Chapter 456 – They Live According to Their Desires (3)

When someone shines, someone else loses their light.

When Cho Yeon-woon gained the alias Azure Dragon Divine Hero emerging as the martial world's new star, Martial Alliance Leader Nam Cheon-san lost much of the authority he'd barely maintained.

"Kuuk!"

Nam Cheon-san was alone in his room savoring solitude. Normally countless people would have been by his side. But right now not even a single ant came near him.

The Martial Alliance leadership also knew. The fact that Nam Cheon-san was a setting sun.

Though he'd barely managed to maintain the position of Alliance Leader, without authority and dignity, Nam Cheon-san no longer gave people firm belief.

"How did it come to this."

He'd originally never greatly obsessed over worldly power. Even obtaining the tremendous alias Divine Spear, he'd stayed a step back from the martial world for that reason.

Yet one day he became the Martial Alliance's leader. From the martial world's periphery, he'd reached the center in one bound.

It felt like dreaming. The Martial Alliance Leader was tremendous honor anyone who practiced martial arts would dream of once. Nam Cheon-san got drunk on the honor the Martial Alliance Leader's position gave.

Like a sweet dream. At his single word, martial heroes followed in perfect unison, and heads of great sects who he couldn't dare look straight at before watched his moods.

Was this power's strength? From then he unknowingly became drunk on power. So he checked Military Strategist Namgung Chang, and anxiously worried to protect the handful of power he had. Then he fell for Jeok Gyeong-cheon's enticement bringing in previous generation martial artists. And built a solid castle. An impregnable fortress that would never collapse.

"But it was all a castle on sand."

Castles without solid foundations were bound to collapse. Right now Nam Cheon-san's state was exactly that.

Nam Cheon-san drained the wine cup he held. Hard liquor flowed down his throat. His throat burning hot felt like it was on fire.

"Damn it!"

He hated being alone.

When staying a step back from the martial world, he'd known how to enjoy solitude, but now he couldn't bear loneliness.

"You think I'll collapse like this? I'll definitely reclaim the Alliance Leader's authority. I'll lead countless heroes defeating demon cultists. Thus make the name Nam Cheon-san remain forever in martial world history."

"No, you won't have that opportunity."

That moment a familiar voice echoed through the room. Instantly Nam Cheon-san felt his hair stand on end.

Clearly only he was in this room. Naturally no one else could be here. If someone had come here, he'd surely have received a report. If they'd come through proper procedures that is.

That meant the voice's owner had entered here through abnormal methods. And he hadn't noticed until someone entered the room.

Thud!

"Who's there?"

He slammed his wine cup on the table standing up. Then ahead appeared someone familiar.

Nam Cheon-san's beard bristled. Unconcealed rage rose in his eyes.

"Jeok Gyeong-cheon!"

The being he could chew to the bone without relieving his anger, precisely Heavenly Sword King Jeok Gyeong-cheon. That cursed one who'd made him organize the Suicide Squad plunging him into hell stood brazenly before him.

Jeok Gyeong-cheon clicked his tongue.

"Huh! You don't even call me senior anymore?"

"How dare you come here? What is this place that you'd shamelessly show that face?"

"Why, is this someplace I can't come?"

"Shut up!"

An angry shout instantly burst from Nam Cheon-san's mouth. In his raging appearance, not a trace of respect for a senior could be found.

At such appearance, Jeok Gyeong-cheon clicked his tongue.

"Tsk! You're narrower-minded than you look."

"How could you? How much I trusted you."

"I cherished you too. So didn't I spare no advice?"

"Didn't you take responsibility for the Suicide Squad?"

"I did! So didn't I send my colleagues along?"

"Then why did it become this way? Those young talents were nearly annihilated."

"I did my best but it wasn't enough."

"What?"

"Simply put, it was force majeure. Even I couldn't help what happened there."

Jeok Gyeong-cheon replied nonchalantly. That appearance blew away Nam Cheon-san's barely maintained reason.

"You bastard!"

Nam Cheon-san rushed at Jeok Gyeong-cheon.

Before he knew it, a silver spear was in his hands. The cherished weapon that earned him the alias Divine Spear.

Chwararak!

Instantly his spear split into dozens. The ultimate technique called Phantom Spear.

Befitting the Martial Alliance Leader, his spear technique was powerful. No gap to dodge appeared, and Jeok Gyeong-cheon didn't seem inclined to dodge.

In an instant Nam Cheon-san's spear reached right before Jeok Gyeong-cheon's nose. Still Jeok Gyeong-cheon didn't move. Because he didn't need to.

Kaang!

"Kuuk!"

Nam Cheon-san's spear bounced away, and there a strange figure wearing black bamboo hat and blood cloak suddenly appeared like a mirage.

"Wh-what?"

Nam Cheon-san's expression twisted.

Blood flowed from the hand gripping the spear. The tiger's mouth had torn from the shock of the stranger deflecting the spear.

The palm gripping the spear still tingled from how intense the shock was.

From behind the stranger, Jeok Gyeong-cheon smiled.

"Nightmare."

"Nightmare?"

"Everyone's nightmare."

Instantly the stranger charged toward Nam Cheon-san.

Strange heat waves rose from the stranger's entire body.

"Kuuk!"

Nam Cheon-san deployed spear technique in alarm.

Kuwaaang!

With a roar, the Alliance Leader's residence where Nam Cheon-san stayed collapsed.

A storm swept through the Martial Alliance.

"Wh-what?"

"What is it?"

Martial artists near the Alliance Leader's residence were shocked by the sudden chaos.

Before their eyes the massive Alliance Leader's residence was collapsing. Dust rose high into the sky, and broken fragments flew everywhere. And someone covered in blood was thrown out.

"Gasp! Alliance Leader!"

"This can't be!"

People recognized the bloodied person was precisely Martial Alliance Leader Nam Cheon-san. Having lost consciousness, Nam Cheon-san's breath was so faint it seemed it would stop any moment.

"Wake up, Alliance Leader!"

"Alliance Leader!"

Martial artists held him but he couldn't regain consciousness and hung limply. His right hand that held the spear was broken dangling, and his chest was deeply caved in as if struck by a huge iron hammer.

"Inside."

"What happened?"

Martial artists who noticed the Alliance Leader residence's change rushed inside.

Among them was Cho Yeon-woon.

With superhuman eyesight, Cho Yeon-woon spotted two figures flying behind the collapsed residence ruins. He instinctively realized they were the culprits who'd made Nam Cheon-san this way.

"Stop!"

Cho Yeon-woon passed Nam Cheon-san flying toward them.

"Drunken Cloud Dragon, or is it Azure Dragon Divine Hero?"

Jeok Gyeong-cheon clicked his tongue.

He hadn't expected Cho Yeon-woon to come running at this point. Cho Yeon-woon rushing at fearsome speed showed extraordinary momentum. In that brief time, Cho Yeon-woon had grown into an absolute master even he couldn't lightly regard.

He instinctively knew he couldn't shake off Cho Yeon-woon.

"No choice."

He gave the stranger a look. Then the stranger changed direction rushing toward Cho Yeon-woon.

Kwaaaa!

Energy force swirled from the stranger's entire body.

Like a storm of energy force. At the stranger's unexpected martial prowess, Cho Yeon-woon's eyes widened. But he didn't dodge. That much Cho Yeon-woon trusted his two fists.

The ultimate moves of Eight Desolations Divine Fist unfolded.

"Chyaat!"

Kwaang!

Energy force clashed with energy force.

From the repulsion Cho Yeon-woon's body was pushed back. But only briefly, soon he kicked the ground about to rush at the stranger. Unprecedented tremendous force still writhed in his body.

That was when.

The stranger suddenly changed direction glaring at one place. Instantly Cho Yeon-woon's pupils shook.

"Don't tell me?"

Where the stranger looked stood bloodied Nam Cheon-san and Martial Alliance martial artists caring for him. The stranger threw a punch toward them. Then fist force flew toward the martial artists.

If left alone, all would lose their lives.

"Damn!"

Without hesitation Cho Yeon-woon flew toward them. Having moved before them instantly, Cho Yeon-woon used all his might to strike away the fist force the stranger threw with his fist.

Kwaang!

Energy force exploded right before his nose. But Cho Yeon-woon wasn't injured at all. Because he'd deployed protective energy force shielding himself and the Martial Alliance's martial artists.

"Ah!"

"Kuuk!"

The martial artists who witnessed the energy force explosion up close lost strength in their legs sitting down. Cho Yeon-woon asked them.

"Are you alright?"

"We're, we're fine. Thank you for protecting us."

They gave thanks, but Cho Yeon-woon's expression didn't relax. Because while he blocked the energy force, the stranger and companion had vanished.

"Damn it!"

Cho Yeon-woon's face crumpled miserably.

Though a brief moment, he'd clearly seen with both eyes. The face of the companion beside the stranger. He was definitely Heavenly Sword King Jeok Gyeong-cheon.

"Alliance Leader!"

"Kheuk!"

That moment wails burst from the Martial Alliance martial artists. Because Nam Cheon-san held in their arms had finally died. Though recently Nam Cheon-san's authority had hit rock bottom, he was still the Martial Alliance Leader. The shock his death gave wasn't ordinary.

"Amitabha! How did this happen?"

"What on earth!"

Belatedly masters of Shaolin Temple and the Martial Alliance came running. But all they could see was the collapsed Alliance Leader residence and Nam Cheon-san's corpse.

A tragic light appeared on Shaolin Temple's abbot Gwang-cheon's face. He hurriedly approached Cho Yeon-woon.

"Amitabha! How did this happen? Who on earth killed Alliance Leader Nam?"

"The Heavenly Sword King."

"Hero Jeok?"

"That's right."

"You didn't see wrong?"

"I saw clearly with my own eyes."

"Amitabha! How could this be!"

Shock appeared on Gwang-cheon's face. None other than Cho Yeon-woon's words. He had no choice but to believe.

"Why on earth would he kill the Alliance Leader?"

Cho Yeon-woon didn't answer. Because he was absorbed in other thoughts.

'That stranger definitely didn't use full power.'

His whole body still tingled.

Because of the opponent's monstrous strength. Others didn't know, but having clashed directly, he felt the stranger's strength deeper than anyone in his bones.

A monster he couldn't guarantee victory against even fighting again.

Cho Yeon-woon bit his teeth hard.

The situation already wasn't good, and with the Alliance Leader's death it would surely get even worse.

Cho Yeon-woon's worry soon became reality. Nam Cheon-san's death couldn't be hidden. Because there were too many witnesses.

When Nam Cheon-san's death became known, the Martial Alliance and Shaolin Temple's morale hit rock bottom.

Since it happened inside the Martial Alliance supposedly built as an impregnable fortress, it was an even bigger shock to them.

Because of this, emergency meetings were held daily at the Martial Alliance and Shaolin Temple. But no clear solutions emerged.

With Nam Cheon-san's death as turning point, the world became even more chaotic.

The troubled times that historians would later record as the Blood Sky Great War were rushing toward their climax like this.

“Cough, cough.”

Jin Ja-gang lay spread-eagled and continuously vomited blood.

The vomited blood went down his windpipe, making him cough.

His entire body was in shambles. Bones were broken and internal organs damaged. He had suffered the most serious wounds of all the battles he’d fought so far.

However!

Squirm.

Jin Ja-gang still moved. After bouncing his shoulders several times to roll his body half a turn, he stood up using his forehead and knees on the ground.

He stood and looked at Yelu Huan.

His body was a wreck but his eyes shone terrifyingly. It was truly chilling.

Yelu Huan, still kneeling, tore his tattered upper garment.

He forced his eyes open and tried somehow to see his own body.

He couldn’t see.

However, he could feel it.

Like flowers blooming all over his body, pain arose in spots and instantly became numb as if bruised. Yelu Huan groped his own body.

“Is this… the Extinction Flower bloomed by Asura Blood… So this is it. What a pity. That I cannot see.”

Yelu Huan closed his mouth briefly, then twisted his lips and smiled.

“On the Asura Path… only a single Asura who obtains the Extinction Flower survives…”

Jin Ja-gang approached Yelu Huan step by step, thump, thump.

Jin Ja-gang’s internal energy had drastically decreased, so the blood dripping from his entire body no longer emitted poison mist. However, it still contained fatal poison just the same.

Jin Ja-gang limped right up to Yelu Huan and stopped. He looked down at Yelu Huan with murderous eyes.

Yelu Huan spread his palm forward and extended it.

There was no intention to attack whatsoever.

“Stop…”

If Yelu Huan hadn’t said that, Jin Ja-gang might have just bitten his hand.

Jin Ja-gang stopped before Yelu Huan. Yelu Huan pulled out the Persian Ancient Sword lodged in his chest. Then he extended it with the handle toward Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang asked while breathing roughly.

“What… meaning is this?”

“Take it.”

“Why should I take the Zoroastrian Cult Leader’s sacred object?”

Yelu Huan gave up blocking Asura Blood with internal energy. The Annihilation Flower spread even faster.

“If the Zoroastrian Cult tries to enter the Central Plains again… show this sword. Remind the martial world that the Poison Dragon exists. Then the Zoroastrian Cult will… not covet the martial world while you live.”

Jin Ja-gang frowned.

“Don’t entrust me with troublesome tasks. After revenge ends… I’m retiring.”

“Hehehe… I’m just asking you to keep it for a while… Why is that so difficult…, take it.”

“Isn’t this too shameless? You made both my arms useless, so how am I supposed to take it?”

Jin Ja-gang’s arms hung limply.

Yelu Huan laughed heartily.

“That’s right!”

He choked while laughing and coughed.

Yelu Huan no longer spoke to Jin Ja-gang and began reciting a prayer.

“In the name of the good god, I did not achieve nobility… forgive me. For not thinking what I should think… not saying what I should say… not doing what I should do… forgive me…”

Yelu Huan’s words gradually slowed.

Yelu Huan’s body, covered in Extinction Flowers, bubbled and melted into bloody foam.

Clatter.

The Persian Ancient Sword Yelu Huan had been extending sank into the bloody foam and fell.

Kyaaaaa!

The Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit inside Jin Ja-gang roared long.

It was howling with confidence after overcoming one stronger than itself.

Now the Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit would no longer fear. Even meeting someone stronger than itself, it would never tremble again.

Jin Ja-gang’s insides vibrated completely from the ceaseless roar.

Gulp. Because of the vibration, blood poured from his wounds and his head rang, making his skull throb.

Jin Ja-gang bit his teeth and said.

“Shut up.”

Grrr…

The Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit instantly closed its mouth as if nothing had happened.

However, Jin Ja-gang could still feel that it was triumphant about surpassing one stronger than itself.

Jin Ja-gang quietly looked down at Yelu Huan, whose original form could no longer be found. Only the Persian Ancient Sword protruding from the flowed-down bloody foam indicated that Yelu Huan had been there.

***

Hundreds of Zoroastrian Cult followers anxiously looked upward.

Even when Jin Ja-gang alone, covered in blood, limped down, they couldn’t leave, thinking “surely not.”

“C-Cult Leader…? Where is the Cult Leader?”

The followers stirred.

However, they soon saw the Persian Ancient Sword tied with string and held in Jin Ja-gang’s hand. At that moment, some even howled and collapsed.

Jin Ja-gang said to them.

“Return. Tell the new Cult Leader to come to me when qualified to obtain the sacred object.”

The followers knelt with eyes filled with fear and… despair. Not toward Jin Ja-gang but toward the dead Cult Leader and the sacred object, the Persian Ancient Sword.

Yeong-gwi came with White Ape. Jin Ja-gang gestured to Yeong-gwi not to approach. White Ape, sensing the poison energy scattered everywhere from the start, didn’t come close and just climbed a tree to watch.

The followers left one by one.

Jin Ja-gang didn’t move. He no longer had the strength to move.

Only after everyone left did he lie down spread-eagled right there.

“Don’t… come close.”

Jin Ja-gang fell asleep just like that.

***

When Jin Ja-gang opened his eyes, a strong medicinal smell wafted over.

Jin Ja-gang’s limbs were wrapped in splints, and he was submerged up to his neck in warm hot springs.

It was a peculiar terrain. The limestone terrain bulged up like a bowl with a hollow center filled with turquoise hot spring water. It was big enough for one or two people to soak in. Such hot springs were abundant in the surroundings.

Monkeys were visible too. White Ape was soaking with the monkeys. It was clear who had informed them of this place.

Yeong-gwi was also in one of them.

Yeong-gwi had been asleep but woke up sensing Jin Ja-gang’s presence.

“…Ah! You’ve regained consciousness…”

Splash. Yeong-gwi rose to come out, then was startled and hid back in the hot spring pit.

Splash!

Yeong-gwi was naked like Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang was submerged up to his nose and smiled at Yeong-gwi whose forehead was reddened.

“Did you bring me here?”

Yeong-gwi said with her head turned from Jin Ja-gang.

“Yes. It’s been three days.”

White Ape chattered as if she had brought him.

“White Ape. Thank you too.”

Kyaa, kyaa!

Jin Ja-gang tried lifting his hands. However, the injured shoulder side still wouldn’t move. Only the dislocated side barely rose. Even that could be called miraculous recovery.

Splash.

Jin Ja-gang stood up.

“Ah! P-please stay a bit longer!”

Yeong-gwi shouted while glancing back at Jin Ja-gang.

Jin Ja-gang climbed out of the hot spring pit groaning.

“I can move.”

Staying still because of pain wasn’t Jin Ja-gang’s nature. Though he limped because of his broken big toe, he could walk.

Yeong-gwi just turned her head to look at Jin Ja-gang and became dazed. Despite being so severely injured, scabs had already formed on his skin and were healing.

Jin Ja-gang put on the clothes Yeong-gwi had obtained beside the hot spring pit.

The clue Yelu Huan left was also placed there. Jin Ja-gang took a deep breath and unfolded the paper.

“Ipo…”

The clue Yelu Huan left.

The characters were written there: Ipo.

Yeong-gwi tried to quietly exit the hot spring and put on clothes while Jin Ja-gang looked at the paper.

Jin Ja-gang tilted his head.

“I don’t know what Ipo means.”

Yeong-gwi answered Jin Ja-gang’s words.

“When a lower official embezzles, it’s called Ipo.”

Embezzlement means personally misappropriating government property.

“Lower official means… a government office official!”

In other words, if interpreted directly, Ipo meant a low-ranking government official secretly diverted government office property.

When Jin Ja-gang turned around in surprise, his eyes met Yeong-gwi who had just picked up her clothes.

“W-w-w-wait!”

Yeong-gwi was startled and jumped into the hot spring, even submerging her head.

Splash!

***

Yeong-gwi stopped Jin Ja-gang.

“If the government office is involved in this matter, you mustn’t act rashly!”

Ipo.

At a glance, it could be seen as saying the Extinction Reversal Pill was illegally leaked from the government office by a lower official.

However, Jin Ja-gang’s thoughts were different.

“If the government office was directly involved, the Zoroastrian Cult wouldn’t have confidently thought to enter Sichuan.”

Heretical cults are targets of suppression. It’s hard to believe the Zoroastrian Cult, which hadn’t even established influence in the Central Plains yet, thought to confront the government from the start.

“You’re right. But in any case, it is related to the government. If you carelessly touch it, it will become irreversible.”

“Since the Cult Leader specifically mentioned a lower official, I can’t make any judgment without meeting him.”

“Even if he’s a lower official, he’s still a government official. If you lay hands on him, the repercussions will reach even the Tang Family Main Estate.”

“I’m not laying hands on him.”

Jin Ja-gang answered firmly.

“I’m just going to talk.”

“…”

Yeong-gwi frowned.

Jin Ja-gang had bandages wrapped all over his body, his forehead was split, and his face and neck clearly had marks from being slashed with blades.

Though his face was pretty, looking only at the wounds, he appeared extremely vicious.

Jin Ja-gang emphasized again.

“Just talk.”

It was the least credible statement Jin Ja-gang had made so far.

***

Among the lower officials, there was one who handled tasks related to revenue and expenditure.

When Jin Ja-gang and Yeong-gwi visited the government office to find him, they heard unexpected news.

“He quit a while ago?”

“He quit?”

“Said he was going down to his hometown…”

Yeong-gwi slipped a bribe to the bailiff. The bailiff opened his mouth a bit more.

“I don’t know where he got big money, but he suddenly acted pompous, bought drinks lavishly, then quit the next day.”

The bailiff even told them where the lower official’s house was.

“You’ll find no one there anyway.”

Jin Ja-gang and Yeong-gwi went to the lower official’s house, but it was as the bailiff said.

The house was completely empty.

Yeong-gwi investigated the neighborhood and learned the situation.

“They say he disappeared with all his family about a month ago.”

“If it’s been a month…”

It didn’t coincide with when Jin Ja-gang stirred up Mount Emei or when Yelu Huan attacked Wang Xiong’s estate.

He hadn’t fled for fear of being exposed but had hidden in advance.

Jin Ja-gang still didn’t understand. He became at a loss as to how to track further.

“Shall we search for the lower official’s hometown?”

Yeong-gwi suggested, but her tone lacked confidence that there would be any gain.

If they had blocked evidence this thoroughly and meticulously, it was difficult to believe they were still alive, and even if alive, they wouldn’t be left to be found.

For now, even Jin Ja-gang couldn’t find a method.

“First, I should inform Emei Sect of what we’ve learned so far and return to the Tang Family Main Estate.”