Chapter 283

Jin Ja-gang sparred with Woon-jeong one last time before leaving.

They stood nine steps apart and raised their internal energy.

Woon-jeong lifted his bell with a tense expression. Jin Ja-gang bit down on a short-cut bamboo tube.

Woon-jeong attacked first.

“Demon-Kneeling Beheading Ceremonial Bell Resonance!”

Clang!

Jin Ja-gang blew into the tube.

Tweet!

This was the Sharp Sound technique, a sound attack method that produced high-pitched sounds to injure the opponent’s inner eardrums.

The two sounds collided in empty space.

Boom…

Invisible vibrations rippled outward as waves.

“Neutralized!”

Woon-jeong continuously shook his bell.

Clang, clang.

This time the sound spread in all directions. The sound attack of Ceremonial Bell Resonance struck trees and dry grass, making leaves rustle and shake.

Jin Ja-gang concentrated on his ears, identified the direction from which sounds were coming, turned his head and blew the tube.

Tweet! Twit!

Multiple ripples formed in the air. Wherever ripples occurred, fine dirt on the ground spread out in circles.

Woon-jeong took out his twin gourds and struck them.

“Demon-kneeling Beheading Twin Tablet Clapping!”

Clap!

Jin Ja-gang responded immediately, but Twin Tablet Clapping penetrated more sharply than Ceremonial Bell Resonance. It tore through the waves Jin Ja-gang had sent with his internal energy. Jin Ja-gang blocked one ear and covered half the tube with his finger before making sound again.

Shreeeek!

A sharper metallic sound emerged than before. However, Jin Ja-gang’s Sharp Sound was pushed back by the continuous strikes of Twin Tablet Clapping.

Jin Ja-gang staggered from Woon-jeong’s internal energy penetrating his head. When the head rings, dizziness sets in, causing loss of balance and making it momentarily difficult to maintain posture.

As if wanting to prove he was superior in sound attacks, Woon-jeong raised it another level and used even his secret technique.

He bit the bell in his mouth and shook it while striking Twin Table Clapping, producing two sounds simultaneously.

“Demon-kneeling Beheading! Demon Subduing Sound Control!”

Jin Ja-gang took a deep breath and raised his internal energy. Both eardrums buzzed as if about to burst at any moment. While resisting the sounds with internal energy, he drew the pure energy on his left and turbid energy on his right under his tongue.

Strangely, the pure and turbid energies harmonized simultaneously. The pure and turbid energies intertwined and spun around. The mutual interaction of yin and yang naturally occurred.

It suddenly occurred to him that he might be able to use Vortex Rush for sound attacks.

Jin Ja-gang controlled the energy to prevent it from leading to mutual transformation, making the pure and turbid energies swirl to create a vortex. Then he bit the tube with his upper and lower teeth, placed his tongue tip against the hole, filled the vortex with breath and blew the tube forcefully.

Shrieeeeeek!

A chillingly high sound emerged. It was like the wailing of vengeful spirits.

“Waaah!”

Woon-jeong dropped both his bell and twin tablets and covered his ears. His pupils dilated and contracted abnormally. Woon-jeong’s legs gave out and he unconsciously bent his knees, his face scrunched up from pain.

“Ow, how can you push so brutally with internal energy like that! Sound attacks are supposed to be delicate. My head is still ringing.”

Even Elder Bok-cheon, who was nearby, spoke with a grimaced face.

“As expected, even your sound attacks are full of killing intent. At that level, you don’t need to learn more.”

He wasn’t learning sound attacks to leisurely play flutes or handle instruments for show. He had learned the simplest and most effective Sharp Sound for life-or-death moments.

Using Sharp Sound to distract an opponent’s mind before throwing projectiles would make it extremely difficult to notice and dodge.

Jin Ja-gang thanked Woon-jeong and Elder Bok-cheon once more.

Now it was truly time to leave.

* * *

The series of events that occurred at Mount Qingcheng was enough to shake the already unstable martial world.

The Shandong Evil Sect’s defeat of the Martial Alliance’s White Tiger Earth Emperor Pavilion was sufficient to lower the Martial Alliance’s prestige. Mount Emei and the Tang family, along with other Sichuan sects, refusing the Martial Alliance’s orders and defecting was also shocking.

This could essentially be seen as Sichuan’s martial world turning its back on the Martial Alliance.

The void created by the mass annihilation of sects including the Poison Sect in Yunnan had not been filled, and the Guizhou branch had also been attacked, effectively losing control over Guizhou.

By coincidence, the Martial Alliance’s control over the southwestern region had vanished in an instant.

This went beyond simple division to starkly reveal the current situation of the leaderless Martial Alliance.

Meanwhile, the Zhuge family faced the worst situation by having their Nine Palace Eight Trigrams Formation broken twice and losing most of their forces. Moreover, failing to retrieve the death warrant from Poison Dragon even beyond the new year was a blunder that endangered even the survival of their martial family.

Decline and void.

This signaled that the balance of power was about to shift.

Accordingly, forces that had held their breath despite harboring ambitions due to Master Hae-weol’s overwhelming power began slowly stirring.

Among martial sects, Shaolin Temple with the Great Buddha was watching for the right time to intervene, while among martial families, the Namgung family, traditionally martial world hegemon and holder of the Sword King, was about to reveal their ambitions.

Additionally, a reevaluation of Indestructible Heavenly Sword, who survived after a life-and-death battle with Qingcheng’s First Blade, took place, and Poison Dragon, who killed Silent Dragon and Swift Dragon, drew even more attention from the martial world. Poison Dragon was the most central figure involved in all recent events.

Though he didn’t receive high martial evaluation due to using poison, his killing power had long surpassed later-stage masters.

Therefore, later-stage masters from various sects boldly declared martial journeys to capture Poison Dragon.

* * *

Tang Ha-ran was staying in the inner chambers of the Tang family’s main house, receiving all manner of care and attention.

However, she could essentially only go to her living quarters and the garden in the front courtyard, making it nearly like confinement.

Looking at the garden where new buds were sprouting through her chamber window, Tang Ha-ran was lost in thought.

‘Did my intended message get sent properly?’

Clang…

A small bell sound announcing someone’s visit.

A maid announced the visit of the family head, Lady Li Hua Tang Gwi-ok.

“Great Aunt.”

Warriors carried the chair Tang Gwi-ok sat in and placed it in the room before leaving.

“Hoho, how is your body? Your belly is getting quite round.”

“Fortunately, it’s growing well.”

Maids brought refreshments.

“Everyone was surprised when you said you’d return home. The death warrant issued against you has been canceled.”

Tang Ha-ran obediently accepted Tang Gwi-ok’s words.

“I wanted to protect the child.”

“You thought well. Protecting precious seeds is our family’s long-cherished wish.”

Tang Gwi-ok looked at Tang Ha-ran’s slightly swollen belly as if finding it adorable.

“It would be good if it’s a boy. If he resembles his father, he’ll become a very important figure in our family.”

Tang Ha-ran asked.

“How is he doing?”

Fortunately, they hadn’t blocked news about Jin Ja-gang. The Tang family continued providing news about Jin Ja-gang, perhaps out of consideration for the pregnant Tang Ha-ran.

“He killed Zhuge Son-gi and Demonic Nun at Mount Qingcheng and escaped safely with the Shandong Evil Sect. Nothing happened that you need to worry about.”

Tang Ha-ran was relieved. Though she had mentally prepared that Jin Ja-gang could die anytime once he entered the path of revenge, she didn’t actually want him to die.

“Now Poison Dragon has become a master that no one in the martial world can ignore. However, his infamy is higher, which is the problem. Already, various later-stage masters are competing to capture Poison Dragon.”

Tang Ha-ran felt troubled and closed her eyes. This was already foreseen when Jin Ja-gang caught Silent Dragon and Swift Dragon.

Jin Ja-gang, wandering alone without backing, was an easy target for others.

Catching Jin Ja-gang could instantly elevate one to the level of Three Dragons Four Phoenixes. It was worth risking one’s life once.

Tang Gwi-ok laughed.

“They must want to make it big, blinded by fame. Young blood doesn’t know fear. Hohoho.”

However, Tang Ha-ran’s expression darkened.

The world was wide and there were many hidden masters. Besides the revealed Three Dragons Four Phoenixes, there were plenty of later-stage masters just waiting for opportunities to rise.

Especially since the Three Dragons Four Phoenixes, representing the family side, had fallen, it was an excellent opportunity for later-stage masters from martial sects to build their reputation.

Tang Ha-ran became disturbed.

Tang Gwi-ok said.

“There’s nothing to worry about. Isn’t he a child who survived even from our Tang family’s main house, called the heart of death? But…”

Tang Ha-ran looked at Tang Gwi-ok.

“Mount Emei has begun distancing itself from us. There seems to have been some deal with that child.”

This was even worse news. Mount Emei distancing itself from the Tang family meant they recognized the Tang family as an enemy.

And the Tang family wasn’t a generous family that would leave enemies or potential enemies alone.

“Great Aunt!”

Startled Tang Ha-ran called to Tang Gwi-ok.

Tang Gwi-ok slowly shook her head.

“Don’t you know your grandfather’s personality well? I keep trying to persuade him, but it’s not easy. Moreover, your brother became even more furious because of this incident.”

Tang Ha-ran flinched.

Tang Gwi-ok looked at Tang Ha-ran warmly and said.

“I left the message you sent outside as is. However, there were many regrets regarding the content. If Poison Dragon interferes with that matter, you know better than anyone what will happen.”

Tang Gwi-ok gently admonished Tang Ha-ran.

“From now on, if you have something to convey, tell me directly. If people keep dying over such matters, I’ll be in trouble.”

Tang Ha-ran’s eyes trembled.

Tang Ha-ran had asked a small girl working in the kitchen to deliver the message.

That child was surely already a cold corpse.

Tang Ha-ran pressed her lips tight and looked out the window.

She too had once been in such an organization. Why hadn’t she realized she was doing such cruel things then?

When Tang Ha-ran no longer wanted to talk, Tang Gwi-ok left final words and called the warriors.

“Perhaps there will only be about one more chance for that child to return. Let’s make sure we don’t regret anything between us.”

Tang Ha-ran closed her eyes completely.

So the child wouldn’t be hurt by her emotional turmoil.

What Tang Ha-ran could do now, even for Jin Ja-gang’s sake, was to safely give birth to the child.

But she missed Jin Ja-gang so much.

* * *

Jin Ja-gang parted from Elder Bok-cheon and Woon-jeong and set Hundred Flowers Valley as his first destination.

As he had told Elder Bok-cheon, he intended to return to the beginning and investigate again. Perhaps there was something he hadn’t seen before because he was too young.

However, White Flower Valley was already in ruins with weeds growing thickly. Anything useful had been taken by someone, leaving nothing behind.

Extreme Poison Sect and Stone Forest Gang were the same. Not a single burned document could be found.

Shadow Bureau was also completely ruined.

Even Poison Valley, which had boasted the greatest power, showed no trace of its past appearance. An Escort Agency service had moved in and was thriving there.

At this point, Jin Ja-gang thought it was rather strange.

This had been deliberately “erased” by someone. Otherwise, it would be impossible for absolutely nothing to remain to this extent.

After investigating the surroundings, he found this wasn’t the Martial Alliance’s doing. It wasn’t Mang Ryo or the Tang family either.

Jin Ja-gang fell into deep contemplation.

Though he had prepared himself, it wasn’t a simple matter.

Between the Poison Sect and Medicine Sect, another third party had intervened.