Chapter 336
Chapter 336
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 336
Chapter Title: An Ending No One Expected
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‘That bastard…….’
The blue-robed man quickly realized that Yi Hwan was the man he had met at the inn.
But his face stiffened not because he was surprised by the unexpected encounter.
It was the formless pressure emanating from Yi Hwan.
For the first time, he felt this kind of pressure from someone other than Jo Yun.
Their gazes clashed across the empty air in an instant. At that moment, the blue-robed man blinked, struck by the illusion of a dagger piercing his pupil.
Yi Hwan turned away.
“How did you get here, Great Prince…….”
“We’ll talk later. Step back.”
“……Yes.”
Yi Hwan stared at the blue-robed man again.
“We meet again here.”
The blue-robed man regulated his breathing without answering. His mind was in utter turmoil.
‘Great Prince? It can’t possibly mean Yeon Kingdom’s Great Prince Yi Hwan. Then who the hell is he, carrying such an absurd aura?’
Unfortunately, the blue-robed man had only seen Yi Hwan once at the inn. So he didn’t recognize him as Yeon Kingdom’s Great Prince.
Moreover, this was a war between Zhao Kingdom and Qin Kingdom. It made no sense for Yeon Kingdom’s Great Prince to be here, so Yi Hwan’s name flashed through his mind but was quickly dismissed.
“Kieea!”
Kwa-gwang!
Right beside them, the battle between Ban Go and Yi Seong-ji grew even fiercer. Surging dust and rocks flew wildly toward Yi Hwan and the blue-robed man.
Ting-ting-tang!
The rocks blocked by their protective auras sparked and scattered in all directions.
Yi Hwan asked indifferently.
“Are you a follower of the Blood Demon?”
“……!”
“Judging by your surprise, that must be right.”
Fsssh……
The air flow around where Yi Hwan stood began to change.
“Then I can’t let you go even more.”
Sting!
The blue-robed man felt pain surging through his entire body. Just from the shift in air flow, it felt like needles were pricking him all over, and he couldn’t even breathe properly.
‘What the hell is this…….’
He finally realized. The man before him was an opponent he could never face.
That realization led to a swift decision.
Flash!
The blue-robed man’s sword unleashed a brilliant light as it sliced through the air. It fell vertically as if to split Yi Hwan’s head in two.
Of course, he didn’t expect that strike to land on Yi Hwan. It was just a sudden ambush to create an opening for escape.
That was the moment.
The blue-robed man saw it. Yi Hwan smirking coldly.
“……!”
“When dealing with you lot, I don’t hold back.”
Flash!
* * *
“Gasp!”
Jang Han, standing beside Gong Ya-un, let out a cry of alarm.
Gong Ya-un, who had been watching Yi Seong-ji, quickly turned his head. He too was stunned.
“……!”
The blue-robed man was collapsing like a felled tree. Without his head.
Thud!
“Uwaaah!”
The two Jang Hans cried out in a mix of shock and cheer. To think the impregnable blue-robed man would fall so pathetically.
* * *
Yi Hwan looked down at the blue-robed man’s body twitching like a fish.
‘These guys’ spirits aren’t as strong as their martial arts.’
Back in Yeon Kingdom, as soon as Ban Go sensed his power, he had howled and fled. Abandoning even his captured comrade.
Yi Hwan had felt great doubt at the sight of someone with Blood Seraph power running without even thinking of fighting properly.
And today, the blue-robed man did the same.
He didn’t try to fight either; escape was his first thought. If he had gone all out, Yi Hwan wouldn’t have killed him this easily.
‘Disappointing.’
Two hundred years ago, the Blood Demon who opposed Daye Fortress and his followers weren’t this pathetic. Back then, they were worthy of being called Daye Fortress’s ‘enemies.’
They were sinister, but their unyielding spirit against Daye Fortress had to be acknowledged.
Yet the Blood Demon followers Yi Hwan had met in this era all felt utterly lacking. If they were all like this, there might be no need to be particularly wary.
But Yi Hwan shook his head.
‘No, that can’t be. Don’t let your guard down. Complacency is forbidden.’
Jo Yun, whom he had obtained clues about in Ilguk. Such a man couldn’t be an easy opponent.
“Hoo…….”
Yi Hwan took a quiet breath and watched the fight between Yi Seong-ji and Ban Go.
He couldn’t see clearly through the thick dust blanketing the area, but he could distinctly feel Yi Seong-ji being gradually pushed back.
Even so, it was astonishing.
To hold out this long against the world’s Blood Seraph meant Yi Seong-ji had already entered the absolute realm.
“The enemy is retreating!”
“Waaaaah!”
Cheers erupted.
Looking back, Zhao Kingdom’s warriors were fleeing in all directions.
Yi Hwan infused his voice with inner power toward Baek Yeon, who was about to pursue.
“Don’t chase them.”
Baek Yeon, who had leaped into the air, spun and landed on the ground.
Yi Hwan checked on his aides. They were all covered in blood, but seemed unharmed.
He turned back to Yi Seong-ji and Ban Go. After their final clash, they were five paces apart, glaring at each other while readjusting their stances.
Yi Hwan strode right into the middle. Ban Go and Yi Seong-ji both turned to him.
“Kek!”
“Gasp!”
The simultaneous cries held entirely different meanings.
Yi Hwan said to Yi Seong-ji.
“Capturing him is more important than your pride, so even if you don’t like me intervening, just accept it.”
“I don’t even have the strength to uphold my pride, so do as you please. Cough!”
“Your Highness!”
Gong Ya-un hurriedly supported Yi Seong-ji, who had vomited a basin’s worth of blood.
Yi Hwan turned to Ban Go.
“Kieeee…….”
Ban Go was hunched like a wolf facing a tiger, emitting only growls.
“You’d better abandon any thought of escaping from me like last time.”
“Kieeee……. Did you kill Cha Ryong?”
“Is that important right now?”
“An-answer me!”
Ban Go’s demeanor was strange. The bloodlight filling his eyes receded, his pupils returning to their original color.
“He’s still alive. Though he’ll soon follow in your footsteps.”
Yi Hwan deliberately dragged it out without immediately subduing Ban Go. It was giving the fatigued Ban Go from his fight with Yi Seong-ji time to recover, exactly as Yi Hwan intended.
‘I’ll learn about the Blood Seraph through this one.’
Though Yi Hwan had clashed with the Blood Demon multiple times in the past, the Blood Seraph only manifested when the Blood Demon drew out his utmost power, so even Yi Hwan hadn’t seen it often.
If Jo Yun could also become a Blood Seraph, it would surely be on another level from Ban Go.
This was the perfect chance to probe the Blood Seraph’s weaknesses in advance for when he faced him.
That was when.
“Promise to spare Cha Ryong. Then I’ll surrender. I know more secrets about our lord than Cha Ryong does, so it won’t be a bad deal for you.”
“……!”
At the unexpected words, Yi Hwan stepped down from the rock. The completely unforeseen development left him quite flustered.
“Hard to believe. If you cherished your comrade so much, why did you run then? You should have fought to the death or surrendered right there.”
Thud!
Clang!
“Believe me. Cha Ryong is the only one who ever liked me. But our lord wants to kill Cha Ryong. Now I hate our lord, my uncle, and all the guys we trained with. I just want to live happily with Cha Ryong…….”
Sweat or tears—it was unclear which—streamed down Ban Go’s cheek.
‘This guy means it.’
* * *
Yi Hwan called for Go Mi.
Go Mi approached immediately.
“What’s the fastest way to relay my will to Yang Chan?”
“The Western Legion is closest from here. It takes four days to get there, and sending an express letter from there would take another day to reach Young Master Yang.”
‘Should I pray it doesn’t succeed within five days?’
Yi Hwan called for Ju Tae.
Ju Tae approached.
“Go to the Western Legion right now and send an express letter to Yang Chan. Tell him to delay Cha Ryong’s matter until I arrive. And add that Jo Yun might send assassins, so be careful.”
“Understood.”
“Ju Tae.”
“Yes?”
“You must exert every ounce of strength.”
“Don’t worry. If I run with all I’ve got, I can shave off a day. I’ll leave immediately.”
Ju Tae departed.
Yi Hwan turned back to Ban Go.
Had he resigned himself? Ban Go sat slumped, not moving a muscle.
“Kim Mu-gwan.”
“Yes, Great Prince.”
“Seal his acupoints.”
“Yes.”
Even as Kim Mu-gwan approached and sealed his acupoints, Ban Go didn’t twitch a finger.
“Moon Lord and Hwa Ryeong, take him and leave first.”
“……Pardon?”
“If word gets out that we captured him, the Reverse Heaven Society won’t stay quiet. Plenty of Qin generals have suffered at his hands. So leave right now.”
“Why not go with us, my lord? You came here for him anyway, didn’t you?”
Yi Hwan shook his head.
“Seems quite a few of his comrades came to this battlefield. Better to eliminate these troublemakers in advance. Don’t worry about me and go.”
“…….”
“Go, Moon Lord.”
“Understood. Be careful, Great Prince.”
“Be careful!”
Soon after, Go Mi and Hwa Ryeong departed for Yeon Kingdom with Ban Go. Yi Hwan watched them for a moment before turning away.
“We’re heading back.”
“To base camp?”
“Why go there.”
Yi Hwan looked at Yi Seong-ji. Due to his internal injuries, Yi Seong-ji’s face was as pale as if powdered with makeup.
“Can you endure?”
“Somehow.”
“My camp is closer than base camp, so get treated there.”
“The Grand Commander summoned me. If I don’t go, it’ll lead to needless misunderstandings and headaches.”
“Just say you ran into enemies on the way and got injured fighting. Besides, I have questions.”
“Important ones?”
“Of course.”
“Then no choice.”
Yi Hwan immediately turned to Gong Ya-un.
“Escort him.”
“……Yes, Great Prince.”
Soon after, everyone left the scene.
Before departing, Yi Seong-ji silently mourned the fallen warriors. Having lost the most men since arriving on this battlefield, his heart was endlessly heavy and conflicted.
“Cough!”
Yi Seong-ji vomited blood again after just a few steps. His internal injuries were more severe than thought.
* * *
The scene after everyone had left.
The wind swept across the blood-soaked ground stained red by the dead.
Whoooosh!
Someone entered that place.
It was the yellow-robed man, who had taken a strike from Ban Go, then one from Yi Hwan, and fled into the forest.
Splash! Splash!
Stepping through blood flowing with the rainwater, he headed toward where the blue-robed man had fallen.
With each step, silver glinted through the torn hem of his robes. It was armor woven from silkworm thread. Thanks to it, he had survived two defenseless strikes.
Drip.
The yellow-robed man stopped where the blue-robed man’s head lay rolling.
He carefully picked up the head half-buried in the mud and knelt before the rapidly cooling corpse.
Thud!
Tremble……
Rainwater or tears—indistinguishable—poured endlessly down his cheeks, and blood dripped from his tightly bitten lips.
“How can you go on ahead like this? Kkheuk!”
The yellow-robed man finally broke into sobs.
He remained in that spot for a long while.