Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 288

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 288

The hostages kneeling in one place were trembling violently.

They were Han Bulhae’s subordinates.

They were earnestly dedicating themselves to Zhuge Munhyeon’s coercion for the peace and well-being of the Central Plains.

Among them was also Jin Yalim, the hope of the Green Forest.

Dressed in shabby clothes with his head covered by cloth, no one could recognize his identity.

With his internal energy sealed by pressure point strikes and his vital points suppressed, there would be nothing to sense.

It was somewhat dangerous, but there was no choice.

Since he was someone with power similar to Mujin, it would be troublesome if he tried anything else, so he had to keep him by his side.

Of course, he was different from them.

There was no need to hide his presence or seal his internal energy with pressure point strikes.

Taesik (Embryonic Breathing).

Based on how a fetus breathes within the mother’s womb, it was a breathing technique for immortals who cultivate spiritual energy.

Should it be called a kind of whole-body breathing technique?

Anyway, the good thing about this was that if he didn’t activate his spiritual energy, people without spiritual power couldn’t feel any difference from an ordinary person.

Therefore, there was nothing better for hiding one’s presence from martial artists.

Even now, those guys who were clearly assassins hadn’t noticed anything.

‘But assassins…’

Some of the kidnappings occurring in the Central Plains are connected to the Demonic Sect or assassin organizations.

Among them, the Demonic Sect first raises those born in their territory and kidnaps insufficient talent to raise as martial artists, but assassin organizations rely entirely on kidnapping.

That’s because what crazy person would become their disciple saying they want to become an assassin?

Unless they’re a madman completely consumed with revenge against the world, it’s impossible.

But the targets they kidnap are usually around ten years old.

Kidnapping socially marginalized people like vagrants and slash-and-burn farmers would be completely useless.

Unless they’re used for training when learning assassination techniques.

Even if that were the case, they wouldn’t need this many people.

‘In the end, these guys are just one of the recruiters.’

It means these guys aren’t at the top of the kidnapping contract either.

I’m getting more and more curious.

Just what kind of people are they to kidnap innocent people through bandits and have assassin organizations distribute them?

If these processes are happening throughout the Central Plains right now, a larger organization than expected might be involved.

To sweep them all up, I must find the head above them.

‘I’ll have to wait and see a bit more for now.’

There’s no rush yet.

I can deal with the assassins after the hostages leave for another place.

I’ve already prepared countermeasures for that.

Mujin and Dan Yeonhwa.

With those two and the Daebyeolsan gang led by Deng Fei helping, it should be enough.

How long had he waited like that?

The hut opened and Deng Fei came out.

“Haha! Thank you for readily agreeing.”

“Don’t mention it… But you’ll have to work harder. The supply has been lacking lately.”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll push my subordinates a bit harder.”

“Thank you.”

It seems the negotiation went well.

“Well then, we’ll be going now.”

“Take care.”

After simple greetings, the sound of Deng Fei taking the money and leaving with his subordinates, leaving only the hostages behind, could be heard.

He had already agreed to help him.

He couldn’t suddenly have other thoughts and betray him.

There were safety measures in place, and Mujin wouldn’t let it slide either.

The assassins didn’t move until Deng Fei and his subordinates’ footsteps could no longer be heard completely.

“Jeomrodae Elder.”

“…”

“The Daebyeolsan leader has completely left Yusangol.”

“Understood. I’ll return to the inn first, so you withdraw the surveillance forces and package these people for transport. Since you said their vital points were suppressed, check again and just suppress their death points.”

“Yes.”

After the old man’s words ended, the sound of cart wheels rolling could be heard.

Then the assassins approached and pressed the death points.

It might work on others, but it wouldn’t work on him.

Now that he was using Taesik, the very method of moving energy was different.

So he made great efforts to pretend to stiffen up.

Look, you bastards.

See how meticulous I am.

Heaven should recognize that I’m even acting, something I’ve never done before, to expose the kidnapping conspiracy and save people.

But suddenly a question arose.

How were they going to confirm that the vital points were suppressed?

Since pressure point strikes use different methods for each martial artist, it’s difficult for others to release them but also difficult to confirm. Meanwhile, the vital points directly suppressed by Deng Fei, who was on the verge of the Gang stage…

Stab.

‘Aaaahhh!’

These crazy bastards!

He almost forgot about pretending to have his death points suppressed and nearly twisted his body while screaming.

Stabbing his foot with a knife.

Is this what they meant by confirmation?

“Vital point suppression confirmed!”

Grrrr…

These sons of bitches.

Others might not know, but to inflict such terrible pain on him who was only pretending to have his death points and vital points suppressed.

He wanted to jump up and beat them all to death, but he endured it with extreme patience.

“Start packaging.”

“Yes!”

His lifted body was placed into something.

It was a wooden box.

A long box that could fit a stiffened body lying straight, and chunks of meat and various wild vegetables were placed on top to cover his body, then neatly stacked in the cart.

“Begin food delivery.”

“…”

So this is how it works.

The kidnapped people were put in food boxes and delivered somewhere.

These guys are really meticulous.

It was good that he left Dan Yeonhwa behind.

She would be able to follow without the assassins noticing.

The assassins would never realize.

They wouldn’t pay attention to the beasts she had trained in such a short time.

‘Well then, shall I wait to see where we’re going? I will definitely get revenge for my foot.’

He gritted his teeth and made up his mind.

If he waited quietly, they would reach their destination.

* * *

A little distance from Yusangol.

Dan Yeonhwa was observing the movements of birds flying in the sky.

Flying birds.

These are birds that Dan Yeonhwa, who learned the Beast Palace taming techniques, released to observe their movements.

Mujin thought it was fascinating every time he saw it.

The method of communicating with beasts.

That’s when it happened.

Dan Yeonhwa, sensing changes in the birds, quickly spoke.

“The targets have started moving in two directions.”

“Two places?”

“Yes. Master is moving northwest.”

“Hmm….”

Dan Yeonhwa had one of her trained birds follow Zhuge Munhyeon.

But two places?

“Probably one group is moving the traded captives, and the other is returning to their main base.”

At Deng Fei’s words, who had just finished negotiations and joined them, Mujin fell deep in thought.

They had to catch both.

This matter was about exposing the behavior of those involved in kidnapping to the entire Murim and rooting them out completely.

“Leader Deng, please pursue where the kidnapped ones are headed.”

“Me?”

“I ask this of you. I’ll follow without delay.”

“….”

When Mujin politely bowed his head, Deng Fei frowned and sighed.

He didn’t seem to be a stubborn Taoist.

Just moments ago when he was mercilessly beating him, he treated him like a mortal enemy, yet now that they shared the same goal, he was this polite.

Even though he had no choice but to help due to the constraints Zhuge Munhyeon had placed on him.

“Dan Mae, teach Leader Deng how to track the birds’ direction.”

At Mujin’s words, Dan Yeonhwa nodded and spoke to Deng Fei.

“It’s the bird with a red knot tied to its ankle. I’ve set it to follow Master, so you just need to look at the sky and chase after it. It’s already started moving, so you’ll need to hurry. Since they’re birds trained in a short time, they won’t last long.”

“Mm, understood.”

Deng Fei immediately flew off with his subordinates.

That settled it.

Where Deng Fei was chasing, Zhuge Munhyeon would be there.

The kidnapped ones were left to them.

“Dan Mae, get on my back.”

“Pardon?”

“If you’re watching the birds in the sky, you won’t be able to see ahead properly, right? It would be terrible if you accidentally crashed into a tree.”

“….”

Though he presented his back with a serious expression, his cheeks were somehow flushed.

Even in this situation, he clearly seemed to have selfish motives(?).

But the pursuit didn’t take long.

About twenty li or so?

Around that distance, the birds Dan Yeonhwa had trained landed on a building by the mountain path.

“Over there.”

“….”

“Senior Brother?”

“….”

“Please let me down now.”

“Ah, yes.”

His movements were very slow as he reluctantly let her down, seeming quite regretful.

“Over there, you said?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm….”

A dilapidated inn by the mountain path that seemed like a good place for travelers to rest briefly.

“Let’s go take a look first. Stay close to me.”

“Yes.”

Mujin hid his sword in the thicket and walked calmly up the mountain path toward the inn with Dan Yeonhwa.

When they opened the inn’s door, an old man who appeared to be the owner flinched, then hurriedly gathered a teapot and teacups and approached them.

“Oh my, look at my absent mind. I was momentarily bewildered since it’s been so long since we had guests. Please come in. What brings such a handsome young man and beautiful lady to this remote place?”

“I’m traveling with my wife.”

At Mujin’s casual lie, Dan Yeonhwa’s cheeks turned red.

Suddenly calling her his wife.

Senior Brother really….

“Ha ha, traveling is wonderful. I too used to go on outings with my beloved woman in my younger days.”

The old man smiled kindly and responded good-naturedly.

He knew it was a disguise.

The old man looked like he had been somewhere, and the birds were saying this was their hideout.

In other words, this old man was connected to the kidnapping.

But Mujin sat down without showing any sign of this.

“We’ve been on the mountain path for quite a while, but there wasn’t a single inn.”

“You mean this? This is the only inn within a hundred li in either direction. Thanks to that, we make a living.”

“Oh my, I didn’t know that. It seems I chose the wrong path.”

“There are people like that sometimes. But if you’ve walked a hundred li, you must be quite hungry. Shall I bring you some simple refreshments?”

“We would be grateful if you did.”

“Well then, cooking will take some time, so please have some tea first.”

“Yes.”

Watching the old man head to the kitchen, Mujin smiled and looked at the tea placed on the desk.

It couldn’t be ordinary tea.

[Dan Mae.]

[Yes?]

[Something’s probably been added to it. I’ll pretend to pour, so just pretend to drink.]

[Yes.]

Mujin picked up the teapot and filled her cup.

No, he tilted the teapot but the cup wasn’t filled.

This was because he had used his internal energy to freeze the hot tea water inside, preventing it from moving.

Then he generated heat in his palm and evaporated all the contents.

The old man only saw white steam rising from behind Mujin’s back as he faced away from the kitchen.

Eventually, the old man came out with food.

“I hope it suits your taste.”

“Right now, anything would taste like a feast to us.”

The old man smiled brightly and set down the food, then looked at the teapot and empty cups on the desk.

“Hmm, did you finish all of that?”

“Ah, actually we were hoping to order more tea….”

At Mujin’s words, the old man’s expression changed drastically.

The face that had been wearing a kind smile instantly hardened into something wicked and cold.

“I see. How admirable.”

Along with his expression, his tone of speech changed completely.

The old man with a sinister expression picked up a staff that had been leaning against the wall.

What emerged from his bony hand was a sword that looked like a metal skewer.

“Now then… shall we talk about what purpose brought you to this place?”

“…Pardon?”

“You two. You’re too clumsy.”

“….”

“The woman blushing at the word ‘wife’ aside, these people claiming to be traveling have no luggage whatsoever… and most importantly, those hands belong to those who have trained with swords. But seeing they have no swords, did they hide them outside?”

As Mujin tried to move in response to the sword pointed at him, the old man spoke.

“Don’t even think about attacking. The tea you drank contains Power Dispersal poison.”

Mujin, who had been frowning at the old man’s words, soon relaxed his expression and nodded calmly.

“I thought so, somehow.”

“What?”

“So I didn’t drink it. Since I’ve been traveling with an incredibly smart person, I’ve learned how to devise strategies myself.”

“What do you mean…?”

The moment the old man grimaced, tremendous fighting energy erupted from Mujin’s body, filling the entire inn.

Beneath his flowing hair, his pitch-black eyes gleamed threateningly.

“I want to ask you something too. Who are you bastards that kidnapped people?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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