Chapter 390
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 390
Chapter Title: The Informant
When the Blood Cult and Demonic Cult rampaged, vowing to devour the world, and the entire martial world plunged into the chaos of war...
There was nowhere to go.
Especially for the powerless literati, life was like that of mayflies, scraping by day after day.
That was why.
To survive, they had to join a martial organization.
It didn't matter if it was righteous or unorthodox.
Ki Yu-chan, a pale-faced scholar who knew nothing of martial arts.
He was one of the literati who had sought refuge with the Righteous Heaven Alliance at the time.
Just as everyone in that era of turmoil and chaos had their own stories, he too had his own tale that led him to join the alliance.
His first assignment was the Dragon Training Pavilion, and he had remained there ever since.
A man who knew the Dragon Training Pavilion better than even the Pavilion Lord himself.
That was Ki Yu-chan.
The corruption in the Devouring Dragon Pavilion that Ha Mu-baek had exposed the moment he arrived as an instructor for the Fierce Dragon Corps...
He had known about it long before.
Yet he hadn't revealed it because...
It posed no problem to the operation of the Dragon Training Pavilion.
The subpar meals for the Fierce Dragon Corps cadets and workers?
What did it matter?
He himself had starved every day amid the wartime chaos.
And it wasn't just him.
Countless people starved and died of hunger.
Being able to work peacefully, train, and fill one's belly was happiness enough.
To Ki Yu-chan, the most important thing was his peaceful days.
As long as that wasn't threatened, he could turn a blind eye to such things.
Of course, it had been caught by Ha Mu-baek.
And with that, his peace vanished.
So Ki Yu-chan had mercilessly punished everyone involved without hesitation.
That was why, after Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul ordered the investigation, the full truth came to light in such a short time.
Because Ki Yu-chan had already grasped most of it.
That was how it had been possible.
He always strove to maintain his peaceful days.
That was the reason he oversaw every major and minor affair in the Dragon Training Pavilion.
To block any potential disasters at their source before they could arise.
And so.
When an offer came from a secret organization called the Heaven-Subduing Secret Society...
He joined hands with them.
The abilities they demonstrated were extraordinary.
At the time.
The utterly incompetent Pavilion Lord who had turned the Dragon Training Pavilion into a mess.
Handling him was the condition Ki Yu-chan had proposed for joining.
His life back then had been far from peaceful because of that lord.
And exactly ten days later.
Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul appeared at the Dragon Training Pavilion as the new lord.
Without a second thought, Ki Yu-chan joined the Heaven-Subduing Secret Society.
They hadn't asked anything major of him.
Just passing on Dragon Training Pavilion information whenever they wanted it.
They had even taught him stealth techniques to make gathering that information easier.
Occasionally.
By providing the information they requested, Ki Yu-chan enjoyed truly peaceful days at the Dragon Training Pavilion.
Satisfyingly so.
'Instructor Ha.'
Inside the carriage heading to Luoyang, Ki Yu-chan thought of Ha Mu-baek.
Ever since he appeared at the Dragon Training Pavilion.
Incidents and accidents never ceased.
Thanks to that, Ki Yu-chan was constantly busy.
If Ha Mu-baek hadn't been a hidden hero of the great martial war,
And if the Dragon Training Pavilion's peace itself hadn't been maintained...
Ki Yu-chan might have made a request to the society, just like he had with the former Pavilion Lord.
To remove Ha Mu-baek.
Perhaps because it had been so long since he left the Dragon Training Pavilion for a business trip.
Ki Yu-chan found himself lost in uncharacteristic thoughts.
In truth.
This matter was a change of sorts.
Field training? The Dragon Training Pavilion had been running peacefully fine without it.
Ha Mu-baek.
He was a mysterious existence.
After he appeared.
Changes were occurring at the Dragon Training Pavilion.
Yet the peace hadn't been greatly disrupted.
Of course, minor incidents persisted.
Meanwhile.
The carriage had passed through Luoyang's gates.
After entering the city.
A secretive transmission rang in his ear.
'The society?'
The Heaven-Subduing Secret Society was requesting Dragon Training Pavilion information after a long time.
"Block it!"
Yu Gwi-gwang shouted loudly.
Three Fierce Dragon Corps members joined their shields.
Bang!
A loud crash echoed above them.
But the three shields held firm.
In that gap that opened up.
Swords and blades flew toward it.
Clang!
Even after slicing into flesh, a ringing sound reverberated.
Yet the Demon-Sealing Corps members didn't give up, swinging their swords and blades relentlessly.
The jiangshi swung its arm as if annoyed by the flies, trying to attack them.
Bang!
The Fierce Dragon Corps' shield blocked that hand once more.
And the swords and blades heading for the jiangshi.
Their movements synced perfectly.
Under the ceaseless attacks, wounds accumulated on the jiangshi's body.
However, none were fatal.
How long did the offense and defense continue?
The jiangshi tired first.
As if the flies had become too bothersome and it was moving elsewhere.
It slowly retreated and vanished.
"Huff, huff, huff."
"I-is this real?"
The Demon-Sealing Corps and Fierce Dragon Corps members collapsed on the spot, gasping for breath.
"Don't let your guard down just because you don't see anything around! This is the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest!"
Ha Mu-baek's rough shout burst out.
They reflexively jumped up and assumed alert stances.
That was right.
They had let their tension slip for a moment because of the absurd event, but this was the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest.
They knew that fact better than anyone.
After seeing them take up alert postures, Ha Mu-baek nodded.
"Huff, huff. B-but... is this even possible?"
Yu Gwi-gwang, still catching his breath, asked Pung Geon.
"I don't know. It's my first time experiencing something like this."
Pung Geon replied with an incredulous expression.
The foe they had just faced was a dark iron jiangshi.
The same type as the one from last year that had nearly killed them all.
Dark iron jiangshi.
They had encountered it and fought.
But this time, not a single injury.
They had endured.
On the contrary, the dark iron jiangshi had withdrawn first from exhaustion.
Their own levels were too low for a decisive blow.
But they too had held out without major damage.
Pung Geon's gaze turned to Yu Gwi-gwang and the other three Fierce Dragon Corps members.
It was thanks to them.
They had blocked the dark iron jiangshi's attacks well with their shields.
Allowing the others to attack more comfortably and persistently.
Just a few months had passed.
To change this much.
The nine looked at one another, then simultaneously turned their eyes to one spot.
Ha Mu-baek stood there.
Instructor Ha Mu-baek.
After meeting that man.
Training with that man.
Sparring with that man.
That was the change that followed.
All nine had learned and grown through one-on-one spars with him.
Thus, they had no idea.
That their encounter with the dark iron jiangshi wasn't coincidence, but Ha Mu-baek's intention.
"Its territory won't change, so we should clash with it a few more times. There's no better training than real combat with a strong foe."
Ha Mu-baek spoke calmly as if oblivious, and the nine nodded.
"No hostiles in the vicinity. You can relax now."
Only after his confirmation did they sit and rest comfortably.
Ha Mu-baek looked at them and continued.
"I'll return to the Dragon Training Pavilion in three days."
Sudden announcement.
The Demon-Sealing Corps and Fierce Dragon Corps members were startled.
But they had no choice but to accept.
Ha Mu-baek was originally an instructor at the Dragon Training Pavilion.
"So before that, let's take down that thing."
At Ha Mu-baek's casual words.
The nine were shocked.
They had met the dark iron jiangshi and held their own.
But that didn't mean they could win.
They couldn't cut its sturdy body.
The best they could do was small scratches with swords infused with sword ki.
They had to slash the same spot repeatedly to sever it.
But the dark iron jiangshi wasn't an easy opponent.
Guan Ha-kyeong had slashed its neck three times, Pung Geon twice.
The other Demon-Sealing members managed once at most.
And each slash landed in different spots.
Only Guan Ha-kyeong had hit the same place twice.
In this situation, how could they take down the dark iron jiangshi in three days?
All looked at Ha Mu-baek with expressions saying it was impossible.
"Why?"
Ha Mu-baek asked back as if puzzled.
"We can't cut it."
Pung Geon answered cautiously.
Ha Mu-baek nodded.
"True. But can't we just slash it?"
"Pardon?"
At the nonchalant reply, Pung Geon unwittingly responded with a dumbfounded look.
Ignoring his reaction, Ha Mu-baek turned to Guan Ha-kyeong.
"Let's make sword aura within three days."
"Y-yes... Yes?!?"
Guan Ha-kyeong reflexively answered, then stared at Ha Mu-baek in shock, letting out a cry of astonishment.
Talking about reaching sword aura realm like building a thatched hut.
Sword aura.
Producing it was proof of entering the peak realm.
Yet Guan Ha-kyeong was still stuck at mid first-rate.
How could she reach the peak realm in three days?
Not just her—all stared at Ha Mu-baek as if it were impossible.
It was true they had made remarkable progress under him.
But their eyes said that was impossible.
Ha Mu-baek chuckled.
"Try your best to recall that day somehow. There'll be a path. You have experience getting close, even if it wasn't by your own will."
"......"
At Ha Mu-baek's advice, Guan Ha-kyeong fell silent in thought.
But she couldn't figure it out.
That day.
Meant the day she was consumed by the Heaven-Severing Demon-Slaying Blade, no doubt.
She still couldn't remember it.
"Hm. Blood jiangshi?"
Ha Mu-baek muttered, looking to one side.
Then he turned to Pyeong Deok-jo.
"Yes."
Pyeong Deok-jo nodded, drew his sword, and headed in the direction Ha Mu-baek had indicated.
Moments later.
A blood jiangshi appeared from there.
Pyeong Deok-jo kicked off the ground and charged at the blood jiangshi.
After a brief exchange.
Pyeong Deok-jo's initial upper sword strike severed the blood jiangshi's neck.
His sword flew once more toward the head falling from the body to the ground.
And split it in half.
"About half an inch? Not bad."
Pyeong Deok-jo's level had risen greatly too.
Passing initial first-rate, now at mature low first-rate.
"But you need to get stronger. Time's short."
Mysterious words.
But Pyeong Deok-jo nodded.
He had reached this level thanks to Ha Mu-baek.
So he trusted and followed him.
Ha Mu-baek looked at Pung Geon.
"Mission accomplished?"
"Yes."
After patrolling various spots near the western walls with Ha Mu-baek.
They had mapped and recorded the jiangshi territories.
Including the power shifts after the dark blood jiangshi vanished.
"Good. You can return in three days too. That guy's the final opponent then. Let's take it down clean."
Ha Mu-baek's gaze turned toward where the dark iron jiangshi had disappeared.
Thus, the day's tasks ended.
No, not yet.
Next were the one-on-one spars with Ha Mu-baek.
He sparred with all ten that night.
Allocating about one hour.
Less than fifteen minutes per person.
With only three days left.
They focused intensely, charging at Ha Mu-baek with full power.
As night deepened, they washed sweat by the water and retired one by one.
Now a familiar routine.
Soon to end.
In the quiet.
Only one person couldn't sleep.
Instead, sitting cross-legged in meditation.
Guan Ha-kyeong.
Because of Ha Mu-baek's sudden challenge.
She couldn't sleep.
She believed she couldn't reach the peak realm in three days on her own.
But.
Guan Ha-kyeong chose to trust Ha Mu-baek's words over her own thoughts.
So in meditation.
She was reviewing that day.