Chapter 95
Chapter 95
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: Storm Approaches Baek-su Mountain
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"Young Master. A message has arrived from the main family."
The highest tower on the Soho lakeshore, right at the top.
Namgung Cheon-hu gazed down at the vast scenery of Soho and the spectators who looked like tiny ants.
He fiddled with a wine cup filled with Heavenly Fragrance Hundred Flowers Wine, worth a gold tael per serving.
"Tell me."
"Yes. It was a message asking when you plan to return."
Currently, Namgung Cheon-hu was out on a vacation of sorts, having set aside his duties as Young Clan Leader.
The main Namgung Clan had no idea about the Sword King Tomb affair.
To monopolize everything related to the Sword King Tomb, Namgung Cheon-hu hadn't informed the main family of any investigations.
"What should I reply?"
"......"
Instead of answering right away, Namgung Cheon-hu fell deep into thought.
'The Tang Clan... Of all things, the ones the Jin Clan made contact with had to be the Tang Clan.'
The Baek Clan didn't even register in Namgung Cheon-hu's eyes.
They were mere puppets of the Tang Clan.
That Great Young Master or whatever might seem like a shining gem in his own right, but compared to the lofty prestige of the Namgung Clan, he was nothing more than a moth to a flame.
'Has the Jin Clan guy uncovered something more? Or is it just coincidence?'
His thoughts deepened. With them came a growing impatience that gripped his body.
Suddenly, Namgung Cheon-hu recalled the monster growing up back at the main family.
His second younger brother, Namgung Cheon-yeong.
A genius who, at just fifteen years old and nearing the Three Peaks realm, instilled a real sense of crisis in him.
'The main family... worships the strong.'
Not as blatantly as those Black Path scum who fawned over power, but the Namgung Clan's traditions were unmistakably those of strength supremacy.
It was evident in how the strongest among the Clan Leader's children would inherit the seat.
The age gap between him and his brother was about fifteen years.
'Could it be... before Father passes away...'
If his brother's talent were merely that of a genius, Namgung Cheon-hu wouldn't have felt any real threat of losing his position as Young Clan Leader.
But his brother was far more than just a genius.
He could boldly claim it was the greatest talent in history.
A monster that transcended human limits.
'What a blessing. Truly the main family's good fortune...'
The Namgung Clan had long proclaimed itself the leader among the Five Great Clans, and the world acknowledged their overwhelming might as a martial house.
Yet these days, the clan's fortunes were waning day by day.
Even so, they could still hold their own against the world's powers...
Humans always get desperate when their position slips.
'Even without that monster Cheon-yeong. To restore the main family's glory, I—the Young Clan Leader of the Great Namgung—must seize everything from the Sword King Tomb.'
Only then could they reclaim the leadership of the Five Great Clans from the Peng Clan of Great Desert Dragon King's Path.
"Joo-yong."
The guard who had served Namgung Cheon-hu for twenty years, Namgung Joo-yong, replied quietly.
"Yes, Young Master."
"Go back to the main family and relay this: I'll return in one month. Handle the urgent matters yourself, leaving only the essentials."
"Understood."
He and the Soaring Heaven Sword Brigade couldn't return just yet.
Once back at the main family, finding time again would be difficult.
So now was the moment to pull out the iron horns while they were hot.
'To pull out raw horns... blood must be spilled.'
Even if the methods weren't entirely honorable, they were necessary for the greater good.
Thus, the Great Dao has no gates—there are no barriers on the true path.
"Everyone, move out. We're heading to the Jin Clan."
"Understood."
"Understood."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ It was about five days' journey from Soho to the capital.
Two days in, when they'd covered half the distance, Namgung Cheon-hu received unexpected urgent news.
"Young Master! Strange rumors are circulating near An-hui and He'nan provinces. The main family's orders are to investigate immediately!"
"Strange rumors? What kind?"
"It's... rumors that the Sword King Tomb is at Baek-su Mountain are spreading rapidly!"
Anger flashed across Namgung Cheon-hu's face.
"Rumors about the Sword King Tomb? Any basis?"
"We're not sure about that yet... For now, the orders are to head to the capital and report the facts to the main family."
"Send a messenger bird to the main family at once! Find out the detailed basis!"
"Understood!"
Messenger birds flew back and forth nonstop throughout the journey.
Each time, Namgung Cheon-hu's expression grew darker.
"Young Master! The Hao Clan is selling copies of the Sword King Diagram!"
"Sword King Diagram? Don't tell me it's the Jin Clan's!"
'Jin Geum-bo! You dare betray me!'
"Here's a copy of the Sword King Diagram!"
Namgung Cheon-hu examined it closely, and his eyes widened slightly.
'Similar, but... subtly different.'
Never mind the added details compared to the Jin Clan's version—the basics differed from the start.
In other words, this mess hadn't started from Jin Geum-bo's betrayal.
"The Hao Clan has the original, right?"
"Yes. It seems there were others besides the Jin Clan chasing the Sword King Tomb."
This was bad luck. To have this happen just as they were almost there.
Namgung Cheon-hu ground his teeth.
"Move to Baek-su Mountain in the capital as fast as possible!"
More birds arrived from the main family during the march.
"Young Master, it seems over ten sects have bought the Sword King Diagram from the Hao Clan!"
"Not only that—martial artists who've heard the rumors are flocking there too!"
"Young Master!"
Namgung Cheon-hu bellowed.
"What now?!"
"B-bandits are on the move..."
"Bandits? How many?"
"According to the main family's intel... five of the Ten Great Bandit Lords are moving with their subordinates..."
Each of the Ten Great Bandit Lords commanded ten elite warriors.
Five of them was equivalent to one of the Nine Great Sects or Five Great Clans mobilizing.
"Damn it! Damn it all!"
No matter how the world's affairs were said to be one gain in a thousand losses, this was excessively unfair.
It felt like having the Sword King Tomb snatched from his grasp at the last moment.
One small comfort: no information on the Sword King Tomb's internal structure had leaked.
'At least the main family's—no, my—advantage is secure. I don't care how many bastards enter!'
The closer they got to the capital, the more martial artists caught the eye.
No one approached, thanks to their distinctive Namgung Clan uniforms.
"Young Master. The tails following us are increasing."
The Namgung Clan's presence was enough to convince opportunistic martial artists that the intel was solid.
If even the Namgung Clan was moving, the rumors must be true.
Their numbers swelled.
Enough to instill real crisis in Namgung Cheon-hu.
"Young Master. The followers already number over a hundred."
"......"
The Soaring Heaven Sword Brigade had thirty members.
Most followers were small fry, so victory in a fight was assured—but unnecessary losses weren't worth it.
"Keep moving."
And so, they arrived at Baek-su Mountain.
"...Young Master."
"Secretly scouting the Sword King Tomb... seems impossible now..."
Baek-su Mountain was already swarming with martial artists from all over.
And what made the situation most dire wasn't even their numbers.
"Infinite Mercy and Longevity. Have you come from the Namgung Clan?"
"......"
"This one is Qing-su of the Wudang Sect."
Dozens of disciples trailed the Wudang Daoist.
A elder-class sweeper at that. Namgung Cheon-hu's face twisted at the sight.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Kekekekek!"
"......"
"Kekekekekeke!"
"......That funny, huh?"
Chui-dal's question got an immediate response.
"Of course! How could it not be? The Namgung Clan eating dirt—how's that not hilarious? Right, Brother Tang?"
Tang Gun was usually calm, upholding the poise of a later-generation righteous sect disciple.
Given his personality, he'd never revel in others' misfortune.
But right now, his face was wreathed in smiles.
"This feels damn good. Perfectly satisfying."
"Heh heh, right?"
Gu-ak, listening right beside them, grumbled unwittingly.
"Thanks to you lot, I nearly died—and here you are laughing your asses off?"
"You survived in one piece, didn't you?"
"Nearly died! I called myself one of the Ten Great Bandit Lords, and then the real ones show up—thought I was done for!"
Gu-ak recalled the Three Lakes Stronghold incident.
Posing as Mountain Blood Lord Gu-ok of the Ten Great Bandit Lords, flashing the code phrase, getting VIP treatment—all good.
Handing over the Sword King Diagram as per "Mountain Lord's orders" and slipping out—flawless.
The problem: the real Ten Great Bandit Lords arrived just barely too late, nearly chasing him down to kill.
"You said it was all improvisation! All part of the plan—total bullshit!"
"You're alive, aren't you?"
"......"
"Even if you'd died, a well-fed ghost has good complexion..."
'Hm. Even for me, that might be a bit much.'
Anyway.
"The board is set. Everything's going according to plan so far."
"That plan really exists, right?"
"Of course. It's all coming together beautifully."
Sects from everywhere were pouring into Baek-su Mountain, along with lone wandering martial artists.
Perfect cover to blend in unnoticed.
"Leaking it as rumors first, then getting the Namgung Clan to move—that was key."
"Yeah. After the last Sword King Tomb bloodbath, plenty doubted it. But the Namgung bastards moving made the board perfect."
It had been three days since the Namgung Clan arrived at Baek-su Mountain.
Today marked the fifteenth day promised to Jin Geum-bo.
"Time for us to move too."
"We'll need to prepare."
"Stock up on rations first?"
No way to forage food inside the Sword King Tomb.
Better to pack plenty ahead.
"How much should we prepare?"
"Too little and we starve; too much hinders movement."
As the group pondered, Yang-hui tossed out a casual line.
"One month's worth per person. Mostly jerky and rice pills to minimize bulk."
"A whole month?"
"Got a reason, Brother Hui?"
"Yeah."
Yang-hui's group was getting real-time updates on the Namgung Clan's movements.
With so many martial artists at Baek-su Mountain, they could buy cheap intel from the Hao Clan.
"We just follow the Namgung pups."
Only the Namgung Clan knew the Sword King Tomb's internal layout.
"But aren't the Namgung not buying rations either?"
"They bought on the way. Don't want others noticing their prep."
"They're carrying packs, sure—but how do you know it's food?"
"They were empty-handed when we met in Soho. Not leaving luggage behind. They had the packs even then."
Tang Gun clicked his tongue in admiration.
Observing and memorizing every tiny detail in that brief encounter.
"Got it. Rations are on you then. Yeon-yeon and I have plenty of our own prep."
The Tang Clan always had special pre-battle setups.
Yang-hui nodded and prepared to enter the Sword King Tomb with Gu-ak and Chui-dal.
Adu trailed eagerly after Yang-hui.
"Rice cakes! Let's pack rice cakes too."
"No. Too bulky."
"Hing. But outings need rice cakes."
"This ain't an outing."
"Hing."
It took a day to finish preparations.
Another day to reach Baek-su Mountain from their hideout.
Per the Sword King Diagram, the entrance wasn't at the peak but in a basin midway up.
"More martial artists the closer we get."
Tang Gun noted the wary groups of different martial artists eyeing each other.
"Makes sense."
"True. It's been plenty of time."
By now, someone should've deciphered the diagram and pinpointed the spot.
That was the moment.
"Hm?"
In the distance: figures in the Namgung Clan's signature uniforms.
And right beside them, Daoists in black robes.
"Wudang?"
Yang-hui's lips curled sharply.
Already slithered here from Hebei?
'Not even worth calling Daoists.'
The Sword King Tomb expedition was shaping up to be far more entertaining than he'd thought.