roof. Nearly simultaneously, Cheol Mu-ok and the warriors of Yi Wang’s lineage leaped into the manor.
Cheol Mu-ok said in a low voice,
“Golden Army. Resist, and we’ll deem you enemies and take your lives.”
“Attack!”
“Die!”
Defying the warning, the black-robed men charged ferociously all at once.
A hazy glint of murder rose in Cheol Mu-ok’s eyes.
“Definitely suspicious bastards.”
* * *
Zing…
The Ghost Valley Lord’s eyes flickered at the powerful shock surging up his arm.
‘This man is this strong…’
Ju Tae was no less surprised.
‘What the hell. A master like this in such a backwater?’
Among those he had faced since meeting Yi Hwan, the man before him—the Ghost Valley Lord—seemed the strongest.
Ju Tae readjusted his grip on his sword and advanced toward the Ghost Valley Lord.
“Are you one of those God of Prophecy-believing fiends?”
‘These guys… they don’t know who we are.’
The Ghost Valley Lord silently shifted into stance.
Kagang!
Kwajijik!
“Argh!”
“Kwaaak!”
Pitiful death cries burst from below the roof.
By their familiar voices, his subordinates were undoubtedly dying.
The Ghost Valley Lord wrestled with indecision.
‘Even if I kill this man, losing all my subordinates leaves me with nothing.’
In that case, he needed to descend and save his men first.
But he could not. Ju Tae would exploit the opening and charge, putting him at risk.
“Hey, answer me first?”
Pat!
Once more, the Ghost Valley Lord moved first.
A single ray of light arced downward. Ju Tae retreated while swinging his sword at the light.
Boom!
Kwajijik!
Shock rippled again, sending roof tiles flying wildly.
This time too, they were pushed back similar distances. The corner of Ju Tae’s mouth twitched.
“With skill like this, you must be the fiends’ leader, old timer. Am I right?”
It was then.
Flash!
An immense light blazed from the Ghost Valley Lord’s sword, blinding Ju Tae for a moment. Instinctively retreating, Ju Tae braced for the incoming strike.
But?
Boom!
The Ghost Valley Lord kicked off the roof and soared into the air. Ju Tae’s face twisted—not toward the roof below, but into the darkness.
“Damn it…”
Ju Tae did not give chase.
He had to concede pursuit was futile. The Ghost Valley Lord’s lightness skill was that extraordinary.
“Your underlings are dying, and you flee? No, what kind of bastard…?”
Ju Tae peered down from the roof with a baffled expression. Cheol Mu-ok and Yi Wang’s lineage warriors danced their sword forms, several corpses already sprawled about, spilling blood.
Ju Tae leaped lightly down to the roof below.
Cheol Mu-ok approached.
“The leader?”
“Fled.”
“Why not pursue?”
“Old bastard’s too fast. No point. Looks like the boss; doesn’t care if minions die. Ha! What a clown.”
Scarce moments after Ju Tae’s words, the few remaining black-robed men collapsed limply one by one.
The Yi Wang lineage warriors attacking them showed signs of confusion.
“They all took their own lives!”
“Treating life like trash—definitely the fiends. Fanatics are all the same.”
“Seems that way.”
“Ha, these punks were right under our noses without a care? Think they were after our lord?”
“Could be.”
Ju Tae and Cheol Mu-ok never once suspected they were Zhao spies.
“Search the manor top to bottom.”
“Yes!”
Ju Tae and Cheol Mu-ok entered as well.
“What’s this?”
Ju Tae discovered several vials, brought one to his nose, and sniffed. He grimaced and said,
“Fierce fire oil?”
“Why stockpile so much fierce fire oil? Small vials with fuses attached, no less.”
“Prepped for easy throwing… must’ve been planning an attack somewhere…”
At that moment, the warriors who had entered the rooms returned. One extended a scrap of cloth.
“Take a look at this.”
Cheol Mu-ok unfolded the cloth the youth handed him.
“No—this is a map of our official residence?”
“Targeting the Great Prince for sure.”
Cheol Mu-ok issued orders to the youths.
“Head back for now. You lot, gather every drop of fierce fire oil.”
“Yes!”
Cheol Mu-ok crossed the main gate first, with Ju Tae walking beside him, rubbing his right wrist.
“Injured?”
“Wrist’s out of joint, seems like.”
“What?”
“Stings every time I move. Bone’s probably off. Nothing major, though.”
Tsk.
Cheol Mu-ok stared at the grinning Ju Tae with disbelief.
“Can’t wield a sword for at least twenty days, and you’re laughing?”
“Well, here’s hoping nothing happens in the meantime. Let’s go. I’m starving.”
“…”
* * *
The Ghost Valley Lord, who had fled into the darkness, returned to the manor and gazed down at his subordinates’ gruesome corpses.
Those who had crossed over from Zhao with him appeared to have committed suicide, not fallen to enemy blades.
Shiver…
‘Return empty-handed like this…’
The Ghost Valley Lord’s eyes quivered in futility.
Even alone, he—like Ju Tae—had suffered a broken right wrist.
‘To lose my wrist to some mere guard.’
Zing!
Pain shot up from his wrist.
Trying to clench his fist, he found no strength in his grip. He would need to tread carefully even on the journey back.
It was here that a profound doubt seized the Ghost Valley Lord.
‘A master like that guarding not the Crown Prince, but some imperial prince. That means the Fourth Imperial Prince harbors something unknown to the world…’
The Ghost Valley Lord stared gravely at Yi Hwan’s residence for a long while, unable to depart.
But he could delay no longer. With Yi Hwan and Jo Gwang out of reach, he had to return to Zhao posthaste to shield Ghost Valley from the Southwest King’s purge.
‘In the end, nothing gained.’
He had even failed to locate the Soul Separation Technique’s wanderer—total failure.
“Sigh…”
The Ghost Valley Lord finally turned away.
And vanished into the darkness.
* * *
Time flowed like running water.
A month had passed since Yi Hwan took command of the Golden Army.
In that time, escort operations had yielded brilliant results. Moreover, the generals who returned after Yi Hwan’s strict order against withholding information sent reports in succession.
Even Go Mi was astonished; when she summarized them, the volume filled an entire book.
‘This information might prove the greatest power of all.’
Yi Hwan stored the intelligence dossier in his office safe.
Then one day, on an unusually chill wind,
Someone came seeking Yi Hwan from the Imperial Palace. A man sent by the Empress.
* * *
A middle-aged man whose eyes were pitch-black like a serpent’s.
With arrogant expression and demeanor, he addressed Yi Hwan.
“Her Majesty the Empress commands you to bring the Crown Prince of Zhao.”
“The Crown Prince is unwell; entry forbidden for the time being. Convey that.”
“If he can’t walk, just carry him in a carriage, no?”
“That urgent?”
“Her Majesty’s command. Obey without question, Great Prince.”
“The Crown Prince’s Palace ordered me to ensure the Zhao Crown Prince’s safety. Thus, I cannot obey the Empress. Return and relay as is.”
“Great Prince, this is unacceptable. Dare you defy Her Majesty citing the Crown Prince’s Palace?”
Yi Hwan’s eyes subtly shifted.
But the middle-aged man stared straight at him, unperturbed.
“Do my words sound amusing?”
Yi Hwan’s tone changed.
“I serve only Her Majesty’s command.”
“Then start over from the beginning.”
“Yes?”
Yi Hwan’s hand sliced through the air.
Slap!
“Urk!”
The middle-aged man let out a short cry and toppled backward from his chair.
“Gave you courtesy as the Empress’s envoy; you should’ve taken the hint and left by now.”
“…!”
“From now on, redo it—with respect in your speech, actions, and expression.”
“Great Prince! I am Her Majesty’s envoy! This is a grave crime tantamount to insulting Her Majesty…”
The middle-aged man could not finish.
Crack!
A teacup shattered atop his head.
“Urk!”
“Told you to redo it.”
“Great Prince!”
Crack!
A second teacup exploded, blood dripping from his head.
“A mere palace drudge treating an imperial prince like a subordinate. Your gall is impressively swollen.”
Yi Hwan flicked his hand; a sword standing against the wall unsheathed itself and flew over.
“Redo it.”
“…!”
Swish.
Yi Hwan rested the sword on the man’s right arm.
“You still don’t know me well. If you’re going to strut before me, at least learn who I am first.”
Sizzle!
A bluish light flared from the sword tip, and the man’s sleeve began to burn. He bolted up and flattened himself on the floor.
“G-Greatest of crimes, Great Prince!”