Chapter 474

“What’s going on?”

Those who had flocked there murmured.

Even the disciples had come, yet Northern Li Sword Immortal, the actual party involved, hadn’t arrived.

It was an unprecedented event.

A martial artist who promised a duel, moreover Mount Hua Sect’s sect leader, not appearing at the promised location.

The Mount Hua Sect disciples felt ominous. They couldn’t wait any longer.

Not only Mount Hua Sect disciples but also Namgung Family members and other martial artists set out to find the missing Northern Li Sword Immortal.

No one thought an expert of Northern Li Sword Immortal’s level had fled in fear of the duel.

Hundreds crossed Xiang River and searched dozens of li along the opposite bank.

And at a point very far from the promised location, they discovered traces of a tremendous battle.

Thick trees and zelkova trees were sharply cut in chunks and torn out by the roots. The earth’s surface was overturned and large pits were dug everywhere.

The Mount Hua Sect disciples were actually relieved seeing the traces.

“Master isn’t someone who would break his promise.”

“He probably encountered an unexpected opponent and is pursuing that person after fighting.”

However, the only known information was that a Righteous Alliance figure had been waiting somewhere around here.

“Ah! Over here!”

At someone’s shout, martial artists rushed over.

An unidentifiable corpse was crammed in a corner.

It wasn’t Northern Li Sword Immortal.

“Righteous Alliance… member?”

The martial artists murmured.

“Then where is Northern Li Sword Immortal?”

But then.

A heavy energy was felt.

Everyone sensed the energy and looked up. Someone was standing at the top of a towering pine tree.

He leaped down without any preparatory movement. Having jumped from a height of over ten zhang, when he landed on the ground, there was almost no sound.

Thud.

His toes touched the ground and dusty wind drew a light swirl, that was all.

It was truly a tremendous level of movement technique.

The martial artists exclaimed in surprise.

“Aah…”

Unbreakable Heavenly Sword Baek Li-jung.

He cupped his fists looking around at the martial artists in the area.

“Friends of the martial world. What brings you all gathered here?”

The martial artists answered with cupped fists.

“Northern Li Sword Immortal didn’t appear at the duel location, so we’re searching for him.”

“But how did Hero Baek come to be here?”

Baek Li-jung examined the dead Righteous Alliance martial artist, then closed the corpse’s eyes with a sorrowful expression.

“I came to mediate since there was great dispute between the Namgung Family and Mount Hua Sect. However, for some reason, our alliance’s warriors are dead, and even my confidant who led the warriors is dead.”

The Mount Hua Sect disciples already had bad feelings toward Baek Li-jung having encountered the Righteous Alliance warriors before. One stepped forward and confronted Baek Li-jung.

“When it was already decided to settle right and wrong through martial means, by what qualification does an uninvited person appear to mediate!”

Baek Li-jung’s expression didn’t change at all even at the Mount Hua Sect disciple’s harsh words.

“If mediation won’t do, I tried to watch to ensure a fair duel could occur. Watching the footsteps two giants leave in martial world history from nearby, isn’t that truly a great honor for martial people like us who live in the same era?”

Many martial artists nodded their heads hearing Baek Li-jung’s words.

The Mount Hua Sect disciples felt emotions surge. The words were smooth, but the actual attitude the Righteous Alliance warriors showed was different.

“You say that but…!”

Then Baek Li-jung gestured.

Then several Righteous Alliance warriors who had arrived at some point squeezed through the martial artists and came before Baek Li-jung to greet him.

The Mount Hua Sect disciples’ complexions changed seeing those warriors. They were the warriors who blocked them days ago.

Baek Li-jung looked at them and asked.

“I sent twelve, where are the other six?”

The warriors reported with rigid faces.

“They’re dead.”

Baek Li-jung asked the Righteous Alliance warriors.

“Who was it? Who harmed you?”

The warriors glanced sideways.

“Are they here?”

The warriors pointed at the Mount Hua Sect disciples with their fingers.

“Them!”

The Mount Hua Sect disciples’ faces turned pale.

If Northern Li Sword Immortal had been there, he would have proudly said ‘I killed them!’ However, the situation was very strange.

Just looking at Baek Li-jung’s words, didn’t it sound like Mount Hua Sect killed innocent Righteous Alliance warriors?

“They were the ones who first…!”

Baek Li-jung looked at the Mount Hua Sect disciples with a deliberately troubled expression.

“Really? This is quite a difficult matter. How could Mount Hua Sect’s heroes harm people of the same alliance, mere warriors at that? Aren’t you mistaken?”

“We are not!”

“They cruelly beheaded and killed our brothers without even listening to their words.”

Baek Li-jung’s gaze turned toward the dead martial artist’s corpse. That look conveyed a feeling as if that corpse too had been killed by Northern Li Sword Immortal’s hand. Everyone could feel it sufficiently even without words.

Baek Li-jung spoke to the Mount Hua Sect disciples in a dignified and solemn voice.

“It seems there’s a deep misunderstanding. However, this place isn’t appropriate for clearing up misunderstandings. I’ll arrange a separate place soon so we can distinguish truth from falsehood and clear up the misunderstanding.”

Baek Li-jung looked around at the many martial artists and said.

“Right now, pursuing the trail of missing senior Northern Li Sword Immortal seems to be the priority. Let’s all put in effort. To whoever first finds traces of senior Northern Li Sword Immortal, I’ll gladly empty my pockets and offer a reward of one hundred taels.”

The martial artists cheered.

“Waah!”

“As expected of Hero Baek!”

The energized martial artists came forward saying they’d find Northern Li Sword Immortal’s traces first.

The Mount Hua Sect disciples were speechless. Without properly making excuses even once, they lost the initiative.

Now the only person the Mount Hua Sect disciples could trust was Jin Ja-gang. The disciples looked back at Jin Ja-gang with eyes seeking help.

Jin Ja-gang until then was still staring at Baek Li-jung without saying much.

Whether Baek Li-jung knew of Jin Ja-gang’s presence or not, he still hadn’t made eye contact even once.

“Come, let’s put in effort quickly!”

Then the moment Baek Li-jung turned around encouraging the martial artists.

Jin Ja-gang drew up to Eight Light Dikes and summoned the Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit.

Kroooooooar!

The roar of the Blood-drinking Demon Spirit!

The howl that rang from inside Jin Ja-gang became energy waves and spread in all directions. All the martial artists nearby got goosebumps on their skin. Hair stood on end.

“Wh-what!”

The martial artists who were just excitedly about to search for Northern Li Sword Immortal for the hundred tael reward shuddered and turned around.

Jin Ja-gang stared straight at Baek Li-jung’s back and poured out even more internal energy.

‘Reveal yourself!’

With this level of internal energy pouring out, the Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit inside Baek Li-jung couldn’t not respond!

Baek Li-jung stopped walking.

Then very slowly, gradually turned his head.

However, there was not the slightest change on Baek Li-jung’s face!

Baek Li-jung looked at Jin Ja-gang with a calm attitude, then slowly formed a smile at the corners of his mouth.

As if he knew Jin Ja-gang would do that.

As if showing it was useless.

Jin Ja-gang’s eyebrows furrowed.

It wasn’t a long time.

Yet Baek Li-jung had changed.

Not even revealing the Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit inside? Was the energy Baek Li-jung felt at Min River Jin Ja-gang’s misconception?

Chilling!

Rather, Jin Ja-gang’s spine shrank.

Grrrrrr.

Jin Ja-gang’s Calamity Slaying Demon Spirit was warning of danger.

Baek Li-jung showed Jin Ja-gang a smile, then turned his body as if nothing happened.

However, Jin Ja-gang didn’t let him go.

“Where are you going?”

The martial artists around Jin Ja-gang, the young people who came together from the Tang Family, cautiously called to Jin Ja-gang.

“Poison Dragon Hero. Why… are you doing this?”

There are many watching eyes around. It will look like Jin Ja-gang is picking an unnecessary fight.

However, Jin Ja-gang isn’t someone who cares about such things to begin with.

“Please stand back.”

“Pardon?”

Baek Li-jung asks Jin Ja-gang with a relaxed smile.

“Do you have business with me?”

Jin Ja-gang answered Baek Li-jung’s smile with a sneer.

“Don’t you think you’re lucky?”

“Lucky?”

“The opportunity to cleanly erase the remnants of dirty misconduct you left in the past is right before your eyes.”

For an instant, an energy of greed flashed very quickly through Baek Li-jung’s eyes. He certainly felt that desire just as Jin Ja-gang said.

It was very brief, but Jin Ja-gang definitely read it.

“Misconduct. Those are words that could cause misunderstanding if others heard.”

Baek Li-jung laughed and shook his head.

“You pretend to be a hero, but it seems you still haven’t abandoned your dirty habits from the past. I almost got fooled by your appearance.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Now isn’t the time for this. Isn’t it time we should all unite to find senior Northern Li Sword Immortal?”

“Is that so? Even with your son’s enemy before you?”

At Jin Ja-gang’s words, many martial artists became curious.

Even the martial artists heading to search for Northern Li Sword Immortal stopped walking and murmured.

That’s right. Jin Ja-gang is Baek Li-jung’s enemy. He killed his adopted son Baek Li-gwon.

As a parent, saying he should calmly go search for Northern Li Sword Immortal even with his child’s enemy before him is somehow strange.

Baek Li-jung’s answer to that was slightly delayed.

“My son’s enemy… I haven’t forgotten. However, I’m not here as Baek Li-jung the individual. Resolving the current martial world matters together with comrades of the martial world is the priority. Personal revenge comes after…”

“Your tongue is too long. Then let’s postpone your revenge and start with mine first.”

Baek Li-jung’s face froze while still smiling.

Jin Ja-gang threw words at Baek Li-jung with a murderous gaze.

“The enemy of Hundred Flowers Valley. Investigation Officer Baek Li-jung! On behalf of all those in the medicine sect, I will kill you.”

All the martial artists were greatly shocked. Though hundreds were at the riverbank, they were wrapped in silence for a moment.

“…!”

Quite a few knew through rumors covertly.

That was something that inevitably had to follow as Jin Ja-gang’s name became widely known.

However, confirming it openly before them was shocking.

Baek Li-jung raised his head and closed his eyes. Then he muttered.

“Is that so… did that small mistake from my youth remain so deeply in your heart?”

Jin Ja-gang twisted his lips.

“A small mistake. Others might misunderstand.”

“There’s no way to escape past errors… However, I’ll request this: for the martial world’s affairs, couldn’t you delay personal grudges just a little?”

“Why would I do that?”

Jin Ja-gang asked back, then immediately provided the answer.

“You already know the result.”

Jin Ja-gang’s words drew the martial artists’ curiosity.

“What do you mean, Poison Dragon Hero?”

“Do you mean Hero Baek knows Northern Li Sword Immortal’s whereabouts?”

“Confirm it with him directly.”

However, Baek Li-jung kept his eyes closed without opening them.

“Wait!”

Namgung Rak stepped forward. The martial artists stepped aside left and right to open a path. Namgung Rak came forward with Namgung Family disciples.

“Unbreakable Heavenly Sword! I have one thing to confirm.”

As Baek Li-jung didn’t answer, the martial artists murmured even more.

Namgung Rak frowned and asked.

“The clothes you’re wearing. They’re too new. The Righteous Alliance’s main base is quite far from here, yet how are they stiff new clothes without a speck of dust? Not even a bit of dirt on your shoes! As if you changed into new clothes!”