Chapter 172
Chapter 172
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 172
Chapter Title: Displaying Brilliant Wit
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Late at night.
Go Mi left the window open, staring toward the northern end of the market street. Yi Hwan still hadn’t returned.
‘To leave without a word.’
If Cheol Mu-ok hadn’t told her just moments ago, she might not have even realized he was gone. And now, Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae had set out to look for him, complaining that he was taking too long.
Whoooosh!
The wind was picking up.
The market street, which had been bustling with crowds until late, was now eerily quiet.
Rustle.
Hwa Ryeong climbed down from the bed and pulled a chair over to sit beside Go Mi.
“Don’t worry. He’s strong.”
“……”
Hwa Ryeong shot to her feet.
“Let’s have a drink while we wait.”
“Where are you going?”
“To get some liquor.”
“The place is closed. Where are you going to find any...?”
“I’ll rummage through the kitchen.”
Hwa Ryeong flashed a cheeky grin and left the room.
Go Mi didn’t stop her. In her current mood, a drink might actually help.
She turned her gaze back to the northern market street.
“……!”
Her eyes lit up when she spotted people entering the market street.
But the light in Go Mi’s eyes soon turned to disappointment. They were just stumbling drunks who could barely walk straight.
‘Why on earth did he have to go to the Zhao Kingdom’s Imperial Palace?’
It worried her even more because it was none other than the Imperial Palace of Zhao. Moments later, Hwa Ryeong returned with two bottles of liquor and some simple snacks.
The two women each held a bottle and perched on the windowsill.
Hwa Ryeong stared at Go Mi for a moment before asking,
“Was this your dream from the start?”
“No. It just sort of happened. What about you?”
“I wanted to climb as high as I could as a female warrior. I believed serving the Empress well would get me there, but now it’s all gone to hell.”
“You can keep chasing that dream by serving the Great Prince.”
“With him, there’s someone who makes it impossible.”
Go Mi brought the bottle to her lips, giving Hwa Ryeong a puzzled look.
“You mean me?”
“Yes.”
Gulp, gulp!
Go Mi wiped her mouth and said,
“I’m not a female warrior—I’m an official. I won’t get in the way of your dream at all.”
“Is that so?”
Go Mi smiled faintly.
She had never found Hwa Ryeong’s head-tilt as endearing as she did tonight. Come to think of it, this was the first time they’d talked like this for so long.
Go Mi cast her gaze back to the northern market street. Hwa Ryeong fell silent and looked in the same direction.
Whoooosh!
The market street, littered with trash swirling in the wind, looked utterly desolate.
“It was so crowded until late...”
Hwa Ryeong muttered as she lifted her bottle, then suddenly furrowed her brow.
“What’s with that guy?”
“What?”
“There’s someone watching us from the inn across the street.”
Hwa Ryeong nodded toward a window in the opposite inn—the room where Yang Chan was staying.
“Probably just another insomniac like us. Don’t mind him.”
* * *
Yi Hwan, having slipped out of the Zhao Kingdom’s Imperial Palace, walked the empty official road.
‘It was too much.’
He had sustained internal injuries.
To instill fear in Jo Yun, he had poured all his qi into engraving the Golden Horse Token on the palace wall—a reckless act from the start. And then, in that state, he had killed an opponent he couldn’t afford to underestimate, worsening his injuries.
‘If even this has no effect...’
When engraving the characters, he had no choice but to carve them as deeply as possible. Anything shallow would not only fail to create tension but invite ridicule.
“Huuu!”
Yi Hwan circulated his breathing technique as he walked.
He could feel his inverted meridians slowly recovering, but it would take considerable time to fully heal.
How much farther had he gone?
A presence approached from behind. Turning, he saw pursuers.
Yi Hwan quickly darted into the woods and suppressed his aura, watching them.
Three men in blue robes.
They were employing impressive lightness skills, kicking up dust in their wake.
‘If they spot me, I’m in trouble...’
Could he handle them in his current state? Even if he killed them, he would suffer heavy damage himself.
From Yi Hwan’s position, he could only hope the blue-robes would pass by.
That was when it happened.
Kang! Kang!
A beast’s snarls echoed.
Yi Hwan’s eyes darkened as he spotted a large, four-legged creature charging toward the blue-robes.
‘Black panther?’
It was unmistakably a black panther.
The panther snarled directly toward Yi Hwan’s location as it charged.
‘Damn...’
Roooar!
The panther bared its fangs and leaped at Yi Hwan.
A shout rang out then.
“Come back!”
At the command, the panther twisted in midair and landed on the ground.
Swish!
The blue-robes dropped down right in front of Yi Hwan.
Shing!
Bloodlust shimmered around the swords drawn from their sheaths.
“Going to hide like a rat?”
Yi Hwan slowly stood.
He climbed atop a towering boulder nearby.
“You tracked me well.”
Yi Hwan feigned calm as he gathered his qi. A stinging pain prickled near his dantian.
‘I need to buy time.’
Shing.
Yi Hwan slowly drew his sword.
The blue-robes spread out but hesitated to rush in. They had seen the depth of the engraving on the palace wall and knew Yi Hwan was stronger than them.
“Not bad. For a mere descendant of a demonic scum, trying to devour a kingdom.”
“You’ll soon learn things are different from two hundred years ago. Our lord surpasses even the first Blood Demon.”
“Really? The Blood Demon would claw his way out of the grave hearing that. But can you lot really take me down?”
“We’ll see when we clash.”
“Tell the Southwest King to come himself if he wants to catch me. Isn’t this the perfect chance to end two hundred years of enmity?”
Yi Hwan deliberately dragged out the conversation.
Fortunately, the blue-robes feared him and acted cautiously. The deep engraving of the Golden Horse Token was already bearing fruit.
But there was an even greater reason.
They had to kill Yi Hwan somehow, so they were stalling until their comrades arrived. If they were confident in taking him alone, they wouldn’t bother talking.
One blue-robe asked,
“Is Yeon’s Fourth Prince your lackey?”
Here, Yi Hwan displayed brilliant wit.
“Strange question. Why would Yeon’s prince be my lackey?”
“You don’t know him?”
“Wait.”
Yi Hwan cut him off, feigning surprise as he countered.
“Did Yeon’s Fourth Prince learn Daye Fortress martial arts? Is that why you’re asking if he’s my man?”
“……!”
Perfect acting.
The opponent flinched. The question had been tossed out assuming Yi Hwan and Yeon’s Fourth Prince were allies. But Yi Hwan seemed oblivious.
It was a question they should never have asked.
Another blue-robe signaled to stop, realizing too late.
“I see now.”
Yi Hwan smiled nonchalantly. He pressed the flustered foes.
“I never imagined our lineage would produce an imperial prince. We scoured Qin and Zhao to no avail, so we came to your Zhao last. Even set up a nice base here.”
“You’ve established a base in our Zhao Kingdom?”
“Your laws are a mess compared to the other two—perfect for us martial artists. Unlucky for you, though. Now that Jo Yun and your lot are exposed as Blood Demon descendants, we can watch you up close.”
“How did you identify us?”
“We have our ways.”
Yi Hwan’s eyes narrowed slyly as he lied smoothly. He had spotted two shadows stealthily approaching from behind the blue-robes.
Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae.
‘Good lads.’
Yi Hwan sent a transmission immediately.
[Let one live and send him back. But make sure he doesn’t realize you let him go.]
[Understood.]
Yi Hwan stretched exaggeratedly. To seal the deception, he lied again.
“Do you know who the killer you’re chasing is?”
“Was he your ally too?”
“My valued subordinate. Descendant of the Poison King, whom your founder Blood Demon feared most.”
“……!”
They all flinched. As Blood Demon heirs, they knew exactly what the Poison King was.
Yi Hwan raised one hand, observing their reactions.
“Anyone figure out why I’m spilling such vital secrets? This is huge, you know.”
“You’ll kill us all to silence us?”
“Exactly. Smart one. Heh heh heh.”
“Dream on.”
“We’ll see.”
No sooner had Yi Hwan spoken than Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae struck.
“Eek!”
The blue-robes whirled at the sudden powerful aura behind them, assuming stances.
Thud!
But before they could, one head exploded like a watermelon. A gruesome death without even a scream.
Another was impaled through the chest by Ju Tae’s sword.
Splat!
“Gahk!”
Simultaneously, the blue-robe Yi Hwan had been talking to kicked off the ground and leaped northward—toward the Imperial Palace.
Yi Hwan shouted loudly enough for him to hear, smiling.
“Don’t let him escape! He must die!”
Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae pursued.
Yi Hwan sheathed his sword and lightly leaped down to the road.
Growl...
The black panther remained.
Likely the pet of one of the dead. It crouched, baring fangs at Yi Hwan.
‘Kill it?’
He hesitated.
Yi Hwan loved cats. To him, this furious panther was just a big one.
“No need to kill a dumb beast.”
Fwoosh.
Yi Hwan conjured a flame on his fingertip. At the large blaze, the snarling panther backed away hesitantly.
The flame then shot from his hand toward the panther, exploding with a ‘boom’—and it vanished into the darkness.
Moments later, Cheol Mu-ok and Ju Tae returned.
“Did you do it right?”
“No worries. We pretended to chase like madmen before turning back. He won’t suspect a thing. But what happened?”
“I’ll explain at the inn.”
Yi Hwan turned first.
As Ju Tae followed, Cheol Mu-ok collected the dead men’s swords.
“Why those?”
“Just in case.”
Ju Tae sent a transmission.
[Doesn’t the lord look pale?]
[Yeah, he does.]
[Something went down at the palace?]
[He’ll tell us at the inn. Let’s go.]
* * *
U Mun-sul was Southwest King Jo Yun’s strategist.
Having grown up alongside Jo Yun since childhood, he was especially favored.
Never leaving Jo Yun’s side, he was called his shadow. Now, U Mun-sul’s face twisted unpleasantly.
“So you alone survived?”
“Yes. We were waiting for reinforcements since the foe was formidable, but his allies ambushed us out of nowhere...”
The man bowing before him was the blue-robe Yi Hwan had let escape.
“I obtained crucial information.”
“It had better be enough to absolve your failure.”
“He knew nothing of Yeon’s Fourth Prince. He said they’ve set up base in our Zhao Kingdom. Watching you and His Highness closely means it’s not far from the capital.”
“What! How did you learn that?”
“To stall until our comrades arrived, I engaged him in talk. He clearly said so—passing through Qin and Yeon to reach Zhao.”
Wrinkles creased U Mun-sul’s brow. If true, it was the worst scenario.
‘Of all places, right near us.’
He and Jo Yun had assumed, after spotting Yi Hwan in the Northern Legion, that Daye Fortress heirs had based in Yeon.
“And there’s something even more important.”
“More important?”
“The killer of the Black Dragon Leader was the Poison King’s descendant.”
“……!”
“He said it plainly: the murderer is his subordinate, the Poison King’s heir. I had to deliver this at all costs, so I fled, ignoring my comrades’ deaths.”
U Mun-sul’s face hardened. The moment he had dreaded—Poison King’s heir had appeared.
‘This jeopardizes the Martial Conference’s safety.’
Dazed, U Mun-sul fell silent. The blue-robe sweated, watching his expression.
After a moment, U Mun-sul spoke.
“You didn’t blab useless info thinking you had him, did you?”
“Of course not. I revealed none of our secrets, so rest easy.”
U Mun-sul placed a hand on the blue-robe’s shoulder.
“Good work.”
“I’m sorry. We could’ve caught him if we’d handled it right...”
“Exactly.”
“……Pardon?”
Crack!
U Mun-sul’s hands seized the blue-robe’s throat. Bones crunched, and he died on the spot.
Thud!
“You brought valuable intel, so I’ll see your family taken care of to the end. That’s the price of your life—don’t resent me.”
Muttering coldly, U Mun-sul stared toward Jo Yun’s quarters before turning away.
‘Best tell him in the morning.’