Chapter 303: Zhuge Clan (1)
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The martial artists surrounded us. I knew that every single one of their bearings was extraordinary.
“We seem to be fellow orthodox martial artists, so let us exchange names first. As you know, I am a man named Muk Hui-yeong.”
When I offered a martial salute first, the Xiangyang martial artists flinched as well. They seemed slightly flustered, as they had expected me to swing my sword immediately, but instead received a martial salute.
Even without knowing precisely, my rumors in Xiangyang were probably spread very poorly. That my character was trash, and that I was actually a grand demonic head who used demonic qi. I did not know about the former, but the latter was true.
“Ahem. I too hold no personal grudge against the New Justice Association Leader. However, having received grace from the Zhuge Clan, I merely wish to tell you this is an inevitable matter.”
“As I said earlier, I fully understand. If I had received grace from the Zhuge Clan as well, I would not just stand idly by and watch the main enemy who entered the Zhuge Clan’s domain as he pleased.”
“Thank you for understanding. I am Cho Il-ji, known as Flying Clouds Thousand Li.”
Starting with Cho Il-ji, they all gave martial salutes one by one, revealing their names and sobriquets.
Battles among orthodox martial artists were originally like this. Treating each other with propriety first was the priority. No matter how much of an enemy the other party was.
“I see. I have heard of all your renowned names.”
I nodded. Not out of fabricated words for their sake, but because it was truly so.
Indeed, I was now a prominent figure in the martial world that ordinary people could hardly face. Those who would be a hindrance in battle would have been filtered out even among themselves from the start.
Of course, that did not mean there was anyone whose reputation was formidable enough to pose a threat to me. If I had to specify, they were at a level more suited to Peng Chae-hyang’s tier.
Setting aside the fact that they were my enemies, I thought that was quite close to chivalry. Because if they had heard even a little of my martial fame, they would know they could not win, yet they specifically stood in our way when they could have simply pretended not to see us.
“To think the Eastern Emperor, who possesses a truly lofty name, remembers us. It is an honor indeed.”
The martial artists and I smiled warmly. It was a heartwarming scene that one could hardly imagine between opponents about to cross real blades. Because I acknowledged them, and they acknowledged me.
However, that did not mean our blades would become dull. Because that was precisely what martial artists were.
“Come at me first.”
I spoke in a low voice.
Immediately, the martial artists surrounding us leapt. I narrowed my eyes. It was the moment I adjusted the strength I had predicted based on their reputations. They were faster and stronger than expected.
Naturally, they lunged at me first. They did not pay any mind to Peng Chae-hyang beside me. But conversely, the one who charged at them first was Peng Chae-hyang.
“Uh.”
Several people charging toward me panicked and altered the trajectories of their swords toward Peng Chae-hyang.
Because Peng Chae-hyang also possessed martial arts that could never be ignored.
Boom!
I caught a glimpse of Peng Chae-hyang’s expression as she rushed out. She did not seem particularly keen on merely being protected by me. Indeed, that was understandable.
Martial artists were people bound tightly by pride. There was no way Peng Chae-hyang would be any different. She would want to pull her weight as a single martial artist. That was not something I could dissuade.
I merely hoped Peng Chae-hyang would not get hurt. That was the extent of concern one could give as a fellow martial artist. Anything beyond that would be meddling.
“Haah!”
With every form Peng Chae-hyang swung, heavy saber wind raged.
Already, the battlefield where Peng Chae-hyang stood and my side were separated.
Rather than forcefully moving over to help her, it seemed better to deal with those surrounding me quickly and go over.
Swinging Bright Elegance, I plunged among the people. My speed was already something they could hardly handle.
“Hah!”
I created an opening with the second form, Extremity, then plunged into the breach and swung Fullness to scorch the surrounding area.
While New Moon and Extremity were martial arts designed on the premise of one-on-one combat, the third form, Fullness, was made to be used in one-versus-many situations just like this.
As my body rotated, Bright Elegance spun along with it. A vortex began to whip up from my tiptoes, and sword qi began to blend into the vortex one by one.
Ch-ch-ch-crash!
As I plunged into the center of the enemies and scattered sword qi, they were busy deflecting the sword qi.
“Aaargh!”
If they failed to deflect all the sword qi, they were slashed and thrown back like that.
All sorts of swords were aiming for my openings, but with overwhelming speed and power, I did not allow even a thread of injury.
The enemies seemed to gauge my tier with that single exchange alone. They seemed to realize that no matter how many gathered, they could not match me.
That was when I saw them exchange glances. Were they trying to deploy some square formation? In the moment I grew wary, an alien energy burst forth from their bodies.
“……Hm?”
For a moment, I thought my sense of qi had erred. A familiar yet alien energy. To be precise, an energy that was twisted somewhere, one that even I, who had roamed the jianghu extensively and faced countless people, had never seen before.
“What on earth is this……”
Feeling that energy, I momentarily froze. It was unmistakable. I too knew how to wield natural energy, and I could speak as someone who had wielded demonic qi and spiritual qi simultaneously.
In the qi waves erupting from their bodies, demonic qi, spiritual qi, and natural energy could all be felt, yet it belonged to none of them.
To be precise, it was a bizarre energy that should not exist in the human realm.
* * *
Although Peng Chae-hyang lunged first, that was the only moment she took the offensive. Having no martial power to overwhelm all of them in the first place, Peng Chae-hyang’s best effort was sufficient in merely holding back several people until Muk Hui-yeong finished everything and returned.
Thus, she utilized her large saber to defend as much as possible and focused on tying people down as she deployed her stances.
“……This is not easy.”
Peng Chae-hyang’s defensive stand, which they thought would be subdued quite easily, took a long time. And Muk Hui-yeong was swiftly clearing away the Xiangyang martial artists for all to see.
The moment those facing Peng Chae-hyang also grew anxious in turn, they exchanged glances and unleashed an eerie energy.
“……!”
This was also a sense of qi that Peng Chae-hyang was feeling for the first time. A bizarre sense of qi that belonged nowhere.
She could tell instinctively. This was not energy born through natural means. It was certainly an evil energy obtained through some distortion.
“To use such energy!”
Peng Chae-hyang grew furious. As a member of the orthodox sects, she naturally had no choice but to feel repulsion toward evil energy.
Moreover, because the people using it were figures calling themselves orthodox, Peng Chae-hyang’s rage was even greater.
“Are you not ashamed!”
“What does energy matter? Is not the direction of that energy what matters?”
“Do you believe power obtained through evil methods can be used for righteous deeds?”
“You know as well, do you not? That the world does not operate solely on justice. The martial world is not a flower garden where justice always prevails. At times, one must also be able to use expedient means. Just as human society naturally is.”
“That is merely the cowardly excuse of those who lack the confidence to walk the righteous path.”
Peng Chae-hyang snapped back. Even at those words, the martial artists surrounding Peng Chae-hyang did not bother to make excuses.
They too seemed to have already recognized that it was an evil energy, and they possessed enough conscience to acknowledge it.
They simply needed power. As a place driven into a corner, having broken away from the Palace of Heavenly Worship and being targeted by both the New Justice Association and the Palace of Heavenly Worship.
“……I cannot understand.”
However, because Peng Chae-hyang was an orthodox martial artist to the bone, she could not understand using such a method.
If they unleashed an eerie energy, in times like this, it was a matter of smashing it with the orthodox path of the righteous sects.
That was precisely the duty of the orthodox sects.
As the energy newly unleashed by the enemies was powerful, Peng Chae-hyang also drew up internal energy from the depths of her dantian.
Originally, pure spiritual qi would probably have emerged. However, the energy the enemies unleashed was a peculiar fusion of spiritual qi and demonic qi.
Due to the nature of energies resonating with the same kind of energy, and because it had once been drawn out in the past due to the existence called Muk Hui-yeong, the demonic qi residing deep within Peng Chae-hyang was drawn up along with it.
While unleashing the demonic qi, Peng Chae-hyang frowned at a sensation in her acupoints that she had never felt in her entire life.
“……?”
Peng Chae-hyang was dumbfounded by the purple energy erupting from her own saber.
The enemies were equally flustered by the suddenly appearing demonic qi. In a situation where both sides were panicked and could not move easily, an unexpected stalemate occurred.
“……What is this?”
Peng Chae-hyang muttered. There was no one here who could answer those words.
* * *
Demonic qi was felt from the direction where Peng Chae-hyang was. Although I had anticipated it after feeling the eerie energy from these people, it seemed it had indeed been drawn up in resonance with the opponent’s energy. If Peng Chae-hyang had been forcibly suppressing her demonic qi, that would not have happened, so it seemed Peng Chae-hyang truly had not known she possessed demonic qi.
For now, I moved swiftly. Although they had become much stronger and faster by unleashing that eerie energy, their foundation was not that strong, so they could not become my match.
What worried me was Peng Chae-hyang’s side, whose level was originally similar to theirs.
I shook off their resistance, which had grown slightly fiercer. Even if their energy had grown stronger, they and I were already on completely different levels in every aspect, including speed, power, and the perfection of forms.
“Ugh!”
I plunged among them freely and subdued them.
The fortunate thing for them was that the skill difference between me and them was quite significant. Because of that, I was able to subdue them without necessarily killing them.
I did not want to kill even these people. Because they were fellow orthodox martial artists and people who had boarded the sinking ship known as the Zhuge Clan for all to see, I considered them not inherently evil.
When I parted everyone and reached Peng Chae-hyang, for some reason, there was no one standing around Peng Chae-hyang.
Judging from the circumstances and the wounds of the fallen people, it was unmistakable that Peng Chae-hyang had subdued them. However, it was unknown how Peng Chae-hyang had subdued all of them when they had rapidly grown stronger.
“……Uh. Did you clear them all up?”
“Yes. But Gaga……”
Peng Chae-hyang spoke in an anxious voice. I understood. She was an orthodox martial artist to the bone. She would never have dreamed of the fact that she possessed demonic qi, and she could not help but feel considerable anxiety over it.
“It is fine. I know what you want to say.”
“Did you feel it?”
“Yes, no. Actually, I knew from before.”
“T-that I possessed demonic qi?”
“Yes.”
I spoke honestly. Because I felt Peng Chae-hyang would be less confused that way.
Right now, Peng Chae-hyang was clearly afraid of my reaction. Indeed, from Peng Chae-hyang’s perspective, she seemed to think that since I too was an orthodox martial artist to the bone, I would loathe demonic qi.
Rather, thinking that way made me more frightened. Of how Peng Chae-hyang might suddenly change if she found out I was the Heavenly Demon.
“How on earth……”
“It is complicated to explain.”
For now, reassuring Peng Chae-hyang was the priority. And we also needed to quickly enter the Zhuge Clan and find out what on earth they were doing. Explanations could wait until after that.
“Let us go to the Zhuge Clan for now.”
“……Yes.”
I pulled along Peng Chae-hyang, who still looked anxious. Now, there were no martial artists blocking our path to the Zhuge Clan.