Chapter 446
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 446
Chapter Title: You've Arrived?
The day broke.
Han Seol-bing, who had rushed straight into the gates of the Righteous Heaven Alliance as soon as they opened, had no choice but to leave empty-handed.
"He's not there?"
Han Seol-bing muttered in disbelief.
She had gone looking for the Hocheon Corps, only to hear that Dam Mu-hyeon was absent—nothing more.
Even when she asked his old subordinates, all she got was, "Vice Corps Leader Dam is away."
Then they clamped their mouths shut.
Since Han Seol-bing was no longer part of the Hocheon Corps, she couldn't press them further.
In truth, just telling her that Dam Mu-hyeon was absent was already breaking alliance rules.
Back at the inn, Han Seol-bing ordered a simple breakfast and sank into thought.
Dam Mu-hyeon was the vice leader of the Hocheon Corps.
And the current leader position was vacant.
Ever since the previous leader, Namgung Hwa-u, had ascended to head the Namgung Clan, leaving the post empty, no new Hocheon Corps leader had been appointed.
'They're trying to bring back the leader.'
Han Seol-bing had her suspicions about the reason.
The former leader before that, Ha Mu-baek.
It was to call him back.
Ha Mu-baek's actions since becoming an instructor at the Dragon Training Pavilion had unintentionally drained quite a bit of strength from the Orthodox Faction Alliance.
The alliance leader and strategist were probably keeping the position vacant while biding their time.
However...
'The problem is that the leader has no intention of doing so.'
Having watched him closely, Han Seol-bing knew it well.
Ha Mu-baek had no lingering attachment to the Hocheon Corps anymore.
He might feel affection for his old subordinates, but he showed no interest or regret toward the position of corps leader itself.
Well, what did a monster like that have to regret about a position?
'Still, Dam Mu-hyeon being absent...'
The vice leader being away was no small matter.
Even during Ha Mu-baek's time as leader, the guy had never taken so much as a vacation.
Though he might have used up some saved leave during Namgung's tenure as leader.
With the leader position vacant now, for Vice Leader Dam Mu-hyeon to leave the alliance?
'Does that mean the alliance leader has gone outside?'
That was the only conclusion she could draw.
With her thoughts organized, she realized just how much resolve her old subordinate must have had to tell her that.
It was information that could lead to guessing the alliance leader's absence, which would surely be the utmost secret, right alongside Dam Mu-hyeon's.
'What's going on?'
The current martial world was at peace.
At least on the surface.
For the common folk living their ordinary daily lives, that is.
They had endured those brutal two wars, after all.
In other words, there shouldn't be any reason for the alliance leader to leave the alliance, so his absence—unknown to the people—meant something gravely serious was afoot.
Han Seol-bing's gaze turned out the window.
Toward somewhere where Ha Mu-baek might be racing in from Lake Dongting.
'Could it be related to him saying he'd take the Fierce Dragon Corps leader position?'
The thought suddenly struck her.
No, it was a certainty.
Because Ha Mu-baek had told her something.
About that monstrous corpse soldier appearing.
'Yeah. Something worth the alliance leader stepping in personally.'
Han Seol-bing reached that conclusion.
Her eyes sharpened.
"But why is he taking so damn long?"
"Hmmm."
Il No let out a frustrated groan.
The eight Annihilation Heaven Corpse Soldiers.
He was awakening them all right now, but progress was agonizingly slow.
Probably because he was trying to awaken all eight at once.
It consumed less total time than awakening them one by one, which was why he was doing it.
Compared to awakening just one like Cheo Geum-neung, it felt like a turtle crawling along.
Moreover, the initial Heavenly Demon Cult Divine Envoy's progress—the first one he had started on—was the slowest.
Combining his experience from the previous two Annihilation Heaven Corpse Soldiers with this, he could guess:
'The stronger they are, the longer it takes to awaken them.'
Indeed, even among the other seven he had started simultaneously, there were differences in progress.
"It'll take a few more days at least."
After checking the progress, Il No left the room and headed elsewhere.
To where Gae Hong-cheon's corpse lay.
The work to turn him into a corpse soldier was slow as well.
He had overcome the biggest hurdle and picked up speed, but it was only faster relative to before.
The absolute pace was still sluggish.
To the point where even Il No couldn't predict when it would be complete.
Still, he proceeded step by step.
Once all the Annihilation Heaven Corpse Soldiers awakened.
And the Asura Blood Heaven Corpse Soldier was finished.
"Ha Mu-baek. You're done for."
Il No muttered with a face full of murderous intent.
His hands moved busily.
It was time to use various herbs to proceed to the next stage.
The grand training ground of the Dragon Training Pavilion.
All the second-year cadets of the Fierce Dragon Corps had gathered.
On the platform stood Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul.
Normally, this would happen after the preliminary matches.
But with the Hidden Dragon Corps and Wa Dragon Corps on field training, the Summer Combat Festival had been advanced.
And the Fierce Dragon Corps graduation had been sped up as well.
About a month earlier than usual.
Thus, the departure ceremony for the second-year Fierce Dragon Corps cadets was beginning.
Pang Do-yul looked at the ninety-seven cadets lined up before him.
His gaze was different from last year's departure ceremony.
Back then, it had been filled only with reluctance and pity.
Today, there was a hint of expectation mixed in.
The cadets who had trained under Ha Mu-baek and grown unrecognizably strong.
Honestly, he thought they were stronger than this year's graduating Hidden Dragon or Wa Dragon cadets.
Individuals might be weaker, but he was certain they'd be superior in group combat.
"Fierce Dragon Corps second-year cadets. You've worked hard all this time. As of this moment, I declare your training at the Dragon Training Pavilion complete. As pavilion lord, I permit your departure!"
His booming voice rang in the ears of the cadets on the training ground.
Fear etched across the faces of the second-year cadets.
It was inevitable.
No matter how grueling the training under Ha Mu-baek had been, it was still just training.
Now was the moment they had to leave for real combat.
Even the Squad Seven cadets who had experienced the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest showed faint traces of fear.
Squad Seven's five members and Joo Woo-myeong scanned their surroundings.
Looking for their instructor.
Ha Mu-baek and Han Seol-bing.
Of all days, they were absent on departure day.
They looked around just in case, but no luck.
Ha Seol-ran had already sensed it with her spiritual perception, so she just stared at Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul on the platform.
Though inwardly, she felt a pang of disappointment.
'What on earth is going on...'
As they were lost in their thoughts,
Pang Do-yul stepped down, and Jegal Myeong took the platform.
The same order as last year.
"You've all worked truly hard. Keep practicing the shield techniques diligently. Treat the shield on your back as a second life. Come back alive, and let's share a drink."
The Fierce Dragon Corps cadets fell silent at Jegal Myeong's words.
He wasn't even their instructor.
He was with the Hidden Dragon Corps.
Yet he had cared for them like his own cadets.
This year too, the sturdy shields he had provided at his own expense were strapped to their backs.
Once Jegal Myeong stepped down,
Three unfamiliar men climbed onto the platform.
"I am Squad Leader of Demon-Sealing Corps' Crimson Squad One. I am responsible for escorting you. From this moment, you are incorporated into the Fierce Dragon Corps under the Demon-Sealing Corps. Follow the orders of the Demon-Sealing Corps members here."
He stepped down,
And two Demon-Sealing Corps warriors busily organized and led the Fierce Dragon Corps cadets—no, now martial artists.
Thus, the Fierce Dragon Corps departed the Dragon Training Pavilion.
Toward the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest.
An inconspicuous shadow trailed them secretly.
But no one noticed.
Except one person.
Everyone but Ha Seol-ran, that is.
Intense sunlight rose, but it couldn't penetrate the dense canopy here.
Still, the darkness receded, leaving deep tree shadows.
Ha Mu-baek exhaled deeply in that place.
Just one night of training.
Yet...
The results were considerable.
"Up to the fifth form is fine now."
His body was drenched in sweat.
From unleashing the Infinite Formless Eight Ultimate Sword Change and Infinite Breaking Strike without rest.
As a result, he could now perfectly control up to the fifth form of the Infinite Formless Eight Ultimate Sword Change.
The sixth was still too much.
But his adaptation was gradually improving.
He went to where he had heard the sound of water—a small waterfall.
After washing there and dressing, he kicked off the ground.
Unfolding Thousand-Li Shadow Flight toward Luoyang.
He gradually increased his internal energy output.
Starting from the sixth form, which had no issue, to the seventh, then eighth.
Ku-ku-ku-ku-ku-ku!
Leaving a deafening whoosh behind, Ha Mu-baek raced at full speed.
Even while running, his body was adapting bit by bit to the new realm.
His physique was toughening to withstand the power of the new realm's techniques.
Thanks to that, he even adapted to the ninth form of Thousand-Li Shadow Flight while traveling.
Nights for training, days for lightness skill.
He ran like that for another three days.
In that time, Ha Mu-baek had slept only about four hours total.
Yet his eyes shone brightly.
As his body adapted more to the new realm, his gaze grew clearer and brighter.
Luoyang's walls came into view.
The sun was setting.
"Tch. Wonder how much havoc that guy's causing."
Clicking his tongue lightly, Ha Mu-baek sped up even more.
As dusk turned to night, he vaulted over Luoyang's walls.
Ha Mu-baek headed to a fairly large inn on the outskirts of Luoyang.
A rendezvous point known only to Hocheon Corps members.
Han Seol-bing would surely be waiting for him there.
Pa-sun Inn.
The weathered signboard welcomed Ha Mu-baek after a long time.
He pushed open the door and entered.
His eyes met Han Seol-bing's just as she finished dinner at a table.
"You've arrived?"
Han Seol-bing greeted him calmly.
At that sight, a glint appeared in Ha Mu-baek's eyes.
"I figured you'd be rampaging all over the place?"
Ha Mu-baek asked as he sat across from her.
"I was, the night I arrived in Luoyang."
Han Seol-bing replied nonchalantly, bringing her tea to her lips.
The waiter quickly approached and set a teacup before Ha Mu-baek.
The aroma of cheap, over-steeped tea rose up.
"One plate of dumplings, half a roast duck, greens."
Ha Mu-baek ordered simply and looked at Han Seol-bing.
"So?"
"The alliance leader isn't there. At the alliance."
"Ho?"
Ha Mu-baek showed surprise.
Indeed.
The alliance leader So Hwi-woong that Ha Mu-baek knew wouldn't leave the alliance for long.
Not when he knew the man's lifelong goal.
Last time.
He had been shocked when the man came looking for him.
He had called it a brief outing, but it must have been several days away.
"Probably headed to the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest?"
Han Seol-bing voiced her thought.
"Why?"
"Because of that monster called Annihilation Heaven."
Ha Mu-baek crossed his arms, deep in thought.
The Demon-Sealing Corps member who brought the news said he'd reported to Heavenly Eye Pavilion too, so naturally the alliance leader and Lord Gong Son knew.
The Soul Mixing Poison Corpse Soldier had made Ha Mu-baek turn the alliance upside down once already, so that report must have been thorough.
"Not like the alliance leader."
He had informed them about the Annihilation Heaven Corpse Soldier from the start.
Said it had power approaching the Blood Cult Leader.
Yet the alliance leader had chosen to preserve the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest intact.
"Well, I'll find out when I meet him."
"Pardon?"
"Lord Gong Son. I'm here to see that old man."
"Ah..."
Then the food arrived.
Ha Mu-baek inhaled it rapidly.
Truth be told, during the rush here, it wasn't just sleep he'd skipped.
He had barely eaten too.
Not because of Han Seol-bing.
The Summer Combat Festival would be over by now, so those kids would head to the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest.
He needed to get what he wanted here quickly and head there himself.
Maybe because he'd skipped so many meals.
Ha Mu-baek devoured everything in an instant.
Clack.
He set down his chopsticks with a clatter and pulled a silver coin from his bosom, placing it on the table.
"Let's go."
"Pardon?"
"To see Lord Gong Son."
"At this hour?"
It was twilight turning to full darkness.
The sun fully set, night fallen—heading into the Righteous Heaven Alliance now?
Han Seol-bing stared at Ha Mu-baek with a bewildered face, then nodded and stood.
She had momentarily forgotten this was how the man was.