Chapter 172
Chapter 172
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 172
Chapter Title: Divine Demon (2)
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“Have you been well?”
As he spoke, the Master of the Dark Clouds scratched his cheek, looking a bit sheepish.
Living as he pleased, he seemed unaccustomed to asking after others' well-being.
Ouyang Jue grinned, meeting the Master of the Dark Clouds' gaze.
“More than well. I've made significant progress in my martial arts, too.”
The Master of the Dark Clouds sensed a formidable presence from Ouyang Jue and gave a small nod.
“So it seems.”
He then clenched his fists, looking as if he'd lunge at any moment if not stopped, prompting Ouyang Jue to hold up a palm.
“You're not planning to start a fight the moment we meet, are you?”
“Hardly. If it were just you, perhaps, but a senior is present.”
The Master of the Dark Clouds hastily clasped his hands in respect toward Liu Zhangming, who had been watching him with interest.
“If I've been indiscreet…”
“Not at all, it's fine. I was just feeling a sense of kinship, remembering my own past.”
Hearing this, Ouyang Jue shot the Master of the Dark Clouds a look of disbelief.
But the Master of the Dark Clouds seemed to take it as a compliment, letting out a hearty laugh.
“Hahaha! I certainly hope so!”
“...?”
Just as Ouyang Jue tilted his head, wondering what the man was getting at, the Master of the Dark Clouds continued.
“If I were as famous as Fellow Ouyang, I'd be able to spar with all sorts of people!”
Ouyang Jue had been ready to challenge whatever he said, but this response left him speechless.
Then again, that was a thought only the Master of the Dark Clouds could have.
‘No wonder he becomes the Fist Star…’
While some try to avoid conflict to focus on their training, the Master of the Dark Clouds was filled with the desire to grow through the martial arts he forged in battle.
Ouyang Jue wore a weary expression, feeling as if he'd just gotten a glimpse into the man's mind.
“Did you come all this way just to fight the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon?”
“Of course.”
A look of deep satisfaction spread across the Master of the Dark Clouds' face.
“Well… even if I don't get to fight the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon, having you and Senior Liu here is still reassuring.”
“Even so, you act too rashly.”
When Liu Zhangming pointed this out in a stern voice, the Master of the Dark Clouds bowed his head.
“I will be more careful, Senior.”
“It's fine here, but don't act like that elsewhere.”
With that, Liu Zhangming approached the martial artist who had been slapped by the Master of the Dark Clouds and offered a hand.
“Are you alright?”
“Ah, I'm fine. I'll be on my way!”
The martial artist, his face flushed, refused Liu Zhangming's hand and fled in a hurry.
He seemed embarrassed by the attention he'd drawn. The sight of him scurrying away made both the Master of the Dark Clouds and Ouyang Jue chuckle.
“Can someone like that even call himself a martial artist?”
“Now, now, Jue.”
“…Heh heh.”
As Ouyang Jue stifled his laughter, familiar faces began to appear.
“Fellow Ouyang!”
First, Yeong Heo-ja of the Zhongnan Sect.
“Heh, that mug of yours hasn't changed a bit!”
“Haha… It's been a while.”
Nameless, with whom he had once sparred at the Mount Hua Sect, and his disciple, Wi Jin-cheon.
Being martial artists from all walks of life, they quickly settled on how to address one another.
Nameless, as usual, called everyone 'brother' or spoke informally as he pleased, while the rest agreed to use terms like 'senior,' 'junior,' or 'fellow' according to age.
Since neither Liu Zhangming nor Yeong Heo-ja were ones to fuss over seniority, the atmosphere quickly became congenial.
Nameless's down-to-earth personality, in particular, was a source of much laughter.
“I went to Sichuan to try the food, and what do you know, some bald-headed moron blocked my path!”
“So what did you do?”
“So I smacked him right on his head. Asked him who the hell he thought he was, glaring at me. And what do you know, he jumped at the chance to fight.”
Nameless cackled, but Wi Jin-cheon couldn't share the sentiment.
Ever since, the Sichuan Tang Clan had been coming after them day and night, claiming they needed to restore their pride.
The Master of the Dark Clouds, who had been listening silently, broke into a curious smile.
“Senior, did you have fun?”
“Fun? Of course! I went around slapping those fools. I think I wrecked three of their branches.”
Nameless and the Master of the Dark Clouds, with their similar personalities, hit it off instantly, and the others couldn't help but smile as they listened.
Whether it was a dry chuckle or a roaring laugh.
Ouyang Jue was definitely the latter.
‘What a handful.’
If Liu Zhangming weren't right beside him, he would have chimed in himself.
As Ouyang Jue suppressed a chuckle, Liu Zhangming sent him a telepathic message.
-You are not to act like them.
-…Ahem.
Unable to guarantee he wouldn't do the same in the future, Ouyang Jue answered with a dry cough.
It couldn't be helped.
If the Eight Evils fought dirty, he'd have to track down their subordinate groups and smash them.
He might lose some of his reputation, but if it meant weakening their influence, he would do it ten times over.
Seeing that Ouyang Jue had no intention of changing his ways, Liu Zhangming clicked his tongue and changed the subject.
“By the way, shouldn't we be heading to the main assembly hall?”
At that, Nameless, who was in the middle of recounting his heroic tales, narrowed his eyes.
“Do I have to go?”
“…You have to go.”
“Aha, I see.”
Nameless quickly changed his tune, a mischievous look on his face.
“My dear disciple. That fellow won't single us out to talk, will he?”
“If that were possible, Master, you'd be the leader of the Martial Alliance.”
“Don't be ridiculous. I have no talent for managing people.”
Nameless threw an arm around Wi Jin-cheon's shoulders and walked ahead of Ouyang Jue.
It looked as though the old man was dragging the younger one along, which made the spies secretly watching them flinch.
In that instant, Ouyang Jue's eyes darted shrewdly.
-Senior Brother, have you heard of the White-Robed Division?
-You mentioned them before, didn't you? A major faction within the Martial Alliance.
Ouyang Jue gave Liu Zhangming a pleased smile, impressed that he remembered something mentioned only in passing.
Just two years ago, he would have given a naive response. This was truly commendable growth.
-It seems they'll be following us at least until we leave Huguang.
-How about we shake them off first?
It wasn't that he hadn't considered it, but…
Ouyang Jue shook his head.
-That would just give them an excuse. It's better to lay low here and figure out what the Martial Alliance is plotting.
More importantly, he needed to win rising talents like Yeong Heo-ja and the Master of the Dark Clouds over to the Mount Hua Sect's side.
Ouyang Jue fixed his gaze on his companions, engrossed in their conversation, and on the street, which grew increasingly red the farther they walked.
‘No wonder the authorities are on guard…’
He clicked his tongue without thinking. The colors the Martial Alliance had used to adorn the streets and buildings were far too ostentatious.
Ridgepoles decorated with yellow and red—colors typically reserved for the Imperial Palace—were a common sight in the marketplace.
What official wouldn't be concerned?
There were even rumors that the Lord of Huguang had rushed to the Imperial Palace.
Just as Ouyang Jue was lost in thought, Yeong Heo-ja spoke.
“We've arrived.”
“…Ah.”
No sooner had a small sound escaped Ouyang Jue's lips than all eyes focused on one spot.
This was where all the reclusive masters of the Martial Alliance had gathered, and a heavy pressure seemed to press down on everyone's shoulders.
But Ouyang Jue easily shook off the pressure with a mere frown.
“…Hmph.”
“Impressive.”
A few masters he didn't even know by name exchanged words, their gazes filled with admiration.
Seeing this, Ouyang Jue's frown deepened.
‘Who the hell are these bastards, judging people…’
It was then.
“Enough with this amusing game.”
The moment Liu Zhangming's powerful voice echoed through the hall, the murmuring ceased.
It was partly due to Liu Zhangming's internal energy, and partly because a man had appeared beside the seat of honor.
“As Young Hero Liu says. Now is the time for all martial artists to unite against the Eight Evils, not a time to jest with our juniors.”
So that's the reclusive leader of the Martial Alliance, Peng Tianyu.
Ouyang Jue studied Peng Tianyu's face intently. He looked remarkably young for his age.
He was ready to voice his suspicions if he felt even the slightest thing was amiss.
But there was no such feeling. On the contrary, he could sense the profound depth of Peng Tianyu's martial arts.
His ring finger, a full inch thicker than the others.
‘From what I know, the Hebei Peng Clan has no remarkable fist arts... Did he train separately in the Yan Clan Fist?’
It had been over two years since the Zhenzhou Yan Clan was wiped out, so it was a possibility.
Ouyang Jue glanced at the great saber tied at Peng Tianyu's waist.
‘I'm not sure how much power that ring finger adds to his saber arts, but…’
Still, his saber arts surely hadn't weakened because of his fist training.
Ouyang Jue glanced at Nangong Cheon, who had followed Peng Tianyu onto the stage.
He was just about to speak.
“The martial world has faced many crises. From the authorities, with whom our relationship has long fluctuated between peace and strife, to the Demonic Cult… and now, the Eight Evils. Had we failed at any point, the martial world would not have survived.”
Nangong Cheon waited for all eyes to be on him before speaking again.
“The martial world has always been rife with internal conflict, but we have always united in the face of a common threat. That is how we have overcome so many crises. The Eight Evils are merely another part of that process.”
Nangong Cheon emphasized in an uncharacteristically powerful voice that even the Eight Evils, a threat to the Nine Great Sects, would pose no danger if the martial world stood together.
Beside him, Peng Tianyu subtly exuded his martial prowess, adding to the solemnity of the atmosphere.
Though rumors circulated that he had entrusted the Martial Alliance to Nangong Cheon, he was, in fact, a formidable master!
A disgruntled master in the crowd twisted his lips.
“I fail to see why the Alliance Leader, who has remained silent on the affairs of the martial world until now, has chosen to appear.”
Wasn't he supposed to stay out of the fighting, just like before?
As this sentiment began to grip the assembly, Peng Tianyu shook his head.
“I will lead the charge.”
“...!”
To declare he would personally fight the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon—the man who had nearly killed Jeok Sa-goeng single-handedly—was an act of incredible courage.
At his words, the master who had questioned him fell silent.
It was partly due to Peng Tianyu's resolve, but also because of the warriors who appeared behind him.
From Seo Mun-yeol, the former second-in-command of the Black Wind Unit, to Bi Un-yeong, known as the Heavenly Adjutant Halberd.
Each was a master on par with a sect elder, leaving the crowd with no choice but to remain silent.
‘As expected.’
Ouyang Jue bit his lower lip.
He had expected this, but with them siding with the Martial Alliance, overpowering them by force had become much more difficult.
Unless Jeok Sa-goeng himself appeared to command them… A deep sigh escaped Ouyang Jue.
‘Things are about to get complicated.’
The best outcome would be for the aggrieved Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon to reveal the truth to the Martial Alliance's subjugation force, but… when did things ever go that smoothly?
While Ouyang Jue committed the faces of the attending masters to memory, Nangong Cheon's speech was reaching its climax.
“Mount Baiyun in Jiangxi. There, you will find the fiend who sought to harm Jeok Sa-goeng: the Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon.”
He paused for a beat. Then, in the silence, Nangong Cheon delivered his final words.
“For the sake of justice in the martial world!”
“Hoorah!”
Amid the roar of the masters, a faint smirk from Nangong Cheon went unnoticed.
***
“Who is it? Demonic Doctor, is that you?”
The Buddha-Slaying Divine Demon, lying on a flat rock, waved his hand.
“I am tired. We can talk later.”
“This is no time for that, Divine Demon.”
The Demonic Doctor lowered his head. He recalled the sight of the two Evils trading blows and smiled in satisfaction.