Chapter 449
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 449
Chapter Title: Still Far Away
Deep into the night.
"Is that Celestial Poison Valley?"
Won Pyeong-sam climbed a tall tree and gazed at the cluster of buildings aglow with lantern light.
The horror of the southern frontier.
He had come here after receiving the report on the investigation.
Because it seemed connected to that incident.
Around the time it happened,
all the disciples of Celestial Poison Valley had reportedly scattered, leaving the valley nearly deserted.
That was why the Haomun had been unable to approach and had only gathered information on the atmosphere.
The Beggars' Sect was probably in the same boat.
"Hmm."
Won Pyeong-sam tilted his head as he stared silently at Celestial Poison Valley.
No matter how closely he examined it, he sensed no trace of Manhwang at all.
Yeong So-hyang stood quietly by his side.
Won Pyeong-sam crossed his arms and pondered a moment longer before reaching a simple conclusion.
"Just ask."
He kicked off the tree lightly and leaped forward.
Yeong So-hyang followed right behind.
Her martial prowess had improved beyond recognition.
Their movements were stealthy and swift.
They breached Celestial Poison Valley's perimeter with ease.
Once inside, Won Pyeong-sam spread out his senses.
The strongest presence would belong to the Valley Lord or someone of similar rank.
After a quick scan, Won Pyeong-sam headed toward the pavilion at the valley's center.
Its position marked it as the Valley Lord's quarters for sure.
Won Pyeong-sam's steps were unhesitating, and Yeong So-hyang kept pace without falling behind.
A few guards patrolled sporadically, but they slipped past them effortlessly.
The same went for the pavilion.
They scaled the wall instead of entering through the door.
They reached the top floor.
The window slid open silently, and Won Pyeong-sam and Yeong So-hyang slipped inside.
Only then did the intruder alert register.
Celestial Poison Valley Lord Yeo Hong-gi was startled.
He had stayed in the valley to handle the aftermath of the recent disaster.
An unexpected intruder.
"Who is it?"
He shouted loudly, but Won Pyeong-sam's energy barrier muffled the sound—no one else heard.
"You're Celestial Poison Valley Lord Yeo Hong-gi, right?"
Baek Un-san's report had detailed information on Celestial Poison Valley as well.
Won Pyeong-sam regarded Yeo Hong-gi impassively.
Meeting that gaze, Yeo Hong-gi trembled from head to toe.
'What the...'
He sensed a power far beyond what he could handle.
"What brings you to seek out this valley lord?"
Won Pyeong-sam was slightly surprised by Yeo Hong-gi's response.
"Got the composure to talk?"
His aura dominated the room completely.
Yet the man was frightened but still clinging to his reason.
How?
'He's scary, but compared to Ha Mu-baek... that monster...'
The reason was simple.
Yeo Hong-gi had experienced an even stronger, more terrifying presence before.
"State your business."
Yeo Hong-gi forced himself to stay calm as he asked.
But he couldn't stop his hands from trembling faintly.
Won Pyeong-sam eyed him suspiciously but recalled his purpose and asked again.
"The southern frontier horror. How involved were you?"
"Mm..."
Yeo Hong-gi clamped his mouth shut.
A mysterious master suddenly appears and asks about that incident.
Why?
And where did these people come from?
As questions swirled in his mind,
the dominating aura in the room shifted.
It began to take on a denser edge of killing intent.
"Ugh."
Yeo Hong-gi couldn't help reacting to the killing intent.
"My patience isn't that deep, you see."
"Where do you hail from, senior?"
"None of your business. Answer the question."
"Th-the Poison Well Master... invaded our valley..."
Yeo Hong-gi answered in a quavering voice, deciding to hide whatever he could.
In truth, few knew the full details of that day.
Not even the Beggars' Sect could uncover it.
That made the decision feasible.
"The Poison Well Master attacked, yet you're all fine and dandy?"
"H-Ha Mu-baek... h-he held them off..."
"Tch."
Killing intent leaked from Yeong So-hyang, who had been standing silently.
She already knew from Baek Un-san's info that he was involved.
Still, hearing his name ignited her rage.
A change brought by her elevated martial realm.
"So? Did the Poison Well Master die? What about the body?"
They needed to check the corpse at least.
Manhwang's energy wouldn't vanish easily, even in death.
A faint trace would linger.
"Th-they fled, and Ha Mu-baek pursued... but fell off a cliff, I heard."
"Where?"
"N-No Ryeong Pool..."
But Won Pyeong-sam wouldn't know the name.
As he tilted his head,
Yeo Hong-gi hurriedly added an explanation.
"H-head that way, there's a cliff with rapids below. That's No Ryeong Pool."
"Hmm."
Won Pyeong-sam stared intently at Yeo Hong-gi.
His eyes trembled fiercely, but he wasn't lying.
"Let's go."
He said briefly to Yeong So-hyang and leaped away. She followed.
Moments after they vanished,
the oppressive energy and killing intent lifted from Yeo Hong-gi's office.
"Hah. Hah. Hah."
Yeo Hong-gi gasped for breath.
"Where did a master like that even come from...?"
He couldn't fathom their identity.
Not even from the aura they exuded.
With the Demonic Cult and Blood Cult gone, what new faction was emerging in the martial world?
Even so.
"Ha Mu-baek... was still stronger than that one."
Yeo Hong-gi had researched and finally created the Mountain Emptying Poison to scatter that man's inner energy.
But facing such a foe,
Ha Mu-baek came to mind unbidden.
The spot Yeo Hong-gi mentioned wasn't far. With lightness skill, they arrived quickly.
Rough waters roared in the thick darkness.
"This the place?"
Darkness posed no obstacle.
Won Pyeong-sam clearly saw the churning waves below the cliff.
"Fitting name, No Ryeong Pool..."
As he muttered, his head snapped to the side.
Something pinged on his senses.
Joy lit his eyes.
"H-here it is."
His voice trembled.
"Found it, Master?"
Yeong So-hyang asked cautiously.
Won Pyeong-sam nodded.
"Yes. Manhwang. A trace of Manhwang. Faint, but unmistakable."
His gaze fixed on the spot—
the hidden entrance to the cave where Ha Mu-baek had entered and emerged.
"Halt here. We'll camp for the night. Set the night watch rotation and take meals and rest."
Demon-Sealing Corps Squad One Leader Man Ya-do
issued orders to the Fierce Dragon Corps warriors, then settled with his two subordinates in a suitable spot.
He watched in fascination as the Fierce Dragon Corps moved in perfect unison, maintaining formation even at rest.
"They're different from the usual bunch."
Man Ya-do muttered.
His two squad members nodded.
The Demon-Sealing Corps rotated squads each year to escort the Fierce Dragon Corps.
This year was Squad One's turn.
These were markedly different from past groups.
And
Man Ya-do's eyes locked on one spot.
There,
stood Yeon Ha-min and Ha Seol-ran, faces veiled in muslin.
"Who'd have thought stunners like that in the Fierce Dragon Corps."
His eyes gleamed momentarily.
The veils couldn't hide their beauty.
"No kidding."
"Pull 'em under us?"
His subordinates chimed in eagerly.
This year, with only ninety-seven instead of a hundred, they had merged two squads into seven-man teams.
That pair was in one.
"Obviously."
Man Ya-do grinned.
By unwritten rule, the escort squad picked first from their charges.
'Lucky break.'
Whatever their story,
his sly smile deepened.
Someone watched them impassively.
Wi Ji-gun.
He had been tailing them covertly.
He instantly read the lust in their eyes.
Raw desire.
They hid it well, but primal urges didn't lie.
'Tch. Mu-baek would reek of bloodlust if he knew. Hope it doesn't get messy.'
Wi Ji-gun thought,
though he too was suppressing his own killing intent.
One target was his disciple—and Ha Mu-baek's sister—Ha Seol-ran.
'Come to think of it.'
Wi Ji-gun recalled something forgotten.
Prompted by worry over Ha Mu-baek's bloodlust at these scum.
'Didn't teach him the heart method...'
Part of visiting the sect was to impart it.
After long hours in the cave archive, and hearing tales, he'd slipped in uncharacteristic fashion.
Besides,
he figured the founding master would have taught it during that time.
But Ha Mu-baek hadn't mentioned any heart method.
'Need to check.'
Heavenly Sense Fallen Heart Method.
A technique solely for sensing fragments of Manhwang.
Passed down generations, but never once responded.
Recently, Wi Ji-gun felt it first, planning to teach Ha Mu-baek once the bloodlust faded.
The cave time had made him forget.
'I'm getting old.'
A bitter smile touched Wi Ji-gun's lips.
Yeon Ja-kyeong threw himself into training as always.
Since meeting Ha Mu-baek,
even more so.
He now had a clear goal:
to grow stronger.
Forgetting his advanced age,
he immersed himself in training trance.
The moment he circulated his energy,
as always,
the voice came.
[Accept my power. Heaven overwhelms all.]
Yeon Ja-kyeong ignored it still.
At some point, the two voices had merged into one.
That only made him ignore it more.
He deemed it a heart demon.
Having overcome one of the two, now only one remained.
'A mere heart demon.'
Yeon Ja-kyeong delved deeper into circulation.
The voice persisted, but he pretended not to hear.
"Won't we be too late at this rate?"
Han Seol-bing asked Ha Mu-baek as he paused for training today as well.
The Alliance Leader was at Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest, sure,
but she was the only one besides Ha Mu-baek to witness the Heaven-Extinguishing Stiff Corpse firsthand.
That fueled her worry.
Could the Leader handle it?
"This is important too."
Ha Mu-baek replied indifferently.
He trusted his master but didn't mention it.
"How much stronger do you plan to get?"
Han Seol-bing shook her head helplessly.
"Not getting stronger. Just restoring to normal."
Ha Mu-baek answered curtly.
Han Seol-bing tilted her head at the unexpected reply, pondering it,
then widened her eyes in shock.
"You're already stronger?"
Her voice spiked with surprise.
A monster like Ha Mu-baek seeking "normal" implied imbalance somewhere.
Two possibilities:
Weaker or stronger.
He didn't look weaker.
So, stronger.
Truly beyond monstrous.
"How far do you intend to go?"
Han Seol-bing asked, exasperated.
"Still far away."
Ha Mu-baek replied, thinking of Mu-geuk's sword.
He had only just begun catching the shadow's tail.
'If I'd cleared the bloodlust sooner...'
He'd have met Mu-geuk earlier, learned of this realm sooner...
As he shed his upper garment, Ha Mu-baek paused.
'Speaking of, Master mentioned a new heart method after the bloodlust cleared...'
Mu-geuk's single stroke.
Absorbed in Nine Absolute Abyss training, he'd forgotten.
Now it resurfaced.
'I'm an idiot too...'
He'd ask Master to teach it upon reaching Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest, he decided, gripping his sword.
At this pace, seven more days.
That should get them there.