Chapter 286: Chapter 286

“The culprit was caught?”

“I heard he is dead. At that tavern in the corner over there.”

“Heh… Who on earth was it? The Unorthodox Faction? The Demonic Cult?”

“Well… I do not know about that, but apparently Lord Hong retrieved the corpse and brought the situation to a close…?”

Conversations of people could be heard all around.

The culprit who had thrown the Changsha area into terror was dead, and the government office had taken the body.

Since the government office, of all places, declared that they had captured and killed the culprit, it seemed unmistakable that this matter was concluded.

However, many thoughts were still crossing people’s minds.

Some claimed Murong Hyeok-mun was the culprit, while others offered all sorts of speculations, wondering if it was a figure from the Unorthodox Faction or the Demonic Cult.

Although the case was concluded, anxiety seemed to remain in people’s hearts.

Meanwhile, unlike the noisy Changsha, in the peaceful yard of the Hunan Dan Family, Dan So-mi was playing, and in the training ground, Gwon Mu-jin, Ma Jang-gang, and Zhuge Yeon were frantically devoting themselves to training.

However, a few people were sitting on the veranda peacefully, and they were none other than Dan Woo-hyun, Jang Sam-tae, and Mae-hyang.

“…”

“…”

Dan Woo-hyun stared intently at Jang Sam-tae.

Sensing that gaze, Jang Sam-tae turned his head.

Mae-hyang was wrapping a clean cloth around Jang Sam-tae’s finger, and perhaps because it was quite painful whenever it moved, Jang Sam-tae flinched and frowned.

“You said your finger is broken?”

“…Yes.”

“And so you cannot participate?”

“No… naturally, I cannot do it because it hurts.”

Jang Sam-tae wore a somewhat aggrieved expression.

How could he enter the Martial World tournament when his finger was busted?

No, in the first place, should Dan Woo-hyun, who made him learn such a dangerous martial art, not take responsibility?

Squinting his eyes, he expressed his dissatisfaction.

“Is your other hand not perfectly fine?”

“No, since I do not even use a weapon, I must at least use both hands!”

“Namgung Cheon fights well even with only one arm.”

“I am not one of the Five Emperors, am I?”

Jang Sam-tae let out a smirk and wore a dumbfounded expression.

How could anyone compare one of the Five Emperors with an ordinary person?

“Are they not both human?”

“Are the Martial God and the Five Emperors the same kind of humans?”

“…Then are they not human?”

“…Hehehe.”

Jang Sam-tae smiled sheepishly.

Pretending not to hear, he acted as if he had mistake even after saying those words himself.

Dan Woo-hyun’s steady gaze felt exceptionally painful today. Fortunately, no hand came flying at him, but judging by that expression, it seemed he refrained from hitting because it felt like a single blow would kill him.

Jang Sam-tae let out a sigh of relief inwardly.

“Either way, I cannot do it! No, why did you not tell me it was such a dangerous martial art in the first place?”

Several people who were listening to those words from afar looked quite surprised.

They could not hide their surprise at the fact that Dan Woo-hyun himself, of all people, had taught him martial arts.

“You make a fuss even when you are taught. While others are dying to learn.”

“Hehehe, this Sam-tae! I do not need anything dangerous, I just want to live comfortably and peacefully by the Family Head and So-mi’s side until I die.”

“I see.”

Dan Woo-hyun let out a smirk.

The expression was very soft, but his gaze was strangely terrifying. Jang Sam-tae noticed that Dan Woo-hyun’s mood was thoroughly twisted.

“There is a place you must go.”

“Ayy, where would I have the time for that? I am busy preparing for the Martial World tournament.”

“…”

“…”

At this rate, I will die.

Jang Sam-tae thought instinctively.

He could not tell where he was trying to send him, but if he took on the task Dan Woo-hyun was ordering now, he would definitely not return with an intact body.

“Is that so?”

“Yes! I will work hard and win for the Family Head! Absolutely!”

“I see.”

Watching Jang Sam-tae nod repeatedly, Dan Woo-hyun let out a sigh. Then, he stared steadily at the grinning fellow’s face.

Because that gaze was extremely intense, Jang Sam-tae turned his head without realizing.

For some reason, a bad premonition would not fade.

* * *

The day the preliminary rounds of the Martial World tournament were held.

Because countless martial artists had gathered, Changsha was truly packed to the point of forming a mountain of people and a sea of crowds.

Although there was no room even to step, those participating in the tournament were not as many as expected.

Most of them seemed to be people who came to watch, or those gathered to touch big money through gambling.

Although it was hosted by the royal estate and offered substantial rewards, once it became known that the late-generation disciples of the Heavenly Dao Society were participating, those who judged they had no hope of winning quickly withdrew, resulting in this situation.

In reality, most of those who participated were only those who wished to cross swords with the late-generation disciples of the Eight Great Families, or those who were confident in their own skills.

“It is amazing…”

Namgung So-hye, who was looking at the preliminary arena, muttered in a soft voice.

The fierce duels unfolding everywhere were impressive enough to make one’s eyes spin.

The spectators also jeered at low-level fights and let out cheers when intense offenses and defenses took place.

That resounding sound sent a shiver through her entire body.

“At this rate, we will naturally head to the main rounds.”

Zhuge Yeon, who was by her side, muttered as she stoked her fighting spirit.

Not only Namgung So-hye, but most of those who participated from the Hunan Dan Family achieved victory in the preliminaries.

Since the preliminaries aimed to filter out the hangers-on, and they had won without much trouble, it was natural for their advancement to the main rounds to be decided.

“Is that…?”

“Hwangbo Yeong…”

Woaaaaah!

Soon, a roar of cheers was heard.

At a large arena set up on one side, Hwangbo Yeong extended his punches and kicks, instantly knocking down a man several times larger than himself.

The cheers heard at that moment were grander than any cheers heard until now.

It seemed to be the achievement created by the expectations carried by the name of the Eight Great Families and flashy martial arts.

Zhuge Yeon chuckled as she watched that.

What rose to her lips was a clear sneer.

“He still likes flashy things as always.”

“It is his personality.”

Even Namgung So-hye shrugged and smiled awkwardly. Given Hwangbo Yeong’s personality of liking to stand out in front of others, subduing the opponent with flashy and cool martial arts was a natural result.

Although he himself knew that it was a fatal weakness in real combat where life and death hung in the balance, it did not seem easy to correct.

However, on the contrary, there was also someone who made the spectators fall silent.

What was heard from there was only the scream of the fallen person.

“Aaack!”

A person rolling around with their entire body turned blue.

His lips were turned blue, and he was spurting dead blood from his mouth. Soon, after trembling, his body went completely limp.

“M… Murder is…”

“He is not dead.”

At the woman’s cold reply, the referee carefully approached. Feeling the pulse of the fallen man, he was fortunately breathing.

However, his state was not good at all.

If left like this, he would surely lose his life.

Tang Mun-hye.

She, a member of the Sichuan Tang Family, lightly brushed her hand and turned her back.

The surprise of deciding the match in less than a single exchange was one thing, but her methods themselves were so cruel that they left people speechless.

“It will wear off within two hours, so you can leave him be.”

“Ah… I understand.”

At the words, the referee barely managed to nod.

He had to move the man out quickly, but he was afraid of being poisoned and could not touch him carelessly.

“Is that girl the greatest opponent?”

Namgung So-hye stared intently at Tang Mun-hye.

Tang Mun-hye also looked at Namgung So-hye as they passed each other, and that gaze, still cold, seemed to shake one’s heart.

“Terrifying.”

“Tell me about it.”

The two women shrugged and smiled. Since they knew Tang Mun-hye’s personality well, they were not ignorant of what that gaze meant.

It was a provocation.

Meaning to go ahead and try challenging her.

The two women smiled bitterly and looked elsewhere. Just then, they saw Jang Sam-tae, who was participating under the mask of Ma Cheon-gun, using kicking techniques to subdue his opponent.

His movements were quite nimble, drawing admiration.

Just then.

Boom!

A loud roar echoed from somewhere.

In an instant, everyone’s gaze gathered in one spot.

On one wall of the large arena, a man eight feet tall was seen collapsing after being smashed into the wall.

Although it was impossible to know what kind of technique was used against him, he seemed to have taken a major blow, his eyes rolled back, and his face was covered in blood.

“V… Victory…”

The referee declared the man’s victory with a blank expression.

At most one move.

It was not that he used poison like Tang Mun-hye; it was just a single swing.

The robust eight-foot-tall man was trembling, smashed against the wall without being able to do anything.

He, who was wearing a mask engraved with the image of an Asura, seemed to be angry, but because his original face was not revealed due to the mask, it piqued people’s curiosity even more.

“Just now… what on earth happened?”

Although the people whispered, no one could provide an answer. It was a thrilling move that felt like actually seeing the saying that the hand is faster than the eye.

Even among the late-generation disciples of the Eight Great Families or the wanderers who were quite confident in their skills, no one recognized the man’s technique.

Tap, tap.

The masked man came down from above without a word.

Whether he did not even know that everyone’s gaze was focused on him or had no interest, he disappeared nonchalantly.

“An… amazing master.”

Namgung So-hye clicked her tongue as she watched the man’s departing back. Though he had disappeared from sight, she felt that he was the strongest person she had seen in this arena so far.

Perhaps the person she needed to watch out for the most was not Tang Mun-hye, but that man from just now.

“Yes, he looks strong.”

However, a flat voice was heard beside her.

It was Zhuge Yeon, staring intently at the place where the man had disappeared with an absurd expression.

Her face looked as if she was fed up, and she even let out a sigh indicating that this was completely unavoidable.

“What is it? Do you know him?”

“Huh? No… just… because I feel sorry for someone…”

Zhuge Yeon looked at Jang Sam-tae with a look of pity.

He was staring at the departing back of the man with a look of shock; pinching his cheeks repeatedly as if unable to believe it, he soon sat down and tore at his hair.

“Sigh… I guess people really need to live good lives. Right?”

“Huh?”

Unable to understand, Namgung So-hye just tilted her head.

Her expression showed that she had no idea what was being said at all.

Zhuge Yeon tapped the innocent Namgung So-hye on the shoulder and shook her head.

She thought that if they were connections that went back that long, he should have recognized him at a single glance.

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