Chapter 251

The old man began raising his internal energy.

“I’ll reduce some of your trouble.”

Jin Ja-gang declined.

“You don’t need to do that.”

“Don’t refuse.”

The old man’s worn-out, rag-like clothes became taut and tore as wind arose from his body.

The old man took a deep breath, then shouted filled with internal energy.

This old man is Yelu Huan, Enlightened Teacher of the Fire Cult!

Rumble!

The cave, no, the entire prison shook and trembled from old man Yelu Huan’s lion’s roar.

Without a doubt, the entire Guizhou branch would have heard the old man’s voice.

Jin Ja-gang stared at Yelu Huan incredulously.

“I declined though.”

Yelu Huan grinned wickedly.

“It’s been ten years since I emerged. If I don’t do at least this much, this old man’s dignity won’t stand.”

Jin Ja-gang stayed quiet for a moment, then nodded.

Enlightened Teacher.

The Fire Cult’s leadership was the One Pearl Six Light Body structure.

One Cult Leader and six Sect Masters.

An Enlightened Teacher could be called the leader among the leaders guiding the Fire Cult. From the Martial Alliance’s perspective, which sought to find and eliminate the Fire Cult’s roots by any means, he was the top elimination target.

Yelu Huan’s warning that Jin Ja-gang’s life would be in danger if he became known to him hadn’t been an exaggeration. Moreover, Yelu Huan had clearly warned Jin Ja-gang, giving him a final chance to leave.

He had probably been thinking of such a thing from that moment.

However, if he was a Enlightened Teacher, he had more than enough to do so. He would have confidence having such military power.

It wouldn’t suit one of the Fire Cult’s Six Light Body members to secretly sneak out for fear of the Guizhou branch’s warriors.

But…

Suddenly the prisoner outside spoke.

“Mok Ho. It’s time for prayer.”

“Is it already dawn?”

“Yes. The first light has broken. Light is seeping in.”

Yelu Huan suddenly arranged his rag-like clothes, found his direction, and knelt down.

“…”

Jin Ja-gang lost words for a moment, then spoke.

“It seems like instead of reducing my trouble, I need to solve your trouble instead. Am I mistaken?”

“Our Fire Cult prays five times a day. I can’t delay prayer time to deal with small fry. Tell them to wait outside for a bit.”

“Will they wait if I tell them to wait?”

But Yelu Huan didn’t answer and was already about to prostrate himself.

Jin Ja-gang couldn’t tell if this was some inexplicable stubbornness or what the reason was.

Jin Ja-gang said.

“You owe me a debt.”

Flinch.

Yelu Huan looked at Jin Ja-gang as if asking what he meant.

“That’s the proper way in the martial world, I heard.”

“Isn’t the debt you owe me?”

“As a messenger, I gave what I should give and received what I should receive. You’re the one who said that.”

The prisoner outside shouted.

“You bastard, knowing who that person is, you still call him old man! How rude!”

But Yelu Huan agreed.

“There’s logic to that. I’m someone who doesn’t make empty promises. I owe you a debt.”

“Understood.”

Then for the first time, Yelu Huan asked Jin Ja-gang’s name.

“What’s your name?”

“Jin Ja-gang.”

The prisoner outside exclaimed “Huh!” but Jin Ja-gang paid no mind. He pushed open the unlocked cell door and came out.

Passing by the cells, he could see the prisoner who had been speaking and interrupting from earlier sitting inside a cave.

He was gaunt with long limbs. He had a long face and pointed chin giving him an eerie appearance, and the place where an eye should be was completely hollowed out, making his impression even worse with only one eye remaining.

He was watching Jin Ja-gang with his sharp single eye.

However, Jin Ja-gang slightly nodded his head in greeting and passed by indifferently.

After Jin Ja-gang left the cave, the man quietly asked Yelu Huan.

“Mok Ho. Why did you do that?”

[TL Note – Mok Ho means Reverence Guardian.]

He was asking about the reason for deliberately causing a commotion and sending Jin Ja-gang outside.

Yelu Huan answered without any trace of humor.

“Today is the day to officially present the Jade Void Nine Lights Five Thunder Toad Art to the world. Baek Li-jung will now learn that I have broken free from my shackles and that he must face the wrath of me and the Fire Cult.”

“Don’t tell me… that bastard knew your intention when he said he owed you a debt?”

“It seems so. He’s an amazing fellow. He’s clever and sharp, so he won’t be easily defeated. Now let’s pray. We’ll be late for prayer time.”

* * *

Jin Ja-gang came out of the prison.

As Yelu Huan had said, day was breaking.

Outside, numerous Guizhou branch warriors were already waiting in formation. As expected, there were close to eighty of them. It seemed all the warriors remaining in the Guizhou branch had come.

Behind was the cliff and cave used as a prison, in front were the warriors.

There was no way to escape anyway.

Jin Ja-gang quietly looked around at the warriors. Fear and bewilderment were simultaneously visible on their faces.

They couldn’t understand how Jin Ja-gang had penetrated the strict security and entered the prison as if it were nothing.

Moreover, a Enlightened Teacher of the Fire Cult!

Few warriors knew such a big shot was in Guizhou’s prison. That was natural. Baek Li-jung would have kept it hidden. Only the person in charge here would probably know.

Jin Ja-gang looked at the warriors and said.

“Who is in charge?”

Golden Fortune Merchant Hae Mak stepped forward.

“Me. You’re the one who killed our branch’s warriors and pathetically announced you’d massacre us all.”

“That’s correct.”

“Seeing you walk with a limp, you’re Poison Dragon. What grudge does Poison Dragon have against our branch to commit such acts?”

Jin Ja-gang answered briefly.

“Guizhou Medicine Sect.”

Not only the warriors’ expressions but even Hae Mak’s brow furrowed slightly. It was somewhat known that Poison Dragon was a member of the Medicine Sect. He had definitely come for revenge.

Jin Ja-gang said to Hae Mak.

“You cooperated with Indestructible Heavenly Sword and were hiding an Enlightened Teacher of the Fire Cult, so you’re definitely Indestructible Heavenly Sword’s person.”

Instead of answering, Hae Mak frowned.

“Who said I was hiding anyone? I merely followed orders from above. I don’t see what’s wrong with having a criminal in prison.”

“You don’t need to make excuses to me.”

However, Hae Mak didn’t give in easily.

“It’s a well-known fact that Guizhou Medicine Sect joined hands with the Demon Cult. Then isn’t your coming here proof of that!”

Jin Ja-gang neither denied nor affirmed.

“It doesn’t matter what you think. Nothing will change by putting forward justifications.”

“What?”

Click.

Jin Ja-gang raised his internal energy and separated the Soul Seizing Thread rings.

“This isn’t my way, but none of you can leave this place alive today.”

“This bastard…!”

“So think whatever you want. If you want to apologize, I’ll only accept it in hell.”

As Jin Ja-gang raised his internal energy to the maximum, his right eye gradually turned red.

The warriors felt an eerie sensation and raised their weapons.

But suddenly Hae Mak praised Jin Ja-gang while clapping his hands.

Clap clap clap.

“Indeed, Poison Dragon. I heard your recent momentum could pierce the sky, and those words weren’t wrong. But there’s something you don’t know. Why do you think we made the prison in the cliff’s cave?”

At that moment, explosives detonated in the cliff behind Jin Ja-gang.

BANG! BOOM BOOM!

Rumble rumble rumble.

The ground shook and the cliff’s caves collapsed. The thick wooden supports holding up the caves crumbled and stones weighing hundreds of catties fell, blocking the entrance.

Hae Mak laughed loudly, revealing his true nature.

“The highest level wanted order has been issued for you. Thank you for coming to find us yourself…”

But at that moment, Jin Ja-gang burst through the hazy stone dust and debris.

Despite the prison cave collapsing and the Bright Teacher facing potential burial alive, he showed no concern at all!

“Block him!”

The warriors hastily blocked Jin Ja-gang’s path. Jin Ja-gang filled three dikes with internal energy and launched his body.

The moment Jin Ja-gang’s hands spread, a warrior’s head flew off. Between the rings on Jin Ja-gang’s wrists was a barely visible dark-colored thread.

“It’s Soul Seizing Thread!”

The warriors flinched in shock.

Jin Ja-gang had become skilled at handling the Soul Seizing Thread, making his techniques much more precise. He freely extended and contracted the Soul Seizing Thread. Since the Soul Seizing Thread was barely visible, it wasn’t easy for the warriors to block.

After Jin Ja-gang rolled on the ground and passed between the warriors, he forcefully raised his right hand. The knees and shoulders of the warriors who had just turned to strike Jin Ja-gang with their swords were severed. Even their swords were cut in half.

“Ahhhhh!”

A warrior in front struck down with all his might.

Jin Ja-gang extended both hands to pull the Soul Seizing Thread taut, then crossed his hands while twisting his body sideways. The warrior’s arm was cut into three pieces and flew through the air. The cleanly severed arms twitched on the ground as if still alive.

Blood gushed from the arms and poured onto Jin Ja-gang.

“Graaaah!”

The warrior whose arms were severed screamed while clutching his arms. Jin Ja-gang went behind the warrior, raised his arms upward, then pulled. The Soul Seizing Thread caught the warrior’s mouth.

Swish!

Everything from the upper jaw upward was cleanly severed, leaving only the lower jaw. The headless warrior staggered and collapsed dead.

The warriors recoiled in horror.

“How cruel!”

Hae Mak shouted.

“Your ally is buried alive but you don’t care at all!”

“Fortunately, we’re not allies but simply a creditor and debtor relationship.”

Even while speaking, Jin Ja-gang had cut two more warriors into pieces. There was no need to coat the Soul Seizing Thread with poison. Against ordinary warriors, Jin Ja-gang never took more than two moves.

A spear-wielding warrior attacked, thrusting at Jin Ja-gang’s vital points. Jin Ja-gang dodged the spear blade and circled to the warrior’s side. Jin Ja-gang ended up back-to-back with the warrior.

The warrior’s body stiffened with arms extended. Not intentionally, but because his entire body was wrapped in Soul Seizing Thread and couldn’t move.

The warriors watching felt chills throughout their bodies, knowing what would happen next.

The spear-wielding warrior wrapped entirely in Soul Seizing Thread pleaded.

“P-please stop…”

Jin Ja-gang hadn’t pulled the Soul Seizing Thread yet. Instead, he asked while back-to-back.

“Do you remember the incident of massacring Guizhou Medicine Sect?”

The warrior answered trembling while swallowing saliva.

“Y-yes, I know. But it’s been t-ten years already and we just followed orders…”

“Do you know a child called Soso?”

“I-I don’t know… P-please spare me. I’m just an ordinary warrior.”

“Because you followed orders and pulled out that child’s tongue, that child must live her entire life unable to even say ‘please save me.'”

The warrior felt the thick killing intent Jin Ja-gang emanated.

“P-please!”

“Go to hell.”

Jin Ja-gang gritted his teeth and slowly pulled the Soul Seizing Thread.

Thud thud thud thud!

The Soul Seizing Thread made horrible sounds as it cut through tendons and bones while passing through the warrior’s entire body.