Chapter 398: Appearance of a Warrior
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An instant of silence that arrived.
However, it wasn’t long.
PAPAPAPAT, PAPAPAPAT… CHEOCHEOCHEOCHEOK, CHEOCHEOCHEOCHEOK… !
About three hundred people moved in unison and surrounded Cheol Ryu-heun and Divine Wind, who had suddenly dropped into their midst.
Practiced movements.
Numerous sword sounds echoed at once.
SEUREUNG, SEUREUREUNG, SEUREUNG…
There was not a bit of hesitation in drawing their swords.
Everyone’s eye-light was very sharp.
Also.
The Formless Energy wind surrounding each of their forms too…
It was a display vividly proving they were elites who had practiced systematic combined attack tactics for a long time.
That was as far as it went.
None of them rashly revealed killing intent.
Maintaining alertness but first grasping this situation was the proper order.
In that context, Cheol Ryu-heun spoke again.
“Relax. I’m someone unrelated to the enemies of the Shiwan Mountains.”
At that time, two young men approached and stood before the horse’s head.
They were the two that Cheol Ryu-heun had pointed out earlier.
“Yes, it seems so.”
“You’re Sect Master Cheol of White Peak Sword Sect, aren’t you?”
They had instantly recognized the other party’s identity by examining his attire and horse.
So they showed respect with formal speech.
Since they had already heard about his famous Jianghu seniority.
Cheol Ryu-heun nodded his head and soon stood on the ground.
“We can skip the bothersome introductions… shall we now have a serious conversation?”
“Everyone, sheathe your swords.”
At one young man’s command, the surrounding personnel stored their swords.
Then they quietly dissolved the encirclement and gathered to one side.
Following that, one young man asked with meaningful eye-light.
“What you said earlier… what did you mean?”
“Just as I said. Let’s join hands with me and work on something together.”
At Cheol Ryu-heun’s indifferent reply, the young man asked again.
“Could you perhaps mean… cooperation in finding the Divine Martial Sword?”
Another young man quickly added in a quiet voice.
“My apologies. We have no intention of yielding the Divine Martial Sword.”
Then the young man beside him nodded in agreement.
There was a firmness evident in the attitudes of both.
That they wouldn’t shrink from battle if anyone obstructed their goal.
However, Cheol Ryu-heun’s answer bewildered everyone.
“What, I’m not interested. In that sort of thing.”
Ripples arose in the pitch-black pupils of the two young men.
That sort of thing, he said.
When the Divine Martial Sword was truly the greatest and strongest divine weapon that guaranteed the position of the Jianghu hegemon.
At that moment, even more surprising words struck the ears of all present.
“From the beginning, the Divine Martial Sword never existed within the Shiwan Mountains. The rumor was a scheme of the Darkness-Craving Blood Clan and Heretic Cult. To lure martial artists here.”
The two young men exchanged glances.
A troubled expression.
Should they believe those words or not?
But Cheol Ryu-heun was the righteous hero who had repelled that Sun Moon Demonic Cult.
He had already earned the world’s respect through his martial achievements of rallying Orthodox and Unorthodox experts centered on the Hunan region to confront the great demonic force.
So he wasn’t someone who would come all the way here and tell pointless lies.
Suddenly.
SEUK.
Cheol Ryu-heun rummaged in his robe and showed them medicinal pills.
Two in total.
“Take them.”
One young man cautiously asked.
“These are…?”
“They’re a spiritual medicine called Heavenly Heart Immortal Elixir.”
“Heavenly Heart Immortal Elixir, could it be…!”
“Yes, what came to your mind is correct. A mysterious spiritual medicine that Four Ancestors Sword Immortal personally refined in the past.”
“How did you…?”
“I met him directly and received them as a gift. I helped him out a bit. On top of that, I also borrowed talismans needed for the work and four Heaven-Observing Divine Birds.”
“S-such…!”
“Take them comfortably. I didn’t know I’d end up giving them to you here, but, well, it’s fine. I already have plenty of rare spiritual medicines in my possession.”
Everyone wore dumbfounded expressions.
CHEOK.
Cheol Ryu-heun, having sat on a rock to one side, sent an indifferent gesture.
“Everyone gather round. I’ll explain everything from now on. A new history of the Jianghu is about to begin. A history of a true New Jianghu that transcends even the division of camps into Orthodox, Unorthodox, and Demonic. All of you here will now be part of it.”
* * *
A rectangular, quiet inner chamber.
It was a space lined with luxurious, high-grade furniture.
A man leaned against a large armchair that seemed spacious enough for three adults to sit side by side.
It was the one usually called Master Bung, precisely Bung-hyeon, a core cadre of the Heaven Emperor Society.
‘Hut, with the full force of Southern Heaven Division, it’ll be more than enough to destroy White Peak Sword Sect.’
As he muttered inwardly, his expression suddenly stiffened with a flinch.
The reason was the silhouette beyond the lattice door.
Because he saw a person’s shadow suddenly appear.
Moreover, without even a tiny Aura…
As he stared at the person’s shadow, his entire body’s hair instantly stood on end.
Had he realized who it was?
At that time.
KKIIIIK…
An invisible wind opened the lattice door.
And.
CHEOK, CHEOK, CHEOK…
A figure wearing a rain cape and bamboo hat walked in.
Simultaneously.
PAK!
Bung-hyeon, having kicked off the armchair and risen, prostrated himself.
“Master!”
The Master, the Heaven Emperor Society Lord.
That’s right.
It was the appearance of the nameless wanderer who had destroyed the Divine Martial Sword.
Bung-hyeon greeted while thus prostrated.
“Welcome.”
A voice full of reverence.
A strange fear coiled in his chest.
He couldn’t help it.
Because his Master had visited his quarters without notice.
That was never a good sign.
The Heaven Emperor Society Lord wanderer quietly walked over and sat in the armchair.
Though he hadn’t even released formless Aura/Aura/bearing, the air flowing here became heavy.
Truly a tremendous Aura.
It was as if it had transformed into formless Aura/Aura/bearing and pressed down on the prostrated Bung-hyeon.
Thus, only faint breathing sounds were heard in the quiet inner chamber.
Soon, the wanderer broke the silence.
“Why are you so afraid?”
“N-no, I’m not.”
“Rise.”
“Yes!”
Bung-hyeon flustered to raise his form.
SEUK.
The wanderer, having slightly raised the brim, opened his mouth to speak again.
“I heard unexpected damage occurred. To the Eastern Heaven Division and Southern Heaven Division…”
“Ah, yes. It’s been identified as the work of Cheol Ryu-heun.”
“He headed toward the Shiwan Mountains, did he?”
“Yes. Anticipating emergencies, I deployed the full force of Eastern Heaven Division using my authority. If that much, even Cheol Ryu-heun’s party would have difficulty handling…”
His words were cut off.
By the wanderer’s light gesture as he listened.
Following that, a quiet voice leaked out from between those lips.
“There’s one thing you don’t know.”
“Pardon?”
“Heuk Ma-yung’s true purpose.”
“…!”
“That fellow probably thinks I don’t know.”
“W-what do you mean by that…”
“There’s something to recover from the Darkness-Craving Blood Clan at the end of this matter.”
“…”
“No need to be surprised. From the start, no one knew except myself and the Four Divine Generals. But you all will learn soon. The time has ripened…”
The wanderer, leaning back deeply, continued speaking.
“Setting that aside… you sent Southern Heaven Division toward White Peak Sword Sect?”
“Yes. They will enter the destruction operation soon. No later than three or four days… no, I’ll hasten it as much as possible.”
“Good, I’ll be waiting for welcome news.”
“Yes, I will definitely achieve results.”
“Don’t concern yourself with matters on the Shiwan Mountains side. I’ve already sent someone to wrap things up. I’ve entrusted the recovery mission entirely to him.”
“May I know who that is…?”
“Did I not just mention it? From the start, no one knew except myself and the Four Divine Generals.”
Simultaneously with the wanderer’s words, Bung-hyeon’s complexion completely changed.
‘Then…!’
He seemed to have intuited something.
Sure enough.
“Wang-ryu.”
Someone’s name that the wanderer uttered.
Bung-hyeon’s dark brown pupils surged like waves upon hearing that name.
“Black Tortoise Divine General has gone to the Shiwan Mountains…”
Black Tortoise Divine General Wang-ryu was precisely one of the Four Divine Generals.
It was surprising.
To think one of the Four Divine Generals would intervene like this.
Bung-hyeon knew that power all too well, so he was quite thrilled.
‘With this, the variables are completely gone. How many could possibly contend with him? No matter who, if they exchange techniques with him, they’ll meet a terrible death. Even if it’s White Peak Sword Sect Master Cheol Ryu-heun…’
He was newly curious.
What exactly was the thing that needed to be recovered that warranted moving one of the Four Divine Generals?
At that time, the wanderer let out a quiet voice.
“Focus on the movements of the Embroidered Uniform Guard going forward. The Embroidered Uniform Guard Marshal is still our greatest obstacle…”
“Understood.”
Bung-hyeon replied while clasping both hands together.
Immediately after, the wanderer, having withdrawn his gaze, murmured inwardly.
‘With the blood you shed, on the day I achieve my dream… I will finally become a body that treads upon the true heavens and surveys all the lands. One who governs destruction and creation…’
* * *
“Kkeut!”
“Heoheoeok!”
“Keokkeok!”
“Euaaak!”
Screams bursting out ceaselessly, and people collapsing while bleeding.
This was a forest within the Shiwan Mountains.
The attire of those who had already died was from Heaven’s Unity Sword Sect, an Orthodox martial sect of the Guangxi region.
Three Orthodox Sects had also entered the mountains seeking the Divine Martial Sword.
However.
They had encountered an unexpected enemy and suffered harm.
The personnel who first entered numbered about fifty, but they suffered two-thirds casualties from a surprise attack.
But… the enemy wasn’t the Darkness-Craving Blood Clan or Heretic Cult.
It was a famous family of the Jianghu, and an Orthodox faction at that.
Precisely the Sichuan Tang Family, one of the Seven Great Families.
“Detestable bastards… KEOK!”
“Aaak!”
“P-please…!”
The martial artists of Three Orthodox Sects continuously screamed and met their deaths.
Eventually, only one remained.
The last survivor was a man in his early fifties.
He too was not in good shape from the aftermath of the fight.
His skin was torn or ripped off in places, with blood flowing freely.
By the Sichuan Tang Family’s unique hidden weapons.
PAK!
He kicked the ground and fled through the bushes.
He had no choice if he wanted to live.
The moment the Sichuan Tang Family side’s elites were about to pursue.
-I’ll finish it. Everyone, stand by.
The middle-aged man who had released Secret Sound Transmission moved like a flash toward that direction.
PAPAPAPA, PAPAPAPAPA…
It was Sichuan Tang Family Lord Butterfly Dance Great Lord Tang Chun-chu.
The Swordsman in his fifties who had been fleeing while gasping was startled by the Aura rapidly approaching from behind.
‘This fast…!’
Suddenly, an iron whip rushed in, compressing the gap.
Targeting his back.
The Swordsman immediately twisted his form and dodged.
KWAKWAKKWANG!
By a hair’s breadth, the iron whip struck the ground and explosively released vast energy.
‘Uuut!’
Having lost his balance from the rebound force, the Swordsman crashed into a dead tree on one side.
KKUGUGUNG…!
The Swordsman who had crashed his back against the dead tree caught his breath, then soon emitted fierce eye-light and shouted.
“Keuheut…! How can you call yourself the lord of an Orthodox noble family and do this!”
The lone survivor’s identity was Mak-mon, the current Sect Master of Heaven’s Unity Sword.
His sobriquet was Eulji Sword Hero.
He was one of Guangxi’s Three Martial Assessors, warriors representing the Guangxi region.
Yet even he had been wounded in an outnumbered situation, and with his Internal energy as well as stamina depleted, he seemed to be struggling to handle the opponent’s martial prowess.
Of course, Tang Chun-chu himself was also a warrior in the tier of Four Famous Hands of Sichuan.
KARARARARARAK…
Having retrieved the Heaven-Terrifying Divine Whip, Tang Chun-chu scattered cold eye-light from a suitable distance.
“Huhut. Bark all you want. In any case, once you die, there won’t be a scratch on this lord’s reputation. Competitors must be eliminated in advance, as is proper.”
“You dirty bastard…!”
Mak-mon, Eulji Sword Hero, reflexively stood up, clenching his teeth.
The one meeting his gaze, Tang Chun-chu, waggled his left hand with a leisurely posture.
“How about it, shall I observe the true martial power of Guangxi’s Three Martial Assessors?”
Right at that moment, Tang Chun-chu and Mak-mon’s gazes shifted to one side.
Flinch.
Both flinched and moved their bodies with equally surprised expressions.
In the direction their gazes lingered.
At that not-distant spot, a figure was standing upright.
While explosively releasing a solemn, formless Aura from his entire body…
Suddenly.
DDALGEURAEKDDALGEURAEK…
The Heaven-Terrifying Divine Whip that Tang Chun-chu was gripping trembled.
Fear.
Having seen that unfamiliar person, his hands shook involuntarily.
‘I’m… feeling fear?’
Like Tang Chun-chu, Mak-mon was also seized by shivering dread.
Who was it?
Such a terrifying Aura was a first.
Just by standing there, an Aura/Aura/bearing that overwhelmed all under heaven was wildly sweeping out.
Neither of them had any idea.
That the opponent’s identity was Black Tortoise Divine General Wang-ryu under the Heaven Emperor Society Lord, one of the Four Divine Generals…